Patent Publication Number: US-4255819-A

Title: Sock

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Socks are already known which are knitted entirely from wool and which are subjected to fulling for felting purposes. In the fulling treatment the mesh structure is changed in such a manner that the elasticity of the sock disappears almost entirely. The fulling treatment in addition makes the sock tight, preventing air circulation through the sock and prolonging drying thereof. The absence of elasticity likewise makes it impossible to produce a good-fitting sock. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The purpose of the subject invention is to provide a sock which is particularly devised for sports activities such as tennis, handball and similar indoor sports, where it is especially important that the skin of the sole of the feet is protected and spared as much as possible. For this reason it is essential that the sock 
     (a) forms a soft support underneath the foot 
     (b) has a good fit, preventing the foot from sliding inside the sock 
     (c) efficiently absorbs perspiration moisture while at the same time allows ventilation and air circulation through the upper region of the sock, and 
     (d) is sufficiently strong to be able to resist the stress and wear to which it is exposed during the sport activities. 
     All the advantages outlined above are obtained with the sock in accordance with the invention, which sock is characterised 
     in that the sock is knitted from a yarn of textile fibres that do not lend themselves to felting, 
     in that into the sole, heel and toe regions of the sock is knitted a yarn consisting of feltable textile fibres and forming loop pile meshes, and 
     in that the sock, after knitting, is exposed to a fulling treatment, whereby the fibres of the yarn knitted into the sole, heel and toe regions of the sock are felted and thus form soft layers of fibres on the inside as well as on the outside surfaces of said sock regions. 
     Owing to the loop pile meshes knitted in the sole, heel and toe regions of the sock and to the subsequent fulling treatment, these sock regions become soft and pliable. 
     Since the entire sock is knitted from yarns which cannot be felted, such as e.g. synthetic yarns, the sock is imparted the desired elasticity and fit. 
     Because of the fulling of the loop pile meshes, formed preferably by wool fibres, a thick and dense structure is obtained which is capable of absorbing perspiration and also of distributing the moisture evenly over the sock. The moisture is ventilated through the upper portion of the foot region and the leg portion of the sock, in which regions the knit meshes are more open. 
     Because the sole, heel and toe regions of the sock are knitted from two thread systems, one of which comprises synthetic yarns, an extremely strong and wear-resisting sock is obtained. 
     The invention also comprises a method of manufacturing socks of the kind outlinded above, said method being characterised by 
     knitting the sock from a yarn of textile fibres that do not lend themselves to felting, 
     knitting into the sole, heel and toe regions of said sock a yarn consisting of textile fibres which can be felted, said yarn forming loop pile meshes, and 
     fulling the sock, so as to felt the fibres of the yarn knitted into the sole, the heel and the toe regions, whereby these regions of the sock are imparted a homogeneous, felt-like surface internally as well as externally. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The invention will be described in closer detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein 
     FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a sock in accordance with the subject invention, and 
     FIG. 2 illustrates on an enlarged scale a cross-sectional view through the sock along line II--II of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The sock 1 is knitted in the conventional manner from a yarn which consists of textile fibres, such as acryl fibres or other similar synthetic fibres that do not lend themselves to felting. During the manufacture of the sock in accordance with the teachings of the invention a yarn which consists of feltable wool is knitted into the sole region 2, the heel region 3, and the toe region 4 of the sock, forming loop pile meshes therein preferably both on the external and the internal faces of the sock. After knitting of the sock, the latter is subjected to a fulling treatment, during which the wool fibres are felted, whereby soft fibrous layers 5, 6 are formed internally as well as externally in sole, heel and toe regions of the sock. In the fulling treatment, the mesh structure in these sock regions is altered in such a way that the elasticity partly disappears in these regions. On the other hand, the upper part 7 and the leg portion 8 of the sock remain elastic, which ensures the desired good fit of the sock. Owing to the unchanged mesh structure in the upper region of the sock and in the leg region thereof excellent air circulation and ventilation properties of the sock are obtained. 
     Naturally other yarns than those indicated above could be used. For instance, it is entirely within the teachings of the subject invention to make the sock entirely from wool. In this case the yarn used to manufacture the sock must be subjected to an anti-felting treatment. Various methods could be used. As one example could be mentioned the method known as the &#34;basolane&#34; method in which epidermis scales are removed from the wool fibres. In accordance with another method, that is known as the &#34;herrcoosett&#34; method the wool fibres are coated with a thin film of nylon. Only the woollen yarn knitted into the sole region 2, the heel region 3 and the toe region 4 and forming loop pile meshes therein, remain untreated, thus making it susceptible to felting treatments. 
     The yarns knitted into the sole, heel and toe regions need not comprise feltable material exclusively. It could be mixed with non-feltable textile fibrous material, such as cotton or rayon fibres. 
     The sock could be made with a high-heel region comprising a feltable yarn.