Circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like and method for providing a tubular item

Abstract

A circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like (1), comprising at least one needle cylinder (2) which has a cylinder axis (100) and is configured to provide a tubular item (101), the circular machine (1) comprising a pickup device (10) which is adapted to pass between a pickup position, in which it is arranged coaxially around the needle cylinder (2) in order to pick up the tubular item (101) at a first axial end thereof (101a), and a release position at a further processing station (40) which is laterally spaced apart from the needle cylinder (2), at the further processing station (40) there being a turning device (20) which comprises a lower portion (22) which defines in an upper region an access mouth (21), which extends around a respective axis of extension (103), and an upper portion (25), which are arranged respectively below and above an intermediate region at which means (41) for supporting the tubular item (101) to be turned, which hangs at the first axial end (101a), are or can be positioned, the lower portion (22) of the turning device (20) being designed to accommodate coaxially the tubular item (101) in order to perform its turning, and being movable between a first position, in which the access mouth (21) is aligned with the upper portion (25) in order to allow the turning of the tubular item (101), and a second position, in which the access mouth (21) is arranged laterally with respect to the upper portion (25) in order to allow the transfer of the tubular item (101) from the needle cylinder (2) into the lower portion (22) of the turning device (20), characterized in that the circular machine (1) comprises a lifting element (50) which is adapted to pass between an inactive condition, in which it is arranged externally with respect to the region affected by the movement of the pickup device (10) and of the corresponding tubular item (101) associated therewith during the transition of the lower portion (22) from the second position to the first position, and an active position, in which the lifting element (50) is adapted to interact with at least one portion of the tubular item (101), in the active position the lifting element (50) is movable on command along a lifting trajectory (200) in order to engage with the portion of the tubular item (101) so as to determine the disengagement of the second axial end (101b) of the tubular item (101), opposite to the first axial end (101a), from the needle cylinder (2) and the conveyance of the second axial end (101b) of the tubular item (101) to the access mouth (21) when the lower portion (22) is in the second position.