Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SII`~GLE 131~11 L,OCI;-Sï'I'rCH LOF'rEI) F~13RIC CO~`~S~RL~CTION
DESCRIPTION
Technical Field
This invention relates to non-woven fabrics.
More particularly, it relates to non-woven comp~site
fabrics of novel functional and aesthetic design which are
produced on stitch-through type machines and which are
useful, among other things, in decorative applications
such as draperies and bedspreads.
Background Art
Stitch-through fabrics typically comprise a
layer of substantially parallel warp elements or ends on
a fl~xible substrate such as a layer of substantially
parallel te~tile yarn~filling elements or ends. ~rhe warp
; 20 elements are affixe~ to the flexible suhstrate by layins
them on top of the substrate and joining both components
into an integrated fabric structure by means of relatively
fine knitting or sewing threads. In cases where a more or
less open ~esh fabric is desired, this can be achieved by
controlling the spacing between the individual warp elements
and, where the flexible substrate is a layer of textile yarn
filling elements, by controlling also the spacing between
the individual filling elements. ~his and other "stitch-
through" type fabric structures can be obtained on various
30 ~achines, including those of the "Malimo" type, using methods
and equipment described in U. S. 2,890,579; U. S. 3,030,7~6;
U. S. Re. 25,749; U. S. 3,253,426; U. S. 3,274,806; U~ S.
3,279,221; U. S. 3,309,~00; U. S. 3,389,583; U. S. 3,3~2,078;
U. S. 3l440,840; U. ~. 3,452,561; U. S. 3,457,i38; U. S.
3,~60,599; IJ. S. 3,540,238; U. S. 3,541,812; U. S. 3,567,565;
and 3,592,0;25.
.
_ -2-
1 The àbility to rea~ily mass-produce a basic fabric
in a variety of designs and patterns is extrernely important
to the commercial success of the fabric. While stitch-
through fabrics can be produced at rela.ively high
speed compared to woven fabrics, much attention has been
given to augmenting this desirable feature with design
flexibility, e.g., with respect to the nature, density~
gauge, and color of the fabric components, the spacing
beween them, and the purposeful omission of a component or
10 the addition of other components.
.
However, a need has existed for stitch-through
fabrics of still further design flexibility, not only with
respect to the creation of unusual visual effects but also
15 with respect to achieving new and useful functional
features. For example, in prior commercial Malimo fabrics
having warp elements, the latter are secured to the sub-
strate by the sewing or knitting thread network in a half-
tricot stitch configuration. Such a network inherently
20 causes the warp elements to lie flat against the substrate
with no possibility for creating a "ioft" or i'blooming"
effect in the warp component which would be a highly
desirable way of simulating the appearance of depth, as
for example, in relatively expensive hand-woven fabrics.
25 Alsot the nature of the conventional half-tricot stitch
configuration of the knitting thread network is such that
the warp elements are inherently susceptible to destructive
runs or lifting off from the fabric surface due to "unzip-
pering" or unravelling of the knitting thread network
30 beginning-at the cut end of the fabric. In the past, this
drawbac~ in Malimo fabrics could be dealt with only by a
separate and, therefore, time consuming and costly secure-
ment operation performed on the cut ends oE greige goods
subse~uent to doffing and each time the fabric is cut
35 during converting and finishing.
'. '
--- - -
- , . . .
/.. .
l Accordingly, it is an object of the present inven-
tion to provide a novel decorative fabric concept using
stitch-through type machines,
Another object is to provide novel decorative
fabrics using stitch-through type machines wherein the warp
elements of the fabric exhibit a lofted and/or bloomed
appearance.
Yet another object is to provide novel decorative
fabrics usin~ stitch-through type machines wherein the warp
elements have a substantially increased resistance to
running or being lifted off the fahric due to unzippering
or unravelling of the sewing o.r knitting threa~ network
These and othe.r ob3ects of the invention as well
as a fuller understanding of the advantages thereof can be
had by reference to the following detailed aescription,
. drawings and claims.
Disclosure Of The Invention
-
The.foregoing objects are achieved according to
the present invention by a novel ~abric concept utili~ing at
25 least one needle yuide bar on ,a stitch-thro~gh type machine
s~ch .asr but not limited to a Malimo,machine. Such a fabric
comprises a flexible substrate, a plurality o~ warp ele-
ments laid on the substrate in the warpwise.or machine.
(.i.e., longitudinal) direction, and knitting or sewing
. 30 threads in parallel warpwise wales across the width of the
,. fabric and containing a multiplicity of warpwise stitches ln
.a lock-stitch configuration having~ on a given knitting thread
wale, ~ sequence of three-needle atlas stitch courses. The
knitting thread thus forms a "lock-stitch" network which binds
,
__
... .. ... . ... , ... ;..... ,_
$
--4--
together into an integrated fabric structure the substrate and
warp elements and secures the substrate and warp elements
against relative displacement.
The term "lock-stitch" as used herein and as will be more
fully explained below~ refers to a knitting thread configuration
which affords increased resistance to running of the warp elements
by virtue of the fact that such elements pass over some of the
courses of the knitting thread network.
Due to the intermittent non-binding effect of the lock-
stitch knitting thread configuration the fabrics of the invention
possess an aesthetically pleasing appearance corresponding to
the loft or "loose look" imparted to the lofted warp element
segments by the non-binding or relaxation effect of the chain
stiteh courses or components of the lock-stitch knitting thread
configuration. In addition, it has been discovered that this
uni~ue lock-stitch configuration of the knitting thread network
effectively stabilizes the fabric, in a manner no-t heretofore
possible, against destruetive unzippering or unravelling of the
knitting thread network and resultant running or lifting off of
the warp elements from the fabric surface, particularly at the
cut ends of the fabrie where sueh unravelling and runs are most
likely to begin.
In one embodiment of the fabrie of the present invention,
the lock-stitch knitting thread eonfiguration eomprises, on a
given knitting thread wale r at least one half-tricot stitch
followed by one or more chain stitches, wi-th generally from
3 to 32 loops or courses per linear inch as measured in the warp-
wise direction and generally from 3 to 22 parallel knitting
thread wales per linear inch as measured in the weftwise dir-
eetion. Desirably, the fabric has Erom 6 to 16 and pre-ferably
from 6 to 1~ knitting thread courses per ineh and from ~ to
18, ancl perferahly from 7 to 10 knitting thread wales per inch.
In the preferred case of a fabric havina from 6 to 12 eourses
per :Lnch and from 7 to 10 wales per inch, the knitting thread
L3~
lock-stitch se~uence will preferably have at l.east three con
secutive chai.n stitch courses followed by one or more half~
tricot stitch courses.
It is a feature of the above-described knitting thread
lock-stitch configuration that :it stabilizes the fabric to an
-extent not heretofore possible by virtue of the discovery that
on a given knitting thread wale, the chain stitches "lock" the
tricot stitches down on the body of the fabric so that any u.n-
ravelling or unzippering which develops in the half-tricot stitch
portion of the wale are arrested at the half-tricot stitch/chain
stitch juncture. In this way, when a warp element is pulled or
subjected to a displacement force, say, at the cut end of the
fabricJ any running or "lifting off" of the warp element from
the surface of the fabric can only commence in and proceed
through the first half-tricot stitch region of a knitting thread
wale. As soon as the unravelment encounters the juncture or
intersection of the first chain stitch portion with the following
half-tricot stitch portion of the.wale, the run is effectively
halted.
Another uni~ue and -totally unexpected feature of the fabric
construction described is the fact that, as.the ratio of the
number of chain stitch courses to the number of half-tricot
stitch courses increases per unit ~enqth along a given wale
(having a given number of courses per unit length) the loft or
"loose looX'! of the fabric increases while the strength of the
fabric, i.e., the resistance of the warp elements to running or
lifting off, also increases. In addition, such stability of the
warp elements increases with increasing number of courses per
unit length along the wale.
~he warp elements suitable Eor use in the present invention
can be any of t:hose elements heretofore used in stitch-through
fabric construc-tion. Of particular preference are yarns' such
as multifilamerlt ~igure yarns, multifilament low twist crimped
33
--6--
yarns, taslani~ed (air-entangled) yarns, spiral yarns consisting
of low twist spun yarns combined with a fine binder yarn; and/or
ribbons, such as fabric or elted ribbons because of their
ability to exhibit optimum unfettered loft or bloom in those
regions where the elements are free of the confining effect
of the knitting thread ~en employed in the present fabric
construction, the warp elements can be laid on the flexi~le
substrate component in either mutually contacting relationship
or can be spaceA apart ~rom one another in the weftwise dir-
ection at any predetermined aistance. In one emhodiment othe invention, the warp elements are substantially spaced
; apart in order to amplify and enhance the visual effect o~ the
"home spun" or "open-weave look" characteristic of fabrics pro-
auced in stitch-through type machines. In addition, the warp
1~ elements can be laid on the fleY~ible substrate in a substantially
: rectilinear or straight line fashion parallel to the warpwise
direction. Alternatively, as described in U.S. Patent No.
3,672,187, the warp or "design" elements (so called because of
the aesthetically pleasing appearance and ornamental effect
which they impart to the fabric) can be caused to follow non-
rectilinear paths along the warpwise direction, and/or in a
: twisted configuratiQn.in the manner disclosed in U.S. Patent
No. 4,144,727. -
:' .
-- .
- 7 ~
1 The flexible substrate upon which the warp
e~ements are laid in forming the fabric of the present
invention can be a pre-knitted le g., tricot) or pr~-woven
fabric; fibrous batting, or any other continuous sheeting;
one or more layers of textile filling elements running in
5 a general weftwise dire~tiorl with respect to the warp
elements, or any other flexible structure capable o~
being secured to the warp elements ~ith knitting thread
accordin~ to procedures described in U~ S. 3,672,187
and now familiar to those skilled in the art of stitch-
10 through fabric construction. In-the case of fabrics
havirg the open-mesh "home spun" appearance characteristic
of casement or drapery ~abric~, a 1exible s~bstrate in
the form o~ at least one layer of more or less spaced-apart
textile filling yarns or elements is'preferred.
'- The knitting thread used to bind together into an
integrated textile fabric structure the war~ elements
and flexible substrate can be any thread heret'ofore used
in stitch-thro~gh fabri~ construction and is appliea to
2~ the ~ahric components by means of the mechanical stitching
el2ments conventionally employed, for example, ~n Malimo~
type stitch-through rn'achines. These elements and theïr
mode of operation are well known to those skille~ in the
art and incluae a comb-like sinker bar an~ com~-like
retainer pin bar, which together-de~ine an elongated space
or work zone ~or fabric forma't;o~ between them. ~he
stitching elements include a~ditionally a row of pronged
or bearde'd pointed needles and corresponding closing wires
the combination of which is caused to move in a reciprocat-
30 ~ing fashion through the aforesaid work zone in coaction
'with a row of knitting threa~ guides for formi'ny a multi-
plicity of warp-wise knitting thread loop chains Tn the
operation of the machine, alternate loops in the half-
tricot stitch portion of each chain are formed with a
dif~erent knittin~ thread. Loop chains of the type '
:; characteristic of the half-tricot stitch confi~uration are
' ' . ' '.; '
~ . . .
3~
_ -8-
1 preferred for use in combination with chain stitches when
the fabric includes warp elements laid in rectilinear
(straight line) fashion in the warpwise direction because
of the normally greater structural integrity imparted to
the overall fahric by the half-tricot stitch component of
the knitting thread network. In such cases the fabric
components are engaged and held together by the loops of
knitting thread courses on the rear side of the fabric and
by the laps of the ~nitting thread courses on the front
surface by which, in the half-tricot stitch regions~ the
diagonal segment or laps formed by the knitting thread
secures the ~Jarp to the substrate. In this way the warp
elements are "lapped" by the sewing thread around the
substrate (e.g., textile yarn filling elements~ to achieve
an integrated fabric structure. In those regions of the
knitting thread network which are made up of chain stitches,
such stitches are formed ~f a single knitting thread end
which defines a single wale of the thread network.
In one embodiment of the fabric of the invention,
at least two warp elements can be laid on the substrate
along non-rectilinear paths in the warpwise direction
thereby creating a design effect which serves to augment
~he aesthetically pleasing appearance oE the fabric~ More
particularly, such warp "design elements" can include
portions of substantial lenqth extending diagonally,
relative to ~he warpwise direction, along straight lines
or curving substantially uniformly. The warp elements
can be disposed in groups composed of at least two adjacent
elements following a substantlally identical pattern.
Alternatively, adjacent warp elements can be laid on the
flexible substrate to form different patterns, e.g.,
wherein they ~orm the same pattern but one is reversed
relative to the other. This fabric design feature and an
~5 apparatus and method for achieving it, which can be
. , . .. .... .. _ .. . . . .. .. .. . .
'
g~
.
practice~ in conjunction with the present invention, are
described respectively in U. S. 3/67~t187, partic~larly at
column 1, line 31 through column 3, line 44, and UO S.
3,677,D34, particularly at col~mn 1, linè 44 through
5 column 8~ line 2~, .
In another embodimenl: of the invention, which can,
- if desire~, be employ.ed in combination with the embodiment
10 described in the preceding para~raph~ a further aesthetically
pleasin~ appear~nce can be obtained by varying a plurality
of adjacent warp elements in their relative level positions
along the leng~h of the fabric hy twisting them at spaced-
intervals along the warp direction in the manner di~closed
15 in the a~orementioned ~. S. Pat. No~ 4,144,727. In
particu~ar, the adjacent warp elements which are twisted
at spaced intervals along the warpwise direction of the
fabric can be laid on the substrate ;n the in.tervals
between twists in either mutual1y contacting relationship
20 or can be spaced apart from.one another in ~he weftwise
direction at any predetermined distance. Desirably~
such warp elements are substamtially spacea apart in
order to amplify the visual e~ect of the twist by contrast.
The degree of "twist" imparted to the warp elements
25 can be any angular amount from greater than ~-C to 36~-
although a degree of-twist of desirably at least 90 and
preferably 180.~ is preferred in order to maximize thë
visual effect created by the twist.configuration, and to
achieve a~true twistin~ or crossing over of the warp
30 elements as opposed to apparent twisting brought about by
. proximation of the warp elements without an actual
crossing over of s~ch elernents, which apparent twisting
obtains when t:he degree of twist is less than 90. In the
case of a 180'' twist, opposite warp elements in a group of
two or more are caused to exchange places.with each other
. ............... ..... .. ...... . . . . ...
. .
--1 0--
1 and then return to their original relativc Dositions along
the fabric w.ith each alternate twist. In the rcgions or
intervals between the twists, the elements can be laid on
the flexible substrate in a substantially rectilinear or
5 straight line fashion parallel to the warpwise directions;
alternatively, as described hereinabove, the warp elements
can be caused to follow non-rectilinear paths in conjunc-
tion with their t~isted configuration.
In connection with the embodiments described .in
the foregoing two paragraphs, it has been discovered, as
a further embodiment o the invention, that the lock-stitch
knitting thread network can be made up entirely or suhstan-
tially entirely o~ looPs of the chain stitch type whereby
15 the warp elements are secured .to the substrate by the
knitting thread wales at the points where the warp
elements, running diagonally to the warpwise direction~
intersect the knitting-thread wales~ In such cases,.the
a~orementioned loft effect in the warp elements is achieved
20 in those regions where such elements do not intersect the
knitting thread ~ales, ~articularly where the war elements
are substantially parallel to the knitting-thread wales, i.e.,
~ in the longitudinal direction. At the same time, the warp
1 elements are effectively secured against running or lifting
25 off by virtue of the exclusively chain stitch nature of the
knitting-thread wales, which are substantiall~ immune from
unzippering .or unravelling in the longitudinal direction due
to the absence of cross lap~ing over a warp element.
3~
In still another em~odiment of the invention, the fabric
further comprises a flexible self-liner material disp~sed beneath
the flexib]e substrate (which in turn is laid beneath the warp
elements). The knitting thread network having the aforementioned
lock-stitch configuration, whose loops appear on the rear surfac~
of the lining material, likewise binds together into an integrated
self-lined textile fa~ric structure the lining material, the
flexihle substrate and the warp elements and secures said com~
ponents against relative displacement. The ~abric of this embodiment
achieves a further combination of functional utility and decorative
visual effect of aesthetically pleasing ap~earance through the
unique placement of the functional lining of flexible material which
is disposed behind or beneath the flexible substrate ~e.g.~ of
textile filling elements~ and the textile warp elements. In this
way, the lining material perEorms its function (e.g., thermal
acoustic or optical insulation) without interfering ~ith the unity
of warp and filling or obstructing the effect of the intermediate
substrate layer (e.g., of filling yarn elements) and the outer lay~r
2~ of warp yarn elements. Such self-lined fabric construction provides
practical as well as aesthetically useful composite fabrics in which
the lining material performs a definite function (e.g., therm~
insulation) either per se or through various post~treatments (e.g.,
resin back-coating which also provides a convenient ~ay of achieving
~5 a l'blackout" effect when desired) without interferi~g with the de-
corative function of the remaining components of the fabric which
-12-
1 are positioned in front of the lining or hacking component.
The flexible lining or bac~ing material cornDonent
of the foregoing embodiment is preferably a layer of
5 fibrous non-woven, pre-knitted (e.g., tricot) or ~re-~oven
fabric. The use of such lining material.s is particularly
advantageous because of the ease with which, say, an
ap~lied fibrous non-woven lining can be subse~uentl~
back-coated with a thin layer oE polymer, e.~., acrylic or
10 urethane foam, to impart effective thermal insulating or
barrier properties while retaining the desired casement-like
"feel" and "look" of the co~posite fabric as a ~hole.
Alternatively, the lining can be any other flexihle
material ca~able of being stitched-throuah by ]cnitting
15 thread and secured thereby to the overlying substrate
(e.g., filling yarns) and warp elements. Such other
lining materials inc]ude, without limitation, synthetic
polymeric compositions such as foamed polyurethane,
polymeric film, and fi~rous batting, e.g., continuous
20 filament batting, and these can also be given a polymeric
back-coatin~, if desired. Examples of embodiments of the
invention include fahrics in which the self-liner is a con-
I tinuous sheet material in the form of randomly arran-ged highly
I dispersed continuous filaments, e.g., spun-bonded continuous
25 filament polyester sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.
under the trademark "Reemay", and entangled staPle fiber, e.g.,
spun-laced polyester staple sold by du Pont under the trade-
mark "Sontara". As indicated above, these liners can be
bac~-coated with polymeric compositions. Other materials
30 suitable for use as the self-liner of the fabric of the
present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the
art upon appreciation o~ the present disclosure. In the
case where the substrate .is other than a layer of textile
filling yarns, e.g., continuous sheet material, a fabric
-
3~
__ -13-
1 is obtained which in effect has two linings.
he self-lined fabric embodiment of the invention
can also be heat-honded in pattern design to another
fabric by use of Pinsonic type guilting, the details of
the application of which to the fabric of this invention
will be apparent to those skilled in the art and having
the benefit of the present disclosure before them. The
self-lined fabric of such embodiment can be either foamed
or unfoamed. In this manner, the back of the fabric will
be quilted whlle the face side is unquilted.
The fabrics produced in the manner of the present
invention employing knitting thread to bind the warp
elements and the flexible substrate into an integrated
structure have the feature in which the knitting thread
pierces the individual warp elements and pierces
the flexihle substrate (in the case of filling yarns) at a
substantial number of random ppints to further secure the
substrate and warp elements against relative displace-
ment.
In its broad aspect, the fabrics of the
present invention can ~e produced on a stitch-through
machine, e.g., a Malimo-type stitch-through machine, by
the steps of (a) delivering a flexible substrate to the
above-described work zone of the stitch-through type
machine and (b) delivering to the work zone conjointly
with and in superimposed relation to the substrate a
plurality of warp elements. The superimposed warp elements
and flexible substrate are bound together at the work zone
o the machine by the warpwise knitting thread network to
form an inteyrated structure which is the fabric of the
present invention in greige orm, and which is ready for
urther processing to finished fabric according to art-
.
3~L
-14-
recogni7e~ procedures, e.g., dyein~, dr~ing, resina~ing,etc.
The particular aspect of the foregoing proced~re
which makes possible the formation of the present novel fahric
construction is the use oE at least one and preferably a
single };nitting thread needle guide bar which can be pro-
~rammed, in a manner which will be apparent to those skilled
in the art and having the benefit of the present disclosure
of the invention before them, to deliver the knittiny thread.s
of each wale to the stitching elements in one or more of the
- above-described stitching se~uences. In one embodiment the
guide bar shaft of a ~alimo machine which carries the stitch-
ing yarn guides i5 disconnected from the horizontal motion
eccentric and its horizontal motion is derived from and con-
trolled by a pattern chain similar to those used on tricot or
raschel warp knitting machines for control of their yarn guides.
- The said pattern chain could be driven from the main ~1alimo
machine shaft or other shaft by gears, sprockets or timing
belts. In this way, it is possible to produce the present
; fabrics at a rate of speed comparable to that at which conven-
tional stitch-through fabrics are produced having the nor~al
20 half-tricot stitch knitting thread configuration throughout.
In addition, the use of at least one and preferably a single
knittin~ thread needle bar to lay the wales of knitting thread
results in a fabric in which the lofted and unlofted portions
of the warp yarn elements extend in parallel bands transverselv
25 across the fabric, i.e., in the weftwise direction, there~y
irnparting a unique secondary pattern to the "loose look" of
the fabric.
. .
Brief Descri~tion of The Drawing
-- .
Further details of the present invention and the ad-
vantages thereof can be had by reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein:
_ FI~. 1 is a plan view of the front surface of a prior
;? art fabric of conventional structure with res~ect to the
~ 35 disposition of the warp elements on the flexible substrate.
~4~
-- -15-. 1
I FIG. 2 is a schematic representation oE the
movement of the knitting-needle guicle bar for producing a
segment of a stitch-through fabric of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the
movement. of the kni.tting-neec31e guide bar for producing a
segment of another type of stitch-through fabric of the
invention;
PIG. 4A is a plan view of the front surface oE
a first embodiment of the fabric of the invention;
FIG. 4B is an enlarged front view of a portion
of the fabric of FIG. 9A showing the relationship
15 between the elements thereof;
FIG. 4C is a further enlarged front view of a
portion of the fabric of FIG. 4A showing the relationship
between the flexible substrate and knitting thread;
FIG. 4D is an enlarged plan view of the rear
surface of a portion:of the fabric of FIG. 4A;
. FIG. 5A is a plan view of the front surface of a
25 second embodiment of the fahric of the invention;
FIG. 5B is an enlarged front view of a portion
of the fabric of FIG. 5A sho~ing the relationship between
the elements thereof;
PIG. 5C is a plan view of the rear surface of the
fabric of FI~. 5A; and
~ IG. 5D is an enlarged view of the rear surface
35 of a portion of the fabric of FIG. SA.
~ .
_ -16-
1 FIG. 6~ is a plan view o~ the front surface of
a thircl embodiment of the fabric of the invention;
FIG. 6B is an enlarged ront view of a portion
of the fabric of FIGA 6A showi.ng the .relationship between
the elements the~eof;
FIG. 6C is a further enlarged front view of a
portion of the fabric of FIG. 6~ showing the relationship
between the elements thereof.,
FIG. 6D is a plan view of the rear surface of
the fabric of FIG. 6A;
FIG. 7A is a plan view of the front surface of
a fourth embodiment of the fabric of the invention;
FIG. 7B is an enlarged front view of a portion
of the fabric of FIG. 7A showing the relationship between
the elements thereof;
. FIG. 7C is a further enlarged front view of a
portion of the fabric of FIG. 7A showing the relationship
. between the elements thereof;
FIG. 7D is a plan view of the rear surface of
the fabrlc of FIG. 7A.
Description of the Preferred Ernbodiments
In the following description, the corresponding
elements as shown in each figure of the drawings are given
the same reEerence number, and letter sufixes are added
to designate specific ones of these elements where necessary.
3~
- -17-
1 Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional
stitch-through fabric composed of warp yarn elements 1,
textile yarn filling elements 3, and knitting thread 5
applied in a half-tricot stitch configuration network
5 throughout. Of particular interest i~ the appearance of
the warp yarn elernents 1 which are uniformly secured to the
flexible substrate of textile filling elements 3 by virtue
of the half-tricot stitch configuration of the knitting
thread network. As a result, the fabric l~cks the three-
- 10 dimensional appearance of the fabrics of the present inven-
tion since the war~ yarn elements are prevented from loft-
ing or blooming by the uniformly lapping or binding
effect of the half-tricot sti*ches of the knitting thread.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the horizontal and
vertical rows of equally spaced dots 7 represent the
knitting needles of the stitch-through machine, and the
vertical solid lines 9 represent the placement of the
warp elemen-ts relative to the knitting thread 11. Each
20 horizontal row of dots can be visualized as the plan o~
the needle bar, each dot representing one needle head.
The bottom row of points indicates the needle bar at th~
first couxse, the second row indicates the needle bar at
the second course, and so on. Thus each vertical column
25 of dots represents the same needies at successive
courses, or alternatively, can be taken to represent
one wale in the fabric. Since all the knitting thread
guides on the single bar are rigidly mounted therein,
they all make exactly the same movements at each course,
30 as can be seen in FIG. 2, which depicts the formation
o~ a knitting thread lock-stitch configuration com-
prising eight consecutive chain stitch courses fol-
lowed by three consecutive half-tricot s-titch courses,
or in FIG. 3, which depicts the ~ormation of a knitting
thread lock~stitch con~iguration comprising a -three-
_
~ t
1 n~edle atlas stitch network.
Referring to FIG. 4A, which is a plan viewof the front surface of a first embodiment of the
fabric construction of the invention, the warp elements 13
impart a three-dimensional effect or appearance of depth
to the fabric by virtue of t'he ]oft created in those
lengths where the warp elements pass over the chain
stitch segment of each knitting thread wale lS of the
3-chain/1-half-tricot stitch configuration as depicted
in FIG. 4B. FIG. ~C shows in detail the aforementioned
configuration of the knitting threads 17 in relation to
the textile yarn filling elements 19.
eferring to FIG. 4D, the loops 21 of the
knitting thread courses of each wale 15 on the rear side
of the fabric of FIG. ~A can be readily seen. These
loops bind the non-woven fibrous batting 23 of the self-
lin~r to the textile filling yarn substrate 19 and to
20 the warp elements (not shown).
.
Referring ~o FIG. 5A, which is a plan vi-ew of
-the front surface of a second embodiment of the fabric
construction of the invention, the lofting of the warp
- 25 elements 25 can be seen over the chain stitch portion of
the 3-chainf'4-half-tricot stitch knitting thread network
sho~n in greater detail in FIG. 5B. Since the number~of
chain stitches 27 to half-tricot stitches 29 is greater
in the fabric of FIG. 5A than in the fabric of FIG. ~A
(both fabrics having the same ~umber of knitting thread
courses per unit length), the loft imparted to the
warp elements of the former is correspondingly greater.
A'; seen in FIG. 5C and in greater detail in
FIG. 5D, the loops 31 of the knitting thread courses 32
on the rear side of the fabric of FIG. 5A bin'd the fibrous
_ -19-
1 non-woven batting of the self liner (barely visible
in the photographs) to the textile yarn filling
elements 33 of the flexible substrate and to the warp
elements ~not shown).
. .
Referring to FIG. 6~ which is a plan view of
a portion of the front surface of a third embodiment of
the fabric construction of the invention, there are de-
picted warp elements 35 in the form of multifilament
figure yarns in combination w:ith warp elements 37 in the
form of felt-like ribbons, both being joined, as shown
in FIGS. 6B and 6C,to the textile filling yarns 39 of the .
flexible substrate by the diagonal laps .40 of the half-
tricot stitch courses 41 of the 3-chain/~-half-tricot
stitch knitting thread configuration, and, as shown in
FIG. 6D, to the fibrous non-woven batting of the flex-
ible self-liner by the loops of the knitting thread
courses of the wales 43 on the rear surface. of the fabric.
FIG. 6C illustrates the dramatic effect of lo~t ~and
20 bloom 45 of the warp elements 35 and 37 in the region 45
where these elements pass over and in non-secured
relation to the chain stitch-courses (not shown) of
the knitting thread wales, as contras;ted to the fettered
appearance 49 of the.warp elements where they.are
25 secured to the textile filling e~ements 51 by the diagonal
laps 53 of the half-tricot stitch courses 41 of the
knitting thread. FIG. 6~ also demonstrates the
decorative transverse band-like arrangement of the lofted
warp element segments created by the alternating chain
30 stitch and half-tricot segments of the knitting thread
wales which is inherent in -the use of a single needle
guide bar as discussed above in connection with FIGS. 2
and 3.
~eferring to FIG. 7~, which is a plan view of a
portion of the front surface of a fourth embodiment of
the fabric construction of the invention, substantial
4~
_ -20-
1 lengths of warp elements 55 are disposcd in a non-
rectilinear fashion in the general warpwise direction
of the fabric and the knitting thread wales 57 consist
essentially of chain stitches which bind the warp elements
5 to the textile filling elements at the points 6l whexe
such warp elements intersect the knitting thread wales 63
as shown in greater detail in FIGSo 7B and 7C. The loops
of the knitting thread courses of each wale 63 also bind
the fibrous, gossamer-like non-woven batting of the self-
10 liner on the rear surface of the fabric as shown in
FIG. 7D~ -
The foregoing examples are presented for thepurpose of illustrating, without limitation, the novel
single needle bar lock-stitch lofted fahric construction
of the present invention. It is understood, of course,
that changes and variations therein can be made without
departing from the scope of the invention as defined in
the following claims.
'.
~9~3~3~
-2l-
1 Industrlal ~pplicahility
The present invention introduces a novel concept
in decorative and functionally useful fal~rics using a
stitch-through type machine equipped with a single knitting
thread guide bar for feeding the knitting thread to the
work zone of the machine so that the other components of
the fabric, i.e., the substrate and warp elements, a~e held
together by the knitting thread in a lock--stitch configura-
tion. In this way the warp elements are secured in such away as to have increased resistance to running which
otherwise could occur, particularly at the cut ends of the
fabric. The fabric also has imparted to it a decorative
lofted appearance in the warp elements which creates the
illusion of depth and the appearance of a three-dimensional
fabric structure.
Fabrics produced according to the present inven-
tion are useful in many decorative and functional applica-
tions, including draperies, tablecloths and bedspreads.
.
