GB735019A - Improvements in method of and apparatus for making patterned tufted pile fabric - Google Patents

Abstract

735,019. Tufting; tufting machines. CARD, J. L. Dec. 15, 1953 [Dec. 24, 1952], No. 34879/53. Class 112. Tufted fabric with pile of a required length is produced by a needle projecting loops of yarn through a base fabric with a uniform stroke, the yarn being fed to the needle at a rate such that for each stroke a pile loop is formed having a length less than the maximum possible length; different rates of feed may be used in different parts of the fabric, to produce pile of different depth. Fig. 10 shows the formation of loops in a machine with a needle 16 of constant stroke and a looper 19 which holds the loop of yarn while the needle withdraws, the loop then being released by the looper; if the yarn is fed to the needle at a sufficient rate, loops L<SP>2</SP> of maximum length are formed, but if the rate of yarn feed is reduced a loop L<SP>3</SP> of the same length is formed by the needle but part of the yarn for this loop has to be drawn from the preceding loop, which is therefore drawn up to a length such as is shown at L<SP>1</SP> the loop L3 being similarly drawn up on the formation of the next loop. In the multineedle machine shown in Fig. 4, yarns Y are fed to separate groups of needles by corresponding pairs of rollers 33, each pair being selectively connectible to clutches rotating at different speeds, so that the length of the loops being formed by each group of needles may be chosen by engaging the appropriate clutch. The rollers of each pair are geared together, and one of them is connected to the driven elements of two clutches, the driving elements of which are constantly rotated at different speeds, so that each pair of rollers can be driven at either of two speeds, which is selected by actuation of a switch 72 selectively energizing one or other of the clutches. The switch 72 is actuated by lugs 70 on a pattern chain 65 of a length corresponding to a complete repeating unit of the required pattern, a separate switch and chain being provided for each group of needles; a chain 65<SP>1</SP> of a length corresponding to a complete rug similarly actuates a switch which overrides the other switches to control all the needles for producing the end portions of the rug. A single yarn-feed roll with a suitable surface may be used instead of a pair of rollers. The needles 16 are carried by a bar 15 reciprocated vertically by eccentrics 11 on a main shaft 5, from which are driven the pattern chains and the clutches for the yarn-feed rollers and also an oscillating shaft 20 carrying the loopers 19. The needle-bar 15 carries a parallel bar 79 which engages the yarns to draw up the previously-formed loops when required by a slow yarn feed. The base fabric 21 is fed from a roll 22 by roller systems 23, 24 driven from the main shaft 5.