of needles g1 g8 both of the cylinder and of the plate the needles of each arc g1 g8 either of the cylinder or of the plate are intended for the formation of a different leg of the four garments the two needle arcs of a pair of contiguous arcs g are separated by a needle arc t1 t3 t5 and t7 the needle arcs g1 t1 g2 g3 t3 g4 g5 t5 g6 g7 t7 g8 form needle arcs respectively m1 m3 m5 m7 both of the cylinder and of the disc intended to form the body part of each of the four garments arcs m1 m3 m5 m7 are separated by arcs either without needles or with needles which are inoperative in the arrangement illustrated in fig4 intended to form four garments to feed the needles of each of the arcs g1 g2 g8 provision is made for the relevant thread guide 50 still facing each of said arcs g1 g2 g8 at least one selection unit is provided comprising a programme drum 26 and at least one selection unit with a programme drum 44 again facing each arc g1 g2 g8 cam profiles are provided for raising and lowering both the selectors 18 and 41 and the needles 14 and 38 both the needle cylinder 1 and the plate 30 can move in alternating angular motion over an angle limited to the sum of an arc g and of half of arc t plus the width of the cams operating for lifting and lowering for the.