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Technical Manual: Crochet and Crochet Shell

Crochet and Crochet Shell Machines Maintenance

The Machine should be lubricated at least 4 times a day during normal operating conditions.

Needles for Crochet Machines range in sizes from 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, to 11 (Smallest to largest). Never use a Needle that is too large for the hole in the Needle Plate or the groove in the Needle Guard. When setting the Needle, insert it as far as possible into the Needle Bar, with the thread groove forward and the scarf to the rear of the machine. Tighten the nut on the Needle bar to lock the Needle in place. If adjustment of the height of the Needle is necessary, make these adjustments to the Needle Bar. Loosen the Needle Bar Block, adjust to the position (height) desired, and then tighten the Needle Bar Block. The ideal path to follow this adjustment is as follows:

With the Needle in its lowest position, the Latch Hook should cross the Needle in the scarf above the eye on the Hooks outward path. The Hook should be able to return on its inward path through the scarf above the eye as well. Adjust the height of the Needle Bar until this path is achieved.

The Needle Guard should be adjusted with its rear edge flush with the rear edge of the Needle. Its purpose is to prevent the Needle from being caught by the hook of the Latch Hook. If the Guard is set too far back it can prevent the hook from catching the thread as it passes the Needle. Some Needle Guards perform two functions. They have a hole or groove that the Needle slides through, and a Latch Opener. The Latch Opener should be kept sharp and smooth; but not as sharp as a cutting edge. Never use a Needle that is too large for the groove of the Needle Guard. Some Needle Guards have replaceable guard pieces that mate to a Guard Holder.

This bar can be adjusted to set the height of the Needle in relation to the Latch Hook. See above section on Needles.

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The Needle Lever Connection must be maintained and adjusted on a regular basis. Maintenance consists of oiling the appropriate holes to allow oil to flow to the running surfaces of the Needle Lever Connection. If the machine is in use eight hours a day, this oiling should be done once an hour. (Only a few drops need to be applied.) Less use requires less frequent oiling; more use requires more frequent oiling. The Needle Lever Connection is made of cast iron and is lapped to fit at the factory with the proper Hand Wheel/Driving Pulley. Adjustment to this lapped fit is necessary over time, as operation will loosen this fit. To tighten the fit, remove the two number 1103-16 screws from the top of the Needle Lever Connection, and the two number 193-16 screws form the bottom of the Needle Lever Connection. The two small half round sections removed from the Needle Lever Connection by removing the above screws, should be sanded on a piece of emery (abrasive) cloth along the flat surface where they mate with the center section of the Needle Lever connection. Sand these pieces a little at a time, clean and re-fit them together. Be careful not to remove too much material or the fit to the Needle Lever Ball, or the Hand Wheel will be too tight.

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Use the Hook Gage supplied with the machine to set the proper length on the Hook. The Hook should extend the distance of the gage from the tip of the Hook to the Hook Carrier. This gage is a starting point; different thread or fabric may make it necessary for you to increase or decrease the length of the Hook. The Hook should be level in the Carrier. The Latch should not be point up or down when open. You can adjust the Latch to be down if the Hook is striking the Needle.

The Hook Carrier Guide should be adjusted so that the Hook Carrier travels freely in and out of the machine. The Guide must be tight enough to prevent lateral (front to rear) movement of the Hook Carrier. Lateral movement can cause the Hook to miss the Needle and skip stitches. To adjust the Hook Carrier Guide loosen the Lock Screw on the left end face of the frame above the Work Plate. After loosening the Lock Screw, the Guide can be tapped forward toward the front of the machine to tighten the gap between the Carrier and the Guide. Turn the Hand Wheel over; if the machine feels tight tap the guide to the rear. Find a balance point between no lateral play in the Carrier and freedom of movement of the machine. Re-tighten the Lock Screw.

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The Finger Plate is adjusted in and out of the machine by locking the Finger Plate Clamp 1482 with screw 1353-16. To determine the best position of the Plate, find where the Hook just misses the edge of the Plate on its return stroke into the machine. This is a good starting point. The Plate should hold the stitches being formed, and help draw the loop down the Shank of the Hook. But, the Hook should not contact the Plate.

Feed Dogs should be set so that the teeth of the Dogs are below the Needle Plate during the return (forward) stroke. If they are above, back feeding and skipping will occur. The height of the Feed Dogs are adjusted on the 15,17 and 18 class machines by loosening the Feed Dog Screw and raising or lower the Feed Dog to the desired position, then tighten the Feed Dog Screw. On the FJ, and FJT Class machines the feed Dog height is adjusted by loosening the Screw on the Feed Adjusting Wedge 21575. Sliding the Wedge forward and back raises and lowers the Feed Dog. Once the Dog is in its desired poison, tighten the Screw holding the Feed Adjusting Wedge.

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The length of the stitch can be increased or decreased (number of stitches per inch) by changing the Feed Eccentric. Remove the Screw (1183-16) from the left-hand end of the Lower Shaft. The Feed Eccentric should slide off. Eccentrics are marked with a number that corresponds to the relative number of stitches per inch that they feed (4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14). 14617 is approximately three stitches per inch, and 14621 is approximately two stitches per inch. All figures are approximate as fabric and condition of the machine can retard the Feed.

The Shell Stitch Crochet Machine Feeds are adjusted by loosening the Feed Adjusting Nut (11-4NUT), and sliding the Bolt in the slot on the Feed Lever 2116A. Higher on the Feed Lever shortens the Feed stroke, and lower on the Feed Lever lengthens the feed stroke. Again a Feed Eccentric can be changed to facilitate even more or even less throw. These Eccentrics are as follows: 21190, 4/64" throw; 21248, 10/64" throw; 21586, 9/32" throw; 2189, 20/64" throw. All are attached to the Lower Shaft with a 161-4 Set Screw. If the number of stitches per shell is not the desired amount, you can change the Feed Gear and Feed Raising Cams to achieve the stitch quantity desired. See the chart below for available combinations.

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The 15 and 17 series use the Supplemental Thread Carrier to add a decorative thread to the edge of the stitch. The Supplemental Thread Carrier is also used by the FJ and FJT Series to add a decorative thread and to help control the stitch. The 15 and 17 series machines can work without the Supplemental Thread Carrier, the FJ and FJT Series require it to make the stitch. In either case the Supplemental Thread Carrier can be installed and not threaded.

The Supplemental Thread Carrier moves back and forth over the Presser Foot, to carry the extra thread into the throat of the Hook. The Supplemental Thread Carrier should be adjusted a low as possible, but should always clear the Hook. The Supplemental Thread Carrier is adjustable vertically, and can be rotated by loosening the Screw at the left hand end of the Rocker Shaft. It can be adjusted forward and backward by loosening the Clamp Screw on the upper end of the Cam Lever on the Rocker Shaft.

On the FJ and FJT Series Machine the Supplemental Thread Carrier carries the Needle thread forward on the outstroke of the Hook. The Needle thread slips off the Supplemental Thread Carrier at its farthest forward position. The Needle thread is then forced back into the Hook by the rearward stroke of the Supplemental Thread Carrier.

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Adjustable Thread Guides and Take-up for Needle:
The Needle thread should pass from the Thread Stand downward diagonally to the Thread Eye behind the right tension. Pass the Needle thread between the Tension Discs the down through the Outer Hole in the Needle Thread Take-Up, the through the Eye in the Lower Front of the Head of the machine, then through the Eye of the Needle from the front. Single-thread operation should follow the above threading.

Alternately, you can pass the Needle Thread through the Lower Adjustable Thread Guide after it passes through the Needle Thread Take-Up and before it goes through the Eye on the lower front of the head of the machine. The Lower Adjustable Guide will change the amount of Needle Thread that goes into the stitch. Raising the Guide increases the thread in the stitch. Lowering the Guide decreases the thread in the stitch.

Adjustable Thread Guides and Take-up for Supplemental Thread
The Supplemental Thread passes through a Thread Eye at the left-hand side of the head of the machine, then between the Tension Discs, then down to the Upper Adjustable Thread Guide then to the inner hole of the Needle Thread Take-Up, then left and down through the Middle Adjustable Thread Guide, then down and to the rear through the Eye in the lower portion of the head of the machine, and finally through the Supplemental Thread Carrier.

The Middle Adjustable Thread Guide influences the length of the Supplemental Thread that goes into the edge of the stitch. Raising the Guide increases the length and loosens the edge. Lowering the Guide decreases the length and tightens the edge. The Upper Adjustable Edge Guide influences the uniformity of the edge of the stitch. Raising this Guide loosens the edge finish of the stitch, while lowering tightens the edge finish of the stitch. Do not set this Guide too low. Setting this Guide too low will cause the Supplemental Thread to be drawn when the needle is moving into its uppermost position.

A good starting position for the Three Adjustable Thread Guides would be: The Upper Adjustable Guide set close to the Supplemental Thread Tension Discs. The Middle Adjustable Guide set just slightly below horizontal. The Lower Adjustable Guide should be set at a downward angle with the thread being down near the frame. This is a position from which you can make any necessary adjustments to the stitch following the above recommendations. Note: The moving Cast Off Horn will also affect the Stitch Tension and should be adjusted as below to work with these adjustable guides.

Threading Diagrams:

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The Moving Cast Off Horn pushes the Loops down the Hook past the Latch. It also helps control the length or amount of Supplemental Thread that is in the purl or edge of the Stitch Loops. The Moving Cast Off Horn should be set so that the point of the Horn on its rearward travel captures the Supplemental Thread while the Hook is catching both the Needle and the Supplemental Thread. The Horn must also be set far enough forward so that the Horn sheds the loops formed around it on its forward travel path. The Horn can also be adjusted laterally (right to left) to optimize its path and prevent contact or interference with the Hook.

Some models (18-E) are equipped with a Stationary Cast Off Horn. This should be adjusted so that the rear section is horizontal, parallel to the Work Plate. The Cast Off Horn should force the loop down the Hook past the latch; it should not contact (touch) the Hook.

The 18-S model is equipped with a spreader that employs the Moving Cast Off Horn Mechanism to drive it.

The Spreader should be set to allow it to pick up the thread between the Needle and the Latch and then shed it upon the return cycle of the Latch Hook. The Spreader can be adjusted both laterally and in and out.

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The Tension(s) should be set light. Generally, the Tension Nuts are at the very end, flush with the posts. When two threads are used in the Needle, they should pass through separate tensions. When using only a single thread on machines that are equipped with a Supplemental Thread Carrier: Leave the adjustments to the Supplemental Thread Carrier alone, and tighten or loosen the Needle tension.

Some models are equipped with a Fabric Guard that mounts directly behind the Finger Plate. This Guard should be set as near to the finger as possible, but still allow space for the stitch to shed off the Finger. It also should be set as near to the Latch Hook as possible, but it never should contact the Latch Hook. The Guard helps the Latch Hook form the loops on the Finger Plate by controlling the shedding of the loops off the finger.

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