AN IMPROVED KNITTING Loom
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Armand le. Comte de Fontainemoreau, of 39,
Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 4, South
Street, Finsbury, London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED KNITTING
Loom." A communication.
Sealed the 17th April 1857, and dated the 21st October 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Armand le Comte
de Fontainemoreau at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 21st October 1856.
I, PETER ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINEMOREAU, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier,
Paris, in the Empire of France, & of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVED KNITTING LOOM,"
to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of loom for knitting
stockings.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings represents a front view of the loom ;
Figure 2, an end view of the same.
The construction of this loom is similar to that of the circular knitting
loom; I therefore weave on a straight piece, in the same manner and at the
same speed as in the circular loom...
."
My system is to employ plates which take up and lower, as in the circular
Falaise looms, on the principle of which it is based; or a loom of the same
kind, with two falls, which I suppose cut through the centre, and to raise the

page_text: two parts so as to form of one, the right row if we commence on the right,
and the left row if on the left, and at the same time takes up each alternate
mesh by means of two combined excentrics, one for taking up, and the other
for lowering, which I have placed on the centre of the two rows of presses.
N, supporting frame, receiving on its base all the parts employed in the forma-
tion of the mesh, the details of which are as follows:-
This supporting frame is attached to an iron platform B, fixed on a slide
piece A', which produces the to-and-fro movement received by the slide piece
from a crank rod, moved by a winch handle or other suitable motive power.
N', iron bar, in which slides the socket P, which receives the conductor T,
terminating in a tube at the part from which the cotton is distributed in the
plates. The thread comes from above, and passes through the hole. M, slide,
capable of adjustment (according to the length to be knitted) by means of the
screw V; a regulator, composed of a pinion and milled button C and A,
regulates the screw threads according to the number of needles on which it is
wished to diminish, wherever the screw V conducts them. The loom continues
the same to-and-fro movement in causing the rod N to slide in the socket P,
which adheres there by the pressure of an inner spring O'; K, projections on
the pattern bar; J, apparatus for sustaining the needles, to prevent them from
bending at the moment of taking up and regulating the mesh; G, pattern
bar for taking up, which produces in the plates C, by its different sinuosities,
the movements necessary to the formation of the tissue; H, two falls placed
in opposite directions, and fixed to the pattern bar. These falls cause the
plates C to descend one by one, so as to take up at the moment in which the
latter meet in the said falls. Z are small falls formed on the pattern bar G,
which serve to carry off the plates after they have advanced the rings of the
mesh under the hooks of the needles, which are fixed in the same manner
as in circular looms. This advance movement of the rings is produced by
two advancing rollers D, and as soon as the cotton comes under the hooks
the plates C ascend, forced by the falls Z; they disengage themselves from the
rings to allow the press S to act immediately, which forms the hooks of the
needles, so as to allow the knitting to pass over, and then the lowering of
the piece U takes place, and a row is made. The conductor T; having first
performed its functions, it is stopped against the cap, and remains there until
the rest of the mechanism has passed or finished its course to form the other
row. The said conductor egresses first to distribute its thread, and this range
is made the same as the first, and the plate C being supported by the part T, T,
is placed behind the plates, so as to push forward the one which is raised up.
The other guide I is placed in front, to prevent the plates from falling forward.

page_text: K, falls for the joining of the selvage meshes; F, combs maintaining the plates
at proper distances; G°, large comb placed in the centre of the body of the
plates. This loom is mounted on a cast-iron frame A and wooden framework.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 21st April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in
the Empire of France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, Her special license,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Peter Armand le
Comte de Fontainemoreau, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
KNITTING LOOM," communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de
Fontainemoreau, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine-
moreau, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-

page_text: My Invention consists in the construction of a rectilinear knitting loom for
stockings and other articles, in which loom I employ almost all the 'mechanism
of the circular plate loom.
Sheet 1, Figure 1, represents a front view of the loom; Sheet 2, Figure 2,
an end view of the same; Figure 5 is a modification, and Figures 3, 4, and 6,
details of the loom. 'In Figures 1 and 2 the same letters refer to the same
parts.
The improved loom by which I can weave a straight part with the same
speed as by the circular plate loom, which I have taken as a model, is on the
taking up and lowering plate system. I construct this loom with two 'falls,
which I suppose to be cut in the centre; and having the two parts raised 'so as
to form with one the right row, if I commence on the right, and with the
other the left row, by taking up and lowering each mesh alternately by means
of two combined excentrics, the one for taking up and the other for lowering
(Figure 3), placed at the centre of the two press 'wheels S, Figure 2.
N, Figure 2, supporting frame receiving the parts necessary for the forma-
tion of the meshes, the details of which will be herein-after given. This
frame is placed on an iron plate B, fixed on a slide piece A, which gives
to it its alternate movement received from a connecting rod, provided with
a winch handle moved by the hand or any, other motive power. N, iron
guide bar, on which slides the socket P, receiving the conductor T, which
is in the form of a tube at the part where it distributes the cotton in the
plates. The thread comes from the top and passes through the hole. M,
moveable caps, which may. be adjusted according to the required 'width,
and made to travel backwards and forwards by means of the screw V:
This screw is tapped with a right and left thread, and furnished with a milled
cap. Cand ratchet pinion A' for regulating the length of the thread according
to the number of needles on which it may be wished to diminish, and in what-
ever direction the screw V'moves them. The loom continues the same to-and-
fro-movement, at the same time causing the bar N to slide on the socket P,
which is made to adhere to it by the pressure of an internal 'spring O. K,
moveable entering wheels, making a half turn outwards to avoid injuring the
selvages of the fabric; J, needle supporters, to prevent the needles from
bending back when taking up and regulating the mesh; G, taking-up bar,
which gives to the plates C the movements necessary for forming the fabric.
Two falls H, placed in opposite directions and attached to the taking-up
bar, cause the plates C to descend one by one for the taking-up at the
moment at which the plates become engaged in the falls. Z, small falls,
formed in the taking-up bar G, and serving to raise the plates after they have

page_text: advanced the loop of the mesh under the hooks of the needles, which are fixed,
in the same way as in the circular looin. The power of moving forward the
loops is obtained from two advance rollers D, and as soon as the cotton comes.
under the hooks the plates C are forced to ascend by the falls Z;..these falls.
disengage themselves from the loops, so as to allow the press wheel S to act
immediately, and forms the hooks of the needles for the passage of the knitting
over them. The fall u is then effected, and one row is made. The conductor T,
having done its work; stops against the moveable cap, against which it strikes,.
and rests there till the other parts of the loom have passed or finished their
work. To produce the other row this conductor starts first to distribute its
thread, and the second row is made in the same way as the first; the iplates C
being supported by the two conductors I and T, one of which (represented in
Figure 4) is placed behind the plates, to push forward. the plate which is to
take up the thread, so as to avoid disorder; and the other conductor I is placed
in front, to prevent the said plates from falling forward. K, falls for bringing
side by side the meshes of the selvages; F, comb to preserve the separation,
between the plates; Go, large comb placed at the centre of the body of the
plates.
Figure 3 is a front view of the double-action fall provided with, selvage
guides 7, which may be regulated at will by means of the screw I;-I. At the
upper part of the conductor T a nipper X is placed, which always works in
front of the selvage needle. This movement is produced by the friction of the
excentric 4. This nipper serves to withdraw the thread which the selvage
plate may have taken in excess, and which the conductor T might in advancing
have drawn out of the head of the needles, so as to leave the passage free to
the press wheels. This forward movement of the conductor is produced by
the bridge 5, jointed at its centre so as to permit one part to work to the left
and the other to the right, by means of three moveable caps placed at the
part 6 of the loom.
Independantly of the general arrangement of the loom herein-before
described, without altering its principle it may be constructed with the
modifications represented in Figure 5. For this purpose I employ two
moveable iron rails G and G¹, fixed together, which receive a to-and-fro
movement. The rail G passing into the notches O" of the plates forces them
to follow its undulations; the other rail G' is placed at the necessary height
for receiving in its different undulations the plates on its top. These two rails
can be adjusted so as to raise or lower the plates. P, taking-up fall, fixed to
the supporting frame N. The fall acts on the head of the plates, and causes
them to work from right to left. For the working from left to right another

page_text: fall acts in the opposite direction to the fall represented in Figure 5; this
second fall is also fixed to the supporting frame N. The two falls may be
regulated at will by means of a milled cap and set screw, represented in
Figure 6, and, like these plates, are provided with brass bands Q", which
causes the whole of them to strike each other, and prevent their bending when
the fall P is passing, and forces them to fall one by one perpendicularly.
Figure 6 is a detail view of the fall P, and the set screw adjusting it. The
machine is mounted on a cast-iron base with wooden framework.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I do not restrict myself to the precise details
herein laid down; but what I claim is,
First, the general arrangement and construction of the loom, as herein-
before described, and represented in the Sheets. of Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Secondly, the construction and employment of the iron rails G and G¹,
as herein-before described, and represented in Figure 5, Sheet 2 of the
Drawings.
Thirdly, the construction and employment of the falls H and P, and the
plates C, as herein-before described, and represented in Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6
of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
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AINEMOREAU
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