The Raschel machine is comprised of a plurality of lapping belts and a yarn laying-in comb which penetrates the pattern yarns running to the latch needles. The comb moves substantially at right angles to the axis of the latch needles and carries out a combined stroke and oscillating motion. In addition, a plurality of stitch forming systems are provided on the opposite side of the lapping belts and laying-in comb from the plane of the latch needles. The guide bars of these systems oscillate at an angle to the pattern yarns and move in a circular orbit.