Year: 1888

page_text: I, PER PERSSON OLSSON, of Brahegatan 56 Stockholm, Sweden Knitting ware
manufacturer, 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 :-
My Invention relates to that class of knitting machines known as the "Lamb
Knitting Machines," and comprises improvements by which the said machines will be
rendered more suitable than heretofore for manufacturing all kind of hosiery.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a cross section of the machine taken through the middle of the
"lock" arranged on the front side on the line a, b Figure 2 and through the left or
back lock on the line c d in Figure 3.
Figure 2 represents a front side of the machine.
Figure 3 represents the back left lock with yarn carrier and yarn stretcher in
plan.
Figure 4 is a front view of the same.
Figures 5 and 8 show an arrangement for longitudinally adjusting the needle-bed.
Figures 6 and
show the crank and the connecting rod of the machine and the
arrangement for attaching the crank to the shaft.
Figure 9 is a detail view and
Figure 10 is a modification.
A A¹ are the needle-beds which are placed in a stand B in the usual manner and
provided with grooves for the needles. The parts of which the lock mechanism
consists are placed under and attached to their respective plates or covers C C¹ which
are connected by means of two arms as shown in Figure 1, Figures 2 and 3 on the
contrary showing only one cover with the arms broken away the lower edge of these
covers C and
run in grooves made in the guide-bars D and D' secured to the
stand B. The top of the covers C C is provided with flanges by means of which
they rest slightly against the needle-bars C2 C3 sunken into the needle-beds.
Č denotes the cover under which the triangles are situated. * denotes one of the
lateral triangles. In the said cover are made grooves D* see Figures 2° 2° and 2º.
These grooves can either go fully through the cover as shown in Figure 2B or only

page_text: partly as shown in Figure 2. Figures 2° and 2D show two modifications of the
grooves in sections on the line a. b in Figure 24. The grooves are wider at the end
which is most distant from the triangles as shown in section in Figures 2B and 2º.
The grooves are therefor T shaped. But the said grooves can also be dove tail shaped
as shown in Figure 2. In the triangles are fixed screws D, which are placed in the
grooves as shown in Figures 24 to 20. As the screws fit easily in the grooves the
triangles are in this way held to the covers but may be removed on them as far as
the grooves allow. The shaft T has a disc or pulley T¹ which is placed in a hole in
the cover between the triangle and a disc y which by means of screws is fastened
to the cover.
The shaft T and disc T¹ Figure 2* are in this way secured to the cover,
but may be turned by the disc T¹ which fits over a square portion on the shaft T. u' is a
thumb-nut by means of which the shaft Tafter turning may be secured in any position.
On the inner side of the disc T' is a pin or stud t which enters a groove q² in the
triangle x.
Between the covers and the needle-beds there is just enough space for receiving
the lock triangles which actuate the needles. On the top of the covers are slides Ẹ E
working in guides which are operated by means of a trunnion and screw or two
trunions and screws traversing guides on the cover are connected with the middle
lock triangles G. In the front lock Figure 1, a section of the slide E and the
trunnions FF connecting the slide with the middle triangle G is shown. The lower
ends of the slides clasp the guide-bars D and D¹ and are at the same ends provided
below with shoulders H H pointed in both directions. These shoulders may also have
another shape. Thus they may for instance be made in the shape of round pins with or
without friction rollers.
The slide-bars have movable sockets 1 and I provided with clasping screws or pins
actuated by springs, entering into holes in the slide-bars, so that each socket may be
secured at any desired place on its slide-bar. On the top of the sockets there are
shoulders K K corresponding with the shoulders H H on the slides and so arranged
that the slides on the lock-covers will have an alternate up and down motion every
time the lock mechanisms are made to pass the shoulders on the sockets. As the
middle lock-triangles are firmly attached to the slides, the former will move in the
same direction as the latter, so as to occupy the position required for driving
the needles. Owing to this arrangement of the slides E E' and the sockets I I¹.. It
is not necessary to turn the crank through a complete revolution which is of a great
convenience particularly when manufacturing articles which must be knitted partly
or wholly at the one end or only at one part of the needle bed in order that they may
leave the knitting machine ready made. For that purpose it is only necessary to
move the sockets to the turning points at the both sides of the particular width of the
knitting work, so that the slides may be actuated by the shoulders of the sockets.
In Figure 2 it is clearly shown that when the cover b has moved so far in one
direction, say for instance to the left, that the inclined plane K on the socket I, has,
by means of the shoulder H on the under side of the slide E, pushed the latter
upwards, (or inwards,). The shoulder H is no more affected by the inclined plane K
but can pass over the same. The cover will therefor not be stopped in its motion but
may extend the same as long as the bed of the machine allows. In machines 4
hitherto used it has not been so, but the cover has been stopped in its motion by the
part, which was intended for moving the middle triangle.
The shaft L is fixed in any suitable place on the bed of the machine. On the end
of the same shaft is a centre or socket L' through which is a hole, in which the crank L
is inserted and can be pushed the one way or the other. In the crank L is drilled
several holes in which a pin, situated in a hole in the centre I³ can enter. A spring
or a screw serves to hold the pin in the holes of the crank. If the pin is drawn out
against its spring the crank L can be slided in the centre L³. When the crank is
moved, so that its actual working length will be the proper, the pin is made free, so
that its spring pushes the same in the hole in the crank L which is just under the pin.
The crank Lis thereby held in its position.
The crank of the machine shown in Figure 6 is so arranged that the stroke can be

page_text: greater or less even though the crank be turned entirely round. For this purpose the
crank L may be displaced on the shaft L' by means of the socket L². The connecting
rod L³ unites the crank with the arm M projecting from the lock cover. The shaft Li
is supported by a bearing not shown on the drawing which is secured to the stand B.
The lever L is maintained in the socket L² by means of a pin N actuated by a spring,
which pin engages with holes in the crank.
When the machine is to be operated, the sockets I I¹ which are movable on the
slide-bars D D are adjusted so that when the lock-mechanism is brought as far as
possible in either direction they will actuate the slides E E' whereby the said slides
are drawn up or down and the middle triangles are placed in the position required for
moving the needles. As the alternate stroke of the lock-mechanism can be regulated
so as not to be greater than required for knitting any desired width, the work
proceeds quicker and the machine is less exposed to wear.
As the needles not required for the work must be drawn down so far as to clear the
lock mechanism the lower ends of the same (with the view to retaining the needles
in this position) are provided with small elevations formed by a bend at every needle
end, as shown in Figure 1. When a needle is pushed down out of the work, this
elevation passes under a spring O arranged in the needle-groove so that the needle
cannot move up into the work or in the way of the lock. When the needle is pushed
up into its working position, the spring O falls down in the needle-groove thus
preventing the needle from moving out of its working position. At the top of
Figure 1 the needle is shown pushed in under the spring O and at the bottom of
the said Figure the dotted lines represent the said needle pushed up into its working
position.
The yarn carrier P (Figure 3) the lower end of which is pivotted to a plate P¹
covering the slide E¹ has a holder P2 Fig. 1 provided with a socket P³ enclosing a
small spiral spring which tends to turn the yarn stretcher P upwards. The holder P2
is omitted in Figures 3 and 4. The yarn carrier P is moreover provided with a
hook Q, which occasionally prevents the yarn-stretcher P₁ from moving upwards. A
pin R projects from the yarn carrier P and is provided at its lower end with
spring R see Figure 9 which presses against the bar C3 in the needle-bed A¹. Th
yarn carrier P is arranged to oscillate between the screws p which unites the plate q
situate above the yarn carrier with the covering plate P¹. On the advance of the lock
the spring R2 draws along the bar C3 so that the yarn carrier bears against the screw p,
which for the time being comes behind on the return of the lock the yarn carrier
stops, until it is brought along by the other screw p which then follows behind.
A piece Q pivoted at p' to the hook Q acts as a bent lever, and at the above
described movement of the yarn carrier from one screw p to another it is actuated by
a shoulder q' on the plate q so that the yard stretcher P is disengaged from the
hook Q. The slack part of the yarn formed at every revolution of the machine is thus
drawn up by the yarn stretcher P4 when disengaged. After the return, the yarn
again draws down the yarn stretcher, which then automatically enters into the
hook Q.
As the yarn stretcher is held down by the hook Q, so long as the needles draw
thread from the reel, the yarn runs easily into the web.
The needle-bed situated at the back and which may be displaced in its own longi-
tudinal direction obtains this motion by means of an eccentric S fixed below it at the
one end of the frame, and provided with a projecting handle (see Figures 5 and 8).
At the end of the needle bed is fixed a tongue S¹ having two rollers sand s¹, actuated
by the eccentric, when this is turned, and whereby the needle bed is moved in one or
the other direction.
The covers C and C³ are at their lower ends provided with flanges v (Figures 1 and 2)
fixed by screws and running in grooves v¹ made in the guide bars D and D' see
Figures 1 and 2. By this arrangement the covers with the lock mechanisms obtain
a perfectly steady working and a greater durability against wear.
The retaining of the lateral triangles at the cover and their adjustment for various
kinds of hosiery is effected. in the following manner. In the under sides of the

page_text: covers C and C¹ grooves y (Figure 2) are made in the direction of movement of
the triangles. The screws y₁ and y² fixed to the triangles X and provided with heads
enter into these grooves and retain the triangles at the cover. The lateral triangles
may be made to move along the grooves y by means of a shaft T traversing the cover
and receiving its motion by means of the thumb screw T', and which at the bottom is
provided with an eccentric pivot t entering into a groove in the lateral triangle and
at the top with a lock nut u'. The shaft T is supported by the lateral triangle and is
prevented from moving upwards by a plate u situated above the same and fixed in
the cover.
The operation of the whole device is as follows When it is wished to move or
adjust one of the lateral triangles its thumb-nut is loosened, then the shaft T is turned
by means of the thumb-piece T', this causes the pin t to act in the groove g, on the
triangle X, so that the same is moved in a direction depending on the way of turning
the shaft T. By the motion of the triangle X, the screws D slide in the grooves in
the cover b¹. When the triangle is moved as long as desired, the whole mechanism is
again fixed in by tightening the thumb nut u².
In Figure 10 another modification of the moveable shoulders is shown, which
modification is convenient, when it is required to knit open a piece to the whole or
part of the width allowed by the machine that is if a piece be knitted which is open
at the one end of the machine and extends along the whole or part of both sides and
is connected at the other end of the machine. These shoulders are then adjusted so
as to be situated at the end of the machine, where the knitting from both sides is
united or proceeds from one side of the machine to the other. At the open ends of the
knitting no shoulders are used.
C₂
These shoulders are arranged in the following manner A double armed lever cris
pivotted at 6 on the socket a the end of this lever being by means of a joint i united
with a lever d, the other end of which is pivotted at e to a small lever of which is in
turn pivotted to a fixed point 9 on the socket. The lever f is actuated by a spring h
fixed to the socket, so that the joint e between both the levers and d is constantly
pressed towards the pivot b. When the shoulder of the slide during its motion from
right to left arrives at the lever c, the latter being in the position shown by the full
lines, the shoulder of the slide is conjointly with the slide first pushed up by the
lever but when the lower border of the slide shoulder gets a little higher than the
upper surface of the pivot b the slide shoulder cannot move higher. The slide shoulder
begins then to act upon the top of the lever c and depresses the latter (when the joint
at e gives way owing to the spring being bent) so far that the joint in the centre
passes below the line connecting the centres of the pivots band e; the spring / then
reacts, so that the whole lever system fd c moves down into the position shown by the
dotted lines. When the shoulder on the slide returns and moves from left to right, it
acts on the free end of the lever c but the shoulder cannot depress the free end of the
lever so far that the centre of the pivot i gets above a line connecting the centres
of the pivots and c, therefor the whole lever system fd c when the slide shoulder
releases the lever c falls again in the position shown by the dotted lines until the slide
shoulder at its next motion from right to left again encounters the lever C, but this
line from below, when a similar movement although inverse,
repeated with the
motions of the slide shoulder and the levers c d.
As above described and shown on the Drawings the needles are provided at their
lower ends with a bend immediately above the end of the said needles. The same
result, may be obtained however by making the needles thicker at the lower end, so
that they can receive a small pin or arm perpendicular to the needle and penetrating
under the needle spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. In knitting machines constructed according to the Lamb system, the
arrangement whereby the middle lock triangle is by means of bolts or screws

page_text: directly united to a slide having for its purpose to transfer the motion of the said
triangle.
Second. In knitting machines of the kind above specified the arrangement whereby
the shoulders which communicate the motion to the middle lock triangles may be
moved along the slide bars.
Third. In knitting machines of the kind as above specified the arrangement whereby
the slides actuating the middle lock triangles move in the same direction as the said
triangles, so that the slides when at their highest or lowest position can pass the parts,
which have effected their motion without encountering them as is the case with other
similar machines, and thus compelling the whole movable top of the machine (the
covers) to stop.
Fourth. In knitting machines of the kind above specified the arrangement of a
spring in every needle groove, which springs have for their purpose under the work
to prevent the needles from sinking down too far and under which springs the ends of
the needles not in work are drawn whereby they are prevented from moving up into
their working positions.
Fifth. In knitting machines of the kind above specified a yarn stretcher consisting
of an elastic arm fitted upon the yarn carrier and clasping the yarn by means of an
eye or a hook and which is retained when no stretching of the yarn is needed but
disengaged in the moment, when the yarn should be stretched.
Sixth. In knitting machines of the kind above specified the arrangement for
retaining the yarn carrier at the return of the lock consisting of a flat spring sliding
on the needle bar and fixed at the yarn carrier or an elastic plate pivoted thereon.
Seventh. In knitting machines of the kind above specified the arrangement for
moving the needle bed in the horizontal direction of the machine, consisting of an
eccentric situated under the needle bed parallel with the same and actuated by a lever,
this eccentric acting upon two rollers fixed on the said needle bed.
Eighth. In knitting machines of the kind above specified the arrangement for
(conformably to the nature of the work) rapidly shortening or lengthening the crank
which consists in fitting the crank in a centre, situate on the end of the shaft L' and
securing the same therein at any desired position by a pin in the centre which is
actuated by a spring or screw and is forced into and retained in holes made in the
crank.
Ninth. In knitting machines of the kind above specified the arrangement by which
the lateral triangles are retained directly at the under side of the coverings by means
of pins with heads entering into T or dovetail grooves in the lock cover which grooves
extend somewhat in the cover, so that the whole groove is to be found in the cover
and at the top is covered by the same.
Tenth. In knitting machines of the kind above specified the arrangement by which
the slides, imparting motion to the middle lock triangles are provided with shoulders
or small friction rollers, co-operating with shoulders movable along the slide bars.
Eleventh. In knitting machines of the kind above specified an apparatus movable
along the slide bars having for its purpose, in so called "open knitting" to impart
the motion to the middle lock triangles consisting of levers forming to a knee joint
system, and of a spring actuating the one lever and which levers are so placed
with relation to the slide shoulder of the middle triangle that this shoulder, when-
ever it passes the apparatus, obtains an alternate motion up or down as above
described.