KNITTING NEEDLE

Suneel Talekar- sr. Faculty- SOFT-Pune

 Knitting needle
TYPES
3 TYPES OF KNITTING
NEEDLES
THE BEARDED THE LATCH THE COMPOUND
NEEDLE NEEDLE NEEDLE

the hook, which a system allowing

the hook opening takes and retains the needle to
and closing device the thread to be move and form the
Breaded needle
FEATURES
The bearded or spring
needle was the first type
of needle to be produced.
It is the cheapest and
simplest type to
manufacture as it is made
from a single piece of
metal
The bearded needle is
essentially a frame needle,
the needles being fixed to
Breaded needle
PARTS
The head, where the stem is turned into
a hook to draw the new loop through
the old loop.
The beard, which is the curved
downwards continuation of the hook
that is used to separate the trapped
new loop inside from the old loop as it
slides off the needle beard.
The stem, around which the needle loop
is formed.
The eye, or groove, cut in the stem to
receive the pointed tip of the beard
when it is pressed, thus enclosing the
new loop.
The shank, which may be bent for
individual location in the machine or
 Breaded needle
BREADED NEEDLE AND KNITTING MACHINE PARTS
 Breaded needle
Knitting action

he rest position
Backward swing and overlap shog
The return
(b, c). swing and second rise

Pressing (e) Landing (f). Knock-over and underlap shog

Breaded needle
Knitting action
 Breaded needle
Knitting action

2 3 4
1 5
6 7
1. The needle is in the (so-called) rest position, with the previously formed
loop (a) held on its stem and covered by the hook.
2. The loop is cleared from the needle hook to a lower position on the needle
stem.
3. The new yarn (b) is fed to the needle hook at a higher position on the
needle stem than the position of the previous (old) loop.
4. The yarn is formed into a new loop.
5. The hook is closed, enclosing the new loop and excluding and landing the
old loop onto the outside of the closed hook.
6. The new loop (b) is drawn through the head of the old loop (a).
Simultaneously the old loop slides off the closed hook of the needle and is
cast-off or knocked-over.
 Breaded needle
Required an
Advantages Limitation
additional element to
close the beard
Less expensive during knitting
Strain on yarn is High wear and break
less easily
No possibility of Limiting productivity
A knitting section
fluff or lint
occupies a
accumulation on considerable amount
needle of space
Good for warp Individual loop
knitting machine formation has to be
achived by a loop
 Latch needle
Characteristics
Latch Needle
Characteristics:
1. Most widely used in weft
knitting.
2. More expensive needle
than the bearded needle.
3. Self acting or loop
controlled.
4. Work at any angle.
5. Needle Depth determines
the loop length.
6. Variation of the height of
reciprocating produces knit,
 Latch needle
Features-hook
The Hook: The hook which draws and
returns the new loop.
The slot or Saw Cut: This slot receives the
latch blade.
 Latch needle
Features
The Cheeks or Slot Walls: It is either punched or
riveted to fulcrum the latch blade.
The Rivet: The rivet which may be plain or threaded.
This has been dispensed with on most plated metal
needles by pinching the slot walls to retain the latch
blades.
The latch blade: This latch blade locates the latch in
the needle.
Latch needle
Features
The latch blade: This latch blade locates
the latch in the needle.
 Latch needle
Features-latch and latch spoon
The latch spoon: The latch spoon is an extension of blade and
bridges the gap between the hook and stem.
 Latch needle
Features
7. The stem: The stem of latch needle
carries the loop in the clearing on rest
position.
8. The Butt: Butt of latch needle enables the
needle to be reciprocated.
9. The Tail: The tail is an extension below
the butt giving additional support to the
needle and keeping the needle in its trick
Latch needle
Latch needle
Latch needle
Knitting action
Latch needle
Knitting action
 Latch needle
Knitting action
The rest position:The head
of the needle hook is level with
the top of the verge of the
trick. The loop formed at the
previous feeder is in the closed
hook. It is prevented from
rising as the needle rises, by
holding-down sinkers or web
holders that move forward
between the needles to hold
 Latch needle
Knitting action-latch opening

Latch opening:As the needle

butt passes up the incline of
the clearing cam, the old
loop, which is held down by
the sinker, slides inside the
hook and contacts the latch,
turning and opening it.
 Latch needle
Knitting action-clearing height

Clearing height:When
the needle reaches the
top of the cam, the old
loop is cleared from the
hook and latch spoon on
to the stem. At this point
the feeder guide plate
acts as a guard to
prevent the latch from
closing the empty hook.
 Latch needle
Knitting action-yarn feeding
Yarn feeding and latch
closing:The needle starts to
descend the stitch cam so
that its latch is below the
verge, with the old loop
moving under it. At this
point the new yarn is fed
through a hole in the feeder
guide to the descending
needle hook, as there is no
danger of the yarn being fed
below the latch. The old loop
contacts the underside of
the latch, causing it to close
 Latch needle
Knitting action-cast off

Knocking-over and
loop length
formation:As the
head of the needle
descends below the
top of the trick, the
old loop slides off the
needle and the new
loop is drawn
through it.
 Latch needle
Advantages
Major advantages of being
self acting or loop
controlled, so that
individual movement and
control of the needle enable
stitch selection to be
achieved.
Ideally suited for use with
computer controlled
electronic selection devise.
Latch needle can operate at
any angle.
Variation of the height of
vertical can produce knit,
miss and tuck loop which
Limitation
Latch needle are thick
and rigid, so any
deflection id design
effect on fabric
Needle deflection is
difficult
It imposes a certain
strain on yarn
There is also possibility of
fluff or lint accumulation
on the latch due to
rubbing of the yarn on
needle
 Latch needle
Difference between latch and bearded
needle
Latch needle Spring bearded
needle
1. It contains a hook 1. This needle consists
portion at the top & a of a top hook curved
latch reverted at certain downwards with a
distance from the needle finished tip.
head.
2. The main element of 2. The downward
knitting is latch. continuation is called
beard.
3. The latch needles are 3. The spring bearded
self-acting. needles are not self-
 Latch needle
Difference between latch and bearded
needle
Latch needle Spring bearded needle
5. Machine gauge is 5. Machine gauge is finer
coarser then spring then latch needle.
bearded needle.
6. This one is not simple 6. Simple type of needle.
type needle.
7. It has reduced stroke. 7. It has more stroke than
latch needle.
8. Most widely used in 8. More widely used in
weft knitting. circular single knitting.
9. Complicated operating 9. Easy operating system.
system.
10. The latch needle is 10. The spring bearded
 Compound needle
Types
pusher type tongue sliding

The tubular pipe needle has its

e open-stem pusher type or slide needle
tongue sliding inside the tube of the
Compound needle
Compound needles consist
Features
o two separately controlled
parts- the open hook and
the sliding closing element
(tongue, latch, piston,
plunger)
It is most popular in warp
knitting machines
Strain in not put on the
yarn
Both members of
compound needle have a
straight, thus knitting
speed can be increased.
Thanks