Knitting technology, Third Edition

24.3
The raschel machine
24.3.1
The history and development of the raschel machine
In 1855, German warp knitters in Apolda used warp rib machines made by 
Redgate
of Leicester to knit lace stoles which they sold under the name of 
Raschel Felix
, the
famous French actress [1], so that when 
Wilhelm Barfuss
began to build his latch
needle rib machines, he named them 
raschel
machines [2]. Originally, two vertical
needle bars arranged back-to-back, mid-way between each other, were employed
for producing simulated rib fabrics. In 1914, when the needle bars were placed
directly back-to-back, only even-numbered chain links were required.
Until the mid-fifties, the raschel industry tended to be small, employing slow, cum-
bersome but versatile coarse-gauge universal raschels. These had two needle bars,
one of which could be removed or replaced with plush points, changeable cams and
patterning mechanisms that might include fall plate, crepe and fringing motions,
chain switching, and possibly weft insertion or jacquard.
The development of modern specific-purpose raschels dates from 1956, when a
twelve guide bar raschel machine led to the rise of the raschel lace industry [3].
There are now single needle bar raschels for simple and multi-guide bar dress and
household fabrics, elastic laces, trimmings and curtain nets; high-speed standard
raschels for simple structures such as suitings; versatile multi-purpose raschels for
fancy fabrics, weft insertion; and jacquard raschels and double needle bar raschels
for plush, tubular articles, scarves and string vests.
There is an increasing demand for finer, lighter fabrics with minimum elongation
and transparency. Warp knitting is able to meet this requirement by producing
fabrics weighing much less than 100 g/m
2 
with very little edge-curling.

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302
Knitting technology
The finest gauge single bed raschel is E 40. It can knit lightweight foundation and
swimwear at speeds between 1900 and 2200 rpm in a yarn count of approximately
80 dtex.