IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry McNary, of Brooklyn, in the State of New
York, United States of America, but at present residing at Nottingham, in the
County of Nottingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINERY."
ealed the 15th August 1879, and dated the 14th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry McNary at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th May 1879.
WILLIAM HENRY MONARY, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States
of America, but at present residing at Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates to improvements in knitting machines of the class described
in the Patent granted to A. M. Clarke, 24th January 1878, No. 315, as a communi-
cation from the present applicant, the main object of the present improvements being
to construct straight machines capable of working at high speed for producing selvage
piece goods.
In the Specification of the above named Patent it is remarked that the needles
"instead of being mounted in a ring may be mounted in a line on a rack bar," to
which a step by step motion would have to be given, in order to knit on the system
therein described.
In a machine thus constructed the operation of knitting could only be performed
at a very moderate speed. Now in order to attain a high speed in knitting I
propose to give a traversing step by step motion to the yarn guides and presser, and
a vertical up and down motion only to the needles. I also propose to give an
improved smooth noiseless and adjustable motion to the "wiper."
The step by step traverse motion of the presser bar is obtained from a switch
wheel carried by a cam shaft which receives its motion from a driving shaft mounted
at one end of the machine.
This cam shaft carries cranks at its ends, which by connecting rods give motion
to a rock shaft mounted below the table of the machine, and from this rock shaft
the needle bar, mounted in vertical guides, receives a reciprocating vertical
motion.
The presser is a flat bar extending in front of the row of vertical needles, and
somewhat short of the length of that row, say, from one to six inches. The acting

page_text: edge of this presser bar is rounded, and the bar is mounted upon a horizontal guide
formed on the framing of the machine. The yarn guide slide, furnished with the
required number of yarn tubes, according to the length of the presser, is mounted
upon the presser bar in guides, and held to the presser bar by pressure springs so
as to be capable of an independent motion thereon. The presser bar receives a step
by step motion from the switch wheel through a toothed wheel which geers into
rack teeth on the presser bar. The direction of this motion is governed and its
amount made adjustable by tappets carried upon a sliding bar mounted in bracket
standards in rear of the switch wheel. This bar has a rack at its edge in geer with
the switch wheel from which it receives a step by step motion until one or other of
the tappets carried by the bar comes into the path of the buttons of the switch,
which, acting upon the switch, will change its position and the direction of motion
of the presser and yarn guides.
The required change of position of the yarn guides upon the presser at every
change of direction in the step by step motions of the presser to ensure all the
needles upon which the presser is to act being lapped with yarn is obtained in a
similar manner to that described in the above mentioned Patent, but in an opposite
direction;
thus a forked rock lever is mounted in a central position on the machine,
one end is pivotted to the yarn guide slide, and the forked end embraces the switch
wheel and is operated by the projecting corner of the switch at each change of
position.
The "wiper" for pulling the newly knitted loops tight is composed of elastic
fingers secured to a plate which is adjustably attached to and carried by lever arms
from a horizontal rock shaft. which receives a timed rocking motion from grooved
cams on the cam shaft, thus communicating a vertical motion to the wiper. This
rock shaft is carried upon vertical arms pivotted to the table of the machine, and
they receive a rocking motion (for the purpose of giving the forward and backward
motion to the wiper) from links pivotted to the arms and at their opposite ends to
vertical carved rock levers which carry bowles that enter grooves in the face of
cams on the cam shaft.
The bowles of the curved rock levers are adjustable in curved slots, and the
connecting links or rods between the curved rock levers and the vertical arms
carrying the fulcrum of the wiper levers are also adjustable in curved slots in the
vertical arms, in order that any desired length of stroke may be obtained with great
exactness.
The mechanism for operating the wiper is applicable also to circular machines of
the class above named.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry MoNary in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
November 1879.
WILLIAM HENRY MENARY, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States
of America, but at present residing at Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates to improvements in knitting machinery of the class
described in the Patent granted to Alexander Melville Clark, Twenty-fourth January,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy eight, No. 315 (as a communication from
Almet Reed, of the City and State of New York, in the United States of America),
the main objects of the present improvements being to construct straight machines
capable of working at a high speed for producing selvage piece goods. In the
Specification of the above named Patent it was remarked that the needles, "instead
of being mounted in a ring may be mounted in a line on a rack bar," to which a
step-by step motion would have to be given, in order to knit on the system therein
described. In a machine thus constructed the operation of knitting could only be
performed at a very moderate speed. Now in order to attain a high speed in
knitting I propose to give a traversing step-by step motion to the yarn guides and
presser, and a vertical up and down motion only to the needles. I also propose to
give an improved smooth, noiseless, and adjustable motion to the "wiper." The
step-by step traverse notion of the presser bar is obtained from the ordinary switch
wheel carried by a cam shaft which receives its motion from a driving shaft mounted
at one end of the machine.
To the ends of this cam shaft I now fit cranks which by connecting rods give
motion to a rock shaft mounted below the table of the machine, and from this rock
shaft the needle bar mounted in vertical guides receives a reciprocating vertical
motion. The presser is a flat bar extending in front of the row of vertical needles,
and somewhat short of the length of that row, say, from one to six inches. The
acting edge of this presser is rounded, and the bar is mounted upon a horizontal
guide formed on the framing of the machine. The yarn guide slide, furnished with
the required number of yarn tubes, according to the length of the presser, is mounted
upon the presser bar in guides, and held to the presser bar by pressure springs so as
to move therewith and be capable of receiving an independent motion thereon. The
presser bar receives a step by step motion from the switch wheel through a toothed
wheel which gears into rack teeth on the presser bar. The direction of this motion
is governed and its amount made adjustable by tappets carried upon a sliding bar
mounted in bracket standards in rear of the switch wheel. This bar has a rock at
its edge in gear with the switch wheel from which it receives a step by step motion
until one or other of the tappets carried by the bar comes into the path of the
buttons of the switch wheel, which, acting upon the switch, will change its position
and consequently the direction of motion of the presser and yarn guides.
The required change of position of the yarn guides upon the presser at every
change of direction in the step by step motion of the presser, to ensure all the
needles upon which the presser is to act, being lapped with yarn, is obtained in a
similar inanner to that described in the above mentioned Patent, but in an opposite
direction. Thus a forked rock lever is mounted in a central position on the machine,
one end is connected to the yarn guide slide, and the forked end embraces the switch
wheel, and is operated by the projecting corner of the switch at each change of the
position of the switch.
The "wiper" (for pulling the newly knitted loops tight) is composed, as heretofore,
of elastic fingers secured to a plate adjustably attached to and carried by lever arms.
These arms I now connect with a horizontal rock shaft which receives a timed
rocking motion from grooved cams on the cam shaft, thus communicating a vertical
motion to the wiper. This rock shaft is carried upon vertical arms pivotted to the

page_text: table of the machine, and these arms receive a rocking motion (for the purpose of
giving the forward and backward motion to the wiper) from links pivotted to the
arms, and at their opposite ends to vertical curved rock levers which carry bowles
that enter grooves in the face of cams on the cam shaft. The bowles of these curved
rock levers are adjustable in curved slots, and the connecting links or rods between
the curved rock levers, and the vertical arms carrying the fulcrum of the wiper
levers are also adjustable in curved slots in the vertical arms, in order that any
desired length of stroke may be obtained with great exactness.
In Sheet I. Fig. 1 is an end view of the machine, and Fig. 2 a back elevation of a
portion of the machine shewing the manner of supplying the machine with yarns
from a warp beam and bobbins. Fig. 3, Sheet II., is an end elevation of the machine
on a larger scale. Fig. 4, Sheet III., is a plan view of the right hand end of the
machine. Fig. 5, Sheet IV., a plan view of the central portion of the machine.
Fig. 6, Sheet V., is a partial front view of the machine; and Figures 7 and 8,
Sheets VI. and VII., are cross sections taken on the lines 1, 2, and 3, 4, of Fig. 5,
Sheet IV. A is a table or bed plate of the machine, upon which the whole of the
mechanism is carried. A¹, A', are standards supporting the table A.
B is the needle bar carrying a series of bearded needles b secured to the bar by
their shanks in the usual manner. This bar is fitted at its end with sockets b', which
fit into guide rods 62 standing up from the table, and slide freely thereon. C is a
horizontal bar provided at its inner edge with vertical grooves c to receive the
bearded needles b which slide up and down in them. This bar acts as a retaining
bar for the work, and is carried by bracket standards affixed to the table A.
D is
the presser bar, mounted so as to slide freely on the top of a longitudinal rib A²
standing up from the bed plate A. E is the yarn guide slide, mounted on the
presser bar, and carrying the tubular yarn guides e. F, F, are the yarn feed rollers,
mounted in suitable standards. G is the wiper for putting a drag on the work, and
H, H, are the rollers for taking up the work as it is knitted.
The needle bar B receives a vertical reciprocating motion from a rock shaft B¹,
mounted in bracket bearings pendant from the underside of the table A; it is con-
nected by short links to arms B* keyed to the rock shaft. This rock shaft receives
its motion in the following manner :-A longitudinal cam shaft I, mounted on bear-
ings on the table of the machine, is driven by the spur gear i, i, from the main shaft
J, also mounted longitudinally in bearings on the table A, and provided with fast
and loose pulleys.
At each end of the cam shaft I are crank pins B2 coupled by connecting rods to
the rear arms Bs of the rock shaft B'. The coupling pins of these link rods enter
curved slots in the arms B³, which admit of their adjustment to lengthen or shorten
the stroke of the needles. This permits of the increased motion being gained wholly
at the lower part of the stroke of the needle bar.
The presser bar D extends six or more needles short of the row of needles in the
machine, and to make a good fit on the longitudinal rib A³, which supports it, it is
rebated on its underside, and is formed with a flanged edge at its rear to enter a
longitudinal groove on the ribs A². The acting edge of the presser bar requiring to
be of tempered steel, the bar is conveniently made up of short lengths joined by
bracket pieces attached on the underside, which are received in a groove formed in
the rib for that purpose.
The yarn guide slide Ę is a bar with a flanged front and back edge. The flange
at the front carries the tubes e, one for each needle that is in work, and the rear of
flange fits over the rear edge of the presser bar (on which it lies loosely) and enters
the groove in the rib A². The yarn slide is held down on the presser by means of
locking springs e¹ and bracket guides e² attached by screws to the back of the rib
A² (see Fig. 4, Sheet III.). These brackets are bent over the top of the slides, and,
entering slots made in the slide, bear on the top of the presser bar.
The central part of the rear edge of the presser carries rack teeth d (see Fig. 5,
Sheet 1V.), in which gears the wheel K mounted on a vertical stud pin k supported
from the table A. This wheel K receives a slow axial motion alternately in oppo-

page_text: site directions from the switch wheel. This switch wheel is shewn at Las mounted
on the cam shaft I; it is provided with buttons 7 for alternately reversing (by their
tipping action) the position of the switch.
M is a horizontal sliding bar, mounted in bracket standards M' (see Figures 7, 9,
and 10, Sheet VI.), carried by the table A immediately in rear of the switch
wheel L. This bar M has rack teeth at its front edge which gear with the switch
wheel, and it carries on its upper side two adjustable tappets m that extend towards
the switch wheel, and are brought into the path of the button alternately to
reverse the direction of the switch by the step by step motion of the bar M. The
distance apart of the tappets m is determined by the length of traverse it is desired
to give to the warp threads. A similar step by step motion is also communicated
to the presser bar D from the switch wheel L for the purpose of shifting its pressing
action on the row of needles and allowing it to reach, say, one needle more to the
right, while it leaves one needle to the left which was pressed during the last
descent of the needle bar B.
The yarn guide slide E being carried by the presser bar D will lay the thread
under the beards of those needles only which are covered by or in front of the
presser D. Previous to the change of direction of the step by step motion of the
presser bar D a change of position of the yarn guides E is required so as to present
the yarn to all those needles upon which at their next descent the presser is
intended to act. This change of position of the yarn guide slide E is obtained in
the following manner-N is a rock lever, pivotted at n to the underside of a
bracket screwed to the bed plate. The forward end of this rock lever lies between
a pair of adjustable tappets carried by the slide E, and its rear end is forked and
bent down so as to pass under the cam shaft and extend to the rear of the
switch wheel, which it embraces. The width between the prongs of this fork is
such as to allow of the switch acting alternately on either prong, and thus imparting
a rocking motion to the lever N at every shifting of the switch, and consequently
an endway motion to the thread guide slide E. The lever N will at each change
move the yarn slide laterally in the required direction (as shewn in the plan view,
Fig. 5, Sheet IV.).
To provide against the rebound of the rock lever N its prongs are so shaped that
the switch when acting upon them shall remain in contact therewith an appreciable
time, and thereby neutralize all tendency for the lever to move until again acted
upon by the switch.
The wiper G which advances and takes hold of the work immediately before the
beards of the needles arrive at the presser bar in their descent and hold it firmly
upon the bar C is composed of elastic fingers g (see Fig. 8, Sheet VII.), secured to a
plate G', carried by the lever arins O from the horizontal rock shaft P, the plate G¹
being attached adjustably to the ends of the arms by screwed nuts o, o. This wiper
is advanced to the work and drawn down to put a drag upon the work, and thereby
pull over the last formed loops by the following means:-The rock shaft P is carried
upon vertical arms Q pivotted to a bracket on the table of the machine. These
arms receive a rocking motion (for the purpose of giving a forward and backward
motion to the wiper) from links R pivotted to the arms Q, and at their opposite
ends to vertical curved rock levers S, which carry bowles & that enter grooves in the
face of the cams T, T, on the cam shaft I (see the plan view, Fig. 5, Sheet IV.). The
bowles 8 are adjustable in the curved slots of the rock levers S, and the connecting
links R are also adjustable in the curved slots made in the vertical arms Q
vertical motion of the wiper G is obtained from the grooved cams T', T', on the cam
shaft I acting upon the bowle of the lever arm O₁, and communicating a rocking
motion to the rock shaft P. It will thus be seen that any desired length of stroke
of the wiper may be obtained with great facility and exactness, and a smooth and
efficient motion is thereby ensured.
8
The
The yarn or threads which are to be supplied to the machine at a uniform rate
by the feed rollers are wound upon the beam U, carried in bracket bearings from
the standards A³ (see Fig. 2, Sheet I.), but the selvage threads are carried upon the

page_text: bobbins V, mounted on stud axles and weighted to obtain the necessary tension in
the usual or any convenient manner. These threads are led up over the guide rod W
and guide brackets X (without passing between the feed rollers), and thence to their
respective yarn tubes e. The remaining threads all pass over the guide rod W, and
through the slay and between the feed roller, and thence to the tubes e of the yarn
guide. In cases where the traverse of the yarn guides is less than three needles,
part of the selvage threads or the whole of them may be passed between the feed
rollers. The knitted work as it is drawn over the edge of the bar C by the action of
the wiper G is taken up by the rollers H, H', and delivered out of the machine.
The lower roller H' is driven by means of bevil gear h, h', see Fig. 3ª, Sheet II. The
bevil wheel h¹ is carried at the end of an inclined shaft H2, mounted in a swivel
bearing at its lower end (as seen best in Fig. 6, Sheet V.), and at its upper end in a
bearing adjustable in a quadrant slotted bracket, which adapts the shaft for receiving
at the upper end a worm wheel of any desired diameter. This worm wheel gears
into a switch wheel H³ mounted on the outer end of a short shaft having its bearing
on the standard A³. To the inner end of this shaft a spur wheel ¹ is keyed, which
gears into a similar spur wheel on the main shaft J, and thus rotary motion is
transmitted to the lower take up roller H. By the side of the spur wheel i¹ is
keyed a spur wheel which gears with the train of change gear 1 to 6, the last gear
wheel 6 being upon the lower fluted feed roller F. The upper roller (covered with
some elastic substance) is removeable at pleasure, its journals being mounted in open
guide ways, the requisite pressure being given by the spring lever Fº.
Having described the construction of my improved machine, I will proceed to
explain (by the aid of a series of diagrams) the mode of its working. Sheet V. shews
a series of diagrams which illustrate the respective positions taken by the selvage
needles, the yarn guides and the presser driving the knitting of six successive rows
of loops, or six rotations of the cam shaft, the tappets M of the sliding bar M being
set to give a traverse of the threads the distance of three needles.
On the switch of the switch wheel being shifted by one of the tappets m striking
the button 7 of the switch wheel L, as before explained, the switch as it passes
through the prongs of the fork N will cause the yarn guides to be moved in the
direction of the arrow in diagram 1, thus changing the respective position of the
yarn guides and presser, so that when they move together the yarn guides will be
one needle in advance of the presser. This action takes place when the needles are
rising from their lowest position and the threads are slack. When the needles in
rising have brought the beards above the level of the yarn guides, the switch will
pass through the teeth of the wheel K, which is in gear with the rack teeth of the
presser, and the yarn guides and presser will be moved together from the position
of diagram 1 to that of diagram 2, laying the thread 1 under the beard of the needle
2, while the end of the presser will not now cover the needle 1. Diagram 3 shews
the presser and yarn guides traversed the distance of another needle in the direction
of the arrow during the next revoluion of the cam shaft, the thread 1 being thereby
laid under the beard of the needle 3. At the same time, the end of the presser
uncovering or leaving the needle 2, the needle 3 will hold the outside loop knitted
at the next descent of the needles. Diagram 4 shews the needles at their lowest posi-
tion, at which time, the switch having been shifted, the rock lever N will have
moved the yarn guides to the right to set them again in advance of the now changed
direction of the travel of the presser. At the next revolution of the cam shaft the
presser and yarn guides will move together in the opposite direction, that is, in that
of the arrow (see diagram 5), and the thread will be laid under the beard of the
needle 2, which will be again covered by the presser. Diagram 6 shews the position
of the parts at the next revolution of the cam shaft, the thread 1 being laid under
the beard of the needle 1, and the presser covering this needle, as at diagram 1.
Diagram 7 shews the needles at their lowest position, the outside knitted loop on
the right hand side being now completed on the needle 1. These operations being
repeated, the threads will be knitted with a traverse in alternate directions of three
needles.

page_text: From the foregoing it will be understood that by readjusting the tappets on the
bar M the end way traverse of the thread guides and presser may be extended to the
distance of four, five, or more needles, as desired; thus a twill of any desired incli-
nation may be thrown at pleasure into the work.
I would here remark that the mechanism above described for actuating the bar
which carries the elastic fingers composing the wiper is equally applicable to circular
machines of the class above named, the connection of that bar with a moving
fulcrum facilitating the transmission thereto of a positive duplex reciprocating
motion unaffected by vibrations, which are consequent on the use of spring pressure,
as beretofore employed.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Knitting Machinery," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letrers Patent I
claim,
Firstly. The arrangement of machinery above described, whereby selvaged piece
goods may be produced with great rapidity, and a twill thrown into the work when
required.
Secondly. The application to circular knitting machines of the class above
indicated of the mechanism above described for operating the " wiper" of such
machines.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry McNary, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. H. MONARY: (L.S.)