US2991638A - Method of making warp knitted pile fabric with multiple laid-in weft bind - Google Patents

Description

July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,538

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND l7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1958 if Kev 6T July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND Filed June 27, 95

17 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

July 11, 1961 R. s. M CCAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND l7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 27, 1958 R. s. M ccAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638 METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND July 11, 1961 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 27, 1958 o o INVENTOR 5X Keg: 8 MddQ/fi'dfifi TORNEYS'.

M CAFFRAY, JR NG WARP KNIT Jul 11, 1961 R. 5. 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKI TED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 z na g, I' "15.. I

July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 1, 3

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND Filed June 27, 1.958 1? Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEYS.

Jul 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,538

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND l7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Flled June 27, 1958 my wzwd J; U

R. s. M ccAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638 METHOD OF WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC N WEFT BIND MAKING July 11, 1961 WITH MULTIPLE LAID-I l7 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 27, 1958 TORNEYS.

July 11, 1961 R. S. M CAFFRA METHOD OF MAKING WARP WITH MULTIPLE LA Filed June 27, 1958 KNITTED PILE FABRIC ID-IN WEFT BIND 17 Sheets-Sheet 9' 12.; in 1 Q v l i *j x 1* 1 7a 4 0 I 7% v 0 Q O if INVENTOR July 11, 1961 R. S. MaccAFFRAY, JR, 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND Filfid June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 xii; /2.

INVENTOR Rex 6- Mac Calf/r2 4 Y, JR 2,991,638 NITTED PILE FABRIC D- N WEFT BIND 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 11 M CAFFRA NG WARP K July 11, 1961 R 5 METHOD OF MAKI WITH MULTIPLE LAI Filed June 27, 1958 EINTOR fie J Mac July 11, 1961 R. s. MEICCAFFRAY, JR 2,991,538

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 SheetsSheet 12 72 1 as 0 7 7; 76 75 O INVENTOR fez J MacCaf/rafifit July 11, 1961 R s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638 METHOD OF wxmc WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 13 70 if a;

INVENT July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE. LAID-IN WEFT BIND l7 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed June 27, 1958 I g s Ken: 51

ATTORNEYS July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,538

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 72 7a 73 73 I 7 O 6 w 0 -6 1? L AW 7;

INVENTOR E614 J- /l f e'6afira%viif ATTORNEYS.

July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 INVENTOR 1 2g. Z0.

ATTORNEYS July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEIFT BIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 17 f INVENTOR Jig Re)! 5. MacCaffid y,

ATTORNEYS v United Filed June 27, 1958, Ser. No. 745,178 6 Claims. (Cl. 66-85) The present invention relates to warp knitted pile fabric, particularly of the character of carpets and rugs and to methods of warp knitting.

This application has been divided and the subject matter relating to the fabric has been embodied in divisional application, Serial No. 835,611, filed August 24, 1959, for Warp Knitted Pile Fabric With Multiple Laid-In Weft Bind.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 682,926, filed September 9, 1957, for Knitting Fabric Having Laid-In Weft, now abandoned, in respect to claim 13 thereof.

A purpose of the invention is to bind pile projections formed from pile yarn located between knitting chains by a plurality of binding wefts extending above the pile yarn ends in the same course between adjoining pile projections walewise.

A further purpose is to bind pile projections in a warp knitted pile fabric by a plurality of adjoining binding wefts in the same course extending between adjoining pile projections walewise.

A further purpose is to bind projections of pile yarn ends between knitting chains by a plurality of binding wefts in the same course which are respectively on opposite sides of the pile projections.

A further purpose is to lay in backing weft, form pile by wrapping pile yarn ends around plush points, lay in a plurality of binding wefts over each pile yarn end per course, and form knitted stitches which grip the backing wefts and the plurality of binding wefts.

A further purpose is to form the laid-in binding wefts by shogging over at least two wales (three needles) in a single step executed after wrapping the pile yarn ends around the plush points.

A further purpose is to form the laid-in binding wefts by shogging in two steps, each over at least one Wale, one of the steps being executed before wrapping the pile yarn ends around the plush points and the other of the steps being performed after wrapping the pile yarn ends around the plush point-s.

A further purpose is to produce a warp knitted pile fabric having a face of intermediate density.

A further purpose is to form a warp knitted pile fabric having a face of concentrated density.

A further purpose is to obtain selective variation in orientation of pile projections by varying stitch direction according to a repeat, and thus influencing the position of the pile projections held by the multiple laid-in binding weft, whether in the adjoining multiple binding weft form or in the split multiple binding weft form. This may be employed using alternating right and left hand stitches, or using successions of two or more right hand stitches and two or more left hand stitches, or using uneven successions of left hand stitches and right hand stitches, according to a pattern repeat.

A further purpose is to lay in three or more binding Patented July 11, 1961 2 wefts on a single course, laying in one binding weft before and two or more after forming a loop or laying in two binding wefts before and one or more after,'as desired.

A further purpose is to extend the laid-in binding weft diagonally over at least one or more wales in a plurality of courses, or to extend the laid-in binding weft diagonally over one or more wales in a plurality of courses and then coursewise over one or more wales.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate a few only of the numerous embodiments in which the invention may appear, selecting the forms shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

FIGURES 1 to 8 are diagrammatic stepwise vertical machine diagrams showing the steps of forming the fabric according to the invention.

FIGURES 1a to 8a are diagrammatic stepwise fragmentary plan views showing the formation of the fabric according to FIGURES 1 to 8 where double adjoining binding wefts are used.

FIGURES 1b to 8b are diagrammatic stepwise fragmentary plan views showing the formation of the fabric of FIGURES 1 to 8 where split multiple binding wefts are used.

FIGURE 9 is a digrammatic view of the fabric according to the invention showing only the laid-in backing wefts, the knitted chains and the tubes of the guide bars incident to forming the portions of the fabric shown.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic face view of a multiple binding weft fabric according to the invention where the binding wefts in a particular course are adjoining, the backing being omitted.

FIGURE 11 is a face view of a completed fabric according to FIGURES 9 and 10, including both the multiple adjoining laid-in binding wefts and the backing.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic face view according to the invention of a multiple binding weft fabric in which the binding wefts are split or on opposite sides of the pile projections, omitting the backing.

FIGURE 13 is a diagrammatic face view of a split binding weft fabric, omitting the backing, in which there are three binding wefts on each course, two put in before the pile loop is formed and one afterward.

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13, showing a variation in which split binding wefts are inserted, two before and two after the loops are formed.

FIGURE 14a is a view similar to FIGURE 13 showing a variation in which split binding wefts are inserted, three before and two after the loop is formed.

FIGURE 15 is a diagrammatic face view of a variant form of fabric according to the invention, using alternate left and righthand stitches with adjoining double binding weft-s, and omitting the backing wefts for clarity of illustration.

FIGURE 16 is a diagrammatic face view according to the invention showing a repeat of left-hand and righthand stitches, in this case three left-hand and three righthand, with multiple binding wefts of the split type.

FIGURE 17 is a diagrammatic face view of a fabric according to the invention, showing diagonal laid-in binding weft shogged across two: needles.

FIGURE 18 is a view similar to FIGURE 17, in which the laid-in binding weft is shogged across three needles and extends diagonally across three wales and three succeeding courses.

FIGURE 19 is a view similar to FIGURE 17, in which the laid-in binding weft in one course is shogged across two needles and in the next course is shogged across one needle in the same direction.

FIGURE 20 is a photographic view of the face of a pile carpet which is warp knitted according to FIGURES l to 8 and 1a to 801.

FIGURE 21 is a photographic view of the face of a pile carpet which is warp knitted according to FIGURES lto8and lbtoSb.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to the drawings:

In my application Serial No. 682,926, filed September 9, 1957, for Knitting Fabric Having Laid-In Weft, I disclose a pile fabric and the method of making it in which the pile projections are bound by laid-in binding waits and are not bound in the stitches directly.

In many cases it is desirable to obtain a firmer bind of the pile than is possible by using single laid-in binding wefts, and in the present invention I accomplish the bind by multiple laid-in binding wefts in many cases.

The single laid-in binding weft produces a pile of relatively very low density, other things being equal, due to the fact that the legs of the loops or tufts are relatively widely spaced.

In some cases it is desirable to produce pile of intermediate or high density for a given gauge and a given number of courses per inch.

I find that by employing a plurality, say two or more adjoining binding wefts in the same course to bind the pile projections, I can obtain an intermediate density. By using a plurality, suitably two or more binding wefts in the same course which are split, or placed on opposite sides of the pile projections, I can obtain a still higher density. Thus, for a given gauge and number of stitches per inch I obtain a lower and denser pile where there are multiple binding wefts put in together, and a still lower and still denser pile where there are multiple binding wefts put in split relation.

' The present invention oifers the advantage of improved utilization of face yarn as compared to warp knitted pile fabric in which the pile projection is bound in by the warp chain.

The invention also gives a warp knitted pile fabric which is very firm and resistant to distortion as compared to previous warp knitted pile fabrics.

' It will further be noted that by using a multiple bind of binding wefts supplied together, the straight line pile projection orientation normally secured from a single binding Weft is greatly changed, and when a multiple bind is used, with binding wefts split, the orientation of the pile is even more markedly changed as compared with a single laid-in bind. This not only gives a highly unusual texture for the multiple adjoining bind and another unusual texture for the multiple split bind, but it also assures that the effect of the yarn variation is obscured. Furthermore, the multiple adjoining laid-in bind gives more level pile than the single laid-in bind and the multiple split laid-in bind gives still more level pile than the multiple adjoining laid-in bind, at the expense of slightly higher face yarn consumption for a particular yarn height. Even more pronounced texturing differences can be produced by deliberately imparting a rotational bias to the pile projections, particularly where they are uncut. This is accomplished by using left-hand and righthand stitches in a repeat. Where the pile yarn has a particular twist (right-hand or left-hand in the last twisti-ng operation, which may be the ply if the yarn is merely plied or may be the cable if the yarn is cabled), a lefthand stitch in a particular course will give a certain orientation to the multiple binding wefts which will give rotational bias of the pile. projection, and a right-hand stitch will give a different orientation to the multiple binding wefts which imparts another rotational bias to the pile projections. These biases are not truly opposite because the yarn is always twisted in a particular direction.

In some cases it is preferable to obtain a greater coverage for a given amount of pile yarn by opening up the binding points for the two sides of the loop, either throughout the fabric or in certain areas. In this case it is very desirable to extend the laid-in binding weft diagonally across the wales, either throughout the entire fabric, or in certain areas, in which case the laid-in binding weft can extend coursewise in the same wale in other areas.

Considering now the fabric and method in detail and referring to my patent application Serial No. 682,926, filed September 9, 1957, for Knitted Fabric Having Laidln Weft, for other aspects including the mechanism, considering this in connection with the warp knitting loom as shown in D. R. Paling, Warp Knitting Technology (1952) chapter 11, Raschel Warp Looms and chapter 12, Raschel Warp Loom Mechanism, and considering the drawings in detail:

Considering first FIGURES 1 to 8 inclusive, in connection with FIGURES la to 8a inclusive, for the multiple binding weft form in which a plurality of binding wefts are put in by a single shogging step, in connection with FIGURES 9, l0 and 11, which show the resulting fabric, .the procedure is as follows:

A stationary vertically extending trick plate 50 as well known in the art in looms of this character is generally of tapered cross section with a side 51 extending generally vertically and supporting the fabric being formed and removed by a take-off mechanism and the side 52 suitably slightly converging and adjoining the needles. The trick plate at the top has a comb portion 53 and a blunt top 53 shown in FIGURE 1.

The warp knitting loom employed is suitably of the double needle bar type, one needle bar mounting supports 54 for a series of latch needles 55, as well known, which extend generally at a slight angle to the trick plate. The latch needles as shown in FIGURE 1 have hook ends 56 at the top directed away from the trick plate and latches 57 pivoted at 58 and in one position closed against the hook ends. The other needle bar in the device of the invention at the opposite side of the trick plate is equipped with plush points instead of needles.

In making uncut or loop pile fabric, noncutting plush points 60 are mounted on mounting 61 and the noncntting plush points are in elfect metallic strips having suitably blunt ends 62, notched at the side toward the needles at 63 and filleted slightly at the upper corner 64 remote from the needles.

Positioned immediately above the trick plate, and attached to move across it is a sinker comb 65 mounted on sinker support 66 on a sinker bar as well known.

Suitably positioned above the sinkers and extending clear across the machine in a swing bar which carries suitably positioned thereon in order from front to back, a horizontally slidable mounting which supports a knitting yarn guide bar 67 which carries a series of eyes or tubes 68 which guide knitting yarn 70, then a horizontally slidable mounting for a binding weft yarn guide bar 71 which carries a series of eyes or tubes 72, one for each binding weft yarn end 73; next toward the back there is a horizontally slidable support which supports in slidable relation the face yarn guide bar 74 which carries eyes or tubes 75, one for eachface yarn end 76, and finally at the rear, there is a horizontally slidable support which mounts in sliding relation a backing yarn guide bar 77 which carries a series of eyes or tubes 78, one for each backing yarn end 80. A latch wire 81 extends across the back of the machine.

In FIGURES l and la, the machine is at zero degrees or. 360 degrees and is taking the first step after completion of the last stitch. The needles 55 and the plush point 60 are down or retracted, the sinker comb 1s advanced or forward, and the sinker bar with the guide bars 67, 71, 74 and 77 is in midposition and moving back. When desired in fabric design, the guide bars can shog in either direction any reasonable distance at different positions. The condition encountered in FIGURE 1 is shown in FIGURE 1a where knitting yarn 70, fed by tubes 68 is locking in the stitch backing yarn 80 and binding weft yarn 73 fed by tubes 78 and 72 respectively. One complete face yarn end 76 is shown having pile loop 82, the remaining face yarn ends 76 being broken away.

FIGURE 2 corresponds to 30 degrees advance in the cycle. The position of the needles and of the sinkers is the same as that of FIGURE 1. The guide bars are all the way back out of line with the needles and plush points and the plush points 60 have just completed their advance or upward motion preparatory to the formation of pile projections.

As shown in FIGURE 2a, the position of the fabric components is substantially that of FIGURE 1a, except that the feed tubes have changed their position by shogging pile yarn 76 and backing yarn 80 to the positions as shown.

FIGURES 3 and 3a correspond to the position at 90 degrees in the cycle. The swing bars and the guide bars with it move to the front past the plush points and the face yarn guide bars are now shogged in the preferred embodiment of the invention in either direction so that in the next succeeding step loops will be formed around the plush points to produce pile. The formation of such a loop by shogging is shown at 83 in FIGURE 3a.

In the steps illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 4a at 150 degrees in the cycle, the swing bar has moved back, carrying with it the guide bars, while the needles, plush points and sinker comb remain in the same position as they were previously. The backward swing of the swing bar completes the formation of a loop shown at 83 in FIGURE 4:: around one of the plush points, while similar loops (not shown) are formed around other plush points. As soon as the guide bars have cleared the plush points 60, binding weft 73 shogs by moving eyes or tubes 72, for example to the right, as shown in FIGURE 4a, and preferably also backing yarn 80 shogs, suitably in the same direction (or in the opposite direction if desired) by moving guide bar tube 78 as shown in FIGURE 4a.

It will be evident that binding weft yarn is laid in at the position of FIGURES 4 and 4a to form the hind for one leg of the loop being formed at 83, as indicated by the crossing at 84 in FIGURE 4a. It will be evident that backing yarn 80 is laid in to form the backing in FIG- URES 4 and 40, although backing yarn is desirably also laid in in FIGURES l and 1a.

The position of FIGURES 5 and 5a at 210 degrees in the cycle corresponds to the completion of the shogging except for the knitting yarn. The guide bars have all moved forward past the needle position at the plush point side, the needles 55 having advanced or raised, and the latches 57 have been opened by the previous knitting stitches as shown in FIGURE 5, while the previous knitting stitches have moved down on the needles below the latches, leaving the books of the needles open as shown. FIGURE 5a shows the arrangement of the needles in the position of FIGURE 5 as the needles come up.

The position of FIGURES 6 and 6a corresponds to 270 in the cycle. This position shows all guide bars moved back of the plush points and needles, with the new stitch ready to be formed when it enters the hooks of the needles in the next ste The face yarn ends are now formed in loops 83 around the plush points as shown in FIGURE 6a. The knitting yarn guide bar now shogs, forming loops of knitting yarn 85 which are about to enter the hooks 0f the needles and wrap around the needles above the latches and below the hooks.-

FIGURE 7 at 300 in the cycle shows the guide bars moving to the front, and midway in their swing. The sinker comb 65, which has been in position across the fell and across the end of the trick plate among the needles, now retracts to clear the ends of the needles. The needles, having engaged the knitting yarn in their hooks, are beginning to retract and the latches are closed by the previous stitch, while the plush points are also retracting. The previous stitches are now allowed to be cast off as the needles retract. Actually the casting off takes place between the step of FIGURE 7 and FIGURE 8, and once the stitches are cast off, the previous face yarn loops are bound by being gripped by the weftwise stretch of binding weft.

' By observation of FIGURES7 and 7a, it will be evident that loops 85 of knitting yarn previously formed have now entered the hooks of the needles at 86 to form a stitch which grips together in a bundle the binding Weft ends and the backing weft ends, forming a binding stretch 87 of binding weft yarn which grips and anchors one side of the projections of pile yarn 76.

FIGURES 8 and 8a correspond to 330 and show the stitch completed and locked. comb 65 is fully retracted and is now about to advance again to the position of zero or 360 (FIGURE 1), the face yarn loops have been cast 01f by the plush points and a new completed pile loop 83 is shown in FIGURES 8 and 8a.

FIGURE 9 illustrates the resulting backing of the fabric which is formed, consisting of knitting chains 88 extending walewise, and anchoring backing yarn in bundles 90. It will be noted that the backing wefts in this case shog over four needles or four tricks, but the feature of how many needles the backing yarn shogs across is unimportant in the present invention, and a wide variety of backing yarn arrangements may be used.

FIGURE 10 illustrates the face of the fabric of FIG- URES l to 8 and la to 8a, showing as it does the same knitting chains 88, omitting the backing, but illustrating pile yarn ends 76 running walewise intermediate between the knitting chains, and not directly locked in the chains, the pile yarn ends being bound by laid-in binding wefts 73 which are shogged across three needles or three tricks. A distinctive feature of the fabric of the present invention is that between each pair of pile loops 83 walewise there are two binding wefts seen for example at 73' which extend across over the pile and bind the pile projections.

In the form of FIGURES l to 10 inclusive, the multiple (two) binding wefts which bind each end of each pile projection are in the same course and lie between adjoining pile projections. It will be evident of course that the question of whether two such multiple binding wefts form a bundle binding together, or whether three or some other number is used is a matter of choice within the principles of the invention.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 10 gives a somewhat higher density of pile, other things being equal, than is obtained using single laid-in binding wefts. In this sense it gives a texture which is different from that obtained by the single laid-in binding wefts.

In some cases it is preferable to obtain a still denser texture for the same construction dimensions. In FIG- URES 1b to 8b inclusive, and 12, I illustrate a multiple laid-in binding split weft construction, which gives such a high density texture.

FIGURE 1b at 0 or 360 shows essentially the same features as FIGURE 1a, and the knitting step is the same as that of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2b at 30 in the cycle shows the position of the needles and the sinkers the same as in FIGURE 2a, the guide bars all the way back out of line with the needles and plush points, and the plush points 60 have just completed their advance or upward motion, preparatory to the formation of pile projections. The face yarn has shogged one needle to the left forming stretches 91. The laid-in binding wefts have shogged one needle to the in the cycle The sinker

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