Improvements in and connected with Self-acting Pulling-off or Weighting Arrangements for Lamb's Knitting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept.,
1898
Improvements in and connected with Self-acting Pulling-off or
Weighting Arrangements for Lamb's Knitting Machines.
I, HERMANN DONNER, of Chemnitz, in the Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire,
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:-
The improvements described hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings
relate to self-acting pulling-off or weighting arrangements for Lamb's knitting
machines and their purpose is to effect the pulling-off or weighting of the different
meshes formed in one row; the weighting of each individual mesh to be as indepen-
dent as possible of the weighting of the adjacent meshes.
This separate weighting or pulling-off of meshes formed in one row is necessary in
case irregular forins or shapes of knitting work are to be made, as for instance the
heel of a stocking, which can be compared to a part of a bag formed in the regular
knitting-work.
As is well known, such a heel or bag can only be knitted on a Lamb's knitting
machine by setting idle those knitting-needles, on which the regular portion of the
knitting-work is hanging, drawn downwards by the usually employed weights.
The heel or bag forms an elongation in the regular knitting-work and this elonga-
tion must be weighted or pulled off separately and specially, as it is not, and
cannot be effected by the usual weight suspended on the regular knitting-work as
the latter remains unaltered during the formation of said elongation or heel or bag.
The improvements consist:
1. In the new mechanisms for weighting or pulling-off the meshes of the heel
or bag, as long as they are not under the influence of the weights attached to the
regular knitting work;
2. In the mechanisms for pulling-off these meshes automatically;
3. In the particular arrangement of these pulling-off mechanisms to the Lamb's
knitting machine itself;
4. In the device for holding the pulling-off mechanisms in a correct position and for
moving them upwards and downwards;
5. In the device of movable or sliding weights provided with hooks and for holding
these sliding weights in a frame provided on both sides with hooks firmly attached
to it;
6. In the disposition of such movable or sliding-weights with their frame or frames
beneath one or both needle-beds of the Lamb's knitting-machine.
In order to make my invention more clear, I refer to the accompanying drawings,
in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the different views, and
in which:
Figure 1 shows in a front-view a stocking or knitting-work provided with several
elongations, bags or heels c¹;
Figure 2 shows a cross-section on the line A-B of the knitted-ware with the
bags c¹;
Figure 3 represents a side-view of the weight-hook with its sliding-weight e²,

page_text: destined to pull off the meshes which are made during the formation of the
heel or bag.
Figure 4 represents a front view of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a section on the line C-D of Fig. 4.
Figure 6 is a front view of the frame e bearing the sliding-weights e² with their
weight-hooks e³, showing ten of the former arranged movable in slots of the frame e,
the latter bearing on each side fixed weight-hooks ees. Every weight e bears three
hooks e3.
Figure 7 is a side-view of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a cross-section on the line E-F of Figure 6 showing the sliding-
weights e² e².
of different weight.
Figure 9 is a cross-section on the line G-H of Figure 6.
Figure 10 is a side-view of the mechanism for raising the weight-hooks.
Figure 11 represents a cross-section of the well-known Lamb's knitting-machine,
provided on one side with the new pulling-off device, but without the mechanisms
to move and throw it into activity;
Figure 12 gives the same cross-section as Figure 11, with the addition of the
cross-section of the driving-mechanisms for the pulling-off device;
Figure 13 shows a front view of a Lamb's knitting-machine, seen in the direction
of the arrow K (Figure 12), the needle-bed being taken away, so that the pulling-off
device and its driving mechanisms may clearly be seen.
Figure 14 represents a top plan of the Lamb's knitting-machine with the improve-
ments, seen in the direction of the arrow L (Figure 12), the middle-portion of the
back needle bed being taken away;
Figure 15 represents a cross-section on the line M-N of Figure 13, the pulling-off
device being raised and thrown into action;
Figure 16 shows in the same cross-section as Figure 15 a part of the needle-
bed with a weight-hook e³ to an enlarged scale;
Figure 17 shows in a cross-section on the line 0-P of Figure 13 a Lamb's knitting
machine with two pulling-off devices, one underneath each needle bed;
Figure 18 gives a plan of the left hand portion of a Lamb's knitting machine
(Figure 14) showing the main driving gear and the devices for racking the pattern-
chain and operating automatically the pulling-off contrivance.
Figure 19 gives a front view of the same portion of the machine as represented
in Figure 18.
Figure 20 gives a side-view of the same portion of the machine as represented in
Figure 18.
Figures 21 and 22 show a modified form of the weight-hook in a side and front
view.
The new weight-hook e³ has a peculiar shape, the back-portion of the hook proper
being enlarged and strengthened, so that a long straight point-line a ẞ is gained for
the purpose of preventing the hooks from piercing the fabric when being raised.
The weight-hooks e³ are fixed in a weight e2 (in the drawing three of such hooks
are shown as fixed together in one weight e) and the weights e² are provided with
screws (Figure 9) which, working in slots e6 of a flat frame e, hold said weights to 4
the under side of the frame e (Figures 6 & 7). The weights e² have projections eo,
which, extending through slots e, project on the upper side of frame e.
The frame e has on its upper end two projections es, one on every side, and each
of them holds three weight-hooks, exactly like the sliding weights e². The frame e
with its weights and hooks is set on rails e¹, which form slides, on which the said
frame may be moved up and down.
The frame e (with its sliding-weights and weight-hooks) resting upon the rails
or bearings e, is disposed in the knitting machine between the needle bed b² and the
knitting work ³, the points of the hooks being directed towards the knitting work
and the enlarged back parts of the hooks reaching close up to and even touching 5
the under side of the needle bed 62 in immediate proximity of the sinker comb where
the meshes of the knitting fabric are to be formed (Figure 12).

page_text: By this arrangement the hooks when moved upwards slide along the knitted
fabric with their long point lines a-8 and will as soon as they are thrown into activity,
promptly catch on the meshes with their points and draw them downwards by their
own weight; so that in working the heel or bag new meshes may be formed by the
needles, which are in action and which new meshes would otherwise not be drawn
down by the ordinary weight, attached to the regular knitting work. Thus, as clearly
demonstrated, the weights e are additional weights for the pulling-off of the meshes
produced during the working of the heel or bag.
To bring frame e with its weights e² and books 3 into action the following
arrangement has been made. The rails or slide-bars e¹ are by means of flanges e10
attached to the under side of the needle bed 62 (Figure 14). Across the back of these
rails e¹ and held on them by clasps, like a movable bar f (Figures 11 & 13); this
bar slides on the rails e¹ and when lifted by hand, it supports and moves the frame e
with its sliding weights and weight-hooks upward, so that it comes in the position
Figure 12 after having turned away the movable tappet k. In this position the
projecting tappet k grasps under the cross-bar f and this tappet k can inake an
oscillating movement up- and downwards, as afterwards to be described; and when
moved upwards it lifts the cross-barf together with the frame e, and its sliding
weights, these being in their highest position in the frame e, until all the hooks e
have reached their highest position close to the needle bed (Figures 15 & 16). Here
they catch in the fabric as soon as they with the frame e are released from cross-bar f
(Figures 10 & 15) this releasing takes place as soon as the tappet k is turned upwards,
as later on to be described; then the cross-bar f drops again in its rest (Figure 15).
Now frame e with its sliding weights e hangs suspended on the fabric drawing it
downwards.
The hooks e which are fixed in the projections es of frame e remain hanging on
to these meshes in which they caught at first, thus holding up frane e in its
active position during the formation of the heel or bag, as by the needles above
these hooks not any, or but little, new fabric is formed; these parts being the extreme
edges of the heel. The hooks e³ attached to the sliding weights sink down,
gradually and in proportion to the fabric produced above them, until they are pushed
up again by the studs gl of the rotating stud wheel g coming in contact with, and
lifting upwards, the projections e of the weights e² (Figure 12, 15 & 17). The stud
wheely can, just as required by the nature of the fabric, be moved every time after
the 2nd, 4th, or 6th row of stitches has been formed, by which device both the
raising of the weight hooks and the pulling-off of the fabric can be regulated
according to the shape of the heel or bag desired.
The arrangement chosen for actuating automatically the frame e with its weight
hooks is as follows:
On the main driving gear of the knitting-machine, i is the fast and the loose
pulley (Figures 18 & 19). The toothed wheel keyed on to the main shaft m gears
with spur or crank wheel 1, which latter imparts to the carriage of the knitting
machine its movement to and fro in the well known manner, not shown in the
drawing. One revolution of the crank wheel causes the carriage to make one
movement to and fro, or, as hereinafter called, a double course. On axis m¹ of the
crank wheel and rotating with it is fastened a chain wheel o, which by means of a
chain p is connected with a corresponding wheel o¹ fixed together with the bevel
wheel o (Figure 18) on the axis m². Bevel wheel of being geared with a similar
wheel o³ on the cam shaft m³, transmits the motion of axis m' to cam shaft m³, which
extends over the whole breadth of the machine and therefore cam shaft m³ makes one
revolution, while crank wheel has once turned round its own axis and the carriage
has inade one double course. Upon the cam shaft m³ is fixed an eccentric n (Figures
18 & 20) which acts on the roller q of the lever p' p', the axle of which is at p³
(Figure 20). Lever p p moves by mean of link r the lever (the axle of
which is at t) with pawl, and thus moves the ratchet wheel 8. Ratchet wheel s
(Figure 20) is fastened on its axis, which carries also sprocket wheel u with chain v,
the last named being provided with adjustable studs v¹. This contrivance causes

page_text: after every double course of the carriage, the sprocket wheel u to be racked forward
by one tooth of the ratchet wheel 8, so that after a certain predetermined number of
courses or double courses the chain v by means of studs v³ can operate the pulling-off
apparatus, as afterwards to be described.
The putting in and out of action of the pulling-off device is done in the following
manner:
Disposed loosely upon cam shaft m³ (Figures 18 & 19) is a disc w with a cavity w
on its plan side, held in position by bearing w¹ and collar we (Figure 18), and having
on the side opposite to its cavity a projection w* (Figure 18).
Fixed on the same shaft m³ is a clutch wheel, x, also provided with a
projection ¹. This clutch wheel, which is laterally movable on shaft m³ (but is
forced to turn with the shaft m³), is governed by fork y working in a groove in
said clutch wheel, which fork pivoted together with lever y¹ on pin y² is moved
by means of link (Figures 19 & 20) as soon as its connecting lever is lifted by
one of the studs v₁ on chain v. If the said clutch wheel x is moved by fork y
in a sideward direction towards the disc w, the projections w¹ and x1 of the
disc wand clutch wheel x respectively come in contact and the disc w is turned
in the direction of the clutch wheel x, i.e. with the axle m³.
Whenever the disc is taken round one revolution by the projection x¹ of the
clutch wheel x, the roller resting in the recess 8 of the disc w is pushed in the
direction of the arrow po against spring (Figure 14) at the end of the bar 25, and
as roller z³ is fastened to this bar it imparts to the latter the same motion. Bar
25 moving in the direction of the arrow from left to right (Figure 14) causes also
fork 26, which is fastened on it and which works in a groove of the eccentric 27, to
move the eccentric 27 (arranged movable on cam shaft m³) in the same direction.
Eccentric rotating with cam shaft m³ comes in contact with and acts on the roller
28. This latter roller z', when pressed down by z', acts on the lever, the link k¹
and leverk (Figures 12, 15 & 17) and thus causes the lever or tappet k to be
moved upwards; by the same movement the stud-wheel g being racked forward a
tooth by pawl 2 in a well-known manner. This action takes place, whilst one of the
chain studs v' (Figure 20) lifts the lever 21; at the same time the carriage of the
machine has made a double course. As soon as lever z¹ has passed over the chain
stud the pulling-off device is again thrown out of action. The projection of
the clutch wheel x releases projection w of the disc w, the bar is pushed back
again in the opposite direction of the arrow p³, by the force of spring and eccentric
27 is pulled away again from roller 28.
If in addition to the pulling-off device under the back needle bed, as described, a
second one is required under the front needle bed, all that is wanted is to fix such
another apparatus beneath the front needle bed (Figure 17). The motion is trans-
mitted from the apparatus at the back by means of a rod fixed on the one side to
lever and on the other the lever ³.
It is clearly to be seen, that the chief point of this invention consists in the
arrangement of the pulling-off device in a certain manner on the knitting-machine.
The mechanisms chosen for catching into the meshes of the knitted ware can be of
various kinds. The inventor can employ hooks or bent-wires, or other well-known
mechanisms for catching and pulling-off meshes of knitted goods.
For that purpose in the claims a universal expression is chosen for the mechanism
to catch in the meshes, by the term: "Device for weighting the knitted ware."
It is well known, that hooks and bent-wires etc. as mechanisms for pulling-off the
knitted goods have already been employed. But the certain arrangement of such
devices as made by me, is new.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting machines, consisting in a frame e,
arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the needle bed and the

page_text: knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted ware in connection with
sliding weights e² e² . . . ., freely sliding on the frame e, for the purpose as
described.
2. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting machines, consisting in a frame e,
arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the needle bed and the
knitted ware, and bearing a device for weighting the knitted ware in connection
with sliding weights e² ². . . . . freely sliding on the frame e and having a device
for weighting the knitted ware firmly attached to the frame e, for the purpose as
described.
3. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting machines, consisting in a frame e,
sliding on rails e¹, arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the
needle bed and the knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted
ware in connection with sliding weights e² e². . . . . freely sliding on the frame e,
for the purpose as described.
4. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting-machines, consisting in a frame e,
sliding on rails e¹, arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the
needle bed and the knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted
ware in connection with sliding weights e² e². . . . freely sliding in the frame e and
having a device for weighting the knitted ware firmly attached to the frame e, in
combination with a sliding bar f, for the purpose as described.
5. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting-machines consisting in a frame e,
sliding on rails e¹, arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the
needle bed and the knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted
ware in connection with sliding weights e e². freely sliding on frame e in
combination with a rotating shaft y bearing studs for raising the sliding weights
with weighting device independent one from the other, for the purpose as described.
6. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting-machines, consisting in a frame e,
arranged on the under side of the needle-bed and between the needle bed and the
knitted ware and bearing as weighting device in connection with sliding
weights e² e² . . freely sliding in frame e, a hook e³, having on its back part an
enlargement so that the long straight point line a ẞ is gained in order to prevent the
hook from piercing the fabric, for the purpose as described.
7. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting-machines, consisting in a frame e,
sliding on rails e¹, arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the
needle bed and the knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted ware
hooks e in connection with sliding weights e² e² freely sliding in fraine e and
having hooks e³ as device for weighting the knitted ware firmly attached to the
frame e, for the purpose as described.
8. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting-machines, consisting in a frame e,
arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the needle bed and the
knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted ware in connection with
sliding weights e² e²
freely sliding on the frame e, adapted to both sides
of the machine, under each needle bed, for the purpose as described.
9. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting machines, consisting in a frame e,
arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the needle bed and the
knitted ware and hearing a device for weighting the knitted ware in connection with
sliding weights e² ² ... freely sliding on frame e and having a device for
weighting the knitted ware firmly attached, to the frame e, adapted to both sides of
the machine under each needle bed, for the purpose as described.
10. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting-machines, consisting in a frame e,
sliding on rails e¹, arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the
needle bed and the knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted ware
in connection with sliding weights e² ². freely sliding on the frame e, adapted
to both sides of the machine under each needle bed, for the purpose as described.
11. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting machines, consisting in a frame e,
sliding on rails e¹, arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the
needle bed and the knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted ware

page_text: in connection with sliding weights e² e
freely sliding in the frame e and
having a device for weighting the knitted ware firmly attached to the frame e, in
combination with a sliding bar f, adapted to both sides of the machine under each
needle bed, for the purpose as described.
&
12. A pulling off apparatus for Lamb's knitting machines, consisting in a frame
sliding on rails e¹, arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the needle-
bed and the knitted ware and bearing a device for weighting the knitted ware in connec-
tion with sliding weights e e² freely sliding on frame e in combination with a
rotating shaft g bearing studs for raising the sliding weights with weighting device
independent one from the other, adapted to both sides of the machine under each
needle bed, for the purpose as described.
13. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting machines, consisting in a frame e,
arranged on the under side of the needle bed and between the needle bed and the
knitted ware and bearing as weighting device in connection with sliding weights e². e²...
freely sliding in frame e, a hook e having on its back part an enlargement so that the
long straight point line a ẞ is gained in order to prevent the hook from piercing the
fabric, adapted to both sides of the machine under each needle bed, for the purpose
as described.
14. A pulling-off apparatus for Lamb's knitting machines, consisting in a frame e,
sliding on rails e¹, arranged on the under-side of the needle bed and between the
needle bed and the knitted ware and bearing as device for weighting the knitted ware
hooks in connection with sliding weights e², e². . . freely sliding in frame e and
having hooks e³, as device for weighting the knitted ware, firmly attached to the
frame e, adapted to both sides of the machine under each needle bed, for the purpose
as described.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1808
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.