Tufting machine and method of tufting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12054868-B2
Application number	US-202217843011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2022
Priority date	Jun 21, 2021
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A tufting machine for selectively forming tufts of yarns, including different color or type yarns, for forming patterned tufted articles such as carpets. A series of needles are reciprocated into and out of a backing material being fed through the tufting machine and are engaged by a series of gauge parts so as to pick-up loops of yarns from the needles. The gauge parts will be selectively controlled by actuators to extend or retract the gauge parts to positions or elevations sufficient to pick-up or not pick-up loops of yarns from the needles. The feeding of the yarns to the needles further can be controlled in conjunction with the movement of the gauge parts, while the backing feed can also be controlled, to enable formation of tufts of yarns at an increased rate over the pattern stitch rate for the pattern of the tufted article being formed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A tufting machine, comprising:
at least one needle bar having a plurality of needles mounted therealong;
backing feed rolls feeding a backing material;
at least one yarn feed mechanism feeding yarns to the needles;
a plurality of gauge parts positioned below the backing material, each of the gauge parts including a body having a first portion and a second portion having a throat configured to pick-up loops of yarns from the needles;
wherein the gauge parts are moveable in a first direction toward and away from engagement with the needles, and in a second direction;
a drive system for movement of the gauge parts in their second direction, the drive system comprising:
a plurality of actuators; and
a linkage coupled to each gauge part and to an associated actuator, wherein each linkage is retracted or extended by its associated actuator to cause movement the gauge part in the second direction;
a plurality of connectors configured to connect each gauge part to at least one linkage for an associated actuator, each of the connectors comprising a body having a first end along which the first portion of the body of one of the gauge parts is received, and a second end connected to the at least one linkage; and
a series of biasing members located between the second end of each connector and a spring plate; and

a control system including programming for controlling the at least one yarn feed mechanism to control feeding of the yarns to the needles in coordination with a selective actuation of one or more of the actuators so as to extend or retract the linkages coupled thereto to move selected gauge parts along the second direction between a no-sew position and an extended position with respect to a stroke of the needles into the backing material for engaging the needles and forming tufts of yarns in the backing material according to a pattern being formed.

2. The tufting machine of claim 1 , further comprising a shift mechanism for shifting the at least one needle bar transversely across the backing material, and wherein the control system further comprises programming to coordinate shifting of the at least one needle bar by the shift mechanism, feeding of the backing material by said backing feed rolls, control of the actuators coupled to the gauge parts, and control of the at least one yarn feed mechanism feeding the yarns to the needles as the needles are reciprocated into and out of the backing material, so as to present a series of yarns to selected stitch locations along the backing material and withdraw non-selected yarns where loops of such non-selected yarns are not picked up by one of the gauge parts, and with the backing material moved through a tufting zone at an actual stitch rate that is greater than a pattern stitch rate for the pattern being formed to provide a number of retained tufts per inch of face yarns in the backing material that is approximately equivalent to the pattern stitch rate.

3. The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the gauge parts comprise level cut loop loopers, loop pile loopers, or cut pile hooks.

4. The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the actuators comprise hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, stepper motors, servo motors, electric cylinders, linear actuators, moving coil or voice coil actuators, solenoids, or combinations thereof.

5. The tufting machine of claim 1 , further comprising at least one module carrying a series of gauge parts in a reciprocating motion in a direction toward and away from engagement with the needles as the needles are reciprocated into the backing material; the at least one module comprising:
a module body adapted to mount along a gauge bar and having a passage defined therethrough, the module body formed from a metal, polymer, composite or synthetic material, or combinations thereof, and having a first hardness; and
inserts positioned along the passage, the inserts each having slots configured to slideably receive at least a portion of one of the gauge parts therein;
wherein the inserts comprise a metal or metal carbide material having a second hardness greater than the first hardness of module body.

6. The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein each linkage comprises a cable, wire, rod, or belt, and includes a first end extending through the spring plate and connected to the second end of one of the connectors and a second end coupled to its associated actuator; wherein to retract the selected gauge parts, the one or more actuators retract the linkages coupled to the selected gauge parts such that the selected gauge parts are moved in along the second direction toward a retracted position, causing compression of at least one biasing member; and wherein to extend the selected gauge parts, the at least one biasing member is enabled to decompress and urge the selected gauge parts toward their extended positions.

7. The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the actuators comprise motors, and wherein each linkage comprises a cable, wire, rod or belt having a first end portion adapted to connect to one of the connectors, and a second end portion coupled to one of the motors.

8. The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the actuators comprise motors and the linkages comprise cables, wires, rods, belts, arms, or combinations thereof.

9. The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the actuators comprise motors, each motor including a drive member coupled thereto and drive by the motor in a rotary motion; and wherein the linkages are coupled to the drive member of one of the motors such that as the drive member is rotated by the motor, the linkage is extended or retracted.

10. The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein each of the linkages comprises a first arm or rod having a first end coupled to the drive member of the motor and a second end coupled to a second arm or rod at a first end thereof, the second arm having a second end pivotally connected to the first portion of the body of one of the gauge parts; and wherein as the drive member is rotated by its motor, the first arm is extended or retracted along a first axis of movement, causing the second arm to pivot and move the one of the gauge parts between its extended and retracted positions.

11. The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein each linkage comprises an extension piece connected to or integrated with the first portion of the body of a corresponding gauge part.

12. The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one needle bar comprises a pair of needle bars each having a series of needles mounted in spaced series therealong.

13. A tufting machine, comprising:
at least one needle bar having a plurality of needles mounted therealong, the at least one needle bar moving in a reciprocating motion so as to move the plurality of needles into and out of a backing passing therebelow;
at least one yarn feed mechanism feeding yarns to the needles; and
a gauge part assembly positioned below the backing, the gauge part assembly comprising:
a plurality of modules, each module including a module body having a passage defined therethrough, and one or more inserts mounted to the module body along the passage defined through the module body;
a series of gauge parts slidably received within the passages of each of the modules, the gauge parts each having a throat, wherein the gauge parts are carried with their modules in a first direction toward and away from engagement with needles of the tufting machine so as to selectively to pick up loops of yarns from the needles along the throats of the gauge parts, and are selectively movable in a second direction through the passages of their modules; and
a drive system, comprising:
a pl

Assignees

• Card Monroe Corp

Inventors

• Neely Marshall A
• Mathews Ricky E
• Christman Jr William M

Classifications

• D05C15/24

  Loop cutters; Driving mechanisms therefor · CPC title

• D05C15/145

  Needle plates · CPC title

• D05C15/10

  operating with a plurality of needles, e.g. in one row · CPC title

• D05C15/22 Primary

  Loop-catching arrangements, e.g. loopers; Driving mechanisms therefor · CPC title

• D05C15/26 Primary

  with provision for producing patterns · CPC title