KNIT CLOTHS. 



467 



FIG. 1. 



needles, which are really hooks with a spring 

 barb. These, about 1,000 in number, are fast- 

 ened around the edge of the circular horizon- 

 tal bed, and revolve with it. 



At two, three, or four points, just outside of 

 the circumference of the horizontal bed, are 

 fixed groups of wheels, like those shown (en- 

 larged) in Fig. 3 (see page 466). The various 

 threads used pass from the bobbins upward over 

 hooks and then downward to and under these 

 knitting- wheels. When the bed revolves, the 

 needles act as cogs, and turn the knitting- 

 wheels. These wheels consist of wings or 

 flanges, so shaped as alternately to lift and de- 

 press the threads on and between the needles, 

 thus forming the stitches. The fabric is knit 



in the form of a large tube, and is constantly 

 drawn up and wound upon the reel overhead, 

 which also revolves horizontally with the bed. 

 In the engraving a portion of the fabric is rep- 

 resented as cut away, to show the stretcher 

 inside. The fabric is knit with a seam run- 

 ning its entire length, and with a knife the 

 operator cuts it open along this seam, thus 

 reducing it to a flat piece of cloth, of " double 

 width." 



The most obvious advantage in the use of 

 this machine, over a loom, is in the matter 

 of speed. It has a smooth, continuous, rotary 

 motion, instead of the constantly interrupted 

 alternating motion of a shuttle, and will pro- 

 duce about double the amount of cloth in a 



