CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES."-A communication from Mr. Jonas
Bradley Aiken, of Manchester, in the County of Hillsborough and State
of New Hampshire, in the United States of America, Manufacturer.
Sealed the 13th October 1859, and dated the 13th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
May 1859.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to knitting machines of both circular and straight
form, and many of its features are applicable to machines of either form, and
to those for ribbed as well as to those for plain knitting. The accompanying
Drawings which constitute a part of this Specification represent the various
applications of the improvements.
Sheet 1 of the said Drawings represents a circular machine for plain
knitting; Sheets 2, a straight machine for plain knitting; and Sheets 3, a
circular machine for ribbed work. In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a plan of the
machine complete; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the principal working
parts of the same; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, taken

page_text: while in an inverted position; Fig. 4 is an inverted plan of what I call the
"needle driving plates," by which the operations of the needles are governed;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the needles and the slider to which it is
attached. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
A is a circular, bed plate (Figs. 2 & 3) which supports all the operating
parts of the machine, having a central opening a, a, somewhat larger than is
needed to permit the knitted fabric to pass through. This bed plate may be
supported in a horizontal position upon a stand of any suitable character, as,
for instance, upon two light columns B, B, portions of which are represented
in (Figs. 2 & 3). C is the needle plafe, also of circular form, having a
central opening i, i, (Figs. 1, 2, & 3,) large enough for the knitted fabric to
pass through, and having teeth 9, 9, (Fig. 2,) all round the marginal portion
of its under side, and having on the same side a projecting rim j,j, the said
rim being fitted to turn freely within a circular cavity in the top of the bed
plate A, and when in its place it is covered by the needle driving plate D,
which is secured by screws d, d, to the stationary bed plate. The said plate C
has in its upper surface radial grooves d, d, for the reception of the needles
E, E, and the sliders or jacks F, F, to which they are attached; some of these
grooves are exposed in Fig. 1, by representing part of the driving plate broken
away; the positions of the others are shown dotted. The needles I propose
generally to employ are of that kind whose points are closed by latches n, n;
other needles may, however, be employed in connection with many of my
improvements. The needle sliders F, F, consist of plates of steel or other
metal of the form best exhibited in Fig. 5, having each a groove C in one
side, in which groove the stem of the needle is recieved and secured by
soldering or other means; the said sliders F, F, are set up edgeways in the
grooves d, d, which are just deep enough to recieve all of them, but the pro-
jections e, e, on their upper sides, which enter a groove f, k, l, m, r, in the
needle driving plate D. The said sliders fit the grooves d, d, in such a
manner as to be capable of sliding freely therein in a longitudinal direction, and
the lower surface of the driving plate D confines them so as to prevent any
vertical movement. The upper surface of the needle plate C is represented as
being flat, but it may be of the form of the exterior of a frustrum of a cone,
and in that case the lower surface of the driving plate must be of corresponding
form to fit closely thereto; the driving plate D has a central opening p, p.
The teeth g, g, of the needle plate C gear with a pinion h on the shaft I,
which is the driving shaft of the machine, and which is fitted to rotate in a
stationary box J, that may either be cast with or bolted to the bedplate A,

page_text: and the rotary motion of said shaft I is thus made to produce the revolution
of the needle plate, which carries with it the needle sliders and needles. As
the needle sliders revolve with the needle plate, they sevarally are caused to
derive such a longitudinal motion from their passage through the groove
f, k, l, m, r, that each in its turn is made to perform; first, the office of throw-
ing off the old loops, and second, that of drawing the yarn through them to
form new ones. The form of this groove f, k, l, m, r, is illustrated in Figs.
1 & 4, in the former of which Figures its position is merely shown dotted, but
in the latter its interior is shown. The direction of the revolution of the
needle plate is indicated by arrows in both the above-mentioned Figures. The
manner in which the operation of the needles is produced by the groove
f, l, k, m, r, is as follows:-While the projections e, e, of the sliders are
passing along the concentric portion f of the groove, the needles remain
stationary with the loops close in the bends of their hooks, but as the said
projections pass into the portion k, which advances towards the centre of the
plate, the needles are caused to advance preparatory to their recieving the
yarn to form the new loops, & in such advance the old loops are forced back
from the hooks, and caused to open and pass behind the latches n, n, of the
needles by coming in contact with a notched horizontal wheel K, which is
arranged with its upper plane surface a little below the bottoms of the needles,
& fitted to an upright pin or axle q, occupying a suitable fixed position in a
stationary arm L, that is bolted to the top of the plate D, said wheel being
free to rotate on its axis to allow the loops to free themselves as they pass it
in their revolution with the needles. As the projections e, e, after leaving the
straight portion of the groove pass along the concentric portion 1, the needles
remain stationary, but as they leave the said concentric portion and pass along
the curve m, the needles are drawn back through the loops, which are thus
caused to close the latches and pass over and off the hooks.
The closing of the latches does not, however, take place before the yarn,
for the new loops are under the points, are barbs of the needles, which
operation is caused to take place as the retreat of the needles commences, by
the arrangement of the thread carrier M in a suitable position to nrake it
conduct the thread under the bards at such stage of the needle's revolution.
The outer extremity of the curve m is further from the centre of the driving
plate than the concentric portion of the groove, and when. the projections e, e,
arrive at this point, their respective needles have completed their retreat. In
thus completing their retreat they draw the work against the edges of a series
of metal plates N, N, which are set up edgeways between the needles, and
which serve to hold or arrest the work while the needles are drawn out of the
A 2

page_text: the plate P, and which
This lever Q when the
secured by the dropping
old loops. The portion of the groove formig the junction of the outer
extremity of the curve m with the concentric portion f, is of a slightly
eccentric curve, allowing the needles to advance slightly to set the work free
of the plates N, N. It will be understood that the loops are formed by the
operation of the curve m. To provide for the variation of the length of the
loops, I construct this curve and the commencement of the portion of the
groove in a sliding plate P, which with its appendages I term the "loop
regulator," the said plate being fitted to a groove in the lower surface of the
driving plate, with which surface the bottom of said plate is flush, and being
capable of sliding in the said groove towards or from the centre of the
machine. By shifting this plate P further from the centre of the machine,
the needle is caused to move further back, and consequently to make a longer
loop, and by shifting it nearer to the centre the opposite effect is produced.
The plate P is shifted by means of an excentrically slotted lever Q, arranged
to work on a fulcrum pin s on the top of the driving plate, the excentric slot t
of said lever recieving a pin u, which is secured, in
projects through a radial slot u' in the driving plate.
plate P is adjusted for the desired length of loop, is
of a pin attached to said lever into one of a series of holes v, v, in the plate D.
The entrance to the groove in the loop regulator is widened, and so is the
entrance to the stationary portion of the curve r, in order to provide room for
the entry of the projections e, e, of the needle sliders in all positions of the
loop regulator. The stationary plates N, N, (the functions of which corre-
spond in some particulars with the sinkers of other machines,) are all secured
to a ring S, which is fitted easily into the central opening p.-p, of the driving
plate, and which rests on the top of the needle plate, and the extremities of
the said plates are flush with the margin of the opening. This ring S, with its
attached plates N, N, is caused to revolve along with the needle plate by the
pressure of the work against said plates. T is what I call the needle latch
regulator, whose duty it is to ensure the bards or hooks of the needles being
open at the proper time to recieve the yarn for the formation of the loops.
In the knitting machines heretofore used with latch needles, it frequently
occurs that the latches, after having been thrown back over the shank by the
slipping back of the loops on the needles, rebound, and thus close the hooks or
bards at a time when they should be open, and thus cause the dropping of the
stitches. The needle latch regulator T is to prevent this closing of the bards.
It consists of a stationary thin tongue of metal of the form shown in Figs.
I and 2, occupying such a position just above the plane in which the bards of
the needles revolve, that the latches in rebounding would fall over upon it, and

page_text: as the revolution of the needles continued, accompanied by their forward
movement, they (the latches) would in passing along its outer edge be
gradually thrown back. The needle latch regulator & thread carrier may be
made in separate pieces, but as a matter of convenience, and for their greater
efficiency, I prefer to make them of a single piece of metal, as shown in the
Drawing, the thread carrier being merely an eye in the plate T, and the said
plate being attached to an arm U, which is screwed to the top of the plate D.
To afford facility for the insertion of the needles in the machine, or for their
removal for any purpose, I provide a slot w (Figs. 1 & 2) in one side of the
cavity in the bed plate A, which recieves the needle plate, and in that part of
the driving which is situated outside of the driving groove f, k, l, m, r, I
provide a groove w' (Figs. 2 & 3) opposite to said opening w, said slot and
groove being of such size as to permit the needle slides and needles to pass
through one at a time. By turning the needle plate C to bring any one of the
grooves d, d, opposite to this slot w and groove w¹, a needle and its attached
slider can be pushed into such groove from the outside of the plate, or the
needles and slides can be pushed outwards from the central opening of the
machine far enough to be laid hold of at the outside and drawn out entirely.
Z is the driving pulley, to which the power is applied to operate the machine,
the said pulley being fitted to turn freely, and also to slide longitudinally to
some extent on the shaft I, before described, and having permanently attached
to it one portion V of a clutch, the other portion V₁ of which is fast on the
said shaft. The pulley Z is connected with a stop motion of a novel character,
which I will proceed to describe.
W, Figs. (2 & 3), is a sliding bolt fitted to slide parallel with the shaft I in
a suitable guide attached to the box J, and having at its outer end a fork W',
which enters a groove in the hub of the pulley . The inner end of this
bolt W is held by a spiral spring a in contact with a ring X, which is fitted
to turn easily in a circular cavity within a circular projecting rim y, y, formed
upon the bottom of the bed plate A, but prevented dropping out of said cavity
by the heads of two screws z, z, screwing into the bottom of said rim. An
opening 6, 6, is provided in, the said rim for the bolt W to enter and bear
upon ring X. In one part of the outer periphery of the said ring X there is.a
recess 7, 8, which has an abrupt angle 7 at one end, but meets the peripherical
surface at its other end 8 with an easy curve, and to continue the machine
in operation the deepest portion of this recess must remain opposite to the
bolt W, so that the bolt entering it may hold the portion V of the clutch
which is attached to the pulley Z in gear with the portion V which is attached
to the shaft. The said ring, has attached to its upper surface by a fulcrum

page_text: pin 10 a horizontal moving leyer Y, one end of which is formed a dog 11, and
the other end of which is made broad, and of a suitable curved form, to lie
snugly against the exterior circular web of knitting that hangs suspended
from the needles. The curved portion 12 of said lever stands up within the
central opening i, i, of the needle plate and the web, while in its perfect
bearing against the surface of the said curved portion keeps the dog 11 so far
towards of the centre of the machine, so as to prevent its entering a recess
16, 16, Figs. 2 & 3, in the central opening a, a, of the bedplate A, and
coming in contact with a circular series of pins or teeth 13, 13, which project
from the bottom of the needle plate at regular distances apart all round. The
Jever Y has applied to it a spring 14, which exerts a constant tendency to
throw the dog 11 outward to a position for the pins or teeth 13, 13, to come
in contact with it in their revolution, but this spring being properly adjusted
by a screw 15, Figs. 2 & 3, is made to produce so light a pressure, that such
tendency is overcome by the outward pressure of the web against the curved
portion 12 of the lever while the work remains perfect.
When, however, a break occurs in the yarn, or the supply of yarn to the
machine from any cause ceases, and the work begins to drop from the needles,
the dropped portion of the work, arriving at the curved portion 12 of the stop
lever Y, fails to press it outward, and leaves said lever under the incontrolled
influance of the spring 14, which causes the dog 11 to be thrown outward to
a position to come in contact with the first pin 13 that comes round with
the needle plate, and the said pin driving forward the said dog 11, carries
with it the ring X, and so carries the recess 7 & 8 'past the bolt W, and
causes said bolt to be driven outward, and the part V of the clutch and tho
pulley Z to be thrown out of gear, thus causing the stoppage of the machine.
As the curved portion 12 of the lever Y is arranged a short distance in
advance of the thread carrier M, and the pins 13, 13, are but a short distance
appart, the stoppage of the machine is effected before more than a very few
loops can have been dropped. While the pulley Z remains out of gear, which
it must be until the loops are taken up and the fabric is made perfect again, the
machine is free to be turned as may be desired by the handle Z' which is fast
on the shaft I, and the dog 11 is prevented interfering with the pins 13, 13,
in this operation by reason of the ring X, when it is shifted to stop the
machine, as herein-before described, carrying the dog beyond one end of the
recess 16, 16, and causing it to rest against the circular portion of the central
opening a, a, on one side of the said recess, and within the circle of the sweep
of the said pins 13, 13. To start the machine again by the pulley Z when
the loops shall have been taken up again, the ring is turned back by hand in

page_text: the opposite direction to that in which the needle plate revolves by means of a
handle X' attached to it for the purpose, until it is stopped by the angular
end 7 of the recess 7, 8, coming in contact with the sliding bolt W, which, by
dropping back into the said recess, throws the pulley Z into gear again.
This stop motion, it will be understood, differs essentially from the stop motions.
in common use, which are controlled by the yarn, not by the web, and which,
by the strain to which they subject the yarn, are very liable to produce
breakage.
The straight machine represented in Sheets 2 is more especially intended
for the knitting of the heels or feet of hosiery, and is a double machine,
that is to say, it has two sets of needles and other appurtenances intended for
knitting the heels or feet of two stockings or socks at the same time, but no.
alteration of any part of the machine is necessary to adapt it to the knitting of
a broad web, except an increased width and number of needles and stationary
sinkers. This machine contains many of the same peculiarities as the circular
machine already described, but mostly in a modified form, to adapt them to.
straight work. In Sheets 2, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine, having
the lower part of the frame omitted; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of
the same; Fig. 3 is a plan of the same; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the
thread carrier and the needle latch regulator, and some of the needles and.
interposed plates or sinkers, on a larger scale than the former Figures; Fig. 5
is a vertical section of the thread carrier and needle latch regulator on the
same scale as Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the needle plate
between the needle grooves; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the needles.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in several Figures.
A is the framing of the machine, on the top of which there is secured the
stationary straight horizontal needle plate C, which extends the whole length
of the machine. This plate has in its upper surface a series of parallel trans-
verse grooves d, d, running at right angles to the front edge of the plate, said
grooves serving to recieve the stems of the needles E, E, which are made flat
sided, and fitted to the grooves in such manner as to slide longitudinally.
therein with perfect freedom. These needles, it will be seen, are not attached
to sliders, like those of the circular machine just described, but the rear.
extremities of their shanks are each turned up, as shown in Figs. 2 & 7, or.
are otherwise formed to produce an upward projection e, which corresponds in
its character and purpose to the projections e on the needle sliders of that
machine, said projections e entering a groove f, g, h, h, in the bottom of the
straight needle operating plate D, which is fitted to slide along the back part
of the upper surface of the needle plate C in guides b, b. The needles are

page_text: confined in the grooves d, d, of the needle plate, so as to be prevented having
any othen than a longitudinal motion in said grooves by means of a plate B,
which is screwed down firmly on the top of the front portion of the needle
plate, said front portion of the needle plate having those portions of the grooves
d, d, which are in it of a depth just equal to the thickness of the shanks of the
needles, so that the tops of the shanks may be flush with its upper surface.
The bottoms of the grooves are flush all through the needle plate, but the
portion of said plate in rear of plate B, upon which portion the plate D slides,
is made deeper, as shown in the section, Fig. 6, in order to give a deep lateral
support to the portions e, e, of the needles, and thereby prevent the needles
rolling or oscillating laterally in the grooves. The deep portions of the grooves
should be deep enough to permit the hooks or bards of the needles to pass
through. The needle operating plate D drives a regular longitudinal recipro-
cting movement from its connection by a rod F with a crank G' on a vertical
shaft G, which works in suitable bearings in the framing A, and is geared by
a pair of bevil gears H, I, with the horizontal driving shaft J of the machine,
such movement of said plate D in either direction producing by the action of
its groove f, g, h, h, on the projections e, e, of the needles, precisely similar
longitudinal movements of the needles to those produced by the groove in the
driving plate of the circular machine herein-before described.
The said groove, whose form is shown in dotted outline in Fig. 3, is straight
for the greater portion f, f, of its length, and parallel with the line of motion of
the driving plate and with the front of the needle plate, but in each half of its
length there is a V-shaped offset g, in a forward direction, with a lesser offset h
in a backward direction on either side of it, the offset g being to produce the
advance and retreat of the needles necessary to throw off the old loops and the
drawing of the yarn through them to produce the new ones, and the offsets h, h,
being to produce a slight advance of the needles after the new loops have been
drawn through the old ones to relieve the new loops from the strain to
which they have been subjected in driving them back between the stationary
plates or sinkers N, N, which are interposed between the needles. These
plates or sinkers, whose character and duty are the same as those of N, N, in
the circular machine first described, are all set up edgeways, and secured in
two plates S, S, which are screwed to a bar L, which is attached by two
arms L, L, to a shaft L, arranged between suitable centres parallel with the
needle bar. The said bar L is secured with the plates N, N, in their operative
position, by having attached to it a pin i, which enters a suitable hole in a
spring catch bar j, which is secured to the top of the framing, but it is per-
mitted to be set further back to keep the plates N, N, back out of the wa in

page_text: putting the leg of the stocking or any other piece of work on the needles by
raising the said catch bar jiff the pin i, and when it has been pushed back
the catch bar is allowed to drop and bring a more backward hole on the
pin i. The plates N, N, may also be withdrawn from between the needles
when desirable by simply raising the catch bar j, and allowing the bar L to
drop forward. K, K, are notched plates arranged in front of the needles, for
the purpose of holding back the loops during the advance of the needles, and
compelling them to pass out of the hooks or barbs. These plates, whose
functions, it will be understood, are the same as those of the wheel K in the
circular machine, are stationary during the knitting operation. They are
secured to a bar R, which is attached to the two arms R, R', of a shaft R³,
arranged between suitable centres parallel with the needle bar, and is held
stationary in its operative position by having attached to its under side a pin k,
which enters a hole in the front portion of the spring catch bar j, but it is
allowed to drop down from its place when it is required to put the work on
the needles by depressing the spring catch bar far enough to liberate the pink.
When the bar is raised or thrown back again, the pin k passes along the
curved front portion of the spring catch bar, and depresses it until it drops
into the hole provided for it.
The yarn carriers M, M, and the needle latch regulators T, T, are combined
in this machine in substantially the same way as in the circular machine first
described, each yarn carrier consisting of an upright tube and its corre-
sponding needle latch regulator, consisting of a V-shaped foot-like projection
on the bottom of said tube, the said latch regulator presenting a similar angle
on both sides of the yarn carrier, and having two operating edges, as it has.
to operate during the movement of the yarn carrier in either direction.
The yarn carriers and needle latch regulators are attached to arms Q, Q,
bolted to the top of the needle operating plate D, and are arranged directly
opposite the offsets 9, 9, in the groove in the said plate, as shown in Fig. 3.
At each end of each series of needles, that is to say, beyond or outside of each
selvedge needle, there is attached to the bar R, what I call "an auxiliary
finger" n, (Figs. 1, 3, & 4,) whose duty it is to assist in forming a perfect
selvedge; these fingers are curved upwards towards their points, which are
about on a level with the centres of the bends of the hooks of the needles, and
only a very little in advance of the right line forined by the fronts of those
needles whose projections e, e, are in the straight part f of the groove.. The
yarn carrier in moving past either selvedge in completing its movement in
either direction passes over the finger n, near that selvedge, and the selvedge
needle having advanced before the yarn carrier is arrived over it, recedes as

page_text: yarn
the said yarn carrier passes, and so carries the yarn that is left between the
said needle, and the yarn carrier over the point of the finger n; but as the
needle again advances with the return of the yarn carrier, it takes the said
portion of the yarn under the finger, and the continued motion of the
carrier takes it over, so that it is laid round the said finger in the form of a
loop, which is retained upon said finger until drawn off by the retreat of the
selvedge needle. The loops in their retention upon the fingers are so held
that when they slip off by reason of the breakage of the yarn, or by any other
cause, they must come properly round the selvedge needle and form a perfect
selvedge on the goods. To provide for the introduction of or the taking out
of the needles without taking off the plate D, there are provided in that part
of the lower face of the said plate D, which is behind the needle operating
groove, two transverse grooves 1, 1, shown dotted in (Figs. 2 & 3), one for each
set of needles, the said grooves 1, 1, being of a depth equal to that of the needle
operating groove. By taking off the plate B, and bringing the plate D to
such a position as to bring either groove opposite to either of the needle
grooves d, d, of its respective set, a needle can be slid into or from said groove
from the back of the plate D, and by shifting the groove 1 from one to another
of the needle grooves, the whole set of needles may be introduced or withdrawn
from the grooves. To prevent the needles working out through the grooves 1, 1,
during the operation of the machine, stop pins m, m, (Fig. 3,) are introduced
into said grooves through holes in the top of the plate. The take-up motion
in this machine, and also in the circular machine first described, may be
effected either by a weight U attached to the work, as shown in (Fig. 2), or
by a roller or other contrivance.
I will now proceed to describe the circular machine for ribbed work, which
is represented in Sheets 3 of the Drawing.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the machine complete; Fig. 2 is a vertical section
of the same on a larger scale, and without the supporting pillar; Fig. 3 is a
plan of the same; Fig. 4 is an inverted plan of the needle driving plate or
cam for operating the outer series of needles; Fig. 5 is an inverted plan of
the cam which drives the inner series of needles by which the ribbing opera-
tion is effected; Fig. 6 is a vertical section in the plane indicated by the
line in Fig. 3, drawn on a still larger scale thau Figs. 2, 3, & 4; Fig. 7 is a
vertical section in the plane indicated by the line y in Fig. 4, on a similar scale
to Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the loop-making apparatus; Fig. 9
is a perspective view of the latch regulator belonging to the inner series
of needles; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the yarn carrier, and the latch
regulator for the outer series of needles; Fig. 11 is a side view of a needle

page_text: detached from the machine; Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the outer needle
plate; Fig. 13 is a vertical section of the outer needle driving plate or cam..
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
This machine possesses all the important characteristics of the circular
machine first described with some additional ones. Instead, however, of having.
its needles revolve, and their driving plate or cam stationary as in that machine,
this relation is reversed, the needle plate being stationary, and the driving
plates or cam having a rotary motion; C is the stationary needle plate, in
which work the outer series of needles, said needle plate being bolted to a
headstock B, which is bolted on the top of a pillar A, which constitutes the
stand of the machine, said plate C being of circular form with a central
opening, and having in its upper surface radial grooves d, d, in which the
stems of the needles are fitted to slide longitudinally. The needles which I
employ in this machine are similar to those of the straight machine allready
described. The upper surface of the said plate is of the form shown in the
section (Fig. 12), but the bottoms of the needle grooves d, d, are straight.
The depth of the grooves d, d, below the less elevated portion d (Fig. 12)
of the surface of the said plate is such that the stems of the needles will be.
flush with that portion of the surface, but the depth below the more elevated
portion of the surface is so much greater that the turned up portions e of the
needles within it will prevent the lateral vibration or rolling of the needles..
The revolving needle driving plate or cam D fits to the top of the needle
plate C, and is held in its place thereon by an internally flanched ring G,
which is bolted to the needle plate C. The said plate has teeth b, b, all round
the marginal portion of its under side, to gear with a pinion c on the driving
shaft I of the machine, which works in bearings in the headstock B, and
through this gearing the said plate is caused to derive a rotary motion from.
the said shaft I. The groove in the under surface of such plate or cam which,
recieves the projections e, e, on the needles E, E, and which by its revolution,
produces the necessary longitudinal movements of said needles, is shown in
Fig. 4, where it will be seen that its form only differs from that of the groove
in the needle driving plate of the circular machine first described, in its
receding towards the centre more suddenly from the point r, where the needles.
are drawn the farthest back, and then for nearly a quarter revolution, as shown
at g, h, taking a less abrupt curve than the concentric arc f, f, and so
approaching nearer to the centre than the said arc f, f. One object of this
curve g, h, is to allow the needles E, E, in the needle plate C to move towards.
the centre of the machine at the time the inner series of needles E', E¹, are.
about to complete their descent, and by that means allow the inner series of

page_text: needles to cast off their old loops without danger of breaking the loops pen
dent upon the outer series of needles, and a further object is to draw back
the outer series of needles E, E, after the loops of the inner series E, E
have been cast off, so that when the latter needles rise they will pass up
directly through the loop they have just formed.
This formation of the groove, operating in combination with the presser X
(Figs. 3 & 6), enables the inner series of needles E', E¹, to pass safely through
their loops, notwithstanding the greatest irregularities in the size of the yarn.
The plate or cam D is provided with a loop regulator P (Figs. 2, 3, 4),
somewhat different from that illustrated in (Fig. 1), that is to say, it consists
of a swith-like plate fitted into a suitable recess in the plate, and moving on a
fixed pin or centre i. The said plate is secured by a screw screwing into
it, and passing through the plate or cam D. This loop regulator, though only
shifting one side of the groove, shifts that side which the needles always baer
against when the machine is in operation, and therefore effects all that could
be effected by shifting both sides; C¹ is the inner needle plate, whose form is
that of a hollow frustrum of a cone, said plate being arranged within the
central opening of the outer needle plate C, with its upper edge (which is
bevilled off quite thin) just below the plane occupied by the bottoms of the
needles E, and supported by a washer plate L, which rests on a collar p on
the bottom of a central vertical shaft H, which is attached rigidly by an arm J
to the revolving plate or cam D.
The grooves d', d', in which the inner series of needles E', E', are fitted are
formed in the interior surface of this plate, which is so formed that, though
the grooves have their bottoms straight with the depth of their upper portions
only equal to the thickness of the needle shanks, their lower portions are
deeper, as shown in Fig. 2, these grooves being of similar character to those
d, d, in the outer needle plate C. The grooves d', d', run directly up and
down the conical face of the plate; D' is the revolving cam for producing the
necessary longitudinal movements of the series of needles E¹, E, and said cam
fitting into the interior of the needle plate C¹, and being secured to the
vertical shaft H, which revolves with the plate or cam D. The needles E', E',
are precisely like E, E, and the cam D' has a groove j to receive the pro-
jections e¹, e¹, of said needles, which groove is so formed as to produce a
regular and gradual downward or backward movement of the needles during
about three-eights of its revolution, and a regular and gradual upward or
advancing movement during the succeeding similar portion of its revolution,
and to hold the said needles stationary in their highest position during the
remaining one-fourth of its revolution. This driving cam D₁ is so arranged

page_text: relatively to the outer needle driving plate or cam D, that that point in its
groove j, where the needles E¹, E, commence their descent or retreat, is about
opposite to the middle of the concentric portion 7 of the groove in the plate
or cam D, which holds the needles E, E, in their most advanced position.
At the lowest point in the groove; there is applied a loop regulator P' for
regulating the length of loop, consisting of a sliding plate fitted into a recess
in the said cam, and adjusted by means of a screw Q, which is so attached to
the said plate as to turn independently of it, and which screws through the
upper portion of the cam. The friction that is produced by the revolution of
the cam D within the needle plate C', tends to carry round the said needle
plate C, but the revolution of this plate is prevented by means of two fins q, q,
on the exterior of the needle plate, and two plates, R, R, bolted to the bottom
of the needle plate C; the said plates R, R, serving as stops to the fins q, q,
and being so adjusted as to hold it with its needles E', E', exactly in the
centre of the spaces between those E, E. The knitted web passes down
between the fins q, q, and the plates R, R. Provision is made for inserting
and removing the needles E' from any one of the grooves in the needle
plate C, by making a groover (Fig. 2), extending from the top of the cam C'
down to the groove j. By bringing any one of the needle grooves d¹³, d',
opposite-to this groover, a needle can be passed through it into or from such
groove d. The said groove is closed to prevent the needles working out of it
during the operation of the machine by means of a key s', which drops into
and fills it up. Similar provisions is made for inserting and withdrawing the
needles E, E, from the grooves d, d, of the plate C, by making a groove r
(Fig. 4) in the driving plate or cam D from the needle driving groove to the
central opening of such plate. This groove is filled up by a key s while the
machine is in operation. T (Figs. 3 & 10) is a needle latch regulator of
similar character to that on the machine represented in Sheet 1, and herein-
before described, applied in substantially the same manner to the outer series
of needles E, E, & being made in the same piece of metal with the yarn
carrier M, and attached by a stem U to the revolving arm J. T (Figs. 2, 3,
& 9) is a needle latch regulator of similar character to T, applied to operate
in a substantially similar manner in combination with the inner series of
needles E', E'; this is attached by a stem U¹ to the revolving arm J. These
latch regulators are each arranged so that its point enters the books of its
respective serries of needles. S¹ (Fig. 3) is a plate with a curved edge t, t,
bolted to the needle driving plate D, opposite to the latch regulator T¹ to
serve as a guide to hold or bring the needles E¹, E', to a proper position for
the latch regulator to enter their hooks, and thus prevent it getting on the

page_text: wrong side of and breaking said needles. This device is of the most benifit
when the needles E', E', and their grooves d', d¹, are badly worn. S (Figs. 2,
3, & 4) is a plate fitted inta a cavity in the bottom of the outer cam or
driving plate, and secured thereto, and projecting further towards the centre
thereof than the central opening of the said plate for the purpose of holding
down the needles as near to the barbs as possible, and steadying them as the
loop regulator operates. V (Figs. 3 & 6) is what I term the needle elevator,
consisting of a plate with a slightly curved upper edge, revolving close below
the needles E, E, at the point where their advance towards the centre of the
machine commences for the purpose of lifting up the ends of the said needles
a little way as they advance to enable them to pass over any knots or foreign
substances or uneven places in the yarn, and enabling the loops to drop safely
over the extremity of the open latches. This elevator is attached to a toothed
ring W, which is fitted into a cavity provided for it in the bottom of the
needle plate C, and which is held in its place by a ring W, that is bolted to the
said plate. This toothed ring gears with and derives a rotary motion from
a pinion on the driving shaft I, such pinion and ring having the numbers of
their teeth so proportioned to each other that the said ring performs its
revolutions in precisely the same time as the needle driving plate C.
The presser X before mentioned, see Figs. 3 & 6, consists of a plate of
metal bolted to the driving plate in such position that its point revolves
between the two series of needles, and close to the needle elevator V. The
so arranged presser keeps the loops on the inner series of needles from rising
to a position to interfere with the advance of the needles of the outer series,
and it assists both series in casting off their loops. Y (Figs. 2, 3, 7, & 8,)
is a plate of steel of an angular transverse section bolted to the interior of the
revolving ring W in such a position that it works directly under the outer
series of needles E, E, and behind the inner series E', E', close to the yarn
carrier and to where the outer needles E, E, begin to recede. The edge of
this plate bears against the web, and holds it whilst the needles E, E, draw
the yarn through the old loops to form the new ones.
The knitting operation as performed in this machine is as follows:-The
yarn being fed into the outer series of needles E, E, by the yarn carrier M, as
they are in the act of receding from the centre of the machine, the hooks of
these needles catch the yarn each one in succession and draw it in for their
loops, at the same time drawing it around the ribbing needles into a condition
shown in Fig. 8, for them to form the ribbing loops by their descent. The
fabric is held back or sustained against the receding operation of the needles
E, E, by which these needles drawing their loops partly by means of the

page_text: plate Y, and partly by means of the inner or ribbing needles E, E, but it is
sustained against the receding operation or descent of the inner or ribbing
needles by which those needles draw in their loops by resting on the upper
edge of the needle plate C¹. As fast as it is knitted the fabric passes down
the outside of the said needle plate C¹. The take-up is effected in this
machine by a weight Z suspended from the web of knitting by a buckle v.
By the use of a weight not only is there a more uniform tension produced on
the web than by taking it up on a roller, but a much greater length of web
can be knitted continuously, for when the weight arrives at or near the floor it
can be unbuckled, and moved up near to the bottom of the needle plates, the
web being coiled or folded up as it reaches the floor.
In order that the machine may stop of itself when the weight arrives near
the floor, I employ the following mechanism:-15 (Figs 1 & 2) is a shipper
bar, which slides in guides in the headstock, and carries a fork 15* to embrace
the driving belt for the purpose of shifting it from the fast pulley 1' to the
loose pulley I on the shaft I. The shipper bar 15 has a groove in front to
recieve the upper end of a long, upright lever 16, which passes down through
the interior of the pillar A, and which is connected by a pin 17, which con-
stitutes its fulcrum with a lever 18 (Fig. 1), which works on a fixed fulcrum 19
at the bottom of the pillar, and which projects from the foot of the pillar below
the centre of the plate C, where it terminates in a broad trencher-like form.
The upright lever 16 has applied to it within the pillar a spring 20 (dotted in
Fig. 1); which tends to push it in a direction to make the bar 15 and its
fork 15 carry the belt from the fast to the loose pulley; but such a move-
ment of the lever is prevented taking place so long as it is desired to keep the
machine in operation, by a projection 21 (Figs. 1 & 2,) on the said lever being
recieved within a recess 22 (dotted in Fig. 1) in the head of the pillar, and
thus keeping the fork 15* opposite the fast pulley I'. The lever 18 has
applied to it within the pillar A, a spring 23, which is strong enough to bear
the weight of the said lever & that of lever 16, and hence capable of holding the
projection 21 within the recess 22. When a sufficient length of work bas
been knitted for the weight to arrive upon the trencher-like end of the lever 18,
and bear upon it with sufficient force to overcome the action of the spring 23,
the said lever 18 descends, and draws down the lever 16 with it, until it frees
the projection 21 from the notch 22, and leaves the lever 16 under the in-
fluence of the spring 20, which pushes it in a direction to bring the fork 15*
opposite the loose pulley I, and thus shift the belt on to that pulley. When
the weight Z has been moved up to near the top of the web, the bar 15 is slid
back again by band, to bring the belt on to the fast pulley 1' again, and when

page_text: the said bar arrives in such a position, the lever 16, which has been carried
back with it, is raised again by the spring 23, and its projection 21 entering
the recess 22, again locks it, and also locks the shipper bar.
This machine may be considerably modified,, as, for instance, the inner
needle plate C¹ & its driving plate may, when the machine is of large size, be
made flat; but the conical form is preferable, more especially in small
machines; the outer needle plate C and its driving plate might be made of
conical form, with the needle grooves d, d, on the exterior conical surface of
the needle plate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer &
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN KNITTING MACHINES," a communication from Mr. Jonas Bradley Aiken, of
Manchester, in the County of Hillsboro' and State of New Hampshire, in the
United States of America, Manufacturer, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to. say) :-
This Invention relates to knitting machines of both circular and straight
form, and many of its features are applicable to machines of either form, and
to those for ribbed as well as to those for plain knitting. The accompanying
Drawings, which constitute a part of this Specification, represent the various
applications of the improvements; Section 1 of said Drawings represents a
circular machine for plain knitting; Section 2, a straight machine for plain
knitting; and Section 3, a circular machine for ribbed work.
In Section 1, Fig. 1 is a plan of the machine complete; Fig. 2 is a vertical
central section of the principal working parts of the same; Fig. 3 is a
horizontal sectional view of the same, taken while in an inverted position;
Fig. 4 is an inverted plan of what I call the "needle driving plate," by which
the operations of the needles are governed; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of
one of the needles, and the slider to which it is attached. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A is a circular bed plate (Figs. 2 & 3), which supports, all the operating
parts of the machine, having a central opening a, a, somewhat larger than is
needed to permit the knitted fabric to pass through. This bed plate may be
supported in a horizontal position upon a stand of any suitable character, as,
for instance, upon two light columns B, B, portions of which are represented
in (Figs. 2 & 3). C is the needle plate, also of circular form, having a
central opening i, i, (Figs. 1, 2, & 3,) large enough for the knitting fabric to
pass through, and having teeth g, g, Fig. 2, all round the marginal portion of
its under side, and having on the same side a projecting rim j, j, the said rim
being fitted to turn freely within a circular cavity in the top of the bed
plate A, and when in its place it is covered by the needle driving plate D,
which is secured by screws d, d, to the stationary bed plate. The said plate C
has in its upper surface radial grooves d, d, for the reception of the needles E, E,
and the sliders or jacks F, F, to which they are attached. Some of these
grooves are exposed in Fig. 1 by representing part of the driving plate broken
away. The positions of the other are shown dotted. The needles I propose
generally to employ are of that kind whose points are closed by latches n, n.
Other needles may, however, be employed in connection with many of my
improvements. The needle sliders F, F, consist of plates of steel or other
metal of the form best exhibited in Fig. 5, having each a groove C in one

page_text: side, in which groove the stem of the needle is recieved and secured by
soldering or other means. The said slides F, F, are set up edgeways in the
grooves d, d, which are just deep enough to recieve all of them but the
projections e, e, on their upper sides, which enter a groove f, k, l, m, r, in the
needdle driving plate. The said sliders fit the grooves d, d, in such a manner
as to be capable of sliding freely therein in a longitudinal direction; and the
lower surface of the driving plate D confines them so as to prevent any vertical
movement. The upper surface of the needle plate C is represented as being
flat, but it may be of the form of the exterior of a frustrum of a cone, and in
that case the lower surface of the driving plate must be of a corresponding
form to fit closely thereto. The driving plate D has a central opening p, p:
The teeth g, g, of the needle plate C gear with a pinion on the shaft I,
which is the driving shaft of the machine, and which is fitted to rotate in a
stationary box J, that may either be cast with or bolted to the bed plate A,
and the rotary motion of said shaft I is this made to produce the revolution of
the needle plate, which carries with it the needle sliders and needles. As the
needle sliders revolve with the needle plate, they severally are caused to derive
such a longitudinal motion from their passage through the groove f, k, l, m, r,
that each in its turn is made to perform, first, the office of throwing off the old
loops; the second, that of drawing the yarn through them to form the new
The form of this groove f, k, l, m, r, is illustrated in Figs. 1 & 4, in
the former of which Figs. its position is merely shown dotted, but in the latter
its interior is shown. The direction of the revolution of the needle plate is
indicated by arrows in both the above-mentioned Figures.
ones.
The manner in which the operation of the needles is produced by the
groove f, k, l, m, r, is as follows:-While the projections e, e, of the sliders
are passing along the concentric portion f of the groove, the needles remain
stationary with the loops close in the bends of their hooks; but as the said
projections pass into the portion k, which advances towards the centre of the
plate, the needles are caused to advance preparatory to their receiving the
yarn to form the new loops, and in such advance the old loops are forced back
from the hooks, and caused to open and pass behind the latches n, n, of the
needles by coming in contact with a notched horizontal wheel K, which is
arranged with its upper plane surface a little below the bottoms of the
needles, and fitted to an upright pin or axle 2, occupying a suitable fixed
position in a stationary arm L that is bolted to the top of the plate D;
said wheel being free to rotate on its axis to allow the loops to free
themselves as they pass it in their revolution with the needles. As the
projections e, e, after leaving the straight portion k of the groove pass along

page_text: the concentric portion 1, the needles remain stationary, but as they leave
the said concentric portion and pass along the curve m, the needles are drawn
back through the loops, which are thus caused to close the latches and
pass over and off the hooks. The closing of the latches does not, however,
take place before the yarn for the new loops is under the points or barbs of
the needles, which operation is caused to take place as the retreat of the
needles commences by the arrangement of the thread carrier M in a suitable
position to make it conduct the thread under the barbs at such stage of the
needle's revolution. The outer extremity of the curve m is further from the
centre of the driving plate than the concentric portion of the groove, and when
the projections e, e, arrive at this point their respective needles have completed
their retreat. In thus completing their retreat, they draw the work against
the edges of a series of metal plates N, N, which are set up edgeways between
the needles, and which serve to hold or arrest the work while the needles are
drawn out of the old loops. The portion » of the groove forming the junction
of the outer extremity of the curve m with the concentric portion f, is of a
slightly concentric curve, allowing the needles to advance slightly to set the
work free of the plates N, N. It will be understood that the loops are formed
by the operation of the curve m. To provide for the variation of the length
of the loops, I construct this curve and the commencement of portion r of the
groove in the sliding plate P, which, with its appendages, I term the "loop
regulator," the said plate being fitted to a groove in the lower surface of the
driving plate, with which surface the bottom of said plate is flush, and being
capable of sliding in the said groove towards or from the centre of the
machine. By shifting this plate P further from the centre of the machine the
needle is caused to move further back, and consequently to make a longer
loop, and by shifting it nearer to the centre the opposite effect is produced.
The plate P is shifted by means of an eccentrically slotted lever Q, arranged
to work on a fulcrum pin s on the top of the driving plate, the eccentric
slot t of said lever receiving a pin u, which is secured in the plate P, and
which projects through a radial slot u' in the driving plate. This lever Q,
when the plate P is adjusted for the desired length of loop, is secured by the
dropping of a pin attached to said lever into one of a series of holes v, v, made
in the plate D. The entrance of the groove in the loop regulator is widened,
and so is the entrance of the stationary portion of the curve r, in order to
provide room for the entry of the projections e, e, of the needle sliders in all
positions of the loop regulator. The stationary plates N, N, (the functions
of which correspond in some particulars with the sinkers of other machines,)
are all secured to a ring S, which is fitted easily into the central opening p, p,

page_text: of the driving plate, and which rests on the top of the needle plate, and the
extremities of said plates are flush with the margin of the opening. This
ring S, with its attached plates N, N, is caused to revolve along with the
needle plate by the pressure of the work against said plates. T is what I
call the needle latch regulator, whose duty it is to insure the barbs or hooks
of the needles being open at the proper time to receive the yarn for the
formation of the loops. In the knitting machines heretofore used with latched
needles it frequently occurs that the latches, after having been thrown back
over the shank by the slipping back of the loops on the needles, rebound, and
thus close the hooks or barbs at a time when they should be open, and thus
cause the dropping of the stitches. The needle latch regulator T is to prevent
this closing of the barbs. It consists of a stationary thin tongue of metal, of
the form shown in Figs. 1 & 2, occupying such a position just above the plane
in which the barbs of the needles revolve, and the latches in rebounding would
fall over upon it, and as the revolution of the needles continues, accompanied
by their forward movement, they (the latches) would in passing along its
outer edge, be gradually thrown back. The needle latch regulator and thread
carrier may be made in separate pieces, but as a matter of convenience, and
for their greater efficiency, I prefer to make them of a single piece of metal,
as shown in the Drawing, the thread carrier being merely an eye in the
plate T, and the said plate being attached to an arm U, which is screwed to
the top of the plate D. To afford facility for the insertion of the needles in
the machine, or for their removal for any purpose, I provide a slot w (Figs. 1
& 2) in one side of the cavity in the bed plate A, which receives the needle
plate, and in that part of the driving plate which is situated outside of the
driving groove f, k, l, m, r, I provide a groove w' (Figs. 2 & 3) opposite to
said opening w, said slot and groove being of such size as to permit the
needle slides and needles to pass through one at a time. By turning the
needle plate C to bring any one of the grooves d, d, opposite to this slot w
and groove w¹, a needle and its attached slider can be pushed into such groove
from the outside of the plate, or the needles and sliders can be pushed outward
from the central opening of the machine far enough to be laid hold of at the
outside, and drawn out entirely. Z is the driving pulley, to which the power
is applied to operate the machine, the said pulley being fitted to turn freely,
and also to slide longitudinally to some extent on the shaft I, before described,
and having permanently attached it to one portion V of a clutch, the other
portion V¹ of which is fast on the said shaft. The pulley Z is connected with
a stop motion of a novel character, which I will proceed to describe.
W, (Figs. 2 & 3), is a sliding bolt fitted to slide parallel with the shaft I in

page_text: a suitable guide attached to the box J, and having at its outer end a fork W',
which enters a groove in the hub of the pulley Z. The inner end of this
bolt W is held by a spiral spring æ in contact with a ring X, which is fitted to
turn easily in a circular cavity within a circular projecting rim y, y, formed
upon the bottom of the bedplate A, but prevented dropping out of said cavity
by the heads of two screws z, z, screwing into the bottom of said rim. An
opening 6, 6, is provided in the said rim for the bolt W to enter and bear
upon the ring X. In one part of the outer periphery of the said ring X there
is a recess 7, 8, which has an abrupt angle 7 at one end, but meets the
peripherical surface at its other end 8 with an easy curve, and to continue
the machine in operation the deepest portion of this recess must remain
opposite to the bolt W, so that the bolt entering it may hold the portion V' of
the clutch which is attached to the pulley Z in gear with the projection V,
which is attached to the shaft. The said ring has attached to its upper
surface by a fulcrum pin 10 a horizontal moving lever Y, on one end of which
is formed a dog 11, and the other end of which is made broad and of a
suitable curved form to lie snugly against the exterior circular web of knitting
that hangs suspended from the needles. The curved portion 12 of said levers
stands up within the central opening i, i, of the needle plate, and the web
while it is perfect, bearing against the surface of the said curved portion,
keeps the dog 11 so far towards the centre of the machine as to prevent its
entering a recess 16, 16, (Figs. 2 & 3,) in the central opening a, a, of the
bedplate A, and coming in contact with a circular series of pins or teeth
13, 13, which project from the bottom of the needle plate at regular distances
apart all round. The lever Y has applied to it a spring 14, which exerts a
constant tendency to throw the dog 11 outward to a position for the pins or
teeth 13, 13, to come in contact with it in their revolution; but this spring being
properly adjusted by a screw 15 (Figs. 2 & 3), is made to produce so slight a
pressure that such tendency is overcome by the outward pressure of the web
against the curved portion 12 of the lever, while the work remains perfect.
When, however, a break occurs in the yarn, or the supply of yarn to the
machine from any cause ceases, and the work begins to drop from the
needles, the dropped portion of the work arriving at the curved portion 12 of
the stop lever Y, fails to press it outward, and leaves said lever under the
uncontrolled influence of spring 14, which causes the dog 11 to be thrown
outward to a position to come in contact with the first pin 13 that comes
round with the needle plate; and the said pin, driving forward the said dog,
carries with it the ring X, and so carries the recess 7 & 8 past the bolt W,

page_text: and causes said bolt to be driven outward, and the part V of the clutch and
the pulley Z to be thrown out of gear; thus causing the stoppage of the
machine. As the curved portion 12 of the lever Y is arranged a short
distance in advance of the thread carrier M, and the pins 13, 13, are but a
short distance apart, the stoppage of the machine is effected before more than
a very few loops can have been dropped. While the pulley Z remains out of
gear, which it must be until the loops are taken up and the fabric is made
perfect again, the machine is free to be turned as may be desired by the
handle Z', which is fast on the shaft I, and the dog 11 is prevented interfering
with the pins 13, 13, in this operation by reason of the ring X, when it is
shifted to stop the machine, as herein-before described, carrying the dog
beyond one end of the recess 16, 16, and causing it to rest against the circular
portion of the central opening a, a, on one side of the said recess and within
the circle of the sweep of the said pins 13, 13. To start the machine again
by the pulley Z, when the loops shall have been taken up again, the ring is
turned back by hand in the opposite direction to that in which the needle
plate revolves, means of a handle X attached to it for the purpose, until
it is stopped by the angular end 7 of the recess 7, 8, coming in contact with
the sliding bolt W, which by dropping back into the said recess, throws the
pulley Z into gear again. This stop motion, it will be understood, differs
essentially from the stop motions in common use, which are controlled by the
yarn, not by the web, and which, by the strain to which they subject the yarn,
are very liable to produce breakage.
The straight machine represented in Section 2 is more especially intended
for the knitting of the heels or feet of hosiery, and is a double machine, that
is to say, it has two sets of needles and other appurtenances, intended for the
knitting of the heels or feet of two stockings or socks at the same time; but
no alteration of any part of the machine is necessary to adapt it to the
knitting of a broad web, except an increased width and number of needles and
stationary sinkers. This machine contains many of the same peculiarities as
the circular machine already described, but mostly in a modified form, to adapt
them to straight work. Fig. 6, Section 2, is a front elevation of the machine,
having the lower part of the framing omitted. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical
section of the same. Fig. 8 is a plan of the same. Fig. 9 is a perspective
view of the thread carrier and the needle latch regulator, and some of the
needles and interposed plates or sinkers, on a larger scale than the former
Figures. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the thread carrier and needle latch
regulator on the same scale as Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the

page_text: needle plate between the needle grooves. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of
one of the needles. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in the several Figures.
A is the framing of the machine, on the top of which there is screwed the
stationary straight horizontal needle plate C, which extends the whole length
of the machine. This plate has in its upper surface a series of parallel
transverse grooves d, d, running at right angles to the front edge of the plate,
said grooves serving to receive the stems of the needles E, E, which are made
flat sided, and fitted to the grooves in such manner as to slide longitudinally
therein with perfect freedom. These needles, it will be seen, are not attached
to slides like those of the circular machine first described, but the rear
extremities of their shanks are each turned up, as shown in Figs. 7 & 12, or
are otherwise formed to produce an upward projection e, which corresponds in
its character and purpose to the projections e on the needle sliders of that
machine, said projections e entering a groove f, g, h, h, in the bottom of the
straight needle operating plate D, which is fitted to slide along the back part
of the upper surface of the needle plate C in guides b, b. The needles are
confined in the grooves d, d, of the needle plate, so as to be prevented having
any other than a longitudinal motion in said grooves by means of a plate B,
which is screwed down firmly on the top of the front portion of the needle
plate, said front portion of the needle plate having those portions of the
grooves d, d, which are in it, of the depth just equal to the thickness of the
shanks of the needles, so that the tops of the shanks may be flush with its
upper surface. The bottoms of the grooves are flush all through the needle
plate, but the portion of said plate in rear of the plate B, upon which portion
the plate D slides, is made deeper, as shown in the section, Fig. 11, in order
to give a deep lateral support to the portions e, e, of the needles, and thereby
prevent the needles rolling or oscillating laterally in the grooves. The deep
portions of the grooves should be deep enough to permit the hooks or barbs of
the needles to pass through. The needle, operating plate D derives a regular
longitudinal reciprocating movement from its connection by a rod F, with a
crank G¹ on a vertical shaft G, which works in a suitable bearings in the
framing A, and is geared by a pair of bevel gears H, I, with the horizontal
driving shaft J of the machine; such movement of said plate D in either
direction producing by the action of its groove f, g, h, h, on the projections
e, e, of the needles precisely similar longitudinal movements of the needles to
those produced by the groove in the driving plate of the circular machine
herein-before described. The said groove, whose form is shown in dotted out-
line in Fig. 8, is straight for the greater portion f, f, of its length and parallel

page_text: with the line of motion of the driving plate, and with the front of the needle
plate, but in each half of its length there is a V-shaped offset g in a forward
direction, with a lesser offset h in a backward direction on either side of it,
the offset g being to produce the advance and retreat of the needles necessary
to throw off the old loops, and the drawing of the yarn through them to
produce the new ones, and the offsets h, h, being to produce a slight advance
of the needles after the new loops have been drawn through the old ones to
relieve the new loops from the strain to which they have been subjected in
drawing them back between the stationary plates or sinkers N, N, which are
interposed between the needles.
The plates or sinkers, whose character and duty are the same as those of
N, N, in the circular machine first described, are all set up edgeways, and
secured in two plates S, S, which are screwed to a bar L, which is attached by
two arms L, L, to a shaft L, arranged between suitable centres parallel with
the needle bar. The said bar L is secured with the plates N, N, in their
operative position by having attached to it a pin i, which enters a suitable hole
in a spring catch bar j, which is secured to the top of the framing; but it is
permitted to be set further back to keep the plates N, N, back out of the way
in putting the leg of the stocking or any other piece of work on the needles,
by raising the said catch barj off the pin i; and when it has been pushed
back, the catch bar is allowed to drop and bring a more backward hole on the
pin i. The plates N, N, may be also withdrawn from between the needles
when desirable by simply raising the catch bar j, and allowing the bar L to
drop forward. K, K, are notched plates arranged in front of the needles for
the purpose of holding back the loops during the advance of the needles, and
compelling them to pass out of the hooks or barbs. These plates, whose
functions, it will be understood, are the same as those of the wheel K in the
circular machine, are stationary during the knitting operation. They are
secured to a bar R, which is attached to the two arms R', R', of the shaft R²,
arranged between suitable centres parallel with the needle bar, and is held
stationary in its operative position by having attached to its under side a pink,
which enters a hole in the front portion of the spring catch bar j; but it is
allowed to drop down from its place, when it is required to put the work on
the needles, by depressing the spring catch bar far enough to liberate the pin k.
When the bar is raised or thrown back again, the pin k passes along the
curved front portion of the spring catch bar, and depresses it until it drops into
the hole provided for it.
The yarn carriers M, and the needle latch regulators T, T, are combined
in this machine in substantially the same way as in the circular machine first

page_text: described, each yarn carrier consisting of an upright tube, and its corresponding
needle latch regulator consisting of a V-shaped foot-like projection on the
bottom of said tube, the said latch regulator presenting a similar angle on
both sides of the yarn carrier, and having two operating edges, as it has to
operate during the movement of the yarn carrier in either direction. The
yarn carriers and needle latch regulators are attached to arms Q, Q, bolted to
the top of the needle operating plate D, and are arranged directly opposite
the offsets 9, g, in the groove in the said plate, as shown in Fig. 8. At
each and of each series of needles, that is to say, beyond or outside of each
selvedge needle, there is attached to the bar R what I call an auxiliary
finger n, (Figs. 6, 8, & 9,) whose duty it is to assist in forming a perfect
selvedge. These fingers are curved upward towards their points, which are
about on a level with the centres of the bends of the hooks of the needles, and
only a very little in advance of the right line formed by the fronts of those
needles whose projections e, e, are in a straight part f of the groove. The
yarn carrier in moving past either selvedge in completing its movement in
either direction passes over the finger n near that selvedge, and the selvedge
needle, having advanced before the yarn carrier arrived over it, recedes as the
said yarn carrier passes, and so carries the yarn that is left between the said
needle, and the yarn carrier over the point of the finger n, but as the needle
again advances with the return of the yarn carrier, it takes the said portion of
the yarn under the finger, and the continual motion of the yarn carrier takes
it over, so that it is laid round the said finger in the form of a loop, which is
retained upon said finger until drawn off by the retreat of the selvedge needle.
The loops in their retention upon the fingers are so held that when they slip off
by reason of the breakage of the yarn or by any other cause, they must come
properly round the selvedge needle, and form a perfect selvedge on the goods.
To provide for the introduction of or the taking out of the needles without
taking off the plate D, there are provided in that part of the lower face of the
said plate D, which is behind the needle operating groove, two transverse
grooves 1, 1, shown dotted in Figs. 7 & 8, one for each set of needles, the said
grooves 1, 1, being of a depth equal to that of the needle operating groove. By
taking off the plate B, and bringing the plate D to such a position as to bring
either groove opposite to either of needle grooves d, d, of its respective set, a
needle can be slid into or from said groove from the back of the plate D, and
by shifting the groove from one to another of the needle grooves, the whole
set of needles may be introduced or withdrawn from the grooves. To prevent
the needles working out through the grooves 1, 1, during the operation of the
machine, stop-pins m, m, Fig. 8, are introduced into said grooves through

page_text: holes in the top of the plate. The take-up motion in this machine, and also
in the circular machine first described, may be effected either by a weight U
attached to the work, as shown in Fig. 7, or by a roller or other contrivance.
I will now proceed to describe the circular machine for ribbed work which is
represented in Section 3 of the Drawing; Fig. 13 is an elevation of the machine
complete; Fig. 14 is a vertical section of the same on a larger scale and without
the supporting pillar; Fig. 15 is a plan of the same; Fig. 16 is an inverted
plan of the needle driving plate or cam for operating the outer series of
needles; Fig. 17 is an inverted plan of the cam which drives the inner series of
needles by which the ribbing operation is effected. Fig. 18 is a vertical
section in the plane indicated by the line a, in Fig. 15, drawn on a still larger
scale than Figs. 14, 15, & 16; Fig. 19 is a vertical section in the plane
indicated by the line y in Fig. 16, on a scale similar to Fig. 18; Fig. 20 is a
perspective view of the loop-making apparatus; Fig. 21 is a perspective view
of the latch regulator belonging to the inner scries of needles; Fig. 22 is a
perspective view of the yarn carrier and the latch regulator for the outer series
of needles; Fig. 23 is a side view of a needle detached from the machine;
Fig. 24 is a vertical section of the outer needle plate; Fig. 25 is a vertical
section of the outer needle driving plate or cam. Similar letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in all of the Figures.
This machine possesses all the important characteristics of the circular
machine first described, with some additional ones. Instead, however, of
having its needles revolve and their driving plate or cam stationary as in that
machine, this relation is reversed, the needle plate being stationary and the
driving plates or cam having a rotary motion. C is the stationary needle
plate in which work the outer series of needles, said needle plate being bolted
to a head stock B, which is bolted on the top of a pillar A, which constitutes
the stand of the machine, said plate C being of circular form with a central
opening, and having in its upper surface radial grooves d, d, in which the
stems of the needles are fitted to slide longitudinally. The needles which I
employ in this machine are similar to those of the straight machine already
described. The upper surface of the said plate is of the form shown in the
section, Fig. 24, but the bottoms of the needle grooves d, d, are straight.
The depth of the grooves d, d, below the less elevated portion d, Fig. 24, of the
surface of the said plate, is such that the stems of the needles will be flush with
that portion of the surface, but the depth below the more elevated portion of
the surface is so much greater that the turned-up portions e of the needles
within it will prevent the lateral vibration or rolling of the needles.
The revolving needle driving plate or cam D fits to the top of the needle

page_text: plate C, and is held in its place thereon by an internally flanched ring G, which
is bolted to the needle plate C. The said plate has teeth b, b, all round the
marginal portion of its under side to gear with a pinion c on the driving shaft
I of the machine, which works in bearings in the headstock B, and through
this gearing the said plate is caused to derive a rotary motion from the said
shaft I. The groove in the under surface of such plate or cam which receives
the projection e, e, on the needles E, E, and which by its revolution produces
the necessary longitudinal movements of said needles, is shown in Fig. 16,
where it will be seen that its form only differs from that of the grooves in the
needle driving plate of the circular machine first described in its receding towards
the centre more suddenly from the point r, where the needles are drawn the
farthest back, and then for nearly a quarter revolution, as shown at g, h, taking a
less abrupt curve than the concentric arc f, f, and so approaching nearer to the
centre than the said arc f. f. One object of this curve g, h, is to allow the needles
e, e, in the needle plate C to move towards the centre of the machine at the time
the inner series of needles E', E', are about to complete their descent, and by
that means allow the inner series of needles to cast off their old loops without
danger of breaking the loops pendent upon the outer series of needles, and a
further object is to draw back the outer series of needles E, E, after the loops of
the inner series E', E', have been cast off, so that when the latter needles rise
they will pass up directly through the loop they have just formed. This
formation of the groove operating in combination with the presser X (Figs. 15
& 18, enables the inner series of needles E', E', to pass safely through their
loops, notwithstanding the greatest irregularities of the size of the yarn. The
plate or cam D is provided with a loop regulator P, Figs. 14, 15, & 16,
somewhat different from that illustrated in Fig. 13, that is to say, it consists of
a switch-like plate fitted into a suitable recess in the plate and moving on a
fixed pin or centre i. The said plate is secured by a screw a screwing into it
and passing through the plate or cam D. This loop regulator, though only
shifting one side of the groove, shifts that side which the needles always bears
against when the machine is in operation, and therefore effects all that could
be effected by shifting both sides. C¹ is the inner needle plate, whose form is
that of a hollow frustrum of a cone, said plate being arranged within the
central opening of the outer needle plate C with its upper edge (which is
bevelled off quite thin) just below the plane occupied by the bottoms of the
needles E, and supported by a washer plate L, which rests on a collar p on
the bottom of a central vertical shaft H, which is attached rigidly by an arm J
to the revolving plate or cam D. The grooves d', d', in which the inner series
of needles E', E', are fitted, are formed in the interior surface of this plate,

page_text: which is so formed that, though the grooves have their bottoms straight with
the depth of their upper portions only equal to the thickness of the needle
shanks, their lower portions are deeper, as shown in Fig. 14, these grooves
being of similar character to those d, d, in the outer needle plate C. The
grooves d', d', run directly up and down the conical surface of the plate.
D' is the revolving cam for producing necessary longitudinal movements of
the series of needles E¹, E', said cam fitting into the interior of the needle
plate C, and being secured to the vertical shaft H, which revolves with the
plate or cam D. The needles E, E, are precisely like E, E, and the cam D'
has a groove to receive the projections e¹, e³, of said needles, which groove is so
formed as to produce a regular and gradual downward or backward movement
of the needles during about three-eighths of its revolution, and a regular
and gradually upward or advancing movement during the succeeding similar
portion of its revolution, and to hold the said needles stationary in their highest
position during the remaining one-fourth of its revolution. This driving cam
D¹ is so arranged relatively to the outer needle driving plate or cam D, that
that point in its groove j, where the needles E', E', commence their descent
or retreat, is about opposite to the middle of the concentric portion of the
groove in the plate or cam D, which holds the needles E, E, in their most
advanced position. At the lowest point in the groove; there is applied a
"loop regulator" P₁ for regulating the length of loop, consisting of a sliding
plate fitted into a recess in the said cam, and adjusted by means of a screw Q
which is so attached to the said plate as to turn independently of it, and which
screws through the upper portion of the cam. The friction that is produced
by the revolution of the cam D' within the needle plate C' tends to carry
round the said needle plate C', but the revolution of this plate is prevented by
means of two fins q, q, on the exterior of the needle plate, and two plates R, R,
bolted to the bottom of the needle plate C, the said plates R, R, serving
as stops to fins q, q, and being so adjusted as to hold it with its needles
E, E, exactly in the centre of the spaces between those E, E.
web passes down between the fins q, q, and the plates R, R. Provision is
made for inserting and removing the needles E' from any one of the grooves d'
in the needle plate C', by making a groove 1, Fig. 14, extending from the top
of the cam C¹ down to the groovej. By bringing any one of the needle
grooves d', d', opposite to this groove 7, a needle can be passed through it into
or from such groove d. The said groove is closed to prevent the needles
working out of it during the operation of the machine by means of a key s',
which drops into and fills it up. Similar provision is made for inserting and
withdrawing the needles E, E, from the grooves d, d, of the plate C, by
The knitted

page_text: making a groove r, Fig. 16, in the driving plate or cam D from the needle
driving groove to the central opening of such plate. This groove is filled up
by a key s while the machine is in operation.
T (Figs. 15 & 22) is a needle latch regulator of similar character to that
on the machine represented in Section 1, and herein-before described, applied
in substantially the same manner to the outer series of needles E, E, and
being made in the same piece of metal with the yarn carrier M, and attached
by a stem U to the revolving arm J.
T, Figs. 14, 15, & 21, is a needle latch regulator of similar character to T,
applied to operate in a substantially similar manner in combination with the
inner series of needles E, E. This is attached by a stem U' to the revolving
arm J. These latch regulators are each arranged so that its point enters the
hooks of its respective series of needles. S¹, Fig. 15, is a plate with a curved
edge t, t, bolted to the needle driving plate D, opposite to the latch regulator.
T', to serve as a guide to hold or bring the needles E', E', to a proper position
for the latch regulator to enter their hooks, and thus prevent it getting on the
wrong side of and breaking said needles; this device is of the most benefit.
when the needles E', E', and their grooves d¹, d¹, are badly worn. S, Figs. 14,
15, & 16, is a plate fitted into a cavity in the bottom of the outer cam or
driving plate, and secured thereto, and projecting further toward the centre
thereof than the central opening of the said plate, for the purpose of holding
down the needles as near to the barbs as possible, and steadying them as the
loop regulator operates. V, Figs. 15 & 18, is what I term the "needle
elevator," consisting of a plate with a slightly curved upper edge, revolving
close below the needles E, E, at the point where their advance towards the
centre of the machine commences, for the purpose of lifting up the ends of the
said needles a little way as they advance, to enable them to pass over any
knots or foreign substances, or uneven places in the yarn, and enabling the
loops to drop safely over the extremity of the open latches. This elevator is
attached to a toothed ring W, which is fitted into a cavity provided for it in
the bottom of the needle plate C, and which is held in its place by a ring W¹
that is bolted to the said plate. This toothed ring gears with and derives a
rotary motion from a pinion u on the driving shaft I, such pinion and ring
having the number of their teeth so proportioned to each other, that the said
ring performs its revolution in precisely the same time as the needle driving
plate C.
The presser X before mentioned, see Figs. 15 & 18, consists of a plate of
metel bolted to the driving plate, in such a position that its point revolves
between the two series of needles, and close to the needle elevator V. The so

page_text: arranged presser keeps the loops on the inner series of needles from rising to
a position to interfere with the advance of the needles of the outer series, and
it assists both series in casting off their loops.
Y, Figs. 14, 15, 19, & 20, is a plate of steel of an angular transverse
section, bolted to the interior of the revolving ring W, in such a position that
it works directly under the outer series of needles E, E, and behind the inner
series E¹, E¹, close to the yarn carrier, and to where the outer needles E, E,
begin to recede; the edge of this plate bears against the web, and holds
it while the needles E, E, draw the yarn through the old loops to form
the new ones. The knitting operation, as performed in this machine, is as
follows: The yarn being fed into the outer series of needles E, E, by the
yarn carrier M as they are in the act of receding from the centre of the
machine, the hooks of those needles catch the yarn each one in succession,
and draw it in for their loops, at the same time drawing it around the ribbing
needles into a condition, shown in Fig. 20, for them to form the ribbing loops
by their descent. The fabric is held back or sustained against the receding
operation of the needles E, E, by which these needles draw in their loops,
partly by means of the plate Y, and partly by means of the inner or ribbing
needles E¹, E¹, but it is sustained against the receding operation or descent of
the inner or ribbing needles, by which those needles draw in their loops, by
resting on the upper edge of the needle plate C¹. As fast as it is knitted the
fabric passes down outside of said needle plate C¹.
The take-up is effected in this machine by means of a weight Z suspended
from the web of knitting by a buckle v. By the use of a weight, not only is
there a more uniform tension produced on the web than by taking it up on a
roller, but a much greater length of web can be knitted continuously, for when
the weight arrives at or near the floor, it can be unbuckled and moved up
near to the bottom of the needle plates, the web being coiled or folded up as
it reaches the floor. In order that the machine may stop of itself when
the weight arrives near the floor, I employ the following mechanism:-15,
Figs. 13 & 14, is a shipper bar, which slides in guides in the headstock, and
carries a fork 15%, to embrace the driving belt, for the purpose of shifting
it from the fast pulley I¹ to the loose pulley I on the shaft I. The
shipper bar 15 has a groove in front to receive the upper end of a long
upright lever 16, which passes down through the interior of the pillar A,
and which is connected by a pin 17, which constitutes its fulcrum, with
a lever 18 (Fig. 13), which works on a fixed fulcrum 19 at the bottom
of the pillar, and which projects from the foot of the pillar below the centre
of the plate C, where it terminates in a broad trencher-like form. The

page_text: upright lever 16 has applied to it, within the pillar, a spring 20, dotted in
Fig. 13, which tends to push it in a direction to make the bar 15 and its
fork 15 carry the belt from the fast to the loose pulley, but such a movement
of the lever is prevented taking place so long as it is desired to keep the
machine in operation, by a projection 21 (Figs. 13 & 14) on the said lever
being received within a recess 22 (dotted in Fig. 13) in the head of the
pillar, and thus keeping the fork 15* opposite the fast pulley I. The lever 18
has applied to it, within the pillar A, a spring 23, which is strong enough to
bear the weight of the said lever and that of the lever 16, and hence capable
of holding the projection 21 within the recess 22. When a sufficient length
of work has been knitted for the weight to arrive upon the trencher-like end
of the lever 18, and bear upon it with sufficient force to overcome the action
of the spring 23, the said lever 18 descends and draws down the lever 16 with
it until it frees the projection 21 from the notch 22, and leaves the lever 16
under the influence of the spring 20, which pushes it in a direction to bring
the fork 15* opposite the loose pulley 12, and thus shifts the belt on to that
pulley. When the weight Z has been moved up to near the top of the web,
the bar 15 is slid back again by hand, to bring the belt on to the fast pulley II
again, and when the said bar arrives in such a position, the lever 16, which
has been carried back with it, is raised again by the spring 23, and its
projection 21 entering the recess 22 again locks it, and also locks the shipper
bar. This machine may be considerably modified, as, for instance, the inner
needle plate C¹ and its driving plate may, when the machine is of large size,
be made flat, but the conical form is preferable, more especially in small
machines. The outer needle plate C and its driving plate might be made of
conical form, with the needle grooves d, d, on the exterior conical surface
of the needle plate.
Having thus described these improvements in knitting machines, I desire it
to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein described, as such may be varied or modified without departing from
the principle of action thereof; but that what I claim as new, and the Inven-
tion to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the needle plates, constructed either of circular or straight form, as
exhibited in Sections 1, 2, & 3 of the Drawing annexed, with a groove for each
needle, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.
Secondly, the interposed plates N, N, applied and operating in combination
with a series of needles sliding independently of each other, substantially as
described and illustrated in Sections 1 & 2 of the Drawing annexed, that is to

page_text: say, in a stationary condition when the needles are stationary, and having only
a motion corresponding with that of the needles when the said needles
revolve.
Thirdly, the loop regulator P or P' applied to the needle driving plate or
cam in the several forms herein specified, or in any other way substantially 5
the same.
Fourthly, the needle latch regulator T or T', constructed and operating
substantially as and for the purpose herein specified, whether made with a
single operating edge, as in the two circular machines illustrated in
Sections 1 and 3, or with a double operating edge, as in the straight machine 1
illustrated in Section 2 of the Drawing annexed.
Fifthly, the combination of the needle latch regulator, either single or
double edged, with the yarn carrier, substantially as and for the purpose
herein specified.
Sixthly, the wheel K exhibited in Section 1 of Drawing annexed, applied 1
and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.
Seventhly, the bar exhibited in Section 2 of Drawing annexed, applied
and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.
Eighthly, the fingers n, n, applied to the straight machines represented in
Section 2 of Drawing annexed, substantially as and for the purpose herein 2
set forth.
Ninthly, the stop motion applied and operating substantially as represented
in Section 1 of Drawing annexed, and herein fully described.
Tenthly, connecting the inner needle driving plate or cam of the circular
ribbed knitting machine with the outer needle driving plate, and supporting 2
the said inner needle driving plate by means of an arm J applied substantially
as herein described, and represented in Section 3 of the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
Eleventhly, the combination of the fins q, q, on the inner needle plate of the
circular ribbed knitting machine and the plates R, R, attached to the 3
outer needle plate, substantially as and for the purpose herein set fourth.
Twelfthly, the within-described mode of operating the outer series of
needles of the ribbed knitting machine as produced by the eccentric portion g, h,
of the needle driving plate D, exhibited in Fig. 16 of Section 3.
Thirteenthly, the needle elevator V, applied and operating as described, and 3
illustrated in Section 3 of Drawing annexed.
Fourteenthly, the ring W for carrying the needle elevator, and the plate Y,
applied and operating substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: Fifteenthly, the plate S, or an equivalent extension of the outer needle
driving plate of the circular ribbed knitting machine, for the purpose herein
specified.
Sixteenthly, the guide S', attached to the outer needle driving plate, and
applied in combination with the inner series of needles of the circular ribbed
knitting machine, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.
Seventeenthly, the stop motion, illustrated in Section 3, whether applied to
the circular ribbed knitting machine or to any other knitting machine, in which
it operates substantially as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane.
W. CLARK.
(L.S.)