US2204731A - Plain knitted ornamented fabric having elastic thread incorporated therein and process of making same - Google Patents

Description

u 8; 0- .J. 1.. GETAZ 23 33 PLAIN KNITTED ORNANENTED FABRIC HAVING ELASTIC THREAD INCORPORATED THEREIN AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Filed April 15,- 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W ||l M a. m u 2 MWWWH u u 2 2 5 llr kl *5 m mm 51 fi {.1 y |||||l ll .w IIIHIIIHMWWJ ./5 e m l 1 r MWMM HIHH rfil l q hfl uflfl w u a :l a z m 2 J. 11 1 8 L. GETAZ FABRIC AND PRO 2,204,731 HAVING ELASTIC THREAD CESS 0F HAKING SAME 193'? 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 18, 1940. J PLAIN KNITTED ommmu mconroaurnn THER 1 R H 4 7 P VVIE TED EIN Filed April 15,

INVENTQR ATTORNEY June 18, 1940. J. L. GETAZ Y PLAIN KNITTED OBNAIENTED FABRIC P y Q j: gl&

. June 18,1940. J GET 2,204,731

PLAIN KNITTED ORNAIENIED FABRIC HAVING ELASTIC THREAD INCORPORATED THEREIN AND PfiOCESS OF MAKING SAIE Filed April 15,- 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 HI; N

J. L. GETAZ 2 3 PLAIN KNITTED ORNAUENTED FABRIC HAVING ELASTIC THREAD INCORPORATED THEREIN AND PROCESS OF IIAKING SAIE v Filed April 15, 12937, 7 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,Qi a ga Patented June 18,

roam ammo HAVING ams'rrc ORNAMENTED FABRIC THREAD IN CORPO- RATED THEREIN AND PROCESS OF MAK ING SAME James Louis Getaz, Maryville, Tenn. Application April 15, 1937, Serial No. 136,993 16 Claims. (01. 66-172) 1 My invention consists of the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several.-

embodiments of my invention and so much of theapparatus for carrying out the process of making the same as is necessary for the purpose of explaining them, and said invention is fully disclosed. in the following description and claims.

My present invention relates to the production of ornamented knitted fabrics, preferably circular seamless fabrics, formed by plain knitting and having an elastic thread incorporated under tension in certain spaced courses (or in all the courses) and thread is present, without the necessity of using any additional thread or threads beyond the ordinary body thread or threads, and'the said elastic thread. In such fabrics when-in undistended condition, the elastic thread, preferably of rubber or the well known lastex, lies in undistorted lines extending around the circular fabric and with suflicient tension to draw the fabric together into vertically disposed rib-like ridges simulating rib-knitting. The elastic thread is preferably secured to alternate and vertically aligned wales of the courses containing it by feeding it to those needles of a circular knitting machine, which form such wales, below the latches of said needles and passing it behind the intermediate needles while all of the needles receive the body thread or threads. The tension of the elastic threads in drawing the fabric together and producing the vertical rib-like ridges causes the wales in which the elastic thread has been fed aelow the latches to project to the front or outer face of the fabric, and submerge the intermediate sales, which are forced rearwardly although said ntermediate wales continue to facetoward the inter face of the fabric. The tension of the rub- Jer thread is preferably such as to draw the outvardly projecting wales close together forming a mouth surfaced fabric closely resembling rib- :nitting, as fullydisclosed in my former. appliation for Letters Patent of the United States, :erial No. 53,824, filed December 10, 1935. This abric finds its greatest use in the top portion f men's, womens,and children's half hose and vnklets, in which it provides aform fitting and elf-supporting top which will closely engage the 2g of the wearer and at the same time support he leg of the stocking without the use of garters. It is desirable in such articles of hosiery, and articularly thoseintendedfor use by women and hildren, that the top of the socks shall be ornasecured to the fabric at separated wales in each course in which the elastic mented so'as topresent a more attractive appearance-when displayed for sale and also "in the distendedcondition onthe leg of the wearer. I have found.that if the elastic thread is fed to the hook of a needle, that is to say, on the latch 5 or above the latch so that a loop of both the body thread and the elastic thread is drawn by the needle through a loop of the preceding course, the tension'of the elastic thread causes it to straighten out, and in so doing, the portions of adjacent loops are distorted so as to form adistinctly recognizable figure on the face of the fabric and if in the immediately following course the same needle again draws a loop of the body thread and elastic thread through the preceding composite loop comprising the body thread and elastic thread, the frictional resistance of the rubber threads in said loops will prevent both of them from straightening out and the surrounding loops of the body thread will be distort- '20 ed so as to produce a small opening in .the fabric and a distinctly recognizable figure on the surface of the fabric. By suitable combinations of these figures formed in either of the aboveways, very pleasing ornamental figures in other forms of ornamentation may be embodied in the fabric without recourse to any additional thread or threads. These patterns which may be in the form of circles, diamonds, or other special forms,

will clearly appear regardless of the fact that the lastex or other elastic thread is of the same color as, or a diiferent color than the body thread, and I prefer to employ lastex of the same color as the body thread.

In carrying out my present invention, to make the plain'portionof the fabric, I provide for a vertical separation or selection of the needles, certain needles, preferably every other needle,.

being placed in raised position with respect to the other needles so as to' receive the elastic thread 40 below the latches thereof. To form the ornamental pattern, certain selected needles which are preferably among those ,which are to form the wales on the face of the fabric being elevated v to a lesser extent by. a suitable pattern mechanisin so as to receive the elastic thread in such manner that it will be caught in the hook of the needle, that is to say, that the elastic thread is fed to these selected needles upon or abovethe latches thereof. The needles are then brought 69' to a substantially uniform level whereby the intervening needles between those receiving the thread below and upon their latches will be brought in front of .the elastic thread and all of the needles will receive the body thread in the which are to form a part of the ornani course of .stitches that every needle will draw a stitch or loop of the body thread, the needles receiving the elastic thread below the latches will pass the elastic thread and permit itto slip over the tops of their hooks, while the selected needles ental pattern will draw loops of both the main thread and the elastic thread and produce the ornamental unit previously described. By a proper regulation of the pattern mechanism, these ornamental units can be placed at different points in suc- 'ceeding courses so as to produce almost any ornamental forms or figures desired. In the preferred form of my invention, I select the same needle or needles in two successive courses to receive the elastic thread in the 'hookor hooks thereof, so as to produce two successive loops containing the elastic thread in the same'wale or wales as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an arrangement of needles and selecting mechanism therefor, operatalble in a known typeof circular knitting machine for carrying my invention into effect.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the knitting cylinder at the point indicated at the line 2, 2, of Figure 1, showing a needle .with its co-acting needle jack and its selecting jack.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, on the line 3, 3, of Figure 1, showing two needles being raised by their selecting cams.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, on the line 4, 4, of Figure 1, showing one of the needles raised'high enough to receive the elastic thread below the latch.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 on the line 5,5, of Figure 1, showing one of the selected needles raised to a height sufil'cient to receive the elastic thread on or above the latch.

Figure 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing three needles, one of which has received the elastic thread below the latch, another needle which has been inoved upward forward of the elastic thread, and a third needle which has received the elastic thread on the latch.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing all the needles receiving-the body thread.

Figure 8 'is a similar diagrammatic view show- I ing the loops as drawn by the needles shown in appear in the fabric and'illustrating one pattern the preceding figures.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the inner face of the fabric embodying the preferred form of my invention, the loops being in the positions as originally drawn by the needles.

Figure 10 is a similar view of the inside face of thefabric showing the positions assumed by the body thread and elastic thread as they actually unit.

Figure 11 represents diagrammatically, a portion of the fabric showing a plurality .of ornamental units arranged in a conventional design.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view of the outer face of the fabric shown in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing a modification of the invention in which the ornamental unit is formed by the production of a composite loop of the body thread and elastic thread in a single course.

= Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view. showing the distortion of the surrounding body threads effected by the straightening out of thev elastic hooks thereof before reaching the knitting wave. It follows, therefore, that in knitting such a thread in a composite loop, and illustrating one of the ornamental units so formed.

Figure 15 represents diagramnfatically a portion of the fabric illustrated with the ornamental units of the type shown'in Figure 14.

Figure 16 represents a portion of an anklet or short sock provided with the'omamental design illustrated in Figure 11, in accordance withmy invention. I

A suitable machine for carrying out my pi'esent invention is the well known Scott 8: Williams circular knitting machine, portions of which are herein shown for the purpose of enabling my invention to be clearly understood. As illustrated in Figures 1', 2, 3, 4 and 5, the needle cylinder needles 2, each of which is provided with the usual knitting nib 3, for engaging the usual knitting cams shown at 4, 5, and 6, in Figure 1. Be-

low each needle is a needle jack 1 provided withl2, which would engage a selector: cam indicated at IS in the normal position of the selector jack. Such a machine is illustrated, for example, in U. S. Letters Patent to Ernest W. Marshall and Lawrence B. Holt, #2,040,946, dated May 19, 1936. The selecting cam I3 is intended to elevate the needles which are to receive theelastic thread e from asuitable thread guide e below the latches thereof, which needles form the -wales whieh'are thrown to the outside of the fabric when completed, and for convenience of reference they will indicated at i is provided with a circular series of be designated by the numeral 2 and are preferably the alternate needles of the series, the intervening needles being indicated at 2*. Certain selected needles of the series of alternate needies, and which I have designated 2 located at points where a pattern unit is desired and which are preferably needles forming wales appearing on the face of the fabric,are elevated above the needles 2, but are not elevated high enough to receive the elastic thread below the latches thereof. On the contrary, they receive the elastic thread upon or above the latches, so that it is acted on by the hook to draw a loop. The selecting jacks 9 for the needles 2 are provided at their upper ends with a cam engagingmib ll, adapted to engage a second selecting 'gciam l5 when said jacks are pressed inward at their lower ends to disengage them from the cam" l3 and thrust the upper end outward to bring the nib H in position to engage the auxiliary selecting cam l5, as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 5, for example. Suitable pattern means is provided for effecting a selection between the alternate needies of the series comprising the needles 2 and 2 the selecting jacks of which normally engage the cam l3. The jacks'for the remaining needles 2 are knocked down" so that they do not at any time engage the cam iii. The pattern means also comprises means for knocking, down" the selecting jacks of certain of the needles 2'' to disengage said selected jack or jacks fromthe cam l3, and permit it or them to be raised by the second selecting cam [5, at points where a pattern unit desired. The knitting machine referred to is provided with a well known form of selecting means adaptable for this purpose.. It

I 2,204,781' comprises a series of horizontally disposed reader I cam levers indicated at 20-, 20 20, etc., usually twenty-five in number, to accommodate a wide range of patterns, as shown in Figure 2. These and specifically forms no part of my invention, -and it therefore will not be further illustrated nor described, it being understood that the reader cam levers will be operated at the proper times to "knock down certain of the selecting jacks separation of the needles so that the selected needles indicated at 2 for example, and being provided with the nib M to insure the formation of a pattern unit at the desired point or points in the several courses of the fabric. It will be further understood that the butts II .on the selecting jacks which are not to be operated by a particular reader cam lever, will be broken ofi to permit the. inward movement of the lever andthe actuation of the proper selecting jack or jacks, without operating the others. In order to produce the body fabric which is not ornamented, it is necessary to make a preliminary preferablyevery other needle, will be normally elevated high enough to receive the elastic-thread below the latch, while the intermediate needles will not be raised, and normally do not receive the elastic thread at all. A Thispreliminary selection is effected by a special lever 16 operated by a-suitable cam in advance of the operation of any of the levers 20 etc., and in this instance, I haveshown it arranged in position to .engage one of the butts ll, preferably the lowest one in the series to knock down' every other meet the selecting jacks as indicated in Figure 2, the alternate jacks remaining in position to engage a selecting cam I3 which will elevate their needles indicated at 2 to such a high position as to receive'the elastic thread below the latch as indicated in Figure 4, for example,while the "knock down" jacks will pass the cam l3 without raising their needles 2. Subsequently, the needles 2, will be raised by the engagement of their nibs with a cam l1 and the upper grade of the knitting cam 4 to the sheddingpoint, and as these alternate needles 2 move upward they pass in front of the elastic thread e, so that the elastic thread is interlaced between the needles' 2 and 2, respectively, as described in my former application above referred to.

For. the purpose of producing pattern units and operating certain needles, selecting jacks having the nibs H, are inserted in the cylinder grooves below certain selected or all of the needles, preferably of the group constituting the alternate needles 2, by which various units of the pattern are to be knit, and I have designated the needles operated by the nibs it instead of nibs 12 of these special selecting jacks, by the characters 2 to distinguish them from the rest of the series 2. The jacks for these needles only, are selectively knocked down by the reader cam levers 20 20*, etc., in a well known way i and in accordance with the desired pattern, so as to disengagetheir lower ends from the cam l3 and bring their nibs it into operative relation with special cam IS. The selected needle or needles of the group 2*, will therefore be raised by the cam I5 instead of the cam l3, and will be raised to a lesser extent so as to receive the elastic thread e upon or above the latch, and as all of the needles receive the body thread b from the thread guide b at the throat of the machine, the selected needles of the groupjb wlll draw a composite loop containing the rubber thread, together with the body thread.

Referring to the series of illustrative Figures 6, 7 and 8, Figure 6 shows very graphically one of the needles 2 extending through a loop of the body thread b, and having the elastic thread e the body thread b in the rear of the elastic thread e, forming a wale which appears at the front. face of the fabric. Needle 2* draws its loop of the body thread b on the forward side of the elastic thread e, thus locking the elastic thread into the fabric as clearly indicated in Figure 8. The needle 2 which receives the elasticthread on the latch, from which it will pass into the hook of %he needle, and also receives the body thread b n the hook of the needle, will draw a composite loop be, as shown atright in Figure 8.

Figure'll, illustrates one form of ornamentation which {may employ by grouping the ornamental units hereinafter described and represented by D, in a suitable form as a diamond or lozenge shaped figure. As will be noted, in knitting this flgure, the ornamental unit D will occur once at the top of the iigure in a particular course, twice in the second course following, three times in the next second course following, etc., to carry out this particular design. This particular design will require at each place in the fabric in which it is knitted, thirteen selecting jacks having the elevating nib H, and the pattern mechanism will be adjusted to' bring selected ones of these thirteen jacks into operative relation with the auxiliary elevating cam l5, to enable the selected needles to draw the. composite stitch, preferably in two successr'e courses,.as will be readily understood.

Figure 9 illustrates diagrammatically the construction of the fabric as knitted in accordance with the preferred form of my invention to produce the design illustrated in Figure 11, in which ,the various operations previously described and illustrated in detail in Figures 6, 7 and 8, are duplicated in two successive courses. For exare made by certain of the needles 2 which receive the elastic thread e below thelatch and merely draw a loop of the body thread b forward of the elastic thread. The wales-w and w are formed by-needles 2%, which are raised.

'ample,,in course I, the wales w, w 11: and w",

ornamental unit at that particular point in that tion unit D,

particular wale, in accordance with the prede- In courses 3 and 3 of Figure 9, due to a further rotation ofthe trick wheel and consequent knocking down of jacks for two different needles 2, two of the ornamental units are formed in the same manner, but in the wales w and w in accordance with the design shown in Figure 11. In successive courses containing the design unit D, said units will occur at different points in such courses'in accordancewith the desired pattern as will be readily understood. I

Due to the tension under which the elastic thread is fed in order that it may draw the.

fabric together to form the rib-like ridgespreviously described, the inter-engaged composite stitches be and be will be actually distorted from the theoretical positions indicated in Figure 9,

and will produce distortion of the surrounding body threads in a manner indicated in the central portion of Figures and 12, which shows the actual shape of the design unit D as pears under the microscope, while the effect as viewed by the naked eye is substantially as shown in Figure 11, the particular design depending upon the arrangement of these design units produced as above described in the fabric.

Figure 10 represents the inner face of the fabric, and Figure 12 represents the outer face ,of the same. It' will be noticedin Figures 10 and 12, that where a composite loop be is followed by a corresponding composite loop drawn therethrough in the next course, the engagement of said composite loops prevents the elastic thread in either of them from straightening itself in the fabric and the consequent puckering of the fabric produces the ornamental unit.

In some instances, I may produce an ornamental unit comprising a composite loop be drawn in one course only, as in course 2 of the fabric illustrated diagrammatically in-Figure 13,

in wale 4 thereof. In such case, the elastic thread e will straighten out as indicated at em, in Figure 14, simultaneously distorting the surrounding body threads 1) and producing an ornamental which units may be appropriately grouped to form a design such as indicated, for example, in Figure 15.

It will be understood that the particular de-. sign produced by the'units D, or the units D, may be varied-to any desired extent and located at any desired part or'partsof the fabric in accordance with the anism and the location of the selecting jacks having the nibs ll. In Figure'16, for example, I have illustrated an anklet A having a top porformed of fabric having the elastic thread incorporated therein in the manner hereinbefore described; with particular reference to Figures 9, 10 and 12, and having the pattern'shown in Figure 11 arranged at several. points around the elastic top at any desired number of places. This will provide an attractive ornamentation of the elastic top and as the ornamental units occur in the wales which are forced to the surface when the fabric is in its non-distended condition the pattern will be clearly visible when the hosiery is exhibited for sale. Furthermore,

it apsetting of the pattern -r'nechwhen the hosiery is worn and the top is more or less distended by the leg of the wearer, the pattern being carried by the outer wales, will merely;

expand laterally so as to widen the pattern or ornamental design formed. by the ornamental units so that the ornamentation will be just as effective as when the fabric is in the nondistended condition.

It will be understood that the entire fabric with the exception of the ornamental units themselves will comprise courses having the elastic thread incorporated by being attached at spaced wales, preferably alternate waleaand floated on the inside of the fabric between the wales in which it is secured. These floats form substantially continuous spirals which slightly indent the skin of the wearer and securely hold the fabric in position on the leg of the wearer as well as causing the fabric to conform, thus doing away with the necessity of using garters.

While I have shown in the: accompanying drawings Figures 9, 10, 12, 13 and 14, the elastic thread e in all the courses of the fabric, it will be understood that it. may be omitted in certain courses and the elastic bearing courses may be spaced to a greater or lesser extent, as desired,

and as permitted by the characteristics of the particular-ornamental pattern in which the pattern units D or D, are to be arranged.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a r

1. A plain knit fabric having a substantially uniform ground comprising courses and wales composed of inelastic thread having an elastic thread under tension incorporated in certain courses without the formation of knitted loops of said elastic thread, and united to the fabric between the stitch loops of the inelastic thread, said elastic thread being knit into loops at certain wales only in certain courses only ofthe fabric,

the tension of said elastic thread drawing the v wales of all of said courses into close proximity with each other and effecting distortion of the portions of inelastic, thread adjacent to said knitted loops of elastic thread to form structural or-' namental units in said ground fabric without the addition of other thread or threads, and the face of the fabric being provided with designs of said ornamental units formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined ornamental pattern.

2. A plain knit fabric having a plain ground comprising complete courses and wales composed of inelastic thread having an elastic thread under tension incorporated in certain courses without the formation of knitted loops of said elastic thread and united to the fabric at-certain wales of said courses to form the ground fabric, said elastic thread being knit together with the inelastic thread into composite loops at certain wales only in certain courses only of the fabric,

the tension of said elastic thread drawing the' comprising courses and wales composed of inelastic thread, and having an elastic thread under tension incorporated in certain courses without the formation of knitted loops of said elastic thread, and united to the fabric at certain wales of said courses to form the ground fabric, said elastic thread being knit into interlooped loops at certain corresponding wales only in certain consecutive courses only of the fabric, the tension of said elastic thread drawing the wales of the courses into close proximity and distortingthe portions of inelastic thread adjacent to said interlooped loops of elastic thread to form structural ornamental units in said ground fabric without the addition of other thread or threads, and the face of the fabric being provided with designs of said ornamental units formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined ornamental pattern.

4. A plain knit fabric having a.plain ground comprising complete courses and wales composed of inelastic thread and having an elastic thread under tension incorporated in certain courses without the formation of knitted loops of said elastic thread, and united to the fabric at cer--- .tain wales of said courses to form the ground fabric, said elastic thread being knit togetherwith the inelastic thread into interlooped composite loops at certain corresponding wales in certain consecutive courses of the fabric, the tension of said elastic thread drawing the wales of all ofthe courses into close proximity and effecting distortion of the portions of inelastic thread adjacent to said interlooped composite loops to form structural'ornamental units in said ground fabric without the addition of other thread or threads, and the face of the fabric 7 being provided with designs of said ornamental 'units formed by the'knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined ornamental pattern.

A plain knit fabric having a ground com-' in certain courses of the fabric, the tension of said elastic thread being sufficient to force said alternate wales of allthe courses together to form the outer face of the fabric and submerge the intervening wales and distorting the adjacent portions of inelastic thread in said alternate wales to form structural ornamental units in the outer face of said ground fabric without the addition of other thread or threads, and the face of the fabric being provided \VithflGSiR'llS of said orna- "mental unitsoccurring in said alternate wales and formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined ornamental pattern-l 6. A plain knit fabric having a substantially uniform ground comprising courses and wales composed of inelastic thread and having an elastic thread under tension incorporated in certain courses without the formation of knitted loops of said elastic thread and united to the fabric at alternate wales of said courses and floated in rear of intervening wales to form the ground fabric,

said elastic thread, together with the inelastic thread being knit into composite loops at certain wales in certain courses 'of the fabric, the tension of said elastic thread being sufficient to draw said alternate wales of all of said courses together to form the outer face of the fabric and submerge the intervening wales, and to distort the portions of inelastic thread adjacent to said composite loops to form structural ornamental units in said ground fabric without the addition of other thread or threads, and the face of the fabric being provided with designs of said ornamental units tic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined ornamental pattern.

7. A circular knit seamless plain knit fabric having a plain ground comprising courses and wales. composed of inelastic thread and having an elastic thread under tension incorporated in certain courses without the formation of knitted loops of said elastic thread and united to the fabric at alternate wales and floated in rear of intervening wales of said courses to form the ground fabric, said elastic thread being knit into interlooped loops at certain corresponding wales in certain consecutive courses of thefabric, the

tension of said elastic thread being sufficient to draw said alternate wales of all the courses into close proximity to form ,the outerface of the fabric and submerge the intervening wales, and distort portions of inelastic thread adjacent to 'said interlooped loops of elastic thread to form structural ornamental units in said ground fabric without the addition of other thread or threads, and the face of the fabric being provided with designs of said ornamental units formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined ornamental pattern.

'8. A circular knit plain knit seamless fabric formed by the knitted loops containing the elashaving a substantially uniform ground comprising courses and wales containinginelastic thread throughout and having elastic thread under tension incorporated in certain courses without the formation of knitted loops of the elastic thread and united to the fabric at alternate wales of said courses and floated in rear of intervening wales to form the ground fabric, said elastic thread being knit together with the inelastic thread into composite interlooped loops at certain corresponding wales in certain consecutive courses of the fabric, the tension of said elastic thread drawing the alternate wales of all the courses into close proximity to form the outer face of the fabric and submergethe intervening wales of all of said courses and distorting portions of the inelastic thread adjacent to the said interlooped composite loops to form structural ornamental units in said ground fabric without the addition 'of other thread or threads, and the face of the fabric being provided with designs of said ornamental units occurring in said alternate wales and formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined ornamental pattern.

9. A method of ornamenting plain knit fabric having a substantially uniform ground and an elastic thread incorporated under tension therein in certain courses, and locked into the fabric at certain spaced walesin each of said courses without drawing loops of said elastic thread, which consists in forming a composite loop of elastic thread with the body thread at certain selected wales in certain selected courses of said courses in which the elastic thread is incorporated, and thereby distorting adjacent loops of the fabric to produce ornamental units in said ground fabric, and with the face of the fabric provided with designs of said ornamental units'forn'ied by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

10. A method of ornamenting plain knit fabric having a substantially uniform ground and an elastic thread incorporated under tension therein in certain courses, and locked into the fabric at certain spaced wales in each of said courses without drawing loops of said elastic thread, which consists in forming a composite loop of elastic thread with the body thread at certain selected wales in certain selected courses of said courses in which the elastic thread is incorporated, and incorporating the elastic thread ,in the next successive course, and at said selected wales drawing composite loops of elastic thread with the body thread through said composite loops of the preceding course, and thereby distorting adjacent loops formed of the body thread,

to produce ornamental units in said ground fabric, and with the face of the fabric provided with designs of said ornamental units formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

11. A method of producing a plain knit ornamented fabric having a substantially uniform ground and an elastic thread incorporated in certain courses thereof, which consists in knit-' ting plain knit courses. with a body thread, incorporating an elastic thread under tension in certain of said courses; and locking the elastic thread into the fabric at certain vertically aligned wales without forming loops of said elastic thread, thereby drawing the fabric into vertically disposed rib-like ridges extending alternately on opposite faces of the fabric, and forming composite loops containing both body thread and elastic thread at predetermined wales, in certain se-' lected courses of the courses containing the elastic thread, and thereby distorting adjacent loopsof the fabric to produce ornamental units in said ground fabric, and with the face of the fabric provided with designs of said ornamental units formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

12. A method of producing a plain knit ornamented fabric having a substantially uniform ground and an elastic thread incorporated in certain courses thereof, which consists in knitting plain knit courses with a body thread, incorporating an elastic thread under tension in certain of said courses, and locking the elastic thread into the fabric at certain verticallyaligned wales without forming loops of said elastic thread, thereby drawing the fabric into vertically disposed rib-like ridge's'extending alternately on opposite faces of the fabric, and forming composite loops containing bothbody thread and elastic thread, at predetermined wales, in certain selected courses of the courses containing the elastic thread, and incorporating the elastic thread -.in the course following each of said selected courses, and drawing composite loops comprising body thread and the elastic thread through each of the said composite loops of the preceding course thereby distorting adjacent loops of the fabric, and forming ornamental units in said ground fabric, and with the face of the fabric provided with designs of said ornamental units formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

13. A method of ornamenting plain knit fabric having elastic thread incorporated therein under tension, which consists in knitting plain knit courses with a body thread, incorporating elastic thread in certain of said courses under tension, and locking it in certain vertically aligned wales of .said courses and floating it between the said wales, the tension of the elastic thread drawing the fabric into vertical rib-like ridges and thereby forcing certain wales to the rear face and intervening wales to the front face of the fabric,

14. A method of ornamenting plain knit fabric having a substantially uniform ground and elastic thread incorporated therein under tension,

which consists in knitting plain knit courses with a body thread, incorporating elastic thread in certain of said courses under tension, ,and looking it in certain vertically aligned wales of said courses and floating it between the s d wales, the tension of the elastic thread drawing the fabric into vertical rib-like ridges and thereby forcing certain wales to the rear face and intervening wales to the front face of the fabric, and forming composite loops containing both the body thread 1 and elastic thread at predetermined wales on the;

face of the fabric in certain predetermined courses containing the elastic thread, and incorporating the elastic thread in the course following each of the aforesaid selected courses and drawing composite loops containing .the body thread and the elastic thread through the. composite loops only of the preceding course, thereby distorting adjacent loops of the fabric and forming ornamental units in said ground fabric, and with the face of the fabric provided with designs of said ornamental units formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

15. A method of ornamenting plain knit seamless fabric having elastic thread incorporated therein under tension, which consists in knitting plain knit circular courses with a' body thread,

incorporating elastic. thread in certain'of said courses under tension and locking it in vertically intervening wales to the inner face of the fabric,

and forming vertical rib-like ridges inthe fabric,

and forming composite loops containing both the body thread and elastic thread at certain of said alternate wales in certain predetermined courses containing the elastic thread, the tension of said elastic thread, causing the elasticthread in said composite loops to straighten out, thereby dis-' torting the adjacent loops of the fabric to produce ornamental units in said outer face wales only, in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

16. A method of ornamenting plain knit seamto the outer face of the fabric, and theinterventing wales to the inner face of the fabric, and

,forming vertical rib-like ridges in the vfabric,

and forming composite loops containing both the body thread and elastic thread at certain 01' said alternate wales in certain predetermined courses containing the elastic thread, and incorporating the elastic thread in the course following each of the aforesaid selected courses and drawing composite loops containing the body thread and the elastic thread through the composite loops only of the preceding course, the engagement of said composite loops and the tension of said elastic thread distorting adjacent loops of the fabric and forming ornamental units in said ground fabric, and with the face of the fabric provided with designs of said ornamental units formed by the knitted loops containing the elastic thread arranged upon said ground in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

JAMES LOUIS GETAZ.

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