Abstract: A break-away mount for mounting a fabric scanner to the central support shaft in a circular knitting machine. The mount normally fixes the scanner in a stationary position on the end of a mounting arm of the mount, but if sufficient force is exerted on the scanner in the direction of movement of the fabric, the mount breaks away and allows the scanner to rotate about the support shaft so that the scanner can move along with the fabric. If the amount of such rotational movement exceeds a predefined value, then the break-away mount also releases the mounting arm so that the mounting arm can pivot about a non-vertical axis to allow the scanner to descend with the descending fabric tube. By detecting the breaking away of the mount, the knitting machine can be stopped in time to prevent damage to the scanner and mount.