IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
WILLIAM MOWBRAY, of Leicester, Paper Dealer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the First day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, in the eleventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Frederick William Mowbray, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege, and authority that I, the said
Frederick William Mowbray, my exors, admňors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Frederick William Mowbray, my exors, admors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED FABRICS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso, that I, the said Frederick William Mowbray, should cause a
particular description of the nature' of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Frederick William Mowbray, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of improvements in machinery for manufacturing
looped fabrics, by means of which the thread carriers, also the needles, and also
the jacks, with their sinkers, may be governed in their action by jacquard
machinery.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed,
in the various Figures of which the same letters of reference are used to
indicate the same parts; the nature of each of the Figures or views shewn
by the Drawings being written thereon, it will not be necessary to repeat
the same here.
The Drawings shew a stocking frame of an ordinary construction, arranged
to work according to my Invention, and it will not be necessary to describe
such machinery further than will enable me fully to explain how some of
the parts thereof are governed in their working by jacquard machinery.
The stocking frame shewn is worked by the rotatory motion of an axis, from
which the motion is transmitted to the cam shaft by suitable gearing, as
is shewn and is well understood, and from the cam shaft motion is given
to the various working parts in the ordinary manner; and I would here
state that I make no claim to the knitting or stocking frame here shewn
when not arranged to work according to my Invention; and the arrange-
ment of the knitting frame may be varied without departing from my Inven-
tion, so long as the parts herein mentioned are governed in their working
by jacquard machinery.
a is the cam shaft; b, the needle bar; c, the presser bar, which is worked
in the ordinary manner; d, the slur cock, which is worked by a cam and
'lever in the usual manner; e, e, are the lead sinkers, which are worked
in the ordinary manner; f, f, are the jack sinkers, which are worked in
the ordinary manner, but they are also, when worked according to my
Invention, governed by jacquard apparatus in such manner that they may
at times be held up by their jacks, which are in connection by suitable
cords with jacquard machinery, as hereafter more fully explained; 9, 9,
are the needles, the leads of which are made capable of movement on an
axis, as shewn, or the needles may be made to move out of the way by

page_text: other convenient means. I do not, however, make any claim to the s
arranging of needles that they may be moved out or into action as required
that not being new. The needles having independent action and capability o
movement are, according to my. Invention, put in connection with jacquard
machinery, so that their being in or out of action at any time may be governed
by jacquard machinery; h, i, j, are three thread carriers, and the knitting frame
is arranged for making stockings, the thread carrier i laying the thread for
making the foot and also the leg of a stocking, the thread carriers hand j
laying the threads for making the two sides of the heel. Each of these thread
carriers is independent of the other, and when worked according to my Inven
tion, they are so arranged and in connection with jacquard machinery that
they may be governed in their working by the jacquard machinery. The
needles are each put in connection with the jacquard machinery employed
by means of a suitable cord k, which is guided in its position by. the fixed
rod 1, and perforated board m, and they are to be acted on in any suitable
manner by jacquard or perforated cards, as is well understood, any particular
needle being lifted where there is a perforation in the card opposite the
part which acts on that particular needle, and that needle will remain down
and in action, so long as the successive cards are not perforated at the part
which would otherwise act to raise the cord k of that needle; n, n, are cords,
one fastened to each jack, and they are guided to their proper position by
the perforated board m, as shewn, and they are thus made capable of being
held up (whilst the slur cock passes under) by the jacquard apparatus
employed. in combination with the knitting frame, particular jacks not being
held up when the card, acting for the time being, is not perforated at those
particular localities, which, if perforated, would cause the jacks to be governed
or held up. The object of thus causing the jacks, of a knitting machine
to be kept up from time to time is to prevent their taking down more
thread than required between the needles, where those jack sinkers work.
The slur cock in passing under the back ends of those jacks retained up,
yields by its spring. The thread carriers h and j have springs o, o, to keep
those thread carriers down under the needles when not in work, as is shewn,
P, p, being suitable cords for putting these thread carriers in connection
with the jacquard machinery; these cords p, p, are guided to their proper
positions and out of the way by means of pulleys p', p', as are shewn, and they,
ascend to the jacquard machinery and are put in communication therewith, as
is well understood in respect to like cords used with jacquard machinery for.
other purposes. The thread carrier i has also a spring.o for keeping the
thread carrier to its stop and below the needles when that thread carrier is.

page_text: released by the jacquard apparatus, and q. is a cord which puts that thread
carrier in communication with the jacquard machinery; this cord 9 descends
'down out of the way, and is guided by a pulley p¹ to the jacquard machinery
in like manner: to those in communication with the other thread carriers
andj; hence it will be seen that theso. thread' carriers are all separate and
capable of independent action governed by jacquard machinery. The cords
pand 9 have each a spring u,. which is stronger than those ato, o, so that when
the cords p, q, are acted on by the: jacquard machinery, the springs umay
overcome those at o, o. The. object of the springs is to allow of lateral
motion of the thread carriers h, i, j, and yet keep their cords p, q, tight. The
three thread carriers h, i, j, are each on a separate bar which is carried by
arms r, r, fixed:on: a spindle: barr, such spindle bar having an-arm with a
truck, which rests against a cam which is formed, as shewn, in such manner
that the ends of the thread carriers may be moved out of the way when
knocking, over the work:. The thread carriers are fixed on their bars 8, 8, as
axcs, such bars sliding in their bearings to allow of the thread carriers being
moved to and fro when laying their respective threads on to the needles and
the bars;:t, t, t, are steadying bars, against which the forked;arins of the bars s
come, and the thread carriers are thereby retained, correctly in position, when
raised into. work; and also when out of work, the upper of these, bars, tracting
as a tye bar to the arms which carry: it, the other bars t only proceeding a.
short. distance from the arms which carry them. The thread carrier i is, moved
to and fro,-and is governed from time to time in respect to the distance it shall
travel in the following manner :-On the cam shaft are fixed two. bevelled.
toothed wheels v, v, which take into.. and. drive two bevelled toothed wheelsi
v, vl, on two other cam shafts w, w, on which are affixed cams for giving;
motion to the thread carriers h, i, j; the cams 1, 1, on the shafts w, w, and,
also the cams 2; 2, being for the purpose of acting on the lever, a, which works)
the thread carrier i; and the object, of having 'two sets of cams for this thread
carrier is to: vary the lead of this, thread, carrier, as hereafter: explained.
The cams 3, 3, on the shafts w, w, work the thread carrier lever y;
which gives motion to the thread carrier h, and: the cams 4, 4, on the shafts
w, w, give motion..to, the thread carrier. lever .which gives motion to
the thread carrier.j. The length of motion of each thread carrier lever is
constant, and the varying lengths of motion communicated, to the respective:
thread carriers, when worked according to my Invention, is to be effected
by means of jacquard machinery, and the mode of doing so may be varied
without departing from my Invention. The thread, carrier lever. . gives
motion to the bar 5, which is capable of sliding in brackets 6, as is shewn, and
.

page_text: this bar 5 has a recess formed in the centre portion of its length, as shewn ;
7 is a bar which slides in the same brackets 6, and it is to this bar 7 that the
thread carrier i is connected, and the distance to which it will be moved at any
one time will be governed in the following manner:-The bar 7 has what
I call a box, formed in the middle of its length, in which are placed numerous
independent pieces. 8, 8, each having a suitable cord in connection with the
jacquard apparatus combined with the knitting frame. The pieces 8, 8, descend
below the bar 7, so that they fall into the recess formed in the bar 5, and
therefore the bar 7 will be carried to and fro a distance depending at all times
on the quantity of the pieces 8, which are down; thus, if all the pieces 8 are
down, the bar 7 would be moved a distance very nearly equal to that of the
bar 5, because the recess in the bar 5 would be nearly filled up by the pieces
8, and therefore the distance which the bar 7. will be moved will depend on
how many of the filling pieces 8 are raised out of the way of the recess in the
bar 5; such removing of the pieces 8, or their being allowed to remain down;.
depends on whether the jacquard card for the time being in action is per-
forated at particular parts or not. The wider of the pieces 8 are equal to
three needles; and the narrower of the pieces 8 are equal to one needle. The
pieces 8 are worked in such manner, that at each time after laying the thread
the pieces are to be allowed to drop by the jacquard machinery, so that they
will, if not acted on next time previously to laying the thread,, be all down;
but this may be varied. 9 is a frame carried by the bar 7, the upper bar of
this frame 9 having holes through it for the passage of the cords of the
pieces 8; and in order to prevent the pieces 8 falling too low, there are rings
fixed, or other stops. By this arrangement it will be evident that the extent of
motion of the thread carrier i may be varied and governed by jacquard appa-
ratus, so as to correspond with the quantity of needles at any time in action,
and the width of the fabric may thus be varied from time to time as may be
desired. 10 is a rod, which is connected to the box on the bar 7, the other
end of the rod 10 being connected to the lever 11; and 12 is another rod
which connects the lever 11 with the bar s of the thread carrier i. The
levers y and z respectively give motion to bars 13 and 14, which respectively
move in brackets 15, and each bar carries a box 16, having pieces 8, 8, such
ais.before.described; but as the fashioning or shaping of the two parts of the
heel of a stocking is only on one side of each such part, the pieces 8 are only
put-in on one side of each box to act as filling pieces on that side. The levers
y and at their upper. ends enter their respective boxes, and they each in
moving in one direction come against one end of the box, whilst in moving in
the other direction. if there. be any piece or pieces 8 introduced, the lever will.

page_text: come against that piece, and thus, although the levers y and z will be constant
in the distance, they respectively move, the thread carriers h and i will be
moved through varying distances, according as the jacquard apparatus is
caused to allow of the pieces 8 remaining in those boxes.. 17 is a rod which
connects the bar 13 with the lever 18, and such lever 18 is connected with
the bar s of the thread carrier h by the rod 19. The bar 14 is connected with
the lever 20 by means of the rod 21, and the lever 20 is connected with the.
bars of the thread carrier j by means of the rod 22, all which will readily be
understood by a careful examination of the Drawings, aided by the description
here given. I have above stated, that the lever x is worked by means of two
sets of cams 1, 1, and 2, 2, in order to vary the lead of the thread carrier i.;
and this is done in the following manner:-On the lower pat of the lever x
there is placed a sliding bolt a", which has slots formed in it, through which
screws a pass, and are fixed into the lever x. On the lower end of the bolt a¹
is formed a projection or well a³, as shewn. The bolt a³ is put in connection
with the jacquard machinery by means of two strong cords 23 and 24; the cord
23 being for lifting the bolt a³, and the cord 24, which passes under a pulley 25
on the lever x, being intended to draw down the bolt a¹. On the lever
is a projecting axis at, which carries a truck a³, which is capable of being
slided along the axis a, there being a spring 26 constantly pressing the truck
towards the lever x, and another spring 27 with an enlarged end, which comes
partly under the projection a³, when the bolt a¹ is raised, and the effect of
raising it will be that the truck will be moved out of action in respect to the
cams (1), (1), and into action in respect to the cams (2), (2); on the shafts
w, w, and the lead of the thread carrier i will thus be varied.. I would
remark, that although I have only shown the use of three thread carriers, that
being a suitable number when making stockings, I do not confine myself to
the use of that number, and it may be stated, that by employing several thread
carriers, each capable of traversing across from side to side of the fabric
making in a knitting frame, and governed by jacquard apparatus as above
explained, ornamental fabrics may be produced by the thread carriers working
with different colored threads, the jacquard machinery bringing any of the
thread carriers into action, and leaving others out of action in such order as
may be determined on to produce the effect desired. I have not thought it
necessary to show the jacquard machinery employed, as the same is well
understood, and, separately, is not of my Invention, and such is the case in
respect to the coupling up the different cords therewith; the same does not
therefore require to be shewn or further described. I prefer to employ a
chain of perforated plates or cards; but that is not absolutely necessary, as s by

page_text: applying projections on the surfaces of such chain. of plates or cards, a like
result may be produced, asi is well understood; and, therefore, in speaking of
jacquard cards and machinery, I mean a chain or series of plates' or. cards
connected together so as to be brought into action in succession, such cards or
plates having perforations or projecting and recessed parts thereto, as is well
understood. The parts of the knitting machinery are shewn by the Drawings
in the positions they would be when the thread carrier i is laying thread, so as
to make the leg of a stocking, and the thread carriers h and j are out of action,
they only coming into action when the heel is being formed.
In order that the working of this machinery. may be readily understood, I
will suppose that a workman is about to commence. making a stocking;
he would have his cards so perforated as to. raise every alternate needle
of the width over which it is intended to work at the commencement,
and the thread carrier i will lay its thread over the needles which are not.
raised, and it should be understood that on either side of those needles,
which are for the time being producing work, there are to be needles
raised. (say three needles) so as to allow of the thread carrier rising above
and descending below. the needles for the time being in. work. The usual
course is worked, and the thread. carrier again lays on its thread. on
the needles, which for the time being make up the width desired for the
work, and the machinery is to be worked till. the desired length. of the
under part of the foot of a stocking is produced; the workman then presses off
this work, and puts it on the needles at the toe end of the fabric; the workman
then goes on working to produce the upper part of the foot of the stocking,
until it is proper to commence making the two. parts of the heel, when.either
of the thread carriers h or j is to be brought into action by the jacquard
apparatus, and it will commence its work by. laying a thread on every
alternate needle in like manner to that described. in respect to the thread
carrier i, there being a space of say three needles constantly opened between
the fabric produced by the thread carrier i, and each. of the heel pieces
produced by the thread carriers h and j, to allow of the thread: carriers
ascending and descending; and: the thread carrier h or j will then go on
working, as described, in respect to the thread carrier i, three-needles being
raised at the end of their course to allow of the thread carriers.h and j
ascending and descending. The other thread carrier h orj will come into
action in the next course after the other has laid its thread. on to: half-its
needles, and such other will in its turn only lay its thread on every. alternate
needle of those it is to work over, and then will go on working as .described
in respect to the thread.carrier i, and then the three.thread carriers: will go.on

page_text: working together till the required length of the heel pieces are produced,
when the thread carrier.h or j;. which came first into action will go out of
action first, and the middle needle of the three needles, which is in the space
between the two fabrics, will be allowed. to remain down, the lead of the thread.
carrier i will be changed, as before explained, and the thread carrier i will then
lay thread not only over its own needles, that is those with which it.has before
been working with, but also over. the single needle of the three which are
between the two fabrics, and then over. the needles which have thereon one'
of the heel pieces made by the carrier h'or j, which has gone out of action,
and then the other of the thread carriers hor.j will be caused to go out of
action by the jacquard, and the thread carrier i will act in respect to the
needles which carry the other of the heel pieces, as before described, and
likewise in respect to the centre one of the three needles which are in the
space which is between the two pieces of fabric on that side. The: thread
carrier i, will then go on working alone fashioning or shaping the leg by the
pieces (8), as described. And I would here state that the foot and heel
pieces, as they are progressively made, are also fashioned or shaped by means
of the jacquard machinery acting on the pieces (8), as above. explained. The
jacquard apparatus may be put in motion from the knitting frame in any
convenient manner; I prefer, however, to do so by means of the cam A acting
on the lever B,.such lever communicating motion to the jacquard machinery
by means of the rod C, as is well understood. And in order to ensure the
coming down of the. needles, I employ a bar D, which I cover with leather;
this bar is carried by links 'E, connected. by pin joints to the frame r. The
links E have slotted openings for the passage through of the bar D, and the
links have.cords which ascend to the jacquard machinery so as to be lifted
when the selected needles are lifted, and the bar D is allowed to descend as
the needles are released, and the bar D is drawn forward at the time of
moving.back the thread carriers, and to ensure the action of the bar D on the
needles, the ends of the bar D are guided by inclined surfaces F, one at each
end, and one between each two of the stocking fabrics made in the machine,
under which surfaces F the ends of the bar D. move, and thus are the
needles made to range truly in their places. The Drawing shows the
machine as capable of making four stockings at the same time, but this may
be varied; and there is to be a thread carrier h, .i, and j, for making each
stocking. I have for convenience of description spoken only of the working
of one set of thread carriers,h, i, j, but such description. applies to each of the
sets shewn by the Drawings.
In the above description I have treated my improvements as only being

page_text: applied to knitting frames, but those parts of my improvements, which are
described in respect to the needles, also apply to warp machinery for moving
and governing the needles of such machinery, and will facilitate the fashioning
of the fabrics produced in such machinery. I would state that although
I have only described the making of stockings in such machinery, fabrics
for other articles may be made therein as heretofore, but shaped and fashioned
by aid of my Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the details as herein described, so long. as the peculiar
character of either part thereof be retained; but what I claim is, the so
arranging framework knitting machinery for manufacturing looped fabrics,
that thread carriers may be governed in their action by jacquard machinery so
as to fashion or shape such fabrics, or so as to produce ornamental fabrics.
I also claim the so arranging machinery for manufacturing looped fabrics,
that the needles of such machinery may be governed in their action by
jacquard machinery.
And I also claim the so arranging machinery for making looped fabrics
that the jacks with their sinkers may be governed in their action by jacquard
machinery.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick William Mowbray, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of May, in the
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.
year
FREDERICK WILLIAM (L.S.) MOWBRAY..
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirty-first day of May, in the
year of our Lord 1848, the aforesaid Frederick William Mowbray came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the First day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand