US2378316A - Machine for producing knitted fabric - Google Patents

Description

June 12, 1945. c. w. MINTON 2,378,316

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug., 12, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet l l NV NTOR. arznc e WM? 00.

* ATTORNEYS.

June 12, 1945. c, w, MlNTON 2,378,316

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. C/zrence W #770/7.

g 4 I ATTORNE s.

June 12, 1945. c. w. MINTON 2,378,316

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

C/arence W/W/n fan.

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/ ATTORNEYS June 12, 1945. Q w MlNTQN 2,378,316

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

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/ ATTORNEY June 12, 1945. c. w. MINTON MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITfIED FABRIC Filed Au 12, 1942 a Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

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Lk /arancz June 12, 1945. c. w. MINTON MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1942 8 SheetsSheet 6 INVENTOR. Czar-e066 14 M0 foo.

. ATI'ORNEYS.

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MACHINE FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12. 1942 a Sheets-Sheet v INVENTOR.

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June 12, 1945. c. w. MINTON 2,378,316

mcnnm FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet B INVENTOR.

C/anznceW M'rawaxl- ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 12, 1945 MACHINE FOR- PRODUCING KNITTED FABRIC Clarence W. Minton, Nashville, Tenn., assignor to Hold Stitch Fabric Machine Company. Nashville, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Application August 12, 1942, Serial No. 454,596

13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in seamless knitted stockings; particularly in a machine for the knitting of the same.

The rimary object of this invention is the provision of an improved machine for the knitting of generally such type of fabric as set forth in my co-pending application Serial Number 416,746 filed October 27, 1941, wherein wale lines in certain areas of the fabric are knitted of a less length than adjacent wale lines whereby to produce a novelty effect Afurther object of this invention is the provision of a machine for the knitting of fabric wherein certain wale lines are produced of stitches which tend to pucker the fabric in adjacent wale areas; this effect being produced by holding certain stitches upon the needles of the knitting machine while continuing the knitting of the tubular fabric for a predetermined number of courses and floating the yarn from these courses behind the needles whereon the-stitches are being held, and then subsequently resuming knitting upon the needles whereon the stitches were first held, for the purpose of producing pleasing designs and effects in the fabric.

Otherobjects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved knitting machine.

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of

the improved knittingmachine, showing the operating mechanism.

Figure 5 is a developed view of the needle and jack arrangement of the knitting machine.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the knitting machine.

Figure '7 is an enlarged view of a jack actuating cam block mechanism. K

Figure 8 shows the actuating mechanism for a jack plunger cam control drum.

Figure 9 shows a different position of anism of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view showing a section of the the mechimproved fabric knitted after the general method tobe hereinafter described, and wherein at oer-- tain areas the wale lines have been shortened to pull out of normal alignment horizontal striped efiects so as to present pleasing design effects in the fabric.

Figure 11 is a side elevation specific type of fabriclmitted upon the set-up of the machine herein described.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of a section of'a third type of fabric knitted in accordance with this invention.

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the fabric shown in Figure 10 with certain wale lines cut away at the location where the normal horizontal striped eiiects are pulled out of line, in order to disclose the location at which the yarn is floated rearwardly of such cut wale lines.

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13, but showing certain characteristic features of the type of fabric of Figure'll. l

Figure 15 is likewise a view similar to Figure 13, but showing certain characteristic features in the structure of the fabric of Figure 12. P

In the'drawings, wherein for the .purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved knitting machine which may include a frame structure B- cylinder C, means D to operate the cylinder; a set of needles E and a set of jacks F.. The letters H, K and L respectively designate the characteristic fabrics of Figures 10,11 and 12, but it is to be under? stood that a wide variety of designs of fabric and will not be described herein, other than to refer to them as the means D. This means D includes as one of the parts thereof a conventional "104" gear designated at 23 in Figure 2 of the drawings and elsewhere.

The machine furthermore includes a shaft 24 having riglit and left drums K and L thereon for controlling certain levers to be subsequently described. At the rear of the machine there is provided a conventional shaft 26 which has a horizontal striper drum M thereon for a purpose to be subsequently described.

of a section of the The cams 3I-42 are provided with individual springs 43 normally urging the cams inward into butt obstruction with the jacks, These plunger cams 3I-42 are actuated by means of individual levers 44 pivoted upon a supporting post 45 by a shaft 46. This is shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. There the levers 44 areshown as having reduced ends operating in sockets 41 of the individual plunger cams. The levers 44 are controlled oil' of an intermittently operated drum 41 levers, for the purpose of blocking out any of the individual cams 3 I-42.

In addition, means is provided for simultaneously throwing the entire set of cams in the block 30' out of action. This means consists of a lever 82 pivoted at the bottom of the post 45, upon the rotatably mounted upon shaft 48. The levers 44 may be moved for withdrawing the plungers 3I-42 against their normal spring action so that they will be out of the path of the jack butts. In Figure 4 it is shown that the levers 44 are provided with end extensions 49 adapted to be engaged by certain detachable projections or pins or other means 50 placed upon the drum 41 in a selected arrangement. It isto be noted that the drum 41' is provided with these pins in position to only operate two of the jack plunger cams. The drum'may be provided with any suitable means, such as screw threaded openings for receiving the detachable lever operating studs or pins 50 in any position around the circumference thereof for each one'of ing members 44.

The means for intermittent rotation of the the cam plunger operatdrum 41. is shown in Figures 4, 8 and 9 of the drawings. This drum is provided with a ratchet 55 controlled by. means of a pawl 56 pivoted at 51 upon a lever extension 60. The latter is mounted upon a disc 6| oscillatable upon the shaft 48 as an axis. A spring 62 normally holds the pawl in position to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 55, as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. The extension 60 has a connecting rod 63 which is pivoted at 64, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, upon the upper end of a lever 65.. The latter ispivoted at 66 vupon the frame of the machine and is in position to be operated by means of lugs 61 positioned upon the 104 wheel 23. The lugs 51 for this particular set-up, are positioned at 180 apart upon the wheel 23, so that the drum 4! is advanced two tooth notches of the pawl wheel for each full rotation of 104 wheel 23. Inasmuch as the 104 wheel rotates once for. each'four revolutions of the knitting machine cylinder,as is well known to those skilled in theiart to which this invention relates, it can readily be understood that the drum will move one notch for each two knitted courses.

The means for throwing the pawl 56 out of action consists of a cam extension I0 mounted upon As shown in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings,

screwstll are provided on the post 45 on which the levers 44 are mounted, for each one of these pin 46 having its forward end extending laterally of the levers 44 and there provided with a vertically disposed rod or member 85, shown best in Figures 4 and 7 of the drawings. The rod 85 is supported at its upper end upon a lever 86 pivoted upon the pin 46. Movement of the lever 82 will move the rod 85 against the forward ends of the levers 44 and by pressing thereagainst the cams 3I-42 not already blocked out by the screws so can be thrown out of action. The lever 82 has a connecting rod 89, shown best in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings pivoted rearwardly upon a bell crank lever 90. The latter is pivoted at 9| and its opposite end has a connecting rod 92 pivoted upon the rear end of a lever 93. The latter is mounted upon a shaft 94 and controlled off of the cam drum L, in a manner which is perfectly apparent. It is entirely possible to recess some of the levers 44 where the rod 85 operates thereagainst, so that certain of these levers 44 will not be affected by throwingout of the other levers thru operation of the lever. 82.

It is contemplated that certain of the levers 44 need not be operated ofi of the drum 41. To that end certain of these levers 44 may have extensions 95, as shown in Figure 4 to which rods or wires 96 may be connected, The latter at their rear ends may be pivoted to certain bell crank levers 91. These bell crank levers may be mounted upon a block at an axis 99 and they are operated by means of rods I 00 pivoted upon certain fingers IllI, shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings. These fingers or members If are operated off of the horizontal striper drum M above mentioned.

Certain others of the levers 44 are adapted to be operated off of the cam drum K at the right hand side of the machine. To that end, 'such levers 44 as are operated off of the drum K, may be provided with pivoted lever extensions I I15. They have connecting rods I01, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, pivoted in turn to the upper ends of certain bell crank levers I09,

shown best in Figure 3 of the drawings. The opposite ends of such bell crank levers I09 are connected by means of rods Ho with certain levers III pivoted on the shaft 19 and operating oil of the drum K.

The knitting machine may be provided with a conventional main yarn feeding set-up and also an auxiliary yarn feeding set-up for the purpose of accomplishing different varieties of work. In the particular example of this application, the main feed knitting station may be provided with one or more yarn feed fingers I20 and I20 shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, and at the auxiliary feed station one or more yarn feed fingers I2I may be provided. This yarn feed finger I2I may be used for feeding Lastex to the needles.

At the auxiliary feeding station of the knitting machine, as shown in Figures 2 4 and 5 of the drawings, a cam plunger block I23 is provided, having plunger cams I24 and I25 slidably mounted therein and normally spring urged at I26, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, into butt actuating position with the jacks of the cylinder. Levers I21 are pivoted at I28 upon the machine and by means of rods I29 operated oil of certain levers I30 pivoted on the pin 94, and operating off of the drum L abovedescribed.

While the machine of the present application has been shown as set up for the knitting of the type of fabric K shown in Figures 11 and 14, it is to be understood that thru different cam and lever control pattern set-ups; the machine may knit many other types of novelty seamless fabric than that disclosed at H, K and L.

The cycle of operation will be described in con- 10 nection with the novelty pattern K shown in Figures 11 and,14. In this connection it should be borne in mind that the principal features of the method consist in feeding a yarn to predetermined groups of needles of the knitting machine for a 15 predetermined number of courses; then holding said yarn upon the needles and upon other groups of needles feeding another yarn, preferably of contrasting color, for a predetermined number of courses; then resuming feeding of the first mentioned yarn in certain areas while holding the second yarn upon needles upon which previously fed, and continuing the knitting in this fashion. The means for holding the stitches and manipulating the needles and stitches is such, that the stitches in certain areas and upon certain needles will be drawn rather long so that when knitting is resumed certain stitches in the wale lines will be drawn out of proportion and thusproduce a puckered effect at the areas behind which the yarns are floated as aforesaid.

- The set of needles E is of course divided into a set of long butt needles and a set of short butt needles. The butts shown in black are the long butts. The usual cam set-up is provided except insofar as modified in the showing of Figure 5. For the purpose of this invention a hold stitch cam-I is provided for lowering theneedles to a low point so that the stitches will be hung over the top of the cylinder and during the holding of 40 the stitches when knitting is performed upon certain needles the stitches will be lengthened in the wale lines. The cams MI and I42 operate together off conventional operating mechanism I BI shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The cams in the block 30 of course elevate the jacks 'and by reason thereof, the proper needles for taking the desired yarn. ,The stitch cam I43 of course lowers these needles inconventional manner.

For the knitting of the fabric K shown in Figures 11 and 14 of the drawings, the cams 33, 35 and 31 are used. The cam 33 operates upon the butts I36 in certain groups of jacks shown in Figure 5, for elevating the needles thereabove; the cam 35 operates upon the groups of butts I31 for elevating'the needles thereabove, and the cam 31, which is held contantly in place during knitting of the leg, by its spring, operates upon typical groups of butts I38 for elevating the needles there- 0 above.

- In the fabric K shown in Figures 11 and 14, let us say that the white and brown yarns are alternately fed to the needles which take said yarn for sixteen courses each. The pattern set-up is 5 such that at all times during knitting of the leg where the novelty effect is to be produced thecam 31 will remain in to engage the butts I38 for elevating the jacks and the needles thereabove. The areas designated at I50 in Figure 11 of the drawings, designate the wale lines which are knitted upon the needles above the jacks having" the butts I36 which are adapted to be engaged by the cam 33. Assuming the white yarn I35 to be feeding yarn to the needles, the cams 33 and 31 will be in place and elevate all of the needles above the jack butts I36 and I38. During this knitting the needles above the jacks having groups of butts I3I will be out of action and holding the yarn stitches which have previously beenlowered by the hold stitch cam I40. The white yarn is fed for sixteen courses to these needles above the jackgroups I36 and I38 and this yarn is floated behind the needles above the group of jack butts I31 and of course this together with the fact that the hold stitch cam I40 had'lowered the stitches over the top of the cylinder sufllciently, imposes a strain upon these-stitches and causes them to lengthen at this location which is designated at the brown yarn areas I52 in Figure ll of the drawings. After the sixteen courses have been knitted, the cam 33 is withdrawn and the cam 35 goes into action upon the butts I31. The cam 31 remains in place to still elevate the needles above the jacks having butts I38. Of

course the mechanism for the yarn feed fingers I20I20 goes into action and throws the white yarn finger I20 out of place and the brown yarn finger I20 into action for feeding the brown yarn to these needles. The action has-thus been reversed with respect to the groups of needles actuated off of the cam plungers 33 and 35 and the white yarn is now held upon the needles above the jacks having butts I36 and for sixteen courses the brown yarn is fed to the needles above the jacks having butts I3'I-I38.- By' reason of the strain imposed upon the stitches incident to the floating of the brown yarn back of the needles upon which the white yarn is held and also because of the strain imposed upon the stitches by reason of the lowering of the needles by thehold stitch cam I40 over the top of the cylinder, the white yarn stitches will be lengthened at the areas indicated at I50 in Figure 11 of the drawings. This Produces the novelty puckered effect in the fabric, since the stitchesin the wale lines at-the areas I50 and I52 are rendered taut. It is obvious under such circumstances that the entire sixteen course float portions of one yarn float back of the other yarns knitted at these areas I50 and I52, as

the case may be, and become puckered due to the tautness of the stitches at these areas I50I52. The length of the sixteen courses, walewise is indicated at X in Figure 14 of the drawings;

In Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings the lugs 50 operate upon the lever 44 controlling the cam plunger 33 and the lugs 50 operate on the lever 44 controlling the cam plunger 35. Obviously any pattern set-up may be arranged for the knitting of any desired number of courses with each zontal striped courses out of horizontal alignment at these points. In the knitting ofthis particular design six courses of white yarn may be' knitted at I62 and thereafter two courses of the red yarn designated at I63. Thereafter substantially all of the needles of the machine except those at the location I60 receive a blue yarn designated at I64 fora predetermined number of courses, say sixteen. The needles holding the red yarn atthe area I60 will of course have been lowered by the hold stitch cam I40 and the stitches held thereon will be lengthened and ren- This is given to the of these lowered needles, and after the knitting of the sixteen courses additional stitches may be knitted in the wale lines at the areas I60, if desired, altho such is not necessary. The stitches will be lengthened, by reason of being tautly drawn during the knitting of the blue stitches and the fact that the hold stitch cam has exceptionally lowered these stitches on the cylinder. Regular knitting may then be resumed upon the needles of the machine, providing a two-course red yarn at I66 and a subsequent six course white yarn designated at I61. It will be noted that the white yarn stripes and red yarn stripes which would ordinarily be horizontal are thus drawn out of location to produce the diamond effect shown in the fabric of Figure 10.

In Figure 13 it will be noted that certain stitches forming the wale lines at the areas I60 have been cut to expose the float portions of the blue yarn and to show how the white and red yarns will then be drawn out horizontally into normal position. For this fabric H it will be noted from Figure that other shortened wale line areas llill may be provided in the fabric, which in the fabric H isa blue yarn in duplication of the above described procedure while knitting sixteen courses of the blue yarn to provide the areas I51. It will be noted that the fabric in the Wale lines formed of the blue yarn adjacent the areas I60 and llill will be puckered.

Referring to the type of fabric L shown in Figures 12 and 15 of the drawings, I knit two courses of a red yarn, shown at I10; ten courses of a blue yarn shown at Ill and then two courses of a white yarn shown at I12. At certain points the blue yarn is floated behind stitches of the red yarn held upon certain needles during the knitting of the ten courses of the blue yarn I'll and these stitches held upon these needles are .engthened by reason of being held stitches at such an area as designated at I13. This bulges the entire area of blue yarn Ill "adjacent the hold stitch locations. The areas designated at I II will have a normally fiat appearance and the areas designated at I'll will of course bulge.

This will also be the case at additional areas such as III". In Figure 15 the hold stitches at I13 .have been severed to show that the yarn is floated at I80. This view also shows the red and white yarns I10 and I12 normally drawn out horizontally upon the severing of such hold stitches.

It is a matter of choice to produce puckered and striped effects, since the needle, jack and cam set-ups may be varied at will to provide diiferent designs and patterns. Likewise, the number of courses of sitches in the pull wale line areas wherein the lengthened hold stitches may be varied in number and length.

It is not necessary to knit the stocking out of a plurality of colors, since a solid colored yarn may be used thruout the stocking and the bulged and-puckered effects still, produced as herein deuse of elastic yarn.

Wherever the terminology floating the yarn back of needles at the hold stitch locations or terminology of similar meaning is used, it is intended to broadly cover the floating of yarn at such locations, whether actuallyfloated back of the needles or back of the axes of the needles extended, by reason of said needles being lowered.

Various changes in the steps of the method of producing the improved fabric and the designs selected, as well as in the arrangement of instrumentalities by which the fabric is formed, may be-made to the invention as herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a circular stocking knitting machine having a, needle cylinder, a series of needles, a series of jacks therefor, means for dividing the needles feeding station for feeding a yarn to certain of said groups for a predetermined mimber of successive courses, means for feeding-another yarn from said main yarn feeding station to other groups for a, predetermined number of successive courses while holding the individual stitches of the first mentioned yarn on the first mentioned groups ofneedles which receive the first yarn and floating the second yarn back of the needles holding .the stitches of the said first yarn, and means for reversing and repeating the cycle of feeding said yarn or yarns to said groups of needles.

2. In a circular knitting machine the combination of a cylinder, a set of needles therefor, a main yarn feeding station for feeding yarn to predetermined groups of needles and after the knitting of one or more courses upon said needles holding the stitches of said yarn thereon, means for thereafter feeding other yarn from said yarn feeding station to another group or groups of needles for a plurality of successive courses while holding the first mentioned yarn upon the needles of the first mentioned group and floating the second mentioned yarn back of the needles holding said first mentioned yarn, means for thereafter holding the second yarn on certain needles upon which stitches are provided and thereafter resuming knitting of the first yarn while floating the first yarn back of the needles holding the second yarn.

3. The method of knitting yarn in novelty effects upon a seamless stocking knitting machine having a plurality of independent needles which consists in selectively feeding yarn from a single yarn feed station to predetermined groups of recurrent needles for a predetermined number of successive courses, thereafter lowering said needies and feeding a second and contrasting yarn to other predetermined groups of recurrent needles while holding the stitches of the first mentioned yarn on the first mentioned groups and stretching the stitches thereof by floating the second yarn back of the needles holding said stitches, and repeating the cycle of knitting said yarns upon the said groups of needles above mentioned.

4. A circular stocking knitting machine comprising a rotary cylinder, 9, set of independent needles therefor, a set of independent jacks therefor, means for feeding a plurality of contrasting yarns to said needles at amain yarn feed station, stitch cam mechanism for knitting yarn upon said needles, a plurality of cams in advance of the stitch cam mechanism for actuating said jacks to selectively actuatesaid needles, pattern mechanism for selectively operating said jack cams, said jacks having butts thereon for dividing the needles into predetermined recurrent groups upon actuation by said jack actuating cams, pattern of the needles upon whic means for feeding one yarn to certain of said groups of needles for the knitting of a predetermined number of coursesfa hold stitch cam for lowering said needles after said predetermined number of -.courses for holding the stitches on the needles of the said groups, means thereafter one of said yarns while-knitting upon the remaining needles for a predetermined number of successive courses, another contrasting yarn while floating the last mention (1 yarn at the location said stitches are being held, and means for subsequently resuming knitting upon all of said needles so that in the fabcolor continuity of the knitting in the tubular fabric.

' 9. In a circular stocking knitting machine the combination of a circular line of independent needles, a single feed station for feeding a plurality of yarns to said needles, means for selectively manipulating certain groups of needles whereby at certain zones in the fabric being knitted one yarn is fed to said groups of needles at said zones, means for lowering said groups of needles aforesaid to which yarn has thus been fed and holding the yarn stitches thereon, means to subsequently feed yarn to other groups of needles for x a plurality of courses and floating the same at ric adjacent the location of said held stitches the fabric will be puckereda 6. In a stocking knitting machine the combina tion of a circular line of independent needles, means for selectively manipulating said needles,

' said zones where the yarn is floated as aforesaid for the feeding of another yarn thereto and at the same time rendering inactive the needles at such zones which receive yarn as first mentioned whereby the second yarn is floated thereat, and

repeating the feeding of said yarns as aforesaid.

7. In a stocking knitting machine the combination of a circular line of independent needles,

. means for manipulating said needles in selected groups for receiving yarn, a main feed station having means for feeding a plurality of regular stocking forming yarns to said needles, and means for regulating the feeding of said yarns to selected groups of needles whereby certain of said yarns knit wale lines thruou-t a greater number of courses than courses in which the other yarn or yarns form stitches with float portions of the first mentioned yam floated back of the knitted portions of the other yarn or yarns whereby to produce puckered effects in the fabric. a a

8. In a circular knitting machine the combination of a circular line of independent needles, a main feed station having means for feeding a plurality of yarns to said needles, means for selectively manipulating the'needles whereby at certainzones a yarn of one color isfed to said needles at said zones, means for lowering said needles to which the yarn has been fed at said the groups of needles which hold the stitches of the first yarn, and means for'continuing and reversing the knitting of said yarns on said groups and the floating thereof where not knitted to provide afabric having a puckered effect adjacent to the locations where said yarns are floated.

10. The method of knitting yarn in puckered novelty effects upon a seamless stocking knitting machine having a plurality of independent needles which consist in selectively feeding one yarn to predetermined groups of recurrent needles for a predetermined number of successive courses, thereafter holding said yarn stitches of said yarn on said needles and feeding the same yarn or a second yarn to other predetermined groups of recurrent needles for a predetermined number of courses producing tensioned wale lines of less length than the wale lines of the courses first knitted and floating said last mentioned yarn back of the stitches held upon the first mentioned groups of needles, and repeating and reversing the cycle of knitting said yarn or. yarns upon said groups of needles whereby to provide puckered effects of the fabric adjacent to the locations where said yarns are floated.

11. The method of knitting a seamless stocking which consists in feeding yarn to the independent needles of a circular knitting machine, holding the fabric on certain adjacent needles at relatively spaced zones by rendering said needles inactive, feeding a second yarn to the intermediate needles between said zones and knitting the said second yarn upon said intermediate needles thruout a predetermined number of courses while floating-the second yarn at the zones upon which the first yarn is being held upon the inactive needles and controlling the wale line lengths of the second yarn where knitted over floated zones, means to elevate the needles at other zones and feed a,contrastingly colored yarn thereto which is floated at the zones at which the first -yam is fed so as tolie backof the finished fabric, and means for continuing the successive knitting of said yarns in selective arrangement to I the selected needle zones in course regulated numbers whereby atv least one of the yarns will be fed toits needles in ales's number of courses than theother yarn so as to disturb the course portions of the first mentioned yarn, and thereafter resuming knitting of the yarns whereby the controlled wale line lengths over the floated portions of the first mentioned yarn will be tautly drawn and shorter than the adjacent wale line lengths whereby to forwardly pucker the fabric thereat.

12 The method of knitting seamless tubular stockings upon a circular knitting machine having independent needles which consists in feeding a yarn to the needles of the machine to provide a normally horizontal striped effect of the yarn, holding certain portions of the yarn upon certain needles rendered inactive and thereafter knitting an intermediate contrasting knitted area upon the independent active needles over a predetermined number of courses, and subsequently knitting wale lines of shorter length than the wale lines of the last mentioned yarn upon the inactive needles upon which the first mentioned yarn is being held whereby to draw what would be normal horizontal stripes out of the horizontal line.

13. In a circular stocking knitting machine the combination of a rotary cylinder, a set of independently operated needles mounted in the cylinder, a yarn feeding station, means for feeding a yarn therefrom to certain predetermined recurrent needles of a set of vneedles and knitting yarn thereon thruout one or more courses, means for thereafter lowering the said predetermined needles with the yarn stitches. held thereon, means for thereafter feeding the same or other yarn from said yarn feeding station to other recurrent needles of the needle set while floating the said last mentioned yam atthe locations where the yarn first mentioned is held on the first men than the adjacent wale line lengths of the first mentioned knitted yarn, and means for reversing and repeating the cycle of feeding the yarn or yarns aforesaid whereby to present in the fabric 0 puckered effects adjacent to the yarn which provides the shorter Wale line lengths.

v CLARENCE W. MINTON.

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