Socks or stockings including integrated gripping systems include gripping material disposed on external surfaces of a sole of the sock and gripping material disposed on internal surfaces of the sock. In some examples, the integrated gripping systems comprise a first set of gripping dots comprising gripping material applied to external surfaces of the sole of the sock and a second set of gripping dots comprising gripping material applied to internal surfaces of the sole of the sock. In some examples, the integrated gripping systems comprise a knitted fabric including gripping yarn, which includes knitted gripping portions disposed on internal surfaces of the sock and external surfaces of the sock.

Socks or stockings including integrated gripping systems include gripping material disposed on external surfaces of a sole of the sock and gripping material disposed on internal surfaces of the sock. In some examples, the integrated gripping systems comprise a first set of gripping dots comprising gripping material applied to external surfaces of the sole of the sock and a second set of gripping dots comprising gripping material applied to internal surfaces of the sole of the sock. In some examples, the integrated gripping systems comprise a knitted fabric including gripping yarn, which includes knitted gripping portions disposed on internal surfaces of the sock and external surfaces of the sock.

A pick-up device for picking up a tubular knitted article from a circular knitting machine, comprising an annular pick-up body which supports pick-up elements which can slide relative to the pick-up body along radial directions. The end of each one of the pick-up elements has a seat which can engage a region of the stem of the needle located proximate to the latch of the needle on the opposite side with respect to the head of the needle. The device comprises actuation elements formed by elastic elements which act on the pick-up elements for their sliding toward the axis of the pick-up body and radial pushers which act on the pick-up elements for their sliding away from the axis of the pick-up body in contrast with the action of the elastic elements.

A pick-up device for picking up a tubular knitted article from a circular knitting machine, comprising an annular pick-up body which supports pick-up elements which can slide relative to the pick-up body along radial directions. The end of each one of the pick-up elements has a seat which can engage a region of the stem of the needle located proximate to the latch of the needle on the opposite side with respect to the head of the needle. The device comprises actuation elements formed by elastic elements which act on the pick-up elements for their sliding toward the axis of the pick-up body and radial pushers which act on the pick-up elements for their sliding away from the axis of the pick-up body in contrast with the action of the elastic elements.

A circular knitting machine includes sinkers and selector jacks corresponding thereto that are provided as separate components. The selector jacks are arranged radially outside the sinkers, and are provided with selector butts such that the selector butts of circumferentially adjacent selector jacks are arranged at different radial positions. An actuator that acts on the selector butts is arranged radially outside the cylinder. The circular knitting machine prevents a failure of sinker selection, while increasing a rotation speed of a cylinder holding knitting needles.

A circular knitting machine includes sinkers and selector jacks corresponding thereto that are provided as separate components. The selector jacks are arranged radially outside the sinkers, and are provided with selector butts such that the selector butts of circumferentially adjacent selector jacks are arranged at different radial positions. An actuator that acts on the selector butts is arranged radially outside the cylinder. The circular knitting machine prevents a failure of sinker selection, while increasing a rotation speed of a cylinder holding knitting needles.

A method for closing automatically an axial end of a tubular manufacture and for unloading it in inside-out configuration comprising a step of positioning the manufacture, in a right-way-out configuration, at a sewing or linking station, arranged so that its axis is substantially vertical and so that it hangs, by means of a first axial end to be closed by sewing or linking, from an annular handling device. Then a step is performed for inserting the manufacture, retained by the handling device, into an upper reversing tube that is or can be positioned, with its lower axial end, above the handling device. A step of closing the first axial end of the manufacture by sewing or linking is then performed. Then a step of disengaging the manufacture from the handling device and a step of removing the manufacture through the upper axial end of the upper reversing tube are performed.

A method for closing automatically an axial end of a tubular manufacture and for unloading it in inside-out configuration comprising a step of positioning the manufacture, in a right-way-out configuration, at a sewing or linking station, arranged so that its axis is substantially vertical and so that it hangs, by means of a first axial end to be closed by sewing or linking, from an annular handling device. Then a step is performed for inserting the manufacture, retained by the handling device, into an upper reversing tube that is or can be positioned, with its lower axial end, above the handling device. A step of closing the first axial end of the manufacture by sewing or linking is then performed. Then a step of disengaging the manufacture from the handling device and a step of removing the manufacture through the upper axial end of the upper reversing tube are performed.

An aspect of the disclosure is a footwear article. The footwear article includes a double layer knitted upper having a foot bed, an upper portion continuous with the foot bed, an ankle opening, and an inner void for receiving a foot of a wearer. The double layer knitted upper has an outer knit layer defining an exterior surface of the double layer knitted upper. The double layer knitted upper also has an inner knit layer monolithically knit to the outer knit layer. The inner knit layer has a plurality of inner knit regions that spatially correspond to the plurality of outer knit regions of the outer knit layer. The outer knit layer and the inner knit layer substantially define the foot bed and the upper portion of the double layer knitted upper.

A bent part of a sock has (i) a bulging part having a first bulging region which includes a region in which the number of wales decreases, and a second bulging region which includes a region in which the number of wales increases and (ii) an extended part having a first extended region in which the number of wales increases, and a second extended region in which the number of wales decreases. The extended part is located so as to be closer to a bend direction side than the bulging part. The extended part has a boundary part between the first extended region and the second extended region which boundary part has a bend direction side first end. The bend direction side first end is located on a center line in a direction in which a width of the sock extends, or within a predetermined distance from the center line.