GB2159843A

GB2159843A - Warp knitted fabric

Info

Publication number: GB2159843A
Application number: GB08414771A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Stuart Ashton
Original assignee: BURLINGTON FABRICS
Current assignee: BURLINGTON FABRICS
Priority date: 1984-06-09
Filing date: 1984-06-09
Publication date: 1985-12-11
Also published as: GB8414771D0

Abstract

A warp knitted fabric has a ground fabric 12, 14 including a plurality of floats (14) to define a loop raised fabric and a plurality of patterning yarns 16 knitted with the ground fabric so as to create a surface pattern on the ground fabric, the patterning yarns being knitted so as to have floats overlying and extending in the same general direction as the floats of the ground fabric and so as to have stitches knitted with the ground fabric, the floats creating relatively high areas and said knitted stitches creating relatively low area of said surface pattern. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Warp knitted fabric The present invention relates to a warp knitted fabric which is particularly, but not exclusively, suited for furnishings.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a warp knitted fabric which has a decorative surface defined by a 3 dimensional relief.

According to the present invention there is provided a warp knitted fabric having a ground fabric including a plurality of floats to define a loop raised fabric and a plurality of patterning yarns knitted with the ground fabric so as to create a surface pattern on the ground fabric, the patterning yarns being knitted so as to have floats overlying and extending in the same general direction as the floats of the ground fabric and so as to have stitches knitted with the ground fabric, the floats creating relatively high areas and said knitted stitches creating relatively low areas of said surface pattern. Preferably, the fabric is brushed to raise said floats and is subsequently cropped.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the lapping motions of the guide bars; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a portion of fabric as knitted; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the fabric after brushing and cropping; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of the lapping motions of the guide bars for a different fabric; and Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the fabric of Fig. 4 after knitting.

The fabric according to the present invention is knitted on a warp knitting machine using three guide bars.

The first guide bar is supplied with yarn 1 2 which is fed to each needle. The first guide bar undergoes a lapping motion of 1-0/1-2 repeat to create a series of adjacent wales.

The second bar is supplied with yarn 14 which is fed to each needle. The second bar undergoes a lapping motion of 1-0/5-6 repeat and produces a series of adjacent long floats 1 4a. The yarn 14 is knitted together with the wales produced by yarn 1 2 to form a ground fabric construction.

The lapping motions of the first bar may be altered if desired. The lapping motions described above create a stable non-stretch type ground fabric. However, if desired, the lapping motions of the first bar may for instance be 1-0/0-1, repeat to provide a looser ground fabric.

Additionally, the weight of the ground fabric may be varied by either altering the length of floats 1 4a or the denier of the yarn. It will be appreciated that the longer the floats 1 4a the heavier the ground fabric and vice versa.

For instance, a lapping motion of 1-0/3-4 would produce an acceptable lighter fabric.

The third bar is fed with yarn 1 6 on a 2 in, 2 out basis i.e. yarn is fed to alternate pairs of needles i.e. to every 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10 etc.

The third bar undergoes a lapping motion of 1-0/1-2/1-0/3-4/3-2/3-4, repeat. The third bar produces a series of wales possessing short overlaps and underlaps (16a, 1 6b respectively) and long underlaps and overlaps which form floats 16e which are located on top of the ground fabric and which produce a desired pattern (in the present case a diamond like pattern).

The yarn 1 6 is knitted with the ground fabric at selected points (stitches 160) to anchor down the yarns at that point. These areas form the lower regions of the pattern and the remaining areas covered by floats 14a, 1 6c are the upper regions.

After knitting, the fabric is subjected to a brushing operation which has the effect of raising floats 1 4a and 16c. The raised fabric is then cropped to give uniformity to the height of the brushed fabric. This is illustrated schematically in Fig. 3 (yarns 1 2 having been omitted for clarity) wherein the raised areas defined by raised floats 1 4a, 1 6c are shown lighter than the lower areas as defined by knitted stitches 1 6d which serve to anchor down the yarns to prevent raising during the brushing operation.

In the described embodiment each yarn 12, 1 4 and 1 6 is a 76 dtex F30 multifilament non textured yarn, preferably formed from a polyester such as Terylene (Registered Trade Mark).

The above described fabric has a well defined 3 dimensional relief composed of raised pimples which create a diamond effect of relatively small dimensions. When the fabric is knitted on a 28 gauge the pimples are spaced apart by about 3mm. The fabric is resistant to stretch and is hard wearing.

Preferably, the yarn 1 6 has the same dye characteristics as yarn 1 4 so that after knitting the float 1 4a and 1 6c become indistinguishable.

It will be appreciated that the lapping motions of the third bar may be altered to vary the position of stitches 1 6d and also vary the length of floats 1 6c in order to create different pattern affects. Additionally, the threading of yarns 1 6 may be varied to create a different effect e.g. the number of yarns in each group may be varied and the spacing between the groups may be varied.

For instance, a modified fabric which is of a bulky woollen like character may be produced by knitting the fabric on a coarser gauge machine such as a 24 gauge (Raschel) machine (i.e. 1 2 needles per inch), using a heavier denier yarn such as 1 67 dtex for all yarns 1 2, 14 and 1 6 using a textured polyester yarn and threading the guide bar for the patterning yarn 16 on a 1 in, 3 out basis.

This fabric is not brushed and cropped and defines a textured 3 dimensional pattern.

In Fig. 4 the lapping motions for the guide bars of yarns 12, 14 and 1 6 are illustrated.

Preferably in order to provide resistance to stretch of the ground fabric, an addition yarn 1 8 is knitted in on every needle. The lapping motion for the guide bar of yarn 18 is 4-0/0-4 repeat. A visual representation of the fabric after knitting is illustrated in Fig. 4 where again the upper regions of the relief pattern are shown lighter than the lower regions (yarns 1 2 and 18 have been omitted for clarity.

Although it is preferable for yarns 14, 1 6 to have the same dyeing characteristics it will be appreciated that if desired yarns 14, 1 6 having differing characteristics may be used.

Claims

1. A warp knitted fabric having a ground fabric including a plurality of floats to define a loop raised fabric and a plurality of patterning yarns knitted with the ground fabric so as to create a surface pattern on the ground fabric, the patterning yarns being knitted so as to have floats overlying and extending in the same general direction as the floats of the ground fabric and so as to have stitches knitted with the ground fabric, the floats creating relatively high areas and said knitted stitches creating relatively low areas of said surface pattern.

2. A warp knitted fabric according to Claim 1 wherein said floats are raised to produce a brushed fabric.

3. A warp knitted fabric according to Claim 2 wherein the brushed fabric is cropped.

4. A warp knitted fabric according to any preceding Claim wherein the ground fabric comprises two groups of yarns, a first group being knitted to produce adjacent unconnected wales of stitches having short underlaps and overlaps and a second group being knitted to produce adjacent unconnected wales of stitches having long underlaps and overlaps the stitches of the two groups of yarns being knitted together to produce a stable fabric.

5. A warp knitted fabric according to Claim 4 wherein the ground fabric includes a third group of yarns which are knitted to produce adjacent unconnected straight pillars.

6. A warp knitted fabric according to any preceding claim, wherein the ground fabric yarns and the patterning yarns all have the same dye characteristics.

7. A warp knitted fabric according to any preceding claim wherein each yarn is a multifilament non textured yarn.

8. A warp knitted fabric according to any preceding claim wherein the patterning yarns are knitted in with the ground fabric in groups containing a selected number of wales, neighbouring groups being spaced apart by a selected number of wales.

9. A warp knitted fabric substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of knitting a warp knitted fabric, the method comprising knitting a loop raised ground fabric and simultaneously knitting therewith a plurality of patterning yarns which are knitted so as to have floats overlying and extending in the same general direction as the floats of the ground fabric and so as to have stitches knitted with the ground fabric at selected locations.

11. A method according to Claim 10 wherein the patterning yarns are threaded through a guide bar for controlling their lapping motions, the patterning yarns being threaded through the guide bar in groups containing a selected number of yarn ends, adjacent groups being spaced apart by a selected number of needle positions.

1 2. A method according to Claim 11 wherein the guide bar for the patterning yarns undergoes a lapping motion at a first position between a selected number of needles for a selected number of courses and is then traversed to a second position to undergo a lapping motion between a selected number of needles for a selected number of courses and is then traversed back to the first position to repeat the sequence, said floats being created when the guide bar traverses between its first and second positions.

13. A method according to Claim 12 wherein the lapping motions for the pattern guide bar are 1-0/1-2/1-0/3-4/3-2/3-4 repeat.

14. A method of knitting a warp fabric substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.