out of the cylinder 2 fig1 and bring the respective needles to knit in a known manner the two positions of the levers 4 are defined by small crossbars 10 which are attached to the uprights 7 at spacings which correspond to those of the holes 6 and which define stops means for the lever 4 so that any two adjacent crossbars 10 are alternately engaged by a part of the end 4b of one lever 4 which end has a smaller thickness dimension than the clearance between each crossbar 10 torsion springs 11 being coiled each around one of the pins 5 serve to hold the respective levers 4 in their rest positions whereat the end parts 4b engage the lower faces of the crossbars 10 at a point directly above the respective levers each spring 11 bears onto the ends of one of the crossbars 10 on one side and on the respective lever 4 on the other side or alternatively is configured with its two ends in contact with one crossbar 10 and the middle part of it in contact with the respective lever 4 fig3 alongside the supporting structure 3 there is secured a guiding and supporting body 12 having a substantially u like cross sectional configuration with two wings or extensions 13 and 14 and a base 15 as viewed from above fig3 the two wings or extensions 13.