IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bernoulli Barlow of 17 St. Ann's Square Manchester
"
in the County of Lancaster Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES communicated to
him from abroad by Monsieur Omer Cazeneuve of Montrejeau Haute Garonne
in the Republic of France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st January 1883.
HENRY BERNOULLI BARLOW of 17 St. Ann's Square Manchester in the County
of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent IMPROVEMENTS IN
KNITTING MACHINES" a communication to me from abroad by Monsieur Omer
Cazeneuve, of Montrejeau, Haute Garonne, in the Republic of France
"E
The object of this invention is to simplify and improve Machines for knitting
pieces of work of large size and various stitches such as ribbed, striped or plain.
In applying these improvements to a double Machine or frame for knitting
straight or plain pieces of work, the main frame is composed of two pieces which
form the bed of the Machine; these pieces are divided by a longitudinal slot or
opening through which the piece or web falls when knitted-
There are projections above the surface on each edge of the slot which form a
gathering comb. Draw or pusher plates are employed which slide in grooves; each of
these plates has on the upper surface near one end a heel piece or projection which
slides in an eccentric groove formed in the lower surface of a traversing carriage which
gives the backward and forward motion to the sliding plates; each plate is tapered
from the heel piece to the outer end to allow it to rock; at the other end of each plate
a buckle is formed which. (when the plate is pushed forward with its end nearest the
slot raised) is made to fall and seize a double hooked needle by one end, and draw
it forward across the slot to form a stitch; as the carriage continues its traverse
the heel piece sliding in the eccentric groove causes the draw plate to push the
needle back to its resting place over the slot; the draw plate is then tilted by
means of a spring bearing on its heel piece, and the needle tbus released is left in

page_text: position ready to be seized by one of the draw plates on the opposite side. The
carriages which actuate the draw or pusher plates are traversed along the outside
edge of the bed pieces by means of chains and chain wheels, or in other convenient
manner, and a guide for the yarn or thread is secured to the upper side of each
carriage and directs the yarn into the hooks of the needles. The needles used
have a hook and tongue at each end.
When needles are used with two hooks but only one tongue which may fall on
either hook two carriages which work directly opposite one another are employed.
In this case the needles are not drawn but simply pushed. The pushing plates
have no buckles at one end, nor are they tapered at the other as no rocking motion
is required to release the needles.
In this arrangement only one thread guide is used.
In a Circular Knitting Machine any number of Carriages and eccentric grooves
may be employed according to the diameter of the Machine.
By these means large pieces of work may be produced with great rapidity

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th July 1883.
HENRY BERNOULLI BARLOW of 17 St Anns Square, Manchester in the County
of Lancaster Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "JMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINES A communication to me from abroad by Monsieur Omer Cazeneuve,
of Montrejeau, Haute Garonne, in the Republic of France.
"
The object of this Invention is to simplify and improve machines for knitting
pieces of work of large size and various stitches such as ribbed, striped or plain.
In applying these improvements to a double machine or frame for knitting
straight or plain pieces of work the main frame is composed of two pieces which
form the bed of the machine: these pieces are divided by a longitudinal slot or
opening through which the piece or web falls when knitted.-There are projections
above the surface on each edge of the slot which form a gathering comb. Draw or
pusher plates are employed which slide in grooves: each of these plates has on the
upper surface near one end a heel piece or projection which slides in an eccentric
groove formed in the lower surface of a traversing carriage which gives the back-
ward and forward motion to the sliding plates: each plate is tapered from the heel
piece to the outer end to allow it to rock at the other end of each plate a buckle
is formed which (when the plate is pushed forward with its end nearest the slot
raised) is made to fall and seize a double hooked needle by one end and draw it
forward across the slot to form a stitch: as the carriage continues its traverse, the
heel piece sliding in the eccentric groove causes the draw plate to push the needle
back to its resting place over the slot: the draw plate is then tilted by means of a
spring bearing on its heel piece and the needle thus released, is left in position
ready to be seized by one of the draw plates on the opposite side.
The carriages which actuate the draw or pusher plates are traversed along the
outside edge of the bed pieces by means of chains and chain wheels or in other
convenient manner and a guide for the yarn or thread is secured to the upper side
of each carriage and directs the yarn into the hooks of the needles. The needles
used have a book and tongue at each end.
When needles are used with two hooks but only one tongue which may fall on
either hook, two carriages which work directly opposite one another are employed.
In this case the needles are not drawn but simply pushed. The pushing plates
have no buckles at one end nor are they tapered at the other as no rocking motion
is required to release the needles. In this arrangement only one thread guido
is used.
In a circular knitting machine any number of carriages and eccentric grooves
may be employed according to the diameter of the machine. By these means
large pieces of work may be produced with great rapidity.
And in order that this Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the accompanying three sheets of drawings
reference being bad to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Plate I. Fig. 1 is a plan and Fig. 2 an end elevation partly in section of
the improved double machine for knitting straight or rectilinear pieces of work.
Fig. 3 shows two views of a wheel which may be employed instead of springs to
tilt or rock the draw plates. Fig. 4 shows two views of a draw plate and Fig. 5 ·
two views of a needle with a hook and tongue at each end.
On Plate II.-Fig. 6 is a plan and Figs. 7 and 8 are end views partly in section
of an improved double machine for knitting rectilinear pieces of work in which
the two traversing carriages work opposite one another and needles with two

page_text: hooks but only one tongue are employed. Fig. 9 shows detached views of three
kinds of pusher plates and Fig. 10 is a view of a needle with two hooks and one
tongue.
On Plate III. Fig. 11 is a part plan and Fig. 12 is an elevation partly in
section of the improved circular knitting machine and Fig. 13 shows the
arrangement best adapted for driving machines in which a long traverse is
required.
În Figs. 1 to 5.-Plate 1. the main frame A is composed of two pieces which
form the bed of the machine: these pieces are divided by a longitudinal slot or
opening A through which the piece or web falls when knitted. There are pro-
jections A2 above the surface on each side of the slot A¹ which form a gathering
comb. Draw or pusher plates t are employed which slide in grooves in the
frame A each of these plates has on the upper surface near one end a heel piece
or projection t¹ which slides in one of the eccentric grooves T formed in the lower
surface of the two traversing carriages B and B which give the backward and
forward motion to the draw plates t: each plate t is tapered from the heel piece t¹
to the outer end to allow it to rock and at the other end of each plate a buckle t²
is formed which (when the plate is pushed forward with its end nearest the slot A'
raised by the pressure of the back spring C) is made to fall by the pressure of the
front spring C' and seize a double hooked needle E by one end and draw it
forward across the slot A¹ to form a stitch: as the carriage B or B' continues its
traverse the heel piece t' sliding in the eccentric groove T causes the draw plate t
to push the needle E back to its resting place over the slot A¹: the draw plate t
is then tilted by the back spring C bearing on its heel piece and the needle E thus
released, is left in position ready to be seized by one of the draw plates t on the
opposite side.
The carriages B and B' which actuate the draw or pusher plates t alternately
backward and forward are traversed along the outside edge of the bed pieces by
means of chains and chain wheels G or in other convenient manner and a guide Y
for the yarn or thread is secured to the upper side of each carriage and directs the
yarn into the hooks of the needles E which have a book and tongue at each end as
shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Instead of the backsprings C wheels D see Fig. 3 Plate I
may be used to give the rocking or tilting motion to the draw plates t.
springs C¹ depress the draw plates as soon as the backsprings Chave effected their
object and released the needle E.
The front
Figs. 6 to 10.-Plate II relate to an improved double machine in which two
traversing carriages are employed which work directly opposite one another with
similar eccentric grooves and in which needles with two hooks but only one
tongue are used.
In this machine the needles F are not drawn but simply pushed. The pushing
plates p have no buckles at one end nor are they tapered at the other, as no
rocking motion is required to release the needles F which needles they only push
alternately, retreating at the same moment on one side of the carriage as much as
they advance on the opposite side. In this arrangement only one thread guide Y
is used.
Figs. 11 and 12. Plate III represent a circular knitting machine in which any
number of carriages with eccentric grooves may be employed according to the
diameter of the machine and it is obvious that by increasing the number of
carriages a rapid production of circular work may be obtained. In this machine
draw plates t are shown in the drawing but it may be more convenient to employ
pusher plates p as the latter can be made shorter and thus avoid too great an
acuteness of the angles in the eccentric grooves b¹.
In this system of knitting machines for reversed or turned over stitches the
number of designs or patterns is increased in the first instance simply by the
facility afforded for actuating the draw plates first on one side of the slot A' and
then on the other and a still farther variety of patterns may be produced by using
different colored threads in the guides Y.

page_text: To vary the patterns or designs the different kinds of pusher plates p shown in
Fig. 8, Plate II may be employed. The web known as "English Rib" i.e. a web
with two faces of stitches may be produced by using draw or pusher plates
alternately long and short placed symmetrically opposite one another on each side
of the slot A' and the "French Rib" by leaving one side with plates of uniform
length and the other alternately long and short. To increase or diminish the size
of the piece of work the stitches may be readily brought forward by hand as in
the knitting frames of Lame or Buxtorf and on either or both sides of the bed A
at will. The needle may be taken away and quickly replaced by means of a
double clasp under its hooks.
Certain articles such as waistcoats gain by being knitted in a single piece
without seams.
To effect this a very great width of frame is required as well as a lengthened
traverse.
Fig. 13 shows the special mechanical arrangement which is best adapted for
machines of this class in which a long traverse is required and in which the
continuous circular motion is changed into an alternating rectilinear movement of
uniform or nearly uniform speed: G is a chain wheel mounted on the main driving
shaft and connected to a similar chain wheel G by a chain G2 either Vancauson's
or Galle's or any similar kind: a stud or arm m is secured to the traversing
carriage B and upon this arm m is mounted a sliding bracket H which carries a
pin m. The pin m³ gears with the chain G2 and thus gives a backward and
forward motion to the carriage B.
Having stated the nature of this Invention and described the manner of
performing the same.
I declare that I claim
1. The principle of bringing the self-acting needles with two hooks into use
either wholly or partially by releasing them and seizing them again at will, during
their traverse in the grooves of the bed A.
2. The several modes of application, the arrangements, and forms of the parts
composing the aforesaid knitting machines, as also the special adjustments for the
increase, diminution or variation of stitches on the needles drawn or pushed.
3.-The mechanism described and its application to the change of any con-
tinuous circular motion into an alternating rectilinear movement and without
escapement.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty seventh day of July One thousand eight hundred and
eighty three.