Improvements in or relating to the Sewing Together of Knitted Fabrics, and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
J
PROVIDIONAL DIBUITIVATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Sewing Together of Knitted
Fabrics, and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I, JULIUS KÖHLER, Naehmaschinenfabrik, Limbach, Saxony, Germany, Manu-
facturer of Sewing Machines, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has reference to the sewing together of knitted fabrics and to
machinery or apparatus therefor.
In the Specification of a former invention for which British Letters Patent were
granted to me No. 2608 of 1888, a process is described for joining together the
edges of hosiery fabrics by means of a single thread formed into what is known as
a "chain stitch."
In actual practice it is found that in knitted articles whose edges are united by
the chain stitch referred to, when once the connecting thread forming the chain
stitch becomes severed or broken from any cause during the wear of the article, the
stitch has a tendency to "run or unrove thereby causing a disproportionately
large hole or opening in the fabric, or disconnecting the two edges thereof.
Now the present invention has for its object to unite the edges of hosiery fabrics
in a more permanent and durable manner by means of a lock stitch, in the formation
of which two threads are employed.
One of the threads viz. :-the usual thread is carried by the horizontal needle in
the machine referred to in the before mentioned Patent and the other or additional
thread is carried by a looper the necessary motion to which for the purpose of
engaging the thread in the horizontal needle to form the lock-stitch is imparted by
a suitably shaped cam on the cam shaft.
The invention also provides for making the guide, which is at present located in
close proximity to the two clamping discs or caps and which is a fixture, movable
at the will of the operator, so that when the end portion of the fabric being joined,
is about to pass between the discs before mentioned, the operator can move the
guide aside or upwards and retain hold of the fabric until the joining of the edges
is completed.
Dated this 28th day of December 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Sewing Together of Knitted
Fabrics, and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I JULIUS KÖHLER of Limbach, Saxony, Germany, Manufacturer of Sewing
Machines, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Sewing Together of Knitted
Fabrics, and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
L
I JULIUS KÖHLER of Limbach, Saxony, Germany, Manufacturer of Sewing
Machines, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention has reference to the sewing together of knitted fabrics and to
machinery or apparatus therefor.
In the Specification of a former invention for which British Letters Patent were
granted to me No. 2608 of 1888, a process is described for joining together the
מ

page_text: edges of hosiery fabrics by means of a single thread formed into what is known as
a chain stitch."
In actual practice it is found that in knitted articles whose edges are united by
the chain stitch referred to, when once the connecting thread forming the chain
stitch becomes broken or severed from any cause during the wear of the article,
the stitch has a tendency to run or unrove thereby causing a disproportionately
large hole or opening in the fabric or disconnecting the edges thereof.
Now the present invention has for its object to unite the edges of hosiery fabrics
in a more permanent and durable manner by means of a lock stitch, in the formation
of which two threads are employed, thereby making the stitch specially applicable
for use with the "Cardigan "or other thick knitted fabrics.
One of the threads viz. :-The usual thread, is carried by the horizontal needle
in the machine referred to in the before mentioned Patent, and the other or addi-
tional thread is carried by a looper the necessary motion to which for the purpose
of engaging the thread in the horizontal needle to form the lock stitch is imparted
by suitably shaped cams on the cam shaft...
The invention also provides for making the guide which is at present located in
close proximity to the two feed or clamping discs and which is a fixture, movable
at the will of the operator so that when the end portion of the fabric being
joined is about to pass between the discs before mentioned the operator can move
the guide aside or upwards and retain hold of the fabric until the joining of the
edges is completed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the major portion of a seaming machine con-
structed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a front view partly in section and Figure 3 a side elevation, on
an enlarged scale, of the fabric guide and means for moving and adjusting it.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detail views illustrating the formation of the stitch.
Figure 8 is an elevation partly in section of the driving shaft and its cams for
actuating the needle and looper.
Figures 9, 10 & 11 are detail views hereinafter referred to.
A B represent two feed discs or cups between which the edges of the fabric to be
seamed or joined together are clamped and traversed past the usual horizontal
needle C, which pierces the fabric in the well known manner.
The horizontal needle as usual is connected to the angular plate C¹ attached
to the horizontal shaft C, the latter being reciprocated through being eccentrically
connected between the two discs C* C* Figs. 8 and 9.
D is the looper which is furnished with eyes D' through which passes a thread D³
to engage with the needle thread C' to form the lock-stitch as hereinafter
described.
The looper is carried in the forward end of the spindle E and is fixed in position
and regulated in height by the screw E' in the end thereof.
In the formation of the lockstitch with the threads D C the looper has a
horizontal, a lateral and a slightly vertical movement imparted to it and the
horizontal needle C has the usual to and fro movement.
The spindle is connected to a lever F through the medium of a double forked
link plate E and screws E³ the said lever being connected to a vibrating arm F¹
fulcrummed between two lugs F on the base plate G and provided with an anti-
friction roller F3 maintained in contact with a cam H on the driving shaft J by
means of a spiral spring H' as shown most clearly in Figures 8 and 10.
The horizontal movement of the looper spindle is obtained through the cam H,
the lateral movements by means of the cams K K', and the vertical movement by
means of the cam L.
In order to impart the vertical and lateral movements to the spindle E by the
motion of the cams referred to, the said spindle passes through tubes M' attached
to a plate M movably fulcrummed on a vertical spindle M2 and whose rear end has
a lateral extension M Fig. 8 carrying two rollers M* M*.

page_text: The roller M is located between and operated by two cams K K and the. other
roller M is operated by the cam L, to give the requisite lateral and vertical
movements respectively to the plate M and thence to the spindle and looper D as
before mentioned.
Referring to the method of forming the lock-stitch indicated in Figures 4 to 7.
Figure 4 shows the relative positions of the looper D and the needle C after
the formation of one complete stitch and immediately prior to commencing another
stitch.
C represents a loop of the needle thread hanging on the looper D and connected
to the fabric and with the looper thread passing through the said loop and also
connected to the fabric.
C is the needle thread passing along the underside of the needle to the eye
therein.
The next position assumed by the looper and needle is indicated in Fig. 5, the
needle having come forward and passed through the fabric and between the looper
and its thread, while the looper itself has moved upwards in an oblique direction
and slightly laterally to the position indicated in Figure 5.
The next movement takes the needle still farther forward through the fabric and
the looper in a side direction until the latter disposes of or throws off the needle
loop previously hanging thereon and at the same time draws the looper thread
through it, as in Figure 6.
The needle next commences the return movement and withdraws, leaving its
thread in a loop like form above it towards which the looper at once advances and
passes through as in Figure 7, the needle then still further withdraws leaving its
loop or thread on the looper and the latter simultaneously assumes the position
shown in Figure 4, by which time the two threads will have engaged each other
to form the lock-stitch.
The invention also provides for moving the fabric guide for the purpose as
hereinbefore mentioned.
N represents the usual guide which is carried at the lower end of a vertical
spindle O located within a tubular socket P, connected to the curved arm P¹.
In order to permit of the guide being raised at the desired time, the spindle O is
furnished with a pin O¹ passing through a slot P in the socket P and in contact
with the upper end of the eccentric lever R, fulcrummed by means of the screw R¹
to the side of the socket P', as shown most clearly in Figure 2.
The raising of the guide is effected by moving the cam lever into the position
shown by the dotted lines in Figure 3.
The spindle is encircled by a spiral spring 02, as in Figures 2 and 3 which
ensures its descent after the eccentric lever R has been moved into its lowered
position as indicated in Figures 1 and 3.
The guide N can also be regulated in relation to the feed discs A B, for
varying thicknesses of fabrics by turning the milled edged internally threaded
head or nut O on the screwed upper end of the spindle O.
A curved spring plate 0' screwed at O' to the side of the socket P and in
contact with the head O' prevents the latter from accidental movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In a machine for seaming knitted fabrics the combination of a horizontal
needle such as C and thread carrying looper such as D operated to form a lock
stitch substantially in the manner described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a machine for seaming knitted fabrics the employment of means for moving
or regulating the fabric guide in relation to the feed discs substantially as and
for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. The improvements in machines for seaming knitted fabrics substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings..
Dated this 28th day of October 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.