Overview - ISO 8119-2:1989 (Bearded needles terminology)
ISO 8119-2:1989 is an international terminology standard from ISO/TC 72 that defines the vocabulary for bearded needles used in knitting machines. Published in 1989, this part of the ISO 8119 series gives definitions and labelled illustrations of the principal parts of bearded needles in English, French and Russian, with equivalent German terms provided informatively in Annex A. The document explains the needle form and function - notably that bearded needles have a flat or round shank and a hook-shaped flexible beard which is pressed into a groove during the loop-forming cycle to close the head.
Key topics and technical content
This part focuses on standardized terminology and illustrated identification of needle features rather than dimensional tolerances or performance specifications. Key topics covered include:
- Definition of bearded needles and their role as loop-forming elements in knitting machines
- Principal parts and orientation terms (butt, shank, head, beard)
- Direction and angles (butt direction, butt angle)
- Shank properties (height, width, shape)
- Beard form and crimp characteristics (simple and multiple crimp; crimp opening and crimp distance)
- Linear and side dimensions terminology (overall length, working length, distances from head to tapered or flattened parts; needle sides: top, bottom, left, right)
- Illustrations showing principal parts and labelled figures for consistent identification
- Multilingual terminology: English, French, Russian (ISO official); Annex A contains German equivalents (informative)
Applications - who uses this standard
ISO 8119-2 is primarily a vocabulary resource intended for professionals who require consistent terminology across design, production and documentation of knitting equipment. Typical users include:
- Knitting needle and textile machinery manufacturers - for product descriptions, assembly and cross-referencing
- Machine designers and R&D teams - to ensure consistent component naming in drawings and specifications
- Quality engineers and procurement - to avoid ambiguity in purchasing and inspection documents
- Technical writers, translators and standards committees - for multilingual documentation and harmonized terminology
- Training and education - teaching knitting machine technology and component identification
Related standards
- ISO 8119-1: Needles for knitting machines - Terminology - Part 1: Latch-type needles
- ISO 8119-3: Needles for knitting machines - Terminology - Part 3: Compound needles
- ISO 7839: Classification and vocabulary for knitting machines
This standard is a practical reference for anyone needing precise, multilingual terminology for bearded needles in the context of textile machinery, knitting machines, and knitting needle vocabulary.