Patent GB-723309-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to stockings and the like and their manufacture
Inventor: REYMES-COLE BERNARD THORNTON R
IPC: D04B9/54
Filed: 1949-05-17
Abstract: 723,309. Knitting. KENDALL CO. June 19, 1950 [May 17, 1949], No. 15217/50. Divided out of and addition to 723,301. Class 74 (2). An integrally knitted inturned welt is produced, after a stocking blank has been knitted by any of the methods of the parent Specification, by a method which comprises moving spaced needles to an inactive loop-holding position, feeding thread to the remaining needles for an initial welt course but operating welting instruments to receive and to hold thread loops or kinks of that course which would otherwise be received by the inactive needles, continuing to knit welt fabric while the welt instruments hold said loops or kinks, transferring said loops or kinks to the said spaced needles at the end of the welt and knitting at least one further course on all needles. The welt 2 consists of an outer layer 2a knitted immediately after the leg 1 and a succeeding inner layer 2b. The two layers are joined along the line 3 and are integral with a narrow band of fabric 4 which is knitted immediately after the two parts of the welt have been joined. The band 4 has a raw edge 4a and, if desired, to render it run-resistant, it may be of alternate courses of long and short loops ; or it may comprise at least one course in which tuck stitches are produced on every second needle; or a comparatively rough yarn, such as wool or cotton, may be used; or the yarn, or the fabric, may be treated with an adhesive such as a mixture of a rubber adhesive and oleic acid; or the fabric may be knitted of thermoplastic yarn and heat treated; or one or more courses may be knitted of elastic thread; or the joint 3 may be stitched or overlocked; or a drawthread may be inserted and another stocking begun. Elastic thread may be introduced locally into the welt after a few courses; e.g. at 19, and may be laid in or knitted for one or more courses. At the beginning of the welt, spaced needles 6a are temporarily lowered to an inactive position in which each retains in its hook the loop of the last leg course. Associated welting instruments 8 are now projected across the needle line, so that the intervening active needles 6b draw their loops for the next course over the hooks 9 of the instruments. The instruments are now retracted to retain the connecting kinks of this initial course and the needles 6a are raised to knit with the needles 6b the outer and inner welt layers 2a, 2b, the welt rolling down in a bight between the cylinder 5 and the leg 1. The needles 6a are again lowered, and the associated instruments again projected, but to a greater extent, so that the needles 6a, which are now raised, enter the eyes 10 and transfix the thread kinks held on the instruments. The instruments are then retracted, so that their blades 8a, 8b withdraw, leaving the kinks on the needles. Thereafter, all needles draw loops, to turn the welt, and continue to knit the band 4. The welt may be turned in two steps, spaced (e.g. alternate) instruments transferring their kinks to the associated needles at line 18, the one or more remaining welt courses being knitted on all needles whilst the intervening instruments retain their kinks, finally transferring them to their needles at the line 3.