IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Clark Gist, of 36, Cannon Street, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINES."A communication.
Sealed the 11th February 1859, and dated the 11th August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Clark Gist at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th August 1858.
I, ROBERT CLARK GIST, of 36, Cannion Street, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KNITTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to knit plain tubes or cylinders continuously,
and it is designed to operate with a number of threads simultaneously, by
which its capabilities are greatly increased without proportionate complication
of the mechanism. It consists of a revolving cylinder, carrying the needles,
sinkers, and fabric, and a stationary cylinder sustaining the cams, by which
the needles and sinkers are worked. The yarns are laid by the carriers just
before the needles attain their highest elevation; they are then carried in loops
between the needles by the sinkers, and are caught under the barbs of the
descending needles, which are closed by the beviled teeth of the presser wheels.
The needles pass through the old loops with the loops last formed beneath
their barbs, and are elevated by another cam, and the operation is repeated

page_text: with as many threads as there are cams. The number of yarns thus laid in
at each revolution is limited only by the size of the machine. The knitted
fabric is guided by an expanding plate, and is wound on a roller by suitablė
gearing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Clark Gist in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
CLARK GIST, of 36, Cannon Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Clark Gist, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Clark Gist, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Robert Clark Gist, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES," (a communication,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Clark Gist, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the-said-Robert-Clark Gist, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
The object of this Invention is to knit plain tubes or cylinders continuously,
and it is designed to operate with a number of threads simultaneously, by
which its capabilities are greatly increased without proportionate complication
of the mechanism. It consists of a revolving cylinder carrying the needles,

page_text: sinkers, and fabric, and a stationary cylinder sustaining the cams, by which
the needles and sinkers are worked. The yarns are laid by the carriers just
before the needles attain their highest elevation; they are then carried in loops
between the needles by the sinkers, and are caught under the barbs of the
descending needles, which are closed by the beviled teeth of the presser wheels.
The needles pass through the old loops
their barbs, and are elevated by another
with as many threads as there are cams.
each revolution is limited only by the size of the machine. The knitted
fabric is guided by an expanding plate, and is wound on a roller by suitable
gearing.
with the loops last formed beneath
cam, and the operation is repeated
The number of yarns thus laid in at
In order that the said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine; Figure 2 a plan of the
same, with a
portion of the top plate removed to show the parts within ;
Figure 3, an underneath view of a portion of the top plate, showing the cams
by which the sinkers are operated; Figure 4, one of these sinker cams;
Figure 5, a thread carrier with its presser wheel attached; Figure 6, a view
showing a portion of one of the cams that operate the needles; Figure 7, the
developement of the needle cams unrolled from the cylinder; Figure 8, a
section of the upper portion of the machine; Figure 9, the guiding and
expanding plate; Figure 10, one of the needles; Figure 11, a sinker;
Figure 12, a section of the lower take-up roll; Figure 13, the gearing of
the take-up 'rolls.
The yarns a enter the machine from spools or bobbins, and pass through
eyes in the thread carriers A, (Figures 1 and 5.) The needles b, seen
detached in Figure 10, slide in vertical grooves c in the interior cylinder B.
The cams f which operate the needles are arranged upon the inner surface of
the exterior cylinder C, and are se-detached in Figure 6, and also developed
in Figure 7; and the latter cylinder is secured by screws 1, to the hollow
shaft I, which is held stationary within the bracket K by the screw m. The
shanke of the needle, Figures 7 and 10), plays between the edges f. f. of the
cams, by which means the needles are operated up and down in their grooves c,
as the cylinder B revolves. The yarn as it proceeds from the carriers is
carried in between the needles and under their barbs by the sinkers g,
(Figure11), which slide horizontally in grooves i (Figure 2) in the plate D. This
plate is attached to the interior cylinder B, and revolves with it. The sinkers
are actuated by cams h, (Figures 3 and 4), attached to the under side of the

page_text: top plate E, which plate also carries the thread carriers A. The plate E is
secured to the ring or cylinder F, that rises from an under plate G, which
latter is attached to the exterior cylinder C; the plate E thus remains
stationary with the latter cylinder, and the motions of the needles and sinkers
are made to coincide with each other. The cams h are pivoted to the plate
E at k, by which means they may be adjusted so as to throw the sinkers a
greater or less distance in between the needles for the purpose of forming a
longer or shorter loop. This adjustment of the cams is effected by the screws >
which pass through from the exterior of the ring F. After the sinkers have
carried the yarn in between the needles and under the barbs, the latter are
closed previous to the descent of the needles by the presser wheels S, which
are attached to the threat carriers. The construction of these presser wheels
is peculiar; they are so arranged that the needles pass between their teeth;
but in order that the barbs of the needles as they descend may not strike
against the teeth and thereby be broken, the latter are bevelled off, as scen
in Figure 5, and thus, should the barbs strike against the presser wheels,
they are guided by the inclined edge of the teeth without danger of break-
ing. Motion is communicated to the machine through the driving pulley
M, which is clutched and unclutched with the shaft N, by the shipper
0. The shaft N carries the framework P, which sustains the take-up
roll and the mecanism connected therewith. To the top of this frame
is secured the hand wheel Q; this wheel and the framework P are
secured to the tubalar shaft R and interior cylinder by the key p. The
finished fabric, after it is knit, passes down through the center of the machine,
and is drawn off by the take-up rolls H, between which it is griped, and is
then wound up on a drum T, which is driven from one of the take-up rolls H
by a band of coiled wire, the elastic nature of which is such that it shall wind
up the finished fabric with a certain tension, and shall yield or slip when this
tension is increased. The take-up rolls H are operated as follows:-The
shaft N carries a bevil gear a² (Figure 13), which through suitable inter-
mediate gearing gives motion to the cog wheel 2 that runs loosely upon the
shaft of the lower take-up roll H. (Figure-12) is a notched_cap, having
teeth upon its interior rim; this cap slides upon the shaft of the roll H
with a spline, but revolves with a roll; it is forced from the wheel 62 by a
springe and is brought up to the wheel by a thumbscrew f. When thus
brought up to the wheel be, its teeth engage with a pin 2 projecting from the
face of the wheel, and the motion of the latter is imparted to the take-up
roll. When, however, the screw f is turned back, so that the pin ² no
longer engages with the teeth of the cap c, the wheel 62 revolves without

page_text: imparting its motion to the take-up rolls, and the latter may be turned as
desired by hand for the purpose of adjusting the work. For the purpose of
guiding and expanding the finished fabric so that it may be evenly laid upon
the take-up rolls, I employ what I call a guiding and expanding plate. This
plate is seen in Figure 9, and consists of a piece of sheet metal of the form
represented in the Drawings, which is introduced into the knitted tube in
such a position that the upper portion L of the plate passes above the
rolls m², m², (Figure 1,) whereby the plate is retained in position, the fabric
being drawn over it. The broad end of the plate rests upon the upper roll H,.
to the take-up rons, and the latter may be turned as
desired by hand for the purpose of adjusting the work. For the purpose of
guiding and expanding the finished fabric so that it may be evenly laid upon
the take-up rolls, I employ what I call a guiding and expanding plate. This
plate is seen in Figure 9, and consists of a piece of sheet metal of the form
represented in the Drawings, which is introduced into the knitted tube in
such a position that the upper portion L of the plate passes above the
rolls m², m², (Figure 1,) whereby the plate is retained in position, the fabric
being drawn over it. The broad end of the plate rests upon the upper roll H,.
and thus the fabric is expanded and guided into its proper position.
OPERATION.
The needles are inserted at an opening U (Figure 1) one by one into the
grooves c of their carrying cylinder B. Beyond the surface of this cylinder,
and beyond the partitions which separate these grooves from each other, the
shanks e of the needles project and enter the depression W (Figures 6 and 7)
between the zig-zag cams f, f, upon the interior surface of the cylinder C, and
thus as the cylinder B revolves, carrying with it the needles, the latter are
elevated and depressed by the cams f, and it is evident that there will be as
many sets of needles elevated into position to receive their threads as there
are separate cams f. In the machine represented in the accompanying
Drawings there are four cams f and four thread carriers, but as many more.
may be introduced in machines of larger size as can be accommodated round
the circle of the cylinder C.
2
The sinkers g are now placed within their grooves or channels i in the
plate D, which, as before explained, is made to revolve with the cylinder B
and the needles. The top plate E is now put in place, the cams h entering
the notches or depressions q in the sinkers. According as the fabric is to be
knitted loose or tight the sinkers are caused to pass a greater or less distance
in between the needles, whereby the quantity of yarn carried by the sinkers
in between the needles is regulated and the length of the loop is determined.
This throw of the sinkers as before stated is determined by the position of the
cams h, the position of which is adjusted by the screw . Motion being
communicated through the driving pulley M to the frame P and the needle
cylinder B, the yarns a passing through the eyes of the thread carriers are
laid along against the needles at the instant before they reach their highest
clevation. The sinkers are now brought forward, and the yarn just laid in
by the carrier is caught by the depression or notch t (Figure 11) in their
forward ends, and carried between the needles by which the loop is formed,

page_text: and the next instant the needles commence to descend, the loop entering
The barbs of
beneath the barb (Figure 10), and the sinkers are retracted.
the needles are now to be closed before the latter pass down out of the old
loop, and this is effected by the presser S, which travels round in the recess w
(Figure 8), which is turned out of the edge of the plate D. Each needle is
caught between two adjacent teeth of the presser, by which its barb is forced
in, and the next instant the point of the barb passes down through the old
loop. To prevent the possibility of the barbs striking against the teeth of the
presser as the needles descend, these teeth, as before stated, are bevilled on
top, as seen, in Figure 5, and thus should the barbs in their descent strike the
teeth they are guided down into place, and not broken. The needles having
passed through the old loops, and having the loops last formed beneath their
barbs, are immediately elevated by another of the cams f and h; the number
of these being limited only by the size of the fabric being knit. The finished
fabric now passes down through the interior hollow shaft R, and the guiding
and expanding plate being introduced, the knitted tube is drawn off by the
take-up rolls H and is finally wound up on the roll or drum T.
perceived that by the use of the zig-zag cams f which operate the needles,
and a corresponding number of cams h for the actuation of the sinkers, I am
enabled to lay in a number of yarns at each revolution, this number being
limited only by the size of the machine itself, and thus, instead of one yarn,
six, eight, ten, up to thirty, or more, may be employed, effecting a corre-
sponding increase in the amount of fabric produced.
It will be
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the manner in
which it is to be operated, I declare that I claim,-
First, the working of the sinkers in grooves cut in the plate D, substantially
in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Second, I claim the working of the needles in grooves cut in the outside of
the interior cylinder D, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
set forth.
Third, I claim the combination of the zig-zag cams f with the cams h, and
a series of thread-carriers-and-presser wheels operating in the manner set forth,
for the purpose specified.
Fourth, I claim the adjustable cams h operating in connection with the
moveable sinkers for the purpose of regulating the length of the loop, as
set forth.
Fifth, I claim bevilling the sides of the presser wheel's teeth in the
manner set forth, that the barbs of the needles may not be broken in their
descent, as set forth and explained.

page_text: Sixth, I claim the within-described construction of the sinker plate D, the
interior edge being grooved out to accommodate the presser wheel, while the
sinkers are supported and steadied up to the point of their operation upon
the yarn.
Seventh, I claim the guiding and expanding plate V, operating in the
manner substantially as set forth.
Eighth, I claim the method herein set forth of clutching and unclutching
the take-up rolls H with the gear that drives them by means of the notched
cap c, the screw f², and spring e², operating in the manner substantially as
herein set forth.
Ninth, I claim the peculiar combination of parts above described, by which
the number of threads knit at one and the same time can be increased in
proportion to the size of the machine, up to thirty and more, and by which
such increase can be carried far beyond any other combination or method
now known.
In witness wheref, I, the said Robert Clark Gist, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
ROBERT CLARK GIST. (L.S.)