Abstract: A knitting technique in which opposed needles reciprocate towards and past one another in a time-varying motion which is at least principally lengthwise of the needle. One needle approaches and picks up a yarn-end from another needle and forms a loop in the yarn and over the one needle while the other needle withdraws. The other needle then approaches in its turn to pick up a yarn-end and form a further loop while the one needle sheds its loop on to the yarn-end now picked up to form the further loop, the cycle continuing to produce a seam of linked loops. Shogging action by needles and/or associated yarn-control elements produces seam interaction to link seams weft-wise as a knitted fabric. More complex interaction produces patterned fabrics and other knits where yarns link across several wales. An apparatus to carry out the technique includes a needle motion drive using linkages to produce a durable and precise drive action.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of and mechanism for transferring a knitted fabric from the knitting needles (28) of a flat knitting machine (10) to the needles (38) of a magazine bar (21).One of the beds (12) of the machine is dropped slightly and the tips of transfer elements (24) are brought into juxtaposition with the needles (28). The tips of the elements (24) are then engaged in the eyes of the needles (28) which are then withdrawn to transfer the loops of the fabric to the elements (24). The latter are then moved into engagement with the needles (38) of the magazine bar (21) and the loops transferred to the magazine needles by means of teeth (52) of a member (50) which engage and carry the loops from the elements (24) to the needles (38).