Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROTIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machines.
I, GEORGE ARTHUR MITCHELL, 45, Arundel Street, Leicester, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to knitting machines and has special reference to those
employed in the production of ribbed fabrics in which two sets of intercalating
needles are used, the one set being disposed and operating at an angle to the
other set.
The main object of the invention is improvements by means of which it is
possible to automatically effect the transfer of loops from one set of the needles
to adjacent needles of the other set as for instance when it is desired to change
the knitting from plain fabric to rib fabric or vice-versa.
For purposes of the present invention each of the needles is soldered or other-
wise connected to or carried by a flat metal jack provided with a heel or butt for
riding up and down the actuating cam groove in the usual manner.
According to this invention the said jack is provided on one of its sides with
an elongation or extension which proceeds for a short distance up the front or
latch side of the needle and the end of the said jack elongation forms a stop or
shoulder against which the loop to be transferred abuts and is thereby main-
tained in the proper position for engagement by an adjacent needle in the other
set of needles.
This said elongation may also be provided with a lateral continuation or pro-
jection extending to and lying close against the side of the needle so as to prevent
the possibility of a loop passing too far down the needle stem between the latter
and the jack elongation and thus get out of position for engagement by the adja-
cent needle of the other set of needles.
This elongation of the jack is bent or cramped near the end where it obstructs
and holds the loop and the stem of the needle is also similarly bent or cramped
so that the adjacent needle of the other set can intersect the line of movement of
the said jack and needle and pass through and engage the loop held on the end of
the said jack elongation.
Upon the needle, upon which the loop was originally formed being with-
drawn, the loop is left hanging on the needle of the other set, which pierced it.
The elongation of the jack may be formed either integrally with it or soldered
or otherwise connected to it.
In some cases instead of the cramp in the jack I may form an eye in the latter
something after the manner of the bifurcated ink leg of a draughtsman's com-
pass but with the two limbs forming such leg sufficiently far apart to form an
eye through which a needle may pass to engage the loop thereon. It will be
understood from the foregoing description that when a loop is to be transferred
from a plain needle to a rib needle or vice-versa the needle upon which the loop
was formed has its movement continued until the end of the jack elongation

page_text: meets the said loop and holds it when the adjacent needle of the other set of
needles is moved and passed through the bend or cramp in the said jack and
engages the loop thereon.
Dated this 23rd day of Novanther 1808
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
improvements in or relating to Knitting machines.
I, GEORGE ARTHUR MITCHELL, 45, Arundel Street, Leicester, Machinist, 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 knitting machines and has special reference to those
employed in the production of ribbed fabrics in which two sets of intercalating
needles are used, the one set being disposed and operating at an angle to the other
set.
The main object of the invention is improvements by means of which it is
possible to effect the transfer of loops from needles of the one set to adjacent
needles of the other set, as for instance when it is desired to change the knitting
from plain fabric to rib fabric or vice-versa without having to take the needles out
of their working grooves.
The invention will be understood from the following further description in
reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figures 1 and 2 are front and side elevations of a combined frame or cylinder
needle and its jack constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a ribbing needle and jack.
Figure 4 is a fragment of a needle bed or cylinder of a knitting machine show-
ing the cylinder needle in its knitting position, and,
Figure 5 is a similar view showing the needle in its raised position preparatory
to the transfer of its loop.
Figure 6 is a view partly in section showing the ribbing needle piercing the
loop on a frame or cylinder needle which is in the position shown in Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a similar view showing the cylinder needle in its lowered position
and its loop left hanging on and transferred to the ribbing needle.
Figure 8 is a view showing a loop on a ribbing needle preparatory to being
penetrated by a cylinder needle.
(1
Figure 9 is a view showing a loop on a ribbing needle pierced by a cylinder
-needle.
Figure 10 is a view showing the ribbing needle in its withdrawn position leav-
ing its loop hanging upon and transferred to an adjacent cylinder needle.
Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 are front and side elevations respectively of two
needles and jacks hereinafter described.
Figure 15 is a transverse section of the needle and jack as shown in Figure 12
when in the position shown in Figure 5, and
-
Figure 16 is a similar view of the same needle when in the position shown in
Figure 4.
Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts throughout the figures.
A represents a flat metal jack provided with a heel or butt A¹ for riding up
and down the actuating cam groove of a knitting machine in the usual manner

page_text: and B is a latch needle soldered to the said jack and to be used in the needle
grooves of a knitting machine.
LI
Each jack is provided with an elongation or extension A furnished with a
projection or loop engaging shoulder A³.
This extension may proceed either up the front, back or side of the needle.
In Figures 1 and 2 the extension A is slightly curved or cranked and termi-
nates in a point A located at the back of the needle B, as will be most clearly
observed upon reference to Figure 1, while the loop engaging shoulder A³ passes
at the side of and to the front of the needle B beyond which it preferably pro-
jects as shown.
...
In Figures 11 and 12 the prolongation A³ of the jack A extends up the side of
the needle B being also slightly curved or cranked, and above the loop engaging
shoulder A3 it continues to a point A and the side of the needle B is cut away
or recessed at B so that when the jack is in the needle groove of the machine
the pointed end of the said continuation may be in such recess and become flush
with the side of the needle B and thus prevent any splitting of the loop before the
latter reaches the shoulder A³.
In Figures 15 and 16 I'have shown on an enlarged or exaggerated scale sec-
tions of the needle and jack extension to better illustrate the construction of the
said jack and needle.
T
The section in Figure 15 shows the two parts B A in the positions shown in
Figure 12 which are the positions they occupy when the needle and jack are
raised, as shown in Figure 5, preparatory to the loop F being penetrated by the
ribbing needle as in Figure 6.
In the section indicated in Figure 16 the jack extension A' is shown pressed
within the recess or cavity in the needle B, which is the normal position while
the jack is in the groove in the needle cylinder during ordinary knitting.
In Figures 13 and 14 the jack extension A2 proceeds up the front of and
parallel with the needle B, both the needle and the jack extension being cramped
as most clearly shown in Figure 14 and the said extension has a lateral prolonga-
tion A to the side of the needle B, forming a stop or shoulder for the loop as will
be observed upon reference to Figure 13.
In Figure 3 a metal jack C of the well known swing or hooked type is shown
to which a ribbing needle D, is attached and the said jack is provided with a
continuation or extension C¹ and an integral loop engaging shoulder C², the said
extension and shoulder being similar in construction and formation to that shown
and described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
When ordinary knitting is taking place the extension or prolongation A³ on
the jacks A is located in the grooved needle bed or cylinder E, as indicated in
Figure 4, with the extension pressed close against the side of the needle, but when
loops F are to be transferred from say the cylinder needles B to the ribbing
needle D, the cylinder needles would be given an increased thrust to bring
them into the position illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.
When in this position the jack extension A opens or expands the loop while
the shoulder A3 engages it and prevents it descending lower down the stem of
the needle B, at the same time the said shoulder holds the loop F in the proper
position indicated in Figure 5 for the ribbing needle D to pass through it as in
Figure 6 and upon the frame or cylinder needle B descending in its groove it
will leave its loop F hanging on the ribbing needle D to which it will have be-
come transferred as in Figure 7.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 illustrate the transfer of loops form ribbing needles to
frame needles.
In Figure 8 the ribbing needle D and its loop F and the cylinder needle B
are shown in their respective positions preparatory to the transfer of the loop
from the former needle to the latter.
In Figure 9 the ribbing needle D has had an increased thrust imparted to it
so that the stop or shoulder C2 has engaged the loop F and the jack extension C

page_text: has expanded the latter in a similar manner to that shown and described with
reference to Figures 5 and 6 and the cylinder needle B has risen in its groove
and passed through the loop F.
In Figure 10 the ribbing needle D has withdrawn leaving its loop F upon the
frame or cylinder needle B the transfer of the loop to the latter being thus com-
pleted.
In the needle and jack represented in Figures 13 and 14 the upper part and
lateral extension A5 of the jack A engages the loop F and while it is held thereby
in a similar manner to that shown in Figures 5 and 6, the ribbing needle D
passes through the cramp or bend A2 in both the jack and needle thereby piercing
the loop F which when the frame needle B descends in its groove will leave its
loop F hanging on the ribbing needle D.
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 knitting machine the use or employment of a combined latch needle
and flat metal jack, the latter having a continuation or extension alongside the
needle stem and a loop engaging stop or shoulder on the said extension substan-
tially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3
of the accompanying drawings.
2. In a knitting machine the use or employment of a combined latch needle and
flat metal jack, the said needle having a recess in its side and the said jack a con-
tinuation or extension adapted to enter the said recess and a loop engaging
shoulder on the said continuation or extension substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in Figures 11, 12, 15, and 16 of the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a knitting machine the use or employment of a combined latch needle
and flat metal jack, the latter having a continuation or extension terminating
in a lateral prolongation at the side of the needle substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. The improved combined latch needle and flat metal jack constructed,
arranged and operating substantially in the manner and as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1899
GEORGE ARTHUR MITCHELL,
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant..