US2364217A

US2364217A - Knitting method and machine

Info

Publication number: US2364217A
Application number: US264533A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold E Houseman
Original assignee: Scott and Williams Inc
Current assignee: Scott and Williams Inc
Priority date: 1939-03-28
Filing date: 1939-03-28
Publication date: 1944-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1961-12-05
Also published as: US2241404A

Description

Dec. 5, 1944.

H. E. HOUSEMAN KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed March 28, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 5, 1944. H. E. HoUsEMAN KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1939 h? mb NQ MQ WMe/vra@ V y YF.

Dec. 5, 1944.

KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed March 2s, 1939 Tsheets-sheet 5 A7770 /Vf VJ.

H. E. HoUsEMAN 2,364,217l

Dec. 5, 1944. H. E. HoUsx-:MAN

KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed March 28,v 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec 5, 1944 H. E. HoUsEMAN KN-ITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed March 28, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 www w .Mmmm w a #y w E M /QMJ www /0.

Dec. 5, 1944. H. E. Housr-:MAN

l KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed March 28, 19159 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 t ZZ www 292 Y Dec. 5, 1944. I H. E. HOUSEMAN 2,364,217

KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed March 2 8, 1939 r7 Sheets-Sheet '7` PatentedDec. 5, 1944 KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Harold E. Houseman,.Laconia,'N. H., assgnor to Scott and Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. H., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application March 28, 1939, Serial No. 264,533

1.7y claims.

This invention relates t a knitting method and machine, and specifically to a method and machine for the automatic production of a rib top-continuously with the leg of a stocking in which split knitting occurs, either in the foot alone or both in the foot and above the heel to form a so-called high splice.

`The machine of the present invention may be regarded as an improvement on the machine of Scott Patent 1,641,101, dated August 30, 1927, various features of which it embodies. In the said Scott patent, there is automatically produced a rib top continuously with the other portions of the stocking, thus avoiding the necessity for separately forming a rib top and transferring it to the needles of a machine for the production of a leg. The production of split Work on such a machine entails various problems which are solved by the present invention.

One of the objects of the'invention is the production of a split foot stocking in which the leg is knit two-feed so that at the beginning of split knitting above the heel no yarn or feed must be introduced. Speciiically, it is the object to provide such a stocking in which there is also provided a rib top knit automatically and continuously with such leg.

It is known to produce a stocking with an automatically formed top on a two-feed machine in which the leg is knit single feed from main yarn at the sole feed and in which split work is produced about the heel with main yarn in the instep knit from the instep feed. In such a stocking, the heel is knit single feed, while the main yarn is under takeup control and` the foot is then made by split knitting in the same fashionas that 'occurring in the formation of the split work above the heel. In such a machine, however. there is necessarily a changeover at the beginning of the split work. The result of this is that there is loose stitching at the point of introduction of the second feed and special care must be taken to prevent the occurrence of a weakened Zone. There is also a radical change of the knitting at this point and it is difficult toavoid the appearance of a line of demarcation appearing through the instep at the top of the high splice. In accordance with the present invention, these objections vare overcome and with the twofeed knitting through the leg there is not only increased rapidity of production, but the use of two yarns avoids to a substantial extent any appearance of rings due to variation in weight of one of the yarns used.

Another object of the invention is the provision of stitch cam controlling means for securing proper adjustments and balance of stitches for the production of a satisfactory product.

Still another object of the invention isthe provision of sinker cam controlling means at the instep feed for securing proper control of stitch formation during splitknitting.

The above and other objects, particularly relating to details of construction and operation, will become, apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical section through the needle cylinder andv associated parts of the machine, illustrating particularly the association of the rib needle dial with the needle cylinder;

Figure 2 is a'diagrammatic illustration of one form of stocking which the improved machine is intended to produce;

Figure 3 is an inside development of the needle cams carried through somewhat more than 360 to afford clearer illustration of the relationships ofcertain cams and associated means;

'Figure 4' is a fragmentary view illustrating the lower butt ends of needles and showing the three lengths of butts which are used;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the four types of sinkers used inthe machine;

Figure 6 is a perspective View showing the various cams associated withvthe auxiliary feed of the machine and their operating elements;

Figure '7 is a vertical section taken through certainof the operating parts of the auxiliary feed cams;

Figure 8 is a plan view illustrating particu` larly the needle cam operating elements, as well as means for controlling movements of .asinker retracting cam associated with the auxiliary feed:

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical section showing particularly certain stitch controlling elements and taken cn the plane indicated at 9--9 in'Figure 8; Figure 10 is an elevation of the parts illustrated in Figure 9;.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, v.showing the means for controlling a sliding cam, shown particularly in Figures 9 and l0:

Figure 12 is a vertical section illustrating certain means for controlling adjustable cams located at the mainfeed of the machine;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary elevation of the elements of Figure 12 and associated parts;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary view showing details of an adjustment means illustrated in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating particularly the means for controlling the action of a yarn feeding finger at the auxiliary feed;

Figures 16 and 17 are vertical sections through the auxiliary yarn feeding finger and its cooperating elements, showing it in inactive and active positions, respectively;

Figure 18 is a plan view of the sinker cam cap and associated elements showing particularly the mounting of a sinker retracting cam associated with the auxiliary feed;

Figure 19 is a. Vertical section taken on the plane indicated at I8-I 9 of Figure 18;

Figure 20 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the various types of needles and sinkers in the machine; and

Figure 21 is a diagram illustrating the positions of various cams and other elements of the machine during the knitting of a stocking.

Referring first to Figure 2, the stocking illustrated therein, which is a typical product of the improved machine, comprises a setting-up course 2 following the formation of which there are formed a number of welt-forming courses providing, as described in said Scott Patent 1,641,101, a turned plain knit welt 4. Following the production ofthe welt 4, there is formed the rib top 6, which is, in turn, followed by a series of ribbed loose courses indicated at 8. Following the formation of these loose courses, plain fabric is knit to form the extended top I0, using the yarn which was knit to form the rib top. Then leg I2 is knit with change of yarn, preferably using two feeds so that two courses are produced for each revolution of the needle cylinder.

Such two-feed knitting continues until the high splice is reached, whereupon split knitting occurs with the formation of the high splice I4 and the upper instep portion I6. Reciprocation of the needle cylinder takes place at this time. Following completion of the high splice a yarn change may take place and formation of the heel proceeds, the heel having the conventional narrowed and widened portions I8 and 20, respectively.

Split knitting is then resumed to form the foot 22 and instep portion 24, At the end of the foot there are formed by rotary knitting a plurality of advance toe courses, indicated at 26, followed by a reciprocatory knit toe having the narrowed and widened

portions

28 and 30, respectively, the stocking being then finished with the formation by rotary knitting of the loopers rounds 32. The actual steps in the formation of the stocking will be described in greater detail hereafter.

Referring now to Figure l, there are illustrated therein certain of the basic parts of the machine which are substantially similar to the parts more fully illustrated in Scott Patent 1,641,101 referred to above. The needle cylinder 34 is preferably of an elongated type having'slots in which slide not only the needles 36, but upper jacks 38 and lower jacks 40, the latter being provided with removable butts 42 adapted to be operated by pattern mechanism, if desired, to produce patterning in the stocking in accordance with wellknown practice. Since such patterning does not form any part of the present invention, it need not be described in detail. It may take various forms, such, for example, as result from floating, reverse plating, and formation of various types of stitches, etc. The jacks are also arranged to control alternate needles in the fashion necessary to effect the formation of the rib top as described in said Scott patent.

The sinker dial of the machine is illustrated at 44 and carries in slots therein in the conventional fashion web holders or sinkers, indicated generally at 46, which are of the various types illustrated in Figure 5 and more fully described hereafter. A sinker cam cap 46 is provided over the sinker dial and carries substantially conventional sinker actuating cams (as described in said Scott patent), except for a retracting cam and other cams associated with an auxiliary feed referred to hereafter. During reciprocatory knitting, this sinker cam cap has slight oscillating movements of the usual type. The various sinkers are urged inwardly by a spring band indicated at 50.

Above the needle cylinder there is located the rib needle dial 52, which carries the two-part rib needles 54, 56 of the types specifically disclosed in said Scott patent. The rib needle dial is driven through the usual bevel gearing 58 and vertical shaft 60 in synchronism with the needle cylinder.

The needle cylinder is movable relatively to the needle dial as described in said Scott patent. Additionally, this means is used to adjust the position of the needle cylinder for the required length of stitch at the main feed by providing for fine adjustment of the cam-following screws of the Scott arrangement.

The present machine differs from the machine of said Scott patent by reason of the provision for split foot knitting through the high splice and foot of the stocking. The nature of the special elements of this machine may be best understood by referring to Figure 3, which shows in developed form the needle actuating cams.

At the main feed point of the machine, there are located the top center cam 62 and lower center cam 64, flanked by the forward and reverse

stitch cams

66 and 68, respectively. Below stitch cam 68 is located the cam l0, which checks the needles against overrun, while below reverse stitch cam 68 there is located a cam 14, adapted to check overrun of the needles depressed by the reverse stitch cam 68. Beyond the cam l0 in the direction of forward movement of the needles is the needles raising cam 12. During reverse knit/- ting, an extension of the cam '14 provides for needle raising.

Cams

16 and 18 are arranged to complete the lowering of the needles which are picked downward by the lowering picker 82, which is oi conventional type. The cam 8U levels the needles properly for engagement with this picker.

Of the cams so far described, all are xed with the exception of

cams

66 and 10. which are axially movable in a fashion hereafter described.

The usual raising pickers 84 and 86 are located above the

stitch cams

56 and 68 in their usual positions.

At 88 there is located a radially movable cam which corresponds to the cam illustrated at 4 in Figure 3 of the Scott patent. Fixed cam 98 corresponds in its functions to cam 25 of the same figure of the Scott patent.

The cams associated with the auxiliary or instep feed comprise the top center cam S2, forward and reverse

stitch cams

84 and 96, reverse and forward

deilecting cams

98 and 100, forward and-reverseraising cams |02 and |04, .and forward and reverse lower needle arresting cams |06 and |08, respectively. Of these cams, top center cam 92 and raising cams |02 and |04 are radially movable. The other cams 94,' 96, 88,

. |00, |06 and |08 are both radially movable and axially adjustable, as will be hereafter made clear.

Cam is active during split knitting to elevate long butt instep needles above themain knitting cams when they travel in a reverse or clockwise direction. During rib knitting, it performs the same function as cam 8 illustrated in Figure 3 of the Scott patent. This cani is radially movable to three positions, as will be hereafter described.

Cam ||2 is radially movable and is the conventional long butt switch cam. It not only serves to elevate the long butt needles at the beginning of heel and toe knitting, but also deflects them above the main feed knitting cams as they travel in a counter-clockwise directon during split knitting. The specilc actions of this cam will be described in detail hereafter.

Cam ||4 is radially movable and is effective to lower needles both as the machine comes out of toe knitting and also as it goes into rotary knitting at the ring toe.

The needles carried by the cylinder are of conventional type, divided into the usual sole and instep series, of which the instep series are provided with long butts and of which the sole series are provided with short butts with the exception of suture needles located at the ends of the sole series and provided with intermediate butts. These needles are indicated at H6. lll and |20 of Figure 4 and are disposed in the cylindor as indicated in the diagram of Figure 20. While such neednot be the case, it is usual to have the sole needles occupy half the cylinder and the instep needles the other half. One or more of the suture needles may be provided at each end of the short butt series.

The sinkers associated with the needles are of four types, indicated in Figure at |22, |22. |26 and |28. So far as the web holding portions of these sinkers are concerned. they are of two types. which alternate in their location inthe sinker dial. The sinlzers |22 and |24 mightbe calledplain ones, while the sinkers |26 and |20 are serrated, as indicated. for the purpose of enraging and imparting special tension to the'fabric. These sinkers perform in connection with the rib knitting the identical funct'ons of the similar sinkers described in said Scott patent, and they need not, therefore, be described in detail. In the present case. there are two types of plain sinkers |22 and |24 provided with long and short butts, respectively, and two types of serrated sinkers |26 and |28, provded with long and short butts, respectively. The long butt sinkers are associated with the instep needles. while the short butt sinkers are associated with the sole needles. The disposition of these sinkers with respect to the needles is illustrated in the diagram of Figure it being understood that the sinkers move between the needles in the usual fashion. It will be noted that long butt sinkers are associated with the suture needles.

The dial needles need not be described' specially beyond their indication at 54 of Figure 1, since they correspond to, and function the same as, the dial needles in said Scott patent.

There may now be described the various controlling elements for the needle cams. Referring Til cam .92.

A yoke |46 is provided with a milled slot and is arranged to embrace the up-turned end |30 of the slide |32 so as to be movable upwardly and downwardly with respect thereto. It is held in proper relationship with the up-turned end |30 by being secured to a bridging portion of the cam |06. The yoke |46 has an upright extension |50 which carries

cams

94 and 98. The yoke |46.is urged upwardly by a spring, which is not shown, but corresponds to the spring |12 illustrated in Figure 7, cooperating with a corresponding yoke |68. The yoke is held downwardly in adjusted position by means of a. nger |48, to which reference will be made hereafter. By reason of the mounting of the yoke and the slide. it will be evident that the cam |02 has only radial movements, while the cams |06, 94 and 98 partake of the radial movements of cam |02, but are independently vertically adjusted. The cams on the other side of the center, of the auxiliary feed group are similarly mounted. There is provided a slide |54 having an up-turned end |52 and arranged to slide on the upper bed plate under the guidance of a cover member |56. A spring |58 urges the slide |54 inwardly and outward movements are imparted thereto at proper times by means of a lever |62, which abuts a stop screw |60 adjustable in the slide |54 and is actuated through an arm |64. link-connected to a lever |66 acted upon by suitable cams on the main cam drum. On the up-turned end |52 of the slide |54 is the yoke |68, urged upwardly by spring |12 and carrying the cam |08 below the cam |04, which is secured to the end |52 of the slide. The yoke |68 is held on end |52 by cam |08 and hasan upward extension |10 for supporting the cams 96 and |00, Thus this second group of cams at the auxiliary feed point is mounted in a fashion similar to the group on the other side, all of the cams having common radial movements with slide |54, while the cams |08, 96 and |00 are vertically adjustable. A nger |14 similar to lnger |48 limits upward movement of the yoke |68 under the action of its spring |12.

The center'carn 92 of the auxiliary group is carried by a lever |18, which is pivoted at |16 on the cover plate 56. This lever is provided with an abutment screw |82 adapted to engage a stop pin |84 carried by the plate |56 under the action of a spring |86 to limit inward movement of the` An adjustable abutment screw is carried by the lever |18 so as to be engageable by the yoke |68 when the slide |54 is moved to its outermost position. When that occurs, the center cam 02 will be withdrawn from proximity to the needle cylinder so as tomiss engagement with needle butts.

The fingers |48 and |14 which limit upward movements of the yokes |46 and |68 are carried, respectively, by arms |88 and |90, which form portions of bell cranks pivoted at I 9| in a bracket attached to the upper bed plate |3|. The depending arm of the iirst bell crank which has the horizontal arm |88 is indicated at |92 (Figures 9, 10 and l1) and is provided with adjustable abutment screws |94, |96 and |98, respectively, adapted to be engaged by a cam 200, which is provided with slots embracing studs 202 at the periphery of the lower bed plate 204, the arrangement being such that the cam 200 has a substantial arc of movement about the edge of the bed plate. The cam 200 is provided with a pin 206 embraced by a bifurcated arm of a bell crank 208, which is connected by a link 2| 0 to the upper end of a lever 2|| adapted to be acted upon by suitable cams on the main cam drum. The screws |94, |96 and |98 may be differentially projected so as to secure various adjustments of position of the yoke |46, depending upon the position of the cam 200. vided with a lateral extension 2|2 overlapping the depending arm 2|6 of the second bell crank |90 and adapted to be engaged by an adjustable screw 2|4 carried by the latter arm. This screw is preferably provided with a grooved head engageable by a spring pressed detent 2|8, so that it may be forcibly adjusted, but will be definitely held in adjusted position until substantial force is exerted to turn it againt the holding action of the detent. As will be evident, hereafter, the two yokes |46 and |68 will, in general, partake of the same adjustments for different conditions, but for stitch balancing purposes, must be adjusted with respect to each other. The arrangement just described provides for such condition.

The cam ||0 must occupy three different positions in the operation of the machine, and is hence carried by a slide 220 guided in a suitable supporting arrangement indicated at 222 supported by the upper bed plate. The slide 220 is provided with an abutment screw 224, adapted to be engaged by a lever 226, which is link connected to a lever 228 adapted to be operated upon by suitable cams on the main cam drum.

The

cams

66 and 10 at the main feed must be vertically adjustable and are hence controlled by the mechanism illustrated particularly in Figures 12, 13 and 14. The two cams are secured to a slide 230, which is mounted in a vertical slot in the cam ring 232 by means of a bridging piece 234. This is connected by a link 236 extending through an opening in the upper bed plate to a lever 238 pivoted at 240 to the lower bed plate and having its outer end urged downwardly by a spring 242 to bring a guided slide member 244 into engagement with suitable cams 248 on the main cam drum 246. The pivot pin between link 236 and lever 238 is provided with a rounded head 231 engageable by a hardened plate 252 on the end of a lever 250 which is pivoted at 254, to a portion of the frame, and has a depending armin which is threaded an abutment screw 256 engaging a fixed portion of the machine frame. Like the adjustable screw 2|4 previously referred to, the screw 256 is provided with a grooved head engageable by a detent 258 to prevent accidental displacement of the screw from its adjusted position. The screw 256 affords a ne adjustment for the plate 252, which limits the upward movement of the

cams

66 and 10 under the action of the `springs 242. It is the upperlimited position which is critical and which must be finely adjusted, as will be evident hereafter.

The arm |92 is pro- Referring now to Figures 15, 16 and 17, there is illustrated therein the latch ring 260, which is conventionally arranged and associated with the main yarn feeding fingers 262, which are under control of conventional yarn changing mechanism actuated from the main cam drum, and which need not be described. The latch ring is modified from conventional form to carry the auxiliary yarn feeding finger which is located approximately 35 to the left of the front of the machine above the center cam 92 of the auxiliartl series. The latch ring 260 is provided with a slot at 264, which is bridged by a carrying bracket 266. This carrying bracket is provided with

abutment screws

268 and 210 and pivotally carries at 212 the auxiliary yarn feeding finger 214. This finger 214 is provided with a yarn feeding extension 216 and a gap closing extension 282. It is also provided with a tail 284, which is engaged by a coil spring 286 to urge the finger 214 normally toward its inactive position. The yarn feeding extension 216 is provided with a yarn eye 218 through which the yarn is fed from a guiding eye 280 in the bracket 266. When the yarn finger 214 is in its counter-clockwise position, as indie cated in Figure 1'1, the yarn will be fed from the bottom of the slot in the latch ring to the needles. When it is in its clockwise position as shown in Figure 16, the slot in the latch ring through which it lmoves will be closed by the extension 282 to afford a protection against bent needle latches. When the yarn linger is in feeding position, the extension 216 similarly closes the slot for the same purpose.

The auxiliary yarn finger is controlled by the action of the pin 288 on the lever 290, pivoted on the upper bed plate |3|, and connected by a link 292 to a lever 294, which is adapted to be acted upon by suitable cams on the main cam drum 246. A spring 296 urges the lever 294 into engagement with its actuating cams and serves to hold the pin 288 in a position free of the tail 284 of the yarn finger so that the yarn finger will be normally inoperative.

The sinkers are acted upon by sinker cams adjacent the main feed which are similar to the sinker cams disclosed in said Scott patent. At the auxiliary feed, normal inward waves of the sinkers are produced by

cams

298 and 299. Instead of having a fixed sinker retracting cam. however, there is provided a special selective arrangement, indicated in Figures 18 and 19.

The sinker retracting cam, indicated at 300 is carried by a bracket 302 and projects within a slot cut into the sinker cam cap in such fashion as to leave a thin wall 304 on the inside of the slot, as indicated in the sectional view of Figure 19. The bracket 302 is pivoted at 306 to the sinker cam cap and is normally urged downwardly to bring the cam 300 to its lowermost position by a spring 308. The bracket 302 below its pivot 306 is provided with a pin 3 0 engageable by a plate 3|3 secured to a lever 3|2, which is pivoted on the cover plate |33 of the slide |32 (Figure 8) and is provided at its free end with steps indicated at 316, adapted to be engaged by an adjustable screw 3|8 carried by the lever |30, which controls theslide |32. A spring 320 urges the lever 3|4 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in plan to maintain the steps in engagement with the screw 3|8. By this arrangement. there will be corresponding to successive steps of positioning of the slide |32 corresponding positions of the sinker retracting cam 300. In its lowermost position it will engage and retract all sinkers. In an intermediate position it will engage and retract only the long butt sinkers of both types. In itsd uppermost position, it will miss all the sinkers. The plate 3|3 is provided with an elongated edge concentric with the needle cylinder so that as the sinker cam cap oscillates back and forth in usual fashion during reciprocatory knitting between its knitting,7 positions defined by the usual bumper screws 322 the cooperation between the plate 343 and the pin Bld will not be disturbed.

All the yarns which feed during reciprocatory `knitting pass through takeup sweeps of conventional character and which need not be shown herein, being illustrated with control means, for example, in Scott Patent 1,152,850. Sweeps are provided for the high splice, heel and toe, and sole yarns which knit at the main feed and for the yarn which knits at the auxiliary feed. These sweeps are released and rendered inactive at proper times by cams on the main pattern drum.

The operation of the machine to knit the stocking of Figure 2 will be best understood by referring to Figure 21, which shows in diagrammatic fashion the movements of needle cams and various associated parts Vof the machine. The operations through the formation of the rib top will be described only briefly, inasmuch as these operations are substantially identical with those involved in said Scott patent. As indicated in said Scott patent, alternate cylinder needles only are generally active during the formation of the top of the stocking. In the machine of the Scott patent, the needles which are generally inactive during the formation of the top do not have 'i jacks associated with them. In the present machine, the differentiation is accomplished by providing different butt lengths on the upper jacks, jacks with long butts being suitably actuated by cams, which need not be described herein, to effect the selective operation of every other needle during the formation of the top.

In the beginning of the knitting, all of the needles are free of yarn, and the rst operation effects dividing of the cylinder needles into active and inactive groups by the location of cam 88 in its active position to lower below the main stitch cams all of the needles which were'not raised by the prior action upon jacks of a cam corresponding to cam 366 of said Scott patent. At this time, the various cams and other parts of the machine occupy the positions indicated in the first zone of Figure 21. The dial is brought down into active relationship with the needle cylinder and the dial needles are rendered active under the action of their cams.

A setting-up course is now knit by the insertion of one, or preferably a plurality, of yarns at the main feed. These yarns are indicated as a and b in Figure 21, and are, for example, the yarns which are later to form the rib top and heel, respectively.

Immediately after the formation of this setting-up course, the yarn b is withdrawn and the dial needles rendered inactive by withdrawal of their operating cams. As a result, each dial needle and each of the active cylinder needles has in its hook a loop of yarn to be later interknit to provide a turn in the Welt.

Knitting now proceeds with only the active group of the cylinder needles in action and with the single yarn a feeding to form the welt. During the formation of this welt, the sinkers are controlled in the fashion described in the Scott patent to provide for proper handling of the fabric and casting off of the loops.

When sufficientw courses have been formed to provide the necessary length of welt, cam H0 is brought into action and the dial needles rendered active to begin the knitting of rib fabric. The loops which were held on the dial needles are now interknit into the beginning of the rib top so that there is formed a folded-over welt of the usual type.

Rib knitting now continues to form the rib tcp 6, and for several courses at the end of the formation'of the rib top, the stitch camv` 66 is lowered by the action of a suitable cam `on the main cam drum to provide a plurality of loose courses to facilitate the transfer of the fabric to the cylinder needles. It, will be noted that the formation of loose courses in this machine differs from the formation of loose courses as described in the Scott patent, in which the loose courses are formed by special control of the web holders or sinkers.

Transfer is then effected as described in said Scott patent, the primary operations in said transfer involving control of the dial needles, which control is not described in detail herein. During the transfer action, cam 88 is taken out of action and consequently all of the cylinder needles are rendered active for knitting. The dial is then raised out of the way of subsequent operations. Cam H0 is Withdrawn thereafter before the formation of the leg.

The feed of the yarn a is now continued to form the extended top I0. Knitting by all of the needles now takes place at the main feed and plain fabric is accordingly knit.

Up to the completion of the extended top I0, the auxiliary yarn nger has been in its inactive position. This auxiliary yarn finger carries a fine yarn suitable for the formation of the leg and corresponding in fineness and type to the yarn e at the main feed, which will also form the leg. For the purpose of increasing the rapidity of production and also of minimizing the appearance which might be due to unevenness of a single yarn, two courses of the leg are knit in every revolution of the needle cylinder, i. e., the leg is knit two feed. To accomplish this result, the change to yarn e takes place at the main feed and the auxiliary yarn finger is brought into action. All of the cams at the auxiliary feed are rendered active and the sinker-withdrawing cam 300 is moved to its lowermost position so as to operate on all of the sinkers. The stitch adjusting cam 20B will now be in a position, which it may have idly occupied heretofore, to engage the proper screw in the lever |92 to adjust the stitch cam gli to the position necessary to balance the stitches formed at the auxiliary feed with those formed at the main feed, while both yarns produce the leg. All of the needles now pass through knitting waves at both the main and auxiliary feeds, and consequently the leg is produced as described.

Following the formation of the leg, the production of the high splice i4 is begun with the simultaneous production of the .instep portion IB of the stocking. In the formation of these portions of the stocking, the instep needles take yarn at the auxiliary feed to knit the instep portion, while the sole needles take yarn at the main feed to knit the high splice. The suture needles take yarn at both feeds in the fashion hereafter described. Knitting is now accomplished during reclprocation of the needle cylinder and knitting, therefore, takes place during both the forward and reverse movements of the needles.

A high splice yarn c is substituted at the main feed for the leg yarn e. The various cams at the auxiliary feed, with the exception of the center cam 92, are partially withdrawn so as to engage only the long butt and suture needles, but miss the short butt needles. The cam H is located in position to engage the long butt needles. Cam H2 is moved inwardly to engage only long butt needles. Cam H4 is rendered inactive. Sinker retracting cam 300 is raised to such extent that it will engage only long butt sinkers associated with the instep and suture needles.

During the formation of the portion of the fabric now being considered, and during a forward counter-clockwise rotation of the needle cylinder, the long butt instep needles will pass upwardly over cam H2 and thence between cams 16 and 80 and over cams 62 and I I0 to be engaged by cams |00, 92, 94 and |02 to take yarn at the auxiliary feed and draw stitches. When moving in the reverse direction the long butt needles will be raised by cam H0 so as to pass above cams 62 and 'I6 and above cam H2 to be engaged by

cams

98, 92, 96 and |04 to take yarn and draw stitches. The short butt sole needles in a forward counter-clockwise reciprocation of the needle cylinder will fail to engage the cam H2 and will, therefore, pass over the cam 68 to be engaged by center cam 62 and stitch cam 66 to take yarn at the main feed and draw stitches. The needles will then pass the partially withdrawn cams at the auxiliary feed and accordingly fail to take yarn thereat. During a reverse reciprocation they will also engage only the cams at the main feed, under the action of which they will again take yarn and form stitches.

The suture needles must take yarn at both feeds in order to provide the suture between the high splice and instep. Accordingly, unlike the long butt needles, the suture needles will miss the cam H2.

During a forward counter-clockwise reciprocation the suture needle leading the short butt series will rise over cam 68 and will engage the picker 86 to be picked up thereby. It will thus fail to knit yarn at the main feed. However, it will be engaged by cam 100 and be depressed thereby to pass through the knitting wave at the auxiliary feed with the long butt needles. The suture needles trailing the short butt series will pass below the picker 86 and hence will take yarn at the main feed passing with the short butt needles through the knitting wave thereat. After rising over cam 'l2 it will miss cam H0, but unlike the short butt needles will rise over cam 96 to thereafter engage

cams

92, 94 and |02 to take yarn at the auxiliary feed to form stitches thereat, as well as at the main feed.

During a reverse clockwise reciprocation a knits twice at the instep feed and once at the sole feed.

During the formation of this portion of the fabric, it is not desirable to have imparted to the sinkers associated with the sole needles a second wave at the auxiliary feed and consequently the cam 300 is partially raised as above described, so that no such wave will be produced in the short butt sinkers. Betterfabric control is thus obtained. It is satisfactory, however, to have the long butt sinkers move in an additional wave at the main feed, this action being, of course, necessary in the case of the sinkers associated with the suture needles.

During the formation of this portion of the fabric, the cam 200 will have been moved to a position to adjust the stitch cams at the auxiliary feed to produce stitches through the instep (which is knit on one feed only) corresponding to the stitches formed in the leg by the two feeds, so that a uniform appearance is provided from the leg into the instep. The two

stitch cams

94 and 96 are adjusted relatively to each other by adjustment of the screw 2M. In order to secure a proper stitch condition through the high splice, a relative adjustment of the

stitch cams

68 and 66 is effected through adjustment of cam 66 by the screw 256. The proper stitches are caused to be produced by fixed cam 68 by vertical adjustment of the needle cylinder by control of the means illustrated in said Scott patent in the fashion described above.

Following completion of the high splice, recip rocation is continued for the formation of the heel having the narrowed and widened portions I8 and 2U. The instep yarn continues to extend from its actively positioned finger to the suture needle which last received it and a suitable takeup sweep of conventional character is active to control it. The cams at the auxiliary feed are now completely withdrawn to such extent as to withdraw center cam 92 with them. Withdrawal of cam 82 is necessary since it will otherwise lower needles which are picked down and thereby may cause them to seize the instep yarn which is idling back and forth.

Cam H2 is now moved in to such extent as to engage not only long butt needles, but the suture needles as well, which latter must form, in effect, part of the long butt series. One of them holds the instep yarn. Sinker retracting cam 308 is moved to its uppermost position so as to miss all of the sinkers, and yarn b, the heel yarn, is substituted at the main feed for the high splice yarn.

Upon the first forward reciprocation for heel knitting, the suture needles will be raised to inactive position by the cam l l 2 to join the already raised long butt needles, and upon each reciprocation a short butt needle will be picked up in the usual fashion to produce narrowing by the action of pickers 84 and 86.

At the completion of the narrowing operation, the lowering picker 82 is permitted to drop to an active level and cam H2 is withdrawn. Accordingly, widening takes place in conventional fashion, two needles being lowered and one being raised on each reciprocation.

The formation of the split foot now proceeds with the restoration of the various cams to the positions they occupied in the formation of the high splice, and the movements of the various needles and sinkers in the formation of the split foot are the same as they were in the formation of the high splice. Since, however, a different yarn d may be used in the split foot as compared with the yarn used for the formation of the high splice, the cam 20G may be adjusted to a third position to provide proper balance of the stitches in the instep portion 24 to cause them to correspond to the stitches formed in the upper instep portion I6.

At the end of the formation of the split foot, rotary knitting is resumed to provide knitting by all of the needles at the main feed to produce the ring toe 25, Accordingly, the cams at the auxiliary feed are withdrawn. Cams Ill) and H2 are moved out and cam H4` is moved in to insure the passage of all the needles through the cams at the main feed. The auxiliary yarn finger is now removed from action and its yarn clamped and cut by usual clamping and cutting means located above the dial cap. Rotary knitting then takes place in conventional fashion at the main feed only.

Following the completion of the ring toe, reciprocatory knitting is then resumed with narrowing to form the toe portion 28. The cam Il2 is now moved in, but only to a sufcient extent to engage the long butt needles with the result that the suture needles now operate along with the short butt needles, though, of course, they are picked up to inactive position almost immediately. Following the completion of the narrowing operation, widening is effected in the conventional fashion, as above described. Rotary knitting is then resumed to form the loopers rounds, a loopers loose coursebeing made by effecting depression of .the stitch cam 66 during one revolution of the cylinder. Cam H4 is introduced to bring down any needles which have been lowered by picker 82. At the completion of the loopers rounds the yarn b, which has formed the ring toe, toe and loopers rounds, is withdrawn and clamped and cut so that the loops are pressed off the needles and the stocking freed. The needles` are thus left without yarn for the beginning of the formation of the next stocking.

While it need not be described in detail, it will be evident that during the formation of the leg 'to knit a leg portion of the stocking by rotary knitting while` feeding to the needles yarns from both feeds, and thereafter knitting above the heel of the stocking a split portion of the stocking by reciprocatory knitting, one of the split portions being formed from yarn at one feed and the other from yarn at the other feed.

2. The method of knitting a stocking on a two feed,r circular knitting machine comprising knitting a rib top from yarn at one of said feeds, automatically bringing into action the other feed to knit a leg portion of the stocking by rotary knitting while feeding to the needles yarns from both feeds, and thereafter knitting a split iportion of the stocking by reciprocatory knitting, one of the split portions being formed at one feed from one of the yarns which knit the leg,

and the other being formed from yarn at the other feed.

3. The method of knitting a stocking on a two feed, circular knitting machine comprising knitting a rib top from yarn at one of said feeds, automatically bringing into action the other feed to knit a leg portion of the stocking by rotary knitting while feeding to the needles yarns from both feeds, and thereafter knitting above the heel of the stocking a split portion of the stocking by reciprocatory knitting, one of the split portions being formed at one feed from one of the yarns which knit the leg, and the other being formed from yarn at the other feed.

4. The method of knitting a stocking on a two feed, circular knitting machine comprising kniting a rib top from yarn at one of said feeds, automatically bringing into action the other feed to knit a leg portion of the stocking by rotary knitting while feeding to the needles yarns from both feeds, and thereafter knitting a split portion of the stocking by reciprocatory knitting, an instep split DOrtion being formed from yarn at the feed which was inactive during the knitting of the rib top, and the other split portion being formed from yarn at the other feed.

5. The method of knitting a stocking on a two feed, circular knitting machine comprising knitting a rib top from yarn at one of said feeds, automatically bringing into action the other feed to knit a leg portion of the stocking by rotary knitting while feeding to the needles yarns from both feeds, and thereafter knitting a split portion of the' stocking by reciprocatory knitting, an instep split portion being formed from yarn which was used in the knitting of the leg at the feed which was inactive during the knitting of the rib top, and the other split portion being formed from yarn at the other feed.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a circular lseries of instep and sole needles and main and auxiliary feeds for split knitting, sinkersarranged to cooperate with needles at both feeds in the formation of stitches, the sinkers associated with instep needles having long butts and the sinkers associated with sole needles having short butts, sinker actuating cams at each feed, and means for controlling the sinker actuating cam at one of the feeds to cause it to operate selectively all of the sinkers, those having long butts only, or none of them.

7. A two feed, circular knitting `machine comprising means for feeding yarn to cylinder and `dial needles at one of said feeds to provide a rib top of a stocking, means for automatically feeding thereafter to needles yarns at both feeds during rotary knitting to produce a leg portion of a stocking, and means for feeding yarns at both feeds to the needles during reciprocatory knitting to provide a split portion of the stocking, said means providing for the feed of a yarn at one of the feeds continuously through both the rotary and reciprocatory knitting. l

8. In a circular knitting machine having a eircular series of instep and sole` needles and main and auxiliary feeds for split knitting, sinl-:ers arranged to cooperate with needles at both feeds in the formation of stitches, sinker actuating means at each feed, and means for controlling the sinker actuating means at one of the feeds to cause it to operate selectively all of the sinkers, the sinkers associated with instep needles only, or none of them.

9. The method of knitting a stocking on a two feed circular knitting machine comprising knitting a rib top from yarnk at one of said feeds, then knitting plain fabric at said feed at which the rib top was knit, and then automatically bringing into action the other feed to knit a leg portion of the stocking by rotary plain knitting while feeding to the needles yarns from both feeds, so that the single feed plain knitting provides a transition between the rib knitting and two feed leg knitting.

10. A two feed, circular knitting machine cornprising means for feeding yarn to cylinder and dial needles at one of said feeds to provide a rib top of a stocking, means for automatically feeding thereafter to cylinder needles only yarn at a single feed during rotary knitting, and means for automatically feeding thereafter to cylinder needles yarns at both feeds during rotary knitting to produce a leg portion of a stocking, so that the single feed plain knitting provides a transition between the rib and two feed leg knitting.

11. In a knitting machine for knitting a stocking having a rib top, the combination of a cylinder and a dial, cylinder needles and dial needles and means operable upon them to cause them to knit a rib top, means for causing dial needles to transfer the stitches to cylinder needles and for thereafter knitting plain fabric on cylinder needles in continuation of the rib top and means for changing from rotary to reciprocatory knitting and for knitting split Work during such reciprocatory knitting, including cams operable at one side of the machine for causing needles to draw stitches and a cam at each side of said first mentioned cams for raising needles to pass above said cams for causing needles to draw stitches.

12. In a knitting machine for knitting a stocking having a rib top, the combination of a cylinder and a dial, cylinder needles and dial needles and means operable upon them to cause them to knit a rib top, means for causing dial needles to transfer stitches to cylinder needles and for thereafter knitting plain fabric on cylinder needles in continuation of the rib top, and means for changing from rotary to reciprocatory knitting and for knitting split work during such reciprocatory knitting, including cams operable at one side of the machine for causing needles to draw stitches and a cam at each side of the rst mentioned cams for acting upon needles to cause them to pass said stitch drawing cams without knitting.

13. In a knitting machine for knitting a; stocking having a rib top, the combination of a cylinder and a dial, cylinder needles and dial needles and means operable upon them to cause them to knit a rib top, means for causing dial needles to transfer stitches to cylinder needles and for thereafter knitting plain fabric on cylinder needles in continuation of the rib top, and means for changing from rotary to reciprocatory knitting and for knitting split work during such reciprocatory knitting, including cams operable atI one side of the machine for causing needles to draw stitches and means for acting upon needles to cause them to pass said stitch drawing cams without knitting.

14. In a knitting machine the combination of two yarn feeding stations and cams at each station for imparting to knitting instrumentalities the necessary stitch drawing movements, and a cam at either side of-v the cams at one of said stations constructed and arranged to raise needles which have knitted at that station so that their butts will pass above all cams at the opposite knitting station.

15. In a split-foot knitting machine the combination of knitting instrumentalities, a main cam set and an auxiliary cam set, cams at either side of said auxiliary cam set constructed and arranged to guide needle butts of those needles which have knitted at that station to a level at which they will pass above all cams at the main knitting station.

16. The method of knitting a stocking on a two feed, circular knitting machine which cornprises knitting a rib top at one feed of the machine, knitting a leg from yarns fed at both feeds of the machine, knitting a heel from yarn fed at the feed which knit said rib top, and knitting simultaneously a sole and an instep, the sole being knit from yarn fed at the feed which knit the rib top and heel, and the instep being knit at the other feed from the same yarn which was used in knitting leg courses at the last mentioned feed. v

17. The method of knitting a stocking on a two feed, circular knitting machine which comprises knitting a rib top at one feed of the machine, knitting at least one series of courses of a leg from yarn fed at the other feed of the machine, and knitting a split portion at both feeds, the instep part of said split portion being knit from the same yarn which was used in knitting said leg courses, the knitting of the leg involving the knitting of a second series of courses intermediate the aforementioned leg courses from a yarn similar to that last mentioned at the feed at Which the rib top was knit.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN.