Contact ring for circular knitting machines

Claim 1

A CONTACT RING ARRANGEMENT FOR USE IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE TO CONTROL THE OPERATION OF A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL KNITTING SYSTEMS OF SAID KNITTING MACHINE WHICH COMPRISES A CONTACT RING MOUNTED FOR LIMITED ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT, SAID RING HAVING A PLURALITY OF PHASESTAGGERED CAM SURFACES DEFINED THEREON CORRESPONDING TO THE PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL KNITTING SYSTEMS OF THE KNITTING MACHINE, ROTATIONAL CONTROL MEANS FOR EFFECTING PERIODIC PHASE-STAGGERED ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTACT RING, AND A CORRESPONDING PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL INTEGRAL CAM MEANS MOUNTED FOR CONSTANT AND CONTINUOUS DIRECT GUIDING CAM ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CONTACT RING AND IN TURN SAID CAM SURFACES DURING THE LIMITED ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTACT RING AND THUS DIRECT DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN ACTIVE AND INACTIVE OPERATIVE POSITIONS AS A RESULT OF SUCH MOVEMENT, SAID INDIVIDUAL INTEGRAL CAM MEANS SOLELY, IMMEDIATELY AND DIRECTLY CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF THE CORRESPONDING INDIVIDUAL KNITTING SYSTEMS IN RESPONSE TO SUCH GUIDING CAM ENGAGEMENT AND DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN SAID ACTIVE AND INACTIVE OPERATIVE POSITIONS.