Improvements in Knitted Fabrics and in Machinery used in their Manufacture.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1892-Accepted, 30th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitted Fabrics and in Machinery used in their
Manufacture.
I, WILLIAM TERTIUS ROWLETT, of 34 Newarke Street, Leicester, Yarn
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention I construct a knitting machine with two circular
needle beds preferably divided into separate divisions so as to make several pieces
at the same time and all seamless. The needles I work by two cans travelling
in opposite directions. The machine may also be made with two straight beds,
like the ordinary Lamb machine.
The two cams revolving in opposite directions, may also be used instead of a
single set of cams having a reciprocating motion on all circular knitting machines
which are adapted for making fashioned work whether tubular or in separate
division.
I so arrange the cains that none of the needles will be raised by them, unless
first lifted up a certain distance by a spring. The down cam brings them too
low for the upthrow cam to catch them, until a spring under each needle has
lifted it sufficiently high. This is in order to enable any needle desired, to be
thrown out of action, either to widen narrow, or to make the Griswold heel.
back to
When any needles are required to be put out of action the needles when lowered
are held down by a sliding bar. This bar is in front of the lower ends of the
needles, and just above the lowest point they touch when brought down by the
downthrow cam.
The bottom of the needle is bent at a right angle, so that when
it passes by the sliding bar, the bottom of the needle springs a little way
pass it, the bit turned up at the bottom of the needle, then catches on the under
side of the bar or the end of the spring might be made to catch under the bar in
the same manner and in this way the needle is held from being raised into action by
the spring. The upper side of the bar is cut slanting inwards to facilitate the
passing by of the needle and spring. When the needle is required to be brought
into work again, the bar is slid sidewise far enough to release it. Thus the needles
are thrown out of action by the down throw cam itself, and the bar simply holds
them from returning. This arrangement is also applicable to the circular knitting
machine.
Another mode of arranging the holding down bar is to have it composed of
movable springs, one for each needle. The down cams are so arranged that the
stitch or knocking over cam brings the needles down lower than the one which
brings the needles down before the action of the upthrow cam, so that after
each stitch, the needle in work is caught by the holding down spring, and held out
of action permanently, until released by a jacquard, or other similar apparatus.
By this means any desired needle may be brought into action at any course.
When plain work is being made, which means that the needles on either bed
only work in alternate courses, the jacquard apparatus works backward, and
forwards so as to act in alternate courses only, and always on the same width.
Only when the width of the course is being altered will it be necessary for the
apparatus to move forward more than once in the same direction.
The machine is also arranged to widen, by taking the sinker loop between the
two outer needles of either side of either bed. One way of doing this, is by
shogging one bed of needles sideways, so that the outside needle is opposite the
space between the second and third needles on the opposite bed the space
opposite the first and second needles will therefore be empty, and the needle

page_text: '
required to widen will be brought up in this place whilst the course is being made
on the opposite side, and thus the sinker loop between the two outside needles
of the working bed is laid across it, and forms the stitch for it to begin to work.
The bed to which the odd needle belongs is then shogged back to its original
place, and the new needle is the outside one for the next course. The sinker
loop being thus drawn across a needle, and placed on the next one, fills up the
hole which would otherwise be left. Another way of making the same kind of
widening, but by another manipulation is as follows:-
Attached to each needle bed, I have two points, one for each edge of the needles.
When it is desired to widen, say on the front bed of needles, the points belonging
to that bed are laid across between the first and second needles of each edge of the
back bed, so that when the course is made they will take the sinker loops. Before
commencing to make the course on the front bed, these points are shogged each one
needle outwards, and when the course is commenced, a new needle is brought into
action at each edge, which rises up into and takes the loops on the points, which
are then withdrawn. As the points must be withdrawn, as soon as the new needle
has taken the loop they are pushed back by a cam carried on the latch openers, so
as to act at the varying times necessary. The points are carried by arms affixed
to the slides which hold certain needles out of action, so that when the slide is
shogged to release a needle, it at the same time shogs the point carrying the new
stitch. The widening on the other side is made in the same way.
In making the foot of a stocking or sock I make it with a widened toe either
closed at the end or not and with a fashioned instep and Griswold heel in con-
junction and the leg I make wider than the foot so that I obtain a properly shaped
foot narrower than the leg.
In making the foot with a closed end I first make a stiff rib course on both beds
of needles, then slacken down to the usual stiffness, shog the front needle bed one
needle and work a second rib course, after which I proceed to work each bed
alternately, which produces a tube closed at the end, at the same time I widen as
described above so as to make the tube of the proper shape for the toe, and
continue to make the body of the foot the saine width, until the place for the gore
is reached, when I make as many widenings as may be required and afterwards
proceed to make the heel. The heel is made entirely on one bed of needles, say
the front bed, and is made like the Griswold heel, by throwing needles in and out
of action. When the heel is completed the leg of a sock or a straight down
stocking is made seamless without further altering the needles. A fashioned
stocking may be made by widening on both sides, as in the foot, thus shewing the
fashionings, not at the back of the leg, but at each side as has before been
proposed.
To make the widenings at the back of the stocking, I either use transferring bars
to take the work off the needles and replace them in such a way that the middle
of the heel is at one side of the needles, or I arrange the needle beds so, that the
necessary number of needles, with or without their grooves can be transferred from
one side of the machine to the other with the work on them.
For splicing, I use an extra thread in the ordinary manner, but where necessary
working on bed only, so as to splice one half the stocking or any portion required,
and enable a spliced sole, and high spliced heel to be produced. In order to break
the splicing thread at the place required, by the varying width of the fabric,
I attach the breaking and throwing in apparatus to the slides which release the
needles as required. When separate holding down springs are used, extra bars
will be required.
In order to prevent the stitches from rising when the needles come up to form the
next stitch, I fix the knocking over bits on a rod, so that when the course is
finished, and before the cams commence their return motion, they may by turning
the rod be made all to recede away from the work so as to cause the stitches
to fall under them, when they return to their original position, and hold the
stitches firmly down. Instead of fixing these bits on a rod they may be fixed

page_text: on a flat bar and the necessary motions given by raising, lowering and sliding
them or I provide other means for actuating them all simultaneously.
In making pants, the machine is arranged in two divisions, each making a tube,
and each widening on the side nearest to the other. When they have widened
so as to touch, a few courses are made, the inner ends of which work over the
inner needles of each division, so as to join them together. Two carriers on one
side of the machine then knit two pieces of flat fabric, open at the inner end.
whilst the whole width of both divisions on the opposite side is knitted in one
piece of flat fabric, joined at each end to the two open pieces of flat fabric on
the other side. To make the seat the machine is arranged with the side knitting
the single flat piece, to make a piece like the Griswold heel, whilst the opposite
side is thrown out of action. When the seat is finished the two sides work again
till the article is finished.
By jacquarding the holding down bars so as to release or hold out of action
various needles, a great number of tuck patterns may be made.
For making the breasts in ladies' vests, the machine is arranged so as to make
a pocket similar to a Griswold heel in two places. The web is made tubular,
and begun at the top, then narrowed to the waist, and afterwards widened for
the hips. My way of narrowing is to stretch the stitch of the outside needle.
or needles, so as to put it also on the next needle inwards, like the old knotted
stitch, then hold the outside needle down whilst the others are fed, and then raise
it and lower it again so as to throw the old stitch off, thus leaving it on the
next needle, and narrowing the work by one stitch for every needle so treated.
This way of narrowing is applicable to ordinary frames.
Dated this 1st day of August 1891.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitted Fabrics and in Machinery used in their
Manufacture.
I, WILLIAM TERTIUS ROWLETT, of 34 Newarke Street, Leicester, Yarn
Merchant, 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 :-
According to this invention I construct a knitting machine either with two
circular needle beds divided into separate divisions so as to be capable of making
several pieces of tubular work at the same time-or the machine may be made with
two straight beds like the ordinary Lamb machine.
Two
In the circular machines the needles may either be worked with cams which have
an oscillating to and fro motion as in the ordinary Lamb machine with straight
beds or they may be worked by two cams travelling in opposite directions.
cams revolving in opposite directions may also be used instead of a single set of
cams having a reciprocating motion on all circular knitting machines which are
adapted for making fashioned work whether tubular or in separate divisions.
I so arrange the cams that the down throw cam brings the needles too low for
the upthrow cam to catch and raise them unless they are previously lifted up a
certain distance. This is in order to enable any needle desired to be thrown out
of action either to widen, narrow or to make the Griswold heel or fancy patterns.
The needles may be pressed upwards by springs and when lowered be held down by
spring or other catches until the catches are released either by the action of a
jacquard or otherwise or the jacquard may itself be used for lifting the needles no
springs or catches being in that case required.
When plain work is being made which means that the needles in either bed only
work in alternate courses the jacquard apparatus for each bed works backwards

page_text: and forwards so as to act on alternate courses only that is once for each course
on that bed and so long as plain work is being made it acts always on the
same width of needles. Only when the width of the course is being altered will it
be necessary for the apparatus to move forward more than once.
The machine is arranged to widen by taking the sinker loop between the two
outer needles of either side of either bed. One way of doing this is by shogging
one bed of needles sideways so that the outside needle is opposite the space between
the second and third needles on the opposite bed the space opposite the first and
second needles will therefore be empty and the needle required to widen will be
brought up
in this place whilst the course is being made on the opposite side and
thus the sinker loop between the two outside needles of the working bed is laid
across it and forms the stitch for it to begin to work. The sinker loop being
thus drawn across a needle and placed on the next one fills up the hole which would
otherwise be left.
1
Another way of making a narrowing or widening is as follows:-
Attached to each needle bed I have two points one for each edge of the needles
and by these points I cause the stitch on the outside needle or needles to be
stretched so as to put it also on to the next needle inwards or outwards. When it
has been shifted inwards to form a narrowing the needle which has had its loop so
stretched is then held down whilst the others are fed and then raise and lower it
again so as to throw the old stitch off thus leaving it on the next needle and
narrowing the work by one stitch for every needle so treated. This way of
narrowing or widening is applicable to ordinary frames.
In making the foot of a stocking or sock I make it with a widened toe either
closed at the end or not and with a fashioned instep and Griswold heel in con-
junction and the leg I make wider than the foot so that I obtain a properly shape
foot narrower than the leg.
In making the foot with a closed end I first make a stiff rib course on both beds
of needles, then slacken down to the usual stiffness, shog the front needle bed one
needle and work a second rib course, after which I proceed to work each bed
alternately, which produces a tube closed at the end, at the same time I widen as
described above so as to make the tube of the proper shape for the toe, and
continue to make the body of the foot the same width, until the place for the
gore is reached, when I make as many widenings as may be required and afterwards
proceed to make the heel. The heel is made entirely on one bed of needles, say
the front bed, and is made like the Griswold heel, by throwing needles in and out
of action. When the heel is completed the leg of a sock or a straight down
stocking is made seamless without further altering the needles. A fashioned
stocking may be made by widening on both sides, as in the foot, thus shewing
the fashionings, not at the back of the leg, but at each side as has before been
proposed.
To make the widenings at the back of the stocking I use transferring bars to take
the work and replace it onto the needles in such a way that the middle of the heel
is at one side of the needles.
Instead of commencing a sock or stocking at the toe it may be commenced
by placing a rib top on to the needles and narrowing instead of widening as the
work proceeds.
For splicing, I use an extra thread in the ordinary manner, but where necessary
working on one bed only, so as to splice one half the stocking or any portion
required, and enable a spliced sole, and high spliced heel to be produced.
In order to prevent the stitches from rising when the needles come up to form
the next stitch, I fix knocking-over bits on a rod, so that when the course is finished,
and before the cams commence their return motion, they may be made to hold the
stitches firmly down.
In making pants, the machine is arranged in two
and each widening on the side nearest to the other.
as to touch, a few courses are made, the inner ends
divisions, each making a tube.
When they have widened so
of which work over the inner

page_text: needles of each division, so as to join them together. Two carriers on one side of
the machine then knit two pieces of flat fabric, open at the inner end, whilst the
whole width of both divisions on the opposite side is knitted in one piece of flat
fabric, joined at each end to the two open pieces of flat fabric on the other side.
To make the seat the machine is arranged with the side knitting the single flat
piece, to make a piece like the Griswold heel, whilst the opposite side is thrown
out of action. When the seat is finished the two sides work again till the article is
finished.
For making the breasts in ladies' vests, the machine is arranged so as to make a
pocket similar to a Griswold heel in two places. The web is made tubular,
and begun at the top, then narrowed to the waist, and afterwards widened for
the hips.
In Figures 1 to 27 I have shewn my invention applied to what is known as a
Lamb machine with two straight needle beds and is so constructed that either a
piece of ribbed work or a tubular fabric of plain work can be produced upon it.
Figure 1 the right and left hand halves of which are shewn on Sheets 1 and 2 is
a side elevation partly in section of the machine.
Figure 1 is a side view of cam M².
Figure 2 the two halves of which are shewn on Sheets 3 and 4 is a plan view.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on a larger scale of the needle beds and the cams
and jacquard barrels which operate the needles.
Figure 4 is a similar right hand end view. Figure 4* is a side elevation of some.
of the parts shewn in Figure 4.
Figure 5 is a transverse section showing the ratchet wheels and pawls by which
the jacquard barrels are turned and the ratchet wheel and pawls used for turning
the screw shaft by which the position of the stops used for limiting the throw of the
thread carrier is controlled.
Figure 5* is an underside view partly in section of a portion of Figure 5.
Figure 6 is a transverse section showing the parts used for putting the pawls
which turn the jacquard barrels in or out of action.
Figure 7 (Sheet 7) are a side elevation and end view of the cam used for shogging
the movable needle bed to and fro.
Figure 8 is a cross section of the machine shewing the form of the frame and
the supports for the reciprocating frame by which the cam boxes are carried.
Figure 9 is an underside view of one of the sets of cams.
Figure 10 is a face view of one of the slides by which the downthrow cams are
put in and out of action. Figure 11 is a plan view of the cams and of a portion of
the frame Q by which they are carried. Figure 12 is a plan view of the two down-
throw cams and of the two bars by which these cams are raised and lowered to
produce slack and tight courses. Figures 13 and 14 are vertical sections through
Figure 9.
Figure 15 is a transverse section shewing control cams and sliding stops at the
left hand end of machine for controlling the stiffening of the work.
Figure 16 is a plan of part of Figure 15.
Figure 17 is a transverse section of the modification in which the needles are
pressed upwards by springs and retained when lowered by catches which are
subsequently released by the action of the jacquard.
Figure 18 is an end elevation one half in section and Figure 19 is a longitudinal
vertical section of the modification in which points are used for widening and
narrowing.
Figures 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 are front views illustrating the positions of one of
the points when stretching a loop from one needle on to another.
Figure 25 is a cross section showing the pointer when in the position Figures 20
and 24.
Figure 26 is a similar view of Figure 21.
Figure 27 a similar view of Figures 21 and 23.
00 / Chant of in
tion of the transforming bes

page_text: ✓ Figures 29 to 35 shew my improvements applied to a circular machine.
Figure 29 is a plan view shewing two sets of the cams.
Figure 30 is a vertical transverse section.
Figure 31 is a vertical transverse section on a larger scale taken through the
needle bed.
.
Figure 32 is an outside view of outside top cam.
Figure 33 a similar view of outside bottom cam.
Figures 34 and 35 are inside views of these cams.
In Figures 1 to 16 Z is the main driving shaft which by crank pin Z¹ connecting
rod Z2 and lever Z³ whose fulcrum pin can rise and fall gives a to and fro horizontal
motion to a horizontal frame Q.
A is the front needle bed and A' the back needle bed which is capable of being
shogged endwise. B are the needles of the front bed and B' the needles of the back
bed. C are the web holders of the front bed and C¹ the web holders of the back
bed. D is a plate carrying the cams of the front bed and D' a plate carrying the
cams of the back bed-these are bolted to short arms that stand out from the
opposite side bars of the frame Q-all variations of the letter D refer to various
working parts of the cams.
G is the thread carrier carried by a slide G* which can be slidden to and fro along
a fixed bar G. G₁ is a spring carrying a splicing thread. G2 is a lever for cutting
off and releasing the splicing thread. H is a spring bolt carried by the frame Q-
it is pressed downwards by a spring so that its lower end may engage with pro-
jections stand up from the slide G and carry the slide along with it until the bolt
is raised and put out of action. K K K K³ are parts for shogging the back
needle bed A. L is the jacquard barrel working with the front bed and L' the
barrel working with the back bed. M is a barrel and pattern chain for controlling
the working of all the parts.
Various views of the cams used for raising and lowering the needles are shewn at
Figures 9 to 14.
Da is the upthrow cam secured rigidly to the plate D which as before stated and
as is shewn at Figures 3 and 9 is bolted to the frame Q. D* D* are plates hinged
by the joint pin Dxx to the plates D one on either side of it. Each plate carries
a downthrow cam one marked D' the other marked Dc.
D is a bar which by screws D** is held to the end of the plate D the screws
passing through slots so that the bar can be slidden a distance end wise to and fro.
.In it are two slots inclined in opposite directions-into one enters a pin D³ which
projects out from one plate Dx and into the other enters a pin D which projects
out from the other plate-in this way when the bar is moved endwise one plate is
raised and the downthrow cam carried by it put out of action whilst the other plate
is lowered and the downthrow cam carried by it brought into action.
This endway
to and fro motion is given to the bar D by fixed stops Dx (see Figure 8 Sheet 9)
against which the ends of the bar strike at the end of each movement of the main
slide Q.
In this way the downthrow or stitch cam which was in action when the slide Q
was moving in one direction is put out of action before the slide commences to move
in the opposite and the other downthrow cam is brought into acting position.
As will be seen by Figure 9 the downthrow cams extend downwards some
distance beyond the bottom of the upthrow so that when the needles have been
lowered by either of the downthrow cams they cannot be caught by the upthrow
cam without being previously raised a distance.
The raising of the needles into a position for them to be caught by the upthrow
cams is effected by jacquard cards supported on jacquard barrels L.
If when a card is brought against the needles there are holes in it opposite to
the ends of any of the needles then those needles remain unraised by the card and
are not caught by the upthrow cam but the others are raised to a sufficient height
for the upthrow cam to act upon and further raise them.
The axes of the jacquard barrels are supported by bars L* which can be slidden

page_text: up and down in guide grooves at the back of the needle beds. From the back of
the bar projects a pin L** this enters slots L³ cut in two of the plates Lb¹, Lb³,
L3, and L there being two of these plates situated at the back of each needle
bed when one of the two plates is struck endwise in one direction the jacquard
barrel will be drawn upwards towards the lower ends of the needle stems and when
it is struck in the opposite direction the barrel is moved away from them. Normally
the jacquard barrels are away from the needles and the portions of the slots in the
bars L, L, and in L2 and L3 which are parallel with the bars Lx are then one
over the other and the barrel can be raised to the needles by either bar being
struck end wise.
To strike the bars end wise and raise and lower the jacquard barrels stops PPP p³
on the sliding frame Q are used. One stop P is fixed to the frame Q as it is
always required to be in action-the others can be slidden inwards or outwards a
short distance so that they may either come against the ends of the bars Lb¹ or Lb3
or not come against them.
The movement of the stops P1 P2 P3 is controlled by inclines on three
slides Pa Pa² Pa³ which can be slidden transversely of the machine along hori-
zontal arms fixed to the frame of the machine.
They can be slidden outwards by the action of cams 00'0' and are drawn
inwards by the action of springs as shewn in Figures 4 and 5.
It will be seen that the cam O differs in shape from the cams 0'02. This is
so that when the two latter have thrown the stops Pa², P a³ out of work P and P
remain in position so as to actuate the jacquard of the front bed every time when
making the heel.
:
In this way each jacquard barrel will be drawn up to the needles at each
alternate endway movement of the frame Q whilst when making the heel the
jacquard of the front bed will be drawn up to the needles at every movement.
Each time that the jacquard barrels recede from the needles they are turned a
distance by pawls L L acting on ratchet wheels Le Le fixed on the axes of the
barrels. If however the pawls be held up out of the way of the ratchet wheels
then the barrels remain unturned.
In making a straight tube continuously the same width as for the straight
portions of a stocking it is obvious that the same cards on the jacquard may
operate every time so as to bring the same number of needles into action.
This is done by causing the pawls to be lifted out of action. The pawls are on
the ends of spindles La La passing through the spindle carrying the cams which
control the stiffening of the work. At the other ends of the spindles are two
levers If Lf which are raised by the action of two cams Lg Lg (see Figure 6)
turned by a large cog wheel L half of which is cut away to allow of the cams
being shewn. The cog wheel has a partial turn given to it at the proper time by
studs Lon a pattern chain carried by the barrel M.
The cams OOO2 have a quarter turn given to them at the proper times by the
action of pins on a pattern chain in the following manner.
In
On the shafts which carry the cams are pinions which gear with a toothed
wheel N' on a spindle Nx on which is also a wheel N having larger teeth.
Figure 4 half this wheel is cut away to show the toothed wheel N' behind it.
M is an endless pattern chain passing around a barrel M to which a step by step
revolving motion is given. M¹ is a stud on the pattern chain. When the chain is
moved and a stud M' comes against one of the teeth of the wheel N it turns this
wheel a distance of one tooth." The step by step revolving motion is given to the
barrel M by a worm wheel M** on its axis having gearing with it a worm M2x on
the main driving shaft Z of the machine. The greater part of the worm thread
is at right angles to the axis and gives no movement to the worm wheel but at two
opposite points is sharply inclined to the axis as shown at Figure 1* so as when
these portions engage with the worm wheel they give to it a quick partial turn.
In making the two first rib courses at the toe of the stocking and also on the
side wherever a new needle is brought into work it is desirable to make the fabric

page_text: stiffer provision is therefore made for automatically setting the down throw or
stitch cams higher or lower according to the length of loop that is to be drawn
down by the needles. This is done in the following manner. The cam Db is
pressed upwards by a spring D d against a wedge Dd which itself rests against
a fixed corresponding wedge Df. By moving the wedge D d towards the wedge Dy
the cam D is set lower whilst by drawing it back it is allowed to be raised by
the spring Dd. To move the wedge to and fro it is connected by pins Do with a
bar marked at its two ends D d D d² at the back of the plate D* so that when the
bar is moved end wise the wedge goes with it-slots in the plate allow the pins to
move freely.
The wedge De is similarly secured to a bar marked Del, De2.
At each end of the machine are stops E E1 E2 E3 having projecting pieces-a
plan view of E' E³ is shewn in Figure 16. When the main slide reaches the end of its
throw say from right to left the projecting pieces on the stops E3 and El
touch D2 and Del respectively and change them from their previous position if
they were not already in the positions into which the stops would move them.
The stops are carried by slides which can be slidden to and fro transversely of
the machine along horizontal arms fixed to the frame of the machine-they can be
slidden outwards by the action of cams E4 E5 and are drawn inwards by the
action of springs in a similar manner to the slides Pal, Pa2, Pa3.
The cams also have motion given to them from a shaft which has a step by step
revolving motion transmitted to it at the proper time in the same way as described
with respect to the cams 01.
In order to keep the work down whilst the needles are being pushed up by the
jacquard, I have a row of hooks C and C1 (see Figure 3) attached to each
knocking over bar. When the course is being made, these hooks are in the position
shown at C1, so that the sinker loops lie over their stems. Before the jacquard
raises the needles, they are lowered so as to hold the loops whilst the needles rise,
and then they rise again. They are lowered by the stops, Cd, Cd 1. carried by the
hinged needle cam boxes, and raised again by a spring not shown in the drawings.
In the drawing these stops are both shown in action, but one of the knocking over
hooks is left up, to illustrate the two positions.
The thread carrier G is carried by the arm G8 from a slide G* which can be
slidden along the fixed bar G by the bolt H which is held down by a spring. On
the bar G are also two slides G¹º each carrying an incline G". These slides can
be moved nearer to or further away from one another by right and left hand
screws G12 on concentric axes-one screw acts on one slide and the other screw on
the other. One axis has upon it two ratchet wheels G¹³ the teeth of which are
in opposite directions. The other axis has also upon it two similar ratchet
wheels G
The pawls for driving these wheels are carried by four levers F which turn on a
fulcrum at F2, other arms of these levers have pins F' projecting from them which
arc acted on or left at rest by the jacquard cards whenever the jacquard is moved
up to the needles when the levers are drawn back. When a lever carrying one of
the pawls is moved by the jacquard so as to turn one of the ratchet wheels the
lever which carries the pawl that works with the other ratchet wheel that it is fast
with is free to move in the opposite direction a hole being formed in the card for
its pin F to enter.
The splicing thread is carried on the front of the thread carrier, and passing
down through G, with the foundation thread, is carried by it to the needles. It
passes first through a hole in a spring G1, and when free passes in continually with
the main thread, but by turning the T shaped piece G2 so as to press upon it, the
thread is broken, and when desired to run it in again, this piece G2, is pushed
aside so as to free it. This enables the splicing thread to be either run in con-
tinually or to be broken off at the end of the course on one bed. To actuate the
Tshaped piece G2, I have a series of stops on the circumference of two wheels,
carried on two arms G15, which stand up from the slides G'which carry the inclines G¹i
11

page_text: for regulating the throw of the thread carrier. When the cross piece of G2 is
horizontal, the splicing thread is out of work, and when desired to run it in again,
if the course is about to be made from left to right, the stop wheel G is set so as
to press on the right hand end of G7 and take off the pressure, thus allowing the
splicing thread to run free. When the thread carrier arrives at the end of its
course, a shorter stop on the other stop wheel G catches G 7, and knocks it again!
into a horizontal position, thus stopping the splicing thread and breaking it. When
desired to lay in the splicing in the opposite direction, the stops are so arranged as:
to throw it in at the left hand side, and break it off at the right. This alteration.
is made by the pawl G4, which is actuated by a stud M² on the chain M*. The
spindle: which carries the two stop wheels G 6, has a ratchet G³ on the end, moved,
by the pawl G, and a feather along its length, so that it will turn the wheels, and
at the same time allow them to travel along.
For shogging the moveable needle bed, I fix to the right hand end of it a short
rack K³ the teeth of which fit into zig zag cam grooves K2 formed around a
cylinder to which a step by step revolving motion is given at the proper times:
When the cam revolves, it moves the bed' first to the left, then has a straight place:
and stands still, afterwards it moves it back again, and stands still again. The cam
is shown at K2, and the motion is given by the lever K, acting upon a ratchet K4,.
on the axis of the cam K2, and actuated by a stud M2 on the chain M.
In order to fully show the working of the machine, I will proceed to describe.
the mode of making a fashioned stocking by widening, and commencing at the toe...
I first make two ribbed courses, of any desired width, by lifting the required
number of needles up at both sides through the jacquards L and L1, they are then
raised sufficiently high to catch the thread from the thread carrier G, and brought
down again by the stitch cam Db and the corresponding one on the opposite bed. After
these two ribbed courses. I make one plain course one on each side, which is done.
by the jacquard acting alternately ou cach side so making a tube. I then shog the
back needle bed the distance of two needles to one side by means of K, K1, K2, K3,
so as to leave two needles more at the side of each bed than at the corresponding
side of the other, so that if making ribbed work, there would be a needle wanting,
say, at the right hand side of the front bed, and at the left hand side of the back.
bed.
I now work a course, from left to right on the back bed, and on the front:
bed, bring up only one needle, to fill up the vacant space. This needle, having no
loop on, lies between the two outer needles of the opposite bed, in such a manner,
that the loop between them, generally known as the sinker loop, is laid over the
empty needle. I next make a course on the front bed, when the thread being
caught by the front row of needles, is worked into the sinker loop lying round the
new needle, with the result that the said sinker loop is drawn over the loop on the
needle which was next outside it, thus filling up what would have otherwise been a
hole, and widening the fabric by one needle. During the making of this course, a
single needle has been raised at the left hand end of the back bed so as to bring
another needle into action in the way already described. A plain course is now.
made on both beds, and the back bed then shogged two needles to the right so as
to repeat the operation of widening. This is continued as long as necessary. to
attain the width desired for the toe, after which a number of plain courses are
made until the gusset is reached, the necessary number of widenings are then made
in a similar manner to that above described, and afterwards the heel is made by
working backwards and forwards on the front bed only, and on a varying number
of needles, so as to produce what is known as the Griswold heel. Then follow a
number of plain courses on each side to make a plain tube until the calf, when the
work is again widened and afterwards a plain tube of full width, completes the
stocking. In this way I obtain a properly shaped foot narrower than the leg and
the leg also properly fashioned.
".
By the splicing mechanism herein before described I can also put in a full spliced
toe and heel and spliced sole splicing half round for some distance above the heel,
and splicing half round at the knee.

page_text: In making the heel, when a needle has been withdrawn, I raise it again the next
course, sufficiently high to catch the. thread for the new loop, but not sufficiently
for it to be caught by the cam Da, so that when it is brought down again, it has
two loops on, which remain on until the needle is again required for widening up
the heel. To accomplish this, I cut the under side of the cam Da shorter so that
the needles require lifting inch higher to be caught by it, and the jacquard plates
have a thin piece of iron plate riveted on them as shewn in Figure 3 so as to
thicken them to the extent necessary to give the extra lift. Where I require to
lift up a needle the lesser distance, this extra piece of iron is cut away, so as to lift
it a less distance. This tucks one or more needles.
.
In some cases in making a stocking in place of commencing at the toe as above
described and working the stocking upwards I place on to the needles a rib top
and work the stocking downwards.
To transfer a rib top on to the needles I use a small framework R1 shewn at
Figure 28 which I place on to the needle bed of the machine. This contains two
sliding bars R2 R4 with a row of points in each similar to those used in the
ordinary hand Lamb knitting machines, having holes through them near the points,
and the points rather elongated and turned downwards a little. These points are
first placed so as to cross each other, and the work to be transferred set on, the
framework is then placed on the needle beds, and one of the slides moved down-
wards by hand, so as to open the latches of the needles, the holes in the points are
then slid over the hooks of the needles, and drawn upwards so as to slide the loops
off the points and on to the. needles, which are then returned to their original
position and the points lifted off them, the other side is then transferred in the
same way. In order to allow of the motion to release the points from the needles
the slides R2, R4, are fitted loosely in their guides.
This transferring mechanism can also be used for transferring rib tops on to the
needles when making a shirt arm or pant leg or such like.
It can also be used for putting a tubular piece of work on to the needles. For
example if when widening the leg of a stocking it be desired to make the widenings
at the back-the stocking when it has been partially made may be cast off from
the two. rows of needles and then run on to the two rows of points of the transfer
mechanism placing half of the loops that were on one row of the needles and half
that were on the other on one row of points and the remainder on the other row of
points and then transferring the stocking from the points back on to the needles and
proceeding to make the remainder of the leg with widenings at the back.
Or if the stocking is commenced by placing a rib top on to the needles-the leg
of the stocking may be proceeded with until the narrowings at the back have been
completed and then the. leg can be cast off from the needles as before and again
turned one quarter round and replaced on to the needles as before.
In place of the jacquard cards acting directly against the lower ends of the
needles as hereinbefore described the needles might as shewn at Figure 17 be
pressed upwards by springs and when they have been pressed downwards by the
action of the downthrow or stitch cam be retained down by lever or other catches
until these catches are liberated by the action of the jacquard.
In the machine above described the requisite motions are given to the variou
acting parts either directly from the pattern chain or by the endway to and fro
movement of the slide Q-but the requisite motions might be given to them in
various other ways as for example by cams on a continuously revolving cam shaft
as in ordinary rotary knitting machines.
In Figures 18 to 27 I have shewn point mechanism constructed as hereinbefore
described to effect the narrowing or widening of the fabric by causing the points to
take the loops on the outside needles of the rows of needles and stretch them on to
an adjacent needle.
ず
All the simple letters refer to the parts working the points at the left hand side.
and the letters marked 1, to the points at the right hand side.
A is the point, which has a small projection to prevent the stitch falling down.

page_text: B is the part to carry the point.
C is the main carrying standard, to which B is hinged.
D is the slide, which carries the whole apparatus, and moves along the bar E.
E is the bar above referred to.
F is a continuation of C to which it is hinged to allow of its being swung into
position to engage with the threads of a differential screw ○ or swung out of
action.
G is a lever arm jointed at its end to the lower end of C.
H is a connecting rod coupling the lever arm G to an arm I on a long sleeve L
which can slide and turn on a fixed rod M. On this sleeve is another arm K to
which is jointed a piece Fa which like the piece F can be made to engage with the
threads of the differential screw O.
N is a connecting rod coupling the piece F with an arm Na on a long sleeve Ne
which can slide and turn on a fixed rod N d. On this sleeve is another arm N/
which by a connecting rod N c is coupled to the piece Fa. In this way it will be
seen that when F is in action and engaging with the threads of the screw O, Fa is
out of action and vice versa.
When F is in action the differential screw O acting upon F gives an up and down
and sideway motion directly to the slide C which carries the point.
When Fa is being acted on by the differential screw it gives an up and down and
sideway motion to the slide C through the lever arms K, I connecting rod H and
lever arm G.
O is a differential screw which gives the upward and sideway motion to the
points A and A' as above described the upward motions are shewn on the section,
and the sideway ones on the front view.
P is a ratchet which gives one 8th of a revolution to O, through the pawl P×
carried by the lever Pa.
Qis a second ratchet, which gives another 8th motion to O, through the pawl Qa,
which is moved from the jacquard through its upward motion.
R is the pattern chain and the barrel which carries it.
S is a stud on the chain, communicating motion to the lever Pa.
The parts P P PaQ and S are for the apparatus on the other side of the
machine, which will exactly illustrate the action of those wanting in the drawings,
and which cannot be shewn, without hiding other parts.
The motions of narrowing are as follows.
The cam on O raises the point A through the loop on the needle, during which
time the point lies back, and C has no sideway motion, as this part of the cam is a
straight part of the differential screw, as the cam screw O continues its forward
motion, it moves C, and with it the point 1 needle divisions inwards, and the
further upward motion pushes B forward by the small incline behind it, thus
enabling the point to clear the web holder and to lie in front of the next one, these
motions are given from the chain R, and stud S, and just before the jacquard
begins to raise the needles. When the jacquard has made one half its upward
motion, so as to bring the needles forward enough to push one of them through the
stitch held across it by the point the pawl Qa, turns the cam screw shaft O further,
so as to let C fall to its original level, and at the same time the screw has an incline
which takes C back one third of its motion, thus placing it between two needles
again, and one needle forwarder, than when it commenced its motion, the spring at
the same time takes B back to the position from which the incline had pushed it
forward, so that the point again lies just under the end of a needle, and behind the
stitch ready to take it when required. The whole apparatus is fastened to the
machine by the supports T, which are not shown on the section.
By reversing the lever Na, Nb, F is thrown out of action, and Fa into action,
thus reversing the work of the whole apparatus, and arranging it for widening
instead of narrowing.
When narrowing the needles are so actuated by the jacquard as hereinbefore
described that the one whose loop is being stretched to the next needle, is not fed

page_text: •
by the thread carrier, which just stops one needle short, and thus the stitch is cast
off from the needle, having made a one stitch narrowing.
When widening, the needle receiving the half stitch is only raised high enough
by the jacquard to take the loop, and is again lowered without either casting off the
loop, or taking any thread, and at the same time, the remaining needles form their
stitch in the usual manner, with the result that the stitch of which one half has been
placed on the empty needle, has been cast off by its original needle, and replaced
by the newly made stitch, and thus the stitch belonging to that needle in the
previous course, is now upon the new needle, and thus the latter is ready to work
without leaving a hole in the fabric, as in the most approved mode of widening.
This mode of narrowing and widening, is applicable to every kind of hosiery
machine which either widens or narrows and the points may either be carried and
operated by the mechanism above described or by the ordinary point bar mechanism
used in rotary knitting machines.
Figures 29 to 35 shew my improvements applied to a circular machine.
In this machine the two beds A and A1, are formed on the outside and
inside of a circle, and have the same section as the straight machine, with the
exception that they are circular. The needles B B1 and the knocking over
hooks C C1 are arranged in the same manner but the mode of driving the
needle cams is quite different. The needles have two lugs on them, so as to be
actuated by two _rows of cams, and the circular arrangement is to enable a
reciprocating motion of the thread carrier to be obtained by a continuous
circular motion of the needle cams. The thread carriers being first moved in
one direction with one set of cams and then in the opposite direction with the
other set of cams. The machine as shown in the drawing is divided for four
needle divisions, having four empty spaces between them. For each division
there are four cams, mounted upon four continuously revolving rings, the upper
one D of the outside ring, turns from left to right, and the upper one D2 of
the inner circle, turns in the opposite direction, from right to left. The lower
cam of each division turns in the opposite direction to the upper cam, thus the
upper outward cam D turns in the same direction as the lower inner one D3,
and the upper inner one D2 turns in the opposite direction as does also the
lower outer one D 1. The cams are driven from a shaft K, which is geared at
one end into D1, and at the other into D3, thus turning them in opposite
directions. At the bottom of the cams is a circular rack J 1 into which the
driving cog wheels gear, and above the rack is geared into another cog wheel
which in its turn is geared into a rack above, J, so as to turn it in the opposite
direction. The thread carrier is supported, and turns upon a centre pillar, M.
and is driven backwards and forwards by H and H 1, which are regulated by
slides having inclines on them similar to those described, in the straight machine,
but circular in form. When the outer cam has brought the thread carrier as
far as necessary, the bolt H is thrown out of action by the cam or incline, Ha,
and then the bolt H 1, coming in the opposite direction with the inside cam,
takes it back again. When making ordinary tubular work, only one of the
four cams in each division is in work, and that is in alternate divisions, the top
outer and the top inner cam, so that two cams are working the outside courses,
and two the inner ones. When the heel is made, the whole of the inside cams
are thrown out of work, and the outside top cam of one division and the outside
bottom cam of the next division are put in work, the result being that both
backward and forward courses are made on the outside rows of needles. It is
necessary to have provision for the backward and forward motions on both sides
of every division, to allow for bringing the new needles into work. The cams
for the needles are thrown in and out of action by cams E, E 1, acting upon
arms F F 1. The knocking over hooks are worked from a cam C b, acting upon
an arm C a.
The jacquard acts upon the needles either like the drawing Figure 3 or by means
of levers La, attached to a small slide riding in the grooves below the needles.

page_text: In place of employing in the circular form of the machine two sets of cams
revolving continuously in opposite directions-the cams might be made to reciprocate
to and fro as in the straight machine. All the cams then being carried by a ring.
to which an oscillating to and fro revolving motion is imparted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made
upon two parallel beds of needles substantially as described in such manner that the
work can be automatically fashioned and spliced or thickened on any part of its.
circumference.
2. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made.
upon two parallel beds of needles in such manner that when the work is to be
widened the sinker loop between two end needles in one bed is caused to be laid
over an empty needle which is to be brought into work at the end of the other
bed as to form a new loop without making a hole in the work substantially as
described.
3. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made.
upon two parallel beds of needles in such manner that when the work is to be.
widened one needle bed can be shogged a distance endwise so as to bring the first
empty needle at the end of the needles previously in work in this bed opposite to
the last sinker loop on the opposite bed and then raising the said empty needle
whilst the course is being made on that bed so that the sinker loop is laid across it.
substantially as described.
4. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made
upon two parallel beds of needles in such manner that when the work is to be
widened or narrowed the loop on the outside needle of one bed is stretched and
placed on to the next needle inwards or outwards according as it is desired to widen
or narrow substantially as described.
5. The construction of knitting machines in such a manner that when the work is
to be widened the loop on the end needle of the row of needles in work is by point.
mechanism stretched and placed on to the next needle outwards and so that the
needle on to which the loop is so stretched retains the loop whilst the remaining
needles form their stitch in the usual manner and is ready to be brought into work
at the next course.
6. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made
upon two parallel beds of needles in such manner that the cams used for drawing
the needles downwards draw them back to such a distance that the cams used for
raising them cannot act upon them unless they have been previously raised a
distance by the action of a jacquard substantially as described.
7. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made
upon two parallel beds of needles and other knitting machines in such manner that
when the needles have been lowered by the cams which act upon them any or all of
them can be raised to bring them into position for the lifting cams to act upon them
by means of jacquard cards caused to be brought against the needle stems substan-
tially as described.
8. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made
upon, two parallel beds of needles in such manner that each needle is pressed
upwards by a spring and when lowered is prevented by a catch from being raised
by the spring until the catch is released by the action of jacquard mechanism when
the spring presses the needle upwards into position for the lifting cam to raise it
and bring it into work substantially as described.
9. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made.
upon two parallel beds of needles in such manner that a splicing thread can be laid
into the work formed on either bed whatever number of the needles in that bed.

page_text: may be in work and then broken so as not to be laid into the work formed on the
other bed substantially as described.
10. The construction of knitting machines on which tubular work can be made
upon two parallel beds of needles in such manner that a splicing thread can be laid
into the work formed on any desired number of needles in both beds and then broken
so as not to be laid into the work formed on the remainder of the needles substan-
tially as described.
11. The construction of knitting machines having two concentric circular needle
beds in such manner that two or more tubular fabrics can be made simultaneously
upon different parts of these beds substantially as hereinbefore described.
12. The construction of circular knitting machines in such manner that the
needles are lowered by cams revolving in one direction and raised by cams revolving
in the opposite direction substantially as described.
Dated this 1st day of June 1892..
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.