GB1020723A - Improvements in and relating to the manufacture of tufted fabric - Google Patents

Abstract

1,020,723. Tufting machines. CALLAWAY MILLS CO. May 1, 1963 [May 3,1962; Nov. 7,1962; March 22, 1963], No. 17097/63. Heading D1G. Tufted fabric is made by positively feeding yarns to the loop-inserting points, and by passing the yarns through holes formed in the backing fabric at said points, by means of fluid streams. Yarns 258 are positively fed in accordance with a predetermined pattern to hollow needles 214 by intermeshing notched bars 262, 264 carried by continuous chains 266, 268 driven by sprockets 270, 272. The needles are mounted in a hollow horizonal bar 244 reciprocated via connecting rods 254 and straps 250 from eccentrics 248 on a rotary shaft 246. The hollow interior 280 (Fig. 10 not shown,)of bar 244 communicates with the bores 274 of the needles via passages 278 formed in the walls of the latter, and is connected via a flexible pipe 298 to an air pressure vessel 302. The backing fabric passes 212 under a presser foot 232 and over a work support comprised by bars extending in the direction of work feed and positioned one on each side of each needle. The bars constitute the lid of a box 220, the interior of which is connected by a pipe 230 to the intake of a vacuum pump 276. The pressurized output of the latter is conveyed via a valve arrangement 312 and a cooler 322 to the vessel 302, the pressure in which is maintained constant by pressure-responsive means 318 operating a linkage 320 to actuate a valve member 314 for directing the output of pump 276 either to vessel 302 or to the atmosphere. Upon a needle penetrating the backing fabric, the yarn passes through the needle under the influence of pressure and suction, to the full extent released by the yarnfeeding means, to form a tuft 216. The tufted fabric emerges from box 220 past the rounded heel 238 of the presser foot 232. A modified needle, (Fig. 13 not shown,) has an upper portion 413 of brass, and a lower fabric-penetrating portion 411 of stainless steel. Portion 413 has an upper bore 410 of greater diameter than an intermediate bar 414 which receives the inlet ends of the inclined air passages 415. Portion 411 is received in a lower bore the diameter of which is such that bore 414 is the same as the bore of portion 411. In the needle in Fig. 16 not shown, the brass portion is made in two separate parts 409<SP>1</SP> and 413<SP>1</SP>. Radial air inlets 427 in part 413 communicate with the bore 414<SP>1</SP> in the latter via an annular space between the tapered end of part 409<SP>1</SP> and a tapered inner wall 426 of part 413<SP>1</SP>. In (Figs. 2 and 3 not shown,) the hollow needle bar 26 carries three rows 102, 104,106 of needles 24, the needles of rows 104 and 106 being positioned between adjacent needles of row 102. Compressed air passes into the needle bar via a duct 62, and passes from the interior of the needle bar into the hollow needles via passages 78 formed in the latter.