Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines for the Manufacture of Elastic Fabrics.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines for the Manufacture of
Elastic Fabrics.
We, ARTHUR FREDERICK LONGDON, a Director of the Firm of F. Longdon
& Co. Ld., of the Town and County of Derby, Surgical Bandage Manufacturers,
and WILLIAM FORMAN, of 13 Tadema Street, in the Town and County of
Nottingham, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to maintain the required tension upon the elastic
thread whether fashioned or unfashioned work is being produced.
The elastic thread is layed on to the needles by a thread carrier which as is
usual always has one definite length of traverse given to it whether long or short
courses are being produced.
In order to prevent the thread from becoming slack when the elastic thread
layer commences a traverse we employ nipping mechanism which can nip and hold
the elastic thread at some distance above the thread layer and move to and fro
with it.
Just as the elastic thread layer completes a traverse the nipping mechanism is
made to nip and hold the elastic thread and before the elastic thread layer commences
its return traverse a projection upon a sliding bar is caused to come against the
elastic thread between the nip and the thread layer and to stretch the elastic
thread in the direction in which this thread layer will next be traversed and up to
or beyond the selvage of the narrowest piece of work that has to be made.
When the elastic thread layer commences its traverse the tension put upon the
thread in the above manner keeps the thread from becoming slack.
As the elastic thread layer and the nipping mechanism move past the projection
that the elastic thread was previously bearing against and approach the middle of
their traverse the nip is released and thread is drawn freely through it. At the
end of the traverse the elastic thread comes up to another projection on the sliding
bar the nip again lays hold of the elastic thread and the same operations are
repeated.
The sliding bar may conveniently receive its to and fro movement from the
lever used for giving a traversing movement to the plain or ordinary thread layer
a slot in the sliding bar or in the arms or links which connect it with the lever
being used so that the bar shall be traversed during the last part of the movement
of the ordinary thread layer.
The nipping mechanism may conveniently be formed of a rigid blade and a
spring blade pressed towards it so as to hold the rubber thread between the two.
To press the spring blade towards the rigid blade we cause a pin at the end of one
arm of a lever to bear upon it. The other arm of the lever has another pin
extending from or it may be a rod passing through it. When the nip is to come
into action an arm which is turned upwards by the action of a cam on the cam shaft
lifts the latter pin or rod and thereby turns the lever and closes the nip-a lever
catch is then drawn by the action of the spring into a position to hold up the pin
or rod and so keeps the nip closed. This lever catch and lever are carried by the
same block that carries the thread eye.
When the nip is to be released-the lever catch as it is being traversed with the
thread eye comes against a fixed incline which forces its back so as to leave the rod
free to descend and then the nip opens.

page_text: Any suitable arrangement of mechanism may be used for drawing a supply of
elastic thread off from the elastic thread bobbin before each traverse of the elastic
thread layer.
1000
A. F. LONGDON.
WILLIAM FORMAN.
Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines for the Manufacture of
Elastic Fabrics.
We, ARTHUR FREDERICK LONGDON, & Director of the Firm of F. Longdon
& Co. Ld., of the Town and County of Derby, Surgical Bandage Manufacturers,
and WILLIAM FORMAN, of 13 Tadema Street, in the Town and County of
Nottingham, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to maintain the required tension upon the elastic
thread whether fashioned or unfashioned work is being produced.
The elastic thread is laid on to the needles by a thread carrier which as is usual
always has one definite length of traverse given to it whether long or short courses
are being produced.
In order to prevent the thread from becoming slack when the elastic thread layer
commences a traverse we employ nipping mechanism which can nip and hold the
elastic thread at some distance above the thread layer and move to and fro with it.
Just as the elastic thread layer completes a traverse the nipping mechanism is
made to nip and hold the elastic thread and before the elastic thread layer
commences its return traverse a projection upon a sliding bar is caused to come
against the elastic thread between the nip and the thread layer and to stretch the
elastic thread in the direction in which this thread layer will next be traversed and
up to or beyond the selvage of the narrowest piece of work that has to be made.
When the elastic thread layer commences its traverse the tension put upon the
thread in the above manner keeps the thread from becoming slack.
As the elastic thread layer and the nipping mechanism move past the projection
that the elastic thread was previously bearing against and approach the middle of
their traverse the nip is released and the thread is drawn freely through it. At the
end of the traverse the elastic thread comes up to another projection on the sliding
bar the nip again lays hold of the elastic thread and the same operations are
repeated.
The sliding bar may conveniently receive its to and fro movement from the lever
used for giving a traversing movement to the plain or ordinary thread layer a slot
in the sliding bar or in the arms or links which connect it with the lever being used
so that the bar shall be traversed during the last part of the movement of the
ordinary thread layer.
The nipping mechanism may conveniently be formed of a rigid blade and a spring
blade pressed towards it so as to hold the rubber thread between the two. To press
the spring blade towards the rigid blade we cause a pin at the end of one arm of a
lever to bear upon it. The other arm of the lever has another pin extending from
or it may be a rod passing through it. When the nip is to come into action an arm
which is turned upwards by the action of a cam on the cam shaft lifts the latter pin
or rod and thereby turns the lever and closes the nip-a lever catch is then drawn by
the action of the spring into a position to hold up the pin or rod and so keeps the
nip closed. This lever catch and lever are carried by the same block that carries
the thread eye.
When the nip is to be released-the lever catch as it is being traversed with the

page_text: thread eye comes against a fixed incline which forces it back so as to leave the rod
free to descend and then the nip opens.
Any suitable arrangement of mechanism may be used for drawing a supply of
elastic thread off from the elastic thread bobbin before each traverse of the elastic
thread layer.
The drawings annexed shew so much of a rotary knitting machine having the
parts above described added thereto as is necessary for shewing clearly the way in
which we prefer to carry out our invention.
The machine may be constructed to produce any desired number of similar
pieces of work simultaneously as is well understood.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the upper part of the machine.
Figure 1 is a similar view of the lower part.
Figure 2 is a face view of parts of the mechanism for laying the elastic thread
onto the work and for nipping this thread and stretching and putting tension upon
it at the proper times.
Figure 3 is a back elevation of the mechanism used for giving motion to the
sliding bar used for stretching the elastic thread.
Figure 3 is a similar elevation shewing how a traversing movement is given to
the thread eye for laying on the fibrous thread for producing knitted work and to
the thread eye for laying on the elastic thread.
Figure 3 is an end view of parts shewn in Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a front elevation showing how the bar which carries the thread eyes
for the threads for producing knitted work can have a variable traverse given to it
in the ordinary way.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of some of the parts shown in Figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a front elevation and plan view of a slotted plate secured
to the bar used for stretching the elastic thread at the time required.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the fixed inclines for releasing the nip on the elastic
thread.
The general construction and arrangement of machinery for producing knitted
fabrics with elastic thread inserted between the loops is well understood. In these
machines when the fibrous thread with which the knitted work is being produced
has been laid along the stems of the needles and the sinkers have come forward
sufficiently to bring this thread below the needle beards, a series of points are
lowered on to the needles (one on to every alternate needle) and the presser
descends pressing down the points and closing the beards of all the needles. The
sinkers then advance and carry the loops of work which were on the stems of the
needles past the ends of the needle beards and on to the points on those needles
which have points above them and at the same time knock over the loops of work
on the other needles, that is, press these loops forward past the ends of the needles
and cast them off.
The presser bar is then raised and the points are lifted somewhat to stretch the
loops that are upon them and the sinkers are moved back sufficiently to allow of
the elastic thread being laid along the top of the needle beards. When the elastic
thread has been laid along the top of the beards the sinkers again come forward
and push the elastic thread against the loops which are being stretched by the.
points and then descend so as to bring this thread below the ends of the needles,
the sinkers then move back carrying along with them the elastic thread which is
now below the needles and also carrying back the loops of work taking them back
from the points and carrying them on to the stems of the needles. The elastic
thread therefore now lies between these loops and the other loops on the stems of
the needles. which were formed from the fibrous thread last laid on to the needles
as previously described. The thread layer for laying the fibrous thread on to the
needles now again commences to traverse across the needles and the same
operations are repeated.
.
In the drawings the mechanism for working the points and sinkers is not shewn
as the arrangement and manner of working of the parts is well understood. If no

page_text: point mechanism is provided for shifting loops off some needles on to others for
making narrowings in the production of fashioned work then work is commenced at
its narrowest width and finished at its widest.
In the several figures the parts which are fixed to the frame of the machine and
form part of it are marked A. B are the needles B* the points, C the sinkers.
D the thread eye for laying on the elastic thread. D* the bobbin from which the
elastic thread is drawn.
E is the longitudinal cam shaft from which most of the parts receive their move-
ments, and F is a transverse cam shaft driven from the cam shaft E and having
upon it a cam F1 for giving a to and fro traverse to the carrier bar G which
carries thread eyes G* for laying the ordinary or fibrous thread on to the needles
to produce knitted work.
Another cam F2 on this shaft gives a to and fro traverse to the bar D' which
carries the thread eyes D. The traverse given to this bar is always constant and
slightly exceeds in length the longest course of knitted work that has to be
produced whilst the traverse of the carrier bar G which receives its movement
from the slur cock or driver bar which is traversed by the cam F' can be lengthened
by the action of widening mechanism as in other machines adapted for producing
fashioned work.
H is the bar by which the nippers used for nipping the elastic threads aro carried
one nipping mechanism only is shewn in the face view Figure 2. The bar is
supported by rollers H' which run on a fixed rail H'and it is moved endwise to and
fro together with the bar D¹ by an arm D' which extends from this bar as seen in
Figure 2. I is the bar by which the portions of the elastic threads passing from
the nippers to the thread eyes D are stretched at the times required. It has fixed
to it a plate I' on which are two projections I which come alternately against the
elastic thread and stretch it in the manner explained. In the plate is also a slot I³
down through which the elastic thread is led. The bar I has also bolted to it a
short arm having a piu I projecting from it-from this pin a link I passes to the
front end of a horizontal lever I which turns on a fulcrum I' (see Figure 1) and
at its rear end is coupled by a link 18 (see Figure 3) to the upper end of a second
lever I which turns on a fulcrum at 10 and at its lower end is coupled by a link I"
to a lever I which receives a rocking to and fro movement by its lower end being
jointed to a bar K which is traversed horizontally to and fro by the action of the
cam F¹ and from which a to and fro traversing movement is conveyed in the
ordinary way to the carrier bar G as above explained. The link I" is slotted as
shewn so that the end portion only of the movement of the lever I" has any effect
upon the lever 1°.
•
We will now explain more fully the construction of the nipping mechanism
shewn in the drawings and the way in which it is operated.
The bar H has secured to it forked pieces H' which embrace the fixed rail H'-
each fork H* has secured to it a bent plate H through an eye in which the elastic
thread is led as shewn at Figure 1. A spring blade H' is secured at its upper end
to the upper end of the bent plate H* (see Figure 1) and the elastic thread passes
down between the lower end of the spring blade H and the bent plate H* near its
lower end so that the elastic thread may be nipped and held by pressing the lower
part of the spring blade towards the plate H.
When the thread is to be nipped the spring blade is so pressed towards the
plate H by a pin L' on a lever L which turns on a fulcrum bar L' supported in
bearings L secured to the bar H (as seen in Figure 2). A horizontal rod L'
passes through the opposite end of the lever. When the elastic thread is to be
nipped this rod is raised by a lever M which is coupled by a link M¹ to one arm of
a lever M² the other arm of which is by a link M³ coupled to another lever on
which is a truck M held down on to a cam M' on the cam shaft E. In the cam is
a depression and when the truck is drawn down into this depression the nip is
closed. As soon as the nip is closed part of a lever catch O is drawn by the action
of a spring O' below the rod L* and holds it up-the nip is so kept closed until the

page_text: lever catch is pressed back and the rod L* released. The fulcrum of the lever
catch is carried by an arm O' fixed to the bar H as shewn in Figure 1.
The nip is opened or released at the time when the thread layer D used for
laying in the elastic thread approaches the middle of its course.
This is effected
by the upper end of the lever catch O being brought by the endway travel of the
bar H against fixed inclines P seeu in the face view Figure 2 and shewn separately
in plan view at Figure 7.
The thread eye G* for laying on the thread for producing knitted work and the
slur cock bar are shewn as receiving their traversing to and fro movements in the
following manner:-
The bar G is supported in bearings G** carried by a fixed rod as shewn in
Figure 3. The cam F¹ on the cam shaft F rocks a lever f this by a link f¹ gives
motion to the slur cock bar and by link to a sliding bar fs that carries the friction
boxes for driving the thread carrier bar G.
The thread eye for the elastic thread is shewn as receiving its to and fro traversing
movement in the following manner :-
The cam F on the cam shaft F gives a rocking motion to the lever d which by
link d rocks lever d' which passes from back to front and at its front end is coupled
by a connecting rod d³ to bar D' which carries the thread eyes D.
Any suitable arrangement may be adopted for drawing off a supply of elastic
thread from the bobbin Dx. The arrangement shewn in Figure 1 consists of an
upright lever arm N carrying at its upper end a rod N₁ and also a rod N³ fast with
which is a spring N³ which bears against the rod N' and nips the elastic thread
which passes over it. Fast on the rod N is a disc N' in which are two
notches N N'. 'N' is an eye on the under side of the spring nipper N³ through
which the thread is led. When the elastic thread is nipped by the spring Na
spring catch N enters the notch N° and when the spring N³ is moved away from
the rod N¹ the spring catch enters the notch N' and holds the nip open. A back-
ward and forward rocking motion is given to the lever arm N when the arm
arrives at the end of its backward movement an arm N° extending outwards from
the disc N₁ comes against a fixed stop N and the disc is thereby turned until the
spring catch N enters the notch N° and the spring N³ nips the thread the nip then
remains closed during the subsequent forward movement of the lever and thread is
drawn off from the bobbin. When the arm N° arrives at the end of its forward
movement the arm comes against another fixed stop N* and the arm is turned in.
the opposite direction and the nip opened and the nip remains open during the
subsequent backward movement of the lever. The rocking motion is given to the
lever arm N by an arm N" fast with it being coupled by a link N¹ with another
lever N on which is a truck N" held by the action of a spring against a cam N1
on the cam shaft E.
In Figure 2 the parts are shewn in the positions which they have, after the
thread eye D for laying on the elastic thread has completed a traverse to the
left-after the loops on the points B* have been transferred back on to the needles
aud after the thread eye for laying on the ordinary or fibrous thread has also
completed its course and the elastic thread layer D is about to commence its traverse
to the right.
The elastic thread is arranged to be nipped by the nipping spring H just as the
thread eye for laying on the ordinary or fibrous thread commences its traverse the
stretching of the elastic thread by one or other of the projections I which takes
place at the end of the traverse of this thread layer will have extremely little if any
effect on the portion of the elastic thread now held between the loops of the knitted
work as there are at this time three nearly right angle bends in the elastic thread
in between the portion held in the work and the part against which the projection I'
is bearing. The elastic thread is stretched out by one of the projections I' on the
bar I from a straight line passing from the nipping mechanism to the thread eye D
into the position shewn in Figure 2 and this always takes place whether short or
long courses of work are being produced.

page_text: As the thread eye D traverses to the right and the distance between it and the
edge of the work diminishes the thread in between the thread eye and the work does
not go slack it having been already stretched.
When the thread eye and the nipping mechanism above it have passed beyond
the projection I that was previously bearing against the elastic thread the nip
on the thread is released by the action of one of the inclines P as above explained
and the elastic thread runs out freely through the thread eye until the thread eye
has arrived at the opposite end of its traverse in the position shewn by dotted lines
in Figure 2-and the elastic thread is not again nipped until after the portion of
elastic thread laid on to the needles from the thread eye is held between the loops
of knitted work on the needles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :
1. The construction of rotary knitting machines adapted for the manufacture of
elastic fabrics in such a manner that the elastic thread is allowed to pass freely
to its thread eye during the latter part of each traverse made by the eye and
before the eye commences its next traverse in the opposite direction the thread
is nipped at a distance from the eye and the portion of thread between the
eye and the nip is then stretched in the same direction that the eye is about to
travel and when the eye has made a portion of this traverse the thread_is
released from the nip and again allowed to pass freely to the eye substantially
as described.
2. The construction of rotary knitting machines adapted for the manufacture
of elastic knitted fabrics in such a manner that after the thread eye used for
laying the elastic thread on to the needles has completed its traverse and after the
loops of knitted fabric on the points have been passed back on to the needles
the elastic thread when nipped and held by nipping mechanism at a distance
from the eye is stretched in between the nip and the eye in the same direction
that the eye is about to travel by a finger made to bear against it and is released
from the nip when the thread eye travels beyond the finger substantially as
described.
3. The construction of rotary knitting machines adapted for the manufacture of
shaped elastic knitted fabrics substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 20th dor of A vaunt 1001
A. F. LONGDON.
W. FORMAN.