Abstract: A circular knitting machine has a take-down mechanism with a pair of sequentially reciprocable annular resilient members (4) movable alongside a take-down throat (31) internally of needles (14) in a cylinder (18).Annularly arranged cams (20,21) reciprocate the members (4) while rotating concentrically but separately of the cylinder (18). The cams (20,21) are driven by gears (22,24) to rotate at a speed lower than the cylinder (18) to give a surprisingly improved take-down effect.

Abstract: A double cylinder knitting machine has a plurality of pivotable feeders with yarn feeding ends movable through arcs from a trap position, through a feed position to a cross-over park position upstream of the feed position. Movement is imparted to the feeders via a plurality of rotatable cams and cam followers which cause the feeders to pivot upstream of the feed position to an extent sufficient to clear a latchguard and sinkers of the knitting machine followed by further pivotal movement for cross-over and reaching of the park position. The feeders are arrested in predetermined park positions while the cam followers are still on an inclined part of the cams and continued motion of the cams is ineffective after the feeders have reached the park positions.

Abstract: A method of knitting, on a circular knitting machine, a succession of tubular articles such as socks or stockings, each having an elasticized roll welt having an elastic yarn laid therein, wherein a leading end of the elastic yarn is temporarily anchored in knitted stitches of each completed article and thereafter the elastic yarn is laid within the welt fold of the next succeeding article.

Abstract: A plating feeder for use in a circular knitting machine comprises a first mouth for supplying a first yarn, and a second mouth for supplying a second yarn and which is movable relative to the first and second mouths together to alter the angle between the yarns fed by the plating feeder during knitting. The first mouth is provided on an elongate first feeder part and the second mouth is provided on a second feeder part slidable lengthwise on the first feeder part. A biasing spring urges the first and second mouths together and a cam follower coacts with the movable mouth and engages with a cam to override the spring. The first mouth is in a form of a narrow aperture for defining a single yarn feed position for a facing yarn and the second mouth is in a form of a trough at least partly surrounding the first mouth for defining alternative, interconnected yarn feed positions for a backing yarn on either side of the first mouth.