IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES OR LOOMS.
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills of the Firm of Harris
and Mills of 23 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES OR
LOOMS. A communication from abroad by Nathaniel Wilbor Westcott of
Providence Rhode Island in the United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st December
1881.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of the Firm of Harris and Mills of
23 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES OR LOOMS A communication from
abroad by Nathaniel Wilbor Westcott of Providence Rhode Island in the United
States of America.
The Invention relates to looms resembling knitting machines of that class
wherein a weft or filling is introduced into the warp formed by the knitted or
looped fabric and its object is first to produce simple and efficient means for intro-
ducing the weft or filling which will require no special device to keep such filling
under the latches of the needles, the needles will not be subjected to undue strain
in dividing them for the reception of the filling, the filling will be introduced as
the needles rise to engage the thread and laterally close to the points where the
loops are formed, so that in addition to obviating the use of devices to keep the
filling under the latches, numerous and extended spaces will be provided for
mending broken threads or replacing broken needles without injury to the fabric
in course of formation; second to provide a needle-operating cam which will give
the needles the proper movement for the introduction of the filling by the device
herein described and for the formation of the looped warp will raise the hooks of
the needles above the top of the cylinder and hold them there throughout a con-
siderable length of movement at a number of points around the cylinder for
mending broken threads and replacing broken needles will cause the needles to
form the loops singly or one at a time at each point of formation so as to prevent
the liability of straining and breaking the thread at those points, and finally will

page_text: not be surrounded by any exterior case or ring but will expose the toes of the jacks
at all times to view and enable the operator to observe their movement and start
them by hand if they become jammed at any point in the cam slot; third, to
produce guides for the needles and jacks, which can be readily removed bodily and
replaced by other guides for coarser or finer work and the plates of which can be
replaced singly when damaged or broken independent of and without disturbing
other guide plates; and fourth, to produce a simple and efficient stop motion
requiring only a slight tension of the thread to prevent its operation and acting
instantaneously upon the breakage of any thread. The Invention consists in the
peculiar novel devices and combination of devices employed to accomplish the above
objects as more fully hereinafter explained.
The main cylinder rests on a seat on a hexagonal bed-plate, which bed-plate
has arms for frame work and vertical supports. The cylinder is rotated by friction,
spur or bevel gear wheels connected therewith at its bottom as will be well
understood.
The needles move with said cylinder, their jacks or slides being guided by
vertical guide plates held by a ring secured removeably to the cylinder as will be
presently explained.
These needle jacks have toes which move in the cam slot formed by stationary
plates. These cam plates are held by rings to which they are secured, such rings
being fastened to the bed-plate by bolts and being separated and clamped by
thimbles and nuts on such bolts. At a number of equidistant points in its length,
the cam slot has a rise or takes an upwardly inclined course for the purpose raising
the needles to be acted on by the filling wheel and to catch the warp thread.
From the highest point the cam slot drops, with an inclination about the same as
the rise to the lowest point where the slot immediately rises again. At the lowest
points the cam slot only accommodates the toe of the needle. When the toe of a
needle is at one of the lowest points the needle has completed a loop of the warp
and has drawn the loop through the previously formed loop to its lowest position.
By having the lowest points or angles capable of receiving only one needle toe at
a time the loops will be formed singly at each point of formation and the threads
will not be strained to the extent that they would be if several loops were made
simultaneously. Consequently the danger of breaking the thread at these points
is greatly lessened.
From the rise the cam slot extends horizontally a sufficient distance to accom-
modate the toes of a number of needles (for instance a dozen or more).
The horizontal portions of the slot are located in a plane between the highest
and lowest points of the slot and the purpose of these horizontal portions is to raise
the hooks of the needles above the top of the cylinder so that broken threads can
be readily mended. This opportunity for mending is afforded after the needles pass
each point where the warp is formed, and consequently no holes will be made in the
cloth as is the case where one point only is provided for mending.
In a machine having a cylinder thirty inches in diameter, there will be twenty
points at which the warp will be formed. From the horizontal portions the cam
slot drops at certain points for the purpose of withdrawing the hooks of the needles
below the top of the cylinder before they are raised by the inclines to catch the
warp thread and be divided by the filling wheel.
In the space formed by each horizontal portion of the cam slot, or in as many of
such spaces as desired, means will be provided for removing and replacing needles.
This means will consist simply of a suitable vertical slot in the upper cam plate
through which a needle can be withdrawn or inserted. This vertical slot will be
closed by a suitable plug except when it is to be used. The cam plates are not
surrounded by any exterior case or ring and the toes are always in sight and can
be pushed in either direction by the fingers should they stick in the cam slot.
The weft or filling wheel is provided with teeth and notches and has a circum-
ferential groove in the ends of the teeth. This wheel is supported in a horizontal
position at right angles to the movement of the needles, by a rod. It is located

page_text: above the top edge of the cylinder and within the circle formed by the needles,
and is adjustable upon the rod by means of a ring and set screw for the purpose
of regulating its position with relation to the needles. One of these filling wheels
has its centre located opposite and above each of those points of the cam slot,
whose office it is to withdraw the hooks of the needles below the top of the
cylinder as aforesaid, and its teeth and notches are so spaced that alternate needles
will rise through the slots in being forced up by the incline, while the other needle
will strike the points of the teeth and be forced outwardly to a slight degree by
them. Each rod carries a thread guide on its end, from which the filling thread
passes around the groove of the filling wheel and on the opposite sides of the
intervening needles to the warp. The ends of the teeth of the filling wheel are
bevelled to prevent the needles from striking and catching on the edge of the
wheel, while the notches in such wheel may have a downward flare for the same
purpose. In rising, the needles pass alternately on opposite sides of the filling
thread as it lies in the groove. The distance from the centre of each filling wheel
to where the warp is formed need be only about an inch and a half. This distance
is so short that the tension on the filling thread between the warp and the wheel
keeps such thread down under the latches and prevents it from being rubbed up
by the movement of the needles, without the use of hooks or other special devices
to hold the filling down.
The needle slide ring, is a cast iron ring fitted over the upper end of the cylinder
and secured by screws with counter-sunk heads, so that the ring can be readily
removed from the cylinder and replaced by another ring adapted for coarser or
finer work. Parallel vertical channels are grooved in the exterior surface of the
ring, in which channels are driven guide plates. When a guide plate gets dainaged
or broken it can be driven out of its channel and a new plate driven in its place
without disturbing any of the other guide plates. The ring is provided with a
shoulder at its upper edge, and extending entirely around the same, which shoulder
acts as a support and bearing guide for the needle to make the same work
true.
The stop motion employed is as follows:-
A ring is slipped over the cylinder below the needle slide ring and secured
thereto so as to turn with the same. This ring has upwardly projecting ratchet
teeth throughout its circumference. Outside of the ratchet ring is a loose ring
which remains stationary except when the stopping mechanism is acting. This ring
loose at one point is connected with the stopping device, of the usual or any
suitable form, by means of a swinging lever, such lever having a toothed sector on
one end engaging with cog teeth on such ring.
At each point where the warp is introduced into the machine, are located two
vertical wires or rods having eyes or hooks in their upper ends through which the
warp threads pass. These wires are guided by flat or round tubes supported on
their outer edges from and above a pivotted block.
A lever is pivotted in the block and is weighted to drop on a ratchet ring when
not held in an elevated position. This lever is held up by a latch engaging at one
end with a notch in said weighted lever and having its other end weighted and
projecting under the open lower ends of the flat or round tubes. Now, if either
thread breaks, the wire or rod supported by it will drop on the latch disengaging
it from the weighted lever and allowing such lever to fall upon the ratchet ring.
The end of the weighted lever will be carried around a short distance by the
movement of the ratchet ring, the pivotted block permitting of this movement,
and will move the loose ring through a pin and operate the stopper through the
swinging lever. When the thread is mended, the weighted lever will be raised
from the ratchet ring and turned with the loose ring back to the first position and
again locked in a raised or tilted position by the latch.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filert
by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th June 1882.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of the Firm of Harris and Mills of
23 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES OR LOOMS" A communication from
abroad by Nathaniel Wilbor Westcott of Providence Rhode Island in the United
States of America.
The Invention relates to looms resembling knitting machines of that class
wherein a weft or filling is introduced into the warp formed by the knitted or
looped fabric and its object is first to produce simple and efficient means for intro-
ducing the weft or filling which will require no special device to keep such filling
under the latches of the needles, the needles will not be subjected to undue strain
in dividing them for the reception of the filling, the filling will be introduced as
the needles rise to engage the thread and laterally close to the points where the
loops of the warp are formed, so that, in addition to obviating the use of devices
to keep the filling under the latches, numerous and extended spaces will be
provided for mending broken threads or replacing broken needles without injury
to the fabric in course of formation: second, to provide a needle-operating cam
which will give the needles the proper movement for the introduction of the filling
by the device herein described and for the formation of the looped warp will raise
the hooks of the needles above the top of the cylinder and hold them there
throughout a considerable length of movement at a number of points around the
cylinder for mending broken threads and replacing broken needles will cause the
needles to form the loops singly or one at a time at each point of formation so as
to prevent the liability of straining and breaking the thread at those points, and
finally will not be surrounded by any exterior case or ring but will expose the
toes of the jacks at all times to view and enable the operator to observe their
movement and start them by hand if they become jammed at any point in the cam
slot; third, to produce guides for the needles and jacks which can be readily
removed bodily and replaced by other guides for coarser or finer work and the
plates of which can be replaced singly when damaged or broken independent of
and without disturbing other guide plates; and fourth, to produce a simple and
efficient stop motion requiring only a slight tension of the thread to prevent its
operation and acting instantaneously upon the breakage of any thread.
The Invention consists in the peculiar novel devices and combination of devices
employed to accomplish the above objects.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying Drawings more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a top view of the machine, some of the parts being taken away.
Figure 2, a side elevation with the cam plates broken away on each side of the
centre to show the needles and jacks.
Figure 3, a bottom view of the main cylinder and bed plates.

page_text: Figure 6, an elevation of a portion of the cam plates and their holder. Figure 7,
a top view of the weft wheel. Figure 8, an elevation of a portion of the circular
ratchet with which the lever of the stop motion engages and the loose ring moved
by such lever; and Figure 9 a top view of the stop motion, the same being a
horizontal section on line 9-9 Figure 4. Like letters denote corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
A is the main cylinder resting on a seat on the hexagonal bed-plate B, which
bed-plate has arms D for frame work and vertical supports. The cylinder A is
rototed by friction, spur or bevel gear wheels connected therewith at its bottom a
as will be well understood.
The needles S, move with said cylinder, their jacks or slides I being guided
by vertical guide plates held by a ring secured removably to the cylinder as will
be presently explained.
These needle jacks have toes K which move in the cam slot L formed by the
stationary plates L'L'. these cam plates are held by rings C, C', to which they
are secured, such rings being fastened to bed-plate B by bolts T and being
separated and clamped by thimbles t and nuts t¹ on such bolts. At a number of
equidistant points in its length, the cam slot L has a rise or takes an upwardly
inclined course as shown at 7 for the purpose of raising the needles to be acted on
by the filling wheel and to catch the warp thread. From the highest point l, the
cam slot drops, as shown at 1, with an inclination about the same as the rise to
the point 3, where the slot immediately rises again at 14. At the points the cam
slot only accommodates the toe of one needle. When the toe of a needle is at one
of the points 3, the needle has completed a loop of the warp and has drawn the
loop through the previously formed loop to its lowest position. By having the
angles capable of receiving only one needle toe at a time the loops will be formed
singly at each point of formation and the threads will not be strained to the extent
that they would be if several loops were made simultaneously. Consequently tho
danger of breaking the thread at these points is greatly lessened.
From the rise the cam slot extends horizontally, as shown at 15, a sufficient
distance to accommodate the toes of a number of needles (for instance a dozen or
more.) The horizontal portions of the slot are located in a plane between the
highest and lowest points of the slot and the purpose of these horizontal
portions is to raise the hooks of the needles above the top of the cylinder so that
broken threads can be readily mended. This opportunity for mending is afforded
after the needles pass each point where the warp is formed, and consequently no
holes will be made in the cloth as is the case where one point only is provided for
mending.
In a machine having a cylinder thirty inches in diameter, there will be twenty
points at which the warp will be formed. From the horizontal portions 1 the
cam slot drops to points for the purpose of withdrawing the hooks of the needles
below the top of the cylinder before they are raised by the inclines to catch the
warp thread and be divided by the filling wheel.
In the space formed by each horizontal portion of the cam slot or in as many
of such spaces as desired, means (not shown) will be provided for removing and
replacing needles. This means will consist simply of a suitable vertical slot in the
upper cam plate through which a needle can be withdrawn or inserted. This
vertical slot will be closed by a suitable plug except when it is to be used.
cam plates are not surrounded by any exterior case or ring and the toes K are
always in sight and can be pushed in either direction by the fingers should they
stick in the cam slot.
The
P is the weft or filling wheel which is provided with teeth p¹ and notches p³
and has a circumferential groove p in the ends of the teeth. This wheel is
supported in a horizontal position at right angles to the movement of the needles,
by a rod E. It is located above the top edge of the cylinder and within the
circle formed by the needles and is adjustable upon the rod E by means of a ring
and set screw for the purpose of regulating its position with relation to the

page_text: needles. One of these filling wheels has its centre located opposite and above
each point of the cam slot and its teeth and notches are so spaced that alternate
needles will rise through the slots ps in being forced up by the incline 4, while the
other needle will strike the points of the teeth p and be forced outwardly to a
slight degree by them. Each rod E carries a thread guide P¹ on its end, from
which the filling thread passes around the groove p of the filling wheel and on
the opposite sides of the intervening needles to the warp. The ends of the
teeth p of the filling wheel are bevelled to prevent the needles from striking and
catching on the edge of the wheel, while the notches p³ may have a downward
flare for the same purpose. In rising the needles pass alternately on opposite
sides of the filling thread as it lies in the groove p. The distance from the centre
of each filling wheel to where the warp is formed (above, the point ³) need be only
about an inch and a half. This distance is so short that the tension on the filling
thread between the warp and the wheel keeps such thread down under the latches
and prevents it from being rubbed up by the movement of the needles, without the
use of hooks or other special devices to hold the filling down.
His the needle slide ring, which is a cast iron ring fitted over the upper end of
the cylinder and secured by screws h with counter-sunk heads, so that the ring
can be readily removed from the cylinder and replaced by another ring adapted
for coarser or finer work. Parallel vertical channels are grooved in the exterior
surface of the ring H, in which channels are driven the guide plates R. When a
guide plate gets damaged or broken it can be driven out of its channel and a new
plate driven in its place without disturbing any of the other guide plates. The
ring H is provided with a shoulder h' at its upper edge and extending entirely
around the same, which shoulder acts as a support and bearing guide for the needle
to make the same work true.
The stop motion employed is as follows:-
A ring G is slipped over the cylinder A. below the needle slide ring and secured
thereto so as to turn with the same. This ring has upwardly projecting ratchet
teeth throughout its circumference. Outside of the ratchet ring G is a loose
ring M, which remains stationary except when the stopping mechanism is acting.
This ring M at one point is connected with the stopping device, of the usual or
any suitable form, by means of a swinging lever Z, such lever having a toothed
sector 2 on one end engaging with cog-teeth a' on the ring M.
At each point where the warp is introduced into the machine, are located two
vertical wires or rods V having eyes or hooks in their upper ends through which
the warp threads pass. These wires are guided by flat or round tubes X supported
on their outer edges from and above a pivotted block F.
A lever Y is pivotted in the block F and is weighted to drop on ratchet ring G
when not held in an elevated position. This lever is held up by a latch O
engaging at one end with a notch y in lever Y and having its other end weighted
and projecting under the open lower ends of the tubes X. Now if either thread
breaks, the wire or rod V supported by it will drop on O, disengaging it from y
and allowing Y to fall upon G. The end of Y will be carried round a short
distance by the movement of G, the pivotted block F, permitting of this move-
ment and will move ring M through a pin m and operate the stopper through
lever Z. When the thread is mended the lever Y will be raised from ratchet
ring G and turned with ring M back to the first position and again locked in a
raised or tilted position by the latch O.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the mode in which 5
the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is
First. The combination with the vertically moving needles, of the filling device,
constructed and arranged to divide the needles laterally and introduce the weft
as the needles rise to catch the warp thread and before reaching their highest
position, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with the vertically moving needles of the horizontal

page_text: toothed weft wheel arranged at right angles to the needles and provided with a
circumferential groove for the filling substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with the needles and their jacks and toes of the cam
plates constructed to accommodate but one needle at the points where the warp is
formed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the needles and their jacks and toes, of the
cam plates forming a cam slot having rises and drops at intervals for forming the
looped warp, and straight portions between the points where the warp is formed
for raising the hooks above the cylinder and giving opportunity for mending,
substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the needles of the cam plates L' L' forming
slot L having rises and drops 12 and straight portions 15 substantially as set
forth.
Sixth. The combination with the needles of the
having rises and drops 18 and straight portions
above the rises l, substantially as set forth.
cam plates L¹ L2, forming slot L
and the filling wheels arranged
Seventh. The combination with the needles, of the cam plates, having the needle
toes projecting outwardly through the slot formed by them and exposed to view,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Eighth. The combination with the cylinder and the needles, of the solid needle
slide ring, removably secured to the outside of the cylinder, and the guide plates
secured in vertical grooves in said ring, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The combination with the cylinder and the needles, of the solid needle
slide ring H, removeably secured to the outside of the cylinder, having shoulder h,
and the guide plates R secured in the vertical grooves in said ring, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Tenth. The combination with the vertical wires or rods of the stop motion,
of a lever, a latch supporting said lever in an elevated position, and a ratchet ring
engaging said lever when released and operating the stopper substantially as set
forth.
Eleventh. The pivotted block F, carrying vertical wires or rods V and guides
therefor, the latch O, lever Y, ratchet ring G, ring M, and lever Z, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills have here-
unto set my hand and seal this Seventeenth day of June in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.