Tufting machine and method of tufting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12595606-B2
Application number	US-202418891275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2024
Priority date	Feb 16, 2021
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

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 activators 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 will be controlled to back-rob yarns not picked-up by the gauge parts, while the backing feed will be controlled to enable formation of tufts 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:
one or more needle bars; a plurality of needles positioned along the one or more needle bars, the needles being arranged in a staggered arrangement; a series of modules configured to mount along a gauge bar; a plurality of gauge parts, each gauge part including a body having a first portion slidably received within at least one passage defined through a module, and a second portion configured to pick up yarns carried by the needles as the gauge parts are reciprocated in a first direction toward and away from the needles; one or more of inserts received within the modules and defining bearing surfaces for the gauge parts as the gauge parts are moved through the modules in a second direction; wherein the inserts comprise a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the modules; and a control system including programming for controlling movement of the gauge parts in the second direction through the modules between a lowered position at which pick up of the yarns from the needles is substantially avoided, and one or more raised positions for picking up loops of yarns from the needles.

2 . The tufting machine of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of actuators coupled to the gauge parts, the actuators being configured to move the gauge parts in the second direction between the lowered and one or more raised positions.

3 . The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the gauge part assembly further comprises at least one connector extending between each gauge part and an actuator; wherein each connector comprises a housing formed from a composite, plastic, or synthetic material, or combinations thereof.

4 . The tufting machine of claim 1 , further comprising a yarn feed configured to feed a series of yarns to the needles; and wherein the control system further includes programming configured to control feeding of a backing material though the tufting machine, and for controlling feeding of the yarns to the needles to form tufts of selected colors or types of yarns in the backing material according to a pattern being formed.

5 . The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the inserts comprise a metal, metal carbide, ceramics, powdered metal materials, including metal powders including tungsten, titanium, or combinations thereof.

6 . The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the modules each include a module body comprising a metal, polymer, composite or synthetic material, or combinations thereof; and wherein the inserts comprise a metal, metal carbide, ceramic, powdered metal material, or combinations thereof.

7 . The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the inserts are bonded, molded, or cast with the modules, or are attached to the modules so as to form a substantially unitary module body construction.

8 . The tufting machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inserts comprise at least two inserts positioned along the at least one passage of the module.

9 . A tufting machine, comprising:
one or more needle bars carrying a plurality of needles; a yarn feed configured to feed a plurality of needles to the needles; and a gauge part assembly comprising:
a series of modules positioned along a gauge bar;
a plurality of loopers slidably received within the modules; and
a plurality of inserts positioned at spaced locations within the modules, the inserts having a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the modules;
wherein the gauge bar is coupled to a drive mechanism configured to drive a reciprocating movement of the loopers in a first direction toward and away from the needles as the needles are reciprocated into and out of a backing material for pick up of loops of yarns from the needles; and wherein each of the loopers are selectively movable through the modules in a second direction that is different from the first direction to move the gauge parts between a lowered position at which pick up of the yarns from the needles is substantially avoided, and one or more raised positions for picking up loops of yarns from the needles for forming tufts of yarns in the backing material; and wherein the inserts define contact areas between the modules and the loopers against which the loopers slide so that the loopers are substantially maintained out of direct contact with the modules.

10 . The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein the one or more needle bars comprise two needle bars; and wherein the needles are positioned along each of the needle bars in an in-line or a staggered arrangement.

11 . The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein the inserts comprise pairs of inserts mounted within each module.

12 . The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein the inserts are treated with a wear resistant coating.

13 . The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein the inserts further comprise a plurality of spaced slots within which the loopers are received and moved as the loopers are moved in the second direction.

14 . The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein the hardness of the inserts is at least approximately 74+RC.

15 . The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein the modules each include a module body comprising a metal, polymer, composite or synthetic material, or combinations thereof; and wherein the inserts comprise a metal, metal carbide, ceramic, powdered metal material, or combinations thereof.

16 . The tufting machine of claim 9 , further comprising a series of actuators coupled to the gauge parts, and a control system including programming for controlling actuation of one or more of the actuators to move the loopers between the lowered and raised positions and for controlling feeding of the yarns to the needles to substantially pull back yarns that are not picked up by the selected loopers that are in the lowered position whereby and to form tufts of yarns that are picked up by the loopers in the raised positions at selected pile heights according to a pattern being formed.

17 . A gauge part assembly for a tufting machine, comprising:
a series of modules positioned along a gauge bar; a plurality of loopers slidably received within the modules; and a plurality of inserts positioned at spaced locations within the modules, each of the inserts comprising a metal, metal carbide, ceramic, powdered metal material, wear resistant coating, or combinations thereof, and having a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the modules; wherein the gauge bar is coupled to a drive mechanism configured to drive a reciprocating movement of the loopers in a first direction toward and away from the needles as the needles are reciprocated into and out of a backing material for pick up of loops of yarns from the needles; wherein each of the loopers are selectively movable through the modules in a second direction that is different from the first direction to move the gauge parts between a lowered position at which pick up of the yarns from the needles is substantially avoided, and one or more raised positions for picking up loops of yarns from the needles for forming tufts of yarns in the backing material; and wherein the inserts define contact areas between the modules and the loopers against which the loopers slide so that the loopers are substantially maintained out of direct contact with the modules.

18 . The gauge part assembly of claim 17 , wherein the inserts are bonded, molded, or cast with the modules, or are attached to the modules so as to form a substantially unitary module body construction.

19 . The gauge part assembly of claim 17 , wherein the hardness of

Assignees

• Card Monroe Corp

Inventors

• Neely Marshall Allen
• Mathews Ricky E
• Hall Wilton

Classifications

• D05C15/14

  Arrangements or devices for holding or feeding the base material (D05C15/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D05C15/22 Primary

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