US1877458A - Knitted fabric for hosiery - Google Patents

Description

Sept'. 13, 1932-.- H. HARRIS 1,877,458

KNITTED FABRTC FOR HOSIERY Filed Dc. 17; 1931 2 sheen-sheet 1 Sept.13, 1932. HANS., 1,877,458

mum'xln FABRIC FOR HosIERY Y Filed Dec. 1v. 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 /02- special sL'fa'ez- C'n/ Azz @Home @afinar 0M.: '-mzrerwz/ rma-smh n l ...FFE-...5. 4 4 4 Patented .sep-t. 13, V1932 y UNITED .s1-Arasr PATENT oir-'rica nanny nanars, or cnoynon, PENNSYLVANIA, nssIGNon ro LABGMAN, 'maar con-Iv l Pam?, or -caoYDoN, rENNsYLvANIA, .a conPoRarIoN for 'PnNNez'LSuma,Y e f xNITrED FABRIC For. HosIERY Application filed 'December 17, 1931i.' Serial No. 581,754.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in knitted fabrics and more particularly to a knitted fabric yadapted for use in the manufacture of full-fashioned hosiery, the primary object of the iiiventiorbeing to provide a new and iniprovedmethod of producing a fabric and a new and -improved fabric wherein the same is formed with lacelike patterns producing a most desirable shadowed effect.

A further object of the invention resides in providing va means for producing a fabric and a fabric wherein a plurality of rectangular blocks are formed through the provision of vertical and horizontal lines, the vertical and horizontal lines being respectively formed in said fabric through different mediums on a flat or full-fashioned knitting machine.

A still further object resides in the making of a fabric wherein the vertical lines, lor those running in the direction of the wales, are produced by omitting one sinker of the knitting machine at regular and predeter-l mined intervals or by utilizing 4a special slotted sinker and wherein the horizontal lines or those running crosswise in the direction of the courses, are formed by producing a predetermined number of tight courses .at certain predetermined and regular intervals in the knitting of the fabric, thereby to produce blocks in .the fabric of predetermined and definite size which produce .a shadow effect, iving to the hosiery made of such fabric a eautiful and most desirable ap arance.

further object of the invention resides in the production of a fabric and the means for accomplishing itso that blocks of varied sizes may be produced therein, according to the desire of the manufacturer.

The lace effects are simulated in two ways which may either be used alone or in combination with each other, depending upon the desired fabric. I have discovered that by knitting certain loops in either predetermined courses or predetermined wales or both with an abnormally small amount of yarn, pleaslng lace effects are obtained that heretofore were never obtainable. Thus, during the sinking operation I omit 4certain sinkers from operation or render their operation ineffective .for measuring loops. The .resultant loops will fbe constricted and the remaining loops of the fabric will consequently be relatively larger. As va result of this, the fabric has `an, open work appearance such as is commonl called lace work in the knitting art beca-use 1t simulates lace. Another resultof omitting sinkers is that in the subsequent loop ldrawing operation the constricted loops .will rob adjacent loops so that there will be a gradation of loop size between the most constricted loopsand neighboring larger loops or normal size loops. This will give a pleasing shadow effect not heretofore obtained -so far asam aware.

The constricted loops, as above described, are produced by rendering certain sinkers entirely ineffective. Of course, similar effects to a less marked degree might be obtainedpby rendering sinkers only partially or slightly effective. This leads me to my other method above mentioned. In certain predetermined courses all the sinkers can vbe made to measure shorter loopsthan normal or in other ways, shorter loops may :be formed. These interspersed with normal length or longerV loops in other courses will have the result similar to that above described. The resultant fabric will have an open work or lace-like effect wit a somewhat shadowy appearance.

These two methods can be used separately 'or together to makeeither horizontal or ve tical stripes or figured areasof various kind y such as squares, rectangles, etc. In fact, any design-might be produced by my method, but

`that is a matter of fabric designing and needs 'no further discussion here.

Thus, still another object of the invention'V resides in the production of a fabric to produce the effect aforesaid with a means which is more or less simple and inexpensive, so that the cost of production of hosiery made of such fabric will not be unduly increased, and the fabric will have an enhanced appearance which has thus far never beenproduced in a fabric so far as I am aware. v v

With these and otherobjects .in view my invention consists in the novel, features of construction, combination and arrangement lmanner and said drawings forming a ment of the threads in the knitting process which produces the blocks in said fabric.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a section of the fabric showing the efi'ect when all needlesfare workingone sinker being out or in placethereof a special slotted sinker substituted and two succeeding sinkcrs remain. inging.

Figure 4 is a similar view wherein the effect is produced with a larger block, one. sinker being out or the special slotted sinker substituted and three succeeding snkers remaining in.

'Figure 5 is a similar View showing the efl'ect with a still larger block formed in the fabric with one sinker out or a special slotted sinker substituted and four succeeding sinkers remaining in.

vFigure 6 is an elevation of a specially provided sinker slotted from its outer end.

' Figure 7 is an enlarged detail elevation of a section of fabric made without any transverse lines being formed therein; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic viewof a section of the fabric showing the effect as produced .by the disclosure in Figure 7.

I have not attempted to show all the various patterns that might be made by the use of my invention. Instead, I show certain illustrative simple patterns that have been made and have proven very satisfactory.

In describing the invention, I shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 desi nates a stocking leg, the welt of which is designated by the numeral 2 and the numeral 3 represents the foot attached thereto. The leg is shown as being made of a fabric producing a plurality of rectangular blocks designated by the numeral 4, the same being formed through the medium of vertical and horizontal lines. As shown, the blocks continue through a portion of the foot and stop at the welt, but it will be understood that these blocks may be formed in the welt and throughout the length of the stocking if desired.

In carrying out my invention I desire to produce a `fabric in which the body of the blocks which are formed are knit in the usual blocks' are formed by the productionof vertical and horizontal lines, that is, lines which run in the direction of the wales and lines which run cross-wise or in the direction ot' the courses. For convenience I have designated in the drawings the crosswise or horizontal lines by the numeral 5 and the vertical lines, running in the direction of the wales as In. order to produce the horizontal linesf .a predetermined number of tight courses are formed at regular and predetermined intervals in the knitting of the fabric, such tight coursesbeing'provided in a usual orl any .well-known manner.` ()n the other hand, I produce the vertical lines or those ruiming in the direction of the wales by preferably omitting a sinker in the knitting machine at prcdetermined and regular intervals yin the knitting process, or by the use ot' a special slotted sinlicr such as designated by the numeral T in Figure (l. Yliereas in the ordinary knitting ot' the fabric under normal conditions. such as is illustrated in the blocks 4. there is a certain amount of openwork in the stitches. the omitting of tliesinker at certain intervalsl or the use of the slotted sinker T produces a closely knit line or the like designated by the numeral (3.

Note that i-n either case, by omitting sinkers wale-wise or producing ,tight stitches course-wise, I consti-ict certain predetermined loops. lt is this constriction ot' the loops as distinguished from elongatioi'is ot the loops that produces the phenomenal lace or open work effect. lt is this constrictiug ot loops which also causesl the shadow efiect which results` from the abnormally tight loops robbing adjacent loops which have been measured with or been made to draw the normal or greater amount of yarn. Note also that I do not resort to displacing or 'shitting loops. All the loops have exactly the saine structures or formations. The loops are only different in size. 'lhe gistot the invention, as applied to a. t'ull fashioned machine, is to make the sinkers advance an abnormally short distance or not advance at all.

The etlfect of the tight courses designated by the numeral 5 in the fabric appears obvious and both this effect and that designatedby the numeral 6 are clearly illustrated, under enlargement, in Figure 2` of the drawings. In this particular view every third sinker is omitted so that there is one sinker out yor special` slotted snker substituted and the succeedingtwo sinkers in, and at alltimes, all needles are in the machine and working.'

In makingthis fabric with square designs, in all the blocks that arevforined in this fabric, the tightcourses are placed distances apart to conform with the distance apart that the vertical liiies are disposed. In other words, where a fabric is formed with every fifth sinker out, or by substituting'the special slottedA sinker for every fifth sinker, eight courses are made before putting in four tight courses. In subh a setup, a block is formed and in the case where the fabric is made with two sinkers in and one sinker out or a special cut sinker provided every third sinker, it only requires four courses being knitted before putting in four tight courses to form a smaller block.

In Figure 3, I have shown a diagrammatic view of a fragment of fabric made with every third sinker omitted or a special slotted sinker substituted so as to produce blocks of a very small size, this view bein(Y quite an enlargement over the original produced under such circumstances.

As indicated above, blocks or squares of various sizes may be produced and in Figure 4 I have shown a diagrammatic view under enlai'geinent'of a fragment of the fabric made wherein one sinker is out or special slotted sinker substituted and three succeeding siiikers remain in so that every fourth' sinker is omitted or substituted with special slotted sinker. The tight courses are formed or blocks are produced.

Figure 5 illustrates diagrammatically the fabric made under the conditions wherein every fifth sinker is either omitted or substituted with a special slotted sinker and the tight courses are formed at greater intervals so as to. produce blocks or rectangles of still greater size than those illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

These are merelyillustrations'of the patterns that may be produced by omitting one sinker or substituting a special sinker at various intervals and correspondingly forming tight courses at various intervals. It will be understood, however, that I do not Wish to be limited in this respect as sinkers may be omitted or special slotted sinkers substituted and tight courses formed at any points or intervals as may be desired to produce Whatever pattern is desired. It usually requires four tight courses to produce a transverse line which matches or is equivalent in width to the vertical line formed by omitting a sinker or usin r a special slotted sinker.

In Figure 6 of the drawings, I have shown the specially constructed sinker which may be used in the machine where it is not desired to omit a siiiker. In other words, a sinker may be left out at. certain intervals or in piace of leaving out such a regular sinker, there may ne substituted for the regular siniier a sinker such as shown in Figure G. The sinker is designated by the numeral 7 and is provided with a slot 8 extending inwardly thereof from the outer end of said sinker. The efi'ect of such a slot in the sinker appears obvious.

It will be understood in the manufacture of mv improved fabric that the needles are working in the machine at all times. It is known that effects have been attempted by f 5 what is known as the needle-out method but such method of omitting or dropping needles produces an entirely different effect from that producedby omitting sinkers or using slotted sinkers. Through my improved method shadowed blocks are provide the same to the vconsumergin a form which is attractive to the; yeyeof `said consumer, attractive on the legofk the consumer and which will be durable in use. Hosiery'.

made in accordance with my invention swers these requirements. l In Figures 7 and 8, I have showi v and no transverseliiies. Suchva lfabric'will Y give a slenderizing effect `Whenf}into hosiery. In other words, the vert'ihcililines'. represented by the numeral 6 are formed, in the fabric at `predeterminedintervals by either omitting a siiiker atsuch intervals or by substituting for the regular sinker'fat such intervals the specially constructed and :slot-i" il i tedsinker such asfshown in F igiiref.v This produces a series of lines 6 in the fabricas p. 'clearly shown in the diagrammatic viewV il.l

lustrated in Figure 8. Otherwise, the yfabric is constructed as heretofore described.A The i,

invention teaches the production of horizontal lines.. However, simple horizontal'line4 patterns would ordinarily` n`ot be desirable in hosiery because, conversely toV vertical lines, they give a fattening appearance to the leg of the wearer. y, v

From the foregoing description of the con` struction of my improved -fabric and the method of manufacturing the same,"the invention will be readily understood and it will be seen that I have provided a comparatively inexpensive and simple means for accomplishing the objects of the invention,

While I particularly describe the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the s irit or sacrificing any of the principles of t e invention.

Having thus described, my invention what is claimed is: il-ff 1. A machine knitted fabric simulating lace, which comprises loops knitted to a size below the normal of the machine, interspersed y in a predetermined pattern with .loops at least of a size normal for that machine, and loops between the constricted and normal size loops being of an intermediate size.

2. A weft knitted lace-like fabric, comprising in predetermined courses, loops of a arn wholly or in part robbed from adjacent oops, other loops made up of yarn undisturbed by robbing, loops intermediate the lfirst named and last named loops having a deficiency of yarn because of robbing.

' deficiency of yarn because of robbin 3. A weft knitted lace-like fabric comprising in predetermined courses, loops of yarn wholly or 1n part robbed from adjacent y made up of yarn undisoo s, other loops turb'edy by robb1ng,` loops intermediate the first named and last `named loops having comprising in other courses loops s orter than loops of col'rse A fabric on equidistant knitting elements which the space between certain adjacent elements 5. That consists in feeding yarn to all knitting elements by measuring and forming loops in loops of yarn remaining after robbing.

6.4 That method of knitting a lace-like weft fabric which comprises in predetermined courses knitting loops of yarn robbed from adjacent loops, other loo s of yarn undisturbed by robbin land, oops intermediate the first named an last named loops of yarn remainin from robbing, and knitting other courses o loops all of the same size.

' In testimony whereof, I

- HARRY HARRIS.

the previously mentionedv hat method of knitting a lace-like,

of yarn robbed fromV affix my signature. v

Images