US2674111A - Hosiery and method of production - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1954 R- ,E PR|MM 2,674,111

HOSIERY AND METHOD OF' PRODUCTION Filed July 3, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 5 1951 April 6, 1954 R, E, PRMM 2,674,111 HOSIERY AND METHOD 0F' PRODUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ffaa lli ff i STITCH POINT K NVENTOR: @nahm/fz,

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April 6, 1954 R. E. PRIMM 2,574,111

HOSIERY AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION Filed July 3, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 6, 1954 R, E PRlMM 2,674,111

HOSIERY AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION Filed July 5, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR.- agU/z E. Pfff/m2 Patented Apr. 6, 1954 HOSIERY AND METHOD F PRODUCTION Ralph E. Primm, Rome, Ga., assignor to Rome Hosiery Mills, Rome, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application July 3, 1951, Serial No. 234,981

4 Claims. (Cl. 66-172) This invention relates to hosiery and methods of production. More specifically, it is concerned with self-supporting seamlessl hosiery wherein elastic yarn is incorporated in the top portion so that the latter will bind upon the leg of the wearer and thereby hold the stocking in place without necessitating the aid of aseparate garter.

O-ne of the aims of my invention is to provide an improved stocking of the kind referred to in which the elastic yarn is embodied in accordion stitching in such a way as to form a smooth antifravel selvage edge, and to be interlaced in spaced subsequent courses with absence of step down floats between successive rounds.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple method whereby hosiery with a top having the above attributes, can be economically produced by standard forms of circular knitting machines of the multiple feed type equipped with suitable needle selecting means.

How the foregoing and other important objects and advantages are realized in practice will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a self-supporting half hose or sock with an elastic top conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the portion of the fabric of the sock top within the confines of the broken line rectangle II in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view in plan, of a circular knitting machine arranged for the production of my improved hosiery.

Figs. 4-6 are views like Fig. 3 showing how the yarn feeds are successively introduced at the start of the knitting.

Figs. 7 and S are linear developments of the needle and jack actuating cams showing how the inelastic and elastic yarns are fed to the needles during the knitting of different portions of the top of the sock.

Except for the formation of its top 5, the sock illustrated in Fig. 1 may be of the usual seamless construction, with its leg and instep portions 6 and 'I of plain fabric produced by rotary knitting, and its heel and toe 9 fashioned by oscillatory knitting in the well known manner.

In accordance with my invention, several inelastic (in. this instance two) yarns and a covered elastic yarn are employed in forming the top as an accordion stitch fabric, these yarns being designated Il), l I and I2 respectively in Figs. 2 8. In Fig. 2, the needle and sinker wales of the top fabric are indicated by the characters N, N and S' respectively. The starting course I3 of the top fabric is knitted from the inelastic yarn I0 with regular loops n thereof in alternate needle wales N and with elongated loops n thereof in the intervening needle wales N'. As shown, the elastic yarn I2 extends continuously through all of the sinker wale loops s of the first course I3 to produce a non-ravel or selvage edge. The second course I4 of the top fabric is formed from the inelastic yarn I I with regular or normal loops n2 in alternate needle wales N only, and said loops connected by floats which extend crosswise behind the elongated loops n of the inelastic yarn I0. The third course I5 of the top fabric is formed, like the first course, from the inelastic yarn I0, and the fourth course I like the second course, from the inelastic yarn I I, with the elastic yarn l2 interlaced between interconnecting elongated loops n. of the inelastic yarn I0. The fth and sixth courses I1 and I8 respectively, are formed throughout by regular loops of the inelastic yarns I0 and II with the elastic yarn I2 interlaced between the regular loops of said yarns Ill and I I in the wales N at the regions of interconnection of said regular loops, The remaining courses of the top fabric are all formed like the courses I I and I 8. It will of course be understood that in the actual fabric, the elongated loops of the inelastic yarn I0 are more contracted than as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2, and therefore tend to draw together the selvaged edge portion of the stocking top marginally. As the result, the loose ends of yarns I0, II and I2 are locked or anchored against pulling out when the fabric is stretched as the stocking is drawn over the foot of the wearer. This locking or anchoring of the loose yarn ends is especially effective b-y reason of the accordion stitch formation of the selvage from the two inelastic or foundation .yarns I0 4and I I. `If a contractile selvage edge only is desired at the top of the stocking, the elastic yarn can be omitted from the knitting shortly after the completion of the iirst course I3.

My improved method of knitting can be readily carried out in a so called multiple feed circular machine arranged as diagrammatically illustrated on Figs. 3 8 of the drawings, the same having a needle cylinder which, except during fashioning of the stocking heel and toe, is continually rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in said figures. At a station A is the usual master group of knitting cams which includes main stitch cam 2l, an auxiliary main stitch cam 22, a center cam 23 and a guard cam 24. Disposed in quadrant relation to station A is a second knitting station B with a stitch cam 25 and an associated needle elevation cam 26.

At a station C, approximately one hundred and eighty degrees from the station B, is a needle depressing cam 21. For needle selecting purposes, the machine is further provided with a series of jacks 30, one beneath each alternate needle 3l, as well as with cams 32 and 33 for actuating said jacks. Adjacent auxiliary stitch cam 22 is a special withdrawable depressing cam 35 which plays an important part in the knitting of the stocking top as do also the cam at 36 and the rise at 31, as will presently be seen.

One of the usual retractable multiple yarn feeding ngers designated 4D at the throat (Figs. 3 and 6) at station A of the machine, I employ to serve the inelastic yarn Il. At the second knitting station B, above cam 25, a retractable ringer 4| is used to feed the inelastic yarn Il), and at station C above the region of depressing cam 21, I have provided a retractable finger 42 for feeding the elastic yarn |2. In Figs. 3-6, the alternate needles 3| are indicated by solid circles and in Figs. 7 and 8 by heavy lines so as to be readily distinguishable from the intervening needles 3|a.

The method of producing the sock of Fig. l in accordance with my invention is as follows:

With the cylinder 29 rotating counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, and with the needles all bare, the elastic yarn feed 42 is the first to be introduced. As the needles approach station C, the alternate ones 3| are elevated, as shown in Fig. 7, by action of the cam 32 upon the associated jacks 30 to receive the elastic yarn I2 within their hooks, after which they are lowered to a level slightly above the tuck level by cam 21, while the intermediate jack-less needles 3| pass at the tuck level and miss said yarn. A little further along in the direction of cylinder rotation, all of the needles are elevated somewhat by cam 3S with the result that the intermediate needles 3 la pass up to the front of the elastic yarn I as exaggeratedly shown in Fig. 3. When the needle 3|a of the intermediate series immediately in advance of the leading needle L 3| of the alternate series 3| approaches station B, the finger M is introduced as shown in Fig. 4. At station B all of the needles are raised to the latch clearing level by cam 26 as in Fig. 7, to take the inelastic yarn I3 and then knit the same as they are lowered to the stitch drawing level by cam 25. Thus, at station B, loops of the inelastic yarn are drawn by adjacent needles to opposite sides of the elastic yarn |2 to form the accordion stitch non-ravel or selvage edge referred to hereinbefore in connection with Fig. 2. After passing under stitch cam 25, the alternate needles 3| are elevated to latch clearing level by the action of cam 33 upon the associated jacks 3D so that their butts will subsequently overtravel cam 35. At the same time, the intermediate needles 3|a are elevated to the tuck level as they ride up cam 31, but after passing over the hump of the latter they are diverted downwardly by cam 35 to undertravel auxiliary stitch cam 22 of the main cam group as shown in Fig. 7, while the alternate needles l3| overtravel said cam 22. As needle L 3| approaches station A, the linger 40 is introduced as in Fig. to feed the inelastic yarn to the alternate needles 3| which, after underpassing center cam 23, are drawn down by stitch cam 2| to knit said yarn. Since, in traversing station A, the intermediate needles 3|a are maintained at the stitch holding level by guard cam 2t, they fail to take the inelastic yarn i but retain the loops of the inelastic yarn |0 previously formed on them at station B. As the intermediate needles 3|a are elevated slightly together with the alternate needles 3| by the cam rise at 34, they pass up to the front of the oats connecting the loops n2 of the second course of the knitting (Fig. 2) formed upon the latter needles at station A. After completion of somewhat more than a single rotation of needle cylinder 20 to form the accordion stitch selvage, cam 35 is withdrawn from action, with the result that after having undertraveled cam and moved up on the rise 31, all of the needles will be at the latch clearing level as in Fig. 8. As they continue on, all of the needles overtravel auxiliary stitch cam 22 to receive the inelastic yarn at station A, and finally knit said yarn as they are drawn down to the stitch forming level by cams 23 and 2| at station A. During the second revolution of the cylinder, the elastic yarn |2 will again be taken by alternate needles as before at station C, and inelastic yarn I!) will be knitted at station B by alternate needles but, due to retraction of cam upon completion of the selvage edge, fabric loops will thereafter be formed from the inelastic yarns if] and I on all of the needles at stations B and A to produce two feed fabric with the elastic yarn interlaced between interconnecting plain loops of said inelastic yarns in adjacent courses.

The alternate long loops of yarn I0 in the selvage edge portion of Fig. 2 are occasioned by failure of the intervening needles 3|a to knit at station A in Fig. 7, and the oats of the yarn |i through knitting of said yarn by the alternate needles alone at said station. By employing two inelastic yarns and using two knitting stations in the machine as herein exemplified, it will be seen that the rounds of the elastic yarn i2 will be spaced by two courses throughout the stocking top 5.

After an elastic top of the desired length has been formed, the elastic yarn feed 42 may be retracted and the stocking leg and instep produced as a two feed fabric from the inelastic yarns I9 and alone. On the other hand if single feed plain fabric is preferred in the leg and instep,

this may be had by retracting either the feed 4D or the feed 4| together with the elastic yarn feed 42 as will be readily understood.

My invention is not to be considered as limited to the use of a machine having but two inelastic yarns and two sets of knitting cams since more of such feeds and cams may be provided if desired. In any case, it will be seen that, in the stocking top, the rounds of the elastic yarn will be incorporated in coursesrspaced by a number corresponding to the number of inelastic yarns employed in the knitting.

As an alternative construction, the knitting of the stocking top may be accomplished, if desired, as in Fig. 7 without retracting cam 35 (as hereinbefore explained) after the formation of the selvage edge. In such case, the top fabric will then be characterized throughout by having elongated loops of the yarn ID like those designated n in Fig. 2 connecting alternate courses, and regular loops n2 of the yarn in alternate wales of intervening courses. The top of the alternative fabric is thus formed throughout as an accordion stitch structure instead of merely having an accordion stitch selvage as in the first described embodiment.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a top for a seamless stocking, a starting course of inelastic yarn with regular plain loops in alternate needle wales and elongated plein loops in intermediate Wales; a second course with regular plain loops of another inelastic yarn interknitted with the regular plain loops of the rst course and lloats of said another inelastic yarn extending behind the elongated plain loops of the rst course; a third course like the starting course of the rst mentioned yarn with plain regular and plain elongate loops respectively interknitted with corresponding plain regular and plain elongated loops of said starting course; a fourth course like the second course having plain regular loops interknitted with the plain regular loops of the second course, plain elongated loops interknitted With the plain elongated loops of the starting course, and floats passing behind the plain elongated loops of the third course; a fth course all of regular plain loops of the lirst mentioned yarn interknitted With the plain elongated loops of the third course and the plain regular loops of the fourth course; following courses all of plain regular loops in which the rst inelastic yarn is alternated With the second inelastic yarn; and an elastic yarn extending through all of the sinker Wale loops of the starting course and interlaced in alternate courses of the remaining portion of the stocking top.

2. A stocking having an elastic top characterized as in claim 1, and having its leg and instep portions formed by plain regular loops alternately from the two inelastic yarns.

3. The method of producing a top for a seamless stocking which comprises the steps of forming, from an inelastic yarn, a plain course having elongated needle Wale loops in alternation with regular needle Wale loops over an elastic yarn so that the latter passes through all of the sinker Wale loops of said inelastic yarn; forming from a second inelastic yarn, a course in which plain regular needle Wale loops are interlooped with the regular loops of the rst inelastic yarn and iloating said second yarn behind the plain elongated loops of the rst inelastic yarn; forming, from the rst inelastic yarn, another course with regular plain loops interlooped with the plain regular loops of the second course and with elongated loops interlooped with the plain elongated loops of the rst course and at the same time interlacing the elastic yarn between the elongated loops only of the rst and third courses; forming a fourth course like the second course from the seond inelastic yarn; forming from the rst inelastic yarn, a fifth course all of regular plain loops and interlacing the elastic yarn between the plain elongated loops of the third course and the cor'- responding plain regular loops of said fth course; and forming plain courses of regular loops from the inelastic yarns in alternation and interlacing the elastic yarn in alternate courses thereafter to complete the stocking top.

4. The method of producing a stocking by forming a seamless stocking by first forming an elastic top in accordance with claim 3 and thereafter knitting the leg and instep of plain courses with regular loops alternately from the two inelastic yarns, With omission of the elastic yarn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,317,897 Scott Oct. 7, 1919 2,105,987 Primm Jan. 18, 1938 2,127,780 Marshall Aug. 23, 1938 2,247,343 Fregeolle June 24, 1941 2,323,988 Fregeolle July 13, 1943 2,344,350 Getaz Mar. 14, 1944 2,377,489 Getaz June 5, 1945 2,380,768 Lawson July 31, 1945

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