Improvements in Knitting Machinery.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
"Improvements in Knitting Machinery.
I SAMUEL LOWE 'of' 24" Robin Hood Street, Nottingham in the County' of
Nottingham, Machinist, do hereby declare the "nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The main object of this 'invention is to produce tubular or seamless "fashioned
work in straight-bar knitting machinery.
For this purpose, 1 adopt," by" preference, the arrangement' of 'vertical' and
horizontal bearded needles, sinkers, pressers, and narrowing points, common to this
class of machinery.,
These vertical needles, 'after having knitted a course, receive" upon their stems,
at the return motion of the thread carrier, a 'second deposit of thread, which is
then indented and divided. The needles thus charged, on their next descent, bring
down the indented thread onto the stems of the horizontal needles, which meanwhile
have advanced to receive it.
The vertical needles will then bring the 'new loops 'under 'the beards of the
horizontal needles, by a simultaneous 'movement of the two rows of needles' in
reverse directions. The vertical needles will then rise through the line of
horizontal needles, which will then move back to be pressed, and pass the loops
last knitted on to their beards. "While thus retiring, the horizontal' needles will
enable the knocking-over 'slide to land the old loops on the beards, and as their
farthest back position is reached, the knitting of the course will be completed" by
the 'knocking-over action of the slide.
The knitting on the vertical needles is then 'resumed, and proceeds as usual.
Thus, one half of the tube intended to be formed is knitted on the vertical needles,
and the other half of the tube on the Horizontal needles. In 'this' way, the knitting
proceeds in uniform courses, and the courses follow 'each other, as in circular
machines, without the production of a seam.
While this knitting is proceeding it will be understood that the 'narrowing points
may be brought into 'action' as heretofore, for the purpose of fashioning 'the work
in hand, whether it be hose, half' hose; shirts or pants.
"In some cases it may be desirable to form a'selvage' in parts of the work, for the
"insertion of gores, sleeves, &c., This I effect by knitting two courses on one set of
needles, and then reversing the opération, by 'knitting 'two courses on the other set.
Thus, a break is made on one side' of the tubular' work for any distance desired,
and this being accomplished, the tabular knitting may be resumed. These changes
in the operation of the machine may be effected in any well known manner, such
as by the shifting in and out of action of cams, which will control the movements
of the sets of needles.
with

page_text: Improvements in Knitting Machinery.
We JOHN WILLIAM LAMB of Nottingham in the County of Nottingham,
Hosiery Manufacturer, and JESSE HIND of the same place, Gentleman, Executors
of the Will of the late Samuel Lowe, of 24 Robin Hood, Street, Nottingham in
the County of Nottingham, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to produce on straight bar bearded-needle knitting
machines, fashioned tubular work, such as stockings, socks, vest and shirt sleeves,
pant legs, and the like, and also fashioned tubular work, with a selvaged opening
or division, as when making pants in halves, and also complete pairs of pants, without
seams.
The machine selected to illustrate this invention, is of the well-known bearded-
..needle rib-frame type, and the mechanism necessary for carrying out this invention
is. described with reference to such machine, there being such differences with
respect to timing and arrangement, as will be readily understood by the knitting-
machine builder, when the action of the knitting instruments hereafter explained
is fully grasped. It will be therefore unnecessary to refer the several movements
of the knitting instruments to their original source, or to illustrate the construction
¡ of the machine, further than to show the shape of the cams for operating the
, needle bars, and the mechanism adopted for "knocking over" the courses, according
to the present invention.
.
In the machine to be presently described, and 'having vertical and horizontal
needles; a knitted course is first produced on the vertical needles, as in ordinary
machines, and the thread carrier, at its return motion, then lays on the vertical
needle stems a second course of thread, which is indented by the sinkers in the
usual manner. The vertical needles thus charged then descend, and are rocked
to lay the indented .thread under the beards of the horizontal needles, which have
been moved to receive the same. The indented thread will thus be brought under
the beards of both sets of needles.
The vertical needles will next rise through the line of horizontal needles,
to return the indented thread from under, their beards to their stems. Meanwhile,
the horizontal needles are tipped into contact with the presser bar, and so moved
that their last knitted loops are passed onto their beards by the knocking over
slide, ready to be knocked over the reedle beads. The vertical needles are. then
upressed, and the .horizontal; needles are tipped, to raise the loops on the stems
of the vertical needles onto their beards, so that the indented thread of the
horizontal needles may be knocked over the heads, and clear of the vertical
Deedles, the last loops formed on the vertical needles meanwhile remaining on
the needle, beards.
When, the indented thread has cleared the heads of the vertical needles, the last
formed loops on the horizontal needles are knocked over, and a new course is thus
completed on the horizontal needles. In this way, the knitting proceeds in uniform
courses, and in the fabric the courses .follow.each. other, as in fabrics made by
circular knitting machines with the use of one thread only, when, for example, the
lég of a stocking is being knitted, but with two or more threads for other classes
of work, as will be hereafter explained.
The machine is also fitted with fashioning points and mechanism for actuating
the same, and such fashioning points are operated similarly to the fashioning points
in the ordinary bearded-needle rib knitting machines. The knocking over bar for

page_text: the vertical needles is preferably a moveable one, as this allows of the beards of
the vertical needles being shortened, and of the needles requiring less movement,
which modifications admit of the speed of working being increased.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of a bearded-needle rib frame, showing the
modifications requisite for producing fashioned tubular work, such as the legs of
stockings; and
Fig. 2 shows in plan view, and on an enlarged scale, so much of one division of a
rib frame as will illustrate the position of the fashioning mechanism.
Fig. 3 shows, detached, in front elevation, the fashioning point holder..
Fig. 4 shows in side elevation so much of the mechanism as serves to operate the
horizontal needles, their position in the machine being indicated by their relation
to the fixed presser bar.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism for moving the knocking-over bar of
the vertical needles.
Fig. 6 shows in side elevation so much of the mechanism as serves to operate the
knocking-over slide for the horizontal needles; and
Fig. 7 shows in side elevation the mechanism for imparting an independent
rocking motion to the fashioning points used in conjunction with the horizontal
needles.
It is for the purpose of simplifying the description, that reference in this part
of the specification is made only to the formation of the seamless tubular part of
the stocking in the working of the machine, the mode of producing the foot in
conjunction with the fashioned tube being well understood by the experienced
knitter.
Referring now to Fig. 1, A is the cam shaft, which is rotated, as heretofore,
through a spur wheel a gearing into a spur pinion on the main driving shaft, not
shown in the drawing. From this cam shaft, all the movements are derived that.it
will be necessary hereafter to. refer to.
Upon the shaft A, the various cams for operating the vertical and horizontal
needles during the knitting and fashioning are situate. 1, 1, represent the cams
which operate, the needle bar B which carries the vertical needles b, and
2, 2, represent the,cans which operate the needle bar C which carries the
horizontal needles c.. The sinkers d, which indent the thread, slide as usual in
the sinker bar D, which constitutes also the presser bar for both sets of needles,
its vertical edge d' serving to press the beards of the needles b, and its under
face d² forming the presser for the beards of the needles c.
. The vertical needles bare mounted in their needle bar B as usual, which bar is
pivotted to arms 1 projecting from a rock shaft B'. This shaft is rocked through
the cam 1, which actuates an arın 62 pendent from the rock shaft, and thus the
vertical movement of the needles 6 is obtained. Extending down from the needle'
bar is an arm 63, which is pivotted to a link b, connecting with an arm pendent
from a rock shaft B', and carrying at its lower end a bowl which bears upon the
cam 1. As these cams rotate together, a compound vertical and rocking motion
will be imparted to the vertical needles, as heretofore.
The horizontal needles care secured to their bar C. as usual. This bar C.is
pivotted to the arm c' of a rock shaft C', actuated from a cam 2 (see Fig. 4) on
the cam shaft A. Bearing on this cam 2, is a bowl of an arm c² fixed to, and
pendent from, the rock shaft C', which, as it rocks under the rotation of the cam,"
imparts the to and fro motion to the horizontal needles. These needles are also
simultaneously rocked by the cam 2°, a bowl bearing on which, and carried by a
pendent arm on a rock shaft C, transmits, through an arm c and a link.c; the
requisite rocking motion to the bar C of the horizontal needles c.
The knocking-over bar E, which carries the bits e for casting off the formed
loops from the vertical needles b, is carried similarly to the needle bar B. It is
pivotted to an arm e¹ secured to a rock shaft E', pendent from, and secured to
which, is an arm e' carrying a bowl which bears on the cam 3 (see Fig. 5) of the

page_text: cam shaft A. The rotation of this cam lowers the knocking-over bits, so that the
horizontal needles e may be brought into contact with the pressing surface d²: of
the sinker bar D.
The bar E is also connected to arms e³, which are pivotted at eto levers e³, and
these latter are jointed to arms e, which are loosely mounted on the shaft B2, and
fitted with bowls which are held in contact with cams or discs on the shaft A by
means of springs, for the purpose of maintaining the verticality of the knocking-
over bar.
For effecting the knocking-over of the work formed on the needles e, the
knocking-over slide F is provided. This slide, which is carried by the needle
bar C, and rocks therewith, has a bracket extension (see Fig. 6) on its under
side, the extremity of which takes into the forked ends of a lever secured to a
rock shaft F. Pendent from this rock shaft is an arm f2 fitted with a bowl which
bears on a cam 4 on the cam shaft A. The forward edge of the slide F is notched
to receive the ends of the needles e, and allows of the slide entering between the
needles, so as to knock over the last formed row of loops.
The cam 4 is so timed as to ensure the advance of the slide when the knitted.
loops are on the beards of the needles, and are ready to be knocked over or
cast off.
G is the thread carrier, actuated in the usual way, but in this case timed to lay
its thread twice upon the stems of the vertical needlés during one rotation of the
cam shaft A, its action being suspended during fashioning, as usual. For this
purpose, the same contrivance may conveniently be used as is described in detail
in the Specification of a Patent granted to the inventor of the present improvements.
in conjunction with J. W. Lamb. bearing date May 10th 1883, No. 2383, the
arrest of the thread carrier on the right hand side of the division being effected
immediately before the cam shaft, is shogged to bring the narrowing cams, into
action.
H is the holder for the fashioning pins or points; it is carried, as usual, by a
rack bar H (see Figs. 2 and 3), which is free to rise and lift the points out of
action. These points are shown as situated at the left hand side of the division
only, and will, suffice when tubular fashioned work is being made. The thread.
carrier, when arrested, to allow of the fashioning mechanism being brought into
action, is at the right hand side of the division, but as these fashioning points work.
in precisely the same way as those of other knitting machines (but in this particular
machine at one side only of the division), no detailed description, either of their
action, or of the means for setting them in action, will be required further than-
this, namely. There are two sets of fashioning points, & and 4, carried by the
holder H. The points A are firmly fixed to the holder, and are slightly curved to
ensure proper contact with the vertical needles, for the purpose of taking off the
loops, and moving them to the adjacent needles. The bent pins or points.h are
set in the end of a rock lever 4', pivotted to the holder H, and capable of
receiving an independent rocking motion. These points act on the horizontal
selvage needles, and are used for transferring the loops on the same to adjacent
needles.
understood.
The top of this rock lever ' is forked, to enable it to receive a rocking
motion, without interfering with the rising and falling motion, which motion. is
common to both sets of points, and is derived from cams in the mauner well
The independent motion of the points (see Fig. 7) is derived from the
cam 5 on the cam shaft A. Bearing upon this cam, is a bowl carried by a rock
lever fulcrummed at H. A link A, pivotted to this rock lever, connects at its
upper end with a crank lever A, fulcrummed at H, and carrying at its upper end
a link 4, which is pivotted to a crank lever M, fulerummed at H The lower
end of this,crank lever is connected to a horizontal rod A', which extends-from-end
to end of the machine, and engages with the forked extremity of the rock levers A
of each division. As, therefore, the cam shaft rotates, and thereby. causes the

page_text: fashioning cams (not shewn in the drawing) to bring down the narrowing points h.
and, the cam 5 will advance the points *, cause them to take up the formed
loops on the end needles c of the division, replace the loops on adjacent needles,
and retire, preparatory to. the rising of the fashioning points clear of the knitting
mechanism.
It should be remarked that in order to ensure the placing, of the indented thread :
upon the stems of the horizontal. needles, and to secure a perfect union between the
ends of the two courses of knitting on the vertical and horizontal needles.
respectively, the vertical needles overlap the horizontal needles, as, in bearded-.
needle rib frames, and as indicated in Fig. 2..
In order to make more clear the combined action of the parts above described,,
a series of diagrams is appended to the drawings, which will shew the progressive,
action of the knitting instruments during one rotation of the cam shaft, in which,
time, a complete course is formed..on each row of needles, and such courses, are
joined at the end needles, and form tubular work.
Referring to Diagram 1, the vertical needles b are at their highest, position, and r
the thread carrier G has passed. from left to right, laying the thread, on their
stems, and the sinkers d have indented. and divided the thread as usual. At this
stage, the horizontal needles c are inactive.
Diagram 2 shews the needles. b pressed, and the formed loops landed onto their.
beards.
Diagram 3 shews a further descent of the needles b, the knocking over bits e
having come into action, and cast off the formed loops.
Up to this point, the vertical needles have operated to form a course, as in,
ordinary machines. The next step in the cycle is to employ the needles b for.
receiving the thread for the horizontal needles. c. To this end, they rise.to.the
position of Diagram 4, when the thread carrier is moved from right to left, laying,
as before, a thread upon their stems, which thread is.indented by the sinkers d, as
in Diagram. 1.
The horizontal needles c, hitherto quiescent, have now commenced to, move, in
order to receive the indented thread. from the needles b.
'
Diagram 5 shews the needles b in the position for laying the thread upon the;
needles c, the knocking-over bits e having been lowered, to allow..of the needles c.
being moved under the presser d', to receive the thread from the vertical needles.
The rocking of the needles b next brings the indented. thread under the beards of:
the needles c, which are now rocked, to press those needles into contact with the
pressing surface d', and close their beards upon the indented thread, as,indicated:
by Diagram 6.
The formed loops on the stems of the needles.c are next, while the beards of;
those needles are pressed, landed on the beards. For this purpose, the needles c.
move back to the position of Diagram 7 through the knocking over slide F.
In order to free the vertical needles from the indented thread just laid on the
horizontal needles, and at present held in the beards of the vertical needles, these
latter ascend, and move forward to be pressed,.ns seen at Diagram.8. Meanwhile,,
the needles care. rocked upwards, to land the indented thread in contact with thei
vertical needle stems, onto the beards of those needles, as shewn at Diagram 9. The
needles & now. descending, free themselves from the indented thread, as shewn at
Diagram 10..
The knocking-over slide which co-acts with the horizontal needles c then moves
forward beyond the heads of the needles, and knocks over the formed loops of the
needles. c, as shewn .at. Diagram 11. At: the same time, the knocking-over,
bits e commence to rise, for the purpose of assuming their active. position, as. in.
Diagram 1..
This completes the cycle of motions of the knitting instruments, which, motions.
are recommenced by the rising of the needles b to the position shewn in Diagram,1.
So long as the cycle of movements is repeated, tubular work of a given uniform

page_text: -diameter will be produced, and when it is required to fashion the fabric, the
traverse of the thread carrier is arrested, and the cam shaft shogged, to bring the
fashioning came, and the mechanism connected therewith, into action. The
knitting being now resumed, the work will be from time to time automatically
interrupted, and fashionings made according to the requirements of the article or
fabric being manufactured.
The above description explains the method of making tubular fashioned work,
but when it is desired to form a selvaged opening or division in the work, as, for
example, when the work known as half pants is to be produced, the leg is made by
the method described, and on the completion of the same, instead of forming one
course on each set of needles alternately, two courses in succession are produced on
each set of needles alternately, and this, with the requisite fashioning, is continued
until the body of the pant is completed.
Back and front selvages are thus formed, the former to be united with the back
selvage of a corresponding half pant, and the other selvage to receive the strip
forming part of the button-hole attachment.
As an illustration of this mode of working, let it be supposed that a course has
been completed on the horizontal needles, and the thread carrier is at the right
hand side of the needles. The carrier now moves to the left, and a course is knitted
on the vertical needles, which course may be considered as a continuation of the
last course knitted on the horizontal needles.
The carrier next moves to the right, and a second course is knitted on the
vertical needles. The carrier then returns to the left, and a course is knitted on
the horizontal needles; this course being a continuation of the last course knitted
on the vertical needles. The carrier again returns to the right, and a second
course is knitted on the horizontal needles. Thus, the selvaged opening is formed
on the left hand side of the division.
In producing this work, it. will be understood, that the thread carrier, delivers its
thread, at every traverse, onto the stems of one and the same set of needles.
For making a complete pair of pants without seams, the tubular body to the fork
of the pant is first made by a single carrier. When this point is reached, an
additional thread carrier is thrown into action, and the traverse of both carriers is
limited to the size of the leg and to the fashionings in the same, the machine thus
producing two tubes at the same time. In this way, the tubes forming the legs
are united to a single tube forming the body, of the pant. Pants of this description
may also be made by starting at the ankle of both legs with two carriers, com-
pleting the legs up to the fork, and then making the body with the aid of one carrier
only. In effecting this work, it will be understood that the fashioning will proceed
at both sides of the division; the machine must therefore be fitted, like the
ordinary fashioning machines, with a double set of fashioning points for each
division.
This arrangement of knitting machine is equally adapted to the production of
finished seamless stockings, the tubular leg and foot being made by the method
described with reference to the production of tubular fashioned fabrics. For
making the heel and toe, the machine is fitted with sliding pressers, and the work
is knitted on one set of needles only, the number of needles pressed being gradually
reduced, and then increased again, by which means the heel and toe known as the
Niantic heel and toe, is produced.
For enabling the selvaged opening in the work to be made, the machine is
provided with duplicate cams, and the cam, shaft is moved endwise at the required
time, or the cam bowls are moved from one set of cams to the other. Thus, the
machine may be fitted with three sets of cams; the first set producing one course
on each set of needles alternately for one revolution of the cam shaft; the second
set of cams may produce two courses in succession on the vertical needles at each
revolution of the cam shaft, and the third set of cams would produce two courses
in succession on the horizontal needles at each revolution of the cam shaft.

page_text: The cam shaft, or the cam bowls, will be moved as required by any arrangement
of mechanism similar to that generally used for similar purposes in existing-
machines.
In knitting half pants, it will be found desirable to fashion ou one selvage only,
namely, the back selvage. In this case, the fashioning points for one set of needles
only will be brought into use. It is therefore desirable so to mount the fashioning
points, that they shall be operated by independent mechanism. In this case, also,
the motion of the thread carrier should be regulated by separate mechanism for
each set of needles, and such mechanism would be in the form of a stop, which
could be thrown into and out of action as required.
The present invention is herein described with reference to a machine having
vertical and horizontal needles, but it may be applied with equal facility to
machines having two sets of needles at angles other than a right angle, and the
herein described movements of the vertical needles may be applied to either of the
two sets used.
The knocking-over bits may also be stationary, as in a bearded-needle rib.
frame, the amount of motion given to the needles being modified accordingly.
The drawings attached hereto illustrate a machine fitted with fashioning points.
at one side of each division only, but both sides of each division may be so fitted,
and widening mechanism may, if desirable, be added thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The arrangement of machinery above described, whereby, with the aid of
bearded needles, tubular work may be produced, the thread for both sets of needles
being all laid on one set and indented thereon, and the alternately indented course.
being transferred to the other set of needles, as and for the purpose above set.
forth.
2. In straight bar knitting machines fitted with bearded needles, and arranged
to produce tubular fashioned work, the means described for producing a selvaged.
opening in a portion of the fabric, as above set forth.
3. In straight-bar bearded-needle knitting machinery, the means described for-
fashioning tubular work, and tubular and partially open work, as and for the-
purpose above set forth.
Dated this 21st dow of December 1806
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants..