METHOD AND MEANS OF TUFTING

• US 3,812,799 A
• Filed: 04/21/1972
• Issued: 05/28/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spanel International, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Abram N. Spanel, Bernard H. Wittler, Nicholas Leszczak
• Inventors: Spanel, Abram N., Wittler, Bernard H., Leszczak, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Boler, James R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nerbun, Peter
• Application Number:
  US05/246,305
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 112/79R,266,79.5,262,80,198 66/85A 28/2
• US Class Current: 112/80.07
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/20 Arrangements or devices, e.g. needles, for inserting loops; Driving mechanisms therefor

Abstract

A method and means for use in pneumatic multi-color tufting and other tufting systems wherein at each tufting needle station three needles with linearly aligned eyes are disposed to receive yarn for tufting. In a preferred embodiment the yarn is cut into a discrete yarn bit prior to tufting and may be clamped at the central needle which, of the three needles, may be the first to descend through the backing. The central needle descent is followed by the descent of the two outer needles which pull the remainder of the yarn bit through the backing layer thereby implanting a series of tufts in the backing layer. The central needle may have an open eye for creating loop tufts or it may have a closed eye in which case a knife member will be used to release the yarn from the central needle to form cut tufts. A single member may serve dual functions; first as a clamp until the yarn is deposited in the backing to a desired point and then serving as a knife when the yarn is to be cut and released from the eye of the central needle.

Claims

1. A method of tufting comprising the steps of:

positioning a yarn bit at a loading station into bit-applying position relative to a series of more than two linearly aligned bit-applying elements;

operating a first of said bit-applying elements to place a portion of said yarn bit into tufting relationship with a backing layer leaving sufficient yarn in bit-applying position for tufting thereof by the other bit-applying elements;

thereafter operating said other bit-applying elements to place the remaining portions of said yarn bit in tufting relationship with the backing layer; and

returning said bit-applying elements to said loading station to receive another yarn bit preparatory to the next tufting operation.

2. A tuft bit-applying system comprising:

a series of at least three individual bit-applying elements aligned with each other to receive a yarn bit common to said series and operable in synchronized manner to place said yarn bit in tufting relationship with a backing layer;

mounting means for said bit-applying elements for independent movement of at least two of said bit-applying elements relative to the remaining bit-applying elements to and from a loading station;

means for moving each intermediate bit-applying element of the series to place a portion of said yarn bit into tufting relationship to the backing layer, which portion of said yarn bit has in part been pulled from bit-applying elements to the right and left of each said intermediate bit-applying element;

means for moving the remaining bit-applying elements to place the remaining portions of said yarn bit into tufting relationship with the backing; and

means to return said bit-applying elements to said loading station to receive another yarn bit preparatory to the next tufting operation.

3. A method of tufting comprising the steps of:

positioning a yarn bit in eyes of three linearly aligned needles;

clamping the yarn bit at the central needle;

moving the central needle through a backing layer with said yarn clamped thereby pulling a portion of said yarn bit therethrough and leaving remaining portions of the yarn bit in the eyes of the outer needles;

thereafter moving the outer needles through the backing layer thereby pulling the remaining portions of said yarn bit therethrough; and

releasing said yarn bit from the central needle thereby leaving a series of tufts in the backing layer.

4. A method of tufting comprising the steps of:

positioning a yarn bit in the eyes of three linearly aligned needles;

clamping said yarn bit at the central needle;

moving the central needle through a backing layer thereby to move a middle portion of said yarn bit therethrough and leaving desired end portions of said yarn bit in the eyes of the outer needles;

thereafter moving the outer needles through the backing layer thereby moving said end portions of said yarn bit therethrough, said ends of said yarn bit being released from said needles as said needles move away from the backing layer; and

releasing the middle portion of said yarn bit from the central needle by severing said yarn bit in the region intermediate said outer needles.

5. A method of tufting comprising the steps of:

positioning a yarn bit in the eyes of three linearly aligned needles including a central open-eye needle;

clamping said yarn bit at said central needle;

moving said central needle through a backing layer thereby implanting a portion of said yarn bit therein to form a loop and leaving desired end portions of said yarn bit in the eyes of the outer needles;

thereafter moving the outer needles through the backing layeR thereby implanting said end portions of said yarn bit therein, said yarn bit ends being released from said needles as said needles complete their stroke through the backing layer; and

releasing the middle portion of said yarn bit from said central needle by allowing the loop to slip through said open-eye.

6. A tufting machine comprising:

reciprocating needle means in which a series of three needles having aligned eyes are disposed at each loading station;

means for placing a discrete bit of yarn in said eyes of said needles;

mounting means for said needle means for reciprocating movement of the central needle independent of reciprocating movement of the two outer needles;

means for moving said central needle through the backing;

means for thereafter moving the two outer threaded needles through the backing; and

means for returning said needles to the loading station to receive another yarn bit preparatory to the next tufting operation.

7. A tufting machine comprising:

reciprocating needle means in which a series of three needles having aligned eyes are disposed at each loading station;

means for placing a discrete bit of yarn in said eyes of said needles;

mounting means for said needle means for reciprocating movement of the central needle independent of reciprocating movement of the two outer needles;

means for clamping the yarn bit to said central needle;

means for moving the central needle through the backing;

means for thereafter moving the two outer needles through the backing;

means for releasing said clamping means to release said yarn bit from said needles upon completion of their movement through the backing; and

means for returning said needles to the loading station to receive another yarn bit preparatory to the next tufting operation.

8. A tufting machine comprising:

reciprocating needle means in which a series of three needles having aligned eyes are disposed at each needle station;

yarn clamping means associated with said central needle;

mounting means for said needle for reciprocating movement of said central needle independent of reciprocating movement of the two outer needles;

means for placing a discrete bit of yarn in said eyes of said needles;

means for moving said central needle through the backing;

means for moving the two outside threaded needles through the backing; and

means for operating said clamping means to release the yarn bit from said central needle after it has been moved through the backing, the remainder of said yarn bit being freed from the outside two needles as the ends of said yarn bit are pulled from the eyes thereof.

9. A needle system as set forth in claim 2 for a tufting machine wherein:

said central needle has an open eye with a cam surface disposed along the bottom of said eye to facilitate the casting off of tufted loops.

10. A needle system as set forth in claim 2 for a tufting machine wherein:

at least one of the needles has an open eye and includes a means to cast off a yarn loop that has been tufted and further includes a clamp means for clamping yarn disposed within said needle and designed to project into and withdraw out of said open eye.

11. A tufting machine comprising:

reciprocating needle means in which a series of three needles having aligned eyes are disposed at each loading station;

means to load a yarn bit in said eyes of said needle means;

a single element combination yarn-clamp and knife means associated with said central needle;

mounting means for said needle means for reciprocating movement of said central needle independent of reciprocating movement of the two outer needles;

operating means for operating said combination yarn-clamp and knife means in timed relation with said reciprocating movement of said needle means; and

means for operating said mounting means to move said yarn bit through said backing by first the central needle and Secondly by said outside two needles while said yarn bit is clamped by said combination means, the ends of said yarn bit sliding through the eyes of the outside needles as they move through the backing, said operating means then actuating said knife means to cut said yarn bit at said central needle to release said yarn bit from the eye of that needle.

12. A tufting machine comprising:

reciprocating needle means in which a series of three needles having aligned eyes are disposed at each loading station;

means to load a yarn bit in said eyes of said needle means;

a single element combination yarn-clamp and knife means associated with the central needle, said combination means having a shank coextensive with the central needle shank;

mounting means for said needle means for reciprocating movement of said central needle independent of reciprocating movement of the two outer needles;

means for operating said mounting means successively to move said yarn bit through said backing first by said central needle and secondly by the outside two needles; and

means for operating said shank of said combination means to clamp said yarn bit during said successive movements of said needle means and upon completion of said successive movements for further operating said shank to cut said yarn bit at the central needle to release said yarn bit from the eye of the central needle.

13. A tufting machine comprising:

reciprocating needle means in which a series of three needles having aligned eyes are disposed at each loading station;

means to load a yarn bit in said eyes of said needle means;

a single element combination yarn-clamp and knife means associated with said central needle, said combination means being positioned externally of said central needle;

mounting means for said needle means for reciprocating movement of said central needle independent of reciprocating movement of the two outer needles;

means for operating said mounting means to move said yarn bit through said backing by first the central needle and secondly by said outside two needles, while said yarn bit is clamped by said combination means, the ends of said yarn bit sliding through the eyes of the outside needles as they move through the backing, said operating means then actuating said knife means to cut said yarn bit at said central needle to release said yarn bit from the eye of that needle;

means for operating said mounting means to move said yarn bit through said backing by first the central needle and secondly by said outside two needles while said yarn bit is clamped by said combination means, said operating means then serving as a cutting means in conjunction with a surface of said central needle to cut said yarn bit to release said yarn bit from the eye of that needle.

14. A tufting needle system for a tufting machine comprising:

needle means including needle moving means in which at least one needle has associated therewith a single element combination clamp knife means which operates against a surface of said needle to first, in one position of the needle, clamp the yarn against said needle surface and when said needle is moved to a second position, cut the yarn by an additional movement against said needle surface.

15. A tufting machine comprising:

reciprocating needle means in which a series of three needles having aligned eyes are disposed at each loading station;

means to load a yarn bit in said eyes of said needle means;

mounting means for said needle means for reciprocating movement of said central needle independent of reciprocating movement of the two outer needles;

means for operating said mounting means to move said yarn bit through said backing in three places by first the central needle followed by the two outer needles;

means to rotate said central needle to facilitate the severing of the yarn implanted in said backing by said central needle; and

means to sever said yarn implanted by said ceNtral needle while said central needle is in its rotated position.

16. A tufting machine comprising:

reciprocating needle means in which a series of three needles having aligned eyes are disposed at each loading station;

means to load a yarn bit in said eyes of said needle means;

mounting means for said needle means for reciprocating movement of said central needle independent of reciprocating movement of the two outer needles;

means for operating said mounting means to move said yarn bit through said backing by first the central needle followed by the two outer needles;

means to rotate said central needle to cause a tufted loop to rotate including an arm extending from the base of the central needle staff which is connected by link means to a bar whereby the longitudinal movement of said bar causes said needle to rotate; and

cutting means including a hook and knife combination operable to first hook the tufted yarn loop after the central needle has been rotated and then to cut the loop by said knife.

17. A method of tufting comprising the steps of:

placing yarn in loading position relative to a series of more than two successively aligned yarn-tufting elements;

operating a first of said yarn-tufting elements to place a portion of the yarn into tufting relationship with a backing layer and leaving sufficient yarn in loading position for the other yarn-tufting elements;

thereafter operating other yarn-tufting elements to place the remaining portions of the yarn in tufting relationship with the backing layer; and

releasing the yarn from the yarn-tufting elements.

18. A tufting machine comprising:

a first needle bar means and a central needle supported thereon;

a second needle bar means and two outer needles supported thereon;

said central and outer needles having aligned eyes;

said second needle bar means having an aperture formed therethrough between said outer needles and receiving said central needle;

first reciprocating means actuating said central needle between said outer needles so that relative motion may occur between said first and said outer needles;

means to place a single bit of yarn in the aligned eyes of said first and outer needles;

said first reciprocating means adapted to move said threaded central needle through the backing;

second reciprocating means adapted to move said two outer threaded needles through the backing subsequent to the movement of said central needle through the backing; and

means to cause the yarn bit to be released from said first and outer needles after it has been drawn through the backing.

19. A tufting machine comprising:

a first needle bar means and a central needle supported thereon;

a second needle bar means and two outer needles supported thereon, said central and outer needles having aligned eyes;

said second needle bar means having a configuration providing an unobstructed frame path for said central needle;

first reciprocating means actuating said central needle between said outer needles so that relative motion may occur between said first and said outer needles;

means to place a single bit of yarn in the aligned eyes of said first and outer needles;

said first reciprocating means adapted to move said threaded central needle through the backing;

second reciprocating means adapted to move said two outer threaded needles through the backing subsequent to the movement of said central needle through the backing; and

means to cause the yarn bit to be released from said first and outer needles after it has been moved through the backing.

20. A tufting machine comprising:

a first needle support means and a central needle supported thereon;

a second needle support means and two outer needles supported thereon, said central and outer needles having aligned eyes;

first reciprocating means actuating said central needle between said outer needles so that relative motion may occUr between said first and said outer needles;

means to place a single bit of yarn in the aligned eyes of said first and outer needles;

said first reciprocating means adapted to move said threaded central needle through the backing;

second reciprocating means adapted to move said two outer threaded needles through the backing subsequent to the movement of said central needle through the backing; and

means to cause the yarn bit to be released from said first and outer needles after it has been moved through the backing.