Tufting machine and method of tufting for producing multiple rows of tufts with single lengths of yarn

• US 4,619,212 A
• Filed: 04/15/1985
• Issued: 10/28/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Card-Monroe Corporation
• Original Assignee: Joseph L. Card, Roy T. Card
• Inventors: Card, Roy T., Card, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, H. Hampton
• Application Number:
  US06/723,266
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 112/79 R, 112/79 A, 112/266.2, 112/266.1, 112/262.1, 112/79 FF, 112/410, 112/411
• US Class Current: 112/80.01
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/30 by moving the tufting tools laterally

Abstract

A laterally shiftable needle bar of a tufting machine, carrying a plurality of laterally spaced needles, is reciprocated in a vertical path for simultaneously inserting loops of yarn, carried by the needles, through a base fabric, the fabric being fed in a linear longitudinal path beneath the needles. Each needle has an individual looper below the base fabric, in registery and cooperating with the needle for engaging and temporarily holding the loop of yarn, inserted by the needle through the base fabric, as the needle is retracted.

During a first portion of a cycle of the needle bar, prior to the insertion of the needles through the base fabric, a needle bar shifting assembly shifts the needle bar laterally, in one direction or the other. Then, after the needles have penetrated the base fabric, the needle bar shifting assembly shifts the needle bar laterally in an opposite direction, so as to cause the needles to move the penetrated portion of the base fabric laterally out of its normal linear path and align the needles with their loopers beneath the base fabric for engagement of the loops by the loopers, as the needles are withdrawn vertically from the base fabric. The resiliency of the base fabric returns the shifted portion of the base fabric to its original linear path across the machine and the yarn inserting cycle is then repeated. By appropriate manipulating of the lateral shifting of the needle bar one or, indeed, a plurality of longitudinal rows of tufts are produced by each needle and its individual looper.

Claims

1. A method of tufting pile fabric comprising, feeding a backing material in one direction, reciprocably penetrating a plurality of needles carrying yarns through said backing material from one side thereof, said needles being spaced apart transversely to said feed direction, shifting said needles from a first position transversely to said direction while said needles are on one side of said material and spaced therefrom, penetrating said material with said needles, and shifting said needles to said first position while said needles are within the backing material and withdrawing said needles from said backing material to form loops of said yarns in said backing material.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the amount of shift in each direction is less than the spacing between adjacent needles.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the amount of shift in each direction may be selectively varied.

4. 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, pattern control means for shifting said needles from a first position while said needles are outside said base material and for shifting said needles back to said first position while said needles are within said base material.

5. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 4, wherein said drive means includes means for selectively varying the distance said needles and said fingers are shifted to and from said first position.

6. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 4, wherein said needles are carried by a transversely extending needle bar, said means for reciprocating said needles comprises a plurality of reciprocably driven push rods, said means for mounting said needles comprises means for drivingly connecting said needle bar to said push rods and permitting said needle bar to slide relatively to said push rods, said pattern control means comprising drive means moved transversely in accordance with a pattern, and means for connecting said drive means to said needle bar.

7. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 4, wherein said pattern control means comprises a peripheral cam rotatably driven in timed relationship to the reciprocation of said needles, follower means, drive means supporting said follower means in engagement with the periphery of said cam and constrained for transverse movement, and means for connecting said drive means to said needles.