Improvements in or relating to the Machine Knitting of Fabric suitable for Comforters.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Machine Knitting of Fabric
suitable for Comforters.
I REGINALD HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of 18 Bucking-
ham Street Strand W.C. in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad by Leon
Richebourg, of Tonnerre dep. Yonne in the Republic of France, Manufacturer to be
as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to the knitting of fabric the object being to enable a machine
which is capable of knitting ordinary ribbed fabric of a certain breadth to knit a
looser fabric of about three times the breadth. According to this invention therefore
a piece of fabric suitable for use as a "Comforter" may be made on an ordinary
knitting machine the welts being on the sides thereof and the direction of knitting
along the length instead of across the breadth as heretofore.
The fabric is made by setting out of action certain of the needles by lifting them
by means of a comb set in action by a cam operated by the striking of a knockover
lever against an abutment so that without knitting the said needles distend the
the wool and so make a loose fabric welts being made in the usual manner.
Dated this 26th day of July 1889.
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Machine Knitting of Fabric
suitable for Comforters.
I REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of 18 Bucking-
ham Street, Strand W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by Leon
Richebourg of Tonnerre, dep. Yonne in the Republic of France, Manufacturer 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 the knitting of fabric the object being to enable a machine
which is capable of knitting ordinary ribbed fabric of a certain breadth to knit a
looser fabric of about three times the breadth.
According to this invention therefore a piece of fabric suitable for use as a
"Comforter" may be made on an ordinary knitting machine the welts being on the
sides thereof and the direction of knitting along the length instead of across the
breadth as heretofore.
The fabric is made by setting out of action certain of the needles by lifting them by
means of a comb set in action by a cam operated by striking of a knockover lever
against an abutment, so that without knitting, the said needles distend the wool and
so make a loose fabric welts being made in the usual manner.
Reference being made to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 represents an ordinary knitting machine on a reduced scale without its cam
plate all the needles being at rest.
Fig. 2 (on a larger scale) is a section on line x x that is through one of the needle
grooves showing the needle resting with its foot on a spring e whilst the body of the
needle which rests on the frame A is kept in place by a plate A' on which the cam plate
slides;
the needle is represented with open book.
Fig. 3 shows from the back the part of the cam plate which operates the needles

page_text: this part having the three movable cams mm² m" leaving a channel or way between
and above them for the passage of the needle butts g.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the knitting machine. provided with the mesh discharge apparatus
by which this invention is performed.
Fig. 5 is the rectilinear mesh discharge apparatus in side elevation with the catch or
abutment for operating it.
Fig. 6 represents the knitting machine provided with the inesh discharge at the
moment when the catch has inct and depressed the lever of the mesh discharge, and
so moved the comb to the end of its course.
Fig. 7 shows the working of the needles the cam plate being in the middle of its
course showing also a portion of the needles D which have resumed or are about to
resume their original positions. whilst the other needles D still keep the position
which the mesh discharge has given them in its previous course.
This machine consists as usual of two plates A inclined as in Fig. 2 having between
them at their upper part sufficient space to allow the finished knitting to pass,. theso
plates are joined at their ends by the frame and are provided with grooves for the
needles (Figs. 12 and 3) one of these plates (the one in front) is movable to
facilitate the starting.
The needles have their butts g at their base (Fig. 2) at the other end the point
forms a hook which is closed by a beard. These needles are kept in their grooves at
the base by a spring e. The grooves filled by the jack comb of the discharge are not
provided with these springs.
On the back of the needle plate is fastened by means of three screws va plate, N
having a groove L within which slides a block H which carries the jack comb Cof
the mesh discharge. At the end of the plate N is a bracket N which serves as a bearing
for the arbor K one end of which carries the eccentric G and the other one the cam or
knock overlever F
The comb carries besides a heel guide B having a groove said guide sliding on the
plate N being supported by the screw u.
Two wire springs E serve for the working of the apparatus, a bracket J is screwed
on the side of the part M said bracket carrying at its end a catch d.
As the carriage
moves, the catch will turn down, the cam F consequently turns the eccentric G which
is at the other end of the arm K.
:
The eccentric G moves forward the part B which moves up the comb C.
When the carriage M has finished its course the cam F is disengaged from
the cramp metal J and the springs E pull backwards the comb of the meshi
discharge.
The work having been started as in an ordinary knitting machine, at the start all
the needles carry a thread and by the action of the carriage all the needles rise in
succession and take up a second thread, but somewhat before arriving at the end the
bracket J encounters the cam. F in connection with the eccentric G which operates
the movement of the comb described above (Figs. 5 and 6). The needles operated by the
comb are thus lifted in their grooves. At this moment the carriage begins its return
motion from the right to the left as in Figs. 3 and 7 or from the left to the right. as in
Fig. 6 which is the back elevation of the machine.
In commencing this return, one sees first the needles D, descending one after the
other, the first thread is lower than the jaw then open whilst the second one is in. the
hook but the needle whilst descending lets the first thread go up which raises the jaw,
consequently imprisons the second thread and passes over the head of the needle:
This is therefore one discharge mesh see Fig. 7 the carriage going from the right to the
left: On the left of this figure one sees first the needles D raised and descending in
succession, discharging their meshes. As soon as discharged all the needles D and Di
remount to take up a thread which replaces the first one mentioned above.
first motion the lever F is disengaged and the comb of the mesh discharge descends
drawn by the two springs E.
By the
In the case when the mesh discharge is not to be used the screw d in the bracket J
is adjusted in its groove so that the pulley c upon its pintle does not touch the lever F.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The method of knitting by employment of an automatic rectilinear mesh
apparatus which may be adapted to any knitting machine to be set in motion by an
abutment fastened to the machine carriage. Said apparatus being composed of a
reciprocating comb for lifting certain of the needles of the machine to drop their
meshes for the manufacture of a fabric as set forth.
Dated this 25th day of April 1890.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.