This document discusses three main types of knitting needles: bearded needles, latch needles, and compound needles. Bearded needles are the simplest and cheapest type, made from a single piece of metal with a fixed hook. Latch needles are more complex but self-acting, with a movable latch that opens and closes to form loops. Compound needles have a separate sliding element that works with an open hook to form loops without straining the yarn. The document provides details on the features, parts, advantages, and limitations of each needle type.

1. Presented By –
Jijo M Daniel
PGDM (textiles)
14tm07

2. TYPES
THE BEARDED
NEEDLE
3 TYPES OF KNITTING NEEDLES
THE COMPOUND
NEEDLE
THE LATCH
NEEDLE
the hook opening and
closing device
a system allowing the
needle to move and
form the loop.
the hook, which takes
and retains the
thread to be looped

3. 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
move

4. 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 cast
with others in a metal ‘lead’.

5. BREADED NEEDLE AND KNITTING MACHINE PARTS

6. Advantages Limitation
• Less expensive
• Strain on yarn is less
• No possibility of fluff
or lint accumulation
on needle
• Good for warp
knitting machine
• Required an additional
element to close the
beard during knitting
• High wear and break
easily
• Limiting productivity
• A knitting section
occupies a considerable
amount of space
• Individual loop formation
has to be achived by a
loop forming element, this
leads to a more
complicated

7. 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, tuck
or miss stitch.

8. Features-hook
The Hook: The hook which draws and returns
the new loop.
The slot or Saw Cut: This slot receives the latch
blade.

9. 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.

10. Features
The latch blade: This latch blade locates the
latch in the needle.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. Latch needle

14. Advantages Limitation
• 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
helps to manufacture
different design fabrics.
• 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

15. Types
pusher type tongue sliding
The tubular pipe needle has its tongue
sliding inside the tube of the open
hook.
The open-stem ‘pusher type’ or slide needle

16. Features
• Compound needles consist 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.
• These needle are very expensive