CA1293387C - Yarn holder - Google Patents

Abstract

TITLE

YARN HOLDER

ABSTRACT

A ring-like device or annulus slips over the second, third or fourth finger of a user and carries on its exterior surface a yarn engrasping channel, through which the yarn frictionally passes with ease but which retains the yarn in a taut state so that the yarn is taut as the yarn is manipulated with knitting needles either through a knit or a pearl stitch which forms the knitted article.

Description

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This invention relates to a Yarn HolderO
Those who are skilled in the art of knitting know that one of the most important requirements is to hold the yarn consistently taut, whlle at the same time, manipulating the needles to knit or to pearl as may be required.
This requirement becomes onerous for seniors since their ability to hold the yarn taut is limited by their agility to appropriately manipulate their fingers, particularly, the second, third or baby fingers, depending on how they traditionally wrap the yarn around those fingers so as to provide a tauting mechanism for the yarn as it travels over those fingers onto the knitting needles.
I have achieved a ring-like device through which yarn frictionally passes for a constant tension generated by the device and that may be slipped on over one of the second, third or fourth fingers of the hand so as to hold the yarn taut as it passes through the ring-like device onto the knitting needle.
The invention therfore contemplates a yarn holder being an annulus defining a central aperture adapted to circumscribe at least one of the second, third, or baby finger ; of one's hand, the annulus carrying a yarn engaging member through which yarn is adapted to frictionally pass so as to hold the yarn taut.
The invention further contemplates that the whole include a 1on~itudinal yarn engaging element that deEines:
(a) an inner channel sized a diameter slightly smaller than that of the yarn which is to pass therethrough;
(b) a notch that intersects with the channel and ; communicates therewith along the entire length of the channel, thereby allowing simple insertion of ~ the yarn into the channel as by pushing a length of ; ~ yarn through the notch.
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In other respects, the invention contemplates that the notch and channel, be parallel in one embodiment, and ; intersect at an acute angle in another embodimentj and that ~3~7 the material from which the annulus or the element are composed be rigid material or rigid plastic.
The invent;on will be described by way of example and reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention.
Figure 2 is a side view.
Figure 3 is a sectional view along lines III - III of figure 2.
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the invention in application.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment o~ yarn engaging element according to the invention.
Referring to figure 1, the novel yarn holder 10 consists of an elongated annulus 11 sized to accommodate the second, third or baby fingers of one's hand and extends along a portion of its exterior circumference as a longitudinal yarn embracing element 12 which defines a longitudinal slot 13 that communicates to an inner longitudinal channel 14, both slot and channel being parallel to each other, the slot having an open cross-section smaller than the diameter of the longitudinal channel 14.
Yarn Y is pushed into the narrower slot 13 so as to be engulfed in the channel 14, the diameter o~ the channel 14 is preferably smaller than the normal diameter of the yarn Y so as to provide a constant biassing pressure thereon. The height of the slot 13 is smaller than the channel diameter to ensure the yarn Y stays in the channel 14 as it travels according to the arrows A of figures 1 and 2.
It is preferred in the embodiments of figures 1 through 3 that the longitudinal narrower slot 13 and the inner longitudinal channel 14 be parallel to each other along the longitudinal axis thereof.
Referring to figure 4, the yarn holder 10 is slipped on the third finger but likewise could be slipped on the second or fourth finger (the actual finger employed being that of convenience to the user).

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Referring to figure 4, the yarn holder 10 appears on the third finger with the yarn Y travelling through the holders specifically the channel 14 and onward as tauted yard T for looping and Eor appropriate manipulation by the needles of the user into either a knit or a pearl.
Referring to figure 5, an alternative embodiment of the invention shows that the longitudinal narrower slot 13' is not parallel. to the longitudinal axis of the larger diameter channel 14 but in fact, is at an obtuse angle as at 13'.
The actual sizing and dimensioning of the diameter of the annulus 11 and of the diameter of the channel 14 and of the height or width of the slot 13 or 13' varies depending on the thickness of the yarn to be engulfed and the biassing pressure desired to be applied by the yarn holder to the yarn and of course the size of the finger of the user.

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Claims (3)

1. A yarn holder being an annulus oriented generally in one plane and defining a central aperture adapted to circumscribe at least one of the second, third, or baby finger of one's hand, the annulus carrying a yarn engaging member through which yarn is adapted to frictionally pass so as to hold the yarn taut; the yarn engaging member including a longitudinal yarn engaging element that defines:

(a) an inner channel oriented generally in said plane and sized a diameter slightly smaller than that of the yarn which is to pass therethrough;
(b) a notch that intersects with the channel at an obtuse angle and communicates therewith along the entire length of the channel, thereby allowing simple insertion of the yarn into the channel as by pushing a length of yarn through the notch.

2. The holder as claimed in claim 1 composed of a rigid material.

3. The holder as claimed in claim 1 composed of a rigid plastic.