Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines.
I, CHARLES HENRY ALDRIDGE of Pinfold Gate, Loughborough, in the County of
Leicester, Hosiery Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In the Specification of a former patent No. 6088 in the year 1882; was described
an arrangement of mechanism for producing single stripe work without the
necessity of making idle courses. In the mechanism described in that specification
this was effected by giving to the driver bar a traverse of two or more times
the length of its ordinary traverse at the times when single striped work was to
be produced and this extra draw or traverse was given to the bar by a second
cam then brought into action the ordinary cam used for giving motion to the bar
when plain work is being produced being then thrown out of action.
The object of my invention is to enable striped work of the above kind to be
made of a greater number of colors or to wider widths than can conveniently be
done with apparatus constructed in the manner described in the above mentioned
Specification.
To effect this in place of employing a lever actuated by an additional cam to
give the additional draw or traverse to the bar which lever would become incon-
veniently long if many colors or draws were being used or if pants or such
like fabrics of wide widths were being produced I give the required motions to the
bar by two or more upright levers carried at their lower end by one axis and which
are rocked to and fro by one ordinary draw cam in such manner that when one is
rocked in one direction the other is rocked in the opposite direction.
A pin at the top of one lever may be caused to engage with a notch on the top
side of a draw link coupled to the slur cock bar whilst a pin at the top of the other
is disengaged from a notch on the underside of the draw link. In this way I can
give to the slur cock bar or driver bar as many consecutive draws in one or other
direction as are required by one ordinary drawing cam.
If at the end of one draw no change is made in the coupling of the levers to the
draw link, then the slur cock bar at the next draw moves back in the opposite
direction but if a change is made in the coupling of the levers to the draw link
then the next draw of the slur cock bar is made in the same direction as the first
and so on.
To couple the above mentioned draw link to one lever and uncouple it from the
other the link may be raised or lowered at the times required by a lever which has
motion given to it from striping wheels at the back or front of the machine or the
coupling and uncoupling of the levers and draw link may be effected in other suitable
manner.
The levers may receive their rocking motion in opposite directions by being coupled
by links to other lever arms which are themselves rocked in opposite directions by
being coupled directly by a link to a bar or slide which is moved to and fro by the
draw cam.
Dind this 14th 1 of 1000
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Knitting Machines.
I, CHARLES HENRY ALDRIDGE, of Pinfold Gate, Loughborough, in the County
of Leicester, Hosiery Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
:-
In the Specification of a former Patent No. 6088 in the year 1882 was described an
arrangement of mechanism for producing single stripe work without the necessity of
making idle courses. In the mechanism described in that Specification this was effected
by giving to the slur cock bar or driver bar a traverse of two or more times the length
of its ordinary traverse at the times when single striped work was to be produced
and this extra draw or traverse was given to the bar by a second cam then brought
into action the ordinary cam used for giving motion to the bar when plain work
is being produced being then thrown out of action.
The object of my invention is to enable striped work of the above kind to be
made of a greater number of colours or to wider widths than can conveniently be
done with apparatus constructed in the manner described in the above mentioned
Specification.
To effect this in place of employing a lever actuated by an additional cam to give
the additional draw or traverse to the bar which lever would become inconveniently
long if many colours or draws were being used or if pants or such like fabrics of
wide widths were being produced I give the required motions to the bar by two or
more upright levers carried at their lower end by one axis and which are rocked to
and fro by one ordinary draw cam in such manner that when one is rocked in one
direction the other is rocked in the opposite direction.
Either lever can be coupled to the slur cock bar or driver bar at will and in this
way I can give to the slur cock bar as many consecutive draws in one or other
direction as are required by one ordinary drawing cam.
If at the end of one draw no change is made in the coupling of the levers to the
slur cock bar, then the slur cock bar at the next draw moves back in the opposite
direction but if a change is made in the coupling of the levers then the next draw of
the slur cock bar is made in the same direction as the first and so on..
The levers may receive their rocking motion in opposite directions by being coupled by
links to other lever arms which are themselves rocked in opposite directions by being
coupled directly by a link to a bar or slide which is moved to and fro by the
draw cam.
In the drawings annexed I have shewn the manner in which I prefer to carry out
my invention.
The drawings shew the mechanism for actuating the slur cock bar and so much
only of the other parts of a knitting machine as is necessary for rendering its action
clear.
Figure 1 is a plan view Figure 2 a back view and Figure 3 a vertical cross
section.
A is the ordinary driving shaft of the machine B is a cam fast thereon giving
motion to a slide bar C. Projecting upwards and downwards from: this slide bar are
arms C one of these the upward one is coupled by a link to the upper arm of, a two
armed lever D-the other is coupled to the lower end of a lever E. The lower arm
of the lever D and the lower end of the lever E are coupled by links D₁ E¹ to two
upright driving lovers D2 E2 and these by other links D³ E3 are coupled to two slide
rods D E. These rods carry catches by which either one or the other can be coupled
to the slur cock bar or driver bar F.
The rods are for this purpose made capable of being turned in their hearings as
well as being shifted end wise to and fro therein. The rod D' has upon it an arm D³
and the rod E an arm E³ either one or other of which can by turning the rods be
turned into position to enter a notch in one or other of projections F on the slur

page_text: cock bar. To turn the rods each rod is made capable of sliding end wise through a
sleeve G but not of turning therein and each sleeve can turn in a bearing provided
for it but cannot be moved end wise with the rod which passes through it.
Each sleeve
has an arm G descending from it and these are coupled together by a link H (see
Figure 3). One of them is also prolonged and carries a pin G2 by which it can be
rocked.
The rocking movement can be given to them only when the driving levers D' E'
are in one or other of their extreme positions.
The way in which I prefer to give the rocking motion to them is shewn in the
drawings and is as follows.
The pin G2 is embraced by a fork at the upper end of a lever I which at its lower
end turns on a fixed pin 1¹. The lever carries two pins 12 I which are acted on by
a star wheel J to which a step by step revolving motion can be given and which
then imparts a rocking motion to the lever. For this purpose the axis of the star
wheel has upon it a ratchet wheel K with the teeth of which a pawl L' carried by a
lever L can engage (see Figure 3). This lever is rocked at each revolution of the
cam shaft of the machine by a cam M which is fast upon it.
If the pawl is allowed to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel then the star
wheel is turned one step after the completion of each draw. If it is not allowed
to engage with the ratchet wheel then the star wheel remains unmoved.
The pawl can whenever desired be lifted out of engagement with the ratchet
wheel by means of a lever N as is shown in Figure 3 and also more clearly in
Figure 4 which shews separately some of the parts. The lever N turns on a fulcrum
at N and is coupled by a link N2 to an arm O' on an axis O. This axis has also
upon it another arm 0 which rests against the surface of a pattern wheel P. When
the arm 02 rests against a projection on the surface of the pattern wheel then the
pawl can engage with the ratchet wheel and when by the turning of the pattern
wheel the projection is carried away from under the arm 02 then the pawl is lifted
out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. A step by step revolving motion is
given to the pattern wheel in the usual manner. Rare thread layer bars and S the
slur bar. R is the friction bar connected by sliding friction boxes to thread
layers R. R is driven from the slur cock bar F.
The thread layer bars are caught by or released from catches in any ordinary
manner as they are to go out or come into action and are driven by friction from
the slur cock bar. Other ordinary means of driving the thread carrier bars from
the slur cock bar night however be adopted.
The above described mechanism can be applied to all forms of rotary knitting
machines either for producing plain or rib work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A rotary knitting machine in which the slur cock bar or driver bar can by
the action of cam or pattern surfaces be coupled as desired to either one or other
of two or more levers or parts which are moved simultaneously in opposite directions
so that the bar after having completed a draw" in one direction may be caused to
make the next "draw" or any desired number of subsequent "draws" in the same
direction or in the opposite direction as desired.
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2. The construction of rotary knitting machines for producing striped work
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 13th day of November 1889.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.