Improvements in Circular Latch Needle Knitting Machines.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Circular Latch Needle Knitting Machines.
We, JOHN STAFFORD ANDERSON, of the firm of Anderson, Son & Co., Manu-
facturers, of Leicester, JOHN WILLIAM WATTS, Hosiery Manager, of Countesthorpe,
both in the County of Leicester, and THOMAS KINGHAM CATCHPOOL, also of the
firm of Anderson Sons & Co. aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in circular latch needle knitting machines
and consists of the following: 1st In place of recessing the inner face of cam
cylinder and putting in a sliding plate as described in the specification for
patent 1836 January 21st 1884, we cut a vertical section of the cam cylinder away,
leaving the outer edges of the opening a little wider than the inner edges. We
next fit a cam-plate into this opening in such manner, that it will slide up and
down, the ends being shaped so as to fit the ends of the cylinder.
Outside this cam plate we fix a clamping plate of such length as to allow of its
being secured to the outer face of cylinder for the purpose of holding the cam
plate in position so that the inner face of cam plate is perfectly level with the
inner face of cylinder. Upon the outer face of cam plate and near its centre,
we attach a block of sufficient length to pass through a vertical slot in the
clamping plate. The block to have a vertical hole, through it at that part that
protrudes through the slot in the clamping plate.
Into this hole is fitted a screw whose upper end is supported by a bearing,
fastened to the clamping plate. The lower end of the screw resting in a slight
recess, formed upon the upper face of the flange of the cam cylinder. The top of
this screw has a double milled head, for the purpose of turning it. Upon the
inner face of the cam-plate are screwed the cams for regulating the length of the
loops and also other cams for actuating the needles. If we wish to make looser
fabric we lower the cam plate by turning the milled head screw. If we wish to
make tighter work we turn the said screw the reverse way. One end of a small
spring is attached to the clamping plate, the other end fitting upon the lower
willed head to prevent the screw from turning accidently.
Upon the outer face of cylinder or clamping plate, we pivot an indicating finger,
for the purpose of showing to the operators the position of the cams, whereby they
may know where to place them for certain sizes of yarn, without first working
a portion of fabric. It also serves to show to a nicety, how much the cams are

page_text: •
heightened or lowered, when the milled head screw is turned to the right or left.
We pivot the said finger near to the end that works in a recess formed in the side
of the aforementioned bolt, the longer end pointing to numbers, that are arranged
upon a semicircular index upon the outer face of cylinder or clamping plate,
according to which plan is used. When the cams are in their highest position, we
arrange the finger to point at zero, and as the cams are depressed, the finger rises
showing the said depression.
Another plan of using the improved cams is by having two cylinders, one fitting
inside the other, the inner one having the whole of the cams fastened to the inner
surface.
Three or more vertical slots are cut at equal distances (or otherwise) in the sides
of the outer cylinder. And in each of these slots is fitted a screw, whose inner
end is tapped into the sides of the inner cylinder. These screws project a little
over the surface of the outer cylinder. For the purpose of vertically moving the
inner or cam cylinder to vary the length of loops, we fit on the circumference
of the outer cylinder a segment of a ring or a complete ring, which has as many
inclined slots cut in it as there are screws protruding through the outer cylinder.
The screws are put through the slots. This segment or complete ring has also two
or more horizontal slots into which are fitted screws, whose inner ends are tapped
into the sides of the outer cylinder. These screws are for the purpose of holding
the said ring rigid, when the inner cylinder is placed in the right position. It will
be seen, that by moving the ring to the right or left, the inner cylinder is made to
rise or fall, thereby lengthening or shortening the loops that are formed upon the
vertical needles.
For indicator we attach a pointer to the movable ring which points to a num-
bered index, that is upon the outer cam cylinder, taking care that when the cams
are at their highest position, the indicator points to zero.
In place of the sliding cam and for closing the raceway, see Fig. 15 of specifi-
cations No. 1836 of 1884, we use a swinging cam, whose upper end is pivoted just
below the cam ring, the needle butts being guarded from striking the upper end
of the swinging cam, by a stationary cam, whose ends are so shaped that if our
improved needle butts should strike against them, they will turn the said butts
either above or below them, thereby avoiding breakages of cylinders and cams.
The joints of the cams are considerably improved over those described in the
former patent of J. W. Watts, No. 1836 1884. The joints formed by the drop
cams and u pivoted against a¹ and 8 are cut very obliquely, which prevents
the needle butts from falling into the joints when the cams 8¹ and 8' are at their
highest position, without the aid of the steel covering to guard them. The two
elevating cams (right and left of the central cam S Fig. 15, are not attached to
the movable plate like the rest of the vertical cams, but are fastened to the
rigid cylinder, therefore to make a nice joint at the bottom of the cam, so that
the butts of the needles cannot catch the cams, when turning the machine either
forward or backward, or whether the movable cams are at their highest or lowest
position, we cut the ends of the cams so that they overlap each other by filing
away the front half of the ends of one cam and the back half of the ends of
the other.
An improved yarn guide and fender are provided to prevent the needle latches
from getting bent, and also to protect both the ribbing and frame needle latches
from closing when they have thrown off their loops on to the stems of the needles.
The said guide and fender are attached to either the cam ring to the clamping plate
or to the outer cylinder (according to requirement) in such a manner, that the
guide hole where the yarn passes through is exactly in the centre of the depressing
cams, thereby making it always ready to feed the needles with yarn whether the
machine is turned to the right or to the left.
Another part of our invention relates to an improved bobbin stand and also an
improved thread guide bracket and take up apparatus. Instead of the bobbin
pegs being fitted into holes in the upper side of the clamping bracket, we construct

page_text: a special stand whose inner ends are so shaped that they fit into two recesses
formed upon the underside of the clamping bracket and which holds the bobbin
stand fast, when the machine is screwed to the table or counter; around this bobbin
stand are placed the pegs for the yarn bobbins to stand on the pegs being fitted
into the stand so that they point to the centre of the yarn guide hole at the back
of the bracket which is attached to the top of the yarn post. These bobbin pegs
are to be set far enough from the machine to allow plenty of room for the
operator's hand when changing the needles from one cylinder to the other. We
also set the yarn post farther back; for the same purpose we removably attach
the top yarn guide bracket to the post which makes it less liable to get broken
during transit etc. To facilitate the screwing together and taking to pieces of this
post and bracket we drill a horizontal hole through the centre of the post near its
upper end, so that a wire or other suitable instrument may be put through it for
the purpose of holding the post, when screwing the top bracket either on or off.
Instead of constructing the top yarn guide bracket to branch out at the back in
two or three directions we prefer ours to only have one such branch and one guide
hole for the yarn to pass through at the back. The various required bobbins being
so arranged underneath that the centre of each hole in the upper end of the bobbin
points in the centre of the yarn guide hole in the top bracket. The front end of
the bracket terminates so that the hole, where the thread passes through to the
machine is exactly over the centre of the machine.
Upon the upper side of this top bracket and near its fore end we apply a tension
tube of the usual construction, and projecting from the sides of the top bracket are
two small brackets, one to support the tension weight, and the other for the take
up apparatus. See Watts' specification for patent No. 841 A.D. 1882 Figs. 5
and 6 letters ¹ and . In place of uncoiling one end of the spiral spring and
forming it into a hook for the yarn to pass through when making the heels, toes or
flat fabric, as is usually done we use a short lever having a hole at each end, the
front one being for the yarn to pass through, the back one is pivoted upon the
small bracket y (the same as the spiral is on) a small portion of the spring is
uncoiled and attached to the lever near its base, the other end of the spring is
made fast to a washer or ring, a screw passing through the centre of the said
washer, which screw is tapped into the centre of the bracket z¹. By turning in
the screw, it tightens the washer between the end of the bracket and the screw
head. By loosening the screw, we are enabled to turn the washer which regulates
the pressure of the spring until there is sufficient lifting power given to the fore
end of the lever to take up the usual slack yarn that there is when making either
heels, toes or flat fabric. We cramp the fore end of the lever so that it lies at
right angles with the top bracket which sets the hole in it straight for the thread
to pass through. The advantages derived from this arrangement over any others
we know, are, first, that it does not either require threading or unthreading
(unless the yarn breaks); when the heels etc are finished we merely draw down
the lever, when it is held in that position by a catch until it is again required in
action. The second advantage is that, when the lever is nearly down to the
bracket, the strain upon the yarn is but very slightly greater than when the said
lever is at its highest position i.e. the spring acting upon the base of the lever gives
a more uniform tension upon the yarn, consequently the loops are not drawn so
tightly, when making the heels etc, which makes them larger and gives the
stocking etc a much better appearance. We preferably use a spiral spring for
actuating the take up lever, but we can use various other kinds of springs
or even weights all of which we attach to some part of the lever near its base and
all for the attainment of the same object, namely to better distribute the tension of
such springs or weights upon the yarn when muking heeis toes etc.
Our improvements upon the vertical needle cylinder consist in reducing the
diameter of the upper part of the cylinder which gives us the following
advantages: First we are enabled to work with a shorter needle, consequently
shall be able to use a conical cylinder with more grooves, as the needle butts will

page_text: not have to ascend so high into the narrow part of the cone, so that by having
more grooves in the same diameter of machine, we shall be able to make a finer
stocking than was before practicable.
The second advantage we gain is that we can have the conical cylinder for
ribbing purposes made more vertical which will also add greatly to the strength of
the needle grooves at the upper part of the cone, and still be able to handle the
needles as well as we could before when the cylinder was more conical.
On the top of the vertical cam cylinder we attach a cam ring in sections; some
of these sections have both their ends screwed, or where preferable we only screw
one end and fasten the other by a spring, bolt, or catch so arranged that with one
hand only the operator can push or pull up or down the catch (or bolt) and open
the sections of cam ring at the same instant. The spring and bolt (or catch) is so
arranged that by shutting the ring it will fasten itself. Or we may make each
section of the cam ring of light spring steel. One end of the section we pivot to
the upper edge of the cam cylinder; to the underside of the other end we attach a
beveled stud, which takes into a recess into the upper edge of the said cylinder,
thereby dispensing with the spring bolt etc; for fastening, we cut a portion of the
vertical cam cylinder away at the place where we change the needles from one
cylinder to the other to facilitate the changing of the needles. On that section of
the cam ring that lies over the depressing cams we thicken its inner edge so that
when the vertical needles are depressed by the cams, if the latches should hang
downwards, this inner knife edge of the cam ring turns them up, consequently
prevents them from jamming the ends of the latches on the cam ring. The inner
edge of the cam ring fits up close to the stems of the needles all the way round the
cylinder, which keeps the butts of the needles from rubbing on the inner face of
the cylinder for the reason given hereafter, when speaking of the improved needle.
For ribbing purposes we preferably use a conical ribbing attachment (although
the foregoing improvements are all applicable to what are known as radial ribbing
attachments as well as for an inverted conical ribbing attachment) which consists
of a conical needle cylinder, supported centrally above the vertical or frame
cylinder. A cone shaped cani cylinder is used fitting around the conical needle
cylinder and having the necessary cams attached to the inner surface for imparting
to the ribbing needles an outward and downward movement which is arranged to
correspond to the action of the needles in the vertical cylinder. For supporting
the aforementioned cylinders and also for disconnecting the conical cam cylinder,
while making heels, toes etc, we either use an apparatus similar to that described
in the specifications of patent No. 841, 21st September 1882, but differing by the
in which the ribber arm is attached to the vertical cam cylinder, for
instead of using a forked bracket that slides into two sockets we use an appliance
that screws the lower end of the said arm on to the vertical cam cylinder, thereby
holding the ribbing attachment more steadily, the said ribbing arm being minde
very broad at its base to prevent any lateral motion. Our other plan for supporting
the ribbing attachment is as follows: We attach a stationary bracket or post to
some part of the base of the machine (in a similar manner to the way the stationary
arms are attached in ribbing machines where the needle cylinders revolve) the
upper end turned horizontally towards the centre of the machine and terminating
at a point some two or three inches from the centre. Upon the upper side of this
bracket is removably attached by studs and a thumb screw one end of a bearing,
the other end being formed into a boss or socket. This bearing must be so arranged
that the centre of the socket must be exactly over the centre of the machine.
Into this socket is fitted an axle or tube whose upper and lower ends are tapped
and fitted with screw-nuts; the lower end of the axle passes through the centre of
both the conical cam and needle cylinders, the thumb nut screwing up to a shoulder
on the lower end of the axle on the inner side of the needle cone. The conical cam
cylinder is made fast to the axle by a pin or a feather or other suitable arrange-
ment, so that, when the cylinder is revolved, it carries the axle around with it.
The upper end of the axle above the socket is provided with either two lock nuts
manner,

page_text: or a washer and one nut with a set screw in the side of the nut to prevent its
turning on the axle when the machine is at work, the nut or lock nuts on the upper
end of the axle are for the purpose of regulating the height of the conical cam and
needle cylinders. For driving the ribbing attachment we use a similar arm to that
we first described for supporting the ribbing attachment with a spring bolt that is
let into the side of the socket for disconnecting the ribbing attachment, when
making the heels toes etc. But instead of screwing the lower end of the bracket
to the side of the vertical cam cylinder as before described we cut a perpendicular
slot in the centre of the foot and let it slide off or on a stud that is fast to the side
of the cylinder. If we use a solid pin for revolving in the socket, we drill a hole
down the axle commencing at the top and taking care that the hole is drilled so
that it comes out at that side of the axle that is nearest the yarn guide; this hole
is for the yarn to pass down on its way from the top yarn guide bracket to the
machine. If we use a hollow tube in place of a solid axle, we then cut a vertical
slot in the side nearest the yarn guide for the yarn to pass through. If we have
a press of or from any other cause, we wish to remove the ribbing attachment
while we again set up the work on the vertical needles, we unscrew the socket
bracket from the stationary arm by removing the thumb screw, then lifting the
ribbing attachment out of the way.
A further modification of this part of our invention is by hightening the
stationary arm or bracket, which supports the socket bracket. We then lengthen
the axle so that the needle cone and the conical cam cylinder are held by it in the
same relative position as when the shorter stationary arm was used. Upon one
side of the socket we fit in a set screw. Our mode of removing the ribbing attach-
ment when desired, is to raise up the ribbing attachment perpendicularly, letting
the axle slide up inside the socket, and when it is sufficiently high to tighten up
the set screw, whose inner end presses on the axle and so retains it in that position.
This invention also comprises an improved switch cam for making a welt to
the top of stockings etc and also an improved knocking-over-cam for knocking
over the loops that are made upon the ribbing needles, and appliances for holding
and regulating the switch cam and knocking over cams.
By turning a thumb nut on the outside of the cylinder (or preferably moving a
lever) the switch cam on the inside of the cylinder may be turned so as to compel
the needle butts to run in the upper raceway which prevents them from either
throwing off their old loops on to the stems of the needles. And as the needles
ascend the elevating cam, they take hold of the thread and form new loops, which
loops are secured in the hooks of the needles.
As the butts of the needles run over the knocking over can the old loops pass
over the latches. The knocking over cam may be a slide forming a portion of the
cam surface on the inside of the cylinder and made adjustable up and down in the
following manner.
A section of steel ring is held in the centre to the surface of the outer
cylinder by a set screw which has its inner end rivetted into the knocking over
cam and passes through a vertical slot in the cylinder and also through an inclined
slot in the outer ring; by loosening the set screw (or thumb nut) and moving the
sectional ring to the right or to the left it lowers or raises the knocking over cam.
When it is in the right position, the thumb nut is tightened, the sectional ring is
guided by a pair of studs fixed to the cylinder and passing through horizontal slots
in the sectional ring.
Fashioned or shapeable fabric, stockings etc may be made upon this machine
either independently or in conjunction with the fashioning apparatus as described
in the patent specifications No. 1836 and 8794 dated 21st January and the
9th June 1884 respectively.
For the purpose of making room for the extra needles used in making the
maximum width of fabric for fashioning purposes, we use movable spring needle
posts in the vertical cylinder, such posts being attached to a plate which is inade
to slide vertically on the inside of the vertical needle cylinder. Our apparatus for

page_text: raising and lowering the posts and plate is as follows. Surrounding the inner face
of the vertical needle cylinder is a cylindrical ring, whose lower edge rests upon
the bed of the machine and which is prevented from rising by a shoulder formed
by turning a portion of the inner surface of the cylinder away, or various other
devices can be used for preventing this cylindrical ring from rising, such as plates
resting on the top edge, their base being either attached to the bed of the machine
or to the inner face of the cylinder. On the side of the ring that lies in front of
the vertical plate for moving the posts, we cut two inclined slots in the vertical
plate; opposite the inclined slots we screw in two studs. It will now be seen that
by turning the cylindrical ring to the right or to the left, it will either raise or
lower the vertical plate. To facilitate the movement of the cylindrical ring, we
cut a horizontal slot in the side of the bed of the machine through which we put a
lever, the inner end being attached to the cylindrical ring, and the outer end
standing a short distance away from the outer face of the bed. If we wish to
highten or lower the needle posts, we have only to pull the lever towards ourselves
or push it from us. Our mode of fashioning upon the frame needles is as follows.
We fill the whole of the needle grooves in the vertical needle cylinder with needles
that work vertically. Next we have the needle grooves in the conical needle
cylinder cut a little wider than usual, especially at the lower end. At the lower
end of the widened grooves, we either rigidly fix a stud in the centre of the groove
or else we use a movable stud, the said grooves being wide enough to allow the
conical needle to slide on either side of the stud. In finer gauges we have not
room to fix a rigid stud in the centre; so we apply a movable one in the
following way.
We cut the conical grooves a trifle wider than usual as before mentioned. We
also cut the cylinder a little shorter, as there is a ring to be fitted upon the lower
edge after the cutting is done, assuming that the needle grooves are all cut in the
conical cylinder to the required size. We next cut as many radial grooves on
the bottom edge of the cylinder as we require extra needles for the making of
the maximum width of fabric. In the centre of each of these radial grooves we
drill a small hole vertically up the cylinder; into these small holes we fit our
movable studs, which consist of a steel wire cramped to a right angle, one end
being round and the other flattened so that it will better guide the needle. The
round end of the wire we fit into the vertical hole, while the flattened end lies in
the radial groove, to keep these movable studs from falling out. When the needle
cone is in position, we screw a thin plate on the lower edge of the conical cylinder
all round. The radial grooves are to be of sufficient depth to allow the flattened
end of the movable post to slide from the right to the left and vice versa, when the
flat plate is screwed on the under edge.
The vertical cylinder grooves all being filled with needles, we draw down the
movable guide posts and turn the ribbing needles so that they descend over
the place where the vertical guide posts have been.
When we have worked sufficient of the wide part of the fabric, we commence
removing the vertical needles out of the vertical cylinder by removing the one
next the ribbing needle over the stud, (whether the said stud be rigid or movably
fitted) letting it work in the groove, from which we have removed the vertical
needle. After we have got to the heel and all the ribbing needles are working
over the vertical needle guide posts, to their highest position, ready for the vertical
needles to draw their loops across while making the heels etc.
Our mode of fashioning upon the ribbing needles only is as follows:
We have the conical needle grooves made wide enough to allow two needles to
slide in them side by side, and divided at the bottom of the groove by a central
stud as before described. Or in place of needle stems working in these grooves, we
may use jacks with the needles attached to their lower ends and a suitable butt on
the upper edge for operating by the cams.
One of these needles is made to descend on one side of the stud into the groove,
from where a vertical needle has been removed; the other ribbing needle descends

page_text: on the other side of the central stud and over the place where the vertical needle
post has been lowered. Our plan of removing one of the ribbing needles is as
follows. We take off the loop from the ribbing needle, that is working over the
removed needle post and either hang it upon the other ribbing needle or upon the
next vertical needle; we next push up this needle from which we have removed
the stitch, until the butt enters into a recess on the upper end of the cone and
out of the reach of the cams the exit to the recess being guarded by a suitable
spring.
In the specification of Watts' patent No. 841, A D 1882 means are described for
drawing a longer loop with the ribbing needles by having the slotted collar situated
between the upper face of the cam cylinder and the lower face of the bearing m.
By our present improvement we dispense with the slotted holes, thereby avoiding
accidents by the slipping of the collar which it occasionally does.
Our improved device is to use a collar similarly situated to n in the former
patent but much less in diameter except on one portion, say about th of the
circumference which we leave the size of the top of the cam cylinder. Near to
the outer circumference and on the top of the cam cylinder we attach a hexagon
ring (or washer) fitted in the centre with a screw, which is tapped into the top
face of the cam cylinder. The sides of this hexagon ring are all uneven, for
example No. 1 side may be quite level with the screw head that holds the said
ring fast to the cylinder. No. 2 si le must extend of an inch further from the
centre and No. 3 th of an inch more than No. 2 and so on until No. 6 side
is of an inch further from the centre than No. 1 side. The spring bolt z fits
into a hole in the collar N in a similar manner to that described in Watts'
former patent. Having abolished the screws n¹ and the slots in the collar n,
we attach the hexagon ring to the top of the cylinder, for the arm or projection
of the collar N to strike against which it does, when the spring bolt is in
the hole m³, and we so arrange the various parts, that, when the machine is
working its finest material, we place the smallest side of the hexagon ring for
the collar arm to strike against, then, when we are making the loosest kind of
fabric we turn the largest side of the hexagon ring for the collar arm to strike
against. It is obvious that we may have greater variations in the sides of the
hexagon ring, if necessary. Another improvement in connection with this adjustable
apparatus is that when we are making fashioned stockings as previously described
it is important that the fabric should be worked as loosely when we are working
the upper or wide part of the stocking etc., as it is, when we are making the
narrow part of the same, therefore to attain that object we adjust the hexagon
ring so that the machine knits the right quality of fabric, when making the
narrow part i.e. when the ribbing needles slide into the vertical grooves from
which the vertical needles have been removed; then to make it knit the wide part
as loosely as the small we fit a suitable instrument between the arm of the collar N
and the face of the hexagon ring, which has the effect of making the ribbing
needles draw a longer loop which is necessary to make the wide fabric as loose as
the narrow.
A further improvement consists in having a cam ring all round the conical
needle cylinder and fitting into a horizontal groove turned to the depth of the
needle stems. In the outer face of the needle cylinder we preferably make this
ring in sections and attach it to the lower edge of the conical cam cylinder in
a similar manner to what the one section (Fig. E) is attached in the patent
No. 841 A.D. 1882.
Our next improvement relates to an alteration in the heel weights by making a
distinguishing mark upon one side of it, then taking care that all the needles are
soldered or fastened into the top, so that all the latches are in the same relative
position to the distinguishing mark on the weights, thereby enabling the operator
to know at once by the feel of the weight on which side the needle latches are,
which knowledge enables her to change the weights during the process of making
the beels without dragging long loops out of the fabric. To the top of the weight

page_text: we attach a rod of iron, say 3 inches long and inch in diameter. Into the upper
end of this rod, we solder the needle instead of into the upper end of the weight,
taking care that the latches all occupy the same relative position to the mark
on the weights.
Our next improvement relates to the conical needle cylinder. Instead of
cutting the needle grooves open at the top, as heretofore, we leave a certain
portion uncut, which leaves the apex of the cone solid, thereby reducing the
liability to breakages.
Our improved needle consists 1st in having the ends of the butts slightly
pointed or bevelled so that, if they should accidentally strike against the end of
the bevelled guard cam, they will slide off either upward or downward, thereby
reducing the liability of jamming or breakages of cams or cylinders. Having
Bucceeded in shaping the ends of the needles so that they will glide off the ends of
the cam, our next object is to keep the ends of the needle butts that shape and
not let their ends be worn off by rubbing against the inner face of the cam
cylinder; therefore to protect the ends of the needle butts, we put a horizontal
cramp in the needle stem just above the ordinary butt; in fact it is cramped the
same as the butt, but only protrudes from the needle stem to the outer face of the
needle cylinder so that when the needles are being depressed by the cams acting
on the butts of the needles, the said needles are held at the back of the groove
by the inner face of the cams rubbing against the end of the small cramp in the
needle.
For the purpose of keeping the butts at the back of the grooves, we may
arrange to have an extra bend put on the end of the needle; under the ordinary
butt we preferably choose the former plan.
Dated this 14th day of December 1885
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents, 67, Strand, W.C.

page_text: Improvements in Circular Latch Needle Knitting Machines.
We, JOHN STAFFORD ANDERSON, Hosier, of Leicester, JOHN WILLIAM WATTS,
Hosier's Manager, of Countesthorpe, Leicester, and THOMAS KINGHAM CATCHPOOL,
Hosier, of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
inanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-1st In place of recessing the inner
face of the can cylinder A in order to put in a sliding cam plate we cut away &
vertical section of the cam cylinder A. and into this opening fit a cam plate B so
that it will slide up and down and complete the cylinder. Outside this cam plate
and in order to bold it in position we fix a clamping plate C screwed at each end
to the outer face of cylinder A. Upon the outer face of the cam plate and near its
centre we attach a block a which passes through a vertical slot 6 in the clamping
plate C. This block is tapped vertically to receive a set screw c which revolves
loosely through a fixed shoulder d in the clamping plate C and serves to adjust the
vertical movement of the cam plate.
Upon the inner face of the cam plate B are screwed the cams for regulating the
length of the loops and also other cams for actuating the needles.
For loose fabric the cam plate should be lowered and for tighter work the cain
plate is raised, a small spring e pressing on a ratchet wheel fon the set screw c
prevents the latter from turning accidentally.
Upon the clamping plate C is pivoted an indicator for showing the position of
the cams.
The shorter arm of the indicator is guided by a recess cut in the side
of the block a, the longer arm moves along a vertical scale on the side of the
cylinder.
Another method of arranging vertically adjustable cams is by having two
cylinders one sliding vertically within the other, the inner one carrying the whole
of the camis fastened to its inner surface. In this case three or more vertical slots
are cut at equal or convenient distances in the sides of the outer cylinder; in each
of these slots is guided a pin whose inner end is fixed to the side of the inner cam
cylinder. These pins project beyond the surface of the outer cylinder. For the
purpose of vertically moving the inner or cam cylinder to vary the length of loops
we arrange on the circumference of the outer cylinder a ring which has as many
inclined slots cut in it as are requisite to each embrace one of the above mentioned
pins. This segment or complete ring has also two or more horizontal slots into
which project screws whose inner ends are fixed into the sides of the outer
cylinder. These screws are for the purpose of guiding the said ring horizontally
and holding it rigid when the inner cylinder is placed in the desired position. By
moving the ring to the right or left the inuer cylinder is made to rise or fall.
An indicator and scale should be attached to the movable ring to show the
position of the cains.
In place of a sliding cam for closing the raceway as described in Specification
No. 1836 of 1884, we use a swinging cam h whose upper end is pivoted just below

page_text: the cain ring F the needle butts being guarded from striking the upper end of the
swinging cam by a stationary ram whose ends are bevelled so that if our
improved needle butts should strike against them they will turn the said butts
either above or below them thereby avoiding breakages of cylinders and cams.
The joints of the cams are also considerably improved. All joints between
movable and fixed cams are cut very obliquely which prevents the needle butts
from catching into the joints. For certain classes of work however we use a
combined depressing and drop cam m thereby doing away with the joint.
The two elevating cams n are not attached to the movable plate B like the rest
of the cams but are fastened to the rigid cylinder therefore to make a suitable
joint at the bottom of the cams so that the butts of the needles cannot catch the
cams when turning the machine either forward or backward, or whether the
movable cams are at their highest or lowest position, we cut the ends of the cams
so that they overlap each other by filing away the front half of the ends of one
cam and the back half of the ends of the other.
An improved yarn carrier and fender E is provided to prevent the needle
latches from getting bent and also to protect both the ribbing and frame needle
latches from closing when they have thrown off their loops on to the stems of the
needles. The said yarn carrier and fender are made in one piece which is attached
to either the cam ring F the clamping plate Cor to the outer cylinder A (according
to requirement) in such a manner that the guide hole p where the yarn passes
through is exactly in the centre of the depressing cams thereby making it always
ready to feed the needles with yarn whether the machine is turned to the right or
to the left.
Another part of our invention relates to an .improved bobbin stand G and also
an improved thread guide, bracket H with take up apparatus J. Instead of the
bobbin pegs being fitted into holes in the upper side of the clamping bracket K as
heretofore we construct a special stand G whose inner ends G¹ are so shaped that
they fit into two recesses formed upon the underside of the clamping bracket K
which holds the bobbin stand fast upon the table or counter; on this bobbin stand
are placed the pegs for the yarn bobbins to stand on, the pegs point to the
centre of the yarn guide holes at the back of the bracket which is attached to
the top of the yarn post L. These bobbin pegs are to be set far enough from the
machino to allow plenty of room for the operator's hand when changing the needles
from one cylinder to the other; we also set the yarn post farther back for the same
purpose. We removably attach the top yarn guide bracket H to the post L which
inakes it less liable to get broken during transit.
Instead of constructing the top yarn guide bracket H to branch out at the back
in two or three directions we prefer ours to have only one such branch and one
guide hole for the yarn to pass through at the back. The front end of the bracket
terminates so that the hole t where the thread passes through to the machine is
over the centre of the machine. Upon the upper side of this top bracket and near
its fore end we apply a tension tube u of the usual construction and projecting
from the sides of the top bracket are two small brackets one to support a tension
weight and the other for the take up apparatus J which is as follows:
In place of uncoiling one end of the spiral spring w and forming it into a hook
for the yarn to pass through when making the heels, toes, or flat fabric as is
usually done, a short lever a having a hole in front for the yarn to pass through
slides loosely round a small bracket on which is coiled the spiral spring w one end
of the latter is attached to the lever x near its base the other end is made fast to a
washer or ring y a screw passing through the centre of the said washer screws it
firmly to the bracket. By loosening the screw the washer y can be turned so as
to regulate the pressure of the spring until there is sufficient lifting power given
to the fore end of the lever to take up the usual slack yarn that there is when
making either heels, toes, or flat fabric. By this arrangement we can better adjust
the tension of the lever. When the heels &c are finished we merely draw down
the lever and pass it under a catch z until it is again required.

page_text: Instead of a spiral spring we can use various other kinds of springs or weights
for the same object.
Our improvements upon the vertical needle cylinder M consist in reducing the
diameter of the upper part of the cylinder which gives us the following advantages;
first we are enabled to work with a shorter needle consequently are able to use a
conical cylinder with more grooves as the needle butts will not have to ascend so
high into the narrow part of the cone so that by having more grooves in the same
diameter of machine we shall be able to make a finer stocking than was before
practicable. The second advantage gained is that we can have the conical cylinder
of the ribbing attachment made more vertical which will also add greatly to the
strength of the needle grooves at the upper part of the cone and still be able to
handle the needles as well as we could before when the cylinder was more conical.
We also lower the inner upper edge of the lower cylinder so that the weight
hangs more direct on the work.
On the top of the vertical cam cylinder A we attach a cam ring F. in sections
some of these sections have both their ends screwed or where preferable we only
screw one end and fasten the other by a spring, bolt, or catch so arranged that
with one hand only the operator can draw back the catch (or bolt) and open the
section of the cam ring at the same instant. The spring bolt (or catch) is so
arranged that by shutting the ring it will fasten itself. To facilitate the changing
of the needles from one cylinder to the other we cause a portion of the cam
cylinder to open on hinges thereby forming a gate N and fastened with a spring
slam bolt P operated froin without by a knob.
That section of the cam ring F that lies over the depressing cams is provided
with an inclined edge F¹ so that when the vortical needles are depressed by the
cams if the latches should hang downwards the said slanted edge on the cam ring
will turn them outwards and consequently prevents them from jamming on the
cam ring. The inner edge of the cam ring F fits up close to the stems of the
needles all the way round the cylinder.
For ribbing purposes we preferably use a conical ribbing attachment (although
the foregoing improvements are all applicable to a radial ribbing attachment or an
inverted conical ribbing attachment) which consists of a conical needle cylinder Q
supported centrally above the frame cylinder. A cone shaped can cylinder R fits
around the conical needle cylinder Q and has the necessary cams attached to the
inner surface for imparting to the ribbing needles an outward and downward
movement which is arranged to correspond to the action of the needles in the
vertical cylinder M. For supporting the aforementioned cylinders and also for
disconnecting the conical cam cylinder while making heels, toes &c we use a
bracket S secured at its lower end to the vertical cam cylinder A thereby holding
the ribbing attachment more steadily the said bracket being made very broad at its
base to prevent lateral motion. This arm S may be arranged to support the ribbing
attachment or it may be supplemented by a stationary bracket or post T fixed to
the base of the machine, the upper end bent horizontally towards the centre of the
machine. Upon the upper side of this bracket is removably attached a bearing U
through the socket of which passes an axle or tube V the lower end of which
passes through the centre of the conical can and needle cylinder and supports the
latter. The upper end of the axle V above the socket U is provided with either
two lock nuts, or a washer and thumb nut, these nuts are for the purpose of
regulating the height of the conical cam and needle cylinder. For driving the
ribbing attachment we then use a similar arm S to that we first described for
supporting the ribbing attachment, with a spring bolt W that is let into the side
of the socket for disconnecting the ribbing cam cylinder when making the heels,
toes, &c. But instead of screwing the lower end of this bracket S to the side of
the vertical cam cylinder as before described we cut a perpendicular slot in the
centre of the foot and let it slide off or on a stud X that is fast to the side of the
cylinder. If we use a solid axle for revolving in the socket we drill a hole for

page_text: +
the yarn down the axle commencing at the top and terminating at that side of
the axle that is nearest the yarn guide.
Our mode of removing the ribbing attachment when desired is to raise up the
ribbing attachment perpendicularly letting the axle V slide up inside the socket U
and when it is sufficiently high we let the foot of the revolving arm rest on the
top of the stud X or it may be held up by a set screw arrangement.
This invention also comprises an improved switch cam a¹ for making a welt to
the top of stockings &c and also an improved knocking over cam b¹ for knocking
over the loops that are made upon the ribbing needles and appliances for holding
and regulating the switch cam and knocking over cams.
The advantages derived by this latter arrangement is that in case of a press off
or from any cause where we want to work the vertical needles only-all we have
to do is to slide up the ribbing apparatus and the yarn passes down to the vertical
needles without having to unthread the axle thereby saving time.
By moving a lover C¹ on the outside of the cylinder the switch cam a¹ on the
inside of the cylinder may be turned so as to compel the needle butts to run in the
upper raceway d' which prevents the ribbing needles from either throwing off
their old loops or taking hold of new ones while a sufficient number of rounds are
knitted upon the vertical needles to form a welt. Then by turning the lever c'
the reverse way it opens the lower channel e¹ for the needles to descend which
causes them to throw off their old loops on to the stems of the needles. And as
the needles ascend the elevating cam they take hold of the thread and form new
loops which loops are secured in the hooks of the needles. As the butts of the
needles run over the knocking over cam b¹ the old loops pass over the latches.
The knocking over cam may be a slide forming a portion of the cam surface on the
inside of the cylinder and made adjustable up and down as follows:-
A section of a steel ring f' is held in the centre to the surface of the outer
cylinder by a set screw c¹ which has its inner end rivetted into the knocking over
cam band passes through a vertical slot g¹ in the cylinder and also through an
inclined slot in the outer ring by loosening the set screw (or thumb nut) and
moving the sectional ring to the right or to the left it lowers or raises the knocking
over cam. When it is in the correct position the thumb nut is tightened. The
slide is guided by a pair of studs fixed to the cylinder and passing through
horizontal slots in the sectional ring.
Fashioned or shapeable fabric stockings &c may be made upon this machine
either independently or in conjunction with the fashioning apparatus described in
the Specification of Patents No. 1836 and 8794 dated 21st January and the 9th of
June 1884 respectively.
For the purpose of making room for the extra needles used in making the
maximum width of fabric for fashioning purposes we use movable spring needle
posts in the vertical cylinder such posts being attached to a plate m¹ which is
made to slide vertically on the inside of the needle cylinder. Our apparatus for
raising and lowering the posts is substantially the same as that described for
raising the cain ring of the vertical cylinder when the said cam ring consists of a
whole cylinder, viz, by causing a section of a horizontal ring 6 to move the
pins a a upward in inclined slots.
We also have the needle grooves in the conical needle cylinder cut a little wider
than usual especially. at the lower end, as represented in Fig. 18. At the lower
end of the widened grooves we either rigidly fix a stud n¹ in the centre of the
groove or else we use a movable stud the said grooves being wide enough to allow
the ribbing needle to slide on either side of the stud.
Assuming that the needle grooves are all cut in the conical cylinder to the
required size, we next cut as many radial grooves o¹ on the bottom edge of the
cylinder as we require extra needles for the making of the maximum width
of fabric. In the centre of each of these radial grooves we drill a small hole verti-
cally up the cylinder, into these small holes are fitted the movable studs n¹ which

page_text: consist of a steel wire cramped to a right angle one end being round and the other
flattened so that it will better guide the needle. The round end of the wire we
fit into the vertical hole while the flattened end lies in the radial groove. To
keep these movable studs from falling out, when the needle cone is in its position
we screw a thin plate p¹ on the lower edge of the conical cylinder.
The vertical cylinder grooves all being filled with needles we draw down the
movable guide posts and turn the ribbing needles so that they descend over the
place where the vertical guide posts have been.
When we have worked sufficient of the wide part of the fabric we commence
removing the needles out of the vertical cylinder by lifting the one next the
ribbing needle so that we can lift the ribbing needle over the stud (whether the
said stud be rigid or movably fitted) letting it work in the grooves from which we
have removed the vertical needle. When we arrive at the heel of the stocking and
all the ribbing needles are working over the vertical needle grooves we raise the
vertical needle guide posts to their highest position ready for the vertical needles
to draw their loops across while making the heels &c.
Our mode of fashioning upon the ribbing needles only is as follows:-
We have the conical needle grooves made wide enough to allow two needles to
slide in them side by side and divided at the bottom of the groove by a central
stud as before described or in place of needle stems working in these grooves we
may use Jacks with the needles attached to their lower ends and a suitable butt
on the upper edge for operating by the cams. One of these needles is made to
descend on one side of the stud into the groove from where a vertical needle has
been removed the other ribbing needle descends on the other side of the central
stud and over the place where the vertical needle post has been lowered. Our
plan of removing one of the ribbing needles is as follows: We take off the loop
from the ribbing needle that is working over the removed needle post and either
hang it upon the other ribbing needle or upon the next vertical needle; we next
push up this needle from which we have removed the stitch until the butt enters
into a recess on the upper end of the cone and out of the reach of the cams the exit
to the recess being guarded by a suitable spring.
Our improved device for drawing a longer loop on the ribbing needles is to use a
collar p" adapted to abut against a hexagonal washer 8 fixed on the top of the
upper cam cylinder by a screw t¹. The sides of this hexagon ring are all uneven
so as to lie at different distances from the screw t'. The spring bolt W fits into a
hole in the collar p¹¹ in a similar manner to our former patent.
This device has for its object to cause the needles of the ribbing attachment to
arrive sooner or later before the central hole in the yarn-guide.
When the cams in the
It is necessary that the loops formed upon the ribbing needles be proportionate
to those formed upon the vertical or frame needles.
lower cylinder are in their highest position and the needles therefore knitting
their smallest loops, it will be seen that the distance is greater between the feed
hole in the yarn carrier or guide and that point of the needle cylinder where the
top of the needle hooks is just level with the top of the cylinder therefore the cams
are later in depressing the vertical needles below the top of the needle cylinder;
the needles in the ribbing attachment must therefore be retarded in their action to
a corresponding degree, and this is effected by turning the hexagon washer until
that side of the latter, which is nearest the center of washer, abuts against the
collar plate. This action sets the ribbing cylinder a fraction of a revolution round
on its shaft, and so brings the respective needles after a slightly longer interval of
time before the thread hole in the yarn guide.
When the loosest fabric that can be knitted is to be made and the cams in their
lowest position in the vertical cylinder; the fore-part of the depressing cam (i.e the
end nearer the yarn guide) acts sooner on the needles, thereby shortening the
distance between the yarn carrier and the point where the old loops are turned off
the needles consequently if the needles of the ribbing cylinder were left in the
same position as when knitting the closest fabric, the ribbing needles would not

page_text: obtain any yarn from the bobbin because the thread would be locked by the
vertical needle before the ribbing cams began to operate the ribbing needles. To
remedy this, that side of the hexagon washer which lies furthest from the center
of the washer, is caused to abut against the collar so that the ribbing cylinder,
now, is brought in advance of its shaft so that the ribbing needles act sooner and
obtain their share of the yarn and therefore also knit longer loops.
A further improvement consists in having a ring u all round tho conical needle
cylinder and fitting into a horizontal groove v turned to the depth of the needle
stems in the outer face of the needle cylinder; we preferably make this ring in
sections and attach it to the lower edge of the conical cam cylinder in a similar
manner to that in which the one section is attached in our former patent No. 841
A.D. 1882.
Our next improvement relates to an alteration in the heel weights Fig. 20 by
making a distinguishing mark w¹ upon one side of it, then taking care that all the
needles are soldered or fastened into the top so that all the latches are in the same
relative position to the distinguishing mark on the weights, thereby enabling the
operator to know at once by the feel of the weight on which side the needle
latches are, which knowledge enables the operator to change the weights during
the process of making the heels without dragging long loops out of the fabric.
Our next improvements relate to the conical needle cylinder. Instead of cutting
the needle grooves open at the top as beretofore we leave a certain portion uncut
which leaves the apex of the cone solid thereby reducing the liability to breakages.
Our improved needles represented in Figs. 21 and 22 have the ends of the butts
slightly pointed or bevelled so that if they should accidentally strike against the
end of the bevelled guard cam they will slide off either upwards or downwards,
thereby reducing the liability to jamming or breakages of cams or cylinders. To
protect the ends of the needle butts we put a horizontal cramp in the needle stem
just above the ordinary butt in fact it is cramped the same as the butt, but only
protrudes from the needle stem to the outer face of the needle cylinder so that
when the needles are being depressed by the cams acting on the butts of the
needles, the said needles are held at the back of the groove by the inner face of the
cams rubbing against the end of the small cramp in the needle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
In circular latch knitting machines:
1. The arrangement of the cams on a vertically adjustable plate B in the
stationary cylinder A.
2. The arrangement of the cams m m on a vertically adjustable cylinder in the
stationary cylinder A.
3. In combination with the depressing cams m the swinging cam h for the
purpose of closing the upper raceway and conducting the needle butts below either
of the depressing cams.
4. The combination of the swinging cam h with the guard cam / having bevelled
ends, for guiding the needle butts so that they do not strike the swinging cam.
5. The improved joint between movable and fixed cams formed by bevelling off
the contiguous surfaces so that the one lies below the other.
6. The improved combined depressing and drop cam m formed without joint.
7. The combined yarn carrier and fender E having projecting arms for depressing
the needle latches, and in which the yarn is guided to the needles substantially as
described.
8. The bobbin stand G having tongues G¹ adapted to be fixed in recesses in the
bracket K substantially as and for the purpose described.
9. Take up apparatus J the tension of which can be adjusted substantially as
described.
10. In the cylinder A the gate N for changing or removing the needles.

page_text: 11. The arrangement of a conical sliding surface on that part of the ring F of
cylinder A which is situated above the cams.
12. The device for suspending and actuating the ribbing attachment consisting
in a bracket S fixed to the cylinder A and feathered to the shaft V.
13. The combination of the fixed bracket T with the revolving bracket S, so that
the shaft V can be lifted vertically so that the ribbing attachment need not be
removed from the machine when setting up work on the lower needles, the shaft
having a bore through which the yarn passes.
14. In the ribbing attachment a switch cam a¹ for forming a welt, arranged and
actuated as illustrated and described.
15. In the ribbing attachment knocking over cam v₁ arranged and actuated
substantially as described and illustrated.
16. The combination of a vertical needle cylinder m³ Fig. 16. 17. having slots,
with needle posts l¹ adapted to be simultaneously lifted through or withdrawn from
the slots substantially as illustrated and described.
17. A ribbing cone having grooves o¹ provided with fixed or movable studs n'
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
18. A ribbing cone having grooves of sufficient width to receive simultaneously
two needles or jacks substantially as and for the purpose described.
19. The combination of the collar p" with a hexagon washer 8¹ of unequal sides
substantially as and for the purpose described.
20. A ring u¹ in sections for closing the ribbing cone one section being adapted
to open for introducing the needles.
21. The improved heel weight having a distinctive mark w' showing the position
of the needle for the purpose described.
22. The improved pointed needle butts formed so as to have one or two friction
shoulders to obviate friction on the front of the butts.
Dated this 14th day of September 1886
1886
JOHN STAFFORD ANDERSON.
THOMAS KINGHAM CATCHPOOL.
JOHN WILLIAM WATTS.
Herbert & Co., Agents,
67, Strand, W.C.
JOHN STAFFORD ANDERSON.
THOMAS KINGHAM CATCHPOOL.
JOHN WILLIAM WATTS.
Herbert & Co., Agents,
67, Strand, W.C.