US154374A - Improvement in stopping mechanisms for knitting-machines - Google Patents

Description

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Patented Aug, 25,137 7 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

RICHARD OOOKE AND FLORUS J. COOKE, 'OF NEWIIARTFORD, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN STOPPING MECHANISMS FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,374, dated August 25, 1874;;app1icationfiled J anuary 23, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, RICHARD OooKE and i F. J. OOOKE, of New Hartford, Oneida county,

in the State of New York, have invented cer-.

tain Improvements relating to Stop-Motions for Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification:

v The object of the invention is to more rap idly and efficiently arrest the work and prevent the detachment of the web from the needies in case of the breakage of the yarn, or of j the exhaustion of the yarn from the bobbin.

We providea delicate feeler, which, whileit oflers no material resistance to the movement of the yarn, the moment the yarn ceases .machine stops, and a belt-shipper or other efficient means is operated at the same moment,

so that the entire machine is stopped soon after. We provide also convenient means for setting the mechanism again in operation when the yarnhas been again supplied. Two or 'more yarns are sometimes fed in simultaneously at different points. The usual practice, so far as our knowledge extends, is to thus supply four at once, atfour equidistant points on the circle. We provide connections whereby the motion of the machine may be arrested from each and all of the yarn-feeding points by a single belt-shipper. We have succeeded, as the result of much reflection and many patientexperiments, in attaining a high degree of perfection in the several combinations and details. Our improvements make it practicable to throw the presser out of action before the knitting has proceeded more than halfway around, even when the machine is running at its highest speed.

The following is a description of what we consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1; isoan elevation of a portion, partly in section, in condition for working. Fig. 2 is a view at right an gles,s1howing the novel parts as seen from, thecenter of the knitting-ma chine, the needle-cylinder being removed. Fig. 3 shows one of the small parts detached, and Fig. 4 is a'plan' view of the several connections which lead from the severalstop-motions to a single belt-shipper.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.

A is the fixed frame-work of the machine. B is the needle-cylinder, a stout revolving ring which carries the needles b. The yarn is supplied to the needles with the proper amount of slack by the ordinary means, and the stitches are formed and liberated in the ordinary manner. M is the presser-wheel, which, while the yarn is supplied, performs the function of liberating the stitches by pressing against the elastic ends of the hooks, and allowing the stitches to slip freely up. There may be the .usual' stop-motion provided with a feeler, to

detect .the absence of a needle, or of any material part of a needle, and thus arrest the knitting and avoid mischief from such cause. Our invention has no relation to such stop," but is in nowise incompatible with its presence. It can work in combination with such other stop, and it will be usually desirable to so use it. We have not deemed it necessary to represent such other stop. We provide a delicate lever, 0, having a loop or hook, C embracing the yarn at oneend, and formed into a sprin g-coil, G at its opposite end. This coil 0 embraces loosely a delicate horizontal shaft, D, which is provided with a projection, D,'adapted to receive the abutting end of the spring-coil G The other end of the shaft D is formed with a short arm, D which acts under the delicate hooked pawl E, which, while the machine is running properly, keeps hold of the arm G fixed on the upright shaft G, provided with a milled head or operatingbutton, G mounted so as to be convenient of access above the presser M.

The button G is milled around its edge, or otherwise adapted to be conveniently grasped by the thumb and finger of the attendant. Whenever the device, after having stopped the knitting-machine, is to be again adjusted for working, the button G is grasped and turned by the attendant. This movement turns the arm G and this acting on the pin J turns the eccentric-wheel J back to its original The shaft G is mounted in the axial line of I the .stud L, which supports the. presser M, and around which it turns freely. The stud 'Lland the connected framing L L, which supports 1 the entire delicate mechanism, are fixed on the slide L, which is supported in a long bearing in the fixed frame-work A, as shown, and is urged forward toward therevolving ring B by a spring, H, which may be. made sufficiently powerful to exert considerable force. On the back end of the slide L is a shoulder, L, which, whenever the slide L and itsv connections are. moved backward by any force, receives a stout spring-pawl, I, and is retained. V I

J is a horizontal wheel, faced on its 'periph-i cry with leather or rubber, j, and mountedec; centrically on a stud, l, which is fast on the framingL. A spring, K, preferably concealed within or under the wheel J, exerts a constant but gentle force, tending to turn the eccentricwheel J, and bring its soft frictional surfacej into contact with the revolving ring B. When. this motion is permitted, its friction against the ring B is sufficient to induce its' being turned rapidly into a position where its full side will be toward the ring B, and, consequently, the studL and the entire slide L and, its connections will be instantly moved back- "ward against the force of the spring H.

The eccentric-wheel J hasa pin, J on its;

upper surface, which, when the knitting-machine is working successfully, presses against the arm G and is retained thereby, so that the eccentric'J presents its lean side toward the revolving ring B, and is therefore out of contact therewith; but if, by any means, the horizontal shaft D shall be turned so as by its arm D to lift the hooked pawl E, then the arm Gr yields to the slight but constant pressure received from the spring K, through the pin J and turns, thereby liberating the wheel J, which instantly turns into such' position that its frictional surface is acted upon bythe rapidly-revolvin g ring B, with the inevitable result of instantly throwing the entire slideL,

with its attachments, including the presser M, away from the ring B, and thus the further action of the presser M against the needles b is instantly arrested. The link Tleads from one part of the slide L, or its attachments, to a suitable connection to operate the belt-shippers, so that the entire machine soon stops,

. and the work is suspended, with the stitches still fast upon the needles, until the attendant can restore the yarn and again put the machine in condition for operating. This turning.

the hooked'pawl E, we provide a tumblingbob, P, which is adjustable on the shaft D bymeans ofthe pinching-screw 1). The bob 1? shouldbe carefully adjusted on the shaft D, so as to be in a nearly perpendicular position when the knittingis progressing successfully.

When'the long slender lever 0 falls by the breaking of the yarn it gives a sufficient rota-' tion to the; shaft D .to throw the gravity of the bob P on the other side of the central line. In this position its gravity aids the further; rotation of the shaft D, and insures that the hooked pawl E will be promptly lifted.

The yarn is supported at twopoints close tothe loop O, one in passing through the guide 0, attached to an arm, a, on the fixed framing A, and another by the wire a ,which extends out horizontally from the arm a, and is bent down at its outer end, as shown. A slight strip of india-rubber, f, extends from the bentdown end of the wire a to the arm (1.

In its ordinary position the lever C, while the machine is working, presses gently upward against this rubber string, which thus serves as a spring. When the yarn fails to support the lever (J it falls the more rapidly in consequence of the slight impulse it receives from the spring f. This spring may be of metal or other material, if preferred.

We have not deemed it necessary to represent the belt-shipper; but Q is the slide, which may be understood as operating it. B, R", and R are levers turning on their respective centers r, and operated, respectively, by the links T T T, and connecting them to three other slides corresponding to the slide L, and supporting pressers corresponding to the presser M. When either of the yarns fails the corresponding links T T T T move the slide .Q with the effect of arresting theentire machine. As soon as practicable during the period that the motion of the machine is being arrested the respective presser is thrown out of action, so that the work shall not be thereby disengaged from the needles.

The wheel J may operate with some success without the rubber or other soft periphery, j. It is only important that it shall take such a hold of the ring B that it will be turned thereby. The apparatus may be worked with some success without employing the wheel J, and by simply applying the spring K, or an equivalent spring, to the upright shaft G. In such case the arm G may be made of such length as to come directly in contact with the stout revolving ring B, and be operated thereby, so asto throw the slide L and its connections back by the force thus received. This action may be made more perfect by forming the end of the arm G in'a segment of a circle, or ellipse. In such case we would prefer to face its outer edge with a coating of rubber.

There may be many modifications of some of the details. If, for example, it should be desired to lift the presser M, so as to carry it above the needle, instead of pushing it horizontally away, the upper face of the wheel J,

orof the arm, G may carrj a cam, which may act on a slideproperly mounted, to be lifted by-the cam, and thus to throw the presser out of work whenever the lever G is dropped.-

Werclaimas ourinvention- 1;.- The feeler O, liberating-catch E, and the" spring K, combined, as shown, with a constantly-moving portion, B,"and with an intermediate piece,'J, or its equivalent, so that, on the-failure of the yarn-to support the feeler O, the moving part'B shall remove the presser M andprevent the further detaching of the stitches, as herein set forth. c

2; In. aknittingstop-motion substantially ofw=the character described,the shaft--D and tumblin g-bob P,:in combination with the feeler (land liberating-oatchE, as herein specified.

3. The combination of the shaft D, provided with the stop D and the feeler O 0 forming a loose jointbetween the two, and allowing the shaft'D. to turnfarther than the feeler C, asand'for the purposes specified.

4.IThe spring f, in combination with the feeler C and its connections, serving to induce a morerapid movement of the feeler when the yarn fails to support it.

5. The button G or its equivalent, on the shaft G, in combination with the presser-M, means for throwing it out of contact with the needles, and with the arm G and its connections, for again setting-the parts in condition for working;'a's herein-specified;

6. The several connections T T T &c., and levers R B &c., communicating motion from the several- :distinct yarn-supplying mechanisms to a single belt-shipper for arresting the entire machine, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 21st day of January, 1874, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' RIo ARn'oooK'n' F. J. oooK Witnesses:- 7

J. M. BUTLER, HENRY S. MILLER.

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