IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR KNITTING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by John Blacklock, of Toronto,
in the Dominion of Canada.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1880.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES." A. communication from abroad by
John Blacklock, of Toronto, in the Dominion of Canada.
This Invention has relation to improvements upon vertical cylindrical. knitting
machines, and it consists,-
First. Of a ribbing attachment, consisting of a stationary cone shaped needle
dial or cylinder supported centrally above the machine cylinder. In connection
with this dial a revolving cone shaped cam cylinder is used, which communicates
to the ribbing needles an outward and downward movement, which is timed to
correspond with the action of the needles of the vertical cylinder.
Secondly. Of a combined cam cylinder and cog-ring, to which the yarn feeder is
directly attached, thereby dispensing with a separate cog-ring and cam-ring, and
by which arrangement the yarn feeder is always in position to work backward or
forward.
Third. In the peculiar construction of the cam of the vertical cylinder, the end
portions of which cam are formed by the edge of pivoted levers connected to an
adjusting thumb screw, in such manner that the degree of inflection of the cam
may be varied with the object of lengthening or shortening the stitch.
This form of cam also permits the cylinder to be reversed instantly when knitting
web work.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
_ the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
January. 1881:
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by John
Blacklock, of Toronto, in the Dominion of Canada.
This Invention has relation to improvements in vertical cylindrical knitting
machines, and it consists, first, of a ribbing attachment, consisting of a stationary
cone-shaped needle dial or cylinder supported centrally above the machine cylinder.
In connection with this dial a revolving cone-shaped cam cylinder is used, which
communicates to the ribbing needles an outward and downward movement, which
is timed to correspond with the action of the needles of vertical cylinder; secondly,
of a combined cam cylinder and cog-ring, to which the yarn feeder is directly
attached, thereby dispensing with a separate cam cylinder and cog-ring, and by
which arrangement the yarn feeder is always in position to work backward and
forward; third, in the peculiar construction of the cam of vertical, cylinder (the end
portions of which cam is formed by the edge of pivoted wings) connected to an
adjusting thumb screw, in such manner that the degree of inflection of the cam can
be varied with the object of lengthening or shortening the stitch. This form of
cam also permits the cylinder to be instantly reversed for flat web work.
This Invention consists further in the combination and arrangement of the
several parts, as more particularly described hereinafter.
In the accompanying Drawings,
Fig. 1 is an outside view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a plan; Fig. 3 is a detail,
shewing ribbing attachment; Fig. 4 is a detail, shewing the cam and welt switch
in ribbing attachment; Fig. 5 is a detail, shewing fender and adjusting mechanism
for raising and depressing the stitch cams; Fig. 6 is a side view of the same;
Fig. 7 is a detail of combined cam cylinder and cog ring, shewing formation of
cam.
A is the frame of machine provided with the usual clamping bracket A' for setting
up; B is thevertical needle.cylinder; and C, the combined cam cylinder, and cog
ring, operated by a lever handle and toothed wheel as usual; D is the yarn feeder,
attached directly to the combined cam cylinder and cog ring directly over the cam, by
which arrangement the feed is always in position to work instantly backwards
. or forwards; E is the vertical knitting cylinder cam. This cam is of peculiar
construction. The Ane of its inflection is different to any other machine with
which I am acquainted, from the fact that it is elevated in the centre.at e, and is
depressed on each side of the centre at e¹, e¹. As shewn in Figs. 5 and 6, the
thumb screw P is connected to a cross-arm Q, fastened at either end to a stud
connecting the stitch-cams F. This thumb-screw is secured to the cam cylinder C
by a suitable bracket, and is so arranged that by turning it the stitch cams F can
be raised or lowered at the pleasure of the operator. The object of this arrangement
is to enable the operator to lengthen or shorten the stitch at pleasure, or, in other
words, to increase or decrease the tension of the stitch, so as to produce tightly or
loosely knitted work. The wings at cach end permit the machine to be worked
backward or forward with equal facility. I is a bracket arm attached to the cam
cylinder by a socket and set screw connection. The upper end of this bracket
terminates at a point immediately above the centre of the vertical knitting cylinder,
and has attached to it by the screwed pin I¹ the cone-shaped ribbing dial or
cylinder J. The axis of the ribbing and vertical cylinder correspond, and the

page_text: diameter of the ribbing cylinder at the lower edge. corresponds with the circle of
the inner side of vertical needles, sufficient space being left; of course, for the work
to pass through. The ribbing needle cylinder is held stationary by lugs. on the
ribbing cylinder, engaging with lug on upright cylinder.
K is the cam cylinder of the ribbing attachment. This cam cylinder is, securely..
attached to the pin I, and with it turns as the bracket I revolves. The cam
cylinder K overlies the ribbing cylinder, and is provided with: a cam L, L, by the
contact of the needles, with which they are given an outward and downward
motion on the one stroke and an upward and inward motion on the return stroke.
The position of the cams on the ribbing attachment and on the vertical cylinder
correspond so that the needles in working intersect. The parts of the ribbing
attachment are so proportioned that the needles which operate in the vertical
cylinder are used in the ribbing cylinder, that is, they are transferable from one
cylinder to the other. This is a point of considerable practical importance to the
operator of a machine, as the needles may be changed from plain work to ribbing
work, and inversely without dropping the stitches. A further advantage:is that
but one set of needles are required to a machine.
M is a fender attached to the yarn feeder. The object of this fender is to keep
open the latches of the ribbing needles while they are taking their yarn, and to
this end the fender is provided with a knife edge, and so placed that it engages
with the latches of the needles and holds them open for the required length of time.
The ribbing cam is provided with a switch N, by means of which the ribbing
needles can be thrown in and out of action. To throw the ribbing needles out of
action the switch N is raised by the thumb screw N. This movement permits the
needles to pass behind the cam, which revolves without imparting any motion to
them. The object of this arrangement is to enable the operator to produce what is
called a "welt" at the top of a stocking or other piece of ribbed work. So soon as
sufficient welt is formed the ribbing needles are thrown into action again.
An improved feature in this Invention not yet referred to in the Specification
consists in an arrangement of the fender, by which a downward stripe is produced
without altering the rest of the mechanism of the machine. As will be seen in
Fig. 1 there are two fenders M and O. As represented at M, the fender is placed
in the ordinary position for ribbing. When I desire to produce the downward
stripe I remove the fender from this position, shewn at M, and place it behind the
cylinder feed, as represented where the fender is marked O. It must be observed
that although two fenders are shewn in the Drawing it is not necessary that there
should be two, as the fender M is held in position by a set screw, which permits of
its ready removal to where it is marked O in the Figure we refer to. In order to
effect this object it is necessary, besides moving the fender, as described, to turn
the dial cam K to such a position as will cause the needles to come out and take
their yarn at the.point where the fender is. shewn at O.
1. A cone shaped stationary ribbing dial or cylinder, supported centrally above
the vertical knitting cylinder in combination with an overlying cam cylinder K,
from which the ribbing needles are operated with a reciprocating downward and
outward movement, substantially as shewn and described.
2. The bracket arm I operated from the vertical cam cylinder in combination
with the cam K and ribbing dial J, substantially as shewn and described.
3. The switch N forming a portion of the ribbing cam L', L', and operated by
the thumb screw N', substantially as shewn and described.
4. The ribbing attachment I, J, K, in combination with the vertical knitting
cylinder B, and cam cylinder C, substantially as shewn and described.
5. A. combined cam cylinder and cog ring, to which the yarn feeder is directly
attached over the cam, substantially as shewn and described.

page_text: 6. The cam E elevated at the central portion above, and depressed below on
each side of the general line of travel of the needles, substantially as shewn and
described.
7. The yarn feeder D arranged in connection with the cams of the vertical.and
ribbing cylinders in such manner that the feed is always in position to work
forward or backward.
8. The fender. M attached to the yarn feeder, and arranged for the purpose of
keeping the ribbing needles' latches open while the needles are taking their yarn,
arranged and operating substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set my 1
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of January, A.D. 1881.
HJ HADDAN