GB2197351A

GB2197351A - Knitted structure and a process for its production

Info

Publication number: GB2197351A
Application number: GB08621067A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Linda Catherine Whaley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-09-01
Filing date: 1986-09-01
Publication date: 1988-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2006-09-01
Also published as: GB8621067D0; GB2197351B

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for producing a knitted structure with a ribbed or rouched appearance, in which a contractible filament (solid line) and a non- contractible filament (broken line) are knitted on at least two knitting beds, the contractible and non-contractible filament both being knitted on a first bed, and the contractible filament being knitted on a further bed, wherein knitting of the contractible filament on the further bed is intermittently suspended to produce an elastic knitted structure without floats. The contractible filament may be elastic or shrinkable. A simplified embodiment is also disclosed without the intermittent suspension of knitting of the contractible filament. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Knitted structure and a process for its production he present invention concerns a knitted structure and a process for its production.

Knitting is a convenient way of forming a fabric from one or more filaments such as a yarn. Such fabrics are generally flat when produced by a mechanised process although hand knitted structures can have considerable structural embellishment. Moreover, although it is known to knit together elastic, shrinkable or other contractile fibres to form a knitted structure, such structures may loose their shape with time and use.

Floats, as understood in the art of knitting, are regions of unknitted filament lying upon the surface of a knitted structure. It is commonplace for such floats to be present on the rear surface of a knitted structure, such as in the Fair Isle knitting style.

British patent Specification GB 2151269 discloses a fabric material knitted from a contractive (ie, elastic or shrinkable) filament and a non-contractive filament, in which the contractive filament periodically floats over at least one stitch. This produces, on contraction of the contractive filament, a ribbed effect on one face of the fabric and floats on the other face. Other ribbed effects are disclosed in GB 634830, GB 1166273 and GB 2029468.

One disadvantage of structures which incorporate floats is that the filament comprising the floats may bb broken or entangled. This is particularly important when the knitted structure comprises a portion of a garment under which other garments are to be worn, whereupon zips, clips and/or buttons may become entangled in the float, and may cause damage to the garment.

The present invention seeks to provide a knitted structure which is ribbed or "rouched" by contraction of at least one type of fibre within the structure, but which does not have floats. The invention further seeks to provide a knitted structure which has improved wearing qualities and is resistant to shape changes with use, but which is elastic along at least the warpwise or weftwise direction.According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided, a process for producing a knitted structure, in which a contractible filament and a non-contractible filament are knitted on at least two knitting beds, the contractible and non-contractible filament both being knitted on a first bed, and the contractible filament being knitted on a further bed, wherein knitting of the contractible filament on the further bed is intermittently suspended to produce an elastic knitted structure without floats.

By knitting on at least two beds, and suspending the knitting of the contractible filament on the bed upon which the non-contractible filament is not being knitted, it is possible to produce a knitted structure in which no floats are present. Such a structure is elastic in two orthogonal directions, that is both in the "warpwise"and "weftwise" directions. No stitches which are active on either bed are missed.

Preferably, the intermittent suspension is periodic for a given portion of the further knitting bed.

By intermittently suspending knitting, by moving the needles on a portion of the further knitting bed out of their operative position in a periodic manner it is possible to obtain a knitted structure having a regular structural variation such as ribbing or puckering. Where the needles of differing portions of the further knitting bed are out of their operating positions at a given time while other needles are in their operative position, it is possible to obtain a striped structure, and by alternating or otherwise varying which portions are active or inactive it is possible to obtain a considerable number of different structures and textures, including checkerboard patterns, "tigerstripe" patterns and the like.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a knitted structure comprising a contractible filament and a non-contractible filament knitted such that upon one face of the structure there are ribs extending in a weftwise direction and spaced apart in a warpwise direction, and upon the other face of the structure there is a continuously knitted surface formed of the contractible filament.

Preferably the knitted structure comprises regions extending in a warpwise direction in which the continuously knitted surface formed of the contractible filament is absent, spaced apart by regions in which the continuously knitted surface formed of the contractible filament is present.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a knitted structure comprising a contractible filament and a noncontractible filament knitted such that there are ribs extending in a weftwise direction and spaced apart in a warpwise direction and the structure contains no floats.

In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the knitted structure further comprises one or more further filaments.

Such further filaments need not be stable once in a basic knitted structure as the elastic knitted structure of the present invention is sufficient to maintain the shape or form of an article formed from said structure, generally independently of the type of filament being employed.

The filaments employed in the present invention may comprise synthetic or natural filaments formed from stable and/or unstable materials including linen, chenille, mohair, cotton, wool and the like. Although it is generally intended that the filament should be a yarn or other spun fibre, the use of monofilamentous materials, such as nylon is not hereby excluded. Suitable contractible filaments include both elastic and shrinkable materials, or combinations of both. The knitted structure of the present invention may comprise the whole of an article manufactured with such a structure or a portion of such an article; the present invention extends to such articles.

In order that the present invention may be further understood, it will be illustrated by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein; Figure 1, shows the stages in forming a simple knitted structure according to the present invention, Figure 2, shows the stages in forming a complex knitted structure according to the present invention, and, Figures 3 and 4 are knitted structures according to the present invention.

Figure 1 shows in schematic form a doublebed knitting machine of the "double jersey" type. For indentification the upper bed is known as bed (I) and the lower bed as bed (II). In the examples the filament is a yarn. The contractible yarn is shown as a solid line and the non-contractible yarn as a broken line.

In course A, the contractible yarn is knitted across both beds. Normally this is a single course and is not repeated.

Bed (II) is then taken out of action, typically by the use of "holding cams", and the noncontractible yarn is knitted across bed (I) only to form course K During the knitting of course B the stitches formed in course A remain on the needles of bed II while extra rows are knitted only onto bed I. Course B may be knitted for a single course or may be repeated for a small number of courses.

The above cycle is continued as bed (II) is then brought back into action and the elastic yarn is knitted across both beds as in course A.

The build-up of rows of non-contractile yarn on bed (I) whilst holding the stitches on bed (II) forms a ribbed structure extending in a weftwise direction and spaced apart in a warpwise direction. Variations in the structure may be obtained by varying the number and relative proportions of A and B courses.

It should be noted that both the contractible and non-contractible yarns knit every stitch in their path and no floats are present in the structure.

Figure 2 shows a method of producing a more complex structure than that illustrated in figure 1. For indentification the upper bed is again known as bed (I) and the lower bed as bed (II).

In course A, the contractible yarn is knitted across both beds, however certain needles in bed (II) are out of action during the knitting of this course. This does not produce floats, but knits a single fabric on bed (I), where there are no corresponding active needles on bed (II) and a double fabric across both beds where active needles on both beds correspond. Normally this is a single course and is not repeated.

Bed (II) is then taken completely out of action, typically by the use of "holding cams", and the non-contractible yarn is knitted across bed (I) only to form course B as in the example illustrated with reference to figure 1.

Once again, the build-up of rows of noncontractile yarn on bed (I) whilst holding the stitches on bed (II) forms a ribbed structure.

However, the periodic inactivity of needles on bed (II) forms a further pattern variant comprising rouched regions extending in the weftwise direction.

Figures 3 and 4 show the front and back of two fabrics having structures according to the present invention. In both cases the direction of knitting is from the top to the bottom of the figure.

In figure 3 there is shown a knitted fabric comprising an elastic yarn and two alternating inelastic yarns of dark and light hue. There are two distinct types of structure and these are called "D" and "S".

In the D regions of the fabric there are ribs extending in a weftwise direction and spaced apart in a warpwise direction upon the front face of the structure, and upon the back face of the structure there is a continuously knitted surface formed of the contractible filament.

This is the structure according to the present invention.

In the S regions of the fabric there are no ribs in the knitted structure. Such S regions are formed as illustrated in figure 2, by the space-like periodic inactivity of needles on bed (II) and form a single fabric which comprises rouched regions extending in the weftwise direction.

In figure 4 there is shown a knitted fabric similar to that of figure 3, but in which the periodic inactivity of the needles is both space-like and time-like. This produces both weftwise and warpwise stripes.

Claims

1. A process for producing a knitted structure, in which a contractible filament and a non-contractible filament are knitted on at least two knitting beds, the contractible and non-contractible filament both being knitted on a first bed, and the contractible filament being knitted on a further bed, wherein knitting of the contractible filament on the further bed is intermittently suspended to produce an elastic knitted structure without floats.

2. A knitted structure comprising a contractible filament and a non-contractible filament knitted such that upon one face of the structure there are ribs extending in a weftwise direction and spaced apart in a warpwise di rection, and upon the other face of the structure there is a continuously knitted surface formed of the contractible filament.

3. A knitted structure comprising a contractible filament and a non-contractible filament knitted such that there are ribs extending in a weftwise direction and spaced apart in a warpwise direction and the structure contains no floats.

4. A process substantially as hereinbefore set forth as illustrated in and as described with reference to the accompanying figures.

5. A knitted structure substantially as hereinbefore set forth as illustrated in and as described with reference to the accompanying figures.