US1893588A - Stocking and stocking web - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 10, 1933. P. P. LA MONTAGNE STOCKING AND STOCKING WEB 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19. 1929 Fi g. 3.

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Jan. 10, 1933.

P. P. LA M ONTAGNE 1,893,588

I STOCKING AND STOCKING WEB I III i I Mi- Fil ed June 19. 1929 mid; I

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Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PATRICK P. LA MONTAGNE, OF KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS 'IO LA MONTAGNE IAOHINE COMPANY, OF KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS STOCKING AND STOCKING WEB Application filed June 19, 1929. Serial No. 372,017.

- The object of this invention is the production of a complete stocking knit with a continuous web in either direction but preferably from top to toe, shaped to fit the leg, presenting a seam throughout the middle of the back of the web and presenting various novel features.

The object of the invention is further to provide for the construction of such a stocking in which the entire web, with the exception of the full size leg section, is formed with to and fro or reciprocating knitting, thus enabling the entire portion of the stocking which is shaped to be formed with a minimum amount of yarn and to present back edges which may readily be seamed together.

The object of the invention is further to produce such a stocking by the use of a knitting machinepresenting a circular series of needles, all of which are employed in knitting the leg section with round and round knitting and portions of which are employed in knitting the remainder of the stocking with to and fro knitting and which knit the toe pocket section at the front of the web so as to bring the seam by which the toe pocket section united to the foot section at the back or under side.

The object of the invention is further to produce a stocking in which the ankle, heel pocket, foot and toe pocket sections are all continuously knit by to and fro knitting.

The object of the invention is further to produce a stocking in which the ankle section is knit by to and fro knitting with the web presenting at the back selvaged edges to be seamed together and with spliced areas extending from each selvaged edge to form in the completed stocking what is known as a high spliced heel.

The object of the invention is further to produce a stocking in which the foot section 1s knit by to and fro knitting with the web presenting at the back selvaged edges to be seamed together and with spliced areas extending from each selvaged edge.

The object of the invention is further to produce a stocking as hereinbefore set forth in which the spliced areas of either the ankle .section or the foot section or both are of varying width and present front edges of any desired configuration or design.

The object of the invention is further to provide in the production ofspliced areas of the web in the stocking a construction in which there shall be no fringes at the edges of the spliced area and in which the spliced yarn shall be so knit at the edges as to present an even and smooth appearance and without drawing the web.

These and many other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawings illustrate more or less diagrammatically the construction of preferred orms of the stocking, the web from which it is formed, and the steps employed in the method of making the same.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred form of stocking embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the main portion of a stocking web of a preferred construction embodying the invention and from which a. stocking such as shown in Fig. 1 is formed.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the stocking web shown in Fig. 2 ready for removal of the surplus material and for seaming and looping.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the lower portion of a stocking web generally similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but in which the back edges of the web of the ankle, heel pocket, and foot sections are selvaged throughout.

Fig. 5 is a detail in rear elevation of a portion of the ankle section of a stocking embodying the invention illustratmg a high spliced heel in which there are two spliced areas one at each'side of the back seam with.

form of a portion of the web at one of the I spliced areas.

In the preferred, form of stocking and the web therefor illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the web is knit continuously beginning at the top and ending at thetoe and for producing the web a knitting machine employing a single circular series of needles is preferably employed. This enables the stocking at the top to be formed with a so-called garter top or inturned welt after the manner disclosed in the patent to Scott, No. 1,282,958, October 29, 1918. Beginning at the top the stocking is shown as comprising the follow ing sections, first, a leg section 1 which is kn t continuously with round and round knitting on the circular series of needles. This leg section in turn comprises the garter top or inturned welt section 2, the section 3 of the desired size for the body of the leg, and the Y shaped section 4 for the calf. Second, the

ankle section 5 knit as a continuation of the leg section but by to and fro knitting on a segment of the circular series of needles. This anklesection is shown as comprising an upperankle section 6 of plain knitting and a lower ankle section 7 presenting at the back a spliced area 8 to form the high spliced heel effect. Third, aheel pocket section 9. Fourth, a foot section 10 knit as a continuation of the web by to and fro knitting and presenting at each side a spliced area 11. Fifth, a toe pocket section 12 knit as a continuation of the web by reciprocating knitting on a segment of needles at the front of the series so as to eliminate any transverse seam at the front of the web or the top of the stocking over the toes.

A circular series of knitting machine needles adapted for use in carrying out the process of making the stocking web is indicated in Fig. 6 and this series is shown as divided into segments conveniently dstinguished by the-lengths of the needle butts. These segments" are, first, the segment of short butt needles 13 at the front, second, the two similar segments 14 and 15 of medium butt needles at the sides, and, third, the segment of long butt needles 16 at the back.

In the process of forming the stocking web, shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the leg section 1 is continuously knit by round and roundknitting as upon the entire series of needles, the garter top or inturned welt 2 being formed in the well-known manner referred to. Preferably one or two needles may be omitted at 17 in the middle of the back or the center of the segment of the needles 16 to form a marking line for cutting. A segment of needles at the back, such as the segment of long butt needles 16, is then thrown out of action casting off the stitchesand these needles thereafter remain out of action, leaving a gap at the back of the web and thereby reducing the web to a width which, when seamed together, willproduce an ankle and foot section of the desired size.

The calf section 4 is given the proper shape by cutting out or removing a triangular section 18 of the web above the gap but, if desired, the needles of the segment 16 may be progressively thrown out of action beginning at the point 19, leaving the yarns floating over the triangular gap 18.

\Vhen all the needles 16 are out of action, the round and round knitting is preferably continued for a few courses with the yarn thus floating, over the gap left by the needles, at 20 to form a holding section and thus prevent the knitted portion above the gap from raveling back when the web is held or stretched preparatory to removing the triangular section 18. I

After the knitting of the leg section 1, and preferably of the small holding section 20, is completed, the remainder of the web is knit by to and fro knitting. The ankle section 5 is knit by to and fro knitting on the entire segment of needles remaining in action as upon the needles 14, 13, and 15, thus forming selvages 21 on the gap 22 at the back of the web and with no yarn floating across the gap. In the preferred form ofthe method, these selvaged edges of the gap are produced by preventing each edge needle 23 employed in the to and fro knitting from taking the yarn on the reciprocation away from the edge and causing each of these needles to knit only on the reciprocation toward the edge. After each reciprocation toward the edge, as a result of which the needle 23 knits as usual, the needle may be raised so that on the return reciprocation away from the edge the yarn is laid beneath the latch.

The method also includes the production of "a high spliced heel effect in the lower ankle section 7 and for this purpose a spliced area 8 is formed in the knitted web during the to and fro knitting at each side of the gap 22. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2

and 3, these spliced areas extend to the edges of the gap so that when the web is seamed together, they produce a single spliced area. In the preferred form of the method, splicing yarns are fed to the needles along with the main yarn during the latter portion of the recipnocations. At each gap edge of the web the splicing yarn is preferably knit along with the main yarn in the method just described. Furthermore, by the method of this invention, the splicing areas'8 are formed of varying width, whereby the edge of each spliced area lying in the body of the web may present any desired configuration or shape. Also, by the method employed, no fringes, cut ends of yarn, or other unsightly construction appear at these edges of the spliced areas. This method consists in preventing one or more adjacent needles at the edge of the spliced area from taking the splicing yarn upon the reciprocation in one direction with respect to the edge and causing the splicing .yarn to float laterally at the edge from alternate to intermediate courses. These adjacent needles at the edge are prevented from taking the splicing yarn upon the reciprocation toward the center of thespliced area while they take the splicing yarn in the usual Way upon the reciprocation in the opposite direction. So far as the splicing yarn is concerned, the method in its broader aspects is the same at this edge of the spliced area as at the selvage above described. This may be accomplished by slightly raising one or more needles at the edge of the spliced area within the web, in conjunction with proper manipulating of yarn guide, upon the reciprocation toward the center of spliced area, said needles being thereby prevented from receiving splicing yarn. This can be accomplished without slightly raising needles, but in that event the manipulating of yarn guide requires much more delicate adjustment. 7

v The preferred construction of web in the spliced area resulting from the preferred method is illustrated in detail in Fig. 7 where the main yarn knitting the web is shown by double lines and the splicing yarn is shown in solid black, while the arrows indicate the progress of the yarns in the formation of the web. It will be seen therefrom that at the selvage the splicing yarnfioats laterally at- 24 from alternate courses to intermediate courses and that also at the edge of the spliced area within the web this splicing yarn also floats at 25 from alternate courses to intermediate courses. In this figure the needles which knit the wales 26 adjacent the edge of the spliced area take the yarn upon the reciprocation toward this edge but are prevented from taking the yarn upon the reciprocation away from this edge or toward the center of the spliced area. So also the edge needle knitting the wale 27 at the selvage takes the splicing yarn on the reciprocation toward the selvage and is prevented from taking the yarn on the reciprocation away from the selvage or toward the center of the spliced area. The varying width of the spliced area and consequently the desired configuration of the edge of the spliced area in the web is formed by manipulating the yarn guides for the splicing yarn to cause them to present the splicing yarn to needles that have been raised by means ofa selective mechanism at the desired points during the reciprocation and in accordance with the foregoing requirements.

While for convenience in description the leg, calf, and ankle sections have been graphically indicated, it will, of course, be understood that the boundaries between the sec tions may shift, the entire leg and angle section presenting essentially the upper .part in which the knitting is round and round, the mid part in which the knitting is round and round with the gap at the back of the web and the yarn floating across the gap, and the lower part knit with to and fro knitting with the gap at the back of the web and with the reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses. Thus the round and round knitting with the floating yarns 20 across the gap may extend a down as far as desirable and even to the beginning of the reinforcement 8 in the angle section.

At the conclusion of the knitting of the ankle section 7, a wide segment of needles at the front, such as the short butt needles 13, are thrown out of action, retaining the stitches, and to and fro knitting narrowing and widening is carried on with the remaining needles in action, as the two segments of medium butt needles 14 and 15, to form the heel pocket section 9. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the reciprocation takes place throughout the entire segment of needles 14, 16, and 15, so that the yarn floats at 28across the gap left by the segment of needles 16 which are out of action. This floating yarn 28 is subsequently removed before the web is seamed. When the knitting machine is used for knitting the web, the needle cylinder or the cam cylinder may be shifted 180 both atthe beginning and at the end of the knitting of the heel pocket section to cause the to and fro knitting for the heel pocket to be performed on the opposite portion of the web from that where the to and fro knitting for the angle and foot sections is performed. v

At the conclusion of the knitting of the heel pocket section, the segment of needles, as 13, previously thrown out of action, are restored into action and the foot section 10 is thereupon knit by. to and fro knitting on the same needles and in the same manner and by the same method as just described with respect to the ankle section. Preferably also during the knitting of the foot section, spliced areas 11 of varying Width and thus presenting edges of desired configuration are formed in the web with splicing yarn by the same method as that described in the production of the spliced areas in the lower ankle section. The foot section is thus knit with selvaged edges at the gap at the back.

At the conclusion of the knitting of the foot section, the needles previously engaged in knitting the heel pocket section, as the segments 14 and 15, are thrown out of action while retaining the stitchesand the to and fro ,knitting proceeds upon the remaining segment, as 13, of the needles in action narrowing and widening in the usual manner to produce a toe pocket section 12 which is thus formed at the front of the web so that no seam is presented across the top or front of the web.

Itis usually desirable also at the conclusion of the knitting of the toe pocket section to restore the needle segments 14 and 15 into action and knit with to and fro knitting, as in the foot section, a few courses to be subsequently ravelled out when the web is stitched and looped together.

In the knitting of the web, the yarns may be changed from time to time as desired, or reenforcing yarns added. The heel and toe sections will preferably be reenforced and in the form illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the reenforcing yarn for the toe section is shown as beginning at 29 near the end of the knitting of the foot section.

At the conclusion of the formation of the web, the leg sect'on is stretched over a board, the triangular section 18 is cut away, the stocking severed along the entire marking line, and any varns left floating across the gap at the back, as at 20 and 28, are cut away.

The back edges of the web are then seamed together at throughoutthe length of the entire stocking and the toe section is looped or seamed at 81 to the foot section.

There is thus produced by this method a continuous stocking properly shaped to lit the wearer, employing a minimum amount of yarn, spliced at the hack of the stocking and the ankle and the bottom of the foot in a pleasing manner and without any undesirable fringes or construction at the edge of the spliced area, having a seam desirable in fullfashioned stockings extending throughoutthe length of the back of the leg and presenting no seam over the top or front of the toe and all capable of being formed upon a carcular series of needles by round and round and to and fro knitting.

In the method described for the production of the web shown in Figs 1, 2, and 3, the heel pocket is knit with the yarn floating across the gap as at 28, but in accordance with this invention, the gap at the back of the web, such as formed during the knitting of the ankle and foot sections, may extend through the heel section, as illustrated in Fig. 4, thus leaving no yarn floating at the heel section and forming the heel section with selvaged edges 32 at the gap. In carrying out this form of the method during the knitting of the heel pocket section, to and fro knitting narrowing and widening takes place simultaneously and separately upon each of the segments of the needles as 14 and 15.

lVhen the stocking is knit as last described upon a machine having the circular series of needles referred to, two yarn guides and two corresponding slack take-ups are provided to cooperate with each of the segments 14 and 15 and go into action in place of one yarn guide and slack take-up for the main yarn and twoyarn guides and slack take-ups for the splicing yarns previously employed in forming the reinforced lower ankle section and upon the completion of the heel pocket section the same yarn guides and slack take-ups as employed in the knitting of the lower ankle section go into action for knitting the foot section, but when the toe section is reached, only one yarn guide and take-up is required.

\Vhile the splicing areas at the ankle section and the foot section are in each case shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 as one solid area, it may be desirable, as, for example, in the ankle section, to form two separated splicing areas, and such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 5 where an ankle section is shown having the two spliced areas 33 one at each side of and separated from the central seam. In this case each lateral edge of each splicing area is preferably formed by the method hereinbefor-e described in the formation of the edges of the spliced area 18 which lie in the knitted web, .or as illustrated in a specific form at the left-hand edge of the spliced area in Fig. '7.

A knitting machine suitable for producing the main forms of the stocking web her'ein set forth is disclosed in application Serial No. 429,425, filed February 18, 1930.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A stocking web comprising a leg section in which the yarn runs in knitted courses continuously round and round, a holding section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs continuously round and round in knitted courses in the body of the web and floats across the gap, an upper ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, a lower ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, a heel pocket at the back of the web having a gap at the" back in which the yarn runs to' and fro in narrowing and widening knitted courses and floats across the gap, a foot section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges and havinga reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which the yarn runs to and fro in narrowing and widening knitted courses. i

2. A stocking web comprising an ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses,

section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn 111115 in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the ap edges, and a toe pocket at the front of t e web in which the am runs to and fro in narrowing and widemn knitted courses. v

3. A stocking web comprising an ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which the am runs in knitted courses to and fro at the ront between the gap edges, a heel pocket at the back of the web having a gap at the back in which the yarn runs to and fro in narrowing and widening knitted courses and floats across the gap, a foot section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which the yarn runs to and" fro in narrowing and widening knitted courses.

4. A stocking web comprising an ankle section having a'gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap runnin to and fro in the knitted courses, a heel poc et at the back of the web having a gap at the back in which the yarn runs to and fro in narrowing and widening knitted courses and floats across the gap, 2. foot section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which the yarn runs to and fro in nar rowing and widening knitted courses.

5. A stocking web comprising a leg section in which the yarn runs in knitted courses continuously round and round, a holding section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs continuously round and round in knitted courses in the body of the web and floats across the gapfg-an upper ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, a lower ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which thei' arn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the -front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap runnin to and fro in the knitted courses, a heel poo et at the back of the Web having a gap at the back, a foot section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and, fro at the front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which the yarn runs to and fro in narrowing'and widening knitted courses.

6. A stocking web comprising a leg section in which the yarn runs in knitted courses continuously round and round, a holdin section,

having a gap at the back of the web 1n which the yarn runs continuously round and round in knitted courses in the body of the web and floats across the gap, an upper ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, a lower ankle section having a gap at the back of the Web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between thejgap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, a heel pocket at the back of the web having a gap at the back, a foot section havi ng a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which the yarn runs to and fro in narrowing and wideningknitted courses.

7. A stockmg web comprising a leg section in which the yarn runs in knitted courses continuously round and round, a holding section having a gap at the back f the web in which the yarn runs continuous y round and round in knitted courses in the body of the web and floats across the gap, an upper ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, a lower ankle section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in. knitted courses to and fro at the front between thegap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, a heel pocket at the back of the web having a gap at the back in which separate yarns run in knitted courses to and fro at each side of the gap between the front of the web and the edge of the gap, a foot sectionhaving a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which the yarn runs to and fro in narrowing and widening knitted courses.

8. A stocking web comprising a leg and angle section in the upper part of which the yarn runs in knitted courses continuously round and round, the mid part of which having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs continuously round and round in knitted courses in the body of the web and floats across the gap the lower part of which having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the-gap ed es and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, a

heel pocket at the back of the web having a I gap at the back, a foot section having a gap at the back of the .web which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which the yarn runs to and fro in narrowing and widening knitted courses.

9. A stocking web comprising a leg and angle section in the upper part of which the yarn runs in knitted courses continuously round and round, the mid part of which having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs continuously round and round in knitted courses in the body of the web and floats across the gap, the lower part of which having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, a heel pocket at the back of the web having a gap at the back, a foot section having a gap at the back ofthe web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which the yarn runs to and fro in narrowing and widening knitted courses. 1

10. A stocking web comprising a leg and ankle section in the upper part of which the yarn runs in knitted courses continuously round and round, the mid part of which having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs continuously round and round in knitted courses in the body of the web and floats across the gap, the lower part of which having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges and having a reinforcing yarn at each side of the gap running to and fro in the knitted courses, a heel pocket at the back of the web having a gap at the back in which separate yarns run in knitted courses to and fro at each side of the gap between the front of the web and the edge of the gap, a foot section having a gap at the back of the web in which the yarn runs in knitted courses to and fro at the front between the gap edges, and a toe pocket at the front of the web in which theyarn runs to and fro in narrowing and widening knitting courses.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

PATR CK P. LA MONTAGNE

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