Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by RICHARD FREDERICK MARSH CHASE, of
237, Broadway, New York, U.S.A., Gentleman.]
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
1, REGINALD WALTER BARKER, of Monument Chambers, King William
Street, London, Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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 my invention is to furnish a knitting machine with an improved
needle and means for propelling the same, by reason of which a knit fabric can be
produced made of a single thread regularly knitted in the exact form of hand
knitting.
Various approximations to a machine knit fabric resembling a hand knit fabric
have heretofore been made but there has always been some peculiarity of the stitch
which distinguishes the fabric from the regular hand knit; and so far as I know,
an exact reproduction of a hand knit fabric has never been made prior to my
invention.
I accomplish this result by the use of a series of double headed, single latch
needles which are propelled by suitable mechanism in one direction to receive the
yarn used in forming one course and propelled in the opposite direction to receive
the yarn used in knitting the reverse or return course. This shifting of the needles
for each course, is the exact equivalent for the shifting of the knitting needles in
hand work.
My invention consists, therefore, first in a double headed needle provided with a
single latch pivoted in the centre thereof and adapted to be thrown in either
direction as required; and second, in the combination of such a needle with a pair
of propellers, one situated at each end thereof and adapted to send the needle
from one side of the work to the other, as required in the operation of the machine.
The simplest form of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in
which
Figure 1 is a cross section of the knitting portion of a knitting machine, adapted
to be placed on and secured to any usual form of knitting machine, whether
circular or straight, and operated by being connected with any usual form of
driving mechanism.
Figure 2 is a detail of the needle.
Like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the different drawings.
A is the bed plate, which, as before stated, can be secured to any form of knitting
machine table as desired.
B B are two travelling cams, one on each side of the table and connected by the
arm C. These cams are provided with the cam slots a a, which, as the cams are
fed forward move the corresponding propeller D toward the work. These
propellers rest in the slot b, and, as moved forward, shoot the needle E across the
table into contact with the opposite propeller, where it remains until the propeller
on that side of the machine shoots it back again; the other propeller, meanwhile,
having returned to its initial position.
As shown in Fig. 1, the propeller D is ready to push the needle across under the
action of the cam B, while the propeller D is out of the way, ready to receive it.
There will be as many of these needles with their corresponding propellers as
there are to be stitches in a single course of the fabric; but the same cams BB'
operate all the propellers, being fed along over the needles the full length of the
course by any well known feeding mechanism. The arm C also serves as a yarn
guide, the yarn being fed to the needles through the opening F.

page_text: My improved needle E consists, as shown in Fig. 2, of a body c, provided with
two heads or beards d d and a single swinging latch e, pivoted as shown at f, and
adapted to swing from side to side, as required. This is accomplished by the
projecting end of the latch e, striking against the bevelled edge of the plate G,
Fig. 1. The operation of this needle with its propellers will be readily understood
by persons familiar with knitting machines. This operation is briefly as
follows:-
In knitting one course, the cam B sends each propeller D and with it each
needle E across the machine under the yarn guide, receiving a knitting loop on
the free or uncovered beard, as shown in Fig. 1, which is then immediately latched
to hold the loop on the needle by the swinging latch e striking against the bevelled
plate G. In this way, all the needles are shot, one after the other, from one side
of the table to the other, and thus one course is completed. The cams are then
fed back again, in which case the cam B' drives each propeller D' and sends each
needle back to the position shown in Fig. 1, dropping its loop and taking a new
loop on the other head. The process of forming and discharging these loops is
well known to persons familiar with latch needle machines.
It is obvious that in a straight machine, the needles and their propellers would
be arranged in a straight line while in a circular or semi-circular machine, they
would be arranged in a corresponding curve.
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
claim is
1. A knitting machine needle provided with two heads or beards and a single
latch adapted to swing in either direction, substantially as shown and for the
purposes specified.
17
2. In a knitting machine a double headed needle and a pair of propellers, one
situated at each end thereof and adapted to send the needle alternately from one
side of the work to the other substantially as shown and described.
3. The improvements in knitting machines substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described, set forth and illustrated in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1892.
REGINALD W. BARKER.