Patent ID: 8561434

Claim:
A circular knitting machine comprising at least a rotatable needle cylinder provided with a number of axially extending slots, which needle cylinder is at least reciprocatingly rotatable in a forward direction and a backward direction, a number of needle elements slidably located in the slots, each needle element being provided with at least one cam follower and near an upper end thereof with a hook and a latch, the latch being pivotable with respect to the hook from an open position to a closed position, and vice versa, stationary cam means for moving the needle element in axial direction according to a predetermined path, which circular knitting machine is further provided with actuation means for moving at least the cam follower of each needle element from an active position in which the cam follower is engageable with the cam means for moving the needle element in axial direction to an inactive position in which the cam follower is disengaged of the cam means, and vice versa, wherein the knitting machine comprises at least one first and one second movable cam, each movable cam being movable between a rest position and a use position for amending the predetermined path of the stationary cam means and vice versa, wherein when the needle cylinder is being rotated in the forward direction the first movable cam is movable into its use position, whilst when the needle cylinder is being rotated in the backward direction, the second movable cam is movable into its use position, wherein the actuation means are provided near each movable cam for individually moving at least the cam follower of each needle element from an active position in which the cam follower is engageable with the corresponding movable cam to an inactive position in which the cam follower is disengaged of the corresponding movable cam, and vice versa.