Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 30th Nov., 1888
I, EDWARD WILLIAM LEE of Wigston, in the County of Leicester of the firm of
Lee and Glenn Hosiery Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to circular knitting machines and are particularly applicable
to the "Griswold" or similarly constructed machines.
The first part of the invention is for an apparatus for increasing the tension of the
thread during the time it is being fed onto, the whole or a certain portion of the
needles of the machine for the purpose of producing a stiffer and firmer fabric in any
desired part of the stocking such as for instance the sole of the foot and the narrow
part of the leg &c. For this purpose I employ a rim, flange, or raised platform
having inclined ends and which may extend round preferably the front portion of the
bed of a circular knitting machine to which it is secured by suitable means.
Fixed to the outer side of the yarn carrier is a vertical slotted plate, the lower part
of which is suitably rounded to enable it the more readily to ascend and decend the
raised platform while revolving with the outer cylinder to which the yarn carrier is
attached.
The upper end of the slotted plate which is bent outwards at a right angle and over
which the yarn passes is, when at its lowest position in close proximity to the eye in the
yarn carrier and the rising or falling of the slotted plate consequent upon its
ascending or descending the raised platform, increases or decreases the tension of
the feed thread and causes the machine to produce a stiffer or slacker fabric as
required.
Previous to passing over the upper end of the slotted plate the feed thread may pass
under a horizontal arm thereby further increasing its tension.
A second part of my invention relates to an apparatus for introducing a splicing or
an additional thread on to the needles of a circular knitting machine for the purpose
of securing increased thickness in certain parts of the fabric produced.
To carry this part of my invention into practice I secure to the outer cylinder a
suitable bracket carrying preferably a vertical tubular socket free to move up and

page_text: down in which is a rod or spindle the lower end of which is rounded and projects
slightly beyond the bottom of the tubular socket.
A cap or head is formed at the upper end of the spindle which when the latter is
at its lowest point rests on a collar at the top of the vertical tubular socket.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The machine having been set in
motion and that part of the fabric reached where the splicing thread is to be intro-
duced the spindle ascends the raised platform hereinbefore described and rises in its
socket thereby allowing the splicing thread to pass freely through an eye in the upper
part of the spindle and feed onto the needles. The circular heads continuing to
revolve, the spindle descends the inclined end of the raised platform thereby sinking
in its socket and causing the head of the spindle to trap the thread between it
and the collar on the tubular socket and thus prevent the thread feeding onto the
needles.
Suitable springs or equivalent are employed to assist the spindle to descend.
I also effect an improvement in the cylinder band so as to enable the needles to
be withdrawn and replaced without the necessity for removing the band as is requisite
in machines of ordinary construction.
For this purpose I provide that the internal periphery of the band may be
suitably toothed or slotted and contain preferably the same number of slots as the
needle cylinder.
When it is desired to withdraw or replace a needle, the slots in the cylinder band
and needle cylinder are placed directly opposite to each other thus forming a slot
of sufficient width to enable the butt or projection on the tail of the needle to pass
through.
After the needles have been withdrawn or replaced the band may be returned to
its original position viz.: with the teeth or solid parts of the band opposite to the
grooves in the needle cylinder.
Suitable springs or their equivalent are provided to regulate the movement of the
slotted band.
تيمم

page_text: I, EDWARD WILLIAM LEE, of the firm of Lee and Glenn,) Hosiery Manufacturer,
Wigston Magna, near Leicester, 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 relates to Circular Knitting machines and embodies improvements
especially applicable to those of the kind or class known as Griswold" or to similarly
constructed machines.
The various improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which
shew parts of a circular knitting machine constructed in accordance with such
improvements.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a circular knitting machine, with the ribbing
apparatus removed, and having the stiffening apparatus attached.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, and Figure 3 is a side view of the stiffening
apparatus detached from the knitting machine.
Figure 4 is a side view, and Figure 5 is a view partly in front elevation and partly
vertical section of the mechanism for splicing.
Figure 6 is a front elevation of the upper part of the thread carrier.
Figure 7 is a part plan and Figure 8 a front elevation of the improved needle
cylinder band.
Figure 9 is a vertical section taken through the line X X in Fig. 7.
The first part of the invention relates to an apparatus for increasing the tension of
the thread while it is being fed on to the whole or a portion of the needle of the
machine, for the purpose of producing a stiffer, or firmer fabric in any desired
part of a stocking, such, as for instance, the sole of the foot, or the narrow part
of the leg.
For this purpose I fix to the bed of the machine, a rim, or flange, or raised
platform A, having inclined ends, and extending preferably about half round the
bed.A!.
This rim A, forming as it does a raised surface, is adapted to raise a vertical plate,
or bar B, provided with slots B¹, to ensure it moving vertically. The plate B is fixed
to the outer side of the yarn carrier by means of the screws B, and is rounded at
its lower end to enable it the more readily to ascend and descend the inclined ends of
the platform A.
Secured at the upper end of the slotted vertical plate B, by means of screws D¹, is
an arm D bent to pass under the yarn guide as shown in Figure 2, and, which, when
at its lowest position is almost level with the eye E' of the yarn guide.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
At each revolution of the machine the vertical slotted plate B, from its lower
position in which it effects the knitting of ordinary fabric, ascends to the top of the

page_text: platform A, and the arm D at the upper end of the said plate B raises the thread E
as shown in Figure 3, thus increasing its tension, and causing it to produce a
stiffer & firmer fabric, until such time as the plate B again assumes it lowered
position.
When it is desired to produce a fabric of equal stiffness round the whole circle
of needles, the slotted vertical plate B can be raised by hand and kept out of action
by means of a spring detent F, and the thread E allowed to pass either over or under
the arm D.
Another part of this invention relates to apparatus for automatically introducing
a splicing or an additional thread on to certain of the needles for the purpose of
obtaining extra thickness in certain parts of the fabric produced, such parts for
instance as the heels and toes of stockings or socks.
This apparatus is shewn per se in Figures 4 and 5 and when fixed to a circular
knitting head it is attached in the same position, and may be substituted for, the
stiffening apparatus shewn in Figures 1 and 2, and is used in conjunction with the
before described raised platform A fixed to the bed of the machine.
G is a vertical tubular socket provided with a bracket H which is secured to the
outer revolving cylinder of a knitting machine. Carried within this vertical tubular
socket is a spring controlled rod or bar J the lower end of which projects below the
tube G and is rounded so that it may more easily ascend and descend to and from the
top of the platform A.
The upper
end of the spring controlled rod or bar J is provided with an eye J¹ for
the splicing thread to pass through, and is also formed with a head or cap K between
which, and the top G¹ of the tube G, the splicing thread is trapped or gripped at
such times as it is not desired to feed it on to the needles.
The arm or lever L is of ordinary construction and is pivotted to the side of the
tubular socket G and slotted to receive a screw L' projecting through an opening in
the side of the tube G and connected to the rod J.
The arm L rises up and down with the rod J and is employed to tighten the splicing
thread immediately it is trapped and to release it so soon as it is again required to be
laid on to the needles.
When the spring controlled rod or bar J has ascended to the top of the raised
platform A and is therefore in its highest position as shown in Figures 4 and 5 the
splicing thread feeds freely through the eye J, the intermediate eye J2 and the eye J³
of the yarn carrier, on to the needles, and when the spring controlled rod or bar J
descends from the platform A the splicing thread becomes gripped between the head
or cap K and the top G¹ of the tubular socket G.
In order to facilitate the insertion and removal of the thread into and from the
intermediate eye J, and also to keep the thread from accidentally getting out of the
said eye, the latter is constructed in two parts, the upper part of which is formed at
the end of the lever M fulcrummed at M as shown clearly in figure 6.
By pressing down the thumb piece M³ of the said lever M, the eye J2 may be
readily opened; a spring M³ being provided to cause the lever M and upper part of
the intermediate eye J2, to return to their original positions.
Another improvement I effect in connection with circular knitting machines, relates
to the cylinder band.
Heretofore when it has been desired to remove or replace a needle in the needle
cylinder it has been necessary to remove the cylinder band, and during the knitting
of a stocking this is of frequent occurrence, but by the use of a band such as
is hereinafter described and illustrated in figures 7 and 8, this disadvantage is
obviated.
The internal periphery of the cylinder band O is provided with preferably the same
number of slots O as there are grooves P¹ in the needle cylinder P.
A double ended pawl N controlled by the spring N¹ is fulcrummed on the upper
surface of the cylinder band so as to engage with the grooves P₁ in the neodle
cylinder P to hold the band O in position when the machine is at work and while the
needles are being removed.

page_text: It will be noticed that the two arms of the pawl N vary slightly in length so that
while one is engaged with one of the needle grooves P₁ the opposite one is out of
engagement with the said grooves.
When it is desired to remove a needle from the needle cylinder P the slots O¹ in
the cylinder band O are placed opposite to the grooves P₁ in the needle cylinder P
thereby forming a slot of sufficient width to allow the heel or butt of the needle to
pass through.
When the cylinder band O is used for the purpose of keeping the needles in position
in the needle grooves P' the teeth or solid parts 02 of the said band O are placed
between the said needle grooves as shown in figure 7.
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 :-
I. In a circular knitting machine the combination with the yarn carrier of a bar
such as B and arm D substantially as herein described and illustrated in figures 1, 2
and 3 of the accompanying drawings for the purpose of increasing the tension on
the thread.
II. In a circular knitting machine the combination with the yarn carrier of
mechanism for increasing the thickness of the fabric at any desired part consisting
essentially of a spring controlled rod such as J provided with an eye J¹ and head R
and working within a socket such as G substantially as herein described and illustrated
in figures 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
III. In a circular knitting machine the combination with the needle cylinder of a
band such as O substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and
illustrated in figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
III. The improved machine consisting of the parts constructed, combined,
and operating, substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 26th day of October 1888.