IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR.”
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Mackie, Manufacturer, of Stewarton, in the
County of Ayr, North Britain, and William Start and Henry Scattergood,
Machinists, of the Town and County of Nottingham, for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS AND IN
MACHINERY THEREFOR.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Mackie, William
Start, and Henry Scattergood at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 15th March 1882.
ROBERT MACKIE, Manufacturer of Stewarton, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, and WILLIAM START, and HENRY SCATTERGOOD, Machinists, of the town
and County of Nottingham, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED
FABRICS AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
"
This Invention has for its object, by means of simple and effective machinery
to produce novel kinds of knitted fabrics which are suitable for making various
articles of round, conical and other forms, or which are of such forms at early
stages of their manufacture. Amongst articles that can be made in accordance
with the Invention, are Scotch bonnets, caps, hats, helmets, bags, and articles of
apparel.
Heretofore somewhat similar articles have been produced by knitting-machine
operations of the kind known as " narrowing" and "widening" the courses or
lines of knitting running circularly on the finished articles; but in carrying out
the present Invention the courses are disposed radially or nearly so on the finished
articles, and an effect analogous to narrowing is obtained by diminishing the depth
of the work. This diminution of depth is obtained by diminishing the numbers
of stitches knitted for successive courses but without taking stitches off the needles
as in narrowing; and the improved method has the important advantage that the
several gussets, gores, or strips of which the finished fabric comes to be composed
can be knitted with yarns or materials which are differently colored or otherwise
different. The depth of the work can be increased by reversing the operations for
narrowing.

page_text: The machinery for carrying out the Invention comprises many parts like those
of existing machines, the inain knitting operations being performed by means of
what are well known as latch needles which are placed vertically with their hook
points and latches facing inwards, the yarn being laid in the hooks at suitable
times by the usual yarn carrier or leader. A single horizontal needle-bar is
employed and the parts in connection with it may be arranged for knitting one or
more pieces of fabric in the length occupied by the needle bar. When two pieces
of fabric are to be knitted at once the parts on which the shaping depends are in
duplicate, being formed or fixed on single bars to which the shaping movements
are imparted. No narrowing mechanism of the complicated kind in use in existing
machines is employed, and the desired effect is obtained by simple modifications
of the raising bar or of parts connected therewith for lifting the needles. In one
modification the parts for acting directly on the needle carriers in order to lift the
needles consist of two bars fitted so that they can slide horizontally beside each
other in or upon the main raising bar. To the two bars racks are attached and
gear with a single pinion or with separate pinions on a stud or studs fixed to the
main bar one rack gearing on the upper side of its pinion and the other on the
underside so that when the turning of the pinion or pinions makes the racks and
their bars move in opposite directions. Each pinion has fixed to or formed in the
same piece with it a toothed wheel which is acted on by one or other of two
oppositely acting pawls jointed upon a slide which is moved at the proper times by
means of a lever deriving a suitable motion from any convenient part of the
machine. The extent of movement of the slide carrying the pawls is determined
by one or more droppers which are interposed between the lever and the slide by
means of Jacquard or other suitable pattern mechanism. Or instead of the
droppers there may for some simple forms be interposed a single pattern piece
shaped to correspond to one repeat of the pattern and of different widths at
different parts which are successively moved into the space between the lever and
slide. In another modification there are provided for each pattern a series of
narrow strips or cards of the entire length of the needle bar or of the lengths of the
parts where the diminution or increase of depth is to be produced. The strips
may be connected together like Jacquard cards and be fitted upon the raising bar
Bo that each may in succession be brought into the position for acting on the
needles; or any other convenient arrangement of the mechanism may be used to
effect the same purpose. Each of the strips or cards has holes cut in it or parts
cut away corresponding to such needles as at cach stage of the knitting are to be
left unraised so that stitches may not be formed on them. For some articles such
as Scotch bonnets it is preferred to shape the gussets or gores not by first
shortening the successive courses step by step and then lengthening the courses
again step by step, but by a gradual shortening or gradual lengthening only, the
course next after the series of shortened courses being made of the full length and
vice versa. For fabrics knitted in the improved manner herein before described
the ordinary taking down apparatus is not suitable as it would put too great a
tension on the parts of diminished depth and too little on the other parts. There
is therefore provided a nipping bar having short points to press on the work near
the needles and keep the previously formed loops motionless whilst the needles
rise. Or if preferred a hooked comb may be used this comb being made to
reengage with the fabric at every course or at every second or third course, close
up to the last course knitted so as to take down the last course knitted of whatever
length it may be,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Mackie, William Start and Henry Scattergood in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th September 1882.
ROBERT MACKIE, Manufacturer, of Stewarton, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, and WILLIAM START and HENRY SCATTERGOOD, Machinists, of the town
and County of Nottingham "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED
FABRICS AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
"
Our said Invention has for its object, by means of simple and effective machinery
to produce novel kinds of knitted fabrics which are suitable for making various
articles of round, conical and other forms, or which are of such forms at early
stages of their manufacture. Amongst articles which can be made in accordance
with our Invention, are Scotch bonnets, caps, hats, helmets, bags, and articles of
apparel.
Heretofore somewhat similar articles have been produced by knitting-machine
operations of the kind known as "narrowing" and "widening," the courses or lines
of knitting running circularly on the finished articles; but in carrying out our
present Invention the courses are disposed radially or nearly so on the finished
articles, and an effect analogous to narrowing is obtained by diminishing the depth
of the work. This diminution of depth is obtained by diminishing the numbers of
stitches or loops knitted for successive courses, but without taking stitches off the
needles as in narrowing; and our improved method has the advantage that the
several gussets, gores, or stripes, of which the finished fabric comes to be composed
can be knitted with yarns or materials which are differently colored or otherwise
different. Supposing for example that the article to be knitted is to have a
cylindrical or tube-like part with a closed flat or conical part at one end, then on
the cylindrical part the courses will run, not round about it, but the long way or
parallel to the axis, and these courses will continue on the flat or conical end part
towards the centre but not all so as to reach the centre. Each course which
extends to the centre will have on each side of it a series of courses the lengths of
which are shorter and shorter in regular gradation; but as the stitches or loops
through which fresh stitches or loops are not formed are kept on the needles as
well as the stitches or loops of each new course it follows that they become joined
to the work whenever the succeeding courses have their lengths sufficiently
increased, and the work or fabric is continuous, whilst the flat or conical end part
presents the appearance of being formed of a number of gores or sectors. To form
a cap or similar article the course last knitted has to be joined to the first course
which can be done by a special machine of a kind already in use for similar
operations.
The machinery for carrying out our Invention comprises many parts like those
of existing machines, the main knitting operations being performed. by means of
what are well known as latch needles, which are placed vertically with their hook
points and latches facing inwards, the yarn being laid in the hooks at suitable
times by yarn carriers or leaders acting in the ordinary way. A single horizontal
needle bar is employed and the parts in connection with it may be arranged for
knitting one or more pieces of fabric in the length occupied by the needle bar.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append two sheets of explanatory
drawings to be hereinafter referred to and representing a modification of our
improved apparatus.
Figures 1 and 2, on sheet 1, of the accompanying drawings are a front elevation
and a back elevation of the machine. Figure 3, on sheet, 2, is an enlarged vertical

page_text: section as at right angles to figures 1. and 2. and figure, 4, is a sectional back
elevation corresponding to figure, 3. In these drawings the same reference
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The framing of the machine consists of vertical end standards, 7, connected by
horizontal frame bars, 8, 9, 10, and otherwise. A single horizontal needle bar, 11,
is employed, being at the upper front part of the machine and having its ends
bolted to brackets, 12, adjustably fixed to the end standards, 7. In the example
delineated the parts in connection with the needle bar, 11, are arranged for knitting
two pieces of fabric and some of the parts on which the shaping depends are in
duplicate being formed on or fixed to single bars to which the shaping movements
are imparted. No narrowing mechanism of the complicated kind in use in existing
machines is employed, and the desired effect is obtained by simple modifications of
the raising bar, 13, or of parts connected therewith for lifting the needles.
The machine is made to operate by means of a first-motion shaft, 14, having on
one end of it fast and loose pulleys, 15, for a driving belt, and on the other end a
flywheel, 16, which also serves as a handwheel, whilst there is also a small hand-
wheel, 17, at the middle of the shaft. The first-motion shaft, 14, is geared by a
pinion and spurwheel, 18, to a second or cam shaft, 19, which has on it various
cams, and which by bevil wheels, 20, drives a short shaft, 21, at right angles to
itself and also carrying cams. Two cams, 22, one of which is indicated by dotted
lines in figure, 3, on the shaft, 19, act on levers, 23, centered on fixed studs, and
connected by adjustable rods, 24, to the raising bar, 13, and thereby impart its up
and down movements to this bar.
The needles, 25, figure, 3, are fixed as usual to holding plates or jacks, 26, fitted
to work vertically and freely in grooves formed on the inner side of the needle
bar, 11, being kept in their grooves by a back bar, 27, which is formed with
horizontal guide grooves for the bar, 28, which moves the angular depressers, 29.
After being raised the needle holders, 26, are held up in the usual way by notched
springs, 30, formed or fixed in sets on plates, 31, which are screwed to a horizontal
frame bar, 32, fixed at its ends to the standards, 7. The depressers are moved
from side to side by a cam, 33, on the short cross shaft, 21, this cam acting on a
pair of levers, 34, 35, connected by a link, 36. The levers, 34, 35, are centered at
their lower and upper ends respectively, and the one, 34, centered at its lower end,
bas adjustably jointed to its upper end a rod, 37, the other end of which is con-
nected to the depresser bar or slide, 28. The lever, 34, is also connected by a rod
or wire, 38, to an upper bar or slide, 39, which causes the yarn guides or leaders, 40,
to be moved from side to side. These guides, 40, are fixed to a slide, 78, guided on
the top of a frame bar, 79, and have fixed to them small brackets, 80, which are
at the back and carry the bar, 39, that is connected to the lever, 34. The bar, 39,
acts on the brackets, 80, by shoulders or notches on its underside and through them
moves the yarn-guide slide, 78; but for the shorter courses the bar 39, becomes
disengaged from the brackets, 80, before reaching the ends of its travel by inclines
formed on its ends, these inclines riding upon studs, 81, and causing the bar 39,
to rise so that its notches or shoulders pass over the bottoms of the brackets, 80,
The studs, 81, are upon pieces, 82, which are fixed or connected to the raising
bars, 41, 42, so as to move with them. In connection with the yarn-guide
slide, 78, a contrivance is added for automatically stopping the machine whenever
enough fabric has been knitted for forming a bonnet or other article. The fork
for shifting the driving belt from the fast to the loose pulley, 15, is on a horizontal
rod, 83, extending from one end of the machine to the other, and a spring, 84, is
applied to this rod tending to move it in the direction for shifting the belt to the
loose pulley. When the belt is moved to the fast pulley the rod, 83, is held by a
detent or catch which can be released by a pin on a ratchet wheel, 85, and this
ratchet wheel is acted on by a pawl, 86, jointed to a small sliding block which is
pushed by the yarn-guide slide, 78, whenever this slide is moved to its extreme
position. This will be once for every gore or sector in the case of a circular or
conical article, and the ratchet wheel, 85, is at starting set so that in order to bring

page_text: round its pin to the detent as many teeth will have to be acted on in succession as
there are gores in the complete article.
The raising bar, 13, does not itself act directly on the needle holders, 26, these
holders being acted on by (in this example) two horizontal bars, 41, 42, carried by
and sliding horizontally upon small brackets, 43, fixed to the main bar, 13. There
are either separate short bars, 41, 42, for each of the separate pieces of fabric to
be made simultaneously on the machine, or single bars, 41, and 42, suitable for the
entire width of the machine are made with separate raised parts for acting on the
separate sections of needle holders for the two or more pieces of fabric. In some
cases, as for example when knitting pieces for a particular form of cap or bonnet,
one of the bars, 41, may remain without horizontal movement all the movements
required for producing the desired shaping being given to the other bar, 42. In
this case the non-shifting bar, 41, will extend under those needle holders, 26,
which have to be raised for every course throughout the piece, whilst the other
or shifting bar, 42, will act so far as required on all the other needle holders,
being made to slide inwards beside the other bar or outwards from it, accordingly
as more or fewer of the needle holders at the ends of the courses have to remain
unraised at each course. In other cases the bars, 41, 42, may be simultaneously
moved in opposite directions; and it will be obvious that by giving these bars
various configurations, or by using more than two of them, and by providing in
various ways for shifting them by suitable pattern mechanism a great variety of
what may be termed shaping effects may be obtained in producing the knitted
fabrics. As shown in the drawings the parts are arranged for causing shifts of
the raising bars, 41, 42, simultaneously in opposite directions, by means of self-
acting pattern mechanism of the Jacquard class.
The main raising bar, 13, has fixed to it several brackets, 44, which extend
under the fixed frame bar, 32, and rise up behind it to carry various parts at the
back of the raising bars, 41, 42, and one of these brackets, 44, has fixed to it a
stud carrying on it & toothed wheel, 45, which has formed in the same piece with
it a pinion gearing with rack teeth formed on the under and upper edges of two
horizontal bars, 46, 47. These rack bars, 46, 47, are connected by studs, 48, 49,
to the raising bars, 41, 42, the several bars being of such lengths that the
connecting studs can be situated where there are no springs, 30. If either or
each of the raising bars, 41, 42, is in two or more pieces the corresponding rack
bar, 46, or 47, is made long enough to be connected to all the pieces. The toothed
wheel, 45, is acted upon by one or other of two pawls, 50, 51, jointed to bosses, 52,
connected by a link, 53, (figure, 4) and centered on the prongs of a forked sliding
bar, 54, a spring, 55, being applied to retain the bosses, 52, in either of the two
positions for causing the upper pawl, 50, or the lower one, 51, to act. The forked
slide, 54, is moved in one direction when required by the Jacquard mechanism so
as to act on the wheel, 45, in one direction or the other, and after each movement
it returns by the action of a spring, 56.
The jacquard apparatus consists of a small square barrel, 57, carried with its
journals in the lower ends of bars, 58, fitted to slide vertically in guides, 59, upon
a piece, 60, which is capable of a slight oscillating motion upon a centre stud, 61,
(fixed to a bracket, 62, figure, 2, bolted to a frame bar, 10). The journals of the
barrel, 57, have also jointed to them links, 63, connecting them to the fork of a
lever, 64, which is acted on by a cam, 65, on the short cross shaft, 21, this cam, 65,
giving the Jacquard barrel, 57, the vertical reciprocating motion by which it
operates. The Jacquard barrel, 57, acts when rising and when descending is turned
by the usual hook, 66, (indicated by dotted lines in figure, 4) to bring a fresh card
uppermost. The Jacquard "needles" are guided rods or wires, 67, having at their
upper ends "droppers" or heads, 68, of different thicknesses; and each card either
allows all these droppers, 68, to remain down or raises one or more of them. To
one side of the droppers, 68, there is a plate, 69, which is attached by side pieces to
the top of the oscillating piece, 60, and when no dropper is raised the oscillation of
the piece, 60, moves the plate, 69, just into contact with the end of the forked

page_text: sliding bar, 54, so that when a dropper, 68, has been raised the same movement of
the piece, 60, causes the bar, 54, to be moved to the extent of the thickness of the
dropper or droppers thus interposed between the plate, 69, and the end of the
bar, 54. The bar, 54, is in a position to be thus acted on when the raising bar, 13,
and parts attached thereto are in their lowest position. The droppers, 68, are
shaped so as to cause movements of the raising bars, 41, 42, corresponding to one,
two, or more stitches or loops, and the Jacquard cards are cut so as to produce the
movements as required for giving the intended shape to the fabric. The piece, 60,
carrying the Jacquard details is made to oscillate as described, by means of an
arm, 70, formed on it and acted on by a cam, 71, on the shaft, 19. A guide
case, 72, is provided for keeping together and guiding the endless series of Jacquard
cards.
One Jacquard barrel and set of cards may be arranged to act on two or more
sets of droppers (68) and on two or more sliding bars (54) arranged to act by
means of pawls either through pinions or directly on two or more rack-toothed or
ratchet toothed bars (46, 47) connected to two or more raising bars (41, 42).
Instead of the droppers (68) there may for some simple forms of fabric be interposed
a single pattern piece shaped to correspond to one repeat of the pattern, and of
different widths at different parts which are successively moved into the space
between the lever (60, 69) and the slide (54). In another modification there are
provided for each pattern a series of narrow strips or cards of the entire length of
the needle bar or of the lengths of the parts where the diminution or increase of
depth is to be produced. The strips may be connected together like Jacquard
cards and be fitted on the raising bar (13) so that each may in succession be
brought into the position for acting on the needles; or any other convenient
arrangement of the mechanism may be used to effect the same purpose. Each of
the strips or cards has holes cut in it or parts cut away corresponding to such
needles as at each course of the knitting are to be left unraised so that stitches or
loops may not be formed on them. For some articles such as Scotch bonnets we
prefer to shape the gussets or gores by first shortening the successive courses step by
step, and then lengthening the courses again step by step, but it may be done by a
gradual shortening or gradual lengthening only, the course next after the series of
shortened courses being made of the full length and vice versa.
For fabrics knitted in the improved manner herein before described the ordinary
taking down apparatus is not suitable as it would put too great a tension on the
parts of diminished depth and two little on the other parts. There is therefore
provided according to one modification a nipping bar having short points to press
on the work near the needles and keep the previously formed loops motionless
whilst the needles rise. Or according to a modification which we now prefer, &
hooked comb, 73, figures, 1, and 3, is used, this hooked comb being made to
reengage with the fabric at every course. This comb, 73, consists of a horizontal bar
having horizontal wires or dents which pass through between the needles, 25, and
which have their ends turned up and formed into hooks, 74. The comb, 73, is
capable of a forward and backward motion being carried by arms, 75, which are
centered at the bottom edge of the needle bar, 11, and one arm is continued down-
wards as at 76, and has its lower end acted on by a cam, 77, on the shaft, 19. The
fabric as it is being knitted lies upon and passes over the comb bar, 73, and then
descends in front of the needle bar, 11; and just previously to the formation of
each fresh course the comb, 73, moves forward and its hooks, 74, engaging with
the last formed course holds the loops down and against the needles whilst the
needles rise up through them for the new course.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated but that what we believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The improved method of producing knitted fabrics by machinery arranged to

page_text: vary the lengths of the courses by varying the numbers of the needles raised at
the different courses, stitches or loops being on all the needles throughout the work
substantially as herein before described.
2. The formation of circular or conical or similar forms of knitted work by
machinery which knits the courses so as to be radial or nearly so instead of circular,
by operating substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination with the main raising bar (13) of movable parts for acting
directly on and raising the needles and which can be adjusted by Jacquard or other
suitable pattern mechanism to raise various numbers of the needles at the different
courses, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination of the hooked comb (73) with the needle bar (11) and other
parts, for holding down the loops on the needles when the needles are raised and
at the same time obtaining the uniform forward movement and descent of the
fabric as knitted notwithstanding the unequal lengths of the courses, substantially
as herein before described.
In Witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mackie, on behalf of myself and the
said William Start and Henry Scattergood have hereunto set my band
and seal this thirteenth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
ROBT. MACKIE. (LS.)