IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Lamb Manufacturer and Edward
Attenborough Machine Maker both of Nottingham in the county of
Nottingham for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the 'said John William Lamb and
Edward Attenborough at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
12th September 1882.
JOHN WILLIAM LAMB Manufacturer, and EDWARD ATTENBOROUGH, Machine
Maker, both of Nottingham in the County of Nottingham
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
KNITTING MACHINERY,'
The liability of the "sinkers" in knitting machinery to break has long been the
cause of great loss of time and damage to the knitted work. This defect in the
machines is greatly increased by the speed at which the present knitting machinery
is now driven. The principal cause of breakage is the "jar" or vibration set up
in the sinkers due to the sudden arrest of the motion (imparted to them by the
action of the "slur cock") as the "jack or "sinker" strikes upon or against the
falling bar," or other adjustable stop bar mechanisın, that determines the length of
loop or thread to be drawn off the spools to form a course of knitted work.
"
"
Various means have been tried to neutralize the jar thus produced, but without
an entirely satisfactory result.
By our invention an elastic cushion is provided to receive the blow of the jack or
sinker. This may be effected by attaching a strip of vulcanized india rubber to the
falling bar by means of shellac or other suitable cement so as to to present a semi-
elastic surface (supported by the metal of the bar) to the moving "jack" or
"sinker."
It may be desirable in some cases to envelope the bar in a sheet of vulcanized
india-rubber, or attach the rubber to the bar during the curing process; or the bar
may be formed of a strip of vulcanized india-rubber cemented or rivetted between
two metal bars but projecting beyond the edges of the bars, so as to receive the
blow on the edge of the rubber

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John William Lamb and Edward Attenborough in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th March 1883.
JOHN WILLIAM LAMB Manufacturer and EDWARD ATTENBOROUGH Machine
Maker both of Nottingham in the County of Nottingham "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KNITTING MACHINERY"
The liability of the "sinkers" in knitting machinery to break, has long been the
cause of great loss of time in the manufacture of, and of damage to the knitted
work This defect in the machines is greatly increased by the rapid speed at
which knitting machinery is at present driven The principal cause of breakage
is the "jar" or vibration set up in the sinkers due to the sudden arrest of the
motion (imparted to them by the action of the "slur cock") as the "jacks" or
"sinkers" strike upon or against the "falling bar," or the equivalent therefor, used
to arrest their motion
Various means have been tried to neutralize the jar thus produced but without
an entirely satisfactory result
By our Invention a semi-elastic cushion is provided to receive the blow of the
jacks or sinkers which cushion is effectually protected against the rapid wear and
tear which the jacks and sinkers are liable to induce.
In the accompanying drawing Figures 1, 2, and 3 show in plan view sectional
elevation and back view a portion of the sinker bar (with its sinkers) fitted with
a "falling bar" according to our Invention.-This "falling bar" so called is shewn
at A as fitted to the sinker bar B and overlying its end. It is made adjustable to
the sinker bar as usual by means of clamping screws which pass through slots
made in the "falling bar" and enter threaded holes in the sinker bar. Upon the
vertical face of the "falling bar" the tails of the sinkers C strike, and it is to
avoid the jar of metal against metal and the disadvantages accruing therefrom that
our Invention is directed. Upon the vertical face of this bar we fit a strip, a, of
slightly elastic compound of India rubber preferring that which is known in the
market as "Rhodes' Patent Asbestos Compound," the main ingredients of which
are Asbestos, India rubber and Sulphur.-This compound prepared in sheets of some
one eighth of an inch in thickness and vulcanized by heat we apply to the bar by
first roughening the face of the bar with a file and also that face of the compound
that is to be brought into juxta-position with the bar; we then apply a coating
of shellac to the roughened surfaces and effect their adhesion by the aid of
pressure.
When the compound is thus secured it will offer a slightly elastic surface to the
tails of the advancing sinkers while at the same time it will be firmly supported by
the metal bar and thus the tendency of the sinkers to cut through the elastic
compound will be neutralized.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 shew in plan, sectional elevation and back view another
arrangement for arresting the traverse motion of the sinkers according to our
Invention. In place of fitting the semi-elastic compound to the falling bar the
sinker bar B is rebated on its upper surface to receive a strip of elastic compound a
which projects beyond the back face of the sinker bar about one sixteenth of an
inch, and is somewhat thicker than the depth of the rebate.-Overlying this strip of
compound is a clamping plate D which is caused to grip the compound by means
of tightening screws which pass through the plate D and enter screw holes in the
sinker bar.
In some cases we may secure the compound to the plate D by shellac to facilitate
the adjustment of the cushion.-In this example also the semi-elastic compound is

page_text: supported by the metal surfaces between which it is held and it is thus enabled
to resist the tendency of the sinkers to cut the compound as their motion is
arrested.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of "Improvements in
Knitting Machinery" and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
we wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
We claim:
The means above described for adapting to the sinker bars of knitting machinery,
a semi-elastic pad or cushion for arresting the motion of the sinkers and avoiding
the disadvantages hitherto experienced in effecting such operation.
In witness whereof we the said John William Lamb and Edward Attenborough
have hereunto set our hands and seals the eighth day of March in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three
(L.S.)
JOHN WILLIAM LAMB
EDWARD ATTENBOROUGH (L.S.)