Improvements in Sinkers and their Holders for Knitting Machinery.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sinkers and their Holders for Knitting Machinery.
We FRANCIS JARVIS CARTLEDGE and HOWARD BROOKSBANK DAWSON, both of
Ipswich, in the County of Essex, State of Massachusetts, one of the United States of
America, Inventors, 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 sinker holders for knitting machines, and more
particularly for circular-knitting machines for making seamless fabric, employing
latch needles.
In that class of knitting machines in which the sinkers are stationary at all times
it is usual to secure them in a suitable holder by means of solder, and when a sinker
breaks or wears out a new one must be soldered into place, necessitating delay and
trouble.
So too, in such machines, there is no possibility of adjusting the sinkers for different
grades of fabric and yarn, and the yarn can only be controlled thoroughly when one
particular length of loop is being made.
This invention has for its object the production of a sinker holder adapted to
receive and sustain stationary a series of removable sinkers, means being also
provided for adjusting the sinkers whereby the yarn is controlled at all times in the
formation of the stitch, whether a long or short loop.
In accordance therewith one part of our invention consists in the use, in a knitting
machine, of a sinker holder, a series of removable sinkers adjustably mounted
thereon, and means to adjust the sinkers on the holder.
Also, in the use, in a circular knitting machine, of a sinker-ring provided with
radial slots in its periphery having outwardly and downwardly inclined bottoms,
sinkers adapted to be seated in said slots and having inclined bases to rest upon the
bottoms of the slots, and means to adjustably retain the sinkers rigidly therein."
Also, in the use in a circular knitting machine, of a radially slotted sinker holder
threaded externally, a ring adjustable thereon and having an outwardly beveled top,
a series of removable sinkors adapted to be seated in the slotted holder and on the
ring, each sinker having an inturned foot, a retaining ring to rest on the sinker-feet,
and a clamp to hold said retaining ring in place.
Also, in the use, in a circular knitting machine, of an annular slotted sinker holder,
a series of removable sinkers seated therein, independent rings to control the
adjustment of the sinkers, and a clamp threaded on the holder and engaging one of
said rings.
And also in the use of a removable sinker for knitting machines, provided at its
lower end with an inturned foot, and outwardly and downwardly inclined on its lower
edge below said foot.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a vertical diametrical sectional view of a needle cylinder with our
invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a partial top or plan view thereof.
Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view similar to Fig. 1, with the sinkers in another
position; and
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the sinkers detached.
Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 3, A represents the needle-cylinder of a
circular knitting machine for making seamless hosiery, provided with the usual needle

page_text: grooves a to receive and guide the latch needles n, which are actuated in well known
manner by a needle cam cylinder, not shown.
As herein shown the needle-cylinder A is interiorly shouldered at its upper end,
at a', and preferably threaded at a to receive the sinker holder b, shown as a ring-
exteriorly threaded to engage a retaining ring, and interiorly threaded for a purpose
to be described.
The sinker-holder is radially slotted at in its outer periphery to form seats for
the sinkers s, the bottoms of the slots being outwardly and downwardly inclined,
as at 2, and between each pair of sinker seats the holder is grooved at 63 to form
guides for the needles n.
An annular groove is made in the top of the holder, intersecting the upper
ends of the sinker slots b', to receive therein a retaining ring e, inwardly beveled on
its under face at c¹, to correspond with and rest on the inclined top s¹ of a foot s³ on
the inner edge and lower end of each sinker.
The bottom of the sinker is oppositely beveled at 83, s, the edge s³ resting on and
corresponding to the inclination of the bottom 62 of the sinker seat in the holder,
while the edge & rests on the outwardly beveled top d' of an adjusting device,
shown as a ring d threaded onto the exterior of the sinker holder b.
To hold the retaining ring c down upon the inturned feet 2 of the sinkers we have
mounted a threaded clamping ring e on the interior of the holder b, said ring having
an annular flange el to project over and rest upon the top of the ring c.
Referring to Fig. 1, the sinkers s are shown as held in their lowest position and
with their throats * nearest to the paths of the needles, to make a short loop for fine
yarn or fabric, the sinkers controlling the yarn throughout the formation of the
stitch.
In Fig. 3 we have shown the sinkers as adjusted in their highest position, with
their throats farthest from the needle paths, for the formation of a long hoop,
this adjustment being obtained by first raising the clamp e, and then rotating the
ring d on and to raise it upon the holder b.
This movement of the adjusting ring d pushes the sinkers inwards and their bevelled
edges slide up the inclined bottoms 62 of the sinker seats, the inturned
feet lifting the retaining ring c, and when the desired position of the sinkers is
attained the clamp e is turned down upon the retaining ring c to thus rigidly
hold the sinkers in position.
Should a sinker break or become worn it can be immediately removed and a
new one substituted by moving the ring d and clamp e away from each other,
loosening the hold on the sinkers until the injured one can be removed and the
new one inserted.
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. The use, in a knitting machine, of a sinker holder, a series of removable
sinkers adjustably mounted thereon, and means to adjust the sinkers on the holder,
substantially as described.
2. The use, in a circular knitting machine, of a sinker ring provided with radial
slots in its periphery having outwardly and downwardly inclined bottoms, sinkers
adapted to be seated in said slots and having inclined bases to rest upon the bottoms
of the slots, and means to adjustably retain the sinkers rigidly therein, substantially
as described.
3. The use, in a circular knitting machine, of a radially slotted sinker holder
threaded externally, a ring adjustable thereon and having an outwardly beveled top,
a series of removable sinkers adapted to be seated in the slotted holder and on the
ring, each sinker having an inturned foot, a retaining ring to rest on the sinker feet,
and a clamp to hold said retaining ring in place, substantially as described.
4. The use, in a circular knitting machine, of an annular slotted sinker holder, a
series of removable sinkers seated therein, independent rings to control the adjustment

page_text: of the sinkers, and a clamp threaded on the holder and engaging one of said rings,
substantially as described."
5. The use of a removable sinker for knitting machines, provided at its lower end
with an inturned foot, and outwardly and downwardly inclined on its lower edge
below said foot, substantially as described.
6. The construction and use of parts, appertaining to the sinkers and sinker
holders, of knitting machinery, as set forth and shown by the drawings.
Dated the 10th day of February 1896.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.