Gripper for a tufting machine

• US 7,717,049 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
• Original Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
• Inventors: Kaas, Timo, Hillenbrand, Bernd, Maute, Andrea, Kirchmair, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Izaguirre; Ismael
• Application Number:
  US12/010,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20080264314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 112 805- 806, 832/84, 836/899.1, 839/10, 839/29
• US Class Current: 112/80.55
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/22 Loop-catching arrangements, e.g. loopers; Driving mechanisms therefor

Abstract

A gripper (3) for a tufting machine comprises a gripper body (9) having a cutout (22) for a cutting insert (10), said cutting insert preferably consisting of a hard metal. Connecting means acting in a form-closed manner are provided for the connection of the cutting insert (10) with the gripper body (9). In their simplest embodiment, said connecting means are formed by the deformation regions (37, 38) that are provided on the gripper body (9) and that reach around matching cutouts (33, 34) of the cutting insert (10).

Claims

1. Gripper for a tufting machine, said gripper comprising

a gripper body with a gripper section for picking up thread loops, and

a cutting insert set into a recess of the gripper body and being secured in the recess in a form-closed manner;

and wherein;

the cutting insert consists of a body having two flat sides;

said cutting insert body is provided with cutouts on at least two opposing locations;

the cutting insert is secured in the recess by projections provided on the gripper body and extending into the cutouts of the cutting insert; and

the projections are formed on the gripper body by deformation of the gripper body at an edge of the recess opposite the cutouts.

2. Gripper in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the cutouts is limited by a surface that is oriented inclined relative to the flat sides.

3. Gripper in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cutting insert projects beyond the gripper body.

4. Gripper in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cuffing insert is a hard metal insert.

5. Gripper in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cuffing insert is provided with a coating of hard material.

6. Gripper in accordance with claim 1, wherein the gripper body is provided with a friction-reducing coating.

7. Gripper in accordance with claim 6, wherein the friction-reducing coating is a coating of synthetic material.

8. Gripper in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cuffing insert has the shape of an oblique angle on its cutting edge.