Abstract: A set of cams for actuating the lowering sinkers in circular knitting machines, for producing standard-terry knitting and sandwich-terry knitting. The cam set comprises cams and countercams which form a path for the heels of the lowering sinkers which have two lowering planes arranged at mutually different elevations for at least two yarns which are dispensed at a feed of the machine to form loops of terry knitting. The cam set also comprises, in the region of the path that corresponds to the descent of the needles of the needle cylinder to form loops of knitting with the two yarns dispensed at a feed of the machine, a cam which can move on command into two operating positions in order to produce at least one variation of the path formed by the cams and countercams.

Abstract: The machine is provided with casting-off sinkers having two casting-off surfaces which are mutually spaced in a direction which is parallel to the axis of the needle cylinder to form toweling stitches. The machine has auxiliary jacks which are accommodated in axial grooves of a needle cylinder and can move, when actuated, along these grooves parallel to the axis of the needle cylinder so as to act, with their upper end, on the casting-off sinkers to move them in a direction which is radial to the needle cylinder from a rearward position, in which they receive two threads engaged by the contiguous needles on a same one of the two casting-off surfaces, forming two loops of knitting of equal length, to an advanced position in the direction of the axis of the needle cylinder, in which they receive the two threads engaged by the contiguous needles respectively on one of the casting-off surfaces and on the other casting-off surface so as to form two loops having mutually different lengths, i.e. toweling stitches.

Abstract: An improved sinker cam assembly for a circular knitting machine is disclosed which contains a series of cam segments attached to a stationary circular cam ring to form an endless undulating cam race. The assembly also includes a rotating sinker ring to which a plurality of sinkers are slidably attached for reciprocal movement as the sinker ring rotates relative to the cam ring. Each sinker conventionally contains a radially inwardly located, axially extending cam follower arm and a spaced apart, radially outwardly located, axially extending cam follower arm. The arms confine the cam surfaces of the cam race therebetween so that the cam surfaces control the reciprocal movements of the sinkers as the sinker ring rotates. The cam elements contain gaps between successive pairs thereof, which have gap openings on the two cam surfaces.

Abstract: The machine has a rotatable needle cylinder and a casting-off sinker actuation device including a coaxial sinker ring supporting a cam and an external countercam. The needle cylinder supports a plurality of casting-off sinkers each having a heel which follows a path, extending around the needle cylinder axis, which is partially defined by the cam and the countercam. A pin is connected to the countercam and is engaged by an actuation element associated with the sinker ring and bilaterally engaging the pin. The actuation element is controllably activatable for bilaterally moving the countercam with respect to the needle cylinder along a direction having a radial component, toward or away from the axis of the needle cylinder.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for producing a single face plush article of base threads and plush threads has a needle cylinder provided with a plurality of needles and a plate ring provided with separately controlled and differently shaped plates. A first plate has a slot for receiving a base thread and a stepped ridge for applying a plush thread, and a second plate is provided with a recess in the region of the slot of the first plate. The second plate has a plate tip formed above the recess and is provided for a plaiting with a plush thread-pressing edge. The plush thread-pressing edge is formed on the plate tip and extends in an inclined manner to the slot of the first plate and to a shaft of an associated one of the needles. The plush thread pressing edge being movable to a point before a step of the stepped ridge of the first plate.

Abstract: A control device for adjusting the radial position of the sinkers in a circular knitting machine, consitituted by a couple of cams for the radial drive of the sinkers. The cams are co-planar and concentrical with the axis of the cylinder and substantially circular. The innermost cam is stationary. The outermost cam is radially approachable and pushable away due to the effect of a countercam externally placed around the outermost cam and provided with approaching and pushing-away lengths, which, by means of the countercam's discrete revolution, radially approaches the outermost cam, and pushes the outermost cam away.

Abstract: An athletic sock having a knit-in, cushioned shin area. Preferably the sock also includes a knit-in, cushioned sole and ribbed support rear leg area. The cushioned shin area of the athletic sock may be formed on a single feed, single drum knitting machine by needle manipulation rather than by sinker manipulation. A selectively operable, special cam operates in conjunction with a radially shiftable lifting cam, and with long and short butt needles. The special cam lifts the short butt needles to an intermediate level where they grasp the body yarn but not the terry yarn. The long butt needles meanwhile are initially lifted by the special cam to the same level as the short butt needles. However, the lifting cam, which is retracted to clear the short butt needles as they pass by, further elevates the long butt needles to the uppermost level where they grasp both the terry yarn and the body yarn as they are lowered by the center cam.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for producing one-face plush webs of main threads and plush threads has a plurality of needles, a plate ring provided with plate members, and a plurality of cam members for controlling the longitudinal movement of the needles and the transverse movement of the plate members, wherein the needles and the plate members are arranged so that each of the needles cooperates with two parallel and separately controlled plate members movable relative to one another, of which one of the plate members has a slot for receiving a main thread and a stepped back for supporting a plush thread, and the other of the plate members has a thread placing edge limiting the effective length of the slot of the one plate member.

Abstract: In a circular knitting machine for hosiery articles, a plurality of generally banana-shaped sinker-pressing cams are mounted beneath a lid or cap to float radially between an inner ring cam and a plurality of miniature pneumatic rams and attendant plungers, which are arranged in a circular path around the outsides of the sinker-pressing cams. Each of the rams has its plunger engaged with the outer peripheral surface of one of the sinker-pressing cams, and is connected to a pneumatic control means, which is operable selectively to force the ram plunger against the associated sinker pressing cam to urge it radially inward against the outer ends of the sinkers. With this construction the sinker-pressing cams can be selectively utilized depending upon the type of article being produced on the machine.

Abstract: A machine for producing a knitted fabric having a knitted ground material of a ground thread and a pile or loop-pile surface from additional pile threads or fibers, the machine having a plurality of individually selectable knitting elements and at least two knitting systems, each with a feeding position for the ground thread and the pile thread or a fiber web. A patterning mechanism is provided at each knitting system for selecting the particular knitting element which is to process the pile threads or fibers in that system and each knitting element having a knitting cam segment to produce the stitches.

Abstract: The present sinker control is operable to control the positioning of terry sinkers in the knitting machine during reciprocatory knitting of heel and toe pockets in socks. The sinker control operates to form terry loops on all but a few needles at opposite ends of the narrowed and widened partial courses of the pockets so that narrow areas adjacent the suture lines are devoid of terry loops. An auxiliary terry sinker control cam (35) is operable for engaging the upstanding nebs of the terry sinkers (T) and moving them inwardly to a partially advanced position and a main terry sinker control cam (45) is engageable with the nebs of the terry sinkers to insert the same earlier than normal to form terry loops. The operation of the main terry sinker control cam is controlled during reciprocation by a needle butt cam (60) and during continuous rotary knitting by cams on a pattern control drum (24).

Abstract: A method and means for improving quality of terry fabric by controlling the position of terry loops as they are cleared on the needles. A special sinker actuating cam assembly is arranged to withdraw and then readvance the sinkers, after the terry loops have been drawn, to transfer these loops into their respective sinker throats prior to raising of the needles to clear height whereby clearance and subsequent avoidance of the terry loops by the needle latches are assured. Additional sinker cams for selectively changing the timing of sinker motion for bare needle makeup and, alternately, for knitting terry fabric, and for withdrawing the sinkers at the point of transfer are also disclosed.