Improvements in Circular Warp Knitting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Warp Knitting Machines.
I, HENRY BIRKBECK, of the Firm of Tongue & Birkbeck, 31, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Fellow of the Chartered Institute of
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me from abroad by Joseph Kayser, Manufacturer, of No. 467, Broadway, New
York, in the Borough of Manhattan, and State of New York, U.S.A.) and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to certain improvements in circular warp knitting
machines of that class by which a knitted warp fabric known as "Milanaise" is
produced at a considerably greater speed and at smaller expense than by the
ordinary straight warp knitting machines heretofore in use.
The invention consists mainly of a circular warp knitting machine which com-
prises a series of reciprocating needles a vertically reciprocating presser ring above
said needles a vertically reciprocating sinker ring below said needles, horizontally
reciprocating sinkers, and two sets of thread guides to which an intermittent or
step-by-step rotary motion in opposite directions to each other is imparted.
The invention consists further of mechanisms by which the required motion is
imparted to the different parts described by means of cams from a main and
auxiliary driving shaft as will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out
in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 represents a plan view of my improved circular warp knitting machine a
part being broken off.
Fig. 2 represents a vertical central section of the same on line 2-2 Fig. 1
drawn on the same scale as Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section on line 3-3 Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 represents a vertical central section through the upper part of the machine
and more especially through the needle plate presser ring and sinker ring showing
some of the mechanisms for actuating the needles presser ring and sinkers.
Fig. 5 represents a plan view of one-half of the needle bed plate showing a
portion of the series of reciprocating needles the guide grooves therefor the needle
carriers and the operating mechanisms for the needle carriers.
Fig. 6 represents a bottom view of one-half of the sinker ring with its actuating
mechanism.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are vertical detail sectional views showing the different positions
of the thread guides relatively to the needles presser ring and sinkers during the
formation of the stitches.
Fig. 10 represents a vertical tranverse section through the main guide ring the
thread guide carrier rings and pawl carrier rings showing the thread guides and
their supporting plates in side elevation.
Fig. 11 represents a plan view of one section of the supporting plate for the
unner thread guides.

page_text: Fig. 12 represents a plan view of a section of the supporting plate of the lower
thread guides.
Fig. 13 represents a plan view of the main guide ring, pawl carrier rings and
thread guide carrying rings.
Fig. 14 represents a detail elevation of the pattern wheel mechanism by which
intermittent motion in opposite directions is alternately imparted to the pawl
carrier rings.
Fig. 15 represents a detail plan view of the pattern wheels by which said motion
is imparted showing the main guide ring removed.
Fig. 16 represents a vertical radial section through the main guide ring and
through the thread guide carrier rings and pawl carrier rings disposed therein and
through the top ring showing the support for said main guide ring in connection
with the pattern mechanism for operating the pawl carrying rings.
Fig. 17 represents a detail section showing the spline connection of the transmit-
ting ratchet wheel with the shaft of the pattern wheels.
Fig. 18 represents a detail plan view of the pattern wheel mechanism.
Fig. 19 represents a detail plan view of an oscillating elbow lever interposed be-
tween the retracting cam and the connecting rod of the pattern wheel mechanism.
Fig. 20 represents a detail plan view of the mechanism for actuating the bobbin
rings.
Figs. 21 and 22 are respectively a plan view and a side view of one of the needle
carriers.
Fig. 23 represents a perspective view of the group of needles in each needle
carrier.
Fig. 24 represents a sectional side elevation of one of the sinker carriers.
Fig. 25 represents a perspective view of the group of sinkers in each sinker
carrier.
Figs. 26 to 31 are diagrams showing the successive operations of the needles
presser rings sinkers and thread guides required for forming a stitch.
Fig. 32 represents an elevation on a greatly enlarged scale of a fragment of the
fabric a tranverse section of the front end of one of the needles just back of its barb
and end elevation of the thread guides the needle being in its outmost position and
the thread guides being in the position which they assume above the needle after
having shifted horizontally the threads to form the next loop being crossed over the
upper surface of the shank of the needle.
Fig 33 represents also on a greatly enlarged scale an elevation of a fragment of
the fabric the barbed end of the needle and the ends of the thread guides the
needle being in the position which it assumes after being partially drawn inward
with its barb closed over the crossed threads and the previously formed loop riding
over the top of the barb the thread guides being in their lowered position below
the needles.
Fig. 34 is a diagram representing on an enlarged scale the method of forming the
fabric in connection with a number of needles the parts being in the same relative
positions as in Fig. 23.
The same letters and numbers of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Referring to the drawings- A represents the circular bed-plate of my improved
circular warp knitting machine; A¹ four upright standards which are rigidly
attached to said bed plate and which serve as supports for the brackets a a¹
en which the lower bobbin-carrying ring B is supported while the upper ends
of the standard support a ring-shaped plate A on which the upper bobbin-carrying
ring 13 is supported.
The upright standards A' are further provided below the top ring A2 that binds
the standards rigidly together with suitable bracket bearings in which some of the
auxiliary motion transmitting shafts are supported. At the centre of the bed-plate A
are arranged four upright standards A3 which are located radially in line with the
outer standards A and which are curved inwardly at their upper parts so as to

page_text: support the stationary needle bed plate C the bearings for a central vertical motion-
transmitting shaft S₁ and four shorter standards A which are curved at their upper
ends by which the bearings for the transmitting shafts by which motion is im-
parted to the vertically-reciprocating presser ring 1) are supported. On outwardly
projecting brackets a and a³ of the upright standards are guided vertically-
reciprocating rods e which support at their upper ends the sinker ring E on which
the sinkers are supported said rods e receiving vertical motion from grooved cams e¹
on the main driving shaft S said shaft extending between two diametrically
opposite outer and inner standards A' A3 and being supported in suitable journal
bearings of the same. At right angles to the driving shaft S are arranged two
shorter driving shafts S S which are supported in suitable bracket bearings
attached to the bed plate A and which are likewise provided with grooved cams e²
as shown in plan view in Fig. 3 that actuates the sinker ring by other inter-
mediate rods e and the cams e. The inner ends of the rotary shafts S2 S3 as well
as the step-bearing of the vertical shaft S are supported in a yoke-shaped
bracket A shown in Fig. 2.
Rotary motion is transmitted from the main driving shaft S by bevel gears 10,
11 and 12 to the rotary shaft S2 S3 and by larger bevel gears 13 and 14 to the
vertical shaft S as shown clearly at the lower part of Fig. 2.
THE NEEDLE CARRYING MECHANISM.
The needle bed plate C is supported in stationary position on the inner standards A
and provided with an exterior ring C in which radial grooves are arranged for
guiding the shanks of the individual sections of the needle carriers. Concentric
with this grooved guide-ring is arranged a second interior ring which is like-
wise provided with radial grooves but of a smaller number for instance one groove
for every six grooves in the exterior guide ring. The interior ring C2 and its
grooves serve for guiding the shanks of the needle slides for operating a group
of needle carriers 16 as shown in Fig. 5 at the left hand side while the right hand
side of Fig. 5 shows the grooved interior and exterior guide rings with needle
carriers and actuating slides removed. Each needle carrier is provided with say
ten needles 15 as shown in Figs. 21 to 23 the shanks of the needles being set into
recesses of the carriers and secured by suitable cap plates in the same. The head
of each T-slide 3 is pivotally connected with the shanks of six needde carriers but
it is obvious that a larger or smaller number may be connected with said T-slide
according as the machine is made larger or smaller in size for knitting tubular
fabrics of greater or smaller diameter. The inner ends of the radial shanks of the
T-slides Care connected by pins with bell-crank levers (which are fulcrumed at
their apices to the raised portions of the inner ring ( as shown in Fig. 5 while
the inner ends of said fulcrumed bell-crank levers are engaged by pins of a rotary
reciprocating ring which is guided in a circular groove of the needle bed-plate
and which is actuated by a fulcrumed lever that is pivoted to a point of the ring C¹³
fulcrumed to the central depressed portion of the bed-plate C the inner arm of
said fulcrum lever ( being provided with an anti-friction roller that is engaged
by a cam-groove at the underside of a cam (7 attached to the vertical central shaft St.
The rotary motion of the cam ( imparts by its eccentric cam groove an oscil-
lating motion to the fulcrumed lever which imparts thereby rotary reciprocating
motion to the actuating ring C. This motion is again transmitted by the
fulcrumed elbow levers to the T-piece C3 and by them to the needle carriers so that
in this manner the entire series of needles arranged on the circular bed plate
receive simultaneously a radially reciprocating motion at each full rotation of the
central shaft.
The needles 15 employed are the well-known Learded needles having grooves in
their shanks for receiving the beard of the needles when they are pressed down by
the presser as well known in knitting machines.
Above the beards of the needles is arranged a circular presser ring D as shown
in Figs. 2 and 4 which ring is attached by screws to an inverted bell-shaped presser.

page_text: 4
ring carrier D¹. The presser ring is preferably arranged in closely abutting sec-
tions that are applied stationary to the bell-shaped carrier D' by set screws 20 which
pass through suitable slots 21 in the upper parts of the presser ring sections so that
the presser ring can be slightly adjusted in an up-and-down direction relatively
to the beards of the needles. The bell-shaped carrier D is provided with a central
top opening and side openings so as to decrease its weight and receives a vertically
reciprocating motion by means of four grooved cams 1 which are attached to four
radial shafts D3 that are located at right angles to each other as shown clearly in
Figs. 1 and 2.
The grooved cams * engage anti-friction pins 15 arranged on
slide-blocks 1 guided in the short upright standards A" which are attached to the
stationary needle bed plate. The presser ring carrier is supported at its inner rim
on the slide blocks D and fastened by screws 22 to the same so as to prevent any
axial motion. On the upper end of the vertical shaft S' and above the needle
bed-plate is arranged a smaller bevel wheel 30 and above the same a larger
bevel wheel 34 the smaller meshing with bevel wheels 31 and 32 of two diametrical
shafts D while the larger bevel wheel 34 engages corresponding bevel wheels on
the inner ends of the remaining two shafts that are arranged at right angles
to the former so that all four shafts receive rotary motion and impart thereby the
required degree of vertically reciprocating motion to the presser ring.
THE SINKER RING.
Below the stationary needle bed plate is arranged the sinker ring E. This
sinker ring is guided in its vertical movement imparted by the rods e on a circular
shoulder e on the underside of the needle bed plate C as shown in Fig. 4. The
sinker ring E is preferably made of one integral casting and provided at its under-
side with radial grooves 43 for guiding the shanks E' of the sinker carriers E
which are shown in Figs. 24 and 25. The shanks of the sinker carriers are retained
in radial grooves at the underside of the sinker rings by means of cap plates 40 80
'as to prevent the dropping of the sinker carriers. Each sinker carrier is provided
with say ten sinkers E. The sinkers E³ are vertically secured in groups of ten,
more or less, in any suitable manner to sinker carriers e³. These sinker carriers
are secured in vertical position on sinker slides E3 having shanks E¹. The sinker
carriers are preferably adjustable vertically on the sinker slides. To effect this
adjustment they may be provided with slots 41 and secured to the sinker slides by
screws 42 passing through said slots. The sinker slides E2 are adapted to move
radially in an outer series of grooves 43 disposed at close intervals on the under
side or the sinker ring E. T-shaped slides E are adapted to slide in radial grooves 46
in inner ledge 45 on the underside of the sinker ring E an annular channel 44
separating the outer series of radial grooves 43 from the inner series 46. These
T-slides Ecorrespond in shape with the T-slides C³ for the needle-carriers and six
sinkers more or less are connected with each T-slide E. Plates 48 on the under-
side of the inner ledge of the sinker ring E hold the slides E' in position. These
features are best shown in Figs. 6, 24 and 25.
The inner ends of the T-slides E are connected with bell-crank levers 50 that
are fulcrumed to studs 51 on the guide shoulder e on the underside of the needle
bed plate C said studs being of a length to permit sufficient vertical play for said
bell-cranks E so that they are not affected by the vertically reciprocating motion
imparted to the sinker ring. The inner ends of the fulcrumed bell cranks E³ are
connected with pins 52 on a rotary reciprocating ring E which is guided in a
guide groove on the underside of the needle bed plate and flush with the same. The
required reciprocating motion is imparted to the ring E6 by a cam E' on the
shaft S and an intermediate fulcrumed lever E8 in the same manner as the motion
imparted to the T-slides (3 of the needle carriers. While the grooved cam C7 by
which motion is imparted to the needle carriers has its cam groove at its underside
the grooved cam E is inverted and has its cam groove on its upper side said cams
being arranged with their grooved portions facing each other as shown in Fig. 4.
The arrangement of the grooved cams C7 and E' on the same shaft produces in con-

page_text: nection with the corresponding motion transmitting mechanism the accurate
reciprocating motions of the needles and sinkers section for section throughout the
entire circumference of the needle bed plate and sinker ring.
THE THREAD GUIDES AND THEIR ACTUATING MECHANISM.
In connection with the horizontally reciprocating needles vertically reciprocating
presser ring and vertically and horizontally reciprocating sinkers are arranged two
sets of thread guides F F in a circle around the needles as shown in Fig. 1 said
thread guides being arranged in groups corresponding to the groups of needles and
sinkers. The upper thread guides Fare arranged in groups of ten more or less
held by their shanks in sockets of convex carrier plates F which
are hinged at their outer ends to plates F said plates being attached
to thread guide carrier rings F. The lower thread guides F are also
disposed in groups of ten more or less which are secured in a shorter carrier plate F³
disposed under the carrier plate F2 and hinged at its outer end to a plate F5 that
is secured to the thread guide carrier ring 17 as shown in Fig. 10. On the pintle
of the thread guide carrier plates F2 F3 are applied helical springs f by which the
carrier plates are held in their normal position so that the eyes of the thread guides
are close together as shown in Fig. 10. When it is desired to pass the thread
through the eyes of the thread guides they are turned on their hinges up in vertical
position against the tension springs so that the threading of the eyes is facilitated.
The upper carrier plate F is supported in position in both directions by stops the
screw stop fengaging a centre slot 60 of said plate 2 when the same is moved
in vertical position and a headed pin stop applied to an inwardly projecting
arm prevents the carrier plate F2 from moving out of its horizontal position. The
lower carrier plate F³ is likewise provided with stop devices so as to hold it in its
two positions. A radial inwardly extending screw f binds on the inner edge of
the carrier plate F3 and holds it in horizontal position and a stop f" that swings on
a screw pivot serves when turned inwardly to engage the slot f of the carrier
plate F³ when the same is turned in upright position for threading. The thread-guide
carrier rings F and F are guided in the grooved main guide-ring F by means of a
shoulder on the bottom of the same and inwardly projecting ring flanges 70 and 71
on the upper edges so that each carrier thread guide ring has its circular guideway.
The thread guide carrier ring F is provided at the middle portion of its inner
face with ratchet teeth 72 and the thread guide carrier ring is provided on its
outer face with ratchet teeth 73 which teeth are engaged by pawls pivotted in pairs
to two pawl-carrying rings G and G that are guided at the bottom of the grooved
main guide ring Fs between a raised shoulder of the same and the inner faces of the
thread guide carrier rings FF.
The thread guide carrier rings F and F are not made continuous but in de-
tachable sections. The sections of the thread guide carrier rings F6 F7 are pro-
vided with outwardly and inwardly projecting angular lugs 75 and 76 respectively
that project over the outer and inner faces of the main guide ring F so as to retain
said sections in position and prevent any shifting thereof. The sections of the
carrier rings are thereby practically like one entire ring but with the advantage
that the difficulty of subdividing such large rings for the required number of
thread guides is obviated and that thereby any inaccuracies that may take place
are confined only to a small section but not multiplied and increased over the entire
circumference of the guide rings.
The main guide ring F8 has no motion on its axis but receives only a vertically
reciprocating motion by means of four upright supporting rods F which are guided
in suitable sleeves of the supporting frame as shown in Fig. 2 and the slotted
portions of which are engaged by cams fo on short horizontal shafts So which are
supported in box-shaped portions A of the outer standards A¹. The short
horizontal shafts Se receive rotary motion by bevel gears from vertical shafts S7 that
are supported in suitable neck and stop bearings of the outer standards A' and
rotated by bevel gear wheels from the main driving shaft S and the transverse

page_text: shafts S3 S3 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As the mechanisms for imparting vertically
reciprocating motion to the main guide ring F8 are applied to four equidistant
points of the same the up-and-down motion of the same is perfectly steady and re-
liable so that the thread guides are moved from a point above and below the needles
and vice versa as required for the proper formation of the stitches. The pawls for
actuating the thread guide carrier rings F6 and Fare disposed in pairs on the
pawl rings G and G¹ the several pairs of pawls marked g g being pivotted on the
outer pawl ring G and the several pairs comprising the pawls 2 and 3 being
pivotted on the inner pawl ring G¹.
The short pawls of the outer pawl ring G
engage the ratchet teeth of the outer thread guide carrier ring 1 and the long
pawls g of said outer pawl ring extend over the inner pawl ring G and engage
the ratchet teeth of the inner thread guide carrier ring and springs 80 and 81
operate to hold said pawls in outer and inner thread carrier rings respectively in
the same direction and in opposite directions to each other so that the thread guides
move intermittently or step-by-step in opposite directions to each other and produce
thereby the proper formation of the knitting stitches in connection with the needles
presser ring and sinkers. The rotary reciprocating motion which is imparted to
the pawl carrying rings G G¹ is produced by means of two pattern wheels G2 G3
which are clearly shown in Figs. 14 and 15 and which are eccentric to a vertical
shaft S which is hung by an enlarged head to the upper pattern wheel G° and
guided in a hanger plate G that is attached to the underside of the main
guide-ring as shown in Fig. 14. On the hangerplate G* are guided frames G³ Go
having angular flanges at their ends the flanges of the frame G5 being provided
with protruding anti-friction points 90 and 91 that engage the circumference of
the pattern wheel G2 and the flanges of the frame G being provided with anti-
friction points 92 and 93 which engage the wheel G³. The circumference of each
pattern wheel is made smooth for one half its length while the other half of its
length is made undulating. From the slide frames G5 G6 which are reciprocated
by the pattern wheels and which are arranged one below the other extend angular
arms 94 and 95 on the frame G and 96 and 97 on the frame Go that pass through
openings in the bottom of the main guide ring F8 and are rigidly connected to the
underside of the pawl carrier rings G G as shown in Figs. 14 and 16. The angular
arms are screwed to the flanges of the slide frames G G and form thereby a rigid
connection between them and the pawl carrier rings they being guided by suitable
openings in the hangers so that a perfectly steady motion is imparted to them.
To the lower part of the shaft S is splined a ratchet wheel G7 which is supported
in a looped frame 100 that is attached by means of curved hangers G to the top
ring A2 of the supporting frame A as shown in Figs. 16, 17 and 18. The ratchet
wheel G7 is engaged by a pivotted spring pawl G that is applied to a double
arm G that is strapped around the shaft respectively above and below the ratchet
wheel G and connected at its outer end to the forked end of connecting rod G
the opposite end of which is pivotted to an intermediate oscillating elbow lever
lever G³ that is provided at the outer end with an anti-friction roller G13 that is
acted upon by an eccentric cam G₁ on one of the auxiliary shafts So to which
rotary motion is transmitted from the main driving shaft S by the vertical shaft S
and bevel gearing R in any suitable manner. A helical spring G15 applied to the
double arm G keeps the anti-friction rollers in contact with the face of the
cam G and produces by the action of the latter the oscillating motion of the paw
and thereby the step-by-step forward motion of the ratchet wheel G7 and of the
pattern wheels Gapplied to the shaft S of the ratchet wheel G7. The inter
mediate rotary motion that is imparted to the eccentric pattern wheels moves the
pawl carrier rings in opposite directions until one half of the rotation of the pattern
wheels is accomplished. During the remaining half of the rotation of the pattern
wheels the motions of the pawl carrier rings are reversed both rings however alway
moving in opposite directions to each other.
One half of each pattern wheel is divided into steps of which ten are preferabl
arranged to correspond to the ten needles in each needle carrier so that each hal

page_text: The
revolution of the pattern wheels moves the pawl carrier rings and thereby the two
sets of thread guides step-by-step over ten needles in opposite directions to each
other. The remaining half of the revolution of the pattern wheels produces the
reverse motion of the pawl carrier rings and by the action of the pawls before
described the step-by-step motion of the two sets of thread-guides in continuous
but opposite directions to each other for another ten needles and so on.
eccentric portions of the pattern wheels are arranged on the shaft in opposite
directions to each other so that the described motion can be accomplished. The
lower end of the shaft S is grooved and splined to the hub of the ratohet wheel G
for the purpose of providing for the up-and-down motion of the shaft S' in
connection with the vertically reciprocating motion of the main guide ring 18 said
splined connection of the ratchet wheel and shaft being shown in Fig. 17.
THE BOBBINS.
The threads by which the tubular web is produced are supplied to the eyes of
the upper and lower thread guides and 1" from two series of bobbins H H¹ that
are arranged respectively on bearings of upper and lower bobbin rings B B¹ the
ring B' being arranged on the circular top-plate A² on the supporting frame while
the lower ring B is supported on the inwardly-projecting brackets a¹ of the outer
standards A' as shown in Fig. 2. The outer circumference of the bobbin rings B B¹
are toothed so as to be engaged by motion transmitting pinions he h³ one for cach
bobbin ring as shown in Fig. 2 to which rotary motion is imparted from the main
driving shaft S by means of the auxiliary shafts S7 and eccentric cams h' keyed
to said shafts S'. To the eccentric cams are strapped arms which are pivotted
at their outer ends to oscillating brackets which carry pivotted and spring-
actuated pawls which engage ratchet wheels 8 as shown in Fig. 20.
To the shafts h of the ratchet wheels are keyed the motion-transmitting
pinions he h³ by which the intermittent step-by-step rotary motion is imparted to the
bobbin-rings B and B and thereby to the bobbins H H supported on the same.
The bobbins are made of comparatively large size and receive a certain number of
threads sufficient to supply a number of thread guides. The bobbins in the
drawings carrying for instance 204 threads for the upper thread-guide and the same
corresponding number for the lower thread guides. The threads are wound on the
bobbins in the usual manner and conducted to the thread guides over tension
rods that are supported by frames h and h" respectively which are placed
loosely on the spindles of the bobbins and connected at their lower ends to tension
springs h15 and has shown clearly in Figs. 12 and 3. Connected to the frames
of the tension rods are spring pawls h and 18 that engage ratchet wheels 19
and 20 on the bobbin spindles so as to impart a positive motion to the bobbins
while the threads are supplied to the thread guides and needles. The tension
frame 13 follows the tension exerted by the threads on the same until the pawl /17
strikes against a stop 21 on the supporting bracket of the bobbins which causes
disengagement of the pawl from the ratchet wheel so that the tension frame
is moved under the action of their springs into upright position again whereby the
pawls engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel and impart again a positive motion
to the bobbins as required by the feed of the thread guides and needles.
pawl also engages a similar stop h
The
The tension springs are passed around the pulleys 23 and attached by their
ends to the sleeves that are clamped by set screws h2 to graduated arms 28
applied to the bobbin ring as shown in Fig. 1 at the part where the bobbin is
broken away so that by the adjustment of the sleeve on the graduating arm the
degree of the tension spring is regulated more or less as required by the stiffness of
the goods.
The tension springs h¹ for the lower bobbins are preferably connected directly
to the graduated rod as shown in the lower part of Fig. 2.
By the tension springs described bobbins of comparatively large size respond
quickly and accurately to the play of the threads and feed the same as required

page_text: to the knitting parts. The motions of the bobbin rings are so timed that said
rings move with the thread guides around the needles and keep thereby the upper
bobbin ring in one direction and the lower bobbin ring in the other direction so
that they are always at their proper relative positions to the thread guides by which
the thread is supplied to the needles. The tubular fabric that is knit by the
machine is drawn in downward direction by weights and after a certain quantity
is knit the fabric is taken up by means of plates i that are bent at their upper
ends and attached by means of a sleeve to the vertically reciprocating sinker ring
carrying rods e. The fabric is pressed against these plates by means of rollers
and by means of brackets that are attached to the exterior standards A¹ said
rollers being provided with ratchet wheels that are engaged by spring-actuated
pawls which prevent the rollers from moving backward. During the downward
motion of the rods c the plates i likewise move in downward direction and take the
fabric along by the friction exerted on the fabric by the plates and rollers ¿¹.
When the rods e and the plates i are moved in upward direction the rollers are
retained by the pawls so as to be prevented from turning on their axes whereby
the tubular fabric is prevented from sliding in upward direction. One of the
plates is provided with a slitting knife K by which the tubular fabric is cut
open at one point of its length so as to permit its removal from the machine.
The driving shafts S2 S3 are preferably enclosed by suitable sheet metal easings
that act as a guard to prevent the soiling of the fabric by contact with the same.
When a suitable length of fabric has been knitted say 20 to 25 yards it is
pulled out sideways and cut off in the manner well known to knitters.
The operation of knitting the fabric will now be described. The different
positions assumed by the devices directly connected with the formation of the
stitches during the operation are best illustrated in Figs. 26 to 31 and the positions
of the threads in connection with the needles and guides during said operation is
illustrated in Figs. 32 to 34. In these figures a portion of the fabric which has
already been knit hangs by its uppermost series of loops 3 on the needles 10 and
knitting threads marked 1 and 2 respectively are connected to said fabric and
extend out through the thread guides to the spools there being too such threads
for each needle. At the beginning of the formation of the new stitch or loop
the loop forming or knitting devices are in the relative positions indicated in Fig. 26
the needles as 10 being at their outmost limit the sinkers as E³ in inward and down-
ward position the presser ring D in its upward position and the thread guides F F¹
in upward position above the plane of the needles. The thread carrier rings F6 F7
are then moved by means of the rack and pawl mechanism for the distance of one
tooth and said thread-guides F F¹ are thereby shifted horizontally in opposite
directions in a plane above the needles. This movement lays the threads 1 and 2
in opposite directions across the shanks of the needles as shown in Fig. 32. Then
by the downward motion of the main guide ring F9 said thread guides are moved
in vertical direction passing between the needles and assuming a position below the
needles as shown in Fig. 27. The needles remain at their outermost limit and
the sinkers remain at their inner and lower position holding the knitting fabric
below the needles. The needles their beards 11 being open then move inward
a partial stroke and cause the crossed threads 1 and 2 lying over the needles to
pass under the open beards.
The uppermost loops 3 of the fabric already formed which are impaled on the
needles are prevented from being carried inward on the inward movement of the
needles by contact with the sinkers F3. The needles then make a short dwell or
stop and the presser I) comes down upon the beards 11 and closes them by
depressing their points into grooves in the shanks of the needles. The needles on
this partial inward stroke stop before the points of the beards pass inward
to or beyond the notch or recess in the sinkers as otherwise the impaled loops 3
would pass under the beards. At or about the same time that the needles
make this partial inward stroke the sinkers E³ rise to permit the loops 3 impaled

page_text: on the needles to ride upward over the closed beards. The parts are then in the
positions shown in Fig. 28. Then the sinkers move outward and upward to the
position shown in Fig. 29 and the presser 1) remains in contact with the beards
and holds them closed. This movement of the sinkers pushes the impaled loops 3
of the fabric already formed over the points of the closed beards and starts them
on their upward ride over said closed beards the parts being then in the positions
illustrated in Figs. 29 and 33.
Then the presser B rises and releases the beards 11 of the needles 10 and the
needles resume their inward movement and assume the position indicated in
Fig. 30 casting off the loops 3 over the bearded ends of the needles.
These loops fall onto the threads 1 and 2 between their points of crossing
through the needle beards and the thread guides and new loops are thus formed
which are impaled on the needles until a succeeding set of loops is knit in the same
manner.
Then the sinkers E³ are lowered to the position shown in Fig. 31 pulling down
the fabric on the new loops. The needles are then moved outward a full stroke
the sinkers moved inward and downward and the thread-guides moved upward into
the initial position shown in Fig. 26.
The fabric shown in Figs. 32 to 34 is the simplest form that can be made on the
machine but this can be varied to some extent when heavier fabrics are required
in which case the motion of the thread guides is slightly varied which is produced
by changing the shape of the pattern-wheels by which motion is imparted to the
thread guides. These variations however are well known to the practical knitter
who simply changes the pattern wheels when light medium or heavy fabrics are
produced.
Having thus 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. The combination of reciprocating needles a vertically reciprocating presser-
ring above said needles, vertically and horizontally reciprocating sinkers below
the needles, upper and lower thread-guides, and means for raising and lowering
and intermittently shifting said thread-guides substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of reciprocating needles, a reciprocating presser-ring above
the needles, a vertically reciprocating sinker ring, horizontally reciprocating
sinkers in said ring, upper and lower thread-guides and means for vertically re-
ciprocating and intermittently shifting said thread-guides substantially as set
forth.
3. The combination of reciprocating needles a vertically reciprocating presser-
ring above said needles, a vertically reciprocating sinker ring below said needles
horizontally reciprocating sinkers guided in said sinker ring, two sets of thread-
guides, a mechanism for imparting intermittent or step-by-step rotary motion to
said thread-guides in opposite directions to each other and mechanism for impart-
ing a vertically reciprocating motion to said thread-guides substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of a circular series of knitting needles means for reciprocat-
ing said needles, a vertically reciprocating presser-ring above said needles, ver-
tically and horizontally reciprocating sinkers below said needles, two sets of thread
guides, guide rings on which the thread guides are mounted, means for inter-
mittently moving said guide rings and the thread-guides mounted thereon in
opposite direction around the circular series of needles and means for vertically
reciprocating said guide rings and said thread-guides supported thereon sub-
stantially as set forth.
5. The combination of two sets of thread-guides, guide-rings for supporting
said thread-guides, said guide-rings having ratchet teeth, a ring-shaped guide-
frame for said rings, two pawl carrier rings one for each guide-ring, pawls arranged
in pairs on each pawl carrier ring, a driving shaft, a cam on said shaft, a mechan-
ism between said cam and the pawl-carrier rings by which intermittent or step-by-

page_text: step rotary motion in opposite directions is imparted to the guide rings and
thread-guides substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of a circular series of reciprocating needles a main guide
ring extending around said needles, two independent thread guide carrier rings
guided in ways of the main guide-ring, two sets of thread-guides fixed to said
thread-guide carrier rings, two pawl carrier rings one for each thread carrier ring
each provided with pawls arranged in pairs and adapted to engage the ratchet teeth
of both thread guide carrier rings, means for imparting intermittent or step-by-step
rotary motion in opposite directions to said pawl carrier rings and means for inter-
mittently raising and lowering the main guide ring whereby a vertically reciprocat-
ing motion is imparted to the thread guides substantially as set forth.
7. The combination of two sets of thread-guides thread guide carrier rings, a
guide ring in which the thread guide carrier rings are mounted, pawl carrier rings
arranged in said guide ring inside of the thread guide carrier rings said pawl
carrier rings being each provided with pawls arranged in pairs and adapted to
engage the ratchet teeth of the thread guide carrier rings, means for imparting an
intermittent or step-by-step rotary motion to said pawl carrier rings alternately
in opposite directions whereby a continuous step-by-step motion is imparted to the
thread guide carrier rings and means for imparting a vertically reciprocating
motion to the guide ring and hence to the thread guides substantially as
set forth.
8. The combination of a circular needle bed plate, a circular series of movable
needle carriers arranged in said bed plate and provided with inwardly extending
shanks, groups of needles arranged in said carriers and means for operating said
needle carriers, said means embracing horizontal bell crank levers, and an oscillat-
ing ring concentric with said bed plate for actuating said levers substantially as
set forth.
9. The combination of a circular needle bed plate a circular series of movable
needle carriers guided in said bed plate and provided with inwardly projecting
shanks groups of needles arranged in said carriers, means for operating said needle
carriers, said means embracing horizontal bell crank levers and an oscillating ring
engaging said bell crank levers a cam on the driving shaft and a lever connected to
said cam and said oscillating ring substantially as set forth.
10. The combination of a vertical driving shaft provided with cams an annular
needle bed-plate surrounding said shaft needle carriers disposed in groups and
guided in said bed plate and provided with shanks a mechanism between one of
said cams and said shanks imparting a reciprocating motion to the same, a sinker
ring below the needle bed-plate, sinker carriers arranged in groups and guided
in said sinker ring a mechanism between the second cam and the sinker carriers
imparting a reciprocating motion to said sinker carriers and a mechanism by which
a vertically reciprocating motion is imparted to the sinker ring substantially as
set forth.
11. The combination of a vertical driving shaft provided with two cams, an
annular needle bed plate surrounding said shaft needle carriers disposed in groups
and movable in said bed plate groups of needles in said needle carriers a mechanism
between said needle carriers and one of the driving cams for imparting reciprocat-
ing motion to said carriers a presser ring above said needles, means for imparting
vertically reciprocating motion to said presser ring from the driving shaft a sinker
ring below the needles, means for imparting vertically reciprocating motion to
said sinker ring sinker ring carriers arranged in groups and guided in said sinker
ring, a mechanism between said sinker ring carrier and the lower cam on the
driving shaft for imparting a reciprocating motion to said sinkers substantially as
set forth.
12. The combination of a circular needle bedplate, a circular series of reciprocat-
ing needles on said bed plate, a vertically reciprocating presser ring above said 5
needles a vertically reciprocating sinker ring below said bed-plate a series of
horizontally reciprocating sinkers guided in said sinker-ring two sets of thread

page_text: guides, means for imparting a vertically reciprocating motion to said thread-guides
means for imparting an intermittent or step-by-step motion to said thread-guides
in opposite direction to each other, and intermittently movable bobbin rings carry-
ing bobbins respectively for the upper and lower thread guides said bobbins moving
with their corresponding thread-guides in opposite directions to each other sub-
stantially as set forth.
13. The combination of a stationary needle bed-plate, a circular series of re-
ciprocating needles guided in said bed-plate a vertically reciprocating presser-ring
above said needles a vertically reciprocating sinker ring below said needles hori-
zontally reciprocating sinkers guided in said sinker ring, two sets of thread-guides,
a vertically reciprocating main guide ring, two carrier rings for said thread guides,
and means for imparting an intermittent step-by-step motion to said carrier rings
in opposite directions to each other, said carrier rings being arranged in sections
each one being operated independently of the other with the corresponding group
of thread-guides supported thereon substantially as set forth.
14. In a knitting machine the combination of a circular needle bed provided
with radial ways, a series of needle slides movable in said ways, a series of needle
carriers connected with each needle slide each needle-carrier being adapted to
receive a series of needles and means for imparting a reciprocating motion to said
slides substantially as set forth.
15. In a knitting machine the combination of a needle bed-plate provided with
an exterior ring having radial grooves, and an interior ring connected with the
exterior ring and provided with a less number of radial grooves, a series of needle-
carriers the shanks of which slide in the radial grooves of the outer ring, each
needle carrier carrying a series of needles a series of needle-slides having radial
shanks adapted to slide in the radial grooves of the inner ring a series of needle
carriers being connected with each of said needle slides and means for reciprocating
said needle carriers substantially as set forth.
16. In a knitting machine the combination of a needle bed plate provided with
an outer ring having radial grooves and an inner ring provided with a less number
of radial grooves a series of needle carriers the shanks of which slide in the radial
grooves of the outer ring, each needle carrier carrying a series of needles, a series
of needle-slides having radial shanks adapted to slide in the radial grooves of the
inner ring, a series of needle carriers being connected to each needle-slide an
actuating reciprocating ring, bell-crank levers pivotted to said bed plate and con-
nected with the shanks of said needle slides and said reciprocating ring and means
for reciprocating said ring substantially as set forth.
17. In a knitting machine the combination of a sinker ring provided with radial
grooves, sinker slides having shanks adapted to move in said grooves, sinker
carriers vertically adjustable on said sinker slides, each carrying a group of sinkers,
means for reciprocating said sinker slides and means for raising and lowering
said sinker ring substantially as set forth.
18. In a knitting machine the combination of a sinker ring provided with an
outer ledge having radial grooves and an inner ledge having a smaller number of
radial grooves, sinker slides having shanks adapted to slide in the grooves of the
outer ledge, sinker carriers vertically adjustable on said sinker slides and adapted
to carry a series of sinkers actuating slides having shanks adapted to slide in the
grooves of the inner ledge, said actuating slides having each a series of sinker
slides connected therewith, means for reciprocating said actuating slides and means
for raising and lowering said sinker ring substantially as set forth.
19. In a knitting machine the combination of a sinker ring provided with an
outer ledge having radial grooves and an inner ledge having a smaller number of
radial grooves sinker slides having shanks adapted to slide in the grooves of the
outer ledge sinker carriers vertically adjustable on said sinker slides and adapted
to carry a series of sinkers, actuating slides having shanks adapted to slide in the
grooves of the inner ledge said actuating slides having each a series of sinker slides
connected therewith, hell-crank levers pivotted to said sinker ring and adapted to

page_text: engage the inner ends of the shanks of said actuating slides a reciprocating ring
for actuating said bell-crank levers and means for reciprocating said reciprocating
ring substantially as set forth.
20. In a circular knitting machine the combination of a circular series of needles
a circular series of sinkers operating in connection with said needles and a thread
guide carrier ring surrounding said needles and sinkers and constructed in detach-
able sections and means for actuating said carrier ring substantially as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of June 1898.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.