Improvements in Knitting Machines for Knitting Stockings, Gloves, and other articles
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines for Knitting Stockings, Gloves,
and other articles.
I, WILLIAM HARRISON, of 133, Portland Street, and of Fern Villas, Hyde
Grove, Chorlton-on-Medlock, both in Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Patentec and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
ور
This invention relates to improvements in knitting machines of a description
similar to those known as the "Harrison or the "Lamb" parallel bed knitting
machines, in which tumbler or latch needles are employed, and the object of this
invention is to produce various forms of garments such as corsets and pants for
ladies, gentlemen and children, and also other articles in various designs and in
mingled colours of wool, silk or cotton, with or without interwoven rubber thread,
and also stockings in flat web or circular web in Jacquard patterns.
In this
invention I make improved cams and tension spring, changeable needle beds, and
recessed beds and needle bars for keeping the work clean by checking the oil from
the needles and guarding the needles from being struck with the cams, also an casier
method of taking needles out and replacing them. I fit two beds parallel and at
right angles to each other on a frame with ends on which to support said needle
beds. In these beds the needle spaces are made wider or narrower by composing the
needle space divisions of thin hardened sheet or cast steel like the blade of a knife.
I fit these divisions into nitches or grooves formed at suitable distances apart in
the bed below the needle spaces, in order to admit of either one or a greater
number of needles inch.
per
In proportion to the increase of needles per inch,
either one or more blades are removed, and the remaining blades are placed closer
together, or moved into various suitable distances: the blades are fixed at right
angles to the bed with their edges upwards.
fill the nitches in the beds which are not required to be used, with either thin
lengths or strips of metal in order to close them up and form a base upon which the
needles may slide, or I form a base from the blades themselves. For the purpose
of knitting fine and coarse work upon the same machine, I fit needle division blades
upon rods or bars, which would hold down the needle division blades, and also give a
greater or lesser number of needles per inch. I form cams partly ✓ shaped, partly
fish shaped and partly straight strips set in suitable positions: said cams may be
worked either with or without the ordinary reversing stops, and in order to produce
varied work are interchangeable. These cams may remain in a fixed relative
position to the needles, or the cam plate may be raised by pins working in
eccentric slots at the top of the frame, and pins working in eccentric slots
at the bottom of the frame. The slots cause the cam plate to be lifted up so
as to clear the needles, but coming down again at the times the needles are required
to work. The action of the cam plate is effected by a projection which during the
movement of cam carriage comes into contact with a stop at each end of the bed
and by these means pushes the slide to the left and right of the eccentric. To
prevent the needles from being broken, I guard the needles from striking the cams
by means of longitudinal rods, with a projection or swell at each end of said
rods.
At each pass of the carriage the swelled part comes into contact either with the
ends of the needle bed or a bracket which may have a cam form, thus raising the
bars to permit of the needles being drawn down or pushed up in the process of
widening or narrowing. For the purpose of carrying Jacquards, I fit rollers at the
bottom of the angle needle beds both back and front. The ends of these rollers

page_text: work in guide slots and rest on vertical rocking rods which are forked at their
upper ends.
The bottom ends of these vertical rocking rods are fitted to a
horizontal rod, which imparts motion to aforesaid vertical rocking rods. The four
upper ends of these rods are attached to two end slide bars, which are fitted in a
horizontal position at the ends of the needle bed frame. The slide bar nearest
the main shaft is fitted with two forks or studs. Upon the main shaft I fit two
collars, one larger than the other; the larger collar is fitted with two projections
of a V form at one side the other is set on the opposite side of the collar, so that
when it revolves one of the V projections comes into contact with one of the forks
or studs on the slide bar and moves the slide bar to the right thus giving a rocking
motion, which raises the left hand Jacquard roller and brings the Jacquard into
contact with the projecting tails of the needles desired to be worked in order to
produce the patterns; and when the other V shaped projection at the reverse
side of the collar comes into contact with the other fork or stud on the same
slide bar, the right hand Jacquard roller with the Jacquard is caused to be
raised by the rocking motion so as to lift such needles as are required into
position to take the wool to form the patterns and thus knits the Jacquard
circular fabric. At one end of each roller is a pawl and ratchet so that when
the roller is dropped, the pawl puts the ratchet at the end of the roller
one tooth forward or round so as to bring the next card into contact for raising the
needles: this is repeated to the completion of the pattern: the card is also moved
side ways from right to left, to bring other parts of the card into contact with other
needles so as to vary the pattern. At the end of a rod which passes under the
needle bed, I fit a needle or wire which is caused to lift up between the jacks at the
moment when the yarn carriers commence on their return passage from the left
hand side this needle holds and regulates the yarn until the first few needles are
fed with yarn, when it drops down again. I employ two or more yarn carriers with
one or more holes or slits so as to be able to introduce different yarns and more
colours. employ two or more swivelling bobbins to produce change of colours
which may be also used for striping: a lever is fitted to swing: one end of this
lever is actuated by an eccentric fitted on the main shaft and the other end comes in
contact with a vertical slide formed with a rack at the upper end, which is geared into a
toothed wheel placed loose on the shaft: next to this wheel is a fixed tooth wheel of
larger size which is also geared into a smaller speed wheel the smaller speed wheel
is fixed on a transverse shaft. To the large tooth wheel is fitted a ratchet wheel
with a pawl and when the vertical slide rack is forced upwards, the pawl is caused
to move the ratchet wheel one or more teeth forward which also gives motion to the
transverse shaft. At the end of this shaft is a bevel wheel which transmits motion
to a bevel wheel fitted at an angle, and through the latter a spindle is fitted in an
inclined position which holds two or more bobbins; the number of swivels are
determined by a Jacquard which regulates the drop of the vertical slide rack with
pin or studs which shortens the stroke of the vertical rack and so gives the colour
of yarn required for the different patterns. I carry the rubber-thread by an
additional carrier and lay it into the meshes of the gloves or corsets; the corset may
be knitted in one continuous combination with the pants. I mingle fabric by
making a slit in the yarn carriers so that there will be two colours on the same
needles at the same time. I employ automatic cams similar to those described in
the Specification of my Application for a Patent No. 2733 of 1890. In order to
rack the Jacquard rollers automatically by similar connections to end of roller
therein described, I fit the small collar on mainshaft with clutches and a groove.
I fit a spring to fall into this groove. When it is required to work the machine as
an ordinary machine I withdraw the small collar from the larger one with the
V-shaped cams, and it then remains loose on the main shaft; the spring drops into
the groove of the small collar and prevents it from gearing into the larger one.
form a recess in the ordinary needle bar of a suitable width and also on the under-
side of the needle bar itself so as to prevent the oil getting on that part of the
needle which passes through the loops of the work, and a pad of wool, cotton, or
I

page_text: other substance may be laid at the bottom of the recess to absorb or clean all floss
and dirt from the needles in their passage, which ensures the production of cleaner
work. I form a yarn guide and a tension spring in combination therewith the
tension spring is arranged to release or to take the strain of the yarn while knitting
and immediately takes up the slack at the terminus of each row or mesh of knitting.
I groove the underside of needle bar to correspond with the grooves of the bed so
that when the bar is moved for one needle bar groove to come opposite the needle
bed groove, then immediately the needle can be removed without taking the
bar out.
The herein before described improvements are equally applicable to the ordinary
needle beds of the "Lamb" the "Harrison" and other like machines using latch
needles which are without the adjustable needle division plates.
Dated this Lith dow of Wauch 1800
WILLIAM HARRISON,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines for Knitting Stockings, Gloves,
and other articles.
I, WILLIAM HARRISON, of 133 Portland Street, and of Fern Villas, Hyde
Grove, Chorlton-on-Medlock, both in Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Patentee and Manufacturer, 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 relates to improvements in knitting machines of a description
similar to those which are known as the "Harrison" or the "Lamb" parallel bed
knitting machines in which tumbler or latch needles are employed, and the object of
this invention is to produce various forms of garments such as corsets and pants for
ladies, gentlemen and children, stockings in flat web or circular web in plain or
Jacquard patterns, and also other articles in various designs and in mingled colours
of wool, silk, or cotton, with or without interwoven rubber thread.
In order more clearly to describe this my invention I have annexed hereunto three
sheets of drawings. In the several views therein shown similar letters refer to
similar parts.
Fig. I is a side view of a knitting machine constructed in accordance with this
invention, and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same machine. Figs. 3 and 4 are drawn
to an enlarged scale, and represent front view of the bed with moveable needle
spaces shown partly in section, and transverse section through line A. B on Fig. 3.
In this invention I fit on to a frame with ends a two beds 6 which I place parallel
and at or nearly right angles to each other. In these beds I form the needle space
divisions c of permanent and removeable strips of steel d and e. These strips of
steel may be altered and arranged so as to place the needles either nearer to each
other or further apart as may be desired by means of longitudinal rods f. fl. I form
these longitudinal rods with two or more flanges placed round the circumferences of
said rods which are exact duplicates of each other. On the accompanying drawings
each row of these flanges g. l. i. are represented arranged so that each of the spaces
between the flanges. in any one row are of the same width, but greater or less than
the spaces between the flanges in the remaining rows. The permanent strips d
which may be of any width are supported by the longitudinal rods f. f passing
through the lower side of said strips at right angles thereto, and the removeable
strips e rest on the aforesaid rods f. but are not attached thereto in proportion
to the increase or decrease in the number of needles per inch, one or more strips or
blades c are either inserted or removed: the width or distance between the needle
spaces or divisions is regulated by means of the aforesaid flanges g. h. i: if the needle
space divisions are required to be placed closer to each other the rods f' are
:

page_text: revolved so as to place the flanges between the strips d, said flanges having.
narrower spaces between them but if the needle space divisions are required to be
set further apart the flanges g or i are placed between said divisions and also a
sufficient number of strips e, the needles resting in the grooves on aforesaid flanges.
The strips which thus form the needle bed are secured in their several positions
by means of the set screws fitted to end of bed.
I form the jacks t on a bar t'in divisions to correspond with the width of needle
space divisions and attach one of these bars containing the required number of jacks
to each of aforesaid needle beds.
In lieu of the flanges g. h. i. herein before described, distance pieces which may
serve as a base upon which the needles may rest may be constructed by forming
flanges at the lower part of strips or blades d or by introducing narrower metal
strips.
A rigid but changeable bed may be constructed by means of aforesaid strips
being arranged to suit the purposes required, and said strips being bolted or rivetted
together.
The cams m are shown drawn to an enlarged scale. Figure 5 represents a plan
of cams m with cam carriage removed, the position of carriage being indicated by
dotted lines. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the same with the cams in action. Fig. 7
is also an edge view of the same with the cams recessed or out of action.
I attach the cams m to plate n to which studs are connected: these studs project
at each side and fit into eccentric slots p.
to be
As the cam carriage k travels along the slide bar the stops at end of frame a
come in contact with the projection r on plate which causes the studs
raised by the eccentric slots p and the cams m are by these means lifted or put out
of action as shown in Fig. 7, until they have cleared the needles.
When the cams are required to be retained in action the stops u are depressed
and the projection will then remain inoperative. In order to give a longer or a
shorter stitch the cams may be set by the screws o Figs. 1, 5 & 6 which are attached
to the frame v.
For the purpose of preventing the needles being broken by the cams, I guard the
needles by means of longitudinal rods with a projection or swell w³ formed at or
near end of each of said rods. At each pass of the carriage the swelled part w₁
comes into contact either with the ends of the needle bed b, or a bracket which may
be attached thereto and have a cam form, thus raising the bars to permit of the
needles being drawn down or pushed up in the process of narrowing.
At the bottom of each of the angle needle beds 6 I fit rollers which carry
Jacquards the ends of the roller shaft rest in the forked ends of rocking
rods and work in guide slots : the lower ends of rocking rods * are fitted to a
horizontal shaft which imparts motion to aforesaid rocking rods.
Each of the rocking rods are connected at the end of the machine in which the
driving shaft is placed, by means of the levers to horizontal slide bars 8 1º.
These slide bars are fitted with studs 106". At or near the centre of end of
bed I fit upon the driving shaft a a collar a¹. At each side of this collar and in
opposite positions I form V shaped cam. As the shaft x revolves each of the
cams and come into contact alternately with the studs 60, 6", and causes the
slide bars 6 and 6 to be drawn back alternately by the intervention of the levers 67
a rocking motion is imparted to the shaft & causing the Jacquard rollers &' to be raised
and bring the Jacquards into contact with the projecting tails of the needles that
are required to be worked, and in order to bring the needles into position to take
the wool to form the patterns, and thus knit the Jacquard circular fabric. At the
opposite end of the machine is a pawl and ratchet c. When the roller is
dropped, said pawl puts the ratchet one tooth forward or round so as to bring the
next card into contact for raising the needles: this operation is repeated to the
completion of the pattern: the card is also moved sideways from right to left in
order to bring other parts of the card into contact with other needles, and thus vary

page_text: :
the pattern this is effected by the cam n' which actuates the slide 2 by means of
the studs n and the flange nt, said flange fitting into a groove n³ formed on end of
roller shaft b².
At the end of the rod q' I fit a wire 2 formed with a needle end. When the
yarn carriers q³ commence on their return passage said needle end is caused to lift
up between the jacks by means of the plate which is attached to cam carriage k
and strikes against the jointed stud y causing said stud to partly revolve the rod y'
to which the wire q' is fixed.
The joint in stud allows said stud to be put out of action when the yarn
carriers are travelling from the right to the left hand the needle end of wire q
holds and regulates the yarn until the first few needles are fed with yarn when it
drops down again in consequence of the plate y having passed beyond the stud q
thus permitting the rod q' to return to its original position.
I employ two or more swivelling bobbins to produce change of colours, and
which may also be used for striping. In order to regulate the delivery of yarn
from these bobbins I attach a swinging lever to a bracket c². One end of this
lever is actuated by an eccentric ca fitted on the main shaft c, and the opposite end
actuates a vertical slide e. The upper end of this vertical slide is formed with a
rack which is geared into a toothed wheel & placed loosely on shaft by the
side of this wheel I place on same shaft a toothed wheel e' of larger size which gears
into a smaller speed wheel e placed near end of shaft "To the toothed wheel co
I attach a ratchet wheel operated by a pawl c3 which is connected to a lever
bracket e secured to one side of the toothed wheel 7. When the vertical slide c³
is forced up by the means herein before described the rack e which gears into the
toothed wheel causes said wheel to revolve, and at the same time raise the outer
end of the lever bracket cl to which the pawl is connected the pawl.13 causes
the ratchet wheel c to move forward or round a greater or less distance according
to the height the vertical slide is raised by the lever e', and at the same time the
toothed wheel to which aforesaid ratchet wheel is attached is also propelled, and
by these means gives motion through the pinion to the shaft c". At the end of
this shaft is a bevel wheel c" which transmits motion to the bevel wheel c fitted at
an angle on a spindle which holds two or more bobbins the number of swivels is
determined by a Jacquard which regulates the drop of the vertical slide rack c
said Jacquard having pins or studs of different lengths attached which regulate
the stroke of the vertical rack and gives the required colour of yarn for the
different patterns.
In order to use rubber thread I employ an additional carrier s' which is controlled
by an additional stop or stops & Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and lay said rubber thread into
the meshes of the gloves, corsets, or other articles: the corset may be knitted in
one continuous combination with the pants.
I mingle fabric by making slits m³ Fig. 15 in the yarn carriers so that there will
be two colours on the same needles at the same time. In this machine automatic
cams may be employed similar to those described in the Specification accompanying
my Application for a Patent numbered 2733 of 1890. In order to rack the Jacquard
rollers automatically by connections to end of roller similar to those therein
described I fit a small collar a on the main shaft with a groove and in con-
nection with clutches. I fit a spring to fall into this groove. When it is required
to work the machine as an ordinary machine I withdraw the small collar from the
larger one with the V shaped cams and it then remains loose on the main shaft the
spring drops into the groove of the small collar and prevents it from gearing into
the larger one.
When ordinary needle beds are employed I form a recess of a suitable width
on the underside of the needle bar f Fig. 13, so as to prevent the oil getting on to
that part of the needle which passes through the loops of the work and a pad of
wool cotton or other substance may be laid at the botton of the recess to absorb or
clean all floss and dirt from the needles in their passage.
In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 I form a yarn guide fi and a tension spring f³ in

page_text: combination therewith: the tension spring is arranged to release or to take the strain
of the yarn while knitting and immediately takes up the slack at the terminus
of each row or mesh of knitting.
In Fig. 14 I groove the underside of needle bar f to correspond with the grooves
of the bed b, so that when the bar is moved for the needle bar groove to come
opposite the needle bed groove, the needle can be immediately removed without
taking the bar out.
The herein before described improvements are any or each of them equally
applicable to be used in combination with the ordinary needle beds of the "Lamb
or the "Harrison" or other like machines using latch needles which have not the
adjustable needle division plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In knitting machines having parallel beds in which tumbler or latch needles
are employed the use of the adjustable needle beds composed of strips or blades of
steel, the combination of cams with eccentric slots the longitudinal rods w, the
combination of Jacquards 3 with the appliances for actuating the same, the com-
bination of Jacquards and appliances in connection therewith for actuating the
same by which the supply of different coloured yarns from the swivels is regulated,
the additional carrier in combination with the additional stop s² for the introduction
of rubber thread, the slits in the yarn carriers the recessed formations and *
in needle bar and the combination of yarn guide with tension spring, any
or each together or separately for the purposes and in the manner substantially as
herein before described and illustrated.
2nd. In parallel bed knitting machines in which tumbler or latch needles are
employed the arrangement and combination of the several parts substantially in
the manner and for the purposes as herciu before described.
Dated this 14th day of January 1891.
WILLIAM HARRISON
Applicant.