Circular sock machine and a method for its use

A circular knitting machine, comprising a circular sock machine (CSM) assembly, the CSM assembly comprising:

• a cylinder having an inner surface and an outer surface wherein the outer surface comprises a plurality of longitudinal grooves arranged vertically and equally spaced around the outer surface of the cylinder, and wherein the cylinder is configured to be rotated around a vertical axis in either a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction;
• a plurality of CSM needles, wherein each of the plurality of CSM needles is located within a longitudinal groove and each of the plurality of CSM needles comprises a top end, comprising a curved hook and a latch, and a bottom end comprising a CSM needle butt which at least partially extends beyond the longitudinal groove and the outer surface of the cylinder wherein a shaft connects the top end to the bottom end and the CSM needle butt comprises a surface at the bottom end of each of the plurality of CSM needles which is in a plane perpendicular to a plane of the shaft;
• a camshell, comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, and having an inner opening configured to contain the cylinder, a flat bottom shelf upon which the cylinder rests, and a needle track, located above the flat bottom shelf, wherein the needle track is configured such that each CSM needle butt of each of the plurality of CSM needles rests on and slides over the needle track, the needle track also comprising a left needle track ramp and a right needle track ramp;
• and
• a cam system comprising a first left cam pivotably connected to the inner surface of the camshell and located above the left needle track ramp, a second left cam located below the first left cam and above the left needle track ramp, a first right cam pivotably connected to the inner surface of the camshell and located above the right needle track ramp, a second right cam located below the first right cam and above the right needle track ramp, and a middle cam pivotably connected to the inner surface of the camshell and located between the first left cam and the first right cam and also between the second left cam and the second right cam.