IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Allison, of the firm of Allison Brothers,
"
Patent Agents, of 41 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Communicated to him from abroad by Charles Henry Carter, of Colborne, in
the County of Northumberland, in the Province of Ontario, in the Dominion
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Allison at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd January 1883.
HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, of
41 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS
IN KNITTING MACHINES," A communication to me from abroad by Charles Henry
Carter, of Colborne, in the County of Northumberland, in the Province of Ontario,
in the Dominion of Canada,
This invention has for its object to knit either circular or ribbed flat web; to
longitudinally stripe either ribbed or plain fabric; to effect an interchangeinent
of the ribbing and cylinder needles without removing the stitch, and to obtain
a corresponding length of stitch of the cylinder and ribbing needles, in a positive
manner.
Under the bed-plate of the machine is journalled a radial shaft carrying a bevel
gear wheel meshing with teeth on the under edge of a cam cylinder to drive said
cylinder and operate mechanism to move a hand or pointer-over the face of an
indicator secured to the bed-plate, to record the number of rows of stitches, to
govern the shape or, making up of portions of a stocking or other goods.
Above the cam cylinder is the needle or knitting cylinder and over the knitting
cylinder is a ribbing dial plate operated by a cam-holder having a hollow stem,
said ribbing dial plate and cam holder connected by a bolt passing through the
stem which is provided with a binding screw, whereby the dial plate containing
the ribbing needles revolves axially on the stem which has a screw top passing
through a bridge removably attached to the cam cylinder, and said screw portion is
provided with a nut so that by the nut the ribbing dial-plate and cam-holder are
raised and lowered to mako either a long or a short stitch.

page_text: The bridge is provided with a spring bar to engage with peripheral notches
in the nut, to maintain the adjustment which coincides with the adjustment of
the needle cylinder to obtain corresponding length of stitch of the cylinder and
ribbing needles.
The ribbing dial cam holder has fixed and spring cams to operate the needles, so
that by a reciprocating movement of the cam cylinder a flat ribbed web is made,
and a full revolution will produce a circular web.
The needle cylinder is secured to the cam cylinder which has a vertical movement
to lift and depress the needle cylinder to make either long or short stitches, and
such vertical movement is effected by a cam thumb piece, to adjust levers, to
operate a forked lever trunnioned to the cylinder, said thumb piece having an
indicator to record the length of stitch.
Above the vertically channelled needle cylinder is the ribbing dial plate, having
radial grooves as before described, to receive the needles, and has adjustment with
respect to the needle cylinder, whereby the dial can be filled with needles to a
greater or less number to suit the enlargement or the contraction required, by
reducing or increasing the number of needles at work. The ribbing dial has a stop
pin to limit its reciprocating movement in knitting flat web.
The cam cylinder has spring cams to operate the needles to retain the stitches
in the latch of the needles until they come opposite to the feed, and thereby prevent
dropping of the stitches.
The ribbing cam holder has a contral cam fixed to a sliding bar operated by a
lever on top, to lock the bar when the cam is retracted, so that the needles will be
out of work with the needles in the cylinder while knitting two revolutions, and
then be brought forward to take up said stitches, to make a fast top or solvage at
the commencement of the knitted goods.
The yarn feeder has an S-shaped top slotted vertically from the middle longi-
tudinally, from the centre of which slot the yarn is taken by the needles. The
yarn is entered through a diagonal slot in the side of the feeder.
A spring gate on the top of the needle cylinder opens and closes by springs, to
allow the needles in the cylinder to be transferred to the ribbing dial plate without
removing the stitches from the needles. An attachment to the cam cylinder, when
the feeder is removed, is employed to feed two yarns to the needles alternately, so that
when yarns of different colors are used, longitudinal stripes are produced, and these
stripes are made of different widths according to the intermittent motion of the
change of feed.

page_text: of the ribbing dial 24, so that by turning the thumb piece, the ribbing dial will
be moved for the purpose of adjusting the radial grooves therein to intervene the
needle grooves in the knitting cylinder, whereby the ribber can be filled with
needles to a greater or less number to suit the enlargement or contraction of the
work. 25, is a projection on the inside of cylinder 10, and 26, a stop lug on the
underside of the ribbing dial, to limit the reciprocating movement of the ribbing
dial in knitting flat web.
Figs. 5 and 6 show spring cams in the cam cylinder for operating the needles, to
enable the needles to retain the stitch on the latch until the needles come opposite
to the feed, and thereby prevent dropping of the stitches. 30, is a fixed cam the
ends sloping downwards toward the plane of the needle path. 31, 31', are cams
operated vertically by a horizontal brace spring 33, at the back of the central
fixed cam 32, and 34, 341, are wing cams pivoted to fixed cams 35, 35', at the
entrance and exit of the needle path. Fig. 5, shows the normal position of the
cams when uneffected by the needles, and Fig. 6, shows their position when in
operation, and the needles passing from left to right, as indicated by the arrows.
Thus on a needle entering the cams froin the left it strikes stationary cam 30, and
thence against wing 34, thence against cam 31, depressing the same, and passing
over it and under cam 30, thence in the same direction upwardly over the top of
cam 32, thence downwardly below spring cam 31¹, thence upwardly opening
wing 341, thence along the top of cam 35', in a plane direction. When a reverse
motion is given to the cam cylinder, the cams will operate in like manner from
right to left.
The cam holder 40, bears on the top of the ribbing dial 24, and has a hollow
stem 41, receiving a beaded bolt 42, (Fig. 3) passing upwardly through the centre
of the ribbing dial into the hollow stem where it is secured by a binding screw 43,
the bolt thus revolving and connecting the ribbing dial and ribbing cam holder,
the upper end of which is cut with a screw 44, and passes through the centre of a
bridge piece 45, removably attached to the cam cylinder 4. The ribbing dial with
ribbing cam holder are raised and lowered to make either a longer or shorter stitch
by a nut 46, on the top of the bridge, screwing on the top of stem 41, the bridge
rotating the ribbing cam holder, by the rotation of cam cylinder 4, the bridge and
stem being connected by a feather. The bridge is attached removable to the cam
cylinder for disconnection when ribbing is not desired, by providing the bridgo
with feet having dowel pins entering the cam cylinder, which is provided with
buttons 47, entering slots in the end of the feet. 48, is a spring bar attached
vertically to the bridge, to lock into slots in the edge of nut 46, to maintain the
adjustment of length of stitch, and said slots coincide with the vertical
adjustment of cylinder 10, as indicated by pointer 17, and dial plate 18, to
obtain a corresponding length of stitch of the cylinder and ribbing needles.
The ribbing cam holder has on the underside a central fixed cam 50, guiding the
needles in a concentric path. The cams when in a state of rest, without the
needles, being shown in Fig. 7. 51, 51', are spring cams retracted in radial grooves
by springs 52, 52', and closing against a notched cam 53, so that the needles in
passing from left to right after leaving cam 50, strike against spring cam 51, aud
raise it, then strike central cam 5+, and descend into the notch in cam 53, and then
ascend between cam 54, and cam 511, and thence over the latter to the concentric
path of cam 50.
These cams have a reverse movement, so that by a reciprocating movement of
the cam cylinder a ribbed flat web is made, and a full revolution will produce a
circular web.
In Fig. 8, is shown a plan of the cams shown in Fig. 7, the central cam 54, in a
retracted position, said cam being fixed to a bar sliding in a radial groove and
operated by a lever 55, on the top of the ribbing can holder, which has a slot
admitting a post 57 from the sliding bar 58 into a clamp screw 56, to lock the
lever and sliding bar when the cam is retracted.
"

page_text: This movement of the cain is to make a fast top on a sock or at the commence-
ment of other goods, by retracting all the needles in the ribber, whereby they will
be out of work with the cylinder needles, then by knitting two full revolutions
with the cylinder needles and bringing forward the retracted needles by moving
lever 55, the ribbing needles will take up the stitches made by the two revolutions
of the cylinder, and combinedly make a fast top, or selvage.
60, is the feeder, secured removably to the cam cylinder 4, by screw 61, and
rises at the top higher than the needles, to keep the yarn from contact therewith,
especially when the cam cylinder is reciprocating, to prevent the yarn being
thrown out of the feeder. The top of the feeder then turns downwardly in an
S-shaped form, from the centre of which the needles take the yarn 63, which is
fed to the needles through a vertical slot 64, the front of the feedler being left solid
at the curvature and at the extremity, to retain the yarn, which is admitted
diagonally by passage 65, into the slot.
70, is a spring gate on ring 71, on top of cam cylinder 4, the object of which is
to obtain access to the needles, and enable them to be transferred from the knitting
cylinder to the ribbing dial without removing the stitch from the needles. The
gate is a loose portion of the ring, and is hinged to the fixed portion by slotting
the end of both portions horizontally, and inserting in the gate a flat piece of
steel 72, shown in dotted lines, which gate is pintled to the fixed portion of the
ring to break joint with the binge, whereby the needles pass uncffected by the
joint. The opposite end of the gate and fixed portion of the ring are slotted in
like manner, and a flat piece of steel inserted in the fixed portion of the ring, so
that when the gate is closed the steel will enter the slot in the gate and prevent
the needles being effected by the joint.
73, is a spring at the pintled end of the gate to automatically open it when
released by a spring catch 74, which is constructed to be forced back by the closing
of the gate, the catch then closing on the gate, whereby the gate can be opened
and closed by one hand of the operator.
The spring catch is constructed of a vertical bolt pivoted at the lower end,
which is provided with a spring, so that the end of the gate coming in contact
with the bolt forces it back, until after passing, when the bolt springs forward and
retains it closed.
Figures 9, 10, and 11, show a striping attachment to cylinder 4, when the
feeder 60, is removed.
The object of this part of my invention is to make a plain and ribbed stripe
longitudinally, and such attachment consists of a post or frame 80, secured to the
cylinder 4, by feeder screw 61, said post maintaining a shelf S1, carrying a cog
wheel 82, meshing with the needle grooves in cylinder 10, said cog wheel provided
with diametrically opposite cams 83, which alternately engage with one end of an
elbow lever 84, fulcrummed at the angle to the shelf, the other end of the lever
engaging with a bar 85, connecting with a slide 86, which is connected to a
slide 87, by a plate 88, centrally pivoted to a flat top of frame 80. The plate is
connected to the slides by slotting the ends lengthwise, each slot receiving a pin
from the slides 86, 87, each provided with an eye or hole 89, to feed yarn of
different colors to the needles. The lever 84, is retracted by spring 90, after being
moved by the cams.
When a slide is projected it carries the yarn back out of engagement with the
needles, the other slide will in the meantime be feeding the needles with yarn of a
different color. The projected slide is receded by the same reciprocating motion
that projects the opposite slide, both working alternately at intervals to feed the
needles, thereby producing a fabric striped longitudinally, the width of the stripes
being regulated by the length of the cams and the cogs of the wheel, thus:--when
a cam occupies the space of two cogs two stitches of one color will be knit, when
three cogs coincide with a cam, three stitches of the other color will be knit, and
so on.

page_text: I claim as my invention :-
1. The combination with the bed 1, of the forked lever 12, vertical lever 17
having a cam slot, and cam 15, on thumb piece 14, to lift and fall the needle
cylinder 10, having trunnions 13, to lengthen and shorten the stitches, as set
forth.
2. In combination with the needle cylinder 10, the dial plate 18, secured to
bed 1, and pointer 17, operated by the vertical movement of the cylinder, to
indicate the length of the stitch, as set forth.
3. The combination with the bed 1, of the radially journalled cam shaft 20,
vertical lever 22, having a cam slot engaging with the cam, and pivoted to inside
of cylinder 11, and stop 23, on the underside of the ribbing dial 14, to adjust the
rotary set of the same, for the purpose set forth.
4. In combination with cams 30, 32, 34, 34, 35, and 351, the spring cams 31, 31',
bearing on a spring or springs, resisting the downward thrust of the needles, as set
forth, for the purpose described.
5. The bridge 45, extending diametrically from side to side of the cam cylinder,
and supporting and rotating the ribbing cam holder, as set forth.
6. The bridge 45, having a locking connection with the cam cylinder 4, to
remove the ribbing dial and ribbing cam holder from the machine by disconnection
of the bridge, as set forth.
7. The combination of the ribbing dial and ribbing cam holder having stem 41,
provided with screw 44, passing through bridge 45, and nut 46, to lift and depress
the dial and cam holder by the adjustment of said screw to lengthen and shorten
the stitches, as set forth.
8. The combination of the ribbing dial and ribbing cam holder, having a vertical
adjustment to increase or diminish the length of the stitch, and a set adjustment
coinciding with the cam cylinder, as indicated by pointer 17 and dial plate 18, by
means of spring 48, engaging with a peripherally notched nut 46, to effect
uniformity in the length of stitch of the cylinder and ribbing needles, as set forth.
9. The combination with the ribbing cam holder, of cams 50, spring cans 51, 51,
cam 53, and central cam 54, the cams having a reverse or right and left movement
to produce flat ribbed work by the reciprocation of the cam cylinder, as set forth.
10. In combination with the cams 50, cams 51, 51', and cam 54, on the under-
side of the ribbing cam holder, the radially sliding cam 5+, lever 55, and clamp
screw 56, to throw the ribbing needles out of work with the cylinder needles, for
the purpose set forth.
11. The feeder 60, constructed of an S-shaped form at top, and having a central
slot 64, vertically through both curves, and a diagonal passage 65, from the side to
admit the yarn to the slot, from which it is fed to the needles from a central hole
at the end of the slot in the feeder, as set forth, for the purpose described.
12. The gate 70, provided with spring 73, for opening the gate automatically,
and spring catch 74, to yield to the gate in closing, and reacting to lock the gate
closed, in combination with cam cylinder 4, as described, for the purpose set forth.
13. The combination in a knitting machine of bed 1, provided with dial plate 6,
and carrying within a boxing 8, a worm wheel and ratchet mechanism of the
driving wheel 2, having cogs corresponding in number to the cogs in cam cylinder 4,
and provided with cam 9, to intermittently move the said mechanism to record the
number of rows of stitches, for the purpose set forth.
14. The combination in a knitting machine of bed 1, having dial 6, and
mechanism recording the number of rows of stitches, cam cylinder 4, cylinder 10,
having vertical adjustment, ribbing cylinder adjustable circumferentially, ribbing
dial and ribbing cam holder having vertical adjustment by nut 46, and the
removable bridge 45, supporting said ribbing dial and cam holder rotatively, as set
forth, for the purposes described.
15. A feeding attachment to knitting machines for producing goods striped
longitudinally, consisting of frame 80, cog wheel 82, provided with cams 83, 83,

page_text: lever 84, bar 85, and feed slides 86, 87, connected by plate 88, pivoted to the
frame, whereby the yarns are alternately fed to the needles, and carried out of
work automatically, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Allison have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this second day of May in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
HERBERT. J. ALLISON. (L.S.)