IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR Apparatus- EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED OR KNITTED FABRICS.” PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Willatt, of Now Basford, in the County of
Nottingham, Manager, Robert Gee, also of New Basford, aforesaid,.
Working Smith, and John Goss, of the same Place, Framework.
Knitter, for Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR Apparatus-
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED OR KNITTED FABRICS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Willatt, Robert.
Gee, and John Goss at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 3rd March 1871.
We, HENRY WILLATT, of New Basford, in the County of Nottingham,
5 Manager, ROBERT GEE, also of New Basford, aforesaid, Working Smith,
and JOHN Goss, of the same Place, Framework Knitter, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY

page_text: OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED OR KNITTED FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
We employ a series of neeilles known as the latchet needle, cachi
needle we secure in a needle bit which has a projection on one side.
These needle bits are held by and slide to and fro in a brass or other sloy
cut to the gauge required. This sley may be placed in a vertical or
horizontal position, and it is secured to a fixed bar or bars held at each
end (and also intermediately if required) by standards connected by tie
bars or tio rods. The projecting part of the needle bits lies in a groove
formed by the edges of two y or otherwise shaped sliding cam plates
screwed to or forming part of a sliding piece, which has parallel V
grooves at its edges which slide upon two longitudinal fixed V-edged
bars secured to the sleys or to the bar or bars which support them; a
thread carrier is attached to the top of the sliding piece or other part of
the machine, which also supports apparatus for tightening the thread. 1
The sliding piece is moved to right and left alternately by a cam lever
and connecting rod, or any other usual means. In addition to the sley
for the needle bits there is a second brass or other sley in front of the
first sley. In this slay the needles slide, being projected from the front
of the sley to receive the thread from the carrier, the needles being then g
drawn back within the front sley sufficiently to ensure the work being
knocked over the heads of the needles. The outer edge of the front sley
has on its under side a recess which receives the top edge of a face bar
or work bar. Between the top edge of this bar and the sley tho work
will pass as it is produced.
2
Wo arrange the apparatus as above described for producing plain
looped or knitted fabrics. For producing fancy fabrics wo employ
similar apparatus with the addition of thread carriers to supply coloured
threads. At each selvage of each breadth of fabric we use wheels
having points projecting from their circumference to hold the sclvages 3
well out. Whon we make a ribbed (looped or knitted) fabric we employ
a similar apparatus, having one or two słeys placed in a vertical position,
in which sleys slide needle bits and needles, the vertical needles sliding
between the horizontal needles, and being moved by v or otherwiso
shaped cam plates which have the required lead given them, the cam 3
plate being moved to the right or loft in any convenient manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Willatt, Robert Gec, and John Goss in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
WILLATT, of New Basford, in the County of Nottingham, Manager,
ROBERT GEE, also of New Basford, aforesaid, Working Smith, and Joun
Goss, of the same Place, Framework Knitter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our.
Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth.
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Henry Willatt, Robert Gec, and Jolin Goss, Her
special licence that we, the said Henry Willatt, Robert Gee, and John.
Goss, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as wo,,
the said Henry Willatt, Robert Gee, and John Goss, our executors,.
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no.
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the.
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN.
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LOOPED OR KNITTED
FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Henry
Willatt, Robert Gee, and John Goss, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their hands and scals, or under.
the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and,
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after tho
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Henry Willatt and Robert Gee, on.
behalf of ourselves and of the aforesaid John Goss, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be..
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the.
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying.

page_text: Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
In producing a looped or knitted fabric we employ a series of needles
known as the latch needle. Each of these needles we solder or otherwise
secure in a needle bit, which needle bit has a projection on one of its
sides. These needle bits are held by and slide to and fro in a brass or
other sley cut to the gauge required. This sley may be placed in a
vertical or horizontal position, and it is secured to a fixed bar or bars
held at each end and also intermediately, if required, by standards con-
nected together by tic bars or tie rods. The projecting part of the
needle bits lies in a groove formed by the edges of two V or otherwise
shaped sliding cam plates which are secured to or form part of a sliding
piece which has parallel V grooves at its edges, which edges slide upon
two longitudinal fixed V-edged bars secured to the brass or other sleys,
or to the bar or bars which support the sleys. A thread carrier is
altached to the top of the sliding piece or other part of the machine or
apparatus which also supports the requisite apparatus for tightening the
thread. The sliding piece is moved to the right and left alternately by
a cam lever and connecting rod, or by any other means usually employed.
In addition to the sley for the needle bits there is a secoud brass or
other sley in front of the first sley. In this sley the needles slide,
being projected from the front of the sley to receive the thread from the
carrier, the needlos being thon [drawn back within the front sley
sufficiently to ensure the work being knocked over the heads of the
ncodles. The outer edge of the front sley is recessed on its under side,
and the recess thus formed receives the top edge of a face bar or work
bar. Between the top edge of this bar and the sley the work will pass
as it is produced.
We propose to arrange the apparatus as above described for pro-
ducing plain looped or knitted fabrics, and for producing fancy fabrics
we employ similar apparatus with the addition of the required thread
carriers to supply threads of divers colors. At cachi selvage of cach
breadth of fabric we propose to use wheels having points projecting from
their circumference to hold the selvages well out, and when we desire
to make a ribbed, looped, or knitted fabric we employ a similar
apparatus consisting of one or more sleys placed in a vertical position,
which sley or sleys slide needle bits and needles, the vertical needles

page_text: sliding between the horizontal needles, and being moved by V or other-
wise shaped cam plates which have the requisite lead given them by any
of the means usually employed, the cam plate being moved to the right
or left in any convenient manner.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a machine constructed according to
one of our improvements; Figure 2 is a front view of the same machine,
and Figure 3 an enlarged sectional view of the main working parts;
Figures 4 and 5 represent respectively a plan and edge view of the sliding
bar to raise the needles; Figure 6 is a front view of one of the rack
plates, and its sliding cover plate employed for narrowing on the left
edge of the fabric; Figure 7 is a plan of the same; Figure 8 is a
sectional view of one of the moveable parts of the work bar shewing
the catch which secures the same when required; Figure 9 is a front view
of the same showing the moveable left end of the work bar and a portion
of the fixed middle part of the bar; Figure 10 shows in plan a double-
slotted bar and two sliding cam plates; Figures 11 and 12 show an end
view and front view of the apparatus which throws the narrowing cam
shaft in and out of gear; Figures 13 and 14 are respectively front view
and plan of a thread layer and inclines which depress certain holding
back spring bits.
A, A, are end standards connnected together by tic bars B. The
upper one is planed true on its top side, and has a needle slay O secured
to it (see Figure 3), in which needle bits D slide to and fro, the sley
being cut to the gauge required. In each needle bit is soldered or
otherwise secured a needle known as the latch needle. The bit has a
projection on its top edge which slides in the grooves on the under side
of the cam plate C', which slides in clips C. At each end of the sley C.
the cam plate has a to-and-fro movement communicated to it by.
a link C³ hinged to it at the back of the machine, and also con-
nected with the upper end of a rocking lever C which works on an;

page_text: RAJO I TES TOWCF CIRE GRATTICE BOULOTTE
carries a truck which takes into the groove of a driving cam C³,
Figures 1 and 2.
The cam plate is constructed as follows:-The under side of the cam
has a straight groove the whole of its length, but it is cut away at the
centre to form a space for the two cam plates C, C, to slide in, each of
which cam plates is turned back over the front edge and top of the bar C'.
There is a stud on the top near the back ends of the plates C³, C³.
These studs take into slots in a bar C, which bar is moved to the right
and left alternately by its striking against adjustable studs in brackets
screwed to the top tie bar B, such movements being in addition to the
sliding movements of the bar O', upon which it slides. The right and
left movements of the bar C³, cause the plates C³, C³, to alternately
advance and recede, the advanced plate preventing the needles from
receding in advance of the thread layer. A thread carrier E is attached
to the top of a sliding bar E'. The extent to which this bar slides is
governed by means herein-after described. The bar E slides in bearings
carried by a rocking bar E which rocks in bearings attached to the
bar cl, the rocking motion of which is communicated by a T-ended
lever E attached to a second rocking shaft E' at the back of the
machine; the shaft E' is operated by a link hinged to it and to a lever
working on a cam E³. In addition to the sley for the needle bits there
is a second sley F in front of the first sley. In this sley the ucedles
slide, being projected from the front of the sley to receive the thread
from the carrier and thread layer, the needles being then drawn back
within the front slcy sufficiently to ensure the work being knocked over
the heads of the needles. The outer edge of the front sley is recessed
on its under side. The recess thus formed receives the top edge of a
work bar G. Between the top edge of this bar and the sley the work
will pass as it is produced. Above the needle sley a third sley His
secured, in the back edge of which halding back springs are soldered or
otherwise secured. These springs when depressed will hold the work
from coming forward during the advance of the needles. The springs
are depressed between the needles by inclined bits H' (see Figures 3, 13,
and 14, which are secured to a bracket attached to and moving with
the grooved bar C'. The sleys F, G, II, are divided into three parts,
the outer parts of the bar G are held by brackets which turn upon

page_text: an axle G¹, held fast in bearings supported by arms secured to the top
tic bar B. The brackets carrying the central portion of the bar G arc
held by brackets secured fast on the axle G'. The outer parts of the
bar G when a narrowing is being made are brought forward, a lever
at each end of the breadth of fabric shown at Figure 9 and by dotted
lines at Figure 8, the slots of which levers secures a pin in each outer
bracket. Above the front end of the needles is a plate carried by a
stud I on the under side of the bracket which carries the inclined
bits H (see Figures 13 and 14). This plate is slotted in front. In
this slot the lower end of the thread carrier lies, the thread from
which passes under the plate which holds it down until the hooked
ends of the needles receive it. This plate also prevents the latches
of the needles from rising up and covering the hooks, as the latches
are freed from the loops of the fabric as the needles come forward, the
needles being raised by inclines carried by the sliding bar H² (sce
Figures 3, 4 and 5). The above described parts arranged and combined
as above-described constitute a machine for making a plain, looped, or
knitted fabric.
For narrowing or widening such fabric we employ apparatus con-
structed as follows:-A bar K supported by two arms secured to the
top tie B supports three bearings for the axles of two screws L the outer
ends of these axles carry cach a rocking lever, the upper ends of which
carry a double ended pawl L', which drives a toothed wheel. The lower
end of the rocking lever is hinged to a link attached to the upper end
of a lever which carries a stud O', operated by a grooved cam P. There
are two boxes M each of which slides on the bar K, and is caused so to
slide by the partial revolution of the toothed wheel moved in either
direction of motion by drivers L'. Studs screwed to the box M take
into the grooves of the screws L. Each box carries a slide N which
has an axle on which a double ended lever N¹ moves, the outer end of
which is kept down by a spring shown by dotted lines, the inner end of
the lever carrying the ticklers or points. The slide N is attached to the
upper end of a rocking lever having its lower end connected by a link
with the upper end of a lever provided with a stud O' which is operated
by the cam P' on the cam shaft P₁, the rocking lever being free to move
on the shaft O carried by bearings secured to the arm attached to the
upper tic bar B, the cam P communicating backward and forward

page_text: movements to the points or ticklers. These ticklers besides having the
movements just described have also an upward and downward movement
imparted to them by the upper end of a lever 0%, which carries a stud
at its lower end actuated by an inclined bit O", shown by dotted lines
on Figure 3, M' is a driving arm screwed to the top of each box M.
The inner end of this driver falls into a slot in a stud carried by a
sliding plate R, which covers a fixed slotted plate R' screwed to a
bar R supported by brackets attached to the top tic bar B. By these
means the thread carrier E when depressed is stopped from passing the
needle which was previously narrowed by a stud which projects from 1
the back of the thread carrier E dropping into one of the slots of the
plate R'.
Having described the separate movements of the several parts we will
now proceed to describe the movements of the machine collectively,
commencing with a course drawn from left to right. The thread carrier 1
and thread layer having laid the thread within the hooks of the needles,
the needles recede within the sley F which knock over the loops at the
necdlo heads, the needles then advance to receive the thread for the
next course, such movements being successively repeated a plain, looped,
or knitted fabric will be made, to narrow which the cam shaft 1" 2
must be thrown into gear by letting the bolt P fall into the catch
of one of the plates, between which it slides and which are attached
to the bevel wheel before mentioned, at one end, which is effected by
withdrawing a wedge from below the bolt 133 shewn at Figure 12.
The narrowing cam shaft being in gear, a section of the sleys F and H 2
and work bar G, advance and put the loops on the ticklers, they then
recede, the ticklers rise and traverse two or more needles. The sleys
again advance, the springs in the sley H are then depressing and take
the work back.
Ilaving now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what 3
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,—
First. The machinery or apparatus for narrowing or widening alter-
nately looped or knitted fabrics for producing such fabrics without
stopping the working of the machine.
Second. The arrangement, combination, and construction of parts 3
liercin-before described, constituting our improved machinery or apparatus

page_text: for the manufacture of looped or knitted fabrics, substantially as sct
forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Willatt and Robert Gee,
for ourselves and on behalf of the said John Goss, have hereunto
set our hands and scals, this Thirty-first day of August, in the
"
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
HENRY WILLATT. (L.S.)
ROBERT GEE.
(L.S.)