MULTINEEDLE UNIT

• US 3,618,542 A
• Filed: 03/20/1970
• Issued: 11/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SSMC, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Josef Zocher
• Inventors: Zocher, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Boler, James R.
• Application Number:
  US05/021,332
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 112/79R,79A,222,223,224,225,226,221 66/86,85A,223,1,1A 163/1,2,3,4,5
• US Class Current: 112/80.45
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 27/02 Warp-thread guides
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 27/06 Needle bars; Sinker bars
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 35/04 Latch needles
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/20 Arrangements or devices, e.g. needles, for inserting loops; Driving mechanisms therefor

Abstract

A ganged tufting needle unit having a multiplicity of parallel needles formed integral with a common holder which includes a pair of reference surfaces and is adopted to be accurately attached as a unit to a needle bar of a tufting machine. The holder is divided into standardized sections by score lines at predetermined needle intervals along its length so that if one or more needles should break the section including the broken needles can be separated from the remainder of the unit and a standard replacement unit may be readily substituted therefor. Also disclosed is a latch needle unit and a yarn guide unit having the same features as the tufting needle unit. A method for manufacturing the different units from a metal strip comprising a series of die pressing, punching and grinding steps is described.

Claims

1. A yarn-handling device for textile machines having a mounting surface, said yarn-handling device comprising a comblike member having a shank adapted to be fastened to said mounting surface, a multiplicity of spaced fingerlike elements extending from the shank, each of said finger-like element having a free end shaped to engage and control a strand of yarn, each of said finger-like elements having a longitudinal twist between said shank and said free end.

2. A yarn-handling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said shank comprises at least a planar reference surface adapted to be accurately positioned on said mounting surface.

3. A yarn-handling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said shank includes readily shearable score lines at predetermined intervals along the surface thereof whereby said device may be subdivided at said score lines.

4. A yarn-handling device for textile machines having a mounting surface, said yarn-handling device comprising a shank member adapted to be fastened to said mounting surface, at least one fingerlike element integral with and formed of the same material as said shank, said finger-like element haviNg a blade portion angularly twisted about its longitudinal axis, said finger-like element formed with a free end shaped to engage and control a strand of yarn.

5. A yarn-handling device as defined in claim 4 wherein said device comprises a multiplicity of finger-like elements integral with said shank, each said element having a blade portion angularly twisted about its respective longitudinal axis, the free end of each element shaped to engage and control a strand of yarn.

6. A yarn-handling device as recited in claim 5 wherein each said blade portion is twisted about its respective longitudinal axis through 90*.

7. A yarn-handling device as defined in claim 5 wherein said shank comprises at least a planar reference surface adapted to be accurately positioned on said mounting surface.

8. A yarn-handling device as defined in claim 5 wherein said shank includes readily shearable score lines at predetermined intervals along the surface thereof, whereby said device may be subdivided at said score lines.

9. A yarn-handling device as defined in claim 8 wherein each said element includes an eye in the free end thereof, all of said eyes being substantially coaxial.

10. A yarn-handling device as defined in claim 8 wherein each said element includes a latch member pivotably mounted thereon.

11. A multineedle unit of a comblike configuration comprising a shank adapted for mounting in a needle bar of a tufting machine, a multiplicity of spaced needles unitary with and extending from said shank in cantilever fashion, each of said needles including a point on its free end, each of said needles being angularly twisted about its longitudinal axis between said shank and said point, means defining a longitudinal groove in each needle, and means defining an eye within each said groove adjacent said point.

12. The multineedle unit of claim 11 wherein the shank comprises at least two substantially planar abutting surfaces, said surfaces providing means for accurately positioning said unit relative to a tufting machine needle bar.

13. The multineedle unit of claim 12 wherein said shank includes readily shearable score lines at predetermined intervals along the surface thereof, each of said score lines being substantially parallel to said needles whereby said unit may be separated at said score lines into similar subunits.

14. A multineedle unit as recited in claim 11 wherein all the eyes are substantially coaxial.

15. A multineedle unit as recited in claim 14 wherein each longitudinal groove extends from said eye along the length of said needle and communicates with said shank.

16. A multineedle unit as recited in claim 12 wherein all the eyes are substantially coaxial and each of said needles includes a substantially 90* longitudinal twist such that said longitudinal groove is twisted from a first plane into a second plane at substantially 90* thereto.

17. A multineedle unit as recited in claim 16 wherein said shank includes readily shearable score lines at predetermined intervals along the surface thereof, each of said score lines being substantially parallel to said needles whereby said unit may be separated at said score lines into similar subunits.

18. A tufting needle unit having a multiplicity of needles, each of said needles comprising a shank, a point, and a blade intermediate said shank and point, each said blade having an angular twist about its longitudinal axis, said shank of each needle being common to all the needles and formed unitary therewith from a single blank, said blade having a longitudinal groove therein extending into said shank and an eye formed within each said groove adjacent said point.

19. A method of producing a yarn-handling instrumentality for a textile machine having a mounting surface, including the steps of forming from a blank a shank of a thickness to be secured to said mounting surface, forming a multiplicity of spaced finger-like elements projecting from the shank, contouring each Of said elements to provide a free end shaped to engage and control a strand of yarn, and twisting each element about its longitudinal axis.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the free end of each element is shaped to provide an eye, and the elements are so twisted that the eyes are coaxial.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein each element is twisted about its longitudinal axis through 90*.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19, including the further step of forming on the shank two substantially planar abutting surfaces.

23. A method as claimed in claim 19, including the further step of scoring the surface of the shank with readily shearable score lines at predetermined intervals along said surface.