Abstract: A system is disclosed for closing the point of a stitch circular product, and particularly of a stocking, without a significant interruption of the sewing operation. In one embodiment, circular device is inserted inside the cylinder used for producing the stocking, which, appropriately programmed, catches the stitch from under the needles and carries it to the sewing machine.

Abstract: A device for lifting a knitted item made on a circular knitting machine for knitwear and hosiery. The device includes a lifting pipe 15 coaxial inside the cylinder, rotating with this, moveable in height between a lowered position and a raised position, and one bearing a summit bell 16 with a flared lip 19, which extends above the internal sinker crown to the close vicinity of the needs and which has radial slits 20 in line with the sinkers 12. The pipe with the summit bell is raised from the lowered position by dedicated control structure to raise the item, especially at areas closest to the needles.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for manufacturing tubular items, particularly hosiery items, closed at an axial end. The method consists in forming the tubular item on a circular knitting machine by way of the needles of the needle cylinder, starting from the opposite axial end of the item with respect to the axial end to be closed and retaining on the needles of the needle cylinder the last formed row of knitting. The loops of the last row of knitting are then transferred individually from the needles of the needle cylinder to an auxiliary element provided with elements for individually supporting the loops. The supporting elements of at least one half-row of the last row are suitable to receive two loops and to form knitting. The item is reversed before or after transferring it and the loops of one half-row are transferred from the corresponding supporting elements to the supporting elements engaged with the loops of the other half-row.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for lifting the knitted item made on a circular knitting machine for knitwear and hosiery. It includes a lifting pipe 15 coaxial inside the cylinder, rotating with this, moveable in height between a lowered position and a raised position and one bearing a summit bell 16 with a flared lip 19, which extends above the internal sinker crown to the close vicinity of the needs and which has radial slits 20 in line with the sinkers. The pipe with the summit bell is raised from the lowered position by dedicated control means to raise the item, also close to the needs to be picked.

Abstract: A method for creating an opening in tubular knitted fabric articles on a machine including a needle cam mounted for reciprocal movement between first and second vertically-spaced positions. In the first position the needle cam lowers successive needles to a position where the loop of yarn is released from a selected loop-forming needle and transferred to a transfer needle. In the second position the needle cam lowers successive needles to a position where the loop of yarn is transferred to a transfer needle adjacent the selected loop forming needle without being released from the selected loop-forming needle to thereby form a no-run stitch in the knitted fabric. A needle is selected from which a loop is to be transferred and the loop is enlarged on the selected needle by deflecting the loop out of the vertical plane of the selected needle laterally into the vertical plane of an adjacent needle while the adjacent needle is in a lowered, non-interfering position relative to the deflected loop.

Abstract: The method consists in forming a tubular item on a circular machine by means of the needles of the needle cylinder, starting from the opposite axial end of the item with respect to the axial end to be closed and retaining on the needles of the needle cylinder the last formed row of knitting. The loops of the last row of knitting are then transferred individually to an auxiliary element provided with supporting elements for individually supporting the loops, and the supporting elements of at least one first half-row of the last row are suitable to receive two loops and to pass one of the two loops in the other loop. The item is furthermore reversed before and after the transfer.

Abstract: The equipment for automatically feeding a sewing machine with a sock tip comprises a device for gripping the sock from the area of formation of the same on a circular machine for socks and at least one device for transferring the gripping device to a predetermined final position for feeding the sewing machine, which comprises rotation means of the gripping device adapted to impart a rotation speed to it that is synchronised with the rotation speed of the needle cylinder of the circular machine when the gripping device is in a predetermined position inside the needle cylinder so as to form an annular gap with the latter, inside which the sock arranges during its formation.

Abstract: The method consists in forming a tubular item on a circular machine by means of the needles of the needle cylinder, starting from the opposite axial end of the item with respect to the axial end to be closed and retaining on the needles of the needle cylinder the last formed row of knitting. The loops of the last row of knitting are then transferred individually to an auxiliary element provided with supporting elements for individually supporting the loops, and the supporting elements of at least one first half-row of the last row are suitable to receive two loops and to pass one of the two loops in the other loop. The item is furthermore reversed before and after the transfer.

Abstract: A method for producing tubular items, such as hosiery items and the like, which are closed at an axial end, using a single-cylinder circular knitting machine provided with a half-dial which faces, in an upward region, a first half of the needle cylinder and has hooks which can move in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the needle cylinder, each hook being arranged between two contiguous needles of the half of the needle cylinder that it faces. The half-dial can turn over about a diametrical axis of the needle cylinder so that its hooks face the needles of the second half of the needle cylinder. The hooks can move in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the needle cylinder in order to engage portions of loops of knitting formed by the needles of the first half of the needle cylinder before the half-dial turns over and in order to release the portions of loops of knitting to the needles of the second half of the needle cylinder after the half-dial has turned over.

Abstract: Operational method for seaming the edges of a tubular knitted article (C) comprising the preliminary steps of knitting the article in a knitting station (T), removing the stitches of the last knitted rank with stitches-removing means mounted on a first unit movable between said station (T) and a hook-up station (R), overturning through 180.degree. the first semirank of stitches about an axis which virtually subdivides the last knitted rank into said first and second semiranks so as to dispose the thus overturned stitches in correspondence of the stitches of the other semirank, hooking-up the thus disposed stitches of the first and second semiranks, characterized in that it comprises, following the step for the removal of the stitches of the last knitted rank, the transfer of the stitches of at least one semirank onto means other than those which operate the above said removal, said transfer means supporting the stitches of said at least one semirank during said overturning step.

Abstract: A knit necktie which is entirely formed from a tubular knit fabric knitted continuously and has a triangular apron tipping portion which is formed from a triangular bag-shaped knit fabric formed by raising needles in a semicircle of a circular knitting machine to a non-knitting level and starting semicircle knitting by forward and reverse rotation of a cylinder, decreasing stitches one by one stitch on each of the opposite left and right sides for each one forward and reverse rotation, repeating the decreasing step until only two central stitches remain, thereafter increasing the stitches one by one stitch on each of the opposite left and right sides for each one forward and reverse rotation of the cylinder, and repeating the increasing step.

Abstract: Apparatus for driving stitches of textile articles is provided with, at least one element (1) including of a body with a stem (10) associated to a support means and with its free end exhibiting a seat (12) for a leading portion or end of a member having a stitch (7) thereon to be exchanged between said body and said element (1) after the housing of the leading portion or end of said member (12) into the seat (12) of said element (1). The at least one element (1) is provided, in correspondence of its free end on one side of the seat (12), with a substantially wedge-shaped appendix (13).

Abstract: A method for creating an opening in tubular knitted fabric articles, including the steps of providing a knitting machine having a plurality of needles mounted in axial needle slots in a needle cylinder, the needles having a hook formed in a top end of a needle shank and a latch pivotally mounted on the needle shank below the hook for opening and closing the hook. A deflector is provided for deflecting a loop of yam being formed by a needle into the vertical plane of an adjacent needle. A needle is selected from which a loop is to be transferred. The loop on the selected needle is enlarged by deflecting the loop out of the vertical plane of the selected needle laterally into the vertical plane of an adjacent needle while the adjacent needle is in a lowered, non-interfering position relative to the deflected loop.

Abstract: A sock or other tubular article with one closed end and with rib fabric--that is, with face and reverse stitches--is formed in a double-cylinder circular machine (1, 3), in which the toe is closed at the end of the process of forming the tubular fabric, by a device (41, 51, 53, 49) that transfers the stitches of one semicircle to the stitches of the opposite semicircle.

Abstract: The device, which is combined with the needle (1A; 1B) cylinder and cooperates with a normal disc (5) that has hooks (7A, 7B), is located coaxially with the cylinder and can be raised axially; the hooks (7A) of one semicircle can be actuated to take stitch loops from one semicircle of needles (1A) for transfer to the opposite semicircle of needles (1B); a half ring (9), external to the needle (1A, 1B) cylinder, is hinged at both its ends about a diametrical axis (X--X) in the working area of the needles and in such a way that it can rotate through 180.degree.; sliding in radial slots in the half ring are pick-up hooks (10) with closing sliders (12-12A) for engaging the initial loops of toe fabric formed by said needles (1A), which loops are transferred from hooks (7A); by rotating upwards, the half-ring (9) transfers these loops and brings them down over the needles (1B) of the opposite semicircle, so that the toe (P) fabric is engaged by said needles (1B) of the opposite semicircle.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a tubular hosiery item with a closed end, with a single-cylinder circular knitting machine having a pivoting semicircular plate having radially sliding hooks, including alternately rotating the needle cylinder for moving the needles of a first half of the needle cylinder and the hooks of the overlying semicircular plate to pass in front of a feed of the machine; the extracted hooks forming a support for a thread dispensed at the feed, actuated needles being actuated so as to take up the thread and be alternated with inactive needles, subsequently swapping the actuated needles with the inactive needle when the motion of the needle cylinder is reversed; a first needle of the needles of a second half of the needle cylinder is also made to pass in front of the feed to take up the thread, in order to allow both end hooks of the hooks of the semicircular plate to engage the thread; retracting the hooks of the semicircular plate so as to retain the engaged thread; forming heel knitting with

Abstract: A single-cylinder circular knitting machine, including a needle cylinder and a circular plate that is arranged above the needle cylinder and coaxially thereto. The circular plate is constituted by two portions, one of which can rotate with respect to the other about a diametrical axis of the circular plate. An actuation device is also provided which acts on command on the portion of the circular plate that can rotate with respect to the other one, in order to move it from a first position, in which it is co-planar with respect to the other portion, to a second position, in which it is arranged so as to face the other portion from below, or vice versa.

Abstract: In a first step of the method for manufacturing socks with a single-cylinder circular knitting machine a needle cylinder is oscillated about its own axis with an oscillation angle of about 180.degree. to move half of the needle cylinder that faces a half-platen such that it passes in front of a feed of the machine. During these oscillations, engagement elements are extracted radially from the half-platen towards the needles of the machine, at least one thread dispensed at the feed, and lifting to the knitting position, at each oscillation, 1/n uniformly spaced needles of the mentioned half of the needle cylinder, varying the needles that are moved into the knitting position in the subsequent oscillation or oscillations, and lowering the needles after engaging the thread or threads, which rests on the engagement elements. A second step is then performed, during which the engagement elements are retracted towards the half-platen, retaining the thread or threads that rest thereon.

Abstract: A push rod (38) with a pick-up hook (38A) at the end is moved in an axial plane of symmetry to engage by means of the pick-up hook in an intermediate position the partial initial courses (M1) of a pocket (M2) and to bring them progressively to the side opposite the arc of working needles with the progressive formation of the fabric; a body in the form of a shaped annular ring (18), disposed inside the needle cylinder, has a radial slot (22) for said push rod (38) and radial slots (24) in the area opposite said arc of working needles; hooks (60) movable in said slots (24) can be moved from a concealed position to a raised position to make pin-shaped appendages (62) penetrate into the fabric along the initial edge (M1) when this has been brought by the push rod (28) to the side opposite that of the arc of working needles, and subsequently to move the initial comes (M1) progressively up to the needles which are raised and inserted into the fabric to engage said edge (M1).

Abstract: A plurality of hooks (23U) is capable of engaging the initial hem of a pocket (MP) formed by the needles (7X) of a sector covering approximately a semicircumference, and of transferring the said initial hem to the needles of the other opposite sector of needles; the said hooks (23U) are disposed at the ends of rods (23) which are elastically flexible and moved longitudinally; a curved support (47) is hinged so that it can oscillate about an axis which is diametric with respect to the circumferential working area of the needles (7) of the cylinder (1); radial sliding passages for the individual rods are formed radially in the said support.

Abstract: A method for seaming two edges of a knitted tubular article to make the tubular article with a single-cylinder circular machine, starting from the elastic hem and finishing at the side of the toe which is left open.

Abstract: An initial step of terminating the knitting of the sock on the side of the toe which is left open and performing the following operating steps: moving away the plate; lifting the knitting needles, with the sinkers being closed; further lifting the needles, with the sinkers being open, until the stitches are located above the nib of the sinkers; picking up the stitches and retaining them; lowering the needles; transferring the sock out of the knitting head of the machine, at a predetermined distance therefrom; turning the sock inside out; transferring the stitches of a first semirank or partial knit course (x) onto the corresponding stitches of the second semirank or partial knit course (y); disposing the stitches of the first and second partial knit course (x,y) along an arc of circumference at constant angular distance, with a pitch preset according to the desired hook-up fineness; linking the thus disposed pairs of stitches and making one or more closing knots; cutting the linking thread; moving the sock wi

Abstract: Method and means for transferring knit loops from single-hook needles on one cylinder to single-hook needles on the other cylinder of a double cylinder circular knitting machine. In the method and needles are displaced at an inclination outwardly of their cylinders to allow axial sliding of the opposing needles behind the inclined needles and into the loops held on the inclined needles; the inclined needles are then withdrawn to shed the hooks, which are then received on the hooks of the other needles. The means includes radial pins slidably carried in the cylinders for engagement and operation by stationary radial cams located within the cylinders, the pins extending through the cylinders and into engagement with the stems of the needles for radially displacing the needles outwardly to the inclined positions required by the described method.