Improvements in and Appertaining to the Manufacture of Hose and Socks Produced ons.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in and Appertaining to the Manufacture of Hose
and Socks Produced on "Griswold" Knitting Machines.
We WILLIAM BROWN, ERNEST BROWN, and FREDERICK BROWN, of Charles Street,
Leicester, Hosiery Manufacturers, trading as W. E. and F. Brown do hereby declaré
the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
Our improvements relate to that part or portion of a sock or stocking called the
Gusset or Instep Gusset.
It is a common cause for complaint that the sock or stocking at the instep or
gusset of circular fabric is usually too narrow and tight fitting and on this account
the fabric at the points named becomes strained and more readily worn through
and this is due to the present method of continuing the same count or number or
size of the rib viz the same number of needles the whole distance through the sock
or stocking without variation.
Thus when stockings or socks are desired of what is known as a 3 and 1 rib the
needles are arranged to produce a 3 and 1 ribbed fabric without variation thereby
allowing insufficient width where most desirable viz at the gusset.
The object of our invention' is therefore to secure greater width at the gusset
or instep by providing additional needles which may be inserted in the machine or
"head" so that at the before named gusset or instep portion of the stocking or
sock the fabric may for the desired distance 'be altered from say a 3.and 1 to a
and 1 ribbed fabric and by degrees discontinued until the added needles are
taken out.
i
Thus one or more needles may be added to either side of the head when other
count or number of ribbed fabric be desired at the gusset i.e. by the addition of an
extra needle a 2/1 rib may be changed to a 3/1 or a 3/2 to 4/2 or a 1/1 to
a 2/1 &c &c for the desired distance the advantage of proportionate extra width
being obtained in each case. By removing the said needle or needles, the original
count or number of rib may be resumed.
.
It may not be necessary to change the count or number of the whole of the ribs
at the point named.

page_text: Improvements in and Appertaining to the manufacture of HOBе
and Socks Produced on Griswold Knitting Machines.
We, WILLIAM BROWN, ERNEST BROWN and FREDERICK BROWN, of Charles St.
Leicester in the County of Leicester, Hosiery Manufacturers do hereby declare the
nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
Our improvements relate to that part or portion of a sock or stocking called the
gusset or instep gusset.
It is a common cause for complaint that the sock or stocking at the instep or
gusset of circular fabric is usually too narrow and tight fitting and on this account
the fabric at the points named becomes strained and more readily worn through,
and this is due to the present method of continuing the same count or number or
size of the rib viz the same number of needles the whole distance through the sock
or stocking without variation.
Thus when stockings or socks are desired of what is known as a 3 and 1 rib the
needles are arranged to produce a 3 and 1 ribbed fabric without variation thereby
allowing insufficient width where most desirable viz at the gusset.
The object of our invention is therefore to secure greater width at the gusset
or instep by providing additional needles which may be inserted in the machine or
" head
so that at the before named gusset or instep portion of the stocking or sock
the fabric may for the desired distance be altered from say a 3 and 1 to a 4 and 1
ribbed fabric and by degrees discontinued until the added needles are taken out.
Thus one or more needles may be added to either side of the head when other
count or number of ribbed fabric be desired at the gusset i.e. by the addition of an
extra needle a 2/1 rib may be changed to a 3/1 or a 3/1 to a 4/1 or a 1/1 to a 2/1
&c &c for the desired distance, the advantages of a proportionate extra width being
obtained in each case. By removing the said needle or needles the original count
or number of rib may be resumed.
It may not be necessary to change the count or number of the whole of the ribs
at the point named.
Our invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings.
a
Figure 1 shews the widening process from the heel seam or gusset point down a
portion of the foot for the desired distance the rib in this instance being altered for
purposes of illustration from 3/1 to 4/1 then returning to 3/1.
Figure 2 shews the widening process below the heel seam, ribs being inserted for
the desired distance where plain work is usually found.
Figure 8 is similar to Figure 2 but in this case a smaller count of ribs than those
in figure 2 are inserted thereby proving that our invention is capable of various
modifications,
With reference to the mechanism or means employed to carry out this invention,
we do not consider it necessary to furnish drawings as it is well understood that
Griswold and other similar machines are so constructed as to allow of the insertion
and removal of hosiery needles to effect our purpose.

page_text: In Figure 1 A is the leg B the heel and C the foot portion. D are the ordinary
ribs running down to the heel seam or gusset point when additional needles are
placed in the head or machine so as to yield the additional ribs shewn at E & E'.
It will be noticed that one needle has been withdrawn there being a graduation
from 3 4/1 ribs to 2 4/1 ribs; again at E³ a needle is withdrawn when one 4 ribs
only is left, a needle is again withdrawn when the 3/1 ribs as in the leg is resumed.
In Figure 2 A is the leg B the heel and C the foot.
In Figure 1 the bottom of the foot is plain from heel to toe but in this modifi-
cation of our invention, we insert needles to form ribs at the point F when they
are discontinued towards the middle of the foot by withdrawing the needles.
In Figure 3 A is the leg B the heel and C the foot, at the point F smaller ribs
than those in fig. 2. are inserted thus proving that our invention is capable of
modifications already detailed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The manufacture of socks or stockings in which the width of the fabric below
the ankle is increased by the insertion of one or more needles substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
2. In the manufacture of socks or stockings the method of increasing the number
of ribs in the fabric below the ankle, by inserting one or more extra needles
into the head substantially as specified.
3. In the manufacture of socks or stockings, the method of decreasing the
number of ribs in the fabric below the ankle by removing one or more needles from
the head substantially as specified.