Improvements in Rotary or Flat-bar Knitting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1899-Accepted, 11th Feb., 189
Improvements in Rotary or Flat-bar Knitting Machines.
I, CHARLES HENRY ALDRIDGE, of Pinfold Gate, Loughborough, in the County
of Leicester, Hosiery Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce certain improvements in rotary or
flat-bar knitting machines. of the type known as "Cotton's Patents" and the
several improvements herein-after described are more or less directly connected
with, or adjacent to, the fashioning mechanism.
In some classes of work it is desirable, that a piece of fabric should be pro-
duced, widened at one or both selvedges, without using the ordinary fashioning
points, and without loosing a course, as is the case, in the process of ordinary
widening.
39
To effect this the ordinary racking levers (which carry the ratchets, which
rack or turn the fashioning screws) may be brought into action, without shog-
ging the cam shaft. This is conveniently effected by having an additional
truck upon each of the racking levers." These trucks may be shogged or
shifted upon their axles, so as to bring them into the paths of a special cam,
or cams, which rack the levers (and consequently the fashioning screws also)
at a convenient time at the end of the draw" so as to increase the length of
the traverse of the thread carriers (and consequently the width of the fabric)
one or more needles at a time. It is desirable, that this widening process, shall
take place, at one side, or selvedge at a time and at the same selvedge at which
the thread carrier happens to be. This may be effected as follows: A suitable
rocking prop may be placed under the end of each racking lever, or an exten-
sion thereof, so that when the prop is under the lever, the fashioning screw is
not recked, and these props may he suitably connected, the one with the other,
by a suitable rod, so that when one prop is beneath the end of its lever, the
other prop is clear of its lever and rise-versa. This connecting rod may be at-
tached directly, or indirectly, to the draw mechanism, and may be so adjusted,
that the widening shall take place at alternate selvedges as desired. In some
cases it is desirable, that this widening process, shall take place at one selvedge
only, in which case the shogging truck herein before described, upon the rack-
ing lever, at the end corresponding to the selvedge desired to be widened is
brought into action, and the corresponding truck at the opposite end is left out
of action. Now in order to make a good selvedge, at the side of the fabric, where
the widening takes place, it is desirable that the thread shall be clear of the
sinker end at the moment when the widening takes place.
This may be effected, by a special backward movement, of the catch bar, or
by a forward movement of the needles. I prefer, as a rule to act upon the catch
br. In either case the desired movement may be produced by the correspond-
ing cams, but this said movement, which is desirable in order to produce a good
selvedge at the widened selvedge is detremental to the ordinary selvedge, there-

page_text: fore it is desirable, that special cams shall be provided, for either the catch bar,
or the pressing (which ever is used for the purpose) to which the truck may be
shogged, either automatically or otherwise when using this process of widening.
and so adjusted that when the thread carrier, is at the widened selvedge, the
special cam shall be in action, and when the thread carrier is at the non-widened
selvedge, the ordinary cam shall be in action.
When widening one selvedge only, it is desirable that the catch bar trucks
or pressing trucks (which ever are used for the purpose as herein before
described) shall be shifted on to the special cam or cams, when the thread car-
rier is at the widened selvedge, and back on to the ordinary cam or cams whe
the thread carrier is at the plain, or non widened selvedge. This movement of
the trucks I effect automatically as follows:-A rod or bar may be carried by,
and free to slide in suitable brackets attached to a couvenient part of the framing
of the machine. This rod or bar may reach from end to end of the machine,
and may carry suitable fork brackets, to embrace the said shogging or shifting
trucks, so that when this rod or bar is moved endwise the said trucks are moved
also to or from the special cams herein before described. A suitably shaped
cam wheel may be placed at any convenient part of the machine, which may be
racked forward step by step at each course of work produced. This cam wheel
may act directly or indirectly upon a suitable lever, one end of which may be
attached to the herein before described sliding rod or bar so that the action of
the said cam wheel, will produce the desired shogging movements, of the catch
bar or pressing trucks. The step by step movement of the said cam wheel may
be produced, by a suitably worked ratchet acting upon a rack or ratchet wheel,
which may be fast to the cam wheel, and this step by step movement may be
started by the attendant so as to shift the trucks on to, the special cam or cams,
when the thread carriers are at either the right or left hand selvedge as de-
sired, according to the side at which the widening is being made.
In some cases instead of using a cam wheel for shogging the trucks as herein
before described, the necessary movement may be obtained directly or indirectly
from the draw mechanism; one arrangement of mechanism for this purpose is
as follows: A suitable double ended lever, is free to turn upon a fixed axle, or
pin and so arranged, that one end of the lever shall be above the fixed axle,
and the other end below the fixed axle, to one end of this lever, the sliding rod
or bar (herein before described) may be connected, a suitable slot or groove
may be formed in this lever, and it may extend from end to end or nearly so.
In this slot or groove a pin or axle may slide in such a manner, that when it
is at one end of the slot, it will be say above the axle, upon which the lever
rocks, and when at the other end of the slot it will be below the axle upon which
the lever rocks. To this pin one end of a connecting rod is attached, and the
opposite end of this connecting rod may be attached to, or come into contact
with, (in any convenient manner), a suitable part of the draw mechanism. so
as to receive a certain amount of movement therefrom. The said pin that slides
in the slot of the said lever, may be moved from one end of the slot to the other
by a suitable hand lever. It will be seen that when the pin is at one end of the
slot, the sliding rod or bar will move in the same direction as the draw, and
when at the other end of the slot, the sliding rod or bar, will move in the re-
verse direction to the draw, so that at the will of the attendant, the special cam
or cams may be brought into action, when the thread carrier is either at the
right, or left hand selvedge, according to which side the widening is being
made.
In some cases instead of widening at each course as above described, the
movement of the special trucks upon the racking levers and of the catch bar
or pressing trucks may be controlled, by a suitable notched wheel or by a lever
or levers acted upon by studs upon a chain so as to make the widenings with
any number of courses between as desired.

page_text: When widening by the ordinary process with points and adjacent parts, car-
ried by the ordinary narrowing machine, there are usually used, catches or
hooks, which are jointed to the slide stops, and which engage with suitable pro-
jections upon the thread carrier rod so that when the stops are racked outwards
(for widening) the catches draw the thread carriers out also. These catches are
lifted by a suitable incline, which is carried by a bar attached directly or in-
directly to the slur boxes. These catches are also used for regulating the "lead'
of the thread carriers. But when the stops are racked out to the widest width,
the said inclines, will not allow the catches to come into action during the widen-
ing of the widest portion of the fabric. All this will be well understood, by those
conversant with knitting machinery.
"
This difficulty I overcome by causing the inclines to be lowered out of the
way when widening as herein after described. In some cases it is desirable
that the catches should not be used to regulate the lead" but only to draw
out the thread carriers when widening. I arrange mechanism for controlling
the action of these catches as follows:-The rocking shaft to which the arms
of the narrowing machine are attached, I extend at both ends to a convenient
distance, upon the end of this shaft, I attach a suitable arm in the top (or other
convenient part) of this arm I fit a sliding bolt, to be moved in or out by the
attendant. To the front end of this bolt, a bar is attached. This bar being
rather longer than the traverse of the slide stops, a suitable pin projecting from
the herein before described catches, rests upon the top of this bar and the height
of the said bar is such as to just hold, the catches clear of the projections, upon
the thread carrier rod, so that when in this position the catches are out of action,
but when the narrowing machine is lowered for transferring the loops the said
bar is lowered also, and the catches come into action to draw out the thread
carriers. If the herein before mentioned bolt, which carries the bar in question,
bo pushed back, by the attendant then the catches will fall into action, and act
as regulators also as herein before described.
From a convenient part of the herein before described arm which carries the
bolt I carry a suitably shaped bracket (or an extension of the arm itself).
The end of this bracket or extension is so shaped and located that it acts as a
support for the herein before described rod or bar which carries the incline
which lifts the catches. Instead of this bar being rigid or fast to the slur boxes,
as is usually the case I form a hinged joint in the bar in such a manner that
when the narrowing machine is lowered and consequently the bracket which
supports the end of the rod is lowered also as herein before described, the said
hinged joint allows the end of the rod and the incline carried thereby to be
lowered also, so that although the incline may be below the catch it does not
hold it out of action as would be the case if the bar was rigid. It will be under-
stood that the jointed bar for carrying the catch lifting incline; and the bar
carried by the sliding bolt to hold the catch always out of action except when
fashioning as herein before described, may each be used separately and inde-
pendently the one of the other, but as a rule it is more convenient to have the
two combined as herein before described.
In some cases it is desirable to make two rows of parallel narrowings or
widenings at a distance say of five or six needles apart. To do this hitherto it
has been the custom to shift the fashioning fingers from one to the other of the
two positions by rotating the fashioning screws, or by carrying the upright
bracket to which the ends of the finger rods are connected, upon a secondary
slide attached to the fashioning screw box or nut. This secondary slide receiving
an endwise movement equal to the distance between the two rows of parallel
narrowings by means of a cam or equivalent. In order to overcome some of the
difficulties connected with both these arrangements I impart an endwise move-
ment to the fashioning screw. To do this I allow the screw sufficient endwise
movement in its bearings to be able to shift it as far as necessary to move the
fashioning points from one row of narrowings to the other. This endwise move-

page_text: ment may be quite independent of the step by step rotating movements of the
fashioning screws and it may be imparted by means of a face cam acting upon
the end of the screw or a collar or equivalent attached thereto, or an indepen-
dent slide may be conveniently located at the end of the screw.
This slide may
be suitably connected to the screw and may receive the necessary movement
from a cam or equivalent. Thus it will be seen that the screw may be rotated
step by step in the usual well understood manner for transferring the loops
from, needle to needle and it may be shifted endwise together with all the parts
attached thereto so as to shift the fashioning points from their position for form-
ing the one row of narrowings to their position for forming the second row of
narrowings without rotating the screw.
Dated this First day of Anvil 1908
Improvements in Rotary or Flat-bar Knitting Machines.
I, CHARLES HENRY ALDRIDGE, of Pinfold Gate, Loughborough, in the County
of Leicester, Hosiery Machinist, 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:-
The object of this invention is to produce certain improvements in rotary or
flat bar knitting machines of the type known as Cotton's Patent" and the
several improvements herein after described are more or less directly connected
with or adjacent to the fashioning mechanism.
In some classes of work it is desirable that a piece of fabric should be pro-
duced widened at one or both selvedges, without using the ordinary fashioning
points and without loosing a course as is the case in the process of ordinary
widening. To effect this the ordinary racking levers (which carry the ratchets,
which rack or turn the fashioning screws) may be brought into action, without
shogging the cam shaft. This is conveniently effected by having an additional
truck upon each of the racking levers, these trucks may be shogged or shifted
upon their axles, so as to bring them into the paths of a special cam or cams
which rack the levers (and consequently the fashioning screws also) at a con-
venient time at the end of the "draw" so as to increase the length of the traverse
of the thread carriers (and consequently the width of the fabric) one or more
needles at a time. It is desirable that this widening process shall take place at
one side or selvedge at a time, and at the same selvedge at which the thread
carrier happens to be. This may be effected as follows:-A suitable rocking
prop may be placed under the end of each racking lever or an extension thereof
so that when the prop is under the lever, the fashioning screw is not racked,
and these props may be suitably connected, the one with the other, by a suitable
rod, so that when one prop is beneath the end of its lever, the other prop is clear
of its lever, and vice versa. This connecting rod may be attached directly or
indirectly to the draw mechanism, and may be so adjusted, that the widening
shall take place at alternate selvedges as desired. In some cases it is desirable
that this widening process shall take place, at one selvedge only, in which case
the shogging truck herein before described upon the racking lever at the end
corresponding to the selvedge desired to be widened, is brought into action, and
the corresponding truck at the opposite end is left out of action.
This arrangement will be understood by referring to the accompanying draw-
ings, where the mechanism relating thereto, together with some adjacent parts

page_text: is shown. In these drawings I have only shown so much of a knitting machine
as is directly affected by my invention; the other parts, not shown, being similar
to those used upon or in an ordinary plain knitting machine of the "Cotton
type, which are well understood by all conversant with knitting machinery.
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 Sheet 1 is a plan of the racking
lever, at No. 1 end of the machine, and some adjacent parts. The corresponding
parts at No. 2 end are similar. A is the cam shaft, or main shaft of the machine.
B is the ordinary racking lever, which works upon the fixed axle B1 carried
by a bracket B2 which may be attached to or form part of the end fram-
ing of the machine. B3 B4 are the two ordinary racking trucks, which are
acted upon by the cams A1 A2 which are fast upon the shaft A. The truck B 3
being shifted, into or out of the path of the cam A 1 by the handle 15 accord-
to whether the machine is desired to rack "
a lead' or
a needle." B6 B7 are
the two racking clawkers, carried by the stud or axle BS on the arm or lever B.
All this is as used for the ordinary widenings and narrowings, and is well under-
stood. B9 Fig. 2 is an extra truck which is carried by the stud or axle B 10 on
the arm B. This truck is shifted by means of the handle B 11 into or out of
the path of the special cam A3.
The racking arm or lever B has an end or extension B 12, in which is a
sliding bolt B 13, which may be extended as shown in Fig. 2 or withdrawn as
shown in Fig. 1.
C is a rocking prop which may rock upon the pin or axle C1 carried by the
bracket C2 which may be part of, or fast to the framing of the machine. This
prop may be rocked (by means herein after described) so that when it is in the
position shown in Fig. 2 and the bolt B 13 in the arm B is extended, the end of
the prop C is under the end of the bolt B 13, and the arm B is supported, so that
the special truck B9 cannot follow the path of the special cam A 3, and the
fashioning screw is not racked, and when this prop is rocked into the position
shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 it is clear of the end of the bolt B.13 and the
truck 19 is then free to follow the path of the cam A3 and the fashioning
screw is consequently racked. A similar arrangement of racking arm, cams, and
prop, is situated at the other end of the machine, and the two props are con-
nected by a suitable connecting rod or link C3 Figs. 1 to 4 Sheets 1 and 2.
D Figs. 3 and 4 is the usual draw cam, and D1 the draw bolt to which the
draw lever is connected, by links not shown but which are well understood by
all conversant with this type of knitting machinery. To a convenient part of
the bolt D1 a friction box D2 is attached, through which the rod C3 passes
and by which the props C are rocked. It will now be seen that as the draw
bolt D1 is moved by the draw cam D the rod C3 (by the friction in the box D) 2)
is moved endwise also, and the props Care rocked upon their pins or axles, and
are thereby brought under the bolts on the ends of the racking levers B or are
clear therefrom. All parts being so adjusted, that when one lever is propped up
the other is free to follow its cam, and vice versa, so that when this mechanism
is in action, the racking screws are racked alternately as herein before described.
Now in order to make a good selvedge at the side of the fabric, where the
widening takes place, it is desirable that the thread shall be clear of the sinker
end at the moment when the widening takes place so that the thread may come
up at the outside of the new needle and so be passed around it. This may be
affected by a special backward movement of the catch bar, or by a forward move-
ment of the needles. I prefer as a rule to act upon the catch bar. In either
case the desired movement may be produced by the corresponding cams, but
this said movement which is desirable, in order to produce a good selvedge, at
the widened selvedge, is detrimental to the ordinary selvedge, therefore it is
desirable that special cams shall be provided, for either the catch bar or for the
'pressing" (whichever is used for the purpose) to which the truck may be
shogged' either automatically or otherwise when using this process of widening,
and so adjusted that when the thread carrier is at the widened selvedge the
"

page_text: special cam shall be in action, and when the thread carrier is at the non widened
selvedge the ordinary cam shall be in action. When widening one selvedge
only it is desirable, that the catch bar trucks, or pressing trucks (whichever are
used for the purpose as herein before described) shall be shifted on to the special
cam or cams, when the thread carrier is at the widened selvedge, and back on to
the ordinary cam or cams when the thread carrier is at the plain or non widened
selvedge. This movement of the trucks I effect automatically as follows:-
A rod or bar may be carried by and free to slide in suitable brackets, attached
to a convenient part of the framing of the machine, this rod or bar may reach
from end to end of the machine, and may carry suitable fork brackets, to em-
brace the said shogging or shifting truck, so that when this rod or bar is moved
endwise, the said trucks are moved also to or from the special cams herein before
described.
This arrangement will be understood by referring to Figs. 3 and 4 Sheet 2.
where the mechanism is shown as applied to the catch bar trucks. E is a rod
or bar reaching from end to end of the machine, or nearly so, and carried by
fixed brackets such as El. This rod has an endwise movement imparted to it
by means hereinafter described. Fast upon this rod E are fork brackets E2
(one to each catch bar truck), which embrace the catch bar truck E3, this truck
being carried by, and free to slide upon a stud or axle upon the catch bar
arm E4. E5 is the ordinary course cam. E6 is the ordinary fashioning cam
(coming into action when the main shaft shogs) and E7 the special cam to
which the truck E3 is shifted by means of the fork E2 and the rod E, so as to
bring the special cam E7 into action, when widening out the carriers in the
plain course." Forked brackets such as E9 may be fast to the rod E, and em-
brace and be free to slide upon the shaft R or other convenient part so as to
prevent the rod E from turning in its bearings or brackets. The rod E has the
desired movement imparted to it as follows:
"
A suitably shaped cam wheel may be placed at any convenient part of the
machine, which may be racked forward step by step, at each course of work
produced, this cam wheel may act directly or indirectly upon a suitable lever,
one end of which may be attached to the herein before described sliding rod or
bar so that the action of the said cam wheel will produce the desired shogging
movements of the catch bar or pressing trucks. The step by step movement of
the said cam wheel may be produced by a suitably worked ratchet acting upon
a rack or ratchet wheel which may be fast to the cam wheel, and this step by
step movement, may be started by the attendant so as to shift the trucks on to
the special cam or cams, when the thread carriers are at either the right or left
hand selvedge as desired, according to the side at which the widening is being
made. This will be understood by referring to Figs. 5 and 6 Sheet 3. F is the
cam wheel, F1 a rack wheel attached thereto, F2 is a pawl carried by a lever F 3
and worked by a cam F4 on the main shaft A. By these means the cam wheel F
is rotated step by step at each revolution of the machine. A fork lever F5 works
upon a fixed stud or axle F6 and embraces the cam wheel F as shown, so that
as the cam wheel F is rotated by the pawl F2 the fork lever F5 is rocked
the axle F6 in such a manner that at one revolution of the machine the top
upon
end F7 of the lever F5 is moved or rocked to the left, and at the next revolu-
tion it is rocked to the right. A double ended lever FS works upon a fixed
stud or axle F9 which may be carried by a bracket from any convenient part
of the framing of the machine. A connecting rod F10 connects one end of the
lever FS to the end F7 of the forked lever F5. The other end of the lever F8
is connected to the rod E, by passing between a pair of collars. ES, E8, Fig. 6,
or by other convenient means. It will now be seen that when these parts are
severally adjusted the one to the other, the step by step movement of the cam
wheel F will shift the rod E endwise, and consequently the catch bar trucks E3
will be shogged or shifted into and out of the path of the special cam E7 as

page_text: herein before described so that at one course the truck will be on the cam E5
and the next course on the cam E7 and so on.
G is a lever the bottom end of which may rock or work upon the stud or
axle F6 or upon other convenient centre. At the top end is a handle G 1. This
lever may occupy one of two positions as indicated by full and dotted lines and
may be held in either of these positions by a suitable spring. The lever G has
a suitably shaped extension G3, below the stud or axle F6 upon which it works,
which engages with a pin or stud upon the paw! F2 and is so adjusted that when
the lever G is in the position indicated by dotted lines, the pawl F2 is held out
of action, and when in the position shown in full lines the pawl F2 is dropped
into action, so that by means of the handle G 1 the cam wheel F may be stopped
or started as desired.
I have herein before explained that when widening by this process at one
side only, 'the truck E3 should be upon the special cam E7 when the thread
carrier is at the selvedge where the widening takes place, and on the ordinary
cam E5 when the thread carrier is at the other or non-widened selvedge. It
will be seen that by means of the handle G 1 on the lever G, the attendant can
start the cam wheel F so that the truck E3 will always be on the special
cam E7 when the carrier is at either the right or left hand selvedge as desired.
I have thus far described the mechanism as applied for shifting the catch bar
trucks, it will be seen that the same arrangement may be similarly applied, for
shifting the pressing trucks as herein before described.
In some cases instead of using a cam wheel for shogging the trucks as herein
before described, the necessary movement may be obtained directly or indirectly
from the draw mechanism, one arrangement of mechanism for this purpose is
as follows: A suitable double ended lever is free to turn upon a fixed axle
or pin and so arranged that one end of the lever shall be above the fixed axle
and the other end below the fixed axle. To one end of this lever the sliding.
rod or bar (herein before described) may be connected.
A suitable slot or groove
may be formed in this lever, and it may extend from end to end or nearly so.
In this slot or groove, a pin or axle may slide in such a manner, that when
it is at one end of the slot it will be say, above the axle upon which the lever
rocks, and when at the other end of the slot, it will be below the axle upon.
which the lever rocks. To this pin one end of a connecting rod is attached, and.
the opposite end of this connecting rod may be attached to or come into contact
with (in any convenient manner) a suitable part of the draw mechanism, so as
to receive a certain amount of movement therefrom.
The said pin that slides in the slot of the said lever may be moved from one
end of the slot to the other by a suitable hand or foot lever. It will be seen that
when the pin is at one end of the slot the sliding rod or bar will move in, the
same direction, as the draw, and when at the other end of the slot, the sliding
rod or bar will move in the reverse direction to the draw, so that at the will of
the attendant the special cam or cams may be brought into action, when the
thread carrier, is at either the right or left hand selvedge according to which
side the widening is being made.
This arrangement will be understood by referring to Figs. 7 and 8 Sheet 4,
where Fig. 7 is a plan and Fig. S an elevation of the mechanism and some adja-
cent parts.
A double ended lever H is jointed upon a fixed pin or axle H 1. The top
end H2 of this lever is connected to the herein before described rod E by means
of the connecting red H3, and the joint or bracket H4. A slot or groove H 5.
(Fig. 7) may be formed in the face of the lever H from end to end or nearly so.
In this groove or slot, a suitable shoe carrying a stud H. 6 is free to slide. Jointed
to this stud H. 6 is a connecting rod H 7, the other end of this connecting rod H.7
is jointed to a rod or bar H 8.
This rod or bar HS may he free to slide in two or more brackets H9 which
are fast to the draw bolt D 1. Two collars H 10 are so adjusted upon the rod H8

page_text: that the amount of endwise movement, imparted to the rod or bar H8 is equal
to (or thereabouts) the amount of movement desired in the rod E. It will be
now seen that the draw bolt D1 can impart to the rod E the amount of move-
ment desired therein by means of the connecting rod H 7 and parts connected
therewith and when the connecting rod H7 is in the position shown in full lines,
the rod E will move in the reverse direction to the draw, and when in the posi-
tion indicated by dotted lines in the same direction as the draw. A lever H 11
may be jointed on રી stud or axle H 12 which may be carried by
a fixed bracket from any part of the framing of the machine. One
end of this lever has a pedal or foot H 13 and the other end is connected by a
suitable connecting rod H 14 to the sliding pin H 6 so that by placing the foot
upon the pedal H13 the connecting rod H7 may be shifted into the position
indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8. A latch H 15 may be jointed
to any convenient part of the framing of the machine
so as to latch
down the pedal H 13 and so hold the connecting rod H7 in the position indicated
by dotted lines when so desired and thus by means of the pedal H 13 the atten-
dant can set the mechanism so that the herein before described truck E3 can be
upon the special cam E7 when the carrier is at either the right or left hand
selvedges, as desired and herein before described.
In some cases instead of widening at each course as above described the move-
ment of the special trucks upon the racking levers, and of the catch bar or
pressing trucks may be controlled by a suitable notched wheel or by a lever or
levers acted upon by studs upon a chain so as to make the widenings with any
number of courses between as desired.
This will be understood by referring to Figs. 5 and 6 Sheet 3 where J is an
ordinary chain wheel (which is well understood by all conversant with this type
of machine) around which the chain J1 passes. "J2 are the usual studs which
may act upon the bell crank lever J3, to the top end of which one end of a
connecting rod J4 is attached. The other end of this rod J4 being attached
to the hand lever G of the cam wheel F. A spring J5 may tend to keep the nose
of the hell crank lever J3 upon or near the bars of the chain and the lever G
in the position indicated by dotted lines when the cam wheel F will not be racked
as herein before described. It will now be seen that when the chain J1 is racked
forwards (by means well known) the studs J2 will act upon the bell crank
lever J3 and shift the lever G into the position shown in full lines, when the
cam wheel F will be racked as herein before described.
Thus by the arrangement of the studs J2 upon the chain J1 graduated widen-
ings, by the process herein before described can be produced as desired. I have
thus far described the mechanism as applied for acting upon the catch bar
trucks, but it will be seen that a similar arrangement may be applied to the
pressing trucks and thereby effect the same purpose.
When widening by the ordinary process with- points and adjacent parts carried
by the ordinary narrowing machine there are usually used catches or hooks which
are jointed to the slide stops, and which engage with suitable projections upon
the thread carrier rods, so that when the stops are racked outwards (for widen-
ing) the catches draw the thread carriers out also. These catches are lifted by
a suitable incline which is carried by a bar, attached directly or indirectly to
the slur boxes. These catches are also used for regulating the lead of the thread
carriers. But when the stops are racked out to the widest width, the said inclines
will not allow the catches to come into action during the widening of the widest
portion of the fabric. All this will be well understood by those conversant with
knitting machinery. This difficulty I overcome, by causing the incline to be
lowered out of the way when widening as herein after described. In some cases
it is desirable that the catches should not be used to regulate the "lead" but
only to draw out the thread carriers when widening. I arrange mechanism for
controlling the action of these catches as follows:-
The rocking shaft to which the arms of the narrowing machine are attached

page_text: I extend at both ends to a convenient distance. Upon the end of this shaft I
attach a suitable arm in the top (or other convenient part) of this arm I fit a
sliding bolt to be moved in or out by the attendant, to the front end of this bolt
a bar is attached, this bar being rather longer than the traverse of the slide
stops. A suitable pin projecting from the herein before described catches rests
upon the top of this bar the height of the said bar is, such as to just hold the
catches clear of the projections upon the thread carrier rods, so that when in.
this position, the catches are out of action, but when the narrowing machine is
lowered for transferring the loops, the said bar is lowered also, and the catches
come into action, to draw out the thread carriers. If the herein before men-
tioned bolt which carries the bar in question be pushed back by the attendant,
then the catches will fall into action and act as regulators also, as herein before
described.
From a convenient part of the herein before described arm which carries the
bolt, I carry a suitably shaped bracket (or an extension of the arm itself). The
end of this bracket or extension is so shaped and located, that it acts as a sup-
port for the herein before described rod or bar which carries the incline, which
lifts the catches.
Instead of this bar being rigid or fast, to the slur boxes, as is usually the case,
I form a hinged joint in the bar, in such a manner, that when the narrowing
machine is lowered and consequently the bracket which supports the end of
the rod is lowered also as herein before described, the said hinged joint allows
the end of the rod, and the incline carried thereby to be lowered also, so that
although the incline may be below the catch, it does not hold it out of action,
as would be the case if the bar was rigid.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 Sheet 5 show this arrangement.
Fig. 9 is a back view, Fig. 10 a plan, and Fig. 11 is a part section of the
mechanism and some adjacent parts as applied to a machine with two carrier
rods.
KK are the two carrier rods, K 1 is the latch or regulator which acts upon
the front rod, and K2 is the latch or regulator which acts upon the back rod.
The latch K 1 may have a finger or bracket K3 fast thereto, and resting upon
the latch K2 so that when the latch K2 is lifted the latch K 1 is lifted also.
A. pin K4 projects from the latch K 2. A rod or bar K 5 is fast to the slur box K (
and carries an incline K7 which passes under the pin K4, on the latch K2 and
thereby lifts it clear of the catch on the top of the carrier rod or rods. All this
is well understood by all conversant with this type of knitting machinery.
Lis the end of the ordinary narrowing machine shaft carrying the narrowing
machine arms-L1 is a bracket fast thereto. This bracket carries a bolt L2
and the front end of this holt carries a rod or bar L 3. This bar is so arranged
and adjusted, that when the bolt L2 is drawn back, and the bar L3 is in the
position shown by full lines in Fig. 10 the said bar L3, will be clear of the
pin K4 on the latch K2, and will then be out of action. And when the bolt L2
is moved forward so as to bring the bar L3 into the position indicated by dotted
lines, the bar L3 will be in action. The end of the pin K4 on the latch K2
will then rest upon the bar L3, whereby the latch K2 and consequently the
latch K1 also will be held out of action, or out of contact with the catches, on
top of the carrier rods as herein before described. Now it will be seen, that
when the narrowing machine goes down to make a widening, the bar L3 will
fall also, and the latches K 1 and K 2, will engage with the catches upon the car-
rier rods K, and draw them out as the widening is made, as will be well under-
stood, and when the narrowing machine is again lifted, the bar L3 lifts the
latches K1 K2 out of action.
The bar K5 is jointed at K8 in such a manner that its end can be moved
vertically. The bracket L 1 has an extension L4 Fig. 11 upon which the bar K 5
may slide and rest. This extension L4 is so adjusted that it supports the
bar 5 at the correct height for the incline K7 to lift the latch K 2 as herein
I

page_text: before described. It will be seen that when the narrowing machine is lowered
when making a widening, the extension L4 of the bracket L1 is lowered also,
and the bar K5 resting thereon and consequently the incline K7 attached there-
to will be lowered also, and should the pin K4 of the latch K2 happen to be
resting upon the incline K7 (which would be the case when on the full width
or nearly so) the incline K 7 being lowered out of the way permits the latches K 1
K2 to engage with the catches upon the carrier rods, and draw the carriers out
as herein before described.
It will be understood that the jointed bar for carrying the catch lifting in-
cline; and the bar carried by the sliding bolt, to hold the catches always. out of
action, except when fashioning as herein before described, may each be used,
separately and independently, the one of the other, but as a rule it is more con-
venient to have the two combined as herein before described.
In some cases it is desirable to make two rows of parallel narrowings or widen-
ings, at a distance say of five or six needles apart. To do this hitherto it has
been the custom to shift the fashioning fingers from one to the other of the
two positions by rotating the fashioning screws, or by carrying the upright
bracket, to which the ends of the finger rods are connected upon a secondary
slide attached to the fashioning screw box or nut.
This secondary slide receiving an endwise movement equal to the distance
between the two rows of parallel narrowings by means of a cam or equivalent.
In order to overcome some of the difficulties connected with both these
arrangements, I impart an endwise movement to the fashioning screw. To do
this allow the screw sufficient endwise movement in its bearings to shift it as
far as necessary to move the fashioning points from one row of narrowings to
the other. This endwise movement may be quite independent of the step by step
rotating movements of the fashioning screws, and it may be imparted by means
of a face cam acting upon the end of the screw, or a collar, or equivalent attached
thereto, or an independent slide may be conveniently located at the end of the
screw. This slide may be suitably connected to the screw and may receive the
necessary movement from a can or equivalent.
This arrangement will be understood by referring to Figs. 12 to 14 Sheet G.
Fig. 12 is a plan. Fig. 13 an elevation, and Fig. 14 a part section of one forn
of the mechanism as applied to a machine where double screws are used for
special fashionings.
M Fig. 13 is the ordinary screw and M 1 the extra screw, which in this case
governs a special set of narrowing fingers to form two parallel rows of narrow-
ings at say five or six needles apart. M2 is the screw box which works upon the
screw M1 and slides upon the guide bar M3 which is fast to the end bearings
of the screw or other convenient brackets. Instead of the screw M1 being
locked up in its bearings as is usually the case so as to have no endwise move-
ment, it has sufficient freedom in its bearings to allow of a certain amount of
endwise movement, and it may be held in the direction of the arrow M 4 by the
spring M5 (Fig. 12). The end of the finger rod (not shown) may be connected
to the upright bracket M6 in the usual well understood manner, and the step
by step fashioning movements may be imparted to the screw box M2 (and con-
sequently to the fashioning fingers also) by the usual well understood racking
mechanism acting upon the rack wheel M 7. Upon the inner end of the
screw M1 an arm N is free to turn. This arm N has a suitably shaped in-
cline N 1 upon its boss (Fig. 13) which fits and engages with a similarly shaped
incline on the bracket or bearing M 8.
An arm N2 is carried by an axle or stud from any convenient part of the
framing of the machine. This arm N 2 carries a truck N3 which runs upon a
cam N 4. A connecting rod N5 connects the end of this lever to the end of the
arm N so that by the movement imparted by the cam N 4 the arm N is shifted
or rocked up and down into the two positions indicated by full and dotted lines.
It will be seen that when the arm N is moved into the position indicated by

page_text: dotted lines the screw M1 and all attached thereto will be shifted endwise to the
left by the action of the incline N 1 acting upon the bracket M8 and when
the arm N is moved into the position shown by full lines the screw M1 and all
attached thereto will be shifted to the right by the action of the spring M 5.
Thus it will be seen that by these means the fashioning fingers can be shifted
into either of two positions in order to form two rows of narrowings without
interfering with the ordinary racking mechanism.
Figs. 15 and 16 Sheet 7 show another arrangement for accomplishing the same
purpose.
Fig. 15 is an elevation and Fig. 16 a plan of the inner ends of the two screws M
and M1 as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 but with the alternative mechanism sub-
stituted for the arm N and its adjacent parts.
In this arrangement the screw M1 slides endwise in the outer bearing 9
(Fig. 13) as herein before described in connection with Figs. 12 and 13 but the
inner end of the screw M1 is carried in a bearing P. This bearing P has a
saddle foot which embraces and is free to slide upon the guide bar M3 A truck
or roller 1 is carried by a stud or axle which is part of or fast to the bearing
or saddle P. A fixed stud or axle P2 is carried by the fixed bracket M 3 or other
convenient fixed part of the machine. Upon this stud or axle P2 a cam lever P3
having an extension or arm P4 is free to work. To the arm P4 the connecting
rod N5 may be attached, so that by the action of the cam N4 (Fig. 14 Sheet 6)
the cam lever P3 is shifted into either of the two positions indicated by full
and dotted lines in Fig. 15. A spring P5 attached to the bearing P and to any
convenient part of the framing of the machine, draws the screw M1 in the direc-
tion of the arrow P6 (Fig. 16) and keeps the truck P 1 in contact with the
cam P3 so that by the movement of the cam P 3 an endwise movement is im-
parted to the screw M1 and all attached thereto.
Thus it will be seen that the screw may be rotated step by step in the usual
well understood manner for transferring the loops from needle to needle and it
may be shifted endwise together with all the parts attached thereto so as to
shift the fashioning points from their position for forming the one row of nar-
rowings to their position for forming the second row of narrowings without.
rotating the screw.
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:-
First. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine mechanism for enabling widen-
ings to be made with a good selvedge without using fashioning points and with-
out losing a course at each widening and insuring the thread always being
caught by the newly introduced needle substantially as herein before described.
Second. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine for widening without using
fashioning points, using an extra racking cam and truck, working thereon k
out the thread carriers so as to widen in the plain course substantially as herdin-
before described.
Third. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine for widening without using
fashioning points rocking props to support the racking levers at alternate or
other courses, thereby throwing the racking clawkers in and out of action, for
widening the alternate selvedges substantially as herein before described.
Fourth. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine for widening without using
fashioning points extra cam or cams for the catch bar or for "pressing" which
are brought into action at any course desired, substantially as herein before
described.
Fifth. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine for widening without using
fashioning points, shogging the catch bar or "pressing" trucks, onto the special
cam or cams, by means of a cam wheel and levers, substantially as hereinbefore
described

page_text: Sixth. In a rotary or flat. bar knitting machine for widening without using
fashioning points, shogging the catch bar or pressing trucks on to the special
cam or cams, by means of mechanism acting direct from the draw bolt substan
tially as herein before described.
"
Seventh. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine for widening without using
fashioning points shogging the catch bar or pressing" trucks on to the
special cam or cams by means of mechanism controlled by a chain and studs
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Eighth. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine for widening without using
fashioning points the combination of mechanism substantially as herein before
described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 Sheets 1 to 4.
Ninth. In a rotary or flat har knitting machine holding the catches or regu-
lators which control the carrier rods out of action and lowering them into action
when widening by means of a bar carried by a bolt sliding in a bracket carried
by the narrowing machine shaft substantially as hereinbefore described.
Tenth. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine joining the bar which carries
the incline for lifting the catches or regulators so that the incline drops out of
the way and allows the regulators to come into action when widening any width
of fabric substantially as hereinbefore described.
Eleventh. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine the combination of mechan-
ism substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figs. 9 to 11
Sheet 5.
Twelfth. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine where two rows of parallel
fashionings are required imparting an endwise movement to the fashioning
screw in addition to the ordinary rotating movements substantially as herein-
before described.
Thirteenth. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine where two rows of parallel
fashionings are required imparting an endwise movement to the fashioning
screws by means of a face cam or incline upon the end of a lever, acting upon
a fixed cam or incline substantially as herein before described.
Fourteenth. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine where two rows of
parallel fashionings are required imparting an endwise movement to the fashion-
ing screw by means of a cam acting upon a truck attached to the screw end
sliding bearing or equivalent substantially as hereinbefore described.
Fifteenth. In a rotary or flat bar knitting machine where two rows of parallel
fashionings are required the combination of mechanism substantially as herein
before described with reference to Figures 12 to 16 Sheets 6 and 7.
Dated this 21st day of December 1898.
1
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.