Tufting machines
First Claim
1. A method of tufting pile fabric comprising, feeding a backing material in one direction, reciprocably penetrating a plurality of needles through said backing material from one side thereof, said needles being spaced apart transversely to said feed direction, supporting said material during needle penetration thereof by a plurality of fingers spaced apart in the same direction as said needles, the spacing between adjacent fingers being substantially the same as the spacing between adjacent needles, shifting said needles and said fingers in synchronism from a first position transversely to said one direction while said needles are on one side of said material, penetrating said material with said needles, and shifting said needles and said fingers in synchronism to said first position while said needles are within the backing material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Tufting apparatus and method for producing a high density tufted fabric in a wide range of gauges and patterns. In one embodiment the needles and backing material support fingers are laterally shifted together by a common drive controlled by a cam having pattern information thereon. The needles and fingers are shifted in a first direction while the needles are outside the backing material and are thereafter shifted back toward the original position after the needles have penetrated and are within the backing material. In another embodiment the needles are shifted in accordance with a first cam operated pattern control, and the support fingers are shifted by means of a second cam actuated pattern control. Provision may be made in the common drive for adjusting the amount of lateral shift provided by a single cam and/or utilization of the same cam with machines having different gauge part spacings. An additional feature is the provision of shifting the needles in a first direction and jogging the backing material in an opposite direction to provide a high density fabric having various patterns.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A method of tufting pile fabric comprising, feeding a backing material in one direction, reciprocably penetrating a plurality of needles through said backing material from one side thereof, said needles being spaced apart transversely to said feed direction, supporting said material during needle penetration thereof by a plurality of fingers spaced apart in the same direction as said needles, the spacing between adjacent fingers being substantially the same as the spacing between adjacent needles, shifting said needles and said fingers in synchronism from a first position transversely to said one direction while said needles are on one side of said material, penetrating said material with said needles, and shifting said needles and said fingers in synchronism to said first position while said needles are within the backing material.
- 6. A method of tufting pile fabric comprising, feeding a backing material in one direction, reciprocably penetrating a plurality of needles through said material from one side thereof, said needles being spaced apart transversely to said feed direction, supporting said material during needle penetration thereof by a plurality of fingers spaced apart in the same direction as said needles, the spacing between adjacent fingers being substantially the same as the spacing between adjacent needles, shifting said needles transversely to said first direction while said needles are on said one side of said material, and shifting said base material in a direction oppositely to said needles an amount less than said needles are shifted.
- 8. In a tufting machine, means for feeding a base material in one direction, a plurality of yarn carrying needles spaced apart transversely to said one direction, means for reciprocating said needles to penetrate the base material and to form loops therein, means for mounting said needles for movement in a direction transverse to said one direction, a needle plate including a plurality of transversely spaced fingers for supporting said base material, said fingers being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the spacing between said needles, pattern control means for shifting said needles and said fingers in synchronism from a first direction while said needles are outside said base material and for shifting said needles and fingers in synchronism back to said first position while said needles are within said base material.
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20. In a tufting machine, means for feeding a base material in one direction, a plurality of yarn carrying needles spaced apart transversely to said one direction, means for reciprocating said needles to penetrate the base and to form loops therein, means for mounting said needles for movement in a direction transverse to said one direction, a needle plate including a plurality of transversely spaced fingers for supporting said base material, said fingers being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the spacing between said needles, pattern control means for shifting said needles transversely to said first direction while said needles are outside said base material a distance at least equal to a multiple of the spacing between adjacent fingers, and pattern control means for shifting said base material in a direction oppositely to said needles an amount less than the spacing between adjacent fingers.
Specification