Improvements in and relating to Lamb Knitting Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application. 5th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Lamb Knitting Machines.
I THOMAS BARKER of the firm of Barker & Wilson Machinists of Phethean
Street Works, Bury New Road Bolton in the County of Lancaster do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
-
My invention relates to what is known as the "Lamb" knitting machine. I
propose to apply to the said machine a new mode of driving whereby the stroke or
traverse of the carriage carrying the cams actuating the needles can be shortened
or lengthened at will, and at the same time produce almost the same weight of
fabric, no matter what width of stroke or traverse the carriage is moving, that is
to say in knitting fabric six inches wide the stroke or traverse of the carriage will
be shortened to about half the stroke which will be used for knitting fabric
twelve inches wide, or in the same proportion when knitting any width less than
the full capacity of the machine.
To attain this I propose to use any or a combination of any of the following
arrangements.
First, an endless band composed of chain, rope or any other flexible material
suspended at or near each end of the machine, on suitable wheels, pinions or pulleys,
and driven by suitable mechanism, in such a manner as to form the aforesaid
endless band in two parrallel lines, one running in one direction, and the other in
an opposite one. The endless band to be so arranged that by lengthening same
or adding other endless bands, two or more machines can be driven from one main
driving, by this means I dispense with the usual overhead line shaft pulleys and
belts, thus avoiding any risk of oil, dust or grease falling on the fabric which is
being knit.
On the carriage which carries the cams for actuating the needles,
apply a cam
or cams and cam lever or levers, which operate on catches or clutches, the said
clutches or catches to engage alternately in or on the band running in the direction
the carriage is required to move. The said clutch or reverse motion is actuated
by the aforesaid cams or levers coming in contact with adjustable stops fixed by
the operator in the required position according to the width of fabric to be knit.
Second. I propose to use a toothed rack placed longitudinally with the machine,
on the carriage I fix an axis stud or pivot on this axis I place a peculiar shaped
lever which is at liberty to oscillate on the aforesaid axis, and on the same axis is
fixed a pinion to be driven by a bevel wheel and shaft or band, this said pinion
gearing into a pinion placed on each side of the aforesaid pinion, and fixed on two
ends of the peculiar shaped lever, by this arrangement the two outer pinions, which
revolve in opposite directions to each other engage in the rack alternately as
desired, by the deflecting of this lever in either direction by the action of the
aforesaid adjustable stops, according to the direction the carriage is required
to move.
Third. I propose to use a bevel wheel fixed on a pivot on the carriage, with a
shaft placed lengthways or parrallel with the needle beds, and on this shaft two
bevels with a clutch box to each and facing each other, with a movable double
ended clutch on the same shaft and between the two bevels, and arranged in a
similar manner to a lever or levers as before described, or in place of the clutches
I propose to substitute a double ended cone, to engage alternately in corresponding
cones on the two outer bevels, I also propose to apply a stop motion in connexion
with the aforesaid arrangements of driving, to stop the machine when a knot is
about to pass in the needles or when the yarn breaks or runs off at the bottom of
a bobbin.

page_text: This will be attained by an arrangement of lever or levers having at one end a
guage or hole or slot regulated in size according to the thickness of the yarn to
pass through, with a tail or finger at the opposite end, which when hanging
naturally will be directly over one of the aforesaid reversing levers, in such a
manner as to hold the reversing motion lever out of action, so that when a knot
comes in contact with the aforesaid eye it will deflect the lever and liberate the
aforesaid reversing motion lever, and so stop the machine, or when the yarn breaks
or runs off at the bottom of the bobbin the ordinary yarn take up spring will fly
back and strike the aforesaid lever and so liberate the reverse motion lever, which
will stop the machine as before stated, also propose to apply an indicator to
indicate the number of courses knit, and also to stop the machine when any required
number of courses are knit. To attain this propose to use a graduated wheel
having on the periphery on the side a lip, projection or recess, which when moved
by suitable mechanism the required distance will come in contact with a catch or
spring lever, and disengage the catches, clutches, cones or wheels and thus stop
the machine. I also propose to build the framing for the machine on a new method
whereby dispense with the ordinary angle beam. On the top of the leg or stand,
I propose to form a V to carry the needle plates, and a boss at each side, which
are bored out to receive round parrallel bars, which will protrude at the ends for
joining one machine to another. I also propose in some cases to cut or notch the
aforesaid bars in such a manner as to form one of them, as a substitute for the
aforenamed rack and I also propose to apply a pinion and handle to the other cut
or notched bar for the purpose of hand driving.
1
Dated this 31st day of January 1801
THOMAS BARKER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Lamb Knitting Machines.
1 THOMAS BARKER of the firm of Barker and Wilson of Phethean Street
Works in the Town of Bolton in the County of Lancaster Knitting Machine
Makers, 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:-
My invention relates to what is known as the "Lamb" knitting machine and
refers to a new mode of driving, whereby the stroke or traverse of the carriage
carrying the cams for actuating the needles can be shortened or lengthened at will
and at the same time produce almost the same weight of fabric no matter what
width of stroke or traverse the carriage is moving. Also to apply a stop motion
in connection with my modes of driving to stop the machine when the yarn breaks
or runs off the bobbin or when a knot is in the yarn or when any required number
of courses have been knitted.
Also to build the frame on a new method.
In order that my invention may be readily understood, I will now proceed to
describe the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation shewing a portion of the back part of the machine with
chain driving arrangement and stop motion.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation shewing a portion of the back part of the machine
with chain driving arrangement and stop motion. The main framing being left out
to make the drawing more clear.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation shewing a portion of the back part of the machine with
a bevel wheel driving arrangement and stop motion.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation in section of a portion of the machine with bevel wheel
driving arrangement, the mode of building the frame and stop motion.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation shewing a method of driving the machine with three
pinions and a bevel wheel.

page_text: Fig. 8 is a fork lever used in connection with a mode of chain driving.
Fig. 9 are enlarged views of the levers m8 Fig. 2 used in connection with the
stop motion on Fig. 2.
Fig. 10 is plan view of shaft L. 3.
a on Figs. 3 and 4 is the frame end. is a round slide bar which fits on bosses
on frame ends, on which is carried the front half of the carriage d which carries
the front cams for actuating the needles. B 1 is another slide bar for carrying the
other half of the carriage Ď which carries the back cams for actuating the needles,
and has on its underside teeth cut into nearly the full length of the bar. 2 is a
pinion gearing. into the teeth of slide bar B 1, the said pinion being cast or keyed
on boss C which is also cast or keyed on bevel wheel C1 and is carried by
bracket C 2 the said bracket is screwed on cam box or carriage D. C3 are bevel
wheels gearing into C1 and are carried in bosses of can box D and are at liberty
to revolve and slide on shaft B 3 driven by pulley B 4 which is always running in
one direction, on the inner part of bevels C 3 is a notched rim or clutch box e and
in between the bevels is a sliding double ended clutch box el with a key or gib
screwed or fastened in the hole of clutch box e 1 which slides in longitudinal groove
in shaft B3 for the purpose of driving the aforesaid clutch box el in the same
direction as the shaft B3. The said clutch box is at liberty to slide longitudinally
on the shaft along with carriage D. The clutch box el is reduced in diameter in
the middle portion to admit a fork e 2 with radial slot for pin on lever F to work
in. F1 and F2 are adjustable stops to come in contact alternately with lever F
for reversing the traverse of the carriage.
Thus it will be seen that when the carriage traverses from left to right the
lever F will come in contact with adjustable stop F2 which will knock over
the lever F and cause the clutch box e 1 to engage in the bevel wheel C3 running
in the opposite direction, and so drive the carriage back again until it comes in
contact with stop F1 which will reverse the clutch box el and cause it again to
travel in the opposite direction.
It will be readily seen that by shortening the distance between the stops F 1
and 2 it will shorten the traverse of the carriage. Or in some cases I propose
to substitute a square shaft for B3 and a square hole in double ended clutch box el
with a boss at each end of clutch box e 1 to carry bevel wheels C 3.
Fig. 5 is another arrangement of pinions and bevels for reversing the traverse
of the carriage. is a lever which carries two pinions 3 and wheel 5. Near the
centre the said lever is at liberty to oscillate on stud 4 fixed to cam box D
Figs. 3 & 4. The wheel 5 being keyed on boss of bevel C1 and driven by bevel
wheel f7 with shaft B3 Fig. 3 & 4.
It will be seen that pinions 3 will be driven by wheel 5 in opposite direction
to each other and by lever coming in contact with stops 1 and 2 will reverse
the traverse of carriage as before described.
Figs. 1 and 2 are another mode of driving. D on Fig. 2 is a part of back
cam box. 9 is a fixing fixed or cast on cam box D having slots g 10 for endless
chain to run through. Fig. 1 is a fillbow or boss and stud secured on to slide
bar 1 Fig. 2. 2 is a small driving shaft placed at right angles with slide bars b
and B1 Fig. 4. H2 Fig. 1 is a chain wheel fixed on to shaft g 2. HI is another
chain wheel with pulley 3 keyed or fixed on its boss and at liberty to revolve on
stud of fillbow a 1. Hand H 2 carry an endless chain g4 a portion of which is
shewn in slots 10 Fig. 2. g5 is the inner part of a double pulley on cross shaft 2
Fig. 2. 6 is the other part of the same pulley which is at liberty to revolve
loosely on shaft g 2. 97 is a pulley at liberty to revolve loosely on shaft 2. 8 is
" pulley screwed or keyed fast on shaft g 2. g 9 is a cross strap the middle part of
which is shewn cut away and which runs on pulleys y5 and g 3. K is a shot bolt
or slide bar with a pin or projection at its lower extremity to engage in bottom
line of chain 4. L is a sliding bar to be placed on end of frame a Fig. 3 carrying
strap fork Li.
L2 is a lever fastened on oscillating shaft L3. 1 and 2-Fig.
are adjustable stops. 3 is a bowl carried with stud from bracket g. When main

page_text: driving strap g 11 is on pulley 98 as shewn Fig. 2 it will drive chain in the direction
indicated by arrows Fig. 1. The shot bolt K being engaged in the lower portion
of the endless chain will carry the carriage from right hand to left hand, until the
bowl 3 shall come in contact with adjustable stop 71 and so cause the shaft L 3 to
oscillate and move the strap fork L1 and the main strap g 11 from 8 to 6
through the action of lever L 2 and slide L and strap fork L1, which will reverse
the chain in the opposite direction to the arrows Fig. 1 through the action of the
cross strap 9 and chain wheel H 1. Thus it will be readily seen that the bowl f3
will on its return come in contact with adjustable stop 2 which will move the main
driving strap g 11 on fast pulley #8.
9
The stroke or traverse of the carriage is lengthened and shortened as before
described by moving adjustable stops f1 and 2, or in some cases I form a projection
on both ends of shot bolt K, and dispense with double pulley g5 and g 6, pulley 93
and cross strap 9 and run the chain continuously in one direction. For this
arrangement of reverse motion 1 apply a fork or slotted lever Fig. 8 hinged on a
stud fixed in and apply adjustable stops 1 and 2 on shaft B 1 Fig. 3 which will
come in contact alternately with fork leverf Fig. 8. The top part of fork lever f
to be acted upon in a similar manner to lever Fig. 5. The fork of lever facts
alternately on shot bolt K which engages alternately in top or bottom lines of the
chain-g 4 Fig. 1 which are moving in opposite directions. The movable stops to
regulate the length of traverse as before described. By this arrangement
enabled to drive a number of machines from one main driving strap by continuing
the length of the chain or adding other chains with a double chain wheel on filbow
stud gl Fig. 1 to connect the next machine.
am
The stop motion Fig. 3 and 4 for stopping the traverse of the carriage when the
yarn runs off the bobbin, breaks or when a knot-is in the yarn is as follows.
m Fig. 3 is a L shaped lever hinged on stud 1 which is fixed on cam box D
the lever m being shewn in section on Fig. 4. On the bottom part of the lever m
is a fork or recess m 2. m3 is a double ended swing lever fastened to shaft m 4,
The lower end of which holds lever m deflected downwards, when the carriage
is in motion, on its upper end is hinged a balanced lever or knock off hammer m 5.
m 6 is the ordinary tension spring. m 7 is a pin or projection on the hammer i 5.
m 8 is another lever fastened on the other end of the shaft m4 and on its upper
end is a balanced lever or hammer m 5.
When the carriage is to be set in motion the lever m is moved in the direction
of the arrow which will deflect the fork m 2 and so liberate the clutch box e 1.
The lever is then pushed over in the direction which the carriage is required
to move. This will cause the double ended clutch box el to engage into one of the
clutches e 1 and so start the carriage. When the yarn breaks or runs off it liberates
the tension spring m 6 which strikes the pin m 7 and so knocks over the balanced
lever or hammer m5 which falls and strikes the lower part of lever m3 thus
liberating the bottom part of lever m when the V recess m 2 will engage the
V projection on fork acting upon double ended clutch box 1 disengaging both
ends from bevel wheels as shewn on Fig. 3 and so stops the traverse of the carriage.
When a knot runs off the bobbin and catches in the eye of hammer m5 it will
pull over the balanced lever m 3 or m8 and thus liberate lever m as before
described.
n is a graduated indicator wheel with a projection n 1. 2 is an L shaped lever
hinged on the same axis as the wheel n. On its outer extremity is a pawl or
catch n 3 on the lower end of lever 2 is a bowl 4, on the stop F 2 is an inclined
plane F 6. n5 is a projection on lever m 3.
When the carriage travels from left to right the bowl n 4 will come in contact
with inclined plane F 6 and so move the graduated wheel n one tooth or more if
required, by the action of the pawl or catch n 3. Thus when the number of
courses required are knitted the projection 1 on wheel a will come in contact
with projectioun and force lever m 3 over liberating lever m and so stopping the
traverse of the carriage as before described.

page_text: The stop motion for stopping the traverse of the carriage on Fig. 1 and 2 is as
follows: K 1 is a bowl on shot bolt K. m is a fork lever hinged on stud K 2.
K3 is a spring for acting upon lever min such a manner as to raise shot bolt K.
n 8 is a pillar or stand cast or fixed to bracket y. m2 is a swing lever hinged near
its centre on bottom end of vertical shaft » 6. m4 is a spring secured to shaft G
and pressing against the side of swing lever m 2 to hold swing lever m2 in position
as shewn.
7 is a cross head or cross bar with balanced levers or hammers m 3
hinged on its ends.
9 is a fixing screwed or fastened on end of vertical shaft n6.
m.8 are knot catchers hinged at their lower end on a 9. m 9 are two studs fitting
in holes on n 9. in 6 are tension levers hinged on studs m 9. K 4 are springs for
acting upon the tension levers m 6 Fig. 2. m5 are projections from m 3.
latch levers. n5 is a sliding plate which slides on one of hammers m 3. I is a
projection fixed on graduated indicator wheel n. 3 is a pawl or catch for acting
on teeth of wheel w. K5 is a spring for deflecting pawl or catch 3. n 2 is a
lever hinged on n 8. n4 is a connecting rod or link. n5 is a lever hinged on g.
K6 is a bowl on stud secured to 5. m 8 is shewn detached on Fig. 9 on an
enlarged scale. K7 Fig. 2 is the yarn. 8 Fig. 1 is an inclined plane fixed or
cast on stop 2. T is a spring for pulling down shot bolt K and securing same in
chain 4 when the carriage is working.
m 7 are
Figs. 1 and 2 shews the position the stop motion is in, when the carriage is
working. When the yarn K7 breaks or runs off the bobbin, it releases tension
lever m 6, which is pulled back by action of spring K 4. The lever m 6 strikes m 7
and so unlatches projections m 5 on hammers m 3 which will fall down and strike
swing lever m 2 causing same to deflect from position shewn and so releasing lever m
which by action of spring K 3 and V recess in lever m raises bowl K 1 which is
attached to shot bolt K. This will liberate the fixing y. from endless chain g 4,
and so stop the traverse of the carriage D.
When a knot comes in the yarn it will catch in lever m8 and draw same
downwards and liberate by the action of pin K8 Fig. 9, the hammers m 5 which
will stop the carriage as before described.
To stop the carriage when any required number of courses are knitted the
wheel n is moved one tooth or more if required in the following manner. Each
time the carriage travels to the right hand the bowl K6 Fig. 1 will run up
incline 8 on stop f2 this will raise the connecting link 4 carrying along with it
lever n2 and pawl n 3, the pawl moving the wheel any number of teeth as is desired
by regulating the screw K 9. When the required number of courses are knitted
the projection n 1 will come in contact with sliding plate n5 which in turn will
move lever m 7 and thus liberate hammer m 3 which will stop the carriage as before
described. Or in some cases I place knot catcher m 8 horizontally instead of
vertically.
On Fig. 3 and 4 is shewn my new mode of building the frame.
a is the upper portion of one end or leg of the frame on the top of which is
formed two inclines or a V to receive the needle beds or plates and at each top
corner of the leg is formed a boss or socket in which is fastened the two bars b
and B, for the purpose of tieing the two legs together, also to form two parrallel
slide bars for the carriage carrying the cams to slide upon, by this mode of
coupling the frame or legs together, I attain a much larger sliding surface, for the
cam box to slide upon, than is usual. I am also enabled to hinge the lid or cap
of the cam box from the axis of the slide bars, so that in case of a needle breaking,
the cap or lid can be thrown back without unscrewing anything, and the broken
needle removed. By this method I also dispense with the usual angle beam.
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. A tension lever for knitting machines hinged on a stud or pivot and controlled
by a spring substantially as described and illustrated by the drawings annexed

page_text: 2nd. An endless band or chain for the purpose of working the carriage of a
knitting machine substantially as described.
3rd. The stop motions and indicators for knitting machines, substantially as
described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
4th. The general construction of the machines substantially as described.
5th. A combination or combinations of any of the mechanisms substantially as
described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Dated this 4th day of November 1891.
THOMAS BARKER.