Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1889-Accepted, 4th Sept., 1889
[Communicated from abroad by EDOUARD DUBIED, Knitting Machine Manufacturer,
Couvet, Switzerland.]
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
GODFREY STIBBE, merchant 70 Union Street Glasgow in the County of Lanark
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In machines for producing knitted or looped fabrics, if the yarn break or if the
end of the yarn be reached, the fabric will run off the needles unless the machine
be instantly stopped. In such machines if driven by elementary power, this
tendency to running off" is increased by the greater speed attained. My inven-
tion provides an improved means for applying the stop motion instantaneously by
the intervention of the operator, and automatically if there be knots in the yarn,
if the yarn break or if the end of the yarn be reached. To effect this I apply
electric wires to various parts of the machine and isolate those parts from the
remainder of the machine, and provide points of contact with the said isolated ana
electrified parts in order to electrify the remainder of the machine when necessary.
The mechanism which controls the stop-motion consists of parts which are constantly
charged with electricity and isolated from the remainder of the machine, and of
other parts which are attached to the machine, and are not electrified whilst the
machine is in motion. These parts become charged with electricity, if the electric
current is caused to enter the machine by one of the before named points of
contact being made to touch one of the isolated electrified parts, also before named.
A catch, which held the stop lever, then releases the said lever; this lever raises
powerful friction blocks which stop the driving pulley of the machine and
disconnects at the same time the loose pulley from which motion is got direct
from the main shaft. The points of contact consist (1) of a handle or knob attached
to a flexible rod, and attached to the machine, therefore not eléctrified.
Immediately below this knob an electrified and isolated plate is placed. By
depressing the said knob and bringing it into contact with the said plate, the electric
current enters the machine, the stop-lever is released, the friction blocks applied and
the machine stopped in the manner before described. (2) An adjustable knot
detector is placed immediately above the bobbins or cops of yarn. A knot in the
yarn raises the detector bringing it into contact with an isolated electrified platė,
the electric current enters the machine which is stopped in the manner before
described. (3) The tension arrangement consists of parts constantly charged with
electricity and of other parts attached to the machine, those constantly charged
being isolated. The tension wire which is not charged is held by the tension of
the yarn in a position half way between two adjustable points of contact which are
constantly charged with electricity. If the yarn break, or become unduly slackened,
or if the end of the yarn be reached, the tension wire is brought into contact with
the one, if the yarn be unduly tightened the tension wire is brought into contact
with the other electrified point. In either case the electric current enters the machine
which is stopped in the manner before described. (4) An automatic counter for
indicating the number of courses or rounds knitted consists of a numbered disc
revolving upon an axis. Screw holes are perforated in the disc and screws are
inserted at one or more numbers corresponding with the number of courses or rounds
after which it is desired that the machine be stopped automatically. When the
desired number of courses or rounds are done, the end of a screw depresses a bell-
hammer. The bell-hammer which is attached to the machine and not electrified,

page_text: comes into contact with a flexible steel which is constantly charged with electricity
and isolated. The machine is stopped in the manner before described and the bell-
hammer returning to its first position strikes a blow on the bell.
Dated this Third day of Sentember 1888.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
A communication from abroad by EDOUARD DUBIED, of Couvet, Switzerland,
Knitting Machine Manufacturer.
1, GODFREY STIBBE, of 25 Jamaica Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Merchant
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 :-
My Invention has for its object to furnish devices in machines used for manu-
facturing knitted or looped fabrics, for stopping such machines instantaneously and
automatically by the application of electricity. The machines are automatically
stopped if there be a knot or thick place in the yarn used, if the yarn break, if the
tension upon the yarn be unduly tight, and after any predetermined numbers of
rounds have been run by the machine. I also provide a simple device for stopping
the machine instantaneously by the intervention of the operator and by means of the
electric current.
And in order that this said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
an explanatory sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figure 1 is an end view of a knitting machine of the "Lamb" class in which the
needles are raised and lowered by the reversing reciprocating carriage, which also
feeds the yarn to the needles while traversing, one traversing feeder being shown at 1,
all as fittted with the new or improved electric stopping appliances under this inven-
tion. Figure 2 is a vertical section of the driving shaft O with the starting and
stopping friction loose first motion driving pulley and cone N N¹, and brake R. S.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the said driving gear with the new or improved automatic
stopping and starting mechanism corresponding to Figure 2. Figure 4 is a detailed
view of the new or improved knot detector mechanism, and Figure 5 is a plan view
corresponding to Figure 4; while Figure 6 is a face view of the improved counter
mechanism for intermittently stopping the mechanism as desired.
Referring to these Drawings: To start the mechanism the operator places his foot
upon the pedal A (Figure 1) which is in a solid piece with the lever B, and is pivotted
at C. Two rods D and F are jointed to the lever B. The free end of the rod D draws
the lever G fulcrumed at G2 so as to pull and push the lever H down under the
catch J, by which catch the parts are all held in the positions indicated in Figure 1.
The rod F (Figures 1, 2, and 3) draws the T lever K, K³, (Figures 2 and 3) which
lever is provided with three arms. The opposite arm of the lever K, from that to
which the rod F is attached, has a draw spring L connected to it, to keep the driving
and cone pulley N, N₁, out of action when the foot is not on the treadle A, or the
catch J in action and by means of the arm K² to which is attached a pin and bush
at M, the driving pulley N (Figures 2 and 3) is pushed in the direction indicated by
the arrow to put it in action. The first motion driving pulley N runs loose upon the
shaft O, but the pulley P which transmits power to the machine in the usual way is
fixed upon the shaft and has an open and crossed belt passed over it for giving the
reverse action to the machine. The driving pulley N N₁, which runs continuously is
pressed by the lever arm K K when the rod F is drawn, and the pin and bush M
against the pulley P (Figure 2) and the friction clutch N' enters the hollow. clutch Q

page_text: in the pulley P and drives it. The catch J (Figure 1) to the lever a¹ of which is.
attached a weak spiral spring R, holds the entire system of levers in their relative
positions though they are drawn backward, and the clutch N¹, Q, out of action by
the powerful spring L (Figure 3). A slight downward pressure upon the lever a' of
the catch J (Figure 1) will cause the catch to release the lever H and in consequence.
the whole system of levers A, B, G, K, and K2, drawn by the action of the spring L
into the positions indicated by the dotted lines at A, B, G₁, K¹ and K. At
the same time the pin and bush M (Figure 3) draws the driving cone pulley N N¹
in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow, and disconnects it from the
fast pulley P whilst the lower end m of the pin M draws the inclined block R which
raises the brake S pressing it against the outer circumference of the cone of the
pulley P which is thus immediately stopped. Whenever the end lever a¹ of the
catch J is drawn down, the machine is immediately stopped in the manner described.
To stop the machine by means of the electric current place an electro magnet T,
insulated from the machine below the lever a¹ of the catch J and attach to the said
lever a¹ a soft-iron plate or armature t which is attracted by the magnet T when the
electric circuit is completed and which causes the machine to be stopped in conse-
quence. I connect the positive pole (+) of the battery u, (Figure 1) with the
following insulated parts of the machine:-
C
1st with the insulated contact plate Z (Figure 1) by the wire f; 2nd by the wire g
with the insulated contact screws and c (Figure 1); 3rd with the insulated contact
spring (Figures 1, 4, and 5) and 4th by the wire with the insulated contact
spring y of the counter (Figure 6). connect the negative pole (-) of the battery
with the entire machine, that is, with all its non-insulated parts, passing through the
insulated wire V, the insulated magnet T, the wire X, the insulated spring Y, and
finally the lever H with its support H and main frame H³, and all the other un-
insulated metallic parts of the machine. The machine is stopped by the hand by
pressing down the knob or handle e, (Figure 1); which is not insulated into contact
with the insulated plate Z. The electric current passing through the wire V, the
magnet T, the wire X, the spring Y, the lever H, into the machine and the plate Z,
the knob or handle e, and the wire will cause the machine to stop by the attraction
of the armature to the magnet T in the manner before described. The machine is
stopped by a knot or thick part in the yarn 2 from the bobbin 21 in the following
manner: The bobbin 2¹ is placed upon a bobbin stand and bracket 3, entirely com-
posed of metal. The yarn 2 before reaching the machine is passed up through a hole
in the plate I indicated by dotted lines at T in Figures 4 and 5, and through an
angled slot at 1 of the adjustable knot detector plate lever i, 2, made smaller
or wider by the shifting fulcrum arm ², (Figures 1, 4 and 5). The detector
lever fulcrumed at is so adjusted that the yarn 2 can pass freely through
the angled slot, at its extreme end, but the knot lifts it into the position
indicated by dotted lines at (Figures 1 and 4), and the rear end of the
detector lever then comes into contact with the spring d (Figures 1 and 4). The
spring being insulated and connected with the positive pole (+), the detector
lever is being connected with the machine and the negative pole (-), the circuit is
completed by the contact so established and the machine is stopped in the manner
before described. The machine is stopped by means of the tension spring lever n in
the following manner :- -When the machine is in its normal working position the
tension spring lever n (Figure 1) is placed midway between two insulated contact
screws b and c without touching either. If the bobbin 21 is too tightly reeled the
tension spring n is drawn downwards into contact with the insulated screw c by the
tension on the yarn 2 passing through an eye n' in the free end of the tension spring
lever n, the electric circuit is completed and the machine stopped. If the yarn
breaks or comes to an end the tension is released on the contact tension spring lever n
and it moves of itself in an upward direction, comes into contact with the insulated
screw band thus completes the circuit and stops the machine in the manner before
described. It is often necessary that a machine be stopped after a given number of
courses have been run, for fashionings, when a certain length of fabric has been made

page_text: or for other reasons. In order to stop the machine automatically after a pre-
determined number of rounds or courses have been run I provide a counter (Figure 6)
to register the rounds run. A fixed pawl p attached to the traversing carriage of
the machine turns the ratchet wheel q one tooth at every round or double traverse of
the carriage. The ratchet wheel 7 turns the numbered dial or wheel r of the counter.
Screw holes are perforated at short distances apart all round the outer edge of the
dial wheel, into which screws s, s, are inserted. The screws s coming into contact
with the bell-hammer u depress it against the power of light spring into the
position indicated by dotted lines at and the bell-hammer u returns to its former
position as the screw passes and strikes the bell v. When the bell-hammer is in
the position indicated by the dotted lines u¹ it comes into contact with the insulated
springy connected with the positive pole. The bell-hammer being attached to the
machine and therefore connected with the negative pole (-) the circuit is
completed by the contact established and the machine stopped in the manner before
described.
ても
When the machine is not in operation, the insulated parts might come into contact.
with those that are not insulated, thereby completing the electric circuit and wasting
the electric force of the battery. I prevent this by means of the insulated spring Y
(Figure 1) which touches the lever H when the machine is in operation. When the
machine is not working, the lever H is in the position indicated at H¹ Figure 1, and
does not touch the spring Y. The circuit is broken in consequence even though
contact should be established at Z B C or D, and there is no waste of the electric force
of the battery.
Instead of the battery u indicated in the Drawings for either working in connection
with one or more machines, the supply of electric energy may be taken from a dynamo
electric machine or other source supplying electric current.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
First. In a knitting machine or machine for producing knitted or looped fabrics,
the construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of levers with the
stopping and starting motion of the machine, and electric connections for auto-
matically stopping the machine when a knot occurs in the yarn, and when the tension
is too great or is relaxed by the breaking or giving out of the yarn, or intermittently
when any desired number of courses or rounds of the work is completed, substantially
as herein described and distinguished in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. In a knitting machine, or machine for producing knitted or looped fabrics,
the arrangement and combination of levers and brake mechanism in conjunction with
an electro-magnet for starting and stopping the machine, substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. In a knitting machine, or machine for producing knitted or looped fabrics,
the application of a knob or hand contact or their equivalent for completing the circuit
and stopping the machine by the intervention of the operator, substantially as herein
described, in reference to and shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth. In a knitting machine, or machine for producing knitted or looped fabrics,
the stopping of the machine by means of the adjustable knot detector plate i, 2, and
lever mechanism, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in
Figures 1, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In a knitting machine, or machine for producing knitted or looped fabrics,
the herein described arrangement of tension spring mechanism for stopping the
machine automatically in the event of the tension upon the yarn being too strong, or
should the yarn break, or give out, substantially as described, in reference to and
shown in Figure 1 of the accompany Drawings.

page_text: Sixth. In a knitting machine, or machine for producing knitted or looped fabrics,
the stopping of the machine by electricity automatically through counting mechanism
any desired part of the work, substantially as herein described, in reference to and
shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
at
Seventh. In a knitting machine, or machine for producing knitted or looped fabrics,
the herein described arrangement of mechanism for automatically breaking the electric
circuit to prevent the waste of electric energy when the machine is not in operation
substantially as herein described.