Improvements in the Arrangement of Needles on Hosiery Frames for Producing Ribbed Fabrics and in the Fabric Produced thereon.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Arrangement of Needles on Hosiery Frames
for Producing Ribbed Fabrics and in the Fabric Produced
thereon.'
We, FRANK WHITE and WILLIAM EDWARD WHITE both of the Firm of F. and
W. E. White, Bee-hive Lane, Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Hosiery
Manufacturers, and JAMES WHITWORTH of Kirk hill, Shepshed, in the County of
Leicester, Framework knitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to hosiery frames for the production of ribbed fabric, and it
has for its object the improved arrangement of the needles on such frames whereby a
ribbed fabric may be produced having a superior appearance and a greater amount of
elasticity than has been possible with former arrangements.
What is known as ribbed work is produced on frames having frame needles, and
machine needles, the latter working in between and forming loops in the contrary
direction to the former, these are arranged in several different ways to produce
different ribbed work but up to the present time the consecutive frame needles
have always been more in number or equal to the alternative machine needles
working in between alternate frame needles; for example a common arrangement
is what is known as "six, three" in which there are four consecutive frame
needles, then two alternate frame needles working in between three alternate
machine needles and this is repeated across the frame thus forming stripes or ribs
in the fabric.
In carrying out this invention we use a greater number of alternative machine
needles, than there are consecutive frame needles; for example, we arrange seven
alternative machine needles to work with six alternative frame needles, then two
consecutive frame needles, and repeat this across the frame.
By this arrangement we produce an improved fabric having a much superior
appearance and greater elasticity than ordinary ribbed work.
Dated this 24th'day of September 1888.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Arrangement of Needles on Hosiery Frames
for Producing Ribbed Fabrics and in the Fabric Produced
thereon.
We, FRANK WHITE, and WILLIAM EDWARD WHITE, both of the firm of F. and
W. E. White, Beehive Lane, Loughborough in the County of Leicester, Hosiery
manufacturers and JAMES WHITWORTH of Kirk Hill, Shepshed, in the County of
Leicester Framework Knitter do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to hosiery frames for the production of ribbed fabrics and it
has for its object the improved arrangement of the needles on such frames, whereby a
ribbed fabric may be produced having a superior appearance and a greater amount of
elasticity than has been possible with previous arrangements.
It will be best understood by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in
which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a plan
showing arrangement of the needles, and Fig. 4 is a representation of a portion
of the fabric.
What is known as ribbed work is produced on frames having what are known
as machine needles which are carried on a separate framing and work in between
and draw the loops through in a contrary direction to the ordinary frame needles;
these are arranged in several different ways to produce different kinds of ribbed work,
but up to the present time the machine needles which are arranged in sets and work
between alternate frame needles have been less in number than the consecutive
frame needles, between each set of alternate needles. For example a common
arrangement is what is known as six, three, in which there are four consecutive frame
needles, then two alternate frame needles working in between three alternate machine
needles; by this arrangement stripes or ribs of the same width as the plain parts are
produced.
In carrying out this invention we use a greater number of alternate machine needles A
than consecutive frame needles B; for example seven alternate machine needles A
may be arranged to work with six alternate frame needles C with two consecutive
frame needles B between each set of alternate machine and frame needles. By
this arrangement a fabric is produced having a broad stripe D formed by the alternate
machine and frame needles A and C, and a narrow plain stripe E formed by
the two consecutive frame needles B; this not only gives the fabric a superior
appearance but by using a greater number of alternate frame and machine needles
and reducing the consecutive frame needles greater elasticity is obtained.
We do not however confine ourselves to any precise number of alternate machine
needles in each set as more or less may be used so long as they are greater in number
than the consecutive frame needles.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a hosiery frame the arrangement of the needles so that a greater number
are contained in the sets of alternate machine needles than in the sets of consecutive
frame needles between each set of alternate machine needles substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. A frame work knitted fabric having a broad stripe or rib such a D formed
by alternate frame and machine needles and a narrower plain stripe such as E
formed by consecutive frame needles less in number than the alternate machine
needles substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of
drawings.

page_text: B-
C
FIG.I.
A B A B A B A B A.