GB2169009A

GB2169009A - Knitted fabric and method of producing same

Info

Publication number: GB2169009A
Application number: GB08530664A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Woods; Bernard Musson; Raymond Herbert
Original assignee: SAFFRON KNITTING Co LIMIT
Current assignee: SAFFRON KNITTING Co LIMIT
Priority date: 1984-12-19
Filing date: 1985-12-12
Publication date: 1986-07-02
Also published as: GB8432005D0; GB8530664D0

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for abrading a surface of a knitted fabric to break down the fibres and cause fibre hairs to upstand from the fabric surface. The so-treated fabric is then scoured, rinsed, dried and stentered. The treatment may be used to render a comparatively low cost fabric softer, lighter and denser and, at the same time, drape better. A circular knitting machine may be used to raise the pile. A spider assembly 12 having limbs 18 which carry abrasive rollers for acting on the internal surface of the fabric may be used. Alternatively the fabric external surface may be subject to pile raising, for which the fabric is supported internally, e.g. by a hollow cylinder and the abrasive means are supported on arms connected to a fixed part of the knitting machine. The pressure exerted on the fabric by the abrasive means may be resiliently adjustable. Abrasive paper, brush or a teasel may constitute abrasive means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Knitted fabric and method of producing same The present invention relates to a knitted fabric and method of producing same, the invention being concerned particularly, but not exclusively with a knitted fashion fabric.

An object of the invention is to treat, at low cost, a comparatively low priced fabric to render it softer, lighter and denser and at the same time drape better.

According to the broadest aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of treating a knitted fabric which comprises abrading the fibre threads to provide the fabric surface with a hair-like effect, and finishing the so-treated fabric by the steps of scouring, rinsing, drying and stentering.

Also, according to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for treating a knitted fabric as it is being taken down from the needles of a knitting machine to a takedown mechanism, comprising abrasive means, bondable into contact with the fabric to break down the fabric threads and so provide the fabric surface with a hair-like effect. The method of the invention may be performed either on a flat or V-bed knitting machine or a circular knitting machine.

When performed upon a circular machine, and the fabric is to be treated on its external surface, a fabric support such as a hollow cylinder may be provided over which the fabric being taken down passes the cylinder supporting the fabric whilst it is treated with the abrasive means. When the fabric being taken down is to be abraded on its internal surface the abrasive means may be mounted upon an assembly internally of the taken down fabric.

The abrasive means may comprise, for example, abrasive paper, a brush or a teasel.

The abrasive means may be provided at one or more stations. When a plurality of stations are provided they are conveniently staggered one relative to the other.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pressure asserted upon the fabric by the abrasive means is resiliently adjustable, the preferred pressure being about 10gm. The abrasive means breaks down the fibres present in the surface of the fabric and in doing so pulls out fibre hairs which then tend to upstand from the fabric surface. This results in partly concealing the knitting loops giving the appearance rather of a woven fabric than a knitted one.

The step of finishing the fabric compacts and densifies the abraded fabric so that for example the fibre hairs are put back onto the fabric surface. The finishing steps are not in themselves novel.

The fabric may be knitted from natural or synthetic yarn or a blend of natural and synthetic yarns.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of fabric being taken down from the needles of a circular knitting machine and showing a spider-like assembly having abrasive means at the outer end of each limb in driving engagement with the inner surface of the fabric.

Figure 2 is a plan view of part of the spider-like assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the abrasive means shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a partly cut-away side elevational view of fabric being taken down from the needles of a circular knitting machine and showing abrasive means in driving engagement with the outer surface of the fabric; and Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 4 but showing a further embodiment of the invention in which the fabric being taken down is caused to pass over a cylindrical former.

In Figure 1, fabric 10 is shown in tubular form being taken down from the needles of a circular knitting machine. A spider-like structure 12 is located coaxially within the fabric being taken down, being fixedly mounted upon a fixed part of the machine by a collar 14 at its upper end and a spindle 16 at its lower end. The spider has four radially-extending limbs 18 as may best be seen from Figure 2. The inner end of each limb is mounted in the collar 14, the outer end resiliently loading the abrasive means into contact with the inner surface of the fabric 10 by means of respective springs 20.

As may be seen from Figure 3, the abrasive means consists of a roller rotatably carried in a frame 24 therefor. The frame is slightly downwardly inclined relative to the inner end of its limb 18 by an amount sufficient to enable all the surface of the roller to engage the fabric being taken down see Figure 2.

The roller consists of a plurality of closely packed teasels 26 which penetrate the fabric to pull fibre hairs from within the body of the fabric as it is being taken down. The hairs of fibre upstand from the fabric surface in an effect not dissimilar to that produced by using angora wool.

The fabric is then finished by the known steps of scouring, rinsing and stentering. The finishing compacts and densifies the abraded fabric so that the upstanding fibre hairs are put back onto the fabric surface.

The effect of the treatment of the invention is to partly conceal the knitted fabric loops thus tending to give the appearance of a quality woven rather than a knitted fabric. Thus, whereas the invention is applicable fabric knitted from natural fibres or a blend of natural and synthetic fibres, it is envisaged that the invention will be of particular benefit to fabric knitted wholly from the cheaper synthetic yarns, such as 100% acrylic yarn, thus enabling a comparatively cheap fabric to be given the appearance and feel of a more expensive fabric.

It will be appreciated that in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, each roller may be adjustably mounted so that all of its surface engages with the fabric being taken down. For this purpose the axis of each roller may be offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder of the knitting machine, the angle of offset normally being less than 5 degrees.

Furthermore, means (not shown) may be provided for adjusting the pressure which the roller applies to the fabric. In this way, the quantity of the fibre hairs pulled from the fabric may be controlled. To produce the required result, the preferred pressure is around 10gm.

Finally, whereas the abrasive means has been described as teasels which actually penetrate the fabric surface, any other abrasive mechanism may be used. For example, if only the surface of the fabric is to be abraded, abrasive paper may be utilised. Alternatively, if more abrasive effect is required, but not so rigorous as that produced by teasels, then a wire or other form of brush may be used.

However, whichever form of abrasive means is used, it must result in fibre hairs being pulled from the knitted fabric.

Referring now to Figure 4, fabric 10 is shown being taken down from a circular knitting machine. Two wire brushes 28 are loaded into contact with the external surface of the fabric. Each brush is mounted upon an arm 30 connected to a fixed part 32 of the knitting machine frame. Each arm 30 is in two parts (not shown) the outer one which carries the brush being pivotally mounted to the inner one. A spring (not shown) is adjustably connected between the two arms thus permitting the loading exerted by the brush upon the fabric to be adjusted.

It will be appreciated that whilst Figure 4 shows the use of two wire brushes 28, any number of brushes may be used in dependence upon the depth of abrasion required upon the fabric.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 is similar to that of Figure 4 save for the slightly different arrangement of the brush heads. In addition, a cylindrical former 34 is provided which supports internally fabric being taken down at an area or zone which is being abraded externally.

It will be noted that in both Figures 4 and 5 the brushes are arranged to treat the whole of the surface of the knitted fabric and not just stripes of the fabric being taken down.

Claims

1. A method of treating a knitted fabric which comprises abrading the fibre threads to provide the fabric surface with a hair-like effect, and finishing the so-treated fabric by the steps of scouring, rinsing, drying and stentering.

2. An apparatus for treating a knitted fabric as it is being taken down from the needles of a knitting machine to a take-down mechanism, comprising abrasive means, loadable into contact with the fabric to break down the fabric threads and so provide the fabric surface with a hair-like effect.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the abrasive means comprises abrasive paper, a brush or a teasel.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3 in which the abrasive means is provided at one or more stations.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which when a plurality of stations are provided they are staggered one relative to the other.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 in which the pressure exerted upon the fabric by the abrasive means is resiliently adjustable.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the abrasive means is loaded onto the fabric under a pressure of about 10gm.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 in when the fabric is knitted upon a circular knitting machine and is to be treated upon its external surface, a support is provided adjacent the abrasive means to support the fabric internally whilst it is abraded.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the support comprises a hollow cylinder.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 or 9 in which the abrasive means is mounted upon an arm connected to a fixed part of the knitting machine.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the arm is in two parts which are pivotally connected together with the outer arm carrying the abrasive means, a spring adjustably connecting the two parts together to enable the loading exerted by the brush upon the fabric to be adjusted.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 in which when the fabric is knitted upon a circular knitting machine and is to be treated upon its internal surface, the abrasive means is mounted upon an assembly internally of the fabric.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 in which a plurality of abrasive means are provided each carried at the outer end of respective limbs of a spider-like assembly which is itself mounted upon a fixed part of the knitting machine.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which each arm carries a spring by means of which the abrasive means is resiliently loaded into contact with the fabric

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which each abrasive means comprises a roller.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 in which the roller is downwardly inclined with respect to the spider.

17. A method of treating a knitted fabric substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.

18. An apparatus for treating a knitted fab ric as it is being taken down from the needles of a knitting machine to a take-down mecha nism substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.