US3194030A - Patterned hosiery and method of knitting the same - Google Patents

Description

July 13, 1965 J. w. KEZIAH, SR

PATTERNED HOSIERY AND METHOD OF KNITTING THE SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1962 ain..

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INVENTOR. JOHN W. KE-ZlAH,5E. YEaM.E M .-Lh%

J. w. KEZIAH, SR 3,194,030

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 13, 1965 PATTERNED HOSIERY AND METHOD OF KNITTING THE SAME Filed April 19, 1962 zmn, SR.

A;N mow EN KE- %mkkhmw% JOHN W.

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U W WW ATTORNEYS July 13, 1965 J. w. KEZIAH, SR 3, 94,030

PATTERNED HOSIERY AND METHOD OF KNITTING THE SAME Filed. April 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hllllll HIHIII lllllllllllll Hill! INVENTOR. JOHN W. KEZiAH, 52.

A T TORNE Y5 July 13, 1965 J. w. KEZIAH, SR 3,194,030

PATTERNED HOSIERY AND METHOD OF KNITTING THE SAME Filed April 19, 1962 5 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR: JoHN W. KEZlAH, 512.

annmmmg AT TOENE Y5 July 13, 1965 J. w. KEZIAH, SR 3,194,030

PATTERNED HOSIERY AND METHOD OF KNITTING THE SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 19, 1962 ATTORNE Y5 T 2\' JOHN W. KE:Z\AH,SR.

United States Patent 3,14,tl30 r EA'IIERNED HOSEERY AND METHOD OF KNHTTING THE SAME John W. Keziah, $22, Graham, N.C., assignor to Alarnance Industries, Ind, Burlington, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Apr. 19, 1%2, Ser. No. 188,756 17 Claims. (61. 66-480) This invention relates generally to hosiery of the type having a patterned portion which is reciprocatorily knit on a circular hosiery knitting machine and to the method of knitting the hosiery. More particularly, this invention is directed to hosiery of the type in which the reciprocatorily knitted pattern portion includes body yarn courses which are connected together at their terminal ends to form only one juncture point in each course and in which the body yarn is selectively knit and floated to form the patterned portion while a complete course is knit with each swing of the needle cylinder.

Circular knitting machines of the type which reciprocate during knitting of the patterned tubular leg and foot of hosiery usually produce what has become known as solid color patterns, such as the diamond-shaped areas in Argyle hosiery. While this type of knitting machine has been utilized to produce designs other than diamonds, the same principle has been employed to knit all solid color patterns. In the knitting of solid color patterns, the pattern yarns are selectively fed to groups of adjacent needles to form adjacent and connected portions of a course during each knitting stroke of the needle cylinder and a complete course, having segments of different colored yarns, is usually knit with each knitting stroke in both directions. There are a great number of these solid color pattern knitting machines presently in use and it is preferred that the patterned hosiery of the present invention be knit on this type of machine.

Solid color pattern knitting machines have also been used to knit a main repeated pattern while the needle cylinder is continuously rotated but, with continuous rotation of the needle cylinder, solid color pattern panels cannot be produced. Also, when the main pattern is continued along the upper half of the foot, both main yarns must be knit in the plain knit portions of the courses which extend around the lower half of the foot.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel patterned hosiery in which the tubular leg and/or foot portions include successive reciprocatorily knitted body yarn courses forming a repeated main pattern which encompasses a major portion of each course and in which the body yarn is knit in every Wale of alternating single or pairs of courses and knit in selected wales and floated across the other wales of intervening single or pairs of courses.

It is another object of the present invention to provide patterned hosiery of the type described wherein the repeated main pattern is formed by a pair of body yarns having different characteristics and in which main pattern, one of the body yams is knit in every Wale of alternating pairs of courses while the other body yarn is knit in selected Wales and floated across the other wales in intervening pairs of courses.

It is another object of the present invention to provide patterned hosiery of the type described wherein solid color panels of various designs may be knit with' the main pattern, such as down opposite sides of the leg.

It is another object of the present invention to provide patterned hosiery of the type described wherein the main pattern may be continued along the upper half of the foot of the hose and the plain knit portions of the courses extending around the lower half of the foot are formed of a single body yarn.

easiest Patented July 13, $65

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It is still another object of the present invention to provide patterned hosiery of the type described wherein pattern panels may be provided along opposite sides of the leg by selectively varying the knitting selection of the body yarns during the knitting of the pattern panel portion of each course.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel method of knitting patterned hosiery of the type described which may be easily practiced on existing hosiery knitting machines without requiring extensive modification of the machines.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of 'a preferred type of patterned hose made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the hose, taken along'the line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of. a portion of the hose, taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a greatly enlarged View of that area of the fabric enclosed Within the dash-dot lines indicated at 4 in FIGURE 1 and illustrating the manner in which two body yarns are interknit to form one type pattern on the hose;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are diagrammatic developed views of the latch ring of the knitting machine and illustrate the manner in which the needles are controlled at the two separate knitting stations when the needles are moving in one direction and then in the opposite direction, and knitting the main pattern portion of the hose shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are somewhat schematic plan views of the circle of needles and illustrate the manner in which the yarns are fed to the needles during successive knitting strokes;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the needle circle and diagrammatically illustrating the manner in which the two main body yarns are knit in successive courses;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation of another hose ernb'odying a modified form of pattern which may be made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 11 is a horizontal sectional View taken along the line 1111 in FIGURE 10; and

FIGURE 12 is a greatly enlarged view of that portion of the fabric within the dash-dot rectangle indicated at 12 in FIGURE 10. p

Refer ring particularly to FIGURE 1, the first form of patterned hose includes a top or stretchable cuff 15, apatterned leg generally indicated at L, a heel pocket 16, a foot 17 and a toe pocket 18. The .top may be knit in any suitable manner and it is preferred that some type of stretchable or elastic yarn be incorporated therein to help support the hose on the leg of the wearer. In the present instance, the patterned portion extends only along the upper half or instep portion of the foot 17, however, it is to be understood that the pattern may also extend around the lower half or sole portion of the foot 17, if desired.-

It will be noted that the main pattern is regularly repeated throughout the major portion of the leg L and is generally characterized by a plurality of vertically or walewise extending ribs 20 which are the same color throughout their length and variegated walewise extending areas 21 therebetween. A walewise extending pattern panel 25 is provided in the medial portion of opposite sides of the leg and contains a pattern which differs from the main repeated pattern. The pattern panel 25 may be formed by varying the wales in which the body yarns are knit, as

. escapee shown, or by adding additional pattern yarns, in a manner I to be later explained.

The manner in which the main pattern shown in FIG- URE 1 is formed, including the walewise ribs 20, the variegated walewiseextending areas 21,.and a portion of the pattern panel 25, may be more easilyunde-rstood by referring' to the 'stitch structure shown'in FIGURE 4. In

FIGURE 4, the regularly repeating main pattern is'shown in wales W-14 through W 25 and-the walewise extend-p in-g ribs-20 are formed in thepairs of adjacent wales W-14 and W 15, W48 and W-19, W 22 and W 23 while the variegated walewise extending areas 21 therebetween are formed in the pairs of adjacent wales W416; and W-17,

' W-Ztl and JV-21, W 24 and W-ZS. In this main pattern area, alternate pairs of adjacent courses, such as those indicated at C-1, and C2, C-5 and-C-d, (1-9 and C-ith 0-13 and (3-14, C-l'i and C 18, (3-21 and C22, are knit of a first main yarn indicated at Y while intervening pairs of adjacent courses, such as courses C-3 and C-4, C-7- and (3-8, (3-11 and C-12, 0-15 and (3-15, C-19 and C-Ztl, 0-23, and (3-24, are'knit of a second main yarnindicated at E.

The yarn Y has been speckled to help distinguish it from the yarn E and it is preferred that the two main body yarns Y and E have different characteristics, such. as diffe-rent' colors and/or different degrees' of stretchability.

When the body yarn E has a greater degree of stretchability, the floating portions, which extend behind the stitch loops in the ribs 20, contract the fabric coursewise and make the ribs 20 extendoutwardly from the outer face of the relaxed fabric, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. It

is also preferred that the yarns Y and E be of a different color in order to provide the variegated appearance in the walewise extending areas 21. Other unusual patterns or effects may be achieved by using of different sizes. a

Although the main pattern shown in wales W-14 through W-25 repeats after each four wales'and courses,

yarns Y and E. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, the yarns Y and E are knit in selected wales toproduce a pattern yarns Y and E which'are SCOP knitting machines.

sary; 1Thereis a large number of these machines currently producing hosiery and they are known as Model SCP and These machines are provided with a pair of knitting stations with means in advance of each knitting station for selectively actuating the needles to take and knit yarns at either of the two knitting stations during movement of the needle cylinder in both directions to knit tubular patterned fabric.

FIGURES 5 and 6 show a developed View of the latch ring 40 of this type of circular knitting machine with the circle of needles N broken and flattened out. The latch ring 44 includes a main .yarn feeding station M having a throat opening 41 and an auxiliary yarn feeding station A having a throat opening 42 which is positioned approximately 180 degrees across the needle cylinder from the main throat opening 41. A plurality of yarn feeding fingers 43am movable into and out of yarn feeding position in the main throat 41 by a conventional pattern drum, not shown. The auxiliary throat 42 is provided with a plurality of yarn feeding fingers 44 which are movable into and out of yarn feeding position by a conventional pattern drum, not shown. v

This type of machine is also provided with the usual sets of stitch cams at each knitting station and needle selecting means in advance of each of the knitting stationsf The needle selecting means acts when the needle cylinder is swinging in both directions to selectively raise needles to a sufficient height to pass over the leading stitch cam, where they are'raised to shed level, pick up a knitting yarn from the fingerwhich is in yarn feeding positiornand then pass beneath the second stitch cam to form stitch loops on those needles which pass through the stitch cams. Any needles which are not selected and raised to pass through the stitch cams merely retain the stitches previously formed on their shanks and the yarn which is knit on the needles on opposite sides of the inactive needles forms a float insideof the fabric.

In order toknit the hose shown in FIGURE 1, the top or. end? portion 15 is knit in the usual mannerand any conventional type ofmake-up may be formed on the bare needles to start the top of the cuff 15. The cuff portion 15 preferably has an elastic yarn incorporated therein to make the top self-supporting on the leg of the wearer. The cuif 15 may be knit by utilizing either one or both of the knitting stations of the knitting machine, as desired.

- Upon completion of the end or rib. portion 15, the

' machine switches into reciprocatory motion and the which has the appearance of three spaced apart or vertically extendin g walewise bars or rods with a rod of another color wrapped around the centermost rod in a spiraled manner.

other yarns to form solid color patterns as the successive Also, the pattern courses are knit in different directions. panels 25 can be completely omitted and the main pattern As shown in FIGURE 4, this eifect is achieved by selectively knitting and floating the yarns Y and E in successive courses and this selective knitting of needlecylinder is first swung in one'direction and then in the other direction. The needle cylinder swings one and three-quarters revolutions in each direction to insure 7 that all of the needles pass by each knitting station a sufiicient distance thatthe needle selector means will operate properly and that a complete course may be knit continued completely around the leg of the stocking. It

It is preferred that the first form of hose, shown, in

FIGURES 1 through 4,'be knit on a two feed circular knitting machine in which the needle cylinder reciprocates to form a tubular patterned fabric and which is known as a solid color pattern knitting machine. A ma chine of the. preferred type, is dis-closed in U .8. Patent No. 2,217,022 which may be referred to for any details necesof the foot be plain; knit of at each knitting station. a

In order to knit the main repeating pattern of the fabric, as shown in wales W-Mthrough W-25 of FIG- URE 4, the needles N first pass the knitting stations in one direction, with the needle cylinder rotating in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 7. Then, the needles move past the knitting stations in the opposite direction, with the needle cylinder moving in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 8. When both knitting stations M and A are in operation, two complete courses are knit witheach complete swing of the needle cylinder in each direction Thus, as is indicated by the arrows in wales W-M and W-I'T of FIGURE 4, adjacent single courses, such as courses C 2 and C-3, are knit in the same direction and one ofthe courses is knit of the yarn Y which is fed at the knitting station vM and the other course is knit of the yarn E which is fed at the other knitting station A. The arrows on the fabric'in FIGURE '4 indicate the direction in which each of the courses were knit and this direction will be opposite to the arrows in FEGURES 5- and 6 which indicate the direction of movement of the needles.

To knit the main pattern portions of courses C-2 and C3, from wales W-14 through W-ZS, the needle cylinder swings in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 7 and all of the needles which form the main pattern are raised to pass through the knitting station M and form stitch loops of the yarn Y in every wale. Then, needles in wales W-16 and Wll7, W-Zd and W-ZI, W24 and W are raised to pass through the knitting station A and form stitch loops of the yarn E. In the wales in which the needles ar not raised at the auxiliary knitting station A, the yarn E forms floats.

When the needle cylinder then swings in the clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 8, the group of needles which knit the main pattern, including those which form the stitch loops W-14 through W-25 in FIGURE 4, first pass the auxiliary knitting station A and then the main knitting station M to form the successive courses C-4 and C-5. During this clockwise swing of the needle cylinder, alternate pairs of adjacent needles, those needles in wales W-24- and W-25, W-Zt) and W41, W46 and W-I'7, are raised to pass through the auxiliary knitting station A and form stitch loops of the yarn E. Then, as the needles approach the main knitting station M, they are all selected to pass theret-hrough and form stitch loops of the yarn Y in every wale W44 through W2 5 of course C-S.

Throughout the knitting of the main repeated pattern in the leg and upper portion of the foot this sequence, outlined above for courses C-2 through C-S, is repeated to thus form a pair of adjacent courses with each swing of the needle cylinder. As is clearly shown in FIGURE 4, those needles which knit to form the ribs 2@ knit only half as many times as the needles which knit to form the areas 21 therebetween. Thus, the stitch loops in the walewise ribs 2th are twice as long as the stitch loops in the areas 21 therebetween. Also, in the areas 211, alternating pairs of adjacent courses are formed of the same type of yarn and intervening pairs of adjacent courses are formed of another type of yarn to provide horizontal stripes in these areas 21.

The pattern panel 25 on opposite sides of the leg of the hose, may be completely omitted and the complete leg knit with the repeating main pattern heretofore described. However, a wide range of designs can be easily knit in the pattern panel 25 by merely varying the knitting of the two main body yarns Y and E, and the manner of knitting the particular design shown on the side of the hose in FIGURE 1 will be briefly described. Referr-ing to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that a portion of the pattern panel 25 is shown in Wales W-7 through W- 12 and that the pattern is formed by controlling the needl s which knit the two main yarns Y and E;

During the knitting of the courses G l and C-S, the needle cylinder swings in a counterclockwise direction and all of the needles in wales W-7 through W-1-2 take and knit the yarn Y at the main knitting station while only the needle in wale W42 takes and knits the yarn E at the auxiliary knitting station. When the needle cylinder swings in the opposite direction (clockwise) to knit the courses (3-4 and C-5, the needles in wales W-IZ and W ll take and knit the yarn E at the auxiliary knitting station and then the needles in wales W49, W-9, W8 and W-7 take and knit the yarn Y at the main knitting station. It will be noted that the yarn E is floated behind the stitch loops of the yarn Y in wales W-7 through W and the yarn Y is floated behind the stitch loops of the yarn E in wales W1 1 and W-IZ.

During the next swing (counterclockwise) of the needle cylinder, the courses C-6 and C7 are knit and the needles in wales W'7 through W-lii take and knit the yarn Y at the main knitting station and then the needles in wales W40 through W-lZ take and knit the yarn E at the auxiliary knitting station. In the next swing (clockwise) of the needle cylinder, the courses 0% and C-9 are knit and the needles in Wales W-IZ, W-lll. and W-9 take and knit the yarn E at the auxiliary knitting station and then the needles in wales W-lti, W-S and W-7 take and knit the yarn Y at the main knitting station. During the next swing (counterclockwise) of the needle cylinder, the courses C-It) and C-11 are knit and the needles in wales W-7 and W-Itt take and knit the yarn Y at the main knitting station and then the needles in wales W-fi, W-9, W-II and W-IZ take and knit the yarn E at the auxiliary knitting station. During the reciprocatory knitting of the remaining courses shown in FIGURE 4, namely courses C-12 through C-25, the pattern panel 25 is knit by the needles in wales W-7, W-8, W9, W-Il and W-IZ taking and knitting the yarn E at the auxiliary knitting station while the needle in wale W-ltl takes and knits the yarn Y at the main knitting station. As shown in wale W43, both yarns Y and E are taken and knit with each swing of the needle cylinder in both directions.

It is to be understood that the pattern shown in the panel 25 represents only one of many different types of patterns which may be knit by varying the selection of the needles as they pass the main and auxiliary knitting stations; Also, it is to be understood that additional pattern yarns of different colors may be knit in selected wales of the pattern panels 25 while'the main body yarns Y and E are floated to form small solid color patterns down opposite sides of the hose.

In order that the knitting of the pattern fabric shown in the first form of hose shown in FIGURES 1 through 4 will more clearly be understood, the knitting of the courses C-2 through (3-7 is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 9. As shown in FIGURE 9, the needle cylinder is rotating in a counterclockwise direction and courses (3-2 and 0-3 are simultaneously being knit by feeding the yarns Y and E from the respective main knitting station M and auxiliary knitting station A and to the needles N. The knitting of the succeeding courses is schematically indicated by the circles within the needles N.

In order to reciprocatorily knit a tubular fabric of a single yarn, the yarn knits a full course in one direction, stopping at a selected needle, and then the yarn knits a full course in the opposite direction, again stopping at the selected needle. Thus, in reciprocatorily knit tubular fabric, which is knit of a single yarn, the ends of the courses are joined together and the trailing end of one course is joined to the leading end of the next course at what is usually termed a suture or at what may be called a turn-around. When the tubular fabric is knit of two main yarns which are fed at opposite sides of the needle cylinder so that two courses are formed with each swing of the needle cylinder, as is the case in the first hose shown in FIGURES 1 through 4, then a suture will be formed down opposite sides of the tubular fabric.

With the needle cylinder rotating in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 9, the yarn Y is first knit on a needle indicated at 6%), which will be referred to as the suture for the yarn Y. Then, the yarn Y is knit on selected ones of the needles which form the pattern panels 25 and knit on every one of the needles which form the main pattern areas to form a course which is schematically shown at C2. This course (3-2 is completed when the yarn Y is again knit by the suture needle 63.

During this same counterclockwise swing of the needle cylinder, the yarn E is also being fed to and knit by the needles N, starting with a suture needle indicated at 61 in FIGURE 9. The yarn E is knit on selected ones of the needles which form the pattern panels 25 and knit on alternate pairs of needles which form the main pattern areas to knit the course C-3. The knitting of the course (3-3 of the yarn E ends with the knitting of the suture needle 61, after the needle cylinder has rotated in a counterclockwise direction far enough that the suture needle 61 will again pass through the auxiliary knitting station A.

During the next swing (clockwise) of the needle cylin- 'der, the yarns E and Y form the respective courses C-d and (3-5 in a reverse direction from the courses C 2 and C-3. As is schematicallyillustrated in FIGURE 9, the direction of knitting of the yarn Y is reversed at the suture needle 60 and the direction of knittingof the yarn E is reversed at the suture needle i 7 Thus, the courses whichare knit of the yarn Y always start at the suture. needle dd, knit completely around the cylinder until the needle 66 is again reached and reverse directions to knit completely around the cylinder again to the suture needle 60. At the same time, the courses which are knit of the yarn E always start at the suture cent the sides of the pattern panels 25 and'the suture wales formed thereby are respectively indicated at dtla and 61a.

in FIGURE 2.

Thus, the hose shown in FIGURESI through 4 has a patterned leg L which includes a reciprocatorily knit repeated main pattern which is formed of a pair of main body yarns that are knit in alternating pairs of successive courses. One of the main body yarns is knit in every wale ofthe main pattern and the other main body yarn is selectively knit and floated to form walewise extending.

ribs which are formed solely of the second main body yarn. Those portions of the courses between the walewise ribs are alternately formed of the first and second tersto corresponding partsof the first form of hose with the prime notation added. a

body yarns with the second of'the body yarns being floated behind the stitch loops of the walewise ribs. addition to the main repeated; pattern, pattern panels have been provided on opposite sides of the leg of the hose. These pattern panels 'may be formed with a wide range of designs by varying the knitting of the two inain body yarns in a predetermined manner.

fore described, various other patterns may be'knit by utilizing the basic principles of the present invention. F or example, it is possible to feed the same, color and types of yarns at both'knitting stations while reciprocating the needle cylinder and knitting on all of the needles at one of the knitting stations and on selected needles at the other as the hose shownin FIGURES 1 through 4 may be knit by alternately feeding two main body yarns from a single 7 7 Thus, a patterned hose mayv be knit. on a circular hosiery knitting machine of the type havknitting station.

ing a single knitting station and needle selecting means in advance of the knitting station when the needlecylinder is reciprocating in each direction; In this instance, all of the needles in the repeated main pattern area will knit during two consecutive swings of the needle cylinder and then during the next two consecutive swings of the needle cylinder, only selected needles in the repeated main pattern area will knit to thereby produce a main repeated pattern in which certain wales contained elongated stitches.

Referring toFlGURES 10, 11 and 12, there is shown another form of patterned hose which is knit in accordance with the present invention. Since this second form of hose is similar in many respects to the first form of hose shown in FIGURES 1 through 4, corresponding parts of the second form of hose will bear like reference charac- 7 40 In addition to the first form of patterned hose hereto As shown in FIGURE 10,,the second form of hose includes a top or stretchable cuff 15, a patterned leg generally indicated at L, a heel pocket 16, a foot 17', and a toe pocket 18. The main pattern is regularly repeated throughout the major portion of the leg L and is generally characterized by a plurality of vertically or walewise extending ribs 2% having walewise extending plain knit areas Zi'therebetweenf A walewiseextending pattern panel is provided in the medial portion of opposite sides of the leg L and contains a plurality of portions of plain knit courses which are provided with solid color patterned designs 26. It is'preferred that the solid color patterned designs 26 be knit of a yarn which is of a different color than the yarn which knits the main repeated pattern in the leg .L'.

The fragmentary portion of the main repeated pattern of the hose shown in wales W-Stl through W-dl and courses C-titi through C 63 of FIGUREIZ illustrates the manner in which the reciprocatory courses are knit to form the main repeated pattern. It will be noted that the portion of the main repeated pattern .shown in FIGURE 12 includes a pair of spaced apart walewise extending ribs 2-53 with plain knit portions of courses therebetween and adjacent opposite sides, as indicated at 21. Inthis modified hose, it is preferred that the main repeated pattern be formed of a single body yarn which is indicated at P in FIGURE. 12. This pattern is formed by knitting the main body y-arn P at only a single knitting station while the needle cylinder is reciprocated. During alternate swings of'the'needle cylinder the main body yarn P is knit on all of the needles in the main pattern area and then knit on selected needlesduring intervening knitting strokes.

For example, during the .knitting of courseC-60, the mainbody yarn P is knit on all of the needles as. the

cylinder swings in a clockwise'direction to form stitch loops on all of the needles in the wales W-Stl through 'W t1. Then, on the next. swing (counterclockwise), the

' .a hose having a main repeated pattern throughout the leg 'and/ or a portion of the foot 17' may be formed on a circular hosiery knitting machine having only a single knitting station. However, when it is desired to include other yarns in the patternpanels 25', it is preferred that point or knit suture will be formed in the hose.

cylinder.

the hose be kniton a two-feed circular knitting machine. Then, the main yarn will be fed from one of the knitting stations and the pattern yarns for knitting the difierent solid color designs 26 in the pattern panels 25' will be fed to selected needles from the second knitting station.

Since'the main pattern yarn or body yarn P is fed from a single knitting station, the reciprocatorily knit successive courses in the main pattern area will start and end at the same suture needle so that only a single juncture v In the present instance, the yarn P begins and' completes each knitting stroke at the suture needle which knits a wale in the centermost front portion of the'leg and this suture Seam'iS indicated at sea in FIGURE 11.

The production rate ofthe second form of hose shown in FIGURESZIO through 12 will be slower than the production rate of the form of hose shown in FIGURES 1 through 4 because, in the second form of hose only a" single reciprocatory course is knit with each swing of the needle cylinder while in the first form of hose a pair of courses are knit with each swing of the needle 7 However, a greater range .of patterns. may be knit in the pattern panels by feeding the body yarn from a one knitting station while feeding solid color pattern yarns at the other knitting station.

In each embodiment of the patterned hosiery described, the main repeated pattern area in the leg and/ or foot portion includes a plurality of successive reciprocatorily formed courses. The main pattern is formed by knitting a body yarn in every wale in alternating pairs or single courses and then knitting body yarn in certain selected Wales in intervening pairs or single courses to produce walewise extending pattern lines or ribs.

While it is preferred that two separate body yarns be utilized in knitting the main pattern area, it is also possible to knit the main pattern area by using only a single body yarn. When two main body yarns are used to form the main repeated pattern, it is preferred that they be fed from separate knitting stations to form two courses with each swing of the needle cylinder. It is to be understood that the spacing between the walewise pattern lines or ribs can be varied as desired and that alternating reciprocatory courses are knit on all of the needles and intervening reciprocatory courses are knit on selected needles positioned throughout the main pattern area.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A plain knit seamless hose having a leg and foot, at least the major portion of said leg having a main repeated pattern comprising (1) a plurality of alternating and intervening reciprocatorily knit successive courses,

(2) normal stitch loops formed in certain wales of said alternating courses and elongated draw stitches formed in other Wales of said alternating courses,

(3) opposite ends of said alternating courses terminating in a common wale,

(4) normal stitch loops formed in said certain wales of said intervening courses and floats formed in said other wales of said intervening courses, and

(5) opposite ends of said intervening courses terminating in a common wale.

2. A plain knit seamless hose having a leg and foot, at least the major portion of said leg having a main repeated pattern comprising (1) a plurality of reciprocatorily knit successive courses,

(2) normal stitch loops formed in certain wales of regularly spaced certain courses thereof and elongated draw stitches forrned in other wales of said certain regularly spaced courses,

(3) said normal and elongated stitches being regularly repeated throughout the major portions of each of said certain courses,

(4) opposite ends of said certain courses terminating in a common wale,

(5) normal stitch loops formed in said certain wales of other courses and floats formed in said other wales of said other courses, and

(6) opposite ends of said other courses terminating in a common wale.

3. A plain knit seamless hose having a leg and foot, at least the major portion of said leg having a main repeated pattern comprising 1) a plurality of alternating and intervening reciprocatorily knit successive courses,

(2) normal stitch loops formed in certain wales of said alternating courses and elongated draw stitches formed in other wales of said alternating courses,

(3) opposite ends of said alternating courses terminating in a common wale,

(4) normal stitch loops formed in said certain wales CTL it of said intervening courses and floats formed in said other wales of intervening courses,

(5) opposite ends of said intervening courses terminating in a common wale, and

(6) each ofsaid certain wales of said main repeated pattern including twice as many stitch loops as said other wales.

4. A plain knit seamless hose having a leg and foot, at least the major portion of said leg having a main repeated pattern comprising (1) a plurality of alternating and intervening reciprocatorily knit successive courses,

(2) normal stitch loops formed in certain wales of said alternating courses and elongated draw stitches formed in other wales of said alternating courses,

(3) said normal and elongated stitches being regularly repeated throughout the major portions of each of said alternating. courses,

(4) opposite ends of said alternating courses terminating in a common wale,

(5) normal stitch loops formed in said certain wales of said intervening courses and floats formed in said other wales of said intervening courses,

(6) opposite ends of said intervening courses termi mating in a common wale, and

(7) each of said certain wales of said main repeated pattern including twice as many stitch loops as said other wales.

5. A plain knit seamless hose having :a leg and foot, at least the major portion of said leg including a main repeated pattern comprising (1) a plurality of alternating and intervening reciprocatorily knit successive courses,

(2) a yarn knit in every wale of said alternating courses in the main pattern area,

(3) opposite ends of said alternating courses terminating in Walewise alignment and in a common wale,

(4) a yarn knit in certain wales of said intervening courses and floating across other wales of said intervening courses in the main pattern area,

(5) opposite ends of said intervening courses terminating in a common wale, and

(6) said certain wales containing twice as many stitch loops as said other wales.

6. A plain knit seamless hose having a leg and foot, at least the major portion of said leg including a main repeated pattern comprising (1) a plurality of reciprocatorily knit successive courses,

(2) a main body yarn knit in every wale of alternating pairs of said courses in the main pattern area.

(3) opposite ends of all of said alternating pairs of body yarn courses terminating in a common wale,

(4) an auxiliary body yarn knit in certain wales of intervening pairs of said courses and floated across other wales of said intervening pairs of said courses in the main pattern area,

(5) opposite ends of all of said intervening pairs of auxiliary body yarn courses terminating in a common wale that is located on the opposite side of the leg of the hose from said common wale in which said alternating pairs of body yarn courses terminate,

(6) said certain wales consisting of alternating pairs of stitch loops of said main and auxiliary body yarns, and

(7) said other wales containing stitch loops of only said main body yarn.

7. In a knit seamless hose according to claim 6, wherein said main and auxiliary body yarns are different colors and produce a main repeated pattern in which said yarns alternately form different color stitch loops in said certain wales and stitch loops of only one color are formed in said other wales.

8. In a knit seamless hose according to claim 6, where- 'waleswise extending ribs. 7 t

9. A plain knit seamless hose having a leg and foot, said leg containing 7 (1) a plurality of alternating and intervening reciprocatorily knit successive courses which include (A) apair of opposed relatively narrow pattern panols, each panel extending down the sides of (a) stitch loops formed in every wale oi said alternating courses in the main pattern are-as, a

(b), opposite ends of said alternating courses terminating in a common Wale, I

1 (c) stitch loops formed in certain wales of said intervening courses and floats formed 7 in other wales of said intervening courses in the main pattern areas, (d) said stitch loops and said floats being alternately repeated in a regular manner in said intervening courses, and (e) said certain 'wales containing twice as many stitch loops as said other wales. 10. A plain knit seamless hose having a leg and foot, said leg containing 1 I V I (l) a plurality of alternating and intervening reciprocatorily knit succesive courses which include (A) a pair of'op'posed relatively narrow pattern panels, eachpanel extending down the sides of theleg of the hose, and

(B) main repeated pattern areas positioned between said pail-rot narrow pattern panels, said main repeated pattern comprising (a) a'main body yarn knit in every Wale of alternating pairs of said courses in the main pattern areas, (b) opposite ends of all said alternating pairs of body yarn courses terminating in a common Wale, (c) an auxiliary body yarn knit in certain wales of intervening pairs, of causes and floated across other wales of said intervening pairs of said courses in the main pattern least the maior portion of the leg of a seamless prising the steps, of

(l) reciprocatorily knitting a plurality of successive complete courses while forming stitch loops of a main body yarn in every wale of alternating courses in the main pattern area while beginning and ending the knitting of each of the alternating courses in a common Wale, and

(2) forming "plain stitch loops of an auxiliary body yarn in only certain regularly spaced wales of intervening courses in the main pattern area while beginning and ending the knitting of each of the intervening courses in a common wale.

14. A method of knitting a repeated main pattern in at least the maior portion of the leg or a seamless hose comi rising the steps of l) reci rocatorily knitting a plurality of successive complete courses while forming stitch loops of a body 'yarn in every wake of alternating single courses in thc'main' pattern area, and while forming stitch loops of the body yarn in only certain regularly spaced wales of intervening single courses in the main pattern area, and r t (2) beginning and ending the knitting of each of the alternating and intervening courses in a common Wale.

15. A method of forming a repeated main pattern in hose coma reciprocatoriiy knit tubular fabric on a circular knitting 11. In arknit seamless hose according to claim 16,

wherein both the alternating and intervening courses of 1 each of said narrow pattern panels includes a predetermined arangement of stitch loops and floats of said main body yarn and stitch loops and floats of said auxiliary body yarn.

'12. A method or: kniting a repeated main pattern in at 13. A method of knitting a repeated main pattern in at machine having a reciprocating needle cylinder, needles supported for individual moverrient in the cylinder, yarn ieeding'means positioned adjacentthe cylinder for feeding yarns to the needles, and means positioned in advance of the, yarn feeding means for selecting certain needles to form stitches at the yarn feeding means and for selecting other needles to remain inactive, said method including the steps of (1) reciprocating the needle, cylinder and forming a first plain course with'e'ach swing of the needle cylinder in one direction and forming a second course with each swing of the needle cylinder in the other direc- 7 tion while V (2) feeding yarn: to and forming stitch loops on all of the main pattern needles during the formation of the first course'while beginning'and ending the knitting of the first course at a common needle, and (3) feeding yarn to and forming stitch loops on only certain regularly spaced rnain pattern needles during the formation of the second course while beginning and ending the knitting of the second course at a common needle. I p V v 16. A method of forminga repeated main pattern in a reciprocatorily knit tubular fabric on a circular knitting machine having a reciprocating needle cylinder, needles supported for individual movement in the'cylinder, a pair or" spaced apart yarn feeding stations positionedadjacent the cylinder for feeding body and auxiliaryv yarns, respectively, to the needles and means positioned in advance of 1 each of the yarnrfeeding stations for selecting certain needles to form stitches at the corresponding yarn feeding stations and for selecting-other needles to remain inactive, said method including the steps of (l) reciprocating the needle cylinder while forming a complete body yarn plain course and a complete auxiliary yarn course with each swing of the needle cylinder, I

, (2) while forming stitch loops with the body yarn on all of the needles which knit the main pattern during each swing of the needle cylinder and while beginning and ending the knitting of the body yarn at a common needle, and (3) while forming stitch loops with the auxiliary yarn on certain regularly spaced ones of the needles which knit the main pattern during each swing of the needle cylinder and while beginning and ending the knitting of the'auxiliary yarn at a comrnon needle.v

17. A method of forming a repeated main pattern in a reciprocatorily knit tubular fabric on a circular knitting machine having a reciprocating needle cylinder, needles supported for individual movement in the cylinder, yarn feeding means positioned adjacent the cylinder for feeding yarn to the needles and means positioned in advance of the yarn feeding means for selecting certain needles to form stitches at the yarn feeding means and for selecting other needles to remain inactive, said method including the steps of (1) reciprocating the needle cylinder while forming a complete course with each swing of the needle cylinder,

(2) While beginning and ending the knitting of all the courses at a common needle,

(3) while forming stitch loops on all of the needles which knit the main pattern during alternate swings of the needle cylinder, and

(4) while forming stitch loops on certain regularly spaced ones of the needles which knit the main pattern during intervening swings of the needle cylinder.

References cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Cartledge 66--42 Hirner 66-180 Fisher 66-180 Hiller 6642 Green 66-479 Thurston 66180 X Lanson et a1. 66180 X Canavan 66179 X FOREIGN PATENTS RUSSELL C. MADER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A PLAIN KNIT SEAMLESS HOSE HAVING A LEG AND FOOT, AT LEAST THE MAJOR PORTION OF SAID LEG HAVING A MAIN REPEATED PATTERN COMPRISING (1) A PLURALITY OF ALTERNATING AND INTERVENING RECIPROCATORILY KNIT SUCCESSIVE COURSES, (2) NORMAL STITCH LOOPS FORMED IN CERTAIN VALVES OF SAID ALTERNATING COURSES AND ELONGATED DRAW STITCHES FORMED IN OTHER WALES OF SAID ALTERNATING COURSES,

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