improvements in Stopping Knitting Cotton, Wool, and other Fibrous Substances.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1887
Complete Speci ication Left, 15th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 19th Oct., 1888
improvements in Stopping
Knitting Cotton, Wool, and other Fibrous Substances.
I, WILLIAM ROTHWELL of 1, 3, and 5 Market Street, Bolton in the County of
Lancaster, Knitting Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in stopping motions, which are applicable
to machinery for knitting cotton, wool, worsted, silk, jute, and other fibrous substances
and consists in employing electricity as the agent to automatically stop the machine
in case a knot, lump, or thick place in the yarn presents itself to the yarn guide or its
equivalent, also when the yarn breaks or when the yarn bobbin is empty, thereby
making it impossible for the fabric being knitted to be spoiled or damaged from these
causes. In carrying out my invention I employ a battery, dynamo, or other
electrical appliances from which wires are brought to the machine which it is desired
to stop self-actingly when the yarn breaks or from any of the causes before described.
On the yarn stand or otherwise is mounted a detector attached to a sensitive spring
or its equivalent to allow only of the passage of yarn free from knots, lumps and
other imperfections. To the detector is attached an arm extended to a slot or its
equivalent in a metallic part of the yarn stand to which is connected one or more
wires from the electrical machine. When perfect yarn is passing under the detector
the extended arm is placed in the centre of the slot or its equivalent by which the
circuit is broken and the machine is allowed to perform its ordinary working, which
is so arranged that as soon as a breakage of the yarn takes place, or a knot or lump
presents itself the metallic connection is at once established between the metallic parts,
by which a current of electricity is established which charges an electric magnet
or its equivalent, which by the attractive power it is thus suddenly invested with
draws or pulls a lipped catch off its support and releases the catch supporting a
weighted lever attached to the knock-off lever of the machine. The weight lever is

page_text: connected to the knock-off lever of the machine by levers, rods, and springs, and are
mounted on suitable fixings according to the class of machine to which the apparatus
may be applied.
Each machine may be supplied with a complete electrical stopping motion, or
several machines may be connected to one battery or its equivalent.
Although I have only described one modification of applying my invention I
would have it understood that it can be applied and arranged in many ways according
to the class of knitting machine. In one class of knitting machinery the knock-off
lever is attached by a pivot to the knock-off lever of the machine and is provided with
a hanging foot which drops onto a fixed part of the machine as the weighted lever
drops and raises the knock-off lever of the machine and releases the driving gear, by
which the machine is stopped instantly.
In the case of empty bobbins or broken yarn it is impossible to start the machine
so long as the electrical circuit is complete.

page_text: Improvements in Stopping Motions Applicable to Machinery for
Knitting Cotton, Wool, and other Fibrous Substances.
WILLIAM ROTHWELL of 1, 3 & 5 Market Street Bolton in the County of
Lancaster 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in stopping motions which are applicable to
machinery for Knitting Cotton, Wool, Worsted, Silk, Jute, and other Fibrous sub-
stances and consists in employing electricity as the agent to automatically stop the
machine in case a Knot, Lump, or thick place in the yarn presents itself to the yarn
guide or its equivalent, also when the yarn breaks or when the Bobbin is empty,
thereby making it impossible for the fabric being knitted to be spoiled from these
causes.
In carrying out my invention, I employ a battery, dynamo, or other electrical
appliances from which wires are brought to the machine, which it is desired to stop
self-actingly, when the yarn breaks or from any of the causes before described.
On the yarn stand or otherwise is mounted a detector attached to a sensitive spring
or its equivalent to allow only of the passage of yarn free from Knots, Lumps, and
other imperfections.
To the detector is attached an arm extended to a slot or its equivalent in a
metallic part of the yarn stand to which is connected one or more wires from
the electrical machine when perfect yarn, is passing under the detector, the extended
arm is placed in the centre of the slot or its equivalent by which the circuit is broken
and the machine is allowed to perform its ordinary working, which is so arranged that
as soon as a breakage of the yarn takes place or a knot, or lump, presents itself, the
metallic connection is at once established between the metallic parts by which a
current of electricity is established, which charges an electric magnet, or its equivalent
which by the attractive power it is thus suddenly invested with draws, or pulls a lipped
catch off its support and releases the catch supporting a weighted lever attached to
the knock-off lever of the machine.
The weight lever is connected to the knock-off lever of the machine by levers, rods,
and springs, and are mounted on suitable fixings according to the class of machine
to which the apparatus may be applied.
Each machine may be supplied with a complete electrical stopping motion, or
several machines may be connected to one battery or its equivalent.
Although I have only described one modification of applying my invention I would
have it understood that it can be applied and arranged in many ways according to the
class or construction of Knitting or Hosiery machines.
In one class of Knitting machinery the Knock-off lever is attached by a pivot, to
the Knock-off lever of the machine and is provided with a hanging foot which drops

page_text: on to a fixed part of the machine as the weighted lever drops and raises the knock
off lever of the machine and releases the driving gear by which the machine is
stopped instantly.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
No. 1 is the detector affixed to the yarn stand guide F by suitable fixings to the
ebonite block E or other non-conductor on which is mounted a metallic plate A;
also on block E are fixed the levers D, working on a loose joint B, and entirely
insulated from plate A ; the ends of the levers D are provided with feathered slots
also mounted on levers D are two light springs CC, which radiate round the half
circle as shewn. When the levers D are in position shewn the electric current is
broken by the space from plate A and ends of springs CC; and when the yarn is
passing in direction of arrow any irregular pieces such as knots lumps &c. will
instantly lift one or both of the levers D and thereby cause one of or both of the
springs CC to rest on plate A and make the electric circuit complete through the
magnets as described hereafter.
No. 2 is a double detector, and can be fixed in the line of travel of the yarn, and
is applicable to any class of hosiery frame or machine; and may be described as
follows: On the ebonite block K is mounted a metallic bracket F, which is provided
with two lugs, into which are fixed two pointed adjustable screws CC. Between these
screws is a lever A, which is provided with a plate D at right angles to it, & works
freely on joint J. Underneath plate D is a plate E, & between the plates D and
E the yarn is allowed to pass as shewn at point G. When the yarn is passing between
the plates D and E the lever A is exactly in the centre of points B, B. If a knot
or thick place in the yarn passes between plates D and E it causes the lever A to
come in contact with point B (right) and makes the electric circuit complete through
the magnets as described hereafter. If on the other hand the yarn should break
from any cause, such as the bobbin being empty or the supply being cut off, the
lever A comes in contact with point B (left) and again the electric circuit is made
complete through magnets as described hereafter.
No. 3 shows an arrangement of levers controlling & effecting the stop motion.
When the current is supplied by the detectors as Fetore described the magnet A
lifts the plate 1 to which is fastened a catel pin C, this releases levers B2 & 3
which again release weight and lever i from the catch and drops; thus litting
lever E through the fuierum formed by drop iever D. Connected with lever Eisa
hanging catel F. which when raisen remastrated, then by stopping
the traie.
U
when he
The levers B2 & B3 ar Colisel
end B2 is released by the lifting of catch pin connected to plate B1 the lifting
motion being derived from the Electro Magnet- A. A.
When lever B 2 is raised the other arm B3 will also raise by the action of a spiral
spring fixed on to arm B 3 as shown in drawing and marked B thus liberating the
weighted lever H which through the fulcrum D lifts the whole apparatus marked as
lever E to which is connected a drop catch F when in position shewn in drawing
No. 3.
The catch F is between the block G and fixed projection on the casting, but when
the catch F is raised as described the block G will at once come against the fixed
projection.
The block G is connected to a strap fork or to a friction cone and by the movement
shewn it will release the friction or slip the strap by the action of a spring.
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.
1st. An automatic detector for knots &c. as described applicable to any class of
hosiery machinery.

page_text: 2nd. An automatic double detector for knots, or when yarns break, or bobbins run
empty; substantially as described.
3rd. An arrangement of levers and catches effected by an electric magnet
as described for stopping the frame as required by the detectors substantially as
described.
4th. A combination of one or more detectors and arrangement of levers forming
stop motion substantially as described.
WM. ROTHWELL,
Applicant.