Abstract: A yarn feed unit for a single-cylinder circular knitting machine comprises a plurality of yarn feeding fingers independently journalled to a common axis and independently movable between an inoperative and an operative position. The axis is supported by a carrier body which is radially displaceable with respect to the needle cylinder between a work position close to the needle cylinder and a rest position remote from the needle cylinder. Movement of the carrier body from the work position to the rest position causes the operative yarn feeding fingers to be simultaneously tilted into the inoperative position and all the yarn feeding fingers to be radially withdrawn from the needle cylinder, thus allowing rotation of the needle cylinder and needle dial to set the machine without any risk of damaging the needles and without manually handling the dial needles.

Abstract: To blow a yarn toward the needles and release it from the gripping device upon yarn feeding in a circular knitting machine, in particular a double cylinder one, a device is provided which is synchronized with each yarn feeding finger regardless of the number of feeds. The device comprises a control cam provided with a boss and rotated synchronically with the needle cylinder(s), an actuating cam provided with two oppositely located notches and connected to the control cam through a normally disengaged coupling controlled by the machine program, and an actuating lever which follows the profile of the actuating cam and controls a valve to cause it to engage with the control cam and be operated by the boss thereof to deliver pressurized air to the yarn feeding area. The valve can be moved into the operative position by means of each yarn feeding finger associated with one feed.

Abstract: The device for changing the number of the needles knitting in a circular knitting machine for stockings and like articles, comprises a single picker configurated for operation in either directions of reciprocation of the needle cylinder or cylinders and arranged at that area where a conventional needle lowering picker is arranged. The single picker is rotatable through 180.degree. substantially about the longitudinal axis thereof for assuming respectively a position in which it operates as a needle raising picker and a position in which it operates as a needle lowering picker.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine in which for switching from continuous rotary motion to reciprocating motion and vice versa there is provided a coupling member rotatively rigid with a shaft and axially displaceable between two pinions, idly arranged on the shaft. One pinion is constantly reciprocated by a reciprocable toothed sector, while the other pinion is constantly rotated. The coupling member is alternately engageable with a respective one of the pinions, so as to cause the shaft, which is operatively connected to the needle cylinder(s), to reciprocate or rotate. A control lever is pivoted to the stationary structure of the machine and has one end slideably engaging the coupling member and the other end slideably engaging two rotatable cams, which provide angular displacement of the control lever to cause axial displacement of the coupling member. The cams can be uncoupled from a cam driving shaft rotated by the main drive of the machine.

Abstract: A method for knitting a garment on a double-cylinder circular knitting machine, comprising the steps of withdrawing the stitch sinkers firstly with only the yarn taken up by the lower cylinder needles, subsequently lowering the upper cylinder needles to pick up the yarn while causing the stitch sinkers to outwardly project and to pick up the yarn taken by the upper cylinder needles, and raising the lower cylinder needles only after the sinkers have been withdrawn. There is also disclosed a double-cylinder circular knitting machine in which the cams for controlling the sinkers have a notch in a position substantially vertically below the lowering cam which controls lowering of the upper cylinder needles to take up the yarn, the notch being arranged before the raising cam controlling raising of the lower cylinder needles for taking up the yarn.

Abstract: A control device for striper units in a circular knitting machine having a plurality of cam disks, the profil whereof is followed by a respective lever operating a respective thread finger by means of a Bowden cable. Each cam disk is secured to a respective toothed wheel meshing with a further toothed wheel which may be coupled with and uncoupled from, a drive shaft constantly rotating with a predetermined rotational speed. Coupling and uncoupling of the further toothed wheel is controlled by the main chain of the machine so as to selectively cause a rotation of substantially 180.degree. of a respective selected cam disk to bring the corresponding thread finger in operation and another rotation of substantially 180.degree. to bring the corresponding thread finger out of operation. Other cam disks are provided to control in the same manner corresponding thread cutting and gripping means each time an associated thread finger is controlled.

Abstract: A double-cylinder circular knitting machine with latch needles and a device for automatically causing the latches of the needles operating in the upper needle cylinder to open before knitting. The device comprises cams defining a path for the needle-free sliders of the lower needle cylinder which lies constantly all around the cam box at a level corresponding to that at which the tips of the sliders engage the latches of the rib needles to open them. The needle-free sliders are selectively passed into this path and are subsequently returned into the normal knitting path when knitting plain fabric. The arrangement of the continuous path at a constant level all around the needle cylinder allows a more simple configuration of the latchguard cams and less wear and stresses in the needle latches.

Abstract: For stepwise advancing a pattern drum in a circular knitting machine there is provided a device comprising a peripheral tooth formation on the pattern drum, a pawl capable of engaging the tooth formation and pivotally supported on a support which is caused to swing at each revolution of the needle cylinder under the action of a cam rigid with the needle cylinder. The cam has a first radially increasing part extending preferably for a half of a circle, a following second radially increasing part considerably steeper than the first part, and a progressively radially decreasing part. The cam causes the pawl to advance the pattern drum by two steps. When the pattern drum is to be advanced by a single step the pawl is disengaged from the tooth formation by an angle lever which is controlled by control pegs arranged on the pattern drum according to a control pattern.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine having tiltable pattern jacks, intermediate jacks thereon and needles over the intermediate jacks, the pattern jacks having lower butts for being raised and lowered by substantially triangular cams rigid with a cam ring. The lowering portion of the cams has a curvilinear portion joining the lowering portion and having a radius of curvature which is smaller than the ideal radius of connection between the lowering portion and the horizontal portion of the cam ring between the cams. The curvilinear portion remains at a distance from a base plane of the cam ring substantially corresponding to the distance between the lower face of the lower butt of the pattern jacks and the lower face of the pattern jacks. The curvilinear portion is followed by a further descending portion.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of manufacturing patterned knitted fabrics on a double cylinder knitting machine, in which the pattern jacks associated with needles in the lower needle cylinder having already picked up a yarn at any of the feeds but one thereof are brought into a position in which they can no longer be selected to bring the associated needles to knit in the same knitting course. Same occurs for the jacks associated with the needles knitting in the upper needle cylinder. All these jacks are then brought into a position capable of being raised on the jack raising cam associated with the remaining feed, but only those jacks are raised which are associated with needles knitting in the upper needle cylinder. The machine has a number of jack selecting devices which is by one unit smaller than the number of yarn feeds, and cams for causing the jacks to move as above described.