to Stock Sonitting
Year: 1888

page_text: I WILLIAM JAMES FORD Hosiery Manufacturer Humberston near Leicester do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an Improved Heel to Stockings and Socks made upon a
reverseable Knitting Machine.
By this Invention, 1 am enabled to make the Heel of a Sock or Stocking upon
Knitting Machines of the Cylindrical or circular class.
The Cylinder which carries the Needles remains stationary whilst the Cam which
operates the needles revolves.
The Fabric when made is led away in a downward direction.
The requisite up-movement to clear the Loops on the latches of the needles is given
by two shaped up-throw Cams, which in making the Heel are alternately raised
by a cam on the reversing ring in the usual manner.
The down or knitting movement is given to the needles by a single cam working
between the two up-throw cams.
After or before knitting the Leg, 1 lift out of action, half or thereabouts of the
needles. By lifting the Butts of the needlos above, the action of the Cams on the
Instep side, of the machine, I then narrow and widen the needles on the Heel part of
the machine.
First. commence by lifting one needle on each side until I have the required
number.
at once.
Second. I then lift up the remaining needles on each side, all at one time,
leaving a small number at the back. I commence from the back to put down one
I work a course to each up and down movement of the needles. It will
be seen, that one course only is worked to each needle (in the second part). And
two courses to the needles in the first part. One at lifting up, the other when they
are put down. By pulling the first part needles down altogether after they have
been lifted one at once, I get a two course wider Heel, one course worked when each
side is put down, and then the needles are all lifted (without working) except a small
portion at the back.

page_text: The object of my Invention is, therefore, to get a more round and perfect fitting
Heel at the under-side, and at the back, just above the under side.
I use the words "Narrowing and Widening." This applies to the position of
the needles only. The work when made is all widening. I call "First part" from
the Ribbed portion of the Instep to the centre of the Heel. I work a widening
course in lifting up cach needle.
I again work a widening course, when putting down each needlo in this part.
This allows a widening of thirty courses in the first part, when fifteen needles are
lifted on each side.
I work from the back to the centre of the Heel one widening course, to each needle
only, when putting the needle down No work is made when they are lifted up,
(this gives half the quantity of widening).
The difference between the old way of widening and my improved way 15, the old
way they widen out and in on the same needles, which forms a pointed gusset and
In wear works under the Heol.
I widen out and in on the First part only.- widen in only from the back on
the Second part, which gives a wider bottom to the Hoel, when opened out.
The shape of the Heel is regulated by the number of needles used in the First
and Second part as described
Dated this 29th day of March 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Heels to Stockings and Socks.
I, WILLIAM JAMES FORD of Humberstone in the County of Leicester Hosiery
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the sani is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to an improved heel to stockings and socks made upon
circular reversible knitting machines.
The cylinder which carries the needles remains stationary, whilst the cams which
operate the needles, revolve; the fabric when made is led away in a downward
direction. The requisite up movement to clear the loops on the latches of the
needles is given by two A shaped up throw cams which in making the heel are
The down
alternately raised by a cam on the reversing ring in the usual manner.
or knitting movement is given to the needles by a single cam between the two
upthrow cams.
After knitting the leg I put out of action, half or thereabouts of the needles, by
lifting the butts of the said needles, on the instep side of the machine, above the
action of the cams; I then narrow and widen the needles on the heel part of the
machine.
First, I commence by lifting one needle on each side until 1 have raised the
required number. Second, I then lift up a certain number of needles, on each side
of those already raised, all at one time, leaving a small number at the back still in
action. I commence from the back to put the needles, down one at once, I work
a course to each up and down movement of the needles.
One course only is worked to each needle in the second part, and two courses to
the needles in the first part one at lifting up and the other when they are put
down.
The object of my invention, therefore, is to get a better fitting heel. I use the
words narrow and widen this applies to the position of the needles only.
:
The work when made is all widening. The difference between the old way of
widening and my improved way is, in the old way they widen out and in on the
same needles which forms a pointed gusset and in wear works under the heel. I
widen out and in on the first part only, I widen in only from the back in the
second part which gives a wider bottom to the heel when opened.out. The shape
of the heel is regulated by the number of needles used in the first and second parts
as described.
In order that this invention may be more clearly understood, reference is made
to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents a view of part of a stocking produced upon the class of
knitting machine before referred to and shewing a heel of the ordinary construction.
Figure 2 is a similar view but showing a heel made in accordance with this
invention.

page_text: Figure 3 is a view of so much of a circular knitting machine as is necessary to
illustrate the making of my improved heel.
A is the leg and B is the foot of a stocking, which parts may be made in the
usual manner.
When the point is reached where the heel commences 1' to D, Figure 2, I
render preferably one half or thereabouts of the circle of needles inoperative by
lifting them in the tricks or grooves so as to be out of contact with the cams, as
shown by the raised needles C to O figure 3.
I now proceed by lifting the two needles a a out of action and working a course,
then lifting the needles 66 out of action and working a course, and so on, repeating
the process by lifting a pair of needles out of action and working a course over
the needles that still remain in action, until the whole of the needles E to E have
been placed in the higher position.
I next lift the whole of the needles F to Fiogether, or simultaneously, without
working a course between them. or, a course in the fabric, this will leave a certain
number of needles G to G still in the lower position and in action.
I next proceed to lower the needles and place them in action, commencing with
the neodle d and working a course, then lowering the needle e and working a course,
and so on alternately lowering a needle on each side of the head and working a
course between them until the whole of the needles E to F have again come into
action, by which time a heel such as is shown in Figure 2 will have been produced.
The needles (to C at the back of the head may then all be lowered together and
the work allowed to proceed in the usual way.
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
The manufacture of a stocking or sock having a heel formed substantially in
the manner described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 02nd day of December 18OR