US50369A - Improvement in knitting-machwes - Google Patents

Description

rsAAc w. LAMB, oF'RocHEs'rER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNlTTlNG-MACl-HNES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,369., dated VOctober 10, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC W. LAMB, o Rochester, Monroe county, State of New York, have invented a .new and useful Improvement in Knitting-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,'and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front lelevation of a knittingmachine made according to my invention. Fig.

2 is an elevation of a cross-section taken on the line wot' Fig. 1. Fig.3isa plan view of a portion of the sliding carriage and needle-plates. Fig. 4 is an under-side view of that portion of one side of the sliding carriage which carries the earns for operating the needles, the cams be-V ing seen here in the positions they take when drawn up out of the way of the butts ot' those needles which are in use. Fig. 5 is a view oi'- the same parts as seen in Fig. 4, the cams having been brought down so as to engage the butts of the needles in use. Fig. 6 shows a piece of knitted fabric.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts. v

This invent-ion relates more particularly to that class of knittingmachines represented in theV Letters 'Patent granted to me September 15, 1863, having two` rows of needles, and also to machines having straight frames and only one row of needles. Without enumerating here all the particular devices embraced therein, .it is sufficient to say that one part of the invention relates to the construction of the cams for'operating the needles, and to thev man ner oi'operating such cams. Another part i'rclates to the manner of regulating the length of the loops. Another relates to the manner of supporting the sliding carriage. Another relates to the manner of constructing the jacks. Another relates to the manner ot' driving the sliding carriage. Another ,relates to the construction and operation ot' the yarn guide or carrier and to means for driving it. Another relates to a novel construction of latch-openers. Another relates to means for connecting suitable weights tothe work.

A A are two dat needle'plates, inclined toward each other, as seen in Fig. 2, their upper edges being separated far enough to permit the operation of knitting to take place without obstruction from the plates, and to allow the fabric produced to hang down between them. They arehrmly secured to a. snit-able bed, B, or they may form a partL of it by being,r cast therewith in one piece. The bed B in this example as that it can be attached bef low the needle-platesto the edge ot' atable'. It may be made, however, so as to be supported on suitable standards.

The needle -grooves a a extend entirely across the plates, and are open above and below, so that the needles can bereadily withdrawn therefrom at pleasure when the retaining-plates U are raised.

The needles here represented are `of the kind known as latch needles, but with slight modifications, which will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art of making knit tin g-machines, needles with flexible beards can be used in connection with my invention. The

lower ends of the needles have `butts d, which reach forth from the grooves c above the face of the needle-plates, so as to enable the needles to be operated by the cams thereinafter mentioned. The needles are retained in their grooves by means of plates U U, one for each of the needle-plates A A', the said plates U being dush with the needle-plates along their lower edges, W, (see Fig. 3,) but being higher than the faces of said needle-plates along their npperedges,W, because the upper parts ot' said needle-plates A A'l are cnt down a distance equal to the thickness of the retaining-plates U; moreover, the upper parts of the retaining plates U are beveled oil' so as to be brought to a line or thinedge. These plates U serve to holdthe needles in place, and also to close their i latcheswhen they,r are pulled down out ot' the,

path of the operating cams, as hereinaftere'xlained.

GGdesignate two rows ot' bent wires, whose shanks are secured respectively in plates E E, one of which is fastened beneath each needleplate by`-means of screws which pass through slots in said plates E and hold their!V to the.

needle-plates. These slots are elongated'in a direction transverse to the length of theplates E, so that the latterlcan be adjusted to diifer-I ent heights and the bent wires of one row thus be made lto approachY or recede froxnthose of is so niade l lor vanystrai loopspbe drawninto the same,l serving the need mon wayof supporting them by ridges be# I -of the loops I that coa-rser .yarn

i', lbecause 'they occupy n are cast.

here shown. of knittingm ing and to wideningw the o ther row., Thesewires are bent in such l a'nnerv `thattheir-'bent portions rise nearly at right apglesto the planes of theneedle-plates respectarely.l e A l l de 'gnate 1.rods, which are fixed in 'horizontal 'positions within `the bent.l partis of the wires, lfor the purpose "of supporting them, the

cnds; otthewires' being clasped' about ther-ods so as do form eyes, through which .the rods pass, as seen in'jthescctional view, Fig. 2, for the'purposeof sustaining them. The wires and .rods are nou soldered to eachother, uorare the supported vertically by the rods and laterally by the jacks.v This construction of the jacks enables me to reduce the size of the grooves of the needle-platesat 'their upper edges, so

that thehooks lotjthe needlesneed-n'ot be drawn entirely'within 'the grooves, nor the the said jacks to support the loops at the sides of les in a manner'jsimilar to the comtween the needlefgrooves during the drawing and'the loops sim ply bein g' drawn by the needles between the jacks vinstead of bein'gdrawnrnto the needle-grooves and since there is more room between the jacks than in the.needlegroo.ves;'and since the needles in being drawnback to cast ot the-loops are drawn .back ot' the upper or innerportion of the jacks before the former loops are cast, kso that there' l is-nothing vbetween the needles at the point where the loop 1s thrown oil' each, infollows d les at a ygiven is .to be. These jacks `ena-` ble either coarse or fine yarn to, be usedequally well in thesame ma large or uneven placesinv yarn to passwithout .'diiculty; and they are much better than at such plates are elastic, o room where the loops The jacks may he made of metallic nching such plates ont tothe renstead of bei-ng made of wire, as Theymay he used in all kinds achines where sliding-v needles plates, even though plates by puh quired form, i

are used, whetherfa single 'or double 'row or series ot' needles re'nsefd,"

number of needles out otoperation for narrow-V bring them back into operation for chine, the'needle being meanwhile kept in the pass between adjacent'- jacks and., above the rods l, so that they are.

may be used withi'the/ne distance apart, and a large numberoti/needles may be used lint/he machine, -l and lthe/machinenneell not be any l.wider than -the nis'ne'd work chine, and also permit, the' making the giovesia'run entirely across the needle-plates I am' enabled* tothrow any ithout removing them from the masmsen .grooves by the platesl U.; When 4any 'needle is., to beremoved for anypurposeor new needles are to be put in the machine it is only necessary to loosen' the gibs which hold the'slid ing `carriage to .thebedli so as to allow'the plates U, onefor both, to be raised alittle distance, so as to permit the latch and' hook of 'the needles to pass'beneath. For'thispnrpose I' fasten the by' means of smooth pins g', fitting intonholes g", made in the bearing-plates lD,'.on which pins the said plates U can b'e moved whenit is'desired to ra The'pins may be made' to project". from-"the daden-plates, if desired f4 f4 ar e.'standards rising from .either -end "of'the bed ot the machine, supportingg'two guide-rods, f2 f2, and-also a screw-threaded rod, 1),'which is .placed midway between'the guide-rods.- The rod b carriesV two nuts, e e', which are free to travel thereon? 'Each yof of its 'length-extending all around it.-

A2 is the yarn-conductor. It is supported upon the guide-rods by means ot' ey'esfff through which'the rods are passed.-

are the arms f aspri yatrig'zfht angles there-with andfrestng uponthe bearing-plates U, on which they slide hforijzontally. The frame is `retained inl place by lockiugpieces or gibs D D fone at either 'end of the hedlwhich are screwed 'downto their. places, their ends'rserving as guides along which the front sides, t`t, of the frame K is a' sti"` spring-dog, secured' totliefpart D of the framel and extendin g lfor'wa'rd yand upward `againstthe back oftlle yarn-guide, which it `'n'uoves to and `fro by means-lot' two shoulders, K( K', one of which is seen inlu'Fig. 2.' y' lhese 'shoulders are placed behind thefg'uid- V ing-eyes f f, andthe spring-dogbeing forced it follows that when the sliding "carriage is moved toward the lett the dog will pass along the back of the `yarn-guide until it strikes the .shoulder K' on that side, when the vspring-arm plates U to the needle-platesA ise them ott'Y the needle-plates.

plates U, ittingin holesin the needle or founng made'fast' to the' hack ot' the yarnconduetor, -thefsaid .arms eX-v. tending each "way therefrom in a ljorizontal'v direction at the level of the nuts ed.' Whenl 'inneror front sides, 4t t', extending'downward 1 by 4its own elasticity against the yarn-guide,

g will be vdrawnout of engagement with 'the A `iug it to yield amaca nut e' and the.yarn-guide will"becarriedup to the nut e, whose ridge g' will engagethe spring-arm on that side and hold the yarnguide stationary against reaction; the dog K meanwhile will be carried over the shoulder and past the nut e, by reason ofthe continued vmovement of the carriage, its elasticityallowsntliciently to ride` over the shoulder when the'fyarn-guide is-stopp'ed by the nut. j On the return movement of the carrge the dog slides over the shoulder it engaged last, whose outer side is inclined so that the dog will not move the yarnfguide, and moves along until it strikes the face of 4the other shoulder on the right-hand side ot' the yarn-guide, when it .carries the latter, along until it reaches the nut c. The yarn-guide is again stopped and held stationary, as before, whilethe dog K is forced4 past. the shoulder, as before. The nuts e c are tobe placed on the screw-threaded rod in such positions and at s nch distances apart as will enable the yarn- -guide to pass in bo'th directions beyond the outermost of the needles which a're in operationsay to the distance of half an inch beyoud themzon each side.

The letters z i designate latch-openers consisting of dat plates iixed tothe inclined sides of the frame-carriage C D, their inner ends, j j, heilig bent downward at right angles to the rest of the plates, and curved as seen in Fig. l, where that one which is fixed to the parte` of the-.frame is shown. They are so `located that their greatest convexities are just in advance of the yarn-guide, whoselowest part, f5, when the machineis in operation, is found between the latch-openers, but at that end which is hinderlnost., The driving-dog K is bolted to the frame uponthe back of that one of the latch-openerswhich is on the same side ofthe frame, and therefore, sinceat each change ot' direction of the motion of the carriage the driving-,dog advances along the back ofthe yarngnide until it meets the opposing shoulder, the

latch-openers are carried past the foot f5 of the yarn-guide before the latter begins its re- .turn movement. The yarnpasses through an eye in the top f 6of the yarn-guide, and thence through an eye in its foot f5, as seen in Fig. 2. Each side of the sliding frame carries a system of cams, which will be next described. They are the same for each side of the frame, and therefore adescription of those on the side C will answer for both. Figs. 4 and5 represent one set of these cams in two different positions.

They are placed on the under side of the framev below the front side, t, thereof, and are attached to and sustained by a fixed plate, q, which is secured at 1'1 to ribs 2 2,'formed on the under side of the part (J.

'q' q are transverse slots in thel plate q, which receive pins 1" r, extending from a V-shaped ann, r, on the plate q. The pins T2142 also pass hrough the diagonal slots 112112, made 1n ashd- `ing plate, 11,uplac'e`dl beneath the fixed plate q,

lThe sliding plate p as shown in the drawings, but above the plate as it sets in. the machine. The ends-of said sliding platea're conned against the plate q in recesses sunk in the" ribs 2 2, in which recesses they are guided in the reciprocating movements ofthe plate p. -Friction is made -on one end of the sliding. plate by means of a spring, S, which is secured in place by one ot' the screw-boltsl 1. The pins r2 r2 terminate on t the upper side of the sliding plate (the upper side as that plate lies when in the machine) in buttons or heads, (not seen in the drawings,) which serve to hold the V-shaped cam in place. has no transverse motion, but only a longitudinal movement, which is effected by means of its lower edge, p', which projects below the fixed plate q and below the part C .of the frame.' The ends of the projection 11 come in contact with the adjustable stops H H, which are so placed on the ends of the bed B as to be capable ot' motion about their pivots V, curved slotsl I, formed ou their inner or lower ends, receiving set-screws, (seen in dotted outline i.n Fig.- 2,) by means of which the stops are set either in or out of the path ot' the part 11 ofthe sliding plate. When the stops are turned up in its path the slidingI plate will be moved to and fro, and it will in turn canse the pins r2 r2 to be moved either up or dowiin the slots 112.112, and so cause them, and consequently the V-shaped cam, to be moved transversely up cr down in the slots q ofthe lixed plate. When this cam is moved upward't will pass-above the but-ts of the needles, and when it'is moved downward it will bein theline ot'engagementwith them. 1" r' are side cams, adjustably secured to the xed plate q by means ot' pins O 0 projecting from the upper ends of the cams through diagonal slots r3 r3 cut in the plate q. Pins 0' U pro- `iecting from the lower ends of said camsv also enter the diagonal slots on the lower side of thesliding plate, the object being to keep the faces of these cams always parallel with the oppositejiices of the cam r: The pins 0 O are far enough apart to permit. the shifter or sliding plate 1) to pass between them.

The slots r may extend from the place of the pin O to that-ot' the pin 0', orthey may be interrupted and not continuous where th eyare covered by the plate 1), providing they extend far enough above and below the said plate 1J to allow the pins to move the distancesrequired for the adjustments of the cams. The upperends of the pins O 0f do not pass quite through the slots r3, being intel'ided only for guides, but the upper ends ot' t l e. pins O pass through them and are conuec d to links n n, which extend downward am1 ss the sliding plate or shifter 11, their lower nds bengvcontrolled by thnmbscrews F F1, whose shanks pass through longitndinal's ts i m and are connected lto the links'. The effect of thiseonstruction is, that when the thumb-screws are moved toward each othery the cams i" are ,moved upward, and when the thumb-screws. are moved away from each other, thecams are.

moved downward.,

The illipel'sides of the cani if present asal-ient needles to travel in, so that the saidcam r, on

'striking those buttswhicharc in its path, will first movethe needles they belong toupward to thetopof the, passage, and the cam r' will then draw them-downward. When, the'cam 1' has 4been carried npwardfas seenl in Fig# 4, itis rendered inoperative, and the sliding-` fr 'me moves" over .the needle plates without` producing anj/ movementof the needles, but

f whenit has heen'drawn down, as in Fig. 5, it.

engages the butts of whatever .needlesl are in itsv 'path', and operates" them as above explained.' I

The slots p2 are sofa-rranged that when the projection p, which may properly be called they ',shinften in moving towardthe right strikes the stop H the passage between the cams 1' 1" fwillbe opened-Iby-the'descent of the cam 1'. *Whom on moving toward. the left, the shifterplates strike the vstop H'onthat side the said 'passage Willlfgie closed.- This operati on is the samevonei-thei' side of the machine, By this action upon the cams Lam enabled to knit on the two rows of-needlesin alternation, the stops i H at theend'ot' theb'cd B on eaehside ot the. machine being set so that .the cams II on oppo- -site sides '\\"ill-operate in alternation., l l 'Q designates a wire setter, made with hooks on its ends to receive the hooked ends ot' a. bent'Wir-e, Q', upon which latter weights are hnngfor distending the fabric andy Iclearing the machine of it as' it isprodueed. -The wire setter Q isrdropped down between the latchy*openers'upon the work when it` is set up, and itshooksare' then engaged to the hooks ot' the otherwire," as .seen in Fg.`1, both rows of needles heingoperated together in settingup the work, ,forming-'la network 'between 'the rows.v4 This machine may be operated with both rowsbf needles alternately, so as to pro- 'duce' circular knitting; or the knitting may .proceed'on 'one row back land forth, andthen on the opposite row back and forth; 'or it. 'may proceed on only `one row continuously,

The sliding frame is vreciprocated by means ofa crank, C2, Whose shaft C is placed in -the bed B 'at the right-hand end ofthe machine. A connecting-rod, C', pivoted to the left-hand fend of 'thef sliding-frame, is connected to 'the middle' of the crank-arm-in such a manner as that the crank'aim cantnrn iii' the 'eye of the r'od. Otis the handle `of the crank. Ttiema-v .chine may alsobe fitted to be' operated' by a e treadle 'or' by' power.

' The length of the position of the side cams, r'r'. When they are inl their highest l'positions tthe workwill be closely knitted ;4 when, they are in their lowestv loops is determinedby the l V-shaped cams to produce .the alternation'in the operation' of the. two rows of needles, silbstantially as 4herein described.f 2. The combina-tionof the Shifters pip, har ing projectionsp p', with suitable stops, H, to effect the .movement of the Shifters, as ne in order; to change .the V-'shaped 4ca stantiallyas lierein set forth.- f;

3. The'adjustable stops B, so secured [as to nllow of their being placed. eitherin-position to combine with the projections p. ofthe shifters, and, thus change the -V sha'ped cams, or in position to allow ihefshifters to pass them without changing. them,

5. Themauner ot' regulating the thumb-screwse subst-antiallyas described.

ing of the s 'it'ters Ibefore they come against the stops IH, as described'. 7.`'T he plateU 'U over the needles, .when 'the same perform the double oice of retainf 'ing'th'e needles in their grooves and also form' frame, as ldescribed.

tion or in the plates, so long as'the platesare eheldodown to thneedles[bythesl i iilig`frame, s'o 'as to 'permit the .needles to be readily re'- `D."' to allow'the 'slidin gfra'ine to -be"1"aifse l',lsnbstatially asherei'n described.

9. Making 'the ifn'er edge ofthe-"platesjfU, which' plates' perform the lfunctions vstatedjili clause seventh of -lthe claim, b eveling or s liarp on the` upper side, "as descrihed',`fo'r the pitrpo'se 'of vturning over 'the' needledatches Lwhen lthe' needles are drawn ing'p'osition.l l

havin g-suitable bearings so.l as .to permit of) changes in the machine simply by the changerv described.;

r r',. whentheys.

1ine of the side of the V-shaped cam, sogthnt elength of the loops'thet;

the loops byineansofthe link.n, slot m, 'and 61' lh e friction fs-prin g s, to-prevent thech an gj' the lower rests: or bearings for the sliding:v 1s. The iii-.innerer.fasteningn 'plates U U" in placexby ineens'of'pinsl g", g'andholes g2 g', v whether the pins are stationary in the founda4 lmored by 'simply loosingthe bearingsor 'gibs` davverobenamrane G all firmly attached to the plates E, in combination with the small rods l, passing through the eyes in the upper portions of the jacks, substantially as described.

11. Making the jack-plate E adjustable out and in, so as to have the opening between the two rows of jacks `wide or narrow, as desired.

12. The attachment of the crank c2 by suitable shaft and bearings to the foundation of the machine by means of a connecting-rod, c', attached at one end to the crank and at the other to the sliding frame, substantially'as described, whether the machine be in all respects similar to this'or otherwise,so long as there be a sliding frame moving over two alternatelyoperating rows of needles, vsubstantially as herein described. y

13. A detached yarncarrier having an adjustable movement to conform to any desired width of fabric to be knit, in combination with a sliding irame having a uniform distance cf movement, substantially as described.

14. Operating the yarn guide or carrier by means of the driving-spring K on the sliding frame working on the inclined surfaces and stops of the yarn-carrier, in combination with the friction -spring g, substantially as herein described, for the purpose of taking'hold and letting go ot the yarn-carrier, as described.

15. A knife or sharp edged latch opener or guard that takes the latches from the'top of the hooks of the needles without entering the barbs of the needles, whether the edge of such latch-opener is nearly straight and themovementot' the needles opens the latches er whether the needles are stationary while an inclined knife-edge opens the latches.

16. Thecombination of the two latchopen ers, constructed as shown, with the yarn-can rier, when the saine are so arranged as to permit the yarn-carrier to pass between the latchopeners, as described.

17. The bent wire Q or its equivalent, to drop down on -the yarn in setting up werk on the machine, so as to permit a weight to be attached to the same ander the machine by means of the bent wire Q or other suitable connection, substantially as described.

u ISAAC vW. LAMB.

Witnesses: y y

JOSEPH DEWEY, DANIEL W. BUsH.

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