Improvements in and Applicable to Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1896
זיך
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1897 P
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Applicable to Circular Knitting Machines.
HENRY ARTHUR BETTNEY 5 Granville Grove Carlton Road Nottingham
Mechanic do hereby declare the 'nature of this invention to the as follows:
This invention which relates to improvements in and applicable to circulář
knitting machines filled with bearded needles and blade wheels, has "for its
object the provision of means for enabling a splicing thread to be inserted and
withdrawn with certainty and accuracy at any predetermined needle and at any
particular course or part of a course; also means by which the splicing" threadl
may be held in or out of action for any number of courses or parts of courses,
means for cutting, and for holding the cut end of the splicing thread when it
is thrown out of order, means for ensuring the splicing threall being
delivered to the needles when it is thrown into work, and means by which the
splicing thread may be automatically thrown into and out of action.
According to this invention the machine is fitted with an additional bladed
wheel which is constructed and mounted similarly to the bladed wheels now, in
use, but has certain blades shaped to allow of the splicing thread being thrown
into action, and other blades shaped to allow of the splicing thread being thrown
out of action. The splicing thread guide is arranged under the blade wheel
instead of over the same as is usually the case, and is carried by an axle which
is oscillated by cams or pattern mechanism.
. The mechanism for cutting, holding and guided the splicing thread is suitably
mounted and may be operated from the splicing thread guide axle or by indepen
dent means, the whole mechanism being so arranged and timed that when the
splicing thread guide withdraws the thread from the blade wheel it is moved
between the cutters which divide the thread and hold the cut end. When the
thread is to be again introduced the cut end passes from the holder through,
guide which ensures it being delivered to the needles.
The mechanisms herein described may be operated by cams on the needle
cylinder, by independently operated cams, or by pattern mechanism, or the 'motion's
may be obtained from cams which are thrown in and out of action by, pattern
mechanism which may act upon the cams or upon the can trucks and in sonic
cases the pattern mechanism is replaced by mechanism operated by hand
Dated this 6th day of November 1896.
"נ'
W. H. POTTER, Wh.Sc.
Patent Agent Nottingham."

page_text: Improvements in and Applicable to Circular Knitting Machines.
HENRY ARTHUR BETTNEY 5 Granville Grove Carlton Road Nottingham
Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention which relates to improvements in and applicable to circular
Knitting machine fitted with bearded needles and blade wheels, has for its object
the provision of means for enabling a splicing thread to be inserted and with-
drawn with certainty and accuracy at any predetermined needle and at any
particular course or part of a course; also means by which the splicing thread
may be held in or out of action for any number of courses or parts of courses;
means for cutting the thread and holding the cut end when the thread is thrown
out-of action; mean's for ensuring the splicing thread being delivered to the
needles when it is thrown into action; and means for automatically controlling
the "action of the 'above mechanisms.
According to this invention the machine is fitted with an additional bladed
wheel which is constructed and mounted similarly to the bladed wheels now in
use, but has certain blades shaped to allow of the splicing thread being thrown
into action, and other blades shaped to allow of the splicing thread being thrown
out of action. The splicing thread carrier is arranged under the blade wheel
instead of over the same as is usually the case, and it is carried by an axle which
is oscillated by cams or pattern mechanism.
"The cutter, threadguide, and thread holder are carried by the blade wheel
bracket and are actuated by a lever on the splicing thread guide axle which
is actuated by a cam on the needle cylinder. A guide is also introduced for
ensuring the introduction of the splicing thread to the needles when the
splicing is to be recommenced.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig 1'is an elevation partly in section of a machine fitted with the improved
splicing' apparatus.
Fig 2 is a part plan of the machine shown in Fig 2.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the pattern mechanism shown in elevation in Fig 1.
Fig 4 is a front elevation of the splicing thread carrier mechanism.
Fig 5 is a side elevation of the splicing thread carrier mechanism, showing
more particularly the cutter and holder.
Fig 6 is a plan of the splicing thread carrier mechanism, and
Fig 7 is a series of drawings showing the shape of the blades in the blade
wheel.
Fig '8 is a series of diagrams illustrating the action of the cutting and holding
mechanism.
"The splicing thread mechanism shown in Figs 4, 5, 6 and 7 is arranged
relatively to the machine as shown in Fig 1 and comprises a blade wheel 1 which
is carried by a bracket 2 and performs its function of laying the thread on the
needles similarly to bladed wheels on other circular knitting machines. Attached
to the bracket 2 is a plate 3 to which the fixed cutter blade 4 is connected by a
spring 5. On the inner side of the plate 3 there is fitted a slide 6 to which the 4
movable holder 7 and movable cutter 8 are attached, the slide 6 being guided
by slots and pins 9 and is actuated by a lever 10 from the splicing thread carrier
axle 11. In the arrangement shown the lever 10 is pivotted at 12, on the
bracket 13 and is embraced by a lever 14 loosely mounted on the axle 11, the

page_text: boss of the lever 14 being cut as shown at 15 to correspond with a similarly cut
boss 16 which is 'fast on the axle 11 and is arranged to actuate the lever 14 and
its connected parts after the thread, lias been moved by the guide 17 into position
to be held and cut A Fig. 8. The continued movement of the thread carrier
then moves the slide 6 and the thread is held as shown in B Fig 8. A further
movement of the slide 6 then brings the cutter 8 into operation and the thread
is severed as shown in C Fig 8. The parts remain in this latter position until
the thread is to be thrown into action again. The carrier 17 is firmly attached
to one end of the axle 11 which is fitted at the other end with a lever 18 which
is fitted with a cam truck 19 and normally held in contact with the lever 23
by a spring 20.
The bladed wheel used with this invention has such a number of blades that
the number will divide exactly into the number of needles in the machine, and
thus enable the thread to be moved into and out of action at the needles at each
revolution. Thus in the machine selected to illustrate the application of this
invention there are four feeders, 720 needles in the head, 30 blades in each
splicing thread blade wheel and the thread is thrown in and out of action at
opposite ends of the same diameter of the blade wheel; so that the number of
needles on which the work is spliced may be 15 or any odd multiple of that
number.
In Fig 7 there is shown consecutive blades at the parts where the thread is
thrown in and out of work on a wheel revolving in the direction of the arrows
and the relative positions of the thread . The blades a are the ordinary shape
and the row A shows the shape of the blades for enabling the splicing thread to
be thrown into work, while the row B shows the. shape of the blades for allowing
the thread to be thrown out of work. In addition, there is a guide 21 which is
fixed to the plate 13 and guides the ends of the thread when the latter is
released from the holder and is being thrown into work. To ensure the splicing
threads being thrown into and out of action at a particular needle every revolu-
tion of the needle cylinder it is necessary that the thread be thrown in and
out of action at a particular blade in the blade wheel and for this purpose
the blades of the wheel are cut as shown in Fig 7. As the thread is thrown into
action it is brought to the sides of the blades 1. 2. 3. 4 and 5 until it can enter
the groove in the 6 which is the first blade to indent the thread for knitting.
The blades 7 and 8 then move the thread into its usual knitting position as shown
on the blades a. When the thread is being thrown out of action it is moved over
the blades in Col. B until it lies in the groove in blade 4 which is the last blade
to indent the thread. The blades 5 to 8 are cut to correspond with the outward
movement of the thread.
Referring to Figs 1. 2. 3 and 4 the needles 21 are carried by a cylinder 22
which is mounted and rotated in the usual way. To each group of knitting
wheels there is a complete splicing thread mechanism, consisting of the parts
already described, the truck 19 on the lever 18 being held by the spring 20 in
contact with a lever 23 which is fulcrumed at 24 and provided with a truck 25
which is acted upon by a cam 26 in the needle cylinder. In a four feeder head.
there are two cams 26 at opposite ends of a cylinder diameter, and two sets of
splicing mechanism are thrown into action simultaneously when the high part
of the cam 26 is opposite the trucks 25, and the other two splicing mechanisms
when the cylinder has made a partial rotation and the high part of the cam is
opposite the splicing mechanisms to be thrown into action this method being
adapted in order to prevent the splicing threads being thrown into action with
a jerk. The length of the cam 26 corresponds to the length of the unspliced
portion of a course, and when the lever 23 is raised by the cam 26 it operates
the lever 18, and the splicing thread is thrown out of action. When the end
of the cam 26 has passed the truck 25 the spring 20 comes into action, throws
the splicing thread into work, and forces the truck 25 of the lever 23 on to the
needle cylinder or low part of the cam 26. The splicing thread is thus thrown

page_text: 話
out of and into action every time a cam 26 passes the lever, 23. When, it is
desired to, stop, the splicing, a pin 42 on a lever 40 is brought under the end of
the lever 23 when the latter is on the high part of the cam 26 and prevents the
lever following the cam when the high part has passed the truck 25...
For throwing the splicing mechanisms into and out of work the machine
frame 27 is fitted with a circular ring 28 which is capable of a limited circular
movement. At some convenient position this ring is fitted with an adjusting
screw 29 which is held by springs in contact with a vertical lever 30 mounted
upon the same axlè as a lever 31 which ordinarily rides upon the pattern
chain 32. Pivotted to the frame 27 is a catch 33 so arranged in conjunction
with the lever 31 that when the latter is raised by a pattern bit to throw the
splicing thread carriers into work, it is held up by the catch 33 until another
bit on the chain strikes the catch 33 and releases the lever 31 which then falls
and allows the ring 28 to be moved under the action of its springs and throw
the splicing thread carriers out of work."
The pattern chain 32 is mounted on a wheel 33" which has two cut flanges and
is attached to a ratchet wheel 34°. On the same axle às the wheels 33 and 34"
is another ratchet wheel 35 having the same number of teeth as the wheel 34°
and fastened to the wheel 35 is a third wheel 36, having one tooth for every four
teeth in the wheels 34 and 35 and with a surface between each tooth which
holds the pawl 37 for the wheel 34 out of action except when the teeth of the
three wheels are in. a line with each other. These ratchet wheels are actuated
by clawkers 37 on a lever 38 which is fulcrumed at 39 and actuated by a cam
on the under side of the needle cylinder 22, the particular arrangement here
described being designed to rack the chain one link at every four revolutions
of the needle cylinder and thus allow of a short pattern chain being used. As
previously explained two splicing mechanisms are thrown into work when the
high parts of the cam aré acting in the levers 23. In Fig 2 the lever 23 at
the left hand side of the figure is one of the two that are thrown into action
first. The splicing is started when the cam 26 is in, the position shown. The
lever 31 is then raised and through the lever 30 and screw 29 the ring 28 is
moved on the frame 27. This acts upon levers 40 which are pivotted at 41 and
provided with pins 42, and when the ring is moved in the direction of the
arrow 43 the pin 42 is moved from under the lever 23 which is then free to move
under the action of the cam 26. In the case of the two splicing mechanisms
thrown into action after the first sets, the lever 23 and pin 42 are shaped to
form a catch, and the outer end of the lever 40 is replaced by springs 45 and 46
which are held between pins 44 on the ring 28. When therefore the ring 28
is moved in the direction of the arrow 43 the spring 45 is put into tension and
when the high part of the cam reaches the truck 25 the lever 23 is raised high
enough to allow of the pin 42 being moved clear of the lever 23 by means of
the spring 45.
When the ring 28 is moved in the opposite direction to that indicated by
the arrow 43 the pins 42 in the first sets of splicing mechanisms is moved
under the levers 23 and these sets are held out of action. At the same time
the springs 46 are put into tension and move the pins 42 into the catches on the
levers 23 when the latter are raised by the cams 26.
When the herein described apparatus, is applied to single feeder heads the
ring 28 may be dispensed with and the pattern mechanism may be arranged
to act upon the lover 23 direct, or through other levers and links. Also, if
desired all the levers 23 may be fitted with springs 45 and 46, each lever beiug
then thrown into action by the cam 26.
In addition to the splicing mechanism herein described the machine is pr
vided with the parts usual to similar knitting machines but as these parts form
no part of this invention they are not herein described.
Previous to this invention circular knitting machines have been fitted with
means for inserting, withdrawing, cutting, and holding a splicing thread, but

page_text: with these prior appliances it has generally being necessary to stop the machine
to throw such appliances into and out of work, and I disclaim the sole right
of inserting, withdrawing, cutting and holding a splicing thread.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is.
1. The combination of a needle cylinder with a bladed wheel cut for the
insertion and withdrawal of a splicing thread, a thread carrier for moving the
splicing thread into and out of its knitting position, a splicing thread cutter
and holder, and mechanism for actuating the same, constructed arranged, and
operating substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2. The combination with a needle cylinder of a bladed wheel cut for the
insertion and withdrawal of the splicing thread, a thread carrier for moving
the splicing thread into and out of its knitting position; a splicing thread cutter
and holder worked from the same axle as the thread carrier, mechanism actuating
the said axle, and pattern mechanism all constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as herein described with reference. to the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination of a needle cylinder with a bladed wheel cut for the
insertion and withdrawal of the splicing thread, a splicing thread carrier,
cutter and holder worked from the same axle, a guide for the end of the
splicing thread when the latter is thrown into action, a ring and catch
mechanism whereby the splicing thread carriers are thrown into action at a
predetermined position of the needle cylinder, constructed arranged and operating
substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
4 A splicing apparatus applicable to circular knitting machines with bearded
needies, constructed arranged and operating as herein described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of August 1807
W. H. POTTER
Patent Agent Nottingham.