E, E, KILBOURN, TUBULAR RIBBED FABRIC, APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1909. 953,669. Patiented Yar. 29, 1910.

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4ttorneyia. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. EDWARD E. KILBOURN, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOR. To KILBOURN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY. UBUAR, RIBBED FABRC. 953,669. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 29, 1910. Application filed September 23, 1909. Serial No. 519,201. To all whom it may concern: ribs or wales of the fabric. The continuous Be it known that I, EDWARD E. KILBOURN, rib fabric has been fed to the transferring a citizen of the United States, residing at machine, expanded over a mandrel, and New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex moved by the positioning devices to bring 5 the slack, course of a cuff or top into proper 60 andtain Statenew andof New useful Jersey, Improvenents have invented in Tucer position, by the engagement of such posi bular Ribbed Fabrics; and I do hereby de tioning devices with the selvage or welt of clare the following to be a full, clear, and the preceding adjacent top. This necessi exact description of the invention, such as tates the retraction of the positioning de O will enable others skilled in the art to which vices to permit the fabric to be severed be 65 it appertains to make and use the same. tween the slack course to be run on, and the This invention consists in an improved Selvage welt of the preceding top, and where article of manufacture, to wit, a ribbed top the transfer levers are arranged to engage or cuff such as forms part of men's half every stitch of the slack course, the posi hose. It is customary to knit these rib tops tioning devices must be withdrawn suffi 70 upon a circular rib knitting machine pro ciently to clear the slack course entirely, as vided with horizontal or dial needles and the positioning devices cover the alternate vertical or cylinder needles, and to provide stitches of the slack course which are in each of said tops or cuffs with a welt (or line with the depressions between the ex 20 welts) at one end which serves as a selvage terior wales. The withdrawal of the posi 75 and at the other end a course of stitches the tioning devices to permit the web or fabric thread of which is more loosely drawn than to be severed and to permit the transfer that of adjacent courses, forming what is levers to engage the stitches of the slack termed the “slack course,' or “running-on' course has a tendency to disarrange the course. These tops or cuffs are usually knit slack course and release it from the position 30 as a continuous fabric or tube, a few courses ing means so that some of the transfer levers being knit between the slack course of one are liable to miss their stitches, and produce top and the welt of the next adjacent course defective work in transferring the slack to permit of severing the individual tops or course to the transfer ring. 30 cuffs and to provide courses to be traveled According to this invention, a tubular rib 85 when the top is applied to a knitting ma fabric is knit with the usual selvage welt, chine. The several tops are separated at a and the slack course of stitches and between point between the slack course of one top the Selvage welt or welts of one ribbed tep, and the selvage or welt of the next adjacent and the slack course of the next adjacent 35 course, and the slack course of stitches is top, an additional or special welt is knit for 90 run on to the needles of a circular knitting the purpose of serving, in conjunction with machine, or upon the points of a transfer the positioning devices of the transferring cup or E. and subsequently transferred machine, to position the slack course of to the needles of the knitting machine, and stitches with respect to the series of transfer 40 the stitches beyond the slack course are levers, and for other purposes hereinafter 95. raveled back to the slack course. The leg pointed out. The web or fabric is severed of the stocking is then knit directly on to between the Selvage welt or welts, and the the slack course of the ribbed top. special Welt, hence the positioning devices The operation of running on has been do not have to be withdrawn from engage 45 usually performed by hand but recently ma ment with the special welt to permit such 00 chines have been devised for mechanically severing of the web, and it is preferred to placing the cuffs or tops in such position employ a series of transfer levers corre that the stitches of the slack course can be sponding to every alternate stitch of the engaged by transfer levers which are made slack course, so that they may pass between to engage all or a portion of the stitches the positioning devices, and engage the of the slack course and transfer them upon alternate stitches of the slack course while the points of a transfer ring or cup. These the fabric is still held by such positioning machines are provided with certain guiding devices. After the cuff or top is transferred and positioning devices which usually en to the transfer ring or to the needles of a gage the depressions between the exterior knitting machine the special positioning so 958,669 welt is raveled out together with any courses itself into a roll of any desired diameter. intervening between it and the slack course It is obvious, however, that the ribbed tops E. hence does not appear in the completed or cuffs can be knit separately, or knit con OSe, tinuously and separated from each other be In the accompanying drawing, the figure fore being used, if found desirable. 70 represents diagrammatically a section of A machine well adapted for transferring continuous tubular fabric comprising a se the herein described ribbed tops or cuffs is ries of rib tops embodying the present in illustrated and described in the application vention. of E. E. Kilbourn, William E. Smith and O In the drawing A represents the tubular Isaac W. Rilbourn, filed Jan. 29, 1909, Se 75 ribbed web or fabric, provided at proper rial No. 474,953. intervals with a selvage welt B, and a slack The special or extra welt D is of ad course of stitches C, arranged at suitable vantage even when the ribbed tops are distances apart to form a ribbed top or cuff transferred by hand, as the extra welt pre 5 of the desired length. vents the stitches of the slack course (or the 80 D represents the special welt, which as row of stitches to be transferred) from rav shown is knit between the Selvage welt B eling out while they are being placed on and the slack course of the next top or cuff the transfer points, as the edge of the extra and at a sufficient distance from the selvage welt nearest the slack course, or transfer 20 welt to permit the cuffs to be severed be course of stitches is a selvage edge. When 85 tween the two welts B and D, as indicated the ribbed top is used in connection with a by the dotted line E, E. In some cases it is transferring machine, the Selvage portion of customary to knit more than one welt at the extra welt prevents the stitches of the the selvage end of the cuff or top, for the transfer course (or slack course) from rav 25 purpose of making a more ornamental effect, eling when subjected to the strain of the 90 or to indicate the size of hose which is to be transfer levers, and where, as in the trans knitted thereon, and such an additional sel ferring machine particularly referred to, the vage welt is indicated in dotted lines at B', transfer levers engage the alternate stitches but such welts will always be located be of the transfer course (or slack course) only 30 tween the selvage welt and the slack course the extra welt acting as a selvage assists in 95 of the same cuff or top and have nothing to holding the alternate stitches not engaged do with the present invention. by the transfer levers in proper position to In circular knitting any single course of engage their respective transfer points on stitches will have its beginning and end the the transfer ring. 35 width of a stitch apart. This does not show While have described my invention as 00 in the main body of a circular knit fabric particularly designed to form part of men's as the courses of stitches are knit practically half hose, it is equally applicable to ladies' in a spiral manner, but in the case of a single hose or boys' stockings or any other article course of stitches such as the slack course, in which a part composed of rib fabric 40 and in the case of a welt, the separation of is joined to a part composed of plain or 05 the ends of the course is apparent, and is other kind of knitting other than ribbed termed a “jog’. In the drawing, the jog work, and while I have illustrated my in in the slack course of stitches is indicated at vention as embodied in a circular knit o, the jog in the Selvage welt is indicated at b ribbed top or cuff, it is to be understood that 45 and the jog in the special Welt is indicated at it may also be embodied in a flat or straight 110 d. It is important and desirable that the knit fabric, which can be knit as a flat fab jogo in the slack course should be located at ric, and afterward joined to form a tube in a distance laterally of the tubular fabric, the usual manner. from the at which the jog din the spe What I claim and desire to secure by Let 50 cial welt D. occurs, in order to facilitate the ters Patent is:- 15 positioning of the slack course, and prevent 1. As a new article of manufacture, a distortion of the same which might occur if ribbed top or cuff for use in connection with the jogs c and d occurred in the same longi a transferring machine, provided adjacent tudinal row of stitches. It is not material to one end with a selvage portion, and ad 55 where the jog in the selvage welt or welts jacent to the other end with a course of 20 occur but they will ordinarily occur as stitches to be transferred, and having posi shown in line longitudinally with the jog in tioning ineans adapted to be engaged by the special welt. The special welt D may be the positioning devices of a transferring knit in the same manner as the ordinary sel machine, located adjacent to the said course 60 vage welt or welts, and is so shown in the of stitches to be transferred on the side 25 drawing, but it may be formed in any pre thereof from which the fabric is to be rav ferred manner. eled back. The ribbed tops herein described are pref 2. As a new article of manufacture, a erably manufactured in a strip of any de ribbed top or cuff for use in connection with 65 sired length folded flat and rolled upon a transferring machine, provided adjacent 30 958,669 s to one end with a selvage portion, and ad | other end with a slack course of stitches, and jacent to the other end with a course of having a positioning welt interposed be stitches to be transferred, and having a tween the slack course of one top and the positioning welt, adjacent to the said course Selvage welt of the adjacent top. 30 O of stitches to be transferred on the side 5. As a new article of manufacture, a con thereof from which the fabric is to be rav tinuous tubular ribbed fabric for use in con eled back. nection with a transferring machine com 3. As a new article of manufacture, a prising a series of ribbed tops joined end for ribbed top or cuff for use in connection with end, each top being provided adjacent to one 35 10 a transferring machine, provided adjacent end with a selvage welt, and adjacent to the to one end with a selvage portion, and ad other end with a slack course of stitches, and jacent to the other end with a course of having a positioning welt interposed be stitches to be transferred, and having a posi tween the slack course of one top and the tioning welt, adjacent to the said course of selvage welt of the adjacent top, the jog 40 15 stitches to be transferred on the side thereof in the positioning Welts being located in a from which the fabric is to be raveled back, line longitudinally of the fabric and the jogs the jog in the said positioning welt being in the slack courses being located in a line located laterally with respect to the position longitudinally of the fabric located laterally of the jog in the course of stitches to be with respect to the line of the jogs in the 45 20 transferred. positioning welts. 14. As a new article of manufacture, a con In testimony whereof I affix my signa tinuous tubular ribbed fabrie for use in con ture, in the presence of two witnesses. nection with a transferring machine com EDWARD E. KILBOURN. prising a series of ribbed topsioined end for Witnesses: end, each top Big Eids adjacent to one J. W. KILBOURN, end with a Selvage elt, and adjacent to the JoHN ERICKSON. . .

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