ImproveOME
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1899
ImprovemOMES IN
I, WILLIAM GEORGE HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to straight bar knitting machines, and their objects
are to provide means to permit reversing to be accomplished to any desired
extent, to enable the complete lengths of fabric to be automatically separated,
and to enable hems or edges to be formed.
The fabric which is formed in the machine is carried by a series of rails which
are supported by and adjustably connected to a chain or chains or a flexible
band or the like to which motion is communicated from the shaft of the machine.
The work (fabric) is withdrawn from the chain by lifting off the rails.
As the rails have, in turn, to pass between the needle bars, means must be
provided for moving one or both of the bars so as to leave sufficient space for
the bar carrying the fabric. This is accomplished by providing the reverse
indicator with a suitable cam which at the proper moment comes into action and
through a suitable system of levers, links and the like draws one of the needle
bars away from the other and leaves sufficient room for the passage of the rail.
When the rail has passed the continued movement of the cam causes the needle
bar to resume its original position. The reverse counter is also provided with a
second cam which operates simultaneously and causes a detent to engage with
the working shaft of the machine and thus stop the needles.
When the shaft is released it is rotated by a suitable system of weights, cords,
pulleys and the like.
A rolling up or winding device is employed in which means are provided for
maintaining the weight always at practically the same distance from the floor,
thus obviating the necessity for the operator to be constantly raising it. The
counter-weight is suspended from one end of a cord the other end of which is
connected to a suitable pulley mounted loosely on the machine shaft and passes
over bowls or the like. As the weight falls owing to the manufacture of the
fabric a lever is released in consequence of one end of it being supported by the
cord. This lever in its downward movement operates a system of levers and
links which terminate in a pawl which engages with a ratchet wheel fixed to the
pulley carrying the end of the weight cord. A partial rotation of the pulley
is thus effected and the weight is raised the distance that it had previously
fallen.

page_text: Improvements in Knitting Machines.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
These improvements, which may be applied to any type of straight bar knitting
machine in which ribbed or plain fabrics are produced, have for their object to
permit the production in unlimited length of those parts of the knitted fabrics
at the ends of ribbed tops, ribbed hose and half hose, plain hose and other
articles, which consists of a folded over or flap part knitted into the fabric along
its edge so as to constitute a doubled part called the welt.
By the existing method of manufacture the welt consists of a very few rows
of plain fabric knitted upon the frame needle bar, into which a welt wire is
inserted by hand after the first rows of welt are knitted. The welt wire then has
weights hooked upon each of its ends, to pull upon the work until the comple-
tion of the welt, when the wires are withdrawn.
According to the present improvements, the welt wires are removably attached
by their ends to a pair of parallel chains or flexible bands to which positive
motion is communicated from the machine shaft. In their travel, the welt wires
have to pass between the needle bars and it therefore becomes necessary to pro-
vide means for their separation.
The accompanying drawings illustrate in what manner this invention may be
carried into effect, and will be hereinafter referred to.
Figures 1 and 2 represent sectional side views and Figure 3, a partial plan.
Figures 4, 5 and 6, are diagrams representing the engagement of the welt by
the welt wires.
The essential portions of the new apparatus consist of means for separating
the needle bars for the passage of the welt wires; for moving the chains carrying
the welt wires; and, automatic means for maintaining the weight constantly
at about the same height from the floor.
A series of welt wires a a, spaced at distances apart having relation to the
lengths of the welts to be produced, are held by any suitable means, as for
example by the endless pitch chains 6 6¹ or their equivalent, and are removably
connected therewith by any known convenient devices.
At the commencement of the welt the welt wire approaches, and to enable it
to pass into the welt, the needle bars are separated.
For this purpose a cam A, is fixed upon the automatic welt wheel. During
the production of the welt, the welt wheel moves, carrying with it the eam:A,
which thus acts upon the lever B, which is fulcrumed at 1) and carries on its
opposite ends the friction rollers c c. Because of the shape of the cam, which
will vary according to the type of machine to which these improvements are
applied, the lever, when acted on by the cam, first moves outwards at its lower
end. It consequently moves in the opposite direction at its upper end, where
its friction roller c, exerts a pressure upon the lever F, fulcrumed at G. This
pressure compels the opposite end of the lever F, which is bevelled, to rest
upon the square H, fixed to the shaft J of the machine needle bar I. The pres-
sure, being exerted gradually, the bevelled end of the lever F draws the: sliaft
of the machine needle bar towards the front. of the machine.. The space thus
obtained suffices for the passage of the welt wire.
+
The welt wire having passed, the welt wheel continues its movement, carrying

page_text: with it the cam A, whereupon the levers move in the reverse direction and cause
the displaced needle bar to resume the working position.
Under
"The welt wheel also carries a second cam K, which by the movement of the
wheel acts upon a lever L, fulcrumed at D and carrying at its upper end a click M,
engaging with the ratchet wheel R, fixed upon the machine shaft N.
this condition the ratchet wheel is immovable and, since it is fixed upon the
machine shaft which drives the welt wire chains, a stoppage of the movement of
the wires ensues so long as the ratchet wheel is held by the click. The..length
of action of the cam is calculated in such a manner that the stoppage may be
obtained for the length of time necessary, which is the period between the
completion of one welt to the commencement of the next. The cam K having
passed, the click leaves the ratchet wheel and the shaft N thus becomes free again.
The diagram Figure 4, shews the commencement of the welt c, with the welt
wire approaching at I. As the knitting of the welt proceeds, the machine
needle bar is moved away from the frame needle bar as already described to per-
mit the passage of the welt wire into the welt, as indicated by the diagram
Figure 5. The diagram Figure 6 shews the welt after it has been closed and.
with its needle bar imprisoned in it and pulling the work by its connection with
the chains b b¹.
T
A counter-weight T, suspended from the cord V, tends to turn the machine
shaft N, by means of the grooved pulley X to which the cord is attached, and
the two ratchet wheels Y Z. The ratchet wheel R, being no longer held by the
click M, the machine shaft N on which the pulley X is mounted and to which it
is indirectly secured by being geared with the. ratchet wheel Z, keyed upon M,
is subject to the pull of the counter-weight and turns, moving with it the welt
chains and welt wires by means of the chain wheels R¹ R¹ also keyed upon the
shaft N as shewn by Figure 3. The advancing chains introduce the wire a into
that part of the fabric constituting the welt produced during the stoppage and
from this moment the tension of the fabric is produced by the motion of the
chains derived from the counterweight and transmitted through the welt wire
imprisoned within the welt. When the fabric is completed it can be separated
by making two strokes without moving the thread carrier so that during these
two strokes, no fabric is produced. After the separation thus effected, the welt
wire is withdrawn, the fabric removed, and the welt wire is replaced 'on the chains.
The automatic means for maintaining the weight T constantly at about the
same height from the floor consists of the grooved pulley X, the cord V, the
stop-3, lever 6, connecting rod 7, lever 18, connecting rod 9, click 5,' gearing.
with ratchet wheel Y, and the spring. click 104, gearing with the ratchet wheel Z.
The ratchet wheel Y and the pulley X are fixed together but both are mounted
free upon the shaft N. The click 4 is pinned upon the pulley X and held in
gear by the spring 10. The ratchet wheel Y receives its motion from the
ordinary machine click or dog 5, and in advancing, pulls along the click 4,
fixed to the grooved pulley X, and this click which engages the ratchet wheel Z
produces rotation of the shaft N on which Z is fixed, and consequently motion
of the chains 6 61 which through the imprisoned welt wire, produces tension
and rexerts a pull upon the fabric:
It follows that as the length of the fabric produced increases, the weight T
must tend to descend to a relative extent, but immediately upon the develope-
ment of this motion of the weight, the end of the lever 6 which rests upon the
stop 3, connected with the weight, moves downwards and consequently brings
the click or dog 5 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel Y, which
is then rotated by the continuous reciprocation of the dog 5, until the weight
has, by this means, been again so far raised that the stop 3 has once more lifted
the lever 6 and thus once more put the click or dog 5 out of action. The ratchet
wheel Z, fixed upon the shaft N, is independent, except through the click 4,
of the grooved pulley X and the ratchet wheel Y.
Some of the advantages which the present improvements present above the

page_text: systems at present in use are:-The faculty of making welts of unlimited length.
The resemblance of the welt made by it to that made by hand frames. Sup-
pression of the cutting of the fabric by making two draws or strokes without
thread so as to effect a separation. Suppression of the draw thread for the separa-
tion of the fabric and consequently of the draw-thread carrier and of the opera-
tive required for this work. Suppression of the hooks hanging on the bar to
pull the welt in existing machines and of inconveniences such as drawn meshes
or stitches arising therefrom and ability to employ short needles on the rib
machines where long needles are used to make long welt. Loss of fabric by
separation by cutting rows of stitches is avoided as well as the mending neces-
sitated by such cutting. The avoidance of rumpling or crushing the welt and
of the production of lint in cutting the work. That the worker controls the
quantity and quality of the work with case and without stopping the machine.
As the operative can use nippers to lift the work, the fabric is turned out neater
and cleaner. Immediately delivery of the work produced by the rib-top machine
for the production of heels and feet. That the automatic weight lifting motion
or appliances can be applied to all straight-bar knitting machines. Suppression
of the falling of the weight and consequently of the necessity for lifting it by
hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The herein before described apparatus for use in or in connection with
straight-bar knitting machines, constructed arranged and operating substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2. In apparatus for use in or in connection with straight-bar knitting
machines, the herein before described means for effecting the separation of the
needle bars, constructed and operated substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before set forth, and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus for use in or in connection with straight-bar knitting
machines, the herein before described welt wires in combination with chains or
means for their movement and support, constructed and arranged substantially
as set forth and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus for use in or in connection with straight-bar knitting
machines, the herein before described means for automatically raising the counter-
weight, constructed and operating substantially as set forth and as illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Sixteenth day of March A T) 1899