KNITTING MACHINE
Year: 1885

page_text: 3
I WALTER AIKEN, of Franklin Falls, County of Merrimack State of New
Hampshire, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer do hereby declaro,
the nature of my invention for KNITTING MACHINE, 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 the class of circular knitting machines, and has for its,
object improvements in mechanism to be described whereby the cam-plate may be.
rotated for the production of the tubular portion of web for stockings, or be
reciprocated automatically when it is desired to, narrow and then widen the web.
for the production of heel and toe portions, the number of complete rotations and
of reciprocations of the cam-plate being controlled by a pattern-surface.
The invention further embraces mechanism by means of which the needle;
operating cams are caused to actuate the needles in such manner as to automatically:
alter the length of the loops thereby changing the diameter of the tube being
knitted, the less the movement of the needles the shorter the loops, the closer tho;
knitting and the smaller the tube and vice versa, this being very desirable to aid
in fashioning the leg of a stocking.
In knitting the heel and toe portions, some of the needles in excess of the.
maximum number and to be used for the production of the widest course thereof
are drawn down at each side of the maximum number of needles to be so used, by
means of an auxiliary cam-slide, operated by hand, it acting to draw the butts of;
such needles from the cam groove, the said needles retaining their loops, while the.
needles not so lowered and to be used for heel and toe work, are thrown out of
action one at a time, at, or just before each stroke or reciprocation of the cam-
plate, thus employing fewer and fewer needles in each succeeding course, until
there are left in operation only that number of needles which are required for the
production of the shortest course for the heel or toe, after which, the needles so
thrown out of operation singly, as described, are again replaced, one at a time, into
position to receive yarn from the yarn guide, each knitted course being thus
widened to produce another portion of flat web, the counterpart of-and connected
to-that portion knitted when the fabric was narrowed, thus forming a pouch.
a
As the last course of the heel is knitted, the auxiliary cam-slide is again operated,
causing the needles which were lowered by it, to be raised and brought into

page_text: operative position, with relation to their actuating cam-groove in the cam plate,
and circular knitting is again resumed until the toe of the stocking is to be formed,
when the needles are again thrown out of, and into operation, in the manner above
described in forming the heel, and the cam-plate is reciprocated.
The needles which are to be thrown in and out of action one at a time, during
the process of knitting the heel and toe portions, besides having usual butts to
enter the cam-groove in the cam-plate, are provided at their outer ends with tail
pieces which are embraced and supported by needle-shifters, which, when it is
desired to narrow the stocking web, may be drawn down or depressed, to remove
the butts of the needles from the cam-groove, or be lifted or raised, singly, to
replace the said butts in the cam-groove, by means of two oppositely moving main
cam segments or segmental slides. The entire number or complement of needles
used, are, however, formed with upwardly-projecting butts or shoulders, adapted to
enter the cam-groove in the cam-plate and to receive action therefrom during the
course of circular knitting.
The main cam-segments are moved towards each other, intermittingly, the
distance of substantially the width of one needle groove for each stroke of the
cam-plate, when narrowing is being done, and in the opposite direction when
widening is being done.
When the stocking is commenced at the top of the leg, the knitting cam will be
beld back far enough to give the longest loop for that stocking, but as the cam-
plate is rotated, the curved end of the stitch changing lever, carried thereon, is at
times brought against a finger or tappet under the control preferably of a pattern
wheel or surface, so that the said stitch-changing lever is turned on its fulcrum,
and made effective. in moving the knitting cam, to shorten the loops, thus
gradually decreasing the diameter of the tubular leg of the stocking near the ankle.
For the manufacture of mens work or socks having rib tops, the cam-plate will
be provided with two grooves, connected by a switch and cams as will be described
whereby, when the ribbed top, knitted on any usual rib top machine, is to have its
loops transferred to the needles, all the needles have their butts run into the inner
of the two grooves, thus throwing forward or out from the outer grooves all the
needles, where they are held while the loops of the rib-top, set up on a transferrer,
are knocked off upon the hooks of the needles, and thereafter the butts of all the
needles are gradually brought over into the outer of the two grooves, and circular
knitting is commenced.
In the machine herein described the needles used for both circular and heel or
toe work are actuated by one and the same cam, and the needles used when
knitting the heel and the toe have their butts moved out of their actuating cam-
groove one at a time by needle-shifters which bodily depress or bodily lift the
outer ends of the needles resting in grooves in a horizontally placed circular needle
bed, each needle shifter being moved by a cam-slide.
The invention herein referred to consists of a knitting machine containing a
grooved circular needle bed, a needle actuating circular cam-plate provided with a
groove to receive the butts of the needles, and having at times a rotating and at
times a reciprocating movement according to whether the leg and foot, or the heel
and toe of a stocking is being knitted, a series of needles part of which have tail
pieces beyond their butts, a series of needle shifters embracing the tails of the
needles which are to be used when knitting the heel and toe of a stocking, the said
needle shifters being moved intermittingly to remove the butts of the needles from
the cam groove in the cam plate, as narrowing is being done, at which time one
needle after another is to remain at rest with its butt out of the groove in the
cam-plate, and to thereafter replace the butts of the said needles in the said cam
groove as widening is being done, the cam plate being reciprocated as narrowing
and widening is being done, to be herein described.
•
A cam-grooved plate, and means to both rotate and reciprocate it at intervals a
circular bed grooved radially for the reciprocation of the needles, and provided at
the outer end of its grooves with grooves for the reception of the needle shifters,

page_text: and a series of needles some of which have tail pieces entered into the needle
shifters, the latter cooperating with auxiliary cam-slides to first lower from the
cam-groove, the butts of several needles at each side of the series of needles which
are to be reciprocated for heel and toe work, and the intermittingly moveable
segmental main cam-slides which in one direction of their movement actuate singly
the needle shifters controlling the butts of the needles which are to be thrown out
of action one after the other for narrowing, the said main cam-slides when moved
in the opposite direction actuating the needle shifters to successively replace the
butts of the needles in their actuating can-groove for widening to be herein
described.
The circular needle bed grooved radially for the reception of the needles, and
grooved vertically for the reception of the needle shifters, and provided with
a shoulder, the grooved circular cam-plate, a series of needles some of which have
tail pieces extended beyond their butts and shoulders at their under sides near
their butts, combined with a series of intermittingly moved needle shifters to
remove the butts of some of the needles from the cam-groove when narrowing the
fabric and to replace the butts of the needles in the said cam-groove for widening
the fabric, the needle shifters entering the tails of the needles, and the shoulder to
prevent the needles from being moved forward in their grooves while the needles
are at rest and holding their loops also to be herein described.
The needle bed, the needle shifters therein provided with pins, and the segmental
main cam slides having grooves to receive the pins of the needle shifters, combined
with means, to be described, under the control of a pattern wheel, to reciprocate
the said main segmental cam slides intermittingly to effect the throwing.into and
out of action of the needles employed in knitting the. narrowest and widest parts
of the fabric for heel and toe work, and with means to reciprocate and to thereafter
rotate the cam plate.
A circular horizontally placed radially grooved needle bed, a series of needles
placed in the said bed, and a cam-plate to reciprocate them, combined with a sinker
carrying bed arranged at the interior of the needle bed, a series of vertically
reciprocating sinkers arranged therein and provided with hooks or projections, and
with a sinker actuating cam-ring, and with means to reciprocate both the cam-
plate and cam-ring to operate all.
The following elements in combination, the cam ring, a sinker carrying bed, the
sinkers, a needle-bed and the needles, a cam-plate, a shaft and means to reciprocate
it, a gear fast on the said shaft to move the cam plate, another gear loose on the
said shaft to drive the cam-ring, and a projection carried by the shaft and adapted
to enter a notch or slot in the loose gear to permit lost motion between the said
gear and shaft as the direction of reciprocation of the cam-plate is changed, as will
be described.
The needle bed and its needles, the cam plate, the shaft and the attached bevel
gear; a toothed hub splined thereon and two loose pinions provided with clutching
teeth and loose on the said shaft, with a toothed wheel and its crank, a link and,
rack bar, and with means to rotate the said toothed gear, the shaft having a rotary
or reciprocating motion according to which of the said loose pinions is engaged by
the clutch above mentioned and to be described.
The horizontal radially grooved needle bed, the needles therein and the grooved
plate, cooperating with a knitting cam composed of three parts, an adjustable block
to move the knitting cam to gradually shorten the length of the loops, as the leg
of the stocking is being formed, and with a toothed segmental lever, a stitch
regulating lever, a finger and a pattern mechanism to move the finger and cause it
to actuate the said stitch changing lever as the stitch is to be shortened to decrease
the diameter of the circular web.
The use of a circular plate provided at its periphery with a series of radially
projecting points to hold the loops of a rib top, the said plate and points having
cooperating with it a knocking-off device or presser, the action of which against the
loops of the rib top held by the points causes the transfer of the loops of the rib

page_text: top upon the hooked ends of a series of horizontally placed needles arranged each
in a radial groove of a needle bed, the hooks of all the needles being directed
toward the same centre, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described.
Fig. 1. is a top or plan view of a knitting machine containing my invention,
the needles, and sinkers being, however, omitted, because shewn in other views
on a larger scale, the spool holding bracket being partly broken off. Fig. 1° is
a detail on a larger scale of part of the sliding bar.
Fig. 2. is a front view of Fig. 1 the needle guide and other attachments to the
upper face of the cam-plate, being omitted.
Fig. 3. is a vertical section of Fig. 1. on the irregular dotted lines x, x, looking
towards the left.
Fig. 4. is a partial left hand end elevation of Fig. 1 outside the frame work.
Fig. 5. on a larger scale represents in vertical section the needle bed, part of the
frame work, sinker carrying bed, sinker actuating cam-ring, device for holding the
latter, cam-plate, its cams, the yarn guide and the cam grooved main slides or
segments and their guide, the line of section being along the dotted lines x²
Fig. 1. the needles, the gears, the cain plate, and sinker actuating cam ring, and
their moving shaft, and one of its toothed gears being in elevation.
Fig. 5 is a section of the sinker actuating cam ring detached.
Fig. 5 is a section on the line ³ ³ Fig. 5.
Fig. 6. a partial vertical section on a larger scale of a machine containing my
improvements, the line of section being shewn at a Fig. 1. the said figure, however,
shewing the needles, needle shifter, and sinker at each side in elevation.
Fig. 7. is an inner side view of one of the main cam-grooved segments for
actuating the needle-shifters.
Fig. 8. is a side elevation of the needle bed, needles therein, needle shifters,
auxiliary cam slide to simultaneously withdraw the butts of several needles from
the groove of the cam-plate, and one of the main segmental cam slides for moving
the needle shifters, which hold the tails of those needles, which, in narrowing and
widening, are used to knit, the cam-plate, however, being omitted.
Fig. 9. is a detail of part of the top of the machine, shewing the automatic
narrowing device, the cam-plate being partially broken away to shew the needle
bed and needles, the frame which holds the main cam-grooved segments being
broken out, to shew the teeth upon one of the said main segments, and the
operation of the pawls which actuate them.
Fig. 10. is an underside view of the cam-plate to shew its groove and the
adjustable knitting cam.
Fig. 11. a section of Fig. 10 on the dotted line ³.
Fig. 12 shews one of the needles used only in circular knitting,
Fig. 13 shews one of the needles having tail-pieces and the same as held in an
auxiliary needle shifter.
Fig. 14. represents the belt controlling devices and pulleys about which the belts
are extended, the said parts being omitted from Fig. 3.
Fig. 15. is a detail of the device for moving the auxiliary pattern surface and
part of the pattern surface which controls the length of the circular part of the leg
and foot of the stocking.
Fig. 16. is a detail top view of the cam-plate showing the arrangement of the
knitting cam moving levers used in connection with the cam-plate when knitting
socks or half hose having rib tops.
Figs. 17, 18, 19 and 20 are details of part of the underside of Fig. 16 shewing
respectively the two cam-grooves and the different positions the cam-switch and
cams assume, when knitting regularly, when the butts of the needles are to be
shifted into the inner groove, and when about to be removed from the inner into
the outer groove.
Fig. 21. is a side view of the cuff or rib-top holding and transferring device.
: : - montinal anation thereof ond

page_text: Fig. 23. an underside view, the dotted lines a shewing the line of section for
Fig. 22.
The frame-work A of suitable shape to contain the working parts, has a main or
power shaft A¹, which at one end, is provided with a fast pulley, not shown, which
in practice, will receive a driven belt, the other end of the said shaft having fast on
it, two pulleys A4, A³, of different diameters, the larger pulley A being used to
control the speed of the machine when circular knitting is being done, and the
smaller pulley A³, the speed of the machine when the cam plate is being
reciprocated for heel and toe work.
The pulleys A-A receive belts A5 A6, extended respectively over the
pulleys A7 A8, both fast to the shaft B, and by means of usual belt tighteners A³ A10,
shewn as slides provided with rolls, which bear directly against the said belts,
either of them may be made taut, at will; and thus become the driver for the
shaft B, at the desired speed.
In figures 1 and 14, the belt A6 is made taut and the shaft B, is ready to be
driven at its highest relative speed, for the production of, circular or tubular
knitting.
Each belt-tightener A³ A10, has a notch such as shewn at 83-Fig. 14 in the
tightener A so that when the tightener is pushed in as shewn by tightener A¹º,
the said notch will embrace a part of the extension A, of the frame-work. The
extension referred to, at its inner end (see Fig. 1.) has a sliding bar A¹³, shewn in
detail in Fig. 14s provided with 'cams or inclines to act upon, and lift one or the
other of the said belt tighteners, and disengage their notched parts from the said
extension, when it is desired to stop the machine or change its speed.
This bar A3, herein shewn as having a bent end; is acted upon and moved in
one direction, by the outer end of the lever A1, and in the other direction by the
spring A, suitably connected with a pin carried by the said extension.
The lever A, pivoted at A24, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is acted upon to
effect the release of the belt tightener and stop the machine, when a change of
speed is to take place, or otherwise, by means of a slide bar A16, secured to its
inner end, which is acted upon at the proper moment by a projection 32 (see
Fig. 4) at the inner side of the pattern surface m. The operator prior to starting
the machine, will by the hand lever a² move the clutching hub a¹, on the shaft a,
to engage the proper pinions B B7, to be described.
The slide A1, is supported in bearings A25, attached to the frame. work-see
Figs. 2 and 4 and the said slide in joined with the lever A¼, by the screw A20
The slide A¹³ has a projection A", to enable it to be moved by hand when
desired.
The shaft B, has a pinion B¹ that engages and rotates the toothed wheel B³,
which, in turn, engages pinion B loose on the shaft a, the said toothed wheel also
having an adjustable crank pin B³, (see Fig. 3) which is connected by link B' with
the rack bar Bo, held in suitable guides, and having its rack teeth in engagement
with the teeth of the pinion B7, also loose on the shaft a.
The shaft a has splined upon it, a toothed or notched hub or clutch part a¹ under
the control of the hand lever a², the movement of the said clutch part to the right
or left, in Fig. 1. enabling its teeth to engage cooperating clutch teeth at the sides
of either the loose pinion B' or the loose pinion B thus fixing one or the other of
them with relation to, and so as to enable it and its actuating devices to control
the movement of the shaft a; as for instance, if the hub a¹; engages the pinion B',
which is reciprocated by the rack B6, the shaft a, will have imparted to it, a rotary
reciprocating motion, and its attached bevel gears C, D will engage the bevel teeth
of and move respectively the cam-plate or disc C¹, and the sinker actuating cam-
ring D¹, backward and forward for part of a rotation, or reciprocate them for flat
web or heel and toe fabric, whereas if the hub a¹ engages the pinion B, the shaft a
will be rotated continuously, and its gears C, D, referred to, will rotate the
said cam-plate C¹ and ring D¹ continuously, for the production of a tubular fabric,

page_text: The cam-plate C¹, herein described has a single cam-groove c which receives the
butts or shouldered ends of the needles c¹ cc and c, and has a cooperating
throwing out cam 12, and a drawing in or knitting cam, composed of two sliding
blocks 13, 16, let into spaces, formed at the under side of the said cam plate, where
their edges act against guide blocks 17, 18, 19*. Each slide 13, 16, has a slot to
receive a pin 31, of one or the other of the blocks 17. 19*;
Headed screws 33, one for each slide, are passed down through a diagonal slot
made in the cam plate, and are screwed into the said slides, the heads of the said
Bcrews having a diameter exceeding the width of the said slots, and resting upon
the cam-plate, prevent the said slidės from dropping, yet permitting them to' be
moved longitudinally, the shanks of the said screws then moving in the diagonal
slots in the cam-plate.
One of these slots are clearly shewn in Fig. 11, and in Figs. 9 and 10, in dotted
lines: The heads of the screws 33, projected above the cam-plate, enter
diagonal slots 34, 34, in the cam adjusting block 35, having a slot 36 'which
receives through it, the shank of a screw 37, which is screwed into the cam-
plate C¹.
The cam adjusting block 35 has teeth at one edge (see Figs. 1 and 9)' which are
engaged by the toothed circular end of a lever 38, pivoted at 40, and having at its
outer end, as herein shewn,. 'a segmental series of teeth 41; which teeth are acted
upon by a pawl 43*, attached to a lever 43, called the stitch-changing lever, pivoted
at 44, and having a cam-shaped or curved edge 44*.
The pawl 43 is acted upon by a spring 45*, which normally keeps the said
pawl in engagement with the teeth of the lever 38, and moves the latter, and the
slide 35, and the sliding blocks 13, 16, to alter their position on the cam-plate, and
consequently, the length of the loops formed by the needles drawn back, or in, by
the said slides, the said loops varying from course to course, according as it may be
desired to make the tubular web for the stocking of greater or less diameter, thus
adapting it to fit the leg, substantially as does a stocking which is fashioned, as
usual, by narrowing.
The lever 43, is normally kept pressed outward, beyond the periphery of the
cam plate C¹, by the spring 46, so that the said lever may be struck and turned in
the direction of the arrow 46* thereon, to actuate the lever 38, and effect the
movement of the sliding blocks 13, 16, to shorten the loops drawn by the needles
whenever the said lever 43 comes in contact with the finger 1, pivotted at 2, (see
fig. 5) on a fixed part of the frame, and under the control of a series of pins 42, of
the pattern wheel P.
These pins 42, are placed at a greater or less distance apart, and in such number,
and with such regard to the speed of the wheel p, as to effect the lifting of the
finger 1 into the range of the lever 43, carried by the cam-plate, after any desired
number of revolutions thereof.
In practice, the finger 1 is lifted to strike and turn the lever, and cause the
pawl 43*, to move the lever 38 the distance of one tooth, and shorten the stitch, at
about every five rotations of the cam plate, or at each fifth or other desired knitted
course.
The number of teeth in the segmental part 41, will be more or less, according to
the number of variations to be made in the length of the loops. The said pins 42,
strike against the foot 3, of the lever 4, pivoted at 5 and moves the said lever in
the direction to cause its attached arm or projection 5* to be thrown under, and so
as to lift, the finger 1, and leave it in its elevated position-see Figs. 2 and 5,-so
as to turn the lever 43, as the cam-plate, in its rotation brings the said lever
against the said finger.
The lever 4, after it has been moved forward by a pin 42, is moved backward by
a spring 51, bent about the said lever, both ends of the said spring being fastened
to a pin 51 attached to the frame-work of the machine. The finger 1, bears
against the frame-work, with sufficient friction' to remain in its elevated position,
until positively depressed, which happens immediately after the lever 43 is moved

page_text: by the finger, through the intervention of a presser 58, (see Figs.. 1 and. 9) attached
to the cam-plate, and the said finger will remain down until again lifted by the
projection 5* and lever 4.
The cam-plate C', near its edge, is cut away, as shewn at C³, to form a rest for
'the end 1x of the finger 1, and also to form a bearing to permit the hooks 112, to
keep the cam-plate down in working position.
The series of needles c¹, in number, equal, substantially to the number of stitches
in the narrowest course to be knitted for heel and toe work, have at each side of
them, a series of needles c², herein shewn as 22 in number, the tails of which are
held in, needle shifters e, (see Fig. 6.) provided with projections e', extended into
cam-grooves at the inner side of the toothed main segmental slides e³ c which are
moved, intermittingly, as will be described, when it is desired to remove the butts
of the said needles c², one at a time from the cam groove c in the cam-plate C¹, and
thus out of range, of the knitting cam, the lowering of the needle shifters causing
parts of the needle butts, or shoulders of the needles to fall below the shoulders 14
of the needle bed, C, when narrowing is being done, the movement of the cam
slide in the reverse direction will raise the needle shifters, and place the butts of
the needles in the cam-groove, to be acted upon by the knitting cam
for widening.
A series of needles marked located at the outer sides of the series of needles c²
and equal in number to the number of needles passed over by, the knitting-cam,
which latter has a uniform stroke beyond the butts of the outermost. of the series
of needles c², as the cam plate is reciprocated for heel and toe work, have tails
extended into grooves in a series of auxiliary needle shifters, marked e³, (see Figs. 9
and 13) but the projections 66, of said shifters, located near the needle holding and
guiding grooves, and extended into a long slot 63, in an auxiliary cam slide 64,
having one or more cam slots 65, which receive through them, suitable fixed pins 66
such as shewn in dotted and full lines Fig. 8.
There are two like slides 64, at different parts of the needle bed, to operate the two
series of auxiliary shifters es, which control the raising of the two series of needles
marked c³ and the said slides are attached together by a connecting plate or rod 67,
so that all the said needles c³ of both series, shewn as twenty four in number, may
be simultaneously lowered and raised by hand, by engaging the handle 68, as will
be understood from the drawings.
Movements of the cam slides 64, in the direction of the arrow thereon Fig. 8,
will lower all the needles c³, so that their butts will be simultaneously withdrawn
from the groove c of the cam plate and from the range of the knitting cam
causing the butts 60 of the needles, to rest upon the shoulders 14, and hence the
needles c³, will remain at rest and hold back their. loops, and the needles c¹, best
shewn in Fig. 5 at the right, and without tails beyond their butts in the concentric
part of the groove, during the reciprocation of the cam-plate, the needles cat such
time not being reciprocated.
Each needle shifter, as above described and shewn, is provided with a pin or
projection e¹, to enter the cam groove e³ in the main cam grooved segments or
slides there being two such segments, independently moveable in grooves
or ways in a guide g, which latter is, a nearly semi-cylindrical wall supported by
the frame-work.
The convexed face of the main segments eet, have teeth which are engaged,
the teeth of each segment as herein shewn, by either of the two pawls t³t carried
by pawl carriers h h³, pivoted at 2, the said pawls constituting means, under the
control of the pattern surface m, by which to shift or shog the said main segments,
one tooth at a time, in either direction according to whether or not narrowing or
widening is to be done.
When the rotation of the cam plate is stopped, preparatory to reciprocating it
for the production of a flat portion for a beel or toe, the main segments e e, are
extended about the machine for their greatest distance, and the pin or projection e¹
of the shifters e, are in the highest parts 6, (see Fig. 7) of the grooves of the said
main segments.
I
+

page_text: When the reciprocation of the cam plate is to be commenced, the bub a¹, is
thrown into engagement with the pinion B', and the cam b' is withdrawn, and the
pawl carriers h h¹, are turned into the position (Fig. 9.) so that their pawls t',
become effective to engage and move the main segments es e, in the direction,
respectively, of the arrows 10 and 12 thus enabling the endmost of the narrowing
and widening needles to descend, one at a time, the pins e¹, of the shifters e
gradually passing down the incline 7 into the groove 8 see Fig. 7.
As the shifters are moved from their highest positions Fig. 6. into their lowest
positions, as described, they act to draw the butts of the said needles c² out from
the groove c, and when lowered, the shoulder or butt, at the lower side of the
needles near the shifters, will drop below the shoulder 14 of the needle bed C.
When the stocking web has been sufficiently narrowed to form the shortest
course for the heel or toe, the cam plate, being then reciprocated, the pawl
carriers h¹, are automatically shifted on their fulcra h³, so that the pawls t³ ³,
become effective, the pawls t, being held out of effective action by a corner or
shoulder 15, formed by cutting a slot in the guide g and thereafter the main
segments ese are moved in the opposite direction, to gradually lift the needle
shifters and cause them to elevate the needles c2 one at a time, and place their
butts into operative position in the groove c, where they will be acted upon by the
knitting cam, and reciprocated for knitting, the stocking web at such time being
widened a stitch at a stroke.
The pawl carrier h, is vibrated by a lever h, and pawl carrier h¹, by a lever h³,
having a common fulcra h and each lever has at one side of it at its lower end a
wedge block h, one of which is shewn in dotted lines Fig. 3.
Flat springs 19 at each side of the pawl carriers, are bolted to the frame and
projecting upward, bear against the pawl carriers which will strike against one or
the other of them and cause the wedge block carried by the lever h* or h³, to
remain pressed against the pattern pins, to be described, which act upon and
vibrate the said levers.
The toothed gear B at its rear side (see Fig. 3) has two projections 20, 21,
which act upon the arm 22, of the rock shaft 23, and move the same, twice during
each rotation of the wheel B2, so that the arm 24 at each end thereof, causes the
pawl 25 see Fig. 4, connected therewith, to move the pattern wheel m the distance
of two teeth during each rotation of wheel B2, provided the long space 26, of the
said wheel is not opposite the pawl 25 in which event the pattern surface remains
at rest or does not rotate.
When it is desired that the pattern surface m, for narrowing and widening, be
moved by the pawl 25, the said wheel is started by hand, until the pawl engages
the tooth next back of the said long space 26, after which the said wheel will be
rotated until the long space is again under the said pawl, at which time a heel or
toe portion has been completed. The pattern surface m has, at its outer side, two
rows of pattern pins 27, 28, at different distances from the axis m² about which
the said pattern surface is rotated, and at its rear side the said surface bas two
series of pattern pins 29, 30, the latter being shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 4. and
by full lines Fig. 3.
The number of pins of each series 27, 28 and 30, equal one half the number of
courses knitted in the stocking web, during the formation of a heel or toe, and the
said pins are so set, that each lever h ho, will be positively and simultaneously
moved in opposite directions, as for instance, if the pins 27 act positively against
the right hand side of the wedge block h', as in Fig. 4, to cause pawl t', of the
pawl carrier to be operative, the row of pins 29, at the opposite side of the said
wheel, will act against the left hand side of the wedge block carried by the lever h³,
not shewn, a wedge block just like wedge block h, on lever h, causing the lever h³,
to be moved positively in a direction opposite that of lever h to move the pawl
carrier h¹ in the direction to make its pawl't, the effective pawl.
When the pins 27 and 29 move the levers h h³, and "cause the pawl t, to be
effective, the main cam grooved segments e³, et, are moved toward each other, to

page_text: narrow the stocking web, for the production of heel and toe work, but as soon as
the same has been narrowed, the pins 28 and 30 at opposite sides of the wheel m
turn the levers h³ positively in the opposite direction, which makes the pawl t³,
effective for moving the main segments ese to replace the needles c³ to widen the
stocking web.
At its rear side the pattern surface m, has a projection 32, which, as the heel or
toe is completed, and the reciprocations of the cam-plate are to cease, acts.against
the bar A, and slides it towards the right hand end of the machine; Fig. 2;
causing the lever A1 to be moved to completely stop the machine; as described.
The rock shaft 23, has an arm 39-see Figs. 3 and 15,-provided with a spring.
held pawl 30, the point of which engages the teeth of an auxiliary pattern wheel n,
see Fig. 3, provided at one side with two pins n shewn in full lines Fig. 2, and in
dotted lines Fig. 15, which, at the proper times; act upon the toe 46, attached to
the pawl carrying arm n³, loose on the shaft 23, and provided with a pawl 47
which engages the ratchet teeth of the pattern wheel p, provided with adjustable
pins 49, 50 to effect the stopping of the machine, after the completion of any.
desired number of revolutions of the cam-plate, the said pins, consequently.
determining, by their position, the length of the circular or tubular part of the
web, for both the leg and foot of the stocking, stopping the machine in time for the
operator to attend to, and properly start, the heel and toe web. The wheel n is
merely interposed to enable the wheel p to be made smaller.
The pattern wheel p, may be provided with other pins to stop it at any desired
course of circular work. The pins 49, 50, will, in practice, act against a downward
projection not shewn of the sliding bar A16 and move it and the shipper lever A".
to stop the machine, when the tubular part of the web is of the desired length:
The sinkers r, located, one in each space, between adjacent needles, and placed in
grooves in the sinker bed 8, supported by bracket t, have each a projection 60*,
which enters the cam-groove in the sinker-actuating cam-ring D¹, supported by.
the lugs r¹.
At their inner edges and top, the sinkers have holders 62, which, when the same
are depressed by the cam 2, pass below the needles, and act to prevent the web
from being drawn from the needles, thus obviating the use of weights to keep the
work down on the needles.
The hub 53, of the gear D, see Figs. 5 and 5b, loose on the shaft a, has a slot 54,
which is entered by a projection 55 on a collar 56, fastened to the shaft a, by the
set screw 57.
The bevel gear D, is moved, in one or the other direction, by the projection 55,
the lost motion between the same, and the walls of the slot 54, permitting the cam
ring D¹, to fall behind the cam-plate C¹ to enable the holders or hooks 62 of the
sinkers to be properly raised above the needles, when the latter are being drawn
into their grooves, in the needle bed.
The sinkers descend just behind each needle and in front of the knitting thread,
as the loop is being formed, and the sinkers remain down, and hold the work back
on the needles, until the needles next to them are again moved out to take yarn
from the yarn guide R, the sinkers, during such downward movement, acting to.
hold back the work as the needles are moved forward.
The clutch tooth of the pinion B7 (see Fig. 1) is marked 80, that of pinion B* is
marked 81, and the teeth of the hub a¹ are marked 82.
As seen in Fig. 6, the bottoms of the grooves in the needle bed, which receive
the needles which are to be depressed, during the operation of knitting the heel
and toe portions, are inclined downward and outward, or are made deeper toward
the shoulder 14 to thereby make a space in which the shanks of the needles may
rise and fall, under the action of the shifters, while the front ends of the said
needles, near their latches, rest upon the inner edge of the wall of the needle bed.
Should it be desired to produce a sock or half-hose, having a rib top, the cam
plate so far described, will be removed, and the cam plate Cx shewn in Fig. 16, and
partially in Fig. 17. to 20 inclusive, will be applied in its place.

page_text: The cam-plate C*, besides having a cam groove like the one c, in the plate C₁,
has a second or inner groove G, and at one point of the said plate, the said inner
groove and the outer groove c, are provided with the throwing out cam 12 and the
slide I, and the wing or switch I³, the said parts being all made moveable, so that
at the proper time the butts of all the needles may be moved temporarily from the
regular outer groove c into the inner groove G, thus causing all the needles to be
moved further out than usual in their grooves, placing the hooks of all the needles
in a circle at the centre of the needle bed, to enable them to receive from the
transferring points of the holder or transferring device, to be described, the loops
of the rib top or cuff, and thereafter, all the butts of all the needles are again
transferred back into the outer groove for knitting.
In socks or half hose, the leg is a uniform tube, not fashioned or shaped, so it is
unnecessary to automatically vary the length of the loops, as described for long
stockings, and the block 35 and its cooperative parts are not needed with the
plate C. The throwing out cam 12, Figs. 16 to 20 is entered at its upper side by
a headed screw 1, extended, also, through a slot in a lever K, pivoted at 15, and
through u in the cam-plate, the movement of the lever K enabling the cam 12 to
be moved into the different positions shewn.
The knitting cam, as before mentioned, is made up of a moveable throwing out
cam 12, and a drawing in or knitting cam, composed of two moveable parts, à
slide I' and a wing or switch I', let into a space formed at the underside of the cam
plate, where their edges act against guide blocks i, i, i¹, i¹.
The slide 1, is moved by a lever K¹, fulcrumed on the outside of the cam-plate C¹
at 103, the said lever being provided at one end with a slot w, which receives
a headed screw 12, extended through it, and the diagonal slot w8, in the cam plate,
and entering the slide I¹; the heads of the screws and being of larger diameter
than the slots in the levers, prevent the cam 12, and slide I', from dropping, but
allowing them, to be moved back and forth.
The wing 12, pivotted to the cam-plate at 104, and also constituting a switch, is
connected to a lever K2, also pivotted to the to the cam plate at 102, by a screw 12,
which is dropped down through a curved slot v³ made in the cam plate and screwed
into the wing I'.
The cam-slides 12 and I, and wing I2, are, in Fig. 17, shewn in proper position
with relation to the cam-grooves, as to compel the butts of the needles to travel in
the outer groove c, for regular knitting, the levers in this case, assuming the
positions shewn in Fig. 16; stops G₁ G being screwed upon the face of the cam-
plate, in such position, that the levers will always bring the cam-slides in proper
position.
When it is desired to supply the needles with a rib top, the lever K' will be
pushed in the direction of the arrow thereon-Fig. 16-which will swing the
wing I, upon its fulcrum, causing it to assume the position shewn in Fig. 18, and
at the same time, the lever K₁, will be lowered to move the slide I into the
position Fig. 18, when by one rotation of the cam-plate in the direction of the
arrow 105, the butts of the needles will pass between the cam 12, and slide I¹ into
the inner groove G, after which the lever K, will be turned, to cause the cam 12 to
assume the position shewn in Fig. 19. the butts of all the needles then being in the
inner groove G.
When the butts of the needles have been transferred to the inner groove, and
their books placed to form a complete circle, the loops of the rib top or cuff, which
are held upon a holder, to be described, are transferred to the needles, and the
books of the needles having received the loops of the rib-top, the lever K' will be
moved in such a direction as to place the wing I', in the dotted position Fig. 19,
and thereafter; by the continued rotation of the cam plate, the butts of all the
needles are, by the said wing 12, or switch, thrown back into the outer groove c
and then the lever K2, will be moved to restore the slide I¹ to its original position,
as in Fig. 17, and the lever K is moved to put the cam 12 into the position Fig. 17:
ready for regular knitting to bo resumed.

page_text: The device for holding the cuff or rib-top for socks or half hose, is shewn as
composed of a disc F, with a hollow hub F', the said disc having attached to it by
Bolder or brazing a series of transferring points f composed of stoel, each concaved
at its under side as at f¹, to receive the hooks of the needles which will occupy a
little smaller circle when in the inner groove G, than the diameter of the holder or
transferrer, from end to end of the points.
The plate F, is provided at its centre with a short shaft L, having at its lower
end a head L', and at its upper end a milled collar L³ attached to the shaft by a
screw o, the said collar thus serving, not only as a hand piece, by which to turn the
shaft in the hub F¹ but also, to retain the shaft thereon.
The head L, has an attached crank pin or screw M, which serves to connect with
it, the knocking-off device N, having preferably a serrated or toothed wheel N',
at that part of it which comes directly in contact with the loops of the fabric
suspended from the points, a wheel, reducing the friction and disturbing the yarn
of the said loops less than were it omitted, and the edge of the knocking-off device
were extended to occupy the curve, occupied by the edge of the said wheel as may
be done, but which is not preferred.
The knocking-off device is provided with a detent q, shewn as a piece of leather,
the upper end of which, bears against the underside of the shanks of the points f
where they are soldered to the plate E, the underside of the said detent being acted
upon by a spring Q, attached to the knocking-off device by a screw q¹.
3
When the head is turned in the direction of the arrow Figure 23, the detent q.
clings to the underside of the plate, outside the pin M, and the knocking-off device
is caused to turn on the said pin and assume the full line position Figure 23,
wherein it will be seen that the knocking-off device is retracted, and the wheel N',
is drawn in beyond the edge of the plate F, which is the condition that the parts
will occupy when the loops of the rib-top, usually a seamless tubular web, having
a proper slack course, are run upon the points, one of such loops 106 being shewn
on one of the points at the left of Fig. 22.
When the head L¹, is turned in the direction of the arrow 107 thereon, the
pin M, acts on the presser, and pushes it in along, but the detent q, by its action
against the plate holds the forward free end of the presser back, until the pro-
jection attached to the head L' strikes the presser, as shewn in dotted lines
Figure 25, in which position the acting edge of the presser, and the wheel N¹)
is thrown outward, to occupy a position beyond the circle occupied by the ends of
the points f, and in the rotation of the shaft L, will then travel about the said
points, but in the dotted circle u¹, see Figure 23, such movement knocking-off from
the points of the loops thereon, transferring them to the needles laid under the
points as shewn in Fig. 22.
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 knitting machine containing a grooved circular needle bed, a needle-
actuating circular cam-plate provided with a groove to receive the butts of the
needles, and having at times a rotating and at times a reciprocating movement
according to whether the leg and foot, or the heel and toe of a stocking is being
knitted, a series of needles part of which have tail pieces beyond their butts, a
series of needle shifters embracing the tails of the needles which are to be used
when knitting the heel and toe of a stocking, the said needle shifters being moved
intermittingly to remove the butts of the needles from the cam groove in the
cam-plate, as narrowing is being done, at which time one needle after another is to.
remain at rest with its butt out of the groove in the cam-plate, and to thereafter
replace the butts of the said needles in the said cam groove as widening is being
done, the cam plate being reciprocated as narrowing and widening is being done,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 2. In a knitting machine-a cam-grooved plate, and means to both rotate and
reciprocate it at intervals, a circular bed grooved radially for the reciprocation of
the needles and provided at the outer end of its grooves with grooves for thè
reception of the needle shifters, and a series of needles some of which have tail
pieces entered into the needles shifters, the latter cooperating with auxiliary cam
slides to first lower from the cam groove the butts of several needles at each side
the series of needles, which are to be reciprocated for heel and toe work, and with
intermittingly moveable segmental main cam-slides which-in one direction of their
movement actuate singly the needle shifters controlling the butts of the needles
which are to be thrown out of action one after the other for narrowing, the said
main cam-slides when moved in the opposite direction actuating the needle shifters
to successively replace the butts of the needles in their actuating cam-groove for
widening, the combination being and operating substantially as described.
3. In a knitting machine the circular needle bed grooved radially for the
reception of the needles, and grooved vertically for the reception of the needle
shifters, and provided with a shoulder 14, the grooved circular cam-plate, a series
of needles some of which have tail pieces extended beyond their butts and
shoulders at their under sides near their butts, combined with a series of inter-
mittingly moved needle shifters to remove the butts of some of the needles from
the cam-groove when narrowing the fabric, and to replace the butts of the needles
in the said cam groove for widening the fabric, the needle shifters entering the
tails of the needles, and the shoulder 14, preventing the needles from being moved
forward in their grooves while the needles are at rest and holding their loops
substantially as described.
4. In a knitting machine-the needle bed, the needle shifters therein provided
with pins, and the segmental main cam slides having grooves to receive the pins of
the needle shifters, combined with means, substantially as described, under the
control of a pattern wheel, to reciprocate the said main segmental cam slides
intermittingly to effect the throwing into and out of action of the needles employed
in knitting the narrowest and widest parts of the fabric for heel and toe work, and
with incans to reciprocate and to thereafter rotate the cam plate substantially as
described.
5. In the knitting machine-a circular horizontally placed radially grooved
needle bed, a series of needles placed in the said bed, and a cam plate to reciprocate
them, combined with a sinker carrying bed arranged at the interior of the needle
bed, a series of vertically reciprocating sinkers arranged therein and provided with
hooks or projections 62, and with a sinker actuating cam ring, and with means to
reciprocate both the cam-plate and cam ring, to operate all, substantially as
described.
6. In a knitting machine the combination, of the cam ring D1, the sinker-
carrying bed, the sinkers, the needle bed, the needles, the cam-plate, the shaft a,
means to reciprocate it, the gear C, fast on the said shaft to move the cam-plate,
the gear D, loose on the said shaft to drive the cam-ring, and a projection carried
by the shaft a and adapted to enter a notch or slot in the hub of the gear D, to
permit lost motion between the said gear and shaft as the direction of reciprocation
of the cam-plate is changed substantially as described.
7. In a knitting machine-the needle bed, its needles, the cam-plate, the shaft a,.
the attached bevel gear C, toothed hub a splined thereon, and the loose
pinions B, B7, provided with clutching teeth and loose on the said shaft, combined
with the toothed wheel B2, its crank, the link, and rack bar, and with means to
rotate the gear B³, the shaft a, having a rotary or reciprocating motion according
to which of the pinions B' or B is engaged by the clutch, a substantially as
'described.
8. In a knitting machine-the horizontal radially grooved needle bed, needles
therein, and the grooved plate C₁, combined with a knitting cam composed of
three parts, an adjustable block to move the knitting cain to gradually shorten the
length of the loops as the leg of the stocking is being formed, and with a toothed

page_text: segmental lever, a stitch regulating lever, a finger 1 and a pattern mechanism to
inove the finger and cause it to actuate the stitch regulating lever as the stitch is
to be shortened to decrease the diameter of the circular web substantially as
described.
9. In a knitting machine-the use of a circular plate provided at its periphery
with a series of radially projecting points to hold the loops of a rib top the said
plate and points having cooperating with it a knocking-off device or presser, the
action of which against the loops of the rib top held by the points causes the
transfer of the loops of the rib top upon the hooked ends of a series of horizontally
placed needles arranged each in a radial groove of a needle bed the hooked ends of
all the needles being directed toward the same centre.