Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machines.
I, JAMES FOSTER, of 41, Friargate, Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanician,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
33
on
This invention relates to improvements in Knitting machines of the Lamb typo in
which the needles work in two or more diagonally arranged beds placed in parallel
lines opposite to each other and the said improvements are applicable to that class of
such machines which are provided with an additional lower bod adjoining the lower
edge of the needle bed such additional bed having sliding pins (hereinafter termed
"lifting pins") corresponding in number and position with the needles in the bed
above. My improvements are designed to afford increased facilities for the production
in greater variety than heretofore of raised designs in "rib" or Cardigan
flat knitted goods and consist in a novel arrangement and combination of parts whereby
certain of the needles in pre-arranged combinations are caused to be alternately brought
into and out of action that is to say whilst some of the needles are in action others
remain inactive as will be well understood. The active needles may be caused to
produce two or more loops whilst the inactive needles retain other previously formed
loops until they in turn are brought into action and thus cause to be produced on the
fabric raised patterns which can be so arranged as to occupy a larger or smaller area
or to bo in groups of varying size. Furthermore by introducing two or more yarns
of different colours the combinations may be still further varied and the variety of
patterns increased. I also so adapt my improvements as that by the system known as
shogging" or racking" the back additional lower bed alone or in combination
with the front needle bed various other designs may be produced in which the position
of the raised parts of the pattern is alternated on the fabric and by such alternation
new combinations of artistic design in one colour only or in two or more colours
may be produced.
"
According to my invention I arrange and operate the needles in the usual way and
impart the required upward movement to the needles by the sidewise movement
of a centrally placed V shaped cam of the usual kind by which movement the loop
is brought back over the "latch" and the hook is prepared to receive the yarn for
the next loop in the ordinary way. I impart downward movement to the needles by
means of one or other of the "side"
of the usual construction
wing cams
or
accordingly as the cams are moved to the right or to the left by the sidewise movement
of the ordinary "carriage" or other contrivance on which the cams are mounted.
"
"
I also utilize or not according to the class of work to be produced a second set of
wing cams mounted either on the back or on the front of the carriage and an thus
enabled to impart a second draw or pull upon the loops after they have been fully
formed thereby making the fabric firmer and giving a better appearance to the right
or face side of the fabric.
I operate the lifting pins in the lower bed by means of an additional set of cams
consisting of a V cam and two wing cams the said cams being variously shaped
according to the height to which it may be desired to raise the needles. I so arrange
the V cam which operates the back needles as also the V cam which operates the
lifting pins that when the one is in action the other is out of action by which arrange-
ment if the back needle V cam is in action all the needles at the back of the machine
will be operated but upon the said cam being taken out of action and the additional or
lower V cam which operates the lifting pins being consequently put into action only
such needles will be operated as a previous arrangement of the lifting pins determines.
My additional cam when arranged to operate the lifting pins required to produce hollow
or semi-tubular raised patterns is so formed as to cause each of the needles operated

page_text: upon to be lifted sufficiently high to receive the yarn bolow the hook of the needle
but so that the yarn will assume a position above the latch. Thus each of the
operated needles may receive a thread at each succeeding course "which it will
retain until caused to be pushed further upwards by the action of the upper or
needle V cam the needle being then moved high enough for the original loops and the
threads to be "worked off" and so form a new loop.
Certain of the lifting pins may be placed in working position whilst others are
moved downwards out of working position when employing the arrangements herein
referred to so as to produce certain novel effects or designs. Thus for example by
placing one of the lifting pins in and three of them out of working position
alternately and by putting the back needle cam in motion (the front needio cam
being also in action) so as to effect two courses of "rib " work the said
two courses will produce a row of loops back and front corresponding with the
number of needles used each needle producing a complete loop. If thereupon the
back needle cam be lifted out of action with the needles and the additional lifting
pin cam be put into action (this double function being effected by means of a centrally
pivotted or swing lever connected at its two extremities to the upper and lower cams)
and two to six courses aro then knittod it follows that the needles acted upon by the
operating lifting pins will continue at each succeeding course to each of them receive
a thread the successive threads being retained on such needles (without being worked
off into loops) and that meanwhile the other needles which are out of action will
retain the loops first formed upon them without receiving any additional threads the
needles on the front or opposite bed meanwhile forming a row of loops at each course.
Now if on the completion of the desired number of rows the upper or needle cam he
again put into action the loops on the three needle sets will be liberated as also those
on the other needles which have been moved up by the lifting pins and thus a number
or bunch of loops of semi-tubular or bulging form will result whose shape or
configuration is assured by the tension of the loops that were retained on the three
needles a division being formed between each triple group by the series of threads
placed on the noodles operated by the lifting pins. By operating at this stage tho
shogging" or "racking" mechanism the lower or lifting pin bed may be moved
along the needle bed a distance equal to two needle spaces (or it may if desired be
arranged to move past any number up to five needle spaces) and it will be seen that if the
process as above described be repeated the retained loops will be opposite the centre of
the previously formed raised groups and that the design of the pattern may be greatly
varied that is to say -1st by arranging the lifting pins in various equal or unequal
numbers in and out of working position alternately; 2ndly by the number of the
courses between the operation of knitting all the loops off so as to produce larger or
smaller groups or bunches of loops; and 3rdly by shogging or racking the lifting
pin plate or bed so that the relative position of one row of the bunches or groups
with the preceding or following row may be varied or alternated.
แ
B
I arrange the front V cam to operate the front needles in the usual manner. By
raising the said cam out of action all the front needles will also be out of action thereby
retaining the loops as in the arrangement previously described with reference to the
back needles.
"
1 employ two or more yarn guides or holders to carry yarns of different colours so
that the rows of any of the above described or other classes of patterns may be varied
in colour or by using the coloured yarn to form the row of loops dividing the clusters
or groups or in Cardigan "work by using various coloured yarns with specially
selected needles placed at such intervals or in such combinations as may be required
a great variety of pattern designs including spots of colour in determined rows may
be produced.
I make the protruding projections or feet of the lifting pins of two or more
different lengths or heights placed as regards each other alternately or otherwise and
arrange the operating faces of the lower cam at two or more different depths
accordingly so that the said cam when in a certain position will come in contact with
or operate only those pins which have the longest projecting feet whilst if the cam bệ

page_text: lowered the pins with the shorter feet will also be operated along with those having
the longer feet. A similar arrangement to that just described is applicable for
operating the needles in the upper or needle bed on either the front or on the back of
the machine.
By the use of any above described invention greater facilities for producing varied
and artistically designed raised patterns in knitted fabrics from one continuous
thread are provided than has heretofore been attainable in the same machine
and patterns of the usual well known kind can be produced in a simpler and more
effective form and manner.
Dated thin 14th day of March 1880
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Knitting Machines.
I, JAMES FOSTER, of 41 Friargate, Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanician,
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:-
"
This invention relates to improvements in knitting machines of the Lamb type in
which the needles work in two or more diagonally arranged beds placed in parallel
lines opposite to each other and the said improvements are applicable to that class of
such machines which are provided with an additional lower bed adjoining the lower
edge of the needle bed such additional bed having sliding pins (hereinafter termed
"lifting pins") corresponding in number and position with the needles in the bed
above. My improvements are designed to afford increased facilities for the production
in greater variety than heretofore of raised designs in "rib" or cardigan" on flat
kuitted goods and consist in a novel arrangement and combination of parts whereby
certain of the needles in pre-arranged combinations are caused to be alternately
brought into and out of action that is to say whilst some of the needles are in action
others remain inactive as will be well understood. The active needles may be caused
to produce two or more loops whilst the inactive needles retain other previously
formed loops until they in turn are brought into action and thus cause to be produced
on the fabric raised patterns which can be so arranged as to occupy a larger or
smaller area or to be in groups of varying size. Furthermore by introducing two or
more yarns of different colours the combinations may be still further varied and the
variety of patterns increased. I also so adapt my improvements as that by the system
known as "shogging" or "racking" the back additional lower bed alone or in com-
bination with the front needle bed various other designs may be produced in which
the position of the raised parts of the pattern is alternated on the fabric and by such
alternation new combinations of artistic design in one colour only or in two or more
colours may be produced.
2
According to my invention I arrange and operate the needles in the usual way and
impart the required upward movement of the needles by the sidowise movement of a
centrally placed V cam "of the usual kind by which movement the loop is brought
over or behind the "latch" and the hook is prepared to receive the yarn for the next
loop in the ordinary way. I impart the downward movement to the needles by means
of one or other of the "side" or "wing cams" of the usual construction accordingly
as the cams are moved to the right or to the left by the sidewise movement of the
ordinary "carriage" or other contrivance upon which the cams are mounted.
I also utilize or not according to the class of work to be produced a second set of
wing cams mounted either on the back or on the front of the carriage and am thus
enabled to impart a second draw or pull upon the loops after they have been fully
formed thereby making the fabric firmer and giving a better appearance to the right
or face side of the fabric.

page_text: I operate the lifting pins in the lower bed by means of an additional set of cams
consisting of a central V cam and two wing cams the said cams being variously
shaped according to the height to which it may be desired to raise the needles. I so
arrange the V cam which operates the back needles as also the V cam which operates
the lifting pins that when the one is in action the other is out of action by which
arrangement if the back needle V cam is in action all the needles at the back of the
machine will bo operated but upon the said back needle cam being taken out of action
and the additional or lower lifting pin V cam being consequently put into action only
such a number of the needles will be moved or operated as a previous arrangement of
the lifting pins determines. My additional or lower cam when arranged to operate
the lifting pins required to produce hollow or semi-tubular raised patterns is so formed
as to cause each of the needles operated upon to be lifted sufficiently high to receive
the yarn below the hook of the needle but so that the yarn will assume a position
above the latch. Thus each of the operated needles may receive a thread at each
succeeding "course "which it will retain uniil caused to be pushed further upwards
by the action of the upper or needle V cam the needle being then moved high enough
for the original loops and the threads to be "worked off" the needle and thus form a
new loop.
Certain of the lifting pins may be placed in working position whilst others are
moved downwards out of working position when employing the arrangements herein
referred to so as to produce certain novel effects or designs. Thus for example by
placing one of the lifting pins in and three of them out of working position
alternately and by putting the upper back needle V cam in motion (the front
needle V cam being also in operation) so as to effect two courses of "rib" work the
said two courses will produce a row of loops back and front corresponding with the
number of needlos used each needle producing a complete loop. If thereupon
the back needle cam he lifted out of action and the additional lifting pin cam bo put
into action (this double operation being effected by means of a centrally pivotted or
swing lever but preferably by means of a sliding bolt having inclined surfaces as
shown in the drawings-connected at its two extremities to the upper and lower canis
respectively) and two to six courses are then knitted it follows that the needles acted
upon or moved by the lifting pins in action will continue at each succeeding course to
each of them receive a thread the successive threads being retained and remaining on
the needles (without being worked off into loops) and that meanwhile the other
needles which are out of action will retain the loops first formed upon them without
receiving any additional yarn or threads the needles on the opposite or front bed
meanwhile forming a row of loops at each course. Now if on the completion of the
desired number of rows the upper or needle V cam on the back bed be again put
into action the loops on the three needle sets will be delivered or liberated as also
those on the other needles which have been moved up by the lifting pins and thus a
number or bunch of loops of semi-tubular or bulging form will be produced whose
shape or configuration is assured by the tension of the loops that were retained on the
three needles a division being formed between each group of three by the series of
threads placed on the needles operated upon by the lifting pins. By operating at this
stage the shogging or racking mechanisun the lower or lifting pin bed may be
moved along the needle bed a distance equal to two or more needle spaces and it will
be seen that if the process as above described be repeated the retained loops will be
opposite the centre of the previously formed raised groups or loops and that the
design of the pattern may be greatly varied that is to say:-1st by arranging the
lifting pins in various equal or unequal numbers in and out of working position
alternately; 2ndly by varying the number of the courses between the operation of
kuitting all the loops off so as to produce larger or smaller groups or bunches of
loops; and 3rdly by shogging or racking the lifting pin plate or bed so that the
relative position of one row of the bunches or groups with the preceding or following
row may be varied or alternated.
By
I arrange the front V cam to operate the front needles in the usual manner.
raising the said cam out of action (by means of any of the devices usually employed

page_text: for raising and lowering such cams) all the front needles will thereby be out of action
the needles retaining the loops as in the arrangement previously described with
reference to the back needles.
I also arrange in conjunction with the above described arrangements two or more
yarn guides or holders to carry yarns of different colours so that the rows of any of
the above described classes of patterns may be varied in colour or by using the
coloured yarn to form the row of loops dividing the clusters or groups or in
"cardigan" work by using various coloured yarns with specially placed needles and
lifting pins at such intervals or in such combinations as may be required a great
variety of pattern designs and spots of colour in determined rows may be produced.
I make the heels or turned up part of the lifting pins and needles so as to be of
two or more different lengths or heights placed as regards each other alternately or
otherwise and arrange the operating inces of the upper and lower central V cams to
be moved to two or more different depths accordingly so that the said cam when in a
certain position will come in contact with and operate only those lifting pins which
have the longest heels whilst if the cam be lowered the pins with the shorter heels
will also be operated along with those having the longer heels. A similar arrange-
ment to that just described I also apply for operating the needles in the front needle
bed this arrangement being also applicable to knitting machines of simpler con-
struction (than the class hereinabove referred to) for the production of various
patterns of spots and stripos.
By the use of my said invention greater facilities for producing varied and novel
artistically designed raised patterns in knitted fabrics from one continuous thread are
provided than bas heretofore been attainable and patterns of the usual well known
kind can be produced in a more effective and much more simple form.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is an end view shewing (partly in cross section) so much of the parts of a
knitting machine of the Lamb type as is necessary to illustrate certain features of my
said invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sliding bolt (with attendant parts) for operating the
centralcams on the upper and lower beds herein before referred to.
Fig. 3 is a plan view (with the upper part of the carriage removed) of part of the
back needle and lifting pin plates showing the several cums arranged according to
my invention.
Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the arrangement of the cams of the front
needle bed; and
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the arrangement of long and short heels of the needles
and lifting pins and the position of the raised or lowered operating cam thereto
bereinbefore referred to.
A represents that portion of the carriage and attendant mechanism over the back
needle and lifting pin beds and B the front portion of the carriage.
a is the central V cam for the upper or needle bed and b a similar cam for the
lower or lifting pin bed. The cams a bare fitted into the plate c so as to be capable of
sliding or moving freely through the plate (which answers as a guide bearing) and
are carried on the lower extremities of pins or spindles d d which pass upwardly
through the upper portion of the carriage and through a central groove or slot in the
sliding bolt e. The upper ends of the spindles d d are provided with cross pins ff
which rest upon the sliding bolt e spiral springs causing the required down-
ward influence on the cams a b. The bolte is formed with two inclined parts h h and
can be moved or slided by the handle i (as shewn in dotted lines) the arrangement
being such that when one of the cams is up the other is down as will be observed by
reference to the relative positions of the cams in the drawing. When required both
cams may be raised or lifted out of working position the spindle of the lower cam b
being provided with a device j of the kind shewn in the drawing which by its
being semi-rotated to the position indicated in dotted lines sustains or holds up the
cam bon a level or in line with the other cam a. In Fig. 1 k represents one
of the needles and one of the lifting pins the dotted lines indicating the various

page_text: positions assumed by the needles and the lifting pins when operated or out of action
as will be readily understood. t is the back needle bed the lifting pin bed and
the front needle bed.
In Fig. 3 a is the upper and the lower V cam of the back needle bed and lifting
pin bed respectively. m m and n n aro the wing cams. oo are additional wing or
helping cams (capable of being moved in or out of action-by being lowered or
raised by means of any of the usual devices) for the purpose of imparting a second
draw or pull upon the loops after they have been fully formed.
In Fig. 4 p is the central V cam and the wing cams for the front needle.
bed.
In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are the heels of the lifting pins or of the needles
of varying heights and ss represent the varying positions of the operating cam.
In some cases I divide the lifting pin V cam into two unequal parts as shewn in
the lower part of Fig. 3. The upper part 6 is capable of being moved or slided
upwardly away from the lower part (as shewn in dotted lines)." When the upper
part of the cam is removed to the position shewn in dotted lines and is consequently
out of action the needle is only moved by the lifting pin high enough to receive the
yarn and retain it in the hook along with the previous or succeeding thread or
threads. But when the upper and lower parts and bare together (as shown in
solid lines in the drawing) the needle by the upward pressure of the lifting pin is
lifted to its highest point that is to say it receives the yarn at a point over or behind
the latch whereupon the hook receives another thread and thus on the return or down-
ward movement of the needle the threads behind the latch are worked off and a new
loop is formed. By employing (in conjunction with the arrangement of apparatus
hereinabove described) a central V cam having an upper movable part and by
introducing coloured yarns in one two or three rows alternately with the lifting pins
arranged in such combinations as may be required along with the shogging or racking
of the lifting pin plate I am enabled to produce in addition to semi-tubular work a
great variety of figured patterns such as "
dice""
""tooth" or
"zig-zag'
"key
patterns according to the pre-arrangement of the lifting pins (and in some cases of the
needles) and also the arrangement of the intervals at which the shogging or racking
is to take place and the number of needle spaces to be passed at the several shogging
operations.
33
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invon-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination with the needle bed and the lifting pin bed of a knitting machine
the use or employment of apparatus whereby the lowering or putting in action of the
central V cam of one of the beds causes the central V cam of the other bed to be
raised or put out of action substantially as described and shewn in the drawings for
the purpose or purposes set forth.
2. In combination with a central V cam capable of being raised or lowered to
different heights the use or employment in a knitting machine of needles or lifting
pins or both having heels of varying heights or lengths substantially as described and
shewn in the drawings for the purpose set forth.
Dated thin 12th 1
T1800
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J.
Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.