IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lucius Phelps Porter, of New York, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."-A communication
from abroad by Joseph R. Kilbourn and Edward E. Kilbourn, of
Nonfall in the County of Litchfield and State of Connecticut.
Sealed the 14th June 1859, and dated the 20th April 1859.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Lucius Phelps Porter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and De-
claration, on the 20th April 1859, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LUCIUS
PHELPS PORTER, of New York, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY," (a communication from abroad
by Joseph R. Kilbourn and Edward E. Kilbourn, of Norfolk, in the County
of Litchfield, and State of Connecticut,) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the annexed Drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a part of a knitting loom embodying
the improvements, drawn upon a scale of half an inch to one inch; Figure 2
represents a plan of the same; Figure 3 represents a back elevation of the
same; Figure 4 represents an end elevation of the same; Figure 5 represents
a cross section of the same, showing an end view of the needle carriage;
Figure 6 represents a cross section of the same through the needle carriage;
A

page_text: Figure 7 represents a face view of the slide block appertaining to one of the
selvage needle carriages. Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11 represent views of
fragmentary portions of the cam bars detached from the machine, and of the
full size, these bars in the present machine being symmetrical on each side of
the red line marked centre of the machine. Figure 12 represents a plan of
one of the selvage needle carriages of the full size, a portion of the plate being
removed to show the arrangement of the slides; Figure 13 represents a front
elevation of the same, and Figures 14, 15, and 16 represent cross sections of
the same. Figure 18 represents views of an intermediate needle and needle
slide; and Figure 19 represents views of a sinker and its slide or shank of the
full size.
The object of the Invention is mainly to produce knitted fabrics of varying
width; such, for example, as the sheets of fabric used to form the legs of knit
drawers and the sleeves of knit shirts. The improvements are applicable,
however, to other knit fabrics, as, for example, those in which ornamental
patterns are produced by the transferrence of stitches.
The Invention is divided into several parts, the first of these consists in
arranging and operating the needles of a machine which forms a fabric
of variable width, in such manner that the selvage is formed by the same
needles, whether the fabric increase or decrease in width.
The Invention consists further in narrowing the fabric in process of manu-
facture, by withdrawing one or more needles from the number of needles that
may be at work between the selvage needles, and in closing up the gap thus
formed by moving the selvage needles inwards.
The Invention consists further in widening the fabric in process of manu-
facture, by moving one or more needles at the selvage outwards from the
remainder, and in filling up the gap so formed by the insertion of an additional
needle or needles.
The Invention consists further in varying the movement of the thread
guide in proportion to the widening or narrowing of the fabric, by combining
the instruments that drive it with the carriages of the movable selvage needles,
so that when the latter are moved to change the width of the fabric, the
periods of movement of the thread guide are correspondingly changed.
The Invention consists further in operating the sinkers which carry down
folds of yarn to form loops, in such manner that no folds of yarn are formed
at the selvage, so that yarn to form these loops is drawn by the action of the
needles from the adjacent stitches, whereby the tightening of the fabric at the
selvage is promoted.
The Invention consists further in griping the yarn at the time the selvage

page_text: needles are forming their loops, so that yarn to form these loops is of necessity
withdrawn from the adjacent stitches of the fabric, which operation furthers
the tightening of the fabric at the selvage.
The Invention further consists in depressing the thread guide after the last
needle in the series of needles at work has been fed with thread or yarn, so as
to ensure the seizure of the thread by the barb of the needle.
The Invention consists further in combining with a knitting machine for
forming a fabric of variable width, variable temples at the selvages to relieve
the selvage needles of the lateral strain resulting from the take-up, the said
temples being so arranged and operated that their positions are varied with
the variation in the width of the fabric.
The Invention further consists in a straining or whip roll, having a barrel
of increased diameter at those parts where the wider portions of the work
pass over it, so as to keep the selvage strained, whether the work widen or
narrow.
The Invention further consists in varying the strain upon the sheet of fabric
as it passes to the take-up, in proportion to increase or decrease in its width,
so that the strain upon each part of the fabric is about the same, whether it
increase or decrease in width.
The Invention consists further in combining with under supports, forming a
bearing for the needles outside of the sinkers, a thread guide arranged in such
manner that its lower side is inclined to the direction in which the sinkers move,
and operated in such manner that when it is depressed it moves in the direction
of its length, or at an acute angle to the direction in which the sinkers move,
whereby the depression of the thread guide below the level of the needles can
be effected in a machine having under supports of the above description at the
time the selvage needles are forming loops..
.
The Invention consists further in moving a portion of the sinkers outside
of the selvage above their ordinary level, so that they are out of the way of
the thread guide when it rises, whereby the employment of a thread guide of
a breadth greater than the space between two adjacent sinkers is permitted, so
that the thread guide may be made of any desirable breadth and strength in a
machine having a sufficient number of sinkers to form wide work with the
capacity to form narrow work.
The several parts of the present Invention are embodied in a flat knitting
loom, portions of which are represented in the accompanying Drawings, the
remainder of the loom being omitted, as the present Invention does not apply
to any portions not represented, and as the portion that is not represented may
be constructed in all particulars like the corresponding part of the knitting

page_text: loom described in the Specification of the Invention for which a Patent, dated
the 3rd day of September 1858, was granted to George Tomlinson Bousfield,
to which Specification, and to the Drawings accompanying the same, I shall
occasionally refer. The knitting of the yarn in this loom is effected by means
of series of needles and sinkers, which are supported in a carriage, and are
caused to traverse in front of a thread guide, which delivers yarn or thread.
The various operating parts of the loom represented are supported by a
strong rectangular bed frame A, which should be supported by legs at a suit-
able distance from the floor, or should be secured to a strong frame, which
will raise it to a convenient height for the operator who tends it. In the upper
side of this bed frame are two longitudinal V-shaped grooves a, a (Figure 5),
which extend from end to end of the bed, and form ways to support and guide
a carriage D that carries the needles and sinkers. The needle carriage D is of
rectangular form, and is moved upon the bed frame, its lower side being fitted
with V-shaped feathers, which slide in the V-shaped grooves in the top of the
main frame. The needle carriage carries the needles and sinkers, which are
arranged in series, whose members alternate, so that there is a needle for each
space between two adjacent sinkers. The length of the needle carriage
between its end plates must be sufficient to receive sufficient needles and
sinkers, and the machinery for moving them to effect the widening and nar-
rowing. In the machine represented this length is 26 inches, and the machine
is adapted to produce work not exceeding 20 inches in width. This needle
carriage is caused to move alternately to and fro in opposite directions by means
which may be the same as those described for operating the needle carriage in
the Patent of the 3rd day of September 1858, aforesaid.
*
The needles, as shown at Figure 18, have the ordinary hook-formed head,
the barb of the hook being received when depressed into a corresponding
groove in the shank or stem.
The needles are arranged in three series, there
being two series of movable needles (one for each side of the work) and a
series of intermediate needles, more or less of which are brought into operation
according to the space between the two sets of selvage needles, as determined
by the width of the work to be produced. The stem of each intermediate
needle is secured to a needle slide E, which is shown at Figure 18, of the full
size. These slides are arranged to slide transversely to the direction in which
the carriage is moved in a series of grooves formed in a block of brass d,
which extends from one end of the carriage to the other, and forms a bed for
the needles. Each of these needle slides is square beaded at its front
extremity 61, and has a square shoulder 62 formed at its hinder extremity, and
each is fitted with a snug b, by means of which it is moved to and fro in the

page_text: operation of knitting. These snugs, when the needles are operating, are
received in and operated by a cam groove formed in the lower side of the
needle cam bar G, which extends from one end of the machine to the other,
and is supported by the end plates thereof. The form of this groove is shown
of the full size in dotted lines in Figure 11. The cam groove, after extending
a certain distance from the centre of the machine, divides into two branches.e¹
and e², having a movable switch at their intersection, which can be turned to
cause the snugs of the needles to traverse in either branch. When the
machine is knitting they traverse in the hinder branch e', but the forward
branch is useful to cause the needles to be projected forwards for inspection and
repair. The two branches of the cam groove are crossed by a cross groove e³,.
which permits the removal and replacement of any needles which require to.
be removed for repair. The needles project forwards from the bed in which
their slides lay, and pass through a corresponding series of grooves in a bar ƒ,
which extends along the front side of the carriage, and forms a nosing or
series of orifices, into which the needles are withdrawn to cast off the loops.
The loops of this nosing have at bottom a form, so that when the needles
are depressed, they are caused to place themselves at equal distances apart,
whereby the uniform width of the fabric is secured, and the transferrence of a
stitch from needle to needle is ensured. The selvage needles are also each
secured to a slide E¹ (Figure 15), which is carried by a separate carriage that
is mounted upon the needle carriage, and moves with it without changing its
position thereon, so long as the work produced remains of the same width.
As the present machine is constructed to widen and narrow the work at each
side thereof, there are two of these selvage needle carriages B and B, one for
each selvage, and each carriage in this instance carries four selvage needles,
whose stems are bent downwards, so that the needles project in the same plane
and to the same distance as the intermediate needles. Each of the selvage
needle slides has a snug formed upon it, which is received in a groove c*
formed in the upper side of the needle cam bar, and shown of full size at Figure
11, so that as the selvage needle carriages are carried along with the needle
carriage, the selvage needles are caused by the oblique portions of the cams to
move in knitting transversely to the length of the carriage in the same manner
as the intermediate needles. A second block of metal 9 is supported at the
front side of the needle carriage by the end plates thereof; this block has a
series of grooves formed in it similar to those of the needle bed to receive and
guide the shanks or slides of the sinkers. The lower edge e of this sinker bed
overlaps the nosing from which the needles protrude, and forms a bar, against
the lower side of which the barbs of the needles are pressed by the action of a

page_text: support beneath to close them, so that when they are drawn into the orifices
of the nosing, they may pass through and cast off the loops already formed.
Each sinker slide has a snug a¹ upon it, which is received in a cam groove
formed in the inner face of the sinker cam bar H. This cam bar, like the
needle cam bar, extends from one end of the machine to the other, and is
supported by the end plates thereof, the form of its groove is shown of the full
size at Figure 9.
When the machine is operating upon fabric of a certain width, a certain
number of needles are operating; this number is made up of the selvage
needles at each side of the fabric, and of as many intermediate needles as can
operate in the space between the selvage needles, the remaining intermediate
needles being withdrawn to such positions that they are for the time iu-
operative. The intermediate needles at work at any one time I terin the
workers. When the fabric is to be narrowed at either side, the intermediate
needle next inside of the selvage needles at that side of the work is with-
drawn, and the series of selvage needles is moved inwards by the movement
of their carriage inwards on the needle carriage, or towards the centre
thereof, so that the innermost selvage needle occupies the place of the with-
drawn needle. When, on the other hand, the work is to be widened, the
selvage needles are moved outwards from the number of the intermediate
needles at work the space of a needle or stitch, and an additional inter-
mediate needle is brought into action in the space made by the outward move-
ment of the selvage needles. In order to effect these movements of the
selvage needles and of the intermediate needles, each selvage needle carriage
is constructed to slide upon the top of the needle cam bar, and is connected
with the needle carriage by a bracket C, that extends downwards from a slide
block C. This slide block has a sleeve W upon it which is fitted with a
screw nut m that fits upon a screw L, which has a journal with collars that
turns in a bearing formed in the end plate of the needle carriage, so that as
the needle carriage is moved to and fro, the screw L, the sleeve W, and the
selvage needle carriage are carried along with it. The screw of each needle
carriage is tubular, and the two are traversed by a shaft B, which extends
from one end of the machine to the other, its journals being supported in
suitable bearings in the end plates of the frame. This shaft is slotted from
end to end, and a feather is secured in the projecting tubular end of each
screw to traverse in the slot, as shown at Figure 3, so that the screw may be
turned by turning the slotted shaft B in whatever position the carriage may
be. The slotted shaft is made up of two parts, each extending from one end
of the machine to the centre thereof; the inner end of one of these parts is

page_text: fitted with a journal, as shown at Figure 3, which projects into a tubular
socket formed in the adjacent inner end of the other part, so that the two
parts are in line with each other, and that each part may be turned inde-
pendently of the other. The turning of either part of the slotted shaft in one
direction, by turning the appropriate screw, screws along the sliding block C',.
and the salvage needle carriage connected therewith towards the adjacent end
of the needle carriage, and the turning of either part of the slotted shaft in
the opposite direction screws the salvage needle carriage controlled thereby
towards the centre of the needle carriage. The pitch of the screw is in this
instance four times the space between the centres of two adjacent needles;
hence the turning of the slotted shaft one quarter of a revolution in either
direction moves the selvage needles to or fro the space of a needle, and either
closes up the gap formed in the needles at work by the withdrawal of an
intermediate needle, or makes a gap for the insertion of an additional inter-
mediate needle.
In order that an intermediate needle may be withdrawn when the salvage
needles are moved inwards, the selvage needle carriage is provided with a
sliding driver P, which slides transversely in a groove formed in it, and which
may be termed for distinction the narrowing driver. The hinder end of this
driver bas a finger which depends from it within range of a cam G' secured
to the hinder edge of the needle cam bar, so that as the needle carriage in its
movement towards the end of the machine carries the driver past the cam, the
latter draws the driver backwards. The front end of the driver has also a
finger t, which depends from it within range of a cam G2 secured to the
front edge of the needle cam bar, so that the driver is drawn inwards by the
action of the cam as the needle carriage moves towards the centre of the
machine. The front finger of the driver has a bar h secured to it, which
projects under the selvage needle slides to the outer edge of the last slide, and
is low enough to strike the square heads of the slides of the intermediate
needles which may be within its range of motion. When, then, in the move-
ment of the selvage needle carriage, the selvage needles are moved inwards
with reference to the intermediate needles, the end of this bar h, in the back-
ward movement of its slide P by the cam G¹, strikes the head of the slide of
the intermediate needle next the selvage needles, and forces it backwards in
its bed. In order to permit this backward movement, a gate e³, Figure 11, is.
formed in the cam groove e¹, so as to permit the snugs of the needles to pass
back out of the cam bar; and as it is necessary that the intermediate needles
when withdrawn should be out of the way of the selvage needle, which by
being moved towards the centre of the machine, fills.
up the
gap occasioned by:

page_text: its withdrawal, the needle bed is hollowed out as shewn at Figure 15, so that
when the needle is drawn backwards the slide and needle drop into the hollow
sufficiently to bring the head of the needle below the range of motion of the
selvage needle that takes its place in knitting. As the needle slides are light,
and do not tend to fall with sufficient rapidity, an inclined plane i³, Figure 14,
is formed upon the head of each needle slide in a position to be acted upon by
the lower front corner of the needle cam bar G as the needle slide is being
drawn backwards. When an intermediate needle is withdrawn, it remains in
its withdrawn position with its snug h outside of the cam groove, and is con-
sequently inoperative until it is again moved forwards to take its place in the
number of working needles. In order to move it forwards, the selvage needle
carriage is provided with a second driver P¹, similar to the narrowing driver.
This second driver, which may be termed the widening driver, has also two fingers
depending from it within the range respectively of the cams G¹, G. The
hinder finger t2, Figure 16, has a snug secured to it which extends up to the
edge of the first selvage needle adjacent to it, and is low enough to strike the
shoulder 62 at the hinder end of an intermediate needle slide, whenever by the
movement of the selvage needle carriage with reference to the intermediate
needles, one of the latter is within range of motion of this snug. When,
then, in the movement of the selvage needle carriage, the selvage needles are
moved outwards with reference to the intermediate needles, this snug in its
forward movement by the cam G2 strikes the shoulder of the first intermediate
needle slide that is inoperative, and forces it forwards in its bed. This move-
iment takes place when the intermediate needle slide is opposite the gate e
in the cam groove, so that its snug has space to move forwards and take its
place with those of the working needles in the cam groove, and the needle
the gap formed by the outward movement of the selvage needles.
When a needle is withdrawn from the workers and rendered inoperative,
it is necessary that the loop upon it should be transferred to the next needle
nearer the centre of the needle carriage, as otherwise the stitch would be
dropped. This transferrence is effected at the proper moment by a trans-
ferring prong V, which is made to enter into the loop to be transferred from
the hinder side thereof to hold it while the needle is withdrawn, to carry the
loop laterally to the next needle, to present it to this next needle when it
moves forwards, and finally to withdraw from the loop, leaving it upon this
needle. One of these transferring prongs is provided for each selvage needle
carriage, and in order that it may have these various movements, each trans-
ferring prong V is secured to an arm or stock U, which projects from a sleeve
that is traversed by a rock shaft s.
fills up

page_text: Each rock shaft extends from the centre of the needle carriage outwards,
and projects through its end plates, so that its projecting ends may be
in a convenient position to be operated upon. The rock shaft is slotted from
end to end, and a feather is secured in the prong sleeve to traverse in the
slot, so that the stock U and transferring prong V may be rocked back-
wards or forwards, by rocking the rock shaft, whatever position the trans-
ferring prongs may be in on the needle carriage. The sleeve of the
transferring prong is located between the cheeks of a pair of fingers t³
(Figures 6 and 7), which project downwards from the slide block C',
that carries the selvage needle carriage, so that as the selvage needle
carriage is moved outwards or inwards upon the needle carriage, the trans-
ferring prong is moved in the same direction and to the same extent. The
prong is so situated with respect to the needles, that it is always over
the intermediate needle next the selvage needles, and is, consequently, ready
to enter the loop thereon before the needle is withdrawn from among
the workers. And as the transferring prong is carried laterally with the
selvage needles, it carries the loop upon it to the right position to deliver it up
to the next adjacent needle, which in turn becomes the needle next the
selvage needles. The rocking of the rock shaft at the proper times, to cause
the transferring prong to enter a loop and withdraw from one, is effected by
the turning of the screw L, that moves the selvage needle carriage upon the
needle carriage, which screw, from its office, may be termed the widening and
narrowing screw in the following manner:-The end of this rock shaft s
projects beyond the end plates of the carriage frame, is fitted with a disk g³,
having a pin in its face near its rim; the outer end of this pin is received in a
slot, formed in a boss g', which is secured to the front end of an L formed
lever Y, that is pivoted at the intersection of its arm to the end plate of the
needle carriage; the arms of the lever are fitted with snugs h', h², which
project from their faces within the range of motion of a series of pins æ, which
are made fast to a disk X, that is secured to the widening screw L, so that
during each quarter of a revolution of this screw, one pin acting upon one arm
of the lever causes the rock shaft, and the transferring prong moved by it,
to rock outwards; and another pin, acting on the other arm of the lever,
causes them to rock inwards. As the screw L is turned when widening is
effected, and as during this operation no transference is necessary, it is
desirable that the prong should then remain inoperative.
In order to
accomplish this, one of the snugs h² of the lever Y is secured to a latch, which,
instead of being fixed fast to the arm of the lever, is pivotted thereto. A pin

page_text: is placed in the face of the lever below this latch, to prevent it from yielding,
when the pin of the screw disk bears down upon it; and, consequently, when
this happens, the lever is moved. When, however, the screw is being turned
in the opposite direction to widen the work, the pin of the screw disk bears
up against the snug of the latch; and the latter, turning on its pivot, permits
the pin to pass the snug without imparting motion to the lever Y, and,
consequently, without rocking the rock shaft, and the transferring prong
operated by the latter. In order to hold the transferring prong in its position
either forwards or backwards, the hub g³ (Figure 5) of the rock shaft s has
two notches formed in its periphery, into one or other of which a spring catch
w engages to hold the rock shaft, until it is moved by the operation of
the pins on the bent lever. In the operation of the machine, it is necessary
that the stitch to be transferred should be taken off the needle, to be
withdrawn from the workers before the latter is withdrawn; and, conse-
quently, before the selvage needle carriage is moved inwards to move the
narrowing driver, so that its bar can act upon the needle. The selvage
needle carriage must not, therefore, be moved inwards, before this taking off
is effected, although its screw be turned to rock the transferring prong, and
effect the taking off of the stitch. This pause in the movement is effected in
the manner described in the Patent of the 3rd day of September 1858,
aforesaid, by causing the screw to move endwise as it turns. In order to
effect this, the widening and narrowing screw L is fitted with a collar on each
side of its bearing in the end plate of the needle carriage; these collars have
each four snugs upon their faces, which bear against corresponding inclined
planes, formed upon the adjacent faces of the bearing in the end plate of the
needle carriage, so that as the screw is turned a portion of its quarter of a
revolution, these inclined planes bearing against the snugs cause the screw to
move endwise outwards, as fast as its threads tend to screw the slide block
and selvage needle carriage inwards; while driving another portion of its
quarter of a revolution, the snugs pass over portions of the inclined planes,
inclining in directions the reverse of those first traversed by the snugs, so that
the selvage needle carriage is moved inwards by the combined movement of
the endwise motion of the screw, and its screw action in its nut, in the sleeve
of the slide block, with which the selvage needle carriage is connected.
When again the screw is turning to rock back the transferring prong,
the snugs of its collars are again traversing parts of the inclined planes,
inclined in directions the same as the first, so that during this movement of
the transferring prong, the selvage needle carriage does not change its position.

page_text: When the screw is turned in the opposite direction to widen the fabric, its
endwise movement is reversed. From this endwise motion thus imparted to
the screw, it results that the movement of the selvage needle carriage, in both
widening and narrowing, is effected in a shorter space of time than it
could be accomplished, if its movement were due only to the screw action of
the screw.
In the operation of transferring for narrowing, the transferring prong is
rocked so far forward by the movement of its rock shaft, that its heel is
outside of the grooves of the nosing; hence when it is carried laterally by the
movement of the selvage needle carriage, its shank moves in the space between
the front ends of the partitions between the grooves of the nosing and the hinder
side of the bar e. In order that the prong may hold the stitch upon it in a
proper position for the entrance of the working needle which is to take up the
stitch, its heel must be rocked back into the groove of the nosing through
which this needle protrudes; in order to effect this, the hinder notch in the
hub g³ is so located that when the heel of the prong is out of the groove of
the nosing (as it is during the lateral movement of the prong), the hinder
notch is in front of the toe of the spring catch, and the portion of the rim on
which the toe bears is inclined towards the notch, so that as soon as the pin
moved by the widening and narrowing screw ceases to act upon the latched
snug of the bent lever Y, the pressure of the toe upon this inclined part of the
rim causes the rock shaft to rock backwards, thus rocking the heel of the
transferring prong into the groove of the nosing. where it is held by the
engagement of the toe of the spring catch in the hinder notch until the needle
has entered into the stitch on the prong, after which the action of a pin of
the widening and narrowing screw upon the snug of the upright arm of the
bent lever rocks back the prong out of the stitch.
In order that the machine may operate when the parts are constructed as I
bave described them, the widening and narrowing screw should make three
O movements when narrowing is being effected, two of these taking place while
the end of the needle carriage is passing from the centre of the machine
towards the adjacent end thereof, and one while it is returning from that end
of the machine; the three movements together in this instance comprising a
quarter of a revolution of the screw. During the first of these movements the
5 screw is turned sufficiently to cause the transferring prong to enter the stitch
on the needle, whence it is to be transferred; and this of course must take
place before that needle is withdrawn by the narrowing driver. The second
movement is sufficient to move the selvage carriage laterally to the next

page_text: needle, and to permit the toe of the spring catch to rock back the heel of the
prong into the groove thereof; and the third movement is sufficient to rock
the spring out of the stitch; this last movement must of course be effected after
the needle has been protruded through its groove in the nosing by the action of
the incline in the cam groove which effects this movement. In widening, the
widening and narrowing screw in the present machine should make two
movements, one while the end of the needle carriage is passing from the
centre of the machine towards the adjacent end thereof, and one while it is
returning, the two together comprising a quarter of a revolution of the screw.
The first movement does not produce any effect upon the selvage needle
carriage, as the screw is then moving endwise as fast as it tends to screw the
selvage needle carriage along; the second movement is sufficient to move the
selvage needle carriage outwards the space of a needle, and this must of
course be effected before the widening driver is acted upon by its cam to push
an additional needle into the series of workers to fill the gap caused by the
outward movement of the selvage needles.
When the machine is in operation, the rapid action of the cams G₁, G³,
causes the drivers P and P¹ to move with considerable force and strike against
the adjacent edges of the needle cam bar; in order to lessen the blows thus
caused and to prevent a rebound, each driver is acted upon by a friction
spring f, and f2, which bearing upon its upper side retards its movement. The
slides of the selvage needles from their weight acquire considerable momentum,
which is destroyed by leather friction pads, which are pressed upon their upper
edges through holes in the plate above them by means of a spring f³.
The yarn or thread is fed to the series of needles by a tubular thread guide
J, which is situated in front of the sinkers, and is fitted to a carriage that
slides longitudinally upon ways secured to the front side of the sinker cam
bar H. This thread guide has the form of a flattened tube, the longer axis of
its elliptic cross section being horizontal. Its shank is secured to a slide R,
which slides vertically in a broad dovetailed groove formed in the face of the
thread guide carriage I. The hinder side of this slide has a pin projecting
from it, which passes through a vertical slot in the thread guide carriage, and
is received into and operated by a cam groover formed in the front side of
the cam bar H, and whose peculiar form is shewn of the natural size at
Figure 10. Hence when the thread guide carriage is moved longitudinally,
the inner end of the thread guide is at times depressed below the range of the
needles, and is at other times raised above it. The thread guide carriage is
moved alternately to and fro by means of two bumpers M and N, which are

page_text: carried along with the selvage needle carriages, and which come alternately in
contact with the opposite sides of the snug o secured to the thread guide carriage.
As the thread guide to act properly must always occupy a certain position
relatively to the outmost selvage needle, and as in the widening and narrowing
of the work the position of this needle is changed with respect to the needle
carriage, each bumper is secured to and thus combined with one of the
selvage needle carriages, so as to move with it when widening and narrowing
takes place, and thus maitain the thread guide in its proper relative position
to the outmost selvage needle.
In order that a tight selvage may be formed by the machine I am describing,
it is constructed and operated in such manner that no folds of yarn are formed
for the outmost needles that are working, so that the yarn to form the selvage
stitch and the next thereto is drawn from the loops of the inner stitches. In
order to accomplish this, the sinker which is outside of the selvage needle
(whatever position the latter may occupy), and the adjacent sinker between
the first two needles at the selvage, are drawn upwards (when the thread guide
bas fed thread over the needle stems), so that their snugs are out of the range
of the cam groove that depresses them, and consequently these sinkers are not
depressed to form folds of yarn as the remainder are by the action of the cam
groove. It is an advantage in a machine to employ a thread guide of sufficient
breadth to resist strains; in order that this may be done in a machine having
the mode of operation in knitting of the machine I am describing, an arrange-
ment must be made to prevent the interference of the thread guide with the
sinkers. In order to effect this in this machine, four of the sinkers, in addition
to the two above mentioned, are withdrawn, to form a space for the thread
guide as it rises to feed yarn to the needles; these with the other two make
six sinkers to be raised, and in the machine I am describing the whole six are
raised simultaneously by means of a lifter k (Figures 5, 6, and 7) that is
secured to a slide Q, which slides up and down in a groove in the plate of the
slide block G'. This lifter projects forward from the lifter slide into notches
formed in the hinder edges of the sinker slides, and the lifter slide Q is
provided with a pin which projects from its back into a cam groove formed in
a cam bar H', situated behind it. This cam bar extends from one end of the
machine to the other parallel with the sinker cam bar, and is supported by
the end plates of the frame, the form of its groove is shewn at Figure 8.
In order that the sinkers may rise when acted upon by the lifter, a gate s¹,
Figure 9, is formed in the groove of the sinker cam bar to permit the snugs
of the sinker slides to pass out of and into the cam groove, when the sinkers

page_text: are raised and lowered, and as this machine is constructed to widen and
narrow at each selvage, a sinker lifter is provided for each selvage needle
carriage. As no loops are formed for the outer two needles, they in receeding
into their nosing tend to draw yarn both from their right and left sides to
make their loops. As it is desirable in order to form a tight velvage, that the
yarn should be drawn from the fabric alone and not from the thread guide,
the delivering of thread from the latter is checked in this machine while the
needles are receeding until their receeding heads pass within the range of
travel of the inner end of the thread guide. In order to check the delivery
of yarn the latter is gripeil between two jaws, the one formed by the upper
side of a cross bar j, (Figures 1, 5, and 52,) and the other consisting of a
leather pad j', which is secured to the shank of the thread guide, so that when
the latter descends (to bear the yarn down upon the selvage needle stems), the
yarn is griped between the pad and the cross bar. As the needles recede in
the nosing, their heads pass inside of the line of travel of the inner end of the
thread guide, and if the yarn were griped after this passage it would be
strained or broken by the drag of the needles in receding to their furthest
inward positions; hence the gripe is relaxed in the present machine by the
partial raising of the thread guide by the action of the inner slope (r', Figure 10,)
of the cam groove, so that the leather pad on the thread guide shank is lifted
from the bar beneath. The withdrawal of the sinker outside of the selvage
needle renders it necessary to depress the thread guide sufficiently to bear the
thread down upon the stems of the needles, so that as they recede their barbs
may pass over it, and that it may be received in their hooked heads, and this
is effected at the proper moment by the form of the cam groove. As, however,
a double under support F is employed in this machine, and the outmost
member (5) thereof would from its position prevent the descent of the thread
guide if the latter were horizontal and were moved vertically downwards, the
thread guide is set at an angle, (as shown at Figures 5 and 5ª,) and is
constructed so as to move in the direction of its length. This movement of
the thread guide is effected by forming the shank which connects it with the
slide R of a spring plate, and by securing an inclined block to its outer face
in such a position that as the shank is carried downwards by the descent of
the slide, this inclined block bears against the inner face of a cross bar p', and
forces the shank and the thread guide connected therewith to move inwards
as it descends.
As the fabric is formed, it passes downwards and backwards under the
bottom of the needle carriage to an intermittent take-up, consisting of a pair

page_text: of take-up rollers M and M², whose journals are supported in bearings formed
in brackets that project backward from the end plates of the needle carriage.
One of these rollers (M²) is covered with india-rubber, so that it may
adhere strongly to the fabric, the other (M¹) merely lays against the opposite
side of the fabric, and by its weight presses the fabric against the rubber
surface. The lower roller M2 is turned to take up the work by means of a
worm M, whose thread engages in the teeth of a worm wheel m³, secured
to the shaft of the roller near one of the brackets. The worm has a ratchet
wheel secured to its shaft, and a pawl S is pivotted to a vibrating arm L' that
is hinged upon the worm shaft, so that whenever the arm is raised, the pawl
catching in one of the ratchet teeth shall turn the worm to cause the rollers to
draw up the work. The arm L' is raised whenever it descends by means of a
fixed incline or cam (secured to the frame of the machine near one of its ends),
over which the lower end of the lever is carried by the movement of the
needle carriage.
The take-up thus described is arranged to act intermittantly, according to the
necessities of the machine, in the following manner-A whip roller M³ is
supported by radius bars under the needle bed in the folds of the work between
the nosing and the take-up rollers, so that as the work is formed and its length
increased between the nosing and take-up rollers; the increasing depth of the
fold in which the whip roller lays permits the latter to descend, and this
descending movement of the whip roll is made to throw the take-up mechanism
into operation. In order to accomplish this, a spring hook h³ is attached to
the hub of one of the radius bars B, in a position to hold a pin h* that projects
from the vibrating arm L°; the position of this hook is such that it engages
beneath the pins whenever the vibrating arm is raised by the cam, and bolds
it in its raised position. As, however, the knitting proceeds, and the whip roll
descends, the spring catch, rocking backwards as the radius bar B turns,
releases the vibrating arm, which descends by its weight, so that its pawl
engages in a tooth of the ratchet wheel on the worm shaft; hence, when the
vibrating arm is again raised by the passage of its lower end over the cam,
the take-up rollers will be turned by the action of the pawl, and the fabric
will be taken up. The taking up of the fabric by shortening that portion
which is between the take-up rollers and the nosing diminishes the depth o
the fold in which the whip roll lays, so that it is raised up; as it rises, its radius
bars rock, and rock the spring hook h³ into a position to seize the pin h*, and
retain the vibrating arm Lº, until a further increase in the length of the
fabric lets it off.

page_text: In the operation of a knitting machine it is desirable that the edges of the
fabric should be strained equally with the central portion thereof by the take-
up mechanism. As the fabric made by the present machine varies in width,
the ordinary take-up rollers will not of themselves preserve a sufficient strain
at the selvages; the strain at the selvages is equalized in the present machine
by increasing the diameter of the body of the whip roll M³ in proportion to the
increased width of the fabric. To this end the portions of the whip roll over
which the wider parts of the fabric pass are made conical, as represented at
Figure 1, while the central portion is cylindrical, so that as the fabric widens
and narrows, the selvage is drawn under a surface of greater or less extent,
while the middle of the fabric is drawn over a surface constantly of the same
extent, by which means the equability of strain is maintained. In knitting
work of variable width, difficulty is experienced from the strain of the
take-up upon the selvage needles as the work widens, which strain tends to
drag them towards the middle of the fabric. In order to obviate this defect, I
have combined an adjustable temple with the widening and narrowing appa-
ratus, so that it is moved as the work varies to maintain the selvage in its
proper position, thus relieving the selvage needle of the strain. As the machine
I am describing is constructed to widen and narrow at each side of the work,
it is fitted with two disk temples (K2, K2), each of which is secured to a
separate block K³, which has a screw thread on it that is fitted upon the screw L¹,
which is similar to and parallel with the widening and narrowing screw above.
This screw is tubular, and is traversed by a slotted shaft B, which extends
through the end frames of the machine, and is supported therein in suitable
bearings. The screw L² is fitted with a feather which fits into the slot of the
shaft B, so that as the latter is turned in one direction or the other the
block K³ is moved by its screw towards or from the centre of the needle car-
riage. The slotted shaft is moved in accordance with the slotted shaft B' of
the widening and narrowing screw above by means of cog-wheels m³, m*, m³,
me, m', which impart motion to it from an inclined shaft B7 at the end of the
machine, with which the slotted shaft B above is also connected by means of
similar cog wheels m³, m³, so that whenever widening and narrowing are
effected the two slotted shafts B and B are moved simultaneously. The
screws L, L, which operate the two blocks K³ are independent of each other,
the two meeting at the centre of the carriage. The slotted shaft B, which
gives motion to these screws, is constructed in two parts, like slotted shaft B
of the widening and narrowing screw above, and as each part is connected
with the corresponding part of the widening and narrowing screw above, through

page_text: the intervention of the cog wheels and shaft on the outer side of the end
plates of the main frame, each temple screw is turned in harmony with the
corresponding widening and narrowing screw above, so as to adjust the position
of its temple to the number of needles at work, and thus keep the temple
always in the proper position with respect to the selvage needle under all
variations in the width of the fabric.
In the operation of knitting, it is also desirable that each part of the cloth
throughout the whole width of the fabric should be subjected to the same strain.
As the fabric in this machine widens and narrows, a special contrivance is
used to increase and decrease the pressure of the whip roll in proportion to
the increase and decrease in the width of the fabric, so that the strain upon
each part of the fabric shall remain about the same, whether the fabric as a
whole widens or narrows. This is effected by connecting each radius bar B of
the whip roll with a spring Z, by means of a cord that passes over a pulley
secured to the needle carriage. The opposite end of each spring is made fast
to a cord which is wound upon a barrel Z, and the cords of the two springs
are wound in the same direction upon the barrel, so that by turning it in one
direction the springs are strained to a greater extent to cause the whip roll to
pass with greater force upon the cloth, while by turning the barrel in the
opposite direction the tension of the springs are lessened, so as to relieve the
pressure of the whip roller. In order to vary the tension of the spring accord-
ing to the variation in the width of the work, the cord barrel is fitted with a
wheel Z, upon which a cord is wound, and the end of this cord is made fast
to one of the temple blocks K³, so that when the work widens, and the temple
is moved outwards, the cord barrel is turned to wind up the spring cords and
strain the springs to a greater extent, and when the work narrows, the inward
movement of the temple block slackens the strain upon the springs; hence the
variation in the tension in the springs, and consequently in the strain exerted
on the fabric by the whip roller, which the springs control, is made to vary with
the greater or less width of the fabric being formed.
In operating the machine described, the needle carriage is caused to move
to and fro, so as to carry the needles in operation over the supports F, F,
beneath, by whose action the needles are pressed against the bar e above, so as
to close their barbs. These supports are in this instance made to rise and fall
in the manner described in the Patent of the 11th day of March 1858, granted
to G. T. Bousfield, and are constructed in two parts, one, k', of which is on
the inner side of the sinker, and effects the raising of the needles, while
the other part is on the outer side of the sinkers, and supports the needles
B

page_text: during the reeding of the yarn and the descent of the sinkers to form the
loops.
In order that the several parts of the machine which I have thus described
shall operate automatically to the best effect, the needle carriage should be
operated by mechanism substantially the same as that described in the Patent
of the 3rd day of September 1858, aforesaid.
The shafts B' and B, with which the widening and narrowing screws are
connected, should also be operated by mechanism involving the use of pattern
barrels or their equivalents in the manner described in the said Patent; there
should also be a compensating arrangement, so as to vary the range of motion
of the carriage to the greater or less breadth of the work, and to vary the
operation of the other parts of the machine in the same manner as described
in the Specification of that Patent. As, however, I have fully described
suitable mechanism for effecting these various movements in the said Patent
of the 3rd day of September 1858, and as the improvements I have described
can be readily applied to that mechanism by any competent. mechanical
engineer skilled in the construction of knitting machines, I do not deem it
necessary to describe similar mechanism in this Specification; but I do not
confine myself to the application of the parts of the present Invention to the
machine described in the said Patent of the 3rd day of September 1858, as
parts of it may be applied with advantage to other knitting machines, as, for
example, to those in which a part of the movement of the machine is accom-
plished by hand instead of automatically. Thus, the shafts B and B might
be moved by hand at suitable intervals and in a proper manner to effect the
widening and narrowing of the work, instead of by automatic machinery.
Neither do I limit the Invention to a knitting machine in which all parts
thereof are used simultaneously, as some parts of the Invention may be used
without others; thus, for example, a knitting machine or loom may be con-
structed to widen the fabric upon the plan devised without narrowing it, and
vice versa; nor do I limit the Invention to a knitting machine of the precise
construction of parts herein described, or to the precise mode described of
imparting the requisite motion to the parts thereof, as these may be varied as
circumstances may render expedient to suit particular cases, or the views of
different constructors or manufacturers, or to adapt the machine to various
kinds of knitting; thus, for example, the mechanism that connects the widening
and narrowing screws with the temple screws may be located upon the end
plates of the needle carriage, and its construction may be varied to adopt it
to these new positions, and the connection may be made entirely by means of

page_text: cog wheels, or by means of cog wheels and shafts, or by means of a chain
running upon sprocket wheels, or in any suitable manner that will accomplish
the desired result. I have instanced these examples to show that the mode
of carrying the Invention into practice may be modified without changing the
principle thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lucius Phelps Porter, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
LUCIUS PHELPS PORTER. (L.S.)