Abstract: Decorative knitted fabrics have a basic weft knit structure with patterned effects produced by a warp yarn loops of which cover selected loops of weft yarn so as to be visible on the face of the fabric. The fabrics are produced by feeding warp yarns to selected needles of a straight bar knitting machine in addition to the normal weft yarn and controlling the tension of the yarn such that the warp yarn loops cover the corresponding weft yarn loops in the desired manner. To ensure the desired structure, it is preferred that the tension in the warp yarn should be relatively high when the yarn is wrapped round the selected needles but relatively low when the needles execute their knitting motion. Apparatus for producing these fabrics includes warp yarn guides which can be moved to and fro in front and behind the knitting needles and moved sideways past one or more needle positions. The warp guides can be swung upwards to clear the needles during fashioning movements.

Abstract: Plush fabrics are produced on a conventional double jersey knitting machine by feeding a plush yarn to conventional cylinder and dial latch needles and feeding a ground yarn to the dial needles only, whereby long loops are formed in the plush yarn and short loops in the ground yarn; and thereafter causing the cylinder needles to execute a knitting movement without feeding yarn thereto, whereby the long loops are released from the cylinder needles to form the plush pile and cylinder needles are freed for a repetition of the knitting cycle. Some of the conventional feeders on the basic machine are replaced by auxiliary feeders designed to feed yarn to the dial needles only, others may be simply omitted in order to provide for the release of formed loops from the cylinder needles, while others are replaced by ancillary devices to clear released loops from the knitting zone and to open the latches of the cylinder needles for a fresh knitting cycle.

Abstract: A pressure jet atomiser of the centrifugal swirl type wherein a forced vortex is gradually accelerated, by being directed through a smoothly converging passage, and is thereafter refined and thinned. Refining of the vortex occurs in a constant diameter nozzle throat section and thinning is achieved by passage through a smooth diverging diffuser downstream of the throat. A constant spray angle for the thinned vortex is achieved by providing the diffuser with an abrupt set-back.

Abstract: Improved alloys suitable for thermoelectric applications and having the general formula:(AgSbTe.sub.2).sub.1.sub.-x + (GeTe).sub.xwherein x has a value of about 0.80 and 0.85, have been found to possess unexpectedly high thermoelectric properties such as efficiency index, as well as other improved physical properties.