Improvements in and connected with the Needle-raising-cams of Lamb Knitting-machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 26th Jan., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Needle-raising-cams
of Lamb Knitting-machines.
I, HEINRICH 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:-
This invention refers in general to knitting-machines of the kind known as Lamb
knitting-machines, and in particular to those cams of said machines, by means of
which the needles are raised by the mediation of their feet. There are in such
knitting-machines two inclined needle-beds arranged opposite to each other, each
row of needles being actuated by a separate group of cams (two sinking-cams and
one raising-cam arranged between the former and attached to a common slide). If
in a machine of the said kind, ware in the shape of a hose is to be produced, then
the cams of one row must commence their working-way only after those of the
other row have finished their working-way, and the direction of each following
working-way must be opposite to that of each preceding one (of the other row).
In order to prevent the needles, or the feet of the same respectively, from being
acted on by the cams, when the latter are making their return-way, the raising-cani
of each group is pushed upwards against, or tightly between, the respective two
sinking-cams. To perform this, each of the two slides carrying the group of
cams is provided with a displaceable bar, which at the end of each way is
automatically acted on by suitable adjustable projections attached to the side-part-
of the frame of the machine. Therefore, each slide is compelled to make in either
direction the whole of its way, having the position of the respective raising-cam
changed. This is indispensably requisite also if the hose to be produced by the
machine is to be but a small one. It results therefrom, that by the useless ways
then made by the two slides a great deal of time and power is lost.
The purpose of my invention is to do away with said losses, and I attain my
object by letting the raising-cam of each slide be lifted and lowered by its own
impact upon the feet of the needles. If, therefore, perhaps, two thirds of each row
of needles (i.e. one third at either side) have been drawn downwards as far as to
remove the respective needles out of the way of the raising-cam, there then the
slides need be moved to and fro only as far as requisite for the remaining third.
It results therefrom, that the length of ware produced by this improved machine
will increase according to the decrease in breadth.
The old manner of working is indicated in Fig. 1. If the raising-cam arranged
between the two sinking-cams a a' is in the position shown in full lines at b, and if the
whole group of cams is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 18, the feet c of
the needles will first be raised by cam b, and thereafter be lowered by cam a, so
that during this time the needles (not shown) may perform their work. When at
the end of this stroke the angular channel formed by the three cams has become
empty of needle-feet, the cam is lifted into the position indicated in dotted lines
at b, Fig. 1, and the needle-feet may thus pass below the cam (61) without being
acted on by the latter.
The improved manner of working is indicated in Figs. 2 & 3. The position of
the cam b, when the latter does not act on, or is not acted on by, the needle-feet c,
is that indicated in dotted lines at b. Cam bis movable in two ways, in that it
may be caused to oscillate upon the point 63 (Fig. 2), as well as upon the point &
(Fig. 3). The mechanisms for making this possible will be described later on.

page_text: If, now, the cams are moved in the direction indicated by arrow 19 (Fig. 2), the
needle-feet pushing upon the cam 6 (being then in the position 6) will cause the
cam to swing downwards upon the point 6. The cam will remain in this position
as long as needle-feet are passing through the lefthand leg of the angular channel,
and will afterwards automatically assume its former (oblique) position (6). If,
however, the cams a ba¹ are moving in the other direction, as indicated by
arrow 20 (Fig. 3), cam b will be caused by the needle-feet to swing upon point 6*,
and the needle-feet will pass below that cam without being deflected by the same.
It will thus be clear, that, in order to cause the cam to assume one or the other
of the positions shown in full lines in Figs. 2 & 3, the slide carrying the cams need
not be displaced across the whole length of the needle-bed, but only as far as
required for the width of the ware just produced.
The slide d (Figs. 4-8, 12 & 13), which at its lower side carries the two fixed
cams aa and the movable cam b, is provided with three angular slots d¹³ ³
(Figs. 4, 6, 7 & 12), through which take pins (e, Figs. 5 & 8) connecting the
cam with a somewhat triangular piece f (Figs. 5, 8 & 11), arranged on the upper
side of slide d. A lever g (Figs. 4, 16 & 17) hinged at g¹ to slide d is hinged at its other
end g to the piece f. Therefore, said piece, together with cam b, may swing upon
point 9 of lever g, and both said parts (cam 6 and piece f), together with lever g,
may swing upon point g' of the latter. Point g' corresponds to point 6³ of Figure 2,
point o corresponds to point 6 of Figure 3.
If, thus, cam b is acted on by the feet of the needles in the same way as described
with regard to Figure 2, the whole system bf 9 will swing downwards upon
point g, and will thereafter be again drawn upwards by a spring h' (Fig. 4). If,
on the other hand, cam 6 is acted on by the feet of the needles in the same way, as
described with regard to Figure 3, the whole system bf will swing upwards upon
point g, and will thereafter be again drawn downwards by a spring (Figs. 4 & 5).
It results therefrom, that cam & will be operated by the needle-feet, and will in its
turn operate the needles, in exactly the same manner as above described.
In the modified form of construction shown in Figs. 9 & 10, the lever
g of the
former mode of execution is replaced by a slide i (Fig. 10) working in a slot d
(Figs. 9, 10 & 14) of the main-slide d. Said slide i is coupled with the piece f,
which in this mode of construction is arranged on one side with cam b. Therefore,
said piece may be oscillated upon slide i, and may be displaced together with the
same. Two pins (Figs. 9 & 10) attached to piece f, and taking through
slots (Figs. 9 & 14) of slide d, are connected with springs h³ h³.
springs, the parts f and bare influenced in exactly the same manner, as described
with regard to the springs h h¹ of Fig. 4.
By these
My improved raising-cam, although having the peculiar arrangement described,
may yet he used like an ordinary raising-cam, that is to say, may assume, and be
fixed in, either of the two positions shown at band in Fig. 1.
For this purpose, piece is provided with a pivot f1 (Figs. 4, 5, 8 & 11), that
may be pressed upwards by the oblique end of a slide m, or downwards by the
inversely oblique end of another slide in¹. If pivot is acted on by slide m¹, the
position of the cam 6 will be that of Figure 6; if pivot f' is acted on by the other
slide, the position of the cam will be that of Figure 7, as will be clear from these
two figures without further explanation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
cion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a Lamb knitting machine, a needle raising cam adapted to be oscillated
upon one or two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said cam, for the
purpose as described.
2. In a Lamb knitting machine, a needle raising-cam adapted to be oscillated
upon one or two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said cam, by the
mutual impact of the latter and the needle-feet, for the purpose as described.

page_text: 3. In a Lamb knitting machine, a needle raising-cam adapted to be oscillated
upon one or two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said cam by the
mutual impact of the latter and the needle-feet; said cam being connected with
springs adapted to move the former back to its normal position, for the purpose as
described.
4. In a Lamb knitting machine, a needle raising-cam adapted to be oscillated
upon one or two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said cam by the
mutual impact of the latter and the needle-feet; said cam being connected with
springs adapted to move the former back to its normal position, the latter being an
oblique one, as indicated at 6 in Figs. 2 & 3, for the purpose as described.
5. In a Lamb knitting machine, the combination with a needle raising cam adapted
to be oscillated upon two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said cam, of a
link or lever hinged at its one end to said cam, and at its other end to the slide
carrying the cam, for the purpose as described.
6. In a Lamb knitting machine, the combination with a needle raising-cam b
adapted to be oscillated upon two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said
cam, of a similar piece firmly connected with the cam, and movably connected
with one end of a link or lever g hinged at its other end to the slide carrying the
cam and the piece f; said link or lever being connected with two springs h h¹
adapted to hold the cam normally in an oblique position, for the purpose as
described.
cam,
7. In a Lamb knitting machine, the combination with a needle raising-cam b
adapted to be oscillated upon two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said
cam, of a similar piece farranged on the upper side of the slide d carrying the
and of a link or lever g hinged at its one end to said piece f, and at its other
end to the said slide; the latter being provided with slots adapted to let pass, as
well as displace, the connecting-bolts between the cam band piece f; said link or
lever being connected with springs h, the other end of spring / being connected
to slide d, the other end of spring ¹ being connected to the top of piece f,
substantially as described.
h
8. In a Lamb knitting machine, the combination with a needle raising-cam
adapted to be oscillated upon two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said
cam, of a similar piece farranged on the upper side of the slide d carrying the
cam and of a link or lever g hinged at its one end to said piece f and at its other
end to the said slide d; the latter having two slides m m¹ adapted to act upon a
projection of piece f, and to hold said piece fast in its lowest position (Fig. 6) as
well as in its highest one (Fig. 7), substantially and for the purpose as described.
9. In a Lamb knitting-machine, the combination with a needle raising-cam
adapted to be oscillated upon two points lying on, or near to, the base-line of said
cam, of a similar piece arranged on the lower side of the slide d carrying the
cam, and of a slide i guided by slide d, and connected with said piece f; the latter
being connected to slide d by springs 2 h (Fig. 9) adapted to hold camb normally
in oblique position, and to allow the same to give way in either direction on the
impact of the needle-feet, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 29th day of November 1894.
HEINRICH HERMANN DONNER,
By Geo. Thos. Hyde,
1, Broad Street Buildings, London, E.Č., Agent for the Applicant.