Improvements in Rotary or Flat Bar Rib Knitting Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1895
Improvements in Rotary or Flat Bar Rib Knitting Machines.
I, CHARLES HENRY ALDRIDGE, of Pinfold Gate, Loughborough, in the
County of Leicester, Hosiery Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to effect certain improvements in rotary or flat
bar knitting machines such as are used for making ribbed hose, half hose or parts
thereof, and the like.
When making the class of work known in the trade as "royal rib" (i.e. every
other course misspressed or "tucked" or when making "shot-work" i.e. where two
or more different coloured yarns are used and are laid in alternate courses, the one
course being "pressed" clear and the next course being mispressed or "tucked"),
considerable difficulty has been experienced in getting a clear division of loops on
the machine needles, more especially when using some classes of thread and silk.
My invention consists of a means whereby the two rows of loops on the machine
needles, when the tuck course is laid are passed right under the needle beards, this
allows the machine to be "cammed" so as to insure a correct "division" of the
loops at the "knocked over' or pressed course.
"
"
To do this I shog or shift the " pressing truck or trucks from the ordinary
pressing cam or cams to an extra special cam or cams during the formation of the
tuck-course. The said pressing truck or trucks may be shogged by the same
mechanisin as is used for shogging the "slide-truck" to form the tuck course or by
separate and independent mechanism as may be most convenient.
This system of shogging the pressing-truck or trucks on to an extra special cam
or cams during the formation of the tuck course may be used when making
"royal rib" and also when making "shot-work" in the ordinary way i.e. when the
machine runs an idle-course or "draw back" (the slur-cocks running back without
forming a row of loops) between each course of loops laid; and it also be
used when making "shot-work" without the machine having to run an
course" or draw back between each course of loops laid.
"
"
may
* idle
In some cases when making "royal-rib or "shot work" and "fashioning" at
the same time it is desirable that the machine should not "fashion" at the tuck
course. This ensure by connecting the clawker which racks the fashioning
"chain
or wheel, with the mechanism which shogs the pressing and slide trucks
(or direct to one of the said shogging trucks) in such a manner that when the
machine forms a tuck course the said clawker is thrown out of action and the chain
or wheel is not shogged.
In some cases certain loops are required to be picked up from the machine
needles and locked at various parts of the width of the work produced otherwise
than at the selvages without disturbing the loops upon the frame needles such for
instance as when "marking" or when making huse, half-hose and the like on a rib
frame and when the leg is completed and the extra thread carriers are brought
into action to form the heels, the loops which are cast off the machine needles at
the instep partings should be picked up or "locked" without disturbing the loops
ou the "frame needles. To do this I arrange each set of the "frame-coverer-
points" in a slide which can move up and down in the "narrowing finger." The
top of these slides are suitably connected to a rocking rod or shaft in such a manner
that when the said rod or shaft is turned or rocked by a suitable handle the whole

page_text: "
of the sets of frame coverer points cambellifted out of action. The narrowing fingers
are then set in so that the "machine points cover the needles at the partings or
at any desired part of the width of the fabric. The machine then goes through a
narrowing, when the loops at the parting or, otherwise, on the machine needles only
are picked off and narrowed or locked in the usual way.
In order to be able to rack in the narrowing fingers for picking up the instep
parting stitches as hereinbefore described, I carry the "uprights" or brackets by
which the ends of the narrowing finger rods are moved end wise upon additional
slides which are mounted upon or carried by the main screw-boxes, these slides are
provided with independent racking screws, wheels and clawkers, and are arranged
in such a manner that when the clawkers which rack the main narrowing screws
are in action the clawkers which rack the secondary screw are out of action and
vice versa.
By these means the narrowing fingers can be racked in the instep
stitches picked up and the narrowing fingers racked out again to their normal
position without interfering with the main narrowing screws.
Dated this 7th day of February 1905
I, CHARLES HENRY ALDRIDGE, of Pinfold Gate Loughborough, in the County
of Leicester, Hosiery 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 :-
The object of this invention is to effect certain improvements in rotary or flat
bar knitting machines, such as are used for making ribbed hose, half hose, or parts
thereof, and the like.
"
:
When making the class of work known in the trade as "royal rib" (i.e. every other
course on the machine needles mispressed or tucked, or, when making "shot
work i.e. where two or more different coloured yarns are used and are laid
in alternate courses the one course being pressed clear and the next course being
mispressed or "tucked") considerable difficulty has been experienced in getting
a clear division of loops on the machine needles, more especially when using some
classes of thread and silk.
My invention consists of a means whereby the two rows of loops on the machine
needles, when the tuck course is laid, are passed right under the needle beards,
this allows the machine to be cammed so as to insure a correct division of the loops
at the knocked over or pressed course.
To do this I shog or shift the frame needle pressing truck or trucks from the
ordinary pressing cam or cams to an extra special cam or cams during the
formation of the tuck course. The said pressing truck or trucks may be shogged
by the same mechanism as is used for shogging the truck actuating the slide for
knocking over the work on the machine needles to form the tuck course or by
separate and independent mechanism as may be most convenient.
This arrangement will be understood by referring to the accompanying
drawings.
In these drawings only so much of a knitting machine is shown as will enable
the special parts herein described to be understood. The other parts and details
not shown are so well understood by all conversant with this class of machinery
that description thereof is unnecessary.
Figure 1, Sheet 1 is a part section and end view of the arrangement and some
adjacent parts, and
Figure 2 is a front view of part of Figure 1.

page_text: "
A are the frame needles, A¹ the needle bar, A2 the needle bar arms, A³ the needle
bar shaft, A the needle bar bracket, or fixed arm A, the needle bar handle. Bis
the pressing shaft, B¹ the pressing arm, B2 the pressing cam on the cam shaft C.
B³ is the pressing truck carried by the arm B¹ and running upon the cam B². The
said truck B3 being arranged so that it can slide upon its axle or pin from one
cam to another. B is the pin or axle in the arm B₁ to which the needle bar
handle A is attached. B is another short arm fast upon the pressing shaft B.
This arm or bracket B carries a pin or axle B upon which a forked lever B' is
jointed. The forked end of this lever embraces the truck B³ and the other end
of the said forked lever lies between two collars B, which are fast upon the rod B°.
Now it will be seen that by moving the rod B in the direction of the arrow B10,
that the forked lever B' will move the truck B³ into the position shown by
dotted lines in Figure 2. Thus by the longitudinal movement of the said rod B,
the pressing truck B³ can be moved from one cam to another. Now it will be
understood that to make the "tuck stitch" in a "royal rib" or in making
"shot work" the "slide" by which the loops on the machine needles are
knocked over is thrown out of action at the tucked course so that the loops
last formed upon the machine needles are not "knocked over." The "slide" is
thrown out of action by shifting or "shogging" the truck upon the "slide" arm
sideways upon its axle or pin so that it is out of the path of its cam.
effected by the rod B, precisely as hereinbefore described in the case of the pressing
truck. Thus when the rod B is moved so as to shift the "slide" trucks to form
the tucked course it also moves the pressing trucks B³ on to a special can which
is so slaped that it causes the "frame needles" to advance towards the presser
earlier than in the knocking over courses and in so doing the last two rows of
loops laid upon the machine needles (i.e. the last plain course and the tucked course)
are drawn and placed right under the machine needle beards so that when the
machine needles are pressed there shall be no chance for the points of the
machine needle beards to catch any part of the loops upon the said needles which
might otherwise occur consequently when at the next course the work is to be
knocked over on the machine needles there will always be a more uniform gap or
"division" between the thread last taken by the machine needles and the two loops
previously on each needle which are to be knocked over it.
י,
"
This i
in the diagrams Figures A to D Sheet 4 I have shewn the approximate relative
positions of the frame and machine needles &c. at four intervals in the formation
of an ordinary or plain rib course.
In Figure A the sinkers are sinking or drawing the loops upon the frame.
needles.
In Figure B the frame needles have "knocked over" their loops, and the
machine needles have their two loops divided and ready for the machine needles to
advance.
In Figure C, the machine needles have advanced, the points of their beards are
between the two loops ready for pressing.
In Figure D the machine needles are being pressed. The slide is advancing and
is in the act of landing the second loop. The last laid loop being under the needle
beard. The machine needles then continue to advance till their loops are knocked
over. Both frame and machine needles then return to the position shown in
Figure A ready for the next draw.
When making the tucked course operations A and B are repeated. The slide
is thrown out of action, and as soon as the two loops are upon the machine needles
as seen in B and C, the special pressing can causes the frame needles to advance
towards their presser as shown in Figure E, by which means both the loops on the
machine needle are passed under the machine needle beards, so that when the
machine needles are pressed, the loops are not knocked over and so a clear tucked
or mis-pressed course is produced.
This is followed by a plain course as shown in Figures A. to D, but there will
be the extra row of loops (or tucked course) upon the machine needles, so that

page_text: when the machine needles are pressed at this course, there will be two rows of loops
(.e. the tucked course and the previous course) to be knocked over as shown in
Figure F.
Figure G shews the pressing cams. The full line shows the path of the ordinary
or plain course pressing cam. The special pressing cam for the tucked course is
identical with the ordinary cam, until it reaches the point .. From toy the path
is raised as shown in dotted lines. This advances the frame needles towards their
presser as shown in Figure E. Then from y to z. the special cam falls below the
ordinary cam as shown by the dotted line. This causes the frame needles to ease
off the tension upon the loops on the machine needles and prevents the risk of
bursting the loops when using a fine yarn.
The above described system of shogging the pressing truck or trucks on to au
extra special cam or cams during the formation of the tuck course may be used
when making "royal rib," and also when making "shot work" in the ordinary
way, ie when the machine runs au idle course or draw back (the slur-cocks running
back without forming a row of loops) between each course of loops laid; and it
may also be used when making shot work" without the machine having to run au
❝ idle course
or draw back between each course of loops laid.
66
"
"
"
In some cases when making "royal rib" or "shot work," and "fashioning" at
the same time it is desirable that the machine should not "fashion" at the tuck
course. This I insure by connecting the clawker which racks the fashioning
46 cha.n or wheel with the mechanism which shoggs the pressing and slide trucks
(or direct to one of the said shogging trucks) in such a manner that when the
machine forms a tuck course the said clawker is thrown out of action and the chain
or wheel is not shogged.
This arrangement will be understood by referring to Figures 1 and 2. Sheet 1.
D is the fashiouing chain wheel D 1. the clawker arm D2 the clawker truck and
D the clawker for racking the said chain wheel D. The said clawker D³ has a
tail or projection upwards D', Figure 2. Fast upon the rod B is an arm D5 fixed
and adjusted in such a manner that when the said rod B is moved in the direction
of the arrow B 10. in order to shift or "shog" the slide and pressing trucks as
hereinbefore described, the end of the said arm D comes into contact with the
tail D4. of the clawker D³ and thereby lifts the said clawker out of contact with
the chain wheel D, and so the chain is not " racked or advanced and consequently
the frame is prevented from "fashioning" at the "tucked course."
In some cases certain loops are required to be picked up from the machine
needles and locked at various parts of the width of the work produced otherwise
than at the selvedges without disturbing the loops upon the frame needles such for
instance as when "marking" or when making hose, half hose and the like on a
rib frame and when the leg is completed and the extra thread carriers are brought
into action to form the heels, the loops which are cast off the machine needles at
the instep partings should be picked up or locked without disturbing the loops on
the "frame needles. To do this I arrange each set of the frame coverer points
on a slide which can move up and down in the narrowing finger. The top of these
slides are suitably connected to a rocking rod or shaft in such a manner that
when the said rod or shaft is turned or rocked by a suitable handle the whole of
the sets of frame coverer points can be lifted out of action. The narrowing
fingers are then set in so that the machine points cover the needles at the
partings or at any desired part of the width of the fabric. The machine then
goes through a narrowing when the loops at the parting or otherwise, on the
machine needles only are picked off and narrowed or locked in the usual way.
Figure 3, Sheet 2, shows this arrangement wherein a narrowing finger and some
adjacent parts are shown, E are the usual machine coverer points carried by the
arm or finger E' which is caused to rock upon the pin E in the usual manner
by the rocking of the shaft E this arrangement is well understood. F are the
frame coverer points which are carried by a slide F' which is arranged to slide up
and down in the bracket F2. The top end of the slide F¹ has a slot or hook F

page_text: which embraces a rod F. The said rod F4 is carried by arms F6 which in tura
are carried by the rod or shaft F. The said rod Fe may be carried by the same
brackets E which carry the finger rods E³ E. Now it will be evident that when
the said shaft F is rocked or turned in its bearings by a suitable handle such
as F that the slide F¹ and consequently the points F also can be placed in or
out of action at the will of the attendant. Thus when the handle or lever F7
is in the position shown in full lines the points F will be down i.e. in action and
when the said handle is in the position shown by dotted lines the points F will
be raised and consequently out of action. By these means the frame points F
can be lifted out of action and the machine points E left in action so that a loop
or loops can be picked off and transferred on the machine needles without
disturbing the loops on the frame needles as herein before described.
In order to be able to rack in the narrowing fingers for picking up the instep
parting stitches as herein before described I carry the uprights or brackets by
which the ends of the narrowing finger rods are moved endwise, upon additional
slides which are mounted upon or carried by the main screw boxes, these slides
are provided with independent racking screws, wheels, and clawkers and are
arranged in such a manner that when the clawkers which rack the main narrowing
screws are in action the clawkers which rack the secondary screw are out of
action and vice-versa. By these means the narrowing fingers can be racked in.
The instep stitches picked up, and the narrowing fingers racked out again to
their normal position without interfering with the main narrowing screws.
Figures 4 and 5, Sheet 3 show this arrangement, G is the usual narrowing
screw, G the screw box, sliding in the bed G2, attached to the said screw box Gi
is a second bed G³ in which is a slide G. To the under side of this slide G+
is attached a nut or screw box G³ which moves upon and by the motion of the
secondary screw G. The slide G carries the upright or guide bracket G' which
moves and controls the finger rod E3 by means of the two collars or majors E* E'
thereon. The said screw & is provided with a suitable handle or hand wheel G³
and also a rack wheel G. The main screw is also provided with the usual rack
wheel G¹º.
C is the main or cam shaft, H' the usual racking cam thereon. H² the racking
truck carried by the arm or lever H³. H' is the usual racking clawker for racking
the main screw G. Jointed to the said racking arm H3 by a suitable pin or
axle H is another wide nose clawker H which engages with and works the rack
wheel G³ on the secondary screw G. The said clawker H is made wide at the
top or nose as seen in Figure 4 in order that it can rack the said wheel G' at any
position in which the racking of the main screw G may place it. J is a cam which
is fast to a shaft or axle J. The said shaft or axle J' may be carried by a
suitable bracket J. The said cam J is provided with a suitable friction spring
or other convenient arrangement (not shown) to keep it in any position in which it
may be placed by the handle J3. Upon the said axle or shaft J' is also another
cam H which acts upon the arm H³ of the clawker H in such a manner that when
the said cam is in one position the said clawker He will be in action and when in
another position the clawker He will be thrown out of action. Now it will be
seen that when the handle J³ is in its central position as shown by full lines
in Figure 5, the two said cams J and H' are so shaped and arranged that the
clawker H will be in action and the clawker H out of action as shown.
Then when the said handle J³ is lifted into the position indicated by dotted
lines above its central position the clawker H' will be in action and the
clawker H out of action and when the said handle J is lowered into the
position indicated by dotted lines below its central position both clawkers will
be out of action. In some cases the two said cams J and H' are so shaped
that when the handle J³ is in one position the clawker H* will be out of action
and the clawker H will be in action and rack one tooth or needle and when
in another position the clawker H will be out of action and the clawker H* in

page_text: action and rack two teeth or a "lead" and when in a third position the clawker H*
will be in action and the clawker H out of action.
To understand fully the object mode of action &c. of the secondary screw slide &c.
we will suppose that a" hose "is being made. While the leg is being fashioned the
handie J will be in its top position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 5. This allows
the clawker H to be in action and the clawker H to be out of action and during
this time the frame narrowing points F will be in their lowered position. After
the leg narrowings are completed and while the ankle is being knitted the attendant
will lift the frame points out of action by means of the handle or lever F' as
berein before described. By means of the handle G upon the screw G he will
then. rack the narrowing finger in so that the machine points will be in such a
position that they can cover the needles where the instep "partings" are to be
made. He will then lower the handle J into the position shown in full lines so
that the clawker H will be thrown out of action and the clawker H in action.
Then as soon as the instep and heeling carriers are placed in position for making
the parting the machine will go through a narrowing whereby the machine points
will pick up and lock the instep parting stitches without disturbing the loops upon
the frame needles or the main narrowing screw G. The narrowing fingers can
then be racked out again by means of the secondary screw G to the selvedge.
The frame points lowered into their working position and the frame will then be
ready for making the heel narrowings in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
clain: is:-
rib "
1. In a rotary or flat bar rib knitting machine in which "shot work" or "royal
or other tucked work is made shogging at each tuck course the pressing
truck from the ordinary pressing cam or cams to a special cam or cams adapted to
carry both loops (which at this course are on the machine needles) right under
the machine needle beards before the beards are pressed and thereby ensure in the
next or knocking over course a correct "division between these loops and the
thread which the machine needles take at this course substantially as hereinbefore
described.
52
65
2. In a rotary or flat bar rib knitting machine in which "shot" "royal rib" or
other tucked or misspressed work" is made with a "draw back" or "idle
course" shogging the pressing truck from the ordinary cam or cams to a special
cam or came to insure a clear tucked course and a correct "division" when the
tucked course is knocked over substantially as herein before described.
"
3. In a rotary or flat bar rib knitting machine in which "shot" "royal rib" or
other tucked or misspressed work is made without a draw back or "idle course,"
shogging the pressing truck from the ordinary cam or cams to a special cam or
cams to insure a clear tucked course and a correct "division" when the tucked
course is knocked over substantially as herein before described.
4. In a rotary or flat bar rib knitting machine stopping the fashioning chain
when a tucked or miss-pressed course is made so as to prevent the frame from
narrowing at a sucked or miss-pressed course substantially as herein before
described.
5. In a rotary or flat bar rib knitting machine, carrying the frame narrowing
points on slides which can be moved up and down in the narrowing fingers to put
them into and out of action and providing a secondary or additional screw and
alide mounted upon or attached to the main screw box, said secondary screw being
capable of being racked by an independent.clawker when. the machine narrowing
points, have been shifted into position to pick up, and lock stitches upon the
machine, needles at the points where partings such as instep partings are to be
made without disturbing the loops upon the frame needles substantially as herein-
before described.

page_text: 6. In a rotary or flat bar rib knitting machine carrying the frame narrowing
points in a slide so arranged and controlled that the frame narrowing points can
be lifted out of action and the machine narrowing points left in action for picking
up or locking stitches upon the machine needles at any part of the width of the
fabric without disturbing the loops upon the frame needles substantially as
hereinbefore described.
7. In a rotary or flat bar rib knitting machine a secondary or additional screw
and slide mounted upon or attached to the main screw box for carrying the
uprights or brackets by which the narrowing finger rods are controlled the said
screw being racked by an independent racking clawker for picking up or locking
stitches at any part of the width of the fabric substantially as hereinbefore
described.
8. The combination of mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2 Sheet 1.
9. The combination of mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figure 3 Sheet 2.
10. The combination of mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 4 and 5.
Dated this 6th day of November 1895
C. H. ALDRIDGE.