US2717509A

US2717509A - Knitting machine

Info

Publication number: US2717509A
Application number: US279342A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mildred S Bristow
Original assignee: Scott and Williams Inc
Current assignee: Scott and Williams Inc
Priority date: 1952-03-29
Filing date: 1952-03-29
Publication date: 1955-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-13

Description

Sept. 13, p W BRlSTOW KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l l t y `1 4 J j /2 ig" P E fo-- -3e s 32 i 2e 5 y |34/ g lo 'Drl 2o zo la [4 FIG. l. 22 '282 INVENTOR.

i le PAUL w. BRISTOW,DECEASED,

- BY MILDRED s. BRI Tow,Ex CUIIRIX BY dauw, r

ATToRNE Sept. 13, 1955 P. w. BRisTow KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29, 1952 INVENTOR.

PAUL W. BRISTOW, DECEASED, BY MILDRED S. BRISTROW, EXECUTRIX FIG. 2

BY MM# ATTORNEYS Sept. 13, 1955 P. W. BRISTOW 2,717,509 KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.3.

INV T PAUL W. BRISTOW, DE S FIG. 4. BY MILDRED s. BmsTow, ExEcUTRlx BY @Magwvm RNEY ATTO

Sept. 13, 1955 P. W. BRlsToW 2,717,509

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l l l m-ifiiu'i iifT @fun/umn I L lll lilllllllllnll $15 l will liv/linfa? will' VENTOR.

BY MILDRED S. BRISTOW, EXECUTRIX BY- /wfq l ATTORNEY PAUL W. BRIST DECEASED,

United States Patent O f KNITTING MACHINE Paul W. Bristow, deceased, late of Laconia, N. H., by Mildred S. Bristow, executrix, Laconia, N. H., assigner to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. I-I., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 29, 1952, Serial No. 279,342

11 Claims. (Cl. 66-14) This invention relates to a knitting method and machine and has particular reference to the production of designs in fabric knit at a plurality of feeds and by the use of needles forming both rib and plain stitches, such designs being commonly designated as of Jacquard type.

One of the objects of the present invention is the production of stockings, such as socks or anklets, having turned down cuis which when worn will present multicolored designs to view. Assuming the production of such a stocking on a superposed cylinder type of machine, and

that heels and toes are formed by needles when in the lower cylinder, designs of the type to which the invention relates will be formed primarily by manipulations of needles in the upper cylinder, i. e. knitting what would normally be rib stitches. While the arrangement of the cylinders could obviously be inverted, it will be assumed in what follows that heels and toes are knit by needles when in the lower cylinder. Under such circumstances the particular designs involved herein are provided by causing needles to be disposed in repetitive arrangements in the upper and lower cylinders, for example in a l x l arrangement. The needles in the lower cylinder take yarns at both of the feeds and consequently produce plain stitches in two-feed fashion, the stitches formed at the respective feeds alternating along each plain Wale. The upper cylinder needles on the other hand are caused to take yarns selectively at the two feeds and accordingly produce arrays of rib stitches which can be generally considered to form three types of areas: rst, areas which show on the inside of the fabric (or the outside of a turned-down top) substantially solely the yarn taken at one of the feeds, secondly, those areas which show substantially solely the yarn taken at the other of the feeds, and third, areas in which along a wale the two yarns alternate so as to produce a speckled type of appearance.

The designs thus produced on the inside of the fabric involve substantially complete hiding of the loops produced by the lower cylinder needles, the rib wales being drawn closely together to give the appearances indicated. The type of stitch formation which has been generally described is not new but is generally referred to as Jacquardtype stitching.

In the complete stocking, having a turned-down top presenting this Jacquard-type stitching, the leg and in- Step may carry designs of rib or links-links type. One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a machine in which Jacquard-type stitching may be provided in the top and links-links or other types' of designs may be provided in the leg and instep.

A further object of the invention relates to the attainment of the two types of stitches just referred to utilizing a single selecting point controlled, desirably, from a single pattern drum or other cylically-operating pattern device.

In accordance with the last stated object, however, the invention is more generally applicable and relates even more broadly to improved method and mechanism for pattern control.

More Specifically, it is one of the objects of the present 2,717,509 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 invention to provide a cross-over type of selection in which needles having one particular characteristic of operation at one feed will have a particular different characteristic at another feed, with effective selection at both feeds. Applied specilically to the formation of Jacquard-type designs, the improved control causes needles to take yarns selectively at either feed and due to that selection miss the yarn at the other feed.

The result just indicated is attained through the use of pattern jacks and associated auxiliary jacks which during operation have alternate positions relative to the pattern jacks, the auxiliary jacks, in effect, providing a delayed memory for the selection which is effected on the primary jacks, and after one feed is passed, these auxiliary jacks control conditions of operation at the next feed.

Still another object of the invention relates to the utilization of the same pattern jacks for selection at two different levels whereby their controlling actions are differentiated. In particular, the jacks are selected at one level for the Jacquard-type design formation, and at a different level for effecting transfer of needles between the cylinders for links-links work.

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

Figure l is a vertical section through the cylinders and associated parts of a superposed cylinder machine showing both conventional elements and certain special elements involved in carrying out the present invention;

Figure 2 is an inside development of the cams and certain other elements cooperating with upper and lower sliders, pattern jacks and auxiliary jacks, these elements together with needles being shown at the right of the cam development;

Figure 3 is an elevation, partly broken away, showing pattern controlling elements involved in the machine, the sectional portions of this figure being taken on the plane generally indicated at 3 3 in Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a plan View, partly in section, of the elements shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic elevation of a childs sock such as typically produced by the machine; and

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the stitch formation in the top of the sock of Figure 5, the diagram showing the stitches as they would appear from the inside of the fabric as it is being formed, the progress of stitch formation being from the bottom to the top of this figure.

The upper cylinder of the machine is indicated at 2 and is slotted at 4 for the reception of the upper sliders 6 which are provided with upper butts 8 and lower butts 10. In the machine specifically described the lower butts 10 are all long except for a panel of short butts on sliders associated with sole needles, while the upper butts 8 on sliders associated with sole needles are long except for I sole series.

The lower butts are differentiated in repetitive groups, for example if a l x l arrangement of needles is to be used for the formation of the Jacquard-type top, short and long butts alternate at 22.

Cooperating with the needles are the conventional arcuate sinkers 24.

Located above the upper sliders in the slots of the upper cylinder are pattern jacks 26, Each of these is provided with a series of pattern butts 32 at various selected levels, the jacks beinginitially provided with a full complement of butts which may be selectively broken awayV to leave the required pattern butts 32. The lowerrnost of the butts, designated 32, has special functions, referred to hereafter, and is not used for pattern selection, this butt being present on each of the jacks. If, however, a picot welt similar to that described in the application of Paul W. Bristow, Serial No. 241,434, filed August ll, 1951, was desired, all jacks except those which were to cause their associated needles to tuck or welt, would have a butt 32 above 32 at the proper height to be lowered by a cam such as 107. Above its'uppermost butt each of the pattern jacks is provided with an extension 34. in the back of each jack are formed upper and

lower notches

36 and 38, respectively. In these notches there are received rounded projectio-ns 40 formed at the lower ends of auxiliary jacks 42 which are located in deepened portions of the upper cylinder slots behind the extensions 34 of the pattern jacks. Each of these auxiliary jacks is provided with a butt 44 which extends outwardly over the upper end of the pattern jack. The jacks are held inwardly by spring bands which yield to permit relative movements of the pattern and auxiliary jacks as will hereafter appear.

Referring now particularly to Figure 2, the lower forward stitch cam at the main feed is indicated at 48 and the lower reverse stitch cam at 50, there being located between these the center cam 52. Clearing of needles during rotary knitting and during forward reciprocations is effected by the action of

cams

54 and 56 on the upper butts 2&1 of the lower sliders. The various cams just mentioned are associated with the main feed, yarn at which feed is fed at location 57. It will, of course, be understood that various yarns are fed at this feed and also at the auxiliary feed, the yarns being suitable for the various portions of the stockings produced.

Top cam S and stitch cam 69 are provided at the auxiliary feed where yarn is fed at the location 61.

Cams

62 and 64 effect clearing by the needles in the lower cylinder following the auxiliary feed.

Heels and toes are formed in conventional fashion utilizing the raising

pickers

66 and 68 and the lowering picker 70 which is shown in Figure 2 in its inactive position.

Stitch cam 72 acts on the knitting butts of upper sliders at the main feed and clearing of the needles in the upper cylinder following the main feed may be effected at certain times by the actions of cams '74 and 76, though as will later appear clearing at this feed is controlled selectively by means other than cam 74 at certain times.

Upper sliders are moved upwardly at the auxiliary feed by cam '78 to position them for further movement by auxiliary stitch cam 80. Clearing foliowing the auxiliary feed is effected by cams S2 and 84, though at certain times cam 82 is ineffective for this purpose.

Cam 86 is provided to move upper sliders upwardly for approach to stitch cam 72.

Transfers of needles from the lower cylinder to the upper cylinder are controlled by cams 8S and 90 and the usual cam 92 which serves to disengage needles from the upper ends of the lower sliders and also to disengage needles being transferred downwardly from the lower ends of upper sliders.

Cams

94 and 96 act on lower sliders to move them downwardly following transfer.

Transfers of needles from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder are controlled by cams 98 and 100, the former being active only under some conditions as will hereafter appear. Following transfer the upper sliders are raised by cam 102.

The lowermost butts 32 of the pattern jacks 26 are acted upon by

cams

163, 104, 105, 111, 106, 108, 109

and 110. As will appear more fully hereafter,

cams

106 and 109 are arranged to be withdrawn for certain operations.

A stack of cams indicated at 114, selectively controlled from a pattern drum, are arranged for action upon the selected butts 32 of the pattern jacks.

Cams

116, 118 and 1211 are provided for action upon the butts 44 of auxiliary jacks 42.

Referring now particularly to Figures 3 and 4, the selecting cams 114 are shown as provided at the ends of a series of stacked and spaced levers 117 pivoted -on a vertical pin 119 and having follower projections 121 arranged to be acted upon by pins 123 in a pattern drum 124. The drum 124 is splined at 126 to rotate with a mounting hub 128 which is journalled upon a shaft 130. The arrangement is such that the pattern drum 124 may be located in either one of two vertical positions, vertical movements being imparted thereto by a lever 132 controlled from the main cam drum of the machine, the lever 132 having an end portion which underlies the drum 124. The pins 123 are selectively located in horizontal rows of holes in the pattern drum, being held therein at times when they are not in position to act upon levers 117 by cover plates one of which is indicated at 134 in Figure l. The rows of holes in the pattern drum are double the number of the levers 117 so that each lever 117 may be acted upon by pins 123 in either of a pair of rows of holes depending upon the alternative vertical positions of the pattern drum.A

lt will be evident that by this arrangement the effective control by the pattern drum is substantially increased over that securabie by a pattern drum having a fixed axial position and acting on the same number of follower levers.

To the upper end of the hub 123 there is secured the ratchet wheel 136, the teeth of which are arranged to be engaged by a pawl 133 under the action of spring 140, the pawl being pivoted to a lever 142 which is journalled on the shaft 130. The lever 142 is acted upon by a cam 144 secured to the gear 146 through which the upper cylinder is rotated in conventional fashion. A springpressed brake 14S shown in Figure l prevents overrun of the pattern drum after it is advanced by the action of pawl 138.

The starting of a stocking is conventional and need not be specifically described. Usual welt formations may be involved with the provision of a press-off draw thread, picot formation, or the like. ln connection with these the needles may be divided between the two cylinders, and it will be assumed that at the beginning of patterning of the top alternate needles are located in the lower cylinder with intermediate needles in the upper cylinder, the separation of the needles having been effected through the selective action of cam 9i) on the differentiated lower slider butts 22. 1t may be noted that other than l x.l arrangements of the needles may be provided for the formation of Jacquard-type designs in the top, for example l x 2, or 2 x 2 setups may be used.

Assuming a 1 x 1 arrangement of needles, the formation of the designs in the top will now be described, there being further assumed the feeding of yarns of different colors or of contrasting characteristics at the main and auxiliary feeds.

The formation of Jacquard-type .stitches may be best understood by considering first the paths of the pattern and auxiliary jacks. These jacks enter the right of Figure 2 with the projection 411 vof each auxiliary jack in the notch 38 of the pattern jack. The auxiliary jack butts 44 enter on path A and the pattern jack butts 32' enter on path A. The uppermost butts 32 follow paths indicated for ease of comparison immediately below the paths of the auxiliary jack butts.

During this type of

patterning cams

106 and 107 are out of action but cam 10@ is in action. The selecting cam 114 which is at a level at which it might engage butts 32 is out of action.

When the pattern jacks reach the position of the cams u 114, those which have butts 32 at the level of active cams 114 are depressed by the actions of such cams so that their lowermost butts 32 follow the path B. The auxiliary jacks are correspondingly pulled downwardly and their butts 44 follow the path B. When a butt 44 following this path B reaches cam 116 it is raised by that cam. At this time the butt 32 of the corresponding pattern jack is located below the horizontal cam 104 with the result that the pattern jack cannot follow the upward movement of the auxiliary jack. As a result projection 46 of the auxiliary jack is pulled upwardly out of notch 38, the pattern jack yielding outwardly to permit this disengagement, and when the rise of butt 44 over cam 116 is completed, the projection 40 will be located in notch 36. The

butts

44 and 32 accordingly follow respectively the paths C and C'.

The butt 32 next engages the cam 105 whereby it is lowered to D. The auxiliary jack is simultaneously pulled down so that its butt 44 reaches the position D. Butt 32 is then raised by cam 111 to the position E and the auxiliary jack butt 44 is raised to the path E. The auxiliary jack butt 44 is then lowered by cam 120 to path F and the pattern jack butt 32 is correspondingly lowered to path F'. But 44 will then he below the horizontal portion of cam 12% while butt 32 will be raised by cam 109 to the position A. Since the auxiliary jack is restrained from upward movement, relative movement of the jacks again occurs, the pattern jack yielding to permit protection 4f? to move out of notch 36 and reenter notch 3S. The jacks are accordingly brought to their original relative positions and to the initial paths.

1n contrast with the foregoing, a pattern jack which lacks butts 32 at the levels of all active cams 114 will continue to move horizontally from the initial position A of its butt 32 and this horizontal movement will continue until butt 44 of its auxiliary jack is engaged by cam 118 which was missed by the butts 44 following the path E in the case of downwardly selected pattern jacks. 'Ihe outts 44 which engage cam 118 are lowered thereby to the level G and the butts 32 of corresponding pattern jacks are lowered to the level G. This lowering of any butt 32 brings it into position to engage cam 103 whereby it is further lowered to position H', the corresponding auxiliary jack butt 44 being lowered to position H. Cam 189 is then engaged by the butt 32 and raises the butt to the original level A while the corresponding auxiliary jack butt 44 rises to the initial level A. It will be noted that in the last mentioned path the auxiliary and pattern jacks are not relatively moved, the projection 40 of each remaining in a corresponding notch 38.

Upper sliders enter the right of Figure 2 with their lower butts at alternative levels and it will be most convenient to consider the paths of the upper sliders starting with the position at which all of the lower butts 10 are at the same level above stitch cam 72. At this time those sliders which are associated with pattern jacks who-se butts 32' are following path C will be engaged or substantially engaged by the lower ends of their pattern jacks. Considering such a slider, when the pattern jack is depressed by the action of cam 105, the corresponding slider is depressed so that its butt 10 is lowered to the level D2 at which it will engage cam 76, it being noted that cam 74 is at this time inactive. After lowering by cam 76, the slider is raised successively by the action of cam 7S on its butt 10, by the action of cam 79 on its butt 8 and by the action of stitch cam 80 on its butt 10, the corresponding needle taking yarn at the auxiliary feed. The slider then proceeds horizontally, passing cam 82, and entering the right of Figure 2, clearing selectively taking place either at cam 76, as already described or at cam 84, as will be described, depending upon the selection of its pattern jack.

Considering now a slider which is associated with a pattern jack which was not selected, such a slider will pro ceed horizontally from its position over cam 72, passing cam 74. Its pattern jack will be raised out of contact with its upper end. When its corresponding pattern jack is lowered to position G', it is brought into engagement or substantially into engagement with the slider. Then as the pattern jack is depressed by cam 108, the slider is correspondingly depressed so that its butt 10 reaches the level Hz where it is in position to engage and be further lowered by clearing cam 84. The slider then moves horizontally entering the right of Figure 2 at the level below cam 84 and it passes horizontally until its butt 10 is engaged and raised by cam 86, then further by cam 87, and nally by stitch cam 72, causing its needle to take yarn at the main feed.

The movements of the upper sliders and their corresponding needles may he summarized as follows:

A needle which is associated with a pattern jack downwardly selected by a cam 114 is cleared of its previous stitch at cam 76 and then takes yarn at the auxiliary feed, this clearing and taking of yarn occurring at the first passage of the needle past the auxiliary feed following selection.

On the other hand, failure of downward selection of a pattern jack by any cam 114 does not make its effect felt on a corresponding needle until after that needle passes the main feed at welt level, following the selection, passes the auxiliary feed at welt level and is cleared at cam 84 and then takes yarn at the main feed. If, prior to this taking of yarn at the main feed, its pattern jack has been downwardly selected, it will then be immediately cleared by cam 76 and will take yarn at the auxiliary feed.

From the above it will be seen that selection involves taking of a yarn at the next passage of the selected needle past the auxiliary feed but non-selection causes the needle to take yarn at the main feed only after it rst passes the auxiliary feed. The result, due to the fact that the needles carried by sliders in the lower cylinder are knitting two-feed, is the formation of stitches of different relationships to others at the two feeds by needles associated with sliders in the upper cylinder.

The sliders in the lower cylinder take conventional two-feed paths. The sliders enter the right of Figure 2 at the cleared level, are depressed by

cams

52 and 48 to cause their needles to take yarn and knit at the main feed, are cleared by

cams

54 and 56, are depressed by

cams

58 and 60 to cause their needles to take yarn and knit at the `auxiliary feed and are then raised to clearing position by

cams

62 and 64, all of these cams acting on the upper butts 20 of the lower sliders. Two-feed frame knitting thus results.

The formation of links-links work in the leg and instep of a stocking is generally conventional except for the matter of selection effected by the actions of cams 114 on the butts 32 of the pattern jacks. Considering first the transfers of needles from one cylinder to the other, during formation of the leg all of the needles are transferred during each round of knitting from the lower cylinder sliders to the upper cylinder sliders by the successive actions of

cams

88 and 90, the lower sliders being then lowered by the successive actions of

cams

94 and 96, the latter of which is in the lower full line position illustrated in Figure 2. Under these conditions, cam 88 is in position to engage all butts 20 of the lower sliders and cam is in position to engage all butts 22 of the lower sliders, the sliders thereby being raised to the path I. In the formation of a plain sole, however, the cam 88 is withdrawnso that it will only engage the long butts 20 of the instep sliders, missing the shorter butts of the sole sliders. Accordingly, needles associated with sole sliders having all been transferred to the lower cylinder before beginning the heel will not be transferred to the upper cylinder.

Links-links selections are made by selective transfer of needles from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder after the upward transfer. This transfer is effected by the actions of cams 114 as will be more fully described to bring the upper butts of the upper sliders into position for engagement by cam 100 for depression to transfer position indicated at K. Before beginning the heel, the cam 98, which is out of action during the knitting of the leg, is brought into action for a few courses to act on the long and medium upper butts 8 of the upper sliders, which butts are on the sliders of the sole series only. After the heel, the needles associated with the sole sliders remain in the lower cylinder to knit the plain sole, at the end of which cam 98 is again brought into action to act on the short upper butts 8 of the instep sliders and transfer their needles to the lower cylinder, where they remain with those of the sole series until transfer again takes place at the beginning of the next stocking.

There will now be described the novel aspects of selection by cams 114 for links-links knitting making the use of these cams and the pattern jacks consistent for both the Jacquard-type stitching and links-links work.

As will be evident from considering the paths of the upper slider butts illustrated in Figure 2, the upper sliders for transfer must move substantially lower than any level involved in their movements during Jacquard-type work. Since a single circumferential point of selection is provided, the desired situation is achieved by causing the selection for links-links work to take place with the pattern jacks in lower positions than those involved in selection for Jacquard-type work. In order to achieve this end, cam 166, previously inactive, is moved into action to engage butts 32 of the pattern jacksand this cam leads these butts to a level for engagement and further depression by cam 108. Simultaneously, carri 109 is removed from action and, consequently, the butts 32' move horizontally from the lower end of cam 10S and are further depressedby cam 11). The level of the pattern jacks thus attained is such that their lower ends will be just above the upper ends of the upper sliders which will have been moved to cleared level by cam 84.

The pattern jacks are thus positioned with their butts 32 located three butt levels below the level of these butts involved in Jacquard-type knitting. As will be noted from Figure 2, the lowermost cam 114 is now in position to engage the butt 32 immediately above a butt 32', and the corresponding relationships of all of the butts 32 to the selecting cams 114 has been shifted to the extent of the three butt levels just referred to. Additionally considering that the pattern drum 124 may be shifted to bring pins 123 at different levels to cooperate with the selecting cam levers as compared with the levels involved in Jacquardtype knitting, it will be evident that by proper allocation of certain alternate pattern drum pin levels to Jacquardtype knitting and certain intermediate levels to links-links knitting, entirely independent patterns may `be controlled in the two instances. ln particular the three `lowermost selecting cams including 114 and the two cams 114 therebelow, are now effective for links-links work, having been ineffective for use during Jacquard-type work. If a picot welt such as previously referred to as being described in the Bristow application was to be made, the lowermost cam 114 would be removed and as before mentioned a cam corresponding to 107 would be required. Other levels of the selecting cams 114 land corresponding levels of butts 32 may be used for links-links control. Downward selection causes lowering of the butts 32 along path I so that downward transfer of needles is effected by cam mi? moving the slider butts 8 along -path K. The auxiliary jacks 44 take no part in the links-links control but follow an inactive path which is not illustrated.

During links-links knitting the knitting may take place at one or two feeds or selectivelyl at, Afor example, two feeds in one cylinder and one feed in the other. The variations involved in this are, of course, controlled by selective manipulations of the movable `cams which are .involved in clearing, for example the cams 54 andf62 in the lower cam series and -cams 74 .and 82 in the upper cam series. Various effects `may thus be produced.

Various radially movabie cams have been referred to and it will be evident that their inward and outward movements may be accomplished in conventional fashion, by inward movements of cams against short butts after longer butts have passed and then by full inward movements after short butts have passed, with a reversal of these conditions when the cams are withdrawn, the cams being withdrawn iirst to miss short butts and then after long butts have passed being moved completely outwardly to miss long butts as well, and a similar action may take place if medium butts are involved with either long or short butts.

Figure 5 illustrates a type of sock produced in accordance with the invention, this gure showing a childs anklet. The sock is generally indicated at and comprises the Jacquard-type knit top 152 which is turned down to expose the patterning which is at the time of production on the inside of the fabric. The links-links patterning is indicated at 154 in the leg and at 158 in the instep. The heel formed in conventional fashion is indicated at 156 and is followed by the plain sole 16th produced as above indicated. The conventional toe formation is indicated at 162. To indicate more particularly the stitch formation occurring during the production of the top, the portion of the top surrounded by the rectangle 164 in Figure 5 is diagrammatically indicated in Figure 6, the meeting point of the various diamonds 166, 16S, 17? and 172 being there diagrammed. The stitches indicated as formed of the white yarn at 174 are those which are drawn from the yarn fed at the auxiliary feed, while the black stitches at 176 are those formed of yarn drawn at the main feed. lt will be noted that where the yarns are alternately drawn in a wale the stitches drawn at the auxiliary feed are traversed by two floats, one oat of each of .the yarns at the two feeds. Two feed formation of the frame wales will be evident as well as single feed knitting of the rib wales where series of loops from the same feed are concatenated. When the fabric is relaxed, the plain wales are hidden when the turned-down cuff is viewed. Accordingly, in the region 166, for example, the appearance would be substantially solid white, in region 168 the appearance would be substantially solid black, while in the regions 170 and 172 a speckled or half tone appearance results. It will be understood, of course, that Figure 6 is purely diagrammatic and that, actually, the stitches which are drawn would be substantially the same length at both feeds. The fact that the face wales are concatenated in one direction and the back wales in the other direction gives rise to the production of sharply defined areas of different or mixed colors as just indicated.

While links-links work has been described, it will be evident that simpler ribbed designs may be readily produced.

What is claimed is:

l. A circular knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, double ended latch needles mounted in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders engaging said needles, and devices for controlling said sliders, said devices including pattern jacks mounted in one of said cylinders, auxiliary jacks associated with said pattern jacks, selecting means for said pattern jacks acting `to provide alternative positioning thereof and corresponding alternative positioning of their associated auxiliary jacks, means effecting relative movements of said pattern jacks and auxiliary jacks in accordance with said positioning, and means thereafter acting on pattern jacks to eect selective positioning of sliders.

2. ,A circular knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, double ended latch needles mounted in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders engaging said needles, and devices for controlling vsaid sliders, said devices including pattern jacks -mounted in one of said cylinders, auxiliary jacks ,associated with said pattern jacks, selecting means for said pattern jacks acting to provide alternative positioning thereof and corresponding alternative positioning of their associated auxiliary jacks, means efecting relative movements of said pattern jacks and auxiliary jacks in accordance with said positioning, said pattern jacks and auxiliary jacks being formed for yielding interengagement to establish predetermined relative positions thereof, and means thereafter acting on pattern jacks to elfect selective positioning of sliders.

3. A circular knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, double ended latch needles mounted in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders engaging said needles, means for feeding yarns to said needles at two feed points, and devices for controlling said sliders, said devices including pattern jacks mounted in one of said cylinders, auxiliary jacks associated with said pattern jacks, selecting means for said pattern jacks acting to provide alternative positioning thereof and corresponding alternative positioning of their associated auxiliary jacks, means effecting relative movements of said pattern jacks and auxiliary jacks in accordance with said positioning, and means thereafter acting on pattern jacks to effect selective positioning of sliders to cause needles controlled thereby to take yarn at one or the other of said feed points.

4. A circular knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, double ended latch needles mounted in said cylinders, sliders in said cylinders engaging said needles, means for feeding yarns to said needles at two feed points, and devices for controlling said sliders, said devices including pattern jacks mounted in one of said cylinders, auxiliary jacks associated with said pattern jacks, selecting means for said pattern jacks acting to provide alternative positioning thereof and corresponding alternative positioning of their associated auxiliary jacks, means effecting relative movements of said pattern jacks and auxiliary jacks in accordance with said positioning, said pattern jacks and auxiliary jacks being formed for yielding interengagement to establish predetermined relative positions thereof, and means thereafter acting on pattern jacks to effect selective positioning of sliders to cause needles controlled thereby to take yarn at one or the other of said feed points.

5. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independent needles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling said needles, said devices including a pair of jack elements associated with individual needles, selective means for establishing alternative relative positions of said jack elements, and means for selectively moving said jack elements in accordance with their relative positions to effect control of associated needles, said jack elements being formed for yielding interengagement to maintain temporary predetermined relative positions thereof.

6. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independent needles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling said needles, said devices including a pair of jack elements associated with individual needles, selective means for establishing alternative relative positions of said jack elements, and means for selectively moving said jack elements simultaneously and in accordance with their relative positions to effect control of associated needles, said jack elements being formed for yielding interengagement to maintain temporary predetermined relative positions thereof.

7. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independent needles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling said needles, said devices i11- cluding jacks having selection butts and associated with individual needles, a plurality of selecting cams for acting on said butts, and means for alternatively positioning said jacks relative to said selecting cams, so that a particular cam may act upon different butts of the same jack in accordance with said alternative positioning.

8. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independent needles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling said needles, said devices including jacks having selection butts and associated with individual needles, a plurality of selecting cams for acting kon said butts, and means for alternatively positioning said jacks relative to said needles at the time of selection to effect different controls of the needles duev to the same type of action by a selecting carn on the jacks.

9. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independent needles mounted in said support, and devices for controlling said needles, said devices including jacks having selection butts and associated with individual needles, a plurality of selecting cams for acting on said butts, and means for alternatively positioning said jacks relative to said selecting cams and relative to said needles at the time of selection, so that a particular cam may act upon different butts of the same jack in accordance with said alternative positioning and effect different controls of the needles due to the same type of action by a selecting cam on the jacks.

10. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independent needles mounted in said support, a pair of yarn feeding stations, each involving an individual stitch cam, and devices for controlling said needles, said devices including a pair of overlapping jack elements associated With individual needles, single selective means for establishing alternative relative positions of said jack elements, and means for selectively moving said jack elements in accordance with their relative positions to elect control of associated needles so that needles follow crossing paths from one of said feeding stations to the other due to selection by said single selective means.

1l. A knitting machine comprising a slotted needle support, independent needles mounted in said support, a pair of yarn feeding stations, each involving an individual stitch cam, and devices for controlling said needles, said devices including a pair of overlapping jack elements associated with individual needles, single selective means for establishing alternative relative positions of said jack elements, and means for selectively moving said jack elements in accordance with their relative positions to effect control of associated needles so that needles follow predetermined paths from one of said feeding stations to the other due to selection by said single selective means.

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