A sewing machine and the method for closing open end of tubular knitted articles. The sewing machine is configured to knit and close the open end of a tubular knitted article, comprising a frame, a knitting head and a thread cutter. The knitting head and the thread cutter are disposed rotatably on the frame, the knitting head has a needle, a needle-shaped hook and a knot making peg to form thread knots, and the thread cutter is configured to cut the knitting thread, wherein the thread cutter is configured in a fashion of making a relative movement to the knitting head.

A sewing machine and the method for closing open end of tubular knitted articles. The sewing machine is configured to knit and close the open end of a tubular knitted article, comprising a frame, a knitting head and a thread cutter. The knitting head and the thread cutter are disposed rotatably on the frame, the knitting head has a needle, a needle-shaped hook and a knot making peg to form thread knots, and the thread cutter is configured to cut the knitting thread, wherein the thread cutter is configured in a fashion of making a relative movement to the knitting head.

A conventional sock, in which a pile yarn is knitted into loops together with a polyurethane yarn has cushioning properties, but has a problem in that it cannot be used for a long period of time. According to the present invention, a first component yarn 15a composed of two yarns, namely, a woolly nylon yarn 13a and a cotton yarn 14a, and a second component yarn 15b composed of two yarns, namely, a woolly nylon yarn 13b and a cotton yarn 14b, are alternately knitted into float loops every 10 loops. Accordingly, the cotton yarns that are less stretchable appear on the surface, and thus cushioning properties can be improved. Also, the yarn strength can be increased by the woolly nylon yarns that are highly stretchable, and also the strength can be further increased by using the component yarns each composed of two yarns: a woolly nylon yarn; and a cotton yarn. Accordingly, the obtained sock can be used for a long period of time.

A double layer sock and a sock having a seam under the toes of a wearer are described. The sock includes a tubular outer layer and an inner layer. The tubular outer layer includes a foot portion and a leg portion. The foot portion defines a foot bottom portion and an upper instep portion. The inner layer includes a number of edges that define a perimeter and is substantially aligned with the foot bottom portion of the tubular outer layer. One of the yarns extends between the inner layer and the tubular outer layer to connect the inner layer and the tubular outer layer around the perimeter of the inner layer and at spaced apart wales and courses. A region of the double layer sock corresponding to the upper instep portion is single-layered while a region of the double layer sock corresponding to the foot bottom portion is double-layered.

A loop joining apparatus is for joining loops of a tubular knitted article, and includes a reed unit and two loop holding units. The reed unit includes a first reed including a plurality of first reed teeth, and a second reed including a plurality of second reed teeth. The first and second reeds are pivotable relative to each other about a folding axis to transform between an expanded state and a stacked state. Each of the loop holding units holds at least one of two adjacent ones of the loops that are positioned closest to and symmetrical about the folding axis, to retain the at least one of the two adjacent ones of the loops on a corresponding one of the first and second reed teeth when the reed unit is transformed to the stacked state.

A loop joining apparatus is for joining loops of a tubular knitted article, and includes a reed unit and two loop holding units. The reed unit includes a first reed including a plurality of first reed teeth, and a second reed including a plurality of second reed teeth. The first and second reeds are pivotable relative to each other about a folding axis to transform between an expanded state and a stacked state. Each of the loop holding units holds at least one of two adjacent ones of the loops that are positioned closest to and symmetrical about the folding axis, to retain the at least one of the two adjacent ones of the loops on a corresponding one of the first and second reed teeth when the reed unit is transformed to the stacked state.

A toe closing method for closing a toe end with first and second circumferential portions includes the steps of: folding the first circumferential portion to super-impose over the second circumferential portion such that the toe end is formed with opposed first and second end points; knitting a stitching thread by threading the same through the loops of the superimposed circumferential portions to form a first loose thread and an initial stitch segment; continuously knitting the thread around the superimposed circumferential portions until the second end point is reached to form a joining segment; and continuously knitting the thread around a part of the joining segment to form at least one tail portion and a second loose thread.

A toe closing method for closing a toe end with first and second circumferential portions includes the steps of: folding the first circumferential portion to super-impose over the second circumferential portion such that the toe end is formed with opposed first and second end points; knitting a stitching thread by threading the same through the loops of the superimposed circumferential portions to form a first loose thread and an initial stitch segment; continuously knitting the thread around the superimposed circumferential portions until the second end point is reached to form a joining segment; and continuously knitting the thread around a part of the joining segment to form at least one tail portion and a second loose thread.

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.

A circular machine for producing tubular manufactured articles and a respective process are provided. The circular machine comprises a turner arranged above and axially aligned with a cylinder of the machine and configured to extract the tubular manufactured article from said cylinder. At the same time, turn it inside out, and a transferring apparatus for collecting, from at least one first half of the cylinder needles, the respective stitches and coupling them with the stitches initially arranged on a second half of the cylinder needles. As such, there are two stitches that have to be joined by processing at least one yarn through at least said half of the cylinder needles on each of the needles of one half of the cylinder needles.