Improvements in Knitted Fabrics and in Machinery for the Production thereof.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
Improvements in Knitted Fabrics and in Machinery for the
Production thereof.
1 NEWNHAM BROWNE of 73 Cheapside, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of this invention which
has been communicated to me by The Pepper Manufacturing Company of Lake
Village in the County of Belknap, and State of New Hampshire in the United
States of America Knitting Machine Manufacturers, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The present invention has for its object the production of a tubular knit fabric
having peripheral bands or welts which may or may not be of the same color as the
body of the fabric. The body of the fabric is composed of ribbed stitches made
from a main thread of yarn, while the welt is composed of plain stitches made
from an additional welt thread or yarn. The thread or yarn, however, of which
the ribbed body is produced is not broken off while the welt is being knit, but is
simultaneously knit to form a backing of plain stitches behind the welt. The
present improvements are applied to a knitting machine having vertical and
horizontal needles, and they consist in the organization and mechanism of the
machine whereby a fabric of the character indicated may be produced.
In order that the principle and operation of the invention may be understood,
the improvements will be described as applied to an independent needle, circular
knitting machine having vertical and horizontal needles, such as are commonly
called latch-needle dial knitting machines, wherein the latch needles are mounted
in stationary parts and their actuating mechanism rotate. The invention is not,
however, limited to this particular type of knitting machines, since the improve-
ments may be applied to other equivalent types of machines, such as those where
the parts carrying the needles rotate and the needle-actuating mechanisms have no
rotary motion.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1, is a side view of a knitting machine provided with the present
improvements.
Fig. 2, is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 3, is a bottom view of the head of the machine, showing the mechanism for
operating the pattern chain which employed.
Fig. 4, is a view of the set of knitting cams which actuate the vertical or
cylinder needles.
Fig. 5, is a side view, partly in vertical section, of the machine head.
Fig. 6, is a side view of the machine head, looking at the same in a direction at
right-angles to the direction in which Fig. 5 is seen.
Fig. 7, is an underside view of the two sets of knitting cams for the horizontal
or dial needles, this view also showing the shifting mechanism for these knitting
cams.
Fig. 8, is a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing the knitting cams in a different
position.
Fig. 9, is a vertical section of the dial cam-plate in a plane indicated by the
line 9-9 in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10, is a plan view of a portion of the horizontal or dial needles, and of the
welt thread feeding and gripping mechanism showing the position of the welt
thread as it is being first taken by the needles.
Fig. 11, is a similar view showing the position the welt thread occupies during

page_text: amvong operation, and also showing the thread gripper in position for taking
and gripping the thread.
Fig. 12, is a similar view, showing the gripper holding the thread, and illus-
trating how the thread is broken.
Fig. 13, is a vertical section of the welt thread feeding and gripping
mechanism.
Fig. 134, is a detail view of the same mechanism in a different position.
Fig. 14, is a view on a greatly enlarged scale, showing the formation and
character of stitches of the fabric which is knit by the machine.
Fig. 15, is a view, diagrammatic in character, of the fabric knit by the
machine.
Fig. 16 is a cross section of the fabric.
Fig. 17, is a longitudinal section of a portion of the fabric.
Figures 7 to 134 inclusive, are drawn to a standard scale as indicated; Figs. 1
to 3, are drawn to one-third of the standard scale; Fig. 4, two-thirds of the
standard scale; and Figs. 5 and 6, one-half of the standard scale.
Referring to Fig. 1. A is the supporting standard of the machine; B, the bed
plate of the machine head; C, the main drive shaft: D, the fixed vertical cylinder
which carries the cylinder or vertical latch needles a; E, the rotary cam-ring
provided with knitting cans which actuate the cylinder needles; F, the stationary
dial which carries the dial or horizontal latch-needles ; G, the rotary dial cam-
plate which carries the knitting cams which actuate the dial needles, and H, is the
rotary thread guide which is carried by the cam ring E. All of these parts are
constructed and operated in the manner usual and common in dial knitting
machines.
The vertical or cylinder needles a, are constant in their action while the machine
is in operation, being at all times acted upon by the single set of knitting cams
carried by the rotary cam-ring. This set of knitting cams is shown in Fig. 4,
, being the elevating cam, d, the depressing cam, and e the restoring cam, all
of well-known construction and operation. The cylinder needles being constant
in their action always take the thread from the main thread guide H, and knit
therewith.
The horizontal or dial needles b, b, which work between the cylinder needles,
are acted upon by two sets of knitting cams which alternate in their action, that
is to say, when one set of knitting cams is acting upon the dial needles to cause
them to knit, the other set of cams has no action, and rice versa. These two sets of
knitting cams are carried by the rotary dial cam-plate G, and are best shown in
Figs. 7 and 8, which show the underside of the cam-plate, that being the side
which is next to the dial needles. Each set of these knitting cams comprises a
throwing-out cam and a drawing-in cam. The set of cams comprising the throwing-
out cam f, and drawing-in cam g, constitutes the main set of cams, and the set of
cams comprising the throwing-out cam h, and drawing-in cam i, constitutes the
auxiliary or "welt" set of cams.
When the main set of dial cams y, actuates the dial needles to cause them to
knit, the dial needles co-operate with the cylinder needles and take thread from
the main thread guide H. The main dial cams then occupy the same relation to
the cylinder needle cams that the dial cams and cylinder cams occupy in an
ordinary dial knitting machine. In Fig. 8, the main set of dial needle knitting
cams, is shown in operative position, and in Fig. 1, the dial needles are
shown co-operating with the cylinder needles, so that both sets of needles take
the main thread from thread guide H, and consequently a ribbed fabric is
produced.
Although the ribbed fabric thus produced is old and well-known, and its
formation by the co-operative action of horizontal and vertical knitting needles is
also well-known, nevertheless a brief description of the character of stitches in such
a ribbed fabric will be given, in order that the special fi.bric made on the present
improved machine, and the method of forming it, may be clearly understood.

page_text: In the fabric illustrated in Fig. 14, the upper and lower portions are formed of
stitches such as are formed in a ** one-and-one " ribbed fabric, that is to say, in a
ribbed fabric made on a dial machine wherein the dial needles alternate with the
cylinder needles. Each of these ribbed portions of the fabric is composed of
vertical rows of loops a, r, which alternate with vertical rows of loops y, y. The
loops, differ from the loops y, in that each loop æ, in any horizontal row as 1-1
passes first in front of and then behind the two strands of the loop a, in the hori
zontal row 2-2, immediately above, whereas cach loopy in any horizontal row
as 1-1, passes first behind and then in front of the two strands of the loop y, in
the horizontal row 2-2, immediately above. The thread or yarn, however, of
which the loops y, y, are formed is, it will be observed, a continuation of the same
thread or yarn as that of which the loops ., x, are formed. When such a ribbed
fabric as this is formed on a dial knitting machine, the loops a, a, are formed by
the cylinder needles, and the loops y, y, are formed by the dial needies (that is,
assuming that the fabric is viewed as it comes from the machine).
In order to make what is here termed a "welt," the main set of dial knitting
cams f, g, is thrown out of action, and the auxiliary or "welt" set of dial knitting
cams h, i, is thrown into action. This auxiliary set of knitting cams h, i, is so
located with reference to the cylinder needle knitting cams that the dial needles
are actuated thereby at a place where the cylinder needles are entirely out of
action. Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the auxiliary or welt set of dial
needles knitting cams h, i, are located diametrically opposite to the main set of
cams f. y. Since there is but one set of knitting cams for the cylinder needles,
which are constant in their action, it follows that when the main dial cams f, g, are
thrown out of action the cylinder needles alone continue to knit upon the main thread,
since the dial needles when acted upon by the auxiliary set of cams h, i, are out of
operative relation with the main thread guide H, and consequently cannot take
thread therefrom. Therefore, a second thread or yarn guide I is provided, which
feeds a second or welt thread to the dial needles when said needles are actuated by
the knitting cams h, i. Consequently, when the set of dial knitting cams h, i, are
in action, the dial needles alone knit with the welt thread, and the cylinder needles
alone knit with the main thread. Fig. 7, shows the dial knitting cams h, i, in
operative position, and in Fig. 5, the cylinder needles are shown in position for
operating upon the main thread by themselves, and the dial needles are shown in
position for operating upon the welt thread by themselves.
The effect of this separate knitting of the two sets of needles is that the cylinder
needles knit one plain web of plain stitches, and the dial needles knit a separate and
distinct plain web also of plain stitches.
The machine is so organized and constructed (as will hereinafter be particularly
set forth) that ordinarily the two sets of needles co-operate together to knit a
ribbed fabric. At the proper and desired time, the two sets of dial knitting cams
are automatically shifted so that the main cams f, g, are thrown out of action, and
simultaneously the welt cams h, i, are brought into action, so that the dial needles
knit one plain web with the welt thread, while the cylinder needles knit another
plain web with the main thread. After a welt of sufficient width has been knit,
the two sets of dial cams are again shifted, so that the welt set of cams h, i, are
thrown out of action and the main set of cams f, g, are thrown into action. Con-
sequently the two sets of needles resume the knitting of a ribbed fabric, and the
dial needles cease to knit with the welt thread which is broken off by a proper
thread breaker.
The character of fabric which is thus formed by the conjoint and separate
actions of the dial and cylinder needles is shown in Fig. 14. In this figure the
welt stitches 2,, formed by the dial needles alone (when they are actuated by the
second set of cams h, i) are distinguished by shaded lines. The shifting of the dial
cams is such that the dial needles commence to knit with the welt thread at the
same time that they cease to knit with the main thread, so that the last row of
loops or stitches which the dial needles have taken from the main thread are still

page_text: upon the dial needles when they commence to take the welt thread. Consequently
the first row of the welt stitches r, s, are interlocked with the last row of the
stitches y, y.
The effect of this operation is clearly indicated in Fig. 14. The
horizontal row 5-5, of the stitches and y, is the last row of the lower ribbed
portion. The stitches y, y, in this row 5--5, are the loops of the main thread left
on the dial needles when they cease to take the main thread. The stitches or
loops,, in the row 6-6, next above the row 5-5, are the first line of stitches
which the dial needles take from the welt thread, and they are interlocked with
the stitches Y, Y, in the row 5-5.
As the knitting then progresses, the dial needles continue to knit with the welt
thread, each succeeding row or round of the welt thread stitches or loops being
interlocked with the preceding row or round of the welt stitches. None of the
rows or rounds of the welt stitches, 2, above the first row 6-6 (except as herein-
after stated) are interlocked with the loops y, y, formed by the dial needles with
the main thread; and none of the welt stitches, 2, are in any manner interlocked
with the loops or stitches, (or w, w,) formed by the cylinder needles. In other
words, the welt is composed of stitches,, which are knit entirely by the dial
needles. Consequently, the welt is composed of plain stitches and not of ribbed
stitches, since, as is well-known, when a single set of knitting needles knit with a
single thread or yarn a plain web is produced.
In the meanwhile, while the welt stitches are being knit by the dial needles, the
cylinder needles continue to knit with the main thread. The cylinder needles,
while thus knitting alone with the main thread form the loops w, w, which in the
first row 6-6, above the ribbed work interlock with the stitches or loops, .
The loops 1, w, are just like the loops a, a, except that they are joined with each
other in the same row or round instead of alternating with the dial stitches y, y
(or, ). The cylinder needles consequently, while knitting independently of the
dial needles, knit a plain backing web which is entirely distinct and separate from
the welt kuit by the dial needles, except where both are joined to and merged into
the ribbed web.
When a welt of sufficient width has been knit, the welt set of dial needles
knitting cams, i, is automatically thrown out of action, and simultaneously the
main set of dial needle knitting cans f, g, is automatically thrown into action. As
the result, the dial needles cease to knit with the welt thread (which is then auto-
matically broken), and consequently cease to form the welt stitches 2, 2; and the
dial needles again co-operate with the cylinder needles to knit a ribbed fabric with
the main thread, and consequently to form the rib stitches y, y. When the shifting
of the dial knitting cams takes place, the dial needles carry a row or round of the
welt loops, (as shown at row 9--9 in Fig. 14), and the stitches in the first row
or round 10-10, of the upper section of the dial stitches y, y, are consequently
interlocked with them, so that the welt is joined without seaming or interruption
with the ribbed web at its upper as well as at its lower edge.
The drawings show, in Fig. 14, the web as it comes from the machine, the
outside being the wrong side of the web, and the welt consequently being inside.
When the web is turned right side out the welt shows on the outside.
If the main
thread and welt are of different colors, as a white main thread and a red welt
thread, a fabric will be formed in which the body portions will be a solid white
color and of rib stitches, and it will have a horizontal (peripheral) welt or stripe of
a solid red color and of plain stitches. The red welt entirely conceals the white
backing fabric beneath, none of the white stitches showing through. The fabric is
thus distinguished and characterized by having ribbed body portions of one solid
color, and plain-stitch peripheral welts or stripes of a contrasting solid color. The
welts it will be observed, are distinguished from the body both by the character of
stitches, and by the color of the thread. The welt is also thus formed without
breaking the main thread or discontinuing knitting with it, so that the fabric where
the welt is formed is as thick and close as the ribbed portions of the fabric. In
fact, a little more quantity of thread is required to form the welt and its backing

page_text: than would be required to form an equal width of ribbed web, as will be evident
from an inspection of Fig. 14. The separation between the welt and its backing is
clearly indicated in Figs. 16 and 17.
The object of the improved machine, and its results, having been set forth, there
will now be described the construction of the dial needle knitting cams, the means
for automatically shifting the same, and the means for automatically feeding-in
and breaking off the welt thread.
The two drawing-in cams g and i (see Figs. 7 and 8), have no movement which
contributes to the formation of the welt. For the purposes of the present invention
they may be regarded as permanently and immovably fixed to the underside of
the dial cam plate G. Both of the throwing-out cams f, and are formed on
This cam-block seats
diametrically opposite faces of a sliding cam-block J.
against the underside of the cam-plate G, and has a limited rectilinear reciprocating
movement thereon. The cam-block has a central guide slot j, through which
extends the usual supporting spindle K, of the cam-plate G, and dial F, the length
of the slot j. determining the extent of movement of the cam-block. The cam-block
is suspended from the cam-plate by two screw bolts h, k, which screw into the
cam-block and pass through two slots l, l, in the cam-plate, these slots being of
sufficient length to permit the sliding movement of the cam-block. (See Figs. 7,
8 and 9.)
Fig. 7 shows the position of the cam-block when the welt dial-needle knitting
cams and i are in operation; Fig. 8, shows the position of the cam-block when
the main knitting cams f, g, are in operation; and in both figures the arrows
indicate the direction of rotation. Referring to Fig. 7, it will be seen that the dial
needles will be moved out by cam h, and drawn in by cam i, so that the knitting
operation effected. The needle butts will then travel along the outer face of the
cam block, and will be moved slightly out by the highest part of cam f, and again
in by the innermost part of arm g, but not enough to have any effect on the
knitting. Consequently, the only cams which have any effect on the knitting in
Fig. 7 are the welt cams h, i. Likewise, when the cam-block is shifted as in Fig. 8,
the main cams ƒ and g are alone operative, and the cams h and i, have no effect
upon the knitting.
The automatic shifting mechanism, which is used for shifting the cam-block J,
is in most respects well known being substantially the same as the mechanism for
shifting the drawing-in cam set forth in Letters Patent of the United States
granted to William H. Pepper and Albert T. L. Davis, April 23, 1889, No. 401,791,
and is as follows:-
L, is a cam-block actuating slide, which moves rectilinearly between proper
guides on the upper face of the cam-plate G, in a line at right-angles to the line of
movement of the cam-block J. This slide L, has an inclined cam-groove m,
through which the bolt k, carried by the cam-block extends. Consequently, when
the cam-block-actuating slide is moved back and forth, the cam-block will likewise
be moved back and forth, but in a line at right angles to the line of movement of
the slide. (See Figs. 2, 7 and 8.) The cam groove m, and its operation is similar
to that of an equivalent cam groove set forth in Letters Patent of the United States
to William H. Pepper, granted April 1, 1890, No. 424,497, except in one respect.
At each end of the cam groove m, it terminates in a prolongation 50, extending in
a line parallel with the line of movement of the slide L. These prolongations
receive the bolt k, at each limit of movement of the slide L, and prevent any
accidental movement of the cam-block J.
The slide L, is formed with a rack n, on its outer edge, with which meshes a
pinion M, which is journaled in and beneath a bracket arm N, secured to the
cam-plate G (see Figs. 2, 5 and 9). Journaled in and beneath bracket arm N, and
meshing with pinion M, is a second pinion O. The pinion M, carries a downwardly
extending crank tappet-arm o, and the pinion O carries a downwardly extending
crank arm p, from the end of which extends a downwardly extending tappet pin r.
Now it will be evident that if the tappet arm o, is moved in a given direction (say

page_text: in the direction of the arrow 7, in Fig. 7) the slide L, will be moved from the
position shown in Fig. 7. to that shown in Fig. 8, and consequently the main
knitting cams f, g, will be thrown into action; whereas, if the tappet pin r, be
moved in the same direction (sec arrow in Fig. 8) the slide L, will be moved
from the position shown in Fig. 8, to the position shown in Fig. 7, and consequently
the welt cams, i, will be moved into action. The alternate movements of the
tappets o and, in the same direction are effected through the instrumentality of a
pattern chain P, and intervening mechanism which is substantially the same as that
set forth in said Patent No. 401,791.
The pattern-chain P (see Figs. 1, 5 and 6), is carried by a sprocket-wheel Q,
fixed to a shaft R. Said shaft R, carries a ratchet wheels, with which engages a
gravity pawl t, the backward movement of the ratchet wheel being prevented by
a spring friction brake u. The pawl t, swings on an eccentric (see Figs. 1 and 6)
on a shaft S. Shaft S, carries a pinion T (see Fig. 3), which engages a pinion U,
on the main drive shaft C. Consequently the pattern chain is moved automatically
at a uniform rate of speed, which is proportioned to the speed of the knitting
operations. Hence by using a pattern chain of a desired length, with cams
properly disposed thereon, any effects desired may be produced on the knitted web
within the scope of the machine.
The pattern chain carries a plurality of cam-projections, of which cam-pro-
jections 11 and 12, control the movements of the slide L. The cam-projections 11
are arranged along the outer edge of the pattern-chain, and the cam-projections 12,
are arranged along the inner edge of the pattern-chain, so that they travel in a
different vertical plane from the cam-projections 11. The cam-projections 11,
co-operate with a vertically movable slide-rod V, and the cam-projections 12,
co-operate with a vertically movable slide-rod W, said rods being mounted to slide
in a bracket 13, carried by the bed plate B. When one of the cam-projections 11
(or 12), comes in contact with one of the slide-rods V (or W), it clevates the same,
and the slide-rod resumes by gravity its normal lower position when the cam-
projection moves out of the way. The length of each cam-projection and the
speed of the pattern chain is such that its slide rod will be lifted and again lowered
during less than two rotations of the cam-ring E, and cam-plate G.
The outer slide-rod V, co-operates with a vertically swinging tappet-arm 14,
which is pivoted at its outer end to the bracket 13. This tappet arm is in the path
of a projecting pin 15, on the slide-rod V (see Figs. 2, 5 and 6), so that when the
slide-rod V is lifted by one of the cain-projections 11, the free inner end of the
tappet-arm 14, is elevated, and when the slide-rod resumes its lower_position,
the tappet-arm 14, also resumes by gravity its normal lower position. The inner
free end of tappet-arm 14, extends inwardly toward the axis of the knitting
machine, and when it is elevated it is directly in the path of the tappet-pin ", when
said pin occupies the position shown in Figs. 1 and 8. The tappet r, rotating with
the cam-ring E and cam-plate G, is brought into contact with the tappet-arm 14,
and is thereby caused to turn in the direction of the arrow 7, in Fig. 8, to the
position shown in Fig. 7, thereby throwing the welt cams h, and i, into operation.
The tappet-pin r, as it turns, is swung inwardly beyond the inner end of the tappet-
arm 14. Fig. 5, shows the tappet-pin just before it swings in beyond the free inner
end of the tappet-arm.
The inner slide-rod W, co-operates with a vertically swinging tappet-arm 16,
which is pivoted at its outer end to the bracket 13. This tappet arm is in the path
of a projecting pin 17, on the slide rod W (see Figs. 1, 2 and 6), so that when the
slide-rod W, is lifted by one of the cam-projections 12, the free inner end of
the tappet-arm 16, is clevated, and when the slide-rod resumes its normal position,
the tappet-arm 16, also resumes by gravity its normal lower position. The inner
free end of the tappet-arm 16, extends inwardly toward the axis of the machine
(farther than tappet-arm 14), and when it is elevated it is directly in the path of
the tappet o, when said tappet occupies the position shown in Figs. 5 and 7. The
tappeto, rotating with the cam-ring E, and cam-plate G, is brought into contact

page_text: with the tappet-arm 16, and is thereby caused to turn in the direction of arrow ½,
in Fig. 7, to the position shown in Fig. 8, thereby throwing the main cams and o
into operation. The tappet o, as it turns, is swung inwardly beyond the inner free
end of the tappet-arm 16.
The tappet o, never comes in contact with the tappet-arm 14, since the latter
does not extend towards the axis of the machine far enough to be encountered by
the tappet o, and the tappet-pin never comes in contact with tappet-arm 16,
since the upper part of said arm is cut away (see Fig. 1) as that pin r, always
passes freely above it.
The length of each cam-projection 11 (or 12), and the speed of the pattern
chain, are such that a tappet-arm (14 or 16) will be lifted and again lowered
during less than two rotations of the cam-ring E, and cam-plate G, so that when a
tappet (o, or ) strikes a tappet-arm in one revolution, the tappet-arm will be
lowered out of the way before the next revolution is completed.
A ribbed
After a cam-projection 11, on the pattern chain has acted as thus set forth to
move the welt knitting cams h, i, into operative position, the welt is knit until
a cam-projection 12, acts to throw the weit knitting cams h, i, out of opera-
tion and the main dial-needle knitting cams,, into operation.
fabric is then knit until a cam-projection 11, again acts. It will therefore be
evident that any relative arrangement of welts and ribbed portions of any desired
width can be knit by a proper length of pattern-chair and by properly disposed
cam projections 11 and 12.
Reference has already been made to the feeding and breaking off of the welt
thread. It is essential to the proper formation of the welt that the welt thread
should be fed to the dial needles the moment they are actuated by the welt.
kuitting cams h, i, and it is equally essential that the welt thread should be broken
off as soon as the welt is completed, since otherwise the welt thread would be
wrapped around the machine and interfere with the proper knitting of the ribbed
portion of the fabric. The feeding-in of the welt thread, and its breaking off, are
automatically effected by feed and breaking mechanism, which is shown in Figs. 1
and 5, but which will be best understood by reference to the detail Figs. 10, 11, 12,
13 and 13A.
The welt thread guide I, is carried by a bracket 18, which is secured to the
cam-ring E, so as to rotate therewith (see Figs. 1 and 5). The welt thread is
conducted to this thread guide through a guide eye in an arm 19. attached to
the bracket-arm N. (See Figs. 2, 6, 7 and 8.) The thread guide I, occupies a
horizontal plane immediately above the plane of the dial needles, and its thread
eye 20, is so located that when a dial needle is thrown out nearly to the maximum
distance by the throwing-out cam h, its hooked point passes out just beyond the
eye 20, as is shown in Figs. 5, 10, 11 and 13.
The thread guide I, is secured to the inclined head 21, of the bracket 18, and
this head is provided with a groove on its upper side which serves as a guide way
for the welt thread gripper-slide 22. This gripper-slide is held in place in the
guide way by the thread-guide I, and a retaining plate 23. The gripper slide is
capable of a longitudinal rectilinear movement in its guide-way. It is moved
upwardly and inwardly by a cam 24, (which will be hereinafter more particularly
described), and is moved downwardly and outwardly by a coiled spring 25, fastened
at opposite ends to the gripper-slide and plate 23. The downward and outward
position of the gripper-slide (see Figs. 1, 5, 10, 12 and 13,) is its normal position,
and in this position the vertical face of its gripping-jaw 26 (which extends down-
wardly from the inner end of the gripper) is held by the force of spring 25, in
contact with the vertical inner fice of bracket head 21, or preferably, and as
shown, in contact with a gripping plate 27, secured to the inner end of the bracket
head. The jaw 26, constitutes the movable jaw of the gripper or thread breaker,
and the plate 27, the stationary jaw thereof.
The mechanism for moving the gripper-slide 22, inwardly and upwardly against
the tension of the spring 25, is best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6. The cam 24, is

page_text: carried on the upper end of a lever 28, which is centrally pivoted to a bracket 29,
secured to the bed plate B. Below its pivot, the lever 28 is formed with a cam-
slot 30, in which enters one end of a lever 31, which extends at right angles to
lever 28 (see Fig. 6), and is centrally pivoted to the bracket 29. The opposite
end of the lever 31, enters a slot 32, in a vertically sliding bar 33, supported by
the bracket 13 (see Fig. 5). This bar 33 is provided with vertical slots 34, in
which enter screw-bolts 35, which secure the bar 33, to the bracket 13, the slots 34,
permitting a vertical movement of the sliding bar 33. At its lower end the sliding
bar 33 has a tappet projection 36, which co-operates with central cam-projections 37,
on the pattern chain P. The normal position of the sliding bar 33, is its lower
position, which it automatically resumes by gravity when displaced therefrom.
When the sliding bar is in this normal lower position, the end of the lever 31,
which engages cam-slot 30, is at its highest position and consequently in the highest
part of the cam-slot. When in this position the upper end of lever 28, swings out-
wardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. This is the normal position of lever 28,
and it resumes it by gravity when displaced therefrom, the lower end of the lever
being weighted for this purpose, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When in this normal
position, the cain 24, on the lever 28, is out of the path of the lower, outer, or tail
end of the gripper-slide 22. When, however, a cam projection 37, on the pattern-
chain P, encounters the tappet projection 36, on the sliding bar 33, thereby raising
the latter, the end of lever 31, in cam slot 30, is moved downward to the position
shown in Fig. 1. In thus moving downward, the end of lever 31, encounters the
incline surface 38, of cam-slot 30, thereby forcing the lower end of lever 28,
outwardly, and thus moving the cam 24, inwardly into the path of the tail end of
the gripper-slide 22. The gripper-slide, travelling with the cam-ring E, encounters
the cam 24, in this position, and is thus moved inwardly; and as soon as it passes
the cam 24, it is again restored to its normal gripping position by the spring 25.
In Fig. 1, the cam 24, is shown in its inward position, where it is in co-operative
relation to the gripper-slide 22. The end of lever 31 is consequently shown in
this figure, as occupying the lower portion of the cam-slot 30. When in this
position, the opposite vertical faces of lever 31, are in contact (or nearly so) with
portions of the opposite margins of the cam slot, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the
lever 28, is locked and cannot be moved in either direction. This locking of
the lever 28 is important, since it must be prevented from being swung in one
direction by the impingement of the gripper-slide 22, upon the cam 24, and it
must be prevented from being swung in the opposite direction by being struck
accidentally.
The duration of the interval in which the cam 24, occupies its inner position in
the path of the gripper-slide is determined by the lengths of each cam pro-
jection 37, and of the tappet projection 36, and by the speed of the travel of the
pattern-chain. These factors should be so arranged that the cam 24, will occupy
its inner position for an interval less than the time taken by the cam-ring in making
two rotations so that if the gripper-slide 22, encounters cam 24, on one round, it
will not encounter it on the next.
The inward movements of the gripper-slide will accordingly be determined by
the positions of the cam-projections 37, on the travelling pattern-chain.
In order to take up the wear on the inner face of the cam 24, it is preferably
adjustably mounted on the lever 28, as shown in Figs. 6 and 11.
:
Normally, when the two sets of needles are knitting a ribbed fabric and the welt
thread is inoperative, the end of the welt thread extends directly from the thread
eye 20, in the thread guide 1, to the gripping jaws 26 and 27, between which it is
held, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. When, however, the dial needles are thrown
out by the movement of the cam-block J, so as to knit with the welt thread, one of
the dial needles which is pushed out nearly to the maximum distance is pushed so
far that its hooked end is alongside that portion 49, of the welt thread which
extends in a downward direction (Fig. 13) from the thread eye 20, to the
gripper 26, 27. The onward movement of the thread guide and gripper carries

page_text: this portion, 49, of the welt thread against the needle, the part of the thread above
the needle and below the thread guide I, passing over the needle, and the part of
the thread below the needle and above the gripper passing beneath the needle. The
welt thread is in this manner looped around the needle and is caught by the needle
hook. As the machine continues to operate, the welt thread is drawn down
through the thread eye 20, and taken by the dial needles. As soon, however, as
the first loops taken by the dial needles are interlocked by the loops already on the
needles, none of the welt thread drawn down can slip past the needles to the
gripper. Consequently, a strain is brought to bear by the onward movement of
the gripper on that portion 39 (see Fig. 10) of the welt thread which extends from
the needles to the gripper, and the thread is broken at this portion 39. The welt
thread then continues to be knit by the dial needles as any thread is ordinarily
knit.
When the dial-needle knitting cams are shifted so as to cause the dial needles
to cease to knit with the welt-thread, the welt- thread should be at once broken
off. Accordingly, just as soon as one of the cam-projections 12, on the pattern-
chain acts to move the tappet-arm 16, into the path of tappet o, one of the cam
projections 37, is so arranged on the pattern chain relatively to the cam-
projection 12, that it acts to move the cam 24, into the path of the gripper-
slide 22. As shown in Fig. 2, the parts are so arranged that the knitting cams
are shifted first, and immediately afterwards the gripper-slide is moved inward.
The extent of the inward movement of the gripper slide is such (see Figs. 11
and 134) that the movable gripper-jaw 26, is carried above and across the portion
of the welt thread which extends from the thread eye 20, to the needles. The
gripper-slide then descends under the action of spring 25, as soon as it passes the
cam 24, draws down the thread, and holds it tightly against the stationary gripper
jaw, as shown in Fig. 12. To ensure positively that the jaws may grip the welt
thread so that it cannot slip out, a fixed cam 40, is employed (see Figs. 2 and 11)
which is fixed to the bed plate B. The tail projection 41, of the gripper-slide
passes outside of this cam, the cam drawing the movable gripping-jaw 26, firmly
and positively against the fixed jaw 27.
As the dial needles occupy at this stage an inward position (being drawn
inwardly by cam i) as shown in Fig. 12, there is no danger of the welt thread
between the thread eye 20, and the gripper being caught by the needles, and
consequently the welt thread is held in proper position for being taken by the
dial needles when they are again actuated by the welt cams h, i. A portion 42,
however, of the welt thread (see Fig. 12) remains between the dial needles and
the gripping jaws, and the welt thread is broken at this portion by the onward
movement of the gripper.
The short broken ends of the welt thread do not show on the completed fabric,
since the side on which they appear is the wrong side of the fabric, and in any case
they are quite short.
In order that the latches of the dial needles may not accidentally close when the
needles are thrown out by the welt throwing-out cam h, a dial needle catch
guard 43 is provided, which is attached to the cam-plate G, (see Figs. 6, 7 and 8),
and which extends horizontally immediately above the dial needles.
An important feature in connection with the cam block J, has not yet been
referred to. As shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the cam-block has on one side (at its
face next the cam-plate G), a horizontally projecting plate 44, which at its outer
edge carries a downwardly projecting-drawing-in flange 45. This drawing-in flange
extends parallel with the throwing-out cam f, at a sufficient distance therefrom to
permit the passage of the needle butts. This flange has no effect upon the knitting,
but when the cam-block is moved from the position shown in Fig. 8, to the position
shown in Fig. 7, it draws in all the dial needles which are partly thrown out by
the throw-out cam f, but not far enough out to fully open their latches so as to
take the main thread. If the partly thrown out dial needles were not thus drawn
B

page_text: in, the main thread would be drawn down over their closed latches by the action of
the cylinder needles, which would result either in breaking the thread, or in making
a few of the stitches w, w, (see Fig. 14) loose and uneven.
It will be seen that no provision similar to the drawing-in flange 45, is needed
opposite the welt cam h, since the cylinder needles do not pass between the dial
needles when the latter are forming the welt.
The particular arrangement of cam-projections on the pattern-chain shown in
the drawings produces a continuous tubular web having the sequence of ribbed
body portions X, X', and welts Y, Y', which is illustrated in Fig. 15, the right
side of the web being here illustrated. As shown in this figure, the upper part is
the first part knit, and the lower part is the last part knit. A broad welt Y, is at
the top, then a narrow ribbed part X, then a narrow welt Y', then a broad ribbed
part X, and then a repetition of the same parts.
Loose courses Z, Z, of stitches may be formed in the web, as shown, to cut off
by and to pick on by. The mechanism for producing these loose courses is not
shown in the drawings, since such mechanism is well-known in independent latch-
needle circular dial knitting machines of the general character of which the
machine shown is in its old features a type. As is well-known, a loose course of
stitches can be produced by lowering the depressing cam d (see Fig. 4) of the cam-
ring E, and the vertical adjustment of this cam d, is indicated in Fig. 4, the
supporting pin 46, thereof extending through a vertical slot 47, in the ring E.
The slack course mechanism shown in Letters Patent of the United States,
granted to William H. Pepper and Albert T. L. Davis, June 11, 1889,
No. 404,930, and to William H. Pepper, September 5, 1882, No. 263,720, can
be applied directly to the machine shown in the present drawings, no change in the
mechanism thereof being necessary.. The pattern-chain P, is shown provided with
cam-projections 48, 48, for producing slack courses such as are shown in Fig. 15.
No novelty is claimed to exist in slack courses in a ribbed fabric.
The sections of the fabric, each comprising the bands and welts X, X', Y, Y,
are suitable for stocking tops, shirt cuffs, and drawer bottoms. A cutting-off slack
course Z, is run in just preceding the wide welt Y, so that the welt is at the
terminal end.
A machine similarly organized, but having a different pattern-chain, can
produce any ornamental effects in striping in solid colors that may be desired.
As compared with prior knitting machines, the present improved knitting machine
is novel in its mode of operation. In the present machine there are two thread
guides, a set of vertical or cylinder needles which constantly take thread from one
only of said thread guides, a single set of knitting cams which actuate said
vertical or cylinder needles and which are constant in their action, a set of hori-
zontal or dial needles which take thread in succession first from one thread guide
and then from the other, and two sets of knitting cams which actuate the horizontal
or dial needles in succession, one set of said knitting cams being idle when the
other is in operation. The action of the two sets of knitting cams which actuate
the dial or horizontal needles is entirely automatic in character, being controlled
by a timed pattern-chain. And, co-operating with the knitting mechanism is an
automatically-acting thread feeder and breaker for the welt thread. The mode of
operation therefore, may be thus stated. The vertical or cylinder needles knit
constantly with the main thread and with the main thread only, while the hori-
zontal or dial needles knit part of the time only with the main thread, at which
time they co-operate with the vertical or cylinder needles to form a ribbed web,
and knit part of the time with the auxiliary or welt thread alone to form a welt of
plain stitches, all of the operations being wholly automatic and the welt thread
being automatically broken at the completion of the welt.
The fabric which is produced is a novel one in this respect, viz.: It is composed
of alternate body portions and welts, each body portion being composed of a single
thread and of rib stitches, while each welt is composed of an independent thread

page_text: and of plain stitches, and is backed by a backing of the same thread as the body
portions and of plain stitches, the welt and its backing being joined together only
where both join the ribbed body portions.
The novel mode of operation and fabric are produced by only a comparatively
few changes in the mechanism of the ordinary dial knitting machines, and of the
machines described in Letters Patent of the United States, Nos. 263,720, 401,791,
404,930 and 424,497, herein before mentioned. The formation of the two throw-
out cams and h, on the single sliding cam-block J, which reciprocates between
the fixed draw-in cams y and i, is a novel feature, as is also the draw-in flange 45.
The cam-block slide L, having the inclined slot m terminating at opposite ends in
the parallel prolongations 50, 50, is also novel.
The welt thread feeding and breaking mechanism, including its actuating
mechanism, is novel. It is not to be inferred, however, that an automatic gripper
controlled by a pattern-chain for gripping and breaking a thread or yarn is broadly
novel. Such a gripper is not new, being set forth for example in Letters Patent
of the United States, granted to William H. Pepper and Albert T. L. Davis,
November 11, 1890, No. 440,606. But the construction of the improved welt
thread feeder and gripper herein before set forth is novel, as is also its relation to
and co-operation with the knitting mechanism.
In other respects, however, the machine is old in its mechanical construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. Two thread guides one for a main thread and one for an auxiliary or welt thread,
and two sets of needles arranged in different planes, one of said sets of needles
taking said main thread alone and the other of said sets of needles taking the main
thread and the welt thread in succession, in combination with a single set of
constantly acting knitting cams for actuating the set of needles which takes the
main thread only, and two sets of alternately acting knitting cams for actuating
the set of needles which takes the main thread and welt thread in succession, and a
thread breaker which breaks said welt thread when said set of needles (which takes
the main thread and welt thread in succession) ceases to knit therewith, substantially
as set forth.
2. Two thread guides, one for a main thread and one for an auxiliary or welt
thread, and two sets of needles arranged in different planes, one of said sets of
needles taking said main thread alone and the other of said sets of needles taking
the main thread and the welt thread in succession, in combination with a single set
of constantly acting knitting cams for actuating the set of needles which takes the
main thread only, two sets of automatically shifting and alternately-acting knitting
cams for actuating the set of needles which takes the main thread and welt thread
in succession, automatically-acting means for throwing said cams into and out of
action, an automatically acting thread breaker which breaks said welt thread when
said set of needles (which takes the main thread and welt thread in succession)
ceases to knit therewith, and automatically acting means for actuating said thread
breaker, substantially as set forth.
3. Two thread guides, one for a main thread and the other for an auxiliary or
welt thread, a set of vertical needles which take the main thread only, and a set
of horizontal needles which take the main thread and the welt thread in succession,
in combination with a single set of knitting cams which actuate said vertical needles,
two sets of knitting cams for actuating said horizontal needles, one of said sets of
knitting cams being idle when the other is in action, and a thread gripper which
grips and breaks said welt thread when said horizontal needles cease to knit
therewith, substantially as set forth.
4. Two thread guides, one for a main thread and the other for a welt thread, a
set of vertical needles which take the main thread only, and a set of horizontal

page_text: needles which take said main thread and said welt thread in succession, in combi-
nation with a single set of knitting cams which actuate said vertical needles, two
sets of knitting cams which actuate said horizontal needles in succession, one of
said sets of cams being idle when the other is in action, an automatically-acting
thread gripper which automatically moves to take and grip said welt thread when
said horizontal needles cease to knit therewith, and automatically-acting means for
actuating said thread gripper, substantially as set forth.
5. Two thread guides, one for a main thread and the other for an auxiliary or
welt thread, a set of vertical needles which take said main thread only, and a set
of horizontal needles which take said main thread and said welt thread in succes-
sion, in combination with a single set of constantly-acting knitting cams which
actuate said vertical needles, a main set of knitting cams which actuate said
horizontal needles and cause the same to take the main thread and to co-operate
with said vertical needles to knit a ribbed web, a welt set of knitting cams which
actuate said horizontal needles and cause the same to knit a plain web with the
welt thread, said main set of knitting cams being thrown out of action when said
welt set of knitting cams is thrown into action, and vice versa, automatically acting
mechanism which controls the action of said two sets of knitting cams which
actuate the horizontal needles, an automatically acting thread gripper which auto-
matically moves to take and grip the welt thread when said welt set of knitting
cams is thrown out of action and automatically acting means for actuating said
gripper, substantially as set forth.
6. A dial cam-plate, and two draw-in cams thereon, in combination with a
movable cam-block carried by said cam-plate and movable between said draw-in
cams, two throw-out cams being carried by said cam-block whereby two sets of
knitting cams are provided only one of which is operative at one time, substantially
as set forth.
7. A dial cam-plate, and two draw-in cams thereon, in combination with a
movable cam-block carried by said cam-plate and movable between said draw-in
cams, two throw-out cams being carried by said cam-block, a cam-block actuating
slide having an inclined slot terminating at each end in a prolongation parallel with
the line of movement of said slide, and a pin carried by said cam-block which enters
in said inclined slot, substantially as set forth.
8. Two sets of knitting needles which normally co-operate with each other,
means for actuating said two sets of needles, and means for throwing one of said
sets of needles out of co-operation with the other set, in combination with a draw-in
flange, which has no effect on the knitting operations but which draws-in the partly
thrown out needles of the set which is thrown out of co-operative action, sub-
stantially as set forth.
9. A dial cam-plate, and two draw-in cams g and i, in combination with two
movable throw-out cams f, and h, which are connected together so as to reciprocate
simultaneously in the same direction between said draw-in cams, substantially as
set forth.
10. A dial cam-plate, a draw-in cam 9 thereon, in combination with a movable
throw-out cam h, movable to and from said draw-in cam, and a movable draw-in
flange 45, outside of and opposite said throw-out cam and movable therewith, sub-
stantially as set forth.
11. A dial cam-plate, two draw-in cams 9 and i thereon, in combination with a
movable cam-block movable on said cam-plate, two throw-out cams fand h, carried
by said cam-block, said cam f, being adapted to co-operate with said draw-in cam g,
and said cam, being adapted to co-operate with said draw-in cam i, and a draw-in
flange 45, connected and movable with said cam-block, said flange being outside of
and opposite to said throw-out cam f, substantially as set forth.
12. A set of hooked knitting needles, and their actuating mechanism, in com-
bination with a thread guide which guides a thread or yarn, and a thread gripper
which normally grips 'and holds said thread after it passes through said thread

page_text: guide, there being a movement relatively between said set of needles on the one
part and said thread guide and gripper on the other part, said thread guide and
gripper being located in different planes from each other and being at different
distances from said needles, and the set of needles being located in a plane inter-
mediate between said thread-guide and said gripper, said set of needles being so
located relatively to said thread-guide and thread gripper that when said needles
occupy their drawn-in position their hooks do not pass between said thread-guide
and gripper, but when said needles occupy their thrown-out position their hooks
pass between said thread-guide and said gripper, whereby the hooks of the needles
are brought in contact with the portion of the thread which extends from said
thread-guide to said gripper, substantially as set forth.
13. A set of horizontal hooked knitting needles and their actuating mechanism,
said set of needles having no rotary movement, in combination with a rotary thread-
guide which guides a thread of yarn, and a rotary thread gripper rotating therewith
which normally grips and holds said thread after it passes said thread-guide, said
thread-guide being located above the plane of said set of needles and in such
position in reference to the hooks of said needles that when said needles are drawn
in they do not pass beneath said thread-guide but when they are thrown out they
pass beneath said thread-guide with their hooks beyond the same, and said thread
gripper being located (when it is gripping the thread) below said thread-guide
and the plane of said needles, further from said needles than said thread-guide,
and beyond the hooks of said needles when they are thrown out, substantially as
set forth.
14. A stationary dial, a set of horizontal hooked needles carried by said dial,
and the actuating mechanism for said needles, in combination with a rotary thread-
guide having a thread-eye through which the thread passes, said thread-eye being
above the plane of said needles and at a radial distance from the axis of the dial
which is between the positions occupied by the hook of any one of said needles
when drawn in and when thrown out, and a rotary thread gripper rotating with
said thread-guide which normally grips and holds said thread after it passes
through said thread-eye, said gripper (when gripping the thread) being located
beneath the thread-eye and the plane of said needles and being located farther
from the axis of the dial than the outermost position of the hook of any one of the
needles, substantially as set forth.
15. A set of knitting needles, and a thread-guide from which a thread passes to
said needles, in combination with a thread gripper which has two jaws, one of which
is a movable jaw movable to and from the other jaw, said movable jaw being
adapted to move in one direction so as to pass to one side of the portion of the
thread extending between said thread-guide and said needles, and then to move in
the opposite direction, and thereby draw said thread to the other jaw of the
gripper, and means for moving said movable jaw, substantially as set forth.
16. A horizontal set of knitting needles, and their actuating mechanism, said set
of needles, having no rotary movement, in combination with a rotary thread-guide
which leads a thread to said needles, and a rotary thread gripper rotating with said
thread-guide, said gripper having a fixed jaw located below the plane of said
thread-guide and of said needles and further from the axis of rotation than
said thread-guide, and said gripper having a movable gripping jaw which is
adapted to be moved above (and nearer to the axis of rotation than) the portion of
said thread which extends from said thread-guide to said needles, and to be moved
in the opposite direction to draw down the thread to the fixed gripping jaw, and
means for moving said movable jaw, substantially as set forth.
17. The bracket 18, having the fixed gripping jaw 27, and the gripper-slide 22,
sliding on said bracket and having the gripping jaw 26, in combination with the
cam 24, movable into and out of the path of said gripper-slide, said cam moving
said gripper-slide in one direction and a spring 25, which moves said gripper-slide
in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 18. The rotary bracket 18, having fixed gripping jaw 27, and the gripper-
slide 22, sliding on said bracket and having the gripper jaw 26, in combination
with cam 24, for moving said gripper-slide, said can being movable into and out of
the path of said gripper-slide, a travelling pattern-chain, and mechanism inter-
mediate between said pattern chain and cam 24, for moving said cam, substantially
as set forth.
19. The rotary bracket 18 having fixed gripper jaw 27, and the gripper-slide 22,
sliding on said bracket and having gripper jaw 26 and tail projection 41, in com-
bination with means for moving said gripper-slide in one direction, and spring 25,
and fixed cam 40, for moving it in the opposite direction, substantially as set
forth.
20. A knit fabric having a body portion, a welt or stripe, and a backing to said
welt or stripe, said body portion and backing being composed of the same single
continuous thread, and said welt or stripe being composed of a separate and
independent thread, said welt or stripe being located over said backing and being
interknit with said body portion and backing only at its margin, substantially as
set forth.
21. A knit fabric having a body portion, a welt or stripe, and a backing to said
welt or stripe, the body portion being formed of rib stitches and of a single main
thread, the welt or stripe being formed of plain stitches and of a welt thread
separate from said main thread, and the backing being formed of plain stitches and
of a single thread which is the main thread, said welt or stripe being interknit at
its marginal edges with said body portion of the fabric, substantially as set forth.
22. The improved machinery for knitting substantially as hereinbefore described
and set forth.
Dated the 20th dor of Dotchox 1801