Abstract: Apparatus is described for moving a sheet to be machined in a step-by-step fashion. A continuously running machine, illustratively in the form of a printer, is disposed at a machine station. A motor drives a sheet mover to move the sheet in a first direction and in a second, opposite direction along a path past the machine station.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine has a needle selection system which can be set up to provide selection under electronic control, or to provide for manual selection. The selection system has a plurality of slidable selection cams which are controlled by an electro-magnetic system to act on rocking selector jacks, the electro-magnetic system being operated by an electronic control program. For manual selection, the electro-magnetic system serves to hold all of the selection cams in an excluded position and selection is obtained by manually insertable cams which act on the selector jacks.

Abstract: A plurality of machines, such as circular hosiery machines, are controlled at preselected times during a knitting cycle by a central control unit. Each machine includes, in addition to the needle cylinder, a revolutions counter and angular position detector cooperatively connected to the cylinder, as well as actuators which change or vary the operations performed on the article by the cylinder. If desired a size-change unit may be provided for each machine to vary the sizes of the body, leg, and foot of articles produced. A cyclical switching generator successively and individually feeds information from the angular detector and revolutions counter into a central control unit from each machine as well as feeding information from the central control unit to the actuators of each machine, so that, for any position and after a prescribed number of revolutions of each machine, prescribed knitting functions may be directed.

Abstract: A selection device for oscillating jacks in a circular knitting machine comprising selection levers pivotal between an active position in which the jacks are radially thrust by a thrust profile of the levers, and an inactive position. The levers are moved into one of these positions by engagement of a control profile of the levers by the butts and are held in this position by a permanent magnet. The flux of the magnet can be neutralized temporarily by program-controlled windings to permit release of a selected lever whereby the lever is moved into its other position by means of a bias.