Method and machine for forming plush-loop warp knit fabric

In a warp knitting machine operative for producing patterned plush-loop warp knit fabric, in combination, means for forming a ground fabric, including a row of hooked knitting needles, means cooperating with the knitting needles for feeding knitting thread onto the needles and forming the interlaced adjacent wales of a ground fabric, and means for inlaying inlay thread into the ground fabric;

• a row of plush bars located intermediate adjoining needles;
• a respective set of pile-thread guiders for each needle of the row of needles, the pile-thread guiders of each such set being individually displaceable between a non-selected position and a selected position;
• and a guide-comb structure operative for maintaining separation between the pile threads of selected pile-thread guiders and the pile threads of non-selected pile-thread guiders, the guide comb structure being mounted for shogging motion in the direction in which successive needles of the needle row are spaced one from the next and also for lifting and lowering motion in a direction generally perpendicular to the general plane defined by the row of needles, the guide-comb structure having a series of blades defining first inter-blade gaps alternating with second inter-blade gaps, the first inter-blade gaps serving to guide pile threads from the pile-thread guiders to the fabric produced, the guide-comb structure being so located relative to the row of needles and relative to the selected and non-selected positions or the pile-thread guiders that non-selected pile threads pass through the first inter-blade gaps at one location in the first gaps whereas the selected pile threads pass through the first inter-blade gaps at another location in the first gaps, the knitting needles when moving from cast-off to extended position passing through the second gaps of the guide-comb structure;
• and a pile-thread-laying bar provided with pile-thread-laying members mounted to pass through the inter-blade gaps of the guide comb structure and lay the selected pile threads into the hooks of the needles.