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).

A removal device for removing a tubular knitted manufacture from a circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like, comprising an annular removal body which supports a plurality of removal members arranged around the axis of the removal body, which is arrangeable coaxially around the needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine; the removal members are supported by first and second annular portions, which can move by rotation with respect to each other about an oscillation axis in order to pass between a removal condition and a sewing condition, in which the annular portions are arranged so as to face each other, the removal members forming a respective removal head which can move on command along a removal trajectory which has a component that is parallel to the axis of the removal body and at least one radial component away from the axis.

A removal device for removing a tubular knitted manufacture from a circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like, comprising an annular removal body which supports a plurality of removal members arranged around the axis of the removal body, which is arrangeable coaxially around the needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine; the removal members are supported by first and second annular portions, which can move by rotation with respect to each other about an oscillation axis in order to pass between a removal condition and a sewing condition, in which the annular portions are arranged so as to face each other, the removal members forming a respective removal head which can move on command along a removal trajectory which has a component that is parallel to the axis of the removal body and at least one radial component away from the axis.

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 method for reversing a tubular knitted article (S) is disclosed. According to the method, the tubular knitted article (S), engaged at a first end thereof by a pick-up device (5) and hanging with a second end thereof from the pick-up device, is introduced in a reversing tube (15). The reversing tube (15) is moved through the pick-up device (5) so as to project with the upper end (15B) thereof above the pick-up device; and the reversing tube (15) is moved reciprocatingly up and down between an upper position and a lower position, while co-acting with a top clamping device (31) and a bottom clamping device (35) until the tubular knitted article (S) is entirely everted on the outer surface of the reversing tube (15).

A knitting mechanism 7 of a knitting machine 1 knits a knitted product by overlaying a knitted fabric in a plurality of layers. When knitting the knitted product, the knitting mechanism 7 retains a loop formed when knitting an (N−1)th-layer knitted fabric (N being an integer of 2 or more) even after completion of the knitting the (N−1)th-layer knitted fabric, and when knitting stitches in an Nth-layer knitted fabric, retains loops already formed in the Nth layer, knits the stitches by passing a new thread through both the loops already formed and retained in the Nth layer and, of the loops retained in the (N−1)th layer, loops at corresponding positions to the loops already formed in the Nth layer, and releases the retention of the loops at the corresponding positions in accordance with the knitting of the stitches, while continuing to retain the loops already formed in the Nth layer even after completion of the knitting of the Nth layer knitted fabric. As a result, the knitting mechanism 7 knits the knitted product formed of the plurality of layers of knitted fabric in which two layers of knitted fabric that are adjacent in the top-bottom direction are joined by connecting loops at mutually corresponding positions.

A knitting mechanism 7 of a knitting machine 1 knits a knitted product by overlaying a knitted fabric in a plurality of layers. When knitting the knitted product, the knitting mechanism 7 retains a loop formed when knitting an (N−1)th-layer knitted fabric (N being an integer of 2 or more) even after completion of the knitting the (N−1)th-layer knitted fabric, and when knitting stitches in an Nth-layer knitted fabric, retains loops already formed in the Nth layer, knits the stitches by passing a new thread through both the loops already formed and retained in the Nth layer and, of the loops retained in the (N−1)th layer, loops at corresponding positions to the loops already formed in the Nth layer, and releases the retention of the loops at the corresponding positions in accordance with the knitting of the stitches, while continuing to retain the loops already formed in the Nth layer even after completion of the knitting of the Nth layer knitted fabric. As a result, the knitting mechanism 7 knits the knitted product formed of the plurality of layers of knitted fabric in which two layers of knitted fabric that are adjacent in the top-bottom direction are joined by connecting loops at mutually corresponding positions.

The present disclosure provides a knitted component for an article of footwear. The knitted component may include a first side and a second side, where the first side and the second side form an overfoot portion. An underfoot portion may be located between the first side and the second side, where at least a portion of the first side and at least a portion of the second side of the knitted component are located on one of a medial side and a lateral side of the overfoot portion, and where a knitted course extends from the first side, through the underfoot portion, and to the second side.

The present disclosure provides a knitted component for an article of footwear. The knitted component may include a first side and a second side, where the first side and the second side form an overfoot portion. An underfoot portion may be located between the first side and the second side, where at least a portion of the first side and at least a portion of the second side of the knitted component are located on one of a medial side and a lateral side of the overfoot portion, and where a knitted course extends from the first side, through the underfoot portion, and to the second side.