US463560A

US463560A - Island

Info

Publication number: US463560A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 1908-11-17

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

on M 0 G L I W v (No Model.)

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

W75? 13"0761 I I f \f.

(No Model.) 5 Sheet-Sheet 2; .F. WILOOM-Bi STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 463,560, Patented Nov. 17', 1391.

5 Shets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

. F. WILOOMB. STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE.

110. 463,560. Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

' F. WILOOMB.

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 463,560. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

(No Model.)

5 Sheets--Sheet 5,

F. W-ILGOMB. STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Nov.

THE roams Prrzns co., mmumu, WAENINHI'ON, m c.

Nrrnn STATES FFICE.

FRANK \VILCOMB, OF PROVIDENCE, ASSIGNOR TO WM. H. HASKELL, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

STRAIGHT-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPEClFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,560, dated November 1'7, 1891.

Application filed Tune 13, 1891. Serial No. 396,170. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK W1LooMB,acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Straight- Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to straight latch-needle knitting-machines designed to knit a tubular fabric and automatically shape the same; and it includes mechanism for introducing new needles in such a manner for widening the fabric as will cause the crossing of the thread to prevent the formation of holes in the fabric where the new needles are brought into act-ion.

It includes the particular operating mechanism by which the needles are controlled in their movements to cross the thread at the ends of the rows when knitting plain, in order to form a mock seam in the fabric to imitate regular fashioned goods.

It includes, further, a special form of non-- reversible thread-carrier for feeding first one row of needles and then the other.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the machine with parts broken away. Figs. 1 and 1 are views of details. Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts removed and parts in section. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the upper part of the machine. Figs. 4:, 5, and 6 represent, respectively, a front, a plan, and a sectional view of the threadguide. Fig. 7 is an end view of the machine, partly in section. Fig. Sisa bottom plan view of the cam-bar. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the upper face of the cam-bar. Fig. 10 is a rear View of the bar. Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 represent in diagrammatic form the needles and the notched slides controlling the same.

The needles to are operated through jacks b from cam bars A, which are reciprocated through connections to the cam-shaft, consisting of the lever B, pivoted to the frame at 1, Fig. 1, and loosely connected by a pin and depending fork 3 to a cross-head at, to which the cam-bars are attached. The cross-head slides on a bar 5, projecting from the end of the machine, and which is sustained by a bracket 6, projecting from the machine-frame and shown broken off in Fig. 1. The lever B is connected by a pitman' 2 to a cam or face wheelazon the cam-shaft C. This is driven from the main shaft D by a pinion 7 and agear 8. The nibs of the jacks I) travel in the cam-groove 10, Fig. 8, and unless the jacks are pushed forward, so that the nibs will engage with the inclined portions of the stitch-cam 11, the j acks and needles will remain inactive, and for the purpose of this invention it is intended that first one row of jacks and needles shall remain inactive and then the other. For moving the jacks with their needles to engage the stitch-cams a second set of jacks o is employed under tension of springs 12. These jacks are held normally in retracted position against the tension of the springs by notched slides E F working in the notches 13 of the jacks; but when either slide is moved so that the notches thereof align with the jacks all the jacks on that side are released and are free to move forward when the inclined supplemental cam-groove 14 comes opposite them and in their upward movement, which takes place in succession, these jacks of the lower set strike those of the upper set and move them into the stitch cam-groove 11 for the ordinary knitting operation. The upper nibs of the lower jacks ordinarily (or while inactive) are slightly off the lower face of the cam-bar, thus preventing friction, and when the jacks are released to be pushed forward by the springs these nibs enter the supplemental cam-groove when it arrives at that point. The notches of the opposite controlling-slides E F alternate in position, the notches of the slide on one side being opposite the teeth in the other slide, so that the jacks with their needles are released on one side, while those on the other side are held by the teeth of the slide on that side. The slides shift their position at the end of the cam-bars stroke in either direction to effect the alternate release of the opposite row of needles, and this shifting movement in knitting plain goes on regularly and is secured by a lever' cl, pivoted in a slotted bracket 15, one end having a roller acted on by a cam 50, and the other end engaging a circumferential groove in a collar 17, fixed on a screw-shaft 8. This shaft has longitudinal movement by means of the lever and cam in onedirection,

- slides either way is equal to one-half the distance from needle to needle, and by reference to Figs. 11 to 15 it'will be seen that at the end of the rows of regular notches in the slide E a tooth 20 of double width is form ed, while opposite in the slide F a notch 21 of double width is formed, and next to the double tooth in the slide E an additional small notch 20 is formed. This construction is provided in order to permit crossing the thread at the ends of the rows in widening the fabric to prevent the formation of holes, and also to cross the thread at the end of the needle-rows in plain knitting. Suppose sixty-one needles in each row are being used, then when the slides are in the position of Fig. 11 all the needles of the front row, (or that controlled by the slide 15,) excepting the end needle 01, are active and the thread is taken by these needles successively, while the needles in the back row, excepting the end needle 61 in the wide notch 21*, are all inactive. The thread therefore misses the needle 61 of the front row and crosses to the needle 61 of the back row. The slide then shifts, as in Fig. 12, and on the return of the carrier the thread is taken by the needle 61 of the front row and then crosses to needle of the back row, and along said row to the end, and when the thread-carrier reaches the left the slides shift back to the position of Figs. 11 and 13, and the operation of crossing and recrossin g the threads is repeated. \Vhen the shaping of the fabric begins, the slides, after returning to the position of Fig. 13, do not shift to the left, as above explained; but at the end of the right-hand stroke of the machine they are given an additional movement to the right, as in Fig. 14, thus bringing into action a new needle 62 of the front row, and the thread is then looped about this as the carrier returns to the left and then crosses to back needle 61 and along the back row. At the next course the slidesmove again to the right, as in Fig. 15, rendering the front needles (opposite the notched portion of the slides) active, excepting needle 62, and bringing in a new back needle 62, the thread crossing to the said back needle at the end of the course. Two new needles are thus brought into action-one in each row-and the slides shift to the left for knitting any desired number of plain courses, as first explained, with the needles 62, the fabric being widened by two new wales and the thread being crossed and recrossed to close the openings ordinarily left by the new needles. This widening movement of the slides is affected by the rotation of the screw-shaft, which moves the nut and cross-head to the right in excess of the regular longitudinal movement of the screw-shaft and notched slides to the left, and this rotation of the shaft is determined by pattern mechanism. A spring-actuated pawl 21 in the fixed grooved collar 17 is engaged by a toothed rim 22 of a loose pinion 23. A rackbar 24-, under tension of a spring 25, engages the pinion, and a roller 26 on its lower end bears on a cam 27. The rack is held up inactive by a bell-crank lever 28, engaging a pin 29 on the rack-bar, which projects through a slot 30 in the cap-plate 31. Then the catchlever is withdrawn by means of a lug on the pattern-chain 32, raising the lever 33 and drawing upon the rod 3 T, the spring 25 draws the rack-bar down and turns the loose pinion backward withoutetfechthe spring-pawlbeing beveled, as shown, to permit this; but when the high part of the cam 27 lifts the rackbar, the pinion is turned forward and through the notched rim 22 and pawl turns the fixed collar and the shaft, causing the screw-nutf to travel along it and move the cross-head and notched slides. The lever 28 and the patternlever 33 are returned to normal position bya spring 70. The nutf is movable vertically between jaws on the cross-head, and is pressed normally upward by a spring 36,and may be detached from the screw bya cam-1ever 37, connected thereto by a stem 38, which passes through a portion of the cross-head depending through a slot in the bracket 15. XVhen detached the cross head with the notched slides maybe shifted to their extreme limit to the left after having widened, for beginning anew fabric, and a stop 38 is provided on the screw-shaft to determine the position. The screw-shaft is retained against rotary displacement by a spring-actuated pawl 39, Fig. 1,which is seated in the bracket 15, and engages notches in the grooved collar 17. This does not interfere, however, with the free longitudinal movement of the screwshaft. The pattern-chain passes over a sprocketdru1n 39 loose on a shaft 43, and this is provided with a ratchet-wheel to which movement is given by a pawl 40, carried by an arm 41, fixed to the shaft 43, which is rocked byacain 42 through an arm 43 and a spring 4A. A detentad prevents the ratchet and the pattern-chain from retractin In order to prevent the entire row of lower jacks when released from bearing upon the lower side of the cam-bar and thus creating friction, aseries of dogs 45 are provided, Fig. 3, which engage the nibs of the jacks and hold them back. These dogs have nibs fitting in a cam groove 46, in the rear side of the cam-bar, and, as shown in Figs. 8 and 10, this groove has a rise opposite the stitch-cam, so that the lower jacks are released from the dogs in succession when the stitch-cam comes in line therewith.

I employ movable sinkers 47, which act to measure off the yarn for the, loops and to hold the web withoutrequiring a weight. These are operated by cam-bars 48, which are connected with the main cam-bars by the curved arms 49. A

In order to vary the length of the stitch, I mount the Wings ofthe'stitch-cam upon a plate 51, having an enlarged opening to admit the V-cam 52, which is fixed to the bar. The plate 51 may be slid to move the wings closer to or farther from the V-cam, and for this purpose a plate 53, having an inclined slot, is adjustably held, the slot receiving a block 54 on the end of the pin 55 of the plate 51. The plate is connected to a bar 56, extending through a bearing 57 on the crosshead of the cam-bar, and this bar is threaded and made adj nstable by the nuts 58. These devices for varying the length of the stitch are the same on both sides of the machine.

The thread-guide 59 is composed of abar extending longitudinally between the needlerows, having beveled faces forming a knifeedge 60, adapted to open and hold the latches of the needles. A central opening 62 is formed through the guide and its stem 61 for the passage of the thread, and this opening is elongated at its mouth and has inclined ends or corners, as shown, which terminate on opposite sides of the knife-edge, so that in going one way the thread will be directed on one side of the said edge,'and in going in the opposite direction it will be directed on the opposite side of the said edge, thus feeding one row of needles and then the other. The thread-guide is supported in an arm 65, pivoted to a standard 66 on one of the cam-bars. The arm is held normally down by a spring 67; but it may be raised, when desired, to lift the guide to permit access to the needles.

The method of knitting disclosed herein and the fabric produced thereby is the subject of an application for United States Patent filed by me of even date herewith, Serial No. 396,171.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination, the needles, the cambars, means for moving the needles into operative position, and the slides acting alternately to lock said means in their inoperative position first on one side of the machine and then on the other, and operating mechanism for the slides, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the needles, the cambars, means for moving the needles into operating position, the locking-slides to retain the said means inoperative first on one rowand then on the other, mechanism for operating said slides to and from their locking position, and devices for giving said slides an additional movement for shaping the fabric, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the needles and cambars, meansfor moving the needles into op erative position, a pair of locking-slides having notches arranged to release said means alternately first on one row and then on the other when said notches align therewith, and

means for operating the slides in unison, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the needles and cam-bars, means for forcing the needles into 7 set with relation to each other, one of said slides having a Wide tooth opposite a wide notch at the end of the other slide and an additional small notch, and the operating means for the slides, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the needles, the cambars therefor, the jacks and springs for forcing the needles forward into operative position, the slides, with means for operatingthem to lock and release the jacks alternately, and the holding-dogs for the jacks, the said cambars having grooves for operating the dogs, substantially as described.

(5. In combination, the needles and cambars, the means for moving the needles forward into operative position, the notched locking-slides, the cross-head, and the operating connections leading to the main shaft, substantially as described.

7. In combination, the needles, the means for moving the needles into operative position, the cam-bars, the locking and shaping slides, the screw-shaft, the connections therefrom to the slides, the means for reciprocating the shaft with the slides, and the mechanism for rotating the screw-shaft to move the slides for shaping the fabric, substantially as described.

8. In combination, the needles, means for moving the needles into operative position,

the cam-bars, locking and shaping slides, op-

crating mechanism therefor, and a detachable connection between said slides and operating mechanism, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the needles, means for moving the needles into operative position, the cam-bars, the locking-slides having a series of notches, the screw-shaft connected to the locking-slides, the means for moving the shaft longitudinally, consisting of the lever and cam, and the means for rotating the screw, consisting of the loose pinion, the pawl, the rack-bar, the cam, the catchdever for holding the rack inoperative, and the pattern mechanism for Withdrawing thecatch-lever, substantially as described.

10. In combination, the needles, means for moving the needles into operative position, the cam-bars, the locking-slides, the screwshaft, with means for operating the same, the

' detachable nut between the shaft and slides,

and the stop, substantially as described.

11. In combination, the needles and cambars of a straight-knitting machine, athreadcarrier arranged over the rows having a knifeedge adapted to open and hold the latches of the needles, and an opening for the thread havin a mouth with the opposite ends thereof on opposite sides of the knife-edge, substanjtially as described.

10 a date 51 and means foradflisfiilwsaid late consisting of the plate with the inclined slot and the adjustable rod 56, connected to said slotted plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of t\\"o witnesses.

FRANK WILGOMB. \Vitnesses:

LOREN G. LADD, DAVID J. WHITE.