Improvements in Hosiery Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hosiery Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
We JAMES HILL SMITH of 2 Claypole Road in the Town of Nottingham,
Hosier and FREDERICK WILLIAM PARE of 20 Waterloo Road in the said Town
Lace Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to facilitate fashioning and widening in straight
bar knitting machines in which latch-needles are used by putting the needles out
of and into work when required automatically by machinery. To effect this we
employ a lifting and lowering movement applied below the ordinary projection on
the needle stems. This movement may be applied in various ways; one of them
we employ as follows:-We lengthen the needle stem and place upon it a second
projection in addition to the ordinary projection used for raising and lowering the
needle by means of the driving cam whilst the needle is actually employed in
knitting. The second projection is on the same side of the needle stem as the
ordinary projection, but below it.
By means of the second projection the needles can be raised or lowered until the
ordinary projection upon the needle stem is out of reach of the driving cam and
lowered or raised until the ordinary projection is within reach of the driving cam.
When the ordinary projection is out of reach of the driving cam the needles are
out of work; when within its reach they are in work.
To raise and lower the needles we use metal bits capable of being slidden up and
down in the same tricks or grooves as the needle stems, but below them. These
metal bits may be so arranged as to work below the ordinary projections on the
needle stems in various ways One of such ways we employ as follows.-Each of
the metal bits is formed with an arm extending upwards from it beyond the second
projection on the needle stem. This arm carries two projections inwards, one above
the second projection on the needle stem and the other below it. The projections
are sufficiently far apart not to interfere with the needle in the upward and down-
ward movement given to it, whilst in work, by the driving cam.
When a needle is to be put out of work the metal bit below it is raised or
lowered; whereupon the lower or upper projection on the metal bit catching below
or above the second projection on the needle stem the needle is raised or lowered
until the ordinary projection upon its stem is out of reach of the driving cam.
The metal bit is then lowered or raised to its original position and the ordinary
projection on the needle stem is left out of reach of the driving cam, where if
raised it is retained by the pull of the loop of the fabric upon the needle within it,
assisted if necessary by a small "V" shaped bend of the needle.
When a needle which has been put out of work is to be brought back into work
the metal bit below it is lowered or raised; whereupon the upper or lower
projection on the metal bit catching above or below the second projection on the
needle stem, the needle is lowered or raised until the ordinary projection upon its
stem is within reach of the driving cam. The needle if employed in fashioning is
not brought back to the exact position from which it has been raised but into such
a position that the needle point is kept above the loop within which the needle
then is whilst the ordinary projection on the needle stem is brought within reach
To raise and lower
of a trap near the top of the sliding groove of the driving cam.
the metal bits at appropriate times we employ levers which can be traversed and
80 brought into position to act on the required metal bite.
The traversing of the levers may be controlled according to the shape desired
to be given to the fabric by a pattern chain or other pattern surface.

page_text: By means of putting needles out of and into work, pockets, for example for
the heel or toe of a stocking or sock, can be formed at any place in the fabric or
the fabric may be widened.
On hosiery straight bar knitting machines a pocket is formed in two halves one
on each side of the fabric (one or more extra driving cams being employed or not
employed as is found convenient) and to do this we employ the following means
proceed simultaneously on each side of the fabric:-A traversing lever is brought
into position to act on the metal bit below the innermost fashioning needle then in
work (or other needle required to be put out of work). Such last named metal bit
is then raised by the lever and the required needle thus put out of work.
The
lever is then brought into position to act on the next metal bit which is then
raised and so on until enough needles have been put out of work to form the
required half pocket. After one needle has been put out of work no following
needle is put out of work until it has been first raised and lowered once or more by
the driving cam.
:
So soon as enough needles have been put out of work the process is reversed all
the needles so put out of work being brought back into work one after the other by
lowering (by means of the traversing lever) the metal bits below them the needle
last put out of work being the first to be brought back into work. After one needle
has been brought back into work no following needle is brought back into work
until the driving cam has passed once or more to and fro below the ordinary
projection on its stem. When all the needles put out of work have been
brought back into work and raised and lowered by the driving cam the required
half pocket is completed.
When needles are being put out of and brought back into work for the purpose
of forming a pocket the centre needles not employed in forming the pocket are put
out of work until the pocket is formed when they are immediately brought back
into work. To do this we employ a locking bar to lay hold on the second
projections on the stems of the centre needles simultaneously. This having been
done the locking-bar is raised or lowered as may be required by means of a lever
until the centre needles are out of or in work. So soon as the centre needles
are brought back into work the second projections upon their stems are released
from the locking bar.
To increase the width of a fabric as many needles as can be required in the
widening process are employed at the necessary end or at each end of the row of
needles which is to knit the narrowest part of the fabric. Before work is begun all
the widening needles are put out of work together. The narrowest part of the fabric
is then gone on with. When it is required to widen, the widening needles are brought
into work one after the other as required and if the fabric is to be widened on both
sides the inside widening needles are brought into work alternately.
The manner we employ of bringing a widening needle into work is as follows:-
Whilst the driving cam and carrier are at some point in their traverse beyond and
outside the widening needle to be brought into work such needle is put into work
by being raised. On being worked by the driving cam the widening needle is raised
in front of the thread which is held somewhat back from the needle last fed by the
pull of the fabric upon it and the widening needle now being fed by the carrier
passing in front of it a complete loop is formed round it.
The thread layer or carrier and driving cam may be made (during the whole
time of knitting the fabric) to traverse the greatest width required therein or to
take an increased traverse when required. The increased traverse of the thread
layer & cam may be obtained in various ways. One of such ways is to regulate
the traverse by means of a worm or screw & ratchet to which an automatic move-
ment is given.
When the fabric being widened is completed the loops upon the widening needles
or any required number of them are pressed off and work is resumed on the
narrowest width of the succeeding fabric to be knitted.
To raise and lower the widening needles we employ similar means to those used

page_text: in raising and lowering the fashioning needles but the levers employed to raise and
lower the metal bits below the widening needles may be so arranged as to raise or
lower them all simultaneously.
Fashioned stockings can be made by beginning at the toe end then (introducing
the necessary pockets) making the foot and lower part of the leg, then widening
for the calf then working on the widths of the calf for the lengths required,
then widening again for the thigh and working on the widths of the thigh for the
lengths required.
Fashioned sleeves can be made by beginning at the wrist then widening as
required and working on the widths of the arm for the lengths required.
Fashioned pants can be made by beginning at the ankle then widening as required
and working on the widths of the leg for the lengths required.
Socks or half hose can be made either by running on a rib-top then making the
lower part of the leg, and then (introducing the necessary pockets) making the foot
and toe or by beginning at the toe end then (introducing the necessary pockets)
making the foot and lower part of the leg and joining the rib top to the leg
afterwards.
Dated this Twenty-first day of October 1891.
JAMES HILL SMITH.
FREDERICK WILLIAM PARE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hosiery Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
JAMES HILL SMITH 2 Claypole Road, Nottingham Hosier and FREDERICK
WILLIAM PARE 22 Waterloo Road Nottingham Lace Manufacturer, 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 improvements in straight bar knitting machines in
which latch needles are used, and is for the purpose of enabling us to manufacture
knitted articles of wearing apparel with widenings on one or both sides, or having
pocket fashionings, or articles widened on one or both sides and with pocket
fashionings also.
The pocket fashionings are of the kind used in the manufacture of what are
known as pocket heels and are made by first knitting the necessary plain courses, then
throwing part of the needles out of action and forming the pocket fashioning upon
the remaining needles, this being done by first throwing the fashioning needles out
of action one at a time and then throwing them into action again in the reverse
order.
In the machine designed for the production of pocket fashionings and widenings,
or to make either the needle bits slide in a grooved plate or aley, and are actuated
by cams which are traversed to and fro across the machine and act upon projections
on the needle stems. We also prolong the needle stems downwards and from a
second and lower projection upon them, this projection being embraced by an arm
upon what we term a metal bit, and which like the needle stem is arranged to slide in
the needle sley below the needle stem. On the back of the metal bit there is a
projecting arm which is acted upon at suitable times by a lever for the purpose of
lowering the metal bit and consequently the needle embraced by it. There is also
a second lever which is arranged to act upon the bottom of the metal bits for the
purpose of raising them and the needles.
The lifting and lowering levers are mounted upon shafts to which a suitable
rocking motion is given by cams. The levers are also traversed across the needles
by means of screws at each end of the machine.
The needles are arranged in three sets, the two end sets being provided with
metal bits and the centre set with a catch bar arrangement, which is worked by

page_text: hand, and is for the purpose of throwing the centre set of needles out of action
when a pocket fashioning is to be made.
When the machine is arranged for the manufacture of goods which are widened
only, we dispense with the metal bits and raise the needles into action by a slide,
which acts upon the bottom of the needle stems and is actuated by a cam through
suitable links and levers.
In this machine the catch bar arrangement is arranged to act upon the outside
sets of needles for the purpose only of throwing the widening needles out of action
after the article is completed.
In order that our invention and the method of carrying out the same may be
fully understood we have attached hereto three sheets of drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a cross section of a machine arranged for making the pocket fashionings
and widenings and Fig. 2 a back elevation of one end of the same.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of a machine arranged for making widenings only and
Fig. 4 a back elevation of one end of the same.
Fig. 5 is a cross section showing the arrangement for driving the cams and thread
carrier rods in both machines and Fig. 6 a back elevation of the same showing two
divisions of the machine.
Fig. 7 is a cross section of the needle sley showing the arrangement we adopt for
holding down the work.
Fig. 8 an elevation of the working cams Fig. 9 a section of the same and
Fig. 10 an end elevation of the clawkers for working the fashioning screws
in the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
The same parts of each machine are lettered with the same reference letter in
the different views.
In both machines there may be one or more breadths of needles for making
one or more articles at the same time, and we have confined our description to one
division only, the other divisions being similar to the one described.
Referring more particularly to the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the needles a
are mounted on stems a¹ which slide vertically in sleys a' carried by a foundation
plate a³ which is attached to the standards b. The needle stems are provided with
an upper projection at and when in a working position these projections are acted
upon by cams c which are constructed as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and driven by the
draw-bar arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6 these arrangements being fully
explained hereafter.
The needle stems a¹ are also provided with lower projections a³ which are
embraced by projections d'and don metal bits d, fitted to slide in the needle
sley a below the needle stems a'. The metal bits are retained in the sley a³ by a
plate and may if desired be controlled by springs for holding them up or down.
On the back of the metal bits there is also another projection which is acted
upon when it is necessary to lower the needle.
The raising and lowering of the needles for throwing them in and out of action
is effected by levers fand e¹ the former acting upon the bottom of the metal bits d
and the latter upon the projections d'. The levers e¹ and are mounted upon
shafts e and with which the levers are compelled to oscillate but are capable of
moving endways upon them, the connection between the shafts and levers being
obtained by a key sliding in a groove formed in the shafts. The shaft f is fitted
at one end with a lever 2 which is connected by a link f' to a cam lever f*,
pivoted at f³ and provided with a cam truck f which is held upon one of the
operating cams for 18 or supporting disc by a spring 10. The cam truck fis
embraced by pins on a lever which is connected by a link g" to any suitable
arrangement of pattern mechanism by which the cam truck is moved from one
cam to either of the others according to the motion required.
6
The shafte is fitted with a lever which is connected by a link to a cam
lever similar to the lever and operated in a similar manner.
4
The end movements of the levers e¹ and f¹ are obtained by screws 9 carried in
brackets g at the ends of the machine and fitted with screw nuts 9' carrying

page_text: arms 9, the arm at one end of the machine being attached to the shaft k and the
arm at the other end of the machine to the shaft h so that any movement of the
screw nuts g is communicated to the shafts h and k.
Fixed upon the shafts hand k there are slotted arms and which embrace
the levers and fat opposite ends of each division of the machine there being
two levers e¹ and two levers f¹ to each division.
The screws 9 are fitted with two ratchet wheels and clawkers 9 these latter
being connected to a lever go fitted with a cam truck and actuated by a cam g³,
the truck being moved on and off the operating cam by pattern mechanism.
Between the clawkers gf there is a lever g' fitted with trucks 90 and connected
by a link g to the pattern mechanism by which the lever is turned about its
fulcrum and one or other of the clawkers g thrown out of action and the other in,
by which arrangement the screw is driven in either direction and through it the
levers e and traversed to and from the centre of each division.
The machine is driven by a shaft / provided with the usual hand wheels l¹ and
geared to the cam shaft from which the motions of the various working parts are
obtained.
The thread carriers m of which there may be one two or more, are attached to
rods m' driven by friction boxes m³ which slide upon a bar m³ and are driven by
arms m from the cams c.
The centre set of needles of this machine are provided with a catch bar similar
to the arrangement described in reference to Figs. 3 and 4 and the needles acted
upon by the catch bar are without the metal bits.
When our improvements are applied to machines designed for the manufacture of
articles which have to be widened only we preferably dispense with the metal bits
and raise the needles into action by acting upon the needle stems direct and lower
them out of action by a catch bar.
This arrangement of our improvements is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the needles a
being carried by stems a' provided with two projections a³ and a³ and fitted to slide
in a sley a' carried by a foundation plate as which is attached to the standards b.
The needles are held in the sley by a plate as and actuated for knitting by a
cam c which slides upon a bar c' and is driven by the arrangement described in
reference to Figs. 5 and 6. The position of the needles when out of action are
indicated in Fig. 4 by the letters a¹*.
The mechanisms for raising the needles into action and of which there is one at
each end of each division consists of a slide n which is guided by a bracket n¹, the
slides n at one side of each division being actuated by levers n' from a shaft n³ and
the slides at the other side of each division by similar levers from a shaft n*
Fig. 6. The brackets n¹ at one side of each division are arranged to slide
upon one shaft and are moved in and out by the other shaft, while the brackets
at the other side of each division slide on the latter shaft and move with the
other one.
The brackets n' are connected to one of the shafts by the levers nº
at one side and collars at the other side, by which arrangement the brackets
are moved endways by one shaft, while both shafts are free to oscillate in them.
The shafts and are connected at opposite ends of the machine to brackets gå
on the nut of a screw which is fitted with a ratchet wheel 9* and actuated by a
clawker lever 9 and cam g', the cam truck 9 being thrown on and off the
operating cam 97 by pattern mechanism through a lever similar to the arrangement
shown on Figs. 1 and 2 and lettered 90 g".
The oscillation of the shaft n³ is derived from a cam n through a lever », link n³,
and lever n³, the latter being held from end movement with the shaft by a collar
at each side of its bearing n. The cam truck is moved on and off the cam n°
by pattern mechanism and is held upon the cam by a spring n".
There is also a circular plate n¹s at the side of the cam for supporting the lever
when at rest. The lever n' is connected to the shaft n' by a key n¹ which is held
in the lever and fitted to slide in a groove in the shaft n°. The shaft n is
oscillated by a similar arrangement at the other end of the machine. The catch

page_text: bar arrangement consists of a bar o which extends across each division of needles
and is attached at each end to arms o' which are pivoted upon levers of and held in
the position shown by springs o³. The levers o' are pivoted upon a convenient
fixed part of the machine and at the front end carry a bell-crank lever o* which
is connected by a link o' to the arms o¹ and by which, the catch bar is drawn
towards the projections a². Upon the bar o there are fastened plates of the length
of which is varied according to the article being made and the needles required for
widening.
The thread carriers are attached to bars m² and driven by friction boxes m³
which slide on a bar m³ and are driven from the cam c. The extent of the
traverse of the thread carriers in this and the previously described machine is
regulated by adjustable stops g, and there is also an arrangement of catches 9"
Fig. 4 for preventing the carriers moving until the cams have reached a determined
point. These catches are released by a cam surface on the bar c which connects
all the cams c together and is itself connected to the draw lever. The friction
boxes are shown in Fig. 3 connected together by a bar m' and there may be fixed
bearings for the carrier rods if desired. The machine shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is
driven from a shaft which is fitted with hand wheels and geared to the cam
shaft by gear wheels indicated by the dotted lines 1 and 1.
P
The cams indicated in Figs. 1. 2. 3. 4. and 6 by the letter c consist of a plate
Figs. 8 and 9 which is attached to a frame p' capable of sliding on a fixed bar
the whole of the cams being connected together at the back of the machine by a
bar On the front of the plate p there are the acting surfaces of the cam which
comprise two movable plates p³, a fixed plate p' and an adjustable plate p*. The
plates p' are fitted to slide vertically in grooves in the plate p and are raised and
fowered by a slotted cam plate 2 which is moved to change the position of the
plates p at the end of each course. The plate p¹ is adjustable for the purpose of
regulating the length of the loop made and the method of adjustment shown
in Figs. 8 and 9 is particularly applicable to machines making widenings only and
is altered to suit the circumstances in a machine making pocket fashionings, that is
to say, no part of the acting plates should be above the plate p so as to reduce the
lift of the needles for throwing them out of action.
The bar Figs. 5 and 6 to which all the cams c are attached is connected by a
link to a lever c which is pivoted at c and connected by a link to a lever c
pivoted at c³ and connected by a link to a draw-bolt co guided in brackets c" and
actuated by a cam c" which is mounted on a short cross shaft and driven by
gearing from the cam shaft *. When the traverse of the cams c is comparatively
short the lever c' may be dispensed with and the draw-bolt c¹o connected direct to
the lever o*.
In Fig. 7 there is shown the needle a and its stem a¹, also one of its projections a³,
and the shape of the plates 9 used for holding down the work, as the needles rise
one of the plates q being placed between every two needles as shown on Fig. 4.
For making stockings and other articles requiring pocket fashionings and widenings
or pocket fashionings only we use the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and start
the work at its narrowest width. When a pocket fashioning is required the centre
needles are lifted by the catch bar until their projections a' are above the cam c
and consequently out of action. Work is then continued upon the two outside sets
of needles either by means of two cams and two thread carriers or by a single cam
traversing the full width of the machine and thread carriers which traverse across
the needles in work. At every course knitted or every one, two or more courses
the inside working needles of both outside sets are thrown out of action by the
levers which lift them above the action of the cam c and act upon the needles
at opposite sides of the machine alternately the levers f¹ being actuated by the
cam
This throwing out of action of the working needles proceeds until the required
size of the pocket is obtained, when they are thrown into action again by means of
the lever e', the return of the needles commencing at the needle last thrown out of

page_text: action and proceeding every one or more courses but in the reverse order to which
they were thrown out. When the two sets of outside needles have been returned
to their working position, the centre needles are lowered so as to be caught by the
plate p Fig. 8 which lowers them to their normal position as they receive a new
thread. The work is then proceeded with until another fashioning or widening is
required.
Widenings are made by bringing fresh needles into action by the lever f¹ and
cam f which act upon the needle to be raised after the cam c has completed or
nearly completed its traverse towards one end of the machine the needle being
raised at the same side of the macbine as the cam is when its stroke is completed.
In widening the needle is raised from its position below the cam to engage with
plate p Fig. 8 as the cam makes its returu stroke. The cams and ƒ are
arranged to lift the needles into action from their lowest position and to engage
the plate p or from this position to a point above the cam c but in all cases the
leverse and return to their original position so as to pass the metal bits when
moved endways.
For making vests, pants, sleeves and articles requiring widenings only we prefer
to adopt the machine shown in Figs. 3 and 4, commencing the articles at their
narrowest portion and widening them up to the full width, after which the catch
bar is brought to act upon the outside or widening needles knock off their loops
by first raising them and then lowering them below the cam c. The next article
is then continued from the narrowest width, widened, and the knocking off repeated.
The different articles can then be separated, rib tops sewn on and the article
finished in the ordinary manner. If desired we can run the rib-tops on to the
machine, then knit the article and knock the loops off all the needles.
For making an article which requires widening only on either of the machines
described we start at the narrowest part of the article and make parallel work for
the required distance, the cam c traversing the full width of the needles while, the
thread carriers are limited in their traverse as the width of the fabric may require.
When a widening is required the pattern mechanism acts upon the truck of the
fashioning screw clawker and moves it on to the operating cam which then acts
upon the screw, this action taking place while the cam cis traversing across the
machine. The movement of the screw traverses the thread carrier stop and also
the slide or lever for acting upon the needle consequently the motion of the thread
carrier is greater on this course than on the previous course by a distance equal to
the amount of movement of the screw nut and this would be equal to the distance
between any two needles. The thread carrier is thus stopped one needle beyond
the position it stopped at in the last course knitted, while the cam continues its
course, and when at the end or near the end of the same, the slide or lever is
actuated to raise the needle, until its projection is in a position to be caught by the
plate p as the cam returns.
We have discovered that when making fabrics on machines of the kind herein-
before described and when the thread carrier is at the end of its traverse on either
side of the fabric being made the thread when passing from the last loop knitted to
the thread carrier is pulled or held back from the front of the needle last worked a
sufficient distance to allow of the needle next adjoining the needle last worked being
raised in front of the thread, that is, in such a position that the thread lies at the
back or hookless side of the needle, and we have also discovered that when a needle
has been so raised and fed by the thread carrier and worked by the cam on their
return traverse a complete loop is formed on the needle so raised into action. We
take advantage of this fact and by automatically raising the necessary widening
needle into action in front of the thread when the cam and thread carrier are
at a point in their traverse outside such widening needle and feeding and working
such needle on the return traverse of the thread carrier and cam we are able to
produce automatic widenings without the use of ticklers, sinkers, or any other
fashioning instruments.
When the article is widened at both sides the extra needles are raised at opposite

page_text: sides of the work alternately, but must always be raised at the same side as the
cam e then is, and when it has completed or nearly completed its course and thus is
outside the needle raised into work.
Instead of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for raising the metal bits, we
may form two projections on the back of the same and move them by a lever
working between the two projections, or we may have a single projection on the
metal bit and a forked lever to work upon it. In both these cases the metal bit is
brought back to a determined position so that the lever can be moved endways,
and the distance between the faces d³, & arranged to allow of the projection a
working between them.
We can also lengthen the needle stems and allow the levers e¹ and d' or their
equivalent to act upon the projection as this being increased in size if necessary.
The catch bar shown on Figs. 3 and 4 is arranged to be worked by hand but it
may be worked automatically from the cam shaft through a suitable arrangement
of levers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In straight bar latch needle knitting machines, constructed substantially as
shown, the automatic throwing into action of needles for the purpose of making
widened articles substantially in the manner heretofore described.
2. In straight bar latch needle knitting machines, the arrangement of the needle
stems and metal bits for acting upon the same substantially as shown in Figs. 1
and 2 and described in the accompanying Specification.
3. In straight bar latch needle knitting machines and in conjunction with the
needle stems and metal bits, the levers e¹ and f' substantially as shown and for the
purpose specified in the accompanying drawings and Specification.
4. In straight bar latch needle knitting machines the arrangement of the
mechanisms for rocking the levers e¹ and f and for traversing the same substan-
tially as shown and described.
5. In straight bar latch needle knitting machines, for the production of pocket
fashionings and widenings on the same article or either pocket fashionings or
widenings, the general arrangement of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and
described in the accompanying Specification.
6. In straight bar latch needle knitting machines, the construction and arrange-
ment of a catch bar substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and described in the
accompanying Specification.
7. The general arrangement of the mechanisms for throwing the needles into
action as applied to straight bar latch needle knitting machines of the kind illustrated
in Figs. 3 and 4 and described in the accompanying Specification.
8. In straight bar latch needle knitting machines designed for the production of
widened articles the general arrangement of the machine illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4
and described in the accompanying Specification.
A
.
W. H. POTTER, M.I.M.E.
Parliament Chambers, Nottingham, Agent for the Applicants.