CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE PANTY HOSE SLITTING DEVICE AND METHOD

Seamless tubular fabric, such as panty hose blanks, are slit in a walewise direction as they are being knit on a circular hosiery knitting machine by means of the present method and apparatus. A relatively thin hooked yarn holding dial element is supported inside of the needle circle for rotation in timed relationship with the needles therein and the hooked outer end portion is thin enough to pass between immediately adjacent knitting needles to pick up and hold the yarn as it is fed to and knit on needles positioned adjacent opposite sides thereof. Cam means is provided for imparting radial movement to the dial element to cut the held yarn loop and separate or slit the fabric as it is knit.