Connection with Knitting Machinery and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1887
Specification Accepted, 9th Dec., 1887
Connection with Knitting Machinery and the like.
I, WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD of No. 19 Bowling Green Street Leicester, in
the county of Leicester, Patent Agent, being a communication to me from abroad by
Auguste Freund, of Moltke Strasse, Cannstatt in the German Empire Merchant,
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 consists of Improvements in taking up Apparatus in connection with
knitting machinery, more particularly for those machines having a circular motion,
called loop wheel, or radial knitters, the fabric coming down from the machine is
threaded into the apparatus through guide bars, as shewn in figure 2, and taken up on
the rollers fitted in a frame (the apparatus being fixed under the machine at a proper
distance to take up the fabric from the needle cylinder, and fitted upon a short spindle
or pedestal in a flanged wheel, or plate, screwed to a base, this invention is to facilitate
the taking up, at the same time automatically tensioning, stretching, straightening
and delivering the fabric on to a roller that it is wound in a proper condition and
with an equal tension, the tension roller giving the required motion to the receiving
roller, for regularly taking in and winding the material, by the means adopted in the
Apparatus now in use the fabric is liable to get in ridges on the feed rollers, and
become uneven and torn, and to take up loose on the receiving roller.
This invention is to obviate this by means of the improvements hereinafter described
in apparatus whereby the taking up or winding off the knitted fabric is expedited.
The apparatus comes under the circular knitting machine, and is secured to a founda-.
tion or bench, at such a distance that the slotted springs which hang from the machine
have their ends inside the bars U and U', at the top of the apparatus, as shewn in
figure 1 of the drawings, thus by the knitting machine turning round the ends of the
springs being inside the bars, the apparatus is caused to rotate, the material passing
from the machine, over an oval ring fixed on the springs at and spread out over
the end of the springs, passes half over the rollers S. R and I. as shewn in figure 2,
on to the receiving roller V. which is tensioned by springs X in the Tubes W―that this

page_text: invention may be clearly understood I will refer to the drawings accompanying this
Specification.
Figure 1. is a front view of the apparatus, with the lower end of a radial knitting
machine, in section at top, the frame A. is placed and the apparatus rotates on the
small pin or pedestal a¹ working in the bush of the bevel wheel a² fixed in the upper
face, or hub of the flanged wheel B.-this wheel being screwed down to a suitable
foundation b. The apparatus being steadied in its rotative movement by the runner
wheel b working in the flange of the base wheel B.-The bevel wheel coming on at
the end of the shaft c. is geared to the other, on the pedestal a¹ at the other end of
the shaft c. is put a crank and bracket 2 into which is placed one end of the con-
necting rod, D. adjusted at its upper end into a socket working on the pin d¹ in one
end of the rocking lever, E. the pin in the opposite end of the rocking lever, carrying
a click or ratchet lever F, which acts in the teeth of the ratchet wheel G, and it being
loose on the end of the hollow shaft H. is firmly secured to the square shaft, L. thus
by every movement forwards of the crank c² the wheel G is racked and the square
shaft is moved a little, and the pin O. being set in one of the slots m³ in the guage
wheel M. and toothed wheel N. the power is transmitted to the hollow shaft H. and
the wheel J. on the opposite side, so moving the roller I.-The click or ratchet lever F.
is held to the wheel G. by a spring from the other click, or ratchet lever, K. which
presses to the other wheel J. as shewn in figure 6-the square steel shaft. L. running
in the hollow shaft H. is secured at its screwed ends by fitting in square slots in the
caps of the rocking lever, and guage wheel, at opposite ends, and held by the nuts m',
the rocking lever being loose on the square shaft. The guage wheel M. having holes
on its face m and in the shoulders radially m³-that for the purpose of picking up any
dropped stitches or machine loops, or putting fresh needles in the machine, the fabric
is loosened by moving the pin 0. from out of the slot in the guage wheel and toothed
wheel N. so releasing the roller I. to effectually stretch the material the pin O. is taken
out of the slot m³ and put into one of the slots m² and the guage wheel M moved to
the left, then the pin replaced in another of the slots m³ the spur wheel N. on the end
of the shaft 1. imparts motion to the wheels P and Q. and causes the rollers R and S.
to rotate, the guide bar T. is loose in the slots in the sides of the apparatus, the other
ones U and fixed parallel to each other, are made fast by screws at either end, the
fabric running over the rollers as shewn in figure 2.-The receiving roller V. fits in
the grooves in the tubes W. adjusted to the sides of the frame, and tensioned to
the roller I. by springs X. coming under each spindle of the roller from inside the
tubes, the roller V. containing the material is removed by the lower slots, by shifting
the cap Yby aid of the hand lever, or cam Z. which comes between the wheels G
and J, and riding on the boss of the latter, the clicks or ratchet levers F and K. are
disengaged, by the handle of the lever Z. being moved forward, and when it is again
moved up the levers immediately engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheels, the
bearings of the tension roller are strengthened by additional cups provided on the
inside of the frame which come on the upper face of the hollow shaft H. by using
the slotted guage wheel M. in conjunction with the rocking or reciprocating lever E
any desired tension can be put on to the material and allow the clicks, or ratchet
levers to escape a greater or less number of teeth of the ratchet wheels. The fabric v²
is regulated or relegated to the apparatus over an oval ring ³, and over the ends of
the levers set to the distances required by the slots suspended inside the fabric
from uprights which are attached to the underside of the knitting machine & shewn
in section, above. The same letters of reference represent like parts in all the figures.
Figure 2 is a side view of the inner part of the apparatus shewing my improve-
ments in the position of the feed rollers R and S. with the tension roller I. and
receiving roller V. and the threading of the fabric ². Figure 3 is a front view of
the slotted guage wheel M. the key O. in one of the slots for moving the square shaft
round either way. Figure 4 is a front view of the slotted spur wheel N. which is
keyed on to the end of the hollow shaft H.-Figure 5 is a side view of the slotted
guage wheel M. and the spur wheel N. with the key O. set in. through the slots m³.
The hollow shaft H. shewing the square shaft L coming through-Figure 6 is a front

page_text: view of the rocking or reciprocating lever E. shewing the clicks or ratchet levers F
and K. connected by the spring and engaged with the ratchet wheels G and J.-
the eccentric lever, or cam Z being up out of action by preference 1 use rollers coated
with coarse emery to give additional grip in the taking in of the material without
catching in, or tearing the fabric-the Rollers for taking in the material are first
turned true, the upper one being slightly hollowed out, in order that the fabric may
spread out properly, and be delivered quite even on to the winding roller, this
invention may be employed in other machines than those mentioned where the fabric
is taken up and wound upon drums or rollers revolving in the manner specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The slotted guage wheel M. and slotted spur wheel N. with the square shaft L
working in the hollow shaft H. in conjunction with the rocking or reciprocating
lever E. and the ratchet wheels G and J. constructed, arranged and actuated in the
manner herein before described.
Second. The automatic tensioning of the fabric by imparting motion to the receiving
roller V. and the tubes W. with the springs working therein; or their equivalents
for keeping the material well up to the tension roller; in the manner substantially
hereinbefore described.
Third. The employment of slightly hollowed out, feed rollers coated with coarse
emery to give additional grip, and spread to the fabric in passing down.
Fourth. The steadying of the apparatus while revolving, by the runner wheel 62-
working inside the flange of the wheel B.
Fifth. The automatic tension in taking up apparatus to be employed in connection
with knitting machinery, and the like, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and set forth.
1001