IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Lowe, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester,
Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Lowe at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th March
1856.
I, DAVID LOWE, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Mechanic, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in knitting machinery, for
which purpose the ncedlo bar is arranged to move from and to the front of the
machine. The needles are of the ordinary form. In place of the ordinary jack
and lead sinkers two sets of instruments are used, each set having as many
instruments as there are needles.
The thread is laid on to the needles as heretofore; but in place of a series
of jack sinkers pressing the thread between every alternato pair of needles,
there is a spindle bar having a series of instruments with spring stems fixed
thereto; and such instruments, when the machine is at work, have a tendency
to press downward. A slur cock or instrument, passed under them, first lifts
thom, and then allows them to descend in succession and press the thread between

page_text: each of the needles. The fore end of each of these instruments is made into
the form of a neb suitable for such purposes; and this is all that these instru-
ments do in the working of a course, except to go out of the way before the
work is knocked over by the other set of instruments, one of which is placed
between each space of the needles, and their lower ends are fixed in leads to a
bar, which has simply a rising and falling motion, hence, when the thread has
been laid on to the needles it is sunk between them in succession, then, by the
going back of the needles, such thread is caused to be landed under the beards
by the sinking instruments which go away. The work is then brought forward
by the throats of the lower set of instruments, the beards are pressed by
a presser wire passing through the lower instruments, and the swell or bellies
of these lower instruments in rising knock over the work; or there may be a
separate presser and a simple comb for knocking over the work.
Another part of my Invention consists in making tuck work, or in narrowing
when working by machinery, similar to what is described in the Specification
of a former Patent granted to me, wherein the thread is placed, being laid
directly on to the needles, was formed into loops by separate instruments whilst
the course of previous loops was being worked on the needles; and the present
improvements consist of employing hooks in place of the needles, and in using
points with grooves on the under sides, and worked by jacquard or pattern
surfaces in such manner that when the points cover the end of the hooks, the
loops thereon are passed to the points; but when the points are inclined
upwards, the thread is passed under the points into the hooks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Lowe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
Lowe, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Mechanic, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
David Lowe, Her special licence that I, the said David Lowe, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David Lowe, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein

page_text: expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David Lowe, my exc-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Lowe, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in knitting machinery, for
which purpose the noedle bar is arranged to move from and to the front of the
machine. The needles are of the ordinary form. In place of the ordinary jack:
and lead sinkers two sets of instruments are used, each set having as many:
instruments as there are needles. The thread is laid on to the needles as
heretofore, but in place of a series of jack sinkers pressing the thread between:
every alternate pair of needles, there is a spindle bar having a series of instru-
ments with spring stems fixed thereto; and such instruments, when tho
machine is at work, have a tendency to press downwards. A slur cock or
instrument, passed under them, first lifts thein, and then allows them to descend:
in succession and press the thread between each of the needles. The fore end:
of each of these instruments is made into the form of a neb suitable for such:
purposes; and this is all that these instrunients do in the working of a course,.
except to go out of the way before the work is knocked over by the other set of:
instruments, one of which is placed between each space of the needles, and their
lower ends are fixed in leads to a bar, which has simply a rising and falling:
motion, hence, when the thread has been laid on to the needles it is sunk :
between them in succession, then, by the going back of the needles, such thread:
is caused to be landed under, the beards by the sinking instruments which go,
away. The work is then brought forward by the throats of the lower set of:
instruments, the beards are pressed by a presser wire passing through the:
lower instruments, and the swell or bellies of these lower instruments in rising
knock over the work; or there may be a separate presser and a simple comb
for knocking over the work.
Another part of my Invention consists in making tuck work, or.in narrow-..

page_text: ing when working by machinery, similar to what is described in the Specification
of a former Patent granted to me, wherein the thread, in place of being laid
directly on to the needles, was formed into loops by separate instruments,
whilst the course of previous loops was being worked on the needles; and the
present improvements consist of employing hooks in place of the needles, and
in using points with grooves on the under sides, and worked by jacquard
or pattern surfaces in such manner that when the points cover the end of the
hooks, the loops thereon are passed to the points; but when the points are
inclined upwards, the thread is passed under the points into the hooks.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a transverse section of a machine constructed according to
my Invention, and Figure 2 is a section of some of the working parts, full size.
The spring instruments for forming the loops (in this Figure), in place of having
spring stems, are supported and move on an axis, and are pressed down by
springs fixed to a spindle bar.
The nature and working of knitting machinery being well understood, it will
not be necessary to enter into a minute description of all the working parts of
this machine, as a workman acquainted with this class of machinery, aided by
the Drawings, together with the following description, will readily understand
the nature of my present improvements. a is the needle bar, which has
a to-and-fro movement given thereto by means of the cam a' fixed on the cam
shaft or axis b. c, c, are the loop-makers (oue to each needle), which are fixed
to a spindle bar moving on axes. The loop-makers or instruments c, c, are
formed with spring stems, so that when the slur cock passes under them they
are raised in succession, and in springing back they sink the loops in succession
between the stems of the needles; a row of loops being thus formed on the
stems of the needles, the needle bar moves back and the beards of the needles
are pressed by the wire presser carried by the sinkers or instruments e, e, which
then rise up and knock the work over the heads of the needles, the instruments
c being caused to rise out of the way at that time; the sinkers or instruments e
then descend and move the work back on to the stems of the needles ready for
a fresh set of loops to be formed on the stems of the needles, as before by the
instrument c.
Figures 3 and 4 show separate views of the loop-makers or instruments c,
the one shewn at Figure 4 being pressed down by a spring separate from the
instrument c.

page_text: Figure 5 shews separate views of a lead of sinkers or instruments c.
I will now describe the second part of my improvements in knitting
machinery.
Figures 6 and 7 shew sections of so much of a knitting machine as will
enable me to describe this part of my Invention.. The instruments c, d, which
are employed for forming the loops in this arrangement, are similar to those
described in the Specification of a Patent previously granted to me, and dated
the Sixteenth day of June One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, by which
the thread, in place of being laid directly on to the needles, is first formed into.
loops by the instruments c, d, whilst the course of previously formed loops, is
being worked; and in the present arrangement, in place of employing needles:
with beards, I employ hooks a with grooves on their upper surfaces, as shewn
separately at Figure 10; and opposite each needle or hook a, a covering point
or instrument b is supported, each point or instrument 6 having a groove on.its:
under side to receive and cover the hook-formed ends of the needles or hooks.
a, the points of the instruments 6 being caused to enter the grooves on
the needles or hooks a. The series of points or covering instruments 6 move
on an axis at 6', supported and carried by a "machine," which is capable of.
moving to and from the needles or hooks, a. Each point or instrument b is
capable of being acted upon by jacquard or other pattern surface, in such man-
ner that when any of the points are caused to cover the ends of the hooks, the
loops on the stems thereof are passed on to the points by the sinkers or instru-:
ments e; but when any of the points are not acted upon by the pattern surface.
they incline upwards above the hooks, and the loops are allowed to pass under
the points 6 into the hooks with the new loops, and those loops will be again
moved back on to the stems of the hooks by the instruments e when the work
goes back, and thus may tuck work be produced according to pattern; the
loops which were received on to the points or covers b are knocked over by the.
movement of the "machine" with the points c away from the needles or hooks,
so as to draw the points bout of the loops. When it is desired to narrow or
to produce open work by shifting any particular loops from one needle to:
another, I prefer to employ the arrangement of the instruments shown at
Figures 8 and 9. And I will now describe the working of a course when the
machine is required to narrow or to produce open work according to pattern.
The loops previously formed by the instruments c, d, are deposited upon the
stems of the needles or hooks a; the covering points 6 then come forward upon
the hooks and cover them and the new loops which have been moved forward
by the sinkers or instruments c. The hook bar with the covering points 6 move
towards the back of the machine, and the set of loops are moved on to

page_text: the covering points b. The sinker bar and instruments e rise, and the covering
points are drawn out of the loops, and the work is knocked over; and whilst
the work is being knocked over the jacquard cylinder is lowered, and turned to
bring up a fresh card to select those covering points 6 by which it is intended
to shift particular loops with. The covering points having been selected by the
time the sinker bar has moved down, and the needles or hooks have come
forward, they are ready to come upon the needles or hooks a a second time.
The hooks with the covering points upon them again move back, as before, and
such loops as are intended to be shifted are again received upon the covering
points b, the sinker bar rises, the hooks and covering points move forward and
assume the position shown at Figure 6, when the "machine" with the cover-
ing points move one or more needles to the right or to the left alternately, as
required. The work is then held by the sinkers whilst the hooks come forward
and the points retire out of the loops, and the course is completed ready for a
fresh set of loops to be received on to the hooks from the instruments c, d.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the use
of sinkers or instruments having only an up and down motion, so as to sink
the thread between the needles, and then to move out of the way to allow other
instruments to work the course.
. I also claim the use of covering instruments in combination with hooked
needles, such covering instruments being actuated by pattern surfaces, as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Lowe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord, One thousand cight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. S. TONGUE.
DAVID LOWE. (L.S.)