IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KNITTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
Knitted fabrics as is well known are formed by enchaining a single_thread
forming rows of loops running horizontally or both horizontally and vertically.
These fabrics although much stronger than those formed by the regular inter-
weaving of warp and weft threads, are only suitable of employment whero
elasticity is not only useful but indispensable, this very quality rendering them
unfit for outer garments.
The present invention relates to the manufacture of a non-elastic looped fabric
and the means employed for this purpose constitutes one of the improvements in
knitting machines forming the subject of this invention, another improvement
relating to a simple means of regulating the arrangement or formn of the mesh to
suit the pattern of the fabric.
The means adopted for rendering looped fabrics non-elastic while still retaining
their special qualities consists in combining with each row of loops formed by the
needles, a nonextensible weft thread which forms as it were the core or foundation
of the fabric and prevents it from either stretching or shrinking. To this end a
weft laying arm or shuttle is combined with the knitting machine along which it
travels to and fro from end to end depositing at each traverse the weft thread in
such position as to be thereupon enveloped by the row of loops formed on it by the
needles.
The fabric produced is of the kind represented
figures 3 and 4 of the
accompanying drawings which show the weft thread enveloped by the loops formed
as in figures 1 and 2.
The mechanism by which the above improvement is realised in practice- is very
simple and is représented, in figures 5 and 6 which show an elevation and plan of a

page_text: knitting machine provided with mechanism whereby the operations of laying the
non-elastic weft thread, and the formation of the loops upon it are effected
alternately.
The shaft a is driven by bevel gear b, c d, e, friction clutch f, g, chain or other
gear h, i, j, from main shaft k carrying fast and loose pulleys l, m.
The weft laying
arm or shuttle is operated by the following mechanism. A cam o on wheel & acts
on a lever po pivoted at which causes a shafts to slide in one direction, a spring x
moving the shaft in the other direction. By this means a tappet on the shaft is
caused to act on one or other of two treadle levers uv the shaft being geared
by k,, with the driving shaft. A chain, cord or band y passing round a pulleys,
is attached by its two ends to the treadle levers u, v, the pulley z being in one with
a large grooved pulley 1 over which passes a cord 2. that runs round guide
pulleys 3, 4 and has its ends respectively attached to the opposite ends of the
shuttle carriage at each end.
21, 2' are adjustable stops on the race rail 6' upon which the shuttle carriage 6
travels on friction rollers.
The carriage 6 has a bobbin carrying arm 5, and a thread laying arm or guide 13
through eyes in which the thread 12 passes from the bobbin to the point of deposit
of the weft.
The tappet t acting alternately on turns the wheel 1 alternately in either
direction and throws the shuttle to and fro, laying a weft thread at each traverso.
While the weft is being thrown, a cam 10 on a disc 9 keyed on the driving
shaft acts on the clutch lever 7 and throws the friction clutch f g out of
gear, thus stopping the gear de cb a which actuates the knitting mechanism
which resumes working and forms a row of stitches around the non elastic weft
immediately the shuttle reaches the end of its course.
Figure 7 shows in side view on a larger scale the relative position of the shuttle
arm and weft thread and of the thread which forms the loops and its guide or
carrier 15.
Tho arrest of the knitting mechanism whilst the weft is laid may be effected in
another way without stopping the machine. As above described, the motion is
arrested suddenly by means of double acting cams and clutch mechanism which is
difficult to regulate and liable to cause shocks.
In the modification illustrated in figures 18 and 19 the clutch is dispensed with
and the cams are single acting only, by so arranging the cams that I am enabled to
take advantage of the period during one half the, revolution of the cam shaft,
during which the knitting mechanisin is not acting, to throw the shuttle without
stopping the machine.
Figure 18 shows the opposite ends of the cam shaft. Figure 19 shows the
outline of the cams, and Figure 20 shows the shaft as driven by bevel instead of
chain gear. There are three distinct movements which are referred to only to show
their relation to that of the shuttle arm.
1 The motion of the knitting mechanism proper for forming the stitches. This
motion is effected by means of the cams 1 and 2. It is then during the period of
rest of the mechanism which has just acted, that is to say, during the passage of
the circular or inoperative part of the cams (semicircle A B in cam 1) that the
shuttlo throws the weft thread.
2nd Laying of the knitting thread by means of the cams 3 and 4.
3rd Operating the needles by means of a separate cam.
The second part of the Invention relates to the mode of regulating the sizo of
the loops so as to mako each of the size required to form the design to be produced.
Hitherto pattern discs have been employed having notches filed in their periphery
to correspond to the extent of movement to be given to the needles. These discs
were expensive and served only for a single pattern, and to avoid these objections
it is proposed to employ a disc as shown at A figures 5. G. and 8 having teeth 16
upon each face adjustable in radial grooves 17 and fixed by set screws 18 or

page_text: otherwise whereby any desired form of pattern disc may be composed. The disc_A
is shown in Figure 1 combined with the parts 14 and 15 as in ordinary knitting
machines.
The following relates to modifications in certain parts of the mechanism. Firstly
as regards the means of operating the shuttle; the pulley 1 is brought close down
to the treadles (sce figure 9) and is operated by a pinion 2 gearing on opposite
sides with two racks 3, 4 jointed to the treadles 7, 8 by means of rods 5, 6. The
other parts for operating the shuttle are the same as before.
A tappet 13 on the treadles strikes a lever 14 pivoted at 15, and causes it to act
as a brake upon pulley 1 at the moment that the shuttle 16 reaches either end of
its traverse. Figure 10 shows another modification in which cords & attached to
the racks a wind and unwind on small drums e whilst the cord g winds and unwinds
on large drums fin one with drums e.
The friction clutch may be replaced by a coupling such as that shown in
figuro 11 for example in order to render its action more certain.
The Invention also includes further improvements which relate 1st to the
mechanism for producing the to and fro motion of the shuttle. 2nd To an automatic
mechanism for arresting the shuttle at each end of its course whilst the row of
loops is being formed by the needles. 3rd To a mechanism for automatically
preventing tendency of the wheels by which the needles are operated, to turn on
the clutch being put out of gear. 4th To an automatic take up of the fabric.
Figure 12 is a side view and figure 13 a plan of the shuttle operating inechanism
which entirely supersedes the treadles, chains, springs, rack gear & of the previous
arrangements.
The driving shaft a is geared by bc with a cam shaft d. The cam e turns
between two friction rollers upon a sliding arm g slotted at h for the shaft d to
pass through and jointed to a crank i on the shaft j of a bevel toothed wheel k
gearing with a pinion keyed on the shaft of pulley m round which passes the
cord n connected to the shuttle carriage o.
When the cam pushes the sliding arm from right to left the wheel & is partially
rotated in the direction of the arrow and when the arm slides from left to right,
the wheel is moved in the reverse direction, these partial rotations of the wheel
imparting similar alternate movements to pulley m and consequently to the
shuttle o.
The extent of motion of the shuttle is regulated to the width of the frame by
varying the radius of the crank j.
Figure 14 is a face, and figure 15 a side view of the mechanism for automatically,
and without any possible risk of recoil, stopping the shuttle at each end of its
stroke. After a weft thread has been deposited the shuttle must be arrested to
allow of the formation of the row of loops which is to envelop the weft and it is
indispensable that the shuttle should not recoil while the stitches are being formed
which would impede the action of the needles. At each end of the shuttle race d
is jointed by one end a hook c which is also jointed by its middle to the end of a
rod e connected to the short arm of a lever ƒ pivoted at g and acted on in opposito
directions by a spring hand a cam i. The spring tends constantly to raise the
free end of the hook c so as to retain the shuttle on arriving at the end of its course
until released by the cam i on the driving shaft a.
The mechanism for effecting the absolute stoppage of the needles when their
driving gear is thrown out, is shown in Figure 16. The shaft a operating the
needles through bevel gear bc has a cam d in which runs a friction roller e on the
end of a rod f, and the boss of pinion b has a stud g.
b
When the clutch is thrown out of gear, the pinion 6 ceases to rotate and rod fis
moved from left to right by the cam groove d until its free end comes opposite
stud g and prevents further movement of pinion b. This absolute arrest of motion
without liability of recoil is of importance as it prevents any slackening of the
knitting thread which would interfere with the laying of the weft.

page_text: The self acting take up of the web is shown in Figure 17. The beam b upon
which the web is wound is turned by a ratchet c and pawl d jointed to a lever e
pivoted at f. The driving shaft a carries a sleeve g having a tappet and
whenever
is desired to wind up the web the sleeve g is slid along shaft a until
its tappet comes opposite to lever e and as it rotates with shaft a oscillates
lover e and rotates beam b. When sufficient web has been wound up, the sleeve g
is withdrawn.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the naturo of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KNITTING MACHINES," and in what manner the saine is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Knitted fabrics as is well known are formed by enchaining a single thread
forming rows of loops running horizontally or both horizontally and vertically.
These fabrics although much stronger than those formed by the regular
interweaving of warp and weft threads, are only suitable of employment where
elasticity is not only useful but indispensable, this very quality rendering them
unfit for outer garments.
The present invention relates to the manfacture of a non-elastic looped fabric
and the means employed for this purpose constitutes one of the improvements in
knitting machines forming the subject of this invention. Another improvement
relates to a simple means of regulating the arrangement or form of the mesh-to
suit the pattern of the fabric.
The means adopted for rendering looped fabrics non-elastic while still retaining
their special qualities consists in combining with each row of loops formed by the
needles, a nonextensible weft thread which forms as it were the core or foundation
of the fabric and prevents it from either stretching or shrinking. To this end a
weft laying arm is combined with the knitting machine along which it travels to
and fro from end to end depositing the weft thread at each traverse in such
position as to be enveloped by the row of loops formed on it by the needles.
The fabric produced is of the kind represented in figures 3 and 4 of the
accompanying drawings which show the weft thread enveloped by the loops
formed as in figures 1 and 2.
The mechanism by which the above improvement is realised in practice is very
simple and is represented in figures 5 and 6 which show an elevation and plan of a

page_text: knitting machine provided with mechanism whereby the operations of laying the
non-clastic weft thread, and the formation of the locps upon it are effected
alternately.
The shaft a is driven by bevel gear b, c d, e, friction clutch f, g, chain or other
gear h, i, j, from main shaft carrying fast and loose pulleys l, m. The weft laying
arm is operated by the following mechanism. A cam o on wheel b acts on a
lever pivoted at which causes a shaft s to slide in one direction, a spring
moving the shaft in the other direction. By this means a tappet on the shaft is
caused to act on one or other of two treadle levers uv the shaft being geared
by 1,, with the driving shaft. A chain, cord or band y passing round a pulloy 2,
is attached by its two ends to the treadle levers u, v, the pulleys being in one with
a large grooved pulley 1 over which passes a cord 2 that runs round guide
pulleys 3, 4 and has its ends respectively attached to the opposite ends of tho
carriage 6 at cacli end.
21, 2 are adjustable stops on the race rail 6¹ upon which the carriage 6 travels
on friction rollers.
The carriage 6 has a bobbin carrying arm 5, and a thread laying arm or guide 13
through oyes in which the thread 12 passes from the bobbin to the point of deposit
of the woft.
The tappet t acting alternately on u, v, turns the wheel 1 alternately in either
direction and moves the carriage to and fro, laying a weft thread at each traverso.
While the weft is being laid, a cam 10 on a disc 9, koyed on the driving shaft k,
acts on the clutch lever 7 and throws the friction clutch f, g, out of gear, thus
stopping the gear de cba which actuates the knitting mechanism which resumes
working and forms a row of stitches around the non-elastic weft immediately the
carriage reaches the end of its course.
Figure 7 shows in sido view on a larger scale the relative position of the weft
laying arm and weft thread and of the thread which forms the loops and its
guide 15.
The arrest of the knitting mechanism whilst the woft is laid may be effected in
another way without stopping the machine as in the arrangement above described
in which the motion is arrested suddenly by means of double acting cams and clutch
mechanism which is difficult to regulate and liable to cause shocks.
In the modification illustrated in figures 18, and 19, the clutch is dispensed with
aud the cams are single acting only being so arranged as to enable the period during
one half of the revolution of the cam shaft, when the knitting mechanism is not
acting to be utilized for throwing the weft without stopping the machine,
Figure 18, shows the opposite ends of the cam shaft. Figure 19 shows the
outline of the cams, and Figure 20 shows the shaft as driven by bevel instead of
chain gear.
The machine has three distinct movements which are referred to only to show
their relation to that of the weft laying arm.
1 The motion of the knitting mechanism proper for forming the stitches. This
motion is effected by means of the cams 1 and 2. The cam 1 produces the up and
down movement of the sinkers after which cam 2 comes into action and pushes the
sinkers forward to form the loops. The cam 1 then produces the backward
movement of the needles to enclose the loops formed by the sinkers. It is then,
during the period of rest of the mechanism which has just acted, that is to say,
during the passage of the circular or inoperative part of the cams (semicircle A B
in cam 1), that the carriage throws the weft thread.
2nd Laying of the knitting thread by means of the thread guide through the
action of the cams 3 and 4.
3 The shogging of the thread guide by means of a separato cam.
The second part of the invention relates to the mode of regulating the size of the
loops so as to make each of the size required to form the design to be produced,
Hitherto pattern discs have been employed having notches filed in their periphery
to correspond to the extent of movement to be given to the needles. These discs
-

page_text: were expensive and served only for a single pattern, and to avoid these objections
it is proposed to employ a disc as shown at A, figures 5, 0, and 8, having teeth 16
upon each face adjustable in radial grooves 17 and fixed by set screws 18, or
otherwise whereby any desired form of pattern disc may be composed. The disc A
is shown in Figure 1, combined with the parts 14 and 15 as in ordinary knitting
machines.
The following relates to modifications in certain parts of the mechanism.
Firstly as regards the means of operating the carriage; the pulley 1 is brought
close down to the treadles (sec figure 9,) and is operated by a pinion 2 gearing on
opposite sides with two racks 3, 4, jointed to the treadles 7, 8 by means of rods 5, 6.
The other parts for operating the carriage are the same as before.
A tappet 13 on the treadles strikes a lever 14 pivoted at 15, and causes it to act
as a brake upon pulley 1 at the moment that the carriage 16 reaches either end of
its traverse. Figure 10 shows another modification in which cords & attached to
the racks a wind and unwind on small drums e whilst the cord g winds and
unwinds on large drums fin one with drums e.
The friction clutch may be replaced by a coupling such as that shown in
figure 11 for example in order to render its action more certain.
The Invention also includes further improvements which relate 1 to the
imechanism for producing the to and fro motion of the carriage. 2nd To an
automatic mechanism for arresting the carriage at each end of its course whilst the
row of loops is being formed by the needles. 3rd To a mechanism for automatically
preventing tendency of the wheels by which the needles are operated, to turn on
the clutch being put out of gear. 4th To an automatic take up of the fabric.
Figure 12 is a side view and figure 13 a plan of the carriage operating mechanism
which entirely supersedes the treadles,.chains, springs, rack gear & of the previous
arrangements.
"
•
The driving shaft a is geared by b c with, a cam shaft d.
The cam e turns between two friction rollers upon a sliding arm g slotted at / for
the shaft d to pass through and jointed to a crank i on the shaft j of a bevel
toothed wheel gearing with a pinion keyed on the shaft of pulley m round which
passes the cord n connected to the carriage o.
When the cam pushes the sliding arm from right to left the wheel / is partially
rotated in the direction of the arrow and when the arm slides from left to right,
the wheel k is moved in the reverse direction, these partial rotations of the wheel
imparting similar alternate movements to pulley m and consequently to the
carriage o.
The extent of motion of the carriage is regulated to the width of the frame by
varying the radius of the crank j.
Figure 14 is a face, and figure 15 a side view of the mechanism for automatically,
and without any possible risk of recoil, stopping the carriage at each end of its
stroke. After a weft thread has been deposited the carriage must be arrested to
allow of the formation of the row of loops which is to envelop the weft and it is
indispensable that the carriage should not recoil while the stitches are being formed
in order not to impede the action of the needles. At each end of the race dis
jointed by one end a hook c which is also jointed by its middle to the end of a rod e
connected to the short arm of a lever f pivoted at g and acted on in opposite
directions by a spring h and a cam i. The spring tends constantly to raise the free
end of the hook c so as to retain the carriage on arriving at the end of its course
until released by the cam i on the driving shaft a.
The mechanism for effecting the absolute stoppage of the needles when their
driving gear is thrown out, is shown in Figure 16. The shaft a operating the
needles through bevel gear b c has a cam d'iu which runs a friction roller e on
the end of a rod f, and the boss of pinion b has a stud g.
When the clutch is thrown out of goar, the pinion b ceases to rotato and rod fis
moved from left to right by the cam groove d until its free end comes opposite
stud g and prevents further movement of pinion b. This absolute arrest of motion

page_text: without liability of recoil is of importance as it prevents any slackening of the
knitting thread which would interfere with the laying of the weft.
The self acting take up of the web is shewn in Figure 17. The beam b upon
which the web is wound is turned by a ratchet c and pawl d jointed to a lever &
pivoted at f. The driving shaft a carries a sleeve 9 having a tappet h and
whenever it is desired to wind up the web the sleeve g is slid along shaft a until
its tappet h comes opposite to lever e and as it rotates with shaft a oscillatos lover e
and rotates beam b. When sufficient web has been wound up, the sleeve g is
withdrawn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st The herein described improvements in knitting machines whereby a
nonextensible weft thread is enveloped at each traverse by the row of loops formed
by the knitting thread; 2nd the construction of pattern disc for regulating the size
of the loops.