The Actual Narrowing Operation
It will be remembered that in narrowing by hand there were three lines of movement of the decker or narrowing comb. But lines of movement should not be confused with direction of movement. An object may be moved in one line, but if moved back and forth on that line it would move in two directions.
The three lines of movement are as follows: First, it is moved in a line parallel with an extension of the line of a needle lengthwise, or same as the arrows 1 and 2 in Fig. 82. We would move it on this line, and in the direction of arrow 1 to bring the openings in the point of the decker directly over or above the hooks of the needles. Second, it would be moved up and down at right angles to its first movement, and in the direction indicated by arrow 4 to place the openings in the decker points on the hooks of the needles. With the hooks of the needles caught in these openings the decker would move again on its first line, and in the direction indicated by arrow 2 to the point where the latches are above the loops. Then the deckers push the needles down on the same line, but in the direction indicated by arrow 1 to the point where the loops on the needles will close the latches and drop over the hooks on to the decker points. Then the points raise up with the loops on them, on the second line again, but in the direction indicated by arrow 3, to clear the needle hooks.
Now we have the third line of movement, which is in toward the other end of the needle plate, as indicated by arrow 5, the distance of one needle space carrying the loops on the decker points. Then they move down on the second line in the direction indicated by arrow 4, catch the needle hooks in the openings of the decker points, draw back on first line, direction of arrow 2 to the point where the loops will slip off the decker points on to the needles again. The decker then raises up and retires to its point of rest. This will leave one empty needle at the end, which is drawn down out of working position by means which will be explained later.
Fig. 78.
Front of Automatic Narrowing Machine.
The knitting mechanism is now started in operation, and after putting on the proper number of rounds it stops and the narrowing proceeds as before. If this explanation of the movements of the decker has been followed carefully by the reader, he will see that there are but three lines of movement in the whole narrowing operation proper, though on two of these lines the movement is in opposite directions at different times. To do this automatically only three sources must be provided for the several movements, as the opposite direction of movements on the same lines come as a matter of course, otherwise there could be but one movement in any direction on one line.
Fig. 79.
Back of Automatic Narrowing Machine Showing Shaft Carrying Cams for
Automatic Movements. View from Right End of Machine.
The source of all of these movements is the shaft upon which the bevel gear (Figs. 75 and 81) is mounted and is designated by the number 9 in Figs. 75, 79 and 80. It may be plainly seen in the illustrations with its irregular surfaced cams which perform this work.