Method and means of tufting

• US 3,937,156 A
• Filed: 11/27/1973
• Issued: 02/10/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spanel International, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Abram N. Spanel
• Inventors: Spanel, Abram N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, H. Hampton
• Application Number:
  US05/419,417
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 112/79 R, 112/79 A, 112/79 FF, 112/79.5, 112/252, 112/DIG. 1, 112/DIG. 2, 112/DIG. 3, 112/262, 112/266, 83/100, 83/402
• US Class Current: 112/80.07
• 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: Y10T 83/207 By suction means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6472 By fluid current

Abstract

A tufting machine having multi-color selection capability for each tufting cycle which utilizes pneumatic pressure either positive or negative, or a combination of the two, to transfer the yarn or other tufting material to tufting elements, the yarn being severed before, during, or after threading, for subsequent placement into tufting relationship with a backing layer. The system comprises yarn guide passageways having abutting sections which are relatively movable to create an opening through which a yarn-severing means severs the yarn into selectively-sized bits. The relative positions of the yarn-severing means and the abutting sections of the passageways are adjustable to provide yarn bits of selected varying lengths. Clamping means may be used to clamp the yarn at the tufting needles until tufting occurs. After tufting the tufted yarn is moved away from the needle position to avoid entanglement by the succeeding motions of the tufting.

Claims

1. In a tufting machine having at least one bit-applying element, pneumatic means including at least one passageway for flow of gas therethrough to deliver a strand of yarn to said bit-applying element, said passageway having a first part shiftable relative to a second part, the method of tufting, comprising the steps of:

applying a flow of gas to said yarn strand to move said strand through said passageway;

shifting said first part of said passageway relative to said second part of said passageway to provide an access opening;

applying a yarn-severing means through said access opening to cut said strand; and

closing said access opening by relative shifting of said first part of said passageway relative to said second part of said passageway to render effective said flow of gas.

2. A method of feeding yarn through a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a use-location for the yarn comprising the steps of:

applying a flow of air to transport said yarn through said passageway;

moving a relatively movable structure of said passageway to open and close an access opening; and

operating a yarn severing element through said access opening to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn.

3. In a tufting machine having bit-applying needles;

pneumatic means including passageways for flow of gas therethrough to deliver strands of yarn to said needles, said passageways extending to said needles having a first part shiftable relative to a second part; and

having yarn-metering devices;

the method of applying tufts to a backing layer, comprising the steps of;

metering unsevered bit-lengths of yarn by said yarn-metering devices;

transporting said metered unsevered yarn through said passageways by said pneumatic means into loading positions relative to said needles;

providing access to said passageways for operating therethrough yarn-severing means;

operating said yarn-severing means through said access to sever said yarn into bits;

tufting by moving said needles to apply said yarn bits to said backing layer; and

closing said access to render effective said pneumatic means.

4. In a tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing:

reciprocable bit-applying elements movable through the backing toward and from a yarn engaging position;

pneumatic yarn-transporting means extending to said bit-applying elements, said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn is transported to said bit-applying elements, said passageways being separable to create an opening;

means to open and close said opening;

strand-severing means operable through said opening;

means for operating said strand-severing means through said opening repeatedly to cut said yarn strands and

5. means for operating said bit-applying elements from said yarn engaging positions through said backing, to form tufts.

6. In a tufting machine for applying bits of yarn to a backing:

reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing toward and from a loading position;

pneumatic yarn-transporting means extending transversely of said bit-applying means for repeatedly loading said bit-applying means with tufting yarn upon successive movements of said bit-applying means to said loading position, said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn strands are transported, said passageways including a reciprocable section;

means connected to said reciprocable section repeatedly to create an access to said passageways and to close same;

strand-severing means adjacent said loading position and operable through said access;

means for operating said strand-severing means through said access for repeatedly severing said yarn strands into bits; and

means for operating said bit-applying means for applying said bits to the backing.

7. In a tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing:

reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing toward and from a loading position;

pneumatic yarn-transporting means extending transversely of said bit-applying means for repeatedly loading said bit-applying means with tufting yarn upon successive movements of said bit-applying means to said loading position, said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn strands are fed, said passageways including a shiftable section;

means for driving said shiftable section repeatedly to create and eliminate an access extending across at least part of said passageways;

strand-severing means adjacent said loading position and operable through said access repeatedly to sever said yarn strands into bits;

means for changing the location of said shiftable section relative to said bit-applying means to provide yarn bits of different lengths; and

means for operating said bit-applying means for applying said bits to the backing.

8. A tufting machine for applying bits of yarn to a backing, comprising:

reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing toward and from a loading position;

pneumatic yarn-transporting means extending transversely of said bit-applying means for repeatedly loading said bit-applying means with tufting yarn upon successive movements of said bit-applying means to said loading position, said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn strands are fed, said passageways extending through a shiftable section;

means for operating said shiftable section repeatedly to open and close a gap extending across at least part of said passageways, said passageways including one or more flexible portions to facilitate said shifting;

strand-severing means operable repeatedly through said gap to sever said yarn strands into bits; and

means for operating said bit-applying means for applying said bits to the backing.

9. A tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing comprising:

reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing toward and from a loading position;

pneumatic yarn-transporting means extending transversely of said bit-applying means for repeatedly loading said bit-applying means with tufting yarn upon successive movements of said bit-applying means to said loading position, said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn strands are transported, said passageways extending through a reciprocable section;

driving means connected to said reciprocable section repeatedly to open and close a gap extending across at least a part of said passageways, said passageways further including telescoping members to permit the reciprocation of said reciprocable section;

strand-severing means and operable through said gap repeatedly to cut said yarn strands into bits; and

means for operating said bit-applying means from said loading position to a tufting position for applying said bits to the backing.

10. In a tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing having reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing toward and from a loading position the combination of:

pneumatic yarn-transporting means extending transversely of said bit-applying means said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn is transported, said passageways being axially separable to open and close a gap extending across each said passageway;

means for axially moving said passageways repeatedly to open and close said gaps;

strand-severing means aligned for operation through said gaps repeatedly to sever said yarn strands to form bits for said bit-applying means; and

means for operating said bit-applying means to apply said bit-lengths to the backing

11. In a tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing having reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing toward and from a loading position, the combination of:

pneumatic yarn-transporting means extending transversely of said bit-applying means for repeatedly loading said bit-applying means with tufting yarn strands upon successive movements of said bit-applying means to said loading position, said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn is transported, said passageways being axially separable to open and close a gap extending across said passageways;

means for axially moving said passageways repeatedly to open and close said gaps;

strand-severing means adjacent said loading position operable through said gaps repeatedly to cut said yarn strands to form bits;

bit-clamping means to hold said bits in fixed position relative to said bit-applying means prior to their application to said backing; and

means for operating said bit-applying means to apply said bits to the backing.

12. In a tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing having reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing toward and from a loading position the combination of:

pneumatic yarn-transporting means extending transversely of said bit-applying means said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn is transported, said passageways being axially separable repeatedly to open and close a gap extending across said passageways;

means for axially moving said passageways repeatedly to open and close said gaps;

strand-severing means disposed for operation through said gaps repeatedly to cut yarn bits; and

means for repeatedly operating said bit-applying means once loaded with a bit of yarn to apply said bits to the backing to form tufts.

13. A tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing, comprising:

reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing from a loading position to a tuft-applying position;

pneumatic yarn-transporting means for repeatedly loading said bit-applying means with tufting yarn upon successive movements of said bit-applying means to said loading position, said pneumatic means including passageways through which yarn strands are transported, said passageways extending through a shiftable section which is shiftable to open and close access to said passageways;

means driving said shiftable section repeatedly to open and close said access;

strand-severing means operable through said access repeatedly to cut said yarn into bits;

means for repeatedly operating said bit-applying means from said loading position to a bit-applying position for applying said bits to the backing;

clearing means movable from a tuft-receiving position to a tuft-removing position; and

driving means for driving said clearing means after each operation of said bit-applying means to its tuft-applying position to clear the tufts from the paths of the bit-applying means in their next operation to said tuft-applying position.

14. A tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing comprising:

reciprocable bit-applying elements movable from a loading position through the backing to a tuft-applying position;

pneumatic yarn-transporting means;

means including said pneumatic means for repeatedly loading said bit-applying elements with yarn strands upon successive movement of said bit-applying elements to said loading position;

strand-severing means operable in conjunction with said pneumatic yarn-transporting means to cut said yarn strands to form yarn bits;

driving means for operating said bit-applying elements between their loading and tuft-applying positions so as to apply said bits to the backing to form tufts;

means for moving the backing after each tuft-applying operation to expose to said bit-applying elements an untufted portion of said backing;

a tuft-retaining bar positioned to retain said tufts away from the paths of said bit-applying elements during at least a part of their succeeding tuft-applying operation; and

means operable after each tuft-applying operation of said bit-applying elements for guiding the applied tufts to the far side of said tuft-retaining bar away from the paths of said bit-applying elements.

15. A tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing comprising:

reciprocable bit-applying elements movable through the backing toward and from a tufting position;

means including pneumatic yarn-transporting passageways for repeatedly loading said bit-applying elements with yarn strands upon successive movement of said bit-applying elements from said tufting position;

strand-severing means operable in conjunction with said pneumatic yarn-transporting passageways to sever said yarn strands to form yarn bits;

means for operating said bit-applying elements for applying said bits by said bit-applying elements to the backing to form tufts;

a tuft-retaining bar positioned out of the path of said bit-applying elements to retain said tufts applied to the backing away from the paths of succeeding operations of said bit-applying elements; and

reciprocable backing support means which moves tufts from the path of succeeding operations of said bit-applying elements and deposits said tufts to the side of said tuft-retaining bar remote from the path of said bit-applying elements.

16. A tufting machine for forming tufts on a backing comprising:

reciprocable bit-applying means movable with respect to the backing toward and from a loading position;

driving means for said bit-applying means;

means including pneumatic yarn-transporting passageways for repeatedly loading said bit-applying means with tufting yarn upon successive movements of said bit-applying means to said loading position, said passageways in part comprising an axially reciprocable section;

driving means connected to said reciprocable section repeatedly to open and close an access to said passageways;

means for moving said access a selectable distance from said loading position;

cutting means having a cutting element and an anvil positioned on opposite sides of said access, whereby movement of said cutting element through said access and against said anvil severs a bit from said tufting yarn;

means positioning said cutting means a selectable distance from said loading position to provide a yarn bit of selectable length; and

means for operating said bit-applying means so as to apply said bits of said selectable length to the backing to form tufts.

17. In a tufting machine having bit-applying elements, pneumatic means including passageways for flow of gas therethrough to deliver strands of yarn to said bit-applying elements, said passageways extending to said bit-applying elements respectively, said passageways having a first part shiftable relative to a second part, the method of tufting comprising the steps of:

transporting yarn strands by pneumatic means through passageways to a loading position with respect to bit-applying elements;

shifting a first part of each of said passageways relative to a second part of that passageway to provide an access to the passageway;

operating a yarn-severing means through each said access to sever said strand to leave a bit in a loading position relative to a bit-applying element;

tufting by moving the bits of yarn into tufting relationship with a backing layer with said bit-applying elements; and

clearing tufts from the paths of said bit-applying elements in their next tufting operation.

18. A tufting machine including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer and further including yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a use-location for the yarn;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said tubular means having structure relatively movable to open and to close an access to said passageway; and

yarn severing means operable through said access to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn.

19. A tufting machine including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer and further including yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and said bit-applying means;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said bit-applying means for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said tubular means having structure relatively movable to open and to close an access to said passageway; and

yarn severing means operable through said access to sever a predetermined length of yarn from said source of yarn.

20. A tufting machine including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer and further including yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a use-location for the yarn;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said tubular means having structure relatively movable to open and to close an access to said passageway; and

yarn-severing means operable through said access to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn before, during or after said yarn reaches said use-location.

21. A tufting machine including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer and further including yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a use-location for the yarn;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said tubular means having structure a part of which is flexible to facilitate relative motion of at least one part of said passageway to open and to close an access to said passageway; and

yarn-severing means operable through said access opening to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn.

22. A tufting machine including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer and further including yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a use-location for the yarn;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

23. said tubular means having telescopic structure to facilitate relative motion of at least one part of said passageway thereby opening an access to said passageway;

and

yarn-severing means operable through said access to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn.

26. The tufting machine of claim 23 wherein said means to prevent movement of said length of yarn comprises a clamp means.

27. The tufting machine of claim 23 wherein said means to prevent movement of said length of yarn comprises a stop abutment means.

24. A tufting machine including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer and further including yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a use-location for the yarn;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said tubular means having structure relatively movable in opening and closing an access to said passageway; and

yarn-severing means operable through said access to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn, the position of said yarn-severing element being adjustable to sever yarn of selectable lengths.

25. A tufting machine including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer, the improvement comprising yarn feeding apparatus having:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a use-location for the yarn;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said tubular means having structure relatively movable in opening and closing an access to said passageway;

yarn severing means operable through said access to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn; and

means to prevent movement of said severed length of yarn in a direction parallel to said gas flow.

28. Yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and reciprocating a bit-applying element for forming tufts on a backing layer;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said tubular means having structure relatively movable to open and to close an access opening of said passageway;

means including a yarn severing element operable through said access opening to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn for use by said bit-applying element;

means for operating said bit-applying element to apply yarn lengths to the backing to form tufts; and

clearing means operable to clear at least some of said tufts from the paths of succeeding bit-applying element strokes.

29. Yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

tubular means forming a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a bit-applying element for forming tufts on a backing layer,

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said tubular means having structure relatively movable to open and to close an access opening of said passageway;

means including a yarn-severing element operable through said access opening to sever a length of yarn from said source of yarn to supply said bit-applying element;

means for operating said bit-applying element to apply yarn lengths to the backing to form tufts;

tuft guiding means to deflect at least some of said tufts from the paths of succeeding bit-applying element strokes; and

tuft-retaining means to retain said deflected tufts from the paths of succeeding bit-applying element strokes.

30. A tufting machine including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer further including yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

a passageway extending between a source of yarn and a use-location for the yarn;

means flow-connected to said passageway for producing a flow of air or other gas in the direction of said use-location for transport of yarn along said passageway;

said passageway having a portion which is movable to expose the yarn; and

yarn-severing means operable to sever a length of yarn from said exposed yarn.

31. In a tufting machine having at least one bit-applying element, pneumatic means including at least one passageway for flow of gas therethrough to deliver a strand of yarn to said bit-applying element, said passageway being shiftable, the method of tufting comprising the steps of:

applying a flow of gas to said yarn strand to move said strand through said passageway;

shifting said passageway to provide access to said strand;

applying a yarn-severing means when said access is provided to cut said strand; and

closing said access by further shifting said passageway to render effective said flow of gas.