latch needles for knitting rib stitches the bearded and latch needles cooperate to knit rib fabric used for rib borders of garments the british pat no 980 019 describes a hook bar for opening latches hooks of the hook bar also serve after opening the latches to guard them and ensure the latches remain open for taking new yarn the hooks must engage the latch tips individually the hook bar and latch needles are reciprocated by separate drive mechanisms in synchronism drive mechanisms needles and hooks must be accurately adjusted as otherwise misalignment may occur the u s pat no 3 397 555 uses latchguards on individual needles which guards have no latch opening function the guards must be located accurately to ensure that new yarn is received properly in the latch needles whilst permitting the latch to operate normally the cost of the needles which use such latchguards is high the presser edge on the sinker bar is used in practice to open semi closed latches as the guards themselves do not physically engage the latches to hold them open it is an object of the invention to provide a latch guarding arrangement for rib needles which is reliable in operation and economic and reduces unintentional closing of latches according to the invention there is provided a rib needle bar assembly for a straight bar knitting machine including a rib needle bar latch needles mounted in the rib needle bar a latchguard member extending transversely across the latch needle stems movable.