US2318998A - Furnishing wheel assembly and drive therefor - Google Patents

Description

May 11, 19 3- w. A. INGALLS EFOR FURNISHING WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND DRIVE THEIR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb y 1943- w. A. INGALLS 2,318,998

FURNISHING WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND DRIVE THEREFOR Filed Feb. 26, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 11, 1943 'UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE FURNISHING WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND DRI VE THEREFOR Willis A. Ingalls, Syracuse, N. X, .assignor to Tompkins Bros. 00., Syracuse, N.

tion of New York Y., a corpora- 13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in knitting machines, and more particularly, to furnishing wheel assemblies and drives therefor such as are applicable to use in connection with knitting machines of the circular spring needle type.

In drawing the thread or yarn from the usualsource of supply with which knitting machines are equipped, as the thread is fed to the needles of the machine during the knitting operation, the resistance to the feed of the thread created by the drag at the thread package and by the friction at the various thread guides through which the thread usually passes in a moreor less irregular path, an appreciable tension is imposed uponthe thread which may besu fficient to break the thread or unduly strain the needles at the {point of entrance of the thread-intot-he needle circle. Moreover, this tension on the thread is not uniform, but on the contrary, is almost continuously changing due to the varying drag at the thread package as the thread supply diminishes. Hence the feed of the thread into the needles will not be uniform'unlessmeasures are taken to compensate forthe same, thereby causing unevenness'in the knitted stitches and consequently the production of an inferior -=or low "quality fabric.

Heretofore, 'I have proposedthe use of what I have termed furnishing wheels to coact with each thread feed at a point intermediate the source of thread supply and the point of entrance of the thread into the needles, "said furnishing wheels beingpreferablycomposed of "a pair of intermeshing radially bladed wheels be tween which the thread is passed so as to be lightly gripped thereby and caused to be fed uniformly to the needles, and substantially relievingthe thread of tension at its pointo'f'en- "trance into the needles. One of the furnishing wheels was positively driven directly-by the needles on't'he rotating needle cylinderfthe drive being established by a gear meshing with the shanks of the needles just above the ne'edle'caps.

This construction is disclosed inmy cop'en'ding 'application Serial No. 392,540, filed May il, 1 941, to which reference maybe had for a more detailed description thereof.

While theprior furnishing wheel assembly and drivethere'for, above referred to,*has proved to be satisfactory under some conditions, I have found that such an arrangement dmposes ama- '-terial-limitation upon number of feeds and other equipment which can be employed with a'needlecylinder of anygivensiza-this being due to the location of the furnishing wheels relatively close to and about at the same level as the needle cylinder. Also, under certain conditions, 'I have found that the driving of the furnishing wheels directly by the needles sometimes imposes too great a strain upon'the needles and is not suili- 'ciently lp'os'itive because -of the 'springy character inherent in the conventional spring needles which are customarily employed in these types of knitting machines.

With the foregoing in View, it is the primary objectofthe present invention-to provide an improved and highlysuperior furnishing w'l'ieel asscxribly and drive therefor, wherein the iumishing wheel equipment is substantially spaced from the *needle cylinder so as to leave all of the 'space in the zone near the needle cylinder available for additional thread feeds and/or other equipment, thereby permitting the attainment of "a greater maximum -or potential utility of the machine Without necessitating an increase in size thereof.

A further objectoithe invention is to provide an improved drive for the furnishing wheel assembly which -'is oi "a more positive character than here'tofore, and which eliminates undue strain --on the needles occasioned by the :forzner use of furnishing wheels.

Another object 0f the invention is to provide 'an improved adjustable mounting for the furnishing-wheel assembly and itsv drive which ad- 'mits of location of the furnishing wheels more nearly in 1a 7 direct line from the source of thread supplyor from the'usual stop motiondevices, to

- the needles, thereby reducing the number of vide a novel "and improved adjustable mounting 'for the furnishing wheel assembly audits drive Whic'hfconveniently permits accuratelocation of the furnishing wheels "relative to the needle cylinder and the usual drive gear whichserves to drive the needle cylinder, so as to permit application "of the furnishing wheel assembly and --it-sdfive to knitting --machines of different size,

while at'the same time permitting variation of the *speed of rotation -of thefurnishi'ng wheels =bythe interchange of parts ofthe drive.

Otherand further objects'of the invention -will be hereinafter-described, and the novel "features th'e're'of defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings: I Figure -1 is a top planview of a furnishing wheel assembly and drive therefor, constructed in accordance with my invention, and also illustrating the manner of mounting the same in operative relation to the drive gear for the needle cylinder, the drive gear and mounting ring for the furnishing wheel assembly being shown in fragmentary plan;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1, and in addition, of the needle cylinder, the mounting ring and a portion of the needle cylinder being shown in vertical section;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the main drive gear for the needle cylinder, and a cooperating driven gear on the furnishing wheel drive shaft which establishes a drive to the furnishing wheels, the latter drive shaft being shown in elevation;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional viewon the line 4-4 of Figure 1, with one of the furnishing wheels omitted and certain of the parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 6-8 of Figure 1, drawn on a somewhat enlarged scale, and showing the pivotal support for one of the furnishing wheels, the furnishing wheel being shown in broken lines;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 1-4 of Figure 1 through the other furnishing wheel which cooperates with the furnishing wheel shown in Figure 6, certain of the parts being shown in elevation; and

Figure 8 is a plan view of the combination gear guard and thread guide blank which is associated with the outer drive shaft gear, the blank being shown in a flattened form before being bent transversely into its angular assembled form.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings. For a more complete illustration and description of the entire knitting machine, reference may be had to my copending application hereinbefore referred to. Only such parts of the machine as are essential to an understanding of the present invention have been shown in the accompanying drawings, in which I denotes a vertical drive shaft which is attached at its upper end to the needle cylinder 2 for imparting rotation to the latter. The needle cylinder 2 is provided at its periphery with a ring of spring needles 3 attached to the cylinder in the usual manner by needle caps 4. Power is preferably transmitted to the drive shaft l by means of a main drive gear 5 (see Figure 3), having bevel teeth 6 at its lower side for cooperation with a bevel power gear (not shown). The main drive gear 5 is preferably axially extended in an upward direction to provide a drum portion hav ing a peripheral braking surface I disposed for cooperation with suitable brake means (not shown) for braking the rotation of the needle cylinder when the power drive is interrupted.

Disposed about the axis of the needle cylinder at a point somewhat below the needle cylinder is a slotted mounting ring 8 which is carried by the frame or bed of the knitting machine and serves to adjustably support the usual stands and other equipment (not shown) which are usually provided for feeding the threads to the needles 3 and otherwise cooperating with the needles in the performance of the knitting operations. Attached to the mounting ring 8, as by means of bolt 9 is an elongated slotted link 10. The opposite ends of the link I ll are squared or otherwise provided with flat surfaces to which are attached adjustable shaft bearings H, II for rotatably supporting a drive shaft [2 which serves to drive the furnishing wheels l3, l4 carried by a bracket 15 adjustably attached to the slotted link ID by bolt 16. The shaft bearings II, II are each secured to the link by a pair of bolts [1, i8, and the bearings are each provided with suitable openings therethrough to receive the bolts [1, l8 and permit threaded engagement of the bolts with the link H]. The openings in the bearings II, II which receive the bolts l8, 18 are preferably located about midway between the opposite ends of the respective shaft bearings and thes openings are preferably formed somewhat larger than the bolts I8, [8 as indicated at [9. Thus, by loosening the bolts l1, [8, the shaft bearings ll may be adjusted to a limited extent in an upward and downward direction about a center coinciding with the center of the bolts l1.

Mounted on the inner end of the shaft l2 and fixed thereto is a gear 20 which is adapted to mesh with teeth 2| provided on the upper edge of the combination brake drum and main drive gear 5 previously referred to. The gear 20 thereby establishes a driving relation between the main drive gear 5 and the shaft 12. The length of the shaft [2 is preferably great enough to permit use of the same with knitting machines having different sizes of needle cylinders, by suitably axially adjusting the shaft l2 in the shaft bearings H, H, and/or axially adjusting the gear 20 on the shaft l2. On the outer end of the shaft 12 is fixed a second gear 22, the teeth of which are adapted to mesh with a pinion 23 fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft 24 rotatably mounted in the bracket [5, and having fixed on its upper end the furnishing wheel I3. Thus the furnishing wheel I3 and its shaft 24 are positively driven by the shaft l2. To prevent axial displacement of the shaft l2 in the shaft bearings II, II, the hub 25 of the gear 22 may be disposed close to the outer side of the outer shaft bearing II, and a collar 26 may be fixed on the shaft [2 and disposed close to the inner side of the outer shaft bearing ll. However, this construction may be modified as desired, and if preferred, two collars similar to 26 may be fixed on the shaft l2 so as to h one at each side of either of the shaft bearings H, H.

As will be best seen from Figure 7, the furnishing wheel 13, which is the driven wheel, comprises a central part or body 2'! having mounted therein and axially extending therethrough next to the shaft 24 a bushing 28. This body 21 is radially slotted at its outer edge, and mounted in the slots is a plurality of equally spaced blades 29, the outer extremities of which are preferably recessed as at 30. The blades 29 are suitably fixed to the body 21, and disposed at the upper side thereof is a large washer 3| which is firmly clamped thereagainst by a nut 32 received on the upper end of the bushing 28. The assembled furnishing wheel l3 may be keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft 24. Preferably, however, the upper end of the shaft 24 is tapered, and the furnishing wheel I3 is tightly forced thereon and restrained against displacement by a nut 33 engaging the threaded reduced extremity 34 of the shaft. A dust cap 35 is disposed over the nut 33 at the upper end of the shaft.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 4 and 6, it will be seen that the furnishing wheel i4 is identical in construction with the furnishing wheel l3. However, the furnishing wheel M v is rotatably be passed. g t e an, the plate as is provided with a pair aera e-s mounted upon a fixed stud or stub axle 36 car-- ried by an arm 3'! which is pivdtally attachedto the upper side of the bracket 15 by rneans of a bolt 38. The bolt 38 is preferably provided with a shoulder 39 adapted to abut against a corre sponding shoulder formed in the opening in the bracket l5 into which the bolt extends, thereby permitting the bolt 38 to be firmly "tightened, while allowing the arm 57 to freely pivot or swing about the axis of the bolt. The furnishing'wheel V4 is free to rotate on the stub axle 3-6, and is prevented from being displaced from the axle by a nut '40 having threaded engagement with the 'r'educed'extremity G! of the axle, and over which is mounted a dust cap l-2. The arm 31 is provided at one side thereof withan ear 33 to which may be connected one end of a coil'spring M, the other end of the spring being suitably connected to a cor-responding ear 45 on the upper side of thebracket I 5. The tension of the spring 44 serves to urge the arm '31 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure '1 of the drawings, thereby tending to move the furnishing wheel 14 towards the furnishing wheel l3, with the blades 46 of the former overlapping the blades 29 of the latter'and int'ermeshed therewith. The extent of movement of thearm 37,115 above ref erred to, and consequently the degree of overlapping of the blades 48 and 29 is limited by an adjustable stop screw t! which extends through an ear 4 8 on the arm 37, so that the inner end of the stop screw 47 abuts against the edge of the bracket l5, as will be best understood from reference to Figures 1 and 2. A jam nut 49 on the stop screw 41 serves "to lock the stop screw in its adjusted position. I

Mounted 'upon the stub axle 36 and disposed below the furnishing wheel I l is an oil cup 50 into which may be introduced a quantity of lubricant tolubricate the axle 35 and thus insure free rot'ationof the furnishing wheel M thereon.

Attached tothe upper side of the arm 31 is a strap "or plate having its opposite endsbent upwardly as at52,'52, respectively lying atopposite sides of the line of" intersection of the furnishing wheels 13, it. Each of'the'ends 52,52'is preferably slotted as 'at 53, the slots preferably extending for a portion of the horizontal length of the Plate 5! to permit a screw 54 to be in- 'serted'therethrcugh for the purpose of attaching the-same to'the upper side of the arm '31. The 's l'ot's' 53 in the respective upright arms 52, 52 are enlarged as at 55 to receive a porcelain eye "56 'orhthersuitable guide through which the'thread is guided and maintained in the plane of intersection of the furnishing wheels [3, M, as is best seen inFigures l and 2.

Attached to the lower side of the bracket 45 is 'a'combination thread guide and guard 51. This guard may be made from sheet metal and stamped out in the form of a flat blank as shown in Figure 8. 'One end of the blank has the form of an annular'ring5B, whereas the other end is in the form 'of a flat plate '59'provided with an enlarged aperture 6!] at one end thereof and "a slot 6| at the other end thereof. The slot 6| is enlarged at 52 to receive a percelain' eye or other guideB'S through which the thread isadaptedto Intermediate'the slot GI and the of elongated slots 5d, these slots being adapted to receive therethrough a pair of fastening screws 55jiorattaching the plate '59 to the'lower -side of "the bracket l5, as clearlyshown in figures "2 and. Before mounting the conlbiriat-io'nkg'uide 75 and guard 51 upon the bracket 1-5, the blank 'is bent transversely at a point indicated by the breke'n the 65 in Figure 8, so as to dispose the circular or ring portion 58 in a position substantially perpendicular "to the plate part 59. Thus, as the plate part 59 is attached to the bracket IS in a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 7, the ring or ciroular par't '53 is disposed in'a vertical posi'tion'relativelyclose to the outer face '"of the gear 2-2 on the outer end of the shaft 12, The outer diameter of the ring or circular part 58 is preferably slightly greater than the diameter of the genre, so that when the guard 5'! 'is mounted in the position shown in Figure 7, the ci'riiular part 58 will project radially for a slight distance beyond the teeth on the gear 22, thereby guarding against inadvertent catching of the thread in the gear 22, or otherwise catching the operators clothing in attending tothe k' tting machine. In its mounted position, the

opening 60 in the combination guide and guard 5 'allows the shaft 2-4 to project downwardly thereth rough without interfering with the rotaonor this shaft,the opening 60 being sufficiently large to afiord ample clearance about the shaft and permit adjustment of the guard to a limited extent towards or away from the gear as alrowed by the slots through which 'the fastening screws extend.

n will be understood from the foregoing that the furnishing wheel assembly and drive therefo'i' con'stitutes a "unitary attachment which may be applied to standard knitting machines which are well known in the'art, and in soapplying the attachment, the bracket 15 is adjustably secured to the slotted link it, which link is in turn adjustably secured to the slotted mounting ring "8, the latter being -'a regular part of the knitting 'Inac'hin'e. By loosening the bolt 9, the link, together with the furnishing wheel assembly can be shifted-a's-a unit radially towards and away from the needle cylinder, as well as circumferentially about the axis of the needle cylinder, therebypermittingany suitable spacing of the "furnishing wheels relative-to the needle cylinder, and or lo'cationof the furnishing wheels at any desiredipoint about the axisof the needle cylinder, according'to' the location of the thread feed or sinker burr. The furnishing wheels may be employed to feed a regular stitch forming thread, or they may be used to feeda backing thread to "the usualbacking wheel instead of to the stitch wheel 'o'r sinker burr. By providing for limited vertical adjustment of the drive shaft [2 which drives the furnishing wheels, as pre'viously described, proper meshing of the gear 20 with the' teeth 21 on the main -drive gear 5 can'be GLSIS'II'FEH.

Ih'e 'o'p'erati'on of the furnishing wheels and "their'driv'e should be obvious from-the foregoing and "may be briefly summarized as follows: :Due to 'the meshing of the gear 20'with the main drive "gear 5, as rotation is imparted to the needle cylinder! and the circle of needles 3- carried threbm rotation isalso imparted positively to-the "shaft 12, which in turn, through gears 22 and '23, drives the shaft'24 carrying the furnishing "wheel 13. This furnishing wheel being intermeshed with a correspondin furnishing wheel M freely rotatable on a fixed axle 36,causes simultaneous rotation of the furnishing wheel IA. The thread, designated T in Figures 1 and 2, leads "from theusual thread supply or thread package (not shown) located near the bottom of the"knitting"-inriacl'line, according Z5170 one .common construction, either directly to the eye or guide 63, or as an alternative arrangement, first,to intermediate automatic stop motion devices (not shown) also located below the needle cylinder, and then to the guide 63. From the guide 63, the thread leads to the guides 56, 56 at opposite sides of the furnishing wheels l3, [4, with the thread engaged by the intermeshing blades of the furnishing wheels at a point intermediate the guides 56, 56. From the innermost guide 56, the thread then passes to the stitch wheel or sinker burr (not shown) or to a backing wheel (not shown) as the case may be. a

The amount of overlap or intermesh of the blades 29, 46 on the respective furnishing wheels 13, M, will determine in part the speed and tension of the thread. By rotating the stop screw 41 in one direction or the other, the overlapping or intermeshing of the blades maybe increased or diminished as desired. The speed of rotation of the furnishing wheels l3, It may be conveniently varied by substituting for the pinion 23, other pinions of difierent size. The pinion 23, as shown in the drawings, generally corresponds to that usually used for feeding the thread T to a regular sinker burr or stitch feed wheel, whereas, if the furnishing wheels are used for feeding the thread to a backing wheel, the pinion 23 would be replaced by one having approximately twice the number of teeth and diameter for reducing the furnishing wheel speed for backing. The pinion 23 and gear 22 may also be replaced by others of difierent sizes and number of teeth, as may be required for various gauges, as also may be the case with regard to the furnishing wheels l3, l4 themselves,which may be replaced by others of diiferent size and difierent numbers of blades. Whenever the pinion 23 is substituted by another of different size, the bolt I6 can be loosened to allow for adjustment of the bracket inwardly or outwardly along the slotted link H], as may be required to establish proper meshing relation with the gear 22. The shaft 24 carrying the pinion 23 is preferably made long enough to permit the pinion to be axially adjusted thereon as occasion requires for establishing meshing relation with other gears oi smaller size than gear 22 as shown in the drawmgs. While the specific details have been herein shown and described, the invention is not'confined thereto, as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder and drive means therefor, a furnishing wheel assembly including a pair of rotatable wheels mounted in substantially spaced relation to the needlecylinder and adapted toreceive'a thread therebetween to be engaged and advanced thereby, means for driving at least one of the furnishing wheels from the drive means. for the needle cylinder, and means for both radially and ,circumferentially adjustlng'the furnishing wheel assembly relative to the needle cylinder, while maintaining the driving relation between the needle cylinder drive means and the furnishing wheels aforesaid.

2. In a knitting machine having a rotaryneedle cylinder and drive means therefor, a furnishing wheel assembly including a pair of rotatable wheels mounted in substantially spaced relation tothe needle cylinder and adapted .to receive a thread therebetween to be engaged and advanced thereby, radially adjustable means for driving at least one of the furnishing wheels from the drive means for the needle cylinder, and means for both radially and circumferentially adjusting the furnishing wheel assembly relative to the needle cylinder, said last named means including a slotted supporting link adjustably mounted at one side of the needle cylinder for radial and circumferential movement relative to the needle cylinder, and a bracket adjustably connected to the slotted link and carrying the furnishing wheels.

3. In a knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder, drive means therefor and a slotted mounting ring extending about the axis of rotation of the needle cylinder below the latter, a radially adjustable furnishing Wheel assembly comprising a pair of opposed rotatable thread engaging members disposed respectively at opposite sides of the path of the thread to be fed to the needles on the needle cylinder and radially spaced from the needle cylinder, with the axes of rotation of the thread engaging members lying parallel with each other and parallel to the axis of rotation of the needle cylinder, radially adjustable means for positively driving at least one of the rotatable thread engaging members by the driving means for the needle cylinder while the furnishing wheel assembly is in each of its radially adjusted positions, and radially adjustable means attachable to the slotted mounting ring for carrying the thread engaging members.

'4. In a knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder, drive means therefor and a slotted mounting ring extending about the axis of rotation of the needle cylinder below the latter, a radially adjustable furnishing wheel assembly comprising a pair of opposed rotatable threadengaging members disposed respectively at opposite sides of the path of the thread to be fed to the needles on the needle cylinder and radially spaced from the needle cylinder, with the axes of rotation of the thread engaging members lying parallel with each other and parallel to the axis of rotation of the needle cylinder, radially adjustable means for positively driving at least one of the rotatable thread engaging members by the driving means for the needle cylinder while the furnishing wheel assembly is in each of its radially adjusted positions, and means attachable to the slotted mounting ring for carrying the thread engaging members, said last named means including slotted link means adjustable radially relative to the slotted mounting ring.

5. In a knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder, drive means therefor and a slotted mounting ring extending about the axis of rotation of the needle cylinder below the latter, a radially and circumferentially adjustable furnishing wheel assembly comprising a pair of opposed rotatable thread engaging members disposed respectively at opposite sides of the path of the thread to be fed to the needles on the needle cylinder and radially spaced from the needle cylinder and radially and circumferentially adjustable with respect thereto, with the axes of rotation of the thread engaging members lying parallel with each other and parallel to the axis of rotation of the needle cylinder, radially adjustable means for positively driving at least oneof the rotatable thread engaging members by the driving means for the needle cylinder while the furnishing wheel assembly is in its adjusted positions aforesaid, and means attachable to the slotted mounting ring for carrying the thread engaging members, said last named means including means adjustable circumferentially and radially relative to the slotted mounting ring,

6. In a knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder, drive means therefor and a slotted mounting ring extending about the axis of rotation of the needle cylinder below the latter, a furnishing wheel assembly comprising a pair of opposed rotatable thread engaging members disposed respectively at opposite sides of the path of the thread to be fed to the needles on the needle cylinder and radially spaced from the needle cylinder, with the axes of rotation of the thread engaging members lying parallel with each other and parallel to the axis of rotation of the needle cylinder, radially adjustable means for positively driving at least one of the rotatable thread engaging members by the driving means for the needle cylinder while the furnishing wheel assembly is in its adjusted positions aforesaid, and radially and circumferentially adjustable means attachable to the slotted mounting ring for carrying the thread engaging members, said last named means including a slotted link having releasable fastening means extending through the slot thereof and the slot in the mounting ring aforesaid, and a support for the thread engaging members having releasable fastening means extending therethrough and through the slot in said link.

7. In a knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder and drive means therefor including a drive shaft attached to said needle cylinder and having a main drive gear fixed to said drive shaft, a furnishing wheel assembly comprising a pair of opposed furnishing wheels rotatably mounted in radially outwardly spaced relation to the needle cylinder for receiving a thread therebetween to be engaged and advanced thereby toward the needles on the needle cylinder, and means for positively driving at least one of the furnishing wheels from the main drive gear aforesaid, said last named means including a second drive shaft disposed in radial relation to the drive shaft for the needle cylinder and extending from a point near the main drive gear to a point near the furnishing wheels, a gear fixed on one end of said second drive shaft and operatively driven by the main drive gear, an additional gear fixed on the opposite end of said second drive shaft, and a rotatable driven shaft having the positively driven furnishing wheel fixed to one end thereof for rotation therewith, and having a pinion fixed to the opposite end thereof coacting with and driven by the last mentioned gear onthe second drive shaft.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the furnishing wheels are adjustable radially towards and away from the needle cylinder, and wherein the second drive shaft is supported for radial adjustment thereof.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the furnishing wheels are adjustable radially towards and away from the needle cylinder, and wherein the second drive shaft is supported for axial adjustment thereof, and the gears on the latter shaft are axially adjustable thereon.

10. A furnishing wheel assembly for circular knitting machines, comprising a support, drive means including a shaft rotatably mounted on said support and a driving member adjustably mounted on one end thereof for imparting rotation thereto, a furnishing wheel fixed to the opposite end of the shaft for rotation therewith, an arm movably mounted on said support, a second furnishing wheel rotatably mounted on said arm in opposed relation to the first mentioned furnishing wheel, means for adjustably moving said arm for varying the distance between the axes of rotation of the respective furnishing wheels according to the tension and the size of the thread to be received between the furnishing wheels, and means for adjustably connecting said support to the knitting machine for both radial and circumferential adjustment of the furnishing wheels and their drive means as a unit relative to the knitting machine while maintaining the drive by the driving member aforesaid.

11. A furnishing wheel assembly for knitting machines, comprising a support, a shaft rotatably mounted in said support and having a furnishing wheel fixed to one end thereof and having means on the opposite end of the shaft for imparting rotation thereto, an arm pivotally mounted on said support and having an axle carried thereby, a second furnishing wheel rotatably mounted on said axle in opposed relation to the first-mentioned furnishing wheel, means for imparting pivotal movement to said arm for varying the distance between the axes of rotation of the respective furnishing wheels, a drive shaft, means on one end of the drive shaft coacting with the rotation imparting means on the first-mentioned rotatable shaft to drive the latter, means on the opposite end of the drive shaft for imparting rotation to the drive shaft, and a combination thread guide and guard attached to the support and disposed in contiguous relation to the coacting drive means on the drive shaft and first-mentioned rotatable shaft.

12. A furnishing wheel assembly for knitting machines, comprising a support, a pair of 0pposed furnishing wheels rotatably mounted on said support to receive and advance a thread therebetween by engagement therewith, drive means carried by said support for driving said furnishing wheels, said drive means including a drive gear disposed at one side of said furnishing wheels and having operative driving relation with at least one of said furnishing wheels, and a thread guide fixed to said support at one side of said furnishing wheels and adjacent to the drive gear aforesaid, said thread guide being extended in a plane substantially perpendicular thereto and parallel to the face of said drive gear, with the extension lying relatively close to and projecting radially beyond the outer margin of the drive gear to form a guard.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the thread guide and the extended gear guard are formed from a normally flat blank of sheet metal having an annuluar outline at one end to form the gear guard.

WILLIS A. INGALLS.

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