Method and tubular band with a separable portion for carrying out quick overlocking

Abstract: A method of making quick overlockings comprises the steps of manufacturing a band with at least one tubular portion in which at least two courses of the knitted fabric are made of a yarn capable of being melted upon increasing of its temperature beyond a predetermined value; folding back the band for obtaining a loop along the band itself with the two courses of meltable yarn disposed on opposite walls of the loop; inserting an edge of the knitted fabric to be trimmed into the loop; sewing the band to the edge in such a manner that the stitching does not affect the loop bottom included between the two courses of meltable yarn; heating the band beyond the melting temperature of the meltable yarn so as to separate the loop bottom from the rest of the band; slipping off the loop bottom from the band inside. The invention also relates to a tubular band intended to be folded for receiving the edge of the knitted fabric to which it is to be sewn and formed with the at least two spaced apart courses made of a meltable yarn.

Description: The present invention relates to a method and a band for carrying out quick overlocking of knitted fabric edges. In the knitting field the so-called quick-overlocking technique is known, according to which the edges of knitted articles of garment are finished by sewing appropriate knitted bands or edging ribbons thereon. For quick application, the bands are often made up of a tubular portion which is folded along its extension so as to form a loop inside which the edge to be trimmed is received. Edge and band are then sewn together (see for example US 3658020A). This technique, which is certainly quick and which can be easily executed by machine, has the drawback that the bottom portion of the loop (remaining inside the sewed band) forms a thickness impairing the aesthetic aspect of the band which appears swollen and, in addition, relatively stiff and hard. It is a general object of the present invention to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a method and a band for carrying out quick overlocking, which enable a result of better quality to be achieved while keeping the practical assembling character of the traditional tubular bands. In view of the above object, in accordance with the invention, a method of carrying out quick overlockings has been devised which comprises the steps of manufacturing a band with at least one tubular portion in which at least two courses of the knitted fabric are made of a yarn capable of being melted upon increasing of its temperature beyond a predetermined value; folding back the band for obtaining a loop along the band itself with the two courses of meltable yarn disposed on opposite walls of the loop; inserting an edge of the knitted fabric to be trimmed into the loop; sewing the band to the edge in such a manner that the stitching does not affect the loop bottom included between the two courses of meltable yarn; heating the band beyond the melting temperature of the meltable yarn so as to separate the loop bottom from the rest of the band; slipping off the loop bottom from the band inside. The invention also relates to a band for quick overlocking, comprising at least one tubular portion intended to be folded so as to form a loop along it for receiving an edge of a knitted fabric to which the band is to be sewn, characterized in that the tubular portion of the band has at least two courses of the knitted fabric made of a meltable yarn, said at least two courses being spaced apart from each other by such a distance that they are disposed on opposite walls of the loop on folding of the band for forming the loop. For better explaining the innovatory principles of the present invention and its advantages over the known art, a possible embodiment applying said principles will be given hereinafter, by way of non-limiting example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view in section of an annular band made in accordance with the invention, sewn in place on the edge to be trimmed; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a separation region of the band of Fig. 1. With reference to the drawings, shown in Fig. 1 is a tubular band, generally denoted by 10, folded back to form a loop 11 in which the edge 12 of a knitted fabric to be trimmed is received. The band 10 is sewn in place by a stitching carried out along line 13. In accordance with the principles of the invention, the band is manufactured with two courses 14, 15 of a yarn of a meltable material. In particular, this yarn can be of a type meltable at a given temperature, higher than the room temperature but lower than the temperature of substantial alteration of the traditional yarn, of which the rest of the band is made. For example, the preferred melting temperature can be a temperature that can be easily reached with an usual iron. An appropriate yarn can be the yarn called "GRILON". Shown in Fig. 2 is a possible development of a course of special yarn within the band. Turning back to Fig. 1, the two meltable courses are carried out in the band in such a manner that they can be disposed inside the loop 11 so as to form a separation line between the loop bottom 16 and the two flaps 17, 18 of the sewn portion along line 13. In use, after the band has been folded, the edge to be trimmed has been inserted thereinto and the band has been sewn along line 13, the band itself can be heated beyond the melting temperature of the special-yarn courses 14, 15. After separation, the inner portion 15 of the loop can therefore be axially slipped off and removed from the band, as shown by arrow "A". The result is an internally empty band which is therefore less thick than bands of the known art. This offers a much better aesthetic effect as compared with bands of the known art. At this point it is apparent that the intended purposes have been achieved. Obviously, the above description of an embodiment applying the innovatory principles of the present invention is for purposes of illustration only and is not to be interpreted as a limitation of the scope of the invention as herein claimed. For example, the band can be of a different shape from the tubular one. In particular it can have projecting flaps 19 as shown in chain line in Fig. 1. In the present description by "edge of a knitted fabric" it is intended the edge of any article made by knitting, such as pullovers, socks, etc. for example or, at all events, any article which is trimmed using the technique of quick overlocking. The meltable courses can also be more than two, for being sure for example that separation of the bottom portion occurs. In this case, two pairs of meltable consecutive courses can be provided, for example.

Claims: A method of carrying out quick overlockings, characterised by the steps of: manufacturing a band (10) with at least one tubular portion in which at least two courses (14,15) of the knitted fabric are made of a yarn capable of being melted upon increasing of its temperature beyond a predetermined value; folding back the band for obtaining a loop (11) along the band itself with the two courses (14,15) of meltable yarn disposed on opposite walls (17,18) of the loop (11); inserting an edge (12) of the knitted fabric to be trimmed into the loop; sewing the band (10) to the edge (12) in such a manner that the stitching does not affect the loop bottom (16) included between the two courses (14,15) of meltable yarn; heating the band (10) beyond the melting temperature of the meltable yarn so as to separate the loop bottom (16) from the rest of the band (10); slipping off the loop bottom (16) from the band inside. A band (10) for quick overlocking, comprising at least one tubular portion intended to be folded so as to form a loop (11) along it for receiving an edge (12) of a knitted fabric to which the band is to be sewn, characterized in that the tubular portion of the band has at least two courses (14,15) of the knitted fabric made of a meltable yarn, said at least two courses being spaced apart from each other by such a distance that they are disposed on opposite walls (17,18) of the loop (11) on folding of the band (10) for forming the loop (11).

Inventors: TURUANI MARIANGELA, TURUANI, MARIANGELA
Applicants: CONTI COMPLETT SPA, CONTI COMPLETT S.P.A.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: D04B1
IPC codes: D06H7, D05B37, D05B35, D04B1