IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO CIRCULAR MACHINES FOR MAKING PLAIN OR RIBBED LOOPED FABRICS AND THE FABRICS PRODUCED THEREON.
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Clarke, of Loughborough, in the County of
Leicester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS
APPLICABLE TO CIRCULAR MACHINES FOR MAKING PLAIN OR RIBBED LOOPED
FABRICS AND THE FABRICS PRODUCED THEREON.'
Sealed the 31st January 1879, and dated the 19th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Clarke at the Office
"IMPROVEMENTS
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th November 1878.
HENRY CLARKE, of Loughborough, in the County of Leicester.
IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO CIRCULAR MACHINES FOR MAKING
PLAIN OR RIBBED LOOPED FABRICS AND THE FABRICS PRODUCED THEREON."
I employ several modifications of machinery and apparatus; the first consists of
a machine of the usual construction carrying latch needles for making ribbed looped
fabrics; to the cover which is over the upper sley I secure a bracket, near the outer
end of which the upper end of a rocking lever is hinged; this lever is cranked and
terminates at its lower end with a thread guide hole, which is opposite to the usual
thread guide tube; a pad of india-rubber or other suitable material is secured to
the cranked lever; there is also a vertical plate spring secured to the bed of the
frame head, the cranked lever being held to the needles by a coiled spring, and is
moved from the needles by one or other of two cams revolving with the needles,
one cam being placed in a line with the upper edge of the lower sley of the
machine head, the other cam being placed in a line with the lower edge of the same
sley; the cranked lever is provided with an adjustable rocking bit capable of being
alternately reversed by one or other of the cams before named; there is also a catch
bit, which secures the cranked lever in a fixed position at the will of the attendant
when making ordinary work.

page_text: Upon the cranked lever being supplied with a thread previously passed through
suitable guide holes such thread is drawn in by the thread usually employed to
make the fabric being supplied with it to the needles, and thus forms the fabric
thicker, or what is called spliced. But upon either of the aforesaid cams operating
the cranked lever its thread is nipped between the pad and spring before named
and is parted, the machine then makes the usual fabric unspliced; the apparatus
may be arranged so that the action of the coiled spring may cause the thread to be
parted upon the cranked lever being released by either of the cams. By apparatus
so arranged I am enabled to splice any portion of a ribbed looped fabric at will.
The above described apparatus I supply to each feeder of the head.
The second modification consists in employing a machine as first described, and
an additional vertical spindle carried by suitable brackets secured to the framing of
the machine; the spindle carries a toothed wheel at its lower end gearing into and
the same size as the driving wheel of the frame head, and revolving at the same
speed; the spindle carries a thread guide at its upper end; this guide is operated
by one or other of two fixed cams; as the guide is lowered by either cam it lays the
thread it carries between cutting edges, which part the thread, being operated by
a cam or cams, which revolve with the vertical shaft; as the guide again rises its
thread passes into a suitable guide and is led to the needles by the usual feeding
thread; such apparatus I apply to each feeder of the head.
The third modification consists of a rocking cranked thread guide operating as
described in my first modification, but applied to a machine of the usual con-
struction carrying bearded needles for making plain looped fabrics, known as a
loop wheel frame, the rocking thread guide being operated by cams carried by the
driving wheel of the frame head, a knife edge and a spring being secured to the
loop wheel bracket. As the thread guide falls its thread is nipped by the spring
and held until severed by the knife edge, and upon the rising of the thread guide
its thread is led to the needles by the usual feeding thread, such apparatus I apply
to each feeder on each head.
The fourth modification is applicable to a machine carrying tumbler needles for
making plain looped fabrics, and consists of a vertical shaft above the head carried
by a suitable shaped bracket; the shaft carries a forked arm near its lower end
driven by a stud on the inside of the head; the shaft carries two cams, as described
in my first modification, which operates a swinging thread guide provided with a
catch bit, which at the will of the attendant secures the guide and prevents it
operating; when released, one or other of the cams throws the thread guide from the
back to the front of the needles, such apparatus I apply to each feeder of the head;
the thread or threads when at the back of the needles float over the fabric when
not employed in splicing, or each thread may be parted by either of the means
before described. By either of the modifications I am enabled to splice any portion
of the fabric at will.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Clarke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th May
1879.
HENRY CLARKE, of Loughborough, in the County of Leicester. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO CIRCULAR MACHINES FOR
MAKING PLAIN OR RIBBED LOOPED FABRICS AND THE FABRICS PRODUCED
THEREON."
I employ several modifications of machinery and apparatus; the first consists of a
machine of the usual construction carrying latch needles for making ribbed looped
fabrics; to the cover which is over the upper sley. I secure a bracket, over the
outer end of which the upper end of a rocking lever is hinged; this lever is cranked
and terminates at its lower end with a thread guide hole, which is opposite to the
usual thread guide tube; a pad of india rubber or other suitable material is secured
to the cranked lever; there is also a vertical plate spring secured to the bed of the
frame head, the cranked lever being held to the needles by a coiled spring, and is
moved from the needles by one or other of two cams revolving with the needles,
one cam being placed in a line with the upper edge of the lower sley of the machine
head, the other cain being placed in a line with the lower edge of the same sley;
the cranked lever is provided with an adjustable rocking bit capable of being
alternately reversed by one or other of the cams before named; there is also a catch
bit, which secures the cranked lever in a fixed position at the will of the attendant
when making ordinary work.
Upon the cranked lever being supplied with a thread previously passed through
suitable guide holes such thread is drawn in by the thread usually employed to
make the fabric being supplied with it to the needles, and thus forms the fabric
thicker, or what is called spliced. But upon either of the aforesaid cams operating
the cranked lever its thread is nipped between the pad and spring before named,
and is parted, the machine then makes the usual fabric unspliced; the apparatus
may be arranged so that the action of the coiled spring may cause the thread to be
parted upon the cranked lever being released by either of the cams. By apparatus
so arranged I am enabled to splice any portion of a ribbed looped fabric at will.
The above described apparatus I supply to each feeder of the head.
The second modification consists in employing a machine, as first described, and
an additional vertical spindle carried by suitable brackets secured to the framing.
of the machine; the spindle carries a toothed wheel at its lower end gearing inte
and the same size as the driving wheel of the frame head and revolving at the
same speed; the spindle carries a thread guide at its upper end; this guide is
operated by one or other of two fixed cams; as the guide is lowered by either cam
it lays the thread it carries between cutting edges which part the thread, being
operated by a cam or cams which revolve with the vertical shaft; as the guide
again rises its thread passes into a suitable guide and is led to the needles by the
usual feeding thread; such apparatus I apply to each feeder of the head.
The third modification consists of a rocking cranked thread guide operating as
described in my first modification, but applied to a machine of the usual con-
struction carrying bearded needles for making plain looped fabrics known as a
loop wheel frame, the rocking thread guide being operated by cams carried by the
driving wheel of the frame head, a knife edge and a spring being secured to the
loop wheel bracket. As the thread guide falls its thread is nipped by the spring
and held until severed by the knife edge, and upon the rising of the thread guide
its thread is led to the needles by the usual feeding thread, such apparatus I apply
to each feeder on each head.
The fourth modification is applicable to a machine carrying tumbler needles for
making plain looped fabrics, and consists of a vertical shaft above the head carried
by a suitable shaped bracket; the shaft carries a forked arm near its lower end

page_text: driven by a stud on the inside of the head; the shaft also carries two cams, as
described in my first modification, which operates a swinging thread guide provided
with a catch bit, which at the will of the attendant secures the guide and prevents
it operating; when released, one or other of the cams throw the thread guide from
the back to the front of the needles, such apparatus I apply to each feeder of the
head; the thread or threads when at the back of the needles float over the fabric
when not employed in splicing, or each thread may be parted by either of the
means before described.
By either of the modifications I am enabled to splice any portion of the fabric
of will
half of the machine to which the apparatus is applied being shewn in section.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
And
Figures 3, 4, and 5, separate views of portions of the apparatus referred to
hereafter.
The corresponding parts in each Figure are indicated by the same letters where
necessary.
The several modifications of improved machinery and apparatus are embodied in
the modification illustrated by the Drawings.
The machine is of the usual construction, carrying latch needles for making
ribbed looped fabrics, the left half of which together with certain cams hereafter
mentioned are shewn in section to the cover A, which is over the sley in which the
frame needle bits slide. I secure a bracket A¹, the outer arm of which is slotted
to admit of the sliding to and fro of a screw A2, the head of which is tapped to
receive the screwed end of a lever A³, the screw enters into a hole tapped to receive
it in the underside of the foot of a vertical bracket B, which slides and is capable
of adjustment upon the bracket A¹, its position on which and its distance from the
cover A being regulated by a set screw and lock nut B¹ at its outer end, on its
inner end is secured a thread guide C, shewn by dotted lines at Figure 2, this
guide terminates above the machine needles and in front of the frame needles; the
outside, nearest the feeding end, has two portions which project and form a recess
in which the feeding end of a second guide C¹ lies; this guide is secured to a
swinging arm C3 by a washer and screw C4, which projects at the back of the arm
and forms a smooth pin which slides on a cam bit E2 referred to hereafter. The
end of the guide C¹ carries a U shaped spring guide bit C secured to it, the bit is
'shewn at Figure 1 in the position it takes while a splicing thread Cs is being
supplied to the needles, the arm C³ swings upon an axle C7 secured in the front
face of the bracket B. Near its lower end on the right side of the arm C³ a bracket
projects backward and carries a set screw 0%, which rests upon a stud in front of
the bracket B, which is shewn in section on the plan, Figure 5, the set screw
regulates the position of the feeding guide C¹ with respect to the guide C. Between
the guide C¹ and the axle C7 the arm C³ is slotted a portion of its length, in which
a stud slides, being provided with a washer on the front side, and being screwed
into a bracket J at the back, shewn by partly dotted lines at Figure 1; the portion
so shewn is grooved at the back, the bracket projects at the left side and carries an
axle for a truck I, shewn at Figures 1 and 2. In the groove at the back of the
bracket J the pointed front of a sliding stud plate E* lies, seen at Figures 4 and 5,
the plate slides upon the front of the bracket B and up and down in a slot in the
bracket, the stud being secured in a plate or collar E¹ carried by a slotted arm E,
near the bottom of which a stud is secured which passes through and slides up and
down in the slot in the bracket B, the stud terminates in the front of the bracket B
in a double incline cam bit E2, shewn in two positions by dotted lines in Figure 1.
The upper end of the arm E has a rod E³ projecting from the back, where it is
turned up at a right angle and is provided with a collar upon which a coiled spring

page_text: rests; the upper end of this spring presses against the underside of an arm, shewn
in section at Figure 4 and by dotted lines at Figure 1, the arm forming a cam
boss B3; on its upper side the shape of the circumference of the cam boss is shewn
spread out at Figure 3.
The rod Es passes through and slides up and down in the arm and cam boss, and
is screw threaded at its upper end to receive two lock nuts B5, between which and
the cam surface the rod is provided with a star bit B, having a stud on its lower
side which rests on one or other of the cam runs. By such means the height of the
arm E, cam bit E2, and stud plate E' are adjusted as required, the contour of the
cam surface allows the workman attendant on the machine to adjust the star bit
where required by turning it to the right without having occasion to turn it
backward, the stud plate E taking into the groove at the back of the bracket J
raises or lowers the bracket J and truck I to the required positions.
At Figures 1 and 4 the star bit stud is shewn on the lowest portion of the
cam B3, the arm E being pressed down by the spring on the rod Es, holds the truck
I at the requisite height to be actuated by a cam H. When the star bit stud rests
upon either of the intermediate runs of the cam B³, the spring guide, bit C³ and
guide C¹ are held to the right by the cam bit E pressing upon the screw pin C+,
the pin resting upon the point of the cam bit, in which position neither of the
cams H or H' can operate the truck I. But when the star bit stud rests upon the
highest run of the cam B³ the truck is in position to be actuated by the cam H.
.
Between the spring guide bit C and the swinging arm C³ is a rod D, covered for
a portion of its length with india-rubber or other suitable material shewn by dotted
lines in plan at Figure 2 and side view at Figure 1; the rod is held by an arm
secured to the left edge of the bracket B.
The cams H and H¹ have a toothed wheel K interposed between them, the three
being secured to, carried by, and revolving with the machine sley pipe.
The cams and machine sley are caused to revolve by a toothed wheel L gearing
into the wheel K, the wheel L slides upon a key way cut in an axle rod G which
revolves in two brackets G¹ secured to the framing of the machine; a like wheel
to the wheel L is secured on the lower end of the axle rod and gears into the teeth
of a wheel K', secured to and revolving with the flange of the driving wheel of the
frame head in the usual way.
At the back of the bracket carrying the set screw C³ is a stud carrying a pin C6,
against which the lower hooked end of a rocking lever F presses being held
thereto by a spring F3 hooked on it and on a stud at the back of the foot of the
bracket B, the upper end of the rocking lever carries a pin F2 (shewn in plan at
Figure 2) which lies between two plates B2 which form the upper end of the
bracket B; these plates have each a guide hole through which the splicing thread
is passed; it is then put through a guide loop C and through the eye of the spring
guide bit C², down between the spring end and the top of the guide C₁ through the
hole in the guide C¹ and through the guide C to the needles. The feeding thread C10
is passed through a guide loop, then through the hole in the guide C', and through
the guide C to the needles:
The thread C¹o is the thread usually employed to make the fabric, and constantly
feeds the needles.
The splicing thread C is an additional thread fed to the needles only when
certain portions of the fabric is required to be strengthened, which is effected by
the improved machinery and apparatus above described in the following manner:-
In the Drawings at Figures 1 and 2 the usual feeding thread and the splicing
thread are shown in the positions they occupy when they are both feeding the
needles, the splicing thread being drawn to the needles by the feeding thread
except when retained by the operation of either of the cams H and H', or when the
screw pin Crests upon the point of the cam bit E²; in either case the following
takes place-The swinging arm C³ is moved to the right taking with it the guide
C', and causing the spring end of the guide bit C² to be pressed against the rubber
covered rod D, thus nipping the splicing thread between the spring guide bit and

page_text: .
the guide C¹, thereby preventing it being drawn along by the feeding thread C¹º;
and causing it to be severed at or near to the needles; while so severed the usual
feeding thread makes the fabric unspliced, but immediately the splicing thread is
set free by the rising or falling of the cam bit E2, allowing the arm C³ to resume
the position shewn at Figure 1, the splicing thread is carried along by the usual
feeding thread and a spliced portion of fabric is made, the fabric being also spliced
while the cams H and H¹ allow the arm to assume the position shown at Figure 1:
But upon either of the outer runs of the cams forcing the arm C³ outwards the
splicing thread is severed as above described. While the splicing thread is feeding
the pin F carried by the rocking lever F is held clear of the splicing thread, but
upon the arm C³ being forced outwards the spring guide bit secures the splicing
thread and the pin F2 assumes the position shown at F¹, causing the splicing thread
to be doubled as shewn by the dotted lines at Figure 1, thus causing a slackness of
the splicing thread, which slackness is taken up by the feeding thread as soon as
the splicing thread is set free to be carried along with it.
In the Drawings illustrating my improvements I have only shewn my apparatus
as applied to a circular machine with one thread feeder for making ribbed looped
fabrics.
But if either circular machines making ribbed or plain fabrics are employed
having more than one feeder a set of apparatus as above described is applied to
each feeder, but only one set of cams are employed to operate the whole of the
splicing apparatuses. The ribbed looped fabric produced on the machine and
apparatus above described when the star bit B4 rests upon the highest run of the
cam B the fabric will be spliced on one side of its circumference, and when the
star bit is on the lowest run of the cam the fabric will be spliced on the opposite
side of its circumference, and when the star bit rests on either of the runs of the
cam to the right or left a ribbed unspliced fabric will be produced. Thus the
attendant by simply turning the star bit can splice either side of the fabric at
will without stopping the machine. Suppose I wish to strengthen the fabric at
other portions than at two opposite sides, I then employ an additional cam or
cams to operate the apparatus supplying the splicing thread or threads.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. The construction and employment of machinery and apparatus for
delivering or retaining an additional thread or threads to produce a spliced ribbed
or plain looped fabric, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
Drawings annexed.
Second. The employment of a feeding thread or threads to conduct a splicing
thread or threads to the needles to strengthen the fabric where required at
will.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Clarke, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
HENRY CLARKE. (L.S.)