Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Sept.,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
I, WILLIAM JAMES FORD of 3 and 5 Charles Street, Leicester, Hosiery
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to circular knitting machines and is designed with
a view of providing improved mechanism for use therewith by means of which
patterns may be formed upon the fabric or a plated fabric may be produced.
The invention consists of a rocking or oscillating thread carrying lever and
mechanism for actuating the same in such a manner as to cause one of the threads
carried thereby to be laid on to the needles of the knitting machine so as to
appear on the front of the fabric while the other thread shows at the back
thereof and subsequently for the said lever to be rocked or operated so that the
positions of the said threads are reversed.
Mechanism for actuating the rocking lever for the purpose described when
applied to a circular knitting machine of the reversible type may consist of a
suitably shaped cam carried on one face of a spring controlled ratchet wheel
which receives its motion from one or more cam surfaces or inclined planes
connected to the bed plate.
The said cam surfaces or inclined planes may be moved out of operative position
when ordinary knitting is to be resumed.
The rocking lever before described may be provided with at least one eye or
opening in each end through which a different thread passes; and may be spring
controlled or counterweighted to prevent accidental movement thereof.
Alternately raising and lowering each end of the rocking lever reverses the
positions of the threads so that they appear alternately at the front and back of the
fabric at such intervals and for such number of courses as may be desired.
The shape of the cam determines the number of courses during which either of
the threads remains in position so as to appear on either the front or back of the
fabric and also the particular needles in each course upon which either of the said
threads shall be laid in front or back position before being reversed.
The rocking lever is fulcrummed to preferably the bracket of the usual thread
carrier and revolves therewith and the two threads (after leaving the said rocking
lever) pass together through an eye in one end of the usual thread carrier close
to the descending needles and one behind the other so that when knocked over
they may appear upon opposite sides of the fabric until the position of the
rocking lever is reversed as before described.
It is obvious that the mechanism for actuating the rocking lever may be varied
or modified to suit the difference in construction of the various types of circular
knitting machines to which my invention may be applied.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
I, WILLIAM JAMES FORD of 3 and 5 Charles Street, Leicester, 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 has reference to all kinds of circular knitting machines and is
designed with a view of providing improved mechanism for use therewith by means
of which plated patterns may be formed upon the fabric when ribbed and plain
needles are used in the machine or a plated fabric may be produced on the plain
needles only.
The invention consists of an oscillating or rocking thread carrying lever or levers
and mechanism for actuating the same in such a manner as to cause one of the
threads carried thereby to be laid on to the needles of the knitting machine so as
to appear on the front of the fabric, ribbed or plain, while the other thread shows
at the back thereof, and subsequently for the said levers to be rocked or operated
so that the positions of the said threads are reversed and do not show the change
in the position of the threads on the fabric when being knitted.
Mechanism for actuating the rocking levers for the purpose described when
applied to a circular knitting machine of the reversible type may consist of a
suitably shaped cam carried on one face of a spring controlled ratchet wheel
which receives its motion from one or more cam surfaces or inclined planes
connected to the bed plate.
In a machine of the revolving cylinder type the inclined planes are carried round
with the cylinders.
The rocking levers before described may be provided with at least one eye or
opening in each end through which a different thread passes; and may be spring
controlled or counterweighted to prevent accidental movement thereof.
Alternately raising and lowering each end of the rocking levers reverses the
positions of the threads so that they appear alternately at the front and back of
the fabric at such intervals and for such number of courses as may be desired.
The shape of the cam determines the number of courses during which either of
the threads remains in position so as to appear on either the front or back of the
fabric and also the particular needles in each course upon which either of the said
threads shall be laid in front or back position before being reversed.
The rocking levers are fulcrummed to preferably the usual thread carrier and
revolve therewith and the two threads (after leaving the said rocking levers) pass
together through an eye in one end of the usual thread carrier close to the
descending needles and one behind the other so that when knocked over they may
appear upon opposite sides of the fabric until the position of the rocking levers are
reversed as before described.
It is obvious that the mechanism for actuating the rocking levers may be varied
or modified to suit the difference in construction of the various types of circular
knitting machines to which my invention may be applied.
The invention will be fully understood from the following additional description
having reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of so much of a circular knitting machine of the
reversible type as is necessary to illustrate my invention which is applied thereto.
Figures 2, 3 and 4, drawn to a larger scale, are front elevations (with the parts
in the reverse positions) and a side elevation respectively, of the oscillating or
rocking thread carrier and part of the mechanism for actuating the same.
Figure 4 is a detail view showing positions of the two threads relatively to the
needles.

page_text: The same letters of reference will indicate corresponding parts throughout the
drawings and only so much of the knitting machine will be described and referred
to as is essential to the invention being understood.
A represents the usual thread carrier connected by a screw and nut A¹ to a
vertical post A' fixed at its base to the carriage of the machine so as to revolve
therewith.
For the purpose of changing the positions of the threads Y. Z. during the motion
of the machine I employ an oscillating or rocking lever which by preference
consists of a plate B pivotted at B₁ to the back of the usual thread carrier A
and furnished at one end with a thread eye C and at the opposite end with a
projecting pin C₁ which by preference is located within the bifurcation D' of a
plate D fixed in the upper horizontal limb of an angular plate E movably
carried on a spindle F passing through the vertical post A' and having also an
angularly disposed plate E' connected thereto provided with a thread eye E'
through which the thread Z passes.
As hereinafter described the angular plate E has at times a rocking or oscillating
movement on its spindle F thereby transmitting a similar motion to the plate D
and assuming sometimes the position indicated in Figures 1 and 2 and at other
times the positions shown in Figures 3 and 4 whereby the relative positions of the
two threads Y. Z. are varied when being fed to the needles so that one thread is
first at the front and then at the back while the second thread assumes the opposite
position and by this means patterning in the fabric is effected.
For actuating the angular plate E in the manner and for the purpose described
the spindle F upon which the latter is carried passes through the vertical post A³
and carries by preference on its opposite end a disc H having a toe H¹ which at
times moves in contact with a cam J pattern wheel or its equivalent the shape of
which determines the frequency of movement of the oscillating lever B and two
threads carried thereby and hence of the pattern of the fabric being knitted.
The cam J is pivotted at J¹ to the post A³ and receives its motion from a ratchet
wheel J, Figures 1 and 4 either formed integrally therewith or connected facially
thereto and actuated by a clawker K mounted on the end of a spindle K₁ fixed in
the end of a lever K' fulcrummed at K³ to the post supporting bracket A³.
One end of the lever K is kept normally elevated by a spring L while the
opposite lowered end is raised at the required times for causing the clawker K. to
actuate the ratchet wheel J by passing over one or more cam surfaces M
Figures 1 and 2 movably or otherwise fixed to the stationary bed M' of the machine,
at each revolution of the latter.
A detent N Figure 1, mounted on the spindle N¹is kept pressed into engagement
with the ratchet wheel J' so as to prevent back movement of the latter.
The actuating clawker K is also kept at its work by a spring O in contact
therewith.
The spindle K also carries an anti-friction roller P so as to smoothly ascend the
cam surface M and thus avoid any irregularity in the action of the clawker K or
ratchet wheel J.
When plain fabric as contradistinguished from patterned fabric is to be knitted
the before described mechanism may be placed in an inoperative position by raising
the end K' of the spindle K' on to the curved end Q' of the plate Q which together
with the thread arm R are secured to the post A2 by screw's R' or by moving the
cam surfaces M out of the track of the roller P.
When the said mechanism is raised as described the anti-friction roller P is
elevated into a higher plane than the cam surface M and cannot therefore be
actuated thereby.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Presuming the end K' of the
spindle K¹ to have been lifted off the plate Qinto the operative position indicated
in Figure 1 the anti-friction roller P will ascend the cam surface M at each
revolution of the machine and cause the clawker K to move the ratchet wheel .J*
one tooth forward and also the pattern cam J attached thereto a similar distance.

page_text: While the lower part of the cam J is moving underneath the toe H' the position
of the mechanism will be such as indicated in Figures 1 and 2 while the thread Y
from the bobbin S which revolves with the machine will pass through holes S¹ S'
in the vertical arm S, through the ring S, eye R³, eye C in the oscillating thread
carrier B and thence through a slot A in the usual thread carrier A to the needles
where the said thread Y will occupy the front position as indicated in Figure 4.
The said thread will continue to occupy this position until the higher part J* of
the pattern cam J comes up against the toe H' when the latter will be pushed
aside thereby moving the angular plate E thread eye E' and bifurcated plate D
into the position indicated in Figures 3 and 4 whereupon the latter plate D will
reverse the positions of the ends of the plate B so that the thread Y will assume
the back position and the thread Z the front position against the needles.
When the higher part J* of the cam J passes from under the toe H', a spring T
returns the plates E and D to their former positious.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a circular knitting machine oscillating thread carriers and mechanism to
actuate the said carriers so as to vary the relative positions of two threads carried
thereby and being delivered to the needles, in the manner and for the purpose
described.
2. In a circular knitting machine two oscillating thread carriers means between
them and a pattern cam or device for actuating the said carriers and mechanism
for actuating the said pattern device in the manner and for the purpose described.
3. In a circular knitting machine the combination of oscillating thread carriers,
pattern device, ratchet wheel and clawker and one or more cam surfaces operating
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
.
4. The improved machine consisting of the parts constructed arranged and
operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of August 1894
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.