AN IMPROVEMENT IN KNITTING FRAMES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Coltman, of High Street, Leicester, for the.
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN KNITTING FRAMES."
caled the 23rd June 1854, and dated the 12th April 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Coltman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
April 1854.
I, WILLIAM COLTMAN, of High Street, Leicester, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN KNITTING FRAMES" to be
as follows:-
Heretofore for the most part knitting frames have each had an independent
presser bar in front of the sinkers, though there have been and are knitting
frames with separate nibs or pressing bits, and other arrangements of pressers.
Now, my improvement consists of applying a bar fixed to the frame at the back
of the sinkers, such bar having formed thereon or fixed thereto as many nibs
or pressing bits as there are needles, by which, as the frame comes forward, the
presser nibs or bits will press on the beards of the needles, whilst in the going
back of the frame the bar and presser nibs or bits will rise up with the frame,
and pass back to the proper position to again come forward with the frame.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Coltman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
COLTMAN, of High Street, Leicester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most .Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN KNITTING FRAMES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Coltman, 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 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 per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
Heretofore for the most part knitting frames have each had an independent
presser. bar in front of the sinkers, though there have been and are 'knitting
frames with separate nibs or pressing bits, and other arrangements of pressers.
Now, my improvement consists of applying a bar, fixed to the frame at the
back of the sinkers, such bar having formed thereon or fixed thereto as many
nibs or pressing bits as there are needles, by which as the 'frame comes forward
the presser nibs or bits will press on the beards of the needles, whilst in the
going back of the frame the bar and presser nibs or bits will rise up with
the 'frame and pass back to the proper position to again come forward with
the frame.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to describe
the best means I am acquainted with for performing the same.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing represents a section of so much of a knitting frame, full size,
as will enable me to describe the nature and the manner of applying my
improvements to such frame. The nature and construction of knitting
machinery being well understood, it will not be necessary for me to enter into
a description thereof, and it will be sufficient to enable a workman acquainted
with such classes of machinery to call his attention to the manner in which the
presser is applied and worked. a, a, is one of two-lever arms, to which the
bar b, carrying the presser bits c, one to each needle, is affixed; and it will be
seen that by this arrangement the presser bar and its bits are placed at the
back of the sinkers, and the bits in working act as a comb or sley for the
sinkers, the sinkers working between the bits. Each of the lever arms a, a,
moves on an axis d, which is carried by "the frame;" hence, as the frame comes
forward, the presser nibs or bits will also go forward, and by the arrangement
of parts, which I will now describe, the presser nibs or bits will descend on to
and press on the beards of the needles. e is a stop, moving on an axis f, and
it is constantly borne upwards by a spring. g. The axis fixed to the end of
the lever arm a carries a roller, which rests on the fixed support 1, so that
when the frame" goes forward, the back end of the lever arm is caused to
rise over and come in front of the stop e, by which the bits or nibs descend on
to the beards of the needles; and in the going back of the frame, the back end
of the lever arm a, a, by its truck or roller, presses back the stop e, and thus
brings the parts again to the positions shewn. The other parts shewn by the
Drawing are such as are in common use, and as the names of the principal of
them are written on the Drawing, no further description thereof will be
required..
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it under-
stood that what I claim is, the mode herein described of mounting the presser
bits or nibs on arms at the back of the sinkers, and connecting them with
"the frame, as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Coltman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM TONGUE.
WM COLTMAN. (L.S.)