Method and apparatus for executing the closing of a knitted tubular manufacture at an axial end thereof, at the end of its production cycle on a circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like

Abstract

A method for executing the transfer of a knitted tubular manufacture (20), at the end of its production cycle, to a sewing or linking station (50), which comprises: -an initial step of production of the manufacture (20) up until the execution of the last course of knitting; - a step of translating the knitting loops, which were previously held in the head (12) of the corresponding needle, along the shank (11) of the needle (12), until they are brought below the corresponding latch (12a) in the “dropped” position; - positioning, coaxially to the needle cylinder (14), an annular pickup device (2) provided with pickup elements (4) which have an engagement portion (4a) which extends downward; - transferring, by means of pusher elements (30) associated with the pickup device (2), the knitting loops from the "dropped" position toward the respective engagement portion (4a) of the pickup elements (4); - a step of positioning the manufacture (20) held by the engagement portions (4a) and by the pushing and holding portions (30a) of the pickup device (2) at the sewing or linking station (50); - a step of individually transferring the knitting loops from the engagement portions (4a) to spikes (41) of an annular handling device (40); - a step of turning the manufacture (20) inside out; - a step of disengaging the pushing and holding portions (30a) from the respective sinker loops or linking loops; - a step of disengaging the engagement portions (4a) from the respective knitting loops.