US2090982A - Hand covering and method of manufacture - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 24, 1937. A. c. MILLS HAND COVERING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed April 23, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l gnam/VIM wvwF/ Grtmwg 5 Aug. 24, 1937. A. C. MILLS 2,090,982

HAND COVERING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed April 23, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HMM mfr/11mm lwnlwf Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNITED STATES Louisa?.v

PATENT OFFICE HAND COVERING AND METHOD F MANUFACTURE Allison C. Mills, Johnstown, N. Y., assigner to Scotsmoor Company, Inc., Johnstown, N. Y.

Application April 23, 1936, Serial No. 76,056

My invention consists in new and useful im- Iprovements in a seamless knit mitten or the like and in the method ofv knitting the same, and has for its object to provide such an article having a tip portion which is relatively narrower than the body or hand portion, and wherein the Wrist portion is provided with a novel finished edge or welt portion.

Heretofore, various efforts have been made to knit mittens of this same general type by different methods. in knitting mittens in tubular form by making the hand portion of any conventional form of jersey, single or balbriggan stitch, and the tip portion of rib stitching with the same number of rows of stitches, considered circumferentially,4

as in the body portion. With this method, although the rib stitch portion has a tendency to draw in or narrow .down so as to shape the mitten to a more finished appearance, such mittens have been found not entirely satisfactory because of the limited facility for shaping and the bunchy appearance of the-rib stitch at the tip.

Another method heretofore known is to knit mittens in tubular form by making the lhand portion of any desired stitching such as jersey stitch, rib stitch, tucked stitch, or a combination of two o'r more stitches, the tip portion being formed or knit with one-half the number of stitches or rows of stitches, considered circumferentially, as the hand portion. In this method, the tip portion is formed 'by transferring the hand or body portion to another machine known as a tipping machine, with half the number of needles as compared tothe number of needles used in knitting the hand portion. Although l this latter method of forming a tip portion with alesser number of stitches tends to cause the tip to draw in or contract as in the other method, it cannot be produced automatically, and the cost of the mitten is materially increased because of the necessity of using two separate ma"- chines, one for the hand portion, and one for the tip portion.

It is the object of my invention to overcome the disadvantages inherent in the methods heretofore known and to this end I have designed a method which will produce automatically on a circular knitting machine of conventional design, amitten in which`lthe tip is substantially entirely machine fashioned by employing a type .1 of stitch which is fundamentally different from those employed in any of the types" heretofore known. i

Another object of` my invention isto produce One of these methods consists (Cl. Gti-174) a mitten with a narrowed tip portion which can be produced automatically and inexpensively. and one which will present a novel' and attractive appearance and improved shape and fit when closed, over other types of narrowed fabric, seamless, tubular mittens.

A further object of my invention resides in my improved method of knitting mittens whereby the tip portion is knitted with a stitch different from the integral stit'ch` of the body portion, which greatly facilitates the completion or closing of the tip.

Still another object of my invention is to produce a novel welt on the wrist portion vof the mittens Land/ or gloves.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to knit mittens and gloves of this same general type but it entirely machine knit by using a type of stitch Aentirely different from those heretofore employed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mitten or glove with a finished edge or weltv portion which can be knit automatically and inexpensively, and one which will present a novel and `attracti've appearance over other types of mittens or gloves knit on the open top single cylinder machines.

A further object of -my invention is to provid an improved method of knitting these mittens or gloves on an open top single cylinder circular knitting machine of known type vwith one or more feeds, wherein the welt portion is knit with a stitchv different from the integral stitch of Kthe cuff portion, whereby said welt is adapted' `for easy completion by a simple hand operation,

and which will not unravel.

A still' further object of my-invention resides in my improved method of knitting mittens or the like by which a series of successive mittens can be knit continuously in a single blank, after which each individual mitten can be separated, and by simple hand operations, the tip and. welt ...portions of the mitten are finished. In the case ff a glove, the welt portion is finished by a simple hand operation and the finger portions added.

Stillanother object of my invention is to provide 'a seamless tubular knitted mitten or the like with a nished edge or welt and narrowed tip in the case of a mitten, and with a finished edge or welt in the case of a glove, and the method of making the same which is both practical, inexpensive and simple to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings l0 and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

i Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

v'l5 Fig..1 is a view in side elevation showing a con- Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing an Y individual blank after separation but before the closing or final step in completing the tip. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation showing a completed mitten with the closed tip and finished edge or welt on the cuil'. Fig. 4 is an end view of the tip portion of the mitten showing the closed tip.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a section of the fabric structure at the tip`portion, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a section of the fabric structure forming the welt portion on the cuff. I In the drawings, it will be noted that each mitten is illustrated as including a wrist portion A, a hand or body portion B, and a tip portion C.

The wrist `portion A is knit with any number or type of suitable stitches, such for example as i float stitch, tucked stitch, jersey stitch, mock rib stitch, etc., the hand portion B being knit with any conventional form or type of stitch such as a jersey stitch, tucked stitch, float stitch, or a combination of two or more types of stitches. The tip portion C, however, is knit with a float stitch formed either by one and one float, 'or two and two float, or in fact any combination of l iloat stitches, to render the tip portion narrower .than the integral body portion.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 6 it will be noted that the wrist portion A is finished with a welt W which is formed or knit with a combination of a jerse'y and aI oat stitch produced automatically by retiring from action alternate needles or certain predetermined needles Aof the circular series; .in such a way as to retain only one stitchor strand of yarn in the hook of the needle while the acting needles continue to knit the number of courses desired.

As shown in Fig. 6, the wales of the fabric as well as the needles of the cylinder are indicated 'by the numerals I, 2, 3, 4, 5 and A6, the otherstitches of the fabric forming the welt portion and those directly adjacent thereto comprising at the top portion a plain or jersey stitch indicated by D adjacent which is a section E forming the welt stitch proper. Adjacent the welt stitch proper is a, section F formed with plain or jersey stitch as in the case of section D which is followed by a section G formed'with a mock rib stitch in this particular form of, my invention illustrated in the drawings. 'l

rIhis welt portion W is formed 4automatically on the edge or open end of the wrist of the .mitten by having a stitch on every needle of the machine in the circular series at this-point of certain needles previously` determined, `such for example as needles 2, 4 and 6 (Fig. 6) in such a way as to retain only one stitch or strand of yarn in the hook of the needle by drawing the' needle below the verge of the needle cylinderl the active needles I', 3 and 5 will continue to knit the num- 5 ber of courses desired, and the yarn employed in knitting the coursesonthe active needles floats over the inactive needles at this point. After completing a predetermined number of courses, while holding the needles 2, 4 and 6 out of acl0 tion, said inactive needles are brought Aback into action again and the stitches previously held are cast off.

'I'he loops 2a, 4a and 6a as shown in Fig. 6 are then drawn down through'the loops 2b, 4b 15 and 6b which were formed by the inactive needles and do not include the idle runs or float stitches e in section E made by the active needles I, 3 and 5.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art 20 of knittingthat the fabric formed by this welt stitch E, is insured against raveling in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 6), the effect of the loops 2b, 4b, and 6b being to bring the rst and last courses thereof together, bending the welted fab- 25 ric outwardly so as to form a fiat roll or folded edge.

After knitting this portion of the welt indicated by E and F in Eig. 6, the machinethen changes to a-combination of jersey and float stitch, for 30 example, as shown at G in the drawings, or if desired, this particular portion may also -be of any'other suitable form or type of stitch. .All of this portion of fabric hereinabove described forms the cuff portion A ofthe mitten which is 0 followed by the hand and tip portions in a continuous automatic knitting operation.

As heretofore mentioned, the tip portion C is formed of a oat stitch which is produced automatically by knitting on one needle and 40 floating the yarn behind the adjacent needle, in the case of one and one oat stitch, or if a two and two oat stitch is desired, by knitting on two needles and floating the yarn behind the next two adjacent needles. 'I'his tip portion may 45 be formed with various different types or combinations of vfloat stitches designed to produce the results sought by my invention, the fabric structure illustrated in Fig. 5 being merely illustrative of one type of float stitch contemplated, namely, 50

one and one. In this figure, it will be noted that two separately fed yarns 'l and 8 are employed,

theyarn 1 being knit in alternate wales 'la and oated behind intervening wales 8a, andthe yarn 8 being knit in alternate wales 8a and oated 55 behind intervening wales 1a. As before pointed out, this type of stitch em-- ployed in knitting the tip portion of a mitten tends to narrow down the fabric at this point.

'I'he fabric at the tip portion may, however, be 60 further reduced or narrowed by replacing one or more of the yarns employed in the body 'portion B, with a ner count or smaller sized yarn which may Ialso be accomplished automatically .as-will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 65 The tip portion C` thus formed is knit-to the, desired length, preferably about one inch, and later whenthe mitten blanks are removed from the machine and separated, the operator unravels a few courses or end rows at the free end of the 70 tip portion to provide well open loops. This un.- raveling *permits `the operator to gather the stitches together and close or Secure the same at the operation. Then by retiring out of action the extreme tip p rtion by passing a thread or yarn through the ll ps and drawing these stitches 75 together as shown in Figs.` 3 and 4, thus forming at the apex of the tip a neatly shaped and finished tip portion.

My improved method of knitting enables an operator to knit a series of gloves or mittens in a continuous blank on an open top single cylinder circular knitting machine, starting with the welt and cuff of one mitten and running to the body portion and tip thereof, after which the knitting continues to automatically form the welt and cuff of a second mitten, and so on. Of course in the caseof a 'blank forming a series of gloves, the

knitting would run directly from the body portion on one glove to the welt and wrist portion of a 1 5 second glove, eliminating the narrowed tip.

During the formation of this continuous blank, the extremities of the individual mittens or gloves are preferably indicated by knitting a course of distinctive yarn or thread which, after the blank is removed from the machine, is cut and raveled or pulled out to separate the individual mittens or gloves.

After this separation, the welt portion formed in the manner hereinbefore described is further 25 finished by a simple hand operation which consists in slightly pulling together or shirring the loose end or ends of the yarn of loops 2b, 417| and` 6b that are left when the blanksv are separated. These loose ends are then secured or fastened by pulling them through one or more of the stitches in the culi fabric. While this slight hand operation outlined above is not absolutely necessary to the completion of the 'welt covered by my invention, it produces a neater and more satisfactory 35 nished appearance.

In the case of a. glove, the fingers are added to the hand or body portion in a conventional manner, while in the case of a mitten wherein the tip portion C is knit, the operator unravels 'a 40 few courses at the free end of the tip and draws them together in the manner hereinabove described.

It will thus be seen that my improved method of knitting gloves and/or mittens makes it pos- 45 sible to knit these articles in a continuous blank and produce automatically-a seamless tubular article havinga welt at the cuif end formed in an attractive and novel manner which is a decided improvement over methods heretofore employed. 50 Furthermore, my method produces a mitten or glove wherein the Welt portion has a maximum of elasticity and will not ravel. i Finally, it will be apparent that `my improved method of knitting the tip portion of a mitten 55 produces a narrowed tip neat in appearance which results'in a well iitting practical mitten.

From the foregoing it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it

60 being understood that numerous changes may be made in the details of operation and construction Without departing from the spirit of my inthreads being knit into each course thereof, one of said threads being knit into alternate wales and floated across intervening wales, and the. 'other of said threads being knit into intervening 2. A seamless tubular knit mitten having a hand portionl and a ntip portion formed respectively of different types of knitting,said tip portion being knit of two separate threads, both threads being knit into each course thereof, at least one of said threads being knit into alternate Wales and floated across intervening wales, there being the same number of wales in said hand' and tip portions, said floats causing circumfer ential contraction of said tip portion.

3. A seamless tubular knit mitten as' claimed in claim 2/ wherein one of said threads forming the tip portion is of ner count than the other.

4. A seamless tubular knit mitten having a hand portion and a tip portion formed respectively of' different types of knitting, said tip portion being knit of two separate threads, both threads being knit into each course thereof, at least one of said threads being knit into predetermined wales in the same course and floated across intervening wales ln said course, there being the same number of wales in said hand and tip portions, said floats causing circumferential contraction of said tip portion.

5. 'I'he method of automatically and continuously forming a seamless tubular mitten, which consists in knitting in tubular form a wrist portion, knitting an integral hand portion, and then knitting a tip -portion by knitting a plurality of courses of at least two separate threads, knitting both threads into each course thereof, knitting atleast one of said threads into alternate wales and floatingthe same across intervening wales and maintaining the same number of wales in said hand and tip portions, whereby said floats cause circumferential contraction of said tip portion.

.6. The method of automatically and continuously forming a seamless tubular mitten, which y consists in knitting in tubular form a wrist portion, knitting an integral handv portion, and then knitting a tip portion by' knitting a plurality of courses of at least two separate threads knitting both threads into each course thereof, knittingfat least one of said threads into predetermined Wales y in the same course and floatingl the same across intervening wales in said course, and maintaining the same number of .wales in said hand and tip portions, whereby said floats cause circumferential contraction of said tip portion.

'7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein one of the threads knit into said tip portion is of finer count than the other.

8. A seamless tubular knit nutten having a hand portion and a tip portion formed respectively of different types of knitting, each course in the tip portion having both a stitch and a iloat in every Wale, there being the same number of wales in said hand and tip portions, said floats causing circumferential contraction of said tip portion.

' f ALLISON C. MILLS.

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