IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Lowe, Machinist, and John William Lamb
Manufacturer, both of Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Lowe and John
William Lamb at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd
Juno 1880.
SAMUEL LOWE, Machinist, and JOHN WILLIAM LAMB, Manufacturer, both of
Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINERY.
This Invention relates to improvements on that class of straight knitting framės
which are fitted with traversing thread carriers, and it consists in certain means for
facilitating the operations of the machine, and thereby increasing the rate of
production of the knitted fabric.
Hitherto in these machines the thread, as it was delivered by the thread carrier,
was pressed forward against the stems of the bearded needles by means of jack
sinkers which took up the amount of slack required for the formation of a row of
loops, and then with the aid of intervening dividing sinkers lapped the thread
around the stems of the several needles. While this double operation was taking
place the needles had to remain quiescent in a raised position in order that the
looped thread might be caught under the beards at the next descent of the needles
for effecting the knocking over.
We now propose to mount in front of the needles a set of points which are carried
by a transverse bar and stand parallel with and opposite to the stems of their
respective needles. These points have a short vertical motion, and between them
project the jack sinkers and the dividing sinkers when they are required to act upon
the thread, which they do in the usual manner, pressing it against the points in the
same way as heretofore against the needle.stems.
By the time the dividing sinkers have acted the needles will have risen to a
position for receiving the thread from the points. For this purpose the points are
withdrawn from the thread, and by the further advance of the sinkers the thread.

page_text: will be laid around the stems of the needles. The needles will then descend, be
pressed, and the work be knocked over in the usual manner.
In place of using the ordinary knocking over bits, we employ a third set of
sinkers, which besides knocking over the work will act also as dividers, the dividing
sinkers of the above described arrangement serving only to transfer the thread from
the points to the needles. These knocking over sinkors are formed with a raised
part to divide the loops at the head of the needle, and an arch to receive the knitted
loops while the dividing is taking place.
After the dividing the sinkers are drawn back, and the needles at the same
moment descending the knocking over of the row of formed loops is effected.
It is proposed to adapt this Invention to frames constructed for knitting ribbed
work as well as to those constructed for knitting plain work.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Lowe and John William Lamb in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd December 1880.
SAMUEL LOWE, Machinist, and JOHN WILLIAM LAMB, Manufacturer, both of
Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINERY."
This Invention relates to improvements on that class of straight knitting frames
which are fitted with the "Cotton" traversing thread carriers, and it consists in
certain means for facilitating the operations of the machine, and thereby increasing
the rate of production of the knitted fabric.
Hitherto in these machines the thread, as it was delivered by the thread carrier,
was pressed forward against the stems of the bearded needles by means of jack
sinkers which took up the amount of slack required for the formation of a row of
loops, and then with the aid of intervening dividing sinkers lapped the thread
around the stems of the several needles. While this double operation was taking
place the needles had to remain quiescent in a raised position in order that the loops
might be caught under the beards at the next descent of the needles for effecting the
"knocking over." We now propose to mount in front of the needles a set of points
which are carried by a horizontal bar and stand parallel with and opposite the stems
of their respective needles. These points have a short vertical motion, and between
them project the jack sinkers and the dividing sinkers when they are required to act
upon the threads, which they do in the usual manner, pressing it against the points
in the same way as heretofore against the needle stems.
By the time the .dividing sinkers have. acted the needles will have risen to a
position for receiving the thread from the points. For this purpose the points are
withdrawn from the thread, and by the further advance of the sinkers the thread
will be laid around the stems of the needles. The needles will then descend, be
pressed, and the work will be "knocked over " in the usual manner.
The
In the accompanying Drawings, Figures 1 and 2, Sheets I. and II., show in front
elevation portions of the middle of the "Cotton" machine as modified to adapt our
Invention thereto. Fig. 3, Sheet II., and Figures 4 and 5, Sheets IIL and IV. are
longitudinal vertical sections of the parts of the machine shewn at Figures 1 and 2.
In these Figures A is the needle bar carrying the bearded needles, a, which receive
an up-and-down motion as heretoforo, but without any "dwell" in their downward
progress. The needle bar A is pivotted as usual to rocking arms A' keyed on a
rock shaft A which has its bearings in the main framing. Pendent from this rock
shaft are arms A³ furnished with antifriction bowles, which by means of tension
springs As are caused to bear upon cams A¹ keyed to the cam shaft. The
rotation of this shaft imparts to the needles the rising and falling motions requisite
for their receiving the new loops and "knocking over" the formed course.
needles are advanced to and withdrawn from the presser B by cams A on the cam
shaft, which cams bear upon bowles carried by pendent arms A keyed to a rock
shaft A having its bearings in the main framing. The arms A° are connected by
links As to projections A pendent from the needle bar. Thus an oscillating motion
is given to the needle bar to bring the beards of the needles into contact with the
stationary presser bar and ready for the formed loops of work to be passed onto the
beards and over the hends of the needles. c are the ordinary jack sinkers, and c* the
the dividing sinkers, mounted respectively in their guides C as usual. These sinkers
instead of dividing the thread upon the needle stems as usual divide it upon a set of
points e mounted in a bar E which brings them in front of the needles to receive the
thread from the thread carriers f. These points it will be seen are bent out of line
in order to bring them when in position for working as near as possible to the

page_text: needles, it being important that the two lines of instruments e and a should be able
to approach near to each other in order that the work may be close to the points at
the time of laying the thread to prevent the formation of a slack selvage, and that
they shall remain in close proximity during the transference of the thread from the
points to the needles. As the thread is laid over the points e the jack sinkers c will
advance to form the required amount of slack thread, the dividing sinkers c* will
then advance and divide the slack thread upon the points. The points will then
retire and allow both jack and dividing sinkers to carry the divided thread to the
advancing needles. At this moment the sinkers will effect a more complete dividing
of the thread, and they will then retire to allow the knitting to proceed. These
motions of the sinkers are obtained by the following means:-
The jack sinkers c are advanced by the jacks C' striking against their rear ends,
the jacks being operated in succession by the slurcock as usual, which slurcock has
a traverse motion in the manner to be afterwards explained.
The dividing sinkers c* are advanced to and withdrawn from their work by
means of the catch bar C, which is connected by bracket arms to the upper
extremities of rock levers C which are keyed to a rock shaft C³ having its bearings
in the main framing; pendent from this rock shaft are arms Ce which carry bowles
that bear upon cams C7 on the cam shaft, and it is by the rotation of these cams
that the catch bar is caused to advance and recede. In advancing this catch bar
bears against the rear ends of the dividing sinkers, and in retiring it draws back
both the sinkers c* and c. To enable it to do this a vertical reciprocating motion is
given to the catch bar which enables it to place a lip or flange with which it is
provided in front of the projections of all the sinkers.
Standing out from the front of the catch bar are rigid arms C³, to which are
attached rods C that couple these arms with arms Co keyed to a rock shaft C",
having its bearings in the main framing. This rock shaft is fitted with pendent
arms C carrying bowles that receive the pressure of a pair of cams C₁s on the cam
shaft. By the rotation of these cams the catch bar will be raised and lowered at
the proper moments for engaging with or releasing the sinkers. d are the usual
fashioning or shaping points which are employed to shift the selvage loops from the
selvage needles on to a narrower width of needles. These points are arranged in
groups on the narrowing point bars D, D*, and the traverse motion of these point
bars is derived from narrowing slides, as in the ordinary "Cotton" machine. The
point bars D, D*, are carried by rocking arms D¹ keyed to a rock shaft D³, from
which depend arms fitted with bowles that bear upon cams upon the cam shaft
suitably cut for holding the point bars out of action or in the raised position of
Figures 1, 4, and 5, Sheets I., III, and IV., and dropping them into their acting
position as hereafter mentioned.
The point bar E carrying the row of points e is pivotted to arms E' carried by a
rock shaft E², which has its bearings in the main framing. Arms ES pendent from
this rock shaft carry bowles to receive the pressure of a pair of cams E' mounted on
the cam shaft, and it is from these cams that the points e receive their vertical
motions.
In order to modify these motions so as to bring the points down out of the way
under the fixed presser bar and to advance them again into position, bracket arms E
pendent from the point bar E are connected by links Es to arms E7 on a rock shaft Es
having its bearings in the main framing. Pendent arms E keyed to the rock shaft E
carry bowles which are pressed upon by a pair of cams E10 on the cam shaft. gare
the "knocking over" bits, which are usually stationary during the action of the
machine. In the present case however they receive a slight oscillating motion to
facilitate the throwing of the finished courses of work over the heads of the needles
These "knocking over" bits g are mounted on a transverse bar G, having pendent
bracket arms G which are jointed to arms C keyed to a rock shaft G³, having its
bearings in the main framing. This rock shaft has keyed to it pendent arms G
fitted at their lower ends with bowles that are pressed upon by cams G³ on the
cam shaft.

page_text: It should be remarked that all the levers fitted with antifriction bowles are held
to their respective cams by means of tension springs, as described with reference to
the arms As
The bar G is pivotted to a band lever Go, which is notched onto the rock shaft A*
when the knocking over bits are in their working position. This mode of mounting
the bar G is adopted to facilitate the withdrawal of the knocking over bits from the
path of the needles and of allowing ready access to those needles for the removal and
replacement of any points or needles that may be broken.
At the time that the needles have dropped to their lowest position the knocking
over bits g receive from the cams G'a tipping motion which enables them to lift
the last formed course of work over the beards of the depressed needles, and throw
that course to the back of the needles.
It has been stated that the object of the present Invention is to increase the
speed of knitting, and it is for this purpose that the points are introduced to perform
the part hitherto assigned to the stems of the needles when the thread is being laid
and divided."
In order however to secure this result, it is requisite to lay in two threads for
every complete rotation of the cam shaft instead of one as heretofore. This is effected
by a modification of the driving gear heretofore employed for operating the sliding
rod F, to which the thread carriers fare attached.
Fig. 6, Sheet V., is a front view of a portion of the machine shewing the
mechanism for operating the thread carriers, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same
parts.
Mounted loosely on the cam shaft is a bevil wheel F', on the boss of which is an
annular groove to receive a retaining clip carried by a fixed bracket F. This
bevil wheel is locked to its shaft by a finger or projection F attached to a boss
keyed to the shaft taking into a notch on the boss of the bevil wheel. This
arrangement is designed to disengage the bevil wheel from its shaft when the si
is shogged or moved endwise to arrest the knitting action of the machine at the
moment that the narrowing or shaping of the work is being performed. The bevil
wheel F¹ gears into and drives a bevil wheel F of equal pitch keyed onto a
transverse shaft F which has its bearing on the main framing, and has keyed to
its rear and a disc F fitted with a crank pin. Attached to this pin is a link F
which is jointed to an oscillating arm F working on a fulcrum at the base of the
machine. This oscillating arm transmits motion through a link rod FD to the
ordinary slur cock F1, from which the sliding motions of the threadcarrier rods F
are obtained. From this explanation it will be seen that one rotation of the cam
shaft will give one rotation to the disc Fº, and consequently a to-and-fro-motion to
the oscillating arm Fs, the slur cock F, and the thread carrier rods F, by which
means two lays of thread will be delivered to the points e for one rotation of the
cam shaft.
To prevent the bevil wheel Fl when disengaged from the cam shaft driving by
its centrifugal action the bevil wheel F", provision is made for locking the wheel Fi
at the moment of disengagement from its shaft. This locking is effected by means
of a bolt F" which slides in a guide formed for it in the fixed bracket F, and has
two pendent terminations, one of which shaped like a bevil wheel tooth is caused
to enter the teeth of the wheel and arrest its motion when disengaged from its
shaft. The other end of the sliding bolt enters an annular groove in a collar Fu
keyed to the cam shaft. The same motion therefore of this shaft which disengages
it from the bevil wheel F¹ causes the bolt F" to draw its toothed termination
forward, so as to interlock with and stop the rotation of the wheel F¹, and
consequently to render quiescent for the moment the slur cock F¹º.
By referring to the diagrams, Sheet VL, the action of the knitting instruments
will be clearly understood.
Diagram 1 shews the position the knitting instruments will assume at the
moment the thread is being laid upon the nebs of the sinkers c, c*. At this time
the points e are at their highest elevation and the needles a are near their lowest

page_text: position, the knocking over bits 9 having just come into action upon the work.
Diagram 2 shows the sinkers c, c, advanced towards the points e, at which time
the threads which they carried forward will have been divided on the points. The
needles a after the knocking over of the work by the bits g having. risen to their
highest position ready to receive the thread which the points e by descending will
deliver to them in a divided state. Diagram 3 shews the points as having
descended just clear of the divided thread, at which moment the needles and the
sinkers approach each other, the one to receive the thread and the other to deliver
it and complete the division of the thread upon the needle stems. Diagram 4 shews
the thread caught under the beards of the needles and the needles in the pressing
position, the presser B having closed the beards of the needles, and the last row of
formed loops of the work having been "landed" on to the beards ready for the
action of the knocking over bits g. It will now be understood that as tho needles a
complete their descent the knocking over bits will by their action throw over the
course of loops to the back of the needles, as before mentioned. While the needles
are completing their descent, the sinkers c, c, will retire to the dotted position of
diagram 4 ready to be advanced as the points coine again into the position of
diagram 1.
It is well known to persons conversant with knitting machinery in which
fashioned goods, such as hose, are manufactured, that prior to the commencement of
a shortened course, the knitting of the machine is suspended in order to bring into
operation the narrowing points, which as before stated transfer the selvage loops to
the contracted width of needles in order to produce a selvage, and it is to provide
for the nondelivery of thread at this time that the mechanism described as actuated
by the bevil wheel F is thrown out of action. The arrest of the motion of the
bevil wheel F has been described as due to the shogging of the cam shaft. The
result of this shogging is also to throw out of position the cans which actuate
the knitting instruments, and to bring into position others which modify the
movements of those instruments and allow of the narrowing of the work to take
place.
The various working cams above referred to by letters are drawn in full size in
Sheets VII. and VIII., and their, corresponding cams or those which take the place
of the efficient knitting cams A4, A5, C7, C¹³, E, E¹º, G³, are shewn by dots in the
same Sheets of Drawings, and are lettered correspondingly A**, A**, C7*, C¹³*, E4*,
Elºº, and G**.
When these cams A", A**, C7, C¹³, E**, E10*, and G**, are brought into
position and the knitting action is arrested, the points d will descend from their
quiescent position towards that shewn in diagram 5 in order to meet the ascending
needles.
The points & will then cover the beards of the selvage needles and pass into the
loops on their stems, as shewn in the diagram. The needles will now rise and fall
slightly back from the points, at the same time the points will rise until they
have lifted the selvago loops clear of the needles; they will then receive their
inward traverse motion and take up a position in front of the new selvage needles,
as indicated at diagram 6. The points and needles will then descend together
between the row of knocking over bits, and the sinkers advancing will assist in
transferring the loops from the narrowing points d to the selvage needles, the
points rising out of the loops to ensure such transfer when arrived at the position
with respect to the needle heads shewn in the diagram 7.
When this transfer of the selvage loops is effected, the cam shaft is shogged back
to its original position, and the cams A, A, C7, C¹³, E4, E1º, and G³, coming again
into action the knitting will proceed as before.
It will bo understood that during the transference of the selvage loops the
points e (as well as the thread carriers) will be out of action. To prevent their
interfering with the working of the narrowing points d, it is requisite to remove
them out of the way; this may be done either by dropping them below the presser,
as shewn by.dots, or by moving them when in their highest position close to the

page_text: presser, and in either of these positions they are retained while the narrowing takes
place. This is clearly illustrated by the diagrams 5, 6, and 7. On the completion
of a course the points e are in the position of diagram I., and immediately after the
knitting of the course or line of loops is completed the shogging of the cam shaft
takes place; this brings into action the cams E", Sheet VII., which depress the
point bar E, as above mentioned, and retain it in its lowest position until on the
shogging of the cam shaft the knitting action is resumed.
The manner of shogging the cain shaft automatically is well known to persons
conversant with the "Cotton" machine, but to give completeness to the Drawings
it has been thought desirable to illustrate this well known contrivance, in which a
travelling tappet chain is employed to throw the bowle of a rock lever at the
proper moment into the path of a face cam on the cam shaft. Figs. 2 and 3,
Sheet II., shew this arrangement, in which H is a swinging arm pendent from any
fixed point and carrying a bowle which bears against a cam H' on the cam shaft.
The rotation of this cam imparts a vibratory motion to the arm H, which carries
a chain wheel H for receiving the tappet chain Hs. This chain wheel is furnished
with ratchet teeth which are in line with a fixed pawl H carried by the framing.
As the arm H vibratos the ratchet teeth are caused to strike against the pawl, and
thus the chain wheel and tappet chain are ratcheted round. The tappets on the
chain as they come up are caused to strike against a bell crank lever H° pivotted
on the swinging arm H, and thereby to rock it. The lower limb of this bell crank
lever when acted on by the tappet will at the next vibration of the arm H strike a
rock lever H keyed upon a rock shaft H7 mounted in the main framing. An
arm H keyed to this rock shaft is furnished with a bowle, which by the movement
above mentioned is rocked into the path of a double faced cam H on the cam shaft,
the effect of which will be to shift the cam shaft in, the direction of its axis, ar
thus put the cams before mentioned in and out of action.
J.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of " Improvements in
Knitting Machinery," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
we would remark that we are aware that attempts have been made to expedite the
operation of knitting by introducing the use of points for receiving the thread and
transferring the same to the needles, but no practicable device has, so far as we are
aware, been produced in connection with any class of knitting machine, the chief
difficulty having arisen from the uncertain transference of the thread and the
imperfect "dividing" of the thread, the presence of which defects rendered the
production of good selvage work impossible. Under the above in part recited
Letters Patent we claim,-
First. The arrangement of machinery above described, whereby the rate of
production of the knitted work is increased without increasing the speed of rotation
of the cam shaft.
Secondly. The application to "Cotton" knitting machinery of the points c acting
in combination with the jack and dividing sinkers c, c, as above explained, for
receiving the thread from the thread carriers and transferring the same in a
divided form to the needles a.
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Lowe and John William Lamb, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twenty-second day of December, in
1
11.