IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the Firm of J. C. Robertson & Co., of 166, Fleet
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Seventh day of October,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my exors, adîñiors, and assigns, Her especial
licence,. full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my exors, adiñors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney,
Sark, and Man, and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY," communi-
cated to me from abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, should cause a particular
description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part

page_text: recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the present Specification thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to certain Improvements in Knitting Machinery, the
distinguishing feature of which consists in weaving the web of various shapes
according to previously prepared designs. In the old knitting machines this
cannot be accomplished, for the web is all woven of one form and width,
hence there is a great waste of stuff consequent upon the cutting out of the
pieces necessary to produce the shape or pattern for the article required. In
the making of wearing apparel, as stockings, shirts, drawers, &c., a model is
formed which is attached to the knitting frame, by which certain movements
are accomplished, whereby the effect produced is to weave a web the counter-
part of the said model. Thus the model or pattern suitable to form a pair of
drawers being prepared, the web will be woven of various widths suitable
to the formation of that garment; as, for instance, it will be wide in the body
part and narrower for the legs, ankles, &c., and in like manner for any other
article, so that a web will be a continued series of patterns or articles connected
together, all that is necessary being to cut the web apart where the extremities
of such articles are joined to each other. This has also the additional advan-
tage, besides mere saving in materials, that it makes a finished edge all along
the goods of loops which can be taken up by the sewer, and which cannot be
the case where they are cut out.
In the Drawings Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a knitting frame
with these improvements attached; Figure 2, a top view with the pattern
cylinder removed; Figure 3, a section through the letters y, y, of Figure 2;
Figures 4 and 5 are views of parts detached. Similar letters refer to similar
parts throughout the Drawings. The knitting part of the frame is con-
structed substantially in the usual manner, that is to say, the formation and
operation of the needles, sinkers, &c.
The principal features to be described are, the construction of the pattern
cylinder and carriage or yarn carrier. The first of these is seen at the letter A
and the other at B, as upon the movements of these two depend all the rest.
The movement of the carriage B is back and forward in front of the machine,
and delivers the yarn to the needles, sinkers, &c. The extent of this move-
ment is regulated by the pattern cylinder A, so that by a series of stops, or

page_text: rather by a raised diagram fixed upon the cylinder, and representing the
pattern to be woven, which engages with a pointer or "dog," the motion is
arrested and reversed at the proper place. This diagram is shewn at (a, a),
and the "dog" at b. The carriage B consists of a plate of metal, upon which
is fixed the yarn carrier (c) in a manner to be more fully described; the
carriage travels on a railway or slide consisting of two grooved plates, shewn
at C, placed so that there shall be a small space or slot betwen them. This
slot is to allow of the traverse of a rack & attached to the carriage, and is of
sufficient length to carry the carriage the full distance required for weaving
the widest cloth. A pinion e connected with the cross shaft extending to the
coupling box is the medium of propulsion. Two primary movements are
required for this system of weaving, one of which is stationary while the
other is in operation. The first movement is that which applies the yarn,
and the second is that which forms the loop after the yarn has been carried
along and laid in the notches of the sinkers. These are accomplished by a
set of shifting movements operating upon the main train or place where the
motive force is applied to the whole machine. This train is seen at D, E, F.
Two shafts are operated by it alternately to give the effects mentioned, vide-
licit, G and H. The shaft G is that which forms the loop after the yarn has
been laid in the sinkers by the carriage B, and also gives rotation to the
pattern cylinder A. The shaft H is that which moves the carriage B back
and forth by operating the pinion and rack before described, and in doing so
causes the shifting movements requisite to the operation to be performed.
These are effected by clutches sliding upon feathers upon the shafts.
Figure 2 the shaft G is shown engaged and H disengaged. The pattern
cylinder A consists of a cylinder formed of any suitable material, and around
it a raised diagram is fixed, representing a series of curves which are to be
produced in the cloth. In making this strips of metal can be most con-
veniently used to work out the required pattern, and secured by screws, or the
cylinder itself may be cut away so as to form it in relief. The cylinder must
be sufficiently long to represent the greatest width of the pattern. The inner
edges of the raised surface represent the two edges of the web, and a pattern
must be so put upon the cylinder that it will occupy its entire circumference,
so that one revolution shall complete it in the web, and that it will go on to
form a second one without any intervening space to be filled. Thus it will be
evident that the cylinders must be of various diameters to suit the different
length of patterns to be formed upon them. The pattern cylinder has two
motions, one rotary and another reciprocating. The rotary motion is for
effecting the change in. the pattern, and the reciprocating for effecting the
In

page_text: requisite shifting movements, as will now be described. e, e', are two standards
firmly fixed to the main frame; these support the shaft f upon which the
pattern cylinder revolves; rotary motion is given to the shaft f by a pinion
wheel 9, which is worked by a worm wheel g', seen in Figure 3. The shaft
carries the cylinder around with it by a feather working in a seat or other
suitable device by which the cylinder may be permitted to slide as well as
revolve, as before remarked. The sliding motion of the cylinder along the shaft
is to effect the shifting movements from the shaft H to the shaft G and back
again. Immediately beneath the cylinder, and sliding upon pins fixed to the
main frame, there is a bar I, called the shifting bar, having (h, h, Figure 3)
friction rollers to keep it in place at one end; the other has but one roller ath,
against which it is pressed by the action of a spring bar connected to it by a
jointed rod. Underneath the bar i a strong spring is fixed (not seen in the
Drawings), by which the pressure against the bar I is produced. K, K, are
two stops projecting above the top of the bar; these are placed at such distances
apart that the ends of the pattern cylinder shall just pass between them and
allow it to revolve without touching, but every movement of the cylinder
either to the right or left along the shaft f carries the shifting bar with it a
like distance. m, m³, are two projections upon the side of the bar placed at
rather less distance apart than the shifting bar has to travel. In passing back
and forth these projections strike upon the roller and have to pass over it.
In doing so the bar I is pressed out of line a short distance and thrusts back
the bar i, and as the projection m rides past the centre of the roller the angle
of the connecting rod, together with the force of the springs, tends to thrust
the bar i suddenly forward, and gives it a quick motion at this place for the
purpose of suddenly engaging parts of the machinery for purposes to be more
fully described. At the back part of the bar I are screwed two more stops,
seen at n, n', Figure II., having in the ends adjusting screws. A cranked
lever o operates the clutch o¹, by which the bevil wheels seen on the shaft are
put in gear with the main driver E, being a common device for producing
reverse motion. The point of O plays between the stops n, n', the adjusting
screws regulating the exact place to touch and operate it. J is a second
shifting bar, and is for the purpose of engaging and disengaging the shaft G.
On the under side of this bar (not shewn in the Drawings) a lever is operated
to work the clutch upon the shaft G after the same principle as that upon II.
This clutch is worked by sliding the bar J back and forth, and is operated
from the lever o, which is actuated by the main shifting bar I. P is a toggle
lever, one end cranked at P', so that the vibration of P₁ will play the toggle
joint back and forth. The dotted lines show this play; at present it is repre-

page_text: sented as straight. A connecting P" shows how it is moved by the lever ()
and stops n, n. At 1, r¹, are seen a couple of notches cut in a plate fastened
to the front edge of the shifting bar; these notches are for the purpose of
operating a rail, seen at S, Figures 1, 2, for arresting the motion of the yarn
carrier C instantly and opposite to any needle required. This plate has its
front edge serrated or notched along its whole extent, and has as many notches
as there are needles, and also at the same distance apart as the needles are.
It is hung upon centres, as more clearly shown in Figure 1; the top edge lias a
straight play back and forth, being drawn back by a spiral spring seen at S',
Figure 2. S is a small lever, the fulcrum being at one end and two rollers
upon it, one at the end and one near the fulcrum; the roller at the
end acts upon the top edge of the rail, and the roller near the fulcrum
rolls upon the shifting bar, and in the notches r', r. Now by the sliding
of the shifting bar I the inner roller S" rolls in and out of these notches,
and in so doing thrusts the rail S forward or allows it to be drawn
back by the spring. Whenever the rail S is thrust forward the teeth on its
frame come in contact with a small piece of metal, seen at T, attached to a
shaft connected with a part of the framing of the yarn carrier C, and imme-
diately arrests its motion directly opposite to some particular needle. The
shifting movements for making the changes from the shaft G to H, and from
I back to G are effected by two movements of the bar I and pattern cylinder
A. In carrying the carriage B back and forth, the shaft H must be put in
rotation by engaging the clutch O₁ to one or the other of the bevil wheels,
according to whichever side the carriage must be taken. In doing this the
dog is made to strike the pattern diagram o, the carriage continuing to move
along and slide the cylinder upon the shaft f. The cylinder carries with it
the shifting bar I by pressing against one of the stops K. The stop n' then
acts against the lever o and disengages the clutch O', but so as not to engage
on the other side, as shown in Figure 2. This movement also operates the
toggle P by bringing it from one of the angled positions, shown in the dotted
lines to an extended one, thus moving the shifting bar J and engaging the
clutch to the shaft G, so that it now begins to revolve, and the carriage Bat
once ceases to move; the yarn carrier C must, however, cease to move the
moment the dog b strikes the pattern a. This is effected by the notches, ²².
The moment that the inner roller on S" rides out of the notch the rail S is
thrown forward, and engaging in the stop T arrests its motion instantly, the
use of which is to give exactness to the pattern to be woven. The carriage B
must, however, continue to travel a short distance in order to effect the shift-
ing before described. To accomplish this without disturbing the point of the

page_text: yarn carrier the latter is attached to the carriage by a sort of adjustable frame
seen at C¹, C2, C3, C+; C1, C2, are arms suspended over the carriage and held
down by a top spring. They are attached to the tube C³, playing upon
a little shaft C, which is longer than the tube. The stop T is attached to this
tube, and the moment it is engaged with the rail S it is held fast while the
carriage B and the shaft C slides along within the tube. There are two
spiral springs attached to the tube C³, drawing in opposite directions; these are
for the purpose of pulling the tube in place again the moment the clutch T
being disengaged will permit it to fly.
It has now been described how the carriage has moved across the frame,
carrying the yarn under the sinkers as usual, and to the width allowed by
the pattern cylinder. The first shifting movement has now been effected, and
all that part is in a state of rest. The operation of the movement caused by
the shaft G will now be described. This shaft effects the forming the rest of the
loop by the usual movements of the needles, stitch hooks, &c., it also puts in
rotation the pattern cylinder by the turning of the wheel g with the worm
wheel g, Figure 3. This outward motion of the cylinder is to bring the
next portion of the patttern against the dog b, and thus arrest the yarn carrier
at the proper needle, and must be accomplished during the time the stitch is
being formed, as the moment it is formed the next change must take place for
sending the carriage B to the opposite side. This is accomplished by the
second movement of the shifting bar I, by which the clutch O' is engaged to the
proper bevil wheel and the clutch on G disengaged. At W, Figures 2 and 3,
is seen a spur wheel upon a vertical shaft, and at x is a second wheel, cut so as
to be worked by a spiral wheel or series of cams Y on the shaft G. A face
view is seen in the dotted lines in Figure 2 under the wheel W. In the face
of the wheel W a circular recess is cut, having radial branches, as seen at Z.
In the shifting bar 1 a pin or screw is inserted, as seen at Z, the point of
which passes through and terminates in this recess or space in the wheel W.
The movements of the wheel W are calculated so that the first movement
of the shifting bar caused by the travel of the carriage B shall cause the
point of the pin Z¹ to come up and strike against the circular part of the recess
between two of the radial recesses Z, Z, and thus it acts as a stop to the
further progress of the bar; and by reason of the thrust of the lever i before
described, this pin is kept pressing hard against the circular side of the
recess. Meanwhile the shaft G is revolving for the purpose of making the
stitch, and the cam Y also gives a slow motion to the wheel W, and that
again revolves the pattern cylinder. As the wheel revolves the pin in I slowly
slides along the side of the circular recess until it comes opposite to one of the

page_text: radial ones at ; at this moment the other movements must have been so timed
that the stich is all formed and ready for the next travel of the carriage. The
pressure of the lever i upon I now thrusts the pin into one of the recesses =,
as seen in dotted lines immediately under ', and the shifting bar gets its
second movement, which is a very short one. By this the stop n' throws the
clutch O¹ into gear, again angles the toggle, as seen in the dotted lines, and
immediately disengages the clutch attached to J. The rail S is also permitted
to fly back by the lever S" engaging in the notch 7, and all is clear for the
carriage B to cross and lay the yarn in the hook of the sinkers to the extent
allowed by the pattern, as before described.
Figures 4 and 5 are illustrative of the manner of depressing the sinkers.
M, N, are two rollers fixed upon a spindle P, which latter is attached to the
under part of the carriage B, but projecting a little in front of it. Immc-
diately over the large roller M is fixed the depressing bar Q, so that in being
depressed as usual it will rest upon said roller. On either side of the roller N
are two inclined planes R, R, as seen in Figure 5. The spindle P is raised
or lowered according to the raising or lowering of the depressing bar Q. The
roller N, when the bar Q is depressed, presses down the sinkers by bearing upon
the rounded projection seen in the Figure, which projection is a little in
advance of the fulcrum or centre of the sinker. As the carriage B goes along
with great rapidity the mere roller would throw down the sinkers with too
much force, therefore the inclined plane R is fixed before it, and striking them
first gradually presses them down towards the lower edge of the roller, and
this avoids the sudden movement before mentioned. There are two inclined
planes R so as to act in either direction of the travel of the carriage. The
other parts of the machine which have not been described are of the usual
construction of knitting machines, and therefore well known.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First, the pattern cylinder or its equivalent, in combination with the
traversing carriage or yarn carrier, shifting bar, and clutches, all as herein-
before described.
Second, the stop rail S, or an equivalent, for arresting the yarn carrier at the
proper instant to secure exactness in the shape of the web, according to tho
design or pattern.
Third, the cam wheel W, in combination with the shifting bar and
shifting lever, and its connections, or other device equivalent thereto, as
well as the combinations for effecting the revolution of the pattern cylinder,
as described.