US3602012A - Detachable hose with knitted fabric loops - Google Patents

Abstract

A stocking welt is provided with integral, knitted fabric loops by which the stockings are attached to a panty or girdle garment by a fastener of small and thin dimensions. The loops are formed by float stitching wherein a number of selected needles are pulled down to sinker level, where they do not take any yarn, kept there for a selected number of courses and then placed back in action with the needles again taking yarn.

Description

[72] Inventor Aaron lBurleson Burlington, NC. [211 App]. No. 742,082 [22] Filed July 2, 1968 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [73] Assignee Burlington Industries, Inc.

Greensboro, Nfi.

[54] DIETACIHIABLE HOSE Wll'llll KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] 111.5. @131 66/172, 66/190, 128/535 [51] llnt.C1 1004b 9/54 [50] Field oi 2/240; 66/173,172,169,180,190,172 E; 128/535 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,499,172 3/1970 Milner 66/173 UX 3,516,266 6/1970 Heggie 66/172 X 1,745,801 2/1930 Maclean. 128/535 X 1,843,270 2/1932 Cottrell 66/173 2,276,953 3/1942 Fregeolle et al.. 66/172 (E) 2,306,914 12/1942 66/172 (E) 2,349,746 5/1944 66/172 (E) 3,466,667 9/1969 2/240 12/1931 66/173 German Printed Application No. 1,025,804, 3/58, Franke (2), 2/240.

Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman ABSTRACT: A stocking welt is provided with integral, knitted fabric loops by which the stockings are attached to a panty or girdle garment by a fastener of small and thin dimensions. The loops are formed by float stitching wherein a number of selected needles are pulled down to sinker level, where they do not take any yarn, kept there for a selected number of courses and then placed back in action with the needles again taking yarn.

PATENTEU was! I97! 3,602,012

SHEET 1 OF 2 HTTOIA A VS PATENTEUAUG31 19?: 3.602.012

SHEET 2 BF 2 vwm ATTORNEYS DETACIIABLE HOSE WITH KNITTED FABRIC LOOPS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to hosiery and, more specifically, to stockings with welts having integral, knitted loops for attaching the stockings to a panty or girdle garment.

Girdles, girdle fasteners and garter for hose support are commonly used and very satisfactory in many instances. A problem has occurred, however, in that skirts have become shorter, dresses tighter, and tight fitting pants, slacks and the like have become more desirable in women's wear. Hence, large bulky fasteners to join hose to girdles have become undesirable. One solution to the problem has been the advent of seamless panty hose but these are objectionably expensive in some instances since damage to the hose, for example, by a run will result in loss of the entire panty hose.

Another problem has been created with skirts becoming shorter since of necessity, stocking legs had to be made longer and girdles shorter. Very frequently, stocking welts have gotten much shorter and fragile to some degree with the higher hemlines or shorter skirts styles. It has, therefore, been necessary to develop a stocking that would fasten to a short girdle or similar garment without creating bulk in the fastening means while at the same time having a sufficiently close connection between the hose and the girdle or like garment to prevent flesh from showing.

A number of approaches have been suggested to solve this problem. A first approach has been to sew the stocking direct to the girdle. This is of course very expensive when a stocking runs because the total garment is a loss.

A second approach has been to sew the stocking to the girdie or like garment with the use of a pull thread to permit raveling off of the stocking from the girdle when the stocking is damaged, as by running. However, this is unsatisfactory since there is no easy way to sew a new pair of stockings on to the girdle or panty garment.

A third approach involved the sewing of a piece of lace or fish-net type material on to the top of stockings. Hooks are provided on the bottom of the girdle for hooking into the lace or fish-net portion.

Still another approach utilizes a snap tab type metal fastener of the type used with mens shorts. Because the stocking welt is extremely fragile, the fastener has to be secured to a piece of elastic which, in turn, is sewed to the top of the stocking. This could be joined with a mating member on the bottom of the girdle or like garment.

Another approach has been to sew elastic on to the top of a stocking with integral button holes provided in the elastic. The stocking could then be buttoned or fastened to the girdle with buttons provided on the girdle.

Other more complicated and less desirable approaches have involved folding stocking tops over elastic portions and the like. Hence, there is an important need for the present development which solves the problems of the prior art and costs essentially nothing to knit, especially when compared to the sew on, heat applied or similar fastening devices of the prior art.

Briefly, the present invention comprises a stocking welt which is provided with sets of integral knitted fabric loops for attaching the stocking to thin fasteners which, in turn, are attached to a panty or girdle garment. Preferably, the knitted loops are formed in the welt by float stitching wherein a selected group of needles are pulled down to sinker level with the yarn floating behind the pulled down needles without being taken by the needles. The selected group of needles are kept at the sinker level for a predetermined number of courses and then placed back in action with the needles again taking yarn. This has the effect of shortening the fabric in the wales where the needles have been pulled down as compared to the wales of the adjoining fabric where the needles have not been floated thereby forming the raised loops in the welt.

The above-mentioned objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l. is a side elevational view of a hosiery welt formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view of a course formed when a group of selected needles are pulled down during the formation of a welt in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view diagrammatically illustrating a knitted fabric loop of the present invention integrally formed in a welt formed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from above of a stocking of the present invention illustrating the knitted fabric loops with one of many fasteners which can be utilized to attach the hose to a panty, girdle or other garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the FIGS. and, in particular, to FIG. 1, wherein a stocking having a welt 12 embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated. The welt 12 is provided with a plurality of sets 14, 116 (only two of which are shown) of knitted fabric loops l8 integrally formed in the welt of the stocking garment for receiving fastener elements. As can be seen from FIG. ll, the fabric loops 18 in each set are placed at different heights on the welt thereby providing a built-in or integrally knitted-in adjustment means so that adjustments of the stockings can be made for short or long legs. While each set of fabric loops shown comprise a plurality of loops extending diagonally across the welt, it is to be understood that the loops 18 can also be arranged in various other patterns for aesthetic reasons or other purposes. In addition, it is to be understood that any number of fabric loops 18 can be utilized in a set depending on the length of the welt and the length and arrangement of the individual loops in each set.

The knitted fabric loops 118, as shown in the enlarged diagrammatic view of FIG. 3, are made up of a portion 20 of fabric in the welt shortened a selected number of courses in the wales 22 as compared to wales 24 of the adjoining fabric in the welt 12. The length of the loop 18 is determined by the number of courses in the wales 22 of the loop wherein the yarn is floated and no stitch loops formed and the resulting difference in length between wales 22 for these courses and wales 24 of the adjoining fabric. Any selected number of courses in wales 22 can be floated depending on the length of the loop 18 desired. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 is 20 courses long (extending between course n and n+22) and loops of 16 to 20 courses are typical of those employed. As shown, the yarn of course n+2l is utilized to interconnect course n of the knitted fabric loop 18 with course n+22 of the knitted fabric loop. The effect is to form folds 26 in the welt adjacent each end of the loop that are joined by the fabric loop or bridge 18 which is raised relative to the welt. Behind the fabric loop or bridge 18 are floated portions of yarn 30 which each extend between the loops 32 of wales 241.

The knitted fabric loops can be as many wales in width as desired. However, typically the width for loops 16 to 20 courses in length has been 8 to 10 wales. Of course, the lengths and widths of the knitted fabric loops set forth in the specification are merely exemplary and in no way are the loops restricted to such dimensions.

The knitted fabric loops of the preferred form of the invention can be formed by float stitching on conventional single or multifeed circular knitting machines and the like, wherein the cams in the machine are set to drop or pull down a group or groups of selected needles for a selected number of courses during formation of the hose and, in particular, during formation of the welt of a hose. The method of forming the integral knitted fabric loop can best be understood from considering FIGS. 2 and 3 in conjunction with the following paragraphs which set forth the method of forming a knitted fabric loop.

During the knitting of the welt or some other portion of a hose, group of selected needles of a knitting machine (e.g.,' 8) are pulled down to sinker level and kept there for a selected number of courses. During this period, when the needles are pulled down to sinker level, the needle hooks of the group do not take yarn but the yarn is floated behind these pulled down needles forming courses, such as the one shown in FIG. 2 and those shown in FIG. 3 between courses n and n+2l where a floated portion of yarn 30 is shown extending between loops 32 of wales 24.

After the selected number of courses have been knitted, the group of selected weedless are placed back in action whereby a course such as that shown in FIG. 3 (course n+2l is formed having loops or drawstitches 34 extending between and interconnecting the loops of course n and n+22. The knitting of the welt then proceeds in the usual manner with courses having no floated portions being formed such as course n+22.

The portion of fabric 20 formed by interconnecting courses It and n+22 by course n+2l forms the bridge or loop 18 which stretches between folds 26 in the welt adjacent the ends of loop 18. The horizontally extending floated portions 30 of courses n+1 to n+20 form the section of welt behind the loop 18. Since there are no loose thread ends formed, no raveling of the welt occurs in the area of the loops 18 and a durable loop is produced.

FIG. 4 illustrates a stocking of the present invention which is attached by hooks 40 to a panty or girdle garment 42. The hooks 40 are preferably of small and thin dimensions and when used with stocking l eliminates bulky fastening means as well as providing a means for easily attaching and detaching a stocking from a support garment 42. As can be seen, the hooks 40 readily pass through vertically extending apertures 44, 46 formed between the side edges of loops l8 and the adjacent sections of the welt.

It should be noted that although the welt is preferably made with double thickness fabric, as shown in FIG. 4, the welt of the goods can be made with single thickness fabric. It should also be stressed that the integral knitted fabric loops can be formed in other portions of a hose and are not restricted to use in the welt. In addition, although the knitted fabric loops have been shown on the outside of the welt, they can also be located on the inside of the welt if desired.

While in the preferred form of the invention the knitted fabric loops are made by floating the selected group of necdles, it is also contemplated that knitted fabric loops could be formed by tucking on the same needles rather than floating or by a combination of tucking and floating to leave holes in the fabric which define a fabric loop or fabric bridge. Although the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. Hosiery having at least one integrally knitted fabric loop incorporated therein for receiving a hosiery fastening means, said hosiery comprising:

a first set of wales in a plurality of courses along which said knitted fabric loop is located,

a second set of wales in said plurality of courses comprising a plurality of adjacent wales on each side of said first set of wales, and

a plurality of drawstitches in one of said sets of wales,

said drawstitches being drawn together over a plurality of floats in said one set of wales thereby causing a difference in the lengths of knitted fabric along said first and second sets of wales in the region of said loop for defining a bridge of different length fabric in said first set of wales, which bridge comprises said integrally knitted loop.

2. Hosiery as in claim 1 wherein:

said drawstitches are disposed in said first set of wales and are drawn together over floated courses therein to define a bridge of shorter length fabric protruding above said floated courses to provide said integrally knitted fabric 3. Ho iery as in claim 2 wherein the drawstitches in said first set of wales are disposed adjacent to one another.

4. Hosiery as in claim 1 wherein said loop is formed in a hosiery welt.

5. Hosiery as in claim 1 including a plurality of said loops disposed along spaced apart first sets of wales located about the circumference of a hosiery welt.

6. I-Iosiery as in claim 1 wherein said drawstitches are drawn across all of said plurality of courses less two. I

Claims (6)

1. Hosiery having at least one integrally knitted fabric loop incorporated therein for receiving a hosiery fastening means, said hosiery comprising: a first set of wales in a plurality of courses along which said knitted fabric loop is located, a second set of wales in said plurality of courses comprising a plurality of adjacent wales on each side of said first set of wales, and a plurality of drawstitches in one of said sets of wales, said drawstitches being drawn together over a plurality of floats in said one set of wales thereby causing a difference in the lengths of knitted fabric along said first and second sets of wales in the region of said loop for defining a bridge of different length fabric in said first set of wales, which bridge comprises said integrally knitted loop.

2. Hosiery as in claim 1 wherein: said drawstitches are disposed in said first set of wales and are drawn together over floated courses therein to define a bridge of shorter length fabric protruding above said floated courses to provide said integrally knitted fabric loop.

3. Hosiery as in claim 2 wherein the drawstitches in said first set of wales are disposed adjacent to one another.

4. Hosiery as in claim 1 wherein said loop is formed in a hosiery welt.

5. Hosiery as in claim 1 including a plurality of said loops disposed along spaced apart first sets of wales located about the circumference of a hosiery welt.

6. Hosiery as in claim 1 wherein said drawstitches are drawn across all of said plurality of courses less two.

Images