Tufting machine and method for producing level cut and loop pile

• US 4,860,674 A
• Filed: 02/03/1989
• Issued: 08/29/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spencer Wright Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Spencer Wright Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Slattery, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Feldbaum, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US07/306,643
• Time in Patent Office: 207 Days
• Field of Search: 112/80.55, 112/80.4, 112/80.42, 112/80.43, 112/80.51, 112/80.56, 112/80.5
• US Class Current: 112/80.42
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/10 operating with a plurality of needles, e.g. in one row

Abstract

A tufting machine for forming loop pile and cut pile selectively in the same row of stitching has a controllably actuated latch carried by a reciprocating bar member for selectively coupling to and driving a needle carrier to a first position into cooperation with a loop seizing member beneath the backing material. The bar member and needle carrier have cooperating abutment members which engage when the latch is not actuated, and the abutment members act to drive the needle carrier not as far downwardly as when the latch is actuated, so that the needle is not driven downwardly as far as the first level and cooperates with the loop seizing member at the higher level. When the needle is driven to the lower level a loop of yarn from the needle is seized and retained by the loop seizing member and is subsequently cut, while at the higher level the loop is seized and then shed to form loop pile. The loop seizing edge of the bill of the loop seizing member is substantially at or slightly below the level of the loop retaining and cutting edge of the blade of the hook, and a downwardly extending nib between the blade and the bill precludes the shed loop from entering the blade of the hook.

Claims

1. In a tufting machine having a head for mounting drive means including a drive bar reciprocating in a linear path, a bed disposed beneath the head having means for supporting a base material fed in a longitudinal direction substantially normal to said path, a needle carrier for mounting at least one needle at a bottom distal end thereof, means for mounting said needle carrier for reciprocation parallel to said path, said drive bar carrying a latch member selectively operable between an active position for coupling said needle carrier to said drive bar at a first location for reciprocation therewith for driving said needle to a first bottom dead center position, and an inactive position, said drive bar and said needle carrier having respective abutment means adapted to cooperatively engage at a second location only when said latch member is in said inactive position for driving said needle carrier and said needle to a second bottom dead center position spaced from said first- bottom dead center position, loop seizing means in said bed for seizing and retaining loops of yarn presented by said needle when driven to said first bottom dead center position and for seizing and shedding loops kf yarn presented by said needle when driven to said second bottom dead center position, a knife cooperating with said loop seizing means for severing loops of yarn seized and retained by said loop seizing means, and control means for selectively moving said latch member between said active position and said inactive position.

2. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said first bottom dead center position is below said second bottom dead center position.

3. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 2, wherein said first location is above said second location.

4. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said abutment means of said drive bar comprises a plate, and means for securing said plate to said drive bar at a location spaced beneath said latch member.

5. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 4, wherein said abutment means of said needle carrier comprises a block fastened to said needle carrier at said second location.

6. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 5, wherein said first bottom dead center position is below said second bottom dead center position.

7. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 6, wherein said first location is above said second location.

8. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said loop seizing means comprises a body member having a blade extending from a mounting shank and terminating at a free end defining a bill pointing opposite the direction of feed of the base material, means for mounting said shank for oscillation in timed relationship to said needle, said blade and said bill having respective loop seizing edges, and a nib formed on said blade adjacent said bill and extending from said edges, said bill and said nib entering loops of yarn presented by said needle when said needle is driven to said first bottom dead center position, and only said bill entering loops of yarn presented by said needle when driven to said second bottom dead center position, whereby loops entered by said nib enter onto said blade and are retained thereon.

9. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 8, wherein the loop seizing edge of said blade is disposed closer to said head than the loop seizing edge of said bill.

10. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 8, wherein said abutment means of said drive bar comprises a plate, and means for securing said plate to said drive bar at a location spaced beneath said latch member.

11. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 10, wherein said abutment means of said needle carrier comprises a block fastened to said needle carrier at said second location.

12. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 11, wherein said first bottom dead center position is below said second bottom dead center position.

13. In a tufting machine as recited in claim 12, wherein said first location is above said second location.

14. In a tufting machine having a head for mounting drive means including a push rod reciprocating in a linear path, a bed disposed beneath the head having means for supporting a base material fed in a longitudinal direction substantially normal to said path, a needle carrier for mounting at least one needle at a bottom distal end thereof, means for mounting said needle carrier for reciprocation parallel to said path, needle drive means carried by said push rod for coupling said push rod to said needle carrier at least at two different locations along said path selectively for driving said needle downwardly into said bed to at least two different bottom dead center positions, loop seizing means in said bed for seizing and retaining loops of yarn presented by said needle when driven to one of said bottom dead center positions and for seizing and shedding loops of yarn presented by said needle when driven to a second of said bottom dead center positions, a knife cooperating with said loop seizing means for severing loops of yarn seized and retained, by said loop seizing means, and control means for selecting the coupling location of said needle drive means with said needle carrier.

15. A method of tufting cut pile and loop pile in the same row of stitching comprising supporting and feeding a base material in one direction, actuating a needle to stitch a yarn continuously through said base material as the material moves to form a row of successive yarn loops on one side of said material, supporting at said one side of said material an oscillating hook having a blade terminating in a free end pointing in the direction opposite the material feed so that at least the free end enters the loops in succession, said hook having a nib adjacent the free end disposed further from the base material than said free end and said blade, said actuating of the needle comprising selectively driving said needle to form selected loops below the level of said nib so that said free end and said nib enter said selected loops, driving said needle to form other loops above the level of said nib, shedding said other loop from the free end to produce uncut loop, and severing said selected loops upon said blade to produce cut pile.

16. A method of tufting cut pile and loop pile as recited in claim 15, wherein said driving of said needle to form selected loops comprises reciprocating a drive member along a fixed path, coupling said needle to said reciprocating drive member at a first location along said path, and said driving of said needle to form said other loops comprises coupling said needle to said reciprocating drive member at a second location along said path.

17. A method of tufting cut pile and loop pile in the same row of stitching comprising supporting and feeding a base material in one direction, stitching a yarn through said base material to two different locations relative to said base material as said material moves to form successive yarn loops in a row on one side of said material, seizing said loops by an oscillating hook having a free end pointing in the direction opposite the material feed so that the free end enters all the loops in succession, shedding loops stitched to a first of said locations from the free end of said hook, retaining loops stitched to the other of said locations on said hook, and severing the retained loops.

18. A method of tufting cut pile and loop pile as recited in claim 17, wherein said stitching of yarn to two different locations comprises coupling a yarn carrying needle to a reciprocating ember at two different dispositions along the reciprocating path.

19. A method of tufting cut pile and loop pile as recited in claim 18, wherein said hook has a nib adjacent said free end disposed further from said base material than said free end, and said stitching of yarn to said first location comprises forming loops closer to said base material than said nib but further from said base material than said free end.

20. A method of tufting cut pile and loop pile as recited in claim 19, wherein said stitching of yarn to said other of said locations comprises forming loops further from said base material than said nib.

21. A hook for use in a tufting machine, said hook comprising a body portion including a blade and a shank having a mounting portion for mounting in a tufting machine hook bar, said blade extending from said shank to a free end defining a bill remote from said shank, said blade having a top edge extending to said bill and a bottom edge that extends from said shank, said bill having a top edge forming a continuation of said top edge of said blade and a bottom edge spaced at or below said bottom edge of said blade, and means defining a nib extending from said bottom edge of said blade adjacent said bill to below said bottom edge of said bill.