GB813439A - An improved method of and apparatus for making tufted carpets - Google Patents

Abstract

813,439. Tufting machines. CRABTREE & SON Ltd., D., and FELTON, W. April 5, 1957 [June 4, 1956], No. 17129/56. Class 112 [Also in Group IX] In tufting a base material 20, Figs. 6, 10, a loop of binding thread 36 is introduced therethrough, an end of a length of tufting material 47 is inserted through the loop, and the latter is withdrawn and tightened, whereby the length of tufting material is drawn into close contact with the base material and anchored thereto. The loop is formed by a threaded needle 13, and the tufting material, which is in a continuous length, is carried through the loop by a threaded oscillatory looper 46 and is severed by knife blades 53, 54 after the tuft is formed and anchored. In a multi-needle machine different colours of tufting material may be used to produce a striped effect. It is stated that zig-zag and like designs may be obtained by providing a suitable mechanism for shogging the loopers 46. The material 20 is drawn over a horizontal, domed support 10, 11, Fig. 1, formed with a transverse slot 12. A bank of vertical needles 13, disposed below the support and in alignment with the slot, is carried by a needle bar 14 adapted to be reciprocated by means of the co-operation of a roller 16 thereon with a cam 17 fixed to a rotary shaft 18. The loopers 46 are carried by arms 45 fixed to a shaft 44 adapted to be oscillated by a linkage 48, 49, 50 driven by a cam 52 fixed to shaft 18. The material 20 is carried by rollers 19, 25. Roller 19 is braked by a pair of brake shoes 22 in order to tension the material 20. The take-up roller 25 carries a ratchet wheel 27 which co-operates with a pawl 28 driven by a linkage 29, 32, 33 from a cam fixed to shaft 18, the arrangement being thereby such that roller 25 is progressed by one tooth of the ratchet wheel upon each vertical reciprocation of the needles 13. The threads 36 pass from a warp beam 35 to the needles 13 through eyes 43 on the ends of take-up levers 37 fixed to a rotatable shaft 38. An arm 39 also fixed to the latter carries a roller 40 which engages a cam 41 rotated by a shaft 42. The arrangement is such that the levers 37 are operated to tighten the thread loops, for anchoring the tufting material 47, after the loopers 46 have withdrawn from the loops, further movement of the loopers then serving to draw tufting material therefrom to provide projecting lengths of material for the next tufts. A lever 55, which is connected to the movable knife blade 54 and carries a roller 56 engaging a cam on shaft 42, is then rocked to operate blade 54 for severing the tufting material stretched between the loopers 46 and the base material, thus completing a row of tufts and creating fresh free ends of the tufting material.