Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 30th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 25th Mar., 1887.
We JOHN HARRIS COOPER of Evington Hall in the County of Leicester and Friars
Causeway Leicester Hoisery Manufacturer and WILLIAM JAMES FORD of Humberstone
in the County of Leicester Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to improve that class of knitting machines in which
two straight rows of latch needles inclined to one another are used and upon which
either ribbed work or tubular work of plain knitting can be made as described in a
Patent granted to William Clark No. 1445 in the year 1865 and in a subsequent
Patent applied for by us No. 1450 in the year 1885.
The two sets of cams employed to actuate the needles of the two inclined sets of
needles we carry at the lower extremities of an arched saddle piece which passes over
the top of the needles. Each lower end of the saddle piece so forming a cam carriage
slides along two parallel slide bars fixed in front of the grooved needle beds or plates
in which the stems of the needles slide-one of such bars being carried along in front
of the needle bed near its top and the other near the bottom.
The saddle we move to and fro along these guide bars by coupling it to a slide
which is moved to and fro along a fixed horizontal guide bar carried at the top of a
stand or framing upon which the needle beds or plates and the parts carried by them
are mounted.
We give motion to the slide by a telescopic lever arm which is rocked on a pivot
near the bottom of the stand. We rock the lever arm by another arm extending
horizontally from its lower end and to which a rocking motion is transmitted by a
connecting rod passing to a crank pin on a disc fixed on the driving shaft which is
mounted horizontally in bearings at the top of the stand at one extremity of the fixed
slide bar above mentioned and at right angles to it.
The crank pin can be fixed at varying distances from the centre of the disc according
to the amount of travel to be given to the slide.
The driving shaft is driven by a friction clutch and driving pulley as described in
our former Application No. 1450 and as is also described in that Application imparts

page_text: _ by means of an eccentric upon it a step by step rotating motion to a chain wheel
which has an endless pattern chain passing around it for controlling the stopping of
the machine after any desired length of work has been made. The chain for this
purpose carrying pegs or studs one or other of which is carried against and made to
move a trip lever and so releasing a slide bar which it previously held back and
allowing a spring to shift the friction clutch and disengage it from the driving shaft
whenever the machine is to be stopped.
Upon the spindle carrying the chain wheel we also mount another chain wheel
with another endless pattern chain passing around it and carrying studs or pegs for
controlling the kind of work which is for the time being made upon the machine-
whether it be plain tubular work or ribbed work or Cardigan or other kind of work.
The two sets of cams for acting upon the two sets of needles we form each of three
cams two upthrow cams and one central stitch or knocking over cam in place of as
heretofore one upthrow cam and two knocking over cams and as heretofore we make
each cam capable of being independently raised or lowered.
For setting the cams to produce the kind of work required we act upon them by
inclines on slides which can be shifted at the ends of each course by their being
brought against stops-one slide with two inclines at an angle to one another to
alternately lift up one upthrow cam and lower the other so as to produce ribbed work
a second slide with two parallel inclines to simultaneously lift up or depress both
upthrow cams acted upon from time to time when making a Cardigan or other
irregular stitch or when making a welt.
Such of the stops as are to act upon one or other of the slides at each course I make
adjustable and capable of being fixed at any desired point upon a fixed bar so that
their position may be adapted to the width of work that is being produced.
Other of the stops are brought into or out of action by the action of the pattern
chain and means are also provided for adapting the position of these stops to the width
of work being produced.
For producing from time to time a slack course we lower the stitch cam on one or
both sides of machine at the end of a course by levers then acted upon by a stop
brought into position to act upon them by the action of the pattern chain.
Another stop at the other end of the course sets the cam back again.
The length of stitch is also regulated by the stitch cam being held by a spring up to
one end of a lever the opposite end of which rests upon the conical end of a screw so
that by turning the screw the cam can be set up or down as required.
The thread carrier is carried by a slide capable of being slidden to and fro along a
fixed bar placed above the tops of the needles. The thread carrier slide is shifted to
and fro along the bar by a lever arm acting as a catch and extending as a spindle
mounted upon the saddle piece herein before mentioned. As the saddle piece arrives
at one or other end of its course the lever arm is lifted and disengaged from the slide
by being brought against an incline. It rides up the incline and passing beyond it
then drops and when carried back in the opposite direction passes below the incline
(the incline being hinged to allow it to do so) and again carries the thread carrier
slide along with it. In this way the thread guide is brought into the required position
relatively to the cams for each new traverse. When a rubber thread is to be introduced
into ribbed work we also mount another slide upon the thread carrier slide bar to
carry a reel of rubber thread and an eye for laying the thread into the work and
provide a catch for causing this slide to be carried to and fro together with the thread
carrier slide as described in an application for a Patent No. 14238 in the year 1885.
We also make provision for lowering the back plate of needles whenever the back
row of needles is for a time to be put out of work. We also make provision for
racking endwise the front plate of needles for a distance of one or more needles at the
end of a course whenever it may be required to do so for producing some kinds of
work.
We also make the point or lowest part of the stitch cam or knocking over cam on
one side of the machine broader than on the opposite side so that the work may be
knocked over somewhat sooner on one row of needles than on the other whereby

page_text: better work is produced than when the work is knocked over simultaneously on both
rows of needles. We also provide means for stopping the machine should the thread
break or should a knot or thick irregular piece of yarn be passing to the thread eye
or should the thread run out.
For this purpose we employ a weight which can be let to drop or slide down on to
an arm extending from the trip lever hereinbefore mentioned and so turn this lever
and bring the stop mechanism into action whenever the weight is allowed to fall.
Ordinarily the weight is held up by the bent end of one arm of a lever catch the
opposite end of which lever is heavier and rests on the thread so that if no thread is
below it this end of the lever drops and the other rises and liberates the weight. The
end of the lever which rests on the thread has a fine slit in it through which the thread
passes. Should a knot or thick part of yarn come to the slit it turns the lever about
a vertical pivot and so moves the end which was before holding up the weight away
from it and in this way allows the weight to drop and to stop the machine.
The work as it is made we cause to be wound up from time to time on to a roller
and keep the work taut by a weight resting upon it in between the roller and the
needles and we cause this weight to stop the machine if it is allowed to descend too
low or if the work is pressed off. To effect this the weight in its descent is caused to
bear against a lever which by a cord or link is coupled to the trip lever.
Dated this 30th day of March 1886.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: We, JOHN HARRIS COOPER of Evington Hall in the County of Leicester and Friars
Causeway Leicester Hosiery Manufacturer and WILLIAM JAMES FORD of Humberstone
in the County of Leicester Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 for its object to improve that class of knitting machines in which
two straight rows of latch needles inclined to one another are used and upon which
either ribbed work or tubular work of plain knitting can be made as described in a
Patent granted to William Clark No. 1445 in the year 1865 and in a subsequent
Patent granted to us No. 1450 in the
year 1885.
The two sets of cams employed to actuate the needles of the two inclined sets of
needles we carry at the lower extremities of an arched saddle piece which passes over
the top of the needles. Each lower end of the saddle piece so forming a cam carriage
slides along two parallel slide bars fixed in front of the grooved needle beds or plates
in which the stems of the needles slide-one of such bars being carried along in front
of the needle bed near its top and the other near the bottom.
The saddle we move to and fro along these guide bars by coupling it to a slide
which is moved to and fro along a fixed horizontal guide bar carried at the top of a
stand or framing upon which the needle beds or plates and the parts carried by them
are mounted.
We give motion to the slide by a telescopic lever arm which is rocked on a pivot
near the bottom of the stand. We rock the lever arm by another arm extending
horizontally from its lower end and to which a rocking motion is transmitted by a
connecting rod passing to a crank pin on a disc fixed on the driving shaft which is
mounted horizontally in bearings at the top of the stand at one extremity of the fixed
slide bar above mentioned and at right angles to it.
The crank pin can be fixed at varying distances from the centre of the disc
according to the amount of travel to be given to the slide.
The driving shaft is driven by a friction clutch and driving pulley as described in
the Specification of the Patent No. 1450 and as is also described in that Specification
imparts by means of an eccentric upon it a step by step rotating motion to a chain
wheel which has an endless pattern chain passing around it for controlling the stopping
of the machine after any desired length of work has been made. The chain for this
purpose carrying pegs or studs one or other of which is carried against and made to
move a trip lever and so releasing a slide bar which it previously held back and
allowing a spring to shift the friction clutch and disengage it from the driving shaft
whenever the machine is to be stopped.
Upon the spindle carrying the chain wheel we also mount another chain wheel with

page_text: another endless pattern chain passing around it and carrying studs or pegs for
controlling the kind of work which is for the time being made upon the machine-
whether it be plain tubular work ribbed work or Cardigan or other kind of work.
The two sets of cams for acting upon the two sets of needles we form each of three
cams two upthrow cams and one central stitch or knocking over cam in place of as
heretofore one upthrow cam and two knocking over cams and as heretofore we make
each cam capable of being independently raised or lowered.
For setting the cams to produce the kind of work required we act upon them by
inclines on slides which can be shifted at the ends of each course by their being
brought against stops-one slide with two inclines at an angle to one another to alter-
nately lift up one upthrow cam and lower the other so as to produce ribbed work a
second slide with two parallel inclines to simultaneously lift up or depress both
upthrow cams acted upon from time to time when making a Cardigan or other
irregular stitch-or when making a welt.
Such of the stops as are to act upon one or other of the slides at each course I
make adjustable and capable of being fixed at any desired point upon a fixed bar
so that their position may be adapted to the width of work that is being produced.
Other of the stops are brought into or out of action by the action of the pattern
chain and means are also provided for adapting the position of these stops to the
width of work being produced.
For producing from time to time a slack course we lower the stitch cam on one or
both sides of the machine at the end of a course by levers then acted upon by a stop
brought into position to act upon them by the action of the pattern chain.
Another stop at the other end of the course sets the cam back again.
The length of stitch is also regulated by the stitch cam being held by a spring up
to one end of a lever the opposite end of which rests upon the conical end of a screw
so that by turning the screw the cam can be set up or down as required.
a
The thread carrier is carried by a slide capable of being slidden to and fro along
fixed bar placed above the tops of the needles. The thread carrier slide is shifted to
and fro along the bar by a lever arm acting as a catch and extending from a spindle
mounted upon the saddle piece herein before mentioned. As the saddle piece arrives
at one or other end of its course the lever arm is lifted and disengaged from the slide by
being brought against an incline. It rides up the incline and passing beyond it then
drops and when carried back in the opposite direction passes below the incline (the
incline being hinged to allow it to do so) and again carries the thread carrier slide
along with it. In this way the thread guide is brought into the required position
relatively to the cams for each new traverse. When a rubber thread is to be intro-
duced into ribbed work we also mount another slide upon the thread carrier slide bar
to carry a reel of rubber thread and an eye for laying the thread into the work and
provide a catch for causing this slide to be carried to and fro together with the
thread carrier slide as described in the specification of a Patent No. 14238 in the
year 1885.
We also make provision for lowering the back plate of needles whenever the back
row of needles is for a time to be put out of work. We also make provision for
racking end wise the front plate of needles for a distance of one or more needles at
the end of a course whenever it may be required to do so for producing some kinds
of work.
We also make the point or lowest part of the stitch cam or knocking over cam on
one side of the machine broader than on the opposite side so that the work may be
knocked over somewhat sooner on one row of needles than on the other whereby
better work is produced than when the work is knocked over simultaneously on both
rows of needles. We also provide means for stopping the machine should the thread
break or should a knot or thick irregular piece of yarn be passing to the thread eye or
should the thread run out.
For this purpose we employ a weight which can be let to drop or slide down on to.
an arm extending from the trip lever herein before mentioned and so turn this

page_text: lever and bring the stop mechanism into action when ever the weight is allowed to
fall.
Ordinarily the weight is held up by the bent end of one arm of a lever catch the
opposite end of which lever is heavier and rests on the thread so that if no thread is
below it this end of the lever drops and the other rises and liberates the weight. The
end of the lever which rests on the thread has a fine slit in it through which the
thread passes. Should a knot or thick part of yarn come to the slit it turns the lever
about a vertical pivot and so moves the end which was before holding up the weight
away from it and in this way allows the weight to drop and to stop the machine.
The work as it is made we cause to be wound up from time to time on to a roller
and keep the work taut by a weight resting upon it in between the roller and the
needles and we cause this weight to stop the machine if it is allowed to descend too
low or if the work is pressed off. To effect this the weight in its descent is caused to
bear against a lever which by a cord or link is coupled to the trip lever.
Figures I II and III of the drawings hereunto annexed show the stand in 3 views,
1 bed and standards, 2 cross bearer for rocking shaft, 3 bearing for rocking shaft,
4 rocking shaft, 5 driving lever, 6 arm extending from driving lever, 7 connecting rod
between arm 6 and disc, 8 disc and friction cone, 8 slot in disc for shortening stroke,
9 pulley and clutch, 10 clutch levers, 11 actuating bar for clutch lever, 12 handle for
same, 13 fulcrum for handle, 14 spring for same, 15 bearings for driving shaft,
16 driving shaft, 17 handle on same, 18 eccentric for giving to and fro motion to
ratchet pawl for driving ratchet wheel, 19 ratchet pawl, 20 combined ratchet and
chain wheel, 21 stop chain, 22 pattern chain, 23 weights and pulleys for same,
24 stopping or trip lever and handle, 25 slide for driving litter, 26 plunger sliding in
driving lever, 27 slide bar, 28 yarn guide, 29 take up for slack thread, 30 lever rest
and incline, 31 standard for same, 32 lever and weight catch, 33 fulcrum lever,
34 weight, 35 knot gauge, 36 bottom stopping lever, 37 roller for winding work,
38 weight for work sliding in grooves, 39 lever and rod to stop machine when weight
approaches ground.
Figures IV and V show separately on a larger scale an elevation and plan of the
stopping tackle in case of knots or breakages in the yarn, the numbers on these
figures are the same as in Figures I, II and III.
Figures VI, VII and VIII represent machine. Figure VI is a front view.
Figure VII an end view and Figure VIII a back view-1 A frame 2 A plates 3 A top
and bottom slide bars 4 A cam shells 5 A cam movers 6 A bridge and carrier 7 A stays
8 A stud by which bridge and carrier are moved 9 A driver for yarn carrier 10 A shaft
for same 11 A yarn guide 12 A tumblers one at each end 13 A slide bar for yarn
guide 14 A slide bar for rubber bobbin which is fixed on the top of rocking push back
used to hold back the work when rubber is being put in or when a plain welt is being
made to work this we use take up 28, 29-16 A standards for slide bars 21 A cam
stops, 22 A stop for cam elevator 23 A regulator for depressing cam 24 A. thumb screw
for working same, 25 A slack course lever, 26 A shogger 27 A handle for lowering needle
plate 28 A handles for needle slides-29 A take up for slack thread as will be seen it
serves to take up the slack at both ends but loses it in the middle. 30 A is a push back
made to rock on a joint so as to ensure its riding with safety on the fabric which is
produced by the machine. The push back is carried on 14 A and worked on the same
plan as 11 A with 9 A and 10 A. The take up 29 we use when rubber is employed-
the take up 29 A we use when rubber is not being employed.
We use a piece of flat steel 32 A with a hole for the thread-this flat steel rests
on 7 A in the middle of the traverse of the cam saddle and the thread then runs free
through the hole.
At the cominencement of each traverse the flat steel 32 A is lifted and the thread
passing through its eye is at the same time nipped and held by an arm of 31 A which
is then moved upwards as herein after described against the under side of the spring
and made to nip the thread between the spring and itself.
Figures IX, X and XI show the arrangement of pattern and stop levers. 1 B frame,

page_text: 1 Upthrow cams, 2 depressing cams.
Figure XIV cams in position for plain work.
1 Ûpthrow cams 2 depressing cams.
Figure XV cams in position for Cardigan stitch.
1 Upthrow cams 2 depressing cams.
When we make the Cardigan we should act upon the cams from the welt and set
studs for the same on the endless chain so as to work them on both sides of frame
alternately.
The action of the trip lever 24 is best seen in Fig. 3. The slide 11 is drawn end-
wise by a spring not shown in the drawing, it is held back by a lever catch 40 (see
Figs. 1 and 3) When the lever 40 is struck by one of the studs on the pattern chain
it is turned on its axis and releases the slide 11 allowing it to be drawn endwise-the
lever 10 then shifts the driving pulley 9 endwise along the driving shaft and disengages
it from the friction cone on the disc S so stopping the machine.
The action of the stop 22 A for controlling the movement of the cam elevator is
best seen at Fig. 9. It is a moveable stop against which the lower end of the small
lever shewn in this figure and in Fig. 6 strikes when the cam shell comes to the end
of its traverse. When this lever is turned by coming against the stop 22 A its upper
arm acting on a pin fixed to the slide 5 A shifts this slide endwise and closes the cains
on one side of the machine as shewn at Figure 13 for making a welt.
The action of the slack course lever 25 A is best seen at Figure 10. When the
lever 9 B is acted upon by one of the studs on the pattern chain the end of the rod
forming its longer arm is brought into position for the small lever which is situated
just below 25 A to strike against, when this takes place the upper end of the small
lever is set inwards and acting on an incline on the under side of the lever 25 A turns
this lever and causes it to depress the middle cam so causing the needles on the one
side of the machine where the cam is lowered to draw a longer stitch. At the opposite
end of the traverse of the cam carriage the levers 25 A are brought back to their
previous position by the action of another similar stop 9 B at that end of the machine.
The middle or stitch cam is then brought up by a spring to its normal position.
The action of the shogging lever 20 A is best seen in Figure 6. Its shorter arm
is coupled by a link to the needle plate 2 A. By raising the longer a arm of the lever
the plate can be shifted endwise in one direction and by lowering the longer arm of
the lever the plate can be shifted endwise in the opposite direction. A catch upon it
springs into the fixed rack shewn in the drawing. When shifted from one tooth in
the rack to the next the needle plate 2 A will have been shifted sidewise a distance
of one needle. By shifting the needle plate endwise the stitches in the work are
crossed.
The action of the take up mechanism 29 A (see Figure 8) is as follows:-
It works in the same manner from the back bar 14 A (see Figure 7) as 9 A
and 10 A on the front bar as is best seen in Figure 6. In passing to and fro the
lower arm of the take up lever 31 A. at the commencement of each traverse of the
cam carriage passes up and over 29 A. The end of the upper arm of the take up
lever 31 A is in this way raised and the thread nipped and its slack taken up. In the
middle of the traverse the spring 32 A rests on 7 A and the lower arm of 31 A being
drawn downwards by a spring as shewn in Figures 6 and 7 the thread is released and
runs freely through the hole in the spring. At the end of each traverse of the cam
carriage the arm which extends downwards from the take up 31 A passes under 29 A.

page_text: The push back 30 A is acted on by levers 10 B, which raise and lower it. When it
is at the highest point it ceases to work the driver.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we would have it understood that
separately we lay no claim in this application for Patent to the mechanism employed
for causing the cams to traverse to and fro along the needle beds or for stopping the
machine after any given length of work has been produced but we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The combination of parts constituting a knitting machine substantially as herein
before described and illustrated in the drawing annexed.
2. The combination of two upthrow cams and one central stitch or knocking over
cam and slides acted on by stops for varying the position of the cams at each end of
their traverse along the needle beds substantially as described.
3. The mechanism for producing slack courses substantially as described.
4. Holding the central stitch cam by a spring up to one end of a lever whilst the
opposite end of the lever rests on the point of a screw so that the length of stitch may
be regulated by turning the screw.
5. Making the point of the stitch cam on one side of the machine broader than
the point of the stitch cam on the opposite side of the machine.
6. The mechanism for producing automatically a plain fabric and joining the same
to the ribbed formed welt substantially as illustrated in the drawing annexed.
7. The hinged press back substantially as described.
S. The means for taking up slack thread substantially as described.
9. The mechanism for stopping the machine should the thread break or should
there be a knot in the thread.
T
1002
2