Method and means of tufting

• US 3,937,157 A
• Filed: 05/29/1974
• Issued: 02/10/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spanel International, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Abram N. Spanel
• Inventors: Jacobs, David R., Spanel, Abram Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, H. Hampton
• Application Number:
  US05/474,264
• Time in Patent Office: 622 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, 83/100, 83/402
• US Class Current: 112/80.07
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/18 Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/207 By suction means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6472 By fluid current

Abstract

A tufting machine having: means for metering predetermined lengths of yarn, including a rotatable yarn feed with substantially accurate improved drive and braking means; pneumatic yarn transport means, including selective control of gas flow, for transporting selected metered lengths of yarn to a tufting station for severance into yarn bits and implantations into a backing; and retraction means for retracting, with minimum yarn deformation, yarn not selected for severance and implantation.

Claims

1. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer wherein the improvement comprises:

metering means utilizing rotatable yarn feed means to provide predetermined lengths of yarn;

driving means engageable with a surface of said rotatable yarn feed means;

braking means engageable with a surface of said rotatable yarn feed means wherein said rotatable yarn feed means is always in engagement with either said driving means or said braking means; and

pneumatic means to transport the yarn to a tufting station.

2. The tufting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for driving said rotatable yarn feed means comprises a drive roll means and means for said drive roll means to engage said rotatable yarn feed means to drive said rotatable yarn feed means.

3. The tufting apparatus of claim 2 wherein said rotatable yarn feed means is spring loaded and upon release of said braking means engages said drive roll means.

4. The tufting apparatus of claim 2 wherein said drive roll means includes a friction surface and saiid rotatable yarn feed means includes a drive surface which is engaged by said drive roll friction surface.

10. The tufting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pneumatic means is opened in fixed time relation relative to the release of said braking means.

5. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer wherein the improvement comprises a yarn supply system having:

metering means utilizing a rotatable yarn feed means;

means for controlling said rotatable yarn feed means including driving means and braking means, to feed a predetermined length of yarn wherein rotary motion of said driving means is transferred to said rotatable yarn feed means by means of a shiftable intermediate engaging wheel upon engagement of said intermediate engaging wheel jointly with said driving means and said rotatable yarn means; and

pneumatic yarn transport means to transport the yarn to a tufting station.

6. The tufting apparatus of claim 5 wherein said shiftable intermediate engaging wheel is in continuous engagement with said driving means.

7. The tufting apparatus of claim 5 wherein said shiftable intermediate engaging wheel is rotatable about an axis and there is further included a carrier bar secured to said axis and a slidable member to which said carrier bar is pivotally mounted whereby upon the sliding of said slidable member, said carrier bar shifts said intermediate engaging wheel into and out of joint engagement with said rotatable yarn feed means and said driving means.

8. The tufting apparatus of claim 7 wherein said slidable member actuates and deactuates said braking means.

9. The tufting apparatus of claim 7 wherein said slidable member actuates said pneumatic means.

11. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer wherein the improvement comprises a yarn supply system having:

metering means utilizing a rotatable yarn feed means;

means for controlling said rotatable yarn feed means including driving means and braking means, to feed a predetermined length of yarn;

pneumatic yarn transport means, including pneumatic valvable means, to transport the yarn to a tufting station wherein said valvable means comprises;

an axially reciprocable yarn transport tube having a gas cut-off surface forming a first part of a gas valve; and

a structure containing one or more gas passageways and a gas orifice which forms a second part of a gas valve, which operates cooperatively with said first part of the gas valve to control gas flow through said gas passageways, said gas flow serving to transport yarn strand through said passageways, said gas flow being stopped when said transport tube slides to a position whereby said gas orifice is covered by said gas cut-off surface.

12. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer wherein the improvement comprises a yarn supply system having:

metering means utilizing a rotatable yarn feed means;

means for controlling said rotatable yarn feed means including driving means and braking means to feed a predetermined length of yarn;

pneumatic yarn transport means, including pneumatic valvable means, to transport the yarn to a tufting station wherein said valvable means comprises;

structure having a gas passageway through which gas flows when serving as a pneumatic yarn transport; and

a reciprocable member complementary to said structure and operating in conjunction therewith to alternately prevent and permit said gas flow through said gas passageway as said member reciprocates.

13. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer wherein the improvement comprises a yarn supply system having:

metering means utilizing a rotatable yarn feed means;

means for controlling said rotatable yarn feed means including driving means and braking means, to feed a predetermined length of yarn; and

pneumatic yarn transport means, including pneumatic valvable means, to transport the yarn to a tufting station wherein said pneumatic yarn transportation means comprises yarn transportation passageways and said valvable means comprises a gas inlet communicating between a gas supply and said passageways and a reciprocable member which by means of the reciprocation starts and stops gas flow to said passageways.

14. The tufting apparatus of claim 13 wherein said braking means and said reciprocable member are actuated concurrently by means of a slidable bar member.

15. The tufting apparatus of claim 13 wherein said slidable bar member is controlled by a solenoid.

16. In a tufting machine:

reciprocable bit-applying means movable through a backing to and from a loading position on a selected side of the backing;

metering means, utilizing a rotatable feed, for advancing a predetermined length of tufting material;

severing means, adjacent said bit-applying means, for severing a bit-length of tufting material from said advanced predetermined length of tufting material;

pneumatic means for transporting said predetermined length of tufting material to said loading position;

means for actuating said severing means to sever said tufting material; and

means for moving a portion of said pneumatic means to provide access for said severing means.

17. In a tufting machine:

reciprocable tufting-needle means movable through a backing to and from a threading position on a desired side of the backing;

strand-severing means adjacent said tufting-needle means for cutting yarn bits from a strand of tufting material;

a rotatable yarn feed and metering mechanism for advancing a predetermined length of yarn;

pneumatic transport means for transporting said strand to said threading position;

control means, including a shiftable member, which upon energization actuates said yarn feed and metering mechanism and said pneumatic transport; and

means for actuating said strand-severing means.

18. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer wherein the improvement comprises a means for delivering metered lengths of yarn from selected yarn sources to a tufting station, having:

a plurality of inlet passageways extending to a common outlet;

a plurality of metering devices, each metering yarn from a different yarn source and communicating with one of said inlet passageways;

means for pneumatically transporting a selected yarn through said common outlet and to the tufting station;

strand-severing means to sever said selected yarn preparatory to tufting the severed yarn bit;

pullback means to remove yarns from said common outlet; and

control means, including a selector member, which activates one of said metering devices, said pneumatic transport means, and said pullback means.

19. A tufting machine utilizing multiple yarn sources to supply each tufting station comprising:

a plurality of inlet passages extending from said yarn sources to a common outlet;

a selector means disposed along each of said inlet passages including yarn metering and feeding means;

pneumatic transport means to transport through said common outlet a selected yarn metered and fed by said selector means;

bit-applying means positioned adjacent said common outlet to receive said selected yarn and apply a bit therefrom to a backing layer;

strand-severing means positioned adjacent said bit-applying means to sever said bit from said selected yarn;

strand pullback means to remove and hold all but selected strands of yarn from said common outlet passage; and

control means, including actuation of a mechanical member, movement of which actuates a particular one of said selector means, releases said pullback means to allow said yarn to return to said common outlet passage, and actuates said pneumatic transport means to transport said yarn to said tufting station.

20. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer wherein the improvement comprises a yarn metering and feeding system having:

a yarn feed wheel including means to bias axis of said yarn feed wheel in a given direction;

a brake member engageable with said yarn feed wheel;

a drive roll positioned adjacent said yarn feed wheel and in engagement therewith when said yarn feed wheel is in a biased position; and

means to operate said brake member whereby when said brake member engages said yarn feed wheel said bias is overcome and said yarn feed wheel is disengaged from said drive roll; and

when said brake member is disengaged from said yarn feed wheel said bias causes said yarn feed wheel to engage said drive roll, whereupon actuation of said drive roll said yarn feed wheel is actuated to meter a selected length of yarn.

21. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backiing layer wherein the improvement comprises a yarn metering and feeding system having:

a yarn feed wheel;

a drive roll positioned adjacent said yarn feed wheel;

an intermediate engaging wheel mounted adjacent said yarn feed wheel and said drive roll on a carrier; and

means to actuate said carrier to cause said intermediate engaging wheel to go from a position of disengagement with either said yarn feed wheel or said drive roll to a position of engagement with both said yarn feed wheel and said drive roll whereupon rotary motion of said drive roll is transmitted to said yarn feed wheel, said transmitted rotary motion permitting said yarn feed wheel to meter a length of yarn.

22. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer and further including an arrangement for delivering metered yarn bits from selected yarn sources in desired sequence to each of a plurality of tufting stations, said arrangement for each tufting station comprising:

a plurality of inlet passages extending to a common outlet passageway;

a group of selectors, each having a passage for receiving yarn from a particular yarn source and communicating with a particular inlet passage;

yarn severing means actuable periodically to sever a yarn strand into a yarn bit;

a yarn pullback device to withdraw all but a selected yarn strand from said common outlet passageway;

a braking mechaniism for each of said selectors; and

control means which concurrently releases said yarn pullback device and said braking mechanism on a desired one of said selectors, thereby causing a metered length of yarn to be fed into said common passageway.

23. The tufting apparatus of claim 22 further including:

pneumatic means to aid in transporting said yarn strand into said common passageway wherein said pneumatic means is energized by said control means in fixed time relationship with the pullback and brake release functions.

24. A tufting machine comprising:

a yarn source;

a yarn metering and feeding means including brake means;

a yarn pullback means which enables yarn previously fed to be returned to a standby position;

a pneumatic yarn transport means;

control means for actuating in substantially fixed time relationship said yarn metering and feeding means, said yarn pullback means, said pneumatic transport means,

yarn severing means; and

tufting elements to tuft said severed yarn.

25. Tufting apparatus including bit-applying means for applying tufts to a backing layer wherein the improvement comprises:

metering means utilizing rotatable yarn feed means to provide predetermined lengths of yarn;

driving means engageable with a surface of said rotatable yarn feed means;

braking means engageable with a surface of said rotatable yarn feed means;

braking means engageable with a surface of said rotatable yarn feed means and further including braking control means, the deactuation of which associatedly actuates said driving means; and

pneumatic means to transport the yarn to a tufting station.