Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th May, 1391-Accepted, 25th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
I, WILLIAM INGRAM JAMES of 8 Brunswick Terrace Stafford in the County
of Stafford, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention applies to that class of circular knitting machines which are
required to run continuously by power and in which the positions of the knitting
cams require to be altered automatically whilst the machine is running and more
particularly to that class of machine commonly known as "rib-top" machines.
::
"Rib tops for half. hose are required to be produced in lengths of continuous
circular web and when the length of web for one "top" has been knit one or more
rows of loose stitches known as "slack courses are required followed by a "welt"
which forms the selvedge of the "rib-top when the fabric cut thro at the
"slack-course."
33
12
My invention has reference to the mechanism required to produce these changes
automatically.
To produce the "slack course " and "welt I provide a cam plate capable of
being made to revolve at any desired moment by means of a pattern chain moving
continuously with the machine. This cam plate carries cams suitably placed and
shaped which are made to operate upon hinged plates carried on the frame of the
machine. These hinged plates are raised and lowered by the cans on the cam
plate so as to engage with two "star" wheels. These star wheels are attached
to shafts carried in suitable brackets attached to some revolving part of the
machine in such way as that when the hinged plates are raised the star wheels will
engage with them & make part of a revolution.
One of the shafts, carrying the star wheel has at its opposite end a cam of
suitable shape which engages with the "slur cock" in the cam shell and depresses
it in order to form the slack course."
The other star" wheel is connected by suitable connections to the out throw
cam which actuates the ribbing needles. The movement imparted to the "star"
wheel as it strikes the hinge plate causes the out throw cam to be thrown inwards
or outwards for the purpose of forming a "welt."
In order to increase the out-put of the machine and at the same time permit the
movements just described to take place without undue shock and strain to the parts
in question I use two driving pulleys running loose upon the main shaft of the
Knitting machine. These pulleys are made alternately to drive the shaft by means
of a friction clutch sliding on a feather in shaft and which can be made to engage
first with one pulley and then with the other. A countershaft carried in any con-
venient position has two pulleys of different diameters which drive on to the two
friction pulleys on the main shaft. By this means, the countershaft revolving con-
tinuously at any given speed the speed of the main shaft will be varied by simply
causing first one of the cone pulleys to drive the machine then the other."
In order to move the friction clutch to & fro I provide a revolving cam disc
which by means of suitable connections gives to the clutch the required amount of
movement to cause it to engage first with one pulley and then with the other..
The movement of this cam plate is regulated by the same pattern chain before
mentioned and this movement is so timed that during the period that the mechanismi
for forming the "slack course" and "welt" is in operation the speed of rotation of
the machine is reduced very considerably and when these operations are completed
the machine is made to revolve at a much higher speed the whole of these movements
being performed automatically without stoppage of the machine.

page_text: I am thus enabled to obtain a much larger output from the machine than if its
normal speed of knitting the tubular web were regulated to what is suitable for the
few seconds when the automatic changes for slack-course" and "welt" take
place.
בד
1 1
O
1
1000
W. INGRAM JAMES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
I WILLIAM INGRAM JAMES of Green End House Stafford in the County of
Stafford, formerly of 8 Brunswick Terrace, Stafford aforesaid, Engineer 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 :-
My invention applies to that class of circular knitting machines which are
required to run by power and in which the positions of the various knitting
cams require to be altered automatically whilst the machine is running and
more particularly to that class of machines commonly known as
"rib top"
machines.
"Rib-tops" for half hose are required to be produced in lengths of continuous
circular web having at determined intervals one or more rows of loose stitches
known as "slack courses" followed by a "welt." The fabric being afterwards
cut into lengths at the "slack courses the welts" will form a selvedge to
each piece of web so cut off.
"
":
In a
"rib top machine embodying my improvements I construct the needle
cylinder, the needle dial, the cam shell carrying the cams for the cylinder
needles, and the cam cap for carrying the dial needle cams; in the usual well
known manner adopted in machines of the "Griswold" type.
For the adjustment of the relative position of the dial to the cylinder I form
on the inside surface of the cylinder a rib extending in a line parallel to the
axis of the cylinder. I also prolong the dial spindle below the dial and on this
prolongation attach an arm having a split boss and set screw on its dial
spindle end and on its outer end a wheel or roller bearing against the rib on the
inside of the cylinder. By slackening the screw on the split boss of this arm the
position of the dial with reference to the cylinder may be altered at any time when
desired.
For the production of the "slack course" it is necessary to increase the length
of stitch drawn by the cylinder needles. For this purpose I connect the stitch
cam or "slur cock to a plate on the outside of the cam shell and this plate
in its turn is attached to a second, movable vertically upon the first and which
carries a lug.
::
This lng engages with a cam on the end of a little horizontal shaft carried in a
bearing fastened to the geared ring of the cam shell and on the outer end of this
shaft is a €
star wheel having any suitable number of points. The shape of the
cam which engages with the lug is such that by rotating the shaft this cam will
cause the slur cock" to be moved in a vertical direction and thus longer or shorter
stitches will be produced on the cylinder needles according to the position of the
"star wheel" and cam.
"
For producing the "welt" it is necessary that the "outthrow cam which throws
out the ribbing needles shall be withdrawn during one or more courses and
subsequently thrown out again. To attain this object. I carry on the geared ring
of the cam shell a second horizontal shaft with star wheel which is geared by
a small pair of mitre wheels to a vertical shaft attached to the cam shell and having
at its upper end a small crank connected by a rod to the end of the lever which
moves the outthrow cam in and out. The length of the crank and of this "out-
3"

page_text: 6:
52
throw "cam lever are so proportioned that a half revolution communicated to the
star wheel and through the mitre wheels to the crank causes the "outthrow
cam to be moved from its extreme outward position to its extreme inward position
or vice versa."
33
To give the necessary movement to the "star wheels" thus provided, at the
required moment I carry through the bed of the machine a plunger and on the
geared ring of the cam shell I mount an inclined plate or cam piece which at each
revolution of the cam shell depresses the plunger which is afterwards returned to
its normal position by means of a spring.
The bottom end of this plunger carries two pawls cach of which engages with a
ratchet wheel. One of these ratchet wheels is connected to a wheel carrying what
is known as a
pattern chain," this is an endless chain the length of which can be
varied at will. Each time the machine revolves the plunger will cause this ratchet
wheel and consequently the " pattern chain
to move forward a distance equal to
one tooth of the ratchet wheel.
22
The other ratchet wheel has one of its teeth filed away so that when the pawl
is in the space thus left the ratchet wheel will not be rotated, but if the ratchet
wheel be moved forward one tooth it will then be rotated by the pawl until the
space again comes round to the pawl.
make use of the revolution of this second ratchet wheel to obtain the
movement of the "star wheels" which regulate the making of the "slack course
and welt."
35
On the same spindle with this second ratchet wheel I fasten a cam plate carrying
a scries of cams.
Upon the periphery of this plate rest three upright rods whose
top ends are in contact with three plates hinged at their outer ends to a bracket
which is fixed to the frame of the machine and which also serves as a guide piece
for the three rods.
::
As the cam plate revolves the cams act successively upon the rods and by raising
them cause the inner ends of the hinged plates to be lifted. These inner ends are
placed in the paths of the "star wheels, as they revolve with the machine and the
"star wheels" in striking them are made to revolve and thus communicate to the
knitting cams, through the connections already described, the necessary movements
for producing the "slack course and welt."
The second ratchet wheel is made to move forward from the empty space and
bring its teeth under the influence of the pawl, by means of the "pattern chain"
to which is attached one or more lugs which act on an arm attached to the ratchet
wheel spindle and turns this ratchet wheel the distance of one tooth after which
the pawl on the plunger will cause the ratchet wheel to make one entire
revolution.
It will thus be seen that every time the ratchet wheel, which has one tooth
omitted, makes one revolution the cam plate revolving with it will cause the
tr slack-courses and welt" to be formed and this ratchet wheel will be made to
revolve as often as the lug on the "
pattern chain
comes into action upon the
arm already described so that the frequency of recurrence of "slack course
and << welt can be varied at will by simply altering the length of the " pattern
chain."
31
::
"
29
"
22
Although I have from preference adopted a pattern chain for measuring the
intervals at which the star wheels are brought into action for moving the
knitting cams may if more convenient adopt some other form of measuring device
such as for instance a wheel with movable pegs which will, in conjunction with the
cam plate, the hinged plates and "star wheels cause the knitting cams to be
moved at any desired interval.
ور
As the greater part of the work done on the machine is ordinary ribbed webbing
it is quite possible to run the machine at a considerable speed which I do so as to
obtain a larger output, but at the time that the changes are taking place a high
rate of speed would be detrimental, owing to the blows of the "star wheels проп
the hinged plates. I therefore cause the speed of the machine to be automatically
"

page_text: slowed down just before the commencement of the slack course " and "welt" and
after these have been made the speed is again automatically increased during the
kuitting of the ordinary web.
To effect this, I arrange on the main shaft of the machine a pair of pulleys
which engage alternately with a double cone or friction clutch sliding on the shaft
and rotating with it. These pulleys are driven by belts from a countershaft arranged
on the base plate of the machine and which is driven from any convenient main
shafting.
This countershaft carries two pulleys of unequal diameters on which are the belts
above mentioned, and it is evident that the pulleys on the main shaft will therefore
revolve. at unequal speeds, and consequently the speed of rotation of the machine
will vary according as to which pulley is for the time being engaged with the
friction clutch. To move the clutch so as to engage first one pulley and then the
other, I make the main shaft hollow and through the centre I carry a rod fastened
at one end to the friction clutch and connected at its other end to a fork carrying
two adjustable pieces which bear on the two sides of a circular disc having two
steps or projections. This disc is on the same spindle as the cam plate which gives
movement to the "star-wheels" and revolves with it. One step in the disc, is so
placed that it will move the friction clutch endwise to engage with the pulley
revolving at the slowest speed. This happens just previous to the commencement
of the changes for forming the "slack course and welt which therefore take
place while the machine is revolving at its slowest speed. When these changes
have taken place the second step or projection comes round and moves the friction
clutch, by means of the fork and rod, so as to engage with the other pulley and the
machine then revolves again at its higher, speed. It is therefore evident that by
means of the measuring device, which may be either a pattern chain," a wheel
with movable pegs or other convenient device, I am able at any desired moment to
put the disc in motion, which causes the friction clutch to move from contact with
one pulley into contact with the other; and by varying the difference in size of the
two pulleys on the countershaft I can make the difference in the fastest and slowest
speed of revolution of the machine to vary also.
27
<C
17
As the machine works continuously, I provide a winding tackle for taking away
the webbing from the needles with the necessary amount of tension.
A framic, is hinged upon a bracket carried upon the base plate of the machine.
The frame lies approximately horizontal and carries two rolls between which the
webbing passes from the machine above. The rolls are geared together at one end
by a pair of mangle gears and at the other end one roll carries a pulley which is
revolved by an endless belt or chain from another pulley on the driving shaft or on
un intermediate shaft as most convenient. The rolls are thus revolved directly by
the belt and they tend to climb up the web towards the machine; the belt thus
becomes slack and slips on the pulley, the work continuing to come away from the
machine, the frame descends and again tightens the belt, thus turning the rolls and
feeding the webbing through.
The accompanying drawings shew my improvements applied, in a manner such
as I prefer, to a circular knitting machine commonly known in the hosiery trade as
arib-top machine," sufficient only of such machine being shewn as is required to
make the application of my invention clear.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of the machine partly in section.
Fig. 2, is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3, is a side elevation.
Fig. 4, is an elevation shewing the ratchet wheels and pawls.
"
Fig. 5, is an elevation shewing the connections to the outthrow cam.
Fig. 6, is a plan of the same.
Figs. 7&8, are much enlarged views in section and elevation respectively
showing the star wheels" and their connections with the machine.
Fig. 9, is a plan somewhat enlarged shewing the "pattern chain" the ratchet
wheels and cams.

page_text: Figs. 14 & 15, are enlarged views of one of the ratchet wheels.
Figs. 16 & 17, are views of the "slack course
cam and,
Fig. 18, is a view of the same cam in a modified form.
Figs. 19 & 20, are views showing the arrangement for adjusting the position of
the dial to the cylinder and
Fig. 21, is a view of the winding up tackle, detached.
Like letters indicate similar parts.
The frame, A," carries the bed, "B," in which revolve in the usual manner
the gear ring "C" and cam shell "D." Carried by the cam shell "D" are two
uprights "E" on which is supported the cross bar "F" which carries the dial "G."
The cylinder, the cams, the needles, &c., are all of well known construction and
are not shown in the drawings.
In my invention I provide the following parts and apply them in a manner as
hereinafter described.
,
"
The cam plate ". ( is mounted on a short horizontal shaft "a" free to revolve
in a bearing "u" provided in the main frame "A" of the machine. This cam
plate "a" carries cams "a³," "a³," "a³," "a" "a" "aª," suitably placed and
shaped to operate upon hinged plates "," " 101. The connection between
the hinged plates and the cams being made by means of vertical sliding rods "a"
""" which slide in holes prepared for them in the frame of the machine.
The lower ends of the rods rest upon the cams and the upper ends support the
hinged plates.
tr
The hinged plates are pivotted upon a horizontal pivot "a" and their inner
ends "17" 18" are free to rise and fall in a vertical direction the timing
of which rising and falling movement is determined by the arrangement of the
1996 (273 6a," before referred to.
cams
4"
»
The raising of the hinged plates causes their inner ends "a" "17" 18" to
engage with two "star wheels" "6" and "e" the end “a” engaging with the “star
wheel" "," and the ends "a" and "a" engaging with the "star wheel"
"C."
The star wheels are secured upon the outer ends of two short horizontal
shafts, "" and ""which are carried in two brackets "" and ""attached
to the gear ring "C." The shaft "" has upon its inner end a cam "*" of
suitable shape which operates upon and depresses a vertical piece /4" which is
attached to another vertical piece free to slide up and down upon the cam
shell "D." The pieces "" and "" are connected by a screw" or otherwise
so that one can be adjusted upon the other. The slurcock" "7" is connected to
the piece and moves up and down with it. A set screw 7,8" is provided to
limit the rising of the piece "and consequently of the "slur cock""."
“
6
::
56
6
The second star wheel" "," through its shaft and a pair of mitre
gears causes to revolve at the proper times a vertical shaft carried in a
bearing upon the cam shell D." This vertical shaft has upon its upper end a
crank which is connected by a rod jointed at
cam
*
56
an
arm "attached to the pivote of the "outthrow" cam, which actuates
the ribbing needles. Thus the movement imparted to the "
star wheel": "" as it
strikes the ends "a1" & "a1" of the hinged plates causes the "outthrow"
"to be thrown inwards or outwards for the purpose of forming a
"welt."
The two driving pulleys "d" and "" are mounted loose upon the main
shaft of the machine and are made alternately to drive the machine by means
of a friction clutch which slides to and fro between the pulleys "d" and "d¹”
upon a feather "."
"
6:
2:
The pulleys "d" and "d are driven by two belts "d" and "d" from two
other pulleys "" and "" of different diameters mounted upon a counter
shaft carried in bearings "" and "" on the main frame "A" of the
machine. Fast and loose pulleys "3" and "4" give motion as desired to the
countershaft 10 from any convenient driving pulley.

page_text: The cam disc "e is mounted upon the same shaft, "a" as is the cam plate "a
and revolves with it.
29
On each side of the cam disc "e" are steps or projections "e" and "which
alternately, as the cam disc revolves, press against set screws "e" and "*" in the
end of a forked lever Jam nuts and are provided to prevent
movement of the set screws "e" and "e" when they are once set. The forked
lever "
is carried on a vertical shaft "e" turning in a bearing "" carried by
the frame "A." The vertical shaft "has upon its upper end a horizontal
to the end of which is jointed by a pin "ell" a piece baving its
adapted to engage between two collars "e" and "15" which are secured
upon the end of a shaft
lever
end
re
5
The main shaft is bored to receive the shaft which slides within it
and the friction clutch is securely fastened to the other end of the shaft "e"
by means of a peg "e"." Slots are made lengthwise in the main shaft "2" to
permit of the movement of the peg "e" as it slides to and fro with the
clutch "d³."
22
The main shaft "," carries upon its inner end the bevel pinion "" which
gears into the gear ring "C."
C:
17
*
Carried upon the gear ring "C" is an inclined plate or cam piece which
revolves with the gear ring and at each revolution strikes upon and depresses a
plunger which is free to slide vertically in bearings "/2" and "3" prepared
for it in the bed "B" and frame "A of the machine. The plunger "1" is kept
up by a spring "" and has at its lower end two pawls "" and "" which
engage with two ratchet wheels "" and "" the ratchet wheel """is mounted
upon the shaft “a¹
previously mentioned and serves to rotate the cam plate "a"
::
and the cam disc " e.
r
*
One tooth of the ratchet wheel """ is omitted and when the space "f" left by
the omission of this tooth is opposite the pawl "" this pawl does not rotate the
ratchet wheel "77" but simply moves up and down in the space "/".
a
The other ratchet wheel is mounted upon a shaft"
6:
::
which is carried in
bearing "gupon the frame "A." The toothed wheel "g" which is adapted to
carry a pattern chain" g" is also mounted on the shaft "," a weight pulley "g""
being provided and hung in the "pattern chain to keep it tight.
<
tr
<< 59
Upon the cam plate "a " is an arm g" and upon the pattern chain "g" is a
lug which by revolving the wheel" may be made to strike the arm
and so give to the cam plate "," the cam disc "e" and the ratchet wheel "f"
slight movement of rotation.
::
:,
11
The rib is formed on the inside surface of the cylinder "." The dial
spindle is prolonged at 3 below the dial "G"sufficiently to attach an
arm "The boss of the arm is split and is cramped upon the dial
spindle by means of a screw The roller "7" is mounted upon a
screw at the outer end of the arm "."
The frame "k" is hinged at "" on a bracket ""carried on the frame "A"
of the machine and carries in bearings ""two rollers "" & ""which are
pressed together by springs and between which the webbing
<:
passes. The
rollers are geared together at one end by the mangle gears 47" and "." The
grooved pulley is mounted on the roller and is driven by the belt "10"
from the pulley ""which is mounted on the shaft "12" and driven by the
"1" and "124.19
gears
22
12
The operation of the machine is as follows. A. belt is applied to the driving
pulley and the countershaft is thus caused to revolve in the direction
as shown by the arrow. Through the belts "d" and "d revolution is imparted
to the two pulleys "d" and "d" but as the pulley "18" is much larger than the
pulley the speed of the pulley "d" is consequently much greater than the
speed of the pulley "d."
rr
Suppose now the machine to be knitting and that the step or projection "e" on
the car disc "e" is acting upon the forked lever "e" so as to press, through the

page_text: 37
connections
10"sel
elpreviously described, the friction clutch (3
into contact with the pulley "d" the machine will now be knitting at its highest
speed.
next.
::
13 2:1
22
::
k
::
6
::
35
As the gear ring "C" revolves it carries round with it the inclined plate or cam
piece "" and with every revolution this cam niece "f" strikes upon the top end
of the plunger "to the lower end of which the pawls "" and "" are
attached. The striking of the cam piece """ upon the plunger "f1" depresses it
and causes the pawl "f" to act upon one of the teeth in the ratchet wheel "f8"
and revolve it a distance equal to the pitch of the teeth or from one tooth to the
The other pawl partakes of a like movement with the pawl "" but
as it is now in the space"" caused by the omission of one of the teeth of the
ratchet wheel before referred to no revolution is imparted to the ratchet
wheel The gradual movement of a tooth at a time given to the ratchet
wheel "by each revolution of the knitting machine is given also to the " pattern
chain" wheel which is directly connected to it by the shaft and the
pattern chain
"is thus continually advanced until eventually the lug
which is attached to the chain strikes upon the arm "" which is attached to the
cam plate "a" and pressing it downwards gives a slight rotative movement to the
cam plate a and through the shaft "a' to the ratchet wheel "f" thus moving
forward the space """ from under the pawl "f" and presenting the tooth next
the space to the action of the pawl "The ratchet wheel
commences to revolve and with it the cam disc "e" and the cam plate
:: " which
are all upon the same shaft "a." The time for the introduction of the "slack
course and the production of the "welt" has now arrived. This, as has before
been stated, is better done at a reduced speed which is brought about as follows.
The revolution of the cam disc "e causes the projection "" to move away from
pressing upon the screw "e" of the forked lever and simultaneously brings the
projection ""-on the other side of the cam disc "e"-into action upon the
screw ethus moving the forked lever "e" and through the connections""
"thrusting the friction clutch "3" out of engagement with the
and pressing it into engagement with the pulley" which as it is
revolving at a slower speed than the pulley "d" correspondingly reduces the speed
of the machine.
pulley
22
45
:
22
こ
"
::
::
7 ::
DOW
23
The cam platea" continuing to revolve under the action of the pawl "/*" and
ratchet wheel brings the cam "a" into action upon the rod and raises
the hinged plate "a" "so that as the "star wheel" passes, carried round by
the revolving gear ring "C" one of its points strikes upon the uplifted endal
of the hinged plate "a" and so gives a partial revolution to the "star wheel
and through the cam "," and connections "," "," depresses the "slur cock """"
and produces a "slack course" (a course of longer stitches). The next revolution of the
machine causes the next point of the "star wheel" 6" to strike the still uplifted
enda" of the hinged plate "a" and the cam "3" revolving a little restores
the slur cock""" to its normal position and as the cam
"3" now passes
onward and allows the hinged plate """ to fall out of reach of the "star
wheel" "the ordinary knitting proceeds for a few courses until the cam
next following again raises and lowers the hinged plate "u" and another slack
course" (a cutting off course) is produced.
17and
66 12"
:
The continued movement of the ratchet wheel ""next brings into operation
the cams
"a" and "a" which operate to raise the ends a¹" and "a" of the
hinged plates "10" and "all" into the path of the "star wheel """ which in
passing strikes a point on each of the ends * น
thus giving itself a half
revolution and through the shafts "" and "" and gears a half revolution
is given to the crank "" and the rod ""acting upon the "outthrow
throws the ribbing needles out of action to produce a
and then pass and allow the hinged plates "a" and "a"
reach of the star wheel" << while three or four courses are knitted, after which
the cams " "a" coming into action again raise the hinged plates a¹ and a¹¹
7 ::
19
welt."
22
ઃઃ
"
cam "ell">
The cams
23 to fall out of

page_text: -
,,
the star wheel "c" receives another half revolution and restores the outthrow
cam to its normal position: The cams "a" "a" then pass onwards and the
hinged plates and all fall out of reach of the "star wheel "c."
:
The projection "next moves away from the screw "e" while at the same
moment the projection "e" again presses against the screw the forked
lever moves and the friction clutch again engages with the high speed
pulley "d" while another "top" is being knit. The pawl. " continues to act
upon the remaining teeth of the ratchet wheel "f" until the space again
comes round, at which point the revolution of the ratchet wheel "," of the cam
plate "a" and of the cam disc "e"all cease until a sufficiency of knitting having
been again produced-as determined by the length of the "pattern chain" "933
kept in constant movement by the pawl "f" and ratchet wheel "f8"-the
lug again strikes upon the arm ""and the various operations as before
described are repeated.
31
The projections "e" and "e" are of sufficient length, measured circumferentially
upon the cam disc "e," to maintain the friction clutch "3" in gear with either one
or other of the pulleys "d" and "d" while the ratchet wheel "" is revolving
and as one projection comniences as soon as the other terminates the change of
speed is made instantly.
In some classes of work it is necessary to use a <5
four points in place of the "star wheel ""."
12
::
star wheel "having other than
When a five pointed "star wheel" is used an additional cam
"
"h is provided
upon the cam disc "a," the cam is removed and a cam of the shape shown
in Fig. 18 is substituted. The part "i" of this cam holds down the "slur
cock
while the "welt is being knitted and the welt" is thus made of a
slacker tension than the "top." Should the "star wheel" have more points more
cams are added to the cam plate a "and the can "1" is modified to suit.
The rib acts as a stop to the roller and arm "j" and so prevents the
dial "G" from revolving. The arm "" has a split boss "" and it may be set
in any desired position upon the dial spindle "2" and cramped by means of the
Screw "By this means the position of the dial may be adjusted relatively to
the cylinder. The webbing passes between the rib "" and the roller "" which
revolves and lessens the friction on the webbing.
<
G
21
The webbing "" comes down from the machine and is passed between the
rollers "" and "" on one of which is the pulley "" which is driven by
the belt 10" As the rollers "" and "" revolve they pull down upon the
webbing "" and lift themselves and the frame "k" which is hinged at "k" by
climbing the webbing. This as the grooved pulley "" is also lifted in the bight
of the belt causes the latter to slip somewhat in the groove of the pulley "."
When the belt "10" slips it ceases to revolve the rollers "k" and "." The
webbing “k” continuing to come down from the machine as the knitting proceeds
allows the rollers "k" and 4" and the "frame" "k" to descend by their
weight as also the pulley until the slack of the belt "10" is taken up
sufficiently to cause it to drive and revolve the rollers "" and ""again. Thus
a constant tension is maintained upon the webbing ""the belt "slipping
more or less according to the rate at which the webbing leaves the machine. Using
the weight increases the tension.
Although I have described the arrangement for producing the welt" by.
automatically moving the "outthrow" cam as being constructed with a pair of
mitre wheels and actuated by giving a half revolution to the "star wheel" it is not
necessary that this construction should be strictly adhered to. Sometimes it is
advisable to move the "outthrow" cam as quickly as possible and this may be done
by substituting for the mitre wheels bevel gears in the proportion of two to one
and revolving the "star wheel" a quarter of a revolution instead of a half. One
of the hinged plates is then dispensed with and the cams for actuating it.
Instead of proportioning the "star wheel" and bevel gears so as to give a balf
revolution to the crank it may sometimes be desirable to alter these proportions so

page_text: cam
as to cause the crank to make less than half a revolution; the “outthrow
will thus be only partially withdrawn and "tuck" stitches will be formed on the
ribbing needles.
I have described my invention as applied to a machine constructed to turn
continuously in one direction but it is equally applicable to that class of circular
knitting machines which also have a reciprocating rotary motion.
said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is;
1. In a circular knitting machine the combination of a friction clutch with a
measuring device, for the purpose of automatically varying the speed of rotation of
the machine substantially as described.
1. In a circular knitting machine the use of a star wheel with the hinged plates
or catches taking into it in combination with a measuring device for producing the
change in the position of the knitting cam for making longer or shorter stitches
substantially as described.
III. In a circular knitting machine the use of a star wheel with the hinged plates
or catches taking into it in combination with a measuring device for producing the
change in position of the outthrow cam for making a welt, substantially as
described.
IV. In a circular knitting machine the use of a star wheel with the hinged plates
or catches taking into it in combination with a measuring device for producing the
change in position of the outthrow cam for the production of "tuck" stitches on
the ribbing needles, substantially as described.
V. The construction of circular knitting machines combining the use of a friction
clutch for automatically varying the speed of the machine, star wheels with hinged
plates or catches taking into them for moving the knitting cams and a measuring
device for controlling the friction clutch and star wheels substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of May 1891.
W. INGRAM JAMES.