US397408A - Knitting-machine - Google Patents

Description

(No'moael.)

P. WILMBY. KNITTING MACHINE. No. 897,408. Patented Feb. 5, 1889.

f i" e 1 C- ahw NITE STATES PATENT l' EErcE.

FRANK IVILCOMB, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE I/VII.- COMB MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

KNlTTlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 397,408, dated February 5, 1889. Application filed February 29, 1888. Serial No. 265,723. (No model.)

To all ich/071e it 71mg/ concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK IVILCOMB, of Providence, in the county of Providence and Sta-te of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements in Knitting- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

It is the object of the present invention to provide means for carrying into effect the .method of knittingas described in an application filed by me in the United States Patent Office on the 17th day of Eeln'uary, i988, Serial No. 264,348.

The purpose of my improved method of knitting and the results attained thereby in the fabric produced I have fully and particularly pointed out in the application referred to, and I need not, therefore, enlarge upon this in the present application.

My invention consists, broadly, of movable sinkers for measuring oit'. a sufficient amount of yarn to form the loop before the old loop is cast off and movable bits for casting oif the old loop after the formation of the new loop, the said parts acting Vin connection with latch-needles.

It also consists of sinkers for. measuring off the yarn to form the loop and cast-off bits for removing the old loop from the needles after the new loop is formed, both sinkers and cast off bits being` movable, and adapted, after their respective operations, to return to positions where they will not interfere with the operai tion of fashionin The :invention also consists of sinkers for measuring off the yarn, bit-s for casting off the old loops after the formation of the new, and operating mechanism for moving the sinkers and bits succcssivelyfthe parts being combined with latclrneedles.

The arrangement of needles herein shown is after the manner of the ordinary latchneedle machine; but it will be understood that the principle of my invention, as well as the specific means herein illustrated for carrying it into effect, may be employed in connection with other styles of machine for knit` ting either a fiat or tubular fabric.

In the accompanying` drawings, Figure l is a transverse section showing the knitting devices and their supporting means, the fash ioning devices, and the thread-carrier. Figs.

2, 3, and 4. represent the successive steps in the knitting and the different positions assumed by the knitting devices at each step. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the different simultaneous positions of the various parts during the knitting, and also a portion of the knitted fabric.

As I have set forth in my application heretofore mentioned, my aim is to produce a fabric of great lateral elasticity and of minimum longitudinal elasticity, of liner gage than has heretofore been found possible, by an improved method of knitting, which also enables me to use tender or knotted yarn without liability to rupture, and to produce a smooth even surface free from particles of dirt or loose strands, all foreign matter of 7o this kind, as well as knots, being turned in the method of knitting to the inside of the fabric.

I now proceed to describe the .devicesI prefer to use in carrying out my improved. method 7 5 and the mechanism. for operating the same.

In the drawings, a a represent the needles, of ordinary construction, supported, as usual, at an inclination by suitable needle-beds, b b, which are in turn supported by the upper 8o frame-work of the machine. The sinkers c c are supported in suitable beds, d d., as shown, being duplicated upon the other' side of the machine, and these sinkers are advanced and retracted in a horizontal plane by means of sinker-grooves in the slide-bars F, the sinkers being provided with heels c, fitting said sinkergrooves, the slide-bars being .operated .in a well-known manner.

In the knitting movement the needles are 9o advanced successively, as shown in Fig. 5, to take the thread from a suitable thread-guide, f, and are then retracted, ordinary and wellknown mechanism being used to give this movement to the needles. As the needles advance to take the thread, the sinkers begin to advance about the same time until they reach the limit of their movement in this direction, as shown in Fig. 2. As the needles are retracted, they recede between the sinkers, roo

Mthefahrcers.

faces to better engage the loop and the upper which are then at rest, and an elongated loop is formed by the yarn being drawn in between the sinkers by the recedingneedle, the outer bights of the loop being .formed over the ends of the sinker-bars. The length of these loops may be regulated by the amount of movement of the needles or of the sinkers to make it of greater or less length. ln the receding' movement of the needles they carry the old loop upon the latch, and this is not cast off until the new loop is :fully formed. The movement of the parts is so timed that as soon as the new loop is fully formed the sinkergroove inthe slide-lm'raets upon the heels of the sinkers to retract them in succession tothe position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which leaves the bights of the formed loop exposed and allows the next step of casting off the old loops to be proceeded with. For this purpose l p rovide knock-over bits g g, supported in beds h 71., and operated by slide-bars 'i i, having grooves engaging with heels lt' L of the bits. These bits are arranged at anV angle to the sinkers, but in the same vertical plane, and in operation are moved by their slide-bars to rise and take the place of the retracted sinkl prefer to arrange them with inclined part of the web. As the bits rise, they move alongside of the needle, carrying the old loop onits latch, and in their continued upward novement the inclined faces bear against the upper edge of the web and east oit the old loop, which passes over the length of the new loop until it reaches the bights thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. The old loop then forms a part of the web, and the former operation is repeated.

lt will be seen that by operatin the needles, sinkers, and knock over bits successively only a small number are operated at any one time, and the action of knitting is not i'nter fered with or interrupted during any of the steps described. As the needles are advancing to take the thread, other needles are being retracted to measure oitl a sufficient length to form the loep between the measuring-sinkers, adjoining sinkers are being retracted, and at another point the knock-over bits are rising to cast off the old loop, the movements of the parts being in succession and in proper progression.

After the operation of the needles, sinkers, and knock-over bits, as described, they recede, leaving the space between the duplicate rows of devices unobstructed for the action ot' the transfer devices for widening or narrowing The transfer mechanism used in connection with this method of knitting may be that shown and described in Letters Patent granted October 12, 18.27, No. 350,705, or the improved mechanism forming a part of an application filed by me April 1S, 1888, Serial No. 271,026.

As described in my application covering the method of operation hereinbefore referred to, there is no liability to rupture inferior or tender yarn containing knots, for the reason that each elongated loop is fully formed before the old loop is cast ot'f, so that there is no strain placed upon it, as would be the case were the'new loop formed by being drawn through the old, and as the knock-over bits rise their inclined faces tend to lift the old loops and east them otl' over the new loop. Very little friction ensues from the passage ol' the old loop over the new, while an advantage is derived from this contact, as the old loop in its passage over the new carries all foreign matter-such as di rt or loose strandswith it to the bights ol' the new loop, and as this part ot' the loop forms the inner face of the fabric the outer face is left clean and smooth.

Then knots occur in the yarn too large to.

As with the dirt and other foreign matter, so

the knot also appears upon. the inner face of the fabric.

Reference maybe made to the pending application heretofore referred to, No. 271,026, for the best mechanicalmeans new known to me for actuating' the several slide-bars.

l claim as my invention- 1. rlhe combination, with latch-needles, of movable sinkers for measuring off the yarn :for the new loops, and movable knock-over bits for casting off the old loops from the needles, an d means for operating the sinkers and knock-over bits, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with latch-needles, of movable sinkers for measuring off the yarn to 'form the new loops, operating' means for giving said sinkers independent and successive action, knock-over bits for casting off the old loops, and operating means therefor to move them independently and successively, substantially as described.

3. The combination,with latch-needles, of movable sinkers for measuring off the yarn to form the new loops, operating` means for said sinkers to retract them from their normal position, knock-over bits :for casting oft' the old loops, and means for retracting said bits, whereby the needles and loops are left properly exposed to allow the operationot` fashioning the fabric to be performed, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with. latch-needles, of the sinkers for measuring off the yarn, and movable knock-over bits for casting off the old loops, and means for operating the sinkers and knock-over bits, the said bits being IOO IIO

supported in an inclined position, snbsmw IntestilnonywliereofIluwc signcdniyname trin'lly as described. to this specification in the presence of two snb- 5. In combina-tion with latch-needles, lille sci-ibing witnesses. movable sinkers, and the movable knock-over FRANK WILCOMB. 5 bits provided with inclined faces, and means Vif/nesses:

for operating' sa-iflsinlcers andknoek-overbits, GEO. L. lARNEs,

substantially as described. GEO. R. AWILSON.

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