Circular knitting machine for the production of partially reinforced hose goods and method therefor

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE CIRCULAR KNITTING OF PARTIALLY REINFORCED HOSIERY, SUCH AS HOSE HAVING AT LEAST ONE OF A REINFORCED HEEL, TOE, SOLE, AND THE LIKE, BY MEANS OF AN ENDLESS REINFORCEMENT THREAD IN ADDITION TO A BASE THREAD WHICH COMPRISES JOINTLY KNITTING THE BASE THREAD FOR THE HOSIERY AND THE ENDLESS REINFORCMENT THREAD ALONG THE DESIRED REINFORCEMENT PORTION OF ONE COURSE FROM THE STARTING EDGE OF SAID REINFORCEMENT PORTION, CONTINUING THE KNITTING OF THE BASE THREAD ALONE FROM THE TERMINAL EDGE OF SAID REINFORCEMENT PORTION IN FORWARD DIRECTION AROUND TO THE STARTING EDGE OF SAID REINFORCEMENT PORTION TO COMPLETE THE COURSE, WHILE KNITTING THE ENDLESS REINFORCEMENT THREAD ALONE IN A NEXT INTERMEDIATE REINFORCEMENT THREAD COURSE IN REVERSE DIRECTION BACK TO THE STARTING EDGE OF SAID REINFORCEMENT PORTION, AND REPEATING THE CYCLE, WHEREBY HOSIERY IS KNITTED HAVING A REINFORCED PORTION ALTERNATELY CONTAINING A COURSE OF JOINTLY KNITTED BASE AND REINFORCEMENT THREADS AND AN INTERMEDIATE COURSE OF SEPARATELY KNITTED REINFORCEMENT THREAD.