Year: 1898

page_text: GEORGE FREDERICK STURGESS, of The Ingle-nook, Leicester, Hosier's Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to avoid the transference of loops from needle to
needle, to produce knitted fabric or articles of wearing apparel of an improved
character and cheaper than heretofore.
It consists in the process of first, postponing knitting on certain needles by
rendering them inoperative with the loops hanging in their hooks thereby with-
drawing corresponding lines or wales of loops from the fabric until again required
or until the commencement of the next fabric or article, (the retention of the loops
in the hooks preventing the loops running down or unroving,) and then fastening
off or linking the free end loops of the suspended lines of loops to each other by a
crocheting hook or needle and thread as the case may require, after the article or
fabric has left the machine.
I have discovered that provided the complement of one set of needles are knit-
ting, certain needles of the other set may be rendered idle with the loops hanging
in their hooks. All the needles of one set must resume knitting or have their
postponed loops cast-off, before any loops of the opposite set can be postponed, as
is required in some styles of fabric.
By this invention, any fabric may be made without the transference of the loops,
for instance, a pant leg, jacket arm, glove hand or stocking leg blank usually has
a top or cuff of a different pattern of fabric to the remainder of the fabric, and
fewer lines or wales of loops at one part than at another part entailing the trans-
ferring of loops which is avoided by this invention.
As seamless fabrics and articles are the most popular and desirable, it is thought
that particular reference to seamless fabrics will sufficiently indicate the invention;
its application to flat or seamed fabrics being obvious.
The article is commenced with a full complement of needles and corresponding
lines of loops, until a change of pattern commences, when certain needles of one
set of needles are rendered idle; (some needles of the other set simultaneously
resuming knitting in some styles of pattern) until the fabric or article is finished.
The fabric has wales or lines of loops stopped off or withdrawn from the body of
the fabric, thereby reducing the number of wales or lines of loops or effecting
changes of rib pattern, in which the free loops at the junction are linked or looped
together with a chain stitch or fastened with a thread.
As any ordinary knitting machine having provisions for holding down. the fabric
without weight pressure and adapted whereby certain needles can at intervals be
rendered inoperative, may be used for knitting the fabric, it is deemed unnecessary
to illustrate a machine.
To make a simple type of stocking having a plain foot, on a circular rib knitter,
after the ribbed part is made on the complement of needles, the welt cam is rendered
inactive throwing the needles into inoperative position, thereby postponing the rib

page_text: lines of loops, (corresponding needles of the other set may replace the suspended
needles for some types of fabric), until the last course of the stocking is reached,
and when the last row of the stocking is cut through, to sever it from its neighbour-
ing article, the postponed loops are liberated and subsequently linked together.
When the rib loops are postponed singly and successively at the ankle the result
is a fashioned leg. In a 4/1 ribbed pattern, when the loop wales are successively
postponed at the ankle, the result is a 4/1 rib fashioned to a 3/1 as is well known.
To make a simple type of seamless plain narrowed stocking leg, pant leg or
jacket sleeve blank on a flat type of knitter, when the ankle is reached
"the needles at the end of the beds are put into inoperative position singly
and successively and postponed until the last course of the blank, which is the com-
pletion of the fabric." The suspended needles resume knitting at the first course
of the next blank. When loops are postponed, the fabric of the needles that are
knitting bulges up or coils and rolls over upon itself. This postponed loop holds
the needle in its slot, and avoids opening the latch when knitting is resumed,
which is an advantage even in machines where the changes are effected by linking
the loop round the adjacent needle.
בד
Improved Knit Fabrics, and the Process of Knitting the same.
GEORGE FREDERICK STURGESS, of The Ingle-nook, Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Hosier's Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
The object of this invention is to dispense with the complete transference of
loops from needle to needle, and thereby avoid the need to re-open the needle
latches, and complicated mechanism incidental thereto; also to prevent the end
loops of the parallel pattern changing loop lines making the fabric defective by
becoming mis-shapen or unroved.
The invention consists of a new method, the distinguishing features of which
are the suppression of the patterning lines by temporarily with-holding and elong-
ating the end body loops, and maintaining the continuity of the lines by the
independent thread loops of intervening dividing courses which intercept the end
body loops of the suppressed and re-instated patterning lines, thereby supporting
or holding the end body loops in shape during the process of knitting, and, when
the fabric is in its made-up state and taken from the machine, obtaining an
improved and more economically made fabric or article, the distinguishing feature
of which is the supporting or holding in shape of the end body loops of the said
parallel pattern changing loop lines by elongating or drawing them out to, and
when desirable subsequently attaching or adhering them to the back of the fabric.
The method of adhering or attaching the free end loops to the back of the fabric
is determined by the gauge, nature and character of the fabric and by the process
of pressing or finishing the fabric. In felted fabrics, for instance, the fibrous
adhesion of the elongated loop is sufficient; in milled fabrics, the cut loop of the
dividing thread is sufficient, whilst in untrimmed or unmilled fabric, the end loops
are kept intact by independent loops formed by linking the end loops together
after the fabric has left the machine; an independent loop of a thread alternating
when the free end loops are too far apart to reach each other.
It is well-known, that in a normally knitted plain or ribbed fabric in which

page_text: the courses normally succeed each other from a continuous thread, the fabric is
fashioned and the pattern of rib is changed at different stages in the progress of the
fabric by varying the relative number and position of the loop lines; the pattern-
ing loop lines that bring these changes about being entirely dispensed with, where-
as, by my invention, the same results are obtained by simply suppressing, with-
holding and re-installing the patterning lines at the junction of the change of
pattern in the process of knitting. It is also common knowledge, that, according
to the make-up, nature or character of the fabric and the direction in which it is
knitted, the pattern of the fabric is changed by the number of loop lines being
decreased, as in narrowing, or by being increased, as in widening, or by oppositely
drawn loop lines exchanging positions, as in altering from, say, a 1/1 pattern to
a 3/1 or plain pattern of fabric of equal number of loop lines, also that under some
conditions, a fabric is made with the number of loop lines reduced for the purpose of
narrowing, succeeded by a fabric in which the number of loop lines are increased
for the purpose of widening in the same or a succeeding fabric, all of which
deducted or added loop lines are called patterning lines.
By long experiment, I have discovered that the end loops of patterning lines
losing their shape and consequently making objectionable holes in the fabric is
not the mere result of the introduction or discontinuance of the patterning lines,
but is due to the want of support during the process of knitting of the neighbouring
loops, which consequently pull each end loop into a transverse bar of thread across
the semi-circular shaped hole which results, to over-come which the loops are trans-
ferred from needle to needle, which is a costly process.
As illustrating this, it may be observed that in the making of the well-known
welt in either direction of knitting of the fabric, the holes are not of a size or nature
as to be objectionable and render the fabric defective, owing to their having been
supported in the process of knitting, as a result of the construction of the welted
or double fabric, which process, it may be pointed out, whilst entailing the sup-
pression of loop lines, does not result in a single ply patterned fabric. Therefore,
I give support to the end body loops of the patterning lines by independent thread
loops, which intercept two sets of end loops and are subsequently cut through to
liberate the two sets of end loops. In the method of making a fabric in which the
independent loops intervene between one complete fabric and a next communicat-
ing complete fabric; the well-known dividing or draw thread course or courses of
loops serve the purpose of the supporting independent loops; whereby the pattern-
ing loop lines that are temporarily suppressed and with-held from the two fabrics
are maintained or kept intact by the dividing courses of loops during the process
of knitting, and are subsequently separated after the neighbouring loops have lost
their power to mis-shape or unrove the end loops of the patterning lines of loops.
In wear, after the fabric has been milled or trimmed, the end loops will not
become mis-shapen or unroved under the transverse stretching to which the fabric
is subject, owing to the length of the elongated loop, or the connection with the
cut bars of the independent cut-through loops, and their fibrous adhesion or attach-
ment to each other or the back of the fabric as the conditions of manufacture may
determine.
The intervening supporting loops comprise one or more courses of loops as found
necessary, which when cut through, leave in the elongated end loops of the made-
up fabric, a flange of loops or cut bars of thread accordingly. In tight fitting
wearing apparel, such as stockings, however, the fewer the supporting loops the
better.
Whatever the nature or trimming process of the fabric, when the last end loops
have, in the usual manner, been linked round adjacent needles before suppression,
it is not necessary to link or fasten the said last end loops in any other manner to
prevent them becoming mis-shapen and forming holes. But, it may be noted.
that in the making of fabrics in which the last loops are linked to and incorporated
with adjacent end lines of loops by this invention, the linked loops are with-held
to avoid having to employ mechanism to re-open the latches, and furthermore,.

page_text: to support the first end loops made, when the suspended line of loops is re-instated
or re-introduced to the fabric, the linking of which to adjacent needles does not
avoid objectionable holes, as is well known.
Any ordinary knitting machine having suitable provisions to normally hold its
fabric in knitting position and to temporarily suppress the action of certain of its
needles can be readily adapted for the purpose of this invention, which will be
clearly seen, when it is said, that by suppressing all the rib loops as in the making
of a welt, after the manner of this invention, a complete change of patterning lines
from rib to plain fabric is obtained, the distinction in result being a normal single
ply fabric throughout, instead of a doubled or two ply fabric, as in the case of a
welt; it is therefore, with this explanation, deemed unnecessary to burden the
specification with illustrations of a machine.
It is thought that the illustration of this machine as applied to a welted, 2/1,
fully-fashioned, ribbed, unmilled, seamless stocking, in which the end loops are
supported in shape and attached to the back of the fabric by being linked together,
will sufficiently describe the invention, reference to other styles and patterns of
fabric and articles being made as found necessary to adequately discover its applica-
tion to knit fabrics generally, and that, from such description, its application to
plain fabrics and flat or seamed fabrics having parallel patterning lines will be
obvious.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation view of a knit unmilled or unfelted fabric or stocking
turned inside out, having the commonly known deep rolled and flanged type of
welt, 2/1 ribbed leg fashioned down to a plain ankle, heel, tread and toe by the
suppression of ribbed patterning lines, and fashioned down to a 1/1 ribbed instep
by the suppression of plain patterning lines, in which the end loops are held in
shape by being linked together; the heel and toe pouches being of the usual shape
and the toe joined in the usual manner.
Fig. 2, is a diagramatic view of the fabric or stocking right side out, shewing
the patterning loops elongated, and how the fabric rolls or doubles over upon itself
during the process of knitting, owing to the patterning lines being suppressed and
with-held; a part of the foot and toe being cut away on line 18, to expose the
ribbed end loops 2, at the ankle; the plain end loops 1, being apparent without
cutting away; also shewing the welt portion of another stocking at one end and
part of the foot of another stocking at the other end.
The arrows shew the direction in which the fabric or stocking is knitted, the
courses succeeding each other from welt to welt and toe to toe of adjoining
stockings.
The ribbed end loops 2, are fastened to the back of the fabric by being linked
together with a chain of loops of an independent thread 3, joining or connecting
the end loops 2, and made by a crotchet or turning off hook 4; an end loop 2,
being linked up alternately with an intervening loop 5, of the fabric, the chain of
loops being freely elastic and suitably fastened off. The free end loops 2, in their
suppressed position, are situated on the inside of the fabric as seen in Fig. 2, and
are liberated by cutting the dividing course of loops 6, and linked up as seen in
Fig. 1.
The plain end loops 1, being close enough together, are linked or fastened each
one to its neighbour, forming a sufficiently elastic chain of independent loops,
the free end of which is secured eventually to a part of the stocking not seen. The
end loops 1, in their suppressed position are situated on the face or outside of the
fabric, as seen at Fig. 2, and are liberated by cutting the dividing course of loops 6,
or otherwise, and then drawn through the fabric, being linked up as seen at Fig. 1,
as aforesaid.
In the process of knitting, the fabric or stocking 7, is made in the form shewn
in Fig. 2; a second stocking 8, following on in a similar manner but knitted the
contrary way about, that is, toe to toe; the next division coming welt to welt as
shown at the bottom of the figure; the dividing course of loops 6, intervening
between the last course 9, of the stocking 7, and the first course 10, of a succeed-

page_text: ing stocking 8, and the courses 15, which form flanges 17, intervening between the
welts.
The dividing course of loops 6, in the case of an unmilled fabric, is drawn out
in the usual way of a draw thread to separate the fabrics; or the dividing course
is made of a very fine auxiliary thread, (the splicing thread, for instance), in
which case two adjoining stockings or fabrics are separated by merely snatching
or jerking them apart, leaving the end loops free on the inside of the fabric for
linking up. In other forms of fabric and processes of trimming, the linking up
of the elongated end loops is entirely unnecessary, in which case the dividing or
supporting thread is preferably cut through, the cut independent loops remaining
in the end loops serving by attachment to hold them in shape, and in the case of a
milled or felted fabric, to increase the fibrous attachment to the back of the fabric.
In the process of knitting, the fabric bulges and doubles over upon itself as
shewn in Fig. 2, the ankle part of the leg being underneath the over-lapping
heel 11, and toe 12, owing to the suspension of the ribbed end loops 2, which are
temporarily suppressed; and the part 13, of the instep being underneath the part 14,
which rolls over upon it and upon a part of the leg, owing to the suspension of the
plain end loops 1, which are suppressed, causing the end loops 1, and 2, to become
elongated.
After the dividing course 6, has been made, the pattern changing loop lines are
again suppressed and with-held, being eventually re-introduced in the next stock-
ing in the reverse order, the plain body or end loops 1ª, being re-introduced to the
fabric at the instep after the making of the toe, followed by the re-introduction of
the ribbed body or end loop 2, at the ankle after the making of the heel, after
which the leg is made, followed by the welt, then a few courses 15, of ribbed fabric
are made commencing the welt 16, of the next stocking, and so on, from stocking
to stocking, two toes connected being succeeded by two welts connected, in due
course.
When the courses 15, are cut through the centre, separating the two stockings,
the two parts of the courses 15, form each a flange 17, as is well known.
Owing to the stocking 8, that succeeds the stocking 7, being knitted in the con-
trary way to stocking 7, its patterning loop lines are introduced or added at the
instep and ankle to widen out the stocking towards the welt, whereas in the case
of the stocking 7, its patterning loop lines are withdrawn or deducted towards its
foot at the ankle and instep, as shewn in Fig. 1; in other respects the stocking 8,
is a facsimile of the stocking 7.
It will be readily understood, that by variations of the number and position of
the patterning loop lines, all patterns of fabric can be made; for instance, the
stocking shewn in Fig. 1, may be fashioned down the ankle from 2/1 to 1/1 pattern
in the manner it is fashioned from 2/1 to 1/1 pattern at the instep 13, or it may
he 3/1, 4/1 or 6/1 pattern, changed to 2/1, 3/1 or 5/1 patterns respectively or it
may be 1/1, 2/1, 3/1, 4/1 pattern, or any other ribbed pattern changed to some other
ribbed pattern or to plain pattern all round at the ankle as for a plain foot.
I might here say, that in the case of the introduction of one class of loop lines
where another class of loop lines are discontinued, that is, when the oppositely
drawn or plain and ribbed loop lines exchange their suppressed and knitting
position, as in the changing from a 1/1 ribbed pattern of top, band, cuff or end,
to a 3/1 ribbed pattern of leg, arm, hand or body respectively, or vice versa, it is
essential, whatever the nature of fabric or process of trimming, to hold the loops in
shape by independent linking loops, owing to the junction or termination of two
patterning lines increasing the tendency to make objectionable holes in the fabric.
Stockings, drawers, shirts, vests, jackets, gloves, or blanks of the same, and
parts of incomplete knitted articles, or any other article of knit wearing apparel
patterned in the number and arrangement of their parallel loop lines, can be knitted
by this invention more economically and with better results than heretofore, as will
be readily seen. I am aware that fabric has been rolled or doubled and mended
over upon itself, and that holes have been mended up on the back of the fabric,

page_text: also that holes made have been closed up by crossing bars of the knitting thread
made by tucking, mis-stitching or welting, or the making of multiple loops on
specific needles, and by shogging or stretching adjacent loops or mesh across the
objectionable holes; but to hold in shape and eventually secure the loops which
would otherwise make holes, on the back of the fabric, is new, and I do not confine
myself to the particular methods of elongating, with-holding and drawing the loops
to the back of the fabric, or the methods of securing to prevent them losing their
shape in wear, shewn and described, such methods being necessarily varied to suit
the nature of the fabric and conditions of manufacture and trimming or finishing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The method of knitting a patterned knit fabric consisting of elongating the
end body loops of the patterning lines, thereby preventing the formation of holes
in the fabric during the process of knitting, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. The method of knitting a patterned knit fabric consisting of temporarily
suppressing the patterning lines, with-holding the end body loops during the pro-
cess of knitting and thereafter liberating the with-held loops, whereby they are
elongated and drawn out on the back of the fabric, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
3. The method of knitting a patterned knit fabric consisting of holding the end
body loops of the patterning lines in shape during the process of knitting of
neighbouring loops making elongated loops on the back of the fabric, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The method of knitting a patterned knit fabric consisting of elongating and
drawing the end body loops of the patterning lines to the back of the fabric, pre-
venting the formation of holes in the fabric, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
5. The method of knitting a patterned knit fabric consisting of elongating and
drawing the end body loops of the patterning lines out to, and attaching or securing
them on the back of the fabric, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. The method of knitting a patterned knit fabric consisting of temporarily
suppressing the patterning lines, with-holding and drawing out the end body loops
and intercepting them with independent loops, and thereafter liberating the said
end body loops leaving them elongated on the back of the fabric, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
7. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops elongated
or drawn out, whereby they maintain their shape on the inside of the fabric, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops held
in shape by being elongated and attached or adhered to the back of the fabric,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
9. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops held in
shape by adhesion or attachment to the back of the fabric, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
10. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops drawn
out and left free upon the back of the fabric thereby preventing the formation of
holes, substantially as and for the purposes set forth."
11. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops held
in shape by being elongated and attached to independent thread loops on the back
of the fabric, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
12. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops
elongated and held in shape by attachment or adhesion to each other on the back
of the fabric, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 13. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops
elongated and held in shape on the back of the fabric by adhesion or attachment to
independent loops, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
14. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops
attached or adhered to the back of the fabric by connecting loops of an independent
thread, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
15. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops
elongated and drawn from the fabric and fastened, linked or secured on the back
of the fabric, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
16. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops
elongated and secured to or on the back of the fabric, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
17. A knit fabric or article of wear having the end patterning body loops
fastened, attached or adhered to or on the back of the fabric by independent loops;
the said independent loops being formed of the end patterning loops, knitted loops
of the fabric and loops of the independent thread alternating, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Dated this Fountoonth da..
1
1000