IL30818A - Manufacture of stockings - Google Patents

Description

Improvement* in the manufaoture of stockings 0, BILLI & 0, S.p.A, Oj29048 This invention relates to a process for the formation of a tip or toe substantially closed at the end of a stocking or other tubular knitted article by means of a circular knitting machine.

According to the present invention there is provided a process for knitting a substantially closed toe or tip of a stocking or other manufactured knitted article on a circular knitting machine, comprising the steps of forming a double annular sheath rim, and supplying during the formation of said double rim, at least one yarn entrained by a needle to form one or more turns for tightening the knitted fabric at said toe, said yarn being bound to the knitted fabric at the start and at the end of the turn or turns.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figs.l and 2 illustrate two stages in the manufacture of a knitted stocking, or other article.

Figs.3, 4· and 5 illustrate the article as it is delivered from the stage shown in Fig.2, the end of a stocking being shown in outer views in Figs.3 and 4· and in Fig.5 a local section, to an enlarged scale, on the line V-V of Fig.4-; Fig.6 illustrates a section similar to the one shown in Fig.5 tu showing certain details of the structure of the knitted article; Fig.7 is a developed view of the manufactured article, to an enlarged scale, with certain portions illustrating structural details; Fig.8 is a diagram of the manner of forming the stocking with separate closing yarns; Pigs.9 to 15 illustrate operational stages on the fabric of the article in a circular knitting machine which result in an end closure of an alternative embodiment; and Pig.16 illustrates diagrammatically a stocking in section.

Referring now to the drawings, (with particular reference to Figs.l and 2), the knitting machine includes a needle cylinder 1, needles 3, sinkers 5 carried by an annular structure integral with the upper end of the needle cylinder, and the dial or plate of hooks 7 which is rotatable by a shaft 9 coaxial with the needle, cylinder 1 and assembled on a structure 11 lying above the needle cylinder. The hooks 13 carried by the dial 7 are operable to be extended radially. A yarn-guide 15 serves for feeding the yarn and a similar guide (not shown) is provided at each feed position. Thus more than one yarn guide may be provided and thus around the needle cylinder there may be provided several yarn feed positions. Simultaneous operation or control of the needle cylinder 1 and of the shaft 9 is provided, so that the dial or plate 7 rotates synchronously with the cylinder 1. For this purpose, a double toothed ring 17 is provided, which drives a ring bevel gear 1A rigid with the needle cylinder 1 and a bevel gear 19, from which a transmission imparts motion to a bevel gear 9 of the shaft 9· Around the needle cylinder 1, control profiles and control cams (not shown) cause the raising and lowering of the needles 3 in a conventional manner, both directly and through jacks.

The machine is equipped to knit a so-called automatic welt BO (see Pig.3) in the manufacture^ of a .stocking or other article M, formed by a double thickness rim, forming an annular sheath which defines the upper end of the finished stocking. The welt BO, as is customary for circular knitting machines, is formed at the start of the manufacture of the article.

.Another double annular sheath rim is knitted at the end of the article M opposite to that forming the automatic welt BO and this other rim is provided, during its formation with one or more yarn turns internally of the sheath and serving to close the end of the article under consideration, so as to create during the knitting a closed tip or end. The additional rim may "be formed at the end of the formation of the article, or it may be formed at the beginning of the knitted article, in which case the automatic welt BO is formed at the end of the article manufacture.

More particularly, as can be seen in the drawing, at the point Δ of the article the hooks 13 are introduced in order to engage the stitches in a similar manner as in the engagement at the start of the formation of the automatic welt.

Thus, an initial portion B of the double rim of the article for the toe is formed, then along the line C, a change of the yarn can be provided and a second portion E of the article is thus formed with a thinner yarn and/or with an elasticized yarn. Along a line F a second change of yarn may be effected • for example the yarn may ag&in be that with which the portion B is formed, so as to form a terminal or end portion G of the double rim of the toe.

At the double rim, that is along the zones B, E, G, the needles and/or one or more feed yarn-guides for the yarn for the knitting may be provided, so as to prevent the yarn or yarns being taken up by the needles, thus avoiding the needles dropping a stitch. The yarn can "be suitably restrained to a substantially greater extent than by the customary braking action for tensioning the yarn. A supplementary brake may be provided for this purpose. These conditions are maintained for one or more revolutions, during xvhich the yarn is entrained by the last needle which has engaged it, is wound around the article being knitted, creatin a number of turns or spirals S which tighten the knit both of the main part of the article M and the internal portion of the double rim B, E, G being formed (Fig.2). The turns of the spiral correspond in number to the number of revolutions during which the yarn is not engaged by the needles. On restoring the raising action of the needles and/or the lowering action of the yarn guide(s) and of the tensioning of the yarn, the yarn hereinbefore mentioned is anchored again to the stitches of the article being formed. Consequently, the turns S of the spiral are formed by a length of yarn the ends Si and S2 of which are anchored to the article being formed at the double rim defined by the portions B and G.

It is to be noted that in the developed vie indicated in Fig.?, the turns S of the spiral are indicated over the entire developed view of the article width, but it is apparent that the turns are tightened and thus close the article as better seen in Fig.3 to 6, and in Fig.2 which illustrate the formation of the manufactured article. During the knitting of the article in the stages indicated in Figs.l and 2, it is possible to have normal pneumatic tensioning (in general generated by suction) or the tensioning may be decreased also to nil. At the end of the formation of the last portion G of the rim, that is along the line H, ¾he operation of the hooks effect the clearing of the stitches again to the fabric along the course last formed, and it is possible to detach the article from the machine.

An article thus detached or removed appears as shown in Fig.3, and it may be transformed at the final portion from the arrangement of .Jig.3 into the arrangement of Fig.4 and 5 by relative sliding and flexure of the tubular portion within the turns S and with the sliding and the flexure of the portion B, G in the same direction, that is in the direction of the arrow fj_ of Fig.3 with respect to the turns S Sliding in the opposite direction can be carried out to pass the whole article M and the edge or the welt BO through the orifice defined and surrounded by the turns S.

One or more courses of diapered stitches, for example of the tuck type 1 : 1, 2 : 1, may be knitted advantageously over one half of the knitted zone between the initial line A and the end line H of the double rim. The courses define a line along which the orifice tightened by the turns S is formed; this arrangement facilitates the formation of the array shown in Figs. and 5» that is, the final array.

The intermediate zone E, which may be divided by the courses of diapered stitches, may be formed by a thinner and preferably elasticized yarn, in order to reduce on one hand the density of the manufactured article in the zone closed by the turns S of the spiral and to increase, on the other hand, the adherence of the turns to the remaining adjacent yarn.

According to a modification (not shown), the zones B, E Or are formed by the same type of yarn.

# According to another modification, provision is made to bring out the yarn forming the closing turns, from any point of the article, different from those of the yarns of the lines G and F, if any.

According to another modification, which is shown dia-grammatically in Fig.8, a particular yarn or yarns is/are anchored to the article, but does not form a part of the yarns intended for the formation of the article, but are used for the formation of the closing turns.

Fig.8 illustrates diagrammatically at the manufactured article, which is assumed to be extended. To form the turns S3 and S5 one yarn is used and its ends S^ are anchored to diametrically opposed stitches as shown in M_j, and another yarn the ends S15 of which are also anchored to the article M at two approximately diametrically opposite positions AM^ and approximately at right angles with the anchoring zones AM13. The anchoring of the yarn can be effected in a manner known per se, engaging the end of the yarn to a needle and another needle numbered amongst those forming the knitting.

In a multi-feed knitting machine, it is possible to utilize several yarns for the formation of a knitted article to create, during certain revolutions of the needle cylinder, binding turns with other yarns.

Eeferring now to Figs.9 to 15, the needle cylinder 21 is provided with an upper internal rim 23 and an upper outer rim 25, each of which is provided with a series of radial grooves accommodating the sinkers 27· Needles 29, include those denoted 29A and 29B which, as illustrated are in different positions. The plate or rotary dial 31 of hooks, underlie a fixed disc-like structure 55 and is rotatable ■with the needle cylinder 21. The structure 55 and the plate 1 carried thereby are movable along the axis X-X which indicates the axis of the members 33 and 31 and of the needle cylinder 21. The plate 31 carries a series of radial hooks 35 capable of being extended and retracted, these hooks and their motions being known per se and provided in circular knitting machines for the manufacture of stockings with a so-called automatic welt, that is a rim formed with two joined folds xriaic create a sheath rim, thus forming an automatic welt.

The stage corresponding to the end of the formation of the tubular knit 37 is indicated in Fig.9 ; this knit 37 is initially formed with an automatic welt, that is, a sheath 57A, and the manufacture thereof is conventional with the use of the needles 29 and the hooks 35· At the start of the formation of the toe to be closed, the knitted fabric is only knitted with one half of the needles 29A (see Fig.10), whereas the needles 29B remain in a lowered position, that is they do not work and retain the fabric 37 · The needles 29B pass below the yarn control and feed systems, and retain the knit fabric 37 sid the fabric being formed for the toe. In contrast the needles 29A are raised, clear the stitch, take up the new yarn and knit fresh fabric. In this way, a pocket 59 is formed, progressively increasing with the knitting by means of the needles 29A, the knitting of the pocket 39 passing through intermediate stages as shown at 39A and 59B i Fig.10 to the final development indicated by the broken line 59· It is to be noted that, if the needle cylinder 21 includes four hundred needles, the fabric 37 is made with all the needles. Two hundred needles 29B in the low position retain the fabric 37 and the initial flap of the pocket 39» while the two hundred needles 2 are operated during the knitting of the pocket 39» and thus only these work the fabric of the pocket 39, which is therefore formed by a number of stitches per course equal to one half of the number of stitches of a course of the fabric 37· Once the formation of the pocket 39 is completed having a development sufficient for the clamping purposes hereinafter described, the end flap of the pocket is transferred by the needles 29A to the hooks 35 (see Fig.11). In this way, the knitting of a second pocket 41 can be started, the knit fabric of which is developed between the hooks 35 and the needles 29A which form it, the second pocket 41 being formed within the pocket 39· Further the second pocket 41 is produced with the needles 29A while the needles 29B remain inoperative and produce no fresh fabric but retain that already formed. The knitting of the pocket 41 takes place with intermediate stages indicated by broken lines 41A, 41B in Fig.12. The fabric 37 is retained by the needles 29B in their lowered position. "When the formation of the pocket 41 extends to an .amount almost equal to the size of the pocket 39» but, however, slightly before the completion of the pocket 41, a binding stage is provided that is a clamping of the yarns of the two pockets 41 and 39 with turns or spirals of clamping yarn, as is shown in Fig.13· During this stage, an upvrard movement of the structure 33 and thus of the plate 31 of hooks 35 is arranged, which retain the final flap of the pocket 39 and the initial flap of the pocket 41. A yarn-guide 43 or several yarn-guides at different angular positioner coincident angular positions are lowered so that a clamping yarn 5, carried by the or each yarn-guide, is engaged by a number of needles and thus anchored to the knit fabric of the pocket 41 being formed. Immediately afterwards the or each yarn-guide 3 is partly raised so that the yarn 45 is located slightly above the raised needles 29A, but in a position not so high that the yarn 4 might be sheared or cut by the conventional shearing or cutting devices provided on the structure 33· V/ith the yarn-guide or the yarn-guides 43 at an intermediate height as hereinbefore referred to, by the effect of the rotation of the cylinder 31, the yarn or yarns 45 form turns 45A for the clamping which closes the pockets 39 and 41, as shown in Pig.13 and 14. In order to clamp effectively the turns 45 are stretched as the yarns 45 are braked during the formation of the turns 45A, that is when the yarn-guide or the yarn-guides 43 are in a partly raised position. The formation of the clamping turns or spirals 45A may extend for one or more revolutions of the needle cylinder, to effect a firm throttling of the pockets 39 and 41 without an excessive space by the turns or spirals 45-fi of at least two or more yarns 45. After the knitting of the turns or spirals, the yarn-guides 43 are lowered for a short time so that the or each yarn 5 is stitched by a certain number of needles and secured to the fabric of the second pocket. Immediately after this stitching operation the yarn-guide or yarn-guides 43 are raised out of operation. Meanwhile the plate 31 and the structure 33 are lowered again. The formation of the pocket 41 continues until ' it has assumed a size substantially equal to that of the pocket 39.

When this size has "been attained, the hooks 35 are moved radially in the centrifugal direction to clear the eyelets engaged by them on to the needles 29A, with a process similar to that which occurs during the formation of the so-called automatic welt, apart the working described for the binding with the turns or spirals 45Δ.

After the transfer of the knit fabric of the end flap of the pocket 59 and of the initial flap of the pocket 1 to the needles 29A, certain revolutions or courses of stitches (Fig.15) are made with the needles 29A to secure effectively the junction of the stitches cleared by the hooks in the fabric, the needles 29A having continued to retain the fabric 37· Immediately thereafter the needles 29B are inserted, to form a small fabric tag 47, commonly called unravelling, with suitable yarns and also with seamless knit fabric.

In this manner it is possible to obtain a tubular fabric with a closed toe, for which pockets 39 and 1 are provided, the latter being within the pocket 39 and both being united to the tubular fabric 37 ; the pockets 39 » 1 being clamped by turns of yarn 45 which close the knit fabric. The spirals are therefore contained within the interior of the inner pocket 41. The fabric of the pockets 39 » 41 is formed with a number of stitches per course less than the number of the courses of the tubular fabric 37 ·

Claims (1)

1. 30818/2 >l - OLAIB " 1 * A process for knitting a substantially closed toe or tip of a stocking or other tubular manufactured knitted article on a circular knitting machine, comprising the steps of forming a double annular sheath rim, and feeding into the interior of the double rim thereof, at least one yarn to form one or more yam turns drawing together the knitted fabric of the double annular sheath rim at said toe, said yam being bound to the knit fabric at the start and at the end of the turn or turns and the incorporation of said turn or turns being effected without relative rotation between the needle cylinder and dial of the machine* 2* A process according to claim f , wherein the or eaoh yarn forming the turn or turns is the same ya as that used for knitting the main body of the article, said yarn being temporarily excluded from being knitted into the knit fabric* 3* A process according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each yarn forming the turn or turns is elastic. , 4· A process according to any one of claims 1 to 3» wherein one or more courses of stitches adjacent the position of the turns of ya which close the toe in the final configuration of the article are formed with diapered stitches* 5* A process according to an one of the preceding claims, wherein the portion of the article adjacent the position which the yam iurne assume in the final configuration of the article, is knitted from an elastic yarn, to which the yarn turns cling* 6» A process according to claim 5, wherein the yam used for the turns is the same as that used for the formation of the rim portions adjacent said portion formed by the elastic yam. 30818/2 * ^ 7· A prooese according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each yarn turn, during the formation of the turns is subjectedto a tension higher than that to which the yarns are subjected during knitting, 8· A process according to any one of the preceding claims,wherein after the formation of the main tubular knit fabric of the stocking, an annular pocket, forming one part of said double annular sheath rim, is knitted by a first set of the needles of the cylinder which alternate along the needle circumference with the noedles of a second set, the needles of said second set remaining inactive during knitting of the annular pocket but retaining the fabric previously formed, the end ofsaid annular pocket being transferred, on completion, to hooks of the rotary dial of the machine, an additional pocket, forming another part of said double annular sheath rim, being knitted between said hooks and the needles of said first set within the first annular pocket, and having substantially the same size as the latter, one or more yarns forming said turns or spirals serving for drawing together the fabric of the pocket3, and subsequently said hooks returning the stitches to the needles of the first set, and all the needles finish the knit fabric with closure courses♦ 9, A process according to claim 8, wherein after formation of the additional pocket to a size slightly less than that of the first pocket, the drawing together is effected and the yarns forming the turns are secured to stitches of the additional pocket at a position spaced from the courses of stitches to which the stitches retained by the hooks are cleared* 10· A prooess according to claims 8 or 9» wherein the needles of the first set are equal in number to one half of the whole needle assembly* 30818/2 4 11« A process according to any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein at the stage at which the poolcets are drawn together, the dial is raised, and yarn-guides are lowered to bind the yarn or yarns of the spiral to stitches of the fabric, thus to form the turns and finally to bind the yarn turne again to stitches of the knit fabric* 12, A tubular stocking or other tubular knitted manufactured article, comprising a double annular sheath rim at the end forming a substantially closed toe or tip, and at least one yarn turn or spiral within said sheath and serving to draw together the fabric of the toe or tip, the yarn of the spiral being anchored to the knit fabric of the article, 13· An article according to claim 12, wherein the yarn of the turn or spiral is the same as that forming the main knit fabric. 14· An article according to claim 12 or ¾ wherein the double annular sheath rim includes two pockets, one within the other and both being joined to the tubular fabric of the article* 15· An article according to claim 14, wherein the two pockets are knitted with a number of stixches per course smaller than the number of stitches per course of the main knit fabric. 16. An article according to claim 15» wherein the pocketB are formed with half the number of stitches per course in comparison with the courses of the main knit fabric. 17· A process or the manufacture of a stocking or other knitted article substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 18* A stocking or other knitted article substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the Applicants DR. RBINHOLD CO AND PARTNERS