Feed system of a resiliently elongated yarn in a hosiery machine and

Claim 1

In combination with a circular knitting machine of the type having a circle of needles, a yarn guide adapted to be selectively moved into and out of yarn feeding positions relative to the needle circle to feed stretch yarn to the needles to be knit thereby, means for tensioning the yarn whereby it is in stretch condition between said tension means and said needles, yarn holding and cutting means for holding and cutting said yarn upon discontinuance of the feeding thereof to said needles, said yarn guide having an active end including an abutment surface along which the yarn passes and the yarn guide being disposed adjacent said needle circle when said guide is in yarn feeding position, a clamping member attached to said yarn guide and including a free end portion terminating in a head, means normally urging the head of said clamping member toward said abutment surface of the yarn guide under a predetermined pressure, the yarn associated with said yarn guide and passing along said abutment surface being disposed between the head of the clamping member and said abutment surface of the yarn guide, said last named means being responsive to movement of said yarn across said surface in the feed direction under knitting tension to move said head away from said abutment surface, and said last named means being responsive to movement of said yarn across said surface in the opposite direction after the yarn is cut and feed is discontinued to move said head toward said abutment surface, whereby the yarn is allowed to move through the yarn guide under knitting tension in the feed direction, but is clamped between the head of the clamping member and the abutment surface of the yarn guide when the yarn is cut and feed is discontinued, thereby preventing the yarn from moving in the opposite direction.