Improvements in and relating to Knitting Machinery.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1890-Accepted, 26th July, 1890
[Communicated from abroad by EDOUARD DUBIED, of Couvet, Switzerland, Knitting
Machine Manufacturer ]
Improvements in and relating to Knitting Machinery.
GODFREY STIBBE, 25, Jamaica Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Merchant
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in knitting machines or frames constructed
on the Lambprinciple and has special reference to the use of such machines in the
manufacture of ribbed goods, such as the ribbed cuffs and borders of vests and other
ribbed articles. Such ribbed goods are often made in lengths consisting of a number
of ribbed articles knitted consecutively and each one of which is divided or marked
for separation from the next following ribbed article by a single row of stitches
commonly called the cutting-off-course This row of stitches or cutting-off-course is
Each ribbed
afterwards cut through to separate the ribbed articles from each other
article is also required to have a welt or welted edge to give a proper finish to its one
end. In the case of ribbed cuffs or borders, or other ribbed articles which are after-
wards to be joined to other articles of which they are to form part, it is desirable to
have a double row of slack stitches at the non-selvaged end of the ribbed article, or
the end which is opposite to the welted end before mentioned This double row of
slack stitches is commonly called the slack course and is provided for the purpose of
facilitaung the transfer of the ribbed article to another machine, or to another set or
disposition of needles, for the purpose of finishing or binding off the said ribbed
article, or for the purpose of joining it to another article of which it is to form part,
or for the purpose of knitting on to it another article such as (for instance) a pant leg
or the sleeve of a vest. In practice the various operations follow each other in this
fashion. The length of ribbed articles is commenced by making the welt or welted
edge of the first ribbed article, after which the number of rows or courses are knit
which are necessary for giving the said ribbed article the desired length. The point
is then reached at which the said ribbed article is to be afterwards finished or joined
to another article (upon another machine, or set or disposition of needles) as before
mentioned, and at this point the said double row of slack stitches or slack course is
made, followed by a few rows of ordinary stitches Finally a single row of stitches
(made upon one needle bed of the machine only) or cutting-off-course is made for
separating the now finished cuff, border or other ribbed article from the one next
following, which is begun by making the welt or welted edge, and so on. the various
operations being repeated the same as for the first ribbed article; and so on until the
desired number of ribbed articles have been consecutively made in a length
My invention consists in the performance by automatic action in a knitting machine
or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle of the various mechanical movements
necessary for making the said lengths of ribbed articles with the said welts or welted
edges, the said double rows of slack stitches or slack courses, and the said single rows
of stitches (made upon one needle-bed of the machine only) or cutting-off-course, at
such distances apart as may be required. the whole being performed by the automatic
action of the machine without the intervention of the operator.
To effect this I employ a suitable arrangement and combination of levers, cams,
stops and other suitable contrivances by means of which the said movements are
automatically and consecutively performed by the machine at such intervals as may
be necessary in accordance with the length of the ribbed articles that are being knit.
Although I have made mention in this description only of one length consisting of a
number of ribbed articles. I would have it understood that one machine may be made
to knit two or more of such lengths at one time.

page_text: "
A knitting machine on the Lamb" principle to which these improvements are
applied consists of a double set of needles ranged on the back and front respectively of
angled needle beds or plates on which the needles shde and are reciprocated to the
apex of the angled frames to receive the yarn and form the loops, the work passing
down a division in the centre, with a carriage traversing longitudinally on the slides
over each set of needles with the yarn; and the improved mechanism performs the
following operations:
First. To make a slack course or comise of slack loops upon both needle-beds.
Second. To continue making a certain number of courses of ordinary ribbed web.
Thurd. To stop the action of the needles of the back needle bed and to knit some
courses upon the front needles only.
Fourth. To raise the front needles empty causing them to drop their loops in order
to form a course of single loops or cutting-off-course upon the back needles only,
which said cutting-off-course divides the cuffs. borders or other abbed articles from
each other
Fifth To recommence the mesh of loops upon both needle beds simultaneously
Sixth To stop the action of the back needles and work a certam number of courses
upon the front needles only in order to form a welt.
Seventh To put the back needles again into action and knit the ordinary ribbed
web upon both the back and front needles until the desired length jabric is
attamed, when the slack course is agam formed as before described, and so on
consecutively.
Under one arrangement, the improved mechanism consists as follows:-
At each course and traverse of the carriage of the machine an inclined plane
attached to it causes a pawl and ratchet wheel to move a rod or axle carrying hanging
endless or looped chains on pulleys at cach opposite end or end traverse of the
machine. Upon these chains, stops or projections are mounted in different planes,
and the chains themselves are held down by means of weight-rollers hanging in the
lower loops of the chams The ordinary ribbed web is formed in the following
manner the front longitudinally traversed angular cams of the carriage draw the
yarn to form the loops across the back needles which are raised to the level of the
edge of the back needle-bed, and the back needles are lowered only by the action of
auxiliary or ribbing angular cams placed upon the back of the carriage. To form the
slack course a set of cams analogous to the front cams are caused to draw down the
back needles and loops simultaneously with the front cams. The lowering cam of
the set of back cams is put in action by means of the projections of the before
mentioned chains which are brought into contact with a slide-bar wedge and lever
which control the lowering movement of the said cam as the stops or projections come
round on the endless chains at the proper intervals desired, whilst a fixed stop at the
other end of the needle-bed acting upon the said slide-bar in the reverse direction
raises the said cam out of action
To make the cutting-off-course a supplementary raising cam is added to the
ordinary front cams and serves to raise the range of front needles empty causing them
to drop or run off their loops The said supplementary cam is raised by means of an
oscillating lever having an inclined plane and is lowered by a spring. When the
supplementary cam is raised by the said lever it passes over the needles without
operating them and when it is lowered by the said spring it puts the needles in
operation The action of the said lever is controlled by two stops at opposite ends of
the traverse of the carriage one stop being fixed and the other movable The said
movable stop is acted upon by a projection of the before mentioned chains, which said
projection is so placed as to act only at given intervals when the supplementary cam
is to be lowered in order to raise the needles, which are thereafter immediately
lowered by the lowering cam so that they run empty or drop their loops.
In order to form the welt. the ordinary raising cams raise both the back and the
front needles, forming a mesh of loops on the back and front needles simultaneously
The action of the centre or raising cam of the back set of cams is controlled by means
of sliding bolts or bars having hooked ends These bolts serve to raise and lower,

page_text: that is, to close or open the said cam. When the carriage has reached one end of
its traverse one of the said hooked sliding bolts engages with a stop. which said stop
is raised by means of a projection of the before mentioned chains, and the cam is
thereby opened. At the opposite end of the traverse of the carriage an analogous
stop engages with the other or opposite sliding bolt in the same manner, but its action
being in the reverse direction, the cam is closed. When the back raising cam is in
this manner closed the back needles are inoperative and the front needles only are in
work. By means of a suitable adjustment of the projections of the endless chains a
given number of courses are in this manner knit upon the front needles only, after
which the said back raising cam is again opened and both the back and front needles
put in operation in order to knit the ordinary ribbed web.
Dated this First day of August 1900
improvements in and relating to Knitting Machinery.
I. GODFREY STIBBE, of 25, Jamaica Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to improvements in knitting machines or frames constructed
on the Lamb" principle, and has special reference to the use of such machines in
the manufacture of ribbed goods, such as the ribbed cuffs and borders of vests and
other ribbed articles. Such ribbed goods are often made in lengths consisting of a
number of ribbed articles knitted consecutively, and each one of which is divided or
marked for separation from the next following ribbed article by a row of stitches
commonly called the cutting-off-course. This row of stitches or cutting-off-course is
afterwards cut through to separate the ribbed articles from each other Each ribbed
article is also required to have a welt or welted edge to give a proper finish to its one
end. In the case of ribbed cuffs or borders, or other ribbed articles which are after-
wards to be joined to other articles of which they are to form part, it is desirable to
have a double row of slack stitches at the non-selvaged end of the ribbed article orthe
end which is opposite to the welted end before mentioned. This double row of slack
stitches is commonly called the slack course and is provided for the purpose of
facilitating the transfer of the ribbed article to another machine, or to another set or
disposition of needles. for the purpose of finishing or binding the sand ribbed article,
or for the purpose of joining it to another article of which it is to form part, or for the
purpose of knitting on to it another article such as (for instance) a pant leg or the
sleeve of a vest. In practice the various operations follow each other in this fashion.
The length of ribbed articles is commenced by making the welt or welted edge of the
first ribbed article after which the number of rows or courses are knit which are
necessary for giving the said ribbed article the desired length. The point is then
reached at which the said ribbed article is to be afterwards finished or joined to
another article (upon another machine, or set or disposition of needles) as before
mentioned and at this point the said double row of slack stitches or slack course is
made, followed by a few rows of ordinary stitches. Finally a single row of stitches
(made upon one needle bed of the machine only) or cutting-off-course is made for
separating the now finished cuff. border or other ribbed article from the one next
following, which is begun by making the welt or welted edge, and so on, the various
operations being repeated the same as for the first ribbed article: and so on until the
desired number of ribbed articles have been consecutively made in a length.
My invention consists in the performance by automatic action in the knitting
machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb "principle of the various mechanical
movements necessary for making the said lengths of ribbed articles with the said welts
or welted edges, the said double rows of slack stitches or slack courses, and the said

page_text: single rows of stitches. (made upon one needle bed of the machine only.) or cutting-
off-course, at such distances apart as may be required, the whole being performed by
the automatic action of the machine without the intervention of an operator.
To effect this I employ a suitable arrangement and combination of levers, stops.
cams and other suitable contrivances by means of which, the said movements are
automatically and consecutively performed by the machine, at such intervals as may
be necessary in accordance with the length of the ribbed articles that are being knit.
Although I have made mention in this description only of one length consisting of
a number of ribbed articles, I would have it understood that one machine may be
made to kmit two or more such lengths at one time One machine may consist of two
or more divisions, each division having a carriage traversing the space of the
division, and all or part of the carriages work simultaneously in their respective
divisions.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood. I have hereunto appended an
explanatory Sheet of Drawings showing the centre portion of the angled bed and
Lamb principle.and fitted with
carriages of a knitting machine constructed on the
one arrangement of the improved mechanism to perform the functions of my
Invention. The machine as represented in the Drawings is in the act of knitting a
one-and-one ribbed web, the loops being successively lowered from the needles; and
the carriages are reciprocated to and fro horizontally by hand or motive power in the
usual manner.
Figure shows a back elevation of the said knitting machine as constructed in
accordance with my improvements, and
Figure 2 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine as seen from the right hand side;
while
Figure 4 represents detail views to a large scale of the interior of the two traversing
parts of the carriages A2, A3, on the flat, and the reverse to that shown in Figure 2,
and with their end views, and showing the arrangement of the cams, and actuating
levers.
Referring to these Drawings. A knitting machine on the "Lamb" principle to
which these improvements are applied consists of a double set of needles ranged on
the back and front respectively of the angled needle beds or plates A. A¹, on which
the needles slide and are reciprocated to the apex of these angled frames to receive
the yarn and form the loops, the work passing down a division at A" in the centre,
with a carriage A2, A', traversing longitudinally on the slidesover each bed plate A‚A'.
and set of needles with the yarn; and the improved mechanism performs the following
operations.
First. To make a slack course or course of slack loops upon both needle-
beds A, A¹.
Second. To continue making a certain number of courses of ordinary ribbed
web.
Third. To stop the action of the needles of the back needle-bed A and to knit some
courses upon the needles of the front bed A' only.
Fourth. To raise the front needles empty, causing them to drop their loops in
order to form a course of single loops, or cutting off course upon the back needles
only, which said cutting off course divides the cuffs, borders or other ribbed articles
from each other.
Fifth. To recommence the mesh of loops upon both needle-beds A, A', simul
taneously.
Sixth To stop the action of the back needles and work a certain number of courses
upon the front needles only, in order to form a welt
Seventh. To put the back needles again into action and knit the ordinary ribbed
web upon both the back and front needles in the usual manner until the desired
length of fabric is attained, when the slack course is again formed, as before described,
and so on consecutively.

page_text: Under one arrangement as shown in these Drawings, the improved mechamısın
consists as follows:-
At each course of the work, and traverse of the carriages A2, A3, of the machine, a
double inclined plane a, Figures 1 to 3, attached to the bracket c of the back
carriage A causes a pawl d and ratchet wheel c through the levers b to turn a
shaft or axle f, mounted in fixed bearings in the upper back part of the machine
and carrying hanging endless or looped chains g, g', on pitch chain pulleys at g",
secured on each opposite end of the spindle f, these chains being operated in the
middle of the traverse of the back carriage A³, and brackets e and inclined plane a,
to give the various automatic movements as the carriage reaches the opposite ends
of its traverse. Upon these chains g. g', stops or projections h', h². ', and h₁₁. h2, h3
are mounted in different longitudinal planes, and the chains themselves are held down
by means of rollers and weights i mounted loose in the lower loops of the chains g.g'.
The ordinary ribbed web is formed in the following manner. The front longitudinally
traversed angular cams 1 and 4 of the carriage A' draw the yarn to form the loops
across the back needles which are raised to the level of the apex edge of the back
needle-bed A, and the back needles are lowered only by the action of the auxilary
or ribbing angular cams 5 and 6placed on the back carriage A. To form the slack
course, a set of back cams 2 and 3 analogous to the front cams 1 and 4 are caused to
draw down the back needles and loops simultaneously with the front cams 1 and 4.
The lowering cam 3 of the set of back cams is put m action by means of the pro-
Jections 1, 2, 3, of the before mentioned chains g, g¹, which are brought into
contact as hereinafter described with the levers q and r with a slide bar o, carried
and guided by pins and slots p in the back carriage A2, and wedge 1, and lever and
rod m, n, with spring which controls the lowering movements of the said cam 3
as the stops or projections h¹, h2, h3, come round on the endless chains g, g', at the
proper intervals desired.
In order to form the before mentioned slack course the chain g (Figure 1).
brings the chain stop h³ against the spring bolts (Figures 1 and 2). When
raised, the said spring bolts pushes the lever q and the slide bars o into the
position indicated in Figures 1 and 3 of the Drawings when the carriage A is moved
to the right The cam 3 then descends into its lower position and the machine knits
the slack course.
When the course of the carriage is reversed and made to travel to the left, the
fixed stop t (Figures 1, 2 and 4) strikes the lever r and brings the slide bar o back
again into its normal position, and causes the cam 3 to be raised by means of the
wedge. To make the cutting off course, a supplementary raising cam 9 is added on
the front carriage A to the ordinary front cams 1 and 4 and serves to raise the set
of front needles empty and causes them to drop or run off their loops The said
supplementary cam 9 is lowered by means of an oscillating lever b¹ having an inclined
segment acting on a roller a¹ on projection at z¹ of the cam, through a slide bar d'
and lever c' at the opposite end of the carriage A3, and is raised by a spring. When
the supplementary cam 9 is lowered by the said leverb'it puts the needles in operation
and when it is raised by the said spring it passes over the needles, without operating
them. The action of the said lever c' is controlled by two stops e', f. at opposite
ends of the traverse of the carriage A', one stop e¹ being fixed, and the other fl
movable The said movable stop f is acted upon by a projection h of the before
mentioned chains g'.which said projection is placed so as to act only at given intervals
when the supplementary cam 9 has to be lowered in order to raise the needles,
which are thereafter immediately lowered by the lowering cam so that they run
empty or drop their loops.
The movable stop facts only when it is required to run the loops off the front
needles and to effect this the chain stop h's of the left chain g¹ (Figures 1 and 3)
pushes the projection of the lever 11 (Figure 3) which by means of the rod h¹ and the
lever raises the stop f. (Figure 3), to come against the lever c¹. At the same time
the chain stop h's raises the stop u in the middle of the course of the carriage.
When the carriage arrives at the left end of Figure 2 the stop flowers the cam 9,

page_text: and the stop u opens the raising cam 8 which has been closed, by striking the lever r
and actuating the rod V. The needles of the front needle-beds A' are in this manner
first raised by the cam 9 and lowered again without loops, or empty, by means of the
cam 4 (Figures 2 and 4) so that they are run off or drop their loops. Both the front
and back needles now rise together by means of the cams 7 and 8 and take up a
course of loops as described. When the carnage arrives at the right of Figure 2,
the chain stop of the right chan has again pushed up the movable stop a which
closes the cam 8 by means of the lever q and hooked end X¹, and the needles of the
front needle-bed A' only work a few courses forming a welt, as described
After
a certain number of courses have been knit the chamn stop h¹ of the cham g¹
raises the stop u² which opens the cam 8 and the machine continues to knit ribbed
web in the ordinary loop.
In order to form the welt, the ordinary raising cams raise both the back and the
front needles forming a mesh of loops on the back and front needles simultaneously.
The centre or raising cam 8 of the back set of cams is raised and lowered by a pin
and slotted plate z attached to a bar V having levers X1, X2, with hooks at their
lower outer ends as shown in Figure 4 This bar V serves to raise and lower, that is,
to close or open the said cam 8. When the carriage A has reached one end of its
traverse, one of the said hooks X', V. engages with a stop a' which saidstop, is raised
by means of projections h', h², of the before mentioned chain at that end of the
machine and the cam 8 is thereby opened. At the opposite end of the traverse of
the carriage A an analogous stop ², engages with the other or opposite sliding
bolt XV in the same manner, but its action being in the reverse direction the
cam 8 is closed When the back raising cam 8 is in this manner closed, the back
needles are inoperative, and the front needles only are in work. This puts the needles
out of action. In order to disengage the hooked ends of the levers X, X, after
they have engaged with the stops a or a their hind ends wluch project upwards are
brought in contact with a screw pin 1 or 2 (Figure 4) which causes them to rise, and
permits them to clear the stops u' and . By means of a suitable adjustment of the
projections ², h, and h², of the endless chams g, g', a given number of
courses are in this manner knit upon the front needles only, after which the said back
raising cam 8 is agam opened, and both the back and front needles put in operation
in order to knit the ordinary ribbed web
The length of the ribbed cuff, border, or ribbed web is determined by the length of
the chains, with their several stops, and the various movements are recommenced in
the manner before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle, the
knitting automatically of lengths of ribbed fabric with welts or welted edges, and
one or more rows of slack loops or cutting off courses, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Second. In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle, the
knitting automatically upon one needle bed only of one or more cutting off courses
consisting of one or more rows of loops or stitches separating ribbed articles from
each other, substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Third In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle, the
arrangement and combination of the parts of mechanism for automatically knitting
lengths of ribbed articles with welts or welted edges. also double rows of slack
loops or stitches, and single rows of loops or stitches or cutting off course, sub-
stantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings
Fourth. In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle,
the use or employment of endless chains with stops or equivalents in the automatic

page_text: knitting of parts of garments or fabrics in sequence substantially as and in the
manner herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the Lamb" principle, the
combination of mechanism for transmitting the motion of the carriage to the chains
consisting of the inclined plane a, the lever b, and the shaft f, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Sixth. In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle, the
arrangement, or mode and means, for making the slack course, consisting in the
automatic raising and lowering of the cam 3. substantially as and for the purposes
herem described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Seventh. In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle,
the combination of mechanism for actuating the cam 3 consisting of the fixed stop t,
spring bolts s, levers q and r. slide bar o and levers m and n, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Eighth In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle.
the arrangement, or mode and means, for making the cutting off course, consisting
of the automatic intervention and disappearance of the supplementary cam 9, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings
Ninth. In a knitting machine or frame constructed on the "Lamb" principle, the
combination of mechanism for raising and lowering the supplementary cam 9 con-
sisting of the lever 1. connecting rod k¹, and lever 1, movable stop f, fixed stop e',
bolt d and lever b' with its inclined segment, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
73