US2473677A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

SEARCH ROOM June 1949. H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 2,473,577

KNITTING MACHINE 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16. 1946 Q r n Wm F M 2 J y 2 M 2 g M iflh an 4 an m e I HY III E I [2,} u-u u| g m A Q SEARCH ROON June 21, 1949. H. E. CRAWFORD EI'AL 2,473,577

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Filed July 16, 1946 SEARCH Rom:

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KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1946 13 Sheets$heet 4 SEARCH ROW n 21, 1949- H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 2,473,677

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 3 woe/whom I a-2M4 E. (huwraeo, Ca e/4 Can/ana- SEARCH ROOM June 21, 1949. H CRAWFORD HAL 2,473,677

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1946' 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 SEARCH ROSE! H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 2,473,677

June 21, 1949.

KNITTING MACHINE l3 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed July 16, 1946 53mm.- A EQMAN .Cenwroeo,

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KNITTING MACHINE 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 16, 1946 SEARCH ROG! June 1949. H. E. CRAWFORD EIAL 2,473,577

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1946 13 Shets-Sheet 11 Ww'ig' '-l' m I Q I W I HES/g Fa: no T m Cecl/ Craw ara I I I SEARCH RGCM June 1949- H. E. CRAWFORD E'I'AL 2,473,577

KNITTING momma Filed July 16, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 l/PMAA/ E (fan r020, CECIL CEAWFOED,

SEARCH ROCK-5 June 1949- H. E. CRAWFORD arm. 2,473,677

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 16. 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 13 Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED SEARCH 1 KNITTING MACHINE Herman E. Crawford, Kernersville, and Cecil Crawford, Durham, N.

Application July 16, 1946, Serial No. 683,846

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a knitting machine having means for knitting a very loose stitch fabric and laying into the fabric an elastic strand by placing the strand in front of some needles and behind other needles and advancing the sinkers at the knitting point, so that the one or more top yarns which are placed into the knitting machine will be knitted while on top of the advanced sinkers, thus providing very elongated loops, while the elastic yarn is incorporated into the fabric. This gives a very much greater stretchability to the fabric and permits it to be stretched to a much greater extent, causing it to fit the leg of the wearer without undue pressure on the leg.

The machine also embodies pattern control means for selecting the needles which will take the elastic yarn, that is, the needles which will rise in front of the elastic yarn and those which will rise behind the elastic yarn, so that a design can be formed on the fabric merely by the manner in which the elastic yarn is incorporated into the fabric. For example, if the elastic yarn is laid on the inside of the fabric behind three wales, for example, and then laid in front of one needle and behind another needle for a plurality of wales, it is evident that the tension of the elastic yarn will cause the three wales behind which the elastic yarn is disposed to protrude on the inside of the fabric and causing that portion of the fabric to be raised or outwardly projected to produce a ribbed efiect, thus forming a design on the exterior of the stocking, of the same color, of course, as the remainder of the stocking on account of the selection of I needles.- Means are also provided whereby different needles can be selected upon successive courses so as to form any desired pattern.

Also means are provided for engaging the fabric and pressing it downwardly on the sinkers so as to cause a proper shedding of the loops, whei. the needles are lowered in a knitting operatior, and this is a desirable feature, since there is no body yarn disposed below the nibs of the sinkers to hold the fabric down, and thus insure shedding of the fabric from the needles. By providing a corrugated roller set at an angle and pressing the fabric downwardly off the ends of the sinkers, the fabric is thus insured in its shedding off the needles during a knitting operation.

Some of the main features of the invention having been set forth, the various mechanisms in the machine and the advantages thereof will 2 appear more fully in a detailed description which hereinafter follows.

This invention also relates to an improved method and means of making seamless knit elastic hosiery. It is well known throughout the trade that all known methods such as laying-in elastic yarn and knitting-in elastic yarn does not produce a desirable fabric for elastic top stockings or stockings made with the elastic yarn incorporated throughout the stockings because the fabric, in which the elastic yarn is incorporated is knit with regular size loops or stitches or with tuck stitches; it is also known that the regular size stitches hold the elastic yarn in such a manner that the elastic yarn cannot slip between the stitches thus causing the elastic yarn to break when the fabric is stretched. It is also Well known that when tuck stitches are made in order to loosen the fabric, the desired result is not obtained because the tucked stitches cause the fabric to be wide and bulky so that the elastic yarn cannot draw the fabric-to make the top or stocking or elastic portion as narrow as it should be to properly fit the ankle. Another purpose of this invention is an improved elastic fabric whereby the simulated ribs or protruding portions of the fabric are much more noticeable and this is a much desired effect.

These improvements are accomplished by knitting all of the loops 30% to longer than regular loops or stitches and by using 30% to 100% heavier yarn than would be possible to knit without our invention. By knitting the fabric loose or making the loops 30% to 100% longer, the elastic yarn or strand can be stretched to its fullest extent because all the loops are loose and do not bind the elastic strand at any Point. By knitting the fabric with 30% to 100% heavier yarn than could otherwise be used (To explain: If two ends of #12 yarn is used for making the plain knit fabric of a stocking, 3 ends of #12 yarn would be used in making the top or elastic portion of the stocking; or if one end of #8 yarn is used in making the plain knit part of the stocking, two ends of #8 yarn could be used in making the elastic top or that portion of the stocking which may be made with elastic yarn) the ribbed or protruding portions of the fabric are much more noticeable and because the stitches are loose, the elastic yarn will draw the fabric to its proper width and this is a very desirable effect.

Referring broadly to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the top portion of a machine equipped with my apparatus;

Figure 1a is a front elevation of the lower portion of said machine;

Figure 2 is an elevation looking at the upper portion of the left hand side of the machine;

Figure 2a is an elevation looking at the lower left hand side of the machine;

Figure 3 is an elevation looking at the right hand side of the machine in Figures 1 and la, and omitting much of the top portion of the machine;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the machine showing some of my apparatus in position thereon;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the lower portion of Figure 4 and showing the same on a much larger scale and showing th latch guard ring removed;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 6--6 in Figure 4 with certain parts omitted and showing the sheddin wheel in operative position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the shedding wheel in raised and inoperative position;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view through the pattern cylinder for controlling the selection of needles, which position the elastic yarn in the stocking;

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view lookin downward and taken along the line 99 in Figure 8, and showing the ratchet wheel for advancing the needle selecting pattern cylinder;

Figure 10 is a schematic view showing needles and sinkers in one position;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10, but showing the parts in the different positions;

Figure 12 is a view similar to the preceding figure, but showing the parts in still another position;

Figure 13 is a view similar to the preceding figure, but showing the parts in still another position;

Figure 14 is an exploded view of a portion of the needle cylinder and the jack elevating cams;

Figure 15 is an elevation of a stocking made on this machine with the needl selecting cylinder cammed as shown in the drawings to make a given design;

Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the fabric taken on enlarged scale and showing that portion of the stocking in Figure 15, which is enclosed within the dotted square;

Figure 17 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line ll-l'l in Figure 2a;

Figure 18 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line l8l 8 in Figure 4;

Figure 19 is an elevation of the lower right hand portion of the machine, and looking from substantially along the line ill-I9 in Figure 3;

Figure 20 is a vertical sectional view through the elastic yarn feed and taken along the line 2020 in Figure 4;

Figure 21 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, and taken along the line 2l-2l in Figure 3.

Figure 22 is an elevation looking from along the line 22-22 in Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral l indicates the main body portion of the machine having a top plate H, a needle cyllnder I2, a sinker guide rin 13, a latch guide ring I4, and a pulley l for driving the machine. This pulley is the conventional split pulley type comprising loose and tight pulleys. The machine is also equipped with a main pattern shaft 16,

having a main pattern drum, not shown, and a pattern chain l9, having a left hand extension pattern drum 2! and a right hand extension pattern drum 22 mounted on said main pattern shaft. Th machine also has several yarn feed fingers I! for feeding one or more inelastic or top yarns 18 to the needles.

In making the stocking, a heavy yarn is used in connection with the eleastic yarn. Usually there is fed to the needles during the knitting with elastic yarn, one or more body yarns having a total denier of from to 100 percent heavier than could be used in a machine of this type. A machine of this type could not use this heavy yarn unless all of the sinkers were advanced at the knitting point to produce a very loose stitch.

The needle cylinder I2 has a plurality of conventional needles 24 of the latch type, the long butt needles being indicated by reference character 25 and the short butt needles being indicated by reference character 26. The cylinder is also equipped with long and short butt jacks, the long butt jacks being indicated at 21, and the short butt jacks at 28. The long and short butts on the needles and jacks are also indicated by L and S respectively.

The knitting machine also has a plurality of sinkers 3|, which are guided in their path in a conventional manner by the sinker guide cap l3.

The machine is also equipped with a suitable plate 33 disposed within the needle circle on which is disposed a conventional elastic strand clamp and cutter 35, having an upwardly projecting arm 36 to which a link 31 is connected and this link 31 has a collar 38 thereon (see Figures 1 and 7).- A tension spring 4| normally holds the clamps cutter in closed position.

The link 31 slidably penetrates an arm 42 mounted on a pin 43 on the latch guide ring and integral with the upwardly projecting arm 42 is another arm 44, which is adapted to rest against a collar 46 disposed on the upper end of a link 41, mounted for sliding movement in a bracket secured on the framework of the machine.

Pivotally secured to the lower end of link 41 is a lever 5|, which is pivoted as at 52, and the other end thereof has a conventional push rod connected thereto which extends down through the machine, and is connected to a suitable lever 53, pivoted on a bolt 49, which lever 53 has a link 54 secured thereto which projects to the right in Figure 19 and has an inwardly projecting portion adapted to follow the first row of cams on the right hand extension drum 22. On the left hand side of the machine are two studs 55 and 56, on which a plurality of levers are pivotally mounted for following the left hand extension pattern drum 2|.

The top plate ll of the machine has mounted thereon a suitable plate 60, which has rising upwardly therefrom a pin or shaft 5|, on which is mounted a plurality of jack raising levers 62, 52, 64, 65, 66, 61, B8, and 69. "The right hand end of these levers 52 to 59 inclusive, shown in Figure 1, are much thinner at their inner edge which engages the butts of the jacks, than at their outer edge. The other ends of these levers 52 to 69 each have a tension spring ll connected thereto, whose other ends are connected to a. post 12 rising from the plate 60.

Rotatably mounted in plate is an uprising shaft 13, whose upper end is rotatably supported by a bracket 14 extending from the framework of the machine. This uprising shaft 13 has a vane 15 extending therefrom so that when this SEARCH R? vertical shaft 13 is oscillated, it will move the left hand end of the jack selecting levers 62 to 68 inclusive away from the observer in Figure l and will, therefore, Withdraw the knife edged other ends of the butt engaging leve'rs 62 to 68 from out of the path of the butts on the jacks in the needle cylinder.

Each of the jack selecting levers 62 to 68 inclusive has a projection 11 on its front side for engaging the cam members I06 on the jack selecting pattern drum to be presently described.

The lower end of shaft 13 has an arm 8I adjustably secured thereon (Figures 1 and 2), the free end of which is slidably penetrated by a link 82 having a collar 83 adjustably secured thereon, and the other end of the link 82 is pivotally secured, as at 84, to one end of a bell crank 85, pivoted as at 86, on a bracket 81 secured to the bed plate II of the machine.

The other end of this bell crank 85 has pivotally secured thereto, as at 88, a downwardly projecting link 83, having in its lower end a slot 9I penetrated by a screw 92 threadably secured in a crosspiece member 93 secured to the outer end of the left extension drum 2I. a roller 94 thereon, which is adapted to ride onto low cam 95, while knitting from point B to point B Figure to take the pattern out of the back of the stocking by not raising the short butt jacks. The roller 84 then rides Onto high cam 91 to remove the pattern entirely while knitting the heel. The roller 84 then falls onto low cam 98 which allows the jack selecting levers to make the pattern only in the top of the foot portion. The roller 84 then rides onto a high cam 86 of the left extension pattern drum 2I to remove all of the pattern from the toe portion. When the roller 94 is riding on the low cams 95 and 98, it will move the jack selecting levers to a midway point to where there cammed knife edged ends will engage the long butt jacks, but not the short butt jacks.

When the roller 84 is riding on the high cam 86, then the cammed ends of the butt engaging levers 62 to 68 inclusive will be moved to such a position that they will not engage the short butt or the long butt jacks for the needles.

Threadably mounted in the plate 60 (Figure 8) is the lower end of a stud bolt I00 and rotatably mounted around this stud bolt I00 and immediately above the top of plate 60 is a pair of oscillating levers IOI and I02. The levers IOI and I02 are osclllatably mounted around a downwardly extending portion I03 of a jack selecting pattern drum I04, which is rotatably mounted on the shaft I00.

The periphery of drum I04 has a plurality of threaded holes I05 therein, which are arranged in vertical and circumferential rows, and in these threaded holes screws I06 are adapted to be selectively placed for a particular pattern, said screws engaging the projections 11 on the levers 62 to 88 inclusive for effecting selection of needle selecting jacks.

Secured to the lower surface of pattern drum I04 is a ratchet wheel I01, having 26 teeth in its periphery, of these teeth being full length teeth and one of the 26 designated as I08 being only half length for purposes to be presently described. This ratchet wheel is secured to the lower end of the pattern drum I04 by any suitable means, such as screws III. More than the upper half of the pattern drum I 04 is hollow, providing a cavity. in which a plate I I2 is disposed and which plate is penetrated by a screw II3, which is This line 83 has threadably embedded in the upper end of post I00 to secure the plate II2 to post I00.

Plate H2 has threadably secured therein three setscrews II4, which penetrate the plate I I2, and each engage respectively compression springs I I5, whose lower ends press against a plunger I I6, only two of which are shown in Figure 8, which in turn press against the upper central portion of the lower portion I03 in the jack selecting pattern drum I04. This gives the proper amount of friction to prevent undue rotation of the pattern drum I04, except when moved, as desired.

Each of the compression springs H5 and the plungers II6 are mounted in suitable vertically disposed bores H8. The bores II8 are disposed in a suitable cylindrical member I I9, which is integral with the plate I I2.

The top lever I02 has pivotally secured thereon by means of a shoulder screw I22 a dog I2 I, having a point I23 adapted to engage the teeth in ratchet wheel I01. This dog is urged against the ratchet wheel by means of a tension spring I24 secured to its free end and secured to a spring perch I25 secured on the lever I02. The free end of dog I2I has a pin I26 projecting downwardly from the lower surface thereof adapted to be engaged by a cam on lever IOI to be presently described.

The lever I02 at its free end has pivoted thereto, as at I21, a link I28 normally urged to the right in Figure 5 by means of a tension spring I29. The upper end of this link I28 in Figure 4 is pivotally secured (see Figure 3) to a downwardly projecting arm I3I secured on a shaft I32 in bearings I33 secured to the top plate II of the machine.

The rear end of this oscillatable shaft I32 has secured thereto an arm I35 to the free end of which is pivotally secured a link I34 which projects downwardly and is pivotally secured, as at I36 (Figure 3), to a bell crank I38 which bell crank has a downwardly projecting portion I4I provided with a cammed surface I42, which is engaged by one or more cams I43 on the shaft of the I04 tooth gear of the machine. The bell crank I38 is pivotally secured as at I46.

Oscillation of this bell crank I38 by means of engaging the cam I43 on the shaft of the I04 tooth gear, oscillates the shaft I32 which will oscillate the arm I3I, which will reciprocate the dog I2I to ratchet the pattern drum for selecting the needle selecting jacks. The bell crank I5I is normally urged in a clockwise direction in Figure 21 by a tension spring I50. If it is desired that the dog I2I do not reciprocate as the result of the bell crank I38 engaging the cam or cams I43 on the I04 tooth gear, there is provided another bell crank I 5I (see Figure 21) pivoted, as at I52, to a bracket I53 on the framework of the machine, which has a shoulder I54 thereon which holds the bell crank I38 and looks it against oscillation, that is, it locks the downwardly projecting end, which has a cam surface I42 thereon, out of engagement with the cams on the shaft of the I04 tooth gear.

The lower portion of the bell crank I5I projects away from the machine and has pivotally secured thereto a link I56, which projects downwardly and slidably penetrates a pin I51 mounted on a lever I58, and the link I56 has a collar I6I thereon disposed below the pin I51. The lever I58 is pivoted, as at I63, and has its rear end normally urged downwardly by a tension spring I65.

The front end of lever I58 has a cam surface, which is adapted to engage a cam I53 on the right extension pattern drum 22, so that when the cam end of lever is not disposed on a cam on the right extension pattern drum 22, it will allow the rear end of lever I58 to move downwardly, which will cause the shoulder I54 to move in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 21, under the bell crank I38 and lock the bell crank in such position that its cam end I42 will not engage the cams on the 104 tooth gear hub and oscillate the dog I2I. The lever Il, disposed below the jack selecting pattern drum I04, has mounted on its upper surface a cam member I10 (Figure 5), which, when the lever IOI is moved in a clockwise direction in Figure 5, will engage the pin I26 in dog I2I and move it out far enough so that during oscillation of dog I2I it will not engage the half-length tooth I08 of the ratchet wheel I01, but will engage the other teeth.

Lever IOI has pivotally secured thereto, as at I12, a link I13 normally urged to the right in Figure 5 or upwardly in Figure 4 by means of a tension spring I14 secured to a collar I15 on said link, and to a suitable spring perch I16 secured to plate ll of the machine. This link I13 has a collar I11 on its end remote from lever IOI, which fits against a downwardly projecting arm I80 secured on an oscillatable shaft I8I mounted in bearings I33 and immediately below shaft I32.

The rear end of shaft I8I has secured thereon an arm I 82 to which is pivotally secured the upper end of link I83, which projects downwardly and slidably penetrates a pin similar to I51 secured in the rear end of a lever I61 pivotally mounted on stud I63. This is the middle lever on the right hand lower side of the machine, and it has on its front end a cammed surface adapted to engage a suitable cam I88 on the right extension pattern drum 22. When this lever I81 rides onto cam I88 on the right hand extension pattern drum 22, it causes the shaft I8I to oscillate to move the link I13 to the left in Figures 1 and 5 and causes the cam I to ride against the downwardly projecting pin I26 in dog I2I to move it outwardly against the tension of its spring I24 to where its pointed end I23 will not engage the short tooth I08 of the ratchet wheel I01 as previously described. Stud I63 has also pivotally mounted thereon a lever I90, the front end of which is adapted to contact cam I89 on right hand extension pattern drum 22, and to its rear end is pivotally connected to the lower end of an upwardly projecting link I92, having adjustably mounted thereon a collar I92a, which lever projects through the bed plate of the machine and is pivotally connected to the horizontal portion of a bell crank I94 pivoted, as at I95, and having pivoted at its upper end, as at I96, alink I91 which is pivoted, as at I98, to a bell crank I99, pivoted, as at 2M, and having its free end adapted to engage a projection 202 on a link 203 pivoted, as at 204, and projecting over the needle circle and having a downwardly projecting shank 206 provided with a knurled roller 201, on its lower end, which is adapted to press the fabric 205 against the sinkers and to insure a shedding of the loops of the fabric from the needles in a lowering operation. The lever 203 is urged to the position shown in Figure 6 by a spring 200.

The lower butt selecting lever 69 is not moved to inoperative position by the vane as it does not extend down far enough. This lower butt selecting lever 69 remains in operative position at all times unless it is moved to inoperative posi tion by means of a link 2I0 pivoted to the end of the lever 69 nearest the observer in Figures 2 and 4, and having a tension spring M I tending to move the non-cam end of lever 69 against the post 13.

The rear end of link 2I0 has a collar 2I3 thereon, to which the tension spring 2 is secured, and the link 2I0 slldably penetrates a bell crank lever 2I4 pivoted as at 2I5 on a bracket 2I6 secured to the top plate of the machine. The rearwardly projecting horizontal portion of this bell crank 2 I4 has pivotally secured thereto as at 2 I 1 a downwardly projecting link 2 I8, whose lower end is pivoted, as at 2I9, to a lever 22I pivoted on the stud 56 (Figure 2a). The front end of this lever 22I is adapted to follow the second row of cams 220 from the left in Figure a on left extension pattern drum 2|. If the cam end of this lever rides onto a cam on the extension pattern drum 2|, it depresses the rear end of the lever 2I4, of course, and causes the cam end of lever 69 in Figure 2a to move away from the cylinder and from out of the path of butts of the jacks so that it will not engage the same while the needle cylinder is rotating. When it drops off of a cam, a spring 209 raises its rear end and this allows spring 2 to move the lowermost selecting lever 69 to engage all the long butts of the set of the bottom butts at the lower portion of the cylinder. These long butts at the lower portion of the needle cylinder are present on every other jack, and the other jacks having short butts.

The raising of the long butt jacks at the lower end of the jacks raises every other needle. All of the long and short butt jacks are first raised to where the jack selecting levers can engage them by a conventional cam 208. With every other needle elevated by the lowermost selecting lever 69, they are in a position to be further elevated. This is accomplished by a lever 222 normally urged upwardly at its rear end by a. tension spring 223. Lever 222 is pivoted on stud 55, which has a link 224 pivoted thereto, which extends upwardly and is connected to a bell crank 225, which is penetrated by a link 226, and which link 226 is normally urged inward by a. tension spring 221, the link 226 being connected to a cam lever 228 so that when the lever 222 rides onto a cam 222a on its associated pattern drum 2I, it allows this spring 221 to pull the elevating cam lever 228 inwardly to cause cam 2280. (Figure 14) secured on lever 228 see (Figure 1) to engage the butts of the needles, which have been elevated by the previously described lowermost jack selecting lever 69. At the same time a. lever 23I pivoted on stud 55 is raised upwardly by a cam 23 Ia and it has a link 232 pivotally connected thereto which extends upwardly and is pivotally connected to a bell crank 233, whose upper end is penetrated by a link 234 normally urged inwardly by a tension spring 236 so that when this last named lever rides onto a cam on the extension pattern drum 2|, it raises the said link 234 and moves the upper end of its bell crank layer 233 inwardly, which allows the-lowering cam 231a (Figure 14) secured on lever 231 (Figure 1) to pivot inwardly to engage the butts of the same needles which have just been described as being elevated, and lower every other needle. This lowers these raised every other needles or any needles selected for the pattern down to a point to where they will enter the groove of the stitch cams and be guided into the regular stitch forming groove along with the other needles, which have not been raised heretofore, so as to place all of the needles in position to receive the SEARCH ROOt 9 body yarn. The machine in this position is now ready to begin the make up course.

This time a lever 24! pivoted on stud 55 drops off its associated cam 24! a n the extended pattern drum 2!, which causes its rear end to rise, to which is slidably connected a link 242 having a collar 246 thereon. This allows link 242 to move upwardly under tension of a spring 243. Link 242 is pivotally connected at 246 to a lever 244 pivoted, as at 245. This allows the front end of the lever to be lowered and this front end of the lever has a laterally projecting portion 241, which is secured, as at 246, to lever 244 and on the inner surface thereof, there is a guard 25! and on the outer surface thereof a feeding portion 252 vertically adjustable by means of a slot 253 and having a horizontal portion 254 provided with a hole 255 and its lower end having a hole 256 through which the elastic strand 258 is fed to a point immediately outside of the needles, while the guard member 25! is disposed immediately on the inside of the needles in their travel around the needle circle. This operation places the elastic yarn feed into feeding position and the elastic yarn is caught on the raised needles, that is, the ones that have been raised by the selector cam 69 and the booster cam 22%., which booster cam is controlled by the lever 222 and which has already been described. The lever 244 has a stop member 243 secured thereon, which engages the top of the latch guard ring !4 and limits downward movement of the elastic yarn feed.

As the elastic yarn is introduced, it is knitted on the first three or four needles because when first introduced, it does not get below the latches of the raised needles. Thereafter it is deposited below the latches of the raised needles and, therefore, is laid in throughout the stocking. When the elastic yarn gets to the knitting point, then the body yarn is caught by the hooks of the needles and is knitted for one complete course without being placed on top of the sinkers. Before the sinkers are advanced at the knitting point to cause the body yarn to be laid on top of the advanced sinkers, and when one complete revolution has been made in the beginning of the stocking for the make up course, the sinkers at the knitting point are advanced slightly inwardly to cause the body yarn to be deposited on the tops of the nibs of the sinkers to knit the elongated loops.

The advancing of the sinkers at the knitting point is controlled by the fifth lever from the left in Figure 10, this lever being designated by reference character 26! and is pivoted on lower stud 56. At its rear end it has pivotally connected thereto an uprising link 263 which is pivotally connected at its upper end to a horizontal portion of bell crank 264 whose vertical portion is adapted to move against a lever 265 pivoted to the cam plate of the machine as at 266 and having an outwardly projecting portion 266 to which a, tension spring 262 is connected, which normally moves it in a clockwise direction looking down on top Portion 266 has a set screw 261 secured thereto which presses against a cam member 263 pivoted as at 263 on the sinker guide ring !3 and tensioned by spring 216 to move out of sinker engaging position when not engaged by the set screw 261.

When the lever 26! is not on a cam 26in on the extended pattern drum 2!, it allows tension spring 262 to move the sinker engaging cam into position where it will advance the sinkers at the knitting point and cause the body yarn to be laid on top of the nibs of the sinkers. When it rides onto a cam 26la on th extended pattern drum 2!, then the set screw is moved away from the sinker engaging cam 268, and its associated spring 213 moves it to non-engaging position with relation to the sinkers. After the make upcourse is completed, the sinkers are advanced at the knitting point and held in advanced position throughout the knitting of the entire stocking except during the knitting of the heel and toe.

The member 268 has adjustable eccentrics 21! and 212 which engage the sinker guide ring !3 and limit the swinging movement of member 263 in both directions.

A lever 215, which is the innermost lever mounted on stud 56, has connected thereto a link 215, which projects upwardly and is pivoted to a link 218, which is pivoted, as at 28!, to the frame of the machine, which operates a suitable lever pivoted intermediate its ends in the machine and which projects to the back of the machine and is connected to a suitable uprising link, not shown, which controls the take-up arms of the machine to take-up tension during heel and toe knitting.

In Figure 16, the wales are designated by reference characters 306 to 34! inclusive, and the courses are designated by reference characters 350 to 369 inclusive. In Figure 15, some of the wales, but none of the courses, are designated by reference characters. By referring to Figure 15, attention is called to the fact that the vertical protuberances and I! are formed by the elastic strand being laid behind wales 335, 336, and 33! throughout all of the courses, and vertical stripe H is formed in a like manner by laying an elastic strand behind wales 303, 304, and 305 throughout all the courses. Projecting portion 2' in Figure 15 is produced by laying the elastic strand behind wales 321, 328 and 323, while knitting courses 35!, 352, 353 and 354. Outwardly projecting portion or ridge !6' in Figure 15 is produced by laying the elastic strand behind wales 3H, 3I2 and 3!3 in courses 35!, 352, 353 and 354. Outwardly bulged portion 3' is produced by laying the elastic strand behind wales 325, 326 and 321 in courses 355, 356, 351 and 356. Outwardly bulged portion 3' in Figure 15 is produced by laying the elastic strand behind wales 3H, 3H, 3!5 in courses 355,356,351 and 358. Outwardly bulged portion 4' in Figure 15 is produced by laying the elastic strand behind the needles in wales 323, 324 and 325 in courses 353, 366, 36! and 362 and in these same courses the elastic strand is laid behind the needles in wales 3!5, 3l6 and 3H to produce outwardly bulged portion 6'. Outwardly bulged portion 5' in Figure 15 is produced by laying the elastic yarn behind the needles in wales 32!, 322 and 323 in courses 363, 364, 365 and 366, and in these same courses, the elastic strand is laid behind wales 3! 1, 3|3 and 3I9 to produce the outwardly bulged portion 1'. Outwardly bulged portion 6' appearing in Figure 16 where the elastic strand is laid behind the needles in wales 3!9, 320 and 32! in courses 361, 368 and 369 and for a substantial distance further down the stocking than is shown in the schematic showing in Figure 16. When one-half of the diamond of protuberances has been formed in the fabric, the jack selecting levers are moved in reverse order consecutively to form projection portions l2 and I3 which corresponds to protruding portions 1' and 5' and projecting portions l4 and I5 are formed in the same manner as projecting portions 8' and 4' and projections I6 and H are formed in the sam manner as projections and 3'.

Method of operation After the first make-up course is finished and the sinkers are moved inwardly, so as to knit the body yarn or yarn on top of the sinkers the stocking is then knitted as follows:

The roller 201 is lowered to aid shedding of the stitches. A number of courses of fabric is knitted with the elastic yarn in front of every other needle and in back of every other needle to make the top portion without the pattern or what is known as 1 x 1 rubb r top fabric or 1 x 1 rib knitting. This is effected by the jack selecting levers B2 to 68 inclusive being held in inoperative position by vane I controlled by link 39 and roller 94 (Figure 2a).

This top portion of the stocking is made as described so as to set it off from the patterned or leg portion but it is not necessary to knit this portion of the stocking without the pattern if it is desired to make the pattern in this portion of the stocking. When a suitable portion of knitted fabric has been made for the top, which can be two courses or any number of courses desired, the patterning mechanism is then put into operation as follows:

The main pattern drum is caused to advance so that the roller 94 on link 89 drops off of cam 96 on left hand extension pattern drum 2|. This will cause shaft I3 to move in a clockwise direction causing van I5 to release selecting levers B2 and 68 inclusive allowing the projection 11 to engage the cam members I06 on the jack selecting pattern drum.

Where there are no cam members I06 on the jack selecting pattern drum, the jack selecting leverscammed knife edge ends-will engage pattern jacks Ia to Ila as shown in Figure 14.

These pattern jacks Ia to I I a inclusive are arranged to make the pattern as shown in Figure 15. The cam surface on the lever I58 is engaged by a cam I59 on the right extension pattern drum 22 causing the shoulder I54 to move in a clockwise direction in Figure 21 and release bell crank I38 causing its cammed end I 4| to engage the cam I43 on the I04 tooth gear hub causing the jack selecting pattern drum I04 to be ratcheted in a clockwise direction in Figure 5 each time cam I43 engages the cam surface I42 or bell crank I38.

The selection blocked off in dotted lines in Figure 15 shows a section of the pattern and having numbers from I to II' inclusive so as to correspond with the pattern selecting jacks Ia to Ila in Figure 14.

This is explained as follows:

Pattern selecting jack Ia had 5 short butts, and pattern selecting jack Ila has 5 long butts at the proper level to be raised by levers 63 to 61 inclusive; the five pattern selecting levers 63 to 61 inclusive are used for making the pattern as shown in Figure 15. Levers 62 and B0 are not used in making this particular pattern.

While making the top portion of the pattern, or that part of the pattern above the heel, roller 94 is not on any cam but is resting on the left hand extension pattern drum 2| so that the vane I5 on uprising shaft I3 does not engage any of the pattern selecting levers 62 to 68 inclusive. When vane I5 is in this position the right hand end of the pattern selecting levers will engage both long and short butt pattern selecting jacks.

The screws I05 are so-arranged in the pattern selecting drum I04 that one of the five pattern selecting levers 63 to 61 inclusive is in position to engage the pattern selecting jack butts at all times during making of this pattern. The pattern selecting jacks Ia and Ila will be elevated every revolution of the needle cylinder and as pattern selecting lever 60 is raised every other jack, when jacks Ia and Ila are elevated, the needles will be placed in position so that the elastic thread will be placed under the latches of these three needles causing this portion of the fabric to be raised or outwardly protruded at positions I and II (Figure 15). The portions 2' and I0 of the pattern, Figure 15, is madewhen jack selecting lever 61 is in position to elevate jacks 2a and I Do causing that portion of the pattern designated by 2' and I0 to be raised or outwardly projected. That portion of the pattern designated by 3' and 8' is made when jack selecting lever 66 is in position to elevate jacks 3a and Be. That portion of the pattern designated by 4' and 8' is made when jack selecting lever 65 is in position to elevate jacks 4a and 8a. That portion of the pattern designated by 1' and 5' is made when jack selecting lever 64 is in position to elevate jacks 5a and Ia, and that portion of the pattern 6 is made when jack selecting lever 83 is in position to elevate pattern selecting jack 6a.

The stocking is completed and the pattern continued by jack selecting levers 63 to 61 inclusive continuing to be operated in the same manner as above describedthat is--jack selecting levers 61 to 63 are caused to be in operating position in consecutive order and then the number of the jack selecting levers is reversed and caused to be In operative positions 63 to 61 inclusive in consecutive order. When the stocking is knitted to point B, Figure 15, the main pattern drum is advanced forward so that roller 94 is riding on the low cam 95, causing vane 15 to be in a position to hold the jack selecting levers 62 to 61 inclusive so that they will only engage the long butt jacks 6a to Na inclusive and all the pattern mechanisms continue to work as before but the pattern will only show in the front portion of the stocking where the pattern selecting jacks have long butts.

When the heel portion of the stocking is begun in the usual manner on seamless type knitting machines, roller 201 is raised out of operating position and lever 244 is raised so that the elastic yarn feeding finger is taken out of operative position to cause the elastic strand 258 to enter the elastic strand clamp and cutter 35 in Figure 7. This elastic strand clamp and cutter 35 holds the loose end of the elastic strand while the machine is knitting the heel portion of the stocking. The roller 94 is caused to rest on cam 91 on the left hand extension pattern drum 2|, causing vane 75 to hold the pattern selecting levers 62 to 68 inclusive out of operating position.

Jack selecting lever 09 is caused to be moved out of operative position by the front end of lever 22I being held in an elevated position by cam 220 (Figure 14) on the left hand extension pattern drum 2I causing the rear end of lever 22I to be in a lowered position. causing the upper end of hell crank 2 I4 (Figure 2) to be moved in an anticlockwise direction causing link 2I0 to move the left end of pattern selecting lever 69 to the left in Figure 2. The front end of lever I50 drops off of cam I59 on the right hand extension pattern drum 22 causing the rear end of lever I58 to be moved downwardly by tension spring I65, causing SEARCH ROOi-l 13 notch I54 on bell crank ll to be positioned under bell crank I38 so that bell crank [38 will be in inoperative position so that the pattern selecting drum I04 will remain in a stationary position during the knitting of the heel portion of the stocking.

The front end of lever 26| is caused to rest on cam 26 la on the left hand extension pattern drum 2|, causing the rear end of lever 26! to be in a lower position, thus causing the lower portion of bell crank 264 to be moved downwardly, causing the upper end of bell crank 264 to be moved in a clockwise direction and this upper end of bell crank 264 engages lever 265 moving it in an anticlockwise direction, causing set screw 26'! to be moved away from cam 268 which is then caused to be in inoperative position by tension spring 210 so that cam 268 does not press the sinkers in under the yarn in the knitting of the heel portion of the stocking.

Lever 222 drops off of cam 222a on the left extension pattern drum 2| and needle raising cam 228a is moved away from needle cylinder l2 by uprising link 224 which is connected to lever 222.

Lever 23! drops off of cam 23la on left extension pattern drum 2| causing cam 231a to be moved away from cylinder I2 by uprising link 232 which is connected to lever 23L These two cams, 231a and 228a, are moved away from the cylinder so that the needles can be operated in their normal position for making the heel portion of the stocking.

After the heel portion of the stocking is completed, the operations just described are reversed and the machine continues to knit the pattern on the long butt jacks only until the ring-toe, or

to the point marked C, Figure 15, is reached. When the stocking is completed down to the ring-toe, the main pattern drum is advanced forwardly and all the pattern mechanisms are taken out of operation as described above, when the machine begins the heel portion of the stocking.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims,

We claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine having needles and sinkers and means for feeding body yarn to the needles and means for feeding an elastic strand to the needles, pattern controlled means for selectively raising some of the needles so as to cause the elastic strand to be disposed in front of some needles and behind other needles in selected order, the elastic strand being laid behind several needles and in front of a lesser number of needles to produce outwardly bulged-portions in the fabric to thereby form a pattern, means for advancing the sinkers at the knitting point so as to knit all wales of the body yarn on top of the nibs of the sinkers to thus produce a very loose stitch so that the contraction of the fabric by the elastic yarn will cause the plurality of wales having the body yarn'laid behind the same to bulge outwardly to produce a pattern effect, a member pivoted adjacent the needle circle and projecting over the needle circle and then projecting downwardly inside of the needle circle, a knurled roller rotatably mounted on the lower end of said member and disposed at an angle to the line of travel of the needles for resting on the fabric and holding it against the inner ends of the 14 sinkers to cause the fabric to shed from the needles upon lowering of the needles, and pattern controlled means for raising and lowering said roller to move it to operative or inoperative position, as desired.

2. In a circular knitting machine having needles and sinkers and means for feeding body yarn to the needles and means for feeding an elastic strand to the needles, pattern controlled means for selectively raising some of the needles so as to cause the elastic strand to be disposed in front of some needles and behind other needles in selected order, the elastic strand being laid behind several needles and in front of a lesser number of needles to produce outwardly bulgedmortions in the fabric to thereby form a pattern, means for advancing the sinkers at the knitting point so as to knit all wales of the body yarn on top of the nibs of the sinkers to thus produce a very loose stitch so that the contraction of the fabric by the elastic yarn will cause the plurality of wales having the body yarn laid behind the same to bulge outwardly to produce a pattern effect, the body yarn being heavier than it is possible to knit the same without the sinkers being advanced at the knitting point, a, member pivoted adjacent the needle circle and projecting over the needle circle and then projecting downwardly inside of the needle circle, a roller rotatably mounted on the lower end of said member and disposed at an angle to the line of travel of the needle for resting on the fabric and holding it against the inner ends of the sinkers to cause the fabric to shed from the needles upon lowering of the needles. and pattern controlled means for raising and lowering said roller to move it to operative or inoperative position, as desired.

3. In a circular knitting machine having needles and sinkers and means for feeding body yarn to the needles and means for feeding an elastic strand to the needles, pattern controlled means for selectively raising some of the needles so as to cause the elastic strand to be disposed in front of some needles and behind other needles in selected order, the elastic strand being laid behind several needles and in front of a lesser number of needles to produce outwardly bglgedportions in the fabric to thereby formT'pattern, means for advancing the sinkers at the knitting point so as to knit all wales of the body yarn on top of the nibs of the sinkers to thus produce a very loose stitch so that the contraction of the fabric by the elastic yarn will cause the plurality of wales having the body yarn laid behind the same to bulge outwardly to produce a pattern eflect, a member pivoted outside the needle circle and projecting over the needle circle and downwardly inside the needle circle and having a member on its lower end for resting on the fabric to hold the fabric down against the inner ends of the sinkers, and pattern controlled means for raising and lowering the member on its pivot out of and into engagement with the fabric.

4. In a circular knitting machine having needles and sinkers and means for feeding body yarn to the needles and means for feeding an elastic strand to the needles, pattern controlled means for selectively raising some of the needles so as to cause the elastic strand to be disposed in front of some needles and behind other needles in selected order, the elastic strand being laid behind several needles and in front of a lesser number of needles to produce ou ils)wardl y bi lged portions in the fabric to there y form a pattern, means for advancing the sinkers at the knitting

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