Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 12th June, 1893-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1894
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
A communication by GEORGE E. NYE, of 606, Arch Street, Philadelphia, in the
County of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Manufacturer of Knitting Machinery.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to that class of circular knitting machines in which
vertically reciprocating latched reedles, mounted in a revolving cylinder and
actuated by cams, co-operate with a series of horizontal latched needles mounted
radially in a dial plate and reciprocated by cams.
It consists in improvements designed more particularly for use in connection with
the machine patented to my correspondent in America on the 28th day of April, 1885,
No. 316,907, the principal object being to produce the tuck stitch by any desired
number of the dial needles and the plain stitch by the remainder, and thus to
produce ornamental fabrics such as could not be produced on the original machine.
This result my correspondent secures by making use of dial needles of two or
more forms, differing as to the location of their shanks or studs, in combination
with separate operating cams for the needles of the respective forms, an I a thread
guide which delivers the one thread to all the needles in the series without regard
to their forms or movement. By this arrangement, under which the dial needles
of one form are operated independently of the others, my correspondent is enabled
to impart different movements to the needles of different forms, and at the same
time have them all act on the one thread so as to produce the required changes in
the stitches during the knitting of each round or course automatically, and without
changing the fabric from one set of needles to another.
While the improvement is commonly used in connection with the dial needles,
it may be applied in the same manner and with like effect to the cylinder
needles.
The following are the principal parts containing novelty:
A tubular rotary cylinder provided with grooves to receive the vertical needles,
which are raised and lowered by stationary cams engaging their heels; a rotary
horizontal plate, usually known as "the dial" provided in its upper face with
radial grooves containing the horizontal needles which are reciprocated by cams on
the under face of the stationary plate, in essentially the same manner as in other
machines known in the art.
In carrying the present invention into effect, dial needles of various forms hère-
after described as needles and are provided, having their heels or studs on
which the cam operates at different points in their length. As these needles
differing in form cannot be practically operated by the same cams, special or
separate cams are provided for each form of needles. One set of the needles (b)
are of the usual form with the heels near their inner ends. They are actuated by
throwout cams, and drawing-in cams, these parts being, as regards their external
form and their actions on the needles, substantially identical in their construction
and mode of action with similar ones in the U.S. Patent No. 316,907.

page_text: The needles b¹, however, instead of being actuated by the above-mentioned cams,
are moved by the engagement of their heels with drawing-in cams, which are now
applied to the machine for the first time, and with the outer edges of other cams
which are now formed on their outer edges for the first time to serve as throwing-
out cams. By means of the extra can surfaces, the needles are operated
independently of the needles b.
By forming the draw-in cams in special manner, and making them independently
adjustable, they may be so set that the needles actuated thereby will only reach
the full limit of their inward movement and cast their stitches once in each
revolution; thus the cam at the left is set out further than that at the right, the
latter being so set that the needles actuated thereby will be drawn in far enough
to cast their stitches, but will not be drawn far enough by the left hand cam to
cast off. The needles will thus receive two stitches before casting off, and will
cast off only once in each round, producing the familiar tuck stitch. By a proper
construction of the pattern chains by which the cams are moved, any group or
series of the needles & may be caused to knit either plain or tuck stitches, in any
round or course.
The thread is delivered to the needles by the usual fixed guide, which lays one
and the same thread within the grasp of all the needles. It is to be noted that in
this machine the one thread is delivered throughout the entire course or round to
all the needles, and that, although the different dial needles move different distances
and produce different forms of stitch, they act on the one thread.
Certain cams may be fixed permanently in position, in which case the machine
will knit a constant pattern, the figure of which will depend on the manner in
which the needles bare grouped or arranged in relation to each other, but it is
preferred to mount them on pivots that they may be swung inward and outward,
and to connect them through intermediate devices with a pattern chain or its
equivalent for effecting their automatic adjustment to vary the throw of the needle-
and thereby the design or pattern of the fabric.
One of the cams is connected by a link with a central rotary plate, connected by
links to a lever, actuated by a pattern chain, in a manner identical with that
described in the original Patent.
While only one of the cams is usually connected with the rotary plate, it will be
understood that two may be connected therewith to be operated simultaneously and
in unison, to produce similar stitches at opposite sides of the machine; or one of
said cams may be movable and the other stationary; or they may be connected
with different actuating devices to be moved and set independently of each
other, und in different positions, to produce stitches of different pattern, as may
be desired.
One of the new cams is connected at its free end to a slide connected by a link
to an elbow-lever, which is actuated by a pattern chain, the construction and
operation of this pattern chain and lever being essentially the same as those above
described. By means of these connections, this cam may be moved to change the
throw and the action of the needles, without in any manner affecting the action
of the needles b. This and its similar cam, like the other cams, may be connected
with, and operated by, the same slide; or they may be operated by different slides
and pattern chains; or one of said cams may be movable and the other stationary.
Two plates are used, though only the lower one may be connected to an actuating
link. By giving the pattern chains, which operate the respective cams, suitable
forms, the needles may be caused to knit the plain and the tuck stitch alternately
at such intervals as the chain may determine, and in like manner the needles/1
may be caused to knit the two forms of stitch alternately by means of this
pattern chain.
The essence of this invention resides in the combination of dial needles differing
in form from each other, and arranged in one row or series, with cams to operate
them independently and with a thread guide which lays one and the same thread to
all the said needles, and any equivalent construction which enables the actuating

page_text: cams to distinguish between the different groups of dial needles is to be regarded
as falling within the scope of this invention.
It will be observed that, under this construction, the needles of the two forms
may be grouped or arranged in any desired order of succession, and that any
desired number of them may be of one form and the remainder of the other form,
according to the design of the fabric to be produced.
While the pattern chain and levers such as herein described have been described
and are preferably employed, it is to be understood that they constitute in them-
selves no part of the present invention, and that they may be replaced by any
equivalent mechanism, of which there is at the present time a number familiar to
every person skilled in this art.
A cam is located as usual in the frame outside of the cylinder to actuate the
vertical cylinder needles. This cam, instead of being fixed in position, is arranged
to slide vertically, and is connected to one end of an elbow lever, which is pivoted
on the frame and connected to one end of an elbow lever, urged in one direction by
a spring which tends to lift the said cam. At its rear end, this lever bears upon a
pattern chain, by which it is moved at certain intervals to depress the said cam and
thus prevent the cylinder needles from lifting to their highest point. The pattern
chain is mounted upon and actuated by the roll which carries the other pattern
chain.
There being two sets of operating cams diametrically opposite each other, the
dial needles will be moved through two reciprocations in each revolution of the
machine, corresponding movements occurring at diametrically opposite points.
While it has been stated above that a single thread guide is used to lay the thread
to all the needles in each course, it is to be understood that two guides, located
diametrically opposite each other, are employed, and that each guide lays its thread
to all the needles, so that two courses may be knitted simultaneously at each
complete revolution of the machine.
My correspondent is aware that it is old to arrange, in one series, needles
differing in the form of their shank and operated by different cams.
He is not,
however, aware that anyone has heretofore combined, with a series of needles
constructed and operated as above, a guide by which one thread was laid to all
of the needles.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
A communication by GEORGE E. NYE, of 606, Arch Street, Philadelphia, in the
County of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Manufacturer of Knitting Machinery.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 that class of circular knitting machines in which
vertically reciprocating latched needles, mounted in a revolving cylinder and
actuated by cams, co-operate with a series of horizontal latched needles mounted
radially in a dial plate and reciprocated by cams.
It consists in improvements designed more particularly for use in connection with

page_text: the machine patented to my correspondent in America on the 28th day of
April, 1885, No. 316,907, the principal object being to produce tuck stitches by
any desired number of the dial needles and plain stitches by the remainder, and
thus to produce ornamental fabrics such as could not be produced on the original
machine. This result is secured by making use of dial needles of two or more
forms, differing as to the location of their shanks or studs, in combination with
separate operating cams for the needles of the respective forms, and a thread
guide which delivers the one thread to all the needles in the series without regard
to their forms or movement. By this arrangement, under which the dial needles
of one form are operated independently of the others. my correspondent is enabled
to impart different movements to the needles of different forms, and at the same
time have them all act on the one thread so as to produce the required changes in
the stitches during the knitting of each round or course automatically, and without
changing the fabric from one set of needles to another.
While the improvement is commonly used in connection with the dial needles,
it may be applied in the same manner and with like effect to the cylinder
needles.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents in side elevation a machine embodying the improvements,
a portion of the cylinder, dial and cam mechanism being shown in vertical
section.
Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cam mechanism for operating the dial
needles.
Figuros 3 and 4 are side views illustrating the dial needles in their two forms.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation illustrating the manner of constructing and
operating the lifting cam of the cylinder needles.
In the drawings, the improvement is represented applied to a machine which
is in most respects identical with that shown in my correspondent's Patent above
referred to.
A represents the tubular rotary cylinder provided with grooves to receive the
vertical needles a, which are raised and lowered by stationary cams P P engaging
their heels.
B represents a rotary horizontal plate, usually known as "the dial" provided in
its upper face with radial grooves containing the horizontal needles bb, which are
reciprocated by cams on the under face of the stationary plate C, in essentially the
same manner as in other machines known in the art.
In carrying the present invention into effect, dial needles of different forms are
provided, such as shown at band b', Figures 3 and 4, having their heels or studs 12,
on which the cam operates, at different points in their length. As these needles
differing in form cannot be practically operated by the same cams, special or
separate cams are provided for each form of needles. As shown in the drawings,
the needles bare of the usual form with the heels near their inner ends. They are
actuated by the throwout cams c, and the drawing-in cams E and F, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2, these parts being, as regards their external form and their actions
on the needles, substantially identical in their construction and mode of action with
those represented by the same letters in the Patent No. 316,907. The needles,
however, instead of being actuated by the above-mentioned cams, are moved by
the engagement of their heels with the drawing-in cams G, which are now applied
to the machine for the first time, and with the outer edges E' F¹ of the cams E
and F, which are now formed on their outer edges for the first time to serve as
throwing-out cams. By means of the extra cam surfaces, the needles are operated
independently of the needles b.
By forming the draw-in cams as shown, and making them independently adjustable,
they may be so set that the needles' actuated, thereby will only reach the full limit
of their inward movement and cast their stitches once in each revolution, as for
example, referring to Figure 2, the cam G at the left is set out farther than that
at the right, the latter being so set that the needles actuated thereby will be

page_text: drawn in far enough to cast their stitches, but will not be drawn in far enough by
the left hand cam to cast off. The needles will thus receive two stitches
before casting off, and will cast off only once in each round, producing the
familiar tuck stitch. By a proper construction of the pattern chains by which the
cams are moved, any group or series of the needles may be caused to knit either
plain or tuck stitches, in any round or course.
The thread is delivered to the needles by the usual fixed guile k, which lays
one and the same thread within the grasp of all the needles. It is to be noted that,
in this machine, the one thread is delivered throughout the entire course or round
to all the needles, and that, although the different dial needles move different
distances and produce different forms of stitch, they act on the one thread.
The cams c and G may be fixed permanently in position, in which case the
machine will knit a constant pattern, the figure of which will depend on the manner
in which the needles bare grouped or arranged in relation to each other, but
they are preferably mounted on pivots that they may be swung inward and outward,
and they are connected through intermediate devices with a pattern chain or its
equivalent for effecting their automatic adjustment to vary the throw of the needles
and thereby the design or pattern of the fabric.
As shown in the drawings, one of the cams c is connected by a link with a
central rotary plate e², connected by a link d to a lever L, actuated by a pattern
chain M, in a manner identical with that described in the original Patent.
While the drawings show only one of the cams c connected with the rotary
plate e, it will be understood that both may be connected therewith to be operated
simultaneously and in unison, to produce similar stitches at opposite sides of the
machine; or one of said cams may be movable and the other stationary; or they
may be connected with different actuating devices to be moved and set indepen-
dently of each other, and in different positions, to produce stitches of different
pattern, as may be desired.
One of the new cams G is connected at its free end to a slide H connected by
a link I to an elbow-lever J, which is actuated by a pattern chain, the construction
and operation of this pattern chain and lever being essentially the same as those
above described. By means of these connections the cam G may be moved to
change the throw and the action of the needles without in any manner affecting
the action of the needles b. The two cams G, like the cams c may be connected
with, and operated by, the same slide H; or they may be operated by different
slides and pattern chains; or one of said cams may be movable and the other
stationary. It will be observed that in Figure 1 of the drawings two plates H
are shown though only the lower one is shown connected to an actuating link.
By giving the pattern chains which operate the respective cams suitable forms,
the needles may be caused to knit the plain and the tuck stitch alternately at
such intervals as the chain may determine, and in like manner the needles ¹
may be caused to knit the two forms of stitch alternately by means of this pattern
chain.
The essence of the invention resides in the combination of dial needles differing
in form from each other and arranged in one row or series, with cams to operate
them independently and with a thread guide which lays one and the same thread
to all the said needles, and any equivalent construction which enables the
actuating cams to distinguish between the different groups of dial needles is to be
regarded as falling within the scope of the invention.
It will be observed that under this construction, the needles of the two forms
may be grouped or arranged in any desired order of succession, and that any
desired number of them may be of one form and the remainder of the other form
according to the design of the fabric to be produced.
While the pattern chain and levers such as herein described have been described
and are preferably employed, it is to be understood that they constitute in them-
selves no art of the present invention, and that they may be replaced by any

page_text: equivalent pattern mechanism of which there is at the present time a number
familiar to every person skilled in this art.
P represents the usual cam located in the frame outside of the cylinder to
actuate the vertical cylinder needles. The upper part P₁ of this cam instead of
being fixed in position, is arranged to slide vertically and is connected to one end
of an elbow lever Q which is pivoted on the frame and connected as shown to one
end of an elbow lever R, urged in one direction by a spring S which tends to lift
the cam P. At its rear end this lever bears upon a pattern chain Y by which it
is moved at certain intervals to depress the cam P₁ and thus prevent the cylinder
needles from rising to their highest point. The pattern chain is mounted upon
and actuated by the roll which carries the other pattern chain.
"
In machines of this character this movable cam is a common feature and is
employed for producing a series of loose stitches termed a "slack course.'
Whenever one of these links acts upon the lever it is caused through the inter-
vening parts to depress the cam P below its normal position, the cam thus
depressed serving to carry the needles below their ordinary operative positions, 80
that they produce a course of stitches of increased length, the stitches thus
formed constituting what is commonly known as a "slack course." The chain may
contain any desired number of elevated links, and they may be arranged at equal
or unequal distances apart according to the frequency with which it is required to
have the slack courses produced. After the action of the elevated links, the
depressing cam is immediately elevated and the connected parts returned to their
normal positions by means of the spring S which acts to urge the lever R
backward.
There being two sets of operating cams diametrically opposite each other, the
dial needles will be moved through two reciprocations in each revolution of the
machine, corresponding movements occurring at diametrically opposite points.
While it is above stated that a single thread guide is used to lay the thread to
all the needles in each course, it is to be understood that two guides, located
diametrically opposite each other, are employed, and that each guide lays its thread
to all the needles, so that two courses may be knitted simultaneously at each
complete revolution of the machine.
It is old to arrange in one series, needles differing in the form of their shank and
operated by different cams, and this is not broadly claimed. It is believed, however,
that no one has heretofore combined with a series of needles constructed and
operated as above, a guide by which one thread was laid to all of the needles.
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 circular knitting machine, the cylinder, its needles and actuating cams,
in combination with the dial, its needles, part of which have their studs or
heels in different positions from those of the remainder, the throwout cam c acting
on the needles of one form, the draw-in cam G acting on the needles of the other
form and the intermediate cam acting as a draw-in cam for the needles of one
form, and as a throw-out cam for those of the other form, said cams being adjust-
able to move the different needles different distances, and a thread guide, whereby
one and the same thread is laid to all the needles.
2. In combination with the needles differing in the form of their shank, the cam F
and the cams and G, and means for independently adjusting the cams c and G.
Dated this 7th dor of Luna 1009
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.