Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1899-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1900
[Communicated from abroad by LUCIEN LEPICIER, of 19, Rue Cambon, Paris, in
the French Republic, Engineer.]
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 relates to apparatus and appliances for narrowing and widening
upon knitting machines of the Lamb type, and its object is to permit, in narrow-
ing upon a single needle with a single bodkin, the production of narrowed or
widened articles the edges of which are formed by a number of needles which
may be indeterminate. Taking for example the production of narrowed articles
with edges formed by five stitches, the object is to effect the narrowing of these
articles upon only the sixth needle, that is to say, by carrying the stitch of the
sixth needle upon the seventh needle. And, as a consequence because of the use
of a single narrowing bodkin in connection with a single needle, to obviate the
failure of the engagement of the bodkins by the needles, which failures occur
in connection with the automatic systems now in use, and to render easy the pro-
duction of narrowed articles even in machines of fine gauge.
The same observations apply equally to widening as to narrowing.
For the purpose of this invention iny foreign correspondent employs a new
arrangement for automatic narrowing and a new narrowing bodkin.
I will describe the said. invention with reference to the accompanying draw-
ings in which:
:-
Figures 1 and 2 shew a sectional front view in two parts;
Figures 3 and 3, right and left hand partial end views;-
Figures 4 and 5, sectional views of the auxiliary needle beds; Figures 7 and 8,
some of the positions of the needles and bodkins in narrowing: Figure 9, the
special bodkin employed for the purpose of this invention; and Figure 10, one of
the special needles of the supplementary needle beds. Figures 1 to 16 inclu-
sive, illustrate the positions of the needles and bodkins successively in narrowing.
The construction includes the two ordinary front and back needle beds A¹ A.
These needle beds are supplied with the known self-acting needles, held by the
needle bars H and I. The supplementary needle beds B B B B are super-
posed upon the ordinary needle beds as shewn:-B and 13111 upon the front bed,
and B and B upon the back bed. These supplementary needle beds are move-
able upon the principal beds A A', and contain the number of self-acting needles
intended to form the edges of the narrowed parts. This number of needles may
be increased or diminished at will.
The self-acting needles of the supplementary needle beds have a special curved
form represented by Figure 10, the curvature being such that when these needles
are in work, their upper parts are parallel and in the same plane, with the needles
of the beds A A¹.
These special needles are contained in grooves having the length g-h Figures 2
and 3, and the depth indicated by the arrow heads i, Figure 3, in each of the

page_text: supplementary needle beds B B B B, at their upper ends, leaving intact
the parts nn, which, with the needle bars PP, prevent any upward deviation of
the needles. These needles rest and slide upon the parts gg, thus avoiding any
wear upon the upper parts of the beds A A¹.
The needles of the principal beds A. A¹ are actuated by the lock R. The
needles of the supplementary beds are actuated by the locks S, both fixed upon
the carriage T, sliding parallel in the grooves V.
Figures 1 and 2, in which are indicated by broken lines, the triangular centres
of the locks RS, also indicate the respective positions of the beds A¹, B1 and B
the carriage T having nearly ended its movement from the right to the left.
4
The supplementary needle beds B B B B, are held in their positions above
the principal beds A A-1. By the spindle 0, extending from one end of the
machine to the other and fixed on each end of the beds by the brackets M M¹,
Figure 3. Upon this spindle, and capable of being moved along it, there is
arranged a tube U, for each of the supplementary beds, the tube being fitted so as
to be capable of angular motion together with the collar Z, which is fixed to the
tube U so as to prevent end motion of the bed relatively to the tube. 2. By a
toothed bar 7, at the upper part, the pitch of the teeth on the bar corresponding
with the gauge of the machine. This bar is fixed at g, upon one side of each
supplementary bed, and rests in a notch 12, Figure 3, made in the pieces 13, fixed
upon the beds A A' (Figures 1 and 2). A detent 14, capable of being moved
around its pin 16 (Figures 3 and 32), and controlled by a spring 17, engages in
the spaces of the toothed bar 7 and, because its width fits the space, ensures a
complete immobility of the supplementary beds in a lateral direction. 3. To
prevent any angular displacement of the beds B B B B, around the tube U
the beds B B, rest upon a bar 19, Figure 3ª, and B B, upon a bar 18,
Figure 3, of prismatic form as indicated, and both fitted on the bar 20, on which
they can be slided freely. This bar itself is fixed on the beds A and A. The
bars 18 and 19 turn up at their ends 21 in the form of hooks, their opposed
ends 22 forming an inclined plane, Figure 4. A spring 23, forces these bars
to engage their ends 21 in a notch provided for this purpose in the supplementary
beds. By these means the supplementary beds are ensured against all displace-
ments which may be produced while the stitches are being formed by the needles.
Narrowing is effected:-1. By transferring the stitch from the needle 25 of the
front bed A¹ to its neighbour 26 to the left, Figure 2, that is to say the stitch
is transferred from needle 25 to the neighbouring needle in the same bed nearer
to the centre of the machine. At the same time, the corresponding operation
is effected in the back bed A, so that its corresponding needle also is put out'
of work. By advancing the beds B¹ B, one needle towards the centre of the
machine, in such a manner that the needles 5 of these beds, come into position
to replace the needles 25 of the beds A' A. The movements of the beds B B
may be simultaneous or successive. The same operations are repeated at the left
or opposite end of the machine.
For transferring the stitch of the needle 25 to the needle 26 of the bed A',
as also for their correspondents, the special bodkin represented in its three eleva-
tions and cross sections by Figure 9, is employed. The part 27 of the bodkin
is at a right angle to the part 28 and the hole is pierced in the part 27, close to the
part 28. The end of the bodkin is pointed as shewn, so as to be able to open
the needle latch.
The successive operations involved in narrowing are illustrated by Figures 11
to 16 inclusive. The needles 25 and 26 (see also Figure 2), are pushed sufficiently
upwards to open their latches, but not far enough to allow their stitches to pass
below the latches. The needle 26 is then withdrawn and 25 alone remains, with
an open latch. The bodkin 30 descends and engages the hook of the front
needle 25 while at the same time the bodkin 31 also descends and engages the
hook of the back needle 25. Figure 11 (see also Figure 6). The bodkins then
approach each other laterally as indicated by the arrows 321 and 331 Figure 6,

page_text: until their edges 27 are in contact and the outer. sides of the needles are thus
brought into contact with the inner faces of the bodkin flanges 28. The hooks of
the needles 25 are now engaged in the holes of the bodkins which are then lifted
as shewn by Figure 12 so that the stitches fall below the latches. The bodkins
with the needles are now made to re-descend, still engaging the hooks of the
needles, Figure 13. A farther descent causes the points of the bodkins to open
the latches, and the stitches to be transferred to the bodkins which are then
again lifted with the stitches on them (Figure 14).
The needles 25 are now withdrawn, and the bodkins are moved laterally one
needle space towards the centre of the machine so that the stitches are opposite
to needles 26. The bodkins are then made to re-descend and deposit their
stitches with the stitches already existing on the needles 26 (Figure 15); to re-
engage the hooks of the needles; and to again to move upwards (Figure 16).
During the later part of these operations, the supplementary needle beds are dis-
placed through one division so that their needles 5, come into the places pre-
viously occupied by the needles 25, in the upper parts of the beds A¹ A.
To make the needle beds B BI move through one division, the detent 14 is
disengaged from the toothed bar 7 by means of an excentric 45, acting upon the
bar 46 linked to the detent 14 and always pulled upwards by the springs 47. The
same result may be obtained by other obvious means. (Figures 3 and 3ª.).
As has been already described, the supplementary beds B B¹ rest upon the pris-
matic bars 19, Figure 3. Under these beds there is a groove 33 (Figures 4 and 5),
and a simple examination of the drawings will make it plain that a push of the
corresponding bar 18 (Figure 2), in the direction of the arrow 34 (Figure 4),
which push is produced by the bar 40, moved simultaneously with the disengage-
ment of the hook 21 from the notches of the beds B B₁, elevates the said beds
and consequently disengages the needles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, from the teeth (dents) of
the beds A A¹. This raised position of the beds is indicated by dotted lines in
Figures 4 and 5. The same movement of the bar 18, produced by the movement
of the bar 40 derived from the shaft 44 joined to this bar by the lever 43, pro-
duces the disengagement of the stitches on needles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, in the following
manner: The curved lever 36 fulcrumed at 37 through the intermediary of a
support to the bed B, is drawn into contact with the stop 39 by the spring 38.
The bar 40 slides in the bar 20 in the same manner as the bar 18 to which it is
connected by the spring 23, Figure 1. The lever 36 is connected with the bar 41,
the upper part of which is bent and then turned through a right angle g,
Figures 1 and 3ª, so that the part 7 is arranged under the needles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
without extending beyond the needle 5. The bar 41 is capable of sliding in the
same manner as a needle, in a channel in the bed B, and is held in the channel.
by the plate 42. The push produced by the bar 40, at the same time that it lifts
the bed B, also moves upwards the slide 41 so that its part 7 clears the stitches
hanging from the needles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, as shewn by Figure 3a and by the broken
lines Figure 1.
As soon as these movements of raising and clearing are finished, the beds B B
are pushed sidewise through one division. This lateral movement is produced
by the shaft 48, connected by the lever 49 with the tube 50, sliding on the
shaft O. and joined at 51 to the tube U. When this lateral movement is
executed, the bar 40 is drawn by the shaft 44 in the opposite direction and forces
the lever 36, through the agency of the spring 38, to resume its first position.
and the beds B then redescend to their respective normal positions. The detent 14
then falls into a space in the toothed bar 7 and the beds B are locked, but have
been displaced through one division, the needles 5 of these beds replacing the
needles 25 of the beds A. The movements imparted to the bar 40 and the tube 50
by the shafts 44 48 may be produced by an endless screw the rotation of which
displaces a screw nut thereon connected with the shafts 44 48 or by any other
known and suitable means. All movements for the narrowing are produced
simultaneously upon both beds, the displacements of the beds B being either

page_text: simultaneous or successive. The described movements to produce the narrowing
are performed in the same manner at the other end of the machine; the beds B
13 are completely independent of the beds B B¹.
The necessary movements for the displacement of the beds B 13 are trans-
mitted by the shaft 53, joined by the lever 54 to the tube 55, which performs the
same functions as the tube 50, and by the shaft 56, joined by the lever 57 to the
bar 58 which operates in the same way as the bar 40. The appliances for narrow-
ing on the right side of the machine are independent of the appliances for narrow-
ing on the left side, so that narrowing may be done during the formation of the
stitches.
The means for connecting the lever 49 to the tube 50 and the lever 54 to the
tube 55 may be constructed in such a manner that, should occasion arise, a move-
ment of rotation of the shafts 48 53 disengages the levers from the tubes, the
beds B B B B being no longer fixed upon the beds A A¹ save by the toothed
bar 7 and participating in the movements of those beds.
In the manufacture of special articles, several supplementary needle beds
similar to the beds B B B B may be arranged upon the beds AA
Some of the principal advantages secured by the adoption of the herein before
described improvements are:-The use of the supplementary needle beds realises
the object of employing only one single narrowing bodkin' acting upon one single
needle whatever may be the number of stitches forming the edges
of the widened or narrowed parts; of forming the narrowed or widened
parts with broad edges; and of narrowing upon both beds at once
during the formation of the stitches. The hook of the needle is certain
to be engaged by the bodkin so that inconveniences arising from default are
avoided. The wear of the needles is reduced inasmuch as any individual needle
is engaged many times less frequently by the bodkin than by existing appliances
for the same purpose. And, the possibility of giving to the bodkins, even in
machines of the finest gauge, dimensions sufficient to assure great rigidity,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In knitting machines of the type set forth, supplementary needle beds con-
structed arranged and operated substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In kuitting machines of the type set forth and provided with supplementary
needle beds, needles constructed as hereinbefore, described and as illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
3. In knitting machines of the type set forth, bodkins constructed as herein-
before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. In the manufacture of knitted articles in machines of the type set forth,
narrowing and widening by the use of one single bodkin acting upon one single
needle, whatever may be the number of stitches forming the edges of the knitted
articles, substantially as herein before described.
5. In the manufacture of knitted articles in machines of the type set forth,
narrowing and widening by means of supplementary needle beds and their acces-
sories, the supplementary beds being arranged upon the principal beds and capable
of being displaced thereon, substantially as hereinbefore described.
TL 2011 Novrinlan A T 1000
W. E.. HEYS. &, SON,
Agents for the Applicants.