IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53; Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN KNITTING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Almet Reed, of
the City, County, and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 2nd April 1878, and dated the 24th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th January 1878.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES." [A communication
from abroad by Almet Reed, of the City, County, and State of New York, United
States of America.]
This Invention relates to machines for knitting articles of various regular or
irregular forms, including spherical or partly spherical as well as straight work, or
a combination of the two, and is more especially applicable to that class of rotary
and flat machines in which a desired form is given to the article knitted by con-
trolling the rotary or lateral motion of the needles during the process of knitting.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a central vertical section of
the machine constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of a portion of the switch lever and its attachınents, at
the point where the pinion upon it is in contact with segmental gear upon the
index.
Figure 3 is a bottom view of the small switch on the index ring and its attach-
ments.
And Figure 4 is a side view of the change gearing and other mechanism for
regulating the speed of the feed rollers.
Knitting machines of this class as beretofore constructed, have, from the compli-
cated and imperfect character of their mechanism, been not only very liable to get
out of order, but also produced defective and imperfect fabrics, difficulties which the
present Invention, to a great extent, obviates by the simplification and improvement
[Price 18. 8d.1

page_text: of the mechanism, rendering it much less liable to breakage and adapting it to a
greater variety of work than could be produced upon other machines.
This improved knitting machine is attached to a suitable frame consisting of a
flat horizontal plate A, to which is attached at the front a short upright cylinder B,
a rear section of which is removed. Within this cylinder is the needle ring B₁
working with a step-by-step or intermittent motion, either a rotary or a reciprocating
rotary motion, and consists of a hollow cylindrical ring cut at regular intervals
about its outer circumference into narrow longitudinal grooves a, into each one of
which is placed a needle a' with the blank a² to which it is attached. These
needles a¹ work freely up and down in these grooves a whenever they enter that
section in which they become subject to the action of the gate C, but at any other
portion of the ring are held in an elevated position by the lug as upon the blank a²
which projects outward into a narrow groove a cut about the inner circumference
of the hollow cylinder B.
The needle ring B¹ is supported by the annular plate B2 bolted to the frame A,
and extending beneath a ring B³ fitting closely upon the needle ring B', and motion
is given to the needle ring by means of a gear cut in the edge of this ring B³ and
spur gear 6 cut upon the flange at the bottom of the hollow sleeve b', revolving
about the fixed vertical stud b². This receives its motion through the toothed
wheel b³ from the switch wheel c upon the main driving shaft D. It has been
already mentioned that the needle ring B' has a step-by-step or intermittent
motion, either rotary or reciprocating, and it is from this wheel that this motion is
transmitted.
The switch wheel c has upon its circumference two threads of a width and depth
to fit the spaces between the teeth of the spur wheel bs, such threads running about
five-sixths of the way around the circumference in planes parallel with its plane of
revolution, the remaining sixth being cut away to receive a moveable piece or switch
on which a single thread is formed. This is intended to form a connection in either
direction, oblique to the plane of revolution of the wheel c, between the two threads
of said wheel, the said moveable piece being fitted to turn on a pivot to permit of
the direction of its obliquity being reversed. The wheel 63 remains stationary
while the parallel threads are passing between its teeth, vizt., during about five-
sixths of the revolution of the main shaft D, and is driven while the oblique thread
is passing, viz., during about one-sixth of the revolution of the main shaft D. The
movement thus given to the wheel 6³, and from it, by means of gears b and B³, to
the needle ring B₁, is sufficient to rotate the needle ring B' and its needles a¹ a
distance equal to the width of one of the longitudinal grooves a, and the tongue or
wall beneath the groove, and the movement of the needle ring B₁ is caused to be
in one or the other direction, according as the switch is set with its thread running
in one direction or the other. The switch thus enables the needles to be revolved
in one direction continuously for a given length of time, for the purpose of knitting
circular work, or to make part of a revolution in one direction and a part of a
revolution in the other, alternately, when it is required to knit only a part of the
way around the circle, as in knitting articles of various forms.
The switch is locked with its thread in either position by one of two buttons
which are both firmly attached to the same pin, running through wheel c in a
direction parallel with the shaft D, and by one of two small stop pieces attached to
the switch itself. These stop pieces prevent the switch moving in either direction
farther than is necessary to change the operative position of its thread, and by
bringing the button that is on the opposite side of the wheel c to the stop that may
be in contact with the wheel against the other end of the switch, the latter is
locked. The buttons, each of which consists of a small circular piece. of metal
having projections upon two opposite sides, the projection upon one button being
set at right angles to those of the other button, serve a double purpose, acting as
the agent by which the switch, and consequently the obliquity of the thread, is
changed, as well as securing the switch in its position after changing it. The front
lower corners of the switch, where the lugs of the buttons come in contact with it

page_text: when they are turned, are rounded or bevelled, so that they serve as cams by which
the buttons effect the shifting of the switch from one to the other of its two opera-
tive positions. A quarter revolution of the pin serves to move one button out of
the way sufficiently to unlock the switch and to cause the button upon the opposite
side of the switch wheel c to act upon the curved corner of the switch and shift it,
and then to lock it in its reversed position.
A V shaped lug upon a spring entering corresponding V shaped notches in the
button prevents the latter from turning, except when acted upon by the switch
Jever e.
The mechanism, by means of which the changes of this switch are regulated for
the purpose of giving a desired form to the articles knitted, is constituted as
follows: The large flat horizontal wheel or-index E revolving in either direction
about the vertical stud. E', securely fixed in the rear of the frame A, is geared
directly into the switch wheel c in a manner similar to wheel 63. Over the index
wheel E is placed the switch lever e, one end of which is pivotted upon the stud E',
at the centre of the index E, and the other end reaches toward, and has forked
ends, which pass sufficiently. beyond the outer periphery of the switch wheel c, to
strike one or other of the other projections upon the buttons, and by giving them a
quarter turn, effect the changing of the switch whenever it is required to reverse
the motion of the needle ring B₁ and index wheel E. The projections constituting
the forks of the lever E are placed sufficiently far apart so that as the switch wheel
c revolves, but one of the buttons will come in contact with said forks at one time.
The forked end of the lever e has a lateral motion sufficient to allow whichever of
the forks is required to be brought into operation, and is held in either of its two
operative positions until changed by mechanism designed for that purpose by the
V shaped end of a transverse spring entering one of the similarly shaped notches in
the lever. Either one of these forks, having once acted upon a button, the quarter
turn given such button will have turned the lug of the button so operated upon out
of the circle of contact, so that this button will not again be operated upon by the
lever until the other fork of the lever is brought into contact with the button upon
the opposite side of the wheel c, and given that a quarter turn, which will again
bring the first button into the circle of contact with the lever e whenever the fork
upon that side is brought sufficiently near the wheel. Secured in a longitudinal
slot in lever e, in such a manner as to have a motion parallel with the lever e only
is a slide f, held in a position longitudinally, except while being acted upon by
mechanism to be described, by the V shaped end of a spring f1 resting upon a
ratchet f upon the slide f. Near one end of this slide is a revolving button g,
connected by the stud g¹ to the small pinion or toothed wheel g², on the under side
of the slide f. Upon the top of this button g is a small flat spring g³, fastened at
one end to the button 9, near its outer periphery, and extending across to and a
little beyond the opposite edge of the button, and having near this end a small pin
9, which, extending downward through a small hole in the button, and entering
a little way into one of two similar holes in the slide, prevents the button
g from revolving, excepting when the end of the spring g³ is slightly raised.
Passing through the slide f, upon opposite sides of the button g, and sufficiently
near to the button, so that the extended end of the spring g³ will reach over one or
the other of them, are two vertical pins g, g; these pins, which have shoulders to
prevent them dropping entirely through the holes in the slide f, through which
they pass, extend down a little below the lever e. These pins g³, 98, are pushed up,
one at a time, at certain intervals by inclines or angle pieces h, of which there are
two, set at different points upon the horizontal surface of the index E, running
under them. The pin g or go so pushed up raises the extended end of the flat spring
gover it, and this drawing the lower end of the spring 9 out of the hole in the
slide in which it was in, unlocks the button g, and leaves it free to turn half way
about; this turning is effected by one or the other of two segments of gears h²
attached, one to the inner side of one of the inclines h, the other to the outer side of
the other incline. These segments acting upon opposite sides of the pinion g

page_text: .
give. the button g a half turn in opposite direction, according to which one of the
segments comes in contact with the pinion, and it is locked again by the pin g' in
its position. Below the pinion g², and attached to it, is a peculiarly shaped piece i,
being a square with angle pieces 1, 2, projecting outward upon two opposite
sides.
One of the pinsj, of which there may be any number upon the index, according
to the form which it is desired to give to the article to be knitted, coming in
contact with one of these angles i¹, 2, causes the slide f to move longitudinally a
distance equal to the width of one tooth of the ratchet. This movement causes a
square portion of the piece i to come immediately in front of the pin j, and at the
next movement of the index E exerts sufficient lateral pressure upon the square to
overcome the resistance of the V shaped spring in its notches, and force the end of
the lever laterally far enough to bring a different fork of the lever e into contact
with the button upon the opposite side of the switch from the one last operated
upon, and cause the shifting of the switch, which, by changing the oblique direction
of the threads of the switch, causes the direction of the rotation of the index wheel
E, as well as that of the needle ring B to be reversed. This reversed rotation will
continue until another one of the pins jupon the index E comes into contact with
the angle ,, upon the other side of the piece i, when a similar operation will be
performed, though one the reverse in its consequences, as the lever will be pushed
back, and the switch again changed back to where it was before the first
change.
The longitudinal movement of the slide f produced by the contact of the pins j
with the anglès 1, 2, will cause a different pinj to be brought into contact at each
oscillation of the index E. The pins j are set at any desired points, one each upon
imaginary meridian lines drawn at regular intervals equal to the width of one
tooth of the ratchet f2 from the centre of the index. The slide will be caused to
move in one direction until such time as one of the inclines upon the index E shall
push up one of the pins g³ or go, and by raising the spring cause the button g to be
unlocked and leave it free to be turned half way round by one of the segment of
gears attached to the inclines h¹ acting upon the pinion g²; this will change the
position of the button g, so that the angles i¹, 12, presented to the pins j will be
reversed, and the slide moved in an opposite direction by their [pressure until it is
moved far enough to bring the other of the two pins g, g, in line with the other
incline, and the pinion g² in contact with the other segment h², and again reverse
the direction of its movement.
For making the requisite oscillations for the knitting of some shapes a pin k is
placed in the centre of the button g, which projects below the square i, and upon
which a small switch k', placed upon the index E, acts, whereby the slide f is
moved one notch while the wheel is going in one direction, and back again at the
next oscillation of the index E in the same direction, the switch k¹ not acting upon
the slide when the index is moving in a reverse direction. The object of this
switch is, by having the lever acted upon by four pins j only, two each set upon an
adjacent two of the meridian lines of the index, to have alternate double oscillations
of the needle ring B¹ of a uniform duration. This switch is in the form of an
acute-angled triangle, slightly widened upon each of its two longer sides, from about
their middle to the base, and forked at its base to admit a stop pin, which limits
the amount of its rotation upon a pivot near its centre. This pivot consists of a
stud which passes through to the under surface of the index E, where a piece k
with a shaped projection attached to it, and acted upon by a similarly shaped lug
upon the end of a spring k³, serves to hold the switch k in whichever of its two
positions it may have been placed by contact with pin k. Supposing that one of
the pins J in the inuer meridian has acted upon the square i, and consequently
changed the direction in which the index is rotating, and that the pink in the
centre of the button has just come in contact with the outer side of the switch /¹
near its point. Now as the point of the lever is considerably nearer to the centre
of the index than the middle of the outer side of the switch k¹, when the latter is

page_text: in its present position the pin k, and consequently the slide f, will be forced out, as
the pink moves from the point toward the base of the switch, a distance equal to
one tooth of its ratchet f, which allows the pin k to pass the centre of the switch
where it is pivoted, and then, instead of the switch changing the slide f, the pin k
will cause the switch itself to turn, and the pin & will pass, leaving the switch
turned, so that the point of the switch is outside of the arc through which the
pin is travelling. A. pin j in the outer meridian will now act upon the lever e
and reverse the rotation of the index. As the index returns the pin clears the
broader end of the switch, and, passing outside of it, moves the point in slightly,
but the V spring on the under side of the index pushes it out again as soon as
the pink is passed and leaves it out far enough, so that after the pin j in the outer
meridian at the other end of the oscillation has caused the direction to be again
reversed, and the pin k returns, travelling upon the same are, it will strike inside of
the point, and the slide f will consequently be moved in one tooth of its ratchet ƒ³,
and the switch k¹ again reversed and put back to its original position by the action
of the pink upon its broader end. As the index returns the pink will pass upon
the inside of the switch without changing its position, and the operation already
described will be repeated.
It will be observed that the angles i¹, ³, upon the button never come in contact
with the pins in the index when this switch is employed, so that the position of
the slide is changed only by the action of the switch c¹ itself, and neither do the
inclines h, h¹, or segments h2, h3, come into operation in this case.
Another form of oscillation may be produced by using two pins j only, placed
upon the same meridian of the index, and none of the mechanism for changing the
positions of the slido is employed, the pins acting directly upon the square i. When
it is necessary to make a complete revolution or several complete revolutions of the
needle ring in combination with a reciprocatory movement of the same, the
angles,, extend below the square i, and short pins, otherwise similar to pins j,
are placed in the index, which, while being long enough to reach these angles and
change the position of the slide f, will not come into contact with the squares, and
consequently the position of the lever will not be changed, and the rotation of the
index and needle ring will not be reversed until the slide is moved out or in
sufficiently to bring longer pins j against the square, and bring the mechanism
intended to produce the oscillatory movement of the needle ring into operation.
The Invention consists also in an improved method of giving the longitudinal
motion to the needles necessary to form the stitches, and which takes place during
the intermission. in the rotary movement of the needle ring B¹, occasioned by the
passage of the parallel threads upon the switch wheel c through the teeth of the
wheel b A section of the upright cylindrical ring B is removed, as before
mentioned, and in its place is inserted what is called the gate C, consisting of a
section of a flat horizontal ring with a groove C₁ upon its inner edge to receive the
lugs as upon the back of the blanks a² attached to the needle similar to the one cut
for that purpose in the inner side of the upright cylinder B. At its back this
section C is attached to an upright sliding piece C² fitted to move freely up and
down in vertical guideways.cut in the vertical supports. This slide has two
parallel arms reaching down and embracing at their lower ends a portion of an
open cam F attached to a rock shaft F¹ supported by castings F2 attached to the
lower side of the frame A, and a short horizontal shaft having upon it a friction
roller, which reaches from one to the other, passing through.a groove in the cam.
This cam receives a reciprocatory rotary movement by means of a crank or lever
on the rock shaft F and connecting rod from an eccentric F on the main driving
shaft. The groove in the cam is cut at one end for a certain distance upon a circle
concentric with the centre of the shaft, so that while the shaft is in this portion of
the groove no motion will be communicated to the gate C and needles a' by the
rotary movement of the cam F. The remainder of the groove gradually approaches
the centre of the cam's rotation as it approaches the other end . The cam is set
in such a position upon the rock shaft relative to the position of the roller on the

page_text: shaft as to raise the gate to its highest point when the roller is in the end of the
groove farthest from the centre of the cam 13, and to carry it to its lowest when the
roller is in the end of the groove nearest the centre 14 of the cam; but the amount
of this movement may be regulated for the purpose of taking longer or shorter
stitches by means of a slot 15 in the cam and the bolt by which the cam is fastened
to the crank 12, the amount of throw of course being greater or less, according as
the roller is caused to remain less or greater time in the circular portions of the
grooves ³, where no motion is communicated to the gate C.
It will be observed that whatever variation is made in the length of throw of
the gate always occurs when it is at its lower point, never varying in its height
when it is in its upper position.
The movable presser for closing the beards of the needles to enable them in their
descent to throw off the completed stitches, and the complicated mechanism for
operating it heretofore used I have dispensed with, procuring a better result by the
use of a fixed presser m consisting of a segment of a small ring slightly rounded
upon its inner side, and set over the gate C sufficiently near to the circle of needles
so that the point of the beard of the needle, when passing it as the needles go up
and down, will be forced by it into the groove in the body of the needle, and the
completed stitch enabled to leave the needle as it goes down. Immediately above
the fixed presser are the yarn guides, being a series of small oblong tubes fixed in a
segment of a ring n', one for each needle in the gate, at equal distances apart in a
nearly horizontal position, their inner ends being quite close to the needles and
radiating outwards. The longer diameter of the tube is parallel with the needle, so
as to allow plenty of space for the beard of the needle to pass between the guides.
These yarn guides require to be shifted laterally the space equal to the distance from
one needle to the other every time the direction of the rotation of the needle ring
is changed to cause them always to lay the yarn on the proper side of the needles.
Screws passing through slots in the ring n' hold it in position laterally, but allow it
the necessary longitudinal movement. This lateral movement of the tubes is
produced by the cam-like action of the switch on the wheel e upon the forked lever
which is pinned to the back side of the segment, and pivoted at n³. Whenever the
position of the switch is changed the wider end of the switch protruding beyond
the side of the wheel c strikes the bevelled end of one of the forks of the lever as
it passes, and pushes that fork away from the wheel, causing the position of the
segment to be changed. When the switch is again reversed and the direction of
the rotation of the needle ring is reversed, the other fork of the lever will be
operated upon, and the segment pushed in an opposite direction. The V shaped
lug on the spring acting upon a similarly shaped lug on the segment causes the latter
to be held in whichever of the two positions it is placed by the action of the
mechanism described.
Another improvement consists in the employment of a metal spring toothed wiper
P for wiping or drawing the work away from the needle as fast as the stitches are
completed, and for holding the work while new stitches are being formed, and also
of the devices for operating the wiper.
The wiper is provided with an independent spring tooth for each needle, thread,
or stitch, whereby the work is held or drawn equally notwithstanding any in-
equality or unevenness that may be occasioned by knots or otherwise in the
material used. The back end of the wiper lever P¹ is held against the top of a cam
upon the driving shaft by the stress of a spiral spring. This cam acts to press the
wiper P at the other end of the lever downward, and the spring causes the wiper P
to rise. The lever is held back by another spring, so that the fulcrum pin p³ rests at
the back part of the slot 24 in the arm in which it slides, except when the front part
of another cam upon the driving shaft D. is in contact with an adjustable arm
attached to the lever, and presses it forward; the nearer this arm being set to the
centre of the cam the greater the forward thrust given to the wiper, and the greater
will be the distance that the work will be drawn away from the needles. These
cams are of such a shape, and are so adjusted in relation to each other and to the

page_text: Jever, as to give the wiper the requisite motion for drawing the work away from
the needles at the proper time, viz., it first descends to press and hold the work
down on the needle ring while the needles descend, then moves forward to take
the work away from the needles, and carry the new stitches over the tops of the
needles, remaining in that position until the needles have quite completed their
ascent; it then rises to its original position ready to descend and repeat the same
operation for the next row of stitches.
The Invention also consists in the employment of one or more pairs of feed
rollers and mechanism for operating them for the purpose of regulating the amount
of yarn supplied to the needles during the process of knitting to conform to what-
ever length or tightness of stitches it may be desirable to produce, and also to
supply to each and every needle a perfectly uniform quantity. The feed rollers
R, R', consisting of two parallel rolls set one above another, the under one R' fluted,
and the upper one R covered with some yielding substance in order to give a grip
or hold upon the yarn, are supported by the frame H, H, Figure 4, in a position
over and parallel with the main driving shaft D. The upper one of these rollers R
can be removed at pleasure, the ends of the shaft passing through it entering
vertical guideways in the frame H, H¹, open at the top, so that the rolls may be
lifted out. When at its lowest position this roller rests upon the lower one, and the
requisite downward pressure is given to it when in operation, or the pressure is
relieved when it is required to remove the roller by means of the lever r and its
attachments. This lever r, pivoted near its centre, has below this point a thread
cut upon it, and on this thread works an adjusting, nut 2. Around the lever,
between this nut and a movable piece upon the lower end of the lever, is wound
a spiral spring r¹ arranged to exert whatever degree of pressure upon the moveable
piece that the adjusting nut 2 shall be set to give. When this lever is in a vertical
position, the piece will press against the upper side of the roller near its centre, the
yielding substance with which it, the upper roller, was described as being covered
being removed at this part of the roller; but when the lever is turned upon its
pivoting pin to a nearly horizontal position, the lever will be sufficiently out of the
way to permit of the lifting of the roller out of its guideways for the purpose
of removing it. At the back of the rollers are guides R2, through which the
yarn passes before entering the rollers arranged to keep the yarns separated while
passing through the rolls. The shaft passing through the lower rollers is supported
at each end by journals in the frame H, H', and has at one end outside of the
journal a gear wheel t keyed to it. The frame H at this end of the roller has
pivoted to it by a stud t directly opposite the end of the shaft of the lower roller a
swinging frame t', to which is attached a train of change gearing. This swinging
frame t, which, with the exception of the resistance of a spring us acting upon a
V shaped lug upon it, is free to swing laterally upon the stud t, has two slots, one
upon each side of the frame, cut so that the studs, about which revolves the pinions t²,
will hold the said pinions in gear with the gear wheel t upon the roller R¹ in which-
ever part of the slots it may be necessary to secure the studs in order to accom-
modate the different sizes of change gearing that it may be desizable to use in the
place of gears 7 upon the stud. These change gears are so set that but one of
them will be in gear with a pinion to upon a stud to, passing through an opening in
the swinging frame, and fixed in the stationary frame H at one time, but either
one or the other of them as required; they are of different sizes, and may be
brought into gear by swinging the swinging frame t' from one to the other of the
two positions in which it is held by the spring us. The pinion to has attached to it,
and revolving with it, a gear t", which is geared directly into another gear upon
the main shaft D.
The changing of the positions of the swinging frame, by which one or the other
of the change gears are brought into contact with the pinion for the purpose of
changing the speed of the rollers, and thereby supplying a varying quantity of yarn
to the needles when it is desired to make tight and loose stitches in the same
article, is effected automatically during the process of weaving by means of the

page_text: following devices:-The swinging frame t' is forked at the bottom, the two sides u of
the fork extending downward, one upon each side of the driving shaft D, and each
of these forks has passing through it in a line parallel with the driving shaft a
small pin u³, attached at the rear end to arms extending downward from a lever us,
pivoted midway between these arms, so as to turn in a horizontal direction only to
the swinging frame t'. This lever us has two operative positions, and the pins u³
are made of a proper length, so that while in one of its positions one of the pins
reaches through the fork of the frame which it is in, and projects inward from the
frame a little way, and the pin in the other fork extends only through the fork,
and does not project beyond the inner surface of the frame; their order is reversed
whenever the position of the lever is changed from one of its operative positions to
the other, the end of the pin before projecting being drawn in flush with the inner
surface of the fork, and the one that was in before being now projecting. The pins
are about upon a level with the centre of the main shaft, and it is by means of a
cam u³ upon this shaft coming in contact with the projecting pin, one or the other,
as the case may be, that the position of the swinging frame is changed from one to
the other of its two positions, thereby causing one of the gears t² to be thrown out,
and the other into gear with the pinion to to vary the speed of the rollers R, R'.
One end of this swinging lever u³ extends out beyond the frame t¹, and has near
its outer end two angles or bevels q, q¹, one upon each side, the incline q nearest the
end of the lever being made by removing that portion of the lever that is above a
line drawn from the inner and upper corner to the outer and lower one, and the
other one q¹ a little farther in upon the lever is made by removing so much of the
lever as is above a line drawn from the outer and upper corner to the lower
and inner one.
Over the angles q, q', extend one end of a lever w, and projecting downward from
the end of this lever, its lower end resting immediately over one or the other of the
two inclines, is a pivoted piece q2, which has a slight lateral motion parallel with
the lever us, but held in a central vertical position when free by stress of a V shaped
spring w² upon it. The lever wis pivoted near its centre to an arm w¹ attached to
the main frame A, and the other end extends out to and over the centre of the
revolving button 9 upon the switch lever e, through the centre of which buttons
passes the vertical pin k, its lower end resting upon the surface of the index E, and
the upper end being in contact with the under side of the lever w. Small angles
are placed at certain points upon the surface of the index E, arranged so that at
definite times they will run under the pin k in the centre of the button
and push
it up; this will in turn force up the end of the lever wover it, and cause the other
end of the lever to be depressed. We will now suppose that the swinging frame t¹
is in the one of its two positions nearest to the front of the machine, and the pin
attached to the front end of the lever is projecting through the fork, and is in
contact with the cam u², or rather was in contact with the cam u², until the cam
pushed it forward out of its circle of contact. The front end of this lever being in,
will cause the rear end to be in its outer position, and the swinging frame t¹, to
which the lever u is attached, being in its forward position, the incline q upon the
lever nearest the end will be directly under the swinging piece q2 on the end of the
lever w.. Now as this end of the lever wis depressed, the swinging piece q² will
come in contact with the rear incline q, and as this incline is bevelled outward, the
end of the swinging piece q2 pressing downward upon it will force inward this end
of the lever us and with it the pin in the rear fork of the frame, at the same time
drawing the other pin us at the front end of the lever outward. This will cause
the front pin u³ to be drawn out of the circle of contact with the cam u³, and at the
same time, the other being forced in, will be operated upon by the cam u², and the
swinging frame t¹ forced into its other position where it will be held by the V pointed
spring . This change of the position of the frame will have also caused the lever
us to have moved back, so that the incline q, upon which the swinging piece q² upon
the end of the lever w has just operated, will no longer be directly under the end of the
lever w, but will have been superseded in that position by the other incline q'. As

page_text: however the lower end of the swinging piece q2 was resting upon the rear incline q
when the position of the swinging frame t' was changed it was carried back as it
was enabled to be by the pivot at its top, and is held in a position a little inclined
from a vertical one until the angle upon the index having passed the pin in the
centre of the button g, this end of the lever W with the swinging piece q² is allowed
to rise, and as soon as the lower end of the piece q² is clear of the inclines, the spring
W2 will cause it to assume a vertical position immediately over the front incline q'.
Another angle piece upon the index E coming in contact with the pin K will
cause the lever q2 to act upon the front incline q', which it is now over, and the
frame and lever will be brought back again to their original position.
Having described the parts of this machine I will now proceed to describe its
operation.
Having first provided the bobbins I at the rear of the machine with the yarn or
material to be used, the ends, one strand for each needle in the gate are brought
forward over the guide rods J in the frame and passed through the guides R2, and
then between the rollers R, R', from which they are led directly to the yarn
guides n, and through them to the knitting point. Now supposing that the
process of knitting has been already commenced, but that the operation has been
temporarily suspended at a point where the needle having arrived at its highest
point with a complete loop or stitch about it, and has just been moved laterally one
space by the mechanism for that purpose; the machine now being advanced, the
needles will descend, and in their descent the beard of the needle will seize the yarn
running obliquely across its passage from a yarn guide n, immediately behind, to
the stitch formed upon the needle immediately in advance of it, and will carry a
loop of this yarn down with it; and as the fixed presser m will during the
operation force the beard of the needle close against the body of the needle, and the
wiper P will hold the work, the loop previously formed upon the needle will slip
up over the beard and the new loop will be formed. The needles after descending
the requisite distance, regulated by the adjusting screw and slot in the cam F, to
give the desired length of stitch, will rise again, the wiper P will draw the work
away from the needle the proper distance, regulated by the adjustable arm
previously described, and the row of stitches, one stitch for each needle in the gate,
will have been completed. All of this has transpired while the parallel threads
upon the switch wheel c have been passing through the teeth of the wheel 6³, and
the needle ring B' has consequently been at rest; but now the needles having been
raised to their highest point the oblique threads upon the switch will come in
contact with the teeth of wheel 63, and the needle ring B¹ will have been moved in
one direction or the other, according to the direction of the obliquity of the thread
upon the switch, a space equal to the distance from the centre of one needle to the
centre of another, the groove in the gate C being at the same level as the groove a
about the inside of the cylinder B; during this lateral movement of the needles the
lug a³ upon one of the needles will have left the groove in the gate C and will have
gone into the groove a in the cylinder, while upon the opposite side of the gate C
the lug a³ of a needle will have left the groove a¹ in the cylinder B and entered the
one in the gate. The wiper P will rise and approach the needle in readiness to
descend and repeat its functions of holding and withdrawing the work. The
necessary amount of yarn for forming the stitches will have been drawn from the
bobbins and supplied to the needles at a perfectly uniform tension for each strand
by the feed rollers R, R', and their attachments.
The amount of yarn supplied by the rollers to the needles may be varied as
desired to form tight or loose stitches by means of the change gearing connecting
these rollers to the main shaft; and changes of the speed of the rollers may be
made automatically and without stopping the machine during the process of
knitting, when it is desired to make tight and loose stitches in the same work by
the use of the cams, levers, and other devices operated upon by the angle pieces j
upon the index described as being for that purpose. The switch in the switch
wheel c acting alternately upon the needle, ring, and index, will cause the index to

page_text: be moved step by step in one direction until one of the pins j upon the index will
come into contact with one of the angles i¹, 2, move the slide f in or out, according
to the position of the angles, and then striking the square i will push the lever e
laterally sufficient to throw one of its forks away from the switch wheels c and
bring the other fork into the circle of contact with one of the buttons. The button
as it arrives at this point in its rotation will receive a quarter turn, thereby
unlocking the switch, changing it, and relocking it in its new position. The side of
the switch will now protrude upon an opposite side of the switch wheel, and will
come in contact with one of the forks n² of the lever and force it laterally sufficient
to cause the yarn guides to be moved a distance equal to that from one needle to
another, in order that the yarn may be supplied upon the proper side of the needle,
now that the direction of the rotation of the needle ring is reversed. The reverse
position of the switch will cause the needle ring B¹ and index E to rotate in an
opposite direction until another pin, one degree further in or out from the centre of
the index than the last, according to the direction in which the slide was moved by
the last pin, will come into contact with the opposite angle 1, 2, force the slide f
one notch more in the same direction, as before, and again reverse the position of
the levere and switch, and the direction of the rotation of the needle ring B¹ and
index E. These operations will be continued until one of the inclines comes
under one of the pins g³ or g6, lifts it up, unlocks the buttons, and one of the
segment of gear h² coming into contact with the pinion g² gives the button g a half
turn, where it is locked by the pin g reversing the direction of the angles i, 12, and
causing the slide f to move in an opposite direction whenever the pins come in
contact with the angles until it brings the other incline h under the other pin, and
the other segmental gear h² turns the button and its angles i¹, i², back again.
The use of this mechanism enables the machine to knit a succession of similar
articles without stoppage of the machine. Whenever it is desired to make every
alternate two oscillations of the needle ring of the same duration, a pin K is inserted
in the centre of the button g, and switch K¹ is employed. If to make all the
oscillations of an uniform duration two pins j only, acting directly upon the square in
are used; and when desirable to alternate oscillations with the complete revolution
of the needle ring the short pins ; and lower angles i¹, i², are employed with the
mechanism for producing the oscillations.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd July 1878.
<
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES." A communication
from abroad by Almet Reed, of the City, County, and State of New York, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements on that class of knitting machines
designed for, and to a limited extent used in the inanufacture of a fabric to be con-
verted into shaped or fashioned articles, which are when desired completed by the
well-known processes of fulling and blocking, means being provided for auto-
matically throwing certain of the needles out of work and bring other needles into
work so as to effect the desired variation of form in the work.
The improvements which constitute this Invention are in part based upon those
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted respectively to Alfred
Vincent Newton, dated July Sixth, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two,
No. 1708, and to Alexander Melville Clark, dated January Twelfth, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-five, No. 115.
In the machines heretofore constructed, great difficulty was experienced in
obtaining a regular or certain knitting action. This was chiefly due to the fact
that the means employed for giving the requisite intermittent action to the needle
ring and the pattern cylinder (one or both) failed to stop the same in the exact
position needed for the resumption of the knitting,
In some cases a switch wheel was employed as a driver, but this wheel instead of
being applied to act upon the pattern cylinder to ensure a certain definite motion,
which is essential to the proper acting of the machine, was used for driving the
needle ring, and in such case no provision was made for a dwell in the gate which
lifts the needles containing the work, and consequently the progressive action of
the switch wheel would not ensure the proper shifting of the needles in the gate.
This switch wheel, which was intended to drive the parts in connection there with
to the right or left, according to the requirements of the work, was operated upon
by a reciprocating fork which received its motion from the stud pins of a pattern
cylinder striking on the tail thereof. The motion thus transmitted was uncertain,
and the proper shifting of the. switch could not therefore be relied on.
Now one
object of this Invention is to ensure that the working parts of the machine
shall always perform with exactitude the movements required to maintain the
efficiency of the machine.
The improvements by means of which the desired objects are attained will enable
the knitting machinery, when constructed as herein-after described, to be arranged
to manufacture a given form of work, and to be capable of reproducing in one con-
tinuous length of fabric repetitions of the required form without requiring the
machinery to be stopped for readjustment. It is capable moreover by a resetting
of certain of the operating parts of reproducing the same form of work at a
diminished, or on an enlarged scale; and to ensure a regularity in the work the
supply of the yarn to the needles is regulated by special mechanism hereafter to be
described. The amount of the endway motion of the needles is also regulated to
correspond to the increased or diminished feed of the yarn, and the motion of the
wiper for pulling over the loops is also proportionately increased or diminished.
The traverse of the needles is controlled by means of a circular studded pattern
plate, which receives a slow intermittent axial motion to the right or left, as the
case may be, directly from switch wheel at every movement of the needle ring.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1, Sheet I., is a plan view of the improved
machine; and Fig. 2, Sheet II., is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the
centre of the machine.
In these views, A is the bed plate of the machine which may be mounted on any

page_text: suitable supports. Bolted to one end of this bed plate is a cylindrical frame B
which circumscribes the needle ring B¹. A portion however of this cylinder B is
cut away to the extent, say, of one seventh of its periphery, to form a space for
the reception of the plate C which gives the rise-and-fall motions of the needles.
The needle ring B¹ has formed on its outer periphery parallel vertical grooves a
to receive a series of bearded needles a¹, which are fitted with shanks a² that slide
freely up and down in the grooves a whenever the needles enter that section, in
which they become subject to the action of the gate C, but at every other portion
of the ring the needles are held in an elevated position by the lug a³ upon the
shank a², which projects outwards into a narrow groove a cut in the inner
periphery of the hollow cylinder B.
For convenience, in removing needles when desired, a small section of the ring B
above the groove a is made removable.
The needle ring B' is supported by the annular plate B2 bolted to the bed plate A,
and extending beneath a flange B³ secured to the needle ring B. Motion is given to
the needle ring through a ring of teeth cut in the edge of this flange B³, into which
gears a spur pinion b at the bottom of the hollow sleeve b¹ which forms an extended
hub, and is mounted on the fixed vertical stud b². This pinion b receives its motion
through the toothed wheel 63 (made fast to the upper end of the hub b¹) from the
switch wheel c upon the main driving shaft D.
It has been already mentioned that the needle ring B₁ has an intermittent or
step-by-step motion, and it is from the switch wheel c that this notion is
derived.
In Sheet III. Fig. 3 shews the switch wheel in plan view; and Fig. 4, in side
elevation.
The switch wheel c has upon its periphery two threads c¹, c², of a width and
depth to fit the spaces between the teeth of the spur wheel 63, such threads running
about five-sixths of the way around the periphery in planes parallel with its plane
of rotation, the remaining sixth being cut away to receive a moveable piece or
switch c³, on which is formed a thread c. The thread of this switch is intended to
form a connection in either direction oblique to the plane of rotation of the wheel c
between one and the other of the two threads c1, c2, the said moveable piece being
fitted to turn on a pivot c³ to permit of the direction of its obliquity being reversed.
The wheel 63 remains stationary while the parallel threads c¹, c², are passing between
its teeth, viz., during about five-sixths of the revolution of the main shaft D; and
it is driven while the oblique thread c is passing, viz., during about one-sixth of
the revolution of the main shaft D. The movement thus given to the wheel b³,
and from it by means of gears b and B3 to the needle ring B', is sufficient to rotate
the needle ring B¹ and its needles a' a distance equal to that between the centres of
two adjacent needles; and the needle ring B¹ is moved in one or the other direction,
according as the switch c³ is set with its thread c running to the right or left hand.
The switch thus enables the needles to be traversed in one direction continuously
for a given length of time for the purpose of knitting circular work, or in
opposite directions alternately when it is required to knit a fabric with straight
selvages.
The switch is locked with its thread in either position by one of two buttons
d, d', which are both firmly attached to the same pin d² mounted loosely in the
wheel c in a direction parallel to its axis. Stop pins d³ and d fitted to the end of
the switch farthest from the locking buttons prevent the switch c³ from moving in
either direction farther than is necessary to change the operative position of the
thread c, and by bringing the button which is upon the opposite side of the wheel c
to that against which the stop pin that is in action bears, the switch will be locked.
The buttons d, d, each of which consists of a small circular piece of metal having
radial projections on opposite edges (the projection upon one button being set at
right angles to those of the other button) serve a double purpose, acting as the
agents by which the switch and consequently the obliquity of the thread et is
changed, as well as securing the switch in its position after changing it. The front.

page_text: lower corners c of the switch es where the lugs of the buttons d, d', come in contact
with it when they are turned as hereafter described, are rounded or bevilled so that
they serve as cams, by which the buttoms effect the shifting of the switch from one
to the other of its two operative positions. A quarter revolution of the pin d
serves to move one button out of the way sufficiently to unlock the switch c³,
and to cause the button upon the opposite side of the switch wheel c to act
upon the curved corner of the switch and shift it, and then to lock it in its reversed
position.
AV shaped projection on a spring d entering corresponding V shaped notches
in the button prevents the latter from turning, except when acted upon by the
switch lever e.
'
The mechanism by means of which the changes of this switch are regulated for
the purpose of giving a desired form to the article knitted is constituted as follows:-
I is a circular-studded pattern plate, mounted loosely on the vertical stud E', which
is securely fixed in the rear end of the bed plate A. The pattern plate E is furnished
with spur teeth, corresponding in number to the needles with which the needle ring
is fitted, and it gears directly with the switch wheel c in a manner similar to
wheels Fitted on to the stud E, above the pattern plate, is the forked lever e,
which serves to operate the switch. The prongs el, e, of this lever extend sufficiently
far to enter the path of the buttons d, d', (as they are revolved by the rotation of
the switch wheel) and strike one or other of them, such buttons thereby receiving
a quarter turn. This axial motion of the buttons d, d¹, will shift the switch when-
ever it is required to reverse the motion of the needle ring B¹ and pattern plate E.
The prongs e¹, e², of the lever e are placed sufficiently far apart, so that as the
switch wheel c revolves, but one of the buttons d, d, will come in contact with the
fork at one time. This fork e has a lateral motion sufficient to bring into action
whichever of the prongs e¹, e2, is required to act, and it is held in either of its
operative positions until changed by mechanism designed for that purpose by
the V shaped end of a spring es (Figures 3 and 4) entering a correspondingly shaped
notch in the forked lever. When one of these prongs has acted upon a button, the
quarter turn given to this button will clear this button from the renewed action of
that prong until the other prong of the lever has been brought to act on the button
upon the opposite side of the wheel c, and given that a quarter turn; this will again
bring the first button into the circle of contact with the lever e, whenever the prong
upon that side is brought sufficiently near the wheel. Secured in a longitudinal
slot in the lever e, in such a manner as to have a motion parallel with the lever e
only, is a slide f, held in position longitudinally (except while being acted upon by
mechanism to be described) by a spring fattached to the forked lever e,
the shaped end of which spring rests in ratchet teeth f2 upon the slide f.
Mounted vertically in the slide f, near one end thereof, is a rotating button g,
connected by the stud g¹ to the small pinion or toothed wheel g² on the under side
of the slide f. Upon the top of this button g is a small flat spring g³ fastened at
one end to the button g, near its outer periphery, and extending across to and a
little beyond the opposite edge of the button, and having near this end a small
pin 9, which extending downwards through a small hole in the button, and
entering a little way into one of two similar holes in the slide, prevents the button g
from turning, excepting when the end of the spring g³ is slightly raised. Passing
through the slide f upon opposite sides of the button g, and sufficiently near to the
button so that the extended end of the spring g³ will reach over one or the other of
them, are two vertical pins go, go. These pins, which have shoulders to prevent
them from dropping entirely through the holes in the slide through which they
pass, extend down a little below the lever e. These pins 95, 96, are pushed up one
at a time at certain intervals by inclines or angle pieces h, h', of which there are
two, set at different points upon the horizontal surface of the pattern plate E (see
the detached view of the pattern plate, Fig. 5, Sheet IV.). The pin g or go so
pushed up raises the extended end of the flat spring g³ which lies over it, and this,
drawing the lower end of the pin g' out of the hole in the slide, unlocks the button

page_text: g a half
g, and leaves it free to turn half way about. This turning is effected by one or
other of two segments gears h2, h3, (see the detached view, Fig. 4a) attached one to
the inner side of the incline h, and the other to the outer side of the other incline h'.
These segments, acting upon opposite sides of the pinion gå, give the button
turn in opposite directions, according to which one of the segments comes in contact
with the pinion, and the button g is locked again by the pin g' in its new position.
Attached to the under side of the pinion g² is a peculiarly-shaped piece i (see the
detached view, Fig. 4b). This piece i is a block with two inclines i, 2, projecting
outward in opposite directions, and it is intended, by forming an obstacle to the
further progress of a pin of the pattern plate which it intercepts, to reverse the
direction of rotation of the pattern plate.
It is
In Sheet IV. Fig. 5 shews in plan view the pattern plate detached.
represented as fitted with stud pins to produce the character of work represented.in
Sheet V. of the Drawings. On the periphery of this plate is cut a ring of spur teeth,
the number of which corresponds, as before stated, to the number of grooves formed
in the needle ring to receive the bearded needles; h, h¹, show the inclines in place on
the plate, with their gears h2, h3, for unlocking the button g, and reversing it for
the purpose above explained; i, j, are stud pins for acting through the block i upon
the reciprocating forked lever e, to reverse the switch. These pins are so arranged
as to control the motions of the needle ring, and their positions are determined
by the knitter after the manner practised by the weaver in adjusting his jacquard
apparatus. These pins may be described as generally arranged in pairs, the pins of
each pair being equidistant from a radius line drawn from the centre of the pattern
plate. The pins however are in this case arranged in different meridians, as indicated
by the dotted lines and the letters of reference j¹ to j¹³, in Fig. 5, the space
between the meridians corresponding to the pitch of the teeth on the rack f³
on the slide f
The arrangement of pins, shewn in Fig. 5 will serve to knit the material for a cap
similar to that shewn in Sheet V.
One of the pins j, of which there may be any number upon the plate E, according
to the form which it is desired to give to the article to be knitted, on coming in
contact with an angle of the block i, causes the slide f of the fork e to move longi-
tudinally a distance equal to the width of one tooth of the ratchet f which it
carries. This movement brings a square portion of the block i in front of the pin
j, and at the next movement of the plate E the pin exerts sufficient lateral pressure
upon the block to overcome the resistance of the locking spring e³, and force the
end of the forked lever e laterally far enough to bring a prong into contact with the
button upon the opposite side of the switch to that at which the button last
operated upon was situate. This effects the reversal of the switch, and causes the direc-
tion of rotation of the plate E, and the needle ring B¹ to be reversed. This reversed
rotation will continue until another one of the pins ; upon the plate E comes into
contact with the opposite angle of the block i, when a similar change, but in a
reverse direction, will take place.
The longitudinal movement of the slide of produced by the contact of the pins j,
with the inclines i, 2, of the block i, will cause a different pinj to be brought into
contact at each oscillation of the pattern plate E. The slide will be caused to move
in one direction, until the knitting of one article is completed. When this has
taken place, one of the inclines h or ¹ upon the pattern plate E will come into
action, and push up one of the pins g or go, and by raising the spring, cause the
button g to be unlocked, and leave it free to be turned half way round by one of the
seginent gears 2 or h³, attached to the inclines h or h¹ acting upon the pinion g².
This movement of the button g will reverse the position of the inclines relatively
to the pattern plate, and as the pins now in a reversed order come to act upon the
inclines of the block i, the slide f will be moved in an opposite direction by their
pressure, until the knitted pattern is completed. When this has taken place, the
slide will have been moved so far as to bring the other of the two pins, 95 or 96 in
line with the other incline / or h¹ (as the case may be), and the pinion g² in contact

page_text: with the other segment h² or h³ on the pattern plate, when the position of the
block i with its inclines will be again reversed, to reverse once more the direction of
the traverse of the slide f.
I will now explain the method of giving the longitudinal motion to the needles,
necessary to form the stitches, which motion takes place between the intermitted
movements of the needle ring B', occasioned by the passage of the parallel threads
c', c, upon the switch wheel c, through the teeth of the wheel b³.
By reference to Sheet VI., Fig. 6 shews in sectional plan view a portion of the
needle ring with the gate C, (which gives the up-and-down motion to the needles)
applied thereto. This gate occupies the space cut away, as before mentioned, in the
cylinder B.
In the face of this gate C (see the sectional elevations, Figs. 7 and 8), a hori-
zontal groove C¹ is formed to receive the lug as upon the back of the needle blank
a, as they are brought round by the axial motion of the needle ring. This occurs
during the dwell of the gate, and while it is at its highest position. At its back
this gate C is attached to an upright sliding piece C², fitted to move freely up and
down in vertical guideways cut in the vertical supports C³, C. This slide has two
parallel arms reaching down, and embracing at their lower ends a portion of an
open cam F attached to a rock shaft F1 (see Fig. 2, Sheet II.), which is supported
by castings F attached to the lower side of the bed plate A. These arms carry a
friction roller l, which passes through a groove in the cam. This cam receives a
reciprocating axial motion by means of a crank or lever 12 on the rock shaft F¹, and
a connecting rod from an excentric F on the main driving shaft.
One end of the groove in the cam is concentric with the centre of the shaft, and
while the friction roller is in this portion of the groove ³, the dwell of the gate will
occur, no motion being then communicated to the plate C, and needles a¹, by the
rotary movement of the cam F. The remainder of the groove gradually approaches
the centre of the cam's rotation, until it terminates at 14. The cam is set in such a
position upon the rock shaft, relatively to the friction roller l, as to raise the gate
to its highest point, when the roller is, in the concentric section of the groove (³,
farthest from the centre of the cam, and to carry it to its lowest when the friction
roller is at the end of the groove nearest the centre of the cam, but the amount
of this movement may be regulated for the purpose of taking longer or shorter
loops, by means of a segment slot 15 in the cam, and the bolt by which the cam is
fastened to the crank 13, the amount of throw of course being greater or less, accord-
ing to the length of excentric groove which is brought upon the friction roller l.
It should be observed that whatever variation is made in the length of throw of
the gate, that will occur when it is at its lowest point, the highest position of the
gate never varying.
In Figures 2a, 2b, two adjustments of the cam F are illustrated, the former corre-
sponding to the relative position of the parts in Fig. 2, and the latter shewing a
setting for giving longer loops. The use of this will be better understood after the
mechanism which regulates the supply of yarn to the needles has been described.
For closing the beards of the needles, a fixed presser m (see Figures 7 and 8) is
employed. This presser m consists of a segment of a ring slightly rounded upon
its inner side, and set over the gate C sufficiently near to the circle of needles, so
that the point of the beard of the needle, when passing it, as the needles go down,
will be forced by it into the groove in the body of the needle, thereby allowing the
completed loop to pass over the beard and to leave the needle.
one
Immediately above the fixed presser are the yarn guides, shewn best in plan
view at Fig. 10, and in the vertical section, Fig. 11 of Sheet VII. These thread
guides consist of a series of small oval tubes n, fixed in a segment of a ring n',
for each needle in the gate, at equal distances apart in a nearly horizontal position.
The longer diameter of the tube is parallel with the needle, so as to allow plenty of
space for the beard of the needle to pass between the guides. These yarn guides
require to be shifted laterally a space equal to the distance from one needle to the
other every time the direction of the rotation of the needle-ring is changed, to

page_text: cause them always to lay the yarn on the proper side of the needles. Screws pass-
ing through end slots n in the segment hold the segment down loosely on the
bracket B, thus permitting of its receiving the necessary longitudinal movement.
This movement is produced by the switch c³, in the wheel c, acting like a cam upon
the forked lever n², which is pinned to the centre of the segment, and pivotted at n³
to a bracket on the bed plate. Whenever the position of the switch c³ is changed,
the wider end of the switch c³, protruding beyond the side of the wheel c, strikes the
bevilled end of one of the prongs of the lever n² as it passes, and pushes that prong
away from the wheel, causing the position of the segment to be changed, thus giving
the requisite lateral motion to the thread guides.
When the switch is again reversed, and the direction of the rotation of the needle
ring is reversed, the other prong of the lever n² will be operated upon, and the
segment pushed in an opposite direction. A locking spring no with a V shaped
projection n bearing against a projecting V on the segment n¹ is used to maintain
the thread guides in whichever of the two positions the plate n³ is placed by the
action of the mechanism described, and serves also to ensure the exact amount of
lateral motion required being given to the thread guides.
For wiping or drawing away the work from the needles as fast as the loops are
completed, and for holding the work while new loops are being formed, a metal
spring toothed wiper P is employed. This is shewn in-detached plan view at Fig. 9
in Sheet VI. This wiper consists of a series of independent spring teeth (one tooth
for each needle, thread, or loop) arranged radially upon and secured to the plate P.
The operation of these teeth, when the wiper is brought into action, will be to hold
or draw the work down equally, notwithstanding any inequality or unevenness that
may be occasioned by knots or otherwise in the material used. This wiper is
attached to the pendent end of a bent rock lever P' (see Figures 7 and 8, Sheet VI.),
the back end p of which is held against the top of a cam N upon the driving shaft
by the stress of a spring p¹. This cam acts to press the wiper Pat the other end of
the lever downward, and the spring causes the wiper P to rise. The lever is
held back by another spring p², so that the fulcrum pin p³ rests at the back
part of the slot p in the arm in which it slides, except when the front part
of another cam Ñ¹ upon the driving shaft D is in contact with an adjustable
arm p attached to the lever P¹, and presses it forward; the nearer the arm
being set to the centre of the cam N, the greater the forward thrust given to
the wiper, and the greater will be the distance that the work will be drawn
away from the needles. These cams are of such a shape, and are so adjusted
in relation to each other and to the lever P¹, as to give the wiper the requisite motion
for drawing the work away from the needles at the proper time, viz., it first de-
scends to press and hold the work down on the needle ring while the needles descend,
then moves forward to take the work away from the needles, and carry the new
loops over the tops of the needles, remaining in that position until the needles have
quite completed their ascent, it then rises to its original position, ready to descend
and repeat the same operation for the next row of loops.
The dotted lines in Figures 7 and 8 indicate the movements of the wiper P, and
show also the path of its motion.
For the purpose of regulating the amount of yarn supplied to the needles during
the process of knitting to conform to whatever length or tightness of loops it may
be desired to produce, and also to supply it to each and every needle at a uniform
tension when such is required, the arrangement of apparatus shown in the general
views, Figures 1 and 2, and on an enlarged scale in Sheet VIII., is employed, where
Fig. 12 represents the apparatus in partial front elevation, and Fig. 13, shews it in
transverse section. Interposed between the yarn bobbins and the thread guides is a pair
of feed rollers R, R', set one above another, and supported by the frame H, H, in a
position over and parallel with the main driving shaft D, the under one R' being
fluted, and the upper one R covered with some yielding substance in order to give a
grip or hold upon the yarn as it passes between the rollers.
The upper roller R can be removed at pleasure, its journals entering vertical

page_text: guide ways s, s¹, (Fig. 1, Sheet I.) in the frame H, H, which are open at the top to
facilitate the removal of the roller." The requisite downward pressure is given to
this roller when in operation, or the pressure is relieved when it is required to
remove the roller by means of the lever (Figures 1 and 2) and its attachments.
This lever, which is pivotted near its centre, has below this point a thread cut
upon it, and on the thread works an adjusting nut 2, Fig. 2. Around the lever
between this nut and a moveable piece upon the lower end of the lever (which
moveable piece bears upon the roller) is wound a spiral spring arranged to exert
whatever degree of pressure upon the moveable piece that the adjusting nut 2 shall.
be set to give. When this lever is in a vertical position, the piece will press upon
the roller near its centre, the yielding substance with which it (the upper roller) was
described as being covered, being removed at this part of the roller, but when the
lever is turned upon its. pivoting pin to a nearly horizontal position, the lever will
be sufficiently out of the way to permit of the lifting of the roller out of the guide-
ways, for the purpose of removing it. At the back of the rollers are guides R²
(Figures 1 and 2) through which the yarn passes before entering the rollers, such
guides being arranged to keep the yarns separated while passing between the rollers..
To one of the journals of the lower roller a gear this keyed. The frame H at this end
of the roller has pivotted to it by a stud t (directly opposite the end of the journal of
the lower roller) a swinging frame t¹, which carries a train of change gearing. This
swinging frame t¹ is capable of being locked by a spring u in one or other of
two positions for the purpose to be presently explained. x, x¹, are two segment
slots, one upon each side of the frame, cut so that the studs about which re-
volve the pinions t2, 3, will hold the said pinions in gear with the gear
upon the
roller R¹, in whichever part of the slots x, x¹, it may be necessary to secure the studs
in order to accommodate the different sizes of change gearing that it may be desirable
to use in the place of gears t7, 18, upon the stud. These change gears are so set that
but one of them will be in gear at a time with a pinion to upon a stud to passing
through an opening in the swinging frame, and fixed in the stationary frame H.
th
It will be observed that these gears 7, 8, are of different sizes; they are intended
to be brought into gear by swinging the frame t¹ from one to the other of the two
positions in which it is held by the spring us, in order to change the rate of feed of
the yarn to the needles when such change is required.
The pinion to has attached to it and revolving with it a gear t" which is geared
directly into another gear upon the main shaft D.
The changing of the positions of the swinging frame, by which one or the other
of the change gears is brought into contact with the pinion for the purpose of
changing the speed of the rollers, and thereby supplying a varying quantity of
yarn to the needle when it is desired to make tight and loose loops in the same
article, is effected automatically during the process of knitting by means of the
following devices.
The swinging frame t¹ is forked at the bottom, the prongs of which extend down-
ward one upon each side of the driving shaft D. These prongs have passing through
them, in a line parallel with the driving shaft, a small pin u³, u, attached at their
rear end to arms extending downward from a lever u pivotted midway between
the prongs, so as to turn in a horizontal direction only to the swinging frame t¹. This
lever us has two operative positions, and the pins u³, u, are made of such length
that in one of its positions one of the pins will project through its prong (the other
pin being drawn back); and on the reversal of its position, the position of the pins
will be reversed. The pins are about upon a level with the centre of the main
shaft, and it is by means of a cam u³ upon this shaft coming in contact with the
projecting pin (one or the other as the case may be) that the position of the
swinging frame is changed, to cause one of the gears t7, ts, to be thrown out of, and the
other into gear with the pinion to, to vary the speed of the feed rollers R, R¹.
One end of this swinging lever u5 extends beyond the frame t', and has near
its outer end two reversed inclines q, q', the incline 9 nearest the end of the
lever being made by removing that portion of the lever that is above a line

page_text: drawn from the inner and upper corner to the outer and lower end, and the other
one qa little farther in upon the lever, is made by removing so much of the lever
as is above a line drawn from the outer and upper corner to the lower and inner
one. Over the inclines q, q', extends one end of a lever w, and projecting downward
from the end of this lever, its lower end resting immediately over one or the other
of the two inclines, is a pivotted finger q2 which has a slight lateral motion parallel
with the lever us, but held in a central vertical position, when free, by stress of a
V shaped spring w² upon it. The lever wis pivotted to an arm w¹ attached to the
base plate A, and the other end extends out to and over the centre of the revolving
buttong upon the switch lever e. Through the centre of the button passes a vertical
pink, the lower end of which is in close proximity to the surface of the pattern
plate E, its upper end being in contact with the under side of the lever w.
The pattern plate is fitted with studs similar to that shown at Fig. 4c at such
part relatively to the arrangement of pattern pins j which are in use, as to insure at
a given part of the work a change in the rate of supply of yarn to the needles, which
change is to be maintained for a limited number of courses; at the point, say, where
an increased slackness is required in the work, one of these studs j is to be inter-
posed, and another at the point where the slackness is to cease. These studs when
brought into contact with the pin k will cause it to lift the inner end of the lever w,
depress the finger 72 at the other end thereof, and cause it, by coming in contact
with one or other of the inclines q, q', to rock the frame u³ and shift the position of
the pins u³, u. The continued rotation of the cam will now strike the pin on the
opposite side of the shaft D to that which was last struck, and thereby reverse the
position of the swinging frame t¹, bringing a different speed gear into action. This
oscillation of the frame t¹ will shift the inclines q, q¹, putting one out of line and the
other into line with the finger q²; thus on the next depression. of the lever wa
reverse action will be given to the frame u5, which will thus be caused to withdraw
one pin and protrude the other into the path of the rotating cam, the action of
which cam on the protruded pin will have the effect of again reversing the position
of the frame t¹ and of altering the speed of rotation of the feed rollers. To return
the lever w to its horizontal or quiescent position a tension or pressure spring will
be required.
The yarn for supplying the needles is drawn from a series of spools I (see Fig. 2),
led over guide pins J in a frame, and thence to the guides R2 set in rear of the feed
rollers R, R¹. In passing between these rollers each thread is submitted to an equal
nip, and the rotation of these rollers provides the requisite feed of yarn to the
needles.
It will now be understood that in proportion to the surface speed of these rollers
will be the supply of yarn, the amount desired being determined by the adjustment
of the mechanism just described.
Having now described the mechanism constituting the improved knitting
machine, and explained generally the action of the parts referred to, I will
proceed to shew the manner in which work is produced in the machine, assuming,
for the purpose of illustration, that a series of caps such as that shown at Fig. 14,
Sheet V., is required to be produced from woollen yarns. This cap, as shown, repre-
sents the knitted fabric as fulled up and blocked. When however this work is
taken from the machine it presents somewhat the appearance of Fig. 15, which
represents a length of fabric out of which two caps may be formed, the line of divi-
sion being indicated by the dotted line x, x.
In order to prepare the machine for the production of this class of goods it is
requisite first to determine the position of the stop pins j on the pattern plate E,
which pins, as before described, serve to reverse the direction of the knitting at
iven periods, and thereby cause what may be termed gores of work to be
produced.
These gores may be made of any desired length, but their maximum width
will be determined by the number of needles brought simultaneously into action.
Various ways are open to the skilled operator to determine beforehand the shape

page_text: which the work shall take, but the following explanation may serve to elucidate
the principle involved.
Referring to Sheet IV., Fig. 16 shews in front view the cap intended to be made.
Supposing this cap to be bisected as at a, a, then the length of this bisecting
line measured in the direction of the dotted line a, a, Fig. 17, will give the extreme
length of fabric required to be knitted. This length being divided up by the breadth
of the gores which the machine is calculated to produce would give nine gores for
the completion of the cap; but as the breadth of the cap varies, in order to produce
the requisite lateral fulness, the length of the gores must be regulated by the require-
ments of the work measured transversely to the line a, a.. Thus, for example,
assuming forty-two needles to be the number simultaneously employed, that is, fed
with yarn, the needle ring will require to be rotated in one direction by intermittent
or step-by-step motions until one hundred and thirty needles other than those
which were first in action have been brought into use. This will give the required
length for the first gore, and it will now be requisite to reverse the direction of
rotation of the needle ring. This, as before explained, is caused by a stop-pin on
the pattern plate coming into action, and its position on that plate is determined by
the length of the gore required to be produced.
It may be well here to state that the work will be begun by first knitting what
may be termed a marking piece, which is shown at c, c, in Fig. 15, Sheet V., and also
at c, c, Fig. 17, Sheet IV. This marking piece is indicated on the pattern plate by the
pins 1, 2, Fig. 5, these being respectively the starting and stopping points of the
pattern plate for the production of that piece of work.
By reference to the diagram, Fig. 18, the course of proceeding of the work,
and consequently the determined arrangement of the stop pins may be readily
traced.
The line 1 indicates the starting point of the work, and corresponds with the stop
pin 1 of the plate, Fig. 5. By taking in twelve fresh needles, through the rotation
of the needle ring in front of the gate in the direction of the arrow, we arrive at the
stop pin 2, and the line of work 2 then commences. The rotation of the needle
being then reversed, the knitting proceeds from this point, one needle being thrown
out of work at one end of the gate, and another taken up in place thereof at the
other end of the gate, until one hundred and thirty needles have been thrown out
at one end of the gore, and a similar number taken in at the other end of the gore.
By this time the knitting has arrived at the line 3, which represents on the pattern
plate. the stop pin 3. This stop pin now comes into action, and by reversing the
rotation of the needle ring the knitting is caused to proceed in the reverse direction
until the required length of gore is produced. By that time the work will have
reached the line 4, one hundred and five needles only having been required to be
taken up. The stop pin 4 on the plate E now coming into action, again reverses
the direction of rotation of the needle ring, which continues its course until eighty
needles are taken up and the line 5 is reached, answering to the stop pin 5 on the
pattern plate. In this way the several gores are formed in succession, their length
having been calculated by the operator in the first instance, as above indicated, and
fixed by the adjustment of the stop pins on the pattern plate. When nine gores,
the assumed number required, is produced, all the stop pins, viz., twelve, will have
come into action, and the moment has then arrived for reversing the button g by
means of one of the inclines h, h', on the pattern plate carrying the segment
racks h2, h3, (such button carrying the inclines i, 12, against which the stop pins
strike) to reverse the switch in the switch wheel, and thereby to reverse the direction
of rotation of the needle ring and pattern plate. This reversing of the position of
the button causes the stop pins to give a back traverse to the slide which carries
the button, and thereby to invert the order of reversals of rotation of the needle
ring; in other words, the gore to form the peak of the cap having been the first
portion of the work knitted, it will now, in the repetition action of the machine,
be the last portion knitted, and so on throughout the continuous action of the
machine.

page_text: It should be remarked that although the work is described as being composed of
gores, and the diagram shows these gores as only partly attached to each other, yet
the fabric, as knitted, is in fact a continuous sack-shaped production. This result is
obtained by knitting the gores together, as indicated by the curved lines d, d, of
Fig. 18, which show that whereas the second gore on one side is united only to the
first, the first on the same side is also united to the fourth gore and to the eighth
gore to produce unity. Similarly, on the same side of the work the third gore is
united with the fourth gore, and the fifth gore is united with the sixth and also with
the eighth, the seventh gore completing the union with the eighth gore, and taking
up all the loops not connected with the first gore and the fifth.
The curved dotted lines on the opposite side of the diagram clearly illustrate the
manner of connecting the gores together on that side, and as the work is elastic it
will take any shape desired to effect this union of the gores.
In lieu of the means above described for bringing the stop pins to act upon the
reciprocating forked lever, and thereby reversing the traverse of the needles at given
intervals, and at the time when a piece of work is completed, reversing the position
of the inclines on which the stop pins act, so as to reverse the order of progression
of the knitted gores, the contrivance which I will now proceed to describe is
employed.
In Figures 19 and 20, Sheet IX., a switch k¹ is shewn as applied to the pattern
plate. This switch is, by the action of the pin k in the centre of the button g and
block i, caused to assist in reversing the rotation of the pattern plate, and also the
needle ring.
At Fig. 20, an arrangement of stop pins is shewn applied to the pattern wheel in
connection with the switch k¹, for producing a different character of work from that
above described. In this case the work intended to be produced approaches the
form of an unclosed sphere, which may, by being fulled and fitted with a drawing
string, be converted into a pouch bag. The stop pins will, in this case, consist of
two pairs, the pins of each pair being equidistant from the the centre of motion of the
pattern plate, and midway between these pins the fulcrum pin for the switch will
be situated. This switch, marked , is fitted, as shewn at Figures 19, to a fulcrum
pin 2, which passing through the pattern plate forms the spindle for a V edged
piece, against which bears a retaining spring, which yields however when the
switch is struck by the pin k to allow the switch to shift, and then holds it in its
shifted position.
Supposing now the pattern plate to be rotating in the direction of the arrow,
Fig. 20, and the pin % of the block i to be in the position shewn in that Figure,
the point of the switch will pass under the block i, and bearing upon the side of
the pin will shift the block to the right hand. When however the switch comes
into the position shewn at Fig. 21, the pin / will strike the shoulder of the switch,
and before clearing it the switch will be tipped into the dotted position of the
Figure. A pin serves to limit the amount of oscillation of the switch. When, by
the further traverse of the pattern plate, the pin 1 is brought into contact with the
block i, it will, by striking against the block, as shewn at Fig. 22, reverse the action
of the machine, and the pattern plate, now travelling in the direction of the arrow,
Fig. 22, will bring the stop pin 2 into contact with the block i, as shewn at Fig. 23.
The direction of motion of the pattern plate will now again be reversed, and the
effect of this will be to bring the switch to the right-hand side of the pin k. The
pink, now bearing on the shoulder of the switch, will reverse its position, and
throw it into that shewn by Fig. 24. The stop pin 3 will then act upon the block i
and reverse the direction of motion of the pattern plate, and consequently of the
needle ring, and the stop pin 4 will then return and take up the position relatively
to the block i, shewn in Fig. 20. On the next reverse of motion of the pattern
plate, the switch will, by the action of the pink, be returned to the dotted position
of Fig. 20, and thus the order of motions above indicated will be repeated. From
this explanation it will be understood with the assistance of the diagram, Fig. 25;
how a piece of work with closed ends may be produced. As in this diagram the

page_text: length of the gores is indicated by the number of needles taken up, in addition to
those contained in the gate at starting, no further explanation of the mode of pro-
ducing this class of work will be necessary.
When it is desired to make a piece of selvage work, such as that indicated in tho
diagram, Fig. 26, it will only be necessary to reciprocate the needle ring the distance
of one needle alternately in opposite directions. To effect this a pair of stop pins j
is arranged with respect to the block i, as shewn in the diagram, Fig. 27; that is,
one on either side thereof, and in close contact with the block. Every turn of the
switch wheel will, through the reciprocating fork being now virtually locked to
the pattern plate, cause the switch to be shifted alternately in opposite directions,
and thus a selvage will be produced.
The continued action of the machine thus fitted will produce straight work
suitable for scarves. When the machine is to be applied to this class of work, it
may be desirable to admit a much larger number of needles into the gate at one
time than is required for the work previously referred to. Thus it may be desirablo
so to enlarge the width of the gate as to receive as many as a hundred needles at
a time.
By reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the block i attached to or constituting
a portion of the button g is stepped, the part on which the inclines i, i, are formed
being nearer to the plate E than the square part of the block. The object of thus
forming the block is to permit of certain short stud pins j of the plate E acting
upon the inclines, and so traversing the button in the slot of the forked lever, and
then passing under the block i without rocking the switch fork, the act of rocking
the fork and reversing the action of the switch wheel being reserved for longer pins
on the plate E.
By using short and long pins circular fashioned work may be produced in this
machine. Thus the circular knitting may be carried on without interruption for a
given number of courses, the block i being meanwhile traversed to bring it opposite
the first of a set of reversing pins. When these are brought into action fashioned work
will be produced after the manner already explained, and continued until the block i
has passed out of range of the reversing pins.
I may here remark that, instead of mounting the needles in a ring, they may be
mounted in a line on a rack bar, the shape of the grate being changed from the
curved to a straight form to correspond with this arrangement of the needles. The
wiper will also, in this case, take the straight form; and the yarn guides, instead
of being arranged in a segment bar, will be carried by a straight bar. The presser
will also be straight, but in other respects the machine will require no modification.
The needle bar will be driven and reciprocated, like the needle ring, by means of
the switch wheel.
When work of an irregular shape is required to be produced for the formation,
say, of a light summer hat or cap, cotton, instead of woollen yarns, may be employed.
In such case the work will be simply sized and blocked to bring it to its permanent
or marketable form.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in Knitting
Machines," as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. The use in knitting machines, constructed substantially as herein described,
of the pattern plate and the mechanism in connection therewith for reversing the
switch of the switch wheel, and thereby reversing the traverse of the needles for
the purpose above set forth.
Second. The use in knitting machines of the pattern plate, constructed substan-
tially as above described, and also of the mechanism used for driving the pattern
plate or its equivalent by the direct action of the switch wheel, whereby a certain
and definite movement of the pattern plate is obtained in the manner substantially
as herein set forth.
Thirdly. The means applied as above described and used for regulating the supply

page_text: of the yarn to the needles, and also for enabling the rate of supply to be automatically
changed when desired.
Fourthly. The use in combination with the yarn supply mechanism of the means
described for regulating the fall of the needles and the motion of the wiper, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose above set forth.
5thly. I also claim the means used, as above described, for giving a dwell to the
gate, and thereby providing for the lateral shifting of the needles.
6thly. The construction of elastic wipers used as above described.
7thly. The means, used as above described, with reference to Figures 3 and 4,
for reversing the direction of traverse of the sliding block in the reciprocating
forked lever when the stop pins for the formation of a piece of shaped work have
been brought into action, and the form of work is required to be repeated.
8thly. The use, substantially as above described, of the switch on the pattern
plate, and the means for setting the same automatically for the purpose of bringing
the sliding block of the forked lever under the action of the stop pins of the.
pattern plate, in order to reverse the direction of traverse of the needles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 26th day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
1
AT
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)