834,673. Sewing machines. INDUSTRIE-WERKE KARLSRUHE A. G. Dec. 20, 1956 [Dec. 31, 1955], No. 38794/56. Class 112 The points in a linking machine are mechanically introduced in succession into the loops of the knitted fabric, are then fed mechanically past the sewing position, and are finally mechanically withdrawn in succession from the loops. The points 12 are mounted at the forward ends of plate-like carriers, 13, Fig. 6, and the latter are arranged in two vertically separated horizontal rows disposed in respective compartments which are connected together at their outer ends by vertical passages 15 and 16, Fig. 3. The carriers are moved in succession from the lower row through the right-hand passage 15 to join the upper row, where the associated points engage the fabric loops, said points then moving past the sewing needle 97 and looper 96, Fig. 1, and the carriers on reaching the end of the row being moved in succession through the lefthand passage 16 to join the lower row, the carriers thereby circulating in the anticlockwise direction. The machine comprises an arm 1 housing a U-shaped casing consisting of side walls 3 and 4 and a base 5, a block 9 being secured within said casing. The passages 15, 16, which are adjustable in width, are defined by the inner surfaces of walls 3, 4 and the outer surfaces of plates 20 adjustably fixed to block 9. The carriers are formed with opposed central notches 78, 79. The notches 78 of the top row are engaged by a pair of fixed guiding plates 74, 75 separated by a gap 82. The notches 79 are engaged by a horizontal arm 54<SP>1</SP> of a slidable L-shaped guiding member 54, the vertical and tapered arm 68 of which lies in a recess 70 formed in wall 4. Arm 54<SP>1</SP> is formed with a slot 56 which houses a spring 64 arranged to compress the upper row between a roller 58 mounted on member 54 and a tongue 86 disposed in passage 16, tongue 86 being pivotally mounted on block 9 and being biased against an abutment on the latter by a spring 98<SP>1</SP>. Arm 54<SP>1</SP> is also formed with a transverse notch 80 which is aligned with gap 82, whereby carriers may be inserted in or withdrawn from the upper row. The notches 79 of the lower row are engaged by a pair of fixed guide plates 76, 77 separated by a gap 83. The notches 78 are engaged by a horizontal arm 55<SP>1</SP> of a slidable L-shaped guiding member 55, the tapered vertical arm 69 of which lies in a recess 71 formed in wall 3. A spring 65, disposed in a slot 57 formed in arm 55<SP>1</SP>, is arranged to compress the lower row between a roller 59 mounted on member 55 and a tongue 88 disposed in passage 15, tongue 88 being pivotally mounted on block 9 and being biased against an abutment on the latter by a spring 91. Arm 55<SP>1</SP> is also formed with a transverse notch 81 which is aligned with the gap 83. Pivoted respectively on walls 3 and 4 are pairs of arms 31 and 32 connected together by links 33 and 34 respectively. The rear arms 31, 32 are mounted on a shaft 45 connected by a linkage 48, 50 to a pivoted fork 51 adapted to be oscillated, for swing- ing said arms, by a rotary cam 53. Arms 31, 32 carry pairs of adjustably mounted pins 23, 24, 25, 26 which pass through arcuate slots formed in the walls 3, 4 and project into the passages 15, 16. Said pins are adapted to engage notches 27, 28, 29, 30 formed in the carriers so as to convey the latter upwardly and downwardly in the respective passages 15, 16. When the arms 31, 32 move upwardly, a carrier engaged by the pins 25, 26 is transferred to one end of the upper row, while pins 23, 24 move the tongue 86 aside and engage the carrier at the other end of the upper row. When the arms 31, 32 move downwardly, the engaged carrier is transferred to the lower row and the pins 25, 26 move tongue 88 aside to engage a carrier in the lower row. It is stated that more than one carrier may be engaged at a time by adjusting the width of the passages and the length of the feeding pins, and also that a plurality of needles may be mounted on each carrier.