987,324. Knitting machines. H. STOLL, G. STOLL, E. STOLL, E. STOLL, S. STOLL, A. STOLL, R. E. STOLL, and M. STOLL. April 4, 1963 [April 6, 1962], No. 13333/63. Heading D1C. A flat knitting machine is equipped with yarn. carriers the extent of traverse of which are variable in accordance with knitting requirements and are determined by automatic movements of yarn carrier stops set to limit the traverses. The yarn cannot stop 3 at one side of the machine is connected to the upper arm 1 of a first endless draw member whilst a similar stop 4 at the other side of the machine is connected to the lower run 2 of a second endless draw member. The draw members are movable independently of one another. There is provided an operating mechanism for effecting intermittent movements of each of the draw members and a set of rotary return members operable from the machine drive for effecting periodic retractions of the draw members and also of the yarn carrier stops carried thereby into their original positions. A shaft 11 is driven by a sprocket 12 from the main knitting machine drive and sprocket 13 which is fixed to the shaft 11 turns sprocket 15 which rotates freely on shaft 16. Drive sprockets 8, 8<SP>1</SP> are fixed to shafts 17, 17<SP>1</SP> and on the opposite ends are the operating discs 18, 18<SP>1</SP> adjacent bluffing plates 19, 20, 19<SP>1</SP>, 20<SP>1</SP> which turn freely on the shafts 17, 17<SP>1</SP> and cover parts of the teeth of operating wheels 18, 18' and render them ineffective. The draw rods 21 operate the position of the bluff plate by linkages controlled by the patterning mechanism and the operating discs 18, 18<SP>1</SP> are moved by operating pawls 22, 23, 22<SP>1</SP>, 23<SP>1</SP> moved by pin 24 and slides 25, 25<SP>1</SP>. Rollers 26 engage in cam grooves 27, 27<SP>1</SP> of indexing discs 28, 28<SP>1</SP>. The operating pawls 22, 23 are urged onwardly by the action of an eccentric 29 on a locking bolt 30 and tension spring 34. The non-rotation of driving sprockets 8, 8<SP>1</SP> when required is ensured by location of the locking elements 37, 37<SP>1</SP> in toothed pinions 35, 35<SP>1</SP>. A nose 44 located in a cam recess 45 formed in the hubs of flanged driving discs 46, 46<SP>1</SP> secured to the shaft 16 and abutment 49 on driving discs 46, 46<SP>1</SP> engage and drive adjacent discs 50, 50<SP>1</SP> which are freely mounted on shaft 16. Cranked drivers 51 on the outsides of discs 50, 50<SP>1</SP> are urged towards the shaft by tension springs 51<SP>1</SP> so that they bear on the edges of the driving discs 46, 46<SP>1</SP>. The drivers 51 can be retracted by a detent 52 fixed to the casing 10. Gear wheels 53, 53<SP>1</SP> are secured to discs 50, 50<SP>1</SP> to drive pinions 54, 54<SP>1</SP> secured to a spindle 11. A gear-wheel 56 meshes with another gear-wheel 58 freely rotatable on a pin 57. The pinion 60 is mounted on shaft 16 for free rotation and is driven by an intermediate pinion 59, gear-wheels 59 and 60 always rotating in opposite directions. Pinions 61, 61<SP>1</SP> are freely mounted on the hubs of wheel 60 and mesh with pinions 62, 62<SP>1</SP> and these engage with pinions 64, 64<SP>1</SP> integrally combined with gear-wheels 65, 65<SP>1</SP> and the unit 64, 64<SP>1</SP>, 65, 65<SP>1</SP> is freely rotatable on the drive shaft 11. Pinions 65, 65<SP>1</SP> mesh with 66, 66<SP>1</SP> and are mounted for free rotation on pins 67, 67<SP>1</SP>, the gear wheels 68, 68<SP>1</SP> being connected to pinions 66, 66<SP>1</SP> are in engagement with pinions 35, 35<SP>1</SP>. The gear-wheel 60 can drive gear-wheels 61, 61<SP>1</SP> by engagement of the driving pins 69, 70 or they can be driven by the gear-wheel 53, 53<SP>1</SP> by means of the pins 70. Shaft 16 is driven by a plate 72 and a driver 73 engages in a notched plate 75 secured to the sprocket 15 and a catch 76 is swingable in and out of position by a lever 79 and linkage 80 by the patterning mechanism of the machine. The bluffing discs are operated independently by the patterning for location of pins 33 for selective extents of clockwise and anticlockwise movement. The operating discs 18, 18<SP>1</SP> are turned by shaft 11 driven by sprocket 12 from the main drive. Slides 25, 25<SP>1</SP> are operated by a cam groove 27, 27<SP>1</SP> and bluffing plates 19, 19<SP>1</SP>, 20, 20<SP>1</SP> determine the position of the pawl slides. The operating eccentrics 29, 29<SP>1</SP> control the action of locking bolts 30, 30<SP>1</SP> permitting the pawls 19, 19<SP>1</SP>, 20, 20<SP>1</SP> to enter the notches of the operating discs 18, 18<SP>1</SP>. Periodic retractions of the yarn carrier stops 3,4 are carried out by the patterning unit acting through the linkage 78, 79. The driver 73 is released by a catch 76 and falls into a slot in plate 75 and hence the sprocket 13 drives the sprocket 15 and the shaft 16. A part revolution only takes place in a clockwise direction due to a previous anticlockwise rotation initiated by the intermittent movement of the yarn stops.