Patent 7117694 was granted and assigned to Groz-Beckert on October, 2006 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A knitting tool (1) is provided with a braking spring (15) formed on the knitting tool as a one-piece member thereof. The braking spring has a thickness (W) which is less than that of the knitting tool (1), whereby the braking spring (15) may yield to a great extent and has a soft spring characteristic. Such a result may be achieved even with short spring lengths, whereby dimensional deviations of the spring have only a slight effect on the spring force. The structure is only slightly prone to soiling. The knitting tool may be manufactured in a simple manner.