US1734423A - Needle and the like - Google Patents

Description

Nev. 5, 1929. s. w. FINCH NEEDLE AND THE LIKE Filed June 18, 1928 Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE III'IEEDLEAHDTHELIKE Application fled June 18,

This invention relates to needles, and more particularly a needle adapted for repairing runs or ravelings in stockings and other knitted fabrics.

Needles now in use for such purposes ordinarily have a body member with a hook formed at one end and a. latch member pivoted to the body member, the free end of the latch member being adapted to fly up and down as the needle is moved forward and backward through the fabric being repaired, thus opening and closing the hook as may be necessaryjo perform the repair work. The problem with such needles is to cause 1;, the free end of the latch to be raised quickly during the downward movement of the hook member, so that the point of the latch will not catch in the fabric and delay the operation or injure the fabric. 7

My needle has no pivoted member and consequently does not encounter the difiiculty above pointed out. My needle has an elongated body member, at one end of which a i hook is formed, said body member also haying a longitudinally disposed opemng in which a latch member slides back and forth for the purpose of opening and closing the hook. There are also suitable means for limiting the distance through which the sliding member can move in longitudinal direction away from the hook and also means to prevent or limit the amount of the turning motion of the sliding member.

One of the numerous advantages of this new type of needle is its cheapness and simplicity of construction. Another advantage is the fact that, by reason of its compact con struction, it is necessary to move the needle only a relatively short distance backward and forward through the fabric in order to reknit or crochet the rungs of the ladder constituting the runner portion of the stocking and thus make the repair, whereas, with pivoted-latch needles heretofore used, a much longer movement of the needle is necessary 1988. Serial No; 286,207.

to accomplish this purpose. This shorter movement of my needle results in greater speed and ease of operation than has heretofore been possible.

My needle also has the advantage, (because of its simplicity of construction and the absence of the awkward swinging latch of the old type of needle) of being practically free from the possibility of damage during its operation and also while it is lying around in a shop when not in use.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of my needle in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the body member of the needle.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the sliding latch member of the needle.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the beveled end portion of the sliding latch.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, partly in sec- 'tion, of a somewhat modified form of the needle.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of a further modified form of the needle.

Fig. 8 is a still further modified form of the needle.

Fig. 9 is a View of the rear end of the needle shown in Fig. 2 taken on the line H.

F ig. 10 is an enlarged view of fabric containing a run or raveling of the kind for the reknitting or crocheting of which my needle is primarily designed.

The preferred form of my needle consists of the body member 1, the sliding latch memher 2 and the spring-carrying member 3. For convenience in operation the needle may be mounted in a handle 4. The needle in this form includes a tube, and a rod adapted to fit slidabiy in said tube. there being located at the rear of the sliding rod, or latch. a rigidly held member which carries a spring portion 5 adapted to bear against a longitudinally disposed surface formed in the rear functions in the following manner.

portion of the sliding latch member; said spring acts to prevent the rotation of the latch member and also frictionally conta'cts the latch member in such manner as to prevent the latch from closing the hook 6 until the latch is moved by a thread in the manner hereinafter described. The spring-carrying member also has a shoulder 7 adapted to stop the rearward movement of the latch member at the desired point. The spring-carrying member is rigidly fixed in the rear end of the body member, preferably by forcing the side walls of the body member against the sides of the rear end of the spring-carrying member as indicated at 8 and also as shown in Fig. 9. This method of fastening the spring-carrying member in the needle is desirable because it can be quickly accomplished when the different parts of the needle are in place by putting the end of the needle between the jaws of a vise and upsetting the end of the body member as shown in Fig. 9. Moreover, the upset portion of the body member can be easily restored to normal substantially round condition by applying a vise to the oblong portions of the end thus releasing the pressure on the end of the spring-carrying member and permitting the said member as Well as the sliding latch member to be removed from the body member for the purpose of making any necessary repairs or substitution of parts.

The front end of the sliding latch member is beveled upwardly and rearwardly at 9, said beveled face having an opening 10 in the upper portion thereof. I

The latch slants downwardly and rearwardly at 11 and then extends rearwardly at 12 to the point where-the shoulder 13 is formed. The rear portion of the latch is cut away to form the surface 14 against which the spring 5 bears for the purpose herein elsewhere stated.

The needle, when properly assembll iald,

fabric to be repaired is first placed under a slight tension, preferably being held over a hollow cylindrical vessel of substantial depth. The hook end of the needle is then forced into the fabric to be repaired at 15, just back of one ofthe last loops of the run or raveling, and the tension on the fabric 18 then somewhat increased. As the needle is pushed downwardly through the fabric the loop 15 slips up over the hook and also over the top of the beveled portion 9 and along the face 12 until it encounters the shoulder 13 and closes over the body member and latch member at that point, this movement of the loop serving to open the hook. At the same time the thread16straightens out to form part of the run. The spring 5 by frictionally engaging vents i-he the rear end of the latch at 14 prelatch from prematurely closing the hook at this stage of the operation when visible repair.

the oint of the hook 6 will be below and beyon the straightened cross thread 16, and as the upward movement of the needle starts, the hook 6 picks up the thread 16, and the loop 15 (which, as above stated, incloses the body member and latch member below the shoulder 13) slides back over the surface 12 encounters the beveled portion 11 and forces the latch member downwardly so that the point of the hook enters the opening 10 and closes the hook. The loop 15 slides downwardly over the ridge formed by beveled portions 11 and 9 and over. the hook 6, leaving the thread 16 in the hook portion of the needle to form a new loop. The downward and upward movements of theneedle are then repeated. On each such downward movement the loop lying in the hook slips up over the beveled portion 9 and opens the hook as the point of the hook passes below the next adjacent cross thread; and on each upward movement of the needle the hook grasps the adjacent cross thread, and the loop contacts the beveled face 11, closes the hook and slides over the top of said beveled face and over the hook 6, leaving the cross thread in the hook to form a new loop. Thus each thread of the ladder constituting the run is successively picked up by the hook and formed by the needle into a new loop as the needle proceeds along the ladder to the end of the run.

A tacking operation with an ordinary needle and thread is then resorted to, such needle and thread being used to fasten or tie the last loop (brought to this point by the repairinig needle herein described) so as to prevent a recurrence of the run. Those skilled in the art of repairing such fabrics are familiar with the so-called tacking operation and in many instances are able to close the original break in the fabric in such manner as to constitute a substantially in- In is therefore unnecessary here to describe this tacking operatlon."

Moreover the purpose of my new needle is not to do this tacking work, (which can best be done by employment of an ordinary sewing needle and thread) but to repair the run. however long or wide it may be.

hile my needle is preferably made in the manner above stated, it may also be made in a variety of other forms such as those shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. In Fig. 6 the body member is designated as 17 the latch member as 18 and the means for preventing undue rearward movement and turning movement as 19. 20 is the hook. 21 is an upwardly and rearwardly extending beveled face having the opening 22 therein. 23 is a downwardly and rearwardly extending beveled face which is followed by the surface 24 and the shoulder 25. The body member 17 has a' cutaway portion 26 and a shoulder 27. It also has a notch 28 adapted to receive a thread or elastic band 29 which bears upon the upper surface of the shuttle member adjacent the notch 28 and makes a frictional contact on said shuttle member which acts to tion-of the rear end of the shuttle adapted to coact with part 21 to prevent undue turn ing movement of the shuttle member.

In Fig.7 the spring 22 attached to body.

member 23 extends through opening 24 in said body member and contacts the cutaway portion of shuttle 25' at 26'serving to prevent undue rotation of the shuttle member and also frictionally bearing against the shuttle member so as to preventpremature closing of the hook during the operation of the needle. The rear; endof the shuttle is: pointed at 27 tobear against the. closed rear end of the body member at 28 andthus restrict rearward movement of the latch. 29'

is the hook. 30 and 31 are beveled portions f of the latch by means of which the latch-is opened and closed by a thread.f 32 is an opening for the reception of the point of the hook.

In Fig. 8 there is a spring 33 set in a cutaway portion 34-of shuttle 35, said spring frictionally contacting the inner surface of the body member at 36 to prevent premature closing of the latch during the operation ofthe needle. The rearward movementand the turning movement of the latch are restrained by the end piece 37 and coacting rear member 38 of the shuttle. 39 is the hook; 40 and 41 are beveled faces adapted to coact with a thread to open and close the hook when the needle is being operated .for the purpose of repairing a run.

In order that a needle of the character herein described may be operated successfully in the class of work for which it is designed, it is important that the shuttle member fit in the body member in such manner that the, shuttle will move :freely back and forth in its channel. To obtain satisfactor fitted in t e bod normally move 0 its own weight back and forth in its channel when the needle is in an. upright position and is then turned so that first one end and then the other extends upwardly. While it. is necessary to have the needle adjusted sothat the shuttle and body member will constitute a-looselysliding fit with reference to each other, it is also necessary, when the needle is held inan upright position for the purpose of repairing the fabric, that the shuttle be restrained from closing the hook during the upward-movement of the needle while the loop .of thread slides downwardly over the surface 12 until it contacts the beveled face 11. This purpose ing the results the shuttle should be member so. that it willis aceom lished in my present invention by devices or causing friction at another part 'of the needle which will be slightlv greater than the friction of the 100 against the sur-.

face 12.- Inthe preferred mm of my device the spring 5 'isz'employed for this purpose.

Inform of device shown in Fig. 6 this purposeis accomplished by means of a thread or an elastic band which surrounds the needle and bears against the shuttle at 28,

and in Figs. 7. and 8 springs are used for this purpose. In each of these devices the amount of the friction may be adjusted as desired by regulating the tension of the means employed against thevsurface in connectionwith which it. operates.

While the different forms of devices illustrated all employ a closed tube with an interior rod actin 'f as a shuttle, itis obvious that the body of thetneedle"might consist of a membercomprising a channeled portion in which theslidin'g -latch isheld and its longitudinal and rotary movement limited by rivets orjother suitable means, a feature of mypresent invention consisting in the providing of regulatable frictional, means for preventing the premature closing of the hook- .during theioperation of the needle, whether this'purpose be accomplished by the use of a spring an elastic band or thread, by flexbody-inember or the shuttle, or by any other means whatsoever.

The term regulatable frictional means, as employed in the next preceding paragraph,

is intended to refer to frictional means which 100 can be increasedor diminished as may be necessary. "Each of the frictional means herein shown and described can be so regulated. The friction of the means shown in Figs. 6 and 7 can be regulated without disassembling the needles since such means are located on the outside of the needles. To increase ordiminish the friction in the type of needle shown in Fig. 6'it is only necessary to tighten orloosen the band or thread 29; i and the friction may be increased or dimin 'ished mthe; type of needle shown in Fig. 7

by flexingto a greater or less extent the spring 22or by replacing the spring with one having greater or lesstensional strength.

The .frictioncan be increased or diminished in the preferred form of my needle by removing the spring-carrying member 3 (it being understood that the spring 5 may be inwith one of greater-or less tensional'strength. 125

To increase ,or decrease the friction, in the type of needle shown in g. 8 it is necessary to disassemble the needle; however this can readily bedone by removing the end piece 37 (which is clamped or otherwise tightly 'tegral with or detachable from member M be increased or diminished by flexing. it to 'a greater orfless extent, or the desired purpose can be accomplished by substituting a spring of. greater or less tens onal strength.

', In order that the needle-inlay opcrateproperlyin repairing a run it is essential that the 'll'lLtlOll caused by the means employed forthis purpose-shall be slightly greater than.

the friction caused lay-the loopon the shuttle as itslide's d(')wn\\"ar(.ll v along the surface 12, however it must permit the downward movement of the latch to close the hook as the loop bears against the beveled face 11. If the friction is too strong the descending loop will enter the openhook instead of sliding over it, and it'thefriction is too weak the ascends ing book will he closed premati'n'ely, with the result that the hook will-fail topick up the adj acentcrossthread and the descending loop will slip ovei'"'tlie. 'hookandcausei i thread with conset u'ent{extension 1'un.

ofv the ward and forwardmoveinent'of the latch in its channel and'such frictioniconld notliej tltijllStQd'iO meet the delicate requirements of" successful operation of tbe'needlelnnless by a slight flexing'o t the may member-or the shut-Q tle as above suggested;- conse'quently indcpendent frictionaln eans, includingthose of a flexible o'rv resilient -natu1-'e," :ire preferably employed. The means herein shownandde scribed have proven efficient for this puruwe. 1Q"; i

\Vhat I claim j 3 Y 1. In -a' sliding latch needle for repairing runs a sluink mcmber terminating-in ahook;

a latch member adapted tohe moved by athrcad backand forthialong said shank memher to open and member having at one end thereof a beveled face with an opening therein adapted tore-" and frictional ccive the point of the hook; means adapted to prevcnt'the premature clospaired.

2. A needle as described in claim 1, with the v I ciprocatmg motion through a 'klllttutl fabric additional feature that the frictional means thereof for preventing the premature closing of the hook forn'is part of the needle.

3. A needle as described in claim 1, with the .additii-inal feature that the frictional means close said hook,- said latch sliding latch member, the end of saidlatch member having an upwardly and rearwardly slanting surface with an opening therein adapted to receive the point of said hook and adjacent to said surface a downwardly'and rearwardly slanting surface forming on the latch a projection whereby a loop of thread may be retained on the needle until the hook picks up an adjacent cross thread of the run being repaired and the latchcloses the hook on said thread preparatoryto pulling said thread through said loop to form a new loop.

'6. A needle having a plurality of. members including a hook and means for opening and closing said hook, two of said members being in sliding relation to each other and comprising means" adapting the needle forrepairingruns in knitted fabrics including a shouldercupon one of said members for relstricting the longitudinal movement of a v a c e thread along the member in a direction away The adjustment of 'the latchinfthe b' d member with'a' degree of tensionone'against v the other sufficient to answer the purpose is extremelydifficult sincesuch friction steadily decreases witlrthe wear caused b 'tbebackfrom said hook. I P 7'. A needle having aplurality of members including a hook and means for opening and closing said hook adapted to be operated by a thread. two of said members being in sliding relation -to each other and comprising means adapting the-needle for repairing runs in knitted fabrics including ashoulderfupon one of said members for restricting the longitudinal movement of a thread along the member in a direction away from said book.

8. A needle having a shank member terminating in-a hook and a latch member for W opening and closing said hook adapted to be operated by a thread, said members being In sliding relation to each other andcomp rising neans adapting the needle for repairing runs in knitted fabrics including a depression terminating in a shoulder upon the latch member for restricting the longitudinal movement of a thread along that member in a direction vaway from said hook. I 9.. A needle adapted tohe moved with a re- "cip'rocatingmotion through a knitted fabric for repairing runs or'rav'els therein, comprising a plurality of members containing means for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel in; its reciprocating motion.

10. A needle adapted to be moved witha resaid hook.

to limit the extremepositions .of the needle 11. A. needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through a knitted fabric for repairing runs or ravels therein, comprising a shank member terminating in a hoo and a, latch member, said members containing means including a shoulder for co-acting with a-thrcad of the run or ravel to limitthe extreme positions of'the needle in its reciprocating motion, and the latch member containing means including a beveled face and a depression in its upper surface for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to bring said latch member in opened and closed relation with said hook.

12. A needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through a knitted fabric for repairing runs or ravels therein, comprls-. ing a shank member terminating in a hook and a latch member, said members being in sliding relation to each other and one of said members containing means including a shoulder for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to limit the extreme position of the needle in its reciprocating motion below the fabric, and the latch member containing a beveled face and a depression in its upper surface for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to bring said latch member in opened and closed relation with said hook.

13. A needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through a knitted fabric for repairing runs or ravels therein, comprising a shank member terminating in a hook and a latch member, said members beingjn sliding relation to each other and containing means for co-acting with a thread of, the run or ravel to limit the extreme positions of the needlefiin its reciprocating motion, and the latch member containing means for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to move said latch member in opened and closed relation with said hook at predetermined times'as said needle is-respectively moved downwardly an, upwardly through the fabric.

14. A needle adapted to be movedwith a reciprocating motion through a knitted fabric for repairing runs or ravels therein, com 1'15- ing a;shank member terminating in a co and a latch member, said members being in sliding relation to each other, and the latch member containing means including a beveled face and a depression in'its upper surface terminating in a shoulder for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to limit the extreme position of the needle in its reciprocating motion below the fabric and to move sal latch member in opened and closed relation with said hook at predetermined times as said needle is respectively moved downwardly and upwardly through the fabric.

15. A needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocatin motion through a knitted fabrlc for repairing runs or ravels therein, comprising a shank member terminating in a hook and a latch member, said members being in sliding relation to each other, and the member containing means for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel including a beveled k face for moving said latch member to opened relation with said hook, a depression for moving said latch member to closed relation with said hook and a shoulder upon one of said members for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to limit the needle in its reciprocating motion below the fabric only at the predetermined time of the latchmember being in opened relation with said hook.

16. A needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through a knitted fabric for repairingruns or ravels therein, .comprising a shank member terminating in a hook, a latch member. and frictional means, said members being in sliding relation to each other, and one of said members containing a shoulder'for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to limit the extreme position of the needle in its reciprocating motion below the fabric, the latch member containing means for co-actin with a thread of the run or ravel to move said latch member in o ened and closed relation with said hook, sai frictional means being adapted to prevent the premature closing of the hook when the needle is moved through the fabric being repaired. t

17. A. needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through a knitted fabric for repairin runs or ravels therein, comprising a shan member terminating in a 00k and a latch member, said members he-' ing in sliding relation to each other, and the latch member containing a beveled face and a depression in-its-uppersurfaceswhereby a loop of thread may be retained thereon until said loop moves the latch to a closed position with relation to the hook preparatory to pulling said cross-thread enclosed in the d hook through said loop to form a new loop.

18. Aneedle adapted to be moved with a reci rocating motion through a knitted fabric or repairing runs or ravels therein, comprising a shank member terminating in a hook 4 k and a latch member, said members being in sliding relation to eachother, and the latch member having a beveled face and a depression in its upper surface whereby a loop of thread may be retained thereon until the hook picks up an adjacent cross-thread of the run eing repaired and pulls said cross-thread .into a new loop, and one of said members (1 containing a shoulder for co-acting with the lop of thread to limit the movement of the pefidle in its reciprocating motion below the a me. 1

19. A needle adapted to be moved with a reci rocating motion through a knitted fab-- v ric or repairin runs or ravels therein, comprising a shall member terminating in a hook and a latch member, said members being in sliding relation to each other, the latch member containing a beveled face and a depression in its upper surface for co-acting with a 100 of thread whereby said-latch member may e moved to opened relation with said hook and said loop of thread may be retained'thereon until-the hook picks up an adfacent' cross-thread of the run being reaired and pulls said cross-thread into a new 00p, said depression terminating at one end in a shoulder for co-acting with the loop of thread to limit the movement of the needle in its reciprocating motion below the :fabric, and terminating 'at the other end'in a sloping portion whereby said latch member is moved to closed position by said retained loop upon reversing the movement of the ne'edle through the fabric and the retained loop is cast off over the hook, and the cross-thread, enclosed in the hook by the latch, is pulled 'into a new loop. g

20. The method ofrepairing runs or ravels in fabrics'which' consistsin stretchingthe fabric, inserting into a loop formed in the run or ravel a needle comprising a shank member terminating in a hook portion and a sliding latch member, one of said members containing a shoulder and the latch member having a beveled face and a depression in its upper surface, continuing the movement ofsaid needle onthrough. the fabric until the loop has opened the latch by sliding upwardly over the beveled face and limits the downward movement of said needle by sliding into the depression and against said shoulder, catching the next forward thread in the book while the loop is beingpulled over the latch causing the latch to co-act with the hook portion in-closed relation and the loop to be cast off over the endof the .hook portion,

loop to be cast off over the end of the hook portion, the thread caught in the hook limiting the movement of upward travel of the needle and forming a new loop taking the place of the first described loop, then reinserting the needle intothe fabric as before and repeating the operation until the run or ravel has been repaired.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

Y STANLEY W. FINCH.

the thread caught in the hook limiting themovement of upward travel of the needle and forming a new loop taking the place of the first described loop then reinserting the needle into the fabric as. before and repeating the operation until the run or ravel has been repaired.

21. The method of repairing runs or ravels in knitted fabrics which. consists in stretching the fabric, inserting into the loop formed in the run or ravel a needle comprising a shank member terminating in a hook portion and a slidingvlatch member, the latter havinga beveled face and a depression in its upper surface terminating in a shoulder, con.- tinuing the movement of said needle on through the fabric until the loop has opened the latch by sliding upwardly over the beveled surface and limits the downward movement of said needle by sliding into the deprcssion and against said shoulder, then reversing the movement of the needle through the fabric catching the next forward thread in the hook while the loop. is being pulled over the latch causing the latch to 'co-act with the hook portion in closed relation and the

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