Patent ID: 7107797
Filing Date: 2006-09-19
Classification: D04B

Abstract:
1. Method for joining the edges of a tubular knitted article upon the completion of the latter on a circular machine, characterized in that it comprises the following operating steps: a) knitting the article by starting on one edge or hem to end up on the toe side by leaving the latter open; b) moving the machine's removable parts away from the knitting head of the same circular machine so as to clear the top of the cylinder of needles; c) removing the stitches of the last knitted rank and retaining them onto suitable removal means supported by a movable carrier between a knitting station defined by the knitting head of said machine and a closing station located at a preset distance form the other station; d) moving said removal means together with the article away from the machine's knitting head to move the same article up to said closing station; e) turning the article inside-out while it is retained by said removal means; f) moving the stitches of a first semi-rank, corresponding in practice to half the stitches retained by said removal means, so that, by an overturning through approximately 180 about a diametral axis of the circumference defined by the removal means, each of the moved stitches will result juxtaposed and coaxial to the corresponding stitch of the other semi-rank's stitches; g) moving the stitches of the pairs close to each other; h) carrying out the hook-up of said pairs of stitches so as to obtain the definitive union of the edges of the article; I) unloading the article from the means on which the hook-up operation has been performed.