Double knit terry fabric with sculptural design

Abstract

A multi-color, knitted, sculpted, terry fabric is formed with two yarns on a circular double knitting machine having cylinder and dial needles by forming a ground layer by actuating the dial needles to engage both yarns, and by selectively actuating the cylinder needles to engage one or both yarns to form pile loops, or neither yarn to form no pile loops. The cylinder needles are opened upon actuation by operation of a latch opening mechanism that is moveable and biased towards an engaging position. The fabric may be held down as the cylinder needles actuate by a hold down bar. Multi-color, three-dimensional, non-repeating patterns may be formed in the fabric by using yarns of different color, and by selectively forming regions having no pile, pile loops of the first yarn, pile loops of the second yarn, and/or pile loops of both yarns.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.