IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JAMES FOSTER, of 41 Friargate, Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Knitting Machine Importer, OTTOMAR PHILIPP LAUE, of 28 Reich Strassé, Dresden,
in the Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire, Knitting Machine Manufacturer,
and EDUARD THEODOR TIMAEUS, of 14 Wincklemann Strasse, Dresden, aforesaid,
Knitting Machine Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES " 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 devices for altering the positions of the cams of the
needle moving apparatus of knitting machines for the purpose of automatically
changing or passing over to the particular kind of mesh it may be required to knit,
as for example; cardigan or polka, pearl cardigan or royal, rib work, flat or circular
work in plain stitch or mesh. In these devices pins are removed or inserted or
turned for causing such alterations as are hereinafter more fully set forth.
Referring to the devices shewn in Figs 1 to 5 it will be seen, that the alterations
in the position of the centre can of the needle moving apparatus are mainly.
effected by this cam being divided horizontally into two independent parts, one
part having the form of a triangle, whilst the other part has the form of a
trapezium.
These two parts viz: the triangle a and the trapezium b may be moved either
independently of each other or simultaneously and similarly, in order to automa-
tically cause, in the one case or in the other, the passage or change from one kind
of meshes, into the other kind to produce either cardigan, pearl, circular, or rib
work.
Each part a and b is provided with a bar c or c¹ by which the parts may be
shifted or moved in the vertical direction: these bars may be connected by means
of removeable pins d or d¹ to the shoes e or el which shoes slide upon the dove-tail
shaped rails for f¹: between each shoe and its rail a spring is interposed so that
the shoe will receive motion from the needle moving apparatus only, when the
pin d or d¹ has arrived at the end of the oblique slot in the shoe.
This traversing of the pin in the oblique slot will cause the triangle a, or
trapezium b, as the case may be, to move in a vertical direction. If now, the pin d
be inserted, but the pin d' removed, the triangle à will in the next stroke or half
course assume the position indicated in Fig 4: the channel between a andɩb will

page_text: therefore be closed; whereby the needle heels will be caused to pass over the apex
of the triangle a and the loops on the needles pressed off. In the next stroke or
return course the triangle a will be raised and shifted into the angle h, thus
opening the channel between a and b (Fig 5) through which the needle heels pass.
The needles are thus not raised sufficiently high to press off the loop thereon, but
receive more yarn for another loop, for forming cardigan or polka stitch.
If both pins d and d¹ be removed, the centre cam will assume during the to and
fro course or stroke the position shown in Fig 4 loops being pressed off in each
course thus producing rib work.
i
If both pins d'and'd be inserted, the centre cam will during the one half
course or stroke, assume the position shown in Fig 4 causing the needles to
work and press off their loops during this course or stroke. During the next half
course or stroke, the triangle a will assume the position shown in Fig 5, and the
trapezium the position indicated in this figure in dotted lines whereby the needle
heels will be caused to pass beneath the trapezium b and remain at rest during
this course or stroke.' a and b will therefore in this case be simultaneously and
similarly changed in their respective positions.
By thus causing the needles on the two beds to alternately work and rest
circular work may be produced.
The employment of the trail shoes e. el is advantageous in that the change of
position of the parts a and b will take place automatically at each change of stroke
of carriage no matter to what width the work on the machine is extended or
contracted.
The pins d and d¹ may be so arranged that it will not become necessary to
entirely remove them for the above purposes, but simply to turn them, so as to
disconnect them from the oblique slots.
The change or alteration of the parts a and b may also be effected by providing
them with an ordinary cam slide plate, which may be shifted horizontally and
which by a diagonal slot formed in it will cause the desired position of the parts a
and b to be taken up when required. In this case however, adjustable stops must
be made use of, which may be set or adjusted according to the width of the work
to be done, so as to act on the cain slide plates at each change of carriage travel or
stroke.
The devices for altering the positions or form of the centre cam of the needle
moving apparatus for the purposes hereinbefore described may be modified as
illustrated in Figs 6 to 11 inclusive.
According to this modification movement or automatic change of position or
change of form of the centre cam may be derived as herein before described from
trail shoes connected or disconnected by pins or from adjustable: stops, both of
which devices causes a lever to move, by which the desired change of position or
change of form of the centre cam of the needle moving apparatus is effected.
Instead of dividing the cam into an upper triangle and a lower trapezium as
herein before described with reference to Figs 1 to 5, the cam may be constructed
of a small triangle a two sides of which may be temporarily surrounded by a
movable angle piece. (Fig 9). An angle shaped slot or aperture is provided in
the upper plate g through which slot the angle-piece b may be temporarily raised,
so as to allow the triangle a to act against the needles. In this case the travel of
the needles will follow the line of dots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. (Fig 9) and it is obvious that
in this case the working part of the needles will not be raised high enough to effect
complete knitting, or technically they will not press off.
:
When, however, the angle piece b is lowered it will surround two sides of the
triangle & thereby causing the needles to travel or follow the line of dots 1, 2ª,
3, 4, 5, 6 (Fig 9). In this case the needles will be raised high enough to complete
the knitting operation.
In order that the angle piece b may be raised or lowered it is covered with a
plate c from which a nin d protrudes.

page_text: This pin enters into the slanting groove of a segment e which forms one end of a
lever f pivotted on the plate g of the needle moving apparatus. The swinging of
this lever will cause the pin d to ascend or to descend in the slanting groove of e
and thereby cause the angle piece b to be raised or lowered.
In Fig 6 the lever f is shown to extend beyond the plate y in such a manner
that its lower end during its travel with the carriage must meet with adjustable
stops, thereby changing its position at each change of stroke of the carriage and
thereby consequently raising or lowering the angle piece b alternately.
Fig 7 is a side view of Fig 6 shewing the angle piece b in its lowered position,
and surrounding the triangle a, whilst Fig 3 is a similar view showing the angle
piece braised, thereby, exposing the triangle a.
In Figs 10 and 11 which are respectively a side view and a plan or top view
partly in section the end of the lever f is shewn to be connected to a trail shoe i
which slides on a bar k, the trail shoe being provided with a curved groove. A
pin h may be inserted through the lever f into the groove, so as to connect these
parts in which case the change in the direction of travel or stroke of the carriage
will by means of the trail shoe cause the change of position of the lever f. thereby
raising or lowering the angle piece b, as will be readily understood.
If the pin is removed, no change will take place and the relative position of
angle piece b and triangle a will remain in status quo ante.
It is evident that the angle-piece b may be made to completely surround the
triangle a on all three sides if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is —
1. In a knitting machine dividing the centre or middle cam horizontally into a
triangle a and a trapezium their parts being so arranged that they may be
shifted or moved vertically either singly and individually (for the separation or
re-union of a and b) or simultaneously and similarly for the purposes of so
changing the position of the parts a and b as to produce either cardigan or polka,
pearl cardigan or royal, rib work and flat or circular work in plain stitch or mesh,
according to desire substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs 1
to 5 of the drawings.
2. In a knitting machine arranging or dividing the centre cam of the needle
moving apparatus into a triangle a and an angle piece b the latter being capable of
being raised or lowered automatically so that either the triangle a or the angle
piece b may operate upon the needles as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figs 6 to 11 of the drawings, to produce meshes of the variety referred to in the
preceding claim.
"
35
1001