Patent EP-0900868-A2 (EP)
Inventor: ESSIG HORST
IPC: D04B1/22
Filed: 1998-04-21
Abstract: To knit a fabric on a flatbed knitter, with two opposing needle beds and a stitch transfer system, the knitted fabric (10) has a ground fabric (11) and at least one parallel knitted section (12) covering the ground fabric (11) at least partially, formed by at least two knitted fabrics (14,15) on parallel planes. At least at a section of at least one fabric section (12), at max. every other needle of one needle bed is occupied by a stitch of the ground fabric (11) and the facing needle of the other needle bed is empty. One of the knitted pieces (14,15) of the parallel section (12) is produced on the opposite needle bed to the one producing the ground fabric (11), and the other parallel section is formed at the empty needles of the needle bed used for the ground fabric. The parallel knitted piece (12) is bonded to the ground fabric (11) at least at one point, and the two sections (14,15) of the parallel piece (12) are at least partially bonded together.To form the parallel sections (14,15) behind the ground fabric (11), a row of ground fabric (11) stitches are formed on the leading needle bed, and all the stitches of the first section (14) are transferred from the trailing needle bed to the empty needles of the leading bed. A row of stitches for the first section (14) is formed at the leading bed, and a row of stitches for the other section (15) is formed at the trailing bed. The stitches of the first section (14) are transferred from the leading bed to the trailing bed, and the process is repeated to give the two sections (14,15) their required length.To transfer the sections (14,15) from the rear side of the ground fabric (11) to the front side, the stitches of the first section (14) are transferred from the leading bed to the stitches of the ground fabric (11), and a row of stitches for the ground fabric (11) is formed on the leading bed and at the section of the parallel piece (12) on the trailing bed. Initial rows for a new pair of sections (14,15) are formed at the leading bed or at the empty needles of the trailing bed. A row of stitches is knitted at the leading bed, and the stitches of the second piece (15) are transferred to the empty needles of the leading bed. A row of stitches is knitted for the ground fabric (11) and a row of stitches is formed for the second piece (15) at the trailing bed, with a row of stitches knitted for the first piece (14) at the leading bed. The stitches for the second piece (15) are transferred to the empty needles of the leading bed, and a row of ground fabric (11) stitches is knitted at the trailing bed. The process is repeated to the required length of the parallel piece (12).Where the parallel piece is a knitted material with a Jacquard pattern, the initial row for the ground fabric is knitted at the trailing bed. The stitches of the second piece are transferred to the empty needles of the trailing bed. The stitches of the first piece are knitted in the ground color of the Jacquard pattern at the leading bed, and the yarns are combined with the second piece at the trailing bed. The stitches for the first piece, in the second Jacquard pattern color, are knitted at the leading bed, and the yarns are combined with the second piece at the trailing bed. The stitches of the second piece are transferred to the leading bed. The process is repeated to give the required Jacquard pattern length.