Improved knitting needle

Abstract

 A knitting needle comprises a rounded rigid elongate member 1 having a point 2 at one end and being integrally connected at its other end to a flexible extension 4 terminating in a knob-like stop member 5. The stop member 5 may be provided with a recess 6 into which the point 2 of the needle can be inserted.

Description

[0001] Knitting needles or knitting pins as they are sometimes referred to are traditionally made of rounded lengths of metal, such as aluminium, of varying gauges or of similar lengths of hard resinous material. Although knitting needles can be pointed at both ends, it is more usual for them to be provided with a point at one end and a stop in the form of a rounded knob at the other. This knob is, of course, to prevent stitches on the needle from slipping off at the opposite or non-working end of the needle.

[0002] Knitting needles are invariably sold in matching pairs since at least two knitting needles are required for knitting any garment. Depending on the garment to be knitted, the length of knitting needles can vary though conventionally the lengths available are of 25 cms., 30 cms., 35 cms. or 40 cms.

[0003] Conventional knitting needles suffer from a number of disadvantages and drawbacks not the least of which is their lack of versatility. A non-knitter could be forgiven for wondering why knitting needles are avilable in so many sizes when surely the longest sized knitting pin could be employed to knit even small garments. The truth is that the various sizes in which knitting needles come is a reflection of the personal convenience demanded by knitters. To explain this, while the longest size of knitting pin could also be employed for a small garment, a forty centimetre long rigid knitting needle becomes extremely unwieldy to handle when the design or size of the garment being knitted does not call for such a length of knitting pin. Thus, in order to reduce inconvenience to them and for the purpose of speeding up their knitting, knitters demand and are willing to pay for the advantage and convenience of shorter knitting needles.

[0004] A set of long knitting pins presents another disadvantage, particularly when the garment being knitted is on the large side. As the knitting progresses, the garment "grows" both in length and in weight and this imposes a strain on the hands and arms of the knitter. When coupled with the unwieldiness of a forty centimetre long rigid knitting pin, this strain soon has its effect on the person knitting and fatigue begins to set in.

[0005] One of the commonest problems that besets persons knitting are unexpected disturbances or interruptions such as the ringing of a telephone or the crying of a child both of which need reasonably urgent attention. When something like this occurs, the knitter is often compelled to drop the work in hand and attend to the need of the moment. Left undone, the piece of knitting runs the risk of being unravelled or tangled, for instance by a child unwittingly puilling the stitches off the needles or a pet kitten succumbing to the attraction of the balls of wool or the fluttering of the knitting and patting them around the room. Invariably this sort of happenings results in much of the work having to be re-done. In addition, there is always the danger that a child can do itself a serious injury through the exposed points of the needles.

[0006] The rigidity of the conventional knitting pin necessitates that when the knitter wishes to stop part-done work, a container in the form of a bag or box large enough to accommodate knitting needles of up to 40 cms. in length must be found. Since the knitting pins cannot be bent, the size and shape of the container to accommodate the pins and the knitted work is frequently ungainly and cumbersome.

[0007] Finally and perhaps most importantly, there are drawbacks which affect the quality of the knitting itself. The act of knitting with rigid pins of some length requires the knitter every now then to push the work down the needle as he or she progresses along the length of a pin. Although the time taken to perform this action of pushing is seldom considered, it is found that, when totalled, it does assume si zable proportions. The conclusion to be reached from this is obvious: the knitting would have been concluded that much sooner if the knitter did not have to stop ever so often and push the stitches down the pins. Then again, as each stitch is made and pushed along a pin already laden with made stitches which tend to offer resistance thereto, each fresh stitch imposes a tightening action on the previously made stitches. This results in a varying in the "tension" of the knitting which in turn is reflected in the finished garment which, because of the inconsistency of the tension, is not as soft and fluffy as it normally would be.

[0008] The overall object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages and drawbacks of conventional knitting needles.

[0009] A more specific object of the invention is the provision of an improved knitting needle or knitting pin in which the rigid portion of the needle is reduced to a convenient length and is provided with a flexible extension for overall convenience both to the knitter while knitting and for storing the knitting when knitting operation is paused.

[0010] A further object of the invention lies in the provision with such an improved knitting needle or pin of means for preventing unintentional or accidental unravelling of the knitting and simultaneously for providing the point of the needle with a protective guard to avoid injury to persons when the knitting is left untended.

[0011] With the above-mentioned objects in mind, the present invention provides an improved knitting needle or knitting pin which comprises a rounded rigid elongate member of conveniently reduced length provided with the point at one end and having integrally connected to its other end a flexible extension, the opposite end of said flexible extension terminating in a knob-like stop member.

[0012] Preferably, the diameter of the flexible connection is smaller than the diameter of the non-pointed portion of the elongate member so that in the course of knitting as the stitches knitted in any line "travel" backwards or forwards along the needle, they will slip easily from the rigid elongate member on to the flexible connection or vice versa without the necessity of the knitter having to waste time by stopping and pushing the knitted stitches one way or another.

[0013] More preferably, the end of the elongate member which is integrally connected with the flexible connection is provided with a taper so that at their point of connection, the diameter of the rigid elongate member and that of the flexible connection more or less match each other. This enables the formation of a smooth union between the elongate member and the flexible extension and irons out any possibility of an obstruction in the travel of the knitted stitches from the elongate member to the flexible connection or vice versa.

[0014] In accordance with a preferred feature, the stop member of the knitting needle of the present invention is provided with an inwardly directed recess into which the pointed end of said elongate member is adapted to be inserted and retained safely.

[0015] The entire knitting needle of the pressent invention can be made of synthetic plastics material, or of metal or a combination of both. Thus, the rigid elongate member and the knob-like stop member may be formed of a metal or a metal alloy such as aluminium or steel or one or both of them may also be formed of rigid synthetic thermoplastics. The flexible extension can comprise a monofilament of nylon or similar suitable synthetic material or may just as conveniently be composed of a flexible length of metal or metal alloy, e.g. in the form of a wire. It is preferred that the gauge of the flexible extension, whether of synthetic thermoplastics material or of metal, be substantially uniform throughout.

[0016] As a result of practical trials, it has been found that the optimum reduced length for the rigid elongate member is approximately 15.5 centimetres. This leng th is best for fatigue-free knitting and indeed has been found to generate much less strain than even the shortest conventional knitting needle of 25 centimetres length. With an elongate member of 15.5 centimetres, the flexible extension can conveniently be approximately 44.5 centimetres in length. In other words, the length of the elongate member bears a ratio of approximately 1 : 3 to the length of the flexible connection.

[0017] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal plan view of the improved knitting pin of the present invention,

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of the knob-like stop member of the knitting pin shows in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal plan view of the knitting pin of Figure 1 with the flexible connection coiled on itself to permit insertion of the point of the elongate member within the recess therefor provided in the stop member.

[0018] With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, the improved knitting needle of the present invention comprises a rigid elongate member 1 of conveniently reduced lengths having a point 2 at one end thereof. The opposite end of elongate member 1 is provided with a taper 3 whichreduces the diameter of the member 1 to substantially that of a flexible extension 4 which is integrally connected to member 1 through its tapered end 3. At the opposite end of flexible connection 4, which for convenience of illustration is shown in fragmenrary form, there is provided a stop member 5 to prevent stitches on the needle from slipping off. As more clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, stop member 5 is provided with an inwardly directed recess 6 the dimensions of which approximate those of point 2 at the exposed end of elongate member 1. When, for any reason, the knitting has to be suspended, point 2 of elongate member 1 is introduced into and retained by recess 6 thereby not only preventing stitches from slipping of the end of point 1 but also comprehensively shielding the point to prevent injury to anybody. This is possible only because of the length and flexibility of flexible extension 4 which enables the needle virtually to turn on itself. It is this position that is illustrated in Figure 3.

[0019] Conveniently, knob-like stop member 5 may be provided externally with one or more plane surfaces 7 adapted to be employed for embossing the name or trade mark of the manufacturers of the knitting needle or for indicating the gauge member of the needle.

[0020] The improved knitting pin of the present invention presents a number of advantages over conventional knitting pins. The reduction in size of the rigid elongate member compensated for by the flexible extension attached thereto permits the needle to be employed comfortably for knitting any size or design of garment. This reduced size of the elongate member and its consequential reduction in weight exerts virtually no strain whatever on the hands and arms of a knitter resulting in elimination of fatigue. Furthermore, with the extension to the rigid member being flexible, the piece of knitting as it grows will follow the coiled shape of the extension and settle comfortably in the lap of the knitter.

[0021] Since the rigid length of the improved needle is a mere 15.5 centimetres, knitting in progess can always be rolled up and stored in containers as small as a lady's handbag. The unwieldiness of long conventional knitting needles is done away with as also the necessity for large and sometimes odd shaped containers for holding the knitting.

[0022] If the knitter is disturbed, even in the middle of a line, the knitting can be safely left by doubling both ends of each of the pair of needles being employed and inserting them into the respective recesses provided in their stop members. This prevents unintentional unravelling of the knitting and serves to protect children and pets from injury from the hitherto exposed points of conventional knitting needles.

[0023] The actual operation of knitting is speeded up since it is no longer necessary for the knitter to waste time pushing stitches up or down the needles. As a result of the reduced length of the elongate member and the taper provided at its connection with the flexible extension, stitches will automatically slip down the needle and on to the flexible extension.

[0024] Finally, with the slipping of stitches to the thinner flexible extension, the stitches are not subjected to any variations of tension. This results in the production of soft, fluffy garments of better quality and more attractive appearance.

Claims

1. An improved knitting needle or knitting pin which comprises a rounded rigid elongate member of conveniently reduced length provided with a point at one end and having integrally connected to its other end a flexible extension, the opposite end of said extension terminating in a knob-like stop member.

2. A knitting needle or pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diameter of said flexible connection is smaller than the diameter of the non-pointed portion of said elongate member.

3. A knitting needle or pin as claimed in claim 2 wherein the end of said elongate member which is integrally connected with said flexible extension is provided with a taper so that at the point of their connection, the diameter of said elongate member substantially matches the diameter of said flexible extension.

4. A knitting needle or pin as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said stop member is provided with an inwardly directed recess into which the pointed end of said elongate member is adapted to be inserted and retained safely.

5. A knitting needle or pin as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein said flexible extension comprises a monofilament of nylon or any suitable synthetic material.

6. A knitting needle or pin as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein said flexible extension comprises a flexible length of metal or metallic alloy.

7. A knitting needle or pin as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the material from which said elongate member or said knob-like stop member is formed is selected from metal, metallic alloy or rigid synthetic thermoplastics in any combinations thereof.

8. A knitting needle or pin as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein said elongate member has a reduced length of approximately 15.5 centimetres.

9. A knitting needle or pin as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the length of said elongate member bears to the length of said flexible extension a ratio of approximately 1 : 3.

Drawing