AN IMPROVED SLIDING NEEDLE GUIDE FOR KNITTING MACHINES CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO LAMB'S KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ADOLF ANGST, of Schaffhausen, Switzerland, Manager do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED SLIDING NEEDLE GUIDE FOR KNITTING
MACHINES CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO LAMB'S KNITTING MACHINES" 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 object to effect the disengagement of needles used in
knitting machines, particularly such as are employed in that class of machines
known as Lamb's knitting machines.
This object is attained by means of a slide serving as a guide for the needle and
capable of moving both endwise and downwards in which position the needle is
depressed and disengaged. The sliding motion of the needle is an essential
characteristic feature of this invention which is illustrated in Figs 1 to 3 of the
accompanying drawing. Fig 1 shews the needle in a raised attitude and Fig II
shews the same in a sunken or depressed attitude, the needle bed being in section
in both cases. Fig III is a cross section of the needle bed on line A. B of
Fig 1.
The grooves in the needle bed of knitting machines are, according to this
invention, made of a depth corresponding to the height of the slide a so that when
the slide is thrust upwards and raised on the heel or projection e as shewn in Fig 1,
the needle b is held between the said slide and the rail c.
The needle shank which extends in a downward direction (or in a sense rear-
wards) enters a notch d of the slide a and is, by means of this connexion caused
to rise and fall with the slide.
This manipulation is accomplished when the slide a is pushed downwards as far
as the rail c¹ will permit, as shewn in Fig II, it being a matter of indifference
whether any meshes hang on the needles or not; or if they are being knitted
tightly or loosely.
The slide a the thickness of which is such that it does not quite fill up the
groove, is somewhat curved laterally and is thus pressed against the sides of the
needle bed and prevented from accidentally changing its position. The course of
the said slide is limited by the projections e and e¹ and by the rail c¹, together with

page_text: the lower edge f of the needle bed. The oblique sliding surfaces g, g¹ operate in
such a manner that each upward or downward motion of the slide simultaneously
communicates the required raising or sinking motion to the needle.
By suitably altering the form of the lower part a¹ of the slide a the above
described operation may be carried out automatically by means of a pattern roller
or a jacquard arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a knitting machine such as Lamb's the use of an elastic slide arranged in a
groove of the needle bed below each needle, the said slide acting as a sliding
bearing for the needle and serving alternately to raise it into working position and
depress it below the needle bed substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In a knitting machine such as Lamb's the use of a slide a below a needle b
both arranged in a groove of the needle bar, the said slide having the slide notch d,
the projections e and e¹ and the oblique sliding surfaces y and g substantially as
described.
3. In a knitting machine, such as Lamb's, the use of a prolongation at the rear
of the needle b for the purpose of guiding the needle in the notch of the slide a
substantially as described.
Dated this hot day of April 1000.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Applicant's Agent,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.