Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machinery and in Appliances therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machinery and in
Appliances therefor.
I, WILLIAM BROWN of Lower Free Lane Leicester in the County of Leicester
Hosiery Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its objects improvements in or relating to knitting
machinery, and in appliances therefor to facilitate in circular machines the
tensioning of the thread or threads for the purpose of stiffening or slackening the
work during the knitting operation, also to provide means for holding down the work
without using weights as is now the case in "Griswold or other hand knitters,
automatic or non-automatic circular knitting machines, parallel bar, or other
straight knitting machines.
"
To carry out the first part of my invention I arrange upon the top of the ribber
spindle, or in any other suitable position over the machine an eccentric cam having
in the longer side thereof a hole through which the yarn thread is passed from the
thread carrier, immediately in rear of the cam is the weighted end of a pivoted
lever, attached to other levers, and to the ordinary thread carrier above in such a
manner that its upper outer end provided with a rod, roller or nippers, will retard
the thread when it is desired to stiffen the fabric at the ankle or instep, or in any
part desired, when the narrowest side of the eccentric cam is against the said
weighted lever pressure is taken off the thread, and the ordinary length of loop, or
ordinary knitting takes place.
Several modifications of such retarding devices can be applied so that pressure
can be put upon, or taken off the kuitting thread or threads by the revolution of
the machine, and with it the eccentrically fixed cam as above described.
In order to be able to dispense with weights for holding down the work, and
thereby producing knitted hosiery without straining or displacing the loops, I
arrange on the outside of the cam box or other revolving part of the machine, or
to move it backwards and forwards in a straight bar machine, a cam the inner
edge of which presses against the tail ends of a series of oscillating hooks pivoted
to upright supports fixed in grooves cut out in a specially prepared inner ring or
cylinder. But it is obvious that these series of oscillating hooks, or holding down
devices can be fixed otherwise than from the inside of the needle cylinder. These
oscillating hooks are made from discs of metal the booked portion thereof moving
in a section of a circle, and pivoted to their supports so that they move freely in
the following manner.
To the inner lower end of such holding down devices are secured springs, preferably
coiled springs; their lower ends fastened to the inner ring or cylinder, which
keep the hooks so that they are always held on the work between every needle,
or not, as may be found advisable. When a fresh loop is being formed upon the
needles the cam before mentioned passes on a projection on the lower end or tail
of the hooks, upon the outside of the needles thus bringing the hooks outward and
away from the work, but in such a manner that they do not rise but as before
stated describe a portion or section of a circle. The inner upper portion of the
said holding down devices, are shaped like the inside of the needle cylinder, to
allow free passage for the fabric which will be found to be as elastic as hand
knitted web, made by knitting pins or hooks.
In moving backwards and forwards, or to the right or left in straight bar
machines, or during a reciprocating motion in making heels or toes on circular
machines a double ended cam is employed so that in the reverse movement the.
oscillating hooks are operated just the same.

page_text: Such holding down devices can be applied to all types of knitting machines,
using self acting needles, or others, either for ribbed or plain work.
Dated this 11th day of February 1893.
W. B. MAXFIELD,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machinery and in
Appliances therefor.
J, WILLIAM BROWN of Lower Free Lane Leicester in the County of Leicester
Hosiery Manufacturer de hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its objects improvements in or relating to knitting
machinery, and in appliances therefor to facilitate in circular machines the
tensioning of the thread or threads for the purpose of stiffening or slackening the
work during the knitting operation, also to provide means for holding and moving
down the work without using weights as is now the case in "Griswold" or other
hand knitters, automatic or non-automatic eircular knitting machines, parallel bar,
or other straight knitting frames.
That my invention may be well understood I have annexed hereunto a sheet of
drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a circular reversible knitting machine of the kind
illustrated and described in Patent No. 10330 of 1887, with the herein described
improvements connected thereto, and operating with the machine.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the eccentric cam A.
Figure 3 a sectional view of the holding down devices in their respective positions
when in and out of operation.
Figure 4 shows a front view of the oscillating pivoted hook secured to its
support.
Figure 5 represents in plan the reversible cam c and wings A A.
Figure 6 a view of a circular knitter from the top of the cylinder and cam box
showing the position of the wings A A of the cam c when ordinary tubular work is
being knitted, and
Figure 7 represents a row of needles from the front of the frame or machine the
holding down devices being down upon the thread and shows in what manner
the thread is held during the process of knitting. It will be observed that the
thread is not rigid as in ordinary machines. The hooks can be otherwise operated
upon than by a spring and cam in the manner illustrated, as it is obvious that by
alternate means contrivances can work from the outside of the machine under the
tails of the oscillating pivoted bits to push them on to the work and so obtain the
same result.
Similar letters of reference represent like parts in all the figures in which they
occur.
To carry out the first part of my invention (which is specially designed to stiffen
the back of the ankle and bottom of the foot in knitting the leg and foot of hose
in circular machines) I arrange upon the top of the ribber spindle (Figure 1) or in
any other suitable position over the machine an eccentric cam A having in the
longer side thereof a hole a', or thread eye, through which the thread a³, is con-
ducted from the carrier a*; immediately in rear of the cam A is the weight a',
adjustable on the pivoted lever a³, connected to the support a', the upper end of
the lever a, carries a rod or bent wire a', upon which is a roller, or pad of any
suitable material, or the thread may pass through rollers or nippers and when in
the position as at a8, the thread will be retarded at will. The thread is then
passed through the oblong slot b, in the yarn guide (Figure 1) to the needles.

page_text: When the thread is removed from the roller or pad or nippers and the narrowest
side of the cam A is moved to come against the weight a', the pressure on the
thread is taken off, and the thread assumes the position as indicated by a³,
the ordinary length of loop, or ordinary knitting takes place. Modifications of the
retarding device can be applied so that pressure can be put upon or taken off the
knitting thread or threads upon the revolution of the machine in conjunction with
the eccentrically fixed cam A, withcut departing from my invention.
The next part of my invention consists of providing facilities for holding down
the work, and dispensing with weights, used in "Griswold "and other machines, and
are shown attached to a reversible knitting machine forming the subject of a former
Patent No. 10330 of 1887, in which several devices were shown for this purpose,
the present invention being an improvement of same, and applicable to all kinds of
circular and straight bar machines for the purpose herein set forth.
The
Both for ordinary tubular fabric, or for sectional knitting such as making
heels and toes, or in the production of straight fabric plain or ribbed.
ordinary machines working so that the threads are knitted rigidly causes the
fabric, or the goods made upon such machines to shrink very much, when in
wear, but by my invention whereby the thread is held, "as shown in the diagramatic
view in the drawings, Figure 7," this is avoided, and the work is made, and articles
of knitted hosiery are produced without straining or displacing the loops.
To accomplish this either in automatic or non-automatic ribbed or plain knitting
machines, I arrange on the outside of the cam box B, or other revolving part of
the machine, or to move it backwards or forwards in a straight bar machine, a
cam C, having wings A A "Figures 5 and 6" the inner edge of which presses
against the tail ends c¹, of a series of oscillating hooks D, pivoted to upright
supports or jacks d', "Figures 3 and 4" fitted in grooves cut out or interposed
between the specially arranged inner ring or cylinder E "Figures 3 and 6." The
pivot d is flush with the needle bed or cylinder. It is obvious that these series
of oscillating hooks or holding down devices may be fixed otherwise than from the
inside of the needle cylinder F if so desired without departing from this part of
my invention.
The said hooks D are made from discs of metal the hooked
portion thereof d³, moving in a section or are of a circle, without being raised or
lowered as in the former Patent No. 10330 of 1887 before referred to. They are
pivoted at d³, to their supports d³, so that they move freely in the following
manner.
To the inner lower end of such holding down devices are secured the springs d',
their lower ends secured to the base of the inner ring or cylinder E', by this means
the hooks are kept always held upon the knitting thread or threads "see Figure 7,"
between every needle in the cylinder, or bed, or may be between every other needle,
and so on as may be found most desirable.
"
While a fresh loop is being formed upon the needles the cam A A passes by and
as before stated depresses the tail end e¹, of the hooks, when outside the circle, or
row or rows of needles, which brings the hooked end d³,
<
up as seen in Figure 31
away from the work. It then returns to its first position by influence of the
spring d
The said spring may be other than shown if desired.
The inner portion or breast d³ of the said holding down devices are shaped
somewhat like the inside of a needle cylinder, or bed, (and allows of this part of
ordinary cylinders to be dispensed with) thereby accomplishing not only a free
passage for the fabric, but a polish upon the work not hitherto attained in knitting
machinery and a fabric quite as elastic as hand knitted web made by knitting pins
or hooks or jacks and sinkers in the ordinary knitting frame.
Another advantage accrues from the employment of the oscillating hooks
inasmuch that if a thread breaks it requires no setting on, the hook nearest to it
grasping it, and no hole or fracture other than what can be readily picked up and
mended is caused, which is of the greatest importance in the production of machine
made hosiery.

page_text: In Figures 3 and 6 the cam A A is shown traversing in the direction as in
ordinary circular knitting, and in Figures 5 and 6 the double ended cam A A
employed in moving backwards and forwards, or to the right or left in straight bar
machines, so that the oscillating hooks D are operated just the same in automatic.
or reversible knitting machines, making plain or ribbed hosiery the cam AA is
operated in the following or equivalent manner when the reciprocating movement
is timed to take place; plungers or posts G, (one upon each side of the machine,
fitted with a roller in their upper ends "see Figure 1,") are raised level with the
point of the spring pressed lever g, Figures 5 and 6 which knocks against the posts
alternately, and alters, or changes the position of the cams A A, which are adjusted
by means of screws g', Figures 1, 5 and 6 the latter figure showing the cams A A
acting upon the oscillating hooks during the ordinary motion of the machine in the
direction indicated by the arrow.
The said plungers or movable posts are timed according to the controlling
mechanism of the reversible machine or by hand levers H, as may be most
convenient.
It will be well understood that the oscillating pivoted hooks or holding down
devices can be applied to all types of knitting machines or frames making ribbed or
plain work and using self acting and other needles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In circular knitting machines the employment of an eccentric cam A. in
conjunction with the thread retarding. device a', a³, a and a², for the purpose of
stiffening the back of the aukle, and bottom of the foot, or other parts of knitted
tubular hosiery, substantially as described.
2. In straight frames, parallel bar or circular automatic or non-automatic
knitting machines with one or more feeders the arrangement as herein described of
oscillating pivoted hooks or web holders, controlled by cam, or reversible cam and
spring or any equivalent thereof substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In circular knitting machines the formation or continuation of the upper
portion of the needle cylinder by means of a series or circle of oscillating pivoted
hooks and their supports constructed and arranged substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of July 1893.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
The Central" Office for Patents, &c.,
19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester, Applicant's Agent.