Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines,
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th June, 1802-Accepted, 23rd July 1802
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines,
We, WILLIAM HENRY REVIS & JOSHUA MARRIOTT, Machinists, Goldsmith
Street, Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved method of moving the
narrowing point bars and points of rotary knitting machines, provided with
narrowing & widening apparatus, into position for making narrowings & widenings
at any desired part of the fabric.
Figure 1. shews a plan of our improved apparatus,
Figure 2. shews an elevation of the same &
Figure 3. shews a side view.
Upon the slide A. Fig. 3. of the screw box at one end of an ordinary rotary
knitting machine after the style of that known as "Cotton's Patent," provided
with narrowing apparatus, is firmly fixed a platform having a horizontal face B 1.
& perpendicular face B 2, & moving with the movement of the slide & the stop
plate attached. In the horizontal face of the platform is a groove in which is
inserted a sliding bar C1. toothed & geared into a pinion-wheel D, which is also
geared into another toothed bar C 2. immediately above the lower sliding bar.
Both bars are moved in a line parallel with the narrowing point bars E 1. E 2.
The upper bar C 2. is supported at each end by stays provided with trucks C 3. C 4.
Fig. 2, over which the bar can slide easily. The pinion wheel D geared to the
two bars carries a spindle F fitted into a bearing resting upon the horizontal face
of the platform & having at its other end a large ratchet wheel F 1, projecting over
the edge of the platform. The ratchet wheel has its teeth cut in opposite directions
on its opposite sides, (or alternatively two similar wheels with teeth cut oppositely
may be used) which are in turn engaged by two pawls G 1. G 2. attached one to
each end of a Tended slide G3, which is moved up & down by a lever H. from
the main cam shaft H 1. The movement of the lever H & of the slide G 3, is
regulated to the distance required by the shape of the cam H 2. Fig. 3. on the cam
shaft. To secure rigidity in the action of the slide it is fitted into a groove G 4.
Fig. 2. in the vertical side of the platform B 2, and in order to allow of the inward
movement of the platform (carried inward by the slide of the screw box after
successive narrowings) the lower end of the slide is attached to a rod G 5. Figs. 2.
& 3. (along which it is free to move) carried by the lever H operated from the
cam shaft. At each upward movement of the lever H, & slide G 3, one of the
pawls G 1. G 2. at the ends of the latter engaged with one of the teeth of
the ratchet wheel F 1. moves the wheel through part of a revolution & with it the
two toothed bars (1. C 2. operated by the pinion wheel D, one in one direction &
the other in the other direction. The pawls G 1. G 2. are connected with each
other by a bar G6, with slots at its ends, moving on studs attached to the pawls.
As the bar G 6 is moved backwards & forwards one or the other of the pawls is
brought into contact with a tooth of the ratchet wheel F 1. The movement fo the
bar & 6 is produced by a pin G7 fitted into the bar & working in the slot of an
Lshaped fever G 8. Fig. 2, the lower end of which is moved up or down, & the
bar to which it is attached moved backwards or forwards, by another suitably
shaped lever G 9, operated by a cam G 10, fixed on the narrowing screw &
revolving with it. When, as the cam G 10 revolves, one of its bosses (see Fig. 3)
depresses the truck of the lever G 9, thus depressing also the lower end of the
lever G 8, the pawl. G2 is removed from contact with the teeth of the ratchet
wheel F 1, & by the same movement the bar.G 6, brings the pawl G 1, into contact

page_text: with the ratchet wheel. When bra further movement of the cam G 10, the truck
of the lever G 9, is allowed to fall into one of the recesses on the cam the lever G 9,
& the lower end of the lever G 8, are raised & the bar G 6 brings the pawl G2
into contact with a tooth of 'the ratchet wheel F'1, & removes the pawl G 1 from
contact with it (as shown in Fig. 2): The shape of the cam-G 10, may be arranged
as in Fig. 3 so as to put the pawls into contact with the ratchet wheel alternately
or (with a suitable variation of the shape) at any other desired interval.
The upper toothed bar C'2, operated as described is attached by a driver E3,
Fig. 3, of the usual kind to the fork E4. Fig. 3, of the upper-point bar E 2. & its
movements backwards & forwards regulate the position of the upper series. of
narrowing points in each section of the machine.
The lower toothed bar C 1. is firmly attached at both ends by brackets C 7. C 8.
Fig. 1. to a slide C 5. fitted into a groove in the horizontal face of the platform
immediately above the ordinary narrowing. screw & parallel with it. The latter
slide C 5 carries a screw C 6, cut to correspond with the ordinary narrowing screw
& supported at each end by a bearing. Between the bearings of the screw is a nut
with a projection J. answering the purpose of a driver, attached to the lower point
bar in the usual way. The movements of the lower toothed bar C 1. therefore
regulate through the slide C 5. & the screw attached to it the movements & position
of the lower point bar & the set of narrowing points carried by it. The mechanism
hitherto described & the movements imparted to it serve to place the narrowing
points of both bars over any particular set of needles at equal distances from the
outer edge of each section of the machine as. desired. When the shape of the
cam G 10, on the screw H4, used to bring the pawls G 1. G 2. into contact with
the ratchet wheel, is arranged so as to do so alternately & so enables the narrowings
or widenings to be made at a uniform & regular distance from & parallel with
each other, parallel rows of narrowings, such as are shewn in the toe of a French-
footed stocking, may be produced. In order to diminish the space between such
parallel rows of narrowings & to bring the two rows together by a gradual &
regular process to form the peak or wedge shaped termination characteristic of
such narrowings, the action of the pawls G1. G2 & the movements of the toothed
bars C 1. C2, are limited in the following manner. To the outer edge of the
vertical face of the platform are fixed two studs K. K, on which a slotted rack K 1,
is fitted so that it is free to be moved up & down. To the rack is fixed a gauge
screw K2 arranged to slide up & down the vertical face of the platform in
accordance with the movement of the rack K 1. The point of the gauge screw,
which forms a stop, is so adjusted that the cross piece of the T ended slide G 3,
which carries the pawls at its ends, rests upon it when not in operation. Con-
sequently when the rack K 1, carrying the screw K2, is moved up, the space
through which the lever H, & pawls G1, G2.are moved by the cam H2 on the
cam shaft is lessened & correspondingly the movements of the toothed racks C1. C2
& point bars are reduced. The slotted slide K 1, on the edge of the platform is
cut with two series of teeth K 3, K 4. Fig. 3, of the required gauge both on its
back. & front edge. Engaging with the back series of teeth K 3, is a pawl L, with
a broad edge, carried by a lever L1 operated by a suitably shaped cam L 2 on
the ordinary narrowing screw H4. Fig. 2. The front series of teeth K 4, is
engaged by a pawl M, fixed to the vortical face of the platform. The first upward
movement of the lever L 1, operated by a partial revolution of the cain L 2, on the
screw (being thereby brought into contact with one of the projections on the cam)
causes the pawl L attached to the end of it to raise the slide K 1 through the
space of one tooth, whereupon the pawl M. attached to the vertical face of the
platform engages with the corresponding tooth of the series K4 on the front of
the rack & supports the latter in this raised. position. The next following-down-
ward & upward movements of the cross piece of the slide G3, resting on the
gauge screw K2, & of the pawls which it: carries are thereby correspondingly
diminished, as also the movements of the toothed-bars & the point bars; so that the
distance between the two rows of narrowings is decreased. These movements of

page_text: the lever L1 the slide K1 & pawls L & M may be repeated & thereby th
movements of the pawls G 1 G 2. &c. diminished by degrees until the two rows o
narrowings are brought to a point. The lever L1 operated by the cam on the
narrowing screw is kept out of action till required by an adjustable bar N. Figs. 2
& 3. fixed to the platform in such a manner that it supports that end of the lever L1
to which the back pawl L. is attached, & depressing the other end keeps its truck
from contact with the cam L 2 on the screw as shewn in Fig. 3. The supporting
bar N is so adjusted that when a sufficient number of parallel narrowings has been
made & therewith the platform B2 to which the bar is fixed has been carried
inwards towards the machine, the bar is withdrawn from contact with the lever, the
end of the lever L1 is released & the lever brought into action by contact with the
cam L2.
Hitherto only the mechanism used to effect & regulate the movements of the
point bars so as to bring the narrowing points into the required position in relation
to the needles of each section or division of the machine has been described. After
each change of the position of the narrowing points these are brought down upon
the needles & the loops are taken upon the points in the usual manner. The
ordinary narrowing screw H4 is then made to revolve in the usual manner, & the
points of the upper point bar are thereby moved into position for transferring the
loops to the required section of needles. The amount of this movement of the points
is generally the width of either one or two needles. Inasmuch as the whole platform
carrying the slide C 5 & screw C 6 to which is attached the lower point bar E 1, is
moved in one direction by this movement, it is necessary at the same time to impart
a movement to the latter screw of double the extent in the opposite direction, in
order that the points on the lower point bar may transfer the loops carried by
them to the set of needles corresponding to those on the other side of the section
or division, to which the upper set of points transfer their loops. This double &
opposite movement of the upper screw C6 is effected in the following manner.
To the end of the ordinary narrowing screw H 4, beyond the platform is attached
a toothed wheel O, geared into a similar toothed wheel O 1, half its size, fixed to
a spindle P, forming a prolongation of the upper screw C6. The spindle P of
the latter screw is free to move through the wheel 01, & has a groove O 2, into
which a key O 3, in the wheel O1, fits. When therefore the ordinary screw H 4,
is made to partially revolve in the usual manner & move the points operated by it
through the space of one or two needles in one direction, the upper screw C 6, is
made to revolve by the two wheels 01, O connecting it with the former screw &
to move the points operated by it through the space of 2 or 4 needles respectively
in the opposite direction. The narrowings or widenings of the fabric are thereby
made at an equal distance from each selvedge.
Dated this 24th day of September 1801
:
WILLIAM HENRY KEVIS.
JOSHUA MARRIOTT.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines.
We, WILLIAM HENRY REVIS & JOSHUA MARRIOTT, Machinists, Goldsmith
Street, Nottingham do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved method of moving the
narrowing point bars and points of rotary knitting machines, provided with
narrowing and widening apparatus, into position for making narrowings & widenings
at any desired part of the fabric.
The drawings left with the Provisional Specification are adopted as the drawings
for this Complete Specification.

page_text: Figure 1 shews & plan of our improved, apparatus.
Figure 2 shews an elevation of the same,&
Figure 3 shews a side view.
Upon the slide A. Fig. 3 of the., screw box at one end of an ordinary rotary
knitting machine, after "the style of that known as "Cottons Patent" provided
with narrowing apparatus, is firmly fixed a platform having a horizontal face B1
& perpendicular face B 2 & moving with the movement of the slide & the stop plate
attached. In the horizontal face of the platform is, a groove in which is inserted a
sliding bar C 1 toothed & geared into.a, pinion wheel D. which is also geared into
another toothed bar C 2, immediately above the lower sliding bar. Both bars are
moved in a line parallel with the narrowing point bars E1, E2. The upper bar C2
is supported at each end by stays provided with trucks C3, C4, Fig. 2, over which
the bar can slide easily. The pinion wheel D geared to the two. bars carries a
spindle F fitted into a bearing resting upon the horizontal face of the platform &
having at its other end a large ratchet wheel F 1 projecting over the edge of the,
platform. The ratchet wheel has its teeth cut in opposite directions on its opposite
sides (or alternatively two similar wheels with teeth cut oppositely may be used)
which are in turn engaged by two pawls G 1, G2 attached one to each end, of a
Tended slide G 3, which is moved up & down by a lever H from the main cam
shaft H'. The movement of the lever H & of the slide G 3 is regulated to the
distance required by the shape of the cam H 2, Fig. 3 on the cam shaft. To
secure rigidity in the action of the slide it is fitted into a groove G4 Fig. 2 in the
vertical side of the platform B 2, and in order to allow of the inward movement of
the platform (carried inward by the slide of the screw box after successive
narrowings) the lower end of the slide is attached to a rod G5 Figs. & 3
(along which it is free. to move) carried by the lever H operated from the cam
shaft. At each upward movement of the lever H & slide G 3 one of the
pawls G1, G2, at the ends of the latter engaged with one of the teeth of the
ratchet wheel F1 moves the wheel through part of a revolution & with it the two
toothed bars C1 C2 operated by the pinion wheel D one in one direction & the
other in the other direction. The pawls G1, G2. are connected with each other
by a bar. G6 with slots at its ends, moving on studs attached to the pawls. As
the bar G6 is moved backwards & forwards one or the other of the pawls is
brought into contact with a tooth of the ratchet wheel F1. The movement of
the bar G6 is produced by a pin G 7 fitted into the. bar. & working in the slot
of an.shaped lever G8 Fig. 2 the lower end of which is moved up or down,
& the bar to which it is attached moved backwards or forwards, by another suitably
shaped lever G 9 operated by a cam G 10 fixed on the narrowing screw & revolving
with it. When as the cam G 10 revolves, one of its bosses (see Fig. 3) depresses
the truck of the lever G 9 thus depressing also the lower end of the lever. G8
the pawl G2 is removed from contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel F1 &
by the same movement the bar G 6 brings the pawl G 1 into contact with the
ratchet wheel F 1. When by a further movement of the cam G 10 the truck of
the lever G 9 is allowed to fall into one of the recesses on the cam the lever G
& the lower end of the lever G8 are raised & the bar G 6 brings the pawl G 2
into contact with a tooth of the ratchet wheel F. 1 & removes the pawl G 1 (as
shewn in Fig. 2) from contact with it. The shape of the cam G 10 may be
arranged as in Fig. 3. so as to put the pawls into contact with the ratchet wheel
alternately or (with a suitable variation of the shape) at any other desired interval.
The upper toothed bar C 2. operated, as described is attached by a driver E 3
Fig. 3 of the usual kind to the fork E4 Fig. 3 of the upper point bar E2 & its
movements backwards & forwards regulate: the position of the upper, set of
narrowing points in each section of the machine.
The lower toothed bar. C1 is firmly attached at both ends by. brackets C7.C8
Fig. 1 to a slide C5 fitted into a groove in the horizontal face of the platform.
immediately above the ordinary narrowing screw & parallel with it. The latter
slide C5 carries a screw C6 cut to correspond with the ordinary, narrowing

page_text: screw and supported at each end by a bearing. Between the bearings of the screw
is. a nut with a projection J answering the purpose of a driver, attached to the
lower point bar in the usual way. The movements of the lower toothed bar Ci
therefore regulate through the slide C 5 & the screw attached to it the movements
-&»position of the lower point bar & the set of narrowing points carried by it..
The mechanism hitherto described & the movements imparted to. it serve to
place the narrowing points of both bars over any particular set of needles at equal
distances from the outer edge of each section of the machine as desired.
The
When the shape of the cam G 10 on the screw H4 used to bring the
pawls G1 G2 into contact with the ratchet wheel, is arranged so as to do so
alternately & so enables the narrowings or widenings to be made at a uniform &
regular distance from & parallel with each other, parallel rows of narrowings, such
as are shewn in the toe of a French-footed stocking may be produced. In order
to diminish the space between such parallel rows of narrowings & to bring the two
rows together by a gradual & regular process to form the peak or wedge shaped
termination characteristic of such narrowings, the action of the pawls G1 G2
& the movements of the toothed bars C1 C2 are limited in the following manner.
To the outer edge of the vertical face of the platform are fixed two studs K. K.
on which a slotted rack K1 is fitted so that it is free to be moved up-& down.
To the rack is fixed a gauge screw K2 arranged to slide up & down the vertical
face of the platform in accordance with the movement of the rack K 1.
point of the gauge screw, which forms a stop, is so adjusted that the cross piece
of the Tended slide G 3 which carries the pawls at its ends, rests upon it when not
in operation. Consequently when the rack K1 carrying the screw K 2 is moved
up, the space through which the lever H & pawls G1 G2 are moved by the
cam H2 on the cam shaft is lessened & correspondingly the movements of the
toothed racks C1 C2 & point bars are reduced. The slotted slide K 1 on the edge
of the platform is cut with two series of teeth K3 K4 Fig. 3 of the required
gauge both on its back & front edge. Engaging with the back series of teeth K 3
is a pawl L with a broad edge, carried by a lever L1 operated by a suitably
shaped cam L 2 on the ordinary narrowing screw H4 Fig. 2. The front series of
teeth K 4 is engaged by a pawl M fixed to the vertical face of the platform. The
first upward movement of the lever L operated by a partial revolution of the
cam L 2 on the screw (being thereby brought into contact with one of the projec-
tions on the cam) causes the pawl L attached to the end of it to raise the slide K 1
through the space of one tooth, whereupon the pawl M attached to the vertical
face of the platform engages with the corresponding tooth of the series K 4 on the
front of the rack & supports the latter in this raised position. The next following
downward & upward movements of the cross piece of the slide G3 resting on the
gauge screw K2 & of the pawls which it carries are thereby correspondingly
diminished as also the movements of the toothed bars & the point bars, so that the
distance between the two rows of narrowings is decreased. These movements of
the lever L1 the slide K1 & pawls L & M may be repeated & thereby the move-
ments of the pawls G1 G2 &c. diminished by degrees until the two rows of
narrowings are brought to a point. The lever L1 operated by the cam on the
narrowing screw is kept out of action till required by an adjustable bar N Figs. 2
& 3 fixed to the platform in such a manner that it supports that end of the lever LI
to which the back pawl L is attached & depressing the other end keeps its truck
from contact with the cam L 2 on the screw as shewn in Fig. 3. The supporting
har N is so adjusted that when a sufficient. number of parallel narrowings has
been made & therewith the platform B 2 to which the bar is fixed has been carried
inwards towards the machine, the bar is withdrawn from contact with the lever,
the end of the lever L1 is released & the lever brought into action by contact
with the cam L 2.
Hitherto only the mechanism used to effect & regulate the movements of the
point bars so as to bring the narrowing points into the required position in relation
to the needles of each section or division of the machine has been described.

page_text: After each change of the position of the narrowing points these are brought down
upon the needles & the loops are taken upon the points in the usual manner. The
ordinary narrowing screw H 4 is then made to revolve in the usual manner & the
points of the upper point bar are thereby moved into position for transferring
the loops to the required section of needles. The amount of this movement of the
points is generally the width of one or two needles.
Inasmuch as the whole platform carrying the slide C 5 & screw C 6 to which is
attached the lower point bar E 1 is moved in one direction by this movement, it
is necessary at the same time to impart a movement to the latter screw of double
the extent in the opposite direction, in order that the points on the lower point bar
may transfer the loops carried by them to the set of needles corresponding to those
on the other side of the section or division to which the upper set of points transfer
their loops. This double & opposite movement of the upper screw C 6 is effected
in the following manner.
To the end of the ordinary narrowing screw H 4 beyond the platform is attached
a toothed wheel O geared into a similar toothed wheel 1 half its size, fixed to a
spindle P forming a prolongation of the upper screw C 6. The spindle P of the
latter screw is free to move through the wheel 01 & has a groove O 2 into which
a key 03 in the wheel O1 fits. When therefore the ordinary screw H 4 is made
to partially revolve in the usual manner & move the points operated by it through
the space of one or two needles in one direction, the upper screw C 6 is made to
revolve by the two wheels 001 connecting it with the former screw & to move
the points operated by it through the space of 2 or 4 needles respectively in the
⚫opposite direction. The narrowings or widenings of the fabric are thereby made at
an equal distance from each selvedge.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
-claim is :
1. The provision on one end of a rotary knitting machine of the two toothed
bars, to which are attached directly or indirectly the point bars, and which have
their motions imparted to them by the pinion wheel geared into them, for the
purpose specified and substantially as described.
2. The combination of the lover, operated directly from the main cam shaft, and
the slide with the pawls engaging with the ratchet wheel, as described & for the
purpose specified.
3. The combination of the slide fitted into the groove in the horizontal face of
the platform and the screw mounted thereon with the wheel on the spindle of the
latter & the driving wheel on the spindle of the usual narrowing screw; and the
movement of one of the point bars by the former screw for the purpose specified.
4. The provision of the mechanism operating from one end of the machine as
-described, for moving both point bars into the required positions for narrowing or
widening the fabric, and of the mechanism for moving the points of both bars,
when carrying the loops to their required positions for transferring the loops.
Dated this 15th day of June 1892
WILLIAM HENRY REVIS.
JOSHUA MARRIOTT.