Patent GB-727394-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the toes of stockings and the like and a method and machine for producing them
Inventor: REYMES-COLE BERNARD THORNTON R
IPC: D04B9/46
Filed: 1950-11-06
Abstract: 727,394. Knitting. KENDALL CO. Dec. 31, 1951 [Nov. 6, 1950], No. 27009/50. Class 74 (2). To produce a stocking toe in knitting from the toe upwards on a circular machine, initially inactive spaced toe fashioning needles, over at least one arc 16 of the circle, are progressively introduced at each side of a medial point in the arc, during circular knitting, to begin new wales. Surplus fabric 14 is then trimmed away and the edges joined by linking or seaming. As shown, equally-spaced (e.g. alternate) needles and sinkers throughout the entire circle are inactive during the knitting of a few courses 11. A small group of such needles in those instep needles which knit the centre of the toe are then introduced, with their sinkers. Thereafter, at intervals of a few courses, further pairs of groups are introduced, one on each side of the activated needles until all fashioning needles 16 are knitting. Rows of fashioning holes T<SP>1</SP>, T<SP>2</SP>, T<SP>3</SP>, T<SP>4</SP>, T<SP>5</SP> are thus produced. The toe may be of a comparatively stout thread or of real or artificial silk or nylon plus a splicing thread. Loop size may be evened up as in Specification 723,301. Toe fashioning needles may be introduced over two opposed arcs, corresponding to foot top and bottom, surplus fabric being cut-away at the sides. The foot may be fashioned by needles devoted to that purpose. The heel is produced by rotary knitting, heel fashioning needles and their sinkers being periodically introduced starting from the outer or inner ends of the group 18, 18<SP>1</SP> thereof, to produce upwardly-convergent or divergent lines 25 of fashioning holes; in the latter case, a splicing thread, fed to needles producing the foot bottom, may be fed to the heel needles, so that at the heel the edges of the spliced areas coincide with the fashioning line whilst, above the heel, the splicing thread may be continued to form a high splice. The heel pouch may be accentuated by periodically restraining the instep needles from knitting during one revolution, the yarn floats being subsequently cut out, or eliminated by trapping and cutting mechanism as in Specifications 532,520, 532,586 or 570,810. The heel may be knitted by reciprocation, in the normal manner. The leg is fashioned by progressive introduction of leg fashioning needles 19, 19<SP>1</SP> and their sinkers, the introduction beginning at either end of the groups, to produce upwardly convergent or divergent lines 22 of fashioning holes. The thigh may be fashioned, immediately below the welt, by progressive introduction of groups 20, 201 of fashioning needles. If desired, all sinkers may be active at the beginning of the toe, the resulting visual contrast between the two qualities of fabric thus produced being eliminated before production of that part of the stocking leg normally above the shoe (e.g. at the start of the heel) by withdrawing from activity the sinkers associated with the leg fashioning needles and introducing them as the associated needles are introduced.