Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JOHN BRADSHAW HIPWELL, Machinist, of
No. 2412, Memphis Street, WILLIAM SMITH JANNEY, Physician, of
No. 1535, N. Broad Street, and ALFRED KIPLE SCHOLL, Physician,
of No. 2314, E. Cumberland Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America.]
Improvements in Knitting Machines.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 improvements in circular knitting machines, and
consists:
First, of a knitting machine having means substantially as hereinafter described
for connecting or locking the needle dial and needle cylinder.
Second, of mechanism substantially as hereinafter described, for connecting the
cam and needle dials, and disconnecting the cam dial and cam cylinder, so that the
cam and needle dials may operate conjointly when desired.
Third, of mechanism connected with the needle cylinder, for withdrawing a
portion of the needles on one side thereof from operation.
Fourth, of mechanism substantially as hereinafter described, connected with
the cam cylinder for supplying an extra or reinforce thread to a portion of the
fabric.
Fifth, of mechanism connected with the cam dial for withdrawing any desired
number of needles of the needle dial from operation.
Finally of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a circular knitting machine embodying
my invention.
Figure 2 represents a side view of the bed cam cylinder, thread guide, and
other parts.
Figure 2 represents a side view of part of the reinforce thread mechanism,
showing one means of carrying the bobbin for the reinforcing thread.
Figure 3 represents a vertical sectional view of one side of the cam cylinder
with mechanism for inserting a reinforce thread in the stocking, as described.
Figure 4 represents a view of a section of the inner wall of the cam cylinder,
showing the openings therein for attaching and adjusting the cam plates.
Figure 5 represents a view of a section of the inner wall of the cam cylinder
showing the cam plates attached thereto.
Figures 6 and 7 represent views of a section of the inner wall of the cam
cylinder, showing sections of the two needle ways with switch closed and open,
respectively.
Figure 7 represents a perspective view of detached portions of the machine.
Figure 8 represents a top view, partly broken away, of the needle cylinder,
showing extra grooves and needles, the extra needles being in operation.
Figure 9 represents a similar view of the same parts as in Figure 8, the extra
needles being out of operation.
Figure 10 represents a perspective view of the needle cylinder.
Figure 10 represents a plan view of the needle dial.

page_text: Figure 11 represents a vertical section thereof on line », r, Figure 10ª, showing
the lever for locking the needle dial with the cam dial.
Figure 12 represents a bottom view of the can dial.
Figure 13 represents a view showing the inner cam passage shown in Figure 12,
as open.
Figure 14 represents a view showing the inner cam passage as closed at one end.
Figure 15 represents a vertical section on line ., ., Figure 12, showing the cam
dial with lever for controlling the switch, the said parts being inverted.
Figure 16 represents a vertical section of the needle cylinder and rotating plate
for withdrawing a portion of the cylinder needles from operation.
Figure 17 represents a plan view of a circular knitting machine embodying my
invention, the cam dial and carrier thereof and the needle dial being removed there-
from, so as to show a plan view of the rotating plate shown in Figure 16, and the
operating lever therefor.
Figures 18, 19 and 20 represent different views of a portion of the segmental
plate for operating the extra needle cylinder with adjacent parts, the plate being
separated from the other parts in Figure 18 for clearer illustration, and the recesses
and projections on the plate in said Figures 18, 19 and 20 being inclined in reverse
direction from that shown in Figures 8 and 9.
Figure 21 represents a bottom view of the cam dial carrier.
Figure 22 represents a vertical section on line y, y, Figure 21, the parts being
separate, partly in elevated and in inverted position.
Figure 23 represents a bottom view of the plate connected with the cam dial shaft,
and resting on the under plate of the carrier.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A desiguates a circular knitting machine having a stationary needle cylinder B,
and a rotatable cam cylinder C, with a needle dial D, and a cam dial E, a thread
guiding and feeding device F, and a stitch regulating mechanism G, all the said
parts, except the cam and needle dials, being of the construction and operating in
the manner shown and described in United States Application April 21st, 1888,
Serial No. 271,424, and since they form no part of this invention, are not further
described herein. The carrier H which individually supports the cam dial shaft J,
has a supporting plate L, secured by screws L² on the under side thereof, the said
plate sustaining the flange or rim M of a collar N, which is secured to the said
shaft J.
In the outer edge of the rim M, is a recess P, and in the inner edge of the
carrier H is a recess Q, the said recesses forming, when opposite each other, an
opening adapted to receive a stud or key R, having a cam S on the head thereof,
whereby by means of a cam U on a lever V, the stud R may be withdrawn from
said opening, so that the carrier H and rim M, with collar N and shaft J, are free
to operate separately.
The said key is connected with a spring R* which normally keeps it in the said
opening.
The cam dial E, which is secured to the shaft J, below the plate L, by means of
a collar W and screw X, has in its edge a recess Y to receive the end of a lever or
arm Z attached to the needle dial so that the said needle dial and cam dial may be
locked together when desired.
On the under side of the cam dial E are formed two passages, an inner one a of
circular form and eccentric to the shaft J, so that the dial needles having their butts
guided thereon may be moved to and from the cylinder needles, and an outer one b
eccentric in form, and in communication with the said inner track.
A switch A operated by a spring lever B opens or closes the communication
between the passages, and a fixed returning piece C' against which the butts of the
needles engage, withdraws the needles within the needle dial. When the switch is
closed as shown in Figure 12, the butts of the needles are engaged by the outside
face of the cam, but when the switch is open, as in Figure 13, the butts of the
needles of the needle dial enter the inner passage way, so that they are withdrawn

page_text: from operation, when the switch may be closed, and the said needles kept from
operation as long as desired. When it is required to release the said needles, the
switch is opened as in Figure 14, when the butts of the needles leave the inner
passage and again come in contact with the outer edge of the cam. The lever B¹
is locked in place by a stud D' thereon, entering an opening in the upper side of
the cam dial.
The inner side of the needle cylinder B is formed with a horizontal slot E' in which
is fitted a curved plate F' having a segmental slot G' therein, the inner wall of which
has a gate H¹ for the entrance within the said slot G of the shank or stem J' of a
segmental plate K, which is horizontally moved by means of a lever 1 on the bed
of the machine. The said plate K is provided on its outer edge with recesses M'
and projections N₁ having shoulders P, the said projections being adapted to engage
certain extra hereinafter described cylinder needles according to the pattern of
the segmental plate K', as may be desired, on the movement of said plate, and force
the same into the recesses, and the butts of said needles into the depressed portions N
on the cylinder grooves, and thus out of action.
In Figures 8 and 9, the recesses or grooves M and the projections N¹ in the
segmental plate are shown as inclined in an opposite or reverse direction from that
shown in Figures 18, 19, and 20. Either direction of incline may be made as
desired, all the recesses and projections being inclined however, the one way in the
same plate.
The inner side of the cam cylinder is provided with an upper horizontal track,
and a lower horizontal track R' with controlling switches S', the said upper track
being for the travel of the butts of the vertical needles in the making of the heel
and toe portions of a stocking, and the lower track for the travel of said needles
when making the leg and foot portions. By having a lower track for the needles,
less of the upper portion of the same project above the cylinder, whereby there is
less elasticity to the upper ends of the said needles, and by having the needles raised
during the making of the heel and toe, so that a greater portion of each needle
projects above the cylinder than when on the lower track, tlie said needles are better
adapted to be engaged for being thrown out when desired during the forming of
said heel or toe, as well as having their butts above the upper track and so not
engaging the same in the said act of throwing out.
The stitch cams S which are secured to the inner face of the cam cylinder by
means of the screws which pass through the bracket and the bosses on the
same, form a portion of said tracks. The switches S are pivoted to the cain
cylinder on its inner face, and are operated by means of the levers S³ on the
ontside thereof.
This construction is to provide for narrowing and widening in forming the heel
and toe in plain knitting.
When a heel or toe is made, the switch S' is set to form a raised track to sustain
a part of the needles elevated, and the needle cylinder being partially revolved,
will cause a narrowing in the construction of a heel or toe, and as said needles are
individually lowered a widening takes place.
When it is desired to work on a leg or foot, the switch is thrown open to allow
the needle butts to travel on the lower track.
On the inner side of the back of the needle cylinder, are two lugs T, and on the
under side of the needle dial are two depending lugs Wadapted to engage with,
and between the lugs T of the needle cylinder, and thus lock the needle dial with
the needle cylinder, so that the former is kept stationary during the knitting of the
tube.
V designates a device for supplying an extra thread to the stocking, so as to
reinforce the same when desired, and consists of a frame W2 secured to the cam
cylinder, and as shown in Figure 24 may have an arm secured thereto for supporting
the bobbin, and a thread support or guide X
The device primarily consists of a frame W provided with a clamping arm Y',
for the thread, the vertical portion of said arm working in the frame, and having a

page_text: spring on its under face, and between, which and the upper fare of the thread
guide F, the reinforce thread is adapted to be held. The lower end of the arm Y¹
has a pivoted portion W3 with a roller at its lower end, the said roller travelling
a portion of the revolution of the cam cylinder, on a raised plate or elevated
portion Y, of the bed of the machine, so as to raise the upper clamping portion of
the arm Y from the thread which passes through an opening in the thread guide F,
and is fed to the knitting needles along with the thread supplied by said guide and
feed. A movable arm having a thread gue on its upper end, and a
pivoted lower portion is of itself pivoted to the frame W, and is adapted to have
its lower end come in contact with, and ride over a cam Zon the bed of the
machine, so as to oscillate the arm Z and the guide, and thus draw on the thread
on the bobbin, thereby loosening the same, and enabling the end thereof between
the guide 3, and the opening in the guide F to be more easily drawn in by the
needles. The upper portion of the arm Z2 is connected by a spring W to the
frame W to normally hold said arm in position, and the lower portion has a
jointed part adapted to be raised out of the way of the cam 2, a spring W.
mounted over the joint normally keeping the arm extended. The arm Y and
pivoted portion W thereof have a spring connection W, of preferably flat
formation for keeping the said parts in extended position, when the roller of the
pivoted portion is on the raised plate to raise the arm and thereby release
the thread.
x
The jointed construction of the arm Y is provided for a purpose similar to that
of the arm %, and the spring surrounding the upper part of said arm keeps
the roller in the lower end of the same in regular contact or bearing with the
surface upon which it travels.
The operation of the device V is readily understood. As the cam cylinder
revolves, the roller of the pivoted piece W³ rides on the bed of the machine, and
the clamping arm Y is depressed so that the reinforce thread is clamped or held
fast between the same, and the upper part of the feeding device F, as the swinging
arm comes in contact with the cam Z, a small portion of the thread is
unwound from the bobbin, so that when the roller at the lower end of the arm Y¹
rides upon the cam Y and the arm Y is raised and the threal released, it is
readily drawn to the needles.
One-half of the needle-cylinder is supplied with an extra set of needles K
located between the front needles of the cylinder, and in front of the needles of the
needle dial, and adapted to be thrown either into or out of operation as desired.
When making ribbed work, the extra needles are thrown out of operation and the
dial needles on the same side thereof as the extra needles are thrown into operation,
but in plain work the said dial needles are withdrawn from operation, and the extra
needles of the cylinder thrown in operation, so that the needles on one-half of the
cylinder are operative for plain work
In operating the machine so as to form a tube for a stocking, having a ribbed
front and a plain back, with integral pockets for the heel and the portions, the
extra set of needles K in front of the needle cylinder, and directly under the
needles in the front of the needle dial, is placed in operation by rotating
the segmental plate K by means of the lever L, the needles in the front of the
needle dial being first thrown out of operation by opening the gate A' of the inner
cam passage-way in the cam dial, thus making twice as many needles in operation
in the front of the needle cylinder as there are in the back thereof, so as to form
the plain part of the leg portion, while the needles of the back of the needle
cylinder and the back of the needle dial form the ribbed portion of the leg. When
the pocket is to be made, the needles in the back of the needle cylinder are thrown
out of operation by drawing up their butts or cam parts, so as to be free from the
cams of the cam cylinder, then throwing out of operation the needles on the back
of the needle dial by locking the cam dial to the needle dial, and releasing the cam
dial from the part N carrying the cam cylinder by unlocking the carrier and the
cam dial shaft, so as to leave the needles in front of the needle cylinder free to be

page_text: operated on to form the pocket for the heel, which is narrowed by revolving the
cam cylinder around the needle cylinder first in one direction, then in the opposite
direction, and throwing out of operation as required one or more needles, first on
one side and then on the other. After being sufficiently narrowed, the pocket i-
widened by throwing into operation in the same manner, the needles thrown out for
narrowing.
After the heel pocket is made, to make a ribbed top and plain bottom for the
foot, the needles in the back of the needle cylinder are thrown into operation by
lowering the same, the cam dial is then locked to the carrier, and unlocked from
the needle dial, when the knitting is continued forming a ribbed top and plain
bottom. The toe pocket is made in the manner already described.
If it be desired to form an all ribbed leg portion, the cam switch of the cam dial
is opened so as to release the butts of all the dial needles, and then closed so that
the same are guided on the cam-way and the extra needles on the front of the
needle cylinder are thrown out of operation by means of the segmental plate K¹
and lever L. To form now the pocket on the ribbed leg, the cam switch of the
cam dial is opened so as to withdraw all the needles of the needle dial, and the cam
dial is unlocked from the carrier and locked with the needle dial, the needles of the
rear of the needle cylinder being drawn up or out of the way of the cams of
the cam cylinder, and the extra needles in the front of the needle cylinder thrown
into operation, and the narrowing and widening of the pocket is performed as
before described.
It will be seen that I am enabled to change the operation of the machine from
ribbed to plain, or from plain to ribbed fabric as desired, without removing any of
the needles from their places on the machine, and by mechanism convenient of
access and easy of operation.
In making a tube for a stocking on the machine herein described, I can either
make the leg portion partly or wholly ribbed as desired, with a plain pocket for
the heel, and a partly plain and partly ribbed, or wholly ribbed extension for the
foot portion, with a plain pocket for the toe. The fabric thus made can be
continued of indefinite length, and a portion severed therefrom and the ent edges
so united as to form a stocking seamless excepting at the toe.
Parts shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing, but not described in this
Specification are not claimed herein, but are admitted to be old and well known in
the art.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, 1 declare that what I claim is :--
1st. A circular kuitting machine having a stationary needle cylinder, a rotatable
cam cylinder, a needle dial, a cam dial, a shaft in connection with said cam dial,
and provided with a collar, a carrier secured to the cam cylinder and supporting
said shaft mechanism, substantially as described for disconnecting said collar from
said carrier, and mechanism substantially as described for locking said cam and
needle dials, said parts being combined substantially as described.
2nd. The combination of a stationary needle cylinder, a needle dial, a rotatable
cam cylinder with a carrier, a cam dial with a shaft having a collar supported by
said carrier, and means substantially as described for connecting and disconnecting
said carrier and collar, substantially as set forth.
:
3rd. The combination of a stationary needle cylinder, with a needle dial,, a
rotatable cam cylinder, a carrier secured to said cam cylinder, a cam dial with shaft
having a collar with flange thereon, a plate connected with said carrier and
supporting said flange and collar, and a locking device for said flanged collar and
carrier, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. A stationary needle cylinder with a needle dial, a rotatable cam cylinder
with a carrier, a plate secured to said carrier, a cam dial with a shaft, a collar
secured to said shaft and resting on said plate, said collar and carrier having

page_text: recesses thereon, and a locking pin or key adapted, to be inserted in said recesses
for locking said collar and carrier, said parts being combined substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
5th. A stationary needle cylinder, a needle dial, a revolving cam cylinder and a
can dial having a locking connection therewith, said needle dial having a locking
arm adapted to luck it and the cam dial together, said parts being combined
substantially as described.
6th. In a circular knitting machine, a revolvable cam cylinder having an upper
and a lower horizontal track on the inner face thereof adapted to support the butts
of the cylinder needles thereon, a switch for directing the said needles from one
track to the other, and a stationary needle cylinder with needles, said parts being
combined substantially as described.
7th. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder with grooves on its outer
walls having depressed portions, and a horizontal slot in its inner wall, a slotted ring
or plate fitted in said slot, a segmental plate having its shank in the slot of the ring
or plate, and a lever for operating said segmental plate, said segmental plate having
its outer edge provided with projections and recesses, said parts being combined
substantially as described.
8th. A stationary needle cylinder with a horizontal recess in its inner wall, and
needle grooves in its outer wall, one-half of the cylinder having more grooves than
the other half, for extra needles, a slotted plate fitted in said horizontal recess a
segmental plate with projections and recesses on its outer edge, and having a
shank or stem in the slot of said slotted plate, and a lever for operating said
segmental plate, said parts being combined substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
9th. In a circular knitting machine, a stationary needle cylinder, a needle dial, a
rotatable cam cylinder with a carrier having a recess in its inner edge, a plate
secured to said carrier, a cam dial with shaft, a collar secured to said shaft, and
having a flange with a recess in its outer edge, said flange bearing on the said plate,
a spring-actuated pin with cam head, a lever with cam adapted to engage said cam
head of the pin, so as to raise the same and thereby unlock the said carrier and
flange of the collar, and an arm adapted to lock the cam and needle dials said parts
being combined substantially as described.
10th. A circular knitting machine having an elevated portion on its base, a
revolving cam cylinder, a frame secured thereto with a rising and falling arm
moving therein, and having its lower portion adapted to ride on said elevated
portion of the base, and its upper end to clamp a reinforce thread, a thread guide
and a bobbin carrier moving with said eam cylinder, said parts being combined
substantially as described.
11th. A circular knitting machine having an elevated portion on its base, a
rotatable cam cylinder with a frame secured thereto, a rising and falling arm in said
frame having a pivoted portion carrying a roller at its lower end adapted to ride
on said elevated portion of the base, a spring for extending said arm and pivoted
portion, a thread guide and a bobbin carrier secured to said rising and falling arm
and to said frame, said parts being combined substantially as described.
12th. In a circular knitting machine, a base with an elevated portion thereon,
and a cam on said base and between the ends of the elevated portion, a cam cylinder
with a frame secured thereto, an arm moving in said frame and having its upper end
adapted to clamp a reinforce thread, and its lower end to ride on said elevated
portion of the base, a thread guide, and a spring-actuate swinging arm with a
thread guide at its upper end, and having its lower end adapted to come in contact.
with said cam, said parts being combined substantially as described.
13th. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder with a horizontally
movable segmental plate having projections and recesses formed on its outer edge, a
guide for said plate, and an operating lever, said parts being combined substantially
as described.
14th. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a stationary needle cylinder

page_text: having extra needles working in extra grooves on one side thereof, a cam cylinder,
a needle dial, a cam dial with a two-way cam for the needles of the needle dial, a
carrier on said cam cylinder detachably secured to the shaft of the cam dial, a
segmental plate having recesses and adapted to contact with said extra needles and
throw the same in and out of operation, a lever for operating said plate, and means
substantially as described for locking the cam and needle dials, substantially as and:
for the purpose set forth.
15th. In a circular knitting machine, a stationary needle cylinder with an extra
set of needle grooves in one side thereof, a needle dial, a rotatable cam cylinder.
with a two-way cam dial and a segmental plate having grooves and projections, and
located in said needle cylinder for operating an extra set of needles, working in said
extra grooves, said parts being combined substantially as described.
16th. A circular knitting machine having a cam cylinder, a needle dial and a
cam dial, and provided with means substantially as described whereby the cam dial
may be locked with the needle dial, said parts being combined substantially as.
described.
17th. A circular knitting machine having a cam cylinder, a stationary needle
cylinder, a stationary needle dial, a cam dial, a rotatable shaft on which said cam.
dial is mounted, means substantially as described for connecting said dials, and
mechanism substantially as described for connecting said dials, and mechanism
substantially as described for connecting said cam cylinder and shaft, said parts.
being combined as set forth.
18th. A circular knitting machine having a cam cylinder, a needle dial and a cam
dial, and provided with means for a needle dial and a cam dial, and provided with
means for locking said eam dial with either said cam cylinder or said needle dial,.
said parts being combined substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of December 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.