Abstract: A compound needle assembly for circular weft knitting machines that includes an elongate needle element having a yarn engaging hook member at one end, spaced coplanar cam butts at the other end and an intermediate bifurcated portion defining a U-shaped channel for slidably containing an independently displaceable elongate closing element and a plurality of cam butts extending from the intermediate portions of said needle element and said closing element.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine has a needle cylinder, a supporting disk attached to the needle cylinder coaxially therewith, a bearing body for the supporting disk surrounding the supporting disk, four bearing tracks arranged opposite one another in pairs on the supporting disk and on the bearing body, and bearing balls supported on the bearing tracks. Two elastic supporting flanges, each having one bearing track of two axially adjacent bearing tracks formed thereon, are provided to compensate radial expansions.

Abstract: A knit garment blank includes a tubular body portion having a first section knit with desired stitches and second sections knit with yarn from selected spaced courses of the first section, for example, such as every fourth course. In each second section, selected spaced courses continuing from the first section are looped through other selected spaced courses. At a given course during knitting, needles knitting the front of the first section and the second sections are pressed off and a plurality of courses appending from the remaining stitches of the course forms a rear panel. A brief is formed by cutting away selected portions of the blank to define leg openings and sewing a crotch piece to the body and the rear panel.

Abstract: This double knit fabric for sports garment, namely sweater and hockey includes a repeated pattern of predetermined courses containing wales of consecutive selected groups of tuck and welt stitches to form holes in and throughout the knitted fabric. The pattern is repeated to provide a fabric with a considerable number of holes aligned in a predetermined geometrical arrangement. The holes are formed in one to two adjacent wales on the cylinder by the combination of many tuck stitches in consecutive courses with welt and knit stitches associated thereto in the courses preceding and following same tuck stitches. The fabric can be of uniform color but may also be knitted to provide horizontal color bands of various widths and colors depending on the yarn color and the number of consecutive courses with a different color of yarn and the desired color arrangements.

Abstract: A system of operating room garments including two-component scrub pants with an elastic waist band and elastic bands in the mid-thigh area to define a containment zone between the two and knit cuffs at the ankle area, to be worn under a tabard for maximum protection against bacterial transmission as required and, over both, a surgical gown is worn with barrier panel sleeves and in the chest area extending from the neck to the mid-thigh area. The barrier panel composed of a bacteriostatically-treated polyester/cotton fabric sandwiched between a pair of water repellent, microporous urethane-coated fabrics or high-density woven fabrics, the composite being stitched together. The system provides the choice of garment selection depending upon the surgical procedure involved.

Abstract: A needle picker releasing device in a circular knitting machine for the production of hosiery goods performs releasing of pickers from a non-operative into an operative position by kinematic action of an electromagnet moving a blocking device. The electromagnet may be operated by a microswitch contacting a cam. The blocking device may be a double armed lever arranged between the electromagnet and the picker, one arm of the lever being engagable with the picker so as to block the motion of the picker and another arm of the lever being engageable by the electromagnet, movement of the other arm being obtained in one direction by the electromagnetic when energized and in another direction by spring means.

Abstract: A flat bed knitting machine with at least one carriage mounted to a needle bed. A yarn changing device is capable of picking yarn guide collars from collar support racks located at both ends of the needle bed. Each collar rack is designed to hold a plurality of yarn guide collars. The yarn changing device includes a collar support mechanism carried by the carriage for detachably holding a selected one of the collars. The collar support mechanism has three working positions including an operational position and two transfer positions. Each transfer position allows the transfer of the selected collar between the collar support mechanism and one of the support racks. A mechanism is also provided to change the position of the collar support in response to movements of the carriage relative to the needle bed. In a preferred embodiment, the position changing mechanism changes the position of the collar support mechanism in response to movements of the carriage relative to the needle bed.

Abstract: The thread guide box (1) of a flat-bed knitting machine is slidingly mounted on a sliding rail (2) extending along the needle beds. The box is driven in both directions of motion of the lock carriage, together with the latter, by a driving pin (4) arranged on the lock carriage. To ensure uniform, constant braking of the thread guide box (1), at least one permanent magnet (6) is mounted on the latter in the region of the sliding rail (2) and has a fixed air gap (7) for the magnetically conducting sliding rail (2).

Abstract: A central stitch length controlling apparatus for simultaneously varying the length of stitch loops being knit and optionally the positioning of the yarn guides (31) in a multi-feed circular knitting machine. The apparatus includes a vertically adjustable inner knitting cam block support ring (6, 47) which supports the knitting cams (7) and optionally the yarn guides (31) thereon. A plurality of sprocket wheels (18, 38) is disposed around the inner knitting cam block support ring (6, 47) and a fixed outer ring (16, 43). Rotation of the sprocket wheels (18, 38) selectively raises and lowers the inner knitting cam block support ring (6, 47). A sprocket chain (19, 46) drivingly interconnects the sprocket wheels (18, 38) to each other and may be manually rotated for simultaneously imparting like rotational movement to each of the sprocket wheels (18, 38) to thereby selectively raise or lower the inner knitting cam block support ring (6, 47) and the knitting cams (7) supported thereby.

Abstract: A protective helmet employs an inflatable bladder on the interior of the helmet. The inflatable bladder has cells that extend to the lower rear octants of the wearers head and also to either the crown or upper front octants of the wearers head. The cells are inflatable through a single valve and properly secure the helmet to the wearers head during use. In the preferred embodiment, the helmet is fully lined with resilient material interposed between the bladder and the wearer's head.

Abstract: Clothing for hunters or soldiers, having the usual design for purposes of camouflage also has fringe, in the form of a multiplicity of closely spaced elongated elements, hanging below the sleeves. The fringe is removable. Scents or lures may be applied to the fringe. If it is desired to change from one scent or lure to another, several fringes may be provided each with a particular scent or lure. The scent or lure may, therefore, be easily changed by merely changing the fringe and without washing the garment.

Abstract: A portable clipping and shearing apparatus for clipping and shearing float from lace sheet. The apparatus is mechanically coupled to the lace-knitting machine and is adapted to take up the sheet directly as it emerges from the lace-knitting machine to clip and shear the float forthwith. Consequently, trimmed lace sheet flows out of the portable device of the present invention, avoiding costly multiple handling of the lace sheet. The portable clipping and shearing apparatus is provided with a synchronization mechanism that synchronizes its processing speed to that of the lace-knitting machine. As the portable shearing and clipping apparatus is adapted for the relatively slow lace making machine, the device of the present ivnention is small enough to be easily transported to the location of a warp knitting machine, simple in construction, and more commonly affordable.

Abstract: Apparatus for finishing hosiery, coupled to an individual knitting machine (2) includes a tube and valve (4, 6) for conveying completed articles to a chamber (10) formed by a sleeve heated by a resistance element (12) contained in the chamber (10). A pair of parallel control rods (18) move a slide (16), and articles are heated simultaneously with the knitting cycle of the next article to effect partial relaxation and shrinkage in step with the knitting machine.

Abstract: Apparatus including a horizontal rectangular frame and a vertical rectangular frame receivable within the horizontal frame. The framework of the horizontal frame includes plural link members mounted vertically of a forward end of the horizontal rectangular frame and to an upper end of the vertical rectangular frame to pivotally receive the vertical rectangular frame within the horizontal rectangular frame. A propeller support brace is rotatably mounted to the vertical rectangular frame and includes a plurality of threaded bosses to threadedly mount a spaced plurality of yarn containers thereto where each yarn container is of a cylindrical configuration formed with a coaxial bore therethrough including an upper lid thereof to direct yarn therethrough.

Abstract: The invention relates to a card wheel for a knitting machine for manufacturing knit goods with combed-in fibers. The card wheel consists of a wheel body with a cylindrical circumferential surface and a card clothing situated and fixed on the latter, which contains a cloth band of appropriate width lying on the circumferential surface and hooks incorporated into the band. In accordance with the invention the cloth band has at least one lateral end a holding section free of hooks which runs along the entire circumferential surface. To fix the card clothing in place, a clamping means acting on the holding section is provided in accordance with the invention, which clamps the holding section with a pressure per unit area on the circumferential surface which prevents the cloth band from slipping.

Abstract: A device for guiding a lower thread in a zigzag stitching sewing machine is provided with a lower thread guiding unit that determines two lower thread drawing positions in accordance with a selected pattern. The lower thread guiding unit includes a lower thread guiding part which, at one of the two positions, acts on the lower thread to guide a lower thread drawing position to a center of a needle amplitude. A lower thread releasing element, at the other of the two positions, cooperates with the lower thread guiding unit to release the lower thread engaged with the lower thread guiding part.

Abstract: A rescue helmet apparatus which protects the user from hazardous environments includes canisters that provide breathable air to the user. The apparatus features a helmet, reflective cape, and long-lasting lithium-powered lights in an integrated device.

Abstract: A thread securing device in a sewing machine wherein an upper thread located along a thread guiding path is caught during the travel of a thread take-up member to effect automatic hooking of the thread thereto. The thread securing device includes a thread saving member capable of saving an amount of the upper thread corresponding to a predetermined amount of the upper thread to be taken up by the thread take-up member during its movement from a thread loosening position to a thread take-up position, and capable of feeding the saved amount of the upper thread freely in accordance with the thread take-up movement of the thread take-up member; and an actuating member adapted to catch the upper thread extending along the thread guiding path when the thread take-up member is not holding the upper thread and then supply an amount of the upper thread corresponding to the predetermined amount, to the thread saving member.

Abstract: A visual information display is added to a prior art motorcycle helmet having a headlight. A portion of the light from the headlight is diverted to illuminate an information indicator within the interior portion of the helmet. The information indicator is a translucent disk, rotated in response to a sensor signal, such as a heading indicator. Colored direction indicating symbols are projected onto the visor in an area not interfering with the motorcyclist's vision. A detachable cable connected to the motorcycle battery provides power to operate the headlight.

Abstract: Circular weft knitting machine apparatus that includes a selectively contoured terry instrument displaceably contained in a guide channel in an independently rotatable cage member disposed above a knitting needle support cylinder that includes a pair of extending spaced cam butts each disposed in a circumferential cam track in a stationary housing, such cam tracks being selectively contoured to provide for radial and vertical displacement of the yarn engaging portions of the terry instrument in response to rotative displacement of said cage member selective to said stationary cam truck housing. Also included is a radially displaceable shedder bar assembly for disengaging yarn from the terry instruments, in response to rotative displacement of said cage member relative to the stationary cam track housing.