Patent ID: 6079232
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: D04B,Y02P

Abstract:
A widening method using a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of parallel needle beds, each pair of parallel needle beds including a front needle bed and a rear needle bed facing said front needle bed, each of the front and rear needle beds has a first end and a second end and includes a plurality of needles thereon, at least one of said front and rear needle beds is shiftable laterally relative to the pair of needle beds, wherein a new loop of yarn is formed on a widening needle, said widening needle being at least one empty needle of the plurality of needles of the front and rear needle beds within a knitting range of a knitted fabric, said widening method comprising the following steps:a: moving a yarn feeder beyond the widening needle in a first direction from the first ends of the front and rear needle beds toward the second ends of the front and rear needle beds, and during the moving of the yarn feeder, feeding yarn to at least one needle of the plurality of needles before said widening needle along said first direction and holding a first loop to form at least one first new loop, and feeding yarn to another needle of the plurality of needles, said another needle being positioned proximate to and after the widening needle along said first direction and holding a second loop to form a second new loop;b: reversing and moving the yarn feeder in a second direction from the second ends of the front and rear needle beds toward the first ends and feeding yarn to said widening needle to form a third new loop; andc: reversing the yarn feeder again to move alone said first direction, and during the moving of the yarn feeder feeding yarn to remaining needles of said plurality of needles holding fourth loops for forming fourth new loops, said remaining needles holding fourth loops having a further needle located as following said another needle along said first direction and holding one of said fourth loops.