US3662787A

US3662787A - Narrow elastic fabric and method of making the same

Info

Publication number: US3662787A
Application number: US50126A
Authority: US
Inventors: Antonio Schiappa; Richard E Goff
Original assignee: Johnson and Johnson
Current assignee: Johnson and Johnson
Priority date: 1970-06-26
Filing date: 1970-06-26
Publication date: 1972-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-16

Abstract

A narrow elastic fabric having a center portion having elasticity in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the fabric and a pair of side portions. The side portions form the longitudinal edges of the fabric and have elasticity in only the longitudinal direction of the fabric. A method for manufacturing such a narrow elastic fabric by weaving elastic filling yarns in the center portion of the fabric and non-elastic filling yarns in each edge or side portion of the fabric.

Description

United States Patent Schiappa et al.

[54] NARROW ELASTIC FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME [72] Inventors: Antonio Schiappa, Pawtucket; Richard E.

Goff, Harrington, both of RI.

[73] Assignee: Johnson & Johnson [22] Filed: June 26, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 50,126

52 US. Cl ..139/422 [51] Int. Cl. ..D03d 15/08 [58] Field ofSearch ..l39/420, 421, 422

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,030,893 6/1912 Kops 139/422 2,661,776 12/1953 Gamber et al. ..l39/421 51 May 16, 1972 Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon Attorney-Alexander T. Kardos and Robert L. Minier [57] ABSTRACT A narrow elastic fabric having a center portion having elasticity in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the fabric and a pair of side portions. The side portions form the longitudinal edges of the fabric and have elasticity in only the longitudinal direction of the fabric. A method for manufacturing such a narrow elastic fabric by weaving elastic filling yarns in the center portion of the fabric and non-elastic filling yarns in each edge or side portion of the fabric.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,787

lNVENT R5 Ham/e02 00- A/vro m Sc MA /4 av A RNEY fabric and only longitudinal stretch in other portionsof the fabric and methods for manufacturing such fabrics.

Narrow elastic fabrics areused inithe-manufactureyof various types of garments'They aregenerally used as waist-bands, leg bands, etc. in various garmentssuch as trousers,\.womens foundation garments, etc. In many of these uses, itis desirable that the narrow fabric not only have-anelasticity in the longitudinal direction of the fabric, but also have some. elasticity in the transverse direction of the fabric to allow for movement by the wearer of the piece of apparel.

Longitudinal stretch in the fabric allows forgood fit of the garment around the waist, or legs, or other encircling portions of the garment. The transverse stretch is useful to provide freedom of movement to the wearer as itrallows the fabricto stretch when placed invarying positions by the-.wearerJ-Narrow elastic fabrics which have only longitudinal stretch may be readily affixed to the base material or base piece of'wearing apparel by sewing, etc. andwill form a smoothtseamwhich remains so during use.

In those instances where both longitudinaland transverse stretch are, required, this may be accomplished by using two different types of fabric; i.e., onethat has longitudinal stretch and one that has transverse stretch. Where such properties'are required and two fabrics arefused thecost of the final product is increased because of theextra cost of, one ormore sewing operations and also the extremecare which mustbe taken to align all of the pieces of material and form smooth'seams between each piece in the final garment.

l have discovered a narrow elasticfabric ,which has both longitudinal stretch portions and portions .whichhave both longitudinal and transverse stretch. My new fabric allows for affixation to the base fabric in a single operation and provides smooth, encircling portions and while also allowing movement in the desired areas of the final garment. Hence, not,only. is. my new fabric more economical to produce in its use in1that it only requires one operationto be affixed tosthe garment,'.but also provides a smoother, neatenportion intthe finalgarment due to its unitary construction.

In accordance with the present invention, my narrow elastic fabric comprises a center, portion extendinglongitudinally of the fabric which has elasticity in both thelongitudinal and transverse directions of the fabric. Along each side of the center portion and formingthe longitudinal edgesof the fabric are side portions whichhaveelasticity in only thelongitudinal direction of the fabric.

My new and improved elastic fabricis made'-by-weaving a set of elastic-warp yarns with a combination of elastic and-nonelastic filling yarns. The fabric-is woveniby usinga'beamof elastic warp yarns. A non-elastic warp yam-isfed from cones at each edge of the beam to form a setof elasticwarp'yarns with a non-elastic yarn at each edge. A standardlelastiofilling yarn on a shuttle is used in the weavingoperation. The warp yarns are positioned so as to form a shed asin a standard weaving operation and the shuttle passes through this shed. When the shuttle reaches the-edge of the warp set,the e'lastic warp yarns-in the center portionofthe beam are'reversedto form another shed as in a standard weaving operation. The warp yarns in the side portionthrough which the shuttle has just passed are not reversed with the exception'that'the edge non-elastic warp yarn is reversed. The shuttle isthen passed through this new shed. The shuttlegripsthe non-elasticwarp yarn and pulls it from the coneinsertingit as a filling'yamin the side portion of the warp yarns. The elastic filling -yam on the shuttle is inserted in the center portion of thewarp yarns and the shuttlecarried to the other side or-edgeofthe warp beam. Again, the center warp yarns are reversed to form another shed and the warp yarns in the side portion through which the shuttle has just passed, are not reversedwith the-exception of theedge non-elasticwarpyam. The'shuttle encircles the non-elastic yarn, pulling it from thetcone andinserting it as a filling yarn in'iltheside' portion -of the-warp yarns and again inserting the elastic yarn from 'the shuttle as the filling yarn in the center portion of theswarp yamsand so forth. This operation forms a narrow elastic fabric wherein the filling yarns in' the central-portion'areelasticand the filling yarns in the two edge or. side portionsarenon-elastic.

The inventionwill bedescribed in furtherdetail when taken 1 in conjunction with the following drawings-and the. description thereofi-wherein;

."FlG.'1l is-a planviewofa fabric according to the present invention and,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematicview of a portion of the narrow elasticwoven fabric in accordance with the present invention.

:Referringto the drawings in. FlGxl; there is shown a narrow elastic'fabrici 10. :The fabric-has a. center, portion 1 1. extending longitudinally of thefabric. Thezcenter portion comprises interwoven warpyams llandifilling yarns :13 with'both the warp and filling yarns being elasticso that the center portion is .elastic in. both. the'longitu'dinahand transversecdirections of the fabric. Along each side of the longitudinally extending portion is a longitudinally. extending-side'portion 15: and 16 which tforms the edges of the. fabric. 'The longitudinal side portions comprise interwoven warp.yarns:l7 and.18and filling yarns :19 and '20vwith the.-warpvyams"being elastic-andzthe'filling yarns being non-elastic-so'thelongitudinallyextending side portions only? have elasticity inthe longitudinal direction of the fabric.

'Referringto:theenlargedzdepiction of the fabric 27 of the present invention shown inFIG. 2, there arethree sections; A,

B,.and.C, extending longitudinally of' the fabric. The warp yarns 30intall threesectionsare elasticwarp yarns and are -substantiallyzthe same. The filling yarns 31 in Sections A and C; the :side sections of:thefabric, arelnonselastic, whereas the filling yarns 32 in'the centersection-B,'are elastic yarns. The filling yarns in the sidesections, A, and C, as may be seen, are

portion of l the fabric. EThe fillingyarn inzthe center of a fabric catchesthe filling yam on the leftorSection A of the fabric .and on-Section C- or the right side'ofthe fabric.

.In manufacturing my=new narrow elastic fabrics, .a standard narrow elastic'fabric loomis used. The'loom'is supplied with a warp-beam containing the desired number ofwarp yarns. This warp' beamisfed into the loom as instandard procedures-Fed along with the'warp beamfromxa conelocated-inltheback of the loom is anon-elastic yarn. One such'non elasticyarn is fed .at-each endof the-warpbeamsA standardshuttle is used as in .astandard weaving operation. The shuttle is fed-nor supplied .with an elastic-filling yarn. As in standard weaving operations, :a shed is formedby .thewarp yarns with some -yarn s in an upper plane'and the other yarnsin a lower'plane. The nonelastic yarn is placed' in one'of .the planes of the shed. The

shuttle passes throughtheshed .andtheshed is thenchanged;

thatis, the yamsin the .center section inithe-bottomplane are placedinitheupper plane, .andthe yarnsin the uppenplane in the centerportionare placed in the lower plane. The yarns in "the sideportions are not 'changed with 'the exceptionof the non-elastic 'yarn in that portion of the fabric-along the side where the-shuttle has-justpassed and'thisyarn isplacedin the -opposite:plane. The shuttle thenreturnsthroughthe new shed :and inserts the'endnon-elasticyarn as a filling'yarnin the side portion, through the shed to the point where the shed has changed. This actionplaces the end non-elastic yarn as a doublefilling yarn in that portion'of the fabric along theside. The shuttle then passes through the center shed placing'the elastic filling yarn and continues to the opposite edge of the fabric. Again, the shed is changed as described above and the procedure-repeated.

This motion changes-the shed in the center'p'ortion of the each side portion of the fabric with every other pass of the shuttle. The change of sheds in the side portions are alternated with respect to each other so that the side portion shed does not change when the shuttle is on its side except for the nonelastic yarn on that side.

Various types of yarns may be used in manufacturing the fabrics of the present invention. The warp yarns used in the fabric should all have the same or substantially the same amount of elasticity and may be any of the various elastic warp yarns such as texturized yarns, elastic core yarns covered with non-elastic fibers such as rubber cores, covered with cotton fibers, or spandex-type cores covered with synthetic fibers, etc. The filling yarns used in the center portion of the fabric may be any of the standard elastic filling yarns such as a rubber filling yarn or again, an elastic core yarn covered with synthetic or other fibers and the filling yarns of the edge portions of the fabric may be any of the non-elastic filling yarns such as cotton yarns, nylon yarns, or other types of yarns.

The non-elastic fabric may be woven in widths of from onefourth inch up to 6 inches or more and have a yarn count varying over a wide range. The relative sizes of the elastic and nonelastic areas may vary. In other words, the two edge or side portions may have the same size and may be the same size as the elastic center portion, or the two edge portions may have the same size and be narrower or wider than the center portion or the two side portions may have different widths from each other.

Also, in my new fabric, any of the various types of selveges used in narrow elastic fabrics such as scalloped or fancy-type selveges may be used in my new fabrics. Also any of the surface pattern designs which are common with some of the higher quality narrow elastic fabrics, may also be incorporated in my new fabrics.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

We claim:

1. A narrow woven elastic fabric comprising a set of elastic warp yarns extending longitudinally of the fabric and three filling yarns interwoven with said warp yarns, the first filling yarn being elastic and being interwoven with a portion of the warp yarns disposed in the center portion of the fabric and the other filling yarns being non-elastic and being interwoven with other portions of the warp yarns, one of said non-elastic filling yarns being interwoven in pairs with a portion of the warp yarns extending along the longitudinal edge of the fabric and the other non-elastic filling yarn being interwoven in pairs with another portion of the warp yarns disposed along the op posite longitudinal edge of the fabric, the elastic filling yarn in the center portion of the fabric being interengaged with said other non-elastic filling yarns to form an integral interwoven narrow elastic fabric having a center portion having elasticity in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the fabric and a pair of side portions extending along the longitudinal edges of the fabric and having elasticity only in the longitudinal direction of the fabric.

2. Fabric according to claim 1, wherein the elastic filling yarn is a rubber yarn.

3. Fabric according to claim 1, wherein the non-elastic filling yarns are nylon yarns.

4. Fabric according to claim 1, wherein the elastic filling yarn is a rubber yarn and non-elastic filling yarns are nylon yarns.

5. A method of weaving a narrow elastic fabric having a center portion which is elastic in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the fabric and a pair of longitudinally extending side portions which are elastic only in the longitudinal direction of the fabric, comprising:

a. feeding a non-elastic yarn at each end of a beam of elastic warp yarns;

b. forming a first shed with said elastic warp yarns and said non-elastic yarns; c. inserting an elastic filling yarn on a shuttle through said first shed; d. reversing i. the non-elastic yarn in the side portion nearest the shuttle, ii. the warp yarns in the center portion, and iii. the warp yarns in the side portion farthest from the shuttle, to form a second shed; e. returning the shuttle through said second shed, whereby the non-elastic yarn is inserted as a filling yarn in the side portion of the elastic warp yarns and the filling yarn on the shuttle is inserted in the center portion of the elastic warp yarns; and repeating steps (d) and (e) a plurality of times to weave said narrow elastic fabric.

l l i I

Claims

1. A narrow woven elastic fabric comprising a set of elastic warp yarns extending longitudinally of the fabric and three filling yarns interwoven with saId warp yarns, the first filling yarn being elastic and being interwoven with a portion of the warp yarns disposed in the center portion of the fabric and the other filling yarns being non-elastic and being interwoven with other portions of the warp yarns, one of said non-elastic filling yarns being interwoven in pairs with a portion of the warp yarns extending along the longitudinal edge of the fabric and the other non-elastic filling yarn being interwoven in pairs with another portion of the warp yarns disposed along the opposite longitudinal edge of the fabric, the elastic filling yarn in the center portion of the fabric being interengaged with said other non-elastic filling yarns to form an integral interwoven narrow elastic fabric having a center portion having elasticity in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the fabric and a pair of side portions extending along the longitudinal edges of the fabric and having elasticity only in the longitudinal direction of the fabric.

5. A method of weaving a narrow elastic fabric having a center portion which is elastic in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the fabric and a pair of longitudinally extending side portions which are elastic only in the longitudinal direction of the fabric, comprising: a. feeding a non-elastic yarn at each end of a beam of elastic warp yarns; b. forming a first shed with said elastic warp yarns and said non-elastic yarns; c. inserting an elastic filling yarn on a shuttle through said first shed; d. reversing i. the non-elastic yarn in the side portion nearest the shuttle, ii. the warp yarns in the center portion, and iii. the warp yarns in the side portion farthest from the shuttle, to form a second shed; e. returning the shuttle through said second shed, whereby the non-elastic yarn is inserted as a filling yarn in the side portion of the elastic warp yarns and the filling yarn on the shuttle is inserted in the center portion of the elastic warp yarns; and f. repeating steps (d) and (e) a plurality of times to weave said narrow elastic fabric.