CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Campion, of Nottingham, for the Invention
of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Campion at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th February 1855.
I, WILLIAM CAMPION, of Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY" to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in so arranging and constructing knitting machinery
that I am enabled thereby to narrow the work by transferring loops from one,
two, or more needles at each end of a course on to other needles. Heretofore
in knitting machinery the narrowing has been performed by hand as follows:―
The points or shifters (used for transferring the loops from some of the needles
on to other needles) remain stationary while the sinkers bring the work forward
on to the points or shifters, the points or shifters then rise (with the loops
upon them) sufficiently to clear the needles, they are then moved sideways the
required number of gates or spaces, and are caused to descend upon the needles
they are then opposite. The sinkers then take the work back and the loops
are received on to those needles, and the points or shifters, having got rid of
the loops, are moved and placed in position ready to act as before.
Now, according to my Invention the narrowing of the work is effected by
the action of the machine. I employ independent needles, carried by slides,
which are capable of sliding to and fro in combs. The points or shifters are
carried by a bar, and are caused to come into position, and each point or

page_text: shifter receives the loop from the needle it is opposite in consequence of the
points and the needles moving backwards, whilst the work is held stationary
between the combs and a bar (which I call a preventer bar); the points or
shifters are then caused to rise with such loops sufficiently to allow of their
travelling with them sideways clear of the needles and combs any number of
gates or spaces, according to the extent of narrowing required; the points
or shifters descend upon the needles they are then opposite, and they and the
needles travel forward together, during which time the work is held back by
the bar (which I call the preventer bar), in consequence of which the loops
carried by the points or shifters are delivered on to those needles, the points
or shifters being free to rise and return into position to act again and narrow
as before. Simultaneously with the removal of the loops from the needles by
the points or shifters, those needles are drawn back by means of instruments
which enter recesses or take hold of projections formed on their slides, such
instruments moving sideways as many gates or spaces as are equal to the
extent of narrowing desired, so that only such of the needles will be brought
forward to receive thread as are required in forming the next course.
the needle combs; they are depressed
The sinkers move on axes carried
in succession by a slur cock, to sink the thread to form the loops, and they are
raised in succession by means of a bar or instrument, having suitable inclined
projections formed thereon. The needles aro drawn back (by means of their
slides being acted upon by one side of a double incline) to be pressed, and
knock over the loops in front of the combs, and they (the needles) are brought
forward again by means of another incline ready to form a fresh course.
The needles are pressed as they are drawn back by a bar or wire, which has
recesses or parts cut away opposite to those needles where the transfer of
loops takes place, to effect the narrowing of the work, and this presser bar
or wire has a partial revolution given to it to bring the recessed parts into
position when narrowing, in order that particular needles may not be pressed,
and also to allow the shifters to risc. By these arrangements I am enabled
to complete the narrowing of the work by the use of one thread carrier, which
at all times remains above the needles.
There is a self-acting apparatus attached to the machine, which serves to
arrest the working of the frame, and at the same time to put the narrowing
apparatus into action, and as soon as the narrowing is effected the same
apparatus is the means of setting again in motion the frame to form. the next
course. The whole of these changes take place without the necessity of
stopping the driving shaft or axis.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Campion in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th August 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CAMPION, of Nottingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for IIerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Campion, Her special licence that I, the said William Cam-
pion, my executors, administrators; and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Campion, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Campion, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to bo
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 Campion, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in so arranging and constructing knitting machinery
that I am enabled thereby to narrow the work by traversing loops from
one, two, or more needles at each end of a course on to other needles.
Heretofore in knitting machinery the narrowing has been performed by
hand as follows:-The "points" or shifters (used for transferring the loops
from some of the needles on to other needles) remain stationary while the
sinkers bring the work forward on to the points or shifters, the points or
shifters then rise (with the loops upon them) sufficiently to clear the needles,
they are then moved sideways the required number of gates or spaces, and
are caused to descend upon the needles they are then opposite. The sinkers
then take the work back and the loops are received on to those needles, and
the points or shifters, having got rid of the loops, they are moved and placed
in position ready to act as before.

page_text: Now, according to my Invention the narrowing of the work is effected
by the action of the machine. I employ independent needles, carried by
slides, which are capable of sliding to and fro in combs. The points or
shifters are carried by a bar and are caused to come into position, and each
point or shifter receives the loop from the needle it is opposite in conse-
quence of the points and the needles moving backwards, whilst the work
is held stationary between the combs and a bar (which I call a preventer
bar); the points or shifters are then caused to rise with such loops sufficiently
to allow of their travelling with them sideways clear of the needles and
combs any number of gates or spaces, according to the extent of narrowing
required; the points or shifters descend upon the needles they are then oppo-
site, and they and the needles travel forward together, during which time the
work is held back by the bar (which I call the preventer bar), in consequence
of which the loops carried by the points or shifters are delivered on to those
needles, the points or shifters being free to rise and return into position to
act again and narrow as before.. Simultaneously with the removal of the
loops from the needles by the points or shifters, these needles are drawn back
by means of instruments which enter recesses or take hold of projections
formed on their slides, such instruments moving sideways as many gates or
spaces as are equal to the extent of narrowing desired, so that only such
of the needles will be brought forward to receive thread as are required in
forming the next course.
The sinkers move on axes carried by the needle combs; they are depressed
in succession by a slur cock, to sink the thread to form the loops, and they
are raised in succession by means of a bar or instrument, having suitable
inclined projections formed thercon. The needles are drawn back (by means
of their slides being acted upon by one side of a double incline) to be pressed,
and knock over the loops in front of the combs, and they (the needles) are
brought forward again by means of another incline ready to form a fresh course.
The needles are pressed as they are drawn back by a bar or wire, which
has recesses or parts cut away opposite to those needles where the transfer of
loops takes place to effect the narrowing of the work, and this presser bar
or wire has a partial revolution given to it to bring the recessed parts into
position when narrowing, in order that particular needles may not be pressed,
and also to allow the shifters to rise. By these arrangements am enabled
to complete the narrowing of the work by the use of one thread carrier, which
at all times remains above the needles.
There is a self-acting apparatus attached to the machine, which serves to
arrest the working of the frame, and at the same time to put the narrowing

page_text: apparatus into action, and as soon as the narrowing is effected the same
apparatus is the means of setting again in motion the frame to form the next
course. The whole of these changes take place without the necessity of stopping
the driving shaft or axis.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and the means of per-
forming the same, I will now proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and refer to the figures and letters marked thereon. In all the
Figures like parts are indicated by similar letters wheresoever they occur.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a section, drawn full size, of a knitting machine constructed
according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a plan; Figure 3, a front view;
Figure 4, a left-hand end elevation; and Figure 5, a right-hand end elevation
of the same, drawn to a scale to half the full size; the other Figures represent
diagrams and separate views of some of the parts.
8
a is the main shaft or driving axis, on which are fast and loose pullies; bis
a bevilled toothed pinion fixed thereon, which takes into and drives another
bevilled toothed pinion c on the axis d. There is also on the axis da cam
or tappet (scen best in Fig. 1), which, by acting upon the trucks f', f', of
the sliding bar f, causes it to slide to and fro in its guides f,f³. On one
end of the sliding bar f there is an eye or opening formed, within which is the
truck or roller g of the lever g, so that as the sliding bar f travels to and fro
in its guides ff, the lever g will also receive a to and fro action on its centre
or axis g. The lever g is at its upper end connected to the sliding bar h by
means of the connecting link i*. The sliding bar h travels in guides 27, 2²,
attached to another sliding bar i; upon the sliding bar hare affixed stops h', h',
so situated as to allow of the bar h travelling a short distance without moving
the bar and parts connected therewith, so that the several parts may be
caused to travel in the following order in both directions across the machine:-
The thread carriers precede and lay their threads; the sinkers are then
depressed in succession by means of the slur cocks j. j; the needles are then
successively moved back by means of the inclines k, k, which enter recesses
,, formed to receive them in the back parts of the slides, and as the necilles
and their slides are thus carried back the beards of the needles come in contact
with the presser wire or bar by which they are closed. The work is knocked
over in front of the combs by means of the inclines k, k, taking the needles
back past the front of the combs. The work is held between the front of the
combs and the preventer bar. The needles and their slides are again brought
forward (by the opposite inclines) ready to receive thread to form a fresh course,

page_text: and this order of working is obtained in the following manner :-When the
bar has travelled a short distance, so that the stops h', h, of the bar h arrive
at and come in contact with the guides i, i, attached to the bar ', the bar i
and parts carried thereby will also be caused to travel. The bar i is attached
to slides,, which travel in the dovetailed groove ³, formed to receive them
in the bar m. To the bar are attached the brackets 23, 3, which carry the
bar n, provided with suitable inclines or projections n¹, n², which, by coming in
contact with the upper portions of the sinkers, raises them, and retains them
raised until they are required to be again depressed in forming another course.
The bar n, it will be seen, is formed with a recess n' and n² to each division or
width of work. When making a course in which the bar n is travelling in a
direction from left to right, the recesses or inclines 22 are open and the recesses
or inclines n¹ are closed (see Figs. 10 and 11). This opening and closing of
the recesses or inclines n³, n³, is effected by employing another bar n³ beneath
the bar n, which has recesses n* (one for each breadth) formed therein, by means
of which at the end of every course the bar n, by sliding in the brackets 13,23,
opens the incline or recess 2¹ and closes the incline or recess n³, by reason of
that incline coming opposite to the recess n' of the bar n³, which is below it.
The bar n³ is attached to the brackets, and consequently moves only when
they move.
Above the bar n, also carried by the brackets 3,, is another bar (o), which
acts as a falling bar, or a bar to regulate the extent of the fall of the sinkers,
and consequently the length of the loop. The bar o is provided with inclined
slots o', o', (see plan, Fig. 2,) which allow of its being adjusted as required.
p is the thread carrier rod or bar; it is carried by the brackets 3, but is capable
of moving independently therein, and also of remaining stationary when acted
on by stops while the brackets, 23, are in motion. The slur bar 7, on which
are formed or affixed the slur cocks j,j, is attached to and carried by the
sliding bar h. The slur cocks j, j, are at all times opposite to one or other of
the inclines or recesses n', n², of the bar n. The various parts having travelled
in one direction, say from right to left, in the order above described, the change
of their positions has next to take place, so that they may return respectively
in the same order when travelling in the other direction, or from left to right,
as when travelling from right to left. The bar n³ has a pin n* projecting
upwards, upon which a small lever h³ works, and by reason of the longer end
of the lever h³ being connected to the sliding bar h at h, while its shorter end
is connected to the sliding barn at n*, as soon as the sliding bar h begins to
move back, the lever h³ turns upon its centre pin n*, thereby causing the
inclines or recesses n', n³, to change their positions with relation to the recesses

page_text: n formed in the bar n³. In order to change the positions of the thread carriers
when returning, I employ the spring catch h* (sce plan, Figure 2,) attached to
the arm h, which is affixed to the sliding bar h. The spring catch h' acts
upon a projection p' on the thread carrier bar p in the following manner :-
P, P, are stops fixed to the under side of the bar m, one at either end, and
when the thread carriers on their bar p have travelled their proper distances in
either direction they come against one or other of the stops p³ or p³, the spring
catch h* still travelling on with the sliding bar h, and on the return of the bar h
the spring catch h' comes against the one end of the projection p¹ upon the
thread carrier bar p, and the spring catch his prevented from yielding by
reason of its being embraced by the arm or bracket h³, and as soon as the
proper lead of the thread carriers has been obtained, and the end of the thread
carrier bar p comes against the other of the stops p³ or p³, the spring catch h*
will yield, in consequence of its having travelled past the arm or bracket h³.
The whole of the instruments having thus obtained their proper positions,
they move correctly in an opposite direction, and form a fresh course of work
on each width of needles, at the end of which a like change of positions of the
instruments takes place, and they return as before, and so on continuously.
Figure 6 is a diagram of some of the parts, full size, shewing their positions
when the laying of the thread is taking place; Figure 7 is another similar
diagram, showing the manner in which the sinkers form the loops; Figure 8
shows the same when the pressing of the beards of the needles takes place;
and Figure 9 represents the same, when the knocking over of the work against
the front of the combs is taking place.
After any desired number of courses have been completed and it is desirable
that the narrowing shall proceed, the attendant of the machine raises the lever
handle A, (scc front view, Figure 3,) thereby causing it to turn upon its
centre A', by which the catch A (carried thereby) will be caused to drive the
ratchet wheel B one tooth forward, in the direction indicated by the arrow;
the effect of which is to cause the pall, or catch, or driver C, carried by tho
pin C on the lever g, to commence driving the ratchet wheel B one tooth
every successive movement of the lever g on its centre 9. The driver C does
not act upon the ratchet wheel B to drive it until after the lever handle A bas
been raised, in consequence of there being a tooth removed from the ratchet
wheel B, so that the catch or driver C travels to and fro in the space thereby
occasioned without the ratchet B being affected; but when the ratchet wheel
B has been caused to move to the extent of a tooth by means of the catch A²,
then the catch or driver C will cause the ratchet B to travel to the extent of a
tooth each time it moves towards the ratchet wheel B.

page_text: Upon the face of the ratchet wheel B there are several projections E,
capable of being shifted accordingly as the nature of the work may require.
D is a lever and catch working on a centre F, and when the projections E ou
the ratchet B move therewith the lever D will be caused to move on its centre
F. There is at the upper end of the lever D a pin D', (sec plan, Figure 2, and
front view, Figure 3.) which enters the neck formed in the clutch G, by which
the clutch G will be caused to slide upon a feather on the axis, and the pin G
affixed thereto will enter a recess formed in the side of the pinion H, and this
pinion, which was previously loose upon its axis, will become fast. The cam shaft
or axis (I) is set in motion by being in gear with the pinion (I') on the axis d.
(K) is a cam on the axis (I), which, by acting on the lever (K') at K, causes it
to turn on its fixed axis (K³), and to raise the lever,(K), which is supported and
slides in a guide carried by the framing. The rising of the lever (K) in its guide
is the means of arresting the working of the frame during the period that the
narrowing of the fabric is taking place. The stopping of the frame is caused
by the catch (K), which is attached to the upper end of the lever (9), which
coming against the upper part of the lever (K*) by means of which the connect-
ing link () is lifted from the pin (*) of the lever g, and the lever (9) retires,
leaving the connecting link (*) and parts carried thereby stationary until the
cam shaft I has made one revolution, after which the lever K* descends, and the
connecting link is allowed to descend again on to the pin (*) of the lever g,
as herein-after explained. L, L, are cams, which cause the points or shifters (U)
to move forward to take the loops from the needles, and to retire after transfer-
ring them on to other needles. The cams act upon the trucks (L', L'.) carried
by the levers (L, L); the trucks L', L', are kept up to their cams (L, L,) by
means of the springs (L), one at either end of the machine. (L') is a bar
extending along the length of the machine; it is carried by and is attached to
the upper ends of the arms or levers L, L, which work on contres or axes N
attached to the axis N³. M and N are two cams, which cause the points or
shifters (U) to descend correctly on to the needles to take their loops; they act
upon the trucks M', N', carried by the levers M, N. The lever M works on
a centre M³ attached to the framing, and the lever N works on an axis Na
The trucks M' and N₁ are pressed upon their cam surfaces by means of the
spring M. The cam N acts to raise and depress the levers I, L, and parts
connected therewith. The cam M, by raising and depressing the lever M
moves the shifter bar on the centre or axis L³, and causes the points or shifters
.to be properly directed to receive the loops from the needles, and to deliver or
land them safely on to those needles which are to receive them. Simultane-
ously with the descension of the points or shifters on to the needles to take the

page_text: loops, the cam O acts, and causes the instruments T to descend in such
manner into the recesses Y of the slides Z of the needles (see Figures 12 and
13), that, by acting upon the lever O' at 0%, causes it to move on its centre 0³,
by which means motion is given to the lever O, which has an opening at its
upper end, through which is passed a small rod or axis 0³, to which are
attached two small arms or levers 0°, 0"; the other ends of such arms or levers
are connected to the rods R, R", which carry the instruments T, T, which
draw such of the needles back as are to have their loops removed; the cam P
next causes the instruments T, T, to move back and carry with them the
six outside needles on each side of every breadth of work made in the
machine. This cam acts on the truck P¹ of the lever P, and the truck is
kept up to the cam surface by means of the spring L³. The lever Ps is
attached to and gives motion to the axis P³, which, by means of standards
P, carries the bar P³. The bar P³ has affixed to it several guides or bear-
ings P, P, for the rods R, R", and instruments (T, T,) attached thereto;
the rods R, R, are capable of sliding endwise in their guides or supports
P, P, as presently described. The presser / consists of a small rod, and is
upon its under side perfectly plain, but at suitable intervals portions arc
removed from its upper side, coinciding with the spaces occupied by the
slides Z, which are longer than the rest. The cam Q is for the purpose of
turning the presser half round, or sufficiently to bring the recessed portions
downwards, as shown by the full sized diagrams, Figures 13 and 14. The
object of the recesses so formed in the presser is to allow the points or
}
shifters to rise slightly with the loops they take from the needles, so as to
clear the needles when removing the loops sideways in order to place them
on to other needles; the presser is carried by the combs, somic of which
at suitable intervals have enlargements formed thereon, for the purpose of
receiving the presser rod 7. Those combs where the narrowing takes place
have portions cut away, as shown by Figure 16, also to allow of the sideway
movement of the points or shifters (U). The cam Q, in order to turn the
presser into its proper position while the narrowing goes forward and take it
back again to operate as a presser afterwards, acts upon the truck Q¹ of
the lever Q, causing that lever to move on its centre Q³ (see Figure 5),
attached to the framing, and so raise the lever Q', to the upper end of which
is connected a small arm or lever Q, attached at its other end to the presser
rod 1, the effect being to bring the recessed portions of the presser rod
downwards. R is a cam which causes the instruments T, T, and the points
or shifters U, U, to move sideways. This cam acts upon the lever R¹ at R²
(see Figures 2 and 4), causing it to rise once for each revolution. There

page_text: is a catch or driver R³ attached, as shown, to the lever R', which causes the
ratchet wheel R+ to move to the extent of one tooth in the direction indicated
by the arrow in front view, Figure 3. The lever R' is at its lower end sup-
ported in a guide R5, carried by the framing, and its upper end is formed with
a slot, through which is passed the axis R, the slot being long enough to
allow of the rising and falling of the lever R'. On the axis R' are affixed
two wheels R', R³, so cut that each time the driver R³ works the ratchet R' a
tooth or space, a movement will be caused to the frames R, R, upon their
centres R, R, in opposite directions, equal to the depth of one of the cuts
or steps formed upon the wheels R, Rs. The frame R' is connected by means
of the link R" to the rod R, and there is a spring R₁ attached at one end
to the bar P', and its other to the rod R", so that the action of the spring R
always keeps the frame R³ pressed up to the surface of the wheel R³; the
frame R is also connected with the rod or bar S by means of the link S',
the spring S acting in a manner to press the end S* of the rod S, which is
turned up for that purpose against the end S³ of the link S', so that the
spring S also assists to press the frame R' against the surface of the wheel R*.
The frame R is at one end pressed against the wheel R7 by means of the
spring R, which is connected at one end to the bar P5, and at its other end
to the rod R". The frame R is also pressed against the wheel R' by the
action of the spring S, attached at one end to the bar L, and at its other
end to the rod or bar S³, so that as the axis Re and wheels R, R, are caused
to revolve to a slight extent by the action of the cam R, the rods R and S
will be caused to travel in a right-hand direction, while the rods R and S will
be caused to travel in a left-hand direction. The instruments T, which
take back the needles when narrowing, are carried by the rods R", R". The
points or shifters U, U, are carried by the rods or bars S, S³. P* is an
arm projecting from the bar P³, which (when the instruments (1) take back
the slides Z) act upon the curved arm P*, shewn in plan, Figure 2, and
dotted lines in Figure 1, so as to turn the axis W in its bearings W. On the
axis W are affixed several flaps W³, which are for the purpose of lifting and
retaining the sinkers out of the way of the points or shifters while narrowing,
and the arms X are for the purpose of tightening up the throad during the
time the narrowing takes place. While the rods S and S³ are travelling
sideways, in opposite directions with the loops they have removed from the
outside needles of each breadth of work, the rods R", R", are also travelling
in opposite directions, that is, from the outsides towards the centre of each
width of work, so that when the needles and slides Z are again brought
forwards by the instruments T, T, the two outside needles of each width will

page_text: be left back, so as not to receive thread when forming the next course; the
instruments T, T, carried by the rods R, R", then bring forward only four
instead of the six needles which they took back, and receive the loops from
the points or shifters U, U; and after the points or shifters have landed their
loops safely on to those needles they retire, and the cam shaft I having made
a complete revolution, the lever or instrument K* descends again and allows
of the connecting link descending on to the pin g, and the clutch G
releases the pinion E, and it again revolves loosely on the axis I, and the
frame works on as before, until by the action of the driver C, which continues
to work the ratchet B, until another of the pins or projections E acts on the
part D of the lever D as before, when the working of the frame again stops
and the narrowing proceeds; and afterwards the frame works again as before,
leaving two more of the slides and needles Z on each side of every breadth
of work, and so on, until the driver C gets again to that part of the
ratchet wheel B from which the tooth is removed, and all the narrowing
is completed.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is performed, I would have it understood that I make no claim
to any of the mechanical parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the
precise details; and I would state that I am aware that various attempts
have been made to construct knitting machines which shall have the power
by the working of the machines themselves to remove the loops from needle
to needle, and thus to narrow the work on the needles, but I believe that no
machine has before practically succeeded in doing so. I mention this in order
to state that I do not claim generally the combining of knitting machinery for
that purpose; but what I claim is, the peculiar combination hercin described
of the parts which work the needles, and the points or shifters by which tho
loops are moved from needle to needle.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Campion, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
FRED. BURTON,
Sol', Nottingham.
WILLIAM CAMPION. (L.S.)