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.