Abstract: A briquetting machine, primarily intended for briquetting fibrous plant material, includes a pair of rotatable wheels. Each wheel has die means towards its outer periphery and the die means define a circular row of pockets in which the material is received and compressed. During rotation the wheels come together to define a nip between the wheels. To provide for a varying volume of feed of material the wheels are relatively movable to vary the size of the pockets. Furthermore the die means include male and female, overlapping dies. In the bases of the dies are located ejector members which are urged outwards to eject compacted briquettes from the dies. To compress the material prior to entry into the dies there may be a precompression channel which converges toward its outlet end, opposite converging walls of the channels being formed of compression members which move towards one another and towards the outlet end.

Abstract: A knitting technique in which opposed needles reciprocate towards and past one another in a time-varying motion which is at least principally lengthwise of the needle. One needle approaches and picks up a yarn-end from another needle and forms a loop in the yarn and over the one needle while the other needle withdraws. The other needle then approaches in its turn to pick up a yarn-end and form a further loop while the one needle sheds its loop on to the yarn-end now picked up to form the further loop, the cycle continuing to produce a seam of linked loops. Shogging action by needles and/or associated yarn-control elements produces seam interaction to link seams weft-wise as a knitted fabric. More complex interaction produces patterned fabrics and other knits where yarns link across several wales. An apparatus to carry out the technique includes a needle motion drive using linkages to produce a durable and precise drive action.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for transferring knitted fabric from needles of a first knitting gauge to needles of a second knitting gauge. A row of parallel, elongate points are provided each being arranged parallel to one another and secured at each end to a movable frame. The bands pass through respective slots in two trick bars with the points being located between the two bars so that movement of the bands in unison carries the points from one trick bar to the other. If the slots in the respective trick bars are at the two selected knitting gauge then passage of the bands through the slots adjusts the spacing of the points from one gauge to the other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of and mechanism for transferring a knitted fabric from the knitting needles (28) of a flat knitting machine (10) to the needles (38) of a magazine bar (21).One of the beds (12) of the machine is dropped slightly and the tips of transfer elements (24) are brought into juxtaposition with the needles (28). The tips of the elements (24) are then engaged in the eyes of the needles (28) which are then withdrawn to transfer the loops of the fabric to the elements (24). The latter are then moved into engagement with the needles (38) of the magazine bar (21) and the loops transferred to the magazine needles by means of teeth (52) of a member (50) which engage and carry the loops from the elements (24) to the needles (38).

Abstract: A guard for moving-blade cutting instruments, for instance band-saws and band-knives. The guard is in the form of a comb or other toothed member, mounted alongside the blade and vibrated cyclically so that the tips of the teeth lie proud of the cutting edge at least once per cycle. The clearances between the teeth are aligned so as to facilitate access of piles of cloth or the like to the blade, but the bulkier fingers of the operator should be struck by the tips of the vibrating comb and repelled before being seriously cut, or cut at all, by the blade. The guard may be mounted to yield within limits, so as to increase the exposure of the blade, when subjected to sustained pressure from approaching work.