Improvements in or relating to Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application; 18th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Circular Knitting Machines.
We, CHARLES JAMES MILES of 33 Gladstone Street, Leicester, Hosiery
Manufacturer and WILLIAM SPIERS of 101 Curzon Street Leicester, Hosiery
Machinist, 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 reference to circular knitting machines, especially such as
forms the subject of our Patent No. 8291 of 1889, the objects being to provide
(1) mechanism to hold down the work and prevent the loops rising on the needles,
during its production, without the use of weights, and (2) an improved construction
of thread carrier.
According to the first part of this invention we employ a cylinder furnished on
its periphery with vertical grooves preferably equal in number to the needles in the
frame. Within each of these grooves there is placed a movable plate, blade, sinker,
or loop holder, hereafter referred to as a loopholder or sinker, provided preferably
with a point or tooth for engaging the loop of the fabric.
These loopholders or sinkers are suitably shaped to be operated by a cam passing
through or partly through them at a convenient point in the direction of their
length to give them a rising and falling motion, the position of the cam being
arranged so that the sinkers may be in contact with the work on preferably those
needles just commencing to rise, after having cleared their loops.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents in front elevation part of the knitting machine which forms
the subject of our Patent No. 8291 of 1889 and having our improved mechanism
applied thereto and
Figure 2 is a plan thereof.
Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, on an enlarged scale,
of the holding down mechanism forming the subject of this invention.
Figure 4 is a plan on the live Z Z of Figure 3.
The loopholders or sinkers A consist of metallic plates or blades which are
movably fitted in vertical grooves in the periphery of the fixed sinker cylinder B
which is connected to a tube C passing through an opening in the cross bar D,
which revolves with the carriage of the knitting machine as described in our former
Patent hereinbefore referred to. The loopholders A, one of which is shewn
detached in Figure 5, are preferably equal in number to the needles E and are
recessed at A' to receive the operating cam hereinafter referred to, they are also
provided at their ends with a finger or hooked projection A³ for engaging the work
or loops on the rising needles.
The loopholders have an upward and downward movement imparted to them by
cam rings F F' fixed concentrically with the sinker cylinder B and needle
cylinder E¹.
The upper cam ring F¹ is provided with a collar F2 and is movably mounted on
the tube C and the lower cam ring F is located within the recessed portions of the
sinkers and is connected to the ring F by plates F³ and screws F. The said
rings F F are fixed in such position in relation to the needles E as to depress the
loopholders A into their lowest position on those needles commencing to rise after
having cleared their loops, so that the finger or hooked portion of the loopholder
will engage the loops on such needles and prevent them rising therewith.
The sinker actuating cams F F are rotated by means of a lug G on the upper
cam ring F¹ abutting against a downwardly depending flat-sided rod D' in the
rotating cross bar D. From this it will be seen that, as the cross bar D rapidly

page_text: rotates during the working of, the machine, the rod D¹ bears against the pro-
jection G and carries it forward'so that the cam rings F F' continuously lower and
elevate the series of loopholders for the purpose named.
For reciprocating knitting, during the production of the heels and toes an
additional lug G¹ is fixed on the cam. ring F1 the distance between the lugs G G¹
being such; that when the direction of movement of the machine is reversed, the
rod D comes into contact with the lug G₁ and thus throws the cams F F into
proper relative time with the stitch cams, the needles being temporarily inactive
as is usual during the knitting of heels and toes.
The second feature of the invention is an improvement in the construction of the
thread carrier, principally with the object of enabling the latter to obtain the
necessary lead of the depressing cam, when the direction of movement of the machine
is reversed, as in the knitting of toes and heels.
H' represents the thread guide or layer which conducts the thread on to the
needles E.
It is connected by screws H₁to a downward extension .J' of the plate J or it may
be formed integrally therewith and is secured by means of a nut C₁ to a vertical
rod C² which passes downwards through the tube C and is secured at the bottom
thereof by a preferably leather friction washer or ring C³, Figure 3, and screw
bolt C so as to revolve therewith.
The horizontal plate J is slotted on each side and has vertical depending
pins J2 J³ adapted to periodically abut against the cross-bar_D.
A spring arm K, Figure 2, is connected to an extension L' on the framework L
or in any suitable position so as to come into contact with the ends of the plate J
just before the motion of the machine is reversed.
Now suppose that a reciprocating motion of the machine is taking place as in the
formation of heels and toes, and the movement of the machine is in the direction of
the arrow in Figure 2, the thread carrier would be placed in the position as
indicated in Figures 1 and 2 with the pin J³ abutting against the rib of the cross-
bar D:
A few needle spaces before the motion of the machine is reversed the end J* of
the plate J will collide with the spring arm K and the plate J be held at that point
until the machine finishes its traverse and commences to return or move in the
opposite direction, by which time the other side of the cross-bar will have come
into contact with the pin J2 and the depressing cam have passed the thread layer H
and on the return journey will still have the lead and have got into proper relative
time and position with the needle actuating cams as is usual during the knitting of
this kind of work.
The extent to which the thread layer may be in advance of the depressing cam
may be varied and' adjusted by moving the pins J2 J3 within the range of the slots
in which they are located so that they may come into contact with the rib of the
cross bar D sooner or later as required.
In continuous knitting as in the production of the leg of a stocking the spring
arm K which is hinged to the extension L' is lifted back so as to be placed entirely
out of the track of the plate J.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in. what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a circular knitting machine the use or employment of loop holders or
sinkers such as A having loop engaging fingers A2 and recessed to receive the
actuating cam substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a circular knitting machine the combination with loop holders or sinkers
such as A of a vertically grooved cylinder such as B and operating cams such
as F F substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3: In a circular knitting machine the combination with a vertically grooved

page_text: cylinder such as B and loopholders or sinkers such as A of cams such as F F¹ and
mechanism for operating the same substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. In a circular knitting machine the use or employment of a thread carrier
constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dodi 17th day of Aust 1901
CHARLES JAMES MILES.
WILLIAM SPIERS.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicants.
CHARLES JAMES MILES.
WILLIAM SPIERS.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicants.