Improvements in Straight Knitting Machines or Knitting Looms.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Straight Knitting Machines or Knitting Looms.
I, JOHN MILLAR, of 122, Great Saffron Hill, London, E.C., Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to straight knitting-machines or to knitting-looms as
they are sometimes called, and it consists in the novel construction and arrange-
ment of parts, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.
The present invention is an improvement in the knitting machine patented
to me in Great Britain July 7, 1891, No. 11,532, and November 6, 1894, No.
21,350. In the said patented machines the fabric produced thereon is composed
of a series of warp-threads a series of upper knitting-threads interlocking with
each other and with the said warp-threads, and a series of lower filling threads
alternating with the upper threads and laid continuously in a straight manner
along one side of the warp-threads.
In the said patented machines the several knitting-threads and their guides
were carried by a continuously travelling upper chain, while the lower filling-
threads and their guides were carried by a similarly travelling lower chain, the
latter also carrying cams adapted to successively engage and actuate the warp-
guides in an endwise manner. While such former construction was capable of
being operated smoothly at a comparatively quick rate it has been found desirable
to even further increase it, thereby correspondingly increasing the percentage
of out-put or product.
The object I have in view in the present invention is to so construct the
machine that it can be successfully driven at a faster rate then as formerly
devised, the result being that not only a greater amount of fabric is produced,
but the degree of working friction is reduced; the parts are rendered more
accessible for inspection adjustment, &c., and the guides for the several series
of threads are adapted to travel more uniformly.
In my present invention too, the cams and needle-carrying frames or jacks are
arranged so as to actuate the connected series or groups of needles in a positive
manner, thereby avoiding the liability of a possible temporary failure to act of
the needles in case the friction upon the needle-holders exceeds the normal degree.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a general side elevation of my improved straight knitting-machine,
some of the minor details being omitted.
Figure 2 is a corresponding transverse section, to an enlarged scale on the
line XX Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a partial plan view of the lower bed or table, showing the manner
of actuating the chain which carries the series of bobbins on which are wound
the lower filling-threads.
Figure 4 is a similar plan view of the corresponding part of the upper bed,
showing the chain which carries the upper knitting-threads.

page_text: Figure 5 is a partial plan view of the lower intermediate track, &c., for the
chain carrying the warp-guides and the filling-thread guides; the relation of the
upper bed thereto being indicated by dotted lines.
Figure 6 is a transverse section, enlarged, taken through the upper and lower
intermediate chains and the corresponding tracks or holders.
Figure 7 is a plan view of a section of the upper and lower chains which carry the
two series of said yarn or thread-holding bobbins.
Figure 8 is a plan view of one of the links of the upper intermediate chain.
Figure 9 is a plan view of one of the links of the lower intermediate chain,
and also showing the cam for actuating the warp-threads.
Figure 10 is a side view of the same.
Figure 11 is an inverted plan view of it.
Figure 12 is a partial transverse section, enlarged, of the needle-driving shaft,
cam-box, &c., taken on line o o of Figure 14.
Figure 13 is a partial section, taken on line y y of Figure 6, and
Figure 14 is a section on line of Figure 12, through the needle-cams,
jacks, &c., showing the relative arrangement of one group of the needles.
In my present improved knitting-machine or knitting-loom each series of guides
for the several threads is carried by an independent chain, the chains themselves
being arranged in different horizontal planes and driven at each end of the
machine by suitable mechanism, thus ensuring smoothness of operation. In
Figure 1 of the drawings is shown the general arrangement of the driving
mechanism and the means for operating the several thread and guide-carrying
chains.
It will be seen, referring to said Figure 1, that the filling or weft-threads h
are wound on the lower series of spools or bobbins, which in turn are mounted
on stands or holders secured to the links of the lower chain c. See also
Figures 2, 3, &c. The upper knitting-threads are similarly mounted and are
carried by the links of the upper chain c¹. See Figures 2 and 4.
Located
immediately below and supported by the stationary upper bed b¹ are arranged
the two intermediate chain-holders or tracks m³, m², vertically separated from
each other by the interposed brackets m. The chain 2, mounted in the upper
intermediate holder m¹, carries the top thread guides ², and the lower chain
holder m² supports the corresponding chain c³, which in turn carries the cams
which actuate the warp-guides e and also carries the filling-thread guides e¹.
See also Figures 6&c. The several chains and guides are properly set or adjusted
with respect to each other, and all travel in unison continuously at the same rate
of speed.
In knitting the fabric it will be seen that there are two sets of needles n, and
also two complete sets of threads or yarn; the arrangement being such that two
connected webs or widths of fabric are produced simultaneously. Each set of
needles, guides, &c., operate to introduce the threads at the upper edge of the
corresponding needle-bar or plate ; the fabric produced passing downwardly
through the narrow central opening at, thence round the guide roll to and
between the pair of positively driven tension rolls 2 to the web-beam or roll 3,
on which the fabric is mechanically wound.
The following is a description of the manner of feeding or introducing the
several threads to the action of the needles n. The warp-threads we pass from the
warp-beams w thence to and between the corresponding pair of friction or
tension rolls and upwardly over the stationary guide rods w2, and from the
latter to and through end holes formed in the longitudinally reciprocating warp-
guides e, actuated by cams carried by the travelling chain. See Figures 2, 6
and 12. The filling or weft-threads are mounted on bobbins carried by the
lower chain c; the free ends of the threads h unwind from the bottom and extend
through eyes formed in the outer ends of the corresponding guides e¹, secured
to the under side of the said lower intermediate chain. The bobbins carrying
the upper knitting-threads h¹ are mounted on and actuated by a chain in
substantially the same manner as the lower bobbins. In this case, however, the

page_text: ends of the threads h³ in unwinding extend downwardly through eyes formed in
the guides e Figure 6 the latter being carried along in unison with the bobbins
by means of the upper intermediate chain and the corresponding guide
brackets or holders e³.
The several chains above referred all travel at the same rate, thus ensuring that
the corresponding travelling threads will be properly introduced successively
to the several groups of needles.
The following description relates to means for effecting such concurrent action
of the guides, &c..
Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that power is transmitted from the
front horizontal driving-shafts to the rear shafts by the connecting shaft s³ and
its end gearing. The two vertical shafts s, located at the ends of the machine,
revolve simultaneously in one direction by means of bevel gears, as shown.
The lower bobbin-carrying chain c is driven by the said shafts through the
two corresponding gear trains g; similar trains gi at the upper end of the shafts
being employed to propel the upper bobbin-carrying chains c¹. See also Figure 2.
At a point just below the upper bed 6 the shafts are each provided with a
spur gear and corresponding train for simultaneously propelling the two inter-
mediate chains c² and c³, these latter being shown in Figures and 3.
I prefer to make the length of the links of the several sets of chains alike. for
example, three inches from centre to centre of the joint-pins; the length of the
chains themselves being alike. As stated Figure 3 shows a partial plan view of
the lower bed b and its chain c, and Figure 4 a similar view of the upper chain c¹,
the links of these two chains are alike. Figure 7 shows a plan view of a section
of the said chains ce¹, in enlarged scale. While as just stated the lengths of the
links and chains are the same as the links and chains cc, the former are
lighter and thinner, since they have less work to do. The upper one 2 of these
two chains is mounted to slide in the track or holder m³, each link carrying a
downwardly bent bracket to which the guide e² of the corresponding thread h
is adjustably secured. See Figures 6 and 8.
The other or intermediate chain travels in a track m² suspended from the
upper track by a series of short hangers m. To the base of the latter is secured
the stationary guide plate f Figure 5 which is grooved or tricked transversely
throughout its length to freely receive the several warp-guides e, see also Figure 13.
In order to prevent these last-named guides from falling out, a plate f¹ is dove-
tailed to the under side of the plate f, see Figure 6. The plate f¹ also serves as
a member of the track or chain-guide m². I may add that in all the chains the
round heads of the joint-pins travel in the longitudinal grooves of the tracks,
thus keeping the chain-links in position laterally.
The chains are propelled by means of the said gears g, the intermediate
or idler gears g, and the gears the latter being secured to each end of a short
vertical shaft g, and inter-gearing with the teeth formed on the outer edge of the
links. Figure 5 shows the relative arrangement of the said driving mechanism;
(see also Figure 1).
The chain is provided on its upper side with a suitable cam-shaped groove k
(Figure 9) adapted to receive the tongue or projection (Figure 6) formed on
the under side of the warp-guides e; by means of this arrangement the travelling
chain causes the guides to be successively reciprocated back and forth, thus intro-
ducing the warp-threads wat the proper time to the front of the needles, the
latter at the same time being dropped at their limit by the action of the needle-
cams Figure 12.
It will be seen (Figure 6) that the outer or trumpet-shaped end of the thread-
guides el is so arranged with respect to the cam that the latter in travelling
operates to successively maintain two or three guides e in the outermost position;
said trumpet portion being located directly below the guides e and above the needle-
plate t. The arrangement of the cam-grooves of the chains 3 is such that the
warp-guides are projected outward at the same instant that the revolving cams
retract the corresponding needles. See Figure 14.

page_text: In the last named figure is represented one of the groups or series of needles
and the actuating mechanism; the distance occupied on the shaft d being say
equal to the length of a link. The cams d are arranged on the shaft one slightly
in advance of the other, so that they form a spiral as it were; a thin disc u being
interposed between each pair of cams and supported in the bottom of the cam-
box, to which latter the needle-plate t is secured. The needle frames or
jacks are thinner than the cams thus adapting them to move freely in a vertical
direction. The needle-frames are cut away on the lower side to permit the
passage of the cam-arm or projection of the cam, the frame at the same time
being supported by the upper edge of the cam . It will be seen, referring to
Figure 12, that the cam portion is so constructed that it is in continuous
engagement with the projection 2, formed on the lower side of the frame, during
an angular movement of some 60°, thus ensuring that the needles cannot acci-
dentally rise while the warp-guides are projected.
n is a sheet metal cover provided at the top of the cam-box.
In order to provide the needles with means whereby they may be easily secured
to and quickly removed from the frames n¹, the needle-shanks may be bent to
form a spring-arm adapted to interlock with the corresponding part of the frame,
see dotted lines Figure 12. As thus made the lower portion of the needle is
sprung into a socket, the extreme end n³ of the spring-arm projecting above the
frame. This means of securing the needle, however, forms the subject of a
separate application for patent filed concurrently herewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a straight knitting-machine, provided with a dual set of warp, filling,
and knitting threads adapted to be interlocked to produce a double web of
fabric, the combination of four independent endless chains travelling in unison
and arranged substantially as herein before described, wherein one of said chains
carries the filling-thread bobbins, another carries the knitting-thread bobbins,
another carries a series of guides, as e³, adapted to present the said knitting-
threads to the needles, and the fourth chain. carries a series of filling-thread
guides, as e¹, and a corresponding series of cams, and guides e containing said
warp-threads actuated by said cams.
2. In a straight knitting-machine, employing warp, filling and knitting threads,
the combination of the endwise movable guides e, carrying the warp threads and
the suitably mounted vertically separated endless independent chains, c², 3; the
lower one 3 of said chains having guides carrying the filling-threads and also
provided with cams for actuating the said warp-guides, the said chains being
employed for the purpose of carrying the series of knitting and filling-thread
guides, respectively, and being wholly independent of the chains or mechanism
which carries the bobbins from which the said knitting and filling-threads
unwind, substantially as described.
3. In a straight knitting-machine, the combination with the duplex series of
needles arranged in groups and mechanism for actuating the same of the two
endless independent travelling chains, as c², c³, provided with guides for the knitting
and filling-threads, respectively, non-travelling guides e for the warp-threads
adapted to be reciprocated back and forth with respect to the needles, and cams
carried by the chain ³, the said chains being employed for the purpose of
carrying the series of knitting and filling-thread guides, respectively, and being
wholly independent of the chains or mechanism carrying the bobbins from which
the said knitting and filling-threads unwind, substantially as described.
4. In a straight knitting-machine, the combination with the positively revolving
needle-actuating cam d¹ having an arc-shaped peripheral extension, of the
needle-carrying frame or jack n¹ cut away on its under side and provided at the

page_text: bottom with the extension n³ arranged in the path of and adapted to be engaged
by the part d³, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
5. A straight knitting machine constructed substantially as herein before des-
cribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of March 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.