Improvements in Machines for Making Double Knot Nets.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Double Knot Nets.
We, FRANK BARBOUR of Hilden, Lisburn, in the County of Antrim, Ireland,
Managing Director, and ROBERT YOUNG of 59 Prince Street, Paterson, New
Jersey, in the United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows :-
As is well known, machines for making nets with double knots have been
constructed with needles, holders, fallers, front hooks, back hooks, pushers,
chapping bar, beam, shuttles, and mechanism for operating the several parts (with
the exception of the needles and holders).
In such machines the front hooks have had lateral motion imparted to them by
means of a device called a double incliner; also forward, upward, downward, and
backward movements under the control of a cam-like device termed a "fairleader,"
as well understood by makers of net machines.
Now the present invention has reference to an improved and simplified construc-
tion of double knot net making machines whereby we are enabled to dispense with
the pushers and double incliner as also with the introduction between the needles
of both the front hooks and the back hooks.
In a machine according to this invention the needles are mounted on a needle bar
as usual but the holders are made movable and means are provided for raising them
at suitable times from and returning them to their normal positions. The fallers,
chapping bar, beam, shuttles, and mechanism for operating them may be of known
construction. The front hooks however are so mounted as to be able to turn in a
rotary sense about the longitudinal axes of their stems and are provided with
mechanism for partly rotating them at the required times as hereinafter indicated.
The other working movements imparted to the front hooks are such that they do
their work mainly below the needles and without passing between the needles as
will be hereinafter explained.
The back or auxiliary hooks are mounted to slide on oscillating guides and have
an outward as well as a partly circular movement relatively to the pivots of the
said guides and have also a lateral movement which enables them to engage
alternately first one and then the other of the loops on a pair of fallers for successive
rows of knots.
The construction and arrangement of the parts is such that whilst a loop of cord
is held by a faller, a corresponding front hook and back or auxiliary hook are
caused to pass in opposite directions through the loop, and to both engage with one
leg of the loop, after which a movement of partial rotation is imparted to the front
hook, and it is caused to engage with the other leg of the loop, thus causing the
legs of the loop to cross one another whilst they are held by the front hook, which
is then by a partial rotation returned to the position from which it was turned
immediately after it had engaged with the first mentioned leg.
The loop whilst still held by the front hook is disengaged from the faller, and a
corresponding holder between two needles having been caused to rise, the front and
back hooks are caused to move into a position in which the loop will be between the
two needles. Then the holder is returned to its original position, whereupon the
loop is held between the holder and one of the needles, then a backward and upward
movement of the front hook takes place, and by means of the chopping bar a part
of the loop above the front and back hooks is caused to enter a groove or wicker of
the needle, and by a suitable upward and forward movement of the front hook the
double loop is carried over the crown of the needle so as to form the shed for the
passage of the shuttle, previous to which the faller is caused to rise into such a

page_text: position that when subsequently lowered it will engage with the shuttle cord, which
it will carry down in readiness for the formation of the succeeding loop; after
which descent of the faller, the front hook, by a backward and downward movement
will become, with the co-operation of the chapping bar, disengaged from the loop,
leaving the knots on the needles; from which they will be subsequently removed
by the drawing action of the beam.
It will of course be understood that what has been above described with reference
to a single loop and double knot applies to all the loops and double knots simul-
taneously formed in the machine, and that the successive movements are imparted
to the various parts of the machine at the proper times by an attendant operating
handles or treadles suitably connected with the said parts.
A convenient mode of imparting the partial rotations or rocking movements to
the front hooks is to provide them with cranks whose pins engage with a comb-like
device to which reciprocating motion is imparted.
Dated this 28th day of October 1891.
W. Lloyd Wise,
Per James G. Stokes,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Double Knot Nets.
We, FRANK BARBOUR of Hilden, Lisburn, in the County of Antrim, Ireland,
Managing Director, and ROBERT YOUNG of Hilden, Lisburn aforesaid, late of
59 Prince Street, Paterson, New Jersey, in the United States of America,
Machinist, 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 :-
As is well known, machines for making nets with double knots have been con-
structed with needles, holders, fallers, front hooks, back hooks, pushers, chapping
bar, beam, shuttles, and mechanism for operating the several parts (with the
exception of the needles and holders).
In such machines the front hooks have had lateral motion imparted to them by
means of a device called a double incliner; also forward, upward, downward, and
backward movements, under the control of a cain-like device termed a "fairleader,"
as well understood by makers of net machines.
Now the present invention has reference to an improved and simplified construc-
tion of double knot net making machines whereby we are enabled to dispense with
the pushers and double incliner as also with the introduction between the needles of
both the front hooks and the back hooks.
And in order that the nature of this invention and the manner of carrying it into
practical effect may be fully understood, we proceed to describe the same with
reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, whereof
Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section of a double knot net machine with our
improvements applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a view to a larger scale of the knotting mechanism shown in Fig. 1.
Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are respectively a plan, a front view, a transverse section, and
a longitudinal section, showing the front hook-bar and means for partially rotating
or rocking the front hooks.
Figs. 7 to 12 are detail views hereinafter referred to.
Figs. 13 to 21 show diagrammatically different positions assumed by essential
parts during the formation of a knot.
A is the frame of the machine; A' is the bed or table thereof, and A' are cross
bars to which the working parts are secured. B is a beam or drum on which the

page_text: net is wound as it is made; C is the "fairleader," shown more clearly in Fig. 9.
This fairleader resembles that of an ordinary single knot machine, but is provided
with a sliding latch C' which can be pushed in or out by hand, or by connection
with some of the moving parts, to cover or uncover the entrance to the lower
extension of the recess C³. D, D¹ are the operating treadles of which only two are
shown and E is a rotary shaft carrying a cam E' for actuating the fallers F. HH are
the front hooks; they are so mounted as to be able to turn in a rotary sense about
the longitudinal axes of their stems, and are provided with mechanism for partly
rotating them at the required times, as hereinafter indicated. The other working
movements imparted to the front hooks are such that they do their work mainly
below the needles, and without passing between the needles, as will be hereinafter
explained. G is a hook bar in which the front hooks are carried. This hook-bar,
which is moved forward by means of the handle G¹ having a pin G* engaged in
the fairleader, is carried by arms G on a rocking frame or cradle H* and is
constructed as shown more clearly in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. The said bar is planed
out to receive a sliding slotted plate or comb, I, kept in place by an angle piece G³.
This comb I can be reciprocated by means of a handle J, pivoted at J, and acting
on a pin K', formed on an oscillating plate K, pivoted at G³, and formed with a
slot K, in which works a stud I' formed on a piece I' secured to the comb I. The
front hooks H are each formed (as shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 7) with a
cylindrical portion H' which fits into a suitable seat or bearing in the hook bar G,
being held in place by covers H. Each front hook has at its inner extremity a
crank, the pin H' of which projects into one of the slots I' of the comb I, so that
in the to and fro movement of the comb a movement of partial rotation is imparted
to the front hooks. L, L are the needles. They are mounted on a needle bar as
usual, but the holders are made movable, and means are provided for raising them
at suitable times from, and returning them to, their normal positions. The needles
are provided with wickers L*, as usual, and are secured in leaden shanks, dovetailed
into a needle bar L. M, M, are the movable holders, of which there is one
corresponding to each needle. These holders are formed of thin steel or other
resilient metal. They are strung upon a light metal rod M', carried by an angle
bar N, whose ends are supported by brackets N' secured to the bar L'. The
mounting of the holders M is more clearly shown in Fig. 12, which is an underside
view, to a larger scale, showing a holder and parts immediately connected there-
with. Each holder works in an inclined slot N formed in a brass piece N³ secured
to the angle bar N. These brass pieces N³ are arranged side by side and the
rod M' passes through holes formed for it in the lower portions of the pieces N'.
At the rear, each holder M is provided with a recess M³ formed in the holder,
or in a plate M* secured thereto. A rocking bar M*, carried by arms M³ pivoted
to brackets M, enters the recesses M². The said bar M* is raised by a treadle
through the medium of a tail rod M' and a connecting rod M8, while a spring M®
secured to any convenient part of the machine tends to depress the said tail rod
and raise the holders M. By this arrangement the holders M can be raised or
lowered at pleasure. When raised, the holders lie immediately over their corres-
ponding needles, (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, which is a sectional plan)
and so permit of the cords passing forward between the needles without the front
hooks being raised above the said needles; when depressed however the said holders
pass between the needles, being guided to one side in their descent by heel-pieces M*,
in which position the point of each holder presses against the next needle as
indicated in Fig. 8 and serves to hold or retain the legs of the loop, while one of
them is being put into the wicker of the needle by the chapping action as herein-
after described.
0, 0, are the back or auxiliary hooks which have an outward movement, being
mounted to oscillate in an arc of a circle, as indicated by chain lines in Fig. 2;
they have also a lateral movement which enables them to engage alternately
first one and then the other of the loops on a pair of fallers, for successive
rows of knots. As will be seen the construction and arrangement are such that

page_text: these back hooks do not require, in their working movement, to pass bodily up
between the needles L, as is the case with the back hooks as usually employed
in machines of the kind referred to for making double knot nets. Therefore by
the improved construction the working of the machine is greatly facilitated,
while the number of movements to be given by the operator is reduced, and the
character of the said movements is much simplified. The said hooks are
shaped as shown and are carried by an oscillating frame comprising a bar O' to
which the shanks of the hooks are secured by a dovetail joint between two
bars 0%, 0. A packing of leather or other suitable material O' is inserted
between the bar O³ and said hook shanks. The bar O¹ is carried by arms O
mounted on a rocking shaft O actuated from a treadle by an arm 07 and con-
necting rod 08. In Fig. 2 the hooks are shown in their lowest position, at
which time the operator has his foot on the treadle. A spring O' secured to O'
and to any convenient part of the machine serves to raise the said hooks when
the foot of the operator is removed. The said shaft O which is square in parts
is carried in slotted bearings P in which it is free to move up and down under
the action of forked arms P', the forked part of each of which embraces the
bar while the rear part has pivoted thereto a frame P in which works an
eccentric P' whereby the arms P₁ can be caused to rock so as to raise the
shaft and the hooks O when required. The eccentric P³ is mounted on a
shaft P working in a recess in the table of the machine. The said shaft carries
a toothed wheel P* gearing with a large wheel P°, to a crank pin on which is
secured a rod P' attached at its lower end to a treadle whereby the eccentric P³
and the parts connected therewith are actuated. The object of this arrangement
is to enable the machine to make nets of small mesh for which purpose the
hooks require to be raised to their fullest extent. For large mesh however
the said hooks do not need to be raised. By this means we are enabled to work
meshes of various sizes without inconvenience and loss of time from having to
alter the adjustment of the machine.
Qare arms carrying the chapping bar Q* which are mounted on the shaft Q¹ and
are actuated from a treadle by a rod Q connected to an arm Q³ also mounted
on Q¹.
The hooks and needles above referred to may have their points set either to the
right or to the left so as to form right hand or left hand knots as the case may be
but in other respects their operative ends resemble those of the corresponding hooks
and needles in single knot machines.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
i
Loops of cord are first arranged by hand) on the fallers,-these loops extend from
the beam B to the said fallers. The row of loops being held on the fallers F, the
front hooks H, and the back hooks O, are moved towards each other; the front hooks
being passed through the loops and the back hooks at the sides of the loops, as shewn
in Fig. 13; the said movement of the front hooks is effected by the handle G¹,
(which is guided by its pin G moving from 1 to 2, Fig. 9) while the movement of
the back hooks is given by a partial rotation of the shaft O. The back hooks are
now moved backward, that is, to the left with regard to Fig. 1, so that a back hook
engages with one leg of each loop, the right or the left, according as their points
are set to the right or the left. The front hooks are at or about the same time
caused by means of the handle J to rock in the direction indicated by the arrow,
(Fig. 13) and by a slight movement of the handle G¹ are moved towards and caused
to engage the same legs as the back hooks. The positions of the parts at this stage
are as indicated in Fig. 14. The front hooks are then partly rotated by means of
the handle J, so as to resume an upright position, and by a slight movement of the
handle G towards 3, are caused to move into engagement with the other legs of
the loops. The parts being now in the positions indicated in Fig. 15, by means
of the handle G the front hooks are moved in the direction indicated by the arrow
(Fig. 15) and also have imparted to them a descending and an ascending movement
to which the back hooks accommodate themselves, and in this way the loops are

page_text: drawn completely off the fallers. The holders M being at this time in their raised
position, the two sets of hooks are moved so as to carry the loops between the
needles, (Fig. 16), this movement of the front hooks being effected by means of the
handle G whose pin G* is returned to the point 2 and the back hooks accommodating
themselves to such movement of the front ones. The holders M are now lowered
by means of their treadle mechanism, and then the hooks are moved by passing the
pin of the handle from 2 to 4, so that the front hooks come opposite the ends of the
needles, as in Fig. 17. Then the chapping bar is operated by means of its treadle,
and caused to throw the proper leg of each loop over the adjacent wicker L*, as in
Fig. 17, so dividing the legs and forming a shed for the passage of the shuttle. The
front hooks are now operated by moving the handle G¹ so that its pin G* passes
from 4 to 5 (Fig. 9) and in this way the twist of each loop is carried over a needle L,
and over a corresponding holder, and is placed across the leg of the loop which has
just been put on the wicker by the chapping bar Q*, the parts then being in the
positions shown in Fig. 18. The fallers F are now raised into the position shown
in Fig. 19 by the cam E. The shuttle which may be of the ordinary form used in
single knot net machines is then passed through the loops, and lays the cord along
the upper parts of the needles below the hooks of the fullers F, so that the said
fallers being then caused to descend draw down this cord in loops as in Fig. 20
ready to form another set of knots. During this downward movement the front
hooks are caused to descend by moving the handle G so that G* moves from 5 to 6
(Fig. 9), and by a partial rotation of the shaft O' the back hooks are moved forward
to allow the cord to slip off their upturned points. The chapping bar Q* is
simultaneously lowered and disengages the knots from the said front and back hooks.
The knots being then held only on the upper points or crowns of the needles,
as in Fig. 21, are drawn off and tightened by a partial rotation of the drum or
beam B.
The fallers are then raised slightly by their cam E, and assume the position shown
in Fig. 21, ready to repeat the foregoing cycle of operations, and the front hooks are
put into their first position by moving the pin G from 6 to 1. For making nets of
small mesh the same operations are successively performed but the shaft O® carrying
the hooks O is raised in its bearings when the parts are in the position indicated in
Fig. 17 by means of the eccentric P³ and parts connected therewith. The said shaft
and hooks are allowed to again descend when the parts assume the positions shown
in Fig. 20.
It will be readily understood that the successive movements are imparted to the
various parts at the proper times by the attendant operating suitable handles or
treadles such as are commonly used and some of which therefore it is not deemed
necessary to show, and which are connected with the respective parts for the purpose
of working the same, as referred to.
Figs. 10 and 11 shew respectively the forms of right hand and left hand knot
produced, prior to being drawn tight.
If desired, an arrangement may be provided for relieving the drum, that is, for
turning it back slightly in order to diminish the tension on the net and allow of the
knots being withdrawn more freely from the needles.
For making right hand knots the points of the hooks are turned to the right and
the hooks themselves oscillate to the right while the wickers are situated on the
right hand side of the needle. For making left hand knots the arrangement in each
of these particulars is the exact converse.
We prefer in every case however to make the knots right handed as this con-
forms more to the general rule for hand made nets, and fishermen or others using
the nets are more accustomed to right hand than to left hand knots.
The foregoing movements enable right hand knots to be produced without
difficulty as the original twist of the yarn is not disturbed in the tying of such
knots, whereas in some double knot net machines it has been impracticable or very
difficult to make right hand knots owing to the action of the parts untwisting the
yarn when making such knots. A machine such as hereinbefore described is

page_text: extremely simple as regards the construction and arrangement of its working parts
and greately diminishes the amount of labour required from the operator.
Moreover the rate of production is much increased by the hereinbefore described
improvements, and as in the improved machine neither the front hooks nor the back
hooks come into contact with the needles, it results that there is very little wear on
these parts and the machine will work for considerable periods without needing
repairs, moreover the improved machine will turn out a very much larger amount
of work in a given time than would be performed by a double knot net machine of
the same size constructed as such machines have heretofore usually been.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a machine for making double knot nets, movable holders such as M with
means for operating them so as to cause them to enter between and leave the needles
substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a machine such as hereinabove referred to for making double knot nets,
mounting the front hooks so as to be able to turn in a rotary sense about the longi-
tudinal axes of their stems, and providing in connection therewith means for partly
rotating them at the required times substantially in the manner and for the purpose
set forth.
3. In a machine for making double knot nets, so arranging and operating front
hooks capable of partial rotation as referred to in the preceding claim in relation to
suitable needles, holders, fallers and back hooks, that the front hooks do their work
mainly below the needles and without passing between the needles.
4. In a machine of the kind hereinbefore referred to for making double knot nets,
the back or auxiliary hooks in combination with means for imparting to them move-
ment in arcs of circles the said hooks being arranged with their points upward
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a machine of the kind hereinbefore referred to for making double knot nets,
the combination of front hooks adapted to be partially rotated and to cross or twist
the loops of the net and to hold the crossed parts, back or auxiliary hooks adapted
to co-operate with the front hooks in the manner set forth and means for moving
such back hooks in arcs of circles substantially as described.
6. The improved machine hereinabove described with reference to and illustrated
in the drawings annexed for making nets with double knots.
Dated this 29th day of August. 1892
ROBERT YOUNG.
W. Lloyd Wise,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.