1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for knitting a sock and more particularly to a method for the circular knitting of a sock having a bulbous heel and a square toe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Circular knitting sock machines are commercially available items and use a system of needles and yarn feeders to knit a single sock in a tubular shape. The needles are arranged in a circle and are actuated sequentially. Stitches will be sequentially added in a circle, and thus, rows of stitches are added to the cylinder or tube of the sock. Thus, when every needle in the circle has added a stitch, a full circle of stitches will have been added, forming a full circular row to the tube. If this continues, a tube is formed from the rows of stitches.
However, it is generally desired to provide additional shapes to the sock, such as angles and pockets, especially in the toe and heel so that the sock is more anatomically shaped. This has been accomplished by actuating only certain portions of the needles in the circle at a time. The needles that are actuated add a stitch, while those that are not actuated do not add stitches. Thus, partial rows are added only on the side of the sock that is actuated. For example, if a heel is being added, only the part of the circle that makes up the heel is actuated, so that rows are only added on that side, while the remainder of the sock remains the same length. This therefore places extra material in this portion of the sock and increases its area thereby forming a heel.
An anomaly in the stitching pattern occurs every time such a partial row is added. These odd-stitches create a line in the sock, known as a “gore”. One standard gore occurs in a straight line and is typically located in the heel and toe of the sock. Since the machine knits only on one side of the sock, extra material is added on that side to create a bend in the sock forming a heel, for example. Another more complicated pattern occurs where a Y-shaped gore is formed to make a better shaped heel. This knitting method is known in the circular knitting machine art.
Similarly, a typical toe gore occurs in a straight line at the corners of the toe region of the sock. It is the means by which the knitting machine joins the corner material of the sock and “closes” its edges. The gore closure allows the sock toe to have a circular shape and not a “squared off” appearance. It also prevents excess material in the edges of the sock and thus, a more comfortable fit inside a shoe or boot.
A “Y” gore line in the toe provides additional room by giving an added dimension of depth to the toe closure of the sock. This allows the knitter to decrease the horizontal dimension of the toe of the sock (thereby minimizing excess material along the sock edges) while increasing the overall volume and array of toe shapes it can accommodate. This provides increased fit and security in the toe, preventing undesired movement of the toes within the sock. Also, unwanted movement between the sock and the foot (twisting, sliding, etc.) can be avoided.
Commercially available circular knitting machines are produced by a number of companies. One such machine is made by Sangiacomo. This machine contains 144 needles in a circle. Other models by this company or by different companies may have differing numbers of needles in the circle, but the concept of the formation of gores by reducing the number of actuated needles is the same.
Certain socks have been designed with exaggerated heel and toes shapes. US design application 29/382,385, filed Jan. 3, 2011 shows such an exaggerated sock heel. Likewise US design application 29/382,373, filed Jan. 3, 2011 shows such an exaggerated toe shape. In addition to the design attributes of the heel and toe, there are certain benefits that result from this exaggerated shape. For example, the bulbous shape of the heel causes it to cling more tightly to the heel, so that the sock is not dragged down into the shoe, especially during running or other kinds of exercise.
The exaggerated toe shape provides a targeted area to accommodate toe volume. FIG. 15A illustrates a typical toe box 100. Typically, socks accommodate volume with the width of the toe box. This creates unused space and causes the toe of the sock to twist and slip.
FIG. 15B illustrates an expanded or double toe box 110. The expanded toe box decreases the width of the sock toe and creates a focused region 112 at the very front of the sock that can expand, as necessary, to accommodate various toe volumes.
FIG. 16A illustrates a typical sock 102 having a typical gore 104, without a foot inserted into the sock. FIG. 16B illustrates the sock 102 with a foot inserted into the sock. As can be seen from FIG. 16B, in a sock with a typical toe box, the gore 104 moves with an increase in volume.
In contrast, in the expanded toe box, the gore does not move. That is, FIG. 16C illustrates a sock 114 having the expanded toe box 110. As is illustrated in FIG. 16D, when a foot is inserted into the sock 114 with the expanded toe box 110, the gore 116 stays in place. The excess volume is accommodated in the focused region 112.
In order to create this box, a “Y” gore 116 is placed on either side of the toe region. This gore is created like the heel by the engaging/disengaging of needles during the reciprocating motion of the circular knitting cylinder. Therefore, there is an increase in reciprocations when knitting the toe region, and thus an increase in machine run times. This method teaches away from conventional thinking.
Furthermore, these shapes are more complicated to form on the circular knitting machine and cannot be done using a simple known gore.