IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF CLOTH IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES, AND IN SUCH MACHINES, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF PARTS THEREOF."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Thacker, of the Town and County of the Town
of Nottingham, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF CERTAIN KINDS OF CLOTH IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES, AND IN
SUCH MACHINES, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF PARTS THEREOF."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Thacker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th November 1880.
<<
SAMUEL THACKER, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF CLOTHI IN CIRCULAR
KNITTING MACHINES, AND IN SUCH MACHINES, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF
PARTS THEREOF."
The Invention has for its object, firstly, improvements in the manufacture in
circular knitting machines of cloth to be used as a substitute for ordinary woven
cloth.
Heretofore such description of cloth has been made plain, or it may have been
made with horizontal stripes, but according to iny present Invention I inanufacture
the same with various novel patterns, such for instance as vertical straight
stripes, diagonal stripes, either to the right or to the left, spots and various fancy
patterns.
For this purpose, according to one mode of working, I employ, as has before been
proposed, one or more straight threads in combination with ordinary looping threads,
such straight threads being laid in front of certain needles, and behind others in
any desired order.
In combination with such arrangements, I employ in lieu of a plain presser, a
tucking presser arranged to press the same needles and miss the same needles that
are depressed and missed by the depressing wheel employed in selecting the needles
for the laying in of the straight thread or threads.
I also produce various effects by arranging the tucking presser to press the
needles in different orders from that of those depressed by the depressing wheel.
In combination with any or all of the above modes of working, and with or

page_text: without one or more straight threads, I in some cases adopt arrangements of tucking
presser, and number of needles in the circle, which will cause some or all of the
needles which were pressed by the tucking presser in one course to be missed by it
in the following course; this may be effected by employing either an odd or an
even number of needles in the circle, but in either case the tucking presser is formed
with such a number of notches in each compound group as will not divide
into the number of needles in the circle without leaving a remainder of one or more
needles.
The depressing wheel or wheels employed in laying in the straight thread or
threads may also bo similarly arranged in proportion to the number of needles in
the circle, and may be used with a plain presser or with a tucking presser arranged
to act upon the same or upon different needles.
I also in some cases turn the depressing wheel of one or more of the feeders
partially round, so as to cause it to act on one or more needles in advance or in
arrear of that or those of the other depressing wheel or wheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Thacker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th May
1881.
SAMUEL THACKER, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF CLOTH IN CIRCULAR
KNITTING MACHINES, AND IN SUCH MACHINES, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENTS OF
PARTS THEREOF."
The Invention has for its object, firstly, improvements in the manufacture in
circular knitting machines of cloth to be used as a substitute for ordinary woven
cloth.
Heretofore such description of cloth has been made plain, or it may have been
made with horizontal stripes, but according to my present Invention 1 manufacture
the same with various novel patterns, such for instance as vertical stripes,
diagonal stripes, either to the right or to the left, spots and various fancy
patterns.
For this purpose, according to one mode of working, I employ, as has before been
proposed, one or more straight threads in combination with ordinary looping threads,
such straight threads being laid in front of certain needles and behind others in any
desired order.
In combination with such arrangements, I employ in lieu of a plain presser, a
tucking presser, arranged to press the same needles and miss the same needles that
are depressed and missed by the depressing wheel employed in selecting the needles
for the laying in of the straight thread or threads.
I also produce various effects by arranging the tucking presser to press the
needles in different order from that of those depressed by the depressing wheel.
In combination with any or all of the above modes of working, and with or
without one or more straight threads, I in some cases adopt arrangements of
tucking presser and number of needles in the circle, which will cause some or all of
the needles which were pressed by the tucking presser in one course to be missed
by the tucking presser in the following course; this may be effected by employing
either an odd or an even number of needles in the circle, but in either case the
tucking presser is formed with such a number of notches in cach compound group
as will not divide into the number of needles in the circle without leaving a remainder
of one or more needles.
The depressing wheel or wheels employed in laying in the straight thread or
threads may also be similarly arranged in proportion to the number of needles in
the circle, and may be used with a plain presser or with a tucking presser arranged
to act upon the same needles as the depressing wheel or wheels or upon different
needles.
I also in some cases turn the depressing wheel of one or more of the feeders
partially round so as to cause it to act on one or more needles in advance or in
arrear of that or those of the other depressing wheel or wheels.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will now give a few examples illustrating methods of
working and arrangements of machinery employed in carrying my Invention into
effect.
I will first suppose that a circle containing 750 needles is employed.
Fabrics exhibiting various effects are produced by working and arranging the
machinery in the following modes:—
1. Two looping threads and two straight threads are employed; the looping
threads are of one or more colors or materials different from that or those of tho

page_text: straight threads, and the latter are laid in between the needles by means such as
those described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me, dated
March 10th, 1880, No. 1042, the "bending" or depressing wheels employed being
cut to press one needle out of the line or circle and then miss one, thus laying the
threads behind one and in front of the next needle throughout the circle. Tucking
pressers are used which are cut to press one needle and miss one, and these are
arranged to operate upon the same needles as the "bending" or depressing wheels,
thus pressing the same needles and missing the same needles as those acted upon
and missed by the "bending" or depressing wheels, and the latter and the tucking
pressers are cut with such a number of notches and teeth in each compound group
thereof as will form a multiple of the number of needles in the circle, whereby the
same needles will be acted upon and missed by the "bending" or depressing
wheels and by the tucking pressers in each revolution of the circle, thus
producing continuous vertical stripes of various characters according to the color
and descriptions of threads employed for the looping and straight threads.
"
2. Other characters of vertical stripes are produced with two looping threads
and two straight threads, as above described, by using "bending" or depressing
wheels and tucking pressers formed to act upon one and then to miss two needles,
the tucking pressers being arranged to act upon and miss the same needles as those
acted upon and missed by the "bending" or depressing wheels. The "bending
or depressing wheels and tucking pressers are cut with such a number of notches
and teeth in each compound group thereof as will form a multiple of the needles in
the circle, whereby the same needles will be acted upon and missed at each
revolution of the circle, and consequently vertical stripes will be produced, but of
different characters from those produced under No. 1 method of working.
3. Again, other characters of vertical stripes are produced by using as above two
looping and two straight threads, the latter being laid in between the needles so as
to lie behind two and then in front of two needles, the "bending" or depressing
wheels for such purpose being cut to press two and miss two needles, and by
employing a plain presser to act upon the needles the straight threads are caused
to remain as they were laid in by the aid of the "bending" or depressing wheels.
The "bending" or depressing wheels are cut with such a number of notches and
teeth in each compound group thereof as will when divided into the number of
needles in the circle leave a remainder of two needles, but as two is the same
number as that into which the "bending or depression wheel is divided, the
courses come over each other in line, thereby producing various descriptions of
vertical stripes according to the colors and descriptions of threads used for the
looping and straight threads, but by employing a tucking presser cut to press two
and then miss two needles, and to act upon the same needles as the "bending" or
depressing wheels, and by employing threads of different colors or materials, various
broken or spotted and diagonal effects are produced.
"
4. Somewhat similar effects to those last described are produced by using two
looping threads of different colors or materials and dispensing with straight threads,
the working being similar to ordinary knitting, except that a tucking presser cut
to press two and miss two needles is used. At the completion of every course
there will consequently be a remainder of two needles, which will change the
needles acted upon at every course, whereby those which in the previous course
were tucked will in the next course be missed, and those which were missed in the
previous course will be tucked in the following course.
5. Various other spotted or broken effects are produced by employing the
arrangements described in No. 3 method of working, and by turning round the
bending" or depressing wheel of No. 1 feeder one or two notches or needles,
thereby causing it to press one or two of the needles that it missed in the former
arrangement and to miss one or two it there pressed.
It will be evident that similar effects to those produced under the above 5 heads
with a circle of 750 needles may also be produced with circles of other even
numbers of needles, provided the conditions remain as above stated.

page_text: I will now suppose that a machine is employed which has a circle of 749 needles.
Fabrics exhibiting various effects are produced by working and arranging the
above machine in the following modes:-
A. Two looping threads of different colors or materials are used, but no straight
thread is employed; the operation is similar to that of ordinary knitting, except
that the work is tucked by a presser wheel cut to press one and then to miss one
needle. At the completion of every course of work after dividing the number of
needles in the circle by the number of notches and teeth in each compound group
thereof in the tucking wheel, there remains one needle, which will change all the
needles operated upon in the next course, the needles pressed in one course being
missed in the following course. By these means various broken or spotted diagonal
or fancy effects are obtained.
B. Similar arrangements of threads to above are employed, but the work is
tucked by a presser wheel cut to miss two, and then to press one needle. At the
completion of each course of work there remain two needles not divisible by the
number of notches or teeth in each compound group thereof in the presser wheel,
and one of these remaining needles being depressed and one missed, or both being
missed, as may have been determined upon at the commencement of the work, by
depressing the first needle or by missing the first two, the diagonal produced will
be either to the left or to the right.
or
C. Two looping threads and two straight threads of different colors or materials
are employed; the straight threads are laid in between the needles by similar
means to those before referred to; the needles are depressed by "bending
depressing wheels cut to press every other needle out of the line or circle, and to
miss the intermediate needles, thus causing the threads to be laid behind one and
in front of the next needle, and a plain presser is used, thereby causing the straight
threads to remain as they were laid in by the "bending or depressing wheels.
By these means continuous vertical stripes are produced.
,,
"
D. A similar arrangement to the above is employed, with the exception that a
tucking presser is used which is cut to press and miss the same needles as those
pressed and missed by the "bending' or depressing wheel. At the completion of
every course in this method of working, and in that described under head C, there
remains an odd needle, thereby changing the needles operated upon at next course,
but according to the arrangement described under the present head, and by changing
the colors and descriptions of the threads used, various broken or spotted diagonal
or fancy effects are produced.
At
E. Two looping threads of different colors or materials, and two straight threads
of similar color or material to each other are employed; the latter are laid behind
one and in front of the two next needles by the aid of a "bending" or depressing
wheel cut to press one and miss two needles. A plain presser is used, causing the
threads to remain as they were laid in by the bending or depressing wheel.
the completion of each course after dividing the number of needles in the circle by
the number of notches and teeth in each compound group thereof in the "bending
or depressing wheel, there remain two needles, thereby changing the needles
operated upon at every course, and thus producing a combination of diagonal and
broken vertical stripes.
"1
F. Somewhat different effects are produced by using the arrangement above
described, but by turning the "bending" or depressing wheel of No. 1 feeder round
one or two notches or needles, thereby causing it to press one or two of the needles
it before missed under the head E, and to miss one or two it then pressed.
G. Similar arrangements of threads and bending" or depressing wheels are
used to those described under head E, but instead of using plain pressers, tucking
pressers are employed, which are formed to press and miss the same needles as
those pressed and missed during the laying in of the straight threads. At the
completion of every course there remain two needles not divisible by the number
of notches and teeth in each compound group thereof in the tucking presser,
thereby changing the needles operated upon at every course. By these means

page_text: various diagonal effects are produced, and the direction of the diagonal may be
governed by similar means to those described under head B.
I would have it understood that when I refer to the number of notches and
teeth in each compound group in the "bending" or depressing wheels and in the
tucking pressers, I mean the number of projections and depressions in the said a
wheels in each division thereof, that is to say, where they are so cut as to press
two needles and to miss two alternately, four will be the number of the compound
group, and where two are missed and one pressed, three will be the number of the
compound group, and so on.
By varying the arrangements of threads, and by interchanging the methods of 1
working above described, numerous other effects can be produced.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and various modes in
which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I
claim is,
First. The production on circular knitting machines of fabrics with vertical
stripes, diagonal stripes either to the right or left, spots and various fancy patterns,
by the arrangements of threads, either looping threads alone or combined with
straight threads, and by the peculiar arrangements of machinery, substantially as
herein described.
Second. The improvements in and arrangements of parts of circular knitting
machines, substantially as herein described and for the purpose stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Thacker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.