TUFTING

• US 3,623,440 A
• Filed: 10/30/1968
• Issued: 11/30/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raymond Victor Evans, Robert Spedding, William Sandford Hasler
• Original Assignee: Raymond Victor Evans, Robert Spedding, William Sandford Hasler
• Inventors: Spedding, Robert, Hasler, William Sandford, Evans, Raymond Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Franklin, Jordan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Larkin, Geo. V.
• Application Number:
  US04/771,936
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 112/79,79.5,79.6,118
• US Class Current: 112/80.71
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/00 Making pile fabrics or articles having similar surface features by inserting loops into a base material layered products B32B; non-woven pile fabrics D04H11/00
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/34 by inserting loops of different nature or colour
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 11/0036 specially disposed for a local treatment

Abstract

In order to maintain pattern register between moving yarns having dyestuffs applied thereto at intervals therealong during the transverse rearrangement of such yarns, as, say, to give a pattern repeat, the yarns are all caused to move through a like distance as measured in the longitudinal direction of the yarn, during the rearrangement by providing a guide tube for each yarn through which the yarn passes, the said tubes all being of constant length and each serving to transfer a respective yarn from an initial position transversely of a yarn sheet or sheets issuing from a dyeing means to a final position transversely of a yarn sheet or sheets proceeding to a tufting machine or other combining means.

Claims

1. In the production of a product having a pattern in color transversely thereof and wherein a plurality of individual yarns is fed from a supply, a color-influencing medium is selectively applied to the yarns at spaced intervals longitudinally thereof and the yarns from at least a pattern in the said product, some of the yarns proceeding along paths having at least a part thereof arranged in nonparallel disposition relative to those of other yarns at or subsequent to the point of first colorinfluencing medium application and wherein the yarns are redistributed in the transverse direction thereof between the steps of medium application and forming of the pattern, the step of maintaining a constant path length for the said yarns between the point of application of medium and the point of forming the pattern from the yarns thereby to maintain a necessary level of pattern register between the medium applied to the respective individual yarns throughout the full transverse extent of the product.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the product is a tufted product and is comprised of the formation of tufts in a backing fabric.

3. Apparatus comprising a guide means for location intermediate a color-influencing medium applicator and a pattern forming means to guide the yarns between the aforesaid applicator and an apparatus for forming a pattern from said yarns, the said guide means defining a path therein for each yarn passing therethrough which is of sensibly constant length indepEndently of the point of entry into and exit from said guide means, said guide means being adapted to receive yarns from the applicator at a relative disposition consistent with their disposition for application purposes and to deliver said yarns as a sheet or sheets thereof wherein the yarns are arranged in a relative disposition consistent with a pattern requirement for feeding to the apparatus for forming the pattern.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the guide means is adapted to receive the said yarns in a relative disposition consistent with the grouping of like yarns for application purposes and to effect a redistribution of the yarns in the transverse direction thereof consistent with a pattern repeat requirement.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the guide means includes a plurality of guide tubes, one for each yarn, extending between spaced feed and delivery points, the said tubes all being of a like length and having bends therein determined by the relative disposition of the said points.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the guide tubes all have corresponding bends therein.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the tubes are grouped to define a plurality of inlet levels, each such inlet level having a common outlet level.