Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1891-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
We, MOSES PULLEN, of Lower Cote, Fixby, Brighouse, in the County of York,
Mechanician, and THOMAS MOSES PULLEN, of Diss, in the County of Norfolk,
Schoolmaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates 'to circular knitting machines for knitting stockings and
other kinds of hosiery, and has special reference to that class of machine where a
radial arm is employed for holding the central dial stationary when the machine is
in use.
In this class of knitting machine, bobbins containing the yarn are
supported by a revolving disc occupying such a position that the bobbins pass
underneath the radial arm, which arm necessarily limits the size of the bobbins and
therefore the quantity of yarn carried thereon. Another class of knitting machine
dispenses with the radial arm, and in consequence can use large sized bobbins
supported on stationary framework; and instead of the central dial being held
stationary by the radial arm, as in the case already mentioned, it is held stationary,
during the time the machine is working, by means of a lug on the underside of the
dial, which is made to come into contact with a fixed post or stud, but the use of
the fixed stud and projection is objectionable, as the work being produced or knitted
passes between the two opposing points, which drags and stretches it, and when the
work is fine it is damaged thereby. The object of our invention is to dispense with
the stud and projection employed in the last named machine, whilst retaining the
advantages of employing large bobbins, and to attain this we employ a radial arm
divided at any suitable part of its length, so that the yarn can be carried around
by the yarn carrier, and pass between the parts of the divided radial arm, and this
can be done whilst the dial is held stationary by means of the radial arm during
the time it is at work. Many devices may be employed for carrying the yarn
between the divided arm, but we prefer a disc having serrations at its edge, in one
of which the yarn lies, so that each time the yarn carrier travels around the dial,
a cam or projection on the yarn carrier comes into contact with a corresponding
projection on the underside of the disc, which is partially rotated thereby, carrying
the yarn with it between the divided arm, and the work goes on, and this is effected
every time the yarn carrier revolves. The radial arm is divided into two parts,
but kept together rigidly by sliding bars or bolts entering into slots or openings in
the other part of the divided arm, the arrangement being such that when the
thread carrier is passing a thread betwixt the divided arm, a cam which carries
the sliding bars is operated so as to withdraw one sliding bar from a slot, and
simultaneously therewith to insert another one, but the cam is so timed as only to
remove the first named bar after it has carried the thread past the second named
bar, so that before the first bar has entirely left its groove, the bar behind it has
entered, so that the radial arm is always rigidly connected. A spiral spring is
employed to return the cam to its original position after the carrier has passed.
Other like means, however, may be employed to connect the two halves of the
radial arm together. By this means we can perform the same functions as in that
class of machines without the radial arm, and yet use the larger bobbins, whilst we
retain all the advantages of the machines having the radial arm without the
disadvantages of the smaller bobbins.
Instead of employing the serrated disc for passing the yarn through the divided
radial arm, we may employ bolts or latches operated by cams set in motion by the
yarn carrier, or rods placed horizontally forced into and out of notches formed in
the radial arm by means of spiral springs, or other mechanical devices may also

page_text: be employed; but the characteristic feature of this invention lies in the divided
radial arm.
Dated this 16th day of September 1890.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
We, MOSES PULLEN, of Lower Cote, Fixby, Brighouse, in the County of York,
Mechanician, and THOMAS MOSES PULLEN of Diss in the County of Norfolk,
Schoolmaster 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:-
Our invention relates to circular knitting machines for knitting stockings and
other kinds of hosiery, and has special reference to that class of machine where a
radial arm is employed for holding the central dial stationary when the machine is
in use. In this class of knitting machine, bobbins containing the yarn are supported
by a revolving disc occupying such a position that the bobbins pass underneath the
radial arm, which arm necessarily limits the size of the bobbins and therefore the
quantity of yarn carried thereon. Another class of knitting machine dispenses
with the radial arm, and in consequence can use large sized bobbins supported on
stationary framework; and instead of the central dial being held stationary by
the radial arm, as in the case already mentioned, it is held stationary, during the
time the machine is working, by means of a lug on the underside of the dial,
which is made to come into contact with a fixed post or stud, but the use of the
fixed stud and projection is objectionable, as the work being produced or knitted
passes between the two opposing points, which drags or stretches it, and when the
work is fine it is damaged thereby. The object of our invention is to dispense with
the stud and projection employed in the last named machine, whilst retaining the
advantages of employing large bobbins, and to attain this we employ a radial arm
divided at any suitable part of its length, so that the yarn can be carried around
by the yarn carrier, and pass between the parts of the divided radial arm, and this
can be done whilst the dial is held stationary by means of the radial arm during
the time it is at work.
In order that the nature of our invention as above described may be more fully
understood, we herein illustrate the same by means of drawings, where
Fig. 1 is elevation of a circular knitting machine having our improved radial
connecting arm applied thereto;
of
Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the improved parts, and Fig. 3 plan view
same.
In this class of machine the needles A. have a non-rotary movement, and the
yarn is fed or supplied to the needles by the rotating arm B to which is attached
a thread carrier C. The horizontal radial arm D, attached to the vertical pillar E
by thumbscrew, is according to our invention divided, the opposite end D₁, or the
other portion of the radial arm, being secured by thumbscrews to the non rotating
shaft F. The yarn is carried around to the needles in the direction of the arrow
indicated on Fig. 3. Underneath that part of the radial arm marked D¹ is a star
or peg wheel G, see detail Fig. 4, the outer edge of which fits into a recess a
formed in the part marked D, as shewn in Fig. 3. The said star wheel is capable
of revolving upon the pivot or stud H, and on the underside of the said star wheel
are four or other number of projections employed for purposes hereinafter
explained. The thread carrier C is provided with an eyelet e (see Figs. 5 and 6)
the said thread carrier is also provided with a stud or peg d, so that every time
the thread carrier has made a revolution and arrives again at the radial arm, the
stud d comes into contact with one of the projections bunderneath the star wheel,

page_text: which is made to revolve one fourth of a revolution, whereby the thread, which is
lodging in one of the notches e of the said star wheel, is carried forward between
the opposing ends of the broken radial arm D and D₁, and this goes on at every
revolution.
By this means we can perform the same functions as in that class of machines
without the radial arm, and yet use the larger bobbins, whilst we retain all the
advantages of the machine having the radial arm without the disadvantages of the
smaller bobbins.
A modification of the broken radial arm is shewn in Fig. 7, which is elevat on
and Fig. 8 plan view thereof. In this case each of the portions of the radial
arm D D have grooves made in them for the reception of slides fand g. These
slides are attached to an oscillating cam I, so that when thread carrier C revolves,
the short vertical tube through which the thread passes and by which it is
guided, comes into contact with the cam, causing it to oscillate, in doing which the
slide enters groove f¹, so as to connect the parts together, but immediately after
the slide enters its groove, the opposite slide will be withdrawn from its
groove g¹ in the part D to permit the thread and the carrier to pass. A spring
which is not shewn on the drawings, may be employed to cause the cam to oscillate
in the opposite direction.
Fig. 9 is elevation and Fig. 10 plan view of another method of connecting
together the parts of the broken radial arm. In this case we employ two
tumblers J and K which are raised as the thread carrier revolves so as to allow
thread to pass between the opposing ends of the broken radial arm. These
tumblers are weighted so that they will fall into the slots provided for them after
the thread carrier has passed.
Fig. 11 shews another modified manner of connecting together the broken radial
arm; in this case a portion of the radial arm D is provided with two rods L, M.
There are also two studs or short rods ij, projecting from the other portion of the
radial arm D'. A tube k passes over these rods, forced downwards by spiral
springs, the arrangement being that when the thread carrier comes around to the
radial arm, the extreme point of the thread carrier comes into contact with a
stud projecting from the tube k, which is pushed onto the rod, as clearly shewn in
Fig. 11, so as to get the thread past the tubes. In the whole of the modifications
shewn and described, the connecting parts which are used in pairs, consisting of
slides, tumblers J, K, or tubes k, are never both clear or disengaged at once,
but are so timed that the second enters or gets hold of its part just before the first
has been disengaged.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would have it understood
that we do not limit ourselves to any particular form of mechanism for connecting
and disconnecting the parts of the radial arm, as it will be seen that many other
modifications than those shewn may be employed for this purpose, but what we
do claim is :-
In circular knitting machines, the combination therewith of a radial connecting
arm divided in the manner substantially as shewn in these drawings, and described
in this Specification.
101 1
Ր T
1001
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.