US Patent 7272958 Latch needle for textile machines

A novel latch needle has a sawslot (11) which is provided with facets or surfaces (22, 25) both at its frontal and its rearward end surfaces (18, 19). The surfaces (22, 25) are preferably parallel to one another and are oriented perpendicularly to the direction of length (L) of the shank. By virtue of this arrangement the surfaces are so oriented that the latch (6), as it opens or closes, pushes any dirt past the respective surfaces through the sawslot (11) and thus an accumulation and compacting of dirt cushions on the noted surfaces is avoided. Generally stated, the sawslot (11), particularly in the region of its end surfaces (18, 19) is thus void of any surface regions which represent an obstacle to the opening or closing latch (6).