Improvements in the Manufacture on Circular Knitting Machines of Hose or the like, and in Machines therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 31st May, 1898-Accepted, 23rd July, 1898
Improvements in the Manufacture on Circular Knitting Machines
of Hose or the like, and in Machines therefor.
We, WILLIAM SAMUEL WARD, of Portland Villa, Station Road, Mansfield, in
the County of Nottingham, Hosiery Factory Manager, and HERBERT FRANCIS
LANCASHIRE, of 8, Park Terrace, in the City of Nottingham, Hosiery Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture on circular knitting machines of hose
or other like gaments or parts of garments which it is desirable should be shaped
or fashioned in the process of manufacture, and in circular knitting machines
therefore, and it has for its object the production on such machines of what are
known as fashioned garments, that is, garments fashioned or shaped to the same
extent as those produced on straight bar knitting machines.
In carrying out our invention we first commence to knit say for example that
part of a hose which is to form the ankle or the portion above it, on part of the
needles and every one, two, or more courses we widen by bringing one, or more
of the outside needles into action, until the whole of them are in action. Up to
this point the thread feeder and needle cams have been reciprocated, and the part
manufactured is formed with selvedges, but as soon as the last needle is brought
into action the thread guide and cams are rotated and circular parallel work is
made in the usual way until the required length of leg is formed.
This part of the hose is then removed from the machine and prior or subsequent
to the process of joining the selvedges of the fashioned part together, the first
course of the fashioned part is run on to circular machine having a preferably
full number of needles equal to the number of needles which were employed in
knitting the first portion of the fashioned part.
We then proceed to knit the remainder of the ankle, if any addition is required
and also the foot in a well known manner.
In order to fashion or shape a hose or garment on a circular machine by widen-
ings in the manner described, that is commence to knit on any number of needles
in a machine say for example two thirds and gradually bring the remaining
needles into action we arrange the machine as follows:-
In order to bring the whole of the needles into action as described, we reciprocate
the thread feeder and needle cams preferably through a space equal to a revolu-
tion and a half or thereabouts instead of one revolution as heretofore, and the
needle cams will thus move past one quarter of the needles, twice every movement
in either direction.
To prevent the needle cams from locking with or engaging with these needles
a second time, the whole of them are raised clear of the said cams by means of
two inclined or quarter circle cams placed in the requisite position in the cam
cylinder. These inclined or quarter circle cams are alternately raised in the cam

page_text: cylinder in order to raise one fourth of the needles at the required points, one
cam being raised when the cam cylinder is reciprocated in one direction, and the other
cylinder is reciprocated in the reverse direction. These inclined or quarter circle
cams may be raised by levers operated by suitable cams on the cam cylinder, or
its operating mechanism, or by other convenient means.
Prior to the movement of the cams in the reverse direction those needles which
have been raised as described, on which it is desired to knit are depressed so as to
engage with the needle cams, by the following arrangement.
Mounted on slides which are carried by vertical guide-ways are two needle
depressing plates the inner edge of which latter approximate in shape to a quarter
circle of the machine and engage with the nebs of the needles. These vertical
guide-ways are preferably secured to radial slides which are each in turn secured
to an independent toothed ring mounted on the framing. These rings are rotated
so as to adjust the depressing plates angularly and bring the segmental plates
over the nebs of those needles which are to be depressed each course, by worm or
other suitable gearing engaging with the said teeth.
This gearing is controlled by a pattern chain of well known construction
operating in the usual manner.
The needle depressing plates are depressed by a stud or striking part on the
exterior of the cam cylinder, engage with a cam surface on the slides of said plates
and when so depressed the segmental plates engage with the nebs of the needles
over which they are for the time being and depress said needles to the desired
extent.
When making circular work the segmental plates are withdrawn out of the
way by means of the radial slides.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-In making courses by recipro-
cating the feeder and needle cams the latter will run a quarter of a revolution
past a point in the needle cylinder, first on one side of said point and then on the
other, and to make a clear space for the said cams to run into, the needles at
these points are raised by the two inclined or quarter circle cams alternately. In
commencing to knit as previously described, part of these needles may be per-
manently raised whilst the other may be alternately raised by the inclined or
quarter circle cams and depressed by the depressing plates. As the work proceeds
the whole of these needles are brought into action by moving the segmental
depressing plates angularly towards each other, one plate bringing the needles
on one side of the gap into action and the other plate those on the other side.
The whole of these needles will then be alternately raised out of action, and
depressed into action again, by the inclined or quarter circle cams and the
segmental depressing plates respectively.
In order to produce a marking on the selvedges of the fashioned parts in
imitation of the widening marks on goods fashioned on straight bar knitting
machines we employ in connection with each segmental depressing plate a
depressing lever pivotted preferably to the vertical guide ways. The inner ends
of these levers are adapted to engage with two needles on each of the corresponding
selvedges and depress said needles every other course, till their nebs engage in a
lower groove cut in the clearing cam which prevents the said needles from clearing
their loops. The groove in the cam is closed at one end by a spring block or
switch so that the nebs of the needles will not enter the groove when the motion
of the cam cylinder is reversed.
The outer end of the levers may engage with and be operated by a cam or
striking part on the cam cylinder or its operating mechanism, or other suitable
mechanism may be employed.
!

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture on Circular Knitting Machines
of Hose or the like, and in Machines therefor.
We, WILLIAM SAMUEL WARD, of 22, St. John's Terrace, late of Portland Villa,
Station Road, both in Mansfield, in the County of Nottingham, Hosiery Factory
Manager, and HERBERT FRANCIS LANCASHIRE, of 8, Park Terrace, in the City of
Nottingham, Hosiery Manufacturer, 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 the manufacture on circular knitting
machines, of hose or other garments, or parts of garments, which it is desirable
should be shaped or fashioned in the process of manufacture, and in circular
knitting machines therefor, and it has for its object the production on such
machines of what are known as full fashioned garments, that is, garments fash-
ioned or shaped to the same extent as those produced on straight bar knitting
machines.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, and
Fig. 2 a plan of a circular knitting machine constructed according to our
invention.
Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the reciprocating movement of the needle
cams.
Fig. 4 is a view showing a development of the knitting cams.
Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken on line XX of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line Y Y of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is view of a partly knitted hose, and
Fig. 8 a view of a finished hose, knitted according to our invention.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying out our invention we commence to knit say for example a hose at
or near a point A (see Figs. 7 and 8).
We first commence knitting on part of the needles by reciprocating the thread
guide and cam cylinder, and every one, two or more courses we widen by bringing
one or more additional needles into action on each side, until the whole of the
needles in the head are in action.
The part thus knitted commences at A and extends to B and it is formed with
a triangular opening A¹ B¹ A2 (see Fig. 7) the apex of which is at B¹.
When the last needle is brought into action the thread guide and cams are
rotated, and circular parallel work C is made in the usual manner until the
required length of leg is formed.
This part of the hose is then removed from the machine, and the first course
knitted at A is run on to a circular knitting machine of less diameter, having a
full number of needles equal to the number of needles which were employed in
knitting the first course at A.
We then proceed to knit on this machine the remaining portion D (see Fig. 8)
of the hose (which comprises the ankle, heel, and toe), in the usual manner.
The selvedges of the triangular opening A'B'A' are connected together either
prior to or subsequent to the knitting of the part D.
In order to fashion or shape a hose or garment by widening in the manner
described, that is commencing in the first place to knit on any number of needles
in a machine by reciprocating the thread guide and needle cams, and then

page_text: gradually bringing the whole of the remaining needles into action whilst con-
tinuing to reciprocate, we arrange the machine as follows:-
We reciprocate the thread feeder and needle cams through a space equal to a
revolution plus the space occupied by the needle cams, which is about a revolution
and a quarter or thereabouts, and consequently the thread guide and needle cams
will thus move past say one quarter of the needles twice every movement in either
direction, and would in an ordinary machine knit twice on these needles instead
of once.
To prevent this, the whole of the needles in that segment of the machine into
which the needle cams run a second time are raised clear of the said cams every
course, and are put down again when the cams have run out of this segment
again.
For example in the diagram shown in Fig. 3 a is the needle cylinder and we will
suppose that the needle cams are in the position shown at b, the cams move from
this position to the right as indicated by the arrow c, pass round the needle cylinder
past the position b and stop in the position shown in dotted lines at d. In moving
round, the cams commence to operate the needles at the point of those needles
corresponding to the position of the cams at 6 being raised until the cams have
passed the point f, when they are put down, whilst those needles which correspond
to the position of the cams at d are raised after the cams have passed this point
the first time, so that the latter run into a clear space the second time.
The cams move from the position d in the reverse direction, that is, to the left,
pass round the needle cylinder and stop again in the position b, when the cams
have left the position d these needles are put down, so that they are operated by
the needle cams after the latter have moved round the needle cylinder, whilst those
at b are raised before the cams run to this point a second time.
The needles H at b and d (see Figs. 1 and 2) are raised as described by means
of two quarter circle segments F (see Fig. 1) of the usual form connected with
and sliding vertically in the cam cylinder G. These segments F engage with
the heels of the needles H, and are raised by a well known arrangement when
the cam cylinder is in the proper position.
Those needles at b and d which are to be put into operation are depressed by
segmental plates II the inner edge of said plates (which approximate in shape to
a quarter circle of 'the machine) when in the position shown in Fig. 2 engage with
the heels E of the whole of the needles in each of the segments D E.
Each of the segmental depressing plates I is secured to a block J which is
mounted on and slides on a vertical slide J', and the latter is secured to a plate J2
which is mounted in horizontal guide ways J³.
Each plate I may thus be moved downwards in order to depress the needles H,
and radially so as to be clear of the heels H' of the needles and the cam cylinder.
Each segmental plate I is depressed by a cam shaped striking part K connected
to the cam cylinder G, engaging with a corresponding striking part J on the
block J as the cam cylinder is reciprocated. Each segmental plate I is also moved
radially so as to be clear of the heels of the needles and the cam cylinder by a
cam L on the needle cylinder G, engaging with a striking part J on the vertical
slide J¹.
Each plate I is raised and held in its normal position by a spring J6 whilst it
is moved in against the action of the cam L by a spring J.
When the segmental depressing plates are in the position shown in Fig. 2 it
will be seen that the whole of the needles in each of the segments D and E will
be put into operation each course, and by reciprocating the thread feeder and cam
cylinder as described work will be made on the whole of the needles.
When commencing a garment the segmental needle depressing plates I are
adjusted angularly so that their inner ends I¹ are at equal distances from the
dividing point f of the needles. A suitable number of needles between the two
inner ends of the said plates I will thus constantly remain out of action until the
ends of the plates are moved step by step towards each other over the heels of

page_text: these needles and the said plates are in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the whole
of the needles are again brought into action.
For this purpose the guide ways J³ for the plates J2 are each formed on or
secured to a toothed segment of a ring M, provided with an extension M' which is
mounted in a circumferential recess M2 in the bedplate N and is held in position
by the ring N¹.
These toothed segments M are angularly adjusted or moved round the needle
cylinder in order to adjust the position of the depressing plates I, and move said
plates over the heels of the required needles, by worms 00 engaging with the
teeth of the said segments.
Each worm is mounted on a shaft O¹ and both the latter are connected to one
common shaft P by toothed bevel gearing P¹ Pl. The shaft P may be rotated by
a ratchet wheel and pawl (which is not shown) controlled by a pattern chain in
a well known manner.
In order to produce markings W (see Figs. 7 and 8) on the selvedges of the
fashioned parts in imitation of the widening or narrowing marks on goods
fashioned on straight bar knitting machines, we employ in connection with each
of the segmental needle depressing plates I a depressing lever Q (see Figs. 1
and 2) pivotted on the vertical slides J¹. The inner ends Q¹ of these levers are
forked and engage with the heels of two alternate needles which are at a suitable
distance from the end I of the depressing plates I, and push the said needles
down until the heels of the said needles engage in one of the grooves or openings R
(see rigs. 45 and 6) in the needle cams, according to the direction in which the
cam cylinder is rotating, and pass under the corresponding clearing cam S instead
of over it.
These needles consequently do not clear their loops this course, but make a tuck
stitch on the next course.
The inner ends of each of the grooves R is automatically closed by a latch bolt T
(see Figs. 5 and 6) the stalk of which is carried through the cam cylinder and is
provided on its outer end with a spring T which bears against the bearing
bracket T and holds the head of the latch bolt T in its normal position.
The head of each latch bolt T is bevelled on one side as shown so that tho
heels of the needles can depress it when moving out of the grooves R.
The outer ends Q of each lever Q (see Figs. 1 and 2) engages with a curved
plate U which mounted on a vertical guide U₁ and is connected to and raised by
a lever U2 operated by a cam (which is not shown) on the main shaft. This cam
is thrown into action by the pattern chain which controls the angular adjustment
of the needle depressing plates T, so that the ends Q¹ of each lever is thus depressed
and two needles pushed down as described each movement of the said plates I,
and the marking in the garments thus correspond to the widenings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
1. In the manufacture of knitted garments on circular knitting machines
fashioning or shaping said garments by commencing at any point to knit on part
of the needles and gradually widening up to the full complement of needles by
reciprocating the thread guide and needle cams substantially as described.
2. In the manufacture of knitted garments on circular knitting machines
fashioning or shaping said garments by commencing to knit on part of the needles
and gradually widening up to the full complement of needles by reciprocating
the thread guide and needle cams and forming an imitation narrowing or widen-
ing mark on the selvedges of the fashioned part by making tuck stitches on certain
needles substantially as described.
3. In the manufacture of knitted garments on circular knitting machines
fashioning or shaping a hose or like garment by commencing to knit at A on part
of the needles and gradually widening up to the full complement of needles at B

page_text: by reciprocating the thread guide and needle cam then continuing the remainder
of the leg C by parallel seamless knitting and knitting the lower part D on a
machine of less diameter substantially as described.
4. A hose or other garment knitted substantially, as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a circular knitting machine reciprocating the thread guide and needle
cams a complete revolution plus the space occupied by the cams each course and
raising those needles in the cylinder which the cams pass a second time in said
course and again depressing these needles when the cams have moved clear in the
reverse direction to knit the next course substantially as and for the purpose
described.
.
6. In a circular knitting machine the combination with a needle depressing plate
such as I of a vertical slide such as J¹ mounted on a radial slide such as that
provided by the plate Ja and guideways J3 substantially as described.
7. In a circular knitting machine the combination with a needle depressing
plate such as I of a vertical slide such as J¹ mounted on a radial slide such as that
provided by the plate Js and guideways J³ a striking part K to depress the plate I
and a cam L to move said plate radially clear of the needles and cam cylinder
substantially as described.
8. In a circular knitting machine the combination with a needle depressing plate
such as I for a vertical slide such as J¹ mounted on a radial slide such as that
provided by the plate Ja and guideways J³ an angularly adjustable toothed segment
such as M mounted on the bed plate Ň and a worm O for adjusting said segment M
substantially as described.
9. In a circular knitting machine the combination with a vertical support
such as J¹ which is angularly adjusted relatively to the needle cylinder of a needle
depressing lever such as Q fulcrummed on the support J¹ substantially as described.
10. In a circular knitting machine the combination with a needle depressing
lever such as Q of a groove or passage R in the cams for the passage of the heels
of these needles depressed by said lever Q and a latch bolt such as T for auto-
matically closing the inner end of said groove or passage substantially as described.
11. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete circular
knitting machine substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 28th day of May 1898