US2158497A - Three carrier mechanism - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1939. c GOOD 2,158,497

THREE CARRIER MECHANISM Filed Nov. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l y 1939' F. c. GOOD 2,158,497

THREE CARRIER MECHANISM Filed NOV. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 16, 1939. QGQQD 2,158,497

THREE CARRIER MECHANI SM Filed Nov. 9, 1935 5 Sheets Sheet 3 9/5561? ar e %/ZW2 MM May 16, 1939. c, 5009 2,158,497

THREE CARR IER MECHANI SM Filed Nov. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 16, 1939. F. c. GOOD THREE CARRIER MECHANISM Filed Nov.

Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THREE CARRIER MECHANISM Frederick 0. Good, Philadelphia, Pa. Application November 9, 1935, Serial No. 49,087 1301mm. (01. 66-127) This invention primarily relates to mechanism for producing what is commonly referred to in the knitting art as ringless hosiery" or threecarrier work, that is, a full-fashioned stocking or other knitted fabric wherein three main knitting threads of which the fabric is composed aredrawn from three separate cones or other thread supplies, which are all of the same kind and quality, and are fed to the needles in predetermined order or succession in the production of the I110- cessive courses of stitches of which the fabric is formed.

It is generally known in the art, at the present time, that thread silk varies in diameter or thickl5 ness at various places throughout the length of any one thread. When such a thread is knit into immediately succeeding courses, it frequently happens that one of the thicker or thinner portions of the thread, as the case may be, will be 20 of sufllcient length to form two or more successive and interiooped courses of stitches, which results in the formation of rings or shadows in the stocking or other fabric. This condition has been corrected to a great extent by'knitting each of 25 three separate threads into but a single course at any one time. In so doing, the uneven portions of the various threads are distributed throughout the body of the fabric and the ring or shadow effect is thereby offset to such an ex- 30 tent that it is not apparent in the finished product. Each thread is controlled by an individual thread carrier bar and various mechanisms have been employed for selectively connecting the individual carrier bars to the friction carrier bar 5 drive mechanisms of full-fashioned hosiery knitting machines. These carrier bar selecting and coupling mechanisms have, in the past, been either of a complicated or unreliable character.

The object of the present invention is to pro- 40 vide a three-carrier operating mechanism which is simple in construction and reliable in operation. The construction and operation of the mechanismforming the subject of the present invention will be fully disclosed hereinafter, ref- 45 erence being had to the accompanying drawings;

of which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of sufllcient of a full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine to illustrate the application of the mech- 50 anism of the present invention thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation or end view of the mechanism taken on the line 3-3,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation taken 6 on the line 6-6, Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line '|1, Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the carrier bar selecting and driving or coupling elel0 ments; I

Figs. 9 to 19 inclusive are diagrammatic plan views of three of the carrier bars of the machine and illustrating the sequence of operations of the carrier bar selecting and driving elements; and

Figs. to inclusive are diagrammatic views of the carrier bar selecting and driving elements in the various positions assumed in selecting and operating the carrier bars in the manner shown in Figs. 9 to 19 inclusive. 20

In Fig; 1 of the drawings, one of the cross frames of a conventional full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine is illustrated at ii. The back center bed of the machine is illustrated at l2. One of the bearing brackets for the back nar- 25 rowing shaft l3 of the machine is illustrated at M. This bearing bracket, as usual, is provided with an extension l5 which provides support for the friction box drive rod I6 of the machine. The bracket extension [5 also provides support for a friction box guide rod H which extends parallel to the drive rod [6 throughout the length of the machine. Extending parallel to the drive rod I6 is the usual slur cock bar l6.

Secured to the back center bed I! is a series of brackets I9 having transversely extending heads 20 in which are slidably mounted the usual thread carrier bars I to 8 inclusive of the knitting machine.

The friction box drive rod I6 and the slur 4o cock bar l8, as is generally known in the art, are simultaneously reciprocated longitudinally of the machine through the usual Coulier motion (not shown).

'Mounted on the friction box drive rod I6 is a series of friction boxes each provided with a slide or arm or equivalent means by which the various friction boxes may be operatively connected to the thread carrier bars I to 8 respectively, whereby the thread carrier bars will receive longitudinal reciprocation for laying thread to the needles of the machine (not shown) for the formation of successive interiooped courses of stitches.

. The extent of longitudinal movement of the bars I to 8 is governed by the usual end stops 66 of the machine (not shown), whereby the width tions 53 into the grooves 33 and distributing of the fabric produced is governed in the usual manner.

The mechanism forming the subject matter of the present invention comprises a special friction box 25 which is mounted on the friction box drive rod |3 in the usual manner, said friction box being provided with the usual friction leathers carried by the usual shoes arranged in the interior of the friction box and adapted to be connected to or loosened from the friction box drive rod by the manipulation of a handle 23 in the usual manner. 4

Secured to each of the opposite ends of the friction box 25, in the present instance, is a split collar, illustrated at 21 and 23 respectively. These collars are mounted on circular axial extensions 23 of the friction box 25 and are clamped in definite position thereon by tap bolts 33, 33. The collars 21-and 23 are provided with forwardly extending arms 3|, 32 respectively. Mounted in the arms 3| and 32 and projecting inwardly toward each other are sleeves or bushings 33 and 34 respectively. Mounted in the sleeves 33 and 34 is a hollow shaft 35. Centrally disposed von the shaft 35, between the arms 3| and 32, is a pair of laterally or axially spaced wheels 31 and 33 which function as selectors and driving or coupling elements for the carrier rods l, 2' and 3, in the present instance, as will be hereinafter described.

The wheels 31 and 33 are respectively carried by and fixedly secured to hub members 33 and 43 respectively. Integrally formed with or connected to the hubs 33 and 43 respectively are' ratchet wheels 4| and 42. Also secured to the hub elements 33 and 43 are index wheels 43 and 44 respectively.

Fixed to or formed integral with the inner ends of the sleeves 33 and 34 respectively are detent brackets 45 and 43, each of which is provided with a radially extending cylindrical portion 41 and 43 respectively. As shown in Fig. 6, each of these cylindrical extensions has a bore 43 in which is slidably mounted a detent plunger 53. between which and a plug screw 5| at the outer end of said bore is a spring 52 by which the detent 53 is yieldingly pressed and held in peripheral notches 53 of the index wheels 43 and 44, as the case may be.

The sleeves 33 and 34, and consequently the detent cylinders 31 and 33 carried thereby, may be adjusted axially and angularly for the purpose of leveling the selecting or coupling wheels 31 and 33 with respect to the carrier rods I, 2 and 3, said sleeves being locked in their adjusted positions by set screws 55 and 53 respectively, which are threaded into the arms 3| and 32, and as shown in Fig. 2.

The opposite ends of the hollow shaft 35 are provided with nuts 51 and 53 respectively which bear against the outer ends of the sleeves 33 and 34 respectively, whereby wear and axial play between said sleeves and the selector wheel hub elements 33 and 43 may be taken up.

The shaft 35 is perforated radially and circumferentially grooved as indicated at 53 and 33 to provide for lubrication of the various working elements mounted on said shaft, said lubrication passing through the hollow center of the shaft 35 from any suitable grease or oil supply (not shown) but which may be connected to the threaded ends 3| and/or 32 of the shaft 33, said lubricant passing through the perforaalong the outer operating'surface of the shaft 35.

Mounted for oscillation on the sleeves 33 and 34 respectively between the arms 3| and 32 and the detent brackets 45 and 43 are the hubs 33 and 34 of pawl carriers which include arms 35 and 33 formed integral with the hub 33 and 34 and having extensions projecting axially over the end of said hubs across the detent wheels 43 and 44 and ratchet wheels 4| and 42.

The sleeves 33 and 34 may be perforated to permit lubrication for the pawl carrier hubs 33 and 34 from the hollow shaft 35.

Pivotally mounted on the ends of the overhanging portions 31 and 33 of the pawl carrier arms 34 and 33 are pawls 39 and 13 which cooperate with the ratchet wheels 4| and 42 respectively for moving the carrier rod selector wheels 31 and 33 alternately and step-by-step end clamped in the extension 31 or 33 of the pawl carriers 33 and 34 as the case may be by means of clamp plates 13 and 14 as illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 6.

Alternate step-by-step rotation of the selector and drivingwheels 31 and 33 is effected in the present instance by and from the slur cock bar I3, it being understood that as the friction box drive rod l3 and slur cock bar |3 reciprocate and with them move one or more of the thread carrier bars I to 3 the movement of the carrier bars is limited by the above noted end stops of the machine which arrest the carrier rods and consequently the friction boxes to which these carrier rods are connected. The slur cock bar and the friction drive rod |3, however, continue to move longitudinally after stoppage of the carrier bars, and it is this relative movement between the slur cock bar and the friction box in the present instance which is utilized to effect the selecting movements of the wheels 31 and 33 after the carrier rods have come to rest at the ends of their strokes.

As shown in Fig. 1, the slur cock bar is provided with brackets or standards 15 which are secured to the slur cock bar by any suitable means, such as bolts 13. The upper ends of the brackets 15 support a cam element 11, said cam element being secured to the bracket 15 in any suitable manner, such as by tap screws 13.

As shown in Fig. 4, the cam 11 is provided adjacent its opposite ends with tapered or inclined cam paths 13 and 33 respectively. It will be understood that through the greater part of the movement of the friction box 25 and slur cock bar l3, the cam 11 and the friction box 25 move together, at the same rate of speed. Then, as the carrier bar which is connected to the friction box 25 is stopped by one of the end stops, the

slur cock bar l3 and the cam 11 carried thereby move relative to the friction box 25 and in so doing the cam paths 13 and 33 alternately engage cam rollers 3| and 32 respectively. These cam rollers 3| and 32 are rotatably mounted on the lower ends of levers 33 and 34, said levers being pivotally mounted on a pivot rod or studs 35 supported by lugs 33 and 31 formed on the collars 21 and 23 respectively.

The opposite ends of the levers 33 and 34 are connected by links 35 and 33 to levers 31 and 33 formed on or carried by the hubs of the pawl carriers 83 and 88 respectively, so that when the cam 11 moves in one direction, for example to the right as viewed in Fig. 4, the cam surface 80 will engage the cam roller 82 and through the lever 84 and link 88 operate the pawl carrier 64 which in turn will rotate the selector wheel 88 one step which, in the present instance, is a movement of 60 about the axis of the shaft 85.

When the cam 11 moves in the opposite direction relative to the friction box 25, the cam surface 18 will engage the cam follower 8| on the lever 83 and rock said lever which in turn will effect a 60 rotation of the selector wheel 31.

Return of the levers 83 and 84 to positions to be engaged by the cam 11 is efiected by springs 88 and 98, the position of the cam followers 8| and 82 being determined by the levers 83 and 84 contacting with the body of or some abutment on or carried by the friction box 25.

As shown in Figs. 5, 6, 8 and 20 to 25 inclusive, the selector wheels 31 and 38 are of a general hexagonal contour, and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the axis of rotation of these wheels is directly above and substantially in the plane of the center of the carrier bar No. 2.

Each of the carrier bars I, 2 and 3 is provided with a driving dog la, 2a and 3a respectively, said dogs being of a length substantially equal to the distance between the inner opposed faces of the selector driving wheels 31 and 38, Just a suflicient clearance being permitted between the ends of the dogs and the inner opposed surfaces of the wheels to allow for the rotation of the wheels relative to the dogs for selecting purposes. However, at such time as any one of the dogs is positioned between said opposed surfaces of said wheels to connect the carrier bar to the friction box 25 for driving movement of the carrier bar, this clearance is not sufficiently great to allow any appreciable amount of relative longitudinal movement of the bar with respect to the wheels between which the dog is gripped, thus providing for accurate controlling and positioning of the carrier bars with respect to the needles and sinkers of the machine at the ends of the respective strokes of the carrier bars.

Each of the wheels 31 and 38 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed radial dog-clearing notches or openings 31a, 31a formed in opposed parallel fiat perimeter surfaces 31b, 31b of said wheel and diametrically opposed radial dogclearing notches or openings 31c, 31c disposed at right angles to the dog-clearing notches 31a, 31a. and located at corners formed by the intersection of two adjacent flat perimeter surfaces 31b, 31b of the hexagonal wheel, which provides a plurality of solid dog-engaging portions or lugs 31d, 31d'alternating with the flat surface and corner dog-clearing notches or openings 31a and 310.

The wheel 38 is correspondingly formed with fiat surfaces 38b, 38b provided 'with median dogclearing notches or openings 38a, 38a, corner notches or openings 38c, 38c and intermediate dog-engaging lugs 38d, 3811..

Normally one of the flat surfaces 31? and 38b of the wheels 31 andv 38 lie in a common plane parallel to and spaced above the plane of the top surfaces of the carrier bars I to 8 inclusive, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, and one of the solid portions or dog-engaging lugs 31d or 38d of one of the wheels 31, 38 is at all times in overlapping relationlto one of the lugs of the other wheel and one of the dog-clearing spaces adjacent thereto, as will be clear in the following description of the operation of said wheels.

It will be understood that each of the carrier bars i, 2, 8, etc. isprovidedwithanumberofthread guides, one for eachknitting head in the machine, and when the driving dogs of the carrier bars are positioned at the left, as in Fig. 9, the thread guides carried by such bars are disposed at the left hand selvage of each stocking or other piece of fabric being knit, as determined by the left hand end stops of the machine,. and that when the driving dogs are at the right, as viewed in Fig. 9, the thread carriers on those particular bars are disposed at the right hand salvage of each stocking or fabric piece being knit, as determined by the right hand end stops of the machine.

Fig. 9 illustrates the dogs Ia and 3a of the bars I and 3 respectively at the left hand side and the dog 2a of the bar 2 at the right hand side. Fig. 20 illustrates the relation of the wheels 31 and 88 as viewed from the left in Fig. 9. One of the dogengaging lugs 31d of the wheel 31 is in engagement with the left hand end of the dog la of the bar I, and extends across the carrier rod 2, one of the corner dog-clearing openings 31c being aligned with the dog 30. of the bar 3. One of the dog-engaging lugs 38d of the wheel 38 is disposed at the opposite side of the dog la of the bar I and another of the dog-engaging lugs 38d of the wheel 38 is disposed at the corresponding side of the dog 3a of the bar 3 with a median dog-clearing opening 38a between said lugs disposed in alignment with the bar 2.

Taking the set-up of Fig. 9 as a starting point in the cycle of operations of the wheels 31, 33 and bars I, 2 and 3, the first movement of the friction box 25 would be to the right, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9. The dog la. of the bar I being held between the wheels 31 and 38 would be correspondingly moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10, wherein the portion ofthe lug 31d of the wheel 31 which overlaps the dog-clearing opening 38a of the wheel 38 comes in contact with the inner end of the dog 2a of the bar 2, insuring that said bar is in contact with the right hand end stop of the machine and properly aligned'with and between the wheels 31 and 38. As above noted in Fig. 9, one of the median dogclearing openings 38a of the wheel 38 is aligned with the carrier bar 2 so that in the movement of the wheels 31 and 38 from the position shown in Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. 10, the wheel 38 is enabled to pass the dog 2a on the carrier bar 2 and thereby permit the dog to be engaged by the lug 31d of the wheel 31. as noted.

With the wheels in the position shown in Figs. 10 and 20 and the bars I and 2 against the right hand end stop of the machine, the continued motion of the slur cock bar 18 causes the cam 11 to effect a one-step rotation of the wheel 38 from the position shown in Fig. 20 to that shown in Fig. 21, while the wheel 31 retains its position shown in Figs. 9 and 20, whereby the lug 38d moves out of alignment with the dog Ia into alignment with the dog 2a. and extends over the bar 3, as illustrated in Fig. 11, one of the corner dog-clearing openings 38c moving into alignment with the right hand end of the dog la.

The slur cock bar [8, the friction box drive rod l6 and the friction box 25 then move slmultaneously to the left, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 11, the dog 20. of'the bar 2, being held between the solid lugs 31d and 38d of the wheels 31 and 38 respectively move with the friction box 25 in the direction of the arrow II, from the position shown in Fig. 11 to the position shown in Fig. 12. During this shift to the left the corner dog-clearing opening 3Ic of the wheel 31 clears the dog 30 of the bar 3 and the solid each other and with and between the wheels 31 and 33 for a subsequent rotary shifting of the wheel 31 by the cam II as a result of the excess movement of the slur cock bar over that of the friction box 25 as determined by the carriers 2 and 3 contacting with the left end stops of the machine.

The wheel 31 during the last-mentioned rotary shifting thereof moves from the position shown in Figs. 12 and 20 to the position shown in Figs. 13 and 22, while the wheel 33 retains its position of Fig. 21. This shifting of the wheel 33 aligns one of the median dog-clearing openings 31c with the left hand end of the dog 2a of the carrier bar 2 and moves one of the adjacent lugs 31d into alignment with the left hand end of the dog 3a. and the other of the adJacent lugs 31d into alignment with or overhanging relation to the carrier rod I, as shown in Fig. 13.

The next movement of the slur cock bar and friction box drlverod to the right moves the carrier bar 3 to the right from the position shown in Fig. 13 to the position shown in Fig. 14, after which the wheel 38 is shifted from the position shown in Fig. 21 to that shown in Fig. 23, bringing a solid lug 33d into alignment with the dog Iaand overhanging the bar 2 with one of the dog-clearing openings 38c in alignment with the dog 3a of the bar 3.

The wheels 31 and 33 when next moved by the friction box 23 to the left, as illustrated in Fig. 15, carrying the dog I a and the bar I from the position shown in Fig. 15 to that shown in Fig. 18, wherein a lug 33d of the wheel 30 contacts the inner end of the dog 2a and moves the bars I and 2 into contact with the end stops at the left hand end of the machine and aligns the dog 20 with the dog Ia for a shift of the wheel 31.

The wheel 31 then shifts from the position shown in Fig. 22 to that shown in Fig. 24 which causes a lug 31d of the wheel 31 to align with the left hand end of the dog 2:; and to overhang the bar 3, an opening 31c in the wheel 31 being brought into alignment with the dog In of the bar I.

The friction box 25 and consequently the wheels 31- and 33 then move to the right, as indicated in Fig. 17, from the position shown in Fig. 17 to that shown in Fig. 18. After arriving at this position, the wheel 38 is again shifted from the position shown in Fig. 23 to that shown in Fig. 25, causing one of the lugs 31:! to move into alignment with the right hand end of the dog In and another lug 31d to move into alignment with the bar I and positioning one of the openings 310 in alignment with the right hand end of the dog 2a.

The friction box 23 and wheels 31 and 33 next move to the left as indicated in Fig. 19, carrying the dog 30 and the bar 3 from the position shown in Fig. 19 to that shown in Fig. 9 for a repeat of the cycle.

Fruntheabovaitwillbeclearthatthethread carrier bars I, 2 and 3 are moved successively in a predetermined order so that the threads controlled thereby are laid to the needles of the knitting machine once in the formation of each three courses of stitches in the single or several fabrics being made on the machine.

From the above description. it will be clear also that the carrier bars are under definite control of the wheels 31 and 38 at the time the selection is made and during the full stroke of each bar after it is selected for laying thread to the needles.

It will also be obvious from the above description that the mechanism is of very simple nature and that it is sturdy of construction and not liable to breakage nor requiring any special attention during the normal operation of the knitting machine as the selection of the bars is made entirely automatic.

As previously noted, the friction boxes of flat knitting machines, particularly those employed in the making of full-fashioned hosiery, are held in definite relation to the bars I to 3 inclusive against rotary motion about the axis of the friction box drive rod I6 by a yoked lug on each of the friction boxes embracing a guide rod II which, as noted, extends parallel to the drive rod I6. In the present instance, and in order to provide operating space for the special friction box 25, one section of the guide rod I! between a pair of the supporting brackets I is removed and a special guide rod I la provided in offset relation to the rod II. The special section lid is supported from and by the ends of the rods II or by the brackets I5 through supplementary brackets IIb.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the friction box 25 is provided with a pair of rearwardly extending arms 9i and 32 respectively. These arms or a single arm may be carried directly by the body of the friction box 25, or, as in the present instance, by the split collars 3I and 32. In the present instance, the arms 9i and 32 are provided with shoulders 93 which engage the under side ofthe guide bar Ila and thus prevent the weight of the mechanism disposed over the carrier bars- I to 3 from effecting a rotary movement of the friction box 26 about the axis of the drive rod I, thus maintaining a pair of the flat perimeter surfaces 3ld, 33d, of the wheels 31 and 3| respectively in the above noted parallel relationship to the plane of the upper surfaces of the bars I to I.

In order to prevent upward movement of the wheels from the carrier bars in the present instance, the arm 32 slidably supports a latch 94' which projects outwardly over the upper surface of the guide bar "a, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. v

If atany time it is desired to use the carrier bars I, 2 and 3 in the ordinary manner, that is, without selective successive operations thereof, the friction box 25 and all of the selecting mechanism carried thereby may be rotated upwardly about the axis of the rod I 8 by retracting the latch 34, after which release of the latch and subsequent projection thereof would cause the upper surface of the latch to engage the under surface of the guide bar I'Ia, thus retaining the wheels 31 and 33 in an elevated inoperative position. By this movement of the friction box 25, the cam followers II and 32 are likewise swung out of alignment with the cam 11 to an inoperative position.

Retraction and projection of the latch 94 is eiiected in the following manner:

The latch is slidably mounted in a guideway 95 formed in the arm 92 and is provided with a laterally extending pin 86 which projects through an elongated slot 9'! formed in the side of the guideway 95. The outer projecting end of the pin 96 is engaged by one end of a lever 98, the opposite end of said lever being in the form of a handle I00 projecting outwardly over the top of the friction box 25. The lever 98 is pivotally mounted at 99, between a pair of lugs 10!, IN formed on the split collar 28 and a spring I02 having one end connected to the lever 98 and its opposite end connected to the split collar 20 tends to maintain the latch 04 in its projected state at all times.

I claim:

1. The combination in a fiat knitting machine of a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars, driving dogs on said bars respectively, driving means for said bars operable parallel thereto and including a pair of rotary laterally spaced elements adapted for independent rotation and each provided with a plurality of dog-engaging lugs and intermediate dog-clearing spaces, and means for alternately actuating said elements intermittently for aligning predetermined lugs and spaces thereof with predetermined dogs on said bars for selectively coupling said bars to said driving means.

2. The combination in a fiat knitting machine of a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars, a friction box drive rod and a slur cock bar longitudinally reciprocal parallel to said carrier bars, a friction box guide rod parallel to said drive rod, a friction box mounted on said drive rod, a pair of rotary elements carried by said friction box and respectively provided with a plurality of carrier bar engaging lugs and intermediate carrier bar clearing spaces, ratcheting mechanism carried by said friction box for intermittently rotating said rotary elements for selectively coupling said carrier bars to said friction box, a cam carried by said slur cock bar for actuating said ratcheting mechanism, and manually operable means carried by said friction box and engageable with said guide rod for maintaining said friction box and the rotary elements thereon in either an operative or inoperative position relative to said carrier bars.

3. The combination with a device adapted for driving a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars of a flat knitting machine, of a pair of rotary elements carried by said driving device, each of said elements being adapted for independent rotation and having a plurality of carrier bar engaging lugs and intermediate bar clearing spaces, and mechanisms, one for each of said elements and carried by the driving device for intermittently rotating said elements to bring in alternating succession the lugs thereof into carrier bar engaging position for selectively coupling said bars to said driving device.

4. The combination with a device adapted for driving a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars of a flat knitting machine, of a pair of rotary elements carried by said driving device, each of said elements being adapted for independent rotation and having a plurality of carrier bar engaging lugs and intermediate bar clearing spaces, ratchet mechanisms, one for each of said elements and carried by the driving device for intermittently rotating said elements, and a cam adapted for reciprocation parallel to, with, and in excess of said driving device to actuate alternatively said mechanisms to bring in alternating succession the lugs of said elements into carrier bar engaging position for selectively coupling said bars to said driving device.

5. The combination with a device adapted for driving a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars of a flat knitting machine, of a pair of rotary elements carried by said device, each of said elements being adapted for independent rotation and having a plurality of bar engaging lugs and intermediate bar clearing spaces, a mechanism for each rotary element and carried by said driving device for intermittently rotating said elements, and means operable independent of said driving device for alternatively actuating said mechanisms to bring.

in alternating succession the lugs of said elements into carrier bar engaging position for selectively coupling said bars to said driving device.

6. The combination with a device adapted for driving a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars of a flat knitting machine, of a pair of rotary elements carried by said driving device, each of said elements being adapted for independent rotation and having a plurality of bar engaging lugs and intermediate bar clearing spaces, a mechanism for each rotary element and carried by said driving device for intermittently rotating said elements, and a cam adapted for operation parallel to, and concurrently with, and in excess of said driving device for alternatively actuating said mechanisms to bring in alternating succession the lugs of said elements into carrier bar engaging position for coupling said bars to said driving device.

'7. The combination with a device adapted for driving a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars of a flat knitting machine, of

a pair of rotary elements carried by said device, each of said elements being adapted for independent rotation and having a plurality of bar engaging lugs and intermediate bar clearing spaces, a mechanism for each rotary element and carried by said driving device for intermittently rotating said elements, means operable independent of said driving device for alternatively actuating said mechanisms to bring in alternating succession the lugs of said elements into carrier bar engaging position for selectively coupling said bars to said driving device, and means for selectively maintaining said rotary elements in operative or inoperative relation to said carrier bars.

8. The combination with a device adapted for driving a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars of a flat knitting machine, of a pair of rotary elements carried by said device, each of said elements being adapted for independent rotation and having a plurality of bar engaging lugs and intermediate bar clearing spaces, a mechanism for each rotary element and carried by said driving device for intermittently rotating said elements, means operable independent of said driving device for alternatively actuating said mechanisms to bring in alternating succession the lugs of said elements into carrier bar engaging position for selectively coupling said carrier bars to said driving device, and means for selectively maintaining said driving device in operative or inoperative relation to said carrier bars. a v

9. The combination in a flat kntting machine of a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars, a friction box drive rod longitudinally reciprocal parallel to said carrier bars, a friction box mounted on said drive rod, a pair of rotary elements carried by said friction box and adapted for independent rotation, each of said elements having a plurality of carrier bar engaging lugs and intermediate carrier bar clearing spaces, and a ratcheting mechanism for each rotary element and carried by said friction box for intermittently rotating said rotary elements to bring in alter- 'nating succession the lugs thereof into carrier bar engaging position for selectively coupling said carrier bars to said friction box.

10. The combination in a flat knitting machine of a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal thread carrier bars, a friction box drive rod and a slur cock bar longitudinally reciprocal parallel to said carrier bars, a friction box mounted on said drive rod, a pair of rotary elements carried by said friction box and adapted for independent rotation, each of said elements having a plurality of carrier bar engaging lugs and intermediate carrier bar clearing spaces, a ratchet mechanism for each rotary element and carried by said friction box for intermittently rotating said rotary elements to bring in alternating succession the lugs thereof into carrier bar engaging position for selectively coupling said carrier bars to said friction box, and a cam carried by said slur cock bar for alternatively actuating said ratcheting mechanisms.

11. In combination with the carrier bars, friction box, and slur bar of a full-fashioned knitting machine, carrier bar driving means carried by said friction box and including a pair of independently rotatable elements each having relatively spaced means engageable with the carrier bars, and a mechanism for each of said elements for their relative independent rotation and operable to selectively bring the means of said elements into carrier bar engagin and disengaging positions for coupling said driving means with said carrier bars for the selective operation thereof, said mechanisms being operated alternatively and periodically by said slur bar.

12. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, the combination of a plurality of carrier bars and a reciprocating friction box, means including a pair of rotary elements longitudinally movable with, and transversely movable relative to said friction box for selective operative engagement with any of said carrier bars, and an actuating device comprising ratchet mechanisms, one for each of said elements for rotating the same independently of each other, and an element bodily reciprocably shiftable longitudinally of the machine and independently of said friction box for alternatively transmitting an actuating impulse to said mechanisms to eilfect the selective operative engagement of said elements with the carrier bars.

13. The combination in a flat knitting machine of a plurality of longitudinally reciprocable thread carrier bars, driving dogs on said bars respectively, driving means for said bars operable parallel thereto and including a pair of rotary laterally spaced elements adapted for independent rotation and including a plurality of dog-engaging lugs and intermediate dog-clearing spaces relatively arranged so that each element may alternately be positioned to engage and clear said carrier bar driving dogs for holding and freeing the carrier bars, and means for alternately actuating said elements intermittently for the rotation of one element to place a lug and a space thereof in position for engaging the dog of one carrier bar and clearing the dog of the other carrier bar while said carrier bars are held by 9, lug of the remaining element.

FREDERICK C. GOOD.

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