US2388649A - Circular knit hosiery and method of making same - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1945. H. N. SHEPPARD 2,388,649

CIRCULAR KNIT HOSIERY AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed May '51, 1945 fizveni'ar HARRY N. SHEPPARD 39 his afoftarne ys Patented Nov. 6,1945

cmcvmn KNIT nosmnr AND Ms'rnon or MAKING same Harry N. ShepparrLMaplewood, N. 1., assignor to Scott 8t Williams,

Incorporated, Laconia, N. EL,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application May-31, 1945, Serial No. 596,848 Y (01. 66-187) 20 Claims.

This invention relates to circular knit hosiery and methods of making same and more particularly to the structure 01' the heel. The invention is adapted to be carried out on circular knitting machines having independent needles and capable 01! having. relative rotary and reciprocatory movements or the needles and knitting cams. Although the invention may be practiced on various types of knitting machines, in this specification the invention will be described in connection with the U. S. patent to Albert E. Page et al., No. 1,841,205, dated January 12, 1932.

One object of the invention is to make a stocking with a low heel, as shown for example in the reissue patent to Robert W. Scott No. 16.795. dated November 22, 1927, and to have the heel extend well under the root. Other advantages include a smooth inste tween the leg and toot, a lack oi puckering on the sides, and absence eyelet holes at the inner ends of the heel sutures. The heel is strong, and, as viewed from the side, occupies a large sesment or a circle of fabric in going from the ankle to the toot. According to this invention, the heel contains as its largest elements two adjacent, progressively narrowed gussets. The first course or the second gusset contains more wales than the starting course of the first gusset, and being progressively narrowed beyond the first gusset. a low heel is formed that, when viewed from the side, occupies a segment of a circle which is larger than that 01 the normal small heel of the said Scott patent.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view oi. the foot of a stocking made in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The number of lines shown in the gusset is much less than the actual number of wales. Figure 2 is a similar view of a modified construction in which there is a widened gusset above the first narrowed gusset.

The construction oi the welt, leg, foot and toe of a stocking embodying the present invention may be of any conventional or desired construction, except for the heel, which is the part to which the invention is directed. For purposes of illustration only, let us assume that the stocking top totoe on a circular knitis to be knit from ting machine having a rotary needle cylinder 3% inches in diameter, containing four hundred needles.

To explain the structure or the heel as shown in Fig. 1, its method or manufacture will now be set forth with reference to the above-mentioned Page et al. Patent 1,841,205. Let us asreverse direction on the first stroke,the leadan improved angle besume that the welt and leg have been knit in any conventional or other desired manner and that the rotary knit leg heel contains four hundred wales.

Prior to the knitting of the first course 0! the heeL'all oi the needles except one hundred fiftyfour on the heel side of the stocking are moved to an inactive level known as the instep level which, in the above-mentioned Page machine. is an elevated level. The first course of the heel is knit in a. reverse direction, 1. e., opposite to that of the round-and-round movement. As the one hundred fifty-four active needles start, in this ing needle is raised out of action by a narrowing pick in the customary manner, and the first course of the gusset 8,1. e., the one Joined to the leg along, the line 6, therefore contains one hundred fifty-three stitches. It will be observed that this is much less than half the needles in the machine and that a small heel which does not show above a low shoe is to be made; In the example being described, there are seventy-five courses in the first gusset 8, including the abovementioned first course, and therefore the last course of this gusset is knit in the reverse direction. The leading needle is picked out of action before knitting on each oscillation, namely, one per course.

The next two courses knit are novel in character. As the cylinder moves in the forward direction to make the first oi these two novel courses, switch cams like the cams 24, 25 in the Page et al. patent restore to knitting position not only the part of the group of one hundred fiftyfour heel needles which were picked up out of action during the first gusset 8, but also three needles on either end of the group. These cams are inserted at the mid-point of the active segment, the point marked it on the drawing, and as a consequence the added needles on one side of the heel, namely, those at the trailing end of the active (considered on the forward stroke) segment become active on the forward stroke;

and thoseon the leading end (1 e., the needles which trail on the reverse stroke) become active on the following or reverse stroke, which is the first full course of the'second gusset. The first full course 01' the second gusset H is knit in the reverse direction after deducting the leading needle which is put out of action by the up-pick. This means that one hundred fifty-nine stitches are knit in this course. The narrowing continues so that on the next course onehundred fiftyeight stitches will be. knit. There are one hun- 2 immediately abovethe I gusset which faces toward the toe 5.

dred four courses in the second gusset. The last course in this gusset therefore contains fiftyseven stitches, the narrowing being at a rate of one needle per course, as in the first gusset. The narrowing in both cases is preferably by up-pick action alone. The second gusset contains more courses than the first gusset. In other words, the second gusset is progressively narrowed on each side of the stocking beyond the wale where the first gusset ended. There are also more wales in the second gusset than in the first. The suture I2 between the first and second gussets is shorter than the suture IS on the side of the second The knitting of extra stitches or wales 9 at the inner end of the second gusset avoids the formation of eyelets which otherwise would occur if the two gussets started at the same wale. This strengthens the corner both because of the separation and because the extra stitches provide continuity of wales from the instep side of the stocking into the central gusset. The extra courses due to the extra narrowing near the side help to turn the foot up to a more acute angle. It will be observed that no widened segments have been used in turning the corner and that a low heel is obtained with extra stitches which carry the heel well under the foot. The suture resulting from this narrowed construction does not stretch so freely as a narrowed and widened heel suture-a desirable feature.

It is sometimes desirable to add even more to the heel fabric under the foot, and for this purpose and others, a third gusset can be added. This gusset is preferably a widened one. For this purpose the interrelated actionof the two switch cams 24 and 25 again moves all the idled needles except the instep needles back to knitting level. This amounts to one hundred sixty needles, as in the case of the second gusset. The active needles knit on successive courses, one hundred sixty plus one, two, three, etc. stitches as the net increase of the narrowing and widening picks-both of which are usedone needle up, two down. After the sixth course, which is in the reverse direction, circular knitting is resumed, the action of the switch cam 24 of the Page et a1. patent restoring all the needles to active position. If there is no third gusset the cam 24 restores all needles to active position at the end of the second gusset.

The number of courses in the gussets 8, I I and i4 may be varied, the exact number of courses in the several gussets as recited in the preceding description being for illustrative purposes only. The relative number of needles knitting the first and second gussets 8 and II, respectively, effects the knitting of a heel having several desirable qualities, such as a smooth and fiat appearing heel without the usual puckering of the heel gores which frequently results from knitting in accordance with accepted methods. The novel heel also has a tendency to pull the fabric down, i. e., take, up the slack at the instep. The heel corners are also stronger, which, in part, at least,

.is due to the fact that the longitudinal pull or strain on the stocking is distributed over three separate points, and that the stitches joining the instep and the heel in the second gusset are in uninterupted wales, i. e.. constitute continuous fabric without any change in the direction in which the thread runs. Thus it will be noted that not only is there no suture at this point, but that the reinforced stitches on the first row adjacent the instep on each side are all knit together in one course.

ting progresses The construction shown in Fig. 2 differs essentially in adding to the combination a widened gusset 2| so placed as to correspond to a high heel reinforcement. (To make clear the shape of gussets 2| and B, a dotted line is shown in the drawing where they meet each other.) The balanced cooperative effect of this gusset on the rest of the novel structure will be set forth after its construction has been described. Let us assume that the leg 2 has been made by rotary knitting on all the needles down to what in Fig. 1 is the beginning of the heel. In Fig. 2 this line includes, among others, points It, I1, l8, etc., on each side. The new gusset is knit next. All the needles except those at the back of the stocking between points l6 and H on the one side and the corresponding needles on the other side (the latter wales not being shown), are thrown out of action. Reciprocatory knitting then takes place on this small group of needles at the back of the stocking, widening the segment as the knitalong the point II to the point l8 which is at the inner end of the first narrowed segment. This brings us to a position corresponding to the line 6 in Fig. l. The widened segment just knit acts as a neat high splice. It will be noted that the level portion of the reinforcement around the back of the heel is not a suture, but that the tapered sides l1, l8 are sutures. The first na'rrowed gusset 8 is then knit in the same manner as in the stocking of Fig. 1, followed by the second narrowed gusset ll. Thereafter a final gusset I9 is knit in much the same manner as the third gusset of Fig. 1, with widening at the ends of the active segment of needles to give a suture 20 whose direction is in direct continuation of the line between point l8 and point} where the reinforced fabric of the second gusset ends. It will be noted that the continuity of the plain fabric from the instep side of the stocking into the second or central gusset provides added strength between the instep and the heel in the constructions of both Figs. 1 and 2. In the construction of Fig. 2, in addition to that feature and the separation of the inner ends of the suture lines between the first and second narrowed gussets and the second and third gussets, there are other advantages. The reinforced areas at the inner ends of the suture lines are balanced on the two sides and extend a greater and even arc of protection around those areas. Of course, they also extend the contour of the heel.

Obviously, the recited number of needles active during the knitting of the gussets 8, I, I4 and 2| will vary when machines having a number of needles other than four hundred are availed of to practice the present invention. Furthermore, the number of needles knitting the various gussets may be varied, even when knitting with a knitting machine having, for example, four hundred needles.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application for patent for Circular knit hosiery and method of making same, filed October 10, 1944, Serial Number 558,018.

I claim:

1. In a circular knit stocking having a heel comprising a plurality of adjacent progressively narrowed tapered gusse'ts arranged one below the other, each extending to the instep fabric, an upper gusset having less than half the wales of the leg and the gusset below it containing more courses than said upper gusset, whereby the heel is extended under the foot. I

. there being suture the leg of the stocking, the provision of a lower gusset having one or more gussets between it and the leg, said lower gusset extending further into the instep than the uss ts above it, whereby continuity of plain wales from the,instep oi the stocking into said lower gusset is obtained and the heel is extended under the foot.

4. In a circular knit stocking, the combination in the heel of two progressively narrowed gussets arranged one below the other, said gussets having less than half the wales oi the leg and the lower gusset containing more wales in one or more courses adjacent the upper gusset than the longest course of said upper gusset, whereby the inner ends of the suture lines between two gussets and between the lower gusset and the fabric adjacent it on the toe side are separated.

5. In a circular knit stocking, the combination in the heel of two or more tapered gussets with suture lines on the sole side 01' each of two such gussets which are adjacent, the upper of said two adjacent gussets having in its longest course less than half the wales of the leg, and the lower of said two adjacent gussets containingin one or more courses adjacent the other oi said two gussets more wales than the longest course or said other gusset, whereby there is continuity of plain fabric from the instep oi! the stocking into said lower gusset.

6. A circular knit stocking having a. heel with a plurality of gussets, there being among'said gussets an upper gusset, a lower gusset and a central one therebetween containing more wales in one or more courses than the longest courses oi said upper gusset, whereby there is continuity of plain wales from the instep of the stocking into said central gusset, the upper and lower gussets being tapered and presenting suture lines to the instep side of the ing suture lines between, the central gusset and the one on either side of it. all courses in said heel gussets containing .less than half the wales in the leg oi the stocking.

7. A circular knit stocking having a heel containing a plurality of gussets, said gussets comprising two tapered gussets, a central tapered gusset therebetween containing more wales in one or more courses beside an adjacent gusset than in the longest course of said adjacent gusset, whereby there is continuity of plain wales from the instep in said gusset. said tapered gussets on each side of the central gusset presenting suture lines to the instep side of the stocking, lines between the central gusset and the one on each side of it, the suture line between the central gusset and the one above it being shorter than the suture line on the other side of said central gusset.

8. A circular knit stocking having a heel with a plurality of tapered gussets, there being among said gussets a tapered gusset and a central one containing more courses: than said tapered gusset, said tapered gusset being adjacent the central gusset on the leg side thereof, and gusset also having more wales in one or more courses adjacent saidleg-side gusset stocking, there also be-.

than half the wales of tion with a tapered gusset on the foot side 01' said central gusset, the gusset on each side of said central one presenting a suture line to the instep side of the stocking and every course in said gussets containing less than half the wales of the leg, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

9. A circular knit stocking having a heel of less than halt the wales oi the foot at the instep, said heel comprising two adjacent progressively tapered gussets, one below the other, with a suture therebetween, the lower gusset containing more wales in one or more courses near the upper gusset than the longest course 01' said upper gusset, in combination with a widened gusset between the lower gusset and the foot, there being a suture between the ing no suture between and the tapered gusset the upper widened gusset below it, the two widened gussets being equal in length to the adjacent gussets at their points of juncture therewith: whereby an extended heel is formed.

10. A circular knit stocking having a heel comprising two progressively narrowed gussets arranged one below the other, the upper gusset having less than second gusset containing more courses than the first gusset, whereby the heel is extended under the foot.

11'. A circular knit stocking having a heel comprising two progressively narrowed gussets arranged one below the other, each having less the leg, the upper gusset containing fewer narrowed courses than the sec-- ond segment of a circle is formed.

12. A circular knit stocking having a heel comprising two successive narrowed gussets each instep. said heel comprising two adjacent pro-- gressively narrowed gussets arranged one below the other, the long course oi! the upper gusset adjacent the leg containing fewer wales than the longest course of the second gusset, said second gusset containing more narrowed courses than the first tends over a large segment of a circle.

14. A circular knit stocking having a heel of less than hall. the wales oi the font at the instep, said heel comprising two adjacent progressively narrowed gussets arranged one below the other, the suture between the two gussets being shorter than the suture on the edge of the second gusset iacing toward the toe, in combination with a progressively widened gusset above the upper gusset 15. circular knit stocking a low heel the wales of the foot at the lower and'third gussets longer than the first-mentioned suture and av widened gusset above the upper gusset, there behalf the wales of the leg and the gusset, whereby a low heel occupying a large I I gusset. whereby the heel is low but excomprising two adjacent prosaid third gusset comprising a widened segment whereby there is additional iabric'in the heel extending under the foot.

16. In a method of making circular knit hosiery, the steps of knitting a leg, knitting a heel by making a progressively narrowed gusset on less than half of the wales of the leg, thereafter making a second gusset by knitting a course in all the first gusset wales plus a few wales on each end of the group and progressively narrowing the second gusset. continuing the narrowing beyond the point where it stopped on the first gusset, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

1'1. In a method of making circular knit hosiery from top to toe, the steps in the making of a heel of making a progressively narrowed gusset on less than half of the wales of the leg, thereafter making a second gusset by knitting a course in all the first gusset wales plus a few wales on each end of the group and progressively narrowing the second gusset, continuing the narrowing beyond the point where it stopped on the s first gusset, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

18. In a method of making circular knit hosiery from top to toe, the steps in the making of a heel of making a progressively narrowed gusset on less than half of the wales of the leg, thereafter making a second gusset by knitting a course in all the first gusset wales plus a few wales on each end of the group and progressively narrowing the second gusset, continuing the narrowing beyond the point where it stopped on the first gusset and knitting a third gusset on all the assaeee wales and widening on each course beyond the per ends of the sutures between the second and third gussets, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

19. In a method of making circular knit hosiery, the steps of knitting a leg, making a heel on less than half the wales of the leg by the steps of knitting a progressively widened gusset, making a progressively narrowed gusset starting with the maximum number of'wales of the widened gusset, then making another gusset by knitting one or more courses in all the wales of them:- rowed gusset plus a few wales on each end of the group and progressively narrowing the gusset, continuing the narrowing beyond the point where it stopped on the first-mentioned narrowed gusset, and thereafter making a progressively widened gusset starting with approximately the number of wales in the last course of the second narrowed gusset, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

20. In a circular knit stocking having a heel in which there are a plurality of adjacent progressively narrowed tapered gussets arranged one below the other, the combination of an upper gusset having less than half the wales of the leg, and a lower gusset joined to it by a suture, there also being a suture along the edge of the lower gusset facing toward the toe, the suture between said two gussets being shorter than the suture along the edge of the lower gusset facing the whereby the heel is low but extends over a large segment of a circle.

HARRY N. SHEPPARD.

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