IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCOTCH BONNETS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Russell, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr,
North Britain, Hosier, and Alexander Wyllie, of Stewarton, in the said
County, Scotch Bonnet Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCOTCH BONNETS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Russell and
Alexander Wyllie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th
January 1878.
WILLIAM RUSSELL, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Hosier,
and ALEXANDER WYLLIE, of Stewarton, in the said County, Scotch Bonnet Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCOTCH
BONNETS."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the arrangement and con-
struction of the machine known as the " jack," and which is used in combination
with either the straight bar or curved or circular hosiery frame for the purpose of
narrowing or widening the fabric when either of these operations are required.
The improved "jack," or narrowing or widening machine, consists principally of
a series of "tickler" holders, each of which carries the required number of "ticklers"
or points. Each point has a notch or projection on its back a short distance from
the point, the purpose of which is to prevent the loops of the bonnet being made
from slipping too far back when being either narrowed or widened. The "tickler"
holders are fitted to slide in one or more grooves, guides, or on wires, backwards
and forwards simultaneously to or from the centre. The "tickler" holders on each
side of the centre are coupled to each other by means of links, which allow them
to slide apart from each other, thus leaving a vacant space between each corre-
sponding with the narrowing or widening required in making the bonnet. The
"tickler" holders are caused to slide close up towards the centre on each side and
against each other, or to be opened out from each other by means of a handle

page_text: coupled by links to the outer
"
"
"
"
tickler holders. The "tickler holders are also
fitted with "racks" and a racking" handle, by operating which each set thereof
is moved to any required distance to or from the centre.
"
"
"
In commencing to make a bonnet with this improved "jack" applied to a
hosiery or equivalent frame, the loops are first cast on the frame by what is known
as the " tug" or dandie presser,
or by the hand; after which, either by the
"bottom carrier," or by the "swing carrier." or by hand, we work a few courses,
and then move forward the "jack" on the arms, by which it is carried with all the
"tickler" holders drawn close up, and thereby when widening lift the loops of the
bonnet from the frame. We then draw the "jack" back, and by means of the
sliding handle we slide the tickler" holders simultaneously outwards from each
slide from the centre. We then move the "jack" forwards and throw the loops of
the bonnet on to the frame. We then work a few more courses of loops and apply
to the frame the "jack" with the "tickler" holders drawn out, and lift the required
loops of the bonnet from the frame. We then for the purpose of narrowing bring the
"jack" back and "rack" together the "tickler" holders by means of the "racking
handle herein before described. We then move the "jack" again inwards, so as to
throw the loops back on to the frame, after which the frame is brought forwards,
and the loops again brought on to the "jack." The "jack" is then drawn back by
means of the sliding handle, and the "tickler" bolders are drawn together by
means of their handle, after which the loops are thrown back on to the frame, so
that by working a few courses of loops between each application of the "jack," as
now last described, the narrowing or circling required to form the crown of the
bonnet is effected.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Russell and Alexander Wyllie in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th July 1878..
WILLIAM RUSSELL, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Hosier,
and ALEXANDER WYLLIE, of Stewarton, in the said County, Scotch Bonnet Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCOTCH
BONNETS."
Our said Invention relates to certain improvements in the arrangement of the
machine or appliance which is known as the "jack," and which is used in com-
bination with either the straight bar or curved hosiery frame for the purpose of
narrowing and widening the fabric under course of manufacture by reducing or
increasing the number of stitches in any particular course or courses of the said
fabric in such a manner that the reductions or increments are or may be distributed
equally through the fabric from the middle thereof, the said improvements
rendering the "jack" capable of ready and efficient operation and application to
effect the said narrowing and widening of the fabric.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood we now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being
had to the annexed Sheets of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
##
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a plan of a "jack" con-
structed according to our Invention; Figure 2, a front elevation; and Figure 3, a
section of the same on the line 1, 2, Figure 1.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are details, which are herein-after referred to.
The said "jack" consists of a framing or angle bar A in grooves a, in which
slide "tickler holders b, as seen more clearly in Figure 4, which is a section on
the line 3, 4, Figure 1, the operating mechanism being omitted, the said holders b
being formed with webs or projecting ribs b¹ to engage in the said grooves a. Each
of the said holders b is furnished with a number (the number shewn in the Drawing
being five) of ticklers" or points c, which are secured in the said holders at å
distance apart corresponding to the distance from each other of the needles of the
hosiery frame with which our improved "jack" is to be used, and so that the
ticklers" of all the holders when close together upon the bar A will be at equal
distances apart. The "ticklers" may be secured in the holders by soldering them
thereto, or by bending their ends down at right angles, so that part of the
ticklers may lie in horizontal slots bº, their bent down ends being passed into
vertical holes b', and all the "ticklers" of each holder being secured by a plate 68
screwed down over them, as shown in Figure 4. Each "tickler" has a projection c¹
on its back, which projection is for the purpose of preventing the loops of the
fabric under course of manufacture from being slipped too far back when cast off
from, the needles of the hosiery frame on to the ticklers" of the "jack," as herein-
after explained.
"
"
61
The holders b are capable of being slidden the one half of them in one direction
from the centre line of the length of the "jack," and the other half in the other
direction from the said centre line, as shewn in the diagram, Figure 5, and as
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, this being effected by means of a lever D
turning upon a stud d, the said lever having arms e and e¹ connected to it at equal
distances on either side from the stud d; the arm e being attached at its other end
to a bar f by a pin g passing through and guided by a slot a¹ in the bar A; the
said bar f extending to the centre of the "jack" and terminating in a projection or
swell h, which projects through and runs in a slot a² in the bar A, and to which
projection is screwed the innermost holder b³ of those holders b, which are to one

page_text: side of the centre line of the "jack." The other rod e¹ is similarly connected to a
bar f by a pin g₁ passing through and guided by a slot as in the body A, the said
bar f¹ extending to the centre of the "jack" and terminating a projection or
swell h¹, projecting through and running in a slot at in the bar A; to which
projection h¹ is secured the innermost holder 6s of those holders b which are to the
other side of the centre line of the "jack." On the other side or edge of each of
the bars and f' is a series of notches forming racks i, ', with which engage
springs j, j, to retain the bars f, f¹, in the position to which they may be brought.
The holders b are capable of being slidden along the bar A close up to each other
towards the centre line of the "jack," as that the end "ticklers" of any one holder b
are at a distance from the end "ticklers" of the holders on either side of it, equal to
the width between two adjacent needles of the hosiery frame, as shewn in Figure 5.
The said holders b are also capable of being opened out from each other; that is,
slidden along the bar A away from the centre line of the jack, the holders on one
side of the centre line of the "jack" in one direction, and those on the other side of
the centre line in the other direction, so that the end "ticklers" of any one holder b
are at a distance from the end "ticklers" of the holders on either side of it equal
to double the width between two adjacent needles of the hosiery frame, as shewn
in the diagram, Figure 6. These motions are effected by means of the lever K
turning upon a stud k, the said lever having connected to it at either side its
centre the ends of rods 6, l', the rod / being fastened at its other end to the outer-
most holder b' at one end of the "jack," and the rod being similarly connected to
the outermost holder b at the other end of the "jack." The holders b of each series
on either side the centre line of the "jack" are coupled together by slotted links n,
each link being secured to the holders b by screws p, and projecting over the next
holder. Projections q on the holders engage in the slots of these links, which slots
are of such length that the said projections q prevent the holders b from being
separated from each other to a greater distance than that explained with regard to
Figure 6. The spring r is for holding the lever K, and consequently the holders b,
steady in any position to which they may be brought. The "jack" is provided
with a handle L, by which it is held when in use; and at either end of the said
"jack are projections m, by which the "jack" is supported in slotted guides M
(Figure 4) attached to the hosiery frame, at either side thereof, so that the said
"jack" may be raised in the vertical slots of the said guides and rested in the upper
part thereof when not in use, and brought down into the horizontal slots into
position for work, as shewn in Figure 4.
〃
In manufacturing a Scotch bonnet in a hosiery frame, with which is combined a
"jack" constructed according to our Invention, the loops are cast on to the frame
by what is known as the "tug" or "dandie presser," or by hand, and a number of
courses depending upon the size and shape of bonnet to be manufactured are worked
in the ordinary way, the "jack" in the meanwhile remaining turned up out of the
way, resting in the upper part of the brackets.
,,
When the fabric is to be widened this is done with our improved "jack" in the
following manner:-The "jack is lowered and slidden along the horizontal
grooves of the brackets M, and the "ticklers" are brought into such a position by
means of the lever D that each "tickler" overlaps the beard of each needle, as seen
in Figure 4, a small space being left in the centre of the "jack;" that is, between
the series of "tickler" holders on either side the centre line of the "jack (as
in the diagram Figure 5) by sliding them away from each other by means of the
lever D. The frame is then worked, so that the sinkers N (Figure 4) come forward,
and the belly thereof urges the loops from the needles of the frame on to the
"ticklers." The "jack," with the loops upon its "ticklers," is then drawn back
from the needles, and the "tickler" holders 6 are opened out from each other by
means of the lever K into the position shewn in the diagram, Figure 6.
The jack
is then again brought into the position Figure 4, and the frame being worked, the
parts of the sinkers takes the loops from the "ticklers" on to the needles; thus

page_text: each needle, with the exception of every fifth one (viz., that between the holders b),
has a loop upon it. To form a loop upon these vacant needles a part of the loop
from the adjacent needle is brought over it, or one course is worked, and the
threads passing over the vacant needles are brought down and passed through the
previously worked course and up over the needles by means of a turning hook.
The number of the stitches worked is thus increased, and consequently the fabric
is widened. The number of courses which may be desired are then worked with
the fabric thus widened, the "jack" being in the meantime supported out of the
way in the upper part of the brackets M; when it is desired to narrow the fabric
the "jack" is brought down, and by means of the lever K the holders b are slidden
apart, as in the diagram, Figure 6. The "ticklers" are then placed over the
needles of the frame, as in Figure 4, the said "ticklers" being brought into proper
position by means of the lever D; and the loops from the said frame are urged, as
before described, from the needles on to the "ticklers," one loop being left on each
needle, which is opposite the spaces between the "tickler" holders. The "jack "
is now drawn back, and the lever D is moved, so that the holders b are all brought
the width of one needle towards the centre of the "jack," the notches of the racks
,, being such a width apart that they correspond to the width between two
adjacent needles; the "ticklers" are again brought over the needles, and, as before
described, the frame is worked, so that the parts of the sinkers takes the loops
from the "ticklers" on to the needles. Thus those needles upon which loops were
left receive another loop, and those needles which are opposite the spaces between
the holders b in their present position are without loops. The loops are then again
passed on to the "ticklers," as before described. The "jack" is then drawn back
and the holders b are brought close together, as shewn in the diagram Figure 5, by
means of the lever K The "jack" is then again brought into the position,
Figure 4, and the loops are brought on to the needles, as before explained, when
every fifth needle will have a double loop upon it. The "jack," being brought
back, is slidden up and supported in the upper part of the brackets M.
On working the next course with the frame the double loops have one loop
worked into them, and the stitches being thereby lessened, the fabric is narrowed.
The desired number of courses are then worked upon the thus narrowed fabric,
and it is then again narrowed or widened, as may be desired, the courses at which
the narrowing and widening is effected depending upon the shape of the bonnet to
be produced; the fabric being ultimately narrowed to a point, turned off the frame
and seamed, milled, and finished in the customary manner.
Where it is desired that the fabric be widened at parts towards the centre and
not towards the edge we employ a catch or device similar to that shewn at t in
Figure 5, by which any desired number of the outer holders 6 are held together
and prevented from being opened out from each other, and consequently the parts
of the fabric corresponding in position to the holders thus held together are not
widened.
We have described our improved "jack" as adapted to a straight bar hosiery
frame, but it will be evident that it may also be adapted for use with a curved
frame by making the bar A of the "jack" of a curve to correspond with the frame,
the holders b being of a shape to slide upon this curved bar. The holders 6 may
contain a greater or less number of "ticklers" than that shewn.
By the use of our improved "jack" the narrowing or the widening of the fabric
is effected with great facility, and is distributed equally throughout the fabric from
the centre thereof.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what
we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improvements in
machinery used in the manufacture of Scotch bonnets herein described; that is to
say, the improvements constituting the appliance herein-before referred to as the

page_text: "jack," the same being constructed so that the position of its parts may be varied,
essentially as and for the purposes herein-before described, and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Russell and Alexander Wyllie, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM RUSSELL.
(L.S.)
ALEXANDER WYLLIE. (L.S.