Method and circular knitwear or hosiery machine for making knitted fabrics incorporating parts similar to lace

Abstract

A method for making knitted articles incorporating parts similar to lace in a knitted article. Using the method the parts similar to lace are made directly on a knitwear or hosiery machine so they are integral and united with the remaining parts of the article. The method includes knitting selectively a first elastic or stretch thread and at least a second non-elastic thread wherein the position of the second non-elastic thread is reversed with respect to the needles fed according to a program.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for making knitted articles incorporating parts similar to lace, the method comprising the steps of: 
 making parts similar to lace directly on a circular knitwear or hosiery machine;    uniting parts similar to lace made directly on a circular knitwear or hosiery machine with remaining parts of the article to provide an integral article.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising feeding to the needles on the roller of a circular knitting machine a first elastic or stretch thread and at least a second non-elastic thread and selectively working said threads to make a jersey knit and a figured knit similar to lace as part of the jersey knit.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , whereby the position of the elastic or stretch thread and the non-elastic thread is selectively reversed with respect to the fed needles.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said remaining parts are knitted parts made directly on a circular knitwear or hosiery machine.  
     
     
         5 . A circular knitwear or hosiery machine, comprising: 
 one or more needle cylinders; and    a means of selection of needles that must take up one or the other or both fed threads, said means of selection equipped and programmed to make parts similar to lace directly on the circular knitwear or hosiery machine, make remaining parts directly on the circular knitwear or hosiery machine and unit the parts similar to lace made directly on a circular knitwear or hosiery machine with the remaining parts of the article to provide an integral article.    
     
     
         6 . A knitted product, such as underwear articles, comprising: 
 formed knitted parts similar to lace united with and integral with other knitted parts forming remaining parts of the knitted product.    
     
     
         7 . A knitted product according to  claim 6 , wherein the knitted parts similar to lace united with and integral with other knitted parts forming remaining parts of the knitted product are formed by the method comprising the steps of: 
 making parts similar to lace directly on a circular knitwear or hosiery machine;    uniting parts similar to lace made directly on a circular knitwear or hosiery machine with remaining parts of the article to provide an integral article.    
     
     
         8 . A knitted product according to  claim 7 , further comprising feeding to the needles on the roller of a circular knitting machine a first elastic or stretch thread and at least a second non-elastic thread and selectively working said threads to make a jersey knit and a figured knit similar to lace as part of the jersey knit.  
     
     
         9 . A knitted product according to  claim 8 , whereby the position of the elastic or stretch thread and the non-elastic thread is selectively reversed with respect to the fed needles.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein said remaining parts are knitted parts made directly on a circular knitwear or hosiery machine.