Abstract: Computer based systems and methods for designing and manufacturing consumer products, including knit footwear uppers, and the like. The system provides digital controls for the customization of knitted components, including complex multi-structured knitted components. The system simulates deformations of knit structures and allows the user to control and visualize compensations in the structure(s) of the knitted component to better match between an intended knit design and the actual physical knitted component outcome. The system may manufacture/fabricate a knitted component based on the predicted/estimated deformation behavior of the knit.

Abstract: A method and a knitting device for plating with compound needles on a circular knitting machine is described herein. At least two yarns are inserted into the hook area of a compound needle. A sinker is moved in such a way relative to a knock-over edge disposed immovably on a cylinder that the sinker, by way of a guide means, guides at least one of the yarns further into the hook area of the compound needle, in the direction of the needle shank, and in doing so keeps the yarns separated. The sinker furthermore moves, in the longitudinal direction and the elevational direction, in such a manner relative to the knock-over edge that the guide means performs a movement which, at least section-wise, tracks at least one yarn.

Abstract: A loop-forming process includes moving a plurality of system components (11, 12) relatively to a needle bed (14). The system components (11, 12) contact threads (23) for forming loops. At least one spacer (10) is placed between at least two adjacent system components (11, 12) of the plurality of system components (11, 12) and defines the distance (21) between the two adjacent system components (11, 12), the spacer (10) being in mechanical contact to the two adjacent system components (11,12). The spacer (10) is placed away from and does not contact threads (23) and is moved with respect to the needle bed (14). The spacer (10) is also moved with respect to both of the two adjacent system components (11, 12) at least for a period of time during the loop forming process. An equivalent device is also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine includes sinkers and selector jacks corresponding thereto that are provided as separate components. The selector jacks are arranged radially outside the sinkers, and are provided with selector butts such that the selector butts of circumferentially adjacent selector jacks are arranged at different radial positions. An actuator that acts on the selector butts is arranged radially outside the cylinder. The circular knitting machine prevents a failure of sinker selection, while increasing a rotation speed of a cylinder holding knitting needles.

Abstract: The main objective of the present invention is to provide a sinker that can produce pile loops of different lengths. The sinker has a nib and a belly formed separately on one end thereof. A throat is formed between the nib and the belly. The nib has a bulge formed on a top edge thereof. The throat has a recess formed on a top edge of the belly. With the bulge and the recess, multiple vertical gaps of different lengths are provided. When yarns are placed at different relative positions, pile loops of different lengths are made by the same sinker. Thus, the sinker results in fabrics with variant appearances and good tactile impression.

Abstract: A sinker includes a sliding segment with a sliding portion slidably located in a sinker groove, a loop forming and loosening ancillary segment extended upwards from one side of the sliding portion and then extended outwards, a passive segment located above the sliding segment and driven by a cam, and an indented abrasion-reducing space located at a lateral side of the sliding portion and below the loop forming and loosening ancillary segment. Through the abrasion-reducing space, the loop forming and loosening ancillary segment can move directly and horizontally above a needle cylinder. The loop forming and loosening mechanism for circular knitting machines of the invention can simplify fabrication of the needle cylinder, reduce labor and material costs, improve quality and production yield of the needle cylinder, and also reduce abrasion of the sinker, thus can improve performance of the mechanism and enhance lifespan of the sinker.

Abstract: A fabric having a ground fabric, and a double layer terry or a double layer pile on either or both surfaces of the ground fabric, or a double layer terry on one surface and a double layer pile on the other surface. The double layer terry has an outer terry and an inner terry lower than the outer terry; the double layer pile has an outer pile and an inner pile lower than the outer pile. The outer terry or outer pile is a natural fiber, and the lower terry or lower pile is a microfiber. Methods of manufacturing the fabric are also disclosed.

Abstract: A sinker cam ring for a circular knitting machine comprises a plurality of sinker cam segments arranged edge-to-edge to form the sinker cam ring, each sinker cam segment defining a portion of a sinker cam track that defines sinker-advancing and sinker-retracting surfaces. Breaks between adjacent sinker cam segments are located in linear portions of at least one of the sinker-advancing surfaces and sinker-retracting surfaces where substantially only frictional forces act on the sinkers, and thus where radial acceleration of the sinkers caused by the cam surfaces is substantially zero. The breaks for a given sinker cam segment can be circumferentially staggered relative to each other.

Abstract: A sinker set comprising a coulier sinker (11) and a plush sinker (12). The sinkers (11, 12) can be moved together in a direction transverse to a knitting needle (2). The sinkers have spaced apart edges for the accommodation of stitches. In order to adjust the distance between these edges, the sinkers (11, 12) can be moved relative toward each other in the driving-out direction of the needle. To do so, they have spaced apart guiding edges (17, 18; 27, 29, 30) that are in contact with various support surfaces or guiding surfaces (20, 22; 26, 32, 33).

Abstract: A sinker cam ring for a circular knitting machine comprises a plurality of sinker cam segments arranged edge-to-edge to form the sinker cam ring, each sinker cam segment defining a portion of a sinker cam track that defines sinker-advancing and sinker-retracting surfaces. Breaks between adjacent sinker cam segments are located in linear portions of at least one of the sinker-advancing surfaces and sinker-retracting surfaces where substantially only frictional forces act on the sinkers, and thus where radial acceleration of the sinkers caused by the cam surfaces is substantially zero. The breaks for a given sinker cam segment can be circumferentially staggered relative to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus according to the invention for producing a knitted fabric with interspacing is embodied in the form of a circular knitting machine with knitting cylinders or with a knitting cylinder and a dial. Between the two needle beds for the needle assemblies defined in this way, a pile thread transfer device 4 is arranged, which is preferably provided with two groups 5, 6 of feed elements that can respectively be moved from an idle position to a thread tucking position. In the process, the feed elements of the one group move toward the needle hooks of the first needle bed and the feed elements of the other group move toward the needle hooks of the other needle bed. In this way, a spaced apart knitted fabric can be produced on circular knitting machines, wherein latch needles can be used and the needle stroke is limited to the standard measure of less than 14 mm. The knitted fabric with interspacing can have a thickness of clearly more than 14 mm, meaning a thickness than far exceeds the needle stroke.

Abstract: A sinker selection device in a circular knitting machine, comprising for each radial slot of the sinker ring in which sinkers are accommodated, a selector facing the end of the corresponding radial slot directed away from the axis of the sinker ring, the selector being oscillatable on a radial plane with respect to the sinker ring to pass from active to inactive positions, and connected to the corresponding sinker, arranged in the corresponding radial slot, to induce different actuation of the corresponding sinker along the corresponding radial slot, depending on whether the selector is in the inactive position or in the active position. A selection actuator is provided which laterally faces the sinker ring and can engage on command the selector for transfer from inactive to active positions.

Abstract: A sinker of circular knitting machines for pile fabrics, which is used in the circular knitting machine assembly has an aslant contact surface between a sinker cylinder and a cam. By the aslant surface disposed on a nose section of the sinker, the bottom yarn can fall accordingly and constitutes a perfect plating loop effect with the binding yarn. Further a first end surface of a throat section and the second end surface of an abdominal section are designed with different inclined angles to cope with the movement of a sinker cylinder of a circular knitting machine having an aslant surface. Therefore, the knitting needle and the sinker on the circular knitting machine can maintain a smooth knitting movement.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of producing a knit fabric which is patterned and at least partially plated, on a circular machine equipped with a cylinder with needles (12) and sinkers (14), comprising the use of a first strand and a second strand (A, B) which are different at least in colour and which are fed to the needles through the sinkers, and the positioning of the strands through selection and a programmed longitudinal movement of the sinkers in such a way as to arrange alternately, one or other of the two strands on the reverse side and face side of the resulting knit fabric, without cutting the strands, creating patterns which are different in colour at least, in the fabric areas in which there is, on the face side or in view, one or other of the strands. This method can be used both for the production of smooth plated fabric and for the production of fabric which is part terry and part plated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circular knitting machine for multicolored plush. A plush sinker (113) is provided with at least two planes (90, 91) for kinking loop threads of different loop length. The knocking-over sinker (112) has a bill comprising at least two webs (96, 97) for restretching pile loops of different loop length. Plush knitted goods having plush loops of different heights and different colors can be produced by means of said circular knitting machine. Knitted goods being combined of epinglé and velour can thus be produced by shearing the longer plush loops.

Abstract: In a process for knitting a weft-knitted fabric (T) by means of mutually opposite needlebeds comprising axially slidable needles, the needles being operated in correspondence to a yarn feed, said yarn consisting in a base thread (FF) and a pile thread (Fp) mutually coupled, for stitches in correspondence with which pile has to be formed, when the needle is engaging the yarn, the pile thread (Fp) is separated from said base thread (FF) and retained so that a bridle (B) is formed on the backside between the new stitch and the previous stitch of the same rank (R), while the base thread (FF) forms a normal backside stitch lower loop. The bridle (B) is subsequently cut in order to obtain the cut pile, as the fabric under formation progressively moves down. The invention also relates to a knitting machine specifically designed and built for carrying out the process and to a knitted fabric obtainable with such process and machine.

Abstract: A system of cams and a sinker for terry cloth knitting using the needles on circular knitting machines and stocking knitting machines. Cam means (20, 21, 22) are provided for selectively interacting with a control bottom part (18) and with a shoulder (19) for the inlet and outlet differential longitudinal movements of each sinker in relation to the needles for a selective plain stitch formation at a horizontal plane (14), a terry cloth stitch at a top mouth (15) and a mixed stitch at an intermediate notch (17) on the head of the sinker proper.

Abstract: A pile forming textile machine (circular knit, tufting, raschel, stitch-bonding or needle punch machine) is equipped with a plurality of pile elements (1, 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71) drawing out pile loops from pile yarns or fibers incorporated into a ground fabric and controlling this pile loops to be severed from a cutting apparatus comprising a plurality of pile elements (2, 12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72) each cooperating with one (of the plurality) of said pile elements by reciprocating movement of said cutting elements transversally to and from said pile elements, each provided with a cutting edge (1c, 11c, 21c, 31c, 41c, 51c, 61c, 71c) cooperating with a cutting edge (2c, 12c, 22c, 32c, 42c, 52c, 62c, 72c) one each of said cutting elements which will contact one another in a point by a lateral (.beta.) and a longitudinal (.alpha.) inclination, whereby the longitudinal inclination (.alpha.

Abstract: A set of cams for actuating the lowering sinkers in circular knitting machines, for producing standard-terry knitting and sandwich-terry knitting. The cam set comprises cams and countercams which form a path for the heels of the lowering sinkers which have two lowering planes arranged at mutually different elevations for at least two yarns which are dispensed at a feed of the machine to form loops of terry knitting. The cam set also comprises, in the region of the path that corresponds to the descent of the needles of the needle cylinder to form loops of knitting with the two yarns dispensed at a feed of the machine, a cam which can move on command into two operating positions in order to produce at least one variation of the path formed by the cams and countercams.

Abstract: The main object of the invention is to obtain knitwork the density of which is not influenced by the tension of the previously formed loops (15). In the particular case of terry cloth the terries are hence particularly uniform and stable.This is achieved by operationally interposing the terry sinker (2) between two stitch sinkers (3, 21).The method for producing terry knitwork is as follows:the first yarn (12) passes under the stitch hooks (7) while resting on the knocking-over surfaces (8) of the stitch sinkers (3, 21), and then over the terry hook (4) while resting on the terry surface (5) of the terry sinker (2);the second yarn (13) follows the first yarn (12), but instead of passing over the terry hook (4) passes along the working surface (6) of the terry sinker (2).The method for producing wide-mesh knitwork comprises for both yarns (12, 13) a path identical to that of the first yarn (12) of the terry knitwork production method.

Abstract: A sinker system for a knitting machine, including a sinker plate holder having a master sinker slot and an auxiliary sinker slot; a master sinker having a throat, a nose, a flank, and a sinker butt; a face-loop sinker of size fitting the master sinker slot and having the nose divided into the upper nose and the lower nose by a parting rod; a reverse-loop sinker of configuration fitting the face-loop sinker with the upper throat shallower than that of the face-loop sinker; and a jacquard sinker having a stepped nose; and wherein a face-loop fabric can be obtained by matching the master sinker with the face-loop sinker and reciprocating them in the master sinker slot and auxiliary sinker slot on the sinker plate holder respectively; a reverse-loop fabric can be obtained by matching the master sinker with the reverse-loop sinker and reciprocating them in the master sinker slot and the auxiliary sinker slot on the sinker plate holder respectively; a face-loop jacquard fabric can be obtained by matching the jacqua

Abstract: A sinker having a sinker body and a butt for engaging a sinker cam. Upper and lower nibs protrude from the sinker body. A first throat is defined between the upper and lower nibs for receiving a yarn. First, second and third knitting platforms are defined by the sinker body beneath the lower nib. A second throat is defined by the lower nib and the second and third knitting platforms for controlling a yarn loop. The second platform may be closer to the first throat than the first platform, and the third platform may be closer to the first throat than the second platform. This progressive displacement of the second and third knitting platforms provides for quick rolling over of a needle latch due to the resultant elevated position of the yarn loop on the needle shaft at desired prints in the knitting operation. This advantage reduces dropped stitches, enables use of a shorter needle latch length while maintaining a desired stitch length at the tie-in, and facilitates higher machine operating speeds.

Abstract: The machine is provided with casting-off sinkers having two casting-off surfaces which are mutually spaced in a direction which is parallel to the axis of the needle cylinder to form toweling stitches. The machine has auxiliary jacks which are accommodated in axial grooves of a needle cylinder and can move, when actuated, along these grooves parallel to the axis of the needle cylinder so as to act, with their upper end, on the casting-off sinkers to move them in a direction which is radial to the needle cylinder from a rearward position, in which they receive two threads engaged by the contiguous needles on a same one of the two casting-off surfaces, forming two loops of knitting of equal length, to an advanced position in the direction of the axis of the needle cylinder, in which they receive the two threads engaged by the contiguous needles respectively on one of the casting-off surfaces and on the other casting-off surface so as to form two loops having mutually different lengths, i.e. toweling stitches.

Abstract: A device for forming, terry knit with a terry yarn and a base yarn for the base fabric. A needle cylinder is provided including a plurality of needles, driven for reciprocating motion. A plurality of sinkers with a high nose for the terry yarn and a plurality of sinkers with a low nose for the base yarn are provided. A high yarn guide for the terry yarn, is provided at a high yarn guide level and a lower yarn guide for the base yarn is provided at a lower level than a level of a surface of the high-nosed sinkers. A fixed annular sinkers housing is provided including a fixed cam profile to control radial movement of the high-nosed sinkers. The cam profile has an area of centrifugal retraction substantially symmetrical with respect to a feeding position of the high yarn guide and the lower yarn guide. An angularly mobile annular sinkers housing is provided for controlling radial movement of the low-nosed sinkers.

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: A method of constructing a plated pile knit fabric and sinker therefor is disclosed. The sinker is adapted for low pile formation in the construction of the plating pile knit fabric. Each sinker is obliquely movable from an advanced, lower position to a receded, upper position. A pile position control ledge extends horizontally with respect to the incline of the sinker. The distance between the sinker nose and sinker pile position control ledge is more extended than in a conventional sinker, and as a result, the sinker nose can be positioned lower than that in a conventional sinker so as to form low piles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming pile fabric where the pile loops are controlled during the knock-over action of the needles. The sinker ring mounted sinkers include separate pile and loop forming ledges. The base thread is fed into the throat of the sinker, and with the sinker positioned with their loop forming ledges between adjacent needle stems, the alternate raising different sets of needles to feeding positions and the subsequent retraction to a tuck on the latch position and the subsequent clearing of the pile threads from the loop forming ledges assures that in the knock-over action of the needles the pile loops remain under the control of the pile forming ledges.

Abstract: A method for operating a conventional circular knitting machine, provided with indepenent and continuously operating pattern wheels, to develop patterns including knit, tuck, welt and terry stitches in the same course(s). By synchronizing the sinker selection and needle selection components, in a complementary manner, the resulting tubular fabric may include terry loop areas adjacent to decorative flat-knitted areas which together comprise the entire circumference of said tubular fabric rather than the dull, uninteresting non-terry areas generally resulting in tubular fabrics which include terry areas in only a portion thereof.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for producing a single face plush article of base threads and plush threads has a needle cylinder provided with a plurality of needles and a plate ring provided with separately controlled and differently shaped plates. A first plate has a slot for receiving a base thread and a stepped ridge for applying a plush thread, and a second plate is provided with a recess in the region of the slot of the first plate. The second plate has a plate tip formed above the recess and is provided for a plaiting with a plush thread-pressing edge. The plush thread-pressing edge is formed on the plate tip and extends in an inclined manner to the slot of the first plate and to a shaft of an associated one of the needles. The plush thread pressing edge being movable to a point before a step of the stepped ridge of the first plate.

Abstract: The methods of knitting the pile jacquard fabric are carried out on a circular knitting machine including needles and sinkers, and a plurality of adjacent yarn feeders. The fabric includes successive courses of plain jersey stitch wales knit of a ground yarn with each successive course also including a first pile loop yarn knit with the ground yarn in selected groups of adjacent wales and forming an individual pile loop in each intervening sinker wale, and a second pile loop yarn knit with the ground yarn in other groups of adjacent needle wales and forming an individual pile loop in each intervening sinker wale. Both the individual pile loops of the first and second pile loop yarns are positioned in side-by-side relationship in adjacent groups in each successive continuous ground yarn course so that the density of the pile loops corresponds with the density of the ground yarn stitch loops.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for the production of plush goods by means of needles and cooperating sinkers created to form plush and plain loops. The invention improves fabric quality especially when using cotton thread to form plush loops by providing beside the sinker to form plush and plain loops, an auxiliary sinker with a nib to tighten the ready plush loops and with a notch to hold and to pull-down the plush loops from the sinker to form plush and plain loops.

Abstract: A multi-system circular knitting machine for producing jacquard-patterned one-face plush webs of one main thread and at least one plush thread has a needle cylinder provided with a plurality of needles, a plate ring provided with pairs of controllable loop-sinking plates and knockover plates, and needle and plate controlling cams each system of the machine is subdivided into a series of system portions. The main thread is inserted in a needle and processed exclusively in the first system portion. The controlling cams are formed such that only the knockover plates are withdrawn from the first system portion, while in the last system portion, both the knockover plates and the loop sinking plates are withdrawn from the working zone.

Abstract: An athletic sock having a knit-in, cushioned shin area. Preferably the sock also includes a knit-in, cushioned sole and ribbed support rear leg area. The cushioned shin area of the athletic sock may be formed on a single feed, single drum knitting machine by needle manipulation rather than by sinker manipulation. A selectively operable, special cam operates in conjunction with a radially shiftable lifting cam, and with long and short butt needles. The special cam lifts the short butt needles to an intermediate level where they grasp the body yarn but not the terry yarn. The long butt needles meanwhile are initially lifted by the special cam to the same level as the short butt needles. However, the lifting cam, which is retracted to clear the short butt needles as they pass by, further elevates the long butt needles to the uppermost level where they grasp both the terry yarn and the body yarn as they are lowered by the center cam.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for the production of high-pile fabrics having combed-in fibres is disclosed herein. The knitting machine has a needle cylinder carrying knitting tools, at least one carding means for combing fibres into the knitting tools, an exhaust hood disposed above the needle cylinder and intended for the removal of loose fibres and at least one component disposed within and/or outside of the exhaust hood and fastenable thereto by means of at least one strut, to substantially eliminate the danger of any accumulation of loose fibres on the strut. The strut has an airfoil configuration.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing knitted cut-pile fabric on a conventional circular knitting machine having a cylinder containing conventional latch needles and a dial containing dial elements each having a hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced from the hook and a yarn supporting surface extending therebetween, each dial element being radially movable between adjacent cylinder needles. Body yarn is progressively fed to the cylinder needles and pile yarn is progressively fed to the needles and the dial elements, the needles and dial elements being manipulated to form stitches of body yarn on the needles, to associate the pile yarn in the stitches and form pile loops on the dial elements, and to cast-off the needles the associated stitches and pile yarn to anchor the pile yarn in the stitches.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for producing one-face plush webs of main threads and plush threads has a plurality of needles, a plate ring provided with plate members, and a plurality of cam members for controlling the longitudinal movement of the needles and the transverse movement of the plate members, wherein the needles and the plate members are arranged so that each of the needles cooperates with two parallel and separately controlled plate members movable relative to one another, of which one of the plate members has a slot for receiving a main thread and a stepped back for supporting a plush thread, and the other of the plate members has a thread placing edge limiting the effective length of the slot of the one plate member.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine includes a cylinder spacedly provided with vertical slits on its overall circumference, and sinkers and knitting needles alternately mounted in every other slit of the cylinder. Each one of the sinkers is formed on its bottom side with a cutout so that a sinker selection jack moving up and down within the slit pushes the slant front edge of the cutout to move the sinker horizontally, or towards the center of the cylinder. With the structure, the movements of the sinker can be individually controlled to form a pile patterning and reversed patterning.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing knitted cut-pile fabric on a conventional circular knitting machine having a cylinder containing conventional latch needles and a dial containing dial elements each having a hook, a yarn cutting edge spaced from the hook and a yarn supporting surface extending therebetween, each dial element being radially movable between adjacent cylinder needles. Body yarn is progressively fed to the cylinder needles and pile yarn is progressively fed to the needles and the dial elements, the needles and dial elements being manipulated to form stitches of body yarn on the needles, to associate the pile yarn in the stitches and form pile loops on the dial elements, and to cast-off the needles the associated stitches and pile yarn to anchor the pile yarn in the stitches.

Abstract: A process for knitting a single-faced pile fabric is disclosed, based on the raising and lowering of conventional needles and the movement of throated sinkers, each sinker having the throat extended and provided with a sloping shoulder in the lower edge thereof, a re-entrant bevel on the upper leading edge, a downwardly extending surface and a notch on the upper edge.

Abstract: A circular ladies hosiery knitting machine is provided having a conventional rotatable needle cylinder and dial. The dial includes radially movable transfer jacks which, when fully extended, cooperate with the needles to form loops on the jacks. A selectively operable device positions a de-looper element in the path of loops carried by the transfer jacks whereby the loops are lifted out of engagement with the jacks without the jacks having to be retracted.

Abstract: A process for knitting a single-faced pile fabric is disclosed, based on the raising and lowering of conventional needles and the movement of throated sinkers, each sinker having the throat extended and provided with a sloping shoulder in the lower edge thereof, a re-entrant bevel on the upper leading edge and a notch on the upper edge.

Abstract: The auxiliary knitting station includes an auxiliary yarn feed finger in the form of a relatively thin flat, substantially vertically disposed main body portion which is movable between a lowered or active position between the latch ring and the circle of needles and a raised or inactive position above the circle of needles. The lower end portion of the auxiliary yarn feed finger includes a first yarn guide opening for feeding a first or body yarn to the needles at a level below the upper ledges of the sinkers and a pair of yarn guide openings spaced above the first yarn guide opening for selectively feeding either a terry yarn or a plating yarn to the needles at a level above the level of the body yarn.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for producing loop fabric is provided with fabric holding means and with sinkers peculiarly adapted to enter and hold previously formed loops during the knitting process.

Abstract: Knitted underwear, such as panties, panty hose, leotard and the like formed with a terry patch simultaneously knitted with the fabric at the crotch or other areas. The garment is made on a circular seamless hosiery knitting machine. The resulting tube is tailored for the leg openings, then sewn to form the garment. Shaping of the terry patch is effected by using the usual needle selecting device, normally employed for heel patch reinforcement and modified with suitable cams. The machine is modified to use new dial elements, a new throat plate and a new manner of feeding the loop forming yarn and the base yarn above and below the plane of the dial elements respectively. The machine is operated in a new way and can also produce knitted fabric with eyelet pattern.

Abstract: A method for forming loops on a circular knitting machine having a plurality of needles and sinkers alternately arranged in cooperation with each other. The sinkers are supported on a rotatable ring located exterior of said cylinder, and have a yarn engaging edge extending perpendicular to the needles and a heel at its opposite end. The steps comprising feeding a yarn to the needles, while sequentially moving the needles downwardly within the cylinder to draw the yarn. Simultaneously engaging the sinkers at their heel ends and advancing each of the sinkers toward an associated pair of needles along a straight line direction at an acute angle to the needles synchronously as the needles move downwardly. Thereby the yarn engaging edge is moved vertically upwardly while the edge is maintained perpendicular to said needles. The edge thus engages the yarn and cooperates with the associate needles to form loops from the yarn simultaneously on the associated needles and sinker.

Abstract: A method and means for improving quality of terry fabric by controlling the position of terry loops as they are cleared on the needles. A special sinker actuating cam assembly is arranged to withdraw and then readvance the sinkers, after the terry loops have been drawn, to transfer these loops into their respective sinker throats prior to raising of the needles to clear height whereby clearance and subsequent avoidance of the terry loops by the needle latches are assured. Additional sinker cams for selectively changing the timing of sinker motion for bare needle makeup and, alternately, for knitting terry fabric, and for withdrawing the sinkers at the point of transfer are also disclosed.