US 4,409,800 A · Method of and apparatus for knitting cut-pile fabric

Abstract

A process and apparatus for producing knitted cut-pile fabric on a conventional circular knitting machine having a cylinder containing conventional latch needles and a dial containing dial elements each having a hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced from the hook and a yarn supporting surface extending therebetween, each dial element being radially movable between adjacent cylinder needles. Body yarn is progressively fed to the cylinder needles and pile yarn is progressively fed to the needles and the dial elements, the needles and dial elements being manipulated to form stitches of body yarn on the needles, to associate the pile yarn in the stitches and form pile loops on the dial elements, and to cast-off the needles the associated stitches and pile yarn to anchor the pile yarn in the stitches. The pile loops are retained and distended on the dial elements with their hooks and, subsequent to the casting off of the associated stitches and pile yarn, the dial elements are manipulated to advance their cutting edges against the retained pile loops, thereby cutting the pile loops to form cut-pile ends. A presser bar is provided for clamping the retained pile loops against the outer circumferential surface of the dial during the cutting thereof by the dial elements. A guide wire is also provided to guide the cut pile ends progressively radially inwardly of the cylinder after the cutting thereof. A fabric may be produced having alternate courses formed in loops in alternate wales and float stitches across intermediate wales, and intermediate courses formed in loops in intermediate wales and float stitches across alternate wales with cut ends of the pile loop forming yarn projecting from the fabric face from each side of each alternate and intermediate course loop.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A method of knitting a cut-pile fabric on a circular knitting machine having a circle of movable knitting needles and a circle of yarn cutting elements movable transversely of and between said needles, each said yarn cutting element having a yarn engaging hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced from said hook and a non-cutting yarn supporting surface extending therebetween, said method comprising progressively feeding body yarn to said needles and feeding pile yarn to said needles and cutting elements, and progressively manipulating said needles and cutting elements respectively transversely to engage and manipulate said body and pile yarns to form knit fabric courses having stitches of said body yarn, having said pile yarn associated and anchored in said body yarn stitches, and having pile loops of said pile yarn extending therefrom, each said manipulating including forming stitches of said body yarn on said needles, associating said pile yarn with said body yarn stitches and forming pile loops of said pile yarn on said cutting elements, and casting off said needles said body yarn stitches and said associated pile yarn to anchor said pile yarn in said body yarn stitches while distending and retaining said pile loops on said cutting elements with said hooks thereof, and, periodically during said feeding and manipulating, further manipulating said cutting elements transversely of said needles to cause said cutting edges of said cutting elements to sever said retained pile loops subsequent to the casting off of said pile yarn and said body yarn stitches in which said pile yarn is anchored thereby to form cut pile ends.

A method of knitting a cut-pile fabric on a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stations and using pile loop forming and cutting dial elements movable radially between cylinder knitting needles, each said dial element having a yarn engaging hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced radially inwardly of said hook, and a non cutting yarn supporting surface extending therebetween, said method comprising:

(a) at one of said knitting stations, manipulating said dial elements to position at least some of said dial elements radially outwardly between said needles at a yarn receiving position and feeding a yarn for forming pile loops to at least some of said needles above said yarn supporting surfaces of said some dial elements while simultaneously feeding a yarn for forming fabric base loops to said some needles below said some elements;
(b) manipulating said some needles to knit said yarns in plating relationship to form plated needle loops of said pile loop forming yarn and said fabric base loop forming yarn while forming pile loops of said pile loop forming yarn on said yarn supporting surfaces of said some dial elements;
(c) withdrawing said some dial elements radially inwardly between said needles from said yarn receiving position to a pile loop retaining position for distending said pile loops and retaining said pile loops on said some dial elements with said hooks thereof;
then
(d) at another of said knitting stations, feeding at least another yarn to said some needles and manipulating said some needles to knit needle loops of said another yarn to cast said needle loops of said pile loop forming yarn and said fabric base loop forming yarn off said some needles;
and then
(e) after said needle loops have been cast-off said some needles, further manipulating said some dial elements radially outwardly to a yarn cutting position radially outwardly of said yarn receiving position to cut said retained pile loops against the yarn cutting edges of said some dial elements to form cut pile ends.

4 more elements

A method of knitting a cut pile fabric on a circular knitting machine having at least two knitting stations and using pile loop forming and cutting dial elements radially movable between cylinder knitting needles, a pair of said dial elements being radially movable between each pair of adjacent cylinder needles and each said dial element having a yarn engaging hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced radially inward of said hook, and a non-cutting yarn supporting surface extending therebetween, said method comprising:

(a) at one of said knitting stations, manipulating said dial elements to position the first dial element of each said pair of dial elements radially outward between said needles at a yarn receiving position and feeding a first yarn for forming pile loops to said needles above said yarn supporting surfaces of said first dial elements while simultaneously feeding a first yarn for forming fabric base loops to said needles below said first dial elements;
(b) manipulating said needles to knit said first yarns in plating relationship to form plated needle loops of said first pile loop forming yarn and said first base loop forming yarn while forming first pile loops of said first pile loop forming yarn on said yarn supporting surfaces of said first dial elements;
(c) withdrawing said first dial elements radially inwardly between said needles from said yarn receiving position to a pile loop retaining position for distending said first pile loops and retaining said first pile loops on said first dial elements with the hooks thereof while:
(1) at the knitting station following said one knitting station, manipulating said dial elements to position the second dial element of each said pair of dial elements radially outwardly between said needles at said yarn receiving position and feeding a succeeding pile loop forming yarn to said needles above said yarn supporting surfaces of said second dial elements and simultaneously feeding a succeeding fabric base loop forming yarn to said needles below said second dial elements, and
(2) manipulating said needles to knit said succeeding yarns in plating relationship to form plated needle loops of said succeeding pile loop forming yarn and said succeeding fabric base loop forming yarn while forming succeeding pile loops of said succeeding pile loop forming yarn on said yarn supporting surfaces of said second dial elements thereby casting off said needles said needle loops of said first pile loop forming yarn;
then
(d) further manipulating said first dial elements radially outwardly to a yarn cutting position radially outwardly of said yarn receiving position to cut said retained first pile loops against said first dial element yarn cutting edges to form cut pile ends;
and
(e) in each succeeding fabric forming cycle of steps, the additional steps of
(1) at said one knitting station, withdrawing said second dial elements radially inwardly between said needles to said pile loop retaining position for distending said succeeding pile loops and retaining said succeeding pile loops on said second dial elements with the hooks thereof during said feeding and knitting of said first pile loop forming yarn and said first fabric base loop forming yarn, and
(2) thereafter and prior to said feeding of said succeeding pile loop forming yarn and said succeeding fabric base loop forming yarn, further manipulating said second dial elements radially outwardly to said yarn cutting position to cut said succeeding pile loops retained thereon against said second dial element yarn cutting edges to form cut pile ends.

8 more elements

A method of knitting a cut-pile fabric on a circular knitting machine having at least four knitting stations and using pile loop forming and cutting dial elements radially movable between cylinder knitting needles, one dial element being radially movable between each pair of adjacent cylinder needles and each said dial element having a yarn engaging hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced radially inwardly of said hook, and a non-cutting yarn supporting surface extending therebetween, said method comprising:

(a) at one of said knitting stations, manipulating said dial elements to position each alternate dial element radially outwardly between said needles at a yarn receiving position and feeding a first yarn for forming pile loops to alternate needles above said yarn supporting surface of said alternate dial elements while simultaneously feeding a first yarn for forming fabric base loops to said alternate needles below said alternate dial elements;
(b) manipulating said alternate needles to knit said first yarns in plating relationship to form plated needle loops of said first pile loop forming yarn and said first fabric base loop forming yarn while forming first pile loops of said first pile loop forming yarn on said yarn supporting surfaces of said alternate dial elements;
(c) retaining said first pile loops on said yarn supporting surfaces of said alternate dial elements while:
(1) at the first knitting station following said one knitting station, feeding a second pile loop forming yarn to intermediate needles above said yarn supporting surfaces of said alternate dial elements and simultaneously feeding a second fabric base loop forming yarn to said intermediate needles below said alternate dial elements, and
(2) manipulating said intermediate needles to knit said second yarns in plating relationship to form plated needle loops of said second pile loop forming yarn and said second fabric base loop forming yarn while forming second pile loops of said second pile loop forming yarn on said yarn supporting surfaces of said alternate dial elements;
(d) withdrawing said alternate dial elements radially inwardly between said needles from said yarn receiving position to a pile loop retaining position for distending said first and second pile loops and retaining said first and second pile loops on said alternate dial elements with the hooks thereof while:
(1) at the second knitting station following said one knitting station, manipulating said dial elements to position each intermediate dial element radially outwardly between said needles at said yrn receiving position and feeding a third pile loop forming yarn to said alternate needles above said yarn supporting surfaces of said intermediate dial elements and simultaneously feeding a third fabric base loop forming yarn to said alternate needles below said intermediate dial elements, and
(2) manipulating said alternate needles to knit said third yarns in plating relationship to form plated needle loops of said third pile loop forming yarn and said third fabric base loop forming yarn while forming third pile loops of said third pile loop forming yarn on said yarn supporting surfaces of said intermediate dial elements thereby casting-off said needle loops of said first pile loop forming yarn from said alternate needles;
(e) maintaining said alternate dial elements withdrawn at said pile loop retaining position for retaining said first pile loops and said second pile loops on said alternate dial elements and retaining said third pile loops on said yarn supporting surfaces of said intermediate dial elements while:
(1) at the third knitting station following said one knitting station, feeding a fourth pile loop forming yarn to said intermediate needles above said yarn supporting surfaces of said intermediate dial elements and simultaneously feeding a fourth fabric base loop forming yarn to said intermediate needles below said intermediate dial elements, and
(2) manipulating said intermediate needles to knit said fourth yarns in plating relationship to form plated needle loops of said fourth pile loop forming yarn and said fourth fabric base loop forming yarn while forming fourth pile loops of said fourth pile loop forming yarn on said yarn supporting surfaces of said intermediate dial elements thereby casting-off said needle loops of said second pile loop forming yarn from said intermediate needles;
(f) further manipulating said alternate dial elements radially outwardly to a yarn cutting position radially outwardly of said yarn receiving position to cut said retained first pile loops and said retained second pile loops against said alternate dial element yarn cutting edges to form cut pile ends;
and
(g) each succeeding fabric forming cycle of steps, the additional steps of
(1) at said one knitting station, withdrawing said intermediate dial elements radially inwardly between said needles from said yarn receiving position to said pile loop retaining position for distending said third and fourth pile loops and retaining said third and said fourth pile loops on said intermediate dial elements with the hooks thereof during said feeding and knitting of said first pile loop forming yarn and said first fabric base loop forming yarn and during said feeding and knitting of said second pile loop forming yarn and said second fabric base loop forming yarn, thereby casting-off said third and fourth pile loop forming yarns from said alternate and intermediate needles, and
(2) thereafter and prior to repeating said feeding of said third pile loop forming yarn and said third fabric base loop forming yarn further manipulating said intermediate dial elements redially outwardly to said yarn cutting position to cut said retained third pile loops and said retained fourth pile loops against said intermeidate dial element yarn cutting edges to form cut pile ends.

13 more elements

In a circular knitting machine of the type having two cooperative beds adapted for movable disposition therein of respective circles of knitting instruments and arranged for respective movement of each said circle of knitting instruments transversely of and between the other said circle, the improvement comprising:

(a) a plurality of knitting needles carried in one of said beds,
(b) a plurality of yarn cutting elements carried in the other of said beds, each said yarn cutting element having a yarn engaging hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced from said hook, and a non-cutting yarn supporting surface extending therebetween,
(c) means for progressively feeding a body yarn to said needles,
(d) means for progressively feeding a pile yarn to said needles and to said cutting elements,
(e) means for progressively manipulating said needles and said cutting elements respectively transversely to engage and manipulate said body and pile yarns to form knit fabric courses having stitches of said body yarn, having said pile yarn associated and anchored in said body yarn stitches, and having pile loops of said pile yarn extending therefrom, said manipulating means including means for manipulating said needles to form stitches of said body yarn thereon and for associating said pile yarn with said body yarn stitches, means for manipulating said cutting elements for formation of pile loops of said pile yarn thereon, means for manipulating said needles to cast off said needles said body yarn stitches and said associated pile yarn to anchor said pile yarn in said body yarn stitches and means for manipulating said cutting elements to distend and retain said pile loops on said cutting elements with said hooks thereof, and
(f) means operable periodically for further manipulating said cutting elements transversely of said needles subsequent to said casting off of said body yarn stitches and said associated pile yarn from said needles to cause said cutting edges of said cutting elements to sever said retained pile loops thereon thereby to form cut-pile ends.

3 more elements

In a circular knitting machine of the type having a needle cylinder and a dial and a plurality of knitting stations, the improvement comprising:

(a) a plurality of knitting needles carried by said needle cylinder;
(b) a plurality of pile loop forming and cutting dial elements carried by said dial for radial movement between said cylinder needles, each said dial element having a yarn engaging hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced radially inwardly of said hook, and a non-cutting yarn supporting surface extending therebetween;
(c) means at each said knitting station for feeding yarn to said needles, said yarn feeding means including means at at least one of said knitting stations for feeding a yarn for forming pile loops to said needles above said yarn suporting surfaces of said dial elements while simultaneously feeding a yarn for forming fabric base loops to said needles below said dial elements;
(d) means for manipulating at least some of said dial elements at said one knitting station radially outwardly to a yarn receiving position;
(e) means for manipulating at least some of said needles at said one knitting station to knit said pile loop forming yarn and said fabric base loop forming yarn in plating relationship to form plated needle loops of said pile loop forming yarn and said fabric base loop forming yarn, and to form pile loops of said pile loop forming yarn on said yarn supporting surfaces of said some dial elements;
(f) means at a subsequently following knitting station for withdrawing said some dial elements radially inwardly between said needles from said yarn receiving position to a pile loop retaining position to distend and retain said pile loops on said some dial elements with the hooks thereof;
(g) means at said subsequently following knitting station for manipulating said some needles to knit additional needle loops to cast off said some needles said needle loops of said pile loop forming yarn;
and
(h) means following said subsequently following knitting station but prior to any succeeding pile loop forming knitting station for manipilating said some dial elements radially outwardly to a yarn cutting position radially outwardly of said yarn receiving position to cut said pile loops against the yarn cutting edges of said some dial elements to form cut pile ends after said needle loops of said pile loop forming yarn have been cast off said needles.

6 more elements

(a) a plurality of knitting needles carried in one of said beds,
(b) a plurality of yarn cutting elements carried in the other of said beds, each said yarn cutting element having a yarn supporting surface adjacent a yarn cutting edge,
(c) means for progressively feeding a body yarn to said needles,
(d) means for progressively feeding a pile yarn to said needles and to said cutting elements,
(e) means for progressively manipulating said needles and said cutting elements respectively transversely to engage and manipulate said body and pile yarns to form knit fabric courses having stitches of said body yarn, having said pile yarn associated in said body yarn stitches and having pile loops of said pile yarn extending therefrom, said manipulating means including means for manipulating said needles to form stitches of said body yarn thereon and to associate said pile yarn with said body yarn stitches, and means for manipulating said cutting elements for formation of pile loops of said pile yarn thereon,
(f) means periodically operable for further manipulating of said cutting elements transversely of said needles to cause said cutting edges of said cutting elements to sever said pile loops to form cut-pile ends, and
(g) means for clamping said pile loops against movement relative to said needles during manipulation of said cutting elements to sever said pile loops to maintain said pile loops in effective position for severance thereof by said cutting edges of said cutting elements.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of and apparatus for knitting cut-pile fabric

Life of this patent

Method of and apparatus for knitting cut-pile fabric

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40