Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
I, JOHN WILLIAM WATTS, Manager of a Hosiery Factory, of Countesthorpe, in
the County of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in circular knitting machines.
The object of this invention is to improve the various working parts of circular
knitting machines so that the machines can be built more cheaply and be made
to work more expeditiously than heretofore.
My improvements may be summarized under the following heads, First.
Improved driving gear. Second. Automatic measuring and stopping apparatus
by which the fabric weight only requires adjusting once during the knitting of
long stockings &c. Third. Improved means for starting the machine by power
whilst the fabric weight remains in contact with the measuring rods or studs.
Fourth. Improved devices for rapidly and safely putting the frame needles in and
out of action of the knitting cams, during the process of making heels and toes
of socks or stockings. Fifth. Improvements in transferring instruments, in trans-
ferring devices, by which the loops upon the frame needles can be expeditiously
changed to the ribbing needles, and vice versa, without having to remove the empty
needles from their grooves in the needle beds. Sixth. Improved means for holding
down the fabric, consisting of sinkers, or web holders, that prevent the fabric from
rising when the needles are forced forward to cast their loops from their latches
on to their stems. The standards and the table may be constructed to hold one,
or more machines arranged side by side: the whole being driven by one main
shaft, which is carried by bearings fixed to the standards of the machine. The
machine shaft runs parallel with the main shaft in bearings attached to the bed
plate of the machine. To the inner end of the machine shaft is fixed a small
bevel wheel that gears into a similar wheel located on the lower end of a sleeve,
that revolves on the inside of the frame needle cylinder: This sleeve carries the
sinkers, or web holders, for holding down the fabric as it is knitted, particulars of
which will be hereinafter given. There is also another bevel wheel fixed to the
machine shaft, that gears into another bevel wheel which may be cast on the cam
cylinder, if double stitch cams are used or made separately in single stitch cam
machines. There are two spur pinions that have a revolving fit on the machine
shaft, the inner one (nearer the machine) is for rotating the machine, and the
outer one for reciprocating it. Each pinion has projections on its inner side that
gear into, or against projections on the ends of a double clutch, that is feathered
to the machine shaft. The clutch is moved longitudinally by a knock out lever,
into its two working positions, and is held in each working position by suitable
catch devices. When the clutch is thrown in gear with the left side pinion, the
machine rotates; and when moved into its right side position, the projections on
the right side end of the clutch, gear into the outer pinion, and the machine
reciprocates. The catch devices are liberated when any predetermined length of
circular fabric is knitted, such as the leg or foot pieces of socks, or stockings. Or

page_text: when any predetermined number of reciprocating courses are knitted, such as
heels, or toes, of socks etc., there are suitable springs to draw the knock out lever
into its central, or inoperative position. The machine is arrested when knitting
circular fabric by the fabric weight coming in contact with horizontal measuring
rods, that are adjustably attached to a rocking rod, or by dogs on a measuring
chain that latterally turns a stopping lever from over an even revolving surface
of the machine shaft to over a cammed surface; the cani
mi lifting up the outer end
of the stopping lever, and so liberating the catch devices.
The main shaft is fitted with the usual belt driven pulleys.
There is a large spur wheel that is frictionally attached to the main shaft whose
teeth mesh into those of the pinion on the left side of the machine shaft; There
is a friction clutch that slides longitudinally on a key feather upon the main
shaft. Its right end has projections that gear into or against similar projections
on a small spur wheel that runs loosely on the main shaft, being guided latterally
by collars or shoulders on the said shaft, the clutch that drives this wheel is moved
into its working position by an arm from the aforesaid knock out lever, the teeth
of the small spur wheel gear into those of a similar wheel that revolves on a
gudgeon fixed to the framework of the machine. To, a pin in, the side of this
wheel is fitted a connecting rod, the other end being fitted to a quadrant that is
fulcrummed to the main shaft the teeth of which gear into, those of the recipro-
cating pinion on the machine shaft-The clutch on the main shaft that drives the
reciprocating gear is fitted with a friction spring whose tension is regulated by a
screw to drive the machine reciprocatingly, but if any abnormal strain is put on
the machine the spring allows the shaft to revolve without turning the clutch
thus avoiding breakages of needles etc. A similar friction spring is fitted to the
boss of the large spur driving wheel on the main shaft or else to the left end of
the double clutch. The fabric weight has two projecting brackets through which
passes a pin for a flanged roller to revolve upon. A fabric clamping device pre-
ferably a buckle is fixed on, or near to the bed plate of the machine. The loose
end of the fabric is passed round the roller and up into the buckle. It will thus
be seen that double the length of fabric can be knitted by these improvements
whilst the weight is passing from the machine to the floor than has been done
heretofore when the buckle was attached to the fabric weight in the usual manner.
The following are my improved means for stopping and again starting the
machine to run by power whilst the periphery of the fabric weight remains in
contact with the measuring rods. To the boss of the bevelled wheel or to the
revolving machine shaft is fixed a cam with a projecting nose. The inner end
When
of a stopping lever is hinged to a bracket fixed near the top of a vertical rocking
rod or to one side of a horse shoe shaped lever that oscillates in a horizontal plane
near the bed plate of the machine. The outer or free end of the stopping lever
is formed into two horns the upper one is for liberating the catch devices and the
lower one for arresting the machine by hand in case of empty bobbins etc.
the machine is required to knit circular fabric the knock out lever is put in its
left side position where it is held by the left side catch device until the periphery
of the fabric weight comes in contact with one of the horizontal measuring rods,
the said rod is gradually deflected turning with it the rocking rod and the stopping
lever until its upper horn arrives under the overhanging lip of the catch lever at
the same time as the under edge of the stopping lever arrives over the projecting
nose of the cam on the boss of the bevelled wheel. At the next revolution of the
wheel the cam raises the stopping lever and the upper horn, simultaneously lifts
the hook catch lever, when instantly, the aforesaid spring draws the knock out
lever into its central or inoperative position taking with it the hook catch device
which falls off the upper horn of the stop lever, this lever being held in its
elevated position by its under edge resting on the evenly revolving surface of
the nosed cam until the fabric weight is clear of the measuring rod, whereby the
measuring rods, the rocking rod and the stop lever are all drawn into their initial
position by a spring in readiness for passing through similar movements when the

page_text: fabric weight reaches the next measuring rod. In place of the rocking and
measuring rods for stopping the machine when any predetermined length of fabric
is knitted I can accomplish similar results by using an endless measuring chain
fitted with dogs or studs, the fabric weight slides on a vertical guide rod and is
attached to the chain which revolves around two rollers one placed near
the bed plate of the machine and the other to, or near, the floor. A horse
shoe shaped lever is horizontally pivoted near the bed plate of the
machine, to one side of the lever is a cam that is operated by the
dogs on the measuring chain which turns the lever latterally; to the other side
of the horse shoe lever is hinged the stopping lever. The frame needle bed, may
be vertical, conical, or flat. Whatever its shape it will be herein after referred to
as the frame needle bed. It is fixed to the bed plate of the machine in the usual
manner. The cam cylinder carrying the cams for operating the frame needles
and the transferring instruments revolves or reciprocates round or about the frame
needle bed being guided circumferentially in a grooved annulus horizontally sup-
ported by a bracket attached to the bed plate of the machine. This part of my
invention is an improvement upon my Patent 6235 A D 1887. It is applicable
to any gauge or diameter of circular knitting machines but to better illustrate
the description of my invention I will first describe my improvements applied to
a machine having eighty four needles in the frame needle bed and forty-two in
the ribbing attachment. The eighty four frame needle grooves are cut of one
uniform depth, width, and distance apart into the outer circumference of the
needle cylinder. The frame needles and their butts may be wholly made from one
piece of wire or the needle may be made separately and soldered in steel jacks
but whichever are used they will hereinafter be referred to as frame needles. The
frame needles are of three patterns and are arranged around the cylinder in four
divisions viz. fourty two of them have only one butt these single butted needles
are placed out of action prior to knitting the heels and toes of socks, or stockings.
The other forty two frame needles have two butts, projections, or feet on their front
edge which will hereinafter be called butts, they are divided into three sections,
the fourteen adjoining the forty two single butts, on the left side are called the
left fashioning needles and the fourteen on the right side adjoining
the single butted needles are called the right side fashioning needles.
Those twenty eight fashioning needles have each a tail carried
the bottom butt that is operated by radial needle shifters. The fourteen double
butted needles located between the two gangs of fashioning needles do not need
any tail because they are not placed out of action whilst knitting heels and toes
whereas the twenty eight fashioning needles are placed out of and in action one
by one as each reciprocating course is knitted when heels or toes are being made.
The upper butt on all the eighty four frame needles are of one uniform pattern
and are all the same distance below the hook of the needles. The lower butt on
the forty-two heel and toe needles are of two patterns. Those of the fashioning
needles are made by forming a recess in their front edge below the upper butt, the
lower butt and the tail being the same width as the depth of the grooves, they
work in, so that when they are pushed to the back of the grooves their front edge
does not project beyond the outer face of the frame needle bed, and so is out of
reach of the lower depressing cam. The fourteen central heel and toe needles
may have their lower butts the same size as the upper one and do not require any
recess in the front edge. The outer end of the needle shifters may be pivoted or
fulcrummed to the annular bracket that surrounds the needle bed in a similar
manner to that described and shown in Fig. and of the aforesaid patent but
instead of the inner end of the radial needle shifters raising and lowering the
needles in and out of action of the knitting cams they are pivoted so that when
their inner end is raised the lower part of the fashioning needles including the
bottom butt is forced to the back of the needle grooves and so is out of reach of
the lower depressing cam. The lower end of the fashioning needles may be formed
into a spring or a spring may be added to each needle to force their lower end
below

page_text: forward until their bottom butts are forced sufficiently outward to bring them
under control of the lower depressing cam. There are as many radial needle
shifters as there are fashioning needles.. Instead of springs for forcing the
fashioning needles outwardly there may be a slot or groove formed in the inner
end of each shifter for the tails of the needles to work in so that when the shifter
is raised it puts the needle tail at the back of the groove and when the shifter is
lowered it holds the needle forward in its working position or vice versa i.e. the
shifters and their operating cams may be so arranged that as their inner ends are
lowered the tail and lower butt of the needles are held in their forward working
position and when raised the lower part of the needles are forced to the back of
their grooves or into their inoperative position. To make room for the inner
end of the shifters a horizontal groove is cut around the frame needle bed at the
back of the grooves. Instead of the needle shifters being pivoted or fulcrumed I
can place the needles in there two positions by radial sliding needle shifters that
slide in grooves cut in the upper surface of a flat or conical shifter bed that sur-
rounds the lower end of the frame needle bed and is fixed to the bed plate of the
machine. There are as many shifters as there are fashioning needles each shifter
being opposite a fashioning needle there may be a slot or groove in the inner end
of each shifter for the tail of its fashioning needle to enter or each fashioning
needle may be forced outwardly by a spring and inwardly by the inner end of
the shifter. Each shifter has a butt standing up from its upper edge near its
outer end that is operated by cam pathways formed underneath two cam plates
which are carried by two superposed rack rings. The cam pathway carried by the
lower rack ring operates one set of fashioning needles and that carried by the
upper ring actuates the other section. The rack rings are supported and guided in
bearings attached to or near the outer circumference of the needle shifter bed
or to the bet plate of the machine. The ratchet teeth on one side of each ring is
cut for a pushing pawl and those on the other side for a drawing one.
The pawls
for operating the rack rings are attached to a rocking rod located at the back of
the machine which is operated by a lever attached to some part of the recipro-
cating gear. There are two pawls upon each side of the rings those upon one side
are engaged when narrowing the heels or toes and those on the other when widening
the same.
There is a sliding bar fitted with slots or pins that holds the two sets
of pawls out of action alternately one end of the sliding bar is fitted with a spring
that draws it in one direction whilst the other end is fitted with a catch device
that fits on to the knock out lever so that when the latter is placed in its right side
or reciprocating position the two pawls on the right side being held out of action
when the narrowing of the heel is completed a dog on a measuring chain liberates
the catch device on the sliding bar the latter is then drawn by its spring into its
left side position which reverses the pawls, the rack rings being driven in the
opposite direction until the widening of the heel or toe is completed the machine
is then arrested by another dog on the chain liberating the catch that holds the
knockout lever when it is instantly drawn into its central or inoperative position.
I will next describe my improved cams and cam pathways located on the inner
surface of the cam cylinder for operating the frame needles and the transferring
instruments or transferrers as I will hereinafter call them. Near the upper end
of the cam cylinder are two pathways one operative and the other inoperative for
the butts of the transferrers to travel in. Below the transferring pathways is the
upper pathway that the upper butts of the frame needles travel in when they are
in their highest position. I dispense with the usual guard cam and central swing
or sliding cam for conducting the needles into their left and right side knitting
pathways and substitute the following improved depressing cams viz. Near the
top of the upper needle pathway is fitted the upper depressing cam that occupies
two positions this cam is placed in its two positions by a lever located outside the
cam cylinder the depressing cam is pivoted to the inner surface of the cam
cylinder, the inner end of a stud is fixed in the body of the cam whose outer end
passes through a slot in the side of the cam cylinder and to which is fitted the lever

page_text: for putting the cam in its two positions when the cam is placed in its horizontal
position it is inoperative but when in its inclined position it conducts the upper
butts of all the frame needles until they are under control of the left side stitch
cam which position it maintains during the knitting of circular fabric such as the
leg and foot pieces of socks and stockings. There is another depressing cam that
automatically operates the heel and toe needles it is located below and midway
between the two stitch cams it operates on the lower butts by depressing them until
their upper butts are below the pivot that the stitch cams work upon, the needles
are then depressed by the stitch cams to form their loops in the usual manner.
The right and left stitch cams are pivoted to a vertical sliding plate that is let
into the inner surface of the cam cylinder and is raised and lowered by a thumb
screw fitted in a bracket attached to the outer face of the cam cylinder.
Projecting from the back of each stitch cam is a stud whose outer end works
in a slot in the sliding plate. These studs and slots are for holding the stitch
cams at the right angle for depressing the frame needles to form their loops
correctly whether the said needles are knitting long or short loops. The lower
depressing cam may be formed of one piece or of two, one fixed to the inner
surface of the cylinder and the other pivoted that is made to swing in the direction
the needles are travelling. This cam is only in action during reciprocating as
when knitting heels and toes. It acts upon the lower butts of the forty two
heel & toe needles depressing them until their upper butt is below the pivots that
the left and right stitch cams work on, the needles are then further depressed by
the stitch cams in the usual way. There is a bottom centre cam to prevent the
needles from falling before their hooks get over the thread. The right side
elevating cam is of the ordinary construction. But a novel feature of this inven-
tion is in having two elevating cams on the left side for raising the frame needles
from their lowest knitting position to their upper one each elevating cam is
screwed to the inner face of the cam cylinder, the first elevating pathway is the
same distance from the bottom centre cam as the elevating cam on the right side
the needles ascend this pathway when making heels and toes the outer elevating
pathway is specially constructed for the frame needles to ascend when their loops
are to be changed from one pattern of rib to another or from plain to rib fabric.
There is a switch cam located between the lower ends of the two pathways that
is operated by outside mechanism for conducting the needles up either pathway as
desired. The upper mouths of the ascending pathways are closed by automatic
drop cams. A pivoted switch cam is fitted near the upper mouth of a descending
incline pathway located on the right side of the yarn guide, this pathway is where
the upper butts of the frame needles descend after their loops have been removed
from them by the transferrers) when passing from their upper working pathway
into their inoperative one, this switch cam occupies two positions and is operated on
the outside by suitable levers, when in its inclined position it conducts the empty
needles into the descending pathway and when in its horizontal position it guards
the mouth of the pathway.
Assuming that the leg piece of a sock or stocking is knitted I will next describe
how the heel is made. (The toe being made in a similar manner). The upper
depressing cam is placed in its inoperative position whilst the yarn guide is in
front of the machine (over the heel and toe needles) the machine is turned to the
right until the last of the heel and toe needles have ascended into their upper
pathway the machine begins to reciprocate the bottom depressing cam drawing
down the heel and toe needles until their upper butt is under control of the stitch
cams. As each reciprocating course is knitted one of the fashioning needles is put
out of action by its needle shifter forcing its tail and lower butt into its groove in
the cylinder out of reach of the lower depressing cam and so on, until the whole of
the fashioning needles are out of action. The ratchet rings are then reversed and
at each further reciprocating course one of the fashioning needles are brought
into action until the whole are again under control of the lower depressing cam,
the machine is again arrested with the yarn guide in front of the machine and

page_text: the upper depressing cam is put in its inclined or working position whereby the
whole of the eighty four frame needles are depressed until their upper butt is
under control of the left side stitch cam.
The next part of this invention relates to improvements in transferring devices
by which plain and ribbed fabrics are made upon all kinds of circular latch needle
knitting machines without removing the needles from their respective grooves, i.c.
By the aid of the following improvements the loops hanging on the ribbing needles
can be removed therefrom and placed upon the frame needles. Or the loops can
be taken from the frame needles and placed on the ribbing needles without having
to remove the needles from their working grooves, thus the pattern of the fabrics
can be varied from one kind of rib to another or from ribbed to plain or vice
versa as desired.
66
or
This part of my invention is also an improvement upon my former
Patent 6235/87. The transferring instruments or transferrers as I will here-
inafter call them may be made of sheet metal or wire as described in the afore-
mentioned Patent. They may be attached to the needle or needle jacks, or made.
separately and slide in the same grooves as the needles, or they may have a
separate bed to slide in. The pattern of the transferrers and the bed they slide
in being made to suit the type of machine they are fitted to and to the shape of
their needle beds. One of the novel features of this part of my invention is
the use of graded swinging jacks for operating the ribbing needles in circular
knitting machines having stationary needle beds. They are fulcrummed
pivoted and radially guided by a suitable framework located above the frame
needles and either supported by a revolving ribber arm attached to the cam
cylinder, or by a stationary arm fixed to the bed plate or framework of the
machine. The ribbing needles and jacks may be made separately and soldered
together in the usual manner, Or they may both be made from one piece of wire.
The front of the jacks are graded or made in different patterns the number of such
patterns corresponding to the variety of patterns of ribbed and plain fabrics in
the article being knitted. For instance. If the machine is required to knit
plain hose, half hose, `socks or shirt sleeves having a 1/1 or other pattern rib top it
then only requires one pattern of ribbing needle or jack. If it is required to
knit 2/1 or any other pattern rib leg and instep with a plain heel, sole and toe
then two patterns of ribbing needles or jacks are required. And if the article
to be knitted has three patterns such as ribbed half hose and hose having a 1/1 top
a 3/1 leg and instep and a plain heel sole and toe then three patterns of ribbing
needles or jacks are required.
The cams for operating the ribbing needles and jacks are attached to a revolving
platform that is driven by an arm attached to the cam cylinder.
In machines having a vertical frame needle bed and a horizontal ribbing needle
bed. I may use similar transferrers to those previously described which are located
at the back of the frame needles near the upper end of the frame cylinder but I
preferably form a recess in their sides and fit in a spring so that as the loops pass
down the transferrers when the latter are raised to their highest position the loops
are stretched open and whilst in this position the ribbing needles enter the said
loops the transferrers then recede into their inoperative position the ribbing
needles passing out at the upper end of the recess between the spring and the
side of the transferrers.
A further development of the wire transferrer as shown in Figs. 53 and 54 of my
drawings of Patent No. 6235/87 consists in fitting the spring to the side of the
ribbing or frame needles the fore end of the spring fitting into a recess in the
needles instead of into the recess 174 in the aforesaid figures.
If the ribbing needles are soldered in jacks, or if each needle and jack is made out
of one piece of wire, the spring may be attached to the jacks, its fore end fitting
into an indentation in the side of the needles. These springs may be also
attached to the side of the frame needles, or to the frame needle jacks their
fore end fitting into a recess in the side of the needles. The needle grooves

page_text: are widened sufficiently to allow the needles and springs to descend until the butts
of the needles are out of the reach of the knitting cams.
In place of springs being fitted to the side of the ribbing or frame
needles for opening or stretching the loops on said needles I can
accomplish similar results by pivoting a small lever in the side of the needles.
It works in a slot which allows the lever to turn upwardly to the needle stem
but it does not allow it to descend to the stem the bottom of the slot holding the
lever at a suitable angle so that when the frame needles are raised for the purpose
of transferring their loops the said loops are stretched open on one side by the
needle stems and on the other by the pivoted levers.
Whilst the loops are thus opened the frame needles enter them, they next descend
out of action, the pivoted levers being turned up parallel with the stems of the
needles by their under edges coming in contact with the ribbing needles or the
upper edge of the web holders.
When I wish to change the loops from the ribbing needles to the frame needles
I may use springs or pivoted levers fitted to the side of the ribbing needles or
jacks so that when the ribbing needles are moved outwardly by a special out-
throw cam, the loops are stretched open by the stem of the ribbing needle on one
side and the spring or pivoted lever on the other and whilst the opened loops lie
over the top of the grooves of the inoperative frame needles, these latter ascend
until their hooks enter the loops on the ribbing needles, when that is done they
pass into their inoperative pathway.
Instead of springs or pivoted levers being fitted to the sides of the needles to
act as auxiliaries with the needles in transferring loops from one set of needles to
the other, I accomplish similar results by having burrs or shoulders on the frame
and ribbing needles or their jacks.
These burrs or shoulders on the ribbing needles are located on their stems a
little further from the hook of the needle than where the loops travel whilst the
said needles are knitting. Or the front edge of the jacks may be used for the
same purpose as the burrs or shoulders viz. to push forward the loops until they
are held over the inoperative needles in the frame cylinder.
A special outthrow cam is fitted to the ribbing attachment for forcing the
ribbing needles further outwardly than they go when knitting.
When it is desired to change some, or the whole of the loops from the ribbing
needles to the frame needles, this outthrow cam is placed in its operative position
which forces out the ribbing needles until their shoulders, springs levers or
burrs, push and hold the ribbing loops over the grooves of the inoperative frame
needles these latter ascend, their hooks passing through the ribbing loops the
ribbing needles are then drawn back into their inoperative pathway. I may
use transferrers located in the upper end of the frame needle bed to act in com-
bination with the ribbing needles, having shoulders or burrs on their stems by which
means I am enabled to change the pattern of fabric from plain to ribbed
and vice versa.
If I use this combination I raise the transferrers until their pointed end enters
the overhanging ribbing loops (instead of the hook of the needles entering as
before described) the ribbing needles then recede into their inoperative pathway
the transferrers ascend higher until the loops lying on them are widened sufficiently
for the frame needles to enter. When that is done the transferrers recede again
into their inoperative pathway.
I also use a special upthrow cam for raising the frame needles above their
normal working position so that when this cam is in its working position it raises
the frame needles, and the burrs, springs, levers or shoulders raise the loops
sufficiently high for the hooks of the ribbing needles to freely enter them. By the
use of these special outthrow cams for operating the frame and ribbing needles
as desired the ordinary knitting is performed the same as if there were no
transferring auxiliaries connected with the needles, i.e. the honey comb appearance

page_text: of the fabric is not destroyed because the loops are not penetrated each course by.
the transferrers.
A further improvement consists in shaping certain portions of the needle stems
or jacks into a non cutting knife edge. These shaped parts are located either
opposite the burrs or shoulders, or adjacent to the springs or pivoted levers by
which more room is obtained for the hooks of the needles or the points of the
transferrers to enter the loops when transferring is about to take place.
"
In applying my improved ribbing and loop transferring attachments to such
machines as the Branson the Scott William" the Standard and machines of
the same type i.e. where the needle bed is made to rise and fall when the loops are
required to be slacker or stiffer I arrange the ribbing attachment so that it rises
and falls simultaneously with the said frame needle bed whereby the ribbing and
frame loops are kept of one uniform size.
66
6
66
In applying my transferrers to dial rib machines like the Griswold" or the
Watts Knitter" or to the conical ribbing machines like the "Universal" or
Royal" I use ribbing needles whose butts are of various lengths and have
adjustable ribbing cams of various thickness so that any particular gang of
ribbing needles can be put out of action and the others be left in action. If the
transferrers are made from sheet metal I preferably make their butts round by
cutting slots in the end of wire and soldering or braizing the sides of the trans-
ferrers into the said slots. I will next describe how the ribbing and frame needles
are placed out of action of their operating cams when their loops have been taken
from them.
By one system of frame cams and jacks every alternate needle has a special
butt or projection for the shifter can to put them into their inoperative pathway.
preferably locate it on the needle above the upper knitting butt those needles
having this upper shifting butt are what go out of action when the pattern of fabric
is changed from plain to 1/1 rib fabric.
The knitting butts are made in two or more lengths. If the machine is only
required to make one pattern of ribbed fabric and plain such as plain half hose
with a 1/1 top then the knitting butts would do in two different lengths. But if
it is wanted to make 3/1 half hose with a 1/1 top then three lengths of knitting
butts are required. Two of which go out of action when the fabric is changed
from plain to 1/1 rib. When the pattern is required to be changed from 1/1
to 3/1 then one of the gangs that is out of action is brought up into the knitting
pathways.
There are two inclined pathways one leading from the knitting to the inoperative
pathway down which the needles descend when they go out of action, and the other
is for the butts to ascend from the inoperative pathway into the knitting pathway
the mouth being guarded by a suitable switch cam so that the butts cannot
catch against the points of the cams. There are also suitable cams located at the
bottom of the raising inclines for bringing the needles out of the inoperative
pathways into the elevating incliue pathway.
The upper or shifting butt only extends from the needle to the level of the
outer face of the needle cylinder where the knitting cams work so that when the
needles are in their inoperative position the outer ends of the shifting butts are not
reached by the knitting cams. There is a special cam for operating on these
shifting butts that is located on the cam cylinder above the knitting cams.
face of this cam is nearer the axis of the machine than the others and to make room
for it a portion of the outer surface of the needle cylinder is turned off so that this
cam can reach the short shifting butts.
The
Instead of the needles or needle jacks having a special shifting butt I can accomplish
similar results by having jacks made in two lengths the increased length being
at their upper ends. These long jacks are those that go out of action of the
knitting cams, they are arranged alternately with the shorter jacks that do not go
out of action at all. The upper switch cam operates on the upper outer edge of the
long jacks which depresses them until their knitting butts enter the descending

page_text: incline which further depresses them into the inoperative pathway. Another
way of putting every alternate frame needle into the inoperative pathway is to
fit a suitable depressing cam at the mouth of the descending incline which may be
operated by hand or automatically by levers located outside the cam cylinder.
This cam is only about half the thickness of the ordinary cams. It is fitted to the
inner side of the cam cylinder so that when in its operative position it forces all the
long and medium butts down the descending incline but does not reach inwardly far
enough to reach the shortest butted needles the needles are placed in suitable
order in the frame cylinder so that various patterns can be made in the same
article as previously described.
I will next describe how to make ribbed stockings without removing the loops
from the frame needles. The said stockings having ribbed legs and insteps and
plain heels bottoms and toes. I will suppose the article I am about to knit is a
womans 2/1 ribbed hose, on fifty four 2/1 ribs. The frame needle bed has
108 grooves which are all filled with needles. The ribbing needle bed has
54 grooves all filled with needles and the ribbing needle bed is so adjusted that
each ribbing needle works across the tricks or posts of the frame needle bed
two frame needles being between each ribbing needle all round the head. The
welt is made in the usual manner then the leg piece is made 2/1 rib down to the
heel. The loops are then transferred from half the ribbing needles and are placed
on the adjacent frame needles those ribbing needles that knit the front part of the
stocking retain their loops. The ribbing attachment remains stationary whilst the
plain or frame needles knit the heel in the usual manner. When the heel is
finished the ribbing attachment is again connected and the machine commences to
knit the foot, the instep being ribbed and the sole or bottom plain. Those
ribbing needles that had their loops transferred from them are either kept inwardly
at the back of the grooves or they may come forward but are sent inwardly again
before they get to the knitting thread and so remain empty. The toe is next made
in a similar way to the heel. When that is done the whole of the ribbing needles
are brought forward and if any of the said needles have their latches closed they are
opened by a brush that is attached to some part of the revolving cam cylinder. The
welt is next made for another stocking and so the process is continued one stocking
afte: another.
The cams for operating the graded ribbing needles or jacks are attached to a
suitable platform located above the frame needles these cams can be operated by
levers or by hand by which the whole of the ribbing needles are made to knit or
only a portion of them those ribbing needles not required to knit are placed
inwardly by their operating cams before they reach the thread that the other
needles are knitting they thus remain inoperative. Or they may remain in their
innermost position when not required to knit being held there by a suitable tension
spring. I can have as many ribbing needles at work as there are frame needles
and am thus enabled to make any desired pattern of ribbed fabric. The ribbing
needles may be made to work over the frame needle grooves or over the tricks
or posts.
Instead of the ribbing needles being forced outwardly by cams located on
the inside of the swinging jacks or by outer cams operating on their outer edge
above their pivots I preferably use the following improvements.
Surrounding the ribbing needle bed is a platform carried by brackets whose
upper ends are fixed to a ring located above the ribbing needle bed. Each ribbing
needle or jack has a pendant lug that is parallel or nearly so with the shank of the
ribbing needle these lugs enter the inner and pivoted end of a guide cam trough.
The outer or free end of the trough has a handle for placing it in its three
positions, when the trough is in its innermost position it is right for making welts.
In its central position it is right for ordinary knitting and in its outermost position
the needles are right for having their loops transferred on to the frame
needles. The front of the ribbing needles are graded or made in three patterns.

page_text: There are three inthrow cams attached to the platform. Number one is the
ordinary knocking over cam and acts on all the ribbing needles alike. Number
two is a movable cam and it acts on a certain prominence on the front edge of
every alternate needle which after their loops have been removed by the trans-
ferrers to change the pattern from 1/1 to 3/1 forces these alternate needles to the
back of the grooves out of reach of the knitting thread. After knitting enough
3/1 pattern to form the leg piece the machine is arrested.
The switch trough is again put into its outermost position and the loops are taken
off those ribbing needles that have been knitting the back portion of the leg,
when number three inthrow cam is placed in its inner position which forces the
said needles inwardly before they reach the knitting thread and so renders them
inoperative. The heel is then knitted on the frame needles the ribbing attachment
being at rest during the process. When the heel is completed the ribbing attach-
ment is again connected and the foot piece is knitted the instep being 3/1 pattern
and the sole plain. The toe is made in a similar manner to the heel. And next
the frame needles are elevated to their highest position and every alternate needle
has its loop transferred to the empty ribbing needles, and numbers two and three
ribbing needle inthrow-cams are drawn into their outer position which allows them
to knit 1/1 fabric in the usual manner.
Improved web holding devices form the next part of this invention. In
Fig. 1 of the drawings of my former Patent No. 9848/90 I show the web holders
sliding in vertical grooves cut into the inner surface of the needle cylinder the
hooks of the web holders penetrating the fabric a short distance away from the
needles. One part of my present improvements consists in cutting the said
grooves deeper at their upper ends and fitting in web holders that reach up to and
across the top of the needle cylinder so that as the needles descend they lay the
thread across the upper ends of the said holders. There is an undercut shoulder
or neb formed on the upper edge of the web holders which serves to hold down the
newly formed loops when the frame needles are ascending. There is also an outer
extension of the web holders beyond the shoulder for preventing the knitting
thread getting under the web holders. A novel feature of this part of my
invention is the peculiar motion given to the upper ends of the web holders which
is obtained by the following construction.
Instead of the web holders being straight as shown in the aforesaid patent their
upper ends are turned outwardly forming an obtuse angle. When their lower
ends are depressed longitudinally their underside edges at the upper end slide on
the top edge of the needle cylinder which forces their upper ends inwardly thus
giving to both the nebs and upper ends of the web holders an inward and a
downward movement.
The cams for operating the web holders may be attached to an annulus or tube
located inside the needle cylinder which is supported by the bed plate of the
machine, or by a special plate the said tube being driven by bevelled wheels.
Instead of the web holding bed being vertical as just described it may be flat
or conically inverted. It may be integral with the needle cylinder or separately
made and fixed to the bed plate of the machine or to a special
plate attached to the bed plate of the machine. For the purpose
of regulating the motion of the web holders. I fit a screw arrangement to the
sleeve that carries the cams which is attached to the bed plate of the machine by
which the sleeve can be vertically adjusted. A suitable lever passing to the
outside of the machine for adjusting it.
There is a horizontal groove formed in the inner face of the needle bed into which
fits a cam that is fixed to the upper end of the revolving sleeve for forcing out-
wardly the upper ends of the sinkers when they are raised by their elevating
cams.
Instead of the sinkers or web holders being made of one piece of metal with the
upper part bent outwardly at an obtuse angle I may adopt the following improve-
ment iz, In the upper edge of the frame needle bed are cut as many grooves as

page_text: there are needle grooves and into these grooves or slots are fitted circular dises
having a central hole through which passes a wire or preferably a coiled wire
spring this spring lying in a horizontal groove formed in the outer surface of the
needle bed. The two ends of the coiled spring are soldered together after the
whole of the circular web holders are placed on them the spring is then put in
the horizontal groove and each web holder in its slot. There is a shoulder or neb
formed on the periphery of each disc for holding down the newly formed loops.
There may be a hole in the rib of each sinker on its inner side into which fits the
upper end of the vertical web holder so that as the vertical web holders are raised
and lowered by their cams the discs are oscillated, or I may dispense with the sleeve
and bevelled wheels for driving the same and substitute the following.
On that portion of the disc that over hangs the cam cylinder is formed a shoulder
or shoulders so that as the cam cylinder revolves a cam on its upper edge turns the
disc partly round as soon as the knitting thread has been laid across it in front
of its neb the said cam holds the disc in that position until the yarn is again about
to be laid on the sinkers when another cam on the cylinder draws back the .disc
until the neb is backward enough for the thread to be laid on the sinker in
front of the neb.
Instead of cutting the web holder grooves into the inner surface of the inverted
cone or vertical cylinder I may cut them into its outer surface and use the follow-
ing improvements for supporting and operating the web holders. Underneath the
ordinary bed plate of the machine is fixed a lower bed plate. This plate may
be attached to the ordinary bed plate or frame work of the machine upon this
lower plate is fixed the inverted cone or cylinder that has longitudinal grooves cut
in either its inner or outer surfaces for the web holders to slide in.
The upper
end of the web holding bed may reach nearly level with the top of the needle
cylinder but preferably I use a shorter bed and attach a ring to its upper end
which serves a dual purpose first for keeping out the dirt from the web holding bed
and second for holding the ribbing needle bed in any desired circumferential
position. There are lugs pendant from the ribbing needle bed that come in con-
tact with other lugs attached to the ring. The ring is adjusted circumferentially
by a lever whose outer end passes to the outside of the machine and held in position
by a suitable clamping device such as a thumb screw or rack.
For certain kinds of work especially where a fabric weight is used for drawing
the fabric from the needles it is only necessary to have web holders or sinkers in
that part of the cylinder where the needles are located that knit the heels and toes
of stockings care being taken that the web holders are exactly the same height
as the solid tricks of the cylinder so that the loops of the fabric are same size when
formed on the movable posts or web holders as they are where drawn across the
rigid tricks or posts. The lugs for retarding or holding the ribber are then placed
inside the cylinder at that portion where the solid posts are.
Further improvements in this part of my invention consists, 1st. In arranging
the web holders (whether movable or rigid ones are used) so that they are nearer
the frame needles upon one side than the other preferably their right, so that
when the whole of the frame needle grooves have needles in them there is room for
the ribbing needles to work between the left side of the frame needles and the
right side of the web holders. 2nd. In fine gauges it is impracticable to cut as
many grooves in an inverted cone or flat web holding bed as there are frame
needles therefore to overcome the difficulty I cut half as many web holding
grooves as there are needle grooves and solder or otherwise fix two upper parts to
each lower part of the web holders.
Dated this 22.1 dave of
1000

page_text: I, JOHN WILLIAM WATTS, Manager of a Hosiery Factory, of Countesthorpe, in
the County of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
The object of this invention is to improve the various working parts of circular
knitting machines, so that the machines can be built more cheaply, and be made to
work more expeditiously than heretofore.
My improvements may be summarised under the following heads.
First. Improved driving gear.
Second. Improved automatic measuring and stopping devices, by which the
fabric weight, only requires adjusting once during the knitting of long stock-
ings, or other long garments.
Third. Improved means for starting the machine by power, whilst the fabric
weight remains in contact with the measuring rods, or studs.
Fourth. Improvements in the construction of both ribbing and frame needles,
in needle beds, in sliding shifters, or in levers for operating the ribbing and
frame needles, or their jacks. In lever needle shifters, and in lever beds. In
cams for operating the said shifters, or levers, whereby the needles and needle
jacks, are safely and expeditiously moved from their knitting, into their non
knitting pathways, and vice versa.
Fifth. Transferring, or loop shifting devices, consisting of improved transfer-
ring instruments, improved cams and pathways for the butts of the transferrers,
and the needle butts to slide in, when the needles are both in and out of action,
by which the loops upon the cylinder or frame needles are expeditiously changed
to the ribbing needles, and vice versa, without having to remove the empty
needles from their needle beds.
Sixth. Improved sinker, or web holding devices, by which the fabric is pre-
vented from rising, when the needles are thrust forward to cast off their loops
from their latches, on to their stems.
With the aforementioned improvements in view my invention consists of
certain details of construction, and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter
described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1, is a vertical section of my machine taken on the longitudinal centre
line.
Fig. 2, is a sectional plan of machine on the line x-x, Fig. 1, shewing needle
shifter grooves, and racking gear.
Fig. 3, is a section through the friction clutch.
Fig. 4, is a plan shewing the cams for operating the ribbing needles in
Fig. 1.
Fig. 5, is a section through ribbing attachments, showing swinging jacks,
with upper extended graded tails, and cams for operating same.
Fig. 6, is a plan of said cams, for operating the jacks in Fig. 5.
Fig. 7, is an end elevation of machine' with standards removed, shewing
driving and racking gears.
Fig. 8, Elevation of measuring and stopping tackle, with measuring rods.
Fig. 9, Detail of catch tackle.
Fig. 10, Elevation of measuring and stopping tackle, with measuring chain.
Figs. 11 & 12, plans of measuring and stopping tackle.

page_text: horizontal bed fixed to inside of the cylinder needle bed, with sleeve and cams
for actuating same.
Fig. 53. Section through part of machine showing disk web holders pivoted
near the top of cylinder needle bed with butted shank and sleeve and cams
for operating same.
Fig. 54. Section through part of machine showing disk, web holders, pivoted
near the top of the cylinder needle bed, and operated by an undulating cam
fixed to the top of cam cylinder.
Section 1. In Fig. One. The standards 1, and the bed plate, or table 2, are
constructed to hold one or more machines, arranged side by side, the whole
being driven by one main shaft 3, that is carried in bearings 4, attached to the
standards 1. To the machine shaft 5, is fixed the bevel wheel 6, that gears into
the wheel 7, located on the lower end of the sleeve 8, that carries the cams for
operating the sinkers, or, web holders, particulars of which will be given here-
inafter. The bevel wheel 9, is also fixed to the machine shaft, and gears into
the cog ring 10, for driving the cam cylinder 11.
The two spur pinions 12 and 13 have a revolving fit on the machine shaft.
The former is for rotating the machine and the latter for reciprocating it. Each
pinion has projections on its inner side into which gear similar projections on
each end of the clutch 14, this latter having a sliding fit upon a key feather
upon the shaft. The hand lever 15 Fig. 1 and 2 serves to put the clutch in
any of its required positions. When it is placed in gear with pinion 12, the
machine is rotated in one direction only. When put into gear with pinion 13
the machine reciprocates and when in its central position, it is at rest. The
knock out lever 15, Figs. 1, 2 and 8 to 12 is held in its left position by the hook
catch 16, Sheet 3, falling below the lower part of the slot in the guide bracket 17.
The hook catch has an overhanging lip 43, under which passes the upper horn 41
of the stopping lever 23. As soon as the fabric weight 33 reaches any of the
measuring rods 37, or when the dogs 38, on the measuring chain 39, reaches
the cam 24" on the horse shoe shaped lever 24, the hook catch 16 is raised and
the spring 18 draws the hand lever 15 into its central or inoperative position,
as will be afterwards described. The hand lever 15 and clutch 14 are held in
their right side position by the catch 20 Figs. 2 and 7, and when reciprocating
knitting is finished (such as the completion of heels and toes) the catch 20 is
liberated by the lever 21 which is actuated by the dog 21 on the measuring
chain 22 when instantly the said clutch and lever are drawn into their central
or inoperative position by the spring 19 Figs. 11 and 12.
The stopping lever is jointed to the bracket 23" located near the top of the
rocking rod 42 Figs. 8, and 11, or to the horse shoe shaped lever 24 Figs. 10
and 12.
The main driving shaft 3 is fitted with the usual belt driven pulleys.
The large spur wheel 25 Fig. 1 Sheet 1 and Fig. 7 Sheet 2, is frictionally
attached to the main shaft 3, and gears into the pinion 12 on the machine
shaft 5.
The friction clutch 27 Figs. 1 and 3 slides longitudinally on a key feather
upon the main shaft.
There are projections on its right end, which gear into
similar projections on the spur wheel 26, which runs loosely on the main shaft,
being. held in position by collars. The clutch is moved into its working position
by a yoke on the knock out lever 15. The said wheel 26 gears into wheel 28,
which revolves upon the gudgeon 29, fixed to the frame work of the machine.
The connecting rod 30 is fitted to the side of wheel 28, its other end being
attached to the quadrant 31, that is fulcrummed in the main shaft. The teeth
of which gear into those of the reciprocating pinion 13. The clutch 27 on shaft 3
that drives the reciprocating gear is fitted with a friction spring 32 whose ten-
sion is regulated by a screw 27ª Fig. 3, so that if any abnormal strain is put
on the machine the spring allows the shaft to revolve without turning the clutch,

page_text: thus avoiding breakages of needles etc. A similar friction spring is fitted to the
boss of the large spur driving wheel 25 on the main shaft.
Sections 2 and 3. The fabric weight 33, Figs. 8 to 12, has two projecting
brackets 34, through which passes a pin for the flanged roller 35, to revolve
upon.
A fabric clamping device preferably a buckle 36 Figs. 13 and 14 is fixed on
or near to the bed plate of the machine. The loose end of the fabric is passed
round the roller 35, and then through the buckle 36. It will thus be seen that
double the length of fabric can be knitted by these improvements whilst the
weight is passing from the machine to the floor, than has been done heretofore.
The following are my improved means for stopping and again starting the
machine to run by power, whilst the fabric weight 33 remains in contact with
the measuring rod 37. To the boss of the bevelled wheel 9, or to the revolving
machine shaft 5, is fixed a cam with a projecting nose 40, Figs. 1 and 8 to 12.
The inner end of the stopping lever 23 is hinged to the bracket 23°, Figs. 8
and 11, that is located near the top of the rocking rod 42, or to one side of the horse
shoe shaped lever 24 Figs. 10 and 12, that oscillates in a horizontal plane near
the bed plate of the machine. The outer or free end of the stopping lever is
formed into two horns 41 and 44, the upper one 41 is for liberating the catch
device automatically, and the lower one 44 for arresting it by hand. When the
machine is required to knit circular fabric, the knock out lever 15 is put into
its left side position, and held there by the hook catch 16, until the fabric
weight comes in contact with one of the horizontal measuring rods 37, the said
rod is then gradually deflected as the weight descends, turning with it the
rocking rod and the stopping lever 23 until its upper horn 41 arrives under the
overhanging lip 43 of the catch device 16, at the same time the under edge of
the stopping lever arrives over the projecting nose of the cam 40, on the boss
of the bevel wheel 9. At the next revolution of the wheel 9, the can raises
the stopping lever 23, and the upper horn simultaneously lifts the hook catch
device 16, when instantly the aforesaid spring 18 draws the knock out lever 15
into its central or inoperative position, taking with it the hook catch device
which falls off the upper horn of the stop lever. This lever being held in its
elevated position by its under edge resting on the evenly revolving surface of
the nosed cam, until the fabric weight is clear of the measuring rod, whereby
the measuring rods, the rocking rod, and the stop lever are all drawn into their
initial position by the spring 45 Figs. 11 and 12, in readiness for passing through
similar movements when the fabric weight reaches the next measuring rod. In
place of the rocking and measuring rods for stopping the machine when any
predetermined length of fabric has been knitted. I can accomplish similar
results by using an endless measuring chain 39, fitted with dogs or studs 38.
The fabric weight slides on a vertical guide rod 42ª, and is attached to the
chain 39, which revolves around two rollers 47 and 48, one placed near the bed
plate of the machine and the other to or near to the floor. A horse shoe shaped
lever 24, is pivoted near the bed plate of the machine. To one side of the
lever is a cam 24", which is operated by the dogs 38 on the measuring chain 39,
which turns the lever laterally. To the other side of the horse shoe shaped lever
is hinged the stopping lever 23, which is turned laterally from the even revolv-
ing surface to over the projecting nosed cam 40, which lifts the stopping lever
and so arrests the machine as before described.
Section 4. Cams, needles, needle beds, needle shifters, etc.
The frame or cylinder needle bed 52 Fig. 1 is fixed to the bed plate of the
machine in the usual way.
The cam cylinder 11, carrying the cams for operating the frame needles 50,
Sheet 4, and the transferring instruments as shown on Sheet 6 revolves or recipro-
cates round or about the frame needle bed being guided circumferentially in a
grooved annulus 51, horizontally supported by a stand fixed by screws X X X
Figs. 1 and 2 to the bed plate of the machine.

page_text: To better elucidate this part of my invention I will first describe my improve-
ments applied to a plain machine having eighty four needle grooves 52, in the
frame needle bed as Fig. 2, then afterwards describe the said improvements
applied to a similar machine having a ribbing attachment as Figs. 1 and 5.
For the production of plain stockings (i.e. without any rib work) the heels
and toes, may be made upon one half of the frame needles located at various
parts of the circle. But I preferably make them on the forty two needles located
as near the front of the machine as the bevel driving wheel 9 will allow. The
other forty two needles near the back half of the machine that knits the front
half of the stocking have only one butt 54 Fig. 15 Sheet 4. These needles do
not knit when the front half of the needles are making heels and toes, their
butts 54 remaining in the pathway 84 Figs. 23 to 25. The forty two frame
needles near the front of the machine Fig. 2, have each two butts on their front
edge, the upper one 54 is the knitting butt, it is the same size and
distance from the hook as the butt on the single butted needles Fig. 15. The
lower butt 55 Figs. 16 to 19, Sheet 4, is much shorter than the upper one, these
short butts are depressed when making heels and toes by the lower depressing
cam 53 Figs. 23, 24, and 25, Sheet 5, until their upper butt 54 is under control
of one of the stitch cams 77 or 78. The forty two heel and toe needles are divided
into three sections Fig. 2.
The fourteen between A and B, and C and D, are called the left and right
side fashioning needles.
These twenty eight fashioning needles are put out of action one by one as
each reciprocating course is knitted during the narrowing of heels and toes:
and again placed in action one by one during the widening of the same: each
fashioning needle has a tail 56 extending below the lower butt 55, that is
operated radially by the needle shifter 58 Fig. 20, Sheet 4. There are as many
needle shifters as there are fashioning needles.
The grooves in which the needle shifters slide are located opposite the fashion-
ing needles the tail of the needles 56 may pass through the slots 60 formed in
the side of the fore end of the shifter as Figs. 16 and 17. Or the slot 60 may
be dispensed with, and a spring 56", formed on the tail of the needle for forcing
it outwardly and the fore end of the needle shifter forces the tail inwardly as
Figs. 18 and 19. The needle grooves are cut sufficiently deep to allow the lower
butt 55 and the tail of the needle 56, to go inwardly until their outer edge is
buried in the needle groove, whereby the needle butt 55 is out of the reach of
the lower depressing cam 53 Figs. 23 to 25 Sheet 5, and so the needle remains
inoperative until its lower butt is forced forward again, which is done when
widening the heel or toe. When knitting circular fabric such as the leg cr
foot pieces of stockings the lower depressing cam 53 is inoperative although the
lower butt of the needle is in its forward position because the upper depressing
cam 73 Figs. 23 to 25, acts on the upper butts of the needles 54 thus depressing
them until they are under control of the stitch cam 77, before the lower butt
reaches the depressing cam 53. Each shifter has a butt 59 near its outer end
extending above its upper edge, that is operated by the cam pathways arranged
on the underside of two cam plates 63 and 64, which are carried by two rack
rings 65 and 66. The cam pathway carried by the upper rack ring operates one
section of the shifters, and that carried by the lower one operates the other. The
rack rings reciprocate round a portion of the shifter bed Figs. 1, 2 and 7, they
are actuated by four pawls 67 which are attached to the rocking rod 68, and
are so arranged that all four pawls move forwardly and backwardly simultaneously,
the said rod being operated by the lever 68* which is worked by the two rollers
31 fixed upon the quadrant 31. Two of the pawls are for pushing, and two
for pulling, one of each kind being fixed upon each side of the rack rings.
The two upon the left side are in action when narrowing the heels, and toes,
and the other two when widening the same. The sliding bar 69 is fitted with
rollers 70 which hold the two sets of pawls out of action alternately. To the

page_text: left end of the bar. is fitted the spring which serves to draw it into its..left
side position, whilst the other end is fitted with a catch device 72 which hooks
on to the knock out lever 15, so that when the latter is. placed into its right
side position the two pawls on the right side are held out. of, action, the narrow-
ing of the heel or toe is then proceeded. with, and when the whole of the fashion-
ing needles are out of action, the catch device. 72,is released, by the dog 21" on the
measuring chain 22 and instantly the sliding bar. 69 and rollers.70 are drawn
into their left side position by the spring. 71. thus placing the left side pawls out
of action and allowing the right side. to go into action.and so. the motion of the
rack rings is reversed and. the fashioning needles are again brought into action
one at a time as each reciprocating course is knitted.
The catch device :72 is released by means of the lever 72", (Figs. 2 and 7) which
is actuated by a dog 21 on the measuring chain, 22.... The measuring. chain
wheel 75 runs loosely upon the rocking rod 68 and has a ratchet..wheel 75*
fixed upon it, and worked by a pawl 75b, fixed-upon an extension of the lever 68".
When the whole of the fashioning needles, are again in action. another dog 21b
on the measuring chain 22 liberates the catch 20 which. holds the knock out
lever 15. which allows the spring 19 to draw it into its central position and so
arrests the motion of the machine:
Text
There is a horizontal groove 57 Fig. 1 formed round the lower end of the
frame needle bed at the back of the frame needle grooves.
This groove is. to give room for the fore ends of the needle shifters to enter
when forcing the fashioning needles into their innermost position.
Instead of the needle shifters sliding radially in grooves as previously described
they may be pivotted or fulcrummed to a stationary bearing as shown in my
Specifications of Patent No. 6235 A.D. 1887, with the following exception riz.
Instead of the fashioning needles being raised and lowered vertically by the
needle shifters when making heels and toes, they are forced inwardly until thir
tail and lower butt are placed inside the needle groove and so out of reach of
the lower depressing cam 53 whilst their upper butt 54 remains inoperative, there
being no cam to depress them from out of the pathway 84. Instead of the
pivoted or fulcrummed needle shifter having to operate the needles both inwardly
and outwardly I may use a spring to force the needles outwardly as shown at
Figs. 18 and 19, and the fore end of the pivoted or fulcrummed needle shifter
to force them inwardly as previously described. The frame needles and their
butts and tails may be made from one piece of wire as Figs. 16 and 18 or the
needles may be soldered in jacks as Figs. 17 and. 19..
At Fig. 23 Sheet 5 I show my improved cams and cam pathways for operating
the frame needles having. the transferrers attached to their stems. The trans-
ferrers may be springs, levers, or burrs, as shown at Figs. 28 to 37 and 44 to 45
Sheet 6. There are also Figs. 46 to 48 Sheet 2 where the transferrers are shown
attached to the needles which will be described hereinafter.
The upper
depressing cam 73 occupies two positions. As shown by dotted lines Figs. 23
to 25, it is inoperative, and when in the position shown by full lines in the said
figures, it is operative acting upon the upper butts of the frame needles which
it depresses until they are under control of the stitch cam 77. This cam 73,
is placed in its two positions by a lever 95b, located outside the cam cylinder
which is attached to the shank or jivot of the cam similar to that shown at
Figs. 26 and 27. The cams 77, and 78, are the left and right side stitch cams,
they are pivoted on studs 78", which is fixed into the vertically sliding plate 78b,
this plate is raised and lowered by the usual thumb screw arrangement attached
to the outside of the cam cylinder 11, when the. sliding plate is raised, the
stitch cams do not draw the frame needles down so far, consequently the- loops
are shorter, and the fabric is tighter. It will thus be seen that a great, variation
in the fabric can be made by heightening or lowering the sliding plate. .
For the purpose of holding the inclined knitting edge of the stitch cams at
one uniform angle, whether the said cams are knitting long or short loops. A

page_text: stud 78° is fixed in the body of the cam, whose outer end protruding from the
back of the cams, fits into a slot 79, formed in the sliding plate, when the
butts 54 of the frame needles strike the inclined or knitting edge of either of
the stitch cams 77, and 78. the outer or pointed end of the cam is raised until
the stud 78 is stopped by the top of the slot 79, and it is held there as long
as there are any needle butts in the knitting pathways; when the last needle
that has been engaged in knitting heels or toes, gets out of the knitting path-
ways 82 or 83, the cam falls to the position shown by Figs. 23 to 25, as soon
as the cam has fallen the machine can be reversed, the needle butts passing
along the pathway 84, over the upper edge of the stitch cam and again entering
the knitting pathway.
The knitting pathways 80 and 81, are of the usual description, the upper butt 54
of the frame needles passing through them when knitting either circular fabric,
or heels and toes.
Plain stockings can be knitted upon any of the three systems of cams shown
on Sheet 5. But when constructing a machine for that purpose only, with my
improved heel and toe fashioning apparatus, it is unnecessary to have any special
pathways for the idle needles to enter or for transferring purposes.
A novel feature of this part of my invention is in having special patliwavs for
the butts 54 to enter for the purpose of transferring the loops from cylinder to
bbing needles, and vice versa. The upper butt 54 of the cylinder needles is
made in various lengths according to the patterns in the article about to be
knitted, for instance if the machine is going to knit an article having one part,
a one, and one rib, and the other plain such as plain socks, stockings, or shirt
sleeves etc., where the cuff or top is ribbed and the rest part plain, then two
lengths are required, and the needles are arranged all round the cylinder alter-
nately one short butt, and one long one all round. But if the article to be
knitted has three patterns, then the butts 54 are required to be of three different
lengths, which I will call short, medium, and long butts, and they are arranged
around the cylinder in the following order viz. There is one half with short
butts, one fourth with medium, and one fourth with long butts, which are
placed in the cylinder in the following order, viz., one short, one medium, one
short, one long, one short, one medium, one short, one long, and so on, in the
same order all round the cylinder. The right side elevating_pathway 82 and
the left side ditto 83 are of the ordinary description. When I wish to change
the loops from the frame needles to the ribbing needles i.e. to change the pattern
from plain fabric to one and one rib, I proceed as follows.
The switch cam 85 is placed in the position shown by full lines Fig. 23 by
which all the frame needles ascend from out of pathway 84 into the transferring
pathway 86, when the butts 54 are in this pathway, their transferrers (springs.
levers or burrs) will be a little above the top of the cylinder needle bed, and
their loops will be stretched open by the transferrer on one side, and by the
stem of the needle on the other.
The ribbing needles are then brought forward their hooks entering the opened
loops as shown at Figs. 30, 31, 32, 36 and 37 Sheet 6. The cam 85 occupies two
positions, as shown by dotted lines Fig. 23 it is inoperative; and when in the
position shown by full lines it is operative; the needles rising up it as before
described. There is an outside lever similar to that shown at Figs. 26 and 27
fixed to the shank or pivot of the cam which serves to place the cam in its two
positions.
The
When the loops have been removed from one half of the frame needles these
empty needles are conducted by the switch cam 88 into the descending path-
way 89, this pathway further depresses them into the idle pathway 90.
cam 88 is much thinner than the others whereby it does not reach the frame
needles having the shortest butts, so they are not depressed but pass on the
horizontal pathway 84 until they reach the upper depressing cam 73 when they
are forced into the knitting pathway 80 in the usual manner.

page_text: By the foregoing arrangement of cams every alternate frame needle is placed
out of action whereby the pattern of the fabric is changed from what it was
at the finish of the toe of one stocking to a 1/1 pattern for the top of the next
Another novel feature of this part of my invention is having special path-
ways 91, and 92, and a special switch cam 93, for conducting the needles up
the knitting pathway 83, or, up the transferring pathways 91 and 92. These
latter are where the frame needle butts 54 ascend when their hooks are about
to enter the opened ribbing loops whether they have frame loops upon them or
not, the said ribbing loops being held open by the transferrers as shown in
Figs. 29, 33 and 34. The switch cam 93 Fig. 23 to 25 occupies two positions,
it is placed in its two positions by an outside lever similar to that shown at 26
and 27. When the cam is in the position shown by full lines Figs. 23 to 25
it conducts the upper butts 54 up the knitting pathway 83 which is the proper
pathway for knitting heels and toes. But when the ribbing loops are to be trans-
ferred to the frame needles the switch cam 93 is put in the position shown by
dotted lines, the butts passing along the pathway 91 and then up the inclined 92.
It is whilst the butts 54 are rising up this latter, that the hooks of the frame
needles pass through the opened loops on the ribbing needles, as shown at
Figs. 28, 29, 30 and 33 to 39, Sheet 6. There is a switch cam 95 located near
the lower end of the transferring pathway 92. This cam is made in two thick-
nesses the outer portion or outer end being thinner than the other part. It
occupies three positions when in the highest position as shown by full lines
Fig. 24 it is inoperative. When in the central position it is right as shown by
dotted lines in the same figure for raising the inoperative needles that have the
longest butts from out of the idle pathway 90 into the incline pathway 92
(please note that the cylinder needles having the shortest butts always remain
in the knitting pathways, it is only those having the longest and medium size
butts that enter the idle pathway 90). Those needles having the medium size
butts remain in the cam pathway 90 because their butts are not long enough to
reach to the back edge of the cam 95. When the cam is placed into its lowest
position as shown by full lines Fig. 23, the thick part lies across the pathway 90
and when the machine is turned the whole of the needle butts rise out of the
pathway 90, into the incline pathway 92. There is a stud or pivot 95, as shown
at rigs. 26 and 27 rigidly fixed in the cam 95 whose outer end passes through
a hole in the side of the cam cylinder. The lever 95b is fixed on its outer end
which serves for placing the cam into any of its three positions; 95° is the handle
for moving the lever, there is a pin on its inner end, that fits into holes in the
outer surface of the cam cylinder, for holding the cam rigid.
Instead of the cam 95 occupying three positions. I may arrange to have two
switch cams for raising the medium, and long butted needles, from out the
idle pathway 90 as follows, each cam occupies two positions one operative, and
the other inoperative, one cam is located in place of 95, and conducts its needles
up the pathway 92 whilst the other is located at the foot of the pathway 83,
and conducts the other set of needles up the pathways 83, then afterwards up 91
and 92; one of the two switch cams is only of sufficient thickness to raise the
longest butts, I will suppose this thin one is located where the cam 95 is shown
Figs. 23, and 24, and the thicker one at the bottom of the pathway 83, this cam
is the full thickness of the working cams so that when that is placed in its lower,
or working position, it raises up the needles having the medium size butts from
out the idle pathway 90, into the elevating pathways 83. There is a stud pro-
jecting from the body of each switch cam through a vertical slot in the side of
the cam cylinder, the outer end of these studs project into inclined slots formed
in a plate that is horizontally guided on the outer surface of the cam cylinder,
this plate occupies three positions, the slots are so arranged, that when the
cams
in its left side position both
are in their
sliding plate is
inoperative positions, when moved into its central position, the thin
switch cam is depressed into its lower, or working position, by its stud

page_text: passing down its incline in the sliding plate, but the thick cam remains in its
inoperative positions because its stud runs in, a horizontal groove; upon turning
the machine those needles having the long butts run up the thin cam from out
the idle pathway 90, into the inclined pathways 91, and 92, whilst those needles
having the shorter butts remain in the pathway 90. Upon moving the sliding
plate into its right side position the thicker switch cam is depressed into its
lower, or working position, by its stud descending the incline, the thin switch
cam remains in its position because its stud slides in a horizontal slot continued
from the inclined one, when the machine is next moved all the needles having
the short butts ascend from the pathway 90, into the incline pathway 83. As
there is always one portion of the ribbing needles left in the ribber i.e., those that
knit the ribbed loops at the instep, it is not necessary to have frame needles
opposite them, so instead of having one fourth with medium sized butts. It
is only necessary to have as many frame needles with medium size butts as
there are ribbing needles to have their loops transferred at the heel.
The centre, cam 97 supports the needles until their hooks have got well over
the knitting yarn.
In place of using, switch cams as described for moving the frame needle butts
from one pathway to another, I may substitute vertically sliding cams for
the purpose, which slide in vertical grooves formed in the inner face of the
cam cylinder which are raised and lowered by suitable apparatus working on
the outer face of the cam cylinder. Instead of operating each cam separately, two,
or, more of them may be connected together, so that one movement of the outside
apparatus will move them simultaneously.
At Fig: 24 I show a similar arrangement of cams etc. as Fig. 23, for operating
the frame needles. But in addition, there are two special pathways 98 and 99,
for the butts 130, of the transferrers to slide in as shown at Figs. 33, and 34
to 44. The switch cam 100, is for conducting the said butts into the upper
pathway 99, for transferring the loops from ribbing needles to the frame needles,
and vice versa. This cam is placed in its two positions by an outside lever which
is connected to the cam and is operated in a similar manner to the switch cams
already described, or, a vertical sliding cam may be used for the same purpose.
When the butts of the transferrers are in the lower raceway 98, and the switch
cam 100, is in the position shown by full lines Fig. 24, the transferrers are
inoperative their upper points being slightly below the upper edge of the frame
needle bed, as shown at Fig. 33 and 39, and so out of reach of the fabric as it
is being knitted. When wish to change the loops from the ribbing to the
frame needles, the switch cam 100 is placed as shown by dotted lines Fig. 24,
then when the machine is turned in the direction of the arrow, the butts of the
transferrers ascend into the upper pathway 99, whereby their points first enter
the ribbing loops, and next stretch them open sufficiently for the frame needles
to enter.
As before explained the length of the fabric is automatically measured by the
descending fabric weight, which ensures the correct length of fabric having been
knitted between the various measuring rods, but they do not ensure the cam
cylinder and cams stopping circumferentially at the exact needle for transferring
the loops from ribbing needles to plain, and vice versa, hence the necessity of the
following improvements viz. There are several slots, or recesses formed into the
outer edge of the flange of the cam cylinder 11. There is also a spring bolt 104
Fig. 7 fixed on an outside bracket to slide horizontally in a hole or recess formed
in the grooved annulus 51. When the machine is arrested by the fabric weight
as previously described, the switch cam 85 may be at the wrong part of the
circle for raising the frame needles into the transferring pathway, so to put the
said cam in the right position, the machine is turned slowly by one hand, and
the other forces the spring bolt into the first hole or recess in the flange of the
cam cylinder 11. The switch cam 85 is then placed in its operative position,
the machine is again turned by hand, until the first frame needle butt, that

page_text: ascended the pathway SG arrives at the point of the switch cam 88, when again
the machine is arrested by the bolt 104 entering number 2 slot or recess; the
cam 88 is put in position shown by full lines, whereby the needles having the long
and medium butts are conducted into the pathway 89, which pathway further
carries the needles into the idle pathway 90. One half of the frame needles
(those having the short butts) pass in front of the switch cam 88, along the
pathway 84, until they reach the knitting pathway in the usual way.
Another novel feature of this invention is the combination of graded swinging
ribbing needle jacks fitted with transferrers, that work in grooves formed in the
stationary ribbing needle bed, and which are radially operated by cams that
revolve around the outside of the said jacks, Figs. 1 & 4, 5 & 6. The jacks and
needles may be made from one piece of wire, as Fig. 22, or the needles may be
soldered in steel jacks as Fig. 21. The swinging jacks are pivoted or fulcrummed
to the saucer edge 10S of the ribbing attachment Figs. 1 & 5 being held down by
the cap 109. Each jack has a hanging butt 114 which is operated by the trough
cam 115 Figs. 1 & 4. They also have projections on their front edge 116 & 117
which are operated by the inthrow camis 119 and 120 Figs. 4 and 5, these
front projections and inthrow cams, are in proportion to the number of patterns
the machine is required to knit. For instance if the machine is required to
knit two patterns only such as plain hose, half hose, shirt sleeves, shirt bodies
with ribbed skirts etc., having a one and one top or cuff (or other pattern of
rib) and the other part plain then only one pattern of ribbing jack is required.
If it is desired to knit two and one (or other pattern of rib) rib legs, and insteps
with a plain heel, sole, and toe, then two patterns of jacks are required. And
if the article to be knitted has three patterns, such as ribbed hose or socks having
a 1/1 top a 3/1 leg and instep with a plain heel bottom and toe, then three
patterns of ribbing jacks are required. The ordinary inthrow or knocking over
cam 118 Fig. 4 and the special inthrow cams 119 and 120 are attached to the
revolving platform 121. The cam 118 acts on all ribbing needles alike.
The two special inthrow cams 119 and 120 occupy two positions an outer and
an inner one when in the former position the can's are inoperative and when in
the latter they force the jacks to their innermost position so that they miss the
knitting yarn and so remain inoperative.
Instead of using the trough cam 115, for forcing the ribbing needles outwardly
as shown at Fig. 4, 1 may use an upper extension of the jacks 139 Fig. 5,
which projects above their fulcrum or saucer edge 108. These upper ends are
actuated by three cams 140 fixed to the spindle 141 carried by brackets 142,
attached by the cap 109. The extension of the jacks 139 are made in varying
lengths, according to the pattern of fabric required to be knitted, the longest are
operated by the uppermost cam, those of medium length by the middle cam,
and those having the shortest by the lowest cam. The spindle is turned by
the lever 143 Figs. 5 and 6, on top of the spindle 141. If I only want one
section of the ribbing needles to knit, I place the uppermost cam in its inner
position, which forces all those needles outwardly that have the longest extension
to their jacks. When I require two sections of the ribbing needles to work, then
I place the middle cam in its inward position, and it forces outwardly all the
needles that are soldered in jacks having medium and long tails. And when all
the ribbing needles are required to knit, then the spindle is turned until the
bottom cam is in its inner position, which acts upon all three kinds. Those
needles not forced forward by the cams remain inoperative.
The next part of this invention relates to improvements in transferring devices
by which plain and ribbed, fabrics are made upon all kinds of circular latch
needle knitting machines, without removing the needles from their respective
grooves i.e., by the aid of the following improvements the loops hanging on the
ribbing needles, can be removed therefrom and placed upon the frame needles.
Or the loops can be taken from the frame needles, and placed upon the ribbing
needles, without having to remove the needles from their working grooves

page_text: thus the pattern of the fabric can be varied from one kind of rib to another
or from ribbed to plain, or vice versa.
"
This part of my invention is also an improvement upon my Patent 6235/87.
The transferring instruments or transferrers" as I will hereinafter call them
may be made of sheet metal, or wire, as described in the aforementioned patent,
they may be attached to the needles, or to the needle jacks, or made seperately
and slide in the same grooves as the needies, the pattern of the transferrer
being made to suit the type of machine they are fitted to: At Figs. 28 to 31
are shown the ribbing and frame needies fitted with a lever 122, pivoted in
a slot 123, formed in the side of the needle stem. The siot is made so that the
lever can turn up to the side of the needle stem but the bottom is only cut deep
enough to allow it to turn back to the angle shown by full lines Fig. 29 and 31,
thus leaving sufficient room between the stem of the needle, and the turned
back lever for the ribbing needle to enter the opened loop. Instead of the
pivoted levers being rigid i.e. made of steel that will not spring; I may make
them of spring steel as Fig. 32, their lower end being pivoted in a slot 123 in
the side of the needle and their upper end fitting into the recess 124; this
spring lever is held in its inner position by the side of the. needle groove. The
needle groove also prevents the upper part of the needle turning backwards. When
the ribbing needle has penetrated the opened loop, the frame needle and spring
lever descend the ribbing needle passing between the upper end of the spring
which it forces backwardly, and the side of the needle stem. Other modifications
of the spring transferrers are shown at Figs. 33 to 35 which may be riveted,
soldered, or, otherwise fixed at their lower ends to the side of the needle, or, to
their needle jacks for the same purpose. Or instead of the lower ends of the
springs being riveted, soldered, or, otherwise fixed to the stems of the needles,
The springs may be made separately from the needles their lower ends being
twisted as shown at Figs. 36 and 37, and passed through an elongated slot 123,
formed in the side of the needle stem which keeps the spring in a parallel
position, the spring being held in the slot by the side of the needle groove.
A further developement of the wire transferrer as shown in Figs. 53 and 54
of the drawings of my former Patent 6235/87, consists in fitting the spring
to the side of the ribbing or frame needles, the fore end of the spring fitting into
a recess in the side of the stem of the needles instead of into the recess 174
in the aforesaid figures. If the ribbing needles are soldered in jacks, or if each
needle and jack is made from one piece of wire, the spring may be attached to
the jack, its fore end fitting into a recess in the side of the ribbing needle; the
frame needle grooves are widened sufficiently to allow the cylinder needles and
springs to descend until the butts of the needles are out of reach of the knitting
cams. The outer ends of the ribbing needle grooves in dial ribbing machines
are under cut to make room for the spring or its equivalent transferrer to work
on the side of the ribbing needle.
A further modification of the spring transferrers is shown at Figs. 44 and 45.
In this kind of transferrer the needle and spring is made from one piece of wire,
which I will call a combination frame needle and transferrer; the lower part of
the frame needle or the inner part of the ribbing needle is turned backwards
towards the hook of the needle, thus forming a double stem which may be
soldered into a jack in the usual way, or the butt, and tail and needle, may be
made from one piece of wire in a similar manner to that shown in my former
Patent Specifications and drawings No. 6235/87, Figs. 53 and 54. The turned
back part beyond the butt may be formed into a bow or spring that fits into the
recess 124, or instead of the tail or turned back part fitting into the recess 124,
it may be set so that when the upper or outer point has penetrated the loop on
the stem of the frame needle the spring flys open as soon as it gets out of the
needle groove thus stretching the loop open in readiness for the hook of the
ribbing needle to enter, the spring 125 is so made that the needle groove holds the
upper point in the recess 124, until it has entered the loop on its stem. I am

page_text: aware that springs 125 have been used previously, to the sides of the stems of
needles for transferring purposes in that class of machines where the needle
beds revolve. But my present invention shows greater improvements they being
applicable to the former class of machines as well as to the larger class, wherein
the needles and needle beds are stationary, i.e., they do not revolve.
Instead of springs and levers as auxiliaries for transferring loops from the
ribbing to the frame needles, and vice versa, I may form burrs or shoulders 127,
Figs. 38 and 39, on their stems a little further from their hooks, than where
the loops travel when ordinary knitting is being done. The burrs or shoulders
are elevations formed on the stem of the needles, which may be made by
battering, or hammering the stem of the needle until that portion is much higher
than the ordinary stem, the front part of the heightened portion is then cut away,
which leaves a burr or shoulder for pushing the loop forward. Instead of the
burr, or shoulder, holding the loop forward for transferring purposes. the front
edge of the jacks may be used for the same purpose, viz. to force forward the
loops on their stems until they are held over the inoperative frame needles, so
that when the frame needles ascend, their hooks enter the orened ribbing loops.
The burrs or shoulders, are also used in combination with the transferring springs,
to arrest the loop at the bow of the spring.
Instead of the hooks of the cylinder needles penetrating the opened ribbing
loops, I may use transferrers of U section for that purpose which are located
in the upper ends of the frame needle grooves as shown in Figs. 33 and 34
and 37 to 43. The cylinder needles slide in the transferrers at the back of
their butts 130. These butts are soldered together and preferably made round
so that they will slide better in their pathways 98 to 101 Sheet 5. Two slots
are cut across the end of round wire into which the wings 135 Fig. 40 are
soldered or braized Figs. 40 to 43. The upper point 131 may be in the centre
of the transferrer as Fig. 37 but I preferably place it over one of its sides as
Fig. 38, the one next the side of the ribbing needle that has the transferrer on.
In certain classes of machines the upper point is bent more outwardly than the
outer edge, a recess being formed in the side of the needle groove for the point
to lie in when it is in its lowest position. This kind of transferrer as shown
at Fig. 38 is the most suitable for that kind of work where the loops of the
ribbing needles are transferred to the frame needles. The frame needle loops not
being transferred at all, i.e. the frame needle loops are not taken off the frame
needles, and put on the ribbing needles. The ribbing needles may be fitted with
any of the aforementioned burrs, shoulders, springs or levers for holding the
opened ribbing loops over the pointed transferrer or frame needle as shown at
Figs. 28, 29. 33 to 35 and 38 & 39. When these transferrers are inoperative
their round butts 130 travel in the pathway 98 Fig. 24 Sheet 5. When the
loops are to be taken from the ribbing needles, the trough cam 115 Fig. 1 and 4
is placed in its outermost position which forces the ribbing needles forward
until their opened loops lie over the frame needles or transferrers. The trans-
ferring switch cam 100 is also placed in the position shown by dotted lines
Fig. 24. whereby all the butts of the transferrers ascend it and pass into their
upper pathway 99, their pointed ends entering the loops on the ribbing needles
as they are raised by the cam 100, the ribbing needles then recede into their
idle position leaving their loops stretched open by the sides of the transferrers.
Whilst the ribbing needles are passing into their idle position the butts of the
cylinder needles are ascending the rathway 92 their hooks passing through the
loops lying across the transferrers. By one revolution of the machine with the
cams in the resition just described the whole of the fabric is changed from
ribbed to plain.
To more fully explain the use of these solid transferrers Figs. 33 to 35 and 37*
to 39 I will describe the making of a woman's two and one ribbed stocking
i... the leg and instep are 2/1 and the heel sole and toe are plain (other patterns
of ribbed stockings can be made in a similar manner). The welt and the 2/1 leg

page_text: is made in the usual way the machine then stops, the trough cam 115 and the
switch cam 100 are put in the positions as just described. The machine is then
turned, when the loops upon all the ribbing needles that have been engaged in
knitting the ribbing loops at the back half of the stocking are transferred to
the cylinder needles in a similar manner to that previously described. The
ribbing attachment is then disconnected until the heel is made in the usual
manner when that is done the ribbing attachment is again connected and
the machine commences to make the foot, the instep being 2/1 rib, and the sole
or bottom plan, the toe is next made in a similar manner to the heel, and when
completed the empty, or idle needles in the ribber are brought into their knitting
pathway in readiness for the next stocking. There is a brush fixed to the cam
cylinder or other sauitable part of the machine to turn back any of the empty
ribbing needle latches that may be closed when they first come forward to take
their knitting yarn. It is only necessary to have as many transferrers in the cylinder
needle grooves as there are ribbing loops to be transferred. For instance in
making the womans 2/1 stocking as just described it only requires half as many
transferrers as there are ribbing needles because those ribbing needles that knit
the front half of the leg and instep do not have their loops transferred.
In certain classes of machines the transferrers are fitted with a spring 132 on
their side Figs. 40 to 42, made from the same sheet metal as the other part of the
transferrer, or the spring may be made separately, and then fixed to the side
of the transferrer. When the sheet metal stamping Fig. 40 is folded to fit the
needle grooves, it assumes the shape shown at Figs. 41 to 43. Instead of cutting
the slot to the point of the transferrer as shown in my former Patent 6235/87. I
leave the upper portion solid whereby the needle stem lies in front of it, it thus
forms a back rest for the needles to slide on and prevents them slipping through
the slot as was the case in the aforementioned patent. That part numbered 132
forms the spring and the two wings 135 when soldered into round wire forms the
butt 130, Figs. 41 to 43 etc. The long slot 136 Fig. 40 is for the ribbing needles
to enter. When they have entered the loop, the transferrers are lowered by the
pathway 101 Fig. 24, the ribbing needle stem passing out between the upper end
of the spring on the transferrers 132, and the lower edge of the back rest
piece 133.
I will next describe the use of this kind of transferrers when making a
3/1 ribbed hose, or hose. I will suppose that the frame cylinder has 84 needles.
and the ribbing needle bed 42 needles. The top will be made on 42, one and
one ribs. The leg on 21 3/1 ribs, and the heel, sole and toe, will be plain and
the instep will be 3/1 ribbed like the leg piece. All the grooves in the ribbing
and frame needle beds will have needles in them, i.e., 84 in cylinder and 42
in the ribbing needle bed. In making the 1/1 top 42, or every alternate cylin-
der needle will be out of action, its butt travelling in the idle pathway 90
Figs: 23 and 24, whilst the other 42 cylinder needles and the whole of the ribbing
needles will be engaged in knitting the one and one top. When sufficient 1/1
fabric is knitted the machine is arrested by the fabric weight turning the mea-
suring rods 37 a side. The cam trough 115 Figs. 1 and 4 is put into its outer-
most position, which forces the whole of the ribbing needles forward until their
opened loops lie over the frame needle grooves containing the forty two idle
needles, and the transferrers, I also place the frame needle switch cam 95 into
the position shown by dotted lines Fig. 24. The transferring switch cam 100.
is also put in the position shown by dotted lines. The machine is then turned
a short distance when the following changes take place. The ribbing needles
are forced forward until their opened loops lie over the frame needle grooves
containing the idle frame needles, and the transferrers. The transferrers ascend
into pathway 99 and enter the ribbing loops, and the idle needles having the
long butts ascend the pathway 92 and enter into the loons as they lie on the
transferrers. When the first ribbing needle that has had its loop penetrated by
the transferrers gets to the upper ribbing inthrow cam 119, Figs. 4 and 5: the

page_text: machine is arrested by the spring bolt 104 Fig. 7. The ribber inthrow cam 119
is then placed in its inner position, which forces all the ribbing needles that
have had their loops removed by the transferrers into their idle position, i.e.
they are forced inwardly, before they reach the knitting yarn and so remain
inoperative. By turning the machine one revolution the fabric is changed from
one & one to three and one pattern. The cams 95 and 100 are then returned to
their former position, as shown by full lines Fig. 24. The machine is then
started by power and when the leg is finished, the machine is arrested by the
fabric weight reaching the next measuring rod 37. Again the trough cam 115
is placed in its outermost position. The switch cam 95 is placed into its lowest
position shown by full lines Fig. 23. And the transferring cam 100 is placed
in the dotted line position Fig. 24, the machine is turned by hand, when the
ribbing loops are brought forward by their needles being forced outwardly, the
transferrers penetrates them, and the remainder of the cylinder needles having
the medium length of butts penetrate the loops, as they lie on the transferrers
one revolution turned by hand and the pattern is changed to one half plain,
the other half remaining a 3/1 pattern. The switch cams are again replaced into
their former knitting positions. The heel is made as previously described, and
next the 3/1 instep and plain sole. The toe is made similar to the heel. When
the toe is finished the transferring cam 100, is placed in the position shown by
dotted lines Fig. 24. The machine is then turned by hand a short distance the
transferrers ascending the switch cam 100 their upper point entering the loops
that hang on the needles, when the loops are well opened i.e. resting on the
shoulder. The ribber trough cam is brought forward which causes the hooks
of the empty ribbing needles to enter the slot or hole 136 Figs. 40 to 42, anu
so penetrates the cylinder needle loops. The machine is turned further by hand
the butts of the transferrers passing down the descending incline 101, the rib-
bing needles passing through the opening between the upper end of the spring 132
and the lower edge of the back rest 133. The cylinder needle loops are thus
transferred to the ribbing needles making the pattern into a forty-two one and
one pattern. The welt, and one and one top are next made as before described
and so the process is continued one stocking or sock after another until the order
is completed.
In knitting certain classes of goods where the loops are large and the fabric
very loose, such as cardigan jackets gaiters etc., I may arrange both the ribbing
and frame needle cams so that the transferrers penetrate their loops every
course i.e. the needles and transferrers are thrust out to their uttermost position
as each course is knitted so that their loops are always held open in readiness
for the opposite set of needles to enter thus dispensing with the movements of
the cams as previously described for specially forcing out the needles. But in
knitting finer fabrics it is important to have the special movements for forcing
the needles out only during the transferring process otherwise the honey comb
appearance of the fabric would be destroyed hence the value of my improved out
thrust cams.
A further improvement in this part of my invention consists in shaping cer-
tain portions of the stems of the needles into a non cutting knife edge as 128
Figs. 34 and 38. These shaped parts are located either opposite the aforemen-
tioned burrs or shoulders or adjacent to the springs or levers by which the oppo-
site needle or transferrer point is prevented from jamming against the needle
stem and made certain of passing through the opened loop. In certain classes
of work the springs and levers may be dispensed with in ribbing needles as
shown at Figs. 38 and 39 the ribbing needles having only the burr 127 and
non-cutting knife edge 128 to hold the loop open for the frame needle or trans-
ferrer to enter. I do not confine my transferring improvements to circular
knitting machines having swinging jacks as they are equally applicable to
machines having sliding ribbing needles such as the dial machines like the
"Griswold" or Watts knitter." Or to those having conical ribbing attach-

page_text: ments like the "universal" or the " royal." It is the same in sliding ribbing
needle machines as it is in machines having swinging jacks i.d. the ribbing
needles must be graded so that any desired section can be placed out of action
leaving the others at work. If more than one ribbed pattern is to be made in
the article, being knitted then two patterns or lengths of butts are required.
For instance if the machine is required to knit a plain sock or stocking with a
1/1 top then it is only necessary to have one pattern or ribbing needle, butt.
If two patterns of rib fabric are required, or, if the ribbing loops are trans-
ferred to the frame needles at two different times, then two lengths of butts are
required. And if the article about to be knitted is a 3/1 hose or half hose with
a one and one top, then three patterns of ribbing needle butts are required.
The cams for forcing the needles inwardly are arranged in proportion to the
various lengths of the butts of the ribbing needles. For instance if there are
three lengths of butts then I arrange the inthrow cams as follows two of the
inthrow cams are superposed. These cams are used for forcing those ribbing
needles having the longest and the medium butts into their inner position
before the knitting thread is laid across the ribbing needles. The other in-
throw cam is the knocking over cam and acts upon all the ribbing needles
whether they have loops upon them or not. Instead of the main stem of the
ribbing needle or ribbing needle jack having only one butt like the "Griswolds"
I preferably arrange cach ribbing needle or ribbing needle jack to have two
butts. I may form a butt, shoulder, spring or lever on the stem of the ribbing
needle so that the loop on the ribbing needle is penetrated by the said spring or
lever, or, forced forward by the burr or shoulder as each course is knitted. But
preferably, I locate the said burr, shoulder, lever or spring a little further from
the hook of the needle than where the loops travel when ordinary knitting is
being done whereby the ribbing loops are not distorted the honey comb appear-
ance of the loops remaining intact. I arrange three inthrow cams for operating
the ribbing needles, two of them are located on the right side of the yarn feeder
and the other on the left side. The two former are for forcing inwardly those
ribbing needles having the longest and medium sized butts after their loops have
been transferred to the cylinder needles whilst the latter is the ordinary knock-
ing over cam and acts upon all ribbing needles alike whether they have loops
upon them or not.
At Fig. 46 to 48 Sheet 2 I show my transferrers fitted to the ribbing needles
working in a conical ribber. Fig. 46 shows the ribbing needle brought forward
and the spring transferrer holding the loop open ready for the cylinder needle
to enter. Fig. 47 shows the ribbing loop penetrated by the frame needle, and
Fig. 48, shows the ribbing needle withdrawn leaving its loop on the frame needle.
When I wish to remove the cylinder needle loops to the ribbing needles I fit the
transferrers to the side of the cylinder needles for the ribbing needles to enter
in a similar manner to that just described.
"
""
In applying my improved ribbing and loop transferring attachments to mach-
ines as the Branson the Scott William " the "Standard" or other machines
of the same type i.e. where the cylinder needle bed is made to rise and fall when
the loops are required to be slacker or stiffer I arrange the ribbing attachment
so that it rises and falls simultaneously with the said cylinder needle bed whereby
the ribbing and cylinder needle loops are kept of one uniform size.
At
I will next describe my improved sinker or web holding devices. The said
improvements being shown at Fig. 1 Sheet 1 and Figs. 49 to 54 Sheet 7.
Figs. 1, 49 and 50 my web holders are shown sliding in vertical grooves cut
either in the inner surface of the frame needle bed as Fig. 1 and 50 or else cut
in the outer surface of a special web holder bed as Fig. 49. There are also hori-
zontal grooves cut into the upper edge of the cylinder needle bed in aligment
with the aforesaid vertical grooves. For certain classes of work I cut the web.
holder grooves midway between the frame needles but for other classes of work
it is better to cut, them nearer the side of one frame needle thus leaving more

page_text: room upon the other side of the web holder and the frame needle for the ribbing
needle to enter. My improved web holder which works in the aforementioned
grooves is shown separately at Fig. 50. The upper part of the stem or shank
is bent outwardly forming an obtuse angle. When the web holder is in its
highest position the web is slightly outside the frame needles as shown at the
aforementioned figures so that when the frame needles descend to form their
loops the knitting yarn is laid across the web holders slightly behind their
webs 147.
The cams 153 for operating the web holders in Figs. 1, 49, 50 to 53 are attached
to the sleeve as shown in the aforementioned figures. The sleeve may revolve
upon the bed plate of the machine or there may be a special plate 156 attached
to the bed plate for the sleeve to revolve upon as shown at Fig. 49. Upon the
lower end of the sleeve is fitted the bevel wheel 7 that is driven by the wheel
fixed to. the machine shaft Fig. 1. One of the novel features of this part of my
invention is the unique motion given to the upper end 148 of the web holders
whereby the neb 147 is moved both inwardly and downwardly by the cams on
the sleeve depressing the butt 150 a short distance downwardly. (The under
edge of the upper part 148 of the web holders resting on the bottom of the
horizontal groove) so that when the butt of the web holder 150 is depressed the
under edge 148 slides on the top of the frame needle bed in an inwardly and
downwardly direction, the neb being drawn far enough inwardly to hold the
fabric and is yet low enough to miss catching against either the outer or under-
side of the ribbing dial or cone. There is a horizontal groove cut all round
the inner face of the frame needle bed a little deeper than the inner edge of the
web holder when they are in their outermost position. On the top of the sleeve 8
is screwed the horizontal cam 153 which forces the upper ends of the web holders
outwardly and so ensures the knitting thread being laid at the back of their
nebs. It is important that the cam pathway and cams that operates the web
holders should vary in proportion to the length of the loops being knitted, so
as to ensure the loops being held taut, without them being torn or strained.
Therefore to make this class of web holders suitable for any variation in the
loops being knitted, I adopt the following device. The cam carrying sleeve 8,
Fig. 50, rests upon the screwed collar 154, which is screwed into the bed plate 2
of the machine, to this collar is attached the lever 155. It will thus be seen
that by horizontally turning the lever, the web holders will be either raised or
lowered according to which way it is turned. A further improvement in this
part of my invention consists in cutting away two or more of the posts or tricks
from between the web holder grooves, and substituting broader posts that reach
further inwardly towards the axis of the machine than the web holders do when
in their lowest position. These broad posts are for retarding or holding the rib-
bing needle bed 107, in its desired position. There are pegs or lugs depending
from the underside of the ribbing needle bed that fit up to the broad posts in the
web holder bed, or instead of the broads posts I may make several of the web
holder shanks much broader than the rest as shown by dotted lines Fig. 50, for
the ribbing pegs to impinge against. For certain kind of knitting it is only
necessary to have web holders in that part of the frame needle bed where the
needles knit the heels and toes care being taken that where the knitting thread
is laid across the web holders they are the same height and breadth as the solid
posts so that the loops formed upon the solid posts and the web holders are of
one uniform size. The lugs for retarding the ribbing needle bed are then placed
at that portion of the web holder bed where there are no grooves preferably at
the backs of the machine. Instead of cutting the web holder grooves into the
inner surface of the frame needle bed they may be cut into the outer surface
of a special cylinder 149 as Fig. 49 this cylinder is fixed to a plate that is attached
to the under side of the bed plate of the machine. The cams for operating the
web holders are attached to the inner side of the revolving sleeve 8.
Or instead of the web holder sliding in vertical grooves they may work in a

page_text: flat bed as Fig. 52 or an inverted conical one as Fig. 51. The bed may be ma.e
separately and afterwards fixed to the cylinder needle bed as Fig. 52 or made
solid with the needle bed and the grooves afterwards cut as Fig. 51.
At Figs. 51 and 52 I show the web holders in their respective working grooves
their general contour being readily seen as therein shown without making
special illustrations. Suffice it to say that the underside of the cam plate which
carries the cams for operating the web holders must conform to the shape of the
web holder bed and that it is integral with the sleeve 8 Figs. 1 Sheet 1 and
Figs. 51 and 52 Sheet 7.
In place of using the longitudinal sliding web holders as shown at Figs. 49,
50 and 50, I may use web holders that reciprocate on an axis as shown at
Figs. 53 and 54. Each web holder fits into a vertical slot 145 cut into the
upper edge of the frame needle bed. There is a horizontal groove 157 cut all
round the outer surface of the frame needle bed into which is placed. a coiled
wire spring 158 which fits at the back of the horizontal groove it forms the axis
for all the web holders to work on. Each web holder has a hole near its centre
All the web holders are threaded on to the coiled spring and then the two ends
of the spring are soldered together. The web holders are then placed in their
slots and the spring is forced into its horizontal groove 157. There is a small
hole 159 on the inner side of the web holding disk into which fits the upper
end (turned sideways at right angle) of the vertical shank of the web holders
(that is the vertical shank of the web holder shown at Fig. 53). It will be seen
that when the cams on the sleeve 8 raise up the vertical shank that the neb 147
of the disk is turned sufficiently for the frame needles to draw their loops across
them behind the nebs and when the depressing cams draw down the lower shanks
the disk is turned so that its neb forces the loop inside the circle of the frame
needles and thus holds down the fabric. Instead of operating these web holding
disks as just described, I may dispense with all inside driving gear and cams;
for operating the web holding disks by substituting an undulating cam 160,
attached to the cam cylinder 11, as shown at Fig. 54 which operates on the outer
projections or shoulders of the disks, one section of the undulating cam may be
formed into a hinged gate, through which the frame needles and disk transferrers
can be readily removed into, and out of, their grooves in the cylinder.
In fine gauge machines it is impracticable to cut as many grooves in a flat
web holder bed as Fig. 53, or in an inverted conical bed as Fig. 51, as there
are frame needles. I therefore adopt the following improvement viz., I cut half
as many web holders grooves, as there are frame needle grooves and form each
web holder, into two upper parts to each lower part.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the main driving
shaft, of a frictionally mounted spur wheel 25, engaging the pinion 12, loosely
mounted upon the machine shaft 5, for the purpose specified and illustrated in
Fig. 1, in the accompanying drawings.
2. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the driving shaft, spur
wheels 25 and 12, of a friction clutch 27, slideable upon the main shaft, to engage
the spur wheel 26, gearing with spur wheel 28, in the manner and for the pur-
pose specified and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In circular knitting machines, a spur wheel 28, running upon a gudgeon
and adapted to convey a reciprocating motion to the machine, in the manner
and for the purpose specified and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In circular knitting machines, a quadrant 31, loosely mounted upon the
main shaft, and receiving a reciprocating motion from the spur wheel 28, by
means of the rod 30, fitted to the side of the said wheel 28, for the purpose
specified.

page_text: 5. In circular knitting machines, a shaft 5 driven in the manner specified,
and carrying thereon a spur pinion 12, for rotating the machine, of a pinion 13,
for reciprocating the machine, a sliding clutch 14, and the bevel wheel 9 for
driving the cam cylinder, and a smaller bevel wheel 6 for driving the cammed
sleeve 8, that operates the web holders, the several parts operating in the manner
and for the purpose specified.
6. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the driving mechanism
of a friction spring 32, located in the clutch 27, and in the boss of the spur
wheel 25, whereby the movement of the machine is arrested, substantially in the
manner and for the purpose specified..
7. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the driving gear, of
the automatic measuring and stopping apparatus, as shown at Figs. S to 12 for
automatically measuring the fabric and arresting the machine when any pre-
determined length of fabric has been knitted, substantially as shown and des-
cribed.
8. In circular knitting machines, the combination of the driving gear,
with
the automatic measuring and stopping apparatus, of a fabric weight 33 having
a roller 35 attached, for the purpose specified.
9. In circular knitting machines, the driving gear in combination with the
automatic measuring and stopping apparatus, of the fabric weight 33 and roller 35,
of the buckle or clamping device 36, fixed near the frame needles, substantially
for the purpose specified.
10. In circular knitting machines, the combination of the driving gear, the
automatic measuring and stopping apparatus, the combined fabric weight, and
roller and the clamping device, of the guiding rod 42", racking rod 42, measuring
rods 37, and stopping lever 23, having two horns and hinged catch, for the
purpose set forth and described.
11. In circular knitting machines, the combination of the driving gear,
with the automatic measuring and stopping apparatus, the fabric weight
and roller, and clamping device, of an endless measuring chain 39, fitted with
dogs 38, for operating the horse shoe shaped lever 24, with the two horned stop-
ping lever 23 hinged to it, for the purpose described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
12. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the measuring and
stopping apparatus, of the wheel 9, having provision thereon for operating upon
the stopping lever 23, as each predetermined length of fabric is knitted, in
the manner substantially as specified.
13. A frame needle, (Fig. 16) adapted for fashioning purposes, (such as heels
and toes of stockings) formed from one piece of wire and having two butts of
different lengths, and an extended tail, for the needle shifter to operate upon.
Substantially as shown and described.
14. A frame needle (Fig. 17) soldered in a steel jack, the latter having two
butts of different lengths, and an extended tail for the needle shifter to operate
upon, substantially as shown and described.
15. A frame needle, (Fig. 18) having two butts and an extended tail, that are
all formed from one piece of wire, provided with a spring for forcing the tails
forward, for the purpose specified and illustrated, in the drawings.
16. A frame needle, (Fig. 19) soldered in a steel jack having two butts of
different lengths and an extended tail for the needle shifter to work upon, and
a steel spring attached to its lower end for forcing the lower part of the needle
jack forward, in the manner and for the purpose specified and illustrated, in
the accompanying drawings.
17. In circular knitting machines, the combination of the frame needle cylin-
der 49, suitably grooved, to contain two series or ranks of needles, one being
longer than the other, the longer having two butts on their front edge with an
extended tail below the lower butt, substantially as described; the cam cylin-
der 11 fitted with cams for actuating the two series of needles for knitting

page_text: circular fabric such as the leg and foot pieces of stockings or reciprocating
fabric as heels and toes substantially as herein specified.
18. In circular knitting machines, a needle shitter bed located near the lower
end of the needle cylinder, having radial needle shifter grooves, cut into its
upper surface as Fig. 2 for the purpose set forth, and described.
19. In circular knitting machines, in combination with the needle shifter hed,
the needle shifter 58 (Fig. 20) for operating upon the tails of the fashioning
frame needles, in the manner and for the purpose specified.
20. A needle shifter, made from sheet metal, that has a butt 59, near its
outer end and a recess or slot in its fore end 60 Fig. 20, for the purpose set forth
and described.
21. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the needle shifter
bed 59, and needle shifter 58 of rack rings 65 and 66, and cam plates 63 and 64,
for operating the said needle shifter, substantially as described.
22. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the driving gear, the
frame needle bed, and frame needles, with the upper and lower butts and ex-
tended tails, the needle shifter bed and the needle shifters, the cams and path-
ways the rack-rings, the racking gear (as Fig. 2 and 7) the pawls 67 operated
by the rocking rod 68 of the lever 68" for operating the rocking rod, worked by
studs 31 fixed in quadrant 31, for the purposes set forth and described.
23. In circular knittting machines, the combination of the driving gear, the
frame needle beds, the needles, the cams, rack rings, needle shifter bed 59, and
needle shifters, with the racking gear as shown at Figs. 2 and 7, of the ratchet
wheel 75“, running loosely upon the rocking rod 68, and fixed to the wheel
carrying the measuring chain 22, and dogs thereon 21" and 21b, for the purpose
set forth and described
24. In circular knitting machines, in combination with the driving gear, the
frame needle bed and needles, the cams, rack rings, needle shifter bed, and needle
shifters, and the racking gear, Figs. 2 and 7, of a sliding bar 69 studs 70, the
catch device 72" and the spring 71, for the purpose set forth and described.
25. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the knitting cams,
the upper depressing cam 73, for placing the upper butt of the frame needles
under control of the stitch cam 77 during circular knitting for the purpose des-
cribed.
26. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the knitting cams,
and double butted needles, of the lower depressing cam 53 for acting upon the
lower butt 55 of the heel and toe needles to depress them until their upper
butts 54 are under control of the stitch cams 77 and 78, for the purpose specified.
27. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the knitting cams 77
and 78, and upper and lower depressing cams, of a pathway adapted for delay-
ing the rising of the frame needles, until the loops on the rib needles are ex-
panded for the hooks of the frame needles to readily enter them, in the manner
and for the purpose substantially as specified.
28. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the knitting cams,
and upper
and lower depressing cams, of the pathway 91, and the elevating path-
way 92, for elevating the frame needles to penetrate the opened loops on the
rib needles, substantially as specified.
29. In circular knitting machines the combination with the knitting cams of
the upper and lower depressing cams 73 and 53, and the pathways 91 and 92,
of a switch cam 93, for conducting the butts of the frame needles into the knit-
ting pathway 83, or into the special pathway 91, for the purposes specified.
30. In circular knitting machines, the combination of the upper and lower
depressing cams 73 and 53 the special pathways 91 and 92 and the switch cam 93,
of the special switch cam 95 of two thicknesses, or its equivalent, two switch
cams of two thicknesses adapted to occupy three positions and operated by the
lever 95b, or its equivalent, the sliding plate, for raising the frame needles from

page_text: the inoperative pathway 90, into the transferring pathway 92, for the purpose
set forth and described.
31. In circular knitting machines, a switch cam 85, and a pathway 86, for the
butts of the frame needles 54 to ascend, said needles having transferring instru-
ments attached for the purpose of holding the frame loops open, whilst the hooks
of the ribbing needles, penetrates them, substantially for the purpose shown and
described.
32. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the knitting cams of
the upper and lower depressing cams, of the switch cam 88, for depressing the
frame needles having the medium and longest butts into the inoperative path-
way 89, and then into the idle pathway 90, and to allow the shortest butted
needles to pass along the pathway 84 until they are under control of the upper
depressing cam 73, for the purpose specified.
33. In circular knitting machines, in combination with the knitting cams of
the pathways 98, 99 and 101, provided with a switch cam 100, for the butts of the
detached transferrers to work in, for the purposes set forth and described.
34. In circular knitting machines, in combination with the knitting cams,
the upper and lower depressing cams, and special pathways and cams, of the
sliding plate 78 having the stitch cams 77 and 78 pivoted upon it for the purpose
of regulating the length of the frame needle loops, substantially as shown and
described.
35. In circular knitting machines, the combination of the knitting cams, the
depressing cams, and special pathways and cams, the sliding plate with stitch
cams pivoted to it, of the slots 79 and the pins 78, for the purpose set forth and
described.
36. In circular knitting machines, in combination with the cam cylinder, and
knitting cams, and special pathways and cams, of the spring bolt 104 and
recesses 103 for the purpose specified.
37. In circular reversible knitting machines, with the stationary ribbing and
frame needle beds, the employment of graded swinging ribbing needle jacks for
operating the ribbing needles as Fies. 21 and 22 having hanging butts 114. and
the graded projections 116 and 117, for the purposes set forth and described.
38. In circular reversible knitting machines, having stationary ribbing, and
frame needle beds, the employment of graded swinging ribbing needle jacks,
for operating the ribbing needles provided with the graded upper extension 139
Fig. 5, adapted to be operated upon in the manner and for the purpose specified.
39. In circular knitting machines, having stationary ribbing and frame needle
beds, in combination with graded swinging ribbing needle jacks, of the revolving
platform 121, (Figs. 3 and 5.) adapted to carry the trough outthrow cam 115,
and the special inthrow cams 119 and 120, operating in manner and for the pur-
poses specified.
40. In circular knitting machines, having stationary ribbing and frame needle
beds, in combination with the graded swinging ribbing needle jacks, and their
upper extension and special inthrow cams, of the special outthrow cams 140,
worked by the levers 143 (Fig. 5,) as set forth and described.
41. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and
frame needles, of a pivoted non-flexible transferring latch or lever 122 (Figs. 28
and 30 etc.) for the purposes described.
42. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the rib and
frame needles. Of a flexible pivoted transferring lever, or latch, substantially
as described and illustrated in Fig. 32, of the accompanying drawings.
43. In circular ribbed knitting machines, having stationary needle beds, the
combination with the ribbing and frame needles, of a transferring spring 125,
riveted, soldered or otherwise fixed to the side of the needles, or to the needle
jacks, its upper or outer free end fitting into the recess 124, formed in the side of
the needles, in the manner and for the purpose specified and illustrated in Figs. 33
to 35 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: •
44. In circular ribbed knitting machines, having stationary needle beds, the
combination with the ribbing and frame needles, of a transferring spring 125,
having its lower end loosely fitted into a slot in the side of the needles, for the
purpose specified, and illustrated in Figs. 36 and 37, of the accompanying drawings.
45. In circular ribbed knitting machines, ribbing and frame needles, having
their lower end bent towards their hooks, in the manner and for the purpose
specified herein and illustrated in Figs. 44 and 45 of the accompanying drawings.
46. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the ribbing and frame needles, having
their lower, or their inner end, formed into a point, and turned backwards towards
its hook parallel with the front portion of the needle stem, the point fitting the
recess 124 in the stem of the needle until it has entered the loop on the opposite
needle for the purpose specified.
47. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the formation of burrs, or shoulders
upon the stems of the ribbing, and the frame needles, for the purpose set forth and
described.
48. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the ribbing and frame needles having
a portion of their stems thinned until it forms a non cutting knife edge, for the
purpose set forth and described.
49. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and
frame needles. Of solid transferrers of U section, having their upper point 131
directly over one side, as Figs. 37* and 38 with shoulders on their front edge for
the purpose set forth and described.
50. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and
frame needles of transferrers of U section having their upper point 131, directly
over one side, or over the centre, a spring 132 attached to the side of the trans-
ferrer with a shoulder on the front edge of the spring and transferrer for the pur-
pose specified and illustrated in Figures 41 and 42 of the accompanying drawings.
51. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the ribibing
and frame needles of transferrers of U section, made from sheet metal, having
their points in the centre, or over one side, the back rest for the frame and ribbing
needle stems to rest on, and with shoulders on their front edge shown and described
for the purpose.
52. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and
frame needles of sheet metal transferrers either solid or fitted with a spring, having
round butts 130, fixed to the wings 135 of the sheet metal transferrers, for the
purpose set forth and described.
53. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination of a vertical frame
needle bed, and conical ribbing needle bed, fitted with sliding needles having
transferring springs, levers, or burrs, attached to their stems as Figs. 46 to 48,
for the purposes set forth and described.
54. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and
frame needles, of sinkers, or web holders, operating in the manner and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
55. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing
and frame needles, and sinkers, or web holders, of web holder grooves cut into the
inner surface, and upper edge of the needle cylinder, for the purpose substantially
as described.
56. In eircular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and
frame needle beds, needles, and sinkers, or web holders, of the cam sleeve 8 fitted
with cams, for operating the web holders, in the manner and for the purpose
specified.
57. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the sleeve and
cams for operating the web holders, of a collar and lever, for regulating the draw
of the sinkers or web holders, substantially as described.
58. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the web holders, having a vertical
shank with a butt near its lower end, the upper portion of the stem, being bent at

page_text: an obtuse angle to the lower part, with a neb on its upper edge as Fig. 50 for
the purpose set forth and described.
59. In circular ribbed knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and
frame needle beds, needles, sinkers or web holders, and cam sleeve, of the horizontal
groove 152, and the cam 153, for forcing the sinkers, or web holders outwardly,
in the manner and for the purpose substantially as specified.
60. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and frame
needle beds, needles, sinkers, or web holders, of a special cylinder Fig. 50 having
vertical grooves cut in its outer surface for the web holders, to work in, for the
purposes set forth and described.
61. In circular knitting machines, in combination with the ribbing and frame
needle beds, needles, sinkers, or web holders of the horizontal web holder bed,
Fig. 52 and a horizontal cam cap 153 and cams operated by the vertical sleeve 8 sub-
stantially as described.
62. In circular ribbed knitting machines, in combination with the ribbing and
frame needle beds, and needles, of the sinkers, or web holders, and special inverted
conical web holder bed, and cam sleeve 8, and cams for working same as shown
at Fig. 51 for the purpose set forth and described.
63. Circular or disk web holders constructed and operated as described and
shown at Figs. 53 and 54, for the purpose set forth.
64. An undulating cam 160 for operating the disk web holders as Fig. 54, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
65. In circular knitting machines, in combination with the ribbing and frame
needle beds, and needles, of the disk web holders, and sinkers, as shown at Figs. 53
and 54 pivoted upon the wire or upon the spiral spring 158 and worked by the
undulating cam 160 for the purposes set forth and described.
66. In circular ribbed knitting machines the combination with the ribbing and
frame needle beds, needles, and sinkers, or web holders, of the grooves to receive
the said sinkers, or web holders, the said grooves, being cut nearer to one side of
the posts between the frame needles, to provide space for the rib needles to work
in, substantially as shown and described.
67. In circular knitting machines, the combination with the ribbing and frame
needle beds, and needles, of web holders having a single shank and double upper
parts and nebs, for fine gauge machine substantially as specified.
68. In circular knitting machines, of a needle cylinder, having needle grooves,
cut equi-distant all round the cylinder and web holder grooves, cut round one half
of the cylinder, only, for the purposes specified.
A
1000