IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: THOMAS GADD & JOHN CHARLES MOORE of 29 Clyde Street Leicester, in the
County of Leicester, Hosiery Machinists, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES to be as follows:-
1 Narrowing Apparatus, whereby Fabrics may be fashioned or shaped in or
near the centre. Specially adapted for Machines having a horizontal or angular
needle bed, with Cams passing over the surface and employed in the production of
Cardigan Jackets etc-being known as Lamb Knitting Machines
We propose to open and close the needle beds at one end of the Machine only,
the opposite ends being securely fixed, this is to afford greater facilities in
fashioning or shaping, and is effected by the following means.
The movable ends of the Needle beds are fitted upon screws which are geared
with compound and other wheels in such proportion; as to allow the necessary
opening and closing of the Needle Beds to be effected. This opening and closing
motion is produced by the working of a bandle or other device conveniently fixed.
2 Jack. An arrangement to enable the Cams to work close to the Needle Beds,
and to minimise breakages and damage thereto.
A bit is pressed out of the under side of the Jack, to enable it, when placed out
of operation, to lie on the necessary catch, which is fixed in the spaces of the
Needle Bed for the purpose of maintaining it in a working position, and by this
means it is allowed to lie level with the surface of the Needle Bed, thus enabling
the Cams to work close to the Needle Bed. It also posesses an angular feature at
the tail end, which, operating upon the aforesaid Catch, insures it being kept in a
working position.
3 Apparatus for producing plain or ribbed fabrics on the aforesaid Cardigan
Machines.
We effect this in the following manner, entirely dispensing with special Cams.
usually employed.
The Needle Beds of the Machine are raised or lowered, in order that the Cams
affecting the Jacks may be in or out of operation as desired.
This movement of the Needle Beds is to allow the passage of the Cams on one
side of the Machine, without operating upon the Jacks on that side, at the same
time the working of the Jacks on the opposite side is effected. This arrangement
[Price 8d.]

page_text: is also to avoid the necessity of the Cams travelling the whole width of the
Machine, there being no bolts attached to the Cams which require displacement in
order to allow one set of Cams to pass the Jacks, whilst those on the opposite side
are in operation, as the movement of the Needle Beds (which we claim as the
principal feature of this improvement) entirely dispenses with the necessity of
alterations to Cams by means of bolts etc.
It also dispenses with the risk of damage to Cams, Jacks, and Needle Bed,
occasioned by the means usually employed to place them in or out of operation, as
owing to the raising or lowering of the Needle Beds, the necessary position of the
Cams is attained.
And in order to give the Operator greater facility for narrowing or widening
(when making plain Fabrics), we cause the Needle Beds to slide downwards, thus
leaving the Needles lying conveniently exposed upon a plain verge, for the
narrowing or widening process.
4 Striping Apparatus. The bars ou which the thread carriers are to slide, are
constructed in the following manner. Each bar works upon an axle at either end,
These bars
the axle being arranged so as to allow a swinging motion to each bar.
work in holes at given distances in the carrier arms which afford them support, a
stud being fixed to the carrier arms between the bars allows the said bars to fall
into the necessary position, so that the thread carriers may be exactly in the centre
of the working needles. This central position being maintained by a spring affixed
to each bar; the purpose of which spring being to keep the carrying bars closely
pressed to the aforesaid stud. These swinging bars are arranged for the purpose
of being acted upon by a special Cam, this Cam being fixed between the carrying
bars, and the axle of the said Cam passing through the Carrier arm, which being
operated upon by a handle or other device, forces out of working position
whichever bar is not required.
The object of this arrangement is for the carrier to posess all the advantage of
an ordinary carrier, and at the same time, be capable of making a variety of
stripes.

page_text: Fig. 2. is an end view of the same,
Fig. 3. Is a sectional view of the screw end of the Machine.
Fig. 4. Is a section of the Needle Beds.
Fig. 5. Represents our Improved Jack.
Fig. 6. Is a sectional view of the Needle Bed shewing our Improved Jack placed
out of a working position.
Fig. 7. Is the same, shewing the Jack placed in a working position.
Fig. 1. A represents the movable end of the Needle Bed which is operated upon
by screw B. C. are sections of the Needle Bed which are taken out for the
purpose of narrowing or shaping. D. is the fixed part of the Needle Bed to which
the parts A..and C. are clamped by means of screw B. E. shews a portion of the
Needle Bed which is left entirely free, for variety in designs, and is arranged to
produce by means of shogging, various patterns, independently or attached to the
main fabric in process of manufacture.
Fig. 2. E. shews a spur wheel worked by handle C. which operates upon both
screws, B. fig. 1. and A. fig. 3. This movement to open the Needle Beds enables

page_text: the operator to take out any number of the Needle sections. C. fig. 1. required for
Narrowing or shaping purposes, and to instantly clamp the remainder to the fixed
part.
Fig. 3. A. represents screw operating upon the movable end of the Needle Bed.
Fig. 5. Our Improved Jack. The hollowed portion of the under side A. is shaped
expressly so as to admit a catch in such a manner as to enable it to lie level with
the Needle Bed when out of operation as shewn in Fig. 6.
Fig. 7. Shewing the Jack in a working position with the angular feature B.
resting against the catch D. the tendency of which is to prevent it rising above
the level of the Needle Bed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1st An apparatus for narrowing or shaping, which opens and closes from one end
of the Machine only. This movable part being c) ped to a fixed portion of the
Needle Bed.
2. This Improved Narrowing arrangement is to admit those ends of the Needle
Bed which are opposite the opening and closing ends, being worked by ordinary
shogging means, to produce other designs than that which is in process of manu-
facture by the other parts of the Machine, and to be worked independently or
attached to the main portion of Fabric in work.
3. A Jack, hollowed on the under side, to allow it to lie level with the surface of
the Needle Bed when out of operation, and posessing an angular feature at the
tail end to insure it being kept in working position.
THOMAS GADD.
JOHN CHARLES MOORE.