Abstract: A knitting machine has multiple stage sinkers which have multiple stages of butts in the rear part. A cam track fashions complicated patterns using the multiple stage sinkers. A mechanical or electronic device is installed to a top plate on an upper portion of a circular knitting machine. This device controls the sinkers.

Abstract: Needle selection system for a circular machine for knitted fabrics, constituted by an assembly which comprises a series of movable elements correspondingly related to respective stationary elements, the movable assembly including a cylinder (2) with numerous longitudinal grooves (3) distributed on the exterior contour, with the incorporation, in each groove (3), of a needle (1) and three successive positionable elements (6), (11) and (17), which determine the movement of the needle (1); while the stationary part includes respective actuating cams (5), (10), (12) and (25), which determine the actuation of the abovementioned positionable elements of the movable portion, as a function of the revolution of the cylinder (2).

Abstract: Spring jacks are supported for vertical movement in the grooves of the needle cylinder below the needles and select the needles for the control cam to move from the welting position to the knitting or tucking position and to return the needle to the welting position. Jack actuating cams move the spring jacks upwardly to move the needles into operative position with respect to the control cam. The spring jacks are resilient and deflect from an active position to an inactive position out of operative association with an actuating cam. A pattern mechanism selects individual spring jacks in accordance with a predetermined pattern. A selector jack is mounted in each groove in the needle cylinder below the spring jack for limited inward and outward movement and an upper end portion engages a lower end portion of the spring jack. A stack of selector slides operate with the pattern mechanism and each of the selector slides is mounted for individual movement from inactive positions to active positions.

Abstract: For controlling selection of needles, intermediate jacks or pattern jacks in a circular knitting machine there is provided a stepwise advanced pattern drum selectively acting on selection slides which interfere with butts of needles, intermediate jacks or pattern jacks. The drum is advanced by a pawl pivoted to a rocking lever controlled by a cam profile the axis whereof is different from the axis of the needle cylinder. The cam is rotated at a speed timed to that of the needle cylinder. The cam has two different profiles at different heights for acting on the lever and may be provided with additional superposed profiles for direct action on the selection slides.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of manufacturing patterned knitted fabrics on a double cylinder knitting machine, in which the pattern jacks associated with needles in the lower needle cylinder having already picked up a yarn at any of the feeds but one thereof are brought into a position in which they can no longer be selected to bring the associated needles to knit in the same knitting course. Same occurs for the jacks associated with the needles knitting in the upper needle cylinder. All these jacks are then brought into a position capable of being raised on the jack raising cam associated with the remaining feed, but only those jacks are raised which are associated with needles knitting in the upper needle cylinder. The machine has a number of jack selecting devices which is by one unit smaller than the number of yarn feeds, and cams for causing the jacks to move as above described.