Improvements in Combined Sewing and among We
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 10th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov.. 1894-Accepted, 10th May, 1895
Improvements in Combined Sewing and among
We, FERDINANDO ROSATI, of 14 Via Lazzaretto, Milan, Manufacturer,
CORRADINO PETRINI, of 27 Via Civitella, Chieti, Manufacturer, and RUGGIERO
PETRINI, of 27 Via Civitella, Chieti, Manufacturer, in the Kingdom of Italy,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention 'to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in combined sewing and knitting machines
by means of which certain advantages are obtained.
The invention in question refers to a lock-stitch shuttle sewing machine, to be
worked at pleasure to produce knitted goods of plain or fancy design while using
the same arrangements for the knitting apparatus as are required for sewing. The
driving axle is therefore to remain the same for knitting as for sewing and the
different effect of work of the machine is to be obtained only by disengaging some
parts or other of which it is composed.
The parts of the machine to be used for sewing will, although minutely
illustrated, be mentioned here but briefly, as their construction is quite similar in
most respects to that of other well known parts of sewing machinery.
The mechanism of our machine is actuated by the main shaft F which is itself
driven in the usual well known way. One end of this shaft passes to the box T
through which passes the needle bar and cloth presser the said presser also acting
as a feeder. The needle bar or carrier L is caused to reciprocate by means of the
connecting rod K articulated to shaft F in any of the usual ways. This needle
carrier bears at its base the needles M and N, the former serving for sewing and
the latter for knitting. These parts are illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 24, 25, 26
and 27. An eccentric I driven by the shaft works the cloth presser J in the
usual manuer, the said cloth presser being lifted out of action, in the usual way
employed for raising cloth pressers, when the machine is to be used for knitting.
For this purpose also the shuttle Z, Figures 28 to 30, is also lifted out of the
machine; but the shuttle carrier remains in position as it is required for the knitting
apparatus as will be hereinafter described.
The arrangements are briefly as follows. The shaft F transmits by means of
bevil wheels in the usual manner its rotation to the vertical shaft G. This drives
the crank R (see Figures 4, , and 10), and also by means of connecting rod Q
(Figures 4 and 5) the shuttle carrier O connected with said rod by means of pin P
and sliding in suitable grooves O'. Shaft G also bears two eccentrics A² and B³,
which as they revolve move the bars D2 and G2 forward; these latter being pushed
back again by springs attached to any convenient part (for example as shown at e

page_text: in Figure 5) as soon as the position of the said eccentrics admits of this. When
the machine is to be used for the purpose of sewing only, the said bars may be
put out of action by means of the bolt and binding screw u² or by any other
equally well known-device for such purposes. This prevents movement of the
knitting apparatus.
To the bars G, D² are connected the horned pieces K², L² by means of pins H, 1,
on which pins the said horned pieces move angularly (see Figures 4, 5, 10, 11
and 14). These horned pieces, shown separately in Figure 18, have ends s tapered
like wedges and screws a whose heads serve to limit the angular movement of said
horned pieces through their heads coming in contact with the edges of the said
bars; and these horned pieces act upon different parts of the knitting mechanism
as will be hereinafter described.
At the side of the base-plate where the knitting needle is fixed there is a
comb with comb-teeth 13 and rack teeth pt. This comb moves along the machine
in two directions. It obtains its movement from the horned piece K² which acts
with its wedged end upon a crank lever N2, carrying at its end the double pawl or
anchor 02. When the crank lever N2 moves on point of the pawls catch into the
rack teeth p of comb and drive the latter on by steps. By each of such move.
ments of the comb one of the loops of the knitting (formed before and as herein-
after to be described) is brought under the knitting needle N which slides within
grooves of the comb teeth p³.
These loops are formed in the following manner:
The needle descends in the groove of a tooth p³, and in so doing places the
thread upon one of the projecting pieces f³ that are fixed on the fore-part of the
machine. As soon as the needle rises, one of the loop-catchers seizes the loop
and moves upward in order to place it upon the tooth of the comb which precedes
the needle in the direction of the movement of the comb. The loop-catcher d²
acts in the same manner for every other tooth, until a row of loops has passed the
needle, as can be seen in Figures 32 and 33. Figures 34 and 35 show the loops
last formed while the needle descends, the movement of the comb being this time
in the direction of the arrow, namely, reversed, in order to begin the second row.
of loops. When the movement of the comb is reversed the needle descends, and
the loop formed is taken up by the loop-lifter q2 and passed upon the needle: while
the loop-catcher 2 places its loop upon the comb-tooth preceding the needle, the
first loop is lifted and another one, for the second row of loops is put into its place.
Figures 36 and 37 show the knitting mechanism in the position in which the first
loop of the second row is already formed.
The loop-catchers d' are put into action in the following way:
The horned piece L2 pushes with its wedge-end against the pin e2 of a vibrating
cross P2 that bears on its upper part on each side a loop catcher d. The loop-
catchers obtain thus a vibrating as well as a rising and falling 'movement, striking
against determined fixed points; they consequently move in a horizontal and also
in a vertical plane. This latter movement is necessary in order to enable them to
place the loops upon the comb-teeth of the comb p². The, loop-lifter g² is pushed
by a spring against the comb p² (see Figures 7 and 8); and receives through the
shuttle carrier O, an upward and downward movement by means of the shuttle
carrier passing underneath or from under it.
The way
in which the loops are formed is plainly to be seen from the figures
cited, and should also be easily understood from the foregoing description. The
formation of the loops takes place, as already said, firstly by means of the needle
rising and descending, secondly by the peculiar movement of the loop-catchers d²,
and thirdly by the rising and descending movement of the loop-lifter, g³.
Most specially important in this machine is. the mechanism by which the
reversal of direction of movement of the comb is effected and consequently the
alternative action and inaction of the two loop-catchers d². The reversal can be
produced either by hand or automatically by means of the following arrangements :
A lever m² is, by means of pin m³, loosely connected with the lever y³, as is shown

page_text: in Figures 15, 16 and 17. Bar G' bears a projection, which touches pin m³
when this latter is in a certain given position when, therefore, pin m³ is moved
from its place by means of a binding screw m', (Figure 4) the projection acts
The latter is connected with
upon pin m and in.that manner moves the lever w.
the pin p (Figure 3) which acts upon the pin 3 so as to produce an oscillatory
movement of the shaft V2 resting upon support v. A spiral spring a fixed at one
end of the shaft V produces the automatic return of the shaft into its former
position, and this oscillation of the shaft V is utilized in the following manner to
obtain the reversal of the movement of the comb and the action or inaction of one
of the loop-catchers d².
A fork in the shape of a horse-shoe X2 (Figures 5, 9, 10, 11 and 14) bearing
two pins is connected with shaft V2. When the fork X is placed in certain
given positions, one or other of its rims strikes against certain projections or horns
of the horned pieces K² and L2 and, while the bars G2, D2 connected with these
pieces move backward and forward, places the wedge shaped ends of K2 and L²
into one or the other of their slanting positions; the wedged ends thus act either
with one or with the other of their inclined planes upon the crank lever N2 or the
cross P³ in such manner that the vibrating movement of N2 and P2 must eventually
become reversed, according to the position of fork X2, and, consequently, reverse
also the movement of the comb, whereby the other loop-catcher is brought into.
action.
The reversal of the movement of the comb and the action of one loop-catcher
instead of the other can also be produced automatically in the following manner:
Two reversing stops (see Figure 31) are fixed to the frame of the machine,
distant from each other as far as the width of the work that is being knitted ;
while the bars G2 and D2 move backward and forward, these stops come into
contact with the above mentioned lever y², connected with lever m² by means of
pin m³. It becomes clear at once that in this manner the binding screw will be
Pin m³
moved automatically and with it of course all parts connected therewith.
transmits its movement upon lever w which acts upon axle V2, the latter producing
the effects described above.
When a loop is desired to be left out of a row, this can be done by pushing a
pin into a special hole in the base-plate. This pin thus strikes against the right
side of projection whereby bar D2 is prevented from returning to its original
position the inclination of the horned piece L² remains consequently the samne
and therefore the same loop-catcher 2 remains in action. Bar G2 on the other
hand completes its course forward and backward and, while advancing, forces
piece K2 into the reversed position, the latter again producing the reversed
movement of the comb.
Figure 32 shows the needle in its lowest position acting with respect to the last
tooth but one, and beginning to raise the completed loop, whereupon the loop-
catcher 2 carries it over to the third tooth, as.shown in Figures 36 and 37.
The following arrangement has been made in order to obtain automatic reversal
in a certain given order:
The bar G carries a pawl P³ which turns a disc S2 that serves as a regulator
and revolves round a centre ². The latter rests upon support. The regulator'S'
bears a number of pins which catch into the small wheel T2 (see Figures 4, 5, 6
and 23). In the drawings submitted herewith, this wheel has six teeth and holds
on a prolongation at its base another wheel with three teeth. This latter wheel,
when the regulator S is put into play, acts upon the lever shaft V³, the action
of which has been described above, being rigidly connected with lever v², a reversal
It is
of movement must take place each time the regulator S2 is turned.
consequently quite clear that the knitted piece will show any kind of 'fancy desigu
according to the number of pins fixed into the regulator S³, namely, according to
the frequency of the reversal. The pawl P³ which turns the regulator S³ may, of
course, be kept out of action by means of a suitable pin, or by any other arrange-
ment when plain knitting is to be produced (Figure 40).

page_text: It is not necessary to enter into further details of the machine, the principal
peculiarities of the invention consisting in obtaining the reversal, and in the
mechanism that produces the action of the knitting apparatus. The figures of
the drawing not specially referred to show constructive details of mechanisms in
action, and can be fully understood without further explanations.
We desire it to be understood that we use the term "knitting" in its generic
sense.
Improvements in Combined Sewing and Knitting Machines.
We, FERDINANDO ROSATI, of 14 Via Lazzaretto, Milan, Manufacturer,
CORRADINO PETRINI, of 27 Via Civitella, Chieti, Manufacturer, and RUGGIERO
PETRINI, of 27 Via Civitella, Chieti, Manufacturer, in the Kingdom of Italy,
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 :-
'
The invention in question refers to a lock-stitch shuttle sewing machine, to be
worked at pleasure to produce knitted goods of plain or fancy design while using
the same arrangements for the knitting apparatus as are required for sewing. The
driving axle is therefore to remain the same for knitting as for sewing and the
different effect of work of the machine is to be obtained only by disengaging some
parts or other of which it is composed.
The parts of the machine to be used for sewing will be mentioned here but briefly,
as their construction is quite similar in most respects to that of other well known
parts of sewing machinery.
The needle holder 11 is moved up and down by connecting rod 10, and bears at
its base the needles 12, 13, the former serving for sewing, the latter for knitting.
An eccentric receiving its movement from the main shaft 3 of the machine works
the cloth-presser 9 in the usual manner; this latter is lifted out when the machine
is to be used for producing knitted work. For this latter purpose the shuttle is
also taken out, but the shuttle-carrier remains in its place, as it is also used for the
knitting apparatus, as will be seen hereafter.
The arrangements are, briefly, the following:
Upon the frame 1 rests the horizontal shaft 3, having at its end the fly-wheel
and the pulley, and transmitting its rotation by means of the bevel-wheels 4 and 5
to the vertical shaft 6. The latter drives the crank 18 shown in Figure 3, and
also, by means of connecting rod 17, the shuttle-carrier 14, connected with that
rod through a bolt 16, and sliding in suitable grooves 15. The shaft 6 bears also
two eccentrics 27 and 28, which as they revolve, move the bars 29 and 30 forward;
the latter are pushed back again into their original place by means of springs, as
soon as the position of the eccentrics 27 and 28 admits of it. While the machine
is being used for the purpose of sewing the pin 24 (Figure 4) is inserted into the
notches 25 and 26 (Figure 3) of the, bars 29 and 30 thereby preventing the
movement of the knitting apparatus.
By means of the pins 32 and 33 the bars 29 and 30 are connected with the
horned pieces 34 and 35, the ends of which are tapered like wedges. These pieces
act upon different parts of the knitting mechanism as will be hereinafter explained.
At the side of the base-plate where the knitting-needle is fixed, there is a
comb 36 with comb-teeth 37 and rack teeth 38. This comb moves along the
'

page_text: machine in two directions; it obtains its movement from the horned piece 34 which
acts with its wedged end upon a crank lever 41, carrying at its end the double
pawl 42. When the crank lever 41 moves on point 44, the pawls catch into the
rack-teeth 38 of comb 36 and drive the latter on by steps. By each of such
movements of the comb one of the loops of the knitting formed before and as
hereinafter to be described is brought under the knitting-needle 13 which slides
within grooves of the comb-teeth 37.
The loops are formed in the following manner:
The needle descends in the groove of a tooth 37, and in so doing places the
thread upon one of the projecting pieces 51 that are fixed on the fore-part of the
machine. As soon as the needle rises, one of the loop-catchers 47 seizes the loop
and moves upward in order to place it upon the tooth of the comb which precedes
the needle in the direction of the movement of the comb. The loop-catcher 47
acts in the same manner for every other tooth, until a row of loops has passed the
needle, as can be seen in Figures 18 and 19. Figures 20 and 21 show the loops
last formed while the needle descends, the movement of the comb being this time
in the direction of the arrow, namely, reversed, in order to begin the second row of
loops. When the movement of the comb is reversed the needle descends, and the
loop formed is taken up by the loop-lifter 73 and passed over the needle: while
the loop-catcher 47 places its loop upon the comb-tooth preceding the needle, the
first loop is lifted and another one, for the second row of loops is put into its place.
Figures 22 and 23 show the knitting mechanism in the position in which the
first loop of the second row is already formed.
The loop-catchers 47 are put into action in the following way:
The horned piece 35 pushes with its wedge-end against the nearest of the
pins 48 of a vibrating cross 45 that bears on its upper part on each side a loop-
catcher 47. The loop-catchers obtain thus a vibrating as well as a rising and
falling movement, striking against determined fixed points; they consequently
move in a horizontal and also in a vertical plane. This latter movement is
necessary in order to enable them to place the loops upon the comb teeth 37 of the
comb 36. The loop-lifter 73 is pushed by a spring 74 against the comb 36, and
receives through the shuttle-carrier 14, a downward movement by means of the
inclined plane 75 fixed to the said shuttle-carrier (Figure 3).
The way in which the loops are formed is plainly to be seen from the figures
cited, and should also be easily understood from the foregoing description. The
formation of the loops takes place, as already said, firstly by means of the needle
rising and descending, secondly by the peculiar movement of the loop-catcher 47,
and thirdly by the rising and descending movement of the loop-lifter 73.
Most specially important in this machine is the mechanism by which the reversal
of direction of movement of the comb is effected and consequently the alternate
action and inaction of the two loop-catchers 47. The reversal can be produced
either by hand or automatically, by means of the following arrangements: A
lever 65 is, by means of pin 64, loosely connected with the lever 72, as is shown in
Figures 3 and 10. Bar 30 bears a projection 67, which touches pin 64 when this
latter is in a certain given position; when, therefore, pin 64 is moved from its
place by means of a binding screw 66, (Figures 7 and 10) the projection 67 acts
upon pin 64 and in that manner moves the lever 68. The fatter is connected with
the pin 69 (Figures 3 and 4) which acts upon the pin 59 so as to produce an
oscillatory movement of the shaft 58 resting upon support 55. A spiral spring 61
fixed at one end of the shaft 58 produces the automatic return of the shaft into its
former position, and this oscillation of the shaft 58 is utilized in the following
manner to obtain the reversal of the movement of the comb and the action or
inaction of one of the loop-catchers 47.
A fork in the shape of a horse-shoe 60 (Figures 15 and 3) bearing two pins
When the fork 60
(shown in dotted lines in Figure 3) is connected with shaft 58.
is placed into certain given positions, one or other of its parts strikes against

page_text: certain projections or horns of the horned pieces 34 and 35 and, while the
bars 29, 30 connected with these pieces move backward and forward, places the
wedge shaped ends of 34 and 35 into one or the other of their slanting positions ;
the wedged ends thus act either with one or with the other of their inclined planes
upon the crank lever 41 or the cross 45 in such manner that the vibrating
movement of 41 and 45 must become reversed, according to the position of
fork 60, and, consequently, reverse also the movement of the comb, whereby the
other loop-catcher is brought into action.
The reversal of the movement of the comb and the action of one loop-catcher
instead of the other can also be produced automatically in the following manner.
Two reversing stops 71 (see Figures 1 and 16) are fixed to the frame of the
machine, distant from each other as far as the width of the article that is being
knitted ;
while the bars 29 and 30 move backward and forward, these stops 71
come into contact with the above mentioned lever 72, connected with lever 65 by
means of pin 64. It becomes clear at once that in this manner the binding
screw.66 will be moved automatically and with it of course all parts connected
therewith. Pin 64 transmits its movement upon lever 68 which acts upon shaft 58,
the latter producing the effects described above.
When a loop is desired to be left out of a row, this can be done by pushing the
pin 76 into a special hole in the base-plate. Pin 76 thus strikes against the right
.side of projection 67 (Figure 3) whereby bar 30 is prevented from returning to its
original position: the inclination of the horned piece 35 remains consequently.the
same and therefore the same loop-catcher 47 remains in action. Bar 29 on the
other hand completes its course forward and backward and, while advancing,
forces piece 34 into the reversed position, the latter again producing the reversed
movement of the comb.
Figure 18 shows the needle in its lowest position acting with respect to the last
tooth but one, and beginning to raise the completed loop, whereupon the loop-
catcher 47 carries it over to the third tooth, as shown in Figure 23.
The following arrangement has been made in order to obtain automatic
reversal in a certain given order:
The bar 30 carries a pawl 52 which turns a disc 53 that serves as a regulator and
revolves round a screw 54. The latter rests upon support 55. The regulator 53
In the drawings
bears a number of pins which catch into the small wheel 56.
submitted herewith, this wheel has six teeth and holds on a prolongation at its
base another wheel with three teeth. This latter wheel, when the regulator 53 is
put into play, acts upon the lever 57; shaft 58, the action of which has been
described above, being rigidly connected with lever 57, a reversal of movement
must take place each time the regulator 53 is turned. It is consequently quite
clear that the knitted piece will show any kind of fancy design according to the
number of pins fixed into the regulator 53, namely, according to the frequency of
the reversal. The pawl 52 which turns the regulator 53 may, of course, be kept
out of action by means of a pin 62, or any other arrangement when plain knitting
is to be produced (Figure 26).
It is not necessary to enter into further details of the machine, the principal
peculiarities of the invention consisting in obtaining the reversal, and in the
mechanism that produces the action of the knitting apparatus. The figures of the
drawing not specially referred to show constructive details of mechanisms in
action, and can be fully understood without further explanations.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A machine which can be used either as a doublelock-stitch shuttle sewing
machine or as a knitting machine, its peculiarity of construction consisting in a
needle-holder, serviceable both for the sewing needle and the knitting needle, being

page_text: put into rising and descending motion through the main shaft of the machine,
while the usual vertical shaft of the sewing machine serves also to drive all
mechanical arrangements for knitting.
2. In the machine referred to under Claim 1: The arrangement of a toothed
comb holding the loops through which the needle is to pass, and of two loop-
catchers 47, one of which places the loops just formed on that tooth of the comb
which precedes the needle in the direction of the movement of the comb.
3. In the machine referred to under Claim 1: The arrangement for reversing
the movement of the comb, placing at the same time one or the other of the two
loop-catchers mentioned under Claim 2, into or out of action; this arrangement
consisting in a lever 65 connected with another lever 68, and a pin 64 sliding
within the latter and, according to its position, transmitting its movement from a
projection 67 upon a lever 68 and effecting thereby a rotating movement of the
regulating shaft 58; this shaft again imparting a contrary movement to the
mechanism for reversal of the said comb as well as also to the mechanism for
moving the loop-catchers 47, so that one or the other of them comes into
action.
+
4. In the machine referred to under Claims 1 and 3 : In order to reverse the
movement of the comb at any moment and as frequently as may be desired so as to
change the appearance of the loops and therefore of the design at will: An
arrangement by means of a disc 53 serving as a regulator, into which any given
number of pins may be inserted; the pins turning a small wheel 56, which again
acts upon the regulating shaft 58 mentioned under Claim 3, in such manner that
the movement of the comb can be reversed, and either of the loop-catchers placed
in or out of action.
5. In the machine referred to under Claims 1 and 3: In order to automatically
reverse the movement of the comb and place the loop-catchers 47 into or out of
action, when a determined width of work has been kuitted, the reversing teeth 71
acting substantially as set forth.
6. In the machine referred to under Claim 1: In order to admit of a loop
being left out of a row the arrangement by which the stopping pin 76, on being
inserted into the base plate, prevents the return motion of the bar 30, while bar 29
is free to perform it.