WO2001032969A1

WO2001032969A1 - A method and a circular knitting machine for manufacturing patterned float plated fabrics

Info

Publication number: WO2001032969A1
Application number: PCT/EP2000/010811
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walter Richard Schmidt
Original assignee: Adtec Services Limited
Priority date: 1999-11-01
Filing date: 2000-11-02
Publication date: 2001-05-10
Also published as: AU1278201A

Abstract

A method for manufacturing patterned float plated fabrics comprising courses knitted from at least three yarns on a circular knitting machine must ensure a correct predetermined plating effect of each yarn to the others. According to the present invention this is realized by that the loops and floats from a respective sunk yarn are succeedingly controlled by control ledges on at least one circle of sinkers permanently until at least a third yarn is sunk and at the earliest the stitch forming process is initiated. Preferably a first and second yarn are sunk synchronously.

Description

A METHOD AND A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING PATTERNED FLOAT PLATED FABRICS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method by which in a circular knitting machine patterned float plated courses are knitted from at least three yams sunk to individual successions of loops and floats prior to the final stitching process in which at least a part of predetermined stitches of a complete course will be knitted from at least two of said at least three yams, as required by a specific fabric construction such as especially sectional plating, intarsia plating or fabrics with a woven-like appearance. The present invention also relates to a circular knitting machine, especially to a cylinder and sinker cam arrangement and replacement set therefor, for manufacturing the aforesaid float plated fabrics.

BACKGROUND

The manufacturing of float plated fabrics incorporating three or more yams in a course by plated stitches requires the sinking of the yams prior to the final collective stitching in order to avoid the disadvantages of the proposal according to DE 664 661, in which two plating yams are arranged in front and behind alternating needles prior to the feeding of a ground yam so that each plating yam is affected in its movement towards the knitting of stitches by an uncontrollable friction generated by its undulated disposition from the feeding to the stitch forming action. This increased uncontrollable tensioning of the plating yams jeopardises the whole knitting process.

This disadvantage is avoided for example in the process for knitting invisible or three-thread-fleece -fabrics by sinking each of the yams on different sinking ledges prior to the stitching (according e.g. to US-A 3,406,538).

The described method was also modified in order to produce so called reversible fleece fabrics. Instead of incorporating the fleece yam into the loops of the binding ya , both ya s are alternatively sunk to loops and floats from selected needles on a lower sinking edge and subsequently incorporated into the stitches together with the loops of a ground yam sunk from all needles on an upper sinking ledge whereby the plating yams are arranged in front of both sides of the fabric.

Obviously based on this principle the manufacturing of patterned pile fabrics as referred to in the proposal of DE-A-31 45 307 (corresponding to US-A-4 ,612,784) was developed. Thereby in a first cam section a ground yam is sunk from all needles over the lower ledges of cast off sinkers and in succeeding cam sections pile yams are sunk from alternatively selected needles over appropriate higher ledges of pile sinkers controlling at the same time the correct figuration of the loops from the ground ya . Immediately prior to the beginning of the stitching process, all loops must be cleared from their sinking ledges. Thereby an untimely clearing of at least the pile loops occurs, under certain conditions resulting in loop deformations and faults in the fabric, as described in a proposed improvement according to DE-A-40 33 735.

It is well known that patterned float plated fabrics can be produced on pile knitting machines by modifying the sinkers and/or by adapting the sinker cams. Such a fabric construction is proposed for example in DE-A-31 45 307 according to which, subsequent to the sinking of at least one pile ya , an additional ground yam is sunk prior to the stitch forming process preferably by those needles which have not engaged a pile ya (sectional plating).

The proposal disregards that for sinking the additional ground yam a prematurely clearing of the pile loops from the higher ledges of the pile sinkers in this cam section is necessary to enable the sinking of the second ground or plating yam on the lower ledges of the cast off sinkers. Hereby not only the control of the loops from the previous sunk pile yam is most untimely terminated (in respect to the stitch forming), therewith also the control of the loop configuration from the previous ground yam is suspended temporarily, meanwhile until to the final stitch forming the needles and sinkers must perform their required movements hereby affecting the exposed configuration of loops and floats from previously sunk yams.

Therefrom and at least from the explanations in the above-mentioned document DE-A-40 33 725 it become self-evident for each expert that by the increased uncontrollability of the sunk ground and pile yams their configuration will be virtually destroyed and a faulty fabric is resulting.

To avoid at least the untimely suspension of the pile loops from the sinker ledges as referred above it is logical to change the knitting sequence and to sink additional ground yams prior to the sinking of pile yams as referred in the following proposal DE-A-39 27 815 (corresponding to US-A-5,186,025).

Performing this proposal also on a machine according to DE-A-31 45 307, the critical conditions for sunk pile loops in the stitch forming process as referred in the DE-A-40 33 735 will furtheron exist and analogous hereto they will additionally occur logically also when progressively fed ground yams are sunk from selected needles under identical conditions. This is caused by the untimely suspension of the control of previous sunk loops during the additional sinking movement of the appropriate needles also loop deformations are voluntarily originated, as referred above.

This fundamental disadvantage of an untimely suspension of the loop control in succeeding sinking operations for plating or ground yams will exist furtheron in the new proposal referred in DE-A-197 07 053 in which, according to a machine described in the proposal DE-A-40 33 735, only the prematurely clearing of the pile loops in the stitch forming section is avoided, whereas the manipulation of the ground yams is realized furtheron analogously to the foregoing described proposals. This become clearly visible there in Fig. 6 and corresponding hereto in Fig. 2 at intersection VI, according to which sinker 5 must be retracted before needle 2 is actuated to sink yam 64 to loops 71 (Fig. 7) so that a control of previous loops 70 from ground yam 68 at the same time is definitively excluded and will enable deformations of loops 70 of previous yam 68. This disadvantageous process is repeated in section C for sinking also an additional ground or plating yam 65.

Defects in the loop arrangement of previously sunk yams occur especially if preferably a number of relevant adjacent needles are selected and raised once more, so that a relative support from alternate missing needles for the loop control in the additional sinking process is excluded. It becomes obvious therefrom that the recommendation in this proposal to control the pile sinkers in the additional sinking sections for a ground yam in a retracted position (thereby apparently suspending their control function totally) is not workable. According to the state of the art of knitting technology it is also impossible to incorporate a plating yam in predetermined areas by tuck stitches if from the relevant needle in the same sequence finally a stitch from the ground and pile yam must be knitted, as is also proposed therein. In contrast to the above-mentioned proposals for manufacturing float plated fabrics on pile knitting machines, the proposal according to EP-A-0 295 703 (corresponding to US-Patent 5,167,133) suggests the exchange of the pile forming sinkers against non-pile forming or plating sinkers, also called zero-pile sinkers. Their looping or sinking ledges are adapted to a regular loop and stitch length for all yams and the complete knitting process is performed analogous to the knitting of a patterned pile fabric. The ground yam is fed into the throat of the sinkers and controlled therein for moving unaffected to the stitching action, thus enabling subsequently the arrangement of the sinkers permanently with their sinking ledges between the needles, which are selected alternatively in order to engage and sink a plating yam in succeeding sections. Concurrently to the stitching action of the needles the sinkers are actuated outwards to clear the sunk loops previously hereto.

In this proposal sunk loops are apparently controlled in a succeeding sinking process by the corresponding needles maintained in an idle position relative to the sinking ledges and are therefore not affected when adjacent needles in unlimited number are selected and raised herein alternatively. When needles are raised twice for sinking two plating yams, a deformation of the previously sunk loop arrangement may also occur so that this must be avoided as in the previous proposals.

The general disadvantage of all foregoing proposals is obviously the untimely retraction of the sinkers, at least during the stitch forming action, in order to ensure a correct knitting. Under these conditions a sufficient control of the plating arrangement of the sunk yams is not absolutely secured and usually the yams are arranged in the fabric in an accidental plating relationship. Important progress is obtained by the proposal according to DE-A-195 45 770 (corresponding to US Serial No. 09/077,927). As referred to therein, at least the second and the succeeding yams are sunk on an upper sinking ledge, meanwhile the previous loops are controlled in the sinker throat below. After a sinking process is completed, the newly sunk yam is transferred downwards to the previous sunk yams, succeeded by an additional sinking action or the final stitching process.

With respect to the previous proposals, it is obvious that the control of the loops is hereby distinctly improved and usually a more regular plating effect is obtained, in which the yams are arranged in the fabric according to their feeding sequence. This is realized by the control of previous sunk loops in each sinking process, so that a clearing of sunk loops from a sinking ledge is only required for the loop transfer from the upper to the lower sinking ledge or to the knitting ledge respectively. This enables additionally any multiple selection of needles in a knitting sequence to sink at least two plating yams and to knit common stitches therefrom. Thereby the creation of fabrics is possible in which the ground fabric is composed from portions knitted complementary alternatively from one of the plating yams and linked together by plated border stitches, thereby increasing the pattern possibilities of plated fabrics.

Notwithstanding the improved loop control in practice, especially in the manufacture of woven-like fabrics, plating defects appear and become visible to an unacceptable extent, especially in fabrics with additional striping effects. In the dominating number of such faults only the plating relationship of the yams in the stitch heads is irregular, so that the stitch side (technical front side) of the fabric is essentially perfectly plated. Likewise this fault occurs especially in stitches knitted from the first and second fed yam. In the course of this invention, the inventor has found that this effect has to be explained by a horizontal dislocation of the loops from the first yam in the needle hooks during the transfer action of the sunk second yam, whereby the control of the loops of the first yam is suspended in the short duration in which the loops of the second yam are cleared from the upper sinking ledge, what may be additionally supported by the frictional contact of the loops controlled in the upper sinker throat from the clearing movement of the sinkers. Thereafter, when all needles have sunk a first and second yam, floats of these yams are arranged continuously across the sinking ledges and will support the separation of these yams subsequently when a third yam is sunk and transferred to the previous sunk yams, so that the plating defects originated by the transfer action of the third yam loops are avoided or at least drastically reduced to a number usually accepted.

By that it becomes apparent that the proposed alternative sinking of a first yarn also over the upper sinking ledges on the sinkers will be unfavourable.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With the foregoing in mind it is an object of the present invention to avoid at least the most irregular defects addressed above and to enable a satisfactory manufacturing of plated fabric constructions with at least three yams per course requiring a high degree of accuracy of the plating effect. Thus, it is an essential object of this invention to avoid the above described plating defects, and to this end to avoid dislocations of the loops and floats from sunk yams one to another previously to the stitch forming process in a knitting sequence; preferably such dislocations should be prevented near to the contact of all sunk yams on the knitting ledges on the sinkers in the final stitch forming process. It is a further object of this invention to avoid hereby special movements from the knitting needles to arrange the loops and floats from a sunk yam from an upper to a lower sinking ledge on a knitting sinker prior to the final retraction of the knitting needles to cast off.

These and other objects of the invention are solved by a permanent control of the configuration and location of each succession of loops and floats sunk from at least two yams unconditionally one to the other subsequent to any sinking operation therefor until at least a third yam is sunk to loops and floats and at the earliest the final stich forming process is initiated.

In a circular knitting machine therefor a sinker cam arrangement is developed to actuate at least one circle of a plurality of sinkers, each comprising a control ledge, to engage herewith subsequently to each sinking operation for at least two yams the loops and floats thereof respectively and to control thereafter continuously their figuration and location accordingly until the knitting needles have sunk at least a third yam to loops and floats and will finally be retracted to a cast off position (to transform all loops into stitches of new course).

When the control ledges on the control sinkers are appropriately shaped, these ledges will also execute a transplantation of loops and floats from a yam sunk over the upper (or general) sinking ledges to the control ledges on the knitting sinkers when the control sinkers are actuated subsequent to a sinking operation inwardly to control and to locate the configuration of loops and floats from sunk yams correspondingly.

When a knitting sequence comprises the feeding and sinking of three ya s, for example as usual for manufacturing fabrics with woven like appearance, the essential object of the present invention is realized by a cylinder and sinker cam arrangement comprising a first sinking section in which two progressively fed yams are engaged from alternatively actuated knitting needles to sink these yarns synchronously each to individual successions of loops and floats over lower sinking ledges on knitting sinkers actuated thereafter to control the sunk yams by upper sinker throats with control ledges, locating hereby upper sinking ledges between the knitting needles selected ones therefrom raised to a feeding position so that in the succeeding sinking section the third yam is fed and will be sunk over the upper sinking ledges on the knitting sinkers, meanwhile controlling by their control ledges the loops and floats of both previously sunk yams.

If a knitting sequence is extended at least by one additional sinking section control sinkers will be arranged side by side with knitting sinkers in the sinker ring and are actuated one to another by the sinker cam arrangement so that control ledges on each of both sinkers will alternatively or reciprocally control the loops and floats from sunk yams permanently until at least all yams provided in a knitting sequence are sunk. The control sinkers enable additionally the control of all loops from the sunk yams in the final stitch forming process near to the knitting ledges of the sinkers.

While the invention as set forth above essentially is based on the shape of sinkers in association with specific movements of the sinkers it is also manifest in a circular knitting machine which, upon operation thereof, automatically renders this manufacturing method in view of the shape of the sinkers, the sinker cam arrangement and the needle cam arrangement used. Therefore, claims 12 and 13, as well as claims 26 to 28 are directed to such a circular knitting machine which, upon operation thereof, renders the manufacturing method of the invention. Furthermore, claim 14 is directed to a replacement set for equipping a conventional circular knitting machine with a sinker cam arrangement and, where necessary, i. e. where not already present in the machine to be equipped, a needle cam arrangement so that a conventional circular knitting machine, if so equipped, will automatically render the method of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages are included in the detailed description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical cross section of the main parts in a circular knitting machine;

Fig. 1/1 shows an enlarged portion of the knitting instruments in that circular knitting machine;

Fig. 2 shows a diagrammatic linear development of the tracks of the knitting needles and knitting sinkers in a complete knitting sequence of a first embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 3-12 sets forth different dispositions of knitting needles and knitting sinkers, each in a side elevational view, according to the marked intersection lines III to XXII, respectively, of Fig. 2, with

Figs. 5/1-5/3 showing different yam dispositions by the knitting needles at an intersection line V in Fig. 2; with

Fig. 7a showing an arrangement of the first and the second yams between intersections VII to VIII in Fig. 2 seen from the center of the machine respectively; and with Fig. 7b showing the respective arrangements of the first and the second yams between intersections VII to VIII in Fig. 2 but from a top view of Fig. 7a with the needles shown cut above the yam;

Fig. 13/1 shows a knitting sinker applied in a second embodiment;

Fig. 13/2 shows a control sinker applied in a second embodiment;

Fig. 14/1 sets forth an alternative knitting sinker used in a third embodiment;

Fig. 14/2 shows an alternative control sinker used in a third embodiment;

Fig. 15 sets out the diagrammatic linear development of the tracks of knitting needles and knitting and control sinkers in a complete knitting sequence of a second embodiment;

Fig 15/1 sets forth the diagrammatic linear development of the tracks of knitting needles and knitting and control sinkers in an additional sinking section applied in the second embodiment thus expanding the knitting sequence in order to incorporate additional yams or enabling a separate sinking of three yams;

Figs. 16 - 23 shows various dispositions of the knitting needles and knitting and control Sinkers, each in a side elevational view, according to the intersection lines XVI to XXIII in Fig. 15, respectively; Figs. 17/1 ,17/2 each show different dispositions of two yam by knitting needles at the intersection line XVII in Fig. 15;

Fig. 23a shows the disposition of knitting needles and knitting and control sinkers in a Side elevational view according to the intersection line

XXIIIa in Fig. 15/1;

Fig. 23b sets forth a further variation of the shape of knitting and control sinkers, in a representation corresponding to Fig. 23a;

Fig. 24 shows the disposition of the knitting needles and knitting and control sinkers in a side elevational view, according to the intersection line XXIV in Fig. 15;

Fig. 25 sets forth diagrammatic linear development of the tracks of the knitting needles and knitting and control sinkers in a third complete knitting sequence;

Fig 25/1 shows the linear diagrammatic development of the tracks of the knitting needles and knitting and control sinkers in an additional sinking section applied in the third embodiment to expand the knitting sequence of Fig. 25 in order to incorporate one additional yam;

Figs. 26 - 35 sets forth the positions of the knitting needles and knitting and control Sinkers, each in a side elevational view, according to the intersection lines XXVI to XXXV in Fig. 25, respectively; Fig. 36 shows the diagrammatic linear development of the tracks of the knitting needles in an additional sinking section in order to sink two ya s synchronously, based on the third embodiment; and

Fig. 37 shows an enlarged fragmentary part of two illustrative courses produced in accordance with the present invention for a woven- like fabric.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXEMPLARY

EMBODIMENTS

The construction of a circular knitting machine, preferred for manufacturing a float plated fabric according to the invention, is illustrated in Fig. 1 in a diagrammatic vertical cross sectional view. In slots of a cylinder 10 knitting needles 1 are arranged and actuated uniformly on their butts 2. Jacks 3 are associated with the knitting needles 1 preferably in a forcible contact and are pivoted by a pattern device so that protruding butts 4 are actuated reciprocatingly by an adequate cam track of the cylinder camming 5, generating an individual control of the knitting needles 1. The presented arrangement of the knitting needles 1 linked with jacks 3 is well known from a number of circular jacquard knitting machines, so that a man skilled in the art is familiar with all details of the needle selection and with the parts required therefor.

Usually a sinker ring 6 is mounted on the cylinder 10, supporting at least one circle of sinkers 7 transversely movable with their knitting portions between the knitting needles 1, and uniformly actuated on their butts 8 by a camming 9. The knitting portions of the knitting needles 1 and sinkers 7 of Fig. 1 are shown in Fig. 1/1 in an enlargement. The knitting needles 1 are actuated between the sinkers 7 cooperating with a knitting ledge 11 and a sinking ledge 13 on the upper end of a neb 12 forming a throat 18 together with the knitting ledge 11 , a further sinking ledge 15 on the upper part of the sinker 7 forming a neb 14 spaced from the sinking ledge 13 by a throat 16, terminated by control ledge 17 on the vertex.

As noted in reference with the proposals given in the introductory part, the manipulation of sunk yams prior to the stitch forming action requires a particularly precise timing of the needles 1 and sinkers 7 with respect of their movements one to another.

Fig. 2 represents a diagrammatic linear development of the tracks of the knitting needles and knitting sinkers in a complete knitting sequence of a first embodiment of the invention. The cylinder cam arrangement 5 and the sinker cam arrangement 9 is shaped according to the corresponding illustrated tracks, and it is unnecessary to show said cam arrangements in detail as a man skilled in the art is familiar with all details thereof. Knitting needles 1 and knitting sinkers 7 move from the left to the right as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2.

As applied in practice this knitting sequence may be extended by at least one additional sinking section, to incorporate additional yams into a course, or to sink each yam separately. The knitting machine is also convertible to an ordinary single jersey jacquard machine by exchanging the cylinder and sinker cam arrangement and the knitting sinkers to proper ones therefor.

The tracks of knitting needles 1, represented by the curves or curve sections 1/1 to 1/10, illustrate the vertical movements of the tops of the needle hooks. The respective horizontal levels of the sinkers are indicated by line 11a representing knitting ledge 11, line 13a representing sinking ledge 13, and line 15a representing sinking ledge 15. The tracks of knitting sinkers 7, according to curves or curve sections 17/1 to 17/5, illustrates the horizontal movements of the control ledges 17 of the knitting sinkers 7 relative to the vertical levels of the knitting needles represented by line lx representing the back of the knitting needles, line ly representing the front of the stems, and line lz representing the front of the needle hooks.

The knitting sequence starts in the knitting section Bl after the knitting needles are retracted to cast off (position XII in Fig. 2) and the last course is knitted. The sinkers 7 are pushed inwardly according to curve section 17/5 to arrange the previously knitted stitches in the throats 18 to prevent them from rising together with the knitting needles 1 when actuated according to curve section 1/1 at least to a clearing position 1/2. Knitting needles selected by a pattern mechanism 25 are superelevated to a position 1/3.

Immediately after clearing the stitches from the needle latches, the knitting sinkers 7 are actuated outwardly according to curve section 17/1 to assure the feeding of a first yam 22 to the raised knitting needles by yam carrier 19 in front of sinker nebs 16 and to the stems of the superelevated knitting needles below their opened latches. This disposition of the knitting needles relative to the knitting sinkers and the ya feeding is illustrated in Fig. 3 showing the relative positions one to another at intersecting line III in Fig. 2.

Subsequently the knitting sinkers 7 are pushed inwardly and those knitting needles, previously selected by pattern mechanism 26, are retracted concurrently from the clearing to an intermediate position, according to curve section 1/4. This retraction causes yam 22 to be engaged by the hook portions of these knitting needles which miss yam carrier 20, that is feeding a second yam 23 to the knitting needles that remain controlled in a raised position 1/2 or 1/3 at intersecting line IV in Fig. 2 as illustrated in Fig. 4 (cp. also Fig. 16 for the second embodiment).

All raised knitting needles are subsequently retracted on their butts 2 to a sinking position 1/5. Immediately prior to the retraction of the superelevated knitting needles from their position 1/3 the first ya 22 is guided onto the stems of these knitting needles by control ledge 17 on the knitting sinkers 7 that have been actuated according to curve section 17/2. This action arranges yam 26 correctly below the latches of the descending needles (compare also Fig. 17/2). Yam 23 is engaged hereby from the hooked portions of knitting needles retracting from feeding 1/2 or superelevated position 1/3. Beginning at intersecting line V all knitting needles are uniformly retracted, whereby corresponding to the previous selection and control of the knitting needles the yarns 22 and 23 are located in different dispositions on and in the needle hooks (Fig. 5/1 to 5/3) and these dispositions will define the relative plating effect of the yams one to another in the loops in the respective sinking and the final stitch-forming process.

By the referred retraction of a superelevated knitting needle from position 1/3, the first yam 22 must close the latch and will slide thereon, as visible in Fig. 5/1. Hereby in the hooks of adjacent or alternating knitting needles, previously controlled according to track 1/2 and therefore engaging both yams, the first yam 22 is forcibly directed to the front of the inner arc of these hooks so that second yam 23 must move alternatively to the inside supported from the inclined portions of sinker ledges 13, as illustrated in Fig. 5/2. In contrast hereto in adjacent knitting needles controlled according to track 1/2 or alternating with knitting needles retracted before according to track 1/4, the first fed yam 22 will also contact at first the inclined portions of sinking ledges 13 and will be directed to the inside of the needle hooks. Consequently, the second fed yarn 23, which is located at first in the top of the needle hooks is positioned towards to the hook openings, as illustrated in Fig. 5/3. Knitting needles actuated according track 1/3 or 1/4 respectively, will engage only yam 22 or yam 23. When knitting needles will alternate corresponding the floats of these yams will finally have a specific relative arrangement one to another in the fabric.

When the knitting needles are retracted to their sinking position according to curve 1/5, at intersection line VI in Fig. 2, pile loops from one or both yams are sunk over the lower sinking ledge 13 of the knitting sinkers 7 as provided for by a pattern mechanism, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Knitting needles 1 remain in the sinking position 1/5 and subsequently, concurrently to the raising of the knitting needles to an idle position the knitting sinkers 7 are pushed inwardly according to curve section 17/3 so that control ledges 17 control the loops and floats in the sinker throats 16 (Fig. 7). The knitting needles that are selected by pattern mechanism 27 are raised according to curve section 1/7 to a feeding position, while the remaining knitting needles are controlled and moved furtheron to an idle position according to curve section 1/6 of Fig. 2.

As an altemative, all knitting needles can be raised to a feeding position according to curve section 1/7. After a selection by pattern mechanism 28, predetermined knitting needles are retracted according to curve section 1/8 in Fig. 2, to an idle position to miss a third yam 24 fed from a yam carrier 21.

Corresponding to intersection VIII in Fig. 2, Fig. 8 illustrates the cooperating positions of the knitting needles and knitting sinkers. A previously sunk loop from yam 23 is arranged on the open latch of a raised knitting needle 1 and controlled or held by ledge 17 of the sinker throat 16, in which also a float from yam 22 is also located. Yam carrier 21 feeds the third ya 24 to the raised knitting needles. The arrangement of the yams 22 and 23 in the relative plating positions between the intersections VII and VIII in Fig. 2, according to the selection and control of the needles, becomes visible from Fig. 7a and 7b. Fig. 7a, as viewed according to the arrow in Fig. 8 from the center of the machine, illustrates the vertical disposition of the sunk yams and in Fig 7b, as viewed in a horizontal cross section of this arrangement above the ya s, illustrates the horizontal arrangement of yams 22 and 23.

In Fig. 7a and 7b the knitting needles are indicated analogous to the tracks by which they were previously controlled to engage ya 22 and 23, respectively, so that the following description of the plating dispositions of the yams 22 and 23, relative one to another will harmonize with the comments made above in reference to Fig. 5/1 to Fig. 5/3.

In pattern section X of Figs. 7 and 7b, the knitting needles have been previously controlled, alternatively, by curve sections 1/2 or 1/3. Yam 23 is engaged and sunk by all knitting needles 1/2 and 1/3 in this section, thereby later forming a part of the ground fabric. Yam 22 was alternately arranged on the stems of superelevated knitting needles (1/3), and after sliding over their latches and clearing from their hooks these yam portions are transformed to floats F 22 which will be thereby arranged in adjacent common loops on needles 1/2, with yam 22 above yam 23 (see hereto also Fig. 5/1 and 5/2). In a pattern section Y, the knitting needles have been controlled alternatively according to the curve sections 1/2 and 1/4, the missing portions of yam 23 are forming floats F 23 and yam 22 is sunk from all knitting needles providing a ground fabric portion to be knitted therefrom. By the regular feeding conditions in this pattern section Y in common loops on needles 1/2, yam 23 is arranged above yam 22 (cf. Fig. 5/3). In the next pattern section Z, the knitting needles have been controlled alternatingly from curve sections 1/3 and 1/4. Knitting needles controlled according to curve section 1/4 have engaged only yam 22 and missed yam 23. The other knitting needles 1/3 have engaged only yam 23 in their hooks and have cleared yam 22 to floats F22 from the previous location on their stems, thereby positioning these floats from yam 22 above the floats from yarn 23 when crossing one another. In this pattern section Z a ground fabric portion is provided thereafter from third yam 24.

From the foregoing description it becomes apparent that in pattern sections X, in which superelevated knitting needles are provided, in alternating common loops the first yam 22 is arranged above the second yam 23 in a reverse plating condition, whereas in pattern sections Y, for which needles from curve sectionl/2 have been pre-retracted by curve section 1/4, a regular plating is obtained according to which in common loops the second yam 23 is located above first yarn 22. In stitches finally knitted from both yams, the loops located in the needle hooks relative above the other are in front of these stitches on the reverse side of the fabric (presenting the floats) and will cover the other yam, which becomes visible on the stitch side of the fabric.

After feeding a third yam 24 the raised knitting needles are retracted to sinking position 1/9 and will sink loops from this yam over the upper sinking ledges 15, while the previously sunk loops are, furtheron, controlled by control ledges 17 of sinker throats 16, as illustrated in Fig. 9 for intersection IX in Fig. 2. The knitting needles remain sufficiently in their sinking position 1/9 prior to the outward movement of the knitting sinkers according to curve section 17/4 in Fig. 2. Immediately after clearing the sunk yams from the sinker ledges 15 and 17, respectively, at intersection X in Fig. 2, the knitting needles are retracted immediately to cast off position to minimize the duration in which the cleared yams are not controlled by a sinker ledge, as illustrated in Fig. 10. The movement of the knitting sinkers according to curve section 17/4 and the concurrent retraction of the knitting needles according to curve section 1/10, should be harmonized one to another so that the sunk loops are preferably controlled by the front portion of sinker neb 12, as shown in Fig 11 for intersection XI in Fig. 2, near to the stitch forming at intersection XII in Fig. 2, as shown in Fig. 12. The knitting sequence is terminated by this stitch forming process and can be repeated again as referred to and illustrated.

It becomes obvious that by the synchronous sinking of first yam 22 and second ya 23 the sunk loops from said yams are correctly controlled subsequently by control ledge 17 in their configuration until the third yam is sunk and the knitting action is initiated by the outward movement of the knitting sinkers 7, corresponding to curve section 17/4 in Fig. 2. Therefore, an uncontrolled displacement of yams 22 and 23 relative one to the other is excluded. Only in the short duration of the stitch-forming process, in which the yams are cleared from the sinker ledges (see Fig. 10), a dislocation of the first or second yams 22, 23 relative to third yam 24 may possibly occur under very unfavourable conditions, a fact which is usually accepted.

To enable also the separate sinking of three or more yams under permanent control of each sunk yam until the last yam provided in a knitting sequence is sunk, and in order to exclude dislocations of sunk loops during the short duration from their control when cleared from the ledges of the knitting sinkers, as described above, an additional control sinker must be arranged side by side with each knitting sinker. These control sinkers will control sunk yams when they are cleared from the knitting sinkers to enable the arrangement of sunk ya s uniformly for a subsequent collective control or final stitch forming process.

In Fig. 13/1 a knitting sinker 29 is shown and the co-operating control sinker 39 is illustrated in Fig. 13/2. Both circles of sinkers are applied side by side in a second embodiment, replacing knitting sinkers 7 of the first embodiment in the slots of the sinker ring 6 and the top of cylinder 10. Knitting and control sinkers 29, 39 are reciprocatingly movable between the knitting needles on butts 30 and 40, respectively. Control sinker 39 has a control ledge 41 at the front of a neb, overtopping nebs 32 and 34 of knitting sinker 29. Neb 32 is spaced from knitting ledge 31 by throat 38 and is topped by sinking ledge 33. Neb 34 is spaced from sinking ledge 33 by throat 36 and is provided with a sinking ledge 35 on the top. Throat 36 forms a control ledge 37 on its vertex.

It should be self-evident that also on control sinker 39 a knitting ledge analogeus to ledge 31 or 43 on the knitting sinker can be provided to perform the stitch forming process on both or alternatively on one of these ledges.

The tracks of knitting needles 1, knitting sinkers 29 and control sinkers 39 for a complete knitting sequence of a second embodiment are shown in Fig. 15 in a diagrammatic linear development. The vertical movements of the needle tops are represented by curve sections 1/11 to 1/20 relative to the horizontal levels of the knitting sinkers, indicated by line 31a representing knitting ledge 31, line 33a representing sinking ledge 33 and line 35a representing sinking ledge 35. Curve sections 37/1 to 37/5 represent the horizontal movements of the control ledges

37of the knitting sinkers 29, and curve sections 41/1 to 41/4 represent parts of the tracks of control sinkers 39, representing the horizontal movement of the lower end of control ledges 41, all this relative to the vertical levels of the knitting needles indicated by the line lx in Fig. 15 representing the backs of the knitting needles, line ly representing the fronts of the needle stems and line lz representing the fronts of the needle hooks.

Analogous to the first embodiment, the cylinder and sinker cam arrangement is divided to sinking sections A2 and to knitting sections B2, which may be converted by regular knitting sections, or provided with additional sinking sections in between to extend the knitting sequence for a specific fabric construction.

The knitting sequence illustrated in Fig. 15 starts at intersection XXIV after the knitting needles are retracted to a cast off position. The knitting sinkers 29 and control sinkers 39 move towards the center of the cylinder, according to the curve sections 37/5 and 41/, so that their nebs hold down the fabric when the knitting needles 1 are raised according to curve section 1/11 to a clearing position 1/12. Predetermined ones of such knitting needles, as selected by a pattern mechanism 59, are superelevated to position 1/13. At intersection XVI in Fig. 15 a yam carrier 53 feeds a first yam 56 to all knitting needles (as shown in Fig. 16), whereafter the knitting needles in the lower clearing position 1/12 are retracted to an intermediate position 1/14, thereby locating with their hooks the first ya 56 in front of the stems on such knitting needles remaining in a superelevated position (cp. Fig. 4). This is supported by an outward movement of control sinkers 39 according to curve section 41/1 so that yam 56 is hereby positioned in front of sinker throats 36 on knitting sinkers 29 remaining with their lower sinking ledges 33 between the knitting needles. Concurrently to the descending of the superelevated knitting needles to a feeding position, the knitting sinkers 29 are pushed inwardly according to curve section 37/2, and will arrange yam 56 by control ledge 37 onto the needle stems below the latches. At the same time pattern mechanism 60 selects knitting needles which are subsequently raised according to curve section l/12a from an intermediate to a feeding position together with the retracted superelevated knitting needles. Meanwhile non-selected knitting needles with the engaged yam 56 in their hook remain in an intermediate position according to curve section 1/14 with yam carrier 54 feeding a second yam 57 at intersection XVII in Fig. 15 to the knitting needles in a feeding position. Knitting needles previously selected and raised from an intermediate to a feeding position l/12a engage in addition to yam 56 also yam 57, as illustrated in Fig. 17/1, which is missed by knitting needles remaining in an intermediate position 1/14. In Fig. 17/2 a knitting needle engaging yam 57 was previously retracted from the superelevated position 1/13 to the feeding position l/12a, whereby as described above yam 56 is positioned below the latch of this needle.

Subsequently, all knitting needles are retracted to a sinking position according to curve section 1/15 so that yams 56 and 57 are synchronously sunk and the yams are arranged in the loops analogous as referred before to Fig. 5/1 to 5/3 in the first embodiment. Thus, at intersection XVIII in Fig. 15, loops and floats from ya s 56 and 57, each in an individual succession, are sunk over the lower sinking ledges 33 of the knitting sinkers 29.

After the knitting needles have sufficiently remained in their sinking position, the knitting sinkers 29 are pushed inwardly according to curve section 37/3, shown in Fig. 15, concurrently with a movement of the knitting needles to an idle position as occurs at intersection IXX in Fig. 15, which position is illustrated in Fig. 19. The pattern mechanism 61 has divided the knitting needles so that predetermined ones thereof are subsequently raised to a feeding position according to curve section 1/17. Yam carrier 55 feeds a third yam 58 to these knitting needles, as shown in Fig. 20 corresponding to intersection XX in Fig. 15. As seen in Fig. 20, a sunk loop from yam 57 is located on the opened latch, controlled by control ledge 37, of sinker throat 36, also controlling a float from yam 56, shown in Fig. 13/1.

While the knitting sinkers 29 remain in their controlling position 37/3, the knitting needles 1 are retracted according to curve section 1/19 to a sinking position, thereby sinking the third yam 58 over the upper sinking ledges 35 of sinkers 29, as shown in Fig. 21. This arrangement is sufficiently controlled by control ledges 37 of knitting sinkers 29 and the retracted knitting needles, respectively, prior to the inward movement of the control sinkers 39 according; to curve section 41/2 in cooperation with an adequate raising of the knitting needles, as shown in Fig, 15, so that at intersection XXII in Fig. 15 the knitting sinkers 29 and the control sinkers 39 control the loop and float arrangement of all previously sunk yams 56, 57, 58 simultaneously, as illustrated in Fig. 22.

Subsequent to the control of the sunk yams by control ledges 41 on control sinkers 39, the knitting sinkers 29 are immediately actuated outwardly, according to curve section 37/4, so that the sunk yam 58 is cleared from the upper sinking ledge 37 and sinker neb 44. In cooperation with the retraction of the knitting needles according to curve section 1/20 to their cast off position, knitting sinkers 29 and control sinkers 39 are concurrently actuated outwardly, according to the curve sections 37/4 and 41/3, respectively, thereby controlling the loops of the sunk yams near to their contact on knitting ledge 31. The stitch forming process, which is terminated at intersection XXIV in Fig. 15, is illustrated in detail in Fig. 24. Subsequently the next knitting sequence can be started as described above.

If in a predetermined fabric construction each yam is sunk separately in different sinking sections or the incorporation of at least one additional ya is provided, an additional sinking section or a corresponding number thereof must be arranged between sinking section A2 and knitting section B2. In Fig. 15/1 the tracks of knitting needles 1, knitting sinkers 29 and control sinkers 39 in an additional sinking section C2 are illustrated in analogy to Fig. 15.

In the additional sinking section C2 the knitting needles 1, knitting sinkers 29 and control sinkers 39 continue in their positions to which they were actuated in the previous sinking section A2. An additional yam 64 is fed to the selected raised knitting needles controlled in position l/17a by yam carrier 63 and subsequently the knitting needles are retracted for sinking the yam 64 over the upper sinking ledges 35 of knitting sinkers according to curve l/19a, as shown in Fig. 15/1, for sinking the yam 64 over the upper sinking ledges 35 of knitting sinkers 29, as illustrated e.g. in Fig. 21.

In the same way as described before, control sinkers 39 are thereafter pushed inwardly by curve section 41/5 to control again all previously sunk yams by control ledge 41 (as shown analogously by Fig. 22). According to curve section 37/6, knitting sinkers 29 are thereafter immediately retracted and positioned with their lower sinking ledges 33 between the knitting needles. Concurrently with the sinker movement, the knitting needles are subsequently retracted according to curve section l/20a to a collecting position, and the control sinkers 39 move concurrently hereto outwardly according to curve section 41/6. Thereby the knitting needles arrange the sunk loops from yam 64 to the previously sunk loops on the sinking ledges 33 of knitting sinkers 29, as illustrated in Fig. 23a, in conformity with intersection XXIIIa in Fig. 15/1.

Thereafter the knitting sinkers 29 are pushed inwardly, according to curve section 37/7, to control all sunk yams by control ledge 37 in their throats, and the knitting needles, in cooperation therewith, are raised to an idle position l/16b analogous to the illustration of Fig. 19. The pattern mechanism 59a has divided the knitting needles so that the selected ones are raised to a feeding position, according to curve section l/17b, and the remaining knitting needles are controlled or moved into an idle position according to curve section l/16b. These positions of the knitting needles, knitting and control sinkers at the end of the additional sinking section C2 conform to the positions thereof at the beginning of this section, so that according to the requirements of the fabric constmction at least one additional sinking section C2 can be arranged subsequent to a section A2 preceding to a knitting section B2 which terminates the knitting sequence. According to the sequence of different cam sections it may happen that some pattern mechanism remains inactive. It should be noted once more that the shape of the knitting and control sinkers is variable and that according to such variation the tracks of the sinkers must be adapted.

Such modification in reference to the above described embodiments is shown in Fig. 23b. In contrast to the knitting sinker 29 and the control sinker 39 at least the control sinker 39a is provided with an alternative control ledge 41a, inclined in the upper section outwards from the center of the machine. When this control sinkers 39a are actuated according to curve section 41/2 in Fig. 15, or according curve section 41/5 in Fig. 15/1 yam 58 or 64, respectively, is engaged by the upper part of control ledge 41a and will forcibly slide thereon downwards to the previous sunk yams when cleared from sinking ledge 35a on knitting sinker 29a, so that the knitting needles can be maintained in the sinking position l/19a furtheron (illustrated by dash horizontal line in Fig. 15/1) and a support by a movement of the knitting needles according to curve section l/20a to collect the sunk yams prior to a succeeding sinking operation is not necessary. The control sinker 39a will remain in the control position until knitting sinker 29a will control the sunk yams again by an inward movement according to curve section 37/7 whereupon control sinkers 39 moves outwardly according curve section 41/6a.

A further alternatively shaped portion of a knitting sinker 42 is shown in Fig. 14/1 and the cooperating part of a control sinker 49 is illustrated in Fig. 14/2. Both sinkers are located side by side in the slots of a sinker ring and are relatively actuated as referred to in the above described second embodiment. Knitting sinker 42 comprises a knitting ledge 43 and a neb 44 spaced by a throat 48 from one another. On top of neb 44 a lower sinking ledge 45 and a upper sinking ledge 46 with a control ledge 47 in between are arranged. Control sinker 49 comprises a control ledge 50 which is continued on the top thereof by a holding down ledge 51 on a neb 52.

The alternatively shaped knitting sinkers 42 and control sinkers 49 are used in a third embodiment of the invention which is illustrated representatively in Fig. 25 in a diagrammatic linear development of the tracks of the knitting and control sinkers and knitting needles in a complete knitting sequence. The track of the knitting sinkers 42 is illustrated by curve sections 47/1 to 47/5, representing the horizontal movement of the control ledges 47. Curve sections 50/1 to 50/8 represent the horizontal track of the lower part of control ledge 50 on control sinker 49. The transversal levels of the knitting needles relative thereto are indicated in Fig. 25 by line lx representing the backs of the knitting needles, line ly representing the fronts of their stems, and line lz representing the front of their hooks. The vertical tracks of the knitting needles are illustrated by curve sections 1/21 to 1/30 in which the transverse levels of the knitting sinkers are indicated by line 43a representing knitting ledge 43, line 45a representing sinking ledge 45 and line 46a representing sinking ledge 46. According to the intersection lines XXVI to XXXV, the disposition of knitting needles and knitting and control sinkers is shown in a side view in correspondingly numbered Figs. 26 to 35 in order to show the relative positions of these parts in more detail.

As in the previous embodiments at intersection XXXV of Fig. 25 a knitting sequence is terminated by the cast off position of the knitting needles. Knitting sinkers 42 and control sinkers 49 are subsequently pushed towards the center of the cylinder by curve sections 47/5 and 50/8, respectively, to hold down the fabric when the knitting needles are raised to a superelevated position according to curve section 1/21. Predetermined knitting needles selected by pattern mechanism 71 are subsequently retracted to a feeding position 1/22, the hereby unselected knitting needles remain in the superelevated position 1/23. Simultaneously hereto the knitting sinkers 42 and control sinkers are actuated outwardly according to curve sections 47/1 and 50/1 respectively, so that a yam carrier 65 can supply a first yam 68 at intersection XXVI.

As illustrated in Fig. 26, the first yam 68 is fed near to the upper sinking ledge 46 in front of neb 52 of the control sinker 49 arranged outside of the yam carrier 65, and underneath the latches of superelevated knitting needles in position 1/23. The lower sinking ledge 45 avoids a downward movement of the first yam 68.

After an additional selection from pattern mechanism 72 predetermined knitting needles are retracted according to curve section 1/24 from a feeding to an intermediate position to miss a second yam 69. The selections performed by the pattern mechanism 71 and 72 can also be carried out by a mechanism which is able to select according to a well-known three-way technique, any expert in this field will be familiar with all details thereof so that further description is not believed to be required.

Simultaneously with the retraction of predetermined knitting needles to an intermediate position according to curve section 1/24 the control sinkers 49 are pushed inwardly according to curve section 50/2, and subsequently at intersection XXVII yam carrier 66 feeds a second yam 69 to all knitting needles remaining in a position 1/22 or 1/23. As shown in Fig. 27 the control sinkers 49 are actuated into a position to control the first yam 68 onto the stems of superelevated knitting needles (1/23). Therefore when the retraction of these knitting needles is initiated, the first yam 68 is hereby supported below the latches of the superelevated knitting needles (compare Fig. 17/2) so that super elevated needles will sink thereafter only yam 69 to loops and will clear yam 68 to floats as referred to in the other embodiments. When the knitting needles from different positions join at intersection XXVIII, the yams 68 and 69 are, therefore, generally disposed as described in the first embodiment in reference to Fig. 5/1, 5/2 and 5/3, and as again illustrated as an example in Fig. 28. The sinking of the yams 68 and 69 is realized at intersection IXXX according to curve section 1/25. As shown in Fig. 29, the control sinkers 49 have previously been actuated outwards relative to the knitting needles (according to curve section 50/3), so that each of yams 68 and 69 is manipulated by the needles unaffected by nebs 52, and sunk synchronously over the lower sinking ledges 45 of the knitting sinkers 42 to individual successions of loops and floats.

Prior to the inward movement of the control sinkers 49 according to curve section 50/4 the knitting needles will remain sufficiently in their sinking position and are also selected by the pattern mechanism 73. Concurrently to the inward movement of the control sinkers 49 according to curve 50/4, the knitting needles are actuated into an idle position, so that subsequent to intersection XXX the previous loop and float arrangement of sunk yams 68 and 69 is controlled by the ledges 50 on control, sinkers 49, as illustrated in Fig. 30. Selected knitting needles are raised thereafter according to curve section 1/27 to a feeding position, the holding down ledges 51 on the nebs 52 of the control sinkers 49 will hereby prevent a movement of the sunk loops together with the raising knitting needles.

As shown in Fig. 31, yam carrier 67 supplies, at intersection XXXI of Fig. 25, a third yam 70 to the raised knitting needles arranged in a feeding position 1/27. Immediately after feeding yam 70 these raised knitting needles are retracted and thereby elevated loops descend with the needles to the lower sinking ledge 45 of knitting sinkers 42 which concurrently are pushed towards the center of the machine according to curve section 47/3. Meanwhile the previously sunk loop from yam 69 and a float from yam 68 are controlled by control ledges 50 on control sinkers 49 according to curve section 1/28. When control ledges 47 on the knitting sinkers 42 will control again the sunk loops, control sinkers 49 are actuated outwardly according to curve section 50/5. As indicated by curve section 1/29 the knitting needles are subsequently retracted to a sinking position, in which loops from the third yam 70 are sunk over the upper sinking ledges 46 on knitting sinker 42, simultaneously controlling the sunk loops and floats from the previously fed yams 68 and 69 by control ledges 47 and lower sinking ledges 45, as illustrated in Fig. 32 representing the situation at intersection XXXII in Fig. 25.

After the knitting needles have remained in sinking position sufficiently, the control sinkers 49 are pushed inwardly according to curve section 50/6 to transfer again the control of the sunk yams to their ledges 50 from control ledges 47 on knitting sinkers 42 (Fig. 33), which are subsequently actuated outward according to curve section 47/4 to clear the sunk yams from the sinking ledges 45 and 46 on their nebs 44, as illustrated in Fig. 34 (according to intersection XXXIV in Fig. 25). The needles are retracted thereafter to cast off according to curve section 1/30 and, concurrently, the control sinkers 49 are actuated outwardly according to curve section 50/7. Thereby all sunk yams are correctly and positively controlled by ledge 50 near to the stitch-forming action terminated at intersection XXXV in Fig.. 25, when the knitting needles have knitted new stitches over knitting ledge 43, as shown in Fig. 35. Subsequently a succeeding knitting sequence can start as described above.

In the same way as referred to in the second embodiment, the present knitting sequence can be extended by an additional sinking section to increase the number of yams incorporated in one course or to sink three yams separately.

Fig. 25/1 demonstrates such an additional sinking section C3 which is arranged between a first sinking section A3 and a knitting section B3. Knitting needles 1, knitting sinkers 42 and control sinkers 49 have remained in their positions attained at the end of the first sinking section A3 when entering the additional sinking section C3 (curve sections l/27a, l/26a). After yam carrier 75 has fed a yam 76, the knitting sinkers 42 are pushed inwardly according to curve section 47/7, and the raised knitting needles are retracted according to the curve sections l/28a and l/29a, respectively. Concurrently, the control sinkers 49 are actuated outwardly according curve section 50/9 immediately when the knitting sinkers 42 will also control, by their control ledges 47, the sunk loop arrangement of the previously fed yams so that the sinking action of yam 76 is not affected by the nebs 52 of control sinkers 49 (analogously to Fig. 32). Thereafter all knitting needles are actuated to an idle position, from which knitting needles, previously selected by a pattern mechanism 71a, are raised to a feeding position (curve section l/27b), while unselected knitting needles remain in an idle position according to curve section l/26b. Concurrently, the control sinkers 49 are pushed inwardly (curve section 50/10) to transfer the control of the sunk yams by their control ledges 50 from the control ledges 47 on knitting sinkers 42 (analogously to Fig. 33) which are subsequently actuated outwardly according to curve section 47/8 so that at the end of this additional sinking section C3 the positions of knitting sinkers 42 and^' control sinkers 49 conform with the dispositions at the beginning of the section.

Especially from the illustration in Fig. 25/1 it becomes apparent that an additional movement of the knitting needles to arrange sunk loops from an upper sinking ledge 46 to a lower sinking ledge 45 on the knitting sinkers 42 is not required in contrast to a previous method, so that a simpler needle control is obtained.

Furtheron it becomes also apparent from Fig. 30 and Fig. 33, representing the correlation of the knitting needles and the sinkers at the end of alternative sinking operations, that the control ledges 50 on control sinkers 49 will arrange at these positions the loops and floats from sunk yam homogeneously at the control ledge 47 on the knitting sinkers 42, irrespective to their disposition between the knitting needles in the respective previous sinking operation (shown in Figs. 29 and 32 respectively).

In consequence thereof also in a first sinking operation (A2; A3) preferably the knitting sinkers (29; 42) will maintain in an inward position, locating thereby the upper sinking ledge (35; 46) between the knitting needles which will sink at least a first yam thereon. Thereafter the loops and floats will be controlled by the control ledges (47; 50) on the control sinkers (39; 49) as described correspondingly to the sinking operation executed in an additional sinking cam section (C2; C3).

As illustrated in Fig. 25 by dash lines the knitting sinkers 42 will alternatively be maintained in a first sinking cam section A3 in an inward position according curve section 47/11. Subsequent to the sinking of at least a first ya the control sinkers 49 are actuated inwardly as provided by curve section 50/4 and corresponding thereto the knitting sinkers 42 are actuated outwardly by curve section 47/12 to enable the location of the loops and floats from a sunk yam at the control ledge 47; as illustrated by way of example in Fig. 33. According to the space between the. sinking ledges on the knitting sinkers the sinking position of the knitting needles is adapted (dash line).

In addition to the needle movements in the described embodiments in which float plated fabrics with a woven-like appearance are obtained by an alternating arrangement of altemative floats on the reverse side of the fabric, whereby the floats should miss not more than three wales, other plated fabric constructions, for example sectional plating or intarsia plating in which usually more than three yams in each course are incorporated, can also be knitted according to the described embodiments. In such fabric constructions the pattern effect will occur on the stitch side of the fabric. Plating yams are engaged at first separately one from each other by alternative ones of predetermined knitting needles and are finally knitted to stitches together with a ground yam which is fed and sunk from all knitting needles in the last knitting section of a knitting sequence.

The courses of intarsia plated fabrics are composed exclusively from portions of a certain number of yams complementary one to another and linked together by at least one plated stitch containing the yams of the joining pattern sections.

Sectional or intarsia plated fabrics must be treated after knitting on a shearing machine to remove the long floats of non-knitting yams, floating over the alternative pattern areas.

Especially intarsia and sectional plated fabric constructions presuppose in the cylinder earning an additional track for missing needles. This track (1/0 in Fig. 2; 1/01 in Fig. 15; 1/02 in Fig. 25) must be provided at the beginning of a knitting cycle in the knitting section Bl; B2; B3 and will be continued in the subsequent first sinking section Al; A2; A3.

A further improvement is obtained by feeding and sinking two yams synchronously in additional sinking sections, analogous to the first sinking sections of the described embodiments.

An additional cylinder cam sinking section D3 for manipulating two progressively fed yams which are synchronously sunk, is illustrated in Fig. 36 and will be described in reference to the knitting of sectional plated fabrics. At least one sinking section D3 is arranged between the first sinking section Al; A2; A3 and knitting section B l; B2; B3 and will enable the incorporation of four plating yams in a complete course from a ground yam. In respect to the configuration of the knitting and control sinkers an adequate sinker cam section must cooperate with the cylinder earning D3 in which the knitting and control sinkers are actuated according to the principles of one of the described embodiments and the shape of the applied sinkers therein.

When section D3 for example is arranged between a first sinking section A3 and a knitting section B3 a knitting sequence for manufacturing a sectional float plated fabric is performed by comprising the following steps (see also Fig. 25).

After cast off by all needles in knitting section B3 (XXXV in Fig. 25) pattern device 71 will select in a first action predetermined knitting needles to a superelevated clearing position (track 1/21), while remaining needles are controlled by track 1/02.

By a second action of pattern device 71, latest on the beginning of first sinking section A3 (or alternatively by pattern device 72), the raised needles are divided again and selected ones of them will be retracted first to a feeding position 1/22 and after feeding (first plating) yam 68 by yam carrier 65 into the hooks of this knitting needles they will descend to an intermediate position 1/24, meanwhile the other raised knitting needles will maintain in their superelevated position 1/23 so that yam 68 is located on their stems below the opened latches.

Subsequent (second plating) yam 69 is fed to the superelevated knitting needles by yam carrier 66 which are retracted thereafter together with the other needles to sinking position 1/25, so that both yams are sunk synchronously separated from one another.

According to the requirements of the succeeding additional sinking section D3 pattern device 73 will divide the knitting needles and will control at least knitting needles previously have sunk one of the yams 68 or 60 to an idle position 1/26 while the other knitting needles are raised alternatively either to a clearing and feeding position analogous to the former track 1/22 or to a superelevated position analogous to the former track 1/23.

This tracks will correspond with the tracks 1/32, 1/33 and 1/36 into which the relevant selected needles will enter at the beginning of the additional sinking section D3.

Corresponding hereto previously to the beginning of each sinking section feeding and sinking two yams synchronously, the appropriate selecting mechanism must be able to divide the needles for three positions.

At the beginning of an additional sinking section D3 yam carrier 79 will feed (third plating) yam 77 to the knitting needles in a feeding position 1/32, subsequently retracted to an intermediate position according to curve section 1/34, hereby locating yam 77 on the stems of superelevated knitting needles, meanwhile controlled by track 1/33. Thereafter yam carrier 80 will support (fourth plating) yam 78 into the knitting needles in superelevated position, retracted subsequently with the other needles to a sinking position.

At this position the four plating yams are individually sunk separately each to the others as provided by a pattern.

According to the provided example after the knitting needles have remained sufficiently in their sinking position all knitting needles are raised to a feeding position by track l/32a. This track is continued from track 1/27 in the succeeding sinking section B3. After (ground) yam 70 is fed by yam carrier 67 and engaged from the knitting needles they are retracted according track 1/29 to a sinking and lateron according track 1/30 to a cast off position, thereby terminating the knitting sequence and plating the previous plating yams on the reverse side of the fabric.

According to the requirements of the succeeding sinking section an additional sinking section D3 must also be provided with a pattern device 79 which will divide and control the knitting needles after remaining sufficiently in a sinking position to two (analogously to pattern device 27; 61 ; 59a; 73; 71a) or to three positions as described above and shown in Fig. 36 by tracks l/32a and l/33a.

In manufacturing intarsia plated fabrics all yams in a knitting sequence are knitted separately from each other to complementary fabric portions which will join one another in plated stitches comprising the two yams of the adjoining portions respectively to ensure the required solidity of the fabric.

This consolidation of the fabric is obtained by selecting twice only the predetermined knitting needles as provided by a pattern in the adequate sinking operations. In a first sinking section feeding progressively two yams according to the referred embodiments (Al; A2; A3) this is obtained by controlling the provided knitting needles therefor in a feeding position (1/2; 1/12, l/12a; 1/22) until both yams (22, 23; 56, 57; 68, 69) are fed into the needles.

It should be self-evident that the alterations of specific embodiments described above are only a small part of the variations possible within the scope of the invention. Fig. 37 illustrates a portion of a fabric representing two courses of a woven-like fabric manufactured according to one of the foregoing embodiments, with reference to the arrangement of yam 22 and 23 in Fig. 7a and 7b. In general, this illustration shows that the sinker loops between the wales and the shanks of the stitches are covered by the floats of the yams, which are also arranged in front of the stitch heads by knitting an adequate course density. Nevertheless it is obvious that an incorrect arrangement of the yams at least in the stitch heads as possible in previous proposals affects the appearance of the fabric, especially in fabrics with striping effects.

The two courses in Fig. 37 are knitted identically, but it is self-evident that they can differ according to a predetermined pattern and this illustration was made for better demonstration. The pattern section XI consists of the wales W 01 to W 05, in which yam 23 is knitted to stitches in all wales therein representing a sectional ground fabric portion. Yam 22 and 24 are knitted to plated stitches in alternate wales herein and will cover the yam 23 in these stitches as seen from the reverse side of the fabric, on which mainly the floats F22 and F24 are visible. The floats F24 of the third yam 24 are in front of the floats F22 of the first ya 22.

In the pattern section Yl composed of the wales W 06 to W 09, the ground fabric portion is knitted from yam 22 in all wales therein. The ground fabric portions of the pattern sections XI and Yl are linked together by the sinker stitch of yam 22, connecting the stitches therefrom in the wales W 05 and W 06. In the stitches of the wales W 06, W 07 and W 08 the alternating plating yams 23 and 24 are arranged towards the reverse side, thus exhibiting their properties in the floats F23 and F24. Only in wale W 09 yam 22 is facing the stitches towards the reverse side originating from the adjacent float F22 in wale W 10 which is in the knitting process performed by cleared yam 22 from the stem of the corresponding superelevated knitting needle. Yam 23 is knitted to stitches in the adjacent wales W 09 and W 10, thereby linking pattern section Yl and Zl, by a regular sinker loop.

In pattern section Zl yam 24 knits the ground fabric portion in wales W 10 to W 14, and covers the stitches of plating yams 22 and 23. When the yams 22 and 23 are sunk synchronously in one section, the floats F22 of the first yam 22 are located in front of the floats F23 of second yam 23 according to the location of yams 22 and 23 in the needle hooks, as described in reference to Fig. 5/1 and 5/2. Such pattern sections will preferably show the floats of yam 22 more than floats 23. While the property of a ya is more visible in longer floats, these should, however, be limited to spread over not more than three wales, in order to avoid disadvantages such as snagging, pilling, abrasion, or the like.

While the invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a patterned float plated fabric comprising courses incorporating at least three yarns (22, 23, 24; 56, 57, 58; 68, 69, 70) in individual successions of stitches and floats according to a pattern on a circular knitting machine comprising a cylinder (10) supporting a circle of knitting needles (1) individually operated by a circle of pattern jacks (3), both controlled by adequate cylinder cams (5) in cooperation with a suitable pattern mechanism (25, 26, 27, 28; 59, 60, 61, 62, 59a; 71, 72, 73, 74, 71a) to sink said at least three progressively fed yams in succeeding sinking operations over lower and upper sinking ledges (13; 15; 33, 35; 45, 46) on at least one circle of sinkers (7; 29, 39; 42, 49) comprising ledges (17; 37, 41; 47, 50) to control said sunk ya s thereafter in their configuration and ledges (11; 31; 43) to finally knit stitches therefrom; said sinkers being arranged in a sinker ring (6) of said circular knitting machine transversely relative to said knitting needles and actuated concurrently thereto by sinker cams (9)

characterized in that

by a permanent control of each yam (22, 23; 56, 57; 68, 69) after sinking by at least one of said control ledges (17; 37, 41; 47, 50) on said at least one of said circles of sinkers (7; 29, 39; 42, 49) the individual sunk loop and float arrangement of said yams is correctly maintained until the last yam provided in a knitting sequence is sunk to loops and float.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in said sinker ring (6) only one of said circle of sinkers (7) comprising a lower and an upper sinking ledge (13, 15) and a control ledge (17) is located and in the first of two succeeding sinking operations the progressively fed first and second yam (22, 33) are sunk synchronously over the lower sinking ledge (13) on said circle of sinkers to individual successions of loops and floats according to a pattern by a previous adequate selection and control of said knitting needles (1); whereupon said sunk configuration of said two yams is engaged collectively by said control ledge (17) on said circle of sinkers to control this loop and float arrangement furtheron in the second sinking operation until said third yam (24) is sunk over the upper sinking ledges (15) on said circle of sinkers; whereupon all of said sunk yams are cleared from said sinking ledges (13, 15) on said circle of sinkers (7) and said knitting needles are immediately retracted to knit stitches from all loops over knitting ledges (11) on said sinkers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein in the slots of said sinker ring said circle of knitting sinkers (29; 42), comprising said lower and upper sinking ledges (33, 35; 45, 46) and said control ledges (37; 47), is arranged side by side with an additional circle of control sinkers (39; 49) comprising at least control ledges (41; 50)to therewith engage, after a sinking operation - latest in the second one and in each succeeding one of said sinking operations-, all of said sunk yams in their predetermined configuration to control and to support the position of said sunk yams in front of said control ledges (37; 47) on said circle of knitting sinkers which are actuated in a succeeding sinking operation to resume control of said sunk yams collectively by said control ledges (37; 47) to maintain the permanent control of said sunk yams when said control sinkers (39; 49) with said control ledges (41; 50) must be positioned sufficiently outside of the needles to enable the sinking of a yam on the upper sinking ledge (35; 46) on said knitting sinkers, so that each yam after sinking is permanently controlled in the sunk configuration alternatively by one of the control ledges on said circles of sinkers until all yarns provided in a knitting sequence are sunk; whereupon all of said sunk yams are cleared from said sinking ledges (33, 35; 45, 46) on said circle of sinkers (29; 42) and said knitting needles are retracted to knit stitches from all loops over knitting ledges (31; 43) on said sinkers.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein in a first sinking operation (A2) at least a first ya is sunk over a lower sinking ledge (33) on said knitting sinker (29) which controls said sunk yam subsequently by said control ledge (37) until in a second sinking operation at least a second yam is sunk over an upper sinking ledge (35) on said knitting sinker.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein in a first sinking operation (43) at least a first yam is sunk over a lower sinking ledge (45) on said knitting sinker (42) whereupon said sunk yam is controlled by a control ledge (50) on said control sinker (49) until in the second sinking operation the control of said sunk ya is resumed by a control ledge (47) on said knitting sinkers and at least a second yam is sunk over an upper sinking ledge (46) on said knitting sinkers.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein in the first sinking operation at least a first yam is sunk over an upper sinking ledge (35; 46) on said knitting sinkers (29; 42) whereupon the further control of said sunk yam is performed by said control ledge (41; 50) on said control sinkers (39; 49) until said sunk yam is again controlled by said control ledge (37; 47) on said knitting sinkers in the second sinking operation.

7. The method of any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein a knitting sequence comprises at least one additional sinking section (C2; C3; D3) between a first sinking section (A2; A3) and the final knitting section (B2; B3).

8. The method of any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein at least in said first sinking section two progressively fed yams are sunk synchroneously on said sinking ledges of said knitting sinkers to individual successions of loops and floats according to a pattern by a previous adequate selection and control of said knitting needles.

9. The method of claims 7 to 8 wherein at least in an additional sinking section (D3) two progressively fed yams are sunk on said upper sinking ledges (35; 46) of said knitting sinkers (29; 42) synchronously to individual successions of loops and floats according to a pattern by a previous adequate selection and control of said knitting needles.

10. The method of any one of claims 2, 8 and 9 wherein selected needles are raised to a superelevated position, hereby locating a first fed yam on their stems (1/3; 1/13; 1/23; 1/33) and subsequent engaging a second fed yam for sinking loops thereof, thereat clearing said first yam to floats; while concurrently alternatively selected needles are raised to a clearing and feeding position, whereafter feeding of said first yam predetermined needles are retracted from said feeding to an intermediate position (1/4; 1/14; 1/24) for sinking loops only from said first yam; while the needles remaining in said feeding position (1/2; 1/12; 1/22;

1/32) will engage said first and said second yam and will sink common stitches thereof.

11. The method of any one of claims 3 to 10 wherein subsequent to sinking of the last ya said circle of control sinkers (39; 49) controls said sunk yams by said control ledges (41; 50) near to said knitting ledges (11; 31; 43).

12. A circular knitting machine comprising a cylinder (10) supporting a circle of knitting needles (1) individually operated by a circle of pattern jacks (3), both controlled by an adequate cylinder cam arrangement (5) in cooperation with a suitable pattern mechanism (25, 26, 27, 28; 59, 60, 61, 62, 59a; 71 , 72, 73, 74, 71a) to sink said at least three progressively fed yams in succeeding sinking operations over lower and upper sinking ledges (13, 15; 33, 35; 45,46) on at least one circle of sinkers (7; 29, 39; 42, 49) comprising ledges (17; 37, 41; 47, 50) to control said sunk yams thereafter in their configuration and ledges (11; 31; 43) to finally knit stitches therefrom; said sinkers being arranged in a sinker ring (6) of said circular knitting machine transversely relative to said knitting needles and actuated concurrently thereto by a sinker cam arrangement (9),

characterized in that

said sinkers on said at least one circle of sinkers (7; 29, 39; 42, 49) have a ledge configuration, said sinker cam arrangement (9) has a cam configuration, and said cylinder cam arrangement (5) for actuating the needles (1) has a cam configuration so as, in cooperation with each other, to result, upon operation of the circular knitting machine, in performing the manufacturing method according to the characterizing features of any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A circular knitting machine comprising a cylinder (10) supporting a circle of knitting needles (1) individually operated by a circle of pattern jacks (3), both controlled by an adequate cylinder cam arrangement (5) in cooperation with a suitable pattern mechanism (25, 26, 27, 28; 59, 60, 61, 62, 59a; 71, 72, 73, 74, 71a) to sink said at least three progressively fed yams in succeeding sinking operations over lower and upper sinking ledges (13, 15; 33, 35; 45,46) on at least one circle of sinkers (7; 29, 39; 42, 49) comprising ledges (17; 37, 41; 47, 50) to control said sunk yams thereafter in their configuration and ledges (11; 31; 43) to finally knit stitches therefrom; said sinkers being arranged in a sinker ring (6) of said circular knitting machine transversely relative to said knitting needles and actuated concurrently thereto by a sinker cam arrangement (9),

characterized in that

in a first sinking section (Al; A2; A3) selected ones of said knitting needles (1) will sink at least one yam (22, 23; 56, 57; 68, 69) subsequently controlled relative to said knitting needles by inwardly pushed control ledges (17; 37; 47) on at least one circle of knitting sinkers (7; 29; 42) until in at least one succeeding sinking section (C2; C3, D3) at least one yam (64; 76, 77, 78) is sunk from selected ones of said knitting needles over an upper sinking ledge (15; 35; 36) on said circle of knitting sinkers and latest hereafter and in all succeeding cam sections, subsequently to the sinking process herein, control ledges (41; 50) on a circle of control sinkers (39; 49) are pushed inwardly to control said sunk ya s relative to said knitting needles to enable thereafter the clearing of the foregoing sunk yams from said upper sinking ledges on said circle of knitting sinkers by an actuation outwardly where upon said knitting sinkers subsequent to the arrangement of all sunk yams in front of said control ledges thereon are oncemore pushed inwardly - latest concurrently to the initiation of a sinking movement of selected ones of said knitting needles - to arrange said upper sinking ledges between said knitting needles and to therewith transfer the control of all sunk loops to said control ledges when immediately hereafter said control sinkers are actuated outwardly to set free said upper sinking ledges on said circle of knitting sinkers for sinking at least one yam by selected ones of said knitting needles at least until in a final sinking section the last yam provided in a knitting sequence is sunk.

14. Replacement set for equipping a circular knitting machine to render the features of a circular knitting machine of claim 12, comprising a sinker cam arrangement (9) having a cam configuration, and, where necessary, a cylinder cam arrangement (5) for actuating the needles (1) having a cam configuration so as, in cooperation with each other, to result, upon operation of the circular knitting machine so equipped, in performing the manufacturing method according to the characterizing features of any one of claims 1 to 11.

15. A method for manufacturing all kinds of patterned float plated fabrics comprising courses composed from at least three progressively fed yams (22, 23, 24; 56, 57, 58; 68, 69, 70) each sunk to a predetermined succession of loops and floats relative to the others precedingly to a stitch forming process to knit a course accordingly on a circular knitting machine supporting in a cylinder (10) a circle of a plurality of knitting needles (1) each individually operated by an associated pattern jack (3) therefor selectable by appropriate pattern mechanism (25, 26, 27, 28; 59, 60, 61, 62, 59a; 71, 72, 73, 74, 71a) to be reciprocately actuated by a cylinder cam arrangement (5) in cooperation with at least one circle of a plurality of sinkers (7; 29, 39; 29a, 39a; 42, 49) located in a sinker ring (6) transversely to said plurality of knitting needles and hereto reciprocately actuated concurrently by a sinker cam arrangement (9) to manipulate said at least three yams by sinking ledges (13, 15; 33, 35; 33a, 35a; 45, 46) on one circle of said plurality of sinkers (7; 29; 29a; 42) to loops and floats; and control ledges (17; 37, 41; 3a, 41a; 47, 50) on at least said one circle of sinkers to control loops and floats sunk from said at least three yams precedingly to the stitch forming process in which all loops are transformed into stitches of a course over a knitting ledge (11; 31; 31a; 43) on one circle of said plurality of sinkers;

said method comprising (the steps):

a) actuating said at least one plurality of knitting sinkers (7; 29; 29a; 42) inwardly (17/5; 37/5; 47/5) to locate the knitted fabric in said lower sinker throat (18; 38; 48); thereafter executing at least once the following succession of steps:

b) raising unrelated selected ones of said plurality of knitting needles to at least a clearing and feeding position (1/2; 1/12, l/17b; 1/22, l/27b, l/32a);

c) feeding progressively a first (22; 56; 68), a second (23; 57; 69) or an additional yam (64; 76; 77, 78) to said knitting needles raised in a step b) respectively and locating said plurality of knitting sinkers with one of said sinking ledges (13, 15; 33, 35; 33a, 35a; 45, 46) hereon between said plurality of knitting needles; (thereat controlling loops and floats from an eventually previously sunk yam);

d) retracting said in step b) raised knitting needles to a sinking position (1/5; 1/15, l/19a; 1/25, l/29a) to sink loops and floats from at least one of said at least three yams fed in a step c) respectively;

e) engaging all loops and floats succeedingly by one of said control ledges (17; 37, 41; 37a, 41a; 47, 50) on at least one circle of said plurality of sinkers to control herewith permanently the configuration and location of the loops and floats from said at least one yam sunk in step d) (also throughout a repetition of step b) through d)).

Even at least said first and said second yam is sunk to loops and floats and a knitting sequence is terminated by the steps:

f) raising unrelated selected ones of said plurality of knitting needles to a clearing and feeding position (1/7; 1/17; 1/27) meanwhile all loops and floats from previously sunk yams are controlled by one of said control ledges on at least one circle of said plurality of sinkers;

g) actuating said plurality of knitting sinkers to an inward position to control all loops and floats from said first and second yam at least sunk previously by said control ledge (17; 37; 37a; 47) hereon and hereby locating said upper sinking ledge (15; 35; 35a, 46) between said plurality of knitting needles and feeding at least said third yam (24; 58; 70) to the knitting needles raised in step f); and controlling said control sinkers in an outward position;

h) retracting said knitting needles raised in step f) to a sinking position

(1/9; 1/19; 1/29) to sink loops and floats from said at least third yam;

i) actuating outwardly (17/4; 37/4; 47/4) said plurality of knitting sinkers to clear all loops and floats from said sinking and control ledges hereon and concurrently retracting said plurality of knitting needles from a sinking to a cast off position (1/10; 1/20; 1/30) to transform all loops into stitches of a complete course.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein in a first succession of said step b) through e) in step c) said first and said second yam will be progressively fed and additionally hereto in step b) said selected needles are actuated distinctly to be arranged at the feeding of said first yam in a superelevated (1/3; 1/13; 1/23) and a feeding position (1/2; 1/12; 1/22) respectively; in step c) said first yam is fed at the stems below the latches on said superelevated knitting needles to said knitting needles controlled in a feeding position; immediately thereafter retracting predetermined knitting needles controlled in said feeding position to an intermediate position (1/4; 1/14;

1/24) and controlling the other selected knitting needles furtheron in said superelevated and feeding position respectively; feeding said second ya to said knitting needles controlled in a' superelevated and feeding position respectively; actuating one of said plurality of sinkers inwardly (17/2; 37/2; 50/2) to control said first yam onto the stems of said superelevated knitting needles by a control ledge (17; 37; 37a; 50) on said sinkers and concurrently retracting said knitting needles from a superelevated position; in step d) sinking said first and said second yam to predetermined successions of loops and floats each relative to the other synchronously.

17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein in a first succession of step b) through e) said plurality of knitting sinkers (7; 29; 29a) is located in step c) with said lower sinking ledge (13; 33; 33a) between said plurality of knitting needles, whereupon in step d) said plurality of knitting sinkers is actuated inwardly (17/3; 37/3) to engage by said control ledge (17; 37; 37a) hereon said loops and floats sunk from at least said first yam to control these permanently even in a succeeding step d) respectively h) at least one other of said yams is sunk to loops and floats.

18. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein in a first succession of step b) through e) said plurality of knitting sinkers (42) in step c) is located with said lower sinking ledge (45) hereon between said plurality of knitting needles, whereupon said plurality of control sinkers (49) in step e) is actuated inwardly (50/4) to engage by said control ledge (50) hereon said loops and floats sunk from at least said first yarn to control herewith the configuration and further location of said loops and floats at a control ledge (47) on said plurality of knitting sinkers actuated in a succeeding step c) (47/5) respectively g) (47/3) inwardly to receive the control of said loops and floats and actuating thereafter said plurality of control sinkers outwardly (50/5; 50/9).

19. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein in a first succession of step b) through e) said plurality of knitting sinkers (42) in step c) is located (47/11) with said upper sinking ledge (46) hereon between said plurality of knitting needles, whereupon in step e) said plurality of control sinkers (49) is actuated inwardly (50/4) to engage by said control ledge (50) hereon loops and floats sunk from at least said first yam to control herewith the configuration and further location of all loops and floats at the control ledge (47) on said plurality of knitting sinkers therefor cooperatively actuated outwardly (47/12) to be in a succeeding step c) (47/7) respectively step g) (47/3) actuated inwardly to receive the control of all loops and floats when the next yam is sunk.

20. The method of any one of claim 17 to 19, wherein a first succession of step b) through e) feeding and sinking within said first and said second yam to loops and floats synchronously is succeeded from step f) through i).

21. The method of claim 17, wherein in a repetition of a succession of said step b) through e) in step c) and d) at least said second respectively an additional ya is fed and sunk over said upper sinking ledge (35; 35a) on said plurality of knitting sinkers (29; 29a) operated in an inward position herewith controlling the loops and floats from a previously sunk at least first yam by said control ledges (37; 37a) hereon, whereafter said plurality of control sinkers (39; 39a) is actuated inwardly (41/5) to engage all loops and floats to control their configuration and to locate all loops and floats by said control ledge (41; 41a) hereon at said control ledge (37; 37a) on said plurality of knitting sinkers therefor concurrently actuated outwardly (37/6) whereupon said plurality of knitting sinkers will resume the control of all loops and floats by said control ledge (37; 37a) hereon when actuated inwardly again (37/7) and cooperatively said plurality of control sinkers is actuated outwardly (41/6; 41/6a).

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said location of all loops and floats at said control ledges (37; 37a) on said plurality of knitting sinkers (29; 29a) in step e) is supported by an adequate retraction (l/20a) of said plurality of knitting needles.

23. The method of claim 18 or 19, wherein in a repetition of said succession of step b) through e) in step c) said plurality of knitting sinkers (42) is actuated inwardly (47/7) to locate said upper sinking ledge (46) hereon between said plurality of knitting needles and to resume by said control ledge (47) the control of all loops and floats sunk previously at least from said first yam when said plurality of control sinkers (49) is actuated outwardly (50/9) for sinking in step d) at least said second respectively an additional yam (64; 76; 77, 78) over said upper sinking ledge (46) on said plurality of knitting sinkers, whereafter said plurality of control sinkers is actuated inwardly (50/10) to engage by said control ledge (50) hereon all loops and floats to control herewith the configuration and further location of all loops and floats at said control ledges (47) on said plurality of knitting sinkers (42) actuated therefor appropriate outwardly (47/8).

24. The method of any one of the claims 21 to 23, wherein in a repetition of said succession of step b) through e) additionally the selected knitting needles in step b) are subdivided and actuated to a clearing and feeding (l/32a) and a superelevated position (l/33a) respectively; in step c) two additional yams (77, 78) are progressively fed and predetermined knitting needles after feeding of a first additional yam (77) are retracted from said feeding to an intermediate position (1/34); and concurrently to the retraction of said knitting needles from said superelevated position said first additional yam (77) is located on the stems below the latches of these knittling needles.

25. The method of any one of the claims 20 to 24, wherein in a final step h) said plurality of control sinkers (39; 49) is actuated inwardly (41/2; 50/6) to engage all loops and floats from sunk yams precedent to an actuation of said plurality of knitting sinkers outwardly (37/4; 47/4) in step i) whereupon concurrently to said retraction of said plurality of knitting needles said plurality of control sinkers is actuated outwardly (41/3; 50/7) to control all loops and floats to said transformation into stitches of a complete course.

26. A circular knitting machine for manufacturing all kinds of pattemed float plated fabrics comprising a cylinder (10) supporting a plurality of knitting needles (1) each of which is individually operated by a pattern jack (3) said knitting needles and pattern jacks controlled by a cylinder cam arrangement (5) in cooperation with appropriate pattern mechanism (25, 26, 27, 28; 59, 60, 61 , 62, 59a; 71, 72, 73, 74, 71a) developed to actuate precedent to a retraction of said knitting needles to a cast off position in successive sinking operations selected ones of said plurality of knitting needles to sink at least three progressively fed yams to predetermined successions of loops and floats relative each to the other over at least one sinking ledge (13, 15; 33, 35; 33a, 35a; 45, 46) on (one of) at least one circle of a plurality of sinkers (7; 29, 39; 29a, 39a; 42, 49) each of which further include control ledges (17; 37, 41; 37a, 41a; 47, 50) to control said yams in their sunk configuration of loops and floats and knitting ledges (11; 31; 31a; 43) to finally transform said loops into stitches of a course; said plurality of at least one circle of knitting sinkers each being arranged in a sinker ring (6) of said circular knitting machine transversely relative to each of said plurality of knitting needles, hereto each of said plurality of sinkers (7; 29, 39; 29a, 39a; 42, 49) is operated cooperatively by a sinker cam arrangement (9) developed to locate in each of said sinking operations said (at least one) sinking ledge between said plurality of knitting needles and to engage thereafter loops and floats from sunk yams by a control ledge (17; 37, 41; 37a, 41a; 47, 50) on said at least one circle of a plurality of sinkers to control furtheron permanently the figuration and location of said loops and floats at least precedingly to the retraction of said knitting needles from a sinking to said cast off position (to transform all loops into stitches of a course).

27. The circular knitting machine as in claim 26, wherein said cylinder cam arrangement is developed to actuate in a sinking operation appropriate selected knitting needles to engage at least one of two progressively fed yams and to sink these yams synchronously each to predetermined successions of loops and floats relative to the other.

28. The circular knitting machine as in claim 26 or 27, wherein said sinker cam arrangement is developed to actuate said plurality of control sinkers (39; 39a; 49) in the final stitch forming process concurrently to the retraction of said knitting needles from a sinking to said cast off position so that said control ledges (41; 41a; 50) on said control sinkers will control all loops and floats to the transformation of the loops into stitches of a course.