Removal device for removing a tubular knitted manufacture from a circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like

A removal device for removing a tubular knitted manufacture from a circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like, comprising

• an annular removal body which supports a plurality of removal members arranged around an axis of said removal body, said removal body being arrangeable coaxially around a needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like with each one of said removal members arranged so as to correspond to a respective needle of the machine,
• said removal body being configured to rotate on command about the axis of the removal body at a same angular velocity as said needle cylinder during steps of engagement of each removal member with the corresponding needle,
• wherein said removal members are supported by first and second annular portions which can move by rotation with respect to each other about an oscillation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the removal body in order to pass between a removal condition, in which said first and second annular portions are arranged so as to form a circumference that is coaxial with the axis of the removal device, and a sewing condition, in which said first and second annular portions are arranged so as to face each other,
• each of said removal members comprising a respective removal head which can move on command along a removal trajectory which has a first position that is substantially parallel to the axis of the removal body and at least one second position that is spaced radially outward from the axis of the removal body,
• said removal head comprising a wider portion designed to penetrate within a respective loop of knitting,
• wherein said removal heads are adapted to move, as a consequence of the penetration of the respective loop of knitting, below a knockover plane, and
• wherein said removal head comprises a longitudinal recess extending linearly within the removal member through the wider portion of the removal head.