IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Coltman, of Leicester, Wine Merchant, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Coltman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st July 1856.
I, WILLIAM COLTMAN, of Leicester, Wine Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY," to
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of the
needles or instruments on which tho loops are formed, and in the mode
of widening and narrowing the work made in knitting machines. For this
purpose the needles or instruments between which the loops are formed have
hooks at their ends in place of the ordinary beards, and with each needle or
hook a point is combined, which moves to and fro in a groove formed on the
upper surface of the stem of the needle or hook. At the time the loops
are formed, by the descent of the sinkers or loop-makers between the needles,
cach point or series of points is moved back with the work on them along the
groove on the stems of the needles, so as to leave a space between the hooks
and points for the thread to be laid on, and the new loops to be formed between
the moveable point and the hook of each needle. The new loops are then
moved under the hooks by the forward motion of the sinkers, and the moveable
points are caused to carry the work over the hooks to be knocked over

page_text: as usual, by which the pressing of the needles will be dispensed with; or,
in place of the moveable points passing over the hooks, they may pass under
the point of the hook, the end of which may be caused to enter a groove
formed on the end of each moveable point, so as to enclose the new loops
between the moveable points and hooks whilst the work is being knocked
over, the work being afterwards moved back by the sinkers upon the stems of
the moveable points. The moveable points are carried by a bar, which is moved
to and fro by suitable mechanism, the hook or needle bar being stationary; or
the points may be stationary and the needles receive motion. These in-
struments may also be advantageously adapted to knitting machines for making
ribbed hosiery, or what is commonly known as "Derby rib machines," by
which the pressing of the two sets of needles will be dispensed with, and the
.working of such machines much simplified. When widening the work,
according to my Invention, I construct the machines with jack and lead
sinkers, which are formed with double arches, and they are governed in their
action on the thread when forming selvage loops by what I call selvage thread
guides, (one to each selvage,) and these guides are carried by bars, which are
caused to traverse and move on axes at the proper intervals by suitable
mechanism actuated by the movement of the frame. The point of the selvage
thread guide is caused to enter between the sinkers to conduct the thread
under the front arch or under the catch of the sinkers, as required. The thread
carrier, when widening takes place, is caused to traverse over an additional
needle at one or both selvages; and during the working of the course the point
of the thread carrier descends between and below the needles, it then traversés
inwards under one needle and rises above the needle on the opposite side tó
where it descended, so as to lap the thread around the selvage needle. Any
desired number of ordinary or straight courses may then be worked until an
increased width is again required, when the thread carrier is caused to lap its
thread around another additional needle, as before, and so on in succession,
until the desired width is obtained. The action of the thread carrier is
governed by suitable mechanism to arrest its movement at the proper time ;
and to prevent rebound, I.apply a latch and catch on the traverse bar, which
locks and holds it firmly to its stop. The mode of widening is also applicable
to knitting frames where ordinary needles are employed. When narrowing
according to my Invention, I employ hooks or shifters at each selvage, which
are caused to enter between the sinkers when the work is moved back previous
to narrowing to receive the loop or loops to be shifted. When the work comes
forward again, the selvage loops are taken by the book or shifter and carried
over the heads of the needles with the work, and the selvage loops are retained

page_text: on the hooks or shifters, which are then traversed one or more needles inwards,
and are moved back with the work, and in passing between the sinkers
the selvage loops are delivered by the shifters on to the neighbouring needles.
The hooks or shifters then come from between the sinkers, and are moved out
of the way for the work to proceed until another narrowing is required.
The hooks or shafters are carried by bars, and are caused to traverse at proper
intervals and move between the sinkers to receive and deliver the loops
by suitable mechanisın actuated by the movements of the frame. In this
arrangement the jack sinkers are formed with double arches.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Coltman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
COLTMAN, of Leicester, Wine Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,.
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Coltman, Her special licence that I, the said William Coltman,.
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Coltman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any.
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter.
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that .I,
the said William Coltman, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Coltman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and, in what manner the same is to. be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of
the needles or instruments on which the loops are formed, and in the mode of
widening and narrowing the work, made in knitting machines. For this
purpose the needles or instruments between which the loops are formed have
hooks at their ends in place of the. ordinary beards, and with each needle
or hook a point is combined, which moves to and fro in a groove formed on the
upper surface of the stem of the needle or hook. At the time the loops are
formed, by the descent of the sinkers or loop-makers between the needles; each
point or series of points is moved back with, the work on them along the
groove on the stems of the needles, so as to leave a space between the hooks
and points for the thread to be laid on, and the new loops to be formed
between the moveable-point and the hook of each needle. The new loops are
then moved under the hooks by the forward motion of the sinkers, and
the moveable points are caused to carry the work over the hooks to be
knocked over as usual, by which the pressing of the needles will be dispensed
with; or in place of the moveable points passing over the hooks, they may pass
under the point of the hook, the end of which may be caused to enter a groove
formed on the end of each moveable point, so as to enclose the new loops
between the moveable points and hooks whilst the work is being knocked over,
the work being afterwards moved back by the sinkers upon the stems of the
moveable points. The moveable points are carried by a bar, which is moved
to and fro by suitable mechanism, the hook or needle bar being stationary; or
the points may be stationary, and the needles receive motion. These in-
struments may also be advantageously adapted to knitting machines for making
ribbed hosiery, or what is commonly known as "Derby rib machines," by
which the pressing of the two sets of needles will be dispensed with, and the
working of such machines much simplified. When widening the work,
according to my Invention, I construct the machines with jack and lead sinkers,
which are formed with double arches, and they are governed in their action on
the thread when forming selvage loops by what I call selvage thread guides,
(one to each selvage,) and these guides are carried by bars, which are caused
to traverse and move on axes at the proper intervals by suitable mechanism,
actuated by the movement of the frame. The point of the selvage thread
guide is caused to enter between the sinkers to conduct the thread under the
front arch or under the catch of the sinkers, as required.
The thread carrier, when widening takes place, is caused to traverse over an
additional needle at one or both selvages, and during the working of the
course the point of the thread carrier descends between and below the needles,
it then traverses inwards under one needle, and rises above the needle on the

page_text: opposite side to where it descended, so as to lap the thread around the selvage
ricedle. Any desired number of ordinary or straight courses may then be
worked until an increased width is again required, when the thread carrier
is caused to lap its thread around another additional needle as before, and
so on in succession, until the desired width is obtained. The action of the
thread carrier is governed by suitable mechanism to arrest its movement at
the proper time; and to prevent rebound, I apply a latch and catch on the
traverse bar, which locks and holds it firmly to its stop. The mode of widening
is also applicable to knitting frames where ordinary needles are employed.
When narrowing according to my Invention, I employ hooks or shifters
at each selvage, which are caused to enter between the sinkers when the
work is moved back, previous to narrowing, to receive the loop or loops to be
shifted. When the work comes forward again, the selvage loops are taken
by the hook or shifter and carried over the heads of the needles with the
work, and the selvage loops are retained on the hooks or shifters, which are
then traversed one or more needles inwards, and are moved back with the
work, and in passing between the sinkers the selvage loops are delivered by
the shifters on to the neighbouring needles; the hooks or shifters then come
from between the sinkers, and are moved out of the way for the work to
proceed until another narrowing is required. The hooks, or shifters are
carried by bars, and are caused to traverse at proper intervals and move
between the sinkers to receive and deliver the loops by suitable mechanism
actuated by the movements of the frame.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a transverse section, and Figure 2 an end view, of a rotary
knitting machine constructed according to my Invention; Figure 3 shows
a section of some of the parts, full size; and Figures 4 and 5 show the loop-
making instruments in other positions, the motion of which is written thereon.
a is the needle bar, upon upon which are fixed the leads of needles a¹, a¹,
which are formed with hooks at their ends, and with grooves on their upper
surfaces, in which the points b', ', carried by the bar b, move and are guided
to and fro. The needle bar a and the point bar have to-and-fro motions
given thereto, as hereafter described, in order to govern the relative positions
of the ends of the needles and points during the working of a course, so that
when the thread is laid to form a new set of loops on the stems of the needles
a space is left for that purpose between the ends of the needles or hooks a¹

page_text: and the ends of the points 6', and when finishing a course the new loops will
be moved under the hooks a¹, and the points will be moved with the work
over the ends of the hooks into a position for the work to be knocked over
the heads of the needles without the aid of a presser by the action of the
sinkers. The operation of the thread layers and of the jack and lead sinkers
being similar to those in common.use. in other knitting machines, it will not
be necessary to give à particular description thereof, as a workman acquainted
with this class of machinery will readily understand their action in this
arrangement on examining the Drawings; and in order to explain the first
part of my improvements it will only be necessary to describe the action of
those parts of the machine by which suitable motions are given to the bars a, b,
and instruments carried thereby, on which the loops are formed and afterwards
knocked over the heads of the needles or hooks in the working of a course.
Motion is communicated to the cam shaft or axis d by turning the crank
axis e, on which is fixed the toothed wheel el, which takes into and drives the
intermediate toothed wheel e, which takes into and drives the toothed wheel
fixed on the left-hand end of the cam shaft or axis d. a is a cam fixed
on. the cam shaft d, which acts on a trunk, carried by the lever arm a³,
fixed on the spindle bar a', on which are fixed lever arms a³, which are
connected by pin joints to the needle bar a, by which a to-and-fro motion is
given thereto; 62 is a cam fixed on the cam shaft d, which acts on a truck
carried by the lever arm 63, fixed on the spindle bar 6, on which are fixed
lever arms 65, which are connected to the point bar b, to give a to-and-fro
motion thereto.
I will now describe the action of the books or instruments c, which are
employed for the purpose of shifting the selvage loops from one needle or
instrument a¹ to another when narrowing is required to take place. The
hooks or loop shifters c are carried by bars c', c, which slide to and fro in the
frame c³, which is supported and moves on axis c' at each end of the machine.
The books or shifters care fixed to the bars c', c, opposite to the parts
where narrowing is to take place, and when out of action they assume a
position between the sinkers above the loop-making instruments a¹, b¹, as
shewn in Figure 3; but when brought into action to receive the selvage
loops to be shifted they assume the position shown at Figure 4, and at the
time the hook bars c¹, c³, are racked to place the loops on the hooks or
shifters opposite other needles or instruments they assume the position shown
at Figure 5. The racking of the slides c', c, and of the thread carrier
takes place simultaneously by the action of the rack wheel and bolt c, c
the nature of which will be better understood on examining Figure 6 of

page_text: the Drawing, which shows a front view of part of the thread carrier frame,
and of the machine which carries the hook or shifting instruments c³,
there being a projection c* moving on a pin joint on the rack bolt co, which
falls between a forked projection c fixed on the hook machine slide c¹,' by
which a simultaneous action will be given to shog the thread carrier and the
slide c', . The "machine" which carries, the hooks or shifters c is caused
to rise and fall and to move on its axes in the following manner :-e is a cam,
fixed on the cam shaft or axis, which acts on a truck carried by the lever e³,
which is supported and moves on a stud e fixed to the framing of the machine.
The lever e¹ is connected by a link to the lever arm e fixed on the bar e³,
which connects the lever arms e, connected by pin joints to the ends of the
bar c of the hook "machine." The lever arms eo move on axes c', supported
by the framing at each end of the machine, to raise and lower the hooks or
shifters c. f is a cam fixed on the cam shaft d, which acts on a truck carried
by the lever f, which is supported and moves on a stud fixed to the end
framing of the machine. The lever f¹ is connected by a link f* to the lever
arm, fixed on the bar of the hook "machine," to move the hooks or
shifters c to and fro. The cams é and fare formed with spring tumblers or
surfaces, which vary the action of these cams when the 'driving motion of the
machine is reversed or turned backwards at the end of a course by the
workman, when it is desired to place the hooks or shifters c in a position to
receive the loops for the purpose of narrowing the moveable surfaces on the
cams (when the backward movement takes place), causing the parts to assume
the position shown at Figure 4; and the construction and action of these
moveable surfaces will be better understood on examining the separate views
of the cams, drawn full size, the nature of each of which is written thereon.
Figure 7 and 8 shew Diagrams of the needles and instruments a¹ and b', pre-
viously described, and suitably arranged for making ribbed hosiery, by which
the pressing of the two sets of needles in this class of machinery is dispensed
with, and the working of such machines much simplified.
The nature of each of the views being written thereon, it. will not be
necessary to describe the action of these instruments more fully, as a work-
man acquainted with this class of machinery, aided by the Drawings and the
foregoing description of the working of the needles and instruments a', b', will
readily apply suitable motion to the two sets of similar instruments shown in
Figures 7 and 8.
I will now describe my improvements in knitting machinery in order to
widen the work made thereby in place of narrowing. The needles I employ
in this arrangement of machinery have ordinary beards, and the lead and-jack

page_text: sinkers are formed with double arches, and they are governed in their action
on the thread when forming selvage loops by a point or guide at each selvage.
Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 show Diagrams (the nature of which is
written thereon) of the loop-making instruments in the various positions
they assume during the working of a course suitably arranged for carrying
out this part of my Invention. a, a, are the needles, formed with ordinary
beards, as shown; b, b, are the sinkers, which are formed with double
arches; and c is the point or selvage thread guide (one to each selvage).
The points or guides c are carried by bars, which slide to and fro in a frame
or "machine," which is capable of being raised and lowered, and of moving
on axes to govern the movement of the points c, in a similar manner to
the movements described in reference to the hooks or shifters previously
described. The thread carrier, when widening takes place, is caused to
traverse over an additional needle at one or both selvages, it then descends
between and remains below the needles until the course is worked, (the
point of the thread layer being suitably formed to pass between the needles).
The thread layers is then moved the space of one needle inwards towards
the centre of the work, and again rises above the needles, by which move-
ment the thread will be passed completely round the selvage needle, and
then successive courses may be worked until an additional widening of the
work is required. The selvage thread guide c, when widening takes place on
a needle outside a jack sinker, is governed in its position with the sinker, so as
to conduct the selvage thread under the front arch of that jack sinker; but
when selvaging on a needle outside a lead sinker, the thread guide c is so
governed in its position with the sinker as to conduct the selvage thread under
the front arch of that lead sinker, and under the catch of the jack sinker next
to it on the inside. The thread carrier and thread guide are racked or shogged
together when lapping around an additional needle outside a jack sinker, and
the thread guide is then moved between the sinkers on the inside of the next
lead sinker, so as to conduct the thread under the catch of that lead sinker,
the relative position of the thread guide being shown by 1, 1, in Figure 9.
When lapping the selvage thread around a needle outside a lead sinker the
thread guide c remains in the position 1, 1, until after the thread has been
lapped around the needle 2, and until the thread carrier has moved to the left
to work another course; the thread guide then moves to the position 2 to
cover the front arch of the jack sinker, so as to conduct the thread under the
catch of that jack sinker; thus it will be seen, from the foregoing description
of the working of the parts, that when widening takes place the instruments
which I call selvage thread guides act to conduct the selvage thread into the

page_text: front arch, or into the catch of the outside jack sinker, as may be required,
viz, into the front arch, if the jack sinker be working with the outside needle,
and into the catch if there should be a needle working with a lead sinker
beyond it.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the mechanical parts separately; but what I claim is,―
First, the combined apparatus herein described, whereby knitting machines
are arranged with needles having hooks in place of beards, and are worked in
conjunction with points which receive the work when it is carried back, and in
such manner that when the thread is again sunk between the needles the
points carry the work forward and pass it over the needles, thus dispensing
with the ordinary pressers.
I also claim the combined apparatus herein described, whereby instruments
are introduced between the sinkers and enter grooves in the needles, so as to
receive the loops of the work as it is moved back on the stems of the needles,
such instruments taking the loops of the work as it is moved forward, and
they carry the same over the heads of the needles into a position to shift such
loops on to other needles.
I also claim the mode of working the thread carrier, whereby it is caused
to traverse and lay its thread over an additional needle at the selvage, then to
descend below the needles until the course is worked, then to shrog one
needle nearer the centre of the work, then to rise between the needles, so as
thus to pass its thread around the additional needle at the selvago.
I also claim, when widening knitted fabrics, the application of the instru-
ments, which I have called selvage thread guides, to guide the thread into the
front arch or under the catch of the outermost jack sinker.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Coltman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE.
WILLIAM COLTMAN. (L.S.)