IMPROVEMENTS IN LATCH-NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: :
I, JOHN WILLIAM WATTS, of Countesthorpe in the county of Leicester, Hosier's
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
LATCH-NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES, to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the formation of loops or stitches for
making plain or ribbed knitted fabrics upon latch needles in circular or other
hosiery machines.
In ordinary ribbed machines as well as on my fashioning needles (described in
my application for letters patent dated January 21st 1884) the loops are formed
by the frame needles drawing the thread across the latches of the machine needles.
the ribbing or fashioning needles are then withdrawn and turn over their loops.
Loops thus produced upon fashioning or ribbing needles are sometimes dispro-
portionate to the loops formed upon the frame needles. The object of this
invention is to better regulate the length of loops made by the ribbing or
fashioning needles.
.
For this purpose I use an auxiliary needle, tube, or other suitable instrument,
adapted to slide over and parallel with the latches in the ribbing or fashioning
needles. The upper surface of this auxiliary instrument may have a shoulder or
upward projection near the free or front end (that end which moves over the latch
of the ribbing or fashioning needle) for the purpose of drawing more loop than
would be practicable without such shoulder or projection.
This auxiliary instrument has also a projecting butt or lug which is acted upon
by suitable cams which cause the said auxiliary needle to move either forward or
backward as required.
This auxiliary instrument works as follows:
When the fashioning or ribbing needle is pushed forward, the loop upon it
causes the latch to open, and while the said latch is held open, the auxiliary
instrument is made to slide over it.
Consequently, when the ribbing or fashioning needle is pushed by the cams
sufficiently forward to throw off the loop from the latch on to the stem of the
needle the latch is prevented from closing, by the end of the auxiliary needle lying
over it. The thin or front part of the auxiliary instrument now lies ready for the
frame needles to draw their loops across it. Just as the preceding frame needle
has drawn its full loop, the auxiliary instrument is suddenly pushed forward, and
the shoulder or projection of the auxiliary needle pushing the thread forward

page_text: causes more thread to be drawn from the bobbin than would otherwise have been,
had the auxiliary instrument remained stationary, while the following frame needle-
had drawn its full loop.
When the succeeding frame needle has drawn its full loop, both the auxiliary
and the ribbing or fashioning needles are made to recede simultaneously until the
newly formed loop is transferred from the end of the auxiliary on to the fashioning
or ribbing needle.
-
The auxiliary instrument is then withdrawn from over the latch of the fashioning
or ribbing needle, which allows the tumbler to close when the needle is drawn
further back, causing the old loop to slide over the end needle, whilst the new
loop is secured inside the hook.
:
Another method of making improved loops upon ribbing or fashioning needles
by the assistance of the afore-mentioned auxiliary instrument is as follows.
Instead of the loops being formed by the frame needle laying the thread across
the auxiliary instrument, I cause the ribbing or fashioning needle to draw their
own thread from the bobbins alternately with the frame needles:
For this purpose I use a similar auxiliary instrument as before described.
The loop on the fashioning or ribbing needle turns back, the latch and the
auxiliary needle is moved over the end as previously mentioned, but when the
loop is transferred from off the latch on to the stem of the needle, both the ribbing
(or fashioning) and the auxiliary needle are withdrawn simultaneously, and when
the old loop has raised the tumbler up to the underside of the auxiliary and the
thread is being laid across the upper part of the ribbing or fashioning needle,
the auxiliary instrument is withdrawn which allows the latch to close. At the
same instant the fashioning or ribbing needle is suddenly drawn backwards
sufficiently to draw the required loop before the thread gets locked by the
succeeding frame needle.
The necessary motion of the needles may be produced in any convenient manner,
for instance, by attaching the rear end of the upper or auxiliary needle to a plate
or block adapted to slide in a groove or recess of the plate or block to which the
rear end of the lower or fashioning needle is attached, each of the two plates
(namely the slide and the guide plate) being provided with a pin or lug projecting
upward into a curved groove or race way of the rotating cam or disc which
operates the needles.
The two projecting pins or lugs may be placed one behind the other, or side by
side. In the latter case the guide pin or lug of the upper needle is made longer
than that of the lower needle, so as to project higher up into the race way and to
come in contact with a curved guide or cam which does not reach the guide pin of
the lower needle,

page_text: COMPLETE
T
I, JOHN WILLIAM WATTS of Countesthorpe, in the County of Leicester, Hosier's
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
LATCH-NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
PICH
My invention relates to the formation of loops or stitches for making plain or
ribbed knitted fabrics upon latch needles in circular machines.
It is applicable to all needles that are engaged to work over the posts of vertical
or frame needle cylinders for the production of fashioned or shapeable circular
fabrics, whether plain or ribbed, such as stockings, shirt sleeves and pants.
In ordinary ribbed machines, as well as on my fashioning needles (described in
my application for Letters Patent dated January 21st 1884) the loops are formed
by the frame needles drawing the thread across the latches of the ribbing or
fashioning needles. The ribbing or fashioning needles are then withdrawn and
turn over their loops.
Loops thus produced upon fashioning or ribbing needles are sometimes dis-
proportionate to the loops formed upon the frame needles. More especially is
this the case when the ribbing needles are made to work across the needle posts of
the vertical needle cylinders. The object of this invention is to better regulate the
length of loops made by the ribbing or fashioning needles.
For this purpose I use an auxiliary needle, tube, or other suitable instrument,
adapted to slide over the latches in the ribbing or fashioning needles, as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings, of which Figs 2 and 4 are side elevations and
Fig. 3 is a plan showing the auxiliary needle on a large scale, while Figs 5 to 11
show the relative positions of the vertical needles, fashioning needles and auxiliary
needles, at various consecutive stages of the knitting process.
The upper surface of this auxiliary instrument B may be straight and the
thread only laid across it, but I preferably form a shoulder or upward projection b
near the free or front end (that end which moves over the latch of the ribbing or
fashioning needle) for the purpose of drawing more loop than would be practicable -
without such shoulder, or projection.
This auxiliary instrument B has also a projecting butt or lug b, adapted to come
in contact with suitable cams which cause the said auxiliary to move forward or
back ward as required.
This auxiliary instrument is made to slide off and over the needle latch, for
instance by having its rear end shaped so that it can be actuated by cams of
various shapes. For this purpose the auxiliary may be soldered in an ordinary
needle jack and the fashioning needle soldered in a similar one, the lower parts of
these jacks sliding in one groove side by side, and the front end of the auxiliary
being cramped or bent so that it lies over the needle latch, the to and fro motion
being produced by a cam race way similar to that shown in Figs 1 and 1ª. Or
instead of having a race-way like Fig 1, two single raceways may be used, one
race way serving to receive and guide the butt of the auxiliary instrument, while

page_text: the other receives and guides the needle butt. The same object may be attained
by means of a flat tube adapted to slide in the needle grooves of the flat dial
or conical cylinder, the auxiliary instrument being made to slide in said tube, and
by means of a suitable cam raceway for guiding the butts of the said tube and of
the auxiliary so as to take the end of the auxiliary off the needle latches at the
desired time. But I preferably guide the rear end of the auxiliary instrument in
a suitable recess a formed on the side of the needle jack, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4,
the grooves in the conical or flat ring or dial plate being cut deep enough to allow
the needle jack to lie in the groove, so that the side of the groove prevents the
rear end of the auxiliary from getting out of the recess formed in the side of
needle jack.
The needles and cams. work as follows:
When the fashioning or ribbing needle A is pushed forward, the loop upon it
causes the latch a to open, and while the said latch is held open, see Fig 7 of former
Patent Specification No 1836 of 1884, the auxiliary instrument is made to slide
over it.
Consequently, when the ribbing or fashioning needle is pushed forward by the
cams sufficiently (the auxiliary instrument going forward likewise to throw off the
loop from the latch a on to the stem of the needle) the latch is prevented from
closing by the end of the auxiliary needle lying over it.
The thin front part 6 of the auxiliary instrument now lies ready for the frame
needles to draw their loops across it. Just as the preceding frame needle has
drawn its full loop, the auxiliary instrument, together with the fashioning or
ribbing needle, is suddenly pushed forward, and the shoulder or projection 6 of the
auxiliary needle, pushing the thread forward, causes more thread to be drawn from
the bobbin than would otherwise have been, had the auxiliary instrument remained
stationary until the following frame needle had drawn its full loop.
When the succeeding frame needle has drawn its full loop, or later still, if
preferable, both the auxiliary and the ribbing or fashioning needle are made to
recede simultaneously, until the newly formed loop is transferred from the end of
the auxiliary on to the fashioning or ribbing needle.
The auxiliary instrument is then withdrawn from over the latch of the fashioning
or ribbing needle, which allows the tumbler a liberty to close, which it does on the
needle being drawn further back, causing the old loop to slide over the end of the
needle, whilst the new loop is secured inside the hook.
Another method of making improved loops upon ribbing or fashioning needles
by the assistance of the aforementioned auxiliary instrument is as follows:
Instead of the loops being formed by the frame needle laying the thread across the
auxiliary instrument, I cause the ribbing or fashioning needles to draw their own
thread from the bobbins alternately with the frame needles. For this purpose I use
a similar auxiliary instrument as before described, minus the shoulder or upward
projection b. The loop on the fashioning or ribbing needle turns back the latch a,
and the auxiliary needle is moved over the end, ás previously mentioned; but when
the loop is transferred from off the latch a on to the stem of the needle, both the
ribbing (or fashioning) and the auxiliary needle are withdrawn simultaneously, and
when the old loop has raised the tumbler a up to the underside of the auxiliary,
and the thread is being laid across the upper part of the ribbing or fashioning
needle, the auxiliary instrument B is withdrawn, which allows the latch a to close.
At the same instant the fashioning or ribbing needle is suddenly drawn backwards
sufficiently to draw the required loop, before the thread gets locked by the
succeeding frame needle.
The requisite motion of the auxiliary needles is automatically produced during
the working of the machine by a peculiar shape of the cam or cam plate which
causes the to and fro motion of the fashioning needles. In the accompanying
drawings Figs. 1 and 1ª show such a cam plate, Fig. 1 being a bottom view and
Fig. 1a a cross section along line X-Y Fig. 1. The upward projection or butt a
of the fashioning needle works in the main race-way C, while the lug or butt 6t

page_text: formed on the auxiliary needle projects beyond the lug a into the auxinary
race-way D.
Instead of bringing the needles into direct contact with the cam-plate, (as
assumed in the drawing), vertical levers may be used for actuating both the
auxiliary and the ribbing or fashioning needles, such levers being pivoted either
above or below the plate in which the said needles slide, and actuated by suitable
cams either above or below the pivots of said levers, the object being to get the
fashioning or ribbing needles to draw their loops quicker. I will now describe
how the cams actuate the fashioning needles and the auxiliary instruments.
The butts of both the auxiliary instruments and the needles are conducted into
the race-way by the open mouthed end c, of the cams; they are next forced
inwardly until the loops upon the needles have turned back the latches to the
stems, the auxiliary instrument being forced to the back of the recess as in order
to allow the latches to turn back, see Figs 4 and 5. The auxiliary instrument is
next moved forward (while the fashioning needle remains with the old loop lying
across the latch), until the fore end lies over the end of the latch, as shown by
Fig 6. The upper cam d now pushes the butt of the auxiliary forward (and as
the butt was already in contact with the front of the recess as in the needle Jack,
it cannot go forward without taking the needle with it) until it reaches the
position, shown by Fig 7. Here the thread is laid across the fore end of the
auxiliary instrument, just in front of its shoulder, as soon as the preceding vertical
needle has obtained its loop, the adjustable cam still pushing the auxiliary
instrument inward (towards the axis of the needle cylinder) until it has drawn
sufficient thread from the bobbin to make the same sized loop as those formed by
the vertical needles, see Fig 8. During the inward motion the old loop has slid off
the latch of the needle on to the stem. After the succeeding vertical needle has
formed its loop, the fashioning needles may begin to move outward (later, if
desired, but not earlier). The lower inner cam (that is to say the inner edge of the
main race-way) next strikes against the inner edge of the needle butt a², which
causes the needle to recede from its extreme inward position (at this point the
cams do not act upon the butts of the auxiliary instrument, consequently the fore
end of the latter is not withdrawn from over the latch) until the end of the latch
arrives in front of the vertical needles, as shown by Fig. 9, by which time the new
loop has passed from off the auxiliary on to the latches. The upper inner cam of
the raceway (that is to say the inner edge of the auxiliary race-way) next operates:
upon the front of the butt b₁ of the auxiliary instrument (while the outer edge of
the main race-way prevents the needle butt from receding until after the latch is
liberated) so as to push the auxiliary outwards, until its fore end has been drawn
from over the latches, as shown by Fig. 10. Next the fashioning and the auxiliary
needle are simultaneously drawn further back, until the old loop has closed the
latch, and has been finally knocked over the end of the hook, while the new loop
is secured in the hook of the needle, as represented by Fig. 11. For the purpose
of diminishing the strain of the hose weight on the fashioning needles, I thicken
the vertical cylinder on the upper inner edge, or else I make the top of the
cylinder conical, that is to say higher on the inside, than where the vertical needles
draw their loops across the needle posts, so as to form an inner support for the
'needles.
If it is desired to fashion only a part of the circle of fabric, I only use a sector of
the conical or flat ring or dial plate which has as many grooves cut in the upper
surface as there are needles required to make the maximum width of fabric.
I arrange this sector to fit upon the machine bed as described in the specification
of my former patent N° 1836 of 1884 and so that it can be readily attached to or
removed from the machine. By its removal the hand obtains more room for
changing the needles. The cams or race-ways may be made adjustable by
converting a portion of the side of each raceway into a lever which can be turned.
inward or outward so as to alter the width of the raceway for the purpose of.
:

page_text: regulating the length of loops formed by the fashioning needles and also for
knocking over the said loops. In the accompanying drawings the knocking over
lever for regulating the strain upon the loops of the fashioning needles is pivoted
at and controlled by a shackle and screw and 1, while the lever for regulating
the amount of thread drawn from the bobbin by the auxiliary instrument is
pivoted at 3 and controlled by a shackle and screw and which serve for fixing
them in the desired position. The consecutive positions of a fashioning needle,
represented by Figs. 5 to 11 or the relative positions of the camplate are shown by
the radii 5 to 11.
In the machine described by the specification of my patent No 1836 of 1884
the latches of the fashioning needles are kept open, when required, by a curved
wire attached to the stationary yarn guide N, shown in Fig. 2 of the specification
N° 1836/1884.
By using the auxiliary needles or instruments the said stationary guard wire is
rendered unnecessary. In fact the auxiliary instruments may be adapted and used
for the sole purpose of keeping the latches open.
Having now shown how the auxiliary works in forming loops for my fashioning
needles, I will show how they assist in forming loops upon horizontal ribbing
needles, when such needles are made to work over the vertical needle guide posts
or otherwise. I preferably use an auxiliary instrument similar to that already
described. Just before the ribbing needles reach the yarn guide, the needles are
propelled, outwards by a cam acting upon the needle butts. After the loop has
turned back the latch, the fore end of the auxiliary is pushed over the end of the
latch, the cam still acting behind the butt of the auxiliary instrument, and the
front edge of the butt being in contact with the front end of the slot in the
needle Jack. As soon as the preceding frame needle has obtained its loop, both
the ribbing needle and the auxiliary instrument are pushed outward simultaneously.
until enough thread has been drawn from the bobbin to form the same sized loop
as those upon the vertical needles. After the succeeding vertical needle has
obtained its loop, the cams act upon the front edge of the butt of the ribbing
needle and cause it to recede inwardly, taking the auxiliary instrument with it.
After the needle has receded until the end of the open latch has passed the stems
of the vertical needles and the new loop has slid off the auxiliary on to the latch,
the upper part of the cams strike against the outer edge of the butt of the
auxiliary (while the needle butt is retained by the cam at the back), pushing it
inwardly, until the fore end is drawn off the latch of the needles. They are then
both forced back until the ribbing needle has turned its loop.
In the diagram figures 5 to 11 the amount of to and fro motion is somewhat
exaggerated, as will be seen by comparing with it the width of the recess a³, in
Figs. 2 and 4, which figures are drawn to a scale twice as large as that of Figs 1
and 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In circular latch-needle knitting machines
1. The combination with the frame needles, ribbing or fashioning needles, and
mechanism for operating the said needles, of auxiliary needles or instruments
situated above the ribbing or fashioning needles, and mechanism for imparting to
the auxiliary instruments a periodical to and fro motion along the ribbing or
fashioning needles, substantially as and for the purposes described.
.
2. The combination of a fashioning needle having at its rear end an upward
projection or butt, with an auxiliary instrument having at its rear end a butt
projecting beyond the butt of the fashioning needle, a cam plate forming two race-
ways, namely one for the butt of the fashioning needle and one for the butt of the
auxiliary needle, and means for imparting to the cam plate or to the needle a
rotary motion perpendicular to the axis of the needle, the rear end or Jack and

page_text: butt of the fashioning needle forming a recess adapted to guide the auxiliary
instrument and to render the motion of the needle and of the instrument partly
dependent upon each other, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The combination of a fashioning needle, with an auxiliary instrument having
an upward projection or shoulder, and means for imparting motion to the auxiliary
instrument, in the manner substantially as described.