Multi-end knit-deknit process

Claim 1

In a process for texturing yarn that includes the steps of knitting a single end of yarn into a tube without the introduction of real twist via a circular knitting machine having a cylindrical needle bed and a feed device for applying yarn to the needles, heat-setting the knit tube, unraveling said yarn from said tube and winding the unraveled yarn into a package, the improvement comprising: feeding a plurality of yarn ends at substantially equal linear speeds from sources along separate paths, said sources and said cylinder maintaining the same relative position with respect to each other; converging said yarn ends along differently angled paths with respect to each other into a bundle in a guide receiving same, said guide being in close proximity to the feed device, relative movement occurring between the feed device on the one hand and the cylindrical needle bed and the yarn sources on the other hand; knitting the bundle into a tube without the introduction of real twist or substantial buildup of false twist; unraveling said bundle from said tube while maintaining said tube in a twistless state; separating said bundle into yarn ends and taking up each end at about the same linear speed.