Abstract: Sinker cam segments in a circular knitting machine are located with respect to the generally radial direction by a generally radially inwardly facing location surface disposed radially outward of the segments. Each segment's radially outer end defines a contact region that abuts the locating surface. The contact region can be complementary surface contour to that of the locating surface, or a pair of discrete, spaced contact points protruding out from the radially outer end of the segment. The contact region is a reference for positioning the sinker cam segment with respect to the generally radial direction.

Abstract: Sinker cam segments in a circular knitting machine are located with respect to the generally radial direction by a generally radially inwardly facing location surface disposed radially outward of the segments. Each segment's radially outer end defines a contact region that abuts the locating surface. The contact region can be complementary surface contour to that of the locating surface, or a pair of discrete, spaced contact points protruding out from the radially outer end of the segment. The contact region is a reference for positioning the sinker cam segment with respect to the generally radial direction.

Abstract: A yarn carrier designed to minimize needle wear yet which is relatively easy to thread is described. The yarn carrier includes a yarn guide having an aperture for receiving a yarn and directing it to the needles of a knitting machine, and a flexible, nonmetallic guard plate secured to the guide such that at least a portion of the guard plate overlies at least a portion of the aperture in the guide plate, to reduce the tendency for the hooks of the knitting needles to enter the aperture. The guard plate is desirably made from a polymeric material such as polyurethane, and preferably has a Shore A hardness of about 50-70. The guard plate is desirably deformable so that an operator can readily bend it outwardly from the yarn guide while threading a yarn through the yarn guide aperture, yet when the bending force is released, the guard plate readily resumes its initial undeformed configuration.

Abstract: A multi-layer weft knit fabric for absorbing moisture and wicking it from a first fabric layer to a second layer is described, as well as a method for making the fabric. The multi-layer fabric includes a first hydrophobic layer and a second hydrophilic layer, with the layers being secured together by a series of courses forming spacer yarns which maintain the fabric layers in a spaced relationship relative to each other. The spacer yarns are adapted to wick moisture from the hydrophobic layer to the hydrophilic layer. The spacer yarns are preferably knit-in or laid-in to the respective knit fabric layers, and a plastic water-resistant layer can be secured proximate the hydrophilic fabric layer. A method of integrally knitting the multi-layer fabric on a circular knitting machine is also described.

Abstract: A garment inspecting and grading apparatus and methods of inspecting a garment are provided that preferably have a mounting member arranged to mount a garment thereon. A light emitter is positionally aligned closely adjacent the mounting member to emit light through a predetermined portion of a garment mounted thereon. A light detector is also positionally aligned with the light emitter to detect either the presence or absence of light traveling from the light emitter. A controller is positioned in electrical communication with the light detector and arranged to determine the presence and absence of defects in a predetermined portion of a garment responsive to electrical signals representative of the presence or absence of light received from the light detector. A grader and sorter are positioned downstream from the light emitter and the light detector for sorting an inspected garment into one of a plurality of predetermined quality groups.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering elongate flexible objects, such as hosiery blanks or pantyhose, in proper orientation for further processing including removing one or more flexible objects from a bundle and presenting a selected end thereof, to ensure proper orientation, to an entry end of a suction tube, transporting the flexible object through the suction tube to an exit and thereof, preparing the leading end thereof for transfer and transferring the leading end of the flexible object onto an object receiving member of a further processing machine.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing a small number of flexible objects, such as circular knit hosiery blanks from a mass of randomly arranged flexible objects, depositing the flexible objects on a turntable in spaced apart relation, removing individual flexible objects from the turntable, conveying the individual flexible objects to a sensing location, sensing the orientation thereof, returning to the turntable any flexible objects that are not properly positioned for the sensing of the orientation thereof, conveying the flexible objects which have had the orientation thereof determined along one of two alternate paths of travel determined by the orientation that has been sensed and the orientation desired at the delivery point, delivering the properly oriented blanks to a transfer location, transferring the blanks to a further processing apparatus, and further processing the flexible objects.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing a small number of flexible objects, such as circular knit hosiery blanks from a mass of randomly arranged flexible objects, depositing the flexible objects on a turntable in spaced apart relation, removing individual flexible objects from the turntable, conveying the individual flexible objects to a sensing location, sensing the orientation thereof, returning to the turntable any flexible objects that are not properly positioned for the sensing of the orientation thereof, conveying the flexible objects which have had the orientation thereof determined along one of two alternate paths of travel determined by the orientation that has been sensed and the orientation desired at the delivery point, delivering the properly oriented blanks to a transfer location, transferring the blanks to a further processing apparatus, and further processing the flexible objects.

Abstract: A hosiery inspecting and grading apparatus and a method of inspecting hosiery are provided that preferably has a boarding member arranged to mount a completed hosiery article thereon. The boarding member preferably is formed of a translucent material. An optical inspecting system is positioned adjacent the boarding form and is arranged to inspect a completed hosiery article mounted on the boarding member. The optical inspecting system preferably includes at least one light emitter positionally aligned with the boarding member to emit light through a predetermined portion of a completed hosiery article mounted thereon and at least one light detector positionally aligned with the at least one light emitter and the boarding member to detect the presence and absence of light traveling from the light emitter and through the predetermined portion of a completed hosiery article mounted on the boarding member so that presence and absence of defects in a completed hosiery article are thereby determined.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine with needles having operating butts of predetermined height includes a stitch cam unit for raising and lowering the needles by engaging the operating butts. The cam system includes a support body and a needle raising cam block having upper and lower cam members fixed to the support body and having corresponding upwardly inclined lower and upper butt engaging surfaces which are spaced from each other a distance substantially corresponding to the dimensions of the predetermined height of the needle butts. The upper cam member also includes a downwardly inclined lower butt engaging surface extending from the top portion of the upwardly inclined lower butt engaging surface for engagement with the needle butts. A stitch cam member has a downwardly inclined lower butt engaging surface cooperating with the downwardly inclined lower butt engaging surface of the needle raising cam.

Abstract: Two or more pile yarns of different colors selectively form single or multiple wale pile loops in each body or ground yarn course of the fabric. First and second pile yarn loop forming elements, in the form of dial hook elements, are supported in the dial and are selectively moved outwardly to pick up the pile yarns fed thereto at successive yarn feeding stations while the cylinder needles are selectively raised at the successive yarn feeding stations to catch the pile yarn as the dial hook elements are withdrawn inwardly into the dial. The selective outward and inward movement of the first and second dial hook elements makes it possible to send one dial hook element outwardly and bring back a pile yarn to be engaged in the hooks of both the first and second dial hook elements. Ground or body yarn is fed to the needles and the needles form stitch loops to form a course of fabric with the pile loops of the first and second pile yarns incorporated in the stitch loops of the ground yarn.

Abstract: A body yarn forms plain jersey stitch loops in every needle wale of successive courses of the fabric. Alternating single courses include pile yarn inlaid in alternating single wales of the plain jersey stitch loops of body yarn while pile loops extend inwardly and across intervening single wales of the plain jersey stitch loops of the body yarn. Intervening single courses include pile yarn inlaid in intervening single wales of the plain jersey stitch loops of body yarn while pile loops extend inwardly and across alternating single wales of the plain jersey stitch loops of body yarn. The fabric is knit on a circular multifeed knitting machine with a pair of successive courses being knit as cylinder needles and dial hook elements pass through each successive series of three yarn feeding and knitting stations.

Abstract: The needle latch cushioning member is formed of resilient material and includes an elongate body portion with a free end portion. The elongate body portion is supported in a groove on a yarn feed finger so that the free end portion is positioned to be engaged by and interrupt the swinging movement of the latches of the needles to the closed position as the needles are lowered to stitch loop forming position. The engagement of the latches of the needles with the free end portion of the resilient cushioning member serves to reduce the impact force of the latches against the hooks of the needles and thereby increases the wear life of the needles, without interfering with the feeding of the yarn into the hooks of the needles. When properly positioned, the free end of the resilient cushioning member can be used to guide the yarn into the hooks of the needles.

Abstract: The safety gate extends between and normally encloses the entire space between adjacent legs of a circular knitting machine to prevent the operator from being injured by a knit fabric take up roll mechanism which rotates beneath the needle cylinder and extends downwardly between the vertical support legs. The safety gate includes individual safety gate elements which are divided into upper and lower sections with the upper section being supported on the lower section for vertical movement between a raised closed position and a lowered open position. At least one of the gate element is hingedly connected on one side to one of the vertical support legs to permit the safety gate element to swing horizontally between closed and open positions between the vertical legs for permitting removal of the fabric take up roll.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically packaging folded hosiery into a pouch having a pouch closing flap in which a first means automatically forms the pouch and flap of a single sheet of plastic film with one face of a double-faced adhesive tape adhesively attached to the pouch, in which a second means automatically inserts the folded hosiery into the pouch while adhesively attaching the other face of the double-faced adhesive tape already on the pouch to the flap to close the pouch with the hosiery therein and in which a suction transfer arm automatically transfers the pouch and flap as made by the first means to the second means to insert the hosiery into the pouch.

Abstract: An attachment for use with multi-feed circular knitting machines of the type having a rotary needle cylinder and having yarn striper boxes at the feeds thereof. The boxes serving to change and to cut and clamp the yarns fed to and knit by the machine during the making thereon of coursewise striped fabric. The yarn changing operation resulting in undesirably long unknit terminal portions of the changed yarns extending inwardly from the inner side of the tubular fabric being made. The terminal portions of the yarns having cut ends. The attachment comprising a device having yarn clipping means disposed within the tubular fabric and rotating in unison with the needle cylinder to cut and to shorten the terminal portions of the changed yarns as the tubular fabric continues to be made, whereby the yarns are cut firstly by the striper boxes and secondly by the yarn clipping means.

Abstract: Improvement in the manufacture of panty hose wherein instead of making the panty portion of the panty hose on one machine, known as a Line Closer, and of closing the open toe foot portions of the panty hose on another machine, known as a Toe Closer, to make the panty hose, the panty hose is now made entirely upon an apparatus which combines the functions of both machines to make the panty hose. The apparatus includes an attachment to be used in conjunction with a Line Closer in which the latter makes the panty portion of the panty hose in the usual way from the welt portions of a pair of hosiery blanks having open welt, leg and open toe foot portions and in which the attachment then automatically transfers the hosiery blanks from the Line Closer to itself and sews closed the open toes of the foot portions to make the panty hose.