IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by
Isaac Wixom Lamb, of Rochester, Monroe County, State of New
York, in the United States America.
Scaled the 22nd September 180, and dated the 26th May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
May 1865.
1, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lanc, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a knitting machine, made according to this
Invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of a cross section taken on the line of
Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the sliding carriage and needle plate;
Fig. 4 is an under side view of that portion of one side of the sliding carriage
which carries the cams, they being seen here in the positions they take when
drawn up out of the way of the butts of those needles which are in use;
Fig. 5 is a view of the same parts seen in Fig. 4, the cams having been
brought down so as to engage the butts of the needles in use; Fig. 6
Price Price be but

page_text: shows a piece of knitted fabric; Fig. 7 is an elevation of an apparatus to
be used in setting up work in knitting; Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken
on the line of Fig. 7. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
This Invention relates to that class of knitting machines that employ
straight rows of needles in distinction from the class known as circular knitting
machines, but more particularly to the manner of constructing and operating
two straight rows of needles in a knitting machine, by means of which tubular
work is produced on a straight knitting machine, and facility is afforded in
widening or narrowing the work, and in changing from a large to a small
size hose, or from a small to a large, on the same machine, and in knitting
the heels of stockings, and also in knitting various styles of ornamental and
ribbed work in a flat piece. Without enumerating here all the particular
devices embraced therein, it is sufficient to say that one part of the Invention
relates to the manner of arranging two straight rows of needles in a knitting
machine, so that the rows will operate alternately, one row while the yarn
is passing in one direction, and the other while the yarn is passing in the
opposite direction, uniting the work produced on the two rows of needles at
the ends of the rows; another relates to the construction of the cams for
operating the needles, and the manner of operating such cams; another part
relates to the manner of supporting the sliding carriage; another relates to
the manner of constructing the jacks; another relates to the manner of
driving the sliding carriage; another relates to the construction and opera-
tion of the yarn guide or carrier, and to the means for driving it; another
relates to a novel construction of latch openers; another relates to means for
connecting suitable weights to the work when beginning a new fabric;
another relates to an apparatus for setting up work on a knitting machine, by
means of which the work of setting up the heel is accomplished without the
aid of old work.
A, A', are two flat needle plates inclined towards each other, as seen in
Fig. 2, their upper edges being separated far enough to permit the operation
of knitting to take place without obstruction from the plates, and to allow the
fabric produced to hang down between them; they are firmly secured to a
suitable bed B, or they may form part of it by being cast therewith in one
piece. The bed B is so made in this example as that it can be attached
below the needle plates to the edge of the table; it may be made, however, so
as to be supported on suitable standards. The needle grooves a, a, extend
entirely across the plates and are open above and below, so that the needles can
be readily withdrawn therefrom at pleasure when the retaining plates U are

page_text: raised.
The needles here represented are of the kind known as latch needles,
but with slight modifications, which will suggest themselves to persons skilled
in the art of making knitting machines; needles with flexible beards can be
used in connection with this Invention. The lower ends of the needles have butts
d, which reach forth from the grooves a above the face of the needle plates, so as
to enable the needles to be operated by the cams herein-after mentioned. The
needles are retained in their grooves by means of plates U, U, one for each of the
needle plates A, A', the said plates U being flush with the needle plates along
their lower edges W, see Fig. 3. but being higher than the faces of said
needle plates along their upper edges W, because the upper parts of said
needle plates A, A¹ are cut down a distance equal to the thickness of the
retaining plates U; moreover, the upper parts of the retaining plates U
are bevilled off so as to be brought to a fine or thin edge. These plates U
serve to hold the needles in place, and also to close their latches when they are
pulled down out of the path of the operating cams, as herein-after explained.
G, G, designate two rows of bent wires, whose shanks are secured respectively
in plates E, E, one of which is fastened beneath each needle plate by means
of screws which pass through slots in said plates E, and hold them to the
needle plates. These slots are elongated in a direction transverse to the
length of the plates E, so that the latter can be adjusted to different heights,
and the bent wires thus be made to approach or recede from each other.
These wires are bent in such manner that their bent portions rise nearly at
right angles to the planes of the needle plates respectively; 1, 1, designate rods
which are fixed in horizontal positions within the bent parts of the wires for
the purpose of supporting them, the ends of the wires being clasped about
the rods so as to form eyes through which the rods pass, as seen in the
sectional view, Fig. 2, for the purpose of sustaining them. The rods and
wires are not soldered to each other, nor are the wires so tightly clasped
about the rods as to prevent the wires from moving on them laterally when
a knot is passing between the wires, or any strain comes on them from other
causes. The bent wires G fulfil the oflice of jacks, and they are placed
opposite to the spaces between the grooves of the needle plates. The needles
in their reciprocations pass between adjacent jacks and above the rods I, so
that they are supported vertically by the rods, and laterally by the jacks.
This construction of the jacks enables me to reduce the size of the grooves of
the needle plates at their upper edges, so that the hooks of the needles need
not be drawn entirely within the grooves, nor the loops be drawn into the
same, the said jacks serving to support the loops at the sides of the needles
in a manner similar to the common way of supporting them by ridges

page_text: between the needle grooves during the drawing of the loops, and the loops
simply being drawn by the needles between the jacks instead of being drawn
into the needle grooves, and since there is more room between the jacks than
in the needle grooves, and since the needles in being drawn back to cast off,
the loops are drawn back of the upper or inner portion of the jacks before
the former loops are cast, so that there is nothing between the needles
at the point where the loop is thrown off of each, it follows that coarser yarn
may be used with the needles at a given distance apart, and a larger number
of needles may be used in the machine, and the machine need not be any
wider than the finished work is to be. The jacks enable either coarse or fine
yarn to be used equally well in the same machine, and also permit the large
or uneven places in yarn to pass without difficulty, and they are much better
than flat plates, even though such plates are elastic, because they occupy no
room where the loops are cast. The jacks may be made of metallic plates
by punching such plates out to the required form, instead of being made of
wire, as here shown; they may be used in all kinds of knitting machines
where sliding needles are used, whether a single or double row, or series of
needles are used.
By making the grooves a run entirely across the needle plates I am enabled
to throw any number of needles out of operation for narrowing, and to bring
them back into operation for widening, without removing them from the
machine, the needles being meanwhile kept in their grooves by the plates U.
When any needle is to be removed for any purpose, or new needles are to be
put in the machine, it is only necessary to loosen the gibbs which hold the
sliding carriage to the bed B, so as to allow the plates U, one or both, to be
raised a little distance so as to permit the latch and hook of the needles to
pass beneath.
For this purpose I fasten the plates U to the needle plates
by means of smooth pins g', fitting into holes g", made in the bearing plates
U, on which pins the said plates U can be moved when it is desired to raise
them off the needle plates. The pins may be made to project from the plates
U, fitting in holes in the needle or foundation plates, if desired. f, f, are
standards rising from either end of the bed of the machine supporting two
guide rods, f, f, and also a screw threaded rod h, which is placed midway
between the guide rods. The rod h carries two nuts, c, e', which are free to
travel thereon; each of these nuts has an enlargement at the middle of its
length, extending all around it. A is the yarn conductor; it is supported
upon the guide rods by means of eyes f, f, ', through which the rods are
passed. g, g, are the arms of a spring made fast to the back of the yarn
conductor, the said arms extending each way therefrom in a horizontal

page_text: direction at the level of the nuts e, e'. When the yarn conductor is pushed
towards the right, its side strikes against the nut e¹, and at the same time
one of its arms g springs over and embraces the ridge g' of said nut, and the
yarn conductor is thereby held steady until its movement towards the left
takes places. When it is moved against the other nut it is held stationary in
like manner by the other arm g. C, D, designate a sliding carriage longer
than the bed B and the needle plates; it is composed of two plates connected
at their ends so as to form one frame, their upper sides being parallel with
the needle plates, and their inner or front sides t, t, extending downwards at
right angles therewith, and resting upon the bearing plates U, on which they
slide horizontally. The frame is retained in place by locking pieces or
gibbs D', D', one at either end of the bed B, which are screwed down to
their places, their ends serving as guides, along which the front sides t, t, of
the frame move.
K is a stiff spring dog secured to the part D of the frame,
and extending forward and upward against the back of the yarn guide, which
it moves to and fro by means of two shoulders K', K', one of which is scen in
Fig. 2; these shoulders are placed behind the guiding eyes f, f, and the
spring dog being forced by its own elasticity against the yarn guide, it follows
that when the sliding carriage is moved towards the left the dog will pass
along the back of the yarn guide until it strikes the shoulder K¹ on that side,
when the spring arm g will be drawn out of engagement with the nut e¹, and
the yarn guide will be carried up to the nut e, whose ridge g' will engage the
spring arm on that side, and hold the yarn guide stationary against reaction;
the dog K meanwhile will be carried over the shoulder and past the nut e, by
reason of the continued movement of the carriage, its elasticity allowing it to
yield sufliciently to ride over the shoulder, when the yarn guide is stopped by
the nut. On the return movement of the carriage the dog slides over the
shoulder it engaged last, whose outer side is inclined, so that the dog will not
move the yarn guide, and moves along until it strikes the face of the other
shoulder at the right-hand side of the yarn guide, when it carries the latter
along until it reaches the nut e¹; the yarn guide is again stopped and held
stationary as before, while the dog K is forced past the shoulder as before.
The nuts e, e', are to be placed on the screw-threaded rod in such positions
and at such distances apart as will enable the thread guide to pass in both
directions beyond the outermost of these needles which are in operation, say to
the distance of half an inch beyond them on each side. The letters i, i,
designate latch openers, consisting of flat plates fixed to the inclined sides of
the frame C, D, their inner ends i, j, being bent downwards at right angles
to the rest of the plates, and curved as seen in Fig. 1, where that one which

page_text: is fixed to the part C of the frame is shown; these latch openers are made
sharp or knife-edged on their inner ends, and they are placed in such position
that the top of the hooks of the needles will just pass under but close to
them, the result is that the latch openers take the latches from the top of
the hooks of the needles, and turn them over out of the way of the yarn
carrier. The superiority of this style of latch opener over those in use arises
from the fact of its simplicity, and as it will open the latch at any point along
its edge, it is not required to be so carefully adjusted as the old style, while
it is much less liable to break the needles; they are so located that their
greatest convexities are just in advance of the yarn guide, whose lowest
part, when the machine is in operation, is found between the latch openers,
but at that end which is hindermost. The driving dog K is bolted to the
frame upon the back of that one of the latch openers which is on the same
side of the frame, and therefore since at each change of direction of the
motion of the carriage the driving dog advances along the back of the yarn
guide until it meets the opposing shoulder, the latch openers are carried past
the foot of the yarn guide before the latter begins its return movement;
the yarn passes through an eye in the top 5 of the yarn guide, and thence
through the eye in its foot. /', as seen in Fig. 2. Each side of the sliding
frame carries a system of cams which will be next described; they are the
same for each side of the frame, and therefore a description of those on the
side will answer for both. Figs. 4 and 5 represent one set of these cams
in two different positions; they are placed on the under side of the frame
below the front side t thereof, and are attached to and sustained by a fixed
plate q, which is secured at 1, 1, to ribs 2, 2, formed on the under side of the
part C. q', q', are transverse slots in the plate q, which receive pins,
extending from a V-shaped cam r, which moves transversely on the plate g
the pins, r, also pass through the diagonal slots p, p, made in a sliding
plate p, placed beneath the fixed plate q, as shown in the Drawing, but above
the plate as it sits in the machine. The ends of said sliding plate are con-
fined by the plates q, in recesses sunk in the ribs 2, 2, in which recesses they
are guided in the reciprocating movements of the plate p. Friction is made
on one end of the sliding plate by means of a spring s, which is secured in
place by one of the screw bolts 1. The pins 73, 7, terminate on the upper
side of the sliding plate (the upper side as that plate lies when in the machine)
in buttons or heads not seen in the Drawing, which serve to hold the V-shaped
cam in place. The sliding plate p has no transverse motion, but only a
longitudinal movement, which is effected by means of its lower edge p', which
projects below the fixed plate q, and below the part C of the frame. The

page_text: ends of the projection p come in contact with adjustable stops H, H, which
are so placed on the ends of the bed B as to be capable of motion about their
pivots V; curved slots I, formed on their inner or lower ends receiving set
screws, seen in dotted outline in Fig. 2, by means of which the said stops are
set either in or out of the path of the part p' of the sliding plate. When the
stops are turned up in its path the sliding plate will be moved to and fro, and
it will in turn cause the pins 2, r, to be moved either up or down in the
slots p, p, and so cause them and consequently the V-shaped cam to be
moved transversely up or down in the slots g of the fixed plate. When
this cam is moved upwards it will pass above the butts of the needles, and
when it is moved downwards it will be in line of engagement with them;
r', r', are two side cams adjustably secured to the fixed plate q by means of
pins o, o, projecting from the upper ends of the cams through diagonal
slots, cut in the plate q. Pins o¹, o', projecting from the lower ends of
said cams also enter the diagonal slots r, r, on the lower side of the sliding
plate, the object being to keep the faces of these cams always parallel with
the opposite faces of the cam. The pins o, o, are far enough apart to
permit the shifter or sliding plate p to pass between them. The slots may
extend from the place of the pin o, to that of the pin o¹, or they may be
interrupted and not continuous where they are covered by the plate p, pro-
viding they extend far enough above and below the said plate p to allow the
pins to move the distances required for the adjustment of the cams. The
upper ends of the pins o¹, o', do not pass quite through the slois r, being
intended only for guides, but the upper ends of the pins o pass through them,
and are connected to links n, n, which extend downward across the sliding
plate or shifter p. their lower ends being controlled by thumbscrews F, F¹,
whose shanks pass through longitudinal slots m, m, and are connected to the
links. The effect of this construction is that when the thumbscrews are
moved toward each other the cams are moved upwards, and when the
thumbscrews are moved away from each other the cams are moved down-
wards. The upper sides of the cam r present a salient angle, and the
inner sides of the cams r¹ present a corresponding hollow or re-entering
angle, and the space between them forms an inverted V-shaped passage
for the butts d of the needles to travel in. so that the said cam T
on striking those butts which are in its path
will first move the
needles they belong to upward to the top of the passage, and the cams r¹
will then draw them downward. When the cam T has been carried
upwards, as seen in Fig. 4, it is rendered inoperative, and the sliding frame
moves over the needle plates without producing any movement of the needles,

page_text: but when it has been drawn down, as seen in Figure 5, it engages the butts
of whatever needles are in its path, and operates them as above explained.
The slots p are so arranged that if, when the sliding frame is moving toward
the right the shifter strikes the stop H, the passage between the cams r, r¹,
will be opened by the descent of the cam r. When on moving towards the
left the shifter plate strikes the stop H on that side the said passage will be
closed. This operation is the same on either side of the machine. By this
action upon the cams I am enabled to knit on the two rows of needles in
alternation, if the stops H at the end of the bed B on each side of the machine
are set so that the cams r on opposits sides will operate in alternation.
Q designates a wire setter, made with hooks on its ends to receive the hooked
ends of a bent wire Q', upon which latter weights are hung, for distending the
fabric and clearing the machine of it as it is produced. The wire setter Q is
dropped down between the latch openers upon the work when it is set up, and
its hooks are then engaged by the hooks of the other wire, as seen in Fig. 1,
both rows of needles being operated together in setting up the work, forming
a network between the rows.
This machine may be operated with both rows of needles alternately, so as
to produce circular knitting, or the knitting may proceed on one row back and
forth, and then on the opposite row back and forth, or it may proceed on only
one row continuously. The sliding frame is reciprocated by incans of a
crank C, whose shaft C3 is placed in the bed B at the right-hand end of the
machine. A connecting rod C, pivotted to the left-hand end of the sliding
frame, is connected to the middle of the crank arm in such a manner as that
the crank arm can turn in the eye of the rod. C is the handle of the crank.
The machine may also be fitted to be operated by a treadle or by power. The
length of the loops is determined by the position of the side cams r¹, r'. When
they are in their highest positions the work will be closely knitted, when
they are in their lowest positions the fabric will be loosely knitted; and their
positions are to be changed by means of the thumbscrews which operate the
links n, according to the character or closeness of the texture to be knit.
I will next describe the apparatus for setting up work in knitting machines
by the aid of which the work may be set up on a knitting machine almost
instantly without the aid of old work, and thereby a great saving of time be
secured upon any knitting machine to which it may be adapted, in beginning
the work when by accident it may have run off a machine; but its value is
especially apparent in the facility it affords for knitting the heels of stockings.
The apparatus herewith presented is one designed to be used on a machine of
the class known as straight machines, and especially that class of straight

page_text: machines that employ two rows of needles, operating alternately as in the
knitting machine herein described; but it is plain that, the same device may
be used on circular knitting machines by making it in a circular form, or upon
straight knitting machines employing but one row of needles.
Fig. 7 A is a plate of metal of a length a little greater than the row of
needles of the machine on which it is to be used; its upper edge has a series
of wedge-shaped fingers B formed thereon, whose distance apart is to be equal
to the distance of the needles apart, and their breadth is to be such as will
pernit them readily to pass between the needles; their ends are bent over
into the form of hooks. The opposite edge of the plate has a bail C, which
serves the purpose of holding the weights which are to be applied when the
work has been set up and the fabric is being produced. The manner of
applying and using the apparatus is as follows:-Taking the process of
knitting a stocking, as an example, upon one of the knitting machines, the
foot of the stocking is first knit up to the line where the heel is to be joined
thereto. The machine is then set in condition, so that only the back row of
needles will operate, and the crank is turned once around while the yarn
carrier is held still, or with the yarn broken and taken out of the carrier. The
loops are thus all let off of the back row of needles, while those on the front
row remain on. The yarn is then inserted through the eye of the yarn carrier
and the crank is started, until the first needle is started up about half of its
movement. The plate A is then inserted between the row of needles from
beneath behind the work, the hooked fingers being placed against the back
row of jacks, with the hooks towards the work already on the machine. The
plate is to be also so tipped or inclined that the hooks will be behind the yarn
carrier; and the tops of the hooks are to be placed nearly as high as the top
of the jacks between the needles and against the jacks, not between them.
The plate A is held in this position while the machine is operated or moved
one stroke or a half revolution of the crank. The back row of needles will
come up between the hooked fingers B; and when the needles retire after
having received the yarn in their hooks, they will draw the yarn into the
hooks of the fingers B, so that the plate A may be suspended upon the yarn
by the hooks of the fingers B, which have hold of the yarn between each of
the needles, and thus a loop is formed upon each needle. Proper weights are
now attached to the bail C of the plate, and the knitting is proceeded with
the same as though loops had been placed by hand upon each needle, and
weights attached to the old fabric as in the former manner of setting up work.
When sufficient is knit for the heel of a stocking the machine is set to
knit hollow or tubular work, and the leg is produced. If it is desired to set

page_text: up new work on one of these knitting machines, the machine is set in position
to operate only the back row of needles, and the work is set upon that row;
then both rows of needles are operated together once across, when loops are
formed on both rows of needles, and the work can be progressed with the
same as knitting any plain tubular work.
SPECIFICATION
in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Clark, Her special license that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should in any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINES" a communication to me from abroad by Isaac Wixom Lamb, of
Rochester, Monroe County, State of New York, in the United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say)-

page_text: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a knitting machine made according to this
Invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of a cross section taken on the line 2 of
Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the sliding carriage and needle
plates; Fig. 4 is an under side view of that portion of one side of the sliding
carriage which carries the cams, they being seen here in the positions they
take when drawn up out of the way of the butts of those needles which are
in use; Fig. 5 is a view of the same parts seen in Fig. 4, the cams having
been brought down so as to engage the butts of the needles in use; Fig. 6
shows a piece of knitted fabric; Fig. 7 is an elevation of an apparatus to be
used in setting up work in knitting; Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on
the line of Fig. 7. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
This Invention relates to that class of knitting machines that employ
straight rows of needles in distinction from the class known as circular knitting
machines, but more particularly to the manner of constructing and operating
two straight rows of needles in a knitting machine, by means of which
tubular work is produced on a straight knitting machine, and facility is
afforded in widening or narrowing the work, and in changing from a large to
a small size hose, or from a small to a large, on the same machine, and in
knitting the heels of stockings, and also in knitting various styles of orna-
mental and ribbed work in a flat piece. Without enumerating here all the
particular devices embraced therein it is sufficient to say that one part of the
Invention relates to the manner of arranging two straight rows of needles in
a knitting machine so that the rows will operate alternately, one row while
the yarn is passing in one direction, and the other while the yarn is passing
in the opposite direction, uniting the work produced on the two rows of
needles at the ends of the rows; another relates to the construction of the
cams for operating the needles, and the manner of operating such cams;
another part relates to the manner of supporting the sliding carriage; another
relates to the manner of constructing the jacks; another relates to the manner
of driving the sliding carriage; another relates to the construction and opera-
tion of the yarn guide or carrier, and to the means for driving it; another
relates to a novel construction of latch openers; another relates to means for
connecting suitable weights to the work when beginning a new fabric;
another relates to an apparatus for setting up work on a knitting machine, by
means of which the work of setting up the heel is accomplished without the
aid of old work.
A, A, are two flat needle plates inclined towards each other, as seen in
Fig. 2, their upper edges being separated far enough to permit the operation

page_text: of knitting to take place without obstruction from the plates, and to allow the
fabric produced to hang down between them; they are firmly secured to a
suitable bed B, or they may form part of it by being cast therewith in one
piece. The bed B is so made in this example as that it can be attached
below the needle plates to the edge of the table; it may be made however so
as to be supported on suitable standards. The needle grooves "a," "a,"
extend entirely across the plates, and are open above and below so that the
needles can be readily withdrawn therefrom at pleasure when the retaining
plates U are raised. The needles here represented are of the kind known
as latch needles, but with slight modifications, which will suggest themselves
to persons skilled in the art of making knitting machines; needles with
flexible beards can be used in connection with this Invention. The lower
ends of the needles have butts d which reach forth from the grooves a above
the face of the needle plates, so as to enable the needles to be operated by the
cams herein-after mentioned. The needles are retained in their grooves by
means of plates U, U, one for each of the needle plates A, A', the said plates U
being flush with the needle plates along their lower edges W, see Fig. 3, but
being higher than the faces of said needle plates along their upper edges W¹,
because the upper parts of said needle plates A, A¹, are cut down a distance
equal to the thickness of the retaining plates U; moreover, the upper parts
of the retaining plates U are bevilled off so as to be brought to a fine or thin
edge. These plates U serve to hold the needles in place, and also to close
their latches when they are pulled down out of the path of the operating
cams, as herein-after explained. G, G, designate two rows of bent wires
whose shanks are secured respectively in plates E, E, one of which is fastened
beneath each needle plate by means of screws which pass through slots in
said plate E, and hold them to the needle plates. These slots are elongated
in a direction transverse to the length of the plates E, so that the latter can
be adjusted to different heights, and the bent wires thus be made to approach
or recede from each other. These wires are bent in such manner that their
bent portions rise nearly at right angles to the planes of the needle plates
respectively. 1, 1, designate rods which are fixed in horizontal positions
within the bent parts of the wires for the purpose of supporting them, the
ends of the wires being clasped about the rods, so as to form eyes through
which the rods pass, as seen in the sectional view, Fig. 2, for the purpose of
sustaining them. The rods and wires are not soldered to each other, nor are
the wires so tightly clasped about the rods as to prevent the wires from moving
on them laterally when a knot is passing between the wires, or any strain
comes on them from other causes. The bent wires G fulfill the office of jacks,

page_text: and they are placed opposite to the spaces between the grooves of the necure
plates. The needles in their reciprocations pass between adjacent jacks and
above the rods 1, so that they are supported vertically by the rods and laterally
by the jacks. This construction of the jacks enables me to reduce the size of
the grooves of the needle plates at their upper edges so that the hooks of the
needles need not be drawn entirely within the grooves, nor the loops be drawn
into the same, the said jacks serving to support the loops at the sides of the
needles in a manner similar to the common way of supporting them by ridges
between the needle grooves during the drawing of the loops, and the loops
simply being drawn by the needles between the jacks instead of being drawn
into the needle grooves; and since there is more room between the jacks
than in the needle grooves, and since the needles in being drawn back to
cast off, the loops are drawn back of the upper or inner portion of the jacks
before the former loops are cast, so that there is nothing between the needles
at the point where the loop is thrown off of each, it follows that coarser yarn
may be used with the needles at a given distance apart, and a large number
of needles may be used in the machine, and the machine need not be any
wider than the finished work is to be. These jacks enable either coarse or
fine yarn to be used equally well in the same machine, and also permit the
large or uneven places in yarn to pass without difliculty; and they are much
better than flat plates, even though such plates are elastic, because they occupy
no room where the loops are cast. The jacks may be made of metallic plates
by punching such plates out to the required form instead of being made of
wire, as here shown; they may be used in all kinds of knitting machines
where sliding needles are used, whether a single or double row, or series of
needles are used. By making the grooves a run entirely across the needle
plates I am enabled to throw any number of needles out of operation for
narrowing, and to bring them back into operation for widening, without
removing them from the machine, the needles being meanwhile kept in their
grooves by the plates U. When any needle is to be removed for any purpose,
or new needles are to be put in the machine, it is only necessary to loosen
the gibbs which hold the sliding carriage to the bed B, so as to allow the
plates U, one or both, to be raised a little distance so as to permit the latch
and hook of the needles to pass beneath. For this purpose I fasten the
plates U to the needle plates by means of smooth pins g' fitting into
holes g made in the bearing plates U, on which pins the said plates U can
he moved when it is desired to raise them off the needle plates. The pins
may be made to project from the plates U fitting in holes in the needle or
foundation plates if desired. 1, 1, are standards rising from either end of the

page_text: bed of the machine supporting two guide rods f, f, and also a screw-threaded
rod which is placed midway between the guide rods. The rod b carries
two nuts e, e, which are free to travel thereon; each of these nuts has an
enlargement at the middle of its length extending all around it. A is the
yarn conductor; it is supported upon the guide rods by means of eyes f, f, f',
through which the rods are passed. g, g, are the arms of a spring made fast
to the back of the yarn conductor, the said arms extending each way therefrom
in a horizontal direction at the level of the nuts e, e¹. When the yarn conductor
is pushed towards the right, its side strikes against the nut e¹, and at the same
time one of its arms springs over and embraces the ridge 9 of said nut, and
the yarn conductor is thereby held steady until its movement towards the left
takes place. When it is moved against the other nut it is held stationary in
like manner by the other arm g. C, D, designate a sliding carriage longer than
the bed B and the needle plates; it is composed of two plates, connected at
their ends so as to form one frame, their upper sides being parallel with the
needle plates, and their inner or front sides t, t, extending downwards at right
angles therewith, and resting upon the bearing plates U, on which they slide
horizontally. The frame is retained in place by locking pieces or gibbs D', D',
one at either end of the bed B, which are screwed down to their places, their
ends serving as guides, along which the front sides t, t, of the frame move.
K is a stiff spring dog, secured to the part D of the frame, and extending
forward and upward against the back of the yarn guide, which it moves to
and fro by means of two shoulders K, K', one of which is seen in Fig. 2;
these shoulders are placed behind the guiding eyes f, f, and the spring dog
being forced by its own elasticity against the yarn guide, it follows that when
the sliding carriage is moved towards the left the dog will pass along the back
of the yarn guide until it strikes the shoulder K' on that side, when the
spring arm will be drawn out of engagement with the nut e¹, and the yarn
guide will be carried up to the nut c, whose ridge g' will engage the spring
arm on that side and hold the yarn guide stationary against reaction; the
dog K meanwhile will be carried over the shoulder and past the nut e by
reason of the continued movement of the carriage, its elasticity allowing it to
yiek sufliciently to ride over the shoulder when the yarn guide is stopped by
⚫ the nut. On the return movement of the carriage the dog slides over the
shoulder it engaged last, whose outer side is inclined, so that the dog will not
move the yarn guide, and moves along until it strikes the face of the other
shoulder on the right-hand side of the yarn guide, when it carries the latter
along until it reaches the nut e¹; the yarn guide is again stopped and held
stationary as before, while the dog K is forced pass the shoulder as before.

page_text: The nuts e, e, are to be placed on the screw-threaded rod in such positions
and at such distances apart as will enable the thread guide to pass in both
directions beyond the outermost of these needles which are in operation, say
to the distance of half an inch beyond them on each side. The letters i, i,
designate latch openers. consisting of flat plates fixed to the inclined sides of
the frame C, D, their inner ends i, j, being bent downwards at right angles
to the rest of the plates and curved, as seen in Fig. 1, where that one which
is fixed to the part C of the frame is shown; these latch openers are made
sharp or knife-edged on their inner ends. and they are placed in such position
that the top of the hooks of the needles will just pass under them, but close to
them; the result is that the latch openers take the latches from the top of the
hooks of the needles and turn them over out of the way of the yarn carrier.
The superiority of this style of latch opener over those in use arises from the
fact of its simplicity, and as it will open the latch at any point along its edge
it is not required to be so carefully adjusted as the old style, while it is much
less liable to break the needles; they are so located that their greatest
convexities are just in advance of the yarn guide, whose lowest part when
the machine is in operation is found between the latch openers, but at that
end which is hindermost. The driving dog K is bolted to the frame upon the
back of that one of the latch openers which is on the same side of the frame.
and therefore since at each change of direction of the motion of the carriage
the driving dog advances along the back of the yarn guide until it meets the
opposing shoulder; the latch openers are carried past the foot of the yarn
guide before the latter begins its return movement; the yarn passes through
an eye in the top of the yarn guide, and thence through an eye in its
foot ', as seen in Fig. 2. Each side of the sliding frame carries a system of
cams, which will be next described; they are the same for each side of the
frame, and therefore a description of those on the side C will answer for
both. Figs. 4 and 5 represent one set of these cams in two different
positions; they are placed on the under side of the frame below the front
side thereof, and are attached to and sustained by a fixed plate q, which is
screwed at 1, 1, to ribs 2, 2, formed on the under side of the
transverse slots in the plate q, which receive pins,
V-shaped cam r, which moves transversely on the plate q.
also pass through the diagonal slots på, på, made in a sliding plate p, placed
beneath the fixed plate q, as shown in the Drawing, but above the plate as it
sets in the machine. The ends of said sliding plate are confined by the
plate q in recesses sunk in the ribs 2, 2, in which recesses they are guided in
he reciprocating movements of the plate p. Friction is made on one end of
part C. q', q', are
extending from a
The pins r², 2,

page_text: the sliding plate by means of a spring s, which is secured in place by one of
the screw bolts 1. The pins r, 12, terminate on the upper side of the sliding
plate (the upper side as that plate lies when in the machine) in buttons or
heads, not seen in the Drawing, which serve to hold the V-shaped cam in
place. The sliding plate p has no transverse motion, but only a longitudinal
movement, which is effected by means of its lower edge p', which projects
below the fixed plate q and below the part C of the frame. The ends of the
projection p' come in contact with adjustable stops H, H, which are so placed
on the ends of the bed B as to be capable of motion about their pivots V,
curved slots I formed on their inner or lower ends receiving set screws, seen
in dotted outlines in Fig. 2, by means of which the said stops are set either
in or out of the path of the part p¹ of the sliding plate. When the stops are
turned up in its path the sliding plate will be moved to and fro, and it will in
turn cause the pins 2, 3, to be moved either up or down in the slots p², p²,
and so cause them, and consequently the V-shaped cam, to be moved trans-
versely up or down in the slots q¹ of the fixed plate. When this cam is moved
upwards it will pass above the butts of the needles, and when it is moved
downwards it will be in line of engagement with them. r, r¹, are two side
cams adjustably secured to the fixed plate q by means of pins o, o, projecting
from the upper ends of the cams through diagonal slots 3, 3, cut in the
plate q.
Pins o, o', projecting from the lower ends of said cams also enter
the diagonal slots on the lower side of the sliding plate, the object being to
keep the faces of these cams always parallel with the opposite faces of the
cam r. The pins o, o¹, are far enough apart to permit the shifter or sliding
plate p to pass between them. The slots may extend from the place of the
pino to that of the pin o', or they may be interrupted and not continuous
where they are covered by the plate p, providing they extend far enough
above and below the said plate p to allow the pins to move the distances
required for the adjustment of the cams. The upper ends of the pins o¹, o¹,
do not pass quite through the slots r³, being intended only for guides, but the
upper ends of the pins o pass through them, and are connected to links n, n,
which extend downward across the sliding plate or shifter p, their lower ends
being controlled by thumbscrews F, F¹, whose shanks pass through longitudinal
slots m, m, and are connected to the links. The effect of this construction is
that when the thumbscrews are moved toward each other the cams rare
moved upwards, and when the thumbscrews are moved away front each other
the cams are moved downwards. The upper sides of the cam r present a
salient angle, and the inner sides of the cams r¹ present a corresponding
hollow or re-entering angle, and the space between them forms an inverted

page_text: V-shaped passage for the butts d of the needles to travel in, so that the said
cam on striking those butts which are in its path will first move the needles
they belong to upward to the top of the passage, and the cams r¹ will then
draw them downward. When the cam has been carried upwards, as seen
in Fig. 4, it is rendered inoperative, and the sliding frame moves over the
needle plates without producing any movement of the needles, but when it
has been drawn down, as seen in Fig. 5, it engages the butts of whatever
needles are in its path, and operates them as above explained. The slots p³
are so arranged that if, when the sliding frame is moving toward the right,
the shifter strikes the stop H the passage between the cams r, r', will be
opened by the descent of the cam r. When on moving towards the left the
shifter plate strikes the stop H on that side, the said passage will be closed;
this operation is the same on either side of the machine. By this action
upon the cams 1 am enabled to knit on the two rows of needles in alternation,
if the stops H at the end of the bed B on each side of the machine are set
so that the cams r on opposite sides will operate in alternation. Q designates
a wire setter made with hooks on its ends to receive the hooked ends of a
bent wire Q, upon which latter weights are hung for distending the fabric
and clearing the machine of it as it is produced. The wire setter Qis
dropped down between the latch openers upon the work when it is set up,
and its hooks are then engaged by the hooks of the other wire, as seen in
Fig. 1, both rows of needles being operated together in setting up the work
forming a network between the rows. This machine may be operated with
both rows of needles alternately, so as to produce circular knitting, or the
knitting may proceed on one row back and forth, and then on the opposite
row back and forth, or it may proceed on only one row continuously. The
sliding frame is reciprocated by means of a crank C, whose shaft C³ is placed
in the bed B, at the right-hand end of the machine. A connecting rod C¹
pivotted to the left-hand end of the sliding frame is connected to the middle
of the crank arm in such a manner as that the crank arm can turn in the eye
of the rod; C is the handle of the crank. The machine may also be fitted
to be operated by a treadle or by power. The length of the loops is determined
by the position of the side cams r', r'; when they are in their highest
positions the work will be closely knitted; when they are in their lowest
positions the fabric will be loosely knitted, and their positions are to be
changed by means of the thumbscrews which operate the links n according to
the character or closeness of the texture to be knit.
I will next describe the apparatus for setting up work on knitting machines,
by the aid of which the work may be set up on a knitting machine almost

page_text: instantly, without the aid of old work, and thereby a great saving of time be
secured, upon any knitting machine to which it may be adapted in beginning
the work when by accident it may have run off a machine; but its value is
especially apparent in the facility it affords for knitting the heels of stockings.
The apparatus herewith presented is one designed to be used on a machine
for the class known as straight machines, and especially that class known as
straight machines that employ two rows of needles operating alternately as in
the knitting machine herein described; but it is plain that the same device may
be used on circular knitting machines by making it in a circular form or upon
straight knitting machines employing but one row of needles. A is a plate of
metal of a length a little greater than the row of needles of the machine on
which it is to be used; its upper edge has a series of wedge-shaped fingers B
formed thereon, whose distance apart is to be equal to the distance of the
needles apart, and their breadth is to be such as will permit them readily to
pass between the needles; their ends are bent over into the form of hooks.
The opposite edge of the plate has a bail C, which serves the purpose of
holding the weights which are to be applied when the work has been set up
and the fabric is being produced. The manner of applying and using the
apparatus is as follows, taking the process of knitting a stocking, as an
example, upon one of my knitting machines:-The foot of the stocking is
first knit up to the line where the heel is to be joined thereto. The machine
is then set in condition, so that only the back row of needles will operate, and
the crank is turned once around, while the yarn carrier is held still, or with
the yarn broken and taken out of the carrier. The loops are thus all let off
of the back row of needles, while those on the front row remain on. The
yarn is then inserted through the eye of the yarn carrier, and the crank is
started until the first needle is started up about half of its movement. The
plate A is then inserted between the rows of needles from beneath behind the
work, the hooked fingers being placed against the back row of jacks, with the
hooks towards the work already on the machine. The plate is to be also so
tipped or inclined that the hooks will be behind the yarn carrier, and the tops
of the hooks are to be placed nearly as high as the top of the jacks between
the needles and against the jacks, not between them. The plate A is held in
this position while the machine is operated or moved one stroke or a half
revolution of the crank. The back row of needles will come up between the
hooked fingers B; and when the needles retire, after having received the
yarn in their hooks they will draw the yarn into the hooks of the fingers B,
so that the plate A may be suspended upon the yarn by the hooks of the
fingers B, which have hold of the yarn between each of the needles, and thus

page_text: a loop is formed upon each needle.
Proper weights are now attached to the
bail C of the plate, and the knitting is proceeded with the same as though
loops had been placed by hand upon each needle and weights attached to the
old fabric, as in the former manner of setting up work. When sufficient is
knit for the heel of a stocking the machine is set to knit hollow or tubular
work, and the leg is produced.
If it is desired to set up new work on one of these knitting machines the
machine is set in position to operate only the back row of needles, and the
work is set upon that row; then both rows of needles are operated together
once across, when loops are formed on both rows of needles, and the work
can be progressed with the same as knitting any plain tubular work.
Having described the nature of this 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,―
Ist, the employment in a knitting machine of two straight rows of needles
operating alternately in such a manner that the yarn conductor in passing
down and back will lay the yarn over the other row while passing in the
opposite direction, thereby uniting the work produced upon the two rows at
the ends of the rows, and making tubular work on a straight knitting
machine.
2ndly, the employment for giving motion to the two alternately operating
rows of needles of the V-shaped and corresponding hollow-shaped cams, the
V-portions of which are shifted at each end of the stroke of the sliding frame
for the purpose of causing the alternation in the operation of the two rows of
needles, substantially as herein described.
3rdly, the employment in a knitting machine having two rows of needles
operating alternately of shifters p, p, having suitable bearings and one or
more oblique slots p, p, in combination with the pins and transverse
slots q' in the cam box for the purpose of shifting the V cams to produce the
alternation in the operation of the two rows of needles, substantially as herein
described.
4thly, the combination of the shifters p, p, having projections p', p', with
suitable stops H to secure the movement of the shifters as needed, in order to
change the V cams, substantially as herein set forth.
5thly, the adjustable stops H, so secured as to allow of their being placed
cither in position to combine with the projections p² of the shifters, and thus
change the V cams, or in position to allow the shifters to pass them without
changing, so as to permit of changes in the machine by the simple change of

page_text: the stops, so that either the two rows of needles may operate alternately to
produce tubular work, or one of the rows may be operated singly to produce
flat work like the heels of stockings, or both rows may be operated all the
time, producing any variety of flat-ribbed work, or one row may be operated
all the time, while the other is operated one half the time, producing ornamental
work for scarfs or other uses, substantially as described.
6thly, the outside cams r', r', when they are made either one or both
adjustable in the line of the side of the V cam, so that when either of the
outside, cams are adjusted to regulate the length of the loops, the V cam will
fit against the inside surfaces of both outside cams perfectly when closed by
the change of the shifters, as described.
7thly, the friction spring S, to prevent the hanging of the shifters before
they come against the stops H, as described.
8thly, making the inner edge of the plates U beviling or sharp on the upper
side, as described, for the purpose of turning over the needle latches when the
needles are drawn down to be out of working position.
9thly, I claim the elastic wire jacks, made substantially in the manner set
forth for the purpose specified.
10thly, a detached yarn carrier moving on suitable guides in combination
with adjustable stops to regulate the distance of the movement of the yarn
carrier to any sized fabric desired to be knit when the same is connected to
the sliding frame by any suitable device that will permit an uniform movement
of the sliding frame and an adjustable movement of the yarn carrier,
substantially as herein described.
11thly, the manner of connecting the sliding frame to the detached yarn
carrier by means of the driving spring K working on the inclined surfaces and
stops of the yarn carrier in combination with the friction spring g, substantially
as herein described, for the purpose of taking hold and letting go of the yarn
carrier, as described.
12thly, a sharp or knife-edged latch opener or guard taking the latches
from the top of the hooks of the needles and turning them back whether the
surface or edge of such latch openers are nearly straight, and the movement of
the needles open the latches, or whether the needles are stationary while an
inclined knife edge opens the latches.
13thly, the combination of the two knife-edged latch openers with the yarn
carrier when the same are so arranged as to permit the yarn carrier to pass
between the latch openers, as described.
14thly, the bent wire Q, or its equivalent, to drop down on to the yarn in

page_text: setting up work on the machine, so as permit a weight to be attached to the
same under the machine by means of the bent wire Q, or other suitable
connection, substantially as described.
15thly, the setting-up apparatus, made substantially as above described,
having fingers B to be placed between the needles of a knitting machine, with
hooks or their equivalents on the ends of such fingers, for the purpose of
holding on to the yarn between the needles, and thus setting up the work on
a knitting machine without the aid of old work.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK.
(L.S.)