Method of making joined fabric

Abstract: A method for making a joined fabric, characterised in that, with respect to a first fabric (20) formed by knitting with needles arranged in a predetermined section of a needle bed and which fabric has been rendered inoperative, at every knitting of one course of a second fabric (10) formed by knitting with needles arranged in another section of the needle bed, endmost loops of said course closest to said fabric rendered inoperative and endmost loops of the fabric rendered inoperative are overlapped by racking successively at every knitting of a predetermined number of courses in the second fabric, and then next course knitting loops are passed through the thus-overlapped loops to join the first and second fabrics together. In this way one can knit together two fabrics which have wales in different directions, e.g. wristbands of sweaters and leg-bands of shorts.

Description: The present invention relates to a method of making a flat knitted fabric comprising first and second fabrics joined together with crossed wales, using a flat knitting machine. In the manufacture of products using knitted fabrics, it is extremely common to select fabrics which are different in terms of weave, yarn, etc. and to use them in various parts of the end product. For example, in the case of a sweater, an elastic fabric is used for the wristband portion, while a strong fabric is used for the arm-hole portion, in comparison with the fabrics used for the body and sleeve. Heretofore, these fabric portions have been made separately by knitting and have then been combined together by suitable means such as sewing and linking. When these fabric portions are contiguous with each other, for example when at the wristband portion first a sleeve is formed by plain stitch knitting and subsequently a wristband is formed by rib stitch knitting, the knitting operations can be done in a continuous manner using the same knitting machine. However, this cannot be done in the case where the fabrics to be joined together are different in terms of the direction of the wales. Heretofore, in knitting a wristband of a vest or a gusset of the crotch portion of tights or pants and in order that the loops of such wristband or gusset and the loops of the main fabric portion may be joined together in perpendicular course directions, it has been necessary to attach a wristband or gusset prepared separately from the main fabric portion and to sew it in the said directions after knitting. However, the necessity for such work inevitably leads to an increase in the number of steps and an increase in the manufacturing cost. In addition, since the gusset of the crotch portion is also attached in the above step, the joined portion is inevitably poor in extensibility, with the result that the product which is obtained is not comfortable and seams sometimes become unravelled when the wearer takes violent exercise. US-A-3636733 describes a method of knitting a sleeved garment where front and rear upper body portions of the garment are joined to shoulder portions of the sleeves during knitting. However, the shoulder portions of the sleeves are not connected with the front and rear upper body portions along an end course of the sleeves. Instead side end loops of a plurality of adjacent sleeve courses are overlapped with a corresponding number of side end loops from body portion courses. EP-A-0460915, published after the relevant application date of this application, describes a method of connecting parts of a knitted item where the need for sewing parts together is reduced. This is achieved similar to the method of US-A-3 636 733 by the overlapping of stitch loops on the respective parts. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method which permits the continuous knitting together of two kinds of fabric which are different in wale direction. In accordance with the invention there is provided a method of joining a first fabric and a second fabric by connecting them each to a third fabric to form a unitary knitted fabric, characterised by the steps of: knitting the first fabric using needles of a first portion of a needle bed to an end course to be connected with the third fabric; knitting the second fabric using needles of a second portion of a needle bed to an end course to be connected with the third fabric; and knitting the third fabric, comprising a front fabric and a back fabric of first and second yarns respectively, using needles arranged between the first portion and the second portion of a front needle bed and a back needle bed, in which the front fabric is knitted overlapping a side end loop of the end course of each of the first and second fabrics upon the endmost loop of the third fabric adjacent to the first fabric and second fabric respectively, and supplying a first yarn to a needle of the front needle bed to pass a loop through the overlapped loop and to form the front fabric of the third fabric, and in which the back fabric is knitted overlapping a side end loop of the end course of each of the first and second fabrics upon the endmost loop of the third fabric adjacent to the first fabric and second fabric respectively, and supplying a second yarn to a needle of the back needle bed to pass a loop through the overlapped loop and to form the back fabric of the third fabric. Other features of the invention are set out in the dependent claims 2 to 4. In order that the invention may be fully understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1 and 2 are front views of a vest and of a pair of shorts respectively, capable of being formed by knitting according to the method of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a design diagram of loops as seen from the inside of a first fabric and a second fabric which has been subjected to course knitting to a slight extent, according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a design diagram showing an advanced state of knitting of the said fabrics; Figs. 5-1 to 5-17 are successive, step by step, knitting diagrams showing fabric loops engaged with needles on front and back needle beds as well as the yarn feeding state; following Fig. 5-17 is a key diagram to explain the symbols used; Fig. 6a is a perspective view typically showing in what state the leg bands of the shorts shown in Fig. 2 are attached by knitting to a gusset portion; and Fig. 6b is a perspective view showing the leg bands and the gusset portion which have been made integrally with each other. According to the method of the present invention, with respect to two kinds of fabric which are different in wale direction, the two can be knitted integrally with the wales lying in different directions by means of a flat knitting machine. For example, the method of the invention can be utilised in the knitting of edge portions of items of clothing such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 6a there are shown leg bands and a gusset of the shorts illustrated in Fig. 2. In the method of the present invention, first fabric pieces 10 which constitute annular leg bands and a second fabric piece 20 which constitutes a gusset under the crotch can be formed integrally during the knitting of the gusset. Since the first and second fabric pieces 10, 20 are formed using two or four beds of a flat knitting machine, the wales of both fabrics are arranged vertically in the Figure. As indicated by arrows in Fig. 6a, in an overlapped state of the first fabric pieces 10 with course ends of the second fabric piece 20, knitting is performed successively from the set-up course to the next course in the second fabric 20, thereby knitting the first and second fabrics with the wales in a crossed state, as shown in Fig. 6b. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The apparatus for practising the method of the present invention can be a flat knitting machine having two or four needle beds, as mentioned above, but the following description will refer to the use of a flat knitting machine having two needle beds. As examples of a joined fabric obtained by joining two kinds of fabric by the present invention there are various such fabrics, including the sweater shoulder portion shown in Fig. 1 and the leg band portion of a pair of shorts or the like shown in Fig. 2. As an example, knitting of the leg band portion of the shorts will be described below. As shown in Fig. 2, the shorts indicated at 1 comprise front and back fabrics 2, 3 which are connected to each other by a gusset 4, as well as left and right leg bands 5, 6 which are formed around the peripheral edges of leg holes. According to the method of the present invention, the left and right leg bands 5, 6 are first knitted. Then, in knitting the gusset 4, loops of the leg bands 5 and 6 already formed are knitted into the gusset 4 to obtain an integral article. Figs. 3 and 4 show related designs. In the illustrated embodiment, yarn 7 which has been used for knitting the left leg band 5 is used for knitting the front fabric (including the gusset 4), while yarn 8 which has been used for knitting the right leg band 6 is used for knitting the back fabric 3 (including the gusset 4). The knitting process will now be described with reference to Fig. 5. In this description, each part is constituted using a smaller number of needles than the number of needles actually used. In knitting the shorts 1, the left and right leg bands 5, 6 are knitted beforehand as the first fabric pieces 10. The left leg band 5 is circulated in the clockwise direction by needles B, D, ..., H on a back bed B side and needles G, E, ..., A on a front bed F side, while the right leg band 6 is circulated in the counterclockwise direction by needles Z, X, ..., T on the back bed B side and needles S, U, ..., Y on the front bed F side, to effect knitting of predetermined courses in cylindrical form. In this case, a knitting end position is assumed to be the needle position closest to the gusset 4 in each of the two leg bands. Fig. 5-1 shows an arrangement of fabric loops engaged with needles on the front and rear beds in a completed state of knitting of both leg bands 5 and 6. Next, the gusset 4 is knitted. Yarn is fed to every other needle I, K, ..., Q, on the front bed F side and also to every other needle J, L, ..., R on the back bed B side, and knitting of a set-up course " 1 ○ " in the gusset 4 is performed (Fig. 5-2). As the yarn to be fed, the yarn 7 which has been used for knitting the left leg band is used as it is. Next, a course " 2 ○ " in the front fabric 2 is knitted in plain stitch using the same yarn 7 and using needles Q, O, ..., I on the front bed F side (Fig. 5-3). For knitting a course " 3 ○ " in the back fabric 3, the yarn 8 which has been used in knitting the right leg band 6 is fed as it is, and there is performed knitting in plain stitch using needles R, P, ..., J on the back bed B side (Fig. 5-4). By the above operations one has knitted three fabrics which are the left and right leg bands 5, 6 and the courses " 2 ○ ", " 3 ○ " which follow the set-up course " 1 ○ " of the gusset 4. Next, both-end course loops in the gusset 4 and loops of the leg bands are overlapped together and thereafter the knitting of the gusset 4 is continued. More specifically, the loops engaged with needles A, C, ..., G on the front bed F side which have been allowed to rest after cylindrical knitting are transferred to needles A, C, ..., G on the back bed B side (Fig. 5-5). Also, the loops engaged with needles T, V, ..., Z on the back bed B side which have been allowed to rest after cylindrical knitting are transferred to needles T, V, ..., Z on the front bed F side (Fig. 5-6). In this state, the back bed B is racked to the right by a distance corresponding to two needles, so that needles A, B, ..., X on the back bed B and needles C, D, ..., Z on the front bed F oppose each other (Fig. 5-7). Then, the loops of the left leg band which have been transferred to needles A, C, ..., G on the back bed B and allowed to rest in the front fabric are transferred back to needles C, E, ..., I on the front bed F. As a result, the loops which have been engaged with needles A, C, ..., G on the front bed F and allowed to rest in the front fabric move to adjacent needles C, E, ..., I, and hence the loop g which has been engaged with the needle G becomes overlapped with the loop i engaged with the needle I in the crotch portion (Fig. 5-8). Likewise, the loops of the right leg band which have been transferred to needles T, V, ..., Z on the front bed F side and allowed to rest in the back fabric 3 are transferred back to needles R, T, ..., X on the back bed B side. As a result, the loops which have been allowed to rest in the back fabric and engaged with needles T, V, ..., Z on the back bed B side move to adjacent needles, and hence the loop t which has been engaged with the needle T becomes overlapped with the loop r engaged with the needle R in the crotch portion (Fig. 5-9). Next, racking is reversed so that the needles A to Z on the front and back beds F, B are opposed to each other, and the loops of the left leg band which have been allowed to rest in the back fabric and are engaged with needles B, D, ..., H on the back bed B side are transferred to needles B, D, ..., H on the front bed F side (Fig. 5-10). Further, the loops of the right leg band which have been allowed to rest in the front fabric and are engaged with needles S, U, ..., Y on the front bed F side are transferred to needles S, U, ..., Y on the back bed B side (Fig. 5-11). In this state, the back bed B is racked to the left by a distance corresponding to two needles, so that needles A, B, ..., X on the front bed F and needles C, D, ..., Z on the back bed B oppose each other. Then, the loops of the left leg band which have been transferred to needles B, D, ..., H on the front bed F and allowed to rest in the back fabric are transferred back to needles D, F, ..., J on the back bed B. As a result, the loops which have been allowed to rest in the back fabric and engaged with needles B, D, ..., H on the back bed B side move to adjacent needles D, F, ..., J, and hence the loop h which has been engaged with the needle H becomes overlapped with the loop j engaged with the needle J (Fig. 5-12). Likewise, the loops of the right leg band which have been transferred to needles S, U, ..., Y on the back bed B side and allowed to rest in the front fabric are transferred back to needles Q, S, ..., W on the front bed F side. As a result, the loops which have been allowed to rest in the front fabric and engaged with needles S, U, ..., Y on the front bed F side move to adjacent needles Q, S, ..., W, and hence the loop s engaged with the needle S becomes overlapped with the loop g engaged with the needle Q in the crotch portion (Fig. 5-13). Subsequent courses "4 ○", " 5 ○" , "6 ○" are also knitted in the same manner as for the knitting of the courses " 2 ○", "3 ○" (Figs. 5-14 to 5-16). After the knitting shown in Fig. 5-16 has been completed, the knitting operation returns to Fig. 5-4 and is repeated, provided at every cycle point the loops which have been allowed to rest are connected to the crotch portion (a related knitting diagram is omitted). In this embodiment stitches are moved and joined at every two knitting courses, but this can be effected because the loop pitch in the wale direction and that in the course direction are well balanced. If the respective weaves are changed and the balance is lost, this condition can be remedied by changing the number of courses accordingly. The above knitting operation of the gusset has been conducted without changing the knitting width of the gusset portion, but when the section knitting of the gusset has been completed and a shift is made to the section knitting in the front and back fabrics, the spacing between the two leg bands must be increased gradually during the period after the said shift until one reaches the cylindrical fabric of the belly. In this case, the other leg band portions than the portions thereof joined to the gusset portion are retained by needles. In this state, the knitting width of the gusset is increased and the loops at both course ends and the leg band loops are overlapped and knitted together, so that the belly and the leg bands become integral with each other. Thus, in the knitting of the gusset portion, the loops of the leg bands which have been allowed to rest are overlapped with end loops in the gusset portion by racking, while in the knitting of the belly portion, by increasing the number of stitches of the fabric located between the leg bands, the course end loops of that fabric and the loops of the leg bands which have been allowed to rest are knitted together. With the method of the invention fabrics which are different in terms of the wale direction can be knitted continuously in the knitting process. For example in manufacturing an article of clothing by knitting, it is possible to effect an end processing for wristband portions, pull-on openings and other openings as well as knitting of the gusset in the crotch portion, whereby fabrics which do not require a sewing step after knitting can be obtained, and hence it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost. Also, in each connection of the fabrics, the respective loops cross each other in perpendicular course directions, so it is possible to obtain a novel joined fabric which has previously not been obtainable. Furthermore, in the case where the method of the present invention is utilised for end processing, a stronger and more elastic fabric can be obtained by using a thicker yarn than the yarn used in the base stitch portion, and a more fashionable fabric can be obtained comprising portions of various colours by feeding yarns which are different in colour from the base stitch portion.

Claims: A method of joining a first fabric (5) and a second fabric (6) by connecting them each to a third fabric (4) to form a unitary knitted fabric, characterised by the steps of: knitting the first fabric (5) using needles of a first portion of a needle bed to an end course to be connected with the third fabric (4); knitting the second fabric (6) using needles of a second portion of a needle bed to an end course to be connected with the third fabric (4); and knitting the third fabric (4), comprising a front fabric (2) and a back fabric (3) of first (7) and second (8) yarns respectively, using needles arranged between the first portion and the second portion of a front needle bed and a back needle bed, in which the front fabric (2) is knitted overlapping a side end loop of the end course of each of the first and second fabrics upon the endmost loop of the third fabric (4) adjacent to the first fabric and second fabrics respectively, and supplying a first yarn to a needle of the front needle bed to pass a loop through the overlapped loop and to form the front fabric (2) of the third fabric (4), and in which the back fabric (3) is knitted overlapping a side end loop of the end course of each of the first and second fabrics upon the endmost loop of the third fabric (4) adjacent to the first fabric and second fabric respectively, and supplying a second yarn to a needle of the back needle bed to pass a loop through the overlapped loop and to form the back fabric (3) of the third fabric (4). A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the third fabric (4) is knitted from a starting course (1) extending in opposite directions so that the front fabric (2) and the back fabric (3) are formed continuously from the starting course in the overlapped condition. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a loop of the end course of the first or second fabric (5,6) which is adjacent to the third fabric (4) is overlapped with a loop of the third fabric (4) by the steps of: transferring the loop of the first fabric (5) on the front needle bed to an empty needle on the back needle bed, and transferring the loop of the second fabric (6) on the back needle bed to an empty needle on the front needle bed; racking the needle beds so that a loop of the first fabric (5) adjacent to the third fabric (4) and a loop of the third fabric (4) respectively confront one of the loops of the end portions of the third fabric (4); returning the loop of the first fabric (5) transferred to the back needle bed and the loop of the second fabric (6) transferred to the front needle bed to the original position; transferring a loop of the first fabric (5) on the back needle bed to an empty needle on the front needle bed and transferring a loop of the second fabric (6) on the front needle bed to an empty needle on the back needle bed; racking the needle beds so that a loop of the first fabric (5) adjacent to the third fabric (4) and a loop of the second fabric (6) adjacent to the third fabric (4) respectively confront one of the loops of the end portions of the third fabric (4); and returning the loop of the first fabric (5) transferred to the front needle bed and the loop of the second fabric (6) transferred to the back needle bed to the original position. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the first fabric (5) and the second fabric (6) are cylindrical.

Inventors: SHIMA MASAHIRO, SHIMA, MASAHIRO
Applicants: SHIMA SEIKI MFG, SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: D04B1
IPC codes: A41B9, D04B1