Abstract: In a knitting machine, a needle position control device comprises knitting needles each having five butts, of which one is fixed and the four others are secured in pairs to two needle latches mounted for oscillation in two recesses formed in the stem of the needle. A selection mechanism acts on the latches so as to move one or the other of their two respective butts out of the guide trick of the needle. By means of this combination of butts, the motion of the needle in the three knitting positions is constantly controlled in both directions of motion of the needle, by moving out two of the three butts. Another embodiment comprising a single latch can give the same result for two knitting positions.