Improvements in Manufacturing Knitted Riding Breeches or Hose.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1893-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Manufacturing Knitted Riding Breeches
or Hose.
I, MAX CLAUSS, of Hohenstein-Ernstthal, in the Kingdom of Saxony and
German Empire, Manufacturer, 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 relates to knitted riding breeches or hose, to an improved method
of manufacturing the same, and to apparatus adapted for employment in carrying
out such method.
The object of this invention is to produce knitted riding breeches or hose
strengthened or stiffened at those parts most liable to wear; the said parts being
made of closer texture and free from scams; thus increasing the durability and
avoiding inconvenience to the wearer. The parts alluded to as being most liable
to wear are the inner sides of the leg-pieces, the back and the seat.
In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention,
Fig. 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 a back view, and Fig. 3 a side view of the
improved breeches or hose having the parts most liable to wear strengthened or
stiffened.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 represent parts of garments not made up.
Fig. 9 is a vertical section of apparatus for use in performing the narrowing
operation in the manufacture of breeches or hose.
Figs. 10 and 11 are a plan and a side view respectively of a portion of the said
apparatus, and
Fig. 12 is a plan showing the needle-carriers and accessory parts separately.
Assuming the breeches or hose to be divided on the line, it will be seen that,
without regarding the front slit, which is generally made subsequently, the garment
is in three parts; that is, the top or body-piece a, and the leg-pieces b and c. If
the top-piece a be divided on the lines d-e and f-g, a front-piece a¹ and a back-
piece a (Fig. 6) are formed. The leg-piece b (Fig. 1) is divided on the line e-k,
and the leg-piece c on the line g-i, and by opening out the same, two trapezoidal
pieces b and c (Figs. 7 and 8) are obtained.
By properly combining four pieces such as a¹, a³, b' and c', a complete garment
is produced.
The borders of the portions in the hose which are strengthened are indicated in
the drawings by means of dotted lines and cross hatching.
According to my improved method of manufacture, the pieces a¹ and a³ are
knitted separately with the desired portions suitably strengthened. These pieces
are then placed one upon the other in such a manner that the points indicated by
the same letters in Fig. 6 coincide, as shown in Fig. 4; the said pieces being then
folded so as to assume the shape represented by the dotted lines in the latter figure.
The loops along the line eje are then placed on the needles of a knitting frame,
whereupon the knitting of the right leg is continued from eje. Upon the com-
pletion of the right leg, the fabric should be deflected longitudinally at an angle
of 180°. The loops situate along gig are then placed upon the needles of the
knitting frame, and the knitting of the left leg c is continued from gj g. When
the several parts have been made in the manner above described, the pieces are
stitched together along the lines de h and fg i.
In joining the left leg c¹ (Fig. 8) on the knitting frame, the portion extending
from o to p is knitted without reducing or narrowing; the next portion from p
to q is somewhat abruptly narrowed; and from 7 the narrowing is continued to

page_text: correspond with that of the right leg (Fig. 7). When, therefore, the edges gi are
stitched together, a gusset or enlargement as shown at r in Figs. 1 and 3 is
produced.
In order to strengthen the legs at those parts only which require it by reason of
their being particularly liable to wear, a constant distance m (Figs. 7 and 8)
should be maintained between the marginal stitches and the strengthened part.
In the operation of narrowing required for goods such as herein described,
apparatus possessing the following features may be employed :-After having
carried on the threads or loops to the knitting frame the two needle-carriers are
automatically caused to return to their original position, taking with them all the
loops of one row, less as many as are required for moving the said needle-carriers
inward again. Each needle-carrier should for this purpose carry as many needles
as there are loops or threads in the fabric.
In my improved narrowing machine, the needle-carriers a" are arranged to slide
upon a longitudinal rail or bar b', and are fitted with needles c¹ extending nearly
their whole length. The needle-carriers are accurately guided and prevented from
being lifted off the rail 61 by means of a guide-bar d. To the needle-carriers a
are secured the tappets c', by which, when the tappet-levers, of which there are
two, such as f', are turned in the direction of the arrow g¹, the needle-carriers a*
are moved inwardly. When these levers are turned in the opposite direction, the
needle-carriers are drawn back by the action of springs, such as ', until lugs or
projections on the needle-carriers come in contact with stop-screws j'. The
shaft k' is supported in brackets l', and carries the tappet- or cam-levers f¹, one of
which is required for each needle-carrier.
The mechanism above described is so arranged that it may be turned about the
pivot m by means of the bar o', which is jointed to a bracket-arm n¹.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-When the narrowing commences,
the whole mechanism is moved towards the knitting frame by being turned about
the pivot m' with the aid of the bar o', until the needles c' lie on the hooks of the
knitting frame, this operation pushing the latter further inward. When the
threads have been pushed on to the needles of the knitting frame, the whole
apparatus is turned outwardly again. Then the tappet-levers are moved in the
direction of the arrow g', and act against the tappet e¹, pushing the needle-
carriers a and consequently the needles c¹ so as to carry the picked-up threads
towards one another the distance of two needles. On arriving at this point, the
needles c', after the narrowing machine has again been turned towards the hooks
or needles of the knitting frame, give up the threads they have received to the
needles of the knitting frame, which lie further inwards. The loops are transferred
by the needles, through the medium of the sinkers, to the needles of the narrowing
machine, whereupon the narrowing machine is again turned or swung outward by
means of the bar o'. The tappet-levers are then turned out of contact with the
tappets e¹; the needle-carriers yielding to the action of the springs (h¹), and
returning to their original position. The longitudinal movement of the needle-
carriers is determined by the stop-screws 7 and projections i¹.
As the number of threads becomes reduced by narrowing, the thread-guides, as
usual, travel a less distance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim
1. The improved manufacture of knitted riding breeches, hose and similar
articles substantially as herein described.
2. The improved method of manufacturing knitted riding breeches, hose and
similar articles, substantially as herein described; the same consisting in making
the pieces a' and a separately, arranging them upon the needles of a knitting
frame and knitting on the right and left leg-pieces, then stitching the edges of the
parts so formed and thereby completing the article, the insides of the leg-portions
and the seat and back being suitably strengthened and having no seams.

page_text: 3. In knitted riding breeches, hose and similar articles, forming an enlarged part
or gusset such as r, substantially as herein described.
4. In the manufacture of knitted riding breeches, hose and similar articles, the
employment of narrowing or reducing apparatus, substantially as herein described;
the same comprising a pair of needle-carriers furnished with tappets and capable of
adjustment upon a longitudinal rail carrying levers for actuating the tappets.
5. In apparatus for narrowing or reducing in the manufacture of hose or other
knitted goods, the combination, with the needle-carriers a*, of the rail, the
shaft k', the tappet-levers f¹ and the tappets e', substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
6. In apparatus for narrowing or reducing in the manufacture of hose or other
knitted goods, the combination, with the needle-carriers a*, of springs, such as ',
the projections i¹ on the needle-carriers and the adjustable stops j', substantially as
and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated the 20th day of June 1893.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.