Tufting machine pattern yarn feed device

• US 6,009,818 A
• Filed: 04/28/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Card-Monroe Corporation
• Original Assignee: Card-Monroe Corporation
• Inventors: Kilgore, Michael L., Card, Roy T., Hall, Wilton
• Primary Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US09/067,466
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 112/80.73, 112/80.7, 112/80.01, 112/302
• US Class Current: 112/80.73
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/18 Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements

Abstract

A pattern yarn feed device for use with a tufting machine in the manufacture of tufted articles includes at least one yarn feed roll assembly positioned on a frame of a tufting machine adjacent a yarn feed path. The yarn feed roll assembly has an elongate rotatable yarn feed roll having an exterior yarn driving periphery for engaging yarns thereon. A drive motor is provided for rotating the yarn feed roll. At least one yarn applying member, preferably a rotatable pinch roller, is provided as a part of the yarn feed roll assembly, and extends parallel to the yarn feed roll, and is orbitally moveable about the yarn feed roll. The at least one yarn applying member is selectively moveable from a first yarn receiving position spaced from the periphery of the yarn feed roll for receiving an intermediate portion of selected ones of the tufting yarns thereon, into a yarn applying position engaged with at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of the yarn feed roll for applying the selected ones of the yarns thereto. In separate constructions, the pinch roller may be eccentrically orbited about the yarn feed roll from the yarn applying position into the yarn receiving position, or may be concentrically orbited about the yarn feed roll and then selectively moved into the yarn applying position at the completion of its orbital rotation about the yarn feed roll. In its yarn applying position, the pinch roller is normally resiliently urged into engagement with the periphery of the yarn feed roll.

Claims

1. A pattern yarn feed device for use with a tufting machine in the manufacture of tufted articles, the tufting machine having a frame, a supply of tufting yarn, at least one needle bar supported on the frame for reciprocating motion toward and away from a tufting zone defined beneath the needle bar and through which a backing material is transversely passed, the needle bar having a plurality of tufting needles thereon, and a yarn feed path along which yarns extend from the yarn supply to the respective needles of the tufting machine, said pattern yarn feed device comprising:

a yarn feed roll assembly positioned on the frame of the tufting machine adjacent the yarn feed path, said yarn feed roll assembly having;

an elongate rotatable yarn feed roll, said yarn feed roll extending along a longitudinal axis and having an exterior yarn driving periphery for engaging yarns thereon;

means for rotating said yarn feed roll about said axis; and

at least one yarn applying member, said at least one yarn applying member extending parallel to said yarn feed roll, being movable about the yarn feed roll in an orbital path, and being selectively movable from a yarn receiving position spaced from said yarn feed roll for receiving an intermediate portion of selected ones of the yarns thereon into a yarn applying position engaged with at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of the yarn feed roll for applying the selected ones of the yarns thereto;

whereby the rotation of the yarn feed roll drives the selected ones of the yarns toward the needles of the tufting machine.

2. The yarn feed device of claim 1, wherein said at least one yarn applying member is constructed and arranged to compress the selected ones of the yarns between the yarn feed roll and said at least one yarn applying member on the at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of the yarn feed roll in said yarn applying position.

3. The yarn feed device of claim 1, wherein said at least one orbital yarn applying member comprises an elongate pinch roller extending parallel to said yarn feed roll and supported on said yarn feed roll assembly, said yarn feed roll assembly being constructed and arranged to concentrically orbit said pinch roller about the yarn feed roll in a prescribed orbital path, wherein said pinch roller compresses the selected ones of the yarns against the at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of the yarn feed roll in said yarn applying position.

4. The yarn feed device of claim 3, wherein said pinch roller is constructed and arranged to be yieldably engaged with the at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of the yarn feed roll in said yarn applying position.

5. The yarn feed device of claim 3, wherein said yarn feed roll assembly comprises:

a pair of spaced carrier arms positioned at the ends of said pinch roller, said carrier arms being pivotally supported on said yarn feed roll assembly for permitting said pinch roller to move from said yarn receiving position to said yarn applying position and back, said pinch roller being rotatably journaled at its ends on said carrier arms;

said carrier arms being constructed and arranged to normally resiliently urge said pinch roller into said yarn applying position; and

a lever for each said carrier arm, said levers being operably engaged with a respective one of said carrier arms and being constructed and engaged to selectively move said pinch roller out of said yarn applying position into said yarn receiving position.

6. The yarn feed device of claim 5, said pinch roller including a stub shaft at each of its ends for rotatably journaling the pinch roller on said carrier arms, and wherein at least one of said stub shafts is spring loaded and is normally resiliently urged into engagement with one of said carrier arms.

7. The yarn feed device of claim 5, said pinch roller including a stub shaft at each of its ends for rotatably journaling the pinch roller on said carrier arms, and wherein said stub shafts are each spring loaded and normally resiliently urged into engagement with one of said carrier arms.

8. The yarn feed device of claim 7, wherein said spring loaded stub shafts are constructed and arranged to center said pinch roller between said carrier arms.

9. The yarn feed device of claim 3, said at least one yarn applying member further comprising at least one elongate yarn control rod supported on said yarn feed roll assembly in a position spaced from and parallel to said yarn feed roll, said yarn control rod being circumferentially spaced about the yarn feed roll from said pinch roller, and being selectively positionable about the yarn feed roll for holding the selected ones of the yarns away from the yarn feed periphery of the yarn feed roll.

10. The yarn feed device of claim 9, wherein said yarn feed roll assembly is constructed and arranged to move said pinch roller and said at least one control rod together about said yarn feed roll in said orbital path.

11. The yarn feed mechanism of claim 1, comprising a series of said yarn feed roll assemblies spaced from one another and positioned adjacent the yarn feed path, the yarn feed roll of each said yarn feed roll assembly being constructed and arranged for rotation about its longitudinal axis independently of the rotation of the other ones of said yarn feed rolls.

12. A pattern yarn feed device for use with a tufting machine in the manufacture of tufted articles, the tufting machine having a framework, a supply of tufting yarn, at least one needle bar supported on the framework for reciprocating motion toward and away from a tufting zone defined beneath the needle bar and through which a backing material is transversely passed, the needle bar having a plurality of tufting needles thereon, and a yarn feed path along which yarns extend from the yarn supply to the respective needles of the tufting machine, said pattern yarn feed device comprising:

a series of yarn feed roll assemblies supported on the framework of the tufting machine, said yarn feed roll assemblies being spaced from one another and lying adjacent the yarn feed path;

each said yarn feed roll assembly having;

an elongate rotatable yarn feed roll extending along a longitudinal axis and having an exterior yarn driving periphery for engaging yarns thereon; and

at least one yarn applying member, said at least one yarn applying member being spaced from and extending parallel to said yarn feed roll, being movable about the yarn feed roll in an orbital path, and being selectively movable from a yarn receiving position spaced from the yarn feed roll for receiving an intermediate portion of selected ones of the yarns thereon into a yarn applying position for applying the selected ones of the yarns to at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of said yarn feed roll;

wherein said yarn feed roll assemblies are disposed in series along a line extending upwardly and outwardly away from the frame of the tufting machine.

13. The yarn feed device of claim 12, wherein said at least one yarn applying member is constructed and arranged to engage at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of the yarn feed roll in said yarn applying position.

14. The yarn feed device of claim 12, said yarn feed roll assemblies being disposed in series along a vertical line extending upwardly away from the frame of the tufting machine.

15. The yarn feed device of claim 12, said yarn feed roll assemblies being disposed in series along a horizontal line extending away from the frame of the tufting machine.

16. The yarn feed device of claim 12, said yarn feed roll assemblies being disposed in series along an arcuate line extending upwardly and outwardly away from the frame of the tufting machine.

17. A pattern yarn feed device for use with a tufting machine in the manufacture of tufted articles, the tufting machine having a framework, a supply of tufting yarn, at least one needle bar, the needle bar having a plurality of tufting needles thereon, and a yarn feed path along which yarns extend from the yarn supply to the respective needles of the tufting machine, said pattern yarn feed device comprising:

at least one yarn feed roll assembly supported on the framework of the tufting machine adjacent the yarn feed path;

said at least one yarn feed roll assembly having;

an elongate rotatable yarn feed roll extending along a longitudinal axis and having an exterior yarn driving periphery for engaging yarns thereon; and

an elongate pinch roller extending parallel to said yarn feed roll, said pinch roller being spaced from said yarn feed roll in a yarn receiving position for receiving an intermediate portion of selected ones of the yarns thereon and movable concentrically about the yarn feed roll in an orbital path, said pinch roller being constructed and arranged to be selectively movable from said yarn receiving position into a yarn applying position engaged with at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of said yarn feed roll for applying the selected ones of the yarns thereto.

18. The yarn feed device of claim 17, wherein said pinch roller is constructed and arranged to compress the selected ones of the yarns against the at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of the yarn feed roll in said yarn applying position.

19. The yarn feed device of claim 17, wherein said pinch roller is constructed and arranged to be yieldably engaged with the at least a portion of the yarn driving periphery of the yarn feed roll in said yarn applying position.

20. The yarn feed device of claim 17, wherein said yarn feed roll assembly comprises:

a pair of spaced carrier arms positioned at the ends of said pinch roller, said carrier arms being pivotally supported on said yarn feed roll assembly for permitting said pinch roller to move from said yarn receiving position to said yarn applying position and back, said pinch roller being rotatably journaled at its ends on said carrier arms;

said carrier arms being constructed and arranged to normally resiliently urge said pinch roller into said yarn applying position; and

a lever for each said carrier arm, said levers being operably engaged with a respective one of said carrier arms and being constructed and engaged to selectively move said pinch roller out said yarn applying position into said yarn receiving position.

21. The yarn feed device of claim 20, wherein each said lever includes a cam engaged with a respective one of said carriers, said cam being sized and shaped to bias the pinch roller into said yarn receiving position from said yarn applying position.

22. The yarn feed device of claim 20, said pinch roller having separate stub shafts at each of its ends for rotatably journaling the pinch roller on said carrier arms, at least one of said stub shafts being spring loaded and being normally resiliently urged into engagement with one of said carrier arms.

23. The yarn feed device of claim 22, wherein each of said stub shafts is spring loaded and normally resiliently urged into engagement with one of said carrier arms.

24. The yarn feed device of claim 23, wherein said spring loaded stub shafts are constructed and arranged to center said pinch roller between said carrier arms.

25. The yarn fed device of claim 17, further comprising at least one elongate yarn control rod supported on said yarn feed roll assembly in a position spaced from and parallel to said yarn feed roll, said yarn control rod being circumferentially spaced about the yarn feed roll from said pinch roller, and being selectively positionable about the yarn feed roll for holding the selected ones of the yarns out of engagement with the yarn feed periphery of the yarn feed roll.

26. The yarn feed device of claim 25, wherein said yarn feed roll assembly is constructed and arranged to move said pinch roller and said at least one control rod together in said orbital path about said yarn feed roll.