Improvements in and applicable to Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and applicable to Circular Knitting Machines.
HENRY MOSES FOULDS, of Lee Works, Arkwright Street, Nottingham, Hosiery
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
°
This invention relates to improvements in and applicable to circular knitting
machines fitted with latch needles and horizontally moving sinkers the said
improvements being particularly applicable to fast running machines of the auto-
matic seamless type.
In the type of machine here referred to the sinkers slide in tricks outside the
needles and are held therein by a cover. During the action of knitting the sinkers
are pressed upon the cover by the motion of the needles and the pull of the loops,
and this pressure combined with the sliding movement causes the sinkers to wear
rapidly and to become non-effective.
The object of this invention is the provision of means for preventing the wear
of the sinkers and also preventing the inside end of the sinkers acting upon the
work has it is made, and for these purposes the ends of the sinkers are embraced
by a grooved ring which is supported by the sinkers, and prevents the sinkers
which are sliding, from rising with the loop and rubbing upon the trick cover.
The inner diameter of the sinker ring is of such a size that the sinkers come
into contact with it when in their most forward position and by giving a slight
movement to the ring prevent it being grooved by the motion of the sinkers.
Dated this 28th day of January 1898.
5
Improvements in and applicable to Circular Knitting Machines.
HENRY MOSES FOULDS, of Lee Works, Arkwright Street, Nottingham, Hosiery
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in and applicable to circular latch needle
knitting machines fitted with horizontally sliding sinkers, the said improvements
being particularly applicable to fast running machines of the automatic or semi-
ום.

page_text: automatic seamless type. In these machines the sinkers slide in grooves or tricks
outside the needles; are held therein by a cap or cover plate and are actuated
by cams carried by such plate, but the upward pressure on the sinkers of the loops
as the needles rise causes the upper edges of the sinkers to wear rapidly, and the
sinkers are thereby rendered ineffective. This invention has for its object the
provision of means whereby the efficiency of the sinkers is maintained.
In the accompanying drawings which show the application of this invention
to a fast running semi-automatic seamless knitting machine known as the
"Branson "
Fig. 1 is a plan of the needle cylinder, needles, sinkers, sinker ring, thread
carrier and connected parts.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line A, A Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3 is a section of an alternative form of sinker ring.
The needles 1 which have wire shanks 2 and butts 3 are fitted to slide vertically
in tricks or grooves on the outside of the needle cylinder 4 and they are actuated
for knitting by cams 5 on the cam ring 6. This can ring 6 is fitted with a post 7
which drives the sinker cam ring 9 through lugs 14 and is arranged to carry the
thread carrier 8. Two lugs 14 are required in order that the relative positions
of the knock over point and sinker canis 13 may be changed at the reciprocating
motion of the knitting cams as required for knitting the heel and toe of a stocking.
The sinkers 10 are fitted to slide in radial grooves in the sinker ring 11 which
is fixed to the upper end of the needle cylinder 4 by screws 12, and are moved
radially in the ring 11 by cams 13 carried by the cover ring 9 which is recessed
for the sinker heels 15. The inside ends 10° of the sinkers also slide in tricks
cut in the upper edge of the needle cylinder and are supported thereby during
the knocking over process.
During the process of knitting in the ordinary machine, and supposing the
cams to revolve in the direction of the arrow 16, the needles 1 rise to lift their
latches above the loops on the same and to receive the thread for their next
loops. The sinkers here move forward to prevent the last formed loops rising
with the needles and resist the upward pressure of the same. As the needles
descend to knock over the old loops the sinkers are drawn back as at 10b and a
downward pressure is exerted upon them, but this pressure is resisted by the upper
edge of the needle cylinder. After passing the knocking over point the needles
are again raised at 16 and a second upward pressure acts upon the sinkers. These
upward pressures cause the sinkers to wear rapidly at the front part of the upper
edge 20, and when worn they become inefficient and fail to hold down the loops
on the ascending needles.
In order to maintain the efficiency of the sinkers the machine is, according to
this invention, provided with a loose sinker ring 16 which is preferably of the
section shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This ring embraces the ends 10° of the sinkers,
inside the needle cylinder and forms a continuous circular_surface for the work
to pass over, the pull or weight of which tends to prevent the ring rising, and
this combined with the fact that the ring is held in position by all the sinkers
not actually engaged in the formation of the loops reacts upon the sinkers adjacent
to the rising needles at 1 and 1b and prevents the upward pressure of the loops
on the rising needles being transmitted outside the needle cylinder whereby the
wear of the sinkers is obviated and their efficiency maintained.
The groove in the ring 16" is of such a size and shape that the ends 10° of the
sinkers are an easy fit therein, and the diameter of the ring at the inside of the
groove is of such a size that the sinkers when in their most forward position touch
the inside of the groove, whereby a slow rotating movement of the ring round its
centre is obtained and its position of contact with the sinkers is continually
changing.
Instead of the grooved ring shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the angle ring shown in
Fig. 3 may be used but with this ring the upward pressure of the loops has to
be resisted by the weight used for pulling down the work, and when the cylinder

page_text: is removed for "running-on," replacing needles, or other purposes the angle
ring is liable to fall out of position and its replacement be forgotten.
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 a circular latch needle knitting machine provided with horizontally sliding
sinkers, the combination with the same of a loose sinker ring, arranged and
operating substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1898.
W. H. POTTER,
Patent Agent, Nottingham.