ITCO990018A1 - METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION OF TUBULAR KNITWEAR ITEMS PROVIDED AT LEAST ONE THROUGH SHOULDER STRAP AND OR YES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to tubular knitwear items complete with shoulder straps (20, 21), braces and various openings for legs or arms, manufactured without the usual cutting and sewing operations. Through the appropriate selection of needles, in accordance with the jaquard design and to the operating cycle of the knitting machine, the invention allows the separation and automatic programmed resumption of knitted courses for defined areas or zones, thereby obtaining at least a complete opening or brace, formed by at least a simple or double welt, or even multiple, edges, depending on circumstances. Lastly, the invention eliminates the current necessary cut and sew operations and the consequent, usual and costly fabric scrap.

Description

Method and apparatus for automatically producing tubular knitwear items supplied with at least one suspender, shoulder strap, belt loop and the like, and resulting products.

Description

The introduction of circular knitting machines of the "full electronic" type with differentiated diameters has attracted the interest of the industry as the versatility of these machines allows the production of a wide range of semi-finished tubular items such as, for example, bras, underpants, dresses, trousers, skirts, bodies, costumes, technical items and more. But due to some inherent technical limitations, including the lack of shoulder pads, and or loops and or various openings for legs and arms, or targeted openings, even multiple, with functional and or aesthetic purposes, most of the aforementioned knitted items systematically require laborious and costly additional completion operations including cutting and or sewing with a considerable waste of fabric that affects production costs continuously and permanently.

As experts in the field know well, theoretically, with the reciprocating motion of the needle cylinder it is possible to obtain a wide range of knitted articles supplied with different appendages or shapes; but the long production times added to the considerable masses of the needle cylinders with larger diameters make this hypothesis excessively expensive or technically impracticable. As far as is known, the Italian patent n. 1288310 of the same owner, provides for different realizations concerning shoulder straps, loops or braces, or various openings for legs and arms.

But these solutions have technical limitations and additional costs due to the complex and expensive mechanisms for gripping and transporting the link from one part of the cylinder to the other. The present invention intends to concretely reduce or completely eliminate some of the aforementioned technical and production limits to automatically obtain knitted items complete with shoulder pads and or braces and or various openings, preferably without fabric waste, with original economic, technical, aesthetic and commercial purposes. .

For some embodiments the present invention takes up the teachings of the Italian patent no. 1255008 by the same owner, schematically illustrated in figs. 7- 8 -8A - 8B - 9 to which we refer. In summary, this patent contemplates the production of circular knitted articles characterized by areas of fabric with differentiated growth caused by the exclusion of a limited number of needles, alternating with respect to the adjacent ones, for example 1: 1, or 2: 1 - 2: 2 and similar. Contrary to the norm, even a substantial part of impulses or commands usually directed to the needles, is not sent to a part of these, according to a defined scheme or program conforming to the original design. This determines Γ exclusion from the knitting process of needles without inputs or commands; this exclusion, if total and with defined areas, produces the floating yarns FF instead of the mesh M, fig. 7.

Said floating yarns FF, can be further manipulated with the use of some working needles, fig. 8, duly spaced, with the dual purpose of reducing the length of the floats and creating, if necessary, interesting interlacing of knits or internal three-dimensional flounces Bi. Therefore, the invention is also carried out by further manipulating the aforementioned floating yarns FF, transforming them into knitted fabric produced with only a part of the needles present in the areas or zones concerned.

For example, only even needles or needles in alternating pairs will be excluded; ie in groups of three in work followed by one or more needles excluded, and so on.

The simultaneous presence of working needles, alternating with excluded needles, fig. 8, for defined areas and or for even a relatively long time, fig. 9, (corresponding to a high number of knitting rows), is the sufficient and necessary premise for the production of an original knitted fabric, formed by the working needles and relative AD loops but interrupted and still intertwined with the excluded needles and AP loops , in order to produce a closed knit flounce, with two plies or fabrics Bi, fig. 8, inside the usual mesh tube. This growth of additional stitch or flounce Bi is characterized on the right side of the stitch by a perfect suture caused by the elongation of the loops or stitches of the out-of-work AP needles and therefore excluded from the production of the aforementioned flounce, which is repeatable and or variable in height and width. These two-dimensional flounces are particularly attractive even when arranged in small repeated diagonals, such as to accentuate the anatomical support or to modify the usual appearance of the jersey fabric.

Having said this, a main object of the present invention is to provide a method and the relative apparatus for the production of tubular knitted articles in general, supplied with at least one shoulder strap, belt loop, shoulder strap and the like, preferably complete and also padded, automatically produced with the continuous motion of the needle cylinder. A further object consists in a method and relative apparatus for the production of tubular knitted articles, supplied with one or more sufficiently wide openings, with double fabric edges, also padded for aesthetic and functional purposes, obtained directly in the circular machine during production. and therefore without the additional cutting and or sewing operations. Another object is to provide a method and related apparatus for the production of tubular knitted articles with braces and or complete openings provided with simple edges and or multiple edges, or with multiple plies, produced either with the aid of the backing pad or other fiontura, that with the only selection of needles and or sinkers of knitting. Another object is to provide a method for the production of tubular articles supplied with braces on which preferably tubular sleeves complete with cuffs are subsequently sewn.

Finally, a further object is to provide a method and the relative apparatus for the production of tubular articles, even with two layers or concentric, having at least one shoulder, shoulder strap or loop and or multi-ply edges obtained during production, with fixed exclusion and prolonged use of groups of needles also alternating and or in groups, with other needles still in work, according to the teachings of the Italian patent n. 1288310 and of the patent application n. CO-97-A000003, entitled "Various improvements and innovations in the production of socks and other knitted items" by the same inventor. Further objects result from the accompanying description, examples and drawings, on their own or in combination with each other, in addition to the final claims.

The characteristics of the invention and the resulting advantages result more clearly from the following description of exemplary embodiments and it is advantageously applied to most of the circular machines.

These results are easily reached in accordance with the invention, and for descriptive and non-limiting purposes only, much of the description concerns a circular machine of the "full electronic" type (for example the Santoni machine model SM 8 TOP). Currently the tubular articles mentioned in the introduction are completed with laborious cutting operations along predefined lines and assembled with delicate and expensive sewing operations. In Figures 1 and 2, the knitted tube 1, (pant and tank top) provided with a double elastic two-ply border 2, is usually cut along the dotted lines in order to define the front A with respect to the rear P, after that the resulting flaps S are sewn together, at the ends 3. These operations inevitably involve considerable quantities of waste which, although variable in relation to the sizes and or models, often exceed 20% of the initial fabric: a permanent waste that affects relevant to the final costs of the products. The invention is initially realized with the preparation of a work cycle and or jacquard design, that is direct and or precluded information to the needles and or jacks and other elements competing directly or indirectly with the production of the knit, by means of a usual graphic station and or control devices and or memory or by means of electro-mechanical, magnetic, optical, and other means, however suitable for the purpose. Then the knitted tube 1 of Figure 3 starts from the double edge 2A with a continuous selection of alternating needles, for example the odd ones, that is with all the needles in work and with the help of the hooks of the backing pad (not shown).

After completing the aforementioned double border by releasing the hooks of the backing pad and or suturing stitches with the previously excluded needles coming into work, for example, the knitting continues in zone 30, characterized by intertwining designed to improve the degree of warp-knitting of the fabric. Table

2, figs. 13 -14. Therefore, the automatic release or unloading of the bushings B, fig. 24, or stitches by the needles A along the lines or openings 5 - 5A, of figs. 3 and 4, is preceded by a preparatory phase with Γ possible automatic variation of the knitting density, together with the use of suitable additional yarns, including elastomers or thermo-adhesives, the latter subject to partially melt interlacing with the adjacent bushings during the subsequent finishing. .

Therefore, the operation of releasing or unloading the individual loops or stitches of a part of the needles can be carried out according to multiple technical or textile needs or factors. In a first preferred embodiment, by arranging the machine and or the work cycle in the "zero" position, all the feeds or feeds are canceled, the yarn guides and the hooks U of the needles A on which the last bushings B, are preferably under the sinker abatement plane. After this preparation phase (not shown) only the programmed needles, usually arranged in a group and adjacent to each other, are sent onto the threadless rising cam in a single feed or feed to fully lift.

The maximum elevation of the aforementioned needles produces two important results: all the tabs of the needles open automatically and position themselves over the last loops, still intertwined between the needles and the knitting plates.

The subsequent descent phase of the same needles is illustrated in figures 24 - 25 - 26. The needle A begins the descent and the last loop B, adhering to the needle shaft, inserting itself under the tongue L begins to close it automatically and progressively, fig. 25. The tabs L, completely closed, act as a "bridge" for the same bushings B which then detach definitively, as in fig. 26. In this phase, the link sinkers P also move backwards progressively and radially according to the arrow F, in synchrony with the lowering movement of the needles A.

The progressive unloading of the bushings B from the needles concerned produces a continuous horizontal opening in the direction of the rows in the knitting tube, therefore at this point the fabric tube is linked only to a part of the needles of the cylinder while the remaining needles are disengaged, or temporarily without mesh, they must necessarily restart the production process.

In accordance with the invention, these needles are then selected and again directed progressively on at least one rising cam according to a predetermined sequence such as 1: 3 - (one needle in operation and three excluded) or 1: 1 and the like, up to the gradual rising of all the needles which pick up a new thread.

During this ascent, the needles A still with the tongues L closed, find in the obligatory path a tongue-opening device AL for forced opening of the same. The described procedure is schematically illustrated in fig. 27: the tab L is still against the hook U inside which a metal tip-opening tool AL is automatically positioned until the tab L is opened and turned over in the direction of the arrow F. Fig. 28 shows a plan view of a fraction of the cylinder CYL, rotating in the direction of the arrow F. The hook U, adhering to the tongue L, finds the tongue-opening element AL, inserted for the purpose, on the obligatory path of ascent.

The knitting process resumes with a simple or double edge, or single or double fabric, or otherwise, depending on the item being produced, after the intervention of the mechanical or pneumatic elements acting as tab openers (in other embodiments the tab is open by means of an adequate blow of compressed air coming from above, or by means of a thin sheet suitable to be inserted between the hook and the tongue and more).

According to the invention, total and programmed interruption of the knitting process of a part of the needles of the cylinder, for defined knitting areas or areas, followed by the automatic and programmed resumption of the knitting process, preferably of the same needles and areas of defined mesh, produces the total and controlled separation of at least two theoretically consecutive rows of mesh, in turn characterized by the fact that the first represents the last row of the mesh already produced, while the second represents the first row of mesh preferably produced with the same needles, after the aforementioned interruption.

For the purposes of the present invention, only a part of the needles housed in the rotating cylinder is intended to release or unload the respective last loops of knitting. In fact, following the set work cycle and or jacquard design, the needles are programmed to operate in a group, that is a variable plurality of adjacent needles, directly in relation to the width of the foreseen opening.

Figure 4 reproduces the section 6 of the previous figure enlarged: 2A is the initial double elastic band (11); 5 A indicates the opening produced; is and 9 the edges of stitch adjacent to this opening, also provided with double-ply edges, indicated with 10, similar to edges 2A, and can be made in various ways: with the usual needles or hooks of the pad selected for the purpose, or with a part of the needles of the cylinder, for example the odd needles AD of Figure 8 which continue to produce knits while the even needles AP retain their respective last loops. Consequently, an internal flounce Bi is produced, fig. 8, or mesh with three-dimensional differentiated growth, widely adjustable in width, height and diagonally. As for the double edge DB, fig. 30, in accordance with the present invention, it can also be padded internally by inserting additional threads Y, fed and variously woven between the two plies during the construction of the edge and before its closure or defined suture. Alternatively, the internal padding is obtained with three-dimensional knitting effects such as sponge and the like, or with the production of the aforementioned flounces Bi, fig.

31, also repeated, placed inside the double edge DB.

The tubular knitted article 1 of fig. 5, a T-shirt, bodice or simple bra, is provided with the double border 2A knitted only in correspondence with the front central part Y (and rear, not shown). According to the invention, said edge 2 A is detached or separated, then opened laterally with the two automatically produced loops, which, raised according to the arrows FI and F2, take on the shape and functions of the different shoulder straps 20 - 21. With DB it is the double edge produced after the formation of the strap 20 is indicated. The knitting areas indicated with 11 - 13 - 14 can be produced with different weaves, including those shown in table 2, according to the needs and variables of the moment.

In particular, the central area 12 is structurally and functionally connected to the upper part Y of the shoulder straps 20 and 21 and or to the adjacent areas, capable of supporting the breasts, either by themselves or in relation to each other, in a widely differentiated manner. In another preferred embodiment, fig. 6, the knitted item 1 represents a pant made from a tubular fabric with a double elastic edge 2A, having a functional opening 03 provided with a double edge DB together with the side edges 5 - 5 A produced in accordance with the invention. Also in this circumstance the bottom mesh can be produced with the different weaves illustrated in plate. 2 over the perforated T, obtained with the usual techniques. The present invention is at the origin of the products of figure 18: the bodice-bra 1 and the skirt 2 which are respectively characterized by the presence of the upper support straps 20 - 21, even multiple, or by the lateral loop 22 similar to the lower openings 22 A at the sides. Once again, the fabric of the aforementioned articles is characterized by the knitted structures provided in the weaves already indicated in table 2, or also with a plurality or prevalence of retained stitches, fig. 10 -11 - 12 - 13, or bridles, figures 14 and 15, together with one or more internal knitted flounces Bi, figure 8- 8 A -8B - 9. Fig. 19 shows a pant sewn at S and provided with an elastic upper edge 2A which divides into two parts on the sides, together with other double edges DB without elastic. The central perforated part T is further characterized by areas of knit with flounces Bi. Figure 20 shows another knitted article falling within the scope of the invention, the tubular article 1 is provided with shoulder straps 20-21 obtained according to the invention and completed with additional sleeves MI-M2 preferably also tubular provided with at least one edge double DB and sewn at the suture lines S - SI. That is, these sleeves are provided with two double edges, one of which is intended to be sewn on the external part of the shoulder strap or shoulder strap: therefore with a simple circular seam practically without cutting and consequent waste, a finished article is obtained without longitudinal seams or visible. Figure 20 A schematically illustrates a tubular article 1 provided with the upper and lower double edges DB, with an upper mesh area MS with perforated weave T ending before the elastic edge BE in a median position; followed by the part of the lower link MI. In correspondence with the horizontal lines A, opposite, parallel and adjacent to the aforementioned edges DB, the unloading of the bushings for the creation of the shoulder straps described above takes place.

Subsequently, the lower part MI is inverted into the upper part MS so that the resulting knitted article is formed by two concentric fabrics, supplied with a variable number of shoulder straps or shoulder straps, as can also be seen from fig. 20B, that is a knitted item equipped with shoulder pads 20 - 21, lower elastic edge BE and an original perforated knit effect, superimposed on a substantially different ground knit in yarn, color or weave, to create contrasting effects.

Another application of the invention is schematically illustrated in fig. 21; the knitted article 1, indifferently a sock, or a technical article or other article, is provided with a single or double upper edge loop DB, or, as in fig. 22, is provided with at least two alternative support straps to the usual elastic edge. The knitted item 1 of figure 23 also falls within the scope of the present invention. The programmed interruption and resumption of the knitting process produces the single round neck loop 2 (rear 2A) together with the central opening 03 decorated with the double DB piping at the chest.

The method described is further completed in figures 29-30 and 31 of table 4. In particular Figure 29 is a partial view of the knitted tube 1, provided with the usual two-ply edge DB. Fig. 30 is a variant whereby additional yarns or fibers Y for padding have been inserted inside said double edge, with the presence of the internal threading W. Finally in fig. 31 the aforementioned double border is padded with a plurality of internal flounces Bi and characterized by an external unthreading W.

The wide flexibility of the invention allows to modify also substantially the shape and the functions of at least a part of the present knitted articles with the described results. The present description, which is necessarily limited, offers to those skilled in the art wide margins of innovation which fall within the scope of the invention.

Brief description of the figures

Table 1- Figures 1 and 2 show the dotted lines designed to define the shapes of a cut and sewn pant and vest. Fig. 3 shows some variables about the knitted item 1: 2 indicates the double elastic edge; with 3 the single-ply sweater and with 4 the double border without elastic. The figs. 3 - 4 - 5 show the progressive evolution of the knitted tube 1 into a bra equipped with 20 - 21 straps.

Figure 6 illustrates the application of the invention to obtain the pant 1 with the front functional opening 03. Table 2. Figures 7 - 8 and 9 technically show the sequences for the production of the three-dimensional knitted flounces Bi. Figures 8A -8B are the graphic schematization of the knitting effects produced with the aforementioned internal flounces Bi, arranged horizontally and diagonally, widely used in the various figures. Fig. 10 technically shows an "embossed" or cellular mesh structure. The figs. 11-12-13 show the so-called "held point" of the needle 2 as well as the following figures 14 -15 and 16 show the missing link or bridle of the needle 2. Tab. 3. From fig. 18 to 23 indicate various embodiments of knitted articles obtained according to the invention. Table 4. Figures 24 - 25 and 26 are side views of needles and sinkers during the unloading of the last loops of knitting, while Figures 27 and 28 refer to the tongue-opening device. Finally, figures 29 - 30 -31 illustrate the double border, also padded with additional threads.

Claims (1)

Claims 1 - Method for the production of knitted tubular articles, characterized by the fact that said articles are supplied with one or more straps and or loops and or even complete straps, automatically produced with the continuous motion of the needle cylinder, by means of the gradual interruption of the process formation of the stitch of a group of preferably adjacent needles, for defined stitch areas but less than 360 °, followed by the automatic and gradual resumption of the stitch formation process, preferably of the same needles and or defined stitch areas, after the intervention of elements mechanical and or pneumatic with tab opening functions, for the total and controlled separation of at least two theoretically consecutive and superimposed rows of stitches, even partially; these ranks characterized by the fact that one represents the last rank of the shirt already produced while the other represents the first rank of the shirt produced after the aforementioned interruption. 2- Method according to Claim 1 for the production of knitted tubular articles in general, provided with one or more openings and or through holes for aesthetic-functional purposes, preferably obtained without cutting and sewing operations. 3- Method according to claims 1 - 2, characterized in that the shoulder straps, straps and various openings are equipped with a border with a simple or multi-layered fabric. 4- Method according to claims 1 - 3 characterized by the fact that said edges are produced with the needles of the cylinder and the aid of the backing pad or other needle bed, or with only the needles of the cylinder to produce internal flounces Bi with the selection of alternating needles . 5- Method according to claims 1 - 4 characterized in that additional sleeves, preferably tubular, or without longitudinal seams and equipped with at least one border, even double, are sewn onto the shoulder straps, straps, loops and openings. 6- Method according to Claim 5, characterized by the fact that the knitted items are produced with machines equipped with piston needles, which resume the knitting process without opening the tongues. 7- Method according to 1 and other claims characterized in that the unloading of the loops of a part of the needles takes place only progressively in at least one feed without thread. 8- Method according to 1 and other claims characterized by the fact that the stitch formation process of the needles already excluded is preceded by the intervention of tongue-opening devices and starts only progressively with needles selected always in alternating order, in at least one feed or feed supplied with yarn . 9- Method according to 1 and other claims characterized by the fact that the unloading of the loops of a part of the needles is anticipated by one or more rows of knitting, also formed by retained points and or bridles, electronically variable by means of the relative motorized cams, preferably with the insertion of at least one additional yarn also elastomer and or thermo-adhesive. 10- Method according to 1 - 7 characterized by the fact that the unloading of the loops of a part of the needles takes place by means of the total lowering of the same needles without the new thread, under the sinker abatement plane, in synchrony with the radial removal of the same, 11- Circular machine for the production of knitted articles in general, including technical ones, according to claim 1 and following, characterized by and comprising at least: a needle bed or cylinder rotating against stationary cams or vice versa; a complete fall or work feed provided with one or more movable yarn guides; the selection of the needles, preferably electronic, adapted to govern the elements concurrent with the formation of the stitch according to a work cycle and or jacquard design; the knitting cams which can also be adjusted individually with the aid of the computer; a command needle tongue-opening device; a fabric pulling system; also equipped with a backing pad equipped with selectable needles or hooks, in addition to the usual pneumatic device for suction and cutting the threads. 12- Circular machine according to 1-11 and other claims, characterized by the fact that it has at least two needle bars and these are able to transfer the relative bushings between the bars for the production of knitted items, including tubular ones, supplied with shoulder pads, braces, passers-by and or various openings. 13- Knitted articles according to the preceding claims, produced in accordance with the invention and inferable from the drawings.