IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M and
W. Clark of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents,
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES Communi-
cated to him from abroad by Isaac Wixom Lamb of Parshallville in the
County of Livingston and State of Michigan United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th August 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A M and W 'Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Patent Agents IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINES [Communicated to him from abroad by Isaac Wixom Lamb of
Parshallville in the County of Livingston and State of Michigan United States of
America]
This Invention relates especially to that class of machines known as the "Lamb
Knitting Machine" for which Letters Patent were granted to William Clark dated
May 26th 1865 N° 1445.
The present invention consists first; in a sectional needle bed in combination
with needle shifters whereby great facility of construction and unusual durability
are ensured, Secondly in the manner of supporting and securing the shifters in their
upper and lower positions. Thirdly in the construction of the bed sections and
the manner of attaching the jacks thereto; And further the invention consists in
certain novel features of construction and combination as hereinafter described
The needle beds are slotted to receive the needles and shifters, the slots being
formed by spaces left between the sections, above spacing pieces about to be
described.
Each section is constructed of four principal parts, 'three of' which are plates of
similar size and form varying only by the difference in the notches and openings
cut in them and of such thickness that when placed together they form, together
with the fourth or spacing plate (which is of smaller size) a bed section of proper
width and thickness.
The middle one of the three larger plates has a slot cut in its upper end
to receive the shank of the jack, and one of the adjacent plates has an aperture
near its upper end to receive a grooved or flanged piece in which the needle and
needle shifter are held and which is of such size and form as to pivot or oscillate
within the said aperture. This pivotal piece is herein designated a "Switch."
Price 8d1

page_text: The fourth or spacing plate is smaller than the others; it forms the bottom of the
needle groove and limits the downward movement of the needle shifters. There
is also a small spacing piece of the same thickness as the plate last referred to, and
which is termed the "needle stop." This is so located in the lower end of the needle
groove above the needle shifter, that it limits the outward movement of the needle
and also the upward movement of the shifter, and greatly strengthens the bed
sections.
It is preferred to rivet these plates together so as to form one piece for each
section for convenience in handling, but this is not essential.
The plates or sections composing the bed are traversed and bound together by two
tie rods passing through holes in the plates. It is preferred that one of these rods
should pass through the end pieces of the bed, whilst the other terminates within
the end pieces, both being provided with nuts on the ends. The needle shifters are
somewhat longer than the grooves of the bed; they enter at their upper ends
between the flanges of the "switch" pieces so that they are held therein, above the
spacing plates forming the bottom of the grooves and beneath the spacing pieces
forming the needle stops. The needle shifters project at their lower ends from the
grooves of the bed and to the said shifters are pivoted latches adapted to engage
with notches in the needle bed and to hold the shifters in either of two positions
viz raised or lowered. The shifters also have each a downwardly projecting lug
against which bears a spring, which tends to raise the shifter and at same time
press it endwise so as to retain the shifter in place and so as to retain its latch in
the notch of the bed.
The depth of the needle groove is such that when the shifters are moved down-
wards the needle shanks will be entirely within the grooves and consequently
below the surface of the bed, whereas while in the raised position of the shifters
the needle shanks project above the bed in position to be acted on by the cams of
the carriage.
With this construction any desired number of needles can be moved down out
of operation while their hook ends remain elevated in position for retaining the
loops of yarn
The action of the spring on the shifter is such that no shifter will remain partly
depressed but if by accident the operator fails to press any shifter entirely down
until the lower side of the latch engages the lower notch, then the spring will
immediately throw the shifter up again into working position and cause the latch
to engage in its upper notch.
By this arrangement one of the greatest objections to the Lamb Knitting
Machine as heretofore constructed is overcome. It is a very common thing in using
the old style of machine to move a needle up and leave it in such position that the
shank of the needle is in the line of movement of the corner or point of the V cam,
which then striking such needle shank is liable to break either the cam the needle
or the needle bed
Again, since in this improved machine the needles can be thrown out of working
position by being made to move down within the needle bed without any endwise
movement, the loops may be retained on inoperative needles, and hence all the
fingers of a glove may be knitted on the machine without removing the work,
while on machines of usual construction only one finger can be knitted at a time,
and hence each separate finger must be picked up onto the needles before knitting
the hand
There are many kinds of work on which this change is of great advantage.
In the manufacture of socks with what are termed "Mock-ribbed " tops the practice
is to remove the loops from every fifth or sixth needle and then throw such needle out
of work. For convenience I attach to such shifters as are to be depressed in order
to produce such Mock-ribs, wire links which serve to designate the seam needles
These links are passed
and also as convenient means of drawing them down.
through holes both in the shifters and in the tails of their latches, the hole in the
shifter being somewhat larger than that in the latch, so that on drawing down the

page_text: links in order to put the seam needles out of work, the latch will first be unlocked
and then the shifter will be moved downwards, until on reaching its lowest position
the latch relocks itself The said links may if desired be connected for simultaneous
movement to a rod.
The other shifters may be depressed by pressing the finger on the tail end of the
latch which is wider up and down than the shifter so that the pressure will first
unfasten the latch and then move the latch and shifter down until the shifter
reaches the bottom of the groove in the needle bed, when the latch will enter its
lower notch, and securely retain the shifter in its lower position. To raise the
shifter it is only necessary to disengage the latch when the shifter will be carried
upwards by its spring, and the latch will be caused to engage in its upper notch,
and lock the shifter in its upper position.
This improved construction gives great facility for the removal of needles from
the bed which is effected by drawing the shifter out end wise (its spring yielding to
let it pass) until it is out of the switch when the needle can be removed by first
raising its shank and then drawing it endwise. To insert and secure a needle these
operations are performed in the inverse order and direction.
This method of retaining the shifters in place by springs secures them with
sufficient certainty and yet permits their ready removal.
The "switch" piece before referred to has a rounded end which is received in a
corresponding rounded portion of the aperture of the plate of the bed section; it
pivots on this rounded end and forms alone without any needle gib a. perfect
support for the needle shifters and needles.
The small spacing pieces before designated "needle stops" prevent the needle
sliding endways beyond the cams of the carriage; secondly, they very greatly
protect the bed sections since they completely fill the grooves at a point just below
the needle shanks when the needles are at their lowest or most outward position,
the greatest strain on the needle bed occurring when the needles are casting their
loops, which takes place when the needle shanks are quite close to these needle
stops; and thirdly these needle stops serve to limit the upward movement of the
lifters
It would be impracticable to construct a needle bed of fine gauge with grooves
of sufficient depth to receive needle shifters and yet be substantial and durable
without employing needle stops which wholly fill the grooves, crosswise as in the
present case.
By making the bed sections of several plates or pieces as described it is easy to
make the apertures for the jacks and switches and by having one plate on each
side of the plate which receives the jack, the latter is effectually secured against
lateral movement. The jacks are cut out of flexible sheet metal and have curved
ends of usual form and shanks which fit in the slots of the plates as above
mentioned. By making the jacks in this way any one may be removed and
replaced at pleasure, and the first cost of jacks constructed and secured in this
manner is less than that of making them in the ordinary way
For some classes of machines it is preferable to dispense with the switches and
make the shifter rock upon a rounded projection on the spacing plate which forms
the bottom of the groove, upon which the shifter is held down by a steel plate
above, which passes through apertures in the other plates composing the sections
and extends the whole length of the bed, its upper or inner edge being directly
over the rounded projection. The needle is thus kept close to the shifter and its
shank is caused to move up and down out of and into the needle grooves when the
shifter is moved. In this case I make the inner ends of the shifters somewhat
longer than when switches are employed so that they will have greater leverage on
the needle above or inside the said covering plate.
In some cases it undesirable to use the pivoted latches for holding the shifters in-
the raised and lowered positions and in lieu thereof I employ the following device.
The spring of the shifter is applied to press against the lug of the shifter so as to
tend to force it downwards or outwards instead of being of such form and so

page_text: applied as to tend to force the shifter upwards or inwards as before; the lug of the
shifter has a tooth or projection on its outer side which engages with a cross rod
that passes through holes in the bed sections, the tooth or projection coming above
or below said rod according as the shifter is in its raised or lowered position an
endwise movement of the shifter being necessary to move it from the one position
to the other as in the former case. A second rod passes through the bed sections
below the first rod for the purpose of preventing the shifter springs dropping out
when the shifters are removed and in order to retain the shifters when the upper
rod is removed, this lower rod being in position to engage with the lug of the
shifter when in its lowered position. By drawing out the upper rod any of the
shifters can be removed or inserted in the grooves of the bed
For some classes of work it is desirable to have the two needle beds so connected
to the end frames as to permit the movement of the beds away from and towards
one another, in order to separate the beds and enlarge the opening between the
two rows of jacks so as to facilitate the picking up of work onto the needles.
To permit of this movement the needle beds are supported on flanges or shoulders
on the inner sides of the end pieces or they may be otherwise supported so that
they may slide freely and yet not be too loose. The needle beds are held down
upon the shoulders which support them, by plates which extend from one end
piece to the other, above the needle beds and just over the needle stops. These
plates are secured to the end pieces and fit close down upon the needle beds; they
also serve to retain the needles in place when the needle beds are moved apart, the
needle shanks abutting against the inner edges of these plates as the beds are
moved outward so that the needles are prevented from participating in the outward
movement of the beds.
In this construction of machine the end pieces or frames of the needle beds
are preferably connected as one casting by a cross bar beneath which also forms
the clamp for attaching the machine to a table or other support.
The needle beds are moved out and in by segmental pinions beneath them
gearing with racks on the underside of the beds near each end thereof, the racks
being secured to the beds in any suitable manner but for convenience of adjusting
the parts it is preferred that the racks should be adjustable to a slight extent.
A shaft mounted in the end pieces of the beds extends beneath the one bed and
has two segmental pinions fast upon it, one near each end of the bed. Segments
of these pinions gear with the racks of the bed and other segments gear with the
corresponding segments of two other pinions which turn upon studs fixed to the
end pieces, and whose other segments gear with the racks of the other bed.
one end of the machine preferably the right hand end the shaft extends beyond
the end piece and has an operating lever handle fixed upon it provided with a
spring latch or locking lever which engages with the end piece and secures the
operating lever in either position after it is moved forward or backward to throw
the needle beds apart or move them together.
At
This adjustment of the needle beds is of great utility when much picking up is
to be done on the machine, as in the case when rib tops are picked up onto the
needles, but for knitting plain work the machine with fixed beds first described
will do just as well and will cost somewhat less.
In machines with movable beds the cross rods above described as locking the
shifters in the grooves of the bed, extend only through the needle beds and do not
enter the end pieces. To permit of this one piece at each end of the needle bed
is made of solid metal about threefourths of an inch thick and of the same form
as the bed sections, and the rods are secured in such solid pieces in any suitable
manner. As the machines are capable of performing a great variety of work all
or some only of the improvements herein described may be combined in the same
machine according to the class of work for which it is to be chiefly used,

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 10th February 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the Firm of A, M, and W, Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Patent Agents IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINES a communication to me from abroad by Isaac Wixom Lamb, of
Parshallville, in the County of Livingston and State of Michigan, United States of
America
This Invention relates especially to that class of machines known as the "Lamb
Knitting Machine," for which Letters Patent were granted to William Clark dated
May 26. 1865, No. 1445.
The present Invention consists first, in a sectional needle bed in combination with
needle shifters whereby great facility of construction and unusual durability are
ensured; secondly, in the manner of supporting and securing the shifters in their
upper and lower positions; thirdly, in the construction of the bed sections and the
manner of attaching the jacks thereto; and further the Invention consists in certain
novel features of construction and combination as hereinafter described.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I will proceed to
describe it with reference to the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross
section of the bed of a Lamb Knitting machine provided with the improvements.
Figure 2 is a front view of a portion of the bed. Figure 3 is a perspective view of
the several parts which when assembled together constitute one section of the bed,
the parts being here shown separated from one another. Figure 4 shows a slightly
different construction of the same parts, the switch being omitted. Figure 5 shows
a complete section of the bed, the parts being in position and constructed as shown
in detail in Figure 4. Figures 6. 7. and 8 show the mode of connecting the two
needle beds and the general construction of the machine when the beds are
movable towards and from each other. The same letters of reference indicate like
parts in all the figures.
Referring to Figures 1. 2. 3. A are the end frames which support the two needle
beds B. The needle beds are slotted to receive the needles and shifters, the slots
being formed by spaces left between the sections above spacing pieces h about to
be described. Each section is constructed of four principal parts b c d and h (shown
separately in Figure 3) b c and d being plates of similar size and form varying only
by the difference in the notches and openings cut in them, and of such thickness
that when placed together side by side they form, together with the fourth or
spacing plate h, a bed section of proper width and thickness. The several bed
sections constituted by the assemblage of these four plates are indicated by the
letter a in Figure 2. The plate b is plain; the plate c has a slot c¹ cut in its upper
end to receive the shank of the jack f and the plate & has an aperture d' near its
upper end to receive a grooved or flanged piece g in which the needle j and needle
shifter are held, and which is of such size and form as to pivot or oscillate within
the said aperture. This pivotal piece g is herein designated a "switch." The
spacing plate h is smaller than the others; it forms the bottom of the needle groove
and limits the downward movement of the needle shifter. There is also a small
spacing piece e of the same thickness as the plate and which is termed the
"needle stop." This is so located in the lower end of the needle groove above the
needle shifter that it limits the outward movement of the needle j and also
the upward movement of the shifter, and greatly strengthens the bed sections a.
It is preferred to rivet these plates b c d h and e together so as to form one piece

page_text: for each section for convenience in handling, but this is not essential. The sections a
of the bed (or the plates of which they are composed) are traversed and bound
together by two tie rods iż passing through holes in the plates as indicated by
dotted lines in Figure 3. It is preferred that the upper one of these rods should
pass quite through the end frames A of the bed whilst the other terminates within
the end frames in a proper countersink or recess therein, as shown in Figure 2, both
being provided with nuts on the ends, the one binding the several plates or sections
together and the other securing the bed in the end frames A. It is plain that the
needle beds may be constructed of any desired length, and the end frames A of any
suitable form. The jack f is cut out of flexible sheet metal; it has a curved end of
usual form and a shank that fits the slot c³ of plate c. The switch g has flanges at
top and bottom forming a groove between them at one side in which the needle j
and its shifter are held, as shown in Figure 1, with freedom for the necessary
sliding motion of the needle therein. It has a semicircular extension g' at one end
which fits in a corresponding recess in the aperture d' of plate d, and forms the
pivot on which the switch g oscillates within said aperture. The needle shifter / is
somewhat longer than the groove of the bed; it is held at its upper end with the
needle upon it in the groove of the "switch" and lies above the spacing plate h
forming the bottom of the groove and beneath the spacing piece e forming the
needle stop. The needle shifter projects at the lower end from the groove of the
bed, and to the said shifter is pivoted a latch m of the form shown in Figure 1,
adapted to engage with either of two notches n n' in the plates c and d, and to hold
the shifter in either of two positions, viz-raised or lowered as shown at the left
and right sides of Figure 1 respectively. The shifter also has a downwardly pro-
jecting lug against which bears a spring o fixed by one end in a notch in the
plate c, the pressure of the spring being so applied as to tend to raise the shifter
and at same time press it endwise so as to retain the shifter in place and so as to
retain its latch m in the notch n or n¹. The depth of the needle groove is such
that when the shifter is depressed, the needle shank will be entirely within the
groove, and consequently below the top surface of the bed, as at the right side of
Figure 1, whereas, while in the raised position of the shifter the needle shank j¹
projects above the bed, as at the left side of Figure 1, in position to be acted on by
the cams of the carriage.
With this construction which is alike for all, any desired number of needles can
be moved down out of operation while their hook ends remain elevated in position
for retaining the loops of yarn.
The action of the spring o on the shifter is such that no shifter will remain
partly depressed, but if by accident the operator fails to press any shifter entirely
down until the lower side of the latch m engages the lower notch n¹, then the
spring o will immediately throw the shifter up again into working position and
cause the latch m to engage in the upper notch n By this arrangement one of
the greatest objections to the "Lamb Knitting Machine as heretofore constructed
33
is overcome. It is a very common thing in using the old style of machine to move
a needle up and leave it in such position that the shank j¹ of the needle is in
the line of movement of the corner or point of the V shaped cam upon the carriage,
which then striking said needle shank is liable to break either the
cam, the needle,
or the needle bed.
Again, since in this improved machine the needles can be thrown out of working
position by being depressed within the needle bed without any endwise movement,
the loops may be retained on inoperative needles, and hence all the fingers of a
glove may be knitted on the machine without removing the work, while on
machines of usual construction only one finger can be knitted at a time, and hence
each separate finger must be picked up onto the needles before knitting the hand
portion. There are many other kinds of work in which this change is of great
advantage.
"
In the manufacture of socks with what are termed "Mock ribbed
tops the
practice is to remove the loops from every fifth or sixth needle and then throw

page_text: such needle out of work. For convenience I attach to such needle shifters as are
to be depressed in order to produce such "mock ribs," wire links q as shown in
Figures 1 and 2, which serve to designate the seam needles and also as convenient
means of drawing them down. Each of these links is passed through holes both
in the needle shifter and in the tail of its latch m, the hole in the needle shifter
being somewhat larger than that in the latch m and consequently larger than the
wire of which the link q is made, so that on drawing down the several links in
order to put the seam needles out of work, the latch m will first be unlocked and
then the needle shifter will be moved downwards until on reaching its lowest
position the latch relocks itself as shown at the right side of Figure 1.
Each row
of links q may if desired be connected for simultaneous movement to a rod which
may pass through the lower eyes of such links. The other needle shifter may be
depressed by pressing the finger on the tail end of the latch m which is wider in
the up and down direction than the shifter 7 so that the pressure will first unfasten
the latch m and then move the latch and shifter down until the shifter reaches the
bottom of the groove in the needle bed when the lower nose of the latch will enter
the lower notch n¹ and securely retain the shifter in its lower position. To raise
the shifter, it is only necessary to disengage the latch whereupon the shifter will
be carried upwards by its spring o, and the latch will be caused to engage in the
upper notch n and lock the shifter in its upper position.
This improved construction gives great facility for the removal of needles from
the bed which is effected by drawing the shifter out end wise (its spring o yielding
to let its lug pass) until it is out of the switch g when the needle can be removed
by first raising its shank j' above the needle stop e and then drawing it endwise.
If preferred the shifter 1 may be entirely withdrawn from the machine before
removing the needle. To insert and secure a needle, these operations are performed
in the inverse order and direction that is to say, the needle is first inserted and
held in place in the switch whilst the shifter is inserted at the lower edge of the
needle bed under the stop e and pressed end wise until the lug ¹ passes the shoulder
of the spring o. This method of retaining the shifters in place by springs secures
them with sufficient certainty, and yet permits their ready removal.
The switch" piece g having its rounded end g¹ exactly fitting the rounded
portion of the aperture d' of the plate d, forms alone without any needle gib a
perfect support for the needle shifters and needles. In some cases it is found
desirable to have an aperture d¹ in the plate b as well as in the plate d to receive
the flanges of the switch g, the aperture in plate b being just large enough to
permit of the necessary movement of the switch, or separate apertures may be
made in plate b, one for each flange of the switch, instead of a single aperture to
receive both flanges.
The "needle stops" e prevent the needles sliding endways beyond the cams of
the carriage; secondly, they very greatly protect the bed sections since they
completely fill the grooves at a point just below the needle shanks j¹ when the
needles are at their lowest or most outward position, the greatest strain on the
needle bed occurring when the needles are casting their loops, which takes place
when the needle shanks are quite close to these needle stops e; and thirdly, these
needle stops e serve to limit the upward movement of the lifters l.
It would be impracticable to construct a needle bed of fine gauge with grooves
of sufficient depth to receive needle shifters, and yet be substantial and durable,
without employing needle stops which wholly fill the grooves crosswise as in the
present case. By making the bed sections of several plates b c and d as herein-
before described, it is easy to make the slots c and d for the jacks and switches,
and by having one plate on each side of the plate c which receives the jack f, the
latter is effectually secured against lateral movement. By making and securing the
jacks in this way, any one may be removed and replaced by a new one at pleasure
and their first cost is less than that of making them in the ordinary way.
I am aware that needle beds have been constructed in sections, Mr Isaac.
W. Lamb from whom I receive this communication having so constructed them in

page_text: Leceister in the years 1866 and 1867. I am also aware that machines have been
constructed in which needle shifters have been employed, but I am not awaro
that the two features have ever been combined in any one machine. By con-
structing the needle beds in sections, I am able to provide grooves of sufficient
depth without difficulty. I also secure great facility for attaching the springs, the
jacks, the needle stops and the switches or other devices for controlling the shifters.
I am enabled to make a strong durable machine of any desired gauge having
needle shifters and possessing all the advantages which I have herein before
enumerated.
I will now describe the modification illustrated in Figures 4. 5. and 6. For
some classes of machines it is preferable to dispense with the switches g and make
the shifter rock upon a rounded projection on the spacing plate h which forms
the bottom of the groove upon which the shifter is held down by a steel plate p
above, which passes through apertures d' in each of the plates b c d and extends the
whole length of the needle bed, its upper or inner edge being directly over the
rounded projection . The needle is thus kept close to the shifter, and its shank j¹
is caused to move up and down out of and into the needle grooves when the shifter
is moved. In this case I make the inner ends of the shifters some what longer
than when switches are employed so that they will have greater leverage on the
needle above or inside the said covering plate p. The operation is otherwise the
same as when switches are employed.
In some cases it is undesirable to use the pivoted latches m before described for
holding the shifters in the raised and lowered positions, and in lieu thereof I employ
the device shown in Figures 4 and 5 which satisfactorily answers the purpose. The
spring o is fixed by one end inserted in a notch in piece h, and its other end is
applied to press against the lugs of the shifter, as shown in Figure 5, so as to
tend to force it downwards or outwards instead of being of such form and so
applied as to tend to force the shifter upwards or inwards as before; the lug of the
shifter has a tooth or projection on its outer side which engages with a cross
rod that passes through holes in the bed sections, the tooth or projection ?
coming above or below said rod r¹ according as the shifter is in its raised or
lowered position, an endwise movement of the shifter being necessary to move it
from the one position to the other, as in the former case. A second rod 72 also
passes through the bed sections below the rod r¹ for the purpose of preventing the
springs o dropping out when the shifters are removed, and in order to retain the
shifters when the rod is removed, this rod being in position to engage with
the lug of the shifter when in its lowered position. By first placing those
shifters which I do not wish to remove in their lower position so as to engage with
rod and by them drawing out the rod 2, any one of the shifters that is in its
upper position will be made to start out end wise by its spring o when it can be
removed by the hand. If preferred all the shifters may be placed in their lower
position before drawing out rod r³, and then any of the shifters can be removed
by raising them until their lug 1¹ clears rod 2. To insert the shifters, the rod ¹
being removed, they are placed one by one in the grooves each with a needle over
it, and are put in their lower positions until all are inserted that are required when
rod is replaced.
For some classes of work it is desirable to have the two needle beds B B so
connected to the end frames A A as to permit the movement of the beds away
from and towards one another in order to separate the beds and enlarge the
opening between the two rows of jacks so as to facilitate the picking up of
work onto the needles. Figures 6. 7. and 8 show how this is accomplished. To
permit of this movement the needle beds B are supported on flanges or shoulders y
on the inner sides of the end frames A, or they may be otherwise supported so that
they may slide freely and yet not be too loose. The needle beds are held down
upon the shoulders y by plates which extend from one end frame A to the other
above the needle beds and just over the needle stops e. These plates are screwed
to the end frames A and fit close down upon the needle beds; they also serve to

page_text: retain the needles in place when the needle beds are moved apart, as in Figure 7,
the needle shanks j' abutting against the inner edges of these plates as the beds
are moved outward so that the needles are prevented from participating in the
outward movement of the beds.
In this construction of machine the end frames A of the needle beds are
preferably connected as one casting by a cross bar w beneath, which also forms the
clamp for attaching the machine to a table or other support. The needle beds B
are moved out and in by segmental pinions beneath them gearing with racks xx
on the underside of the beds B near each end thereof, the racks being secured to
the beds in any suitable manner, but for convenience of adjusting the parts it is
preferred that the racks should be adjustable to a slight extent. A shaft & mounted
in the end frames A extends beneath the one bed B and has two segmental pinions
fast upon it, one near each end of the bed. Segments t of these pinions gear with
the racks of this bed, and other segments t* gear with the corresponding
segments of two other pinions which turn upon studs v fixed to the end frames A,
and whose other segments t' gear with the racks x of the other bed. At one end
of the machine, preferably the right hand end, the shaft extends beyond the end
frame A and has an operating lever handle L fixed upon it provided with a spring
latch or locking lever L' which has a locking pin L2 that engages with holes in the
end frame A and secures the operating lever in either position after it is moved
forward or backward to throw the needle beds apart or move them together.
This adjustment of the needle beds is of great utility when much picking up is
to be done on the machine, as in the case when rib tops are picked up onto the
needles, but for knitting plain work the machine with fixed beds first described
will do just as well and will cost somewhat less. In machines with movable beds,
the cross rods i that bind the 'plates of the bed together extend only through the
needle beds and do not enter the end pieces. To permit of this, one piece at each
end of the needle bed is made of solid metal about three-fourths of an inch thick
and of the same form as the bed sections, and the rods are secured in such solid
pieces in any suitable manner. As the machines are capable of performing a great
variety of work, all or some only of the improvements herein described may be
combined in the same machine, according to the class of work for which it is to be
chiefly used.
I do not confine myself to the exact devices described nor to the exact form of
the parts shown, but would have it understood that each claim includes any device
substantially like that specified and especially do I include any mechanical
equivalent for the devices claimed.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st. The combination in a knitting machine of a sectional needle bed having one
section a to each needle groove, with the needle shifters oscillating within the
needle grooves substantially as specified.
2nd. The combination of the bed sections a each having an aperture d', with the
oscillating switch pieces g and the needle shifters 1, substantially as specified.
3rd. The combination of the plate c provided with the slot c' for receiving the
jack and the plates b and d, one on either side of plate c for retaining the jack
within the slot c', with the removable jack f, substantially as specified.
4th. The needle stops e when placed between and combined with the bed
sections a so as to strengthen such bed sections, substantially as specified.
5th. The combination of a series of bed sections to form a slotted needle bod
when each section is provided with a slot c¹ to receive the jacks, and an aperture d'
to receive the switches, and the whole are secured together by rods e¹ and nuts k
or other suitable devices.
6th. The method of securing the needle shifters in their upper or lower positions,
such shifters being locked and unlocked by an endwise movement of the same and

page_text: being retained in their locked position by a suitable spring o by either method
herein described.
7th. The combination of the bent wire spring o, needle shifters 1, latches m, and
notched bed sections for securing the automatic locking of the needle shifters as
shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.
8th. The links or wires combined with the oscillating needle shifters 1, pivoted
latches m, and bed sections a, substantially as specified.
9th. A "Lamb" knitting machine having the needle beds made adjustable out
and in, or so that they may be moved apart for convenience in picking up work,
and moved together when the machine is to begin knitting, the jacks being so
attached to the needle beds that they move out and in with them, substantially as
herein specified.
"
10th. In a Lamb" knitting machine having the two needle beds movable apart,
the connecting the two beds together for simultaneous movement by means of
rack and pinion gear or its equivalent, combined and arranged substantially as
specified.
11th. The combination with the two movable needle beds A. A, the two sets of
rack and pinion gear or its equivalent, of the operating lever L for conveniently
moving the needle beds as specified.
12th. The combination with the movable needle beds as described, of the
plates for retaining the needles (whilst the beds are moved outwards) in a
convenient position for picking up work onto them, substantially as specified.
In Witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set my
hand and seal this tenth day of February, A.D. 1883.