Fig. 58.
Construction of the Plain Purl
Stitch Fabric.
This machine is constructed somewhat along the lines of the ordinary flat machine, which we have been studying. Its points of similarity are that the table or stand is the same, it has two straight, flat needle plates, it has a carriage which is moved backward and forward over the needle plates to operate the needles, and the cams or locks are practically the same as in the ordinary single lock flat machine. The main points of difference are that on the purl stitch machine the needle plates are set so that they are flat, or both are on a horizontal plane, and the needle slots of both plates are directly in alignment with one another so a needle may move freely from the front to the back plate, or vice versa. The ordinary flat machine has the needle plates set at an angle of about 90 degrees to one another, and 45 degrees to the horizontal, and they are set lengthwise so the needle slots of one plate are opposite the space between the needle slots of the opposite plate, or in a position so the needles of one plate will come up between the needles of the opposite plate.
Another point of difference is that the purl stitch machine has one set of needles for both plates, with a hook and latch on both ends of each needle and no butts to operate them, while the ordinary machine has a set of needles for each plate with a hook and latch on one end only with a butt on the other end to operate it. It naturally follows that inasmuch as the needle plates are set flat, instead of at an angle to one another, and the needles are operated indirectly through what are called jacks instead of directly on butts on the needles, the construction of the purl stitch machine must be somewhat different from the ordinary flat machine.
Construction of Purl Stitch Machine
Fig. 59 shows a general view of a purl stitch machine built by Dubied & Co. The letter a indicates the carriage, b the handle used to operate the carriage, and c is an auxiliary handle which some knitters like and use, while others take it off, preferring the use of handle b only. The letter i indicates the connection rod for the auxiliary handle; d is the racking handle for racking the back plate, which plate is made to rack over usually about 12 needles. The letter e is a sector of a circle attached to the frame of the machine and acts as a guide and a stop for the racking handle. This may be studied to better advantage in Fig. 60, at e. It has V-shaped notches cut at the proper intervals to correspond to the needle spacing with a V-shaped plunger attached to the handle so that when this plunger springs into one of the notches it brings the needle slots of the back plate into alignment with the needle slots of the front plate.
The secondary handle d-1 is for releasing this plunger to permit the handle to be moved. It will be noted that there are holes in this sector, one back of each notch in the edge, and in two of these holes there are pins. These pins may be placed in any desired hole and act as stops for the racking handle and in this way save the operator the trouble of stopping to count the number of notches every time he racks, as on this class of work racking over anywhere from two to twelve needles at one time is common practice.
Fig. 59.
Dubied Purl Stitch or Links and Links Machine. Hand Power.
To go back to Fig. 59, letter f is a counter for counting the rounds, g indicates two yarn carrier stops, one on each side of the bar or gib, while h and h are the yarn take-up frames and springs. Letter j indicates the two gibs or ways on which the carriage slides, and k is the bar for carrying the yarn carriers.