Improvements in Apparatus for "Trimming" or Finishing Stockings, Socks, and other Knitted or Woven Articles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for "Trimming" or Finishing Stockings,
Socks, and other Knitted or Woven Articles.
We, ISAAC LOVELL BERRIDGE of Humberstone Gate, Leicester, Hosiery
Machinery Agent, and GEORGE BLUNT of 34 Brandon Street, Leicester,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to apparatus for finishing or what is technically
termed "trimming" stockings, socks, and other knitted or woven articles.
"
The present method of "trimming or finishing the articles named is by placing
them over leg boards, shapes or forms and inserting thein between the heated
surfaces of a screw press.
The object of this invention is to dispense with the screw press, usually employed,
and to construct a leg board or shape for the purpose named which shall be
especially applicable for use in connection with the goods produced on circular
reversible and other domestic knitting machines, while the mode of construction
may extend to shapes or forms for knitted and woven articles other than stockings
or socks, and such for instance as shirts, pants, vests and other garments.
According to this invention the leg, shape or form is constructed preferably of
copper or other heat conducting plates, fixed either vertically or horizontally to a
bench or counter.
The plates are fixed sufficiently wide apart to admit of a small steam pipe being
placed between same for heating purposes, the pipe being continued to near the
upper or outer end of the leg, shape or form so as to enable the heat to pervade
all parts and so as nearly as may be that all parts of such leg, shape, or form will
be equally heated.
The legs, shapes, or forms are fixed on the bench so as to be separately heated
and removed when required, without interfering with the operations of the
adjacent ones.
The supply steam pipe may be fed from a main pipe runuing the whole length
of the bench upon which the legs, shapes or forms are fixed and the steam and
condensed water may be carried off by suitable pipes.
The legs, shapes, or forms are strengthened by means of iron or other metal rods
or plates, within and near the edges of the former.
Dated this 26th day of November 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Trimming or Finishing Stockings,
Socks, and other Knitted or Woven Articles.
We, ISAAC LOVELL BERRIDGE of Humberstone Gate, Leicester, Hosiery
Machinery Agent, and GEORGE BLUNT of 34 Brandon Street, Leicester,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :---
This invention has reference to apparatus for finishing or what is technically
termed "trimming" of stockings, socks, and other knitted or woven articles.
The present method of trimming or finishing the articles named is by placing
them over leg boards, shapes or forms and inserting them between the heated
surfaces of a screw press.

page_text: The object of this invention is to dispense with the screw press, usually employed,
and to construct a leg board or shape for the purpose named, which shall be
especially applicable for use in connection with the goods produced on circular
reversible and other domestic knitting machines, while the mode of construction
may extend to shapes or forms for knitted and woven articles other than stockings
or socks and such for instance as shirts, pants, vests and other garments.
According to this invention the leg, shape or form is constructed preferably of
copper or other heat conducting plates fixed either vertically or horizontally to a
bench or counter.
The plates are fixed sufficiently wide apart to admit of a small steam pipe being
placed between same for heating purposes, the pipe being continued to near the
upper or outer end of the leg, shape or form so as to enable the heat to pervade all
parts and so
as nearly as may be that all parts of such leg, shape or form will be
The legs, shapes or forms are fixed on the bench so as to be separately heated
and removed when required, without interfering with the operations of the
adjacent ones.
equally heated.
The supply steam pipe may be fed from a main pipe running the whole length of
the bench upon which the legs, shapes or forms are fixed and the steam and
condensed water may be carried off by suitable pipes.
The legs, shapes or forms are strengthened by means of iron or other metal rods
or plates, within and near the edges of the former.
In the accompanying drawings we have shewa shapes or forms for trimming two
different kinds of articles, but it is to be understood that the invention extends to
shapes or forms for other articles, but the views shewn are sufficient to illustrate
the general principle and construction of the invention.
Figure 1 is a perspective view and Figure 2 a vertical section of a stocking
shape constructed in accordance with our invention.
Figure 3 is a plan on the line a a.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a shirt shape.
Each shape or form is constructed of two halves or plates A and B of copper or
other heat conducting material, the marginal edges A¹ and B₁ of such plates being
turned up at a right angle thereto so that the said edges may be parallel or side by
side with each other, as most clearly indicated in Figure 3, leaving a hollow
interior or space between the plates into which the steam is injected to heat the
plates for the purpose of trimming the knitted or other articles which are placed
over the same.
Increased rigidity is imparted to the forms or shapes by strengthening metal ribs
or plates C which may be of the form as shewn in Figures 2 and 4 or of any
suitable construction for the purpose named.
The strengthening ribs are provided throughout their length with a series of
holes C¹ and are connected to the shapes or forms by copper rivets or equivalents
passing through the same and through similar openings in the plates A and B
forming the shape, the space, if any, round the rivets and the interstices between
the turned up edges A' and B' being filled up by molten lead or solder so as to prevent
the escape of steam and to obtain a perfectly smooth outer surface on each shape
so that the articles being treated may be readily placed on and removed from the
shapes without liability to injury.
Each shape or form has one or more pipes D in the interior and directed towards
the upper end thereof, to convey the steam into the extreme parts of the shape and
thus ensure the whole surface of the latter being heated and the goods equally
trimmed in all parts.
An outlet pipe E is fixed at the lower end of each shape to allow the condensation
to escape.
The forms or shapes are provided with flanges or angle irons F at their lower
ends so as to permit of being fastened to a bench or table, and when a series of
shapes of various sizes are so fixed, the steam pipes D may be connected to a larger

page_text: service pipe running the whole length of the bench and communicating with the
main steam supply; and the outlet pipes E may either be directed into a separate
vessel placed underneath the same to receive the water as it escapes, or be connected
to a main outlet pipe which shall convey away the condensation from the whole of
the shapes or forms.
The number of steam pipes employed for injecting the steam into the shapes may
be determined somewhat by the shape thereof.
In the shirt shape shewn in Figure 4 three pipes are employed, it being desirable
to convey the steam to all the extreme parts so that the garment being treated may
be equally heated in all parts.
.
The shirt shape is hinged at G in the centre so as to allow of being folded and
the arms placed parallel to each other to admit of the garment being readily placed
on or removed therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In the finishing or trimming of knitted or woven fabrics, the use or employ-
ment of copper or other heat conducting metal-shapes or forms provided internally
with strengthening ribs C and pipes D for conveying the steam to the upper part
thereof substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination in a copper or other heat conducting metal shape or form
of one or more strengthening ribs or plates such as C or equivalent substantially as
and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination in a copper or other heat conducting metal shape or form of
one or more steam supply pipes such as D substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of July 1891.
ISAAC LOVELL BERRIDGE.
GEORGE BLUNT.