Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1900-Accepted, 5th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machines.
We, ARTHUR ROBINSON, Machinist, and WILLIAM HENRY BOTT, Hosiery Manu-
facturer, both of Derby Road, Hinckley, in the County of Leicester, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to automatic circular knitting machines for the
manufacture of seamless hosiery and embodies improvements which are mainly
though not exclusively applicable to machines of the "Branson"
type.
The object of the invention is to improve the construction of the machine in
such a manner that it can be easily and quickly altered so as to produce either
plain or ribbed fabrics, which is a valuable consideration to manufacturers who
may not be able to keep both rib and plain machines constantly at work and yet
are compelled to keep the two kinds of machines to meet the exigencies of their
business.
In applying our improvements to a machine of the type hereinbefore referred
to we dispense with the sinkers or loop holding devices, the radially grooved bed
and actuating mechanism therefor external to the needle cylinder, as in this posi-
tion it would be impracticable to adapt ribbing mechanism.
According to our invention we shrink or otherwise secure within the upper
part of the needle cylinder a tricked or radially grooved sinker or loop holder
cylinder or bed into which the sinkers or loop holders are inserted and actuated
by a cam so as to engage the loop on each ascending needle and thus prevent the
work rising with the needles.
Each loon holder consists of a thin metallic blade provided with a hook or nose
to engage the work and with a lower horizontal limb with a turned up end or lug
which forms a groove or kerf for the reception of the actuating cam ring.
This cam ring is located within the needle cylinder and is formed in two parts
which are screwed together and between which the horizontal members of the
sinkers are located and as the said cam ring is revolved within the needle cylinder
it moves the sinkers to and fro in a horizontal plane at a right angle to the
motion of the cylinder needles to engage or disengage the loops of the fabric.
The sinker actuating cam ring is fitted underneath with two lugs or equivalent
between which fits the upper end of a vertical post that drives the said cam ring.
This post at its lower end is secured to the upper face of a horizontally disposed
toothed wheel, rotatably carried in a suitable casing supported by arms or brackets
bolted to the framing of the machine.
The said casing exposes part of the said toothed wheel to allow it to gear with
a bevel wheel at right angles thereto carried on the hand shaft from which the
cam cylinder is driven.
At the side of the said toothed wheel on the same shaft is a pinion gearing with
a larger toothed wheel on an arbor or axle carried by an arm. or bracket from the
framing of the machine.
This larger toothed wheel is formed with an eccentric boss on which is mounted
a clawker that drives a ratchet wheel on the same spindle or arbor as a chain

page_text: wheel over which passes a chain fitted at intervals with lugs or dogs that actuate
the belt shifting or driving mechanism through intermediate levers or rods to
stop the machine just prior to a change in the fabric being required as from leg
to heel and toe knitting and rice versa.
The tooth wheel and eccentric clawker are arranged so that the latter only
actuates the chain wheel once in every four (more or less) revolutions of the cam
cylinder, by which a much shorter chain may be employed.
Fabric winding or drawing down mechanism is employed consisting of a pair
of grooved rollers carried in a swing frame suspended from the framing of the
machine.
The said rollers are actuated by a ratchet wheel on the end of one of the roller
shafts driven by a clawker operated by, a cam on the driving shaft.
A machine of the "Branson" type and provided with the improvements the
nature of which has been hereinbefore described is adapted for the production of
plain fabric.
For the purpose of adapting it to make ribbed goods we employ a horizontal
dial radially grooved for the reception of the ribbing needles and made fast on a
vertical post or spindle adapted to pass down inside the needle cylinder and pro-
vided with two toes or equivalent fitted between arms or lugs connected to the
framing so that the said dial may not rotate.
The said post and dial are supported by a ribber, arm detachably connected to
the revolving cam cylinder and a pin passing through the said arm and abutting
against a projection on the dial cam cap actuates the latter to cause the ribbing
needles to co-act with the cylinder needles.
By the application of mechanism to cause ribbing needles to co-act with the
eylinder needles of automatic seamless hosiery machines a stocking or sock
partly rib and partly plain can be made and the conversion from the one to the
other readily effected.
We desire it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise
details of construction herein before described as these may be varied without
departing from the main lines of the invention.
Dated this 20th day of T 1800
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machines.
We, ARTHUR ROBINSON, Machinist, and WILLIAM HENRY BOTT, Hosiery Manu-
facturer, both of Derby Road, Hinckley, in the County of Leicester, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-.
This invention has reference to automatic circular knitting machines for the
manufacture of seamless. hosiery and embodies improvements which are mainly
though not exclusively applicable to machines of the "Branson" type.
The object of the invention is to improve the construction of the machine in
such a manner that it can be easily and quickly altered so as to produce either
plain or ribbed fabrics, which is a valuable consideration to manufacturers who
may not be able to keep both rib and plain machines constantly at work and yet
are compelled. to keep the two kinds of machines to meet the exigencies of their
business.

page_text: The invention will be understood from the following further descrip
ference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of so much of a circular knitting machine of the
Branson type as is necessary to illustrate our invention which is applied
ereto.
"
Figure 2 is a plan of part of needle cylinder, grooved loop holder bed, and cam
ng for actuating the loop holders.
Figure 3 is a sectional detail of the needle cylinder, a loop holder and its grooved
ed and actuating cam, taken on the line X X of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a section of a portion of the needle cylinder, loop holder bed, loop
older cam, lug on the bottom of the latter and post and wheel and its casing, for
ctuating the loop holder cam.
Figure 5 is a detail of the arms and toes at bottom of dial post held thereby.
Figure 6 is a detail in elevation of the racking gear and chain wheel for actuat-
ng the belt shifting lever.
Figure 7 is a sectional detail of the eccentric boss of the wheel P and clawker F.
In applying our improvements to a machine of the type herein before mentioned
we dispense with the sinkers or loop holding devices, the radially grooved bed
and actuating mechanism for the former, all external to the needle cylinder, as
in this position we consider it would be impracticable to adapt ribbing mechanism.
According to our invention we shrink or otherwise suitably secure within and
at the upper part of the stationary needle cylinder A, a tricked or radially grooved
bed B, into which, the sinkers or loop holders C are inserted and actuated by a
cam. I so as to engage the loop on each of the needles E as it ascends and thus
prevent the work rising therewith.
Each loop holder, as shown most distinctly in Figures 2 and 3, consists of a
thin metallic blade C provided with a hook or nose C¹ to engage the work and with
a lower horizontal limb Ca having a turned up end or lug C3 at its extremity
forming a groove or kerf for the reception of the actuating cam ring D.
The cam ring is located within the needle cylinder A and is formed in two
parts D D¹ connected by screws 12, the upper part having a groove on its under-
surface for the reception of the lugs or turned up ends 03 of the sinkers, the said
groove being annular except at D³ where it makes an outwardly curved deviation,
so that as the said cam ring is revolved, the loop holders receive therefrom a to
and fro motion in a horizontal plane at a right angle to the motion of the evlin-
der needles to engage and disengage respectively the loops of the fabric on the.
latter.
This sinker actuating cam D D¹ for the purpose of obtaining its motion, is fitted
on its underside with two downwardly projecting lugs G between which fits the
upper end of a vertical post H secured at its lower end to the upper face of a
horizontally disposed toothed wheel J rotatably carried in a casing K supported
by arms or brackets K' K2 bolted at K3 K4 to the framing L of the machine as
most clearly indicated in Figures 1 and 4.
+
The said casing is open at one part and exposes a portion of the tooth wheel J
5 thereby allowing it to gear with a similar bevel wheel M arranged at a right angle
thereto and carried on the driving shaft M upon which fast and loose pulleys N N¹
and the usual handle (omitted from the drawings) are mounted.
At the side of the said tooth wheel and on the same shaft is a pinion O, Figures 1
and 6, gearing with a larger spur wheel P, on an axle or arbor P¹ carried by an
50 arm or bracket P2 from the framing of the machine.
The spur wheel is formed with an eccentric boss P3, Figures 6 and 7, on which
is mounted a clawker F that drives a ratchet wheel R on the same spindle or
arbor R as the usual chain wheel R2 over which passes a chain wheel R³ fitted at
intervals with lugs or dogs R that actuate a lever S Figures 1 and 6 to shift
55 the belt from the fast to the loose pulley and thus stop the machine in the manner
so well known as to render further description unnecessary.
The stopping of the machine takes place, as is also well known, just prior to

page_text: any change in the fabric taking place as for instance in changing from leg to heel
and toe knitting and vice versa.
The tooth wheel P, eccentric P3 and clawker F are arranged so that the latter
actuates the chain wheel R2 once in every four (more or fewer) revolutions of the
cam cylinder by which a much shorter chain may be employed.
A. machine constructed as herein before described is applicable for the production
of plain fabrics.
For the purpose of adapting it to make ribbed goods we employ a horizontal
dial Q, Figure 1, radially grooved for the reception of ribbing needles (not shown
in the drawings but sufficiently well understood).
The said dial is made fast on a stationary vertical post or spindle Qwhich
passes down inside the needle cylinder A and is provided at its lower end with
two toes Q2 Q, Figure 5, fitting between arms T T¹ bolted at T to the framing
of the machine.
The said post Q1 and dial Q are supported by an arm U, Figure 1. made fast by
screw bolts U¹ to the usual cam cylinder of the machine so as to revolve therewith.
The post Q being of circular section passes through a similar shaped
passage in the arm U so that it does not partake of the motion of the latter, and
a collar Qon the upper end of the said post fixed thereon by a set screw main-
tains the post in its vertical position.
Vrepresents a cap carrying the usual cams for operating the ribbing needles
as will be understood, the said cap deriving its motion from a headed pin V1
passing through the revolving ribbing arm. U and abutting against a projection V²
on the said cap.
A vertical sleeve W whose lower end is shrunk into the casing K is employed
for the work to pass down as it leaves the needles.
By the application of mechanism to cause the ribbing needles to co-act with the
cylinder needles of automatic plain seamless hosiery machines a stocking or sock
partly rib and partly plain can be made on the same machine and the change
from the one to the other readily effected.
The machine may be adapted for producing plain fabric by unscrewing the
bolts and lifting the arm U, post Q¹ and ribbing dial Q and attached cap V
bodily out of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The improved circular knitting machine adaptable for the knitting of either
plain or ribbed fabrics substantially as herein before described.
2. In a circular knitting machine the combination of loop holders C, grooved
bed therefor and actuating cam ring D D¹ substantially as described.
3. In a circular knitting machine the combination of loop holders C, grooved
bed therefor, actuating cam ring D D¹ post H and gear wheels J M substantially
as and for the purpose described.
4. In a circular knitting machine the improved mechanism for actuating the
chain wheel and chain to stop the machine prior to a change being effected in
the fabric substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figure 6
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of March 1900.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicants.