Abstract: A sinker selection device in a circular knitting machine, comprising for each radial slot of the sinker ring in which sinkers are accommodated, a selector facing the end of the corresponding radial slot directed away from the axis of the sinker ring, the selector being oscillatable on a radial plane with respect to the sinker ring to pass from active to inactive positions, and connected to the corresponding sinker, arranged in the corresponding radial slot, to induce different actuation of the corresponding sinker along the corresponding radial slot, depending on whether the selector is in the inactive position or in the active position. A selection actuator is provided which laterally faces the sinker ring and can engage on command the selector for transfer from inactive to active positions.

Abstract: A device for precise placement of the toe of a hosiery item during automated insertion in the conveyor of a sewing machine for closing the toe, composed of two laminas arranged side by side on a substantially horizontal plane so as to form therebetween a passage for a portion of the hosiery item proximate to the opening of the toe to be closed; the device comprises, proximate to the inlet of the passage, tensioning elements, arranged below the pair of laminas to engage a portion of the toe of the hosiery item, hanging at the toe opening to be closed with two flaps of the opening facing each other and actuated in order to tension the hosiery item downwardly during insertion in the passage.

Abstract: A sewing method and apparatus, for closing the axial end of a tubular article, such as a hosiery toe, consisting in moving the article along a guiding path, formed by two adjacent laminas faced by a sewing head, in two opposite directions so as to make the article advance with respect to the sewing head during formation of a first stitched seam, retracting the article to return upstream of the sewing head after formation of the first stitched seam, and make the article advance again during formation of the second stitched seam, to close the article by two sewing lines, using a single sewing head.

Abstract: A device for precise placement of the toe of a hosiery item during automated insertion in the conveyor of a sewing machine for closing the toe, composed of two laminas arranged side by side on a substantially horizontal plane so as to form therebetween a passage for a portion of the hosiery item proximate to the opening of the toe to be closed; the device comprises, proximate to the inlet of the passage, tensioning elements, arranged below the pair of laminas to engage a portion of the toe of the hosiery item, hanging at the toe opening to be closed with two flaps of the opening facing each other and actuated in order to tension the hosiery item downwardly during insertion in the passage.

Abstract: A circular double-cylinder hosiery knitting machine with a device for removing and transferring the article at the end of the knitting process, comprising a lower and an upper needle cylinders with vertical axis, a device with a removal element insertable from above into the upper needle cylinder, provided with first grippers that engage the final end of the article and a transfer element, arranged above the upper needle cylinder to remove the article from the removal element and to feed it to a sewing machine.

Abstract: A sewing method and apparatus, for closing the axial end of a tubular article, such as a hosiery toe, consisting in moving the article along a guiding path, formed by two adjacent laminas faced by a sewing head, in two opposite directions so as to make the article advance with respect to the sewing head during formation of a first stitched seam, retracting the article to return upstream of the sewing head after formation of the first stitched seam, and make the article advance again during formation of the second stitched seam, to close the article by two sewing lines, using a single sewing head.

Abstract: A method of forming an openwork knitted fabric formed of closely knitted, fine gauge yarns formed into knitted loops utilizing at least 11 needles per inch and having at least 25 courses per inch. The fabric is formed by using needles having a hook formed in a top end of a needle shank and a latch pivotally mounted on the needle shank below the hook for opening and closing the hook, and including a deflector for deflecting a loop of yarn being formed by a needle into the vertical plane of an adjacent needle, and a needle cam mounted for reciprocal movement between first and second vertically-spaced positions. The fabric is characterized by having a fine, dense background with small, closely-spaced holes which enable a highly-detailed pattern suitable for a wide range of undergarments and hosiery products. The density and fineness of the fabric provides both the comfort and lack of show through necessary for many garments of this type.

Abstract: A circular double-cylinder hosiery knitting machine with a device for removing and transferring the article at the end of the knitting process, comprising a lower and an upper needle cylinders with vertical axis, a device with a removal element insertable from above into the upper needle cylinder, provided with first grippers that engage the final end of the article and a transfer element, arranged above the upper needle cylinder to remove the article from the removal element and to feed it to a sewing machine.

Abstract: An openwork tubular knitted fabric formed of closely knitted, fine gauge yarns formed into knitted loops utilizing at least 11 needles per inch and having at least 25 courses per inch. The fabric is formed by using needles having a hook formed in a top end of a needle shank and a latch pivotally mounted on the needle shank below the hook for opening and closing the hook, and including a deflector for deflecting a loop of yarn being formed by a needle into the vertical plane of an adjacent needle, and a needle cam mounted for reciprocal movement between first and second vertically-spaced positions. The fabric is characterized by having a fine, dense background with small, closely-spaced holes which enable a highly-detailed pattern suitable for a wide range of undergarments and hosiery products. The density and fineness of the fabric provides both the comfort and lack of show through necessary for many garments of this type.

Abstract: A method for producing a closed end hosiery seamless knitted article, on a circular machine, comprising: knitting of the article starting from the end to be closed, forming a knot for retaining a closure thread by way of a set of contiguous needles, weaving the closure thread and feeding it to a preset number of needles to connect needles arranged opposite with respect to a central plane passing through the needle cylinder axis and through a central region of the set of contiguous needles, interrupting feeding the closure thread to the needles forming a few rows of knitting by using other threads and at least part of the needles of the machine, applying traction to the closure thread to close the initial end of the article, and continuing production of the article to completion.

Abstract: A method for producing a closed end hosiery seamless knitted article, on a circular machine, comprising: knitting of the article starting from the end to be closed, forming a knot for retaining a closure thread by way of a set of contiguous needles, weaving the closure thread and feeding it to a preset number of needles to connect needles arranged opposite with respect to a central plane passing through the needle cylinder axis and through a central region of the set of contiguous needles, interrupting feeding the closure thread to the needles forming a few rows of knitting by using other threads and at least part of the needles of the machine, applying traction to the closure thread to close the initial end of the article, and continuing production of the article to completion.

Abstract: A method for producing tubular items, such as hosiery items and the like, which are closed at an axial end, using a single-cylinder circular knitting machine provided with a half-dial which faces, in an upward region, a first half of the needle cylinder and has hooks which can move in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the needle cylinder, each hook being arranged between two contiguous needles of the half of the needle cylinder that it faces. The half-dial can turn over about a diametrical axis of the needle cylinder so that its hooks face the needles of the second half of the needle cylinder. The hooks can move in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the needle cylinder in order to engage portions of loops of knitting formed by the needles of the first half of the needle cylinder before the half-dial turns over and in order to release the portions of loops of knitting to the needles of the second half of the needle cylinder after the half-dial has turned over.

Abstract: A dial or half-dial for single-cylinder circular hosiery knitting machines, particularly for producing tubular items closed at one longitudinal end, which comprises a dial or half-dial body which is substantially shaped like a disk or half-disk and is provided, on at least one of its two faces, with a plurality of radial slots, each of which slideably accommodates at least one hook. The hooks have a longitudinal slit which is open in the direction of the axis of the dial or half-dial body. The slit gives a portion of the body of the hooks a bifurcated shape which engages the two opposite faces of the dial or half-dial body.

Abstract: A method for producing stockings, particularly of the pop-sock type or the like, with a form-fitting shape, and a stocking obtained with the method comprising: a first step, during which the stocking portion that corresponds to the leg region located above the calf is formed; a second step, during which the stocking portion corresponding to the intermediate region of the leg is formed; and a third step, during which the stocking portion that corresponds to the leg region located below the calf is formed. During the second step the length of the loops of knitting located in the rear region of the stocking is increased with respect to the length of the loops of knitting located in the front region, in order to obtain, on the rear region of the stocking, an extra portion with respect to the front region; the extra portion has to contain the calf.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for reducing the length of the lead-in thread in double-cylinder circular hosiery-making or knitting machines in which the thread, fed by a corresponding thread guide, is clamped at its end, before knitting begins, by a thread cutting and clamping device which laterally faces the needle cylinders of the machine downstream of the position of the thread guide, relative to the direction in which the needle cylinders rotate about their own axis, with respect to the thread guide and to the cutting and clamping device. The process consists in keeping the thread clamped by the cutting and clamping device even after the thread has been taken up by the needles at the beginning of the knitting process, and in cutting the portion of thread which, at the beginning of the knitting process, lies between the first needle that took up the thread and the point where the thread is clamped in the cutting and clamping device.

Abstract: A single-cylinder circular machine for knitting, hosiery or the like, with a device for actuating the cutter mounted on the dial comprises: a needle cylinder, which can be rotationally actuated about its own axis; a dial, which is arranged above the needle cylinder and is supported so that it can rotate about its own axis; and a cutter for cutting the yarns, which is mounted coaxially on the dial and is provided with cutting teeth arranged around its own axis. The machine has a device which comprises an actuation for the cutter with a rotary motion about its own axis with a rotation rate which can be diversified from the rotation rate of the needle cylinder, in order to vary the length of the trailing portion of yarn that lies between the last needle of the machine taking up the yarn and the blade cooperating with the cutter in cutting the yarn.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a tubular hosiery item with a closed end, with a single-cylinder circular knitting machine having a pivoting semicircular plate having radially sliding hooks, including alternately rotating the needle cylinder for moving the needles of a first half of the needle cylinder and the hooks of the overlying semicircular plate to pass in front of a feed of the machine; the extracted hooks forming a support for a thread dispensed at the feed, actuated needles being actuated so as to take up the thread and be alternated with inactive needles, subsequently swapping the actuated needles with the inactive needle when the motion of the needle cylinder is reversed; a first needle of the needles of a second half of the needle cylinder is also made to pass in front of the feed to take up the thread, in order to allow both end hooks of the hooks of the semicircular plate to engage the thread; retracting the hooks of the semicircular plate so as to retain the engaged thread; forming heel knitting with

Abstract: A hook for single-cylinder circular knitting or stocking machines with cylinder and circular or semicircular plate. The hook comprises an elongated and flat hook body which has a claw-shaped longitudinal tip. The hook also comprises an elastic-lamina element which is associated with a lateral face of the hook body and has a claw-shaped tip which faces the claw-shaped tip of the hook body. A passage is formed between the lamina element and the hook body and is suitable to be crossed by a needle of the knitting or stocking machine; the claw-shaped tip of the lamina element can flex elastically towards and away from the hook body, respectively to close the claw-shaped tip of the hook body and to allow the extraction of the needle inserted in the passage towards the claw-shaped tip of the hook body.

Abstract: A method for producing tubular components, particularly for manufacturing hosiery or other items of clothing with a shaping effect by using circular knitting or hosiery-making machines, and a tubular component obtained with the method. The method consists in forming, during the production of the tubular component, certain portions of rows of knitting, for some rows, with a greater loop length than the preceding rows, the subsequent rows, and the remaining portions of the rows themselves, in order to form at least one lateral pouch along the extension of the tubular component.

Abstract: A single-cylinder circular hosiery-making or knitting machine particularly for manufacturing tubular items closed at one of their axial ends, having a needle cylinder and a circular plate which coaxially faces the needle cylinder in an upward region. The circular plate is composed of two halves, a first half of which is pivoted to a first supporting structure about a diametrical axis which is substantially parallel to the diametrical connecting plane of the two halves of the circular plate. The first half of the circular plate is also provided with radial grooves which accommodate pairs of hooks which can be actuated along the corresponding groove so as to engage or release loops or portions of loops of knitting formed by the needles of the needle cylinder.