IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Coltman, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES"
Sealed the 8th May 1877, and dated the 2nd February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Coltman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1877
THOMAS COLTMAN, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester
IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES'
»
"IMPROVEMENTS
Upon a suitable shaped bed I secure a casting forming a ring at the bottom, fiom
the upper side of which project three or more vertical brackets connected on then
inner side by a collar, above which the brackets project outwards and support a
flange turned true on its upper side, over which the flange of a cylinder tuins, this
cylinder has one or more grooves cut out on its inner side to receive one or more
keys secured on the outside of the upper end of a second cylinder, the lower end of
which projects below the bed, and is provided with a toothed wheel duiven by a
worm upon a shaft capable of being moved by the operator in front of the machine,
or by a strap from any pume mover passing round a pulley at the back of the
machine, the first cylinder evolves with the second cylinder, and is provided with
a flange on the outside which ides upon an incline ing which may be moved by n
hand lever, partially round, upon an incline ring secured to a colla on the bed,
such partial movement being iegulated by a notched tack. the fist named cylinder
has saw gates cut on the top of its flange, radiating towards the centic, in each saw
gate a needle bit slides, having a latch needle secured in its inner end, there is a pio-
jecting portion of each bit which stands above the saw gate and takes into a groove
forming a series of V shaped inclines secured on the inside of a flanged cain 11ng bolted
to the upper flange of the casting named above, the inclines cause the needles to
advance and receed to and from the centre ns the first and second named cylinders
evolve, as each incline causes the needles to receed from the centre they secure a
thread fed to them by a thread guide secured to the upper side of the cam ing,
there being as many guides as V shaped inclines
Within the upper end of the second named cylinder is a thud cylinder firmly
secured to and revolving with it, the upper end of this cylinder has saw gates cut

page_text: in it, in each of which a wedge-shaped steel bit is secured, the inclined end of
which lies between two adjacent needles, which arrangement causes a long loop to
be drawn between the bits when the second cylinder is raised, and a short loop
when it is lowered by the hand lever above refeited to
By means of a machine constructed as above described I am enabled to employ a
greater number of thread guides in a given encumference, and can regulate the
machine so as to make the work stiffer or slacker without stopping it
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Coltman in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 19th May
1877
88
THOMAS COLTMAN, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester ⚫ IMPROVEMENTS
IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES"
Upon a suitable shaped bed I secure a casting forming a ling at the bottom, from
the upper side of which project three or more vertical brackets connected on then
Inne side by a collar, above which the brackets project outwards and support a
flange tuined tiue on its upper sido, over which the flange of a cylinder
tuins, this cylinder has one or more grooves cut out on its inner side to
receive one or more keys secured on the outside of the upper end of a second
cylinder, the lower end of which projects below the bed, and is provided with a
toothed wheel driven by a worm upon a shaft capable of being moved by the
operator in front of the machine or by a strap from any prime mover passing round
a pulley at the back of the machine, the first cylindei evolves with the second
cylinder, and is provided with a flange on the outside which indes upon an mchne
ng, which may be moved by a hand lever partially round upon an incline ing
secuted to a collar on the bed, such putial movement being regulated by a notched
Tack, the first named cylinder has saw gates cut on the top of its flange radiating
towards the centic, m each saw gate a needle but slides, having a latch needle
scued, in its inner end there is a projecting portion of cach bit which stands above
the saw gate and takes to a groove forming a series of shaped inclines seemed
on the inside of two flanged cam ungs bolted to the upper flange of the casting
named above, the melmes cause the needles to advance and recede tow.uds and
from the centie as the first and second named cylinders evolve, as each inclino
causes the needles to recede from the centic they secure a thread fed to them by a
thread guide secured to the upper side of the cam ring, there being as many guides
as V shaped inclines
Within the upper end of the second named cylinder is a thind cylinder firmly
secured to and revolving with it, the upper end of this cylinder has saw gates cut
in it, in each of which a wedge-shaped steel bit is secured, the inclined end of
which lies between two adjacent needles, which aangement causes a long loop to
be drawn between the bits when the second cylinder is raised, and a short loop
when it is lowered by the hand level above refered to
By means of a machine constructed as above described I am enabled to employ
a greater number of thread guides in a given encumference, and can regulate the
machine so as to make the work stiffer or slacker without stopping it

page_text: Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 6ª show separate paits of the maclune severally referred to
hereafter
My improved machine consists of the following parts Upon a suitable shaped
bed A. I secure a casting B, shown in plan at Figure 3, forming a ling at the
bottom, from the upper side of which project three vertical brachots B' connectod
on then inner side by a collu B, above which the brackets project outwards and
support a flange B³ turned truc on its upper side, over which the vertical flange of
a cylinder C turns, this cylinder is shown in plan at Figure 4, and has one or
moic grooves cut out on its side to receive one or more keys, each of which is
secured on the outside of the upper end of a second cylinder D having a flange on
its outer side, the lower end of this cylinder projects below the bed, and is provided
with a toothed wheel E, which is duiven by a worm E' secured on a shaft capablo
of boing evolved in bearings attached to the bed, the shaft may be moved by the
operator by means of the handle in front of the machine or by a stiap from any
piune mover passing round a pulley at the back of the machino.
The flange of the cylinder Dievolves upon an incline ing F, which can be
moved by means of a hand lever I partially round upon another incline ing
secured to a collar on the bed of the machine, such partial movement being
egulated by a notched rack F secured to the bed
The cylinder C has saw gates cut on the top of its angular flange radiating
towards the contie, in each saw gate a needle bit C' slides, having a latch needle
secured in its upper end, there is a projecting portion of each bit which stands
above the saw gate and takes into a gioove forming a series of V shaped inclines G,
an under side view and section of a portion of which are shown at Figures 5 and 6,
these inclines are secured on the inside of two flanged cam rings G, G4, bolted to
the upper flange of the casting B', the inclines cause the needle bits and needles to
alternately advance and iccede towards and from the centre as the cylinder Cand
Dievolve, as each incline causes the needles to iccede from the centre they each
in turn secure a thiend which is fed to them by a thread guide H secured to the
upper side of the cam ng G₁, there are as many guides as V shaped inclines,
namely, thuty, to a head of four inches in diameter at the needles
Within the upper end of the cylinder D is a cylinder I, firmly secured to and
evolving with it, the upper end of this cylinder has saw gates cut in it, onc
hundred and fifty in number, there being one to each needle, in each saw gate a
wedge-shaped steel bit is secured, the number of these bits and needles varying
according to the diameter and gauge of the machine, the inclined end of each bit
lies between two adjacent neodles.
Such arrangement of parts enables me to cause a long loop to be drawn between
the steel bits when the cylinder D is raised and a short loop when it is lowered by
the partial revolution of the incline F, by the hand lever Fi above referred to
The thead cop bars K are extended backward at the left end of the machine to
cany the required number of cops At the night end of the machine bearings are
secured to the bed to carry a lever L to throw the strap on to the fast or loose
pulley by a handle in front of the machine And to enable the workman to take
out of mseit a needle bit or bits I make one of the upper V inclines of the shape
shown at Figure GA, and hold it in position by means of a screw passed through
the flauged can ing G¹, the same sciew also holding one of the thread guides in
position
The apparatus for winding up the fabric is of the usual construction, portions of
the upper aims only being shown in Figure 1 By moans of a machino constructed
as above descubed I am enabled to employ a greater number of thread guides in a
given cucumference, and can regulate the machine so as to make the work stiffer
or slacker without stopping it
Taving now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
The employment of wedged-shaped steel bits within the circle of needles com-
bined and operating as above described for making the fabric stiff or slack at

page_text: pleasure, and thus producing a superior fabric than has heretofore been made by
Jatch needles
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Coltman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Loid One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven
Witness,
HW COUGH, CE.,
Nottingham
THOMAS COLTMAN
(LS)