Pneumatic tensioning, everting, and discharging device and method for circular knitting machines

Claim 1

A DEVICE FOR EVERTING, TENSIONING, AND DISCHARGING TUBULAR FABRIC FED FROM A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE, COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND HOLLOW COAXIAL CONDUITS, SAID CONDUITS POSITIONED SO AS TO RECEIVE INSIDE THE FIRST OF SAID CONDUITS AND OUTSIDE THE SECOND OF SAID CONDUITS THE TUBULAR FABRIC AS IT IT KNITTED, SAID CONDUITS TERMINATING IN A POSITION REMOTE FROM THEIR FABRIC RECEIVING END, AIR SUPPLY MEANS HAVING AN AIR INTAKE AND AIR DISCHARGE, VALVE MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID AIR INTAKE AND SAID CONDUITS AND OPERABLE TO SELECTIVELY CONNECT SAID AIR INTAKE TO SAID FIRST CONDUIT TO THEREBY TENSION SAID FABRIC BEING KNITTED, AND TO SAID SECOND CONDUIT AT THE TERMINATION OF KNITTING TO THEREBY EVERT THE KNITTED FABRIC AND DRAW THE FABRIC THROUGH THE SECOND CONDUIT, SAID DEVICE HAVING A FABRIC RECEIVING ELEMENT OPERABLE TO ALLOW AIR FLOW THERETHROUGH, SAID ELEMENT DISPLACEABLE BETWEEN A FIRST AND SECOND POSITION, IN THE FIRST OF SAID POSITIONS SAID ELEMENT BEING IN REGISTRY WITH