Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 25th Feb.,
1899
COMPLETE SPUITUATION,
[Communicated from abroad by JAMES EGAN ROWE, Foreman and LAWRENCE
ANTHONY BENTZ, Machinist, both of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United
States of America.]
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents.
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 invention relates to knitting machines, and more especially to circular
knitting machines commonly used in the manufacture of stockings and half-hose,
and its object is to facilitate the transfer of the stitches of a top or cuff to the
needles in using the machine for knitting half-hose. This is accomplished by
utilizing the sinkers to centre the quill cup, from which the top is transferred,
and to hold the quills of said cup in proper relation to the needles. By thus
using the sinkers to centre and hold the quill cup, said cup may be quickly and
conveniently placed in position without the use of a uniformer to hold the
needles, and without any danger that the needles will fail to enter the proper
quill, as sometimes happens when the quill cup is applied to the needles without
any other support or centreing device. The normal position of the needles with
relation to the sinkers is such that the quill cup cannot be applied to the
sinkers, and means are provided for bringing the sinkers and needles into such
relation that the quill cup may be applied to and centred by the sinkers, and
this may be done by moving either the needles or the sinkers. In order that
the sinkers may co-act with the quills of the quill cup in centreing said cup, the
needles should either project but a short distance above the sinkers, or be
below the sinkers. It is preferred also to level the needles, that is, bring their
ends into the same plane, before the quill cup is placed in position. This plane
may be above or below the tops of the sinkers, but is preferably below, as in
this case the leveling of the needles also brings them below the sinkers which.
is the most convenient position relative to the sinker for the application of
quill cups. In case the needles are leveled by guiding the butts above the
knitting cams either the sinkers must be raised or the needles lowered after
the needles are leveled to bring the sinkers into proper position to receive and
centre the quill cup. After the stitches have been transferred to the needles,
the parts are returned to their normal position, that is, into knitting relation.
In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated embodied in a
machine substantially such as shown in Patent No. 23905, Oct. 27, 1896,
although it will be understood that the invention may be employed in other forms
of machines. In embodying the invention in this machine, it. is preferred to level
the needles and bring them all below the sinkers by guiding the butts out of
and below the knitting cams, and it is preferred to bring the hooks of the needles
above the sinkers by depressing the sinkers. After the stitches have been trans-
ferred the needles are returned into the knitting cams, and the sinkers raised
to their normal position.
In said drawings.

page_text: Fig. 1 is an elevation showing that portion of the inner surface of the cam
cylinder which carries the knitting cams, the narrowing and widening cams being
removed.
Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in position to level the needles.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the cam cylinder.
Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on line 4-4, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a detail of the spring 45.
Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on line 6-6, Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing the means for raising and depressing
the sinkers.
Fig. 8 is a detached sectional view showing sinkers in their lower position.
Fig. 9 is a detail of a needle and a quill of the quill cup.
Figs. 10 and 11 are details of the cam for raising and lowering the sinkers.
Referring to the drawings in detail.
The needles 1 are guided in grooves in the needle cylinder 2, and are provided
with butts 3 which ride upon a ledge 4 on the inner surface of the cam cylinder 5,
and are acted upon by the knitting cams carried by the cam cylinder. The
cam cylinder 5 is suitably mounted in the bed-plate 6, and is driven through. a
bevel-gear 7 secured thereto. The needle cylinder 2 is secured in a ring 8 pro-
vided with boss 9 by which it is secured to a rod 10 suitably guided in the frame
of the machine. A ring 11 is secured to the upper end of the needle cylinder,
and carries the sinkers 12 which are operated by a sinker cam ring 13, said cam
ring being connected with the cam cylinder, as clearly set forth in the patent
referred to. The knitting cams are substantially the same as the cams of said
patent, and consist of the inclined surfaces 14 and 15 formed on the plates 16
and 17, and the inclined surfaces 18 and 19 formed on plates 20 and 21 located
at the ends of the ledge . A pivoted switch cam 22 is located between the
cams 14 and 15, and switch cams 23 and 24 are located at the ends of the cams 18
and 19.
An inverted V-shaped plate 25 is located between the cams 14 and 15 and
serves to prevent the needle butts from dropping away from said cams.
The
action of these cams during rotary and reciprocating knitting is well understood,
and need not be herein set forth.
A groove or guide-way 26 is formed in the inner surface of the cam cylinder,
and the needle butts are all directed into this groove when it is desired to level
the needles and to bring all the needles below the sinkers. The groove 26
extends circumferentially around the ends of cams 14 and 15, and is so located
that the needle butts 3 pass directly from the end of cam 14 into said groove.
The needle butts are prevented from entering the groove 26 during rotary knit-
ting by a cam 28 which bridges over the end of said groove and forms an
extension of the cam 18. The cam 28 is carried by a plate 29 which is guided
in the cam cylinder and is provided with a lug 30 which projects into a cam
groove 31 formed in a sleeve 32. The sleeve 32 is mounted on a stud 33 secured
in the flange of the cam cylinder, and is provided with a handle 34 by which
said sleeve may be turned to raise and lower the plate 29. The plate 29
also carries a flange or gate 35 which projects into the cam cylinder, and
normally stands in a recess formed in the plate 16, as shown in Fig. 1. When
the plate 29 is lowered to carry the cam 28 down out of the path of the needle
butts, the gate 35 is moved down and fills the space between the plates 20 and 16,
as shown in Fig. 2. In order to bridge over the space which would otherwise
be left in the lower side of the groove 26 by the withdrawal of the cam 28, a
longitudinally movable plate 36 is mounted on the inner surface of the cam
cylinder, being held and guided by screws 37 which pass through slots 38 in
said plate. The end of plate 36 adjacent the cam 28 is inclined and overlaps
the edge of said cam, as shown in Fig. 1. A spring 39 bears against plate 36
and tends to force said plate against cam 28. When the cam 28 is withdrawn
the plate 36 is forced over said cam, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the cam, is

page_text: raised it acts against the inclined end of the plate and forces said plate bank
against the spring. The other end of plate 26 is reduced in thickness and slides
back of a plate 40 which is secured to the rib 41 which is secured to the cam
cylinder and forms the lower side of the groove 26. By this construction a con-
tinuous support for the needle butts is formed when the cam 28 is withdrawn.
When the cam cylinder is reversed in reciprocating knitting, the needle butts
pass down cam 15 and are prevented from entering the groove 26 by a switch
cam 42 which extends from the end of cam 19 across said groove and has its
lower end located in a notch in the plate 40. The switch cam 42 is carried by a
plate 43 which is guided in the cam cylinder and is yieldingly held in position
by a spring 44 (see Fig. 6). When the needle butts pass off the end of the
cam 15 they strike cam 12 which forms an extension of cam 19 and are directed
up onto cam 19. When the butts pass around groove 26 they will strike the
back of cam 42 which will yield and ride on the tops of said butts as shown
in Fig. 2. To prevent the butts in the groove 26 from passing upward under
cam 15 a yielding gate is provided at the lower end of said cam, which in the
form shown consists of a leaf spring 45, the upper end of which is secured
against the inner surface of the cam cylinder, and the lower end of which
extends out substantially flush with the surface of plate 17 and above the butts
in the groove 26. When the butts pass down the cam 15 the spring will yield
to allow them to pass, but will normally stand over the groove 26 and bridge
the space between the plates 17 and 25. It will be seen from the foregoing
that the upper edge of the groove 26 is continuous except between the plates 25
and 16, and that the butts in groove 26 cannot rise except the few directly
below this space, and that these can rise only a very short distance. Any butts
which may rise at this point, however, will be in the usual path of the butts
during rotary knitting and will follow that path when the cam 28 is raised and
the cam cylinder rotated.
When it is desired to transfer a top to the needles the machine is stopped
and the lever 34 is turned into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, which
rotation causes the cam 31 to draw the plate 29 down and withdraw the cam 28
from the path of the needle butts. The cam cylinder is now given a rotation
and the needle butts all pass down the cam 14 and into groove 26, the cam 42
yielding to allow the passage of the butts. This movement of the needles brings
the upper ends of the needles into the same plane, and the groove 26
being below the knitting cams, the ends of the needles are also below the
sinkers as shown in Fig. 7. The quill cup 46 with the stitches of the top
on the quills 47 is now placed in position upon the sinkers, the quills
passing between the sinkers which serve to centre and support said cup, and
hold the quills in proper relation to the needles. The needle cylinder is now
lowered to bring the needles up above the sinkers and into the quills of the quill
cup, and the stitches are transferred to the needles and the quill cup removed.
The cam 28 is now returned to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the cam
cylinder given a single revolution. As the cam cylinder revolves the butts of
the needles pass up the cam 28 and cam 18, and are thus returned into their
usual path and into operative relation with the knitting cams. The needle
cylinder is now raised into its normal position and the machine is started.
Any suitable means may be employed for raising and lowering the needle
cylinder and the means shown consists of a cam 48 upon which the boss 9 rests.
The cam 48 is secured to a shaft 49 journalled in a bearing 50 and provided
with a handle 51 located in a convenient position. The hub of the handle 51 is
provided with a lug 52 which is arranged to engage the opposite sides of a lug
53 on the bearing 50, said lugs forming stops for limiting the movement of
the cam 48. The cam normally, that is, during the knitting, stands in the
position shown in Fig. 7, but when the needles are to be brought above the
sinkers the. cam is turned into the position shown in Fig. 8 and the needle
cylinder and sinkers lowered or depressed.

page_text: By employing the sinkers to support the quill cup and hold the quills, the
correct position of the quills in relation to the needles is ensured without the
use of any uniformer, and the quill cup may be quickly and conveniently placed
in position, and the stitches transferred without danger that any of the needles
will fail to enter the proper quill and receive its proper stitch.
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 correspondents I declare that what I claim is:-
1. Using the sinkers of a knitting machine to directly support and centre the
transfer quill-cup in transferring, tops to the needles, substantially as described.
2. Transferring tops to the needles of a knitting machine by first lowering
the needles below the sinkers, then applying the transfer quill-cup directly to
the sinkers, thes bringing the needles above the sinkers and into the quills of
the quill cup, substantially as described.
3. A knitting machine in which a transfer quill-cup may be applied directly
to the sinkers and be centred by said sinkers, substantially as described.
4. A knitting machine in which the sinkers and needles may be brought into
such relation that the sinkers may be used to centre and support a transfer
quill-cup, substantially as described.
5. A knitting machine in which the needles may be leveled, and the sinker
and needles brought into such relation that the sinkers may be used to centre
and support a transfer quill-cup, substantially as described.
6. A knitting machine having needles and sinkers, and means for bringing
the ends of all the needles below the sinkers, and then above the sinkers, sub-
stantially as described.
7. A knitting machine having needles, sinkers, and knitting cams, devices for
guiding all the needle butts into a plane below. the knitting cams, means for
lowering the sinkers, and means for returning the parts into knitting relation,
substantially as described.
8. A knitting machine having needles, sinkers,and knitting cams, a guide
for guiding all the butts out of the knitting cams, devices for raising and
lowering the needle cylinder, and a guide for guiding the needle butts back
into the knitting cams, substantially as described.
9. A knitting machine having needles, sinkers, and knitting cams, a groove 26
in the cam cylinder, a movable cam 28 across the end of said groove, and a
device for raising and lowering the needle cylinder, substantially as described.
10. In a knitting machine the cam cylinder and needle cylinder, needles
guided by the needle cylinder, knitting cams 14 and 18 carried by the cam
cylinder, a groove 20 in the cam cylinder, cam 28, and bridge 35, substantially
as described.
11. In a knitting machine, the cam cylinder and needle cylinder, needles
guided in the needle cylinder, cams 14, 15, 18 and 19 carried by the cam
cylinder, a groove 26 in said cam cylinder, and cams 28 and 42, substantially
us described.
12. In a knitting machine, the needles and sinkers, a quill-cup provided
with grooved quills fitting the sinkers, and devices for projecting the needles
through the sinkers and into the quills, substantially as described.
DL1
ca
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.