Individual yarn feeding apparatus

• US 5,806,446 A
• Filed: 02/18/1997
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Modern Techniques, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Modern Techniques, Inc.
• Inventors: Morrison, Gerald, Berger, M. Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US08/802,835
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 112/80.01, 112/80.7, 112/80.73, 112/80.54
• US Class Current: 112/80.73
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/18 Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/32 by altering the loop length

Abstract

An individual yarn feeding apparatus (10) for compensating for variations in the feed rate of individual yarn threads due to the lateral shifting of needle bars in various selected pile heights between tufts. The individual yarn feeding apparatus (10) is positioned between the yarn beam and the needle bar of a conventional tufting machine. The apparatus (10) includes a support arm (12) carried by the tufting machine, at least one thread guide (14) disposed proximate a first end (16) of the support arm (12), and at least one feed rate control device (20) received on the support arm (12). The thread guide (14) separates the individual yarn threads as they pass from the yarn beam, through the apparatus (10) and to the needle bar. The feed rate control device (20) enables the definition of an accent yarn feed path (22) and a base yarn feed path (24). In operation, the feed rate control device (20) varies in the speed of weaving the accent yarn threads to compensate for the shifting of the needle bars, thereby controlling the pile height achieved in tufting to define a particular design and pattern of the finished tufted product.

Claims

1. An individual yarn feeding apparatus for individually controlling the feed rate of groups of yarn, said apparatus for being disposed between a yarn beam and a needle bar of a conventional tufting machine, said yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

a support arm carried by the conventional tufting machine;

at least one thread guide carried by said support arm for separating individual threads of yarn received from the yarn beam, said thread guide including a plurality of through-openings, each of said plurality of through openings for receiving one of said individual threads of yarn received from the yarn beam; and

at least one feed rate control device for receiving individual yarn threads from said thread guide and for variably feeding the yarn threads to the needle bar of the tufting machine such that said feed rate control device controls the height of the pile to define a particular design and pattern in a tufted products said at least one feed rate control device including a support bracket assembly, a first and a second thread routing rod, and a yarn feed roller disposed between said support bracket assembly and said thread routing rods, said support bracket assembly including a support bracket having a first end and a second end, a bracket end plate disposed on said second end of said support bracket, a thread separating rod and a thread grouping rod, said thread separating rod, said grouping rod, said yarn feed roller and said thread routing rods defining an accent yarn path, said thread separating rod and said thread grouping rod each having a first end received in said support arm and a second end carried by said support bracket, said support bracket end plate defining a thread separating rod slot and a thread grouping rod slot for removably receiving said second end of said thread separating rod and said thread grouping rod, respectively.

2. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support arm is carried by the tufting machine in a relative parallel position with respect to a base yarn feed path, said base yarn feed path being defined by said at least one feed rate control device.

3. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feed rate control device defines a center line which is perpendicular to and above said base yarn feed path, said center line of said feed rate control device being coincident with a center line defined by said support bracket assembly and a center point defined by said yarn feed roller, said thread routing rods being disposed in an equidistant lateral position from said center line of said feed rate control device and in an equidistant vertical position between the center point of said yarn feed roller and said base yarn feed path, above said base yarn feed path.

4. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said thread separating rod slot and said thread grouping rod slot are disposed on a first side of said support bracket assembly, said thread separating rod being disposed above said thread grouping rod on said first side of said support bracket assembly.

5. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said thread grouping rod slot is vertically disposed to permit vertical movement of said thread grouping rod in the event of heightened tension of yarn threads passing through said apparatus so as to arrest movement of the yarn threads and preclude breakage of yarn threads in said yarn feed control device.

6. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said thread separating rod and said thread grouping rod further include bearings to optimize the friction-free rotation of said thread separating rod and said thread grouping rod in operation of said yarn feeding apparatus.

7. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said yarn feed roller functions coordinately with said support bracket assembly and said thread routing rods such that said yarn feed roller regulates the speed at which the yarn is fed to the needle bars of a conventional tufting machine, said yarn feed roller and said support bracket assembly being positioned such that a point of contact between said yarn feed roller and said thread grouping rod define a nip, said nip between said rod and said roller for enhancing the tractability of and control over the movement of the yarn threads through said apparatus.

8. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said thread grouping rod and said yarn feed roller are coated with suitable coating materials which heighten tractability and control of the yarn threads passing through said apparatus without interfering with the integrity of or otherwise damaging the yarn threads.

9. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 8 wherein said thread grouping rod is coated with rubber.

10. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 8 wherein said yarn feed roller is coated with sand paper.

11. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a proximal thread guide and a distal thread guide, said proximal thread guide being disposed proximate to a first end of said support arm, said distal thread guide being disposed proximate a second end of said support arm.

12. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of feed rate control devices aligned in a consecutive order along said support arm, and a proximal and a distal thread guide, such that a plurality of groups of yarn threads are simultaneously fed through said apparatus and to the needle bar.

13. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said thread guide and said feed rate control device are disposed along either side of said support arm such that said yarn feed apparatus is operable from two sides of said support arm.

14. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 13 wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of feed rate control devices aligned in a consecutive order along both sides of said support arm such that a plurality of groups of yarn threads are simultaneously fed to the needle bar from both sides of said support arm.

15. The individual yarn feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein the operation of said feed rate control device is computerized.

16. An individual yarn feeding apparatus for individually controlling the feed rate of groups of yarn, said apparatus for being disposed between a yarn beam and a needle bar of a conventional tufting machine, said yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

a support arm carried by a conventional tufting machine, said support arm being disposed in a relative parallel position with respect to a base yarn feed path;

at least one thread guide carried by said support arm for separating individual threads of yarn received from the yarn beam, said thread guide having a plurality of through-openings for separating individual yarn threads as they are fed through said apparatus, one each for passage of one each of the individual threads of yarn from said yarn beam; and

at least one feed rate control device for receiving the individual threads of yarn from said thread guide and variably feeding the yarn threads to the needle bar of the tufting machine, said feed rate control device for individually controlling the feed rate of a group of individual threads of yarn, said feed rate control device including a support bracket assembly having a thread grouping rod, a first and a second thread routing rod, and a yarn feed roller disposed between said bracket assembly and said routing rods, said support bracket assembly being disposed above said yarn feed roller, said yarn feed roller and said support bracket assembly being positioned such that the points of contact between said yarn feed roller and said thread grouping rod define a nip, said nip between said thread grouping rod and said yarn feed roller for enhancing the tractability of and control over the movement of the yarn threads through said apparatus, said thread grouping rod being rubber-coated and said yarn feed roller being sandpaper-coated to heighten the tractability and control of the yarn threads passing through said yarn feed control device, said feed rate control device defining a center line perpendicular to and above said base yarn feed path, said centerline of said feed rate control device being coincident with a center line defined by said support bracket assembly and a center point defined by said yarn feed roller, said thread routing rods being disposed equidistantly and laterally from said center line of said feed rate control device and equidistantly and vertically between said yarn feed roller and said base yarn feed path, said support bracket assembly including a support bracket having a first and a second end, a bracket end plate disposed on said second end of said support bracket, and a thread separating rod, said thread separating rod being positioned above said thread grouping rod on a side of said support bracket end plate, said thread separating rod, said thread grouping rod, said yarn feed roller and said thread routing rods defining an accent yarn feed path, said thread separating rod and said thread grouping rod each having a first end received in said support arm and a second end carried by said support bracket, said support bracket end plate further including a thread separating rod slot and a thread grouping rod slot, said thread grouping rod slot being disposed vertically with respect to said base yarn feed path for permitting vertical movement of said thread grouping rod in the event of heightened yarn thread tension and the arrest the movement of the yarn threads, thereby precluding breakage of the yarn threads in said feed rate control device, said thread separating rod slot and said thread grouping rod slot for removably receiving said second end of said thread separating rod and said thread grouping rod, respectively, and cooperatively enabling grouping of selected accent yarn threads from said accent yarn thread path such that said yarn feed roller variably regulates the rate at which said accent yarn threads are fed to the needle bar of the tufting machine.

17. An individual yarn feeding apparatus for individually controlling the feed rate of groups of yarn, said apparatus for being disposed between a yarn beam and a needle bar of a conventional tufting machine, said yarn feeding apparatus comprising:

a support arm carried by a conventional tufting machine, said support arm being disposed in a relative parallel position with respect to a base yarn feed path;

a proximal and a distal thread guide carried by said support arm, each of said thread guides for separating individual threads of yarn received from said yarn beam, each of said thread guides having a plurality of through-openings for separating individual yarn threads as they are fed through said apparatus, one each for passage of one each of the individual threads of yarn from the yarn beam, said proximal thread guide being disposed proximate to a first end of said support arm, said distal thread guide being disposed proximate a second end of said support arm; and

a plurality of feed rate control devices for receiving the individual threads of yarn from said proximal thread guide and variably feeding the yarn threads to the needle bar of the tufting machine, said feed rate control devices for individually controlling the feed rate of a group of yarn threads, the operation of said feed rate control devices being computerized, each of said plurality of feed rate control devices including a support bracket assembly having a thread grouping rod, a first and a second thread routing rod, and a yarn feed roller disposed between said bracket assembly and said thread routing rods, each of said support bracket assemblies being disposed above said yarn feed roller, said yarn feed roller and said support bracket assembly being positioned such that the points of contact between said yarn feed roller and said thread grouping rod define a nip, said nip between said rod and said roller for enhancing the tractability of and control over the movement of the yarn threads through said apparatus, said thread grouping rod having a diameter of two inches, said thread grouping rod being rubber-coated and said yarn feed roller being sandpaper-coated to heighten the tractability and control of the yarn threads passing through said yarn feed control device, each of said feed rate control devices defining a center line perpendicular to and above said base yarn feed path, said centerline of said feed rate control devices being coincident with a center line defined by said support bracket assembly and a center point defined by said yarn feed roller, said thread routing rods being disposed equidistantly and laterally from said center line of each of said feed rate control devices and equidistantly and vertically between said yarn feed roller and said base yarn feed path, each said support bracket assembly including a support bracket having a first end and a second end, a bracket end plate disposed on said second end of said support bracket, and a thread separating rod, said thread separating rod being positioned above said thread grouping rod on a side of said support bracket end plate, said thread separating rod, said thread grouping rod, said yarn feed roller and said thread routing rods defining an accent yarn feed path, said thread separating rod and said thread grouping rod each having a first end received in said support arm and a second end carried by said support bracket, said support bracket end plate further including a thread separating rod slot and a thread grouping rod slot, said thread grouping rod slot being vertically disposed with respect to said base yarn feed path for permitting vertical movement of said thread grouping rod in the event of heightened yarn thread tension and the arrest the movement of the yarn threads, thereby precluding breakage of the yarn threads in said feed rate control device, said respective rod slots for removably receiving said second end of said thread separating rod and said thread grouping rod and cooperatively enabling the grouping of selected accent yarn threads from said accent yarn thread path such that said yarn feed roller variably regulates the rate at which said accent yarn threads are fed to the needle bar of the tufting machine.