CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING HOSIERY GOODS, OR WHAT IS .COMMONLY CALLED FRAME WORK KNITTING
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPE
BIRCH MATHER, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Mechanic and Setter up of Hosiery Frames, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fourteenth day of November, in the first year of Her reign,
and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Joseph Birch Mather, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Joseph Birch Mather, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Birch Mather, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING HOSIERY GOODS, OR WHAT IS
.COMMONLY CALLED FRAME WORK KNITTING;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso obliging me, the said Joseph Birch Mather, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describo and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her said Majesty'
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediay

page_text: after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by
the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Birch Mather, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, referenco
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say):-
My improvements in machinery employed for manufacturing hosiery goods
or frame work knitting apply to that class or description of machinery well
known as the "stocking frame," or what is commonly employed for making
stockings, knitted gloves, caps, ladies' scarfs, and such like goods or fabric
formed of silk, cotton, or linen thread or yarn, and consist,―
Firstly, in constructing and arranging the various working parts of the
machine or stocking frame, so that two, three, or more rows, tiers, or sets
of stockings, gloves, or other work may be made or manufactured at one time,
one above the other, in the same frame or machine, the working parts, such
as the "rows of needles," "thread carriers," "pressers," &c., being multiplied
according to the number of rows or tiers of work intended to be made in one
frame or machine. The "sinkers" or parts which depress the thread and
carry it between the "needles," being also increased in the same way,
although they are each formed of one piece of metal and suspended
from and worked by one set of "jacks" or levers, with the ".
springs," &c.
" jack
Secondly, in improved constructions and arrangements of mechanism or
apparatus for conducting, carrying, or traversing the thread across the machine
from side to side of the work, with suitable improved mechanism for determining
the extent of motion of the "thread carriers," that is, effecting the shortening
or lengthening of their traversing motions for the purpose of conducting
the thread over a more or less number of "needles," and consequently pro-
ducing narrower or wider work, as is required for the calf or the small of the
leg or ancle of the stocking, together with suitable apparatus or mechanism
for effecting the "heeling" of the stocking, or dividing the making the fabric
at this time into two, three, or more parts. And, further, in an improved
manner or method of supporting the "jack frame," it being supported by
means of rocking or pendulous levers so as to allow of its required advancing
and retiring motion instead of the ordinary truck carriage running upon the
rails or "sale bars" as in common. And also in improved mechanism or

page_text: apparatus called "
'pressers," for depressing the beards of the needles and
closing them upon the thread at the required time, such pressers being
separate or independent from each other, in contradistinction to the ordinary
solid blade or presser bar,.whereby I am enabled to select any one, two, three,
or more of the pressers and throw them out of work and put them in again as
required in making fancy goods or worked patterns. And, moreover, I am
enabled to apply to the machine or stocking frame the mechanism or appa-
ratus known in the silk loom or weaving of fancy silk goods as the Jackguard
box or cylinder with its pierced cards, together with suitable apparatus or
mechanism for acting upon these improved pressers in order to throw them
into and out of work as required; together with an improved manner, mode,
or method of applying the "jack springs" adapted to the jacks or levers
which carry the sinkers, for the purpose of obviating the friction and con-
sequent wear in the jacks and other parts by the ordinary mode of adapting
the springs, and also preventing the liability of the tails of the "jacks"
jumping out of the notches or cramps of the jack springs at the time of the
sinkers being depressed, which evil is frequent in the ordinary stocking
frame. And,
Thirdly, in the application and adaptation of the above-named mechanism
called the Jackguard cylinder or box, revolving with its pierced cards, to tho
stocking frame or machine, such Jackguard cylinder or box being placed in
suitable framework and bearings, with proper mechanism for giving and
governing or regulating its motions, the pierced cards being brought opposite
the ends of the pressers, or sliding rods, or levers, or fallers connected with
and adapted to the said Jackguard mechanism and the above-named presser
in such a manner that when the pierced holes of the cards or plates are
brought opposite and presented to the ends of the pressers, sliding rods, levers,
or fallers, they shall be made to enter the holes by means of suitable springs
or mechanism, so as to act in conjunction with particular pressers, and thereby
throw them out of work, while the machine or frame is going through its
regular and ordinary motions, so as to produce by such withholding of the
action of the pressers, fancy work in the piece or goods; at the same time the
remainder of the pressers not so acted upon shall go through their regular or
ordinary movements and operations, and produce the ordinary work; all of
which will be fully understood by inspection of the accompanying Drawings,
and the following description of the mechanism, the several Figures being
different views of a stocking frame with my improvements applied thereto,
together with separate or detached Figures of some parts; the old or
ordinary parts of the machine being shewn in outline only, and marked

page_text: with capital letters or characters, and the new or improved parts being
coloured with different tints over the various parts of different motions;
the thread carrier for plain work and its assistant parts being tinted
red, those for the side pieces of the heeling operation blue, the pressers
and their component parts yellow, the sinkers, jacks, halfjacks, and the jack-
springs green, and the parts for suspending or supporting the jack frame brown,
and marked with small italic letters and figures of reference. And as the
various ordinary working parts of the stocking frame, together with their
motions to produce the knitted fabric, are well understood by all practical
workmen or competent mechanics, it will not be necessary for me, in describing
my improvements, to enter into the detail thereof further than to shew tho
operation of the same; and I shall, therefore, first point out and name the old
or ordinary parts, and then proceed to describe my improved machinery or
apparatus connected therewith.
Figure 1 is a front view of a stocking frame, with my improvements applied
thereto, shewing the various parts in the situation they are in while the thread
carrier is conducting the thread across the machine and laying it upon the
needles, and when making plain in one piece as the leg of a stocking, the
"thread carriers" for working the two side pieces of the heeling part of the
stocking being turned up out of the way of the workman. Figure 2 is a
vertical section taken transversly through the machine. Figure 3 is a plan
view; Figure 4 is a back view; and Figure 5 is a partial plan view or
section taken in the dotted line a, b, Figure 2, shewing the mode or mechanism
of lifting the thread carriers when they are about to lay the thread. Figure 6
is a partial vertical cross section full size, shewing the arrangement of the
sinkers, needles, and pressers, and the mode or manner of letting the "thread
carriers" fall when they have laid the thread. Figure 7 is a front view of the
same. Figure 8 is a partial vertical section of the "jackframe" drawn full
size, shewing the "halfjack," the "jackwire" or fulcrum of the jacks, and
my improved mode or manner of applying and adapting the "jacksprings" to
the "jacks" or levers which support the "sinkers." A, A, is the ordinary framing
and framework of the machine or stocking frame; B, B, are two rows or
tiers of bearded needles fixed on the needle bars C, C, in the usual manner,
they are placed one row above the other so as to make two rows or tiers of
work; D, D, are the "sinkers," one half of which (the "lead sinkers") are
mounted on the "siuker bar" E as usual, and the other half are jointed at
their upper ends to the "jacks" as in common, and for a machine or frame
intended to make only one row of work the sinkers would be found like
ordinary sinkers, but by my improvements they are elongated for the purpose

page_text: of having the other row or second tier of sinkers or hooked depressing parts
formed on them for the lower row or tier of work; F, F, are the "jacks"
mounted on the jack pin or fulcrum, which is placed in the jack frame G in
the ordinary manner; H.are the back jack guides or sled; I is the "jack
falling bar;" K is the "slur cock" and its slur bar or race; L is the "locking
bar" of the jacks; M is the slur wheel for giving motion by bands and
pulleys to the slur cock as usual, and also to the thread carriers, and is worked
by the treddles N, N, in the usual way.
The Thread Carriers and their Motions and Operations.-The thread carrier
for plain work a, a, are attached to the arms b, b, which project from the
sliding piece or rest c, c, to which they are attached by hinge joints, as shewn
in the Drawing; the pieces c are mounted upon a triangular (or other
shaped) bar d, so as to have a free sliding motion along the bar; e, e, are
notched tail pieces projecting from the sliding piece c, and when the thread
carriers arrive at either end of their motion, the part 1 of these tail pieces
comes against the inclined plane 2, 2, on the short tubular pieces f, mounted
sliding on the rod g (see the detached Figure 9), and thereby force that bar
backwards or further from the bar d, and thereby release that bar and the
thread carriers by withdrawing the catches 3, 3, from the tail pieces 4, 4, (see
Figure 6), when the thread carriers immediately fall below the needles. The
bar g is supported by brackets 5, 5, from the swinging bar 41. The tubular
pieces are embraced by the forked clutches h, h, attached to the sliding
pieces or female screw boxes i, i (see the detached Figure 10), working upon
the male screws k, k; and it is by these parts that the widening or narrowing
motion is effected, for, according to the distance the inclined planes 2, 2,
are apart from each other will depend the width of the work, for the thread.
carriers will be released and fall, and consequently stop laying the thread at what-
ever point these inclined planes are placed. The notches 7,7 (Figure 6), are
formed in the tail picces mercly for the purpose of allowing them to pass over
the hooked pieces 8, 8, which are there placed for the purpose of holding the
tail pieces steady while the slur is being taken up. In order to allow of the
thread carriers being moved out of the way of the workman, when he wishes to
alter or adjust his work, the arms 6 are jointed to the sliding pieces c, and are
kept in their proper position by means of adjusting screws and springs, as
shown in the Drawing. And I would here observe, that the thread carriers
for the side pieces of the heels of stockings, or such other parts of work, are
merely a repetition of all the parts belonging to those for plain work, and they
are therefore marked with the same references, with the addition of an *. These.
second thread carriers aro shewn in the Drawings as turned up out of; the

page_text: way, as when making plain work, they being jointed by the arms & to the
sliding pieces ; but when they are required to work they are turned down
into a similar situation as the first thread carrier. All these carriers being
supplied with yarn or thread from bobbins or spools placed above in the usual
way, the requisite motion of the thread carriers across the machine is
obtained from the ordinary slur cock motion by elongating the shafts of the
slur cock pulleys, as shewn in the plan view, Figure 8. Upon the end of
these shafts are placed the pulleys 1, 2, over which shaft is passed the
endless cord or band m, m, which is attached to the sliding piece c, upon the
angular bar d, and thus the requisite and proper motion of the thread carrier
is obtained by the workman effecting the slur cock motion, which is the
required time for performing its proper operations; but in order to prevent
the slur cock or rather the falling motion of the jacks overtaking or following
too near the thread carrier, the 'pulleys 1, 1, are larger than the slur cock
pulleys, so that the thread carriers are always in advance of the slur cock by
means of their quicker motion; and I would here observe, that although I
have shewn the pulleys as adapted to drive all the thread carriers, if it
may be thought desirable, additional pullies may be worked by the slur wheel
for the purpose of driving the heeling carriers only. The angular or other
shaped bars d, d, are attached at their ends to the upper parts of the vertical
rods or levers n, n, which are mounted, turning on fulcrum or screw pin joints
at o, o, on the ends of the lever arms p, p, of the rocking bars or rods q, q.
These bars are also furnished with centre pins as fulcrums (as shewn in
Figures 2 and 5, placed in any convenient manner in the "hanging cheek" of
the frame, and have other arms or levers r,r, projecting therefrom. The ends
of these arms are acted upon by other levers or arms s, s*, extending from a
sliding bar t, placed in suitable guides and furnished with a returning spring
at one end, and at the other with an anti-friction roller working against and
acted upon by the pieces or tappets u, u, placed on the side of the ordinary
"slur wheel." These arms or levers s, s, are moved by the tappets u, in the
direction of the arrow (Figure 5) so as to stand in the way of the ends of the
levers r,, only at such time as the thread carriers are required to be raised
to lay on the thread, and they are thereby kept up during the laying on of the
same. v, v, are inclined plane pieces fastened on to the hanging bars or levers
n,n (see Figure 2), and moving with these bars through staples or guides
w, w, fixed on to the ordinary "hanging cheek" of the frame, and are placed
for the purpose of guiding and bringing the thread carriers in their proper
motion towards the needles when they are advancing or retiring from them.
is a guide or stop piece acting against the edge of the triangular bar & of

page_text: the thread carriers when the sinkers are down, for the purpose of keeping
the thread tight and preventing any slackening so as to make a good and
perfect selvage to the piece.
The Narrowing and Widening Motion of the Thread Carriers.-The
narrowing and widening of the motion of the thread carriers is effected in the
following manner :-The female screws i, i, work upon the right and left-handed
male screws k, k, which are formed upon the same shaft and turn in proper bear-
ings and centre pins in the framework. Y, Y, is a stationary guide bar, serving
for both of the female screws, for the purpose of keeping them in their proper
motion, and preventing their turning round with the shaft. Upon the end of
the screwed shaft & is placed the ratchet wheel 16, which has a partial rotatory
motion given to it at the time required, by the following means:-
:-(See the
enlarged views, Figures 6 and 7) where this motion is shewn applied to the
heeling screw, the ratchet wheel for driving the other or middle work screw
being at the contrary end of the machine to that represented in these Figures.
17 is a handle or lever turning upon the shaft, and is furnished with a
clawker 18, taking into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 16. 19 is a safety
spring pall or ratchet wheel retaining the wheel and preventing any
returning motion until it is lifted out of its teeth. When the workman wishes
to narrow his work, he has to take hold of the handle 17, and and drawing
it towards him, causes the ratchet wheel, by means of the clawker, to turn
part of a revolution, and thereby to turn the screws k, k, and consequently
cause the female screw boxes i, i, to advance towards each other, sliding upon
their guide bar y. When the workman has finished a piece of work he
releases the pall 19 from the ratchet wheel, and turns the ratchet wheel round
by hand the reverse way, and consequently forcing the female screws apart
from each other to the full extent ready to begin a fresh piece of work.
The Jack Springs, Jacks, and Sinkers.-The improved manner or method
of applying the jack springs to the jacks is shewn best in Figure 2, and at
full size at Figure 8. F is the ordinary half jack turning upon the jack pin
as its fulcrum; to the "half jack" is attached the bent arm or lever 10, which
carries at its other end the jack spring bar 11, into which the jack springs
12, 12, are fixed in the usual manner. It will be seen by inspecting the
Drawings that as the jack springs are placed on an arm attached to the
half jack they will make a corresponding motion to the tails of the jacks
themselves as they rise and fall during the time the machine or frame is going
through its motions, the jack springs rising and falling with the tails of the
jacks, and thereby preventing the friction caused by the ends of the jacks
rubbing against the ordinary springs. The beut part of the springs at 14-

page_text: hold the ends of the jacks and keep up the sinkers by pressing upon the top
part of the ends of the jacks, but when the sinkers are down the springs keep
them in that position by means of the inclined parts 15, 15, of the springs
pressing inwardly against the under side or inclined part 16 of the ends of the
jacks, thereby keeping them down and preventing them from rebounding;
and by avoiding the friction caused by the old or ordinary method of con-
structing and applying the springs gives much less labour to the workman in
working the frame. F, F, are the jacks. D, the sinkers, the motions or
movements of which are the same as in ordinary stocking frames, therefore
it is not necessary for me hero to describe them. The sinkers are elongated
for the purpose of having my first improvement applied to them, namely, in
order to make the second or lower row or tier of work, and they are furnished
with a second or lower guide to move through the same, as is applied to the
upper onc.
The Pressers and their Motions and Operations.-I shall now proceed to
describe the pressors 20, 20, and the method of putting them in motion and
operation. They are formed as shewn in the detached views, Figures 12,
13, and are cast into leads in the usual way that guides, needles, and
other such other parts usually are, and placed upon the presser rod or
bar 21, 21, turning on centre pins placed in the bracket pieces 22, 22,
attached to the strong piece 23, which piece supports the lower needle bar C,
and is furnished with proper adjusting or set screws 24 underneath the bar
for the purpose of adjusting and setting the lower needle bar at the requisite
distance from the upper one. To the upper presser bar 21 is connected the
bent lever 25, having its fulcrum at 26 in the lever 27, which has its fulcrum
at 28. To the other end of the bent lever 25 is attached one end of the link
29, its other end being connected to the lever 27. 30 is an adjustable link
piece for the purpose of connecting the two bent levers 25, 25, of the pressers
together, and causing the lower one to perform the same motions as the upper
one. The lever 27 has its fulcrum in centre pins 28 placed in brackets 32,
attached to the bar 33. One end of the lever 27 is connected by the rod 34
to the presser treddle, its other end being attached to the spring 35, which is
fastened to the lower part of the framework of the machine or to the floor of
the room. By this arrangement of mechanism it will be seen that the two
rows of pressers will have the same movements given to them from the presser
treddle, and consequently perform the samo operations. The points of the
pressors which press upon the beards of the needles have a shallow groove
formed in them for the purpose of preventing the pressers slipping off from
the needles. And in order to prevent the sinkers cutting the work against

page_text: the edges of the pressers and indicate to the workman when he has got the
work safely over the beards of the needles, the piece 86 is attached to the
upper presser bar, and after the work is safely on the beards of the needles,
the end of the piece 36, when the workman performs the pressing motion,
comes against the hand bar at Q and checks him from drawing the 'framo
further forwards. The work rollers are placed at P, P, and are actuated
by weights and cords in the usual manner. In describing the pressers, to
prevent confusion I have mentioned only one presser bar to which they are
attached in one row, as connected with each row or tier of needles; but it will
be evident to all practical workmen that from their nature and form they may
be cast in separate leads, or two or three or more upon one lead, with spaces
between them, as may be required for different kinds of fancy work, and they
may also be fixed upon different presser bars, and acted upon by different cam
wheels, levers, or treddles, so as to cause different pressers to come into and out of
operation at stated times, so as to produce different patterns of fancy work.
Also that they may be so mounted singly or independently of each other on
one or more fulcrum pins or bars, so that they may be acted upon by levers or
other mechanism, and depressed to come into action at the times required
and returned by springs or other contrivances placed in conjunction with
them. All variations and modifications of which, it is not necessary for me
to describe, as any practical mechanic will see their application to these
purposes.
Figure 12 shews a side view, and Figure 13 a top view of one lead of theso
pressers detached.
The Supporting the Jack Frame.-The jack frame, as shewn in the Drawings,
is suspended from strong pins at 40, 40, by means of arms or levers 41, 41,
attached at the lower ends by pin joints to the jack frame, and at the other to
pins 40, which are securely placed in the standards 42, 42, bolted on to the
sole bar or framework of the machine. This arrangement of mechanism will
allow of a free and easy motion of the jack frame forward and backwards in
the machine, without the inconvenience caused by the wear of the wheels in
the ordinary way of supporting the jack frame, by running on the sole bar of
the common frame. And the same effect may be produced by supporting the
jack frame upon rocking levers, having their fulcrum at their lower ends,
proper connecting and stop pieces being applied to keep the frame in its propor
situation and motions.
Having now particularized the various parts of the mechanism, I will
proceed to describe shortly the general operation and working of the same..
In-the situation of the parts, as shown in the Drawings (we will suppose' the

page_text: machine to be making the leg or plain part of a stocking) a course of work
has just been completed, aud the thread carrier has been raised above the
needles in preparation for laying the thread, this raising of the thread carried
has been effected at the last motion of the completed course, commonly
termed "going over the arch," when the lever tail r was brought by the
receding of the frame under the arms of the sliding bolt t, when the frame
rising with its ordinary motion by means of its spring above the lever tail, is
kept down, turning the lever arm p on its fulcrum in the "hanging cheek" and
thus throws upwards the vertical levers n, n, carrying the triangular bar d, and
consequently raises the thread carrier above the needles. The parts having
arrived in this position, the workman as usual depresses the treddle for the
purpose of drawing the jacks by given motion to the slur cock, at which time
the thread carrier, by means of its pulley and cord m, begins to travel along
the bar d, laying the thread across the needles in preparation for another
course of work; during this motion of the thread carrier, the operation of
drawing the jacks has taken place as usual, they following the motion of the
thread carrier which has commenced its operation first, by means of the slur
cock having a short space to travel on the slur bar before it arrives in contact
with the jacks. During this operation of drawing the jacks and laying
the thread, the cam or tappet, l, has retreated from contact with the
antifriction roller of the sliding bolt t, which is then forced by means
of the spring 48, so as to carry the arms clear of the lever tail 7, for
the purpose of allowing the lever n and bar d to prepare to fall and carry
the thread layer through the needles. Nevertheless, it is necessary that
the arms should remain over the lever tail r for a short space after the
thread carrier has started, in order that the catch 4 nay land safely on the
hook piece 3, which it cannot do until the part 1 of the thread layer is free
from the short tubular piece f, when the springs 44 will bring it in safely.
The thread carrier having arrived over the space through which it is intended
to lay its thread, the tail piece 1 comes in contact with the inclined plane 2
of the short tubular pieco f, which compels the rod g on which it slides to
retreat inwardly, which motion of the rod g turns the bar 41 upon its centre
pin 42, which in so doing throws the hook piece 3 (which is attached by the
arm 50 to the bar 41), from under the catch or stop 4 of the slide bar d. The
hook piece being thus withdrawn from supporting the bar d, it descends, and
with it the thread layer, carrying the thread between the required needles, the
distance that the thread layer shall fall being determined by the adjustable
pin 48 and stop piece 49. The workman now sinks the lead sinkers, in doing
which the inner part of the fork piece w affixed to the "hanging check"

page_text: comes in contact with the inclined plane affixed to the lever n, and as the
frame descends the inclined plane v forces the lever arm n from the front of
the machine, and moves the thread layer forward in order to clear it from
the sinkers. The work is as usual now brought forward, and the frame thrown
up to the friction trucks 46, in doing which the projecting piece, affixed
to the locker L, arrives in contact with the 'bar d, for the purpose of
keeping it out when the forked piece n has arrived at a narrow part of
the inclined plane v. The workman now depresses the presser treddle which
operates as before described, brings the pressers 20, 20, on to the beards
of the needles, when the frame is drawn forward, and the work brought
over the needles in the usual manner, after which he "sinks the frame," and
goes over the arch," bringing the parts into the position before described,
and so on, narrowing the distance between the adjustable stop pieces f to form
the requisite shape by means of the mechanism, as before described. During
this description of the operation of the machine, I have, for simplicity, not
mentioned the effect produced by my improvements in the arrangement of the
jack springs, but having before described it, and their construction and com-
bination being particularly shewn in Figure 8, their operation will readily be
perceived. The workman having arrived at the instep, the heeling apparatus:
is brought into operation. To effect this, the female screws *, *, and with
them their stop pieces f* and f* are brought into the required situation for
forming the outsides or narrowed parts of the heels, as at a, a (see the Diagram,
Figure 14), and the forked pieces 8**, 8**, adjusted for forming the insides
or straight sides b, b. These latter fork pieces are not connected with the
screw motion, but are secured to the guide y bar by means of screws, their
position not requiring to be varied during the operation of making a stocking.
On starting for the heeling the workman places one of the thread carriers over
one of the fork pieces 8**, 8**, or that point coincident with the intended
strait side of the heel, and the other on the narrowing edge of the other
side of the heel, when motion being communicated to them as above described
they will travel along the bar d*, and that one which is travelling towards
the outside will strike the inclined plane 2* of one of the tubes f*, and
thereby throw the lever n* from its support as above described, and the carriers
will fall through the needles to produce a narrowing. The operation of this
part of the mechanism, i. e., the thread layers, is precisely the same as that
just described, and as similar letters of reference with the addition of an aro
marked on corresponding parts, it will not be necessary to enter into the
working of the same. It being understood that as the work proceeds the
workinan produces the necessary narrowings of the heel or those parts

page_text: marked A, A, Figure 14, by shortening the distance between the stops ƒ*,ƒ*,
and by means of the ratchet wheel and its accompaniments, as before
described, the stops f*,*, acting alternately to let the thread carriers fall into
the hook pieces 8*, 8*, and that the narrowing of the instep or middle part B
is effected by the screw boxes i, i, and stops f, f, as before described, with
reference to the leg. The instep and heeling being completed, the stockings
are pressed off at the toes and footed in the usual manner, the thread carriers
being brought into operation as before described.
I shall now proceed to describe the last head of iny Invention, videlicet, the
adaptation of the mechanism, called the Jacguard cylinder or box, with its
moving pierced pattern cards or plates to the stocking frame. The outline,
Figure 15, represents a partial section of the stocking frame, with these parts
of my improvements applied thereto. A, A, are necille bars; B, B, tho
sinkers; a, a, the pressers, which are in this case mounted in combs y, cast in
leads in the usual manner. 2 is a centre pin passing through them and the
combs on which they freely turn. At the further extremity of the pressers are tail
pieces b, b, b, b, b, against which tho Jacguard cylinder or box is intended to
act. c, c, are connecting links between the top and bottom pressers, to effect
the same motion on both tiers when the frame is working with my first
improvements, viz., with two or more tiers of operative parts applied thereto.
* are springs for the purpose of returning the pressers to their upward position.
d is the Jacguard cylinder or box, turning in bearings in the vertical rod ff.
e, e, are the perforated cards or plates passing over the Jacguard cylinder, and
from thence to any convenient situation. The vertical rod f passos between
he stationary parallel guides g. g. The lower extremity of this vertical rod is
connected by a pin to the lever h, h, which lever turns upon the fixed centre i,
and is connected at its back end to the presser treddle c. kis a spring fixed
at its upper end to the Jacguard cylinder or box, and at its lower end to any
convenient part of the frame. m, m, is a lever turning upon a fixed centre n,
and drawn upwards by the spring o. p, p, is a sloey for guiding the pressers.
The action of the parts is as follows: The workman in the ordinary motion
of pressing depresses the treddle c as usual, which by its connection with tho
lever h, h, will raise the vertical rod ff, and with it the Jacguard cylinder or
box and its pattern cards, which will then come in contact with the tails b, b, b, b,
of the pressers a, a, when those tails which are met by perforations in the
Jacguard card or plate will pass freely through such perforations, while
those that are met by the solid or unperforated portions of the card or
plate will be carried upwards, and their opposite ends perform tho
usual process of pressing. The effect of this will be, that where no

page_text: action is given to the pressers, what is commonly called
"tuck fancy
work" will be produced. The workman then having brought the work
over the beards of the needles and removed his foot from the presser treddle
in the usual way, the Jacguard cylinder begins to fall, and is assisted in that
movement by the spring k, k; during this operation one of the pins p, p,
arrives in contact with the top q, q, when the cylinder will be turned round
upon its axis, and having performed so much of a revolution as will bring.the
point p* beyond the centre line, it will be forced round the remainder part.of.
a quarter revolution by the flat spring lever m, m, which lever will then retain
it in an horizontal position, and a fresh card or plate will be presented on thé
upper surface to be used as before; r is a sot screw. for regulating the fall of
the Jacguard box. It will be perceived by inspecting the Drawing that the
tails b, b, b, of the pressers are not formed in one continuous line, but are.set
a short distance from each other for the purpose of gaining space for perfo-
rating the Jacguard cards or plates. In order to compensate for the different
degree of motion that the pressers would have, owing to their tails being
differently situated with regard to their common centre of motion, they are, so
shortened towards it that their ends shall give an equal pressure upon the
necdles. It will also be perceived that the connecting links c, c, are attached
to small projecting pieces from the pressers, which may perhaps be thought
desirable for the purpose of gaining room for the joint. And I would remark
that although I have only shewn one means of applying the principle of this
my Invention, it will readily be perceived by all competent persons that many
variations may be made in the same without departing from the main object,
for instance, the perforated cards or plates may move in a direction lengthways
of the machine, receiving suitable and appropriate motions by many mechanical
means for bringing a fresh card or plate into operation, and that many other
contrivances may be used to effect the motion of the parts which I have
described. I would also observe that instead of the ordinary Jacguard, as
described above, a barrel with tappets on its periphery or with sunken holes
might be used, but in this latter case a separate pressing motion must be
obtained to act upon the tails of those pressers which have not sunk into the
holes of the cylinder.
Having now described the nature and operation of my improvements, I
wish it to be understood that I do not mean or intend to confine myself to the
preciso shape or form shown of any of the parts of my new or improved
mechanism, as they may be varied to suit the nature of the frame or machine,
and the kind of work to be produced, for instance, in a frame of fine numbers
I should prefer bringing the stop pieces or inclined planes which determine

page_text: the extent of motion of the thread carriers, and consequently the width of tho
work produced as near as possible to the sliding pieces c upon the triangular
bar d instead of acting upon the end of the tail pieces e. And, further, it
may be necessary, when a machine is worked very fast as by rotatory or stcanı
power, to strengthen and steady their thread carriers by placing braces or arms,
extending from the ends of the pieces c to the sides of the middle or lower
part of the arms b, so as to prevent any vibration caused by the jar of the
same when stopping at the end of their motion, all of which will be readily
suggested by any practical workman. And, moreover, I do not claim as my
Invention any of the working parts or motions of the ordinary machine,
although they may appear to be effected somewhat in a different way to that
in common; neither do I claim the exclusive use of mechanical thread
carriers for conducting and laying the threads across the needles instead of
by the hand of the workman, as this has been effected before by certain
mechanism or apparatus; but what I claim my improvements and Invention to
be, under the first head or section of my improvements, is,―
The constructing, arranging, and forming a stocking frame or machino
capable of making or manufacturing two or more rows or tiers of work one
above the other, each row or tier having suitable and proper rows of needles,
sinkers, pressers, or presser bars, and other parts to perform the same, together
with suitable work rollers to take up the work as formed.
And, under the second head, I claim, first, the new or improved arrange-
ment and construction of mechanism herein described, forming the thread
carriers for conducting and laying the thread across the needles, particularly
the right and left handed screws, and the sliding pieces moving upon and
along the angular or other shaped bars d, and the mechanism connected
therewith for narrowing and widening the extent of the motion of the thread
carriers, and consequently the width of the work produced. Secondly, the
suspending or supporting the jack frame by means of pendulous or rocking
levers instead of the ordinary wheels running upon the sole bar of the common
stocking frame. Thirdly, in the construction, application, and adaptation of
the pressers placed at the back of the frame, and acting upon the beards of
the needles, and as applied to the stocking frame, either in one continuous row,
or in different numbers, or singly, together with the mechanism or apparatus
for setting them in motion and bringing them to operate upon the beards of
the needles. Fourth, in the improved mode or manner of applying and
adapting the jack springs to the halfjacks and jacks in the manner and for
the purposes herein-before stated.
And lastly, under the third head of my improvements, I claim the applica-

page_text: tion and adaptation of the Jacguard mechanism above named to the stocking
frame or machine, consisting of the Jacguard box or cylinder, with its pierced
cards or plates, or such other moving pierced pattern cards or plates, together
and in connection with the suitable arrangement and construction of mechanism
for giving it motion and connecting or communicating such motions or move-
ments, by means of the intermediate mechanism, to the pressers in order to
produce figured ornamental fancy work or knitted fabric.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Birch Mather, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our. Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.
JOSEPHI BIRCH (L.s.) MATHER.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of May, in the
first year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said Joseph Birch
Mather came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained
and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-fifth year of
the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.