A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE POR KNITTING RIBBED WARE
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Pepper, junior, of Portsmouth; in the
State of New Hampshire, in the United States of America, for the
Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE POR KNITTING RIBBED
WARE"
Scaled the 21st January 1853, and dated the 22nd November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Pepper,
junior, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 22nd November 1852.
I, JOHN PEPPER (junior), of Portsmouth, in the State of New
Hampshire, of the United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR KNITTING RIBBED WORK" to be as follows:-
It consists, first, of a series of hooked needles (such as are used
in hosiery looms), standing vertically, and arranged in a circle, and
with their upper ends on a level, and affixed to a frame or wheel
made to revolve horizontally.
Second, of another series of such needles placed within the first,
and arranged in one plane, and standing in radial directions
from a common centre, and having their plane so inclined to the
plane of the upper edges of the first series of needles as to cut it

page_text: and dip below it on one side, and rise above it on the other side of
it; the needles of the second series being respectively projected
from slides or bars supported on and made to slide on the top of a
ring, or frame, that is placed within the frame of the first series of
needles, and concentric with it, and made to freely rotate with it.
Third, of a stationary cam plate, or its equivalent, so made and
affixed to the slides of the second series of needles as to actuate
them, with respect to those of the first series, in the proper manner
and at the proper times for the performance of the ribbed work or
fabric.
Fourth, of a rotary toothed sinker wheel, so made and applied to
the first series of needles as to lay the yarn on them, and in their
hooks, as may be necessary to, the formation of loops on the second
series of needles.
Fifth, of two rotary wheel pressers, one of which is applied to
each set or series of needles, and so arranged as to close the barbs
or hooks of its needles down upon the shanks thereof at the proper
time, and just previous to the passage of the barb through the loop
that may be on the shank of its needle.
The parts above mentioned, so combined and arranged, constitute
a combination which may be considered as the principle or nature
of my Invention. To this I have added certain improvements; viz.,
a means of removing any of the needles of the second series from
the rest of such series, in case of accident, or when desirable. Also,
a means of regulating the distance of the back motion or drafts of
the lowest needles of the second series.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said John Pepper, junior, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th May 1853.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said John Pepper, junior, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, 3
JOHN PEPPER (Junior), of Portsmouth, in the State of New Hamp-
shire, of the United States of America, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of November,
A.D. 1852, in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Pepper (junior), Her special license that I, the said John Pepper
(junior), my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Pepper (junior), 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 the Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR
IMPROVED MACHINE FOR KNITTING RIBBED WORK," upon condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Jolm Pepper (junior), by an in-
strument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office, or other place as expressed in
such Letters Patent, within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Pepper (junior), do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in the following Specification, and in the accompanying Drawings,
letters, figures, and references thereof.
Of the said Drawings, Figure 1, denotes a top view; Figure 2, a
front elevation; and Figure 3, a central, vertical, and transverse
section of my said machine; Figure 4, is an underside view of the
stationary cam plate of it, to be hercin-after described.
The nature of my said Invention consists, First, of a series of
hooked needles (such as are used in hosiery looms), standing
vertically and arranged in a circle, (and with their upper ends on a
level,) and affixed to a frame, or wheel, made to revolve horizontally.
Second, of another series of such needles placed within the first,
and arranged in one plane, and standing in radial directions from

page_text: a common centre, and having their plane so inclined to the plane of
the upper edges of the first series of needles as to cut it, and dip
below it on one side and rise above it on the other side of it; the
needles of the second series being respectively projected from slides
or bars, supported on and made to slide on the top of a ring or
frame, that is placed within the frame of the first series of needles,
and concentric with it, and made to rotate freely with it.
Third, of a stationary cam plate (or its equivalent), so made and
applied to the slides of the second series of needles as to actuate
them, with respect to those of the first series, in the proper manner
and at the proper times for the performance of the ribbed work
or fabric.
Fourth, of a rotating toothed sinker wheel, so made and applied
to the first series of needles as to lay the yarn on them, and in their
hooks, as may be necessary to the formation of loops on the second
series of needles.
Fifth, of two rotary wheel pressers, one of which is applied to
cach set or series of needles, and so arranged as to close the barbs
or looks of its needles down upon the shanks thereof at the proper
time, and just previous to the passage of the barb through the loop
that may be on the shank of its needle.
The parts above mentioned, so combined and arranged, constitute
a combination which may be considered as the principle or nature
of my Invention. To this I have added certain improvements; viz.,
a means of readily removing any of the needles of the second series
from the rest of such series in case of accident, or when desirable.
Also, a means of regulating the distance of back motion or draft of
the lowest needles of the second series.
The first series of hooked needles is represented at a, a, a, etc.,
in the Drawings. The needles of such series are shewn, as arranged
in a circle, and made to stand vertically, and with their upper
ends
on a level. The said series of needles is affixed to a circular frame
A, or wheel, that is made to revolve horizontally. This frame rests
and is supported on a circular flange B, B, that is elevated on the
bed plate or main frame C, of the machine. A series of geer teeth

page_text: c, c, c, etc., is arranged on and round the external surface of the
frame A.
When the machine is to be operated, these geer teeth are made
to engage with a suitable driving geer or pinion, put in revolution
by some proper driving power; and thus the frame A, and the first
series of knitting needles, are put in rotation.
The next or second series of hooked needles is seen at b, b, b,
etc. Each of the said needles is made to project from one of a
series of slides, d, d, etc., one of such slides and its needle being
represented in side view in Figure 5. This second series of needles
is placed within those of the first series, and disposed in one plane.
The several needles of the second series are arranged in radial
directions from one common centre, as seen in Figure 1. Their
plane is so inclined to the plane of the upper edges of the first series
of needles as to cut it, and dip below it on one side and rise above
it on the other side of it. The several slides d, d, e, etc. of the
needles b, b, b, etc., are supported by and made to slide on
the top of a circular ring, wheel, or frame D, that is made to
turn freely on a stationary axle E, whose axis is arranged to stand
perpendicular to the plane of the second series of needles. This
axle projects downwards from a cross bar F, which is supported
over the needles by two posts or standards G, II, arranged as seen
in the Drawings; adjusting screws and nuts being applied to the
tops of the standards, as seen at 1, in order to regulate the
elevation of the second series of needles with respect to the first
series.
The positions of the barbs g, h, of two adjacent needles of the two
series, are shewn in the Drawings; the barbs or hooks of the first
series being made to stand on their outer sides, while those of the
second series are arranged on the upper sides of their respective
needles.
Attached or fastened to the axle E, is a stationary cam plate 1,
which is arranged in a plane parallel to that of the second series of
needles, and has a lip or flanch i, extended downwards from it or
near its edge, for about five sixths of its circle, as seen in Figures

page_text: 3, and 4. The remainder of the lip is not circular, but is formed of
a spring plate k, that is attached to the plate I, by two screws 1, 1,
that pass through holes made through the spring plate, and of some-
what larger size or diameter than that of the shanks of the screws.
Through the middle of the spring plate, a screw m, is screwed, and
made to abut against the cam plate. By turning up the screw, the
middle of the spring plate is thrown outwards. By reversing the
screw, or turning it back, the middle part of the spring plate is
suffered to move inwards. This addition of the spring plate to the
circular part of the lip of the cam, or in other words, the making a
part of the said lip capable of being sprung or moved, and by an
adjusting screw (or its equivalent) applied to it, affords to us a
means of regulating the extent of back motion or draft of the lowest
needles of the second series, the spring plate being applied to such
needles.
The lip of the cam I, extends into recesses, or notches, made in the
several needle slides, as seen at n, in Figures 3, and 5.
While a revolving motion is given to the two series of needles,
and the series of needle slides of the second set of needles, the cam
plate is kept perfectly stationary. It, or its lip, will therefore cause
the needles of the second series to have a reciprocating or backward
and forward movement, while their slides are passing on that part
of the cam lip termed the spring plate k. While the needle slides
traverse on the circular part or rest of the lip, they will have no
such motion, but will project between and beyond the needles of the
other set, as seen in the Drawings.
A part o, of the lip is made moveable, and attached to a spring p,
fastened to the top of the cam plate, as seen in Figures 1, and 3. A
front view of this small piece or part o, and a part of the lip, is
shewn in Figure 6. By raising the spring, the piece or part o, can
be lifted from the lip; and as such part, and its opening in the lip,
should be made respectively of a greater width than either of the
needle slides, it will readily be seen that we thus have a ready means
of removing a needle and its slide from the frame D, and this in
case of accident, or whenever it may become desirable so to do.

page_text: The second series of needles are carried or moved around with and
by the first series; when it is put in revolution, and during the passage
of each needle of the second series around its circle, it will be
elevated entirely above the needles of the first series; and in passing
to a point of the circle one hundred and eighty degrees distant, it
will be caused to descend between and below the barbs of the needles.
By this peculiar operation of the second series of needles on the first
series, the yarn laid on the needles of the first series by the rotary
toothed sinker wheel K, is subsequently laid in the form of loops on
the needles of the second series.
The work or fabric seen at L, is supported on a tubular rest M,
that extends around within the frame A, and is fastened to the base
plate or main frame of the machine by such contrivances as will
adınit of its correct adjustment.
The upper edge of this rest M, is extended nearly up to the
underside of the needles of the second series; there being a space
between it and the said needles sufficient for the passage of the work
which hangs from the needles, and within the rest M, as seen in the
Drawings.
The rotary sinker or toothed wheel K, is represented in top view
in Figure 7, and in side view in Figure 8. It is supported by and
revolves freely within a frame, that is forced towards the first series
of needles by a spring S; the whole being sustained on the top of a
standard or post t, and arranged as seen in the Drawings. Near the
sinker wheel is the yarn guide N, through which the yarn is con-
ducted to the sinker wheel.
The said sinker wheel is to be constructed and made to operate like
those in use in the common French rotary knitting looms for knitting
plain or unribbed work. Its teeth engage with the range of needles,
and lay the yarn in a corrugated, crimped, or krinkled form on the
needles, and raise it up between their barbs and shanks, or into their
hooks; the rotation of the sinker wheel being produced by the
rotary moveinent of the first set of needles.
To each set or series of needles there is arranged and applied, as
seen in the Drawings, a rotary wheel presser O, or P; it being so

page_text: arranged as to revolve freely on its supporting axle, and close or
move the barbs down upon the shanks of the needles of its set at
the proper time, or just before the stitch of a needle is to be moved
in such needle, and cast over its end or the loop on it, in order to
form a new stitch. In order to keep the work down at a sufficient
distance from the sinker wheel, I make use of a narrow spring
bearer R, that is attached to the lower end of the stationary axle
E, and made to extend upwards and rest on the work, as seen in
Figure 3.
In the performance of ribbed work by my machine, I make use of
half the number of needles in the second series that there is in the
first one, they being conjointly arranged, as seen in the Drawings.
When a row of stitches is cast on each series of needles, and the
machine is set to work, it will perform the operation of knitting the
fabric in a tubular form.
What I claim as my Invention is, the combination of two rotating
sets or series of hooked needles a, a, a, etc., b, b, b, etc., arranged
with respect to one another, and supported substantially ass
specified;
a stationary cam plate, or its equivalent, so applied to the slides of
the second series of needles as to actuate them as specified; a rotary
toothed wheel or sinker K, and two rotary presser wheels O, P, the
whole being applied, and made to operate together, and produce the
ribbed work substantially as above specified.
And I also claim the improvement of making a part of the cam or
lip of the cam plate, a spring plate k, and applying to it an adjusting
screw, as specified; the whole being for the purpose set forth.
And I also claim the improvement of making a part of the lip of
the cam plate moveable, substantially as described, and for the pur-
pose of removing a needle of the second series from the rest, when
necessary or desirable, as specified.
And I claim the arrangement of the second set of needles with
respect to the other or first set; that is to say, the so arranging them
that their plane shall cut that of the upper ends of the needles of the
first set, and dip below and rise above the same as stated; such an
arrangement causing the stitches of the first set of needles to be

page_text: elevated and cast off or over the loops or yarn of the second set by
the lifting power or action of the second series during its rotary
movement, as specified.
elevated and cast off or over the loops or yarn of the second set by
the lifting power or action of the second series during its rotary
movement, as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jolin Pepper (junior), have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Second day of February,
A.D. 1853.
Witness,
HENRY HASTINGS.
JOHIN PEPPER, Jr. (L.S.)