US2541035A - Stitch picker - Google Patents

Description

Patented Feb. 13, 1951 STITCH PICKER Artis Ehner Charles, Guntersville, Ala., assignor to Carolyn Chenilles, Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application April 2, 1947, Serial No. 738,847

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for simultaneously producing a plurality of spaced tufts on a web of texile fabric, and relates more particularly to an improved stitch picker for use in connection with such tufting machine.

In my 'Patent No. 2,432,469, I have shown and described certain novel improvements on the multiple needle tufting machine shown and described in Patent No. 2,335,487 to Cobble, et al., whereby the tufts may be spaced longitudinally of the fabric web a predetermined distance from each other. It is an important object of this inventon to provide an attachment for the improved tufting machine described in my said patent to pick or remove from the fabric web certain undesirable stitches.

Other objects of this invention, together with certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will appear from the following detailed description and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention is shown;

Fig. l is a rear elevational View of a multiple needle tufting machine showing my attachment applied thereto;

Fig. 2 shows two views of the picker finger; and

Fig. 3 shows tivo views of the presser linger.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Since the multiple needle tufting machine to which my attachment is applied is fully shown and described in the abo-vementioned Cobble, et al. patent, I will describe this Well-known tufting machine only to such extent as is necessary properly to disclose the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 4 indicates the framework of the tufting machine at the top of which is journaled in bearings such as bearing 5 a drive shaft B. At is known, this drive shaft, through suitable connecting mechanism, actuates all of the function elements of the tufting machine such as, for example, the reciprocating needle bar, the looping and loop cutting mechanism, and the fabric web feed mechanism.

The feed mechanism is substantially the same as that shown in the Cobble et al. patent, being mounted at'the back of the tufting machine, and comprises a feed shaft l which is journaled in bearings, such as bearing 8, attached to the framework of the machine; Along the shaft I are fixed in any desired spaced relationship a plurality of serrated or toothed discs 9 over which the fabric web I I is trained after itis fed past the needle bank of the machine. For holding the fabric web being tufted against the serrated discs 9, there are provided a plurality of grppers I2, one for each serrated disc, which are mounted on a bar I3 extending substantially across the width of the machine. The bar i3 is fixed to a rod r0- tatably mounted in suitable bearings I4 xed to the framework of the machine. A handle I5 is fixed to rod to which bar I3 is xed and is adapted to move simultaneously all of the grippers I2 relative to the serrated discs 9. As shown in Fig. l, all of the grippers are in raised position, i. e., away from the serrated discs. To place grippers I2 in operative position, handle I5 is manually lowered from the position shown in Fig. l, whereupon bar I3 is rotated, causing the grippers I2 to move over the serrated or toothed discs Si for the purpose of holding the fabric web il in contact with said discs, as is well known in the art.

The feed shaft l, as is described in the said Patent No. 2,432,469, may be intermittently ro tated to yfeed the fabric web I i' a stitch length at a time to form a tuft containing the desired number of stitches or loops and then have an auxiliary rotation given thereto so as to cause the fabric web to be moved a distance greater than a stitch length. Thus there is provided between the tufts a space of any desired length.

As is known, the loops forming the tufts are severed, as formed, by suitable cutting mechanism. Where the tufts are spaced on a fabric web, a length of yarn bridges the space between the tufts on the reverse or stitch side of the fabric web. This length of yarn, indicated by reference numeral it in Fig, l, comprises part of the last loop in the tuft and part of the first loop of the next succeeding tuft. When the loops are cut, this length of yarn is free to be removed and has usually been removed byhand. In accordance with this invention, these lengths of yarn I6 are removed automatically by my novel attachment, which will now be described.

The means for removing the lengths of yarn i6 Y comprise a rigid picker finger il of any suitable. material, preferably steel and presser fingers I8 of any suitable flexible material such as brass, a picker finger cooperating with a presser finger to remove the yarn $6-, aswill hereinafter be de` scribed. The picker `finger is formed with a curved portion iii at its lower extremity and the upper half thereof is twisted at right angles to the u lower portion. The upper portion is bifurcated at 2i to fit over a screw 22 by which it is adjustably held in a bar 2i?. The resilient presser finger i8 is provided with a curved portion 24 at the lower extremity thereof. The upper part of the resilient presser finger is at an angle to the lower part thereof. The resilient presser fingers are held in a bar in such a manner that the curved portion 2d of each presser nger is in the same Vertical plane as the curved portion i9 of each picker finger.

Bar 25 on which theresilient presser fingers are mounted, is fixed and bar 23', on which the picker lingers are mounted, is pivotally attached to bar 25 by links V26 and is adapted to be moved relative to said bar 25. To this end one extremityl of bar 23 is provided with a cam follower 27 which is adapted to be received in a groove 28 of a gear 29, mounted on a stub-shaft 30, meshing with and rotated by a gear 3| fixed, as by a collar 32 and pin 33, to the drive shaft 6 of the tufting machine.- Set in a portion of groove 28 is a raised cam 34.

At a predetermined time, the rotation of gear 29 brings the cam 34 around to Contact the cam follower'Zl, which is kept in contact with groove 2-8 andv cam 3ft by springs. Cam 34 causes bar 23 to move to the right as shown in Fig. 1, thus moving gripper fingers Il', which are normally in the position shown in broken lines, toward stationary presser fingers i8 in an arcuate path.

Inrits movement toward the right, thecurved portion I9 of the gripper fingers il catches the length of yarn it, as the fabric web passes over the table of the tuftinfz machine, and presses theyarn into contact with the curved portion 24 ofthe resilient presser finger ES, 'The cooperative-movement of the fingers Il and i8 pulls the length of yarn l5 an appreciable distance out of the fabric web and movement of the fabric web by the rotation rf the serrated discs i! on the feed shaft l completes the removal of the length of yarn from the fabric web.

The cam on gear 29 driven by drive shaft 6 synchronizes the movement of bar 23with the movement of the tuftingoperation of the machine.

Y It is believed that the operation ofmy novel attachment will be apparent from the above description. Y

. The embodiment of my invention shown and described herein isV to be considered merely as ilustrative, as my invention is susceptible to variation, modification. and change within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fedtherethrough a plurality of spaced tufts composed `of a predetermined number of cut loops of'. yarn and joined by a length of yarn, means for removing said length of yarn comprising a stationary resilient finger and' a movable rigid finger cooperating with said stationary finger to hold-'said length of yarn therebetween for a predetermined length of time. i

2. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fed therethrough a plurality of spaced tufts composed of a predetermined number of out loops of yarn and joined by a length of yarn, means for removingv said length of yarncomprising a stationary resilient finger and a-movA able rigid finger cooperating withV said stationary finger to hold said length of yarn therebetween fon aY predetermined length of time, and means operatively connected to said machine for moving .said rigid finger.

Number 3. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fed therethrough a plurality of spaced tufts composed of a predetermined number of cut loops of yarn and joined by a length of yarn, means for removing said length of yarn comprising a stationary resilient finger, a movable rigid finger, a bar for holding said rigid finger, and mea-ns operatively connected to said machine formoving said'bar to cause said rigid finger to move toward and cooperate with said resilient finger to hold said length of yarn therebetween for. afpredetermined length of time.

4. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fedtherethrough a plurality of spaced tufts composed offavpredetermined number of cut loops ofV yarn and joinedJ by a length of yarn, means for removing. said, length of yarn comprising a stationary resilient finger, a movable rigid linger, a barfor holding said rigid finger, and a cam operated by said machine for moving said bar to cause' said rigidl finger to move toward andicooperatef with said resilient finger to hold. said length of yarn therebetween for apredetermined length of time.

5. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fed therethrough a plurality of spaced tufts composed of a predetermined number of cutloopsofyarn, and joined by a length of yarn,- means; for removing'said length of yarn comprisinga-.f stationary resilient finger, a movable rigidfinger, abar for holding said-,rigid finger, a cam formov` ing saidY bar to cause said'rigidfinger-to move toward and cooperate withY said resilient finger; to holdsaid lengthof yarn therebetween forapredetermined; length of time, and a gear operated by said machine for rotating saidcam.

6. In ay machine-for formingin aV fabric web lbeing fed therethrough a plurality of spacedztufts composed of a predetermined number-of-cut loops of yarn and joined by a length of yarn,kmean sl for removing said length of yarn comprisingfa;r stationary resilient nger, a movable rigid finger, a bar for holding said rigid finger, a-cam for mov-,- ing said bar to cause said rigid finger-'to move towardandcooperate-with saidresilient nger to hold said length of yarn therebetween, and aV gear rotated-by thedrive shaftof the machinefor rotatin'gsaid cam.

7. In anmachne for forming in av fabric web being fed therethrough a plurality of spacedY tufts composed of aAV predetermined number of cutloops-of yarn-and joined by alength of yarn, means forl removing a plurality of lengths oft yarn simultaneously comprising a plurality of stationary resilientfingers, a movable rigid-fingen cooperating withy each of said resilient. lingers, a bar-for holding'said rigid fingers, a camfor moving; said bar to cause said rigid fingers to movev toward and inv contact with said resilient fingers to holdl the lengths,` of yarn therebetween and agear operated by said machine for rotating said; Cam.

ARTIS.V ELMER CHARLES.

Y Rnrnnnnons errno The following references are of record-inthe file of'thisv patent:V Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS,

Name Date-y Y 1,211,933 Granz v Jan. 9,191.7.VV 2,218,123

smith` oct. 15.19.40.

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