A machine for the production of knitted goods includes a plurality of stitch-forming elements, at least one stitch-forming location, an associated spinning device at the at least one stitch-forming location, at which a sliver (FB) or a yarn is produced from a roving yarn (VG) and the sliver (FB) or yarn is fed to the stitch-forming elements. The spinning device has separate drive devices, which can be actuated in a manner that enables the spinning device to produce a sliver (FB) or a yarn of variable thickness from roving yarn (VG) and which can be fed to the stitch-forming elements.

The invention relates to a double-folding drafting unit, comprising five pairs of rollers, a first, a second, a fourth and a fifth pair of rollers having essentially an identical orientation of the respective axes of the rollers, and a third pair of rollers, which is positioned between the second and the fourth pair of rollers, having an axial direction which is oriented perpendicularly to the axial direction of the other pairs of rollers, an apron being guided in each case around each roller of the first and third pair of rollers and at least one reversing rail assigned to the respective roller, and an apron being guided around each roller of the fourth pair of rollers and around a reversing rail in front of and a reversing rail behind the respective roller. The invention relates, furthermore, to a spin-knitting machine comprising at least two double-folding drafting units.

The invention relates to a double-folding drafting unit, comprising five pairs of rollers, a first, a second, a fourth and a fifth pair of rollers having essentially an identical orientation of the respective axes of the rollers, and a third pair of rollers, which is positioned between the second and the fourth pair of rollers, having an axial direction which is oriented perpendicularly to the axial direction of the other pairs of rollers, an apron being guided in each case around each roller of the first and third pair of rollers and at least one reversing rail assigned to the respective roller, and an apron being guided around each roller of the fourth pair of rollers and around a reversing rail in front of and a reversing rail behind the respective roller. The invention relates, furthermore, to a spin-knitting machine comprising at least two double-folding drafting units.

A method and device for producing knitted fabric include supplying roving to a stretching unit with stretching roller pairs and a spinning nozzle device and drawing the roving using the stretching roller pairs. Inlet and outlet roller pairs of the stretching unit are controllably driven, according to a pattern to be formed on the machine, so that the thread thickness of the drawn roving is varied by changing the relative speed between inlet and outlet roller pairs. The drawn roving is supplied to the spinning nozzle device and strengthened by applying compressed air, and the drawn, strengthened roving is supplied to the machine. The thread supply speed of the drawn, strengthened roving to the machine is set depending on the loop size to be knit by the machine by controlling rotation speed of at least one driven roller of the outlet roller pair. A knitted fabric is also provided.

A method and device for producing knitted fabric include supplying roving to a stretching unit with stretching roller pairs and a spinning nozzle device and drawing the roving using the stretching roller pairs. Inlet and outlet roller pairs of the stretching unit are controllably driven, according to a pattern to be formed on the machine, so that the thread thickness of the drawn roving is varied by changing the relative speed between inlet and outlet roller pairs. The drawn roving is supplied to the spinning nozzle device and strengthened by applying compressed air, and the drawn, strengthened roving is supplied to the machine. The thread supply speed of the drawn, strengthened roving to the machine is set depending on the loop size to be knit by the machine by controlling rotation speed of at least one driven roller of the outlet roller pair. A knitted fabric is also provided.

A machine for the production of knitted goods includes a plurality of stitch-forming elements, at least one stitch-forming location, an associated spinning device at the at least one stitch-forming location, at which a sliver (FB) or a yarn is produced from a roving yarn (VG) and the sliver (FB) or yarn is fed to the stitch-forming elements. The spinning device has separate drive devices, which can be actuated in a manner that enables the spinning device to produce a sliver (FB) or a yarn of variable thickness from roving yarn (VG) and which can be fed to the stitch-forming elements.

A machine for the production of knitted goods includes a plurality of stitch-forming elements, at least one stitch-forming location, an associated spinning device at the at least one stitch-forming location, at which a sliver (FB) or a yarn is produced from a roving yarn (VG) and the sliver (FB) or yarn is fed to the stitch-forming elements. The spinning device has separate drive devices, which can be actuated in a manner that enables the spinning device to produce a sliver (FB) or a yarn of variable thickness from roving yarn (VG) and which can be fed to the stitch-forming elements.

A process and system for forming an apparel fabric having a predetermined requisite optical colour and pattern effect and predetermined physical fabric properties are disclosed. The process comprises the steps of: (1) providing a first plurality of n yarn; (ii) providing at least one further plurality of m yarn; and (iii) knitting the first plurality of n yarn with the at least one further plurality of m yarn by way of a knitting process to form a multi-ply apparel fabric; wherein each yarn is formed from a plurality of fibers formed from a polymeric material, wherein the fibers are formed from a dope dyeing process and wherein the fibers are colored during the dope dyeing process; wherein upon knitting the first plurality of n yarn with the at least one further plurality of m yarn to form the multi-ply apparel fabric, the apparel fabric is formed having the predetermined requisite optical colour and pattern effect devoid of optically detectable variants in the requisite optical colour and pattern effect; and wherein the first plurality of n yarn and the at least one further plurality of m yarn are selected to provide the predetermined requisite optical colour and pattern effect and the predetermined physical fabric properties.

A process and system for forming an apparel fabric having a predetermined requisite optical colour and pattern effect and predetermined physical fabric properties are disclosed. The process comprises the steps of: (1) providing a first plurality of n yarn; (ii) providing at least one further plurality of m yarn; and (iii) knitting the first plurality of n yarn with the at least one further plurality of m yarn by way of a knitting process to form a multi-ply apparel fabric; wherein each yarn is formed from a plurality of fibers formed from a polymeric material, wherein the fibers are formed from a dope dyeing process and wherein the fibers are colored during the dope dyeing process; wherein upon knitting the first plurality of n yarn with the at least one further plurality of m yarn to form the multi-ply apparel fabric, the apparel fabric is formed having the predetermined requisite optical colour and pattern effect devoid of optically detectable variants in the requisite optical colour and pattern effect; and wherein the first plurality of n yarn and the at least one further plurality of m yarn are selected to provide the predetermined requisite optical colour and pattern effect and the predetermined physical fabric properties.

Knitted fabric is produced with a knitting machine and a roving drawing and strengthening unit. A roving supply unit provides a roving and an auxiliary thread supply unit provides an auxiliary thread. A stretching unit receives the roving and the auxiliary thread. A spinning nozzle following the stretching unit in a roving conveying direction forms a fiber strengthening segment by applying compressed air and an end thread gripping roller pair rotatable in opposite directions provided downstream from the spinning nozzle device in the roving conveying direction delimiting the fiber strengthening segment. A soft knitted fabric is formed by guiding an auxiliary thread through an auxiliary thread gripping roller pair with an adjustable rotational speed before the roving and auxiliary thread enter the stretching unit. The gripping roller pair holds the auxiliary thread so that the auxiliary thread is subjected to tension of no more than 2 cN.