IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR KNITTING PLAIN, RIBBED, OR FIGURED HOSIERY
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Hodges, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturer and Merchant, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR KNITTING PLAIN, RIBBED,
OR FIGURED HOSIERY."-A communication from John Pepper and Thomas
Appleton, of Franklin, U. S. of America.
Sealed the 25th January 1856, and dated the 27th July 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Hodges at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
July 1855.
I, CHARLES HODGES, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturer and Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR KNITTING PLAIN, RIBBED,
OR FIGURED HOSIERY," as communicated to me from John Pepper and Thomas
Appleton, of Franklin, U. S. of America, to be as follows:-
The needle bar of the machine is grooved so as to allow every needle to work
independently of each other. The sliding bar slides on the top of the needle
bar; the end of the needle enters the groove and follows in the form of a V or
frog, the carrier needle being directly in front of the V or frog, with the thread
through its eye. Each needle then draws sufficient yarn back off and round

page_text: the sink neb. When the sliding bar has gone across the machine the sink bar
then rises, releasing the yarn from the sink neb; the bar comes forward and
brings the work over the needle head, holding the work back for the sliding
bar to move across for the next course.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Hodges in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
HODGES, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer
and Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Hodges, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Hodges, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Hodges, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS POR KNITTING PLAIN, RIBBED, OR FIGURED HOSIERY," being a com-
munication to me from John Pepper and Thomas Appleton, of Franklin, U. S.
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Hodges, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Hodges, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
This Invention, as communicated to me from John Pepper and Thomas
Appleton, of Franklin, U. S. of America, relates to the needle bar of the
machine, which is grooved so as to allow every needle to work independently

page_text: of each other. The sliding bar slides on the top of the needle bar; the end of
the needle enters the groove and follows in the form of a y or frog, the carrier
needle being directly in front of the V or frog with the thread through its eye.
Each needle then draws sufficient yarn back off and round the sink nib.
When the sliding bar has gone across the machine the sink bar then rises,
releasing the yarn from the sink nib; the bar comes forward and brings the
work over the needle head, holding the work back for the sliding bar to move
across for the next course.
This Invention will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and the letters of reference thereon; in which, Fig. 1 is a
front elevation of the machine; Fig. 2, a transverse external elevation; Fig. 3,
an end view, with the outside frame detached in order to shew the internal
parts; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the needles and parts immediately connected
therewith, drawn to an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a plan of a portion of the
needle bar and needles, shewing the position of the sinker nibs; Figs. 6, 7,
and 8 shew a modification of the needle bar, by which the yarn or thread can
be held during the formation of a stitch or loop without the aid of sinker nibs;
Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the V or frog, employed in connection with the
sliding bar, for the purpose of giving motion to the needles; Fig. 10 is an end
view, and Fig. 11 a back view, of the foot or narrowing apparatus, shewn
detached from the machine to which it is usually connected in order to avoid
confusion; Fig. 12 is another modification, in which hooks are attached to
slides to detach the yarn or thread from the needles not required to act, which
slides are moved by a plate or guide of any desired pattern, their counter
movements being effected by springs in the usual manner. The plate is raised
and depressed by a rack, screw, or any other convenient method.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a shews the main frame of the machine; b, the fast and
loose pulleys, which give motion to the pinion c, wheel d, and shaft e, upon
which is the bevil wheel f, turning the bevil wheel g, giving motion to the
upright shaft h, and lever i, to which one end of the connecting rod j is attached,
having its other end made fast to the sliding bar k, which moves to and fro in
the guides . Towards the centre of the sliding bar is fixed a V groove, frog,
or cam, (shewn enlarged at Fig. 9,) in the slot of which the turned-up ends of
the needles n enter, causing them to have an in and out motion as the slot
advances upon them; their appearance is shewn at Fig. 5. o is the needle
bar in which the needles slide. The carrier needle is shewn at p, having its
lower external edge of a wedge shape, and placed in front of the V or frog, so.
as to be able as it advances upon the needles to lay the threads under the
hooks at the right time and in a simple manner.
The sinker nibs are shewn

page_text: at q, being alternately without hooks, (see the dotted line r, Fig. 4;) they are
attached to a cross bar s, to which the arms t and pillars u are connected. The
required motion is obtained by the joint action of the cams v and the spring w.
For producing ribbed work the needles a' are employed, placed in a cross bar b',
and made fast by set screws c¹; the bar and needles are depressed and raised
by means of the cam d¹ and spring e¹ acting upon the levers f¹ and rods g¹.
In Figs. 6, 7, and 8, I shew a modification of the needle bar, by the
employment of which the use of sinker nibs is avoided. The bar h¹ grooved
in front, and made wider than in the former machine, so that the needles A
when drawn back are a short distance from the front, the grooves thereby
holding the thread during the formation of a loop or stitch. The mode of
giving motion and other necessary parts are the same as in the machine before
described. In the foot machine, or apparatus for narrowing or widening, shewn
at Figs. 10 and 11, I propel the needles forward by the levers l', furnished with
the slides m', the space of which is extended or diminished, as required. If the
slides do not shift, all the needles are constantly in action; but if they are made
to move inwards, the outer needles are not acted upon, and so on, progressively,
according to the desired work, and vice versa for the widening., The slides
are extended or contracted by the right and left handed screws n², being acted
upon by the cam o' and ratchet wheels p¹. The needles which have been in
use are all driven back by the incline or cam q', fixed to the front of the sliding
bar. In Fig. 12 the space of the slides is contracted or extended by the
action of a pattern plate or guide r¹, of any desired form, and made to rise and
fall by the action of a rack, screw, lever, or other known mechanical con-
trivance; the counter movement of the slides is effected by the spring s¹.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of the said Invention,
as communicated to me by the said John Pepper and Thomas Appleton, of
Franklin, U. S. of America, and the manner of carrying the same into practical
effect, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without
departing from the principle thereof; but I claim,―
Firstly, the needle sliding in a needle bar.
Secondly, the sliding bar with the groove and V or frog for producing the
backward and forward movement of the needle to form the stitch instead of
the movement of the sinker or sink wheel..
Thirdly, the method of placing the carrier needle directly in front of the
centre of the V or frog, thereby laying the threads under the hooks at the proper
time and in a simple manuer.
Fourthly, in producing narrowed or figured work, the driving bar for

page_text: removing and holding back any needle not wanted to work, and releasing it
at the proper time.
Fifthly, the use of a vertical moveable plate to move the sliding bars cut in
the shape the goods are to be knit, the said plate moving vertically and
between the sliding bars to spread them apart or allow them to contract, as
may be required.
Sixthly, in producing ribbed work, the movement of the ribbed needle
setting in front of the sinker bar in a proper position for the other needles to
draw the stitch around it to form the stitch.
Seventhly, the motion of the whole ribbed attachment for finishing the
ribbed stitch before the plain stitch.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Hodges, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
CHARLES HODGES. (L.s.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-named
Charles Hodges, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.