Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
We, WILLIAM HARRISON, Patentee and Manufacturer, and CHARLES
WALLACE HARRISON, Clerk, both of 48 Upper Brook Street and of 69 Hyde
Grove, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to knitting machines of the class known as the "Harrison
such as are described in the Specification of the Patent No. 4894 of 1881 and
consists of improvements to, or in combination with, the improvements to the duplex
and triplex knitting machine for which Letters Patent were granted to William
Harrison No. 3968 of 1882.
In order to make the machine therein described more useful, convenient
expeditious and convertible to numerous changes, we construct the machine with
two short detachable heads or short carriages to take their bearings at the foot
upon parallel bars which are so formed that the carriage is held so as to prevent
any end or side shake. We employ the ordinary connecting rod in duplicate to
connect the two machine heads with the driving crank; one rod is longer than the
other which is attached to the head farthest from the driving crank; the shorter
one is attached to the machine head nearest the driving crank, both of these
connecting rods have their connection on the driving crank, so that one turn of the
crank works simultaneously the two machine heads. One of the connecting rods
has a through split bearing lug at the end which fits on to the driving crank; one
part of the split lug or cap takes off which admits of easy detachment. By the
foregoing invention we are enabled to work quicker and take up less working space.
With it we knit two articles simultaneously or we can utilize the two spaces for
duplicate knitting by stops set at different positions for reversing the cams. By
putting the needle stop out of action and using the two needle spaces as one long
needle bed, and by having two detachable machine heads we can join the two heads
together with a screw, bar, or other suitable coupling by which means we convert
the machine into what is known as a double system knitting machine, that is two
sets of cams are caused to actuate the needles to knit twice upon one article in the
one passage from one part of the fabric to the other, and also two colours of wool
or thread can be employed to give the inside of the fabric a different colour to the
other side, or a cotton back and a wool front can be introduced into the fabric.
We also make a needle latch opener which yields vertically or in any angle so as to
avoid damaging needles.
We also apply to these machines when driven by any power other than hand, an
electrical stop motion which stops the machine automatically at knots in the yarn,
at the end of the yarn, when the yarn breaks, or when the yarn is strained. We
employ two pieces of sheet steel or other suitable material fitted on to a hinge, the
upper piece being slotted so as to be adjustable for different thicknesses of yarn
passing between the two; the under part is hinged so as to open outwards and is
kept in its place by a spring; the yarn passes between these two steel plates which
remain stationary until the arrival of a knot or thick part in the yarn, when the
gate or steel plates are drawn forward and bring into contact two electrified points
which unite the whole current, which acts upon a magnet, in its turn raising a
Should there
small lever which by a combination of other levers stop the machine.
be a strain on the yarn the gate instead of being drawn forward is pressed downwards
again bringing two electrified points into contact with each other and so stopping.

page_text: the machine. For the purpose of stopping the machine in case the yarn gives out
we erect two eyelets at a suitable distance apart, between which is a swinging lever
held in a suitable boss; one end of the lever is heavier than the other; the yarn.
passing through the two eyelets over the lightest end of the lever keeps its heavier
end separated from an isolated electric plate to which the lever comes into contact
when the end of the yarn is reached.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1891.
WILLIAM HARRISON.
CHARLES WALLACE HARRISON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
We, WILLIAM HARRISON Patentee and Manufacturer and CHARLES WALLACE
HARRISON Clerk, both of 48 Upper Brook Street and 69 Hyde Grove, Chorlton-
on-Medlock Manchester in the County of Lancaster 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 knitting machines of the class known as the "Harrison
such as are described in the Specification of the Patent No. 4894 of 1881, and
consists of improvements in addition to, or in combination with, the improvements
to the duplex and triplex knitting machine for which Letters Patent were granted to
William Harrison No. 3968 of 1882.
The object of this invention is to make the machine therein described, more
useful, convenient, expeditious, and convertible to numerous changes.
In the drawings we have hereunto annexed for the purpose of describing our
invention more clearly Fig. 1 represents the bed of a machine such as is hereinafter
described; the remaining figures on the sheet illustrate details of the same machine
drawn to an enlarged scale.
In this invention we construct the machine with two short detachable heads or
short carriages b, b'. In order to prevent any end or side shake, we form these
carriages so as to take their bearings at the foot upon parallel bars c as shown in
Fig. 2, which represents a section of the bar c with the lower portion of the head b
placed therein.
We employ connecting rods e, e', of the ordinary description, in duplicate to
connect the two machine heads with the driving crank d. The rod e which is
attached to the head farthest from the driving crank is longer than rod e¹ which is
attached to the machine head that is nearest the driving crank; both of these
connecting rods are connected with the driving crank d so that one turn of the crank
operates simultaneously the two machine heads b and b'.
j
Either one which may be preferred of the aforesaid connecting rods is formed with a
through split bearing lug e³, Fig. 3, at the end which fits on to the driving crank d
the part of the split lug or cap e² may be removed, and the connecting rod may
then be easily detached.
By the invention hereinbefore described we are enabled to work quicker and
take up less working space, two articles may be knitted simultaneously, or the two
spaces may be utilized for duplicate knitting by stops set at different positions for
reversing the cams.
By putting the cam stops, out of action and using the two needle spaces as one
long needle bed, and by having two detachable machine heads we can join the two
heads together with a screw bar or other suitable coupling, by which means we
convert the machine into what is known as a double system knitting machine, that
is two sets of cams are caused to actuate the needles to knit twice upon one article
in the one passage from one part of the fabric to the other, and also two colours

page_text: of wool or thread can be employed to give the inside of the fabric a different colour
to the other side, or a cotton back and a wool front can be introduced into the
fabric.
In order to avoid damage to the needles we form the needle latch opener so that
it will yield vertically or in any angle.
In Figs. 4 and 5 the needle latch opener y is shown attached to a spri plate /
by means of the stud j, the upper portion of the needle latch opener 9 is V shaped,
and a spring h¹ is placed therein; by these means said needle latch opener will
yield to any obstruction either vertically or in any angle as represented by dotted
lines.
We apply to all machines using latch needles, and such as hereinbefore described,
which may be driven by power, an electrical stop motion as represented in Figs. 6, 7
and 8 which show side, end, and plan views respectively, and Fig. 9 transverse
section on line A. A.. This motion stops the machine automatically at knots in the
yarn, at the end of the yarn, when the yarn breaks or when the yarn is strained.
For these purposes we employ two pieces of sheet steel and m, or other suitable
material fitted on to a hinge the upper piece being slotted at n
adjustable for different thicknesses of yarn passing between the edges q of the two
aforesaid pieces of sheet steel, the under piece m is hinged so as to open outwards
and is kept in its place by a spring p.
so as to be
The yarn passes between these two steel plates l, m, which remain stationary
until the arrival of a knot or thick part in the yarn when the gate or steel plates
are drawn forward and bring into contact two electrified points which unite the
whole current which acts upon a magnet, in its turn raising a small lever, which by
a combination of other levers stops the machine; should there be a strain on the
yarn, the gate m instead of being drawn forward is pressed downwards again
bringing two electrified points into contact with each other and so stopping the
machine.
For the purpose of stopping the machine in case the yarn gives out we erect two
eyelets,, at a suitable distance apart, between which is a swinging levers held
in a suitable boss t, the ends of the lever s is heavier than the other; the yarn
passing through the two eyelets over the lightest end 2 of the lever, keeps its
heavier end separated from an isolated electric plate with which the lever comes
into contact when the end of the yarn is reached.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1st. In knitting machines such as are described in the Specification of the Patent
No. 3968 of 1882 the use of two detachable heads or carriages which may be
employed either separately or jointly in the manner and for the purpose substantially
as hereinbefore described.
2nd. In knitting machines in which two short detachable heads are employed,
the use of two connecting rods attached to one driving crank for the purpose of
actuating the aforesaid detachable heads, and the means whereby one or other of
said connecting rods may be detached, in the manner and for the purpose herein-
before described.
3rd. In knitting machines in which two short detachable heads are employed the
means whereby said heads may be constructed so as to form the machine into a
louble system knitting machine in the manner substantially as hereinbefore
lescribed.
4th. In knitting machines the use of a needle latch opener that will yield
vertically or in any angle for the purpose and in the manner substantially as herein-
before described.
5th. In knitting machines using latch needles, that are actuated by power, the
ase of an electric stop motion for the purpose of stopping the machine automatically

page_text: at knots in the yarn, or when the yarn is ended, or when the yarn breaks, or when
the yarn is strained, in the manner substantially as herein before described.
Dated.this 21st day of January 1892. -
WILLIAM HARRISON,
CHARLES WALLACE HARRISON,
Applicants.