US482173A - Knitting-machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. E. HARBAUGH.

KNITTING MACHINE- Patented Sept. 6, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H.E.HARBAU GH.

KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 6,-1892f W wmd dH 1 llllrll I'll IL- llllL (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 34 H. E. HARBAUGH. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 482,173. Patented Sept 6, 1892.

Ina/en mnessesi (No Model.) I t 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. H. E. HARBAUGH. KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 6., 1892.

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UNITED STATES HOIVARD E. HARBAUGH PATENT OFFICE.

OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

KNITTING-.MACHINEI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,173, dated September 6, 1892.

Application filed August 17, 1891. Serial No. 402,925. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD EpHARBAUGH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of \Vinnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a means for holding the needles in engagement with the cam-cylinder, said means being made movable to allow the needles to become inactive by permitting them to withdraw from their engagement with the camcylinder. I

The further object of this invention is to provide a separate spring for each needle, which is thrown out of action during the process of knitting, so that the needle will be held in its elevated position when out of action, thereby holding the needle in proper position to enter the cam-groove when it becomes necessary to throw the needle into operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the needle-cylinder, showing the position which the parts occupy when the needle is in its lowest operative position. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the needle elevated. Fig. 3 is a likewise section showing the needle held out of action or out of its engagement with the cam. Fig. 4 is an outstretched view of a portion of the needle-cylinder, showing the devices employed for holding the needles in operative connection with the cam-cylinder or allowing the needles to retract out of engagement with the cam-cylinder. Fig. 5 is an inner face View of a portion of the cam-cylinder employed to raise and lower the needles during the process of knitting. Fig. 6 is an isometrical representation of the devices which operate upon the needles to hold them in engagement with the cam-cylinder or allow them to become inactive. Fig. 7 is a fragmental isometrical representation of the ring 11, employed to hold the upper portion of the needles in the grooves of the needle-cylinder. Fig. 8 is a fragmental isometrical representation of a ring which surrounds the needle-cylinder and which forms supports for the springs for holding the needles elevated when thrown into their inoperative position.

The needle-cylinder 1 in this instance is in the main of the usual form, having its outer surface provided with needle-grooves 2 running in its lengthwise direction. This cylinder is supported in an annular base 3, having a flanged depending from its under face. A needle-operating cam-cylinder 5 is located outside of and near the base of the needlecylinder, having its lower portion 6 provided with gear-teeth and the inner face of the upright portion provided with the usual groove and the cam 7. This cam-cylinder is supported in the annular base in such manner that a rotary or oscillatory movement may be imparted thereto by the teeth of the beveled gear-wheel engaging the teeth of its lower portion, and a ring 8, held in place by screws 9, holds the cam-cylinder in position relative to the annular base 3.

The upper portion of the needle-cylinder is provided with an enlarged portion 10 fora purpose to appear hereinafter. A ring 11, having an inside diameter equal to the outside diameter of the needle-cylinder at the enlarged portion 10, has a laterally-extending upper portion 12 and a depending portion 13, and is slipped over the needle-cylinder, so that its inner surface will cover the enlarged portion of the needle-cylinder. The needles 14: in this instance are longer than usually employed, having their upper ends provided with the usual hook and latch and their lower ends with the projection 15, which engages the groove of the cam-cylinder. These needles play up and down in the grooves of the needle-cylinder in the usual manner during the process of knitting.

I have provided a spring for each of the needles, which are thrown in and out of action during the process of knitting, and such springs are supported in such a manner that one of the ends of each is free to conform to the risingand-falling movement of the needles during the process of knitting. The means of supporting these springs will now be explained. Aring 16, which has aninside diameter somewhat larger than the outside diameter of the needle-cylinder, has a flange 17, extending outward from its upper end, and an inwardly-extending flange 1S and an outwardly-extending flange 19 at its lower end. A diagonal out 20 is made through the inner upper corner of this ring and flange 17, so as to leave an opening. 21,.as shown at Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 8. The out of this frame is made to correspond with the grooves of the needle-cylinder. A diagonal cut 22 is also made across the inner lower portion of the ring 16 and flanges 18 and 19, so as to form an opening 23, and these cuts correspond to the grooves of the needle-cylinder. bentin U form, is supported at its upper end by a ring of wire 25, located in an annular groove 26, formed in the upper face of the flange 17 near its inner edge. The outer end 27 of the spring passes through the opening 23, formed in the flange 19, whereby it. is held from displacement. The inner end 28 has its lower portion 29 bent at substantially right angles to the main portion of the spring, and the extreme end 30 of the portion 29 is bent downward. The lower end of the inner arm 28 of the spring near its-conjunction with the portion 29 is of irregular form for a purpose to appear hereinafter. The flange 17 of the ring 16 is secured to the under face of the upper portion 12 of the ring 11 by screws 31, and this holds the springs from displacement by covering the groove 26. When the needle is raised during the process of knitting to the position shown in Fig. 2, the lower end of the inner arm of the spring will conform to that portion 32 of the needle which is above the projection which enters the needle-operating cam, and as the needle at this point is thrown out of engagement with the camthe spring and needle will occupy the positions shown in Fig. 3, from which it will be seen the needle is held in its elevated position. This springis at all times in contact with the outer surface of the needle during the process of knitting, as shown in Fig. l, and the lower end of the spring can give toward or from the center of the needle-cylinder in a radial direction by moving in the cut 22, formed in the lower portions of the flanges 18 and 19 of the ring 16, and by moving in this cut the spring is always held in proper relation to lie in contact with the needle, and as the arm 27 of the spring is held fixed the necessary spring action will be given at the inner arm of the spring. When it becomes necessary to remove any one of the needles from the needle-cylinder, the attendant by means of the lower end 30 of the inner arm of the spring will draw the spring outward suificiently to allow the projection 15' of the needles to pass upward by the inner end of the spring, and it is owing to the necessity for this removal of the individual needlesthat I makethe needle-cylinder with the upward enlarged portion 10.

Thus far I have described that portion of my knitting-machine employed to raise and lower the needles during the process of knitting and of holding the needles elevated when not in operative connection with their camcylinder. I will now proceed to describethe means for holding the needles in their engage- A spring 24,

is usual before commencing the heel or toe pocket to throw about one-half of the needles out of action by a single movement and thereafter to throw out of action a needle first from one side of the machine and then from the other side until all the needles (except ,whatfew are always inaction on the back portion of the machine) are thrown out of action, and then to throw the needles into action in inverse order, this operation being termed narrowing and widening. The means I employ to accomplish this throwing in and out movement for the front. half of the needles consists of a series of arms33, all of the same length, having their upper ends beveled, as shown at 34. These arms are secured in the semicircular base of section 35, which is located below the lower end .of the needle-cylinder and in such relation thereto that the arms 33 will move in the needle-grooves of the needle-cylinder, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. These arms are also arranged so that when they are in their extreme upward position they will form the surfaces against which the lower portion of the needles lie in their rising and falling movements during the process of knitting, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When it is desired to allow the needles to retract out of engagement with the cam-cylinder, the semicircular base 35 and all the arms connected thereto are by a single movement dropped sufficiently to allow the lower end of the needles to move radially toward the center of the needle-cylinder sufticiently to free the inner face of the needleoperating cam-cylinder, andthe spring devices hereinbefore described will force the needles inwardly and hold them in such position, as shown in Fig. 3. When it is desired to throw such needles into action, the semi circular base and the arms attached thereto are moved upward, and owing to the beveled upper end of the arms coming in contact with the lower inner end of the needles, the needles are forced outward radially the width of the arms, which is sufficient to throw them into proper operative connection with their widening process-must be thrown into or out of action, one on one side of the machine and then one on the other side at each reciprocation, I have employed; two segmental bases or sections 36 and 37, which fill the space he tween the semicircular base and the-needles on the back portion of the machine, which are constantly in operative connection. Each of the segmental bases is provided with arms 38, which are located in the grooves of the needle-cylinder. These arms are of different lengths, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. Suppose all of the needles to be in operative engagement with their cam-cylinder. The armsof the base and segmental bases 36 and 37 would occupy the positions shown in Fig. 4, and when the front half of the needles are thrown out of operative action the upper ends of the arms will occupy the positions shown by the dotted cross-lines 39.

I now proceed to the process of narrowing, which is accomplished by lowering the section 37 one step, which will, through the action of springs 24, throw out of action the needle lying against the shortest arm of the section. The section 36 is then lowered one notch until the needle lying against the shortest arm of such section will be likewise thrown out of action, and these sections are alternately dropped step by step until all of the needles controlled thereby are thrown out of action, when the upper ends of the arms of the sections will occupy the positions shown by the cross-lines 40, and the needles will all be thrown out of action, except the few needles in the back of the machine, which have remained in action. The process of widening is the reverse to the process of narrowing-- that is, we move the section 37 one step upward, so that its longest arm will throw into action the fashioning-needle next to the permanent needles. The section 36 is then moved one step to throw in the needle controlled by the longest arm thereof. This movement continues until all the needles controlled by the segments are thrown into action, and by a single movement of the semicircular base 35 the remaining or about one-half of the needles are thrown into action, and the machine will then afterward produce circular work until the narrowing process is to begin again. I raise the segments step by step, in this instance by means of a lever 41, having a pivotal connection with a suitable support and provided with a depending arm 42. Near the free ends of this lever 41 are pivoted two double dogs 43 about midway of their length, and a spring 44 connects the lower ends of the dogs. By moving the lever 41 on its pivot by means of the arm 42 one of the dogs are made to rise and the other one to fall. dog which rises engages the teeth of one of the racks 45 of the segments, thereby moving it one step, and this movement will place the other dog in position to engage a tooth on the rack of the other section. When a reverse movement is given to the depending arm, the opposite dog will be elevated, thereby moving its segment upward one notch. This movement continues until both of the segments are in their. highest position.

The

By changing the spring 44 to engage the studs upon the upper ends of the dogs the lower endsof the dogs will engage the teeth of the racks, and by the same movement of -the'arm 42 the dogs will engage the teeth of the racks alternately, thereby moving the racks and the segments carried thereby downward until all of the needles are thrown out of action. The arms are secured to the semicircular base'and the segments, in this instance by forming a groove in the upper surface of the base and segments and running babbitt to fill the groove, thereby making a permanent connection between the arms and their bases. my means of holding the needles in connection with their operating-cam might'be adapted to a straight'machine without departing from the scope'of my invention.

'So far as known to me I am the first to provide a base with two sections adapted to hold thefashioning-needles in action or allowing them to become'inactive, said section having movements independent of each other in the lengthwise direction of the needles.

I claim as my invention 1. A knitting-machine provided with neerile-grooves, needles located therein, a needleoperating cam, two sections provided with means adapted to hold the fashioning-needles in action or allow them to'become inactive,

the sections having movementsindependent of each other in the lengthwise direction of the needles.

2. Aknitting-machine provided with a needle-cylinder having needle-grooves, needles located therein, a needle-operating cam, two sections provided with means adapted to hold the fashioning-needles in engagement with the cam or allow them to become inactive, the sections having movements'independent of each other in the lengthwise direction of the needle-cylinder.

3. A knitting-machine provided with a neejdle-cylinder having needle-grooves, needles located therein, a needle-operating cam, two series of arms forholding the fashioning-needles in engagement with the cam, the series having a movement independent of each other in the lengthwise direction of the needle-cylinder.

4. A knitting-machine provided with needle-grooves, needles located therein, a needleoperating can], three series of arms for holding the needles in engagement with the cam, two series for thefashioning-needles and other series for the remaining needles, which are thrown in and out of action, the series of arms for the fashioning-needles having a movement independent of the remaining series.

5. A knitting-machine provided with rice dle-grooves, needles located therein, a needle operating cam, and three sections provided with arms for holding the needles in engagement with the cam, two of the sections for the fashioning-needles, the arms of which are of It is also evident that IIO different lengths, and the arms of the remaining section which operate upon the frontneedles being of equal length.

6. A knitting-machine provided with needle-grooves, needles located therein, a needleoperating cam, three sections provided with arms for holding the needles in engagement with the cam, two of the sections for the fashioning-needles and the remaining section for the front needles, the arms of each of the sections located and moving in thelengthwise direction of the needle grooves, and means for moving the sections, the arms of which operate upon the fashioning-needles.

7. A knitting-machine provided with needle-grooves, needles located therein, a needleoperating cam, two sections provided with arms extending therefrom of different lengths and located in the needle-grooves for the purpose of holding the needles in action or allowing them to become inactive.

8. A knitting-machine provided with needle grooves, needles located therein, aneedleoperating cam, two sections provided with arms extending therefrom and located in the needle-grooves and having their upper ends beveled, each section provided with a toothed rack, and dogs for engaging the teeth of the racks for alternately raising or lowering them.

9. A knitting-machine provided with needie-grooves, needles located therein, a needleoperating cam, springs for holding the needles out of action, a suitable frame, one end of the springs held by the frame and the other end of each located in a needle-groove in contact with the needle thereof.

10. In aknitting-machine, the combination of a needlocylinder provided with needlegrooves, a needle -operating cam, a cylinder surrounding the needle cylinder, provided with grooves conforming to the needle-grooves, springs held in place in the grooves of the outside cylinder, each having one end stationary and the other end in contact with a needle, and each provided with a projection by which the springs can be removed to release the needles.

HOWARD E. I-IARBAUGl-I.

W'itnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, L. L. MILLER.

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