Backing material shifter for tufting machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9290874-B2
Application number	US-201514681516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2015
Priority date	Apr 9, 2014
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A backing material shift system for controlling movement of a backing material through a tufting machine includes spaced, first and second backing feed roll assemblies each carrying a series of reduced length backing feed rolls. The backing feed rolls are connected in series, with their opposite ends being supported by a series of roll stabilizing blocks. The backing feed roll assemblies are slidably supported along the frame of the tufting machine and are movable or shiftable across the tufting zone of the tufting machine in a direction transverse to the path of travel or feeding of the backing material through the tufting machine by operation of a backing material shifter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for controlling movement of a backing material through a tufting machine, comprising:
first and second backing feed roll assemblies, each comprising:
a plurality of backing feed rolls, each backing feed roll having spaced ends;
a plurality of roll stabilizing blocks positioned between and rotatably supporting ends of adjacent ones of the backing feed rolls;
sliding bearing assemblies arranged along the first and second backing feed roll assemblies and configured to slidably support the first and second backing feed roll assemblies;
wherein the backing feed rolls of at least one of the first or second backing feed roll assemblies have a length less than half of a width of the tufting machine and are coupled in series by the roll stabilizing blocks located therebetween;

a drive motor linked to the backing feed rolls of at least one of the first andier or second backing feed roll assemblies for driving rotation of the backing feed rolls to feed the backing material along a path of travel through the tufting machine;
at least one cross member slidably coupled to the tufting machine and connected to the first and second backing feed roll assemblies, the at least one cross member being movable transversely with respect to the path of travel of the backing material through the tufting machine for transversely shifting the first and second backing feed roll assemblies; and
a backing material shifter in communication with and adapted to move at least one of the first and second backing feed roll assemblies transversely to control shifting of the backing material in a transverse direction with respect to its path of travel through the tufting machine.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second backing feed roll assemblies further comprises a series of lateral supports extending adjacent the backing feed rolls and connected to the roll stabilizing blocks therefor, and and further comprising shifter shuttle assemblies mounted adjacent opposite ends of the at least one cross member and connected to endmost ones of the roll stabilizing blocks of each of the first and second backing feed roll assemblies so as to define a framework supporting the backing feed rolls while enabling rotational and transverse shifting movement thereof.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of upper bearing assemblies mounted at spaced locations along the at least one cross member and configured to engage guide tracks mounted to the tufting machine for guiding the transverse shifting movement of the backing feed rolls.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the upper bearing assemblies comprise linear bearings.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the roll stabilizing blocks of at least the first backing feed roll assembly are pivotally mounted to their lateral supports to enable adjustment of an elevation of the backing feed rolls supported thereby.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the backing feed rolls each comprise a body having a series of spikes thereabout and a drive shaft extending therethrough, and further comprise a series of bearings coupling ends of the drive shafts of adjacent ones of the backing feed rolls.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism linked to at least one of the first or second backing feed roll assemblies and to the tufting machine for adjusting an elevation of the backing feed rolls of at least one of the first or second backing feed roll assemblies.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising thrust bearings connecting the ends of adjacent ones of the backing feed rolls to facilitate rotational and transverse shifting movement of the backing feed rolls.

9. A tufting machine, comprising:
a frame;
at least one needle bar having a plurality of needles mounted therealong;
a yarn feed mechanism feeding yarns to the needles;
first and second backing feed roll assemblies spaced from each other across a tufting zone for feeding a backing through the tufting zone, at least one of the first or second backing feed roll assemblies comprising a plurality of reduced length backing feed rolls connected in series across the tufting zone, each of the reduced length backing feed rolls having a length less than a width of the tufting zone;
a framework connecting the first and second backing feed assemblies and movably mounted along the frame so as to slidably couple the first and second backing feed assemblies to the frame of the tufting machine;
at least one backing feed motor coupled to and driving backing feed rolls of the first and second backing feed roll assemblies for moving the backing in a feed direction through the tufting zone; and
a backing material shifter connected to the framework and operable for shifting the first and second backing feed roll assemblies in a transverse direction across the tufting zone.

10. The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein the framework connecting the first and second backing feed roll assemblies comprises a series of lateral supports mounted between roll support stabilizing blocks supporting the backing feed rolls, shifter shuttle assemblies extending between and attached to each of the first and second backing feed roll assemblies, and at least one cross member extending substantially across the tufting zone and mounted to the shifter shuttle assemblies.

11. The tufting machine of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of upper bearing assemblies mounted at spaced locations along the at least one cross member and configured to engage guide tracks mounted to the frame of the tufting machine for guiding the transverse shifting movement of the second backing feed rolls.

12. The tufting machine of claim 10 , wherein the roll stabilizing blocks of at least the first backing feed roll assembly are pivotally mounted to their lateral supports to enable adjustment of an elevation of the backing feed rolls thereof.

13. The tufting machine of claim 9 , wherein the framework comprises a pair of spaced shifter shuttle assemblies with at least one cross member extending therebetween and substantially across the tufting zone; and further comprising a series of shift support plates mounted to the frame of the tufting machine and having guides configured to be engaged by bearing assemblies located along the at least one cross member for guiding the transverse shifting of the backing feed rolls.

14. The tufting machine of claim 9 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism linked to at least one of the first or second backing feed roll assemblies and to the tufting machine for adjusting an elevation of the backing feed rolls of at least one of the first or second backing feed roll assemblies.

Assignees

• Card Monroe Corp

Inventors

• Mathews Ricky E
• Neely Marshall Allen

Classifications

• D05C15/14 Primary

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

• D05C15/28

  by moving the base material laterally · CPC title