Some investigations upon the small diameter circular knitted fabrics and their manufacturing machines

Using the rope, braiding, weaving and knitting techniques small diameter circular fabric forms are obtained in textile. These kinds of fabric forms and their composites are widely used in dailiy life and in the industry as technical textiles. After making literature survey on this subject we have seen that while very small diameter circular knitting machines which could knit plain knitted fabrics on a cylinder, existed in the literature, there is no such machine for knitting of fabrics in rib forms.For the above reason, in this study, the aim was to design a very small diameter circular knitting machine which can knit fabrics in rib forms.After giving some basic knowledge on knitted fabrics and also on classical knitting machines, a functional rib knitted cord is explained. This cord was originally designed by Kurbak and application for Turkish patent of it was made by Kurbak and Soydan with order number 2011/00438. This cord is our interest here because it can be knit on such a very small diameter circular rib knitting machine. During designing of small diameter rib knitting machine, design parameters were so adjusted that this cord can also be knit on the machine.Finally, a very small diameter circular rib knitting machine which has double cylinder with some circular arc shaped needles are designed. The prototype of this machine is manufactured. The Turkish patent application of this machine is also made by Soydan and Kurbak with the patent order number 2011/00483.As a result, it is thought that by giving a newly designed knitting machine this thesis will contribute to the textile machinery industry with global impact.