US15435A - Improvement in knitting-machines - Google Patents

Description

NA PETERS, PHOTo-LITHOGRAPHEH. WASHINGYON, u4 c.

t. UNrTE-D SnmTEsy PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NESl/IITH, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN KNlTTlNG-MACHINES.

Speoication forming part of YLetters Patent No. l5,435, dated July 29, 1856.

To all whom/.it man concern:

.Be it known. that I, JOHN NESMITH, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have in vented a novel and useful Improvement in Knitting- Machines, consisting in adapting them for narrowing and widening knit goods to any desired pattern; and I hereby declare that the followingspecification,in connection with the accompanying drawings and references thereon, constitute a lucid, clear, and exact description of the construction and use of the same. A

In referring to said drawings, Figure 1 denotes a plan or top view; Fig. 2, a front elei vation of the same; Fig. a back elevation of it; Fig. 4, an end elevation; Fig. 5, an opposite end view. Fig. denotes a section on line A B, Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 7 is a View of the front slide N2 disconnected from the machine. Fig. 8 is a side view of the back slide N6 with a portion of the plate() disconnected from the machine. Fig. 9 is a plan of the same. Fig. 10 is a view of one of the guards d and a part of the plate (l, to which itis connected. Fig. 1l is a View of one of the needles. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the cams Ks and K7, governors G2 and G, dogs H2 and H7. with portions of the levers H3 and H6. Fig. 14 is a vertical section on line C D, Figs. l2 and 13. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the plate C with the needles a therein. Fig. 16 is a transverse and vertical section on line E F, Fig. 15.

The nature of' myinvention consists in narrowing the knitting work by. lowering one or more of the needles at each passageof the yarn-carrier, so that the yarn will continue to pass through only the remaining loops ofthe raised needles until the narrowest part of the fabric is made or arrived at, and then widening this fabric as the knitting progresses by raising the needles one at a time to an equal level with the other needles, so that the yarn may pass throughtheir loops in common with those not lowered, and thus widen the fabric as much as the distance from needle to needle when each of them is raised on .the knitting-line, so that the yarn will pass through their loops. The desired number of needles are lowered to allow the remaining ones only to knit, which constitutes the narrowing by means of slides having a lower slot to carry v5,.and 6,) fixed on the main shaft D. in the same figures.) i

the needles when lowered and an upper slot or plane to carry the needles when raised, these slots being continued or connected together by an angular slot down which the needles are caused to travel to lower them and up which they are. caused to travel to raise them by moving along the slides as much and as'often as desired bya registering apparatus or measuring apparatus, which is so connected to these slides and driven by the turning of the main shaft of the machine, as to move the slides in either direction, which cause the needles to be-lowered for narrowing and raised for widening by their traveling up or down the inclined part of the slots in the slides.

To enable persons skilled in the artto which my invention appertains to construct and carry out the same, I will describe it as follows:

I construct an iron frame, (seen at A,Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6,) which is held together by the girts B and the top plate C. To this frame AA, I suspend a main shaft D, so as to revolve fr'eely in good substantial bearings. I also fit a drive-shaft (seen at E, Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4) to the stand F, Figs. l, 2, 3, and 6, which isprojected from the frame A.

0n the outer end ofthe drive-shaft E, Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, I fita `tight pulley V5 and a loose pulley V for applying a driving-belt for propelling the machine, as will be readily understood. On the inner end of this shaft l fit and fasten the gear G, Figs. 2 and 6, which gears into and drives another gear of twice its diameter, (seen at H, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, (Seen The needle-plate C is grooved transversely, as seen at a3, Figs. 8, 9, and 10, to receive the knitting-needles d, as seen at Figs. 1, 8, and 10, so that they will slide freely back and forth. These needles are made with a swinging finger a4, Fig. 1l, which operates in the hook end, and their back ends are bent at a right angle upward, as seen at t', Fig. 1, and at Fig. 11.

Above the plate C, Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, I place the bar O, Figs. l, 2, 3,4,and 5,'so fitted as to slide freely through portions of the frame A, (designated as A, Figs. l, 3, 4, and 5,) to which is fastened the stand K, which is connected to the crank L, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4,`and 5,

by the connecting-rod J (seen at the same gures) and the stands or studs N and M, by which the bar O is operated or slid back and forth by the revolving' ot' the crank, L. The crank-shaft Z, Figs. 1 and 6, turns in the stand Y, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which is secured to the plate C, and on the lower end of this shaft I fit a bevel-gear, (seen at I, Figs.`1, 2,3, and 6,) which gears into and is driven by a bevel-pinion one-half of its size. (Seen at Z2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6.) This gear Z2 is fixed to the main shaft D, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and by this means motion is communicated to the bar O, as will be readily seen.

To the bar O, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, I secure two cams, (seen at Q, Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) which are grooved in their under sides vat an angle of about forty-tive degrees with the face and from opposite points of the bar O, so as to take the needles and then drive them back and forth, as seen in Fig. 1, a portion of one of the cams being broken out to show the needle-grooves. These grooves receive the upward projection t of the heel of the needle, Fig. 11 at the back end of the needles a, Figs. 1 and 11, by means of which projections and the cams Q the needles are slid transversely back and forth Lo knit and narrow or widen the desired goods, said cams being carried by the movement of the bar O.

To the front of the bar O, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, I connect t'wo yarn-carriers, (seen at P, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5,) which carry the yarn (which is seen in red lines) from the spoolA4, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, first th rough the holef, Figs. 2 and 3, in the shears S2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and then through theloops or hooks of the needles, when they are moved forward, so that the stitch may be formed, when the needles are drawn back by the closing down of the swinging finger a4, Fig. 11. The bar O, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, is grooved at its back and lower corner, as seen at t, Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The npturned portion e of the needles a, Fig. 11, remain in this groove t, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, excepting when the cams Q, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, move them forward to form the stitch. The partsheretofore described are well known and dornot form part of my invention.A The following description relates to my improvements, as will be hereinafter seen. -On the top of the plate C, Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, I fasten a secondary plate (seen at R, Figs. 1, 2,4, and 5) to prevent the needles from iiying out of their working position, and for an upper guide for the slides N2 and N6, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, to move in, while the plate C forms the lower guide for the slides N2 and N to move in, and at the back edge ot' the plate C, Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, I secure a guard-plate (seen at K2, Fig. 3) to prevent the needles lfrom flying back beyond their working position.

I place a guard-plate (seen at d, Figs. 1, 2, 9, and 10) in each of the two sections of the plate C at the central portion of the needles to keep a number of them constantly raised,

while the others are raised or lowered -for widening or narrowing, thus increasing the extent that maybe widened or narrowed from one-half to two-thirds the width of the web, when rigid slides are used, as seen at. N2 and N, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. I then construct two sliding plates, (seen at N2 and N6, Figs. 7 and 8,) having slots and inclined planes formed through them,to carry or raise and lower the needles, as may be desired, which slides N2 and N6 are fltted so as to slide in a groove formed in'the plate R, Figs. 1,2, 4, and 5, and plate C, Figs. 1, 3,4, 5, and 9. The slides N2 and N6,Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are fastened at one end to the arms M2 and M, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, these arms being secured to the ends of the sliding rods Y2 and Y6 at Figs. 1, 2,3, 4, 5, and 6, which are moved to throw the desired number of needles into or out of the work by the racks U3 and U, cut on the rods Y2 and Y, and the pinion T2, (shown in section at Fig. 6,) which gears into both these racks to operate both of them at the same time, and which is secured to the shaft E2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

The shaft 1112 is suspended so as to turn freely in the stands J2 and V3, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Near the back end of it are placed and fastened two ratchet-gears I2 and I, their teeth standing in opposite directions, so as to be operated either way by the dogs H2 and H7, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as seen in the drawings-that is, so that one dog may turn the pinion T3, Fig. 6, in one direction and the other dog may turn it in an opposite direction,

which moves the slides N2 and NG so as to lower the needles outof the work or so as to elevate them into work, as may be desired for narrowing or widening.

It will be seen that to narrow the needles must be lowered out of the work, so that the yarn in the carrier will not pass through the loops, or the needles already out must be elevated, so that the carrier P, Figs 1, 2, 4, and 5, may conduct the yarn through the loops, and thereby widen the work as much as may be desired, and this is eected by moving the slides N2 and N6 so that the inclined planes (seen at p, Fig. '7, and p2, Fig. S) will elevate the needles to widen, or so that these same inclined planes will move in opposite directions to" lower the needles out of the work to narrow it by the inclined planes p and p2, which will come in contact by their movement with the needles and elevate or depress them, which will be readily understood.

On the main shaft. D, Figs. 1,2, 3,4, 5, and

6, I place a cam, (seen at B2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5,

N, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4,7and 5, to elevate or depress the needles, as may be desired. The leversl H3and H6 are moved by the cam B2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. Fig. 12 shows howthe dog H7 is raised so as not to operate its ratchet I2 to move the slides N2 and N6 to widen the stocking and the dog H2 lowered to operate its ratchet 13 bythe governor G2 drop q ping into the recess r of the cam K7 to so operate the slides N2 and N3 as to narrow the stocking by lowering a needle at each vibra- `tion of the bar O. Fig. 13.is a view of the same parts as shown in Fig. l2, with the posi-` tion reversed, so that the dog H7 isoperating its ratchet l2 to widen and the dog H2 raised above its ratchet I3, so as not to operate it toE narrow the stocking. Fig. 15is a perspective view of the plate C with the needles a therein and the slides N2 and N3, showing how their inclined planesp operate to elevate or lower the needles to narrow o r widen the goods. The position of both lowered and raised needles is further shown at Fig. 16.

, rlhe operation of the dogs H2and [-17 and they movement of parts connected to them are regulated by two governors, (seen at G2 and G6. Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6,) which move in the' stands F2 and L3, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and governing-cams K3 and K6, which have recesses formed in their peripheries (seen at r and r2) for letting down the governors G2 and G6 and Adogs H2 and H7, so that one of these dogs will operate its ratchetgear 12 in the right direction to widen or narrow, while the other dog' H7 is kept above its ratchet-gear by the governor G3, operating by one of the governingcams K3 or K until the cams K3 and K3 move or turn sufficiently to change the position of the dogs H2 and H7-z'. e., to throw outthe one heretofore operating its ratchet and lowering' t'he other dog H2, so as to operate its ratchet, as will be readily seen and understood.

The governing-cams K3 and K7i are secured y to the quill B", Fig. 6, onwhich'the gear C3is also secured. All these three turn on the stud K2, Figs. 1, 3, and 6, which is made fast to the back gil-t B, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6. The gear C3, Figs. 2, 4, and ,5, receives motion from the worm A2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, which is fixed to and turns with the main shaft D, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and this motion is communicated to the governingcams K3 and K3, Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, by their being connected to the quill B4, Fig. 6, of the gear C3, Figs. 2,4, and 5.

It will be seen that the needles Ct are let down out ol' the work one at a time on each extreme as fast as the narrowing is desired to be effected until the narrowest part of the goods is arrived at, when the cam K3, Figs. 3,

4, 5, and 6, which governs the narrowing-dog,

raises it, so as to disconnect. it from its ratchet 12, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, and at the required time, so that the widening and governing cams K3 and K, Figs. 4,5, and 6, turn in the right position to allow the widening-dog tinues to move backward and forward, and isl by this movement freed ordischarged from the thread which was in it before it was taken out of the work.

The gear C3, Figs. 2, 4, and 5, quill B4, Fig. 6, cams K3 and K3, Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, levers H3 and H3, Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, dogs H2 and H7, and governors G2 and G6, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, together, with the two ratchets I2 and I, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, their shaft E2, Figs. 1, 2. 3, 4, 5, and 6, the pinion T3, Fig. 6, racks U3 and U3, Figs. 2 and 6, bars Y2 and YG, Figs. 1,2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, arms M2 and M6, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and slides N2K and N6, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, also the yarn-severing shears S2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which are operated by the pin H2l in the gear C3, Fig. 2, through the agency of the shipper'A3, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, thereby stopping the machine at 'the right time or when it is in the right position to receive the new work, constitute the registering or measuring apparatus for widening or narrowing, as will readily be seen.

The enumeration of parts of the 'registering apparatus is refer-red to so that it may be known of what they consist, and the operation of this registering ormeasuring apparatus is as follows: The worm A2, which is fastened to and turns with the main shaft D,

is fitted to and turns the gear C3 and quill B4,

4the cam K7, (see Fig. 13,) when the movement of this dog H2 will operate or turn the ratchet I3, which is secured tothe shaft E2, so as to turn it and its pinion T3, Fig. 6, and this pinion meshes into and moves the racks Y2 and Y, which in turn move the slides N2 and Ni by and toward each other to drop the needles by causing them to slide down the inclined planes p, Figs. 7, 8, and 15, and thus narrow the work by the racks Y2 and Y6 being connected to the said slides by the arms M2 and M3. lTo widen the goods, theslides N2 and N6 are moved apart and by each other by the raising of the dog H2 by .the governor G2 being' raised to the largest surface of the cam K7 by the continued movement of this cam and the dropping of the other vibrating dog H7 into its ratchetlf", which is also secured to the shaft E2 and turns it in an opposite direction. The change'from widening to narrowing can commence as soon as desired after the in the periphery of the cams K3 and K7. Th ese recesses r and r2 are formed, as seen in the drawings, to commence the widening as soon as the narrowing is completed, and both dogs 1I2 and H7 are kept raised on the largest periphery of the cams K3 and K7 when neither the widening nor narrowing is being done, meaning that the dogs H2 and H7 are kept raised when straight or parallel work is being knit by the machine.

Various modilications of this apparatus may be made with a good result; but I believe the above arrangement, or substantially the same, to be t-he best for the required purpose.

I construct a plate (seen at S, Figs. 1, 2, 4,

and 5) with its teeth c for preventing the yarn from getting entangled with the fronts of the needles notin use and secure it to the top of a swinging frame V, Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and t5, which is held in its working position by the catch T, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, and by lowering the catch the plate S, Figs, 1, 2, 4, and 5, can be swung forward out of .the operators way when a new piece of unfinished goods is 1o be hooked onto the needles for finishing by knitting, wid ening, and narrowing, as in footing stockings the legs ot' which have been made on another machine. Back of the plate S, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, is placed the bar NV, Figs. 1, 4, and 5, which is provided with a number of separating-fins (seen at e, Figs. 1, 4, and 5) for forming the stitch, these fins e and bar WV being moved up and down by the rods X, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and lever D2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6,

which are operated by the cams C2, Figs. 1, 3, 4,

5, and on the main shaft D, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

and 6, the centers of operation of these levers1 D2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and (i, being seen. at D3, Figs. 4 and 5. The spiral springs (seen at B3, Figs. 2, 3, and (i) serve to press down the levers D2 into the recess in the cams, Figs. 1, 4, 5, and G, letter C2, as seen in dotted lines at Figs-4 and 5.

I construct two rods O2, Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5, the i back surfaces of which rest against the plate (j, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10, and near the topof them are inclined planes formed, which are titted to the bar XV, Fig. 1, so that as these inclined planes are lowered the bar \V, Fig. l, is moved forward into its working position, in order that it may be moved upward and downward by the levers D2, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, and (i, operated by the cams C2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,1

and so as to help form the stitch.

It will be seen that the front edges of the tins e, Figs. 1, 4, and 5, are so near the points of the needles that they would be very much in the way of putting or hooking Yon the knit goods to be narrowed or widened. To obviate this difficulty I connect each of the lower ends ot' the rods O2, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, to the arms C4, Fig. 2, which are secured to the lower part of the swinging frame or stand V,

Figs. land 2, and consequently as these stands are swung forward they raise the rods O2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, by their connection with them, thereby raising the inclinedplanes, so as to allow the spiral spring T2, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, to draw back the bar W', Figs. 1, 4, and 5, and its iins e, Figs. 1, 4, and 5, so that the operator can conveniently attach or hook on the next piece of goods to be narrowed,knit, and widened, as desired.

It will be seen that my within-described machine is a double one-that is, there are two sets of needles-which may knit, narrow, or widen two stockings or other pieces of goods at the same time. I construct a beltshipper (seen at J3, Figs. 3, 4, and 6) which is operated by the handle U, Figs. 1,2, 3,4, 5,ar.d 6, bar T23 Figs. 1, 4, and 6, and its pin D3, Figs. 2, 3, and -that is, the handle U, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, can be moved to the left, carrying the bar V2, Figs. 1, 4, and 6,with it until the catch S3, Figs. G, catches under the spring Q3, Figs. 2 and 6, and there remains until the wheel C2 turns over to bring the pin 13, Fig. 2, in contact with the spring Q3, Figs. 2 and G, on its under side, by which it is raised so as to allow the spiral spring DJt Fig. (5, to draw back the shipper J3, Figs. 2,4, and G, by the handle U, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and t', and bar 72, Figs. 1, 4, and 6, to throw the belt on the loose pulley V3, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, which stops the machine. Thus the work being coinpleted and the thread cut by the self-operating shears S2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and (i, the work will be thrown off the machine by its con tinued operation, and when the needles are brought into the desired position the belt is thrown oft and the machine stopped ready and in the rightposition to receive the new piece ot` work without any attention of the operator who is tending the machine. This stopping of the machine at the right time is effected by the stud or pin I3, Fig. 2, which is fixed to the gear C3, Fig. 2, as will be readily seen.- In the meantime, or when the machine is in operation, the belt can be shipped by hand independent oft the spring D4, Fig. t, and bar 72, Fig. 6, if desired.

At S2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, can be seen the two pairs of self-acting shears. or cutters for severing the yarns from the spools A", Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and t5, when the work is completed. The lower ends of these shears are connected to the rods R2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which 'are fastened to the shear-shipper A3, Figs. 1,

2, 3, 4, 5, and C. Then they are to be set to sever the yarn, the handle Q2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, 'is moved along to the right untilthepin or catch N3, Fig. (i, passes under the springcatch R3, Fig. tf, which holds it until the pin H2, Fig. 2, in the wheel C3, Fig. 2, cornes in contact with the under side ot' thespring R3, Figs. 2 and (5, and raises it to allow the spiral spring O3, Fig. (i, instantly to draw the shearshipper A3, Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, back or to the left, which at once severs the yarns, after which the machine runs until it is in readiness or in 'the right position to receive the neXt piece of goods to be made, When the belt-shipper is thrown orf, which stops the machine, as hereinbefore shown.

The shears or yarn-cutters may be placed immediately above the carriers P, Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5, if desired.

The proper materials for all parts of my machine will readily suggest themselves to any competent mechanic.

I claiml. The lowering or raising the ends of the needles which receive the threads, so that the thread will not enterthe hooks of the needles when out of their working-line as the carrier passes them, while the other ends of the needles remain connected with the mechanical arrangement used for pushing them for- Ward and drawing them back to form the stitch on their working-lines, essentially in the manner and for the purposes fully set forth.

2. The slides N2 or their mechanical equivalents for taking the needles out of the work for narrowing the fabric and bringing them back into the Work for widening the fabric, essentially as set forth.

3. The metallic rests or guards d or their equivalents for constantly keeping a number ot' the needles in their working-line, essentially in the manner as fully set forth and described. u

4. The connection of a registering or measuring apparatus construct-ed as within described, or otherwise formed with the moving parts of my machine for the purpose of bringing into use and taking out of use the requlsite needles at the proper time for shaping the fabric and for severing the thread when the Work is done and stopping the machine when required, essentially in the manner as fully set forth.

5. rPhe arrangement and movement of the fined bar W or its mechanical equivalent to aid in forming the stitch, also its movement backward to uncover the ends of the needles for putting on the new fabric,vessentially in the manner,l and for the purposes fully set forth;a

JOHN NESMITH.

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