Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing large rolls of tubular fabric knitted on a small diameter circular knitting machine of the type having fabric takedown rollers for pulling the fabric from the knitting cylinder, and a takeup roller for winding up the fabric into a roll, including a traversing mechanism that is operatively associated with and positioned upstream of the tubular fabric takedown rollers so that the fabric is moved back and forth along the length of the take down rollers, so that the width of the fabric roll wound upon the takeup roller is substantially the length of the take down rollers. Further, the fabric leaving the takedown rollers is surface driven to provide constant speed and tension.

Abstract: A wiper for use in cleanrooms and other controlled environments is made using a knit fabric tube rather than a fabric sheet. The fabric tube is knit with a diameter approximately equal to the preferred wiper dimension and is presented directly to an apparatus for sealing and cutting. A sequence of spaced strips are fused into the fabric tube perpendicular to its length. Individual two ply wipers are separated from one another along a cut line midway in the strips. The wipers are characterized by lower costs due to fewer fabrication steps and a 50% reduction in the number of wiper edges requiring treatment.