CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
TWELLS, of Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain and Ireland,
bearing date at Westminster, the Fifteenth day of December, in the fifteenth
year of Her reign, did give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Twells, my
exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege &
authority, that I, the said Thomas Twells, and such others as I, the said
Thomas Twells, my exors, adñors, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man,
and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that I, the said Thomas
Twells, shall particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's

page_text: High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patents, as on reference thereto
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Twells, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be duly ascertained in and
by the following description thereof, reference being had to the six Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the several letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging
manufacture of looped fabrics to be actuated by power.
machinery for the
Hitherto looped or
knitted fabrics have been manufactured in one of two ways, either by a frame
worked by hand, and thereby fashioning the article to the desired shape, or by
machinery actuated by power, producing a plain fabric; but by means of my
improvements I am enabled to produce a shaped or fashioned article by a
machine worked by power. And in order that my Invention may be fully
understood and readily carried into practice, I will now proceed to describe,
by reference to Drawings, my improvements in the manufacture of looped
fabrics.
In the annexed Drawings Figure 1, Sheet A, represents a front elevation,
and Figure 2 an end view. Figure 3, Sheet B, is a plan of the same, and
Figure 4 an elevation of the opposite end from Figure 2. Figure 5, Sheet C, is
a transverse vertical section, and Figure 6 an elevation of the back part of the
machine. A, A, is the main framing of the machine, and B, C, and D, the
principal shafts which actuate the several parts. These are all geared together
by equal wheels E, F, and G. H is a stud wheel corresponding to the others.
This receives motion from the pinion T, communicated thereby by the band K
and strap rigger L from any suitable power. The needles I employ are similar
to those used in the ordinary stocking frame or loom. They are each fitted to a
separate and independent sliding bar, which permits a distinct motion to each,
the action of such needles and slides occurring in succession during the opera-
tion of the machine. a, a, a, are the needle slides, which consist of thin
plates of metal, supported in combs b, b', the position of which is best seen in
the section, Figure 5. These combs are secured to rails or bars M, N,
stretched between the end framings. In these Drawings I have represented
the machine about one fourth the actual size, but the guage or thickness of the
needle slides represented exceeds that employed in hosiery work, the character
of which will depend on such thickness or guage, as the guage of the slides
regulates the
guage of the needles. The needles a, a, x; are firmly attached to

page_text: he ends of each slide, and project in front thereot through com
combs contain the presses which operate upon the needle beards or barbs, as
vill afterwards be explained. The needle slides have a horizontal longitudinal
notion communicated to them by cam surfaces o, o, mounted on shaft C.
These cams o, o, are formed of plates in a helical position, having their edges
cut to correspond with the guage of the needle slides, and so as to take effect
hereon in succession. The rotation of cams o, o, is continuous in the direction
indicated by the arrows, during which they come in contact with the nibs or
projections d, d, d, of the needle slides, and thereby moving those slides in a
backward direction, and which are free to return as soon as the cams o, o, pass
from under the nibs d, d. It will be seen that there are two series of cam sur-
faces, which take effect in one revolution of the shaft C, the end beginning at the
extreme needle slide, and operating on the whole series in regular succession
towards the opposite side, while the other cam o commences at that side where
the other terminated, and acts progressively in the contrary direction. I may
here mention, that the machine represented is for the manufacture of stockings,
and is adapted to make two stockings at once, each stocking occupying one of
the breadths of needles shown. Although I have represented a machine to
form one pair only at a time, I propose to extend the machine so as to make
twelve or other numbers of stockings at the same time, "by repeating the sets
of needles and apparatus which act immediately in connection therewith, a
great proportion of the apparatus being equally applicable to produce all the
other motions for that purpose. The return or forward motion of the needle
slides is effected by a traversing bar P, which carries rollers Q, Q. These
rollers take effect on springs e, e, affixed to upright levers f, f. The levers
ff, correspond in number and guage with the needle slides, and at their
lower ends have fixed fulcra in combs g, g, while their upper ends are received
in combs b', 6'. A notch or recess is cut in each needle bar a for its respec-
tive lever f. The springs e, e, are represented as attached above and below
alternately to the levers f, which is simply to permit of greater breadth of
metal in each spring. The traversing rollers Q, Q, in their passage take effect
on the free ends of the springs, and compel the levers f, f, to recede,
This action brings the
without, however, causing any rigidity of contact.
needle slides forward, and projects the needles x, x, through the combs as
seen in the section, Figure 5, in which position they remain, except when
acted on by cams O, O, or by other apparatus, as will be herein-after
described. In order to insure the full extent of motion in the needle slides,
so as to bring their ends against a stop h, another traversing bar R is
employed. This carries a roller i on the under side, which in its passage

page_text: comes in contact with the pins k, k, on the needle slides. The motion of
the bar R keeps the roller i a little in the rear of roller Q to permit the
passing of pins k, k, of the advancing slides before the roller i arrives.
Motion is communicated to the traversing bar R by means of propelling
surfaces S, S', the one of which propels the traversing bar in one direction,
and the other in the opposite direction. These surfaces consist of sections of
screws bolted to the drums T, T, which receive motion from the spur gearing
U, U, in connection with the shaft C. The drums 'T', T, are mounted on a
'stud or fixed shaft V, on which they rotate freely, the motion being cominuni-
cated to thein by the braces or ties 1, 1, which connect them with the spur
wheel U. A set collar fixed by a binding screw to the shaft V maintains the
proper position of the whole. A roller n is carried by the bar R, on which
the screw cams take effect, and in order to counteract the twist on that bar,
it has other rollers p, p, affixed thereto which travel on the stays 9, 7, and
maintain the freedom of motion necessary. These screw cams are driven by
equal wheels, so that their rotation is constantly in unison with that of the
other parts of the machine, each revolution causing two motions of the bar R,
the one to the right by cam or screw surface S, which, in the position, shewn,
is just about to take effect; the other to the left, by cam S'. It will be seen
that the cam surfaces S, S', extends at opposite ends, so that when roller n
arrives at its extreme distance it is released by the cam so propelling it until
the opposite cam arrives which causes it to travel in the contrary direction.
A repetition of action then occurs, thus maintaining a constant longitudinal
reciprocating motion of the bar R. The bars R and P are suitably supported
in guides q, q, q, q, in their respective positions. The action of cam or screw
surfaces W, W, upon the slide bar P is precisely similar to the foregoing, and
therefore need not be repeated, the same letters of reference being applicable
to both. The presser combs c, c, before mentioned are mounted above and
below a fixed bar X in a double tier, between which the pressers r, r, are
supported. The pressers consists of thin strips of metal supported in the
combs c, c, and permanently held upwards by separate springs S, S, secured
in leads fixed to bar t. The pressers have slot openings in each for the
reception of pins passing through the combs c, c, as seen in the Drawing.
These pins maintain the parallelism and limit the motion of the pressers r, r.
The pressers r, r, are actuated by cams Y, Y, of a construction similar to o, o,
and cut on their advance surfaces according to the guage of the needles, as
before mentioned. These cams are formed of metal belts wound of a helical
form, and supported between drums Z, Z, keyed on the shaft D. The cams
Y, Y, are further supported froin tie bars u, which keep the whole in a proper

page_text: position. The cams O, O, are also similarly supported by tie bars, and both
re rendered truly cylindrical on the periphery.. When the cam Y depresses
he pressers r, r, by contact with the upper part, they are kept depressed by
contact with the periphery of those cams when passing that point, and during
portion of a revolution depending on the breadth of the cam on its periphery.
The several serrations or steps of the cams Y, Y, have those angles rounded
off which take effect upon the pressers, in order that contact with the rounded
head of the pressers, produced by the rotary motion of the cams, will be such
as readily and easily to depress those articles. The thread V, or material of
which the article is to be woven, is placed on bobbins A¹, A¹, and is conducted
thence to thread carriers B', B', supported on a bar C, which has a recipro-
cating motion communicated to it in a longitudinal direction, by which the
thread is carried too and fro over the needles. To keep the thread at a suffi-
cient degree of tension, it is passed through an eye attached to the top of
stem w, where it receives a certain amount of friction by the pressure of
a tuft of cotton acted on by a spring w'. This strengthens the thread, and
offers a uniform resistance to its passage by which the tension thereof is regu-
lated. The thread carriers B' are furnished with a nose piece separately
represented at Figure 7, which consists of a piece of metal inserted within the
end of the carrier. It is fitted loosely in its seat, and is projected to the
utmost extent by a slight spring z. The thread enters the side of Y through
a hole, and passes thence down the centre and out at the extreme point. The
thread carrier, by being thus fitted, may be caused to traverse in close prox-
imity to the needles, as in the event of actual contact therewith from any
unforseen circumstance, the nose Y will recede, and so prevent damage result-
ing. Motion is imparted to the thread carrier by means of screw cams
D', D', mounted on the end of the shaft D, which act in a manner precisely
similar to that described with reference to cams S, S¹. There is some
difference with regard to the arrangement of the friction guide rollers a², 6",
a' is the roller which
and c, to those before referred to at p, p, and n.
receives motion from cams D', D. 6", 6", and c', c¹ (of which there are two
pairs), are the guide rollers attached to the thread carrier bar C¹ by their
several supports, as shown. These rollers traverse the fixed guide bars d', d,
which are so disposed as to prevent any undue friction of the bar C¹ in its
the bearings e, e, while acted upon by the cams D', D'..
This apparatus, so far as I have described, is adapted to the weaving of looped
fabrics of uniform breadth, the action of which I will proceed to explain before
entering upon the description of gearing I employ for the purpose of fashioning
or varying the width of the fabric. In commencing a pair of stockings by this

page_text: machine the attendant applies the end of the thread by winding it round the
several needles in succession as ordinarily practised in the handloom while the
machine is in a state of rest. The machine is now set in motion by throw-
ing the strap from the loose to the fast pulley, when the operation proceeds
without interruption. In the position of the Drawings the cams and other gear-
ing mentioned are about to commence action on the left-hand side, as viewed in
Figures 1 and 3. The thread carriers B', B', are the first to advance, which
pass from left to right, and deliver the thread, and stretch it over the stems
of the several needles which are at the time all projected through combs c, c,
as seen at Figure 5. The thread carrier being sufficiently in advance to clear
the needles about to be operated upon, the action of cams O and Y now com-
mences simultaneously, the one to draw back the needle slides a, a, a, and
the other to act on the pressers r, r, both beginning on the extreme left, as
before mentioned. The needles are thus caused to be withdrawn within the
combs c, carrying with them the thread which passes under the beards, each
needle drawing the thread into a double or 'loop between the combs c, c, as
seen at Figure 15, Sheet C. The length of the double or loop will depend
upon the distance which the needles recede within the combs c, c. During
the retrograde movement of the needles the pressers r, r, are brought down
and take effect on the needle beard or barb, just previous to the point thereof
entering the combs c, c. Before the presser acts upon the needle beard, the
thread delivered on the needle stem passes under the beard to form the new
loop, as before mentioned. When thus secured the presser forces the beard
into the eye or hollow of the needle, which thereby excludes the previous
loop formed on the needle stems; these loops are pressed over the needle ends
at the completion of the retrograde movement of the needles. The whole
series of needles are thus acted on in succession, producing a course of loops
at each passage to and fro of the reciprocating parts, and two courses during
an entire revolution. The looped fabric or work is placed in connection with
a work beam or roller E', as indicated by the colored line in Figure 1, which
roller maintains a constant tension on the fabric by means of a weight F
depending from and wound upon a roller applied to the work beam, which
is well understood in the ordinary stocking frame. The tension on the finished
loops or work keeps the new loops back against the face or stop h, which stop
fills the lower part of combs C, thus on the needles again advancing the new
loops are retained flush with the face of combs c, c, and depend from the
needle stems (see Figure 15, Sheet C) in readiness to be pressed over at the
succeeding operation. The needles and their slides remain in their backward
position only during the contact of the cam surface O with the ribs d, d, and

page_text: are successively brought forward by the roller Q of the traversing bar i
coming in contact with the springs e, e, as before described. 1. The motion
of this roller Q is thus in the rear of the cams Y and O, and again the
motion of traversing bar R is in the rear of the bar P, the bar R completing
and perfecting the forward motion of the needle slides by the action of
roller i on pins k, k, as also before mentioned. The whole time occupied by
the backward and forward movement of the needle slides individually need
not exceed one fortieth of a revolution of the cam shafts. The thread carriers,
having completed their motion from left to right, remain stationary a suffi-
cient length of time to allow the cams and traversing bars to complete their
action on the whole breadth of needles when they commence the motion from
right to left, delivering the thread as before, which is taken up by the needles,
the cams O and Y again coming into action, beginning with those needles or
slides on the right, and progressing towards the left; another series or course
of loops is thus produced by the needle beards taking hold of thread laid
across their stems which becomes enclosed within the beards by the action of
the pressers, r, and drawn through the previous loops retained on the
needle stems. These loops are now pressed over the whole ends towards
the termination of the retrograde movement of the needles x, x, by their
withdrawal behind the face of stop h. The new loops are held against the
face of stop h by the tension on the work while the needles x, x, again
advance, as before described. The pressers ", r, remain in action just suffi-
cient length of time to allow the needle beards to pass safely through the
loops to be pressed over. The dip of pressers r, r, is regulated by the breadth
of cams Y on the periphery (as explained with reference to cams O), when
The traverse
relieved from which. they are elevated by their springs 8, s.
movement of the bars P and R takes effect by their trucks Q and i on the
needle slides when moving from right to left, following in the same order
explained with reference to their movement from left to right. The whole
movements of the machine are repeated by its self-action, whose motion will
continue to add successive rows or courses of loops to the fabric, repeating
the several actions in the order described. In the manufacture of stockings I
prefer to begin them at the top, in order to form the welt or fold, which is.
effected in the usual manner, when a sufficient quantity is woven, by threading
or running the first course of loops on to the needles, which is performed by
hand, the machine being necessarily stopped for that purpose.
I will now proceed to describe the apparatus whereby the fashioning or
narrowing of the article is effectuated progressively by the self-action of the
machine. For this purpose I employ the usual instruments known as ticklers,

page_text: and used in transferring the loops from one or several needles to other needles,
whereby the number of needles in the web are decreased with a consequent
reduction in the width of the fabric, all well understood in the working of
the ordinary stocking frame. My improved machine is arranged so that any
number of courses or rows of loops, each of the same number, may be woven
before the narrowing takes place, producing a certain determined quantity of
the fabric at uniform breadth. This will be regulated according to the size
of the article; supposing a stocking to consist of five hundred courses from
the top to where the foot commences, the first two hundred and fifty will be
worked plain, at the completion of which the narrowing apparatus is liberated
in the following manner :-g' is a bell-crank lever, [best seen in Figure 2; it
is pivoted to the frame A at h¹, the depending arm is acted on by a cam
(fixed to the shaft C) at each revolution. The other arm is fitted with a
pall k, which takes into a ratchet wheel H¹, forming one of a series of count
wheels. The ratchet H' has two pins A, l, which take into the teeth
of a second wheel H%, so that for every revolation of H' the wheel H³
will be moved two teeth, moving the distance of one tooth at each time
of action; is the count wheel which determines the period to liberate
the narrowing apparatus; this is fixed to the same axis as H³, and con-
sequently participates in its motion; K³ is a lever having a fixed falcrum
at K³, the nose piece K³ of which rests on the periphery of I¹, as repre-
sented. The backward motion of the bell crank g' is effected by a spring g',
and limited by a stop, so as to take one tooth of the ratchet H' at each
time. Thus supposing the wheel H¹ to have twenty-five teeth, one entire
revolution of it will take place during twenty-five revolutions of shaft C, the
machine producing fifty rows or courses of loops in that time. Now if two
hundred and fifty plain courses are to complete the parallel and first part of
the stocking, five revolutions of the wheel H' must take place before the
narrowing begins, and consequently a corresponding motion of ten teeth of the
wheel H. This regulates the position in which the disc or count wheel I' is
to be placed with reference to the nose K°. For this purpose the step 1 of
count wheel I' must be turned on its axis by hand, and placed at a distance of
ten teeth from K³ before the machine is set in motion. When the given
number of revolutions has taken place the step 1 will be brought round to nose-
piece K³, and immediately at the tenth movement of wheel I¹ the lever K¹
will fall at step 1 to the lower and lesser diameter of wheel 11. This may be
adjusted to take place at any particular course by the relative position of the
wheels Hand H³, which may both be set by hand, the teeth of both wheels
being numbered for the purpose. The effect of this action is this :---that the

page_text: gab of lever m, which is suspended from lever K¹, falls on a pin n³ fixed in
the back plate L'. A second bell-crank lever M' is pivoted at n¹ to the
frame A. This receives motion from two cams p¹, p³, fixed on shaft C diame-
trically opposite to each other, which, therefore, impart two motions to lever
M at each revolution of C by contact with its truck or lever. The bell-
crank lever is brought back to position against a screw stop by the spring g'.
The action of these cams and levers is continuous with the motion of the
machine, but does not take effect until the lever m' is liberated, as before
imentioned, which occurs just previously to either of the cams p' taking effect
on lever M' in the position in which they are represented. Motion will now
be given to the plate L'. This is fitted loosely on shaft N¹, to which is fixed
the ratchet wheel P¹. This receives motion from the pall 7, pivoted to plate
L', giving it a certain determined amount of revolution at each contact of the
cams p, pl. The shaft N₁ is mounted in a socket bolted at the back of end
frame, and has at its opposite end an endless screw 9', geared with the screw
wheel R', which thereby receives a given amount of revolution at certain
periods. The screw wheel R' has a set of cams fixed to its boss or centre
and caused to rotate with it. In order to distinguish the several cams and
other parts which actuate the apparatus for narrowing on the right-hand side
of the fabric from those operating on the left, I will prefix the letter R to the
reference for the right hand, and the letter L for the reference to the left.
RA, RB, and LA, LB, are four bars capable of sliding longitudinally in
their bearings. These bars are each pressed by springs s¹, s¹, against levers
2, 3, 4, 5, which bear on the peripheries of their respective cams R C, RD,
L C, L D. The levers 2, 3, 4, 5, move on a fixed fulcrum at 6, and have
each a nose piece with which the inclined sides of projections 7, 7, on the cams
come in contact during the rotary motion of the wheel R'. The first move-
ment of the wheel R¹ causes the ends of levers 4 and 5 to rise on the pro-
jections 7 of LC, LD, immediately in contact therewith, thus throwing
back the rods LA, L B. These rods have each two rest plates 8, 8, 9, 9,
against which the ends of levers 10, 11, and 12 are supported and held by
their several springs, best seen in Figure 5, and colored blue in Figure 6.
These levers, when thus released, are acted on by their respective cams L E,
LF, LG, fixed on the shaft B. The lever 10 is fixed to one of four bars
14, 15, 16, and 16%, mounted in bearings in front of the machine, in which
they are free to oscillate. Lever 10, being fixed to bar 15, causes that bar to
oscillate according to the undulations of its cam surface L E. An oscillating
motion is also imparted to bar 16 by cam L F, acting on lever 11, where
LG produces motion in two levers 12 & 28 herein-after described. On the

page_text: bar 15 are mounted three uprights 17, 17, 17, which carry the tickler bar
LH, fitted thereto, in such manner that it is free to rotate, and also to slide
longitudinally. The ticklers 18, three in number, are fitted to metal arms
attached to the bar L H, by a sliding sockets fixed thereon by a binding
screw for the purpose of adjusting the ticklers opposite to the needles on which
they are about to act. In Figure 5 the cans for effecting the motions of
ticklers on the left hand are represented in black outline, .which I will first
describe, while those in red outline are of a similar character, but for giving
effect to the ticklers on the right-hand side of the fabric, as before mentioned.
The machine, with all its parts except the count wheel I', is represented in
that position in which the narrowing begins to take effect. By observing the
position of the cams L E, L F, LG, with the levers 10, 11, 12, and 13, it
will be seen that no immediate effect results on their release, as the trucks or
points of contact of their levers are then opposite to the largest diameter of
the cams, against which they are pulled by the respective springs of those
levers. In the position of machine shewn the thread carrier travels from left
to right, forming the series of loops by the action of the needles X, X, as
before described. The machine having performed rather more than one
fourth of a revolution, and the thread carrier and action of the needles being
completed about half distance across the web, the ticklers 18 now come into
action by the truck of lever 10 falling at #1 of cam L E. This oscilates the
bar 15, and brings the uprights 17, 17, to the position seen in dotted line at
Figure 2. The ticklers 18 are thus advanced immediately over the needle
beards. In addition to the advance motion thus performed, the tickler bar
LH has a partial rotary motion communicated to it, in order to bring the
ticklers down upon the needle beards, which is performed simultaneously, and
is consequent on the advancing motion given by the uprights 17, 17, to the
tickler bar L H. On the end of the bar L H, an arm 19 is fixed. It has
a slot in the tail, which takes on a stud pin attached to a fixed plate 21.
The pin 20, being stationary, retains the lever 19 while the bar LH is
advanced, causing it to perform a partial revolution, the extent of which
may be varied by adjusting pin 20 in the slot of plate 21 at a greater or less
distance from centro of motion. By these combined motions the ticklers
are advanced towards and are brought down upon the beards of the
needles, the point of the ticklers entering the eyes or hollows of the needles
which receive the beards. The ticklers 18 having assumed this position, the
action of cam L F. now commences by the fall j arriving at the truck of
lever 11, which falls into the smaller diameter thereof. The effect of this is,
that the arms L1, LI (there is one for each piece of fabric being woven),

page_text: re caused to oscillate and assume the position shewn at Figure 5 in dotted
nes, the arms LI, LI, are the web or cloth carriers having forks 22, 22,
etter seen in detached elevation and plan views at Figure 8 and 9, Sheet D.
Chiese forks embrace a sufficient breadth of the woven fabric to deflect or pull
he fabric in the position shewn by brown dotted lines at Figure 5. The
elvedge or edge of the fabric being thus thrown, the loops hanging on the
needle stems under the operation of the ticklers will be carried on to the
icklers where they are held during that portion of the revolution determined
by the small diameter of cam surface L F. The three loops of the fabric
hanging the needles whose beards are depressed by the ticklers 18 having
been thus transferred on to those instruments, a second motion is imparted to
them, which takes place and is effected by the rise 2 of the cam LE,
coming in contact with truck or lever 10, this slightly elevates the ticklers 18
from the needles, where they are sustained during the rise of cam LE,
between 2 and 3. In this interval a second too-and-fro movement is
given to the needle slides by apparatus now called into action. During this
period also the ticklers receive a shogging or lateral movement which removes
them the distance of one needle from left to right. To avoid complexity I
will describe the apparatus for producing this latter motion at a subsequent
stage. The second movement of the needle is effected by the lever 12, released
as before described; this lever is drawn down by its spring and pressed against
the cam L G, the fall X, r, of which arrives at the contact point of its lever
12 immediately after the slight elevation of the ticklers 18 taking place, and
before mentioned. The lever 12 is connected by a rod to an arm fixed on
L K, one of two locker bars L K, RK, mounted in bearings on frames
A, A. The locker bar L K has arms 23, 23, one for each piece of fabric,
These slides have
which embraces a given number of the needle slides a, a.
each a projection t with which the arm 23 comes in contact, causing the whole
of the needle slides to which such arm is opposed to be carried backwards, as
seen at Figures 8 and 9, Sheet D, the needle slides are thus moved a sufficient
distance to withdraw the needles from the loops held by the ticklers 18; these
loops, by the additional tension created on them by the rise of the ticklers, are
firmly held thereon. At this juncture the several shafts B, C, and D have
performed half a revolution, when another movement of the screw wheel R¹
takes place. The cam levers 4 and 5 still remain on the top of projections
7,7, while at the same time the other levers 2, 3, are similarly raised by their
respective cams, 'and relieve the several cam levers for operating upon the
right-hand side of the fabric, these do not, however, come into operation for
nearly a third of a revolution, as before explained with reference to levers

page_text: LE, LF, and L G. This second motion of wheel R' brings into operation
one LM, of two cams L M, R. M, fixed on the same shaft as in screw
wheel R. This cam has a series of rises which act on arm 24 fixed to shaft
25 mounted in suitable bearings. The opposite end of shaft 25 has a short
arın 26 by which it is connected with the sliding bar L, N,'sustained in suitable
bearings q, q, across the whole breadth of the needle slides.
The second
motion of wheel R¹ occurring at the juncture before mentioned, and imme-
diately after the needle slides have been carried backward by the locker bar
arm 23, the cam L M, by the connection described, moves the bar L N, from
left to right the breadth or guage of one needle, by which a plate 27 fixed
thereto intercepts and prevents the return of the extreme needle slide a on the
left side, and from which the loop has been removed by the ticklers 18. The
plate 27 takes hold of the nib or pin u¹ projecting on the upper part of the
needle slides. By this means the needle is altogether prevented returning to take
part in the operation of weaving the article under progress.
When the needle
to be abstracted is thus fairly intercepted, the return or forward motion of the
needle slides takes place, but before which, and simultaneously with the move-
ment of plate 27, the ticklers receive the shogging or lateral movement before
mentioned, so that on the needles returning they will shoot under the ticklers
into the loops carried by them, thus the three loops will be moved the guage
of one needle towards the right, and, therefore, the fabric will be narrowed to
that extent. The then two extreme needles from which the loops were
removed and replaced will have one loop each, but the third needle will now
carry two loops, as well understood when such is performed in the ordinary
hand loom. After the needles have re-entered the loops, the ticklers 18 are
again depressed on the needle beards by the fall of 3 in cam L E, and so
soon as they are properly landed, the rise j¹ of cam L F, acts upon lever L I,
and throws the fork 22 backwards, which carries the fabric with it, taking the
loops from the ticklers 18 on to their respective needles. The ticklers are
now caused to assume their original position by the rise 4 of L E, acting
on cam 10. In order to bring forward the needle slides a, a, from the position
into which they have been thrown by the locker bar lever 23, as represented
at Figure 9, I employ another system of rocking shafts, the one of which
LP, is acted on by the cam L G, taking effect on its lever 28, the opposite
end of which is released simultaneously with the others first mentioned.
From the bar L P, arms 29, 29, are raised, which have a number of springs 30
to which the needles slide levers f. f, are separately connected. These
springs produce little or no tension on the levers f, f, when in the position
shown, but so soon as the contact point of lever 28 falls into the smaller

page_text: liameter of LG (which takes place subsequently to the fall of lever 12),
he springs 30 are brought to a state of tension, exerting their force
to bring the needles forwards, by which means the pins t' are kept in close
contact with the locker lever 23. This action returns the needle slides
The tension of the
to their former position when the lever 23 recedes.
springs 80 continues until the levers 28 are lifted by the further rotation
of LG, this cam being the acting surface for both levers 12 and 28. The
rise of 28 takes place subsequently, and in relation to lever 12, in the
same order as the fall. The fall of lever 28 must however preceed the
rise of 12, so as to bring the tension of the springs 30 to bear before the
lever 23 recedes; the number of springs 30 extends to the number of needle
slides embraced by lever 23. By this arrangement the springs 30 go out of
action and exert no influence on the needle slides so fitted during their motion
when actuated by cams O, O. In narrowing stockings, it is usual to contract
one loop at a time every third or fourth course. According to the arrange-
ment shewn this will take place at every fourth course; now, so far as I have
described, there has been two motions of the screw wheel R¹, the first of which
raised the levers 4, 5, on projection 7, 7; the second, after a semi-revolution
of the main shafts, raising levers 2, 3; both effects being as just described. A
third motion of R' then takes place at the expiration of an entire revolution
from the first, which allows the levers 4, 5, to fall on the smaller diameter of
the cams LC, LD, the tension of springs S¹, S¹, drawing those bars in that
direction. The levers 10, 11, 12, and 28, are at this time resting on their
respective cams at their largest diameter, which allows the rest plate 8, 8, and
9, 9, to pass under the ends of those levers, and so prevent them being acted
on until again released. The movement of the wheel R', which allows the
levers 4, 5, to fall, produces no effect on the levers 2, 3, they being one step in
the rear, and of the projections 7, 7, of cams RC, RD, which, like those of
LC, LD, are sufficiently long to retain their hold for one movement after
the rise. The cams RE, RF, RG, represented in red lines in Figure 5, are for
the purpose of effectuating the narrowing operation on the right-hand side
of the fabric. These cams are precisely similar to those already described for
operating on the left side of the fabric, but which have their acting surfaces
situated on the shaft B, diametrically opposite to the acting surfaces of cams
LE, LF, LG. The cam RE acts on osciliating bar 14 through lever 10a,
which bar 14 gives the necessary motion to the tickler bar R, H, and
ticklers 18 acting on the right side of the fabric, while cam RF imparts by
lever 11 a motion to the oscillating bar 16*, which causes the cloth carriers
R, I, to throw the fabric on the ticklers cam RG, at the same time giving

page_text: motion to the locker bar RK, and rocking bar R P, through the intervention
of their respective levers 12a and 28a, all precisely as before described with
reference to levers 12 & 28, which it will be therefore unnecessary to repeat.
The actions of the whole of this duplicate apparatus is to narrow the fabric on
the right-hand side, by removing the extreme loops of that side from their
respective needles, and shifting them one needle towards the left, and at the
same time abstracting a needle from the series on the right side, as before
described with regard to the left. At the 3rd movement of the wheel R¹ the
cam R M raises the lever 24a, on its first rise giving motion to sliding bar
RN, through shaft 25a and short arm 26a, this carries that bar towards the
left, and so intersepting the needle slides on the right-hand side by means
of plates 27a, 27a, in the manner already set forth in reference to that opera-
tion. On the opposite side of the fabric the bars R P, L P, are drawn in
opposite directions by a spring v¹ placed between them, and attached to the one
bar at one end, and to the other bar at the opposite end. This serves to press
the lever arms 24 and 24a upon their respective cams. The fourth movement
of the wheel R¹ takes place at the completion of a one and a half revolutions
of the shaft B after the first, which has the effect of dropping the levers 2 and 3
on the smallest diameter of their respective cams, by which the back bars RA,
R. B, will be allowed to move forwards, those bars interposing their resting
plates 8a and 9a, so as to retain the several levers 10a, 11a, 12a, aud 28a,
which are at that time on the largest diameter of their respective cams, and so
prevent their repeating the movement of these cams until the proper period
arrives. The wearing is now continued for three courses on rows of loops, as now
reduced, during which time the contact point of levers 2, 3, 4, and 5, rest on
the smallest diameter of their cams, while at the same time levers 24 and 24a
rest on the plain parts of their respective cams. The motions of wheel R¹ are
uniform and uninterrupted during the formation of the three courses men-
tioned, at the termination of which the second projections 7, 7, in succession
come round and take effect on the levers 4, 5, at precisely the same position of
the machine's motion; this gives effect to the second narrowing operation,
which follows on, the left and then on the right-hand side of the fabric, in the
same order as before minutely detailed. The cams RC, RD, LC, and LD,
have thirty-one projections 7, 7, which repeat the operation of narrowing one
loop on each side of the fabric at every fourth course as they arrive
in succession at the levers 2, 3, 4, and 5, in the manner described;
thus the fabric will be narrowed to the extent of thirty-one loops on each
side during the formation of one hundred and twenty-four courses by the
rotation of these cams. When the last projections 7a, 7a, pass from

page_text: inder the levers 2, 8, 4, and 5, the count wheels wil be agam canted mo
operation. The inclined rise w of the count wheel must arrive at the nose
pieces during the 125th course, which will be at the fifth tooth of wheel H*
from the fall 1, that wheel having just moved through five teeth during the
formation of one hundred and twenty-five courses of loops. The motion
of disc or count wheel I' lifts the lever K, thereby lifting the gab of lever m',
and so suspending the action of the whole narrowing apparatus. The ordinary
motions of the machine proceeding without interruption, the weaving of the
fabric is continued of the narrow width, to which it has been reduced in
order to form the ankle of the stocking. This is precisely similar to
The
that first described, but with the number of needles reduced.
motions of screw wheel R¹ also produce the "shogging" or lateral motion
of the ticklers before referred to, and is as follows:-A crown wheel T is
fixed on the axis of R', and proceeds in its rotation simultaneously therewith.
This wheel T, which is separately represented at Figure 10, has projections
a, a, disposed at distances corresponding in degrees with the divisions of the
cams on the same shaft. The projections a², a², during the motions of the
wheel T take effect on two levers V1, V", the one to act on the left-hand
tickler bar L H, and the other on the right-hand tickler bar R H. The
arm V is pendant from the framework A. It is furnished with a nose piece 6º,
which is pulled against the face of crown wheel T¹ by a sping C, seen in
dotted lines at Figure 2. The lower end of V₁ is connected by a rod d² to a
vertical lever, pivoted in the middle to one end of the uprights 17a, 17a,
which carry the right-hand tickler bar R, H. There are three of the uprights
17 to carry either bar, two of which are placed near one end of the machine,
and one at the opposite end. A screw 2 is pivoted between the two near
uprights 17, having a racket wheel g² keyed thereon. A pall he on the upper
end of the lever takes into and is held into the ratchet teeth by a spring.
The contact of a tooth a² of the crown wheel draws the rod d² backwards,
giving motion to the lever e², which by its pall 2 impels the racket wheel g
round the distance of one tooth. The screw f is fitted with a nut, which has
an upright arm. This is embraced by two flanges or collars & fixed to the
tickler bar R H. A tail-piece depends from the nut; the slotted end
thereon takes into one of the stays which connect the close uprights 17 toge-
ther. The motion thus given to the racket and screw impart a lateral motion
to the nut, which is transmitted by the arm and collars to the tickler bar
R, H, producing the "shogging" or lateral motion of the ticklers referred to.
The nose piece 6 of V¹ is raised, and falls over the tooth of the crown wheel
Tat the same movement of that wheel, allowing the several levers connected

page_text: therewith to resume their original position until again similarly acted upon
The same teeth or projections a², a², of the crown wheel also effect the
"shogging" motion of the left-hand tickler bar through the intervention of the
horizontal lever V₁, the nose piece m² of which is so disposed with reference
to teeth a that one of them will come in contact with it one motion of the
wheel R¹ in advance of that which takes effect on lever V", so that the
"shogging" or lateral movements of the tickler bars may be in unison
with the other motions of the machine already described. The horizontal
lever Ve is best seen in the plan, Fig. 3, and detached view Fig. 10. It has
suitable guides at either end, and is connected by a rod n³ to an apparatus
whose arrangements and action are precisely similar to that already described
in respect of the right-hand ticklers, with this difference, that a clawker på is
substituted for the pall he, in order to pull instead of pushing the teeth of the
racket g, by reason of the lift action of the tooth a on that lever producing a
forward motion of the connecting rod n³, instead of a backward motion, as in
connecting rod d². In all other respects the letters of reference and descrip-
tion before used will be equally applicable to the apparatus for producing the
"shogging" or lateral movement of left-hand tickler bar L H. The
enlarged views, Figures 8 and 9, represent the left-hand tickler bar and cloth
carrier L I, in the position they occupy during the lateral or shogging motion.
The stockings having been completed to the extent before mentioned, are
removed from the machine and either footed on the ordinary stocking frame
for that purpose, or in another machine of a similar construction as the fore-
going, but calculated for that work, which, as well known, is completed in two
parts, the one for the sole, and the other the upper part, which are afterwards
united by sewing, in the usual manner.
Machinery constructed according to these improvements is also peculiarly
applicable for the manufacture of cloth or other looped woven fabrics, on
account of the uniform tension maintained on the thread, which can be
regulated to a great nicety at pleasure, such cloth being woven of a regular
width, or it may be fashioned or shaped in the manner described with
reference to stockings. In order to facilitate the manufacture of plain cloth
or web, in addition to the use of duplicate parts I propose to employ a double
tier of needles, as represented at Fig. 11, Sheet D, in which the same letters
of reference are used to designate the several parts, as before. In this case the
upper needles are placed with the beards undermost, and the pressers r have a
second pressing point r, which take effect on the stem of the upper needle, and
press its beard against a stop pin 6, which produces a similar effect, retaining
the thread to form the new loop, and allow the other to be pressed over.
The

page_text: upper fabric is conducted away over a roller, as represented. In the manufac-
ture of looped fabrics it is in some instances necessary to increase the width of
the fabric, as well as reduce it. For this purpose it is removed to another
machine, similar in every respect to the one before described and represented
in Sheets A, B, C, and D, with the exception of the narrowing apparatus,
which is omitted. The jack bars Ļ N, RN, are retained, and their cams,
but instead of those bars intercepting one needle slide at a time, as described,
the action of their cams is reversed, commencing at their larger diameter.
The whole of the needle slides on which they are to operate are held back by
the plates 27 and 27. The action, when so arranged, is to liberate the.
needle slides one at a time at the proper intervals, so that the thread carrier
(which in all cases travels the full distance) will deliver the thread to the
additional needle so liberated, which thereby takes up an extra loop, increasing
the width by so much. In order to make a better selvage than would result.
from the action of the thread carrier last described (in which case the additional
needle would be shot out before the passage of the thread carrier), I cause the
thread carrier to pass over the needles first towards that side on which the
needle is to be added, and then to dip a drop considerably below the level of
the needles. This may be readily effected by traversing the thread carrier in
a guide, and at the same time giving it a permanent upward tendency by the
action of a spring. The draught of the thread will cause a slight downward
pull on the last needle of the series, by its taking an inclined direction, as
represented at Fig. 12, Sheet D. The additional needle is shot out at this
stage, and passes over the thread. The needle so added will be the first of
the series over which the thread will be passed, so as to encircle the stem; in
the manner shewn. The mode of transferring the loops of a looped fabric
from one machine to another is well known and need not be described.
Fig. 13 represents the mode of applying the Jacquard apparatus to my
improved machine, in order to produce pattern fabrics. For this purpose I
form the pressers 7, 18, as represented in side elevation and Fig. 18, both
sustained by springs s, s, as before. The two parts of the presser r, 18, are of
themselves of insufficient length to transmit the effect of cams Y, Y, for
which purpose a number of rods 75, 73, one for each presser, are sustained on
springs s', with their ends inserted between the parts r, 76, of the presser being
pulled in that direction by springs so. These rods 7, 78, are severally placed
in connection with the wires t', t, of an ordinary Jacquard apparatus, by which
they will be withdrawn according to the pattern card. The rods 7, 78, so
withdrawn will prevent their respective pressers acting on the needle beards..
These needles will consequently retain their loops, all others of the course
B

page_text: being pressed over; this action may be repeated until two, three, or other
number of loops accumulate on the same needles to produce the figure desired,
and which will ultimately be pressed over on that loop produced, when its
respective presser takes effect by the return of the rod 7, when liberated by
the Jacquard.
"
The Drawings, Sheets E and F annexed, represent at Fig. 8 a front eleva-
tion, Fig. 2, a plan, and Fig. 3 a partial end view of another machine for
carrying out my improved manufacture. The loops of the fabric are also
formed by means of a series of bearded needles of the ordinary kind used in
such manufacture. . These needles are represented at a, a, and are secured to
a set of slides b, b, each needle being secured to a separate slide. The slides
b, b, are fitted into combs as at c, c, which main their position and parallism
of motion. d is a pinion, to the axis of which the driving power is communi-
cated. This is transmitted by an intermediate wheel e to the spur wheel f
fixed to the main shaft g. On the shaft g is fixed cams h, h, which impart the
backward motion to the needle slides by contact with the projection i, i, seen
in Fig. 3. From the opposite end of this shaft, bevel gear k, l, imparts motion
uniform in its revolution to the shaft m, on which cams n, n, are fixed. These
cams cause pressers o, o, to take effect on the needle beards at the desired
time to retain the loops then under the beards. The presser o, o, are mounted
in a comb j, through the lower part of which the needles are projected; they
are retained in an elevated position otherwise than when depressed by the
cams, by the springs p, p. From the shaft m, by a pair of equal wheels, the
motion is transmitted to a cam shaft q, the cams q, q', on which cause the
sliding bar to traverse alternately backwards and forwards in its guides s, 8,
a spring t, by its pressure, ensuring its necessary freedom, and at the same
time limiting its motion. The cams 7 effect contact with the pin u for that
purpose, and the one cam being beyond the end of the other at one
extremity, and short of the length at the other, the pin, after being carried to
one extreme, slips over the end, when it is caught by the other, as shewn in
the plan, Fig. 2, and in the opposite direction. The bar i bas attached to it
the thread carrier u, which carries the thread to and fro, delivering it across
the stem of the needles, which, when they are drawn backwards, the thread
thus laid across is received under their several beards. The needle slides
which are thrown back by the cams h, h, as before mentioned, each of the
steps therein taking effect on one of the needle slides, the whole of which are,
however, held back until the backward motion of the entire number has been
completed by the periphery of the cams h, h, remaining in contact with the
projections i, i, for sufficient portion of a revolution. The return movement

page_text: of the needles is partially effected by springs v, v, but is completed by a roller
mounted on a reciprocating bar x, which receives its motion from an arm y,
ixed on an axis z, which in turn receives its motion from the crank A. The
in of the crank A takes into a slotted connecting rod B, which permits the
axis z to remain stationary during a portion of time at opposite points of its
orbit, during which suspension of motion the needle slides perform their
movements described. The connecting rod B and the weight C act as counter
balances which alternately preponderate at each semi-revolution of the crank,
and cause the bar a to complete its throw after the crank passes its dead
points. This passage of the roller w gathers the needle bars forwards by con-
tact with the pins D, D, D. This movement carries the needle bars forward
to definite point. The action of the machine so far is this: the thread carrier
which is supplied from a reel above traverses to and fro over the needles; it
delivers the thread from beneath and below the level of the beards, so that
on the needles moving back, each beard draws with it a loop of the thread
which they carry within the comb j, j. As the needle beards enter the comb,
the cams n, n, cause the prèssers o, o, to descend and press on the points of
the needle beards, which points are received in small grooves in the needle
stem. During this operation the loops previously formed are on the shanks
or stems of the needles, so that when the beards are depressed, and they enter
the comb, the new loops are carried through those previously made and on
the shank; by the withdrawal of the needles these, loops fall over the ends of
the needles, completing the fabric so far. On the needles again emerging,
the loops carried on by the beards will remain on the stems, and will be
thrown off, as before, by the return of the needles with a fresh supply of
loops, produced in the manner explained. The web produced is carried
downwards and delivered on a roller, by which it is wound up as the
work progresses.
In so far this machine will produce a web of the
ordinary looped fabric manufacture. . In order to produce a web of a vary-
ing width by increasing the number of the loops, a number of needles
and slides b, b, are employed equal to the greatest number of loops that
may be necessary to produce the greatest width of fabric, but certain of
which are thrown out of gear according as the fabric requires requires to be
widened. Supposing the narrowest part of the fabric to be composed of
twelve loops, the whole of the needles shewn in the Drawings, with their
Additional slides and needles are
several slides, will be used for that width.
called into requisition to produce the extra width. These are shewn dotted,
and which, when out of use, are retained in their backward position by the

page_text: slides E, E, which advance from either side, and intercept the return of the
needle slides by contact with the pins F, F, also affixed to the needle slides.
The slides E, E, are worked by a screw G, which is actuated by a plate H
fitted loosely thereon, and receiving a reciprocating motion from the crank I
The plate having the pall K pivoted on its face, it falls into the teeth of the
wheel L fixed on the screw C, and carries it round in one direction à distance
equal to the number of teeth slipped over in the backward direction of its motion.
According to the side of its fulcrum on which the pall K is placed so will be
the direction of motion imparted to the screw G, and it may be suspended
altogether by raising it out of contact with the teeth. A like means of trans-
mitting motion is adopted for driving the shaft M, and which is simultaneous
with that of the screw. N is a loop carrier which is mounted on an arm
carried by a shaft P. This is free to slide eudways in its bearings. The
loop carrier N is maintained parallel in its motion by the guide Q. The shaft
P receives an oscillating motion from the cam R fixed to the main shaft,
9,
which cam acts on the friction bowl S, and thence through its rod I to a
pendant arm on the shaft P. This shaft also receives an endways movement
from two cams U, U, both of which receive motion from the shaft M, com-
municated thereto as before mentioned,, the one cam being directly on, that
shaft, while the other receives simultaneous motion through an intermediate
shaft and mitre wheels V, V, which communicate with the shaft M at the
opposite end of the machine. The action of this apparatus is this:-Supposing
that it is desired to widen the fabric, the palls K, K, are thrown into action
and the cam R at the same time. The loop carrier N, being situated between
the two last needles at one side is partially raised by the cam R to the position
shewn in Figures 1 and 3. This takes place before the needles are drawn
backwards, and after the thread carrier has laid the thread across the needles.
The loop carrier being behind that thread when the needles are drawn back-
wards, it will retain a double or loop of the thread between the two needles
where it enters. The first rise of the needle is produced by the rise 1 of the
cam R. Immediately on the needles passing backwards a second rise of the
loop carrier takes place, by reason of the rise 2 on the cam R, which brings
the eye of that instrument level with the position of the. needles. The
formation of the eye of the loop carrier is such that the loop is separated and
opened out in an inclined position. The loop carrier is also moved simul-
tațeneously in a lateral direction by the movement of its shaft P by the cams
U, U, the one gaining a rise while the other falls. This motion brings the
of the loop carrier, and with it the loop, cpposite to the first needle, repre-
eyc

page_text: sented with its slide in dotted lines, which is simultaneously released by the
slide E, and comes forward with the other needles. The needle thus thrown
passes through the loop on the eye of the loop carrier, and also through that
eye. So soon as this occurs the loop carrier descends to its lowest position,
drawing its point (which is split) down over the needle, thus threading or
passing through it. Thus the width of the fabric will be extended one loop
on that side. It will be observed that the loop carrier has its point bent a
little on one side, so that on rising it again it enters between the last needles
on that side, as before. To extend the fabric on the other side, another loop
carrier is similarly disposed on that side, and actuated by like means, nearly
all the parts requiring to be in duplicate, and not shewn, with the exception
of the slides E', both of which are exhibited in Figure 2. In widening the
fabric the loop is added on the side towards which the thread carrier u moves,
the loop carrier N of that side remaining out of action during the passage of
the thread in the opposite direction, at which time.a loop is similarly added to
the fabric by the duplicate parts in the manner described. The needles thus
added, being thrown into action, continue to produce the loops in unison with
the other needles. At each passage of the thread carrier u a loop will be
added alternately on either side of the fabric, throwing at each time an addi-
tional needle into action by moving the slides F, F, backwards, and releasing
the slide pins F, F, in succession until the required number of loops has been
added on either side to form the width required. Thus the fabric will be
produced of a variable width, having a selvage on either side complete. The
widening of this apparatus may also be arranged to take effect at intervals of
three, four, or other number of courses, as before shewn with reference to the
machine first described.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into practical effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details of the arrangements described, provided the
general character of those arrangements or their mechanical equivalents be
retained. But that what I claim is,-
First, the manufacture of looped fabrics of a varying width by machinery
actuated by power, as herein-before described.
Secondly, I claim the manufacture of looped fabrics by the adaptation of
separate and detached moveable slides, to which the needles are fixerl, in con-
tradistinction to the rigid and arbitrary or permanent combination of needles
employed in the ordinary stocking frame.

page_text: Thirdly, I claim the use of a double tier of needles adapted to the same
slides as described and shewn at Figure 11, Sheet D. And,
Lastly, I claim the application of the Jacquard apparatus for the manu-
facture of looped fabrics, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Twells, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty two