MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGICAL COLLEGES/INSTITUTES
DEPARTMENT OF TEXTILE ENGINEERING
Final Examination for B.Tech. Year 2 (2006)
23-10-2006 (Monday)

8:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.

TE-04043 Introduction to Knitting Technology (Sample Answer)

1(a) Explain the knitting action of the latch needle with the help of neat sketch. (10 mark)
Ans:

Figure shows the action of the latch needle. This action is basically the same for
all latch needle knitting.
Position I, in figure shows the needle with a loop within the hook. This is
essential to start knitting. Some means of applying tension to the initial set of loops is
imperative in order to accomplish knitting.
Position II shows the needle rising but the loop is held down. If the latch should
be closed, the loop will open it as the needle rises.
The needle continues to rise until the loop is below the open latch (position III),
At about this time (usually slightly delayed), the new yarn is fed into the empty hook of
the needle. Then the needle begins to descend (position IV) at which time the old loop
closes the latch by coming in under it.

This action ensnares the new loop within the closed hook. The needle continues to
descend (position V) and the old loop slips off over the outside of the closed latch. The
action of the loop slipping off causes the new yarn to be formed into a new series of
loops. This action places the needle back into its original position with a loop in its hook.
Tensions which warp applied to the initial set of loops now is transmitted through to the
new set of loops. Continuous knitting is possible as long as the yarn is fed and tension is
maintained.
1.(b) With the help of a neat sketch, describe the rib stitch and explain the method of
construction of a regular(x) rib stitch. (10 marks)
Ans:

Method of construction
Rib stitch is made by two sets of needles corking together, meshing, as it were, at
approximately 90 with each other. Successive loops are formed around the needles in
the other bed instead of around jacks. The sinker loops are formed around opposing
needles. Since the needles oppose one another at approximately 90 their movement and
does not other its perpendicular distance, there, the loops are measured around these
needles. The texture, and the consequent elasticity, may be affected by the length of the
loop drawn. A loop stitch (long loops) reduces the elasticity. One should not confuse the
meaning of elasticity with stretch. Elasticity is the property which causes a fabric, when
stretched, to assume its original dimensions rapidly, when released.

2(a) What cams are especially adapted to the making of tubular fabric? (2 marks)
Ans:
The lamb tubular cams are especially adapted to the making of tubular fabrics.
2(b) Explain fully, with neat sketch, how they are constructed. (14 marks)
Ans:

Figure. Tubular Cams

These cams are not unlike the simple set of cams. The stitch cams are alike in
general shape and action. The raising cams, while they are separated into several parts,
still retain their generally triangular shape. As the cams are set in the plan a ribbed stitch
is knitted. If one bed only where used, a plain fabric would result. As the name of these
cams indicates, they are especially adapted to knitting tubular fabrics.
The pawl-like cams, two in each set, may be swang about a screw as a fulcrum. If
one of these cams in each bed, diagonally opposite each other, were swang out into a
position as shown by the dotted outline in the sketch, the needle butts would pass at an
inactive level on one bed while they would knit on the other bed. However, on the return
stroke of the cams, the opposite beds would be idle and knit, respectively. A plain tubular
fabric is knit with such a set-up of cams. The advantage of these cams over the simple set
of cams which knit similar stitches is that a tubular fabric is knitted without having to
make a full stroke of the carriage. On the tubular cams, any size tube may be knitted with
a stroke only long enough to make sure the cams pass all of the needles. A constant yarn

tension is much more easily maintained where only a short length of yarn has to be taken
up.
2(c) What is a tuck stitch? (4 marks)
Ans:
A tuck stitch is one in which news yarn is taken on by the needles without casting
off the old loop. The result is two or more loop within the hook of the needle at once.
These loops are eventually all cast off as one loop. The action of forming tuck stitches is
called tucking.
3. Write an account on plan knitted fabrics, describing the method of construction, their
identifying characteristics, and their properties and uses. (20 marks)
A plain stitch is made when, in successive courses, all the loops are drawn to the
side of the fabric. A fabric made with plain stitch is called a plain fabric. A plain stitch is
made on one set of needles acting at a time.

Face

Back

Figure. Plain Stitch (face and back)

Method of construction
Plain stitch is made by one series of needles side by side drawing of the loops in
one direction. Some stationary device must be inserted between needles over which to
form the stitch. The length of the stitch, and the consequent texture of the fabric, is
controlled by the distance the needle draws the new loop below these fixed devices. In

some machines these devices are sinkers, but in the flat machine fixed walls, called
jacks, between the needles are used as a medium over which to draw the stitch.
Identifying Characteristics
The plain fabric may be identified by its smooth face with lines running lengthwise, caused by the wales, and its comparatively rough back with lines running widthwise of the fabric .It is a fairly elastic, especially width-wise. It has a tendency to curl
when flat or when cut from a tube. It will ravel or rum in either direction the majority of
knitted fabric is plain stitch. All hosiery, a great deal of under wears, sweaters, and other
garments are plain stitch. Range from the heaviest shaker sweater fabric to the sheerest of
silken hose. It may be produced on a machine with 2 needles / inch or on one with 40
needles/inch.
4(a) with the help of sketch describe the beaded needle knitting cycle. (10 mark)
Ans;

Figure. Bearded Needle Knitting Cycle

Fig-shows a cycle for a bearded needle.
The principle is identical, but these are differences in detail due to the fact that the
needle is not self-acting, as is a latch needle. It needs an external agency (a pressure ) to
close the hook. As the beard is comparatively long a thread cannot be laid directly under
the hook; it must be put across the outside of the bread. The needle then rises to drop the

thread onto the stem, and full again to bring it inside the hook .As the beard tip reaches
the old loop, the pressure comes in and closes the hook so that the old loop can slip on to
the outside of the beard. It is eventually cast off as the needle falls, where upon the needle
rises again until the thread that was in the hook forms the next old loops. The fabric
always comes off the side of the needle opposite the hook and the new loop in the hook
is formed into a U (in plan) by tension pulling the yarn onto the same side of the needle
as the fabric .