US570059A - Island - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 16 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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(No Model.) 1o Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 570,059. Patented 001;. 27, 1896.

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(No Model.) 16 Sheets- Sheet 3.

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KNITTING MAGHINE. v

No. 570,059. Patented Qct..27, 1896.

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KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 670,059. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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(No Model.) 16 Sheets-Sheet 6.

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KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 570,059. Patented Oct. 27, 1896 WlTNESSES. INVENTEIR.

16 Sheets-Sheet 7.

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(No ModeL) 16 Sheets -Sheet 8.

J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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(No Model.)

J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MAGHINE. N0. 570,059. PatentedOot. 27,1896.

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(No Model.) 1a Sheets Sheet n. 'J. E. ROWE.

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No. 570,059. Patented 001127, 1896.

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(N0 Mode l.) 16 Sheets-Sheet 12. J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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N0. 570,059. Patented oa 27, 1896.

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No. 570,059. I Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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WITNESSES.

UNITED I STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES E. ROWE, OF PAIY'IUCKET, Rl-IODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. JENCKES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'Iaetfiers Patent N0. 5'70,059,'dated October 2'7, 1896.

A lication filed November 20,1895. serial No 569,583. (No model.)

.TO all whom, it may concern/.- Be it known that- I', JAMES E. ROWE, of the city of Pawtucket, county of Providence, in

the State of Rhode Island, have invented oer-- tain new and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same,'to be a full, clear and exact description thereof.

The present invention relates more especially to automatic rotary knitting-machines used for knitting stockings, and hasfor its object the improvement of the-various mechanisms used in machines of this class, whereby the number of parts is reduced and the speed of the machine increased.

To this end the invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of said improvements, Figure 1 is a plan view with the parts above the knitting-head removed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper part of the machine with take-up mechanism removed. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is an end view looking toward the left in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end elevation looking toward the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in section showing a portion of the speed-changing mechanism. Figs. 7 and S are an elevation and plan View, respectively, of the controller and pattern-chain. Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is an end view looking toward the left in Fig. 9. Figs. 11 and 12 are details showing a portion of the driving mechanism for shifting the clutch. Fig. 13 is an elevation of the driving mechanism for the controller and pattern-chain. Fig. 14 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 13. Figs. 15 and 16 are detail views showing the ratchet for driving the cont-roller. Fig. 15 shows a modification of the ratchet. Fig. 17 is a plan view of the clutch and devices for shifting the same. Fig. 18 shows a development of the clutch-shifting cam. Fig. 19 is an elevation of the cam-cylinder with the narrowingand widening cams removed.

I 20 is an elevation of the cam-cylinder with the narrowing and widening cams mounted thereon. Fig. 21 is a vertical section of the camcylinder, showing the knitting cams. Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken on line 0 0, Fig. 20. Figs. 23 and. 24 are detail views of thenarrowing-cams. Fig. 25 is a plan view of the cam-cylinder, showing the wideningcams and the means for controlling the same. Figs. 26 and 27 are details showing the widening-cams in and out of operation. Figs. 28 to 30 and 32to 34, inclusive, are details of the mechanism for V controlling the wideningcams. Fig. 31 is a detail of the pin for connecting the sinker cam-ring and cam-cylinder. Fig. 35 isa development of the inside of the cam-cylinder, showing the throw-in and throw-outcams. Fig. 36 is a development of the inside cam-cylinder, showing the knitting and the narrowing and widening cams. Fig. 37 is a plan View, partly in section, of the knitting-head, showing the device for controlling certain of the cams carried by the cam-cylinder. Fig. 37 is a detail view of the ratchet and actuating-pawl for operating said device. Fig. 38 is a sectional View taken on the line a 2, Fig. 37'. Fig. 39 is a sectional View showing the set-screw for securing the needle-cylinder to its supporting-ring. Fig. 40 is a sectional view showing the fashioning mechanism. Fig. 41 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 40. Fig. 42 is a plan view of the needle supporting ring. Figs. 43 and 44 are elevations showing the take-up mechanism in two different positions. Figs. 45, 46, and 47 are details of the take-up mechanism.

The machine which has been shown to illustrate an embodiment of the present improvements comprises the elements common to rotary knitting machinesto wit, a speed.- changing mechanism for reducing the speed during reciprocating knitting, a motionchanging mechanism for changing the motion of the cam-cylinder from rotary to reciprocating, and vice versa, a knitting-head comprising a needle-cylinder and cam-cylinder carrying the knitting-cams, narrowing and widenin gcams,.and means for thr .wing a portion of the needles out of and nto operation,

a take-up mechanism, a fashioning mechan ism, and a pattern chain or carrier for governing the operation of the machine.

Speed-changing mechanism. (Figs. 3, 4, G, '7, and 9.)-\lounted in suitable bearings in the frame of the machine is the driving-shaft A, carrying the pulleys A A A and the pinion A", the pulleys A A and the pinion being secured to the shaftand the pulley A being loose on the shaft. The pulley A carries a pinion A, secured to its hub and meshing with a smaller pinion A, mounted on a stud projecting from the frame. The pinion A is secured to a larger pinion A which meshes with the pinion A. The gearing is so pro-p portioned that the pulley A is driven at a slower speed than pulley A A belt A transmits motion from pulleys A A to the pulley A, loosely mounted on a shaft A The speed is controlled by the cams by the following mechanism: A sliding bar a, supported by the hanger a, has one end in-the path of cams C and the other end pivoted to the upper end of the belt-shifting lever a pivoted at a. The other end of the lever a is pivoted to the end of the rod a", which slides in the bearing 0. and carries at its other end the belt-shifter (t. The belt A is normally held on the fast pulley by the spring a secured to the beltshifter and the frame, and is moved onto the slow pulley against the tension of the spring by the action of cams O on the bar a. The pulley A is connected to the shaft A by means of a friction-clutch member A, keyed to the shaft in a well-known manner. A handlever A ,pi\'oted to the frame and to the clutch member, serves to throw the clutch member into engagement with pulley A For holding the clutch in engagement a bar A is pivoted to the rear end of the lever A and is provided with a hook or shoulder which engages a lug A on the frame of the machine. This shoulder maybe disengaged from the lug by pressing the bar A or by a lug 011 the pattern-chain in any well-known manner, and when so disengaged the spring A draws the clutch member from engagement with pulley A and thus stops the machine.

.lIotion-dmngingmechanism. (Figs. 1,2,3, 9, and 17.)-Fast to the shaft A is a pinion A", which meshes with an intermediate gear A, secured to shaft A The gear A in turn meshes with and drives a pinion A loose on the clutch-shaft A Also loose on the clutch-shaft is a pinion A, which is oscillated by means of a rack A, connected to a crankpin on the gear A by means of an adjustable connecting-rod A Keyed on the shaft A between the pinions A and A is a sliding clutch member B, provided with spring-pins, one adapted to engage a recess in the hub of pinion A and the other adapted to engage a recess in the hub of pinion A according as the clutch member is shifted in one direction or the other. Secured to the end of shaft A is a beveled gear A which meshes witha beveled gear A secured to the cam-cylinder.

hen the clutch member is in engagement with the pinion A the cam-cylinder is given a rotary motion, and when the clutch member is shifted into engagement with the pinion A the cam-cylinderis given a reciprocating motion.

The shifting of the clutch B to change from rotary to reciprocating knitting, and Vice versa, is controlled by the cams C through the following mechanism: Mounted in suitable hearings in the frame of the machine is the shaft B, which carries the clutch-shif ting cam B secured thereto. The cam B is provided with a cam-groove which engages a bowl secured to the rear end of the clutch-shifting lever B and actuates the said. lever to shift the clutch in either direction. Loosely mounted 011 the shaft 13 is a disk 0, which is oscillated by means hereinafter described. Secured to the shaft B adjacent the disk 0 is a disk 13, provided with notches B in its face. The disk 0 carries a sliding pin B, provided with beveled ends and arranged in position to be acted on at the proper time by the cams C The operation is as follows: One of the cams 0 being in position to be struck by the pin the latter is forced into one of the notches B, thus connecting the oscillating disk 0 to the disk 13 and causing the shaft 13 to be turned a'- step, thus turning the clutch-shifting cam. 011 the return oscillation of the disk 0 the beveled end of the pin B rides up the inclined end of the recess 13, thus forcing the pin back into its normal position where it remains until again acted on by one of the cams O Connected to the rear end of the clutch shifting lever is an arm B". When the motion of the cam-cylinder is changed from rotary to reciprocating, the arm 13 engages the beltshifting lever and holds the belt on the slow pulley until the motion is changed back to rotary.

Pattern-chem and controller and driving mechcmisms therefor. (Figs. 9 to 16.)A sleeve G is secured to an arm C, extending from the frame by means of abolt C Loosely mounted on the sleeve 0 is the sprocket-wheel C carrying the pattern-chain C The driving mechanism for the sprocket-wheel consists of a ratchet-wheel C secured thereto, and a pawl G which works on the ratchetwheel and advances it continuously, as will be more fully described. Loosely mounted on the sleeve O adjacent to the pattern-chain is a disk C". In the form shown this disk is also a ratchet-wheel, but the ratchet-wheel might be formed on a separate disk and disk 0 be attached thereto. The disk 0 has lugs O secured to it on the side adjacent the pattern-chain, which are in position to be struck by lugs 0 on said chain. The disk C is recessed on its opposite side and a disk C, carrying two cams O is adjustably secured in said recess by means of bolts C The sleeve C carrying the cams C is also secured to the disk C by means of a hub projecting .segmental gear 0 from said disk, and the parts carried by said disk C form a controller for controlling either directly or indirectly the operation of certain of the other mechanisms.

The driving mechanisms for the controller may be of any suitable form, and in the form shown it consists of the ratchet-teeth formed on the disk and a pawl c for engaging said teeth, which pawl is operated by mechanism to be described. This driving mechanism is normally inoperative by reason of the fact that the disk 0 is provided with dwells in which the pawl 0 works, and said mechanism is periodically thrown into operation by the lugs C Figs. 7 and S, engaging lugs O and moving the dwell from under the pawl and allowing said pawl to engage the teeth on the disk 0".

Friction is applied to the ratchet-wheel C by means of spring-pressed shoes C and to the controller by means of a spring-washer interposed between the hanger a and the end of sleeve 0 and engaging the end of sleeve C The pawls 0 and c are actuated by the following mechanism: The gear A is provided on its face with a cam-groove c, in which runs a bowl on the end of a rock-arm 0, secured to a stud mounted in the frame, said arm being provided at its other end with a segmental gear c*. This segmental gear meshes with a segmental gear 0 secured to a rockshaft 0 which has secured thereto another The gear 0 meshes with gear-teeth formed on the disk 0 before referred to, and to which the pawl c for actuating the 'disk 0 is pivoted at 0 Projecting from the pawl c is a stud 0 carrying the pawl 0 which actuates the disk 0'. By the abovedescribed mechanism the disk c will be constantly oscillated, thus causing pawl 0 to constantly feed forward the pattern-chain and the pawl to actuate the disk 0 when said disk is turned by the pattern-chain to carry the dwell from under the pawl. A

spring-guard o is fastened to the frame to prevent the pawl 0 engaging more than a predetermined number of teeth on the disk 0 With the arrangement shown, wherein the pawl 0 is pivoted to the pawl 0 should the pattern-chain become clogged for any reason and prevent the movement of the ratchet-wheel C the pawl 0 will rock on the pivot c and a breakage of any of the parts be prevented. It will thus be seen that by pivoting the pawl 0 to the pawl c a yielding member is provided in the driving mechanism for the pattern-chain for preventing breakage of the parts should the patternchain become clogged.

In the preferred form of controller shown the disk (l carries two duplicate sets of cams, each set comprising the three cams (I C 0 and said disk is provided with two dwells and twelve teeth, there being six teeth between the dwells, and the controller makes three revolutions for each stocking. 'It will be understood, however, that the present invenplaced in position.

tion is not limited to the exact form of controller shown and described, and that the number and arrangement of cams may be varied, and that the number and arrangement of teeth and dwellson the driving-disk may be varied, or other means used for driving the controller, without departing from the scope of the invention.

In using a short pattern-chain it will sometimes happen that the lugs C in being carried around with the disk 0 would engage one of the lugs O on the pattern-chain and feed the chain along at the speed of the disk 0 As the disk 0 is fed at a greater speed than the ratchet C the proper operation of the machine would be interfered with. To guard against this, I prefer to mount the lugs on the disk C in the manner shown in Fig. 15. The lugs P, which correspond to lugs O in Fig. 15, are pivoted to the disk C at P and are held up in position to be engaged by the lugs on the pattern-chain by a cam C formed on the flange of the sleeve 0. A pin P serves as a stop to limit the outward movement of the lug P. l/Vit-h the above construction should the lug P engage one of the lugs on the pattern-chain it would yield and pass by without affecting the feed of the chain.

Knitting-head, cam-cylinder, and mechanism carried thereby-The knitting-head is provided with the usual guard and threadguide D, pivoted to an arm secured to the cam-cylinder E in the usual manner and with the usual sinker cam-ring F operated from the cam-cylinder, Figs. 2 and 38. The sinkers G are guided in the usual sinker-ring G, secured to the needle-cylinder H. The needles H are guided in grooves in the needle-cylinder and are held in place by springbands 11, some of the needles being formed with longer butts than the others, as is common in this class of machines. The baseplate H is provided with an annular rib H, which engages an annular groove H in the The cam-cylinder is secured to the gear A and moves therewith, as is usual. The plates H H are secured to the base-plate and overhang the gear A to hold it in place, and also to form supports for certain parts hereinafter referred to.

The sinker cam-ringis driven from the camcylinder by means of a pin F, which engages the shoulders F F formed by the ends of a recess in a plate F secured to the sinker cam-ring, Figs. 3 and 31. In placing the sinker cam-ring on the knitting-head it has hitherto been necessary to bring the recess above the pin before the cam-ring could be It is preferred, therefore, to make the pin F a yielding pin and provide it with a beveled end, so that the cam-ring may be placed on the knitting-head without regard to the recess and the cam-ring then turned axially until the pin enters the recess. v

In Fig. 31 is shown the manner of mounting pin F. In the arm F carried by the cam-cylinder is a recess provided with a shoulder F and a spring F is interposed between said shoulder and a shoulder on pin F. The small end of pin F outside the arm F is provided with a collar F having a lug F which engages a recess in arm F and prevents the pin F turning on its axis.

The inner face of the cam-cylinder E is provided with a rib E, which serves as a rest for the butts of the needles when they are in lowered or operative position. The cams for the knitting operation are as follows: Between the ends of the rib E are the two beveled cam-plates E and the inverted-V-shaped cam-plate E Just above the beveled ends of the plate E are the fixed cams E E which are provided with depressions E E for the narrowing-cams, as will be more fully explained. Two pivoted switch-cams E E are disposed at the ends of plates E E and rest on the beveled ends of plates E Disposed above the cams E E are the fixed plates or guard-cams E E and pivoted between the adjacent ends of cams E is the pivoted automatic switch-cam E Above the cam E is a fixed plate or gnard'cam E 1 The position of the cams above described during the forward motion of the cam-cylinder either in rotary or reciprocating knitting is that shown in Figs. 21 and 36, and the course of the need le-butts is as indicated by dotted lines 3 9 Fig. 30. During the re' verse motion of the camcylinder in reciprocating knitting the course of the needle-b utts is above the cams E E" and under the cams E E JIcchcmt'sm for throwing out of and into operation the needles not used on the heel and toc.Secured to the outer face of the camcylinder and on the opposite side of the cylinder from the knitting-cams are two springarms d and carrying at their free ends the cams cl and c, respectively, which cams play through openings in the cam-cylinder. These cams are normally held by the spring-arms, so that their inner faces are substantially flush with the inner face of the cam-cylinder, but are adapted to be projected into position to engage the butts of the needles. The cam cl is projected in only far enough to engage the long butts, while the cam e is preferably projected into position to engage both long and short butts. The cam d consists of an inclined plate, its lower end extending below the upper edge of the rib E and its upper end terminating in the plane of the upper edge of the plates E and E Figs. and 36. hen the cam is projected into operative position, the needle-butts ride along the rib E, and the long butts, engaging the inclined edge of the plate d, pass up this incline into the path 0t- 03, Fig. 35, and out of position to be operated on by the knittingcams, while the short butts continue along the rib E. The cam e is an inclined plate similar to plate d, but inclined in the opposite direction, and its upper end extends above the upper position of the needle-butts and its lower end terminates just above the lower position of the needle'butts. \Vhen this cam e is in operative position, it engages all the needle-butts, whether long or short, which may be in the upper or non-knitting position and carries them down into the lower or knitting position. The action of the cams d and e is controlled through mechanism which will be described hereinafter.

Narrowing mechanism.Pivoted at f" on the outside of the cam-cylinder and in a plate f attached thereto, is a triangular plate f, by which the narrowing-cams f f are carried, Figs. 22, 23, and 2st. The cam f in the form shown consists of a pin provided with a notched end. This pin is mounted to slide in a bearing f in the plate 1'', and is provided with a pin f extending through a slot in the bearing f and acted on by a camgroove f, formed in the plate f. A spring f is attached to the plate f and a pin on the plate f and tends to hold the plate f at either end of its throw. The cam f is the same in construction and operation as cam f. These cams project through a curved slot f in the cam-cylinder and are normally held in the position shown in Fig. 36 by the spring f with the cam f resting in the recess E and the cam f below the upper path of the needlebutts and drawn back of the plate E lVhile I prefer to use a spring f to hold the cams f and f in the recesses E E, respectively, this spring may be omitted and the inertia of the parts alone relied on to keep the cams in position.

In rotary knitting the cams f f are in the position indicated in Fig. 36, out of the path of the needle-butts. 'When the cam-cylinder is reversed, however, in changing from rota ry to reciprocating knitting, and after the needles with the long butts have been thrown out of action, the short needle-butts pass over the switch-cam E between the plates E and E", and the butt of the first needle engages the notch in the narrowing-cam f causing the cam-carrier f to swing on its pivot and carry the cam f up into the position before occupied by cam f. By this movement the cam f is carried down into the recess E that is, into position to be engaged by the butt of the first needle on the movement of the camcylinder in the opposite direction, when the parts will be returned to their former position. As each of the cams passes from its lowest to its highest position the cam-groove f acts 011 the pin f to draw the cam back of the plate E and the needle-butt, which is carried up with the cam, is delivered onto and passes up over said plate and over either the plate E or E. Thus it will be seen that a needle is thrown out of operation at each reciprocation of the cam-cylinder so long as

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