US2360668A

US2360668A - Method of knitting

Info

Publication number: US2360668A
Application number: US512469A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fregeolle Oscar
Original assignee: Hemphill Co
Current assignee: Hemphill Co
Priority date: 1943-12-01
Filing date: 1943-12-01
Publication date: 1944-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1961-10-17
Also published as: GB11243A

Description

Oct. 17, 1944, o. FREGEOLLE 6 2,360,668

METHD OF KNITTING Filed D60. 1, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/VI/ENTOE 0.522165656501546,

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Filed Dec. 1, 1943 e Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 17, 1944. o. FREGEOLLE 2,360,668

METHOD OF KNITTING Filed Dec. 1, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 JJMBEPaZEW/IZQ I v I I r INVENTOR- ATTy.

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I I I I I I Patented Oct. '17, 1944 METHOD OF KNITTING Oscar Fregeolle, Central Falls, R. 1., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. 1., acorporation of Massachusetts Application December 1, 1943, Serial No. 512,469

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a method of knitting on knitting machines of the circular, independent needle type and to the fabric produced by that method. Although the method may be performed and the fabric produced on various kinds of knitting machines of the circular type, the well-known Banner machine is peculiarly suited for the purpose and, consequently, it has been selected for purposes of illustration and description herein.

Heretofore difficulty has been encountered particularly in the knitting of hosiery in securing a uniform and symmetrical loop structure. It frequently happens that some of the loops are tilted from the perpendicular and that one side of the loop is difi'erent from the other so that the two halves are not symmetrical. Although these peculiarities are minute they nevertheless impair the overall appearance of the fabric particularly fine gauge sheer fabric in which substantially perfect loop structure is essential. v

The defects mentioned above are particularly noticeable in split fabric produced by reciprocatory knitting because the tilt of the loops tends to follow the direction'of knitting so that in ad- Jacent courses the loops of one course tilt in one direction whereas the loops in the next course tilt in the other, producing the so called washboard effect.

By this invention the defects mentioned are substantially eliminated with the result that a more symmetrical, straighter waled, and much better looking fabric is produced. The invention requires only a few inexpensive and easily made changes in the mechanism and correspondingly small'changes in the method of knitting but the improvement in results obtained is very noticeable particularly in split work and more than justifies the trouble and expense of the alterations....

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a part of a circular Fig. 4 is an isometric view illustrating a number of the needles and sinkers and the manner in which the leg and instep yarn is manipulated by them; a

Fig. 5 is a similar view relating to the drawing and knitting of the yarn of the high splice, heel, sole and toe portions of a stocking having a split foot; I

Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views of a needle and sinker illustrating the manner in which the leg and instep yarn is drawn in accordance with this invention;

Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views illustrating the manner in which the yarn is drawn for the high splice, heel, sole and toe portions;

Fig. 10 is a view complementary to Figs. 6 and 7, and 8 and 9 illustrating a further step in the knitting operation;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are diagrammatic views of a needle illustrating different steps in knitting the leg and instep;

Figs. 14:, 15 and 16' are similar views illustrating steps in the knitting of the high splice, heel, sole and toe;

. Figs. 17, 18 and 19 are views of a needle and two adjacent sinkers further illustrating the method of knitting the leg and instep;

Figs. 20 and 21 are similar views further illustrating the knitting of the high splice, heel, sole and toe;

Fig. 22 is a view of a sock or half-hose produced by the method of this invention;

Fig. 23 is a view of a ladys stocking also produced by this invention; and

Figs. 24 and 25 are accurate reproductions of enlarged projections of actual split fabric produced respectively by the method of this invention and by the usual method showing the improvement obtained.

As shown in Fig. '1 the knitting machine in general is provided with the usual cylinder 1, needles 2, yarn levers 3 and 4 carrier ring 5 and sinker cap 6 to which are attached the usual cams l, 8 and 9 for controlling the sinkers in the knitting of the high splice, heel, sole and toe portions of a split foot stocking. On the auxiliary side of the machine there is another yarn lever ID for feeding the yarn from which the legand instep are knit. On this side of the machine are also shown side sinker cams H and I2 and center sinker cam l3 for controlling the sinkers in the knitting of this yarn.

Generally speaking, the method of this invention follows the usual practice in the production of a split foot stocking. That is to say, the

'the machine is raised out of operative leg is knitted by straight-a-way rotary knitting Whereas the remainder of the stocking beginning at the top of the high splice is produced by reciprocatory knitting, part of the needles being utilized to knit the instep from the same yarn ployed in the leg and part of the needles being used to knit the high splice, heel, sole and toe portions from another yarn or yarns. The margins of the instep and adjacent portions are, of course, interknitted to form suture seams. While the structure of these suture seams may be varied, I prefer the structure shown in Patent #1,673,766 to Gagne, in which in one course of each side of the stocking there is a ,loop and a partial loop of one yarn interknit with a single loop of the other yarn, because of its strength and extremely attractive appearance.

Since the leg and instep are 'to be knitted of the same yarn and the knitting of the high splice, heel, sole and toe portions of a split foot stocking is customarily performed on the main side of the machine, the auxiliary side indicated by the yarn main feeding station.

lever I is utilized 'for knitting the leg and instep V yarn. Fig. 1 will serve to illustrate this it it is assumed that yarn lever 3-at the main side of position so that yarn I4 is not fed to the needles. I

Assuming that yarn lever I0 is in feeding position, yarn 5 will be fed to the needles which are moved in the usual rotary manner for knitting the leg. Sinker cam I2 is provided with a point I6 which causes the sinkers to move inwardly sooner and further than usual so that the yarn I5 is drawn and measured over the backs of the sinkers I! as shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7 instead of in the throats as shown in Figs. 5, 8 and 9. When the sinkers are retracted by center sinker cam 9 the loops will pass from the backs of the sinkers over the tops of the nibs into the throats as illustrated in Figs. 17

and 18. This will tend to stretch these loops somewhat. At-this time the newly formed loops are, of course, hanging upon the shanks of the needles having passed from the position shown in Fig. 11 around the latches to the position shown in Fig. 12. v

The knitting cycle being completed, new loops i5 drawn, as abov'e described, and the sinkers advanced to cast off the old loops at Hi, the casting off will be performed by the engagement of the sinkers with the old lo'ops I5 themselves as shown in Fig. 19 instead of by means of the newly formed loops l5 as would be the case if the yarn were drawn in the throats of the sinkers (Figs. 20 and 21). Therefore, by this new method of knitting the newly drawn yarn which is still on the backs of the sinkers is substantially undisturbed by the casting oif process, the strain of this somewhat violent operation being borne entirelyby the completely formed, comparatively stable, old loops.

As a result of the manipulation of the sinkers as described above, the needle loops which ordinarily hang rather loosely upon the needle shanks as shown in Fig. 15 because they have been previously riding upon the latches as shown in Fig. 14, are drawn snugly around the needle shanks as shown in Fig. 12 when the sinkers are retracted to cause the adjacent sinker loops to pass over their nibs. This tends to equalize the size of the needle loops and, consequently, the size of the adjacent sinker loops. When the needle loops are cast oif although they are necessarily stretched somewhat because they must pass over the latches, all of them will be stretched substantially to the same degree because they have been previously brought to the same size around the shanks of the needles as above described. This manipulation of the sinker and needle loops combined with the throwing of the strain of casting off upon the old loops appear to be the factors which make possible the production of both sinker loops and needle loops of more nearly the same size respectively and eliminates the tendency of individual loops to tilt and to be unsymmetrical.

If desired, the leg of the stocking may be made of two yarns knitted simultaneously, one at the main side-and one at the, auxiliary side of the machine. .This' is illustrated by Fig. 2 in which it is assumed that yarn lever 4 has been moved into feeding position to feed a yarn 2| at the Ordinarily the yarn 2| will be identical with yarn l5 fed at the auxiliary station. With this arrangement yarn l5 will be drawn over the backs of the sinkers and knitted in the manner. already described with the exception that casting of! will occur at point 24' instead of Ii.

Yarn 2| must also be drawn and knitted in the same way at the same time. To do this yarn 2| must be drawn over the backs of the sinkers. For this purpose a flopper cam 23 is provided having point '24 corresponding to point l6 of cam I2 which when the cam is swung in will move the sinkers in sooner and further than they would be moved by cam 8. Mechanism for operating such a flopper cam is well-known and requires no description here. Yarn 2| is trans ferred from the backs of the sinkers over the nibs to the throats when the sinkers-are retracted by center sinker cam I3 on the auxiliary side and are-finally cast off at IE on the auxiliary side. By feeding and knitting yarns simultaneously on opposite side'of the machine the time required for knitting the leg is cut in half.

A similar result can be obtained by knitting two yarns simultaneously but both at the auxiliary side as illustrated in Fig. 3. Hence the same yarn lever i0 and yarn i5 is shown as in Figs. 1 and 2 and an additional yarn lever 25 positioned in advanceof yarn lever I0 and yarn '26 fed thereby. In this instance, yarn I5 is drawn and knit. as before. Yarn 26 is drawn over the backs of the sinkers, which have been projected inwardly by point 24' of cam 8 and knit just ahead of point 21' of cam at which cam point the old loops of yarn l5 are then cast off. The sinkers are then drawn out by cam |3 to. transfer the newly drawn loops of yarn 26 from the backs to the throats of thesinkers and these loops are cast off at point I6 of cam |2 after the yarn l5 has been drawn and knit again.

Here, as in thearrangement of Fig. 2, it will be noted both yarns are drawn over the backs of the sinkers and subsequently caused to pass over the nibs into the throats and the new loops are cast off by the engagement of the sinkers with the previously formed loops all exactly as described before. In this way the time required for knitting the leg of the stocking is cut in half and the described improvements in the fabric obtained.

When the knitting of the leg is completed and the knitting of the high-heel splice is about to begin a change is made from rotary to reciprocat'ory knitting as is customary. If the leg has been knit of two yarns as described inconnection with Figs. 2 and 3,

yarn lever

4 or 25, as the case may be, is raised to take yarn 2| or 26 out s,soo,oas

,cuiar, independent needle, knitting machine of action and yarn lever 3 is'lowered to bring yarn H into position to be fed to the needles for knitting the high splice, heel, sole and toe at the main side of the machine. Also flopper cam 23 (Fig.

1) is retracted. The needles upon which the instep is knit or yarn IE will continue to draw the yarn over the backs of the sinkers and to knit as already described but-in both directions of reciprocation utilizing identical sinker cams Ii and I2 on the auxiliary side for the purpose,

points-'21 and 27 of cam ll corresponding to po'nts l6 and iii of cam l2. Part of the sinkers will be retracted to transfer the loops from the backs to the throats by center sinker cam 9 at the main side of the machine and the remainder by center sinker cam l3 at the auxiliary side on the reverse stroke in either direction of knitting. Casting oil. occurs at points l6 and 2'! respect.vely. a

The yarn I4 at the main side will be drawnin the oldmanner in the throats of the sinkers by virtue of the usual sinker cams 1 and 8 to produce fabric of the usual type in-the usual way in the high splice, .heel, sole and toe (Figs. 5, 8, 9, 14-16, 20, 21). The two types of fabric will, of course, be interlinked at adjacent edges by sutures preferably of the character already ment oned and illustrated at 28 and 29 in Figs. 22 and 23 respectively and any of the other features usually found in high splice, split foot hosiery for men or ladies may be included such, for example, as an automatically turned welt 30, a pointed high heel 3|, bufier heel 32, narrow cradle sole 33 and bufier toe 34. The manner in which these features are made is well-known and needs no further description.

The improvement insplit fabric obtained by following the method of 'this invention in reciprocatory knitting is shown in Figs. 24 and 25. Fig. 24 is an accurate reproduction of an actual enlargement of actual fabric knitted in the usual way in which both yarns are drawn in the throats of the sinkers. The washboard eiTect resulting from the tilting of the loops of one course 35 in one direction and of the next course 36 in the other direction is clearly evident as is the effect of these irregularities upon the sharpness of outline of the wales. Also many of the individual loops such as 3'! are not only tilted but unsymmetrical which further impairs the appearance of the fabric.

Fig. 25 is a similar accurate reproduction of a piece of split fabric knitted by the new method in which the leg and instep yarn is drawn over the backs of the sinkers. Although traces of the washboard effect may remain, the great improvement obtained is clearly evident. The loops are much straighter, more symmetrical and of more uniform size. Consequently, the wales are more sharply defined and the general appearance of the fabric is far superior to that of the old.

The word stocking as used herein is to be understood as including the article as it is removed from the knitting machine before the toe opening is closed as well as the completely finished article.

It will also be understood that the invention V may be carried out on other knitting machines than the Banner machine used here for description and that different mechanisms from those described herein may be used without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims,

I claim:

"which consists of simultaneously knitting upon f two groups of needles with individual yarns, one yarn belng'drawn over the backs of sinkers'and the. other yarn being drawn in the throats of sinkers.

'2. A method of knitting split fabric upon a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which consists of simultaneously knitting upon two groups of needles with individual yarns, one yarn being drawn'over the backs of thesinkers and through the needle loops ofthe previous course, the previously formed needle loops being cast off by the sinkers acting upon the correspondingsinker loops only, and ':causing the newly drawn sinker loops to pass from the backs ,toithe throats of the sinkers'over the tops of thenibs.

fill

1. A method of knitting split fabric upon a cir- 75 cular,

3. A method of knitting split fabric upon a cirindependent needle, knitting machine which consists of simultaneously knitting in a reciprocatory manner upon two groupsof needles with individual yarns, one yarn being drawn over the backs of sinkers and the other yarn being drawn in the throats of the sinkers.

'4. A method of knitting split fabric upon 'a circular, independent needle, knitting machine,

which consists of simultaneously knitting in a reciprocatory manner upon two groups of needles with individual yarns, one yarn being drawn over the backs of sinkers and through the needle loops of the previous course and the previously formed needle loops being cast off by the sinkers acting upon the corresponding sinker loops only, and causing the newly draw-n sinker loops to pass from the backs to the throats of the sinkers over the tops of the nibs.

5. A method of knitting split fabric upon a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which consists of simultaneously knitting in a reciprocatory manner upon two groups of needles with individual yarns, one yarn being drawn over the backs of the sinkers and through the needle loops of the previous course, the previously formed needle loops being cast off by the sinkers acting .upon 1,he.corresponding sinker loops only, and causingth'e newly drawn sinker loops to pass from the backs to the throats of the sinkers over the tops of the nibs.

6. The method of knitting split fabric upon a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which consists of dividing'the needles into two groups, feeding a separate yarn to each group of needles, drawing one yarn over the backs of the sinkers and through the needle loops of the previous course, casting off the previously formed needle loops by the sinkers acting upon the corresponding sinker loops only, causing the newly drawn sinker loops to pass from the backs to the throats of the sinkers over the backs of the nibs, and simultaneously feeding another yarn to the other group of needles, drawing this yarn in the throats of sinkers and casting off the previously formed needle loops by the sinkers acting upon the newly drawn yarn.

7. A method of knitting split hosiery fabric upon a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which consists of knitting the instep of one yarn upon one group of needles, the loops of said yarn being drawn over the backs of sinkers and subsequently transferred over the nibs to the throats, and simultaneously knitting the circumferentially corresponding portions of the fabric of another yarn by the remainder of the needles the loops of said other yarn being drawn in the throats of sinkers.

8. A method of knitting split hosiery fabric upon a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which consists of knitting the instep oi one yarn upon one group of needles. the loops of said yarn being drawn over the backs of sinkers. and subsequently transferred over the nibs to the throats, simultaneously knitting the circumferentially corresponding portions oi the fabric of another yarn by the remainder of the needles, the loops of said other yarn being drawn in the throats of sinkers, and interknitting said two portions course by course at adjacent edges.

9. The method of knitting a stocking which consists of knitting the leg portion in a rotary manner of at least one yarn including the step of drawing said yarn over the backs of the sinkers, then knitting the instep and corresponding circumferential portions with the exception of the heel and toe, simultaneously in a reciprocatory manner upon two sets of needles supplied with individual yarn including the steps of drawing one of said yarns over the backs of sinkers and drawing the other of said yarns in the throats of sinkers.

10. The method of knitting a stocking upon a circular, independent needle, knitting machine provided with main and auxiliary yarn feeding stations which consists of knitting the leg by simultaneously feeding individual yarns to the needles at each feeding station. knitting both yarns in a rotary manner both of said yarns being drawn over the backs of the sinkers and then continuing the knitting of the instep and adjacent portions of the stocking in a reciprocatory manner the instep being knitted of one of the yarns of which the leg was knitted, said yarn being drawn over the backs of the sinkers as in the knitting of the leg portion, the portions of the stocking adjacent the instep being knitted simultaneously of another yarn drawn in the throats of the sinkers.

11. The method of knitting a stocking on a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having a plurality of yarn feeding stations which consists of knitting the leg by simultaneously feeding two independent yarns to the needles from two adjacent feeding stations and independently knitting both of said yarns in a rotary manner both of said yarns being drawn over the backs of the sinkers. then changing to reciprocatory knitting and knitting the instep of one of the same yarns in the same manner from one of said feeding stations and knitting the remaining portions of another yarn supplied from a third feeding station and drawn in the throats of the sinkers.

OSCAR FREGEOLLE.