EP0145815A1 - Method for controlling a tufting machine (11111) - Google Patents
Method for controlling a tufting machine (11111) Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0145815A1 EP0145815A1 EP83307619A EP83307619A EP0145815A1 EP 0145815 A1 EP0145815 A1 EP 0145815A1 EP 83307619 A EP83307619 A EP 83307619A EP 83307619 A EP83307619 A EP 83307619A EP 0145815 A1 EP0145815 A1 EP 0145815A1
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- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- yarn
- fabric
- length
- ground fabric
- supply
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05C—EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05C15/00—Making pile fabrics or articles having similar surface features by inserting loops into a base material
- D05C15/04—Tufting
- D05C15/08—Tufting machines
- D05C15/14—Arrangements or devices for holding or feeding the base material
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05C—EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05C15/00—Making pile fabrics or articles having similar surface features by inserting loops into a base material
- D05C15/04—Tufting
- D05C15/08—Tufting machines
- D05C15/16—Arrangements or devices for manipulating threads
- D05C15/18—Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05D—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES D05B AND D05C, RELATING TO SEWING, EMBROIDERING AND TUFTING
- D05D2205/00—Interface between the operator and the machine
- D05D2205/12—Machine to the operator; Alarms
- D05D2205/16—Display arrangements
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- Sewing Machines And Sewing (AREA)
Abstract
A method for controlling a tufting machine in which a supply length of a ground fabric (1) and a yarn feed length each for a unit stitch number are selected as control measures. Since the motion of a stitch shaft (4) is steady and stable compared to that of a spiked roller (8), control in accordance with the present invention results in a stable operation of the tufted machine relative to the conventional method, in which the control measures are based on a unit supply length of the ground fabric. A yarn weight per square meter is also measured and indicated during the tufting operation.
Description
- This invention relates to a method for controlling a tufting machine used for manufacturing a tufted carpet by tufting pile yarns on a ground fabric.
- Generally speaking, when controlling a conventional tufting machine, the number of stitches in a unit length of a tufted carpet is visually counted, a yarn length required for forming piles in a unit length of the carpet is calculated from the yarn weight to have been consumed, and the surface of the tufted carpet is inspected to ensure that it exhibits the desired color pattern. These factors are controlled, if necessary, by changing pulleys driving a spiked roller for the ground fabric and yarn feed rollers for the yarn to be tufted, respectively, or by manually adjusting speed changers of the same. However, such operations are very complicated and need higher skills and experience, and fine adjustment corresponding to the color pattern is very difficult.
- To eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks the present inventor has provided, in USP No. 4267787, a method for controlling a tufting machine in which the stitch number and the yarn feed length for a unit supply length of the ground fabric are measured continuously on the machine and, if the measured value or values exceeds an allowable range of the standard value, the supply rate of the ground fabric or the yarn are automatically controlled. In the method disclosed in the above USP, since the revolution of the spiked roller is not reliable as a base for measuring a supply length of the ground fabric because the spikes are not always stuck into the ground fabric to a constant depth but to various depths according to the thickness of the fabric. Further, the spiked roller is disposed in a region remote from a driving source of the machine and connected thereto through various power transmitting mechanisms, therefore motion of the roller tends to be inaccurate. As a result, the method in which the standard values are determined for a unit supply length of the ground fabric lacks stability and is unsuitable for precise control.
- In the market, a price of the tufted carpet largely depends on the weight of the pile yarn to be used. A trading price is agreed with both the carpet maker and the buyer referring to the designed weight of the yarn upon ordering. Thus, if the yarn weight exceeds the expected amount in the actual carpet, the carpet maker suffers an economical setback. Accordingly, it is important for the carpet maker to control a yarn weight for a unit area, usually for one square meter, of the resultant carpet (hereafter referred merely to as "yarn weight"). In addition, the yarn weight is the product of a yarn length to be used for tufting a ground fabric along a 1 m length thereof, the number of yarns required to cover a 1 m width of the ground fabric, and a yarn thickness. In the past, the measurement of the yarn weight is carried out by cutting out a 1 m square swatch from the tufted carpet, pulling out the pile yarns from the swatch and weighing them with a scale. To prepare the swatch, a 1,5 m length end portion has to be separated from the adjacent portion of the finished carpet. This causes a considerable pile yarn loss as well as an undue consumption of labour and operation time.
- Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional control method and to provide a practical and convenient control method for controlling a tufting machine, characterized by measuring the supply lengths of a ground fabric and of a yarn to be tufted for a unit number of stitches, and automatically controlling the supply of the ground fabric and/or the yarn. This method results in a uniform and continuous manufacturing of the tufted carpet having a required colour pattern merely by setting standard values of the above two supply lengths depending on the designed colour pattern of the carpet, and allows accurate control without high skills.
- It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for measuring the yarn weight upon tufting operation, by which the yarn weight of the carpet now on the machine can be displayed on a control panel, enabling the operator to maintain the machine in a suitable operative condition and produce a finished carpet of a desired yarn weight.
- The first object of the present invention can be achieved by a method for controlling a tufting machine utilized for manufacturing a tufted carpet, by tufting yarns supplied by a yarn feed roller onto a ground fabric supplied by a spiked roller by means of needles, comprising presetting a standard supply length of a ground fabric and a standard yarn feed length, each for a predetermined unit number of stitches; determining an actual supply length of the ground fabric and an actual yarn feed length, each for a unit number of the stitches by means of measured values respectively obtained from a ground fabric supply detector, a yarn feed detector, and a stitch number detector; comparing the measured values with the standard values; and automatically controlling the rotational speeds of the spiked roller and/or the yarn feed roller, respectively, to correct the supply rate of the ground fabric and/or the yarn to the standard values when the measured values are above or below a predetermined allowable range for each of the standard values.
- The second object of the present invention can be achieved by a method for indicating a yarn weight for a unit area of a tufted carpet while manufacturing the same by a tufting machine, by tufting yarns supplied by a yarn feed roller onto a ground fabric supplied by a spiked roller by means of needles, comprising preestablishing a standard yarn feed length either for a unit stitch number or for a unit supply length of a ground fabric; determining an actual yarn feed length by means of measured values respectively obtained from a ground fabric supply detector, a yarn feed detector and a stitch number detector; inputting a signal for the determined yarn feed length to a calculating device together with signals for the number of yarns and a yarn thickness; multiplying the signal in the calculating device; and indicating the results on an indicator.
- The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments according to the present invention.
-
- Figure 1 is a diagramatical side view of a tufting machine to which the present invention is applied;
- Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control circuit of a first embodiment according to the present invention;
- Fig. 3 is a front view of a control panel of the control circuit of the first embodiment;
- Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, in relation to a second embodiment according to the present invention; and
- Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, in relation to a third embodiment according to the present invention.
- Throughout the above drawings, the same reference numerals are utilized for designating identical or corresponding parts.
- In Fig. 1, a
yarn 3 supplied by ayarn feed roller 2 is stitched into aground fabric 1 by means of aneedle 5 driven by astitch shaft 4 to form tuftedpiles 6. The tuftedportion 7 of thefabric 1 is continuously taken out from the machine by means of a spikedroller 8. - During the tufting operation, a yarn feed detector A, which is devised to detect the supply speed of the
yarn 2 by way of a photoelectric contactless switch, generates a definite number of pulses for a certain length of the fed yarn. A stitch number detector B, which is devised to detect a number of the strokes of theneedle 5 corresponding to a stitch number by way of a magnetic contactless switch, generates a definite number of pulses for a rotation of astitch shaft 4. Further, a ground fabric supply detector C, which is devised to detect the supply speed of theground fabric 1 by way of a photoelectric contactless switch, generates a definite number of pulses for a certain length of the suppliedground fabric 1. The pulses issued from the detectors A, B and C are input to acontrol device 9 which determines the supply length of theground fabric 1 and the feed length of the yarn corresponding to a unit number of stitches, compares these values with preset standard values, and generates an output signal when any of the values deviate from an allowable range of the corresponding standard value. This output signal causespilot motors speed changers yarn feed roller 2 and thespiked roller 8, respectively, whereby deviation of the process conditions of the tufted machine can be corrected. - Figure 2 shows a block diagram indicating the control circuit of the
above control device 9. A standardvalue setting device 14 is provided for setting the standard supply length of theground fabric 1 and the standard yarn feed length for a unit stitch number corresponding to the color pattern of the desired carpet by way of a digital switch, and the set signals of the standard values are input to asynchronous counter 15. Thesynchronous counter 15 receives and counts the number of pulses issued from the stitch number detector B in synchronism with the rotation of thestitch shaft 4, which pulses correspond to the stroke number of theneedle 5, and is devised to impart a standard set signal derived from the standardvalue setting device 14 to counters 17 or 18 through agate 16, which opens when thesynchronous counter 15 completely counts the number of pulses corresponding to the unit stitch number set in the standardvalue setting device 14. - The
counter 17 counts the pulses issued from the yarn feed length detector A as well as the pulse number corresponding to the unit stitch number counted by thesynchronous counter 15 during the time between successive gate pulses. The counted number of the former pulses represents the yarn feed length corresponding to the unit stitch number. The obtained pulse number is latched by alatch relay 19, and converted to a pile length or a ratio of the yarn length to the supply length of theground fabric 1 by adecoder 20, which is displayed digitally on anindicator 21. The relationship between the ratio of the yarn feed length to the supply length of theground fabric 1, and the pile length P, is expressed by the following equation: - The
counter 17, further, is devised to compare the measured value of the yarn feed length for a unit stitch number with its standard value, and to evaluate the difference therebetween in the form of a plus or minus error percentage relative to the standard value. Thereupon, anerror signal 22 is issued from thecounter 17, corresponding to the error value. - The
error signal 22 is input to upper and lower controllimit setting devices error signal 22 exceeds the upper control limit, the upper controllimit setting device 23 functions to initiate the issuance of a signal from acommand signal generator 25 which, in turn, causes the issuance of a speed reducingcommand signal 27 through arelay 26. Conversely, when the error signal exceeds the lower control limit, the lower controllimit setting device 24 operates to initiate the issuance of a corresponding signal from acommand signal generator 28, which causes the issuance of a speed increasingcommand signal 30 through arelay 29. The above speed reducingcommand signal 27 or speed increasingcommand signal 30 is then communicated to thepilot motor 12. Thepilot motor 12 is caused to rotate by the signal so as to change a reduction ratio of thespeed changer 10 and, in turn, to decrease or increase the rotational speed of theyarn feed roller 2 until theerror signal 22 is controlled within the allowable range between the upper and lower control limits. - Besides the control limit setting
devices limit setting device 31 and a lower stoplimit setting device 32 are provided, which are devised to register an upper stop limit higher than the upper control limit and a lower stop limit lower than the lower control limit and to issue a signal when the value of theerror signal 22 exceeds the upper or lower stop limit. The signal from thedevice stop signal generator 33, which causes the issuance of astop signal 35 through arelay 34, to open a main switch of the tufting machine and to prevent the machine from damage. - Similar to the
counter 17, thecounter 18 counts the pulses issued from the detector C for the supply length of the ground fabric as well as the pulse number corresponding to the unit stitch number counted by thesynchronous counter 15 during the time between successive gate pulses. Thus the counted number of the former pulses represents the supply length of the ground fabric for a unit stitch number. The obtained pulse number is latched by alatch relay 36, output of which is digitally displayed on anindicator 38, through adecoder 37, as a supply length of the ground fabric for a unit stitch number. - The
counter 18 is further devised to compare the measured value of the supply length of the ground fabric for a unit stitch number with its standard value, and to evaluate the difference therebetween in the form of a plus or minus error percentage relative to the standard value. An error signal 39 is then issued from thecounter 18 corresponding to the error value. - Numeral 40 designates an upper control limit setting device and
numeral 41 designates a lower control limit setting device, both of which receive the error signal 39 and are devised to be set to plus and minus allowable control limits, respectively, for the difference between the actual supply length of the ground fabric for a unit stitch number. When the error signal 39 exceeds the upper control limit, the upper controllimit setting device 40 operates to initiate the issuance of a signal from a'commandsignal generator 42 which, in turn, causes the issuance of a speed reducingcommand signal 44 through arelay 43. Conversely, when the error signal 39 exceeds the lower control limit, the lower controllimit setting device 41 operates to initiate the issuance of a signal from acommand signal generator 45, which, in turn, initiates the generation of a speed increasingcommand signal 47 through arelay 46. Theabove command signal pilot motor 13. - The
pilot motor 13 is caused to rotate by the signal so as to change a reduction ratio of thespeed changer 10 and, in turn, to decrease or increase the rotational speed of thespiked roller 8, until theerror signal 22 is controlled within the allowable range between the upper and lower control limits. - An upper stop
limit setting device 48 and a lower stoplimit setting device 49 have similar functions to the aforesaid stoplimit setting devices device stop signal generator 33 and therelay 34, as stated before. - Manual switches 50, 51, 52, and 53 are provided between each pair of command signal generators and relays such as 25 and 26, 28 and 29, 42 and 43, and 45 and 46 for enabling an increase or decrease of the rotational speed of the
yarn feed roller 2 and thespiked roller 8, by generating a speed reducing command signal or a speed increasing command signal irrespective of the automatic control system stated above. - In a production output preset
counter 54, a predetermined total stitch number required for producing a predetermined length of the carpet is memorized by means of a digital switch. The counter 54 counts pulses received from thegate 16 and issues a signal when the counted pulse number reaches the number corresponding to the preset total stitch number. Upon receiving the signal from thecounter 54, thestop signal generator 33 issues thestop signal 35 through therelay 34. Thecounter 54 also displays the predetermined carpet length and the actual length thereof just being produced, by converting the stitch number to the supply length of theground fabric 1. - In Fig. 3, numeral 70 designates a manual main switch of the tufting machine. A
reset switch 71 is utilized for changing the standard value.Numerals - Corresponding to the identical symbols in Fig. 2,
numerals ground fabric 1, a yarn feed length indicator, and a production output preset counter, respectively. -
Numerals -
Numerals Numeral 14 designates a standard value setting device. Values input in theabove devices - Numerals 23', 24', 31', 32', 40', 41', 48', and 49' designate alarm lamps attached to the
limit setting devices error signal 22 or 39 has exceeded the allowable limit, and inform the operator what error value has occurred and what kind of operation is being performed. -
Numerals yarn feed roller 2, respectively, andnumerals spiked roller 8, respectively. - The operation of the abovesaid control pannel is described as follows;
- First, the manual
main switch 70 of the tufting machine is turned on and the standard supply length of the ground fabric and the standard yarn feed length for a unit stitch number determined from the color pattern of the carpet design are preset in the standardvalue setting device 14. - Next, the upper control
limit setting devices limit setting devices limit setting devices limit setting devices counter 54. - When the starting button is pushed "on", the tufting machine starts operations. As the operation progresses, the production output is successively indicated on the
preset counter 54 and, when the output has reached the preset value, the tufting machine stops. During the production of the carpet, if the measured value of the supply length of theground fabric 1 or the yarn feed length for a unit stitch number deviates from the standard value thereof, either of alarm lamps 23' and 40' or 24' and 41' corresponding to the upper controllimit setting devices limit setting devices limit setting device limit setting apparatus button 72. As stated before, the rotational speed of theyarn feed roller 2 or thespiked roller 8 can be changed by means of the manual switches 50, 51, 52, or 53, irrespective of the measured value. - Correction of the standard value is carried out by pushing the
reset switch 56, thereby cancelling the original value, and resetting a new value. - The advantages of the present invention are as follows:
- (1) As the stitch shaft is disposed closer to a driving source compared to the spiked roller, the motion of the stitch shaft is very steady compared to the spiked roller, because the path for power transmission is shorter for the former relative to the latter. Moreover, the rotation of the spiked roller is largely fluctuated by the thickness variance of the ground fabric. According to the present invention, since the stitch number which is synchronized with the motion of the stitch shaft is selected as a base of the standard value, the control of the tufting machine can be more stable and more precise compared to the prior art. Further, the causes of machine failure can be determined more easily and adjustment of the machine is simplified.
- (2) Since the rotational speed of the spiked roller and the yarn feed roller are automatically corrected if the measured value deviates from the standard values, the machine can be controlled fully automatically.
- (3) Constant watching of the tufting machine by the operator is unnecessary, unlike for the conventional machine.
- (4) Since the tufting machine can be controlled only by presetting the standard values of the supply length of the ground fabric and of the yarn, feed length in the control panel, the operation is very simple and requires no particular skill, i.e., even an unskilled operator can handle the machine, resulting in the completion of a uniform quality product.
- (5) Since the rotational speeds of the spiked roller and the yarn feed roller are corrected either independently or in parallel, good control response can be obtained within a short period.
- (6) Since the control can be performed without stopping the tufting machine, a great increase in the production output is expected.
- (7) Since the correction accuracy can be set freely by adjusting the allowable limit range, fine control in accordance with the designed color pattern is possible.
- The method according to the present invention is for more functional compared to the conventional method, and provides a practical and convenient control method for the tufting machine.
- In the abovesaid embodiment, only one tufting machine is controlled, however, it is evident that the present invention can be embodied for the control of a plurality of tufting machines in parallel or separately, for example, through collective control by means of a minicomputer.
- A second embodiment according to the present invention is described below. This provides a method for successively measuring and displaying a yarn weight of the carpet on a machine during the tufting operation of the machine. A block diagram of the control circuit thereof is illustrated in Fig. 4.
- The diagram is, in principle, similar to that shown in Fig. 2. The difference between the former and the latter is the provision of the subcircuit, in which the calculation of the yarn weight is carried out from the pulses generated from the detectors.
- As explained in the first embodiment, a signal of a yarn feed length for a unit stitch number measured by means of a combination of a yarn feed length detector A and a stitch number detector B is issued from a
decoder 20. The signal from theencoder 20 is communicated to a calculatingdevice 56 through aencoder 55 by which the signal is multiplied by a fixed number n, where n is a number expressed by the equationencoder 55 to the calculatingdevice 56 is converted to a value corresponding to a yarn length required for tufting a ground fabric 1 m in length. Signals from a yarnnumber setting device 57 in which the number of the yarns arranged for a 1 m width of the ground fabric is preset, a yarnthickness setting device 58, and a denier-count turnover switch 59, are input to the calculatingdevice 56 through anencoder 60. From these input signals, a yarn weight required for tufting a ground fabric of 1 square meter, i.e., "a yarn weight" can be calculated by the operation of a yarn feed length X a yarn number X a yarn thickness. The results are indicated on ayarn weight indicator 62 through adecoder 61. As described above, either the denier or the count can be utilized for expressing the yarn thickness, and theswitch 59 is set in suitable position corresponding to the selection thereof. The yarn thickness is preliminarily measured by a conventional yarn thickness tester and manually input in the digital form to the yarnthickness setting device 58. - Figure 5 illustrates a control panel for operating the circuit of the second embodiment. This panel is generally identical to that of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 3, except for a provision of the yarn
number setting device 57, the yarnthickness setting device 58, the denier-count turnover switch 59, and theyarn weight indicator 62. - If the value on the yarn weight indicator deviates largely from a standard value, the correction is made for changing a supply length of the ground fabric and/or a yarn feed length. That is, the limit value of the standard supply length of the ground fabric preset in the control
limit setting devices 49 and/or 50, or the limit value of the standard yarn feed length preset in the controllimit setting devices 23 and/or 24, may be adjusted so as to result in the desired yarn weight. - According to the second embodiment, in addition to the automatic control of the tufting machine, the yarn weight can successively be displayed on the panel, thereby enabling the operator to handle the tufting machine more easily. Further, the loss of the carpet and the operation time accompanying the conventional yarn weight measurement can be avoided.
- A third embodiment illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 is a modification of the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the standard supply length of the ground fabric and the standard yarn feed length for a unit stitch number are determined, and the control operation is carried out to obtain the standard values. Contrary to this, in the third embodiment, the standard values are set for a stitch number and a yarn feed length for a unit supply length of the ground fabric.
- In Fig. 6, a standard stitch number and a standard yarn feed length for a unit supply length of the ground fabric corresponding to the colour pattern of the aimed carpet are preset in the standard
value setting device 14, by means of a digital switch, and the set signals of the standard values are input to thesynchronous counter 15. Thesynchronous counter 15 receives and counts the number of pulses issued from the ground fabric supply detector C in synchronism with the rotation of thespiked roller 8 and is devised to give a standard set signal derived from the standardvalue setting device 14 to thecounters gate 16 which opens when thesynchronous counter 15 completely counts the number of pulses corresponding to the unit ground fabric supply length preset by the standardvalue setting device 14. - The counter 17 counts the pulse number corresponding to the unit supply length of the ground fabric counted by the
synchronous counter 15 and the pulses issued from the yarn feed detector A during the time between successive gate pulses, and thereby measures the yarn feed length corresponding to the unit supply length of the ground fabric. The obtained pulse number is latched by thelatch relay 19, and converted to a pile length or a ratio of the yarn feed length to the supply length of the ground fabric by thedecoder 20, which is expressed digitally on theindicator 21. Thecounter 17 is devised to compare the measured value of the yarn supply length for a unit supply length of the ground fabric with its standard value, and to evaluate the difference therebetween in the form of a plus or minus error percentage relative to the standard value. Thereupon, anerror signal 22 is issued from thecounter 17 corresponding to the error value. - The signal of the yarn feed length issued from the
decoder 20 is input to the calculatingdevice 56 through theencoder 55, by which the value of the yarn feed length is multiplied m times. The reason for the multification of the value is to convert a unit supply length L of the ground fabric for which the yarn feed length is measured to 1 m. Therefore, the multiplier m is the quotient of 100 divided by the length L in cm. - The yarn weight is calculated in the calculating
device 56 by referring to the data input from the yarnnumber setting device 57, the yarnthickness setting device 58, and the denier-count turnover switch, and is indicated on theindicator 62 through thedecoder 61. - The control operation of the tufting machine is carried out in the similar way as that for the second embodiment.
Therefore, the number of personnel watching the operation can be reduced, human error can be avoided,. and great labour saving can be made.
Claims (7)
1. A method for controlling a tufting machine utilized for manufacturing a tufted carpet by stitching yarns supplied by a yarn feed roller onto a ground fabric supplied by a spiked roller by means of needles; comprising:
preestablishing a standard supply length of a ground fabric and a standard yarn feed length, each for a predetermined unit stitch number;
determining an actual supply length of the ground fabric and an actual yarn feed length, each for a unit stitch number by means of measured values respectively obtained from a ground fabric supply detector, a yarn feed detector, and a stitch number detector;
comparing the measured values with the standard values; and
automatically controlling the rotational speeds of the spiked roller and/or the yarn feed roller, respectively, to correct the supply rate of the ground fabric and/or the yarn to the standard values when the measured values exceed upper or lower limit of a predetermined allowable range for each of the standard values.
2. A method for measuring a yarn weight of a tufted carpet while manufacturing the same by a tufting machine by tufting yarns supplied by a yarn feed roller onto a ground fabric supplied by a spiked roller by means of needles; comprising:
preestablishing a standard yarn feed length either for a unit stitch number or for a unit supply length of a ground fabric;
determining an actual yarn feed length by means of measured values respectively obtained from a ground fabric supply detector, a yarn feed detector, and a stitch number detector;
inputtting a signal for the determined yarn feed length to a calculating device together with signals for the number of yarns and a yarn thickness;
multiplying the signals in the calculating device; and
indicating the results on an indicator.
3. An automatically controlled tufting machine including at least one needle for stitching yarn supplied by a respective yarn-feed roller into a ground fabric supplied by a spiked roller,including:
- a fabric detector for detecting directly the passage of the ground fabric;
- a yarn detector for detecting directly the passage of the yarn:
- a stitch detector for monitoring the stitching;
- processing and control means for processing information from the fabric, yarn and stitch detectors to derive a fabric supply value for a predetermined number of stitches and a yarn supply value for a predetermined number of stitches and for comparing these values with respective pre-established ranges for the fabric supply and the yarn supply for said predetermined number of stitches, and, when the derived yarn supply value and/or the derived fabric supply value falls outside the respect-
-ive pre-established range, for correcting the rotation of the yarn-feed roller and/or the spiked roller until said derived values fall within the respective pre-established ranges.
4. A method of estimating a yarn weight of a tufted carpet during manufacture thereof by a tufting machine in which yarn, fed by a yarn-feed roller, is stitched into a ground fabric supplied by a spiked roller characterised in that it includes:
detecting the yarn feed rate directly on the yarn, monitoring the stitching of the yarn, determining the actual length of yarn supplied for a predetermined number of stitches, and calculating from information on the fabric feed rate, the number of yarns fed per unit width of fabric and the yarn count, together with said determined yarn length, the yarn weight of a predetermined area of carpet.
5. A method according to Claim 4, for estimating a yarn weight of a tufted carpet during manufacture and for controlling the operation of the tufting machine characterised in that the actual supply rate of the ground fabric for said predetermined number of stitches is determined directly on the fabric and wherein said calculated yarn weight is compared with a pre-established range of values for the yarn weight and, if calculated yarn weight is outside this range, the rotational speed of the yarn feed roller and/or the fabric supply roller is varied automatically until the calculated yarn weight is brought back within the pre-established range.
6. An automatically controlled tufting machine including at least one needle for stitching yarn supplied by a respective yarn-feed roller into a ground fabric supplied by a spiked roller including:
- a fabric detector for detecting directly the passage of the ground fabric;
- a yarn detector for detecting directly the passage of the yarn:
- a stitch detector for monitoring the stitching;
- processing and control means for processing information from the fabric,yarn and stitch detectors,together with information on the yarn count and the number of yarns used in a predetermined width of fabricate derive a yarn weight for a predetermined fabric area and for comparing the derived yarn weight with a respective pre-established range of values for the yarn weight, and, when the derived yarn count falls outside the respective pre-established range, for correcting the rotation of the yarn-feed roller and/or the spiked roller until said derived yarn weight falls within the respective pre-established ranges.
7. A method of estimating a yarn weight of a tufted carpet during manufacture thereof by a tufting machine in which yarn, fed by a yarn-feed roller, is stitched into a ground fabric supplied by a spiked roller , characterised in that it includes,
detecting the yarn feed rate directlyon the yarn, detecting the ground fabric feed rate directly on the fabric, determining the actual length of yarn supplied for a predetermined length of ground fabric and calculating from information on the number of yarns fed per unit width of fabric and the yarn count, together with said determined yarn length, the yarn weight of a predetermined area of carpet.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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EP83307619A EP0145815A1 (en) | 1983-12-15 | 1983-12-15 | Method for controlling a tufting machine (11111) |
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EP83307619A EP0145815A1 (en) | 1983-12-15 | 1983-12-15 | Method for controlling a tufting machine (11111) |
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EP0145815A1 true EP0145815A1 (en) | 1985-06-26 |
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EP83307619A Withdrawn EP0145815A1 (en) | 1983-12-15 | 1983-12-15 | Method for controlling a tufting machine (11111) |
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US4106416A (en) * | 1976-12-02 | 1978-08-15 | Westpoint Pepperell, Inc. | Control apparatus for textile dyeing and tufting machinery |
DE3018855A1 (en) * | 1979-05-18 | 1980-11-27 | Spencer Wright Ind Inc | DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM |
US4237802A (en) * | 1979-04-25 | 1980-12-09 | Tooling and Machine Development, Inc. | Tufting machine monitor |
US4267787A (en) * | 1979-06-29 | 1981-05-19 | Tsutomu Fukuda | Control method for a tufting machine |
-
1983
- 1983-12-15 EP EP83307619A patent/EP0145815A1/en not_active Withdrawn
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Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4106416A (en) * | 1976-12-02 | 1978-08-15 | Westpoint Pepperell, Inc. | Control apparatus for textile dyeing and tufting machinery |
US4237802A (en) * | 1979-04-25 | 1980-12-09 | Tooling and Machine Development, Inc. | Tufting machine monitor |
DE3018855A1 (en) * | 1979-05-18 | 1980-11-27 | Spencer Wright Ind Inc | DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM |
US4267787A (en) * | 1979-06-29 | 1981-05-19 | Tsutomu Fukuda | Control method for a tufting machine |
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