US823818A - Rack-stitch rib-knitting machine. - Google Patents

Description

. PATBNTED JUNE 19, l1906. W. STAFFORD an me. H oLT. RACK STITCH` RIB KNITTINGMACHINB.

No.l 323,818.

' APPLICATION PILE) DLo.29,'A19o4. K fs sHEETs-sHEET-z.

\ N0.s23',818. 'y PATBNTEDJUNEIQ, 1906.

I WSTAAIPORD IDIIILIIOLT.A

I lRACK STITCH RIB KNITTING MACHINE.

IPPLIQATION FILED DB0.29, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Illllll I 'PATENT 'OFFI`on4 .'WALTnRfsTrAFFoi-DMAND ROBERT .oHRIs'ioPHER Honnon LiTTLE t FALLsgNnwYoRm amenable.

y,l/i*'CK-jsTi-T/GHImis-KNiTTliac-i. MACHINE...

' Patented June 19, 1906.

' and ROERT 'CHRisToPHERVHoLL citizens of the United States, residing atLittle Falls, in

vthecounty of IHerkimer and State. of New York, have invented'certain new'and useful Improvements-in Rack-Stitch RibKnitting i Machines, of which the yfollowing is a specifi.; `cation, reference being had Vtherein tothe acs compaiiying drawings.

Our invention 'relates to an `improvement Y in.knitting-machines, and we do declare that the followin is a ull, clear,=.concise, and eX- lone skilled in the art to makeand Ause the' same, reference beinghad to the-accompany` ingvdrawings., in which 'like letters and nu-` merals refer -to like partslthroughout,

Our invention is shown in the "drawings aS applied to a circular machine. It has yto do with the'shifting of-certain needles relatively l gto othersby which the stitch or character of the fabric may bechan ed yat will tomakef for'instance, what is wcal ed ai ffrack-stitch This we accomplish automatically by prearl ranged ,pattern mechanism. ,The construc- .tion which we `show alsofhas the, advantage of leaving the needleslargely.'exposed withf lont being held throughout in grooves, so as ,3

to beeaslly cleaned, andit also has thegmini- ,mum `of frictionv onthe needles.v l Italsohai the advantage that while certain parts of the Y needle-'dialare changed it vin no wise`inter` ,fereswith the use offloth'er members not` shown, which the operator may .wish to employ.

' operation,

. Other fdevicesfhave 'heeft lmade which are;` ableto do certain parts ofthe workof our im-iv provenient, biit'we enlargethe field ofsuch devices `and ir'iripliwk"F their yconstru ctionfI and i yMf'ichiriesare- .wherein the-dial-plate 'is "composed of ,parts having therebetween 'rackingE-gides, thedivisionof the dial-plate into.- anllla'r Partshavinginoadvantage, but

.. .being necessary to @Months-.insertion '0f the .-rwking-sidesl; These gde's, .howverfpre f vx vidi?.v .for racking the needles in one direction y only; 'Wefdo away. with; this cumbersome v construction br "employing parte,v of the dialplate fonracking..thegneedles, using a. con- .y struction which. `the needles to be "..recked in ehidiftion- Itfivlllb@ Seen,

zzofFig. 1.

.. plate show a construction Which minimizes the .rictionon the needlesduring their play when 'certain only of the needles can be vracked we show-:L construction wherein each or any of the needle-racking sections may be'movedas the' feeds ive the yarn to Atheneedles to be e .e show in the drawings a machine l in Which each'section of the dial-needles-may be racked. when no work isdone by those neeact descriptlon thereof sufficient lto enable.

racked.

further., thatthey'can belracked a greater or .less distance, as may be desired. We also dles, (the yarn-feeds and the operating-cams,

- which are adjacent thereto, beingover a different SectiOn,) in readiness for the coming. of the feeds and .cams in the revolution of the cam-plate and its 'supportedpa'rts' `By* this.

construction a garment may have 'the racki stitch throughout or only in cer-tainparts.`

g 4In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view oi.'

a machine, showing. the circular frame orbed#A plate, V therevolving cam-plajte just within/it partl cut away and still within parts ofthe.

needl e-dial with partj-o'f certain needles. and indicating between thetips of; somev of them the location ofthe cylinder-needlesnthe top of the cylinder cam-rmg .appearing justl within. Fig. l is a detail of partof the needle-1 dial. Fig. 2 is aside View, partl in section, V. showin thev cylinder shaft, cy inder, bedplate, ial-plate, and dial'cam-ring, .together with other ordinary partsand parts of our device. 3 is a side view on the other side of er-shaft from the part shown in Fig.

,f '2 an also another p/artof onr device. Fi .4

is a detail plan view of certain parts of our e-A vice on line :c a: yof Fig. 2. Fig. litis-a bottom'.

view. of the member? shown iii-Fig. 2 showing a` modified construction. fFig; 5- is' a cross-section view.l of the same parts on line yay-'of Fig.. 1,'and Fig.' 6is a like view on lineber shown in Fig. 31

. Referring to the iguresin detail, 'ifi'.reipri:`

sents the legs of the machine supporting the annular frame or bed 'Bv and carrying shaft C port t e cylinder-shaftH. Cylinder I,'with Fig.A 7 is a vface view of a mem- IOO needle-grooves i and needles/b", supported f on the shaft H, resting on washer I and is 4held against turning by some well-known means, while the cylinder cam-ring J is rturned by the shaft H.v These parts are of well-known construction and arrangement as thegoove means-andthe racking means in v usual type extending substantially the lengthy als , Sufficient s ace provide lands lc8L to a low fre'e lay ofthe needles even d? the lands are slightly. 3 swung, 'being sospaced as to allow for the slight narrowing of the interspace when they .landsareswun from the true radial line of of lands and whic the needles are freeto bend or swing and the least possible side friction exists in reci rocating the needles. furt er improvement of having the lands lc, the spacing of which rovides' therebetween the grooves kb, pivota ly mounted, as shown at k, so that as the latch end of the needles are racked the direction of the groove is correspondingly changed. This vobviates entirely the side'strain on theneedles and any variation of the chord length of the needles by their curvature.` The needles are of the of lands 7c?, with heels to been aged by the cams on the cam-plate, where y they are thrust to and fro, although the needles are not all shown.v with the heel' ortion in full.

when the needles an the dial. The u nction ofthe lands kf* is to permit theneedles to swin slightly in the racking process without ben in The lands lcv are mounted toV swing on t e upper surface ofringK. In Fig. l we show'fa modified form of such construction, where Ka-shows a sector-like 'late adapted to be'pivotally mounted on ed-plate and which comprlses a plurality ooves of such number as may be deslred, t esel partsbeing duplicated as needed. The dial cam-plate F is of annular form.l and'rests above rin K, being provided with cams le to engaget e heels of the needles and actuate them. The dial-plate also 1 comprises an inner ring divided inthis in stance -diametrically into parts L and L', whlch have enough s ace between their ends, sov that each can e s id on the bed to dispose the latch end of the dial-needles one way or the other relatively to the cylinder-needles and the desired distance. These parts of the dlal do not have the needle-grooves usually provided, but their surface 1s for themost the same purpose.

We show the between the i part lane. Near ,the inner edge, however, are p aced blocks Z Fig. 1, which are cut away on each side, leaving a narrow face or an edge, which, with that of the block on the other side of the needle, provides means for holding and for moving the needle laterally, but not having any substantial frictionsurface nor preventinglthe swingin or bending of the needles. nstead oi tie blocks pins may be inserted in the rin to answer The inner edge of parts L and L are finished in usual manner, so as to provide for ordinary parts of such a machine. To hold the needles in proper horizontal plane on dial parts' L and L', we provide curved strip M, which is su ported -above them, in this case from the fee -guides N. These feed-guides, it may be noted, are placed adjacent to the cams which actuate the dial-needles, and it will be assumed that a suitable number are employed and that the machine is provided with the usual yarn supporting and distributing parts, which are so well known that they need not be shown. The strip M may, however, be omitted, and the depending mner edge of the cam-ring mayalone berelied upon to hold the needles down. On thelbed at a suitable point near its margin we mount dogs 1 and 2 on pivots la and 2, which each passes through the bed and there' supports its pinion 1b and 2b, which ,mesh The dogs are seated at an angle to peach other, substantially as shown.

lower end of pivot l is iixed arm 3, thou h it may be made integral with pinion 1b. t will be seen that if degl is turned in it projects arm 3 and dog2 and that when dog 2 is turned inward it turns arm 3 outward. In short, the reciprocation of dogs land 2 swings the armS-in and out. 4 is a bell-crank pivotally mountedat 4 on the bed-plate. One end is pivotally engaged .by link 5, the other end of which is ivotally mounted on arm. The

other en of bell-crank 4 has a pin 4b, which` projectsthrough a slot 4 in the bed and into .one of theparts' L or L ofthe dial-plate, there being a set of the parts above described for each movable part of the dial-plate. It is readily seen that the swinging of either dog 1 or 2 slides the connected part of the dial-plate circum'ferentially on the bed. It is further seen that these sliding means are mounted one in each slidable part and about the middle. The parts which operate the levers 1 and 2 and the bell-crank 4 to shift or rack 'the needles are located so as to rack certain of the dial-needles only when they are idle, the knitting being then done by the other needles, whlch may or may not have already been racked, according to the design o f the operator. Thus, supposing the camr1ng to be given a uarter-turn,in either di rection, Fig. 1, brac et 6 is in place to rack one segment of the inner portion of the dialplate, the knitting being then done by the On the IIO l,they feeds also being located to supply'those needles".y f

ogsjwe provide mechanism best shown 1n ig.y 2.v 6 is la bracket mounted on ythecam-plate and havin `an upward arm 6., thelouter face `0f which 1s verti- ,cally grooved and fitted t'o receive and carry the vertically-moving arr-n?,V which has pin 7 projecting outwardly and ydog 7b project- ;ing inwardly and oiay edetermined size for engaging one or'the ot erof'th'e dogsl` and 2;

the connected part of the d i'al-.ring.`l This' "plane is determined by proper pattern mech.

anism, which comprises, ashere. shown, pat# .35.'

the 'a rticularsfshown;

dles, a cam-plate and cams, the sai dial-nee'- Instead of the dog 7b al cam-like disk 47" may be employed, Fig.'4 4*?, being adjustable on the arm "7' Aby .bolt 7d to thrust '.the arms 1 and 2 inward a eater or less distance, according to the positionof th'ecam-disk,fand rack the ffitin given position.

bracket mounted on the frame or bed havinglupwardextension 9*. This I l'carries,j vertically. slidably mounted thereon, .dog 10, which-hasl at its u per endl the inward extension 1.0, the face o which is.

transversely grooved at 10", the groove-being widenedat one end 10, so as to engage p in 7.

when the revolution ofthe camring o r platev brings it tothat point and vdispose-do 7b in proper plane to engage'dog 1 vor 2 an slide tern-chainv 1l, attern-Wlieel 12 to carryfthe same, and s ma l wheel 13, which is mounted on the lower end of dog 10 to fraise or lowerl grooved extensidn 10 according to the links of the patternchain passing thereunder and which is caused to advance common .In operation the pattern mechanism fixes the plane'of dogl` 10 and groove 10b, which v f adjusts the plane of arm 7 and. dog 7 ,`whic`h" "turns dog '1 or 2 in, pulls out or us'hes in link 5, and correspondingly slides t 4e'. connected section .of 'dial-ring'. This' action racks the.- needlesthat'iafit carries the inner endlof the dial-needles therein mounted each tofonel side or the other of its adjacent cylinder-v l The drawings show. but agiven form of our invention; but as modifications'may be made without departing` from the spirit and` scope of the invention we do not limit ourselves toavi [gde'scribed our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-v .1. In a prendrait-knittingmachine, (the combination 'ofa cylindery needlebed con.-` taining Acylinder-needles, a `.cam-ring `and cams,..ad 1a lneedle bed containin dial-nee- `s ubstantia ly as descri ed.

. tor-like lands a `fixedly mounted and adapted to receive nee-- dles andan inner annular member divided into segments each segment being movable.`

and havin [needle-en aging means thereon, 2. In combinationI lin a circular-knitting machine, a cylinder-'needle bed with needles,

a'cylinder cam-ring withcams for one; or

more feeds all fof the same being within one'- half the circumference ofthe ring, a/dial-neevdlebed containing needles and com osed of two annular plates one integral and t e otherI divided into segments, a ldial cam-plate with cams to correspond Iwith the cams on the cyl-.- `.inder camring,'a bracket, a plunger adapted to move in thebracket to shift the segments needles accordingly.- A spring-pin'S, of comlmon form, is `I'nounted on arm 6'* in, contact. with arm 7 and having sufficient force to hold of the said portion of the dial-plate, means operativeybetween'the plunger andthe diaL p ate for said purpose, substantially as shown.

3. Ina circular-knitting machine, a dialner annulark member? divided into segments.

leach movable .and supporting. the needles at.

tion'of action, .a dialcam-plate with cams,

one 'endand adapted'to vcontrol their direcand means forI automatically rackin' thel sections of the inner memberof-fthe. ial, sub-. I i

stantially as described. 4. In a circular-knittin machine, a dial composed of annularmem ers, 'the outer be ing, integral and fixed' and 4having' thereon-v` pivotally-mounted needle-guiding members4 andthe inner 'of the'said annular members being divided'intofannular sections leachrnov-v able and having thereon needle-holding mem-1 j 'bersfwhereby Vin the rackin' of the-needles' the' latter may be swung on t e dial members i c in either direction, l,means for automatic;ill racking vthe' sections ofthemner membero.

the`dial,,substantiallyasshOWn.' v

rio

ally divided into parts and means for.auto.l

maft'icall the needlY asshown. L

for automatically racking t e needles. bycon# shiftirig' the saidfparts for lracking .j es inleitherdirectlon, substantially 4 6. Inaknitting-machine,.adial-plate co'm5 i. .j rising a series of annular members,`the outerj eing fixed and dprovided with a seriesof secfapted to engagethe needles, i, the saidlands-being pivotall .mountedmea'n's j .A tact'of such means atthe latch ends o f'lthez needles, .substantially as vshown. v- "j '1.7. a circular-knitting machjnepro'f' I;

vided with cylinder and Vdial knitting means,". `means for automatically 'racking the ,dial-2f needles, .thesaid means comprisin j notched 4giudes engaging the needles, a brac et, a .yer-

. '8S'. needle bed-containing needles-andl compris-# lv ing a fixed outer annular member and an 111-' iasff' fio ticaiiyledfusabn plunger. @been having a.. horizont thereon, a guideoperatedi by,

pattern mechanism. and. adapted tolengage the said plunger andi adjust its operative position, a series 0I levenconnections withv lthe said notched guides operative. byl Contact with. the plunger-lug therewith toi swing. the

sametaraol the needles. in either direction, and` a pattern. mechanism, substantially as showin..

`8. In a eiroular-knittin .f machine, a dial supportingthe needles in t eir operation andcomposed' of two annular lmembers7 the-outer integral 'andfrthe inner formed ofv apluralityof parts :each: movable and rovided'with needie-engaging.- means torac the dial-needles.,

and..means iorpautomatically Swingin the.

lpeer-tsy o'the innen dial= member torao the4 .l needles, substantially as shown-- 9. In a Acineular-knittingmachine, a dial composed: off` av 'fixed outerannular member and of an innermember oi sector-like parts,

' having# thereon! means lonswingingf the limer i pla-te comprising two annular-members, the;

outer being fixed and adapted to receive needies; and having'pivotally-mounted" members *therefor andI the inner composed' ofa pluralityof sections movablein succession to rack the;

p needles andghaving needle-engaging means the said-y sections 'toand fro, substantially as naaste thereon', andi means for moving the sections in either-direction, substantially as shown.

12. In a circular-knitting machine, a di'al 45 eomposed'ofseparate itingportions, one bein fixe and havin thereon swinging groove arts for theneeles and the other'portion being dividedradially into parts each movable andhaving needle-engaging means to swing the needles in either direction to-make a rackstitcli, substantially as shown.

13. Ina circulanknittingmachine, a diallate with needles and composed? of 'twofannuarplates one integral and" the other-divided into sectors each independently movable, a dial camplate Withcams, a plunger having a lug thereon and means engaging the lug and! connected' with the-'sectors oiithe d ial to swing'the same i'n either direction and to a degree depending-upon the size of the lugon the plunger, substantially as shown.

14. In a knitting-machine-I a dialfplate composed o two annulan members, the inner one being radially divided into parts 'each being movable ciroumferentially and having needle-engaging means and the outer one being ixedandE provided with swinging means to engage the needles as reoiprocated, substantially as shown.

15. In. a circular-,knitting machine, a dial comprising a fixed ring' and an inner ring composed of sections movable circumferentially in succession,` and! means for moving shown- In testimony whereofweaffix oursignatures in presence of' two Witnesses.

WALTER; STAFFORD. RGBERT CI{BJ,ST()BH^EIL` HOL'l-,

Witnesses: WILLIAM A. BAKER,

FENIMORE Si'r'rs.

Images