CA1097488A - Self-lined fabric and apparatus and method for making same - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A novel, self-lined fabric is produced on a stitch-through type machine using the apparatus and method of the in-vention in which a plurality of optional warp yarn textile ele-ments are laid on a flexible interstratum (e.g., a layer of textile filling elements) which in turn is laid on a flexible lining or backing material (e.g., a non-woven fabric or acrylic foam-coated non-woven fabric) such that the interstratum is disposed between the lining material and the warp yarn elements. The warp yarn elements, interstratum and lining material are joined together by means of knitting thread which is stitched through the fabric components and forms a multiplicity of warpwise loop chains (e.g., a chain stitch or, when warp yarn elements are present, a half-tricot stitch) with the chains of loops formed on the rear surface of the fabric to secure the warp yarn elements interstratum and lining material against relative displacement and to form thereby an integrated, unitary, self-lined fabric structure. The apparatus for producing the self-lined fabric on a stitch-through type machine comprises, in combination means for supplying lining material, means for withdrawing the material from the supply means, and means for guiding the withdrawn lining material to the work zone of the machine independently of the interstratum and warp yarn elements. In the present method of producing the self-lined fabric, the lining material is delivered to the work zone of the machine conjointly with and independently of the interstratum and warp yarn elements such that the inter-stratum is disposed between the lining material and warp yarn elements and secured thereto by the knitting thread.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to self-lined composite fabrics ~.
of novel functional and aesthetic design. More particularly, it relates to a novel self-lined fabric which is produced on stitch-through type machines such as a.Malimo machine and to an apparatus and method used in making it wherein the fabric is self-lined by ~ `
; one of its own components and which is useful amon~ other things ~ `
in decorative applications such as draperies where it is desired ~ to provide such fabrics with a lining or backing which forms an integral part of the overall fabric structure.
Malimo fabrics typically comprise a layer of substan~
tially parallel warp yarn elements or ends on a flexible sub-strate such as a layer of substantially parallel textile filling ~: elements or ends. The warp yarn elements are affixed to the flexible substrate by laying one on top of the other and joining .` them into an integrated structure by means of relatively fine kni.tting threads. In the case where the flexible substrate is a layer of textile filling elements, a more or less open mesh ~` fabric can be obtained by controlling the spacing between the individual warp yarn elements and~or the individual filling : ~:
elements. m is and other "stitch-through" type fabric structures can be obtained on machines of the "Malimo" type, using methods and equipment described in UOS. 2,890~579; U.S. 3,030,786;
U.S. ReO 25,749; U~So 3,253,426; U.S. 3,274,806; U.S. 3,279,22Z;
UoS~ 3,309,900; U.S. 3,389,583; UoSo 3,392,078; U~So 3,440,8~0;
U.S. 3,452,56Z; UoS~ 3,457,738; UoS~ 3,460,599; U.S. 3,540,238;
U.S~ 3,54Z,8Z2; U~So 3,567,565; and UOSO 3,592,025.
The ability to readily mass-produce a basic fabric in a variety of patterns is extremel~ important to the comN~ercial

- 2 -7~38 success of the fabric. ~hile fabric can be produced on the "Malimo"
machines at a very high rate of spee~, much attention has been given to augmenting this desirable feature with design flexibility, e.g., with respect to the density, gauge, and color combination of the fabric components, the spacing between them, and the purposeful omission of one or more of such com onents.
Hcwever, a need has existed for Malimo fabrics of still further design flexibility, not only with respect to the creation of unusual visual effects but also with respect to achieving new and useful functional features by incorporating additional com-ponents into the fabric. For example, extensive use has been sought in the decorative fabric industry for thin sheets of elasto-meric foam, made from either natural rubber or synthetic polymeric materials. In one type of structure, the fabric layers are normally attached to the foam by spaced-apart quilting stitches.
Considerable interest has also been shcwn in bonded fabrics, where a layer of a conventional fe~bric is bonded to a thin sheet of elastomeric foam by means of an adhesive to form a composite fabric having the limited extensibility and hard ex-terior surface of the conventional fabric and the insulatingproperties of the foam layer.
While quilted or bonded laminates of fabric and elasto-meric foam are useful for some purposes, such conventional com-posite fabric construction suffer certain serious drawbacks which limit the number of applications in which they can be used. In the case of bonded laminates, the interposition of an adhesive between the foam and fabric layers creates problems both in processing and in the end use of the fabric. For example, extreme care must be observed in the selection of a suitable adhesive, and in the application thereof to the foam -to insure proper bonding ~7~

in order that the flexibility and insulating properties of the foam are retained. Also, the extensibilit..y of a laminate of this type is limited by the stretch properties of the fabric portion of the lami-nate and by the nature of the adhesive used.
Another drawback in the manufacture and use of conventional laminates of fabric and elastomeric foam is manifested in the fact that the elasto~.eric foams presently available are somewhat fragile and difficult to handle in the thicknesses ordinarily used for fab-ric purposes. It is recognized that polyurethane foams tear rather easily and lack adequate resistance to the effects of heat, oxida-tion and sunlight, which ultimately contribute to the disintegration ; of such backing materials. Also, whether the foam is bonded to a conventional fabric by adhesive, or loosely joined therewith, as by the use of quilting stitches, the resul.ting fabric hcas a hand which is more characteristic of the foam than of the fabric joined with it, thereby effectively precluding t~le use of such composite "fabrics" in applications where the hand m~lst be predominantly that of the ~abric component.
It is in the decorative drapery or casement fabric field that the shor~comings of prior techniques for combining functional backing materials with ornamental textile fabric structures are particularly significant. This situation has become more notice-able in recent years during which the demand for decorative drapery fabrics possessing thermal insulating properties has in-creased markedly in the face of rising home and office heating expenses and energy costs.
l~hile the use of alternative methods for producing textile fabric structures containing a layer of functional sheeting material (e.g.l elastomeric foam) inter~osed between layers of textile ele~.ents has been disclosed in the art, e.g., ,. . ~. ~

748~

in U.S. 3,274,805 and U.S. 3,27~,806 the search for other novel types of fabric constructions which differ from those heretofore developed still continues. The present invention provides a lined decorative fabric suitable for making on a stitch-through type of machine, such as a Malimo machine, which overcomes the short-comings of the prior art construction described above. The invention further provides practical as well as aesthetically useful composite fabrics in which a component lining material ~ performs a definite function (e.g., thermal insulation) either ~er se or through special post-treatment (e.g., resin back-coating which also provides a convenient way of achieving a "blackout" effect when desired) without interfering with the decorative function of the remaining components of the ~abric which are positioned in front of the lining or backing component.
.~ ''' .

...
: : , .;

~ ' il8 SU~RY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention more specifically provides a novel, self-lined fabric made on a stitch-through type machine such as a Malimo machine, and which is composed of a flexible lining material, a flexible interstratum laid on the lining material, a plurality of optional textile yarn elements laid on the interstratum in the general warp direction, and knitting thread forming a multiplicity of warp-wise loop chains whose - loops appear on the rear surface of the fabric and which bind together into an integrated self-lined textile fabric structure the lining material, interstratum and warp yarn elements and which secure said components against relative displacement.
The fabric of the invention achieves an unusual and heretofore unattainable combination of functional utility and decorative visual effect of aesthetically pleasincJ appearance according to the present invention through the uni~ue placement of the functional lining of flexible material which is disposed behind or beneath the ornamental layers of flexible interstratum and textile warp yarn elements. In this way, the lining material performs its function (e.g., thermal, acoustic or optical insulation) without interfering with or obstructing the ornamental effect of the interstratum and outer layer of warp yarn elements.
- The adjacent warp yarn elements, when employed in the present fabric construction, can be laid on the interstratum and lining components of the fabric in either mutually contacting relationship or can be spaced apart from one another in the weft direction at any predetermined distance. Desirably, such warp yarn elements are substantially spaced apart in order to amplify and enhance the visual effect of the open-weave "look"

characteristic of fabrics produced in stitch-through type machines. In J~

.: -.,~ . ' :

addition/ the warp yarn elements can be laid on the interstra-tum and lining in a substantially rectilinear or straight line fashion parallel to the warp direction; alternatively, as des-cribed in U.S. 3,672,187 the warp yarn or"design" elements ~so called because of the aesthetically pleasing appearance and ornamental effect which they impart in the fabric) can be caused to follow non-rectilinear paths along the warp direction, and/or in a twisted configuration in the manner disclosed in appli-cantls copending and commonly assigned Canadian application Serial No. 304,032 filed May 25, 1978.
The flexible interstratum upon which the warp yarn elements are laid in forming the fabric of the present inven-tion can be pre-knitted (e.g., tricot) or pre-woven fabric, fibrous batting or any other continuous sheeting, one or more layers of textile filling elements running in a general weft-wise direction with respect to the warp yarn elements, or any other flexible structure capable of being secured to the warp yarn elements with knitting thread according to procedures des-cribed in U.S. 3,672,187 and now familiar to those skilled in the art of stitch-through fabric construction. In the case of fabrics having the open-mesh "home spun" appearance character-istic of casement or drapery fabrics, a flexible interstratum in the form of a layer of more or less spaced-apart textile filling elements is preferred.
The flexible lining or backing material component of the fabric of the invention is preferably a layer of fibrous non-woven fabric. The use of such lining material is parti-cularly advantageous because of the ease with which, say, a fibrous non-woven lining can be back-coated with a thin layer of polymer, e~g., acrylic or urethane foam, to impart effective thermal insulating or barrier properties while retaining the desired casement-like "feel" and "look" of the .

7~

composite fabric as a whole. Alternatively, the lining can be any other flexible material capable of being stitched-through by knitting thread and secured thereby to the overlying inter-stratum and warp yarn elements. Such other lining materials include, without limitation, elastomeric foam sheeting made of rubber or synthetic polymeric compositions such as foamed poly-urethane and fibrous batting, e.g., continuous filament batting.
The knitting thread used to bind together into an in-tegrated textile fabric structure the warp yarn elements, flex-ible interstratum and lining material can be any thread hereto-fore used in stitch-through fabric construction and is applied to the fabric components by means of the mechanical stitching elements conventionally employed on stitch-through type machines.
These elements and their mode of operation are well known to those skilled in the art and include a comb-line sinker bar and comb-like retainer pin bar, which together define an elongated space or work zone for fabric formation between them. The stit-ching elements include additionally a row of pronged or bearded pointed needles and corresponding closing wires the combination of which is caused to move in a reciprocating fashion through the aforesaid work zone in coaction with a row of knitting thread guides for forming a multiplicity of warp-wise knitting thread loop chains. In a preferred mode of operation of the machine, alternate loops in each chain are formed with a different knit-ting thread, and each thread forms a series of warpwise loop chains. The loop chains formed can be any type familiar to those skilled in the art, although loop chains of the type characteristic of the well-known half-tricot stitch configura-tion are preferred when the fabric includes warp yarn elements because of the normally greater structural ~;~ - 8 -~ :...

3L097~38 integrity imparted to the overall fabric by the half-tricot stitch knitting thread network. In such cases the fabric components are engaged and held together by the knitting thread on the rear side of the fabric by the loops o the half-tricot stitch network and on the front surface by the diagonal courses formed by the knitting thread. In this way the warp yarn elements are "lapped" around the interstratum and lining material by the knitting thread to achieve an integrated fabric structure. In cases where the ODm-posite fabric of the invention involves only the "interstratum"
(e.g., an outer surface layer of textile filling elements) and lining material, the knitting thread can be employed in either the half-tricot or chain loop chain oonfiguration to form an article of manufacture having acceptable structural integrity.
In one embodiment of the fabric of the invention, at least two warp ~arn elements can be laid on the substrate along non-rectilinear paths in the warp direction thereby creating a design effect which serves to augment the aes-thetically pleasing appearance of the fabric. More partlcularly, such warp yarn "design elements" can include portions o~ substantial length extending diagonally, relative to the warp direction, along straight lines or curving substantially uniformly. The design elements can be disposed in groups composed of at least two adjacent elements following a substantially identical pattern.
Alternatively, adjacent design elements can be laid on the flexible substrate to form different patterns, e.g., wherein they form the same pattern but one is reversed relative to the other.
m is ~abric design feature and an apparatus and method for achieving it, which can be practiced in conjunction with the present invention, are described respectively in V.S. 33672,Z87, 8~

particularly at column 1, line 31 through column 3, line 44, and U.S. 3,677,03~, particularly at column 1, line 44 through column 8, line 22, which disclosures are incorporated herein by refer-ence.
The improved fabric of the present invention is made possible by a unique process utilizing a novel apparatus in con-junction with stitch-through type machines. The apparatus per-forms the function, never heretofore achieved, of continuously supplying and guiding the flexible substrate lining material to lQ the work zone of the stitch-through type machine such that the flexible interstratum is laid on top of the lininq material and the warp yarn elements are laid on top of the interstratum, and all three camponents of the fabric are secured together by ~lit-ting thread to form an integral textile structure in a continuous operation, In its essential features the apparatus comprises, in combination, means for continuously supplying lining material to the stitch-through machine, means for colltinuously withdrawing lining material from the supply means, and means for continuously guiding the withdrawn lining material to the work zone of the machine independently of the other fabric components and applying ~ -~
the material to the flexible interstratum and optional warp yarn elements so that the interstratum is interposed between the lining material and the warp yarn elements.
In a preferred embcdiment of the apparatus of the in-vention, the means for supplying the lining material to the ; machine ~s a supply roll or beam of said material, the means for withdrawing the lining material from the supply means comprises two or more driven feed rolls, and the means for independently guiding the withdrawn lining material to the work zone of the machine and applying said material to the flexible inters-tratum 7~

and warp yarn elements comprises a smooth slide plate, e.g., of polished metal such as brass or stainless steel, disposed upstream from the work zone of the machine and adapted to receive the lining material in sliding contact therewith and to direct said material to the work zone at a point such that -the interstratum is inter-posed between the lining material and warp yarn elements in a continuous operation.
In its broad aspect, the process or method of the present invention includes the steps of (a) delivering a flexible lining lQ material to the above-described elongated work zone of the stitch-through type machine; (b) delivering a flexible interstra-tum to the work zone conjointly with and in superimposed relation to the lining material; and (c) delivering a plurality oE textile desiqn elements (warp yarn elements) to the work zone conjointly with and ir. super-imposed relation to the linin~ material and interstratum; ancl (d) binding together the superimposed lining material, interstratum and warp yarn elements at the work zone of the machine by warp-wise knitting thread loop chains to form an integrated structure which is the fabric of the present invention in greige form. Such greige goods are suitable for further processing to finished fabric accord-incl to art-recognized procedures, e.g., dyeing, drying, resinating, and the like.
It is a feature of the present apparatus and method that the lining material is delivered to the work zone of the stitch-through machine independently of the flexible interstratum com-ponent. In this way, it has been discovered that each of the fabric components can adjust itself to the forces exerted by the stitching elemen-ts without mu~ual distortion. Whereas conventional wisdom suggests applying the lining material to the filling hooks a7~38 of the machine followed by overlaying the interstratum onto the same hooks as a means of delivering these two ccmponents to the work zone of the machine, such an approach has in fact been found to result in distortion of the assembled fabric.
In the method of the invention, knitting thread is employed in the manner described hereinabove to form a multipli-city of warpwise loop chains to bind together the warp yarn elements, interstratum and lining material with the loops appearing on the rear surface of the composite fabric. Usually~
alternate loops on each chain are formed with a different knitting thread, and each thread forms a series of warpwise loop chains, preferably in the manner of a half-tricot stitch configuration, or, in cases where the fabric is made up of interstratum and lining material without a top layer of warp yarn elements, a chain stitch configuration.
It is a further feature of the invention that the pre-sent method can be carried out in the manner described above while at the same time guiding the warp yarn "design" elements back-and-forth in a direction substantially parallel to the rows 2a of stitching elements to thereby cause each design element to ; move back-and-forth within the elongated work zone past a plurality of needles. Equipment and procedure for imparting this additional design feature to the fabric of the invention are described in the aforementioned V.S. 3,677,034. In using this procedure, the design elements are guided back and forth in re-ciprocating motion whereby a pattern of design elements is formed on the fabric in which substantial lengths of each design element 1~ 1(1 97~8 1 lextend diagonally, relative -to the warp direction. For e~ample, 2 the design elements can be guided back and forth at either constan or, more desirably, varying speed, e.g., sinusoidally, so as to 4 form a pattern in which substantial lengths of the design elements 5 are laid on the substrate in a corresponding straight line or, 6 e.g., uniformly, curved fashion. In a further variant, two 7 groups of design elements can be delivered to the elongated work 8 zone and guided back and forth therein independently or in cor-9 responding phased relation to each other, thereby forming a patter 10 of design elements on the fabric in which the two groups of design 11 elements form different or substnatially identical patterns, 12 respectively. In the former case, one group of design elements 13 can be maintained in phased but opposite relation to the other 14 group, whereby a pattern of design elements is formed in which 15 the two groups of elements form i.dentical patterns, but one is 16 reversed relative to the other. In yet another embodiment, the 17 design elements can be given a periodic "twist" configuration 18 in the manner described in applicant's aforesaid copending appli-: 19 cation Serial No. 304~032 ~llOa ~hy 25~ lg~
_ __ .. ... . . . ............ . .. . . ..

.

: . ,- : , : : ~

, ~. :: : ,. :

3 ~97~
~RIEF DESCRIPI`ION OF THE DRAI~INGS
Further details of the present invention and its preferred embodiments can be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a photograph of an enlarged portion of the top surface of a self-lined textile fabric of the present invention showing the relative disposition of the warp yarn elements, the interstratum, and flexible lining material in the form of an elastomeric foam sheet;
FIG. 2 is a photograph illustrating the relative dis-position of the warp yarn design elements and interstratum as they would appear in a fabric of the present invention wherein the warp yarn design elements are laid on the interstratum along non-rectilinear paths in the warp direction;
FIG. 3 is a photograph of an en]arged portion oE the self-lined textile fabric of FIG. 1 as viewed from the under-side showing how the fle~ible lining material is stitched through by the knitting thread;
FIG. 4 is a photograph of the top surface of a pre-- 20 ferred embodiment of the self-lined fabric of the present in-vention composed of flexible lining or backing material in the form of a fibrous non-woven batting, an interstratum but no warp yarn elements, and showing the relative disposition of the lining material and interstratum;
FIG. 5 is a photograph of the fabric of FIG. 4 as viewed from the underside;
FIG. 6 is a photograph of an enlarged portion of the fabric as viewed in FIG. 5 showing how the fibrous non-woven batting is stitched-through by the knitting thread;
FIG. 7 is a photograph of the top surface of a pre-ferred self-lined fabric of the invention wherein the flexible lin-ing material is made up of a fibrous non-woven batting which has been 7~
coated on the exposed back surface with an acrylic-type foam resin;
FIG. 8 is a photograph of the fabric of FIG. 7 as viewed fro.m the underside;
FIG. 9 is a photograph of an enlarged portion of the fabric as viewed in FIG. 8 showing the detailed appearance of the stitched-through non-woven backed fabric after coating with acrylic-type foam resin; and E'IG. 10 iS a partially schematic side view of a pre-ferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

DESCRIPTICN OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the following description, the corresponding elements as shown in each figure o the drawings are given the same .reference number, and letter suffixes are added to designate specific ones of these elements where necessary.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the warp yarn elements 1 are laid on a flex.ible interstratum composed of a layer of spaced-apart textile filling elements 2 which in turn is laid on a flexible lining material 3 cc~osed of an ; 2Q. elastc.meric foam sheet to provide a self-lined fabric according to the present invention. The warp yarn elements 1, filling elements 2 and lining material 3 are secured in their relative positions by means of knitting thread 4 which forms parallel rows of warp-wise loop chains with the loops appearing on the rear surface of the fabric, i.e., behind the lining material.
The knitting thread 4 shown in FIG. 1 is employed in a half-tricot stitch configuration in which diagonally-extending portions of the kni-tting thread cross between adjacent loop ~ca74~

chains on the front surface of the fabric. Each pair of adjacent loop chains shares two knitting threads, alternate loops of each chain being part of a first thread and the running loops being from a second thread, to form the half-tricot stitch. Warp yarn elements 1 are also referred to as "design elements"
because of the aes-thetically pleasing appearance and orna-mental effec-t which they impart to the fabric as a whole, either as shown in FIG. 1, or by virtue of any of a number of non-rectilinear configurations with which they can be applied to the lining material and interstratum as illustrated in FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 shows the manner in which the knitting threads regularly penetrate the lining material 3 at the underside oE
the fabric o:E FIG. 1 comprising a layer of warp yarn elements (not shcwn) laid on an interstratum of textile filling elements (not shown) which in turn is laicl on the lining material 3 composed of a continuous sheeting made of elasto-meric foam so that the chain lcops of a half-tricot stitch configuration appear behind the fabric. In this wa~ the wc~rp yarn elements, interstratum filling elements and lining material 3 are secured or "lapped" together to form a unitary self-lined structure by the knitting threads 4 which lock the three other cc~mponents of the fabric in position relative to one another. In fabrics of the type illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the elastc~meric foam lining material 3 is normally employed in thicknesses varying from l/32nd of an inch to akout 1/2 inch depending on the particular use for which the fabric is intended.

-ll D ~Q~7gB8 1 I In the embodiment depicted in the photogra~h of FIG. 4, 21 wherein the scale a-t the left is graduated in inches, -the :
31 fabric comprises a layer or interstratum of spaced-apart textile

4 ¦filling elements 50 laid on a flexible lining material 51

5 ¦composed of a continuous fibrous non-woven batting to provide, . '

6 ¦a self-lined fabric according to the present invention. The

7 ¦selvage of the layer of spaced-apart filling elements extends

8 ¦ laterally beyond the edge of fle~lble lining material in keeping

9 ¦with the aforementioned feature of the process of the inven-tion ,,

10 jwhereby the lining material is delivered to the work zone of the

11 machine independently of the interstratum, the latter being applie 1 :~

12 ~ to the filling hooks exclusive of the lining material. The ¦ :

13 ¦ filling elements 50 and lining material 51 are secured in -their 1~ ¦ relative positions by means of knitting thread 52 which forms 15 ¦ parallel rows of warp-wise loop chains applied in a chain-stitch 16 ¦ configuration as depicted in F~GS. S and 6, which also show 17 ¦ more clearl~ the placement and appearance of the non-woven lining 18 material 51.
19 In the embodimen-t shown in FIG. 7, a composite fabric, which is made of a layer of filling elements 53 secured to a 21 ¦ non-woven backing or lining material by means of thread 5~ in a .
22 I chain-stitch configuration, is back-coated with a flexible ~
: 23 I acrylic-type foam resin 55 as can be seen by reference to FIG. 8 ¦
2^~ ¦ and FIG. 9.
Referring to FIG. 10, there is illustrated an embodi-2b ¦ ment of the apparatus 10 and method for producing a self-lined 27 fabric of the present invention in a stitch-through type machine 2~ such as a Malimo machine (partially shown in schematic) wherein 23 the apparatus feeds in lining material between the filling chains ¦
of a Malimo-type machine under controlled -tension in order to -17- ` :
!

7~
form a novel fabric with warp and filling yarns and a lining material stitch-bonded to the warp and filling yarns in one con-tinuous operation. A beam or roll 11 of lining is adapted to supply lining material 12 to the machine by means of driven feed rolls 13a and 13b which coact to withdraw the lining material from the supply roll. Guide rolls 14a, 14b and 14c serve to govern the pathway followed by the lining material 12 beneath the machine operator's platform 31 and direct the lining material to guide plate 15 over which the lining material passes in slid-lQ ing contact therewith on its way to the work zone or stitching point 16 of the machine independently of the other feed com-._ :
ponents of the fabric. The entrance end 17 of guide plate 15 is beveled or sloped downward to smcothen the initial contact between the plate and moving lining material. Likewise, the exit end 18 of the guide plate 15 is beveled or sloped downward to direct the traveling lining material l:oward the work zone of the machine while preventing the lining material from under-going abrupt changes in direction or contact with abrasive or sharp edges. The guide plate 15 is made of a smooth, wear-resistant material, preferably ceramic or polished metal or steel.
The work zone 16 of the machine defines the location where the stitching elem~ents, e.g., sewing needles, closing wires, sewing thread guides, sinker bars and retainer pin bars, coact in mutual synchronization to join the fabric components into an integral textile structure. These stitching elements are denoted by reference numeral 19. The warp yarn feed com-ponent of the fabric is made up of a plane of parallel yarn ends 20 which are supplied to the machine by any convenient means (not shown), e.g., from a beam or creel, and fed to the work zone of the machine in the direction of the yarn axes by guide lOq7488 1 roll 21. The interstratum component of the fabric produced by 2 ! the apparatus of FIG. 10 is made up of a plane of parallel 3 ~ textile filling yarns or elements which are supplied to the 4 j machine from one or more creels (not shown) and fed to the work 5 ¦ zone of the machine in a direction substantially perpendicular 6 I to the filling yarn axes by means of a pair of opposed 7 parallel ~ws of filling hooks, each row being fitted to a 8 chain drive whicll is driven by rollers 23a-23d o~ a circular 9 pathway deno~ed by reference numeral 24. The textile ~illing ~:
iO elements are applied to the filling hooks by means of filling 11 yarn carrier 25 which comprises a set of reeds mounted on a 12 reciprocating carriage.and through which the filling elements 22 13 pass while the filling carriaye passes back and forth between l_ the rows of filling hooks. In cases where the interstratum is other than a layer of textile fi:lling elements, the filling 16¦ hooks can be appropriately modified in a nlanner which will be 17 apparent to those skilled in the art of stitch-through machines.
18 It is a feature of the apparatus and method of the ,9 i~vention that ~he lining material 12 is fed to the wor~ zone 16 of t;ne machine so that the interstratum of filling elements 21 is disposed between the layer of warp yarn elements and lining 22¦1 material at the point where the fabricc~mponents are joined -:~
23l together with knitting thread into an integral textile structure .:
2~ by the stitching elements 19.
The self-lin~d fabric produced in the work zone ol the 26 machine is withdrawn therefrom along the pathway indicated by ~7 ¦ reference numeral 26 and is directed by means of driven rolls 2S 1 27-30 to an appropriate fabric take-up facility (not showll) ....
29 ~ for fur her processing. I

I .; ::~

7 l .,; 11 . I
~ 19- ~
.

7~
I
1 The foregoing examples are presen~ed for the purpose 2 of illustrating the invention and its advantages without 3 limitation to specific fea~ures or embodiments~ It is understood that changes and variations can be made in the fabric, apparatus and me~lod of the invention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined in the following claims.

,: - .

;~ :, :
' ~ . ~: , :,

Claims (9)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. A self-lined fabric made on a stitch-through type machine, said fabric having a front surface and a rear surface and comprising:
a flexible layer of fill yarn;
a flexible lining material disposed beneath the layer of fill yarn so as to constite the rear surface of the fabric, said lining material being separate and distinct from said fill yarn and composed of a non-woven spun fibrous batting capable of being stitched-through without substantial loss of strength by knitting thread and secured thereby to the overlying layer of fill yarn;
a single system of knitting thread courses comprising a multiplicity of warpwise looped stitches which engage and hold together the lining material and layer of fill yarn by loops of knitting thread on the rear surface of the fabric and by laps of the knitting thread courses on the front surface to bind together into an integrated unitary textile fabric structure the lining and layer of fill yarn.

2. The fabric according to Claim 1, wherein said fabric includes a plurality of warp elements laid upon the layer of fill yarn so as to be on the front surface of the fabric and the warpwise looped stitches of the knitting thread system engage and hold together the lining material t layer of fill yarn and warp elements by loops of knitting thread on the rear surface of the fabric and by laps of the knitting thead courses on the front surface to bind together into an integrated unitary textile fabric structure the lining, layer of fill yarn, and warp elements.

3. The fabric according to Claim 2 wherein at least two warp elements are laid on the layer of fill yarn along non-rectilinear paths in the warpwise direction, each of said warp elements including portions extending non-parallel to the warpwise direction while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance corresponding to the non-rectilinear configuration of said warp elements.

4. The fabric according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the non-woven spun fibrous batting of said lining material is composed of spun-bounded continuous filaments.

5. The fabric according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the non-woven spun fibrous batting of said lining material is composed of spun-laced staple filaments.

6. The fabric according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the knitting thread is applied in a half-tricot stitch con-figuration.

7. The fabric according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said fabric has a flexible back-coating of polymeric material.

8. The fabric according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said fabric has a flexible back-coating of acrylic polymer material.

9. The fabric according to any of Claims 1 to 3 t wherein said layer of fill yarn comprises spaced apart textile filling elements which contrast in appearance with the surface of the lining material which lining material is visible between said filling elements.