Improvement in Presser Wheels for Knitting Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvement in Presser Wheels for Knitting Machines.
I, PETER SIMMONS KINSEY, of No. 25 Fifth Avenue in the City of Newark, County
of Essex, State of New Jersey, and United States of America, manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENT IN PRESSER WHEELS FOR
KNITTING MACHINES" and in what manner the, same is to be performed, to be
particularly described in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to that class of devices which are used in connection with
Knitting Machines to press in the beards of the passing needles so that the stitches
produced thereon can be slipped therefrom to join the web and which are termed
presser wheels; the object of my improvement being to so construct such presser
wheels that they can be used to produce what is known as figured knitting.
My invention consists as will be more fully detailed hereinafter in connection with
its illustration, in the combination with slots or openings radially arranged in the
perimeter of the presser wheel of adjustable blades adapted where inserted to close said
slots or openings so that such part of the wheel as contains the slots or openings filled
by the blade will operate in the ordinary manner to close the beards for the slipping
off of the stitches; and the slots or openings where not filled by the adjustable blades
will not close the beards, but pass them so as to produce a drop or double stitch; and
by arranging a series of wheels so constructed to form such stitches at predetermined
intervals, ornamental figures of an almost endless variety can be wrought into the web
and in colors if desired.
It will be readily understood that while the results produced by my improvement
are in degree like the results accomplished by other mechanisms designed for the same
purpose, yet in all older methods it will be found that these results were produced by
a fixed form of toothed wheel, or by a mechanical means for raising the presser
wheel from its contact with the needle beards at regular intervals.
By my improvement the presser wheel can be operated in the ordinary manner in
its usual bearings and without a change of position in its axial rotation with relation
to the needles, and as constructed by removing some of its blades so that in its rotation

page_text: it will skip some of the needle beards, and by retaining some of the blades in place it
will engage to close the beards of others of the needles; my improved presser wheel
does all the work of the older devices without the aid of any additional mechanisın, to
operate the presser wheel.
Accompaning this specification and forming a part of it there are two plates of
drawings containing five figures illustrating my invention with the same designation
of its parts by letter reference used in all of them.
Of these illustrations Figure 1 shows a perspective of my improved presser
wheel, with the cap which holds the blades in place removed. Figure 2 shows a
central vertical section taken through the body part of the wheel, the cap and the nut
which secures blades in place within the body part. Figure shows the cap as
removed from the wheel. Figure 4 shows one of the blades as removed from the
device, and Figure 5 illustrates my improved presser wheel as applied to a knitting
machine.
The several parts of the device are designated by letter reference and their function
described as follows: The letter A indicates the body part of the wheel which is
hollowed out between its center and rim as indicated at a², so as to leave a thicker
part at and near its outer edge designated at ². The letters s indicate slots or
openings radially formed in the perimeter and upper face of the wheel; these slots or
openings are made large enough for the needles to mesh into them as the latter pass
in rotation with the machine cylinder; but not so as to press in the beards of the
needles. The letters B designate blades adapted to fit into so as to close said slots
where applied, but not to project beyond the rim of the wheel; and which blades
where inserted will cause the perimeter of the wheel to engage with so as to force
inwardly the beards of the passing needles in the usual manner for the release of the
stitches on the latter.
The letter C designates a cap that is made to go on over the inserted blades and to
be secured in such position to retain the latter by the nut n, which is made to thread
on to the hub H of the wheel. The letter T designates the standard which supports the
arm M in which the shaft D of the presser wheel runs; the letter N, designates the
needles of the knitting machine; K, the cylinder of the latter, and W the web or
fabric formed by the needles.
Thus made and applied the blades can be removed from to open, or applied to to
close, any of the radial slots or openings formed in the perimeter and upper face
of the wheel, and when removed from the slots of said wheel, the latter will pass the
needles without closing their beards; and where the blades are applied, the wheel will
press in the needles beard for slipping off the stitches.
A presser wheel thus made is adapted to the use of a great many changes and
combinations for the production of figured knitting from the various positions in which
the blades can be placed, and be changed if desired.
The function of the slots or openings radially produced in the perimeter and
upper face of the presser wheel being to allow the passing needles to mesh into the
perimeter of the wheel while passing, without having the wheel press in the beards of
the needles, any form of slot or opening that will do this may be used; and the
function of the applied blades being to close up such slots or openings any form of
blade that can be so applied may be used.
As the function of the cap C is merely to retain the blades within the slots, any form of
mechanism that will perform the same function in substantially the same manner may
be used; or other mechanism substituted therefor provided the construction of
perimetral slots or openings adapted to be closed by blades is employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
First. The combination with the presser wheel provided with radially arranged
slots which in its peripheral face are in line with the axis, and are therefrom extended
inwardly in its upper face; of blades adapted to be applied to said slots to close the

page_text: same, and means for clamping said blades in said slots, whereby the said blades may
be attached to, or detached from said wheel, substantially as described.
Second. The combination of the wheel A, provided with slots S; the blades B; the
cap C; the nut, and the hub H said parts being constructed and arranged to
operate substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The combination of the body A formed with a threaded hub H, hollowed out
part a', and thicker peripheral rim a, provided with radial slots S, the bottom of which
are on a line with the floor of the hollowed-out portion a', with the adjustable blades B
fitted in said radial slots; the cap Û set over the blades, and a retaining-nut n, sub-
stantially as described, and for the purposes stated.