IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Lowe, Machinist, and John William
Lamb, Manufacturer, both of Nottingham, in the County of
Nottingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINERY."
"
Sealed the 22nd February 1876, and dated the 8th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Lowe and
John William Lamb at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 8th December 1875.
We, SAMUEL LOWE, Machinist, and JOHN WILLIAM LAMB, Manu-
5facturer, both of Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING
MACHINERY," to be as follows :-

page_text: employed for this purpose is applicable chiefly to rotary machines of the
class known as "
cottons," to the ordinary rib machine, and to the
ordinary well-known jack and sinker rotary knitting machine.
Secondly. To mechanisms for producing automatically during the
knitting operation embroidery work similar to the hand work known as
"chevening."
"
It is well known that in order to produce longitudinal striped work
in knitting machines, it is necessary to provide means for uniting the
different colored stripes during the knitting operation, and desirable to
do it in such manner that the whole width of knitted work shall be of
uniform thickness. Of the several modes in use in the "hand frame
for joining up the stripes, we prefer to adopt the plan of laying the
thread for each course so as to exceed the width of the stripe on
opposite sides alternately, and we have therefore designed automatic
mechanism which will unite or join up in one common width of knitted
web the stripes as they are produced. But our automatic mechanism is
equally applicable to the uniting in another manner of longitudinal
stripes of knitted work. Thus the thread carriers in laying the thread
to form the stripes may be caused to, traverse a distance in excess of
the width of the stripe on both sides at every course, and thereby double
loop all the outside needles of the stripes. This mode is more par-
ticularly applicable to the production of longitudinal stripes on ribbed
fabrics.
"
When applying the first part of our Invention' to machines of the
"* cotton
class, we mount a series of thread carrier bars (say 4 or
more) one above the other on a line slightly inclined from the vertical
towards the back of the machine. The number of these bars will vary
with the work in hand. They are carried in guides bolted to the slur
bar or other fixed part of the frame of the machine. At the back of
these carrier bars is mounted a friction bar, which is driven from the
slur box, as usual; the ends of this friction bar carry cross heads or
drivers, which are formed in two parts hinged together. These drivers
are fitted with set screws which bear against the ends of the carrier bars
and thus enable them to be adjusted endwise. To these carrier bars are
attached a number of thread carriers which are arranged in front of the
old carriers so as to move in different planes therefrom, the number of
carriers being more or less according to the number of stripes in the

page_text: work, and they may be distributed amongst the carrier bars in the
following manner :-The two lowest of the series of carrier bars are
each fitted with one carrier, which carrier serves to lay the threads for
the selvage stripes. These two bars are so mounted on the cross heads
of the friction bars as to be capable of being stopped in their traverse
motion by a stop of the ordinary kind carried on the narrowing slide.
But when the narrowing of the web to be knitted exceeds the amount
of traverse of the two outer carriers, it will be necessary to mount two
other adjoining bars in a similar manner, and so on with as many bars
as may be necessary to reduce the width of the work the desired
amount. The other thread carriers are distributed amongst the remain-
ing bars, their disposition being determined by the amount of traverse.
The amount of traverse motion to be imparted to the carrier bars
(dependent on the width of stripe required) is determined by the
position of angle pieces or tappets on the back of the friction bar,
between which the V shaped head of a rock lever operated by a cam on
the cam shaft is brought to act as a stop and arrest the motion of the
friction bar. By alternately raising and lowering this V shaped stop at
each succeeding course, the traverse of the thread carriers will be
varied. Thus, the thread of one stripe will be laid over one or more
needles of the adjoining stripe to the right, and then over one or more
needles of the adjoining stripe to the left, and the uniting of the stripes
will thereby be effected.
When the work has been knitted to the point at which the heel is to
commence in order to make the instep at the same time as the heel, it
is necessary to divide tho work into three selvaged pieces or widths;
this is effected by the removal of certain needles. One way of auto-
matically effecting this is to mount suitably shaped instruments upon a
rocking bar or frame and cause them to be thrust forward against those
.needles which have been selected as the place of division and hold them
back or away from the thread carrier, so that the thread which is to be
laid for the following course shall be laid in front of these needles in
place of around them, and thus cause them when released to be without
a thread, thus a separation of the web into three parts with selvaged
edges is produced.
In order to tighten the thread on the selvage we cut one of the
sinkers shorter than the others, by which means a slack selvage is pre-
vented. Or the removal of the needles may be effected by so mounting.

page_text: them as to allow of their being automatically slidden down out of the
way.
In order to extend the capabilities of the machine, we propose to
have a separate carrier bar for each thread carrier; stops will then be
arranged so as to arrest the traverse of the outer thread carriers of each a
portion of the web so as to produce a selvage at the place of division,
while the extra traverse for the joining up of the stripes of each portion
will proceed as before. When the knitting of the heel is completed,
and the two or four lowermost of the carrier bars have been operated
by the narrowing apparatus to the extent desired, the hinged portions 1
of the cross heads or carrier bar drivers are to be thrown back, so as to
allow of those thread carriers which have been used in knitting the
heels remaining stationary, while those at the middle of the division
forming the instep continue their work, as before, until a sufficient
length has been knitted.
When stripes of unequal width are to be knitted two friction bars
furnished with friction apparatus are employed and connected with the
slur box as before. Each of these bars has suitable tappets attached to
it, between which tappets the heads of two V shaped stops are caused to
act, as before described. In this case the thread carrier bars for the
narrow stripes will be connected with one friction bar, and the thread
carriers for the wide stripes with the other friction bar.
When applying the Invention to the ordinary rotary rib machine for
the purpose of producing ribbed work with longitudinal stripes, we
provide the machine with the requisite number of carrier bars and each
bar with the required number of thread carriers, supplying the same
with two or more colored threads, and to the thread carriers.we give a
traverse that will ensure the proper overlaying of the threads at each
course. For this purpose we mount the carrier bars in guides or
hanging checks carried by a swinging frame pivotted to a bracket on
the front of the machine, and we give to it a rocking motion by a lever
and cam on the cam shaft in order to cause the thread carriers to pass
through the needles when the thread is laid for the required width of
stripe. The traverse motion is obtained from horizontal or vertical
Ievers (according to the construction of the machine) operated by a cam
on the cam shaft, the inner ends of these levers are provided with
adjustable tappets which may be set at varying distances from the ends

page_text: of the carrier bars to communicate more or less traverse to the bars
(according to the width of the stripe desired). A dwell is provided in the
motion of the traversing levers to allow the thread carriers to descend
through the needles; their traverse motion is then resumed (below the
needles) until they have passed one or more needles. In order to form
the succeeding course the thread carriers will rise through the needles
beyond the stripe and lay the thread up to the opposite edge of the
stripe, and they then again fall through the line of needles. The
extended traverse below the needles will take place at every succeeding
course but at opposite sides of the stripe, and thus a complete joining up
of the stripes will be effected.
The traverse motion we prefer to give to the carrier bars by means of
a friction bar or bars in the manner described with reference to the first
part of this Specification, and this friction apparatus we may traverse
by means of a lever operated by a cam on the cam shaft or on a supple-
mentary shaft, or the traverse of the carriers may be arranged so as to
double loop certain of the needles at the edge of the stripes, which double
loop being arranged to be knitted by the machine needles the extra
thickness will be thrown to the back.
The plan described with reference to the rotary ribbed machine is
equally applicable to the ordinary jack and sinker rotary machine for
the production of longitudinal stripes in straight work.
The second head of our Invention applies to both straight and
fashioned work.
When embroidering straight work according to this part of our In-
vention after the manner of chevening, we make use of the ordinary
narrowing apparatus of the cotton machine, on which we mount
additional points for embroidering, and so time the counting apparatus
as to bring the narrowing apparatus into operation after every knitted
course. We also disconnect its traversing mechanism so as to cause the
points to descend and lift one or more of the loops from the needles at
every course. While the loops are raised from the needles a thread
carrier is brought down and shogged to lay a thread across these selected
needles below and underneath the narrowing points and in front of the
beards of these needles. The needles sink over the knocking-over bits
at the time that the narrowing points are pressing them back, and the
shot thread will be rolled over to the back of the needles by the delivery.

page_text: and replacement of the loops in their old positions, thus causing the
shot thread to appear in front of the work.
The carrier bar or bars of this mechanism are mounted on a frame
that is rocked by a cam to raise or lower it at the proper time, and the
carrier bar is shogged the required distance by being connected by a rod
to a vertical rock lover acted on by a tappet wheel, which wheel is
carried upon a standard at any convenient part of the machine and
operated by a ratchet and pawl; but when it is desired to combine this
mode of embroidering with the production of fashioned hosiery the points
for removing the loops for the shot thread are mounted on a separate bar
from that which carries the narrowing points, though it may be carried
from the same rock shaft, the narrowing points may therefore be locked
out at both sides of the division, while the points for embroidering work
from the commencement of the hose. On arriving at the "narrowings"
both sets of points may work together.
In order that the narrowing points may only be brought into action
when required for use we provide for the displacement of these points
and their return to their working position when the narrowing is to be
effected, at the same time keeping the embroidering points constantly in
action. To adapt the counting apparatus of the machine to this class
of work it is provided with a suitable band so as to throw the narrowing
cams into action at the finish of every course for the purpose of laying
in the shot thread, and a pattern cam is mounted at one end of the
machine to hold out of action the pawle which operates the ratchet of
the narrowing slides, and thus the time of their traverse is determined.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Lowe and John William Lamb in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
Lowe, Machinist, and John William LaMB, Manufacturer, both of
Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the

page_text: thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Samuel Lowe and John
William Lamb, Her special licence that we, the said Samuel Lowe
and John William Lamb, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Samuel Lowe and John William
Lamb, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Samuel Lowe and John William
Lamb, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause tho
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Lowe, on behalf of
myself and of the said John William Lamb, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereọn (that is to
say) :-
==
This Invention has firstly for its object the production of longitudinal
or "downright" stripes of knitted work automatically in straight and
fashioned hosiery; the mechanism employed for this purpose is appli-
cable chiefly to rotary machines of the class known as "Cotton's," but
also to the ordinary rotary rib machine.
Secondly. To mechanism for producing automatically during the
knitting operation vertical or downright stripes in embroidery work
similar to the hand work known as "chevening."
It is well known that in order to produce longitudinal stripes
of knitted work in knitting machines it is necessary to provide
means for uniting the different colored stripes during the knitting

page_text: operation, and it is desirable to do this in such manner that the
whole width of knitted work shall be of uniform thickness. Of the
several modes in use in the "hand frame" for joining up the stripes
we prefer to adopt the plan of laying the thread for each course so as to
exceed the width of the stripe on opposite sides alternately, and we
have therefore designed automatic mechanism, which will unite or join
up in one common width of knitted web the stripes as they are pro-
duced; but our automatic mechanism is equally applicable to the
uniting in another manner of longitudinal stripes of knitted work.
Thus the thread carriers in laying the thread to form the stripes
may be caused to traverse a distance in excess of the width of the stripe
on both sides at every course, and thereby double loop all the outside
needles of the stripes. This mode is more particularly applicable to the
production of longitudinal stripes on ribbed fabrics.
When applying the first part of our Invention to machines of the
"cotton" class we mount a series of thread carrier bars (say four or
more) one above the other on a line slightly inclined from the vertical;
the number of these bars will vary with the work in hand. They are
carried in guides bolted to the slur bar or other fixed part of the frame
of the machine. At the back of these thread carrier bars is mounted a
driving bar for operating the thread carrier bars, and it receives its
motion from the slur box as usual.
Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings illustrates one mode of
arranging and working the thread carriers to produce striped work on
the "cotton " machine.
Fig. 1 shews in transverse sectional elevation so much of a "cottons"
knitting machine fitted with our improvements for striping as will serve
to explain the action of the mechanism; Fig. 2 is a partial front
elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the like
parts.
In these Figures A is the slur bar carrying by means of brackets A¹ a
longitudinal bar A³, which serves to support a series of guides A³, in
which the thread carrier bars C slide freely; B is the slur box con-
nected by an arm B' to the friction box D* of the driving bar D. The
carriers of these bars lay the threads for the striped work in front of the
bearded needles E, but the threads for the plain work are laid by the
ordinary carriers O*. The driving bar D (Fig. 3) which serves to work

page_text: the carrier bars C, C, slides in brackets D' bolted to the longitudinal
bar A. The ends of this driving bar D carry cross heads or drivers,
which are formed in two parts D³, D³, hinged together. These cross
heads are fitted with set screws d which bear against the ends of the
3 carrier bars, and thus enable them to be adjusted endwise. To these
carrier bars are attached a number of thread carriers c, which are
arranged in front of the old carriers C* so as to move in different planes
therefrom, the number of carriers being more or less according to the
number of stripes in the work, and they may be distributed amongst
the carrier bars in the following manner:-The two lowest of the
series of carrier bars C are each fitted with one carrier c, which carriers
serve to lay the threads for the selvage stripes. These two bars are
so connected with one or other of the cross heads of the driving bar as
to be capable of being stopped on their traverse motion by a stop of the
ordinary kind carried on the narrowing slide.
In Fig. 2 F is one of a pair of narrowing slides for limiting the
traverse of the selvage thread carriers; these slides are operated by
cams in the well-known manner. The carrier bars which are controlled
by these slides are connected respectively to one of the cross heads of the
driving bar D by means of a coiled spring c¹, and they are cach fitted
with a stop c² for the adjusting screw stop d of the cross head to strike
against. When the striping commences the selvage thread carriers arc
brought up to the edge of the work by advancing the narrowing slides
to the position shewn at Fig. 2. The driving bar D is then set in action
5 and the carrier bars are traversed to and fro a distance determined by
the width of stripe required. The return motion of the lower carrier
bar O is effected by the pull of the cross heads acting through the
springs c', with which they are connected. This elastic connection is
provided to allow of the narrowing slides gradually limiting the traverso
> of the lower carrier bars, and ultimately throwing their carriers out of
action. But when the narrowing of the web to be knitted exceeds the
amount of traverse of the two outermost or selvage carriers it will be
necessary to control the motions of the bars of the two next adjacent
carriers in a similar manner, and so on, with as many bars and carriers
3 as may be necessary to reduce the width of the work the desired
amount. The amount of traverse motion to be imparted to the carrier
bars (dependent on the width of the stripe required) is determined by
the position of angle pieces or tappets d¹ fitted to the back of the

page_text: the thread carrier for joining up the stripes takes place at a later period
in the formation of the course, and when the ncedles are below the
level of the carriers. This we are enabled to do by providing a means
independent of the slur box for completing the traverse of the driving
bar.
Fig. 5, Sheet II., is a front elevation of the left hand end of a
"Cotton's "machine fitted with our modified arrangement of striping
apparatus; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 6° is a plan view of the additional traversing apparatus, which is
situate at that portion of the length of the machine that is supposed to
be broken away at Fig. 6; Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section taken in
a line 1, 2, of Fig. 5.
Fig. 8, Sheet III., is a front elevation of the right-hand end of the
machine; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 10, Sheet IV., is a transverse section taken in the line 3, 4, of
Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 11 is a
transverse section on the line 5, 6, of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of
the arrow, and shewing in side view the additional traversing apparatus
represented in plan in Fig. 6*.
In these views 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, are the striping thread carrier
bars and carriers mounted in guides A, which are made fast to a
longitudinal bar A' supported by brackets A² on the slur bar A³.
The bars number 1* and number 2* are the ordinary carrier bars
mounted on the slur box A*, and receiving motion directly therefrom as
usual. B are the needles; C, the sinkers; and D, the "knocking over
bits; all of which operate in the usual manner.
Standing up from the connecting bar of the slur boxes are two
arms A, each of which carries a fixed guide for receiving a sliding
bolt a, a, by which the motion of the slur cock is transmitted to the
bars which drive the thread carrier bars; these sliding bolts are
provided with handles for moving them up and withdrawing them
from their respective driving bars E, E', which are provided with
cheeks e between which the bolts project, the 'cheeks being set apart
sufficiently far to enable the driving bars to receive a slight endway
motion, after the bolts which are traversed by the slur cock have

page_text: completed their traverse for the purpose to be hereafter explained :-
The lower bar E carries at its opposite ends (see Figures 6, 8*, and 9)
slotted cross heads to receive studs projecting from the back of the
friction boxes F, which are mounted on the several striping carrier bars
for the purpose of imparting an endway motion thereto. The cross
head at the left-hand end of the bar E receives the studs of the friction
boxes of the carrier bars 1, 3, 5, and 7, and the cross head at the
opposite end of the bar E receives the friction box studs of the bars 2
and 4; consequently all these bars will move together and lay their
threads in front of the needles, unless prevented from acting by the
narrowing stops. The upper driving bar E¹ is similarly provided at its
right-hand end with a slotted cross head to receive the friction box
studs of the carrier bars 6 and 8. This division of the carrier bars into
two groups, and the arrangement for driving the groups independently
of each other greatly facilitates the knitting of hose, as after tho
completion of the striped portion of the heel all the thread carriers used
in the knitting of the divided heel may be thrown out of action, by
simply drawing back the bolt a out of reach of the cheeks e of the
driver E.
In order to determine the amount of motion which the carriers shall a
receive for laying their threads in front of a given number of needles we
fit the carrier bars with pairs of cheeks 9 (Figures 5 and 6) between
which a sliding bolt G is thrust in time to arrest the further motion of
the thread carrier bars. This will be best understood by reference to
Sheet V., which shews in detail and in full size the stopping and extra 2
driving apparatus as applied to the thread carrier bars.
Figure 12 is a partial plan view of the carrier bars and their fittings,
with the sliding bolt G drawn out of position to allow the bars to
complete their traverse.
Figure 18 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the sliding bolt and 3
carrier bars.
Figure 14 is a partial front elevation of the thread carrier bars, shewing
the distribution of the carriers on the bars, the carriers being at the end
of their traverse motion.

page_text: Figure 16 is an edge view of another thread carrier bar; and Figure 16*
is a back view of the same.
The narrowing bars we prefer to fit with inclined cheeks g, but those
which are not used for narrowing may have parallel checks, as shewn at
g, Figure 16. As the bars all lie at different levels the head of the
sliding bolt G may be shaped in cross section to correspond with the
cheeks I of the several bars. Thus for stopping the narrowing bars the
bolt head will have chamfered sides, as at G, Figure 15, but for stopping
the other sides it will have parallel sides, as at G, Figure 16.
As the sliding bolt G determines the distances of traverse in either
direction of the carrier bars due to the action of the drivers E, E¹, it will
be understood that the cheeks g of each bar must be adjusted to suit
the width of stripe desired to be made by the several carriers. The
sliding bolt G is thrust into position so soon as the traverse of the thread
carrier bars is commenced, and it remains in that position until the
knocking off of the last formed course commences. The sliding bolt G
is carried in fixed guides G¹, and projecting from its side is a stud pin
for receiving a link G³, which connects with a crank lever G³ (see
Figure 10) pivotted to a fixed bracket.
Pendent from the lower end of the crank lever G³ is a rod G', which
is connected to one end of a rock lever G³, having its fulcrum on the
main framing, and carrying at its opposite end a bowle which bears upon
a cam Gº on the cam shaft, it being held in contact therewith by a coiled
spring. The cut of this cam will, as will be readily understood, cause
the advance movement of the sliding bolt G at the proper moment, and
its withdrawal from the carrier bars so soon as the course of work is
near its completion to allow of a further or additional traverse motion
for ensuring the overlapping of the threads at alternate sides of the
stripe for each course. For giving the thread carrier bars the additional
traverse a rocking driver E, Figures 6* and 11 is employed. The head
of this rocking driver is fitted with two V shaped pins (shewn best in
the full size view, Figure 17, Sheet V.), which are intended to act upon
pairs of inclined cheeks / carried by the driving bars E, E¹. These
cheeks are situate at such a distance apart that the traverse of the slur
box shall bring each cheek in turn into line with the rocking lever, so
as to present the inclined faces of the cheeks to their respective pins, as
shewn in Figure 18. If now the driver H is rocked to the position

page_text: shown in Figure 11 it will bear against the inclines of the driver bars
E, E¹, and force them in the direction of the arrow, Figure 18, to the
dotted position of that Figure.
When the drivers E, E', have been moved in the opposite direction by
the slur box the next upward rocking of the lever H will cause them
to move from the drawn position of Figure 19 to the dotted position of
that Figure, and the thread carriers will thereby be caused to move from
the dotted position of the diagrams, Figs. 20 and 21, Sheet VI., to the drawn
position of those Figures, thereby laying the thread at such an inclina-
tion that it will lie across the space between the dividing sinkers 6 and 7,
when the sinkers are moved forward (to bring the parts of the
knitting mechanism into the position to commence a new course) the
thread will enter the space between the sinkers 6 and 7. As the neb of
the adjoining jack sinker arrives at the thread it will pass under the thread
and push it into the space marked * in Figure 20.
To assist in guiding
the thread into this position we chamfer off the under side of the neb of
the dividing sinker 7, as shewn at Figures 20*, full sized at A, and the top
side of the neb of the two adjoining jack sinkers, as shewn at Figure B,
the ordinary form being shewn by the dotted lines. C is the ordinary
form of dividing sinker. At the next traverse the thread will be lapped
around the needle 1*, as shewn in the plan view, Figure 21. In the
opposite direction of traverse of the thread carriers the same guidance
will be afforded on the right band side of the dividing sinker 7. The
rocking driver H (see Figure 11) is pivotted to a fixed bracket, and pendent
from its rear end is a rod H', which connects with a rock lever H³,
having its filcrum on the main framing, and carrying at its free end a
bowle, which bears upon a cam H³ on the cam shaft. This cam is so
timed as to bring the rocking driver H into action while the knocking
over is taking place, and thus the additional traverse of the thread
carriers is effected while the needles are in a depressed position, and out
of the way of the threads.
It may be here well to explain that inasmuch as the traverse of the
thread carriers is limited to the width of stripe required, one pair of
carrier bars will not ordinarily suffice for the narrowing; it is therefore
desirable to enable the narrowing stops to act upon two pairs of carrying
bars in succession. A simple mode of effecting this is shewn at
Figures 22, 23, and 24, Sheet VI., Figure 22 being a front, and Figure 23
a side elevation of a stop at the left-hand end of the machine, and Figure 24

page_text: a side elevation of a stop at the right-hand end of the machaine. In
these Figures I is the narrowing slide carrying the bracket-shaped
standard I', which is advanced as usual by the well-known narrowing
mechanism. In the upper or horizontal face of this bracket standard is
fitted a sliding bar 12, which carries at its outer end a screw stop i, and
at its other end a handle . The screw i of the left-hand stop (see
Figures 22 and 23) when in position for working is in line with the end
of the thread carrier bar 1, and the corresponding screw stop of the
standard at the other end of the machine is in line with the thread
carrier bar 2. As these stops are advanced simultaneously at the
properly determined rate they will narrow the work, and eventually put
the carrier bars 1 and 2 out of action. To continue the narrowing it
will be necessary to bring the narrowing stops into action upon a second
pair of thread carrier bars 3 and 4, and to allow of this there is fitted in
the vertical face of the bracket standards I' slides I³. These slides I³
carry each a screw stop i in line respectively with the thread carrier
bars 3, 4. Before however these screw stops can be brought into action
thic screw stops of the slides I must be drawn out of line with their
respective thread carrier bars, and it is for this purpose that they are
provided with handles . The machine is therefore stopped when the
extent of narrowing capable of being effected by the bars 1 and 2 is
reached, and the slides I' are then drawn back to the dotted position,
and the bars 1 and 2 are "locked out" by any suitable catch arrange-
ment. On restarting the machine the screw stops of the slides I³ now
come into action, and proceed with the narrowing by acting upon the
thread carrier bars 3, 4, as before described. In order however to
prevent the necessity for stopping the machine, and adjusting the
narrowing apparatus by hand to continue the narrowing by a second
pair of carrier bars, we adopt the arrangement shewn at Figures 25
and 26, which are side and front views of a stop for the left-hand end
of the machine. This narrowing apparatus is substantially that just
described, with the addition of coiled springs K, K', for giving the
slides I, 1', one or both, a tendency to draw back from their acting
position. L is a standard bolted to any convenient portion of the
framing, and carrying at its upper end a guide arm L', against which
the end of the slide 12 bears, it being held against the guide arm by
the tension of the spring K, which is made fast at one end to the
bracket standard I', and at the other to a pin projecting from the
slide 1.

page_text: The length of the guide arm L¹ is determined by the amount of
narrowing which the thread carrier bars 1, 2, are intended to effect,
which amount will correspond with the width of the selvage stripes.
On the carriers of the bars 1, 2, coming into coincidence with the
carriers of the next adjacent bars 3, 4, the slides I will automatically
draw their screw stops out of action, the slides being now clear of their
respective guide arms L, and the screw stops of the slides I³ will then
act upon the next adjacent pair of thread guide bars.
If thought desirable the slides I³ may also receive an automatic action
to draw their scrow stops out of line with the guide bars 3, 4. For this
purpose they will be provided with springs as at K', and they will be
retained in a working position by a guide arm as at L². This provision
however will rarely be required in the manufacture of hose.
For the purpose of locking out the carrier bars when the traverse of
the carriers has been stopped by the stop on the narrowing slide a 1
tumbler catch is provided, pivotted upon one of the guides A (see
Figure 26) and from the back of the bar projects a pin, which will be
at 1 when the carriers 1 and 2 are at the selvage, and at 1" when the
carrier has been pushed out of action.
After the withdrawal of the horizontal stop I³ the bar 1 will when ?
next it is traversed to the left bring the pin into coincidence with the
notch in the tumbler, and the carrier bar will be thereby held stationary
until it is again required.
In knitting a stocking full fashioned, with divided heels and instep,
on the machine modified as above described, we proceed in the following
manner-Both sliding bolts a and a', Sheets II. and III., will be at
this time out of gear, and the striping carriers will therefore remain
stationary. We commence to knit the plain web to form the welt with
the old carrier 1* (the old carrier 2* being locked out), traversing it
the full width of the division as usual until a sufficient length is knitted a
to form a plain welt. When making striped fronts to the welts only
half the amount of plain work will be required. To prepare the machine
for striping we first lock out the old carrier 1* on the outside at the
right-hand end of the division, and we then pull forward both the
sliding bolts a and a¹ in order to gear the driving bars with the brackets
attached to the slur box. On again starting the machine all the striping
carriers will commence to travel, and will each continue to lay the thread

page_text: the full width of the stripe and overlap until a sufficient length is
knitted to form the straight part of the stocking, that is, from 1 to 2 of
the diagram, Figure 7, Sheet XIII. The narrowing apparatus is now to
be thrown into action by moving forwards the lever connected with the
ordinary counting apparatus of the machine. The machine will then
continue to knit and narrow at the required intervals until the point 3
is reached. During this narrowing operation the traverse of the two
outside carriers will be gradually decreased by the stops i of the
narrowing slides at opposite sides of the machine. While the straight
part of the stocking was being knitted these stops on the narrowing
slides remained stationary in their adjusted position, having been used
to stop the outside carriers at the end of each course close to the selvage
needles in order that the selvage of the knitted work might be uniform
and good.
The narrowing slides when set in motion will carry in their stops until
the outer thread carriers at each side have been brought to the joining
of the stripes and partly behind the next adjacent carrier. To aid this
action the angles of the faces of the outside carriers are chamfered off.
If the narrowing is to be carried still further in the next adjacent
carriers must be operated on in a similar manner. For that purpose the
machine is to be stopped, and the horizontal slide carrying the stop
pushed back, as above explained, and the carrier bars pulled outside the
"ε division "
and locked; the other pair of stops i will then come into
action on the carrier bars 3, 4. When, however, the arrangement
described with reference to Figures 25, 26, and 26" is used, this stopping
of the machine will be unnecessary.
To avoid a ragged selvage when the change of carriers takes place the
loops of the needles at the joining of the stripes are now lifted off the
needles by the ordinary narrowing points and transferred to next
adjoining needles. This is effected by a suitably perforated band on the
ordinary counting apparatus of the machine in the manner well under-
stood. The narrowing having so far proceeded as to stop the bars 1
and 2 and decrease the traverse of the bars 3 and 4 to the required
extent, the straight portion marked in the diagram 3 to 4 is now to be
knitted for the ankle by the thread carriers of the remaining six striping
carrier bars until a sufficient length of work has been produced. It is
now necessary to commence the knitting of the instep and divided heels.
The separation of the work into three parts may be effected in several
TB

page_text: ways; it is, however, desirable to stop the machine in order to remove
the loops by hand from the two needles at the parts whero the division
of the work takes place, and place them upon the adjoining needles to
the right and left hand respectively. This operation may be rendered
automatic by providing the narrowing mechanism with extra points and
bars, but as no advantage in speed would be thereby obtained it is not
thought desirable to complicate the mechanism. The loops having been
removed by hand from the division needles to the adjoining needles it is
necessary to prevent the division needles from being again knitted
upon, and for this purpose we adopt any one of the plans hereafter
described.
"
For maintaining the division in the work on reaching the line 4, 4, of
diagram 7, Sheet XIII., and thereby forming three selvage pieces or
widths, we mount those needles which occur at the lines of the division
on rock levers, so that they may be thrown out of line when the loops of
work have been removed therefrom and placed on the adjacent needles.
This arrangement is illustrated in side elevation at Figure 27, Sheet VI.,
where B* represents a pair of division needles carried by a rocking
arm b pointed to a blank " lead " b¹, which is fitted like the other
"leads to the needle bar B'. Combs * serve to steady the rocking
arms in their motions. The lower ends of these arms enter cam slots
in a horizontal sliding plate B³, shewn in partial plan, Figure 28, which
plate works in guides, and is connected to a crank lever B³ carried by
the needle bar B¹. By rocking this crank lever the sliding plate B' will
be caused to tip the needles out of their drawn or vertical position to
their dotted or inclined position. The rocking of the crank lever B³ is
effected by hand, and when the division needles are thrown out of line
the threads will be lapped around the selvage needles, as illustrated by
the diagram, Figure 29, and a selvage edge will be thereby obtained. In
this Figure B*, B*, are the needles thrown out of action and B is the
selvage needle, around which the thread will be laid at the next
course.
Another mode of effecting the above described object is by using division
forks for taking the thread from the front of the division needles,
and carrying it back to the selvage needle, by which means at the
next course the thread will be laid around the selvage needle. This
arrangement is illustrated in Sheet VII., where Figure 30 is a transverse
sectional elevation; Figure 31, a partial front view; and Figure 32 a

page_text: partial plan view of so much of the knitting machine as will serve
to explain the mode of forming the selvages. M is a rod mounted
loosely in bearings M' which are capable of sliding on their supports
on the framing, they being held forward by means of springs, as shewn
in Figure 32. This bar M carries forks m made of thin steel, one for
cach division of the work. These forks when the rod is applied to the
machine at the commencement of knitting the heel, are set opposite
the division needles, and when the loops have been removed from
those needles and the machine restarted the forked rod is shogged
equal to two needle breadths. This causes the forks to carry the
threads in front of the division needles back to the selvage needles.
The shogging of the fork rod M is effected by a cranked rock
lever M³ which is struck by a tappet fixed in the front. of the lower
striping carrier bar.
A third plan of maintaining the divisions in the work, and the one
which we shall in general prefer to use is shewn in Sheet VIII.
According to this plan we rely upon the action of the dividing sinkers
for preventing the knitting in at the divisions of the work, and
insuring a good selvage. Those dividing sinkers which stand in line
with the divisions in the work are somewhat changed in form (that is to
say), their nebs are made to extend beyond those of the other dividing
sinkers, both longitudinally and vertically. This ensures the retention
of the thread near the selvage needle, around which it is to be laid at
the next course. Figure 33, Sheet VIII., shews in side elevation, and
Figure 34, in plan view the sinkers, thread carriers, needles, and
knocking over bits in the position they will assume when this action is
taking place.
Referring to diagram, Fig. 35, it will be seen by comparing Nos. 1
and 2, No. 1 representing an ordinary dividing sinker, and No. 2 tho
modified form thereof to be used at each division, that the ncb of the
latter stands slightly in advance of the former. When therefore the
catch bar draws back the sinkers the neb of the division sinker No. 2,
will retain its hold of the thread, as shewn at Figures 33 and 34, and thus
prevent the division needles from rising in front of the thread. To
facilitate the attainment of this result the jack sinkers 3 (Figure 35)
which lie on opposite sides of the dividing sinker 2, are also slightly
modified in form, that is, their nebs, instead of extending to the dotted
line of Fig. 35, take the form of the drawn line and the range of back

page_text: motion of the catch bar is limited by means of a stop shewn in the
partial sectional elevation, Fig. 36, and in the partial plan view,
Fig. 37. In Fig. 36, N is the sinker bar, and O the catch bar, which
bar is operated as usual by the rocking levers O. In rear of these levers
are cam stops 0%, which are carried loosely upon the longitudinal
shaft O which extends from end to end of the machine. The cam
stops O³, of which there are several in the machine, are connected
together by rods and nuts O*, Fig. 37, to ensure their uniform action.
These cam stops are operated by a hand lever O' which terminates
in a slide for receiving a spring bolt Oº. This bolt takes into rounded
notches formed on a fixed noteli bar O', and when the handle is pulled
over the bolt is free to yield to allow it to be brought into coincidence
with one or other of the two notches in the notch bar, and thereby lock
the cam stop O³ in or out of action. When the cam stop is in action the
back motion of the catch bar is as before stated thereby limited, and
the sinkers are held up closer to the needles than ordinarily. This enables
us to use division sinkers of less extra length than would otherwise be
required.
* The action of the parts will be clearly understood by reference to the
diagrams marked A, B, C, and D, in Sheet VIII.
When applying the Invention to the rotary rib machine for the
purpose of producing ribbed work with longitudinal or downright
stripes, we provide the machine with the requite number of carrier bars,
and each bar with the required number of thread carriers, supplying the
same with two or more colored threads, and to the thread carriers we
give a traverse that will ensure the proper overlaying of the threads at
each course. The traverse motion is obtained from horizontal or vertical
levers (according to the construction of the machine) operated by a cam
on the cam shaft on a supplimentary shaft.
This part of our Invention may be applied to a rotary rib machine, in
which the carrier bars are mounted in guides on hanging cheeks carried
by a swinging frame, and also to that class in which the thread carrier
bars slide in fixed guides.
In the first-mentioned construction of machine the carrier bars will
receive a rocking motion in order to cause the thread carriers to pass
between the needles when the thread has been laid for the required
width of stripe. In the course of the traverse of the carriers (which

page_text: receive motion from a suitably cut cam, a dwell should be provided to
allow of the descent of the thread carriers, after which motion their
traverse will be resumed and continued below the needles until they
have passed one or more joining needles. In order to form the suc-
ceeding course the thread carriers will rise through the needles beyond
the stripe and lay the thread up to the opposite edge of the stripe, and
they then again fall through the line of needles. The extended traverse
below the needles will take place at every succeeding course, but at
opposite sides of the stripe, and thus a complete joining up of the stripes
will be effected.
The traverse motion we prefer to give the carrier bars by means of a
friction bar or bars in the manner described with reference to the first
part of this Specification, and this friction apparatus we may traverse
by means of a lever operated by a cam on the cam shaft or on a
supplementary shaft.
In Sheets IX. and X. of the Drawings, we have shewn this part of
our Invention as applied to a rotary rib machine in which the thread
carrier bars are mounted in fixed guides, and the frame needles drawn
back under a fixed presser bar.
Fig. 38, Sheet IX., shows in transverse sectional clevation so much of
a rotary rib machine fitted for the manufacture of "downright" striped
work, as will serve to explain our Invention; and Fig. 39, Sheet X., is a
partial front elevation; A, A*, are two thread carrier bars mounted in
fixed guides B bolted to the framing. These bars are each provided with
a given number of carriers which are to receive variously colored threads
for producing stripes of different colors; C, C, are the machine needles, and
D the frame needles which are operated as usual in this class of machine;
E are the jack sinkers; and E* the dividing sinkers. The carrier
bars A, A*, are each connected by a bracket A' to a friction bar A² (one
only of which is shewn in the Drawing). This bar A* is fitted with a
friction box A connected by bracket arms A, A, to a longitudinal
traversing bar A³. This traversing bar receives an endway motion
through a rock lever operated by a cam on a supplementary cam shaft,
and it drives the connecting bars A*, and consequently the friction
boxes of the bars A by friction of contact.
For the purpose of this Invention it is necessary to limit the traverse
of the thread carrier bars to the width of strine desired to be made

page_text: in order that the thread carriers may be arrested when they have laid
the thread up to the edge of the stripe. For this purpose we fit to the
opposite ends of the bars stop plates a, a*, which when the bars have
completed the first portion of their traverse will strike against one of a
pair of stop levers E, F, having their fulcrum at F and carrying at their
rear end a bowle F3 which is acted upon by a cam F³ on a cam shaft F'.
The stop lever F is forked at its forward end, the lower prong F* of
which carries a pair of upward turned inclines f,f*, which are intended
to act upon corresponding inclines formed upon the stop plates a, a*.
The cam F is suitably timed to make the stop levers one at each side of
the machine, arrest the motion of the thread carriers when the threads
have been laid on the requisite number of needles to form the stripe. This
being done the knitting proceeds as usual until the frame needles are
pressed and the work is "knocked over." The stop lever which is in action
now rises to free the carrier bars. The continued rise of this lever will
bring its inclines f, f*, into contact with the inclines on the stop
plates a, a, and the stop lever being now converted into a driver will
move forward the carriers a short distance in the same direction as they
were travelling before being arrested; a short dwell will then take
place while that portion of the cam marked F is passing the bowle f³ to
· enable the knitting instruments to proceed further with their work.
The lever F then rises and by lateral pressure on the stop plates
completes the traverse of the thread carriers.
The construction of the mechanism whereby the object of our Inven-
tion (viz., the production of vertical or downright stripes) may be
obtained on the rotary rib machine having been described, and its action
explained, it may be convenient to trace the movements for producing a
: course of work on the frame thus modified.
Referring now to diagrams A, B, C, Sheet XI., it will be seen that
the traverse of red thread to the left hand, as shewn in diagram A ends
on the right-hand side of the two frame needles * and 1* selected as the
place of joining up the stripes. The blue thread is simultaneously laid
in the same direction from the right-hand frame needle * of the joining
to the left-hand side of the stripe. When the loops have been made and
divided by the action of the jacks and sinkers the loops of knitted work
already upon the frame needles are brought to the head of the needles,
´ and the frame needles are pressed by coming in contact with the fixed
presser bar (Fig. 38) during their backward motion. The loops are

page_text: then in the position shewn in the diagram C which is a front view of
the knitted work just pressed by the frame needles.
It will be seen that the machine needle a, diagram C, has no loop
under its beard, and the previous loop & would therefore in the ordinary
operation of the machine be pressed off when the machine needles came
down. To prevent this we give to the carriers of the striping threads a
slight farther traverse in the same direction as before immediately after
the pressing of the frame needles, as shown in the diagram A; this will
hold the thread from the part marked * at a slight inclination in front
of the beard of the machine needle a, which thread will be caught under-
neath the beard, and pressed with the others. This action throws the
thread a little behind the head of this needle. The traverse of the
carriers is at this moment slightly retarded or arrested to ensure the
thread coming out from between the machine needle a and the frame
needle as the machine needles rise. The traverse is now resumed in
the same direction; the frame needles in advancing to the front are raised
higher, so that the thread is layed below the two frame needles 1* and *.
In consequence of the needle bar being thus rocked the heads of the
frame needles as they come to their advanced position are lowered, and
the traverse of the carriers having ended at or opposite the space 6 the
thread will enter that space, and at the next traverse will be laid over
the two frame needles 1* and *, thus the loops of the adjacent stripes
will be interlocked without any break in the uniform appearance of the
work.
In order to make this arrangement of mechanism capable of knitting
narrow stripes we arrange the carriers as shown in the detached view,
Fig. 38, that is, so as to travel in different planes; this enables us to
stop the traverse of the carriers when necessary in a where they
will overlap each other, say, as in knitting a stripe which extends only
over four needles.
The second head of our Invention applies to both straight and
fashioned work.
When embroidering straight work, according to this part of our Inven-
tion after the manner of chevening, we make use of the ordinary narrowing
apparatus of the "cotton" machine, and upon it we mount additional
points for embroidering, and so time the counting apparatus as to bring
the narrowing apparatus into operation after every knitted course. We

page_text: also disconnect its traversing mechanism, so as to allow the points to
descend and lift the loops from the needles at every course without
shifting them to adjacent needles. While the loops are being lifted off the
needles by the embroidery points thread carriers are brought down and
shogged to lay a thread across the needles so deprived of their loops, and
below the embroidery points. The needles. sink between the knocking-
over bits at the time that the points are pressing them back, and the shot
thread will be rolled over to the back of the needles by the delivery and
replacement of the loops in their old positions upon the needles, thus
causing the shot thread to appear in front of the work.
The striping of the knitted work by a floated thread of silk may
be effected either on one or both faces of the work by causing the thread
carriers to work to and fro in front of the needles or alternately at the
front and back thereof.
]
Sheets XI. and XII. show the mode of carrying out the second head 1
of our Invention in connection with a "Cotton's " knitting machine.
Fig. 1, Sheet II., is a partial transverse sectional elevation of the
upper portion of the machine; Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view;
Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation of the needle and embroidery points
and thread carrier detached; Fig. 4, Sheet XII., is a side elevation, and
Fig. 6 a plan view of the mechanism for working the ordinary narrowing
points, and in this arrangement of mechanism the narrowing point
bars, shewn at A, A, Fig. 1, are carried by hanging check guides, as
usual. Pendant from but made fast to a transverse rod A* carried by
the ordinary point bar rocking arms, are holders B carrying embroidery :
points b, which are intended to act simultaneously with the narrowing
points of the bars A, A, and take off from certain needles their loops for
the purpose of introducing to the front of those needles the embroidery
thread, as will be hereafter more fully explained; C is a bar to which
the embroidery thread carriers c are attached. This bar C works in rock
levers C¹³, which have their fulcrum on the shaft c¹, and are operated by
a link Ơ³ connected (see Figures 4 and 5) at its lower end to a rock
lever O³, which has its fulcrum at c², and carries a bowle, which bears
upon the double cam C' on the main cam shaft. This thread carrier
bar C receives a traverse motion in its guides when the points 6 have 3
taken the loops from the needles, in order that its carriers may lay the
embroidery thread in front of the needles thus deprived of their loops.

page_text: position, consequently the bowle of the lever D will be held back from
the cam D and no traversing of the ordinary bars will take place.
When the machine is in the position shown in the Drawings the
embroidery thread guides will be raised out of action, and they will
remain so until the knitting instruments have completed a coursc.
When this has been effected the points will descend, take the loops off
their respective needles, and it is at this time that the embroidery threads
are to be thrown in. In order to effect this the bowle of the rock
lever C³ must be shogged to draw it off the "rest" portion of the
cam C' on to the acting portion thereof; this is done by means of the
shogging shaft E a fork E' from which embraces the bowle of the
lever C³. The thread guides will by this motion be depressed to their
working position, at the same time the traverse of the embroidery thread
guide bar will take place by reason of the shogging shaft through its
fork E sliding the bowle of the rock lever C" on to the cam O".
The arrangement of machinery just described is intended to throw
the embroidery thread on the face out of the fabric. When however
it is desired to imitate hand work, the bowle of the lever Ou is retained
upon the cam C¹³, and thus the pattern wheel C' will be worked by its
pawle Cs at every rotation of the cam shaft.
Having described the mechanism which we employ for introducing
the embroidery thread into the work and explained its action we will
proceed to describe more in detail the operation of the machine,
reference being had to the diagrams in Sheet XIII.
· A suitably perforated band of steel similar to the portion shewn at
Fig. 5*, Sheet XII. is placed on the ordinary counting apparatus of the
machine, and on starting the machine the action will be as follows:-
The bowles of the levers for producing the motions of the various parts
of the knitting mechanism will be shifted automatically to their
narrowing cams after the completion of every course of knitting in
place of every eight or other determined number of courses.
While the ordinary knitted course is being formed the action of the
machine will be as is usual, but on its completion, the counting apparatus,
will cause in the manner well known in this class of machines the
shifting of the bowles of the levers to the other set of cams.

page_text: Fig. 1 shews the knitting instruments in the position they assume
when the points have descended to take off the selected loops under
which the embroidery thread is to be laid by the thread carrier C. The
carrier C is now to be rocked from the position shown in this Figure by
drawn lines to that shewn by dots, while the points lift the loops of the
needles and the sinkers are drawn back. The parts will then be in the
position shewn in diagram, Fig. 2, at which time the thread is to
receive its traverse for laying the embroidery thread under the points b
and in front of the beards of the needles. The loops are next to be
replaced upon the needles by the points b, the thread carrier rocking for
this purpose from the drawn position to the dotted of this Figure, the
sinkers again coming forward over the work or old loops bringing the
parts into the position shown in the next diagram, Fig. 3. The
position of the striping thread at this time is more clearly seen in the
enlarged view, Fig. 4. The needles now rising will re-enter their loops
and cause the embroidery thread to roll over the head of the needlo
from the front to the back. The thread carriers are now rocked to the
back of the needles and the points are lifted out of the way as the needles
rise as shown in diagram 5. When the knitting instruments have
arrived at the position shewn in the diagram, Fig. 6, another course of
loops is knitted in the ordinary way, after which the laying of the
embroidery thread is to be repeated by the back traverse of the embroidery

page_text: embroidery or floated threads into knitted work for the production of
vertical or downright stripes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Lowe, on behalf of
myself and of the said John William Lamb, have hereunto set
m hand and seal, the Eighth day of June, in the year of b
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.