METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CUT-PILE FABRIC

摘要

A process and apparatus for producing knitted velour fabric on a conventional circular knitting machine having a cylinder containing conventional latch needles and a dial containing dial elements having a yarn cutting edge adjacent a yarn supporting surface, each dial element being radially movable between adjacent cylinder needles. A yarn for forming pile loops is fed to the cylinder needles above the dial elements while a yarn for forming fabric base loops is fed to the cylinder needles below the dial elements. The needles are manipulated in conventional fashion to knit and cast-off needle loops of each yarn, the pile loop forming yarn being retained on the yarn supporting surfaces of the dial elements. Subsequently, the dial elements are manipulated to advance the cutting edges thereof against the pile loops retained thereon, thereby cutting the pile loops to form cut pile ends. A presser bar is provided for clamping the retained pile loops against the outer circumferential surface of the dial during the cutting thereof by the dial elements. A guide wire is also provided to guide the cut pile ends progressively radially inwardly of the cylinder after the cutting thereof. A fabric may be produced having alternate courses formed in loops in alternate wales and float stitches across intermediate wales, and intermediate courses formed in loops in intermediate wales and float stitches across alternate wales with cut ends of the pile loop forming yarn projecting from the fabric face from each side of each alternate and intermediate course loop.