Method for manufacturing tubular items with a closed end, such as hosiery items or the like, with a single-cylinder circular knitting machine

摘要

In the present invention, there is disclosed a method for manufacturing tubular items, such as hosiery items or the like, with a single-cylinder circular knitting machine, the method comprising a first step, during which the needle cylinder (20) is rotated alternately about its own axis (20a) with at least one forward movement and one return movement, for moving the needles (5) of one half of the needle cylinder (20) and the hooks (2) of the overlying semicircular plate (1) so that they pass in front of a feed (7) of the machine. During this first step, the hooks (2) of the semicircular plate (1) are extracted so as to form a support for the thread (8) dispensed at the feed (7). The underlying needles are actuated so as to take up the thread (8) alternately with inactive needles (B), swapping the actuated needles (A) with inactive needles (B) when the motion of the needle cylinder (20) is reversed. The hooks (2) are then retracted into the semicircular plate (1), retaining the engaged thread (8) while the machine is actuated so as to produce heel knitting with the needles of the half of the needle cylinder that have taken up the thread (8). After heel knitting, the semicircular plate (1) is folded over about a diametrical axis (4) so that its hooks (2), which have retained the thread (8), face the needles (6) of the other half of the needle cylinder (20). The hooks (2) are then extracted from the semicircular plate (1) and the needles of the other half of the needle cylinder (20) are also actuated, while the cylinder is rotated continuously about its own axis (20a) so as to form loops (12) of knitting by means of the needles of the other half of the needle cylinder; these loops (12) mesh with the thread (8) carried by the hooks (2), which are then retracted into the semicircular plate (1) in order to release the previously held and transferred thread. The machine is then actuated in order to complete the item, which is thus produced with an end, which is closed directly on the machine.