Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1.05-Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
We, MICHAEL ANDREW JOSEPH KEANE, of 19 Mary Street, Amsterdam, in
the County of Montgomery, State of New York, United States of America,
Machinist, and JOHN HENRY GILES of 22 Academy Street, Amsterdam, in the
County of Montgomery, State of New York, United States of America, Manu-
facturer, 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 :-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in knitting machines, and the
object is to provide simple and effective means whereby, when two colors of yarn
are used, they will be fed and stopped alternately and automatically, as desired,
thus allowing various widths of stripes to be made without stopping the machine
and without defective spots being made in the goods when the change from one
color to the other is effected.
To this end our invention consists in the combination in a knitting machine
of a pair of rollers or intermeshed pinions, one of said rollers or pinions having
segments removed from opposite sides thereof, guides for the yarn, and suitable
means connecting a movable part of the machine with the pinions, whereby the
latter are rotated intermittently.
Our invention consists also in the combination in a knitting machine, of a
pair of intermeshed pinions, one of said pinions having segments removed from
opposite sides thereof and at diametrically opposite sides of the pivot of the
pinion, guides for the yarn, a pattern wheel provided with a ratchet, a cam on
the knitting cylinder, a pawl and lever connecting the ratchet with the cam, a
projection on the pattern wheel, a lever in the path of the projection to be
operated by the latter, a pawl and ratchet wheel operated by the said lever,-
and a train of gearing connecting the ratchet-wheel with the said intermeshed
pinions.
And our invention consists in certain other combinations hereinafter, described
and specifically set forth in the claims.
Referring to the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this Specifi-
cation,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved devices, Figure 2 is a top plan view
of the same,
Figure 3 is a side view of the feeding devices looking in the direction of the
arrow in Figure 2,
Figure 4 is an edge view of the feeding devices or looking from right to left in
Figure 1,
Figure 5 is a view of the yarn guide, and
Figure 6 shows a modification of the feeding and stopping rolls, also the tension
spring.
Referring specifically to the drawings A is the bed plate of the machine;
A' represents an arm having an elongated slot, a, by means of which the arm may
be adjustably secured to the bed-plate by a bolt, a'. Projecting upward ly from
one end of the arm, A¹, is a post, B, upon the upper part of which the pattern
wheel, C, is pivoted. The periphery of the pattern wheel is provided with ratchet
teeth. Engaging the said teeth is a pawl, c, carried upon one end of an arm of a
two-armed lever C. The end of the second arm, c', of the lever, C', carries a
roller, e, which lies in the path of a cam, D, secured to the periphery of the
needle cylinder, X. The lever, C, is fulcrumed upon a post C" extending upward

page_text: from one end of a curved bar, B¹, mounted on the post, B, at its base. The
opposite end of the bar, B', is provided with a socket in which the post, E, of our
improved feeding and stopping devices is held. The bar, B', is adjustable on the
post, B, that is, it may be turned on said post and held thereon to fix the feed
pinions in proper proximity to the knitting cylinder, and the post, E, may be
raised, lowered or turned in the said socket so that it may be set by the screw, b,
as desired, in relation to the knitting cylinder and as close as possible to the
feed-wheel in such a position that the yarn fed through the device will enter
the feed wheel of the knitting machine to be taken under the barbs of the
needles and knit into the web. The upper end of the post, E, terminates in a
projection, E, extending at right angles therefrom, and projecting laterally
through the end of said arm is a shaft, e, provided on one end, on the side shown
in Figure 1, with a small pinion, e¹, which is keyed to the shaft, e.
This pinion
meshes with a much larger cog wheel, F, mounted upon an adjustable arbor,, near
the post E. On the same arbor and secured to the wheel, F, is a small ratchet-
wheel, f, which is turned by a pawl, g, carried by a lever, g', fulcrumed on the
end of the arbor. The free end of the lever, g', is provided with a pintle, g",
extending at right angles therefrom and entering a slotted, plate, g, rigidly
secured to one end of the lever, G, operated by the pattern wheel C. The pattern
wheel is provided with one or more annular rows of perforations, h, in its face, as
usual, which are adapted to receive suitable pins, h', which, as the wheel is turned
by its ratchet hereinbefore described, pass beneath the tooth, ¹¹, on the lower side
of the lever at the end near which the said lever, G, is pivoted. The said lever is
pivoted in the end of a bifurcated arm, H, extending at right angles and secured
to the top of a post, H', extending upward from the bar, B, and extends over,
a short distance above the top face of the pattern wheel. On the extreme end of
the lever, G, is a stop, i, to prevent this end of the lever from falling too far.
The said stop rides upon the top face of the pattern wheel. A spring, j, connects
an eye in the lever, G, above the pivot with a small post rising from the top side
of the arm, H, to raise the free end of the lever to its normal position after it has
been depressed by a pin, h, striking and raising the tooth ".
On the opposite end of the shaft, e, hereinbefore referred to, and on the opposite
side of the projection, E¹, shown clearly in Figures 3 and 4, is a pinion, L, having
segments, 1, 1, of its periphery removed or cut away. The two segments removed
lie on opposite sides of the shaft, e, to which the pinion is keyed or otherwise
secured. The said segments are removed from opposite sides of the pinion to the
center thereof, or to a plane midway between and parallel to the flat sides of the
pinion. A small circular plate, l, is secured to the outer side of the said pinion.
Above and meshing with the pinion, L, is another pinion, I, of the same size, but
somewhat larger than the pinion, e¹. The pinion, I, is of the same width as the
pinion, L, and is pivoted to an upwardly extending ear on the end of a bar, I',
secured yieldingly, by means of a screw, J, and spring, J', to the top side of the
projection E. A pin also passes through the rear end of the bar, 1¹, down into
the said projection to steady the bar and to prevent it from turning. The said
screw, J, extends down through the bar, I', into the top side of the projection, E¹,
and the spring, J, lies in a socket in the bar below the head of the screw, so that
lumps or knots in the yarn, a, a, may pass freely between the pinions, L, and I,
without clogging when the said pinions are rotated. A lump or knot passing
between said pinions will cause the pinion and the end of the bar to which it is
pivoted to be slightly lifted against the pressure of the spring, J', as will be
readily understood. Just back of the pinions just referred to and shown in
Figures 3, 4 and 5 is the yarn guide which consists of a thin curved metal strip, K,
secured at one end by a screw to an extension, M, on the side of the post, E', and
with its opposite end terminating with an upturned lip, k, near the junction of the
pinions Land I.
placed side by side for the
This lip is provided with two holes or eyes,
strands of yarn, x, a', to pass through.
and

page_text: Before reaching the described guides the yarn passes through the wire guides, y, y,
secured to the side of the post E.
Secured to the side of the extension, M, is a metal strap which extends alongside
of the pinions, L and I and is provided with triangular shaped thin metal pieces
secured a distance apart and soldered to its end in front of the pinions. These
triangular pieces serve to guide the yarn properly, to the feeding-wheel the yarn
passing between the pieces after passing from between the pinions.
Figure 6 shows rollers L and 1 with smooth peripheries for feeding the yarn,
therefore we do not desire to be limited to cog wheels or wheels with rough
peripheries for this purpose.
Neither do we wish to be limited to the position of the pattern wheel and the
exact form of its motion transmitting devices as any other well known position
and forms of operating devices may be employed without departing from our
invention.
The operation of the feeding pinions L and I is as follows:
The knitting cylinder, X, carrying the cam D, is revolved by any suitable
means or power. When the said cam strikes the arm, c¹, of the two-armed
lever C, which is held close to the cylinder by the spring, N, the lever, C',
is moved with the pawl, c, to turn the pattern wheel, C, one tooth. After a certain
number of revolutions of the knitting cylinder, X, the pattern wheel will be rotated
so that a pin, ', will strike the tooth, ", and lift the same causing the end of the
lever, G, connected to the arin, gl, of the ratchet, f', to be depressed to a certain
extent, depressing with it the arm, g', and turning the ratchet-wheel, 1, and gear
wheel F. Motion is thus imparted by the pinion, e', to the shaft, e, and pinions L
and I. At each movement of the lever, G, the said pinions are turned one-half
round or from the position indicated in Figures 3 and 4 to the reverse position,
and there resting until the lever, G, is again operated.
It will be obvious that by this means the strands of yarn will be automatically,
intermittently and alternately fed when their pinions are rotated, and while one
strand is being fed to the feed-wheel and allowed to pass freely through the space
made by the removed segment, the other strand will be stopped and held from
passing between the cogs of the two pinions and is broken off, then when the
pinions are operated again, the strand that was stopped is started and allowed to
pass while the other strand is stopped. On the side of the post, E, is secured a
spring, m, which carries a disk of leather, m', which bears on the side of the
gear wheel, F, to prevent a retrograde movement of the train.
It will be obvious that three colors of yarn can be used in succession by
removing three segments on the pinion, L, that is in the periphery, equal distances
apart, one segment cut out of the periphery on each side of the said pinion and the
third cut out in the center of the periphery.
In all stopping devices heretofore made, when the yarn was stopped, it was done
suddenly, which was a shock to the stitch wheel and the cause of many needles
breaking, thereby causing imperfections in the fabric. Our invention overcomes
this, as the yarn is not stopped suddenly, but gradually, thus allowing the yarn to
be pulled apart, rather than divided suddenly. This gradual stopping of the yarn,
allowing it to be pulled apart, is owing to the pinions or rollers, between which
the yarn is fed, being advanced in the same direction as or with the knitting
cylinder, but with a slower motion than that of the said cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a knitting machine, the combination of a pair of rollers, a seginent removed
from the side of one of said rollers, a guide for the yarn, a knitting cylinder, and
suitable means connecting the knitting cylinder with the rollers to move the same
intermittently, as set forth.
2. In a knitting machine, the combination of a pair of intermeshed pinions,

page_text: segments removed from opposite sides of one of said pinions, and on diametrically
opposite sides of the shaft of said pinion, guides for the yarn, a pattern wheel
provided with a ratchet, a cam on the knitting cylinder, a pawl and lever connecting
the ratchet wheel with the cam, a projection on the pattern wheel, a lever in the
path of the projection, a pawl and ratchet operated by said lever, and a train of
gearing connecting the ratchet-wheel with the said intermeshed pinions, as set
forth.
3. In a knitting. machine, the combination of intermeshed feed-pinions, one of
which has several segments removed therefrom, a drive-pinion located at one side
of the latter, a gear wheel intermeshed with the drive pinion and adapted to
transmit motion through the drive pinion to said feed-pinion, means for preventing
a retrograde movement of the drive-pinion, a vibrating arm pivoted in proximity
to the drive-pinion and means connected with the arm for imparting motion to
the drive-wheel during the alternate strokes of the arm, as and for the purpose
described.
4. In a knitting machine, the combination of a post, an arbor projecting there-
from, a gear wheel and a ratchet wheel mounted on said arbor, an arm also mounted
on said arbor and carrying a pawl to engage with said ratchet-wheel, a shaft
mounted in the post, a pinion on one end of said shaft and adapted to mesh with
the gear wheel, a feeding pinion on the other end of said shaft, another feeding
pinion mounted to mesh with the first-mentioned feeding-pinion, mechanism
connected with the pivoted arm for actuating the feed-pinions, as and for the
purpose described.
5. In a knitting machine, the combination of a pair of intermeshed pinions,
segments removed from opposite sides of one of said pinions, a guide for the yarn,
and suitable means connected with the pinions to rotate the same intermittently as
and for the purpose described.
6. In a knitting machine, the combination of a pair of intermeshed pinions,
segments removed from opposite sides of one of said pinions and on diametrically
opposite sides of its shaft, a guide for the yarn, and suitable neaus connected with
the pinions to rotate the same intermittently, as set forth.
7. In a knitting machine, the combination with an upright or post, of an arbor
projecting therefrom, a gear wheel and a ratchet-wheel mounted on said arbor, an
arm also mounted on said arbor and carrying a pawl to engage with said ratchet-
wheel, a shaft mounted in the post, a pinion on one end of said shaft and adapted
to mesh with the gear-wheel, a feeding pinion on the other end of said shaft,
another feeding pinion mounted to mesh with the first mentioned feeding-pinion, a
segment removed from one of the feeding pinions, a pattern wheel provided with a
ratchet, a cam carried by the knitting cylinder, a pawl and lever connecting the
ratchet wheel with the cam, a projection on the pattern-wheel, a lever in the path
of the projection, and a suitable connection between the said lever and the said arm
mounted on the arbor, substantially as described and shown.
8. In a knitting machine, the combination of a pair of rollers, a segment removed
from the side of one of said rollers, a guide for the yarn, and suitable means
connected with the rollers to move the same intermittently in one and the same
direction, as set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.