US3167941A

US3167941A - Knit fabric

Info

Publication number: US3167941A
Application number: US94018A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rab Joseph
Original assignee: KAYSER ROTH Corp
Current assignee: Kayser-Roth Corp; KAYSER ROTH Corp
Priority date: 1961-03-07
Filing date: 1961-03-07
Publication date: 1965-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1982-02-02

Description

. KNIT FABRIC Joseph Rab, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Kayser-Roth Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 94,018 Claims. (Cl. 66-202) This invention relates generally to a jersey knit fabric which is provided with a plurality'of spaced apart ribs extending outwardly from and walewise on one face ofthe fabric and more particularly to a fabric in which the l body fabric between the walewise ribs is formed of a textured synthetic stretchable yarn.

It is generally well known to produce various types of knit fabric by combining plain, tuck and/ or welt or oat stitches. However, a jersey knit fabric has not heretofore been produced by combining these stitches to form a fabricvwhich has a plurality of spaced apart walewise United States Patent O ice face and the toats extending along the inner face of the fabric;

FIGURE 3 is a greatly enlarged elevation of a small area of the jersey knit-fabric shown in FIGURE -1 with the fabric being stretched in a coursewise direction;

FIGURE4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, however, in this view, the fabric ris illustrated somewhat schematically in that the stitch loops have been substantially alined coursewise and walewise to more clearly illustrate the manner i'n which' the fabric is formed.

base or body fabric, broadly indicated at 10, having a plurality of spacedvapart walewise extending ribs, broad- Itis another object of the present invention to provide a knit fabric of the type described above in which the body fabric is knitof relatively lightweight textured synthetic stretchable yarns and the walewise ribs onone face I are knit of a relatively heavyweight yarn and which knit fabric is stretchable whereby the knit fabricl may be used inv the manufacture of many types of wearing apparel, such as bathing suits, shirts, dresses or in the forming of the cuff and waist bands of knit sweaters and the like.

lIt is a further object of the present invention to provide a jersey knit fabric' of the type described abovein which the body fabric yarns and the yarns producing the walewise ribs rriay be different colors or the yarns may be formed of different types of material so that their dye receiving capabilities may be different-so that the walewise ribsmay be a different color than the color of the body fabric.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide ajersey knit fabric of the type described above in which the stretchable yarns are knit in groups of wales between the walewise ribs and form tucks-extending across the wales in which the ribs are formed while the ribs are 'formed by stitch loops of the heavier yarn which are knit in spaced apart courses only and the stitch loops of the heavier yarn in each rib wale are connected to the stitch loops of the heavier yarn'in adjacent rib wales by floats extending'across the inner face of the fabric and the medial-portions of these floats are knit in a central wale of the groups of wales in which the stretchable yarns are knit toprovide a relatively smooth inner face on the fabric, as compared to the ribbed outer face thereof.

` Some ofthe objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the' description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE l is a fragmentary elevational view of the I ribbed or outer face of the jerseyknit fabric of the present linvention and showing the same in relaxed or unstretched condition;

somewhat schematically illustrating the stretchable base' fabric with the outstanding walewise ribs on the outer ly indicated at 11. As shown in FIGURE 2, the ribs l1 stand out from the outer face ofthe base fabric 10 and when the fabric is in relaxed or unstretched condition,

the ribs 11 are drawn close'together.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the stretchable b'ase fabric 10 is, formed of knit stitch loops of `relatively lightweight stretchable yarns, indicated -at S-l, S-Z and S-3, which form plain stitches in the wales between the wales in which the ribs 11 are knit. The lightweight stretchable yarns extend across the wales in which the ribs 11 are knit and form tucks, indicated at T, in these wales. The lightweight stretchable yarns are preferably formed of multilament thermoplastic synthetic yarns which have been texturized by anyone of many Well known processes to impart a permanent crimp or curl to the individual filaments.

The walewise extending ribs 11 are formed of knit stitch loops of relatively heavyweight yarns Y which are knit in-spaced apart needle wales and iioated across and behind intervening needle wales. The'heavyweight yarns Y are preferably* non-stretchable and formed of natural fibers', such as spun cotton. However, it is to be understood that the yarns Y may be formedvof other types of natural or synthetic fibers and they may be stretchable or non-stretchable as long as they are of a heavier weight` or denier than the yarns which form the base fabric 10.

One repeat of the fabric is shown in courses C-ll through C-14 and wales W-11 through W-14 of FIGURE 4 and any desired length and width of fabric may be formedv by'repeatin'g the coursewise and walewiserepeat the desired number of times. v

As shown in the schematic illustration of the fabric in FIGURE 4, the lightweight stretchable yarns S-l, S-Z and S-3 form stitch loops in groups of successive courses C-11, C-12, C-13 and C-15, C16, C-17 and in groups of adjacent wales W-8, W-'9 and W-ll, W-12, W-13 and W-,15, W-16 and extend across and form tucks T in the single wales W`10 and W-14 positioned between the groups ofadjacent wales. The heavyweight yarns Y form stitch loops in spaced apart single courses C-ll), C-14, C-18 and in alternate wales W-8, W-10,

W42, W-14, W,-16 of these courses. In these spaced.

apart single courses the yarns Y are floated across and behind intervening wales W-9, W-11, W-13, W-IS tol form floats F which 'extend along the inner face of the base fabric 10 (FIGURE 2).

After the fabric has been finished, the stretchable yarns act to draw the rib l1 together and the knit stitches of;r4

ythe yarn Y in wales W-S, W-12, W-16 and in course's C-10, C--14, C- 16 do not appear on the outer face of.

. Patented.. 2,

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the jersey' knit fabric of the present invention includes a stretchable` able yarns contract to draw the walewise extending ribs 11l together.r and contract the fabric in both coursewise vand walewise directions. Also, since the stretchnble yarn contracts when relaxed, the tucks T of the lightweight y stretchable yarns try to straighten out, causing the -stitch loops of the non-stretchable heavyweight yarn Y in wales W-10, W'-14 to protrude outwardly on the outer face of the fabric and appear large and loose, as compared to the stretchable yarn stitch loops of the body fabric 10.

The simulated rib fabric of thev present invention may` be economically produced on a conventional circular jersey knitting machine which'is provided with a plu- .rality of feeding and kni-tting stations iny multiples of four.4 In knitting the fabric on this type of circular knitting machine, the stretchable yarnsS-L S-2 and S-3 are fed to all of the needles at three consecutive respective knitting stations and plain jersey stitch loops are formed on groups of three successive needles while the stretchable yarns are tucked on every fourth needle. Thus, course C-11 is formed by feeding the yarn S-l to all of the needles at .a iirst feeding station. At this first feeding station, the needles in wales W-8, W-9, W-ll, W-12, W- 13, W-lS, W-16 are `lowered to form stitch loops while the needles in wales'W-ltl and W-14 pass vthis station at tuck level and take the yarn S-1 in their hooks but do not form stitch loops therewith. At the second knitting station, the yarn S-Z is fed to the needles in the same manner as the yarn S-1 -to form course C-lZ 'and the yarn S-ll is fed to the needles at the third knitting station in thesame-manner as the yarns' S-l` and S`2 ,-to form course C-13. j

`At the fourth knitting station, the relatively heavyweight-non-stretchable yarn Y isfed to and forms stitch 'loops in wales W8, W-10, W-l2, W-14, W-16 of course C-14. Thus, stitch loops are lformed on alternate needle'sat this fourth knitting station and the intervening needles are not raised high enough to receive the yarn Y in their hooks. As the needles in` wales W- and W'14 are raised to shed level and then lowered to stitch drawing level, the tucks of yarns S-1, S-2, S-3

are shed as a stitch loop is formed in these Wales of course Cv-14. During the formation of course C-14, the needles in wales W-9, W-ll, W-l3, W- are raised to welt level and do not take the non-stretchable yarn Y in their hooksa-t this fourth knitting station so that the yarn Y is merelyfloated'inside of the fabric and behind the stitch loops in these wales. The courses C-15 through C-18 are identical to the courses C-11 throughC-M described above and are formed at the next four successive'knitting stations on the-machine,

It has vbeen found that a very satisfactory fabric is produced by feeding multilament nylon 40/2 denier nylonr stretch yarn, of the -type known as Helanca, at groups `ofthree consecutive feeding stations of an 18-cut Supreme sinker top circular knitting machine while feeding two ends of 16/1 combed'cotton yarn at single feeding stationslocated between thegroups of consecutive feeding stations at which the stretchable yarn -is fed. By using lightweight stretchable synthetic yarns to knit the body or base fabric 10 and a heavyweigh cotton yarn to .knit the walewise ribs 1-1, unusual coloring effects 'may be achieved by cross-dyeing or by using pre-dyed yarns of different colors. present invention may jersey knit plain fabric.

Although `a specific construction of knit fabric is disclosed as being knit on a specific type of knitting machine, it is to be understood that other constructions and other types of yarn may be utilized if desired and the fabric may be knit on other types of knitting machines than the circular machine described. For example, -a greater number of wales knit of the stretchable If desired, the fabric of the be produced in only portions of a yarns could be formed between the outwardly extend-v ing ribs 11 formed of the heavyweight yarn. Also, although it is desirable to tie the iloats ofthe heavyweight yarn Y into thebase fabric between the' ribs 1l, the iioats F of the yarn Y may extend from one rib 11 to the nextl rib 11. without being interknit with the wales 'therebetween Also, the number of courses knit of lightweight stretchable yarn before knitting a course of heavyweight yarn maybe varied, asdesired.

The simulated rib jersey -knit fabric of the ypresent:

invention is useful -in formingmany Vtypes of garments and maybe knit tubular or llat. The fabric is stretchable in both coursewise and walewise directions and the walewise extending ribs impart a distinctive and Ybulky appearance thereto.

In the drawings and specification Vthere has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and al-l though speciic terms are employed, they are used in4 ar generic and descriptive sense onlyand not for purposes of limitation, the scope of theinve'ntion .being defined in the claims.

I claim: A

1. A jersey knit fabric comprising a strebchavble body fabric anda plurality of spacedv apart walewise ribs extending outwardly from one face of said body fabric, said` body fa-brici being knit of relatively lightweight stretchable yarns knit in groups of successive courses andwales, said stretchable yarns being tucked in Ysingle wales positioned between said groups of successive wales, and said Walewise ribs being knit of relatively heavyweight yarns knit in said single wales between saidgrou'ps ofsuccessive wales and in a single course positioned between ,each of said groups of successive courses'.

2. A jersey knit fabric comprising al stretchable body` fabric and a plurality of spaced apart walewiseribs extending outwardly fr'om one *face of said body fabric,

said body fabric being knit vof lcrimped multililament thermoplastic stretch yarns knit in groups of successive courses and wales, said stretch yarns being tucked in single wales positioned between said groups of successive wales, and said walewise ribs being knit of cotton yarns knit in said single walesbetween said groups of successive wales and in a single course positioned between each of said groups of successive courses, said cotton yyarns being of a heavier weight than said stretch yarns.

3. A jersey knit fabric comprisiuga stretchable body fabric and spaced Aapart ribs extending walewise on the outer face of said body fabric, said body fabric being knit of stretch yarns knit in spaced apart groups of a predetermined number of successive courses and wales, said stretch yarns forming tucksextending. across single wales positioned between said spaced apart groups of successive wales and in each course of said groups of successive courses, said walewise ribs being knit of a heavier yarn than said stretch yarns, said heavier yarn being knit inthe single wales containing said stretch yarn Ytucks and in a single course positioned between each of `said groups of successive courses, and said heavier yarn having floats extending lalong the inner face of said body fabric and between the single wales containing said stretch yarn tucks.

4.4 A jersey knit fabric comprising a stretchable body fabric and spaced apart ribs extending .walewise on the outer face of said body fabric, saidv body fabric being knit of stretch yarns knit in spaced apart groupsv of a predetermined number of successive coursesy and wales, said stretch yarns forming tucks extending across single wales positioned between said groups of successivey wales and in each course of said groups of successive courses,` said walewise ribs being knit of a heavier yarn than said stretch yyarns, said heavier yarn being knit in the single wales con-` i v single wales containing said stretch yarn tucks and the medial wales of said groups of successive wales. y

5. A jersey knit fabric comprising a stretchable body fabric and spaced apart ribs extending walewise on the outer face of said body fabric, vsaid body fabric being knit of stretch yarns knit in spaced apart groups of three successive courses vand wales, said stretch yarns forming tucks extending across single wales positioned between said vthree-successive wales and in each of said three successivel courses of said groups, said vwalewise ribs being knit of a heavier yarn than said stretch yarns, said heavier I. yarn being'knit in the single wales containing said stretch yarn tucks as Well as in the center wale of said groups of three successive wales and in a single course positioned in spaced apart groups of a predetermined number of successive courses and wales, said stretch yarns forming tucks extending across single wales positioned between said groups of successive wales and in each course of said groups of successive courses, said walewise r-ibs being knit of a cotton yarn that is heavier than said stretch yarns, said cotton yarn being knit in the single wales containing said stretch yarn tucks and in a single course positioned between each ofv said groups of successive courses, and said cotton yarn having floats extending along the inner face of said body fabric and between the single wales containing said stretch yarn tucks. j

7. A jersey knit fabricr comprising a stretchable body fabric and spaced apart ribs extending walewise on the outer face of said body fabric, said body fabric being knit of crimped'rnultifilament thermoplastic stretch yarns knit in spaced apart groups of a predetermined number of successive courses and wales, said stretch yarns forming tucks extending across single wales positioned between said groups of successive wales and in each course `of said groups of successive courses, said walewise ribs being knit of acotton yarn that is heavier than said stretch yarns, said cotton yarn being knit in the single v' tending along the inner face of said body fabric and between the single wales containing said stretch yarn tucks vof crimped multifilament thermoplastic stretch yarns knit 6 and said medialwale of said groups of successive wales. 8. A jersey knit fabric comprising a stretchable body fabric and spaced apart ribs extending walewise on the outer face of saidvbody fabric, saidv body fabric being knit of crimped multilament thermoplastic stretch yarns knit in spaced apart groups of three successive courses and wales, said stretch yarns forming tucks extending across single wales positioned between said three successive wales and in each of said three successive courses of said groups, said walewise ribs being knit of a cotton yarn that is heavier than said stretch yarns, said cotton yarn being knit in the single wales containing said stretch yam tucks as well as in the center Wale of said groups of three successive wales and in a single course positioned between each of said groups of three successive courses, and said cotton yarn having floats extending along the inner face of said body fabric and between the single wales containing said stretch yarn tucks' and the center wale of said groups of successive Wales. v

9. A jersey knit fabric having a plurality of spaced apart walewise ribs on one face therof, the stitch construction forming said walewise ribs repeating every four vwales and every four courses, each repeatincludinga relatively lightweight crimped multifilament thermoplastic stretch yarn knit in the first three wales and tucked in the fourth wale of each of the first three courses, and a relatively heavyweight cotton yarn knit in the second and fourth wales of only the fourth course and oated across the first and third wales thereof.

wales and every four courses, each repeat including a relatively lightweight stretch yarn knit in the first three wales and tucked in the fourth Wale of each of the first three courses, and a relatively heavyweight cotton yarn' knit in atleast the fourth Wale of only the fourth course and floated across at least the firstl and third wales thereof.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 800,840 10/05 lBlood 66-189 1,568,693 1/26 Rothman 66-198 1,961,636 6/34 Lawson 66-42 2,013,161 9/35 Lombaroi 66-201 2,045,776 6/36 Holt L. 66-42 2,183,862 12/39 Davis 66--172l 2,429,187 10/47 Krasnov et al. 66-202 2,842,947 7/58 Lindner et al. 66-202 2,872,800 2/59 Davis et al. 66-172 RUSSELL C. MADER, 'Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A JERSEY KNIT FABRIC COMPRISING A STRETCHABLE BODY FABRIC AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART WALEWISE RIBS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM ONE FIACE OF SAID BODY FABRIC, SAID BODY FABRIC BEING KNIT OF RELATIVELY LIGHTWEIGHT STRETCHABLE YARNS KNIT IN GROUPS OF SUCCESSIVE COURSES AND WALES, SAID STRETCHABLE YARNS BEING TUCKED IN SINGLE WALES POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID GROUPS OF SUCCESSIVE WALES, AND SAID WALEWISE RIBS BEING KNIT OF RELATIVELY HEAVYWEIGHT YARNS KNIT IN SAID SINGLE WALES BETWEEN SAID GROUPS OF SUCCESSIVE WALES AND IN A SINGLE POSITIONED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID GROUPS OF SUCCESSIVE COURSES.