Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 20th Sept., 1887.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK SUMNER, of Canton, Norfolk County, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
.
The invention relates to needles for knitting machines; and it consists in the needle
having its point turned inward toward the shank, so that the yarn cannot catch upon
the point and having a curved latch, which, when turned back against the shank,
presents its convex side or edge to the loop, as will be more fully described
hereinafter.
The objects of my invention are to produce a needle for knitting machines, in
which the point of the hook is turned inward, so as to prevent the yarn or thread
from catching upon it and becoming broken, as is the case where the point projects
downward in the usual manner, and to so shape the latch that the loop slides gradually
off from it, and thus obviates the sudden jerk which is brought to bear upon the loop
where it slips off from the latch, which extends parallel with the shank.
The accompanying drawing represents a needle to which the invention is applied,
the latch being shown in one position in solid lines, and in another position in dotted
lines.
A represents the needle body and B the latch, which are connected together in the
usual manner. Instead of the point C, of the needle being made to project down-
ward or outward in the usual manner, it is here turned inward toward the body of the
shank, as shown, so as to prevent the yarn or thread from catching it and being
broken, as is very frequently the case where the point projects downward or outward
in the usual manner. As this point is turned inward toward the shank or body of
the needle, it will readily be seen that the yarn or thread can never be caught upon
the point, but will be guided into the hook of the needle without coming in contact
with the point, except passing by it as it slips into the hook. The latch B, instead of
being made straight, or nearly so, in the usual manner, is here curved, as shown, so
that when it is turned back in line with the body of the needle for the loop to pass
over it, it presents its convex side or edge to the loop, and the loop is allowed to
gradually contract as it slides down from the highest portion of the convex curve

page_text: toward the body of the needle, and as it nears the end of the latch it slips upon the
body of the needle without a jerk or strain, as is usually the case where the latch
extends parallel with the body of the needle. This curve of the latch can be made
greater or less than is here shown, the only object of the curve being to prevent that
Sudden jerk which is brought to bear upon the loops as they pass over the latch upon
the body or stem of the needle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A needle for knitting machines, having its point turned inward toward the
shank, so that the yarn cannot catch upon the point, and having the latch curved, as
described, so that when turned backward against the shank the convex side will be
presented to the loop, substantially as shown."
2. A needle for knitting machines, having the latch curved, as described, whereby
when it is turned backward it presents a convex surface to the loop from one end to
the other, substantially as described.