Improvements in Driving, Counting, and Stopping Mechanism for Knitting-machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1895-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving, Counting, and Stopping Mechanism for
Knitting-machines.
1, HEINRICH VERGES, of Mühlhausen, Thuringia, in the Empire of Germany,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Driving-mechanism according to this invention is designed for operating two or
more knitting-machines placed one behind another and is so arranged that
knitting-machines of any size and stroke can be driven simultaneously and at the
same speed, i.e. small knitting-machines can be caused with this driving-mechanism
to make a correspondingly larger number of strokes than larger knitting-machines ;
that knitting-machines of different sizes can be driven by the same mechanism,
whilst each individual machine can be worked independently of the others with
any desired length and position of the needle-bed, whether it work in the middle
or at the end; and that each individual machine can be thrown into and out of
operation independently of the others. When this driving-mechanism is combined
with a stroke-counter on each knitting-machine, as bereinafter described, each
machine can be caused automatically to be thrown out of operation during a
certain period of working, after different intervals, which may be pre-arranged.
With this disconnectable driving-mechanism every carriage of a row of kuitting-
machines arranged one behind another is connected to an endless belt running, at a
suitable tension, over pulleys, the arrangement being such that the carriage is
coupled during its forward-stroke to one half of the belt, and during its backward-
stroke to the other half. For the purpose of reversing the motion, stops are
provided which are acted upon by the moving carriage or its connections so as to
reverse the operating gear of the coupling so as to disconnect the carriage from
one half of the belt and to connect it with the opposite balf, i.e. the half running
in the opposite direction.
With this driving-mechanism there is provided for each knitting-machine a
separate counter, which, by means of a ratchet-wheel, counts the number of double
strokes or rounds of the said machine. This counter has been improved so as to
serve also for automatically disconnecting the knitting-machine after any desired
number of rounds, the arrangement being that the coupling-device is disconnected
by means of stops with which the counter is provided and which act upon
disconnecting levers.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings illustrate the construction of the
coupling-portion of the driving-mechanism,
Fig. 1 being a front elevation,
Fig. 2 a vertical section through the crosshead, and
Fig. 3 a vertical section through the counter;
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the general arrangement of the disconnectable driving-
mechanism,
Fig. 4 being a front elevation; and
Fig. 5 a cross section thereof, the knitting-machines being omitted in Fig. 4 for
the sake of clearness.
On the shaft A, which is driven by any suitable means, for instance, belts B-
there is mounted a belt-pulley C over which runs an endless belt D that is kept
Laut by a tension-device E' and is guided by means of a roller F in such a manner

page_text: that the two halves of the belt, which move in opposite directions (Fig. 4), will be
only a small distance apart. As shown in Fig. 4, the belt D runs behind the
knitting-machines that are to be driven by the apparatus. The number of knitting
machines that may be connected to driving-mechanism of this kind may be very
large Figs. 4 and 5 represent an arrangement in which two belts D are used to
drive four knitting-machines arranged in rows each containing two machines. The
reciprocating movement of the carriage I is effected, as mentioned in the opening
of this Specification, by its being connected at one time with the upper half of the
belt D, and at another time with the lower half thereof.
:
Between two longitudinally grooved round guide-bars a and a¹, each of which is
capable of being rotated through 90°, there is arranged a crosshead G, which
essentially comprises two cheeks 6 and 6 which serve as abutments for the belt D
and an eccentric carrier c. The belt D moves with its upper and lower halves
between the abutments band and the carrier c, so that the latter which is
mounted eccentrically on its axle and is capable of rotation, can be taken along by
either of the halves of the belt, the arrangement being such that each cheek acts
as an abutment for the adjacent half of the belt. The arrangement is also such
that even a slight contact of the running belt with the carrier c will cause the
latter to rotate and thus reduce the distance between it and the cheek bor b¹, as
the case may be, so that the friction between the belt D and the cheek b or b¹ will
be increased to such an extent as to compel the crosshead G to travel along with
the belt.
The crosshead G which may be connected in any suitable manner with the
carriage of the knitting-machine, is represented in Fig. 1 as coupled to the upper
half of the belt D and is therefore travelling in the same direction as the said upper
half, which is, as indicated in Fig. 4, towards the right.
In order to effect the reversal of the eccentric carrier c and consequently also
that of the carriage of the kuitting-machine moved along by the crosshead G, the
following arrangement is employed. The axle of the eccentric carrier c is guided
in oblique slots f, f' in coupled arms d and d', so that the axis of rotation of the
eccentric carrier is moved nearer to the upper or to the lower half of the belt
according to the adjustment of these arms. The shifting of the arms d and d¹ is
effected by means of stops e and e¹ which are adjustably arranged on a rotary
bar w and against which a pin on the arm d is adapted to strike (see Fig. 2).
Assuming the carriage of the knitting-machine to be moving towards the right,
the carrier c being in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the arm d to strike with its
pin against the stop e, the arms d and d¹ (which are rigidly connected together)
will thereby be moved to the left and, by means of the oblique slots and f, will
move the axle of the carrier c downwards. The carrier will therefore move away
from the abutment b to such an extent that the part of the carrier of the longest
radius can no longer hold the upper half of the belt. The carrier will thus become
free from the upper half of the belt.
At the same time the eccentric carrier will come into contact with the lower
balf of the belt and will thereby be rotated so as to firmly and rigidly hold the
said lower half against the check b¹. As a consequence of this the carriage will
move to the left, and in its motion will finally strike against the stop e¹ (which is
exactly similar to the stop e), thereby shifting the arms d and d¹ in such a manner
as to raise the axle of the eccentric carrier c and again bring it into contact with
the upper half of the belt D, the movement and rotation of the eccentric thus
caused producing a firm connection and coupling between the upper half of the
belt D, the eccentric c, and the abutment b, i.e., between the upper half of the belt
and the crosshead G and carriage 1 of the knitting-machine.
The connection between the crossbead G and the carriage I is preferably not a
rigid, but an elastic one, constructed as showu in detail in Fig. 6, the object of this
being to prevent the occurrence on the reversals of the stroke, of shocks injurious
to the knitting-machine. The crosshead G terminates in a U-shaped arm provided
with a rod f2 with which the carriage 1 of the kuitting-machine engages by means

page_text: of a suitable bearing, a helical spring ƒ being arranged on the roi.
end thereof. The springs f2 serve to take up entirely shocks produced on reversing
the stroke. It should, however, be noted that with the frictional driving-mechanism
and the frictional gear for throwing the machiue into and out of action, shocks are,
for the most part, already obviated in the machine. The abutments band 6¹ are
not fixed in the crosshead G, but are capable of motion in vertical slots g and g
therein. They are held in position by means of cams i and ", which are mounted
on the grooved guide-rods a and a¹ and slide along the latter. When, as a con-
sequence of the rotation of the guide-rods a and a through 90° from the position
shown in Fig. 2, the abutments 6 and are no longer pressed against the two halves
of the belt, they are drawn away from them by helical springs and /¹
respectively. When they are so withdrawn, it is no longer possible to effect con-
nection between the abutments b and b' and the belt D, and the knitting-machines
are uncoupled.
There are also mounted on the cheeks 6 and 61, hooks y and y' which bear
against projections 2 of the eccentric c and move it into a middle position in which
its part of longest radius is not turned towards either half of the belt.
The following arrangement is employed for the purpose of enabling a knitting-
machine to be thrown out of operation by hand. The guide-rods a and a' are
connected together by means of levers k and k¹ and a link (Figs. 1 and 3) so that
both the guide-rods will rotate in the same manner. A spring m acts upon the
lever and has a tendency to turn the guide-rods a and a¹ into a position at right
angles to that shown in Fig. 2, i.e., to turn them so that the cheeks and b¹ are
removed from the belt D. The action of the spring m is opposed by a hook o
which bears against a stop n' on a lever n connected to the lever k, and is mounted
on a two-armed lever o furnished with a handle v. Thus when the hook o¹ is in
engagement with the stop n', which is the case when the handle n is turned in the
opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the guide-rods a and a¹
and the cams i and are in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the eccentric c can
be coupled to either of the halves of the belt. But if, on the contrary, by suitably
raising the handle v², the hook o¹ be moved out of engagement with the stop n²,
then the handle n will yield to the action of the spring m and move in the direction
of the arrow in Fig. 3, and the cheeks and 6 will be released by the cams i
and and be drawn away from the belt D by the springs and h¹.
The automatic disengagement of the hook o' from the stop n', which is produced
at the same time by the counting-mechanism HQ, is described hereinafter.
The counter is set into operation in the following manner by the rotation of the
shaft w, which is parallel to the guide-rods a and a', this rotation being caused by
the impact of the crosshead G against rollers u and u¹ (Figs. 1 and 2).
The crosshead G is provided with a projection (Fig. 7) which is formed with
two inclined surfaces v and v¹ and is caused by the reciprocation of the crosshead,
and consequently also of the carriage, to strike with the surfaces v and v₁ against
the rollers u and u', thereby pressing down the lever t and respectively (which
are adjustably mounted on the shaft w), and by means of the feather-and-groove
This
connection between the shaft w and the levers t and t¹ to rotate the shaft w.
rotation of the shaft w is utilized to actuate the counter, and also at the same time
to operate any automatic apparatus with which the knitting-machine mar be
provided, such as "increasing-apparatus," "diminishing-apparatus," and the like.
One of the two brackets z provided for carrying the driving gear of each
knitting-machine, carries on a stud a counting-drum Q which is furnished at the
back with a ratchet-wheel s. This wheel is moved by a pawl N through the
distance from tooth to tooth at each partial rotation of the shaft w. M is a pawl
for preventing the forward-motion of the ratchet-wheel s. The pawl N is mounted
on a bent lever W, which is caused to rock by the shaft w by means of a piu r
provided on a collar R, when the shaft w is rotated in the manner just described.
Now, since the rotation of the shaft w takes place each time the surfaces v, n²
strike against the rollers u and u', i.e., at each half round, single strokes are

page_text: counted, whereas in general in knitting-machines only double strokes are counted.
Therefore the ratchet-wheel is formed with 200 teeth, whilst a scale provided on
the front of the drum Q has only 100 divisions. In this manner the double strokes
or rounds of the coupled knitting-machines are registered.
In order to render the counter at the same time capable of automatically
throwing the coupled knitting-machine out of operation, the drum has cut in its
periphery a spiral groove Q' in which, during the rotation of the drum Q, slides
a saddle-piece K which is capable of movement along a pin and carries a hook T
(Fig. 9) that is compelled to slide upon the surface of the drum between the
portions of the groove Q. In this helical surface there are cut screw-threaded
holes into which small screw-studs Q2 can be screwed as desired, as shown in Fig. 3.
These holes correspond in position and number to the divisions on the counting-
drum Q, so that in a single turn of the said helical surface there are one hundred
screwed holes. Now, if, by the rotation of the counting-drum Q, one of the studs Q²
carried. thereon, come under the hook T that travels over the said helical surface,
the said stud will raise the hook T of the saddle-piece K out of the groove. The
book T lies against a lever E pivoted at its rear end (Figs. 8 and 9) and this lever
lies, uuder the bent lever o. The latter will therefore be raised on the rise of
the lever T caused by the screw-stud Q2, whereby the bent hand-lever o will be
rotated and the hook o' moved away from the nose n', so that the rods a and a'
will be rotated and consequently the abutments b and 6 withdrawn from the sides
of the belt.
If,, for instance. it is required to throw the knitting-machines out gear after
116 complete revolutions, a stud Q is inserted into a screw-hole situated between
the first and second helical groove-that is to say in the second turn of the afore-
said helical surface, at the 16th division. The drum will then move once round,
with the saddle piece in the first helical groove, and then as far as the 16th division
mark. Then the hook T will be raised, and the machine will be disconnected in the
manner herein before set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1805
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Driving, Counting, and Stopping Mechanism for
Knitting-machines.
I, HEINRICH VERGES, of Mühlhausen, Thuringia, in the Empire of Germany,
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 :-
Driving-mechanism according to this invention is designed for operating two or
more knitting-machines placed one behind another and is so arranged that knitting-
machines of any size and stroke can be driven simultaneously and at the same speed
that is to say small knitting-machines can be caused with this driving-mechanism
to make a correspondingly larger number of strokes than larger knitting-machines;
that knitting-machines of different sizes can be driven by the same mechanism
whilst each individual machine can be worked independently of the others with
any desired length and position of the needle-bed, whether it work in the middle
or at the end; and that each individual machine can be thrown into and out of
operation independently of the others. When this driving-mechanism is combined
with a stroke-counter on each knitting-machine as hereinafter described each
machine can be caused to be automatically thrown out of operation, during a
certain period of working, after different intervals, which may be pre-arranged.

page_text: With this disconnectable driving-mechanism every carriage of a row of knitting-
machines arranged one behind another is alapted to be connected to an endless
belt running, at a suitable tension, over pulleys, the arrangement being such that
the carriage is coupled during its forward stroke to one half of the belt, and
during its backward stroke to the other half. For the purpose of reversing the
motion, stops are provided which are acted upon by the moving carriage or its
connections so as to reverse the operating gear of the coupling in such a manner as
to disconnect the carriage from one half of the belt and to connect it with the
opposite half-i.e., the half running in the opposite direction.
With this driving-nechanism there is provided for each knitting-machine a
separate counter, which, by means of a ratchet-wheel, counts the number of double
strokes or rounds of the said machine. This counter has been improvel so as to
serve also for automatically disconnecting the knitting-machine after any desired
number of rounds, the arrangement being such that the coupling device is discon-
nected by means of a stops with which the counter is provided and which act upon
disconnecting levers.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification illustrate
the construction of the coupling portion of the driving-mechanism, Fig. 1 being
a front elevation, Fig. 2 a vertical section through the crosshead, and, Fig. 3 a
vertical section through the counter.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate, to a smaller scale, the general arrangement of the
disconnectable driving mechanism, Fig. 4 being a front elevation, and Fig. 5 a
cross section thereof, the knitting-machines being omitted in Fig. 4 for the sake
of clearness.
On a shaft A (Fig. 4), which is driven by any suitable means--for instance by a
belt B, there is mounted a belt-pulley C over which runs an endless belt D that
is kept taut by a tension device E and is guided by means of a roller F in such
a manner that the two halves of the belt which move in opposite directions, will
be only a small distance apart. As shown in Fig. 4, the belt D runs behind the
knitting-machines that are to be driven by the apparatus. The number of knitting-
machines that may be connected to driving mechanism of this kind may be very
large Figs. 4 and 5 represent an arrangement in which two belts D are used to
drive four knitting-machines arranged in rows each containing two machines. The
reciprocating movement of the carriage I is effected, as herein before mentioned,
by its being connected at one time with the upper half of the belt D, and at
another time with the lower half thereof. For this purpose between two longi-
tudinally grooved round guide-bars a and a', each of which is capable of being
rotated through 90°, there is arranged a crosshead G, comprising two cheeks b
and b (Figs. 1 and 2) which serve as abutments for the belt D, and an eccentric
carrier c. The belt D moves with its upper and lower halves between the
abutments and the carrier c, so that the latter which is mounted eccentrically
on its axle and is capable of rotation, can be taken along by either of the halves
of the belt, the arrangement being such that each cheek acts as an abutment for
the adjacent half of the belt. The arrangement is also such that even a slight
contact of the running belt with the carrier c will cause the latter to rotate and
thus reduce the distance between it and the cheek bor as the case may be, so
that the friction between the belt D and the cheek bor b¹ will be increased to such
an extent as to compel the crosshead G to travel along with the belt.
The crosshead G which may be connected in any suitable manner with the
carriage I of the knitting-machine, is represented in Figs. 1 and 2 as coupled to
the upper half of the belt D and is therefore travelling in the same direction as
the said upper half, which is, as indicated in Fig. 4, towards the right.
In order to effect the reversal of the eccentric carrier c and consequently also
that of the carriage of the knitting-machine moved along by the crosshead G, the
following arrangement is employed. The axle of the eccentric carrier e (which is
capable, as indicated in Fig. 1, of being moved bodily only in a vertical direction
relatively to the crosshead G) is guided in oblique slots and f¹ in coupled

page_text: arms d and d', so that the axis of rotation of the encéntric carrier is moved nearer
to the upper or to the lower half of the belt according to the adjustment of these
arms. The shifting of the arms d and d' is effected by means of stops e and e
which are adjustably arranged on a rotary bar w and against which a pin on the
arm d is adapted to strike (see Fig. 2).
Assuming the carriage of the knitting-machine to be moving towards the right,
the carrier c being in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the arm d to strike with its
pin against the stop e, the arms d and d¹ (which are rigidly connected together)
will thereby he moved to the left and, by means of the oblique slots and f
will move the axle of the carrier c downwards. The carrier will therefore move
away from the abutment to such an extent that the part of the carrier of the
longest radius can no longer hold the upper half of the belt. The carrier will thus
become free from the upper half of the belt. At the same time the eccentric
carrier will come into contact with the lower half of the belt and will thereby be
rotated so as firmly and rigidly to hold the said lower half against the abutment b¹.
As a consequence of this, the carriage will move to the left, and in its motion will
finally strike against the stop e' (which is exactly similar to the stop e), thereby
shifting the arms d and d¹ in such a manner as to raise the axle of the eccentric
carrier and again bring it into contact with the upper half of the belt D, the
movement and rotation of the eccentric thus caused producing a firm connection
and coupling between the upper half of the belt D, the eccentric c, and the
abutment b, i.e., between the upper half of the belt, the crosshead G and carriage I
of the knitting-machine, the direction of motion of which will then be again
reversed.
The connection between the crosshead G and the carriage I is preferably not
rigid, but an elastic one, constructed as shown in detail in Fig. 6, the object of this
being to prevent the occurrence, on the reversals of the stroke, of shocks injurious
to the knitting-machine. The crosshead G terminates in a U-shaped arm provided
with a rod with which the carriage I of the knitting-machine engages by means
of a suitable bearing, a coiled spring f being arranged on the rod f towards each
end thereof. The springs f³ serve to take up entirely the shocks produced on
reversing the stroke. It should, however, be noted that with the frictional driving
mechanism and the frictional gear for throwing the machine into and out of action,
shocks are for the most part, already obviated in the machine.
The abutments b and are not fixed in the crosshead G, but are capable of
motion in vertical slots and therein. They are held in position by means of
cams and i, (Fig. 2) which are mounted on the grooved guide-rods a and a¹ and
slide along the latter. When as a consequence of the rotation of the guide-
rods a and a' through 90° from the position shown in Fig. 2, the abutments 6 and b
are no longer pressed against the two halves of the belt, they are drawn away from
them by coiled springs h and h¹ respectively. When they are so withdrawn, it is
no longer possible to effect connection between the abutments b and b¹ and the
belt D in the way herein before described, and the knitting-machines are uncoupled.
There are also mounted on the checks b and 6', hooks y and y' (Fig. 2) which,
when the cams and are turned through 90° as just mentioned, bear against
projections y of the eccentric carrier c and move the latter into a middle
position in which its part of longest radius is not turned towards either half of
the belt.
The following arrangement is employed for the purpose of enabling a knitting-
machine to be separately thrown out of operation by hand. The guide-rods a and a¹
are connected together by means of levers k and k¹ and a link (Figs. 1 and 3) so
that both the guide rods will partly rotate in the same direction. A spring m acts
upon the lever k¹ and has a tendency to turn the guide-rods a and a' into a position
at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2, i.e., to turn them so that the cheeks b and b
will be permitted to move from the belt D. The action of the spring m is opposed
by a catch o' which bears against the stop n on a lever n connected to the lever k,
and is carried by a two-armed lever o furnished with a handle v². Thus the handle n

page_text: is in the position shown in Fig. 3, and the catch o¹ is in engagement with the
stop n' thereon, the guide rods a and a¹ and the cams i and i will be in the position
shown in Fig. 2, and the eccentric carrier c can be coupled to either of the halves
of the belt; but if by suitably raising the handle v², the catch o' be moved out of
engagement with the stop n¹, then the handle n will yield to the action of the
spring m and move in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, and the cheeks b and b¹
will be released by the cams i and and be drawn away from the belt D by the
springs h and h¹.
The automatic disengagement of the catch o' from the stop n¹ is effected by the
counting-mechanism HQ and is hereinafter described.
The counter is operated in the following manner by the rotation of the shaft w,
which is parallel to the guide-rods a and a', this rotation being caused by the
impact of the crosshead G against rollers u and u¹ carried by arms tt' adjustably
fixed to the shaft w (Figs. 1 and 2). For this purpose the crosshead G is provided
with a projection (Fig. 7) which is formed with two inclined surfaces v and v' and
is caused by the reciprocation of the crosshead, and consequently in correspondence
with that of the carriage, to strike with the surfaces v and alternately against
the rollers u aud u', thereby pressing down the arms t and t² respectively and, by
means of the feather groove connection between the shaft wo and the arms t and t
to partly rotate the shaft w. This partial rotation of the shaft to is utilized to
actuate the counter, and also at the same time to operate any automatic apparatus
with which the knitting-machine may be provided, such as widening-apparatus,"
narrowing apparatus," and the like.
66
66
One of two brackets Z for carrying the driving gear of each knitting-machine,
carries on a stud a counting-drum Q which is furnished at the back with a ratchet-
wheel S. This wheel is moved by a pawl N through a distance equal to one tooth
at each partial rotation of the shaft w. M is a detent for preventing the backward.
rotation of the ratchet-wheel S. The pawl N is mounted on a bent lever W (Fig. 1)
which is caused to rock by the shaft w, by means of a pin r, provided on a collar R,
when the shaft w is partly rotated in the manner hereinbefore described.
Now, since the partial rotation of the shaft w takes place each time each of the
surfaces v and v¹ strike against the rollers u and u-i.e., at each half round, single
strokes are counted, whereas usually in knitting machines only double strokes are
counted. Therefore the ratchet-wheel is formed with 200 teeth, whilst a scale
provided on the front of the drum has only 100 divisions. In this manner
the numbers of the double strokes or rounds of the coupled knitting-machines is
indicated.
In order to render the counter at the same time capable of automatically
throwing the coupled knitting-machine out of operation, the drum has cut in its
periphery a spiral groove Q¹ in which, during the rotation of the drum Q, slides a
saddle-piece K which is capable of movement along a pin j and carries a finger T
(Fig. 9) having a wedge-shaped projection that is compelled to slide upon the
spiral surface of the drum between adjacent portions of the groove Q¹. In the
spiral surface there are formed screw-threaded holes into which small screw
studs Q can be screwed as desired, as shown in Fig. 3. These holes correspond in
position and number to the divisions on the counting drum Q, so that in a single
turn of the said spiral surface there are 100 screw-threaded holes. Now, if, in
consequence of the rotation of the counting drum Q, one of the studs Q2 carried
thereon, come under the finger T of the saddle-piece K, the said stud will raise the
said finger. On the finger T bears a lever E pivoted at its rear end (Figs. 8
and 9), and on this lever bears the bent lever o (Figs. 1 and 3). The latter will
therefore be raised when the finger T is lifted by the screw-stud Q and will rotate
the bent hand lever o so as to move the catch o¹ away from the nose n', and permit
the rods a and a to be rotated by the spring m and consequently allow the
abutments b and b' to be withdrawn from the sides of the belt D.
Suppose, if for instance, it be required to throw the knitting-machines out of
gear after 116 double strokes have been made. It will then be necessary merely

page_text: to insert a stud Q2 into a screw hole situated between the first and second turn of
the spiral groove Q that is to say, in the second turn of the aforesaid spiral
surface at the sixteenth division mark. The drum Q will then move once round,
with the saddle-piece in the first turn of the spiral groove, and partly round the
next groove as far as the sixteenth division mark whereupon the finger T will
be raised. and the machine will be disconnected in the manner hereinbefore set
forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Driving-mechanism for two or more knitting-machines arranged one behind
another, comprising an endless belt, and crossheads that are connected to the
carriages of the knitting-machines are adapted to be reciprocated and through
which the upper and lower halves of the belt are arranged to travel, each of the
said crossheads being provided with an eccentric carrier that is adapted to be
moved, by means of link-levers arranged to strike against stops, into contact with
the top and bottom halves of the belt alternately so as to press the same against
corresponding abutments and thereby to cause the corresponding crosshead to be
carried along by the belt in alternately opposite directions, substantially as herein-
before described.
2. In driving-mechanism for knitting-machines, of the kind specified in the
preceding clain the combination with the eccentric carrier in each cross head, of
movable abutments or cheeks b b against which the top and bottom halves of the
belt can be forced, cams ii capable of being operated by hand and whereby the
abutments or cheeks can be caused to assume their operative or inoperative
positions at will, and a catch device n² o¹ for retaining the cams and abutments or
cheeks in their operative positions, substantially as herein described.
3. In knitting-machine driving-mechanism the combination with each of the
crossheads referred to in the preceding claims, of a stroke-counter and means for
operating it comprising a rock-shaft and a projection carried by the crosshead
and provided with inclined surfaces vand v¹, adapted to rotate the said shaft,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination with the disconnecting and counting apparatus referred to in
Claims 2 and 3 respectively, of an automatic disconnecting device, comprising a
saddle-piece K arranged to work in a spiral groove Q' in a drum Q forming part
of the counting apparatus a finger T and a lever E adapted when operated, to
throw the catch device n¹ o¹ of the disconnecting apparatus out of action, and one
or more studs Q adjustably mounted in the said drum Q and adapted to operate
the said finger and lever, substantially as herein described.
5. My improved driving, counting, and stopping mechanism for knitting-
machines, constructed, arranged, and operating as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in the drawings herein referred to.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1895
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.