Patent Publication Number: US-6341570-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for sewing the toe of a sock

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically sewing the toe of a sock when having automatically taken out a sock pattern of knitted fabric from a socks knitting machine which knitted the pattern to the toe portion. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A common method of fabricating a sock is carried out with the use of a socks knitting machine, such as a circular knitting machine or a tubular knitting machine as comprising the steps of knitting a sock pattern of knitted fabric from ribbed top to a body, a heel, a foot, and a toe and sewing up the toe selvedge. 
     The step of sewing up the toe selvedge includes removing a sock pattern of knitted fabric from the socks knitting machine, turning the sock pattern inside out, and manually sewing up the toe selvedge with a seam sewing machine. 
     As the sock pattern of knitted fabric has to be removed from the socks knitting machine, transferred to a station for sewing up the toe selvedge, turned inside out, placed on the seam sewing machine, and sewed up by manual actions of the toe selvedge sewing up step, the production of socks may decline in efficiency thus increasing the overall cost. 
     It is hence an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for automatically turning inside out and removing a sock pattern of knitted fabric from a socks knitting machine and sewing up its toe selvedge thus to increase the efficiency of socks production and improve the energy saving, hence minimizing the overall production cost. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     For achievement of the object, a method of sewing the toe of a sock defined in claim  1  of the present invention is provided comprising the steps of: after knitting a sock pattern with a sock knitting machine, holding the knitting needles at a specific height, downwardly removing the loops at the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric from latches of the corresponding knitting needles, and holding the loops at a specific location; positioning a group of transfer needles equipped movable tables in a circular relationship just above the sock knitting machine; setting the transfer needles on the transfer needles equipped movable tables close to the hooks of the knitting needles; lifting up the sock pattern of knitted fabric to turn inside out and transfer the sock pattern at the loops of the toe portion from the knitting needles to the corresponding transfer needles with the help of a transfer bit elevated so that the sock pattern of knitted fabric turned inside out are transferred from the sock knitting machine to the transfer needles equipped movable tables; positioning the transfer needles equipped movable tables in two linear rows aligned opposite to each other to sandwich the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric flatly from both sides; shifting the transfer needles equipped movable tables to a toe sewing location; and automatically sewing up the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric with a sewing machine provided at the toe sewing location. 
     According to claim  2  of the present invention, the method of sewing the toe of a sock defined in claim  1  may be modified further comprising, when the sock pattern of knitted fabric are held by the transfer needles at the toe sewing location, lifting up the sock pattern of knitted fabric with a lifting member to enlarge its loops at the toe portion, inserting a plurality of point needles, each having a recess provided on the upper side thereof, into the corresponding loops which are enlarged, removing the lifting bit from the transfer needles, and sewing up the loops at the toe portion with a sewing needles which performs an intermittent reciprocal action in and along the recess of each point needles. 
     An apparatus for sewing the toe of a sock defined in claim  3  of the present invention is provided comprising: a group of transfer needles equipped movable tables arranged movable for shifting between a circular position and a linear position where two linear rows come opposite to each other, moving up and down just above a sock knitting machine, and traveling forward and backward horizontally of the sock knitting machine; a plurality of transfer needles mounted on the transfer needles equipped movable tables for radial movement when the transfer needles equipped movable tables are arranged in the circular position; a guide ring for moving up and down in the center of a circle of the transfer needles equipped movable tables arranged in the circular position and when the transfer needles are advanced inwardly, holding the tips of the transfer needles in a circle so that the transfer needles come close to the hooks of the corresponding knitting needles of the sock knitting machine; a vacuum pipe for moving up and down in the guide ring and when held at the lower position, drawing by suction from above the sock pattern of knitted fabric fabricated by the sock knitting machine so that the sock pattern is turned inside out and lifted up; and a sewing machine installed at a location on the horizontal traveling of the transfer needles equipped movable tables for sewing up the toe portion of the sock pattern. 
     According to claim  4  of the present invention, the apparatus for sewing the toe of a sock defined in claim  3  may be modified further comprising: a lifting member for lifting up the sock pattern of knitted fabric held on the transfer needles at the location for sewing up the toe portion of the sock pattern; a plurality of point needles, each point needle having a recess provided in the upper side thereof, for moving to and from the corresponding loops of the sock pattern of knitted fabric held on the transfer needles; and a sewing needle for performing an intermittent reciprocal action in and along the recess of each point needles which holds one of the loops so that the loops at the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric can be sewed up. 
     The transfer needles mounted on the transfer needles equipped movable tables are identical in the number to the knitting needles of the sock knitting machine. The guide ring has the same number of grooves provided in the outer side thereof for accepting and positioning the tips of the transfer needles. 
     The transfer needles equipped movable table comprises an upper block and a lower holder of a rectangular shape. The holder has a group of grooves provided therein in which the transfer needles are movably mounted. The transfer needles equipped movable table can be driven via a cam member by an air cylinder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a longitudinally cross sectional view showing a sock transfer mechanism and a sock knitting machine with a sock pattern of knitted fabric held thereon at the initial stage according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view of the sock transfer mechanism and the sock knitting machine with the sock pattern of knitted fabric held thereon at the initial stage; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing a transfer bit lifted up; 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the sock transfer mechanism lifted down; 
     FIG. 5 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing a guide ring in the sock transfer mechanism lifted down; 
     FIG. 6 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing transfer needles equipped movable tables moved close to the guide ring in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 7 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing a vacuum pipe lifted down in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 8 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the vacuum pipe holding the sock pattern of knitted fabric by the suction in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 9 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the vacuum pipe lifted up in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 10 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the transfer bit lifted up; 
     FIG. 11 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the transfer bit lifted down; 
     FIG. 12 is a longitudinally cross sectional view showing the sock transfer mechanism lifted up; 
     FIG. 13 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the transfer needles equipped movable tables spaced from the guide ring in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 14 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the guide ring lifted up in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 15 is a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the transfer needles equipped movable tables arranged in a linear position in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 16 is an enlarged plan view showing the transfer needles equipped movable tables arranged in a circular position in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 17 is an enlarged plan view showing the transfer needles equipped movable tables aligned about the outer side of the guide ring in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 18 is an enlarged plan view showing the transfer needles equipped movable tables being shifted to the linear position in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 19 is an enlarged plan view showing the transfer needles equipped movable tables being further shifted from the state shown in FIG. 18 to the linear position; 
     FIG. 20 is an enlarged plan view showing the transfer needles equipped movable tables arranged in the linear position in the sock transfer mechanism; 
     FIG. 21 is an enlarged plan view showing an arrangement of the sock transfer mechanism for shifting the position of the transfer needles equipped movable tables; 
     FIG. 22 is a longitudinally enlarged cross sectional front view showing the sock knitting machine with a sock pattern of knitted fabric at the initial stage; 
     FIGS. 23A,  23 B, and  23 C are a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the relationship between knitting needles and transfer needles, an enlarged side view showing the relationship between the knitting needles and the transfer needles, and an explanatory view showing loops of the sock pattern of knitted fabric being transferred from the sock knitting machine to the transfer mechanism respectively; 
     FIGS. 24A and 24B are a longitudinally cross sectional front view showing the relationship between the knitting needles and the transfer needles with the loops of the sock pattern of knitted fabric being transferred and an enlarged side view showing the relationship between the knitting needles and the transfer needles respectively; 
     FIGS. 25A and 25B are a front view and a side view of the transfer needles respectively; 
     FIGS. 26A and 26B are a plan view and a side view of a cam member respectively; 
     FIG. 27 is a plan view of a point needle holder bed; 
     FIGS. 28A,  28 B, and  28 C are a perspective view showing a primary part of the point needle holder bed with point needles, a perspective view of the point needle, and a cross sectional view of the point needle respectively; 
     FIGS. 29A and 29B are a front view showing lifting strips before inserted between the transfer needles and a front view showing the lifting strips inserted between the transfer needles respectively; 
     FIG. 30 is a plan view showing a primary part of a sewing machine for sewing up the loops at the toe portion of the sock pattern; 
     FIG. 31 is a side view showing a primary part of the sewing machine; and 
     FIGS. 32A and 32B are an internal cross sectional view and a perspective view of a thread looseness eliminating device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Some embodiments of the present invention will be described referring to the relevant drawings. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 to  15 , an apparatus for knitting the toe of a sock comprises a sock knitting machine  1 , such as a circular knitting machine or a tubular knitting machine, for knitting a sock pattern of knitted fabric, a sock transfer mechanism  3  having a plurality of transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  arranged for shifting between a circular position and a linear position where their two rows are aligned opposite to each other, lifting upward and downward above the sock knitting machine  1 , and traveling in the horizontal direction to the sock knitting machine  1  so that the sock pattern of knitted fabric, denoted by A, fabricated by the sock knitting machine  1  can automatically be removed from the sock knitting machine  1  and transferred horizontally to another stage, and a sewing machine for sewing up the selvedge of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A received from the sock transfer mechanism  3 . 
     The sock knitting machine  1  comprises, as shown in FIGS. 1 to  22 , a rotatable circular cylinder  4 , a multiplicity of knitting needles  5  supported in a recess provided in the outer side of the cylinder  4  for upward and downward movements to knit the sock pattern of knitted fabric A, a multiplicity of sinkers  6  mounted on a sinker bed of the cylinder  4  for producing stitches with the knitting needles  5 , a multiplicity of bits  7  mounted on the inner side of the cylinder  4  for removing the stitches from the fingers of the sinkers  6  and transferring the loops on the knitting needles  5  to the transfer needles described later, and a vacuum pipe  8  mounted in the cylinder  4  for suctioning and lifting down the sock pattern of knitted fabric A by the action of vacuum. In action, as the knitting needles  5  are lifted up and down by the actions of cams not shown with the cylinder  4  rotating, the sock pattern of knitted fabric A can be knitted from a ribbed top to a body, a heel, a foot, and a toe. 
     The sock transfer mechanism  3  has a support post  10  mounted upright on a base plate  9  as spaced from the sock knitting machine  1 . A base plate  11  is mounted horizontally to the support post  10  for rotation about and upward and downward movement along the support post  10 . The upward and downward movement of the base plate  11  is activated by an air cylinder  12  mounted between the base plate  11  and the base plate  9 . A tubular member  13  of which the inner diameter is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the cylinder  4  is mounted on the base plate  11  so that it comes just above and coaxial with the sock knitting machine  1  when the base plate  11  is shifted to the location above the sock knitting machine  1 . 
     A guide ring  15  having a multiplicity of grooves  14  provided in the outer side thereof is fitted in the tubular member  13  for upward and downward movement. The upward and downward movement of the guide ring  15  is activated by an air cylinder  17  mounted between the base plate  11  and a lifting plate  16  fixedly joined to the top of the air cylinder  17 . A vacuum pipe  18  is provided movable upward and downward in the guide ring  15  for suction and lifting of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A fabricated by the sock knitting machine  1 . The upward and downward movement of the vacuum pipe  18  is synchronized with that of the guide ring  15 . Also, the vacuum pipe  18  can independently be lifted upward and downward by the action of a cylinder  20  mounted between the lifting plate  16  of the guide ring  15  and a lifting plate  19  joined to the top of the cylinder  20 . 
     Provided beneath the base plate  11  are the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  which can be shifted between the circular position and the linear position where two rows are aligned opposite to each other just below the axis of the tubular member  13 . 
     Each of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  comprises an upper block  21  and a lower holder  22  of a rectangular shape. A group of grooves  23  are provided in the holder  22  so that they extend radially when arranged in the circular position. A transfer needle  24  and a cam member are movably mounted in each groove  23 . A group of the transfer needles  24  can be moved together via the cam members  25  by the action of an air cylinder  26 . 
     FIGS. 16 to  21  illustrate an arrangement of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2 . In the arrangement shown, eight of the transfer needles equipped movable tables denoted by  2   a  to  2   h  are arranged at equal intervals in the circular position. In the linear position, two rows of the four movable tables  2  are aligned opposite to each other. 
     A couple guide rails  27  are mounted at both sides of the axis of the tubular member  13  beneath the base plate  11 . A guide  28  is mounted movable on and along an outer half of each the guide rail  27  and has a pivot shaft  29  mounted thereon to which a pair of brackets  30  of substantially an L shape are pivotably joined for horizontal movement. The bracket  30  has a pivot pin  31  mounted to the distal end thereof and one of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  is pivotably joined to the pivot pin  31  as shown in FIG.  21 . The pivot pin  31  is movably fitted in a slot  33  provided in a positioning guide  32  mounted to the lower side of the base plate  11  so that it can move orthogonal to the guide rail  27 . 
     A guide  34  is mounted movable on and along the inner half of each the guide rail  27  and has a pivot pin  35  mounted thereon to which two of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  are joined for pivotal movement. Each of the two transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  has a pivot pin  36  mounted thereon. The pivot pin  36  is movably fitted in an arcuate slot  37  provided in the bracket  30 . 
     Because of the above described arrangement, when the paired brackets  30  are pivoted outwardly through an angle as shown in FIGS. 16 to  19 , the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  are arranged in the circular position about the axis of the tubular member  13 . When the paired brackets  30  are shifted inwardly to be parallel with each other as shown in FIG. 20, the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  are aligned in two opposite rows, four each row. 
     As the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2   a  to  2   h  are moved inwardly as shown in FIGS. 19 to  20 , they may collide with each other. For compensation, the pivot pins  29  for the brackets  30  are dislocated from the pins  35 , whereby the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  can be aligned in two rows as shown in FIG.  20 . 
     The pivotal movement of the brackets  30  may be actuated by an air cylinder or an electric motor. 
     The total number of the transfer needles  24  mounted in the grooves  23  of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  shown in FIG. 13 is equal to the number of the knitting needles  5  of the sock knitting machine  1 . Also, the number of the grooves  14  provided in the outer side of the guide ring  15  is the same. 
     As best shown in FIG. 25, the transfer needle  24  is arranged of an inverted L shape having an annular tip  38  provided at the distal end thereof for opening and closing motions and a pad  39  provided on a center region of a leg portion thereof which is fitted in the groove  23  of the transfer needles equipped movable table  2 . The cam member  25  for driving the transfer needle  24  has, as shown in FIG. 26, a cam  40  mounted thereon for moving the transfer needle  24  forward to its circular position and a cam  41  mounted thereon for moving the transfer needle  25  backward to its linear position, both cams sandwiching the pat  39 . The transfer needles  24  and the cam members  25  of each transfer needles equipped movable table  2  can be driven at once by the single cylinder  26 . 
     While the sock knitting apparatus of the present invention has the foregoing arrangement, a method of knitting the toe of a sock will now be described. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  22 , when the fabrication of a sock pattern of knitted fabric A is completed in the sock knitting machine  1 , the sock transfer mechanism  3  drives the horizontal base plate  11  to turn about the support post  10  until it stops just above the sock knitting machine  1 . As a result, the tubular member  13 , the guide ring  15 , and the vacuum pipe  18  of the sock transfer mechanism  3  are positioned coaxially of the cylinder  4  of the sock knitting machine  1 . The base plate  11  may be driven by an air cylinder or an electric motor. 
     At the time, the base plate  11  is at its upper position while the lower sides of the guide ring  15  and the vacuum pipe  18  remain high above the base plate  11 . The transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  mounted to the lower side of the base plate  11  are arranged in the circular position coaxially of the cylinder  4  of the sock knitting machine  1  so that their inner diameter is slightly greater than the diameter of the cylinder  4 . The transfer needles  24  of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  remain retracted from the front end of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  and their downwardly extending tips  38  are vertically spaced from the upper ends of the corresponding knitting needles  5  of the sock knitting machine  1 . 
     As the sock knitting machine  1  finished its action of fabricating the sock pattern of knitted fabric A, its knitting needles  5  are lifted up to the clear position with the cylinder  4  held at the original position. At the time, as the sock pattern of knitted fabric A is pulled down in the sock knitting machine  1  by the suction of the vacuum pipe  8 , its toe loops a are off the latches  5   b  of the knitting needles  5  and stay on the sinkers  6 a as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24. 
     Then, a latch ring (not shown) is elevated and the transfer bit  7  is lifted up to one step as shown in FIG.  3 . The cylinder  4  of the sock knitting machine  1  is moved one full turn and the suction of the vacuum pipe  8  is canceled. The cylinder  4  is moved again one full turn and the loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A are held on the fingers of the corresponding sinkers  6 . 
     This is followed by lifting down the transfer bit  7  of the sock knitting machine  1  to its lower position shown in FIG.  2 . Then, the base plate  11  of the sock transfer mechanism  3  just above the sock knitting machine  1  is lowered to the transfer position shown in FIG. 4 by the action of the air cylinder  12  so that the tips  38  of the transfer needles  24  on the movable tables  2  come flush with the hooks  5   a  of the knitting needles  5  of the sock knitting machine  1 . Simultaneously, the guide ring  15  and the vacuum pipe  18  are lowered by the action of the air cylinders  17  as shown in FIG. 5 until the lower end of the guide ring  15  moves into the circular position of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  and comes to the height level of the transfer needles  24 . 
     Then, the air cylinders  26  of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  are actuated to drive the cams  40  of the cam member  25  and thus push the transfer needles  24  forward to their arcuate position facing the guide ring  15  as shown in FIG.  6 . When the transfer needles  24  are further advanced at their front end into the corresponding grooves  14  provided in the guide ring  14 , they are positioned in a circle about the axis of the cylinder  4  of the sock knitting machine  1  as shown in FIG.  17 . As a result, the tips  38  of the transfer needles  24  come in engagement with the hooks  5   a  of the corresponding knitting needles  5  of the sock knitting machine  1  as shown in FIG.  23 . 
     This is followed by the retracting action of the air cylinder  20  lowering the vacuum pipe  18  until its lower opening end comes flush with the sinkers  6 , as shown in FIG.  7 . Then, the vacuum pipe  18  is actuated with its blower for suction of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A from the sock knitting machine  1 . As a result shown in FIG. 8, the sock pattern of knitted fabric A is turned inside out by the suction. The air cylinder  20  is then advanced to lift the vacuum pipe  18  up to the position shown in FIG. 9 where it is held in the guide ring  15 . 
     Then, the transfer bit  7  of the sock knitting machine  1  is lifted up until the loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A are held on the corresponding transfer needles  24 , as shown in FIG.  10 . FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate a step of the loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A are being transferred from the knitting needles  5  of the sock knitting machine  1  to the transfer needles  24 . When the sock pattern of knitted fabric A turned inside out is lifted up by the suction of the vacuum pipe  18  with the transfer needles  24  engaged with the hooks  5   a  of the corresponding knitting needles  5 , their loops a can smoothly be transferred from the knitting needles  5  to the corresponding transfer needles  24 . As the loops a have been transferred to the transfer needles  24 , the sock pattern of knitted fabric A fabricated by the sock knitting machine  1  and turned inside out is now held in the sock transfer mechanism  3 . The transfer bit  7  is then lowered to its no-action position. 
     This is followed by the air cylinder  12  advancing to return the base plate  11  from the lower position to the upper position shown in FIG.  12  and disengage the tips  38  of the transfer needles  24  from the hooks  5   a  of the corresponding knitting needles  5 . 
     When the retracting action of the air cylinders  26  drives the transfer needles  24  to move back from their arcuate position shown in FIG. 13, the vacuum pipe  18  and the guide ring  15  are then lifted up to their no-action position shown in FIG.  14 . As the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2   a  to  2   h  are shifted from the circular position and moved towards the axis of the cylinder  4 , they are aligned in two rows as stay in the linear position as shown in FIGS. 15 and 20. With the two rows of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  aligned opposite to each other, the sock pattern of knitted fabric A is sandwiched at its toe portion between the two rows of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  as best shown in FIG.  15 . The selvedge at the toe portion remains of the sock pattern held by the tips  38  of the transfer needles  24 , shown in FIG. 25, under the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2 . 
     While the sock pattern of knitted fabric A is sandwiched at its two portion between the two rows of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2   a  to  2   h,  the base plate  11  of the sock transfer mechanism  3  is turned about the support post  10  to depart from the sock knitting machine  1 . As the base plate  11  turns, the two portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A sandwiched between the two rows of the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2  is conveyed to a position just above the sewing machine. The selvedge at the toe portion of the sock pattern is then automatically sewed up with the sewing machine while held by the tips  38  of the transfer needles  24  beneath the transfer needles equipped movable tables  2 . 
     For sewing up the selvedge at the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric, the embodiment has a point needle bed  44  on which a plurality of point needles  43  are aligned at equal intervals of a distance as shown in FIG.  27 . In action, the point needles  43  are advanced into the corresponding loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A held by the tips  38   a  of the transfer needles  24  before lifted upward. 
     More particularly, each the point needle  43  is mounted to the holder bed  44  with its proximal end  47  inserted into a hole  46  provided at a recess  45  of the holder bed  44  as shown in FIG.  28 A. 
     The point needles  43  has a longitudinal recess  48  provided in the upper side thereof. 
     Before the point needles  43  are advanced into the corresponding loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A, the loops a are enlarged with a lifting member  60  shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B for ease of insertion of the point needles  43  into the corresponding loops a. 
     The lifting member  60  comprises a row of lifting strips  61  made of planer members. The lifting strips  61  are linearly alighted at equal intervals of the distance identical to that of the transfer needles  24  or the point needles  43  shown in FIG.  28 . More specifically, the lifting strips  61  are aligned alternating with the transfer needles  24 . 
     As the lifting member  60  is moved forward and backward and lifted upward and downward by a proper means, its lifting strips  61  are shifted from the position shown in FIG. 29A to the position shown in FIG. 28B so that each lifting strip  61  comes between any two adjacent transfer needle  24 . Then, each portion between two loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A is lifted up by the lifting strip  61 , hence causing the loops a to be enlarged while held by the tips  38   a  of the corresponding transfer needles  24 . 
     This allows the point needles  43  to advance without difficulty into the corresponding loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A which are kept enlarged with the lifting strips  61 . Also, as the loops a are enlarged uniformly, they can be sewed up without generating irregular stitches. 
     After the point needles  43  are advanced into the corresponding loops a, the lifting member  60  is lowered down from the point needles  43  and the transfer needles  24  and then its lifting strips  61  are withdrawn from the transfer needles  24 . 
     As the loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A held on the tips  38  of the transfer needles  24  are caught and lifted down slightly by the corresponding point needles  43  aligned at equal intervals on the holder bed  44  shown in FIG. 27, they are favorably maintained at equal intervals. 
     The loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A are then sewed up with the sewing machine  49  which, as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, includes a geneva mechanism  50  mounted at one end thereof where a follower wheel  53  remains static while a pin  52  mounted on a driver pin wheel  51  is disengaged from any of four slots  54  provided in the follower wheel  53 . 
     In action, as the driver pin wheel  51  makes one full turn, the geneva mechanism  50  is turned ¼ thus providing a ¼ pitch intermittent movement of a screw shaft  55 . 
     Also, the as the driver pin wheel  51  turns, a pair of gears  56  and  57  are actuated thus to drive the sewing needle  59  mounted to a rod  58  for intermittent reciprocal motions. 
     Because of both the movements, when the sewing needle  59  is advanced by the action of the paired gears  56  and  57  into the loop a held on the transfer needle  24 , the pin  52  of the driver pin wheel  51  is not engaged with any slot  54  of the follower wheel  53  in the geneva mechanism  50 , thus allowing the screw shaft  55  to remain not turned to hold the sewing machine  49  at the original position. 
     The loops a of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A are held at equal intervals by the action of the point needles  43  and can thus be sewed up precisely by the intermittent reciprocal action of the sewing needle  59  in and along the longitudinal recess  48  of each point needle  43 . 
     The lateral movement of the sewing needles  59  is made by the driver wheel  51 , of which the pin  52  is engaged with the slot  54  of the follower wheel  53  when the sewing needle  59  is retracted by the action of the gears  56  and  57 , turning ¼ with its pin  52  departing from the slot  54  of the follower wheel  53  which also turns ¼. This causes the screw shaft  55  to turn and drive the sewing needle  59  of the sewing machine  49  to the position of the next point needle  43  for sewing up the loop a on the next point needle  43 . 
     As the selvedge of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A has been sewed up with the sewing machine, the blower of the vacuum pipe  18  is switched off and the transfer needles equipped movable table  2  are returned back to the circular position. A finished sock is then removed from the sock transfer mechanism  3  and one cycle of sewing up the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric A is completed. Then, the apparatus is shifted back to above the sock knitting machine  1  and a next cycle of the action is commenced with the latch ring lowered for knitting another sock pattern of knitted fabric. 
     A feeder for feeding the toe sewing apparatus with a length of thread is provided where the thread is tensioned at a constant force with a tensioner so that it can hardly be loosened or entangled while being fed. 
     When the feeding of the thread is temporarily canceled for maintenance or other actions, the distance between the tensioner and the entrance of the sewing apparatus may be varied hence causing the thread to be loosened or entangled with neighbor threads. If worse, the thread may be cut off or fed at its entangled state, hence creating a downtime of the system. For compensation, a thread looseness eliminating device is preferably provided between the tensioner and the sewing apparatus. 
     FIGS. 32A and 32B are an internal cross sectional view and a perspective view of the thread looseness eliminating device. A thread  62  is introduced from above across a through hole  63  in the looseness eliminating device to the toe sewing apparatus installed beneath. In common, the thread  62  is balanced between a drawing strength of the toe sewing apparatus and a tension strength of the tensioner and can thus be fed without looseness into the toe sewing apparatus. 
     When the feeding of the thread is temporarily canceled for maintenance or other actions and the toe sewing apparatus is dislocated for the actions, the through hole  63  is filled with a jet of air generated by an air pump, conveyed through an air pipe  64 , and introduced from an air outlet  65 . Accordingly, when a loosened portion of the thread  62  is created by the distance between the tensioner and the entrance of the toe sewing apparatus dislocated being shortened, it may be blown and forced by a jet of air out from an aperture  66  provided opposite to the air inlet  65 . The loosened portion of the thread  62  hangs down from the aperture  66  due to its force of gravity as denoted by the one-dot chain line in FIG.  32 A and can be inhibited from being entangled with other portions. 
     After the maintenance or other actions are finished, the toe sewing apparatus is returned back to its original position and the loosened portion of the thread  62  is then retracted from the aperture  66  to the through hole  63 . As the thread  62  is fed straight across the through hole  63  to the toe sewing apparatus, the procedure of sewing up the selvedge of a sock pattern of knitted fabric can be restarted. 
     As set forth above, a sock pattern of knitted fabric fabricated by the sock knitting machine is lifted up and turned inside out by the suction from above. Then, the loops at the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric are transferred from the sock knitting machine to the transfer needled equipped movable tables which are in turn shifted from the circular position to the linear position. As the loops at the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric is held straight or flat between the two rows of the transfer needled equipped movable tables, they are conveyed to the toe sewing station by the movement of the transfer needled equipped movable tables and automatically sew up with the sewing machine. Since the sock pattern of knitted fabric fabricated by the sock knitting machine is automatically conveyed out from the sock knitting machine and sewed up at its toe portion, i.e. the procedure from knitting of the sock pattern to sewing up of the selvedge at the toe portion is automated, the production of quality socks will be improved in both the efficiency and the energy saving hence contributing to the cost down of the socks. 
     Also, the sock pattern of knitted fabric is turned inside out and held linearly at its toe portion and its selvedge at the toe portion can correctly be sewed up with the sewing machine. 
     Moreover, before the sewing up of the selvedge at the toe portion, the sock pattern of knitted fabric is lifted up by the action of the lifting member so that its loops at the toe portion can readily be transferred from the transfer needles to the corresponding point needles.