Abstract: The shaft rod in accordance with the invention consists of only one (steel) metal sheet which is essentially configured without a large hollow chamber. The metal sheet has two stiffening means which are preferably located at the top and at the bottom of the shaft rod and are configured as edges. Preferably, the upper stiffening means (10) is implemented in the configuration of a small hollow chamber or of a solid reinforcement. The lower stiffening means (11) is implemented by attaching the heald support rail. Attachment may occur in accordance with any joining method, such as, for example, welding, cementing, clinching. The shaft rod may be manufactured by shape-rolling or roll-forming, as well as by all other reforming processes that are suitable for metal sheets. It is preferred that the heald support rail be directly integrated in the sheet metal form of the shaft rod. As a result, the entire shaft rod consists of a single metal sheet.

Abstract: The machine knitting needle of the invention, beginning at its hook (3), between the hook (3) and its latch bearing (9), has a convex or at least not concave shank contour, which defines the inner hook contour and on one end (18) adjoins the concave inner hook contour directly. It is attained as a result that the elevation angle which a yarn (23), located in the hook (3), must overcome if it is to slide on the shank does not increase at any point along the inner contour (17). Preferably, it even decreases steadily. It thus has its maximum value inside a space which is defined on the one hand by the inner hook contour (15) and on the other by a plumb line (L) or (L1) which is dropped, from the hook tip (12) or its tapering portion (11), onto the needle back (16), or if the needle back is not oriented parallel to the direction of motion of the machine knitting needle, onto the arrow that defines the direction of motion.

Abstract: The machine knitting needle of the invention, beginning at its hook (3), between the hook (3) and its latch bearing (9), has a convex or at least not concave shank contour, which defines the inner hook contour and on one end (18) adjoins the concave inner hook contour directly. It is attained as a result that the elevation angle which a yarn (23), located in the hook (3), must overcome if it is to slide on the shank does not increase at any point along the inner contour (17). Preferably, it even decreases steadily. It thus has its maximum value inside a space which is defined on the one hand by the inner hook contour (15) and on the other by a plumb line (L) or (L1) which is dropped, from the hook tip (12) or its tapering portion (11), onto the needle back (16), or if the needle back is not oriented parallel to the direction of motion of the machine knitting needle, onto the arrow that defines the direction of motion.