IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Gottheil, of the International Patent
Office, 126, Linden St., Berlin, Prussia, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES."- A com-
munication from John Schmitt, residing at Coblenz, in the Kingdom
of Prussia, Engineer.
Sealed the 14th August 1874, and dated the 2nd March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Gottheil at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd March 1874.
I, ROBERT GÖTTHEIL, of the International Patent Office, 126, Linden
Str., Berlin, Prussia, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES," to be as
follows:-
:-
In the ordinary process of knitting by hand the meshes of the fabric
are pushed along towards one end of the needle, where the second needle
is inserted through the foremost mesh, and after drawing through it a
loop of thread for the next row of meshes, is made to take the said mesh
off the first needle.

page_text: According to the present Invention a similar mode of operating is
carried out by the following arrangement :-Two needles situated at an
angle to each other are bent into a helical or corkscrew form at one end,
so that on rotating the one needle the meshes of the fabric situated on
the straight part thereof are drawn one by one on to the helical part,
and are caused thereby to travel along the helices to the end of such
helical part, where they are deliverd from the free end of the needle.
. Near the extremity of such helical part is formed a notch upon which
the loop for the next row of meshes is looped, so that as the needle
revolves it draws such loop through the mesh that is about to be delivered
from it, and by the rotation of the needle such loop is brought into such
a position that the free end or hook of the second helical needle can
enter it. This hook of the second needle is formed with a projection
whereby as it rotates it lifts the loop out of the notch on the first needle
and draws it off the end thereof; the second needle in revolving causes
the meshes thus successively formed to travel along it to the straight
part thereof; and the straight parts of the two needles being connected
by a wire passing over guide pullies, the meshes of the fabric are made
to travel from the second needle along such connecting wire, and back
to the straight part of the first needle again, whence they pass on to the
helical part in order to repeat the operation above described for producing
the successive rows of meshes.
The helical parts of the two needles are carried in bushes fixed to a
framing, the needles being free to revolve in such bushes, but prevented
from moving endways therein by making the middle helices of each
needle of a somewhat larger diameter than the outer helices, the hole in
the bush being made correspondingly larger at its middle. The bushes
have longitudinal openings so as to leave uncovered the portions of the
helices along which the meshes of the fabric travel. Rotary motion is
imparted to the one needle by means of a spindle with crank handle, on
which is fixed a bevil pinion having a cylindrical boss provided with
studs arranged in such helical positions that as the wheel revolves the
studs enter holes or recesses in the helices of the needle, and thus cause
the latter to revolve. The bevil pinion is in gear with a second bevil
pinion, which has a similar boss with helical studs that enter holes in
the helices of the second needle, so that rotary motion is thus imparted
simultaneously to the needles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Robert Gottheil in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 20th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
GOTTHEIL, of the International Patent Office, 126, Linden St., Berlin,
Prussia, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Gottheil, Her special license
that I, the said Robert Gottheil, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Gottheil, 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, exercisc, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KNITTING MACHINES," a communication to me by John Schmitt, a person
residing at Coblenz, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Engineer, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Gottheil, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Scal
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 Gottheil, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thercof, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that iş
to say :-
In the ordinary process of knitting by hand the meshes of the fabric
are pushed along towards one end of the needle, where the second needle
is inserted through the foremost mesh, and after drawing through it a

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 shews a front view of the before described machine; Fig. 2
shews a side view of the same; and Figs. 3 and 4 shew enlarged views of
the ends of the needles indicating the manner in which the meshes
are formed.
a, a¹, and b, b¹, are the two needles situated at an angle to each other
and carried by means of bushes 2, 2, secured to the framing A. The
needle consists of a straight part a, b, and a helical part a', 6', the latter
parts being free to turn in the bushes 2, 2, but being prevented from
moving endways by making the middle helices of the needle of somewhat
larger diameter than the outer helices, the bushes being correspondingly.
enlarged at their middle. The bushes 2, 2, have longitudinal openings
as shewn, so as to leave uncovered the portions of the helices along
which the meshes of the fabric travel.
The ends of the helical parts a¹, 61, of the needles are free and aro
situated in positions relative to cach other as shewn more clearly at
Figs. 3 and 4. The straight ends a, b, are connected by a wire 4, 4,
passing over guide pullies 5, 5. Rotary motion is imparted simultaneously
to the needles in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 3 and 4, by means of
bevil wheels 1, 1, gearing into each other and having cylindrical bosses
on which are pins that enter holes in helices of the needles as shewn at
Fig. 2, the one wheel being turned by a crank handle B or by a pulley
and strap if the machine is worked by power.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-Assuming that a row of
meshes of the fabric to be knitted is situated on the part a of the
needle a, a, then by causing this needle to rotate the meshes are caused
to pass one by one on to the helical part a' and to travel along the same
till they arrive at the free end thereof.
Near the extremity of a¹ is formed a notch a³, Fig. 3, upon which the
loop 6 for the next row of meshes is looped, so that as the needle revolves
in the direction of the arrow it draws such loop through the mesh 7 that
is about to be delivered from it. The end of the needle b¹ in rotating in
the direction of the arrow then enters the loop 6, and by means of an
enlargement formed thereon, as shewn, it lifts the loop out of the notch a²

page_text: and draws it off the needle a¹. The meshes thus successively formed on
the fabric are caused to travel along the helices 6' of the needle and on
to the straight part 6 thereof, whence they are transferred along the
wire 4, 4, back to the needle a, a', where the same operation is repeated
for the production of the successive rows of meshes.
E
The loop of thread to be taken up by the needle a, a¹, for forming the
meshes as described is introduced through a hole in the plate A as
shewn at 3, Fig. 1. If the fabric is to be narrowed by one mesh, this is
effected by bringing two meshes together on the first helice of the
needle a, a¹. The two meshes will then travel together along the needle 1
to the end thereof, where the loop for the next mesh will be passed
through both meshes.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention I claim the use of
a machine for knitting fabrics wherein two helical revolving needles are
arranged to operate in combination for forming the meshes, substantially 1
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Gottheil, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.