US2544829A

US2544829A - Two-step tucking device for knitting machines

Info

Publication number: US2544829A
Application number: US75114A
Authority: US
Inventors: John N Gilbreath
Original assignee: ALBERT L GILBREATH
Current assignee: ALBERT L GILBREATH
Priority date: 1949-02-08
Filing date: 1949-02-08
Publication date: 1951-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-03-13

Description

March 13, 1951 J. N.. GILBREATH 2,544,829

; 'lfWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet "1 Fig. /2.

I 11 l'entor John N. Gi/flrearh March 13, 1951 J. N. GILBREATH 2,544,829

TWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1949 v "/X/ji/ Inventor John N. (ii/brew!) March 13, 1951 J. N. GILBREATH 2,544,829

TWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor John N. Gi/brea/h TWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1949 March 13, 1951 -J. N. GILBREATH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. /6.

Inventor John N. Gilbreafh Patented Mar. 13, 1951 TWO-STEP TUCKING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES John N. Gilbreath, Summerville, Ga., assignor of one-half to Albert L. Gilbreath, Summerville,

Application February 8, 1949, Serial No. 75,114

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a two-step tucking device for a knitting machine and has for its primary object to control the knitting needles so that one group of needles may be made to hold loops or stitches while two other groups of needles are knitting in a conventional manner.

Another object is automatically to select the group of needles to be used for tucking so that different patterns may be produced in the knitted goods.

A further object is to enable the patterns automatically produced to be varied according to the desires of the user.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a needle bank containing a group of short latch long butt needles, a group of long latch long butt needles, and a group of short butt short latch needles, means selectively to throw out of operation the group of long latch long butt needles, or the group of short butt short latch needles, and means to select the group of needles to be thrown out of operation, said last named means being connected to the machine drive, automatically to regulate the tucking operation.

Other features include a cam member mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving needle butts and actuating said needles as the cam member moves, means for moving said cam member, a pairof superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, and means carried by the cam member and engaging said cam plates to move said cam plates and project or retract the cam faces thereof into and out of the cam groove.

Still other features include means carried by the machine and connected with the cam member moving means periodically to advance the last-named means into the path of movement of the cam plate moving means to alter the positions of the cam plates in timed relation with the operation of the knitting machine.

Still further features include a timing chain operating in unison with the drive of the knitting machine, lugs on the chain, and means actuated by a lug as the latter is moved by the chain,

and connected to the cam plates for altering In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a conventional knitting machine showing portions thereof broken away to illustrate this attachment in use thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view on a somewhat enlarged scale of a portion of the knitting machine showing this attachment in place thereon;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of a fragment of' the needle bank and the needle actuating cam showing this improved attachment thereon in needle moving position;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating the needles in another position;

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figures 5 and'6 showing the needles in still a different position;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Figure 3; i

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 9--9 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line l0--l0 of Figure 1;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side view of the pattern control chain;

Figure 12 is a plan view of one of the chain links illustrated in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the cam plate actuating element;

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the fingers employed for rotating the cam plate operating means;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line l5-l5 of Figure 6 showing the positions of the cam plates while ner;

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15 and taken substantially along the line l6-l6 of Figure 5; e

Figure 1''! is a view similar to Figures 5 and 6 taken substantially along the line ll-H of Figure 7;

Figure 18 is a view illustrating the long butt long latch needle, the long butt short latch needle, and the short butt short latch needle of 3 the type making up the groups of needles employed in carrying this invention into practice, and

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the various positions taken by the cam plate actuating member.

Figure 20 is a perspective view of the vertical slide member which is actuated by the chaincarried cams.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a conven tional circular knitting machine to which this invention may be applied is designated generally l and comprises a supporting frame having legs H and i2 on which is supported a conventional knitting table l3 carrying a conventional needle bank M which, in the present instance, embodies a cylinder having conventional longitudinally extending needle guiding grooves therein. The machine is also equipped with a conventional revolving cam which revolves about the cylinder I4 near the lower end thereof, and is driven in a conventional manner through the medium of a conventional speed reduction gearing 6 to which a suitable source of power, such as drive pulleys [l are coupled in a conventional mannerfor driving the drive shaft l8 thereof. In addition to the conventional drive mechanism for the cam member i5, the speed reduction gear train is equipped with a power transmitting shaft i9 carrying adjacent one end an eccentric which is equipped with a conventional eccentric strap 2| to which is connected a downwardly extending spring arm 22 carrying adjacent its lower end an outwardly extending ratchet dog 23, the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter described. A suitable spring arm 24 is carried by the leg [2 and bears against the ratchet dog as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 9.

Mounted for rotation in a suitable bearing 25 carried by the leg 12 is a horizontal shaft 26 carrying adjacent one end a toothed ratchet wheel 2'! which operates through an arc which aligns with the arm 22 so that as the eccentric 23 rotates, the ratchet dog 23 will engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 27 to rotate the shaft 26 in one direction. A suitable sprocket 28 is carried by the shaft 26, and trained over said sprocket is a timing chain designated generally 29 which is composed of

individual links

3B, 31 and 32. The links carry no lugs, but the links 3| are equipped with outwardly extending cams or cam lugs 33 while the links 32 are equipped with outwardly extending cams or cam lugs 34. The lugs 34 are substantially one-half of the height of the lugs 33, and each link is provided with an attaching hook 35 which detachably conneots it to the next adjacent link. It will thus be seen that any desired arrangement of high lugs and low lugs, as well as links without lugs, may be constructed merely by unhooking a link from its next adjacent link and substituting another therefor. In this way the pattern chain may be altered to produce the desired pattern in the product of the machine.

Mounted on the table [3 is a slide box designated generally 36, one end of which extends beyond the edge of the table, and has slidably mounted therein a vertical slide member designated generally 31 which comprises a slide plate 38 having adjacent opposite marginal edges longitudinally extending spaced

parallel flanges

39 and 40. The flange 39 is provided at one end with an inclined face 4| which merges into an inclined face 42 formed onthe adjacent end of the plate 38, and formed on the end of the flange 64 are mounted to slide.

40 which lies nearest to the inclined face 42 is an inclined face 43. The lower end of the plate 38 lies in the path of movement of the

cams

33 and 34, so that as the chain 29 is moved, the slide member 31 will be alternately raised and lowered, and the length or its stroke will be governed by the

cams

33 and 34. Mounted for horizontal sliding movement in slots M and 45 of the slide box 36 are

horizontal slides

46 and 41, respectively, carrying at their rear ends

inclined faces

43 and 49, respectively, which are engaged by the inclined faces 4| and 43, respectively, when the slide members are to be projected. A retractile coil spring 50 is connected at one end to the slide box 36, and at its opposite end to the slide 46 while a similar coil spring 5! is connected to the box 33 and to the slide 47. These springs 50 and 5! yieldingly hold the

slide members

46 and 47 retracted as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 2. A finger 56 projects longitudinally from the end of the slide member 46 remote from the inclined face 48, and a similar finger 5'! projects longitudinally from the end of the slide member 41 remote from the inclined face 43 thereof. These fingers 53 and 51 extend in the direction of the needle bank l4, and are projected against the effort of the

springs

33 and 51 by the engagement of the bevel faces el and 43 of the vertical slide member 37. The plate 38 is mounted adjacent its lower end to slide through an opening 58 in a suitable guide bracket 59 car'- ried by the table l3.

Formed in the cam member [5 and extending transversely therethrough perpendicular to the path of movement of the needles is an opening 60 in which a shaft BI is mounted to rotate. The cam member i5 is also provided with a conven-' tional cam groove in which the needle butts are received, and opening into the cam groove adjacent the needle bank I4 is a recess 62 in which a pair of relatively thin superposed plates 63 and These cam plates are provided respectively at their upper edges with

cam faces

65 and 86 which are adapted to be projected upwardly into the cam groove to alter the positions of the needles as the cam member moves relative to the needle bank 14. The

plates

63 and 64 are provided with openings 6? and 68, respectively, for thereception of cams 69' and 10 which are carried by the end of the shaft 6| nearest the needle bank. The earns 69 and 70 are of a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the

plates

63 and 64, and the

openings

67, and 68 are of such a shape that as the cams are rotated about the axis of the shaft Hi, the plates will be shifted vertically in the recess 62 into the various positions illustrated in Figures 15, 16 and 17. Carried on the shaft 61, and on the exterior of the cam member [5 is a shaft actuating member designated generally I l which carries at one end a; disk 12 which is provided in its face adjacent the cam member IS with an annular row of recesses 13 for the reception of a spring-pressed pin 74 carried by. the cam member which cooperates with the walls of the recesses 13' tooifer resistance to rotation of the shaft 6|. Extending radially from the member H at the end thereof remote from the flange T2 are arms l5, 16, TI and 18 which move horizontally with the movement of the cam member 15.

Mounted in the needle bank for vertical sliding movement therein are separate groups of needles, one of which is composed of a number of long butt long latch needles [9, a second group of needles composed of long butt short latch needles 88, and a third group of needles composed of short butt short latch needles 8|.

As illustrated in Figure 18 each needle 19 is provided with a long butt 82 and a long latch 83, while each needle 88 is provided with a long butt 84 and a conventional short latch 85. The needles 8| are each provided with a short butt 86 and a conventional short latch 87, and the

butts

82, 84 and 88 ride in the cam groove in the cam member I5 while the needles ride in conventional needle guiding grooves 88 formed in the needle bank Id. In addition to the

cam plates

63 and 64 carried by the cam member IS, the cam member is provided in the cam groove with a long butt needle elevating cam 89 which is positioned adjacent the recess 82 in the cam member, and is of such a thickness that the short butt needles 8| will pass by this cam 89 without being elevated into an operative position. As the cam member I? advances with the cams 69 and T8 in the position illustrated in Figure the short butts 88 of the needles 8i escape the cam 89 but are engaged by the cam face 65 and are elevated as illustrated in Figure 15 so that all of the needles will be knitting in a conventional manner. When in this position it will be noted also that the butts 82 of the long latch needles 79 are engaged by the cam face 66 so as to cause the needles 19 to be elevated the proper distance to receive the stitch, so that all of the needles will be knitting. Upon shifting the

cams

69 and 18 into the position illustrated in Figure 16, the butts 8B of the short butt needles 8| will be elevated into knitting position, but the butts 82 of the long latch needles 19 will not lift their respective needles beyond the point at which their respective latches 83 open, and consequently these needles will not perform the knitting operation and a tucking of the product will result. Upon turning the

cams

69 and 70 into the position illustrated in Figure 17, the plate 7 64 is elevated while the plate 53 is lowered with the result that the cam face 55 lies below a level that will cause the short butt needles 8| to be elevated, while the long butt needles will be raised to a point where both groups thereof will perform the knitting operation. Inasmuch as when the parts are in the position illustrated in Figure 1'7, the short butt needles are not elevated into knitting position, it will be evident that a tucking of the product of the machine will result. From the foregoing it will be obvious that while the long butt short latch needles 88 will at all times be moved into knitting position, the long butt long latch needles "E9, or the short butt short latch needles 8| may selectively be thrown out of knitting position so that a selection of tucks may be produced in the product of the machine.

In order automatically to govern the operation of the needles and throw one or the other group out of operation automatically, the chain 29 is equipped with links having lugs of the desired height or heights thereon so that as the chain is moved, a lug will engage the lower end of the slide member 38 to move said member upwardly and cause the cam face 5| to encounter the cam face 48 on the slide member 48 so as to project said slide member against the effort of the spring 50, and move the finger 56 thereof into the path of movement of one of the arms l5, 18, H or 18. With the finger 58 projected, it will be evident upon reference to Figure 19 that the arm 16 will be encountered by the finger 58 during its movement with the cam member i5, 50 that asthecam member moves in the direction of the ar-.-

- shaft 6| and altering the position of the earns 69 and I8. In event that the slide member 31 moves upwardly to cause the cam face 43 thereof to engage the cam face 49 of the slide member 41, it will be evident that the finger 51 will be projected as illustrated in position B of Figure 19 so that continued movement of the cam member l5 will bring the arm 16 into engagement with the finger 51, with the result that by the time the cam member moves to bring the parts in the position 0 of Figure 19, the cam shaft 6| will hav made a one-half turn, thus completely reversing the position of the

cam plates

63 and 64. Should it be desired to rotate the shaft only a quarter turn, a lower lug 34 is employed, so that only the finger 55 will be projected, and in this way automatic selection of the needle group to be employed may be achieved. Obviously, the engagement of the spring-pressed pin 14 in the recesses l3 will serve to prevent the shaft 6| from moving until positive rotating pressure is applied thereto, and hence accidental change of the position of the

cams

69 and 18 may be prevented.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention itisto be understood thatminor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In: a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to move in spaced parallel paths, a cam member mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of the needlesfsaicl cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and actuating Said needles as the cam moves, and means for moving said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in 'the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projec.-ion into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the paths of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to project or retract the cam faces thereof into and out of the cam groove and means on the shaft adjacent the cam member for rotating said shaft and moving the cam lates.

2. In a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having .long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle ban to move in spaced parallel paths, a cam member mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and actuating said needles as the cam moves, and means for moving said cam member,- means-to produce tuck stitches in the product of'the machine while the product isin the process; of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the, cam;

member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam "groove and engagement withthe needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the paths of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to project or retract the cam faces thereof into and out of the cam grooves, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member for rotating said shaft and moving the cam plates, and means mounted on the machine adjacent the cam member for engaging the shaft rotating means and rotating the shaft as it moves with the cam member:

3. In a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches;all said needles being mounted in said needle'banlr to move in spaced parallel paths, a cam member mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of the needles, said cam member havin a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and actuating said needles as the cam moves, and means for moving said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine While the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to mate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the paths of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging th cam plates to project or retract the cam faces thereof into and out of the cam grooves, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member for rotating said shaft and moving the cam plates, means mounted on the machine adjacent the cam member for engaging the shaft rotating means and rotaLing the shaft as it moves with the cam member, yielding means carried by the machine to retract the last named means out of the path of movement of the shaft rotating means, and means carried by the machine adjacent the cam member and coupled to the cam member cperating means periodically to advance the last-named means against the eifort of the retracting means in timed relation to the movement of the cam member.

4. In a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short butt needles having'regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to move in spaced parallel paths, a cam member mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and actuating said needles as the cam moves, and means for moving said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection in.o the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member torotate about an axis which lies per- Cir pendicular to the paths of movement of the oath plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to project or retract the cam faces thereof into and out of the cam groove, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member for rotating said shaftand moving the cam plates, and stop fingers mounted on the machine adjacent the cam mem-- her for engaging the shaft rotating means and rotating the shaft as it moves with the cammember.

5. In a knitting machine of the type having needle bank, short butt needles having regular,

mounted adjacent the needle bank to move transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving th needle} butts and actuating said needles as the cammoves, and means for moving said cam member;

means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair 7 of superposed cam pla.es mounted in the cammember to move parallel to the needles,'a cam fac on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with" the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam; member to rotate about an aXis which lies per-, pendicular to the paths of movement of the earn plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam platesto project or retract the cam faces thereof into and out of the cam groove, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member for rotating said shaft and moving the cam plates, and stop fingers mounted on the machine for movement adj acent the cam member into and out of the pathof movement of the shaft rotating means as the latter moves with the cam-member for engaging said shaft rotaing means and rotating the shaft: to alter the positions of the cam plates. I

6. In a knitting machine of the type having a needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle banlc to move in spaced parallel paths, a cam member mounted adjacent the needle bank to move trans versely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and actuating said needles as the cam moves, and means for moving said cammember, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam mem her to move parallel to the needles, a cam face, on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mourned in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the paths of movement of the cam plates, cams 'on the shaft engaging the cam plates to project or retract the cam faces thereof into and out of the cam groove, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member for rotating said shaft and moving the cam plates, stop fingers mounted on the machine for movement adjacent the cam member into and out of the path of movement of the shaft rotating means as the lattermoves with the cam member for engaging said shaft ma ing means and rotating the shaft to al.er the positions of the cam plates, yielding means car-,- ried by the machine and. connected to the stop fingers to hold said fingers out of the path of movement of the shaft rotating means, and means carried by the machine and operated by the cam member moving means periodically to advanc the yielding means into the path of movement of the shaft rotating means to rotate said shaft and alter the positions of the cam plates.

7. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to 'move longimdinally thereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a circular cam member encircling said needle bank and movable in a circular path transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam member revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof when the shaft is rotated and means on the shaft adjacent the cam member to rotate th shaft.

8. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long'butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinally thereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a circular cam member encircling said needle bank and movable in a circular path transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam member revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof when the shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member to rotate the shaft, and means mounted on the machine adjacent the cam member to engage the shaft rotating means and rotate the shaft as it revolves with the cam member to alter the positions of the cam plates.

9. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinally thereof and movablein a circular path transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein'forreceiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam member revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove'and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to'roiate about an aXis which lies perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam' plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof when the shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member to rotate the shaft; and means mounted on the machine adjacent the cam member to move'into' and out of the path of movement of the shaft rotating means to rotate said shaft rotating means and'alter the positions of the cam plates;

10. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all saidneedles being mounted in said needle bank to'move longitudinally thereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, 2. circular cam member encircling'said needl bank and movable in a circular path'transversely of the needles, said cam member having a" earn groove therein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles 'as'the cam member revolves about the needle ba'nk andmeans to revolvesai'd cam member, means to 'producetuck stitches in the productof the machine while the product is in the process of -manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each'cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging ried by the machine and connected to the last-.

named means to hold said means out of the path of movement ofrtheshaft rotating means, and means carried-by thema'chine and driven by the cam' member revolving means periodically to -move the said last-named means into thepath of movement of the shaft rotating means as the later revolves with the cam member, thereby to alter the positions of the cam plates. i

11. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinally thereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a aircular cam member encircling said needle bank and movable in a circular path transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the'carn member revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engagin the cam plates to alter the positions thereof when the shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member to rotate the shaft, and stop fingers mounted. on the machine adjacent the cam member for movement into and out of the path of movement of the shaft rotating means as the later revolves with the cam member for engaging said shaft rotating means and rotating the shaft to alter the positions of the cam plates.

long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinally thereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a circular cam member encircling said needle bank and movable in a. circular path transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam member revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member, means LO produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof when the shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member to rotate the shaft, stop fingers mounted on the machine adjacent the cam member for movement into and out of the path of movement of the shaft rotating means as the latter revolves with the cam member for engaging said shaft rotating means and rotating the shaft to alter the positions of the cam plates, springs connected to the machine and to the stop fingers for holding said fingers out of the path of movement of the shaft rotating means and means carried by the machine and having driving connection with the cam member revolving means periodically to advance the fingers against the effort of the springs into the path of the shaft rotating means in timed relation to the revolutions of the cam member.

13. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinally thereof in circumferentially spaced parallel pashs, a circular cam'member encircling said-needle bank and movable in a circular path-transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam member revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle buts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axis which lies perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates L0 alter the positions thereof when the shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member to rotate the shaft, arms fixed to the shaft adjacent the cam member, said arms projecting radially from said shaft and moving in a, circular path concentric with the cam member, stop fingers mounted on the machine adjacent the cam member to move radially with relation to said cam member in.o and out of the circular path of the arms as the latter revolve with the cam member, yielding means to hold the fingers out of the circular path, and a plunger carried by the machine adjacent the fingers for moving the fingers against the effort of the yielding means into the circular path to cause an arm moving with the cam member to rotate the shaft and alter the positions of the cam plates.

14. In a circular knitting machine of the type having a circular needle bank, short butt needles having regular latches, long butt needles having long latches and long butt needles having regular latches, all said needles being mounted in said needle bank to move longitudinally thereof in circumferentially spaced parallel paths, a circular cam member encircling said needle bank and movable in a circular path transversely of the needles, said cam member having a cam groove therein for receiving the needle butts and moving said needles as the cam member revolves about the needle bank and means to revolve said cam member, means to produce tuck stitches in the product of the machine while the product is in the process of manufacture, said means comprising a pair of superposed cam plates mounted in the cam member to move parallel to the needles, a cam face on one edge of each cam plate for projection into the cam groove and engagement with the needle butts, a shaft mounted in the cam member to rotate about an axi which lies perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cam plates, cams on the shaft engaging the cam plates to alter the positions thereof when the shaft is rotated, means on the shaft adjacent the cam member to rotate the shaft, arms fixed to the shaft adjacent'the cam member, said arms projecting radially from said shaft and moving in a circular path concentric with the cam member, stop fingers mounted on the ma- "cam plates, and means carried by the machine adjacent the fingers and driven by the cam member revolving means for engaging the fingers and moving them into the circular path in timed relation to the operation of the machine.

JOHN N. GILBREATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 14 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wheeler June 5, 1906 Aberle Feb. 5, 1907 Robinson Apr. 2, 1912