GB2482106A

GB2482106A - Sinker for knitting larger terry

Info

Publication number: GB2482106A
Application number: GB201007501A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chih Yung Chang
Original assignee: Drew Brady & Co Ltd
Current assignee: Drew Brady & Co Ltd
Priority date: 2010-05-05
Filing date: 2010-05-05
Publication date: 2012-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2030-05-05
Also published as: GB2516387B; GB2482106B; GB2516387A; GB201418836D0; GB201007501D0; WO2011138613A1

Abstract

Apparatus for creating a larger terry in a knitted component such as a sock comprises a sinker with first 18 and second ledges horizontally extending away from a butt 24. A nib 20 extends in an angled direction away from the butt 24 and a tongue 22 proximate the ledge 18 extends in an angled direction away from the butt. The height of the nib measured from above the top edge of the first ledge 18 is at least 35% of the total height of the apparatus. The tongue 22 is preferably at an angle of 10 degrees to the ledge 18. The part of the tongue 22 which is furthest from the butt is approximately half way between the nib 20 and the first ledge 18. Also disclosed is a sinker cover with the size of its groove modified to accommodate the taller sinker.

Description

Apparatus For ManufacturingClothing The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in the manufacture of knitted clothing, particularly socks. The apparatus of the invention allows for the manufacture of knitted clothing which is able to impart a greater degree of warming for a wearer than clothing which is made using conventional sinkers.

Apparatuses, such as sinkers, have been used for many years in knitting machines in the manufacture of items of clothing, such as socks. Sinkers are thin plates, or blades, which depress the loops of a knitting material upon or between needles used in knitting.

However, socks and other items of clothing made using conventional sinkers are limited in the size of the terry (i.e. the size of the loops of the knitting material) they can produce. The conventional sinkers are only able to provide terry sizes which are up to about 4.5 nun. This results in the clothing produced only being able to impart a limited degree of warmth to a wearer.

It is desirable to be able to produce knitted clothing having a larger terry than can be achieved by manufacture using conventional sinkers. A larger terry results in the clothing being produced being able to impart a greater degree of warmth to a wearer.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for *S..

: 20 making clothing which is able to produce a yarn which has a larger terry, providing a : greater degree of warmth for a wearer.

* According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for * ,* manufacturing an item of clothing, the apparatus comprising first and second ledges, * * the first ledge having a top edge, a butt region, a nib region, a tongue region, the first

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and second ledges extending horizontally away from the butt region, the nib region extending vertically away from the first and second ledges and vertically and horizontally away from the butt region, the tongue region being positioned proximate the ledge nearest the nib region and extending vertically and horizontally away from the butt region, wherein the height of the nib measured from the top edge of the first ledge constitutes at least about 35% of the total height of the apparatus.

More typically, the height of the nib from the first ledge typically constitutes at least about 37%, more typically at least about 40%, of the total height of the apparatus as measured from the bottom edge of the second ledge to the top edge of the nib.

It is the relative height of the nib with respect to the height of the apparatus as a whole, and the height of the nib with respect to the bottom of the tongue, which enables the larger terry size to be obtained. Existing sinkers have nibs which are significantly smaller, constituting no more than about 30% of the total height of the whole apparatus.

According to another embodiment, the tongue region is oriented in a substantially non-parallel manner relative to the first ledge. This enables the efficient separation of the spandex yarn and the nylon yarn during the knitting process.

By "substantially non-parallel" it is meant that the tongue is oriented at an *.S.

angle to the first ledge. The angle is typically at least about 50, more typically at least about 8°, still more typically at least about 100, still more typically at least about 15°, * r and still more typically at least about 20°.

** According to another embodiment, the part of the nib which is located * furthermost from the butt region is positioned nearer to the part of the tongue which is furthermost from the butt region than it is to the part of the tongue which is nearest to the butt region (i.e. the part of the tongue connecting it to the first ledge).

The nib has a non-symmetrical shape. On the side of the nib which is nearest to the butt region is a substantially flat, substantially vertical edge. The side of the nib which is facing away from the butt region is sloped. The slope extends from at or near the base of the nib and extends away at an angle from the butt region both horizontally and vertically until it typically reaches a point.

According to one embodiment, the side of the nib which is positioned nearest to the tongue and is facing away from the butt region is sloped at an angle of between about 40 to about 50°. More typically, the angle is about 45°.

The tongue also extends away from the butt region. The tongue typically extends slightly further away from the butt region in the horizontal direction than the point of the nib does, but the nib typically extends far enough in the horizontal direction that the nib is positioned vertically above the tongue for the majority of the length of the tongue. In existing sinkers, this is not the case; in such sinkers, the tongue extends significantly further than the nib in the horizontal direction. This can be seen when the apparatus is viewed in a side plane as in Figure 1 below.

According to another embodiment, the part of the tongue which is furthermost from the butt region is positioned approximately half-way between the nib and the first ledge. By "approximately half-way" it is meant that the part of the tongue which : : :* is furthermost from the butt region may be located exactly equidistant between the nib * and the first ledge (i.e. at the 50% point between the nib and the first ledge), or it may * be located up to about 10% in either direction towards either the nib or the first ledge

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(i.e. up to about the 40/60 and 60/40 distance points between the nib and the first ledge).

The tongue is also sloped relative to the first ledge, extending away from the butt region both horizontally and vertically in direction. It is angled in such a way that the tip of the tongue is typically positioned so that it is approximately equidistant between the point of the nib and the first ledge. Again, in existing sinkers, this is not the case; in such sinkers, the tongue is not angled, but rather extends parallel to the upper ledge. The tip of the tongue is thus located much closer to the upper ledge than it is to the nib.

According to another embodiment, the part of the nib furthermost from the butt region has a portion which is angled upwardly away from the horizontal. This allows the yam to be able to rest on the top of the sinker nib without sliding off easily, retaining stability for the yarn during the process.

In conventional sinkers, in the manufacture of knitted products, a first needle takes up the yarn, nylon, and spandex. The sinker is then inserted into the knitting machine The yarn is then set on the top of the sinker nib. A second needle then takes up the yarn, nylon, and spandex. The longer terry is created by the greater distance between the top of the sinker nib in the apparatus of the invention to the bottom of I..

sinkertongue.

S. The apparatus of the invention is able to produce terry having a size in the * order of about 9-15 mm, typically about 12 mm, rather than the average size of about 4.5 mm produced using existing apparatuses. It is the terry size which allows for the

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increase in the warmth provided by the socks made using the apparatus of the invention.

A further advantage of the apparatus of the invention is that it is able to show an effect of overlapping colour in the, thread of the sock when threads of different colours are used in the sock manufacture. This is achieved by the sinker tongue effectively separating the spandex and nylon in the knitting process. The spandex is positioned on top of the tongue while the nylon is positioned below it. This orientation of the materials allows for the overlapping colour effect. Once the sinker tongue separates the spandex and nylon, the new yarn mat is used for taking the spandex or nylon which is positioned the yarn pipe.

When in use, the sinker is typically engaged with a sinker cover. As a result of the increased size of the nib of the sinker of the invention, the design of the sinker cover needs to be modified so that it is expanded to cope with the size difference between a conventional sinker and that of the invention, the sinker apparatus of the invention being taller than a conventional sinker.

Typically, relatively coarse yarn is also used in the manufacture of clothing using the apparatus of the invention. It is for this reason that the apparatus of the invention is typically thicker than a conventionally used sinker.

* Further, using a more coarse yarn can require consequential amendments to : 20 related components and parts of a knitting machine, such as to a yarn pipe. The yarn pipe controls the taking up of the yarn by a needle, and needs to be widened to * account for the coarser yarn to avoid blocking of holes in the yarn pipe which can impact upon the quality of the final clothing product.

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According to a further aspect of the invention, there is also provided a method of manufacturing an item of clothing comprising using an apparatus as described hereinabove.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is also provided a use of an apparatus as described hereinabove in the manufacture of an item of clothing.

Typically, the item of clothing the apparatus is used to manufacture is a sock, although other items of clothing, such as a hand warmer or leg warmer may also be produced by knitting using the sinker of the invention.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is also provided a knitting machine comprising an apparatus as described hereinabove.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the following figures which are intended to be illustrative only and in no way limiting upon the scope of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a representation of (a) a conventional sinker apparatus used previously in the manufacture of clothing side by side with (b) a sinker according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a representation of (a) a conventional sinker apparatus used previously in the manufacture of clothing on top of (b) a sinker according to the e.

invention.

*,, 20 Figure 3 shows a representation of a terry yarn produced using a conventional *:. sinker apparatus according to the invention in the manufacture of clothing.

* Figure 4 shows a representation of a sinker cover intended to be used in * * conjunction with the sinker apparatus of the invention.

Figure 5 shows a diagrammatical representation of a sinker apparatus in accordance with the invention in operation in a knitting process.

The left hand sinker 2 in Figure 1 is a conventional sinker previously used in the art. It has a butt region 4 oriented in one direction with first and second ledges 6, 8 extending away from the butt region 4 in a horizontal direction. These features are common to most sinkers.

It can be seen that the sinker nib 10 extends vertically away from the first and second ledges 6, 8 and both vertically and horizontally away from the butt region 4, extending out to a point.

The sinker tongue 12 is positioned on the ledge 6 nearest the sinker nib 10 and also extends horizontally away from the butt region 4. The tongue 12 is oriented parallel to the ledge 6, and extends far enough along the first ledge 6 that is it significantly proud of the point of the nib 10, the point of the nib being only vertically level with a point not even halfway along the tongue 12.

There is a throat region 14 positioned between the nib 10 and tongue 12.

On the right hand side of Figure 1 is a sinker 16 according to the invention.

The differences are immediately apparent. A diagrammatical representation of a * *** sinker apparatus in accordance with the invention is also shown in Figure 5. *SS.

* : *.: It can be seen that the handle leading to the butt region is shorter in the sinker : * .* 20 16 of the invention, and that the first ledge 18 is longer than the ledge 6. Because ***.

*:. rough yarn is typically used in the making of the socks, these differences allow the * :* sinker to take the yarn more easily.

* It can also be seen that the sinker nib 20 in the sinker 16 of the invention is considerably taller that sinker nib 10 in the conventional sinker 2, as described above.

The slope of the nib 20 is also at a greater angle in the sinker 16 of the invention than in sinker 2. Also, the tongue 22 of the sinker 16 of the invention can be seen to be non-parallel to the ledge 18, sloping at an angle both vertically and horizontally away from the butt region 24 of the sinker 16 of the invention.

It can also be seen that the point of the nib 20 extends far enough horizontally away from the butt region 24 that it is positioned almost vertically above the tip of the tongue 22, and that the end of the nib furthest away from the butt region has a protrusion 26 which extends upwardly from the horizontal.

A direct comparison of the conventional sinker 2 and the sinker according to the invention 16 can be seen in Figure 2. In this Figure, the conventional sinker 2 is overlaying a sinker 16 according to the invention. The differences in size and proportion between the two sinkers can again clearly be seen. The sinker of the invention 16 has a shorter butt region 24, a taller and more angled nib 20, a sloped tongue 22, and a longer first ledge 18.

Figure 3 shows a representation of a terry yarn 28 produced using a conventional sinker apparatus 16 according to the invention in the manufacture of items of clothing such as socks.

* *** Figure 4 shows a representation of a sinker cover 30 which has been modified *S*.

* : *.: so that it can be used with the sinker 16 of the invention. The modification is in the : *. 20 size of its groove, to enable it to accommodate the taller sinker of the invention.

* Figure 5 shows a diagrammatical representation of a sinker apparatus in r * : accordance with the invention in operation in a knitting process to create a larger terry.

When a knitting machine is in operation, a first needle takes up a piece of yarn, a piece of nylon, and a piece of spandex. The sinker 16 is then inserted into the knitting machine. The yam is then set on the top of the sinker nib 20, the spandex is set between the nib 20 and the tongue 22, while the nylon is set between the tongue 22 and the ledge 18.

A second needle takes up the yam, nylon, and spandex, and they are knitted together at the bottom of the sinker.

Then the distance from the top of the sinker nib 20 to the bottom of sinker tongue 20 creates the larger terry. This process enables the manufacture of the socks having the larger terry for greater warmth as shown in Figure 3.

Also, the nylon being set between the tongue 22 and the ledge 18 allows for the overlapping colour effect in the thread of the sock when threads of different colours are used in the sock manufacture.

It is of course to be understood that the present invention is not intended to be restricted to the foregoing examples which are described by way of example only. *S.S * S *S..

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Claims

Claims 1. An apparatus for manufacturing an item of clothing, the apparatus comprising first and second ledges, the first ledge having a top edge, a butt region, a nib region, a tongue region, the first and second ledges extending horizontally away from the butt region, the nib region extending vertically away from the first and second ledges and vertically and horizontally away from the butt region, the tongue region being positioned proximate the ledge nearest the nib region and extending vertically and horizontally away from the butt region, wherein the height of the nib measured from the top edge of the first ledge constitutes at least about 35% of the total height of the apparatus.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tongue region is oriented in a substantially non-parallel manner relative to the first ledge.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tongue is oriented at an angle of at least about 10° to the first ledge.* **.
4. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the part of the nib * * furthermost from the butt region is positioned nearer to the part of the tongue : *. 20 which is furthermost from the butt region than to the part of the tongue nearest :. to the butt region. ** S. * . . S *S *..

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5. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the part of the tongue which is furthermost from the butt region is positioned approximately half-way between the nib and the first ledge.
6. An apparatus according to any, preceding claim, wherein the part of the nib nearest to the tongue is sloped at an angle of about 45 degrees.
7. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the part of the nib furthermost from the butt region curves upwardly away from the horizontal.
8. A method of manufacturing an item of clothing comprising using an apparatus according to any of claims 1-7.
9. Use of an apparatus according to any of claims 1-7 in the manufacture of an item of clothing.
10. An apparatus, method or use according to any preceding claim, wherein the item of clothing is a sock. * *: *. 20
11. A knitting machine comprising an apparatus according to any of claims 1-7. **** * **
12. An apparatus, method or use substantially as described herein in the* description and drawings.