Convertible circular knitting machine

摘要

A convertible circular knitting machine having a creel and feeders which is adapted to be converted from producing fleece fabric to producing jersey fabric or back. The apparatus includes a knitting cylinder adapted to receive a plurality of knitting needles and a bed for supporting the cylinder. A plurality of fleece section blocks are adapted to be attached to the bed and arranged along the perimeter of the cylinder to produce fleece fabric. The apparatus also includes a plurality of jersey section blocks each having the same number of feeders and peripheral dimensions as each fleece section block and adapted to be attached to the bed and arranged along the perimeter of the cylinder to produce jersey and a plurality of fleece sinkers for use with the fleece section blocks for producing fleece fabric and a plurality of jersey sinkers for use with the jersey section blocks for producing jersey fabric. As a result, the circular knitting machine may be converted from producing fleece fabric to producing jersey fabric or back without extensive modifications or replacement of the creel, feeders or cylinder.