EP2578733A1

EP2578733A1 - Knitting needle-guiding member, knitting needle, knitting method, knit fabric and gloves

Info

Publication number: EP2578733A1
Application number: EP11789764.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masato Nagata; Toshio Inagaki
Original assignee: Showa Glove Co
Current assignee: Showa Glove Co
Priority date: 2010-06-04
Filing date: 2011-05-30
Publication date: 2013-04-10
Also published as: KR20130119855A; WO2011152361A1; JP2012012757A; EP2578733A4; CN102947498A

Abstract

Provided is a technique for significantly increasing the density of knitted stitches in an easy and economical manner without having to largely modify a configuration of a knitting machine, and obtaining a thin knit fabric with an excellent texture. In a knitting needle-guiding member of a knitting machine that knits a knit fabric by guiding knitting needles so as to reciprocate along a plurality of aligned needle grooves, the knitting needles having one or more hooks are arranged singly or plurally in an overlapping manner in each of the knitting needles, whereby at least two hooks integrally operating are included in one needle groove.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a knitting needle-guiding member in a knitting machine, a knitting needle, a knitting method, a knit fabric, and gloves.

Background Art

As a typical example of a knitting machine, a weft-knitting machine has a large number of needle grooves in a needle bed and allows knitting needles stored in the needle grooves to reciprocate to knit a knit fabric.
Conventionally, a knitting needle has one hook at a front end of a stem (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). Then, a knitting yarn is drawn into the hook to form a knitted stitch loop. Since one knitting needle is stored in one needle groove, one loop is formed with respect to one needle groove.

Citation List

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: JP-UM-B No.S49-43152

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

If a knit fabric is knitted with a large number of fine knitted stitches, a thin knit product with an excellent texture can be obtained from the knit fabric. In order to increase knitted stitches per unit length (for example, 1 inch), it is necessary to store a large number of knitting needles per 1 inch (gauges). However, for storage of many knitting needles, it is necessary to provide many needle grooves for storing the knitting needles, which leads to increase in labor and time taken to form the needle grooves in the needle bed. In addition, the larger the number of needle grooves becomes, the narrower the intervals between the needle grooves become, which makes it difficult to form the needle grooves. Further, a needle selecting device is used to decide movement of the knitting needle, and the number of components of the needle selecting device increases according to the number of knitting needles to be used. Accordingly, costs for components of the needle selecting device increase with rise in the number of knitting needles to be used. For these reasons, increasing gauges, in particular, setting as a high gauge as about 20 gauges, brings about higher costs for one knitting machine. Therefore, setting a high gauge is difficult for low cost performance.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for significantly increasing the density of knitted stitches in an easy and economical manner without having to largely modify a configuration of a knitting machine and obtaining a thin knit fabric with an excellent texture.

Solution to Problem

A knitting needle-guiding member according to a first embodiment is a knitting needle-guiding member in a knitting machine that guides knitting needles to reciprocate along a plurality of needle grooves to knit a knit fabric, wherein knitting needles having one or more hooks are arranged singly or plurally in an overlapping manner in each of the needle grooves, whereby at least two hooks integrally operating are included in one needle groove.
A knitting needle-guiding member according to a second embodiment is the knitting needle-guiding member according to the first embodiment, wherein jacks are provided in the needle grooves, and the knitting needles arranged via the jacks singly or plurally in an overlapping manner are allowed to integrally reciprocate along the needle grooves.
A knitting needle-guiding member according to a third embodiment is the knitting needle-guiding member according to the second embodiment, wherein the knitting needles arranged plurally in an overlapping manner, are engaged and integrated with the jacks.
A knitting needle according to a fourth embodiment is a knitting needle used in the knitting needle-guiding member according to the first embodiment, the knitting needle including a stem with a plurality of branch parts at a front end side thereof and a plurality of hooks one each of which is provided at front ends of the branch parts of the stem.
A knitting needle according to a fifth embodiment is a knitting needle used in a knitting machine for knitting a knit fabric, including a stem having a plurality of branch parts at a front end side thereof and a plurality of hooks one each of which is provided at front ends of the branch parts of the stem.
A knitting method according to a sixth embodiment is a method for knitting a knit fabric by a knitting machine having the knitting needle-guiding member according to the first to third embodiments, wherein the at least two hooks provided in each of the needle grooves integrally perform the same knitting operation to knit a knit fabric.
A knit fabric according to a seventh embodiment is knitted by the knitting method according to the sixth embodiment.
Gloves according to an eighth embodiment have the knit fabric according to the seventh embodiment.
Gloves according to a ninth embodiment are gloves knitted by the knitting method according to the sixth embodiment, wherein a knit fabric of fingertips of the gloves is widened stepwise according to the number of hooks in each of the needle grooves.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the knitting needle-guiding member of the first embodiment, at least two hooks integrally operating are included in one needle groove, which makes it possible to form knitted stitches corresponding to the number of hooks included in one needle groove. Therefore, it is possible to significantly increase the number of knitted stitches without having to greatly modify a configuration of a knitting machine, and obtain a thin knit fabric with an excellent texture in an easy and economical manner.
According to the knitting needle-guiding member of the second embodiment, it is possible to significantly increase the number of knitted stitches without having to greatly modify a configuration of a knitting machine, and obtain a thin knit fabric with an excellent texture in an easy and economical manner, even if a knit fabric is to be knitted in patterns and in a complicated shape.
According to the knitting needle-guiding member of the third embodiment, a plurality of knitting needles is integrally configured, and therefore if one of the knitting needles is broken, only the broken needle needs to be replaced, which realizes replacement of knitting needles in an economical manner.
According to the knitting needle of the fourth and fifth embodiments, it is possible to easily increase the number of knitted stitches without having to increase the number of knitting needles.
According to the knitting method of the sixth embodiment, it is possible to knit a fine knit fabric in an efficient manner.
According to the knit fabric of the seventh embodiment, it is possible to obtain a fine-stitched knit fabric, which allows fabrication of a thin knit product with an excellent texture.
According to the gloves of the eighth embodiment, the gloves are entirely fine-stitched, which makes it possible to obtain gloves with an excellent texture.
According to the gloves of the ninth embodiment, the knit fabrics of fingertips of the gloves are widened stepwise according to the number of hooks in each of the needle grooves, which leads to a low knitting density and brings about slack in the knitting yarn. Therefore, it is possible to obtain comfortable gloves with round finger portions prone to be suited to a wearer's fingers.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an example of a part of a cross section of a knitting machine according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a configuration of a carriage.
Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a knitting needle-guiding member in a first embodiment of the present invention.
Figs. 4 are diagrams showing a configuration of a knitting needle arranged in the knitting needle-guiding member.
Figs. 5 are diagrams for describing an example of a method for manufacturing knitting needles.
Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a knitting needle with three hooks.
Figs. 7 are diagrams showing a knitting operation of the knitting needle in the knitting needle-guiding member of the first embodiment.
Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a knitting needle arranged in a knitting needle-guiding member in a second embodiment.
Fig. 9 is a schematic view for describing a state where knitting needles are selected by a needle selecting drum.
Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of the knitting needle-guiding member in the second embodiment.
Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a form of a knitting needle as a modification example of the second embodiment.
Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a form of a knitting needle as a modification example of the second embodiment.
Figs. 13 are diagrams showing an example of a bearded needle.
Figs. 14 are diagrams showing an example of a double-ended needle.
Fig. 15 is a diagram showing a glove in a working example.
Fig. 16 is a schematic view of a knitting process of fingertips of a glove knitted using a conventional knitting needle-guiding member (single needle selection) in a weft-knitting machine.
Fig. 17 is a schematic view of a knitting process of fingertips of a glove knitted using the knitting needle-guiding member of the present invention in a weft-knitting machine.

Reference Signs List

2: Needle bed
10: Carriage
11: Knitting yarn
20: Weft-knitting machine
30: Knitting needle-guiding member
31: Needle plate
32: Needle groove
50: Knitting needle
51: Hook
52: Stem
53: Latch
55: Branch part
60: Butt
70: Jack
90: Needle selecting drum
110: Glove

Description of Embodiments

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached views.

(1) First Embodiment

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an example of a part of a cross section of a knitting machine 20. Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a configuration of a carriage 10. Fig. 1 shows a flat-type weft-knitting machine as an example of a knitting machine according to the present invention. The knitting machine 20 includes a needle bed 2 formed by a pair of a front needle bed 2A and a back needle bed 2B. The front needle bed 2A and the back needle bed 2B are arranged with an interval (tooth opening 4) therebetween so as to have a cross section in an approximately inversed V shape. The front needle bed 2A and the back needle bed 2B have a large number of knitting needles 50 such as latch needles or crochet needles so as to move back and forth with respect to the tooth opening 4 over the front needle bed 2A and the back needle bed 2B.
The needle bed 2 has needle grooves described later formed with a constant pitch in a direction perpendicular to an arrow F (Fig. 2) as a direction of movement of the carriage 10 described later. The knitting needles 50 are stored in the needle grooves so as to be slidable back and forth with respect to the tooth opening 4. In addition, the knitting needles 50 each have on one end thereof a butt 60 projecting from upper surfaces of the front needle bed 2A and the back needle bed 2B.
As shown in Fig. 2, the carriage 10 includes a cam device that slides back and forth on the upper surfaces of the front needle bed 2A and the back needle bed 2B in a direction of arrangement of the knitting needles 50. In addition, the carriage 10 is controlled by a control device not shown to allow the knitting needles 50 to perform a knitting operation. A method for controlling the carriage 10 is publicly known and thus is not described here. The carriage 10 is intended to engage the cam device with the butts 60 of the knitting needles 50 selected on a lower surface of the cam device, thereby to move forward the knitting needles 50 to a knitting position toward the tooth opening 4 and knit a knitting yarn 11.
The carriage 10 is provided with the cam device including raising cams 12, a center cam 13, descending cams 14, a guard cam 15, for example. The raising cams 12 and the descending cams 14 allow the knitting needles 50 to reciprocate in the up-down direction, that is, in the longitudinal direction. The center cam 13 raises the knitting needles 50 pushed up by the raising cams 12, further up to the highest position. The guard cam 15 prevents unnecessary rising of the knitting needles 50 and creates a path for movement of the butts 60 of the knitting needles 50 to the descending cams 14. The butts 60 are guided through the path to raise the knitting needles 50 in a direction toward the hooks 51 at front ends thereof. In addition, when the knitting needles 50 are raised up to a position for performing a knitting operation, a knitting yarn is supplied to the hooks 51 of the knitting needles 50. When the knitting needles 50 are descended, the knitting needles 50 pull the yarn and form knitted stitches.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a knitting needle-guiding member 30A in a first embodiment of the present invention. The knitting needle-guiding member 30A of the knitting machine guides the knitting needles 50A into a plurality of needle grooves 32 such that the knitting needles 50A reciprocate to knit a knit fabric. The needle bed 2 has a plurality of needle plates 31 erected at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to a plane of paper in which Fig. 3 is provided, thereby to form the needle grooves 32. The needle bed 2 has grooves into which the needle plates 31 are to be inserted. The needle plates 31 are inserted into the grooves in the needle bed 2 to form the needle grooves 32 for arrangement of the knitting needles 50 between the needle plates 31. Arranged in the knitting needle-guiding member 30A are knitting needles 50A having a plurality of hooks 51 in the knitting grooves 32.
Figs. 4 are diagrams showing a configuration of a knitting needle 50A arranged in the knitting needle-guiding member 30A. Fig. 4(a) shows an outer configuration of the knitting needle 50A, and Fig. 4(b) is a planar view of the knitting needle 50A. The knitting needle 50A is a latch needle. The knitting needle 50A has branch parts 55a and 55b formed by branching a front end of a stem 52A as a main body part into two. In addition, a hook 51a for hooking a knitting yarn 11 is connected to a front end side of the branch part 55a, and a hook 51b is connected to a front end side of the branch part 55b. The hooks 51a and 51b are bent at front ends 61 thereof. Latches 53 are attached by rivets 54 to the knitting needle 50A so as to be capable of turning, and are used to open and close between hook parts and the stem 52A. At the opened and closed insides of the hooks 51a and 51b, it is possible to capture the knitting yarn 11 and lock a knitted stitch to be formed. As described above, the knitting needle 50A includes at a back end side thereof a butt 60A that allows the entire knitting needle 50A to reciprocate in the up-down direction of the knitting needle 50A by the cam device attached to the carriage 10.
As a method for manufacture of the knitting needle 50A, the latches 53 and other parts constituting the main body of the knitting needle 50A are integrally manufactured by a machine tool, and then the latches 53 are attached by rivets 54 to the main body part. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 5(a), the knitting needle 50A may be manufactured by fabricating individual parts such as a first hook main body part 57, a connection part 58, and a second hook main body part 59, and then joining and integrating those parts by welding. Fig. 5(b) is a diagram showing shapes of the first hook main body part 57, the connection part 58, and the second hook main body part 59 after the joining.
In the knitting needle of the present invention, one stem can include a desired number of hooks. However, from the viewpoints of strength of hooks and complexity of a knitting operation of knitted stitches, the number of hooks is desirably two or three. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a knitting needle 50B with three hooks. As shown in Fig. 6, the knitting needle 50B has branch parts 55a, 55b, and 55c formed by branching a front end side of a stem 52B as a main body part into three. In addition, hooks 51a, 51b, and 51c are connected to front end sides of the branch parts 55a, 55b, and 55c, respectively.
In the knitting needle-guiding member 30A, for example, the knitting needles each have a plurality of hooks in one stem, which makes it possible to form the number of knitted stitches corresponding to the number of hooks included in one needle groove 32. Therefore, it is possible to significantly increase the number of knitted stitches in an easy manner without having to increase the number of knitting needles to be arranged.

Next, a knitting operation of a knitting needle arranged in the knitting needle-guiding member of the present invention will be described. In the knitting needle-guiding member of the present invention, a plurality of hooks of a knitting needle provided in one needle groove performs the same knitting operation to knit a knit fabric.
Figs. 7 are diagrams showing a knitting operation of the knitting needle 50A in the knitting needle-guiding member 30A of the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7(a), when the carriage 10 moves, the raising cam 12 acts on the butt 60A of the knitting needle 50A to raise the knitting needle 50A. When the knitting needle 50A reaches the highest position at a peak of the center cam 13, a new knitting yarn 11 is supplied into the hook 51.
As shown in Fig. 7(b), when the knitting needle 50A is moved downward by the descending cam 14 in a state where knitted stitches are locked on the hook 51, the already locked knitted stitches 17 close the hook 51 by the latches 53.
As shown in Fig. 7(c), the already locked knitted stitches 17 move upward over the closed latches 53, and leave front ends 56 of the latches 53 to form new loops 18 by the knitting yarn supplied into the hooks 51. Then, only the new loops 18 on the hook 51 are locked at the knitting needle 50A so as to connect to the already knitted stitches 17.
As shown in Fig. 7(d), when the knitting needle 50A is moved upward again, the closed latches 53 are opened by the new loops 18. The new loops 18 move downward on the stem 52A to form the already knitted stitches 17.
In the foregoing knitting operation, when the stem 52A of the knitting needle 50A moves in the up-down direction, the hooks 51a and 51b, and the latches 53a and 53b provided at the front end sides of the adjacent branch parts 55a and 55b, each perform the same operations. Specifically, the foregoing hooks and latches integrally operate such that relative positions of the adjacent hooks 51a and 51b and relative positions of the adjacent latches 53a and 53b become the same.
Therefore, in the knitting needle-guiding member of the present invention, a plurality of hooks integrally operating is included in one needle groove, which makes it possible to knit a fine knit fabric in an efficient manner. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a thin knit fabric with an excellent texture in an easy and economical manner.

(2) Second Embodiment

In the knitting needle-guiding member 30A of the first embodiment, the knitting needles 50A having a plurality of hooks 51 are arranged in each of the needle grooves 32. Meanwhile, in the case of a knitting needle-guiding member of a second embodiment, the knitting machine 20 is provided with a needle selecting drum for selectively driving knitting needles according to the size and shape of a knit fabric to be knitted. In the knitting needle-guiding member of the second embodiment, knitting needles are arranged in the needle grooves 32 such that the knitting needles connect to and engage with jacks engaged with a selector included in the needle selecting drum on the knitting machine 20.
Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a knitting needle 50C arranged in the knitting needle-guiding member of the second embodiment. Fig. 9 is a schematic view for describing a state where the knitting needles 50C are selected by a needle selecting drum 90. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a knitting needle-guiding member 30B of the second embodiment. The configurations of the knitting needle-guiding member 30B and the knitting needles 50C in the second embodiment are similar to those of the knitting needle-guiding member 30A and the knitting needles 50A in the first embodiment described above. Therefore, the same components are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof are omitted, and different components will be described below. In particular, the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that jacks 70 engage with the knitting needles 50C.
As shown in Fig. 8, the knitting needle 50C has the jack 70 engaged with back part of the stem 52. The jack 70 has a knitting operation butt 75 subjected to action of the cam device of the carriage 10.
As shown in Fig. 9, the jacks 70 connect to and engage with the selector 80 at the back parts thereof. The selector 80 and the knitting needles are intervened by the jacks in order to prevent that the knitting needles 50C are lifted from the needle bed 2 and move in an unstable manner when up-and-down movements of the selector 80 transfer directly to the knitting needles. The needle selecting drum 90 is attached on a rotating shaft 91. The needle selecting drum 90 has lateral grooves 92 extending in a direction of the rotating shaft on an outer circumferential surface thereof. The lateral grooves 92 include needle selecting pins 93 in a predetermined arrangement pattern. Provided behind the jacks 70 is the selector 80 that allows the jacks 70 to swing up and down to allow the knitting operation butts 75 to engage with the carriage 10. The selector 80 is swingably provided around a supporting point 81. In addition, the selector 80 slidably holds terminal end parts of the jacks 70. Formed at a lower edge part of the selector 80 are projecting pieces 82 that enter into the lateral grooves 92 on the needle selecting drum 90. The needle selecting drum 90 acts on the knitting needle 50C when one needle selecting pin 93 acts on the knitting operation butt 75 through the selector 80 to decide movement of the needle.
Then, the needle selecting drum 90 rotates by one pitch in a circumferential direction according to intervals between the lateral grooves 92. At that time, the needle selecting pin 93 in the lateral groove 92 pushes up the jack 70 corresponding to the needle selecting pin 93. That is, the selector 80 moves up or down by the presence or absence of the needle selecting pin 93. As in the foregoing, only the jacks 70 pushed up can engage with the carriage 10, which makes it possible to drive selectively the required knitting needles 50C according to size and shape of a knit fabric to be knitted. Alternatively, the butts 60C may engage with the carriage 10 to perform a knitting operation.
In addition, as shown in Fig. 10, in the knitting needle-guiding member 30B, the jacks 70 are provided in the needle grooves 32, and the knitting needles 50C are arranged via the jacks 70.
In the second embodiment, the knitting needle 50C has two hooks 51 connected to the front end side of the stem 52C. In an alternative configuration, a plurality of knitting needles may be integrated and arranged in an overlapping manner by engaging one jack with the plurality of knitting needles having one hook connected to the front end side of the stem. Figs. 11 and 12 are diagrams showing examples of forms of knitting needles 50D and 50E as a modification example of the second embodiment. Fig. 11 shows the knitting needles 50D and 50E coupled by the jack 70, and Fig. 12 shows the knitting needles 50D and 50E before the coupling. As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the knitting needles 50D and 50E each have one hook 51, and the knitting needles 50D and 50E are coupled together by one jack 70. Specifically, a groove part 85 of a back end of the knitting needle 50D and a groove part 95 of a back end of the knitting needle 50E are engaged with a projection 76 at a front end of the jack 70. The knitting needles 50D and 50E in this embodiment can be more easily manufactured than the knitting needle 50C. In addition, since stems to which the two hooks are connected are not integrated, even if the hook 51 of either of the knitting needles 50D and 50E is broken, only the broken knitting needle needs to be replaced, which allows easy and inexpensive maintenance.
In the knitting needle-guiding member of the second embodiment, it is possible to attain the same advantages as those of the knitting needle-guiding member of the first embodiment described above. Further, when one jack is coupled to a knitting needle including two or more hooks, the two or more hooks can be moved by one needle selecting pin, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the number of parts constituting the needle selecting drum and the selector.
In addition, according to the knitting needle-guiding member of the second embodiment, even if a knit fabric is to be knitted in patterns and in a complicated shape, it is possible to significantly increase the number of knitted stitches without having to greatly modify a configuration of the knitting machine. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a thin knit fabric with an excellent texture in an easy and economical manner.

(3) Modification Example

As in the foregoing, embodiments of the present invention are described. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.
For example, in the foregoing embodiments, the present invention is applied to a flat-type knitting machine. However, the knitting needle-guiding member of the present invention may be included in any of weft-knitting machines such as a circular knitting machine, warp-knitting machines, or the like. In addition, the knitting needles of the present invention may also be used in knitting machines without needle grooves.
In addition, in the first embodiment, the knitting needles 50A are formed as latch needles, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the knitting needle-guiding member may include at least two hooks in another form such as bearded needles or double-ended needles, in one needle groove. Figs. 13 are diagrams showing an example of a bearded needle 50F. Fig. 13(a) shows an outer configuration of the knitting needle 50F, and Fig. 13(b) is a planar view of the knitting needle 50F. Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a double-ended needle 50G. Fig. 14(a) shows an outer configuration of the knitting needle 50G, and Fig. 14(b) is a planar view of the knitting needle 50G.
These modifications make it possible to achieve the same advantages as those of the foregoing embodiments.

(4) Knit Fabric Product

The knitting operation of the knitting needles arranged in the knitting needle-guiding member of the present invention makes it possible to produce gloves, socks, stockings, supporters, and other knit products such as clothes having the function of applying pressure to human bodies. In particular, to produce fingered- or toed-clothing such as gloves and socks, portions of finger or toe tips are generally formed in a round shape by gradually increasing knitting width from the knitting start point to the middle thereof. Conventionally, knitting width is made larger by increasing the number of knitting needles used one by one on both sides. According to this method, however, the knitted finger or toe tip portions are higher in knitting density and is bulged on the sides. In contrast, when the knitting width is made larger by increasing the knitting needles used two by two on the both sides as in the present invention, the knitted stitches have larger width differences to increase clearance and reduce knitting density, which makes it possible to easily form round finger or toe tip portions that follow the shapes of a wearer's fingers or toes. Gloves will be described below as a working example of a knit product knitted by the knitting operation of the knitting needles arranged in the knitting needle-guiding member of the present invention.

Working Example

The gloves are knitted using the knitting needle-guiding member 30B of the present invention in a weft-knitting machine. Fig. 15 is a diagram showing a glove 110 according to the working example. The glove 110 is produced by knitting finger caps for a little finger 111, a ring finger 112, a middle finger 113, and an index finger 114; knitting a four-finger trunk 116 as one cylindrical body while connecting the finger caps together at finger base forming positions; knitting a thumb cap 115; knitting a five-finger trunk 117 by connecting together the thumb cap 115 and the four-finger trunk 116; and finally, knitting a wrist part 118.
The weft-knitting machine is set at 13 gauges (which is equivalent to 26 gauges with publicly-known knitting needles because the knitting needles of the present invention each include two hooks in one needle groove). Then, a single yarn of wooly nylon (70 deniers/24 filaments) as a knitting yarn is supplied from a yarn feeding device to knit the seamless glove 110. The knitted fabric is organized by 85 courses per inch and 43 wales per inch.
Next, a structure of a knit fabric of fingertips of the gloves knitted using the knitting needle-guiding member 30B of the present invention in a weft-knitting machine, will be described below. Fig. 16 is a schematic view of a knitting process of fingertips of gloves knitted using a conventional knitting needle-guiding member (single needle selection) in a weft-knitting machine. Fig. 17 shows a schematic view of a knitting process of fingertips of gloves knitted using the knitting needle-guiding member 30B of the present invention (plural needle selection) in a weft-knitting machine. In Figs. 16 and 17, reference numerals F1 to F20 denote hooks in a front needle bed, and B1 to B20 denote hooks in a back needle bed. In addition, mark o denotes knitted stitches. Reference numerals MF1 to MF10 in Fig. 17 represent that each of the knitting needles has a stem branched into two at a front end thereof. In Figs. 16 and 17, the hooks are arranged with a constant pitch such that vertical courses become identical in number. The number of knitting needles selected is increased one by one. More specifically, in single needle selection, selected hooks are increased one by one, and in plural needle selection, selected hooks are increased two by two.
To knit the gloves, knitting is first started at a START position as shown in Figs. 16 and 17. Knitting courses are formed by feeding a yarn in a zigzag manner to the needles F1 to F20 in the front needle bed and the needles B1 to B20 in the back needle bed. Subsequent to the knitting of the knitting courses, a publicly-known knitting operation is performed so as to form round fingertips suited to the shapes of a wearer's fingers by decreasing knitting width and then increasing the same. Accordingly, the fingertip portions are formed in round shapes.
Next, as shown in arrows in Figs. 16 and 17, a yarn is fed from a knitted stitch on the hook F20 positioned on a left end side of a portion knitted at the start by the needles in the front needle bed, in a view of a plane of paper, to the hook B14 in the opposed back needle bed. Next, a row of stitches behind the knitting start portion is knitted from the hook B14 to the hook B7. Then, a yarn is fed from the knitted stitch on the hook B7 positioned on the right end side of the portion knitted by the needles in the back needle bed, in a view of a plane of paper, to the hook F7 in the opposed front needle bed. Similarly, a row of stitches behind a knitting start portion is knitted from the hook F7 to the hook F14. Subsequently, the same steps are repeated.
The thus obtained gloves 110 have entirely fine knitted stitches and an excellent texture when worn. In addition, the fingertips of the gloves have round shapes that suit to a wearer's fingers, creating a comfortable feeling.
In general, when a knit fabric is increased in row, a yarn flows obliquely from the front needle bed to the back needle bed. Accordingly, when the knitted gloves are worn on a three-dimensional shape, portions of the gloves at which a yarn flows obliquely are under tension and less prone to be suited to a wearer's hands. In this working example, as shown in Figs. 16 and 17, an interval b between knitted stitches where a yarn flows from the hook F14 to the hook B16 in plural needle selection mode of this working example, is larger than an interval a between knitted stitches where a yarn flows from the hook F14 to the hook B15 in single needle selection mode, for example. In addition, a length of a yarn flowing from the hook F14 to the hook B16 in plural needle selection mode, becomes longer. In this working example, a longer yarn flows obliquely to produce slack in a yarn at fingertips of the gloves. In other words, since the knit fabric of fingertips of the gloves widens stepwise according to the numbers of hooks in the needle grooves, the knit fabric of the fingertips of the gloves is lower in knitting density, thereby resulting in slack in a yarn. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent that the fingertips are horizontally bulged on the sides thereof as in conventional gloves. This allows manufacture of gloves with round fingertips prone to suit to a wearer's hands.
The configurations of the foregoing embodiments and modification examples may be partly exchanged as appropriate as far as the exchange does not cause a contradiction.

Claims

A knitting needle-guiding member in a knitting machine that guides knitting needles to reciprocate along a plurality of needle grooves to knit a knit fabric, wherein
knitting needles having one or more hooks are arranged singly or plurally in an overlapping manner in each of the needle grooves, whereby at least two hooks integrally operating are included in one needle groove.
A knitting needle-guiding member according to Claim 1, wherein jacks are provided in the needle grooves, and the knitting needles arranged via the jacks singly or plurally in an overlapping manner are allowed to integrally reciprocate along the needle grooves.
The knitting needle-guiding member according to Claim 2, wherein the knitting needles arranged plurally in an overlapping manner, are engaged and integrated with the jacks.
A knitting needle used in the knitting needle-guiding member according to Claim 1, the knitting needle comprising:
a stem with a plurality of branch parts at a front end side thereof; and

a plurality of hooks one each of which is provided at front ends of the branch parts of the stem.
A knitting needle used in a knitting machine for knitting a knit fabric, the knitting needle comprising:
a stem having a plurality of branch parts at a front end side thereof; and

a plurality of hooks one each of which is provided at front ends of the branch parts of the stem.
A knitting method for knitting a knit fabric by a knitting machine having the knitting needle-guiding member according to Claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least two hooks provided in each of the needle grooves integrally perform the same knitting operation to knit a knit fabric.
A knit fabric knitted by the knitting method according to Claim 6.
Gloves having the knit fabric according to Claim 7.
Gloves knitted by the knitting method according to Claim 6, wherein a knit fabric of fingertips of the gloves is widened stepwise according to the number of hooks in each of the needle grooves.