IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Frith, of Leicester, Framework Knitter,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."
Sealed the 6th October 1875, and dated the 24th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Frith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th August 1875.
I, SAMUEL FRITH, of Leicester, Framework Knitter, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
:—
The Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus
for knitting, whereby great simplicity and efficiency are obtained,
an improved quality of work is produced, facility is afforded for
narrowing the work as required, and a self-acting stopping arrange-
ment is obtained.
The Invention applies mainly to that description of machine in which
a combination of needles, hooks, jacks, sinkers, and presser is employed;

page_text: but parts thereof are also applicable to other arrangements of machinery
or apparatus for knitting, and the Invention consists,―
Firstly. In improved arrangements of parts for getting the loops.
For this purpose I employ, as heretofore, a set of lead sinkers, inter-
mediate of which I employ other sinkers which, instead of being
operated by "jacks," as in the mode heretofore adopted, are, according
to my Invention, mounted in guides, and are formed with projections
"slur cock"
to be acted upon in succession by a
pivotted to its bar
so as to enable it at each end of its traverse to be turned over by a
projection therefrom coming against the frame, or a projection carried
thereby in order that a suitable inclined surface may be provided to act
on the sinkers. Each of these last-mentioned sinkers is acted upon by
a spring to depress it after it has been acted upon by the "slur cock"
and the thread has passed under it. Or instead of acting upon each
intermediate sinker by a "slur cock," as above described, to raise them
just previous to their being depressed by springs, I support them in
position for the thread to be laid under them by means of pendent
levers, or separate stops pivotted on an axis of motion and working
in a suitable comb; or the supports for the sinkers may be otherwise
arranged.
The "slur cock," in travelling across the machine, acts upon cach of
these pendent levers or separate stops separately to push them out
of the position for supporting the sinkers, when each sinker as it is
liberated is acted upon by a spring to force it down till a projection
on the back of each sinker comes on to the "falling bar." The sinkers
are raised again by the "
to the first-described position
falling bar
for a new course, after which the "falling bar" descends to its original
position..
"
This last described modification of parts for getting the loops may be
employed in a horizontal or other position, and either with or without
" dividers or lead sinkers, and I would remark that the operating
each sinker separately by a spring forms an essential feature of my
Invention, whether applied to sinkers only, or to a combination of
"jacks" and sinkers.
The Invention also consists in an improved method of mounting and
operating the hooks or knocking over bits. For this purpose instead
of causing the hook or knocking over bar to work simply in an arc of a

page_text: circle, as heretofore, they are, according to my Invention, carried by
arms pin jointed at their lower ends to other arms, which at their rear
ends are fixed to a bar which is capable of rocking on fixed centres or
axes of motion.
The hook or knocking over bar is caused to rise and fall and to move
backwards and forwards by means of cams acting upon levers suitably
connected thereto, and the action of the hooks is as follows:-After
the loops have been sunk between the needles, and, when bar sinkers
are employed, the latter have divided the loops, the needles begin to
recede, and the presser comes into action; the hooks are then caused
to come forward so as to land the loops over the barbs of the needles,
and the needles continue to recede, and the hooks or knocking over
bits to come forward to knock the loops over. The hooks then recede
a short distance and are again caused to come forward so as to perfect
the knocking over, after which they descend and recede so as to carry
the work back on to the stems of the needles.
The presser consists of a solid bar mounted in vertical guides so as to
work at the back of the sinkers, and it is operated by means of a cam
acting thereon by suitable connections.
The Invention also consists in an improved arrangement of parts for
simultaneously "racking" the narrowing apparatus and adjusting the
traverse of the thread carriers. For this purpose the traverse of the
thread carriers in narrowing is regulated in the following manner :-
On the bar carrying the guides for the carrier bar is mounted a lever
which is capable of working on an axis of motion at its centre. To each
end of this lever is pin jointed a clawker or driver, which clawkers or
drivers are capable of acting upon rack bars to move them simul-
taneously, the one in the one direction, and the other in. the other
direction. These rack bars carry stops to regulate the amount of
traverse of the carrier bar and carriers.
The lever actuating the clawkers or drivers is operated by means of a
lever fixed on the axis thereof, and receiving motion at the times
desired from a lever actuated by a cam. Each of the carrier rack bars
has fixed thereto an arm or projection, the lower end of which is in
position to act upon one of the rack bars of the narrowing apparatus,
by which means as the traverse of the carriers is regulated the rack bars
of the narrowing apparatus are simultaneously operated to adjust tho.

page_text: points for narrowing. The clawkers or drivers of the carrier rack bars
are capable of being removed from their racks by means of a lever or
otherwise acting thereon in order to permit of the rack bars being
carried back to their starting points by springs acting thereon.
The Invention also consists in an improved self-acting method of
stopping the machinery or apparatus when a given length of material
has been made. For this purpose I attach to the material being knitted
a weight which, when a given length of material has been made, comes
upon a lever which it releases from a stop or catch when the lever is
acted upon by a spring or weight to shift it, and thereby shift the
driving strap on to the loose pulley; or in cases where the machinery
is driven by gearing to take the driving wheel out of action.
In circular knitting frames one end of a chain or other non-clastic
means is connected to the work, which chain is thence carried up over
a pulley, and has fixed to its other end a weight which acts on a lever,
as above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Frith in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
FRITH, of Leicester, Framework Knitter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Frith, Her special
license that I, the said Samuel Frith, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Frith, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN KNITTING MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,

page_text: the said Samuel Frith, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 Samuel Frith, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
knitting, whereby great simplicity and efficiency are obtained, an
improved quality of work is produced, facility is afforded for narrowing
the work as required, and a self-acting stopping arrangement is
obtained.
The Invention applies to that description of machine in which a
combination of needles, hooks, jacks, sinkers, and presser is employed,
but parts thereof are also applicable to other arrangements of machinery
or apparatus for knitting, and the Invention consists,―
Firstly. In improved arrangements of parts for getting the loops.
For this purpose, according to one arrangement, I employ as heretofore
a set of lead sinkers, intermediate of which I employ other sinkers,
which instead of being operated by "jacks," as in the mode heretofore
adopted, arc, according to my Invention, mounted in guides, and are
formed with projections serving to support them in position (for the
thread to be laid under them) by means of pendent levers or separate
stops pivotted on an axis of motion and working in a suitable comb, or‍
the supports for the sinkers may be otherwise arranged.
The "slur cock," in travelling across the machine, acts upon each of
these pendent levers or separate stops separately to push them out of
the position for supporting the sinkers when each sinker as it is
liberated is acted upon by a spring to force it down till a projection
on the back of each sinker comes on to the "falling bar." The sinkers
are raised again by the "falling bar" to the first described position for
a new course, after which the "falling bar" descends to its original
position. This arrangement of parts for getting the loops may be,

page_text: employed in a horizontal or other position, and either with or without
"dividers" or lead sinkers, and I would remark that the operating each
sinker separately by a spring forms an essential feature of my Invention,
whether applied to sinkers only or to a combination of jacks and
sinkers.
The Invention also consists in an improved method of mounting and
operating the hooks or knocking-over bits. For this purpose, instead of
causing the hook or knocking-over bar to work simply in an arc of a
circle as heretofore, it is, according to my Invention, carried by arms
pinjointed at their lower ends to other arms, which at their rear ends.
are fixed to a bar which is capable of rocking on fixed centres or axes of
motion. The hook or knocking over bar is caused to rise and fall and to
move backwards and forwards by means of cams acting upon levers
suitably connected thereto, and the action of the hooks is as follows:-
After the loops have been sunk between the needles, and when bar or
lead sinkers or dividers are employed, the latter have divided the loops,
the needles and hooks begin to recede and the presser comes into action;
the hooks are then caused to come forward so as to land the loops over
the barbs of the needles, and the needles continue to recede and the
hooks or knocking over bits to come forward to knock the loops over;
the hooks then recede a short distance and are again caused to come
forward so as to perfect the knocking over, after which they descend
and recede so as to carry the work back on to the stems of the needles.
It is evident that this double motion to secure the accurate knocking
over of the loops may be given to the needles instead of to the
hooks.

page_text: in circular Knitting frames one end of a chain, or other non-elastic
means, is connected to the work, which chain is thence carried up over a
pulley, and has fixed to its other end a weight which acts on a lever, as
above described.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same.
65
reference.
Figure 1 represents a section full size of the working instruments of a
knitting frame arranged according to my Invention.
a represents one of the needles; b, a sinker, cach of which, according
to my Invention, is acted upon by a separate spring c, in order that cach
sinker may move to its full extent independently of the others. These
springs c are formed with cycs c¹ to fit the upper ends or projections b¹
on the sinkers to ensure their correctly acting together, and the springs c
are held in leads c² carried by a rocking bar c³, which is mounted upon
axes or centres of motion, in order, as herein-after described, that it may
be operated to cause the springs c to apply a greater pressure to the
sinkers at the time when they are required to sink the loops between the
needles, and a less pressure when after the loops have been so sunk the
falling bar" d is about again to raise the sinkers into the position
shown in the Drawing. The sinkers are provided with projections b² to
act in connection with the "falling bar” d, and the depth to which the
loops are sunk or the slackness and tightness of the work is regulated by
means of "stars" (not shown in any of the Drawings) acting to regulate
the depth to which the " falling bar" descends in the manner well
understood. The sinkers are also formed with projections b³, by which
they are supported in the position shown in the Drawings for the thread
to be laid under them on pendent levers e. These pendent levers or
separate stops e are pivotted on an axis of motion e¹ carried by a comb e³,
whilst they are further guided in their motions by a comb f. The
pendent levers or separate stops e are acted upon by a slur cock g.
fixed to a bar g', as the thread is laid under the sinkers to force them
one by one into the position shown by the dotted lines, so as to release

page_text: them from the projections 63 on the sinkers, and enable each spring c to
act on the sinkers in succession, and force them down on to the "falling
bar" d. The pendent levers or separate stops e also work in a slot formed
in a bar h, which is operated at the times required to hold the pendent
levers e back in the position shown by the dotted lines to enable the
sinkers to be raised by the "falling bar" into the position shown in
the Drawings, and then when the sinkers are so raised to force the
pendent levers e into the position shown by the full lines to hold the
sinkers in such position until the slur cock g in its next traverse across
the frame acts upon the pendent levers e to release the sinkers, and
permit them to fall as before described. represents the presser, which
consists of a solid bar mounted and working at the back of the sinkers
in vertical guide slots, and j represents the hooks, both of which are
operated as herein-after described with respect to the modified arrange-
ment shown at Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
The arrangements and mode of working the sinkers herein described
may be used either with or without intermediate dividers or lead sinkers,
as will be readily understood; and I would observe that the arrange-
ment shown at Figure 1 is more especially applicable to comparatively
coarse gauges of work, but for fine gauges of work I prefer to employ
the following arrangement of parts:-
Figure 2 represents a section full size of the working instruments of
a knitting frame arranged in the mode I prefer to carry my Invention
into effect; Figures 3 and 4 represent two cross sections of such parts
of a knitting frame as will enable me to describe the mode in which I
give motion to the parts represented in Figure 2; and Figures 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, 11, and 12 represent various details thereof.
I would here observe that the thread carriers, drawing motion, driving
gear, and many other parts of a knitting frame are not represented in
these Drawings, as such are well understood and form no part of my
present Invention, whilst it is not necessary to describe them to a person
acquainted with this class of machinery to enable him to understand my
Invention. In this arrangement the sinkers 6 have the projections b², b³,
formed on the backs thereof, and the comb b' in which the sinkers
work, as also the "falling bar," is reversed in position for convenience
of arrangement.
I also dispense with the parts marked e, e¹, e, f, g, and h, and in lieu

page_text: thereof I mount on the "slur bar" ' plates g², which serve the double
purpose of supporting the sinkers and releasing them one by one at the
times desired.
The needles a are as usual fixed in leads a' carried by a bar a², which
is supported in its motions on rollers a³. This bar a is fixed to the
front ends of links a, which at their rear ends are pinjointed to levers a³
fixed to a rocking shaft a. On one end of this rocking shaft as is fixed
a lever a, which by a link as is connected to a lever a actuated by a
cam a (shown separately full size at Figure 7), which gives the
requisite to-and-fro motions to the needle bar a².
The sinkers are mounted in a comb b', and are actuated in succession
by springs c in a similar manner to that described with respect to the
arrangement shown at Figure 1, and I cause the pressure of the springs c
to be increased or diminished at the times herein-before described in
the following manner:-On one end of the rocking bar c³ is fixed a
lever c', which by means of a link c is connected to a lever c³ actuated
by a cam c, represented separately full size at Figure 8.
The falling bar" d is mounted with capability of working in vertical
slots d' formed in some fixed portion of the machine, and receives motion
in the manner herein-after described at the times required to raise the
sinkers into position to permit of one of the plates g² on the slur
bar coming forward underneath the projections b³ to hold the
sinkers up until the thread has been laid under them. The "falling
d is fixed to the upper ends of links d², which at their lower ends
are pinjointed to levers d³ fixed to a rocking shaft d'. On one end of
this rocking shaft d' is fixed a lever d³, which by means of a link do is
connected to a lever & actuated by a cam d³, shown separately full size
at Figure 9.
bar
39
The slur bar g¹ is moved to and fro across the machine by a con-
nection with the "drawing apparatus," which is not shown, but which
will be readily understood. The motions however of the "slur bar" g¹
to and from the sinkers for the purposes stated are given' in the
following manner:-The slur bar gis mounted at its ends in slots g³
formed in any convenient fixed portion of the machine with capability
of moving backwards and forwards therein. Forks passing over and
operating such bar are fixed to a sliding bar g³, which is guided in
suitable slots g°. This sliding bar 75 has fixed thereto links g', which

page_text: are pinjointed to levers g³ fixed to a rocking shaft 9º. On one end of
this rocking shaft g' is fixed a lever 7", which by a link g" is connected
to a lever gactuated by a cam g¹³, shown separately full size at
Figure 10.
I employ two plates on the slur bar g¹ for each breadth of work,
and between these two plates I fix a double inclined slur cock g¹, as
shown at Figures 5 and 6, which, in case of any of the sinkers sticking,
would act thereon, and secure their correct action. The presser i is
mounted with capability of sliding up and down in slots .
It is con-
nected to the upper ends of links, which at their lower ends are pin-
jointed to lever arms fixed to a rocking shaft, which by suitable
connections and a cam (not shown) is operated at the times required to
bring the presser into and take it out of action, as will be well under-
stood., The hooks jare fixed in leads j' carried by a bar 1 fixed to links j³,
fixed rigidly to a rock shaft j mounted with capability of rocking in
lever arms j³ fixed rigidly to a rock shaf j' mounted in suitable bearings.
The up-and-down motions to the hooks or knocking-over bits are given
at the times required by mean of a link pinjointed at its upper end
to one of the arms j³, and at its lower end to a lever j³ actuated by a
cam j, shown separately full size at Figure 11.
The to-and-fro motions are communicated to the hooks or knocking
over bits in the following manner:-At the back of the hook bar jº is
fixed on a bar j¹ a cam j", between which and the back of the hook
bar jworks up and down a truck or pulley j¹, which is carried by the
upper end of a link or rod j³ working in a suitable guide ", and which at
its lower end is pinjointed to a lever j¹ actuated by a cam j¹, shown
separately full size at Figure 12.
The various levers are kept up to their cams by means of springs as
shown, and as will be well understood, whilst a spring" acts to keep
the hook bar against the truck or roller j¹³.
The action of the needles, hooks, and presser, as herein shown and
described, is as follows:-After the loops have been sunk between the
needles, the latter, as also the hooks, begin to recede, and the presser
comes into action; the hooks then come forward, and cause the loops to
be knocked over. In order however to perfect the knocking over the
needles again advance a short distance, and then again recede, thereby
causing a double action of the hooks or knocking over bits. The hooks

page_text: then descend on to the work to hold it whilst the needles come forward,
thereby carrying the work back on to the stems of the needles. The
hooks then again rise to the position shown in the Drawings.
I would here remark that the peculiar arrangements and mode of
operating the parts for getting the loops, herein described, may be worked
in either a horizontal or vertical direction.
At Figure 13 I have represented a plan of one arrangement by which,
according to my Invention, I cause the stopping of a knitting frame on
the completion of a given length of material.
k, k, represent portions of the frame of a knitting machine; 1, the
driving shaft; and m and n, the fast and loose pulleys respectively;
o, o, represent the fork and fork slide for shifting the driving strap from
the one pulley to the other; o', a spring acting thereon to carry it
when liberated in the direction of the loose pulley n; and p represents a
lever connected to the fork slide o, and capable of holding it in the
position shown in the Drawings with the driving strap around the fast
pulley m when such lever p is resting in the notch q; " is a rod or
shaft, which is mounted in any suitable bearings formed in or carried
by the framing of the machine; and 71, 72, are levers fixed thereon, the
lever being placed immediately underneath, the work being produced
so that a weight fixed to such work will when the required length has
been produced act upon the lever to depress it, thereby giving partial
rotary motion to the shaft or rod r, and causing the end of the lever
to rise, and in rising to act upon the lever p to slightly raise it, and
thereby liberate it from the notch q, when the spring will move such
lever, and thereby shift the driving strap on to the loose pulley.
The above arrangement is suitable for ordinary rotary knitting frames,
but the arrangement represented at Figures 14 and 15 is applicable to
ordinary circular frames.
Figure 14 represents so much of the foundation plate or frame and
driving gear of a circular machine as will enable me to describe this
part of my Invention. s is a socket in which is fixed the axis, around
which a circular frame is caused to revolve by the bevilled driving wheel t
taking into and giving motion to a bevil wheel u fixed on the circular
frame (and shown by dotted lines) as is now commonly the case. This
driving wheel is acted upon in the manner well understood by means of
a lever v, to take it into or out of gear with the bevilled wheel u; but in

page_text: to give a double action to such hooks or knocking-over bits to perfect the
knocking over of the loops, substantially as herein shown and described.
And, Fourthly. I claim the modes of stopping either rotary or circular
knitting machines on the completion of a given length of material, sub-
stantially as herein shown and described in respect to Figures 13, 14,
and 15.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Frith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
SAMUEL FRITH. (L.S.)