Patent ID: 7685845

Claim:
A circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like, comprising at least one needle cylinder which has a vertical axis and has, on its lateral surface, a plurality of axial slots, each of which accommodates a needle and a needle actuation element, said actuation element comprising: at least one connecting element, which is provided, on its side directed toward the outside of the needle cylinder, with at least one movable heel; said connecting element being able to oscillate on a radial plane of the needle cylinder for the transfer of said movable heel from an active position, in which said movable heel protrudes radially from the corresponding axial slot of the needle cylinder to engage corresponding cams for actuating the connecting elements which face the lateral surface of the needle cylinder and define paths which can be followed by said movable heel, in the active position, as a consequence of the actuation of the needle cylinder with a rotary motion about its own axis with respect to said connecting element actuation cams, to an inactive position, in which said movable heel is contained in said axial slot of the needle cylinder so as to not engage said connecting element actuation cams, and vice versa; and a selector which is able to act on said needle actuation element in order to actuate the transfer of said movable heel of the connecting element from said inactive position to said active position, wherein said selector has a portion which protrudes between said connecting element and the bottom of the axial slot of the needle cylinder in which it is accommodated in any position which can be assumed by said connecting element during the operation of the machine, said selector is able to oscillate on said radial plane of the needle cylinder in order to actuate the transfer of said movable heel of the connecting element from said inactive position to said active position.