Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines...
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines...
We, DANIEL HURLEY and WILLIAM THOMAS BARRATT, Machinists, both of
Bennington, in the County of Bennington, and State of Verinont, United States
of America, 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 invention relates firstly to mechanism for automatically stopping a knitting
machine in the event of a stitch being dropped, or of a loose thread, or of the yarn
bunching or running in double; and secondly to an improved cam to be used on
circular knitting machines and to a presser finger operating in conjunction therewith.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1. is an elevation of a portion of a circular knitting machine with the mechanism
for automatically stopping the machine attached thereto, the mechanism being set
ready to shift the driving belt from the fast to the loose pulley:
Fig. 2. shows in front elevation a portion of the mechanism, released, and the
belt shifted to the loose pulley;
Fig. 3. is a top view of a portion of the stopping mechanism, released, looking
below the section line - of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4. is an elevation, partly in section, of the tripping device which is operated
by defects in the work;
Fig. 5. is a top view of the same;
Fig. 6. is an elevation of a portion of a circular knitting machine showing the
improved cam and the presser finger attached thereto in their relative positions to
each other;
Fig. 7. is a perspective view of the presser finger detached;
Fig. 8. is a rear perspective view of the cam and its supporting bracket detached
from the machine;
Fig. 9. is a rear elevation of the supporting bracket;
Fig. 10. is a front elevation of the cam; and
Fig. 11. is a view of the adjustable portion of the cam, detached.
Referring now to the mechanism for automatically stopping the machine,
illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, 1 represents the frame of the machine; 2 the
upper and lower needle cylinders; 3 the cylinder supporting rings; 4 a shelf
secured to the frame; 5 the driving shaft; 6 the fast pulley and 7 the loose
pulley on the shaft; 8 the driving belt; and 9 the cam for operating the needles.
10 is a hollow post secured to the lower needle cylinder supporting ring 3.
Fitting within the upper end of this post is a sleeve 11, the outer end of which is
enlarged and milled as indicated at 12, in Fig. 4 to form a finger hold. The
sleeve is adapted to turn in the post and be locked thereto by the set screw 13.
14 represents a rod passing through the sleeve 11, post 10, supporting ring 3, and
extending some distance below the latter. The lower portion of the rod is held
in a vertical position by a bracket 15 secured to the supporting ring 3. At the
lower end of the rod 14, a dog 16 is adjustably secured by a set screw 17. Around
the rod 14 a spring 18 is coiled, the upper end of the spring being secured to the
sleeve 11, and its lower end to a pin 19, which. passes through the rod 14
immediately below the supporting ring 3. One end of this pin 19 normally

page_text: engages a stop, preferably the bracket 15, and serves to limit the rotary movement
normally imparted to the rod 14 by the spring 18. The tension of the spring can
be regulated by turning the sleeve 11 in the post 10, and the set screw 13 will
hold it in the adjusted position.
To the upper end of the rod a lever 20 is adjustably secured, about midway of 4
its length, by a set screw 21. One end of the lever serves as a handle to operate
it with when necessary, and its other end is upwardly and laterally extended, as
indicated by 27, to form a support for the hook 22. The hook is provided with an
elongated opening 23 to enable it to be adjusted longitudinally on its support, and
it is clamped in position by a set screw 24 which passes through a plate 25 and the
-opening 23 into the upward and lateral extension 27 of the lever. The lever has
also a lug 26 on one side opposite the rod 14. This lug is provided with a groove
and, the extension 27 is also grooved. In these grooves a finger 28 is supported
and held therein by the plates 25, and a plate 29 secured to the lug 26 by a set
screw 30. A spiral spring 31 is secured at one end to the extension 27, and at its
other end to the finger 28, and tends normally to draw the finger 28 forward and
over the extension 27. This movement .is, however, limited by the pin 32 which
extends. upwardly from the finger and engages the plate 29, as clearly shown in
Fig. 5. The plate 29 is provided with an elongated opening 33 through which the
set screw 30 passes, and the plate can therefore be adjusted on its support to
thereby increase or diminish the movement of the finger.
34 is a standard supported on the shelf 4, and on top of this standard a bar 35 is
pivoted midway of its length. On the upper face of the bar 35 two levers 36 are
pivoted near the pivot of said bar and extend in opposite directions beyond the
ends of the bar. Each lever 36 is connected at its outer end to the main frame by
the spring 37. Pins 38, project upwardly from the bar 35 and engage the
levers 36 as shown in Fig. 3. The springs 37 tend to turn the bar 35 on its pivot
in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3. The outer ends of the levers 36 are
notched as indicated at 39 and these notches receive the ends of the dogs 16, as
indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, when the belt is on the fast pulley. The bar 35
and its levers extend across the machine below the cylinders, and the tripping
mechanism, already described and indicated by the numerals 10 to 33 inclusive, is
duplicated on the opposite side of the machine.
40 represents a shaft journaled in a bracket 41 secured to the main frame of
the machine. On the shaft 40 is mounted a dog 42, a tripping lever 43 and a
hand lever 44. These three devices are respectively secured on the shaft to turn
with it, by the set screws 45.
46 and 47 are brackets secured to the shelf 4, and in these brackets a rod 48 is
supported to have a longitudinal movement therein. On the outer end of the
rod 48, a belt shipper 49 is secured to engage the belt 8. Between the brackets 46
and 47 an angle bar is adjustably secured to the rod 48 by a set screw 51, and
between the angle bar 50 and the bracket 46 a spiral spring 52 surrounds the
rod 48 and tends to force the said rod lengthwise in the direction of the pulleys.
53 is a rod pivoted at one end to the bar 35 and loosely supported at its other
end in a standard 54 extending upwardly from the bracket 47. The free end of
the bar 53 engages the upper end of the tripping lever 43 when the belt 8 is on the
fast pulley as shown in Fig. 1.
55 is a slotted plate secured to the top of the angle bar 50 and serves as a guide
for the dog 42. The end of the dog 42 is provided with a recess 56 into which
the end of the angle bar 50 fits when the parts are in the position shown in
Fig. 1. 57 is a stop projecting from the shelf 4 to limit the movement of the
bar 35.
The operation of the device is as follows:
When the knitting machine is in operation the parts will be in the position
shown in Fig. 1. the spring 52 being compressed and held in such condition by the
dog 42 engaging the end of the angle bar 50. The dog 42 is arranged on the
shaft 40 at such an angle and the recess in its end is so formed, that when in

page_text: the position indicated in Fig. 1, it will hold the arm 50 and the rod 48 against the
expansive force of the spring 52. The tripping lever 43 will be in engagement
with the end of the rod 53 which latter will be in its retracted position. The
bar 35 and its levers 36 will occupy the position indicated by the dotted lines in
Fig. 3, the springs 37 being expanded, and they will be held in this position by the
engagement of the dogs 16 with the notches in the ends of the levers 36, and the
dogs will be normally held in their position by the springs 18 on the rod 14.
The finger 28 will be retracted against the force of the spring 31 as indicated in
dotted lines in Fig. 5. and its forward end will be in engagement with the fabric
where the knitting needles have been withdrawn from it by the cam 9. The point
of the hook 22 will be substantially on a line with the end of the finger 28. Now,
if a stitch be dropped a hole will be left in the fabric and the spring 31 will force
the end of the finger 28 into it and the continued movement of the cylinders and
fabric will carry the finger with them and thereby turn the rod 14 and disengage
the dog 16 from its lever 36, when the spring 37 will pull the lever against pins 38
and then suddenly force the bar 35 in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3. until it
strikes the stop 57, thereby causing the rod 53 to move the tripping lever 43
slightly to the left. This will result in slightly turning the dog 42 upward so that
it will no longer hold the angle arm 50 and the rod 48 against the force of the
spring 52 and the latter will then be free to exert its force to move the bar 48 to
the left and shift the belt 8 from the fast to the loose pulley and thereby stop the
machine. The several parts of the belt shifting mechanism will then occupy the
position shown in full lines in Figures 2 and 3. The several parts can be again set
in the position indicated in Fig. 1. by moving the hand lever 44 to the right. The
machine can also be stopped at any time by moving the hand lever 44 to the left
without disturbing the tripping mechanism, since the dog 42 can be turned by the
hand lever 44 to the necessary angle to release the spring 52 and permit it to act
on the bar 48 to shift the belt.
In the event of any loose threads or bunching of the yarn which might pass by
the finger 28, such threads or bunch will be caught by the hook 22, and the
tripping mechanism will be operated in the same manner as heretofore described.
Referring now to the improved cam and the presser finger operating in conjunc-
tion therewith, illustrated in Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive, the upper and lower needle
cylinders are marked 2 and their supporting rings 3. The needles are indicated
by 58, and 59 is the cam which forces the needles of the upper cylinder
downwardly. These parts may be of any ordinary construction and form no part
of the present invention.
60 represents the draw up cam and 61 the supporting bracket to which it is
adjustably connected. The horizontal arm of the bracket is provided with two
elongated holes 62, through which screw bolts pass into the upper cylinder ring 3,
thereby adjustably securing the bracket on the ring. The vertical arm 63 of the
bracket 61 is provided with an elongated opening 64, and, on its rear face, with
two vertical grooves 65, and from its lower end a set screw 66 passes upwardly in
the vertical arm of the bracket and enters the elongated opening 64 as clearly
shown in Fig. 9.
The cam 60 consists of the two parts 67 and 68 hinged together by a knee joint
as indicated at 69. The lower portion of the part 68 is halved out as indicated
at 70 to receive the corresponding halved out portion of the part 67, and the
part 68 is provided with a threaded opening to receive the end of the screw 71
which passes through the elongated opening 72 in the part 67, as indicated in dotted
lines in Fig. 10, a washer 73 being interposed between the head of the screw and
the face of the part 67.
From the front face of the cam 60, pins 75 project into the grooves 65 in the
bracket 61 and the cam is secured to the bracket by the screw 74 which passes
through the elongated opening 64 into a threaded hole in the cam.
The action of the cam 60 on the needles causes them to perform the whole
operation of drawing the stitch and it is necessary that the cam be adjustable at

page_text: two points in order..that the needles can be brought-into the exact position.
necessary to properly performi their functions under all circumstances. These two
points are indicated by the letters a and b. The part a of the cam is that which:
brings the needles into position.where their barbs can be acted on by the presser!
disk to enable them to cast off the old loops, and 6 is the point that operates on the
needles to draw the new stitches tight after the old loops are cast off. In order
to adjust the part a the screw 74 is loosened and the screw 66 which engages the
screw 74, is set up or down as may be necessary, thereby permitting the cam to be
moved up or down on its supporting bracket. In order to adjust the point b the
screw 71 is loosened and the part 68 is moved up or down, as may be necessary,
relative to the part 67, the knee joint 69 permitting this movement.
Referring now to. Fig.:7, 76 is a hollow standard having a base 77 integral
therewith and extending at right angles thereto provided with an elongated
opening 78 through which a screw, bolt 79 passes to secure the standard to the
lower cylinder. ring 3. A post 80 fits within the standard 76 and may be adjusted
vertically therein and held in position by the set screw 81. On the top of the
post 80 the presser finger 82 is adjustably held by a screw 83 which passes
through an elongated opening 84 in the presser finger into the end of the post.
It will be seen that the presser finger can have vertical and lateral adjustment
relative to the standard 76. The finger is so adjusted as to press against the
knitted fabric just after the stitches have been drawn tight by the part.b of the
draw up cam and just before the needles are given their return or downward
movement by the cam 59, and the function of the finger is to press the fabric back
out of the path of the descending needles and so prevent them from going through
the body of the fabric and making imperfect work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1: In a knitting machine, the combination with the belt of a spring actuated
sliding rod 48, a belt shipper on said rod engaging the belt, a shaft journaled in a
suitable bearing on the frame of the machine, a tripping lever, a dog, and a hand
lever secured on said shaft to turn therewith, an angle arm on the rod 48 engaging
said dog to lock the rod against the action. of its spring, a spring actuated rod 53
engaging the tripping lever, and a tripping device actuated by defects in the
knitted fabric and serving to lock the rod 53 against the action of its spring,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth:
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2. In a knitting machine, a belt shipping mechanism, consisting of a pivoted bar,
a lever pivoted at one end on said bar, a spring connecting the free end of the bar
to the frame of the machine, a projection on the bar engaging said lever, a shaft
journaled on the frame of the machine, a tripping lever, a dog, and a hand lever
secured to said shaft to turn therewith, a spring actuated sliding rod carrying a
belt shipper, an. angle bar on said rod with which the dog engages to hold the
sliding rod against the action of its spring, a rod pivoted at one end to the pivoted
bar and engaging at its other end the said tripping lever, and a tripping device to
engage the free end of the lever on the pivoted bar to hold it against the action of
its spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
.1
.. 3. In a knitting machine, a draw up cam consisting of two parts hinged togethe
and adjustable relative to each other, and means to lock the parts together in thei
adjusted position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a knitting machine, a draw up cam consisting of two parts hinged together
by a knee joint, each of said parts having a halved out portion which portions fi
one within the other, one of said portions baving an elongated opening and th
other a threaded opening, and a screw passing through the elongated opening int
the threaded opening to lock the two parts together, substantially as and for th
purpose set forth.
5. In a knitting machine the combination with the cylinder supporting ring, of
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page_text: bracket secured to said ring and provided with an elongated opening and grooves
ip its vertical arm and a vertical threaded opening extending from its lower edge into
the clongated opening, a draw up cam consisting of two parts hinged together and
provided with pins projecting from its face into the vertical grooves in the arm and
with a threaded opening, a screw passing through the elongated opening in the
bracket into the threaded opening in the cam and a screw in the vertical threaded
opening in the bracket to engage the other screw, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
6. In a knitting machine the combination with the needle operating cams, the
needles and the lower cylinder supporting ring, of a hollow standard secured to
said ring, a post adjustably supported in the hollow standard, and a presser finger
adjustably secured to the top of the post to engage and press the knitted fabric
out of the path of the needles when the cam operates on them to give them their
return movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 12th day of November 1896.
DANIEL HURLEY.
WILLIAM THOMAS BARRATT.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.