Abstract: A dial of a knitting machine has jacks (14) at least the operating part (18) of which is made of a cominutable, preferably plastics material, to ensure broken off parts are ground up so as not to damage the dial.

Abstract: A yarn feeder and changer unit for a knitting machine comprises a number of adjacent yarn feeders any one of which can be moved from a yarn trapping position to a yarn feeding position while the others retain severed ends of their respective yarns at the trapping positions. The movement of each feeder to its feeding position comprises an upward component of movement from below the needle level by pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and forward movement over the needles by a sliding component of movement. The creation of two distinct components of movement for each feeder (pivotal and sliding) enables the feeder path to pass close to but out of the path of the needles, and enables accurate yarn placement to be achieved.

Abstract: A shogging mechanism for use for example in knitting cable pattern on circular knitting machines incorporates a cam on a mounting fixed with respect to one needle bed of the circular knitting machine. Movement of the cam on its mounting causes another needle bed of the circular knitting machine to be relatively displaced to an extent determined by the cam profile. The shogging mechanism cam is preferably rotatable by means of a further cam having a fixed relationship to the cam system of the knitting machine.