A needle-holding unit for circular knitting machines has a structure shaped as a hollow solid of rotation developing around a central axis is configured for turning around said central axis and for supporting a plurality of needles moving so as to produce a knitted fabric. The needle-holding unit exhibits on an outer side at least one working surface, on which a plurality of needle seats is defined, which are placed beside one another and arranged around the central axis. Each of the needle seats movably houses at least a portion of at least one respective needle which can be actuated with an alternate motion along the respective needle seat with a motion of extraction and a motion of return, in order to produce knitted fabric. Each needle seat has an inclined longitudinal development with respect to the central axis. The working surface has a shape as a surface of rotation obtained through the rotation of the inclined needle seats around the central axis, and in particular the working surface is a non-cylindrical, non-conical three-dimensional surface.

A needle-holding unit for circular knitting machines has a structure shaped as a hollow solid of rotation developing around a central axis is configured for turning around said central axis and for supporting a plurality of needles moving so as to produce a knitted fabric. The needle-holding unit exhibits on an outer side at least one working surface, on which a plurality of needle seats is defined, which are placed beside one another and arranged around the central axis. Each of the needle seats movably houses at least a portion of at least one respective needle which can be actuated with an alternate motion along the respective needle seat with a motion of extraction and a motion of return, in order to produce knitted fabric. Each needle seat has an inclined longitudinal development with respect to the central axis. The working surface has a shape as a surface of rotation obtained through the rotation of the inclined needle seats around the central axis, and in particular the working surface is a non-cylindrical, non-conical three-dimensional surface.

A circular textile knitting machine includes a drive chain for each needle inserted in a respective longitudinal groove, located below a respective needle and operatively interposed between the respective needle and actuating cams. The drive chain includes a sub-needle arranged below the needle and engaged with the needle to be axially moved in the respective longitudinal groove together with the needle. The sub-needle includes a movable butt radially movable between an operating position, in which it is extracted to be engaged with respective first paths defined by first actuating cams and cause activation of the needle, and a non-operating position, in which it is retracted to not be engaged with the first paths. A selector is partly located below the sub-needle and partly alongside the sub-needle and is configured for oscillating between an active position, in which it pushes the movable butt into the operating position, and a rest position, in which it allows the movable butt to return into the non-operating position. The selector is axially uncoupled from the sub-needle and from the needle in a manner such that the needle and the sub-needle are never pushed or pulled axially by the selector. A selecting device acts upon command on the selectors so as to cause the passage thereof into the active position.

A circular textile knitting machine includes a drive chain for each needle inserted in a respective longitudinal groove, located below a respective needle and operatively interposed between the respective needle and actuating cams. The drive chain includes a sub-needle arranged below the needle and engaged with the needle to be axially moved in the respective longitudinal groove together with the needle. The sub-needle includes a movable butt radially movable between an operating position, in which it is extracted to be engaged with respective first paths defined by first actuating cams and cause activation of the needle, and a non-operating position, in which it is retracted to not be engaged with the first paths. A selector is partly located below the sub-needle and partly alongside the sub-needle and is configured for oscillating between an active position, in which it pushes the movable butt into the operating position, and a rest position, in which it allows the movable butt to return into the non-operating position. The selector is axially uncoupled from the sub-needle and from the needle in a manner such that the needle and the sub-needle are never pushed or pulled axially by the selector. A selecting device acts upon command on the selectors so as to cause the passage thereof into the active position.

A support and control device, intended to be mounted in a circular knitting machine provided with a supporting structure, a rotating needle-holding unit, and a plurality of stitch formation components, includes a support body provided with a mounting portion, which allows the device to be mounted to the supporting structure, with a front side and a rear side. The front side faces the needle-holding unit and is provided with at least one cam for controlling the plurality of stitch formation components, which defines a guiding path which interacts with respective butts for controlling each of the stitch formation components; the rear side is opposite to the front side and faces the outside of the knitting machine. The front side is without undercuts or holes or hollow surfaces facing said needle-holding unit.

A support and control device, intended to be mounted in a circular knitting machine provided with a supporting structure, a rotating needle-holding unit, and a plurality of stitch formation components, includes a support body provided with a mounting portion, which allows the device to be mounted to the supporting structure, with a front side and a rear side. The front side faces the needle-holding unit and is provided with at least one cam for controlling the plurality of stitch formation components, which defines a guiding path which interacts with respective butts for controlling each of the stitch formation components; the rear side is opposite to the front side and faces the outside of the knitting machine. The front side is without undercuts or holes or hollow surfaces facing said needle-holding unit.

A circular knitting machine includes a needle-holding cylinder, having longitudinal grooves arranged around a central axis and housing a plurality of needles, and a needle-holding ring having radial grooves housing a plurality of holding-down sinkers, wherein each needle is paired with at least one respective adjacent sinker so as to form a needle-sinker assembly. Each needle-sinker assembly includes a pre-selection element paired with the respective needle and comprising a connecting portion and an activation element comprising an operating portion. The pre-selection element is vertically movable to a pre-selection configuration in which the connecting portion is engaged into a connecting seat defined in the sinker. The activation element is horizontally movable, towards the central axis, until acting upon the pre-selection element, so that the connecting portion causes in its turn a movement of the sinker in the radial groove towards the central axis, thus performing an activation of the sinker.

A circular knitting machine includes a needle-holding cylinder, having longitudinal grooves arranged around a central axis and housing a plurality of needles, and a needle-holding ring having radial grooves housing a plurality of holding-down sinkers, wherein each needle is paired with at least one respective adjacent sinker so as to form a needle-sinker assembly. Each needle-sinker assembly includes a pre-selection element paired with the respective needle and comprising a connecting portion and an activation element comprising an operating portion. The pre-selection element is vertically movable to a pre-selection configuration in which the connecting portion is engaged into a connecting seat defined in the sinker. The activation element is horizontally movable, towards the central axis, until acting upon the pre-selection element, so that the connecting portion causes in its turn a movement of the sinker in the radial groove towards the central axis, thus performing an activation of the sinker.

A circular knitting machine for knitted items, comprising: a supporting structure; a needle-holding cylinder selectively turnable and provided with a plurality of cylinder needles; and a dial assembly. The dial assembly includes a supporting ring integral with the supporting structure; a needle-holding plate turnably mounted to the supporting ring; a plurality of plate needles; a plurality of control cams which interact with the plate needles to transmit to them a radial movement inside the respective sliding seat, wherein the control cams globally form a cam profile. The dial assembly includes a stitch cam placed movably on the supporting ring and interacting with the plate needles in a given angular sector during the rotation of the needle-holding plate, so as to transmit to the plate needles a motion of return for executing stitch formation. The stitch cam is selectively movable with respect to the cam profile.

A drive chain for stitch formation members of a circular knitting machine includes an element coupled or to be coupled with a stitch formation member, and an oscillating lever connected to said element on a junction area. The oscillating lever is configured for interacting with selecting devices so as to oscillate with respect to said element. The element comprises a first portion carrying a first butt and a second portion configured for slidingly coupling with a bottom of a respective groove. The first portion is elastically coupled with the second portion so as to keep the first butt in an operating position in which the first butt protrudes from the groove and to allow the first butt to get back into the groove in case of interference with one of the first actuating cams.