METHOD OF MAKING A KNIT SOCK/HEEL
A method of making a sock having a leg portion, a gusset, a foot and a toe includes knitting a tubular member having a cylindrical body with a closed end, using, preferably a conventional circular knitting machine. The circular body is shaped to look like a sock and then subjected to heat and/pressure causing the fibers of the body to set. The circular body is knit from standard fiber yarns, including yarns made from natural and artificial fibers.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/468,736 filed Mar. 29, 2011 and incorporated herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONa. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a method of making a sock by a knitting a tubular sock, mounting it on a suitable form and then pressing it. b. Description of the Prior Art
Socks come in a large variety of styles and can be made from various materials and by various methods. However most of them have the same construction. A typical sock has four main portions: the toe, the foot, the gusset and the leg body. Each method of making socks has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the most common methods of making socks is knitting. One of the big advantages of this method is that it is very efficient because it can be used to make a large number of socks very economically using an automated knitting machine. Knitting is very versatile because it can be used to make socks in virtually any size or shape. Another advantage is that it is easy to make socks with almost any kind of decorative design in any desirable color using various yarns.
One disadvantage of knitting is that it is very difficult to make the gusset (or at least the portions covering the heel, normally referred to as the turned heel and the heel flap) using more than one yarn. As a result, regardless of what color and/or pattern combinations are used to make them, ail socks have a heel portion that has a solid color because it is made from a single yarn.
The present invention overcomes this problem and provides a method that can be used to make socks having patterns and color combinations that cover even the heel portions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, the present invention pertains to a method of making a sock. The method includes knitting a tubular sock including a cylindrical body from fibers;shaping said cylindrical body into a sock-shaped body; and setting said fibers to cause said sock-shaped body to maintain its shape.
The step of shaping includes drawing said cylindrical body over a foot shaped-form to make said foot-shaped body. The setting step is preferably performed while said cylindrical body is disposed on the form.
The cylindrical body is knit on a standard circular knitting machines from blends of natural or artificial fibers, including acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon and rayon Optionally, a component with spandex may also be used.
The cylindrical body may be shaped by drawing it over a form made of metal, foam or cardboard.
The cylindrical body is set by applying heat and/or pressure to the cylindrical body.
Referring now to
According to this invention, a sock is made as follows. First, a tubular member 100 is knit using standard 120-200 needle tubular sock knitting techniques. Because a gusset for the heal is no longer required, this sock has only a cylindrical body except a closed end 112 at the bottom, as shown in
After the knitting is done, the sock is then shaped using the apparatus shown in
More specifically, the upper section 102 forms the leg portion 120. A top segment 122 of the leg portion 120 can be elasticized to prevent the sock from slipping off a person's foot. The lower section 104 is shaped to form the foot 114, and the gusset 116. The closed end 112 forms the toe 112.
After the setting step is completed, the sock is removed from the form and treated just like the regular sock of
Preferably, the sock 100 is made of yarns that are responsive to heat setting and do not lose their shape after the sock is allowed to cool and retains its shape even after the sock has been worn for an extended period of time. Some typical fibers used to make sock 100 include acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon, rayon or blends of two or more of these fibers, including, optionally a spandex component.
Sock 300 is described as being ankle length, but, of course, other types or lengths of socks may be made as well using the described technique.
Obviously numerous modifications may be made to this invention without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method of making a sock comprising:
- knitting a tubular sock including a cylindrical body from fibers;
- shaping said cylindrical body into a sock-shaped body; and
- setting said fibers to cause said sock-shaped body to maintain its shape.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said shaping includes drawing said cylindrical body over a foot shaped-form to make said foot-shaped body.
3. The method of claim, 2 wherein said setting is performed while said cylindrical body is disposed on said form.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said fibers selected from the group consisting of acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon, rayon and spandex.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said cylindrical body is knit from a blend of said fibers.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said fibers are set by heating said fibers.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said fibers are set by steaming said fibers.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said fibers are set using steam at a pressure of about 1.8 lbs/sq. in.
9. A method of making a sock having a toe, a foot, gusset, and leg body, said method comprising:
- knitting a tubular member on a circular knitting machine from fibers, said tubular member having a cylindrical body open at one end and closed at the opposite end; and
- shaping said cylindrical body into the shape of a sock; and
- setting the fibers causing said sock to retain its shape.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said cylindrical body includes a first section and a second section, and wherein after said setting, said first section is formed into said leg body and said second section is shaped to form said foot and said gusset.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein said cylindrical body is set with said closed end forming the toe.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of shaping includes drawing said cylindrical body over a form, said form having an outer foot-shaped surface.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of setting includes applying heat to said cylindrical body.
14. The method of claim 9 wherein said fibers are made from at least one of acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon, rayon and spandex.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein said fibers are a blend of at least two of acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon, rayon and spandex.
16. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of setting includes one of heating and applying pressure to said cylindrical body.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 3, 2011
Publication Date: Oct 4, 2012
Inventor: Joseph HABERT (Brooklyn, NY)
Application Number: 13/251,499