Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
I, ROBERT WILLIAM KING, of 63 King Street, Montreal, Canada, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention has partly for its object to improve and simplify the construction
of that class of knitting machine wherein the cam ring has at times a rotary motion,
as when knitting the leg and foot of a stocking, and at other times a reciprocating
motion, as when knitting the heel and toe of a stocking.
In the machine herein described, provision has been made for employing needle
beds shaped to resemble conical frustra of various diameters at their smaller ends
and for sake of brevity I shall sometimes designate said beds as conical beds.
The beds referred to are interchangeable with the other parts of the machine and
each bed receives each its own proper number of needles; one and the same cam
ring having devices to be described for reciprocating the needles, co-operating with
whatever conical bed may be used, and with whatever number of needles may be
therein contained, so that in a factory having a limited number of machines any
desired number of them may be easily and quickly changed to produce any desired
size of hosiery.
The inclined exterior of the conical needle bed or the part grooved for the
needles is always of the same pitch no matter what the diameter of the tubular web
being knitted; or whether for a baby's stocking, or a stocking of the largest size,
but the length of the needle bed measured upwardly from its lower end varies, and
the shorter the bed the greater the diameter of the opening at its upper end, and
rice-versa, and the greater the diameter of the open upper end of the conical bed,
the larger the diameter of the tubular web knitted, and vice-versa.
The upper end of the conical needle bed is slotted for the reception and guidance
of a series of lever-like sinkers, pivoted between their ends on a fulcrum ring
located at the outer side of the needle bed, and the outer ends of these sinkers are
acted upon by a sinker actuating cam ring adapted to be rotated, or to be recipro-
cated as desired on a guide attached to or integral with the needle bed, the inner
side of the guide forming preferably a seat for the outer ends of the sinkers as the
stitches are being drawn over the inner end thereof.
The needle bed has erected upon it between its ends a guide for a jack or sinker-
actuating ring, and mounted upon a suitable fulcrum upon the outer side of the
conical bed is a series of jacks or sinkers, the outer ends of which are operated by
the said jack or sinker-actuating ring, the said guide being slotted for the passage
through it of the butts of the needles when drawn up, a portion of the guide
forming a seat for the outer ends of the sinkers as the stitch is being drawn.
The machine herein to be described is shown as provided with means whereby it
is rendered automatic in its operations throughout the production of a stocking,
and as the invention is herein einbodied, the machine produces a continuous tubular
web having bulges therefrom at proper distances to constitute heels and toes, the
web so produced being severed at desired intervals and if desired, suitable slack
courses may be made to aid in putting on rib tops in a topping machine.
The stocking web when divided may be thereafter treated and finished in any
usual way.
The needle cam ring which is also conical has mounted upon it a peculiar latch-
guard and thread-rest to be described.
Co-operating with the needle bed and cam ring are stop rings or racks deriving
their motion in opposite directions from what is herein denominated a racking

page_text: mechanism, the said stop rings having stops to control the distance apart of tripping
pins, which at the proper times in the reciprocation of the cam ring during
narrowing and widening, as in the production of heels and toes, determine when the
guiding gates shall be moved so as to put out of the knitting groove such needles
as may not be required for the course next to be made in narrowing, or put into
the knitting groove such needles as may be required in the next course in
widening.
Means have been provided for varying the length of the stitches, it being desired
to make a shorter stitch at or near the ankle and in the foot of the stocking to
thereby fashion the same, the means consisting essentially of a vertically movable
race-way under the control of a monitor or pattern chain or surface, the said race-
way supporting one end of a lever suitably connected at its other end to the main
drawing-down cam.
Means have been provided for effecting the change from circular to recipro-
cating knitting for the cam cylinder, and vice-versa, the said means including a
continuously rotating disc, a vibrator, and a stud mounted upon a slide made
radially movable in a gear wheel and adapted to engage a notch in either the disc
or the vibrator, the said stud when in the disc effecting the rotary motion of the
said toothed gear, and when in the notch in the vibrator effecting a reciprocating
motion of the same gear.
It will be understood that as the conical bed varies in length, the path traversed
by the hooks of the needles in taking thread from the thread guide will vary very
materially, as for instance, the path through which the hooks travel when the bed
is long and the work is small will be nearly that of an acute angle, whereas when
the conical bed is short and the work is of greater diameter, the path through
which the hooks travel will represent a greater angle, but notwithstanding this
variation I have by experiment devised a set of cams which operate perfectly
with these needles of varying length.
The construction of the support for the sinkers and the shape of the sinkers is
such that the action of the actuating ring for moving the sinkers tends to keep
the latter seated upon their pivots when the hooks of the sinkers occupy their
depressed positions, yet by removing a portion of the said ring opposite the outer
end of any sinker, such sinker may be readily withdrawn from the machine.
The employment of a conical bed in connection with the peculiar guiding gates
herein contained is of especial advantage in a machine capable of circular and
reciprocating movements, because the butts of the needles near the base of the
cone are sufficiently separated, notwithstanding the close arrangement of the hooked
ends of the needles, to afford greater time and therefore certainty of operation
of the gates in their action upon any predetermined needle, and by this shape of
bed the dividing wall or "tricks" between the needles may be made wider in the
line of the butts of the needles where the greatest wear and strain comes, and this
separation of the butts to afford space for the individual selection of needles also
makes it possible to run the machine at higher speed.
The machine has been provided with novel and peculiar thread feeding
mechanism, by or through which an entirely independent thread may be supplied
automatically for the production of the heel, or for the production of the toe,
thus making the same of different yarn or of a different colour, and if desired,
instead of introducing a distinct different yarn and removing the yarn used in the
leg and foot, I may add to the thread employed in the leg and foot, an extra or
re-enforcing thread during the production of heels and toes.
I have provided shears or cutting mechanism for severing the knitting threads at
the proper times.
The machine to be herein described, instead of knitting a web such as referred
to, continuously may be made to knit a stocking as a continuation of a rib top, the
said rib top having had its loops transferred upon the hooks of the needles brought
into one plane called a topping-plane," and in the machine to be described it
showing a conical bed having knitting and non-knitting grooves,--the topping-plane

page_text: is synonymous or the same as the plane occupied by the butts of the needles when
they are in their non-knitting position.
The conical bed herein to be described is peculiar in that it has a tubular shank
extended from its inner shell-like exterior at or near its smaller end, thus enabling
said shank at a point within the enlarged base end of the bed to be surrounded by
a friction ring which carries the knitting cam ring.
I have above stated some of the important results accruing from the employment
of the conical bed, which form of bed I greatly prefer, yet I desire it to be under-
stood that many of the parts of my improved machine are also applicable with
obvious changes to needle beds of other forms adapted for circular work.
Prior to this invention it has been customary in rotary machines to automatically
introduce between two running threads, a third thread to thicken the stocking
while knitting the heel and toe, but in this present invention the stocking leg and
foot may be knitted by the employment of thread of any desired number, and when
making the heel or toe either a second or re-enforcing thread may be added to the
leg thread, or the leg thread may be entirely cut out and the heel and toe be knitted
by an entirely different thread of any desired number, colour or material.
The machine to be herein described will preferably have an entirely separate
thread for the heel and toe, and the leg thread will be cut out or omitted in the heel
and toe, and prior to this invention this has not been done automatically in a
circularly moving machine for hosiery.
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a machine embodying my invention, the view
being taken from the right, the pattern or monitor chains being omitted, the parts
shown on said figure being shown on a larger scale in other figures.
Figure 2 is a perspective view, taken from the left of the main portion of the
knitting machine shown in Figure 1, the conical needle bed and bed plate supporting
it, being also omitted, the parts so omitted, to enable the view to be made on a
larger scale, being represented in other figures, the legs 32 and stilts 35 shown in
Figures 3 and 15 being also omitted.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the parts of the machine shown in Figure 2
looking at it from the rear, together with some additional monitor levers and their
connections.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the parts of the machine shown in Figure 2
looking at it from the front, the said machine showing the work depending from or
lying in the delivery trough.
Figure 5 is a rear elevation of my improved machine particularly to show the
driving mechanism, the said figure also showing the bobbins for supplying the thread,
the shipper lever being shown, however, in a different position.
Figure 54, is a detail of the rod g and some of its parts.
Figure
is a partial left-hand end elevation of the machine represented in
Figure 2, chiefly to show the change gearing, the monitor wheel, part of one of the
chains, a monitor, and the controlling lever, devices to actuate it and the brake to
be described.
Figure 7 is an enlarged detail in perspective, of the main shaft and the disc of
the change motion fast thereon.
Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective of the vibrator forming part of the change
motion.
Figure 9, is an enlarged perspective of the change motion gear wheel containing
the carriage provided with the coupling stud, to be described.
Figure 10, is a view on a smaller scale, shewing the parts represented in
Figures 7, 8 and 9 as assembled, but detached from the machine.
Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional detail taken through one side of the needle
bed, the cam ring, and the parts instrumental in moving the guiding gates.
Figure 114, is a perspective detail of the lever c³.
Figure 12, is a partial section in the line x Figure 11, chiefly to show the cam
which controls the movement of the guiding gates.

page_text: Figure 13 is a perspective top or plan view of the bed-plate, the cam ring, the
cam cylinder needles, sinkers, and adjacent parts, to be described.
Figure 14 is a detail on an enlarged scale, of the devices constituting part of the
racking motion to move the stop rings or racks in one or the other direction, the
pinions and on the shafts carrying the eccentrics, said pinions belonging out-
side of the pawl-carrying frame being removed said pinions and double segment
being however represented by dotted lines.
Figure 15 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale through part of the bed of the
machine, the section being substantially in the line a Figure 14, the said figure
showing the stop rings and the rings carrying the tripping pins, but one of the pins
being shown, the leg 32 being however in position to rest on the stilt.
Figure 16 represents in section, the top plate of the machine, the conical bed, and
the cam cylinder; the needles and jacks being omitted.
Figure 17 shows a section of the conical bed.
Figure 18 is a like view with the needles, and jacks or sinkers, and jack or sinker
actuating ring added.
Figure 19 shows in different positions the upper end of the controller, together
with the end of the yoke, the controller being in its different positions according to
.the work to be done.
Figure 20 is a section below the dotted line 210, Figure 11.
Figure 21 is an inverted plan view of the cam ring laid out or developed, the
guiding gates and needle director being shown in their knitting position for all
round or circular knitting.
Figure 21, is a detail representing the guiding gates and the needle director in
a different position, the guiding gates being in their non-knitting position, the
director being in the position that it will occupy during its first stroke for recipro-
cating knitting.
Figure 21, is a section in the line 23 Figure 21.
Figure 22 is a top or plan view of the jack or sinker actuating ring, together
with the driver, the latter deriving its motion from the cam ring and moving the
sinker actuating ring at the desired times.
Figure 22, is a detail showing the shape of the cam portion of the jack or
sinker actuating ring.
Figure 23 is a perspective detail showing the pattern chain and the monitor
lever, and parts employed for operating the race-way for varying the length of
stitches the said figure also showing the lever riding on the race-way and connected
with the carriage or slide which in practice carries the main drawing-down cam, a
needle being shown in position.
Figure 24 is a detail explanatory of the means for the production of the slack
-course.
Figure 25 is a detail showing two of the monitor levers and their toes, one of
the levers being partially broken out to show parts behind.
Figure 26, is a detail showing part of the take-up mechanism.
Figure 26 shows one of the thread guiding swivelling sleeves,
Figure 26 an end view of the yarn guide,
Figure 27 a detail showing the latch guard, my improved thread rest, and the
yarn guide,
Figure 28 a detail showing the pattern chain e², and
Figure 28, a like view of the pattern chain e.
Figure 29, is a diagram to be referred to.
Figure 294, is a detail top or plan view of the bed plate with its stop rings and
tripping pins and their carrying rings in place.
Figure 29 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken through the monitor hub or
barrel, the figure showing one of the chains and its side or lateral projection.
Figure 29 a left hand end view of Figure 29B.
Figure 30 is an enlarged perspective view of the thread changing mechanism.

page_text: the main threads employed in knitting.
Me Champing roms employ on
Figure 30, is a sectional detail of the hollow thread conducting shaft and some
of its attached parts.
Figure 30º, is an underside view of the parts represented in Figure 30,
chiefly to illustrate the shears or cutting mechanism and their actuating parts, the
cover being removed.
Figure 31 is a partial section in the line
Figure 30° looking to the right.
Figure 32 is a like sectional detail looking to the left.
Figure 33 is a sectional detail in the line ', ' Figure 30°.
Figure 34 is a detail showing part of the gear segment with the reinforcing cam
finger attached.
Figure 35 is a detail showing the yarn guide and some of its attached parts.
The frame-work consists of suitable legs A, on which is mounted the table
plate Ax.
The table plate is cut away centrally as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, 11 and 13, for
the reception of the bed plate A' which receives the cylindrical shank A2 of the
needle-bed A which in shape resembles a hollow frustrum but which I shall
denominate hereinafter as a conical bed.
The shank is held in place by suitable screws A**, Figure 16.
I have achieved excellent results by making the inclination of the exterior of
the bed at an angle of about 45° from a perpendicular.
The effective size of the needle bed in the production of a stocking, and the
diameter of the tube to be knitted for the same, depends upon the diameter of
the smaller end of the bed.
Referring to the diagram Figure 29, which shows in elevation an entire cone, it
will be seen that by cutting the same in the line or beds will be formed
of different length and having openings at their smaller ends of different diameters,
the beds being alike except as to length and the diameter of the openings at
their smaller ends.
A bed of such form, of whatever effective diameter at its smaller end, may have
its shank entered in one and the same central opening in the bed-plate A', and
a tube of greater or less diameter may be knitted on the machine by substituting
a bed having the proper sized opening at its smaller end.
The needle-bed is grooved from end to end for the reception of the shanks of
the needles, and near its smaller end the bed is notched or grooved, as at A
Figure 16 between the needle grooves for the reception of jacks or sinkers A°.
The needle bed has erected upon it between its ends a guide rim A* Figure 16
for the actuating ring A7 which operates the jacks or sinkers, the said guide rim
being slotted in line with the needle grooves to permit the butts of the needles to
be withdrawn from the bed at its sinall end, and being provided at its inner side
or edge with a seat portion for the outer ends of the sinkers when the stitch is
being made, and below the guide rim and the upper end of the bed, and outside
the same, is an annular notch As for the reception of a wire A which I shall
denominate the fulcrum wire for the jacks or sinkers.
The shank A of the bed located between its ends, as illustrated, besides adding
very materially to the strength of the bed and enabling a comparatively light
weight bed to be used, also serves as a guide for a friction ring B, the hub of
which has a running fit on the said shank.
The friction plate or ring B at its periphery has fitted to it and carries the cam
ring B', the shank A2 of the bed constituting a centre bearing for the said cam
ring in its movements, thus keeping its centre of rotation co-incident with the centre
of the bed, the employment of the shank A' as the centre of movement for the
cam ring enabling the contacting surfaces to be made of smaller diameter than
the large end of the bed, which is of advantage, as the nearer the hub of the cam
ring to its centre of rotation or movement, the slower the surface speed of the

page_text: hub on its bearing (the shank) other things being equal, and the less the
friction, and consequently the less the power required to move the cam ring in
knitting.
The lower end of the cam ring has bevelled teeth 132 which may be engaged
by a bevel gear B³, fast on a shaft see. Figures 1, and 5 adapted to be either
rotated or reciprocated, according to whether the cam ring is to be rotated for
circular work or reciprocated for reciprocating knitting, as when narrowing and
widening is being done in the production of heels and toes.
The needle grooves in the conical bed are farther apart at the larger than
at the smaller end of the bed, and consequently the substance of the bed between
the butts of the needles in the cam line is left so thick as to prevent any
accident to the bed due to pressure of the cams on the butts of the needles.
The conical beds may have grooves more or less in number and of any desired
gauge for the reception of the needles to be used, and the longer the bed the
longer the needles, but in the machine to be described herein, the same cam ring
without altering its cams, to be described, may be made to operate with any
conical bed, whatever may be its length or the number of needles used or the
gauge of the needles, and this being so, an operator may quickly remove from the
bed-plate a bed adapted for the formation of a stocking of one size or diameter
of leg, and substitute, for it quickly a bed suitable for the production of a
stocking of a different diameter or size of leg, this change occupying but a few
moments.
These extra conical beds for the needles to be actuated by the cam rings,
cost but little as compared with the cost of the other main parts of the machine,
and with a number of such beds stockings of any size or gauge may be made
on the same machine.
This facility for quickly changing from one to another sized sock or stocking
by changing the length of conical bed overcomes the chief and greatest obstacle
heretofore existing to the introduction of entirely automatic machines, for hereto-
fore automatic machines as a general rule were capable of making a stocking
or sock of but one size, and any attempt to change the machine to make a stocking
of another size amounted in most cases to about as much as would be required to
produce an entire new machine.
The increased distance between the butts of the needles in the cam line as
described, is of especial value in connection with a cam ring having guiding gates
and a needle deflector such as will be described, as the said parts are afforded a
longer time in which to select or divert the needles into the knitting or non-knitting
path.
Each conical bed will have needles of the proper length and gauge, and the
needles may be kept in the grooves of the beds when the latter are not in use in
the machine, a string being preferably tied about the beds and needles in the
grooves therein, the said string entering an annular groove A in the bed below
the guide Aº.
The sinkers A have points Be to engage and hold down the work while the
needles are ascending, as at the right in Figure 18.
The outer ends of the sinkers are shaped to be engaged and actuated by a
suitable cam surface, see Figure 224, at the inner side of the jack or sinker
actuating ring A' the outer ends of the said jacks or sinkers as herein represented
being notched to embrace a cam portion of a plate forming part of said ring, cach
sinker also having an open slot at its lower edge, between its ends to embrace
and rock upon the fulcrum wire A', the ring A' acting normally to keep the said
sinkers seated on the said fulcrum wire as represented at the right in said
Figure 18, as when the points of the sinkers are holding down the work, the
latter figure at its opposite sides showing needles and jacks or sinkers in different
positions.
The projection A at its inner side between the grooves in which the needles

page_text: reciprocate has a stationary scat, preferably concaved, and against the seat see left
of Figure 18, bear the tails or outer ends of the sinkers when the sinkers are in
position for the needles to draw the yarn over their breasts.
The breast of each sinker is curved or swept from the point of contact of the
tail of the sinkers with the seat when the sinker is in the position described, the
strain of the work on the sinker while drawing the stitch being sustained by
the seat rather than by the sinker actuating cain.
$
Sustaining the tails of the sinkers on a stationary scat rather than on
moving cam obviates all wear on the sinkers in a direction to alter their effective
length.
It will also be noticed that inasmuch as the tails of the sinkers rest on a
stationary seat as described, the breasts of the sinkers will always remain in the
proper knitting line, and uniform knitting will be the result, whereas, if the breast
of the sinker were swept from the fulcrum wire of the pivot as heretofore done,
and variations in the diameter of the fulcrum wire, or wear thereof, or of the sinker
would result in the retirement or falling back of the breasts of the sinkers from the
knitting line, which would cause irregular knitting, which is appreciable and
detrimental, especially in fine gauges.
The inner edge of the cam ring, see Figure 21, which shows the said ring
developed has a suitable ledge or flange a forming part of it, the upper edge of the
flange always supporting the butts of all of the needles which in any part of the
operation of the machine are not in the knitting groove.
The cam ring has an attached guard strip a Figure 21 and below it are
segmental bars a³ at provided at their outer ends with latches as a while at the
inner ends of the said bars are pivoted two guiding gates at a there being a non-
knitting groove a between the guard a² and the bars a³ a*.
The guiding gates have their points slightly separated and in practice they
will be moved in unison from one into their other positions by devices to be
described.
Between the ends of the guiding gates is a loosely mounted and easily moved
needle director as shown as of heart or triangular shape, it having a pin a20 which
is extended through a hole in the guard a and is surrounded beyond the guard by
a spiral spring 30x Figure 21 or other suitable friction device, to act as a drag
and prevent the director from turning too freely.
The pivoted director, shaped and graded substantially as represented and located
between the guiding gates, is easily turned by contact against it of the butts of
the needles and the grade of the director is such as to offer the minimum of
frictional resistance to the needle, thus reducing the strain on the needles and
making the machine more reliable in operation than were the director made as a
sliding cam.
The director near its point, at its lower side, will preferably have a toc or
projection a as best shown in Figure 21" to contact with the guard a² to limit the
extent of movement of the director.
The cam ring has attached to it plates a¹¹ and needle elevating plates a¹³ a
and a centre plate as provided with a projection having a concaved face opposite
the director, the curve of the said projection being described substantially from
the centre of oscillation of the director the said plate being adjustable on or with
relation to the cain ring by a screw a22, the adjustment of the plate compensating
for wear and adapting the machine to the thickness of the butt of the needle being
used, so as to afford the proper amount of space between the plate and the point of
the director.
The cam ring is grooved for the reception of a slide a to which is attached
the main drawing-down cam a which acts to draw down the needles when
circular knitting is being done, and also when the cam ring, during reciprocating
knitting for heel and toe work, is being reciprocated in the direction of circular
knitting.
The can ring at a distance from the main drawing-down cam, and at the other

page_text: side of the director is provided with a second plate or slide as to which is attached
an auxiliary drawing-down cam a, which cam acts to draw down the needles only
during that stroke of the cam ring in reciprocating knitting which is opposite the
direction of movement of the cam ring in circular knitting.
The plate a2 is adjustable upon the cam ring and is held in its adjusted position
by a screw a, see Figure 13, but the slide plate a25 will in practice be moved
automatically during the knitting of a stocking so as to lengthen and shorten the
stitches to effect the contraction or fashioning of the knitted fabric at and about
the ankle of the stocking, and in the foot and to make long stitches in the upper
part of the leg and when narrowing and widening, for during this latter operation
when an extra sized thread or a re-enforcing thread is added, the longer stitch
must be made.
It is obvious however that by or through a pattern chain as will be described,
the loops may be longer or shorter at any point during the knitting.
The knitting groove for the needles is marked a, and the shape of it can be
readily followed in the drawing Figure 21.
As stated, I have by experiment succeeded in making the cams for moving the
needles of whatever length and in a bed of whatever length and diameter at its
upper end, so that the said needles may all be successfully actuated by one and the
same set of cams.
The jack or sinker actuating ring has adjustable stops a³ ³ and a removable
section which enables any jack or sinker when brought in line with it to be removed
from the fulcrum wire.
The cam ring is shouldered to receive two rings b, one on top of the other, the
ring having a tripping pin 62, shown in Figure 29, while the ring has a
tripping pin, also shown in said figure and in Figures 11, 13 and 15.
These tripping pins enter respectively spaces between adjustable stops 64 65 on a
stop ring 66, and stops 67 18 on a stop ring 6, the said stops being made adjustable
on the said stop rings to afford more or less play or lost motion of the tripping pins
between the said stops of the stop rings to provide for adjustments according to
different gauges of needle beds and to enable any individual needle to be brought
down.
Each stop ring, at its underside, has a series of teeth to be engaged when it is
desired to shift the stop rings and the tripping pins as will be described.
The bed plate has adjustably attached to it cam blocks sec Figures 11, 13
and 23. on which bear pins 6 of an annular race-way 13 suitably guided within a
curb 13 and having a projection or handle 6 by which the said race-way may be
turned more or less, and as it is turned be raised or lowered as desired, the raising
of the ring effecting the lengthening of the stitches, and the lowering of the ring
the shortening of the stitches as will be described.
On the top of this race-way, which entirely surrounds the cam ring and is smooth
and level at its top, runs or travels the outer end of a tension lever c, see Figure 23,
pivoted on a stand fast on the cam ring, the inner end of the said lever engaging
a stud erected upon the slide a23 to which is attached the main drawing-down
cam a hereinbefore referred to.
Preferably the tension lever, however, will have additional means, as for instance,
an adjustable screw a10 Figure 13 by which to more carefully regulate the tension
within the limits of the automatic adjustment.
It will be understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the exact
means shown between the race-way and the drawing-down cam to automatically
adjust the same, or to the exact means shown for moving the race-way vertically.
In practice, the tension lever rides upon the race-way both when the machine
is doing circular and reciprocating knitting.
Figure 11 having its
The guiding gates have lugs at their rear ends near their points, which lugs are
embraced loosely by the inner end of a gate-moving lever
fulcrum at c in a slotted stand c erected on the cam ring.
The lever is adapted as herein represented, to be
actuated by a cam c

page_text: Figure 12 having a sleeve-like hub c which is mounted loosely upon a stud or
pivot e, the cam being adapted to be both oscillated and to be moved toward and
from the tripping pins.
The cam, as shown, has a locking finger 2 to engage a finger or projection 3 of
the said lever so that the said cam in its oscillations may rock the said lever
positively on its fulcrum to raise or lower the points of the guiding gates, such
positive motion being of importance when running at high speed.
The locking finger 2 and projection 3 may however be omitted and the said
lever be kept in contact with the cam by a suitable spring as co or the spring may
also be used with the fingers as indicated in Figure 11.
To avoid friction during the movements of the lever, I may and prefer to apply
to the lever a friction wheel c', which is adapted to run against a guide plate co
forming part of a cover plate c2 attached by a screw c¹³ to the stand co.
The cam chas, as represented, two inclined slots 4 5, located as herein shown at
about 120° apart, the cam having a depressed portion 6 and at each side of the said
depressed portion a high part 7, 8.
The hub of the cam has an annular groove 9 which is entered by suitable studs
connected, with a yoke c*, pivoted at ex on the plate c, the outer or free end of
the yoke being sufficiently extended beyond the hub of the cam to pass between
shoes d, of a controlling lever d² pivoted at d³ on a stand do as when circular
knitting is being done, and as represented in the left-hand diagram of Figure 19,
or to strike against the shoe d as when the cam c is to be moved into range of the
tripping pins to do narrowing and widening, or to strike the shoe a¹ as when the
said cam is to be moved away from the tripping pins or out of their range as when
circular work is to be recommenced.
In order that the cam cs may not be affected by momentum or get out of place
accidentally, its hub has been provided with a locking block c, having as herein
shown see Figure 20, three sides, one of which is always acted upon by a suitable
spring 16.
It will be understood that the stop rings or bars will be racked or moved during
narrowing to cause the stops attached thereto to travel the stops of one bar
toward the stops of the other bar during narrowing, and during widening to
travel away from each other, and that such movement of the stop bars will
cause the tripping pins to be carried toward each other during the successive
courses of narrowing, and then to be moved away from each other during the
successive courses of widening, and consequently the tripping pins may be struck
sooner or later by the cam e in the reciprocations of the cam ring in one and
then in its opposite direction, course after course, and the said pins entering the
slots 4 and 5 in the cam c oscillate the said cam, each pin acting twice in
succession, the cam being tipped one way as it passes a tripping pin in one
direction, and being returned to its normal position as the cam ring is moved in
the opposite direction.
The direction of the slots 4 and 5 in the cam wheel are such as to cause the
cam to be operated at a faster speed as the tripping pin approaches the hub
of the cam, and it is during this fastest speed of the cam that the guiding gates
are shifted, the shifting of the said gates being very quick, substantially
instantaneous.
The gradual increase and decrease of the speed of the cam also ensures
smoother action of the parts at high speed.
The cam ring has a driver d*, see Figures 13 and 22 which travels with the
said ring, and in its movements when oscillating meets first one and then the
other of the stops a³ and a³ of the jack or sinker actuating ring A7 to cause
it to travel thereafter with the cam ring, the lost motion between the driver
and the stops permitting the cam part of the sinker actuating ring to get at
the proper distance behind the knitting cams of the cam ring, as is necessary to
enable the knitting machine to knit properly.
The cam ring has mounted upon it an arm do Figure 13.

page_text: Preferably the said arm will be pivotally connected or mounted as at 30,
and to the other end of this arm is attached a combined latch guard and yarn
support it being extended more or less about the raised ends of the needles
and having preferably one or more suitable pins or projections, as d, Figure 27
to prevent the yarn in the reversing movements of the cain ring from drawing up
over and off the top of the said combined latch guard and yarn support.
In accordance with my invention the yarn going to the needles is delivered
by whatever yarn guide used upon the outside of the combined latch guard
and yarn support, instead of being delivered from between the underside of the
Jatch guard and the needles.
This delivery of the yarn from the outside of the latch guard and yarn support
is applicable not only to machines of the class herein shown wherein the needles
are so actuated that they may have their hooks all put into the same plane to
receive the loops of a rib top, but also to any machine having a conical needle bed
whether the cams are arranged to put the needles into topping position, or
otherwise.
In the employment of a series of needles arranged in a cylindrical bed, the yarn
may contact with the needles below their latches without detriment, but when the
needles are so arranged in a conical bed the result is different, for the yarn if
permitted to contact with the needles under their latches will slide up toward the
apex of the cone and become entangled with the latches.
have overcome this difficulty by interposing between the needles and the yarn
guide, see Figures 13 and 27, a latch guard and yarn support which prevents
the contacting of the yarn with the needles not being actuated for knitting the
yarn leaving the yarn guide being deposited upon the latch guard and passing
therefrom to the needles used for knitting, the yarn during the further move-
ment of the latch guard past the needles not used for knitting being received
upon the said latch guard and sliding up on the same out of range of the latches or
hooks of the needles, the yarn being prevented from slipping off the upper end of
the latch guard by means of suitable pins or projections such as d³.
When the cams of the cam ring are so arranged as to put the needles into
position to receive the loops of a rib top, then it is essential that the combined
latch guard and yarn support extend entirely about the circle occupied by the hooks
of the elevated needles, but if the cams in the cam ring are arranged merely to
enable circular and reciprocal knitting to be done without provision for bringing
the hooks of the needles into one plane to receive a rib top, then the combined
latch guard and yarn support need not be extended entirely about the circle of
needles but may be made of usual length.
Referring now to Figure 27. showing the latch guard as extended entirely
about the circle of needles, it will be noticed that the yarn guide d³, is attached to
a stand and that the upper end of the yarn guide has two rollers d d³, between
which the yarn passes, and two other rollers d d see also Figure 35, of peculiar
shape, between which the yarn passes to contact with the outer side of the latch
guard, the two rollers and do, being considered desirable because the yarn is
delivered over one roller when the cam ring is being reciprocated in one direction,
and over the other roller when it is being reciprocated in the other direction, the
said rollers serving merely to avoid friction on the yarn, thus reducing the friction
to the minimum and enabling soft yarns to be used with safety, and at the same
time the employment of these rolls which are rotated constantly by the yarn passing
over them, is of importance because when the free end of a second yarn to re-enforce,
a heel or toe, or to be employed in the knitting of a heel or toe, comes in contact
with the said moving rolls, the yarn is fed forward with certainty to the needles.
The rollers do, do will in practice be mounted on studs carried by a plate d³×
connected adjustably by a screw 10x, to the foot of a bracket dx adjustably
attached by a screw 13x to the arm d, the adjustment of the said parts enabling
the rolls to be adapted to any sized needle-bed which may be used.
When the loops of a rib top are to be applied to the needles put into topping

page_text: position, the combined latch guard and yarn support will be turned back about its
hinge to uncover the hooks of the needles.
Under the bed and table-plate is a shaft having suitable bearings as d¹³ d",
Figure 6, the bearing d being made as a sleeve, see Figure 29", to receive upon
it loosely a monitor or chain carrying wheel it having suitable annular spaces
for the reception, in this present instance of my invention, of three pattern
chains e, e¹, e to be described, placed side by side on the said monitor wheel.
The monitor wheel at or near one end, as shown, is slotted or notched to be
engaged by a locking device e³ carried by a disc or wheel e' adjustably attached to
the shaft 2
This manner of mounting the monitor wheel on its shaft cuables the monitor
wheel to be disconnected from the driver, the disc e', so that the wheel may be
turned backward or forward as desired, independently of the rest of the machine,
this being desirable, as for instance, in case of accident to the knitting of a leg, the
loops may be run off and the monitor and its chains be reversed quickly into
starting position ready to let the machine be started again to commence
stocking.
shaft .
a
The shaft d has fast upon it a worm toothed gear e which is engaged and
rotated intermittently by a worm plate e Figure 24 fast upon the main rotating
Under the table-plate is a rock-shaft e Figure 13 having fast to it at its front.
end an arm which enters a slot in and actuates the controller lever d², the said
shaft having a second arm elo, see Figures 6 and 11, which in Figure 6 is shown as
connected at its lower end loosely to a brake frame e pivoted at e¹³ upon a vertical
stud and having a preferably spring-like shoe or face e".
The shaft has also fixed to it the hub of a monitor lever f, see Figure 25
having a toef by which through the chain e the said rock-shaft may be turned
when it is desired to actuate the controller and the brake e¹².
As herein shown, the hub 12, see Figure 25 of the monitor lever has
mounted on it loosely the hub of the monitor lever of elbow-shape, its short
arm being provided with two toes 13, 14 which embrace the toe' of the lever f.
Loose on the shaft. 8 is another monitor lever f³ of elbow-shape, see Figures 5
and 23, connected by link with the projection of the race-way before
described, the said lever having a toe 15 to bear upon the chain e', the sole purpose
of which is by or through the links of different height to effect the ascent and
descent of the race-way as desired to make the loops of the desired length
according to the part of the stocking being knitted, a spring f acting normally
to keep the toe against the said chain.
Prior to this invention it has been customary to raise and lower a needle
bed to make the loops longer or shorter, but a conical bed could not rest upon
a cam ring and be raised and lowered thereby and yet preserve the proper relative
operative position of the co-operating parts, hence the race-way herein provided
for or some independently controlled equivalent device becomes an essential feature
in a machine having a conical needle-bed.
The shaft e also serves as the fulcrum for another monitor lever, shown in
position in Figure 3.
16
0
18
The lever is of elbow-shape and has its lower arm connected by link f' with
an arm of a vertically arranged rock shaft / having a second arm connected
by a link with an arm 13 of a rock-shaft having at its other end a double-
ended toothed segment which at its opposite ends engages respectively
pinions and provided respectively with eccentrics and, see Figure 14,
so that when the said double-ended segment is moved by or through the pattern
surface, the said eccentrics will be put into one of their three positions, so that,
acting in suitable slots of pawl carriers m, m³, to be described, one having two
pawls 26, 27, and the other two pawls 28, 29, either the pawls 26 and 29 or the
pawls 27 and 28 will be put into acting position, according to the direction it is

page_text: f
desired to move the stop rings, as will be described, or to put the pawl carriers in
such position that both of the pawls will be in their inoperative positions.
The lower end of the monitor lever / has attached to it a rod g provided with a
pin or projection g', Figure 5 the outer end of the said rod being passed through a
hole in the outer end of a shipper lever g2 pivoted on a substantially upright
pivot and having a double belt fork at its opposite end, the outer end of the belt
shipper having attached to it one end of a spring which at its other end is
connected to said rod, the said spring acting normally to keep the belt shipper in
such position as to enable the belts controlled by it to be kept upon the loose
pulleys, located at opposite sides of the tight pulley, fixed on the power
shaft g
When the driver belt is on the tight pulley, the cam ring will be rotated for
circular or all round knitting, but when the belt is on the said tight pulley, the
said cam ring will be reciprocated for narrowing and widening.
The power shaft g" has a pinion which engages a spur gear fast on the main
shaft e
This main shaft has also fast upon it a disc 2, shown best in Figure 7 it having a
notch 16 and having a portion of its periphery cut away, as at 17, and having an
attached flange or plate 17* extending from the disc at the side of its cut away
portion.
Loosely mounted on the hub of the disc 2 is a gear wheel ³, shown detached
in Figure 9, the said wheel being herein designated as the cam ring driving
wheel.
This wheel has at its inner side suitable guides 19, 20, for a sliding plate or
carriage, slotted to embrace the hub of the said wheel, and having at one end a
coupling pin 21 and at its other end a projection, preferably in the form of a roller,
as 22.
The plate has connected to it suitable springs best shown in Figure 9, which
act normally to keep the roller 22 out beyond the flange 23* of the said wheel and
in range of the shoe e¹ of the brake e when the latter is in its operative position,
as will be described.
Loose on the shaft and embracing, as represented, the disc 2, is a vibrator /
having a notch 23, shown best in Figure 8, which is adapted to be entered by the
coupling pin 21.
The vibrator has pivoted upon it at a locking dog the front end of which
forms one side of the notch 23, a spring a connected to the vibrator normally
acting upon the end of the said dog to keep its front end in the position Figure 8.
When the coupling pin 21 is in the notch 16 of the disc, the latter assumes
control of the wheel ³ and rotates it so that it, in engagement with a pinion last
on the shaft 3, rotates said shaft, causing its bevel gear B³, to be rotated and
rotate the cam ring for circular knitting but when the coupling pin is in the notch 23
of the vibrator, then the vibrator assumes control of the wheel, causing it, in
engagement with the said pinion 410 to oscillate the shaft 2 and its attached bevel
gear B, and reciprocate the cam ring for reciprocating or heel and toe knitting
the disc fast on the shaft e rotating in the meanwhile within the oscillating
vibrator.
The vibrator has a stud k, which by connecting rod is jointed to an adjustable
pin of an arm or crank ³ fast on a rotating shaft, said shaft having a spur
wheel which is engaged and rotated by the spur gear fast on the shaft e
the rotations of the shaft through the connections described moving the vibrator
continuously.
The shaft
gears
in a hanger
The hub
see
has like cams,
which engages two
described, has fixed upon it at one end a pinion
Figure 14, fast on like hubs mounted on like studs
Figure 15 depending from the bed-plate A¹.
held
has attached to, it two cams 17, see Figure 15 while the hub 2
only the outer one A however being shown.

page_text: The hubs are rotated or reciprocated according
reciprocated.
The cam actuates the pawl carrier m, and the cam 18 the pawl carrier m
before described, the said cams contacting with suitable roller or other studs mounted
apon the pawl carrier.
To enable the reciprocating movement of the pawl carriers to be arrested when
circular knitting is being done I have provided the lower ends of the said carriers
with legs 32 having feet 33 which when the pawl carriers are elevated by the
cams and 18, the eccentrics before referred to at such time being in position to
hold both sets of pawls out from engagement with the change wheels, will
cause the feet to ride up and lodge upon the upper ends 34 of stilts 35, the said
stilts keeping the pawl carriers elevated until they are moved aside in one or the other
direction by the eccentrics referred to to bring one or the other pawl of the pawl
carriers into operative position to engage and rotate the change wheels A2 A23.
These change wheels are fast respectively upon the hubs of gears n n' mounted on
shafts n n, the gear a engaging the stop ring while the gear a engages the stop
ring b, the motions imparted to the said gears during the shogging motion being
exactly opposite, a suitable friction device or drag, as n shown in Figure 15 as a
spring, acting to prevent any over-running of the motion of the said gears.
Each change wheel is engaged by a locking rod or bar, as one of which bars is
shown in section in Figure 15, it being represented as provided with a roller or
other stud n which is acted upon by the cam ", the said locking rod engaging and
locking the change wheels after they have been moved by the pawls.
The pattern chain e, see Figure 28, has links or projections of different height,
and the entire length of the said chain as well as the chains el e² are used during the
formation of a stocking, chains of different length being employed, according to the
length of the stocking.
The lever operates the belt shifter before the lever operates the shaft e to
put the shoe, Figure 5, in position to operate the change gear.
The chaine has links of two different heights, and when the highest links act on
the toe 13, the monitor lever causes the movement of the shipper lever to put the
belt g' on the tight palley glo, but when the short links come under the toe 14, then
the monitor lever is moved in the direction to cause the shipper lever to put the
belt on the tight pulley g.."
It is obvious that this chain might be provided with links of an intermediate length
to cause the belt shipper to be moved to such extent as to retain both belts on the
loose pulleys, such position of the shipper being called for at the completion of a
stocking, so as to automatically stop the machine if desired, which would be the
practice in case the stockings being knitted were knitted upon rib tops transferred
upon the needles, but when the machine is used to knit a tube having heel and toe
bulges, as before referred to, then it is preferred that the machine continue in
operation indefinitely.
The chain e shown best in Figure 25, and instrumental only in governing the
length of stitches as described has links of various height.
The links contained between the brackets o will act upon the toe 15 of the
monitor lever when the top or large part of the leg of the stocking is being
knitted, the said toe acting upon the portions of the chain included in the bracket.
while the lower part of the calf and ankle are being knitted and the leg having been
knitted, the parts of the chain included in the bracket c2 will act under the toe 15
to effect the lengthening of the loops for narrowing and widening in the heel, and
the heel having been knitted, the part of the chain included in the bracket will
come into operation effecting a shortening of the loops in the foot, and thereafter as
the toe is to be commenced the portion of the chain in the bracket of will come into
operation and again lengthen the loops for the purposes described.
The chain e, see Figure 23, will have links of three different heights, those of one
length acting through the monitor lever and its connections, moving the eccentrics
referred to so as to enable 'the pawls 26 and 29 to be operative in the racking

page_text: motion, another height of links enabling the pawls 27 and 28 to be operative in the
racking motion, while an intermediate height of links will cause the eccentrics to be
put into such position as to prevent either set of pawls referred to from operating
the change wheels.
The snail wheel e" has at one side a projection 00, see Figures 5 and 24, which
during the rotation of the said snail wheel strikes the lower end of a lever 461
mounted on an annular disc e slotted at e63, to embrace the sleeve-like hub 4
before referred to, through which is extended the shaft d¹.
The said annular disc 2 has a second slot e, which receives a pin e stationary
with relation to the framework.
The disc also has a toe e66, which during the movement of the chain e² may be
struck at its bevel side by a laterally-extended projection es see Figure 29", or pin
carried by the said chain to thus lift the disc and cause it to elevate the lever e
until its upper hooked end e meets the projection 614 from the race-way ¹³.
It is during the time that the projection 7 is in engagement with the
projection that the cam e works to vibrate the levered and cause the race-way
to be moved in the direction to raise the same and enable the stitches to be
elongated or lengthened sufficiently to form a slack course.
The projection e keeps up its engagement with the projection always for a
sufficient length of time to enable the cam ring to rotate once, thus making a slack
course, and the chain e² may have pins located upon it to operate as described
whenever a slack course is desired.
The spring faids the descent of the ring 613, but it would descend by gravity.
In practice, in the operation of the chains e e¹ e² referred to, the speed of the
chains is such that the cam ring makes several revolutions while each link of the
chain is in operative position.
The slack course device may be omitted altogether when long stockings are being
made, but it will be used when socks are being knitted.
The slack course device is divorced from the chain e¹ for the reason that it would
be impossible to make with a short chain such as herein used a single slack course,
for as stated, a number of revolutions of the machine takes place with each link of
the chain, but by the slack course device as described, a single course may be made
slack at any desired point in the knitting.
I will now describe the thread changing mechanism by which either an entirely
different thread may be inserted in the heel or toe to the exclusion of any other
thread, or whereby an extra or re-enforcing thread may be added to the main thread
used in the stocking.
Figures 30 to 33 show this thread changing apparatus and referring to said
figures D represe its a frame attached to the table-plate A*.
B*, B* are two rollers, preferably corrugated and held lightly pressed together
by a suitable spring as p Figure 30 acting upon the bearings for one of the said
rolls, the bight of the said rolls being directly over the centre of rotation of the
cam ring.
The frame Dx referred to supports a shaft C* having a sprocket wheel,
Figure 5 which in practice will be driven by a sprocket chain C2 from a sprocket
wheel 10 fast ou the power shaft 13, the said shaft C* being revolved constantly
and at the speed of the cam ring when the latter is being rotated for circular work.
D D are two discs secured to the shaft Cx, the said discs having cam grooves
and cam plates, substantially as shown in the drawing.
F is a connecting piece slotted to straddle the hub Cx and to be guided by the hub
of the disc surrounding it as the said connecting piece is reciprocated longitudinally
or toward and from the centre of the machine, the said connecting piece having a
rigid pin G'.
The rear end of the said connecting piece is embraced by the forked upper end
of a projection 60 Figure 5 extended upwardly from the monitor lever f, the said
projection, by its action upon the said connecting piece, moving it laterally, or either
to one side or the other of the space between (the discs D, D' according to the

page_text: action of the high or low links of the monitor chain e, the fork at the same time
allowing the said connecting piece to reciprocate freely toward and from the centre
of the machine.
I is a rack attached to the frame D× in such way that it can slide in and out
from the centre of the machine.
This rack engages with a pinion J' fastened to and so as to operate a shaft K' to
which is attached a spur segment L' which engages and operates the pinion M'
secured to the hollow shaft N1, the said shaft having hinged to it two yarn
arms OP to guide two yarns.
To the bottom end of the shaft K₁ is attached a pinion O', see Figure 33, by
means of friction only, suitable check nuts being provided, the tightening and
loosening of which adjusts such friction by causing the like washers R₁ to be more
or less pressed between the surface of the pinion O¹ and a collar S¹ solid on the
shaft K. The pinion O¹ engages with racks T' and U' provided respectively with
arrow-headed cams p', p³.
The rack T has a projection p near its rear end, see Figure 30%, and pare
shears, so constructed that they may be closed to cut the thread by forcing between
their rear or hinged ends either of the arrow-headed cams por p³, suitable
springs p p being provided to open the shears after they have been closed and the
cams closing them have been withdrawn.
The screw pacts as a fulcrum for the shears.
Between the head of the screw 7 and the blades of the shears is a washer 10,
preferably of rubber, which enables the shears to be held together at all times
closely so as to cut the thread cleanly, but instead of the rubber spring, any
other spring might be used.
The hollow shaft N¹ see Figure 30B is bored, or constructed to form two passage-
ways, one for the passage of the thread p employed during circular knitting, and
the other for the passage of the thread pl³ which may be either the re-cuforcing
or an independent thread to be employed only in the heel and toe.
The thread p is passed through the yarn arm 0°, while the thread p is passed
through the yarn arm P.
The thread p as shown in Figure 30B, is so held by the arm O' that it is kept from
contact with the rollers B and B*, so that they cannot engage the said thread
while in the position Figure 30, but at that time the end of the thread p³, which
is not being knitted but is in the arm p, is grasped between the said rollers.
As the present machine requires the introduction of a separate thread, as pa
when kuitting the heel and toe the timing of the introduction of said thread is
determined by the pattern chain e, and lever, but the introduction of the thread
is not intended to be limited to any one particular spot, nor is it intended to limit this
invention to any particular chain for determining the time for introducing an extra
thread.
When a high link in the chain e, a link such as will effect the production of
reciprocating knitting, is used, the monitor lever will tilt the fork or projection 60
and more the end of the connecting piece F', so that one end of the pin G¹ thereof
will be withdrawn from the cam groove g of the disc D and the other end of the
said pin will be brought into the cam groove q' of the disc D'.
These discs revolving as before described, the pin G only remains in the
groove long enough to allow the knitting to arrive at the exact point where it is
desired to introduce the thread p¹³.
The position of the disc D₁ on the shaft Cx having been adjusted for this
purpose, at the moment when the change of thread is to be commenced, the cam q²
comes in contact with the pin G' and compels it to travel along its inclined surface
until the pin reaches the outside circumference of the disc D'.
This operation draws the connecting piece F1 and its attached rack out the
full length of their stroke in a direction away from the centre of the machine, and
during this operation the pinion J, shaft spur segment L' pinion M' hollow
shaft N, thread arms O P are moved with the following results viz. -the cam g³

page_text: Figure 34 attached to the spur segment L' is withdrawn from the guide trip-
lever Figure 30 pivoted on the frame, which allows the arm 0° to be brought
opposite the centre of the rollers B* and B* by the spring while the action of
the spur segment L' on the pinion M to which the guides are connected by means
of the hollow shaft N!, causes the thread arms to revolve, thus twisting together
he two threads while held by and passing between said rolls, to form as it were a
single thread.
The travelling knitting or leg thread 12, twisted with the thread p¹³ and put
into position between the rollers Bx and 13x, as stated, causes the circumference of
the said rolls by the action of the said thread thereon to travel at the speed of the
thread and thus draw down between the rolls and from the arm p the
thread, previously twisted around the running thread p¹, this running together
of the two threads continuing until the end of the thread 13 reaches the knitting
needles, the two threads being knitted in together for the space of a few
needles.
In the movement of the parts as before described and during the operation
above repeated, the thread arms and P are revolved so as to twist the threads
together, and the thread arm P has by the gearing, suitably proportioned been
left in the position previously occupied by the thread arm 0, and the arm O'
occupies the position previously occupied by the thread arm P.
A reverse cam 7 similar to the cam and carried by the gear segment L', is
adapted to engage with the trip-lever at the end of the motion of the
gear segment described, to bring the arm P' into its other or tipped position
so that the thread pl3 which is now running through it is guided out from contact
with the rollers B* and is placed out of reach of the shears.
'
This done, the shears are actuated to close and cut the leg thread p that at
this time is running between and acting to revolve the rollers, the revolution
of the rollers being stopped as soon as the leg thread is cut, the rollers thereafter
acting to hold the end of the leg thread out of action.
Before a high link of the chain e acted to move the forked connection 60 to.
produce the movements above described, the arrow-pointed shear cam p³ occupied
the position, see Figure 30°, between the handles or rear ends of the shears thus
keeping their front ends closed, but on the first movement of the shaft K' the
pinion was driven by the friction connection described so as to withdraw the
said cam from between the handles of the shears, so that the shears were
immediately opened by their springs allowing the threads that had commenced
to twist and run into and between the centre of the rolls, to pass down together to
the needles.
3
The motion of the pinion O¹ in engagement with the racks T' U₁ in withdrawing
the camp advances the cam p² toward the point of contact of the handle parts
of the shears, but the completion of the movement of said cam p³ which otherwise
would effect the closing of the shears too soon, is stopped by the projection p
coming in contact with the revolving stop p10, see Figure 30, on the disc D, thus
allowing the shaft K by means of the friction connection to complete its movement
without however moving the cam p2 far enough to close the shears, thus giving
the arm p sufficient time to remove the heel thread carried by out of the reach
of the shears, which is done by tipping the carrier as before described.
The shaft K, now being stationary, no further movement of the pinion O¹ and
shear cams p2 p³ can occur from this source.
The shears are closed when all movement of the thread carriers has ceased,
and at the exact moment, required in the knitting, by the outer edge of the
adjustable cam p" coming in contact with the projection 1, causing the movement
of the racks T and U allowed by the friction-connection of the pinion O¹ and
forcing the cam p² to the position to close the shears at the time and in the manner
previously referred to.
To prevent the loose end of the newly introduced heel thread from separating
from the running thread in passing through an ordinary thread guide hole

page_text: preparatory to reaching the needles, the threads will be guided preferably over
grooved pulleys d d at the points desired, said pulleys helping by their rolling
action as described to increase the adhesion of the threads and prevent them from
untwisting.
The knitting of the heel having been completed, the change back to the leg
thread for the purpose of knitting the foot is accomplished as follows, viz. :—one
of the low links see Figure 28ª, of the chain einstrumental in establishing the rotary
motion of the cam ring will act and cause the forked arm 60 to move the pin GI
from its position at the circumference of the disc D¹ into a similar position with
relation to the circumference of the disc D.
The machine continues to revolve and at the moment when the change of thread
is to be commenced the cam r of the disc D see Figure 32, comes in contact with
the raid pin G, compelling it to travel into the groove q.
This operation causes the movement of the connecting piece F¹ and the rack I¹
the full length of their stroke toward the centre of the machine producing in all
the parts previously referred to movements correspondingly reversed to those
previously described, resulting in again bringing the arins 0 and P and their
threads into their first normal position or the position occupied for circular
knitting.
In this reverse operation of the parts, the shears are stopped from closing at
the wrong time by the projection it moving inwardly and coming in contact with
the revolving stop 71, but are closed at the proper time by the action of the inner
edge of the cam pl².
When it is desired to continue the knitting of the leg thread during the knitting
of the heel so as to knit into the heel two threads, one being called a re-enforcing
thread, it is necessary to remove the cam p² from the rack T so that the shears
will not close on the leg thread and to provide the gear segment L with an
additional cam finger, shown in Figure 34, to come in contact with the tipping
lever so as to tip the thread arm P out to guide the running leg thread from
between the rollers while knitting the heel.
1 have described the revolving of the thread arms for the purpose of twisting
the threads between the rollers, B*, but the same effect may be produced by
holding the guides in a fixed position and by revolving the said rollers in their
stead in a plane parallel with their axes, the rollers having their journals suitably
supported in a horizontal rotating frame.
In the method herein explained, wherein the arms are rotated, the bobbins
standing still, the hollow shaft N¹ has to be revolved for the purpose of twisting
the threads below the arms, and at the same time the threads will also twist together
above the hollow shaft unless means are provided to prevent them.
As one means by which to prevent this twisting of the threads above the shaft
and between it and the take-up lever 102 Figure 1 I have provided a series of
guiding sleeves 103 which are coupled together by suitable connecting pieces 104
so that the sleeve nearest the gear M will partake of part of a revolution before
the next connecting piece above it will commence to move, and so on.
The combined effect of these several thread guiding sleeves and connecting
pieces allows the hollow shaft N¹ to partake of the desired number of revolutions
without rotating the uppermost connecting piece 104 attached to the stationary
arm 105 immediately below the take-up lever 102, as shown in Figure 26.
In this way the threads twisted together by the hollow shaft N' are kept
separated though they assume a spiral position.
When the shoe of the brake e¹ is swung around in the range of move-
ment of the roller 22 attached to the slide h, which movement is effected by the
rock-shaft preparatory to changing from circular to reciprocating knitting,
the said roller strikes the said shoc and forces the slide in a direction to cause
the coupling pin 21 to move out from the notch 16 of the disc and against the
inner edge of the locking dog 48 Figure 10 near its pivot, the said pin thereafter
sliding along said dog, presses the dog outwardly, against the stress of the spring
C

page_text: the pin 21 finally passing beyond the end of the said locking dog into the notch 23
of the vibrator, the free end of the dog then flying back into locking position
behind the said pin.
The speed of the disc 2 and the speed of the vibrator in the same direction at
and about the time that the pin is to finally leave the notch 16 and enter the
notch 23 is the same, thus enabling the said pin to readily pass from one into the
other notch.
After the pin 21 has entered the notch 23, the vibrator in its movements in
the direction of rotation of the disc 2, due to its crank motion, permits the
notch 16 to pass beyond the notch 23, thus bringing the plate 17* attached to
the wheel 2 in position to close the notch 23 in the vibrator and effectually inclose
the pin 21 in the said notch 23.
To change from reciprocating to rotary motion, the brake shoe will be thrown
aside out of the range of movement of the roller 22, thus letting the slide move in
the direction to withdraw the pin 21 from the notch 23, which will be done at that
portion of the stroke of the vibrator when the notch 23 comes opposite the
notch 16 in the disc 2 it in its rotation arriving once during each rotation of the
shifte opposite the said notch 23.
The spring shoe connected with the brake ensures positive contact between the
pin and the edge of the locking dog and aids in putting the pin 21 quickly and
securely into the bottom of the notch 23 of the vibrator.
I have provided the machine with a rock-shafts Figures 1 to 5 having at one.
end a handle s¹ and at or near its other end an arm
By turning this rock-shafts by hand in the direction to cause its arms to engage
by its bevelled portions the shipper lever between its fulcrum and the belt guiding
surfaces, the said shipper lever may be put into its central position as in Figure 5,
and be there held and keep the two belts on the two loose pulleys, the shaft g¹²
being at such time at rest.
When the rock-shaft s is turned by hand in the direction to release the belt shipper,
said shipper by or through the springs attached to the short arm of the lever f
and the spring, will move the shipper lever to the right or left as demanded by
the links of the monitor chain e at that time, thus putting one or the other of the belts
on to the tight pulley, according to whether circular or reciprocating knitting is to
be done.
The gear wheel 47 on the shaft 2 Figure 14 is of such size with relation to the
spur wheels 8, actuated by it and employed for moving the cams 16 and 18 that
the said cams will not receive a full rotation during one full reciprocation in one
direction of said gear or during one reciprocating stroke of the cam ring.
The cams and AS are so shaped, placed, and moved, that during one reciprocation
of the gear wheel k in one direction, but one of said cams can act to reciprocate
a pawl carrier and move a stop ring or rack controlling a tripping pin, the ring or
rack so moved being the one controlling the tripping pin situated across the
machine from the position then occupied by the cam co, and consequently the said
cam cannot strike the tripping pin when not locked.
The locking of the stop rings and consequently of the tripping pins controlled
by them when the said pins are to be struck by the cam e, is effected by like cam
wheel arranged just behind the cam wheels 10, 18, the notches in the wheels
being so adjusted with relation to the depressions in the cam wheels 16, 18, that
when a pawl carrier is descending, the locking rod or bar co-operating with it will
descend and effect the disengagement of its point from a notch in the change
wheel, but after the pawl carrier has risen and moved the change wheel one notch,
then the locking rod or bar will be lifted to engage and securely lock the change
wheel until that particular change wheel is to be again unlocked and rotated,
and it is while the change wheel and consequently the stop ring controlled by it,
is thus held in the locked position that the cam e meets the trip pin co-operating
with said stop ring.
The change wheels
and 123 are made detachable from the gears used in

page_text: connection with the stop rings, so that change wheels having any desired gauge or
pitch of teeth or number of notches may be used, for it is necessary to employ
change wheels having their teeth ganged or pitched to correspond with the gauge
of the needle bed used.
I may employ in one machine any number of conical cylinders of different
length, and each length of cylinder may be grooved for any gauge of work and size
of needle.
While I have been able to gain excellent results by the employment of the
racking devices shown to move the stop rings or bars intermittently, first one and
then the other in the required direction to put the tripping pins in the different
positions required to enable the came to be oscillated and put the guiding gates into
proper position to elevate in usual and proper sequence the endmost needles of the
series of needles used in narrowing, and then lower the said needles in widening, I wish
it to be understood that other well known or suitable racking devices might be
employed to control the gradual approach and separation of the tripping pins and
to hold the said pins from undue motion when struck by the cam c, without
departing from this invention.
Just below the active side of the main drawing-down cam a, see Figure 21, I
have provided the can ring with a false facet acted upon by a spring t, the said
face serving to press lightly on and keep against the acting edge of the drawing-
down cam, the butts of the needles, such action overcoming the tendency of the
butts of the needles when the machine is being run at high speed to break their
contact with the cam, or in other words, the false face referred to prevents any
descent of the needles solely by momentum or further than they would be pushed
by actual contact with the drawing-down cam.
Without this false face, differences between very high and slow speed of the cam
cylinder would effect a difference in the tension of the knitting.
The shape of the cam surface for moving the sinkers is such as to cause the
hooks B thereof to be thrown back as at the left in Figure 18, when the hook of a
needle is about to draw a new loop through an old one, but, before the needle starts
to rise, the sinker is moved into the position shown at the right in Figure 18, so
that the said hook B meets the fabric and keeps it down as the needles rise.
The sinkers are made as levers of the first order, and they are compactly
arranged in notches of the needle bed between the grooves which receive the
needles, and the said sinkers are arranged almost wholly outside the needle bed
upon fulera supported at the outer side of the needle bed, and the cam for
actuating the said sinkers is also arranged wholly outside the needle bed, so that
the interior of the needle bed is left wholly open for the free passage through it
of the knitted material.
Prior to this invention, many different forms of machines have been provided
with sinkers of various different shapes, but prior to this invention I am not aware
that a sinker made as a lever of the first order has ever been employed in
connection with and supported upon a fulcrum carried by a circular needle bed,
the upper ends of the sinkers being guided in slots at the upper end of the needle
bed, at its outer side or face, or that a sinker has ever had a seat at its end as
described.
The thread during reciprocating knitting has to be controlled by a take-up.
In this invention the knitting threads after leaving the usual bobbins or cops of
large carrying capacity pass through a guiding sleeve t Figure 26B and between
the preferably corrugated face of a movable brake 100 and the preferably
corrugated face of a rest 101 a spring 101* acting normally to keep the brake on
the yarn.
Over the brake the yarn passes through an eye 102x at the outer end of a take-up
lever 102 pivoted at t on a frame 111 adjustably attached to a suitable rod or
shaft 112 sustained at a point above the framework.
From the eye of the take-up lever the thread is passed down through an eye in a
block 103 to the thread-presenting mechanism previously described.

page_text: The process of Knitting, when the strain of the yarn on the eye 102x i
sufficient to pull down the outer end of the take-up lever, the said lever then meet
the outer end 104× of the brake and releases the yarn, enabling it to be draw
freely through the brake, as required by the work.
As soon, however, as the yarn is slackened, due to the reversal of the cam ring
the spring 105* pulling on the take-up lever at its rear end, raises the eye 102*
thus taking up the slack yarn, the brake closing on the yarn as the eye rises and
preventing further delivery of the yarn.
When circular knitting is being done, it is desirable to release the running thread
from the action of the brake.
To do this, I have provided a lever 100, pivoted at 107* on a rigid part 109 of
the take-up frame-work.
The outer end of this rod will in practice be joined by a rod 107 with an ear t
Figure 25 on the monitor lever for with some other suitable monitor lever or
actuating device suitably timed.
However actuated, the lever 106 will be moved, when the machine is to be
changed from reciprocating to rotary knitting, in such direction that the inner end
of the said lever by or through a connecting device, shown as a bar 108 slotted
near its upper end to embrace a pin or projection 110 of the clamp 100, will open
the clamp and let the yarn be delivered freely as required.
It is very essential in machines of the class described, that the action of the
take-up upon the knitting threads be uniform throughout, and great difficulty has
been experienced in providing a take-up lever with a spring which will operate
suitably, for in such plans heretofore known to me, the stress upon the spring
has been very variable during the stroke of the take-up.
To overcome this, I have devised means whereby the line of force of the spring
may recede from or approach toward or from the fulcrum of the lever when the
latter is moving, and I have provided means for adjustably connecting the spring
with the lever that this action referred to may be increased or diminished at wili,
To accomplish this, I have provided the take-up lever with a quadrant 115
having suitable holes or projections, with which may be connected one end of a
spring 105 of any desired strength heavy and light springs being used according
to the yarn knitted, the lower end of the spring being attached to a suitable fulcrum
pin t, herein represented as forming part of the lever 106.
The re-enforcing thread pls before referred to, may be led through a guide along-
side of the guide and between the clamp, and then be passed through a second
eye controlled by the take-up lever.
This is of especial advantage for the reason that the re-enforcing thread is
enabled during the knitting of a heel or toe, to withstand part of the strain of the
action of the take-up instead of putting all the strain of the take-up upon the leg
thread alone during such operation.
I have previously described the manner of partially rotating the race-way ¹³ by
or through the chain e¹ and the monitor lever
Referring now to Figure 23, it will be seen that the monitor lever has a series
of holes to, into any one of which may be entered the pin " employed to connect
the link with the said lever.
The adjustment of this link upon the upwardly extended arm of the monitor
lever enables me to employ coarse or fine yarns without any change in the height
of the links of the chain.
When the guiding gates are in their elevated position shown in Figure 21, the
butts of the needles in the groove a, as the cam ring is moved over said butts,
will be struck by one or the other edge of the directing cam and will by said cam
be directed into the knitting groove as to be acted upon by the drawing-down cam.
and be then lifted to take yarn by one of the elevating cams, the latches a³ and a
enabling the passage of the butts of the needles from the knitting groove into the
non-kuitting groove above the ledge a, the said latches closing the open space

page_text: between said grooves and preventing the butts of the needles from entering the
knitting groove except at a point between the guiding gates and by or through the
instrumentality of the directing cam.
When the guiding gates are in their depressed position, shown by Figure 21,
they close the passage between them into the knitting cam grooves, and the lower
sides of the butts of the needles are acted upon by the upper sides of the guiding
gates.
controller d².
When the machine is knitting, producing circular work, the cam wheel c will
be held out of operative position or out of the range of the tripping pins 2
and and at such time the end of the yoke will pass between the shoes of the
In the commencement of a stocking or when knitting a circular web as described,
to consist of tubular portions with bulged portions, when the first courses to
constitute the top of the leg are being knitted, the belt of the machine will be
on the tight pulley and the toe 15 of the monitor lever 3 will rest upon one of the
higher links of the chain e', thus putting the tension ring in position to cause the
main drawing-down cam to form long stitches, and at this time the take-up will be
out of operation and only the leg thread will be presented to the needles.
The rotary motion of the machine will be continued and during the movement of
the chain e the monitor lever f³ will come upon some of the shorter links of the
chain and move the race-way is in such a manner as to shorten the stitches in the
calf or ankle of the leg, as may be desired, to gradually contract that portion of
the stocking as may be desired, and during the last course of circular knitting
preparatory to making the heel, a suitable link on the pattern chain e' will rock the
shaft to put into position the controller &, so that the yoke cx during a part of
the last course of circular knitting will strike the shoe d of the controller to put the
cam into operative position, and as the said shaft is rocked it will move the
brake described to put its shoe into the range of movement of the roll 22 described,
so that the change may he effected as described from circular to reciprocating
knitting at the completion of the said revolution.
At this time also the thread-changing devices come into operation to effect the
change of or addition of the second or re-enforcing thread at the proper moment,
as has been described. Now, during the further rotation of the cam ring in the
direction of circular knitting, and on its last course, the slot 4 of the cam co meets
the tripping pin 62, which partially rotates the said cam, causing it by its cam grades
in engagement with the lever to move the guiding gates from the position
Figure 21 into the position Figure 21 so that one of the guiding gates, as a', will
pass under the butts of the needles toward which it is approaching and will enable
them to be retained in the non-knitting groove a", the cam being rotated sufficiently
far in the same direction to cause the butts of the needles which occupied a position
in the knitting groove when the guiding gates were so moved to be passed under
the drawing-down cam and carried out into the non-knitting groove thus leaving
all the needles with their butts in the non-knitting groove.
In this condition the parts are ready for reciprocating knitting.
It will be noticed in this machine that the normal position of the needles when
not directly reciprocated by the cams is with the needles clevated, and the needles
not used in knitting the heel and toe remain in this position.
Now, as the cam ring is reversed in its movement on its first stroke for recipro-
cating knitting, the groove 5 of the came as soon as it reaches the same tripping
pin 3, moves the cam in the opposite direction to that which it was previously
moved by the same tripping pin, and the ends of the guiding gates are elevated
into the position shown in Figure 21.
During the first part of the stroke of the cam ring for reciprocating knitting and
before the came strikes the tripping pin, the butt of the needle last to pass the
upper side of the guiding gate a' is the first to strike the edge of the deflector next
the said guiding gate and rock the same, so that that needle and other needles
following it will pass above the guiding gate a³ into the non-knitting groove and

page_text: about as the needle last to knit in the last circular course arrives at the deflector,
the came, by its slot 5, strikes the tripping pin 62, quickly shifting the needle gates
putting them back into the position Figure 21 so that the needle next to the said
last needle to knit on the said course is made to pass under the guiding gate as into
the knitting groove.
The movement of the machine is continued in the same direction until the needles
to be used in knitting the first course of the heel are brought into the knitting
groove, at which time the cam arrives opposite or in contact with the tripping
pin 6, and the slot 5 of the said cam engages the said pin, causing the cam to be
turned sufficiently to again put the guiding gates down in the position Figure 21A, and
thereafter in the further continuation of the first reciprocating stroke of the cam
ring, the butts of the remaining needles in the non-knitting groove are made to
travel above the guiding gate a into the non-knitting groove at the other side of
the director, and the movement of the cam ring is continued in the same direction
until the needles which were in the knitting groove as before described are carried
up into the non-knitting groove.
This done, the machine is again reversed for a second course.
The last needle to pass above the guiding gate as it being then in its depressed
position, is the first to strike the opposite side of the director, turning it into the
position Figure 21, causing the butts of the needles to pass the top of the guiding
gate a', which it will be remembered at such time is down, together with the gate a³,
and the needles will be run into the non-knitting groove until the needle last to
take yarn and knit at the end of the first course in narrowing, passes the director,
at which time the slot 4 of the cam c again strikes the tripping pin and
elevates the guiding gates, so that the needle next to the one last to knit is thrown
down into the knitting groove, and so on.
This operation is continued and through devices already described the tripping
pins are made to approach each other thus throwing out of action at the end of the
series of needles used for making the heel, one needle after another in succession on
either side of the machine until the narrowest course of knitting is reached for the
heel, and then by the racking motion the tripping pins are gradually separated,
thus changing the time of operation of the cam c in shifting the guiding gates, and
the needles are gradually put into action one at a time on either end of the series of
needles used in knitting the heel, that is, the needles which were lifted successively
in shorter courses are brought down successively for longer courses until the
widening is completed.
During this operation of making the heel, the tension or stitch was made long
by suitable high links of the pattern chain e for at such time the addition of a
thicker or of a re-inforcing thread requires for the best work the longer stitch.
The widening having been completed, the thread changing mechanism is being
operated at the proper time as has been before described to again bring into
knitting position the thread to be used in the foot of the stocking, the extra thread
used in the heel is cut off automatically, the take-up is rendered inoperative, and,
the rock-shaft having in its movements put the shoe d' of the deflector into
position to withdraw from operative position the cam e, the machine is started
again on its roundabout or circular action, and the further movements of the
monitor chain completes the change to move the cam cylinder at its fastest speed.
The foot of the stocking having been completed, the same operation is gone
through with for the production of the toe, as described for the heel, and the toe
having been finished the circular motion is again commenced in the manner first
described.
Should the machine be employed for making socks, the chain e will have a link
of suitable height to effect the putting of the belt shipper into its central position
with the two belts on the two loose pulleys after the completion of the toe of the
stocking, and the machine will be stopped and the operator would then turn the
cam sufficiently to bring the guiding gates into position to place the butts of all
the needles in the non-knitting groove with their hooks at the same level.

page_text: At this time the combined latch guard and thread support would be turned back
and the operator would pick on or transfer in suitable manner the loops of a rib-top,
and then after returning the guiding gates into the position shown in Figure 21 or
knitting position, would turn back his yarn-guide, supply it with thread, lead the
same to the hooks of the needles, and turn the machine a few courses by hand
through a suitable handle provided for that purpose on the shaft g¹².
This hand rotation of the machine brings the stopping link of the chain referred
to away from under the toe of the monitor lever, and thereafter the shipper lever
will be properly moved to put the belt y on the tight pulley and start the machine
for circular knitting, the heel, foot, and toe being made automatically, as has been
described.
It will be noticed that the conical bed herein shown has a cylindrical shaft
projecting therefrom at a point near the upper end of the bed, leaving the lower
end of the bed overhanging or projecting for a considerable distance beyond the
vertical walls of the shank, the needle cylinder being grooved for a considerable
distance below the upper end of the shank, the shank being of sufficient length to
receive a friction plate which carries the cam ring, the hub of the friction plate
rotating around the shank.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the uppermost
groove a, namely, that above the ledge a, and above the bars a³ and at, the said
bars having connected to their ends the latches a³ and a, serves three purposes,
first, it serves to receive the butts of all the needles used in circular knitting
except at the point where the cams act upon the butts of the needles to reciprocate
them for knitting, secondly to receive the butts of those needles which, when
reciprocating knitting is being done as in the production of heels and toes, are not
made to take yarn and knit, and thirdly, to receive the butts of the needles when
the latter are in their topping position.
Prior to this invention it has been customary to provide cam rings with three
different grooves or spaces, one of which may be designated as the knitting groove,
another a groove in communication therewith in which the butts of the needles rest
when not being directly acted upon by the cams, and a third or independent groove
or space above the said grooves, in which stand the butts of those needles which
are elevated or put entirely out of action and not to be used during the production
of heels and toes.
In accordance with my invention and by reason of the peculiar construction of
the grooves or path-ways occupied by the needles, and of the latches and needle
gates separating the lever non-knitting groove from the knitting groove, there
being but two grooves, it is possible to rotate the machine and leave all the n elles
in the said lever non-knitting groove, and to automatically throw down and knit on
all the needles for circular work or on any desired number of said needles required
for heel and toe work.
The cam ring is kept seated by means of a ring T Figure 16 held in place by
suitable screws T'.
In Figures 3, 6 and 25, 60* represents a brace to aid in stiffening the forked
device 60.
1
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
1, ROBERT WILLIAM KING, of 63 King Street, Montreal Canada, 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 has partly for its object to improve and simplify the construction
of that class of knitting machine wherein the cam ring has at times a rotary
motion, as when knitting the leg and foot of a stocking, and at other times a
reciprocating motion, as when knitting the heel and toc of a sto:king.
In the machine herein described, provision has been made for employing
needle beds shaped to resemble conical frustra of various diameters at their
smaller ends and for sake of brevity I shall sometimes designate said beds as
conical beds.
The beds referred to are interchangeable with the other parts of the machine
and each bed receives each its own proper number of needles; one and the
same cam ring having devices to be described for reciprocating the needles,
co-operating with whatever conical bed may be used, and with whatever number of
needles may be therein contained, so that in a factory having a limited number
of machines any desired number of them may be easily and quickly changed to
produce any desired size of hosiery.
The inclined exterior of the conical needle bed or the part grooved for the
needles is always of the same pitch no matter what the diameter of the tubular
web being knitted; or whether for a baby's stocking, or a stocking of the
largest size, but the length of the needle bed measured upwardly from its lower
end varies, and the shorter the bed the greater the diameter of the opening at
its upper end, and vice-versa, and the greater the diameter of the open upper
end of the conical bed, the larger the diameter of the tubular web knitted, and
vice-versa.
The upper end of the conical needle bed is slotted for the reception and
guidance of a series of lever-like sinkers, pivoted between their ends on a fulcrum
ring located at their outer side of the needle bed, and the outer ends of these
sinkers are acted upon by a sinker actuating cam ring adapted to be rotated, or
to be reciprocated as desired on a guide attached to or integral with the needle
bed, the inner side of the guide forming preferably a seat for the outer ends
of the sinkers as the stitches are being drawn over the inner end thereof.
The needle bed has erected upon it between its ends a guide for a jack or
sinker actuating ring, and mounted upon a suitable fulcrum upon the outer side
of the conical bed is a series of jacks or sinkers, the outer ends of which are
operated by the said jack or sinker-actuating ring, the said guide being slotted
for the passage through it of the butts of the needles when drawn up, a portion
of the guide forming a scat for the outer ends of the sinkers as the stitch is
being drawn.
The machine herein to be described is shown as provided with means whereby
it is rendered automatic in its operations throughout the production of a stocking,
and as the invention is herein embodied, the machine produces a continuous tubular
web having bulges therefrom at proper distances to constitute heels and toes, the
web so produced being severed at desired intervals and if desired suitable slack
courses may be made to aid in putting on rib tops in a topping machine.
The stocking web when divided may be thereafter treated and finished in any
usual way.
The needle cam ring which is also conical has mounted upon it a peculiar latch-
guard and thread-rest to be described.
Co-operating with the needle bed and cam ring are stop ring; or racks deriving
their motion in opposite directions from what is herein denominated a racking

page_text: mechanism the said stop rings having stops to control the distance apart of tripping
pins, which at the proper times in the reciprocation of the cam ring during
narrowing and widening, as in the production of heels and toes, determine when the
guiding gates shall be moved so as to put out of the knitting groove such needles as
may not be required for the course next to be made in narrowing, or put into
the knitting groove such needles as may be required in the next course in
widening.
Means have been provided for varying the length of the stitches, it being desired
to make a shorter stitch at or near the ankle and in the foot of the stocking to
thereby fashion the same, the means consisting essentially of a vertically movable
race-way under the control of a monitor or pattern chain or surface, the said
race-way supporting one end of a lever suitably connected at its other end to the
main drawing-down cam.
Means have been provided for effecting the change from circular to reciprocating
knitting for the cam cylinder, and vice-versa, the said means including a continuously
rotating disc, a vibrator, and a stud mounted upon a slide made radially movable in
a gear wheel and adapted to engage a notch in either the disc or the vibrator, the
said stud when in the disc effecting the rotary motion of the said toothed gear,
and when in the notch in the vibrator effecting a reciprocating motion of the
same gear.
It will be understood that as the conical bed varies in length, the path traversed
by the hooks of the needles in taking thread from the thread guide will vary very
materially, as for instance, the path through which the hooks travel when the bed
is long and the work is small will be nearly that of an acute angle, whereas when
the conical bed is short and the work is of greater diameter, the path through
which the hooks travel will represent a greater angle, but notwithstanding this
variation I have by experiment devised a set of cams which operate perfectly with
these needles of varying length.
The construction of the support for the sinkers and the shape of the sinkers
is such that the action of the actuating ring for moving the sinkers tends to
keep the latter seated upon their pivots when the hooks of the sinkers occupy
their depressed positions, yet by removing a portion of the said ring opposite
the outer end of any sinker, such sinker may be readily withdrawn from the
machine.
The employment of a conical bed in connection with the peculiar guiding gates
herein contained is of especial advantage in a machine capable of circular and
reciprocating movements, because the butts of the needles near the base of the cone
are sufficiently separated, notwithstanding the close arrangement of the hooked
ends of the needles to afford greater time and therefore certainty of operation of
the gates in their action upon any predetermined needle, and by this shape of bed
the dividing wall or "tricks" between the needles may be made wider in the line
of the butts of the needles where the greatest wear and strain comes, and this
separation of the butts to afford space for the individual selection of needles also
makes it possible to run the machine at higher speed.
The machine has been provided with novel and peculiar thread feeding
mechanism, by or through which an entirely independent thread may be supplied
automatically for the production of the heel, or for the production of the toe, thus
making the same of different yarn or of a different colour, and if desired, instead of
introducing a distinct different yarn and removing the yarn used in the leg and foot,
I may add to the thread employed in the leg and foot, an extra or re-enforcing
thread during the production of heels and toes.
I have provided shears or cutting mechanism for severing the knitting threads at
the proper times.
The machine to be herein described, instead of knitting a web such as referred
to, continuously may be made to knit a stocking as a continuation of a rib top, the
said rib top having had its loops transferred upon the hooks of the needles brought
into one plane called a topping-plane," and in the machine to be described it
3.
D

page_text: showing a conical bed having knitting and non-knitting grooves-the topping-plane
is synonymous or the same as the plane occupied by the butts of the needles when
they are in their non-knitting position.
The conical bed herein to be described is peculiar in that it has a tubular
shank extended from its inner shell-like exterior at or near its smaller end, thus
enabling said shank at a point within the enlarged base end of the bed to be
surrounded by a friction ring which carries the knitting cam ring.
I have above stated some of the important results accruing from the employment
of the conical bed, which form of bed I greatly prefer, yet I desire it to be under-
stood that many of the parts of my improved machine are also applicable with
obvious changes to needle beds of other forms adapted for circular work.
Prior to this invention it has been customary in rotary machines to automatically
introduce between two running threads, a third thread to thicken the stocking while
knitting the heel and toc, but in this present invention the stocking leg and foot
may be knitted by the employment of thread of any desired number, and when
making the heel or toe either a second or re-enforcing thread may be added to
the leg thread, or the leg thread may be entirely different cut out and the heel
and toe be knitted by an entirely different thread of any desired number, colour, or
material.
The machine to be herein described will preferably have an entirely separate
thread for the heel and toe, and the leg thread will be cut out or omitted in the
heel and toe, and prior to this invention this has not been done automatically in a
circularly moving machine for hosiery.
In the drawings left with my Provisional Specification-
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a machine embodying my invention, the
view being taken from the right, the pattern or monitor chains being omitted,
the parts shown on said figure being shown on a larger scale in other figures.
Figure 2 is a perspective view, taken from the left of the main portion of the
knitting machine shown in Figure 1 the conical needle bed and bed plate supporting
it, being also emitted, the parts so .omitted to enable the view to be made on a
larger scale, being represented in other figures, the legs 32 and stilts 35 shown in
Figures 3 and 15 being also omitted.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the parts of the machine shown in Figure 2
looking at it from the rear, together with some additional monitor levers and their
connections.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the parts of the machine shown in Figure 2
looking at it from the front, the said machine showing the work depending from or
lying in the delivery trough.
Figure 5, is a rear elevation of my improved machine particularly to show the
driving mechanism, the said figure also showing the bobbins for supplying the
thread the shipper lever being shown however, in a different position.
Figure 5A is a detail of the rod g and some of its parts.
Figure 6, is a partial left-hand end elevation of the machine represented in
Figure 2, chiefly to show the change gearing, the monitor wheel part of one of the
chains, a monitor, and the controlling lever, devices to actuate it and the brake to
be described.
Figure 7, is an enlarged detail in perspective, of the main shaft and the disc of
the change motion fast thereon.
Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective of the vibrator forming part of the change
motion.
Figure 9, is an enlarged perspective of the change motion gear wheel containing
the carriage provided with the coupling stud, to be described.
-
Figure 10, (Sheet 12,) is a view on a smaller scale, shewing the parts represented
in Figures 7, 8 and 9 as assembled, but detached from the machine.
Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional detail taken through one side of the needle
bed, the cam ring, and the parts instrumental in moving the guiding gates.
Figure 114, is a perspective detail of the lever 3.

page_text: Figure 12, is a partial section on the line a Figure 11, chiefly to show the cam
which controls the movement of the guiding gates.
Figure 13 is a perspective top or plan view of the bed-plate, the cam ring, the
cam cylinder needles, sinkers, and adjacent parts to be described.
Figure 14 is a detail on an enlarged scale, of the devices constituting part of the
racking motion to move the stop rings or racks in one or the other direction, the
pinions and on the shafts carrying the eccentrics, said pinions belonging
outside of the pawl-carrying frame being removed, said pinions and double segment
being however represented by dotted lines.
Figure 15 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale through part of the bed
of the machine, the section being substantially in the line Figure 14, the
said figure showing the stop rings and the rings carrying the tripping pins, but
one of the pins being shown, the leg 32 being however in position to rest on the
stilt.
Figure 16 represents in section, the top plate of the machine, the conical bed,
and the cam cylinder; the needles and jacks being omitted.
Figure 17 shows a section of the conical bed.
Figure 18 is a like view with the needles, and jacks or sinkers, and jack or sinker.
actuating ring added.
Figure 19 (Sheet 9,) shows in different positions the upper end of the controller,
together with the end of the yoke, the controller being in its different positions
according to the work to be done.
Figure 20 is a section below the dotted line 0, Figure 11.
Figure 21 is an inverted plan view of the cam ring laid out or developed, the
guiding gates and needle director being shown in their knitting position for all
round or circular knitting.
Figure 21 is a detail representing the guiding gates and the needle director
in a different position, the guiding gates being in their non-knitting position, the
director being in the position that it will occupy during its first stroke for recipro-
cating knitting.
Figure 21, is a section in the line ³ Figure 21.
Figure 22, is a top or plan view of the jack or sinker actuating ring, together
with the driver, the latter deriving its motion from the cam ring and moving the
sinker actuating ring at the desired times.
Figure 22, is a detail showing the shape of the cam portion of the jack or sinker
actuating ring.
Figure 23 is a perspective detail showing the pattern chain and the monitor lever,
and parts employed for operating the race-way for varying the length of stitches
the said figure also showing the lever riding on the race-way and connected with
the carriage or slide which in practice carries the main drawing-down cam, a needle
being shown in position.
Figure 24 is a detail explanatory of the means for the production of the slack
course.
Figure 25 is a detail showing two of the monitor levers and their toes, one of the
levers being partially broken out to show parts behind.
Figure 26, is a detail showing part of the take-up mechanism.
Figure 26 shows one of the thread guiding swivelling sleeves.
Figure 26 an end view of the yarn guide *.
Figure 27 a detail showing the latch guard, my improved thread rest, and the
yarn guide.
Figure 28 a detail showing the pattern chain e², and
Figure 28 a like view of the pattern chain e.
Figure 29 is a diagram to be referred to.
Figure 29 is a detail top or plan view of the bed plate with its stop rings and
tripping pins and their carrying rings in place.
Figure 29 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken through the monitor hub,
or barrel, the figure showing one of the chains and its side or lateral projection.

page_text: Figure 30 is an enlarged perspective view of the thread changing mechanism.
Figure 30 is a detail showing in end view the clamping rolls employed to hold
the main threads employed in knitting.
Figure 30, (Sheet 22,) is a sectional detail of the hollow thread conducting
shaft and some of the attached parts.
Figure 30°, is an underside view of the parts represented in Figure 30, chiefly to
illustrate the shears or cutting mechanism and their actuating parts, the cover 80
being removed.
Figure 31 is a partial section in the line
Figure 30° looking to the right.
Figure 32 is a like sectional detail looking to the left.
Figure 33 is a sectional detail on the line
Figure 34 is a detail showing part of the gear segment with the reinforcing cam
finger attached.
Figure 30°.
Figure 35 is a detail showing the yarn guide and some of its attached parts.
The frame-work consists of suitable legs A, on which is mounted the table
plate A*.
The table plate is cut away centrally as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, 11 and 13, for
the reception of the bed plate A' which receives the cylindrical shank A2 of the
needle-bed A which in shape resembles a hollow frustrum but which shall
denominate hereinafter as a conical bed.
The shank is held in place by suitable screws Figure 16.
I have achieved excellent results by making the inclination of the exterior of the
bed at an angle of about 45° from a perpendicular.
The effective size of the needle bed in the production of a stocking, and the
diameter of the tube to be knitted for the same, depends upon the diameter of
the smaller end of the bed.
Referring to the diagram Figure 29, which shows in elevation an entire cone,
it will be seen that by cutting the same on the line, or ², 2 beds will be formed
of different length and having openings at their smaller ends of different diameters,
the beds being alike except as to length and the diameter of the openings at their
smaller ends.
A bed of such form, of whatever effective diameter at its smaller end, may have
its shank entered in one and the same central opening in the bed-plate A. and a
tube of greater or less diameter may be knitted on the machine by substituting a
bed having the proper sized opening at its smaller end.
The needle-bed is grooved from end to end for the reception of the shanks of the
needles, and near its smaller end the bed is notched or grooved, as at A' Figure 16
between the needle grooves for the reception of jacks or sinkers A°.
The needle bed has erected upon it between its ends a guide rim A Figure 16
for the actuating ring A', which operates the jacks or sinkers, the said guide rim
being slotted in line with the needle grooves to permit the butts of the needles to
be withdrawn from the bed at its small end, and being provided at its inner
side or edge with a seat portion for the outer end of the sinkers when the stitch
is being made, and below the guide rim and the upper end of the bed, and outside
the same, is an annular notch A for the reception of a wire A which I shall
denominate the fulcrum wire for the jacks or sinkers.
The shank A2 of the bed located between its ends, as illustrated, besides adding
very materially to the strength of the bed and enabling a comparatively light
weight bed to be used, also serves as a guide for a friction ring B, the hub of which
has a running fit on the said shank.
The friction plate or ring B at its periphery has fitted to it and carries the cam
ring B, the shank A² of the bed constituting a centre bearing for the said cam
ring in its movements, thus keeping its centre of rotation co-incident with the
centre of the bed the employment of the shank A2 as the centre of movement
for the cam ring enabling the contacting surfaces to be made of smaller diameter
than the large end of the bed, which is of advantage, as the nearer the hub of the

page_text: cam ring to its centre of rotation or movement, the slower the surface speed of
the hub on its bearing (the shank) other things being equal, and the less the
friction, and consequently the less the power required to move the cam ring in
knitting.
The lower end of the cam ring has bevelled teeth B2 which may be engaged
by a bevel gear B³, fast on a shaft see Figures 1 and 5 adapted to be either
rotated or reciprocated, according to whether the cam ring is to be rotated for
circular work or reciprocated for reciprocating knitting, as when narrowing and
widening is being done in the production of heels and toes.
The needle grooves in the conical bed are farther apart at the larger than at the
smaller end of the bed and.consequently the substance of the bed between the butts
of the needles in the cam line is lett so thick as to prevent any accident to the bed
due to pressure of the cams on the butts of the needles.
The conical beds may have grooves more or less in number and of any desired
gauge for the reception of the needles to be used, and the longer the bed the longer
the needles, but in the machine to be described herein, the same cam ring without
altering its cains to be described, may be made to operate with any conical bed,
whatever may be its length or the number of needles used or the gauge of the
needles, and this being so, an operator may quickly remove from the bed-plate a
bed adapted for the formation of a stocking of one size or diameter of leg, and
substitute, for it quickly a bed suitable for the production of a stocking of a
different diameter or size of leg, this change occupying but a few moments.
These extra conical beds for the needles to be actuated by the cam rings,
cost but little as compared with the cost of the other main parts of the machine,
and with a number of such beds stockings of any size or gauge may be made on
the same machine.
This facility for quickly changing from one to another sized sock or stocking by
changing the length of conical bed overcomes the chief and greatest obstacle hereto-
fore existing to the introduction of entirely automatic machines for heretofore
automatic machines as a general rule were capable of making a stocking or sock of
but one size, and any attempt to change the machine to make a stocking of another
size amounted in most cases to about as much as would be required to produce an
entire new machine.
The increased distance between the butts of the needles in the cam line as
described, is of especial value in connection with a cam ring having guiding gates
and a needle deflector as will be described, as the said parts are afforded a longer
time in which to select or divert the needles into the knitting or non-knitting
path.
Each conical bed will have needles of the proper length and gauge, and the
needles may be kept in the grooves of the beds when the latter are not in use
in the machine, a string being preferably tied about the beds and needles in the
grooves therein, the said string entering an annular groove A10 in the bed below
the guide A
The sinkers A have points B to engage and hold down the work while the
needles are ascending, as at the right in Figure 18.
The outer ends of the sinkers are shaped to be engaged and actuated by a suitable
cam surface, see Figure 224, at the inner side of the jack or sinker actuating
ring A the outer ends of the said jacks or sinkers as herein represented being
notched to embrace a cam portion of a plate forming part of said ring, each sinker
also having an open slot at its lower edge, between its ends to embrace and rock
upon the fulcrum wire A³, the ring A' acting normally to keep the said sinkers
seated on the said fulcrum wire as represented at the right in said Figure 18, as
when the points of the sinkers are holding down the work, the latter figure
at its opposite sides showing needles and jacks or sinkers in different
positions.
The projection A at its inner side between the grooves in which the needles
reciprocate has a stationary seat, preferably concaved, and against the seat see left

page_text: of Figure 18, bear the tails or outer ends of the sinkers when the sinkers are in
position for the needles to draw the yarn over their breasts.
The breast of each sinker is curved or swept from the point of contact of the
tail of the sinkers with the seat when the sinker is in the position described, the
strain of the work on the sinker while drawing the stitch being sustained by
the seat rather than by the sinker actuating cam.
Sustaining the tails of the sinkers on a stationary seat rather than on a
moving cam obviates all wear on the sinkers in a direction to alter their effective
length.
It will also be noticed that inasmuch as the tails of the sinkers rest on a stationary
seat as described, the breasts of the sinkers will always remain in the proper
knitting line, and uniform knitting will be the result, whereas, if the breast of the
sinker were swept from the fulerum wire of the pivot as heretofore done, and varia-
tions in the diameter of the fulcrum wire, or wear thereof or of the sinker would
result in the retirement or falling back of the breasts of the sinkers from the knitting
line, which would cause irregular knitting, which is appreciable and detrimental,
especially in fine gauges.
The inner edge of the cam ring, see Figure 21, which shows the said ring
developed has a suitable ledge or flange a forming part of it, the upper edge of the
flange always supporting the butts of all of the needles which in any part of the
operation of the machine are not in the knitting groove.
The cam ring has an attached guard strip a Figure 21 and below it are
segmental bars a³ at provided at their outer ends with latches as a while at the inner
ends of the said bars are pivoted two guiding gates a as there being a non-knitting
groove between the guard a² and the bars a³ a".
The guiding gates have their points slightly separated and in practice they
will be moved in unison from one into their other positions by devices to be
described.
Between the ends of the guiding gates is a loosely mounted and easily moved
needle director a shown as of heart or triangular shape, it having a pin which
is extended through a hole in the guard a² and is surrounded beyond the guard by
a spiral spring aux Figure 21 or other suitable friction device, to act as a drag
and prevent the director from turning too freely.
The pivoted director, shaped and graded substantially as represented and
located between the guiding gates is easily turned by contact against it of the
butts of the needles and the grade of the director is such as to offer the minimum
of frictional resistance to the needle, thus reducing the strain on the needles and
making the machine more reliable in operation than were the director made as a
sliding cam.
The director near its point, at its lower side, will preferably have a toc or
projection as best shown in Figure 21" to contact with the guard a² to limit the
extent of movement of the director.
The cam ring has attached to it plates a¹º a¹ and needle elevating plates as a
and a centre plate a provided with a projection having a concaved face opposite
the director, the curve of the said projection being described substantially from
the centre of oscillation of the director the said plate being adjustable, on or with
relation to the cam ring by a screw a, the adjustment of the plate compensating
for wear and adapting the machine to the thickness of the butt of the needle being
used, so as to afford the proper amount of space between the plate and the point of
the director.
The cam ring is grooved for the reception of a slide a to which is attached
the main drawing-down cam a which acts to draw down the needles when
circular knitting is being done, and also when the cam ring, during recipro-
cating knitting for heel and toe work is being reciprocated in the direction of
circular knitting.
The cam ring at a distance from the main drawing-down cam, and at the other
side of the director is provided with a second plate or slide a to which is attached

page_text: No text detected.

page_text: pivot the cam being adapted to be both oscillated and to be moved toward and
from the tripping pins.
The cam, as shown, has a locking finger 2 to engage a finger or projection 3 of
the said lever c³ so that the said cam in its oscillations may rock the said lever
positively on its fulcrum to raise or lower the points of the guiding gates, such
positive motion being of importance when running at high speed.
The locking finger 2 and projection 3 may however be omitted and the said lever
be kept in contact with the cam by a suitable spring as c or the spring may also
be used with the fingers as indicated in Figure 11.
To avoid friction during the movements of the lever I may and prefer to
apply to the lever a friction wheel c³, which is adapted to run against a guide
plate forming part of a cover plate c¹ attached by a screw c¹³ to the
stand c³.
The cam chas, as represented, two inclined slots 4, 5, located as herein shown at
about 120° apart, the cam having a depressed portion 6 and at each side of the said
depressed portion a high part 7, 8.
The hub of the cam has an annular groove 9 which is entered by suitable studs
connected, with a yoke 2, pivoted at cx on the plate e, the outer or free end
of the yoke being sufficiently extended beyond the hub of the cam to pass between
shoes d, of a controlling lever d² pivoted at d² on a stand das when circular
knitting is being done, and as represented in the left-hand diagram of Figure 19,
or to strike against the shoe d as when the car c is to be moved into range of the
tripping pins to do narrowing and widening, or to strike the shoe d' as when the
said cam is to be moved away from the tripping pins or out of their range as when
circular work is to be recommenced.
In order that the cam may not be affected by momentum or get out of place
accidentally, its hub has been provided with a locking block e, having as herein
shown see Figure 20, three sides, one of which is always acted upon by a suitable
spring cle
It will be understood that the stop rings or bars will be racked or moved during
narrowing to cause the stops attached thereto to travel the stops of one bar toward
the stops of the other bar during narrowing, and during widening to travel away
from each other, and that such movement of the stop bars will cause the tripping
pins to be carried toward each other during the successive courses of narrowing,
and then to be moved away from each other during the successive courses of
widening, and consequently the tripping pins may be struck sooner or later by
the cam in the reciprocations of the cam ring in one and then in its opposite
direction, course after course, and the said pins entering the slots 4 and 5 in the
cam oscillate the said cam, each pin acting twice in succession, the cam being
tipped one way as it passes a tripping pin in one direction, and being returned to
its normal position as the cam ring is moved in the opposite direction.
The direction of the slots 4 and 5 in the cam wheel are such as to cause the
cam to be operated at a faster speed as the tripping pin approaches the hub of
the cam, and it is during this fastest speed of the cam that the guiding gates
are shifted, the shifting of the said gates being very quick, substantially instan-
taneous.
The gradual increase and decrease of the speed of the cam also insures a smoother
action of the parts at high speed.
The cam ring has a driver dx, see Figures 13 and 22 which travels with the said
ring, and in its movements when oscillating meets first one and then the other of
the stops and of the jack or sinker actuating ring A' to cause it to travel
thereafter with the cam ring, the lost motion between the driver and the stops
permitting the cam part of the sinker actuating ring to get at the proper distance
behind the knitting cams of the cam ring, as is necessary to enable the knitting
machine to knit properly.
The cam ring has mounted upon it an arm 0 Figure 13.
Preferably the said arm will be pivotally connected or mounted as at d³, and to

page_text: the other end of this arm is attached a combined latch guard and yarn support d³,
it being extended more or less about the raised ends of the needles and having
preferably one or more suitable pins or projections, as , Figure 27 to prevent the
yarn in the reversing movements of the cam ring from drawing up over and off the
top of the said combined latch guard and yarn support.
In accordance with my invention the yarn going to the needles is delivered by
whatever yarn guide used upon the outside of the combined latch guard and
yarn support, instead of being delivered from between the underside of the latch
guard and the needles.
This delivery of the yarn from the outside of the latch guard and yarn support
is applicable not only to machines of the class herein shown wherein the needles
are so actuated that they may have their hooks all put into the same plane to
receive the loops of a rib top, but also to any machine having a conical needle
bed whether the cams are arranged to put the needles into topping position, or
otherwise.
In the employment of a series of needles arranged in a cylindrical bed, the yarn
may contact with the needles below their latches without detriment, but when the
needles are so arranged in a conical bed the result is different, for the yarn if
permitted to contact with the needles under their latches will slide up toward the
apex of the cone and become entangled with the latches.
I have overcome this difficulty by interposing between the needles and the yarn
guide, see Figures 13 and 27, a latch guard and yarn support which prevents the
contacting of the yarn with the needles not being actuated for knitting the yarn
leaving the yarn guide being deposited upon the latch guard and passing therefrom
to the needles used for knitting, the yarn during the further movement of the latch
guard past the needles not used for knitting being received upon the said latch
guard and sliding up on the same out of range of the latches or hooks of the
needles, the yarn being prevented from slipping off the upper end of the latch guard
by means of suitable pins or projections such as d³.
When the cams of the cam ring are so arranged as to put the needles into
position to receive the loops of a rib top, then it is essential that the combined latch
guard and yarn support extend entirely about the circle occupied by the hooks of
the elevated needles, but if the cams in the cam ring are arranged merely to
enable circular and reciprocal knitting to be done without provision for bringing
the hooks of the needles into one plane to receive a rib top, then the combined
latch guard and yarn support need not be extended entirely about the circle of
needles but may be made of usual length.
Referring now to Figure 27, showing the latch guard as extended entirely about
the circle of needles, it will be noticed that the yarn guide d', is attached to a
stand and that the upper end of the yarn guide has two rollers d' d³, between
which the yarn passes, and two other rollers d d see also Figure 35, of peculiar
shape, between which the yarn passes to contact with the outer side of the latch
guard, the two rollers do and dio, being considered desirable because the yarn is
delivered over one roller when the cam ring is being reciprocated in one
direction, and over the other roller when it is being reciprocated in the other
direction, the said rollers serving merely to avoid friction on the yarn, thus
reducing the friction to the minimum and enabling soft yarns to be used with
safety, and at the same time the employment of these rolls which are rotated
constantly by the yarn passing over them, is of importance because when the free
end of a second yarn to re-enforce, a heel or toe, or to be employed in the knitting
of a heel or toc, comes in contact with the said moving rolls, the yarn is fed
forward with certainty to the needle.
The rollers do, do, Fig. 35, will in practice be mounted on studs carried by a
plate d connected adjustably by a screw (10x, to the foot of a bracket d adjust-
ably attached by a screw disx to the arm ds, the adjustment of the said parts
enabling the rolls d d to be adapted to any sized needle-bed which may be
used.

page_text: When the loops of a rib top are to be applied to the needles put into topping
position, the combined latch guard and yarn support will be turned back about its
hinge to uncover the hooks of the ucedles.
Under the bed and table-plate is a shaft dª having suitable bearings as d¹³ 14,
Figure 6 the bearing d" being made as a sleeve, see Figure 29, to receive upon it
loosely a monitor or chain carrying wheel it having suitable annular spaces for
the reception, in this present instance of my invention, of three pattern chains e e¹, e²
to be described, placed side by side on the said monitor wheel.
The monitor wheel at or near one end, as shown in Fig. 29, is slotted or notched
to be engaged by a locking device e carried by a disc or wheel adjustably
attached to the shaft d¹².
This manner of mounting the monitor wheel on its shaft enables the monitor
wheel to be disconnected from the driver, the disc e, so that the wheel may be
turned backward or forward as desired, independently of the rest of the machine,
this being desirable, as for instance, in case of accident to the knitting of a leg,
the loops may be run off and the monitor and its chains be reversed quickly into
starting position ready to let the machine be started again to commence
stocking.
a
The shaft has fast upon it a worm toothed gear e which is engaged and
rotated intermittently by a worm plate e Figure 24 fast upon the main rotating
shaft e².
Under the table-plate is a rock-shafte Figure 13 having fast to it at its front
end an arme which enters a slot in and actuates the controller lever d² the said
shaft having a second arm e, see Figures 6 and 11, which in Figure 6 is shown as
connected at its lower end loosely to a brake frame e pivoted at e¹ upon a
vertical stud and having a preferably spring-like shoe or face e¹.
The shaft has also fixed to it the hub of a monitor lever f, see Figure 25
having a toef by which through the chain e the said rock-shaft may be turned
when it is desired to actuate the controller and the brake e".
As herein shown, the hub 12, see Figure 25 of the monitor lever has mounted
on it loosely the hub of the monitor lever 12 of elbow-shape, its short arm being
provided with two toes 13, 14 which embrace the toe of the lever f
Loose on the shaft e is another monitor lever of elbow-shape, see Figures 5
and 23, connected by a link with the projection 6 of the race-way before
described, the said lever having a toe 15 to bear upon the chain e', the sole
purpose of which is by or through the links of different height to effect the ascent
and descent of the race-way as desired to make the loops of the desired length
according to the part of the stocking being knitted, a spring / acting normally to
keep the toe against the said chain.
Prior to this invention it has been customary to raise and lower a needle bed to
make the loops longer or shorter, but a conical bed could not rest upon a cam ring
and be raised and lowered thereby and yet preserve the proper relative operative
position of the co-operating parts, hence the race-way herein provided for or some
independently controlled equivalent device becomes an essential feature in a
machine having a conical needle-bed.
The shaft also serves as the fulcrum for another monitor lever, shown in
position in Figure 3.
16
A
13
The lever is of elbow-shape and has its lower arm connected by link
with an arni of a vertically arranged rock shaft having a second arm
connected by a link with an arm of a rock-shaft having at its other end
a double-ended toothed sigment which at its opposite ends engages respectively
pinions and provided respectively with eccentrics/19 and 19, see Figure 14,
so that when the said double-ended segment is moved by or through the pattern
surface, the said eccentrics will be put into one of their three positions, so that,
acting in suitable slots of pawl carriers m, m', to be described, one having two
pawls 26, 27, and the other two pawls 28; 29, either the pawls 26, and 29 or the
pawls 27 and 28 will be put into acting position, according to the direction it is

page_text: desired to move the stop rings, as will be described, or to put the pawl carriers in
such position that both of the pawls will be in their inoperative positions.
The lower end of the monitor lever has attached to it a rod g provided with a
pin or projection g', Figure 5 the outer end of the said rod being passed through
a hole in the outer end of a shipper lever pivoted on a substantially upright.
pivot and having a double belt fork at its opposite end, the outer end of the
belt shipper having attached to it one end of a spring g' which at its other end is
connected to said rod, the said spring acting normally to keep the belt shipper
in such position as to enable the belts 9° 9' controlled by it to be kept upon the
loose pulleys 89, located at opposite sides of the tight pulley glo, fixed on the
power shaft g
When the driver belt g is on the tight pulley, the cam ring will be rotated for
circular or all around knitting, but when the belt g' is on the said tight pulley,
the said cam ring will be reciprocated for narrowing and widening.
The power shaft 2 has a pinion which engages a spur gear
main shaft e².
fast on the
This main shaft has also fast upon it a disc ³, shown best in Figure 7 it having
a notch 16 and having a portion of its periphery cut away, as at 17, and having
an attached flange or plate 17* extending from the disc at the side of its cut away
portion.
Loosely mounted on the hub of the disc 2 is a gear wheel h³, shown detached
in Figure 9, the said wheel being herein designated as the cam ring driving
wheel.
This wheel has at its inner side suitable guides 19, 20, for a sliding plate or
carriage, slotted to embrace the hub of the said wheel, and having at one end a.
coupling pin 21 and at its other end a projection, preferably in the form of a roller,
as 22.
The plate has connected to it suitable springs best shown in Figure 9,
which act normally to keep the roller 22 out beyond the flange 23* of the said wheel
and in range of the shoc e" of the brake e when the latter is in its operative
position, as will be described.
Loose on the shaft & and embracing, as represented the disc, is a vibrator
having a notch 23, shown best in Figure 8, which is adapted to be entered by the
coupling pin 21.
The vibrator has pivoted upon it at a locking dog the front end of which
formis one side of the notch 23, a spring connected to the vibrator normally
acting upon the end of the said dog to keep its front end in the position Figure 8.
When the coupling pin 21 is in the notch 16 of the disc, the latter assumes
control of the wheel and rotates it so that it, in engagement with a pinion 70 fast
on the shaft 3, rotates said shaft, causing its bevel gear B³ to be rotated and
rotate the cam ring for circular knitting but when the coupling pin is in the
notch 23 of the vibrator, then the vibrator assumes control of the wheel ³, causing
it, in engagement with the said pinion 40 to oscillate the shaft and its attached
bevel gear B³, and reciprocate the cam ring for reciprocating or heel or toe
knitting, the disc fast on the shaft e rotating in the meanwhile within the
oscillating vibrator.
The vibrator has a stud k, (see Fig. 6), which by connecting rod k is jointed to
an adjustable pin k² of an arm or crank fast on a rotating shaft, said shaft.
having a spur wheel which is engaged and rotated by the spur gear 'fast on the
shaft e the rotations of the shaft k through the connections described moving the
vibrator continuously.
The shaft described, has fixed upon it at one end a pinion k' which engages
two gears see Figure 14, fast on like hubs 10 mounted on like studs 13.14
held in a hanger A Figure 15 depending from the bed-plate A'.
The hub has attached to it two cams, see Figure 15 while the hub *¹²
has like cams, only the outer one however being shown.

page_text: The hubs are rotated or reciprocated according as the shaft h₁ is rotated or
reciprocated.
The cam k actuates the pawl carrier m, and the cam 18 the pawl carrier m'
before described, the said can contacting with suitable roller or other studs
mounted upon the pawl carrier.
To enable the reciprocating movement of the pawl carriers to be arrested when
circular knitting is being done I have provided the lower ends of the said carriers
with legs 32 having feet 33 which when the pawl carriers are elevated by the
cams and the eccentrics before referred to at such time being in position to
hold both sets of pawls out of engagement with the change wheels 223 will cause
the feet to ride up and lodge upon the upper ends 34 of stilts 35, the said stilts
keeping the pawl carriers elevated until they are moved aside in one or the other
direction by the eccentrics referred to to bring one or the other pawl of the pawl
carriers into operative position to engage and rotate the change wheels kk23.
These change wheels are fast respectively upon the hubs of gears n n¹ mounted
on shafts n n the gear n engaging the stop ring while the gear ¹ engages the
stop ring the motions imparted to the said gears during the shogging motion
being exactly opposite, a suitable friction device or drag, as shown in Figure 15
as a spring, acting to prevent any over-running of the motion of the said gears.
Each change wheel is engaged by a locking rod or bar, as no one of which bars
is shown in section in Figure 15, it being represented as provided with a roller or
other stud n which is acted upon by the cam k, the said locking rod engaging and
locking the change wheels after they have been moved by the pawls.
The pattern chain e, see Figure 28A, has links or projections of different height,
and the entire length of the said chain as well as the chains el e² are used during
the formation of a stocking, chains of different length being employed, according to
the length of the stocking.
The lever operates the belt shifter before the lever operates the shaft e to
put the shoe, Figure 5, in position to operate the change gear.
The chain e has links of two different heights, and when the highest links act on
the toe 13, the monitor lever f2 causes the movement of the shipper lever to put
the belt g on the tight pulley 10, but when the short links come under the toe 14.
then the monitor lever 2 is moved in the direction to cause the shipper lever to
put the belt g on the tight pulley g
It is obvious that this chain might be provided with links of an intermediate
length to cause the belt shipper to be moved to such extent as to retain both
belts gg' on the loose pulleys, such position of the shipper being called for at the
completion of a stocking, so as to automatically stop the machine if desired, which
would be the practice in case the stockings being knitted were knitted upon rib
tops transferred upon the needles, but when the machine is used to knit a tube
having heel and toe bulges, as before referred to, then it is preferred that the
machine continue in operation indefinitely.
The chain e shown best in Figure 23, and instrumental ouly in governing the
length of stitches as described has links of various height.
The links contained between the brackets o will act upon the toe 15 of the monitor
lever when the top or large part of the leg of the stocking is being knitted, the
said toe acting upon the portions of the chain included in the bracket o' while the
lower part of the calf and ankle are being knitted and the leg having been knitted,
the parts of the chain included in the bracket o2 will act upon the toe 15 to effect
the lengthening of the loops for narrowing and widening in the heel, and the heel
having been knitted, the part of the chain included in the bracket 03 will come into
operation effecting a shortening of the loops in the foot, and thereafter as the toe is
to be commenced the portion of the chain in the bracket 'o will come into operation
and again lengthen the loops for the purposes described.
The chain e, see Figure 28, will have links of three different heights, those of
one length acting through the monitor lever f and its connections, moving the

page_text: eccentrics referred to so as to enable the pawls 26 and 29 to be operative in the
racking motion, another height of links enabling the pawls 27 and 28 to be
operative in the racking motion, while an intermediate height of links will cause the
eccentrics to be put into such position as to prevent either set of pawls referred to
from operating the change wheels.
The snail wheel & has at one side a projection e, see Figures 5 and 24, which
during the rotation of the said snail wheel strikes the lower end of a lever est
mounted on an annular disc 2 slotted at 3, to embrace the sleeve-like hub d
before referred to, through which is extended the shaft d¹.
The said annular disc 2 has a second slot e, which receives a pin
with relation to the framework.
stationary
The disc also has a toe e, which during the movement of the chain e may be
struck at its bevel side by a laterally-extended projection essee Figure 29, or pin
carried by the said chain to thus lift the disc and cause it to elevate the lever
until its upper hooked end 67 meets the projection from the race-way ¿¹³.
It is during the time that the projection 667 is in engagement with the
projection that the cam e works to vibrate the lever e" and cause the race-way
to be moved in the direction to raise the same and enable the stitches to be
elongated or lengthened sufficiently to form a slack course.
The projection 7 keeps up its engagement with the projection 6" always for a
sufficient length of time to enable the cam ring to rotate once, thus making a slack
course, and the chain e may have pins located upon it to operate as described
whenever a slack course is desired.
The spring faids the descent of the ring 613, but it would descend by gravity.
In practice, in the operation of the chains e e e referred to, the speed of the
chains is such that the cam ring makes several revolutions while each link of the
chain is in operative position.
The slack course device may be omitted altogether when long stockings are
being made, but it will be used when socks are being knitted.
The slack course device is divorced from the chain e' for the reason that it would
be impossible to make with a short chain such as herein used a single slack course,
for as stated a number of revolutions of the machine takes place with each link of**
the chain, but by the slack course device as described, a single course may be made
slack at any desired point in the knitting.
I will now describe the thread changing mechanism by which either an entirely
different thread may be inserted in the heel or toc to the exclusion of any other
thread, or whereby an extra or re-enforcing thread may be added to the main
thread used in the stocking.
Figures 30 to 33 show this thread changing apparatus and referring to said
figures Dx, represents a frame attached to the table-plate A*.
B*, B are two rollers, preferably corrugated and held lightly pressed together
by a suitable spring as p Figure 304, acting upon the bearings for one of the said
rolls, the bight of the said rolls being directly over the centre of rotation of
the cam ring.
The frame Dx referred to supports a shaft Cx having a sprocket wheel 9",.
Figure which in practice will be driven by a sprocket chain C² from a sprocket
wheel fast on the power shaft g, the said shaft Cx being revolved constantly
and at the speed of the cam ring when the latter is being rotated for circular work.
D, D are two discs secured to the shaft C*, the said discs having cam grooves:
and cam plates, substantially as shown in the drawing.
Fis a connecting piece slotted to straddle the hub Cx and to be guided by the
hub of the disc surrounding it as the said connecting piece is reciprocated
longitudinally or toward and from the centre of the machine, the said connecting
piece having a rigid pin G¹.
The rear end of the said connecting piece is embraced by the forked upper end
of a projection 60 Figure 5 extended upwardly from the monitor lever, the said
projection, by its action upon the said connecting piece, moving it laterally, or

page_text: either to one side or the other of the space between the discs D, D₁ according to
the action of the high or low links of the monitor chain e, the fork at the same time
allowing the said connecting piece to reciprocate freely toward and from the centre
of the machine.
is a rack attached to the frame Dx in such way that it can slide in and out
from the centre of the machine.
This rack engages with a pinion J fastened to and so as to operate a shaft K' to
which is attached a spur segment L' which engages and operates the pinion M
secured to the hollow shaft N', the said shaft having hinged to it two yarn
arms OP to guide. two yarns.
To the bottom end of the shaft K' is attached a pinion O', see Figure 33, by
incans of friction only, suitable check nuts being provided, the tightening and
loosening of which adjusts such friction by causing the like washers R' to be more
or less pressed between the surface of the pinion O' and a collar S' solid on the
shaft K The pinion O' engages with racks T and U₁ provided respectively with
arrow-headed cams p², p³.
are
The rack T has a projection near its rear end, see Figure 30%, and
shears, so constructed that they may be closed to cut the thread by forcing between
their rear or hinged ends either of the arrow-headed cams por suitable
springs being provided to open the shears after they have been closed and the
cams closing them have been withdrawn.
The screws p' acts as a fulcrum for the shears.
P
Between the head of the screw and the blades of the shears is a washer p¹,
preferably of rubber, which enable the shears to be held together at all times
closely so as to cut the thread cleanly, but instead of the rubber spring, any other
spring might be used.
The hollow shaft N₁ see Figure 30B, is bored, or constructed to form two
passage-ways, one for the passage of the thread 2 employed during circular
knitting, and the other for the passage of the thread p³ which may be either the
re-enforcing or an independent thread to be employed only in the licel and toe.
13
The thread is passed through the yarn arm 0, while the thread p³ is passed
through the yarn arm P.
which
The thread pas shown in Figure 30B, is so held by the arm 0° that it is kept
from contact with the rollers B and B*, so that they cannot engage the said thread
while in the position Figure 30%, but at that time the end of the thread p¹³,
is not being knitted but is in the arm p, is grasped between the said rollers.
As the present machine requires the introduction of a separate thread, as pl³
when knitting the heel and toc the timing of the introduction of said thread is
determined by the pattern chain e, and lever, but the introduction of the thread is
not intended to be limited to any one particular spot, nor is it intended to limit this
invention to any particular chain for determining the time for introducing an extra
thread.
When a high link in the chain e, a link such as will effect the production of
reciprocating knitting, is used, the monitor lever f, will tilt the fork or projection 60
and move the end of the connecting piece F1, so that one end of the pin G¹ thereof
will be withdrawn from the cam groove of the disc D, and the other end of the
said pin will be brought into the cam groove q¹ of the disc D'.
These discs revolving as before described, the pin G only remains in the
groove a long enough to allow the knitting to arrive at the exact point where it is
desired to introduce the thread p¹³.
The position of the disc D' on the shaft C* having been adjusted for this purpose,
at the moment when the change of thread is to be commenced, the cam q² comes in
contact with the pin G and compels it to travel along its inclined surface until the
pin reaches the outside circumference of the disc D¹.
This operation draws the connecting piece F', and its attached rack I¹ out the
full length of their stroke in a direction away from the centre of the machine, and
during this operation the pinion J', shaft spur segment L¹ pinion M' hollow.

page_text: shaft N, thread arms ()° 1° are moved with the following results rir. -the cam
Figure 34 attached to the spur segment L' is withdrawn from the guide trip-
lever Figure 30, pivoted on the frame, which allows the arm 0° to be brought..
opposite to the centre of the rollers B and B by the spring while the action of.
the spur segment L' on the pinion M to which the guides are connected by means
of the hollow shaft N¹, causes the thread arms to revolve, thus twisting together
the two threads while held by and passing between said rolls, to form as it were a.
single thread.
The travelling knitting or leg thread p, twisted with the thread ¹³ and put
into position between the rollers B* and B*, as stated, causes the circumference of
the said rolls by the action of the said thread thereon to travel at the speed of the
thread and thus draw down between the rolls and from the arm p³ the thread p¹³,
previously twisted around the running thread pl, this running together of the two
threads continuing until the end of the thread pls reaches the knitting needles, the
two threads being knitted in. together for the space of a few needles.
In the movement of the parts as before described and during the operation above.
repeated, the thread arms (2 and P are revolved so as to twist the threads
together, and the thread arm P has by the gearing, suitably proportioned been
left in the position previously occupied by the thread arm 0³, and the arm 0º.
occupies the position previously occupied by the thread arm P.
A reverse cam similar to the cam and carried by the gear segment L', is
adapted to engage with the trip lever q at the end of the motion of the gear
segment described, to bring the arm P into its other or tipped position so that the
thread p which is now running through it is guided out from contact with the
rollers B and is placed out of reach of the shears.
This done, the shears are actuated to close and cut the leg thread p¹ that at this
time is running between and acting to revolve the rollers, the revolution of the
rollers being stopped as soon as the leg thread is cut, the rollers thereafter acting
to hold the end of the leg thread out of action.
Before a high link of the chain e acted to move the forked connection 60 to
produce the movements above described, the arrow-pointed shear camp³ occupied
the position, see Figure 30%, between the handles or rear ends of the shears thus .
keeping their front ends closed, but on the first movement of the shaft K the
pinion Owas driven by the friction connection described so as to withdraw the
said camp from between the handles of the shears, so that the shears were .
immediately opened by their springs allowing the threads that had commenced to
twist and run into and between the centre of the rolls, to pass down together to the
needles.
The motion of the pinion O¹ in engagement with the racks T¹ U¹ in withdrawing
the camp advances the camp toward the point of contact of the handle parts of
the shears, but the completion of the movement of said cam p² which otherwise
would effect the, closing of the shears too soon, is stopped by the projection p* :
coming in contact with the revolving stop p, see Figure 30, on the disc D, thus
allowing the shaft K by means of the friction connection to complete its movement *!
without however moving the cam p2 far enough to close the shears, thus giving the
armsufficient time to remove the heel thread carried by it out of the reach of
the shears, which is done by tipping the carrier as before described.
The shaft K, now being stationary, no further movement of the pinion O¹ and
shear cams³ can occur from this source.
1
The shears are closed when all movement of the thread carriers has ceased, and
at the exact moment required in the knitting, by the outer edge of the adjustable
cam coming in contact with the projection p', causing the movement of the t
racks T and allowed by the friction-connection of the pinion O and forcing..
the camp to the position to close the shears at the time and in the manner
previously referred to.
To prevent the loose end of the newly introduced heel thread from separating
from the running thread in passing through, an ordinary thread guide hole..
:

page_text: preparatory to reaching the needles, the threads will be guided preferably over
grooved pulleys did at the points desired, said pulleys helping by their rolling
action as described to increase the adhesion of the threads and prevent them from
untwisting.
The knitting of the heel having been completed, the change back to the leg
thread for the purpose of knitting the foot is accomplished as follows, viz. ;-one of
the low links see Figure 28, of the chain e, instrumental in establishing the rotary
motion of the cam ring will act and cause the forked arm 60) to move the pin G
from its position at the circumference of the disc D¹ into a similar position with
relation to the circumference of the disc D.
The machine continues to revolve and at the moment when the change of thread
is to be commenced the cam of the disc D see Figure 32, comes in contact with
the said pin G', compelling it to travel into the groove q.
This operation causes the movement of the connecting piece F and the rack I¹
the full length of their stroke toward the centre of the machine producing in all
the parts previously referred to movements correspondingly reversed to those
previously described, resulting in again bringing the arms O and P and their
threads into their first normal position or the position occupied for circular
knitting.
In this reverse operation of the parts, the shears are stopped from closing at the
wrong time by the projection p it moving inwardly and coming in contact with
the revolving stop r¹ but are closed at the proper time by the action of the inner
edge of the cam 12.
When it is desired to continue the knitting of the leg thread during the knitting
of the heel so as to knit into the heel two threads, one being called a re-enforcing
thread, it is necessary to remove the cam p² from the rack T' so that the shears
will not close on the leg thread and to provide the gear segment with an
additional cam finger 3, shown in Figure 34, to come in contact with the tipping
lever 'so as, to tip the thread arm out to guide the running leg thread from
between the rollers while knitting the heel.
I have described the revolving of the thread arms for the purpose of twisting the
threads between the rollers, B*, but the same effect may be produced by holding
the guides in a fixed position and by revolving the said rollers in their stead in a
plane parallel with their axes, the rollers having their journals suitably supported
in a horizontal rotating frame.
In the method herein explained, wherein the arins are rotated, the bobbins
standing still, the hollow shaft N1 has to be revolved for the purpose of twisting
the threads below the arms, and at the same time the threads will also twist
together above the hollow shaft unless means are provided to prevent them.
As one means by which to prevent this twisting of the threads above the shaft
and between it and the take-up lever 102 Figure 1 and 26 I have provided a series
of guiding sleeves 103 which are coupled together by suitable connecting pieces 104
so that the sleeve nearest the gear M¹ will partake of part of a revolution before
the next connecting piece above it will commence to move, and so on.
The combined effect of these several thread guiding sleeves and connecting pieces
allows the hollow shaft N' to partake of the desired number of revolutions without
rotating the uppermost connecting piece 104 attached to the stationary arm 105
immediately below the take-up lever 102, as shown in Figure 26.
In this way the threads twisted together by the hollow shaft N¹ are kept
separated though they assume a spiral position.
When the shoe e" of the brake e" is swung around in the range of movement of
the roller 22 attached to the slide 4, which movement is effected by the rock-shaft e
preparatory to changing from circular to reciprocating kuitting, the said roller
strikes the said shoe and forces the slide in a direction to cause the coupling
pin 21 to move out from the notch 16 of the disc and against the inner edge of
the locking dog Figure 10 and 8 near its pivot, the said pin thereafter sliding
along said dog, presses the dog outwardly, against the stress of the spring /³, the

page_text: in 21 finally passing beyond the end of the said locking dog into the notch 23 of
he vibrator, the free end of the dog then flying back into locking position behind
he said pin.
The speed of the disc and the speed of the vibrator in the same direction at
and about the time that the pin is to finally leave the notch 16 and enter the
hotch 23 is the same, thus enabling the said pin to readily pass from one into the
other notch.
After the pin 21 has entered the notch 23, the vibrator in its movements in the
direction of rotation of the disc h², due to its crank motion, permits the notch 16 to
pass beyond the notch 23, thus bringing the plate 17* attached to the wheel /² in
position to close the notch 23 in the vibrator and effectually inclose the pin 21 in
the said notch 23.
To change from reciprocating to rotary motion, the brake shoe will be thrown
aside out of the range of movement of the roller 22, thus letting the slide move in
the direction to withdraw the pin 21 from the notch 23, which will be done at that
portion of the stroke of the vibrator when the notch 23 comes opposite the notch 16
in the disc it in its rotation arriving once during cach rotation of the shaft e
opposite the said notch 23.
The spring shoc connected with the brake ensures positive contact between the
pin and the edge of the locking dog and aids in putting the pin 21 quickly and
securely into the bottom of the notch 23 of the vibrator.
I have provided the machine with a rock-shafts Figures 2 to 5, having at one
end a handle s¹ and at or near its other end an arm s².
By turning this rock-shafts by hand in the direction to cause its arm s² to engage
by its bevelled portions the shipper lever between its fulcrum and the belt guiding
surfaces, the said shipper lever may be put into its central position as in Figure 5,
and be there held and keep the two belts on the two loose pulleys, the shaft 712
being at such time at rest.
When the rock-shaft s is turned by hand in the direction to release the belt
shipper, said shipper by or through the spring attached to the short arm of the
lever and the spring gt, will move the shipper lever to the right or left as
demanded by the links of the monitor chain e at that time, thus putting one or the
other of the belts on to the tight pulley, according to whether circular or
reciprocating knitting is to be done.
The gear wheel on the shaft Figure 14 is of such size with relation to the
spur wheels, k° actuated by it and employed for moving the cams 41 and 18 that
the said cams will not receive a full rotation during one full reciprocation in one
direction of said gear or during one reciprocating stroke of the cam ring.
The cams and 18 are so shaped, placed, and moved, that during one
reciprocation of the gear wheel k in one direction, but one of said cams can act to
reciprocate a pawl carrier and move a stop ring or rack controlling a tripping pin,
the ring or rack so moved being the one controlling the tripping pin situated across
the machine from the position then occupied by the cam c, and consequently the
said cam cannot strike the tripping pin when not locked.
The locking of the stop rings and consequently of the tripping pins controlled by
them when the said pins are to be struck by the cam c, is effected by like cam
wheel arranged just behind the cam wheels 18 18 the notches in the wheels k¹7
being so adjusted with relation to the depressions in the cam wheels A, A1, that
when a pawl carrier is descending, the locking rod or bar co-operating with it will
descend and effect the disengagement of its point from a notch in the change wheel,
but after the pawl carrier has risen and moved the change wheel one notch, then
the locking rod or bar will be lifted to engage and securely lock the change wheel
until that particular change wheel is to be again unlocked and rotated, and it is
while the change wheel and consequently the stop ring controlled by it, is thus held
in locked position that the cam c meets the trip pin co-operating with said stop
ring.
The change wheels and are made detachable from the gears used in
1

page_text: connection with the stop rings, so that change wheels having any desired gauge or
pitch of teeth or number of notches may be used, for it is necessary to employ
change wheels having their teeth gauged or pitched to correspond with the gauge
of the needle bed used.
I may employ in one machine any number of conical cylinders of different length,
and each length of cylinder may be grooved for any gauge of work and size of
needle.
While I have been able to gain excellent results by the employment of the
racking devices shown to move the stop rings or bars intermittently, first one and
then the other in the required direction to put the tripping pins in the different
positions required to enable the cam co to be oscillated and put the guiding gates
into proper position to elevate in usual and proper sequence the endmost needles of
the series of needles used in narrowing, and then lower the said needles in widening,
I wish it to be understood that other well known or suitable racking devices might
be employed to control the gradual approach and separation of the tripping pins
and to hold the said pins from undue motion when struck by the cam c, without
departing from this invention.
Just below the active side of the main drawing-down cam (, see Figure 21, 1
have provided the cam ring with a false facet acted upon by a spring the said
face serving to press lightly on and keep against the acting edge of the drawing-
down cam, the butts of the needles, such action overcoming the tendency of the
butts of the needles when the machine is being run at high speed to break their
contact with the cam, or in other words, the false face referred to prevents any
descent of the needles solely by momentum or further than they would be pushed by
actual contact with the drawing-down cam.
Without this false face, differences between very high and slow speed of the cam
cylinder would effect a difference in the tension of the knitting.
The shape of the can surface for moving the sinkers is such as to cause the
hooks B thereof to be thrown back as at the left in Figure 18, when the hook of a
needle is about to draw a new loop through an old one, but before the needle starts
to rise the sinker is moved into the position shown at the right in Figure 18, so that
the said hook B' meets the fabric and keeps it down as the needles rise.
The sinkers are made as levers of the first order, and they are compactly arranged
in notches of the needle bed between the grooves which receive the needles, and the
said sinkers are arranged almost wholly outside the needle bed upon fulcra supported
at the outer side of the needle bed, and the cam for actuating the said sinkers is
also arranged wholly outside the needle bed, so that the interior of the needle bed
is left wholly open for the free passage through it of the knitted material.
Prior to this invention, many different forms of machines have been provided with
sinkers of various different shapes, but prior to this invention I am not aware that
a sinker made as a lever of the first order has ever been employed in connection
with and supported upon a fulcrum carried by a circular needle bed, the upper ends
of the sinkers being guided in slots at the upper end of the needle bed, at its outer
side or face, or that a sinker has ever had a seat at its end as described.
The thread during reciprocating knitting has to be controlled by a take-up.
In this invention the knitting threads after leaving the usual bobbins or cops of
large carrying capacity pass through a guiding sleeve Figure 26 and between
the preferably corrugated face of a movable brake 100 and the preferably
corrugated face of a rest 101 a spring 101* acting normally to keep the brake on
the yarn.
Over the brake the yarn passes through an eye 102x at the outer end of a
take-up lever 102 pivoted at t on a frame 111 adjustably attached to a suitable rod
shaft 112 sustained at a point above the frame-work.
From the eye of the take-up lever the thread is passed down through an eye in a
block 103 to the thread-presenting mechanism previously described.
In the process of knitting, when the strain of the yarn on the eye 102 is
sufficient to pull down the outer end of the take-up lever, the said lever then meets

page_text: the outer end 104* of the brake and releases the yarn, enabling it to be drawn freely
through the brake, as required by the work.
eye
As soon, however, as the yarn is slackened, due to the reversal of the cam ring,
the spring 105* pulling on the take-up lever at its rear end, raises the 102×
thus taking up the slack yarn, the brake closing on the yarn as the eye rises and
preventing further delivery of the yarn.
When circular knitting is being done, it is desirable to release the running thread
from the action of the brake.
To do this, I have provided a lever 106, pivoted at 107* on a rigid part 109 of
the take-up frame-work.
The outer end of this rod will in practice be joined by a rod 107 with an ear to
Figure 25 on the monitor lever for with some other suitable monitor lever or
actuating device suitably timed.
However actuated, the lever 106 will be moved, when the machine is to be
changed from reciprocating to rotary knitting, in such direction that the inner end
of the said lever by or through a connecting device, shown as a bar 108 slotted near
its upper end to embrace a pin or projection 110 of the clamp 100, will open the
clamp and let the yarn be delivered freely as required.
It is very essential in machines of the class described that the action of the
take-up of the knitting threads be uniform throughout, and great difficulty has been
experienced in providing a take-up lever with a spring which will operate suitably,
for in such plans heretofore known to me, the stress upon the spring has been very
variable during the stroke of the take-up.
To overcome this, I have devised means whereby the line of force of the spring
may recede from or approach toward or from the fulcrum of the lever when the
latter is moving, and I have provided means for adjustably connecting the
spring with the lever that this action referred to may be increased or diminished
at will.
To accomplish this, I have provided the take-up lever with a quadrant 115 having
suitable holes or projections with which may be connected one end of a spring 105×
of any desired strength heavy and light springs being used according to the yarn
knitted, the lower end of the spring being attached to a suitable fulcrum pin t,
herein represented as forming part of the lever 106.
The re-enforcing thread 13 before referred to, may be led through a guide
alongside of the guide t and between the clamp, and then be passed through a
second eye 8 controlled by the take-up lever.
This is of especial advantage for the reason that the re-enforcing thread is
enabled during the knitting of a heel or toe, to withstand part of the strain of the
action of the take-up instead of putting all the strain of the take-up upon the leg
thread alone during such operation.
I have previously described the manner of partially rotating the race-way ¿¹³ by
or through the chain e¹ and the monitor lever f³.
Referring now to Figure 23, it will be seen that the monitor lever has a series
of holes t, into any one of which may be entered the pin t employed to connect
the link with the said lever.
The adjustment of this link upon the upwardly extended arm of the monitor
lever enables me to employ coarse or fine yarns without any change in the height
of the links of the chain.
When the guiding gates are in their elevating position shown in Figure 21, the
butts of the needles in the groove a' as the cam ring is moved over said butts, will
be struck by one or the other edge of the directing cam and will by said cam be
directed into the knitting groove a to be acted upon by the drawing-down cam,
and be then lifted to take yarn by one of the elevating cams, the latches a and aⓇ
enabling the passage of the butts of the needles from the knitting groove into the
non-knitting groove above the ledge a, the said latches closing the open space
between said grooves and preventing the butts of the needles from entering the

page_text: knitting groove except at a point between the guiding gates and by or through
the instrumentality of the directing cam.
When the guiding gates are in their depressed position shown by Figure 21,
they close the passage between them into the knitting cam grooves, and the lower
sides of the butts of the needles are acted upon by the upper sides of the guiding
gates.
When the machine is knitting, producing circular work, the cam wheel will be
held out of operative position or out of the range of the tripping pins 62 and 63
and at such time the end of the yoke will pass between the shoes of the
controller d².
In the commencement of a stocking or when knitting a circular web as described,
to consist of tubular portions with bulged portions, when the first courses to
constitute the top of the leg are being knitted, the belt g of the machine will be
on the tight pulley and the toe 15 of the monitor lever will rest upon one of the
higher links of the chain e thus putting the tension ring in position to cause the
main drawing-down cam to form long stitches and at this time the take-up will be
out of operation and only the leg thread will be presented to the needles.
The rotary motion of the machine will be continued and during the movement
of the chain e the monitor lever f³ will come upon some of the shorter links of
the chain and move the race-way 63 in such a manner as to shorten the stitches
in the calf or ankle of the leg, as may be desired, to gradually contract that
portion of the stocking as may be desired, and during the last course of circular
knitting preparatory to making the heel, a suitable link on the pattern chain e¹ will
rock the shaft e to put into position the controller d², so that the yoke c¹²* during
a part of the last course of circular knitting will strike the shoe d of the controller
to put the came into operative position, and as the said shaft is locked it will
move the brake described to put its shoe into the range of movement of the roll 22
described, so that the change may be effected as described from circular to recipro-
cating knitting at the completion of the said revolution.
At this time also the thread-changing devices come into operation to effect the
change of or addition of the second or re-enforcing thread at the proper moment,
as has been described. Now, during the further rotation of the cam ring in the
direction of circular knitting, and on its last course, the slot 4 of the cam e meets
the tripping pin 62, which partially rotates the said cam, causing it by its cam
grades in engagement with the lever c³ to move the guiding gates from the position
Figure 21 into the position Figure 21 so that one of the guiding gates, as a', will
pass under the butts of the needles toward which it is approaching and will enable
them to be retained in the non-knitting groove a", the cain being rotated sufficiently
far in the same direction to cause the butts of the needles which occupied a position
in the knitting groove when the guiding gates were so moved to be passed under
the drawing-down cam and carried out into the non-knitting groove thus leaving
all the needles with their butts in the non-knitting groove.
In this condition the parts are ready for reciprocating knitting.
It will be noticed in this machine that the normal position of the needles when
not directly reciprocated by the cams is with the needles elevated, and the needles
not used in knitting the heel and toe remain in this position.
Now, as the cam ring is reversed in its movement on its first stroke for recipro-
cating knitting, the groove of the cam as soon as it reaches the same tripping
pin moves the cam in the opposite direction to that which it was previously
moved by the same tripping pin, and the ends of the guiding gates are elevated
into the position shown in Figure 21.
During the first part of the stroke of the cam ring for reciprocating knitting
and before the came strikes the tripping pin, the butt of the needle last to pass
the upper side of the guiding gate a is the first to strike the edge of the deflector
next the said guiding gate and rock the same, so that that needle and other needles
following it will pass above the guiding gate as into the non-knitting groove and

page_text: about as the needle last to knit in the last circular course arrives at the deflector,
the cam e by its slot 5, strikes the tripping pin &, quickly shifting the needle gates
putting them back into the position Figure 21 so that the needle next to the said
last needle to knit on the said course is made to pass under the guiding gate a³
into the knitting groove.
The movement of the machine is continued in the same direction until the needles
to be used in knitting the first course of the heel are brought into the knitting
groove, at which time the cam c arrives opposite or in contact with the tripping
pin and the slot 5 of the said cam engages the said pin, causing the cam to be
turned sufficiently to again put the guiding gates down in the position Figure 21*,
and thereafter in the further continuation of the first reciprocating stroke of the
cam ring, the butts of the remaining needles in the non-knitting groove are made
to travel above the guiding gate a into the non-knitting groove at the other side of
the director, and the movement of the cam ring is continued in the same direction
until the needles which were in the knitting groove as before described are carried
up into the non-knitting groove.
This done, the machine is again reversed for a second course.
The last needle to pass above the guiding gate as it being then in its depressed
position, is the first to strike the opposite side of the director, turning it into
the position Figure 21, causing the butts of the needles to pass the top of the
guiding gate a', which it will be remembered at such time is down, together with
the gate a, and the needles will be run into the non-knitting groove until the
needle last to take yarn and knit at the end of the first course in narrowing, passes
the director, at which time the slot 4 of the cam c again strikes the tripping pin 63.
and elevates the guiding gates, so that the needle next to the one last to knit is
thrown down into the knitting groove, and so on.
This operation is continued and through devices already described the tripping
pins are made to approach each other thus throwing out of action at the end of the
series of needles used for making the heel, one needle after another in succession.
on either side of the machine until the narrowest course of knitting is reached for
the heel, and then by the racking motion the tripping pins are gradually separated,
thus changing the time of operation of the cam c in shifting the guiding gates,
and the needles are gradually put into action one at a time on either end of the
series of needles used in knitting the heel, that is, the needles which were lifted
successively in shorter courses are brought down successfully for longer courses until
the widening is completed.
During this operation of making the heel, the tension or stitch was made
long by suitable high links of the pattern chain e for at such time the addition
of a thicker or of a reinforcing thread requires for the best work the longer stitch.
The widening having been completed, the thread changing mechanism is being
operated at the proper time as has been before described to again bring into knitting
position the thread to be used in the foot of the stocking, the extra thread used in
the heel is cut off automatically, the take-up is rendered inoperative, and, the rock-
shafte having in its movement put the shoe d' of the deflector into position to
withdraw from operative position the cam e, the machine is started again on its
roundabout or circular action, and the further movements of the monitor chain
completes the change to move the cam cylinder at its fastest speed.
The foot of the stocking having been completed, the same operation is gone
through with for the production of the toe, as described for the heel, and the toe
having been finished the circular motion is again commenced in the manner first
described.
Should the machine be employed for making socks, the chain e will have a link
of suitable height to effect the putting of the belt shipper into its central position
with the two belts on the two loose pulleys after the completion of the toe of the
stocking, and the machine will be stopped and the operator would then turn the
cam sufficiently to bring the guiding gates into position to place the butts of all
the needles in the non-kuitting groove with their hooks at the same level.

page_text: At this time the combined latch guard and thread support would be turned back
and the operator would pick on or transfer in suitable manner the loops of a rib-
top, and then after returning the guiding gates into the position shown in Figure 21
or knitting position, would turn back his yarn-guide, supply it with thread, lead
the same to the hooks of the needles and turn the machine a few courses by hand
through a suitable handle provided for that purpose on the shaft g¹².
This hand rotation of the machine brings the stopping link of the chain referred
to away from under the toe of the monitor lever, and thereafter the shipper lever
will be properly moved to put the belt 9 on the tight pulley and start the
machine for circular knitting, the heel, foot and toe being made automatically, as
has been described.
It will be noticed that the conical bed herein shown has a cylindrical shaft pro-
jecting therefrom at a point near the upper end of the bed, leaving the lower end
of the bed overhanging or projecting for a considerable distance beyond the
vertical walls of the shank, the needle cylinder being grooved for a considerable
distance below the upper end of the shank, the shank being of sufficient length to
receive a friction plate which carries the cam ring, the hub of the friction plate
rotating around the shank.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the uppermost
groove a, namely, that above the ledge a, and above the bars a² and a', the said
bars having connected to their ends the latches a and a, serves three purposes,
first, it serves to receive the butts of all the needles used in circular knitting
except at the point where the cams act upon the butts of the needles to reciprocate
them for knitting, secondly to receive the butts of those needles which, when
reciprocating knitting is being done as in the production of heels and toes, are not
made to take yarn and knit, and thirdly, to receive the butts of the needles when
the latter are in their topping position.
Prior to this invention it has been customary to provide cam rings with three
different grooves or spaces, one of which may be designated as the knitting groove,
another a groove in communication therewith in which the butts of the needles
rest when not being directly acted upon by the cams, and a third or independent
groove or space above the said grooves, in which stand the butts of those needles
which are elevated or put entirely out of action and not to be used during the
production of heels and toes.
In accordance with my invention and by reason of the peculiar construction of
the grooves or path-ways occupied by the needles, and of the latches and needle
gates separating the level non-knitting groove from the knitting groove there being
but two grooves, it is possible to rotate the machine and leave all the needles in
the said level non-knitting groove, and to automatically throw down and knit on
all the needles for circular work or on any desired number of said needles required
for heel and toe work.
The cam ring is kept seated by means of a ring T Figure 16 held in place by
suitable screws T¹.
In Figures 3, 6 and 25, 60* represents a brace to aid in stiffening the forked
device 60.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The use in a knitting machine of a needle bed grooved for the reception of a
series of needles, and also grooved at its upper end to receive a series of jacks or
sinkers, and provided near its upper end with an annular rim adapted to act as
a guide for a jack or sinker actuating ring, substantially as described.
2. The use in a knitting machine of a conical needle bed having a series of
needle grooves, and at its upper end a series of grooves for a series of jacks or
sinkers, and having near its upper end an annular rim to guide a jack or sinker
actuating cam ring, and having at its inner side between its lower and upper ends a

page_text: cylindrical neck to enter an opening in a supporting plate, substantially as
described.
3. The use in a knitting machine of a conical needle bed having a rim erected
thereon between its ends and shaped to constitute a guide for a sinker actuating
cam ring, said bed being grooved and slotted as described for the reception of
needles and sinkers, a sinker actuating cam ring mounted and made movable and
rotatable upon the said rim about said needle bed, and a fulcrum wire A° supported
upon the outer side of the said bed in said annular groove, a series of sinkers having
each a slot or projection at one edge between its ends to slip over or embrace the
said fulcrum wire, and having at one end a hook or point and below it a breast,
and having its other end located at a point beyond said fulcrum wire and
shaped to be acted upon by said sinker actuating cam ring, to operate, substantially
as described.
4. A sinker having at one end a breast curved as described, and a hook, and at
one edge between its ends an open slot to co-operate with a fulcrum, and shaped
at its other end to be engaged and vibrated about its fulcrum by a cam,
substantially as described.
5. The use in a knitting machine of a stationary conical needle bed having a
cylindrical shank connected therewith between its upper and lower ends and pro-
jecting at some distance below the lower end of the bed, a friction ring surrounding
the said shank to rotate thereon, a cam ring attached to the periphery of the said
friction ring and gearing to engage and move the said cam ring, substantially as
described.
6. The use in a knitting machine of a reversible cam ring having knitting and
non-knitting grooves, and right and left-hand guiding gates located in proximity to
the junction of the said grooves, an oscillating directing cam pivoted between the
points of the said guiding gates, and devices to actuate said gates automatically,
to operate, substantially as described.
or
7. The use with a set of needles arranged in a circle and actuated by a cam
adapted to be both rotated continuously and reciprocated, of thread arms
carriers, one carrying a leg thread, and the other an extra or re-enforcing thread,
and thread feeding and feed rolls, devices to automatically cause the leg thread to
be put into position to effect the rotation of the said feeding rolls, and devices to
cause the re-enforcing thread end to be put into position to be engaged by said
rolls, the latter rotated by the leg thread causing the re-enforcing thread to be led
with it to the needles, substantially as described.
8. In a knitting machine, the combination with a cam ring and its main drawing-
down cam, of a co-operating yielding false face located near the acting edge of
said cam, to operate, substantially as described.
9. The use in a knitting machine of a conical needle bed a conical cam ring
having knitting and non-knitting grooves and needle elevating and depressing cams
suitable for roundabout or circular and reciprocating knitting and a directing cam
and guiding gates, and actuating devices to automatically operate the said
gates during reciprocating knitting for narrowing and widening, substantially as
described.
10. The use in a knitting machine of a cam ring having knitting and non-
knitting grooves, and its attached right and left-hand guiding gates, and lever for
moving said gates, a cam controlled device to move said lever, substantially as
described.
11. The use in a knitting machine of a needle bed, a cam ring having knitting and
non-knitting grooves and attached right and left-hand guiding gates, a cam, and
means between it and the said guiding gates to actuate the latter, and means to
automatically actuate the said cam, substantially as described.
12. The use in a knitting machine of a needle bed to contain a series of needles
a cam ring having knitting and non-knitting grooves and adapted to actuate
the said needles, the said cam ring carrying right and left-hand guiding gates
and having a directing cam pivoted between them, a gate moving cam located

page_text: outside the said bed, tripping pins to actuate automatically the said cam, and
means between the gate moving cam and gate to actuate the latter substantially
as described.
13. The use in a knitting machine of a needle bed containing a series of
needles, a surrounding cam ring having knitting and non-knitting grooves and
guiding gates at its inner side, and drawing-down and elevating cams, a gate
controlling cam located outside the cam ring, means to reciprocate the cam ring,
connections between the gate controlling cam and gates, tripping pins, stop rings
or racks and means to automatically move them to move the said tripping pins
and put them into proper positions to operate the gate controlling cam at the
proper time to actuate the gates, as and for the purposes set forth during
reciprocating knitting.
14. The use in a knitting machine of a conical needle bed having a projecting
rim, a series of needles and a series of sinkers supported upon the outer side of
the said conical bed, a sinker actuating ring mounted upon the said rim, and
adapted to actuate the sinkers, a cam ring having knitting and non-knitting
grooves and right and left hand guiding gates, and a director and drawing down
and elevating cams, a gate controlling cam located outside the cam ring means
to operate the sinker actuating ring from the cam ring as described means
to reciprocate the cam ring connections between the gate controlling cam and gate
tripping pins, stop rings or racks, and means to automatically move them to move
the said tripping pins and put them into proper positions to operate the gate
controlling cam at the proper time to actuate the gates, as and for the purposes
set forth, during reciprocating knitting.
15. The use in a knitting machine of a stationary needle bed to contain a series
of needles, a rotating cam ring having a movable drawing-down cam, an annular
race way presenting a level track and entirely surrounding the said cam ring,
means to move the raceway vertically, and connections between the said raceway
and the said drawing down cam whereby the change in vertical position of the
raceway effects the shortening and lengthening of the stitches, substantially as
.described.
16. The use in a knitting machine of a stationary needle bed adapted to
receive a series of needles, a rotating cam ring provided with a movable
drawing-down cam, an annular race-way entirely surrounding said cam ring and
having a smooth level top, means between the said raceway and drawing-down
cam to actuate the latter according to the changing positions of the raceway, a
pattern surface, and intermediate connections between it and the said raceway to
automatically move the same and thereby effect the regulation of the length of
the stitches, substantially as described.
17. The use in a knitting machine of a needle bed grooved for the reception of
needles, a surrounding cam ring having knitting and non-knitting grooves and
right and left-hand guiding gates, a directing cam located between said guiding
gates, a gate-controlling cam located outside the said cam ring and made movable
with it in its reciprocations and rotations, devices intermediate the said cam ring
and the said guiding gates, a yoke connected with the hub of the said cam, two
rings having each a tripping pin, a controller, and means to automatically move
it to put the said controller into position to enable the said cam to be put into
operative position or to be put out of operative position with relation to the said
tripping pins, substantially as described.
18. The use in a knitting machine of a conically shaped needle bed having
grooves for the needles a zone-like device constituting a thread support and latch
guard and located above the smaller end of the cam in proximity to the hooks of
the needles, the said zone-like device supporting the thread on its way to the
needles, and having a projection or equivalent to prevent the thread slipping above
it, substantially as described.
19. The use in a knitting machine having a conical needle bed and cam ring to
actuate the needles therein, of a latch guard suspended above it to surround the

page_text: upper ends of the needles, the said guard having a suitable support, and an
independent thread guide adjustably connected to the cam ring, substantially
as described.
20. The use in a knitting machine having a conical needle bed, and needle
actuating cam ring, of a series of needles projecting above the smaller end of
said bed, a thread guide and means interposed between the said thread guide
and the said needles to prevent the contact of the thread between the knitting
point and the thread guide with the needles when rotating the machine and the
needles are not knitting, substantially as described.
21. The use in a knitting machine of a needle bed, a cam cylinder, two freely
movable rings having tripping pins supported by the said cylinder, and two stop
rings or racks mounted on the bed plate of the machine, each ring or rack having
gear teeth and being provided with adjustable stops between which are received
the said tripping pins, pinions to move the said rings or racks, and means substan-
tially as described to intermittingly operate the said pinions, to operate, substantially
as described.
22. The use in a knitting machine of a stop ring or rack having teeth, and a
pinion to actuate the same, and a change wheel carried by the said pinion, a
reciprocating frame having two pawls, means to reciprocate the said frame and
devices to control the position of the said frame to enable one or the other of
its pawls to engage the change wheel, to operate, substantially as described.
23. The use in a knitting machine of a stop ring or rack having teeth, a pinion
to actuate the same, a movable ring as having a tripping pin as 3, and a change
wheel carried by the said pinion, a reciprocating frame having two pawls, means to
reciprocate the said frame, and a locking rod or bar to engage and lock the change
wheel, substantially as described.
24. The use in a knitting machine of a pair of reciprocating frames having pawls
and slotted as described, the eccentrics, their attached gears, a double quadrant, a
pattern surface, and intermediate connections whereby the said quadrant may be
inoved to rotate the said gears and eccentrics and move the pawl-carrying frames,
so that one or the other of their pawls may be in operative position, substantially
as described.
25. The use in a knitting machine having a needle bed a cam cylinder provided
with a series of teeth, and a shaft having a bevel gear and pinion fast thereon, of
a gear wheel provided with a reciprocating plate having a locking stud, a rotating
shaft having a notched disc, a vibrator mounted loosely on the said rotating shaft,
and means to control the position of said reciprocating plate to cause the stud to
rest in the notch of the disc and effect the rotation of the shaft having the bevel
gear and of the cam cylinder, or to cause said stud to enter a notch in the vibrator
in order that it may in its vibrations oscillate the said shaft and reciprocate the
cam cylinder, substantially as described.
26. The use in a knitting machine of a power shaft having a tight and two loose
pulleys, and a belt-shifter adapted to control two belts, a pattern or monitor
chain, a monitor lever, and connections intermediate the monitor lever and the
belt-shifter to automatically determine which of the two belts shall be put upon
the tight pulley according to whether the cam cylinder is to be rotated or
reciprocated, substantially as described.
27. The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz. :-a
stationary needle bed, a series of needles therein a rotating cam ring having a
movable drawing down cam, a surrounding annular raceway having a smooth top
or upper surface all around said ring actuating devices between the said raceway
and the said drawing down cam, inclined supports for the said raceway, and a
pattern surface, and intermediate devices, substantially as described, and actuating
means therefor, whereby the said raceway may be moved for the production of a
slack course at times determined upon by the pattern surface, substantially as
described.
28. The use in a knitting machine with the series of needles and their actuating

page_text: devices, of a yarn guide and rolls between which the yarn being knitted is passed
the said yarn serving to rotate the said rolls to thereby feed a supplemental thread
substantially as described.
29. The use in a knitting machine of a thread-feeding attachment containing a
pair of rolls, two yarn arms located above said rolls, and means to change their
relative positions to put the yarn carried by either of said yarn arms between the
said rolls to be held thereby, substantially as described.
30. The use in a knitting machine of rolls between which the thread is passed
on its way to the guide which supplies thread to the needles, and cutting mechanism
located between the said rolls and the usual yarn-guide to sever the thread below
the rolls, substantially as described.
31. The use in a knitting machine of the following instrumentalities, viz. a
needle bed, a series of needles therein a cam ring having cams to actuate the
said 'needles a yarn guide to present the yarn to the needles two guide arms, each
provided with a yarn and a pair of rolls located between said guide arms and the
yarn guide the said rolls receiving at times both yarns between their bight and
aiding one yarn to carry the other with it toward the needles and at other times to
hold the end of but one of the said yarns, viz. the one not engaged in the fabric at
the needles; means to twist together the said yarns between the said yarn arms
and rolls, and mechanism located and made operative below said rolls and between
em and the yarn-guide to sever one or the other of the said yarns according to
which one is not then to be engaged by the needles, substantially as described.
32. The use in a knitting machine of a shaft having two yarn passages and
provided with a gear two thread arms pivoted thereon and provided each with a
thread, rolls located between said levers and the hooked ends of the needles, and
means to rotate said shaft in one and then in an opposite direction and to vibrate
said thread arms for the purposes set forth.
33. The combination of the take-up, a rotating shaft having passages for the
yarns, and a series of jointed guides interposed between them, substantially as
described.
34. The take up lever provided with a quadrant at its rear end and a spring
ustably secured at points in the quadrant, to operate, substantially as described.
35. In a knitting machine, rolls between which the thread is passed on its way
to the yarn guide, yarn arms, and means to move them and hold their yarns out of
contact with the said rolls, as when both the yarns are to be fed to the needles one
yarn re-enforcing the other, substantially as described.
36. In a reversible knitting machine, a needle bed adapted to receive and guide
a series of needles and a needle actuating cam ring or plate having a knitting
groove and a non-knitting groove on a level extended all around the upper edge
of the said ring and adapted to receive the butts of the said needles and maintain
them in correct position not only for all around or circular work as well as
when narrowing and widening, as described, but also for topping and mechanism to
depress from the said level into the knitting groove and clevate from said knitting
groove back into the said level all the said needles in succession for all-around
work, or any number of said needles less than the whole number, as may be required
for heel and toe knitting, substantially as described.
37. In a knitting machine, a bed for the needles, a series of needles therein a
cam ring to actuate the needles a series of seats stationary with relation to the cam
ring a sinker actuating cam, and a series of sinkers, the breasts of which are drawn
in a curve struck from the point of contact of the end of the sinker with the said
seats at the time that the needles are drawing their loops about the breasts of the
sinkers below their hooks, substantially as described.
38. A knitting machine containing the following instrumentalities, riz. :—a bed
plate having an opening, a conical needle bed having a shank to fit said opening,
a narrow cone-shaped cam ring having a series of cams, substantially as described a 5
yarn-guide and a yarn rest interposed between said yarn guide and needles to
receive the yarn and prevent it from sliding on the neeilles not being reciprocated

page_text: to form loops, whereby conical beds of various lengths may be used in connection
with the same cam ring according to the diameter of the tube to be knitted,
substantially as described.
39. In a knitting machine, a needle bed for roundabout or circular knitting, said
needle bed being grooved for the reception of a series of needles, the upper end of
the bed being provided with a series of slots in line with the dividing walls of the
needle grooves and adapted to receive and guide a series of sinkers, of a series of
sinkers having their fulera between the upper and lower ends of the said sinker
grooves, a series of needles, a cam ring to actuate the said sinkers, and a ring
having cams to reciprocate the said needles for the purposes set forth.
40. In a knitting machine the use of latched needles arranged in a conical
needle-bed in connection with web-holders, and mechanism for reciprocating all the
needles in round about knitting and selecting and actuating any one or more
needles for the purpose of narrowing and widening, in the manner described.
Dated this 30th day of August 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE
Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.