Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
We, JOHN WHITE, Manufacturer, and THOMAS GEORGE LESTER MILLER,
Engineer, both of 67 Southwark Street, London, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in circular knitting machines the object
of which is to provide efficient means whereby any number of cylin iers of different
sizes, within certain limits, can be used interchangeably in one and the same machine,
in order to produce therein knitted goods of different diameters, or different degrees
of fineness.
For this purpose we employ arrangements of the kind illustrated in the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elovation of so
much of a circular knitting machine as is necessary for the elucidation of the
invention, the said figure showing the largest size of cylinder applied thereto;
Figure 2 is a similar view of the same machine with a smaller cylinder applied
thereto; Figure 3 is a similar view of the same machine with a süll smaller
cylinder applied thereto; Figure 4 is a plan of the lower part of the machine
with the cylinder removed; Figure 5 is a similar plan with the largest cylinder
in place, corresponding to Figure 1; Figure 6 is a plan of the cylinder alone
shown in Figure 2; Figure 7 is an underside view of the same cylinder; Figure 8
is a plan of the cylinder alone shown in Figure 3, and Figure 9 is an underside
view of the same cylinder.
A is the base plate of the machine, B the cam ring for actuating the needles,
and the bevil wheel by which the cam ring is rotated. D (Figures 1 and 3) is
a needle cylinder of the largest diameter permissible for the particular size of base-
plate illustrated. D) (Figures 2, 6 and 7) is a needle cylinder of somewhat smaller
diameter than that shown in Figure 1 and D (Figures 3, 8 and 9) is a needle
cylinder still smaller than that shown in Figure 2; but it will be seen that all the
cylinders are adapted to fit on to the same base-plate A and into the samo cam ring B.
The means by which the cylinders of different diameters are adapted to fit the same base-
plate and cam ring interchangeably consist in making the lower parts of the smaller
cylinders with externally projecting parts D' of the same diameter as the largest cylinder
at the parts where they fit into the base-plate and cam ring respectively, while the other
parts of the said smaller cylinders are made of diameters suited for the work to be done
on them. And to enable the same cam ring B to operate the needles, whichever size of
cylinder is placed in the machine, the needle grooves E are cut through the lower
and extended parts D' of the cylinders D, and the butis of the needles are extended
out through the grooves far enough to enable their ends to engage in the cam groove
of the cam ring. This necessitates the use of needles with different lengths of butts
for each size of cylinder, the smallest cylinder requiring needles with the longest
butts, and the largest cylinder needles with the shortest butts. The needles
appropriate for each of the cylinders shown are illustrated at F, F and F 2
respectively in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
In order to hold the cylinders steadily down on the base plate A, each is provided
with a kind of bayonet joint, which is constructed as follows:-G G are spurs
projecting downwards from the underside of each cylinder; each spur being provided
with an outwardly projecting fillet H. The inner periphery of the base-plate A has
recesses or notches 1 formed therein, corresponding to the spurs (on the cylinders.
When it is required to put a cylinder into the machine its lower end is passed

page_text: through the cam ring and its spurs G through the recesses I, until the shoulder Jon
the cylinder bears on the upper edge of the base plate; this brings the fillets II on the
spurs G below the lower edge K of the base-plate, and on then turning the cylinder
round, so that the fillets Icone under a part of the said lower edge K where the
recesses I do not occur as shown in Figure 5, the cylinder is securely locked in position,
and cannot be removed from the base-plate until it is turned back so that the fillets
H coincide with the recesses I, when it can be lifted out, and, if desired, another put
in its place.
In the drawings and relative description only two sizes of needle cylinders,
smaller than the largest sizo permissible for the particular base-plate employed, are
shown and described but it is obvious that any number of such smaller cylinders
of different sizes, within certain limits, may be adapted to fit the same base-plate
interchangeably, in accordance with our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The means whereby needle cylinders of different sizes can be used inter-
changeably in one and the same circular knitting machine, which consist in
making the smaller cylinders with externally projecting parts of the same diameter
as the largest cylinder, at the parts where such cylinders fit into the base-plate
and cam ring respectively, substantially as described.
Second. The means of securing the interchangeable needle cylinders to the base-
plate of the machine by a bayonet joint, which consists of two spurs projecting
downwards from the underside of the cylinler, each spur being provided with nu
outwardly projecting fillet adapted to pass through recesses or notches in the base-
plate, and to take under a part of such Inse-plate when the cylinder is turned partly
round substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1896,