GB385563A - Tufting device - Google Patents

Abstract

385,563. Tufting-tools. GEARHART, E. J., 110, Nichols Street, Clearfield, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Aug. 10, 1932, No. 22434. Convention date, Aug. 11, 1931. [Class 112.] A tufting-tool for mat-making comprises two telescopic tubes, the inner carrying the threaded needle and having a spring- pressed loop-retaining rod therein, depressed by a pinion rotated by a rack on the outer tube. The operation is as follows. The tubes 1, 5 are locked together by a bellcrank catch 35, 37 entering a notch 36. In this position the needle eye 21 is unobstructed and can be threaded, the end of the loop retaining rod 23 being clear. The needle is forced into the fabric f till the lower end 39 of the holder 16 at the base of the inner tube touches the fabric. Further pushing causes the tube 5 to be pushed farther into the tube 7 against the spring 13. This causes the anticlockwise rotation of the pinion 11 on the fixed rack 4, causing the looper 23 to slide farther into the inner tube and causing the bevelled aperture 36 to free the lever 35, 37, which drops into contact with the stop 40 owing to the weight of the arm 37. This arm forms a guide eye for the thread y from the spool on the pin 3. If the pressure is now released, the spring 13 causes the tube 1 to rise on the tube 5, causing the rack 4 to rotate the pinion 11 clockwise. This slides the looper 23 downwards to hold the loop in the hole in the fabric made by the needle. The looper 23 slides in a slot 22 in the needle 18, Fig. 9, and is arrested when its shoulder 25 touches the fabric. The continued pressure of the spring 13 then causes the whole tool to move upwards till the needle is clear of the fabric. The needle and looper have relative play determined by the set-screw 38, Fig. 9, to determine the length apart of the tufts. The pressure is then again applied to the tool to form the next tuft or loop, the looper leaving the first loop when the needle has penetrated the work, and subsequently engaging the second loop while the needle rises. The tool is thus automatically withdrawn from the work by the spring 13. When the base fabric is very fine, apertures may be made in the tube 1 to enable it and the inner tube to be held firmly together during the penetration, or a leaf spring 44, Fig. 11, released by a slide 46 which contacts with the fabric after penetration of the needle, may be provided.