Method of producing double-knit fabric having additional fleece threads incorporated into one face or both faces thereof

A method for producing double-knit fabrics from a backing yarn and at least one additional yarn on a circular knitting machine having first and second sets of needles which method comprises successively feeding at least one additional yarn and at least one backing yarn to both sets of needles;

• retracting the needles of a first set of needles for stitch formation after said backing yarn has been fed to said needles of said first and second sets of needles;
• simultaneously holding at least predetermined ones of needles of a second set of needles inn a feeding position with said backing yarn in their hooks, thereby preventing said needles of said second set of needles from stitch formation;
• thereafter raising at least said needles of said first set of needles into tucking position;
• and thereby engaging said additional yarn by said needles of said first set of needles;
• whereby all or predetermined ones of said needles of said first set of needles are only raised into tuck position in order to prevent the stitch of said backing yarn on said needles of said first set of needles to slide on the needle shaft behind the needle latch and to cause said additional yarn to form tuck loops instead of stitches after retraction of said needles into cast-off position.

A method of producing an improved double-knit fabric comprising a backing fabric having additional threads incorporated in at least one face thereof, using a first and second group of needles wherein the first and second groups of needles each have first and second sets of needles, said method comprising the steps of:

• raising said first set of needles within said first group of needles to a clearing position;
• raising the second set of needles in said first group of needles into a tuck position;
• raising said first set of needles in said second group of needles to a clearing position;
• thereafter feeding a backing yarn to at least the first set of needles in said first and second groups of needles;
• subsequently feeding at least one additional yarn to said first and second sets of needles within said first group of needles;
• retracting said first and second sets of needles within said first group of needles so as to form stitches on said first set of needles from the backing yarn and said at least one additional yarn while simultaneously forming tuck loops from said additional yarn on said second set of needles;
• retracting said first set of needles within said second group of needles so as to form stitches of said backing yarn thereon;
• whereby the backing yarn is formed into stitches within said first and second groups of needles thereby forming a backing fabric while said at least one additional yarn is formed into alternating stitches and tuck loops within at least said first group of needles.

A method for producing an improved double-knit fabric from a backing fabric having additional yarns knit therewith on a circular knitting machine having a first and a second group of needles, said first and second groups of needles each having a first and second sets of needles, said method comprising the steps of positioning the first sets of needles within said first and second groups of needles into a clearing position, placing said second set of needles within said first group of needles into a tucking position but retracted slightly from the height of said first sets of needles of said first group of needles, feeding a backing yarn to said first sets of needles within said first and second groups of needles, subsequently, separately feeding a first additional yarn to said first set of needles and said second set of needles within said first group of needles, retracting the first group of needles for stitch formation in knock-over position after said backing yarn and said first additional yarn have been fed to said first and second groups of needles while simultaneously holding said first set of needles within said second group of needles in a feeding position with said backing yarn being in the hooks of said needles, thereby preventing said first set of needles within said second group of needles from forming stitches, thereafter raising said second set of needles within said first group of needles into a tuck position and then feeding a second additional yarn to said first set of needles within said second group of needles and to said second set of needles within said first group of needles, and subsequently retracting the first set of needles in said second group of needles and the second set of needles in said first group of needles so that a common stitch from backing and second additional yarn is knitted on the first set of needles in the second group of needles and an additional tuck loop is formed on the second set of needles of said first group of needles.