Improvements in Circular Knitting Machinery.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machinery.
I, GEORGE DUNNING MAYO of Franklin, in the County of Merrimack, in the
State of New Hampshire one of the United States of America, Manufacturer
of Knitting Machinery do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to improve that class of circular knitting
machines containing a series of vertically reciprocating needles and wherein the
cam cylinder may be rotated at times in the production of circular work, as when
the leg and foot of a stocking is being made, and be reciprocated at other times, as
when the narrowing and widening is being done in the production of heels and
toes, the needles not needed, in narrowing and widening being, during the latter
operation, lifted or rendered inactive, the remaining needles being lifted in succession
at opposite ends of the series of needles being then used, until the narrowest course.
for a heel or toe has been knitted when the said needles, elevated as described for
narrowing, are depressed in the proper time and order to perform the complementary
widening.
The machine herein to be described has been provided with novel mechanism by
which to automatically lift and to depress at proper times the endmost needles of
the series of needles used in heel and toe work, the said means consisting essentially
of elevators and depressors having co-operating latches and actuating devices for
the latter, whereby the elevators and depressors may be released to be moved into
action at the desired time.
These elevators and depressors, resembling fingers and pivotted outside the cam
cylinder, are extended through slots in the said cylinder and so located with
relation to the ledge on which the needle butts travel, that one or the other of them.
as desired may be put into position to, in the movement of the cam cylinder, strike
against the endmost needle, say when narrowing is to be done, and automatically.
lift the said needle to put it out of action.
As an elevator strikes the butt of a needle, that latter elevator by its pressure
against the butt of the needle, is lifted, carrying with it the needle, thus taking its
butt into a higher plane where it leaves it, and the elevator carried up by the batt
of the needle is locked by a latch, and remains locked until the said elevator is to
be again released to again pick up another needle, and so on.
The depressors are constructed in the same manner as the elevators and have the
same principle of operation, they merely taking needles down into knitting position.
instead of lifting them from knitting position.
In the machine herein to be described about half of the needles have butts of one
length, and the remaining needles have butts of a different length, but the elevators
and depressors would work with butts of any length.
The shorter butted needles are those used in narrowing and widening, the longer
butted needles being those which are elevated or thrown out of action in a body
when it is desired to commence narrowing for the production of a heel or toe.
The machine has been provided with a gate by which to automatically and.
quickly throw all these long-heeled needles up or into their inactive plane, or
nice-versa, at will, the gate being controlled by hand.
The needle cylinder has at its upper end an extension which supports a ring,
upon which is mounted a cam ring which is made to travel in the direction of
movement of the cam cylinder, the said ring having a suitable groove to act upon
lugs of a series of jacks located between the needles to reciprocate the said jacks
horizontally, they resting upon or in grooves in the extension of the needle bed.

page_text: Between the needle cylinder and the cam cylinder there is a skeleton cylinder
through which the butts of the needles pass, and by which skeleton cylinder the
needles are prevented from twisting in their grooves, the butts of the needles
outside the skeleton cylinder being acted upon by the cams employed to reciprocate
the needles in knitting.
That is to say the improved knitting machine is characterised by its embracing
the following combinations of instrumentalities:-A needle cylinder adapted to carry
a series of needles; a cam cylinder provided with suitable cams for reciprocating
the needles for knitting, and provided with a series of slots extending through the
same from its outer side to its inner side; a series of needle elevators and depressors
pivotted outside the cam cylinder and extended through the said slots, and adapted
to engage the needles at desired times; latches to co-operate with the said needle-
elevators and depressors; and cam devices to automatically actuate the said latches.
Or a needle cylinder; a series of needles therein having butts of different length;
a cam cylinder provided with cams to actuate said needles; guide plates located
above said cams; and a gate adapted to raise automatically all the long-heeled
needles to be put out of action preparatory to narrowing, and to throw down after
widening and preparatory to circular work all the needles which are then elevated.
Or a needle cylinder; a series of needles therein having butts of different length;
a cam cylinder provided with cams to actuate said needles; guide plates located
above said cams; a gate adapted to raise automatically all the long-heeled needles
to be put out of action preparatory to narrowing, and to throw down after widening
and preparatory to circular work all the needles which are then elevated; and an
interposed skeleton cylinder through which the butts of the needles are extended
and by which the needles are guided and prevented from twisting.
Or a needle cylinder adapted to receive needles; a cam cylinder provided with
stitch cams; needle-elevating and depressing cams; latches to lock said elevating
and depressing cams out of operation when carried into that position by the needles
themselves as the latter are respectively raised or lowered thereby to be retired
from and to be returned into action; cam levers to operate said latches; and a
cam ring to control the said cam levers to put them into and out of position with
relation to pins or projections on the latches.
Or a needle cylinder, and needles carried thereby; a cam cylinder provided with
stitch cams; and needle-elevating and depressing cams having fingers or hooks, the
fingers or hooks of the depressing cams being longer than those of the elevating
cams; latches to normally hold the said elevating and depressing cams in their
inoperative position; and devices through which the said cam cylinder may be
reciprocated whereby in the operation of the machine, the depressors may be
made to return two needles into action at each reciprocation of the cam cylinder,
and the elevators to carry one of said needles back out of action at the next
reciprocation thereof in the opposite direction, and so on during the widening
operation.
Or a main shaft adapted to not only rotate the cam cylinder but also to oscillate
the same at the desired time; of a clutch mechanism; and means to actuate it,
whereby the clutch when in engagement controls the movement of the said main
shaft for reciprocating knitting; and a safety device to ensure the engagement of
the clutch only at the proper time.
Or a needle cylinder having a series of needles arranged in a circle; a cam
cylinder having cams for reciprocating the said needles for knitting; and needle
elevators and depressors for retiring from and bringing back into operation
successively the needles employed during narrowing and widening operations; and
latches for holding the said needle-elevating and depressing cams out of action;
cam levers for co-operating with said latches to release them to return the said
needle-elevating and depressing cams into action at the required time; and means
to put the said cam levers into and out of operative position.
Or a surrounding ring grooved for the reception of jacks; a needle cylinder; a
series of horizontally-reciprocating jacks supported thereby; a cam ring to act

page_text: directly against and actuate the said jacks; and a ring to overlap and hold down
the inner ends of the jacks.
Or a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential ledge in its interior, and
having needle-operating surfaces located below said ledge; and a deflector, and a
groove-closer, the movement of which in one direction, as downward, causes the
deflector to depress the butts of the needles preparatory to their being drawn down
by the knitting cam, the movement of the deflector in the other direction putting
the groove-closer into position to close the needle groove, as when it is desired to
raise all the needles to a determined inoperative level to receive a top.
Or a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential ledge in its interior, and
having needle-operating cam surfaces located wholly below such ledge; and
separate elevators and depressors located wholly above the said ledge.
Or a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential ledge in its interior, and with
guide plates located above the said ledge, of needles having the heels or butts of
different lengths; and a gate consisting of a plate having a tapering groove at its
face, the under walls of which are cut away to reduce their height, whereby the
longer heeled needles resting upon the ledge may be deflected upward upon the
guide-plates, or when resting upon the guide-plates both the longer and shorter
heeled needles may be deflected downward upon the ledge.
Or a cam cylinder having a nearly annular ledge on which rest the butts of the
needles which are in action, and drawing-down and needle-elevating surfaces
located below said ledge and having a groove or space between the said drawing-
down surfaces and intersecting said ledge; a groove closer located in said space,
whereby by closing the said groove the butts of all the needles below the said
ledge may be retained thereon in the same plane, thus placing the hooks of the
needles all in the same horizontal plane for the reception of a rib-top.
Or a needle cylinder containing a series of needles; a series of horizontally
sliding jacks mounted thereon; a cam ring for actuating the said jacks; a skeleton
cylinder through which the butts of the said needles are extended; and a cam
cylinder having a series of cams to actuate the said needles for knitting circular
work.
Preferably two, or it may be more, needle cylinders will be put under the
control of a single set of pattern surfaces, it determining the direction, times, and
duration of movement of the cam cylinders and their co-operative parts, such
provision effecting a great saving in mechanical parts.
Means have also been provided whereby a pattern surface automatically controls
through suitable connections the vertical movement of the needle cylinder for the
purpose of lengthening and shortening the stitches.
The top plate of the machine has two holes or openings for the reception of two
curbs, extending downwardly therein from a guide plate.
Each curb receives within it a needle cylinder it having an extension top con-
nected to it.
Part of the needle cylinder has a ledge upon which rests a ring, part of which is
grooved to receive segmental blocks extended through the jack-operating cam ring
into the groove, so that the said jack-operating ring may be rotated by the upright
arm of the cam cylinder, the said ring having two like projections in which are
inserted regulating screws acted upon by the said upright, one when the cam
cylinder is moved in one direction and the other when the cam cylinder is moved
in the opposite direction, thus enabling the apices of the cam for moving the jacks
and of the knitting cams to be put in the proper relative positions during the
knitting operation, as is necessary in machines using jacks there being more or less
lost motion between the cam ring and the cam cylinder during the changes in
reciprocating knitting.
The arms rising from the cam cylinder, support a latch-opener.
The upper end of the needle cylinder and of the surrounding ring is slotted
radially to provide grooves for the reception of the jacks, which, have nibs
immediately at their outer ends and tongues at their inner ends, the tongues being

page_text: overlapped by a ring, the latter aiding in keeping the jacks down in working
position and also supporting the work as it hangs from the needle.
The shape of the cam groove in the jack-operating ring is of peculiar form and
in circular knitting the apex of the cam for moving the jacks is adapted to pull the
jacks out as the needles commence their descent, the groove of the jack-operating
cam ring pushing the jacks in preparatory to the rising of the needles.
Owing to the shape of the jacks at their outer ends and of the cam ring for
moving them, the jacks are acted upon directly at their outer ends, so that the
power exerted to move them is a direct thrust, thus obviating twisting strains on
the jack and ensuring their better and steadier operation, and a very short jack to
be used instead of long jacks.
The lower end of the needle cylinder has inclined or cam-shaped notches which
rest upon inclined or cam-faced projections of a needle cylinder supporting ring
resting upon a flange at the lower end of the curb, the said ring having an arm
extended outwardly.
By moving the ring in one or the other direction the needle cylinder may be
moved so as to regulate the length of the loops drawn by the needles, the shorter
the loop the closer the knitting and the smaller the diameter of the fabric.
When knitting the upper part of the leg of the stocking the needle cylinder will
be in its higher position and the stitch will be long, but when knitting a portion of
the stocking at or below the calf of the leg, the cylinder will be lowered to make
shorter stitches, and again when narrowing and widening is being done the cylinder
will be elevated, for a thickening thread to splice the heel or toe.
A skeleton cylinder is interposed between the cam cylinder and the needle
cylinder composed of upright thin flat bars confined in annular position by a ring
having suitable slots to receive the upper ends of the said bars.
The needles employed will be of two kinds, short heels or butts and longer heels
or butts, the said heels or butts being extended outwardly through the said skeleton
cylinder and resting upon the can ledge.
The uprights connected to the cam cylinder have ears mounted upon them the
needle-depressors, the outer or hub ends of the depressors and elevators being
chambered to receive suitable coiled springs each of which springs is connected to
the depressor or to the elevator the other end of the spring being connected to one
of the ears so that the said springs normally act to throw the inner ends of the
depressors or elevators into operative position.
The ears support elevators having at their pivotal points springs.
The pivots for the elevators and depressors are outside the cam cylinder, and
the latter is slotted so that the inner or acting ends of the said elevators and
depressors may pass through the cam cylinder in order that their operative ends,
provided with suitable shoulders or fingers, may engage the butts of the needles,
the fingers of the depressors being the longer-that the depressors may take down
two needles, the elevators taking up one.
The one upright has pivoted upon it spring controlled latches provided with pins
or projections.
The other upright at the opposite side of the machine has pivoted upon it,
other latches spring-controlled and provided with other pins or projections.
The springs of the latches normally act to move them into such position as to
hold out of action the elevators and depressors with which they co-operate and
whenever the latches are tripped or turned about their pivots against their springs
by suitable devices, they release the elevators and depressors each in its proper
time and order to let the inner ends thereof come into operative position with
relation to the butts of the short heeled needles.
The cam cylinder has beveled teeth at its lower end to be engaged and rotated
by other bevel toothed wheels on short shafts in bearings on the frame-work said
wheels being engaged and rotated by gears on a shaft, when the said shaft is
rotated; or the said cylinder is reciprocated as the said shaft is oscillated or
rotated backward and forward,

page_text: www
ring, secured in place by suitable screws.
Outside this ring the guide is shouldered, to receive a cam-carrier with two
cams.
This guide has pivoted upon it two latch-operating cams or levers.
The upper surface of the latch-operating cam is Y-shaped or two acting faces
oppositely inclined.
The latch operating cam has cam portions oppositely inclined, one being located
however somewhat back of and somewhat higher than the other so as to be engaged
respectively by the studs of the latches employed in connection with the appropriate
depressors that one of the said studs connected with the latch being shorter
and being located in a somewhat lower plane than the other stud of the other
latch.
Both of these latch-operating cams are held out of operative position when
circular knitting is being done, but when narrowing is being done one latch-
operating cam or lever is permitted to come into operative position, and thereafter
when widening is to be done another latch-operating cam or lever is also put into
operative position.
The cam cylinder has at its interior a circumferential ledge upon which
rests the butts of the needles when the latter are in their normal positions.
The interior of the cam cylinder is also provided above said ledge with
guide-plates above and below which the butts of the needles may be carried
as they are retired respectively from or brought back into operative position.
The hooked inner ends of the elevators and the depressors are during circular
work held out of operative position, by latches but when narrowing and
widening the latches are moved to release the elevators and depressors and
permit them to come into operative position and enable their free or hooked
ends to come into line with the butts of the needles in the proper time and
order.
The interior of the cam cylinder is provided with a recess just above the
ledge named to receive a gate, by which the long-heeled needles or those
not narrowing and widening be retired from action, the said gate at a subsequent
time being adapted to return the said needles into operative position and also all
the shortbutted needles which may have been elevated in narrowing.
This gate may consist of a body having at its inner face a longitudinal groove,
from end to end thereof and tapering, one of the walls constituting the said groove,
the under one, being cut away to permit it to engage merely with the long-heeled
needles, while the upper wall is adapted to engage not only the long-heeled needles,
but the short-heeled needles as well to pull them from their elevated position down
to the ledge.
This gate forms part of a shaft or pivot extended out through the cam cylinder
and through a sleeve thereon, provided with a milled head or nut to be engaged to
move the gate into position say to elevate all the long-heeled needles to retire
them from operation preparatory to narrowing, said gate at such time engaging
only the butts of the long-heeled needles and lifting them above the plane occupied
by the upper sides of the guide-plates thus putting the said needles out of
action.
By simply turning the gate the outer end of its groove will be brought into line
with the butts of the elevated needles, all the elevated needles being made to
travel down to the ledge after the completion of a heel.
For reciprocating the needles for knitting and for bringing their butts into the
proper position for the work to be done are provided drawing down surfaces and
elevating surfaces forming parts of the cam cylinder and between the drawing-down
surfaces is a groove or space in which is located a carriage having a deflector and
a needle groove-closer.
The carriage having connected with it a knob extended outwardly through
a slot in the cam cylinder and the upright, a suitable device say a hook

page_text: connected loosely to the said stud, to retain the said carriage in position either
elevated or depressed.
When the carriage is depressed, for knitting then the deflector, as it strikes each
needle butt, pushes the said needle down so that its butt is caught by one of the
drawing down surfaces which completes the drawing-down of the needle, so that it 6
takes a new loop through an old loop upon the shank of the needle, and then the
butt of the needle strikes one of the elevating surfaces which elevates the needle,
the butt of the needle passing in its movement under and elevating a switch
point normally kept closed so that the butts of the needles during the movement
of the cam cylinder will not be caught under the free ends of the switch 1
points.
When the hooks of all the needles are to be brought into the same horizontal
plane to receive the loops of a rib top on a suitable transferrer, the carriage is
lifted causing the groove closer to close the space between the drawing-down
surfaces so that the needles elevated above the top of the ledge-their highest 1
point will not again be carried down below that lever so long as the groove is
closed, but the loops held on the points of the transferrer having been transferred
upon the said needles, the deflector will be pushed down and knitting will take
place.
The latch-opener forms a yarn-guide. If the machine is to be used for knitting i
legs etcetera, upon rib-tops, the cams start say with the butts of the needles all in
the same plane, the plane of the ledge, and in this condition the loops of the rib-
top will be transferred to the needles and the shoulder of the pattern surface is in
contact with a roll on a suitable lever and the needle cylinder is down in its lowest
position, and the cams and devices at the inner side of the cam cylinder stand as 2
when about to make the first reciprocation for narrowing with the exception that
the depressor is down and the operator to start presses the treadle to put the belt
on the fast pulley and the hook or latch passes through the loop and engages the
second latch the clutch mechanism is released and the appropriate shaft has
imparted to it only a motion of rotation to thus rotate the needle cylinder.
During the first movement of the pattern surface the shoulder acts quickly upon
the roll to move the lever and by it effect the raising of the needle cylinder in
order that the stitch may be of the length desired for the upper part of the
stocking.
The cam cylinder is moved until the leg has been knitted of the length desired
and during this the needle cylinder is lowered to shorten the stitches and make the
lower part of the leg.
The leg having been completed of proper length, the machine is automatically
stopped by a pin striking against a dog so that the shipper-rod may place the
belt upon the loose pulley and the machine having been stopped, the gate is brought 4
down, then the operator engages the handle, slides the bar to the right and causes
the finger to act on the stud to release it from the notch, letting the spring push
the rod to move the cam ring causing the cam to pass beyond the latch operating
cam or lever and let it come into operative position the second cam not retiring
from its hold upon the cam lever.
As the rod is moved the spring acting on the inner end of the lever brings the
said lever down into position between the hub of the finger and the bar and
meanwhile the clutch part is put in engagement with the loose gear which being
oscillated by the segment lever assumes control of and oscillates the shaft⚫ to
reciprocate the cam cylinders for heel and toe work. As the rod is moved as
described to partially turn the ring the projection in the slot effects the release of the
take-up rod, to control, the thread going to the thread-guide.
During the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder, which first reciprocation is in
the direction of movement of the cam cylinder when doing circular work, the gate
acts upon the butts of the long-heeled needles and lifts them all above the guides or
puts them out of operative position.
During this first reciprocation of the cylinder suitable studs in succession strike

page_text: the upper surface of the cam lever, and both of the latches are moved to release the
needle elevators and the elevator when the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder
terminates, resting just beyond the endmost needles of the series of short-heeled
needles.
Now as the cam cylinder is reversed, the elevator strikes the butt of the first
needle and, acting against the said butt, the elevator turns about its pivot, due
to its pressure against the needle, and finally the butt of the needle passes the
elevator and comes to a bearing upon the inclined face of the guide cam, which
cam, in the further movement of the cam cylinder, carries the butt of the said
needle up into the plane occupied by the butts of the long-heeled needles, thus
putting the first needle of the series of short heeled.needles out of action.
The butts of the remaining needles of the series of short-heeled needles pass
under the guide cam and meet the deflector and are caught by the depressing cam,
passing under said cam and are acted upon by the elevator cam, and the butts of
all the short heeled needles come up again upon the ledge.
At the end of the second reciprocation the one needle elevator is held up by the
latch, but the other needle elevator is down in working position, so that as the cam
cylinder is started upon its third reciprocation the needle-elevator meets the
endmost short-heeled needle toward which it is travelling, and the said short
heeled needle acts to lift the elevator and the elevator acts to carry up with it the
said needle, placing it upon the guide cam, so that the needle is elevated and
rendered inactive, the remaining needles of the series of short-heeled needles being
carried down by the deflector and by the needle-depressing cam.
During the completion of this third reciprocation or stroke of the cam cylinder
both the studs of the latches again act upon the cam lever; and the latches are
turned to release the elevators and let them both come into operative position, the
position they occupy at the ending of the first stroke.
During each stroke of the cam cylinder one after the other of the short-heeled
needles is lifted or put out of action until only those short heeled needles remain
down which are to knit the shortest course for the heel.
During the time that the narrowing is being done, a pawl has been acting to turn
the pattern wheel and as the narrowing is completed a projection comes in contact
with a pin throws the same from a notch and a spring moves the rod until the pin
strikes the shoulder.
This movement of the said rod yet further moves the cam ring, so that the
cam passes the cam lever and permits that lever to come into operative position.
During the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder after the cam lever has been
put into operative position, the longer projection of the latch strikes the incline
causing that latch to release the depressor, putting its inner end into operative
position, both elevators being it is understood, in operative position.
The depressor, when coming into operative position, passes up in the open space
between the elevated short-butted needles, so that as soon as the said elevator is
put into position, it, during the continued motion of the cam ring in the same
direction, overlaps or engages the butts of two of the elevated short-butted needles.
towards which it is travelling, and the said needles, by acting against the depressor,
cause the latter to turn about its pivot, and the butts of the needles pass the
depressor and around upon the side of the guide cam, the latch locks the said.
depressor out of action and the guide cam in the further movement of the cylinder
pushes the butts of the said two needles down into operative position.
During this stroke of the cam cylinder both the latches holding the elevating
cams again drop, letting the two elevating cams again into operative position.
During the first part of the second stroke in widening the projection of the latch
meets the incline causing the said latch to release the depressor, so that it, in the
further movement of the cam cylinder in the same direction, may rise just the
distance of the series of elevated needles, engage the butts of two of them, and
pull them down in operative position, as described of the depressor when moving
in the opposite direction.

page_text: In this way stroke after stroke the depressors and elevators act alternately to
bring down into operation the needles thrown out of operation in narrowing, until
the complemental widening has been done to make the heel or toe.
The framework has proper bearings for two short shafts each rotated
independently of the other, the one shaft having a fast pulley, and the other shaft
a second fast pulley by which each may be driven.
The one shaft has an attached fast pulley to rotate either a loose or a fast pulley
on the driven shaft.
The other shaft has at one end a crank, which by a link and gear, continuously
oscillates a toothed pinion, mounted loosely on the driven shaft the said pinion
having a projecting pin to enter a hole in a plate or disk upon the said shaft, the
hub of said disk having an annular groove, which is entered by suitable pins or
projections of an arm, the hub of which is fast upon a clutch-rod."
The gear and the plate constitute a clutch, so that whenever the plate is moved
laterally upon the driven shaft to engage the pin of the continuously-oscillating
gear, then and only then the shaft will be oscillated to effect the reciprocating
movements of the cam cylinder and during this time the belt will be upon the loose
pulley; but when circular knitting is being done, as in the production of legs and
feet, then the said clutch will be disengaged and the belt will be on the fast pulley
the cam cylinder then being rotated.
The shaft has fast upon it two like gears which engage the peripheral teeth of
and rotate two like bevel toothed gears, the said gears by their bevel teeth each
engaging with like teeth at the lower ends of the cam cylinders and moving the
said cam cylinders as required, according to the work to be done.
Supposing two cam cylinders and two needle cylinders and their contained parts
to be used, each needle cylinder being suitably supported in independent openings,
The driven shaft has fast on it a worm in mesh with a worm-toothed gear, loose
on an operating shaft having, bearings in a sleeve or bub, secured to or forming
part of a bracket fastened to the framework of the machine and said operating
shaft operating pattern mechanism for controlling the length of circular work, and
also the length of the stitches, which stitches are varied in the leg to fashion or
shape the same, and it has fast on it a pinion.
This pattern mechanism has two gears mounted side by side on the shaft the one
gear being fast and the other gear loose, and a toothed arm located between the
said gears.
The toothed arm is also loose on the shaft, but is secured adjustably, preferably
to the loose gear, by a suitable clamping device say a plate and a screw, the plate
resting against one side of the said gear and the arm against its other side, the
screw enabling the clamp to be held with more or less force upon the said wheel.
The fast and loose gears have their teeth cut away for a short distance, and the
fast gear has a pin at its front side next the loose gear, and the loose gear has a
pin or projection at its rear side next the fast gear.
The said toothed arm having a shoulder is made adjustable to the loose second
gear so as to regulate the distance between the said shoulder and the pin, the extent
of the space between said shoulder and pin determining the time that the fast gear
which rotates the pattern surface, may remain at rest, it in practice remaining at
rest while the longer stitches of the leg are being knitted.
The studs or projections are of such length and so located as to engage one with
the other at the proper times.
The shaft has fast upon it a cam plate to which is adjustably secured a disk
provided with a curved slot through which projects a screw to hold upon
the cam
plate in adjusted position, the plate and disk constituting a pattern surface.
The disk has a second curved slot, in which is adjustably secured a pin or screw.
The cam plate has also extended from it in the same direction a stationary pin
or stud.
The studs or pins constitute releasing devices for the belt shipper whereby the
belt may be shipped from the fast pulley to the loose nulley.

page_text: The belt shipper, consists of a hub, fast on a shipper-rod, as by a set-screw, and
provided with forked arms to embrace the driving belt.
The shipper rod is provided at one end with a shipper handle, the said handle
being connected by a strap or cord to a rod secured to a foot treadle the said strap
passing preferably over a roller.
The shipper-rod has fast on it by a set-screw a collar, the latter being provided.
with a lug in which is pivoted an elbow-shaped lever, having two arms, the latter
arm being notched to form a hook or latch to engage a lug secured to or forming
part of a bracket, when the shipper-rod has placed the driving belt on the fast
pulley.
The former of the two last named arms has pivoted upon it a dog provided with
an ear having a screw with a set-nut, so that the said screw may be retained in
adjusted position enabling the machine to be adjustably stopped.
This arm has an extension or toe, against which the screw strikes when the dog
is lifted by pins or projections respectively on the disk and cam, the said toe thus
forming a back-stop for the dog.
The downward movement of the dog is limited by a shoulder of the dog striking
the arm.
The shipper-rod is surrounded by a spring which normally acts to place the
driving belt on the loose pulley whenever the latch is disengaged from the
projection.
The operating shaft has fast on it a ratchet wheel provided with a sleeve, to
receive a headed pin or rod, the inner end of which may be made to enter one of a
series of holes in the worm-toothed gear, thus locking the ratchet wheel to the
said gear.
The clutch-rod is surrounded by a spring to disengage its two parts used to
oscillate the shaft during reciprocating knitting.
When the driven shaft is being oscillated or rocked backward and forward
during reciprocating knitting, the one worm thereon, by its engagement with the
other worm gear oscillates that gear and the ratchet wheel so that a tooth of the
said ratchet wheel, in engagement with a pawl, raises and lowers a lever which by
its action on a rod extended from a suitable guide, reciprocates the said rod and
causes the pawl carried thereby and in engagement with a ratchet wheel, to rotate
the said ratchet wheel intermittingly.
The pawl is kept in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring.
The ratchet wheel has secured to or forming part of it a pattern wheel or
disk which, in its operation, determines the number of courses for the narrowing
and widening, and when the said narrowing shall cease and the widening
commence.
This pattern wheel may have a pin or projection at a point opposite a lug or
projection. A detent prevents retrograde motion of the pattern surface.
Said pin disengages the clutch hub or collar from the pinion on the shaft and
the lug determines the stopping of the narrowing and the commencing of the
widening.
In the narrowing of the fabric for the formation of a heel or toe, only the
needles having short heels will be used, while the long-heeled needles will be
lifted.
The cam rings are connected by a rod with a hub, having a pin which projects
through a hole in the top plate and adapted to engage one of a series of notches or
shoulders of a plate, and a shoulder constituted by one side of the opening.
The hub is loose on the bar between the collars fast on said bar, the collar
having a handle by which the bar may be moved horizontally, a spring acting upon
said pin to move the bar in the opposite direction to keep the said pin in engagement
with one or the other of the notches or shoulders.
For circular work, the pin engages the notch, and the ring will hold out of
operation devices which move the latches, so that at such time the needle elevators
and depressors are restrained from operation.
R

page_text: When, the cam rings are to cause the needle elevating and depressing devices for
Darrowing and widening, to come into operation, the bar will be so moved that the
pin will stand against the notch.
This first movement of the bar to disengage the pin from the notch and let it
engage another notch and move the cam ring, is effected when the hand lever is
moved to effect the engagement of the clutch for oscillating the shaft as at such time
the inclined finger, of an arm secured to or forming part of the clutch-rod acts on
the pin and rocks the hub outwardly sufficiently to disengage the said pin from the
notch and permit the spring, acting on the pin to carry the pin against the notch,
where the pin remains until the narrowing has been completed.
After narrowing the projection carried by the pattern wheel-moved step by step
at each reciprocation in one direction of the shaft strikes the pin, and moves it from
the notch so that the spring again acts to move the bar until the pin abuts against
the shoulder.
Then the cam rings permit the devices to move which lower in succession the
short-heeled needles for widening.
After widening for a heel the reciprocating motion of the shaft and the machine
is stopped by means of the stud on the pattern wheel striking part of a sleeve,
loose on the clutch-rod.
The pin strikes the part forward, and rocks the sleeve on the rod until a second
arm strikes a lug or pin on a lever, and lifts the inner end of said lever from
between the hub and the bearing for the said rod and then the spring on the rod
moves it so that it stops the reciprocating motions of the shaft.
The said clutch is disengaged, the lever rests on the hub, but when engaged, the
lever rests between the hub and the bearing, and the lever then acts as a locking
device.
When the lever releases the clutch and stops the oscillatory motion of the shaft,
knitting is stopped, and the operator will turn the gate to pull down into working
position all the long heeled needles inoperative for heel work.
The operator, by putting his foot upon the treadle, slides the shipper-rod to
place the belt on the fast pulley, and start the rotation of the cam cylinders.
Said lever has an arm, adapted to be engaged by hand to stop the machine, as
by moving the said lever the latch may be disengaged from the lug.
The inner end of this lever, held down normally by a spring, supports an arm,
connected to a rod extended down through a guide of the bracket, the lower end of
the said rod being provided with a loop or eye through which is extended the pawl
or latch, when said pawl engages the lug.
The rod is held down by a spring, which normally keeps it in its lower position
with the arm on the lever and the loop clear of the pawl or latch so that the
shipper-rod may be released to allow its spring to shift the driving belt.
The length of circular work knitted by the machine may be controlled by gears,
thus when the machine is to commence circular work, as the leg of a stocking
commencing at the top where the loops are the longest, the loose gear has its
smooth portion immediately over the pinion and the teeth of the fast gear fast on
the shaft carrying the pattern will be in mesh.
The shoulder of the arm will stand at a short distance back of the pin of the
fast gear, and the pin of the loose gear stands at some distance a-head of the
said pin.
When the machine is set in operation for circular knitting, the pinion will start
and rotate the fast gear and the pin or stud carried by it will, after a time, engage
the pin or stud on the loose gear, and the fast gear will thereafter carry the loose
gear with it for a short distance until the smooth or toothless portion of the said
loose gear is removed from above, and its toothed part is put into engagement with
the teeth of the pinion.
After this both gears are revolved by a pinion with the two pens in contact
until, in the rotation of the fast gear, its smooth or toothless portion is brought to
its lower side at which time the rotation of the fast gear, and consequently of the

page_text: shaft and pattern disk is stopped and the said parts remain stationary, but the shaft
still continues to revolve and the machine to knit circular work.
While the fast gear is thus stationary, the loose gear continues to be revolved by
the pinion until the shoulder of the arm strikes the pin on the fast gear which thus
starts the said fast gear and rotates it with the said loose gear until the teeth of
the fast gear, are again brought into engagement with the pinion.
Both gears now continue to revolve, until the smooth portion of the loose gear is
again brought to the lower side opposite the pinion, when the rotation of the loose
gear is again stopped, but the fast gear continues to be revolved for a short
distance until the pin on the cam disk engages the dog and disengages the latch,
thus permitting the spring to shift the belt stop the machine, circular knitting for
the foot of the stocking having been completed, the roll at that time resting on the
shoulder of the disk.
The said arm may have one or more teeth set in line with the teeth of the loose
gear, and the pin carried by the fast gear will be so set with relation to the teeth
of the gears that when the said pin is struck by the said arm the teeth of the fast
and loose gears will be in line or will register so that they may each come properly
into engagement or mesh with the teeth of the pinion.
In the formation of a stocking it is necessary to stop the machine and suspend
circular knitting at the completion of the leg portion, and this is effected by the
adjustable stud or pin on the disk, it then acting on the dog to release the shipper-
rod, the gears at such time occupying an intermediate position, or a position
between their starting and finishing positions, the gears being in such relation to
the pinion that at least one of them will be in engagement with the said pinion
and ready to be revolved when the shipper-rod shifts the belt upon the fast pulley
for the production of circular work.
The length of the foot portion of the stocking may be regulated by pattern disk
toward or from the stud.
Each of the fast and loose gears will have co-operating with it a retarding device:
acted upon by a spring.
The pattern cam serves the purpose of regulating the length of stitch for the
tubular parts of the leg and in so doing, the cam-shaped periphery thereof and of
the plate act on a roller at the end of a lever pivoted to the frame-work of the
machine the other end of the said lever being forked to embrace a rod, having at
its end a collar provided with a suitable projection to enter loosely a hole in the
outer end of the arm fast on the cam ring before referred to.
When the roll rests upon the portion of the cam then the cam projection of the
cam ring rests upon an inclined portion of the lower end of the needle cylinder at
such a point as to place the top of the cylinder in a more or less elevated position,
according to the length of the stitch desired for commencing the stocking, and
during the rotation of the pattern cam, the cam ring will be gradually rotated to
enable the needle cylinder to descend, thus shortening the stitch and contracting
the diameter of the stocking.
When heel and toe work is being done, the stitch should be long, as when the
toe is commenced, and to ensure the long stitches during narrowing and widening
I have devised a lever, which is pivoted to the under side of the bed plate of the
machine, and the inner end of this lever is connected by a link to the clutch-rod
so that when the latter rod is moved it catches the lever causing its forked opposite
end resting against the collar to move the rod and turn the cam ring in a direction
to raise the needle cylinder.
The cam ring constitutes the needle cylinder-support or adjuster.
I will now refer to the take-up for controlling the slack in the yarn during
reciprocating knitting.
There is a rod fast to a part of the machine and extended up over the machine
and this rod has an arm provided with bearings for a shaft and near the front side:
of the machine.
The said arm is provided with collars and these have pivoted between them on

page_text: a suitable pin a block through a hole in which is extended a guide-rod, the front
end of which is extended down in front of the end of the said arm and is provided
with an eye through which the yarn is passed.
The rod referred to lies between two upright arms or pins, secured to or rising
from the said arm.
At the under side of the arm is a plate and below it a disk, which is adapted to
slide vertically on a pin, the disk being acted upon by a spiral spring surrounding
said pin and resting against a nut screwed upon the lower end of the pin.
The disk is acted upon by a lever, the rear end of the said lever being connected
by a link with the guide rod and this lever has preferably a hole at one end 1
through which the link is extended, and the latter below the lever has an enlarged
portion or eye, to act as a stop or rest for that end of the lever which has fast to
it one end of a spring the other end of which is connected to a rod made adjustable
in a post carried by the arm.
The shaft has fast on it a hub having an arm which co-operates with a pin or 1
projection on the said block.
The shaft has also fast on it an arm connected by a link jointed at its lower
end to a lever, pivoted in turn at its lower end upon an ear of the plate before
described.
The said lever has a curved slot, into which enters a stud forming part of a 2
collar before described.
When the link is depressed or pulled downward, the arm retires from the pin
of the block, and allows the spring to move and raise the outer end of the rod to
take up the slack in the yarn.
In
the position for circular work. When the work is to be varied, the clutch-2
rod is moved by the lever and the stud on the collar travels in the slide of the
lever, turning the latter to depress the link and rock the shaft to turn the arm
away from the projection, thus permitting the rod to rise and take up the slack in
the yarn.
As the lever is moved to let the rod rise the stop or head of the link is removed a
from the lever permitting the spring to lift the disk and clamp the yarn between it
and the plate, the yarn being held only by the stress due to the spring.
The operation of this machine will first be described as used in the manufacture
of women's or misses' stockings, or what is known as long hose; and for this class
of work the deflector and groove-closer will always be down.
When the machine is stopped after having knitted a stocking, all the parts at
the interior of the cam cylinder are in the downward position with this exception
viz that the gate is in its upturned position. The gate occupies the position
already referred to during circular work.
When the machine is stopped, the roll of the lever lies on the shoulder of the
pattern surface, and the needle cylinder is down in its lower position.
Now to start the machine, the operator puts his foot upon the treadle and slides
the shipper-rod putting the belt upon the fast pulley and at the same time the
hook or latch passes through the loop and engages the lug.
During the first movement of the pattern surface the shoulder acts quickly upon
the roll and moves the lever to effect the raising of the needle cylinder to ensure
the making of a long stitch, of the length desired for the upper part of the
stocking.
The circular movement of the cam cylinder is continued until the leg has been
knitted of the desired length, but during the latter portion of the knitting of the
leg the needle cylinder is lowered by or through devices, as stated, to shorten the
stitches in the lower part of the leg and fasten the same.
The leg having been completed of proper length, the machine is automatically
stopped by the pin striking against the dog so that the spring is free to move the
shipper-rod and place the belt upon the loose pulley.
The machine having been stopped as described at the completion of the leg, the
gate will be brought down into position, and the operator will then engage the

page_text: handle, slide the bar to the right to cause the finger to act on the stud and release
it from the notch, letting the spring push the rod in the direction to move the
cam ring which will cause the cam to pass beyond the latch-operating cam or lever
and let it come into operative position, the other cam, however, not retiring from
its hold upon the latch-operating cam or lever.
As the rod is moved to the right, as described, the spring, acting on the inner
end of the lever, brings the said lever down into position between the hub of the
finger and the bar, and it is during this longitudinal movement of the bar that the
clutch part is put into engagement with the loose gear, so that the said gear
Oscillated by the segmental lever, assumes control of and oscillates the shaft to
impart to the cam cylinders their reciprocating movements for the production of
a heel, the reciprocations being the same for toe work.
As the rod is moved, as described, to partially turn the ring, the projection in
the slot effects the release of the take-up rod, so that it assumes control, as stated,
of the thread going to the thread-guide.
Preparatory to the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder the gate is turned
down in position and during the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder for heel
work the said gate acts upon the butts of the long-heeled needles, and lifts them
above the level of the tops of the guide plate, or puts them out of action.
During this the studs of the latches strike in succession the upper surface of the
latch-operating cam lever, and both of the said latches are moved to release the
needle-elevators, letting them drop the elevator when the first reciprocation of
the cam cylinder terminates resting just beyond the endmost needle of the series
of short heeled needles.
Now as the cam cylinder is moved the elevator strikes the butt of the endmost
needle of the series of short heeled needles toward which it is travelling, and,
acting against the said butt, the elevator by pushing against the butt is turned
about its pivot and is caused to rise taking with it the butt of the needle, and
finally the butt of the needle passes the elevator and comes to a bearing upon the
inclined face of the guide cam next to it so that said cam, in the further movement
of the cam cylinder in the same direction, causes the butt of the said needle which
was deposited upon it to be carried up into the plane occupied by the butts of the
long-heeled needles, thus putting the first needle of the series of short-heeled
needles out of action.
During this movement of the cam cylinder, the butts of the short-heeled needles
beyond the one taken up by the elevator are acted upon by the deflector, and are
thrown down so as to be acted upon by the drawing-down surface and then again
by the elevating surface.
The needle-elevator elevated by the butt of the needle, as described, is caught
by the latch and is kept elevated until the latch is again moved to release the
elevator.
At the end of the second reciprocation of the cam cylinder the parts stand with
the needle-alevator held up, but the needle-elevator is down; so that, as the cam
cylinder is started for the third reciprocation, the needle-elevator will meet the
endmost short heeled needle toward which it is travelling, and as described of
the elevator, the said needle caught by the elevator, will lift the elevator, and be
carried up with it and will have its butt deposited upon the guide cam next to it,
and the needle so elevated will finally escape from and pass beyond the elevator
into the plane above the guide cams, thus placing that needle in its inoperative
position together with the long-heeled needles.
This action will be continued at each reciprocation of the cam cylinder, until
all the needles except those to be used in the narrowest course for the heel have
been elevated.
During the operation of narrowing, the latches described will be released
once during each reciprocation of the cam cylinder in the direction for tubular
knitting.

page_text: At the completion of the third stroke in narrowing the cams and devices are in
the same position as at the completion of the first stroke.
During the time that the narrowing is being done, as stated, a pawl acts to
turn the pattern wheel and as the narrowing is completed a projection comes in
contact with a pin, throws the same from the notch, and the spring moves the rod
until the pin strikes the shoulder.
This movement of the rod yet further moves the cam ring so that the cam
passes the latch-operating cam lever and permits that lever to come into operative
position.
Now during the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder, after the cam lever has
been put into operative position, the longest stud of the latch strikes the incline of
the latch-operating cam causing that latch to release the depressor, thus putting its
inner end into operative position, both the elevators being, it is understood, also in
their operative positions.
The depressor when coming into operative position, rises just as the said
elevator is passing over the butts of the short-heeled needles used in the shortest
course, so that during the continued motion of the cam cylinder the acting end of
the said depressor overlaps or engages the butts of the first two of the series of
short-butted needles previously lifted, and the said needles, by acting against the
depressor, cause the latter to turn downwardly about its pivot, the butts of the
needles not engaged by the said depressor passing above the same, while the butts
of the needles which are so engaged by the depressor are deposited upon the cam
surface next to it, and by the said cam surface are deflected upon the ledge, and
are thereafter acted upon and reciprocated for knitting in usual manner.
During the first part of the second stroke in widening the projection of the latch
meets the incline of the latch-operating cam lever which moves the said latch
and causes it to release the second depressor so that it, in the further movements
of the cam cylinder permits the said depressor to engage, as described of the first
depressor, the butts of two of the short-heeled needles which were previously
elevated or put out of action pulling them down into operative position.
In this way stroke after stroke the depressors act to pull down two of the short-
heeled needles toward which they are travelling, and during widening the elevating
cams continue to operate in the same manner as they did when the cam cylinder
was reciprocated for narrowing, they taking up one needle at one stroke which was
put down by a depressor at a previous stroke.
In this way, therefore, stroke after stroke, the depressors and elevators act to
bring into operation the needles thrown out of operation in narrowing, until the
complemental widening has been done to make the heel pouch.
During the widening operation the pawl continues to rotate the pattern wheel
and as the widening is completed the pin strikes the arm and rocks it causing the
finger to strike the pin of the arm lifting the same from between the hub as
stated and the bearing, after which the spring resumes control of the rod and
releases the clutch device, which at such time controls the oscillating motion of the
shaft and the machine is again stopped.
Preparatory to starting the circular movement of the machine for the production
of the foot, the operator engages a handle and moves the bar turning back into its
normal position for circular work, the cam ring, so that the cams carried by it put
both the latch operating cams or levers out of operative position.
The movement described given to the bar releases the lifting rod, which again
throws down the take-up rod so that it remains stationary, the tension device at the
same time being moved to release the thread.
The operator will also at this time turn the gate into its elevated position and
then start the machine during the first revolution of the cam cylinder the said gate
will act on the butts of any needles which at that time are elevated and out of
action and will bring them down into action, causing the said needles to be moved
and take yarn to knit.

page_text: The length of the foot will be determined by the pin of the pattern wheel
which in its rotation will strike the dog and stop the machine, the said pattern
surface making but one rotation during each complete stocking.
The foot having been completed, the operator will again lift the gate and start
the machine as for heel work, and the cam cylinders will then be reciprocated until
a toe has been formed by narrowing and widening.
Should the machine be used for knitting socks or half hose, the operation up to
this point will be somewhat different, that is, the operator, preparatory to starting
the machine for sock work will raise the gate, and put the deflector, and groove-
closer and all the needles will then be brought upon the ledge in the same plane.
In this position of the needles, the loops of the rib top will be transferred as
described, or be put upon the hooks of the needles, and the operator will then
depress the groove-closer and put the deflector into position to act upon the butts
of the needles to carry them below the drawing-down surfaces, and knit the first
course into the rib top loops.
For this class of stocking, the pattern surface in so far as it acts to vary the
length of the stitches used in the leg, would not be required; but the machine
would be rotated to knit the leg of the stocking of the desired length, or to the
point to where the narrowing is to commence for the heel, when the knitting will
be stopped as desired.
From this point on throughout the production of the stocking the operation will
be the same for all hosiery.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machinery.
I, GEORGE DUNNING MAYO of Franklin in the County of Merrimack, in the
State of New Hampshire one of the United States of America, Manufacturer of
Knitting Machinery, 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 has for its object to improve that class of circular knitting
machines containing a series of vertically reciprocating needles and wherein the
cam cylinder may be rotated at times in the production of circular work, as when
the leg and foot of a stocking is being made, and be reciprocated at other times, as
when the narrowing and widening is being done in the production of heels and toes,
the needles not needed in narrowing and widening being, during the latter operation,
lifted or rendered inactive, the remaining needles being lifted in succession at
opposite ends of the series of needles being then used, until the narrowest course for
a heel or toe has been knitted, when the said needles, elevated as described for
narrowing are depressed in the proper time and order to perform the complementary
widening.
The machine herein to be described has been provided with novel mechanism by
which to automatically lift and to depress at proper times the endmost needles of
the series of needles used in heel and toe work, the said means consisting essentially
of elevators and depressors having co-operating latches and actuating devices for
the latter, whereby the elevators and depressors may be released to be moved into
action at the desired time.
These elevators and depressors, resembling fingers and pivoted outside the cam
cylinder, are extended through slots in the said cylinder and so located with relation
to the ledge on which the needle butts travel, that one or the other of them as

page_text: desired may be put into position to, in the movement of the cam cylinder, strike
against the endmost needle, say when narrowing is to be done, and automatically
lift the said needle to put it out of action.
As an elevator strikes the butt of a needle, it, by its pressure against the butt of
the needle, is lifted, carrying with it the needle, thus taking its butt into a higher
plane where it leaves it, and the elevator carried up by the butt of the needle is
locked by a latch, and remains locked until the said elevator is to be again released
to again pick up another needle, and so on.
The depressors are constructed in the same manner as the elevators and have the
same principle of operation, they merely taking needles down into knitting position
instead of lifting them from knitting position.
In the machine herein to be described about half of the needles have butts of one
length, and the remaining needles have butts of a different length, but the elevators
and depressors would work with butts of any length.
The shorter butted needles are those used in narrowing and widening, the longer
butted needles being those which are elevated or thrown out of action in a body
when it is desired to commence narrowing for the production of a heel or toe.
The machine has been provided with a gate by which to automatically and
quickly throw all these long-heeled needles up or into their inactive plane, or
vice versa, at will, the gate being controlled by hand.
The needle cylinder has at its upper end an extension which supports a ring, upon
which is mounted a cam ring which is made to travel in the direction of movement
of the cam cylinder, the said ring having a suitable groove to act upon lugs of a
series of jacks located between the needles to reciprocate the said jacks horizontally,
they resting upon or in grooves in the extension of the needle bed.
Between the needle cylinder and the cam cylinder there is a skeleton cylinder
through which the butts of the needles pass, and by which skeleton cylinder the
needles are prevented from twisting in their grooves, the butts of the needles outside
the skeleton cylinder being acted upon by the cams employed to reciprocate the
needles in knitting.
One part of this invention consists in the use in a knitting machine of the
following instrumentalities, viz.: a needle cylinder adapted to carry a series of
needles; a cam cylinder provided with suitable cams for reciprocating the needles
for knitting, and provided with a series of slots extending through the same from
its outer side to its inner side; a series of needle elevators and depressors pivoted
outside the cam cylinder and extended through the said slots, and adapted to engage
the needles at desired times; latches to co-operate with the said needle elevators
and depressors; and cam devices to automatically actuate the said latches, as will
be described.
+>
Also in the use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz.:-
a needle cylinder; a series of needles therein having butts of different length; a cam
cylinder provided with cams to actuate said needles; guide plates located above
said cams; and a gate adapted to raise automatically all the long-heeled needles to
be put out of action preparatory to narrowing, and to throw down after widening
and preparatory to circular work all the needles which are then elevated.
Also in the use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz. :-
a needle cylinder; a series of needles therein having butts of different length; a cam
cylinder provided with cams to actuate said needles; guide plates located above
said cams; a gate adapted to raise automatically all the long-heeled needles to be
put out of action preparatory to narrowing, and to throw down after widening and
preparatory to circular work all the needles which are then elevated; and an inter-
posed skeleton cylinder through which the butts of the needles are extended and by
which the needles are guided and prevented from twisting.
Also in the use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, vis. :-
a needle cylinder adapted to receive needles; a cam cylinder provided with stitch
cams; needle-elevating and depressing cams; latches to lock said elevating and
depressing cams out of operation when carried into that position by the needles

page_text: themselves as the latter are respectively raised or lowered thereby to be retired
from and to be returned into action; cam levers to operate said latches; and a cam
ring to control the said cam levers to put them into and out of position with relation
to pins or projections on the latches.
Also in the use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz. :-
a needle cylinder, and needles carried thereby; a cam cylinder provided with stitch
cams, and needle-elevating and depressing cams having fingers or hooks, the fingers
or hooks of the depressing cams being longer than those of the elevating cams;
latches to normally hold the said elevating and depressing cams in their inoperative
position; and devices through which the said cam cylinder may be reciprocated
whereby in the operation of the machine, the depressors may be made to return two
needles into action at each reciprocation of the cam cylinder, and the elevators to
carry one of said needles back out of action at the next reciprocation thereof in
the opposite direction, and so on during the widening operation.
Also in the combination with the main shaft adapted to not only rotate the cam
cylinder but also to oscillate the same at the desired time; of a clutch mechanism;
and means to actuate it, whereby the clutch when in engagement controls the
movement of the said main shaft for reciprocating knitting; and a safety device
to ensure the engagement of the clutch only at the proper time, as will be
described.
Also in the use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz. :-
a needle cylinder having a series of needles arranged in a circle; a cam cylinder
having cams for reciprocating the said needles for knitting; and needle-elevators
and depressors for retiring from and bringing back into operation successively the
needles employed during narrowing and widening operations; and latches for
holding the said needle-elevating and depressing cams out of action; cam levers
for co-operating with said latches to release them to return the said needle-elevating
and depressing cams into action at the required time; and means to put the said
cam levers into and out of operative position, as will be described.
Also, in a knitting machine, a surrounding ring grooved for the reception of
jacks; a needle cylinder; a series of horizontally-reciprocating jacks supported
thereby; a cam ring to act directly against and actuate the said jacks; and a ring
to overlap and hold down the inner ends of the jacks.
Also in a knitting machine, a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential ledge
in its interior, and having needle-operating surfaces located below said ledge; and
a deflector, and a groove-closer, the movement of which in one direction, as
downward, causes the deflector to depress the butts of the needles preparatory to
their being drawn down by the knitting cam, the movement of the deflector in the
other direction putting the groove-closer into position to close the needle groove,
as when it is. desired to raise all the needles to a determined inoperative level to
receive a top.
Also in a knitting machine a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential ledge
in its interior, and having needle-operating cam surfaces located wholly below such
ledge; and separate elevators and depressors located wholly above the said ledge,
substantially as will be described.
Also the combination with a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential ledge
in its interior, and with guide-plates located above the said ledge, of needles having
the heels or butts of different lengths; and a gate consisting of a plate having a
tapering groove at its face, the under walls of which are cut away to reduce their
height, whereby the longer heeled needles resting upon the ledge may be deflected
upward upon the guide plates, or when resting upon the guide-plates both, the
longer and shorter heeled needles may be deflected downward upon the ledge,
substantially as will be described.
Also in the use in a knitting machine, of a cam cylinder having a nearly annular
ledge on which rest the butts of the needles which are in action, and drawing-down
and needle-elevating surfaces located below said ledge and having a groove or space

page_text: between the said drawing-down surfaces and intersecting said ledge; a groove
closer located in said space, whereby by closing the said groove the butts of all the
needles below the said ledge may be retained thereon in the same plane, thus
placing the hooks of the needles all in the same horizontal plane for the reception
of a rib-top, as will be described.
Also in the use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities viz. :—
a needle cylinder containing a series of needles; a series of horizontally sliding jacks
mounted thereon; a cam ring for actuating the said jacks; a skeleton cylinder
through which the butts of the said needles are extended; and a cam cylinder
having a series of cams to actuate the said needles for knitting circular work,
substantially as will be described.
Preferably two, or it may be more needle cylinders will be put under the control
of a single set of pattern surfaces, it determining the direction, times, and duration
of movement of the cam cylinders and their co-operative parts, such provision
effecting a great saving in mechanical parts.
Means have also been provided whereby a pattern surface automatically controls
through suitable connections the vertical movement of the needle cylinder for the
purpose of lengthening and shortening the stitches.
Fig. 1, in front elevation shows a knitting machine embodying this invention, the
needle cylinder, the cam cylinder, and its co-operating parts being omitted, said
parts being however shewn separately in other figures on a larger scale.
Fig. 2, a sectional detail in line --Fig. 1, looking to the left of the take-up
mechanism to be referred to.
Fig. 24, a detail of the plate a" and safety device.
Fig. 3, a front elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of the machine shewn
in Fig. 1, to more clearly shew the pattern mechanisms.
Fig. 4 is a partial section and elevation to the right of a line indicated by a¹ in
Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a partial section and elevation to the left of said line 2¹, Fig. 1.
Fig. 54, a detail to be referred to.
Fig. 6, a rear elevation of a portion of the machine shewn in Fig. 1, with the
wheel a partially broken out, it shewing in elevation that portion of the machine
shewn in Fig. 5, the view being toward the left in that fig.
Fig. 7 is a top or plan view of the top-plate of the machine, the needle cylinders
and cam cylinders being omitted.
Fig. 8, a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the pattern devices employed for
controlling the length of tubular work.
Figs. 9 and 10 shew enlarged the pattern wheels a¹ and a", only part of the
teeth being shewn, however, on wheel a
Fig. 11, a detail on an enlarged scale of a part of the belt-shipper, and a locking
device therefor.
Fig. 114 is an end view of parts shewn by Fig. 11 looking to the left hand of
iine in that fig.
Fig. 12, a detail on an enlarged scale of a locking device for the clutch-rod_clo
which operates a clutch, the position of which determines whether the cam cylinder
shall be rotated or reciprocated.
Figs. 13 and 14, details on an enlarged scale of the take up mechanism.
Fig. 15 is a detail of the plate d².
Fig. 16, a vertical section taken through part of the machine chiefly to shew the
needle and cam cylinders and the guide base and curb removed from Figs. 1, 3, and 7.
Fig. 17 is a section below the line 2-z Fig. 16, but with the guide base and curb
omitted.
Fig. 17, details shewing the chambered hub of a needle elevator and its spring,
the hubs of the depressors being correspondingly made.
Fig. 18 shews in plan view a head mounted upon the top-plate, said figure also
shewing the cam ring and the latch operating cams or levers controlled thereby,

page_text: the latch-opener and part of the jack-operating cam ring being broken out to
shew the jacks beneath, the figure shewing by dotted lines the shape of the cam
groove for actuating the jacks.
Figs. 19 and 20 are respectively opposite ont ile elevations yet further enlarged
of the cam cylinder removed from the machine with its attached latch-opener, said
figs. shewing the depressing and elevating cams and their latches.
Fig. 21 by full lines shews a developed view of the interior of the cam cylinder
with the cams and movable parts attached thereto, in the position they will occupy
when circular work is being done, and by simply elevating the groove- closer and
deflector into their dotted line position the said figure would shew the said parts in
the position which they will occupy when the needles are to have their butts all put
into the same plane in order that a rib-top may be transferred upon the hooks of the
needles, the needle elevators and depressors being in their inoperative positions.
Fig. 22 is a like view shewing the positions of the parts at the interior of
the cam cylinder preparatory to making the first reciprocation in the direction of
the arrow thereon for narrowing, the gate being turned down to run up or put out
of action the long heeled needles.
Fig. 23 represents the positions of the same parts at the end of the first recipro-
cation in narrowing, both elevators being then down in position to raise a needle at
each end of the series of short heeled or butted needles.
Fig. 24 indicates the positions of the said parts at the end of the second stroke
or reciprocation in narrowing, the elevator at the right being then held up, and the
elevator at the left being then down in position to act and lift a short-heeled
needle during the third stroke of the cam cylinder in the direction of the arrow in
said figure. The position of the parts at the middle of this third stroke will be the
same as in Fig. 22 as at that time both elevators will have acted to raise a short-
heeled needle from the opposite ends of the series of short-heeled needles, the
elevator at the right having been raised with a needle at the beginning of the second
stroke, the elevator at the left having been raised with a needle at the beginning of the
third stroke, and at the end of the third stroke both elevators will have been released
and put into the position Fig. 23 to repeat the above indicated operation during the
remainder of the narrowing, both the said elevators being released one after the
other in succession near the end of each reciprocation of the cam cylinder in
the direction in which it moves when circular knitting is being done.
Fig. 25 shews the positions of the same parts at the beginning of the first stroke
or reciprocation in widening, the depressor at the right being represented as having
been released to engage the butts of the two endmost short-heeled needles next to
it in the direction of its movement, said needles to be so engaged being next those
used in the shortest course in the heel, and at the end of the first course in widening
the parts will be in the position shewn in Fig. 24.
Fig. 26 shews the position of the said parts at the beginning of the second course
in widening, the cam cylinder then moving in the direction of the arrow thereon,
the elevators being in the position shewn in Fig. 24, with the depressor at the left
released and lifted to engage the butts of the two endmost short-heeled needles then
elevated and nearest it in the direction of rotation of said cam cylinder. The
position of the parts at the middle of this second stroke will be the same as in
Fig. 22, and at the end of the said stroke as in Fig. 23. The depressors are not
released until after the commencement of their acting stroke, but the elevators are
both released at each reciprocation of the cam cylinder in the direction of the
arrow Fig. 22. On the third in widening the parts will again be as shown in
Fig. 25. The elevators act in the same way in both narrowing and widening, they
raising each one needle at each end of the acting series of short-heeled needles after
the first stroke, while the depressors having longer hooks act to engage the butts of
two of the short-heeled needles and lower them at each reciprocation in widening.
As the depressors have fingers longer than the elevators, they are enabled to
engage the butts of two needles, while the elevators engage but one.
Figs. 27 and 28 shew the latch operating cams or levers in detail.
'

page_text: Fig. 29 in perspective shews the gate detached.
Fig. 30, a detail shewing the butt of a needle in engagement with an elevator,
the latter having been pushed nearly up, the butt being about to be left on the
guide block.
Referring to the drawings, A, A¹ represents the chief parts of the framework of
the machine.
In practice the top-plate A of the machine will have two holes or openings
for the reception of two curbs 100, extending downwardly therein from a guide-
plate 101, (see Fig. 16).
Each curb referred to receives within it a needle cylinder a³, it having an
extension top a connected to it by a screw 54.
The part a' of the needle cylinder has a ledge aº, upon which rests a ring a³,
the exterior part of which is grooved annularly to receive segmental blocks 102
extended through the jack-operating cam ring a into the said annular groove, so
that the said jack-operating ring may be rotated by the upright arm 104 of the
cam cylinder, the said ring having two like projections 105, see Fig. 18, in which
are inserted regulating screws 106 which are acted upon by the said upright 104,
one when the cam cylinder is moved in one direction and the other when the cam
cylinder is moved in the opposite direction, thus enabling the apices of the cam
for moving the jacks and of the knitting cams to be put in the proper relative
positions during the knitting operation, as is necessary in machines using jacks,
there being more or less lost motion between the cam ring a" and the cam cylinder
during the changes in reciprocating knitting.
The arms 104 and 107 rising from the cam cylinder, support a latch-opener 108,
represented as an annulus, and shewn in operative position in Figs. 16, 19 and 20.
The upper end of the portion a' of the needle cylinder and of the surrounding
ring a is slotted radially to provide grooves for the reception of the jacks a
which, as represented, have nibs a immediately at their outer ends and
tongues 110 at their inner ends, the tongues being overlapped by a ring 112, the
latter aiding in keeping the jacks down in working position and also supporting the
work as it hangs from-the needle.
The shape of the cam groove in the jack-operating ring a" is shewn by dotted
lines in Fig. 18, and in circular knitting the apex of the cam for moving the jacks
is so located with relation to the drawing-down surfaces as to pull the jacks out as
the needles commence their descent, the groove of the jack-operating cam ring
pushing the jacks in preparatory to the rising of the needles, as usual in machines
using jacks.
It will be noticed in Fig. 16 that, owing to the shape of the jacks at their outer
ends and of the cam ring for moving them, the jacks are acted upon directly at
their outer ends, so that the power exerted to move them is a direct thrust, thus
obviating twisting strains on the jack and ensuring their better and steadier
operation, the construction shown enabling a very short jack to be used instead of
long jacks as heretofore.
The lower end of the needle cylinder has inclined or cam-shaped notches which
rest upon inclined or cam-faced projections of a needle cylinder supporting
ring, resting upon a flange 113 at the lower end of the curb 100, the said
ring- having an arm * extended outwardly for a purpose to be described.
By moving the ring in one or the other direction the needle cylinder may be
elevated or depressed with relation to the cam ring a¹ to thus regulate the length
of the loops drawn by the needles, the shorter the loop the closer the knitting and
the smaller the diameter of the fabric.
When knitting the upper part of the leg of the stocking the needle cylinder will
be in its higher position and the stitch will be long, but when knitting a portion of
the stocking at or below the calf of the leg, the cylinder will be lowered to make
shorter stitches, and again when narrowing and widening is being done the
cylinder will be elevated, for at that time in practice a thickening thread will be
added in some well known manner to the main thread to splice the heel or toe. - "^

page_text: A skeleton cylinder a³ is interposed between the cam cylinder a¹ and the needle
cylinder.
This skeleton cylinder is composed essentially of a series of upright thin flat
bars confined in annular position by a ring 117 having suitable slots to receive the
upper ends of the said bars.
In practice the needles employed will be of two kinds, viz:-those marked 119
will have short heels or butts while those marked 120 will have longer heels or
butts, the said heels or butts being extended outwardly through the said skeleton
cylinder and resting upon the cam ledge 121, the shape of which is best shewn in
Figs. 21 to 26.
The uprights 104 and 107, connected to the cam cylinder by suitable screws 122,
see Figs. 19 and 20, have like ears 123 and 124.
The ears 123 have mounted upon them by like pivot-screws the needle-
depressors 125 and 126, the outer or hub ends of the depressors and elevators
being chambered in like manner to receive suitable coiled springs 127, see Fig. 17^,
one end of each of which springs is connected to the depressor or to the elevator,
the other end of the spring being connected to one of the ears, so that the said
springs normally act to throw the inner ends of the depressors or elevators into
operative position.
The ears 124, see Fig. 20, support by like pivots like elevators 128 and 129,
having at their pivotal points springs such as described.
The pivots for the elevators and depressors referred to are outside the cam
cylinder, and the latter is slotted so that the inner or acting ends of the said
elevators and depressors may pass through the cam cylinder in order that their
operative ends, provided with suitable shoulders or fingers, may come into position
to engage the butts of the needles, the fingers of the depressors being shown as
longer than those of the elevators in order that the depressors may take down two
needles, the elevators taking up one.
The upright 104 has pivoted upon it at 130 and 131 spring-controlled-latches 132
and 133 provided respectively with pins or projections 134 and 135.
The upright 107 at the opposite side of the machine has pivoted upon it at 136
and 137 latches 138 and 139, spring-controlled and provided with pins or
projections 140 and 141.
The springs of the latches normally act to move them into such position as to
hold out of action the elevators and depressors with which they co-operate, and
whenever the latches are tripped or turned about their pivots against their springs
by devices to be described, they release the elevators and depressors each in its
proper time and order to let the inner ends thereof come into operative position
with relation to the butts of the short-heeled needles.
The cam cylinder has usual beveled teeth a at its lower end to be engaged and
rotated by the bevel toothed wheels A' and Ax secured to short shafts in hearings
on the frame-work, said wheels A', Ax being engaged and rotated by like gears A®
on the shaft a, as when the said shaft is rotated; or the said cylinder is
reciprocated as the said shaft is oscillated or rotated backward and forward as will
be described.
The cam cylinder is kept down in position upon the guide part 101 by means of
a ring 142, secured in place by suitable screws 143.
Outside this ring the guide 101 is shouldered to receive a cam-carrier, shewn as
a ring and marked ", it being provided with two cams 144 and 145, shewn best
in Fig. 18.
The guide 101 has pivoted upon it in suitable manner two latch-operating cams
or levers 146 and 147.
The upper surface of the latch-operating cam 147 is V-shaped, as best shewn in
Fig. 28, or in other words, it has two acting faces oppositely inclined.
The latch operating cam 146 shewn separately in Fig. 27, is of peculiar con-
struction, that is, it has a cam portion 148 and another cam portion 149 oppositely
inclined, one being located however somewhat back of, and somewhat higher than

page_text: the other so as to be engaged respectively by the studs 134 and 135 of the
latches 132 and 133 employed in connection with the depressors 125 and 126, that
one of the said studs 134 connected with the latch 132 being shorter and being
located in a somewhat lower plane than the stud 135 of the latch 133.
Both of these latch-operating cams are held by the cams 144 and 145 out of
operative position, as in Fig. 18, when circular knitting is being done, but when
narrowing is being done the latch-operating cam or lever 147 is permitted to come
into operative position, and thereafter when widening is to be done the latch-
operating cam or lever 146 is also put into operative position, like springs g,
(see Fig. 3) acting to keep the said levers 147 and 146 pressed toward the cams 144
and 145.
Referring now to the cam cylinder, it will be noticed that it has at its interior a
circumferential ledge 121, upon which rests the butts of the needles 119 and 120,
when the latter are in their normal positions.
The interior of the cam cylinder is also provided above said ledge with guide-
plates 150, 151 and 152, above and below which the butts of the needles may be
carried as they are retired respectively from or brought back into operative position.
The hooked inner ends of the elevators 128 and 129 and the depressors 125
and 126 are during circular work out of operative position, they being thus held by
the latches referred to, but when narrowing and widening is being done the latches
are moved to release the elevators and depressors and permit them to come into
operative position and enable their free or hooked ends to come into line with the
butts of the needles in the proper time and order.
The interior of the cam cylinder is provided with a recess 153 just above the
ledge 121 to receive a gate 154, by means of which the long-heeled needles 120 or
those not concerned in narrowing and widening may in a body be retired from
action, the said gate at a subsequent time being adapted to return the said needles
into operative position and also all the short-butted needles 119 which may have
been elevated in narrowing.
This gate in its preferred form consists essentially of a body having at its inner
face a longitudinal groove, see Figs. 22 to 26 and Fig. 29, extended from end to end
thereof and tapering gradually from its outer to its inner end, one of the walls
constituting the said groove,-viz. :- the under one, being cut away to such an
extent as to permit it to engage merely with the long-heeled needles, while the
upper wall, extended out further toward the needle cylinder, is adapted to engage
not only the long-heeled needles but the short-heeled needles as well to pull them
from their elevated position down to the ledge 121.
This gate 154 forms part of a shaft or pivot 155, see Fig. 29 extended out
through the cam cylinder and through a sleeve 166 thereon, where it is provided
with a milled head or nut 155* (see Figs. 17, 19 and 20) which may be engaged by
the operator when it is desired to move the gate into one or its other position; as
for instance as in Fig. 23 to elevate all the long-heeled needles as when it is desired
to retire them from operation preparatory to narrowing, said gate at such time
engaging only the butts of the long-heeled needles and lifting them above the
plane occupied by the upper sides of the guide-plates 150 thus putting the said
needles out of action.
By simply turning the gate into the position shewn in Fig. 21, so that the outer
end of its groove will be brought into line with the butts of the elevated needles,
all the elevated needles no matter what the length of their butts may be made to
travel down to the ledge 121.
This is always done after the completion of a heel or toe.
The means employed for reciprocating the needles for knitting and for bringing
their butts into the proper position for the work to be done are best shown in
Figs. 21 and 24.
These figures for the purpose of reciprocating the needles show drawing down
surfaces 160, 161, and elevating surfaces 162 and 168, they forming parts of the
cam cylinder in usual manner.

page_text: Between the drawing down surfaces 160 and 161 is a groove or space in which is
located a carriage 164 having a deflector 165 and a needle groove-closer 166.
The carriage 164 referred to has connected with it a knob 167, see Figs. 18
and 20, which is extended outwardly through a slot 168 in the cam cylinder and
the upright 107, a suitable device, herein shown as a hook 169 connected loosely to
the said stud, being employed to retain the said carriage either in its elevated
position, as shown in Fig. 21, by full lines, or in its depressed position, as shown in
Figs. 20 and 22, Fig. 20 showing a projection on the hook 169 as engaging the
underside of a fixed pin 170, a suitable spring 171 ensuring the said engagement.
When the carriage is depressed, as represented in Figs. 22 to 26 which is its
position when knitting is being done, then the deflector, as it strikes each needle
butt, pushes the said needle down so that its butt is caught by one of the drawing
down surfaces 160 or 161, which completes the drawing down of the needle, so that
it takes a new loop through an old loop upon the shank of the needle, and then the
butt of the needle strikes one of the elevating surfaces 162 or 163, which elevates
the needle, the butt of the needle passing in its movement under and elevating one
of the switch points 172 or 178.
The switch points 172 and 173 are normally kept closed in usual manner,
preferably by some sort of a spring around their pivots, so that the butts of the
needles during the movement of the cam cylinder will not be caught under the free
ends of the switch points.
When the hooks of all the needles are to be brought into the same horizontal
plane to receive the loops of a rib top, said loops being contained on a suitable
transferrer, which may be substantially such as represented in Letters Patent
No. 3411 dated August 25th 1879 then the carriage will be lifted into the dotted
line position Fig. 21, causing the groove closer 166 to close the space between the
drawing-down surfaces 160 and 161, so that the needles elevated above the top of
the ledge 121, which is their highest point in knitting will not again be carried
down below that level so long as the groove is closed, but the loops held on the
points of the transferrer having been transferred upon the said needles, the
deflector will be pushed down and knitting will take place as usual when the machine
is started.
The latch opener, see Fig. 20, is provided with a hole 174 which constitutes a
yarn guide.
The dotted line 175 Fig. 16 shows the path of the hooks of the needles in
knitting or in their movements to take yarn from the yarn guide and knit the same
into a fabric.
The frame-work has proper bearings for two short shafts A, A, (see Fig. 1)
each rotated independently of the other, the shaft A' having a fast pulley a", and
the shaft A a fast pulley a by which each may be belted to any proper counter-
shaft and be driven.
The shaft A has an attached fast pulley a", which in practice will be belted by
a belt a shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1, with and so as to rotate either a loose
pulley
a&
or a fast pulley a" on the shaft a having suitable bearings in the
frame-work.
connected with
The shaft A has at one end a cranke, which by a link
a segmental gear and pivoted at e, continuously oscillates a toothed pinion eo,
mounted loosely on the shaft as, the said pinion having a projecting pin ", which
may be made to enter a hole 10 shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 2 in a plate or
disk loosely splined upon the said shaft, the hub of said disk having an annular
groove, which is entered by suitable pins or projections e" of an arm o³, the hub o¹9
of which is fast upon a clutch-rod to be described.
The gear and the plate constitute a clutch, so that whenever the plate
is moved laterally upon the shaft a to engage the pin of the continuously-
oscillating gear c, then and only then the shaft a will be oscillated to effect the
reciprocating movements of the cam cylinder, as will be described, and during this
time the belt a will be upon the loose pulley a before referred to; but when

page_text: circular knitting is being done, as in the production of legs and feet, then the said
clutch will be disengaged or in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the belt at will be
on the fast pulley a, the cam cylinder then being rotated.
The plate has a safety device " made as a pawl, pivoted at one end_and
provided with a beveled projections, the said safety device being adapted to
swing between stops shown as pins arranged at each side of it in the plate. In
this machine the engagement of the clutch parts referred to for reciprocal knitting
must be made while the gear co is moving in the direction of the rotation of the
shaft a when rotary knitting is being done, and this engagement is effected to a
certainty by the safety device. In operation when the gear e is to be made the
driver for the shaft a", the shipper rod is actuated to pull the plate of toward
the said gear, and the face of the said safety device strikes the pin co. Now
if the gear at the time of its contact with the said pin is travelling in the same
direction as the rotation of the shaft a", then the pin hits against the right
hand end, see Fig. 24, of the safety device, and swings it over to the left to uncover
the hole and let the pin enter it, but on the contrary, if the direction of move-
ment of the gear 10 and its pin when it meets the safety device is such as to meet
the inclined side of the safety device, or the left hand side viewing Fig. 24, then
the safety device is turned about its pivot to cover the hole 10, and the pin c
passes up said incline and off the safety device, but at its next movement in the
opposite direction, the said pin e, as before described, strikes the safety device and
uncovers the hole 10 and lets the pin o enter the hole 10.
The shaft as has fast upon it two like gears A", which engage the peripheral
teeth of and rotate two like bevel toothed gears A', A, the said gears by
their bevel teeth each engaging with like teeth a at the lower ends of the cam
cylinders and moving the said cam cylinders as required, according to the work to
be done.
It will be understood that in the machine herein represented two cam cylinders
and two needle cylinders and their contained parts will be used, each needle
cylinder being suitably supported in independent openings, as A, A" in the
bed A, see Fig. 7, the needle and cam cylinders being however omitted from said
fig. to avoid confusion.
Fig. 7 of the drawing shows two like cam rings *, joined together by a con-
necting rod d³, so that the said rings may be operated in unison in order that the
pattern mechanism to be described may, when it actuates one cam ring **, actuate
the other at the same time.
The shaft a has fast on it a worm a in mesh with a worm-toothed gear a", see
Fig. 5, loose on a shaft a", it having, as represented, bearings in a sleeve or hub a",
secured to or forming part of a bracket a" fastened to the frame-work of the
machine.
The shaft a constitutes the operating shaft for the pattern mechanism for
controlling the length of circular work, and also the length of the stitches, which
stitches are varied in the leg to fashion or shape the same.
The shaft a" has fast on it a pinion a" This pattern mechanism consists
essentially of two gears a¹, a, mounted side by side on the shaft a", the gear a"
being fast and the gear ao loose, and a toothed arm a", see Figs. 8, 9 and 10,
located between the said gears.
The toothed arm a" is also loose on the shaft, but is secured adjustably, preferably
to the loose gear 4, by a suitable clamping device, herein represented as a plate e
and a screw e, the plate e' resting against one side of the said gear and the arm
against its other side, the screw enabling the clamp to be held with more or less
force upon the said wheel.
The gears a" and a will have their teeth cut away for a short distance, as
represented at 2 and 3 in Figs. 9 and 10.
The gear a", see Fig. 9, has a pin a" at its front side next the gear a", and the
gear a has a pin or projection a at its rear side next the gear a".
The arm a having a shoulder a shown by dotted lines, is made adjustable on
'

page_text: or with relation to the loose gear a, so as to make the distance between the said
shoulder and the pin a more or less according to the length required for the leg,
the extent of the space between said shoulder and pin determining the time that
the fast gear a", which rotates the pattern surface a, may remain at rest, it in
practice remaining at rest while the longer stitches of the leg are being knitted.
The studs or projections a", a are of such length and so located as to engage
one with the other at the proper times.
.
The shaft a" has fast upon it a cam plate a*, see Figs. 5 and 5ª, to which is
adjustably secured a disk a, the said disk being provided, as represented, with a
curved slot a, see Figs. 1 and 3, through which projects a screw a", by means of
which the said disk may be held upon the cam plate a* in adjusted position, the plate
and disk constituting a pattern surface.
The disk a has, as represented, a second curved slot a, in which is adjustably
secured a pin or screw a.
The cam plate a* has also extended from it in the same direction a stationary
pin or stud a, see Fig. 5^ and also dotted lines, Fig. 3.
The studs or pins a, a constitute releasing devices. for the belt shipper, as
will be described, whereby the belt may be shipped from the fast pulley a³ to the
loose pulley a
The belt shipper, as herein shown, consists of a hub b, see Figs. 4, 6, and 11, fast
on a shipper-rod b, as by a set screw 6*, and provided with forked arms 6 to
embrace the driving belt.
The shipper-rod is provided at one end with a shipper handle 63, see Fig. 1, the
said handle being connected by a strap or cord 6 to a rod 6' secured to a foot
treadle, the said strap passing preferably over a roller b².
The shipper-rod & has fast on it by a set screw 6 a collar 68, see Fig. 11, the
latter being provided with a lug 60, see Fig. 4, in which is pivoted an elbow-shaped
lever, having two arms 61, 6, the arms 6 being notched to form a hook or
latch 6 to engage a lug secured to or forming part of the bracket a", see
Fig. 5, when the shipper rod has been moved to place the driving belt a" on the
fast pulley a
The arm 6 has pivoted upon it a dog 61, see Figs. 11 and 114, provided with
an ear 6 having a screw 68 provided with a set-nut 61, so that the said screw may
be retained in adjusted position, the adjustment of the said screw enabling the
machine to be stopped at any part of the revolution.
The arm 6 has an extension or toe 6, against which the screw 618 strikes when
the dog is lifted by the pins or projections a", a respectively on the disk a" and
cam a*, as will be described, the said toe thus forming a back-stop for the dog.
The downward movement of the dog is limited by a shoulder of the dog striking
the arm 6".
The shipper-rod 6' is surrounded by a spring 6", which normally acts to place
the driving belt a on the loose pulley whenever the latch 64 is disengaged from
the projection 6, as will be described.
The shaft a" has fast on it a ratchet wheel 64, see Figs. 1 and 5, provided with
a sleeve ", see Fig. 5, to receive a headed pin or rod 6, the inner end of which
974
may be made to enter one of a series of holes 6 in the worm toothed gear
before described, thus locking the ratchet wheel to the said gear, see Figs. 1
and 3.
The clutch-rod c¹, see Figs. 1, 3, and 12, is surrounded by a spring c“, which
normally acts to disengage the two parts co, co of the clutch used to oscillate the
shaft during reciprocating knitting.
When the shaft as is being oscillated or rocked backward and forward during
reciprocating knitting, the worm a" thereon, by its engagement with the worm
gear a", oscillates that gear and the ratchet wheel 6 so that a tooth of the said
ratchet wheel, in engagement with a pawl cls, raises and lowers a lever c" which,
by its action on a rod e extended from a suitable guide c", see Figs. 3 and 4,
D

page_text: reciprocates the said rod and causes the pawl carried thereby and in engagement
with a ratchet wheel ", to rotate the said ratchet wheel intermittingly.
The pawl is kept in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring o",
Bee Fig. 4.
The ratchet wheel has secured to or forming part of it a pattern wheel
or disk which, in its operation, determines the number of courses for the
narrowing and widening, and when the said narrowing shall cease and the widening
commence.
The pattern wheel c³ is herein represented as provided with a pin or projec-
tion, see Fig. 4, and at a point substantially diametrically opposite with a lug
or projection
The detent prevents retrograde motion of the pattern surface c³³.
The pin operates as will be described to disengage the clutch hub or collar c
from the pinion 10 on the shaft a; and the lug c determines the stopping of the
narrowing and the commencing of the widening.
In the narrowing of the fabric for the formation of a heel or toe, only a portion
of the needles in the needle cylinder will be used, viz. ;-the needles having short
heels while the other or long-heeled needles at such time will be lifted or thrown
ont of action.
The cam rings * are connected by a rod d³, provided with a hub d, see Figs. 3,
5, and 7, having a pin d which projects through a hole or opening in the top
plate A, see Figs. 7 and 15, said pin being adapted to engage one of a series of
notches or shoulders 10, 12 of a plate d', and a shoulder 13, constituted as shown
by one side of the opening do, the said plate being secured to the plate A.
The hub is loose on the bar ds between the collars do, do fast on said bar, the
collar d³ having, as shown, a handle do by which the bar may be moved horizontally,
or in the direction indicated by the arrow 40,. Fig. 7, a spring d secured to the
plate A by a suitable screw or device d", acting upon the pin d to move the bar in
the opposite direction to keep the said pin in engagement with one or the other of
the notches or shoulders referred to.
When circular work is being done, the pin d³ engages the notch 10, see Fig. 15,
and the ring will then be put in such position that it will hold out of operative
position the devices which move the latches, as provided for in the said application,
so that at such time the needle-elevators and depressors for putting out of action
and bringing into action the needles, are restrained from operation.
When, however, the cam rings are to be put into position to enable the
devices for actuating the latches which control the needle elevating and depressing
devices for narrowing and widening, to come into operation, then the bar d³ will be
so moved that the pin d will stand against the notch 12.
This first movement of the bard to disengage the pin d³ from the notch 10,
and let it engage the notch 12 and move the cam ring, is effected when the hand
lever is moved to effect the engagement of the clutch for oscillating the
shaft a, as at such time the inclined finger d", see Figs. 5 and 12, of an arm d
secured to or forming part of the clutch rod c, acts on the pin and rocks the
hub & outwardly sufficiently to disengage the said pin from the notch 10 and
permit the spring ds, acting on the pin d', to carry the pin against the notch 12,
where the pin remains until the narrowing of the fabric has been completed.
When the narrowing is completed the projection c", carried by the pattern
wheel-moved step by step at each reciprocation in one direction of the
shaft A', strikes the pin do, and moves it from the notch 12 so that the spring d
again acts to move the bar d' until the pin abuts against the shoulder 13.
At this time the cam rings, by their position, permit to como into operation
the devices which lower in succession the short-heeled needles for widening.
When the widening of the fabric has been completed for the production of a
heel, the reciprocating motion of the shaft as and of the machine is stopped by
means of the stud or pin on the pattern wheel striking a lug or finger (0,

page_text: see Figs. 5 and 12, on an arm dª, secured to or forming part of a sleeve d", loose
on the clutch-rod c¹º.
The pin strikes the finger d and carries the arm & forward or to the right
in Fig. 5, and rocks the sleeved on the rod eo until a second arm d² strikes a lug
or pin d on a lever d, pivoted as at de to the frame-work of the machine, and
lifts the inner end of said lever from between the hub d and the bearing for
the said rod, and into the position Fig. 12, and as soon as this has been done, the
spring on the rod c forces the latter in the direction of the arrow 51, see Fig. 1,
effecting the disengagement of the clutch referred to, to thus stop the reciprocating
motions of the shaft a".
When the said clutch is disengaged, as described, the lever d rests on the
hub , as in Fig. 12, but when the clutch is engaged, then the lever rests between
the hub and the bearing do, and the lever then acts as a locking device to keep the
clutch closed.
When the lever is actuated to release the clutch and stop the oscillatory
motion of the shaft a, knitting is stopped, and at such time the operator will turn
the gate into position to pull down into working position all the long heeled needles
which were rendered inoperative for heel work.
Thereafter the operator will, by putting his foot upon the treadle 6º, slide the
shipper-rod to place the belt a" on the fast pulley, and start the rotation of the
cam cylinders.
The lever has an outwardly-extended arm, see Figs. 3 and 5, adapted to be
engaged by hand when it is desired to stop the machine, the said lever constituting
a controlling device for the shipper-rod 6¹, as by moving the said lever the latch
may be disengaged from the lug.
The inner end of the lever ds, held down normally by a spring d", supports an
arm, connected to a rod d, see Fig. 5, which rod is extended down through &
guided, secured to or forming part of the bracket a", the lower end of the said
rod being provided with a loop or eye d, through which is extended the pawl or
latch 6, see Fig. 11, when said pawl engages the lug 6.
The rod d is held down by a spring ", which normally keeps it in its lower
position with the arm on the lever ds and the loop d clear of the pawl or
latch 4.
In this way, by movement of the arm d", the shipper rod may be released to
allow its spring to shift the belt from the fast to the loose pulley.
The length of circular work knitted by the machine may be controlled by the
gears a, a in the following manner.
When the machine is about to commence knitting circular work, as for instance
the leg of a stocking, the knitting being commenced at the top of the stocking
where the loops are the longest, the loose gear a, see Fig. 9, will have its smooth
or toothless portion 3 immediately over the pinion a, and the teeth of the gear a¹
fast on the shaft a" carrying the pattern disk a" will be in mesh with the said
pinion.
In this condition, the shoulder a" of the arm a", see Fig. 8, will stand at a short
distance back of the pin a", shown by dotted lines, of the fast gear a", and the
pin a" of the loose gear stands at some distance ahead of the said pin a* in the
direction of rotation of the said gears.
Now, when the machine is set in operation by shifting the belt from the loose
pulley a to the fast pulley a to commence circular knitting, the pinion a" will
start and rotate the gear a" in the direction indicated by the arrow 100x, Figs. 8,
9, and 10, and in the rotation of the said gear the pin or stud a carried by it will,
after a time, engage the pin or stud a" on the loose gear a, and the fast gear a
will thereafter carry the loose gear a with it for a short distance until the smooth
or toothless portion 3 of the said loose gear is removed from above, and its toothed
part is put into engagement with the teeth of the pinion a".
After this both gears are revolved by the pinion a with the two pins in contact
until, in the rotation of the fast gear a³, its smooth or toothless portion 2 is brought

page_text: to its lower side, as in Fig. 6 at which time the rotation of the fast gear, and
consequently of the shaft and pattern disk a", is stopped and the said parts remain
stationary, but the shaft a still continues to revolve and the machine to knit
circular work.
While the fast gear as is thus stationary, the loose gear a continues to be 5
revolved by the pinion a" until the shoulder of the arm a strikes the pin a" on
the fast gear a", which thus starts the said fast gear and rotates it with the said
loose gear until the teeth of the fast gear are again brought into engagement with
the pinion a".
Both gears now continue to revolve, until the smooth or toothless portion 3 of 1
the loose gear a is again brought to the lower side opposite the pinion a", when
the rotation of the loose gear is again stopped, but the fast gear a continues to be
revolved for a short distance until the pin a on the cam disk a* engages the arm
or dog 6" and disengages the latch, 6, thus permitting the spring to shift the
belt into position on the loose pulley and stop the machine, circular knitting for
the foot of the stocking having been completed, the roll at that time resting on
the shoulder 60 of the disk a*, the roll being shown by full lines, Fig. 5ª.
The arm a may have one or more teeth, and its teeth, of whatever number, will
be set in line with the teeth of the loose gear, and the pin a carried by the fast
gear will be so set with relation to the teeth of the gears that when the pin a" is 2
struck by the said arm, the teeth of the fast and loose gears will be in line, or will
register so that they may come each properly into engagement or mesh with the
teeth of the pinion a
In the formation of a stocking it is necessary to stop the machine and suspend
circular knitting at the completion of the leg portion, and this is effected by the 2
adjustable stud or pin a" on the disk a, it then acting on the arm or dog 61 to
release the shipper rod b', the gears a" and a at such time occupying an inter-
mediate position, or a position between their starting and finishing positions, the
gears being in such relation to the pinion as that at least one of them will be in
engagement with the said pinion and ready to be revolved when the shipper rod 613
is again moved to shift the belt upon the fast pulley a" for the production of
circular work.
The length of the foot portion of the stocking may be regulated by the adjust-
ment of the pin or stud a" on the pattern disk or wheel a, toward or from the
stud a*.
Each of the fast and loose gears a1, a20 will have co-operating with it a like
retarding device, shewn in Fig. 6 as a dog or pawle acted upon by a spring e*.
The pattern cam a serves the purpose of regulating the length of stitch for the
tubular parts of the leg, and in so doing, the cam-shaped periphery thereof and of
the plate a* act on a roller f, see Fig. 4, at the end of a lever f', pivoted to the
frame-work of the machine at 4, see Fig. 3, the other end of the said lever being
forked to embrace a rod fa, having at its end a collar f4 (see Fig. 3) provided with
a suitable projection to enter loosely a hole in the outer end of the arm /**, fast
on the cam ring 7" before referred to.
When the roll f rests upon the portion 60 of the cam a-ax, then the cam
projection of the cam ring h" rests upon an inclined portion of the lower end of
the needle cylinder at such a point as to place the top of the cylinder in a more or
less elevated position, according to the length of the stitch desired for commencing
the stocking, and during the rotation of the pattern cam, the cam ring h" will be
gradually rotated in the direction of the arrow near it in Fig. 16, to thus enable
the needle cylinder to descend by gravity, thus shortening the stitch and con-
tracting the diameter of the stocking where it is desired to make the leg of less
diameter.
When heel and toe work is being done, the stitch should be long, as when the toe
is commenced and to ensure the long stitches during narrowing and widening we t
have devised a lever f, which is pivoted at f to the under side of the bed plate A
of the machine, and the inner end of this lever is connected by a link f', see dotted

page_text: lines Fig. 7, to the clutch-rod co, so that when the latter rod is moved it catches
the lever, causing its forked opposite end resting against the collar f³, to move
the rod and turn the cam ring in a direction to raise the needle cylinder.
The cam ring " constitutes what will be hereinafter denominated as the needle
cylinder-support or adjuster.
Sometimes, owing to accident to the yarn, it becomes necessary to stop the
machine after the stocking has been started, and then before again starting the
machine the pin a will be withdrawn and the ratchet wheel will be turned
back opposite the direction of the arrow 21 until the pattern disk a" is again put
into starting position.
I will now refer to the take-up for controlling the slack in the yarn during
reciprocating knitting.
In Fig. 1, represents a rod fast to a part of the machine and extended up over
the machine at h².
This rod has clamped upon it the rear end of an arm A, provided with bearings
for a shaft located at right angles to the arm, and near the front side of the
machine.
The arm is provided with collars, shewn best in Figs. 13 and 14, Fig. 14
being a section of Fig. 13 in the line looking to the left, and these ears have
pivoted between them on a suitable pin a block 7, through a hole in which is
extended a guide-rod A, the front end of which is extended down in front of the
end of the arm h³ and is provided with an eye / through which the yarn is
passed.
The rod referred to lies between two upright arms or pins 4, secured to or rising
from the arm h³.
At the underside of the arm ³ is a plate ", and below it a disk 1, which is
adapted to slide vertically on a pin 4, the disk being acted upon by a spiral
spring surrounding said pin and resting against a nut " screwed upon the lower
end of the pin ¹³.
The disk his acted upon by a lever ", pivoted at 18, the rear end of the said
lever being connected by a link with a rod hº.
The lever has preferably a hole at one end through which the link is
extended, and the latter below the lever has an enlarged portion or eye ³, see
Fig. 14, to act as a stop or rest for that end of the lever h
The block A, see Figs. 13 and 14, has fast to it one end of a spring 4 (Fig. 13)
the other end of which is connected, see Fig. 2, to a rod h³, made adjustable in a
post carried by the arm /*.
The shaft has fast on it a hub having an arm ", which co-operates with a
pin or projection * on the block /'.
The shaft has also fast on it an arm 25, connected by a link 4*, see Figs. 1, 3,
and 13, jointed at its lower end to a lever h", pivoted in turn at its lower end upon
an ear of the plate d' before described, see Figs. and 15.
The lever has a curved slot ", into which enters a stud h³, herein represented
as forming part of a collar 6º, before described.
When the link is depressed or pulled downward, the arm " retires from the
pin of the block h', and allows the spring h" to move and raise the outer end 4°
of the rod to take up the slack in the yarn.
Figs. 1 and 2 shew the parts in the position for circular work.
When the work is to be varied, the clutch-rod co is moved by the lever c" and
the stud on the collar d travels in the slide 4 of the lever h", turning the latter
to depress the link and rock the shaft to turn the arm h away from the
projection, thus permitting the rod 48 to rise and take up the slack in the yarn.
As the lever is moved to let the rod he rise, the stop or head of the
link is removed from the lever ", permitting the spring to lift the disk "
and clamp the yarn between it and the plate h, the yarn being held only by the
stress due to the spring ".
The operation of this machine will first be described as used in the mannfacture

page_text: "
of women's or misses' stockings, or what is known as long hose; and for this class
of work the deflector and groove-closer will always be down, as represented in
Fig. 22.
When the machine is stopped after having knitted a stocking, all the parts at
the interior of the cam cylinder are in the position Fig. 22, with this exception,
viz. that the gate 154 is in its upturned position Fig. 21. The gate occupies the
position shewn in Fig. 21 during circular work.
When the machine is stopped, the roll of the lever f¹ lies on the shoulder 60 of
the pattern surface a, and the needle cylinder is down in its lower position.
Now, to start the machine, the operator puts his foot upon the treadle 6º and
slides the shipper-rod 61 to the left, viewing Fig. 1, thus putting the belt upon the
fast pulley a, and at the same time the hook or latch 6" passes through the
loop and engages the latch 61.
At this time the clutch mechanism at the left in Fig. 1 is released and the
rotation of the shaft as is derived from the pulley a", and the cam cylinder is
rotated.
During the first movement of the pattern surface a" the shoulder 60 acts quickly
upon the roll and moves the lever f¹ to effect the raising of the needle cylinder
to ensure the making of a long stitch, of the length desired for the upper part of
the stocking.
The circular movement of the cam cylinder is continued until the leg has been
knitted of the desired length, but during the latter portion of the knitting of the
leg the needle cylinder is lowered by or through devices, as stated, to shorten the
stitches in the lower part of the leg and fasten the same.
The leg having been completed of proper length, the machine is automatically
stopped by the pin a striking against the dog be (see Fig. 11) so that the
spring is free to move the shipper-rod and place the belt upon the loose
pulley a".
The machine having been stopped as described at the completion of the leg, the
gate 154 will be brought down into the position shewn in Fig. 22, and the operator
will then engage the handle c", slide the bar c" to the right, Fig. 1, to cause the
finger d to act on the stud d' and release it from the notch 10, letting the spring
push the rod in the direction to move the cam ring ** in the direction of the
arrow, see Figs. 7 and 18, which will cause the cam 144 to pass beyond the latch-
operating cam or lever 147 and let it come into operative position, the cam 145,
however, not retiring from its hold upon the latch-operating cam or lever 146.
As the rod is moved to the right, as described, the spring d", acting on the
inner end of the lever d", brings the said lever down into position between the
hub of the finger d" and the bar do, and it is during this longitudinal movement
of the bar co that the clutch part is put into engagement with the loose
gear, so that the said gear, oscillated by the segmental lever 44, assumes control
of and oscillates the shaft a to impart to the cam cylinders their reciprocating
movements for the production of a heel, the reciprocations being the same for toe
work.
As the rod is moved, as described, to partially turn the ring **, the
projection in the slot 2 effects the release of the take-up rod ³, so that it
assumes control, as stated, of the thread going to the thread-guide.
Preparatory to the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder the gate 154 is turned
down in the position, Fig. 22, and during the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder
for heel work, which first reciprocation is in the direction of movement of the cam
cylinder when doing circular work, as represented by the arrow in Fig. 22, the
said gate acts upon the butts of the long-heeled needles 120, and lifta them above
the level of the tops of the guide plate 150, or puts them out of action.
During this first reciprocation of the cam cylinder the studs 141 and 140 of the
latches 139 and 138 strike in succession the upper surface of the latch-operating
cam lever 147 and both of the said latches are moved to release the needle-
elevators 129 and 128, letting them drop from the position Fig. 22, into the

page_text: position Fig. 23, the elevator 128, when the first reciprocation of the cam
cylinder terminates, resting just beyond the endmost needle of the series of short.
heeled needles.
Now, as the cam cylinder is reversed from the position Fig. 23 and moved in the
direction of the arrow shewn in said fig., the elevator 128 strikes the butt of the
endmost needle of the series of short-heeled needles toward which it is travelling,
and, acting against the said butt, the elevator by pushing against the butt is turned
about its pivot and is caused to rise taking with it the butt of the needle, and
finally the butt of the needle passes the elevator and comes to a bearing upon the
inclined face of the guide cam 151 next to it, so that said cam, in the further
movement of the cam cylinder in the same direction, causes the butt of the said
needle, which was deposited upon it to be carried up into the plane occupied by
the butts of the long-heeled needles, thus putting the first needle of the series of
short-heeled needles out of action.
During this movement of the cam cylinder in the direction indicated in Fig. 23
by the arrow, the butts of the short-heeled needles beyond the one taken up by
the elevator 128, are acted upon by the deflector 165 and are thrown down, so as
to be acted upon by the drawing-down surface 160 and then again by the elevating
surface 162.
The needle-elevator 128 elevated by the butt of the needle, as described, is
caught by the latch 138 and is kept elevated until the latch is again moved to
release the elevator.
At the end of the second reciprocation of the cam cylinder the parts stand in
the position shewn in Fig. 24, with the needle-elevator 128 held up, but the
needle-elevator 129 is down; so that, as the cam cylinder is started in the direction
of the arrow in Fig. 24, for the third reciprocation, the needle-elevator 129 will
meet the endmost short-heeled needle toward which it is travelling, and, as described,
of the elevator 128, the said needle caught by the elevator, will lift the elevator
aud be carried up with it and will have its butt deposited upon the guide cam 151*
next to it, and the needle so elevated will finally escape from and pass beyond the
elevator into the plane above the guide cams 150, thus placing that needle in its
inoperative position together with the long-heeled needles.
This action will be continued at each reciprocation of the cam cylinder, until all
the needles except those to be used in the narrowest course for the heel have been
elevated.
During the operation of narrowing, the latches described will both be released
once drring each reciprocation of the cam cylinder in the direction for tubular
knitting.
At the completion of the third stroke in narrowing the cams and devices are in
the same position as at the completion of the first stroke, or as in Fig. 23.
During the time that the narrowing is being done, as stated, the pawi acts
to turn the pattern wheel, and as the narrowing is completed the projection "
comes in contact with the pin 6, throws the same from the notch 12, and the
spring moves the rod d until the pin strikes the shoulder 13.
This movement of the rod dyet further moves the cam ring **, so that the
cam 14 passes the latch-operating cam lever 146 and permits that lever to come
into operative position.
Now, during the first reciprocation of the cam cylinder, after the cam lever 146
has been put into operative position, the longest stud 134 of the latch 132 strikes
the incline 149 of the latch-operating cam 146, causing that latch to release the
depressor 125, thus putting its inner end into operative position, both the elevators
being, it is understood, also in their operative positions, as in Fig. 25.
The depressor 125, when coming into operative position, rises just as the said
elevator is passing over the butts of the short-heeled needles used in the shortest
course, so that during the continued motion of the cam cylinder in the direction of
the arrow, Fig. 25, the acting end of the said depressor overlaps or engages the
butts of the first two of the series of short-butted needles previously lifted, and

page_text: the said needles, by acting against the depressor, cause the latter to turn down-
wardly, about its pivot, the butts of the needles not engaged by the said depressor
passing above the same, while the butts of the needles which are so engaged by
the depressor are deposited upon the cam surface 152 next to it, and by the said
cam surface are deflected upon the ledge 121, and are thereafter acted upon and
reciprocated for knitting in the usual manner.
At the completion of the reciprocation in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 25,
the parts at the interior of the cam cylinder are made to occupy the position
shown in Fig. 24.
During the first part of the second stroke in widening the projection 135
of the latch 133 meets the incline 148 of the latch-operating cam lever 146, which
moves the said latch and causes it to release the depressor 126, so that it, in the
further movements of the cam cylinder in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 26,
permits the said depressor to engage, as described of the depressor 125, the butts
of two of the short-heeled needles which were previously elevated or put out of
action, pulling them down into operative position.
In this way stroke after stroke the depressors act to pull down two of the short-
heeled needles toward which they are travelling, and during widening the elevating
cams continue to operate in the same manner as they did when the cam cylinder
was reciprocated for narrowing, they taking up one needle at one stroke which was
put down by a depressor at a previous stroke.
In this way, therefore, stroke after stroke, the depressors and elevators act to
bring into operation the needles thrown out of operation in narrowing, until the
complemental widening has been done to make the heel pouch.
During the widening operation the pawl 20 continues to rotate the pattern
wheel and as the widening is completed the pin c* strikes the arm di and
rocks it, causing the finger d to strike the pin di of the arm d, lifting the same
from between the hub d as stated and the bearing, after which the spring c
resumes control of the rod eo and releases the clutch device, which at such time
controls the oscillating motion of the shaft a, and the machine is again stopped.
Preparatory to starting the circular movement of the machine for the production
of the foot, the operator engages the handle do and moves the bar d³ to the left
viewing Fig. 7, turning back into its normal position for circular work, the cam
ring so that the cams carried by it put both the latch operating cams or
levers 146 and 147 out of operative position.
The movement described given to the bar d releases the lifting rod h", which
again throws down the take-up rod / so that it remains stationary, the tension
device at the same time being moved to release the thread.
The operator will also at this time turn the gate 154 into its elevated position.
This being done, the operator will again start the machine by his foot on the
treadle, and during the first revolution of the cam cylinder in the direction of
the arrow in Fig. 18 the said gate will act on the butts of any needles which at
that time are elevated and out of action and will bring them down into action,
causing the said needles to be moved and take yarn to knit.
The length of the foot will be determined by the pin 80 of the pattern wheel a",
which, in the rotation of the said wheel will strike the dog and stop the machine,
as did the pin a, the said pattern surface making but one rotation during each
complete stocking.
The foot having been completed, the operator will again lift the gate by hand
and start the machine through the lever, as described for heel work, and the
cam cylinders will then be reciprocated as described in the production of the heel,
until a toe has been formed by narrowing and widening, the toe being made in the
same manner as the heel.
The cap ring (see Fig. 16) grooved at its underside and forming part of the
skeleton cylinder is held in place by two like pins 301, sec Fig. 17, extended
through hubs 302 on the cam cylinder.
Should the machine be used for knitting socks or half hose, the operation up to

page_text: ☑
this point will be somewhat different, that is, the operator, preparatory to SUBLIME
the machine for sock work will raise the gate 154, and put the deflector 165, and
groove-closer 166 into the dotted line position Fig. 21, and all the needles will
then be brought upon the ledge 121 in the same plane.
In this position of the needles, the loops of the rib top will be transferred as
described, or be put upon the hooks of the needles, and the operator will then
depress the groove-closer and put the deflector into position to act upon the butts
of the needles to carry them below the drawing-down surfaces, and knit the first
course into the rib top loops.
For this class of stocking, the pattern surface a in so far as it acts to vary the
length of the stitches used in the leg, would not be required; but the machine
would be rotated to knit the leg of the stocking of the desired length, or to the
point to where the narrowing is to commence for the heel, when the knitting will
be stopped as desired.
From this point on throughout the production of the stocking the operation will
be the same for all hosiery.
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-The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz.:-a
needle cylinder adapted to carry a series of needles; a cam cylinder provided with
suitable cams for reciprocating the needles for knitting, and provided with a series
of slots extending through the same from its outer side to its inner side; a series
of needle-elevators and depressors pivoted outside the cam cylinder and extended
through the said slots, and adapted to engage the needles at desired times; latches
to co-operate with the said needle elevators and depressors; and cam devices to
automatically actuate the said latches, substantially as described.
2:-The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities viz.:—a
needle cylinder; a series of needles therein having butts of different length; a cam
cylinder provided with cams to actuate said needles; guide plates located above
said cams; and a gate adapted to raise automatically all the long-heeled needles to
be put out of action preparatory to narrowing, and to throw down after widening
preparatory to circular work all the needles which are then elevated, substan-
tially as described.
and
3-The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz.:—a
needle cylinder; a series of needles therein having butts of different length; a cam
cylinder provided with cams to actuate said needles; guide plates located above
said cams; a gate adapted to raise automatically all the long-heeled needles to be
put out of action preparatory to narrowing, and to throw down after widening and
preparatory to circular work all the needles which are then elevated; and an
interposed skeleton cylinder through which the butts of the needles are extended
and by which the needles are guided and prevented from twisting, substantially as
described.
4:-The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz.:
needle cylinder adapted to receive needles; a cam cylinder provided with stitch
cams; needle-elevating and depressing cams; latches to lock said elevating and
depressing cams out of operation when carried into that position by the needles
themselves as the latter are respectively raised or lowered thereby to be retired
from and to be returned into action; cam levers to operate said latches; and a cam
ring to control the said cam levers to put them into and out of position with relation
to pins or projections on the latches, substantially as described.
5-The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz.:—a
needle cylinder, and needles carried thereby; a cam cylinder provided with stitch
cams, and needle-elevating and depressing cams having fingers or hooks, the fingers
or hooks of the depressing cams being longer than those of the elevating cams;
latches to normally hold the said elevating and depressing cams in their inoperative

page_text: position; and devices through which the said cam cylinder may be reciprocated
whereby in the operation of the machine, the depressors may be made to return
two needles into action at each reciprocation of the cam cylinder, and the elevators
to carry one of said needles back out of action at the next reciprocation thereof
in the opposite direction, and so on during the widening operation, substantially as
described.
6-The combination with the main shaft adapted to not only rotate the cam
cylinder but also to oscillate the same at the desired time; of a clutch mechanism;
and means to actuate it, whereby the clutch when in engagement controls the
movement of the said main shaft for reciprocating knitting; and a safety device to
ensure the engagement of the clutch only at the proper time, substantially as
described.
7:-The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz.:—a
needle cylinder having a series of needles arranged in a circle; a cam cylinder
having cams for reciprocating the said needles for knitting; and needle-elevators
and depressors for retiring from and bringing back into operation successively the
needles employed during narrowing and widening operations; and latches for
holding the said needle-elevating and depressing cams out of action; cam levers
for co-operating with said latches to release them to return the said needle-
elevating and depressing cams into action at the required time; and means to put
the said cam levers into and out of operative position, substantially as described.
8: In a knitting machine, a surrounding ring grooved for the reception of
jacks; a needle cylinder; a series of horizontally reciprocating jacks. supported
thereby; a cam ring to act directly against and actuate the said jacks; and-a ring
to overlap and hold down the inner end of the jacks, substantially as described.
9: In a knitting machine, a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential ledge
in its interior, and having needle-operating surfaces located below said ledge; and
a deflector, and a groove-closer, the movement of which in one direction, as down-
ward, causes the deflector to depress the butts of the needles preparatory to their
being drawn down by the knitting cam, the movement of the deflector in the other
direction putting the groove-closer into position to close the needle groove, as
when it is desired to raise all the needles to a determined inoperative level to
receive a top, substantially as described.
10: In a knitting machine, a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential
ledge in its interior, and having needle-operating cam surfaces located wholly below
such ledge; and separate elevators and depressors and guide cams located wholly
above the said ledge, substantially as described.
11: The combination with a cam cylinder provided with a circumferential
ledge in its interior, and with guide plates located above the said ledge, of needles
having the heels or butts of different lengths; and a gate consisting of a plate
having a tapering groove at its face, the under walls of which are cut away to
reduce their height, whereby the longer heeled needles resting upon the ledge may
be deflected upward upon the guide-plates, or when resting upon the guide-plates
both the longer and shorter heeled needles may be deflected downward upon the
ledge, substantially as described.
12: The use in a knitting machine of a cam cylinder having a nearly_annular
ledge on which rest the butts of the needles which are in action, and drawing-
down and needle elevating surfaces located below said ledge and having a groove
or space between the said drawing-down surfaces and intersecting said ledge;
groove closer located in said space, whereby by closing the said groove the butts
of all the needles below the said ledge may be retained thereon in the same plane,
thus placing the hooks of the needles all in the same horizontal plane for the
reception of a rib-top, substantially as described.
13: The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz.:―a
needle cylinder containing a series of needles; a series of horizontally sliding jacks
mounted thereon; a cam ring for actuating the said jacks; a skeleton cylinder
through which the butts of the said needles are extended; and a cam cylinder

page_text: having a series of cams to actuate the said needles for knitting circular work,
substantially as described.
14:-The use in a circular knitting machine, containing a series of vertically
reciprocating needles and a cam cylinder rotatable at times in the production of
circular work and reciprocatable at other times, of the herein described mechanism
for operating and co-operating with said parts substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore set forth.
DL 10th of M. 1900
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, Londou, Agents for the Applicant.