Abstract: A robot end effector (10) for holding a fabric workpiece (64) against a working surface (74) has a rigid backing member (11), a facing strip material (13) arranged to contact the workpiece (64) around its periphery and a resilient intermediate layer (12) between the backing member (11) and the facing strip material (13), the width (w) of the facing strip material (13) being no greater than the thickness (t) of the intermediate layer (12).

Abstract: A method of unfolding a doubled piece of textile material (20), which comprises a first piece of material (21) and a further piece of material (22) disposed adjacent a surface (25) of the material (21), includes the steps of holding the first piece of material (21) so as to leave the further piece of material (22) free, and creating an air current, for example from a nozzle (4), to move the further piece of material (22) away from the surface (25).

Abstract: A workpiece is placed on a retractable tray above a desired location and covered with a flexible sheet. As the tray is retracted, the flexible sheet prevents the workpiece from following the tray and allows the workpiece to move down into the desired location.

Abstract: A flat knitting machine including a presser foot assembly comprising a support mounted on the machine for movement along the needle array of the machine and at least one presser foot mounted on the support. The assembly includes a supporting arm carried on the support and itself carrying a slider on which a presser foot is mounted, the supporting arm providing a structure for effecting guided displacement of the slider up-and-down in relation to the needles. Resilient means, such as one or more springs, are arranged to urge the slider and presser foot down, away from the support, so that the presser foot can ride up on the supporting arm against the pressure of the resilient means and thus the whole of the presser foot extending from in advance of the rising needles to the rear of the fully raised needle position is resiliently mounted in the machine.

Abstract: A yarn take-up mechanism for a knitting machine, especially a flat V-bed knitting machine comprises a yarn take-up arm pivotally mounted at one end on a stanchion and urged by a spring to pivot so that its other end moves away from the stanchion. Said other end of the arm carries a movable yarn guide and the yarn path in the take-up mechanism is from a fixed yarn guide on the stanchion through the movable yarn guide and back to the other fixed guide on the stanchion, the fixed guides being close together and adjacent the location of the movable guide when it is in the position closest to the stanchion. The end of the take-up arm carrying the movable yarn guide is flexible whereas the remainder of the arm is stiff.