A circular hosiery knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder which can be actuated with a rotary motion about its own axis, arranged vertically, and on the skirt of which there is a plurality of axial grooves, each accommodating a needle, a tubular body being arranged internally and coaxially to the needle cylinder and being adapted to receive the manufactured item during its forming; the tubular body is supported so that it can slide along an axial direction within the needle cylinder; and actuation means which act on command on the tubular body in order to actuate its axial movement with respect to the needle cylinder, the actuation means being associated with means for controlling the speed of the tubular body.

A process to close an end of a tubular manufactured article directly on hosiery and knitwear circular machines, a respective circular machine and a respective device are described. The process provides that a respective stitch is collected from each needle of at least one first half of adjacent needles of the machine cylinder; the stitches are arranged on corresponding needles of a second half of adjacent cylinder needles, so that each of the needles of the second half of the needles carries a pair of stitches of the last course, which are arranged, at first, on opposite cylinder needles with reference to a diameter of the cylinder; at least one yarn is fed to the cylinder needles; and the pairs of stitches are joined together and the end of the tubular manufactured article is closed, by processing the yarn with the needles of the second half of the cylinder needles.

A process to close an end of a tubular manufactured article directly on hosiery and knitwear circular machines, a respective circular machine and a respective device are described. The process provides that a respective stitch is collected from each needle of at least one first half of adjacent needles of the machine cylinder; the stitches are arranged on corresponding needles of a second half of adjacent cylinder needles, so that each of the needles of the second half of the needles carries a pair of stitches of the last course, which are arranged, at first, on opposite cylinder needles with reference to a diameter of the cylinder; at least one yarn is fed to the cylinder needles; and the pairs of stitches are joined together and the end of the tubular manufactured article is closed, by processing the yarn with the needles of the second half of the cylinder needles.

A turning device for sewing or grafting stations for automated closing of the tubular knitted items at a first end thereof includes a lower portion and an upper portion, arranged below and above an intermediate area on which can be positioned supporting means for the tubular item to be turned, hanging at its first axial end, and at least one tubular body to be inserted from below to above, with the upper axial end thereof, through the axial end of the item hanging from the supporting means for turning the tubular item. The device includes moving mechanisms for positioning the lower portion between a first operating position, in which it is vertically aligned with the upper portion, and a second operating position, in which it is displaced laterally with respect to the upper portion; a manipulating mechanism, movable between a non-operating position, in which it does not interact with the tubular item, and an operating position, in which it is placed above the tubular item. The switching of the manipulating mechanism from the non-operating position to the operating position takes place by catching the tubular item picked up by the knitting machine and placed close to the lower portion; the manipulating mechanism, in the operating position, manipulates and raises the tubular item so as to position a second free end thereof on the upper axial open end of the tubular item, thus causing or facilitating the insertion of the tubular item into the tubular body.

A turning device for sewing or grafting stations for automated closing of the tubular knitted items at a first end thereof includes a lower portion and an upper portion, arranged below and above an intermediate area on which can be positioned supporting means for the tubular item to be turned, hanging at its first axial end, and at least one tubular body to be inserted from below to above, with the upper axial end thereof, through the axial end of the item hanging from the supporting means for turning the tubular item. The device includes moving mechanisms for positioning the lower portion between a first operating position, in which it is vertically aligned with the upper portion, and a second operating position, in which it is displaced laterally with respect to the upper portion; a manipulating mechanism, movable between a non-operating position, in which it does not interact with the tubular item, and an operating position, in which it is placed above the tubular item. The switching of the manipulating mechanism from the non-operating position to the operating position takes place by catching the tubular item picked up by the knitting machine and placed close to the lower portion; the manipulating mechanism, in the operating position, manipulates and raises the tubular item so as to position a second free end thereof on the upper axial open end of the tubular item, thus causing or facilitating the insertion of the tubular item into the tubular body.

A textile tool part pair (15) consisting of two textile tool parts (16) and a method of equipping a textile machine with the aid of such a textile tool part pair (15) are disclosed. Each textile tool part (16) extends in a longitudinal direction (L) between a trailing end (21) and a leading end (22). Proceeding from the trailing ends (21) thereof, the textile tool parts (16) extend away from one another and counter to one another as far as the leading end (22). At the trailing ends (21), the two textile tool parts (16) of a common textile tool part pair (15) are interconnected by a predetermined breaking connection (45). The predetermined breaking connection (45) can be manually separated without tools, in particular by bending about a bending axis (A).

A textile tool part pair (15) consisting of two textile tool parts (16) and a method of equipping a textile machine with the aid of such a textile tool part pair (15) are disclosed. Each textile tool part (16) extends in a longitudinal direction (L) between a trailing end (21) and a leading end (22). Proceeding from the trailing ends (21) thereof, the textile tool parts (16) extend away from one another and counter to one another as far as the leading end (22). At the trailing ends (21), the two textile tool parts (16) of a common textile tool part pair (15) are interconnected by a predetermined breaking connection (45). The predetermined breaking connection (45) can be manually separated without tools, in particular by bending about a bending axis (A).

The linking device (9) includes a first bowed needle (17) mounted on a first shaft (13) and a second bowed needle (19) mounted on a second shaft (15). The first shaft (13) and the second shaft (15) are mutually inclined to each other and are controlled in order to pivot alternatingly around a pivot axis (A-A) of the first shaft (13) and a pivot axis (B-B) of the second shaft (15), respectively. The first shaft (13) is rigidly coupled to a first pin (27) pivoting therewith; the second shaft (15) is rigidly coupled to a second pin (31) pivoting therewith; and a slider (35) is slidingly mounted on the first pin (27) and on the second pin (31).

The linking device (9) includes a first bowed needle (17) mounted on a first shaft (13) and a second bowed needle (19) mounted on a second shaft (15). The first shaft (13) and the second shaft (15) are mutually inclined to each other and are controlled in order to pivot alternatingly around a pivot axis (A-A) of the first shaft (13) and a pivot axis (B-B) of the second shaft (15), respectively. The first shaft (13) is rigidly coupled to a first pin (27) pivoting therewith; the second shaft (15) is rigidly coupled to a second pin (31) pivoting therewith; and a slider (35) is slidingly mounted on the first pin (27) and on the second pin (31).

The method for manufacturing tubular knitted articles (M) comprises the steps of: a) knitting a tubular knitted article (M) with the needle cylinder (3); b) transferring loops (MA) of a last-formed course of loops from the needles (5) of the needle cylinder (3) onto the pick-up members (27A, 27B) of a transfer unit (21), divided into two circular half-rings (25A, 25B, 27A, 27B) which can be overturned over each other; c) overturning one of the circular half-rings (25A, 25B, 27A, 27B) of pick-up members (27B) onto the other so as to arrange two edge portions of the final edge of the tubular knitted article (M) one onto the other; d) joining the two edge portions to one another by means of joining stitches (A, B, C, D) formed in intermediate spaces between adjacent pick-up members (27A), whereon the knitted tubular article (M) is retained; e) unloading the knitted tubular article (M) with the closed toe from the transfer unit (21).