US1154169A - Automatic circular-knitting machine for producing split-foot hosiery. - Google Patents

Description

G. P. BOSWORTH.

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SPLIT-FOOT HOSIERV.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.1913.

1,154,16. Patentd Sept. 21, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

Witnesses. I I Im/Entnr.

G. P. BOSWORTH.

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SPLIT-FOOT HOSIERY.

APPLICATION FILED'JU'NE 2.1913.

LIMJWB PatntedSept. 21, 1915..

4 SHEETS-SHED 2. .9

Witnesses.

G. P. BOSWORTH.

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SPLIT-FOOT HOSIERY.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 2. I913.

1 1 54, 1 69., Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEEI 3.

Atty,

G. P. BOSWORTH. AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SPLIT-FOOT HOSIERY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.1913.

PatentedSept. 21, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHE?! 4.

l TlT/E n tur.

George Bo'su/orthl. 1

WitTLEEEE 1 GEORGE P. BOSWORTH, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODEISLAND.

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SPLIT-FOOT Specification of Letters Patent.

HOSIERY.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

Application filed June 2.191s. Serial No. 771,157.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. BoswoRTH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at juncture stitches,

Central Falls. in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Circular-Knitting Machines for Producing Split-Foot Hosiery, of which the following is a specification.

The invention forming the subject of this application for U. S. Letters Patent relates to that class of automatic knitting machines for producing seamless hosiery, and 1t consists essentially in the novel features and instrumentalities hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The invention is more especially devised to provide circular knitting machines with auxiliary means for automatically producing the finer grades of seamless hosiery having high-spliced heels and split-foot portions. 01', in other words, the machine is normally adapted to automatically produce seamless stockings having the usual characteristics, as to the leg, heel, foot and toe portions; and through the medium of auxiliary devices connected to and cooperable with the machine, the latter is adapted to be readily converted into a knitting machine for producing split-foot stockings, socalled, wherein the respective threads of the web comprising the top and bottom portions of the foot part of the stocking are caused to interlock and form two parallel lines of one on each side thereof.

One object of the invention is to provide simple, eliicient and comparatively inexpensive means adapted for knitting stockings of the split-foot class. To that end I employ an independently movable secondary cam-block carrying guard-cams, a pair of stitch-cams and a pair of auxiliary picks, the latter being actuated by certain of the cylinders needles in forming the said juncture lines of stitches when the machine is being actuated in a reciprocatory manner; the said cam-block is located substantially dia metrically opposite the usual main knittingcams.

A further of the invention relates to' means for ,matically moving said cam-block and it members toward and from the needle-ca: ving cylinder at predeten mined points, ierehy the machine is adapted to pnoduce regular circular courses of stitches or plain knitting, as well as freely permitting the formation of the heel and toe portions. That is, the usual narrowing and widening picks. are normally operable while the cylinder is being reciprocated in knitting the heel and toe.

A further feature of the invention resides in automatically controlled stitchforming means and mechanism for reciprocating the needle cylinder. whereby, in producing the split-foot part of the stocking, the oppositely disposed groups of long and short-butt needles are respectively caused to simultaneously 'knit the corresponding threads to form partial rows of plain or ordinary stitches on the respective sides of the foot part, and means constructed and arranged by which a pair of medium-butt needles, located respectively between the ends of the two groups of long and short butt needles, are caused to receive both the said threads on each medium-butt needle and interlock them with the threads on both sides of the foot part during each doublereciprocation of the needle-cylinder.

The improvements constituting the present invention are shown in connection with a full automatic circular knitting machine in which the needle-carrying cylinder is revoluble, and the corresponding stitch-cams relatively stationary. The machine as a whole, except as to the present improvements, and forming the subject of this application for patent, is substantially the same as disclosed in J. D. Hemphills Patent No. 933,443, of Sept. 7, 1909, to which patent'reference may be made. It may be stated, however, that in the present instance, one-half of the total number of needles in the needle-cylinder may have long-butts, the other or opposite half of the needle-row having short-butts, except that two of the latter needles (one at each end of the semi-circular row) is provided with slightly longer butts, which may be termed medium-butt or suture needles. These latter are employed in connection with the other needles and cooperating devices in producing plain or ordinary knitting. The medium-butt needles are also used in making the said lines of uncture stitches which join or connect the adjacentparts of the web when stockings having high-splice and split-foot portions are being produced.

in the accompanying four sheets of drawings. Figin'e 1 represents a partial elevation of the left side of a knitting machine pro vided with my improvements, the latter being positioned to produce the split-foot part of a stocking: Fig. 2 is a corresponding vertical section, enlarged, taken substantially on line 00 of Fig. 4:, portions not shown; Fig. 3 is a partial elevation, viewed from the back of the machine. showing details of the connections; Fig. l is a top plan view; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the improved secondary cam-block; Fig. (5 is a side elevation of the cam-block showing its inner face; Fig. 7 is a corresponding top plan view. portions being omitted; Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the swinging auxiliary picks; Fig. 9 is a partial horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on line 2.-2 of Fig. :2, parts being omitted; Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the irregular line 1010 of Fig. 11, showing the secondary cam-block in the outward position; Fig. 11 is a vertical section, similar to Fig. '3. but showing the relation of said cam-block. etc., to the cylinder when plain circular knitting is being produced; Fig. 12 indicates a plan view of the needlecylinder. partly in horizontal section, showing the relation of the needles with respect to the center line A, A, Fig. l, at the commencement of a rotary reciprocatory movement; Fig. 13 is a corresponding development of the cylinders outer periphery, indicating its needles, and the relative position of the latter to the stitch-cams, etc., at that instant; Fig. It represents the'relation of the needles to the center line at the end of the first semi-revolution; Fig. 15 indicates the corresponding development showing the relative positions of the needles to the stitch-cams; and Fig. 16 indicates the cylinder at the completion of the full revolution. i

The following is a description of some of the parts embodied in the patented automatic circular knitting machine before referred to, and in which machine my improvements are well adapted to be combined and successfully employed:

In the drawings herewith C designates a portion of the main frame having a base member a secured to its top end for supporting the revolubly -driven needle-cylinder D and other cooperating instrumentalities. A flat cam-plate b, capable of slight vertical movements. has the cylinder D freely revoluble therein; the upper face of the plate is provided with an annular needle-support or ring-cam M having its inner face contiguous to the periphery of the cylinder. The cylinder is surmounted by a normally stationary pivoted carrier-ring 6 provided with yarn levers, etc.. for feeding threads to knitting devices, substantially as usual. A main camblock B is positioned on the plate I), the said ring-cam M being cut away on that side (right) of the machine to receive it; the block is provided with oppositely located main knitting-cams 2: v, the corresponding narrowing or needle-elevating picks u, r, and center guard-cam v, substantially as indicated in Fig. 15. When the knitting cylinder is caused to move in a rotary-reciprocatory manner, as in knitting the heel. and toe parts of a stocking, the upper or draw member 1' and the lower or raise member i of the guided. instepcam are first moved upward to temporarily position all the longbutt needles 2' idly in the upper path or plane, the latter then being in alinement with the guiding groove of the instepcam. substantially as represented in the said Hemphill Patent #933,' l'-l3see also Fig. 15. Means are provided for controlling the action of the automatically positioned widening or needle-depressing picks 'wpw in producing the said heel and toe portions, substantially as set forth in said patent; l at is. a recessed cam g indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, secured to the main cam or patternshaft a (which latter is caused to revolve once only during the production of each stocking} is engaged by a pivotally mounted lever g jointed to a vertical connection in turn jointed to a pivoted bent horizontal lever having its free end y supporting a vertically mounted pin 9* adjustably secured to a member having a stop plate g fixed to its inner end. V hen the stop is in the elevated position the picks w, w, are adapted to be alternately engaged by a pair of short butt needles from the corresponding end of the column of idle needles and deflected downward to the knitting path during each re'ciprocatory movement of the cylinder. I

B indicates the improved secondary camblock as a whole; slidably mounted on the cam-plate b. It comprises a frame or body part 0* having oppositely inclined lateral sides on which latter are secured right and left stitch-cams u, a extending above the line M (Fig. 6) in alineinent with the upper edge of the annular needle-support M. The inner faces of these last-named stitch-cams are depressed or recessed to permit the butts of the short-butt and medium butt needles to pass freely and idly in the lower plane between the adjacent faces of the cylinder and said stitch cams when the cam-block is inward, but are adapted to be engaged by the long butt needles 2'. A center raise cam a and upper center guard cam n are also secured to block B and just clear the cylinder when the block is positioned inward. Right and left upper wing or guard cams c 0- are fixed to the respective arms of a member 0, secured to the frame 0" of the block B The. inner faces of said parts 24 u, c and c are disposed in a circular plane common memes to all. A pair of oppositely facing needleelevating auxiliary picks u, w, having pivot pins u", are mounted to swing on the inclined sides u of the stitch-cams; the inner free ends of these picks extend beyond the corresponding faces of the last-named stitch-cams and are adapted to receive the butts of the pilot or medium-butt needles m m only and temporarily deflect the latter, with their respective loops, to the upper idle plane at certain intervals, thereby permitting the immediately following long-butt needles to be readily guided to and under the other stitch-cam; the subsequent knitting action being efiected in a well-known way. The outer ends of the auxiliary picks are connected by a light tension spring a the function of the spring being to return the picks to the normal seated position on the respective stitch-cams. butt needles are in knitting action, the corresponding pick is arrested. in its return movement and yieldingly supported by thebutts while the latter are passing there under.

a The following is a description of means for moving the cam-block B To the cam or pattern shaft 8 which is adapted to revolve in a step-by-step manner, is fixed a disk-like member F having its periphery provided with a short cam-lug a; when the free end of the pivoted lever e rests upon the lug, as

indicated in Fig. 1, the position of the camblock is inward, thereby, in connection with other cooperative devices adapting the machine to produce the split-foot part of the stocking. To the rear end of the said pivoted cam-actuated lever e is connected a vertical link 6 in turn connected at its upper end by a short link 6 to a pivoted bellcrank member 6 which in turn is jointed to a horizontal-connection e; the opposite end of the latter being connected to an arm 6 of a lever pivotally mounted on a bracket 6 the opposite arm portion 6 of the lastnamed lever being engaged by a pin 6 fixed in the outer end of a U-shaped member 6 secured to the base of the block B See Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5. Upon the engagement of lever 6 with the outer periphery of cam F the block B is thereby caused to move outward, thus forming a space between the inner faces of its several 'cams and the needle-cylinder tor the free passage of the butts of all the needles. The cam-block B is positioned outward 'while plain circular knitting and the heel and toe portions of the stocking are being produced. Figs. 10 and 11 represent the cam-block B in the outward or temporarily inoperative position.

As before stated, the needle-cylinder is movin in a rotary-reciprocatory manner whileitting the high-splice heel and toe and split-foot portions of the stocking. Tn adapting the machine for high-splicing, the

In case" the long said disk-cam F is provided with a detachwith the means just described causes the block B? to remain in the inward position while the lever e is in engagement with the lug. In case high-splice knitting is not desired, the lug n is omitted. vT he removal of both lugs n, n from disk F causes the secondary cam-block to remain idle in the outward position, the corresponding foot part of the stocking then consisting of continuous courses of plain rotary knitting. The heel and toe portions, however, being produced substantially as usual while the cylinder is reciprocating.

Tn connection with the mechanism for actuating the cam-block B the primary driving member F, with its lug 'n and cooperating lever e are also employed for positioning a secondary thread and secondary sinker- I 'The upper portion of the rod f is bent inward at an angle and terminates in a wedgeshaped end i in engagement with a horizontal slidable member 'carrying'the sinkeractuating cam is, the latter positioned to en,- gage the sinkers 1:2 the function and construction of the said cam and sinkers being substantially as indicated in J. Lawsons Patent No. 1,045,570 of Nov. 26, 1912. Fixed to said rod f is an upwardly extending member having a pin f engaging a yarn changer h movably mounted in a bracket k secured to the carrier-ring 15 for feeding the secondary thread to the stitch-cams, etc, of the cam-block B substantially as represented in Figs. 2 and 11; thelatterfigure showing the sinkers and thread in the idle or non-knitting position. T make no claim herewith broadly to said sinker-operating and thread-changing devices.

The action of the throw-down widening or needle-deflecting picks, w, 10 is substantially the same herein referred to. That is, in knitting the heel and toeall the long-butt needles are idle in the upperneedle-path. The narrow ing picks 0, 11 elevate a short-butt needle alternately from each end of the column of. short-butt needles, during each double reciprocation of the cylinder. At the end of the narrowing process the cam g, acting through intermediate mechanism, positions as in the Hemphill machine That iee

the stop-plate g upward, the said springpressed widening-picks at the same time moving upward also and positioning themselves in the upper needle'path. A pair of short-butt needles from the forward end of the column of idle needles engage the corresponding widening pick and are depressed to the lower path; the foremost needle of the pair engages the adjacent narrowing pick and is elevated back to the idle column again, the other needle of the pair passes under the last-named pick to engage the corresponding stitch-cam, thereby casting its loop and increasing the width of the pocket. The operation being continued alternately from each side or end of the column of upper idle needles until the widening is completed.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings is represented a self-dropping pivoted swinging guide or latch member E arranged to be engaged by the butts of the column of long-butt needles to-- automatically deflect the said needles to the upper or idle plane, as in reciprocatory knitting, when the needle-cylinder is moving in one direction; the butts passing under the latch when the cylinder is turning in the opposite direction.

The following is a description of the manner of operation of a circular knitting machine provided with my improvements, when employed in automatically producing the split-foot portion (intermediate the heel and toe) of a stocking, the main. and secondary cam-blocks, B, B with their several needlecontrolling members, being in the normal inward position, and at the same time having the needle-carrying knitting-cylinder moving in a rotary-reciprocatory manner: In order to more clearly trace the action of the needles, it is assumed that a white thread is introduced above the main cam-block B and converted into stitches by its knitting cams and the short-butt needles 8 (carrying white loops), a black thread being similarly and simultaneously acted upon by the knitting-cams u u and the long-butt needles 2 (carrying black loops) in passing cam-block B; the latter being located diametrically opposite the main cam-block. As thus arranged, the needles 8 knit the white, thread and produce the lower or sole part of the foot portion, while the needles 11 act upon the black thread and produce the upper part or half. In Figs. 13 and 15, indicating the development of the cylinder and cams, M denotes the cam-ring, its upper edge constituting the normal lower path for supporting the short-butt needless. D indicatesthe upper edge or nose ofthe cylinder D. 13* and W designate the respective knitting-sections in which the black and white portions of the foot are produced, and

i and s are lines indicating the upper end of the columnof long and short-butt needles,

memes respectively, or the needle-wave lines. Assuming the needle-cylinder D, Fig. 12, to have temporarily stopped at the end of a reciprocatory movement on the center line A A, the needles 5 then constituting a semicircular row in one-half the cylinder and the needles 8, m 727. forming av semi-circular row in the opposite half, the corresponding relation of all the needles to the cam-blocks, etc., at that instant is substantially as represented in Fig. 13, which in: dicates a development of the cylinders outer surface, the short and medium-butt needles then being, in the lower idle needle-path shown in the left half of Fig. 13, the longbutt needles 2 at'the same time being in the upper idle path, as shown in the right half of the same figure. Now, upon rotating the cylinder in the arrow or clockwise direction (see Figs. 12 and 13) starting, say from the point A on the center line, the butts of the needles 8 (carrying white loops) pass freely in groove 6* of the then elevated lower instep-cam i and between the recessed faces of the stitch-cams u, n and the needle-cylinder, followed by the suture needle m (carrying a black loop), said needle, by reason of its longer butt. engages auxiliary pick u" and is thereby deflected upward past knitting-cam 11 without casting its loop, the said needle meanwhile receiving a semi-loop of black thread. The rotary movement of the cylinder causes the needle m=-to engage the'cam c and deflect it (the needle) back to the lower path; 0., upper edge of ringcam M. The column of elevated idle long- ,butt needles 2', immediately following needle m enters the open groove 2' of the instepcam and are guided downward by guardcam c? to move between the still raised pick u cam u and guard-cam u", the latter cam deflecting the needles 5 to successively engage the knitting-cam u, thereby casting the old black loops from the needles 2' into the black portion of the web and at the same time taking in new black loops. The

needles i are guided back to the upper inactive plane by means of the notched ringcam M and the pivoted guard or latch E. It is to be noted that the clearance or space formed betweenthe adjacent faces of the latch E and needle-cylinder exceeds the length of the butts of needles 8, m and m therefore the said needles are capable of moving idly circumferentially past the latch, but the butts of the needles 2', being longer, extend across said space to engage the latch and ride upon it, thus guiding the needles i back to the upper idle plane. )Vhile the just described movements of said needles 2' are taking place-the other needles 8 of the cylinder are also in simultaneous action on the opposite or right side of the machine. That is to say, the medium needle at, starting at center point A inlower plane with one white loop thereon, and following the idle elevated needles 6, first engages the seated regular needle-elevating narrowing pick 42 and is deflected to the upper plane above the center guard-cam o at the same time retaining its loop and receiving a semiloop of white thread; the immediately following needles 8 successively pass between said raised pick and knitting-cam '0 of main cam-block B, and engage the cam 12 and are deflected under the companion knitting-cam o the needles 8 at the same time taking in new white thread and casting off the old white loops into the white portion of the web. Meanwhile needle m continues moving in the upper plane (01) and at the end of the first semi-revolution is still elevated with one and one-half white loops thereon, its position then being at A Figs. 14 and 15 indicate the corresponding positions of all the needles at the termination of the first semi-revolution of the cylinder. In making the second half of the first complete revolu tion in the said arrow direction from the position indicated in Fig. 14 the then elevated needle m at A in following the still knitting column of needles 2', also enters said upper channel or groove 2' of the instepcam t and following the path of needles i is deflected downward by guide 0 under the still raised pick a and engages the center cam u which latter deflects the needle under knitting-cam a of block B thereby causing needle m to receive a black thread in its hook and at the same time to cast of? its two white loops over the new black loop into the web in producing the juncture line of stitches connecting the upper and lower portions of the foot part on that side of the web; after thus casting its stitches said needle m is guided upward by the inclined recess of cam ring M to the normal knitting level and moves freely past said guide E to the end of the revolution; the needle then arriving at itsstarting point A again in the lower plane, but carrying a black loop only. At the sametime the other mediumbutt needle m immediately following the column of short-butt knittingneedles s, in moving from A to its original starting point A is deflected by the still elevated pick '0 to the center cam '0 and from the latter to the stitch-cam v of block B, and thence via incline recess in cam ring M to the lowerknitting plane, the needle m meanwhile receiving a loop of white thread and casting its two black loops over the new white loop into the web in the formation of the corresponding juncture line of stitches, the latter being diametrically opposite the other said juncture line; the needle m continues moving in the lower plane to the end of the revolution, or starting point A said needle then having thereon-a loop of white thread; the relative pos'tion of the cylinder and its .reciprocation of needles again being substantially as shown in Figs. 12 and 16, and completing one revolution of the double rotation of the cylinder. 1n rotating the cylinder in a contrariwise direction to that indicated in Figs. 12 to 16, inclusive, to complete its double reciprocation, the sequence of operations is practically the same as previously described, eX- cept that they are performed in a reverse order. In thus producing the split-foot part of the stocking it will be observed that the the cylinder in the said arrow-direction causes the long-butt needles 2' to engage cam 11 and knit only the black thread, the movement of the cylinder at the same time causing the short-butt needles 8 to engage the diametrically opposite cam o and knit only the white thread. The cylinder, when moving in the reverse direction, also causes needles 2', in connection with cam to knit the black thread; the opposite set or group of needles 8 acting in cooperation with cam 11* to knit only thewhite thread. Each of the medium-butt needles m m however, receives both threads and also engages the two sets of stitch-cams, a a and a a, during each double reciprocation and causes the loops carried by said medium-butt needles to be cast therefrom and interlock with the end loops of the respective black and white sections to produce the juncture lines of stitches at opposite sides of the foot.

The pick o and stitch-cam v of cam-block B are disposed directly opposite the auxiliary pick a and stich-cam a of the secondary cam-block B and in front of a medianline y-y (Fig. l) extending longitudinally of the machine through the center of the needle-cylinder, and having the pick 1 and stitch-cam o of the block B positioned directly opposite auxiliary pick at and stitchcam 21 of the block B and at the rear of said median line.

In an automatic knitting machine provided with my improvements, the secondary cam-block B and the parts connected to and movable bodily with it are only capable of cooperating with the stitch-cams, &c., of the main block B to produce the splitfoot part of the stocking when the block B is positioned inward, contiguous to the outer face of the. revoluble needle-carrying cylinder, the latter then moving in a rotaryreciprocatin manner. The block B? is in the outwar idle position while the heel and toe portion are being formed, and also while the machine is reducing plain circular courses of stitc es or round-and- 'round'knitting. It may be stated further that the said auxiliary picks, a, 11 are adapted to be engaged and actuated only by the medium-butt or suture needles, m m these needles, respectively, constitute alternately the forward or pilot needle 0 the column of succeeding needles, according to the direction of cylinder rotation. By means of the engagement of the advance medium butt needle with the corresponding auxiliary pick the latter is caused to deflect the needle to the upper plane without casting its loops, thereby temporarily uncovering the lower needle path for the passage of the immediately following long-butt needles 2', thereby causing the latter to engage the corresponding stitch-cam and cast their loops into the web.

An automatic hosiery knitting machine of the general type referred to and equipped with the herein described improvements is capable of making high-splice and splitfoot knitting with increased eiiiciency; that is, the rate of output of first-class work produced is materially greater; the loss, due to waste, is decreased; the wear .upon the threads is practically m'Z, especially when silk, lisle, or tender threads are used, during the reciprocatory movements of the cylinder while the machine is knitting the "high-splice and split-foot portions of the-stocking; and the medium butt needles are actuated or deflected with greater ease,

in that they are subjected to less friction and strain, while at the same time these last named needles are not liable to become accidentally overloaded with thread loops.

In the present improved machine, when actuated to produce split-foot knitting, the medium butt needles engage all the picks to temporarily elevate them (needles m m idly above and past the contiguous stitch-cams during each double-reciprocation of the cylinder and are also caused to engage all the said stitch-cams and cast their loops into and interlock them with the adjacent plain end stitches in producing in the web two parallel lines of juncture stitches, one on each side of the foot part of the stocking. In other words, when the needlecylinder is operated in a rotary-reciproca tory manner so as to produce in the stocking high-splice and split-foot knitting the said suture or medium butt needles m m are caused to simultaneously cast their loops into the fabric in cooperation with the respective knitting cams '0 and u during a complete revolution in one direction; and the said needles m m, are adapted to cast other loops into the fabric in cooperation with the respective knitting cams u and a in making the immediately succeeding revolution in the reverse direction; the above described action being successively repeated in the production of the respective courses of such reciprocatory knitting.

What I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic circular knitting machine, the gombination of a needle-cylinder provided with a plurality of suitably ar- 1,15a,1ee

ranged series of needles, including the medium or suture needles, a pair of main stitchcams, a pair of main needle-elevating picks disposed above the main stitch-cams, a pair of secondary stitch-cams disposed opposite said main stitch-cams, a pair of auxiliary picks for elevating the suture needles only, said picks mounted for movement above the secondary stitch cams, needle deflecting guard cams, and means for automatically positioning said secondary stitch-cams, auxiliary picks and guard cams for action, whereby, in cooperation with the needle-cylinder movin in a rotary-reciprocatory manner, as in sp it-foot knitting, the suture needles are caused to be alternately engaged by the auxiliary picks and raised above and past the secondary stitch-cams without knitting and then deflected by the guard cams to the lower path to engage the corresponding main stitch-cam on the otherside ofv the machine and knit.

2. In an automatic circular knitting machine, the combination with a needle-cylinder provided with a substantially semi-circular row of long-butt needles, a similarly arranged opposite row of short-butt needles, and medium butt or suture needles mounted between the end needles of said rows respectively, of a pair of mounted main stitch cams, a swinging, needle-elevating main pick located over each of said main stitch-cams, a pair of secondary stitch-cams for knitting engagement with the long-butt needles only,

the last-named cams capable of being moved in and out relatively to the needle-cylinder, a pair of swinging needle-elevating auxiliary picks for the suture needles, said picks being located over the respective secondary stitch-cams and movable bodily with them, a pair of needle-depressing or widening picks located with relation to the auxiliary picks, a pair of spaced apart needle-deflecting guard-cams, and means for automatically placing said secondary stitch and guard cams and auxiliary picks in the knitting and non-knitting positions at prearranged points in the cycle of operations.

3. In an automatic circular knitting machine having a needle-cylinder provided with suitably arranged long, short and medium-butt or suture needles, the combination therewith ofdiametrically opposed sets of main and secondary stitch-cams, main and auxiliary picks for the main and secondary stitch-cams, respectively, said picks constructed and arranged to elevate the said medium-butt needles only while the cylinder is reciprocating in producing the high-splice and split-foot portions of a stocking, needledeflecting guard cams, and means for automatically placing said secondary stitch and guard cams and auxiliary picks in knitting position.

4:. In an automatic circular knitting machine having a needle-cylinder provided with suitably arranged long, short and mediumbutt or suture needles, the combination therewith of diametrically opposed sets of main and secondary stitch-cams, main and auxiliary picks for the main and secondary stitch-cams, respectively, said set of auxiliary picks constructed and arranged to raise only each medium butt needle, according to the direction of rotation of the cylinder, without casting the loop or loops therefrom, and secondary guard-cams adapted to deflect said medium-butt needle back to the lower plane so as to knit its loops into the web upon the needles engagement with the corresponding main stitch-cam. 5. In an automatic circular knitting machine having a needle-cylinder provided with long, short and medium butt needles, and a main cam-block having a pair of main stitch-cams and a needle-deflecting main pick mounted over each stitch-cam, the combination therewith of a secondary camblock, a pair of laterally spaced stitch-cams fixed to the latter block, each of said secondary stitch-cams having its inner face grooved or recessed for the free passage of the butts of the short-butt needles, a springpressed auxiliary pick extending into the needle-path and located over each of the re-' spective stitch-cams to be engaged and actuated only by the medium-butt needles to elevate the latter without knitting, a pair of laterally spaced the secondary cam-block, adapted to deflect theelevated medium butt needles back to the lower needle-path, said needle in its movement being caused to engage one of the said main stitch-cams on the opposite "side of the machine and knit its loops into the web at the juncture line thereof.

6. In a full automatic circular knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder provided with oppositely arranged, substantially semi-circular groups of long-butt:

and short-butt needles, respectively, medium-butt needles interposed between the ends of the two groups of needles, a main cam-block provided with stitch-cams and needle-elevating picks, a movable second cam-block, disposed diametrically opposite the said 'main cam-block, provided with stitch and guard cams, a pair of auxiliary needle-elevating picks actuated by the said medium-butt needles only, said auxiliary picks being mounted on and movable bodily with the cam-block, independently controlled means for feeding main and ary knitting threads to the needles While the cylinder is reciprocating to produce highsplicing and split-foot knitting, means for moving the said second cam-block and its members inward toward the cylinder preliminary to knitting the split-foot portion of the stocking, and means for moving the camguard cams positioned on block outward to render its members temporarily inoperative during the knitting of the heel and toe parts of the stocking.

7. In an automatic circular knitting-machine having a needle-cylinder, means for actuating it in a rotary-reciprocatory man ner, said cylinder provided with long, medium and short-butt needles, and-instrumentalities, including main stitch-cams, needleelevating and needle-depressing picks, constructed, arranged and adapted for cooperation, substantially as usual for producing plain seamless stockings, the combination therewith of a secondary cam-block provided with reversely arranged pairs of guardcams, stitch-cams and auxiliary picks, said auxiliary picks adapted to elevate the medium butt needles, means for moving said cam-block inward, whereby in producing the split-foot portion of a stocking certain of the needles are caused to knit the lower partof the foot through the medium of said main stitch-cams, while at the same time members of the said secondary cam-block are caused to actuate other needles of the cylinder to knit the upper part of the foot and nterlock the'stitches at opposite sides of the web.

8; In an automatic circular knitting ma chine of the general character described, having aneedle-cylinder previded with suitably arranged long, medium and short butt needles, and means for actuating the cylinder in a rotary reciprocatory manner, the combination therewith of knitting devices for causing certain of the needles to knit one part of the splitfoot portion of a stockin a secondary cam-block having knitting devices mountedthereon for knitting the other part of the split-foot portion, means for moving said secondarv cam-block inward toward the cylinder to operatively position its members in producing said split-foot portion, and a pair of independently movable auxiliary picks pivoted to the secondar cam-block arranged to be engaged by the medium-butt needles in forming an interlocking juncture line of stitches on each sideof the foot part.

9. In a full automatic circular stocking knitting machine having a revoluble cylinder provided with long, medium and short butt latch-needles, means for feeding a thread to be acted upon by-all the needles and converting it into continuous courses of normal rotary knitting, and means substantially as usual, including needle-elevating and needledepressing picks, for knitting the heel and toe portions of the stocking while the needlecylinder is moving'in a rotary-reciprocatory manner, the combination therewith of means for producing in the stocking high-splice and split-foot knitted portions while the cylinder is being actuated in a rotary reciprocatory manner, said high-splice and split-foot knitting means including an inwardly positioned I movable secondary cam-block having a pair of recessed stitcl1cams, a swinging auxiliary 1 pick mounted above each stitch-cam for ele vating the medium butt needles, center and outer guard cams secured to and movable bodily with the said cam-block, and means for moving the latter inward and outward at predetermined times.

10. In an automatic circular knitting ma-. chine having a needle-cylinder provided with long, medium and short-butt needles,

' and instrumentalities, including main stitch cams and means for moving the cylinder in a rotary-reciprocatory manner, constructed,

arranged and adapted for cooperation for producing plain seamless stockings, the combination therewith of a radially movable ondary cam-block toward and from the needle-cylinder, and means for positioning a secondary thread to be acted upon by the long-butt needles and members of said secondary cam-block when the latter is moved inward toward the cylinder in the production of the split-foot part of a stocking.

11. In an automatic circular knitting machine for producing stockings having split foot portions, the combination of a knitting cylinder and main knitting instrumentali ties, including needles, knitting-cams, sinkers, and yarn-guides, arranged to'converta yarn into continuous courses of stitches, a secondary cam-block, secondary stitch-cams fixed to said cam-block, a'pair of auxiliary self dropping picks pivoted to the camblock for elevating the suture needles without knitting while the needle-cylinder is moving in a reciprocatory manner, means for placing the yarns in and out of knitting position, and means for moving the secondary cam-block toward and from the needlecylinder, for the purpose described.

12. In an automatic knitting machine of the general character described, provided with a revoluble needle-carrying cylinder, relatively stationary; main stitch-cams and main narrowing picks, a secondary camblock having stitch-cams, needle-deflecting guard-cams, and swinging, needle-elevating auxiliary picks mounted thereon, said auxiliary picks arranged for operative engagement with certain of the needles of the cylinder, the last-named picks being located above the normal lowerv path of the needles,

needle-depressing widening picks arranged in relation to the said auxiliary lifting picks, means for positioning said needle-depressing ing a cylinder provided with needles and sinkers alternately, and means for moving the cylinder in; a rotary-reciprocatory manner, the combination therewith of oppositely located inwardly facing main and secondary cam-blocks, each cam-block having stitchcams, and guard-cams, means for feeding the main and secondary threads to the needles and converting the threads into stitches through the medium of the said stitch-cams of the main and secondary camblocks, respectively, needle-elevating picks arranged with respect to the'main stitch cams, auxiliary needle-elevating picks connected to and movable with the secondary camblock, needle-depressing picks positioned contiguous to said auxiliary picks, and means connected with the secondary cam-block-mechanism and with said secondary yarn-changing devices for simultaneously positioning them for knitting action.

I 14. In an automatic knitting machine provided with a needle-carrying cylinder and cooperable instrumentalities for producing ordinary stockings, the combination therewith of a secondary cam-block, a plurality of needle-actuating cams fixed to the inner concave face of the cam-block, a pair of swinging auxiliary needle-elevating picks having their inner free ends normally positioned, when in'use, in the knitting path, so as to be engaged by certain of the needles, means adapted to cooperate with members of said cam-block in producing the split-foot part of a stocking while the cylinder is moving in a rotary-reciprocatory manner, and means for moving the cam-block and its members back to the normally idle, inoperative position.

15. In an automatic circular knitting machine having a needle-carrying knitting cylinder, a secondary cam-block, a plurality of pairs of right -and left needle-deflecting members fixed to the cam-block having inner concaveface s and adapted, when in use, to lie contiguous to the outer face of the knitting cylinder, a pair of oppositely arranged stitch-cams secured to the cam-block, the in ner concave faces of the stitch-cams being depressed or recessed to permlt certain of the needles to pass idly without knitting when the camJolock is positioned inward, a pair of needle-elevating picks disposed with respect to the said stitch-cams, the inner ends of the picks extending beyond the face of the stitch-cams to receive the butts of certainvother needles, and means for positioning the cam-block and the said needle-elevat ing members inward and outward.

16. In an automatic circular knitting-ma- 4 guard-cams chine having a needle cylinder provided with long-butt, short-butt and suture needles and main knitting instrumentalities, a secondary cam-block, guard-cams fixed to the cam-block, said guard-cams being vertically separated with their inner faces in vertical alinement, a pair of spaced apart stitch-cams having the therebetween said stitch-cams also secured to'the cam-block and arranged to form, when positioned inward, a space or clearance for passage of the short-butt and suture needles, a pair of independently controlled pivoted auxiliary picks arranged to upper and lower center be engaged by and elevate the suture needles, 15 said auxiliary picks being movable bodily with the cam-block, a pair of spaced apart outer wing or guide cams connected to and movablewith the cam-block, and means for moving the cam-block and its members into 20 and out of knitting position.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEo. H. REMINGTON,- JOHN LEWYERE.

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