US1564300A - Transfer mechanism for knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

Dec- 8 1925- 1,564,300 I r L. N. D. WILLIAMS TRAN SFER lVliilCHMIIS M FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 10, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l ,3? HG- I- WITNESSES: INVEN TOR Lam/5 1H1 Wdaama Dec. s, 1925 W L. N. D. WILLIAMS I TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 10, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I llmnll I. u I i g 29 v \l' 115 H" y 56 I I 90 3 55 l i i A 69 37 I 35 If, ///Z//////}// Y l /fl/ FIG. E

at (e21 I TTORNEYS;

1 -I N VEN TOR:

Dec. 8, 1925- 1,5 4,300

L. N. D. WILLIAMS TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 10, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FICi 1E:

. Z5 Z6 0' I o :18 3 1 327' :15 15 I INVENTOR: law's II D. I/VL ZZZME WITNESSES:

Dec. 8, 1925 1,564,300

' L. N. D. WILLIAMS TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May lO, 1 92s 1716 i7 Z, 1 j9 INVENTOR:

WITNESSE Z3 1 Louis ND. Willzazm' fPatented Dec. 8, 1925. I

UNITE-D STA LOUIS N. n. WILLIAMS, oro eonr z, rENnsYLvA NIL mmmsrna mnommrsmron xmrrme nulcrrrmis.v

Application flied May 10, 1823. Serial No, 637,955. i

To all whomit inay concern.

Be it known that I, LOUIS N. D. .WIL-

, ilrarrsga citizen of the United States, residingtgafogontz,county of Montgomery, State Qof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transfer.

1 .YMechanism for KnittingMachines, of which the following is a specification, reference be- --*inghad to the accompanying drawings.

I -Myfinventionrelates to knittingmachines,

, especially to', rotary knittingmachines, and

is, more specifically speaking, directed to improvements in suchniachines for facilitating transfer of fabrics from one machine to another.

Asis well known" to those skilled. in at knitting arts, the operation of fabricf'trans fer hasheretoforealways been-attended by the possibility of stitch. dropping, and this is especially true when the fabr'ic'produced by a machine is to be transferred-from the needles of the latter to a transfer devlce with individual stitch engaging means, so

that it may be again transferred to another 1 machine for further work to be done upon it. A step illustrative of the foregoing is' practiced for-example in-the manufacture of v hosiery when a stocking top is transferred j ferring the completed blank to alloopingi from the producing machine to another designed to knit the leg andfoot in integral continuation of the top; and again, intransmachine, such as. shown. and describedin a Patent No. l,315,064('granted me under date of September 2, 1919, for closure of its toe pocket. I

The main object of my invention is to enable all operations necessary or desirable to i the consummation of perfect transfer of knitted fabrics to be effected automatically, theseoperations to include enlarging or dilating of the loops of the terminal course of the fabric in preparation .for better reception of the points of a transfer device; bodil v displacing tlie'f-abric from the cylinder of the producing machine-to insure its retention by the transfer device; clamping the.

fabric to the transfer device; and finally dislOdging the transfer device, with the fabric clamped thereon, frointhe knitting needles sovthat said device canthereafter be readily removed from the machine-without danger of stitch dropping.-'

- togetherwith other subsidiary their attendant advantages, will become.

How this desideratum'lnay attained, objects and '-so far as'it readily apparent from the detailed descripe T'ns' PATENT, oFF cE.

tion which follows of a typical embodiment of my invention; while the appended claims clearly define the scope of my invention in comes within my present knowledg -I Referring tothedrawings, Fig. I is an i1- lus't'ration in elevation-of a circular stockmgkn tting machineconvenient for the urposes of my invention, certain portions thereofbelng broken away and insection-to show some of the important detailswhichwould otherwise be concealed,

Fig. II is a partial cross section of the machine taken as indicated by the arrows IIII in Fig. I showing the control mechanism for certain of the instrumentalities which cooperate in facilitating fabric transfer.

Fig. III'is a view' similar' to Fig, 11,

though-somewhat more condensed, showing or xdilated for better reception of the; points of said transfer device; and

.Figsg' V, VI- and VII are detail views showing successive, positions of the transfer device relative to the needle cylinder during transfer of the fabric in accordance with my invention. I .In these illustrations, the needle cylinder is indicated at 1, and 'shown'as 'rotatably mounted in the overhanging portion 2 of the bed plate 3 of the machine,-said bed plate being secured to the top of a support ing and housing framework 4. This fra-mework,-it will be observed, afiordsbearings 5, 5- for the main drive shaftf6-of the machine which carries-the usual drive pulleys,

whereof one is indicated atZJ The drive of the shaft 6 is translated to produce either rotary or oscillatory motion of the needle cylinder in a Well known manner, through various gear connections generally shown in the drawings, and is determined by shifting of a clutch collar 8 on said shaft 6. This clutch collar 'is'engaged' by a shifter arm 9 and is controlled b the main pattern drum of the machine indicated by the numeral 10,

the latter being mounted upon a countershaft 11 journalled in appropriate bearings der 1 is provided with longitudinally extainedin a shell 20 shown as surrounding properly tending peripheral grooves 15 for vertical guidance of the needles indicated at 16. Web holders 17 cooperate with the needles to form fabric stitches in a well known manner, and are guided for horizontal reciprocation relative to the needles in radial grooves of an annulus 18 secured about the top of the cylinder 1. A cap ring 19, sur mounted upon the annulus 18, carries the necessary cams for actuating the web hold- The needle actuating cams are conthe lower portion of the cylinder 1, and have a suitable control (not shown) associated with them for needle leveling. Yarn is directed to the needles by interchangeable feeds 21 carried by. the annular latch guard indicated at 22, said guard being pivotally' mounted so that it may be swung rearward, as considered in the illustration, and out of the way when transfer is to be efiected. The

fabric produced by the machine is received and protected in a tube 23 which serves as an axial prolongation of the needle cylinder, said tube depending from the bottom of the overhang 2 whereto it is secured in an aproved manner. i

The parts thus far described are such as ordinarily found in standard types of stocking knitters, and the brief outline given will suflice to make clear their relation to the features novel to my invention, and these will now be taken up in detail. Confining attention for the time being to Figs. IV, V, VI and VII of the drawings it will be observed that within the top of a needle cyl-' inder 1, is an annulus 25, the same being configured for maintenance against lateral displacement, while adapted for slight axial movement relative to the cylinder, and appropriately slotted to assist guid ance of the web holders 17. About midway of its height, said annulus has a sloping, or more'accurately speaking, a conical peripheral surface 26, which, when the annulus is drawn downwardly, acts as a wedge against an expansible, helical spring band 27. This band is in turn, operative upon the needles to flex'them simultaneously outwardly and thus'to expand the needle circle as shown in Fig. IV in order to facilitate application of a transfer device, such as generally indicated by the numeral 28 in the drawings, to the needles in a manner to be more fullyevplained later. a The said transfer'device, it

will be observed, comprises a circular series of stitch or looo ngaging instrumentahtles in the form of points 29, and in subsequent description, will, for convenience of better distinction, be referred to simply as the point ring. The points 29 are anchored in a head 3O constituting a part of the shell 31 of the ring, and correspond in number provided with an annular member 32 characterized by radial projections 33 that extend outwardly between the points 29, and.

which is axially shiftable relative to the shell 31 under guidance of pins 3 1 traversing apertures in the'head 30. The pins 34 protrudeibeyond the head 30and afford attachment for a circular pressure plate whereby the member 32 'may be actuated from above. Said member 32 functions in a dual capacity, in the first instance acting to effect registry of the needles of the machine and the points 29 to ensure positive alignment between them during application-of the ring for reception of the fabric,.and, in the second instance, acting as a stripper when the fabric is to be doffedfrom the ring in subsequent transfer to another machine; Since the first function alluded to is the one pertinent in the present connection, the member 32 will, in further description and in the claims, be termed the registering and aligning means.

The oflic'e of shifting the wedge annulus 25 is relegated to'a sleeve 36 disposed for;

vertical axial movement within the needle cylinder 1, and formed at its top-with an outwardly projecting circumferential flange 37 designed to overlap said annulus. This flange 37, is slotted in correspondence with the web holder slots in the annulus 25, and it is to be especially noted, extends into close proximity to the needle shanks, so as to underlie the loops or stitches'S of the termi nal course of the fabric indicated conventionally at F. Downward movement 'of the fabric into the-needle cylinder 1, is eased by provision of a flare 38 adjacent the top -or mouth of the sleeve 36. The latter will again be refer ed to in subsequent description of another ofiice which it performs, and

'also in connection with the means whereby its movements are induced and controlled.

For the purpose of placing the point ring 28 upon the needles of the machine I provide a manipulating mechanism 40 therefor,

see Fig. I, which, per se, forms the subject of a copending application Serial No. 620,587, filed February 23, 1923, but on account of its importance in the present connection,rI will nevertheless proceed to describe the same briefly. This mechanism in- 'cludes a carrier for the oint ring in the form of an arm 41 which is ast'upon a rock shaft r'ipheral cam 50 of a cam drum 51. Said- 42 journalled in a bracket 43 secured tothe bed plate ofthemachine. One end of the shaft 42 has fast to it a gear pinion 45 which drum is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis 52 which depends from, and is secured in'an extension 53 of the bracket 43 previ:

ously referred to.

Suitable mechanlsm such as shown in the application mentioned in the preceding.

paragraph, is provided for controlling intermittent rotation of'the cam drum 51, the latter having attached to its. top, a ratchet wheel 55 adapted to be actuated by a pawl.

56 on an oscillating arm 57 which is -appropriately co-ordinated with the control mechanism. Thus when thec'am drum 51 is rotated, the sector arm 46"is shifted in anticlockwise direction, movement thus'imparted to it being transmitted to the pinion 45 and. causing downward swinging of the carrier 41 fromthe position illustrated in Fig. I to that of Fig. V with the point ring 28 .poised above the needle cylinder. The point ring is temporarily locked to the carrier by means of a pin'58 which engages in registering aperture in the shell 31 of said ring. The locking pin 58 projects from one end of a lever 59 which is pivoted at 60 to the arm 41, said lever extending rearwardly ofits pivot 60 and terminating in a laterally turned end 61. When the carrier arm-41'is lowered, the end 61 of'the lever 59 takes a position directly above a-pushrod .62 guided for vertical motion by the bracket. 43 andarranged to be axially shifted through themedium of'a groove 63 of the cam drum 51,

to effect, at the propertime, release-0f the Y during fabric transfer simultaneously withpoint ring 28. The rod 62 has near its'upper end, a lateral projection-65 adapted to engage a lug 66 on a wing '67 of the carrierarm 41 tolock the latter against movement the. release of the pointling as above noted. A second push rod 68 with an adjustable extension'69 is provided'to engage a lug 7 0" at the end of an actuating arm 71 integrally formed with ayoke lever 72 which is fulcrumed at .73 to the carrier 41: In the ends of its extremities, the yoke lever 72 carries pins 74 which play within slots 5 at opposite sides of the carrier 41, andengagev the upper-edge of the shell 31 of the point ring 28 to depress the same fromthe position of Fig. V so that its points penetrate the fabric loops or stitches on the needles as best shown in Fig. VI. The rod 68is shifted by virtue of the-engagement of a roller 76 at its lower end with a third groove 7 7 in the cam drum 51.

Inorder to ensure proper registrji and alignment of the .needles...relative to the points 'of thepoint ring, the latter is-initially placed in on its carrier 41 with the 'mcmber'32 fu y projectedas indicated in Figs. I and- V, T-As acon'sequence, when the: I

point ring is applied, the member 32will be the first to engage thenedles in-.the intervals between its outwardly extending radial projections 33, threby,- in continued-g move;

ment of the ring, maintaining the hee'dles andgythebpoints 29 in perfect re ry' a manner 1 vious from Fig. VIJ I said pointsmnnotpossibly fail-to. penetrate the loops S of the terminalicours'e-of'the In accordance'with myi-in've'ntion and additional preparatory step is practised before h s ay the fabric loops produced ,by the machine I are actually shifted from the needles,

namely, to displace the'knitted fabric'from within the cylinderand to thrust itthrough the point ring. The means for accomplishing this includes a plunger 80adapted to be vactuated by a-mechanism '81 whichis. only partly shown herein, but its-operation will be readily understood from another Patent No. 1,377,239 granted to me under date of May. 10, 1921. Saidmechanism 81 is connected through a link 82 to the-push rod 68 previously mentioned, the latter thus serv; ing as the actuating means therefor inlieu, of the handle shown in the patent-Supra.

At this juncture it will be convenient to Y to. the .point ring 20.while the latter is being separated, with the fabric thereomfrom the needles, and-.this is accomplished simply by VI, it first engages the fabric; from beneath,

describe'the, further function of the"-sleeve 36 which is to effect clamping of the fabric upward movement of said sleeve. As the v I vsleeve rises from the position shown in Fig.

incidentally clamping the same againstthe stripper 32.01? the point ring 28, and there after lifts the ring bodily, all the while maintaining the .fabr iccla-mped as ,noted,

thereby preventing stripping the stitches from the points 29.;fiThe extent of-the up f ward motion of the sleeve is such as will cause complete dislodgement; of the points 29 from the needles so that the ring may be thereafter safely removed without danger ofstitch dropping. TheQinstrnmentalities which determine the movements of the sleeve include (see Figs. I, II'andIII of the drawings) a pair of fingers 85 and 86 which are rigidly secured to a rock shaft 87 so that the angular relation between them' is at fall times maintained. The finger 85 is influenced by a cam projection or lug 87 on the periphery of the auxillary attern drum 12 already referred to; while the finger 86 is subject to a cam projection 88 likewise on the periphery of the cam drum, but in a difl'erent plane from that of the lug 87. In order to allow for alternate clearing of the fingers 85 and 86, the drum 12 is cut away as at 89 and 90 respectively (see Fig. II); Also fixed to the shaft 87 and preferably as an integral attachment of the finger 86, is a lever arm 91, which, through an interposed link 92 is connected to a pivot pin 93 extending through a longi- 'tudinal slot 94in the tube 23 and'projecting laterally from a slide bar 95 secured to and depending from the sleeve 36, see Fig.

I. The slide bar 95 is slotted as at 96, Fig. I, so as to be guided in its verticalmovement by penetrating studs 96 fixedin the wall of the tube 23 and formed with appropriate heads to overlap the front of the bar. As a consequence of the foregoing provision, itv willfbe observed that through rotation of the cam drum 12 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. II, the projection 87 will be the first to become active, thereby swinging the lever 85 and inducing corresponding'motion in the shaft 87 and the lever 91, with the result that the sleeve 36 the finger 86 resting upon the projection 88 permit its passage. 'However, after the pin to maintain the sleeve 36 in its elevated position to'perrnit the removal of the point ring, or if further motion of the cam drum 12 should be necessaryto otheroperations of the machine before stopping of the latter, I use a latch mechanism to function as a means for maintaining the sleeve 36 temporarily elevated. This latch mechanism includes a lever 97 of bell crank form pivoted for free motion at 98 to the outside of the tube 23. At one side, the vertical arm 99 of the lever 97 is concaved as at 100 to afford a cam edge for cooperatlng with the stud 93, so that as the latter is raised, the lever 97 is automatlc-ally swung aside to clears the top of the arm 99, the lever 97 reassumes its original positlon and detains the stud 93 against descending. In this way therefore, the sleeve 36 and hence the point ring supported by it, is sustained in elevation so that the latter may be removed as before. g

- -When the machine is to be restarted, it is obviously necessary that the sleeve 36, after removal of the point ring therefrom, be retracted to the normal position which it ordi narily occupies in the needle cyhnder 1 as shown in Fig. VI. To this end, the arm 101 of the lever 97 is connected by means of a link 102 to some part ofthe machine which must be moved incidentally to the starting of the machine. Thisflconnection may be made as herein'shown with mechanism 105 useful in' transferring a new fabric, for example a stocking top, upon the machine for addition of the leg and foot. Said mechanism includes a swingable carrier 106, (similar to the carrier 41 for the point ring 28) fulcrumed at 107, to a fixed post 108 rising from the bed plate 3 of the machine; a latch member for locking a transfer device 109 (which for distinction from the point ring I'will term, quill ring) temporarilyto the carrier 106 while the latter is being swun to a position above the needle cylinder; and a'hand lever 110 for displacing the quill ring from its carrier when the fabric is to be shifted from the quills of the ring onto the needles of the-machine. The link 102, y

it will be noted, is connected at its upper en'd, to a pin 111 projecting from the quill ring carrier. By this construction, there fore, as the quill ring is turned overjto place a new web upon the needles of the machine, the link 102 is lifted, thereby causing-the arm 99 of the bell crank latch. lever 97 to be shifted beyond the province'of the pin 93 and permitting the sleeve 36 and its appe'ndages to drop under normal positions.

I preferably arrange for the'automatic withdrawal of the latch guard ring 22 after the completion of the knitting by the machine. 'The mechanism for doing this also forms part of the copending patent application to which I have already called attention hereinbefore. Said mechanism is only partly shown herein at 112.. I

In order to maintain the needle circle exs panded during application of the point ring 28 to'the cylinder 1, until the needles and points 29 are properly registered, it is nec-- essary to'hold the annulus 25 temporarily depressed. This function is performed by a second latch .element 115 which operates upon the stud 93 in a manner very similar to that described of the latch lever 97. The said element 115 is in the form of a yoke fulcrumed, as at 116, to opposite sides of the tube 23, see Figs. I'and II, and has a depending finger 117 adapted to swing into position above the stud 93 to temporarily detain the same, and accordingly the sleeve 36 and annulus 25, from rising under the action of the spring band 27. The opposite extremity 118 of the yokev 115 is con nected by means of a link 119, with a pin 120 on the carrier arm 41 (Fig-I) for the point ring 28 so as to be tripped as the latter approaches the limit of its inward swing.

Means are also provided, of course, for

gravity influence to their.

maintaining the web holders temporarily- 'in the retracted position shown in the draw-'- ingsdurin transfer so as to prevent them from inter ering with removal of the fabric from the needles. Such means may be of any approved form suitable to the purpose. Briefly described the sequence of operations involved in the transfer of knitted fabrics in accordance with my invention is as ring to the knitting needles. When these initial stepsare accom lished, the carrier 106 is retracted to with raw the empty quill ring 109 from the needles and to permit removal of the quill ring, for re-use. The

needle latch uard 22 is thereupon lowered and the machlne started to knit,in the well known manner, the stocking leg and foot,

upon the completion of which the needles are automatically leveled by suitable means such as shown in my application No. 619,600, filed f February 17, 1923, the webholders retracted,

the latch guard With-drawn bythe mechanism 112, and the wedge annulus 25 drawn downwardly by shifting of the sleeve 36 to spread the needles for the pur ose of em the latch 1 15. This is followed y rotation,

larging'ordilating the termina course of stitches held by the needles as. shown in Fig. IV, the annulus being'thereafter temporarily maintained in the depressed osition by of the cam drum 51 which results in bringjing-aboutdownwardswinging of the car- 0 rierarm 41 to position the point ring'28 over the needles throughactuationof the gear sector 46 and pinion '45. The'entry of the points 29 into the needlef'circle .is ob-,

viously facilitated by the preparatoryspreading of the latteryiand this is also true ofthe registry and alignment of the needles 'WitliKthe points in the interspaces "of the member 32 of the ring. Just as the carrier 41 reaches the limitfof its inward swing with the point ring in the position of Fig.- V, the latch 115 is automatically :tripped with the result. that the sleeve 36, and with it the annulus. 25 are freed tolthe influence of the sprin band '27 thereby permitting contraction 0% the needle -circle upon the rin 28. As a consequence, the needles fall bac against the aligned. points- 29 and repose in this position during-the remainder of the transfer operation. Further motion of the cam drum 51 causes, successively, release of the point ring. from the carrier 41 and -concurrent locking of the latter a ainst move-.- ment by. actuation of the vertlcal push- 62. as pret'iously explained; and depression of. the rin'g 28 to penetrateits points through the enlarged loop: on theneedles of theme-- chine, simultaneously with displacement of the fabric bodily from within the needle cylinder and thrusting of the same into and through the point ring by actuation of the push rod 68; and final withdrawal of the various parts of the mechanism 40 to the normal position illustratedin Fig. I, leavin the point ring on the needles. The next 5 ifting ofthe auxiliary pattern drum 12 brings the cam 111g 88 into engagement .with the finger 86'thereby eflecting the elevation of the sleeve 36 and the, dislodgement ofthe "point ring 28, with the transferred -.fabric,

In conclusion it is thought expedient in,

from the needles.

order-to render clear the exact meaning of certain of the claims which follow, to point .out that the sleeve 36 serves as a common i actuator in bringing about the various steps essential to perfect'transfer of the. fabric I from the needles of the machine to the points of the receiving point ring 28. Attention is also particularly called to the fact that in effecting separation of the points of the ring possible for the ring to tilt'angularly relative.:to the axis of the needle cylinder, or to become laterally or circumferentially' placed, thereby insuring positive 'maintee,

,29 from the needles of the machine, it is im- I nance of the vertical alignment of the points and "the needles during their separation.

fabric to the transferring, while importantin preventing displacement of the-loops or,

fectingtransfe'r of plainwo'rk, is doubly so in connectionwith the transfer of a. completed stock-in reason of its in erposition at one side of the tube and furthermore by reason of being necessarily compacted for accommodation in the transfer ring, has aftendency to force the v loops at that side of the tube off the points tion of the sleeve 36. I

Having thus described my. invention, "I claimr The points and needles are thus safeguarded against bendin and the fabric stitches or loops against istortion. Clamping of the' stitches during separation of the ring in ef- 1...

where the toe pocket, by j said rin The ,latter contingency is therefore entlrely offset by the clamping ac- 1. In a knitting machine, the combination- 1 I of a needle .cylinder, a transfer ring with. J

points for indlvidually penetrating the loops of the terminal course of fabric on theneedles, non-penetrating means for engaging said loops and preventingthem from ,bemg withdrawn from the pointsincidentally to dislodgmentjof' the ring from the 'needlesfduring transfer. 7 I 2. In a knitting machine, thecombination of aneedle c linder,'a transfer ring with points for individually penetrating the loops of the terminal course of fabric on the needles, and non-penetrating means independent of the ring for engaging said loops and preventing them from being withdrawn from the points incidentally to dislodgment of the ring from the needles during transfer.

3. In a knitting machine,

I of a needle cylinder, a transfer ring with points for individually penetrating the loops of the terminal course 'of fabric on the needles, clamp means independent of the ring for holding said loops and preventing them frombeing withdrawn from the points incidentally to dislodgment of the ring from the needles.

4. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a transfer ring with points for individually penetrating the loops of the terminal course of the fabric on the needles, and means for dislodgi'ng the ring from the needles in effecting transfer, said means incidentally clamping the loops to ed to be deposited upon the needles of the cylinder to receive fabric therefrom, means for dislodg'ing the ring from the cylinder to facilitate its removal with the transferred fabric, and automatic means instrumental in effecting restoration of saidv dislodging means to the normal retracted position upon restarting of the machine.

7. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a transferring adapted to be'deposited upon the cylinder to receive fabric" therefrom, means fordislodging the ring with the transferred fabric from .the

cylinder, means for temporarily locking the 'dislodging -means in projected position to facilitate removal'of the ring and fabric, and means for automatically tripping the locking means; to permit return of the dis lodging fineans to normal retracted position upon-restarting the machine.

- 81111 a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a point ring adapted todepositedupon the cylinder to receive fabric therefrom, meansfor dislodging the point rin with the transferred fabric from the f'cylin er, meansfortemporarily maintaiiiing the dislodging means projected to s' facilitate, removal of thepoint'ring; and fabric, means for applying a quill ring to the cylinder-for transfer of a new fabric the combination ing means for temporarily to the machine, and means coordinated with the said applying means .instrumental during movement of the latter in effecting re- 'storation of the aforementioned dislodging means to the normal retracted position.

' .9: In a'knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a point ringadapted tobe deposited upon the cylinder to receive knitted fabric therefrom, means for engaging the-ring from beneath to lift it with the transferred fabric clear of the needles, look- I maintaining said 'dislodging means'elevated to facilitate removal of the ring with the transferred fabric, a swingable carrier for applying a quill ring to the cylinder for transfer of a new fabric to the machine, and connections whereby the locking means aforesaid is tripped during movement of said carrier to permit the dislodging means to resume its normal retracted position;

10. In a. knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, 21. point ring adapted to receive knitted fabric from the needles, means for engaging the ring from beneath during transfer of the fabric thereto to lift the same clear of the needles, devices for temporarily maintaining said means in elevated position to permit removal of the ring, a trip associated. with said devices, a transfer ring for .transferring fabric to the needles, a movable carrier for the transfer ring, and connections .co-ordinating the carrier and the trip whereby, the means aforesaid is restored to retracted position upon movement of said carrier in the course of transferring fabric to the needles.

11. In a knitting machine, the combifnation of a needle cylinder, a point ring adapted to receive knitted fabric from the needles, instrumentalities 'for enlarging the fabric loops to facilitate introduction thereinto of the points of the ring-aforesaid, andrcommon means'for first actuating said loop enlarging instrumentalities, thenstripping the fabric loops from the needles, and finally lifting the ring, with the transferred fabric,

clear of theneedles.

12. In a knittin machine the combination of a needle cylin er, a point ring ada ted to receive knitted fabric from the nee' les, a wedge, annulus concentrically disposed 'within the cylinder for spreading the needles to enlarge the fabric loops in preparation for the points of the ring aforesaid, and a 1 sleevejindependently shift-able within the cylinder and operative when moved in one direction, to actuate the wedge annulus, and

when moved in themopposite direction to first strip the fabric loops from the needles and finally to lift the ring, with the fabric, clearv of. the needles.

13. In a knitting machine the combination 7 of 'a needle cylinder, a point ring adapte'dto receive knitted fabric'fromthe needles, a

wedge annulus concentrically disposed within the cylinderfor spreading the needles to enlarge the fabric loops in preparation. for the points of the ring aforesaid, a sleeve independently shiftable within the cylinder and operative when moved in one direction,

- to actuate the wedge annulus, and when moved inthe opposite direction to first strip the fabric loopsfromthe needles, and finally to lift the ring,with thefabric, clear of the needles, and devices for automatically actuating the sleeve to perform its allotted functions in the order named.

14. In a knitting machine the combination of a needle cylinder, a point ring adapted to receive knitted fabric from the needles, a

wedge annulus concentrically disposed'within the .cylinder for spreading the needles to ating the sleeve to perform its allotted functions inthe order named, including a rotary cam'. drum, a bell crank lever with its ex-- enlarge the fabric loops in preparation for the points of the ring-aforesaid, a sleeve L independentlyshiftable within the cylinder and operative when movedin one direction,

to actuate the wedge annulus, and when moved in the opposite directionto first strip the fabric loops from the needles and finally to'lift the ring, with the fabric, 'clear of the needles, and devices for automatically 'actu-- v trem'itiesadapted to be alternately engaged by-cams on-said drum, and interposed link connections for imparting the movements of the bell crank lever to the sleeve.

' '15; In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a point ring, means i to deposit the point ring on-the cylinder to receive'knitted fabric therefrom, ejecting means for thrusting thefabric from within the: cylinder and through the ring preparamy to transfer, separate means for dis dodging the ring from the cylinderto facili- -tate its removal with the transferred fabric a from the machine, and means for automatically controlling actuation of the ring -de-' positing means, the fabric ejecting means,

' and the ring dislodging means inthe order mentioned p -16. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a point ring, means to; deposit the point ring on the cylinder to vreceiveknitted fabric therefrom, means to.

' 1 eject the fabric from within the cylinder and f i thrusting the same through the point ring preparatory to transfer, separate means for 'dislodging the ringfrom' the cylinder, means for temporarily locking the dislodging means in projected position to facilitate its removal with the transferred fabric from' the machine, means. for automatically con trolling the actuation of the point ring .de-

positing means, the fabric 'e ecting means, I and the point :ring dislodging means in the order specified, mean for applying a quill" ringwith new fabric the cylinder, and

concurrently-operated means for tripping the locking means aforesaid to enable the dislodging means to resume the normal retracted position for restarting of the machine. i

17. In a knitting machine, the combination of I a needle cylinder, a point ring adapted to receive the fabric from the nee- ;dles, means for enlarging the fabric loops to facilitate introduction thereinto of the points of the pointring, means for thrusting the fabric bodily from the cylinder.

' through the transferring, means for advancing the fabric loops from the needles, clamping the fabric to the ring, and at the same-time lifting the ring clear of the needles, and mechanism for controlling the var1ous functions aforesaid in the order named 18.. Ina knitting machine, the combination ofa needle cyllnder, a point ring adapted to receive fabric from the needles, means for spreading the needle circle to facilitate reception of the ring and to enlarge the fab-' ric loops in preparation for the points of said ring, and means operative incidentally to deposit of the ring upon the cylinder to effect release of the needles for repose againsfthe aligned points during transfer of the fabric.

19. In a knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, a point ring adapted to receive knitted fabric from the needles, means for spreading the needle circle to facilitate reception. of they ring and to enlarge the fabric loops in preparation for the. points ofsaid ring, a movable carrier for positioning the ring to align its points with the needles, and means coordi-. nated with the carrier for automatically effecting release of the needles for repose against'the aligned points during transfer of the fabric. a

20. In almitting. machine, the-combination of a'needle cylinder, a point ring adapted to'receive knitted fabrlc from the needles, a spring influencedwedge annulus concentric'ally disposed within the needle cylinder, means for' shifting the wedge annulus to spread the needle circle for the-purposes of facilitating introduction of the ring and enlarging the fabric loops in preparation for the points of said ring, latch mechanism for locking the shifting means aforesaid to maintain the needles temporarily spread, a

movable carrier for positioning the ring to means for depositing a transfer ringupon the cylinder with its points penetrating the dilated fabric loops, means operati-Ve incidentally to actuation of fl e -depositing means to release the needles for repose a ainst the points of the ring, means for dislodging the ring from thefcylinder to facilitate its removal with the transferred fabric, and means to control actuation of the ring depositing means and the ring dislodging means in the order specified.

22. In a knitting machine. the combina tion of a needle cylinder, means for spread- "the cylinder with its points penetrating the dilated. fabric loops, means operative incidentally to actuation of the depositing i means to release the needles for repose agalnst the points of the ring, means to eject the knitted fabric from within the cylinder and through the ring, mcans to dislodge the ring from the cylinder to facilitate removal with. the transferred fabric, and means to control actuation of the ring deposlting means, the fabric ejecting means, and the ring d slodgmg means in the order spec fied.

; In testimony whereof, I have hereunto "signed my name at Philadelphia; Pennsylvania this 7th day of May 1923. 3 LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS.

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