Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
We, WILLIAM SPIERS and THOMAS SCOTT GRIEVE of Queen Street,
Leicester, Hosiery Machine Builders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
This invention has reference to circular knitting machines such as are employed
in the production of seamless tubular and other fabrics and has for its object to
provide devices of improved construction and means for operating the same, to
engage and hold down the loops as they are formed and prevent them rising with
the needles as the latter are raised into the position to take the thread.
The holding down or loop holding devices constructed according to this invention
are curved or circular shaped, furnished with a hook or nose at their upper ends to
engage the newly formed loop and hold it while the needle is rising into position
for taking the thread at the next course.
The said devices are by preference equal in number to the needles, may be
located in slots or tricks, inside the needle cylinder or a sleeve in the latter and
furnished with feet or butts resting on and operated by a cam ring or the like
provided on its lower edge with teeth to engage a bevel wheel on a shaft under
the machine.
The motion of the cam ring moves or slides the loop holding devices within
their grooves so that they alternately engage and disengage the loops.
It is obvious that the said loop holding devices and cams for operating the same
be located on the exterior of the needle cylinder if desired.
Dated this 6th day of December 1895.
may
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Circular Knitting MACEIROS
We, WILLIAM SPIERS and THOMAS SCOTT GRIEVE of Queen Street,
Leicester, Hosiery Machine Builders, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to circular knitting machines such as are employed
in the manufacture of seamless tubular hosiery and fabrics and has for its object to
provide devices of improved construction and means for operating the same, to
engage and hold down the loops as they are formed and prevent them rising with
the needles as the latter are raised into position to take the thread.
The loop holding devices constructed in accordance with this invention are
curved or circular shaped-i.e. to form an arc of a circle-and are furnished with
a hook or nose at their upper ends to engage the newly formed loops and hold them
down while the needles are rising into position to take the thread for the next
course, the said loop holding devices are also provided at or near their other end
with a heel or butt to be actuated by a cam.

page_text: The invention will be fully understood from the following detaile 1 description
referring to the accompanying drawing in which,
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the needle cylinder of a circular knitting
machine showing our improved loop holding device, one on each side thereof,
and in their raised and lowered positions respectively, and mechanism for
actuating the said devices all constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of one of our improved loop holding devices, per se.
Only so much of the knitting machine is shown and will be hereinafter described
as is necessary to clearly illustrate the invention.
A represents the needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine and A¹ the latch
needles therein, which are actuated by the usual cams (not shown in the drawings)
in the well known manner.
Inside the needle cylinder is another cylinder B termed the stiffening cylinder
but which forms no part of the present invention and may in some instances be
omitted, therefore no further reference need be made to it.
C is the cylinder or bed which is tricked or grooved to receive the loop
holders D.
This cylinder is inserted in position from the upper end of the stiffening cylinder
and has a projecting flange C¹ which rests on the upper end of the stiffening
cylinder while the straight vertical outer face of the wall of the said cylinder is
placed next to the inner face of the stiffening cylinder.
The inner face of the loop holder cylinder is curved to coincide with the shape
of the loop holders.
In some cases the cylinder C may be made integrally with the upper end of the
stiffening cylinder B or with the needle cylinder when the stiffening cylinder is
omitted.
The loop holders when not engaging the loops are prevented dropping out of
their tricks or grooves by and receive their motion from, a cam ring which may be
formed in two parts E E¹.
The part E is inserted upwards from the bottom of the cylinders A B and the
part E downwards from the top of the said cylinders and the two parts are
fastened together by convenient means, which in the present case comprise a
nut F screwed on the bottom of E¹ and tightened against the underside of a
shoulder E2 so that the inwardly curved faces of E E' fit close against the
outwardly curved face of the loop holder cylinder or bed C and are drawn tightly
together in their proper positions by the nut F which is provided with two holes
or recesses F¹ to receive the prongs of a suitable tightening lever.
The heels or butts D₁ of the loop holders are located in a cam groove Gas
shown in dotted line, formed in the cylinders E E' as indicated and upon the
revolving of the latter are raised and lowered in an arc of a circle within their
grooves so that the hook or nose D 2 of the loop holders is moved either into or
out of contact with the loop according to whether the needle is about to rise and
take the thread or descend to form the stitches.
The cam ring is furnished with a bevel wheel E 3 on the bottom thereof and to
obtain the requisite rotary movement it is in gear with a similar wheel H¹ on the
driving shaft H.
It is obvious that as the cam ring E E' revolves, its irregular cam groove or
track G in which the heels of the loop holders are located will move the latter up
and down in an arc of a circle so that the hook D 2 alternately engages and
disengages the loops newly formed as will be understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a circular knitting machine the use of curved loop holders having a hook
at one end and a heel or butt at or near the other end and a cam to move the said
loop holders in an arc of a circle substantially as described.

page_text: 2. In a circular knitting machine the combination of curved loop holders such
as D, D1, D2 grooved bed plate such as C, actuating cam such as E, E¹, G
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
3. The improved loop holding devices and means for actuating the same
constructed, arranged and operating substantially in the manner described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
W. SPIERS.
T. S. GRIEVE.
Witness-
E. N. LEWIS,
Berridge Street Chambers, Leicester.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.