Improvements in Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
JAMES HENRY WOODWARD, Hosiery Machinist, and FREDERICK SHAW, Machinist,
both of Lee Works, Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in straight bar latch needle knitting
machines, and has for its object, the provision of means by which the thread for
the loops is indented by sinkers; means by which all the loops are knocked over
simultaneously; and means whereby the fabric may be shaped by the transference
of loops according to the known methods of narrowing and widening.
According to this invention the latch needles are made with an eye or groove
for receiving the fashioning points in addition to the ordinary hook and latch, and
are firmly fixed to a bar which is actuated to enable the needles to perform their
functions by suitable cams and levers similarly to the needle bar of a bearded
needle frame, but with a less movement which is also modified to meet the different
requirements of a latch needle.
The improved machine is also provided with sinkers, thread carriers fashioning
mechanism, and other mechanisms usually on a straight bar bearded needle
machine, and such mechanisms are similar in construction, arrangement, and
operation to the corresponding parts on straight bar bearded needle machines.
Doted this 27th dex of Mov 1807
W. H. POTTER,
Patent Agent, Nottingham.
Improvements in Straight Bar Knitting Machines.
JAMES HENRY WOODWARD, Hosiery Machinist, and FREDERICK SHAW, Machinist,
both of Lee Works, Nottingham, 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 improvements in straight bar latch. needle knitting
machines, and has for its object the provision of means by which the thread for
the loops is indented by sinkers as it is laid on the needles, and means by which all
the loops are "knocked over" simultaneously thus enabling a latch needle machine
to produce better work than is possible by a latch needle machine in which the
needles draw the thread for their own loops and in which the loops are "knocked
over successively. The improved machine may also be provided with means for
producing a fashioning article.

page_text: According to this invention the needles are firmly secured to a needle bar, and
the machine is provided with movable sinkers actuated through jacks, thread
carriers, knocking over bits and other mechanisms which are similar to, and
are similarly actuated. to corresponding parts in a straight bar bearded needle
machine, the parts and their motions in the improved machine being modified to
meet the requirements of the latch needle. The fashioning may be done by the
transfer of loops, in which case the needles are made with an eye or recess, in
addition to the ordinary hook and latch, for the ends of the fashioning points to
enter. Widenings only may be made by moving out the thread carrier when the
needles are at their lowest position. The fashioning mechanisms may be similar to
the mechanisms used on a straight bar bearded needle machine.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a section of the machine showing the needle bar, needles, sinkers,
jacks, slur cock and needle bar lever arrangement,
Fig. 2 is an enlarged section showing the needles, sinkers, and knocking
over bits.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a needle and fashioning, point.
Fig. 4 is a drawing showing the relative positions of the needles, sinkers and
knocking over bits when the thread is being laid on the needles.
Fig. 5 shows the relative positions of the needles, sinkers, and knocking over
bits when the loops are being knocked over.
J
Fig. 6 shows the relative positions of the needles, sinkers, knocking over bits
and fashioning points when loops are being removed from the needles for
fashioning by the transfer of the loops, and
Fig. 7 shows the relative positions of the needles, sinkers, knocking over bits
and fashioning points when the loops are being replaced on the needles during the
process of fashioning by the transfer of the loops.
The needle a with its latch b is similar to an ordinary latch needle, but the
hok may be, and is by preference, narrower than the hook of an ordinary latch
needle because the thread for the loop is drawn by the sinkers k and is held in
contact with the needle until within the hook. The back d of the hook is also
by preference inclined as shown, to enable the loop to more readily pass over the
needle head, and also to facilitate the transfer of loops when this method of
fashioning is adopted. The needle may also be provided with an eye or recess for
the end of the fashioning point to enter as shown in Fig. 3.
The needles may be cast in leads or otherwise secured to the needle bar e which
is actuated vertically froin a shaft f and horizontally from a shaft g, both shafts
being connected to the needle bar and actuated by cams on a shaft h by levers
and links which are arranged similarly to similar parts in a straight bar bearded
needle machine.
The sinkers are fitted to slide in tricks and m and are actuated by jacks r,
slur cocks and a catch bar similarly to the sinkers in a bearded needle machine.
The knocking over bits n are fixed in the usual position and are preferably similar to
the shape shown in Fig. 2.
Work having been started and a row of loops knocked over the needle hooks, the
needles a rise until the last formed row of loops rest upon the needle latches as
shown in Fig. 4, the under edge of the sinkers k being used for preventing the loops
rising with the needles. The thread p is then laid on the needles by the thread
carriers and is indented by the forward movement of the sinkers as shown in
Fig. 4. The needles then rise until the latches are raised above the loops and after-
wards descend to the position shown in Fig. 5 to knock over the loops, the indented
thread being passed under the sinkers by a tipping motion of the needle bar, or by
withdrawing the sinkers or, preferably by a combination of the two movements.
The needles afterwards rise for the next course and the cycle of movements, is
repeated.
The thread is supplied by thread carriers on carrier rods which are fitted mounted
and actuated by any known meams.

page_text: When narrowings and widenings are required the machine is fitted with fashion-
ing points which are mounted and actuated similarly to the fashioning points in a
straight bar bearded needle machine. For a machine constructed according to this
invention the fashioning points o are made deep enough to cover the hooks of the
needles, and the needles are made with a recess for the ends of the points to enter.
In Fig. 6 the points o are shown in the position at which they meet the needle when
a loop is to be taken therefrom, while in Fig. 7 the points are shown in the position
at which they meet the needle when a loop is to be laid on to the same.
widenings only are required the fashioning points may be dispensed with, and the
widenings made by racking out the thread carriers when the needles are in their
lowest position according to a similar method adopted on some straight bar bearded
needle machines.
When
In a machine constructed according to this invention the movement of the needles
is less than the movement of the needles in a bearded needle machine and no
pressing motion being required the machine may be run at an increased speed;
the thread is indented by sinkers which are actuated by jacks and is laid upon the
needles with greater regularity, and with less injury to the thread than in a machine
in which the thread is drawn by the needles without the use of jacks and sinkers;
all the loops are knocked over simultaneously; and the web produced, is of better
quality than the web produced on an ordinary latch needle machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
In a straight bar knitting machine the combination of latch needles, fixed to,
and moved by and with a needle bar, thread carriers for supplying the needles with
thread, sinkers for indenting the thread on the needles, jacks and slur cocks for
actuating the sinkers, and knocking over bits, constructed, arranged and operating
substantially as herein set forth.
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