Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~IANI) KNlTI~NG AND Cl~O-HOOK APPARATUS
3 ~ACKGROUND OF THE INVEN~ION
4 Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to knitting and crocheting and more
6 particularly to apparatus, kits and assemblies for hand knitting and
crocheting techniques. Specifically, this invention relates to cro-hooks and
8 improved apparatus for employing them.
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Description of the Prior Art
11 In hand knitting, the knitter t~pically is required to use a large number
12 of knitting needles of varying size and design and related apparatus. When
13 the knitter also desires to produce crochet stitches, the indlvidual must also
14 have available a variety of crochet hooks. Moreover the individual is limited
in the types of techniques employable with the aforementioned existing
16 apparatus, and switching between the needles and hooks is time consuming.17 A crochet hook is typically about 6" long with a hool~ at olle end. Cases of
18 double ended hooks are also available, but these double ended hooks have
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proved to be unpoplllar due to the imbalance created by the larger hook at
2 the top end. Another hook, referred to as a cro-hook is typically about 14"
3 long and has a hook of the same size at both ends (or a hook at one end
4 and a stop at the other).
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In order to accommodate changes while knitting to adjust for
2 characteristics of the articles being knitted and the stitches selected, I have
3 previously proposed a knitting apparatus described in previously issued U.S.
4 Patent Nos. 4,007,610 and 3,280,595. There is described therein a case
S having a plurality of knitting needles of various size, flexible cords, ~langed
6 stitch holders and coupling members. A typical use of such apparatus has
7 included attaching the needles to the flexible cord ~rior to knitting. When
8 a number of stitches have been formed on the needle, they are pushed onto
9 the flexible cord and the needle is replaced with the flanged stop. Similarly,
the knitting kit allows the user to prepare straight or circular knitting
11 assemblies and stitch holders of numerous sizes.
12 Other needle assemblies with flexible intermediate members have also
13 been proposed. One of such assemblies is described in U.S. Patent No.
14 4,693,094 which describes a scored connector to join the needle and the
cable. Also in U.S. Patent No. 4,680,947 there is described a double ended
16 connector for use with such assembly. Similarly, in U.S. Patent Nos.
17 4,341,094 and 4,494,387, cable needle assemblies are described with yet
18 further versions of the connector.
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Use of knitting needles in combination with crochet hooks have
2 substantially been limited to detached tools. But a couple prior designs have
3 proposed a cable tool having the ability for crochet action. III U.S. Patent
4 No. 2,093,631 such a device is disclosed wherein a double prong hook is
connected via a cable to a knitting needle. The hook and needle are
6 arranged to screw onto the cable member and as a result there is a tendency
7 for the device to unintentionally loosen and separate during use.
8 More recently in U.S. Patent No. 4,501,133 another hook/cable/needle
9 device was proposed and the unusual needlework obtainable therewith was
described. In that device the needle and hook are not detachable, and as
11 a result ~lumerous sizes and combinations are required to perform the
12 variety of work encountered.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
3 It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an
4 assembly and kit consisting of knitting needles, cro-hooks and related
S apparatus which is releaseably connectable to allow construction of
6 numerous tools having a cable with needles, hooks, or a mixed combination,
7 connected to the cable ends.
8 It is a further obJect to provide a needle/cable/hook assembly with a
9 releaseable connection that does not loosen during use.
Generally there is provided a kit of stitch forming apparatus including
11 disconnectable assemblies of needles, cro-hooks, stitch holders, and rigid and
12 flexible elongate members to form circular or straight assemblies, all of13 various sizes, tips and lengths. The novel cro-hook assembly consistant with
14 the present invention exhibits a disconnectable coupling at its extremity for
interchangeability with other hooks, needles or the various other elements.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTlON OF THE DRAWINGS
3 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container of apparatus in
4 accordance with the present invention being in the opened, flat condition exposing the connectable elements of the invention.
6 Figure 2 is a perspective view of an assembly in accordance with the
7 present invention having a knitting needle, a cro-hook, and a flexible cable
8 interposed therebetween.
9 Figure 3 is a perspective view of an assembly in accordance with the
present invention having a cro-hook connected to a cable member, and a
11 flanged stop member connected to the extremity.
12 Figure 4 is a sectional view of the coupling extremity of the cro-hook13 and needle members.
14 Figure 5 is a frontal view of a coupling connector for joining the flexible
cable member to the hook and needle members.
16 Figure 6 is a sectional view of another coupling connector in accordance
17 with the invention.
l8 While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred
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embodiment, it will be understood that I do not intend to limit the invention
2 to that embodiment. On the contrary, I intend to cover all alternatives,
3 modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope
4 of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PR~FERRED EMBODTMENT
3 ~eferring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to
4 Figure 1, there is shown a knitting needle and cro-hook apparatus in kit
S form having a case 10 formed to accept a plurality of members therein. The6 kit, comprising the plurality of apparatus members, may be collected if
7 desired within a container of any nature and may include a case such as that
8 shown in Figure 1. These members are arranged to interconnect in a
9 manner described below to form combinations of needles, hooks, cables, andrelated members. The case is preferably a plastic molded design having
11 impressions 12 formed therein to accept specific items. This case is
12 arranged to fold along its separating portion 14 to superimpose one side
13 upon the other, whereupon the protruding edge 16 of one side frictionally14 mates within the protruding edge 18 of the other side to hold the case in a
closed relation. Other versions of this case, within the scope of this
16 invention, include cases formed of fabrics, wood or metal composition, and
17 also includes other equivalent means for latching the case in a closed
18 relation.
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Within the case are positioned stitch forming apparatus including one
2 or more of tlle following: cro-hooks 20 of various sizes, knitting needles 22
3 of various sizes, flexible cable members 24 of various sizes, extenders 26,
4 stitch holders (button stops) 28, and rigid members 30~ These members may
S be of metal, plastic or fiber, or a combination of such; and the flexible
6 members may be solid or tubular of any flexible material. When desired
7 the user may interconnect these members with the cable to form assemblies
8 of needles, hooks, a needle/hook combination, or a combination including
9 the extender, rigid member or button stop. Moreover, use of the extender
10 allows one to lengthen the needles or hook as desired. The stitch holders
11 may be added to a needle, hook, or to the cable to form a "button stop".
12 Accordingly, with this apparatus, the user may now perform whatever
13 stitches are desired -- knitting, crochet, or combination with cro-hooking by
14 selecting the required members (of the desired size) from the case and
15 interconnecting them~ As shown in Figure 2 the flexible cable member 30
16 is formed of two such cable members joined by an extender 32. At one end
17 of the cable a hook member 34 is connected, while at the other end a
18 needle member 36 is connected~ Another version shown in Figure 3 depicts
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the cro-llook 40 connected to a flexible cable 42. At the other extremity of
2 the cable there is connected a button stop 44.
3 Interconnection of the needles, hooks, cables, or other members may be
4 accomplished by screw thread means, swivel attachment means or other
S means commonly known in the art. ~;enerally, either the male or female6 parts of the connectors may be located on a specific extremity of a member
7 of the apparatus, within the scope of this invention, and reference to one or
8 the other is not intended to exclude the reverse. Moreover, the connection
9 of a coupling member to a cable is shown as an internal fit, it is to be
undertstood that such connecting member may be crimped onto the outside
1~ of the cable or pushed into it as shown, all within the scope of tllis12 invention. One of such techniques is described in my earlier patent, U.S.
13 Patent No. 4,007,610, incorporated herein by reference and generally
14 depicted in Figures 4-6. This connection is a disconnectable bayonette-type
coupling. A hook or needle member extremity 50 presents a generally
16 elongated clyindrical socket having an inner portion 52 of a first diameter,
17 an intermediate opening or enlarged diameter 56, and a constricted portion18 58. The male connector for insertion into this cylindrical socket is presented
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in Figure 4 (right half) and generally comprises: a first portion 60 at its
2 extremity having a first diameter for insertion within the inner portion 62 of
3 the socket; a second portion 62 of a second diameter for insertion within the
4 outer portion of the socket; and a prong portion 64 for positioning within
S the intermediate opening 56 of the socket. The constricted portion of the
6 socket forms a rectangular shape and the corresponding portion of the male
7 connector is likewise rectangularly shaped to restrain relative rotational
8 movement therebetween.
9 The left half of the male connector depicted in Figure 5 presents agenerally uniform cylindrical member 66 having retaining rings 68 protruding
11 therefrom. When inserted within a tubular member 69, such as the hollow
12 flexible cable, the rings hold the connecter to the cable and form a coupling
13 thereto. For joining together two male connectors of the type shown in the
14 right half of the Figure 5, there is provided a joining member (extender)
shown in Figure 6. This coupling is comprised of two oppositely directed
16 sockets 70 and 72 of the shape and style shown in Figure 3.
17 From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that modific~tions
18 can be made to the apparatus and method for using same without departing
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froIll the teachings of the present invention~ Accordingly, the scope of the
2 invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims~
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