Method and apparatus for producing a knitted fabric interlaced with insert elements

A circular weft knitting machine comprising:

• A circular array of needles;
• a plurality of pairs of knitting feed stations disposed about said array of needles with relative circular movement therebetween during knitting of a basic knitted fabric;
• means for guiding warp insert elements between selected adjacent wales of said basic knitted fabric and for directing said warp insert elements inwardly and outwardly of said array of needles and said feed stations so that first and second knitting feed stations of each of said pairs of knitting feed stations are respectively interior and exterior of said warp insert elements;
• and
• at least one weft insert element feed station mounted outside of said array of said knitting needles in a circumferentially and radially fixed disposition with respect to each of said pairs of knitting feed stations to directly feed a weft insert element inwardly of said plane of said needles to cause said weft insert element to extend along the inside surface of said basic knitted fabric inwardly of said needles which are raised for said knitting at said first knitting feed station, whereby,
• said directing of said warp insert elements outside of said array of said knitting needles forming the next knitting course originating from said first knitting feed station interior of said warp insert elements secures said weft insert element between said warp insert elements and said basic knitted fabric.

A method of producing a fabric on a circular weft knitting machine having an array of knitting needles and a plurality of adjacent pairs of knitting feed stations with relative circular movement therebetween, said method comprising:

• feeding yarn from each one of said knitting feed stations for engagement by said knitting needles;
• knitting a basic knitting fabric;
• guiding warp insert elements between selected adjacent wales of said basic knitted fabric;
• directing said warp insert elements inwardly and outwardly of said array of said knitting needles during said knitting so that first of said adjacent pairs of said knitting feed stations is outwardly of said warp insert elements and a second of said adjacent pairs of said knitting feed stations is inwardly of said warp insert elements;
• and
• directly feeding a weft insert element from a fixed location circumferentially between said first and second knitting feed stations and radially outside of said array of said knitting needles to an interior surface of said basic knitted fabric inside of said knitting needles and depending inwardly therefrom to the interior of said knitting machine;
• securing said weft insert element between said warp insert element and said interior surface of said basic knitted fabric by said knitting at said second knitting feed station after said feeding of said weft insert element.