Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, FC.S, MIME, of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Loid
Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lan-
caster, and Lower Temple Street, Bumingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement.-
The invention relates more especially to those knitting machines which arc
adapted for the production of fashioned on megular goods, and consists in
valious improvements in the mechanism of such machines; to wit, in a certain
means of holding the needle firmly and truly in position during the working
thereof, in the construction of the presser-hooks and the means of mounting o
supporting the same, in the constiuction of the pattein-devices by which the
action of the needles is determined, in the devices for changing the yain-
caliers, and in the manner of constructing the needle-bed and supporting the
pattein-levels and guiding the piessei-hooks in connection therewith.
The accompanying diawings represent the various improvements Fig 1
of the said diawings represents in end elevation the main portions of a straight
knitting machine having the improvements applied thereto with paits broken
away to gain space Fig 2 shows the same in front or side elevation, also
with parts bioken away to gain space, and with certain portions of the pattern-
devices omitted for the sake of clearness and other portions broken out so as to
show features that otherwise would be hidden. Fig. 318 a view in transverse
section showing a needle, a piesser-hook, and certain of the parts and devices
adjacent to the said needle and presser hook Figs 4, 5, 6 and 7 are views in
section on the dotted lines 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7, respectively of Fig 3
Fig 8 18 an edge view of one of the pattern-levers looking from above Fig 9
is a view in perspective of one of the pieces of the needle-bed, showing the
blocks c, c, applied to the forward end thereof Fig 10 18 a view showing in
Bide elevation one of the pieces C of the needle-bed and one of the pieces C
thereof, secured together Fig 11 shows in edge view and Fig 12 in plan, one
of the end-pieces C of the needle-bed. Fig. 13 shows in end elevation, and
Fig. 14 shows in plan, a modified construction of needle-bed Fig. 15 shows in
perspective one of the yain-caines. Fig 16 shows an underside plan of the
slide for operating the yarn-cairier Fig 17 18 an oblique view showing pait
of the wheel J, hereinafter described, and the guide by means of which the
switches of the said wheel may be operated Fig 18 shows wheel K in side
elevation Fig. 19 shows the said wheel K in edge view, and the devices for
operating the switches thereof. Figs. 20 and 21 are views illustrating the

page_text: action in shifting or moving the switches of the wheel K Fig 22 shows in
perspective part of bai QFig 23 shows a piessei-hook in side elevation.
Fig 24 is a view on a laige scale than Fig 1, showing certain portions of the
machine in end' elevation Fig 25 19 a view in plan of portions of the devices
which are concerned in actuating the needles, piesser-hooks, and yain-cairier
Fig. 26 18 a portion of Fig 2 shewing the yain-canner diawn to an enlarged
scale and further portions bioken away
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.
A designates a column or other support for the machine B designates the
machine-fi ame The machine illustrated in the drawing is of the well-known
type having two parallel rows of needles working in needle-beds C, C, set at
an angle to each other so that the hooked ends of the needles will cross one
another when the needles are advanced in knitting, the knitted fabric passing
down through the space which is left between the proximate edges of the needle-
beds. While the invention has referente more especially to machines of this
type, all the features of improvement are not of necessity restricted to use
therein The usual needle-cams, not shown, are carried by the cam-slides or
cam-baia Jo, Jo, Figs 1, 2 and 24, the latter being shown in said figures as
operated by actuating connections comprising pitmans oi connecting rods J³, J³,
an upright 1ocking arm oi lever J, a connecting rod J', and a crank-pin at J³
which is carried by the rotating gear J, the said gear being fast on the shaft J,
and being diven by means of the pinion L' on the shaft L The said shaft L
18 provided with a band-pulley L³, or other convenient means of 1otating the
same by hand or power The means of operating the needle-cam slides forms
no part of the invention
The aim of the first part of the invention is to hold the needles firmly and
truly during the working thereof in the needle-grooves of the bed on beds C, C
The needles are designated E See Fig 3 and Q are bais covering the
upper
side of each needle-bed and the needle-grooves therein See more parti-
culaily Fig. 3. F designates needle-operating jacks, each of the said jacks
having a lug f to be engaged by the needle-cams These jacks lie in the
needle-grooves, and the inner or upper ends thereof are hook-shaped to engage
with the up-turned shauks of the needles E, as shown most clearly in Fig 3
The up-tuined shanks of the needles are less in height than the depth of the
needle-grooves so as to permit the hooked ends of the jacks to extend over them
within the needle-grooves. In accordance with the first part of the invention,
within the said needle-grooves are placed separate filler-pieces E¹, which latter
substantially fill up the spaces within the needle-grooves above the needles to
the covers of the grooves, so as to cause the needles to be held firmly and truly,
while leaving them free to reciprocate in the needle-grooves
The said sepa-
iate filler-pieces leave the needles free to be taken out from the needle-bed with
then jacks without removing the groove-covers Preferably, the said filler-
pieces are engaged by the hook-shaped inner on upper ends of the jacks, as shown
clearly in Fig 3, so as to cause them to be reciprocated in unison with the
needles.
Each needle-bed C is of sectional or built-up construction, the main portion
thereof being constituted of a series of pieces C and Cheld together side by
side in an alternating succession The large pieces C', termed side pieces
because their surfaces constitute the sides of the grooves in which the needles E
work, form the partitions between the needle-grooves, and each of such aide-
pieces C is of about the night gauge to fill the space intended to exist between
the needles The smaller pieces C³, termed bottom-pieces because then upper
edges form the bottoms of the needle-grooves, space the pieces C apart to form
the needle-grooves which receive the needles E, and are of about the night gauge
or thickness to give the right width to the needle-grooves The needles E leat
and work upon the
upper edges of the bottom-pieces C. The manner of secul-
ing pieces C¹, C together and mounting them in the machine will presently be

page_text: C
described The jacks F, they lying between the side-pieces C¹ in continuations
of the needle-grooves, see Fig. 3, are acted upon by levers H at their outer ends
so as to enable the jacks to be raised to bring their luge f into the range of action
of the needle-cams, as when the corresponding needle or needles are required
to be actuated through the engagement of the said cams with the lugs of the
jacks, or so as to enable the jacks to be lowered to carry the said lugs out of
the range of action of the said needle-cams, as when it is required to hold any
particular needle or needles out of action without dropping the loop or loops
thereof The levers H, hereinafter termed pattern-levers, are operated upon
to determine the various positions of the same by pattern-cylinders, as herein-
after described. It is the aim of another part of the invention to provide means
whereby the pattern levers H shall be so mounted and guided in their movements
as that they shall always remain in proper relations with the corresponding
jacks F. To this end, in accordance with this part of the invention, the
pieces
of the needle-bed are made of sufficient length to receive between them not
only the jacks F but the pattern-levers H as well see Fig 4, the pieces C
terminating short of the upper ends of the pattern-levers so as not to interfere
with the movements of the latter See Fig 3. The upper edge of each piece C
18 shaped properly, see Fig 3, to permit of the depression of the overlying
jack F to carry its lug out of the range of action of the needle-cams It will
be seen from the foregoing, and from Fig 3, that the jack in engagement with
a given needle, and the corresponding pattern-lever H, are both received in a
continuation of the needle-groove which contains the said needle, the said jaok
and pattern-lever being confined and guided between the two side-pieces C¹, C,
between which such groove 18 formed In further accordance with this part of
the invention, the pivotal support of the pattein-leveis is fuinished by the pro-
longation of the pieces C, C¹, of the needle-bed Thus, the said prolongations
have holes made through the same, and through the said holes and through
similar holes in the pattern-leveis H that alternate with the said prolongations
a rod D is threaded. The pattern-levers are arranged to turn fieely on the said
rod D The pattern-lever H, having its pivotal support furnished as just noted
by the side-pieces C, has a slotted opening H' as shown in Fig. 3, in which the
lower end of the jack F moves, the said slotted opening forming in connection
with the groove in the needle-bed a continuous groove in which the jack moves
There is a series of the pattern-levers H and one pattern-cylinder for each
needle-bed, the two pattern-cylinders and two series of pattern-levels being
arranged at opposite sides of the machine. See more particularly Fig 1 of the
drawings. The pattern-levers H are arranged to co-operate with parallel cir-
cumferential lines of indicators on the pattern-cvlindeis, each such circumferen-
tial line of indicators comprising a succession of elevations and depressions
To ensure
In Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawings the lower edges of the bed sections C¹ C³
are shown applied to the top side of the bar C extending longitudinally of the
machine In Figs 3, 4 and 7, to the top-edges of the sections or side-pieces C¹
are shown applied the bars C4, C. Since the pattein-levers H are positioned,
as well as guided in their movements, by means of the prolongations of the side
pieces between which they are placed, it is necessary that there should be an
exact agreement between the grooves or spaces of the needle-bed containing the
said pattern-leveis, and the circumferential lines of indicators on the pattern
cylinder with which the said pattern-levers are arranged to co-act
the proper spacing apart of the side-pieces O', the said bars C, C and C³ are
formed on the sides thereof which are presented to the needle-bed sections with
grooves to receive the edges of the side-pieces C¹, as shown in Figs 3, 4 and 7,
the grooves being of the proper gauge to receive the edge portions of the said
Bide-pieces C, and being also located at a uniform distance apart The pieces C¹
and Care notched or recessed, as indicated most clearly in Figs. 3 and 10, to
fit over the bar C³, whereby they are more securely held in place when the bars
are fastened to the frame B. Each bottom piece C³ may be riveted to one of

page_text: or
In
the adjoining side-pieces C as shown in Figs 3 and 10 The pieces C rest
on the upper surface of hai C³ between the side-pieces C¹ The pieces C³ may
have a dove-tailed connection with la C3, and the vets may be omitted,
independent iods may be run through holes in the entire series of pieces 0', Ꭴ
thereby securing all the bottom-pieces C2 in place between the side-pieces C¹,
in which case, also, the rivets may be omitted. The opposite ends of the needle-
bed are constituted by the large end-pieces or end sections C, one of which 19
shown separately in Figs. 11 and 12, the relation of the same to the bars C³, C'
and C5 being indicated in Fig. 11 in dotted lines In the case of the construc-
tion which is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 7, the grooved bais CCC iemain
in permanent relationship with the needle-bed sections, and are fastened in con-
venient manner to the hame of the machine If desired the bar may be
cast in one piece with the end-pieces C, C, the guide-grooves for the reception
of the side-pieces C being subsequently cut therein Instead of employing
grooved bars such as those herein designated C, C+, C in permanent connection
with the needle-bed, one or more similarly grooved bais may be used simply as
a means of facilitating the process of assembling the pieces C and C and hold-
ing them in place while being fastened together the said grooved bai or bars
then being removed and used in the preparation of successive needle-beds
other words, one or more grooved bars may be used only to place the needle-
bed pieces in proper position and hold them while they are being secured in
such position by other means Thus, having reference to Figs 13 and 14, the
needle-bed pieces C and C and end-pieces C6, may be assembled in proper
position to form a needle-bed by means of grooved bais C, C, C shown in dotted
fines in Fig. 13, the said grooved bais being mounted in suitable manne
any proper and convenient support, and rods 1, 2 and 3 may be passed through
holes in the said pieces C', CC the said rods having nuts 4, 5 and 6 applied to
their threaded ends. In Figs. 13 and 14, the rods 1 and are shown passing
through holes formed in downwardly projecting portions of the pieces C¹, C³, C³,
the said iod being located below the needle-grooves, and the od 3 18 shown
passing through holes in upwardly projecting portions of the pieces C, 0%,
the said iod being located above the groove which receives the needle-jack and
pattern love and washers 7 being strung thereon between the pieces C₁
the nuts on rods 1, 2 and 3 are turned up so as to force the pieces C¹, C³, C
tightly together a firm needle-bed will be produced without the retention of the
giooved spacing-bais as a part thereof If the pieces ( C are not of the pro-
per thickness they may be packed with paper or other material so as to occupy
the proper distance apait If desned, after the parts have been assembled by
the aid of spacing-bars, and the 1ods 1, 2, 3 have been applied, the 1od 3 having
been provided with spacing-pieces or washers, then the parts may be soldered or
brazed on the outside along the lines of the said rods, after which the spacing-
bars may be removed
in
When
The aim of another part of the invention is to provide an improved construc-
tion of presser-hooks and the means of supporting the same The presser-hooks
ale designated P See Figs 1, 3 and 23 The fit and slide in seats or guides P¹
in the upper side of the bar Q, Figs. 3 and 22, and are provided with lugs d
entering the cam-gioove R' of the bar R, by the endwise movement of which
bar the presser hooks are actuated In accordance with this part of the inven
tion the said pressei-hooks P are made of curved sections which are arranged
in transverse parallel slots in the bar Q constituting the seats on guides Pl afore-
said To enable it to conform to the curvature of the said pressei-hooks, the
said bar Q18 made segment-shaped in cross-section, its upper side being convex
and having the form of a cylindrical arc The hooked ends of the presse1-hooks
project slightly into the slot or space between the needle-beds, see Figs 1 and 24,
while the luge d project from the rear ends of the presser-hooks above the con-
vex upper surfaces of the bars Q, Q, and enter cam-grooves in the hook-actuating
cam slide-bais R, R. One of the said slide-bars R is mounted in suitable guides

page_text: on each side of the machine, and each of the same 18 provided with tappets R*, R*,
which are struck by pins R, R, on the cross-bar R, connecting the needle-
actuating cam-slides or slide-bars J6, J The distance between the tappets R³, R³
of each slide-bar R 18 sufficiently great to permit enough play of the corres-
ponding pm R between such tappets to give the requisite diag-motion in the
working of the presser-hook actuating slide-bars R, R. The foregoing con-
struction of the piesser-hooks, and of the means of supporting the same, has
advantages over prior constructions in which the presser-hooks are pivotally
supported on 1ods in that it is more cheaply made, more durable, and there is
no iod to interfere with the removal of the needles The hooks P have no
pivotal bearings and they are adapted to be guided in their curvilineal move-
ments by their curved seats.
Each
The aim of another part of the invention is to provide means for accurately
guiding the projecting inner or working ends of the presser-hooks
presset-hook P occupies a position duectly over one of the side-pieces C' of the
needle-bed, the end of the said side-piece C forming a rest or support for the
inner or working end of the presser-hook. The presser-hook 18 of necessity con-
Biderably thinner that the piece C and at therefore is necessary to make pro-
Vision for guiding the projecting inner or working end of the piesser-hook In
accordance with this part of the invention, the bottom-pieces of the sectional
or built-up needle-bed are made to project beyond the inner ends of the side-
pieces C, and to opposite sides of the projecting inne end of each bottom
piece C the blocks c, care applied, or are formed on the same See Fig. 9
The spaces which exist between the blocks c, c of adjoining bottom-pieces C
are just sufficient to receive the projecting inne or working end of the presser-
hooks and permut of the free movement of the said projecting end therein,
the projecting inner ends of the presser-hooks thereby being guided and sus-
tained laterally in their working by means of the said blocks c, c, on the adja-
cent pieces C See Fig. 6 of the drawings
The aim of another part of the invention 18 to provide means for enabling a
plurality of varn-caliers to be employed in connection with the machine, and
to enable any desued one of the same to be brought into or thrown out of action
as desned The yarn-canners are designated 8, 8 One 18 shown separately in
Fig 15. It is provided with parallel and elongated side wings s, s, four horns
o latch openers t, t, and a central re-enforced eye u through which the yarn is
theaded. The side wings of the said yain-carrier fit grooves or ways Fig 3
formed in the edges of the bana S1, S1, applied to the segmental bara Q, Q, and
covering the grooves which contain the piesser-hooks P, the vain-carrier being
reciprocated along such grooves or wavs by means of the yain-carrier slides T, T,
receiving then endwise reciprocating motion, see Figs 16 and 25, by means of
the pins R3, R³ on the cross-bar R connecting the needle-cam slides or slide-
bars J, J, the said pins projecting through slots 9, 9, in the cross-plate 8*
applied to the said slides T, T, the length of the said slots permitting the requi-
site diag-motion. The slides T, T, have bs or tongues on both edges of the
same, the outer ones entering grooves formed along the inner edges of fixed
guide-bais 83, 8, and the inner ones entering grooves in the outer edges of the
guide-bars S, S. In accordance with this part of the invention, a wheel U 18
mounted on a short shaft extending in a duection parallel with the line of the
double series of needles, the said shaft having its bearing in an arched sup-
port U at what is termed the "home" end of the machine See Figs 1 and 2.
This wheel has a series of arms 911 formed on provided with grooves on guide-
ways ¹, ¹ disposed in pairs, each pan being at the same distance apart as the
guides or ways and thereby being adapted to receive the wings of a yarn-
carrier. This enables one or more yarn-carriers, usually a plurality thereof to
be received by the wheel U, and when a given pair of the guide-ways ¹¹ 18
brought in line with the guideways in which the yarn-carrier reciprocates
so as to constitute a continuation or part of the track along which the yarn-

page_text: cartier moves, it enables the said yarn-carrier at one end of its movement to
pass into the said pair of guideways of the wheel. The yarn-carrier has
upon its two wings upwardly projecting studs ", v, which enter the slots or
recesses of the lugs ww of the cross-bar S connecting the two slides T, T,
and when such studs are entered into the said slots or recesses the yarn-carrier
will be compelled to reciprocate in unison with the said slides (see Fig. 26).
By partial rotation of the wheel U the varn carrier in use may be shifted out
of line with the said guideways a³, 1, its studs thereby be ng moved out of the
transverse slots or recesses 11 of lugs w, w, on cross bars S, and another yarn-
carrier may be brought into line with the said guide ways if desired, its studs
being carried, by the partial rotation of the wheel which brings it into position,
into the said slots or recesses vl, vl, so as to connect the latter yain-carrier with
the cross-bar 89 and cause the same to partake of the ensuing movements of
slides T, T This partial rotation of the wheel U which effects a change of vain-
carriers is made while the yarn-cairier slides are at or near the dead-point of
the stroke, at the home end of the machine, and therefore substantially at rest
80 far as the operative movement thereof 18 concerned Just in front of the
wheel U is located the guard ng Us which is provided in its flange or hub
with a groove to into which enter the studs , of all the yarn-carries that are
contained in the wheel U, this excepting of course the yarn-carrier which is
in position for operation This guard-ring prevents the yarn-carriers from
slipping or jolting out of the wheel U, and serves also to keep the studs of the
yarn-carriers in the said wheel in the proper position to enter laterally into the
transverse slots or recesses of the lugs io, to of the cross-bar S whenever
said cross-bar 18 drawn back into proper position with the said slots or recesses
registering with the grooves to in said guard-ring, Fig. 26 In further accord-
ance with this part of the invention, the following means is provided of moving
the wheel U as required for putting out of action or replacing the yarn-carrier
which has been in operation. U 18 a spur-pinion fast upon the same shaft with
the wheel U U is a rack-bar, the teeth of which are in mesh with the teeth
of the pinion U", the said rack-bar being held in position by suitable guides
as. The lower end of the said rack-bar is provided with a stud ³. A
rotating wheel, herein the gear-wheel J, has one face thereof formed with a
number of concentric grooves u°. See Fig 17, in which a portion of said wheel
and portions of three such grooves are represented The stud ³ enters and
works in the said grooves us us, there being as many such grooves in the face of
the wheel as it is desired to have partial movements of rotation of the wheel U,
and these grooves being at such a distance apart radially of the wheel J that
the passage of the stud from one groove u to another will move the rack-bar
sufficiently to shift the wheel U one step, thereby carrying out of line with the
track for the yarn-carrier one pair of guideways of the said wheel and
bringing into line with the said track another pair of said guideways. In order
to provide for the passage of the stud from one groove u of the wheel J to
another, switches 1, 3, are provided on the face of the said wheel, in the place of
portions of the ribs or partitions which separate the said grooves from one
another. The said switches swing either outward or inward to the extent of
the width of one groove, and therefore are capable of shifting the stud us from
one groove to the next, either outwardly or inwardly The switches j, are
linked together conveniently, as by means of a slide bar 7 so that movement
imparted to one of the switches will be communicated to the others. One of
the switches is furnished with a pin 8 and 1 is a slotted guide mounted on a
short shaft jouinalled in a bearing at u and provided with a handle. By
means of the handle the guide may be swung into an oblique position
directed either inwardly or outwardly from the axis on which the said switch
turns In the rotation of the wheel J the pin passes through the said guide ¹
and if the said guide ocoupies an oblique position the switches will be swung
either inwardly or outwardly according to the direction in which the guide

page_text: extends, while if the guide occupies an intermediate position the switches will
remain in the position in which they are represented in Fig 17
There 18 for each needle-bed and its needles and jacks a series of the pattein-
levels co-operating with such jacks, and one pattern-cylinder co-operating
with such series of pattern-leveis. The two pattern-oylinders II and two
series of pattern-levers are arranged at the opposite sides of the machine. See
more particularly Fig 1 of the diawings. The pattern-levers H are arranged
to co-operate with parallel circumferential lines of indicators on the pattern-
cylinders, each such cucumferential line of indicators comprising a succession
of elevations or depressions The aim of another part of the invention 18 to
improve the construction of the pattein-devices. In accordance with this part
of the invention, the pattern-cylinder which co-operates with the seues of pattern-
levers pertaining to a series of needles and their jacks is constituted essentially
of a series of separate disks on 11ngs bearing at their edges the indicators or
guide-patterns for a series of actions of the needles, the said disks oi rings being
held or secured together in building up the pattern-cylinder in a manner which
enables the cylinder to be taken apart and the disks to he recombined as desired
in order to change the pattern of the work The said disks or rings in the
diawings are designated II. They are mounted side by side upon a con-
venient shaft as I and between heads as 13 and I" the disks and heads being
clamped together in convenient manner upon the shaft I as by means of the
bolts II, having the nuts II applied thereto. The desired patterns are
cut in the peripheries of the disks or rings, thereby forming a succession of pro-
jections and depressions in the edge of each disk or ring. The described con-
struction enables a pattern-cylinder to be readily taken apart and the pattern
to be changed in part or entirely. The pattern-levers H have feet which bear
against the patterned edges of the disks or rings, and thereby the working of the
said pattern-levers and of the jacks and needles 18 controlled In further ac-
cordance with this part of the invention each pattern-lever has two feet and h¹
one at each side of the pivotal support of the pattern-lever, one of these feet
ash bearing upon the patterned edge of one disk or ring, as P. and the other
foot as bearing upon the patterned edge of an adjoining disk or ring as I'.
Each pattern-lever is acted upon by the patterned edges of two of the rings or,
disks, and accordingly the said rings or disks are put together in pairs in build-
ing up the pattern-cylinders, each pair comprising one of the disks I, and one
of the disks I and each said pair carrying the pattern which controls the work-
ing of the pattern-lever and the corresponding jack and needle. The projections
on one of the said disks or rings, as I, by operating against the foot of the
pattern-lever, move the said pattein-lever so as to raise the lug f on the jack F
which is controlled thereby into the range of action of the needle-cams. The
projections on the other of the said disks, as 12, by operating on the foot h¹ of
the pattern-lever move the said pattern-lever so as to depress the said jack out
of the range of action of the needle-cams Corresponding with each projection
on either of the disks there is a depression on recess on the other disk, so that
as the said projection on one of the disks acts against the corresponding foot
of the pattern-lever to raise the said foot and turn the pattern-lever on its
pivotal support, one of the said depressions or recesses of the other disk is pre-
sented in position to receive the other foot of the said pattern-lever In order
that one foot of the pattern-lever may rest on the periphery of one of the pattern-
disks and the other foot thereof may rest on the periphery of an adjoining
pattein-disk, the pattern-lever is bent so as to offset one of the feet of the same
laterally with respect to the other, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8 Preferably, in
order to ensure that the operating feet shall be held in proper relations with the
patterned edges of the disks, while allowing great freedom of action to the
pattern-lever, one disk, as I', of each pair of disks 18 made less in diameter than
the other, as I and the foot h of the pattern-lever H is entered into the groove
which thus is formed between two of the larger disks I. The said foot h moves

page_text: constantly in the said groove, and no further guide is needed to hold both feet
of the pattern-lever on the edges of the appropriate pattein-disks. The recesses
cut in the disk I³ are of such depth as to leave the uncut portion of the said disk
or greater radial diameter than the entire diameter of disk I, so that when a
recess of disk 1 and the outer periphery of disk I coincide in position there
still will be a groove sufficient in depth to receive foot h of the pattein-level and
hold the said foot h upon the edge of the disk I'
As previously indicated herein, for each of the two parallel 1ows of needles
there is a pattern-cylinder such as has been described, each of such pattein-
cylinders being combined with the corresponding row of needles through the
medium of a series of oscillating pattern-levers, and a series of co-operating
jacks. For the purpose of causing the two pattern-cylinders to move in unison,
the head I of each thereof is provided with teeth, thereby forming a gear, sew
Figs. 1, 2 and 24, and the two toothed heads are caused to mesh with each other
as shown clearly in Fig. 1 For the purpose of 1otating the pattern-cylinders
intermittingly, one of the said toothed heads I³ 18 engaged with a toothed
pinion K on a shaft K caying also a worm-gear K This worm-gear K¹ is
engaged and operated at the desired times by the wheel K on the shaft J¹ The
wheel K is called a worm-wheel for convenience, although it is not a true worm-
wheel. It has a straight flange & extending radially outward from its periphery
Portions of this flange at diametrically opposite places on the wheel K are cut
away and replaced by swinging tongues and each of the said tongues being
pivoted in the line of the flange. When the forward end of one of the tongues
is in line with the fixed flange the tongue passes through the space in which the
flange is working between the teeth of worm-gear K without moving the said
gear, but when the tongue is swung laterally so that its forward end ontein an
adjoining space of the said woim-gear, it operates to move the worm-gear the
distance of one tooth, and thereby the pattern-cylinders are advanced one step
through the gearing described The swinging tongues and, and the means
of controlling the position and working thereof, are shown in detail in Figs 18,
19, 20 and 21. Tongue carries a pin on the free end thereof. Tongue
has a similar pin mounted on an arm projecting laterally from its fiee end
Switches and are mounted on a fixed part of the frame adjacent to the worm-
wheel K and are provided with handles k, s, Figs 1 and 19, by means of which
to operate the same. Switch is intended to engage with the pin for the
purpose of moving the switch into either the full line position of Fig 20,
or the dotted line position of the said figure, while switch 18 intended to co-
operate with pin for the purpose of moving switch into either the full line
position of Fig. 21, or the dotted line position of such figure. The different
positions of the switches ³, 16 are shown in full and dotted lines in Fig 20
and 21 As will be perceived from reference to the said figures the swinging
end of the switch has a sweep sufficient to enable the said switch to gather
in the stud when the latter has been moved to its extreme in either "direc-
tion The same is true of the switch with respect to the pin or stud k¹ The
full lines in Figs. 20 and 21 show the tongues A, in their inoperative posi-
tions. The dotted lines in such figures show the operative positions of the said
tongues. The two tongues must have movements independent of each other,
and therefore require each a different controlling mechanism While the
switches are shown here as controlled by handles, they easily may be con-
trolled automatically when desued. The tongues, are placed at opposite
sides of the worm-wheel K in order to permit a movement of the pattern-cylinders
to be had at each or either end of the movement of the cam-slides or cam-bais
Sometimes it is necessary to move the pattern-cylinders when the cam-slides or
cam-bais have completed their movement toward the home end, that is, the end
of the machine where the carrier-changing wheel is placed, sometimes at the
opposite end of the stroke, and sometimes no movement 18 needed. These

page_text: requirements are all met by simply moving and controlling the swinging
switches P, M.
Having now particularly ascertained and described the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated by,
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is;-
1. In a knitting machine provided with a needle-bed having a covered needle-
groove, the combination, with such needle-bed, of the needle having the up-
turned shank less in height than the depth of the said needle-groove, and the
separate filler-piece which with the needle substantially fills the said needle-
groove and holds the needle firmly and truly during the working, substantially
as described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. In a knitting machine, the combination, substantially as above set forth
and as shown, of the needle bed having the covered needle-groove, the needle
with its upturned shank, the separate filler-piece which serves to hold the needle
firmly and true in the needle-groove, and the Jack engaging with both the
needle and the filler-piece to reciprocate them in unison substantially as
described with reference to the diawings annexed
3. In a knitting machine provided with a needle-bed consisting of alternating
pieces secured together side by side, as described, the combination, with the
pieces forming the sides of the needle-grooves, of the oscillating levers H
mounted between the said pieces C₁ and having their pivotal support furnished
by the latter, substantially as described with reference to the drawings annexed.
4 In a knitting machine, the combination of the bar Q, segment-shaped in
cross-section and provided on its convex portion with curved seats on guides for
the presser-hooks, the curved presse-hooks fitting and sliding in said seats,
and provided with the lugs d, and the cam-grooved bar engaging with said lugs
and thereby actuating the presser-hooks, substantially as described with reference
to the drawings annexed.
5. In a knitting machine, the combination of the needle-bed pieces C¹ and C
secured together in an alternating sees to form a needle-bed, the said pieces
having applied thereto the blocks c, c, and the presser-hooks F moving between
the said blocks on adjacent pieces C, substantially as described with reference
to the drawings annexed
6. In a knitting machine, the combination with the needles thereof, one or
more yain-carie18, and a carrier-operating device, of the shifter-wheel mounted
to turn on an axis of motion parallel with the needles and constructed to receive
and carry the yarn-carile or yain-callers, substantially as described with refer-
ence to the diawings annexed
7 In a knitting machine, the apparatus for changing the yain-carriers, com-
prising the wheel U, the pinion U, connected with wheel U, the bar U⚫ having
the lack meshing in said pinion and also having connected therewith the stud us
moving in concentric grooves formed in the face of wheel U, and the switches
to divert the said stud from one groove to another, whereby the said rack shall
be operated to turn the pinion and wheel U, substantially as described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
8 In a knitting machine, the combination with the needles, their jacks, and
the separate pattern-levers, of the pattern-cylinder constituted essentially of
separate disks bearing at their edges, the guide-patterns for a series of actions
of the needles and capable of recombination to change the pattern of the work,
substantially as described with reference to the drawings annexed
9. In a knitting machine, the combination with the pattern-cylinder consist-
ing essentially of a series of separate disks placed side by side, and bearing at
their edges guide-patterns, of the pattern-levers controlling the action of the
needles and each pattern-lever having two working points, one of such points
engaging the edge of one pattern-disk, and the other of such points engaging

page_text: the edge of an adjoining pattern-disk, substantially as described with reference
to the drawings annexed.
J
10 In a knitting machine, the pattein-cylinder composed of a series of larger
and smaller plates, alternating and having shaped edges, the edge of the smallei
plate forming the bottom of an annular groove between the edges of the adjoin-
ing larger plates, substantially as described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
11 In a knitting machine, having parallel rows of needles, and co-operating
jacks and oscillating pattern-levers, substantially as herein shown and described,
the combination, with the said parts, of the two pattern-cylinders each formed
of pattern-plates held on a central shaft between two heads, one of such heads
on each cylinder having gear-teeth upon it, and the two toothed heads meshing
together and thereby causing the two cylinders to move in unison, substantially
as described with reference to the drawings annexed
12. In a knitting machine having reciprocating cam-bais, a pattern-cylinder,
and devices controlled by the pattern-cylinder and determining the actuation
of the needles by the said cam-bars, the combination with the said parts, of the
worm-gear for driving the pattern-cylinder, and the worm-wheel provided with
the two oscillating switches whereby the pattern-cylinder 18 moved at either
end of the cam bar movements or allowed to 'remain at rest, substantially as
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.