IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTED WIRE FABRICS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME.
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, ERNEST DE PASS, of 68 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTED WIRE FABRICS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR
MANUFACTURING THE SAME. Communicated to me from abroad by Eduard Popp,
of Vienna, in the Austrian Empire, Mechanical Engineer, to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide means by which metal wire knittings,
having meshes of the same form as those in hosiery goods, might be manufactured
in a safe, rapid and economical manner. It consists in certain improvements in
knitting machines of known construction which heretofore could not be employed
for this purpose, in consequence of the more or less rigid condition of metal wires.
These improvements include devices by which the tension of the wire to be knitted
is increased and by which the sliding of said wire over sharp edges is avoided, in
order to prevent the same from forming accidental loops which often cause the wire
to break. The improvements further include devices for regularly bending the
wire into loops, and means for avoiding the formation of long loops at both borders
of the fabric, such long loops bringing about the danger of the wires breaking.
To carry this invention into effect, a straight knitting machine is arranged as
follows:
The needle-bed contains in its grooves either latchet or spring needles, provided
with the usual shanks or jacks by means of which reciprocating cams impart a
to-and-fro motion to the needles which are extended beyond said jacks to ensure
safe guiding. Said cams consist, by preference, of a central V-shaped cam and
two winged cams which form together a V-shaped groove whose angular point
either faces the needle-beards or the extended end of the needles. These cams are
secured in an adjustable manner, to the under side of a lock plate, and in lieu of
them a V-shaped groove may be countersunk directly into said lock-plate.
This lock-plate is rigidly connected with a carriage which is reciprocated by a
alotted lever, oscillating in a vertical plane, the oscillations of this slotted lever
being produced by a crank and a connecting rod. An anti-friction roller is placed.
"

page_text: into the slot of the oscillating lever, and the length of the crank is adjustable in
order to permit fabrics of different breadth to be knitted by one and the same
machine. However, any other driving mechanism may be employed to ensure the
reciprocating motion of the cams.
Upon the reciprocating carriage before mentioned is mounted a wire bobbin, and
another small carriage, bearing the wire-guide, rests upon a slide, which either
is formed on the lock plate, if the point of the V-shaped groove faces the back
end of the needles, or which is formed on a separate carriage, adapted to slide
along the needle-bed, if the point of the V-shaped groove faces the beards of the
needles.
The wire bobbin is provided with a friction brake in order to increase the
tension of the unwinding wire, and between said bobbin and the wire-guide several
rollers are arranged, over and under which the wire passes alternately, thereby
further increasing the tension. The wire-guide itself likewise contain two rollers
which prevent the wire from sliding friction, which passing the guide in either
direction.
In the intermediate space between cach two needles, near the barbed end of the
same, a small vertical pin is placed, which serves as a pivot to a somewhat long
roller and the upper ends of all these pins are connected by a bar, so as to form
a comb:
"
With the V-shaped groove having its point turned towards the extended end of
the needles, the above mentioned rollers are placed inwards of the needle beards
and with the reverse position of the cam-groove they are placed outwards of the
beards, for the reason that the first named groove, when passing over the jacks
first causes a backward motion of the needles and the second named groove a
forward motion, whilst the wire should only be placed into the hook when the back
stroke begins. In each case, the rollers in the described comb serve to form
regularly bent loops of the wire, without sliding friction of the same.
Next outside the described roller-comb a flat push-back bar is arranged, running
throughout the comb, and destined to push-back from out the needle-look the last
formed loops or stitches, every time a needle advances. It has a recessed upper
edge and can be turned downward at pleasure, if repairs are to be made.
If lntched needles are employed, openers are provided to open the latches, and
for spring needles, the usual pressers which close the spring hooks are arranged at
convenient distances; these openers or pressers are mounted upon a special carriage
moveable along a slide, formed on the push-back bar. In machines having the
point of the V-shaped cam-groove turned towards the back ends of the needles the
said opener or presser carriage is rigidly connected with the lock-plate. But in
machines of the other description, the opener or presser-carriage serves at the same
time as a support of the moveable wire-gnide, and is connected with the lock-plate
by a coupling lever lifted by a tappet, at the end of each stroke of the lock'
plate.
It has been stated above that, with the point of the V-shaped cam-groove turned
away from the needle-beards, each needle first moves back ward, and that with the
reverse position of the said groove each needle first moves forward, because, as
likewise stated, the wire has to be placed in the hook of a needle when the same
begins its back-stroke, the wire-guide must always be placed above that part of the
cam groove which causes the beginning of the back stroke.
To bring the wire-guide in this desired position, every time the action of the
cam-groove is changed, in consequence of its moving in an inverse direction, in
machines with the point of the cam-groove facing the back ends of the needles,
the small wire-guide carriage is hooked by means of either of two spring levers on
either of two projecting arms of the lock plate, and when the lock-plate nearly
reaches the end of its stroke in one direction, said lever is lifted and unhooked by
a tappet, whereby the wire-guide carriage is stopped, and while the lock-plate
finishes its stroke the other spring lever is automatically hooked on the other arm
of the lock-plate:

page_text: In machines having the cam-groove inversely placed, the back-stroke of the first
needle only begins, when half the groove has entered the series of needle jacks.
In order to prevent the wire from forming a prejudicially long loop at the border
of the fabric, the wire-guide carriage not only must be stopped before the lock
plate, but also be set in motion after the saine. To this effect the wire-guide
carriage is mounted upon the opener or presser carriage, as above stated, and
moreover a third carriage is provided formed by two cheeks at both sides of the
opener carriage and rigidly connected with each other below the same by a bar.
With either of these cheeks, between which the opener carriage moves with a
certain play, the wire-guide carriage is connected by either of two recessed levers,
and a tappet fixed to the advancing lock-plate lifts this lever at a given moment,"
then the guide-carriage is carried along by the opener carriage and the other
recessed lever hooks itself on the same.
In machines where the points of the V-shaped cam-grooves face the back, the
course of each needle extends only backward from the original position, a bar may
therefore be provided against which all the needles bear in their foremost position,
the jacks thus always being accurately in the path of the mouth of the groove.
Such a stop-bar obviously cannot be arranged in machines with inverse cam-
grooves, and owing to the traction exerted by the fabric, it will occur that the
jacks get more or less forward. For this reason, the two wing cams are arranged
to swing round a pivot placed near the point of the groove, and either of the fork
ends of a lever pivoted on the middle triangular cam holds either of the wing-cams
forward, thus widening the mouth of one branch of the groove. In a recess of the
other non-forked arm of said lever a spring tooth fixed on the main driving
carriage is engaged and every time this carriage terminates its stroke in one
direction, the lever touches a tappet. Thereby the lever arın is turned a small
distance, the spring tooth takes into a second recess of the same, and the other
mouth of the groove is widened.
The knitted fabric is led over one or more tension rollers to a cylinder, where it
is wound up, said cylinder being slowly rotated either by cords and weights, or by
a ratchet wheel and a pawi actuated in a suitable manner by the rocking lever of
the main carriage. To increase the tension of the fabric, a horizontal india-rubber
roller, bearing against said fabric, may be fastened to the under side of the opener
or presser carriage.
For the manufacture of so called tuck-work a certain number of needles may be
removed.

page_text: I, ERNEST DE PASS, of 68 Fleet Street in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTED WIRE FABRICS AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR
MANUFACTURING THE SAME, Communicated to ine from abroad by Eduard Popp, of
Vienna in the Austrian Empire, Mechanical Engineer, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to a new method of and means or apparatus for manu-
facturing knittings in general, but is especially applicable to manufacturing wire
knittings termed " wire-lasting."
Heretofore wire gauze was manufactured by means of the old wire-gauze loom
driven by hand and by foot. All attempts undertaken to transform this wire-
gauze loom into a power-loom have proved to be failures, the metallic-wire not
being fit to endure the tension which it had to undergo in the loom. Owing to this
circumstance, the ordinary wire gauze till now has been of a comparatively high
price, although the ordinary method of connecting the warp with the woof is not
appropriate for the nature of the wire, as thereby a stiff, uneven web with
displaceable meshes is obtained. Wire knittings hitherto manufactured could only
be made of wire spirals, and only thick wire could be used for them, thin wire
being liable to frequent breakages. The ordinary wire-gauze consists, owing to the
method of its manufacture, not of flat meshes but of meshes wound in the shape of
a screw.
The idea of manufacturing wire-gauze free of the above mentioned inconveniences
has been suggested many times, but it could not till now be carried into practice
because the machines generally employed for manufacturing hosiery and knitted
fabrics have proved to be insufficient for manufacturing wire kuittings, owing to
the more or less rigid condition of the wire. After weary attempts, I have
succeeded in finding a new method of manufacturing knitted wire fabrics, as well
as the mechanical means necessary therefor. This new wire-fabric, to which I have
given the name of "wire-lasting," consists of meshes articulated into each other and
is, manufactured in a similar manner to hosiery goods by means of ordinary
knitting machine needles either latched or spring needles, said needles being
alternately moved forwards and backwards one after the other, the wire being,
previously to the backward movement of each needle, caught by the beard or hook
of the same and drawn backward, so that a row of loops is thus formed, through
which during the following forward and backward stroke of the needles a second
row of loops is drawn thus forming presently a knitted fabric. By means of a
peculiar guiding device for the wire as well as by means of the arrangement of
a roller-comb hereinafter fully described, a breakage of the wire, wound off from a
spool fixed to the machine, is prevented. Should the machine be intended for
manufacturing knitted fabrics not of wire, but of some other material, a pin-
comb as commonly employed in knitting machines, may be substituted for the
roller-comb.
In order that the improved machine may be readily understood I proceed to
describe the same fully, reference being had to the annexed drawings in which
figs. 1, 2, 3 represent, respectively, a front elevation, a plan view and a side
elevation of the same.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19 and 20 represent in an enlarged scale some

page_text: Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 represent the different consecutive stages of the formation
of meshes, and finally Fig. 16 represents a fragment of knitted fabric manufactured
by means of the machine.
The uprights A of the machine-frame carry a horizontal plate B upon which the
need'e-bed C (fig. 5) is so secured, that it can easily be removed and replaced by
another. The needle-bed, which may be of any desired length, is provided with a
number of parallel grooves destined to receive the needles a. These needles a,
which in order to give them a safer guiding are prolonged backwards beyond their
jacks a¹ (see fig. 5, 6 and 12), slide in their respective grooves b and are main-
tained therein by means of the bars c, c' secured to the needle-bed C. In the
arrangement represented in figs. 4 and 5, the bir c¹ serves at the same time to limit
the forward stroke of the needles. By varying the distance between the needles
and the thickness of the same, the width of the meshes of the fabric can be vario l
at will.
Above the needle-bed is placed the lock plate or carriage G. As can be seen
from figs. 6 and 7 this lock-plate G has a plate p fastened to it to which a V-shaped
cam O is secured, the equal edges of which are disposed at a certain distance from
two lateral cheeks or wing-cams p¹ and p² (6gs. 5 and 6) whereby a V-shaped
cam groove q is formed. This V-shaped cam-groove may also be directly cut into
the plate p. The lock-plate G is rigidly connected with the sliding carriage H and
by means of the reciprocating movement of this carriage H the lock plate G is
conducted to and fro above the needle-bed. The manner in which this movement
is imparted to the carriage H and in which the same is guided may be any desired
one.
In the construction represented in fig, 1, the carriage H is acted upon by an
oscillating lever K, said lever being pivoted at g, and in order to diminish the
friction, its top end is connected with the carriage by means of a roller g' (see
fig. 6) pivoted on the carriage and sliding in a slot of said lever K. The connecting
rod serves to transform into oscillations of said lever K the rotary movement of
the toothed wheel L which gears into a pinion L' keyed upon the main driving
shaft. The machine may be driven either by means of a crank h¹ and a fly-wheel
mounted on the same shaft or by mechanical power acting on a belt pulley h² (see
figs. 1, 2 and 3).
Previously to starting the machine the lock-plate G is carried, by a corresponding
movement of the sliding carriage H, to the outer end of its course either to the right
or to the left, so that the said plate is caused to stand beyond the outermost needle
of the needle-bed C. The needles a are then all in their most advanced position
with their jacks a¹ bearing against the bar c¹ (fig. 5). A strip as of any flat
knitting, the width of the moshes and the thickness of the yarn of which correspond
to the given distance between the needles is then hooked in the hooks of the
needles a and pushed above the latches a³ of the same, so that the meshes are
placed behind the needle-latches, as represented by fig. 12.
The wire is then wound off from the bobbin I mounted between uprights ƒ ƒ of
the carriage H (see figs. 1, 2 and 3), after which the wire is led beneath the
roller n', above the roller n², through the wire-guide M and through the space o
(fig. 5). The wire-guide M is fastened to a small carriage i adapted to slide along
a projecting ledge i of the lock-plate G.
As plainly shewn in figs. 4, 5 and 6 the arms n, n, of the two-armed plate N'
fastened to a sliding carriage N, extend close to the inside of two arms k, k³, pro-
jecting from the lock plate G. In consequence of this arrangement the lock plate G
reciprocating with the carriage H carries along the carriage N arranged to slide on
a slide-bar m. To this carriage N are fastened two knives or openers m' and m³
(fig. 6), having their edges curved in such a form that whilst the needles are in
their most forward position, the outer end points of these knives stand close above
.the hooks of the needles. The knives are made sufficiently broad, that during their
passage above the needles each closed latch a² is raised by the point of the corre-
sponding knife and then completely tipped over by the edge of the same.

page_text: In the arrangement represented in figs. 4 and 5, the carringe H, together with
all parts connected therewith, (i.c. with the lock-plate G, wire-guide M, carriage N
and knives or openers m¹ and m²) are supposed to move from left to right, in the
direction of the arrow a. In this case the jacks or shanks a¹ of the needles a bear
successively upon the right side bevelled edge of the V-shaped cam O and the jacks
are thus forced to move along the V-shaped cam groove q, whereby the needles are
caused successively to move first backward and then forward again into their
original position.
The knife or opener m³ is equally moving in the direction of the arrow, and its
point projecting in front of the wire-guide A successively opens the latches a* of
the needles and when the backward movement of a needle begins the wire ris
laid in the hook of the same (see fig. 12).
The wire-guide M is provided with two little rollers 8, 8, against one of which
the wire is bearing whereby sliding friction of the same and breakage in con-
sequence of its being bent on a sharp edge or a too strong strain being exerted
upon it when laid in the needle-hooks, is prevented. In order to ensure a regular
unwinding of the wire with suitable strain from the bobbin the shaft of the latter
is provided with a brake device composed of a disc r¹ against which a spring r³
acts.
During the backward movement of each needle the loop suspended upon the
same is checked by the projecting bar E of the roller-comb D, so that it cannot
follow the movement of the needle, and being placed behind the opened needle-
latch, it bears against the same and causes it to shut (fig. 13). At the same
moment the wire r recently laid in the hook of the needle is completely caught by
the same (fig. 14). The wire is then drawn in between the rollers d of the
roller-comb D and a new mesh is formed whilst at the same time the old one
is pushed off from the needle over the new one, as represented in figs. 14 and 15.
The roller-comb D is fastened at the front side of the needle-bed C, and consists of
a projecting bar E (figs. 4, 5 and 6) with vertical pins d fastened thereon in front
of the middle of each two needles. Upon each of these pins d is loosely mounted
a roller d¹ and the top ends of the pins are passed through a perforated bar d² on
the upper side of which another bar d³ is secured, so that the rollers are prevented
from being removed. During the backward movement of the needles the wire is
drawn two rollers and causes the same to revolve, thereby being successively
bent into a loop without danger of breaking.
When the needle is making its front stroke, the mesh r hanging inside the
needle-hook (fig. 15) is moved somewhat forwards. Owing to the strain exerted
upon it by the weight of the knitting already manufactured, it is drawn into the
slot o between the bar E of the roller-comb D and the push-back bar F, so that by
the time the needle has reached its original position, the mesh is hanging down
in a perpendicular position.
The push-back bar F journaled in bearings F1 F1 by means of journals e (fig. 4),
is provided with recesses or notches t in which the needles are sliding during their
forward stroke. With the regular working of the machine this push-back bar F
is kept in the required position by means of pins e¹, but if any disturbance occurs,
the pins e may be withdrawn and the push-back bar tipped over, as shewn in
fig. 7, so that an easy access is established to the needles. The push-back bar F
prevents the newly formed mesh from advancing together with the needle
beyond the slit o, so that during the further advancing of the needle the mesh
remains stationary. In this way the said mesh opens the latch a³, and thus allows
of the sliding forward of the needle through it, until the mesh has reached on
the needle the position previously occupied by the above mentioned mesh l
(see fig. 12).
As soon as the lock-plate G has so far advanced to the right above the needle-bed
of the machine, that the last needle is in its most backward position, i.e. that it
has formed the last mesh and stripped off the old one, the pin u of the spring
arm, figs. 4 and 5, begins to slide over the inclined plane u forming the extremity

page_text: of the adjustable tappet P whereby the downwardly projecting nose of spring
arm j is gradually raised above the projecting arm k. By the time this raising of
said nose has advanced so far, as to completely disengage the same from the arm kt
the pin u of the arm j attains the highest point of the inclined plane ut and thero
strikes against the pin u² fastened upon the tappet P. Thereby the further
advancing to the right of the spring arm fastened to a little carriage i¹ carrying
as above stated, the wire-guide M, is stopped.
When this takes place the carriage H still continues to move to the right. The
small carriage i, being prevented by the pins u and u following the movement of
the carriage H, this carriage is thus obliged to slide along the slide i formed on
the lock plate G and to displace itself upon this lattor to the left. The displace-
ment to the left of the carriage it together with the wire-guide M is going on
until the nose of the opposite spring arm j has engaged with the projecting arm k.
By this time the last needle has completely terminated its forward stroke and has
re-attained its utmost forward position.
By means of the arrangement described, the wire-guide M is replaced from the
right side of the lock-plate G to its left side. The necessity of this displacement
of the wire-guide previously to the beginning of a new row of meshes is obvious,
on considering that the wire can only be hooked in each needle while the same is
commencing its back stroke.
As soon as the described displacement of the wire-guide M. has taken place, the
carriage H commences to move in the opposite direction (i.e. to the left) and the
working of the machine begins again in the manner hereinbefore described.
By modifying the amplitude of the oscillations of the lever K, the length of the
strokes of the carriage H may be increased or diminished and thus the manufactured
wire fabric may be made of any desired breadth.
The plate p in which the V-shaped cam-groove q is formed, is made adjustable in
the framing of the lock-plate G. The nut v bhaving been slackened this plate p can
be displaced a small distance either backwards or forwards, whereby the strokes of
the needles are lengthened or shortened. The needles being thus more or less
drawn backward behind the roller-comb D, longer or shorter meshes are obtained
in this manner.
By removing from the needle-bed each fifth or each sixth needle, or one or
several needles in any desired interva's so called "tuck work" may be obtained.
In the portions of the fabric corresponding to the removed needles, oblong meshes
are formed, which are parallel to the generatrix line.
In order to obtain meshes of a more uniform shape as well as to ensure the
drawing away of the stripped-off meshes from between the push-back bar F and
the projecting bar E of the roller-comb D, it is important to exert a certain strain
upon the finished fabric by winding it up on a cylinder, or by pulling it away by
means of rollers.
For this purpose, a revolving roller w is journaled between the uprights A. A of
the machine frame (see figs. 1, 2 and 3). The knit wire fabric U is led behind this
roller w to the cylinder Q.
In order to facilitate the removal of this cylinder Q and the replacing of the
same by a new one, the trunnions x, x of this cylinder are inserted into the slotted
shafts of two drums R, R¹, disposed on the outside of the uprights A. A. By means
of pins passed through the slotted shafts of drums R R and the trunnions x, x,
these two parts are rigidly connected with each other.
A strong rope y is wound upon each of the said drums R R¹ and the ends of
these ropes are led over rollers z, z; near the ceiling both rope-ends come together
and pass over a double pulley 2¹ and thence to a tackle S (fig. 3).
A weight T suspended to the tackle S exerts a constant strain upon the ropes y, y,
and causes them to unwind from the drums R R2, whereby the finished fabric
is constantly kept in a stretched condition and successively wound upon the
cylinder Q.

page_text: As soon as the ropes y, y, are completely unwound from the drums R, R', the
cylinder with the fabric wound upon it is removed from its bearings and replaced
by a new one; the ropes y, y, are then wound up again upon the drums R, R', by
means of a crank h¹ fitting upon the square end 2 of the shaft of one of these
pulleys.
By increasing or diminishing the weight T the strain exerted upon the fabric may
equally be increased or diminished.
The described disposition may be modified in the manner represented by figs. 10
and 11. Beneath the roller wo a second roller wl is disposed and between these two
rollers wand w', a third roller w³ is disposed somewhat laterally.
Upon the trunnions of the roller w³ are loosely mounted two levers w³, 20³,
connected with each other by means of a horizontal rod w. To each of these
levers w³, w³, a pawl 1 is pivoted and each pawl engages a ratchet-wheel 2. The
rod w rests upon a roller 3 adjustably fastened to the driving lever K, having
as aforesaid an oscillatory movement. At each oscillation of the lever K, the 1
roller 3 raises the rod w and the lovers w³, the pawls 1 engaging the ratchet
wheels 2, thereby producing a rotation of the roller w³, and the piece of finished
fabric U passing between the rollers w, w³, and w³ is thus stretched and pulled
away from between the push-back bar F and the roller comb D.
☑
The amount of raising and lowering of levers w³ is regulated, by means of pins 45
placed and adjusted in the uprights A. and supporting said levers (see fig 10);
thereby the angle by which roller w³ is rotated at each oscillation of lever K can
be regulated. When the pins 4 are placed lower, the levers w³ together with
rod ware allowed to sink lower, so that the levers are raised to a higher
degree by means of the small roller of lever K, and the pawl 1 rotates the
roller w by a larger angle at each oscillation of lever K. When the pins 4 are
placed higher, an inverse result is obtained.
With the V-shaped cam O placed as represented in figs. 4, 5 and 6, every time a.
stroke of the carriage H is over, the beards of all needles stand at an equal height
in front of the roller comb. The jacks or shanks a² of the needles bear against 3
bar c. The strain which, after the old meshes have been stripped off, is acting
upon the new meshes r still hooked in the needles, has no prejudicial effect upon
the needle hooks and upon the new meshes r suspended in the same, because as
soon as the needles have reached their utmost backward position corresponding to
the point of the V-shaped cam O, (see fig. 5), their forward movement immediately
recommences. In the arrangement represented by fig. 5 the V-shaped cam is
disposed in an inverse position, with its point forwards; in the disposition, all
needles stand, every time a stroke of the carriage H is over, behind the roller-
comb D. The strain exerted by the pull of the already knit fabric upon the new
meshes causes the needles a, after the old meshes have been stripped off from the
same, to advance somewhat forward as shewn on the right side of fig. 8.
The needles as which are still retained in the cam groove q are drawn forward
immediately on their leaving this groove. If the wing-cams p¹, p², were rigidly
fastened, the needles would necessarily be first moved backwards again by the
following back-stroke of the lock-plate, whereby a strain would be exerted upon
the needle hooks as well as upon the meshes suspended therein, which strain
of course would have a prejudicial effect both upon the needles and upon the
meshes.
To prevent this inconvenience, the wing-cams p³, 2³ are so arranged as to allow
of their automatical displacement.
These wing-cams p², p³, are pivoted upon the plate p by pins 5. The outer
ends of wing-cams p², p², are provided with pins 6, loosely sliding in slots 7 cut in
the plate p and formed peripherally to the pivot 5; 8, 8, are guiding pins passing
through likewise peripheral slots.
Above the pins 6 are placed the fork-ends of a two-armed forked lever V
capable of turning around a pin 9 and provided with slots 10. The V-shaped

page_text: cam O and its accessory parts are disposed in the casing of the lock-plate G and
fastened by means of a screw v (see fig. 9). The other arm of lever V is provided
with recesses 11 and 12, and according to the direction of the movement of the
carriage H, the spring-tooth W takes either in recess 11, or in recess 12.
The lever V is arranged and formed in such a manner that it pushes forward the
wing-cam, which faces the direction of the movement of the carriage (in fig. 8 the
carriage is supposed to move in the direction indicated by the arrow a, so that
the left wing-cam p¹ is the foremost one),—and at the same time it draws back-
wards the other wing-cain p³. In this manner the entrance of the cam-groove q
is widened on the side thereof which faces the direction of the movement, whilst
on the opposite side this groove remains in its normal width.
The needles drawn forward by the meshes can thus without impediment enter
the groove q and are not first pushed backward, and owing to the uniform width
of the right side of the groove they are successively pushed backward until they
have terminated their full stroke as necessary for the formation of the meshes.
When the carriage H together with the lock-plate G has made its full left-handl
stroke and comes to stand beyond the last needle of the needle-bed, a tappet X
strikes against the said spring-tooth W and disengages the same from the recess 12;
immediately after lever V bears against the pin Y, whereby the left-side wing-
cam p¹ is drawn backward and the right-side wing-cam p³ is pushed forward, in
consequence whereof the right-side half of the groove is widened and the left-side
half of the same narrowed. As soon as the carriage H commences its right-hand
stroke the spring tooth W moves away from the tappet X and is pressed by means
of its spring in the recess 11, whereby lever V is again fixed in its required some-
what inclined position. As soon as the carriage has terminated its right-hand
stroke the reversal of the lever takes place anew in the described manner.
When the V-shaped cam O has the modified disposition shewn by fig 8, the
second knife m³ (see fig. 5) may be dispensed with and only one knife m² with a
curved edge applied for opening the needle latches.
In the disposition of the wire-guide M shewn in figs. 4, 5 and 6 the small
carriage supporting the wire-guide M, as above described, rests upon a slide i
formed on the lock-plate G. In this disposition, as equally specified, the wire-
guide M is permitted to be carried along a certain distance beyond the last needle,
until this last needle, after the stripping off of its old mesh bas reached its utmost
backward position.
In consequence of this working the wire-guide is moved beyond the last needle,
a distance equal to the space occupied by several needles in the needle-bed,
whereby a piece of wire of corresponding length is equally drawn beyond the last
needle. After this, when the stroke of the lock-plate G with the wire guide M is
completely terminated and it commences a new stroke in the reverse direction, the
wire is equally conducted in this reverse direction, and forms a loose oblong loop;
this loose loop may prejudice the safe laying-in of the wire in the said needle,-
which has now become the first one, because it may easily occur that this loop
takes an oblique position, so that a few needles may pass it without the wires
being laid into the same.
To prevent this great inconvenience it is important to provide means for stopping
the wire-guide at the moment when it has only so far advanced beyond the last
needle as is necessary for the laying-in of the wire. The means for attaining this
purpose are represented in figs. 18, 19 and 20.
In fig. 20 the lock plate is represented in its position corresponding to the
moment of the laying-in of the wire in the last needle.
The wire guide M (see figs. 18 and 20) is supported by a small carriage i¹,
moveable along a slide i formed on the carriage N which is adapted to move along
the push-back bar F. At the end of each stroke the wire-guide stands immediately
behind the last needle a. The lock-plate G is provided with a coupling device
consisting of a coupling bar N¹ jointed to the lock plate G by means of hinge-
joints 13. The coupling of the wire-guide with the lock-plate is disengaged when

page_text: the projecting rib 14 of the coupling bar N' is raised by the tappet 15 (see fig. 19).
After having reached the position represented in fig. 20, the lock plate Gis moving
still further to the right in the direction of the arrow a until the last needle a
stands in the outer end of the cam-groove g (ie, at the left side extremity of the
same). By that time the last mesh but one has already been stripped off and the
last mesh is formed, whereupon the lock-plate begins its reverse stroke (i,e, its
stroke to the left.)
When the lock plate G in continuing to make its reverse stroke (i,e, its stroke to
the left) has again reached the position represented by fig. 20 the projecting rib 14
commences to slide downwards from the tappet 15 and coupling bar N¹ is permitted
to lower, so that the recesses 16 of the coupling bar N¹ (see fig. 19) engage with
the arms k, k³, whereby the coupling of the lock-plate G with the carriage N is
established.
From this moment the carriage N is carried along from right to left of the
lock-plate G between sliding checks P and P¹ connected by a bar 17.
The wire-guide M is retained in its position by the lever j' jointed to the
support 18 formed on sliding cheek P' and taking by its recess on a pin u of the
carriage . By these means the wire-guide M is kept stationary and the projecting
slide slides along the carriage ', which remains stationary, until the needle a
after having occupied its foremost position, has been moved backwards again far
enough to occupy in the right hand side of the cam-groove o the same position,
which it is represonted in fig. 20 to occupy in the left branch of the cam-groove q.
It is obvious that the wire-guide will now come to stand close to the needle, and
not on the right side, but on the left side thereof.
At this moment the tappet u¹ touches the pin u³ of the lever j and gradually
raises this lever, whereby the same becomes disengaged from the pin u of the
carriage . This carriage thus freed moves along together with carriage N and
lock-plate G and the laying-in of the wire in the hook of the needle takes place.
As soon as the carriage N has moved to the left inside the space between the
sliding cheeks P and P¹ so far, that the left side of the carriage N has reached the
cheek P, lever j, having exactly the same recess as lever j¹, takes on the pin u and
connects the carriage i¹ and wire-guide M with said cheek till the moment when
the carriage H has nearly reached the left hand extremity of the needle-bed C and
a new reversal of the wire-guide takes place.
In order to ensure the stripping off of the meshes from the needles a small
pulley 19 provided with an india rubber ring is fastened to the bar 17 connecting
cheeks P, P. By the movement of the carriage N this pulley is made to revolve
and to exert a certain strain, upon that portion of the ready wire fabric, which
corresponds to the place above which the newly formed mesh is stripped off (see
fig. 18). Simultaneously with the described displacement of the carriages N and i¹
the knife m' is placed in front of the wire-guide M and the pulley 19 is placed
behind and to the right of the knife m¹. Thus, during the left-hand stroke the
order of the described parts is reversed.
The described knitting machine allows also of the application of spring needles
without latches ẞ. fig. 17. This kind of needle which till now has not been applied
for flat knitting machines, is particularly appropriate for the manufacture of knitted
wire fabrics, because these needles are not weakened at their front end like the
latched needles which must be provided with a slot or groove for receiving the
pivot of the latch a². The spring needles B are provided, similarly to the latch-
needles, with a jack or shank a' and with an extended rear end.
In order to permit the old mesh to be stripped off after the laying-in of the wire
in the hook of such spring needles, the pointed hook of the needle must be pressed
down so as to shut the entrance of the hook. This pressing down of the needle-
hook may be effected either by a roller y or by a cylinder, or by a comb.
When the needle is making its back stroke, said roller or cylinder or comb
arranged in front of the roller-comb presses down the pointed spring-hook of the
needle and closes the same so that the old mesh which has been placed between

page_text: the push-back bar and the roller-comb can slide away without impediment over
the hook of the needle.
The needle-bed B and the roller-comb D attached thereto are so arranged that
they can easily be withdrawn and replaced by others, thereby the conveniency
is given to manufacture with one and the same machine knittings varying as
well in the thickness of the wire or yarn employed, as in the size of the meshes.
In conclusion, it should be stated that the above described knitting machine may
also be constructed with several carriages H and lock-plates G arranged aside or
behind each other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The herein described method of manufacturing strong elastic pliable wire
knittings, capable of being wound up, termed "wire lasting," and composed of
flat meshes linked together and hanging in each other, said method consisting in
successively moving forwards and backwards a row of latched or spring needles as
generally employed in knitting machines, laying in a wire in the hook of each
needle before the same commences its backward stroke, so that during this stroke
the wire is drawn backwards between the rollers of a roller-comb, and thus a row
of meshes is formed, through which first row of meshes by the following forward
and backward strokes of the needles, a second row of meshes is drawn whilst the
first row of meshes is stripped off from the needles, so that, in a short time, a
knitted fabric is formed.
2. A machine for inanufacturing strong elastic pliable wire-knitting, capable of
being wound up, termed "wire lasting," composed of flat meshes linked together
and hanging in each other, said machine consisting of a frame bearing one or
several exchangeable needle-beds C, in which needle-beds any desirable number of
latched or spring needles a are disposed parallel to each other, which needles, by
means of one or of several lock-plates G, reciprocated above the needle-bed C by
a carriage H acted upon by any suitable driving mechanism, are moved forward
and backwards between the rollers of a roller-comb D in such a manner, that the
wire guided by a wire-guide M with rollers 8, 8, is conducted forwards and
backwards by the needles a, and bent in the shape of meshes automatically linked
together, whereby a knitted fabric is obtained, which fabric is stretched by rollers
or cylinders, stripped off from the needles and automatically wound up on a
cylinder, substantially as described.
3. For manufacturing knitted fabrics having the above specified structure, the
application of latched needles or of spring needles either of them provided with a
projecting jack or shank a¹ and being extended backwards beyond this juck or
shank, substantially as shewn and described and for the purpose set forth.
4. In knitting machines constructed as set forth in claim 2, the lockp-late G
having a displaceable V-shaped cam O, and stationary or moveable wing cams p¹, p³,
facing the equal sides of said V-shaped cam O, substantially as shewn and specified.
5. In knitting machines constructed as set forth in claim 2, a lock plate G, con-
sisting in an adjustable plate p in which a V-shaped cam-groove q is countersunk,
substantially as shewn and specified.
6. In machines for manufacturing knitted fabrics composed of flat meshes linked
together and hanging in each other a wire or thread guide M provided with
rollers 8, 8, said thread or wire guide being supported by a sliding carriage, sub-
stantially as shewn and specified.
7. In knitting machines constructed as set forth in the 2nd claim, a carriage N
carried along by the lock-plate G and provided with a knife m³, or with knives
m², m², in combination with the wire or thread guide M substantially as shewn and
set forth.
8. In machines for manufacturing strong, elastic, pliable wire-knittings capable
of being wound up and composed of flat meshes linked together and hanging in
each other, a roller-comb D consisting of bar E and of a series of moveable rollers d'

page_text: stuck upon pins d; of a perforated bar d³, and of a top bar d³, substantially as
shewn and specified
9. In machines for manufacturing knitted fabrics as above set forth a push-back
bar F turning and journaled in bearings F¹ and provided with recesses t, sub-
stantially as shewn and specified.
10. In machines constructed as herein set forth an automatic device for displacing
the wire or thread guide M at each reversal of the stroke of the lock-plate G, said
automatic device consisting of the spring arms ; and j'in combination with a
tappet P, substantially as shewn and specified.
11. In machines constructed as above set forth a stopping device for stopping the
wire or thread guide in a suitable position whilst the lock-plate is still continuing
its movement at the end of each stroke, said device consisting of a coupling bar NI,
and a tappet 15, said bar serving to connect the lock-plate with the carriage N,
in combination with the sliding checks P and P¹ connected by a bar 17, with the
levers j and j and with the pins u and u³, substantially as shewn and set forth.
12. In machines constructed as above specified, a device for stretching and
stripping off the finished knitted fabrics, said device consisting either as represented
in figs. 1, 2 and 3, of a combination of the roller w with the cylinder Q and tackle S,
or as represented in figs. 10 and 11, of a combination of three rollers w, w' and w²
a rotary movement being imparted to one of these rollers by ratchet wheels and
pawls actuated by the driving mechanism, substantially as shewn and described.
13. In machines constructed as above specified and in which spring needles ẞ are
used for manufacturing knitted fabrics, the arrangement in front of the roller-comb
of a roller or pulley y or of a comb substantially as shewn and described.
14. The method of manufacturing tuck-work fabrics of different patterns by
means of knitting machines of the herein described construction, said method of
manufacturing being carried out by displacing the V-shaped cam O forwards or
backwards or by removing one or several needles a from the needle-bed at any
desired regular intervals, substantially as described.
15. As a new article of manufacture strong elastic, pliable, knitted wire fabrics
capable of being wound up and termed "wire lasting," said fabric being composed
of meshes linked together and hanging in each other, made of endless wire and
disposed in regular rows, and each row of meshes being drawn through the pre-
ceding one.
Dated this 5th dow of December 1884