Improvements in and relating to Jacquard Knitting Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Jacquard Knitting Machines.
I, EDOUARD DUBIED, of Couvet, in the Canton of Neuchâtel in the Republic
of Switzerland, Engineer, 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 that special class of knitting machines called
"Jacquard knitters" and its object is to knit coloured patterns into a ribbed
fabric.
In the machines as heretofore constructed in which different coloured yarns,
(4 for instance) were used at a time, all the needles of the needle-bed upon which
the jacquard cards did not act, were in action, while on the other needle-bed those
needles only were in action which had to make up the pattern.
The result was that the back of the fabric worked on the needle-bed where all
the needles were up had many more stitches than the front, that these stitches were
tighter, and that the fabric thereby lost part of its elasticity.
This drawback could be obviated by applying a set of jacquard cards on either
needle bed, in which case every second, third or fourth needle only would be made
to work in every course. But this kind of jacquard is very complicated and
expensive.
One has also tried to use long and short needles on the front with two cam-
plates placed upon each other, but in that way each second needle only could be
brought into action while with my invention every second, third or fourth needle
can work,
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents the new machine seen from the right.
Figure 2 represents part of the front needle bed with the comb which pushes up
the needle.
Figure 3 is a view of the comb taken from below, the eye being on a line with
the needles; the comb shown as an example is the one used to push up each second
needle.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the comb used to push up
every third needle and
Figure 5 is a section on the line A B (Figure 2).
a Figure 1 represents the square prism on which the set of jacquard cards turns
and which is put in motion by the shaft b the lever c and the rod d in the same
way as in ordinary Jacquard machines.
On the shaft b is fixed the lever e which by means of connecting rod f transmits
its to and fro motion to the shaft g (Figures 1 and 2).
The shaft g runs from one side of the machine to the other and communicates
its motion at both ends to a lever which by means of the connecting rod i moves
the rod & guided in its bearing.
Both rods have one head ? each, which heads are connected by a rod m which
prevents them revolving upon themselves. The rods and the rod m thus forming
a kind of solid frame, which moves up and down.
The heads have each a slot n in which the ends of the jacquard comb o slide
(Figures 2, 3, 4, 5). This comb is moved in the same direction as the needles by
the rods and hits against the auxiliary needles p pushing thus the needles into
the position shown by p¹ (Figure 2).

page_text: Only those needles which come against a tooth are raised, those which fall into
the notches remain in position p. The needles in pl only are put into action by the
cams and catch up the yarn, those which remain in the position shown by p do not
form any stitch.
It is evident that the comb Figure 3 pushes up only one half of the needles
at every course and that this half alone can work.
In order that the stitches may be formed by each needle in turn, the comb
moves (Figures 2 and 3) after each course one needle sideways in the case of
comb once to the right and once to the left in the case of comb (Figure 4)
twice to the right and twice to the left and so OD.
That racking motion of the jacquard comb is obtained by means of a pattern
wheel Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, a spring Figures 2 and 3 constantly presses the comb
against the wheel. A cog wheels fixed to the pattern wheel q receives its move-
ment from a catcher t each time the heads go down, and thus the jacquard comb
moves one needle sideways after each course of the carriage.
It will be understood by anyone skilled in the art that to knit a pattern where
3 colours meet in the same row of stitches the carriage must make 3 courses in
order to get a complete row on the needle bed which works out the pattern. In
this case, one must use for the front needle bed a comb which puts every third
needle into action Figure 4 and the carriage must also make 3 courses before all
the front needles have worked, thus the number of stitches knit on each needle
bed is the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In knitting machines of the "Jacquard" type, the application to the
needle bed on which the back of the fabric is knit of a comb which moves up the
needles bringing at every course only every second third or fourth needle into
action, according to the number of colours which make up the pattern substantially
as herein described with reference to the drawing.
Second. In knitting machines of the "Jacquard" type the application of a
mechanism enabling the comb to push up the working needles and consisting of a
movable frame formed by the rods & the heads the rod m and set in motion by the
connecting rod the shaft g the levers h and the connecting rods i substantially as
herein described and shown by way of example in the drawing.
Third. In knitting machines, of the "Jacquard" type the application of a
mechanism for the purpose of moving the comb sideways and consisting of a
pattern wheel g a cog wheel sa catcher t and a spring substantially as herein
described with reference to the drawing.
Fourth. The improved many coloured knitting obtained by the means herein-
before described and the characteristic feature of which is the equal number of
stitches on both sides of the fabric.
Dated this 15th day of Anonst. 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.