IL30123A - Circular knitted articles of footwear and methods of producing same - Google Patents

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR KNITTED ARTICLES OP FOOTWEAR AND METHODS OP PRODUCING SAME x aiaon m »OT onvion a*m*a D'?n?Dw This invention relates to circular knitted articles of footwear which expression includes stockings or hose, half hose and socks, or "sox" as they are sometimes designated, Stockings or hose are customarily formed with welts, whereas half hose and more especially socks are formed with rip tops, e.g, of the riohlieu or mock rib type.

The invention, moreover, has reference exclusively to ciroular knitted articles of footv/ear of a previously proposed form which, except for finishing operations, are wholly completed, including toe closure, on a ciroular knitting machine. In the knitting of a stocking of this form, the toe portion is knitted of double fabric by a procedure similar to that conventionally adopted for producing a turned welt, i.e. a procedure consisting in first effecting a make-up and then holding one of the initial courses by transfer elements in the nature of ,welt hooks in a dial, next continuing knitting on the needles until a sufficient length of turned or doubled fabrio is formed and thereupon transferring baok to the ; · needles the loops held by the v/elt hooks to complete the; toe fabric, the actual formation of the toe pocket and its "closure" being effected by drawing up the fold of the doubled fabric at an appropriate stage. In one known arrangement the closure is effected, preferably just prior to the transfer of the loops baok to the needles, by relative turning motion between the welt dial and the needle cylinder of the circular knitting maohine. ' This relative rotation is usually through 360° and may most conveniently be effected by preventing is to be understood that such relative rotation may be to a less extent. The result of this is that the two successively produced and continuous tubular outer and inner sections or layers of turned fabric will be twisted to form a pocket and simultaneously close the opening of the tube. But whereas the twist is applied to the toe fabric in point of time oust prio to transfer of loops back to needles, the actual twist to close the toe takes place as to location at the point of turn, or the "pivot" as it is sometimes referred to» which is coincident with an imaginary line dividing the . turned toe fabric into its two tubular outer and inner sectionsor layers aforesaid. During the twisting operation the beginning of each wale of needle loops is brought into alignment with a needle, thus facilitating the transfer of loops by which the form of the toe pocket is retained. If the relative rotation between the welt dial and the needle cylinder is through 360° the beginning of a needle wale will, of course, be brought back into alignment with itself. As the twist in the toe fabric approaches anything like 360°, the initially open end of the tube is so tightly closed as to preclude any subsequent opening thereof by the toe of the wearer in the region of the twist.

In another known arrangement for effecting the closure an additional yarn is introduced during the knitting of the length of fabric which is turned or doubled back and is laid in to the extent. of one or more convolutions between the loops of the held course and the fabric being knitted. When these loops are transferred back to the the doubled fabric, and the additional yarn is then pulled tight, so drawing or gathering up the fold of the doubled f bric to effect the closure in the manner of a purse-string; Hereto ore , the two tubular inner and outer sections or layers of toe fabric in a circular knitted article of footwear of the forms herein referred to have generally been of the same construction and bulk with, however, a more finely knitted and less bulky junction portion between them - allegedly to facilitate effecting the closure, Thus, in the heavier types of footwear, such as ladies' s support hose, men's socks and. bab socks (which are heavier than, say, a ladies' hose knitted on 00 needles) a problem arises due to the ■ substantial bulk or congestion of the fabric near ; to thΘ ond of the toe of the finished article as offered for sale. This bulk or congestion starts to develop and build up about two thirds from the start of the toe - considering the latter in th© finished state -and extends to the point of the too. The congestion takes the form of pleats or ruches extending radially around the end of the toe and can cause discomfort to the wearer.

One object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide, in circular knitted, articles of footwear of the forms herein referred to, an improved closed toe construction designed to avoid the aforemention';d bulk or congestion of fabric near to the end of the toe.

Moreover, stockings of the forms herein referred to have heretofore usually been knitted toe first, and terminated by a turned welt. That is to say, the rather than initiated the production of the stocking. But this being so, it has previously been essential to adopt a final step of preventing running or ravelling of the fabric after" casting off at the welt end. This has been achieved by knitting, as a continuation of the inner section of the welt (in turn continuous with and joined to the outer section), a few courses of fabrio in the form of a circumferential run-off tab or flap.

In the previously proposed method of knitting toe first the toe fabric was plain knitted on only half the needles in the cylinder, the object being to reduce the waight of fabrio in compensation for the toe pocket being composed of double fabrio.

The manufacture of a stocking produced toe first as described above is subjeot to various disadvantages. Firstly, it involves time and expense in converting existing machines to enable them to knit toe first instead of welt first as is usual. Secondly, it may not always be advantageous to' knit the toe on. only half of the needles in the machine. Thirdly, the circumferential anti-run tab or flap knitted, after the turning of the welt curls up to provide an undesirable cord-like formation of unsightly appearance-extending around the welt. Added to these difficulties, knitting the welt last also creates a problem in regard to the vacuum unit customarily fitted to a modern circular hose knitting machine for drawing-down from the knitting head the product as produced thereon.

Thus, such a unit requires to be considerably modified in order to maintain the quality of knittin during the - * Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide improved stockings of the forms herein referred to and a method of producing the same adapted to obviate the foregoing disadvantages.

The first mentioned object of the invention is achieved, in respect of a stocking of the improved form just described with a welt, by making the- article welt first in the usual way. In this article, theeturned toe pocket of double fabric which, either is twisted prior to transference of held loops back to noddles, or is drawn together by the loop or loops of additional yarn, to close the tube at the toe end, is formed with a circumferential run-off tab or flap after the loops have been transferred back to the needles.

The second mentioned object of this invention is achieved by providing intermediate, i.e. between, the outer and inner sections or layers of the turned toe fabric, at and a oining the point of closure, a circumferentially extending section or band which is of reduced thickness by virtue of having a reduced number of needle wales and yarn or yarns of a reduced bulk as compared with the number of wales and the yarn bulk in at least the major portion of the said outer section or layer.

Thus, in making the improved circular knitted article of footwear, a selected number of the needles employed to knit at least the major portion of the first produced section or layer of the turned toe fabric are either taken out of action by appropriate movement thereof or are otherwise prevented from functioning before knitting of the toe Thus, comparing it with stockings of the form concerned as previously produced, the product made to achieve the second mentioned object of the invention is cast off at the final course of the toe instead of at the end of the welt, and the finally knitted run-off tab or flap is around the toe instead of around the welt, as heretofore. It is, however, considered that the presence of such a tab or flap around the olosed toe is not so conspicuous as, and is, in fact, more acceptable than, a tab or flap right around the lower end of a turned welt. For example, since it is required to stretch only around the front part of the foot, rather than around the leg or thigh of a wearer, it can be knitted more tightly so as to resist running and be less bulky. η-α££ ts.b or flap or by a rib op.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, a specific example thereof as applied to a ladies' stocking made welt first and closed by twisting the toe fabric will now be described with reference to the accompanying purely diagrammatic drawings, wherein, Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the lower part of such a stooking with the foot bottom or sole fully displayed, Fi ure 2 is a diagram depicting in a developed, i.e. foot and the turned toe fabric of the said stocking, Figure 3 illustrates, again in developed form, so much of the cam system and of the full complement of latch needles of a circular hose machine as is necessary to illustrate the knitting, at a main and an auxiliary cam-box of the various sections of the toe fabrio of the stookings, and Figures 4 and 5 are detail views similar to the upper portions of Figure 3 showing duplex knitting at the main and the auxiliary cam-boxes respectively.

In FigUre 1, the calf and the ankle portions of the stocking are represented at 2 and 3. The numeral 4 indicates the heel, and the foot bottom or sole is designated 5. ^he outer section or layer of the turned tubular toe fabric is indicated at A, the inner section or layer (hereinafter to be designated by e letter C) being, of course, hidden from view in igure χ. ^χ& portion of the intermediate relatively thin section B of the turned toe fabric appearing on the outside of the' stocking is shown twisted to form and close the toe pocket - the actual twist being depioted as a darkened circle having short tangential lines emanating from its circumference. At 6 is diagrammatic lly represented a toe-band (ring toe) which precedes the make-up of loops and the knitting of the outer section or layer A. At the completion of the toe, and preparatory to the knitting of the forementioned run-off tab or flap, the held to the needles, and in figure 1 the circumferential location at which such transference occurs is represented by the curved and parallel dotted lines 7. As will be appreciated, approximately half of the intermediate section B is located within the stocking and thus hidden from view. The whole of the run-off tab is similarly located and hidden* The appearance of a stocking closed by drawing is up loops of an additional yarn, as described,/similar, but there may be a small hole at the centre of the bunching together of the fabric, and the puckers or pleats are generally radial rather th»n tangential.

To facilitate an understanding of Figure 2, it requires to be explained that the knitted structures of the foot and of the contrasting sections of the turned toe fabric of the particular stocking now being described are diagraaimatically shown in typed symbols.-The key is as follows :- Plain knit stich o luck stitoh - X Make-up loops - MU Transfer of loops - TR Mock-rib stitch - 0 Thus, as will be seen, the foot 7, including its sole 5, is in a mioromesh construction comprising alternate courses of plain stitches and intervening courses incorporating suitably varying interspersions of plain stitches and tuck stitches.

The toe-band 6 is of a run-resist construction comprising alternate courses wholly of relatively tight course of 1 x 1 tuck slackened by advanced sinker action and produced in another thread, the even needles tucking in some of the said intervening courses and the odd needles tucking in the remaining ones of theee courses. The make-up 8 of loops represented by the letters U takes place immediately following the knitting of the toe-band 6, whereupon the outer section or layer A, i.e. the first section of the turned toe fabric, is knitted in a mock-rib stitch on a 1 x 1 needle selection basis.

The intermediate relatively thin section B in this example is knitted on alternate needles,, only, the loops on the other alternate needles simply being pressed off ... ' so that, as shown in figure 2, it comprises spaced needle-wales 9 of plain stitches with intervening walewise extending spaces 10 devoid of any loops.

The outer section or layer C, i.e. the last section of the turned toe fabric, is, like the section A, also knitted in mock-rib stitch on a 1 x 1 needle selectio basis.

Finally, and after the transfer of held loops back to needles at 7, the run-off tab 11 is produced in plain knit.

Turning now to Figure 3, the main cam-box of a circular hose machine on which the herein described stocking is produced, is designated CB1 whereas the auxiliary cam-box is designated CB2. But the terms "main" and "auxiliary", used for convenience, are not intended to limit the description to a twin-feed machine: rather, the terms are to be regarded as implying a 2-feed sequence described may be carried out on a machine having any appropriate even number of feeds. In, however, a 3-feed sequence, all needles may have to knit at one of the feeds, or there may ha e to be the same selection of needles two successive feeds* Be that as it may, there are provided at CB1 in the illustrated example, a forward stitch cam 12, a reverse stitch cam 13 for use when performing reciprocatory knitting, a forward clearing cam 14, a reverse clearing cam 15» top centre cam 16 and guard cam 17· At CB2, on the other hand, there are provided, a stitch cam 18, a stitoh cam guard 19» a olear ng cam 20 and a top centre cam 21* Needles are diagrammatically represented by the straight lines 22, their operating butts being shown at 22a. ή· ' t the main feed corresponding to CB1 there are provided at least one* high level feeder H3?l and a low level feeder £?!■, whereas at the auxiliary feed corresponding to CB2 there are similarly provided a high level feeder HP2 and a low level feeder LF2. In each of Figures 4 and 5 it will be seen that two separate yarns are fed through the two feeders, viz. a main yarn Yl represented by a thick dotted line and an auxiliary yam Ϋ2 represented by a thin dotted line* At the main' box, the ground yarn Yl is fed through the low level feeder LFl, whereas the auxiliary yarn Y2 is fed through the high level feeder HP1. But at the auxiliary box the ground yarn Y2 is fed through the low level feeder Li?2 and the auxiliar yarn Yl through the high level feeder HF2, With further reference to Figures 4 and 5, at each , the ground yarn only. H2, however, indicates the height of the needles talcing "both the ground and high level yarns. It must be understood that all needles have been cleared before selection at each of the two cam-boxes.

Any appropriate means may be provided for selectively raising predetermined ones of the needles 22 to the height H2 at either feed. For example, the needles may be controlled for this purpose by jacks (not shown) provided beneath them, the machine being equipped with any suitable jack-selecting means for raising jacks sufficiently to position corresponding needles at H2.

In producing the hereinbefore described stocking on such a machine, both the outer and the inner sections or layers A and B of the turned toe fabric are knitted on a mock-rib or richlieu basis as follows: - At the box CBl as. well as at the box CB2, all needles 22 take the ground yarn at the low level and knit whereas alternate needles raised to the high level H2 take both yarns at such level and knit. There is thus a 1 x 1 selection of needles at each cam box. The auxiliary yarn Y2 fed in tlirough HFl at the cam-box CBl may be a fine high twist yarn, whereas the yarn Yl fed in through IP1 at the same box may advantageously be a bulked or crepe type yarn, e.g. I.C.I, Type No. 171· At the oam-box CB2, on the other hand, a fine high twist yarn Y2 may be fed through LP2 at the low level and a bulked or crepe type yarn Yl through HP2 at the high level. Consequently, at CBl those needles take the yarn Y1 at HI/ whereas the alternate needles selectively raised to the high level H2 take both yarns Yl and Y2. But at CB2, the needles at height HI take the yarn Y2 and the alternate needles selectively raised to H2 take yarns Yl and Y2.

At CB1, the low level feeder LF1 is withdrawn, thereby withdrawing the yarn Y1 so that no needles knit it, whereas only alternate needles selectively raised to height H2 take and knit the yarn Y2 fed in through the high level feeder ELF1. At the box CB2, on the other hand, all needles take and knit the yarn Y2 fed in through the low level feeder LJ?2, and the high level feeder H3?2 is withdrawn, thereby withdrawing the yarn Y1 so that no needles knit it. During this process of knitting, t is important that latch openers should be employed. It will accordingly be appreciated that at CB1 knitting will only take place on the alternate selectxvely raised needles: the needles at height H1 will press off for want of yarn. A¾ CB2, those needles holding loops or stitches will continue to knit whilst the needles devoid of loops will take up the relevant yarn but will reject it on entering the next cam-box by virtue of cleared loops being knocked over.

It is, however, to be clearly understood that instead of alternate needles only taking yarn at the appropriate levels at the two boxes the needles which so take yarn from the relevant feeders may be ones regularly spaced apart at any other appropriate intervals, e.g. every third or every fourth needle, according to predetermined selective actuation of the needles.

Although the hereinbefore described method of high and low level feeding is the preferred ones, it would alternatively be possible on a 2-feed sequence to produce the relatively thin section or band B by knitting plain courses in a fine yarn at one box and courses of 1 x A float or miss also in a fine yarn at the other box..

Since the loops of alternate needles are simply pressed off at the end of Section A, there is a tendency for them to run back* However, this tendency is minimised with the mock rib or rlchlieu structure used, which can be knitted tightly since the fabric has only to fit over the toes of a wearer, The combination of the bulked ya n and the fine high twist yarn also resists running, and renders any runs which do occur practically invisible in wear.

Having now described the preferred form of the product of this invention and also the preferred manner of producing the same, possible variants will now ba described.

The outer section or layer A of the turned toe fabric may be mad© on all the needles in the machine or on only a selection thereof.

The inner section or layer C of the said fabric need not necessarily be of the mock-rib or richlieu type already described iierein. Thus, it may be of any other appropx'iate structure made on all or on a selected number only of the needles, any appropriate yarn being incorporated therein. Moreover, there is no necessity for the said inner section or layer C to have run-resis properties. But, bearing in mind that the inner section or layer C is tubular and lies within the tubular outer section or layer A, the quality of the yarns used must be carefully determined to avoid pleating.

The relatively thin section B at the point of twist may be knitted on any appropriate reduced number other than half of the needles, and the twists in the fine high twist yarn incorporated in this section may ifollow consecutively, e.g. S + S.

At to the yarns incorporated in the run-off rab 11, these may be similar to but heavier than those in the section B, S + S crepe or bulked yarns proving; to be the best.

As previously stated, it is preferred that in- the case of a stocking the welt shall be knitted first.

In this case the stocking may be formed with a singl© npn-ribbed fabric welt. Such a welt may conveniently comprise a main lower section, which is either wholly plain knit or plain knit with incorporation of tuck or fancy stitches, and a top portion or section which has, in every course or in each of predetermined courses, plain loops interspersed with tuck or miss stitches which impart anti-roll properties to the top portion -constituting an anti-roll band, i'his anti-roll band may be based on a firm mock-rib type of construction, and the tip of the band may comprise a picot section produced by pronounced tucking resulting from the accumulation on each of spaced needles, prior to clearing of the latter, of a plurality of loops drawn at a coiTe3 o di £ number of successive courses during knitting of the tip.

If desired, when the toe is to be closed by twisting, the toe fabric may be knitted of a recoverable twist yam the resultant torque in which, during recovery, is sympathetic to and assists in the twisting of the fabric to effect toe closure on the circular knitting machine.

For closure by twisting it will be appreciated that any suitable mechanism may be provided in a circular knitting machine for automatically effecting the a orementioned relative rotation between the dial and the needle cylinder at the appropriate tine during the production of each circular iaiitted article of footwear. Such mechanisms are already known.

The actual coursewise extent of the intermediate section or band £ of relatively thin fabric may vary, but about sixteen courses has been found satis ctory* A further advantage of providing an intermediate relatively thin section of collapsible knitted fabric having a reduced number of needle wales as aforesaid is that its presence causes the turned toe fabric the more readily to assume a downwardly tapered form which naturally enhances the shape of the ultimately closed toe pocket.

In the direction of knitting towards or away from, the intermediate relatively thin section B ^ds o-idiag on. inh fvhhp-r p a-r†H r.1 a i r, rH h- ftd ™ 1 . nr> T top fi rs ητ» ■t»bo firo r-oopootivolg the outer tubular section or layer A of the turned toe fabric adjoining either the foot of the article or a non-run* toe band interposed between the foot and the toe, may (in accordance with a further and optional feature of the invention), progressively diminish »OJT increas in bulk by virtue of the number of needles allowed to knit it having been reduced ^r in The idea of this further and optional feature is that right from the location at which the turned toe fabric adjoins either the foot or the non-run toe band afox'esaid to the point of turn there shall be smooth graduations in the bulk or thickness of the outer tubular section or layer of the rotationally knitted toe. That is to say, there is no abrupt .change in the bulk of fabric as between the finest section B of minimum bulk and adjacent graduations of the outer section or layer A, Reductions or increases in the bulk of the fabric of the section or layer A may, if desired, be achieved by corr-esponding changes, i.e. reductions or increases, in the number of needle wales in said fabric. lror example, reductions in the number of needle wales may be effected by a casting off procedure thereby loops, are wholly released from needles, laddering being prevented by knitting the outer section or layer of any appropriate run-x*esist construction. Such a run-resist construction may be ono comprising, say, alternate courses of wholly plain tight loops formed of one thread and intervening courses each having alternate plain loops and intervening tuck stitches slackly formed of another thread. Alternatively, a run-resist construction of the outer section or layer may be one . based on mock rib, i.e. iichlieu rib knitting, in which float-stitch effects may be present.

But in another smbodiiaent of this particular feature, the number of needles allowed to kni during the production of the outer tubular section or layer of the toe fabric may be reduced by a form of miss-knitting.

Such a procedure may be achieved (a) by selecting predetermined, e.g. alternate, ones of the needles to pass through one cam-box without taking up yarn and also without releasing loops and (b) by causing at the ollowing cam-box those needle.'* which miss-knitted to knit. As will be appreciated, this is for a 2-feed sequence in a machine having any appropriate even number of feeds. In, however, a 3-feed sequence, all may have to be the same selection of needles at two successive feeds.

Ihe bulk of the inner section or layer C of the toe fabric (i.e. he section OP layer which is produced ■i-nittod wolt or gib top first or too firat respectively-) may be the same throughout as that of the finest section 3. In such case, right from the point of turn to the transfer location at which it is connected with the outer section or j;ayer A, the toe fabric is generally of the same construction and fineness as the finest section B of minimum bulk. There is, however, no limitation in this respect as, from a location immediately adjoining the point of turn right to the transfer location the inner section or layer C may, if desired and according to choice, be gradually increased in bulk by any one or more of the expedients hereinbefore described.

Any reduction £n the number of wales in an appropriate section of the toe fabric may also be effected by withdrawal from knitting of predetermined needles; conversely, any increase in the number of such wales will be brought about by restoring relevant needles into action.

As to decreases or increases in the thickness (diameter) of the yarns these may, within the broad scope of the invention, be achieved by complete yam changes, i.e. the substitution of thinner yarns for But to enable the best and most reliable toe fabric to be produced, such complete yam changes should, if at all possible, bo avoided, s being added to or taken away from th© construction to vary the fabric bulk. For example, a fine yarn to form the thinnest section B of fabric at the point of turn should ideally run right through the toe from the picrk-up of loops by the transfer elements (welt hooks) to the transfer of such loops back to needles.

ThU3, in another specific example of the invention (unillustrated) after the knitting of a non-run to© band and the pick up of a course of loops on to the transfer elements (welt hooks) about two thirds of the first, i.e. in this case the outer, tubular half section or layer of the toe fabric is thereupon knitted in a mock-rib or other type of ftyrrgxygaaaa.: run-resist construction of at least three relatively fine yarns (together equivalent to a comparatively heavy yarn) ■ on a full complement of needles, At least one of the yarns is then withdrawn, and knitting of the said first half section or layer is continued on alternate ones only of the needles up to a circumferential (coursewise) line o s In advance of the half way mark on the toe constructio coincident with the point of turn. At this s ace another yarn or yarns is or are withdrawn further to reduce the hulk and knitting is allowed to proceed on alternate needles knitting either one or a minimum number only of the relatively fine yarns. This last fine section may be of, say, twelve courses in extent and terminate at the point of turn to complete the first tubular half portion of the toe. From the point of. turn right up to the transfer back to needles of the initially picked up and held loops, the knitting is continued on alternate needles only in either one fine yarn or in a minimum number of such yams,.,to produce the second or inner tubular half portion of the toe. If the toe is to be. closed by twisting, then just prior to the transfer of loops back to needles, the dial is turned twist the fabric, and the second half portion has knitted on to it a fun-off tab in the usual way. Alternatively, if the closure is to be by the "puise-string" method, the additional yarn is laid around the held loops as described before transferring them back to the needles, and is afterwards pulled tight.

It is, however, to be clearly understood that during the knitting of the said second half portion, some or all of the needles may be returned into action, according to choice. Alternatively, or in addition, relevant ones of the yarns may be reintroduced to the needles. It is possible, in fact, for at least a section of the second half portion of the toe to be of the same fabric as is the first two thirds of the first half portion.

In accordance with yet another improvement or modification, the closed end of the toe pocket of the circular knitted article of foot-wear may be made even more compact by knitting different sections of the toe fabric of yarns having respectively different shrinkage factors. Por example, nylon yarns of i'ypes 6 and 66 may be used, in Which instance the outer section or layer A nay be knitted in Type 66 whereas the relatively thin band or section B and also, if necessary the inner section or layer C may be knitted in Type S, Yet another method of reducing bulk in the fabric is to knit on, say, alternate needles in one cam-box and in the following cam-box also to knit on alternate needles but this time of the opposite selection. In this regard, miss-knitting (or passing needle butts under the cam-box would be the method usually adopted.

Again, congestion may be minimised in a stocking knitted welt first by the adoption of a technique during knitting which takes place after spaced stitches have been picked up by welt hooks. Shis technique consists in causing during knitting of the second inner section or layer of the turned toe fabric, selected ones» or groups, of the spaced needles which, are left to continue knitting (after spaced stitches have been picked up by welt hooks) to press off in predetermined courses but to resume knitting again prior to transfer back to these needles of relevant ones of the temporarily held loops. Such needles can be caused to press off by the simple expedient of advancing them to clearing height and retracting them again prior to the knitting station (i.e. the cam box). The selected needles thus "spill" stitches in any desired patterning or other sequence during the knitting of the inner section or layer of the turned toe fabric to minimise the congestion thereof. On the other hand, these same needles must in this particular case resume knitting before , the toe fabric is twisted to close the toe pocket and hence before the transfer of loops back to needle3 in readiness for the knitting of the anti-run tab or la .

S e pressing off and spillage of stitches is confined to the intermediate section, e.g. of about twenty courses in extent, but there is no limitation in this respect. Of, say, a total of 400 needles in the machine, only about 50 of them, that is to say less than half, may be knitting when the maximum number of selected needles have been caused to press . off prior to a resumption of knitting by such needles, although here again these figures are quoted merely by way of example and are not intended to be restrictive in any way¾ The aforementioned' oe-hand or ring-toe must essentially have run-resist properties and the choice of appropriate yarns for knitting the sane must be a most careful one.

Claims (1)

1. C L A I M S t 1. A circular knitted article of footwear having a toe consisting of outer and inner tubular sections, a continuous fold between said outer and inner sections which is constricted radially to close the toe, the inner and outer sections being joined at the portions away from the fold by interlocked courses, wherein the improvement comprises the provision that the article is knitted welt first and a runoff tab is formed at the toe integrally with the last knitted section after knitting of said interlocked courses* 2. A circular knitted article of footwear as claimed in Claim 1 and characterized in that said fold comprises an intermediate section which is of reduced bulk by virtue of having a reduced number of needle wales and being formed from yarn of reduced bulk as Compared with the number of wales and bulk of the yarn in at least the major portion of the said outer section. 3. A circular knitted article of footwear according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the inner and outer sections of the turned toe are of a 1 x 1 mock-rib (richlieu) construction* 4o A circular knitted article of footwear according to any preceding claims, wherein the outer section of the turned toe is preceded by a run resistant toe band. 5. A circular knitted article of footwear according to any of the preceding claims wherein the outer and inner tubular sections are angularly twisted relatively to each other to close the toe. 6. A circular knitted article according to Claim 5 wherein the turned toe is knitted of a recoverable twist yarn, the resultant torque in which during recovery is sympathetic to and assists in the twisting of the toe fabric to effect toe closure. 7. A stocking according to either of the prededing Claims 5 or 6 wherein the inner tubular section of the turned toe is relatively thin and of th4 same construction as the intermediate relatively thin section at the point of twist. 8. A circular knitted article of footwear according to any of the preceding Claims 2-7 wherein tleeouter tubular section of the turned toe has graduations in its bulk and is thinnest where it adjoins the intermediate relatively thin section, the differences in such bulk being by virtue of variations in the numbers of needle wales in relevant portions of the said outer section. 9. circular knitted article of footwear according to Claim 8 wherein the differences in bulk are enhanced by variations in the thickness of the yar incorporated in relevant portions of the said outer section. 10. A circular knitted article of footwear according to any of the preceding Claims 2-9, wherein the relatively thin intermediate section of the turned toe is knitted in a fine high twist yarn the twists of which follow consecutively. 11. A&circular knitted article of footwear according to any of the preceding Claims 1-4, wherein the fold between the outer and inner tubular sections of the toe is gathered or drawn up to close the toe by pulling, after the manner of a purse string, upon an additional yarn introduced during knitti 12. A method of knitting an article of footwear as claimed in any of the preceding claims on a circular knitting machine equipped with a cylinder furnished with latch needles and a dial with welt hooks including the steps of knitting a toe portion as two tubular layers of fabric folded to provide outer and inner sections of turned toe fabric the fold between which is continuous and is constricted or drawn up to close the toe wherein the improvement comprises knitting welt first and providing an integral run off tab on the inner section after such section has been interlocked to the outer section. 13. A method of knitting according to Claim 12 wherein a relatively thin joining section is knitted between the said outer and inner sections of the turn toe fabric on a reduced number of needles and with a reduced bulk of yarn as compared with the number of needles employed to knit and the bulk of yarn in at least the major portion of the outer section* 14. A method of knitting according to Claim 13 wherein selected ones of the needles knitting the outer section of the turn toe fabric are taken out of action preparatory to knitting the intermediate relatively thin adjoining- section* Dated this 3rd day of June ,1968