IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY
Year: 1875

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY."—A
communication from abroad by Nathaniel Wilbor Westcott,
Manufacturer; Charles Lowry Spencer, Dentist; Nathan Bardin
Hail, Gentleman; and Edward Joshua Bicknall, Merchant, all of
Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th August 1875.
'
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY,"
a communication, to be as follows:-
--
This Invention has relation to circular latch needle knitting looms,
and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement, in combination

page_text: with rising and descending needles, of devices whereby the weft yarn
may be successfully introduced into the fabric during the process of
knitting the same...
One of the objects of the said Invention is to provide in a circular
knitting loom means whereby a weft or filling yarn can be introduced
into the fabric with. the loops with little or no danger of breaking or
ravelling this yarn or of dropping the loops.
>>
Another object of the said Invention is to combine with a circular
knitting loom a "take up
contrivance, which will operate auto-
matically and give a uniform tension on the fabric and wind it up as
fast as it is knitted.
Another object of the said Invention is to insert the weft yarn between
the separated needles at the point where they first rise, for the purpose
of delivering the yarn to the needles before the knitting loops pass off
the latches.
The supporting frame of the knitting loom has a horizontal circular
bearing collar, which is rigidly secured to the top of the said frame by
screws: This bearing collar is received into an annular groove made in the
revolving needle carrying cylinder near its lower end, and to the lower.end
of this cylinder a beveled toothed ring is secured with receives rotation
from a beveled pinion on a driving shaft; it is by these means that the
said cylinder is supported and revolved. Outside of the needle carrying
cylinder is a cylindrical casing which is composed of two horizontal
sections rigidly secured together by outside strips, so as to leave between
the sections a space of suitable width, the edges bounding which space
form the cam for giving the proper vertical movements to the needles.
This cylindrical case is rigidly secured to the flange of the bearing ring
by screws, posts, and nuts.
The outer side of the cylinder is grooved vertically, the grooves being
arranged radially and equidistant from each other entirely around the
cylinder. These grooves are designed to receive the latch needles and
the broad fins on the lower portions thereof, on which fins lugs are
formed which travel in the cam space between the sections composing
the said casing.
The inner termini of the needle grooves are circular and slightly
enlarged for the purpose of allowing the needles to be pressed outward

page_text: freely by a device herein-after described. At the upper and outer corners
of the partitions between the needles are beveled surfaces which prevent
the abrupt striking of the ends of the needle latches during the
descending strokes of the needles. The circular and flaring enlargements
or pockets at the upper ends of the needle grooves insure the safety
of the yarn against breaking. In consequence of the shallowness of
the said pockets and their location about the needles only when in the
upright or undeflected position they do not allow play to the needles
where deflected, in which condition they are required to be held in a
positive manner between the walls of the narrow grooves.
For the purpose of forming a path or passage between the needles for
the reception of the filling or weft thread as it passes from the delivery
trumpet two toothed wheels are employed. The large one of these
wheels is arranged on the inside of the circle of needles, and deflects each
alternate needle outward in its groove way by pressing with the notched
end of its tooth against the back of the said needle. This wheel has its
bearing upon the upturned end of a horizontal arm adjustably applied to
a block which is adjustable on a post rising from a table. This table is
a horizontal ring plate held centrally inside of the cylinder by means of
goose necks, which are secured to the outside of the upper section of the
casing opposite the deflecting wheel, and on the outside of the circle of
needles at a lower plane, is a smaller wheel, which is also toothed, and
serves to keep the needles that are not deflected in an upright position.
In order that the movement of the needles which are carried by the
notched teeth of the deflecting wheel may have a free radial sweep, the
notches between the teeth of the regulating wheel are enlarged by
making the regulating wall of each tooth concave. In this manner I
ensure the ends of the teeth of the delivery wheel having sufficient
breadth, to engage with the needles which remain in an upright position,
and that the side walls of said teeth will not be in the way of or obstruct
the rise and sweep of the alternate needles which are deflected by the
wheel.
.
The regulating wheel is mounted upon the upturned end of an, arm,
which is adjustable in a post fixed to the casing. As the alternate
needles are deflected, the filling or weft thread is fed into the channel
left between them and the upright needles from the trumpet, which is
secured to a block adjustable upon a bearing fixed to a post. This.

page_text: trumpet is arranged to deliver the weft into the path between the
needles, the trumpet not being required by this arrangement to be
located between the needles in said path. Above the trumpet-is-a flange-
having two conical perforations, which are arranged horizontally with
reference to each other, and serve for the passage of two threads in such
manner that neither will engage with the other while running from the
spools or cops to the path between the needles. The bunching or
catching of the threads is by this means avoided, and on account of the
distance of the perforations from the delivery cone, and the angular
relation of the flange bearing thereto, a valuable uniform tension is
effected.
The warp or looping thread guide is located in advance of the trumpet
on the forward bearing arm of the post. The delivery cone of this guide
is arranged radially and horizontally, and the guide is rigidly secured. to
an arm adjustable endwise in a block, which is adjustable on the bearing
arm. A flange just above the cone is perforated at two points for the
passage of looping threads. The delivery end of the wax thread trumpet
is adjusted at a proper distance in front of the needles, so that the
looping thread is guided to the outside of the needles as they fall under
the operation of the cam groove, their hooked ends dropping below the
upper bevelled edge of the rotating cylinder.
I use an adjustable latch guard consisting of a horizontal plate curved
on its inner edge in a concave form to correspond with the convexity of
the cylinder of needles, outside of which the guard is located. Its
length is equal to the distance from the rising needles to the falling
needles in advance of the warp guide. The purpose of this guard is to
prevent the needle latches from flying up when the needles rise through
the loops last formed in the act of forming new loops. The latch guard
is rigidly secured to a stem, which is adjustable in the post. The angular
relation of the latch guard to the line of needles can be regulated by
means of a clamp screw, which secures the stem of the guard to the
post. At that part of the guard opposite to the point where the needles
are deflected, the curve of the inner edge of the guard is formed upon a
shorter radius to correspond with the curvature in the line of radius
effected by the pressure of the dividing wheel. The two ends of the
guard are gradually bent downward and rounded outwardly on their
inner edges, one end serving to guide the latches of the rising needles,
so that they will pass along the lower edge of said guard, while the

page_text: other end prevents the receding latches from flying up before passing
beyond the warp guide.
The latches are also protected from injury by bevelling the upper edge
of the needle carrying cylinder, so as to avoid leaving at this point an
abrupt.shoulder, but leaving an inclined ledge by which the ends of the
latches are guided aft when they strike the abutment. The weft thread
is carried down with old loops by the presser wheel, which is free to
turn about the angular portion of an arm adjustably attached to a block
that is adjustable on the post. The said arm can be adjusted axially as
well as vertically and longitudinally.
At the point where the needles commence to rise in advance of the
said dividing wheel I arrange a presser guide, whose lower end will be
secured to the table; and whose upper portion will be bent over and
downward in hook form, and rounded at the ends of the hook. The
shank of the said hooked guide will be so formed and located that a
sufficient distance will be left for the passage of the fabric between its
under surface and the rotating cylinder. By means of such a presser
guide the formed loops are kept from being carried up by the rising
needles. This weft thread is introduced at the first rise of the needles
for the reason stated.
I will now describe my improved mechanism for "taking up" the
knit work, and maintaining a uniform tension on the same.
Two perpendicular bars are secured at their upper ends to a toothed
ring diametrically opposite each other, and are secured at their lower
ends by a horizontal bar. This horizontal bar turns around a step rising
from the centre of a fixed horizontal spur wheel at the base of the afore-
said frame. Two horizontally fluted drawing rollers are arranged in the
same plane, and are geared together by means of twin spur wheels.
These rollers have their bearings in the said vertical bars, and they can
be adjusted as close together as desired by means of set screws, so that
they will bite more or less firmly on the fabric passed between them.
On one end of one of the said fluted rollers is a spur wheel of larger
diameter than the twin wheels, which spur wheel engages with a worm
screw on a vertical shaft. This shaft is sustained by bearings fixed to
one of the bars, and it has keyed on its lower end a spur wheel which
engages with the teeth of the stationary wheel. The worm screw is
applied loosely on the said vertical shaft, and on the upper end of this
"

page_text: screw a clutching head is formed which has beveled teeth, and which
engages with teeth of a similar character on a clutch fixed to the said
shaft. The clutching head is held in engagement with the clutch by
means of a spring, which is coiled around the vertical shaft, and which
bears down on a collar made vertically adjustable on the said shaft.
Wheels are geared with a short vertical shaft, which is borne by an arm
fixed to one of the said perpendicular bars, and which has secured
rigidly to its upper cnd a worm screw that engages with a spur wheel on
one end of a winding-up roller. This roller has its end bearings in the
said perpendicular or vertical revolving bars, and to its periphery I
secure a number of short hooks, to which the fabric is first attached to
prevent it slipping. The tubular fabric is passed down between the
fluted rollers and around the winding-up roller, and the work is drawn
down with an even. tension in a regular proportionate ratio with the
formation thereof. I provide a spring which will yield and allow one of
the fluted drawing-down rollers to "give" should the "take-up" motion
exceed the feed of the fabric to the said rollers. The fabric will thus
be held under proper tension, and wound upon the roller uniformly.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might

page_text: t
make, use, exercise and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINERY," a communication
to me from abroad by Nathaniel Wilbor Westcott, Manufacturer;
Charles Lowry Spencer, Dentist; Nathan Bardin Hail, Gentleman; and
Edward Joshua Bicknall, Merchant, all of Providence, Rhode Island,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification:-
This Invention has relation to circular latch needle knitting looms,
and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement in combination
with rising and descending needles of devices, whereby the weft yarn
may be successfully introduced into the fabric during the process of
knitting the same.
One of the objects of the said Invention is to provide in a circular
knitting loom means whereby a weft or filling yarn can be introduced
into the fabric with the loops with little or no danger of breaking or
raveling this yarn or of dropping the loops.
Another object of the said Invention is to combine with a circular
knitting loom a "take up "contrivance, which will operate automatically
and give a uniform tension on the fabric, and wind it up as fast as it is
knitted.
Another object of the said Invention is to insert the weft yarn between
the separated needles at the point where they first rise for the purpose of
delivering the yarn to the needles before the knitting loops pass off the
latches.

page_text: Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of a machine constructed according
to this Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical central section of the said
machine; Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the said machine.
A designates the supporting frame of the knitting loom, and B is a
horizontal circular bearing collar, which is rigidly secured to the top of
the frame A by screws shown in Figure 2. This bearing collar B is
received into an annular groove, which is made in the revolving needle
carrying cylinder C near its lower end, and to the lower end of this
cylinder a beviled toothed ring D is secured, which receives rotation from
a beviled pinion a on a driving shaft a¹. It is by these means that
cylinder C is supported in a steady manner and revolved. Outside of
the needle carrying cylinder C is a cylindrical casing E, which is
composed of two horizontal sections rigidly secured together by outside
strips b, so as to leave between the sections a space of suitable width,
the edges bounding which space form the cam for giving the proper
vertical movements to the needles. This cylindrical case E is rigidly
secured to the flange of the bearing ring B by means of screws, posts,
and nuts.
The outer side of the cylinder C is grooved vertically, the grooves
being arranged radially and equidistant from each other entirely around
the cylinder. These grooves are designed to receive the latch needle c
and the broad fins on the lower portions thereof, on which fins lugs d
are formed that travel in the cam space between the sections compassing
the said casing E.
The inner termini of the needle grooves are circular and slightly
enlarged for the purpose of allowing the needles to be pressed outward
freely by a device herein-after described. At the upper and outer corners
of the partitions which are between the needles are beviled surfaces d²,
which prevent the abrupt striking of the ends of the needle latches
during the descending strokes of the needles. The circular and flaring
enlargements or pockets e at the upper ends of the needle grooves insure
the safety of the yarn against breaking. In consequence of the shal-
lowness of the said pockets, and their location about the needles only
when in the upright or undeflected position, they do not allow play to

page_text: the needles when deflected, in which condition they are required to be
held in a positive manner between the walls of the narrow grooves.
This
For the purpose of forming a path or passage between the needles for
the reception of the filling or weft thread, as it passes from the delivery
trumpet F, two toothed wheels G, H, are employed. The larger one G
of these wheels is arranged on the inside of the circle of needles, and
deflects each alternate needle outward in its grooveway by pressing with
the notched end of its tooth against the back of the said needle.
wheel G has its bearing upon the upturned end of a horizontal arm G¹,
which is adjustably applied to a block f, that is adjustable on a post g
rising from a table I. This table I is a horizontal ring plate, which is held
centrally inside of the cylinder C by means of goose necks I', which are
secured to the outside of the upper section of the casing E. Opposite
the deflecting wheel G, and on the outside of the circle of needles at
a lower plane, is the smaller wheel H, which is also toothed, and serves
to keep the needles which are not deflected in an upright position.
In order that the movement of the needles which are carried by the
notched teeth of the deflecting wheel G may have a free radial sweep,
the notches between the teeth of the regulating wheel are enlarged by
making the regulating wall of each tooth concave. In this manner I
ensure that the ends of the teeth of the delivery wheel will have suffi-
cient breadth to engage with the needles which remain in an upright
position, and that the side walls of said teeth will not be in the way of
or obstruct the rise and sweep of the alternate needles which are
deflected by the wheel G.
The regulating wheel H is mounted upon the upturned end of an
arm h, which is adjustable on a post J fixed to the casing E. As the
alternate needles are deflected the filling or weft thread is fed into the
channel left between them and the upright needles from the trumpet F,
which is secured to a block j adjustable upon a bearing K fixed to a
post J. This trumpet F is arranged to deliver the weft into the path
between the needles, the trumpet not being required by this arrangement
to be located between the needles in said path. Above the trumpet F is
a flange l, having two conical perforations through it, which are arranged
horizontally with reference to each other, and serve for the passage of
two threads in such manner that neither will engage with the other
while running from the spools or cops to the path between the needles.

page_text: .
The bunching or catching of the threads is by this means avoided, and
on account of the distance of the perforations from the delivery cone F
and the angular relation of the-flange bearing thereto a valuable
uniform tension is effected.
The warp or looping thread guide L is located in advance of the
trumpet F on the forward bearing arm K' of post J. The delivery
cone L of this guide is arranged radially and horizontally, and the guide
is rigidly secured to an arm m which is adjustable endwise in a
block m¹, adjustable on the bearing arm K'. A flange just above the
cone L is perforated at. two points for the passage of looping threads.
The delivery end of the wax thread trumpet is adjusted at a proper dis-
tance in front of the needles so that the looping thread is guided to the
outside of the needles as they face under the operation of the cam
groove, these hooked ends dropping below the upper beviled edge of
the rotating cylinder C.
M designates an adjustable latch guard, consisting of a horizontal
plate curved on its edge in a concave form to correspond with the
convexity of the cylinder of needles, outside of which the guard is
located. Its length is equal to the distance from the rising needles to
the falling needles in advance of the warp guide L. The purpose of this
guard is to prevent the needle latches from flying up when the needles
rise through the loops last formed in the act of forming new loops. The
latch guard is rigidly secured to a stem, which is adjustable in the
post J. The angular relation of the latch guard to the line of needles
can be regulated by means of a clamp screw, which secures the stem of
the guard to the post J. At that part of the guard opposite to the point
where the needles are deflected the curve of the inner edge of the guard
is formed upon a shorter radius to correspond with the curvature in the
line of radius effected by the pressure of the dividing wheel G. The
two ends of the guard are gradually bent downward and rounded
outward on their inner edges, one end serving to guide the latches of the
rising needles so that they will pass along the lower edge of said guard,
while the other end prevents the receding latches from flying up before
passing beyond the warp guide L. This device therefore keeps the
latches from flying out of place along the guard, and from being injured
while passing in front of or leaving the guard.
"
The latches are also protected from injury by beviling the upper edge
of the needle carrying cylinder, so as not to leave at this point an abrupt

page_text: shoulder but an inclined ledge, by which the ends of the latches are
guided off when they strike the abutment. The weft thread is carried
down with old loops by the presser wheel Q, which is free to turn about
the angular portion of an arm p, which arm is adjustably attached to a
block that is adjustable on the post g. The arm p can be adjusted
axially as well as vertically and longitudinally.
At the point where the needles commence to rise in advance of the
wheel G, I arrange a presser guide, the lower end of which will be
secured to the table I, and its upper portion will be bent over and down-
ward in hook form, and rounded at the ends of the hook. The shank of
said hooked guide will be so formed and located that a sufficient distance
will be left for the passage of the fabric between its under surface and
the rotating cylinder C. By means of such a presser guide the formed
loops are kept from being carried up by the rising needles, as they
might be in manufacturing closely knit fabrics, wherein the loops are
necessarily drawn tightly on the needles. The weft thread it will be
observed is introduced at the first rise of the needles for the reason
above stated.
It is essential in the production of a successful working knitting loom
that all of its parts should harmonize. or act in perfect concert with each
other, and at the same time that they should be firm and positive in
their operation.
It is the main object of the present Invention to provide by
economical processes of manufacture a machine of the character men-
tioned, whereby in connection with the positive latch needles devices
capable of being readily brought by hand adjustment into the
delicate harmonious relations required, and at the same time of such
positive and firm character, that their joint action may be relied upon
when properly adjusted according to the character of the work
required.
Having described the mechanism for producing the knit fabric with
weft thread filling, I will now describe my improved mechanism for
"taking up" the knit work and maintaining uniform tension of the
same.
P, P, designate two perpendicular bars which are secured at their
upper ends to the toothed ring D diametrically opposite each other, and

page_text: which are secured at the lower ends by a horizontal bar P¹. This bar
P¹ turns around a step 2 rising from the centre of a fixed horizontal spur
wheel R at the base of frame A; S, S, designate two horizontal fluted
drawing rollers which are in the same plane, and which are geared
together by means of twin spur wheels 3, 3. These rollers S, S, have
their bearings in the vertical bars P, P, and they can be adjusted as close
together as is desired by means of set screws s, so that they will bite
more or less firmly on the fabric passed between them. On one end of
one of the fluted rollers is a spur wheel 4 of larger diameter than the
twin wheels 3, which wheel 4 engages with a worm screw 5 on a vertical
shaft Q. This shaft Q is sustained by bearings 6, 6, fixed to one of the
bars P, and it has keyed on its lower end a spur wheel 7, which engages
with the teeth of the stationary wheel R. The worm screw 5 is applied
loosely on the shaft Q, and on the upper end of this screw a clutching
head t is formed which has beviled teeth, and which engage with teeth
of a similar character on a clutch fixed to shaft Q. The clutching
head is held in engagement with the clutch by means of a spring 8,
which is coiled around shaft Q, and which bears down on a collar made
vertically adjustable on said shaft. Diametrically opposite the wheel 7
is a wheel 9 of equal diameter which engages with wheel R. This
wheel 9 is keyed on the lower end of a short vertical shaft v, which is
borne by an arm fixed to one of the bars P, and which has secured
rigidly to its upper end a worm screw w, that engages with a spur wheel
w¹ on one end of a winding up roller V. This roller V has its end
bearings in the vertical revolving bars P, P, and to its periphery a
number of short hooks are secured to which the fabric is first attached
to prevent it from slipping, It will be seen from the above description
of my
"take up" and tension devices that the tubular fabric is passed
down between the fluted rollers S, S, and around the winding up roller
V, and that the work is drawn down with an even tension proportionate
to its formation. The spring 8 will yield and allow one of the fluted
drawing down rollers S to give, should the "take up" motion exceed
the feed of the fabric to the said rollers. The fabric will thus be held
under proper tension, and wound upon the roller V uniformly.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim, the improvements in knitting
machinery comprising the parts necessary for carrying into effect the

page_text: several specified objects of the said Invention, and the combination of
these parts, as shewn in the accompanying Drawing and as above set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six
Witness,
HY. JA. NOONE.
W. ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)