Abstract: Wide variations of the knitting program determined by the program drum of a circular knitting machine may be achieved by providing a plurality of rotatable program discs having peripheral seats for removable pins for determining supplementary programs and by providing followers co-operable with the program discs and linked to the means for advancing the program drum to selectively render the advancing means inoperative in dependence on the supplementary program. A driving linkage actuated by a cam track on the program drum is provided to allow relatively large angular advancement of the program drum when desired. Another driving linkage actuated by another cam track on the program drum is provided for reducing the speed of the needle cylinder.

Abstract: A pneumatic take-down device for a circular knitting machine of the rotating cylinder type has a take-down tube mounted in the cylinder for rotation therewith and opens into an article receiving chamber in a housing that is mounted on the tube for rotation therewith. Suction is applied to the housing through perforations so that a suction take-down tension is applied to an article being knit to draw the article into the housing chamber and retain it therein without relative twisting during the knitting operation. The tube opens transversely to feed articles transversely to the perforations and also opens across the tube for in line discharge of articles through a discharge opening in the housing when suction is drawn through the discharge opening and discontinued through the perforations upon completion of knitting of an article. The tube has a cylindrically reduced portion adjacent the needle end of the cylinder for concentrated article tensioning suction thereat.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine having a program or pattern drum coaxial and underlying the needle cylinder. The pattern drum is advanced intermittently and selectively by pawls engaging ratchet wheels of different pitch on the drum, with the pawls driven with different strokes though shafts parallel with the cylinder axis and oscillated by followers riding on cams on the needle cylinder, the followers being selectively and independently displaceable by electro-mechanical units to produce intermittent operation of the pattern drum. Cams on the drum act through followers mounted on shafts coaxial with the cylinder axis to oscillate operating arms for controlling radial cams for needle and jack butt manipulation, for controlling an arm with an inclined surface for displacing the cylinder to adjust the length of the loop being knit, and for controlling other instrumentalities of the machine.

Abstract: Means for selectively positioning needles in a circular knitting machine wherein a radially movable needle positioning cam is insertable from an inoperative position out of the path of control butts of needles or jacks into fully inserted or partially inserted positions to selectively engage all the butts or only long butts. A needle raising cam is mounted in advance of the needle positioning cam with its advance end pivoted for positioning of the raising cam down out of the path of control butts, in a fully raised position engaging the control butts to raise them clear of the positioning cam during insertion of the positioning cam, or in an intermediate inclined position to raise the control butts for engagement with the positioning cam at an inclination that permits high speed operation. The raising cam is mounted on a shaft that is operated by a mechanism that is driven from a pattern drum mounted on the machine coaxial and underlying the needle cylinder.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine having a program or pattern drum coaxial and underlying the needle cylinder. The pattern drum is advanced intermittently and selectively by pawls engaging ratchet wheels of different pitch on the drum, with the pawls driven with different strokes through shafts parallel with the cylinder axis and oscillated by followers riding on cams on the needle cylinder, the followers being selectively and independently displaceable by electro-mechanical units to produce intermittent operation of the pattern drum. Cams on the drum act through followers mounted on shafts coaxial with the cylinder axis to oscillate operating arms for controlling radial cams for needle and jack butt manipulation, for controlling an arm with an inclined surface for displacing the cylinder to adjust the length of the loop being knit, and for controlling other instrumentalities of the machine.