IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR FRAMES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Scattergood, of the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CIRCULAR FRAMES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS."
Sealed the 28th April 1863, and dated the 3rd November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Scattergood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd November 1862.
I, DANIEL SCATTERGOOD, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CIRCULAR FRAMES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of certain arrangements of machinery in circular
frames or "roundabouts," as they are termed in the trade, as hereafter
described, whereby shirts, drawers, hose, and other articles made thereon may
be fashioned or narrowed, in order to impart, the desired shape to such articles,
without their being cut and the parts united after the cutting, to form the
"fashion." The heads of the frames may be mounted to work in a vertical or
horizontal position, as desired. Each head consists of the following parts, viz.,
a spindle fixed to a main framing, which may be of such length that several.
heads may be attached thereto. The end of the spindle farthest from the

page_text: framing is somewhat enlarged and forms a disc, upon which are secured two
brackets which support a landing wheel and knocking-over wheel. The axles
upon which the wheels turn are provided with springs which have a tendency
to push the wheels outwards; there is a pipe free to revolve on the spindle.
This pipe has its outer end enlarged to the form of a tun, disc, or double cone;
the inner cone has two studs or stops which slide upon it, the studs being
secured to the axles of the landing and knocking-over wheels. The end of
the pipe nearest the main framing forms a disc somewhat larger than the cone
at the other end of the pipe. On the circumference of the disc is a cylinder
which may be in one piece with the disc or may be secured firmly to it; the
inner edge of the cylinder next the pipe is turned out conically. Between the
cone on the outer end of the pipe and the cylinder is a disc which is secured
to or forms part of the pipe; this disc is turned conically on its circumference
and forms a cone parallel to the cone turned in the cylinder through the
last-named disc, and through the disc which forms part of the before-named
cylinder two, three, or more holes are drilled or otherwise formed, through
which are passed rods. The ends of the rods next the main framing are
secured to a wheel or pulley which works against a collar fast on the spindle,
the other ends of the rods are secured to a grooved collar, through which the
pipe slides, the collar lying between the disc on the pipe and the outer coned
end of the pipe. A groove is turned out of the disc end of the cylinder, which
groove is embraced by a forked lever to which motion is given by levers
attached to the main framing and moved by the hand or foot. There is also
a needle jack, which has three edges formed at such an inclination that they
will form lines parallel to the face of the outer cone at the other end of the
pipe above referred to and the two cones formed by the cylinder and inter-
mediate disc 'above-named. Between the inclined edges is 'a projecting piece
which takes into a grooved collar, 'by which means the needle jack is kept
parallel with the axis of the pipe at whatever distance the jack is placed from
the centre by the pipe and cones formed thereon being moved nearer to or
farther from the outer end of the spindle. The needle jacks will form a
smaller or larger circle, as required, by the coned pipe being moved by 'the
hand or foot, some of the needle jacks being taken out to form a smaller
circle, more being inserted when a large circle is required. The jacks are
taken out by means of a forked and 'hooked lever connected to the 'hand lever
above named. The outer portion of the needle jack is provided with a-loop in
which one of 'the 'prongs of the forked 'lever takes, two or more of the jacks
being taken out of the circle or put in 'at 'the same time. The end of the jack
in which the needle is placed is provided with a slotted loop, in which the

page_text: needle is placed. The needle is made flat in the stem and is secured by a
small wedge in the loop. The outer portion of the needle jack is of an even
width from end to end and forms the gauge, which is kept always the same in
the varying circle of needles. Each head is provided with the usual loop, and
dividing wheels, push back, star screws, and other parts common to circular
frames, which are moved to or from the axis of the head by the hand or
foot levers above named, or the levers may be operated by a cam or other
equivalent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Daniel Scattergood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
SCATTERGOOD, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Machinist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Daniel Scattergood, Her special licence that I, the said Daniel
Scattergood, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Daniel Scattergood, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR FRAMES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Daniel Scattergood, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Daniel Scattergood, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
This Invention consists of certain arrangements of machinery in circular
frames or "roundabouts," as they are termed in the trade, as hereafter
described, whereby shirts, drawers, hose, and other articles made thereon may
be "fashioned" or "narrowed," in order to impart the desired shape to such
articles without their being cut and the parts united after the cutting, to form
the fashion, and whereby such narrowed goods are finished as far as the
fashion is concerned before being removed from the frame. The heads of the
frames may be mounted to work in a vertical, horizontal, or inclined position,
as desired. In order to produce the fashion a certain number of needle plates
or carriers with their needles are removed from the circle of needles, yet the
same space between every two needles in the circle is preserved, while the
needle plates or carriers have constantly a bearing or support at back upon a
hollow conical collar and conical supports, which are moved to present a circle
of decreased diameter when needle plates and needles are removed, and which
are again moved in a contrary direction to afford bearings of increased
diameter when the needles are replaced. The usual loop, and dividing, landing,
and knocking-over wheels are moved to perform their functions, whatever
be the diameter of the circle of needles, all as hereafter fully explained.
The manner in which I carry my Invention into effect is shewn in the
accompanying Drawings, in which the circular frame is supposed to be set
horizontally.
Figure 1 is a front view of a circular frame or roundabout machine con-
structed according to my Invention. The machine shews a complete circle of
needle plates, carriers, or "jacks," but with only a few of the needles K
inserted. Figure 4, Sheet 2, is a side view, and Figure 5, Sheet 3, is a sectional
view of the same with some of the parts omitted. Figures 2 and 3 shew a
side and edge view of an apparatus used to move the loop wheels into their
proper position, when the diameter of the circle of needles is altered, Figure 6
is a plan of two of the needle plates rivetted together for the purpose of being
taken out when "narrowing" is to be effected. Similar letters refer to similar
parts in all the Figures.
A, is a plate carried on standards, not shown, forming the framework on.
which the machine is fastened. B is a spindle passing through and fastened
to a boss A¹ on the frame A; the outer end of this spindle has a bracket b' fixed
upon it which carries an axle 62 on which the knocking over wheel C works;
a spring C¹ presses this wheel outwards; the bracket carrying the axle 62 has
two rods C fastened to it, the inner ends of which rest upon the inside of the

page_text: conical collar D¹. The inner end of the spindle B has a collar b³ formed on it.
F is a pulley on the spindle B by which motion is given to the machine
through an endless belt; D is a pipe which has a hollow pulley D³ with a
groove Ds and a disc D³ cast upon it, the pulley D3 and disc D³ are turned to
the shape shewn at Figures 4 and 5, and then a grooved collar G is slipped
over the pipe D. After this collar is in its place the conical collar D¹ is cast
or otherwise fastened upon the pipe D, as shown at Figure 5. This conical
collar is turned both inside and outside, and the whole pipe with its fittings is
free to move and turn freely on the spindle B; H is a forked lever carrying
two studs which take into the groove Ds, by means of this lever the pipe D
is made to move in and out as the diameter of the circle of needles is required
to be greater or less. The grooved collar G is prevented from moving in and
out with the pipe D by means of three rods E fastened at one end to the
pulley F, and at the other to the grooved collar G; O is the presser wheel;
M, the loop wheel; N, the dividing wheel; P, the "push back;" Q is the star
screw rod with spring; R¹ is the thread guide; these parts are all attached to the
star screw rod Q carried by a bracket R; the rod Q is moved to and from
the axis of the frame by a wedge piece S shewn detached in edge and side
views at Figures 2 and 3, and in plan at Figure 1. This wedge piece is attached
to the lever H moved by hand or foot levers, or in any other convenient way;
L is a forked and hooked lever for taking out the needle plates, it is jointed to
a rocking lever working on an arm fastened to the main framing A. The
rocking lever is worked by a rod 2 connected with a foot or hand lever;
K is a needle plate, carrier, or jack shewn detached at Figure 7 carrying the
needle K2; the edges K, K³, K, are so shaped as to form parallel lines with
the conical bearings at D', D3, D³. In the needle carrier shewn at Figure 7
there is an additional conical guide p, when this guide is added I affix a collar
by means of arms on the outside of the hollow pulley D°; this collar has a
constant bearing upon the outside of the conical guide p, moves in and out
with the conical collar and parts connected therewith, and keeps the needle
carriers close upon their conical bearings. The arm K³ of the needle plate
takes into the grooved collar G to keep the needle plates K from moving in
and out with the movement of the pipe D, the needle plate K from the
outside to the line shewn by the dotted lines K' is of equal thickness, the
inner edge being thinner to allow of the expansion or contraction of the circle
without altering the gauge of the machine. Where the needle plates are
arranged for being taken out singly, I attach an eye at K¹, Figure 5, but
where two are to be removed together, I connect them by a pin or otherwise
to afford a hold for the hooked levers L whereby they are drawn out when

page_text: required; D', D', are slots cut in the hollow pulley D³ to allow of the needle
plates being taken out; D³ is a movable locking plate which holds the
needle plates K from falling out; D is a bracket fastened to the pulley D
having a pin X on it on which the locking plate D turns; D' is a spring
holding the locking plate fast on the needle plates, this locking plate is turned
back when it is required to take out or put in any of the needle plates. The
needle plate K is made with a clip forming a slot at the end in which the
needle is fixed; the needles are made with a bend at the lower end as shown
at Figure 8; the point of the bend enters into a recess cut in the needle plate K,
and thus insures the length of the needles in the frame being all alike when
they are in their place. A spring fitting the needle is inserted in the slot at
the top of the needle plate and then a small wedge K³ is forced in so that
the needle is firmly fixed and still may be readily removed by taking out the
wedge and spring. G¹ is a thin plate of metal fastened to the parts D¹, D,
and D³; saw gates are cut in them and the thin plate driven in. The two
needle plates next to this thin plate require to be thinned down so that the
space occupied by the three may be the same as if only the two needle plates
were present. This thin plate assists to keep the needle plates parallel with
or at right angles to the axis of the pipe D. It is unnecessary to give any
particular explanation of the parts that are old and belong to the working of
the ordinary roundabout frame.
The peculiarity of my Invention consists in the arrangement of the
machinery in such manner as to allow of the number of needles in the circle
being altered without altering the gauge or disturbing the perfection of the
work. I am enabled at the same time to produce perfect narrowed work nar-
rowing the stitches from one needle to another as in ordinery fashioned work.
To narrow the work after the plain part is produced, and to the production of
which plain part I make no claim, nor to the machinery whereby the plain
part is produced, I leave a few needles standing in the centre of the narrowings
and take out the needles two needles from each side of this centre, two being
necessary and sufficient for the ordinary narrowing, but more or less may be
removed according to requirement. To do this I stop the frame and having
released the locking plate D and narrowed the loops for the needles to be
taken away on to other needles I take out the required number of needle plates
by means of the hooked levers L, or they may be removed by hand; the
locking plate D is now fastened down, the levers acting on the studs H' arc
moved to press out the pipe D, which through the conical parts thereon acting
on the conical edges of the needle plates, moves these plates equally all round
the circle and brings them fitting close and tightly together into a smaller

page_text: circle; the needles being now exactly the same distance from each other as
before any needle plates were taken out, the thin plate G' keeps the needle
plates from moving altogether round. The wedge S acting through the
lever H brings the presser wheel, loop wheel, dividing wheel, push back, and
thread guide into the position necessitated by the smaller diameter of the circle
of needles, and at the same time the projections C2 acted upon by the inside
of the conical collar D₁ bring the knocking over wheel nearer the centre and
into the right place for its work. The grooved collar G being fastened to the
pulley F holds the needle plates from moving inwards or outwards with the
conical parts on the pipe D, and thus the needles are forced into a smaller or
larger circle, and the ends kept always at the same height. To return to the
larger diameter of the circle of needles the frame is again stopped, the conical
collar and conical bearings connected thereto are moved in the contrary
direction, and the needle carriers, with their needles, are returned to their
former position.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the employ-
ment in circular frames or roundabouts of a cone and conical supports or
bearings for the needle jacks or carriers so as to afford them a continuous
bearing whatever the diameter of the circle of needles, and imparting motions
to the loop and dividing, landing, and knocking over wheels, so that they
shall perform their usual functions whatever the diameter of such circle, all
substantially in manner herein-before described, whereby fashioned or
narrowed work may be produced and finished as far as the fashion is con-
cerned before being removed from the frame.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Scattergood, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.
DANIEL SCATTERGOOD. (L.S.)