This depressed period did not terminate until subsequently to the year 1845, when considerable changes were introduced into the machinery employed in the trade, circular frames taking the place of those previously existing. A more important movement was the adoption of the factory system of employment, by which a better organization of labour was effected, and habits of steady industry were fostered, the development of which have carried the hosiery trade to its present high prosperity, as one of the best paid industries in the United Kingdom.
Depression and low wages constituted a great obstacle to the introduction of improved machinery, by which further reductions could be made in the price of the finished article, and the consumption be correspondingly increased. At the above-mentioned date, however, a considerable number of new frames, working by steam power, and yielding a much larger production, had been got to work with beneficial results. The great change in the commercial legislation of the country, which was inaugurated by the repeal of the Corn Laws, and the subsequent abolition of nearly all import duties, was near at hand, and this transformation took place just in time to meet the greatly improved demadd, which the stimulus derived from a liberated commerce gave to the trade.
Some difficult problems in connection with the improved machinery remained to bo solved, such as the shaping or fashioning of the fabric by automatic means, and without the cessation of its action. Barton, an inventor, partially accomplished this, by a plan in which the stitches shifted automatically, in addition to the movements previously necessary, in a frame known at the time as a" wide rotary frame." Li 1816, Sir Marc Isambert Brunel invented a circular knitting frame of considerable merit, which has since been rendered most effective and useful. This machine, Brunel called the " tricoteur," or " frame•work knitter "; it produced a tubular web, which was cut up and finished by subsequent operations. The general aversion at that time to unshaped hose, however, caused it to be neglected, and it passed out of notice until about 1844, when Pagets, of Loughborough, reintroduced it, with modifications which greatly increased its value. It was further improved by Peter Claussen, of Brussels, who took out a patent in this country in 1845, and exhibited his machine in Nottingham. The manufacturers of that town, .though strongly averse to the introduction into the trade of the " leg-bag " machine, saw that further opposition would be unavailing, and that if not adopted there, it would become a formid able competitor elsewhere, yielded in detail to the force of circumstances. Claussen, in 1847, added further improvements, rotating hooks and a winding-up apparatus, which practically perfected the machine, as without these, the rapidity of its production of tube-web rendered the latter an encum brance. After this addition, the adoption of this class of machinery extended rapidly. The " wheel frame" was soon afterwards introduced, and so-called because " the operations of supplying the yarn, dividing the loops, pressing them, and carrying them over the beads of the needles, are accomplished entirely by means of wheels." This mode of constructing and manipulating round
machines continues to be most prevalent for making plain circular stocking-web. The cylinders have been increased greatly in diameter, so as to adapt the production to other purposes. Notwith standing these changes, there still remained to overcome the initial defect of this class of frames. The product was a tube of equal diameter throughout: a "leg-bag," as it was contemptuously called by those who produced shaped hosiery. But about this date, an invention was perfected by a framework knitter, named Thompson, by means of which, the circular frame was enabled to produce ribbed hose, which, from its peculiar texture, conforming readily to the outline of the leg, dispenses with all necessity for "shaping" or " fashioning." This improvement opened a wide field of usefulness to the circular machine, and gave a great stimulus to the trade.
In 1847, M. Townsliend, v. framework knitter, patented the first of a series of great improve ments, to which the trade has been much indebted. The first was for the adaptation of a machine like a point-net frame, to an ordinary stocking-frame. This invention was intended to take the work by the machine off from, and return it to, the frame instruments, in such manner that the direction of the loops might be reversed on the surface of the fabric from time to time, as it was effected by hand knitting, and by frlimes which were reversible by hand. In 1854, Townshend invented a plan for making round hose on the circular frame, the heels and toes being fashioned on other machines. Two years later, he came forward with another improvement, a method of raising looped pile on knotted fabrics for "terry." This he accomplished by employing a row of needles or points, or their equivalents, acting in combination with a jacquard apparatus. Using a bell crank and lever guides, similary actuated, for throwing different colours into the work, and using "hinge covering needles" in knitting double pile fabrics, and a notched sinker. In the same year, he took out another patent, in which these hinge covering needles are again employed, and probably in a more perfect form. The patent was for the application of jointed guides to the machinery of double barred knitted goods, so making figured patterns on both sides, which he accomplished by throwing threads on one row of needles or hooks, to form the pattern, and carrying surplus threads round the other row of needles, to form the pattern on the reverse, the result being that both sides appeared alike. Sliding needles or hooks were used, moved by the jacquard in the required direction. In this invention, rows or circles of double-ended needles, having hooks or beards at both ends, were introduced, and formed loops by a peculiar method. He also claimed the making of circular knitted warp fabrics, by using a row of " tumbler " needles, having hinged beards circularly placed, with lever guides to carry the threads forming the fabric.