Latch needle for stitch forming textile machines

A latch needle for stitch forming textile machines, wherein said needle has a longitudinal direction and comprises:

• a needle shank having first and second ends, said needle shank having a latch slot formed therein extending in the longitudinal direction, said latch slot including a bearing location, said needle shank having a transversely extending pivot axis at said bearing location, and said needle shank further having a groove-like depression which extends from said latch slot toward said second end;
• a needle hook attached to said first end of said shank;
• a latch having first and second portions and first and second ends, said latch being pivotally mounted in said latch slot so that said latch is pivotal around the transversely extending pivot axis, said latch including a latch spoon in said first portion located to cooperate with said needle hook, said first portion of said latch extending from a position adjacent said bearing location to said first end of said latch and said second portion of said latch extending from said position adjacent said bearing location to said second end of said latch, said latch further having an upper face, a frontal face, a contact surface, and a contact-free surface, wherein said frontal face, said contact surface and said contact-free surface are all disposed in said second portion of said latch, said frontal face is disposed at said second end of said, latch, and said contact surface and said contact-free surface are disposed between said frontal face and said upper surface;
• and
• an elongate spring element having first and second ends, wherein said first end is attached to said needle shank in said groove-like depression and said second and is freely disposed in said latch slot;
• and wherein said latch is movable between a closed position in which said latch spoon cooperates with said needle hook and said second end of said spring element contacts said contact surface and said spring element biases said latch in a first pivoting direction, a completely open position in which said upper face of said latch engages said spring element and said spring element biases said latch in a second pivoting direction opposite to said first pivoting direction, and an intermediate position which is between said closed position and said completely open position, said intermediate position being defined as the position where said second end of said spring element contacts said contact surface, but said spring element no longer biases said latch, whereby said latch is freely pivotable from said intermediate position toward said completely open position until its upper face comes into contact with said spring element.