nitting
Year: 1887

page_text: Our Invention relates to Circular Knitting Machines of the Self acting needle
class of one or more feeders.
The object of our invention is to lay in very thick threads at the back of the
fabric in loops, and if required to cut the loops and leave straight pieces of
threads.
Another part of our invention is for laying backing threads between alternate
needles and alternate courses. The weft thread may be laid in between the
meshes of the knitted loops of the first course and in the second course a looped
backing Between the meshes, the same as the first course. So that a stout
firm fabric is produced.
We can put in the looped back at every feeder but do not get so firm a fabric.
We are aware of the method of putting in weft threads as per letters patent
granted to Messrs. Hearth & Sturgess, 4418 30th March 1886.
In adapting our improvements we use in the circular knitting machine of the
well known type, short and long butts to the jacks or needles.
We use an auxiliary cam or incline as shewn in Hearth & Sturgess's 441S,
30th March 1886, and we use when making alternate weft and backing a cranked
needle, this may be of a variety of shapes; we use a half-moon shape with a
projection on the frame cylinder to correspond to the bend and which throws the
needle forward.
By this means the weft or loop thread will get at the back of the cranked needle
and under the latch of the straight needle and so roll over between the meshes.
The Cut Butt Needles through the butt and the action of the auxiliary cam or
incline, does not rise with the straight needle with the long butt. They both rise
at the point where the two furrows of the cams join and rise up the incline and
clear their laiches and descend to knitt the loops in the ordinary manner,

page_text: We do not require to use a cranked needle when laying in the looped backing
at every course.
To enable us to draw the looped backing to the back of the needles, we attach
our improvements to the circular machine in the following manner. We have a
horseshoe shaped bracket over the circular head. The bracket is for carrying the
plates and cams. To the centre of this bracket, we attach a pin, on this pin a
brass cut in tricks to correspond to half the number of tricks in the machine.
Above this brass we fix the incline plates which act upon the sinker that draws
the back loops.
We fix screws for regulating the length of loops drawn by the sinkers.
The cam plates are stationary, the brass which holds the sinkers work round
with the circular machine. This is driven by a wedge in the cross-bars in the
rack beneath, or may be driven by gearing wheels from above, geared to the
machine.
Inside we fix a ring to hold the fabric out, even all round, to give an equal
tension to the threads when knitting. The sinker is made with butts, to be
driven by the incline. In the grooves in the brasses.
It comes forward when the alternate needles are down, and retires with the
backing thread before they reach the knitting cam & remain untill the backing
loops are secured in the meshes.
To the sinker brass we attach a knife for cutting the loops or we may use two
knives if required. The sinker brings the loops in contact with the knife by a
second cam that draws it tight across the knife.
TL 11511.
1001
JOHN HARRIS COOPER.
WILLIAM JAMES FORD.

page_text: Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines and the Fabrics
Produced thereon.
We, JOHN HARRIS COOPER of Evington, in the county of Leicester, Hosiery.
Manufacturer and WILLIAM JAMES FORD, of Humberstone, in the county of
Leicester, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention relates to circular knitting machines of the self-acting needle
class and the object thereof is to enable thick thread to be laid in at the back of
the fabric in loops and also to provide for the introduction or laying in of weft
or backing threads. Another part of the invention relates to the method of put-
ting tension on the weft threads.
In the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a plain circular knitting frame with our improvements
applied.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the frame cylinder showing the course
of the cam furrows.
Fig. 2 is an inside view thereof.
Fig. 3 is a section thereof.
Figs. 4 and 5 are sections of the needle-carrying cylinder showing the different
forms of needle employed.
Fig. 6 shows the form and method of operating the hook employed for drawing
the loop between the needles.
Fig. is a plan of a portion of the cam plate and cam groove for operating the
hooks and figure 8 an edge view thereof including plate for carrying the hooks.
A represents the cam cylinder and B the frame needle cylinder around which are
the feeders C for guiding and putting tension on the thread c¹ which has to be
knitted and the thread which forms the weft or loop.
To the upper part of the machine in the position occupied by the loop forming
mechanism when such is used is fixed a collar or sleeve D through which passes
a shaft 1 carrying at its bottom end a plate or disc D in which are formed radial
slots for the reception of the loop forming hooks E (see fig. 6). These hooks are
provided with buits or heels e similar to those on the needles and these butts
engage in the grooves of the cams F fixed to the underside of the plate F¹ which
is supported from the collar I by means of a recessed boss J2 and secured by
thumb screw J. As the needle cylinder revolves the plate D revolves along
therewith being driven by the train of gearing G, G1, G2 and G³, and the butts e
of the hooks following the course of the cam grooves in the plate F are caused
to project between the frame needles as shown in figure 7 and then receding to
draw the loop thread between them thus forming loops which may either be left
as formed or may be afterwards cut as in ordinary pile fabrics. The loops may
be laid in either with every course of stitches or with alternate courses just as may
be desired. In order to vary the length of the loop the cam plates F are attached
to dovetailed blocks F3 which fit into slots formed in the plate F1 and are secured
by means of bolt f which pass through a rim or flange f which fits around the
outer edge of the plate F¹. By this means the cam plates F can be nearer to or

page_text: further from the centre around which the hooks revolve according as it is desired
to lengthen or shorten the loop.
In order to lay in the weft two forms of needle H and H₁ are employed as
shown in figures 4 and 5. In figure 4 the needle H is bent below the latch at
and the heel or butt is only about half the usual length. Figure 5 represents the
ordinary needle. The needle cylinder B is formed with a projecting rim b around
its upper outer edge and the cam furrow is of varying depth or is narrowed at one
part by the use of an extra cam plate J figure 2. As the needle cylinder revolves
the ordinary, needles H with long heels will ride upon the cam J which is level
at the top whilst the short heeled needles will follow the ordinary course J
Referring to figure 2 which represents a portion of the cylinder sufficient to show
the different positions assumed by the needles, a indicates the lowest stage of
depression of the needles at which point the stitches are cast off." As the cylin-
"
der continues to revolve in the direction of the arrow the long heeled needles
commence to rise on the extra cam J and having reached the top they travel
from a to a² without change of elevation the cranked needles moving parallel
thereto on the cam J. In the meanwhile that is whilst passing from a to a³
the weft thread is laid on in front of the straight needles and the short heeled
needles which have commenced to rise at a are thrown forward during their
ascent by the cranked portion coming in contact with the rim b. Therefore
instead of coming up behind the weft thread as the straight needles are they
place themselves in front thereof as shown in figure 4. On reaching the point a
the whole of the needles follow the ordinary cam groove J and are raised in
rotation to their fullest extent whereby the latches pass through the loops of
work left on the needles from the preceding course (see figure 1) and also above
the weft or extra loop thread which has been laid on as previously described dur
ing the travel of the needle from a to a³ so that on the next descent of the needles
to throw off the stitches tlie weft thread is thrown off along therewith and floats
on the back of the fabric excepting where it is retained by the thread connecting
the stitches formed by the bent needles with those on either side thereof.
One feed only for producing looped work is shown in figure 1 but the circle of
needles may have any desired number of feeds around it.
It will readily be seen that the two features of our invention may be combined
and that by laying in weft threads and looped backing in alternate courses a
stout firm and ornamental fabric can be produced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim
is:-
1. In a circular knitting frame the
hooks such as E for drawing the thread
tially as described.
combination with the frame needles of
into loops between the needles substan-
2. The combination in circular knitting machines of cranked needles such as H
having short heels or butts with ordinary needles such as H' a rim being formed
on the cylinder B to act on the cranked needles and an extra cam J being employed
to raise the needles H for the purpose of laying in weft threads substantially as
specified.
3. The combination in a circular knitting machine of hooks E for forming loops
at the back of the fabric cranked needles H rim b and extra cam J for effecting
the laying in of weft threads substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. In a circular knitting machine the employment of a cranked needle such as
described and illustrated in figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
1000
JOHN HARRIS COOPER.
WILLIAM JAMES FORD.