ABSTRACT
Knitted fabrics are known to have existed even before 256 A.D., evidenced by samples found in Syria and Egypt. This art of producing fabrics was introduced to Europe by the Arabs.
The first knitting machine was invented in 1589-incidentally, 200 years prior to the French revolution-by Rev. William Lee of Nottingham. In hand knitting, yarn is looped around pin(s) in the manner shown in Figure 12.1. The resultant fabric, which is a matrix of rows and columns of loops, is formed by creating a single element in each complete cycle of operation. Hence, if a fabric needs to have 100 loops in each row, then 100 cycles of operation would be needed for one row. Subsequently, loops of the row just completed would be transferred one after the other to another pin, and in the process, new elements are generated for the next row. The machine invented by W. Lee could, however, generate one complete row in each cycle of operation. As shown in Figure 12.2, such a machine has needles, and each needle supports a column of the matrix, referred to in the foregoing. In each cycle of operation, all needles execute similar motion and produce a loop each. It is no wonder then that this method of production is immensely more productive than hand knitting. Such a qualitative change in method of production did upset the prevailing system considerab1y, and so the Rev. Lee was hounded out of his native land. It took nearly two more centuries before any further development in mechanization of the knitting process could take place. The real surge in development of this technology is closely linked with commercial availability of man-made filament yarns. Thus, the period subsequent to the second World War witnessed tremendous growth, so much so that, currently, internationa1 production of knitted fabrics matches the weaving method of fabric production.
