Improvements in or relating to Transferring Bars for use in connection with Knitting Machinery.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1892-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Transferring Bars for use in
connection with Knitting Machinery.
We, JAMES HEARTH, WALTER HEARTH, and WILLIAM HENRY WILLIS,
trading as James Hearth & Co. of 124 Church Gate, Leicester, Hosiery
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to what are technically known as transferring bars
used, in connection with knitting frames, for the purpose of transferring knitted
fabrics made on one knitting machine to the needles of another or different frame.
According to our invention we construct a transferring bar, especially applicable
for use in connection with Cotton's and other straight bar knitting frames, and
which consists of a combination of covering points and covering hooks, preferably
equal in number to the frame and machine needles in the frame upon the needles
of which the fabric is to be placed, and of similar gauge thereto.
The points and hooks may have their bases fixed in the same line in the bar, but
by preference are fixed in different but parallel lines, and have their heads or
points all in the same line or plane.
The number and combination of hooks and points are regulated according to the
number of needles in the frame and the ribbing machine to which the fabric is to
be transferred.
Dated this 4th dox of March 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Transferring Bars for use in
connection with Knitting Machinery.
We, JAMES HEARTH, WALTER HEARTH and WILLIAM HENRY WILLIS,
trading as James Hearth & Co. of 124 Church Gate, Leicester, Hosiery Manu-
facturers, 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 has reference to what are technically known as transferring bars
used in connection with straight-bar knitting frames, for the purpose of trans-
ferring knitted fabrics made upon one frame to the needles of another or different
frame.
The transferring bars as at present constructed, are only adapted for use with
plain frames, that is to say for transferring the loops of knitted fabrics en masse
to the needles of plain frames.
The chief object of this invention is to construct a transferring bar by the use
of which the loops of either plain or ribbed knitted fabrics can be transferred
en masse to the needles of a rib frame.
Heretofore when it was required to produce an article of a combination of plain
and knitted fabrics, as for instance, in a stocking with a plain top and ribbed leg,
part of the loops of the plain top were transferred to the frame needles of a rib
frame and the remaining loops were picked up individually by the hand of the
operator and put on to the machine needles, a process entailing much time.
Or the two fabrics were connected by sewing together in a linking or seaming
machine or by hand, when a bulky or unsightly joining was the result.

page_text: Dy the use of our improved transfer bar this objection is obviated and a better
finished article thereby produced, as a plain top can be transferred to the needles
of a rib frame and a ribbed leg fabric knitted thereto.
Our invention will be best understood from the following description in reference
to the accompanying drawings wherein
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a transfer bar constructed in
accordance with this invention and Figure 2 is a section thereof.
Figures 3 to 8 are plans and sections respectively of modifications hereinafter
described.
The transfer bar in Figure 1 consists of a combination of covering points A and
covering hooks B.
The covering points are of the usual construction, well known in the trade, and
consist of wires or wire needles each formed with a blunt point or end and
provided on its underside with the usual long deep groove or eye capable of
completely covering the beard of a needle in a knitting machine.
The hooks are also provided with grooves on the underside thereof and the
turned up end forming the hook is preferably on the opposite side to the groove.
As will be seen most clearly in Figure 2 the hooks and points are located in
grooves cut in the opposite sides of a central plate C and are secured in position
by one or more plates D screwed at D' to each side of the grooved plate C and
provided with a face of leather D2, or other material, to more firmly bind the
hooks and points in position.
The grooves in one side of the plate C are formed opposite intermediate spaces
of those on the reverse side of the said plate so that the heads or fronts of the
hooks may come between the covering points and all lie in one line of plane.
The mode of using the transfer bar described is as follows: Assume the loops
of the fabric to have been run on to the transfer bar in the usual way, and it is
now desired to transfer the fabric thereon to the needles of a rib machine, say of
the Cotton's type for instance.
The machine bar containing the machine or ribbing needles of the knitting
frame is raised in the usual way, as is well understood by operators of this class of
machine.
The fabric on the transfer bar is now placed so as to hang down at the back of
the machine needles so that the heads of the latter are well in the grooves in the
covering points in the transfer bar.
The latter is now lowered in front of and parallel to the machine needles so
that the loops on the covering points are now left hanging on the machine needles,
while the remaining loops are held in the hooks on the transfer bar.
The transfer bar is now raised so as to bring the loops under the beards and to
the ends of the machine needles.
The hooks and points of the transfer bar are next placed above the heads of the
machine needles at a right angle thereto thereby bringing the loops on the hooks
to the bottom or base of the stems thereof.
The machine bar is then partly lowered and the frame needles brought slightly
forward towards the operator, as is well understood, so that the grooves in the
covering hooks are well over the frame needles and parallel thereto. The machine
needle bar is now lowered to its original or working position thereby causing the
loops on the hooks to pass over the heads of the frame needles and down the stems
of the latter.
The transfer bar is next slightly raised and the hooks and covering points pressed
between the frame needles, when the operator by inclining the transfer bar brings
the hooks towards him thereby causing them to disengage the loops and leave them
on the frame needles.
Although we have found that by the use of a transfer bar comprising a com-
bination of hooks and points as hereinbefore described the best results are obtained,
yet with the exercise of a little greater care by the operator, the following
modifications may be used for the same purpose.

page_text: Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a modification in which long and short covering points
are employed and fixed in the bar C in a similar manner to that herein before
described in reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Although the hooks offer the best safe guard against part of the loops (those
intended for the frame needles) slipping off during the time the loops are being
delivered to the machine needles, this difficulty is met in a certain measure by
making the points E which transfer loops to the frame needles of greater length
than the points F which deliver their loops to the machine needles.
The mode of using this transfer bar is substantially the same as described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2, with the exception that after completing the transfer
of the loops to the frame needles there would be no necessity to incline the bar as
when disengaging the hooks from the loops, as there being no hooks the bar can
be easily lifted in a vertical direction and thereby leave the loops behind on the
frame needles.
Figures 5 and 6 show a further modification.
In this case covering points only are used, and as shown are of equal length but
movable in relation to each other thereby constituting an alternative method of
obtaining long and short points as in Figures 3 and 4.
The two sets of covering points are fixed in position as hereinbefore described,
but the central grooved plate is divided through its thickness in the direction of
its length so as to form two plates C¹ and C*.
The plate C is provided with one or more slots C³ in which is located a screw G
passing into the adjacent plate C₁, and by this means allowing the plate C' to be
moved up and down to the extent of the length of the slot C³ so as to bring the
ends or heads of the whole of the covering points into one plane, when it is more
convenient to run the fabric thereon, or into different planes as in the figures
when the loops are to be delivered on to the machine and frame needles.
Other means than those described may be used for moving the covering points
in relation to each other for the purpose described.
Figures 7 and 8 show a further modification of a transferring bar.
Instead of plain hooks B, as in Figures 1 and 2, we employ "twisted hooks" or
twisted beards B' as shown. The method of fixing them in the plates C and D and
mode of using the bar being in all respects similar to those described in reference
to Figures 1 and 2.
The hooks and points or covering points only, when such are used alone, must be
equal in number and gauge to the needles in the knitting machine upon which the
fabric is to be transferred.
Although by preference the covering points and hooks have their ends or bases
fixed in different lines as shown in the drawing, yet we may fix them all in one or
the same line if desired.
The length of the bar, as is understood, is regulated by the needles in the division
of the frame upon which the fabric is to be transferred and the combination of
hooks and points or long and short points, by the combination of frame and machine
needles in the knitting machine to receive the fabric.
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 transferring bar for use with straight-bar knitting frames the combination
of covering points and covering hooks substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In a transferring bar for use with straight-bar knitting frames the combination
of covering points of different lengths substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a transferring bar for use with straight bar knitting frames the employment
of a series of covering points of equal length part of which can be moved in

page_text: relation to the other substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated
in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a transferring bar for use with straight bar knitting frames the combination
of covering points and twisted covering hooks substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The improvements in transferring bars for use with straight bar knitting
frames substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.