Improvements in or relating to Straight Bar Knitting Frames.
Year: 1889

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 28th day of August 1889, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1889-Accepted, 28th May, 1889
Improvements in or relating to Straight Bar Knitting Frames.
I, JOHN ARTHUR BARFOOT of the Firm of Barfoot & Co., Canning Place,
Leicester, Hosiery manufacturers, 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 straight bar knitting machines and is especially applicable to
those of the kind or class known as "Cotton's " patent frames, or frames similarly
constructed, and the object of the invention is to effect an improvement in the
apparatus at present employed for laying the thread on to the needles, and by means
of which the production of a
"double faced" or what is known in the trade as a
"plated" fabric may be effected.
Plating, as is well understood, is the process of employing two threads generally of
different qualities, or colors, one of which is knocked over to appear at the face of the
fabric produced, and the other at the back thereof.
To carry out my invention I prefer to employ a thread carrier or carrier-needle
constructed as hereafter described and which when a plated fabric is being made
may take the place of and be used in substitution of, the thread carrier at present
employed on "Cotton's" patent frames.
The ordinary thread carrier used in this class of frames is only provided with one
eye or hole through which the thread passes on to the needles, it is therefore not
adapted for use in the production of "plated" fabrics, in consequence of the great
tendency of the threads to alter or vary their positions during the working of the
frame thereby resulting in the formation of stitches of different kinds of yaru in the
SD 017

page_text: same course and on the same side of the fabric and rendering the latter unsuitable
for the purpose for which it is intended. In order to obviate this disadvantage and
to ensure the two threads being retained in their respective positions, I employ the
thread carrier or carrier-needle in which provision is made for feeding the two
threads on to the needles simultaneously, but in such a manner that one thread is
knocked over to the face of the fabric and the other to the back of the same.
This is effected by providing the thread carrier with preferably an additional
or auxiliary eye or hole, so that the ordinary thread may pass through the eye or hole
already provided for that purpose and the plating thread through the supplementary eye;
the two eyes or holes being formed in such positions as to admit of the threads being fed
on to the needles on approximately the saine level but one immediately behind the other.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, of a thread carrier or carrier needle
constructed according to this invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4 a
plan of a modification.
A is the ordinary eye or opening through which the usual knitting thread passes
for feeding on to the needles, B is the additional or auxiliary eye through which
the extra or plating thread may pass.
This auxiliary eye B may be formed integrally with the thread carrier as shown
in the drawings or it may be soldered or secured thereto by other suitable means.
In the manufacture of ribbed or "double faced "fabrics in which a plating thread
is used it is preferable to employ a thread carrier constructed in such a manner
that when the threads are being laid on to the needles the principal or ordinary
knitting thread may always be in front of, and take the lead of the plating thread,
otherwise the plating thread is liable to become uppermost on some of the loops and
produce an irregular fabric, but by the use of a thread carrier in which the principal
thread has the lead the plating thread has a tendency to lie in the wales or between
the ribs of the fabric and become almost hidden from view, such a thread carrier, con-
structed according to a modification of my invention and adapted for use on a rib
frame, I have shown in figures 3 and 4.
It is constructed in preferably two parts C and D ; the lower part C is fixed to
the frame in the ordinary way and has an eye or opening B through which the
plating thread passes on to the needles.
The upper part D is provided with a tube or box fitting over and free to work
as shown by the dotted lines on the vertical pin C on the lower part C.
The eye or opening A in the upper part 1 of the carrier is extended below the
eye B so that the principal thread when being laid on to the needles, through the
eye A may always be at the bottom and 'underneath the plating thread.
In order that the upper part D laying the principal thread may vary its position,
as shown by the dotted lines in figure 4 and always take the lead in laying the thread,
I provide that it may change its position at the end of every traverse of the thread
carrier.
This is effected by mounting on the upper side of the friction box K on the
slurcock bar by which the thread carrier is actuated a small spring J or equivalent,
so that at the end of every traverse of the friction box the end G of the upper part D
may come into frictional contact with the said spring and be moved on the pin C¹
as shown by the dotted lines in figure 4; a projecting pin H on the under surface
of the upper part D moving in a slot H' on the lower part C is provided to restrict
the movement of the upper part D laying the principal thread.
At the end of the next traverse of the friction box K the upper part D again
comes into contact with the spring J and resumes its original position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. In a "Cotton's" knitting machine the construction and employment of a thread

page_text: carrier or carrier needle substantially such as described and illustrated in figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In a straight bar knitting machine the employment of a thread carrier or carrier
needle constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated in figures 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a knitting machine the employment of a thread carrier or carrier needle
constructed so that the knitting thread may always take the lead of the plating
thread.
This 7th ins of Mamb 1990

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 19th day of June 1890, further Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1889-Accepted, 28th May, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in or relating to Straight Bar Knitting Frames.
I, JOHN ARTHUR BARFOOT of the Firm of Barfoot & Co., Canning Place,
Leicester, Hosiery manufacturers, 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 straight bar knitting machines and is especially applicable to
those of the kind or class known as "Cotton's" patent frames, or franes similarly
constructed, and the object of the invention is to effect an improvement in the
apparatus at present employed for laying the thread on to the needles, and by means
of which the production of a "double faced" or what is known in the trade as a
"plated" fabric may be effected.
Plating, as is well understood, is the process of employing two threads generally of
different qualities, or colors, one of which is knocked over to appear at the face of the
fabric produced, and the other at the back thereof.
To carry out my invention I prefer to employ a thread carrier or carrier-needle
constructed as hereafter described and which when a plated fabric is being made
may take the place of and be used in substitution of, the thread carrier at present
employed on Cotton's" patent frames.
The ordinary thread carrier used in this class of frames is only provided with one
eye or hole through which the thread passes on to the needles, it is therefore not
adapted for use in the production of "plated" fabrics, in consequence of the great
tendency of the threads to alter or vary their positions during the working of the
frame thereby resulting in the formation of stitches of different kinds of yarn in the

page_text: same course and on the same side of the fabric and rendering the latter unsuitable
for the purpose for which it is intended. In order to obviate this disadvantage and
to ensure the two threads being retained in their respective positions, I employ the
thread carrier or carrier-needle in which provision is made for feeding the two
threads on to the needles simultaneously, but in such a manner that one thread is
knocked over to the face of the fabric and the other to the back of the same.
This is effected by providing the thread carrier with preferably an additional
or auxiliary eye or hole, so that the ordinary thread may pass through the eye or hole
already provided for that purpose and the plating thread through the supplementary eye;
the two eyes or holes being formed in such positions as to admit of the threads being fed
on to the needles on approximately the same level but one immediately behind the other.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, of a thread carrier or carrier needle
constructed according to this invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4 a
plan of a modification.
A is the ordinary eye or opening through which the usual knitting thread passes
for feeding on to the needles, B is the additional or auxiliary eye through which
the extra or plating thread may pass.
This auxiliary eye B may be formed integrally with the thread carrier as.shown
in the drawings or it may be soldered or secured thereto by other suitable means.
In the manufacture of ribbed or "double faced" fabrics in which a plating thread
is used it is preferable to employ a thread carrier constructed in such a manner
that when the threads are being laid on to the needles the principal or ordinary
knitting thread may always be in front of, and take the lead of the plating thread,
otherwise the plating thread is liable to become uppermost on some of the loops and
produce an irregular fabric, but by the use of a thread carrier in which the principal
thread has the lead the plating thread has a tendency to lie in the wales or between
the ribs of the fabric and become almost hidden from view, such a thread carrier, con-
structed according to a modification of my invention and adapted for use on a rib
frame, I have shown in figures 3 and 4.
It is constructed in preferably two parts C and D; the lower part C is fixed to
the frame in the ordinary way and has an eye or opening B through which the
plating thread passes on to the needles.
The upper part D is provided with a tube or box fitting over and free to work
as shown by the dotted lines on the vertical "pin C on the lower part C.
The eye or opening A in the upper part D of the carrier is extended below the
eye B so that the principal thread when being laid on to the needles, through the
cyc A may always be at the bottom and underneath the plating thread.
In order that the upper part D laying the principal thread may vary its position,
as shown by the dotted lines in figure 4 and always take the lead in laying the thread,
1 provide that it may change its position at the end of every traverse of the thread
carrier.
This is effected by mounting on the upper side of the friction box K on the
slurcock bar by which the thread carrier is actuated a small spring J or equivalent,
so that at the end of every traverse of the friction box the end G of the upper part D
may come into frictional contact with the said spring and be moved on the pin C¹
as shown by the dotted lines in figure 4; a projecting pin H on the under surface
of the upper part D moving in a slot H' on the lower part C is provided to restrict
the movement of the upper part D laying the principal thread.
At the end of the next traverse of the friction box K the upper part D again
comes into contact with the spring J and resumes its original position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1 In a "Cotton's” knitting machins the annatuuation and amplament of a thread

page_text: carrier or carrier needle substantially such as described and illustrated in figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In a straight bar knitting machine the employment of a thread carrier or carrier
needle constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated in figures 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a knitting machine the employment of a thread carrier or carrier needle
constructed so that the knitting thread may always take the lead of the plating
thread.
3. In a straight bar knitting machine for the manufacture of ribbed fabrics the
employment of a thread carrier or carrier needle such as hereinbefore described constructed
so that the knitting thread may always take the lead of the plating thread for the purpose
described.