Improved Apparatus applicable to Straight-bar Knitting Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus applicable to Straight-bar Knitting Machines.
We,
AARON MELLOR, of the firm of Aaron Mellor and Company, of Stanford
Street, Nottingham, Hosiery Manufacturers, and FEARGUS FREDERIC MELLOR,
Machinist, in the employment of the same firm, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
To enable a variety of horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or other shaped stripes to
be made on a straight bar knitting machine. In addition to the frictionally driven
bars provided with thread carriers usually employed, we employ one or more bars
each driven by a friction box in the usual way.
Each bar is provided with a pair of brackets to each division of the machine.
On the lower end of each pair of brackets a perforated bar is placed capable of
adjustment vertically and horizontally, the perforations may be placed the same
distance from each other as the gauge of the needles employed in the machine, or
they may be placed a greater distance apart according to the pattern required.
The whole or portion of the perforations being supplied with threads of the
required colour, either end of each bar carrying the perforated bars is provided
with a fork or clip which is stopped at each traverse of the bar by the top of one
or other of a series of droppers when in a raised position.
When the droppers are in their lowest position the greatest traverse of the
frictionally driven bar is regulated by fixed droppers. The whole of the droppers
slide vertically in a frame formed by three sley plates connected at each end, the
frame is secured to one of the end standards or to the framing of the machine. The
droppers are raised according to the pattern required either by cards operated by a
Jacquard at either end of the machine or by studs of varying heights on the links
of a pattern chain which is passed round one or more grooved and flanged pulleys
cach pulley revolves on an axle capable of adjustment on the framing of the
machine. One of the pulleys is provided with a toothed ratchet wheel which is
racked at every course by à driver carried by a lever actuated by a cam on the
usual cam shaft. The rocking axle shafts and levers carrying the needle bar and
comb bar are traversed to the right or left simultaneously by a grooved cam pro-
vided with a ratchet wheel operated by a cam on the usual cam shaft. The grooved
cam rocks a truck bearing lever carrying a stud which engages with grooved collars
capable of adjustment on one of the rocking axle shafts. The two axle shafts are
connected by links, in the ends of which the shafts rock, the ends of the links lic
between pairs of collars capable of adjustment on each shaft.
The traversing of the shafts, needle bar, and knocking over combs enables the
edges or selvages of the several widths of fabric made on each division of the
machine to be joined together evenly without having to form double loops on
the inner selvage needles.
By such means we are enabled to produce a great variety of stripes or other
patterns by simply punching the Jacquard cards or by arranging the studs on the
chain and entering the necessary coloured threads in the perforated bars according
to the pattern required.
Dated this 17th day of June 1890.
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus applicable to Straight-bar Knitting Machines.
We, AARON MELLOR, of the firm of Aaron Mellor and Company, of Stanford
Street, Nottingham, Hosiery Manufacturers, and FEARGUS FREDERIC MELLOR
Machinist, in the employment of the same firm, 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 :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a front view of a portion of our improved apparatus applied to
two divisions of a straight bar knitting machine.
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line a, a,
Figure 1.
In the above views portions only of the knitting machine are shown, sufficient to
illustrate our invention.
Figure 2A a right side view of an adjustable friction piece As.
Figure 3 is a right side vertical sectional view showing the cam for operating
three series of thread clamping apparatus.
Figure is an enlarged right side sectional view of a clamping apparatus showing
the springs raised to leave the threads free while they are being traversed across
the needles to the right or left.
Figure 5 is a like view showing the threads clamped between the springs and
perforated bar at the termination of each right or left traverse.
Figure 6 is an enlarged right side sectional view, showing one additional thread
carrying bar 5 in combination with the four thread carrier bars 1, 2, 3 and 4 usually
employed in a straight bar knitting machine.
Figure 7 is a similar view, showing the relative positions of two additional
thread carrying bars 5 and 6 with the thread carriers 1, 2, 3 and 4 usually
employed.
Figure 8 is a side view of the right end standard showing the cam and truck
bearing lever for operating a grooved boss carried by the usual narrowing slide at
the right end of the machine.
Figure 9 a front view of the same.
Figure 10 is a side view of the left end standard showing the cam and truck
lever for operating a grooved boss carried by the usual narrowing slide at the left
end of the machine.
Figure 11 a front view of the same.
Figure 12 a front view of portion of one of the additional thread carrying
bars 5, or 6.
Figure 13 is an enlarged view of portions of three vertical stripes showing the
loops of the fabric on the needles with the edges of the stripes joined together
evenly, without a duplication of loops on the needles.
The corresponding parts in each figure are indicated by the same letters where
necessary.
To enable a variety of horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or other shaped stripes or
patterns to be made on a straight bar knitting machine provided with moving
needle bars.
In addition to the frictionally driven bars 1, 2, 3 and 4 for traversing the usual
thread carriers we employ a bar 5 as shown at Figures 1, 2 and 6 when making
vertical stripes, or two bars 5 and 6 as shown at Figure 7 when making other
patterns.
The bar 5 is provided with a bracket 5 to each division of the machine, on the
lower end of which a perforated bar 5 is placed capable of adjustment vertically
and horizontally.
The bar 6 is provided with a bracket 6 to each division of the machine, and a
perforated bar 6 also capable of adjustment vertically and horizontally.

page_text: The whole or portion of the perforations in the bars 5 and 6 are supplied with
threads of the required colour passed through an additional clamping apparatus 7
when making vertical stripes or other patterns.
The clamping apparatus 7 is the lowest of a series of three,
"shown at
Figures 1, 2, and 3," the two above being those usually employed when making
plain work with spliced heels, or horizontal stripes, the three series being operated
by connecting rods 7° hinged to a truck bearing lever 7 rocked by a cam 7 on the
cam shaft in the usual way.
The sectional view Figure 6 shows the relative position of the operating instru-
ments in a straight bar knitting machine provided with moving needle bars while
the thread carriers are being traversed. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are the usual frictionally
driven thread carrier bars, the carrier on the bar 1 makes the leg and right half of
the heel, the carrier on the bar 2 makes the left half of the heel, the carrier on the
bar 3 inserts the right splicing thread, and the carrier on the bar 4 inserts the left
splicing thread.
When making vertical striped hose the carriers on the bars 1 and 3 make the
two right outer stripes, and the carriers on the bars 2 and 3 make the two left
outer stripes, the intermediate stripes being made by the perforated bar 5" operated
by the additional frictionally driven bar 5.
8 are the transferring points for the right selvage, 9 the catch bar for operating
the dividing sinkers, 10 the sinker bar, 11 the needle bar, 11" "shown at Figures
and is the rocking axle shaft carrying the levers for operating the needle bar,
11" the needle bar pressing shaft, 12 the comb bar carrying the knocking over combs.
12 the rocking axle shaft carrying the levers for operating the knocking over
comb bar.
To enable the edges or selvages of the several widths of fabric made
on each division of the machine to be joined together evenly without
having to form double loops on the inner selvage needles, the rocking
axle shafts 11 and 12 with the levers operating the needle bars and
knocking over comb bars, are traversed to the right or left simultaneously at every
course either by a grooved cam, or by a right and left studded cam A shown at
Figures 1 and 2 provided with a ratchet wheel A' moved by a driver hinged to the
upper end of a truck bearing lever A held back by a coiled spring and operated
by a cam A3 on the usual cam shaft. The axle carrying the cam and ratchet wheel
projects from a bracket A secured to the framing of the machine, and beneath the
cam A is a friction piece A³ capable of adjustment vertically by a set screw and
lock nutshown at Figure 2 which prevents the cam A from being overdriven.
The studded cam rocks a truck bearing lever Aº carried by an axle projecting from
the front of a bracket A' secured to the front framing of the machine, the lever A
is swivelled to a lever As the front end of which forms a handle for use of the
attendant. the back end of the lever A rocks on an axle projecting from a
bracket A secured to the back framing of the machine, a stud projects from the top
of the lever A which engages with a grooved collar A secured on the rocking
axle shaft 12. The two axle shafts 11 12 are connected by three or more links B
"the number varying according to the length of the machine" in the ends of which
the shafts rock, the ends of the links lie between pairs of collars B₁ capable of
adjustment on each shaft thus ensuring the needle bars and comb bars being moved
simultaneously.
In order to make cleared selvages, the outer thread carriers are traversed to avoid
lapping their threads round the outer needles by the following means.
The usual narrowing slide at each end of the machine is cut through at Cas
shown at Figures 9 and 11, the inner portion of each operates the narrowing points
in the usual way when narrowing but leaves them rigid as usual.
The inner portion of each slide is provided with a bearing C₁ supporting the inner
end of a rod C² having its outer end secured in an arm C³ projecting from the axle
of a grooved boss C4, one end of the axle rocks in a bearing C³ secured to the outer
portion of the narrowing slide, and the other end in a bearing C secured to the

page_text: inner portion of the slide. A stud C projecting from the outer portion, engages
with the groove in the boss C which is partly revolved by the upper end of a
link C in which the rod C2 slides, the link being retained in position by a fork C
secured to the bed of the narrowing slide. The lower end of the link rocks on a
stud carried by the back end of a truck bearing lever C its front end rocking upon
an axle secured in the end standard, the lever being lifted by a cam Con the
usual cam shaft, its fall is adjusted by a set screw and lock nut C2 carried by a
bracket secured to the end standard.
The grooved boss C at the right end of the machine moves the outside stops and
thread carriers at the right of each division one needle inwards towards the centre
simultaneously with the movement of the needle bar and knocking over bar at each
course for making a clear right selvage.
And the grooved boss C at the left end of the machine moves the outside stops
and thread carriers at the left of each division in like manner for making a clear
left selvage.
When either of the perforated bars 5" or G" are used to make vertical stripes,
each bar is stopped by an adjustable stop secured to the framing at each end of the
machine. When other patterns are being made we employ a studded pattern chain
of the usual construction at either or both ends of the machine to regulate the
traverse of the usual thread carrier bars and both perforated bars.
The movements of the perforated bar 5 when making vertical stripes of two
or more colours each nine needles wide with their edges evenly joined together
as shown at Figure 13, are as follows.
The traverse of the perforated bar 5 lays the threads the width of nine
needles, then the needle bar and comb bar are traversed inwards one needle to
supply the threads to the tenth needles, the course being completed in the usual
way, and on the succeeding course the needle bar and comb bar revert to their
original position and the movements are repeated.
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. In straight bar knitting machines with moving needle bars, the construction
and employment of an additional frictionally driven bar 5 provided with a
bracket 5 and a perforated thread carrying bar 5" to each division of the machine,
operating in conjunction with traversing needle bars and knocking over comb bars
substantially as described.
2. In straight bar knitting machines with moving needle bars, the construction
and employment of a second additional frictionally driven bar 6 provided with a
bracket 6 and a perforated thread carrying bar 6 to each division of the
machine, operating in conjunction with traversing needle bars and knocking over
comb bars substantially as described.
3. In straight bar knitting machines provided with moving needle bars,
traversing the needle bars and knocking over comb bars when operating in con-
junction with perforated thread carrying bars 5, or 5 and 6 substantially as
described for the purposes specified and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this Thirteenth day of January 1891.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
AARON MELLOR.
FEARGUS FREDERIC MELLOR.