IMPROVEMENTS UPON MACHINERY COMMONLY CALLED STOCKING FRAMES, OR FRAMEWORK KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1841

page_text: Па
FECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WARNER, of Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Manufacturer of
Hosiery, for myself, and for JOHN CARTWRIGHT, of Loughborough, in the
County of Leicester, Manufacturer of Hosiery, and JOSEPH HAYWOOD, of the
same place, Frame Smith, send greeting.
WHEREAS we, the said John Cartwright, Henry Warner, and Joseph
Haywood, did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most Excellent
Majesty Queen Victoria, that after considerable application and expence we
had invented "IMPROVEMENTS UPON MACHINERY COMMONLY CALLED STOCKING
FRAMES, OR FRAMEWORK KNITTING MACHINERY," and Her said Majesty being
willing to give encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for
the public good, was graciously pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent under
the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing
date at Westminster, the Fourth day of February last, in the fourth year of
Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, to give and grant unto us, the
said John Cartwright, Henry Warner, and Joseph Haywood, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that we or they, by ourselves or themselves, or by our or their
deputies, servants, or agents, or such others as we or they should. agree with
(and no others), during the term. of fourteen years from the date of the said
Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend our
said Invention within that part of Her said Majesty's Dominions called
England, Her Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,

page_text: in such manner as to us, our executors, administrators, and assigns, shall seem
meet, and as that we or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage
arising by reason of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen years,
and for that end Her said Majesty requires and strictly commands all Her
subjects whatsoever,. within England, Wales, and Berwick-upon-Tweed afore-
said, that they shall not, neither directly nor indirectly, make, use, or put in
practice our said Invention, or any part thereof, nor in anywise counterfeit,
imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition thereto or subtraction
therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or themselves to be the Inventor or
Inventors thereof: And whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso
obliging us, the said John Cartwright, Henry Warner, and Joseph Haywood,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
our hands and seals (or under the hand and seal of one of us), and to cause
the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto had)
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Warner, for myself and for the said John Cartwright and Joseph
Haywood, do hereby declare that our said improvements are described and
ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the eleven Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
Our said improvements relate chiefly to certain parts of the machinery
commonly called stocking frames, or framework knitting machinery, which
parts are known by the names of jacks and sinkers, as well as to several
other subordinate and accessery parts, by which those jacks and sinkers are
sustained and actuated and regulated in their action, so as to perform their
proper functions; the object of our improvements being to give more cer-
tainty of action to the jacks and sinkers, and to render them and the said
accessory parts by which they are sustained and actuated more durable in
working, whether the machinery be worked by hand labor in the usual
manner of a person sitting before the same and actuating it parts by exertion
of hands and feet suitably applied, or whether the machinery is provided
with wheelwork, and what is called rotary camm work and accessories
thereto, in order that the requisite motions of all the several parts may
be derived in due order and succession from the continuous rotative mo-
tion of one axis, which axis may be turned steadily round with a continuous
circular or rotary motion, either by the hand of a person standing in front

page_text: of the machine, in the manner of what is called hand rotary machinery, or
else such axis may be turned steadily round by the power of a water mill
or steam engine with a continuous rotary motion, in the manner of what is
called rotary power machinery. Our said improvements are equally applicable
in either of the above three modes of working the machinery, which is con-
structed according to those improvements.
And for the clear understanding of our said improvements, I will first
explain as much as is necessary relative to those parts of the common stocking
frame which are altered by or affected by the application of our improvements
thereto. The sinkers are those thin blades of iron plates which stand up side.
by side in parallel vertical planes in a row in the spaces between the needles,
whereon and across the stems of which the thread is to be laid, and which
thread is then by action of the sinkers to be depressed or sunk down into the
spaces between the said stems of the needles, so as to form a row of undulating
loops of thread waving up and down, so as to rise over across and sink in
between the stems of the needles, which loops are afterwards to be combined
into the texture of the stocking fabric which is making, in order to form an
additional course or row of stitches in continuation of the preceding courses of
that fabric. It is one office of the sinkers to depress the thread into such
loops between the needles, which office the sinkers perform by means of what
are called their nibs and catches, those parts being the most prominent or
salient and foremost parts of the sinkers. The thread is laid across the row
of needles in front of the sinkers beneath the prominent catches of the nibs of
the sinkers in such manner that when the sinkers descend or move downwards
in their spaces between the needles, the catches will depress or bend down
the thread below them, so as to sink the thread into loops in the spaces
between the needles. But in order that such operation of sinking the thread
into loops may be duly performed, the sinkers are not depressed or put down
all at once as one unbroken row, but the thread is sunk gradually or progres-
sively loop after loop, those loops being coarsely made at first and brought to
the requisite fineness afterwards. For this purpose every other sinker in the
row of sinkers is suspended (by a joint pin at the upper end of it) to the front
end of a lever called a jack, which goes backwards behind the sinkers. The
jacks are all mounted side by side in a row upon a horizontal axis or jack
wire, which forms a fulcrum or centre of motion for all the jacks, and about
which centre each jack can move independently of any motion of the other
jacks in the row, in order that the jack sinker which is suspended from the
joint at the front end or head of each jack may be depressed, so as by the
catch of its nib to bend down or sink the thread into a loop between the
0

page_text: needles, without causing any other jack sinker to be depressed at the same.
instant. And the jack sinkers are depressed one after another in succession,
by action of what is called the slur cock sliding along a horizontal bar across.
the jacks, beginning at one end of their row and striking the jacks crossways
one after another, so as to depress their jack sinkers one after another, in
order that the catches of their nibs may sink the thread into coarse loops, one.
such loop after another, begiuning at one end of the row and proceeding to
the other end thereof. But the row of coarse loops so formed by the jack
sinkers in the first instance contains only half the number of loops that the
thread is actually required to make, being only one coarse loop for two needles,
whereas there must ultimately be one fine loop to each needle. And in order
to duplicate the number of the coarse loops so made by the jack sinkers, and
convert them into a double number of fine loops, the lead sinkers are brought
into action. The latter are disposed between the needles in the same row
with the jack sinkers, but interspaced therewith, so that the row (consist-
ing of a sinker to every needle) contains alternately a jack sinker and a lend.
sinker. The lead sinkers are all fixed to one horizontal bar called the sinker
The lead
bar, and must therefore all descend together in an unbroken row.
sinkers have nibs and catches of the same shape and size as those of the
jack sinkers, which catches of the lead sinkers remained motionless, and above
the needles, over the thread, whilst the slur was drawn, and whilst the jack
sinkers were thereby depressed one after another, in order to sink the thread
by their catches into coarse loops in the first instance, as before mentioned.
But after that is done then the lead sinkers are depressed all together in one
unbroken row, whereby the catches of their nibs bend down or sink the
thread into fine loops in all the intervals between those coarse loops which
were previously formed by the jack sinkers, and the latter are caused to rise
up a little between the needles in order to yield as much thread out of the
coarse loops as is requisite for the formation of the whole row of fine loops.
For the coarse loops made in the first instance by the jack sinkers, although
only half the required number were each of them sunk down between the
needles, to double the depth that is proper for the fine loops which the thread
is ultimately required to make between every needle and its neighbouring
needles, and then by the subsequent action of the lead sinkers in order to
duplicate the number of coarse loops and convert them into fine loops, the
quantity of thread which was sunk in the first made deep or coarse loops is
subdivided between those first-made coarse loops and the second-made fine
intermediate loops, when the latter are formed by the descent of the lead
sinkers, and by that means all the loops are rendered fine and alike, with

page_text: out any difference remaining between those which were formed one after
another in the first instance by the descent of the jack sinkers as deep coarse
loops when the slur was drawn and the intermediate fine loops, which are
afterwards formed by the descent of the lead sinkers all in one row, together
with the simultaneous reascent of the jack sinkers all in a row in order to
cause the latter to yield thread to the former. And it is another office of the
sinkers (jack sinkers as well as lead sinkers) after they have thus formed the
thread into a complete row of fine uniformly undulating loops, waving up and
down over and between the needles, and across the stems thereof, to slide all
those loops forwards along the said stems, in order to bring them forwards to
the front ends or heads of the needles, and so as to lodge the said loops
beneath the hooked beards of the needles. That bringing forwards is per-
formed by the nibs of the sinkers (jack siukers as well as lead sinkers?
acting all together in one row, that row (containing all the sinkers) being
brought forwards in the spaces between the needles, and in so doing the
catches of the nibs keep the loops of the threads sunk down with due tension
between the needles all the while that those loops are being brought forwards.
And as soon as the loops have been so brought forwards the nibs of the sinkers
are put back again a little way, and have then completed their appointed
functions on the thread for the present; and thereupon the sinkers are all
raised up together in one unbroken row, so high as to withdraw their nibs
from the loops of thread, and from between the needles, by raising the nibs
quite above the needles, in order that the nibs may be taken out of the way,
they having nothing more to do for the present. And note, the aforesaid
putting back of the sinkers a little way, and the raising up of the sinkers
as aforesaid, need not be distinct motions, but they may be (and usually
arc) performed at the same time as one compound motion, and in so raising
the sinkers other lower parts of the sinkers, called the bellies of the sinkers,
come up into action between the needles. Those bellies are the more
backward part of the front edges of the sinkers, and are situated behind the
nibs, as well as below those nibs, the bellics being at the back or remote side
of what is called the arch of the sinkers behind their nibs. It is the office of
the bellies of the sinkers to bring forwards the looped stitches of the preceding
course of the finished stocking fabric, which stitches (all the while that the
loops of thread were being formed in manner aforesaid) remained motionless
on the stems of the needles enclosed within the arches and behind the nibs of
the sinkers, which nibs being down between the needles, kept those stitches
distinct from the loops of thread, because the latter were formed on the stems
of the needles in front of the nibs, whilst the former remained undisturbed on

page_text: those same stems behind the said nibs; but after the sinkers have been
brought forwards so as to bring the loops to the heads of the needles beneath
the beards thereof and the sinkers have then been raised up, so as to withdraw
the said nibs from between the needles as aforesaid, then the stitches have
nothing to keep them separated from the loops of thread which were left by
those nibs at the heads of the needles, and therefore on the sinkers being
brought further forwards the bellies of the sinkers will slide the stitches forward
along the stems of the needles, whilst the bearded points thereof are closed
down by a momentary action of what is called the presser, in order to slide
those stitches forwards over the depressed beards of the needles, and then slide
those stitches over the loops of thread which have been previously lodged at
the front ends or heads of needles beneath the beards thereof, and which loops
were left there when the nibs of the sinkers were withdrawn upwards from
between the needles, as already stated. The sinkers are brought forwards
with considerable force at the period now describing, in order that their bellies
may effectually carry the stitches of the work over the loops of the thread.
The forcible action is called knocking over the. work, and by that action an
additional course of the stocking fabric is completed, and added to the
preceding courses thereof, in consequence of the loops of thread becoming
incorporated into the fabric, and forming a row of stitches thereof. Imme-
diately after so knocking over the nibs of the sinkers are again brought into
action, which is done by depressing the whole row of sinkers (jack sinkers as
well as lead sinkers), until their nibs come down lower than the level of the ends
or heads of the needles, in order to enclose the recently-formed stitches of the
fabric within the arch of the sinkers (which arch is a space behind the nibs); and
immediately after the stitches are so enclosed, then the row of sinkers being
put backwards, the nibs slide back the stitches which are within the arches of
the sinkers, in order to carry the same backwards along the stems of the
needles, so as to take the stitches out of the way, and so as to keep them out
of the way during the formation of a new row of loops of the thread which is
about to be begun,. by laying the thread across the stems of the needles in
front of the nibs by way of a commencement of a repetition of what has been
already described. And note, in the performance of the last-mentioned office
of the sinkers it is the backs of their nibs within the arches which are
operative for carrying back the stitches of the work that are at the time
enclosed within the arches of the sinkers, whereas in the performence of the
former office of the sinkers it was the fronts of their nibs which were operative
for bringing forwards the loops of thread along the stems of the needles to the
heads thereof. And in the sinking and dividing (for forming the thread into

page_text: loops between the needles) it was the projecting catches at the front of the
nibs which were operative to sink or bend down the thread in loops between
the needles; and in the performance of the knocking over it was the belly
part of the sinkers which was operative to force the stitches over the loops of
thread. All the above particulars of the action of sinkers and jacks is
precisely that of the common stocking frame, and which is well known to frame
smiths and framework knitters, and the same must be kept in mind during the
describing of our improvements. And it must also be kept in mind, that in
common stocking frames the row of jacks, with their accessaries and appurte-
nances, are supprted in a carriage, which moves horizontally backwards and
forwards upon four wheels or trucks running on the fixed sole bars of tho
frame, and that the said carriage contains the horizontal jack bar or comb bar,
across which all the jacks are disposed, those jacks being lodged in the spaces
between the combs on that bar, with the jack wire passing through all tho
combs, and through all the jacks which are lodged between the combs, so that
the jack wire supports all the jacks, and serves as their common fulcrum or
centre of motion, and the combs (together with a grating or row of wires
called the slea) retain the several jacks regularly in place, side by side, at their
intended distances apart. The said carriage is caused to move backwards and
forwards by means of two links, called half jacks, which are fitted on the jack
wire, one half jack at each end of the row of jacks; and the front ends of those
half jacks are jointed to a part of the frame wherein the sinkers are contained,
so that whenever the sinkers are brought forward (as hercin-before described
to be done) the half jacks will act as links to bring forwards the carriage, with
the jack wire and jacks, and all their appurtenances on its trucks with a
horizontal motion, and vice versa, the half jack will act to put the carriage
back again with a horizontal motion. Whenever the sinkers are put back the
backwards and forward motion of the sinkers is performed by a pendulous or
swinging motion of the whole frame of sinkers, wherein the sinkers are
contained, such swinging motion taking place about two joints (called top
joints), at the upper part of the two hanging checks or upright sides of that
frame, the horizontal centre line of the two joint pins being at the timo
motionless, and serving as a fixed horizontal centre line or axis of swinging
motion. But the said top joints are not always motionless, as aforesaid, for .
they are capable of motion up and down (when required), for the purpse of
raising and lowering all the sinkers, as herein-before described, because those
joints are formed at the front ends of what are called the two spindle-bar
arms, which arms reach forwards from a horizontal spindle bar or axis at the
back of the frame, and by motion about, that spindle bar as an invariable

page_text: centre or axis of motion, the top joints can ascend and descend in order to
raise and lower the sinkers, but in so doing the aforesaid horizontal centre line
between those joints always continues horizontal, and likewise parallel to itself
and to the row of sinkers, suitably for serving, as before mentioned, for a
horizontal centre line of motion, about which the aforesaid swinging of the
frame of sinkers is to be performed in order to bring all the sinkers forwards,
and put them backwards with parallel motion as one row. And further, the
carriage contains a slur bar, before mentioned, and also a row of springs, which
apply to the ends of the jacks; and there are notches, called cramps, in the
springs to receive the said ends in order to retain the jacks, and consequently
the jack sinkers when the latter are raised up, so that their nibs and catches
range exactly with the nibs and catches of the lead sinkers, and when so raised
the heads or front ends of the jacks to which the jack sinkers are jointed
apply with the upper parts of those heads in contact with the under edge of a
straight horizontal bar, called the false rim, and which is fastened to the sinker
bar behind the same, and by action of the cramps of the several springs on the
ends of the several jacks, the heads thereof are kept in contact with the false
rim, and the nibs and catches of the jack sinkers are securely maintained in a
straight row with the nibs and catchers of the lead sinkers; but nevertheless,
by action of the slur, when it is drawn across the jacks, they will be moved
one at a time, so that their aforesaid ends become dislodged from the cramps
of the springs, and the jacks so acted upon and dislodged descend with their
jack sinkers for sinking the thread between the stems of the needles into coarse
loops, as already explained, and in so descending the jacks drop down to rest
upon the upper side of a straight horizontal bar, called the falling bar, which
stops their descent, and the position of the falling bar as to height is regulated
by two setting screws, called star screws, one at each end of the falling bar,
which serve to set that bar a little higher or lower, in order to regulate the
length of the coarse loops into which the thread shall in the first instance be
sunk or bended down by the progressive descent of the jacks and jack sinkers.
All the aforesaid particulars of what is common in stocking frames being kept
in mind, the description of our improvements will be more easily understood.
One first part of our said improvements has for its object to do away with what
is called the carriage, and in lieu thereof to attach the jack bar or comb bar
firmly to any convenient, part or parts of the frame of sinkers by means of
suitable connecting pieces, so as that all the parts which are usually supported
in the carriage shall be supported by the frame of sinkers as appurtenance
thereto, that is to say, the jack bar, with its jack wire and row of jacks
together with their slea and their row of springs. And also in some cases the

page_text: slur bar and its slur box and cock, likewise the pieces called the camels,
by which the row of springs and the slur bar and the slea are affixed
to the jack bar, all those several parts continuing in their usual state of
combination one with another, will, according to this part of our improve-
ments, become connected with a frame of sinkers, so as to belong thereto, and
so as to move therewith in all its movements; that is to say, the pendulous
motion which the sinker frame performs about the top joints, as well as the
rising and falling motion which the said frame performs with those top joints by
motion of the spindle bar arms about the axles of the spindle bar, and also
such compounded motion of the two kinds, videlicet, of swinging backwards or
forwards, and of rising or falling motion, as the frame of sinkers has occa-
sionally to perform, in consequence of being actuated with both kinds of
motion at the same time; for in consequence of the connection of the jack
bar to the frame of sinkers by connecting pieces, in manner aforesaid, the
jack wire will always be at an invariable distance from the horizontal centre
line of the top joints, and also at an invariable distance from the sinker
bar across the upper part of the frame of sinkers, and from the hand bar
at the bottom of that frame, as well as from the hanging cheeks which
constitute each upright side of the said frame, wherefore the jack bar will
become part of that frame, as already mentioned, and, together with all the
aforesaid appurtenances to the jack bar, will be borne and sustained by
the farm of sinkers. And the usual ends of the carriage, with the wheels
or trucks thereof, which commonly run upon the sole bars of the frame,
are removed from the two ends of the jack bar and wholly thrown aside,
being useless; also the half jacks or links before mentioned, and the half
jack joint pieces upon the sinker bar, by which links and joint pieces the
carriage is usually connected to the frame of sinkers, are removed and
thrown aside as useless, when, according to this part of our improvements,
the parts which are usually supported in the carriage, are supported by
their new mode of connection with the frame of sinkers. And note, the
two connecting pieces by which the jack bar is to be connected with the
frame of sinkers at the back, behind the same, according to this part of
our improvements, may be bended into the forin of the letter U placed side-
ways, thus, whereof the ends are affixed to the sinker bar above, and
also to the hand bar below, one of those connecting pieces at each end of
the said bars, in order to give the greatest strength of connection; the
middle part or bended part of such connecting pieces reaching far enough
backwards behind the frame of sinkers to sustain the two ends of the jack bar,
which are to be firmly fastened to those parts of the said connecting pieces by
screws; and in order to sustain the weight which is usually borne by the trucks

page_text: or wheels of the carriage, suitable pulling-up springs are to be applied to the
aforesaid new connecting pieces, or else to the two ends of the jack bar, so as to
overcome the weight thereof, and of all the other parts aforesaid which are
dependent upon it, and the force of those springs is to be adjusted so as to
overbalance the weight, or so as to give the jack bar a disposition to ascend
rather than to descend, and thereby the effect of the weight of the said parts
which are attached as aforesaid to the frame of sinkers, at the back thereof,
or behind the same, becomes neutralized, and does not give the sinkers any
tendency to advance or swing forwards; but, on the contrary, the said
springs are to be so applied, and their force is to be so regulated, that the
sinkers will just have as much tendency to recede backwards towards the stops
which limit their motion backwards as is the case in ordinary stocking frames,
wherein the jack bar is supported on the trucks of a carriage. The said
pulling-up springs may be made of iron wire curled into a cylindrical form; and
suspended nearly in a vertical direction from any suitable kind of brackets or
fixed supports erected over the stocking frame, the lower end of the springs
being hooked to the two ends of the jack bar, or they may be hooked to loops
fitted on to the ends of the jack wire where those ends come out at each end of
the row of jacks at or near to the places where the half jacks are usually
fitted on the jack wire; or the pulling-up springs may be affixed to the two
spindle bar arms, and connected by upright links with the two ends of the jack
bar, the springs being in that case blades of steel bended into curved forms,
each spring being fastened at its fixed end by a screw on the top of the spindle
bar arm, and from that end curving backwards and upwards and then return-
ing with a curve over forwards, so that the other or acting end of the spring
will reach forwards and rather downwards in order to come nearly over one
end of the jack bar, so that its extremity may be connected therewith (or with
the jack wire) by an upright link, in order that the two blade springs which
are so connected shall pull the jack bar upwards with as much force as will
overcome the weight of the various parts which in a common stocking frame is
borne on the several trucks at each end of the carriage. And in case of so
applying the pulling-up springs on the spindle bar arms, then it will be requi-
site to apply a stronger spring than usual for urging those spindle bar arnis
upwards, that spring being (or answering the purpose of) what is called the
main spring, and which spring will in such case have to sustain all the extra
weight that is borne by the pulling-up springs on the spindle bar arms, in
addition to all the usual weight that the main spring is appointed to sustain
in the ordinary way of working a stocking frame. Such stronger main spring
may be of the same kind or form as is usually applied to cominon stocking
frames, and which spring is sustained by the fixed bracket at the back of the

page_text: curved
frame (called the gibbet), and the spring acts upwards beneath the lower end of
a regulating screw passing perpendicularly through the end of a short lever arm
which projects forwards from the middle of the spindle bar, so that the spring
acts to bear the spindle bar arms upwards with a force which can be regulated
by the screw; or otherwise such spring may be composed of two slightly
curved blades put together one over the other, with their ends in contact, and
the middle parts of the two blades springing apart one from the other, the mid-
dle part of the lower blade resting on the gibbet, and the regulating screw of the
lever arm aforesaid resting upon the middle of the upper blade will be borne
upwards, thereby, together with the two spindle bar arms; or otherwise a main
spring may be used, as is done in some stocking frames, which is
blade, having its fixed end fastned by a screw upon the gibbet, and proceeding
therefrom backwards and upwards, and then returning with a curve over
forwards, so that the other or frontmost and acting end of the spring will reach
forwards and rather downwards in order to apply with its extremity beneath
the middle of the cross bar, which extends horizontally from one spindle bar
arm to the other, so as to lift the cross bar, and consequently the two spindle
bar arms, upwards; or otherwise curled wire springs may be applied to the
said cross bar in order to pull up the same in aid of the usual main spring,
which main spring need not in that case be stronger than the main spring of
the stocking frame would be according to the usual mode of working there-
with, because the said wire springs will exert all the extra force wherewith the
spindle bar arms require to be pulled upwards in consequence of the extra
weight of the parts which are connected to the frame of sinkers being
suspended by springs affixed to those spindle bar arms, as herein-before men-
tioned; and by one or other of the said modes of applying pulling-up springs,
and by regulating the force of such springs, the weight that in consequence of
this part of our improvements becomes added to the weight of the frame of
sinkers must be so neutralized as to have no effect on the working of the
stocking frame, but the frame of sinkers is to have the usual tendency to hang
back as far as the stops behind it will permit, so that when the sinkers are
brought forwards by pulling forwards the hand bar in order to swing the frame
of sinkers forwards with a pendulous motion about its top joints, the said
frame will not fail to return backwards of itself when permitted to do so; and
also that the top joints shall have a tendency to ascend as high as will be
allowed by the stops which are provided to limit the ascent, so that when the
sinkers are drawn downward by pulling down the hand bar that the said frame
will rise up again of itself as soon as it is permitted to do so. And when the
said frame of sinkers is so pulled down immediately after the action of the slur

page_text: on the jacks has taken place for the purpose of what is called sinking and
dividing, that is, for dividing those coarse loops of thread which have been
made by the progressive descent of the jack sinkers into a double number of
fine loops by aid of the lead sinkers, which are depressed by the said downward
motion of the sinker frame, in the usual manner of stocking frames, as herein-
after explained, then, if such stocking frame is constructed according to this
part of our improvements, the jack bar and jack wire, and the row of springs
of the jacks, will descend along with the frame of sinkers, in consequence of
those parts being connected therewith. But that is not the case with the falling
bar whereon the jacks fell when they were depressed one after another by action
of the slur, and on which bar the jacks continue to rest whilst the division of the
loops is making, for the said falling bar continues motionless whilst the frame
of sinkers, with the lead sinkers, and the jack wire, and row of springs,
descend all together, and the effect of such descent so performed is to raise up
the jack sinkers as much as is necessary for them to rise in the operation
of dividing the loops in order that they may yield the requisite quantity of
thread to the lead sinkers out of those coarse loops which the jack sinkers
have previously made, and thus enable the lead sinkers (as the catches of their
nibs descend between the needles) to form the thread, so yielded up by the
said rising of the lead sinkers, into fine loops in the intervals between the said
coarse loops. The rise of the jack sinkers which is requisite for so yielding
thread is very small. And whereas, according to this part of our improve-
ment, the jack wire descends whilst the jacks are resting across the fixed
falling bar, the effect of that descent of the jack wire will be to raise up the
jack sinkers a little, but as much as is requisite. The false rim of the sinker
bar and the row of springs descend along with the frame of sinkers, and by so
doing the springs present their cramps to the ends of the jacks, and also the
false rim comes down upon the heads of the row of jacks which are at the same
time rising a little upwards, as above explained, and by the time that the false
rim comes in contact with those heads, then the cramps of the springs will
receive the ends of the jacks into the hollows of those cramps, so as to retain
the jacks with their heads firmly in contact with the under edge of the false
rim; in which condition of the jacks they are said to be locked, because in a
common stocking frame the jacks are brought into that condition by a hori-
zontal bar called the locking bar, actuated by levers called the lockers, and by
thumb plates, which latter are pressed by the thumbs of the workman when he
holds the hand bar in his hands, and depresses the frame of sinkers thereby,
in order to make the division of the loops; but according to this part of our
improvements, the locking .bar with its lockers, and the thumb plates for

page_text: enabling the workman to act upon those lockers, (and by means thereof to
act upon the jacks, in order to raise the same up as much as is required for
locking them,) all become useless, and therefore all those parts may be
removed from the frame, and thrown aside, because the office which is to be
performed by them is performed without them, or rather takes place of itself
in consequence of the jack wire and the row of springs descending along with
the frame of sinkers (in the act of dividing the loops), as must be the case:
when those parts are all connected together according to this part of our
improvements, as already explained; but the falling bar nevertheless remain-
ing motionless when the jacks fall upon it, and whilst they remain resting upon
it, in the same manner as the falling bar always does in ordinary stocking
frames; and by thus getting rid of the locking bar, lockers, and thumbs plates;
the stocking frame is rendered simpler, and has so many parts less to wear and
get out of order; and also the working of the frame is rendered easier to the
workman, from not requiring force to be exerted by the thumbs, but only
requiring force to be exerted with the whole hands to pull down the two ends
of the hand bar. And further, all that space which the lockers and thumb
plates occupied in the width of the frame, at each side thereof, becomes avail-
able (when the said parts are removed) for introducing additional-combs, jacks,
and sinkers at each end of the row thereof, if that is desirable, for the purpose
of making a greater width of stocking fabric than the same frame could do
when it had lockers and thumb plates; for the lockers are levers, and portions
of each end of the jack wire serve those levers as their centre of motion, those
portions of the said wire being where it comes out beyond each end of the
row of jacks. Hence, when those lockers are removed, additional combs and
jacks may be introduced into their places, such additional jacks being mounted
in the said additional combs upon those, parts of the jack wire whereon the
lockers were previously mounted; and although the falling bar has been men-
tioned as remaining motionless (the sanie as is the case in an ordinary stocking
frame), whilst the division of the coarse loops of thread into fine loops is
effected, nevertheless, when the frame is constructed according to this part
of our improvements, the falling bar must be so supported and applied as
that it will afterwards pass out of the way of the jacks when the frame of
sinkers is brought forwards, as is required to be done immediately after the
division of the loops has been effected, and after the jacks have become locked
with their heads in contact with the under edge of the false rim, and their ends
lodged in the hollows of the cramps of the springs, in the manner and by the
means herein-before described; for as soon as the jacks are so locked the
falling bar is no longer requisite to support them, and it must. be removed out

page_text: of the way of the jacks, because they will have to descend further than the fall
ing bar would otherwise allow them to do when they come forwards along with
the frame of sinkers by the swinging motion thereof about its top joints. Th
requisite removal of the falling bar may be effected by causing it to mov
forwards into sloping prolongations of those horizontal slots wherein the end
of the falling bar are commonly lodged in order to support that bar, those
slots being at the lower ends of upright sliders called the star bolts, and which
bolts are fitted into fixed supporting brackets called star boxes, and which are
fixed in an upright position upon the ends of the needle bar; and the star bolts
have screws cut upon their upper ends with nuts fitted thereon called the
stars, which being turned round, they act to raise or lower the star bolts
together with the slots at the lower ends of thein, and consequently the fall-
ing bar (whereof the ends are supported by being lodged in those slots) is also
raised or lowered. The said slots of the star bolts are usually horizontal, and
the ends of the falling bar are kept forced forwards in those slots as far as
the length of the slots will permit, by action of a long blade spring which is
applied along the back edge of the falling bar, with its middle fixed to the
middle of tlie said bar, and its two ends are applied in the back most ends of
the two slots; wherefore the elastic force of the spring urges the whole fall-
ing bar forwards as far as ever the foremost ends of the slots will allow the
ends of the bar to come forwards, such being the usual way of applying the
falling bar in a common stocking frame; if such frame is to be worked acccrd-
ing to this part of our improvements, then the said slots of the star bolts are
to be prolonged in front beyond their usual length, and the prolonged parts
are to be made inclined from the horizontal so as to slope down forwards at the
front ends, the bottom parts of the usual slots being also similarly inclined, and
two studs at each end of the falling bar enter into each slot; and in order to
keep the falling bar in due place in such prolonged and double-inclined slots,
the frame of sinkers is to have two small prongs fixed fast to it (either to the
hand bar or to the sinker bar) in order to apply to each end of the falling
bar against the front edge thercof, so as to keep that bar held back to the
very same position which it would occupy in a common stocking frame when-
ever the frame of sinkers is put quite back into the position for forming the
loops of thread, and dividing the same into fine loops; but as soon as the
frame of sinkers is brought forwards after the loops have been so divided, then
the said two prongs come forwards with the said frame, and thereby leave the
ends of the falling bar at liberty to come forwards, whereby the said studs at
the ends of the bar advance over the two inclined parts of each slot of the
star bolts, in consequence of the bar being continually pressed forwards from

page_text: behind by its blade spring before mentioned; and owing to the said two
inclined parts of each of the slots of the star bolts being similarly inclined
from the horizontal, the falling bar will descend as the two studs at each of
its ends come forwards on those double-inclined slots, and thereby it gets down
so as to become removed out of the way of the jacks when the sinkers aro
brought forwards, as already stated to be requisite; and when the frame of
sinkers is put backwards again, then its two prongs aforesaid meeting the ends
of the falling bar, push the same backwards in the aforesaid slots of the star
bolts in opposition to the blade spring behind it, and owing to the inclined
direction of those slots, the falling bar ascends as it is pushed backwards, so
that by the time the frame of sinkers gets quite back, the falling bar will bo
restored to the very same position as the falling bar occupies in a common
stocking frame; or otherwise the requisite removal of the falling bar may be
made by causing it to descend directly downwards, when the frame of sinkers
comes forwards, instead of descending obliquely, by moving forwards and
downwards at the same time, in the manner already described. To cause
such direct descent the nuts called stars are to be taken away, in order that
the star bolts may be allowed to move freely up and down in their
star boxes in the manner of upright sliders. The slots at the lower
end of the star bolts are to be horizontal slots as usual in common stocking
frames (and as above described), the ends of the falling bar being lodged in
those slots, so that raising and lowering the star bolts will produce a corre-
sponding raising and lowering of the falling bar; and to perform the office of
the stars which are removed, two upright setting screws are tapped through
suitable projections at the front ends of the slots of the star bolts, so that the
said screws stand up by side of those bolts, and have heads on their upper
ends, with nicks around those heads to set the screws by, and the lower ends
or points of those screws rest upon two horizontal sliders, which are laid
across the upper side of each end of the needle bar; and by the said points of
those screws resting thereon, the star bolts, and consequently the falling bar,
is supported; but by turning the said two setting screws (by means of the
heads on their upper ends with the nicks to set the screws by) the height at
which the falling bar is so supported can be regulated in the same manner
and for the same purpose as would be done by turning the ordinary stars or
nuts on the upper ends of the star bolts; and by such means, whenever the
frame of sinkers is put quite back as far as it can go, and whilst the forma-
tion of the first coarse loops, and also whilst the division of those loops into
fine ones is effected, the falling bar is sustained in the very same position that
it occupies in the common stocking frame, and with suitable means of regu-

page_text: lating its height in that position; but after that division is effected, when the
frame is brought forwards, then two prongs which are affixed to some of those
parts, which are connected with and belong to the frame of sinkers, come in
contact with the backmost ends of the two horizontal sliders above mentioned,
which lay across the ends of the needle bar, so as to push those sliders for-
wards endways as the frame of sinkers comes forwards, in order that the upper
surfaces of those sliders, whereon the points of the two upright setting screws
rest as aforesaid, may move forwards beneath those points; and the said
surfaces are inclined planes which, as they come forwards, let the points of
the said screws down, together with the star bolts, and consequently the falling
bar (whereof the ends are sustained by the slots of those star bolts) is let
down perpendicularly so much as will produce the requisite removal of the
falling bar out of the way of the jacks by a direct descent; and afterwards,
when the frame of sinkers is put backwards again, then the said two prongs
retreating away from the backmost ends of the said two horizontal sliders allow
the same to be moved backwards by reaction of suitable springs, which are
applied to the frame of sinkers, and act upon the frontmost ends of the said
two sliders; and in so moving backwards the inclined surfaces of the two
sliders acting beneath the points of the two setting screws aforesaid afterwards
raise the same upwards, together with the star bolts, and thereby (by the
time that the frame of sinkers gets quite back) the falling bar will be
restored to the very same position as the falling bar occupies in a common
stocking frame; and this part of our said improvements may be applied to
common stocking frames already in use by altering and adding to the parts
thereof in manner herein-before described; but whereas considerable dif
ferences will be found to exist in the details of the construction of the parts of
such stocking frames, the exact nature of the alterations and additions to be
made therein, must be adapted to suit each individual case, so as that the
stocking frame when altered will be according, or nearly according, to the
foregoing description. And note, as to the slur bar, it is usually mounted in
the carriage, and has a guide pulley at each end of the bar for conducting
the slur cord from the slur wheel to the slur; and the ends of the slur bar
extend out each way over across the sole bars, beyond the caps of the wood
frame, whereon those sole bars rest, in order to sustain the said guide pullies
in a situation where they will keep the cord clear of the wood; but when the
carriage is done away with, and the slur bar is connected to the frame of
sinkers, according to this part of our improvements, then the slur bar will in
most instances have to descend considerably below the level of the sole bars
every time that the frame of sinkers is brought forwards and depressed,

page_text: because the slur bar will then have a considerable motion downwards. The
ends of the slur bar must, therefore, be cut off short enough to allow them to
pass down into the space between the sole bars and the caps of the woodwork.
The slur pullies may be applied as usual at the two ends of the slur bar when
it is so shortened, provided that there is room for them between the sole bars
and woodwork, the slur cord being conducted over those pullies down to the
slur wheel as usual, except that the cord will be inside of the wood frame
instead of outside the same; but as the said cord will become very much
slackened every time that the slur bar descends, suitable guides must be fixed
in order to retain the cord in the grooves of the slur wheel and pullies, so as
to prevent it from getting out from any of those grooves when it is slackened,
and thereby ensure that the cord shall be in true place in those grooves when
the slur bar and other parts resume their proper positions for drawing the
slur, and in which position the slur cord will become tightened as much
as is usual and is requisite for so drawing, or otherwise the slur cord may be
conducted over pullies situated exactly in the usual position where the two ends
of the long slur bar would come, but, instead of being supported at the ends of
that bar (which is to be cut off short as aforesaid), those pullies being
sustained by the sole bars or by the caps of the wood frame. In fact, the
same ends of the slur bar which are cut off with the pullies in those ends may
be fixed to the sole bars or to the woodwork, so that the said ends and their
pullies will be in the same positions at the time when the slur is to be drawn
as if the slur bar were entire as usual, and therefore the slur cord will be
conducted from the slur wheel outside the wood frame, and over those pullies,
to the slur box at each end thereof, just as usual for drawing the slur; but
whenever (in consequence of the motion of the frame of sinkers) the slur bar
descends and comes forwards, the said pullies will not partake of such motion,
and therefore the slur cord will be bended out of its straight line between those
pullies, and bended from its parallelism to the slur bar; and the cord must be-
worked slack enough to permit of such flexure without impediment. The
latter mode of conducting the slur cord over pullies which are sustained inde-
pendantly of the slur bar is preferable to the first-mentioned mode of having
those pullies at the ends of the shortned slur bar, because in the latter mode
the force wherewith the slur cord is pulled down over the pullies in order to
draw the slur will have no tendency to disturb the slur bar and frame of
sinkers, as it will have in case of the pullies being sustained at the ends of
shortened slur bar; and for which reason, in that case, the new pulling-up
springs herein-before mentioned, and the main spring of the stocking frame,
must be set, so as to pull up the jack-bar and the spindle-bar arms with so

page_text: much force as that the force of the slur cord, pulling down over the pullies,
will not be able to pull down the slur bar or disturb the frame of sinkers from
the proper quiescent position that it requires to have whilst the jacks are being
acted upon by the slur, or otherwise the shortened slur bar (having pullies at its
ends), instead of the slur cord going down therefrom direct to the slur wheel,
that cord may be first conducted over additional pullies which are sustained
by the spindle bar arms at the front ends thereof, as near to the top joints as
can conveniently be, and other additional pullies as near to the spindle bar as
can conveniently be, and from the latter of such pullies the slur cord will
pass down to the slur wheel, in- which way of conducting the slur cord it will
not become materially slackened by the descending and advancing motion
which the slur bar will have in consequence of its being affixed to the frame
of sinkers, and therefore moving therewith when the same is brought forwards;
neither will the force with which the slur cord is pulled whilst the slur is
drawing have any sensible effect to disturb the quiescent position of the frame
of sinkers. The pullies at the end of the shortened slur bar are applied
thereto, so as to direct the slur cord obliquely forwards and upwards to those
two additional pullies aforesaid, which are applied at the top joints, and which
may be mounted on centre pins fixed to the ends of the joint pins of those
joints, so as to correspond with the centre lines thereof, or nearly so; and the
slur cord, after passing over those pullies, is then to go backwards parallel to
the spindle bar arms in a direction towards the spindle bar, and then over the
other additional pullies aforesaid, which are applied on the spindle bar arms by
being mounted upon centre pins fixed on those arms, so as to project out hori-
zontally and laterally therefrom, and in a suitable position to conduct the slur
cord down to the slur wheel, but the said pullies are to be disposed as near to
the spindle bar as they can conveniently be situated, in order that the force
wherewith the slur cord is drawn may act so near to the centre of motion of
those spindle bar arms that they will (by the upward action of their main-
spring) effectually resist that force without being at all moved thereby. And
note, if the said last-mentioned pullies were to be mounted on centre pins
corresponding with the centre line of the spindle bar, then the force of the
slur cord would have no tendency whatever to pull down the spindle bar arms;
and also, if the centre pins of the other pullies before mentioned were to
correspond with the centre line of the top joint pins, then the force of the
slur cord would have no tendency to derange the quiescence of the slur bar
and the frame of sinkers. And a stocking frame which is constructed
'according to this part of our improvements, or which is altered from the
'common plan to be according thereto, may have all its other parts (which
have not been mentioned in the foregoing description as being added to or

page_text: altered) just as usual, or with any variations therefrom; and those other parts
may work in the same manner as usual, or with any variations therefrom;
that is to say, the usual carriage of the stocking frame being done away with,
and in lieu thereof the jack bar being firmly connected to the frame of sinkers,
and the weight of all the parts which are usually borne by the trucks of the
carriage being balanced by suitable pulling-up springs with a stronger main-
spring if requisite, and the locking bar with its lockers and thumb plates being
removed, and additional combs, jacks, and jack sinkers, and lead sinkers being
added in the places which those parts occupied, in case it is desirable to make
such additions, and the falling bar being sustained by suitable star screws, so
as to be motionless when the jacks fall on it and whilst they rest upon it, but
so that the said bar will descend when the frame of sinkers is brought
forwards, also the slur cord being suitably conducted from the slur wheel to
the slur, all in the manner herein-before described, then the manipulations or
mode of working the frame so constructed or altered will be just as usual in
a common stocking frame, except that there will be no action of the thumbs
in the act of dividing the loops, but there will be merely the usual action of
pulling down the hand bar by the hands, and thereby (without the aid of any
locking-bar, lockers, or thumb plates) the requisite effect of raising up the
jack sinkers a little (but as much as is requisite) during the division of the
loops will take place of itself, owing to the jack wire (when it is applied
according to this part of our improvements) descending at the same time when
the frame of sinkers descends (which is not the case in any stocking frames
hitherto invented), whilst the falling bar remains motionless, as is usual in all
stocking frames; and, in like manner, owing to the row or springs of the
jacks also descending at the same time when the frame of sinkers descends,
the cramps of the springs take the ends of the jacks into the hollows of those
cramps, so as to effect the requisite locking of the jacks with their heads in
contact with the under edge of the false rim, that locking taking place by
itself from the mere pulling down of the frame of sinkers in the act of
dividing the loops, without any locking bar, lockers, or thumb plates. or any
manipulation with thumbs or otherwise than merely pulling down the hand
bar with the two hands. And a stocking frame constructed or altered and
worked according to this part of our improvements will be subject to much
less wearing than usual in its jacks, jack wire, combs, slea, jack sinkers, and
springs, because there will be no motion of the jacks in their combs about
their jack wire or in their slea, nor any motion of the jack sinkers about their
suspending joint pins at the heads of the jacks, nor any motion of the ends of
the jacks against the cramps of their springs, otherwise than the motion that

page_text: is absolutely necessary for the performance of the respective functions of those
parts in forming the thread into loops; that is to say, such motion occurs
during the time that the jacks are moved one after another by action of the
slur, and also occurs again when the locking of all the jacks takes place of
itself as aforesaid; but at all other times during the working of the frame,
in consequence of the jack wire and combs and the jacks and springs and
slea moving along with the frame of sinkers, there will be no relative
motion between the jacks and their combs and jack wire and slea, nor
between the jack sinkers and their joint pins at the heads of the jacks,
nor any relative motion between the ends of the jacks and the cramps of
their springs, whereas in a common stocking frame, owing to the jacks
being sustained in a carriage running on trucks or other equivalent mode
of support, although thereby the jack wire is allowed to move backwards
and forwards, nevertheless that, wire is not allowed to ascend or descend,
and, in consequence, when the frame of sinkers is moved down or up and
forwards or backwards, there is a continual needless motion of the jacks in
their combs and about their jack wire and in their slea, and also of the
jack sinkers about their suspending joint pins, and of the ends of the jacks
against the cramps of their springs, which needless motion occasions those
parts to wear away much faster and to get out of order much sooner than
will be the case in a stocking frame which is altered or constructed so as
to be according to our said improvements. And further, the half jacks and
their joint pieces, as well as the locking bar, lockers, and thumb plates, being
all thrown aside when the frame is constructed or altered to be according to
this part of our improvements, the usual wearing of the joints of all those
parts is, of course, avoided, and other parts of the framic are not exposed to
the derangement which is consequent upon such wearing.
Another second part of our said improvements is to affix so much of the
jack sinkers as constitutes the nibs and catches thereof to the front ends or
heads of the jacks without any moveable joints at the heads of the jacks
for suspending the jack sinkers therefrom, as is the usual mode in stocking
frames, and also affixing all the lower or belly part of the jack sinkers in the
same row with the lead sinkers, the complete row of sinkers being' cast in
leads which are affixed to the hand bar or lower bar of the sinker frame, so
that the sinkers stand upwards therefrom between the row of needles, and,
therefore, we denominate such row of sinkers hand-bar sinkers. The sinkers
in a common stocking frame are long pieces of iron plate, suspended by their
upper ends from the leads on the sinker bar, and from the joint pins at the
heads of the jacks, and the sinkers after passing down between the needles

page_text: have their lower ends retained in a space between the hand bar and the leaf
thereof, which latter is also called the facing bar; but according to this second
part of our improvements, the sinkers are short pieces of iron plate cast in
leads so as to project out therefrom and form a complete row of one sinker
for each needle, which row we call hand-bar sinkers, and it is fastened by its
said leads to the hand bar so as to stand up therefrom, and the upper ends of
the sinkers reach up between the needles. The said sinkers, as to the general
form of their nibs, with catches in front thereof and their arches behind the
nibs, with their bellies at the remote side of the arches and lower down than
the nibs, may be of the same form as usual in stocking frames, the difference
between the common sinkers and the hand-bar sinkers being in the manner
of applying and supporting the row of sinkers in the frame of sinkers by
fastening them firmly by means of their leads to the lower bar of that frame
called the hand bar, instead of suspending the sinkers by their upper ends
from the sinker bar and from joint pins at the heads of the jacks, and guiding
or retaining them at their lower ends in the space between the hand bar and
its facing bar. The row of hand-bar sinkers so formed consisting of one
sinker for every needle, contains two sorts, long and short sinkers interspaced,
one sort between the other, a long one and then a short one alternately of the
said sinkers. The long sort has a nib with a catch in front of the arch, and
the upper end of the sinker extends a little higher than the highest summit of
the arch of the sinker, just enough to enable the nib (which is in front of the
arch) to be a firmly connected prominence from that part of the sinker which
is at the back of the arch; the said long sinkers being, in fact, the same as
the common lead sinkers of an ordinary stocking frame would be if they were
shortened by cutting them off across at a small distance above the summit of
their arches, putting aside their upper portion which is so cut off as useless,
and reserving only the lower portion to be cast with the lower extremity of it
into the lead, wherein all the sinkers both long and short are to be held side
by side in one row, and that row held by screwing the lead to the hand bar.
The short sinkers have no nibs, being merely the lower or belly part, or that
part of the sinker which is behind the arch. The short sinkers are, in fact,
the same as the common jack sinkers of an ordinary stocking frame would be
if they were cut across from behind a little below the highest summit of their
arches, so as to cut from the back into the arch in order to separate the sinker
into two portions, the uppermost of which would have the nib and catch pro-
jecting downwards from it, and the lowermost portion would be only the belly
part and back of the arch, but without the summit of the arch, because the
shortened sinker does. not reach quite so high as that summit. The said

page_text: '
- lower portion is to be cast with its lower extremity in the same lead, wherein,
as aforesaid, all the sinkers, both long and short, are to be held side by side in
a row in alternate order, that row consisting of a long sinker aforesaid with
nib and catch upon it, and the next thereto a short sinker aforesaid without
any nib or catch, and so on alternately. The belly parts of both sort of
sinkers correspond one to the other, in order to form a uniform row of bellies.
The short sinkers are high enough to reach up between the needles, and they
. come below the same, but the long sinkers not only reach up between the
, needles, but their nibs also return down again between the same needles.
The aforesaid upper portion, which is cut off from the jack sinker, and which
has the nib and catch descending from it, as above mentioned, is to be fastened
firmly to the front end or head of the jack, so as to have no play or motion
(like a joint) at that head; but nevertheless, that fastening may, for con-
venience, be effected by the usual joint, consisting of a slit in the head of the
jack to admit the sinker therein, and a joint pin or revit through the slit part
of the head of the jack, and also through the sinker; still such joint pin is not
. to be a moving joint, but is to be rivetted fast, and also another like pin is to
be inserted by the side of it through the slit part of the head of the jack, and
through the sinker that is lodged in that slit, and that pin as well as the other
rivetted fast, so as by means of the two pins to affix the sinker firmly and
immoveably to the front end of the jack, in order that the sinker may project
downwards from the jack in such direction that when the jack is mounted in
its place in the stocking frame on the jack wire, the said nibs and catches
which are so affixed to the jacks will occupy their intended places in the row
. of nibs and catches of the hand-bar sinkers, so as (when the jacks are what
is termed locked) to range straight in that row and supply the absence of nibs
and catches therein, which is occasioned by the short sinkers having no nibs
and catches upon them; for the nibs and catches affixed to the jacks will
place themselves in front of and over the tops of the short sinkers, and will
supply the nibs and catches whereof those short sinkers are deficient. It has
been already described by way of illustration as if the short sinker and the nib
and catch affixed to the jack were made out of a common jack sinker by
cutting the same across into two portions, whereof the lower portion is cast in
place in the row of leads of hand-bar sinkers, and the upper portion is affixed
to the jack, as aforesaid. In case of altering an old set of sinkers, they may
be treated in that way (although it will in most cases be preferable to make
an entire new set of sinkers); and in continuation of the said illustration it
may also be stated, that when the hand-bar sinkers and the jacks are mounted
in their intended places in the stocking frame,, as above mentioned, that then

page_text: the two said portions into which each jack sinker has been supposed to be cut,
will become replaced in their true relative position, one in respect to the other,
as they were before they were cut asunder, although the lower portion is
affixed by the lead to the hand bar, and stands upwards therefrom, whilst the
upper portion is affixed fast to the front end or head of the jack and projects
downwards therefrom. And note, it is only when the jacks are in the con-
dition commonly called locked, by having their ends lodged in the hollows of
the cramps of their springs, and their heads thereby held up in contact with
the under edge of the false rim, that the nibs and catches which are affixed
to the jacks will range as above mentioned in the row of nibs and catches of
the hand-bar sinkers; but when the ends of the jacks are dislodged from the
said hollows of the cramps of thir springs (by action of the slur), and the jacks
in consequence drop down to rest on the falling bar in the usual course of
working, then the catches on the nibs of the jacks will descend so much below
the needles as to sink the thread down between the same into coarse loops,
in the same manner as such loops are usually formed, and as herein-before
explained. The only difference from the action of a common stocking frame
being, that it is merely the nibs and catches which descend with the jacks
without the belly parts of the sinkers partaking of the descent, as those belly
parts must necessarily do in the common plan, where the nibs and catches of
all the sinkers are formed in the same pieces of metal as the belly parts of the
same sinkers. And note, in order to permit of the said descent of the nibs
and catches of the jacks, without the belly part of the corresponding short
sinkers (at the back of the arch thereof) partaking of such descent, the
portion of sinker which is affixed to the jack must be cut away behind the nib
and catch at the part which is directly over the top of the short sinker, in
order that the said top may not be struck by any part of the sinker which is
affixed to the jack; that is to say, in case of a common jack sinker being cut
off into two portions, as before stated, for illustration, a part of the upper
portion where the same was cut off must be removed from over and rather
behind the summit of the arch, so much as to admit of all the motion that
the nib and catch of the upper portion require to perform when the
slur is drawn and the jack falls, in order that the said motion may not
occasion any interference with the lower portion when the said lower portion
does not partake of such falling motion. And note, the jack wire should,
according to the second part of our improvements, be placed lower than usual;
and therefore the jacks must be placed with their front ends inclining upwards,
so that their heads will come into the usual place for the heads of the jacks
beneath the false.rim; and, consequently, if the joints are straight (or of the

page_text: usual form), then the tail ends of the jacks and their springs will be much
lower than usual. The jack wire ought to be nearly on a level with the stems
of the needles where the thread is laid across them. The jack bar in this
second part of our improvements is to be connected with the frame of sinkers
'so as to belong thereto according to the first part of our improvements, as
already explained, and in consequence of affixing the nibs and catches firmly
at the heads of the jacks, and of fixing the belly part of all the sinkers in one
row to the hand bar, according to this second part of our improvements, a
stocking frame will be rendered much more durable than on the common plan
with moveable joints at the heads of the jacks, because those joints, from the
thinness of the jacks and of the sinkers, wear loose on the joint pins, and then
the accuracy wherewith the sinkers should operate cannot be maintained; and
although by adoption of the first part of our improvements, as already
explained, the motion about the said joint pins at the heads of the jacks, and
consequently the wearing, will be rendered much less than takes place in the
common stocking frame, nevertheless it is better to get rid of those moveable
joints altogether, and render such joints rigid and immoveable, as is done
by the adoption of the second part of our improvements in addition to and
in concert with the said first part, and thereby a stocking frame will be
rendered very durable, because the nibs and catches which are affixed to the
jacks have nothing to perform except to sink the thread into coarse loops, and
next to divide the same into fine loops, and then to carry those fine loops
forwards along the stems of the needles to the heads or front ends of the
needles, and also after the knocking over, whereby the same loops have been
converted into stitches of the work, then the said nibs have to carry the same
loops (or rather stitches) backwards along the stems of the needles, such being
all the offices which the nibs and catches of sinkers have to perform, as
already explained at the commencement of this Specification; and on con-
sidering the said explanation it will be obvious that the performance of the
said offices requires but little force to be exerted, and will therefore cause but
very little strain or wear on the jack wire and on the centre holes of the jacks
and of the combs; and by virtue of the first part of our improvements the motion
of the jacks about their jack wire and in their combs, and the motion between
the ends of the jacks and the cramps of their springs, and also in their slea,
is reduced to the motion of those parts which is absolutely necessary,.
all
needless motion, such as in a common stocking frame takes place in those
parts (and also in the joints at the heads of the jacks), being avoided, and the
said joints at the heads of the jacks being by virtue of this second part of
our improvements wholly dispensed with. And as to the knocking over of the

page_text: stitches of the work (the performance of which does necessarily require a
considerable force to be exerted), the same is wholly performed by the hand-
bar sinkers, but the jacks or their jack wire and combs are no way affected
thereby, and consequently are not subjected to any wearing therefrom, as is
the case in a common stocking frame, and as will also be the case in a
stocking frame which is constructed or altered according to the first part only
of our improvements; but by the further adoption of this second part of our
said improvements, in combination with the said first part, then the jacks, jack
wire, and combs, and the joints at the heads of the jacks, are relieved from all
share in the force required to be exerted in knocking over the work; for, as
already explained, the belly part of the sinkers (jack sinkers as well as lead
sinkers) are alone operative in knocking over; and according to this second
part of our improvements, the said belly part of all the sinkers (as well those
answering to the jack sinkers of a common stocking frame as those answering
to the lead sinkers thereof) are supported by and fastened to the hand bar so
as to possess great strength without liability to wearing. And whereas it is the
nibs and catches alone that are fastened to the jacks, the latter with their
accessary parts have only the more delicate offices to perform, as above stated,
which, from the slight force required, does not subject the parts to much
wearing, or only wearing by very slow degrees. And note, the adoption of
this second part of our improvements in concert.with the first part thereof,
already explained, will not occasion any difference in the manipulations or
movements which are requisite for working the stocking frame, when con-
structed or altered according to that first part alone, in order to make stocking
fabric or framework knitted fabric thereby. And note, in applying the hand-
bar sinkers according to this second part of our improvements, some attention
should be given to the length of such sinkers, which is allowed to project up out
of their leads, for if that length is very short the action of the sinkers in knock-
ing over might be too stubborn and unyielding for working to the most advantage
with thread which is subject to have lumps and hard knots in it, because when
such hard lumps form an impediment to knocking over it is better that the
needles and the bellies of the sinkers should yield sideways to avoid the lumps
as much as may be. The common sinkers are very yielding in such case, and
the hand-bar sinkers will be sufficiently yielding for such purpose if they
project a sufficient distance out of the leads; but, on the other hand, if they
were made to project out very far they might become weak, as they are only
supported by their lower ends. In general the place of the hand bar whereon
the hand-bar sinkers are to be fixed will be suitable to give the sinkers a
suitable projection upwards out of their leads, the upper part of the leads
being from half an inch to an inch and a half below the needles when the

page_text: hand-bar sinkers are in the act of knocking over the work. And note,
when the hand-bar sinkers are applied to the hand bar of a common stocking
frame according to this second part of our improvements, that bar must
be rendered straight on its upper edge, and must be drilled with holes in its
upright front face to receive the screws by which the leads of the hand-
bar sinkers are to be fastened in a row thereon, such leads being usually
one inch wide. And in case the hand bar is not strong enough for
that purpose, a new bar of adequate strength must be substituted. The
ordinary sinker bar is to be retained for forming the upper side of the frame
of sinkers, but the screws and plates thereof, by which the sinker leads are
usually fastened to the said bar, will become useless. And note, according to
this second part of our said improvements the nibs and catches affixed firmly
to the front ends or heads of the jacks (without any moving joints at those
ends), and the said hand-bar sinkers are in all cases to be used in combination
one with the other in the manner herein-before described. And no claim is
made under the said Letters Patent of the Fourth of February, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-one, to the hand-bar sinkers above described, when
the same are used with any other kind of jacks than such jacks as are mounted
on a jack wire situated behind the needle bar, and nearly on a level with the
needles, or not much above that level. Neither is any claim made to nibs and
catches firmly affixed to the front ends or heads of the jacks without any
moving joints at the said heads when the same are used with any other kind
of sinkers than such hand-bar sinkers.
Another third part of our said improvements is to combine with the
aforesaid first and second parts thereof the use of jacks without tails, the jack
wire being quite at the backmost ends of such jacks, and the slur being
applied to act over the jacks near to their front ends, and the springs for
holding up the jacks being applied at the front ends thereof, and likewise the
slea for guiding the jacks, and keeping them at regular distances apart. In a
common stocking frame the jacks are levers which extend backwards behind
the centre of motion or jack wire and combs; the parts of the jacks behind
that centre are called their tails, and it is to those tails that the slur applies
when it acts upon the jacks by passing across beneath the tails, and striking
crossways beneath them so as to raise up the tails, and thereby put down the
heads of the jacks and the sinkers which are jointed and suspended at those
heads. The springs are applied at the extreme ends of the. tails, and the slea
is also applied to the same tails. The jacks which, according to this third
part of our improvements, are to be combined with the first and second parts
of our said improvements, have no tails extending backwards beyond their
jack wire, but that wire being quite at the extreme back most end of the jacks,

page_text: the jack wire and jack bar may consequently be removed further back behind
the sinkers in order that the jacks may act with a longer radius than in the
common way, and the nibs and catches of the jack sinkers being fixed fast to
the front ends or heads of the jacks, and projecting downwards therefrom
according to the second part of our improvements, and the jack wire being
situated nearly on a level with the needles, or not much higher than that level,
therefore the motion of such nibs and catches when they descend between the
needles in order to sink the thread into coarse loops between the same will
not vary sensibly from a perpendicular motion. Also the whole weight of the
jack becomes operative to cause its descent. Whereas the jack tail in the
common way counterbalaces a part of the weight wherewith the jack head
would otherwise descend; likewise the action of the slur being above the jacks
to force them down is more directly operative to force the heads down than
when the slur acts beneath the tails to force those tails up, and thereby put
the heads down. The action on the jack wire tending to wear the same
is very much lessened by having jacks without tails; the same of the springs
and of the slea; by being applied at the front ends of the jacks instead of at the
tails, they operate directly to produce their intended effects on the heads of
the jacks, and with much more certainty of action, and with less liability to
wearing away of the parts. The jack bar for such jacks without tails may
be made with the usual kind of combs, run into the hollow of the bar with
lead; but a better mode is to have combs cast in leads of about one inch
wide, which are screwed upon the top and front edge of the jack bar to form
a row of combs for the reception of the backmost ends of the jacks, which
ends may be reduced thinner than the body of the jacks, in order to fit into
the spaces between the combs; and in consequence the said body of the
jack may be thicker than usual, so as to give it more weight to fall and
greater strength; also the greater thickness will allow more substance for
making the slit at the head or front ends of the jack for the reception of the
thin plate whereof the nib and catch is formed; and which plate is to be
firmly fastened into the slit by two rivet pins, so as to be maile quite fast to the
jack, according to the second part of our improvements. The slea which may
be applied at the front end of such jacks without tails, may consist of a set
of thin short blades cast in leads so as to project out therefrom. Those leads
being fastened in a row against the back surface of a horizontal bar, which
is part of the frame of sinkers, and which may be the false rim with the
said blades of the slea projecting downwards therefrom, so as to go into the
spaces between the jacks, in order to keep the same at regular distances
apart; but which spaces are less than usual, because of the greater thickness

page_text: of the jacks as aforesaid. The row of springs may be just as usual in a
common stocking frame, except as to their position, which is with the cramps
of the springs downwards, so as to apply to the frontmost ends of the jacks
at the front of the frame of sinkers, the upper ends of the springs being fixed
into a wooden stock in the usual manner; but which stock is fastened at each
end to the hanging cheeks of the frame of sinkers by suitable prolonging
pieces rising up from the said cheeks above the top joints thereof, with setting
screws in those pieces to adjust the position of the springs in respect to the
frame of sinkers, so that when the front ends of the jacks are lodged in the
hollow of the cramps of those springs that the heads or front ends of the
jacks shall be held up in contact with the under edge of the false rim, and
the springs being affixed to the frame of sinkers as a part thereof, and
moving therewith, will keep the said heads so in contact during all the
motions that the frane of sinkers is intended to have, as well upwards and
downwards as backwards and and forwards. The jack bar for the said jacks
without tails is to be affixed to the frame of sinkers by suitable connecting
pieces; and pulling-up springs are to be applied to overbalance the weight,
according to the first part of our improvements, the slea and the row of
springs being also affixed to some part belonging to the frame of sinkers, as
already stated, so that all the said parts will move with the frame of sinkers,
as, parts thereof or belonging thereto. The slur bar may also be affixed to
some part belonging to the frame of sinkers or not, for as it is to be over the
jacks, it may be fixed to any convenient part of the immoveable framework
of the stocking frame, for instance, to what are called the star boxes, or to
what are called the front standards, or else to supporting pieces of its own,
erected from the sole bars or from the wood framing. In either way of thus
fixing the slur bar it will have no motion, and, therefore, it will be easy to
conduct the slur cord from the slur wheel over pullies at the ends of the
slur bar to the slur box, in order to slide the same along the slur bar, the
slur box being inverted, so that the slur cock projects downwards therefrom,
in order to act downwards upon the jacks as the slur cock is drawn across
over them, and it acts upon them. at about half way between the jack wire or
centre of, motion and their heads or front ends which apply to the cramps of
the springs. The motion which the jacks will have in consequence of their
belonging to and moving along with the frame of sinkers (according to the
first part of our improvements), will cause them to descend away from the
slur bar and not to rise up towards it, and for that reason the slur bar is not
required to descend along with the jacks when they move along with the
frame of sinkers; but the slur bar may be immoveably fixed, as aforesaid,

page_text: when it is applied over the jacks, although, when the slur bar is applied
under their tails it must be affixed to some part belonging to the frame of
sinkers so as to move therewith, in order that it may descend along with the
jacks, as already described in respect to the first part of our improvements,
and then there is some trouble in providing for the slur cord. And note, the
slur bar may be applied over the jacks to act downwards thereon at about
balf way between the jack wire and their front ends or heads, although the
jacks have tails with the springs at the ends of those tails, as already.
described in respect to the first part of our improvements, and the slur bar
may in that case be immoveably fixed, as above described, instead of being
affixed to some part belonging to the frame of sinkers, so as to move there-
with in the manner herein-before described respecting the first part of our
improvements. And note, no claim is made under the said Letters Patent
of the. Fourth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and forty-one,
to any such jacks without tails, and having their springs at their frontmost
ends or heads, as aforesaid, (and with their slea and the slur bar over them
near to those frontmost ends, as aforesaid,) in any case when such jacks have
moveable joints at their said frontmost ends or heads for suspending the jack
sinkers from the pins of such joints, or in any case when the jack wire and
the jack bar or comb bar, whereon such jacks are mounted, is borne in a
carriage or trucks, or other equivalent mode of supporting the jack bar and jack
wire, so that it can move backwards and forwards without rising and falling
in any sensible degree. But, according to this third part of our improvements,
the said jacks without tails having their springs at their frontmost ends or
heads (and with their slea and their slur bar over them near to those ends),
as aforesaid, are in all cases to be used in combination with the first
and second parts of our improvements, and not otherwise than in such
combination.
Another fourth part of our said improvements is to combine with the
aforesaid first and second parts thereof pieces of metal, which are affixed
laterally to the sides of the long sinkers of the hand-bar sinkers, herein-before
described in the second part of our improvements, so as that such pieces of
metal will be sustained by the upper ends of the said long sinkers above the
row of needles, with one such piece over each needle in the due place to
perform the office of a presser bar, in order to close down the bearded points
of the needles, when the stitches of the work (being then inclosed within the
arches of the sinkers) are slided forwards along the stems of the needles at
the same time when the newly-formed loops of thread are being slided
forwards in the usual manner along the same stems, in order that the said

page_text: loops may be lodged at the heads or front ends of the needles beneath the
beards whereof the points are to be closed down immediately after the loops
of thread (in coming forwards) have passed under the said beards, but before
the stitches (in the like coming forwards) have arrived at those points. The
said pieces of metal are to be affixed laterally to the upper end of each of
the said long sinkers of the hand-bar sinkers aforesaid, so as to form lateral
projections on each side of the upper part of each such sinker, which pro
jections will nearly fill up the space between it and the next adjacent sinker
on each side, such next adjacent sinkers being those nibs and catches which
are firmly affixed to the heads of the jacks, and which descend downwards
therefrom, as herein-before described in the second part of our improvements.
The said lateral projections are situated over and rather move forward than
the sumit of the arch of such long sinkers, and the projections themselves are
in the form of inverted arches, the lowest parts whereof are a very little
below the highest parts of the arches of the sinkers. When the sinkers are
depressed for dividing the coarse loops of thread into fine loops, the catches
on the nibs of the sinkers are thereby sunk down between the needles, as
in the usual course of working a common stocking frame, and the stitches
of the work being at that period included within the arches of the sinkers, as
herein-before described, it follows that when the sinkers are brought forwards
in order to slide the divided loops of thread forwards along with the stems
of the needles, that in so moving forwards the stitches of the work which are
in the arches of the sinkers will also be brought forwards along the same
stems of the needles, although the said stitches are at some distance back
along those stens behind the loops of thread, because the said loops are before
the nibs of the sinkers, whilst the stitches are behind the nibs, as already
explained. In so moving forwards the sinkers are kept down, in order to
keep the divided loops of thread to their proper tension, as usual in a common
stocking frame, and as already explained; and whilst the sinkers are so kept
down the said lateral projections of the sinkers are low enough to meet and
press over the beards of the needles as the sinkers advance forwards; but
the contact of the said lateral projections with the beards of the needles does
not take place until after the loops of thread have got so far forwards along
the stems of the needles as to have passed quite beneath the pointed
extremities of the said beards, and then those extremities of the beards are to
be closed down before the stitches of the work get so far forwards along the
stems of the needles as to have arrived at the said pointed extremities of the
beards, in order that the stitches, as they come still further forwards along
the needles, may be landed (as it is called), or in other words that they may

page_text: pass over the closed points of the beards, under the points of which beards
the loops of threads have just before been passed (as aforesaid) before the
points of the beards were so closed, and beneath which beards the said loops
remain enclosed and lodged after the points of those beards are closed. And
owing to their form of inverted arches, the said lateral projections will act
as inclined planes to press down the beards of the needles, so as to close the
pointed extremities of those beards as the sinkers come forwards. And owing
to the sinkers continuing to be kept down whilst they are bringing the loops
of thread and the stitches of the work forwards along the stems of the
needles, the points of the beards of the needles are closed down after the
divided loops of thread have got sufficiently far beneath the beards, but a
little before the stitches are advanced so far as to reach to the extremities of
the said points and the projecting pieces by sliding over the beards, keep
the points of the beards closed down whilst the stitches are brought so far
forwards over the closed points of the beards as to become landed thereon,
the landing taking place and being completely effected by the time that the
divided loops of thread are lodged at the heads of the needles in due course
of working, as in an ordinary stocking frame; and after that is accomplished,
then (but not before), the sinkers are raised up to bring their belly part into
the proper position to be prepared for knocking over the stitches so landed,
and thereby forcing them forwards over the loops of thread which are already
lodged and enclosed under the beards, but which beards are allowed to open,
that is, their pointed extremities are allowed to rise up at the moment when
the sinkers rise up as aforesaid; wherefore (in the manner aforesaid) the
said lateral projections perform the office of a presser bar; but they are self-
acting, and require no distinct manipulation for putting them into operation.
For, in the act of bringing forwards the sinkers, in order to bring forwards
the divided loops of thread along the stems of the needles for the purpose of
carrying those loops to the heads of the needles, as in the usual coarse of
working a common stocking frame, and by keeping the sinkers down, as
usual, whilst they are so coming forwards, the requisite pressing down of the
bearded extremities or points of the needles will take place of itself at the proper
moment and in a proper manner for causing the stitches of the work to be
duly landed on the points of the closed beards. And note, when the sinkers
are raised upwards immediately after the loops have been brought to the heads
of the needles in order to withdraw the nibs from those loops, the sinkers are
to be kept forwards as far as the loops will permit the sinkers to come forwards
when rising. And note, according to this fourth part of our improvements,
the aforesaid projecting pieces are only to be used in combination with the

page_text: whole of the second part of our improvements, the aforesaid projecting pieces
being an addition to and forming a part of the hand-bar sinkers when, the
same are used, as before stated, in combination with nibs and catches affixed
firmly to the frontmost ends or heads of jacks, which are mounted on a jack
wire situated behind the needle bar, and nearly on a level with the needles or
not much above that level, as already explained respecting the second part
of our improvements, the said projecting pieces being a substitute for a
common presser bar to close the beards of the needles, and which bar may
be used in a stocking frame which is constructed according to the said second
part of our improvements. And whereas similar pieces projecting laterally from
sinkers; and acting on the beards of the needles in a similar manner to those
now describing, formed part of certain improvements upon machinery for
manufacturing stockings, for which a Patent for England was granted to me.
the said Henry Warner, together with Charles Hood and Benjamin Abbott,
by King William the Fourth, on the Eighth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-two; and whereas such projecting pieces were
described in the Specification which was duly enrolled at the Inrollment
.Office on the Eighth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-two, in conformity with the said Patent; but whereas the said pro-
jecting pieces were described in the said Specification as being applied to
sinkers of a then new description, called therein driving sinkers or pendulous
sinkers, and the said projecting pieces were to be used in combination with
driving sinkers; it is to be noted, that no claim is hereby made under the
present Letters Patent of the Fourth of February, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-one, to the exclusive use of any such projecting pieces as
have been herein-before described as the fourth part of the present improve-
ments, except when such projecting pieces are affixed to and used as a part of
the band-bar sinkers, herein-before described (in the description of the second
part of our improvements), for performing the office of closing the beards of
the needles, and landing the stitches of the work thercon, without using any
presser bar.
Another fifth part of our said improvements is to be used in combination
with the first part, herein-before described, and has for its object to do away
with what are called the spindle-bar arms, spindle bar, and main spring, which
parts have been herein-before described as parts of the common stocking
frame, and also as being parts which are retained or used in stocking frames,
which are altered or constructed to be according to the said first part of our
improvements, those said parts being in either case for the purpose of
permitting the top joints to move up and down, in order that the frame of

page_text: sinkers may be moved up and down as the same requires to be in a common
stocking frame or in a frame which is altered or constructed to be according
to the first part of our improvements, as herein-before explained; but accord-
ing to this fifth part of our improvements the horizontal centre line of the
two joints pins of the top joints is to be always held motionless in order to
serve as a fixed horizontal centre line or axis of swinging motion for the
frame of sinkers, so that the same can swing backwards and forwards, but
cannot descend or ascend, and in lieu thereof the needles are to be made to
ascend or descend in a suitable manner for producing all the same results as
are produced in a common stocking frame (or in a frame altered or constructed
to be according to the first part of our improvements) by the descent or ascent
of the frame of sinkers. And in order to admit of the needles ascending and
descending, the needle bar (according to this fifth part of our improvements),
instead of being fixed fast by screwing its ends down upon the sole bars, is to
be mounted upon centre pins at its ends, so as to render the needle bar move-
able about a fixed horizontal centre line or axis of motion which is situated
behind or at the backmost edge of the needle bar, and which last-mentioned
centre line is to be parallel to the before-mentioned centre line of the top joints,
wherefore, according to this fifth part of our improvements, all the motion
required for the performance of the functions that the nibs and catches and
sinkers and the needles are appointed to perform will be one or other or else
a compound of the two following kinds of motion, viz*:-First, a swinging
motion of the frame of sinkers about the fixed horizontal centre line of the..
top joint pins in order by such swinging motion to move the nibs and catches
and sinkers backwards and forwards whenever they require to be so moved;
and, secondly, what may be called a tilting motion of the needle bar about
the aforesaid fixed horizontal centre line of the joint pins whereon the needle
bar is mounted (that line being behind the backmost edge of that bar, as
aforesaid, and parallel to the said centre line of the top joints), in order by
such tilting motion to move the stems and the heads of the needles (which
project out forwards, as usual, from the front edge of the needle bar) up and
down whenever they require to be so moved, and which will be whenever
the frame of sinkers would require to be moved down or up in case of a
common stocking frame or a frame altered or constructed to be according to
the first part of our improvements. For it is obvious that the same effects
will result from the needles being moved upwards to meet the nibs and
catches, and the sinkers (in case those sinkers do not rise or fall) as would
result from the nibs and catches and the sinkers descending to meet the
needles in case those needles do not rise and fall. The up-and-down motion.

page_text: to be given to the stems and heads of the needles by the tilting of the needle-
ibar, according to this fifth part of our improvements, is to be nearly the same,
as to the extent of such motion. And as to the period of time when upward:
motion shall be given and when downward motion shall be given during the
working of the course of stocking fabric, as the down-and-up motion that
would (at corresponding periods of time) be given to the top joints and the.
frame of sinkers in a common frame or a frame altered or constructed to be
according to the first part of our improvements, except that whenever in the.
last-mentioned cases downward motion would be given to the frame of sinkers,
upward motion is to be given to the needle bar according to the fifth part of.
our. improvements, and vice versa. The centre pins of the top joints of the
frame of sinkers are to be sustained immoveably by affixing the said pins in.
the same positions as those joints pins occupy in a common frame (or in a.
frame altered or constructed to be according to the first part of our improve-
ments) at the time whilst the thread is laying and whilst the slur is drawing.
The said top joints may for that purpose be affixed to suitable standards which
may be erected on the two sole bars at or near to the places where the ends
of the needle bar are commonly fixed thereon. Such standards may be similar,
to the back standards commonly used for sustaining the pivots at the ends of
the spindle bar. And in case of altering a common stocking frame to be-
according to this fifth part of our improvements, the usual spindle bar and its.
arms may if be desired be retained, provided that the said arms are rendered.
immoveable by screwing them fast to the front standards or other like standards,
so that the top joints at the front ends of the spindle bar arms will be held
fast and firmly sustained; but as in such case the spindle bar and its arms will be
rendered wholly inoperatiue, those parts might as well be removed altogether
from the frame if it is equally convenient to sustain the top joints firmly and
immoveably by standards, as before mentioned. The two ends of the needle
bar which are usually screwed down on the sole bars are to be cut off so as that
the shortened needle bar can descend into the space left between the sole bars
and between the caps of the wood frame; and the axle pins or pivots or centre
pins whereon the needle bar is to be mounted may have tails to be applied
against the backmost edge of the bar and fastened thereto by screws, so that
the pivots or centre pins will project horizontally endways beyond each of the
ends of the shortened needle bar, in order to reach over the two sole bars and
be received into bearing socket fastened on those bars, and the said tails of
the centre pins can be cranked so as to remove the pivot part of each pin
backwards to some suitable distance in order to get the horizontal centro .line
of the two pins as far back behind the backmost edge of the needle bar as
.

page_text: may be desirable for qualifying the needle bar to be tilted with its frontmost
edge upwards and downwards about the said horizontal centre line, so as that
the stems of the needles will be thereby raised up and put down in a suitable
manner for meeting the nibs and catches and the sinkers, as before mentioned.
And for the purpose of giving the requisite motions to the sinkers and to the.
needles by the hands of the workmen, short levers may be used, the middle
part thereof being poised on joint pieces fixed to each end of the hand bar,
but rather below, and projecting forwards in front thereof, with handles on the
frontmost ends of those levers, those handles projecting laterally from the
levers so as to be horizontal and parallel to the hand bar, and from the back-
most ends of the same levers short links being jointed to go upwards to joint
pieces fixed to the under side of the needle bar, near to the frontmost edge
thereof, wherefore by pulling down the said handles at the front ends of the
levers, the backmost ends thereof, by means of the links, will tilt up the needle
bar about its fixed horizontal centre line of motion so as to raise the needles,
in order to answer the same purpose as pulling down the hand bar and frame
of sinkers in a common stocking frame, but such mere pulling down of the
handles will not have any effect to move the hand bar and the frame of sinkers,
because that frame is suspended on the immoveable top joint pins which will
not permit it to be pulled downwards; nevertheless if the said handles are
pulled forwards, then the hand bar and the frame of sinkers will be brought
forwards in the same manner as would be done by bringing forwards the hand
bar in a common stocking frame or in a frame altered or constructed according
to the first part of our improvements. And by means of such handles, they
being moved by the hands of the workmen with similar motion to those which
he would in the ordinary way way of working give to the hand bar, the nibs
and catches and sinkers and the needles will be actuated with suitable
motions to enable them to perform their intended functions on the thread.
The jack bar, in this fifth part of our improvements, is to be firmly attached
to the frame of sinkers by means of suitable connecting pieces, according to
the first part of our improvements, which is to be in all cases combined with.
the fifth, so as that the jack bar, with all its appurtenances of combs,
jack wire, slea, and row of springs, and in some cases the slur bar and slur,
shall be supported by the frame of sinkers so as to become part thereof, 'and
such connecting pieces being applied in the same manner as already explained
respecting the first part of our improvements, so as that the jack wire will bo
always at an invariable distance from the horizontal centre line of the top
joints, and also at an invariable distance from the sinker bar and from the
hand bar. And in the swinging motion of the frame of sinkers about the

page_text: fixed horizontal centre line of its top joints, the jack wire will move with a
circularly curved motion about that centre line, and with no other motion.
And in order to sustain the weight of the jack bar with all its appurtenances
which are behind or at the back of the frame of sinkers, suitable pulling-up
springs are to be applied according to the first part of our improvements, and in
the same manner as already explained respecting that first part, so as that the
frame of sinkers, notwithstanding the additional weight wherewith it is loaded,
will, nevertheless, have just as much tendency to recede backwards by its
swinging motion about its top joints as is the case in ordinary stocking frames,
and as is the case in a frame altered or constructed according to the first part
of our improvements. But note, the suspensions for the upper ends of the
said pulling-up springs if they are of curled wire may be fixed over the back
part of the frame se as that those springs may be inclined from the vertical
direction in order to pull the jack bar somewhat backwards as well as upwards,
if that is thought to be a more suitable direction of pulling up when the first
part of our improvements is combined with this fifth part of our improve-
ments, for in such combination the top joint pins being immoveable, and no
main spring being required for upholding the top joints, the pulling-up springs
can have no other office to perform than to cause the frame of sinkers to recede
backwards, and may therefore may be applied in that in that direction which
may be thought most favorable for producing the requisite tendency to recede
backwards. And in order to limit the extent of the aforesaid swinging motion
that the frame of sinkers is to perform about the fixed horizontal centre line
of its top joints, and the aforesaid tilting motion that the needle bar is to
perform about the fixed horizontal centre line of its pivots on centre pins, and
for the purpose of regulating such motions and such compounds of those
motions as are to be performed, suitable stops are to be used of the same or of
a similar nature to the various stops which are used for regulating the
compound swinging and sinking or rising motion that the frame of sinkers is
required to perform in a common stocking frame or in a frame which is con-
structed or altered to be according to the first or any other of the foregoing
parts of our improvements. For instance, what are called the coking stops
and catches are to be retained just as usual, and for the same purpose of
detaining the frame of sinkers when the nibs and catches of the sinkers
are in the proper positions in respect to the needles for the thread to
be laid across the stems of the needles, and then to be sunk down into
coarse loops between those stems. The coking stops which are used with
this fifth part of our improvements may be fastened to the under side of
the needle bar in the same position in respect to that bar (and to the row of

page_text: needles thereon) that the usual coking stops occupy in a common stocking
frame, or in a frame altered or constructed to be according to any of the
foregoing parts of our improvements. And the usual catches being fastened.
to the backs of the hanging cheeks at the lower ends thereof so as to
act with. the said coking. stops and being duly adjusted in the usual
manner, then the action of such coking, stops, and catches will retain the
frame of sinkers and the needle bar, with the nibs and catches and the stems
of the needles, in the proper positions each one in respect to the other for
laying the thread and sinking the same into coarse loops as aforesaid; and in
like manner the utmost extent to which the frame of sinkers is to be allowed
to come forwards for knocking over the stitches of the work is to be limited
by the usual stops called stayes. The utmost extent to which the needle bar
shall be allowed to be tilted upwards and downwards may be limited by any
suitable fixed stops, or rapping 'or gage screws, in order to be capable of
adjustment, such stops or screws being sustained by the sole bars or by
other fixed part of the frame, and they will answer the same purpose as the
usual front standards and top screws do. And as to the stops or guides called
the castor backs, the centre pins and pieces whereon they are usually mounted
instead of being fixed to the sole bars may be applied to prongs or arms which
reach out forwards from the ends of the needle bar parallel to the inside.
edges of the sole bars, so that the said caster backs will be sustained by such.
prongs or arms in the same or nearly the same positions in respect to the
needle bar and to the row of needles thereon as they usually occupy, and the
said caster backs being so applied will ascend and descend with the needle
bar when the same is tilted upwards or downwards, their ascent and descent
being more than that of any part of the needle bar, because they will be
further from the horizontal fixed centre line of tilting motion than any part
of the bar; but, nevertheless, if the caster backs are suitable proportioned and
adjusted so as to act against the usual hanging bits on the hanging cheeks,
the said caster backs and hanging bits may be made to perform their usual
offices, which is to limit the swinging forwards of the frame of sinkers at the
moment when the newly formed and divided loops of thread are brought
forwards to the heads of the needles, and also to regulate the ascending
motion of the frame of sinkers when it is raised upwards in order to withdraw
the nibs of the sinkers up from out of the said loops; but in a frame which is,
altered or constructed according to this fifth part of our improvements, the.
requisite withdrawing will be performed by the loops descending downwards,
away from the nibs, in consequence of a tilting down of the needle bar with
the needles; and the caster backs being mounted on centre pins and pieces

page_text: borne by the said prongs or arms from the needle bar and applied as afore-
said, are to be adjusted to the hanging bit in order to regulate the frame of
sinkers during such withdrawing of the loops from the nibs, by tilting the
needle bar so as that the frame shall be moved a little backwards during such
withdrawing and tilting, as will be requisite in case the pressing of the beards
of the needles is to be performed by à presser bar in the usual manner of
stocking frames; or else, in case the pressing is to be performed according to
the fourth part of our improvements, then the said caster backs and hanging
bits must be so adjusted as to keep the frame of sinkers forwards as far as the
loops at the heads of the needles will allow the nibs of the sinkers to come
forwards, at the moment when the needle bar is tilting down, in order to with-
draw the loops from the said nibs. The weight of the needle bar will always
give it a tendency to descend and tilt down the needles, the said weight
thereby answering the same purpose as the upward force of the main spring
answers in a common frame, or a frame which is altered or constructed to be
according to the first part of our improvements, and springs may be applied
to the needle bar, either tending to pull it up or to pull it down, as may be
required in order to moderate or to increase the said tendency to tilt down-
wards by its own weight, as may be desirable. Note, when the knocking
over is to be performed, the needle bar will be tilted down with its needles
at their lowest position; and after that, when the frame of sinkers is moved
backwards in order to slide back the stitches of the work along the stems of
the needles, then the needle bar will be tilted up so as to place the needles
in their highest position. The falling bar may be sustained by lodging its
ends in the slots of the usual star bolts, and stars screws, with stars, the same
being mounted in star boxes which are fixed as usual on the ends of the needle
bar. And after the jacks have been thrown down in succession by the
drawing of the slur, and thereby the thread has been sunk into coarse loops
across and between the stems of the needles, then the division of those coarse
loops into a double number of fine loops is effected by tilting up the needles
so as to raise up all the needles as much as is requisite for so dividing the
loops; and in consequence of the falling bar being borne by the stars and
star boults (which with the star boxes are sustained upon the needle bar) the
falling bar rises with the needle bar because both are tilted up together, and
thereby the falling bar raises up the jacks (which are resting upon it) a very little,
but so much as is requisite for yielding thread out of the said coarse loops, in
order to form the intermediate fine loops, and also for locking up the jacks
with their heads in contact with the under side of the false rim, and their
ends lodged in the hollow of the cramps of their springs, in the same manner

page_text: as already explained respecting the corresponding action of the falling bar in
the first part of our improvements, without requiring any locker bar or lockers-
or thumb plates for the purpose of so raising and locking up the jacks. And
the falling bar must be so supported and applied as that after the dividing of
the loops of thread and the locking of the jacks has been effected as above
described, the falling bar shall then be removed out of the way of the jacks.
as soon as they come forwards along with the frame of sinkers, by the swinging-
motion thereof about its top joints; the particular mode whereby the falling.
bar is to be so removed may be any one of the several modes already described.
in respect to the first part of improvements, or herein-after described.
This fifth part of our improvements is in all cases to have the first part com--
bined with it, and the two so combined may be used without any of the other-
parts of our improvements, or may be used in further combination with any
one or more of those other parts of our improvements, and will render
the stocking frame which is constructed according to this fifth part com-
bined with the first part of our improvements more simple in the structure.
and more steady and easy in its movements, with less liability to wear and.
get deranged than a common stocking frame.
Another sixth and last part of our improvements has for its object to attain
the same results as is retained by the fourth part, viz., to perform the office
of a presser bar (without using any such bar) by means of pieces interposed
and filled into the spaces between the upper ends of the hand bar sinkers,
whre those ends rise up above up above the needles, and also between the
nibs and catches which are firmly affixed to the front ends or heads of the
jacks, without any moveable joints at those heads, according to the second.
part of our improvements, so as to form a row of such interposed pieces, one
over each needle, the same as already described respecting the fourth part of
our improvements, and they operate in the same manner. But such inter-
posed pieces instead of being fixed to the sinkers are, according to this sixth
part of our improvements, merely interposed between the sinkers, and are
supported by their upper ends, which are cast in leads, and those leads screwed
to the ordinary sinker bar, so that the said pieces will project downwards
therefrom into the spaces between the sinkers, in order to stand firm in those
spaces; and although they are not in any way fastened to the sinkers, they
have the same effect as though they were affixed to the sinkers as described
respecting the fourth part of our said improvements, the said sixth part being
used as a substitute for the fourth part. And whereas the parts of stocking
frames are well known and the names thereof, the foregoing description of

page_text: our said improvements, and the manner of performing the same, which refers
to the several parts by their known names, will enable competent frame smiths
to construct new stocking frames, or framework-knitting machinery, or. to
alter old ones so as that the same will be according to our said improvements,
or to some of the several parts thereof, as herein-before described, and also
competent framework knitters will be enabled by the description herein-before
contained to work such stocking frames or framework-knitting machinery, so
as to make stocking fabric or framework-knitted fabric thereby; nevertheless
for more full explanation of our said improvements, we have hereunto annexed
eleven Sheets of Drawings, whereof Sheet A represents a common stocking
frame which has been altered to be according to the first part of our said
.improvements, but without the second, third, fourth, or fifth or sixth parts
thereof.
Sheets I. and II. (with a portion of Sheet III.) represent a common stocking
frame altered to be according to the first and second parts of our improve-
ments combined together, but without the third, fourth, or fifth or sixth parts,
and Sheet IV. (with a portion of Sheet III.) represents a stocking frame con-
structed according to the first, second, and third parts of our said improve-
ments combined together in one machine, but without the fourth or fifth or
sixth parts. And another portion of Sheet III. explains the said fourth part
of our said improvements applied to and combined with the second part.
The names of the several parts of the machinery being written on the said
Drawings will serve to identify the several parts, and to shew what parts are
meant by the names used in the foregoing description. It is unnecessary to
enter into a detailed description of the Drawings, otherwise than as respects
those parts which are altered from the ordinary construction, or which are
newly made.
In Sheets A and I. and II. the connecting pieces which are to support
the jack bar J and connect it with the frame of sinkers E, F, are marked 3, 3.
They are affixed to the sinker bar E above and to the hand bar F below by
screws. Those ends of the pieces 3, 3, which are affixed to the sinker bar E
turn over in front of that bar and are screwed thereto, but the other ends of
the same pieces 3, 3, which are affixed to the hand bar F, turn up behind
the same and are screwed thereto. The two ends of the jack bar J are
firmly fastened to the connecting pieces 3, 3, by screws passing laterally
through those ends. 7 are the pulling-up springs of curled wire which
in Sheet A are hooked to the two ends of the jack bar, but in Sheets I.
and II. are hooked to pieces fitted on the two ends of the jack wire j,

page_text: the upper ends of those two springs being in either case suspended from any
convenient fixed support, or they may be suspended from the two ends of a
scale beam lever poised on a centre pin, which is borne by any suitable fixed
The
standard or support, the manner whereof is shewn in Sheet VIII.
pulling-up springs 7, 7, are regulated to overbalance the weight of the jack
bar and the parts sustained thereby, so that the frame of sinkers E, F,.will
incline to swing backwards about its top joints e, e, as far as the usual stops
(called coking stops) will permit the hanging cheeks to go backwards. The
Drawings, Sheets A and I. and II., shew the curved main spring by which the
cross bar of the spindle bar arms C (and consequently the top joints e) are
borne upwards as far as the same coking stops aforesaid will allow. them to
rise, or at other times as far as the top screws of the front standards will
allow them to rise.
The mode of rendering the falling bar removeable is shewn in Sheets A
and I., II., and III. 4 is the slot at the lower end of what was the star
bolt t, but which bolt is only used as an upright slider. 5 is the new star
screw tapped through the foremost end of 4. The point of the screw 5 rests
upon the horizontal slider 6, which lays across the end of the needle bar, and
the backmost end of 6 is pushed forwards by a wedged-shaped piece 8 affixed
to the connecting piece 3, so that when the frame of sinkers E, F, descends
the slider 6 will be pushed a little forwards in order to bring the commence-
ment of the inclined part of 6 beneath the end of the screw 5, and the slider 6
will be moved forward still more when the frame of the sinkers E, F, is brought
forwards. 9 is a reacting spring fixed to the hand bar F, and pressing on the
front end of the slider 6, to move the same back again. The said parts are the
same at both ends of the falling bar. The upper sides of the sliders 6 are in-
clined, in order that when they come forwards they may let down the screws 5,
the slots 4, star bolts t, and consequently the two ends of the falling bar, as is
shewn in Sheet III. The presser bar in Sheets A and I. and II., with its arms
and bows, and the back presser and presser wire, are all as usual in an
ordinary stocking frame, and so of the presser nuts and fore sinkers; likewise
the coking stops and catches, caster backs and hanging bits, and the stays for
regulating the motion of the frame of sinkers E, F. Sheet II. shews the
inclined position of the jacks resulting from the jack wire; being nearly on a
level with the needles. The camel, slea, and springs partake of the incli-
nation. 10 shews the nib and catch of what was the jack sinker; it is firmly
affixed to the head of the jack by means of two rivets, so as to admit of no
motion of the nature of a joint at the jack head. See a separate view of the
jack in Sheet III.
12 is the belly part of what was the jack sinker; it is

page_text: called the short sinker, and is cast in lead 13 along with the other or long
sinker 14, which answers to a lead sinker. See the separate views in Sheet
III., which shew the long sinkers 14 and short sinkers 12 cast in a row in
the lead 13 alternately long and short, such leads being screwed in a row to
the hand bar F, and are called hand-bar sinkers. In Sheet IV. the supporting
or connecting pieces 3 are as before described, except that they reach farther
back, because the jacks are made without tails and the jack wire is farther
back. The pulling-up springs 7 are represented as curved blade springs fixed
on the spindle bar arms C, and suspending the connecting pieces 3 by the
upright links 15, but which links might be hooked to the ends of the jack
wire. The main spring D in such case requires to be stronger, and is therefore
made of two blades of steel. See also the front view in Sheet VIII. Sheets
IV. and VIII. also shew how additional springs of curled wire may be added
to assist the main spring D, if requisite. The combs 16, Sheet IV., for
returning the jacks, are cast in leads one inch wide, and screwed on the jack
'bar. The jacks are made thinner at the centre parts, which go in between
the combs. See the separate Figures in Sheet III. The slea 18 is cast in
leads one inch wide, which are screwed to the back of the false rim. The row
springs 19, Sheet IV., is in front, their cramps applying to the front ends of
the jacks without tails. The stock 20 of the springs being affixed to the
hanging cheeks by means of pieces 21, which stand up from those cheeks,
so that the springs will partake of the motion of the frame of sinkers E, F.
The slur bar in Sheet IV. is represented to be immoveably fixed across the
frame in a horizontal position by screwing its two ends to the two star boxes.
The slur is inverted with the cock downwards, and it acts across the upper
edges of the jacks near to their foremost ends to push those ends downward.
The mode of rendering the falling bar removeable is the same in effect as
before described, the star bolt t being used as an upright slider with new star
screws 5 resting on the horizontal cross slider 6, which is inclined on its
upper side, and is pushed forwards by the wedge-shaped piece 8 affixed to the
connecting piece 3, and the slider 6 is carried back again by the reacting
spring 9. Note, in Sheet III. another mode herein-before described of
rendering the falling bar removeable is shewn. The star bolt t is used with
its star at top for regulating the height of the falling bar, and consequently
the length of the loops of thread, as usual; but the usual slot 4 at the lower
end, to sustain the end of the falling bar, is prolonged in front at 23, that
prolongation being inclined downwards, and the bottom of the usual slot is
also inclined downwards, and two studs which project out from the end of the
falling bar enter-into the slot, and rest therein above the suminits of the two

page_text: inclined parts whenever the falling bar is sustained in place for the jacks to
fall thereon, the said two inclined parts being provided in order that the falling
bar may descend as the two studs at its end move forward down the said
two inclinations, and 24 is the prong fixed to the hand bar F to keep the
falling bar back in due place whilst the jacks are drawn, but to allow the
falling bar to come forwards and descend whenever the frame of sinkers is
brought forwards. In Sheet IV. a thread layer is represented for laying the
thread across the needles that may be used or not; it is constructed as usual
in stocking frames. See also Sheet VIII. Note, in case additional jacks
and sinkers are introduced at each end of the row thereof, in the places
usually occupied by the lockers and thumb plates, as herein-before described.
There may
be but little room on the hand bar at each end for the hands to
take hold of; in such case, if the machine is to be worked by hand, see
Sheet IV., the frame of sinkers may be actuated by a lever 27 at each side,
with a handle 29 on the front end. The middle part of the length of the
lever 27 being jointed to the hand bar F at 28, and the backmost end 60 of
the lever 27 being suspended by a link 61 from a horizontal centre pin 62
which is fixed to the sole bar. There are two such levers and links, one at
each side of the frame, one handle for the right hand and the other for the
left hand. The link 61 allows the lever 27 to be moved backwards and forwards
endways by its handle 29, and then it moves the hand bar F backwards and
forwards with it; also, when the handle 29 is moved up or down, it gives a
similar motion to the frame of sinkers. Other detached Figures in Sheet III.
represent the lateral projecting pieces of metal which are affixed to the upper
ends of the long sinkers 14 of the hand bar sinkers, where those ends rise up
between the needles, one of the said pieces being thus applied over.each
needle for performing the office of a presser bar, as herein-before described in
respect to the fourth part of our improvements. 65 is one of those projecting
pieces, its lower end being an inverted arch or an obtuse wedge. Such a
O piece is fixed fast to each side of the upper end of each long sinker 14 by
rivets, so as to stand over the two needles between which the said long sinker
14 is situated. The lowest joint of each of the pieces 65 reaches down a little
below the summit of the arch in the sinker 14, and a little more forward than
that summit. The side view shews the manner whereby the beard of each of
; the needles is closed down by a projecting piece 65, which is immediately
over each needle, whilst the stitch of the work is carried forwards along the
stem of the needle by the arch of the sinker, so as to be landed over the point
of the closed beard. The back view shews how a lateral projecting piece 65
is fixed on each side of each long sinker 14 at the uppermost end thereof, só

page_text: that there is one such piece over every needle, and the several pieces-65. form
a row above the needles in order to press the beards of all the needles at once.
One kind of the jacks which are to be used along with these hand-bar sinkers
with lateral projecting pieces is shewn in another Figure in Sheet III., with
the nib and catch 10 of its sinker fixed fast to the head of the jack by two
rivets, as already explained, so as to allow of no motion like a joint at that
head; and the thin plate out of which the said nib and catch 10 is made
passes down between the lateral projecting pieces 65 of the long sinkers 14,
so as to just fill up the vacancy between them, and then each of the said nibs
and catches 10 will stand over one of the short sinkers 12. The pieces 65
are cut away at the back of the upper part of them as much as is requisite to
leave room for the heads of the jacks to move up and down without touching
the pieces 65; also the nib 10 is cut away at the part which is to stand over
the top of the short sinker 12, so much as to leave room for the nib and catch
10 to descend when the loop is to be made without touching the top of the
short sinker 12, which top must extend up about as high as the summit of the
arch of the sinker, and so as that the said top shall not descend below the
needles when the frame of sinkers is depressed to its lowest position. Another
kind of the jacks which may be used is shewn in Sheet V., herein-after
described. In working a stocking frame with the said lateral projecting
pieces 65 instead of a presser bar, the movements requisite to be given the
parts of such stocking frame by the workman will be much the same as usual,
except that there is no presser requiring to be brought down by the foot.
The projecting pieces 65 perform the pressing by their own self-action (as
herein-before described) at the same time when the frame of sinkers is brought
forwards in order to bring forwards the divided loops of thread along the
stems of the needles to the heads of the needles; for the stitches of the
work being also brought forwards along those stems at the same time, the
stitches become banded over the points of the boards by the time that the
loops get to the heads of the needles; but note, it requires the frame of
sinkers to be kept down with a considerable force at the moment when it
is brought so far forwards that the projecting pieces 65 come into action upon
the beards of the needles and begin to close them down. To enable the work-
man to exert the requisite forco it will be best to make use of lever handles
like 27, 29, Sheet IV., already described, because those levers give the work-
man additional power over the frame of sinkers for holding it down whilst he
is bringing it forwards; and when the loops are brought to the heads of the
needles the pressing and landing will be completed, and the frame of sinkers
is then to be raised up immediately in order to take the nibs of the sinkers up

page_text: out of the loops of thread, and in order to bring the bellies of the sinkers into
the proper position to be prepared for knocking over; but note, the frame of
sinkers is to be kept pulled forwards as far as the loops of thread at the heads
of the needles require, and as far as the stops to the frame of sinkers, called
caster backs and hanging bits, will permit it to come whilst it is so rising,
those caster backs and hanging bits being formed so that they will not put the
farme of sinkers at all backwards during the raising of it up, as it is the usual
and well-known office of the caster backs to do in working a common stocking
frame.
Sheets VIII. and IX. explain the manner whereby stocking frames which
are constructed according to our said improvements, as herein-before described,
may have rotary wheelwork and camms applied to them for the purpose of
actuating all the different parts of such stocking frames with the requisite
motions to make stocking fabric or framework knitted fabric thereby, all those
motions being performed in due order and succession by force derived from the
continuous rotative motion of one winch handle, which is turned steadily round
without pause by the hands of the person who thereby works the frame, and
who at the same time superintends the working thereof. Or else such con-
tinuous rotative motion may be given by millwork turned by water-wheel
or steam-engine power, in which case the person who superintends the working
of the stocking frame will have nothing to do but to watch it whilst it is work-
ing by power, and to stop it if anything goes wrong in the working, and after
rectifying whatever is amiss in the working then to put the machinery in
motion again in order to go on working by power.
Figure 1, Sheet VIII., is a front elevation, and Figure 2, a transverse section
of a stocking frame, the upper part of which is represented as being constructed
in the manner delineated in Sheets I. and II., but the stocking frame might have
been represented as being constructed in the mauner delineated in Sheet IV.,
because the differences between the construction of the stocking frame, Sheets I.
and II., and the frame, Sheet IV., will not require any material difference to
be made in the arrangement of the camms and rotary machinery by which
the several part of either of those stocking frames are to be actuated. It is
the rotary machinery alone which is now about to be described by the aid of
Sheets VIII. and IX., and it is assumed that the construction of the stocking
frame (whichever of the constructions herein-before described that may be) as
already sufficiently understood from the foregoing descriptions thereof. A
horizontal axis 30 is extended across in front of the stocking frame, being
supported in bearings on iron bars, which are fixed to the wood framing in any
convenient manner. The said axis 30 is to be turned steadily round with a

page_text: continuous rotative motion, so as to make one complete revolution in the time
during which the stocking frame is working two complete courses of the
stocking fabric. The said axis 30 may be turned by a large spur wheel 31
fixed upon it, near to one of the bearings for the axis 30, the teeth of the
wheel 31 being engaged by those of a spur pinion 32, fixed on the axis of the
two turning handles 34, 34, by which a person standing in front of the stocking
fraine, in a convenient position to see the working thereof, can turn the axis
and pinion 32 round, and the position of that axis should be suitably disposed
as to its height above the floor, and as to its distance before the front of the
stocking frame, to suit the convenience of the person who is to turn it roundl.
The axis of the handles 34, 34, and pinion 32, may be supported in bearings
affixed to and arising up from the aforesaid iron bars which support the bear-
ings for the axis 30; and a fly-wheel may be fixed on the axis of the handles
to regulate the motion wherewith that axis is turned round. If the machinery
is to be actuated by power, a pair of pullies, called fast and loose pullies, 37, 38,
may be applied on the axis of the handles 34, pinion 32, and fly-wheel, in
order to turn those parts by an endless strap or belt from a suitable drum
driven by the millwork, in the usual and well-known manner of turning power
weaving machinery. Or else such fast and loose pullies may be applied on a
distinct axis, having a pinion to work into the teeth of the large spur wheel 31,
in order to turn the same; and in such case the fly-wheel may also be fixed on
that said axis. In either way of applying the fast and loose pullies, the
person who attends the frame can stop the motion thereof by shifting the end-
less strap to the loose pulley 38, and yet when that is done the stocking frame
can, if required, be worked by hand, by turning either of the two handles 34,
and which may be done slowly and with care for ensuring that all the parts of
the stocking frame are in order and will work correctly, and then by shifting
the endles strap to the fast pulley 37 the same will be turned round by power,
so as to resume the working of the stocking frame thereby near to each end
bearing of the axis 30; a camm 39 is fixed fast upon that axis, so as to turn
round therewith; the two camms 39 are both alike, and they act alike to pull
down the frame of sinkers when required, one camm at the right-hand side,
and the other at the left-hand side of that frame, in order to pull both sides down
equally, hence they are called sinking camms. The two sinking camms 39, 39,
perform that office by means of two treadle levers 41, 41, which are disposed
beneath the camms, with a roller on each treadle to apply to the lower part of
the circumferences of the sinking camins, the front ends of the treadles being
their centres of motion, and their opposite or backmost ends are connected by
two upright links 35 with the lower ends of the two hanging checks of the

page_text: frame of sinkers, the upper ends whereof are suspended by the top joints e, e,
from the two spindle bar arms C of the stocking frame, and those spindle bar
arms C are borne upwards by the usual action, but exerted by a strong double-
bladed main spring D, which may be aided by the adjusting springs of curled
wire, if requisite, as already explained. The rollers of the treadle levers 41, 41,
are thereby caused to apply to the under parts of circumferences of the.
sinking camms 39, 39, and those circumferences are cut (as is represected in
Sheet IX.) into suitable steps, with such prominences or elevations beyond.
and excavations or depressions within a true circular and concentric curvature,
as will be proper for causing the frame of sinkers E, F, which is suspended by
its top joints e, e, from the front ends of the spindle bar arms C, to be
depressed and raised again alternately at all those times when the working
of the frame requires the sinkers to be lowered and raised, and to such extent.
as is required at each such time of so doing; whenever the circumferences of
the sinking camms 39, 39, in revolving with the axis 30, present prominences
or elevations to the rollers of the treadle levers 41, 41, then those prominences
will press down the said treadle levers, and by the connexion of the upright
links 35, 35, the spindle bar arms C, and consequently the sinkers, will be.
depressed as much as is requisite for the working of the frame. But as
the sinking camms 39 continue to revolve they afterwards present cavities
or depressions of their circumferences to the rollers of the treadle levers 41, 41,
which will then permit the sinkers to be raised up (as high as the coking.
or other stops will permit) by action of the main spring D and assisting.
springs; and portions of the circumferences of the camms 39, 39, inter-
vening between the prominences and the excavations aforesaid may be formed
circular and concentric with the axis 30, in order that so long as such con-
centric portions are presented to the rollers of the treadle levers 41, 41, the.
spindle bar arms C and the sinkers may be retained steadily at the same
height without rising or falling. The two sinking camms 39, 39, perform
the same office as is usually performed by the two hands of the workman
when he works the frame in the ordinary way by hand, applying his hands
to the two ends of the hand bars F in order to raise and lower the sinkers
thereby; but as he also, when requisite, brings forward and puts backward
the frame of sinkers by his hands, that action is performed in, the rotary
machinery by another camm 40, which is fixed on the axis 30, near to the
middle of the length thereof, and is called the knocking-over camm; it acts.
downwards on a roller borne by a treadle lever 42 (which is similar to the.
treadle levers 41, 41, already described), and from the backmost end of the
treadle 42 an upright link 45 goes up to conneet to the frontmost end of a
:
:

page_text: lever arm 46, projecting out forwards from the middle of a horizontal back
axis 48, which is mounted in bearings supported on the back rafter of the wood
framing, and which axis has two other upright lever ars 47 ascending from
it, one at each end, like spindle bar arms, and from the upper ends of those
upright lever arms 47 horizontal links 44 extend to joints at the lower ends of
the hanging cheeks, below the hand bar F, at the lower part of the frame
of sinkers E, F, and reacting springs of curled wire 48 are applied by the sides
of or parallel to the links 44, in order to pull the hand bar F backwards, the
foremost ends of those pull-back springs 48 being attached to each end of the
hand bar F, and their backmost ends being attached to the fixed wood
framing. The force of those pull-back springs 48 causes the roller of the
treadle lever 42 to apply to the under part of the circumference of the knock-
ing-over camm 40, the form of which is shewn in Sheet IX., and whenever
prominences on that circumference present themselves to the roller of the
treadle lever 42, the frame of sinkers E, F, will be thereby brought
forwards as much as the working of the frame requires; but when
excavations of the said circumference come round to the said roller, then the
frame of sinkers E, F, will be carried backwards as far as the coking stops
will permit by reaction of the pull-back springs 48; or when circular concentric
portions of the said circumference are acting on the said roller, then the
frame of sinkers will be kept steadily at the same place, without either
coming forwards or going backwards. And note, the two upright lever
arnis 47 of the back axis 43, and the horizontal links 44 from those arms to
the hanging cheeks, must be at such distance apart as will allow the jack
bar J and the connecting or supporting pieces 3 at each end of it to descend
into the clear space between the links 44, 44, without interfering therewith
or with the pull-back springs 48. The upright lever arms 47 are fastened
one such lever,arm on each end of the back axis 43 in the same manner as
spindle bar arms are usually fastened on the two ends of the spindle bar in a
common stocking frame. And note, the motion which is given to the frame
of sinkers by the knocking-over camm 40, for bringing forwards that frame
and allowing it to be taken back again by the pull-back springs 48, as well as
the motion which is given by the camms 39, 39, for raising and lowering the
said frame, will be the same kind of motions (and compound of motions) as
are commonly given to the frame of sinkers in a common stocking frame when
worked by hand manipulations. The thread layer and the slur are actuated
by two camms 33 and 36, which are fastened on the axis 30, and they act
alternately on the rollers of two treadle levers 49 and 50, which, as they
correspond to the ordinary treadles on which the workman places his feet,

page_text: they require little explanation beyond what is exhibited by the Drawing.
From each treadle 49 and 50 a strong cord, strap, or chain goes up to the
usual small wheel called the whirl on the axis of the slur wheel, and from a
groove around the circumference of the slur wheel a cord for moving the slur
is carried up each way to the guide pullies at the two ends of the slur bar,
which bar is represented as being immoveably fixed to the framework of the
machinery across the front ends of the jacks, in manner already described.
There is also another groove around the slur wheel to receive a second cord
for moving the thread layer, which cord goes up and over guide pullies at each
end of the horizontal fixed groove wherein the slider of the thread layer
moves across the top of the machine, and from that slider the thread layer
descends to conduct the thread' which is to be laid across the needles. The
action of the camm 33 is to depress the treadle 49, which, by its cord pulling
down from the whirl of the slur wheel, turns that wheel round, and the said
wheel draws the left-hand slur cord so as to draw the slur along the slur bar
from the right hand towards the left, just the same as a workman would do by
treading down with his left foot in working a stocking frame by hand. Also
the same motion of the slur wheel draws the other cord for the thread layer,
and thereby moves the slider of the thread layer from the right hand towards
the left in order to lay the thread across the stems of the needles. The use of.
the two distinct cords to the slur wheel is, that the motion of the thread
layer may begin a little before the slur begins to act upon the jacks, in order
that a sufficient length of thread may be laid across the needles before the
nibs and catches of the jacks begin to operate thereon; and, therefore, when.
the slur does begin to throw down the jacks, there is thread already laid
beneath their nibs and catches in preparation for being sunk into coarse loops
by the descent of those nibs and catches. The two cords which give motion
to the thread layer are not fastened directly to the slider which carries the
thread layer itself, but are tied to the two ends of a horizontal bolt which is
fitted to slide in sockets fixed to that slider (see the front elevation Sheet VIII.,
and the bolt is connected with the slider by two latches, whereof that one
which (for the time being) is moving foremost with the slider holds the bolt
fast to the slider whilst the latter is drawn across; but when it has been moved
so far in its groove as to have carried the thread layer quite across the row of
needles and laid thread thereon without moving farther, then the tail of the
said latch comes in contact with a fixed stop, which disengages the tooth of
the latch from its notch in the bolt, which then ceases to carry the slider and.
thread layer any further, but they remain motionless in consequence of the
slider coming against a fixed stop at the end of the groove wherein it slides ;

page_text: sinkers to rise so as to bring their bellies into action, but whilst that rise is
taking place the camm 40, instead of putting the sinkers back, must keep the
siņkers forwards just as far as will suit for raising the nibs of the sinkers up
out of the loops of thread which are then at the heads of the needles. And
after the sinkers have so risen, then a prominence of the camm 40 must bring
the sinkers further forwards in order to perform the knocking over. Sheet IX.
contains the forms of the camms which are suitable for working a stocking
frame, as aforesaid, with either the fourth or sixth parts of our improvements
substituted for a presser bar, and by comparing Sheet X. with Sheet IX. the
difference above mentioned will be apparent. The detached Figures in
Sheet V. represent the interposed pieces between the upper. ends of the long
sinkers 14 of the hand-bar sinkers for performing the office of a presser bar,
as herein-before described in respect to the sixth and last parts of our improve-
ments. The form and position and the operation of the lower and operative
ends of such interposed pieces to perform the pressing down of the beards
of the needles being precisely the same as already described respecting
the fourth part of our improvements need not be repeated, the difference
between the foregoing description and what is now to be described being only
in a manner of supporting the said interposed pieces in their intended places
between the sinkers, which is done without those pieces being affixed to the
long sinkers 14, but, nevertheless, having the same operation as though they
were affixed thereto. 75'in Sheet V. are the interposed pieces which are
nearly the same shape as the pieces 65 in Sheet III., except that the pieces 75
are longer, and the upper ends are made thin to cast side by side into leads 76
about one inch wide, which leads are fastened by screws to the ordinary
sinker bar, so that the row of pieces 75 will be firmly held projecting down-
wards from the sinker bar into the spaces between the upper ends of the long
sinkers 14 of the hand-bar sinkers, and the
firmly affixed to the front end of the jacks.
needle with its lower end reaching down far
act upon the beard thereof when required for performing the pressing in the
same manner as already described respecting the pieces 65. The pieces 75
are made thick enough to fill up the spaces between the upper ends of the
long sinker 14 and the nibs and catches 10, leaving the latter free liberty
to move up and down, as required. The upper end of each of the pieces 75
which is to be cast in the lead is thinned with a shoulder, which by applying
to the under part of the lead holds the piece more firm from moving
therein. The stocking frame represented in Sheet VI. has the pieces 75
according to this sixth part of our improvements, and the leads 7.6 are there
nibs and catches 10 which are
There is one piece 75 for every
enough between the sinkers to

page_text: shewn in place screwed to the sinker bar. By comparing that part of
Sheet VI. with the aforesaid detached Figures in Sheet V., and with the aid
of the foregoing description, the mode of performing the sixth part of our
improvements will be sufficiently clear. The stocking frame: represented in
Sheet VI. is constructed according to the fifth part of our improvements.
The pins of each of the top joints marked e, are firmly and immoveably
sustained at the upper ends of fixed standards P, which are erected on the
front ends of the sole bars, so as to form a fixed horizontal centre line e for
the swinging motion of the frame of sinkers. The said standards P may
be nearly the same as the back standards commonly used for sustaining
each end of the spindle bar, but now erected very firmly on the front
ends of the sole bars instead of on the back ends thereof. The ends of
the needle bar are cut short, as already mentioned, and the needle bar is.
sustained on end pivots or centre pins u, which are received into sockets.
fixed on the sole bars, and the needles are raised or lowered by tilting the
needle bar about those pivots u as a fixed horizontal centre line of motion.
The jack bar J is affixed to the frame of sinkers, according to the first part
of our improvements, by connecting pieces 3, 3, in the same manner and for
the same purpose as already described respecting Sheet II., wherefore it
requires no further explanation. The pulling-up spring 7 may be applied in
an oblique direction, in order to pull backwards at the same time that they pull
upwards, they give the frame of sinkers a tendency to incline backwards as.
far as the coking stops will permit, those stops being fixed to the under side
of the needle bar at each end thereof, and the weight of the needle bar tends
to tilt it downwards as far as the, usual catches of the hanging cheeks and
the said coking stops will permit. That is the case when the thread is to be
laid across the needles and sunk into coarse loops; but when the stitches of:
the work are to be knocked over, then the needle bar is tilted down still
lower into the position of the separate Figure in Sheet VI., until its weight.
comes to rest on suitable fixed stops or stop screws [herein-before mentioned.
but not represented], which answer the same purpose as the top screws of the.
front standards in a common stocking frame, and which stops appear in:
their usual places in Sheet I. The caster backs are mounted on pièces which
are fixed to the under side of the needle bar at each end thereof, and which:
reach forwards to sustain the caster backs nearly in their usual situation, and.
they act against the usual hanging bits on the hanging cheeks; but as the
caster backs are sustained by the needle bar instead of by the fixed framing,.
they rise and fall with the needle bar, when the same is tilted upwards or
downwards about its centre pivots u. Sheet VI. shews the lever 27 and

page_text: handle 29, by which the frame may be worked by the hands of the workman,
28 being the joint piece fixed to the hand bar for the lever 27 to be poised
upon; and 61 the link which is jointed to the back end 60 of the lever 27,
and extends obliquely upwards to a joint pin 62, at the under side of the
needle bar, near to the frontmost edge thereof. There is a similar handle 29
and lever 27 applied at each end of the hand bar. When the workman
bears down the two handles 29 (but without pulling them forwards at the same
time), the back ends 60 of the levers 27 and the. links 61 tilt up the needle
bar so as to effect the same purpose on the needles and sinkers, as is done by
pulling down the hand bar in a common stocking frame. Or, when the
workman pulls the two handles 29 towards him (but without bearing them
down at the same time), then the levers 27 will pull forwards the frame of
sinkers (the links 61 permitting such motion without affecting the needle bar)
so as to effect the same purpose as is done by pulling forwards the hand bar
in a common stocking frame; and if the workman gives a compound motion
to the two handles 29 to raise or lower, and at the same time move them
forwards or backwards, the action will be communicated to the needle bar
and to the frame sinkers conjointly, so as between the motion of the two to
effect the same purpose on the needles and the sinkers as would be done by
giving à like compound motion to the hand bar in a common stocking frame.
And note, in case the stocking frame, Sheet VI is to be worked by rotary
motions, such as represented in Sheets VIII. and X., then the joints at the
upper ends of each of the upright links 85, instead of being jointed to the
two ends of the hand bar, as shewn in Sheet VIII., are to be connected to
the aforesaid joint pin 62, Sheet VI., at the under side of the needle bar at
each end thereof; also the centre pins for the treaddles 41, 41, Sheet VIII.,
are to be raised up and those treaddles inverted, so that their rollers will
apply upon the upper parts of the two sinking camms 39, 39, above the
axis 30 (instead of applying to the lower parts of the same camms below the
axis), and the links 35 being suitably shortened are to be extended from the
joints at the ends of the treadles 41, 41, to the said joints 62 under the
needle bar; and the parts, when so arranged, will actuate the needle bar with
the requisite motions. The other parts of the rotary motions will require
no difference from what is shewn in Sheets VIII. and X. The slur bar is
represented in Sheet VI. as being placed low down with a tall slur cock
reacting upwards from it to act beneath the tails of the jacks. When the
slur has been drawn along the slur bar to either end thereof, it will go beyond
the extent of the row of jacks. The slur bar is situated so low down that i
will be in some measure out of the paths in which the camels, spring stock

page_text: and other parts have to move, when those said parts are connected to the
frame of sinkers so as to become appurtenances thereof (according to the first
part of our improvements), for when the frame of sinkers is brought forwards,
the camels and the stock of the row of springs must descend, and at the
same time come forwards with a swinging motion about the centre line e of
the top joints. The slur bar is sustained by means of a leg which descends
downwards from it at each of its extremities, and the lowest ends of the two legs
are each mounted upon horizontal centre pins fixed to the wood frame, where-
fore the slur bar is sustained in its requisite horizontal position across the
machine; but, nevertheless, it is left at liberty to be moved backwards and
forwards with a motion parallel to itself, in order that it may be easily pushed
forwards out of the way of the spring stock or other part which may in its
said swinging motion come in contact with the slur bar, which, having at that
moment no duty to perform, it can admit of thus coming forwards, and yet
by action of suitable springs it will return to its proper place, as shewn in
Sheet VI., as soon as the frame of sinkers is put backwards again, and the
spring stock or other parts retreat from their said contact with the slur bar;
and when the same has returned to its place it is held by those said springs to
rest firmly against suitable fixed stops; in this way the slur cord will act
properly over its usual pullies at the ends of the slur bar to conduct the cord
from the slur wheel. And note, this way of mounting the slur bar is appli-
cable to such a stocking frame as Sheet II., being one of the means, in
addition to those herein-before described, of applying the slur bar. The
falling bar in Sheet VI. is sustained by the star bolts and stars which are
mounted in.star boxes fixed upon the two ends of the needle bar in the usual
manner, and in consequence the falling bar is sustained by the needle bar, so
that it will partake of the tilting motion thereof when the needle bar is
tilted upwards, in order to raise the needles for the purpose of dividing the
coarse loops of thread into fine loops. And after such coarse loops have
been formed by the jacks descending (by action of the slur) one after another
on the falling bar, and in so rising with the needle bar the falling bar lifts up
the jacks again, in order to yield thread out of the coarse loops to form the
fine loops, and also to produce the effect of locking up the jacks with their
heads in contact with the under edge of the false rim, and with their heads
lodged in the hollows of the cramps of their springs; but after that locking
up has been thus performed, and the frame of sinkers is to be brought
forwards, as herein-before explained, then the falling bar must be removed
out of the way of the jacks, in order to permit them to come forwards along
with the frame of sinkers with a swinging motion about the horizontal fixed

page_text: centre line e of the top joints. The requisite removal of the falling bar may
be performed by any of the means herein-before described (see Sheet III.)
which will be most suitable to each particular stocking frame; but the means
represented in Sheet VI. is somewhat different from any of the foregoing, but
is of the kind whereby the falling bar is removed by coming forwards and
descending at the same time. The slots 4 at the lower ends of the two star
bolts are formed with double-inclined planes within the lower parts of them,.
see the separate Figures, Sheet V.; and each end of the falling bar has an end
piece 6 fixed to it, with two studs projecting out therefrom to go into the slot
and rest on those two inclined planes in that slot, all in the same manner as
already described in reference to the separate Figure in Sheet III., the only
difference from that description being that the falling bar is kept pressed
backwards by a spring 9 applied to the frontmost part of each of its end pieces.
6, those springs being fixed to the hand bar F; and the backmost end of each
of the said pieces 6 is pushed forwards by the wedged piece 8 affixed to the
connecting piece 3, when the frame of sinkers is brought forwards, and thereby
the falling bar is brought forwards, and then the two studs at each of its ends
come forwards down their two inclined planes in each of the slots of the star
bolts, so as to cause the falling bar to descend as it comes forwards. The
separate Figures in Sheet V. sufficiently explain the action of the parts.
Note, when the needle bar is first raised for dividing the loops, the action of
the end pieces 6 against the wedged pieces 8 moves the falling bar a little
forwards, so as to prepare its two studs at each of its ends for begining to
descend the double inclined planes in each of the slots 4' as soon as the frame
sinkers begins to come forwards, but without actually descending, because the
summit of each of the said inclined planes are horizontal for the studs of the
falling bar to rest securely thereon where the jacks are to fall upon it.
Sheet VII. represents a stocking frame similar to that in Sheet IV., except
that it is always according to the fifth part of our improvements. The writing
on the Drawing Sheet VII., together with the foregoing description of Sheet
VI., will be a sufficient explanation of Sheet VII. But note, that Sheet
is not according to the sixth part of our improvements, as was the case
in Sheet VI., the fourth part being used in used in Sheet VII. in lieu
of the sixth part. The manner of applying the lateral projection pieces
65 to the long sinkers 14 of the hand-bar sinkers, according to that
fourth part, when the jacks without tails are used, as is represented in
Sheet VII., is further explained by separate Figures in Sheet V., and
which mode would be equally applicable to the machine, Sheet, IV. in
lieu of a presser bar. And note, as there may be a want of space for the

page_text: falling bar to descend, in cases when it is to be removed by the mode of a
direct descent, as already explained, space may be gained for the falling bar
by making the needle leads with a projection upwards from their frontmost
ends to receive and hold the needles higher up above the needle bar than
usual, as is shewn in a separate Figure in Sheet V. And note, the leads 18
of the hand-bar sinkers 12 and 14 may be applied against the front face of
the hand bar F, the leads 13 being formed to crank backwards beneath the
under edge of the hand bar, as shewn in a separate Figure in Sheet V., by
which means the hand-bar sinkers 12 and 14 may be made longer, so as to
stand up further out of their leads 13, in order that they may be more capable
of yielding laterally, if that is thought to be desirable, for knocking over the
stitches of the work. Note, the nibs and catches 10, which are to be firmly
affixed to the front ends or heads of the jacks, without any moveable joints
at those heads, will in all cases be as thin metal as the hand-bar sinkers 12
and 14; and the said pieces 10 may, if preferred, be made of steel plate instead.
of iron plate, in order to render them more durable; and the hand-bar sinkers
12 and 14 may also be made of steel plate if preferred.
Having now described our said improvements, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I, the said Henry Warner, for myself and for the said John
Cartwright and Joseph Haywood, do hereby declare that the new Invention
whereof the exclusive use is granted to us by the said Letters Patent of the
Fourth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and forty-one, consists in
the following particulars :-
Firstly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby the jack bar
is firmly affixed by suitable connecting pieces to the frame of sinkers, so that
the jack bar with all its appurtenances, as herein-before explained, becomes
part of the said frame, and will be moved therewith, suitable pulling-up
springs being also used to counterbalance the additional weight wherewith the
frame of sinkers is loaded, so that the said frame may (notwithstanding that
weight) have the same tendency to move backwards and to rise upwards as it
would have in a common stocking frame, as herein-before described. Such-
first part of our improvements being capable of being used by itself without
the following parts, the manner of so doing it being represented in Sheet A of
the Drawings hereunto annexed, but such first part being also capable of
being combined with any or all the next four following parts, viz, the second,
third, fourth, and fifth parts, or else with the sixth part in lieu of the fourth
part.
Secondly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby those portions
of the jack. sinkers which contain the nibs and catches in front of the arches of

page_text: those sinkers are firmly affixed to the front ends or heads of the jacks, without
any moving joints at the said heads, as herein-before explained, such nibs and
catches and jacks being used in combination (but not otherwise than in combina-
tion) with the sinkers herein-before described and denominated hand-bar sinkers,
consisting of a row containing long and short sinkers alternately, cast in leads,
which are fastened in a row to the hand bar, so that the sinkers stand upwards
therefrom to act between the needles in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before described, this second part of our improvements being used in
combination with the first part aforesaid, and not without that first part, but
it may be used without any of the other parts, as is representated in Sheets I.
and II. of the Drawings, or else the said second part (combined with the first)
may be used in further combination with all or any of the next three parts
following, viz, the third, fourth, and fifth parts, or else with the sixth part in
lieu of the fourth part. And note, no claim is made to the said hand-bar
sinkers when the same are used with any other kind of jacks than such jacks
as are mounted on a jack wire which is situated behind the needle bar, and
nearly on a level with the needles, or not much above that level; neither is any
claim made to nibs and catches firmly affixed to the front ends or heads of the
jacks (without any moving joints at the said heads) when the same are used
with any other kinds of sinkers than the said hand-bar sinkers. But the claim
under this second part of our improvements is confined to the combination of
such hand-bar sinkers as herein-before described with jacks of the kind afore-
said, that is, having nibs and sinkers firmly affixed to their front ends or
heads, without any moving joints at the said heads, and the jack wire on which
they are mounted being situated behind the needle bar and nearly on a level
with the needles, or not much above that level.
Thirdly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby the sinkers
affixed to the hand bar, together with the nibs and catches firmly affixed
(without any moveable joints) to the front ends or heads of the jacks, being
according to the second part of our improvements (but the sinkers, nibs, and
catches not being otherwise than according thereto), and also the said parts
being mounted and used according to the first part of our improvements, or
else according to the first and fifth parts (but not otherwise than according to
*such first or such first and fifth parts), may be constructed with the jack wire
or centre of motion for the jacks wholly at the backmost ends of such jacks,
without having any tails extending backwards beyond the wire or centre of
motion, the row of springs and the slea being applied at or near to the front-
most ends of such jacks, and the slur being applied over such jacks between
their said centre of motion and their heads, as herein-before described and

page_text: represented in Sheets IV. and VII. And note, no claim is made to any such
jacks without tails, and having their springs and their slea at their frontmost
ends or heads as aforesaid, if such jacks have any moveable joints at their
frontmost ends or heads for suspending the jack sinkers from such joints, or if
the jack wire and jack bar or comb bar whereon such jacks are mounted is
borne in a carriage on trucks, or other equivalent mode of supporting the
jack bar and jack wire, so that it can move backwards and forwards without
rising and falling in any sensible degree. But our claim under this third
part of our improvements is confined to the combination of such jacks without
tails (and having their springs and their slea at their frontmost ends or heads
as aforesaid) with the first and second parts of our improvements, in the
manner represented in Sheet IV., or else with the first, second, fourth, and
fifth parts, in the manner represented in Sheet VII.
Fourthly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby lateral pro-
jecting pieces are affixed to and used as a part of the long sinkers of that
particular kind of sinkers herein-before denominated hand-bar sinkers, and
mentioned in the second part of our improvements, such projecting pieces
being for the purpose of acting on the beards of the needles, in order to close
the same, and to enable the stitches of the work to be landed thereon without
using any presser bar,, as herein-before explained. But note, such projecting
pieces are only claimed in case they are affixed to and used as a part of the
long sinkers of the said hand-bar sinkers, and are not claimed as applied to
any other kinds of sinkers that are or may be used in stocking frames and
framework knitting machinery. This fourth part of our improvements is in
all cases to be used in combination with the first and second parts, and may
be used in combination with the first and fifth and the second parts, but the
fourth part may be used either with or without the third part.
Fifthly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby the jack bar
being affixed to the frame of sinkers, according to the first part, the centre line
of the top joints whereon the frame of sinkers is suspended is rendered an im-
moveable horizontal centre line for backwards and forward swinging motion of
the frame of sinkers, without any other motion thereof, as herein-before described,
and likewise the needle bar, instead of being fixed is mounted at its ends or
pivots at the back or behind the centre line of those pivots, being an immoveable
horizontal centre line parallel to the other such centre line aforesaid, and the
needle bar being moved up and down on its said end pivots, as herein-before
described, in order to raise and lower the needles (which project forwards as
usual out from the frontmost edge of the needle bar) in a suitable manner for
acting in concert with the nibs and catches and sinkers to perform the usual

page_text: functions of such parts upon the thread, as herein-before described, this fifth
part being in all cases combined with the first part; and those two may be
used in further combination with any or all the other three following parts,
viz., with the second, third, and fourth parts, as is shewn in Sheet VII., or
may be used with the second and sixth part, the latter being in lieu of the
fourth, as is represented in Sheet VI.
Sixthly, in the improvement herein-before described of interposing similar
pieces to those mentioned in the fourth part in the spaces between tlie hand-bar
sinkers, but without being affixed to those sinkers, although acting in the same
manner as if they were affixed, being (in lieu of being so affixed) held in leads
which are screwed to the sinker bar as herein-before described, the said sixth
part of our improvements being capable of being used in any case where the
fourth part is or may be used, being used in lieu and as a substitute therefore,
except that the sixth is not suitable for being combined with the fourth part.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Warner, for myself and for the
said John Cartwright and Joseph Haywood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of August, One thousand eight hundred

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WARNER, of Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Manufacturer of
Hosiery, for myself, and for JOHN CARTWRIGHT, of Loughborough, in the
County of Leicester, Manufacturer of Hosiery, and JOSEPH HAYWOOD, of the
same place, Frame Smith, send greeting.
WHEREAS we, the said John Cartwright, Henry Warner, and Joseph
Haywood, did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most Excellent
Majesty Queen Victoria, that after considerable application and expence we
had invented "IMPROVEMENTS UPON MACHINERY COMMONLY CALLED STOCKING
FRAMES, OR FRAMEWORK KNITTING MACHINERY," and Her said Majesty being
willing to give encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for
the public good, was graciously pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent under
the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing
date at Westminster, the Fourth day of February last, in the fourth year of
Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, to give and grant unto us, the
said John Cartwright, Henry Warner, and Joseph Haywood, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that we or they, by ourselves or themselves, or by our or their
leputies, servants, or agents, or such others as we or they should agree with
and no others), during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said
Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend our
aid Invention within that part of Her said Majesty's Dominions called
England, Her Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,

page_text: in such manner as to us, our executors, administrators, and assigns, shall seen
meet, and as that we or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage
arising by reason of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen years
and for that end Ifer said Majesty requires and strictly commands all Her
subjects whatsoever, within England, Wales, and Berwick-upon-Tweed afore-
said, that they shall not, neither directly nor indirectly, make, use, or put in
practice our said Invention, or any part thereof, nor in anywise counterfeit,
imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition thereto or subtraction
therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or themselves to be the Inventor or
Inventors thereof: And whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso
obliging us, the said John Cartwright, Henry Warner, and Joseph Haywood,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
our hands and seals (or under the hand and seal of one of us), and to cause
the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto had)
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Warner, for myself and for the said John Cartwright and Joseph
Haywood, do hereby declare that our said improvements are described and
ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the eleven Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
Our said improvements relate chiefly to certain parts of the machinery
commonly called stocking frames, or framework knitting machinery, which
parts are known by the names of jacks and sinkers, as well as to several
other subordinate and accessery parts, by which those jacks and sinkers are
sustained and actuated and regulated in their action, so as to perform their
proper functions; the object of our improvements being to give more cer-
tainty of action to the jacks and sinkers, and to render them and the said 3
accessory parts by which they are sustained and actuated more durable in
working, whether the machinery be worked by hand labor in the usual
manner of a person sitting before the same and actuating it parts by exertion
of hands and feet suitably applied, or whether the machinery is provided
with wheelwork, and what is called rotary camm work and accessories 3.
thereto, in order that the requisite motions of all the several parts may
be derived in due order and succession from the continuous rotative mo-
tion of one axis, which axis may be turned steadily round with a continuous
circular or rotary motion, either by the hand of a person standing in front

page_text: of the machine, in the manner of what is called hand rotary machinery, or
else such axis may be turned steadily round by the power of a water mill
or steam engine with a continuous rotary motion, in the manner of what is
called rotary power machinery. Our said improvements are equally applicable
in either of the above three nodes of working the machinery, which is con-
structed according to those improvements.
And for the clear understanding of our said improvements, I will first
explain as much as is necessary relative to those parts of the common stocking
frame which are altered by or affected by the application of our improvements
thereto. The sinkers are those thin blades of iron plates which stand up side
by side in parallel vertical planes in a row in the spaces between the needles,
whereon and across the stems of which the thread is to be laid, and which
thread is then by action of the sinkers to be depressed or sunk down into the
spaces between the said stems of the needles, so as to form a row of undulating
loops of thread waving up and down, so as to rise over across and sink in
between the stems of the needles, which loops are afterwards to be combined
into the texture of the stocking fabric which is making, in order to form an
additional course or row of stitches in continuation of the preceding courses of
that fabric. It is one office of the sinkers to depress the thread into such
loops between the needles, which office the sinkers perform by means of what
are called their nibs and catches, those parts being the most prominent or
salient and foremost parts of the sinkers. The thread is laid across the row
of needles in front of the sinkers beneath the prominent catches of the nibs of
the sinkers in such manner that when the sinkers descend or move downwards
in their spaces between the needles, the catches will depress or bend down
the thread below them, so as to sink the thread into loops in the spaces
between the needles. But in order that such operation of sinking the thread
into loops may be duly performed, the sinkers are not depressed or put down
all at once as one unbroken row, but the thread is sunk gradually or progres-
sively loop after loop, those loops being coarsely made at first and brought to
the requisite fineness afterwards. For this purpose every other sinker in the
row of sinkers is suspended (by a joint pin at the upper end of it) to the front
end of a lever called a jack, which goes backwards behind the sinkers. The
jacks are all mounted side by side in a row upon a horizontal axis or jack
wire, which forms a fulcrum or centre of motion for all the jacks, and about
which centre each jack can move independently of any motion of the other
jacks in the row, in order that the jack sinker which is suspended from the
joint at the front end or head of each jack may be depressed, so as by the
catch of its nib to bend down or sink the thread into a loop between the

page_text: needles, without causing any other jack sinker to be depressed at the same
instant. And the jack sinkers are depressed one after another in succession
by action of what is called the slur cock sliding along a horizontal bar across
the jacks, beginning at one end of their row and striking the jacks crossways
one after another, so as to depress their jack sinkers one after another, in
order that the catches of their nibs may sink the thread into coarse loops, one
such loop after another, beginning at one end of the row and proceeding to
the other end thereof. But the row of coarse loops so formed by the jack
sinkers in the first instance contains only half the number of loops that the
thread is actually required to make, being only one coarse loop for two needles,
whereas there must ultimately be one fine loop to each needle. And in order
to duplicate the number of the coarse loops so made by the jack sinkers, and
convert them into a double number of fine loops, the lead sinkers are brought|
into action. The latter are disposed between the needles in the same row
with the jack sinkers, but interspaced therewith, so that the row (consist-
ing of a sinker to every needle) contains alternately a jack sinker and a lead
siuker. The lead sinkers are all fixed to one horizontal bar called the sinker
bar, and must therefore all descend together in an unbroken row. The lead
sinkers have nibs and catches of the same shape and size as those of the
jack sinkers, which catches of the lead sinkers remained motionless, and above
the needles, over the thread, whilst the slur was drawn, and whilst the jack
sinkers were thereby depressed one after another, in order to sink the thread
by their catches into coarse loops in the first instance, as before mentioned.
But after that is done then the lead sinkers are depressed all together in one
unbroken row, whereby the catches of their nibs bend down or sink the
thread into fine loops in all the intervals between those coarse loops which
were previously formed by the jack sinkers, and the latter are caused to rise
up a little between the needles in order to yield as much thread out of the
coarse loops as is requisite for the formation of the whole row of fine loops.
For the coarse loops made in the first instance by the jack sinkers, although
only half the required number were each of them sunk down between the
needles, to double the depth that is proper for the fine loops which the thread
is ultimately required to make between every needle and its neighbouring
ncedles, and then by the subsequent action of the lead sinkers in order to
duplicate the number of coarse loops and convert them into fine loops, the
quantity of thread which was sunk in the first made deep or coarse loops is
subdivided between those first-made coarse loops and the second-made fine
interinediate loops, when the latter are formed by the descent of the lead
sinkers, and by that means all the loops are rendered fine and alike, with
8

page_text: out any difference remaining between those which were formed one after
another in the first instance by the descent of the jack sinkers as deep coarse
loops when the slur was drawn and the intermediate fine loops, which are
afterwards formed by the descent of the lead sinkers all in one row, together
with the simultaneous reascent of the jack sinkers all in a row in order to
And it is another office of the
cause the latter to yield thread to the former.
sinkers (jack sinkers as well as lead sinkers) after they have thus formed the
thread into a complete row of fine uniformly undulating loops, waving up and
down over and between the needles, and across the stems thereof, to slide all
those loops forwards along the said stems, in order to bring them forwards to
the front ends or heads of the needles, and so as to lodge the said loops
beneath the hooked beards of the needles. That bringing forwards is per-
formed by the nibs of the sinkers (jack sinkers as well as lead sinkers?
acting all together in one row, that row (containing all the sinkers) being
brought forwards in the spaces between the needles, and in so doing the
catches of the nibs keep the loops of the threads sunk down with due tension
between the needles all the while that those loops are being brought forwards.
And as soon as the loops have been so brought forwards the nibs of the sinkers
are put back again a little way, and have then completed their appointed
functions on the thread for the present; and thereupon the sinkers are all
raised up together in one unbroken row, so high as to withdraw their nibs
from the loops of thread, and from between the needles, by raising the nibs
quite above the needles, in order that the nibs may be taken out of the way,
And note, the aforesaid
they having nothing more to do for the present.
putting back of the sinkers a little way, and the raising up of the sinkers
as aforesaid, need not be distinct motions, but they may be (and usually
are) performed at the same time as one compound motion, and in so raising
the siukers other lower parts of the sinkers, called the bellies of the sinkers,
Those bellies are the more
come up into action between the needles.
0 backward part of the front edges of the sinkers, and are situated behind the
nibs, as well as below those nibs, the bellies being at the
It is the office of
of what is called the arch of the sinkers behind their nibs.
the bellies of the sinkers to bring forwards the looped stitches of the preceding
course of the finished stocking fabric, which stitches (all the while that the
5 loops of thread were being formed in manner aforesaid) remained motionless
on the stems of the needles enclosed within the arches and behind the nibs of
the sinkers, which nibs being down between the needles, kept those stitches
distinct from the loops of thread, because the latter were formed on the stems
of the needles in front of the nibs, whilst the former remained undisturbed on
back or remote side

page_text: those same stems behind the said nibs; but after the sinkers have bee
brought forwards so as to bring the loops to the heads of the needles beneat
the beards thereof and the sinkers have then been raised up, so as to withdraw
the said nibs from between the needles as aforesaid, then the stitches have
nothing to keep them separated from the loops of thread which were left by
those nibs at the heads of the needles, and therefore on the sinkers being
brought further forwards the bellies of the sinkers will slide the stitches forward
along the stems of the needles, whilst the bearded points thereof are closed
down by a momentary action of what is called the presser, in order to slide
those stitches forwards over the depressed beards of the needles, and then slide
those stitches over the loops of thread which have been previously lodged at
the front ends or heads of needles beneath the beards thereof, and which loops
were left there when the nibs of the sinkers were withdrawn upwards from
between the needles, as already stated. The sinkers are brought forwards
with considerable force at the period now describing, in order that their bellies
may effectually carry the stitches of the work over the loops of the thread.
The forcible action is called knocking over the work, and by that action an
additional course of the stocking fabric is completed, and added to the
preceding courses thereof, in consequence of the loops of thread becoming
incorporated into the fabric, and forming a row of stitches thereof. Imme-
diately after so knocking over the nibs of the sinkers are again brought into
action, which is done by depressing the whole row of sinkers (jack sinkers as
well as lead sinkers), until their nibs come down lower than the level of the ends
or heads of the needles, in order to enclose the recently-formed stitches of the
fabric within the arch of the sinkers (which arch is a space behind the nibs); and
immediately after the stitches are so enclosed, then the row of sinkers being
put backwards, the nibs slide back the stitches which are within the arches of
the sinkers, in order to carry the same backwards along the stems of the
needles, so as to take the stitches out of the way, and so as to keep them out
of the way during the formation of a new row of loops of the thread which is
about to be begun, by laying the thread across the stems of the needles in
front of the nibs by way of a commencement of a repetition of what has been
already described.
And note, in the performance of the last-mentioned office
of the sinkers it is the backs of their nibs within the arches which are
operative for carrying back the stitches of the work that are at the time
enclosed within the arches of the sinkers, whereas in the performence of the
former office of the sinkers it was the fronts of their nibs which were operative
for bringing forwards the loops of thread along the stems of the needles to the
And in the sinking and dividing (for forming the thread into
Leads thereof.

page_text: loops between the needles) it was the projecting catches at the front of the
nibs which were operative to sink or bend down the thread in loops between
the needles; and in the performance of the knocking over it was the belly
part of the sinkers which was operative to force the stitches over the loops of
thread. All the above particulars of the action of sinkers and jacks is
precisely that of the common stocking frame, and which is well known to frame
siniths and framework knitters, and the same must be kept in mind during the
describing of our improvements. And it must also be kept in mind, that in
common stocking frames the row of jacks, with their accessaries and appurte-
nances, are supprted in a carriage, which moves horizontally backwards and
forwards upon four wheels or trucks running on the fixed sole bars of the
frame, and that the said carriage contains the horizontal jack bar or comb bar,
across which all the jacks are disposed, those jacks being lodged in the spaces
between the combs on that bar, with the jack wire passing through all tho
combs, and through all the jacks which are lodged between the combs, so that
the jack wire supports all the jacks, and serves as their common fulcrum or
centre of motion, and the combs (together with a grating or row of wires
called the slea) retain the several jacks regularly in place, side by side, at their
intended distances apart. The said carriage is caused to move backwards and
forwards by means of two links, called half jacks, which are fitted on the jack
wire, one half jack at each end of the row of jacks; and the front ends of those
half jacks are jointed to a part of the frame wherein the sinkers are contained,
so that whenever the sinkers are brought forward (as herein-before described
to be done) the half jacks will act as links to bring forwards the carriage, with
the jack wire and jacks, and all their appurtenances on its trucks with a
horizontal motion, and vice versa, the half jack will act to put the carriage
back again with a horizontal motion. Whenever the sinkers are put back the
backwards and forward motion of the sinkers is performed by a pendulous or
swinging motion of the whole frame of siukers, wherein the sinkers are
contained, such swinging motion taking place about two joints (called top
joints), at the upper part of the two hanging cheeks or upright sides of that
frame, the horizontal centre line of the two joint pins being at the time
motionless. and serving as a fixed horizontal centre line or axis of swinging
motion. But the said top joints are not always motionless, as aforesaid, for
they are capable of motion up and down (when required), for the purpse of
raising and lowering all the sinkers, as herein-before described, because those
joints are formed at the front ends of what are called the two spindle-bar
arms, which arms reach forwards from a horizontal spindle bar or axis at the
back of the frame, and by motion about that spindle bar as an invariable

page_text: centre or axis of motion, the top joints can ascend and descend in order to
raise and lower the sinkers, but in so doing the aforesaid horizontal centre line
between those joints always continues horizontal, and likewise parallel to itself
and to the row of sinkers, suitably for serving, as before mentioned, for a
horizontal centre line of motion, about which the aforesaid swinging of the
frame of sinkers is to be performed in order to bring all the sinkers forwards,
and put them backwards with parallel motion as one row. And further, the
carriage contains a slur bar, before mentioned, and also a row of springs, which
apply to the ends of the jacks; and there are notches, called cramps, in the
springs to receive the said ends in order to retain the jacks, and consequently
the jack sinkers when the latter are raised up, so that their nibs and catches
range exactly with the nibs and catches of the lead sinkers, and when so raised
the heads or front ends of the jacks to which the jack sinkers are jointed
apply with the upper parts of those heads in contact with the under edge of a
straight horizontal bar, called the false rim, and which is fastened to the sinker
bar behind the same, and by action of the cramps of the several springs on the
ends of the several jacks, the heads thereof are kept in contact with the false
rim, and the nibs and catches of the jack sinkers are securely maintained in a
straight row with the nibs and catchers of the lead sinkers; but nevertheless,
by action of the slur, when it is drawn across the jacks, they will be moved
one at a time, so that their aforesaid ends become dislodged from the cramps
of the springs, and the jacks so acted upon and dislodged descend with their
jack sinkers for sinking the thread between the stems of the needles into coarse
loops, as already explained, and in so descending the jacks drop down to rest
upon the upper side of a straight horizontal bar, called the falling bar, which
stops their descent, and the position of the falling bar as to height is regulated
by two setting screws, called star screws, one at each end of the falling bar,
which serve to set that bar a little higher or lower, in order to regulate the
length of the coarse loops into which the thread shall in the first instance be
sunk or bended down by the progressive descent of the jacks and jack sinkers.
All the aforesaid particulars of what is common in stocking frames being kept
in mind, the description of our improvements will be more easily understood.
One first part of our said improvements has for its object to do away with what
is called the carriage, and in lieu thereof to attach the jack bar or comb bar
firmly to any convenient part or parts of the frame of sinkers by means of
suitable connecting pieces, so as that all the parts which are usually supported
in the carriage shall be supported by the frame of sinkers as appurtenance
thereto, that is to say, the jack bar, with its jack wire and row of jacks,
together with their slea and their row of springs. And also in some cases the

page_text: slur bar and its slur box and cock, likewise the pieces called the camels,
by which the row of springs and the slur bar and the slea are affixed
to the jack bar, all those several parts continuing in their usual state of
combination one with another, will, according to this part of our improve-
ments, become connected with a frame of sinkers, so as to belong thereto, and
so as to move therewith in all its movements; that is to say, the pendulous
motion which the sinker frame performs about the top joints, as well as the
rising and falling motion which the said frame performs with those top joints by
notion of the spindle bar arms about the axles of the spindle bar, and also
such compounded motion of the two kinds, videlicet, of swinging backwards or
forwards, and of rising or falling motion, as the frame of sinkers has occa-
sionally to perform, in consequence of being actuated with both kinds of
motion at the same time; for in consequence of the connection of the jack
bar to the frame of sinkers by connecting pieces, in manner aforesaid, the
jack wire will always be at an invariable distance from the horizontal centre
line of the top joints, and also at an invariable distance from the sinker
bar across the upper part of the frane of sinkers, and from the hand bar
at the bottom of that frame, as well as from the hanging cheeks which
constitute each upright side of the said frame, wherefore the jack bar will
> become part of that frame, as already mentioned, and, together with all the
aforesaid appurtenances to the jack bar, will be borne and sustained by
the farm of sinkers. And the usual ends of the carriage, with the wheels
or trucks thereof, which commonly run upon the sole bars of the frame,
are removed from the two ends of the jack bar and wholly thrown aside,
5 being useless; also the half jacks or links before mentioned, and the half
jack joint pieces upon the sinker bar, by which links and joint pieces the
carriage is usually connected to the frame of sinkers, are removed and
thrown aside as useless, when, according to this part of our improvements,
the parts which are usually supported in the carriage, are supported by
0 their new mode of connection with the frame of sinkers. And note, the
two connecting pieces by which the jack bar is to be connected with the
frame of sinkers at the back, behind the same, according to this part of
our improvements, may be bended into the form of the letter U placed side-
ways, thus, whereof the ends are affixed to the sinker bar above, and
5 also to the hand bar below, one of those connecting pieces at each end of
the said bars, in order to give the greatest strength of connection; the
middle part or bended part of such connecting pieces reaching far enough
backwards behind the frame of sinkers to sustain the two ends of the jack bar,
which are to be firmly fastened to those parts of the said connecting pieces by
0 screws; and in order to sustain the weight which is usually borne by the trucks

page_text: or wheels of the carriage, suitable pulling-up springs are to be applied to the
aforesaid new connecting pieces, or else to the two ends of the jack bar, so as to
overcome the weight thereof, and of all the other parts aforesaid which arc
dependent up n it, and the force of those springs is to be adjusted so as to
overbalance the weight, or so as to give the jack bar a disposition to ascend
rather than to descend, and thereby the effect of the weight of the said parts
which are attached as aforesaid to the frame of sinkers, at the back thereof,
or behind the same, becomes neutralized, and does not give the sinkers any
tendency to advance or swing forwards; but, on the contrary, the said
springs are to be so applied, and their force is to be so regulated, that the
sinkers will just have as much tendency to recede backwards towards the stops
which limit their motion backwards as is the case in ordinary stocking frames,
wherein the jack bar is supported on the trucks of a carriage. The said
pulling-up springs may be made of iron wire curled into a cylindrical form, and
suspended nearly in a vertical direction from any suitable kind of brackets or
fixed supports erected over the stocking frame, the lower end of the springs
being hooked to the two ends of the jack bar, or they may be booked to loops
fitted on to the ends of the jack wire where those ends come out at each end of
the row of jacks at or near to the places where the half jacks are usually
fitted on the jack wire; or the pulling-up springs may be affixed to the two
spindle bar arms, and connected by upright links with the two ends of the jack
bar, the springs being in that case blades of steel bended into curved forms,
cach spring being fastened at its fixed end by a screw on the top of the spindle
bar arm, and from that end curving backwards and upwards and then return-
ing with a curve over forwards, so that the other or acting end of the spring
will reach forwards and rather downwards in order to come nearly over one
end of the jack bar, so that its extremity may be connected therewith (or with
the jack wire) by an upright link, in order that the two blade springs which
are so connected shall pull the jack bar upwards with as much force as will
overcome the weight of the various parts which in a common stocking frame is
borne on the several trucks at each end of the carriage. And in case of so
applying the pulling-up springs on the spindle bar arms, then it will be requi-
site to apply a stronger spring than usual for urging those spindle bar arms
upwards, that spring being (or answering the purpose of) what is called the
main spring, and which spring will in such case have to sustain all the extra 3
weight that is borne by the pulling-up springs on the spindle bar arms, in
addition to all the usual weight that the main spring is appointed to sustain
in the ordinary way of working a stocking frame. Such stronger main spring
may be of the same kind or form as is usually applied to common stocking
frames, and which spring is sustained by the fixed bracket at the back of the 4

page_text: frame (called the gibbet), and the spring acts upwards beneath the lower end of
a regulating screw passing perpendicularly through the end of a short lever arm
which projects forwards from the middle of the spindle bar, so that the spring
acts to bear the spindle bar arms upwards with a force which can be regulated
by the screw; or otherwise such spring may be composed of two slightly
curved blades put together one over the other, with their ends in contact, and
the middle parts of the two blades springing apart one from the other, the mid-
dle part of the lower blade resting on the gibbet, and the regulating screw of the
lever arm aforesaid resting upon the middle of the upper blade will be borne
upwards, thereby, together with the two spindle bar arms; or otherwise a main
spring may be used, as is done in some stocking frames, which is a curved
blade, having its fixed end fastned by a screw upon the gibbet, and proceeding
therefrom backwards and upwards, and then returning with a curve over
forwards, so that the other or frontmost and acting end of the spring will reach
forwards and rather downwards in order to apply with its extremity beneath
the middle of the cross bar, which extends horizontally from one spindle bar
arm to the other, so as to lift the cross bar, and consequently the two spindle
bar arms, upwards; or otherwise curled wire springs may be applied to the
said cross bar in order to pull up the sanie in aid of the usual main spring,
which main spring need not in that case be stronger than the main spring of
the stocking frame would be according to the usual mode of working there-
with, because the said wire springs will exert all the extra force wherewith the
spindle bar arms require to be pulled upwards in consequence of the extra
weight of the parts which are connected to the frame of sinkers being
suspended by springs affixed to those spindle bar arms, as herein-before men-
tioned; and by one or other of the said modes of applying pulling-up springs,
and by regulating the force of such springs, the weight that in consequence of
this part of our improvements becomes added to the weight of the frame of
sinkers must be so neutralized as to have no effect on the working of the
stocking frame, but the frame of sinkers is to have the usual tendency to hang
back as far as the stops behind it will permit, so that when the sinkers are
brought forwards by pulling forwards the hand bar in order to swing the frame
of sinkers forwards with a pendulous motion about its top joints, the said
frame will not fail to return backwards of itself when permitted to do so; and
also that the top joints shall have a tendency to ascend as high as will be
allowed by the stops which are provided to limit the ascent, so that when the
sinkers are drawn downward by pulling down the hand bar that the said frame
will rise up again of itself as soon as it is permitted to do so. And when the
said frame of sinkers is so pulled down immediately after the action of the slur

page_text: on the jacks has taken place for the purpose of what is called sinking and
dividing, that is, for dividing those coarse loops of thread which have been
made by the progressive descent of the jack sinkers into a double number of
fine loops by aid of the lead sinkers, which are depressed by the said downward
motion of the sinker frame, in the usual mauner of stocking frames, as herein-
after explained, then, if such stocking frame is constructed according to this
part of our improvements, the jack bar and jack wire, and the row of springs
of the jacks, will descend along with the frame of sinkers, in consequence of
those parts being connected therewith. But that is not the case with the falling
bar whereon the jacks fell when they were depressed one after another by action
of the slur, and on which bar the jacks continue to rest whilst the division of the
loops is making, for the said falling bar continues motionless whilst the frame
of sinkers, with the lead sinkers, and the jack wire, and row of springs,
descend all together, and the effect of such descent so performed is to raise up
the jack sinkers as much as is necessary for them to rise in the operation
of dividing the loops in order that they may yield the requisito quantity of
thread to the lead sinkers out of those coarse lcops which the jack sinkers
have previously made, and thus enable the lead sinkers (as the catches of their
nibs descend between the needles) to form the thread, so yielded up by the
said rising of the lead sinkers, into fine loops in the intervals between the said
coarse loops. The rise of the jack sinkers which is requisite for so yielding
thread is very small. And whereas, according to this part of our improve-
ment, the jack wire descends whilst the jacks are resting across the fixed
falling bar, the effect of that descent of the jack wire will be to raise up the
jack sinkers a little, but as much as is requisite. The false rim of the sinker
bar and the row of springs descend along with the frame of sinkers, and by so
doing the springs present their cramps to the ends of the jacks, and also the
false rim comes down upon the heads of the row of jacks which are at the same
time rising a little upwards, as above explained, and by the time that the false
rim comes in contact with those heads, then the cramps of the springs will
receive the ends of the jacks into the hollows of those cramps, so as to retain
the jacks with their heads firmly in contact with the under edge of the falso
rim, in which condition of the jacks they are said to be locked, because in a
common stocking frame the jacks are brought into that condition by a hori-
zontal bar called the locking bar, actuated by levers called the lockers, and by
thumb plates, which latter are pressed by the thumbs of the workman when he
holds the hand bar in his hands, and depresses the frame of sinkers thereby,
in order to make the division of the loops; but according to this part of our
improvements, the locking bar with its lockers, and the thumb plates for

page_text: enabling the workman to act upon those lockers, (and by means thereof to
act upon the jacks, in order to raise the same up as much as is required for
locking them.) all become useless, and therefore all those parts may be
removed from the frame, and thrown aside, because the office which is to be
performed by them is performed without them, or rather takes place of itself
in consequence of the jack wire and the row of springs descending along with
the frame of sinkers (in the act of dividing the loops), as must be the case
when those parts are all connected together according to this part of our
improvements, as already explained; but the falling bar nevertheless remain-
ing motionless when the jacks fall upon it, and whilst they remain resting upon
it, in the same manner as the falling bar always does in ordinary stocking
frames; and by thus getting rid of the locking bar, lockers, and thumbs plates,
the stocking frame is rendered simpler, and has so many parts less to wear and
get out of order; and also the working of the frame is rendered casier to the
workman, from not requiring force to be exerted by the thumbs, but only
requiring force to be exerted with the whole hands to pull down the two ends
of the hand bar. And further, all that space which the lockers and thumb
plates occupied in the width of the frame, at each side thereof, becomes avail-
able (when the said parts are removed) for introducing additional combs, jacks,
and sinkers at each end of the row thereof, if that is desirable, for the purpose
of making a greater width of stocking fabric than the same frame could do
when it had lockers and thumb plates; for the lockers are levers, and portions
of each end of the jack wire serve those levers as their centre of motion, those
portions of the said wire being where it comes out beyond each end of the
5 row of jacks. Hence, when those lockers are removed, additional combs and
jacks may be introduced into their places, such additional jacks being mounted
in the said additional combs upon those parts of the jack wire whereon the
lockers were previously mounted; and although the falling bar has been men-
tioned as remaining motionless (the same as is the case in an ordinary stocking
0 frame), whilst the division of the coarse loops of thread into fine loops is
effected, nevertheless, when the frame is constructed according to this part
of our improvements, the falling bar must be so supported and applied as
that it will afterwards pass out of the way of the jacks when the frame of
sinkers is brought forwards, as is required to be done immediately after the
35 division of the loops has been effected, and after the jacks have become locked
with their heads in contact with the under edge of the false rim, and their ends
lodged in the hollows of the cramps of the springs, in the manner and by the
means herein-before described; for as soon as the jacks are so locked the
falling bar is no longer requisite to support them, and it must be removed out

page_text: of the way of the jacks, because they will have to descend further than the fall-
ing bar would otherwise allow them to do when they come forwards along with
the frame of sinkers by the swinging motion thereof about its top joints. The
requisite removal of the falling bar may be effected by causing it to move
forwards into sloping prolongations of those horizontal slots wherein the ends
of the falling bar are commonly lodged in order to support that bar, those
slots being at the lower ends of upright sliders called the star bolts, and which
bolts are fitted into fixed supporting brackets called star boxes, and which are
fixed in an upright position upon the ends of the needle bar; and the star bolts
have screws cut upon their upper ends with nuts fitted thereon called the
stars, which being turned round, they act to raise or lower the star bolts,
together with the slots at the lower ends of them, and consequently the fall-
ing bar (whereof the ends are supported by being lodged in those slots) is also
raised or lowered. The said slots of the star bolts are usually horizontal, and
the ends of the falling bar are kept forced forwards in those slots as far as
the length of the slots will permit, by action of a long blade spring which is
applied along the back edge of the falling bar, with its middle fixed to the
middle of the said bar, and its two ends are applied in the backmost ends of
the two slots; wherefore the elastic force of the spring urges the whole fall-
ing bar forwards as far as ever the foremost ends of the slots will allow the
ends of the bar to come forwards, such being the usual way of applying the
falling bar in a common stocking frame; if such frame is to be worked acccrd-
ing to this part of our improvements, then the said slots of the star bolts are
to be prolonger in front beyond their usual length, and the prolonged parts
are to be made inclined from the horizontal so as to slope down forwards at the
front ends, the bottom parts of the usual slots being also similarly inclined, and
two studs at each end of the falling bar enter into each slot; and in order to
keep the falling bar in due place in such prolonged and double-inclined slots,
the frame of sinkers is to have two small prongs fixed fast to it (either to the
hand bar or to the sinker bar) in order to apply to each end of the falling
bar against the front edge thereof, so as to keep that bar held back to the
very same position which it would occupy in a common stocking frame when-
ever the frame of sinkers is put quite back into the position for forming the
loops of thread, and dividing the same into fine loops; but as soon as the
frame of sinkers is brought forwards after the loops have been so divided, then 3
the said two prongs come forwards with the said frame, and thereby leave the
ends of the falling bar at liberty to come forwards, whereby the said studs at
the ends of the bar advance over the two inclined parts of each slot of the
star bolts, in consequence of the bar being continually pressed forwards from

page_text: behind by its blade spring before mentioned; and owing to the said two
inclined parts of each of the slots of the star bolts being similarly inclined
from the horizontal, the falling bar will descend as the two studs at each of
its ends come forwards on those double-inclined slots, and thereby it gets down
so as to become removed out of the way of the jacks when the sinkers are
brought forwards, as already stated to be requisite; and when the frame of
sinkers is put backwards again, then its two prongs aforesaid meeting the ends
of the falling bar, push the same backwards in the aforesaid slots of the star
bolts in opposition to the blade spring behind it, and owing to the inclined
direction of those slots, the falling bar ascends as it is pushed backwards, so
that by the time the frame of sinkers gets quite back, the falling bar will bo
restored to the very same position as the falling bar occupies in a common
stocking frame; or otherwise the requisite removal of the falling bar may be
made by causing it to descend directly downwards, when the frame of sinkers
comes forwards, instead of descending obliquely, by moving forwards and
downwards at the same time, in the manner already described. To cause
such direct descent the nuts called stars are to be taken away, in order that
the star bolts may be allowed to move freely up and down in their
The slots at the lower
star boxes in the manner of upright sliders.
end of the star bolts are to be horizontal slots as usual in common stocking
frames (and as above described), the ends of the falling bar being lodged in
those slots, so that raising and lowering the star bolts will produce a corre-
sponding raising and lowering of the falling bar; and to perform the office of
the stars which are removed, two upright setting screws are tapped through
suitable projections at the front ends of the slots of the star bolts, so that the
said screws stand up by side of those bolts, and have heads on their upper
ends, with nicks around those heads to set the screws by, and the lower ends
or points of those screws rest upon two horizontal sliders, which are laid
across the upper side of each end of the needle bar; and by the said points of
those screws resting thereon, the star bolts, and consequently the falling bar,
is supported; but by turning the said two setting screws (by means of the
Leads on their upper ends with the nicks to set the screws by) the height at
which the falling bar is so supported can be regulated in the same manner
and for the same purpose as would be done by turning the ordinary stars or
nuts on the upper ends of the star bolts; and by such means, whenever the
frame of sinkers is put quite back as far as it can go, and whilst the forma-
tion of the first coarse loops, and also whilst the division of those loops into
fine onės is effected, the falling bar is sustained in the very same position that
it occupies in the common stocking frame, and with suitable means of regu-

page_text: lating its height in that position; but after that division is effected, when the
frame is brought forwards, then two prongs which are affixed to some of those
parts, which are connected with and belong to the frame of sinkers, come in
contact with the backmost ends of the two horizontal sliders above mentioned,
which lay across the ends of the needle bar, so as to push those sliders for-
wards endways as the frame of sinkers comes forwards, in order that the upper
surfaces of those sliders, whereon the points of the two upright setting screws
rest as aforesaid, may move forwards beneath those points; and the said
surfaces are inclined planes which, as they come forwards, let the points of
the said screws down, together with the star bolts, and consequently the falling
bar (whereof the ends are sustained by the slots of those star bolts) is let
down perpendicularly so much as will produce the requisite removal of the
falling bar out of the way of the jacks by a direct descent; and afterwards,
when the frame of sinkers is put backwards again, then the said two prongs
retreating away from the backmost ends of the said two horizontal sliders allow
the same to be moved backwards by reaction of suitable springs, which are
applied to the frame of sinkers, and act upon the frontmost ends of the said
two sliders; and in so moving backwards the inclined surfaces of the two
sliders acting beneath the points of the two setting screws aforesaid afterwards
raise the same upwards, together with the star bolts, and thereby (by the
time that the frame of sinkers gets quite back) the falling bar will be
restored to the very same position as the falling bar occupies in a common
stocking frame; and this part of our said improvements may be applied to
common stocking frames already in use by altering and adding to the parts
thereof in manner herein-before described; but whereas considerable dif- s
ferences will be found to exist in the details of the construction of the parts of
such stocking frames, the exact nature of the alterations and additions to be
made therein, must be adapted to suit each individual case, so as that the
stocking frame when altered will be according, or nearly according, to the
foregoing description. And note, as to the slur bar, it is usually mounted in 3
the carriage, and has a guide pulley at each end of the bar for conducting
the slur cord from the slur wheel to the slur; and the ends of the slur bar
extend out each way over across the sole bars, beyond the caps of the wood
frame, whereon those sole bars rest, in order to sustain the said guide pullies
in a situation where they will keep the cord clear of the wood; but when the 3
carriage is done away with, and the slur bar is connected to the frame of
sinkers, according to this part of our improvements, then the slur bar will in
most instances have to descend considerably below the level of the sole bars
every time that the frame of sinkers is brought forwards and depressed,

page_text: because the slur bar will then have a considerable motion downwards. The
ends of the slur bar must, therefore, be cut off short enough to allow them to
pass down into the space between the sole bars and the caps of the woodwork.
The slur pullies may be applied as usual at the two ends of the slur bar when
it is so shortened, provided that there is room for them between the sole bars
and woodwork, the slur cord being conducted over those pullies down to the
slur wheel as usual, except that the cord will be inside of the wood frame
very much
instead of outside the same; but as the said cord will become
slackened every time that the slur bar descends, suitable guides must be fixed
in order to retain the cord in the grooves of the slur wheel and pullies, so as
to prevent it from getting out from any of those grooves when it is slackened,
grooves when
and thereby ensure that the cord shall be in true place in those
the slur bar and other parts resume their proper positions for drawing the
slur, and in which position the slur cord will become tightened as much
as is usual and is requisite for so drawing, or otherwise the slur cord may be
conducted over pullies situated exactly in the usual position where the two ends
of the long slur bar would come, but, instead of being supported at the ends of
that bar (which is to be cut off short as aforesaid), those pullies being
sustained by the sole bars or by the caps of the wood frame. In fact, the
same ends of the slur bar which are cut off with the pullies in those ends may
be fixed to the sole bars or to the woodwork, so that the said ends and their
pullies will be in the same positions at the time when the slur is to be drawn
as if the slur bar were entire as usual, and therefore the slur cord will be
conducted from the slur wheel outside the wood frame, and over those pullies,
to the slur box at each end thereof, just as usual for drawing the slur; but
whenever (in consequence of the motion of the frame of sinkers) the slur bar
descends and comes forwards, the said pullies will not partake of such motion,
and therefore the slur cord will be bended out of its straight line between those
pullies, and bended from its parallelism to the slur bar; and the cord must be-
worked slack enough to permit of such flexure without impediment. The
latter mode of conducting the slur cord over pullies which are sustained inde-
pendantly of the slur bar is preferable to the first-mentioned mode of having
those pullies at the ends of the shortned slur bar, because in the latter mode
the force wherewith the slur cord is pulled down over the pullies in order to
5 draw the slur will have no tendency to disturb the slur bar and frame of
sinkers, as it will have in case of the pullies being sustained at the ends of
shortened slur bar; and for which reason, in that case, the new pulling-up
springs herein-before mentioned, and the main spring of the stocking frame,
must be set, so as to pull up the jack-bar and the spindle-bar arms with so

page_text: much force as that the force of the slur cord, pulling down over the pullies,
will not be able to pull down the slur bar or disturb the frame of sinkers from
the proper quiescent position that it requires to have whilst the jacks are being
acted upon by the slur, or otherwise the shortened slur bar (having pullies at its
ends), instead of the slur cord going down therefrom direct to the slur wheel,
that cord may be first conducted over additional pullies which are sustained
by the spindle bar arms at the front ends thereof, as near to the top joints as
can conveniently be, and other additional puilies as near to the spindle bar as
can conveniently be, and from the latter of such pullies the slur cord will
pass down to the slur wheel, in which way of conducting the slur cord it will
not become materially slackened by the descending and advancing motion
which the slur bar will have in consequence of its being affixed to the frame
of sinkers, and therefore moving therewith when the same is brought forwards;
neither will the force with which the slur cord is pulled whilst the slur is
drawing have any sensible effect to disturb the quiescent position of the frame
of sinkers. The pullies at the end of the shortened slur bar are applied
thereto, so as to direct the slur cord obliquely forwards and upwards to those
two additional pullies aforesaid, which are applied at the top joints, and which
may be mounted on centre pins fixed to the ends of the joint pins of those
joints, so as to correspond with the centre lines thereof, or nearly so; and the
slur cord, after passing over those puilies, is then to go backwards parallel to
the spindle bar arms in a direction towards the spindle bar, and then over the
other additional pullies aforesaid, which are applied on the spindle bar arms by
being mounted upon centre pins fixed on those arms, so as to project out hori-
zontally and laterally therefrom, and in a suitable position to conduct the slur
cord down to the slur wheel, but the said pullies are to be disposed as near to
the spindle bar as they can conveniently be situated, in order that the force
wherewith the slur cord is drawn may act so near to the centre of motion of
those spindle bar arms that they will (by the upward action of their main-
spring) effectually resist that force without being at all moved thereby. And
note, if the said last-mentioned pullies were to be mounted on centre pins
corresponding with the centre line of the spindle bar, then the force of the
slur cord would have no tendency whatever to pull down the spindle bar arms;
and also, if the centre pins of the other pullies before mentioned were to
correspond with the centre line of the top joint pins, then the force of the s
slur cord would have no tendency to derange the quiescence of the slur bar
and the frame of sinkers. And a stocking frame which is constructed
according to this part of our improvements, or which is altered from the
common plan to be according thereto, may have all its other parts (which
have not been mentioned in the foregoing description as being added to or 4

page_text: altered) just as usual, or with any variations therefrom; and those other parts
may work in the same manner as usual, or with any variations therefrom;
that is to say, the usual carriage of the stocking frame being done away with,
and in lieu thereof the jack bar being firmly connected to the frame of sinkers.
and the weight of all the parts which are usually borne by the trucks of the
carriage being balanced by suitable pulling-up springs with a stronger main-
spring if requisite, and the locking bar with its lockers and thumb plates being
removed, and additional combs, jacks, and jack sinkers, and lead sinkers being
added in the places which those parts occupied, in case it is desirable to make
such additions, and the falling bar being sustained by suitable star screws, so
as to be motionless when the jacks fall on it and whilst they rest upon it, but
so that the said bar will descend when the frame of sinkers is brought
forwards, also the slur cord being suitably conducted from the slur wheel to
the slur, all in the manner herein-before described, then the manipulations or
mode of working the frame so constructed or altered will be just as usual in
a common stocking frame, except that there will be no action of the thumbs
in the act of dividing the loops, but there will be merely the usual action of
pulling down the hand bar by the hands, and thereby (without the aid of any
locking-bar, lockers, or thumb plates) the requisite effect of raising up the
jack sinkers a little (but as much as is requisite) during the division of the
loops will take place of itself, owing to the jack wire (when it is applied
according to this part of our improvements) descending at the same time when
the frame of sinkers descends (which is not the case in any stocking frames
hitherto invented), whilst the falling bar remains motionless, as is usual in all
stocking frames; and, in like manner, owing to the row or springs of the
jacks also descending at the same time when the frame of sinkers desceuds,
the cramps of the springs take the ends of the jacks into the hollows of those
cramps, so as to effect the requisite locking of the jacks with their heads in
contact with the under edge of the false rim, that locking taking place by
itself from the mere pulling down of the frame of sinkers in the act of
dividing the loops, without any locking bar, lockers, or thumb plates or any
manipulation with thumbs or otherwise than merely pulling down the hand
bar with the two hands. And a stocking frame constructed or altered and
worked according to this part of our improvements will be subject to much
less wearing than usual in its jacks, jack wire, combs, siea, jack sinkers, and
springs, because there will be no motion of the jacks in their combs about
their jack wire or in their slea, nor any motion of the jack sinkers about their
suspending joint pins at the heads of the jacks, nor any motion of the ends of
the jacks against the cramps of their springs, otherwise than the motion that

page_text: is absolutely necessary for the performance of the respective functions of those
parts in forming the thread into loops; that is to say, such motion occurs
during the time that the jacks are moved one after another by action of the
slur, and also occurs again when the locking of all the jacks takes place of
itself as aforesaid; but at all other times during the working of the frame,
in consequence of the jack wire and combs and the jacks and springs and
slea moving along with the frame of sinkers, there will be no relative
motion between the jacks and their combs and jack wire and slea, nor
between the jack sinkers and their joint pins at the heads of the jacks,
nor any relative motion between the ends of the jacks and the cramps of
their springs, whereas in a common stocking frame, owing to the jacks
being sustained in a carriage running on trucks or other equivalent mode
of support, although thereby the jack wire is allowed to move backwards
and forwards, nevertheless that wire is not allowed to ascend or descend,
and, in consequence, when the frame of sinkers is moved down or up and
forwards or backwards, there is a continual needless motion of the jacks in
their combs and about their jack wire and in their slea, and also of the
jack sinkers about their suspending joint pins, and of the ends of the jacks
against the cramps of their springs, which needless motion occasions those
parts to wear away much faster and to get out of order much sooner than
will be the case in a stocking frame which is altered or constructed so as
to be according to our said improvements. And further, the half jacks and
their joint pieces, as well as the locking bar, lockers, and thumb plates, being
all thrown aside when the frame is constructed or altered to be according to
this part of our improvements, the usual wearing of the joints of all those
parts is, of course, avoided, and other parts of the frame are not exposed to
the derangement which is consequent upon such wearing.
Another second part of our said improvements is to affix so much of the
jack sinkers as constitutes the nibs and catches thereof to the front ends or
heads of the jacks without any moveable joints at the heads of the jacks
for suspending the jack sinkers therefrom, as is the usual mode in stocking
frames, and also affixing all the lower or belly part of the jack sinkers in the
same row with the lead sinkers, the complete row of sinkers being cast in
leads which are affixed to the hand bar or lower bar of the sinker frame, so
that the sinkers stand upwards therefrom between the row of needles, and,
therefore, we denominate such row of sinkers hand-bar sinkers. The sinkers
in a common stocking frame are long pieces of iron plate, suspended by their
upper ends from the leads on the sinker bar, and from the joint pins at the
heads of the jacks, and the sinkers after passing down between the needles

page_text: have their lower ends retained in a space between the hand bar and the leaf
thereof, which latter is also called the facing bar; but according to this second
part of our improvements, the sinkers are short pieces of iron plate cast in
leads so as to project out therefrom and form a complete row of one sinker
for each needle, which row we call hand-bar sinkers, and it is fastened by its
said leads to the hand bar so as to stand up therefrom, and the upper ends of
the sinkers reach up between the needles. The said sinkers, as to the general
form of their nibs, with catches in front thereof and their arches behind the
nibs, with their bellies at the remote side of the arches and lower down thau
the nibs, may be of the same form as usual in stocking frames, the difference
between the common sinkers and the hand-bar sinkers being in the manner
of applying and supporting the row of sinkers in the frame of sinkers by
fastening them firmly by means of their leads to the lower bar of that frame
called the hand bar, instead of suspending the sinkers by their upper ends
from the sinker bar and from joint pins. at the heads of the jacks, and guiding
or retaining them at their lower ends in the space between the hand bar and
its facing bar. The row of hand-bar sinkers so formed consisting of one
sinker for every needle, contains two sorts, long and short sinkers interspaced,
one sort between the other, a long one and then a short one alternately of the
said sinkers. The long sort has a nib with a catch in front of the arch, and
the upper end of the sinker extends a little higher than the highest summit of
the arch of the sinker, just enough to enable the nib (which is in front of the
arch) to be a firmly connected prominence from that part of the sinker which
is at the back of the arch; the said long sinkers being, in fact, the same as
the common lead sinkers of an ordinary stocking frame would be if they were
shortened by cutting them off across at a small distance above the summit of
their arches, putting aside their upper portion which is so cut off as useless,
and reserving only the lower portion to be cast with the lower extremity of it
into the lead, wherein all the sinkers both long and short are to be held side
by side in one row, and that row held by screwing the lead to the hand bar.
The short sinkers have no nibs, being merely the lower or belly part, or that
part of the sinker which is behind the arch. The short sinkers are, in fact,
the same as the common jack sinkers of an ordinary stocking frame would be
if they were cut across from behind a little below the highest summit of their
arches, so as to cut from the back into the arch in order to separate the sinker
into two portions, the uppermost of which would have the nib and catch pro-
jecting downwards from it, and the lowermost portion would be only the belly
part and back of the arch, but without the summit of the arch, because the
shortened sinker docs. not reach quite so high as that summit. The said

page_text: lower portion is to be cast with its lower extremity in the same lead, wherein
as aforesaid, all the sinkers, both long and short, are to be held side by side i
a row in alternate order, that row consisting of a long sinker aforesaid with
nib and catch upon it, and the next thereto a short sinker aforesaid without
any nib or catch, and so on alternately. The belly parts of both sort of
sinkers correspond one to the other, in order to form a uniform row of bellies.
The short sinkers are high enough to reach up between the needles, and they
come below the same, but the long sinkers not only reach up between the
needles, but their nibs also return down again between the same needles.
The aforesaid upper portion, which is cut off from the jack sinker, and which
has the nib and catch descending from it, as above mentioned, is to be fastened
firmly to the front end or head of the jack, so as to have no play or motion
(like a joint) at that head; but nevertheless, that fastening may, for con-
venience, be effected by the usual joint, consisting of a slit in the head of the
jack to admit the sinker therein, and a joint pin or revit through the slit part
of the head of the jack, and also through the sinker; still such joint pin is not
to be a moving joint, but is to be rivetted fast, and also another like pin is to
be inserted by the side of it through the slit part of the head of the jack, and
through the sinker that is lodged in that slit, and that pin as well as the other
rivetted fast, so as by means of the two pins to affix the sinker firmly and
immoveably to the front end of the jack, in order that the sinker may project
downwards from the jack in such direction that when the jack is mounted in
its place in the stocking frame on the jack wire, the said nibs and catches
which are so affixed to the jacks will occupy their intended places in the row
of nibs and catches of the hand-bar sinkers, so as (when the jacks are what
is termed locked) to range straight in that row and supply the absence of nibs
and catches therein, which is occasioned by the short sinkers having no nibs
and catches upon them; for the nibs and catches affixed to the jacks will
place themselves in front of and over the tops of the short sinkers, and will
supply the nibs and catches whereof those short sinkers are deficient.
It has
been already described by way of illustration as if the short sinker and the nib
and catch affixed to the jack were made out of a common jack sinker by
cutting the same across into two portions, whereof the lower portion is cast in
place in the row of leads of hand-bar sinkers, and the upper portion is affixed
to the jack, as aforesaid. In case of altering an old set of sinkers, they may s
be treated in that way (although it will in most cases be preferable to make
an entire new set of sinkers); and in continuation of the said illustration it
may also be stated, that when the hand-bar sinkers and the jacks are mounted
in their intended places in the stocking frame, as above mentioned, that then

page_text: the two said portions into which each jack sinker has been supposed to be cut,
will become replaced in their true relative position, one in respect to the other,
as they were before they were cut asunder, although the lower portion is
affixed by the lead to the hand bar, and stands upwards therefrom, whilst the
upper portion is affixed fast to the front end or head of the jack and projects
downwards therefrom. And note, it is only when the jacks are in the con-
dition commonly called locked, by having their ends lodged in the hollows of
the cramps of their springs, and their heads thereby held up in contact with
the under edge of the false rim, that the nibs and catches which are affixed
to the jacks will range as above mentioned in the row of nibs and catches of
the hand-bar sinkers; but when the ends of the jacks are dislodged from the
said hollows of the cramps of thir springs (by action of the slur), and the jacks
in consequence drop down to rest on the falling bar in the usual course of
working, then the catches on the nibs of the jacks will descend so much below
the needles as to sink the thread down between the same into coarse loops,
in the same manner as such loops are usually formed, and as herein-before
explained. The only difference from the action of a common stocking frame
being, that it is merely the nibs and catches which descend with the jacks
without the belly parts of the sinkers partaking of the descent, as those belly
parts must necessarily do in the common plan, where the nibs and catches of
all the sinkers are formed in the same pieces of metal as the belly parts of the
same sinkers. And note, in order to permit of the said descent of the nibs
and catches of the jacks, without the belly part of the corresponding short
sinkers (at the back of the arch thereof) partaking of such descent, the
portion of sinker which is affixed to the jack must be cut away behind the nib
and catch at the part which is directly over the top of the short sinker, in
order that the said top may not be struck by any part of the sinker which is
affixed to the jack; that is to say, in case of a common jack sinker being cut
off into two portions, as before stated, for illustration, a part of the upper
portion where the same was cut off must be removed from over and rather
behind the summit of the arch, so much as to admit of all the motion that
the nib and catch of the upper portion require to perform when the
slur is drawn and the jack falls, in order that the said motion may not
occasion any interference with the lower portion when the said lower portion
does not partake of such falling motion. And note, the jack wire should,
according to the second part of our improvements, be placed lower than usual,
and therefore the jacks must be placed with their front ends inclining upwards,
so that their heads will come into the usual place for the heads of the jacks
beneath the false rim; and, consequently, if the joints are straight (or of the

page_text: usual form), then the tail ends of the jacks and their springs will be much
lower than usual. The jack wire ought to be nearly on a level with the stems
of the needles where the thread is laid across them. The jack bar in this
second part of our improvements is to be connected with the frame of sinkers
so as to belong thereto according to the first part of our improvements, as
already explained, and in consequence of affixing the nibs and catches firmly
at the heads of the jacks, and of fixing the belly part of all the sinkers in one
row to the hand bar, according to this second part of our improvements, a
stocking frame will be rendered much more durable than on the common plan
with moveable joints at the heads of the jacks, because those joints, from the
thinness of the jacks and of the sinkers, wear loose on the joint pins, and then
the accuracy wherewith the sinkers should operate cannot be maintained; and
although by adoption of the first part of our improvements, as already
explained, the motion about the said joint pins at the heads of the jacks, and
consequently the wearing, will be rendered much less than takes place in the
common stocking frame, nevertheless it is better to get rid of those moveable
joints altogether, and render such joints rigid and immoveable, as is done
by the adoption of the second part of our improvements in addition to and
in concert with the said first part, and thereby a stocking frame will be
rendered very durable, because the nibs and catches which are affixed to the
jacks have nothing to perform except to sink the thread into coarse loops, and
next to divide the same into fine loops, and then to carry those fine loops
forwards along the stems of the needles to the heads or front ends of the
needles, and also after the knocking over, whereby the same loops have been
converted into stitches of the work, then the said nibs have to carry the same
loops (or rather stitches) backwards along the stems of the needles, such being
all the offices which the nibs and catches of sinkers have to perform, as
already explained at the commencement of this Specification; and on con-
sidering the said explanation it will be obvious that the performance of the
said offices requires but little force to be exerted, and will therefore cause but
very little strain or wear on the jack wire and on the centre holes of the jacks
and of the combs; and by virtue of the first part of our improvements the motion
of the jacks about their jack wire and in their combs, and the motion between
the ends of the jacks and the cramps of their springs, and also in their slea,
is reduced to the motion of those parts which is absolutely necessary, all
needless motion, such as in a common stocking frame takes place in those
parts (and also in the joints at the heads of the jacks), being avoided, and the
said joints at the heads of the jacks being by virtue of this second part of
our improvements wholly dispensed with. And as to the knocking over of the

page_text: stitches of the work (the performance of which does necessarily require a
considerable force to be exerted), the same is wholly performed by the hand-
bar sinkers, but the jacks or their jack wire and combs are no way affected
thereby, and consequently are not subjected to any wearing therefrom, as is
the case in a common stocking frame, and as will also be the case in a
stocking frame which is constructed or altered according to the first part only
of our improvements; but by the further adoption of this second part of our
said improvements, in combination with the said first part, then the jacks, jack
wire, and combs, and the joints at the heads of the jacks, are relieved from all
share in the force required to be exerted in knocking over the work; for, as
already explained, the belly part of the sinkers (jack sinkers as well as lead
sinkers) are alone operative in knocking over; and according to this second
part of our improvements, the said belly part of all the sinkers (as well those
answering to the jack sinkers of a common stocking frame as those answering
to the lead sinkers thereof) are supported by and fastened to the hand bar so
as to possess great strength without liability to wearing. And whereas it is the
nibs and catches alone that are fastened to the jacks, the latter with their
accessary parts have only the more delicate offices to perform, as above stated,
which, from the slight force required, does not subject the parts to much
wearing, or only wearing by very slow degrees. And note, the adoption of
this second part of our improvements in concert with the first part thereof,
already explained, will not occasion any difference in the manipulations or
movements which are requisite for working the stocking frame, when con-
structed or altered according to that first part alone, in order to make stocking
fabric or framework knitted fabric thereby. And note, in applying the hand-
bar sinkers according to this second part of our improvements, some attention
should be given to the length of such sinkers, which is allowed to project up out
of their leads, for if that length is very short the action of the sinkers in knock-
ing over might be too stubborn and unyielding for working to the most advantage
with thread which is subject to have lumps and hard knots in it, because when
such bard lumps form an impediment to knocking over it is better that the
needles and the bellies of the sinkers should yield sideways to avoid the lumps
as much as may be. The common sinkers are very yielding in such case, and
the hand-bar sinkers will be sufficiently yielding for such purpose if they
project a sufficient distance out of the leads; but, on the other hand, if they
were made to project out very far they might become weak, as they are only
supported by their lower ends. In general the place of the hand bar whereon
the hand-bar sinkers are to be fixed will be suitable to give the sinkers a
suitable projection upwards out of their leads, the upper part of the leads
being from half an inch to an inch and a half below the needles when the

page_text: hand-bar sinkers are in the act of knocking over the work. And note
when the hand-bar sinkers are applied to the hand bar of a common stocking
frame according to this second part of our improvements, that bar must
be rendered straight on its upper edge, and must be drilled with holes in its
upright front face to receive the screws by which the leads of the hand-
bar sinkers are to be fastened in a row thereon, such leads being usually
one inch wide.
And in case the hand bar is not strong enough for
that purpose, a new bar of adequate strength must be substituted. The
ordinary sinker bar is to be retained for forming the upper side of the frame
of sinkers, but the screws and plates thereof, by which the sinker leads are
usually fastened to the said bar, will become useless. And note, according to
this second part of our said improvements the nibs and catches affixed firmly
to the front ends or heads of the jacks (without any moving joints at those
ends), and the said hand-bar sinkers are in all cases to be used in combination
one with the other in the manner herein-before described. And no claim is
made under the said Letters Patent of the Fourth of February, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-one, to the hand-bar sinkers above described, when
the same are used with any other kind of jacks than such jacks as are mounted
on a jack wire situated behind the needle bar, and nearly on a level with the
needles, or not much above that level. Neither is any claim made to nibs and
catches firmly affixed to the front ends or heads of the jacks without any
moving joints at the said heads when the same are used with any other kind
of sinkers than such hand-bar sinkers.
Another third part of our said improvements is to combine with the
aforesaid first and second parts thereof the use of jacks without tails, the jack
wire being quite at the backmost ends of such jacks, and the slur being
applied to act over the jacks near to their front ends, and the springs for
holding up the jacks being applied at the front ends thereof, and likewise the
slea for guiding the jacks, and keeping them at regular distances apart. In a
cominou stocking frame the jacks are levers which extend backwards behind
the centre of motion or jack wire and combs; the parts of the jacks behind
that centre are called their tails, and it is to those tails that the slur applies
when it acts upon the jacks by passing across beneath the tails, and striking
crossways beneath them so as to raise up the tails, and thereby put down the
heads of the jacks and the sinkers which are jointed and suspended at those
heads. The springs are applied at the extreme ends of the tails, and the slea
is also applied to the same tails. The jacks which, according to this third
part of our improvements, are to be combined with the first and second parts
of our said improvements, have no tails extending backwards beyond their
jack wire, but that wire being quite at the extreme backmost end of the jacks,

page_text: the jack wire and jack bar may consequently be removed further back behind
the sinkers in order that the jacks may act with a longer radius than in the
common way, and the nibs and catches of the jack sinkers being fixed fast to
the front ends or heads of the jacks, and projecting downwards therefrom
according to the second part of our improvements, and the jack wire being
situated nearly on a level with the needles, or not much higher than that level,
therefore the motion of such nibs and catches when they descend between the
needles in order to sink the thread into coarse loops between the same will
not vary sensibly from a perpendicular motion. Also the whole weight of the
jack becomes operative to cause its descent. Whereas the jack tail in the
common way counterbalaces a part of the weight wherewith the jack head
would otherwise descend; likewise the action of the slur being above the jacks
to force them down is more directly operative to force the heads down than
when the slur acts beneath the tails to force those tails up, and thereby put
the heads down. The action on the jack wire tending to wear the same
is very much lessened by having jacks without tails; the same of the springs
and of the slea; by being applied at the front ends of the jacks instead of at the
tails, they operate directly to produce their intended effects on the heads of
the jacks, and with much more certainty of action, and with less liability to
wearing away of the parts. The jack bar for such jacks without tails may
be made with the usual kind of combs, run into the hollow of the bar with
lead; but a better mode is to have combs cast in leads of about one inch
wide, which are screwed upon the top and front edge of the jack bar to form
a row of combs for the reception of the backmost ends of the jacks, which
ends may be reduced thinner than the body of the jacks, in order to fit into
the spaces between the combs; and in consequence the said body of the
jack may be thicker than usual, so as to give it more weight to fall and
greater strength; also the greater thickness will allow more substance for
making the slit at the head or front ends of the jack for the reception of the
thin plate whereof the nib and catch is formed; and which plate is to be
firmly fastened into the slit by two rivet pins, so as to be made quite fast to the
jack, according to the second part of our improvements. The slea which may
be applied at the front end of such jacks without tails, may consist of a set
of thin short blades cast in leads so as to project out therefrom. Those leads
being fastened in a row against the back surface of a horizontal bar, which
is part of the frame of sinkers, and which may be the false rim with the
said blades of the slea projecting downwards therefrom, so as to go into the
spaces between the jacks, in order to keep the same at regular distances
apart; but which spaces are less than usual, because of the greater thickness

page_text: of the jacks as aforesaid. The row of springs may be just as usual in a
common stocking frame, except as to their position, which is with the cramps
of the springs downwards, so as to apply to the frontmost ends of the jacks
at the front of the frame of sinkers, the upper ends of the springs being fixed
into a wooden stock in the usual manner; but which stock is fastened at each
end to the hanging cheeks of the frame of sinkers by suitable prolonging
pieces rising up from the said cheeks above the top joints thereof, with setting
screws in those pieces to adjust the position of the springs in respect to the
frame of sinkers, so that when the front ends of the jacks are lodged in the
hollow of the cramps of those springs that the heads or front ends of the
jacks shall be held up in contact with the under edge of the false rim, and
the springs being affixed to the frame of sinkers as a part thereof, and
moving therewith, will keep the said heads so in contact during all the
motions that the frame of sinkers is intended to have, as well upwards and
downwards as backwards and and forwards. The jack bar for the said jacks
without tails is to be affixed to the frame of sinkers by suitable connecting
pieces; and pulling-up springs are to be applied to overbalance the weight,
according to the first part of our improvements, the slea and the row of
springs being also affixed to some part belonging to the frame of sinkers, as
already stated, so that all the said parts will move with the frame of sinkers,
as parts thereof or belonging thereto. The slur bar may also be affixed to
some part belonging to the frame of sinkers or not, for as it is to be over the
jacks, it may be fixed to any convenient part of the immoveable framework
of the stocking frame, for instance, to what are called the star boxes, or to
what are called the front standards, or else to supporting pieces of its own,
erected from the sole bars or from the wood framing. In either way of thus
fixing the slur bar it will have no motion, and, therefore, it will be easy to
conduct the slur cord from the slur wheel over pullies at the ends of the
slur bar to the slur box, in order to slide the same along the slur bar, the
slur box being inverted, so that the slur cock projects downwards therefrom,
in order to act downwards upon the jacks as the slur cock is drawn across
over thein, and it acts upon them. at about half way between the jack wire or
centre of motion and their heads or front ends which apply to the cramps of
the springs. The motion which the jacks will have in consequence of their
belonging to and moving along with the frame of sinkers (according to the
first part of our improvements), will cause them to descend away from the
slur bar and not to rise up towards it, and for that reason the slur bar is not
required to descend along with the jacks when they move along with the
frame of sinkers; but the slur bar may be immoveably fixed, as aforesaid,

page_text: when it is applied over the jacks, although, when the slur bar is applied
under their tails it must be affixed to some part belonging to the frame of
sinkers so as to move therewith, in order that it may descend along with the
jacks, as already described in respect to the first part of our improvements,
and then there is some trouble in providing for the slur cord. And note, the
slur bar may be applied over the jacks to act downwards thereon at about
half way between the jack wire and their front ends or heads, although the
jacks have tails with the springs at the ends of those tails, as already
described in respect to the first part of our improvements, and the slur bar
may in that case be inmoveably fixed, as above described, instead of being
affixed to some part belonging to the frame of sinkers, so as to move there-
with in the manner herein-before described respecting the first part of our
improvements. And note, no claim is made under the said Letters Patent
of the Fourth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and forty-one,
to any such jacks without tails, and having their springs at their frontmost
ends or heads, as aforesaid. (and with their slea and the slur bar over them
near to those frontmost ends, as aforesaid,) in any case when such jacks have
moveable joints at their said frontmost ends or heads for suspending the jack
sinkers from the pins of such joints, or in any case when the jack wire and
the jack bar or comb bar, whereon such jacks are mounted, is borne in a
carriage or trucks, or other equivalent mode of supporting the jack bar and jack
wire, so that it can move backwards and forwards without rising and falling
in any sensible degree. But, according to this third part of our improvements,
the said jacks without tails having their springs at their frontmost ends or
heads (and with their slea and their slur bar over them near to those ends),
as aforesaid, are in all cases to be used in combination with the first
and second parts of our improvements, and not otherwise than in such
combination.
Another fourth part of our said improvements is to combine with the
aforesaid first and second parts thereof pieces of metal, which are affixed
laterally to the sides of the long sinkers of the hand-bar sinkers, berein-before
described in the second part of our improvements, so as that such pieces of
metal will be sustained by the upper ends of the said long sinkers above the
row of needles, with one such piece over each needle in the due place to
perform the office of a presser bar, in order to close down the bearded points
of the needles, when the stitches of the work (being then inclosed within the
arches of the sinkers) are slided forwards along the stems of the needles at
the same time when the newly-formed loops of thread are being slided
forwards in the usual manner along the same stems, in order that the said

page_text: oops may be lodged at the heads or front ends of the needles beneath the
beards whereof the points are to be closed down immediately after the loops
of thread (in coming forwards) have passed under the said beards, but before
the stitches (in the like coming forwards) have arrived at those points. The
said pieces of metal are to be affixed laterally to the upper end of each of
he said long sinkers of the hand-bar sinkers aforesaid, so as to form lateral
projections on each side of the upper part of each such sinker, which pro-
ections will nearly fill up the space between it and the next adjacent sinker
on each side, such next adjacent sinkers being those nibs and catches which
re firmly affixed to the heads of the jacks, and which descend downwards
herefrom, as herein-before described in the second part of our improvements.
The said lateral projections are situated over and rather move forward than
he sumit of the arch of such loug sinkers, and the projections themselves are
n the form of inverted arches, the lowest parts whereof are a very little
elow the highest parts of the arches of the sinkers. When the sinkers are
depressed for dividing the coarse loops of thread into fine loops, the catches
on the nibs of the sinkers are thereby sunk down between the needles, as
n the usual course of working a common stocking frame, and the stitches
of the work being at that period included within the arches of the sinkers, as
erein-before described, it follows that when the sinkers are brought forwards
n order to slide the divided loops of thread forwards along with the stems
of the needles, that in so moving forwards the stitches of the work which are
n the arches of the sinkers will also be brought forwards along the same
tems of the needles, although the said stitches are at some distance back
long those stems behind the loops of thread, because the said loops are before
he nibs of the sinkers, whilst the stitches are behind the nibs, as already
xplained. In so moving forwards the sinkers are kept down, in order to
keep the divided loops of thread to their proper tension, as usual in a common
tocking frame, and as already explained; and whilst the sinkers are so kept
lown the said lateral projections of the sinkers are low enough to meet and
ress over the beards of the needles as the sinkers advance forwards; but
he contact of the said lateral projections with the beards of the needles does
hot take place until after the loops of thread have got so far forwards along
he stems of the needles as to have passed quite beneath the pointed
extremities of the said beards, and then those extremities of the beards are to
be closed down before the stitches of the work get so far forwards along the
tems of the needies as to have arrived at the said pointed extremities of the
beards, in order that the stitches, as they come still further forwards along
be needles, may be landed (as it is called), or in other words that they may

page_text: pass over the closed points of the beards, under the points of which beards
the loops of threads have just before been passed (as aforesaid) before the
points of the beards were so closed, and beneath which beards the said loops
remain enclosed and lodged after the points of those beards are closed. And
owing to their form of inverted arches, the said lateral projections will act
as inclined planes to press down the beards of the needles, so as to close the
pointed extremities of those beards as the sinkers come forwards. And owing
to the sinkers continuing to be kept down whilst they are bringing the loops
of thread and the stitches of the work forwards along the stems of the
needles, the points of the beards of the needles are closed down after the
divided loops of thread have got sufficiently far beneath the beards, but a
little before the stitches are advanced so far as to reach to the extremities of
the said points and the projecting pieces by sliding over the beards, keep
the points of the beards closed down whilst the stitches are brought so far
forwards over the closed points of the beards as to become landed thereon,
the landing taking place and being completely effected by the time that the
divided loops of thread are lodged at the heads of the needles in due courte
of working, as in an ordinary stocking frame; and after that is accomplished,
then (but not before), the sinkers are raised up to bring their belly part into
the proper position to be prepared for knocking over the stitches so landed,
and thereby forcing them forwards over the loops of thread which are already
lodged and enclosed under the beards, but which beards are allowed to open,
that is, their pointed extremities are allowed to rise up at the moment when
the sinkers rise up as aforesaid; wherefore (in the manner aforesaid) the
said lateral projections perform the office of a presser bar; but they are self-
acting, and require no distinct manipulation for putting them into operation.
For, in the act of bringing forwards the sinkers, in order to bring forwards
the divided loops of thread along the stems of the needles for the purpose. of
carrying those loops to the heads of the needles, as in the usual coarse of
working a common stocking frame, and by keeping the sinkers down, as
usual, whilst they are so coming forwards, the requisite pressing down of the
bearded extremities or points of the needles will take place of itself at the proper
moment and in a proper manner for causing the stitches of the work to be
duly landed on the points of the closed beards. And note, when the sinkers
are raised upwards immediately after the loops have been brought to the heads
of the needles in order to withdraw the nibs from those loops, the sinkers are
to be kept forwards as far as the loops will permit the sinkers to come forwards
when rising. And note, according to this fourth part of our improvements,
the aforesaid projecting pieces are only to be used in combination with the

page_text: whole of the second part of our improvements, the aforesaid projecting pieces
being an addition to and forming a part of the hand-bar sinkers when the
same are used, as before stated, in combination with nibs and catches affixed
firmly to the frontmost ends or heads of jacks, which are mounted on a jack
wire situated behind the needle bar, and nearly on a level with the needles or
not much above that level, as already explained respecting the second part
of our improvements, the said projecting pieces being a substitute for a
common presser bar to close the beards of the needles, and which bar may
be used in a stocking frame which is constructed according to the said second
part of our improvements. And whereas similar pieces projecting laterally from
sinkers, and acting on the beards of the needles in a similar manner to those
now describing, formed part of certain improvements upon machinery for
manufacturing stockings, for which a Patent for England was granted to me.
the said Henry Warner, together with Charles Hood and Benjamin Abbott.
by King William the Fourth, on the Eighth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-two; and whereas such projecting pieces were
described in the Specification which was duly enrolled at the Inrollment
Office on the Eighth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-two, in conformity with the said Patent; but whereas the said pro-
jecting pieces were described in the said Specification as being applied to
sinkers of a then new description, called therein driving sinkers or pendulous
sinkers, and the said projecting pieces were to be used in combination with
Iriving sinkers; it is to be noted, that no claim is hereby made under the
present Letters Patent of the Fourth of February, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-one, to the exclusive use of any such projecting pieces as
ave been herein-before described as the fourth part of the present improve-
ments, except when such projecting pieces are affixed to and used as a part of
he hand-bar sinkers, herein-before described (in the description of the second
part of our improvements), for performing the office of closing the beards of
he needles, and landing the stitches of the work thereon, without using any
presser bar.
Another fifth part of our said improvements is to be used in combination
with the first part, herein-before described, and has for its object to do away
with what are called the spindle-bar arms, spindle bar, and main spring, which
arts have been herein-before described as parts of the common stocking
rame, and also as being parts which are retained or used in stocking frames,
which are altered or constructed to be according to the said first part of our
mprovements, those said parts being in either case for the purpose of
permitting the top joints to move up and down, in order that the frame of

page_text: sinkers may be moved up and down as the same requires to be in a common
stocking frame or in a frame which is altered or constructed to be according
to the first part of our improvements, as herein-before explained; but accord-
ing to this fifth part of our improvements the horizontal centre line of the
two joints pins of the top joints is to be always held motionless in order to
serve as a fixed horizontal centre line or axis of swinging motion for the
frame of sinkers, so that the same can swing backwards and forwards, but
cannot descend or ascend, and in lieu thereof the needles are to be made to
ascend or descend in a suitable manner for producing all the same results as
are produced in a common stocking frame (or in a frame altered or constructed
to be according to the first part of our improvements) by the descent or ascent
of the frame of sinkers. And in order to admit of the needles ascending and
descending, the needle bar (according to this fifth part of our improvements),
instead of being fixed fast by screwing its ends down upon the sole bars, is to
be mounted upon centre pins at its ends, so as to render the needle bar move-
able about a fixed horizontal centre line or axis of motion which is situated
behind or at the backmost edge of the needle bar, and which last-mentioned
centre line is to be parallel to the before-mentioned centre line of the top joints,
wherefore, according to this fifth part of our improvements, all the motion
required for the performance of the functions that the nibs and catches and
sinkers and the needles are appointed to perform will be one or other or else
a compound of the two following kinds of motion, viz' :-First, a swinging
motion of the frame of sinkers about the fixed horizontal centre line of the.
top joint pins in order by such swinging motion to move the nibs and catches
and sinkers backwards and forwards whenever they require to bo so moved;
and, secondly, what may be called a tilting motion of the needle bar about
the aforesaid fixed horizontal centre line of the joint pins whereon the needle
bar is mounted (that line being behind the backmost edge of that bar, as
aforesaid, and parallel to the said centre line of the top joints), in order by
such tilting motion to move the stems and the heads of the needles (which
project out forwards, as usual, from the front edge of the needle bar) up and
down whenever they require to be so moved, and which will be whenever
the frame of sinkers would require to be moved down or up in case of a
common stocking frame or a frame altered or constructed to be according to
the first part of our improvements. For it is obvious that the same effects
will result from the needles being moved upwards to meet the nibs and
catches, and the sinkers (in case those sinkers do not rise or fall) as would
result from the nibs and catches and the sinkers descending to meet the
needles in case those needles do not rise and fall. The up-and-down motion

page_text: to be given to the stems and heads of the needles by the tilting of the needle
bar, according to this fifth part of our improvements, is to be nearly the same
as to the extent of such motion. And as to the period of time when upward
motion shall be given and when downward motion shall be given during the
working of the course of stocking fabric, as the down-and-up motion that
would (at corresponding periods of time) be given to the top joints and the
frame of sinkers in a common frame or a frame altered or constructed to be
according to the first part of our improvements, except that whenever in the
last-mentioned cases downward motion would be given to the frame of sinkers,
upward motion is to be given to the needle bar according to the fifth part of
our improvements, and vice versa. The centre pins of the top joints of the
frame of sinkers are to be sustained immoveably by affixing the said pins in
the same positions as those joints pins occupy in a common frame (or in a
frame altered or constructed to be according to the first part of our improve-
ments) at the time whilst the thread is laying and whilst the slur is drawing.
The said top joints may for that purpose be affixed to suitable standards which
may be erected on the two sole bars at or near to the places where the ends
of the needle bar are commonly fixed thereon. Such standards may be similar
to the back standards commonly used for sustaining the pivots at the ends of
the spindle bar. And in case of altering a common stocking frame to be
according to this fifth part of our improvements, the usual spindle bar and its
arms may if be desired be retained, provided that the said arms are rendered
immoveable by screwing them fast to the front standards or other like standards,
so that the top joints at the front ends of the spindle bar arms will be held
fast and firmly sustained; but as in such case the spindle bar and its arms will be
rendered wholly inoperatiue, those parts might as well be removed altogether
from the frame if it is equally convenient to sustain the top joints firmly and
immoveably by standards, as before mentioned. The two ends of the needle
bar which are usually screwed down on the sole bars are to be cut off so as that
the shortened needle bar can descend into the space left between the sole bars
and between the caps of the wood frame; and the axle pins or pivots or centre
pins whereon the needle bar is to be mounted may have tails to be applied
against the backmost edge of the bar and fastened thereto by screws, so that
the pivots or centre pins will project horizontally endways beyond each of the
ends of the shortened needle bar, in order to reach over the two sole bars and
be received into bearing socket fastened on those bars, and the said tails o
the centre pins can be cranked so as to remove the pivot part of each pir
backwards to some suitable distance in order to get the horizontal centre line
of the two pins as far back behind the backmost edge of the needle bar a

page_text: may be desirable for qualifying the needle bar to be tilted with its frontmost
edge upwards and downwards about the said horizontal centre line, so as that
the stems of the needles will be thereby raised up and put down in a suitable
manner for meeting the nibs and catches and the sinkers, as before mentioned.
And for the purpose of giving the requisite motions to the sinkers and to the
needles by the hands of the workmen, short levers may be used, the middle
part thereof being poised on joint pieces fixed to each end of the hand bar,
but rather below, and projecting forwards in front thereof, with handles on the
frontmost ends of those levers, those handles projecting laterally from the
levers so as to be horizontal and parallel to the hand bar, and from the back-
most ends of the same levers short links being jointed to go upwards to joint
pieces fixed to the under side of the needle bar, near to the frontmost edge
thereof, wherefore by pulling down the said handles at the front ends of the
levers, the backmost ends thereof, by means of the links, will tilt up the needle
bar about its fixed horizontal centre line of motion so as to raise the needles,
in order to answer the same purpose as pulling down the hand bar and frame
of sinkers in a common stocking frame, but such mere pulling down of the
handles will not have any effect to move the hand bar and the frame of sinkers,
because that frame is suspended on the immoveable top joint pins which will
not permit it to be pulled downwards; nevertheless if the said handles are
pulled forwards, then the hand bar and the frame of sinkers will be brought
forwards in the same manner as would be done by bringing forwards the hand
bar in a common stocking frame or in a frame altered or constructed according
to the first part of our improvements. And by means of such handles, they
being moved by the hands of the workmen with similar motion to those which
he would in the ordinary way way of working give to the hand bar, the nibs
and catches and sinkers and the needles will be actuated with suitable
motions to enable them to perform their intended functions on the thread.
The jack bar, in this fifth part of our improvements, is to be firmly attached
to the frame of sinkers by means of suitable connecting pieces, according to
the first part of our improvements, which is to be in all cases combined with
the fifth, so as that the jack bar, with all its appurtenances of combs,
jack wire, slea, and row of springs, and in some cases the slur bar and slur,
shall be supported by the frame of sinkers so as to become part thereof, and
such connecting pieces being applied in the same manner as already explained
respecting the first part of our improvements, so as that the jack wire will bo
always at an invariable distance from the horizontal centre line of the top
joints, and also at an invariable distance from the sinker bar and from the
hand bar. And in the swinging motion of the frame of sinkers about the

page_text: fixed horizontal centre line of its top joints, the jack wire will move with a
circularly curved motion about that centre line, and with no other motion.
And in order to sustain the weight of the jack bar with all its appurtenances
which are behind or at the back of the frame of sinkers, suitable pulling-up
springs are to be applied according to the first part of our improvements, and in
the same manner as already explained respecting that first part, so as that the
frame of sinkers, notwithstanding the additional weight wherewith it is loaded,
will, nevertheless, have just as much tendency to recede backwards by its
swinging motion about its top joints as is the case in ordinary stocking frames,
and as is the case in a frame altered or constructed according to the first part
of our improvements. But note, the suspensions for the upper ends of the
said pulling-up springs if they are of curled wire may be fixed over the back
part of the frame so as that those springs may be inclined from the vertical
direction in order to pull the jack bar somewhat backwards as well as upwards,
if that is thought to be a more suitable direction of pulling up when the first
part of our improvements is combined with this fifth part of our improve-
ments, for in such combination the top joint pins being immoveable, aud no
main spring being required for upholding the top joints, the pulling-up springs
can have no other office to perform than to cause the frame of sinkers to recede
backwards, and inay therefore may be applied in that in that direction which
may be thought most favorable for producing the requisite tendency to recede
backwards. And in order to limit the extent of the aforesaid swinging motion
that the frame of sinkers is to perform about the fixed horizontal centre line
of its top joints, and the aforesaid tilting motion that the needle bar is to
perform about the fixed horizontal centre line of its pivots on centre pins, and
for the purpose of regulating such motions and such compounds of those
motions as are to be performed, suitable stops are to be used of the same or of
a similar nature to the various stops which are used for regulating the
compound swinging and sinking or rising motion that the frame of sinkers is
required to perform in a common stocking frame or in a frame which is con-
structed or altered to be according to the first or any other of the foregoing
parts of our improvements. For instance, what are called the coking stops
and catches are to be retained just as usual, and for the same purpose of
detaining the frame of sinkers when the nibs and catches of the sinkers
re in the proper positions in respect to the needles for the thread to
be laid across the stems of the needles, and then to be sunk down into
coarse loops between those stems. The coking stops which are used with
this fifth part of our improvements may be fastened to the under side of
the needle bar in the same position in respect to that bar (and to the row of

page_text: needles thereon) that the usual coking stops occupy in a common stocking
frame, or in a frame altered or constructed to be according to any of the
foregoing parts of our improvements. And the usual catches being fastened
to the backs of the hanging cheeks at the lower ends thereof so as to
5 act with the said coking stops and being duly adjusted in the usual
manner, then the action of such coking stops, and catches will retain the
frame of sinkers and the needle bar, with the nibs and catches and the stems
of the needles, in the proper positions each one in respect to the other for
laying the thread and sinking the same into coarse loops as aforesaid; and in
like manner the utmost extent to which the frame of sinkers is to be allowed
to come forwards for knocking over the stitches of the work is to be limited
by the usual stops called stayes. The utmost extent to which the needle bar
shall be allowed to be tilted upwards and downwards may be limited by any
suitable fixed stops, or rapping or gage screws, in order to be capable of
adjustment, such stops or screws being sustained by the sole bars or by
other fixed part of the frame, and they will answer the same purpose as the
usual front standards and top screws do. And as to the stops or guides called
the castor backs, the centre pins and pieces whereon they are usually mounted
instead of being fixed to the sole bars may be applied to prongs or arms which
reach out forwards from the ends of the needle bar parallel to the inside
edges of the sole bars, so that the said caster backs will be sustained by such
prongs or arms in the same or nearly the same positions in respect to the
needle bar and to the row of needles thereon as they usually occupy, and the
said caster backs being so applied will ascend and descend with the needle
bar when the same is tilted upwards or downwards, their ascent and descent
being more than that of any part of the needle bar, because they will be
further from the horizontal fixed centre line of tilting motion than any part
of the bar; but, nevertheless, if the caster backs are suitable proportioned and
adjusted so as to act against the usual hanging bits on the hanging cheeks,
the said caster backs and hanging bits may be made to perform their usual
offices, which is to limit the swinging forwards of the frame of sinkers at the
moment when the newly formed and divided loops of thread are brought
forwards to the heads of the needles, and also to regulate the ascending
motion of the frame of sinkers when it is raised upwards in order to withdraw
the nibs of the sinkers up from out of the said loops; but in a frame which is
altered or constructed according to this fifth part of our improvements, the
requisite withdrawing will be performed by the loops descending downwards.
away from the nibs, in consequence of a tilting down of the needle bar with
the needles; and the caster backs being mounted on centre pins and pieces

page_text: borne by the said prongs or arms from the needle bar and applied as afore-
said, are to be adjusted to the hanging bit in order to regulate the frame of
sinkers during such withdrawing of the loops from the nibs, by tilting the
needle bar so as that the frame shall be moved a little backwards during such
withdrawing and tilting, as will be requisite in case the pressing of the beards
of the needles is to be performed by a presser bar in the usual manner of
stocking frames; or else, in case the pressing is to be performed according to
the fourth part of our improvements, then the said caster backs and banging
bits must be so adjusted as to keep the frame of sinkers forwards as far as the
loops at the heads of the needles will allow the nibs of the sinkers to come
forwards, at the moment when the needle bar is tilting down, in order to with-
draw the loops from the said nibs. The weight of the needle bar will always
give it a tendency to descend and tilt down the needles, the said weight
thereby answering the same purpose as the upward force of the main spring
answers in a common frame, or a frame which is altered or constructed to be
according to the first part of our improvements, and springs may be applied
to the needle bar, either tending to pull it up or to pull it down, as may be
required in order to moderate or to increase the said tendency to tilt down-
wards by its own weight, as may be desirable. Note, when the knocking
over is to be performed, the needle bar will be tilted down with its needles
at their lowest position; and after that, when the frame of sinkers is moved
backwards in order to slide back the stitches of the work along the stems of
the needles, then the needle bar will be tilted up so as to place the needles
in their highest position. The falling bar may be sustained by lodging its
enils in the slots of the usual star bolts, and stars screws, with stars, the same
being mounted in star boxes which are fixed as usual on the ends of the needle
bar. And after the jacks have been thrown down in succession by the
drawing of the slur, and thereby the thread has been sunk into coarse loops
across and between the stems of the needles, then the division of those coarse
loops into a double number of fine loops is effected by tilting up the needles
so as to raise up all the needles as much as is requisite for so dividing the
loops; and in consequence of the falling bar being borne by the stars and
star boults (which with the star boxes are sustained upon the needle bar) the
falling bar rises with the needle bar because both are tilted up together, and
thereby the falling bar raises up the jacks (which are resting upon it) a very little,
but so much as is requisite for yielding thread out of the said coarse loops, in
order to form the intermediate fine loops, and also for locking up the jacks
with their heads in contact with the under side of the false rim, and their
ends lodged in the hollow of the cramps of their springs, in the same manner

page_text: as already explained respecting the corresponding action of the falling bar in
the first part of our improvements, without requiring any locker bar or lockers
or thumb plates for the purpose of so raising and locking up the jacks. And
the falling bar must be so supported and applied as that after the dividing of
the loops of thread and the locking of the jacks has been effected as above
described, the falling bar shall then be removed out of the way of the jacks
as soon as they come forwards along with the frame of sinkers, by the swinging
motion thereof about its top joints; the particular mode whereby the falling.
bar is to be so removed may be any one of the several modes already described
in respect to the first part of improvements, or herein-after described.
This fifth part of our improvements is in all cases to have the first part com-
bined with it, and the two so combined may be used without any of the other
parts of our improvements, or may be used in further combination with any
one or more of those other parts of our improvements, and will render
the stocking frame which is constructed according to this fifth part com-
bined with the first part of our improvements more simple in the structure
and more steady and easy in its movements, with less liability to wear and.
get deranged than a common stocking frame.
Another sixth and last part of our improvements has for its object to attain
the same results as is retained by the fourth part, viz., to perform the office
of a presser bar (without using any such bar) by means of pieces interposed
and filled into the spaces between the upper ends of the hand bar sinkers,
whre those ends rise up above up above the needles, and also between the
nibs and catches which are firmly affixed to the front ends or heads of the
jacks, without any moveable joints at those heads, according to the second.
part of our improvements, so as to form a row of such interposed pieces, one
over each needle, the same as already described respecting the fourth part of
our improvements, and they operate in the same manner. But such inter-
posed pieces instead of being fixed to the sinkers are, according to this sixth
part of our improvements, merely interposed between the sinkers, and are
supported by their upper ends, which are cast in leads, and those leads screwed
to the ordinary sinker bar, so that the said pieces will project downwards
therefrom into the spaces between the sinkers, in order to stand firm in those
spaces; and although they are not in any way fastened to the sinkers, they
have the same effect as though they were affixed to the sinkers as described
respecting the fourth part of our said improvements, the said sixth part being
used as a substitute for the fourth part. And whereas the parts of stocking
frames are well known and the names thereof, the foregoing description of

page_text: our said improvements, and the manner of performing the same, which refers
to the several parts by their known names, will enable competent frame smiths
to construct new stocking frames, or framework-knitting machinery, or to
alter old ones so as that the same will be according to our said improvements,
or to some of the several parts thereof, as herein-before described, and also
competent framework knitters will be enabled by the description herein-before
contained to work such stocking frames or framework-knitting machinery, so
as to make stocking fabric or framework-knitted fabric thereby; nevertheless
for more full explanation of our said improvements, we have hereunto annexed
eleven Sheets of Drawings, whereof Sheet A represents a common stocking
frame which has been altered to be according to the first part of our said
improvements, but without the second, third, fourth, or fifth or sixth parts
thereof.
Sheets I. and II. (with a portion of Sheet III.) represent a common stocking
frame altered to be according to the first and second parts of our improve-
ments combined together, but without the third, fourth, or fifth or sixth parts,
and Sheet IV. (with a portion of Sheet III.) represents a stocking frame con-
structed according to the first, second, and third parts of our said improve-
ments combined together in one machine, but without the fourth or fifth or
sixth parts. And another portion of Sheet III. explains the said fourth part
of our said improvements applied to and combined with the second part.
The names of the several parts of the machinery being written on the said
Drawings will serve to identify the several parts, and to shew what parts are
meant by the names used in the foregoing description. It is unnecessary to
enter into a detailed description of the Drawings, otherwise than as respects
those parts which are altered from the ordinary construction, or which are
newly made.
Screws.
In Sheets A and I. and II. the connecting pieces which are to support
the jack bar J and connect it with the frame of sinkers E, F, are marked 3, 3.
They are affixed to the sinker bar E above and to the hand bar F below by:
Those ends of the pieces 3, 3, which are affixed to the sinker bar E
turn over in front of that bar and are screwed thereto, but the other ends of
the same pieces 3, 3, which are affixed to the hand bar F, turn up behind
the same and are screwed thereto. The two ends of the jack bar J are
firmly fastened to the connecting pieces 3, 3, by screws passing laterally S
through those ends. 7 are the pulling-up springs of curled wire which
in Sheet A are hooked to the two ends of the jack bar, but in Sheets I.
and II. are hooked to pieces fitted on the two ends of the jack wire j,

page_text: the
upper ends of those two springs being in either case suspended from any
convenient fixed support, or they may be suspended from the two ends of a
scale beam lever poised on a centre pin, which is borne by any suitable fixed
standard or support, the manner whereof is shewn in Sheet VIII. The
pulling-up springs 7, 7, are regulated to overbalance the weight of the jack
bar and the parts sustained thereby, so that the frame of sinkers E, F, will
incline to swing backwards about its top joints e, e, as far as the usual stops
(called coking stops) will permit the hanging cheeks to go backwards. The
Drawings, Sheets A and I. and II., shew the curved main spring by which the
cross bar of the spindle bar arms C (and consequently the top joints e) are
borne upwards as far as the same coking stops aforesaid will allow. them to
rise, or at other times as far as the top screws of the front standards will
allow them to rise.
The mode of rendering the falling bar removeable is shewn in Sheets A
and I., II., and III. 4 is the slot at the lower end of what was the star
bolt t, but which bolt is only used as an upright slider. 5 is the new star
screw tapped through the foremost end of 4. The point of the screw 5 rests
upon the horizontal slider 6, which lays across the end of the needle bar, and
the backmost end of 6 is pushed forwards by a wedged-shaped piece 8 affixed
to the connecting piece 3, so that when the frame of sinkers E, F, descends
the slider 6 will be pushed a little forwards in order to bring the commence-
ment of the inclined part of 6 beneath the end of the screw 5, and the slider 6
will be moved forward still more when the frame of the sinkers E, F, is brought
forwards. 9 is a reacting spring fixed to the hand bar F, and pressing on the
front end of the slider 6, to move the same back again. The said parts are the
same at both ends of the falling bar. The upper sides of the sliders 6 are in-
clined, in order that when they come forwards they may let down the screws 5,
the slots 4, star bolts t, and consequently the two ends of the falling bar, as is
shewn in Sheet III. The presser bar in Sheets A and I. and II., with its arms
and bows, and the back presser and presser wire, are all as usual in an
ordinary stocking frame, and so of the presser nuts and fore sinkers; likewise
the coking stops and catches, caster backs and hanging bits, and the stays for
regulating the motion of the frame of sinkers E, F. Sheet II. shews the
inclined position of the jacks resulting from the jack wirej being nearly on a
level with the needles. The camel, slea, and springs partake of the incli-
nation. 10 shews the nib and catch of what was the jack sinker; it is firmly
affixed to the head of the jack by means of two rivets, so as to admit of no
motion of the nature of a joint at the jack head. See a separate view of the
ack in Sheet III. 12 is the belly part of what was the jack sinker; it is

page_text: called the short sinker, and is cast in lead 13 along with the other or long
sinker 14, which answers to a lead sinker. See the separate views in Sheet
III., which shew the long sinkers 14 and short sinkers 12 cast in a row in
the lead 13 alternately long and short, such leads being screwed in a row to
the hand bar F, and are called hand-bar sinkers. In Sheet IV. the supporting
or connecting pieces 3 are as before described, except that they reach farther
back, because the jacks are made without tails and the jack wire is farther
back. The pulling-up springs 7 are represented as curved blade springs fixed
on the spindle bar arms C, and suspending the connecting pieces 3 by the
upright links 15, but which links might be hooked to the ends of the jack
wire. The main spring D in such case requires to be stronger, and is therefore
made of two blades of steel. See also the front view in Sheet VIII. Sheets
IV. and VIII. also shew how additional springs of curled wire may be added
to assist the main spring D, if requisite. The combs 16, Sheet IV., for
returning the jacks, are cast in leads one inch wide, and screwed on the jack
bar. The jacks are made thinner at the centre parts, which go in between
the combs. See the separate Figures in Sheet III. The slea 18 is cast in
leads one inch wide, which are screwed to the back of the false rim. The row
springs 19, Sheet IV., is in front, their cramps applying to the front ends of
the jacks without tails. The stock 20 of the springs being affixed to the
hanging cheeks by means of pieces 21, which stand up from those cheeks,
so that the springs will partake of the motion of the frame of sinkers E, F.
The slur bar in Sheet IV. is represented to be immoveably fixed across the
frame in a horizontal position by screwing its two ends to the two star boxes.
The slur is inverted with the cock downwards, and it acts across the upper
edges of the jacks near to their foremost ends to push those ends downward.
The mode of rendering the falling bar removeable is the same in effect as
before described, the star bolt t being used as an upright slider with new star
crews 5 resting on the horizontal cross slider 6, which is inclined on its
apper side, and is pushed forwards by the wedge-shaped piece 8 affixed to the
connecting piece 3, and the slider 6 is carried back again by the reacting
pring 9. Note, in Sheet III. another mode herein-before described of
endering the falling bar removeable is shewn. The star bolt t is used with
ts star at top for regulating the height of the falling bar, and consequently
he length of the loops of thread, as usual; but the usual slot 4 at the lower
end, to sustain the end of the falling bar, is prolonged in front at 23, that
rolongation being inclined downwards, and the bottom of the usual slot is
lso inclined downwards, and two studs which project out from the end of the
alling bar enter into the slot, and rest therein above the summits of the two

page_text: inclined parts whenever the falling bar is sustained in place for the jacks to
fall thereon, the said two inclined parts being provided in order that the falling
bar may descend as the two studs at its end move forward down the said
two inclinations, and 24 is the prong fixed to the hand bar F to keep the
falling bar back in due place whilst the jacks are drawn, but to allow the
falling bar to come forwards and descend whenever the frame of sinkers is
brought forwards. In Sheet IV. a thread layer is represented for laying the
thread across the needles that may be used or not; it is constructed as usual
in stocking frames. See also Sheet VIII. Note, in case additional jacks
and sinkers are introduced at each end of the row thereof, in the places
usually occupied by the lockers and thumb plates, as herein-before described.
There may be but little room on the hand bar at each end for the hands to
take hold of; in such case, if the machine is to be worked by hand, see
Sheet IV., the frame of sinkers may be actuated by a lever 27 at each side,
with a handle 29 on the front end. The middle part of the length of the
lever 27 being jointed to the hand bar F at 28, and the backmost end 60 of
the lever 27 being suspended by a link 61 from a horizontal centre pin 62
which is fixed to the sole bar. There are two such levers and links, one at
each side of the frame, one handle for the right hand and the other for the
left hand. The link 61 allows the lever 27 to be moved backwards and forwards
endways by its handle 29, and then it moves the hand bar F backwards and
forwards with it; also, when the handle 29 is moved up or down, it gives a
similar motion to the frame of sinkers. Other detached Figures in Sheet III.
represent the lateral projecting pieces of metal which are affixed to the upper
ends of the long sinkers 14 of the hand bar sinkers, where those ends rise up
between the needles, one of the said pieces being thus applied over each
needle for performing the office of a presser bar, as herein-before described in
respect to the fourth part of our improvements. 65 is one of those projecting
pieces, its lower end being an inverted arch or an obtuse wedge. Such a
piece is fixed fast to each side of the upper end of each long sinker 14 by
rivets, so as to stand over the two needles between which the said long sinker
14 is situated. The lowest joint of each of the pieces 65 reaches down a little
below the summit of the arch in the sinker 14, and a little more forward than
that summit. The side view shews the manner whereby the beard of each of
the needles is closed down by a projecting piece 65, which is immediately
over each needle, whilst the stitch of the work is carried forwards along the
stem of the needle by the arch of the sinker, so as to be landed over the point
of the closed beard. The back view shews how a lateral projecting piece 65
is fixed on each side of each long sinker 14 at the uppermost end thereof, so

page_text: that there is one such piece over every needle, and the several pieces 65 form
a row above the needles in order to press the beards of all the needles at once.
One kind of the jacks which are to be used along with these hand-bar sinkers
with lateral projecting pieces is shewn in another Figure in Sheet III., with
the nib and catch 10 of its sinker fixed fast to the head of the jack by two
rivets, as already explained, so as to allow of no motion like a joint at that
head; and the thin plate out of which the said nib and catch 10 is made
passes down between the lateral projecting pieces 65 of the long sinkers 14,
so as to just fill up the vacancy between them, and then each of the said nibs
and catches 10 will stand over one of the short sinkers 12. The pieces 65
are cut away at the back of the upper part of them as much as is requisite to
leave room for the heads of the jacks to move up and down without touching
the pieces 65; also the nib 10 is cut away at the part which is to stand over
the top of the short sinker 12, so much as to leave room for the nib and catch
10 to descend when the loop is to be made without touching the top of the
short sinker 12, which top must extend up about as high as the summit of the
arch of the sinker, and so as that the said top shall not descend below the
needles when the frame of sinkers is depressed to its lowest position. Another
kind of the jacks which may be used is shewn in Sheet V., herein-after
described. In working a stocking frame with the said lateral projecting
pieces 65 instead of a presser bar, the movements requisite to be given the
parts of such stocking frame by the workman will be much the same as usual,
except that there is no presser requiring to be brought down by the foot.
The projecting pieces 65 perform the pressing by their own self-action (as
herein-before described) at the same time when the frame of sinkers is brought
forwards in order to bring forwards the divided loops of thread along the
stems of the needles to the heads of the needles; for the stitches of the
work being also brought forwards along those stems at the same time, the
stitches become banded over the points of the boards by the time that the
loops get to the heads of the needles; but note, it requires the frame of
sinkers to be kept down with a considerable force at the moment when it
is brought so far forwards that the projecting pieces 65 come into action upon
the beards of the needles and begin to close them down. To enable the work-
man to exert the requisite force it will be best to make use of lever handles
like 27, 29, Sheet IV., already described, because those levers give the work- 3
man additional power over the frame of sinkers for holding it down whilst he
is bringing it forwards; and when the loops are brought to the heads of the
needles the pressing and landing will be completed, and the frame of sinkers
is then to be raised up immediately in order to take the nibs of the sinkers up

page_text: out of the loops of thread, and in order to bring the bellies of the sinkers into
the proper position to be prepared for knocking over; but note, the frame of
sinkers is to be kept pulled forwards as far as the loops of thread at the heads
of the needles require, and as far as the stops to the frame of sinkers, called
caster backs and hanging bits, will permit it to come whilst it is so rising,
those caster backs and hanging bits being formed so that they will not put the
farme of sinkers at all backwards during the raising of it up, as it is the usual
and well-known office of the caster backs to do in working a common stocking
frame.
Sheets VIII. and IX. explain the manner whereby stocking frames which
are constructed according to our said improvements, as herein-before described,
may have rotary wheelwork and camms applied to them for the purpose of
actuating all the different parts of such stocking frames with the requisite
motions to make stocking fabric or framework knitted fabric thereby, all those
motions being performed in due order and succession by force derived from the
continuous rotative motion of one winch handle, which is turned steadily round
without pause by the hands of the person who thereby works the frame, and
who at the same time superintends the working thereof. Or else such con-
tinuous rotative motion may be given by millwork turned by water-wheel
or steam-engine power, in which case the person who superintends the working
of the stocking frame will have nothing to do but to watch it whilst it is work-
ing by power, and to stop it if anything goes wrong in the working, and after
rectifying whatever is amiss in the working then to put the machinery in
motion again in order to go on working by power.
Figure 1, Sheet VIII., is a front elevation, and Figure 2, a transverse section
of a stocking frame, the upper part of which is represented as being constructed
in the manner delineated in Sheets I. and II., but the stocking frame might have
been represented as being constructed in the manner delineated in Sheet IV.,
because the differences between the construction of the stocking frame, Sheets I.
and II., and the frame, Sheet IV., will not require any material difference to
be made in the arrangement of the camms and rotary machinery by which
the several part of either of those stocking frames are to be actuated. It is
the rotary machinery alone which is now about to be described by the aid of
Sheets VIII. and IX., and it is assumed that the construction of the stocking
Frame (whichever of the constructions herein-before described that may be) as
lready sufficiently understood from the foregoing descriptions thereof. A
horizontal axis 30 is extended across in front of the stocking frame, being
upported in bearings on iron bars, which are fixed to the wood framing in any
convenient manner. The said axis 30 is to be turned steadily round with a

page_text: continuous rotative motion, so as to make one complete revolution in the time
during which the stocking frame is working two complete courses of the
stocking fabric. The said axis 30 may be turned by a large spur wheel 31
fixed upon it, near to one of the bearings for the axis 30, the teeth of the
wheel 31 being engaged by those of a spur pinion 32, fixed on the axis of the
two turning handles 34, 34, by which a person standing in front of the stocking
fraine, in a convenient position to see the working thereof, can turn the axis
and pinion 32 round, and the position of that axis should be suitably disposed
as to its height above the floor, and as to its distance before the front of the
stocking frame, to suit the convenience of the person who is to turn it round.
The axis of the handles 34, 34, and pinion 32, may be supported in bearings
affixed to and arising up from the aforesaid iron bars which support the bear-
ings for the axis 30; and a fly-wheel may be fixed on the axis of the handles
to regulate the motion wherewith that axis is turned round. If the machinery
is to be actuated by power, a pair of pullies, called fast and loose pullies, 37, 38,
may be applied on the axis of the handles 34, pinion 32, and fly-wheel, in
order to turn those parts by an endless strap or belt from a suitable drum
driven by the millwork, in the usual and well-known manner of turning power
weaving machinery. Or else such fast and loose pullies may be applied on a
distinct axis, having a pinion to work into the teeth of the large spur wheel 31.
in order to turn the same; and in such case the fly-wheel may also be fixed on
that said axis. In either way of applying the fast and loose pullies, the
person who attends the frame can stop the motion thereof by shifting the end-
less strap to the loose pulley 38, and yet when that is done the stocking frame
can, if required, be worked by hand, by turning either of the two handles 34,
and which may be done slowly and with care for ensuring that all the parts of
the stocking frame are in order and will work correctly, and then by shifting
the endles strap to the fast pulley 37 the same will be turned round by power,
so as to resume the working of the stocking frame thereby near to each end
bearing of the axis 30; a camm 39 is fixed fast upon that axis, so as to turn
round therewith; the two camms 39 are both alike, and they act alike to pull
down the frame of sinkers when required, one camm at the right-hand side,
and the other at the left-hand side of that frame, in order to pull both sides down
equally, hence they are called sinking camms. The two sinking camms 39, 39,
perform that office by means of two treadle levers 41, 41, which are disposed
beneath the camms, with a roller on each treadle to apply to the lower part of
the circumferences of the sinking camms, the front ends of the treadles being
their centres of motion, and their opposite or backmost ends are connected by
two upright links 35 with the lower ends of the two banging checks of the

page_text: frame of siukers, the upper ends whereof are suspended by the top joints e, e,
from the two spindle bar arms C of the stocking frame, and those spindle bar
arms C are borne upwards by the usual action, but exerted by a strong double-
bladed main spring D, which may be aided by the adjusting springs of curled
wire, if requisite, as already explained. The rollers of the treadle levers 41, 41,
are thereby caused to apply to the under parts of circumferences of the
sinking camms 39, 39, and those circumferences are cut (as is represected in
Sheet IX.) into suitable steps, with such prominences or elevations beyond
and excavations or depressions within a true circular and concentric curvature,
as will be proper for causing the frame of sinkers E, F, which is suspended by
its top joints e, e, from the front ends of the spindle bar arms C, to be
depressed and raised again alternately at all those times when the working
of the frame requires the sinkers to be lowered and raised, and to such extent
as is required at each such time of so doing; whenever the circumferences of
the sinking camms 39, 39, in revolving with the axis 30, present prominences
or elevations to the rollers of the treadle levers 41, 41, then those prominences
will press down the said treadle levers, and by the connexion of the upright
links 35, 35, the spindle bar arms C, and consequently the sinkers, will be
depressed as much as is requisite for the working of the frame. But as
the sinking camms 39 continue to revolve they afterwards present cavities
or depressions of their circumferences to the rollers of the treadle levers 41, 41,
which will then permit the sinkers to be raised up (as high as the coking
or other stops will permit) by action of the main spring D and assisting
springs; and portions of the circumferences of the camms 39, 39, inter-
vening between the prominences and the excavations aforesaid may be formed
circular and concentric with the axis 30, in order that so long as such con-
centric portions are presented to the rollers of the treadle levers 41, 41, tho
spindle bar arms C and the sinkers may be retained steadily at the same
height without rising or falling. The two sinking camms 29, 39, perform
O the same office as is usually performed by the two hands of the workman
when he works the frame in the ordinary way by hand, applying his hands
to the two ends of the hand bars F in order to raise and lower the sinkers
thereby; but as he also, when requisite, brings forward and puts backward
the frame of sinkers by his hands, that action is performed in the rotary
5 machinery by another camm 40, which is fixed on the axis 30, near to the
middle of the length thereof, and is called the knocking-over camm; it acts
downwards on a roller borne by a treadle lever 42 (which is similar to the
treadle levers 41, 41, already described), and from the backmost end of the
treadle 42 an upright link 45 goes up to conneet to the frontmost end of

page_text: lever arm 46, projecting out forwards from the middle of a horizontal back
axis 43, which is mounted in bearings supported on the back rafter of the wood
framing, and which axis has two other upright lever ars 47 ascending from
it, one at each end, like spindle bar arms, and from the upper ends of those
upright lever arms 47 horizontal links 44 extend to joints at the lower ends of
the hanging cheeks, below the hand bar F, at the lower part of the frame
of sinkers E, F, and reacting springs of curled wire 48 are applied by the sides
of or parallel to the links 44, in order to pull the hand bar F backwards, the
foremost ends of those pull-back springs 48 being attached to each end of the
hand bar F, and their backmost ends being attached to the fixed wood
raming. The force of those pull-back springs 48 causes the roller of the
readle lever 42 to apply to the under part of the circumference of the knock-
ng-over camm 40, the form of which is shewn in Sheet IX., and whenever
prominences on that circumference present themselves to the roller of the
readle lever 42, the frame of sinkers E, F, will be thereby brought
orwards as much as the working of the frame requires; but when
excavations of the said circumference come round to the said roller, then the
rame of sinkers E, F, will be carried backwards as far as the coking stops
vill permit by reaction of the pull-back springs 48; or when circular concentric
portions of the said circumference are acting on the said roller, then the
rame of sinkers will be kept steadily at the same place, without either
coming forwards or going backwards. And note, the two upright lever
rmis 47 of the back axis 43, and the horizontal links 44 from those arms to
he hanging cheeks, must be at such distance apart as will allow the jack
ar J and the connecting or supporting pieces 3 at each end of it to descend
nto the clear space between the links 44, 44, without interfering therewith
r with the pull-back springs 48. The upright lever arms 47 are fastened
ne such lever arm on each end of the back axis 43 in the same manner as
pindle bar arms are usually fastened on the two ends of the spindle bar in a
common stocking frame. And note, the motion which is given to the frame
of sinkers by the knocking-over camm 40, for bringing forwards that frame
nd allowing it to be taken back again by the pull-back springs 48, as well as
he motion which is given by the camms 39, 39, for raising and lowering the
aid frame, will be the same kind of motions (and compound of motions) as
re commonly given to the frame of sinkers in a common stocking frame when
vorked by hand manipulations. The thread layer and the slur are actuated
y two camms 33 and 36, which are fastened on the axis 30, and they act
lternately on the rollers of two treadle levers 49 and 50, which, as they
orrespond to the ordinary treadles on which the workman places his feet,

page_text: they require little explanation beyond what is exhibited by the Drawing.
From each treadle 49 and 50 a strong cord, strap, or chain goes up to the
usual small wheel called the whirl on the axis of the slur wheel, and from a
groove around the circumference of the slur wheel a cord for moving the slur
is carried up each way to the guide pullies at the two ends of the slur bar,
which bar is represented as being immoveably fixed to the framework of the
machinery across the front ends of the jacks, in manner already described.
There is also another groove around the slur wheel to receive a second cord
for moving the thread layer, which cord goes up and over guide pullies at each
end of the horizontal fixed groove wherein the slider of the thread layer
moves across the top of the machine, and from that slider the thread layer
descends to conduct the thread which is to be laid across the needles. The
action of the camm 33 is to depress the treadle 49, which, by its cord pulling
down from the whirl of the slur wheel, turns that wheel round, and the said
wheel draws the left-hand slur cord so as to draw the slur along the slur bar
from the right hand towards the left, just the same as a workman would do by
treading down with his left foot in working a stocking frame by hand. Also
the same motion of the slur wheel draws the other cord for the thread layer,
and thereby moves the slider of the thread layer from the right hand towards
the left in order to lay the thread across the stems of the needles. The use of
the two distinct cords to the slur wheel is, that the motion of the thread
layer may begin a little before the slur begins to act upon the jacks, in order
that a sufficient length of thread may be laid across the needles before the
nibs and catches of the jacks begin to operate thereon; and, therefore, when
the slur does, begin to throw down the jacks, there is thread already laid
beneath their nibs and catches in preparation for being sunk into coarse loops
by the descent of those nibs and catches. The two cords which give motion
to the thread layer are not fastened directly to the slider which carries the
thread layer itself, but are tied to the two ends of a horizontal bolt which is
fitted to slide in sockets fixed to that slider (see the front elevation Sheet VIII.,
and the bolt is connected with the slider by two latches, whereof that one
which (for the time being) is moving foremost with the slider holds the bolt
fast to the slider whilst the latter is drawn across; but when it has been moved
so far in its groove as to have carried the thread layer quite across the row of
needles and laid thread thereon without moving farther, then the tail of the
said latch comes in contact with a fixed stop, which disengages the tooth of
the latch from its notch in the bolt, which then ceases to carry the slider and
thread layer any further, but they remain motionless in consequence of the
slider coming against a fixed stop at the end of the groove wherein it slides;
n

page_text: but, nevertheless, after the thread layer is so stopped the bolt continues to be
moved a little further by its cord, and also the slur continues to be drawn
by its cord until the slur has passed all across the row of jacks, and has moved
somewhat further along its slur bar, and then the other latch catches into its
notch of the sliding bolt in order to connect that bolt with the slider of the
thread layer in preparation for the next time of drawing the same in a contrary
direction across the row of needles, and when that time arrives the thread
layer will begin to lay thread across the needles as soon as it begins to move,
but the slur, although it may begin to move along the slur bar at the same
time, will not arrive at the jacks so as to begin to act thereon until the thread
layer has advanced so far as to have laid thread across some of the needles in
readiness for that thread to be sunk into loops by the descending of the nibs
and catches of those jacks which will be first acted upon by the slur. When
the thread layer gets quite across the row of needles its slider is stopped, and
its said other latch is disengaged by a fixed stop of its own in the same
manner as the first-mentioned latch was before. Hence the two latches and
the bolt prepare the thread layer for being moved so as to begin to lay thread
sooner than the slur will begin to act on the jacks in going back again the next
time, all which is the usual and well-known mode of working a thread layer,
and requires no further description. At the next succeeding course the other
camm 36 presses down the treadle 50, and that draws the thread layer and the
slur across from left to right by a similar action to that before explained. As
one treadle 49 goes down the other treadle 50 goes up, and the camms 33 and
36 have their respective prominences on the opposite sides of the centre of the
axis 30. The forms of those camms are drawn in Sheet IX. The machine in
Sheet VIII. is represented with a presser bar of the common construction
mounted on the usual presser arms and joints, but the presser bows and back
presser which are commonly used in hand machines, and which are represented
in Sheet II., are cut off when the machine is worked by rotary motion in
order that the presser may be rendered more lively in its motion. The presser
is brought down when required by two camms 51, 51, fastened on the extreme
ends of the axis 30, which camms act both together on small rollers borne by the
treadle levers 52, 52, from which upright links, called the presser wires 53, 58,
go up to join to two short arms 54, 54, fixed on the presser arms, so that when
a prominence of the camms 51, 51, comes in contact with the rollers of the
treadles 52, 52, they will both be pressed down together, and by the presser
wires 53, 53, and arms 54, 54, they will carry down the presser bar to cause
it to perform its office on the beards of the needles, and instantly after that
the prominences of the cams 51, 51, allow the treadles and the presser bar to

page_text: fly up very suddenly by action of pulling-up springs of curled wire which
are applied to each treadle 52, 52, the upper ends of those springs being
suspended from the fixed framing, but they are not shewn in the Drawing.
The forms of all the several camms are drawn full size in Sheet IX., and the
writing thereon will be a sufficient explanation of how the several prominences
of those camms are to operate. But note, the form of the camms requires to
be adapted with accuracy to the particular stocking frame which is to be
actuated by them, for the differences in the dimensions of the parts of one
stocking frame and another will require corresponding small differences in the
forms of the camms; and, therefore, if the cams are cut out in wood to
the forms shewn in the Drawing Sheet IX., but rather larger all round, then
those wooden camms being applied to the stocking frame, as shewn in Sheet
VIII., the movements given by them to the parts of the stocking frame can
be made correct by cutting the circumferences of the camms wherever they
require, until they will work the frame properly with the same motions as
would be given to its parts by a skilful workman working it by hand, after
which the said wooden camms will serve as patterns to cast iron camms from.
Note, the arrangement of the camm work and rotary mechanism above
described for working a stocking frame is not new, and is not claimed as part
of our Invention, being only introduced into this Specification in order to
explain how our improvements may be worked with power or with rotary
motion. And note, the stocking frame in Sheet VIII. is represented as being
constructed according to the first and second parts of our improvements herein-
before described, those two parts being combined together and acting in
concert. But if it were to be also according to the fourth or the sixth parts of
those improvements in addition to the other two, so as to comprize those three
improvements combined together in the same stocking frame, then the presser
bar would be removed with its arms and the camms 51, 51, and the treadles
52, 52, and in lieu of the presser bar lateral projecting pieces 65 would be
applied to all the long sinkers of the hand-bar sinkers in the manner shewn
in Sheet III. and already explained, and those lateral projecting pieces will
perform the office of a presser bar. But in such case the camms 39 and 40
will require to be formed somewhat differently from Sheet IX. in order that
when the frame of sinkers has been moved forwards by a prominence of the
camm 40 so as to carry the loops of thread to the heads of the needles, then
by that time the pressing down of the beards of the needles, and the landing
of the stitches of the work thereon, will have been completed by the self action
of the lateral projecting pieces 65 on the sinkers, as herein-before explained,
and immediately afterwards a depression of the camm 39 must allow the
°

page_text: sinkers to rise so as to bring their bellies into action, but whilst that rise is
taking place the camm 40, instead of putting the sinkers back, must keep the
sinkers forwards just as far as will suit for raising the nibs of the sinkers up
out of the loops of thread which are then at the heads of the needles. And
after the sinkers have so risen, then a prominence of the camm 40 must bring
the sinkers further forwards in order to perform the knocking over. Sheet IX.
contains the forms of the camms which are suitable for working a stocking
frame, as aforesaid, with either the fourth or sixth parts of our improvements
substituted for a presser bar, and by comparing Sheet X with Sheet IX. the
difference above mentioned will be apparent. The detached Figures in
Sheet V. represent the interposed pieces between the upper ends of the long
sinkers 14 of the hand-bar sinkers for performing the office of a presser bar,
as herein-before described in respect to the sixth and last parts of our improve-
ments. The form and position and the operation of the lower and operative
ends of such interposed pieces to perform the pressing down of the beards
of the needles being precisely the same as already described respecting
the fourth part of our improvements need not be repeated, the difference
between the foregoing description and what is now to be described being only
in a manner of supporting the said interposed pieces in their intended places
between the sinkers, which is done without those pieces being affixed to the
long sinkers 14, but, nevertheless, having the same operation as though they
were affixed thereto. 75 in Sheet V. are the interposed pieces which are
nearly the same shape as the pieces 65 in Sheet III., except that the pieces 75
are longer, and the upper ends are made thin to cast side by side into leads 76
about one inch wide, which leads are fastened by screws to the ordinary
sinker bar, so that the row of pieces 75 will be firmly held projecting down-
wards from the sinker bar into the spaces between the upper ends of the long
sinkers 14 of the hand-bar sinkers, and the nibs and catches 10 which are
firmly affixed to the front end of the jacks. There is one piece 75 for every
needle with its lower end reaching down far enough between the sinkers to
act upon the beard thereof when required for performing the pressing in the
same manner as already described respecting the pieces 65. The pieces 75
are made thick enough to fill up the spaces between the upper ends of the
long sinker 14 and the nibs and catches 10, leaving the latter free liberty
to move up and down, as required. The upper end of each of the pieces 75
which is to be cast in the lead is thinned with a shoulder, which by applying
to the under part of the lead holds the piece more firm from moving
therein. The stocking frame represented in Sheet VI. has the pieces 75
according to this sixth part of our improvements, and the leads 76 are there

page_text: shewn in place screwed to the sinker bar. By comparing that part of
Sheet VI. with the aforesaid detached Figures in Sheet V., and with the aid
of the foregoing description, the mode of performing the sixth part of our
improvements will be sufficiently clear. The stocking frame represented in
Sheet VI. is constructed according to the fifth part of our improvements.
The pins of each of the top joints marked e, are firmly and immoveably
sustained at the upper ends of fixed standards P, which are erected on the
front ends of the sole bars, so as to form a fixed horizontal centre line e for
the swinging motion of the frame of sinkers. The said standards P may
be nearly the same as the back standards commonly used for sustaining
each end of the spindle bar, but now erected very firmly on the front
ends of the sole bars instead of on the back ends thereof. The ends of
the needle bar are cut short, as already mentioned, and the needle bar is
sustained on end pivots or centre pins u, which are received into sockets
fixed on the sole bars, and the needles are raised or lowered by tilting the
needle bar about those pivots u as a fixed horizontal centre line of motion.
The jack bar J is affixed to the frame of sinkers, according to the first part
of our improvements, by connecting pieces 3, 3, in the same manner and for
the same purpose as already described respecting Sheet II., wherefore it
requires no further explanation. The pulling-up spring 7 may be applied in
an oblique direction, in order to pull backwards at the same time that they pull
upwards, they give the frame of sinkers a tendency to incline backwards as
far as the coking stops will permit, those stops being fixed to the under side
of the needle bar at each end thereof, and the weight of the needle bar tends
to tilt it downwards as far as the usual catches of the hanging cheeks and
the said coking stops will permit. That is the case when the thread is to be
laid across the needles and sunk into coarse loops; but when the stitches of
the work are to be knocked over, then the needle bar is tilted down still
lower into the position of the separate Figure in Sheet VI., until its weight.
comes to rest on suitable fixed stops or stop screws [herein-before mentioned
but not represented], which answer the same purpose as the top screws of the
front standards in a common stocking frame, and which stops appear in
their usual places in Sheet I. The caster backs are mounted on pieces which
are fixed to the under side of the needle bar at each end thereof, and which
reach forwards to sustain the caster backs nearly in their usual situation, and
they act against the usual hanging bits on the hanging cheeks; but as the
caster backs are sustained by the needle bar instead of by the fixed framing,
they rise and fall with the needle bar, when the same is tilted upwards or
downwards about its centre pivots u. Sheet VI. shews the lever 27 and

page_text: handle 29, by which the frame may be worked by the hands of the workman
28 being the joint piece fixed to the hand bar for the lever 27 to be poised
upon; and 61 the link which is jointed to the back end 60 of the lever 27
and extends obliquely upwards to a joint pin 62, at the under side of the
needle bar, near to the frontmost edge thereof. There is a similar handle 29
and lever 27 applied at each end of the hand bar. When the workman
bears down the two handles 29 (but without pulling them forwards at the same
time), the back ends 60 of the levers 27 and the links 61 tilt up the needle
bar so as to effect the same purpose on the needles and sinkers, as is done by
pulling down the hand bar in a common stocking frame. Or, when the
workman pulls the two handles 29 towards him (but without bearing them
down at the same time), then the levers 27 will pull forwards the frame of
sinkers (the links 61 permitting such motion without affecting the needle bar)
so as to effect the same purpose as is done by pulling forwards the hand bar
in a common stocking frame; and if the workman gives a compound motion
to the two handles 29 to raise or lower, and at the same time move them
forwards or backwards, the action will be communicated to the needle bar
and to the frame sinkers conjointly, so as between the motion of the two to
effect the same purpose on the needles and the sinkers as would be done by
giving a like compound motion to the hand bar in a common stocking frame.
And note, in case the stocking frame, Sheet VI. is to be worked by rotary
motions, such as represented in Sheets VIII. and X., then the joints at the
upper ends of each of the upright links 35, instead of being jointed to the
two ends of the hand bar, as shewn in Sheet VIII., are to be connected to
the aforesaid joint pin 62, Sheet VI., at the under side of the needle bar at
each end thereof; also the centre pins for the treaddles 41, 41, Sheet VIII.,
are to be raised up and those treaddles inverted, so that their rollers will
apply upon the upper parts of the two sinking camms 39, 39, above the
axis 30 (instead of applying to the lower parts of the same camms below the
axis), and the links 35 being suitably shortened are to be extended from the
joints at the ends of the treadles 41, 41, to the said joints 62 under the
needle bar; and the parts, when so arranged, will actuate the needle bar with
the requisite motions. The other parts of the rotary motions will require
no difference from what is shewn in Sheets VIII. and X. The slur bar is
represented in Sheet VI. as being placed low down with a tall slur cock
reacting upwards from it to act beneath the tails of the jacks. When the
slur has been drawn along the slur bar to either end thereof, it will go beyond
the extent of the row of jacks. The slur bar is situated so low down that it
will be in some measure out of the paths in which the camels, spring stock,
S

page_text: in its
and other parts have to move, when those said parts are connected to the
frame of sinkers so as to become appurtenances thereof (according to the first
part of our improvements), for when the frame of sinkers is brought forwards,
the camels and the stock of the row of springs must descend, and at the
same time come forwards with a swinging motion about the centre lines of
the top joints. The slur bar is sustained by means of a leg which descends
downwards from it at each of its extremities, and the lowest ends of the two legs
are each mounted upon horizontal centre pins fixed to the wood frame, where-
fore the slur bar is sustained in its requisite horizontal position across the
machine; but, nevertheless, it is left at liberty to be moved backwards and
forwards with a motion parallel to itself, in order that it may be easily pushed
forwards out of the way of the spring stock or other part which may
said swinging motion come in contact with the slur bar, which, having at that
moment no duty to perform, it can admit of thus coming forwards, and yet
by action of suitable springs it will return to its proper place, as shewn in
Sheet VI., as soon as the frame of sinkers is put backwards again, and the
spring stock or other parts retreat from their said contact with the slur bar;
and when the same has returned to its place it is held by those said springs to
rest firmly against suitable fixed stops; in this way the slur cord will act
properly over its usual pullies at the ends of the slur bar to conduct the cord
from the slur wheel. And note, this way of mounting the slur bar is appli-
cable to such a stocking frame as Sheet II., being one of the means, in
addition to those herein-before described, of applying the slur bar. The
falling bar in Sheet VI. is sustained by the star bolts and stars which are
mounted in star boxes fixed upon the two ends of the needle bar in the usual
manner, and in consequence the falling bar is sustained by the needle bar, so
that it will partake of the tilting motion thereof when the needle bar is
tilted upwards, in order to raise the needles for the purpose of dividing the
coarse loops of thread into fine loops. And after such coarse loops have
been formed by the jacks descending (by action of the slur) one after another
on the falling bar, and in so rising with the needle bar the falling bar lifts up
the jacks again, in order to yield thread out of the coarse loops to form the
fine loops, and also to produce the effect of locking up the jacks with their
heads in contact with the under edge of the false rim, and with their heads
lodged in the hollows of the cramps of their springs; but after that locking
up has been thus performed, and the frame of sinkers is to be brought
forwards, as herein-before explained, then the falling bar must be removed
out of the way of the jacks, in order to permit them to come forwards along
with the frame of sinkers with a swinging motion about the horizontal fixed

page_text: centre line e of the top joints. The requisite removal of the falling bar may
be performed by any of the means herein-before described (see Sheet III.)
which will be most suitable to each particular stocking frame; but the means
represented in Sheet VI. is somewhat different from any of the foregoing, but
is of the kind whereby the falling bar is removed by coming forwards and
descending at the same time. The slots 4 at the lower ends of the two star
bolts are formed with double-inclined planes within the lower parts of them,
see the separate Figures, Sheet V.; and each end of the falling bar has an end
piece 6 fixed to it, with two studs projecting out therefrom to go into the slot
and rest on those two inclined planes in that slot, all in the same manner as
already described in reference to the separate Figure in Sheet III., the only
difference from that description being that the falling bar is kept pressed
backwards by a spring 9 applied to the frontmost part of each of its end pieces
6, those springs being fixed to the hand bar F; and the backmost end of each
of the said pieces 6 is pushed forwards by the wedged piece 8 affixed to the
connecting piece 3, when the frame of sinkers is brought forwards, and thereby
the falling bar is brought forwards, and then the two studs at each of its ends
come forwards down their two inclined planes in each of the slots of the star
bolts, so as to cause the falling bar to descend as it comes forwards. The
separate Figures in Sheet V. sufficiently explain the action of the parts.
Note, when the needle bar is first raised for dividing the loops, the action of
the end pieces 6 against the wedged pieces 8 moves the falling bar a little
forwards, so as to prepare its two studs at each of its ends for begining to
descend the double inclined planes in each of the slots 4 as soon as the frame
sinkers begins to come forwards, but without actually descending, because the
summit of each of the said inclined planes are horizontal for the studs of the
falling bar to rest securely thereon where the jacks are to fall upon it.
Sheet VII. represents a stocking frame similar to that in Sheet IV., except
that it is always according to the fifth part of our improvements. The writing
on the Drawing Sheet VII., together with the foregoing description of Sheet
VI., will be a sufficient explanation of Sheet VII. But note, that Sheet
is not according to the sixth part of our improvements, as was the case
in Sheet VI., the fourth part being used in used in Sheet VII. in lieu
of the sixth part. The manner of applying the lateral projection pieces
65 to the long sinkers 14 of the hand-bar sinkers, according to that S
fourth part, when the jacks without tails are used, as is represented in
Sheet VII., further explained by separate Figures in Sheet V., and
which node would be equally applicable to the machine, Sheet, IV. in
lieu of a presser bar. And note, as there may be a want of space for the

page_text: falling bar to descend, in cases when it is to be removed by the mode of a
direct descent, as already explained, space may be gained for the falling bar
by making the needle leads with a projection upwards from their frontmost
ends to receive and hold the needles higher up above the needle bar than
usual, as is shewn in a separate Figure in Sheet V. And note, the leads 13
of the hand-bar sinkers 12 and 14 may be applied against the front face of
the hand bar F, the leads 13 being formed to crank backwards beneath the
under edge of the hand bar, as shewn in a separate Figure in Sheet V., by
which means the hand-bar sinkers 12 and 14 may be made longer, so as to
stand up further out of their leads 13, in order that they may be more capable
of yielding laterally, if that is thought to be desirable, for knocking over the
stitches of the work. Note, the nibs and catches 10, which are to be firmly
affixed to the front ends or heads of the jacks, without any moveable joints
at those heads, will in all cases be as thin metal as the hand-bar sinkers 12
and 14; and the said pieces 10 may, if preferred, be made of steel plate instead.
of iron plate, in order to render them more durable; and the hand-bar sinkers
12 and 14 may also be made of steel plate if preferred.
Having now described our said improvements, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I, the said Henry Warner, for myself and for the said John
Cartwright and Joseph Haywood, do hereby declare that the new Invention
whereof the exclusive use is granted to us by the said Letters Patent of the
Fourth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and forty-one, consists in
the following particulars :-
Firstly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby the jack bar
is firmly affixed by suitable connecting pieces to the frame of sinkers, so that
the jack bar with all its appurtenances, as herein-before explained, becomes
part of the said frame, and will be moved therewith, suitable pulling-up
springs being also used to counterbalance the additional weight wherewith the
frame of sinkers is loaded, so that the said frame may (notwithstanding that
weight) have the same tendency to move backwards and to rise upwards as it
would have in a common stocking frame, as herein-before described. Such
first part of our improvements being capable of being used by itself without
the following parts, the manner of so doing it being represented in Sheet A of
the Drawings hereunto annexed, but such first part being also capable of
being combined with any or all the next four following parts, viz, the second,
third, fourth, and fifth parts, or else with the sixth part in lieu of the fourth
part.
Secondly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby those portions
of the lack sinkers which contain the

page_text: those sinkers are firmly affixed to the front ends or heads of the jacks, without
any moving joints at the said heads, as herein-before explained, such nibs and
catches and jacks being used in combination (but not otherwise than in combina-
tion) with the sinkers herein-before described and denominated hand-bar sinkers,
consisting of a row containing long and short sinkers alternately, cast in leads,
which are fastened in a row to the hand bar, so that the sinkers stand upwards
therefrom to act between the needles in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before described, this second part of our improvements being used in
combination with the first part aforesaid, and not without that first part, but
it may be used without any of the other parts, as is representated in Sheets I.
and II. of the Drawings, or else the said second part (combined with the first)
may be used in further combination with all or any of the next three parts
following, viz³, the third, fourth, and fifth parts, or else with the sixth part in
lieu of the fourth part. And note, no claim is made to the said hand-bar
sinkers when the same are used with any other kind of jacks than such jacks
as are mounted on a jack wire which is situated behind the needle bar, and
nearly on a level with the needles, or not much above that level; neither is any
claim mude to nibs and catches firmly affixed to the front ends or heads of the
jacks (without any moving joints at the said heads) when the same are used
with any other kinds of sinkers than the said hand-bar sinkers. But the claim
under this second part of our improvements is confined to the combination of
such hand-bar sinkers as herein-before described with jacks of the kind afore-
said, that is, having nibs and sinkers firmly affixed to their front ends or
heads, without any moving joints at the said heads, and the jack wire on which
they are mounted being situated behind the needle bar and nearly on a level:
with the needles, or not much above that level.
Thirdly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby the sinkers
affixed to the hand bar, together with the nibs and catches firmly affixed
(without any moveable joints) to the front ends or heads of the jacks, being
according to the second part of our improvements (but the sinkers, nibs, and
catches not being otherwise than according thereto), and also the said parts
being mounted and used according to the first part of our improvements, or
else according to the first and fifth parts (but not otherwise than according to
such first or such first and fifth parts), may be constructed with the jack wire
or centre of motion for the jacks wholly at the backmost ends of such jacks, 3
without having any tails extending backwards beyond the wire or centre of
motion, the row of springs and the slea being applied at or near to the front-
most ends of such jacks, and the slur being applied over such jacks between
their said centre of motion and their heads, as herein-before described and

page_text: represented in Sheets IV. and VII. And note, no claim is made to any such
jacks without tails, and having their springs and their slea at their frontmost
ends or heads as aforesaid, if such jacks have any moveable joints at their
frontmost ends or heads for suspending the jack sinkers from such joints, or if
the jack wire and jack bar or comb bar whereon such jacks are mounted is
borne in a carriage on trucks, or other equivalent mode of supporting the
jack bar and jack wire, so that it can move backwards and forwards without
rising and falling in any sensible degree. But our claim under this third
part of our improvements is confined to the combination of such jacks without
tails (and having their springs and their slea at their frontmost ends or heads
as aforesaid) with the first and second parts of our improvements, in the
manner represented in Sheet IV., or else with the first, second, fourth, and
fifth parts, in the manner represented in Sheet VII.
Fourthly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby lateral pro-
jecting pieces are affixed to and used as a part of the long sinkers of that
particular kind of sinkers herein-before denominated hand-bar sinkers, and
mentioned in the second part of our improvements, such projecting pieces
being for the purpose of acting on the beards of the needles, in order to close
the same, and to enable the stitches of the work to be landed thereon without
using any presser bar, as herein-before explained. But note, such projecting
pieces are only claimed in case they are affixed to and used as a part of the
long sinkers of the said hand-bar sinkers, and are not claimed as applied to
any other kinds of sinkers that are or may be used in stocking frames and
framework knitting machinery. This fourth part of our improvements is in
all cases to be used in combination with the first and second parts, and may
be used in combination with the first and fifth and the second parts, but the
fourth part may be used either with or without the third part.
Fifthly, in the improvement herein-before described, whereby the jack bar
being affixed to the frame of sinkers, according to the first part, the centre line
of the top joints whereon the frame of sinkers is suspended is rendered an im-
moveable horizontal centre line for backwards and forward swinging motion of
the frame of sinkers, without any other motion thereof, as herein-before described,
and likewise the needle bar, instead of being fixed is mounted at its ends or
pivots at the back or behind the centre line of those pivots, being an immoveable
horizontal centre line parallel to the other such centre line aforesaid, and the
needle bar being moved up and down on its said end pivots, as herein-before
described, in order to raise and lower the needles (which project forwards as
usual out from the frontmost edge of the needle bar) in a suitable manner for
acting in concert with the nibs and catches and sinkers to perform the usual

page_text: functions of such parts upon the thread, as herein-before described, this fifth
part being in all cases combined with the first part; and those two may be
used in further combination with any or all the other three following parts,
viz., with the second, third, and fourth parts, as is shewn in Sheet VII., or
may be used with the second and sixth part, the latter being in lieu of the
fourth, as is represented in Sheet VI.
Sixthly, in the improvement herein-before described of interposing similar
pieces to those mentioned in the fourth part in the spaces between the hand-bar
sinkers, but without being affixed to those sinkers, although acting in the same
inanner as if they were affixed, being (in lieu of being so affixed) held in leads
which are screwed to the sinker bar as herein-before described, the said sixth
part of our improvements being capable of being used in any case where the
fourth part is or may be used, being used in lieu and as a substitute therefore,
except that the sixth is not suitable for being combined with the fourth part.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Warner, for myself and for the
said John Cartwright and Joseph Haywood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of August, One thousand eight hundred