Improvements in Knitting-frames.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1890.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting-frames.
I, LEON COUTURAT of Troyes, France, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to knitting frames, more particularly those known as "Cotton"
frames, that are provided with appliances whereby stripes of different colors can be
produced in the fabric, and it consists mainly in the application to such frames of an
automatic apparatus, for effecting the narrowing and stopping motions of the frame,
that is to say, an apparatus which produces automatically the repetition of the narrowing
movements, for the knitted goods, and which can instantaneously stop the motion of
the frame at fixed intervals of time.
In order that the invention may be readily understood I will first describe generally
the construction of the apparatus for producing the striped fabrics. This apparatus
consists of four "throwers" which distribute alternately on the jacks and needles of
the frame threads of different colors, this being effected in the order and at the times
regulated by the automatic "counter." This consists essentially of an endless chain
to different points of which are fixed studs of a rectangular form which, according to
their several positions and size, in moving with the chain regulate the movement or
the stopping of the different thrower bars.
This chain is hung upon the "counter" cylinder or drum one edge of which is
formed with ratchet teeth with which engages a pawl pivotted to a T headed lever,
one end of whose T head bears with a roller on a cam on the cam shaft while the
other end is jointed to two upright levers whose upper ends are connected by links
to a sector on a shaft carrying arms actuating the thrower bars; the ends of these
arms engage with notches on one or other of a set of four horizontal sliding bars
As the
carrying the throwers by which the threads are distributed upon the jacks.
T beaded lever is moved to and fro by the cam, it firstly imparts a step by step
motion to the counter cylinder by means of the before mentioned pawl and ratchet
teeth, the extent of such motion being regulated by a moveable stop, which according
to its position throws the pawl out of gear with the teeth sooner or later.
The partial rotation of the cylinder causes the chain with studs to travel and to
present its studs in succession to projections on the upright levers carried by the
T head lever, so that as these are moved towards and in contact with the studs by the
T head lever, their upper ends are made to move the sector to which they are con-
nected, and consequently the arms carried by its shaft, so that they engage with one
or other of the four thrower bars, whereupon, by the longitudinal motion of the shaft
carrying the arms, these are made to shift the particular thrower bar with which they
are engaged, causing the particular threads carried by those throwers to be thrown
on the jacks. The sector and arms are held in each position into which they are
brought by spring catches taking into notches on the sector.
The longitudinal movement of the shaft carrying the arms is effected by two
opposite pawls pivotted to a reciprocating post, which pawls gear alternately with one
or other of two lugs on the sliding bar, so that the one pawl, in coming in contact
during its motion in one direction with the one lug, moves the shaft to a certain extent
in one direction, while the other pawl in moving in the opposite direction comes in
contact with the second stud and moves the shaft in such other direction. The distance
through which the thrower bars can be slid in either direction is rendered adjustable
by screw stops against which they abut, and the stops at each end are also moved
nearer together for narrowing as will be presently described, and in order to allow of
such variable motion being imparted to the thrower bars by the pawls, the shaft
carrying the arms slide through stops with inclines that can be moved nearer to or
DJ1

page_text: .
farther from the pawls by the same screw spindles that control the movement of the
thrower bars, so that according to the distance to which the stops are adjusted, the
pawls are thrown out of gear with the lugs on the shaft sooner or later by the action
of the inclines.
The adjusting screws are carried in upright arms on internally threaded sleeves
that can work backwards and forwards on screw spindles carried by the frame and
capable of being rotated as will be presently described, for effecting the narrowing of
the fabric, by causing the sleeves carrying the adjusting screws to approach each
other, and thus reduce the extent of motion of the thrower bars.
The manner in which this narrowing mechanism as also the stopping motion are
actuated automatically is as follows:-
A disc or drum having a ratchet rim, carries an endless chain with two rows of
studs, similar to that previously described for regulating the stripes, and this drum
and consequently also the chain, receive a step-by-step motion by means of a pawl
pivotted to a lever actuated by a cam on the cain shaft of the frame.
As the chain travels along, its one row of studs is brought underneath and moves
one end of a double ended lever whose other end bears against the tail of another
lever. This lever carries a stud or roller which, as the lever is moved in one direction
by the action of the before described stud and double ended lever, passes through a
space in a disc on the before mentioned cam shaft so as to be situated at the other side
of such disc. By the time this motion is completed, the stud on the endless chain will
have released the double ended lever, which in its turn releases the lever carrying the
stud or roller, and the continuously revolving cam shaft having also turned somewhat
so as to remove the space of its disc from the path of the stud, the last named lever is
acted upon by a spring so as to perform its return motion, and the stud thereof, in
pressing against the disc of the cam shaft, carries the latter along with it. By this
motion a cam on the cain shaft is brought under and actuates a lever carrying a pawl
gearing with a ratchet wheel on the before mentioned screw spindle that effects the
'narrowing." This spindle is thus turned so as to advance the screwed sleeve thereon
and thus effect the narrowing as above described. For automatically effecting the
stopping of the frame, the second row of studs on the endless chain acts upon the one
end of a second double ended lever, whose other end has a notch by which it holds a
lever that is acted upon by a spring and is connected to the belt fork of the fast and
loose driving pullies of the frame.
When a stud on the chain pushes against the double ended lever, it causes this to
release the fork lever, and this, being acted upon by its spring, throws the driving
strap from the fast to the loose pulley. The distances apart at which the studs are
fixed on the chain determine the intervals of time at which the stopping of the machine
is effected.
Dated this 12th day of December 1889
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knitting-frames.
I, LEON COUTURAT of Troyes, France, 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 knitting frames, more particularly those known as "Cotton"
frames, that are provided with appliances whereby stripes of different colors can be
produced in the fabric, and it consists mainly in the application to such frames of an
automatic apparatus, for effecting the narrowing and stopping motions of the frame,
that is to say, an apparatus which produces automatically the repetition of the
narrowing movements, for the knitted goods, and which can instantaneously stop the
motion of the frame at fixed intervals of time.
For producing striped fabric say with four colours, I employ four throwers which

page_text: distribute on the jacks and needles yarns of different colours as determined by an
automatic counter chain carrying studs which, according to their positions on the
chain, regulate the movement or stopping of the throwers.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a transverse section of a frame thus
arranged;
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation,
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 represent details hereinafter referred to.
At every revolution of the cam 1 on the driving shaft the lever makes a stroke
moving the dog which causes the counter wheel m to turn partly round and thus to
move the chainn and the studs fixed on it. The pin m¹ can be set so as to disengage
the dog from m at one tooth, or two teeth, and thus to determine each partial move-
ment of m, and consequently the single or double time required for its complete
revolution. The lever at each stroke inoves also the levers k k¹ having respectively
projections which rest on the studs and operate as fulcra on which the levers
move giving motion to the sector j to which the levers k k¹ are connected by the
rods By giving to the studs n¹n n three different heights for acting on
the lever k, the sector j can be moved more or less to the left, and it rests where
determined by the tooth of the spring while the end of the lever is moved by the
sector towards the right and acts on one or other of the throwers bb, 66
determined by the notch in which the tooth of j¹ is engaged. The studs st, 1, 111
act on the lever k¹ in a similar manner but in reverse direction. The four notches in
the sector j render it possible to employ a small number of studs especially when
broad stripes are to be produced.
as
The movement of the thrower bars is effected in such a manner as to reduce friction
and so ease the action of the frame. The dogs gg' jointed to the column i reciprocated
with it and acting on the rings gl gl move the rod f¹ from right to left and from
left to right alternately. The stroke of the thrower bars 6 6 6 611 is limited by the
adjustable stopscrews r which are carried in the nuts d d₁ of the narrowing screws u
at each end of the frame. When the thrower bars reach the end of their stroke the
dogs g gl meet the escape inclines h or by which they are withdrawn from the
rings g g, passing above them in continuing their stroke.
By means of the connection vv to d d¹ the escape inclines h h¹ are adjusted by
the movement of the narrowing screws u, so that, when the width of the fabric is
reduced, the effected stroke of the dogs g g¹ is reduced to the same extent. The lower
part of Fig. 2, and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 represent the narrowing counter and automatic
stop mechanism. In this counter as in that above referred to, there is an endless chain L
carrying studs G¹ and stretched by a roller A¹ having flanges so that the studs cannot
turn aside when they are strained under the hammers G and H¹. The counter roller A
has its ratchet moved by the pawl B which is jointed in the nut B₁ jointed to the
lever C which is pivotted on N and moved by a cam D acting on its roller C¹. Thus
at every revolution of the cam shaft M, the counter roller A is advanced one tooth.
As it thus turns, step by step, it presents two rows of studs G¹ to the hammers G
and H¹. Those which act on G prepare the movements necessary for narrowing, and
those which act on H¹ determine automatic stoppage. As each of the studs G¹ which
act on G produces one narrowing the chain should have as many of these studs as
there are narrowings to be made in the article knitted, and these studs are to be spaced
proportionally to the intervals of the narrowings. When a stud G¹ comes under G it
causes G to turn on its pivot H, and its tail G₁ to press on the end of the lever F¹ at
the time when the roller E¹ upon F¹ faces the cut away or open part of the cam E
which is fixed on the cam shaft M. The lever F¹ is thus moved to the position y and
the roller E¹ being now on the left side of E, the cam shaft in turning, becomes dis-
placed to the right. But by the rotation of M the counter A is turned another tooth
moving the stud from under G which returns, allowing the lever F¹ to resume its
former position in obedience to spring R' at the moment when the cut away or open
part of E presents itself to E', and the cam shaft M then returns to its former position.
Thus every time that a stud G' acts on G the cam shaft M is moved to the right and
returns, This movement is applied to give motion to the narrowing screw u as

page_text: shewn in Figs. 4 and 5. When the shaft M is moved to the right the cam a is
brought to act on the roller c raising the lever e. and rack rod f and so turning the
ratchet pupon the narrowing screw u. The second row of studs G¹ on the chain acts
on the other hammer H' to stop the machine at the times determined by the positions
of these studs. The tail H" of H' is horizontal and has a shoulder forming a stop for
the lever I which is held in the position shewn in Fig. 2, while the machine is at
work. When a stud G¹ comes under H' the shoulder His withdrawn and the lever I
urged by spring R moves the band fork K and thus shifts the band from the fast
pulley K¹ to the loose pulley K" stopping the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:
1. The counter consisting of endless chain carrying studs adjustable in position
thereon, substantially as described.
2. The use of a counter such as is above referred to, in combination with knitting
frames, for determining stripes, narrowings, or stoppages, substantially as described.
3. The use of the notched sector and toothed spring to hold the sector during the
action of a thrower bar, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
4. The herein described apparatus for moving the thrower bars by dogs acting in
combination with escape inclines substantially as described.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.