IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING FRAMES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN KNITTING FRAMES."-A communication from abroad by Jules Nicholas
Poivret, of Troyes, France, Mechanician.
Sealed the 13th December 1859, and dated the 7th July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th July 1859.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING FRAMES," a communication from abroad by Jules
Nicholas Poivret, of Troyes, France, Mechanician, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar mode of mounting and working the
"sinkers" of knitting frames, whereby the mechanism is greatly simplified.
According to this Invention the "sinkers," in place of being jointed to hori-
zontal "jacks," as in the ordinary frame, are individually connected to the
lower ends of a series of vertical blades, guided by suitable open guide combs
or notched bars. A projecting head is formed on the upper end of each of the
vertical blades, which projection, by resting upon a cross bar, serves to hold the
blades and sinkers elevated until they are released or cast off from this bar by.
the passage of the "slur;" they then descend successively, and consequently

page_text: depress the "sinkers," their descent being accelerated by helical or other
springs connected at one end to each blade, and at the other to a hook on a
second cross bar. The raising of the "sinkers" and blades is effected by a
moveable horizontal cross bar, which works underneath a projection formed
near the lower part of each blade, so that as this bar rises it comes in contact
with these projections, and elevates with it all the blades and "sinkers" simul-
taneously, and when elevated, the springs above referred to draw forward the
upper ends of the blades over their supporting or holding bar, where they
remain stationary until the next passage of the "slur."
By this arrangement the ordinary levers or "jacks" are dispensed with, as
well as the "combs" in which they work, and the springs which maintain the
tails of the "jacks" in position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th January 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might 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 FRACES," a communication from abroad by Jules
Nicholas Poivret, of Troyes, France, Mechanician, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing
under my band and seal, 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

page_text: Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, 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, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar mode of mounting and working the
"sinkers" of knitting frames, whereby the mechanism is greatly simplified.
According to this Invention the "sinkers," in place of being jointed to hori-
zontal "jacks," as in the ordinary frame, individually connected to the lower
ends of a series of "jacks," consisting of vertical blades or flat bars, guided by
suitable open guide combs or notched bars. A projecting head is formed on
the upper end of each of the vertical blades, which projection, by resting upon
a cross bar, serves to hold the blades and sinkers elevated until they are
released or cast off from this bar by the passage of the "slur;" they then
descend successively, and consequently depress the "sinkers," their descent
being accelerated by helical or other springs connected at one end to each
blade, and at the other to a hook on a second fixed cross bar. The raising of
the "sinkers" and blades is effected by a moveable horizontal cross bar, which
works underneath a projection formed near the lower part of each blade, so
that as this bar rises, it comes in contact with these projections, and elevates
with it all the blades and "sinkers" simultaneously, and when elevated the
springs above referred to draw forward the upper ends of the blades over
their supporting or holding bar, where they remain stationary until the next
passage of the "slur."
By this arrangement the ordinary levers or "jacks" are dispensed with, as
well as the "combs" in which they work, and the springs which maintain the
tails of the "jacks" in position.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
I shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts through-
out all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a knitting frame constructed
according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a corresponding transverse section of
the same; Figures 3 and 4 represent two sinkers of an English ribbing frame;
and Figures 5 and 6 represent in section and elevation an apparatus for
stretching and tightening the thread. This machine is shewn as having two

page_text: breadths ("fontures"), although it may be provided with only one or with any
larger number. C are the lead sinkers and jack sinkers, and C' the needles;
C is the bar which carries the needles: D, a bar carrying the lead sinkers;
and D', the bar upon which the "jacks" are hooked; this bar is supported by
the bar D, and follows the movements of the same; D³ represents the guide
for the sinkers; and D³, a vibrating bar for elevating the sinkers, and hooking
the vertical "jacks "B on to the bar D'; E is the bresser bar for closing
the barbs of the needles; E', E', are two jointed arms carrying the entire
system of "jacks" and "lead sinkers;" E, small helical springs for main-
taining the jacks against the bars, and assisting their descent when " "sinking;"
F, F, are the combs divided according to the guage of the loom, and serving
to separate the several jacks at equal distances, allowing them at the same
time to fall and rise freely; F are the "slurs" travelling to and fro along the
rail F, and G is a thread carrier sliding along the rod G¹, and guided in its
rising and falling movements between the needles. at. the end of each traverse
by the fork G sliding along the fixed rod G³. The carriage G of the thread
carrier slides along the rod G. H is a double grooved pulley having a
reciprocating motion for traversing the "slurs" and carriers by means of cords
or chains passing over other guide pullies H'. The shaft Hs carries the cams
H for the to-and-fro motion, which cams are each formed with an inclined
projection at the side of the disc. His the rack of the to-and-fro movement
gearing into the pinion Ho, fixed on the axis of the pulley H. This rack is
provided with two antifriction pullies Ho, upon which the inclined portions of
the cams II operate, thereby imparting to the rack a movement from right to
left and from left to right alternately. These cams are so formed that there
shall be a pause or dwell between each movement of the rack of sufficient
length of time to form the stitch. I, a shaft carrying the whole of the cams
required for actuating the other portions of the mechanism; l'are the cams
for effecting the knocking over ("abattage") of the loops by causing the
sinkers to advance and recede at the proper time; 13 are levers working
against the cams I. The jointed rods 1' connect the levers I to the vibrating
frame carrying the system of sinkers. J is the cam for effecting the forming
("formage") and connection ("assemblage") of the loops by causing the
sinkers to descend and rise at the proper time; J', a lover actuated by the
cam J; J, a jointed and adjustable rod connecting the end of the lever J' to
the cross bar J³, which commands the two arms E' of the sinker movement
by resting at its extremities upon the rods I; K, K, are the presser cams
acting upon the levers K³, which are connected at their ends to the jointed
arms K' by the adjustable rods K, the arms K³ serving to carry
the presser

page_text: bar E; L, L, are the elevating cams for hooking up the jacks; these cams
act upon the levers L', which are connected to the ends of the bar D³ by
means of the rods L. The bar D³ is immediately below the shoulder or pro-
jection of the jacks, and as it rises it consequently raises the jacks at the
desired time, and engages them with the bar D₁ by their hooked upper
extremities, there to remain until the forming ("formage") and connection
("assemblage") of the loops is accomplished; M, M, are the cams for working
the thread carriers, and M' are levers actuated by such cams, which cause the
rod G', upon which the arms of the thread carriers slide, to oscillate, but
this vertical oscillating motion occurs only after each traverse of the thread
carriers, so as to cause them to descend between the needles and to rise
again so soon as all the other movements of the loom are completed, for
the purpose of bringing the thread carriers above the barbs of the needles
in readiness for a fresh traverse; N are levers, to which are jointed the arms
E'; N', brackets fixed to the framing, and carrying each an adjusting screw
or stop, against which the levers N strike, in order to prevent the sinkers
being raised beyond what is necessary. All the levers work on centres fixed
to the loom framing. O, screw stops and racks placed at each end of the loom,
for the purpose of arresting the course of the thread carriers at the proper
place; O¹ and 0, screw spindles formed with right and left handed threads
respectively, which may be rotated either separately or together by means of
one or other of the hand wheels 03 and 0', for which purpose it is simply
requisite to connect the two screws by a rod extending across the loom; P, P,
are racks for fixing the stops after each narrowing; P', spring detents taking
into the teeth of the racks; Q is the support of the double grooved pulley H;
Q', supports in which slides the rack H*; Q' stops, fixed to the sides of the
loom, for preventing the arms E from rising, and consequently the ends of the
sinkers mounting above the needles during the time the jacks are hooked
Helical springs are used for maintaining the several levers in contact with
their respective cams; R, R, counter-weighted balance levers for maintaining
the equilibrium of the loom; S, a bar placed behind the jacks for keeping
them in their proper position, and T is the moving bar. The shaft I is driven
by means of a crank or handle, which transmits its motion by the aid of
toothed gearing or chains, as found most desirable. The shaft H is driven
from the shaft I, by the spur wheels U and U, and makes a half revolution
for one turn of the shaft I: The peculiar arrangement of cams for imparting
to the slur its to-and-fro movement is a novel feature in the straight knitting
loom. The parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 form in combination a needle support. The
part 1 represents a morticed piece, the length of which is twice the excess of
up.

page_text: the travel of the slur over the smallest traverse of the thread carrier. The
object of this mortice is to allow of the free passage of the thread, which,
without it, would become drawn by the piece itself, thereby occasioning a
draught of the thread in the operation of "sinking." The part 2 represents
the carrier of the needle support 3, which bears against the under side of the
ends of the needles, and prevents them from bending during the "sinking,"
as it will be readily seen the part to which it is adapted is fixed to the "slur,"
and follows its movements. The part 4 represents a bar of wrought iron upon
which the apparatus of the needle supporter rests and slides. The object of
this bar is to relieve the course of the slur, and prevent it from being impeded
on its slide. The parts 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 form in combination an
apparatus for diminishing or augmenting the proportions of the knitting.
5, 5, represent the supports of this apparatus; 6, the bar or rod upon which the
turning needle carriers ("porte-poinçons") slide; 7, 7, are racks fixed to the
turning needle carriers; 8, 8, are the turning needle carriers (porte-poinçons);
and 9 is a pinion turning on a stud fixed to the bar 6, and gearing with the
two racks; to actuate this pinion a bandle may be fitted thereto. The parts
10, fitted each with a screw and nut, serve to regulate the position of the
supports 5. The parts 11, fixed to the bar 6, are for regulating the position
of the narrowing needles as regards the breadth ("fonture"), the dimensions of
the knitting are adjusted before the hooking up of the jacks; the turning
needles ("poinçons") are situated above the row of needles of the loom. As
soon as the loops have been knocked over, in order that the action of the
turning needles may produce their effect, it is necessary that the selvages be
pushed against the sinkers, and when the stitches are engaged by the turning
needles they are slightly raised; then in order to narrow or diminish, the
parts 8 are caused to approach each other (by means of the pinion g, which
works between the two racks 7), the number of needles to be narrowed being
connected by the aid of teeth made above the racks, and two dogs fixed to the
parts 11. The toothed racks should be divided in accordance with the guage
of the loom. If a double breadth ("fonture") be adapted in front of the loom,
as exists in rectilinear looms for producing the English rib loop ("maille côte
Anglaise "), the same kind of work may be accomplished. To obtain this
result, it will suffice to so arrange the loom as to admit of the working of the
breadth ("fonture") by the arrangement of jacks herein-before described, of
lead sinkers (Figure 3), and jack sinkers (Figure 4), and of two moveable
breadths ("fontures mobiles"). The English rib loop is thus obtained, but
it is casy to see that certain changes and additions will be required in the
loon. Figures 5 and 6 represent an apparatus for stretching the thread at

page_text: the moment the guide G descends between the needles. This stretcher is
fitted to the body of the guide G, on that part which is above the rod G', each
breadth requiring a stretcher; the object of this stretcher is to produce good
selvages in the work. In adapting the thread stretcher it is necessary to
dispense with the forks G; the stretcher being illustrated with various portions
of the loom, its functions will be readily understood. G is a rod fixed to the
loom; G', a rod upon which slide the thread carriers G; G, a forked piece
fitted to the thread carrier G; G³, a rod vibrating on the piece Gº, and
acting behind the piece G³; G1, a tube fixed on the rod G. The thread in
"sinking" passes through this tube and through a hole made in the end of
this rod G. G", a spring forming a nipper with the rod G. The tension of
the thread is effected in the fork G at the moment when the guide G descends
below the needles of the loom. Each breadth ("fonture") of the loom will
require this apparatus and a needle supporter, although the Drawings only
shew such application to one of the breadths.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of machinery or apparatus
for producing knitted fabrics, as herein-before described.
Second, the peculiar construction and arrangement of vertical sliding jacks
as herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Third, the peculiar combination of vertical jacks and sinkers, and the mode
of releasing and supporting the jacks, as herein-before described and illustrated
by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.B.)