Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 10th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by EMANUEL BUXTORF, of Troyes, in the Departinent of
the Aube, France, Engineer and Mechanician.]
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 70 Market Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In the manufacture of plated figured goods in knitting machines the relative
positions of the two thread guides must be changed according to the pattern being
produced, so that the thread which at one time forms the inner row of meshes is at
another time utilized in forming the outer row, and vice versa.
Hitherto the necessary movements of the thread guides for the purpose of changing
their relative positions have been effected to a limited extent by purely mechanical
means, and every new pattern involves expensive preparations for its reproduction
whilst in circular machines the types of patterns which can be produced are very
limited in number and character.
According to these Improvements the change of the relative positions of the thread
guides for the purpose of producing the patterns is effected by means of electro-
magnetic devices. These electro-magnetic devices are so constructed and arranged as
to have the energising electric current controlled by a pattern chain, a pattern
wheel, pattern cards, or an equivalent apparatus in such a manner that the
magnets operate the thread guides as and when required by the exigencies of the
pattern.
These Improvements are especially applicable to circular machines but they may also
be applied to straight machines.
Either one only or hoth of the thread guides may be moved when it is desired to
change the colour or material of the thread on the face of the work according to the
pattern. If one thread guide only is to be moved, it is held in one position by a
spring or by gravity and is forced into and held in the other position by the electro-
magnet. If the movable guide is held behind the fixed guide by the spring or
gravity, it is pulled and held in front of the fixed guide by the action of the electro-
magnet whenever and so long as the circuit of the magnet is closed. If the movable
guide is held by the springs or gravity in front of the fixed guide, the electro-magnet
operates in the contrary direction, that is to say to push it behind the fixed thread
guide.
When both of the thread guides are to be moved, they are geared or connected
together in such a nanner that when one of the thread guides is moved in one
direction, the other is simultaneously moved in the contrary direction.
In this case
the thread guides are held in one position relatively to each other by springs, gravity
or other suitable means and this position is reversed by the action of the electro-
magnet whenever and so long as the magnet is energised.
The electric circuit in which the coils of the electro-magnet are included, is closed
and opened by means of a suitable contact connected to one end of the circuit in combina-
tion with pattern devices connected to the other end of the circuit. The contact may
be traversed over the pattern surface or the pattern surface may travel under the
contact so that by their relative movement, the circuit may be closed and opened and
thus reverse the relative positions of the thread guides as often and for so long as may
be determined by the pattern. It is preferred to make the surface of the pattern
device metallic and to put it in electrical connection with the circuit as herein before
described. The pattern is produced thereon by forming depressions or insulated
parts in the pattern device so that when the contact is over a depression or insulated

page_text: part the circuit will be open and the magnet being inert, the thread guides will be
held in one relative position by springs or gravity, and when the contact is over or
touching the metallic surface, the circuit is closed, the magnet is energised, and the
relative positions of the throad guides is reversed when the thread guides will be held
in the reversed position so long as the circuit is closed.
WILLIAM E. HEYS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machinës.
1, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 70 Market Street Manchester in the County, of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, 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 :-
In the manufacture of plated figured goods in knitting machines the relative
positions of the two thread guides must be changed according to the pattern being
produced, so that the thread which at one time forms the inner row of meshes is at
another time utilised in forming the outer row and vice versa.
Hitherto the necessary movements of the thread guides for the purpose of changing
their relative positions have been effected to a limited extent by purely mechanical
means and every new pattern involves expensive preparations for its reproduction
whilst in circular machines the type of patterns which can be produced are very
limited in number and character.
According to these Improvements the necessary changes in the relative positions of
the thread guides for the purpose of producing the patterns are effected by means of
electro-magnetic devices. These electro-magnetic devices are so constructed and
arranged as to have the energising electric current controlled by a pattern chain; a
pattern wheel, pattern cards or an equivalent apparatus in such a manner that
the magnets operate the thread guides as and when required by 'the exigencies of
the pattern.
These Limprovements are 'especially applicable to circular machines but they may
also be applied to straight bar and other knitting machines.
The accompanying drawings to which reference is hereinafter made will illustrate in
what manner these Improvements may be carried into practical effect.
Figs. 1, 1ª, 2, 2ª, 3, 4, and 4ª, shew in what manner the Improvements are applied
to a circular machine, and will be first hereinafter described.
Figs. 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10, and 10° relate to straight bar machines.
Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14 illustrate modified details.
Referring first to the drawings Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, ff are two threads of
different colours or being otherwise different and which are respectively conducted to
the needles n by means of the thread guides F F which are made as flat 'as is
possible whilst preserving the required amount of strength and rigidity.
The thread guides F Fare so arranged that they may readily pass one below the
other as indicated in Fig. 1 and they are secured upon the lower ends of two vertical
rods which pass upwards through the two tubes A A. The rods have secured
upon their upper ends two small spur pinions one pinion being mounted upon
each rod and the two pinions gearing together. Upon the rods there are mounted,
above the tubes, two spiral springs, one upon each rod, in such a inanner that they will
tend to twist or turn the thread guides Feach in one direction and relatively in
opposite directions.
To effect a change in the relative positions of the thread guides it will be obvious
from the described construction and arrangement that it will be only necessary to
turn one of the rods through a comparatively small angle. This angular motion
is effected by means of the electro-magnet R which attracts the armature a as soon as
the circuit through the coils of the magnet is closed. The armature being pivoted
at a¹ and having attached to it a light lever as the motion of the armature pulls the cord

page_text: wire or light rod which is connected to a³ and to one of the vertical rods l. The
wire or similar means of connection between the lever a² and the rod is attached to
a projection d' on so that when o is pulled by the action of the magnet upon the
armature, will be turned through part of a revolution; and, since the rod / is
geared by the wheels to the rod , it follows that rotation of the rod in one
direction involves a corresponding rotation of the rod in the opposite direction. The
thread guides being as hereinbefore described attached to the rods the motion of
the rods is communicated to the thread guides.
The electro-magnet R may be operated by a variety of means according to the
nature of the design which it is desired to produce. As represented in Figs. 1 and 1",
of which Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig. 1 a plan, the design is produced by means of
a pattern wheel C co-axial with and secured to the toothed wheel T the teeth of which
engage with the needles of the machine.
The pattern wheel has incisions or grooves c upon its periphery which may either
be left open or be filled with an insulating material, and it or its metallic surface is
electrically connected with one end of a wire forming part of a circuit in which the
magnet R is included. A bush or spring contact K is arranged to press upon the
ungrooved portions of the wheel C, and, this contact K being electrically connected
with the other end of the wire forming the circuit within which the magnet R is
included, it follows that when K is in contact with C the circuit will be closed and the
magnet be energised and that when K is in contact with the insulating material or is
over one of the grooves in C the magnet will cease to be energised. It follows there-
fore that the thread guides are operated through the electro-magnet R by the rotation
of the pattern wheel and that the periods of this operation will be governed by the
nature and extent of the incisions or grooves in the periphery of the pattern
wheel.
The arrangement represented in Figs. 2 and 2 differs from that shewn in Figs. 1
and 1 in respect of the pattern forming device only, a pattern chain M being sub-
stituted for the pattern wheel. This pattern chain may resemble the pattern chains
used for looms, but the projections m being required to close an electric circuit only,
may be much lighter.
Fig. 3 represents a modification of the pattern wheel arrangement. In this modifi-
cation the teeth of the wheel E are arranged to press the needles n. of the machine
against the contact K and thus close the circuit including the electro-magnet. A
certain number of the teeth of the wheel are cut away according to the nature of the
pattern to be produced and as indicated in the drawing so that when the parts come
opposite to the contact K the needles will not be displaced and the circuit will not be
closed.
The thread guides may be operated through the agency of an engraved roller or a
roller having a design in intaglio or relief upon its surface instead of a pattern wheel
or pattern chain as herein before described. Such a roller is indicated at Y Figs. 4
and 4. This roller, which must have a metallic contact surface, is mounted upon a
mandrel which carries the toothed wheel T engaging with the machine needles. The
surface of the roller is connected to one end of the circuit and the contact K with the
other end of the circuit in which the magnet R is included as already herein before
described. The contact K is mounted upon a nut y carried upon the screw spindle g
in such a manner that the contact K traverses the spindle roller from end to end.
The rotation of the screw may be effected by a wheel thereon engaging with the
rotating ring of the frame in an obvious manner. It will be seen that when the
contact K is above a depressed or insulated part of the roller, the electric circuit will
be open; the electro-magnet will be inert, and the thread guides will occupy one
position relatively to each other; so soon however as the point K comes into contact
with the metallic surface of the roller, the circuit will be closed, the magnet will be
energised, and the relative positions of the thread guides will be reversed. Thus the
design on the roller will be re-produced in the fabric whatever its intricacy and the
hitherto insuperable difficulty of producing such patterns on a circular frame has thus
been overcome.

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Figs. 5; 5, and 5b illustrate in side view, end view and plan respectively, in
what manner the herein before described improvements may be applied to a straight
machine.
.
The thread guides F F¹ may be arranged to move in opposite directions as
described with respect to the circular machine, or one of the thread guides may
be fixed and the other be movable. In either case, the positions of the threads
upon the needles must be changed when the electro-magnet becomes energised, and
again when it becomes inert. In the arrangement represented in the pattern in the
fabric is supposed to be produced from an engraved or similar roller Y as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 4 and 4.. This roller is rotated through a small
angle, the extent of, which will be determined in each case by the nature of the work,
by means of a ratchet and ratchet wheel, r mounted upon the axis of the engraved
roller Y and which may be operated by
a lever and cam. The contact point K
by means of which the electric circuit is closed and opened, is mounted upon the
thread guide carrier so that the point K slides along the surface of the engraved
roller by the motion of the thread guide carrier to which it is attached. The thread
guides will accordingly he operated by the electro-magnet consequent on the opening
and using of its circuit in such a manner that the lengths of the threads ff"
on the needles correspondingly change and a figured plated fabric is produced.
In substitution for the engraved roller Y other devices may be employed; for
example, an endless pattern chain or band or a set of cards similar to Jacquard
cards M Fig. 6 may be laid over a smooth or suitable roller which occupies the
position represented as being occupied by the roller Y in Figs. 5, 5ª, and 5. This
roller is similarly rotated by means of the ratchet wheel r, and the point K is traversed
over the design on the band as and for the purpose described with reference to the
engraved or similar roller.
In Fig. 7 a metallic bar s, is substituted for the engraved or similar roller or the
pattern card already described. This bar has formed upon its upper surface metallic
and non-metallic, transverse portions, the respective proportions being proportioned as.
may be required by the pattern. The bar is electrically connected with the end
of one of the wires of the circuit in which the electro-magnet is, included, the
contact K being connected with the other end of the circuit wire. The threads
will be changed as hereinbefore described when the contact K comes over a
metallic or a non-metallic part of sand-thus closes or opens the circuit. Under the:
bars there may be mounted on a suitable spindle, a wheel E having metallic and
non-metallic parts, on its periphery. The end of the electric circuit instead of being
connected to as before described is in this case connected to the metallic part of the
wheel Ewhich-rotates in electrical contact with the bar 8. In this arrangement the
circuit can only be closed when both the point K is in contact with a metallic part
of sand s is in contact with a metallic part of E. The metallic parts of sand, E
are therefore arranged and proportioned so as to produce the desired design. The
wheel E may be rotated by the ratchet wheel as described for the engraved roller..
Figs. 9 and 9 illustrate the arrangement adopted for a cotton frame. In this
arrangement the thread guide F is pivoted at a and the thread guide Fat. At an.
intermediate point the thread guides are connected by a screw y.
From this arrange-
ment it follows that a motion of one of the thread guides in one direction involves a
corresponding motion of the other thread guide in the other direction. The lever a
of the armature of the electro-magnet R is connected to one of the thread, guides
and the opening or closing of the circuit therefore involves a change in the position.
of each of the thread guides, and a corresponding change in the positions of the
threads...
:
A modification of the arrangement shewn in. Figs. 9 and 9* is illustrated, in
Figs. 10 and 10, and is intended for adaptation for a Paget frame. If the armature
moves the thread guide F to the left, the small lever y-swings to the right and moves
the thread, guide to the right. also, so that the relative positions of the threads an
reversed.
:
are
In Fig. 11 two engraved cylinders electrically insulated from each other are

page_text: employed. These cylinders are geared together and each is provided with a separated
insulated contact K. In this arrangement the cylinders rotate continuously and the
contacts KK move simultaneously enabling leaves and flowers to be reproduced in
pure colours on mixed grounds.
In the modification represented in Fig. 12 an engraved cylinder is employed. The
contact K is carried on a pivoted nut fitting on the right and left hand screw g¹.
The contact has consequently a to and fro longitudinal motion parallel with the axis
of the cylinder.
In the modifications shewn in Figs, 13, 14 and 15 the contacts K K are carried on
an endless chain or travelling apron. The several contacts are arranged on the chain
or apron in such positions that as soon as one contact leaves the design or pattern
the following contact enters it at the opposite end. The contacts have a continuous
motion in one direction, the cylinder has an intermittent motion, that is to say it is
stationary during the passage of the contact and moves forward between the periods
of contact so as to present the following part of the design or pattern to the
following contact. It may be noticed that the stripes parallel with the axis of the
cylinder Y will be re-produced in the fabric transversely and the reverse.
In the arrangement represented in Fig. 11 a single electro-magnet will suffice for
two or more apparatus in conjunction simply by connecting the levers of the first
system with those of the second system by means of a light wire or rod. In this case,
in order to shade the design, it will suffice to displace the support of the second
apparatus by one or two needles to the right or to the left so that the pattern produced
by the second apparatus may fall from one or two needles to the side of the pattern
produced by the first apparatus when the contours will be according to the colours
employed, clear and sharp on the one side and deeper on the other side.
The ordinary counters of all kinds which may be employed, may control the
contacts of the periods of contact of the styles K with the cylinders during variable
periods as may be determined by the raised and depressed parts of the excentrics of the
counters. Intermittent effects and stripes interrupting the designs may also be obtained
at will.
The modifications and arrangements which are hereinbefore described and illus-
trated by the accompanying drawings are intended to be typical only of the large
variety of ways in which these Improvements may be carried into effect, in connection
with knitting machines of all kinds. The application of the Improvements will, with
the description herein before given, be sufficiently obvious in all cases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,-
(1) In knitting machines; two thread guides simultaneously operated in opposite
directions by an electro-magnet, the thread guides occupying one position relatively
to each other when the electro-magi.et is energised and the opposite relative position
when the magnet is inert, in combination with a pattern wheel, pattern chain, or
engraved roller and a contact or device constructed and arranged to close a circuit
including the electro-magnet when the contact is touching a metallic part of the
pattern device and to open the circuit when it is over a non-metallic part; substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
(2) In knitting machines; two thread guides one of which is relatively stationary
and the other capable of being relatively moved by the action of an electro-magnet
in combination with a pattern wheel, pattern chain, or engraved roller and a contact
or device constructed and arranged to close a circuit in which the electro-magnet is
included when the contact is touching a metallic part of the pattern device and to open
the circuit when it is over a non-metallic part, substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
A n 1800
WILLIAM E. HEYS.