US1775033A - Island - Google Patents

Description

Sept. A2, 1930.

R. J. WILKINSON KNITTING ELASTICI FABRICS :s 'Sheets-sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7. 1927 Sept. 2, 1930. R. J. WILKINSON 1,775,033

KNITTING( LAsTIc nnrcs Filed Oct. 7, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet ma d. ma.

Patented Sept. 2, 1930 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD J. WILKINSON, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB TO BIBELASTIC COMPANY, OF NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, IMASSACHU'SEI'ITS,l A. CORPORATION 0F KASSA- cHUsErTs KNITTING ELASTIC FABRICS Application led October 7, 1927. Serial No. 224,891.

Thisl invention relatos to methods and apparatus yforkmttmg scamlcs.-` tubular elastic fabrics of the type charzlctcrized by havlng a knitted body of yarn with courses of elasticrubber thread inlaid in some of the yarn courses. A

The invention is particularly directed to the manufacture of a knitted garment having courses o't' elastic rubber thread inlaid with 1 9 certain of the yarn courses and with the elasticity of the rubber thread courses varied at predetermined locations along the length 'z ofthe garment to provide varying degrees of elasticity and stretch of the garment and with '15 the garment shaped to conform with the body of the wearer or having different and variable diameters along its length; and one-of the objects of this invention isa method and apparatus for manufacturing this garment.

' 20 A further object of the invention is the .pro-

vision of a circular knitting machine adapted to make tubular knitted' fabrics of yarn with means to inlay an elastic rubber thread in certain of the yarn courses of the fabric as the knitting progresses, and means to vary the tension on the elastic rubber thread as it is inlaid in the fabric whereby to vary. the stretch of the fabric and also to shape the fabric:v Another object-of the invention is the provision of a circular knitting machine adapted for the inlaying of an elastic rubber thread in the yarn courses of the fabric with means to vary the tension of the elastic rubber thread automatically in accordance with. a predetermined pattern, whereby to shape the knitted garment. A yet further object of the invention is the o provision of an elastic thread feeding and 4 attachment to be applied to existing knitting machines. y

Another object of the invention is the provisionof a circular knitting machine arranged for the inlayingof an elastic rubber thread in but one course of a predetermined number of courses, as in .every other course,

or in every fourth course andthe like.

A yet further object of the invention is the provision of a circular knitting machine hav- .anism of Fig. 8.

variable tension mechanism adapted as an ing a plurality of yarn feeds with means to inlay in the yarn courses the same number or a lesser number of rubber thread courses, whereby greatly to accelerate the speed of manufacture of the elastic fabric.

A yet further object of the invention is generally to improve upon methods and apparatus for the manufacture of knitted elastic fabrics, the elasticity of which is provided by courses of elastic thread inlaid with the yarn courses.

Fig. 1 'is a side elevation of a circular knitting machine embodying this invention, the bobbin frame support not being shown.

F ig. 2 is a plan. view of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. plan view of the variable tension elastic thread feeding mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 1 taken along line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the thread feeding mechanism removed from the knitting machine.

Fig. 6 is a modified arrangement ofthe elastic thread feeding mechanism wherein the tension of the thread is adapted to be adjusted by hand.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the modified anism of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the tension ad` l justing mechanism for the feed mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the tension mech- Fig. 10 is a plan view of the pattern plate of the tension mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a view of the tubular knitted elastic garment adapted to be madeby the mechanism herein described.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the machine and illustrating particularly the manner of extending the elastic rubber thread from the stationary can to the feed and tension mechanism.-

The apparatus hero shown is adapted especially to knit the elastic garment illustrated in Fig. 11, although it is not limited to the manufacture of such garment since the shape yas 'plates 22 and dimensions of the product of the machine can-be varied practically at will.

The garment shown in Fig. 1l is a so-called combined girdle and brassire which is integral, tubular and seamless and has courses of elastic thread inlaid in certain ofthe yarn courses, with the tension of the elastic thread courses varied in certain parts of the garment `to providel the shape and stretch desired. l i

As shown in Fig. 11, the garment is large' at the hips a, is smaller at the bottom b, con-` tracts gradually to the waist c, and gradually enlarges to the bust portion d and may again contract to the top e. The shape is provided by varying the elasticity of the rubber thread along the length of the garment; and the brassire porti'onof the garment or that portion from e to c' may1 have a lighter'rubber than inthe girdle portion, or that portion from c'toib. I

l 'Ehe circular knitting machiney adapted for the making of this' garment -comprises a stationary cam ring supported on housing from a bed'plate 24 which in turn is supported on legs 26. The knitting machine hasthe usual rotary needle cylinder 28 'which rotates within the stationary cam ring and has a cylinder gear 30 which meshes with a bevel ear 32 carried by .the drive shaft A3,4 by which the needle cylinder may be rotated. The machine has the usual dial vplate 36dis'- posed immediately above the needle cylinder and under the dial cap 38 which is supported from and beneath the `dial arch 40,v which arch iscarried by 'studsf42-from theI cam ring20. f

-' The yarn is `held in bobbins disposed above the machine on a bobbin frame sup ort 44 which is broken away in Fig. 1 and t e yarn -passes downwardly and through yarn guides or carriers 46, Fig. 2, and thence to the needles of the dial and cylinder.y The machine here j shown ris .adapted for four yarn feeds and .thus knits four yarn courses for each revolution of the cylinder. The machine so far described is' common in the art.

In accordance with. this invention, ro-

vision is made for feeding elastic .ru ber thread into certain ofjthe yarn courses and for varying th e tension of the rubber thread' as may be desired. As' here shown, the ma- `chine is arranged to feed elastic rubber thread 'into every other yarn course. and 'to this end is provided with means to feed tvvov rubber threads at opposite sideslofthe cylinder and adjacent two opposite yarn guidesil ably zontal foot 48 which is supported upon the caml ring 20 adjacent theneedle cylinder and also adjacent one of the yarn guides 46. Said foot is provided with'a slot 50 therein in which an attaching bolt 52, Fig. 2, threaded in the .cam ring 20 is passed. whereby toy secure the bracket lin properly adjusted radial relation with the needle. cylinder. The bracket includes a vertical` support 54. An yarm '56 is disposed 'upon the top of said sup-y port and-` isxed detachably theretoy by a screw 58 which is passed through said arm and is screw threaded into said support. A

verticalshaft 60 is j ournalled in and extends upwardly above said arm and carries a thread driving cone 62 whichy is fixed detachably to said shaftby the pin 64. Said cone preferis of metal and has aknurled outer surface and is large at the top and small at the bottom. A gear 66 is 4iiced tothe lower endV of said] shaft 60 below said arm 56 andl is arranged inI mesh with thej needles 68 in the needle )cylinder 28, so that as said needle lcylinder yis rotated, the needles are caused `to drive said gearw 66 and the driving. cone 62. A. second arm 70 is pivoted on said ver- -tical support V54 beside; saidglixed arm 56 by a pivot pin 72 which passes lthroughsaid arm 70`and into said support 54. A vertical shaft 74 is fixed in thel end of saidarmy andl an idler cone 7 6 is journalled-thereon. and is disposed in coo erating relation with said driving cone. aid cone 76` preferably. is similar to the driving cone 62 in that it has the same dimensions andis of metal and has .aknurled'outer face. Saidcone 76, however,

is large at the lbottom and small at the to T he elastic rubberthread is adapted to e fed from asuitable source, not shown, through the bite of the cones and thence to theneedles. An arm 78 is Iixedto the side. ofthe vertical support .54 and overlies the pivoted larm 70 and has an adjusting screw 80 therein which is adapted to bear against the pivoted larm 70 to adjust the .position of the .idler cone with respect to thedrivingcone and thus to.,

adjust the presn're `of the cones on the elastic rubber thread. l n

1It isl apparent that the point of enga v cement bf the elastic rubber thread von the driving cone ldetermines the speed of feed ofthe rubber thread to the rotary needles and consequently ythe tension on the thread. For instance, if the rotary needles-move 10 while the 'cones feed iao ber thread must be stretched out to 10 which v consequentlycgives a six inch stretch to the or carriers 46 and at the point where the stitch@ -rubber and, lwhen. the goods are free and the ,l is made. The elastic rubber thread feeding"-` a'nd tension mechanism for both yarn threads are or may be identical and but one will bei4 described. i

' 1. .Said feeding mechanism is shown most spei alsA i'fically in Figs.`3, 4 and 5.r The mechanism'. includes a supporting frame having the horirubber thread .can come to a knitted ease, the goods are contracted'by an amount set by the stretch of the rubber thread. If the thread engages the driving cone 62 near the large in diameter. .When the rubber thread engages the driving cone near the small end,

the speed of feed'of the rubber thread will l be relatively slow so that the rubber thread will be fed to the needles under strong tension and, consequently, will pull in the garment so that it will have reduced diameter.

Byvarying the location of the thread up or down the cone, the tension of the thread `as it is fed to the needles can be varied and consequently the shape of the tubular fabric can be varied. The elastic rubber thread 'l is guided into the bite of the cones through the tubular guide or carrier 82.b Said carrier can occupy'any selected position between the has a depending flat bar 84 which is slidable in a correspondingly formed vertical slot provided inthe plate 86 attached to the front face of the support 54.' AS thus arranged, the carrier is free for vertical 'movements and ends of the cones, thus to vary the tension. of the elastic thread. When the tension of the elastic thread is to be maintained practically constant as for knitting straight tubu-y lar elasticgoods, the guide 8,2, see Fig. 6, can be movedvvertically by the adjusting screw 88, which is screw threaded into said carrier and bears against the arm 56, into some position` which gives the proper tension of the elastic 'thread and then left in such position until i't is required to change the f shown in Fig. 4 passes through the cones and thence downwardly through a passage in a thread guide-90 which is carriedI bythe support 54 and is disposed above the top of the needle cylinder. If desired, the thread guide 82a may be provided with a guide arm 82h,

Fig. 6, which has a'thread passage 82c arranged -about in horizontal line with the thread passage in the-guide 82% through which the thread passes downwardly into the guide 90. This arrangement serves to 'guide the thread in a horizontal direction into and out. of the feed cones and under some conditions` may serve to maintain a more accurate tension on the elastic thread than with the construction shown in Fig. 4. Ordinarily, 110W-,

ever, it is fo'und unnecessary to use the for Ward guide 82". l i

In accordance with this invention, means! are rovided to vary the tension of the elastici rub er thread -automatically in accordance! with a predetermined pattern and to this endg tension adjusting means is arranged to move the 'guide 82 vertically in accordance with the predetermined pattern whereby to position the rubber thread in driving engagement with the driving cone at suitable diameters thereof. To this end, the bar 84 ofthe threadA guide 82 is pivotally connected through a screw 92 with the .upper end of a vertically extended link 94, see Figs..1, 4, 8 and9. The lower end of said link is pivotally connected with the one end of a lever 96 thatfis 'pivotally connected intermediate its ends on a pin 98 passed through an upstanding plate 100 carried by a bracket or frame 102 secured to the edge of the cam ring 20. Said lever 96 is provided with a. plurality of longitudinally` spaced pin-receiving apertures 104 and said plate 100 is provided with a plurali-ty of horizontally-extended pin-receiving apertures 106. The pin 98 is adapted to be inserted in any two of said apertures 106 and 104 that -may be brought into alignment whereby to adjust the throw of the lever and consequently the extent of vertical movement of the guide 82. Said lever is -reciprocated by va shaft108 rotatablein spacedbrackets 110. An arm 112 is fixed to the inner end of said shaft and has a pin 114 extended from the end thereof which operates in a longitudinal slot 116 lof said lever 96. An arm 118 is clamped adjustably to the outer end of said shaft 108 and has 'a longitudinally extended rod 120 received detachably in an aperture in the lower end thereof. Said rod is provided with a. roller 122 at its freev end which is adapted to engage and ride over a cam profile carried by a pattern disc 124. Sai'dpattern disc is shown most clearly inFigs. 9 and 10, and comprises a circular disc provided with a sries of screw threaded apertures 126 in one facethereof. Screws 128 are adapted to be received in certain of said apertures to project 1n the same direction from the face of the disc as shown in Fig. 9 to form an-adjustable cam profile; and the screws are placed in such apertures 126 that the camprole will be of the shape desired. The shape shown in Fig. 10 is approximately the shape required to form two of the garments shown'in Fig. 11, the opposite and highest ends of the cam pro-4 file lfollowing a circular curve knitting the4 ends or welts of the garments under constant tension. The ca m'disc is adapted to rotate Y, beneath the roller 122 -an'd thus raise and lower said roller, and consequently the thread -guide 82, thus 'to vary the position of the elastic thread on the driving cone 62, and, consequently,- the tension of the rubber thread. The weight of the arm 118 and associated parts is adapted to maintain the roller 122 in engagement with the cam pr'ole of the pattern disc 124, although it is obvious that if the weight is insufficient, a spring, not shown, can be utilized for this purpose.

The rotation of the pattern disc 124 is controlled by a tension governing mechanism carried by the depending arm 130 of thel bracket 102. A'horizoiital stud shaft 132 is' fixed atone end tothe lower portion of saidl 136 carried b Athe end of said shaft and bearing upon sai sprocket. A ratchet :wheel 138 of the same diameter as said pattern disc 1 24 is fixed to the hub 140 of and is rotatable with said sprocket at the inner end of said shaft.

Said pattern disc is disposed between said sprocket andratchet wheel and is loosely mounted on the hub 140 of said sprocket so that the sprocket can rotate independently of said disc.- Said pattern disc is held against rotation in abackward or clockwise direction,

Fig. 8, by the engagement of a spring finger 142 with the teeth 144 on the-periphery of said disc. 'Sad spring finger is fixed to an horizontally extended rod 146 disposed above the patternl disc and ratchet wheel and fixed to the depending arm of the support bracket 102. The ratchet wheel 138 is similarly secured against 'backward' or clockwise movement b a gravity-operated pawl 148 which is journa led on said rod 146 and is arranged to engage the teeth of said ratchet. Said ratchet wheel 138 and the sprocket 134 are adapted to be advanced one tooth for each revolution of the needle cylinder. To this end, a cam block 150 having an upper cam face 152?, see Fig. 1, is secured to one of the depending arms 154 of the take up frame, which frameis carried by and is rotatable with the needle cylinder as is common in the art. An arm 156, see Figs. 8 and 9, is pivoted intermediate its ends on the end of the stud shaft 132 opposite said depending arm 130. A spring 160y is connected lwith the left hand end of said lever 156 and with a bracket 162 carried by the frame A102 to maintain the other end of said arm in a depressed position as shown in Fig.

- pawl 1 `ywhich is adapted to engage the teeth of the adapted normally to be Held out of driving@ A provided wit 8. Said latter end of said arm is provided with a pin 164 which extends inwardly beneath the cam ring 20 and has a roller 166 thereon whichA is adapted to be engaged b the camface of the cam block 1,50 at eac revolution of the needle cylinder for the purpose' of raisingxsaid arm 156. Said arm 156 is to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 138 th`us to advance said' wheel and consequently the sprocket 134 one tooth at each reciprocation of the arni 156. A spring 172 is connected with said awl 170 and with the frame 102 whereby to gold the pawl ieldingly in engagementwith the teeth o the ratchet wheel.

Said in 168 is also provided with a second 4 which is f.journalled thereon and pattern disc'. 124. Said ratchet, however, is

Yan outwardly-extended 168 which carries a pawl 170 which is adaptedy engagement with the pattern disc exceptrevolution of the needle cylinder by the'- ratchet wheel 138 and its pawl 17 0. The pattern chain is'adapted to control the driving engagement between the pawl 174 and the pattern disc 124.. To this end, selected links of the pattern chain are higher than others yor are provided with raised projections 178. An arm 180 is pivotally mounted on the pin 146 and overlies the sprocket 134 and the lchain thereon. Said arm is provided with a depending projection or wiper pin 182 which has a tapered lower face 184. Said wiper pin is adapted to be out of contact with the low links of the chain so that such links can pass thereunder without operating the arm 180. The high links or projections 178 ofthe chain, however, are adapted to engage said wiper pin and raise the arm 180 thus to free the pawl 174 pattern disc. The arm 180 is provided with a downwardly extended rod 186 which is disposed at one side of the pawl 174 and in front of a lateral projection or pin 188 thereof and is adapted normally to serve as an abutment for` said pin and prevent the pawl from engaging the teeth of the pattern disc. When, however, the arm 180 is raised by the high links of the chain, the rod 186 is moved away from the pawl thusto permit it to engage is reciprocated to move the pattern chain, it also slowly advances the pattern disc.'` When a high link passes from under the arm 180, the arm drops and moves the pawl 174 out of engagement with the pattern disc` which consequently remains in set position until it is aoain actuated. No attempt has been made to s ow in the drawings the precise number o r relation of the high links. A sufficient number will be used. A spring 190 is cpn- -nected with the pawl 174 and a supporting arm 192 extended from the pin 1 68 to urge the pawl constantly toward the pattern disc andalso te'hold the arm 1-84` in normal eleY vated position. Al leaf spring 194 is xed to the pin 146 and rengages a lateral projection 196 of the arm 180 to return the arm to normal position after a high link 178 has passed thereunder.

f With this arrangement, it is seen that the position of the elastic rubber thread between l carried Aby the pattern disc so that the ten- E sion of the rubber thread and", consequently,

l the shape imparted to the garment is autonatically varied in accordance with the patsecond chain 200 (Fig. 1) and its confor engagement with the he feed cones is governed by the cam profile 325 trolled mechanism 202, of usual construction which Welt preferably isknitted Without and arrangement, are utilized to change the stitch from say, aplain rib stitch to a halfcardigan stitch for forming the welt top and bottom, notshown, of the garment of Fig. 11, a change in shape.

The machine here shown is adapted for knitting four courses of yarn for each revolution of the needle cylinder and for inlaying elastic rubber thread in each alternate yarn course. If one of the rubber thread feeding mechanisms is disabled or removed or but one usedthen therubber thread will be inlaid in every fourth yarn course. Consequently, by providing a sutcient number of yarn feeds, and cams to form the stitch at each yarn feed, and a suitable number of elastic ,thread feeding mechani-sms I am enabled to knit and shape an elastic garment very rapidily and to inlay the thread in every course or 1n such courses as may be desired, and to obtain a garment of any desired shape and degree of` compressional effect.

Itshould be 'noted that the rubber thread .l is supplied to the feed and tension cones at ease or under no other tension than that caused by the'weight of the unsupported i length thereof between'the skein of thread and the cones, which length is always the same. In Fig. 12, lthe rubber thread T is drawn from askein contained in a can 204 'stationarily supported on the floor beside the to the cones under constant unvar ing conmachine. The thread extendsl upwardly and freely through a guide 206and thence hori- .zontally andfreely through a second guide 208 and thence downward to the feed and tension cones. The length of' thread is thus constant and .the weight of the dependent lengths is so slight that thel thread passes to `the cones at ease or at most under tension, which, is constant.

a trivial It is important to supply the rubber threadI ditionsqfor, if the tensionfof thev t read before the cones varies, the tension of the thread between the cones and needles will also vary vfrom the tension detained by the cones and thus nullify the purpose of the tension mechanism and, at least, produce a fabric which'is uneven orirregular in shape.

It will therefore be apparent that apparatus wherein the rubber thread is subjected to uncontrolledy or changing forces before it gets to the tension mechanism cannot produce-a fabric of smooth and regular appearance.

The Dknurled faces oi." the feed cones 72 and 76-are of considerable importance and were v arrived at only after a. relatively -flarge amount of experimentation. havin the faces of the cones knur1ed, the grlp o the cones on the elast-ic thread not only is made positive butthread knots or 'bunches are positively fedthough the bite of the .cones i since the bunches and knots occupy the restay in front of the cones and the thread will stretch and finally break. This trouble does not appear with knurledcones.

The construction may be otherwise modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. .4

The term rubber thread as herein employed is intended to include a single elastic strand as well as two or more strands united to form a thread.

I claim: I

l.' The combination ina knitting machine, of a stationarily-supported frame, a rotary needle cylinder supported by said frame, means fixed' to said frame for vfeeding an elastic'thread .to the .rotary needle cylinder under variable tensions and including means to vary the tension of the elastic thread, pattern mechanism.fixed to said frame, means rotatable with said needle cylinder for operating said. stationarily-supported pattern mechanism, and means constantly extended between said pattern mechanism and tensionvarying means and controlled by said pattern mechanism for controlling said tension-varyguide disposed in front and movable lengthwise. of said cones, whereby tovary the engaging position of the thread with the cones and consequently the tension of thev thread, stationarily-supported pattern mechanism, means rotatable with said cylinder for operating said pattern mechanism, and means constantly extended between said pattern mechanism and said thread uideand controlled by said pattern mechanism for moving said thread guide lengthwise of said cones for varying the tension of the rubber thread.

3. The combination with a circular knitting machine .and its rotary needle cylinder and the needles therein, of means -to feed a`n elastic thread under variable ltension to the needles including 'a pair of vertical cones ldisposed beside and adjacent said cylinder,

'a stationary support for said cones, a gear earned by one of said cones 1n mesh with the needles of said cylinder, whereby .the cone is driven 'by said needles, a. thread guide dispgsed in front and movable lengthwise of th of said cones to vary the engaging position of the thread on said cones andY consequently the-tension on said thread, means biasing said guide constantly for movement in rotated position of saidcylinder one direction' lengthwise of said cones, and stationari'l'y-supported pattern mechanism having means which `is inconstant control of regardless of any and which supports saidthread guide against the .action of said biasing means.

4. Apparatus forv delivering elastic rubber thread under variable tension to a knittin the position of said guide machineincluding a pair of cooperating fee cones which are coextensive in length, driving means for one only of said cones, thel other cone constituting an idler cone a thread said cones, and means to move said idler conetoward andl away from the other cone 1n` cluding a swinging support for the idler cone, andy means controlling'the position of said support having means to hold said sup ort in set positionagainst movement away om said driving cone. 1

6, Apparatus for delivering elastic rubber thread under variable tension, to a knitting machine including a supporting bracket, a

vertical feed cone journalled on said bracket,

driving means for said cone, a swinging sup- `port `carried by said bracket movable toward and away from said cone, a second vertical cone journalled on and extended above said l swinging support, said conesl being coextensive 1n height, means including an adjustable stop member controlling the position of said lswinging support with respect to said first cone `and a thread guide carried by said bracket independently of and movable lengthwise of both of said cones.

7. Apparatus for delivering elastic rubber thread under variabler'tension to a knitting machineincluding `Aa supporting bracket, a Bair of cooperating cones journalled on said racket, dnving means for one of said cones, a thread guide movable 'lengthwise of said cones, yielding' means constantly urgin said guide for movement toward one end o said cones, and means controlling the position of said guide arranged to hold it in set position against said urging means. e

8. The combination with a knitting machine, of a paratus for feeding elastic rubber thread un er various predetermined tensions tothe knitting machine, whereby to rovide a fabric having `a variable outline, including thread driving mechanism having :means to vary the tension of the thread in a continuously variable manner, a movable member v the position of which determines the tension o f the rubber thread and which can be 'moved in a continuously variable manner, and pattern mechanism controlling the position of said movable member including a rotary pattern disc havingmeans providing a ca'm the proile of which corresponds with the outline of the knitted fabric, and a follower riding constantly on said cam-profileI having a xed connection with said movable member by which s aid movable member and follower are caused to move conjointly. 1

9. The combination with Aa knittingy machine, of apparatus for feeding elastic rubber thread under variable tension to the knit- 'ting mechanism whereby to provide a fabric having a variable outline including thread driving mechanism having means to vary the' tensionv of the thread in a continuously variable manner, a movable member the position of which determines the tension of the rubber thread and which canl be moved in a continuously variable manner and pattern mechanism controlling the position of said movable member including a rotary pattern disc having a plurality of pin-receiving apertures in one face thereof and pins received in said apertures in cooperative positions forming a cam theproile of which corresponds with the outline ofthe knitted fabric, and a follower constantly riding on said pins having a iixed 4connection with said movable member by which said movable member and follower are caused to move conjointly.

10. The combination with a knitting machine, of apparatus for feeding elastic rubber thread under variable tension to the knitting mechanism, whereby to provide a fabric having a variable outline, including thread driving mechanism having means to vary the tension of the thread in a continuously variable manner, a movable member the position of which determines the tension of .the rubber thread and lwhich canbemoved in a continuously variable manner, and pattern mechanism controlling'the position' of said movable member including a rotary member providing .a cam the profile of which corresponds wit theontline lof the knitted fabric, a follower riding constantly on saidcam-proile having a fixed connectionwith said movable member by which 'said movable member and follower are cludin a pattern chain governing the rotal tion o said rotary member.

'A 11. The combination with a knitting'machine, of apparatus for feeding elastic rubber .thread under variable tension to the knitting mechanism,\whereby to provide a fabric l having a variable outline, including thread aused to move conjointly, and means ink driving mechanism having means to vary the a movable member the position chain controlling tension of the thread in a continuouslyvari-- ber thread, and pattern mechanism controlling the position of said -movable member including a rotar member providing a cam the profile of whic corresponds with the outline 0f the knittedl fabric, a follower riding constantly on said cam-profile having a fixed conber thread under Variable tension to the knitting mechanism whereby to provide a fabric having a variable outline, including thread driving mechanism having means to vary the tension of the thread in a continuously variable manner a movable member the position of which determines the tension of the rubber thread, and pattern mechanism controlling the position of said movable member in-f cluding a rotary member providing a cam the profile of which corresponds with the outline of the knotted fabric, a follower rid- .mg constantly on said cam-profile havin al fixed lconnection with said movable mem er by which said movable member and follower are caused to move conjointly, a reciprocatory driving member for said rotary member having a pawl movable into and out of driv- A ing engagement with said rotary member,a contro member controllingthe action of said pawl and a pattern chain governing said control member'.

13. The combination with a knitting machine, of apparatus for feeding elastic rubher thread under variable tension to the knitting mechanism, whereby to provide a fabric having a variable outline including thread driving mechanism having means to vary the able manner, a movable member theposition of which determines the tension of the rubber thread, and pattern mechanism controlf ling the position of said-movable member including a rotary member providing a cam the` profile of which corresponds with the otline of the knitted fabric, afollower riding-constantly onsaid cam-profile having a -xed connectlon with lsaid movable member by which said movable member and follower -pattern chain.

are caused to move conjointly, a s rocket a pattern chain'4 therein, a ratchet w eel drivmg said sprocket, a-reciprocatory member operated by the rotation of the cyhnder having a pawl for moving said ratchet wheel step by step, a second pa l for driving said rotary member, and a ontrol member for connection between said rotary member be operated by said said second pawl an disposed in position to 14. ,Apparatus for delivering elastic rubber thread under variable tension to the needles of a knitting machine, whereby to provide a. knitted fabric having a variable outline, including thread driving means arranged to vary the tension of the thread in a continuously variable manner, a movable member, the position of which determines the tension'of the thread, said member being movable in a continuously variable manner, and a pattern mechanism for controlling the position of said movable member including a bracket, a shaft carried thereby, a toothed pattern disc having means providing a cam profile rotatably supported on said shaft, a follower riding constantly on said cam profile havin(r a fixed connection with said mov.- able member by which said movable member and follower are caused to move conjointly, a sprocket'journalled on said shaft, a ratchet wheel on said shaft beside said pattern disc and lixed to said sprocket, a reciprocatory arm for advancing both said disc and ratchet wheel, pawls carried by said arm adapted to engage both said disc and wheel, a control lever adapted normally to hold one of said pawls out of driving engagement with said pattern disc, and having a wiper member disposed in position to be engaged vby said pattern chain and operated to release said pawl.

15. Apparatus for delivering elastic rubber thread under variable tension to the needles of a knittin vide a lmitted fa ric having a variable outline, including thread driving means arranged to vary the tension of the thread in a continuously. variable manner, a movable member the position of which determines the tension of the thread, said member being movable in a continuously variable manner, and a pattern mechanism for controlling the position of said movable member includin a cam-follower having a fixed connection wlth saidl movable member by which said movable member and follower are caused to move conjointly, a cam-member rotatable under said ollower in constant engagement therewith, a pattern chain, driving mechanism for said cam-member and chain having provision for driving said chain continuously step-b -step,4

machine, whereby to proand means controlled by said chain avingA control of the drive of said cam-member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specicatio RICHARD J. WILKINSON.

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