IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIRCULAR FABRIO AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: We GEORGE BLUNT of Loughborough, Hosier, and WILLIAM MARSDEN RICHARDS
of Market Street, Leicester, Hosiery Machinery Valuer do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIRCULAR FABRIO
AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR to be as follows:-
"
The object of this invention is to introduce in circular fabric of various descrip-
tions threads of different materials according to the result desired. Thus if an
elastic top be required for a glove, stocking &, threads of elastic or india rubber
are worked in; if a rigid non-elastic material be required threads of cotton yarn or
the like may be used.
The ordinary circular ribbed or equivalent heads may be employed in carrying
out this invention and to the saddle or other convenient part of the frame I attach
a bracket carrying a feed tension bobbin and guide. Another bobbin having the
supply of thread elastic or otherwise is placed so as to feed the tension bobbin and
the "frame or "head" is then ready for work.
"
By this guide and feed device the Rubber or elastic thread is allowed to run in
between the loops of cotton yarn or other material as they are formed by the needles.
By having a bobbin ready on the frame elastic courses may be applied to any
part of a stocking or web.
Thus yarn may be used for a certain portion of hose and rubber or elastic threads
may be fed into the frame for a desired distance when it may be discontinued to
allow yarn only to be used for another distance and so on. The same method may
be adopted when it is desired to place a few courses of rubber or elastic threads at
the top of circular fabrics which are made of yarn cotton or the like.
AN
"

page_text: Apparatus therefor.
We GEORGE BLUNT of Loughborough, Hosier, and WILLIAM MARSDEN RICHARDS
of Market Street Leicester, Hosiery Machinery Valuer, 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:-
This Invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which Figure 1 is a front view of the attachment separated from the
head. Figure 2 is a side view of the same. Figures 3 and 4 are details.
A is the drum upon which the elastic or rubber cord B is wound and from which
it passes through suitable guides such as C. D to the work on the ordinary circular
ribbed or other equivalent "head," where it is drawn in between the rows of loops,
viz: between the rib and the plain loop, being thus securely held but free to expand
and contract. The elastic thread is not worked by the needles and no loops are
formed in it; it is simply laid in between the before named rib and the plain loop.
To start it the ends may be pulled forward a little and hitched around one of the
needles.
The object of running in this thread is to form an elastic band or portion where
required, as the top of a stocking or glove; it may of course be run into the whole
of the article on the head if necessary.
To regulate the tension upon the elastic thread the drum A is used as the tension
bobbin, the friction being obtained by the fork E, whose feet El rest upon the
flanges A¹ of the drum, so that the harder they press the more resistance is offered
to the turning of the drum.
The fork E is free to move up or down by reason of the slots E³ through
which pass the holding screws E' by which it is connected. with the framework of
the attachment. The weight of E may be varied by means of the weights F which
are placed upon the reduced upper portion E and one or more of which can be
applied or removed at pleasure. A delicate adjustment of the tension can thus be
obtained.
The elastic thread B passes under the snap G, which is kept raised while the
thread runs in by the following means; when the snap G falls it stops the further
passage of the thread, which then breaks off, when the turning of the head strains
that portion which has passed the snap, beyond endurance.
The snap G is pivotted at G1 and has the curved tail piece G³, which bears upon
the periphery of the disc H, under the pressure of the spring I; a notch or recess
is however made at H³, and when this comes round Q falls into it thus bringing
down the snap G upon the thread B, upon which it is held under the influence of
the spring I, with the result already explained. The disc H and the ratchet wheel
K are fixed together and secured to axle J by a set pin.
The star spring L is placed on axle J to steady K and H. The ratchet wheel K
is turned by the pawl M, pivotted upon the reciprocating plunger N, whose head N¹
or similar
is so placed as to come in contact with a cam ring upon the "head"
device, so that N rises and falls once for each revolution of the "head,"

page_text: A blank space K¹ is provided upon K so that when this comes to the pawl M the
wheel K ceases to revolve, and the elastic thread will then discontinue to be run in
with every course.
By this means as many or as few courses of the elastic thread can be run in as
may be required, by setting the notch H³ with so many teeth of K to run before the
tail piece G falls into it.
The lift O is pivotted upon a projection N° of the plunger N, its end bears upon
a portion of the frame and when the handle is turned upwards as shown in dotted
lines in Figure 2 it raises the plunger altogether so that it is clear of the cam ring
on the head and receives no motion.
The set screw N³ can be fixed so as to regulate the length of stroke of the
plunger N and pawl M, which can thus be adjusted to take one or more teeth at
every stroke of the plunger.
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 method of introducing the elastic thread by running it in between the
rows of loops; i.e. between the rib and plain loop of the fabric on a circular
ribbed or other equivalent head, substantially as specified.
2. In a mechanism such as described and as a means of regulating the tension
upon the elastic thread B, the combination with the drum A of fork E which rests
upon the flanges A¹ substantially as specified.
3. In a mechanism such as described the combination with the notched disc H,
of snap G for the purpose of automatically stopping the supply of the elastic thread
substantially as specified.