US Patent 7305855 Machine knitting needle

The machine knitting needle of the invention, beginning at its hook (3), between the hook (3) and its latch bearing (9), has a convex or at least not concave shank contour, which defines the inner hook contour and on one end (18) adjoins the concave inner hook contour directly. It is attained as a result that the elevation angle which a yarn (23), located in the hook (3), must overcome if it is to slide on the shank does not increase at any point along the inner contour (17). Preferably, it even decreases steadily. It thus has its maximum value inside a space which is defined on the one hand by the inner hook contour (15) and on the other by a plumb line (L) or (L1) which is dropped, from the hook tip (12) or its tapering portion (11), onto the needle back (16), or if the needle back is not oriented parallel to the direction of motion of the machine knitting needle, onto the arrow that defines the direction of motion. The convex or at least not concave shank contour (17) merges continuously with the likewise convex contour of the needle cheek (7).