US1121681A - Circular-knitting machine. - Google Patents

Description

W. E, SMITH. CIRCULAR KNITTING MASHINE. APPLICATION FILED 13353.4,

A 1 9 1 w 0 Au D d m m a P 3 SHEET8-SHEET. l.

w. E. SMITH. CIRCULAR KNITTING I H'AGHINE. Arm rumor mum mm. 4, 1m.

Patented Dec; 22,1914.

3 BHEET8SHEET 2.

. nvanitofz W. E. SMITH 0130mm KNITTING mamas; APPLICATION FILED Dan -1,1913.

1,121,681, V Patented Dec.22,1914.

3 BEEBTSY-BHEET 3.

UNITED sT rrEs 'PATENTOFFICE.

.WILLLAM E. SMITH, F MILLTOWN, N EW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO KILBOURN MANUFAC- TUBING conronarron, on NEW NEW JERSEY.

BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 4, 1913. Serial No. 804,723.

To alt-whom it may concern I Be it known that I, VVILLIAM E. SMITH,

'a citizen of the United States, residing at Milltown, in-the county ofMi'ddleseX and State of New Jersey, have invented. new

and useful Improvements in Circular-Knit- 31y invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show several embodiments of the invention, which I have selected for the purpose of illustrating the same, and the said invention is fullydisclosed in the following description and claims.

provide means whereby the gage of the stitches drawn by the 'needlesof a circular knitting machine may be increased to a greater or less extent ina'portion of any course or courses without increasing the gageof the stitch drawn' by other needles in the same course or courses.

' The application of my invention 1s very far ieaching in'that it may be used for increas: ing the gage of the stitch drawn by a portion ofthe needles of a circular series, for J the purpose" of facilitating the introduction of a reinforcing thread, or for accommodating a thicker! yarn in a portion of the stock- 3 5' ing, both Without increasing the length of the fabric containing the reinforcing or thicker yarn, and my invention can also -be employed'for the purpose of increasing the gage-of a portion of thestitches in a course or courses beyond the extent necessary to accommodate a reinforcing yarn or a thickeryarnfor the express purpose of making a .portion'of the resulting fabric containing such stitches of lncreased gage actually longer and wider than the-portion of the fabric'formed by the other portions of cor-J responding courses, the stitches of which are not increased, in gage,-as for example, In

the sole portion of a stocking, and in the heel and toe portions thereof, for-the purpose of, fashioning the stocking to the foot and providing additional room for the sole, neel, and toe, thereof, in accordance with the invention of Edward E. Ki1bourn,William E. Smith and Isaac W. Kilbourn covered bv I g of ting Machines; and I do hereby declare the stitch or stitches The primary object of my invention is to ting cylinder and the cam "our former application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed Sept. 23, 1909, and g ven Serial No. 509,202. My invention also finds an additional use in that it may be employed for the purpose 'of increasing'the stitches at any part of the course or courses or at several different points in a course for any SlfTCl] purpose for which a 0 increased a e ma become desirable. g g y be or In the accompanying drawings I have selected for the purpose of illustrating my invention, several forms of'devices andhave shown the same in connection with a simple form of circular knitting machine in which admitting cylinder carrying the needles is given a rotary motionwith respect to stat onary knltting cams, and in which the SIIIk GI'S are given a horizontal reciprocatory motion toward and from the center of the knitting cylinder, such being a common form of knitting machine to which my invention is applicable, but it will be understood that my invention is also applicable to any form of knitting machine in which a relative circular movement between the Imitor cams is provided and in which the sinkers are not given a horizontal reciprocating movement or in other words, my invention is applicable to any knitting machine whatsoever in which the sinkers between the several needles of the circular series may be given an independent vertical movement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents more or less diagrammatically so much of a knitting machine as is necessary for a clear understanding of my invention, portions of the figure being shown in sec tion. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a modification shown in Fig. 4. Fig.- 6 is a detail of the'actuating cam and a portion of the series of sinkers'. Figs/7 and 8 illustrate one form of sinkers which may -advantageously be employed in connection with mv invention showing one-short sinker in Fig.

T andonelong sinker in Fig. 8.

' In carrying out my invention, I provide means. for increasing thegage of certain stitches in a course or-coursesby raising to a greater or less extent the sinkers located adjacent to the needles on which the stitches of increased gage are to be formed, thereby causing the needles to draw stitches of increased gage between thesinkers so elevated for this particular purpose.

In the form 'of my invention shown in Figs. land 2., 1 represents the needle cylinder, 2 represents one of the needles of the circular series adapted to reciprocate vertically therein and provided with a nib 3 for engaging the knitting cam 26.- Relative circular movement is provided between the needle cylinder and the knitting cam in any desired or usual manner to effect the vertical movements of the needles for the production of a circular course of stitches either by rotating or reciprocating the cylinder with re-' spect to the cam or cams or by rotating or reciprocating the cam or cams with respect to the cylinder. 4: represents the sinkers which are located between adjacent needles and are provided "with shoulders 5 for supporting the work, the length or gage-of the stitches being etermined by the distance below the shoulder 5, to which the hook of the needle is drawn down by the knitting cam. The sinkers in this instance are shown as provided with horizontally disposed guiding portions 6 extending inwardly and also outwardly with respect to the axis of the knitting cylinder, cally disposed portion of the sinker, the outwardly extending portion being provided with a'nib 7 which is engaged by a horizontal ring 8 provided with a cam groove there- 1n to engage the nibs 7 and impart the desired horizontal reclprocatory movement to the sinkers, as is usual in knitting machines,

although the nibs.7 and cam ring 8 may be omitted if desired. It will be understood that where the cam ring 8 is employed there I will be a relative movement between the cylcylinder. The sinkers adj accnt to the needles inder and ring corresponding to the. relative movement between the cylinder and the knitting cam which may be accomplished by rotating or reciprocating the cylinder with respect to the said ring 8 or by rotating or reciprocating the ring with respect to the which are to draw the stitches of greater or increased gage have their horizontal por'-- tions provided in this instance with extensions 9 projecting inwardly toward the center as shown in Figs. 1' and 8, of the drawings, while the sinkers adjacent to the needles which are to draw the normal stitch at all times are'not provided with such extensions, as shown in' Fig. 7, and as indicated by the dotted line 10 in Fig. 1. Each of thesinkers provided with the extension 9 is-so arranged as to be capable of slight vertical movement with respect to the needle cylinder 1 and for convenience in assem-.

. sponding notch of the ordinary sinkers, to

from the main or vert1- bling the parts I prefer to provide the said sinkers with a notch 11 for engaging the sinker retaining'ring 12 of increased ver-= tical width over the width of the correpermit the vertical movement of the sinkers having the inward extending projections 9. For convenience of 'manufacture, however,

all of the sinkers may be constructed alike in respect of ,the retaining recess 11, if desired, as the sinkers which arenot raised, as hereinafter described, will be held in their lowest position by the downward pull of the needle and of the work. As shown in Fig. 1, I provide a vertically movable adjusting ring or-slceve 15 within the cylinder 1 which is preferably se-- cured thereto in any desired manner as by screw 16 engaging a, vertically disposed slot 17 in the sleeve 15 so that the sleeve lo'and knitting cylinder 1 will be held against relative circular movement while the sleeve is. permitted a. vertical movement with respect to the cylinder- 1. Vertical movement may be imparted to the sleeve 15 in any desired manner as by means ofthe eccentric 18 on a rockshaft 19 mounted in a suitable bearing 20 and provided with an adjusting lever 21 for example,jas shown in Figs; 1 and 2, the adjustment being made either by hand in which case the rock shaft 19 may be locked in itsadjusted position by means of a set screw 22, or preferably the rock shaft will .be operated by the pattern mechanism of the diameter thanthe cylinder, the upper end of which engages the inwardly projecting extensions 9 of those sinkers adjacent to the needles, the stitches of which are to be increased in gage. \Vhen therefore the sleeve 15 is moved upward a greater or less extent the sinkers whose projections 9 overlie the portion 23 of said sleeve will be correspondingly elevated and the stitches drawn by theadjacent needles will be increased in gage a greater or less extent corresponding to the amount of movement imparted to the sleeve 15'. In this construction, supposing it to be desired that the stitches of the rear half of the stocking corresponding to the highspliced portion, the heel portion, the sole portion, and the toe portion thereof, are to be increased in gage during the knitting of the corresponding portion of the stocking, it is only necessary to provide those needles which knit the rear half of the stocking with sinkers having inwardly projecting extensions 9 and to operate the adjustingsleeve 15 is immaterial how the sinkers which are not at the desired time and to the desired extent to! secure the results desired. For example, the sleeve 15 canbe elevated slightly while the high spliced portion above the heel is being knit to facilitate the insertion of a reinforcing thread in that portion of the stockin? without increasing "the length of the re su ting fabric beyond that of the corresponding courses. onthe front of the-leg.

\Vhen the. heel is knit the sleeve 15 can be raised to a greater extent to facilitate the insertion of a heavier reinforcing thread, or the use of a still thipkerknitting thread for the production of a heavy heel. When the sole is knit,- the sleeve 15 can be elevated sufficiently to positivelyincrease the length of the fabric beyond the length ofthe corresponding fabric of the top of the foot,

and at the same time topermit a'reinforc ing thread to be inserted or a heavier knit-- ting thread to be used, and in knitting :the

toe the adjustment 0' thesleeve 15 may be. made to facilitate the insertion of a rainfencingthread of-the desired Weight or the use of a heavier knitting thread. Obviously when the sleeve 15 is in its normal position,

all the needle'sin the course will draw .the a same length stitches. If it is desired for special reasons to increase the gage of one or more stitches at several diiferentpoints in a course, at any stage of the knitting of a stocking and at any position or positions in the.- course, it is only necessary to provide the sinkers adjacent to the needles formingsuch stitches with the inwardly projecting extensions 9 and this result may be accomplished to any desired extent according to the vertical adjustment of the sleeve 15'. V

I 'In Fig.'3'-I,have.sho,ivna slight modification of my invention in which "instead of providing the sleeve 15 with an annular.por-. tion-23 at the upper end thereof, 1- provide a semi-circular portion 23 which is secured to the cylinder and. adjustable vertically therein, and this portion '23 may be carried upon a sleeve 15* and verticallyad usted by the same means as shown 1n Figs. 1 and 2.

or by other means, or the semi-circular portion 23 may be carried by a .half sleeve suitably secured to the cylinder and vertically adjustable therein. .lVhere the semicircular elevating device 23 is employed, it

to be operated thereby are constructed and -they may either have the short inner ends 10 as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, or all the sinkers may be made alike with the inwardly projecting-extensions 9, as the extent of the semhcircular portion 93*? will determine and select which of the sinkers are to be raised when. theeIevatingdevice is adjusted verticall Iii Figs. 4 and 5 and 6 I have shown another modification of my invention. In this for!v apparatus instead of raismg will or certain of saitl that siiich cam and the knitting cylinder will have the same relative circular movement with respect to each other as exists betweenthe cylinder and the knitting cam, and in Figs. 4 and 5 -'I have shown a construction in which the sinker elevating cam is preferably held from rotary movement while the cylinder and needles are rotated. In these figures 1? represents the needle cylinder, .2 a, needl of the circular series provided with a- .can'l e gaging nib 3 and 4 represents one of the inkers which is to be elevated, and which is provided with the inwardl projecting extension 9*, which sinkers referably extend halfway around the, cylinder, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 4', the remaining half of the si'nkers being without such-extensions 9 as, indicated a [10%, 30 represents the sinker raising cam which. in this instance is carried by a verti ally disposed-rod '31, mounted in a vertically movable therein, said 'r od. being pr'hvi'ded with a [collar 33 and carryingstuds 34engaged by yoke 35'on the adjusting le ver adapted to be operated by hand by meansof a set screw-37, or the set screw 37 may lie omitted and the arni 36 operated directly by the pattern mechanism.- The'upper tiIJitIlOf' the cam 30 as shown injFig. G I ,e so"constructed as ,to engage the extensions 9 elev te the sinke'rs fQ-fii greater or less exadjacent nice 32 and".

of the sink'ers so provided and tent depending upon the adjustment of the j cam iiO. the cam being constructed to engage a plurality of said sinkers. at least the -rsame on opposite sides of the which is in the lowest speqt to the knitting cylinder. the cam'30 is so located with respect to the ay-o of needle knitting cam that it will operate upon the,

same time that the knittingsinkers at the cam has drawn, down the appropriate needle tolgits lowst position. thus increasing'the ga/ge of'the stitch drawn by the 'needleand ea 'ch successive needle of the series adjacent t the sinker-s having theextehsidns, 9'. 'In d is form of the invention. the selection of ti e needles. the stitches of whichare ,to be iicreased in gage. is effected-by position with re; Obviously providing izo sinker-sadjacent thereto and preferably .on.

(apposite sides thereof, with'the 'sin'kershav-' mg the extensions 9f, and it will be obvious M5 that wherever the-needlesare s with sinkers having extensions 9* toen'gage the cam 30. whether it be all of theneedles knitting the back portion'of the stocking, needles at intervals in the 0 provided circular series, when the cam is raised high enough to engage and elevate the extensions 9', the stitches of those needles so provided will be increased'in gage. It will also be obvious that this form of the invention can be employed. in machines wherein the cylinder is stationary by rotating the cam '30 with respect to the needle cylinder coincidentally" with the knitting cam.

I do not desire 'tobe limited to the exact details of the constructions shown in the several: embodiments of my invention which I'have selected for the purpose of illustratingthe invention and shown and described herein, as modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention. v What I claim and desireto secure by. Letters Patent is z- 2o 1 In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder, a circular series of vertical reciprocating needles, of stitch forming cam mechanism for actuating all of the needles to the same extentduring tubular work, of a circular series of sinkers located between the needles, certain of said sinkers located between consecutive needles of a group of needles extending a portion of the way around the circular series, being vertically movable, and means for vertically adjusting all of said consecutive vertically movable sinkers to increase the size of, a plurality of consecutive stitches in each course of asegmental portion of thetubular fabric.

-2. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder,- a circular series of vertical reciprocating needles, and stitch forming cam mechanism for actuating all of the needles to the same extent during tubular work, of a circular series of sinkers located between the needles, all of the sinkers located between the successive needles for knitting the rear half of the leg, the heel and toe pockets, and .the'v sole of the foot of the stocking being vertically movable, and means for adjusting said consecutive vertically movable sinkers vertically, whereby the sole portion of the stocking foot can be made materially longer than the fabric formed by the correspond.- ing courses of the top of the foot to fashion thestocking to fit the foot.

3. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder, a circular series of vertically reciprocating needles and cam mechanism for actuating all of the needles to the same extent when knitting tubular work, of a circular by the sole is made longer and wider than.

the corresponding courses of the foot to fashion the stocking to fit the foot.-

4. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder, a circular series of vertically reciprocating needles and cam'mechanism for actuating all of the needles to the same extent when knitting tubular work, of a circular series of sinkers located between the needles, the s'inkers adjacent to the successive needles which knit the sole of the stocking having inwardly projecting portions, and a verti cally adjustable part within the knitting cylinder, held in fixed relation, circularly, with respect to the knitting cam, for engagsuccessive sinkers adjacent to the sole knitting needles, whereby the sole'ol the stocking can be made longer and wider than corresponding courses of the top of the foot to fashion the stocking to fit the foot.

In testimony whereof I ,affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. SMITH.-

VVitnesse's:

J OEN WYQLIFF Mnu'rnn, BAYARD R. lWYLIE.

ing said inwardly projecting portions of the

Images