CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS UPON A MACHINE OR MACHINERY, ALREADY IN USE FOR MAKING HOSIERY OR FRAMEWORK KNITTED WORK, COMMONLY, CALLED THE STOCKING FRAME,
Year: 1816

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jonn
HEATHCOAT, late of Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, but now of
Tiverton, in the County of Devon, Lace Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I, the said John Heathcoat, did, by my Petition, humbly
represent to His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Third,
that I had invented "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS UPON A MACHINE OR MACHINERY,
ALREADY IN USE FOR MAKING HOSIERY OR FRAMEWORK KNITTED WORK, COMMONLY,
CALLED THE STOCKING FRAME," His said Majesty was graciously pleased to
issue His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Thirtieth day of May, in the fifty-sixth year of His
reign, which Letters Patent did give and grant unto me, the said John
Heathcoat, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His Majesty's. special
licence, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Heathcoat, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, my or their deputies, servants or agents,
and no others, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend my
said Invention within that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters
Patent; the said Letters Patent contain a proviso obliging me, the said John
Heathcoat, to particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said.
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled
in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within. fifteen calendar months next

page_text: and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by
the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Heathcoat, do, by this Instrument, describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed.
To render this my Specification more clear, I divide the same into two parts,
whereof the first part and the nine sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed
describe a complete machine for making hosiery or framework knitted work
in its improved state. And I have endeavoured so to describe the complete
machine that persons competent to the construction of complicated and intricate
machinery, who have a perfect knowledge of the stocking frame and the varia-
tions thereof in common use, will be able to execute such a machine, and put
the same to work. And the second part of my Specification points out in
what the improvements consist which are secured to me for my sole use and
benefit during the term of the aforesaid Patent.
FIRST PART.DESCRIPTION OF THE MACHINE.
The fabric which is commonly called knitted work or framework knitted
work, if made by a machine, and also the stocking frame by which the same is
made, are so well known as to require only a very slight description to shew how
the improvements which are the subject of this Patent are combined there-
with. The thread is laid along the row of needles across the stem of each
needle by the hand of the workman, who then proceeds to form the thread
into loops by causing the parts called jack sinkers to descend in the spaces
between the needles, one jack sinker at a time, beginning at that end of the
frame from whence the thread was brought. The projecting parts of the
sinkers called catchers carry down the thread between the needles, making the
thread into loops, which loops contain twice the quantity of thread which is
required to form each stitch of the work, but the number of the loops is only
kalf the number of stitches required in the breadth of the piece. The next
operation is to sink the lead sinkers which are contained between each
alternate needle, and are regularly interspaced between the jack sinkers. The
lead sinkers are sunk altogether, and at the same time the jack sinkers are
raised up by a little, by which means the lead sinkers take from the neigh-
bouring jack sinkers one half of the quantity of thread which those jack
sinkers gathered in the former instance and form it into loops. The thread is
thus by the action of the jack sinkers and lead sinkers formed into a loop over
each needle. By the next operation the row of loops is brought under the beards
or hooked ends of the needles, and then by means of the presser the beards or

page_text: .
hooks are closed down upon the loops. The stitches of the work which were
made in the preceding course are next brought over the row of loops which
are shut
up
underneath the beards of the needles, and the loops are thereby
formed into stitches. The stitches are carried back on the stems of the needles,
and another course is worked in the same manner by laying the thread again
and forming it into loops, over which the last formed stitches will be drawn,
and so on.
The principal object of the improvements herein-after described is to enable
several pieces of the aforesaid texture (which, for the sake of brevity, will
henceforth be called the web) to be brought at one operation in separate
heights or tiers by means of one set of jacks and jack sinkers and lead
sinkers. To effect this each sinker is separated into two distinct pieces or
instruments. One of these pieces I call the hook; it performs the office of
those parts of the sinker which are called the belly and arches of the sinker;
that is, it beats over the work, and also carries back the work on the stems of
the needles. When a new course is to be worked a row of these hooks is fixed
upon a hook bar, and there is a separate hook bar and row of hooks for cach
web. The sinkers in the improved machine perform the office of that art of the
common sinker which is called the catch, that is, they sink the thread into
loops between the needles. The sinker frame containing both the jack sinkers
and lead sinkers is placed in the front of the needles, and the sinkers are
capable of being put in amongst the needles when they are required to form
the loops; or they can be brought out of the needles and turned down out of
the way to give access to the needles when the thread is to be laid across the
needles, and also to examine the progress of the operation. There is only one
set of these sinkers for any number of tiers of needles and hooks which it may
be thought adviseable that the machine shall work at the same time. The
sinkers contained in the frame are of two kinds, viz, lead sinkers and jack
sinkers, which have the same properties as in the stocking frame; that is to say,
the jack sinkers are attached each to a separate lever or jack, and are capable
of falling in succession one by one to form long loops between every- other
alternate needle (or other certain given intervals). The lead sinkers are all
fixed to the frame and sink together to take a part of the former loops to make
other loops between and upon the needles in such intervals. Therefore by the
jack and lead sinkers a loop is formed between and upon each needle. The
pressing in the improved machine is performed by a wire or rod fixed in and
passing through holes in the hooks. This is a general description of the principal
variations in the construction and application of those parts of the stocking frame
which operate immediately upon the thread, and, being understood, the uses of the

page_text: Fifth, the hooks and presser
several subordinate parts of the machine will be readily comprehended. The
different portions of the machinc are described in the following order:-First, the
needles, and the combination of parts which sustain them, and gives them their
requisite motions.. Secondly, the machinery for laying the thread. Third, the
frame of: sinkers, and the parts belonging to it. Fourth, the jack sinkers, jacks,
catches, slur, and parts belonging thereunto.
with their appurtenances. Sixth, the machinery by which the motion of the
thread layer is regulated at pleasure, so as to produce the narrowing of the
width of the web for stockings or other similar articles. For the convenience
of reference the parts devoted to each of those different objects: are dis-
tinguished by different colours. in the. Drawing, Sheet One, and in the other
Sheets the parts are shewn separately.
Needles. The needles are of the same form as in a common stocking frame,
they are cast in leads or solders upon plates, 4, Sheet Four, which plates are
applied upon the upper sides of the needle bars 1, and that the needles may
be readily removed, the needle plates 4 are screwed to the needle bar at
the back edge. The needle bars are fixed in a horizontal position one above
another in the needle frame 36, 37, by the pins or axles 2, which are screwed
to the edges 37 of the needle frames, the axles enter into holes in the tails,
Three, of the needle bars. The extreme ends of each of the tails bear upwards
against the end of a screw 44, the head of which is cut into notches in the
same manner, and answers the purpose of a star screw in the stocking frame.
By turning one or other of the star screws 44, any one of the rows of needles
'can be made to raise or sink a small quantity, so that when the jacks are
drawn the length of the loops formed on that row of needles will be longer or
'shorter than in the preceding course as the case may require. The needle frame
is: suspended on pins in the arms of a crank bar 38, the spindle of which is sup-
ported on points at the top of the frame of the machine. The needle frame is
kept steady, and also drawn back by means of arms 39, which proceed backwards
'from the upright sides 37, and which are jointed to. the top of the short upright
'levers 40; these levers proceed from an horizontal axis 41, from which are two
projecting arms with rollers 42, to bear upon the circumference of the camm 43;
and during the revolution of the camm, by its deviation from a circular figure,
it communicates motion to the needle frame and all the needle bars which
aro fixed in it. The effect of the motion is to draw the needles back, to bring
'the loops beneath the beards, and to beat the work over the loops, then to
advance the needles forwards again, in order to work another course.
The Thread Layer.-This is attached to a small carriage 80 and 81, which runs
upon railways.77 at the upper part of the machine; it carries two perpendicular

page_text: stems 88, which descend before the rows of needles, and have small tubes 84
projecting from them at the back, and extending over the needles; one such
tube is provided for each row of needles. The carriage is moved by the screws
69 or 70 from one end of the machine towards the other, and each tube then
lays a thread on that row of needles to which it belongs. The operation of the
thread layer takes place at the time when the frame of sinkers is removed from
the needles to give access to the needles as in Figure B, Sheet One, and the
needles are brought forward. The screws 69 and 70, which move the carriage,
revolve constantly with a rapid circular motion by the communication of
wheelwork shewn in Fig. A, Sheet One, at 62, 65, 66, and 67. When the
needle frame 36 comes fully forwards it presses the tumbler 72 towards one of
the screws 69 or 70, and the concave part of the die, which is fastened to the
tumbler, being cut to correspond with and work upon the threads of the screw,
the tumbler is carried along by the motion of this screw, and being connected
with the carriage gives motion to it likewise, and moves the layers along to lay
the threads across the needles as before mentioned. The two screws 69 and 70
are fixed one over the other, and are both made to move together by means of
two equal pinions 68, 68; this mode of connection makes the screws turn in con-
trary directions; the tumbler 72 is situated between them and has a die or concave
piece fastened on both sides to work in either screw, but the distance between
the screws is such, that the tumbler can only engage in the threads of one
screw at once. The tumbler has a cross axis, and is moveable upon screw
joints, which are fixed in a driving plate 78, which is fitted into an horizontal.
grove formed between two bars 89 that extend over the machine; the driving
plate is connected with the carriage by a pin 75, so that when the driving
plate moves in its grove the carriage will be made to move along upon the
railway. If the tumbler is lifted up, its upper die will act in the threads
of the upper screw, and the motion of that screw will carry the driving
plate 73, and the carriage also, in a direction from the left-hand end of the
machine to the right-hand end. On the contrary, if the tumbler is pressed
down it will engage with the lower screw 69, and will be carried by it in a
contrary direction. The tumbler is kept in contact with either of the screws
with which it may be engaged by means of a ruler 90 fixed across the
machine; a tooth projects from the tumbler at the end, which tooth bears
against the elge of the ruler either on the upper side when the tumbler
acts with the. . upper screw, or on the lower side when it acts with the
lower screw. When the carriage has proceeded in either direction to the
'end of its course, the tumbler comes to the end of the spiral of the screw, and,
in consequence, the motion of the carriage ceases. At the same time the tooth

page_text: of the tumbler comes opposite to a notch in the edge of the ruler 90, which
notch will allow the tumbler to be thrown in contact with the opposite screw,
when the needle frame comes forwards and presses the tumbler in that
direction. When the tunibler and carriage are at the left-hand end of tho
machine, and are to be sent to the right, the tumbler requires to be lifted up
to engage it with the upper screw, which will carry it to the right-hand end.
The tumbler is lifted up by a dettent 92, Sheet 1, Fig. B, attached to the
needle frame. When the carriage arrives at the right-hand end, and the
tumbler comes over the notch in the ruler 90, it will require to be pressed
down to engage it with the lower serew: this is likewise done by a dettent 93,
fixed to the needle frame; but to prevent the tooth of the tumbler from falling
through the notch in the ruler 90 before dettent 93 of the needle frame acts
upon it, a spring 91 is applied in the notch at the right-hand end, which
nearly fills the notch,' and is sufficiently strong to hold up the tumbler, unless
some superior force is applied to press the tumbler down to the lower
screw; the spring then yields before the tumbler, and its tooth passes through
the notch in the edge of the ruler 90, and the die engages with the
threads of the lower serew by which it is immediately put in motion, and
the carriage pushed towards the left-hand end; when it has moved a
little distance, so that the tooth is no longer opposite to the noteh in the
ruler 90, the spring returns to its former position, and the edge of the ruler
will keep the tumbler engaged with the threads of the lower screw until it
arrives at the opposite end of the thread of the screw. The elevation of the
screws in Sheets 5 shews plainly how they are placed, so that at the right-
hand end the thread of the upper screw does not extend so far as the lower
screw, and at the left-hand end the thread of the lower serew does not extend
so far as the upper one. The dettent 93, at the right-hand end of the needle
frame, acts against an arm 94, which is fixed to the tumbler, and when the needle
frame is brought fully forwards it overcomes the spring 91, and depresses the
tumbler as before mentioned. The dettent 93 is so fixed to the needle frame
that it will yield or give way when the needle frame comes back. The
detent 92 at the left-hand end is made in a similar manner, but instead of
acting upon the arm of the tumbler it acts upon a bent lever 95, which moves
on a centre pin fixed to the ruler 90. One of the arms of this bent lever turns
under the tumbler to lift it up when the carriage is brought forwards, instead of
depressing it as done by the other dettent. There are several other parts in
the thread layer, which are not yet described. They are for the purpose of
laying the threads over a greater or less. extent of the row of needles, for the
purpose of narrowing the web, and will be described in the narrowing.

page_text: The
The Frame of Sinkers.-This is placed in front of the machine.
rame is composed of the sinker bar 14 and the top bar united together by
the upright pieces 18 (Sheet Seven). To the sinker bar are screwed the
leads 18, in which the lead sinkers 12 are cast. 17 are slight bars, which are
screwed to the upright bars 18, and leads of guides 16 are screwed to the
bars 17. The guides are wire pins of a proper thickness to allow the sinkers
to move freely between them, but at the same time sufficiently close to hold
the sinkers between them at their correct distance asunder, so that they
will correspond with the needles. To the top bar of the sinker frame are
fastened the parallel bars 15, which hold the upper ends of the sinkers between
them, and retain the sinkers in a plane paralel to that of the frame. The
sinker frame is supported on center pins fixed at the ends of the sinker bar 14,
The levers 19
which pins are put into holes in the ends of the levers .19.
move upon pins or axels which correspond with the line of the center of
motion of the jacks. The other ends of the levers bear upon the camms 21
on the ends of the main axis. By the revolution of these camms the sinker
frame is raised or lowered in order to produce the same effect as raising and
lowering the hand bar in the stocking frame. The sinker frame can also be
turned down from the vertical position to an inclination, as shewn in the
Figure B, Sheet One, and in that case the sinkers will be withdrawn from
between the needles. This is done as soon as the sinkers have completed their
office, in order to shew the progress of the work, and also to leave the needles
free for the action of the thread layer. To turn the frame of sinkers up and
down, joint pins 49 are fixed to the upright bars 18, and they are con-
nected by rods 50 with long upright levers 51, which are attached to. an
axis 52. There are three of these levers, one on each end of the machine
The middle-lever
and another in the middle, all attached to the-same axis..
has a roller 53, which bears against the camms 54 on the main shaft, and by-
the revolution of this camm the sinker frame is turned up and down.
Jack Sinkers. The jack sinkers 22 are of the same shape as the lead:
sinkers, except at the lower ends. They are interspaced, regularly between.
the lead sinkers in the frame of sinkers, and have the same movements in
respect to turning up or down, but the rising and, sinking of the. jack
sinkers is produced by the jacks, slur, and locker. Each, jack sinker. is jointed
at the lower end to a jack, and the jacks are placed in a row, in a comb bar in
the same manner as in the stocking frame; they are guided between wires
cast in lead or sleas 16. The jacks are locked or raised up by the locking
bar 31, and when they fall they rest upon the falling bar 28 in a manner nearly
similar to the stocking frame. The jacks are held up in a row by resting

page_text: '
upon the perpendicular arms of small bent levers 26, until the said levers are
removed from under them, one by one, by means of the spiral projection of
the slur barrel 56, which, as the barrel revolves, bears against the ends of the
horizontal arms of the bent levers, which are forced down by the springs 25,
and lifts them up so as to remove the other ends from beneath the jacks,
which bearing underneath the jack tails 385 to retain the bent levers at equal
distances that they cannot escape the spiral on the slur barrel.
The locking
bar 31 is placed beneath the jacks. It is fixed at the ends to the two
crooked levers 32, which move on axles fixed in the same line as the center of
the jack wire. The ends of the levers bear against the camms 33, and by the
revolution of the camm the locking bar is raised when necessary, and the jacks
locked up, so that the jack sinkers and lead sinkers will all range in a line.
The form of the jack sinkers and lead sinkers are both clearly shewn in the
Drawings. They have only little arches cut in them opposite to each row of
needles, so as to form small nibs, but there are no catches on those nibs.
Hooks. The hooks 7 have a small arch in each of them, which perform
the office of the arch of the sinker in the common frame. The presser is a
wire 11 put through the holes in the hooks. The hooks are made of iron or
steel plate of the same gauge as the sinkers. The figure of one is shown
separate at 7 (Sheet 4). A row of such hooks is fixed on the edge of the
hook bar 5, either by being cast with pewter into a grove or recess in the
edge of the hook bar 5, or otherwise by fixing them on by means of two wires
passed through holes in small pieces of plate A, Sheet Four, which are cast
into the grove of the hook bar instead of casting the hook itself in with the
lead. The hook must in this case be made with two small holes to admit the
wires as shewn at B. The hook bars are fixed horizontally in a strong frame
96, 97, in a similar manner to the needle bars, viz, by axles 6, which are
screwed to the upright sides, 96, of the frame, and enter into holes in the
ends of the hook bars 5; upon these axles the hook bars are at liberty to
turn, in order to raise or lower the hooks. To give the hook bars motion pins 8
are fixed in the ends of them, and are received into holes in the connecting
links, which links are again united by horizontal bars 86, so as to form a
frame, sec Sheet Nine. This frame is connected with the levers 87, which
move upon a center or pin in the same center line as the jack wire; the other
end of the levers 87 bear upon the camm 88, and by the revolution of that
camm the hooks are raised and lowered when necessary. The hooks are
raised up to the position of Figure B, Sheet 1, when the work is to be beat
over the needle heads, and are lowered down in all other positions. Through
the upper part of each. hook is a small hole to admit a wire 11, which serves

page_text: for a presser, viz, to close the beards of the needles when they are drawn back
beneath the wire or presser; this presser is fixed a little before the arch of the
hook, in order that it may properly close the beard of the needle into the eye
before the stitch, which is beneath the arch of the hook, will be drawn over
the point of the beard. To prevent either the hook bar or the needle bar from
bending or springing in the middle by the force of the pressing, a wedge 9
is interposed between the two; it lies upon the upper surface of the hook
bar 5, and the under side of the needle bar 1 bears upon it in the moment
of pressing, but at no other time. For this purpose the upper side of the
wedge has a raised bead upon it, and the lower edge of the needle bar has a
similar raised bead, and these beads do not meet each other until the needles
are drawn back to that position where the pressing takes place. It is not
proper that the presser should bear upon the needle beards when they come
forwards; to avoid this the wedge is allowed some liberty of motion upon
the upper surface of the hook bar 5. The wedge has a small tail 10 projecting
from it at each end, and these tails are connected by screws with a small
upright connecting bar A, Figure B, Sheet 1, which unites wedges of all the
different tiers together; one such bar must be applied at each end of each tier
of needle bars. To the middle of each of these connecting bars a wire is fixed,
which extends horizontally backwards, and passes through a hole in a socket
which is fastened to the needle frame, and a spring presses sideways upon the
wire to cause a friction, but it allows the wire to draw through the socket.
The consequence of this is, that when the needle frame moves either backwards
or forwards the wedges 9 will partake of its first motion, and stops are fixed
on the hook bars 5 to limit the motion of the wedges to such a quantity that
they will change their places sufficiently to avoid drawing the presser down
upon the needle beards when the needles come forwards.
MACHINERY FOR NARROWING THE BREADTH OF THE WEB.
It has been before explained, in describing the thread layer, that by means
of the two screws 69 and 70 turning in opposite directions and the tumbler 72,
which can be engaged with the threads of either of them, the carriage of the
thread layer can be made to travel alternately from right to left and back
again from left to right, so as to lay a thread across each row of needles. It
is also necessary in making stockings or other similar articles, to lay the
thread over only a certain number of the needles in the row, and for this
purpose the thread is lifted up between the needles, then carried over the
required number of needles, and. brought down between them again. The
perpendicular stems 83 of the thread layer frame 88 which carry the tubes 84,

page_text: through which the threads are conducted, are not fixed fast to the carriage, but
are suspended on screw points in the ends of small crank bars 82, which are
mounted on centers in the ends of the carriage. There are two such crank bars,
one at the lower part of the carriage, and the other at the upper part, and
they hold the frame of the thread layer firmly in a perpendicular direction,
but with free liberty to raise up and down through a small space. The tubes
through which the threads are conducted are made thin edgeways to admit of
passing between the needles. To give the thread layer the requisite motion
the two small crank bars 82 have arms projecting from them backwards, a
plate 85 suspended between those. arms on screw points, and will therefore
move up, and down perpendicularly. To the plate 85 the pin 75 is fastened,
and extends backwards to the driving plate 73 as before mentioned, so as to
communicate the motion given by the screws 69 and 70 to the carriage.
The two fixed bars 89 which form the grove for the driving plate to slide in
have an iron plate R 74, Sheet 5, fastened to them, which unites them. together.
This is called the conducting plate, because it has a grove in it through which
the pin 75 passes, and the pin has a roller fitted upon it which accurately fills
the grove, and runs freely in it. This grove in the conducting plate is not
straight, but is bended as shewn in Sbeet 5, conformnably to the course which
the thread layers are desired to follow. Thus the pin and roller 75 being
moved along in the groove the thread layers will set out from one end of the
machine on the lower side of the row of needles, then the grove will cause
them to rise up between the needles and proceed above the needles, so as to
lay the thread over the intended number of needles, and then descend again
between the needles, and finish the remainder of the course beneath them.
The distance between the two perpendicular bends of the grove at D, D,
determine the number of needles over which the thread shall be laid, because
it is when the roller on 75 arrives at the perpendicular bends that the motion
of the carriage is stopped and the thread layers are guided to move perpendi-
cularly until they have passed between the needles, and then the pin resumes
it course along in the horizontal part of the grove, moving the carriage with it.
The motion is communicated to the roller on 75 by the driving plate 73,
which has been before mentioned as being fitted into the grove formed between
the bars 89, and being put in motion by the screws 69 and 70. The driving
plate has a grove in it consisting of two branches, which are inclined at the
angle of about 45 degrees to the motion of the plate. The pin 75 projects
through the grove in the conducting plate, and is received into the grove of
the driving plate, where it has a roller fitted on it to diminish the friction.
The action of the oblique grove in the driving plate is to force the pin and

page_text: rollers up or down the perpendicular bends of the conducting grove whenever
it arrives at them so as to make the thread tubes pass between the needles in
the manner before mentioned. The conducting plate is formed in two parts,
which overlap in the middle and form such a joint that they are capable of
approaching towards and receding from each other by means of the screw 76,
one part of which is cut with a right-handed and the other with a left-handed
thread, the collar for the screw being fitted into a bearing which is stationary;
one turn of the screw is equivalent to two needles, so that when a narrowing
of two needles is desired a turn of the screw in the proper direction causes
the two ends of the conducting plate to approach, and the distance between
the perpendicular bends of the grove becoming shorter, the layers will lay
the threads two needles shorter (at each side of the machine) than in the
preceding course. If only one needle is to be narrowed at once, half a turn
of the screw will be the proper adjustment. When working the whole breadth
of the needles, the layers will not require to descend between the needles in
the manner before described; in either case the total excursion of the layer
must take it beyond the extremity of the row of needles at the ends of the
machine, so that it will not interfere with the frame of sinkers when it is
The different parts of the machine being now explained, I shall proceed
to describe the manner in which they act in concert to work the fabric,
supposing the machine in the following position (viz³):-The needle frame
advanced fully forwards. The thread layer carriage at the right-hand
end of its railway. The frame of sinkers turned down to expose the
needles. The jacks and jack sinkers borne up by the locker bar. The
hook bars held down. Note, this is the position represented in Shect
Two, except that therein the frame of sinkers is shewn turned up. When
the needle frame came forwards it acted by its dettent 93, sce Sheet One,
Figure B, to throw the tumbler down upon the lower screw which will
therefore carry the tumbler 72 and driving plate 73 towards the left.
The driving plate acts on the roller 75, and forces it along in the end
part of the grove of the conducting plate 74, Sheet 5, and during
this motion the thread layers proceed beneath the row of needles; when
the roller arrives at the perpendicular bend of the conducting plate it
cannot proceed any farther horizontally, but as the driving plate con-
tinues to move forwards, the inclined side of the oblique groove in it forces
the roller to descend through the perpendicular bend, and this causes the
thread layers in front of the machine to rise up between the needles. The

page_text: roller 75 having now descended into the middle horizontal part of the groove
of the conducting plate proceeds therein, and the threads are laid above the
needles; when the roller arrives at the other perpendicular bend of the groove
to the conducting plate, the oblique groove of the driving plate forces the
roller to mount therein, which causes the thread layers to descend between the
needles, and then the roller proceeds to the end of the groove and carries the
stems 83 of the thread layer beyond the end of the row of needles; the thread
of the lower screw 69 not being continued any farther the driving plate stops.
The thread is now laid, and during the motion of the layer all the other parts
remained inactive; but immediately it is finished the camm 54 on the middle of
the main axis takes the roller 53, and by the lever 51 and connecting rods 50
draws up the frame of sinkers. A prominent part of the camm 21, on the
ends of the main axis, now acts upon the ends of the levers 19, and depresses
the frame of sinkers so much that the points of the nibs will descend between
the needles and enclose the thread in the arches, so that it cannot escape side-
ways from the action of the jack sinkers. Note, at the same time the camm 33
act upon the crooked levers 32, and sink the locking bar so as to let the jack
sinkers down with corresponding motion to the descent of the frame, and then
the jacks 23 come to rest upon the tops of the catches 26; in this state the
parts will be in the situation of Sheet Two. Note, the slur barrel is in a con-
stant revolution, but the spiral projection must be fixed on it in such positions
as that it will at this moment be ready to act upon the arms of the catches to
lift them up one by one, beginning at one end of the row and proceeding to
the other; and also it must be put so that the spiral will begin to act
at that end of the row from which the thread layer proceeded. The catches
being removed the jack sinkers fall, and produce the same effect on the work
as in a common frame. The jacks being all drawn, or all fallen, the camms 21
and the locking. camms 33 act together, the former to sink the frame of
sinkers and the other to raise the locker and raise up the jacks for the same
purpose as is done by the thumb plates in the common frame (viz¹), to sink
the thread into loops between every needle. The camms 43 now act on the
roller 42, and by the levers 40 draw back the needle frame, the object of
which is to advance the loops under the beards of the needles; and also the
stitches of the work which rest upon the stems of the needles within the
arches of the hooks are drawn forwards on the needles. When the loops are
completely advanced under the beards, the beards of the needles draw under the
presser 11, which closes the beards upon the loops, and then when the needles
retire a little farther the points of the beards enter within the stitches of the
work which remain within the arches of the hooks. (Note, the wedge 9 bears
up the needle bar from springing by the pressure.) The further action of the

page_text: presser being now unnecessary a notch in the camm 88 presents itself to the
lever 87, and allow the connecting frame and all the hook bars to rise up into
the position shewn in Fig. F, Sheet Three, and expose the stitches of the
work which are upon the beards of the needles and which were before
hidden within the hooks. Nearly at the same time a depression in. the
camm 54 allows the sinker frame to lower down, and the machine comes to
the position of Fig: B, Sheet One. The needles now draw back and the
stitches of the work are beat over the heads. of the needles by the breasts of
the hooks, and also over the loops of thread which were enclosed within the
beards. The needles having beat over once, return again a small space and
beat again to render the work more firm. The camm 88 depresses the hooks so
as to draw the work down over the heads of the needles, and then the needles
begin to come forwards; when the needles have advanced a very little forwards
the camm 88 allows the hook bars to rise up sufficiently high for the presser to
move clear of the beards of the needles in coming back. Note, the first
motion of the needle frame in returning changes the place of the wedge 9 on
the hook bar, and the wedge falls so much further back that it will not touch
between the needle bar and the hook bar. until the beards of the needles have
passed the presser. When the needle frame is advanced forwards its
dettent 92 at the left hand strikes up the tumbler in contact with the upper
screw, and then the thread layer begins to return in an opposite direction, and
all the other operations are repeated to work another course, except that a
different spiral projection of the slur barrel will act upon the catches at that
moment when they perform.their office; to effect this the slur barrel is made to
turn twice and a half for one: turn of the main axis, and in consequence at
every succeeding course a different half of the slur barrel will come into use;
for there are two different spiral projections, each occupying nearly one half
of the circumference, and these spirals wind in opposite directions, so that in
the course in which one spiral is employed it will begin its operation at the
left-hand end of the row of jacks, and the other at the right.
Observations on the Construction of the. Machine.-The several levers
which apply to the edges of the camms are made to bear against the
same, either by springs or by counter weights, which are not represented
in the Drawings, as they may be applied in various ways, and will produce
the desired effects. The said springs or weights produce the counter motion
which is requisite. The camm 88, which depressed the hooks, must be regn-
lated in such manner that the needle bar shall not rest upon the wedge, except
when the bead on the under side of the needle bar passes over the bead in the
upper side of the wedge; at all other times the needle bar must rest (by its
tail) against the end of the star screw, and if required must be held in contact

page_text: with the star screws by springs. To make the narrowings, and for other pur-
poses, it is necessary that the needles shall project forwards sufficiently to
enable the workman to take the stitches from certain needles and transfer them
to others; the more readily to effect this the camm 48 may have a part between
those projections which beat over the work, which part is capable of being
removed, leaving a recess sufficiently deep to permit the needles to project
forward the required distance. It is well known that for the various
sorts of work the needles of a stocking frame require to be made differently.
In the improved frame any difference which may be required in the
length of the needles or of the needle beards, from the coarseness or
fineness of the work or for working different materials, a corresponding
variation must be made in the thickness of the presser, and the distance at
which it is placed from the arch of the hook. The presser must in all cases
be adapted to press the point of the beard into the needle eye before the beards
reach the stitches; and also to hold the beards in the eyes until the stitches are
fully delivered or landed upon the needle beards. To insure the nibs of the
sinkers catching the threads it is necessary to make a projection on those
hooks against which the thread will rest when it is laid across the needles;
these should advance forwarder than the remainder of the set, as shewn by the
red colour in Fig. F, Sheet 3. These hooks are to be put at the ends of each
row, and the number must be equal to the number of needles intended to be
narrowed, because the selvage hook should always have a part which projects
forwarder than the middle of the row. This forward part must be made as
thin as possible, and the edge turned aside so that the nib of the sinker shall
not strike it, but shall enter on one side. If necessary, the nibs of the sinkers
which are put between the same needles as the prominent hook, may be also
made very thin, and slightly bent in the contrary direction to the hook, so as
to cause them to pass between the same needles without any danger of meeting
each other. The figures of the several camms which are to produce the motions
are not represented in the Drawings, because it is extremely difficult to lay
down such curves with sufficient accuracy; and if a workman knows the order
and succession of the motions which he is to produce he can readily form a
set of camms for it by attending to the following particulars-If the circum-
ference of the circle described by the camms be divided in 30 parts, the
following periods may be allotted to the different movements (beginning where
the needles are forward ready for the thread being laid): 5 parts are allotted
to laying the thread, 4 parts to turn up the frame of sinkers, and to sink the
same so as to enclose the thread in the hooks; a part for bearing the locking
bar from the jacks; 5½ to draw the jacks; 5 to depress the lead sinkers
and raise the jack sinkers, commonly called locking and sinking, also to draw

page_text: perform
pressing
the stitches
upon the beards of the needles; 3 to raise and turn down the frame of
sinkers, and to raise the hooks; 4 to beat the work over; 3 to sink the hooks
and bear the needle bar back.
PART THE SECOND.
Having now described the improved machine, I proceed to point out in what
the improvements consist which are secured to me by His Majesty's said
Letters Patent.
1st. The arrangements of two or more rows of needles in a frame over
cach other, so that one set of jack sinkers and lead sinkers will form loops
on each row at the same time, and also dividing the sinkers into two distinct
pieces, as I have herein-before described, one by the name of viz* jack sinkers
and lead sinkers, which are applied in front of the needles, and the other by
the name of hooks.
2d. The combination of parts herein-before described under the name of
thread layers, which is capable of laying threads, to supply several sets or tiers
of needles, and of passing the threads between the needles for the purpose of
narrowing in the manner herein-before described under the title of narrowing.
3rd. The combination of the parts which cause the whole machine to work
by the revolution of one pulley or drum.
I claim these improvements in their combined state as described in the
improved machine, and in such other states of combination as will enable a
machine to produce two or more webs at once in different heights or tiers by
one set of jacks.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Heathcoat, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the fifty-seventh
year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the
grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
King, Defender of the Faith, and in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventeen.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of August,
in the fifty-seventh year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Third,
the said John Heathcoat came before our said Lord the King in His
Chancery, and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing
therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instru-
ment aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in
the fifty-fifth year of His said Majesty's reign.
Inrolled the Twenty-ninth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and seventeen.