To provide a linking machine capable of performing a more accurate sensing of a cross-stitch of a knitted cloth without having any troublesome work and further performing the efficient linking of the cross-stitches.

This linking machine includes an attitude holding means 12 for holding both knitted clothes having a certain loose course knitted under a state in which the knitted clothes are being oppositely faced to each other; a course expanding means for expanding a cross-stitch of the knitted cloth; a wale expansion means; an image taking means for taking an image of the expanded cross-stitch; a cross-stitch detecting means for detecting the position of the cross-stitch through an image processing; a position alignment means for making a positional alignment between the cross-stitch position and a point needle inserting position; a point needle inserting means 26 for inserting the point needle into the cross-stitch; and a linker needle transfer means 34 for transferring the knitted cloth to the linker needle part of the linker part 28. The course expansion means is arranged between the opposing knitted clothes in such a way that the course expansion means can be inserted. It includes an expansion member for expanding the cross-stitches at the knitted cloth in a course direction. The expansion member is displaced in a course direction of the knitted cloth in such a way that it can be opened or closed.