Bow and skew control system and method
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the bow and skew of a backing material fed through a tufting machine, the tufting machine having a reciprocating needle bar disposed with respect to a tufting zone through which the backing material is fed, a cloth feed roll positioned upstream of the tufting zone, a roll of backing material from which the backing material is supplied, the backing material having a plurality of elongate warp yarns extending longitudinally in the lengthwise direction of the backing material and a plurality of weft yarns extending substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns in the cross-length direction of the backing material, the method comprising:
- aligning at least one elongate weft yarn marker disposed on the backing material, the at least one weft yarn marker being substantially parallel to the weft yarns of the backing material, with the needle bar so that the at least one weft yarn marker is substantially parallel to the needle bar.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bow and skew reduction control system and method is disclosed. In a tufting machine, an elongate bow roll is positioned intermediate a supply of a backing material to be tufted and a cloth feed roll positioned upstream of a needle bar. The backing material is passed at least partially about the bow roll and is passed over the cloth feed roll and into a tufting zone positioned with respect to the needle bar. The bow roll is provided with an actuator operably coupled to a controller. The roll of backing material is supported at its respective ends by a pair of jack assemblies, the jack assemblies being constructed and arranged for independent operation, and for raising and lowering, respectively, the ends of the roll of backing material as instructed by the controller. At least one, or a plurality, of spaced weft yarn markers are formed or otherwise disposed on the backing material and are parallel with the weft yarns thereof. The weft yarn markers are detected by a control and detection system of which the controller is a part. If the control system determines that the weft yarn markers are not parallel to the needle bar, the controller will selectively instruct either the bow roller actuator, and/or the jack assembly actuators to increase or decrease the tension of the backing material passed into the tufting machine for aligning the weft yarns of the backing material with respect to the needle bar.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the bow and skew of a backing material fed through a tufting machine, the tufting machine having a reciprocating needle bar disposed with respect to a tufting zone through which the backing material is fed, a cloth feed roll positioned upstream of the tufting zone, a roll of backing material from which the backing material is supplied, the backing material having a plurality of elongate warp yarns extending longitudinally in the lengthwise direction of the backing material and a plurality of weft yarns extending substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns in the cross-length direction of the backing material, the method comprising:
aligning at least one elongate weft yarn marker disposed on the backing material, the at least one weft yarn marker being substantially parallel to the weft yarns of the backing material, with the needle bar so that the at least one weft yarn marker is substantially parallel to the needle bar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of controlling the bow and skew of a backing material fed through a tufting machine, the tufting machine having a reciprocating needle bar disposed with respect to a tufting zone through which the backing material is fed, a cloth feed roll positioned upstream of the tufting zone, a roll of backing material from which the backing material is supplied, the backing material having a plurality of elongate warp yarns extending longitudinally in the lengthwise direction of the backing material and a plurality of weft yarns extending substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns in the cross-length direction of the backing material, the method comprising:
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detecting at least one weft yarn marker disposed on the backing material as the backing material is being passed toward the tufting zone, the at least one weft yarn marker being substantially parallel to the weft yarns of the backing material; and
aligning the at least one weft yarn marker with the needle bar so that the at least one weft yarn marker is substantially parallel to the needle bar. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of controlling the bow and skew of a backing material fed through a tufting machine, the tufting machine having a reciprocating needle bar disposed with respect to a tufting zone through which the backing material is fed, a cloth feed roll positioned upstream of the tufting zone, a roll of backing material from which the backing material is supplied, the backing material having a plurality of elongate warp yarns extending longitudinally in the lengthwise direction of the backing material and a plurality of weft yarns extending substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns in the cross-length direction of the backing material, the method comprising:
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visually detecting at least one weft yarn marker disposed on the backing material as the backing material is being passed toward the tufting zone, the at least one weft yarn marker being substantially parallel to the weft yarns of the backing material; and
aligning the at least one weft yarn marker with the needle bar so that the at least one weft yarn marker is substantially parallel to the needle bar. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification