Improvements in and relating to the Cam-cylinders and Cams of Knitting-machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Cam-cylinders and Cams of
Knitting-machines.
I, JOSEPH JOHNSON ADGATE, of Liberty in the County of Sullivan and State
of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates particularly to the form and arrangement of the cams used
in the cam cylinder and is intended to provide a cam cylinder which can be readily
adapted for use in knitting either single thread goods or in weaving weft thread
goods. As is well understood the form of the cam race necessary in making weft
thread goods is essentially different from the form of cam race required for knitting
single thread goods. The introduction of the weft thread requires the needles to
be raised, and maintained in their elevated position for some distance, which is not
the case with single thread goods. By means of my improvement I am able to
convert a weft thread machine into a single thread machine, and vice-versa as the
occasion may require.
In the drawings Fig. 1 is a top view of a half of my improved cylinder, and
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the interior of the same; Fig. 3 shows a modification.
That portion of the groove to the left of the centre in Figs. 2 & 3 is arranged for
single thread work and that portion to the right shows the arrangement for the
weft thread work.
Similar letters of reference designate similar parts in all the drawings.
A is the can cylinder, B B B are the upper series of cains, and DDD are the
lower series of cams. The alternate cam plates BB B are made in two parts E
and C. These cam plates are secured to the cam cylinder A by screws e, e, e.
The parts C of the cams B correspond with the openings between the cams DD
of the lower series. Therefore when the parts C, C, are detached from their
positions, as shown on the left of Fig. 2, and lowered into the positions shown on
the right, they fill the spaces between the cams D D D where they are inserted, and
leave above them a cam race of the correct size for the needles to travel in while
receiving the weft thread. In changing the cams CCC from one position to
another the screws eee are loosened and then inserted in different holes in the
cam cylinder, or, if preferred, the screw e may travel in a vertical slot from one
position into the other and then be tightened into place. It will be understood, by
those familiar with the art, that the thread guides must be adjusted for the
proper introduction of the threads to correspond with the changes in the cam
cylinder.
In making different styles of weft thread goods it is sometimes desirable to have
the needles elevated for a longer distance than between two of the cams DD. In
that case 1 lower two or more adjacent points C from the cam plates B, into the
lower series, to obtain the greater or less length of the straight part of the
cam race.
By means of my improvement a cam cylinder can be readily adjusted for
making either single thread or weft thread goods.
In making single thread goods twice the number of heads can be used than can
be employed in making weft thread goods, for the reason that it is not necessary
for the needles to travel any distance in an elevated position. And the arrangement
of cams in my improvement accomplishes this in an exact manner. The number of
heads being reduced by half when the cams are adjusted for the introduction of the

page_text: weft thread, will leave half of the bobbins, previously used for the single threads to
be then employed to carry the weft threads and the position of the threads will be
governed by the adjustment of the thread guides. In Fig. 3 I have shown a
modification wherein the cam cylinder A is cast in one piece and is provided with
an interior groove G, G, G, G, to accomodate the cam plates C, C, C, and D, D, D.
The groove is of a depth equal to the thickness of the plates, and is turned smooth
at its upper edge so as to afford a suitable track for the knees of the jacks when
being used as a weft thread machine. CCC and D D D, are the cams, which are
made of steel, as the wear upon them is very considerable.
These cams are of the triangular form shown and are all of the same forin and
size so that they are interchangeable. The firm support given to the edges of the
cam plate, by the edges of the groove in the cam-cylinder, renders superfluous any
fastenings except the single bolt e in each plate. To change the cam groove, for
the weft thread work the alternate cams in the series C C C are loosened and
inserted between the alternate pair of the series of cams D D D, as shown in the
left in Fig. 3. This form is desirable as effecting a saving of the material in the
steel required for the cams, for two edges of each cam can be used in forming
the groove, and should the lower cams D D D for instance, on the right of Fig. 3
become worn they can be interchanged, so as to turn their worn edges against the
intervening cam C, the cam D on the left of cam C being placed on the right, and
vice versa or the cams C C may be substituted for D D.
In the variation shown in Fig. 3 I bevel the upper portion of the cylinder, as
shown from F to H, so as to present no resting place for the lint to accumulate
upon and work back into the machine, as it is likely to do when the edge is
left flat.
As the tendency of the needles is downward there is very little wear against the
upper edge of the cam groove, and the iron of the cam cylinder is sufficiently hard
to sustain whatever wear there is from the needle jacks, when the groove is formed
as on the right of Fig. 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what [
claim is :-
1. A cam cylinder for kuitting machines consisting of the cylinder A, an upper
and lower series of cam plates, and intermediate adjustable cam plates, whereby
the course of the cam race may be changed, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. The combination, with the cam cylinder A, of the lower series of cam
plates D D D, the upper series of cam plates B B B, a portion of said cam
plates B B being made in two parts C and E, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
3. The combination, with the cam cylinder A of the cam plates D D D, B B B,
EEE, and CC C, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. A cam cylinder, formed of a circular ring, provided with an upper and lower
series of triangular cams forming a knitting groove, and means for detachably
securing them in place, said cams being uniformly interchangeable, whereby cams
of one series may be raised or lowered between cams of the other series, substantially
as described.
Dated this 1st day of October 1895.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to
Applicant.