Tufting machine indexing drive apparatus
First Claim
1. In a tufting machine having a reciprocating needle bar and a feed roller for feeding a backing material for penetration by needles carried by said needle bar, indexing apparatus for incrementally stepping at least one of said needle bar laterally and said feed roller rotationally in accordance with a pattern, said apparatus comprising a plurality of drive input means rotatably oscillated in timed relationship with said needle bar, a drive output means operatively connected to said at least one of said needle bar and feed roller, a respective selectively engagable drive transmission means-disposed intermediate each drive input means and said drive output means, and programmable selection means for each drive transmission means for periodically in timed relationship with said needle bar selectively coupling the corresponding drive transmission means with the respective drive input means to provide a controlled rotary input to the respective drive transission means in timed relationship with said needle bar, a first of said drive transmission means having a rotatable output member operatively connected to said drive output means and an input member operatively connected to said output member, the other of said drive transmission means each having an input member operatively connected to said output member, such that said controlled input to the respective drive transmission means is collectively applied to said output member and rotatably drive said output member and thereby said drive output means in accordance with the rotational summation of the selected inputs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An indexing mechanism for a tufting machine for indexing a needle bar or a backing material feed roller has three oscillating input gear sectors, a drive transmission corresponding to each gear sector, an output member and a programmable selector mechanism for each drive transmission for periodically selectively coupling the corresponding drive transmission with the respective gear sector. The drive transmissions include a pair of epicyclic gear assemblies having planet gears mounted within a common planet cage. The sun gear of one of the assemblies is connected to a flywheel coupled to a transfer gear which may be selectively moved to receive motion from a first sector. The ring gear of one epicyclic gear assembly is coupled to a second transfer gear which may be selectively moved to receive motion from a second gear sector. The other epicyclic gear assembly has its ring gear coupled to a third transfer gear which may be selectively moved to receive motion from the third gear sector. The output member is connected to the sun gear of the section epicyclic gear assembly and is thus indexed in accordance with the cumulative inputs. The selector mechanism for each transmission includes a continuous chain having rollers disposed thereon in accordance with a pattern, the rollers acting to engage a lever attached to articulating linkage. The articulating linkage is biased to an overcenter position and is cyclically driven to move the respective transfer gear into mesh with the corresponding gear sector unless a roller engages the lever and collapses the linkage.
28 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. In a tufting machine having a reciprocating needle bar and a feed roller for feeding a backing material for penetration by needles carried by said needle bar, indexing apparatus for incrementally stepping at least one of said needle bar laterally and said feed roller rotationally in accordance with a pattern, said apparatus comprising a plurality of drive input means rotatably oscillated in timed relationship with said needle bar, a drive output means operatively connected to said at least one of said needle bar and feed roller, a respective selectively engagable drive transmission means-disposed intermediate each drive input means and said drive output means, and programmable selection means for each drive transmission means for periodically in timed relationship with said needle bar selectively coupling the corresponding drive transmission means with the respective drive input means to provide a controlled rotary input to the respective drive transission means in timed relationship with said needle bar, a first of said drive transmission means having a rotatable output member operatively connected to said drive output means and an input member operatively connected to said output member, the other of said drive transmission means each having an input member operatively connected to said output member, such that said controlled input to the respective drive transmission means is collectively applied to said output member and rotatably drive said output member and thereby said drive output means in accordance with the rotational summation of the selected inputs.
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22. In a tufting machine having a reciprocating needle bar and a feed roller for feeding a backing material for penetration by needles carried by said needle bar, indexing apparatus for incrementally stepping at least one said needle bar laterally in said feed roller rotationally in accordance with a pattern, said apparatus comprising a drive input means driven in timed relationship with said needle bar, a drive output means operatively connected to said at least one of said needle bar and feed roller, drive transmission means disposed intermediate said drive input means and said drive output means, and mechanically programmable selection means for providing a signal to said drive transmission means for coupling the drive transmission means with the drive input means and the drive output means, said selection means comprising linkage operatively connected to said transmission means and to a cycliclly driven member, said linkage having a force applying disposition with said transmission means wherein said drive transmission means couples said drive input means and said drive output means and a non-force applying disposition wherein coupling does not occur, biasing means for urging said linkage into one of said force applying and non-force applying dispositions, pattern means comprising a continuous chain having contact members selectively disposed thereon in accordance with a pattern, and engagement means carried by said linkage and disposed for engagement with said contact members to overcome the urging of said biasing means when engaged by a contact member.
Specification