Turning device for tubular knitted articles, particularly for sewing or looping stations for the automated closing of tubular articles at an axial end thereof

A turning device for tubular knitted articles, comprising a lower portion and an upper portion, which are arranged respectively below and above an intermediate region at which means for supporting the tubular article to be turned can be positioned, the tubular article to be turned hangs at one of the axial ends of said supporting means and is arranged substantially vertically, and a tubular body, which can be inserted from the bottom upwardly, with the upper axial end of said tubular body, through said axial end of the article that hangs from said supporting means after aspirating the article through said upper axial end of the tubular body, for the eversion of the article, retained by said supporting means, onto the outer lateral surface of said tubular body with progressive extraction of the article from said upper axial end of the tubular body, further comprising auxiliary sliding means, which can move on command with respect to said tubular body, parallel to the axis of said tubular body, and can engage and disengage cyclically the article everted onto the outer lateral surface of said tubular body in order to produce the sliding of the article toward the lower axial end of said tubular body, wherein said lower portion can be inclined on command with respect to said vertical main axis with said tubular body supported by said lower portion and in said lowered position.