IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Yeomanson and William Yeomanson, both of
Leicester, Manufacturers of Hosiery, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS."
aled the 3rd October 1856, and dated the 24th April 1856
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Yeomanson and
William Yeomanson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 24th April 1856.
We, JOHN YEOMANSON and WILLIAM YEOMANSON, both of Leicester, Manu-
facturers of Hosiery, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to the production of knitted fabrics, in which the
direction of the loops is from time to time reversed. They, at one time, being
caused to front one surface and then the other thereof.
Till comparatively recently such fabric was made exclusively by hand, or if
by machinery, when it was desired to produce a row of loops in the reverse
direction to the preceding, the fabric had to be entirely taken off the needles
and replaced thereon by hand, but with the reverse side outwards, when the
formation of loops proceeded; and so on for each reversal. But knitting
machinery has been arranged to produce such fabric in the working thereof;
we do not, therefore, claim the same generally; our improvements consisting
in the adaptation of parts of such machinery by which the necessity, which
we believe has always heretofore existed, of using detached needles with a
hook or beard at each end, or of removing the work from the needles or
instruments of the frame in production of such reversed looping, is avoided;
and we effect our improvements by the employment of an additional needle or

page_text: hook pointing in the same direction, and working above and in the eye of the
frame needle, and in such manner that the point of the beard of the frame
needle may, when required, pass into a recess in the upper side of the extra
hook or needle, the hook or beard of which is on the under side, and formed
with its point turning inwards of a hooked form, in order to take the new
loops through those last made. When loops, having a direction reversed, or
contrary to the direction of the loops in ordinary framework knitted fabrics
are to be produced, the beards or barbs of the frame needles are formed
longer than usual, and curved to form a recess in which to support the fabric
during part of the working.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Yeomanson and William Yeomanson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 24th October 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
YEOMANSON and WILLIAM YEOMANSON, both of Leicester, Manufacturers of
Hosiery, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Yeomanson and William Yeomanson, Her special licence that we, the
said John Yeomanson and William Yeomanson, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Yeomanson and William
Yeomanson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John Yeomanson and William Yeomanson, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Yeomanson and William
Yeomanson, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention relates to the production of that class of knitted fabrics in
which the direction of the loops is from time to time reversed; they, at one
time, being caused to front one surface, and then the other thereof.
Till comparatively recently such fabric was made exclusively by hand, or if
by machinery, when it was desired to produce a row of loops in the reverse
direction to the preceding, the fabric had to be entirely taken off the needles
and replaced thereon by hand, but with the reverse side outwards, when the
formation of loops proceeded; and so on for each reversal. But knitting
machinery has been arranged to produce such fabric in the working thereof;
we do not, therefore, claim the same generally; our improvements consisting
in the adaptation of parts of such machinery by which the necessity, which
we believe has always heretofore existed, of using detached needles with a
hook or beard at each end, or of removing the work from the needles or in-
struments of the frame in the production of such reverse looping, is avoided;
and we effect our improvements by the employment of an additional row of
needles, or hooks pointing in the same direction, and working above and in the
eye of the frame needles, and in such manner that the point of the beard of the
frame needle may, when required, pass into a recess in the upper side of the
extra hook or needle, the hook or beard of each of which is on the under side,
and formed with its point turning inwards of a hooked form, in order to such
taking the new loops through those last made. When loops, having a direction
reversed, or contrary to the direction of the loops in ordinary framework
knitted fabrics are to be produced, the beards or barbs of the frame needles
are formed longed than usual and curved, to form a recess in which to support
the fabric during part of the working.
But that the nature of our said Invention, and the means which we adopt
in carrying the same into effect may be fully understood, we will proceed to
describe the Drawings annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a section, full size, of some of the parts of an ordinary band
5 knitting frame, with improvements according to our Invention applied thereto.
Other views show some of the parts separately, as also the needles or instru-
ments in some of the positions which they assume in the production of the
particular class of fabric referred to.

page_text: And we would here state, that as this class of machinery, and the working
of its various parts, are so well understood by persons acquainted with knitting
machinery, we have not thought it necessary to show a complete knitting
frame, but only so much of one as will serve to indicate the mode of operating
with instruments formed according to our improvements to produce "turn
work."
Figure 2 shows a side view and plan view of one of the frame
needles we employ; and Figure 3, a side and plan view of a lead of the
extra needles or instruments to work therewith. In each of the Figures
the same letters indicate similar parts. a is part of the main framing;
6 is the stationary needle bar; and c, one of the stationary or frame needles,
shown separately at Figure 2; d is the presser; and e, one of the guides
for the tickler bar, when such is desired to be used in order to produce figure
to the fabric, as is well understood; f is one of the sinkers; and g the
slur cock, for operating on the jacks f, as is well understood; h is one of
the additional needles or instruments, which, according to our improvements,
are brought into operation in order to effect a row of reverse loops or "turn
work;" and it will be seen more particularly by reference to the separate
views of a lead of these instruments at Figure 3, that their points are first
turned back under at h¹, and then curled so as to form a loop h², with the
point pointing downwards. The parts h² are also formed with their ends
flattened, so as readily to pass into the openings c¹ of the frame needles. The
parts from h' to ', may either be recessed or formed broad as shown, to
present a suitable upper surface to receive the points of the frame needles
in the course of working hereafter explained. The instruments h are set in
leads, as shown, by which they are affixed to the bar t, at each end of
which there is affixed a plate ¹, which by pin joint 2 is connected to a plate
affixed to and projecting upwards from the bar , which is supported so
as to turn freely at each end in arms from the bar i, forming a swinging
frame to admit of a to-and-fro movement of the bar of instruments h, and
at the same time to control their moving uniformly. The plates also
project forwards, forming arms 7, to which is connected the bar, with
a handle by which the workman moves the bar of instruments as he
desires. 20 is a catch of which there is one at each end of the bar i, which,
when that bar comes forward with its instruments h, as will be explained here-
after, in the course of working catches on to the stop , to hold it in position for
the correct working of the instruments h. The catches 20 turn upon centres,
and are connected together by the bar is, to which is attached a cord or wire
connected with a treaddle, to be acted upon, as is well understood, by the foot
of the operator, to release the catches from their plates when desired. The

page_text: beard of the frame needle is bent or recessed on its upper surface at to
facilitate the holding of the work thereon during part of the movements, as will
shortly more clearly appear; and each of the instruments c is also recessed at
to sustain the instruments h, as shown by Figure 1.
Figure 1 shows the parts in the position they would assume when, after the
desired number of courses have been produced in the ordinary manner, it is'
desired to produce a course with the loops in the reverse direction, or what
is now commonly understood as a "turn course;" and for this purpose, before
the laying in of the thread to produce the row of reverse or "turn course," the
fabric will, as shown by the red loop lines, be brought forward to the fronts of
the sinkers. The thread being laid by the thread carrier, the sinkers descend
to form a row of new loops, as shewn by the Diagram, Figure 4, which also
shows the instruments h brought forward ready to be lowered with the hooks h
in the openings of their needles, as shown by Figure 5. The sinker is then
brought forward so as to bring both the work and the new loops within
the beard of the instruments h, as shown by Figure 6. The outer ends of the
instruments will then be lifted, as shown by Figure 7, to bring the upper
parts of the new loops within the curl h³ of those instruments. The sinkers will
then be raised out of the way, and the outer ends or points of the instruments h
will descend, by which the upper parts of the new loops will be held between
the upper part of the curl h³ and the needle c, by the point h³ of the instrument
h being in the recess c¹ in the needle c, as shown by Figure 8, by which the
last row of loops on the work may, when operated upon by the sinkers for that
purpose, be taken back over the new loops held by the curls h³ of the instru-
ments h, as shown by Figure 9, when the sinkers will again rise out of the way;
and by the rising of the instruments h the work will be supported by the new
row of loops from the curls h³ of the instruments h, as shown by the Diagram,
Figure 10. And in order to the next operation, the instruments h should be
lifted sufficiently high that by the coming forward of the sinker, as shown by
the Diagram, Figure 11, the previous row of loops may be laid over the beards
of the needles c, and so as to rest in the recesses of those beards; and whilst
the work is thus held by the sinkers the instruments h are operated to bring
their points with the last row of loops under the beards of the needles c, when
the sinkers are operated to knock over the work, as shewn by the Diagram,
Figure 12. The sinkers are then caused to descend so that the insides of their
nibs may act upon the work now produced, and, in the moving back of the
sinkers, take the new formed loops of it from within the beards of the in-
struments h along the needles c, ready for the laying in of a fresh thread for
the production of an ordinary course, as shewn by Figure 13; or, if it be desired

page_text: that the next shall also be a "turn course," then the sinkers will be operated
to leave the work in the position indicated by Figure 1.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the means
which we adopt in carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein shown and
described, so long as the peculiar character of our improvements be retained;
and in some cases, whilst the ends of the instruments h point in the same
direction as the instruments c, it may yet be desirable to support those instru-
ments from the front, in place of at the back, as in the arrangement explained,
for which purpose we form those instruments has shown by Figure 14; and
we also form the beards of the needles c with a slit or opening therein, as
shewn at c, Figure 15, for the purpose of receiving the curl h³ of the instru-
ments h at the time of knocking the work off, as shewn by Figure 16, in place
of those instruments h passing under the beards of the instruments c, as
described in respect of Figure 12. But the object and peculiarity in either case
is that in producing the turn or reverse course the removal of the work from
the frame needles is avoided, by which much greater facility and certainty of
operation are obtained. And what we claim is, the so arranging, combining, and
operating parts of knitting machinery that the operation of producing reverse
or turn courses, or turn work, may be effected on frames having stationary
needles without the necessity for removing the work from such needles. We
also claim the modes of forming instruments c and h for the purpose of
pro-
ducing reverse loops to the fabric or "turn work" in knitting machinery.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Yeomanson and William Yeoman-
son have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-first day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-six
Witness,
JOSEPH HARVEY,
Solicitor,
Leicester.
JOHN YEOMANSON.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM YEOMANSON. (L.S.)