(NO Model.) W, ESTY. KINIT G00 DS, . No. 591,128, Patented 00t, 5

3.ases.

S.

THE NORRIS PETERS co, PHOTo-LiTHo...wash NGTow. b. c. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, WILLIAM ESTY, OF LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, KN | T G O O D S. - SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,128, dated October 5, 1897. Application filed July 20, 1894, Serial No. 518,111 (No model.) To all whom i? ??? concern: " ... . According to a second mode of procedure Be it known that I, WILLIAM ESTY, a citi the stocking is begun at the toe in a machine Zen of the United States, residing at Laconia, capable of producing plain goods only, and 55 in the county of Belknap and State of New after the foot and ankle portions have been Hampshire, have invented certain new and knit in plain fabric on the needles of such useful Improvements in Knit Goods and the machine the goods is transferred from such Art of Producing the Same, of which the fol machine to a machine fitted to produce ribbed lowing is a specification, reference being had goods, the upper end thereof being applied therein to the accompanying drawings. to the plain needles of such rib-knitting Id My invention relates to stockings of the machine. The ribbing-needles of such rib class which have ribbed leg portions and knitting machine are thrown into action and plain ankle and foot portions, and has for its then are caused to engage with the portions general object to improve such stockings in of yarn or thread which connect the loops character, to obviate certain defects which that are held on the plain needles, the two have been present heretofore in some cases, sets of needles working conjointly in the pro to facilitate the production of such stockings, duction of the leg portion in ribbed fabric. to simplify the process of manufacture, and This method has three drawbacks or disad to cheapen the cost of production. Usually vantages, which are, first, the necessity for in the production of stockings having ribbed employing two different machines and trans 2 ? leg portions and plain ankle and foot por ferring a part of the fabric from one machine tions the said different portions are knit on to the other; second, the fact that at the different machines. This necessitates a trans junction of the ankle portion and leg por fer of the portion which first is knit to the tion a series of eyelet-holes is formed around second machine and also the application of the stocking at the line where the ribbing 75 25 such portion to the needles of such second needles are brought into action, and, third, machine. Obviously this consumes both la the fact that when a stocking is begun at the bor and time and adds to the expense of toe and knit toward the top of the leg the making the stockings. top of the leg is liable to ravel and cannot According to one mode of procedure which be finished on the knitting-machine with a has been followed in the production of stock welt or hem that is free from liability to ings having ribbed leg portions and plain ravel. ankle and foot portions the stocking is knit I have discovered how to knit a stocking of from the top downward in rib fabric in a rib the class in question on a single machine, be knitting machine, and on arriving at the line ginning at the toe thereof and ending with 35 where the bottom of the leg joins the top of the top of the leg, of one or more yarns or the ankle the action of the ribbing-needles is threads which shall be continuous from the Suppressed, leaving the plain needles alone beginning of the stocking to the end thereof, in action during the formation of the ankle how to overcome or obviate in improved man and foot. This method has the drawback or ner the objectionable appearance of eyelet disadvantage that the bottomloops or stitches holes at the junction of the plain ånd Iribbed produced on the ribbing-needles require to work, and also how to form a welt or hem on be secured in some manner in order that such machine and subsequently finish off the after they have been discharged from such same in simple and expeditious manner. needles they may not draw out or run. Usu Myinvention consists in animprovedstock 95 45 ally on arriving at the bottom of the leg por ing of the said class, the said stocking being tion the loops last formed on the ribbing characterized by being knit, beginning at the needles are transferred or picked onto cer toe, of a continuous yarn, or yarns and with tain of the adjacent plain needles and inter unbroken and continuous courses of loops at I OO knit with the succeeding loops formed on and adjacent to the place where the change such plain needles. This operation consumes is made from plain goods to ribbed goods, time and adds quite materially to the cost of with closed or reduced eyelet-holes at the production. junction of the plain goods and ribbed goods,

H 2 591,128 and with a secure top finish in the form of a needles before the ribbing-needles are thrown knit welt, or hem. into regular action. In the foregoing case The invention first will be described fully the ribbing-needles are not shogged laterally with reference to the accompanying drawings, during the short interval while they are ren after which the character thereof will be more dered inoperative and while they are in their particularly pointed out and clearly defined retracted position holding loops, as in Fig. 4. in the claims at the close of this specification. Preferably, however, the said ribbing-needles The accompanying drawings show, in Fig are thus shogged during the said short inter 75 lure 1, a view of a stocking embodying my val, so that when rib-knitting is begun they ? ? invention, a portion of the length thereof be will work through spaces between the plain ing broken out to save space. Figs. 2 to 5 are needles, which are one removed to the One side views illustrating successive steps taken in or the other of the spaces through which they changing from plain knitting to rib-knitting. were projected to seize the yarn or thread, Figs. 6 to 10 are views showing features that thereby making a course of shogged loops 10, are described hereinafter. Fig. 11 is a view as in Fig. 6. The result in the case of shog showing in a greatly-enlarged scale the fea ging the ribbing-needles to the extent of one tures of the hem that is formed at the top of space and then bringing them into action the stocking-leg. again is as shown in Fig. 6. The ribbing In carrying out my invention I begin at the needles , may be shogged thus in a given di 2 ? toe land Successively knit in usual manner rection, and then after having been in action the toe, foot portion 2, heel 3, and ankle por simultaneously with the plain needles during tion 4 in plainstitch on the plain needles of a the knitting on one round, so as to take the knitting-machine capable of rib-knitting and yarn while still retaining the loops first held, 9 O also of performing heel and toe work upon the may be rendered temporarily inoperative said plain needles. The knitting is continued while one plain round is knit on the plain in plain stitch above the heel until an ankle needles, being meantime shogged in the re portion of sufficient length is produced, say to verse direction back into their former posi the point 5 in Fig. 1. From the said point up tion and rendered operative to knit again in 95 the leg of the stocking is knit in rib-stitch. the next round, rib-knitting then being pro On arriving at the point 5 I suspend or stop ceeded with. The result is in this instance the knitting action of the needles 6, (see Figs. as represented in Fig. 7, the second course of 2 and 3,) which are in engagement with the shogged loops or stitches being shown at 11. last-formed loops or stitches 7 of the plain The shogging of the loops 10 and 11 is advan ? ? ? fabric and which I shall term “plain’ needles tageous, inasmuch as it draws closer to each 35 henceforth herein. Fig.2 shows a portion of other the loops at the opposite sides of the the fabric and a few of the plain needles as eyelet-holes, taking up somewhat the slack of the fabric and needles appear at this time. the loops first formed by the ribbing-needles. Simultaneously with such suspension or stop The shogging of the ribbing-needles may be page, or immediately thereafter, I cause other effected to advantage in cases in which the in needles 8 to come into action, such needles troduction of the so-called “welting” course alternating in the desired order with the plain 9, above mentioned, is omitted, as in Fig. 8, needles and being termed “ ribbing-needles” the ribbing-needles being caused to engage henceforth herein. with the portions of the yarn or thread which O I operate the machine sufficiently to lay the extend from loop to loop of the plain needles 45 yarn or thread into the hooks of all the rib then being rendered inoperative to knit while bing-needles and retract such needles so as to one or more rounds are being knit on the draw the said yarn or thread, in what, for con plain needles alone, and afterward being venience, I shall term a “welting’ course 9, shogged once or twice, as aforesaid, thereby II 5 around the plain needles, which, it will be re forming the shogged loops 108. membered, are not knitting at this time. This In Fig. 9 is shown what I regard as the best operation merely places loops 10 on the rib mode of obviating the formation of eyelet bing-needles 8 and adds the intermediate por holes. Thus, having reference to the said tions 101 of the yar?n or thread of which such figure, I proceed through the stages which loops or stitches are formed to the loops or are illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 and which 55 stitches which were last formed on the plain have been described above. Having rendered needles 6, as shown in Fig. 3. I now render the ribbing-needles inoperative, they holding the ribbing-needles 8 inoperative for knit loops 10, as in Fig. 4, and having rendered ting and render the plain needles 6 operative the plain needles 6 operative and knit there I 25 again for knitting, knitting one or more on the course of loops 71, (shown in Fig. 4.) ?? courses 7172 on the plain needles. (See Figs. Irender said plain needles inoperative again, 4 and 5.) I then throw the ribbing-needles 8 having meanwhile shogged the ribbing-nee into action and proceed with rib-knitting. dles to the extent of one space. I then lay a The first regular loops of the ribs are shown second welting course 91 upon the needles, at 73 in Fig. 5. The appearance of the fabric the plain needles remaining inoperative and will then be substantially as shown on an en the ribbing-needles being worked sufficiently larged scale in Fig. 5. If desired, more than to draw loops 102 of this second Welting course one Welting course may be laid around the while retaining the loops 10 already held by 591,128 3. them. The ribbin g-needles then are rendered ress or are developed from the toe to the top, inoperative and the plain needles operative, and that the plain seamless foot portion and courses 7475 being knit on the said plain ribbed leg portion are both formed of con needles. The ribbing - needles are then tinuous yarn or thread, and hence the courses thrown into action conjointly with the said . of loops are unbroken or uninterrupted at plain needles, the rib-loops which are pro and adjacent to the place where the change duced in the first course of ribbed fabric be from plain goods to ribbed goods is made. ing marked 76 in Fig. 9. This I regard as One or more continuous yarns or threads may yielding the best results. Fig. 10 differs from be employed in practice, as usual. It will be O Fig. 9 only in that the second welting course understood that when the plain portion of a 91 of Fig. 9 is omitted, the ribbing-needles, stocking is produced upon one machine capa after having been shogged, as has just been ble of making plain work and then is trans described in connection with Fig. 9, being ferred to the needles of a second machine caused to engage with the connecting portions which is capable of producing ribbed Work 15 of the course of yarn from which the loops 74. the courses at or adjacent to the place where are formed and to retain the loops 10 and 103, the loops were placed upon the needles of while the plain needles proceed with the for the second machine will be discontinuous or . Imation of the courses 75, the rib-needles there interrupted, the first course knit upon the after being thrown into action simultaneously needles of the second machine beginning at 2 ? With the plain needles, so as to produce ribbed a point which will be located wholly by acci fabric, the first course of the latter being rep dent or chance relatively to the termination resented at the top of Fig. 10. of the last course which was knit upon the The knitting of the leg in ribbed fabric 45 needles of the first machine. is continued until the desired length has been It will be obvious that my improvements 25 produced, whereupon the ribbing-needles are in the mode of closing or reducing the eye again rendered inoperative, they ceasing to lets at the junction of ribbed goods and plain knit, although still holding the loops last goods and in finishing off the top of the formed thereby until on the plain needles has ribbed goods are not confined to use instock been produced a length of plain fabric suffi ings and may be utilized in the manufacture 95 cient to produce when folded over upon itself of knit fabrics in general. a hem 12 of the desired width. The ribbing What I claim is- - needles then are rendered operative and rib 1. The improved machine-knit stocking knitting is proceeded with for a short dis composed of knit fabric in which the courses ??? tance. The last-formed side of the hem thus progress or are developed from the toe to the 35 is bound down on the inner side of the stock top, and having a plain seamless foot por ing by the course of loops 13, which were held tion with narrowings and widenings forming while the ribbing-needles remained inoper heel and toe gores and a ribbed leg portion, ative to knit. After the stocking has been the entire stocking being formed of continu detached the projecting edge 14 of ribbed ous yarn or thread, and thereby having un fabric on the inner side of the stocking is broken and uninterrupted courses of loops trimmed down close to the said course of at and adjacent to the place where the change loops 13, leaving a raw edge on the inner side from plain goods to ribbed goods is made, of the stocking, which edge is overseamed, as substantially as described. O at 15, Fig. 1, or otherwise fastened off to pre 2. The improved machine-knit stocking 45 ventit from raveling. Fig.11 shows portions composed of knit fabric in which the courses of the upper part of the stocking and its hem progress or develop from the toe to the top, in enlarged detail. and having a plain seamless foot portion with In Fig. 1 the ribbed portion of the leg of narrowings and widenings forming heel and II5 the stocking is represented as having been toe gores and a ribbed leg portion, the entire so stretched or pulled out laterally, it being stocking being formed of continuous yarn thus shown in order to make clearly apparent or thread, and thereby having unbroken or in the drawings the ribbed character of the uninterrupted courses of loops at and adja fabric of such portion. cent to the place where the change from plain One important advantage of the shogged goods to ribbed goods is made, with the eyelet 55 stitches 10 and 11 of Figs. 6,7,8,9, and 10 is holes which usually exist at such place, closed that the inclined position thereof causes them or obviated by the said yarn or thread with to cross diagonally the enlarged openings out the employment of supplemental yarn or which are produced at the lower ends of the thread, substantially as described. ribbed courses. They thus partly cover up 3. The improved machine-knit stocking I25 the said openings. In practice also the con composed of knit fabric in which the courses necting portions 101 of the Welting course as progress from the toe to the top and having a Sume a curved position, causing them, more plain seamless foot portion with narrowings particularly in the case of Fig. 9, to assist in and widenings forming heel and toe gores covering the enlarged openings. and a ribbed leg portion with a knit welt or Important characteristics of my improved hem at the top of the latter, the entire stock stocking, which is shown and described here ing being formed of continuous yarn or thread in, are the facts that the courses of loop prog and thereby having unbroken and uninter d 591,128 rupted courses of loops at and adjacent to from plain goods to ribbed goods is made, the place where the change from plain goods with a Welting course 9 of such yar?n or thread to ribbed goods is made. in the upper part of the plain goods having 4. The improved machine-knit stocking loops thereof engaging the connecting por composed of knit fabric in which the courses tions of yarn which join the loops of a course progress or develop from the toe to the top and of the plain goods, such loops of the welting having a plain seamless foot portion with course being drawn up behind a course or narrowings and widenings forming heel and courses of the plain goods and constituting 45 toe gores and a ribbed leg portion with a knit the starting-loops of the ribs, and also being O welt or hem at the top of the latter, the en shogged, all substantially as described. tire stocking being formed of continuous yarn. 7. The improved knitted fabric composed or thread and thereby having unbroken and of plain goods in its lower portion and of uninterrupted courses of loops at and adja ribbed goods in its upper portion, having cent to the place where the change from plain near the upper edge of the plain goods loops goods to ribbed goods is made, and with the drawn from between the regular loops of such 15 eyelet-holes which usually exist at such place goods to the reverse of the fabric, such loops closed or obviated by such yarn or thread being drawn up behind a course or courses Without the employment of supplemental of the plain goods and constituting the start 55 yarn or thread. ing-loops of the ribs, and also being shogged, 2 ? 5. The improved knitted fabric composed all substantially as described. of plain goods in its lower portion and of 8. A stocking or the like having the upper ribbed goods in its upper portion, with un portion thereof knit in ribbed goods and fin broken courses of loops where the change ished with a hem knit in plain goods, the from plain goods to ribbed goods is made, final portion of such hem being knit in rib 25 with a welting course 9 of such yarn or thread goods and united to the reverse side of the in the upper part of the plain goods having stocking by the last loops pertaining to the loops thereof engaging the connecting por ribs in said upper portion of the stocking, tions of yarn which join the loops of a course such final portion of the webhaving a trimmed of the plain goods, such loops of the welting edge on such reverse side which is secured course being drawn up behind a course or by being fastened off, substantially as de courses of the plain goods and constituting scribed. the starting-loops of the ribs, substantially In testimony whereof I affix my signature as described. in presence of two witnesses. 6. The improved knitted fabric composed WILLIAM ESTY. of plain goods in its lower portion and of Witnesses: 35 ribbed goods in its upper portion, with un F. L. KENDALL, broken courses of loops where the change TIM E. PREDIDTS,