Improvements in Striper-attachments for Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Striper-attachments for Circular Knitting Machines.
We, DANIEL FRANCIS SULLIVAN, of 65, Claire Street, City of Lowell, in the
County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of the United States
of America, Knitter, and JAMES ALOYSIUS CAWLEY, of 40, Gates Street, in said
Lowell, Coal Dealer, 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:-
Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a portion of the bed and a single feed of a
circular knitting machine;
Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same partly in section on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 3, a plan view of the slide and shipping levers partly in horizontal section
on line 3-3 in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4, a section, on line 4-4 in Fig. 1, showing the cutter wheel;
Fig. 5, a front elevation of said wheel.
and
Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts on the
different figures of the drawing.
Our invention relates especially to a mechanism for automatically throwing in
and out of action various colored yarns in a circular knitting machine, the object
being particularly to overcome the objections incident to the use of many devices
of this class wherein it is possible to employ only yarns of two colors effectively
by supplying a mechanism whereby a multiplicity of colors may be used in
knitting a fabric, their action being positively governed by a pattern wheel.
A further object obtained in our device is to throw a determined color out of
action and sever it so nearly simultaneously with the insertion of a succeeding
color that an almost inappreciable amount of "double knitting" results; and
in so severing the yarn when out of action that the severing process shall not
cause the undue tightening or drawing of stitches already formed with this
color.
In carrying out our improvement we make use of means which will be readily
understood by all conversant with such matters, from the following explanation.
In the drawings, A, represents the bed of a circular knitting machine: B, the
cylinder C, the needles; D, the head plates; E, the loop-wheel: F, the dividing
wheel; and G the horn or push-down," these parts being all of the well known
arrangement, form and operation, excepting the horn, G, disposed inside of the
cylinder, an edge of which is flattened slightly to afford room for the action of a
cutter wheel, H, hereinafter described.
"
The ordinary presser wheel and knock-over wheel are not shown in the draw-
ings as they have no bearing on this invention; but we employ a wheel, K,
similar in construction to the ordinary landing wheel inverted, and we dispose it
between the looper and the yarn carriers, outside the cylinder.
On the bed, A, mounted in a frame, a, held by brackets b, there is a slide, d,
arranged radially of the cylinder and fitted to be moved horizontally by a cam f,
on said cylinder engaging a wheel, g, on said slide during each course.
This slide carries a pallet, h, tensioned by a spring, i, connecting with the

page_text: frame (Fig. 2) and which serves also to retract said slide. The pallet, h, engages
rachet teeth on a pattern wheel, P, and rotates said wheel the distance of one
tooth for each revolution of the cylinder.
Said wheel in its periphery is supplied with pre-arranged holes in which
pins, j,, may be inserted for respectively engaging levers, k, 7, pivoted in the
frame, a.
These levers, k, l, have a common pivot, m, and swing vertically in the frame
above the slide, d.
The levers, l, are unlatching levers, their outer ends being beveled at, p,
(Fig. 2) and resting on the toes respectively of a series of dogs or latches, q,
which are tensioned by push springs, r.
These latches are designed to over-lap and lock the outer ends of the yarn-
carrier shipping levers, k, when depressed as hereinafter described.
In the device as shown we employ four carrier levers, k, and four latch levers, l,
but this number may be varied at will according to the number of colors of
it is desired to employ.
yarn
"
Each latch lever, 4, has a boss or lug, s, on its upper face in position to be
engaged by a pin, 2, on the pattern wheel and the levers, & have similar lugs, t,
for engagement by pins, j, these pins depressing the outer ends of said levers
at determined intervals in the revolution of the pattern wheel P.
A series of bell crank levers, v, w, x, y, are mounted on a common pivot in the
frame, their short arms being each in engagement with the inner end of a
lever, k, and their long arins connected with the frame by a coiled spring, z.
In the vertical arm of each bell-crank a rod, 15, is adjustably secured and
carries a link, 16. These links work on a fixed pin, 17, fast in an arm, 18,
adjustable on the frame by a screw, 19.
From each link there extends an arm, 20, carrying on its outer end a tube or
yarn guide, 21. The bell-cranks and their supported mechanism described
constitute the yarn-carriers. The yarns, 22, of various colors are respectively
threaded through the carrier tubes, 21, as they come from the bobbins and before
delivery to the needles, C.
.
The carriers are thrown into or out of action by the operation of the levers, k,
actuated by the pattern wheel in manner to be described hereinafter more
specifically.
The outer ends of the levers, k, for carriers out of action are nominally held
depressed by the latches, q. The edge of the horn, G, just in front of the looper, E,
and landing wheel K, is flattened at 23, to admit a vertically arranged cutter-
wheel, H, mounted to rotate on a fixed pivot, 26, adjustably held by screw, 27
in post 28, on said horn.
The blades 30, of this cutter wheel (see Fig. 5) radiate from its body and are
formed for a shear cut and with the rear corner of their outer ends chamfered
at, 31, to harmlessly engage the work, 33, (see Fig. 4) by the tension of which said
cutter wheel is rotated.
A cutting plate, 35, is fast on pivot, 26 in rubbing contact with the outer face
of wheel, H, with the blades, 30, of which it effects the shear cut described. On
the nose of this plate there is a laterally projecting stud, 37, over which the
thread, 22, is passed after being thrown out of action and before severing.
Behind said rotary cutter, H, and between it and the horn is disposed a portion
of waste or ravellings, 38, (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1) held by plates, 39,
screwed to the horn. This acts as a frictional holder for the severed ends of the
yarn, 22.
In the use of our improvement, the cam, f, on plate, D, of the cylinder, B,
drives the slide, d, and moves the pattern wheel one tooth, as described.
One yarn, the outer as shown in Fig. 2, is in the needles and knitting. Each
tooth of the pattern wheel represents one course of the cylinder so the pins, i. 2.
are arranged peripherally at distances apart determined by the number of courses
required for each color of yarn.

page_text: When the last course of this color is about being completed, a new color is
thrown in. This throwing in is accomplished by a pin, j, on the pattern wheel
engaging boss, s, on the latch lever, , driving its outer end against a latch, q,
and treeing the corresponding carrier lever, k, therefrom so that its spring, 2,
acts to draw back or elevate the carrier into the position of carrier, v, in Fig. 2.
Its guide tube, 21, by this movement being depressed, the thread, 22, is drawn
across needles, C, the tension of the waste, 38 on the free end of the yarn
disposed in said waste in manner hereinafter described, being sufficient to admit
of this.
The yarn is carried to the inverted landing wheel, K, which holds it down
below the beards of the needles until it is taken by the looper and begins knitting.
Now, after a predetermined interval, a pin j, on the wheel, P, will engage the
boss, t, on the carrier lever, k, of the first described yarn depressing its outer end
until the corresponding latch, q, overrides and locks it. This movement elevates
the short arm of the carrier bell-crank driving its long arm, carrying the yarn,
towards the cylinder or into the position shown for carriers, w, x, y.
The link, 16, by this movement causes the tube guide carried on its arm to be
projected vertically upward and over the heads of the needles and within the
periphery of the cylinder.
The cylinder still advancing and the first thread continuing to draw through
the guide is carried first behind the cutter wheel, H; then (the drawing point
transcribing a circle) it crosses the periphery of the utter wheel (see dotted
line 50, Fig. 5) and is carried over the stud, 37, on the fixed cutting blade, 35.
After this yarn leaves the looper, E, of course it does not knit but the tension
is still retained until it has entered several of the blades of the dividing wheel, F.
At this point a tooth or blade, 30, of the cutter wheel H, which has continuously
rotated by the coursing of the work, 33, drives said yarn against blade, 35, and
severs it.
The strain exerted by the severing is resisted by the tension of the blades of
the dividing wheel and thus any pulling or puckering of the portion already
knit from this strand is prevented.
The yarn in passing behind the cutter wheel enters the mass of waste, 38,
which exerts sufficient friction thereon to retain the severed end projecting from
the guide, 21, as indicated in the drawings, for the carriers, w, x, y. The end
of the yarn is thus held for the throwing in process above described.
After severing as described there is a loose or tag end of yarn left on the
work in length the distance from the shear cut to the dividing wheel, F, but
this, as will readily be understood, may easily be removed in trimming.
The throwing in of a new color before the severing of the first yarn results in
a portion of double weaving, but so slight is it that it is deemed unobjectionable.
It will be seen that by means of our improved device as many yarns of different
colors may be used and alternated as desired, a change of the position of pins in
the pattern wheel effecting this.
A salient feature of our invention lies in the fact that in throwing out a color,
it is accomplished instantly by guiding or directing it radially inside the cylinder,
where it is immediately out of the way and cannot be knit in double on itself.
Other features are the preventing of drawing of the stitches while severing the
yarn; the use of a shear cut for this purpose effected within the cylinder; and
the automatic retention of the severed end by waste friction whereby the yarn
may be returned to the needles without stopping.
This tension, moreover, is sufficient to hold said end taut until the yarn is
taken by the looper, which renders the work much more effective.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1st. In a striping device for circular knitting machines a rotary yarn cutter
actuated by contact with the finished portion of the knitted fabric.

page_text: 2nd. In a striping device for circular knitting machines a rotary yarn cutter
actuated by contact of its blades with the finished portion of the knitted fabric
and disposed within the needle circle.
3rd. In a striping device for circular knitting machines, a rotary yarn cutter
disposed within the cylinder and actuated by contact with finished fabric; a fixed
blade co-operating therewith; and a projection on said blade for engaging and
guiding the yarn as it leaves the loop wheel of said machine substantially as
and for the purpose described.
4th. In a device of the character described a cutter disposed within the needle
cylinder and a frictional holding device behind said cutter into which said cutter
is arranged to direct a yarn thrown out of action and before severing it sub-
stantially as and for the purpose specified.
5th. In a device of the character described, the horn; the cutter wheel mounted
thereon and having radial blades in position to be engaged and actuated by the
finished fabric; the fixed blade in rubbing contact with said wheel, said wheel
guiding the thread as it is thrown in or out of action.
6th. In a device of the character described, the horn in combination with
the fixed blade; the rotary cutter wheel and the packing between said horn and
wheel.
7th. In a device of the character described, the horn disposed within the
cylinder in combination with the vertical rotary cutter journaled on said horn
and having blades in position to be engaged by the finished work a material
distance from the needle cylinder whereby said cutter is actuated: the fixed
blade co-acting with said cutter and provided with the guide projection and a
holding device for retaining an end of the thread after being severed by said
cutter.
Then 1
D 1000