Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1892-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
I, FELIPE ZAPATA, of 62 Prince's Square, Bayswater, London, Shipping
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in straight knitting machines, specially
those machines in which the needles work in two diagonally arranged beds placed
in parallel lines opposite to each other.
The essential part of these improvements is a system for operating straight rows
of needles by means of several sets of cams symmetrically arranged upon a shaft,
the revolution of which causes all the sets to work simultaneously giving reciprocating
motion to the needles of each set, in succession.
I have two different arrangements for applying this system of operating needles
to knitting machines. In one of the arrangements the cams are small discs with one
or more teeth perpendicular to the axis & in the direction of the radii. When the
wheel-cams have two teeth, these are placed diametrically opposite. When more
than two teeth are used, they are placed at equal distance from each other, leaving
a space between them greater than the double stroke of the needles.
The needles, which are guided in grooves as usual, have upon their shanks two
tooth-like projections, the distance between each other being deterinined according
to the intended stroke of the needles. These teeth project out of the grooves. To
operate a needle two cams, mounted on parallel shafts, are required. The two cams
revolve in the same plane, in opposite directions, at a distance from the needle just
sufficient to allow the teeth of the cams to work alternately with the corresponding
teeth of the needle, which is thus driven backwards and forwards.
The cams are arranged upon their shaft according to the kind of fabric to be
knitted. To lay a course of loops running in succession from one side to another,
the cams are arranged placing their teeth in a spiral line around the shaft, like the
thread of a screw.
The cams contained in one turn of the spiral form a set. All
the sets mounted upon their shaft form a "cam-cylinder."
To arrange a parallel machine for knitting tubular fabric, the two rectangular
beds of the machine are fixed upon the frame opposite to each other, their pro-
jections forming an angle more acute than it is usual in the machines of the Lamb
type. The two cam-cylinders, to operate the needles on each side of the machine
are placed about the middle of the bed, having their axes parallel to its longitudinal
edges. The bearings for the journals of the cam-cylinder are fixed upon the two
end pieces of the frame. The two front cylinders work in spur-gear with the two
back ones.
The shaft of one of the cylinders carries the driving pulley.
The turns of the helix formed by the cams being symmetrical, the corresponding
teeth of each set are in a straight line parallel to the shaft and work at the same
time. The needles operated at these points must be fed with yarn, and for this
purpose the yarn guides are fixed upon an endless chain, which revolves in a
horizontal plane around the needles, the guides following their rising motion. The
endless chain is in gear with two spur-wheels revolving upon two vertical spindles,
one at each end of the machine. The axes of the two spindles are in the vertical
plane which divides the machine lengthwise in two equal parts. One of the
spindles works in bevel gear with the driving shaft.
The
The yarn bobbins are placed upon a circular stand revolving in a horizontal plane
over the center of the machine on a conical bearing supported by an arm.
spindle of the stand is hollow. Upon the center of the stand is fixed a cross piece to
screw upon a central rod which upholds a ring. The bobbins are arranged around

page_text: the stand converging towards the ring over which the threads of yarn pass to be
carried down, through the hollow spindle to spring wires radiating from the lower
part of the spindle, and from the wires to the yarn guides.
The stand is caused to turn by a vertical spindle which is in bevel-gear with the
driving' shaft.
For knitting a tubular double fabric made of two plain webs interlacing each
other, the cams are arranged alternately. in two parallel helices. The cams
forming one helix operate every other needle, knitting one single web, and the
cams of the other helix operate the remaining needles knitting the second web, both
webs being interlaced at every other stitch. An open double fabric of the saine
description is knitted by a single row of needles, placed in a horizontal bed, by using
the special needle which I will hereafter describe. The stroke of every other needle
is for this purpose made shorter than in the remaining alternate needles. The
cams are arranged in a manner that the teeth of every other cam form one helix,
the two helices thus formed being inverted, so that one of the helices operates the
needles from right to left and the other from left to right, the yarn-guides being
carried by a revolving endless chain. An
ribbed double fabric of the same
open
description is knitted in a parallel machine of the Lamb type by the same means,
i.eby using on each side of the machine, the special needle, the short stroke and
the, cams arrangement just described for one single row of needles placed in a
horizontal bed.
To knit an open fabric, plain or ribbed, made of longitudinal stripes joined to each
other by interlacing stitches, the cams are divided in as many sets as intended
stripes Each cam has two teeth, but these are not placed at equal distance from
each other as in the above mentioned arrangements. The teeth of the first cam of
the sets are placed at a distance from each other double the stroke of the needles,
and in the following cams at a uniformly increasing distance until they approach,
on the other side of the shaft, to the original distance. The teeth form in this
manner two inverted spirals approaching to one another on both sides of the
cylinder, so that the needles of every set are operated backwards and forwards,
each set knitting one stripe. To join the stripes there is between the sets an odd
cam with two diametrically opposite teeth which work alternately with the two
adjoining sets. The yarn guides for this purpose are fixed upon a sliding bar with
reciprocating motion.
I will now describe another arrangement for applying the system of operating
needles by means of rotatory cams.
In this second arrangement only one cam-cylinder is used for each row of needles.
Instead of teeth, each cam has on one of its faces an eccentric endless groove for
guiding a small beel projecting laterally at the lower end of each needle, to which
a rectilinear reciprocating motion is imparted by the revolution of the cam. The
shank of the needle slides in a guiding groove as usual.
To put the needles out of action the cams have a central circular groove into
which the heels of the inactive needles may be slided down through a small opening.
To change the needles when required, there is a radial channel running from the
eccentric groove to the rim of the disc. The inner openings of these channels are
shaped so as to keep the heels of the needles in the working groove.
The cam discs are mounted upon their shaft placing the most eccentric points of
the grooves in spirals as described above for the toothed cams. To hold the discs in
proper position upon their shaft, with a space between them just sufficient for the
shanks of the needles to slide without friction, the discs are separated from one
another by washers somewhat smaller than the central circular groove, and the
whole is secured tight by a nut screwed upon a thread cut upon one end of the
shaft.
The cam-cylinders with grooved discs are placed near the lower edge of the needle
beds in such a position that the projections of the needles cut at right angles the
axis of the shaft. The other arrangements are similar to those described for the
toothed cams.
1

page_text: In order to prevent the fabric falling off the needles when the yarn breaks, I have
designed a special needle, which in such a case does not cast off its loop. The hook
of this needle is blunt and has a slit lengthwise. Within this slit works a latch,
pivoted near the point of the hook, with the back end longer and heavier than the
front one, so as to overbalance it to keep the hook open. On hooking the yarn to
form a new loop the heavier end of the latch, which fills the inner space of the hook,
is pulled back by the yarn and the latch closes allowing the last loop to slip off the
needle. When the yarn breaks the latch remains open preventing the needles
holding the fabric to cast off their loops. I give another form to this needle on the
same principle, namely:-The hook has no slit as described above, but it is made
flat and thin. The slit is cut edgewise through the latch, which is pivoted near the
point of the hook, as aforesaid the difference between the two forms of the needle
being only that in the first form the latch is contained within the slit of the hook,
and in the second form it is the hook which is contained within the slit of the latch.
In both forms of this needle the point of the latch when open acts as a projection
of the hook, and when closed it is kept out of the way within a groove in the
needle.
Tinted thin gond day of M 1800
FELIPE ZAPATA...
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
1, FELIPE ZAPATA, of 62 Princes Square, Bayswater, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Shipping Merchant, 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:-
"
This invention relates to improvements in straight knitting machines specially
those machines in which the needles work in two slanting rectangular beds having
their longitudinal edges opposite and parallel to each other.
The essential feature of this invention is the system employed to operate
straight rows of needles by means of several sets of suitable shaped cams sym-
metrically arranged upon two parallel shafts which revolve in opposite directions
imparting to the needles a succession of reciprocating movements, as required for
making the stitches.
Figure 1 of the accompanying 8 sheets of drawings is a cross section of the
needle bed also showing method of operating the needles.
Figure 2 is a side view of the cams employed to operate the needles, as arranged
for circular knitting.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the inner frame of the machine, showing the
gearing by which motion is imparted to its various parts.
Figure 4 is a side view of the machine showing the position of the cams and
position of driving gear for same.
Figure 5 is a plan of the machine.
Figure 6 is a half plan of the table or support for carrying the bobbins of yarn.
Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the table above referred to,
showing the means employed to impart a turning motion to the said table.
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a side elevation and plan of the levers by
means of which the tension upon the yarn is regulated.
Figure 10 is a side view of the cams as arranged for knitting a tubular double
fabric made of two plain webs interlacing each other.
Figure 12 is a cross section and Figure 11 a side view of the cams as arranged
for knitting an open fabric plain or ribbed made of longitudinal stripes joined to
each other by interlacing stitches.
Figure 13 is a cross section of the machine as arranged for knitting an open
fabric plain or ribbed made of longitudinal stripes joined to each other, and
..
L
it

page_text: Figure 14 is part of the plan of same showing the manner of imparting a recipro-
cating motion to the yarn-guides carrier.
Fig. 15 shows magnified views of knitting needles.
The same figures of reference denote similar or corresponding parts throughout
the drawings.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct the rectangular needle-beds of
the form ordinarily used in connection with knitting machines with two parallel
beds. The needles, which are guided in grooves, 27, as usual, have upon their
shanks two projections or bends to work alternately with the upper and lower
cams. Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the cams 5, 6, 5, 6 are placed
in such a position relatively to the bed 1, that if the cams are revolved in the
direction of the arrows, the projections of same will alternately engage with the
projections formed upon the needles causing said needles to ascend or descend
as the case may be.
I understand for "circular knitting" upon a machine with two parallel beds
of needles the process by which a tubular fabric is produced by laying upon the
needles continuous courses of loops running in succession from right to left on
one bed and returning from left to right on the other bed. For this sort of
knitting the cams which operate the needles of each bed are arranged in such
a manner that they form two screws of equal pitch one of the screws being right-
handed and the other left-handed, as shown in Figure 2. The screws may be
built up of small cam-disks, as indicated by a, b, c, d, e, f, g, of the same figure,
or made out of a twisted blade like a screw auger, or the whole may be simply
a cylinder with one or more threads cut or otherwise formed. For the sake of
clearness in this Specification, I call a cam-cylinder the arrangement of cams
for operating the needles.
<<
22
The cam-cylinders above mentioned are supported by suitable bearings 3, 4,
3ª, 4ª, 3, 4, 3, 4, shown in Figures 4 and 5. The upper and lower cam-cylinders
are geared in the position shown in Figure 1.
As the upper cam-cylinders 5, 5" revolve in opposite directions it is necessary
that the spiral threads of both cylinders should be either right-handed or left-
handed, otherwise the direction in which the needles are operated in succession
would not be continuous and the machine could not produce tubular fabric. If
the upper cylinders 5, 5ª, are made right-handed, the lower ones 6, 6ª must be
left-handed and vice versa. The needle beds 1 which are mounted upon two inclined
supports 7 (Figure 1), are cast in one piece or otherwise made. Said supports
have at each end projections 28 (Figure 3) working in slots formed in the frame of
the machine. By means of screw 31, operated by the worm 30 and worm-wheel 29,
the beds 1 may be advanced towards the cam-cylinders 5, 5, 6, 6, to vary the
period of contact between the needles and the cams thus lengthening or shortening
the stroke.
In order to regulate the length of the stitches the needle beds may be slided
upwards and downwards on the support 7, by means of the screws 32, 32ª, shown
by dotted lines in Figure 1.
Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that a cog-wheel 12ª is keyed or otherwise
attached to the spindle of the upper cam-cylinder 5, which wheel gears with a
second wheel 12 of the same diameter attached to the spindle of the cylinder 5.
Upon the same spindles are also secured the smaller wheels 13, 13, clearly
shown in Figures 4 and 5. These wheels are, in turn, geared with the wheels 15,
and. 15ª, upon the lower cylinders 6, 6. Upon the spindle of the cylinder 5 is
also secured a smaller cog wheel 11, in gear with and driving a similar wheel 14.
Upon the spindle 18 of the wheel 14, which is placed in the centre of the inner
and outer frames, (2, 9 Figure 4) there is attached a bevel wheel 19 in gear with
a second bevel wheel 20 having a vertical spindle to the upper part of which the
wheel 52 (Figures 3, 4, 5) is secured. At the other end of the above mentioned
spindle 18 is secured another bevel wheel 17, in gear with a bevel wheel 16 fixed
upon the lower end of the vertical spindle 26. At the upper end of said spindle 26

page_text: is attached the bevel wheel 35 in gear with the bevel wheel 35º, as shown in Figure 6,
in plan, and Figure 7 in elevation.
Upon the inner frame 2º, Figures 4 and 5 is mounted another vertical spindle
carrying the wheels 52ª equal to wheel 52. At the lower end of said spindle is
fixed the bevel wheel 20 in gear with an equal wheel 190, shown in dotted lines
in Figure 4. Upon the spindle of the wheel 19 is fixed the cog wheel 24 driven
by cog wheel 25, which is secured to the end of the spindle of cam cylinder 5ª.
Supported by suitable guides 23 (Figures 4 and 5) and in gear with the aforesaid
wheels 52 and 52 is an endless chain 22, the object of which is to carry the yarn
guides 51 (Figures 3 and 5) for feeding the needles. The yarn guides, which are
pieces of wire suitably shaped are held in position by being inserted in holes formed
in the links of the chain, as shown at 51 Figures 1 and 5. The distance between
the centres of the yarn guides is equal to the pitch of the spiral thread of the cam
cylinders, and the chain travels the exact length of the pitch at every revolution of
the said cam-cylinders, so that the guides follow the successive rising motion
of the needles and keep always the proper position for supplying the yarn.
If the cam cylinders are double threaded, namely, if they have two spiral
projections, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, the yarn guides are placed upon the
chain at distances equal to half the pitch of said spiral threads; and if the cam-
cylinders have more than two spiral threads the distance between the yarn guides is
made equal to the pitch divided by the number of threads.
At 51 Fig. 3 is shown the position of the yarn guides when feeding the working
needles with yarn.
The length of the chain is a multiple of the pitch of the spiral thread of the
cam-cylinders.
Attached in a suitable manner to the frame 9 (Figures 4 and 5) is a projecting
arm or bracket 34, Figure 7, having at its extremity a conical hollow bearing 40,
upon which turns a circular table or stand 33 carrying the bobbins of yarn 45.
Supported by means of the columns 46 and 47 and the radiating arms 41 are
rings 42, 43, 44, 50 and 50", as shown in Figures 6 and 7. Attached to the
ring 43 are suitable supports for the tension levers 48.
The yarn is led from the bobbins to the tension levers over the rings 50 or 50°
through guides formed in the ring 42, and from the levers to the yarn guides 51,
through the ring 44 and the hollow spindle 40, Figures 6 and 7.
Motion is imparted to the table by means of a circular rack 39 and pinion 38,
which are driven by the bevel wheels 35 and 350, Figure 7, the whole being
actuated by the cog wheel 11, by means of wheel 14 and bevel wheels 16 and 17
(Figure 4).
The object of the revolving bobbin stand, shown in Figures 6 and 7, is to prevent
the twisting of the yarn by the revolution of the yarn guides chain, and for this
purpose the said stand and chain are driven at such a speed that both of them
complete their revolutions in equal times.
The action of the machine is as follows:
Motion being imparted to the driving shaft 5, Figure 5, the wheel 12" will
cause the wheel 12 to revolve in a direction opposite to its own. The wheels 13
and 13, which are fixed upon the same shafts of the wheels 12 and 12ª, respectively,
will drive the wheels 15 and 15. Now, as the wheels 13 and 13" are secured to the
shafts of the upper cam-cylinders, and the wheels 15 and 15" are attached to the
lower cam cylinders, it is clear that the rotation of the driving shaft will cause
the cam-cylinders, on each side of the machine, to revolve in opposite directions
operating the knitting needles in succession from right to left on the front bed of
the machine and from left to right on the back, if the screws of the upper cam-
cylinders are left handed. The direction in which the needles are operated will
be reversed if the position of the cam cylinders is inverted.
At the same time that the needles are operated, as described, the wheels 11 and 25,
Figures 4 and 5, keyed upon the shafts of the cam cylinders 5 and 5ª, respectively,

page_text: will drive the wheels 14 and 24, secured to the spindles 18 and 18ª. The
wheels 14 and 24 will drive the bevel wheels 20 and 20" which are secured to the
spindles of the wheels 52 and 52° driving the chain.
The bobbin stand is driven by wheel 14, through intermediate bevel gearing as
explained above.
Taking into consideration 1st, that at every revolution of the cam cylinders
each turn of the spiral formed by the cams operates a set of needles occupying a
longitudinal space upon the bed equal to the pitch of said spiral; 2nd, that the
chain carrying the yarn guides travels a space equal to the same pitch during a
revolution of said cam-cylinders, and 3rd, finally, that the yarn guides chain and
the bobbin stand revolve in equal periods, it is evident that by the motion of the
driving shaft all the working parts of the machine will complete at the same time
the cycle of operations required for knitting a tubular fabric upon two parallel beds.
It has been mentioned above that the direction in which the needles are operated
may be reversed by inverting the position of the upper and lower cam-cylinders;
but in case such a reversion should be considered advisable it would be necessary
to reverse also the motion of the chain 22 and bobbin stand 33, by shifting the
wheel 11 from the shaft of cylinder 5 to the opposite shaft 5", and the wheel 25
from shaft of cylinder 5 to shaft of cylinder 5.
For knitting a tubular double fabric made of two plain webs interlacing each.
other I use the same kind of machine as described above; but I change the arrange-
ment of the cam cylinders in the manner shown in Figure 10. Referring to said
figure it may be seen that the small cam disks which operate the needles are
arranged upon two parallel shafts forming two helices of equal pitch, similar to the
arrangement shown in Figure 2, with the difference that the series of cam
disks a, b, c, d, e, f, g, Figure 2, the projections of which form a continuous thread,
are arranged in Figure 10 forming two spirals of alternate cams; the first spiral
being formed by the cam projections of disks a, c, e, g . . . and the second one by
cams b, d, f.
If the cam cylinders shown in Figure 10 are mounted upon the machine as
described above, said cam cylinders being geared in the same manner explained for
the cam cylinders 5, 5ª, 6, and 6, Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, it is evident
that each of the spiral projections a, e, e, g and b, d, f, respectively, will operate in
succession every other needle causing a plain web to be knitted by each series of
alternate needles, the two webs thus produced being interlaced with each other in
such a manner that if the webs are of different colours, each colour will be shown
in the double fabric by alternate longitudinal lines. A variety of patterns may be
produced in this manner by combining threads of different colours.
The system of operating needles by means of two cam-cylinders revolving in
opposite directions may be applied to knitting machines for making open fabric,
plain or ribbed, composed of longitudinal stripes joined to each other. For this
purpose I arrange the cam-cylinders as shown in Figures 11 and 12.
Figure 12 is a cross section showing a set of cam disks a, b, c, d built up so as to
form a cylinder with two opposite wings or screw segments, one of them right-
handed and the other left-handed.
The different sets of cams thus arranged are secured upon a suitable spindle in
such a position that the right-handed screw segments are on one side of the cylinder
and the left-handed one on the opposite side, both having their corresponding ends
in a straight line parallel to the spindle as shown in Figure 11. By referring to
Figure 12 it may be seen that the extremities a ad d of the two wings or screw
segments above mentioned approach to one another on both sides of the cylinder,
so that if they were continued they would cross each other forming two helices
wound in opposite directions. The angular distances between the extremities a a
and d d of said screw segments are equal to one another.
Figure 13 is a cross section of the machine as arranged for knitting an open work
by means of the cam-cylinders shown in Figures 11 and 12. Two pairs of parallel

page_text: cam cylinders 54, 55 and 54", 55°, supported by suitable bearings are mounted,
respectively, over two parallel needle-beds arranged in the same manner described
above for circular knitting, with the difference that the inclination of the beds is
not made so steep as shown in Figure 1. The gearing of the cam cylinders is not
shown in Figure 10, because it is the same shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, and by
referring to said figures and applying to cylinders 54, 55, 54 and 55", what has
been explained in connection with cylinders 5, 6, 5º, 6º, respectively, it will be easy
to understand in which manner the former work.
The cam cylinders 54 and 5, and 54, 55°, respectively are geared with each
other in such a position that the right-handed screw-segments of the lower cylinders
work in correspondence with the left-handed screw segments of the upper cylinders,
and vice versa.
The yarn threads for feeding the needles are passed through the yarn guides,
which are holes 60 (Figure 14) drilled or otherwise formed upon a sliding bar 59,
shown in section in Figure 13. A plan view of part of the same bar is shown in
Figure 14. Said sliding bar 59 is placed lengthwise over the two rows of needles
at such a distance from them that the lower part of the bar, shown in dotted lines
at 60, in Figure 13, travels freely between the crossing needles, when lifted, without
touching the hooks. The lower part of said bar keeps open the latches of the needles
when feeding the same.
The yarn guides 60 are placed at a distance from each other equal to the length
of each set of cams, in order that every set of needles may be fed with a separate
thread.
The sliding bar 59, or yarn guides carrier, is supported and kept in position, on
both ends of the machine by two friction rollers suitably shaped, 58, Figures 13
and 14. The lower friction roller is not shown in the drawings, but its position is
easily determined, as it is behind the yarn guides 60, shown by dotted lines in the
cross section (Fig. 13).
The sliding bar 59 is shaped at both extremities in a suitable manner to fit
between the V shaped friction rollers 58.
Upon one end of the spindle of the cam-cylinder 54* is secured a cylinder 56
having around a suitably shaped groove into which works a pin fixed at the end of
an arin 57 of the sliding bar 59. By revolving the cam-cylinder 54, the grooved
cylinder 56 imparts a reciprocating motion to the sliding bar 59.
The action of the machine is as follows:-By imparting motion to the driving
shaft, which may be the same spindle of the cam cylinder 54, or the opposite
one 54, the upper and lower cam cylinders on both sides will revolve in opposite
directions. During half a revolution of the cam cylinders all the sets of needles
are operated by the right-handed screw segments of the lower cylinders and the
corresponding left handed ones of the upper cylinders, so that the needles move in
succession from left to right. In the following half revolution of the cylinders the
At the same
remaining screw-segments operate the needles from right to left.
time that the needles have been operated on both directions the sliding bar carrying
the yarn-guides, has been caused to follow the movements of the needles backwards
and forwards by the revolution of the grooved cylinder 16, Figure 14.
The
The stripes made by the several sets of cams are joined to each other by the
instrumentality of an odd cam placed between each set of cams, said odd cam having
two diametrically opposite projections which work alternately with both sets.
odd cam is not shown in the drawings, but it is placed between cams d and a,
Figure 11, in such a position that its two projections are continuations of the
adjoining screw-segments.
To knit an open ribbed work upon the machine shown in Figure 13, both rows
of needles work at the same time. To knit an open plain web the cam-cylinder 54
is put out of gear, so that motion is imparted only to cam-cylinders 54" and 55".
In order to prevent the fabric falling off the needles when the yarn breaks, I
bave designed a self-acting needle which in such a case does not cast off its loop.
Fig. XV shows the construction of said needle. A and C are magnified side views

page_text: of the needle showing the latch opened and closed, respectively. B is a front view
of same with the latch closed.
The hook, s, of this needle is blunt and has a slit lengthwise. Within this slit
works a pointed latch m, n, pivoted at the extremity of the hook. The latch has a
back end n, longer and heavier than its point m, so as to overbalance said point
for keeping the hook open when the needle is raised to catch the yarn. In this
position the point of the latch forms a projection of the hook allowing the same
more space to hook the yarn. When the latch is closed its point m enters into a
suitable groove o, upon the needle-allowing the loop already made to slip off. On
hooking the yarn to form a new loop the heavier end of the latch, which end fills
the inner space of the hook, is pulled back by the feeding yarn, u, and the latch
closes to cast off the stitch. I make also the above mentioned needle of another
form on the same principle as shown by the front and side views D and E of
Fig. XV. In this other form the hook, s, of the needle has no slit; and it is made
Hat and thin to fit loosely into a slot cut in the latch, which is pivoted at the end
of the hook, the difference between the two forms of the needle being only that
in the first form the latch works within the slit in the hook, and in the second form
outside the hook.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the said is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular fabric can be made
upon two parallel beds of needles, which needles are operated on each side of the
machine by two helices or screw-like cam-cylinders revolving in opposite direc-
tions, in such a manner that the spiral projections or threads of the helices or
screw-like cam-cylinders above mentioned, one of which is right handed and the
other left handed, engage alternately with suitable bends or projections upon the
shanks of the needles to which a reciprocating motion is thus imparted, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying sheets of
drawings.
2. In a knitting machine with two parallel beds of needles the use of the above-
mentioned helices or screw-like cam-cylinders having one, two or more threads
or spiral projections for the purpose of operating the needles once, twice or more
times at every revolution of the same cam-cylinders, which I may construct of any
suitable material substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In a knitting machine with two parallel beds of needles for making tubular
fabric, the use of the above mentioned helices or screw-like cam-cylinders in
combination with an endless chain, carrying the yarn guides and travelling around
the needles to feed them on both sides of the machine, and in combination also with
a table or stand for the bobbins of yarn, revolving upon a hollow spindle through
which spindle the yarn threads are led to the yarn guides upon the travelling
chain, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the appended
drawings.
4. The construction of knitting machines with two parallel beds of needles on
which a double tubular fabric composed of two webs interlacing with each other
can be made, in such a manner that the needles are operated on each bed by two
helices or screw like cam-cylinders having their projections arranged in two spiral
series of alternate cams, which on revolving operate in succession every other
needle, substantially as bereinbefore described.
5. The construction of knitting machines with two parallel beds of needles for
knitting open fabric, either plain or ribbed, composed of longitudinal stripes joined
to each other, the needles being operated by two parallel cam-cylinders revolving
in opposite directions, on each side of the machine, the said cam-cylinders being
built up of several sets of cams arranged in spiral lines in such a manner that the
cam projections form two opposite wings or screw segments, one right handed and
the other left handed, as shown in Figure 12, which screw-segments operate the

page_text: needles alternately from right to left and from left to right, each set of corresponding
needles knitting a longitudinal stripe, the stripes being joined to one another by
the instrumentality of an odd cam with two diametrically opposite projections
which work alternately with the adjoining sets of cams between which it is placed,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. In a knitting machine with two parallel beds of needles for making open
fabric, plain or ribbed, the use of the above mentioned cam-cylinders having
opposite wings or screw-segments in combination with a sliding bar carrying the
yarn-guides, placed lengthwise over the two rows of needles, which bar is moved
backwards and forwards by a grooved cylinder; substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown in the appended drawings.
7. The construction of a self acting knitting needle having a latch pivoted at
the extremity of the needle hook, which latch works, either in a slit in the hook or
outside the same, in such a manner that when the needle is raised the back end of
the latch, which end is heavier than the point, keeps the same in position to hook
the yarn, and when the needle is lowered the feeding yarn pulls back the heavier
end of the latch causing the same to close substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 22nd day of Decembar 1809
FELIPE ZAPATA.