US3301017A

US3301017A - Pick and run resistant stocking and method of forming same

Info

Publication number: US3301017A
Application number: US343287A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph J Bird; Marvin H Comer
Original assignee: Alamance Industries Inc
Current assignee: Alamance Industries Inc
Priority date: 1964-02-07
Filing date: 1964-02-07
Publication date: 1967-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-31

Description

Jan. 31, 1967 J, J. BIRD ET AL 3,301,017

PICK AND RUN RESISTANT STOCKING AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed Feb. 7, 1964 JosEPH J. BIRD and MAQVlN H.COMER ATTORNEYS INVENTOR S.

United States Patent 3,301,017 PICK AND RUN REISTANT STOCKING AND METHUD 0F FORMING SAME. Joseph J. Bird and Marvin H. Corner, Burlington, N.C., assignors to Alamance industries, Inc., Burlington, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Feb. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 343,287 9 Claims. (Cl. 66-408) This invention relates generally to sheer ladies stockings in which at least the leg and foot portions are knit of a synthetic thermoplastic composite yarn which provides increased resistance to picks and runs and more particularly to sheer ladies stockings in which the composite yarn includes a core yarn with a pair of wrapping yarns wound in opposite directions about the core and wherein each component of the composite yarn is similar in character.

Prior attempts to produce satisfactory run resistant ladies sheer stockings may be divided into the following general categories: (A) those in which special types of stitch loops are employed in an attempt to prevent the continuation of a run when a yarn is broken; (B) those in which several ends of yarn are knit in each stitch loop with some separation of the yarns to reduce the likelihood that all of the yarns in any given stitch loop will be broken at one time; and (C) those in which the stitch loops are fused together at their points of interconnection to prevent the formation of a run when the yarn is broken.

Stockings in each of these categories are effective to some degree to increase the resistance of the fabric to run, however, they each have certain disadvantages and their resistance to picking is increased very little, if any. Also, stockings having special types of stitch loops are more diflicult to knit than stockings having plain stitch loops and the special stitch loops usually produce an undesirable pattern or mesh appearance. Stockings having several separated ends of yarn in each stitch loop do not have the desired sheer appearance because of the increased coverage.

Those stockings in which the stitch loops are fused together at their cross-over points have an objectionable degree of stiffness and the fused together connection of the stitch loops is not permanent.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a pick and run resistant sheer stocking having substantially the same sheer appearance and feel as a conventional ladies sheer stocking that is knit of a single monofilament yarn.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pick and run resistant sheer stocking of the type described in which the synthetic thermoplastic composite yarn has a greater breaking strength than a single monofilament yarn of comparable denier and in which the composite yarn is not subjected to heat before the stocking is knit so that the full shrinkage characteristic of the yarn is available during the boarding process.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pick and run resistant stocking of the type described wherein the wrapping yarns form ridges on the surface of the composite yarn that spiral and cross in substantially a regular manner, and wherein the ridges on the yarn of one stitch loop mate with the ridges on the yarn of an interconnected stitch loop and resist slipping of the stitch loop yarns relative to each other to thereby resist the 2 pulling out of the yarn of the stitch loops, which occurs when a pick is formed in. a stocking.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of forming a pick and run resistant stocking of the type described wherein a torque-free composite yarn is formed by oppositely wrapping a pair of synthetic thermoplastic yarns about a synthetic thermoplastic core and then knitting plain stitch loops of the composite yarn in a conventional manner to form at least the leg portion of the stocking.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a synthetic thermoplastic composite yarn that is particularly adapted for knitting a pick and run resistant sheer ladies stocking and to the method of forming the composite yarn wherein a pair of monofilament yarns of about 7 to 20 denier are oppositely wound about a similar core yarn with about 30 to turns while the core yarn is held under sufficient tension so that it is maintained in a substantially straight condition and the wrapping yarns follow oppositely spiraling and crossing paths around the core.

Some of the 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 1 is a side elevation of a ladies sheer pick and run resistant stocking made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a greatly enlarged view of a small portion of the fabric in that area of the leg of the stocking indicated by the dash-dot rectangle 2 in FIGURE 1, and illustrating the appearance of the stitch loops when the fabric is stretched both walewise and coursewise; and

FIGURE 3 is a greatly enlarged elevation of the composite yarn illustrating the manner in which the first and second wrapping yarns are wound in opposite directions about the substantially straight core.

Referred particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown a seamless ladies sheer pick and run resistant stocking S which has been knit on a circular knitting machine and then boarded. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is also applicable to ladies full-fashioned stockings as well as to other garments in which pick and run resistance is desired.

The stocking includes a turned welt 10, a shadow welt 11, .a leg or boot 12, and a foot having a heel pocket 13, an instep portion 14 and a toe pocket 15. In the present instance, the turned well: 10 and the shadow welt 11 are formed in a conventional manner and are preferably formed of a multifilament thermoplastic yarn, such as nylon. The welt 10 and/ or the shadow welt 11 may be provided with any desired type of decorative stitch.

The leg 12 and instep portion 14 of the foot are preferably knit of plain stitches which are formed with a composite yarn, broadly indicated at Y in FIGURE 3. The composite yarn Y is formed in a special manner, to be presently described. The heel pocket 13 and the toe pocket 15 may be formed of any suitable yarn in a conventional manner and the usual toe opening may be closed by a seaming or looping operation.

It has been found that a very satisfactorily pick and run resistant stocking may be knit of a composite yarn which is formed in accordance with the following detailed example, however, it is to be understood that this example is merely illustrative and the invention is not limited thereto. The core yarn, indicated at 20 in FIGURE 3, is preferably 7 denier raw monofilament nylon which is un- Wound from a supply tube and fed onto a take-up spool at a predetermined speed while it is maintained under sufficient tension to maintain it in substantially straight condition. It is preferred that the core yarn 20 be maintained under about /2 to 2 grams of tension.

The core yarn 20 passes through first and second hollow spindles in its path of travel from the supply tube to the take-up spool. The first and second hollow spindles each have a supply spool mounted thereon which contains respective first and second wrapping yarns, indicated at 21 and 22 in FIGURE 3. The

wrapping yarns

21 and 22 are each preferably 7 denier raw monofilament nylon. The supply spools on the first and second hollow spindles are rotated in opposite directions about the core yarn passing therethrough so that their

respective wrapping yarns

21 and 22 are wrapped about the core yarn 20 in opposite directions, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. It is preferred that the first wrapping yarn 21 be maintained under a slightly greater tension than the second wrapping yarn 22, as they are wound about the core 20. For example, the first yarn 21 should be maintained with a tension of about 2 /2 to 4 grams and the second wrapping yarn 22 should be maintained with a tension of about 2 to 3 grams.

The speed of travel of the core yarn 20 must be coordinated with the rotational speed of the first and second hollow spindles to control the number of turns per inch of the

wrapping yarns

21 and 22 about the core yarn 20. It is preferred that the

wrapping yarns

21 and 22 each be wound about the core yarn 20 with 35 turns per inch. Thus, the

wrapping yarns

21, 22 form ridges on the surface of the composite yarn Y that spiral around the core 20 in opposite directions and cross each other in substantially regular manner.

The composite yarn from the take-up spool may then be wound onto a suitable cone for knitting and a light lubricating oil may be applied thereto during the winding operation or at the knitting machine, if desired, to facilitate the feeding and knitting of the composite yarn. After the conventional welt 10 and shadow welt 11 are knit, the leg or boot 12 is knit by feeding the composite yarn Y to the needles of the knitting machine to form interconnected stitch loops, as shown in wales W-30, W-31 and W-32 of courses C-30, C-31 and -32 of FIGURE 2. The crossing and spiraling on the surface of the composite yarn Y tend to mate together at their points of connection of the stitch loops, as shown in FIGURE 2, and any pull applied to the yarn Y will be resisted by the ridgy nature of the surface of the yarn so that the stitch loops cannot be easily pulled out, when the fabricis picked.

As shown in FIGURE 2, there is some slight separation of the

wrapping yarns

21, 22 from the core yarn 20 and from each other so that it is unlikely that all three yarns will be broken to cause a run and if only one yarn is broken, the remaining yarns will hold the stitch loop. The strength of the three ends of 7 denier yarn is about 15 to 25 percent greater than the strength of a single end of 21 denier. Although there is some slight separation of the

wrap yarns

21, 22 from the core yarn 20 and from each other, the wrapping yarns cross each other and the core yarn at about six or seven points in each stitch loop so that these points have the apparent thickness .of a single 7 denier yarn and the overall appearance of the fabric is substantially the same as a conventional sheer ladies stocking which is knit of a single monofilament nylon yarn. The wrapping yarns each are wound completely about the core yarn about 3 /2 times in each stitch loop in FIGURE 2 and while this may be varied, it is preferred that they be wrapped about the core yarn at least two times in each stitch loop.

While it is preferred that the core yarn 20 and the

wrapping yarns

21, 22 each be a monofilament of the same denier, it is to be understood that the core yarn 20 could be a multifilarnent of a different denier, such as 7/3, 15/3 4 or 21/ 3, if desired. Although some of the sheerness of the fabric will be sacrificed, the yarns may be of a heavier denier, such as 10, 12, or denier, and the number of turns per inch of the wrapping yarns about the core yarn may be varied within the range of about to 70 turns or wraps per inch. However, the wrapping yarns should be wrapped about the core with a sufficient number of turns per inch to produce enough ridges in each stitch loop to resist the pulling of the yarn through the stitch loops and picks in the fabric.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. A pick and run resistant knit fabric comprising courses of interconnected stitch loops knit of a composite yarn consisting of a synthetic thermoplastic core yarn and a pair of thermoplastic yarns wrapped in a regular manner about said core yarn in opposite directions, said oppositely wrapped yarns being wrapped with a sufiicient number of turns whereby each of said wrapped yarns makes at least two complete turns around said core yarn in each stitch loop of the fabric.

2. A knit fabric according to claim 1 wherein said core yarn and said wrapped yarns are each monofilament and within the range of about 7 to 20 denier.

3. A knit fabric according to claim 1 wherein said wrapped yarns are each wound about said core yarn within the range of about 30 to 70 turns per inch.

4. A knitted pick and run resistant ladies sheer stocking wherein at least the major portion of the leg comprises courses of interconnected stitch loops knit of a composite yarn consistirtg of synthetic thermoplastic monofilment core yarn within the range of about 7 to 20 denier and a pair of monofilament yarns wrapped about said core yarn in opposite directions, said wrapped yarns being similar in character to each other and to said core yarn, and said Wrapped yarns being wound about said core yarn within the range of about 30 to 70 turns per inch.

5. A sheer knit stocking fabric according to claim 4 wherein said core yarn and said wrapped yarns are each about 7 denier, and said wrapped yarns are each wound about said core yarn with about turns per inch.

6. A method of forming a knited pick and run resistant ladies sheer stocking having leg and foot portions, said method comprising the steps of forming a composite yarn by wrapping first and second synthetic thermoplastic yarns in opposite directions to each other and about a synthetic thermoplastic core yarn, and knitting the stocking while knitting at least the major portion of the leg of courses of the composite yarn and forming stitch loops of a sufficient size that each of said wrap yarns makes at least two complete turns around said core yarn in each stitch loop.

7. In a method according to claim 6 wherein the Wrap yarns and the core yarn are each monofilaments within the range of about 7 to 20 denier, and the wrap yarns are each Wound about the core yarn within the range of about 30 to 70 turns per inch.

8. In a method according to claim 7 wherein the wrap yarns and the core yarn are each about 7 denier, and the wrap yarns are each wound about the core yarn with about 35 turns per inch.

9. A method of forming a knitted pick and run resistant ladies sheer stocking having leg and foot portions, said method comprising the steps of forming a composite yarn by wrapping first and second synthetic thermoplastic monofilament yarns within the range of about 7 to 20 denier about a similar core yarn while winding the first and second yarns about the core yarn within the range of about 30 to 70 turns per inch, and

5 6 knitting the stocking while knitting at least the major 2,921,455 1/1960 Furge 66178 XR portion of the leg of courses of the composite yarn. 3,115,693 12/ 1963 Chandler 28-72 References Cited by the Examiner 26 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,9 1878 Great Britain. UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 351,123 8/1937 Italy. 2,211,643 8/1940 Bry 57144 2,636,369 4/1953 Tait 6 17 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 2,731,789 1/1956 Holder 57-160 2,251,268 8/1956 Clawson W. C. REYNOLDS, Assistant Examiner.

2,795,123 6 /1957 Schumann 66178 10

Claims

1. A PICK AND RUN RESISTANT KNIT FABRIC COMPRISING COURSES OF INTERCONNECTED STITCH LOOPS KNIT OF A COMPOSITE YARN CONSISTING OF A SYNTHETIC THERMOPLASTIC CORE YARN AND A PAIR OF THERMOPLASTIC YARNS WRAPPED IN A REGULAR MANNER ABOUT SAID CORE YARN IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, SAID OPPOSITELY WRAPPED YARNS BEING WRAPPED WITH A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF TURNS WHEREBY EACH OF SAID WRAPPED YARNS MAKES AT LEAST TWO COMPLETE TURNS AROUND SAID CORE YARN IN EACH STITCH LOOP OF THE FABRIC.