Improvements in and relating to Knitting Machines
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SIEVITICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ROGER KIRKPATRICK, of No. 1813, Park Avenue,
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Gentleman.]..
Improvements in and relating to Knitting Machines..
I, ABERCROMBY ANSON CRAVEN NELSON, The Priory Bicester, Oxon, late
Captain 5th Dragoons, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to rotary knitting machines and especially to weft thread
machines.
The object of the first part of my invention is so to construct a cam-cylinder for
such machines that the needles with their jacks and cranks shall be exposed to view
throughout the whole of their circuit, and also that the lint which is constantly
being deposited on the needles and jacks when the machine is in operation and
which interferes with the action of these parts can automatically pass down
and out.
The improved cam-cylinder comprises two plain rings, properly stayed, and
supporting in the open space between them a skeleton or open cam-race as below
set forth.
The object of the next part of my invention is so to construct the jacks of the
bent needles, used with straight needles in knitting machines that the bringing of
the bent needles into line with the straight needles after the introduction of the
weft thread, preparatory to casting off, shall occasion little, if any, friction on the
needle cylinder, or cam-cylinder, while at the same time I am enabled to use a
crooked needle of uniform thickness from its latch to its jack.
}
This part of my invention consists (1) in bevelling off the front upper portion
and diagonally opposite or rear lower portion of the bent needle-jack sufficiently to
allow said jack to rock to and fro in its cam-groove without springing the needle ;
(2) in combining with the jack so constructed a hent needle of uniform thickness
from its latch to its jack.
In the annexed drawings,
Figure 1 is a top view of a knitting machine, showing the supporting table, the
annular seat thereon for the cam-cylinder, the upper ring of this cylinder, the
upright braces by which the upper ring and lower ring of the cam-cylinder are
held together; showing also the needle cylinder, the usual annular space between
said two cylinders, and the lugs and screw bolts by which the cam-cylinder is
adjusted up and down as required to change the length of the stitch;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the table (legs omitted) the annular seat thereon
and the cam-cylinder;
Figure 3 is a section of the cam-cylinder on the line of Figure 2 ;
Figure 4 is a section of the same on the line y y of Figure 2; showing also a
needle with its jack and crank in elevation;
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a portion of the bars forming the cam-race, on
an enlarged scale;
Figure 6 is a side elevation, and
Figure 7 a front elevation of a straight needle with its latch, jack, and cam-
groove projection or crank ;
Figure 8 is a section of the same on the line s, s of Figure 6;
Figure 9 is a side elevation, and
Figure 10 a front elevation of a bent needle of uniform thickness provided with
its latch, bevelled jack, and cam-groove projection or crank;
017

page_text: Figure 11 is a section of the same on the line t, t of Figure 9.
Figure 12 is a sectional elevation of parts of the needle cylinder and cam cylinder
showing the relative positions of the straight needle jack and of the bent needle jack
in the needle groove B when the two needles are elevated to form the ordinary open
space N for the reception of the weft thread;
Figure 13 is a similar view showing the relative positions of the same parts
when the needles have come into their most depressed positions preparatory to
casting off;
Figure 14 is a front view of the straight and of the bent needles with their
respective jacks, showing that these two needles with their jacks work in the same
sized needle
groove, and
".
Figure 15 is a plan of a portion of the ring A¹ attached to the top of the needle
cylinder around the outside of the same.
In Figures 1 and 2 a represents a table, and 6 an annular seat thereon; these
parts being in the usual form. c represents the upper ring, d the lower ring of the
cam-cylinder, and e the upright braces by which the rings c and d are held
together; and g represent bars preferably made of polished steel, secured in the
open space between the rings c and d, and forming the cam race h. These bars are
made of sufficient width to admit of their being fastened to the rings c and d near
their outer edges as shown in Figures 3 and 4, leaving a space i Figure 4 sufficient
for the clear passage of the projection or crank of the needle jack k, (see
Figure 4)..
,Figures 1 and 2 represent lugs formed on the ring d; Figure 2 are other
lugs formed on the seat b, which seat is secured to the table a by screws or other
sufficient fastenings. m m represent screw bolts; n n, are collars integral with the
bolts m respectively; p p are nuts.
By means of these devices the cam cylinder as a whole is secured to the seat b
and also, as occasion may require to produce a shorter or longer stitch, is adjusted
up and down.
Referring now to Figures 6 to 15 A represents a portion of a needle cylinder;
B a jack race; B¹ B¹ needle races; a portion of a cam-cylinder; D a straight
needle provided with its latch E; jack F and crank G. All these parts are in the
ordinary form. H represents a bent needle provided with the usual latch I and
with its peculiarly constructed jack J and crank K; the upper front portion L and
the lower back portion M of the jack J, are bevelled off as shown in Figures 9, 12
and 13 to allow the jack J to oscillate to and fro in the jack race B, and cam
race C on a pivotal point indicated by the dotted lines u, u and v, v; the lower
face of the crank K from its front O to its rear P is slightly bevelled, as shown in
Figures 9, 12 and 13 to admit of the free oscillation of the jack J as aforesaid,
without affecting the length of the stitch.
A¹ Figures 12, 13 and 15 represents the ring attached to the outside of the
needle cylinder A at the top thereof; B' represents the needle races in the
ring A¹.
The bent needle being of the same thickness as the straight needle and of
uniform thickness throughout from its latch to its junction with the jack, and being
free to oscillate in its race, the stitches formed on the bent needle are not
stretched but are uniform in size with the stitches formed by the straight needle.
When the needles rise to take the threads, the bent needles move backwards,
thus forming the space between them and the straight needles for the weft thread.
The stitches cause the backward tip of the bent needles holding the jacks of these
needles against the backs of the grooves whilst the respective bends or crooks are
above the upper edge of the needle cylinder.
In the descent of the bent needles, when their backward bends come down to the
upper edge of the ring A', this ring acts as a cam and tips the bent needles forward
to the extent of their bends and thus brings the bent needles into line with the
straight needles.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a rotary knitting machine, a cam-cylinder consisting of two plain rings
braced together, with an intervening space between them, and supporting in said
space a skeleton or open cam-race, substantially as set forth.
2. A bent needle in combination with a jack which is bevelled off at its front
upper and its diagonally opposite, or back lower portion, substantially as, and for
the purpose, set forth.
3. A bent needle, uniform or not in thickness from its latch to its junction with
the jack, in combination with a jack which is bevelled off at its front upper and its
diagonally opposite, or back lower portion, and provided with a bevelled crank K,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
4. The cam-cylinder constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1 to 5, for the purpose specified.
5. A combined bent needle and jack, constructed substantially as described with
reference to Figures 9 to 15, and operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 7th day of February 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.