Improvements in or relating to Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
We, THOMAS WILDE of Canal Street, Hosiery Machine Manufacturer and
WILLIAM ASTILL of 14 Seymour Street, Hosiery Maker both in the Borough of
Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be follows:-
"
This invention relates to the production on straight bar knitting machines
actuated by power, of what are known as
push back or full fashioned combina-
tion or other garments in which similar effects may be introduced.
In what is known as a 66
push back" or full fashioned combination a fulness is
produced at any part required, for example at the seat, or the shoulder, in the
following manner.
At the part where it is desired to produce a fulness the number of needles in
operation is gradually reduced each course or as often as desired as the work
proceeds, by reducing the length of movement of the thread layer, either on one
or both sides of each division, but the last loop knitted on those needles which
are out of operation is retained by them, instead of being pressed off (as in the
case of narrowing) so that by again increasing the length of movement of the
thread layer either at once or gradually to its full extent, the whole of the needles
will come into operation again and a fulness will be formed in the centre of the
fabric, or on one side, that is one side will be longer than the other, according to
what needles are put out of operation.
This has hitherto been effected by knitting the garment on or transferring the
partially knitted garment to a hand frame in which the thread is laid on the
needles by hand, and the loops on those needles which are out of operation are
pushed back by the operator with a suitable instrument so as to prevent them from
being pressed off by the presser at the same time as those needles which are in
operation.
Our invention as described is applied to a frame with a fixed presser bar carrying
the jacks and sinkers, and a moving needle bar in which the needles are arranged
vertically or nearly so.
On the underside of the presser bar in each division we arrange preferably two
longitudinal bars hereinafter called mispresser bars, sliding in recesses formed in
brackets secured to the framing, the corresponding bars in each division being
preferably connected to each other by rods with screwed ends provided with nuts
for adjusting so that the whole may be operated simultaneously.
This may be
effected by connecting the opposite end bar in each set to a sliding bar carried
preferably by the slides at each end of the frame in which the ordinary narrowing
slides work, and to which the said sliding bars may be connected or disconnected
as required by any suitable means. The screw operating each narrowing slide is
provided with an additional set of ratchet wheels, operated by pawls which may
be put in or out of operation by a shield of ordinary construction, the narrowing
pawls being provided with a similar shield so that either may be put into operation
and the slide used for narrowing, or for actuating the mispresser bars.
The additional set of pawls may be carried by a lever pivoted to the framing,
and actuated by a cam on the cam shaft; the movement of the additional pawls
may be governed by a pattern chain in a well known manner or by other suitable
means.
The front edge or a part of each mispresser bar projects beyond the presser bar,
and each set is preferably arranged to operate on the needles at opposite sides of
each division, that is one set operates on the right half and the other set on the
laft half of

page_text: The projecting edge of each presser bar operating the needles is moved from or
to the space between each division, which space is preferably made wide enough
for the bars to move clear of the needles, each set of bars may be moved in the
same direction as the other or the reverse by the narrowing slides working
preferably in conjunction with springs.
In the act of pressing off the needles approach the presser bar, but the beards
of those needles which are covered by that part of the mispresser bars which projects
beyond the presser bar, are held off and consequently mispress and retain their
loops.
As the length of movement of the thread layer is governed by the movement
of the narrowing slides, and the said narrowing slides also operate the mispresser
bars, the latter will be moved in a distance corresponding to the reduction of the
length of movement of the thread layer, and those needles which are out of
operation will be mispressed automatically and retain their loops until again
brought into operation.
Provision may be made for throwing the mispresser bars out of action by
arranging the brackets in which they work so as to move back, either by arranging
them to work on slides or pivots and moving them by hand or actuating them
simultaneously by suitable mechanical arrangements.
In a modified arrangement the mispresser bars may be arranged in front of the
needles, and may be carried in recesses in arms or brackets secured to a rocking
shaft carried in bearings secured to the framing. When in operation the needle
bar is actuated by false presser cams, arranged on the sides of the ordinary cams,
so that the whole of the needles will miss the presser bar, at this point the mis-
presser bar, which in this case is arranged to bear on those needles in operation,
is moved towards the needles and forces those needles on to the presser bar and
the loops are pressed off, the loops being retained on those needles not operated,
which is the reverse of the arrangement previously described.
Dated this 4th day of February 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
We, THOMAS WILDE of Canal Street, Hosiery Machine Manufacturer, and
WILLIAM ASTILL of 14 Seymour Street, Hosiery Maker, both in the borough of
Nottingham, 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 relates to the production on straight bar knitting machines
actuated by power of what are known as "push back' or full fashioned combina-
tion or other garment in which similar effects may be introduced.
"
In what is known as a 66
push back or full fashioned garment fulness is produced
at any part required, for example at the seat, or the shoulder, in the following
manner.
At the part where it is desired to produce a fulness the number of needles in
operation is reduced each course or as often as required as the work proceeds, by
reducing the lengths of the movement of the thread layer either on one or both
sides of each division, but the last loop knitted on those needles which are put
out of operation is retained by them instead of being pressed off (as in the case
of narrowing) so that by again increasing the length of movement of the thread
layer either at once or gradually to its original extent the whole of the needles
will come into operation and by this means a fulness is formed either near the
centre or on one side of the fabric.
This has hitherto been effected by knitting such garments, or transferring

page_text: partially knitted garments to a hand frame in which the thread is laid on the
needles by hand, and the loops on those needles which are out of operation for the
time being, are pressed back by the operator with a suitable instrument, so as to
prevent them from being pressed off by the presser at the same time as those
needles which are in operation.
Our invention as described is applied to a frame of well known construction
provided with a fixed presser bar and a moving needle bar on which the needles
are carried in a vertical position or nearly so, and will be best understood by
reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1. is a vertical cross section taken through the needle and presser bar of
the machine.
Fig. 2. is a front elevation and
Fig. 3. a plan of a presser bar of one division.
Fig. 4. is an end elevation and
Fig. 5. a side elevation of part of one end of the machine showing additional
apparatus for operating the narrowing slide.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
On the underside of the presser bar a in each division we arrange preferably
two longitudinal bars which slide longitudinally in recesses formed in brackets
secured to the framing, or as shown between the underside of the presser bar a'
and a cap a¹, secured to the presser bar a.
The bars are retained in their position by plates secured to the bars hand,
fitting in longitudinal recesses c in the presser bar a and cap a', the corresponding
bars in each division are connected (see Figs. 2 and 3) preferably by a plate 62.
secured by screws to the ends of the bars b, the holes in the plate 62 being
preferably slotted to allow of adjustment.
The upper and lower sets of bars 6 are moved longitudinally by connecting the
opposite end bar in each set to sliding bars d, (see Figs. 4 and 5) the bars d are
carried in the narrowing frame e (one only of which is shown) and may be con-.
nected to the narrowing slide et by turning the catch f which is pivoted to the
slide e until it engages with the upturned end d¹ of the bar d.
The screw 9 of each narrowing slide is provided with an additional set of
ratchet wheels g' operated by pawls h, either or both of which may be put out of
operation by a shield h¹ of ordinary construction; the ordinary narrowing pawls
are provided with a similar shield so that either set of pawls may be employed.
The pawls of ordinary construction are carried by a lever i pivoted at to a
bracket secured to the framing, this lever is formed with an arm provided with.
an anti-friction roller j, the anti-friction roller is moved laterally on its axis so as
to alternately be put into and removed from the path of the cam n secured to the.
main cam shaft n' so that the slide e' is only operated every other course.
The anti-friction roller j is moved laterally by an arm k provided with a forked
end engaging in an annular recess in the boss of the roller j and secured at the
other end to a sliding bar k', which is connected by a link to a friction rod m
operated by a friction box secured to the drawing slide. The anti-friction roller j
may be readily placed out of the path of the cam by releasing the link 1, it may
be also more convenient to employ a pivoted lever at one end of the frame in place
of the link l, so as to reverse the movements of the friction rod m and bar k and
connections.
A part 6 (see Figs. 2 and 3) of each bar b projects beyond the presser bar and
each set is preferably arranged to operate on the needles from opposite sides of
each division.
The projecting part 6 of each mispresser bar is moved from or to the space
between each division which space is preferably made wide enough for the parts b³
to move clear of the needles.
In the act of pressing off (see Fig. 1) the needles approach the presser bar but
the beards of those needles which are covered by the parts 63 of the mispresser
bar b are held off and consequently retain their loops.
1

page_text: As the length of movement of the thread guides is governed by the movement
of the narrowing slides e¹ and the said narrowing slides also operate the bars 6 the
latter will be moved in or out so as to correspond to the decrease or increase of
the length of movement of the thread layer and those needles which are out of
operation will be mispressed automatically and will retain their loops until again
brought into operation. In a modified arrangement the needles which are put out of
operation may be caused to retain their loops by employing to each division one or
more sets of points of well known construction arranged above the needles, they
are carried by an arrangement of the same construction as but in addition to the
narrowing machine and are operated in the same manner, in the act of pressing off
the points descend on to the needles and either receive the loops when they are
pressed off and return them again to the needles, or the points may be adapted to
hold the needles from the presser and cause them to mispress.
The position of the points and consequently the needles upon which they operate
is governed by moving the points in the same manner as the narrowing machine
points by connections to the narrowing slides.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
66
"
1. In a straight bar knitting machine the employment of means operated in
conjunction with the narrowing mechanism for causing those needles which are
out of operation to retain their loops for the purpose of producing
push back
or "full fashioned" garment or like effect substantially as described.
2. In a straight bar knitting machine the employment of one or more bars
such as in connection with a presser bar for the purpose of producing "push
back"
or full fashioned garment or like effects substantially as described.
3. In a straight bar knitting machine the combination with a presser bar such
as a of one or more bars such as band a cap such as a¹ for supporting the said
bars & substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a straight bar knitting machine the combination with a bar such as b of
a plate or projection such as b' to fit in the recess in the presser bar a or cap a
for the purpose of retaining the said bar 6 substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a straight bar knitting machine the combination with the narrowing
frame e and slide e¹ of a bar such as d connected to the slide e' substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a straight bar knitting machine the combination and arrangement of parts
for operating the pawls h consisting of a lever i provided with an arm anti-
friction roller ; which is moved laterally so as to alternately be in and out of
the path of the cam by an arm k connected to the drawing slide by a rod m and
friction box substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.