IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC THREAD LAYERS COMBINED WITH THREAD CARRIERS, APPLICABLE TO THE MACHINES EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING RIBBED, LOOPED, OR KNITTED FABRICS."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Coltman, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester,
Mechanist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC THREAD
LAYERS COMBINED WITH THREAD CARRIERS, APPLICABLE TO THE MACHINES
EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING RIBBED, LOOPED, OR KNITTED FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Coltman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1876.
"IM-
THOMAS COLTMAN, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Mechanist.
PROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC THREAD LAYERS COMBINED WITH THREAD CARRIERS,
APPLICABLE TO THE MACHINES EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING RIBBED, LOOPED,
OR KNITTED FABRICS."
These improvements are applicable to the machines employed in manufacturing
ribbed, looped, or. knitted fabrics, fully described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to me for improvements in machinery or apparatus employed in the manu-
facture of looped or knitted fabrics, dated 7th January, 1870, numbered 62, and
sealed 5th July, 1870, in which Specification carrier bars are described as sliding in
a frame or bearings working on centres supported by brackets to the front carrier
bar. I attach two or more other bars, cach provided with a number of thread
layers, each such bar being capable of sliding indepently upon or in bearings
secured to the carrier bar; the carrier bar is operated by a tooth in a slide, which
is moved by a pin adjustable in a plate carried by the driving shaft, the thread
layer bars are operated by pattern wheels at one end of a carrier bar frame. At the
back of the machine is a bracket carrying a jacquard cylinder operated by a slide
moved by the driving lever of the inachine; a chain of cards or plates carried by this
jacquard operates one or other of three slides carried by an independent bracket for
the purpose of throwing the carrier bars into action when required, the lapping of
the thread layers, is effected by a cam on the driving shaft.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Coltman, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
February 1877.
.
THOMAS COLTMAN, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Mechanist.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC THREAD LAYERS COMBINED WITH THREAD CARRIERS,
APPLICABLE TO THE MACHINES EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING RIBBED, LOOPED,
OR KNITTED FABRICS."
These improvements are applicable to the machines employed in manufacturing
ribbed, looped, or knitted fabrics, fully described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to me for improvements in machinery or apparatus employed in the manu-
facture of looped or knitted fabrics, dated 7th January, 1870, numbered 62, and
sealed the 5th of July, 1870, in which Specification carrier bars are described as
sliding in a frame or bearings working on centres supported by brackets. To the
front carrier bar I attach two or more other bars, each provided with a number of
thread layers, each such bar being capable of sliding independently upon or in bear-
ings secured to the carrier bar, the carrier bar is operated by a tooth in a slide,
which is moved by a pin adjustable in a plate carried by the driving shaft, the
thread layer bars are operated by pattern wheels at one end of a carrier bar framo
At the back of the machine is a bracket carrying a jacquard cylinder operated by a
slide moved by 'the driving lever of the machine; a chain of cards or plates 'carried
by this jacquard operates one or other of three slides carried by an independent
bracket for the purpose of throwing the carrier bars into action when required, the
lapping of the 'thread layers is effected by a 'cam on the driving shaft.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front view of the right end of a machine constructed so as to
embody my improvements thereon, but with the driving gear omitted, an end view.
of which is shewn at Figure 2, which is an end view of the right end of the
machine.
Figure 3 is a view at the back of the left end of the machine shewing the bracket
carrying the jacquard cylinder.
Figure 4 is a view at the left end of the machine.
Figure 5, a sectional view of the combined working parts.
Figure 6, a back view shewing one set of inclines and their sliding bars.
Figure 7, a sectional view of a needle sley and set of inclines.
Figure 8, a front view of one set of inclines.
Figure 9 shews in plan the winding up roller I employ to each breadth of
fabric.
The corresponding parts in each Figure are indicated by the same letters where
necessary. The machine consists of the following parts.-A standard A at each end
of the machine; the lower part of these standards are shewn broken away at Figures
1, 2, 3, and 4, the tops the standards are secured to a bed B, the back vertical face
of the bed receives a number of sley brasses C which are clamped to it by plates D,
secured to the bed; needles and needle bits E are free to slide in the sleys at the
back; the clamping plates are grooved at the front to receive sliding bolts F, each
of which has a stud at the back, near the lower end, which takes into an horizontal
slot in a bar Flying below the incline bars G, G; besides the horizontal slots in the
bar F¹ there are other slots F² lying at an inclined angle. Through these slots studs
are passed, and secured in the back vertical face of the bed, so that the lower bar
is capable of sliding upon the studs The bar F also carries bearing clips Fs upon
which the incline bars slide, being held down by clips secured to and carried by the
upper ends of the bolts F, by which arrangement the lower bar regulates the length
of loop drawn by the needles. When moved to the left the incline bais will be

page_text: raised and cause the work to be made stiff; when the bars are in a lower position
the work will be made slacker. The bar F is notched on its under side to receive
one end of a spring which is secured to the bed. This spring prevents the bar
moving from the position in which it is placed. The notches and spring are not
shewn in the Drawings, being like those described in my former Patent above re-
ferred to At the back of each needle sley is a plate C¹ held close to the sleys by
studs in the clamping plates D between the studs; the plate C¹ is provided with an
axle pin near each end, upon which a plate C is held in the position shewn at
Figures 5 and 6 when the machine is in operation, but can be tuined downwards
when required to enable the workmen to get at the needle bits, the plate C carries
a wire C³ capable of adjustment upon it by a screw at each end, this wire prevents
the latchets of the needles from closing upon the hooked end of the needles as they
are successively released from the loops during the rising of the needles, thereby
ensuring that the hooks shall secure the thread to form fresh loops as they are
lowered. The throw or traverse of the incline bars G, G¹, is effected by a link H,
one end of which works on an axle secured to the back of the bars, and the other
end on an axle at the upper end of a rocking lever H¹ moved by a link H² attached
to it, and to an adjustable axle at the back of a cam plate H³ sbewn at Figures
1 and 2.
Besides the traverse of the incline bars the inclines are operated as follows:-At
each set of inclines the bar G is pierced with two holes, each of which are alter-
nately closed by a bit G'or G³, shewn in a front view at Figure 8, the bits being
secured to springs secured to the back of the bar G, shewn at Figure 6; these
springs are alternately thrown back to lift out the bits by a sliding bit G³, double
wedged at its upper end, secured to a bar G³, which is carried by and slides upon
studs in the back of the incline bar G¹. The bar G is provided with a stud at
each end, each of which previous to the completion of the traverse of the incline
bars strikes against an adjustable set screw in an arm secured to each end of the
bed of the machine, the bar being traversed to the left by the adjustable set sciew
at the right end of the machine. As the inclines complete their traverse to the
right, and as they complete their traverse to the left the set screw at the left end
traverses the bar G to the right, thus lifting out the spring bits G³, G³. Alternately.
these spring bits lift up the whole of the needle bits to the highest point to get the
loops below the latchets of the needles, which are then slightly lowered into position
for receiving the thread from either the thread carriers or thread layers previous to
the needles being drawn down to throw off the work. In addition to the spring
bits each set of inclines is provided with one fixed double incline bit C', which only
operates upon the long armed needle bits, one of which is shewn at Figure 74, there
being one such bit at each division of colour across each breadth, which is thus
thrown up a little higher than the others to allow the thread that is lapped round
it by thread guides hereafter described to pass under the latch of the needle so as
to throw the said thread at the back of the fabric at every alternate course.
The thread carrier and thread layer bars I arrange and operate in the following
manner-At each end of the bed in front I secure a bracket B¹, the back projecting
arms of which form bearings for a shaft B³, referred to hereafter, and other inter-
mediate brackets B³ varying in number according to the length of the machine..
The brackets B¹ carry axles B, upon which slotted brackets B5 swing; the interme-
diate brackets B³ carry axles upon which other brackets B rock. The brackets B³
and B are slotted to receive three or more bars, which slide therein; three bars
only are shewn in the Drawings The bars are kept secure in the brackets by
plates screwed to the lower sides; the slotted brackets are connected by an angle
bar B³ In the central and back slots slide carrier bars S, to which are secured
thread carriers S¹, there being one such carrier on each bar to each breadth of fabric
produced across the machine; each of the carrier bars S is traversed in turn alter-
nately to the right and left by a bolt which slides vertically in a bracket at the left
end of the machine, which is operated in the same manner as a similar bolt at the
right end of the machine described in the Specification of my former Patent above

page_text: referred to at page 12, lines 2 to 13 inclusive. The front sliding bar has three
vertical arms $ in front to each breadth, the lower ends of the arms carry a
plate S, in which are soldered as many thread carriers as there are divisions of
colour in each breadth; the upper ends of the arms carry an angle plate S', to
which are secured two vertical arms, each pierced to receive the ends of two wires S³,
between which the threads from the cops are passed previous to being entered in
the traversing guides. The threads from the cops are passed through other guide
holes in plates secured to the arms attached to the cop bar brackets, as shewn at
the right end view, Figure 2, previous to being entered in the thread carriers or
guides.
The traverse of the thread guide sliding bar being much shorter than the traverse
of the carrier bars I effect as follows.-At the right end of the machine a projecting
bracket I is secured; this and the two standards carry bearings for a hand shaft J,
shewn at Figures 1 and 2, the outer end of the shaft is provided with a fast and
loose pulley for driving by power in the usual way between the bearings at the
right end of the machine; the shaft is provided with a toothed bevel wheel j¹
gearing into a similar bevel wheel carrying a spur wheel at the back which drives
a toothed wheel on the front end of a short shaft K outside the right end standard,
such gearing is shown only on the end view, Figure 2
The shaft K is provided with a worm wheel K¹ which is slotted to receive an
adjustable stud K2; this stud at each revolution of the shaft strikes alternately two
arms K³ secured to the front of a bar K* which slides in bearings K³, one of which is
secured to the bracket I and the other to the right end bracket B¹; the bar K'
carries a fork on its upper edge, in which a bolt jattached to the thread guide
sliding bar drops when selected by means hereafter referred to, thus causing a to-
and-fro traverse of the thread guides when required. When these guides are at
work they lap their threads round the needles carried by the long armed needle
bits above mentioned; this lapping is effected as follows:-On the right end of the
shaft B³ on the left side of the bracket B' is secured an arm carrying a truck
adjustable in its lower end, shewn by dotted lines at Figure 2, acted upon by the
rim of the lapping cam H³, the upper ends of the slotted brackets B° swing upon
axles adjustable in the front ends of arms B' hinged at the back to the upper ends
of arms secured to the rocking axle B, by which means a lapping movement is
given to the thread guides independent of the swinging movement when the
jacquard is effecting a selection of the sliding carrier or guide bars. On the outer
end of the shaft B2 is secured an arm H' which is rocked by inclines H5 secured to
the front of the lapping cam, the arm H* carries a driver which takes into the
teeth of and drives a ratchet wheel secured on the outer end of an axle carrying a
toothed wheel on its other end which operates a train of wheels to revolvo a
shaft Ho carrying other wheels one in each bracket at the edge of each selvage of
each breadth of fabric; each such wheel drives an india-rubber covered drum which
bears upon the selvage, and holds it out; such selvage apparatus I have employed
before.
The worm wheel on the shaft K. at each revolution racks a toothed wheel L two
teeth, by which means the work rollers carried by the shaft L' are caused to revolve;
the left end of this shaft is provided with a studded wheel M by which the number
of coarses worked by the carrier or guide threads are governed in the following
manner-There is a lever rocking on an axle at its lower end secured to the
standard, this lever carries an incline piece M¹ and an adjustable set screw; above
it the lever is held to a bracket M2 by means of a spring; the upper end of the lever
is inclined and lies under and holds up a driver M³ hinged to the upper end of the
bracket M², as shewn at Figures 3 and 4; when the driver is so held up a jacquard
cylinder N is not racked round as it is moved towards the driver; the jacquard
cylinder is carried by and slides with a bar O supported by brackets Oi secured
to the back of the bed B, a to-and-fro movement being given to the bar by the
rocking lever H before named.
The cylinder N carries a series of cards or plates N¹, in some of which there are

page_text: three holes besides the holes to receive the studs on the cylinder, in others there are
two holes, the closed one then drives back one of three slides carried by a bracket P
secured at the back of the bed B, as shown at Figures 3 and 5; the slide so pro-
jected drives down more or less a lever P¹ carried by an axle in one end of the
bracket O¹, the lever P¹ at its back end is connected by an adjustable link to the
back end of a lever P² secured on the rocking axle B2 by apparatus so constructed;
when a plate marked N¹ in Figure 5 has selected the back slide, it will depress the
lever P¹ so as to place the back carrier sliding bar in position for being traversed,
as before described, when a plate N2 selects the centre sliding bar is placed in
position to be traversed, and when the plate N³ selects the front thread guide
sliding bar will be traversed. The axle B2 has secured on it near each end an
arm Q, each held up by a spring shewn at Figures 2 and 3, to a set screw adjustable
in studs secured to the cop bracket bars, by which means the backward throw of
the slotted brackets can be regulated. The cylinder N is only rocked when tho
driver M³ falls, which takes places when a stud in the plate M drives back the
lever carrying the piece M².
To cach breadth of fabric I employ a winding-up roller constructed and operating
in the following manner:-To the shaft L¹ is secured a coned boss R which enters
into the hollow end of a flanged roller R¹ faced on the inside with leather, as shewn
by the dotted lines in Figure 9, at the back of the roller is a bracket R2 secured to
a cross bar carried by the end standards of the machine, the front end of the
bracket carries a stud on which a lever R³ is hinged, the front end of this lever
partly encircles the shaft L' and its back end rests against the inclined end of a
rocking lever R on a stud at the back of the bracket; the front of the rocking lover
rests upon the fabric being made, and as its diameter increases the inclined end of
the lever is driven on to the lever R³, and forces its front end on to the end of the
roller R¹, causing the friction cone to bite more the greater the circumference of the
work on the roller.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The rocking and traversing of the thread guides to produce the lapping
movements above specified.
Second. For the sliding movement and action of the incline bars to raise the
spring bits to withdraw them, as above described.
Third. For the fixed inclines for operating the long armed neodle bits for the
purpose specified,
Fourth. For the construction of jacquard and its action operating the guide and
carrier bars in conjunction with the lapping cam, as above set forth for the purposo
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Coltman, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
THOMAS COLTMAN. (L.S.)