Improvements in and relating to Rotary Knitting Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rotary Knitting Machines.
I, JOHN SPENCER of No. 85 King Richards Road Leicester in the county of
Leicester Glove Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
The object of this invention is for Improvements in and relating to rotary knitting
machines for the production of tuck work and the like upon ordinary straight bar
knitting machines, or machines known as "rotary knitting machines," by the use
of certain mechanical contrivances hereinafter described. This invention supersedes
the making of tuck stitch fabrics upon the hand frame, and I carry out by power
automatically the whole process of forming any tuck pattern, upon or in plain
knitted fabrics made by power in rotary machines and to which the mechanical
contrivances herein specified is connected, and arranged in the following manner.
Tuck stitches in straight fabric is produced by several loops being put upon the
needles and a notched presser bar brought down upon the beards of those needles
required to carry the extra loops, then the sinker bar is brought forward to push
the loops to the head of the needles for knocking over, but in hand frames only
one predetermined amount of pressure can be obtained which does not bring the
loops sufficiently over the heads of the needles.; to put them even in their places
except by the operator pulling his frame forward again and again before he succeeds.
in knocking over the loops forming the tuck stitches, but the whole of this is accom-
plished automatically by my invention for which purpose I provide a step cam and trucks
acting in the manner hereinafter described, and by which I am enabled to put any
pressure upon any knitted course desired; when the step cam slides on the narrower
part of the truck the ordinary pressure will be maintained against the loops on the
needles but upon the wide part of the truck coming in action with the highest part
of the step cam moving on the main shaft extra pressure is automatically_brought
to bring the sinkers well forward in such courses that may be necessary. To carry
my invention into effect I have suitable bearings affixed upon the side of the frame
of the machine to carry a horizontal shaft, upon one end of which are put a series
of pattern wheels moved by suitable levers and pawls engaging with the teeth of a
cog wheel fitted either upon the outside or inside of the pattern wheel whichever
may be most convenient, the lever carrying the pawl is moved by a pear shaped cam
on end of the main shaft, or by an angle lever driven from the drawing lever ;
rear of the machine I have two horizontal shafts parallel to each other, and upon
either of a vertical stud is fixed which is moved laterally by a jointed lever working
in or out, or may be up and down from lugs upon the pattern wheel, one of the said
shafts carries a forked lever in which moves a roller fixed in connection with the
power cam upon the main shaft, the said roller having planes of varying heights
or steps, or may be several cams differing in height, the largest being nearest to
the boss of the knocking over cam. To the pattern wheel is affixed an auxiliary
wheel round the outer face of which are several lugs placed in various positions, to
give motion to angle levers fixed relatively to the falling bar, the said angle levers
carry at their lower ends rollers which as they come in contact with the lugs of the
auxilliary wheel during its revolution, the upper ends of the arms attached to the
vertical end of the angle levers, press against the falling bar and causes it to slide
back and so allow of the front part of the jacks to fall lower than usual thus an
extra length of, or a long loop is made for slack courses in the fabric when required.
Or I can obtain the extra pressure required to bear against the loops to make tuck
fabrics automatically by moving the needle bar back at the required course, instead of
bringing the sinkers forward by employing levers attached to a back shaft operated
in

page_text: from an extra cam on the main shaft, the said extra cam to actuate a roller having
horizontal planes or steps varying in height fixed in connection with the back shaft,
and forked levers to actuate the said roller when the levers are in connection with
the pattern wheel.
The mechanism thus described can be attached to any straight knitting machine
having a rotary action for the purpose herein referred to.
Dated the 5th day of November 1888.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Patent Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rotary Knitting Machines..
I, JOHN SPENCER, of No. 85 King Richards Road Leicester in the County of
Leicester Glove Manufacturer, 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 provide improvements in rotary knitting machines
for the production of "tuck work" or clear tuck patterns and the like upon straight
bar knitting machines, or machines known as "rotary knitting machines," which is
effected by the mechanical contrivances hereinafter described and shown in the
annexed drawings in which
Fig. 1. is a perspective view of the frame of a rotary knitting machine from the
back the appliances hereinafter referred to being attached thereto.
Fig. 2. is an end view of the frame of the machine showing how the appliances are
connected respectively with the rocking frame, sinker bar, and pattern, or striping
wheel.
Fig. 3. is a cut off view taken from the back of the machine showing the position
of the cams and trucks after the knocking over process has taken place. Figure 4
sheet 2. being a side view of the mechanical contrivance for operating the falling bar
to automatically make slack courses in the fabric.
The same letters of reference represent like parts in the several figures.
By this invention I am able to accomplish automatically the making of or in all tuck
patterns perfect tuck stitches in knitted fabrics, or tuck presser work to supersede the
use of the hand frame, in plain or open knitted work" that is to say" in hosiery
knitted fabrics produced in rotary machines, or rotary tuck frames; the appliances
hereinafter referred to or any equivalent thereof being easily connected thereto in the
manner as illustrated in the drawings.
It is well known that a tuck stitch is formed by the combination of several yarn
loops upon one needle, and a notched tuck presser pressing or closing the beards of
those needles coming opposite the teeth of the presser, while those coming in the
spaces are not pressed the loops remaining on the needles and are pushed forward
with the old loops until finally knocked over, when the whole are pressed over at
one time, the accumulation of stitches upon the needles requiring a distinct manipu-
lation of the frame during the knocking over of the courses where the stitches were
accumulated. In rotary machines at present employed, or by the means at present
employed only one predetermined amount of pressure can be obtained consequently
the loops are not brought sufficiently over the heads of the needles to put them even
in their places to make perfect work in hand frames this varying in the knocking over
of the fabric has been accomplished by the operator pulling his frame forward several
times before he can succeed in knocking over the accumulated loops that produce the
tuck stitches, clear of the heads of the needles, by my invention which is illustrated in
the drawings accompanying this specification I am able successfully to accomplish this
automatically in rotary machines or tuck frames and the like.
The drawings represent the outer construction or frame of a "rotary tuck frame"
the mechanism for operating the needles and sinkers, and other knitting parts not

page_text: being shown, but only the appliances to which this invention particularly refers which
consists of the stop cams and trucks to operate the knocking over bar to put a varying
pressure, or the pressure necessary in any knitted course to effectually knock over the
loops in the production of tuck work in all kinds of hosiery fabrics.
At the side of the machine A. projects the end of shaft B, held and supported in
the bracket C, and upon the said shaft is arranged a series of pattern wheels, the
one D, is to actuate certain parts of the machine so that a slack course be made where
and when desired; the next one E, actuates the knocking over bar, and the wheel F,
actuates the carriers in producing striped work, they are moved by ievers and pawls
engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel G, which may be fitted either upon the
inner or outer side of the pattern wheels, as may be found most convenient ;
the lever carrying a pawl to actuate the wheel G, is worked from a pear shaped
cam fitted on the outer end of the main shaft H, at XH, the cam is not shown,
or the lever, but it will be well understood by the above reference; at the back
of the machine I fix two horizontal sliding shafts parallel with each other in the
brackets I, the short one I being connected to the top shaft J, by the double link I*,
to steady the movement of the shaft J, the inner end of which is held in the
bracket 1, attached to the central upright in the back of the machine A, the pin or
finger I', fitted in a collar on the bar J, fits in the tines of the fork K, the lower end
of which is secured to the swinging frame L, pivoted on the pin l, in rear of the
ordinary rocking frame M, both being screwed on to the under side of the square
shaft; or knocking over shaft N, the lower outer end of the frame L, carries the
clutch O, which moves the truck o', along the short shaft P, secured to the rocking
frame M, to put it in or out of contact with the power cams, the fork of the clutch
fitting in the groove o², of the truck, the lever 1, secured to the square shaft N, is
fulcrumed to the top lever 1, this has its outer end secured to the frame 1, the
knocking over power required to move this frame forward is regulated in each course
according to the pattern "denoted by the teeth in the tuck presser," being then
produced by the series of projecting. dogs set radially on the edge of the wheel E, on
the outer edge of which work the lever Q which extends backward, and is connected
with the lever extending along the back of the machine, when the pawl or dog 9', at
the free end of the lever Q is not in contact with the dogs e¹, as shown in figures 1
and 2," the inner end is raised and lifts with it the vertical link q³, attached to the tail
end of the rocking lever R, pivoted to the bracket R¹, the slotted end of the rocking
lever R carrying the connecting lever R³, having its extreme end attached to the
sliding bar J, at J*, which it pushes forward or brings back as occasion may require,
and shogs the truck and frame L, by which movement the roller o², is brought on to
the higher step cam S, fitted to the ordinary knocking over cam T, on the main shaft.
When the cam S, is in contact with the roller o', (Figures 1 and 2.) the frames L
and M, with the square rocking, or knocking over shaft N, is moved so that the
levers and, pushes the frame forwards that the lower part of the jacks or sinkers
act upon the needles in the frame, to press the loops on the frame needles well over
the heads of the needles that they are knocked over and make perfect tuck work; the
guide shaft I and sliding bar J, is then brought back automatically, by a spring
shown in broken line," to fit on to the pin U. and its lower end secured at U' to the
lever Q-this is preferred to fitting a spring to the guide shaft I, as mentioned in my
provisional specification; the pawl or dog q', is then upon the outer edges of the other
dogs all set at a relative height, and rides on the circumference thereof; when the
sliding bar J, moves outward as shown in figure 3, the truck is moved and the
roller O, is upon the lower cam T, or ordinary knocking over cam, the ordinary
knitting is then taking place. By the employment of the series of knocking over
cams as herein described and shown each differing somewhat in shape, and the levers
and dogs in connection with the pattern wheel just sufficient movement is given to
the moveable truck to bring it in action with the cams, as previously stated sufficient
power is given for knocking over in any desired course according to the pattern
being made the wheel E. being set accordingly.
For making slack courses automatically by obtaining an extra length of loop, the

page_text: wheel D, is brought into requisition the lug V, being set thereon to actuate the
lever v', pivoted at 2, to the outer end of which is connected the vertical lever v³,
linked to the lever 1, the latter secured to the har v³, on which are the vertical
arms v put in connection with the falling bar v', these are ordinarily employed but
are operated by a hand lever to push back the falling bar v', by the person working
the machine.
This I accomplish by the use of the wheel D, as described when the falling bar v²,
is operated upon the front part of the jacks v, and sinkers v, fall lower than usual
and makes the extra length of loop upon the needles 10, in the needle bar 11, thus
producing what is known as a "slack course."
This movement is shown in dotted line in Fig. 4. In lieu of the pattern wheel
shown I can employ small wheels and use a pattern chain in connection therewith and
dogs set at intervals in the links thereof to actuate the levers herein shown and
described and the appliances in connection therewith for the purpose referred to.
Thus producing tuck work with its peculiar elevations and designs equal to those
made upon the hand frame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In a rotary tuck frame, or other machines of a like construction that employ
jacks and sinkers the means whereby the front of the frame is moved forward so that
the lower part of the sinkers will clearly knock over the fabric by the aid of the extra
knocking over cams and trucks operated by levers from the pattern wheel to vary the
knocking over according to the pattern required, as shown and described.
2. In a rotary machine of the character described the employment of a pattern
wheel to actuate levers in connection with the falling bar for automatically producing
slack courses.
3. Improvements in and relating to rotary knitting machines of the character
described, substantially in the manner as hereinbefore described and set forth.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD.