US3019748A

US3019748A - Apparatus for simultaneously forming rows of cut pile stitching and rows of loop pile stitching

Info

Publication number: US3019748A
Application number: US684886A
Authority: US
Inventors: Card Joseph Lewis
Original assignee: Singer-Cobble Inc
Current assignee: SPENCER WRIGHT INDUSTRIES Inc A CORP OF TENNESSEE; Singer-Cobble Inc
Priority date: 1957-09-19
Filing date: 1957-09-19
Publication date: 1962-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 1979-02-06

Description

Feb. 6, 1962 J. L. CARD 3,019,748

APPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY FORMING s OF CUT FILE STITCHING AND ROWS OF LOOP FILE HI Filed Sept. 19, 1957 Sh s-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

Joseph Lewis Card,

ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1962 3,019,748

J. L. CARD PPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY FORM ROWS OF CUT PILE STITCHING AND ROWS 0F LOOP E STITCHING 1957 heats-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19,

NTOIL Joseph Lewis Card, BY

ATTORNEY 3 019,748 APPARATUS FOR SIP/ IULTANEUUSLY FfiRMlNG RQWS 6F CUT FILE STETCEWG AND ROWS ()F L? PHJE STZTCHEIG Joseph Lewis tCard, Chattanooga, Tenn, assignor to Singer-Cobble, Inc, Chattanooga, Team, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 15%, 1957, Ser. No. 684,836 (Zlaims. (Cl. 112-79) This invention relates to a multiple needle tufting machine and more particularly to a tufting machine for simultaneously forming rows of cut pile stitching and rows of loop pile stitching.

Heretofore tufting machines have been designed for forming either fabric of loop pile or fabric of cut pile. Because the inherent characteristics of a loop pile machine are entirely different, and in many instances opposite, from the characteristics or a cut pile machine, attempts to combine the characterisics of the two machines to form both loop pile and cut pile in a single machine have not been successful. In a conventional loop pile tufting machine, the loop pile hooks are pointed in the direction of fabric feed to permit the loops to feed off the hooks, whereas in a conventional cut pile tufting machine, the loop hooks are pointed in a direction opposite to the fabric feed in order to hold the loops until they are cut by a cooperating cutting mechanism. Moreover, the timing of the reciprocating movements of a loop pile hook and the timing of a cut pile hook are just the opposite since a loop pile hook must be moving backward to engage a loop formed by a descending needle at the same moment that a cut pile hook must be moving forward for the same purpose. Attempts have been made to design a machine that would form both cut pile and loop pile by having two sets of needles and two independently driven and independently timed sets of hooks, one for out pile and one for loop pile, spaced to stagger the rows of cut pile tufts between the rows of loop pile tufts, and vice versa. Such a combination has the same effect as providing a cut pile tufting machine and a separate loop pile tufting machine through both of which the base fabric fed progressively. Such attempts have proved highly unsatisfactory.

It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages enumerated by providing a tufting machine which will form rows of cut pile and rows of loop pile without employing dual mechanisms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tufting machine for simultaneously forming cut pile and loop pile in which the loop pile mechanism is of novel construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tufting machine for forming cut pile and loop pile in which the out pile hooks and loop pile hooks are mounted in a single hook bar.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tufting machine for forming cut pile and loop pile in which the cut pile hooks and loop pile hooks are pointed in the same direction, opposite to the direction of fabric feed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tufting machine for forming cut pile and loop pile in which the cut pile mechanism and loop pile mechanism have the same timing and reciprocate in unison.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multiple needle tufting machine for simultaneously forming rows of cut pile stitching and rows of loop pile stitching with selected needles and havin yarn feed control means for forming loop pile of various heights according to a predetermined pattern.

A further object of this invention is to provide a multiple needle tufting machine to simultaneously form rows ice of cut pile and rows of loop pile for selected needles and having yarn feed control means for selectively forming loop pile higher than the cut pile and loop pile lower than the cut pile.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1 disclosing the cut pile hook and the loop pile hook in their forward operational positions;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 in which the cut pile hook and the loop pile hook are in their withdrawn operational positions;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one type of loop stripping finger associated with a loop hook;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of loop stripping finger associated with a loop hook;

FIG. 6 discloses a modified form of loop hook; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the operation of the loop pile hook and loop stripping finger in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail. FIG. 1 discloses the operating parts of the invention, with parts broken away, as they would appear in a conventional multiple needle cut pile tufting machine. A needle carrier it? adapted to be vertically reciprocated by means, not shown, support a plurality of needles, preferably arranged in a front row of cut pile needles: 11 and a back row of loop pile needles 12. As disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the cut pile needles 11 are staggered with respect to the loop pile needles 12 in order to form alternating rows of cut pile and loop pile stitching. it is to be understood that the number of cut pile needles 11 does not have to equal the number of loop pile needles 12, nor do the needles have to be alternately staggered, but the spacing and relation of the cut pile needles ll to the loop pile needles 1?; may be selective to produce the desired corresponding relationship of the rows of cut pile stitching to the rows of loop pile stitching in the base or backing fabric 13. It is also conceivable that the cut pile needles ll and loop pile needles 12 may be employed in a single row alternating with each other or in any other desired arrangement. The needles are disposed in a pair of rows in order to permit a more narrow needle gauge.

FEGS. l, 2 and 3 also disclose the loop pile needles 12 set lower than the cut pile needles Ill. in order to normally form loop pile of greater height in the base fabric 13 than the cut pile. it is also to be understood that the needles l1 and 12 may be set at equal elevations in order to form cut pile and loop pile of equal height.

A throat plate M of conventional construction and fixed to the machine, not shown, is provided with fingers 15 which extend between the needles Ill and 12 to support the base fabric 13 as it is fed through the machine.

Mounted below the throat plate 14 is a hook shaft 16 and a knife shaft 37 of similar construction to those employed in a conventional cut pile tufting machine, both of the shafts being adapted for limited rotary reciprocatory motion in a. manner Well known to the art. Fixedly mounted to the hook shaft to is a hook bar 18 provided with equally spaced vertical slots 19. in a preferred form of the invention as disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a conventional cut pile hook 2t) and a loop pile hook 2 1 of novel construction are both inserted in each hook bar slot 19. In the preferred arrangement, the spacing of the hook slots 1'9 are approximately equal to either the gauge of the needles ll or the gauge of needles and twice the gauge between the needle 11 and the needle 12.

As best disclosed in FIGS. 4 and 5, the loop pile hook 21 comprises a substantially vertical plate-like shank 22 having a throat portion 23 bent at substantially right sniaras angles to the shank along the joint 24. The bill 25 of the hook is preferably integral with and extends beyond the end of the throat portion 23 and is bent down at its point 26. The point 26 may be either arcuate (FIGS. 4 and 5) or at an angle (FIG. 6) with respect to the remaining portion of the bill 25, so long as the point 26 is bent sul'liciently to retain a loop of yarn 27 formed thereon by a needle 12;, and so long as the bent point 26 is not so pronounced as to prevent the loop 27 from being removed by the loop stripping mechanism 28.

The loop stripping mechanism 28, disclosed in P168. 1, 2, 3, 4- and 7, comprises a loop stripping plate 29 fixed to a portion of the machine, not shown, and adapted to support a loop stripping linger 3!} for each loop hook 21. The loop stripping plate 29 is fixed in such a position that each loop stripping finger 3% is adapted to engage a loop 27 formed on a loop pile hook 21 as the loop pile hook is rocked backward by the hook shaft 16 from its forward position disclosed in FIG. 2 to its withdrawn position disclosed in FIG. 3, to thereby remove the loop 27 from the hook 211. As disclosed in H68. 1, 2 and 3, the loop stripping finger 35 comprises a strip of metal, such as spring steel, engaging and biased against the bottom of the throat portion 23 or bill 25 at all times. Thus, as the loop pile hook 2i is rocked backward to its extreme withdrawn position disclosed in PEG. 3, a stationary loop stripping linger 36 engages and slides along the bottom of the bill 25 to strip the loop 27 from the point 26.

A modified loop stripping finger 3ll, disclosed in FIG. 5, is so constructed that the loop hook 21 is adapted to rock backward beneath the finger 31 as the finger engages and strips the loop 27 from the point 26. The finger 31 comprises a substantially flat elongated plate having a down-turned side flange 32, which is adapted to slide against or in close proximity to the side of the bill 25 as the hook 21 is rocked backward. The finger 31 may or may not engage any portion of the loop hook 21 at any time, so long as the finger engages and completely strips the loop 27 from the hook 21. Once the loop 27 is stripped from the hook 2d, the loop will be carried by the fabric 13 over the top of the loop stripping finger or 3' and the loop stripping plate 29.

he knife shaft 17 supports a knife block 33 which carries a knife 34 adapted to associate with each cut pile hook 2b to cut loops formed thereon and create cut pile in a manner Well known to the art.

Both the cut pile hooks 2% and the loop pile hooks 21 may be vertically adjustable relative to each other Within each hook slot 19. The loop pile hooks 21, as disclosed in the drawings, are set lower than the cut pile hooks 20 by an amount corresponding to the dilference in heights of the

needles

11 and 2, and the points 26 of the loop pile books 21 are staggered with respect to the cut pile hook points in the same relation as the needles 12- are staggered with respect to the needles 11. However, it is to be understood that the difference in height between the cut pile hooks 2a and the loop pile hooks 21 does not nece sarily have to be equal to the dilference in the height between the needles l1 and the needles 12, so long as each loop pile hook 21 is in a position to form a loop 27 with its corresponding needle 12.

It is also to be understood that each cut pile hook 20 and each loop pile hook 21 may be inserted in separate individual slots 19, and for this purpose, the shank 22', the bill 25 and point 26 of a modified form of loop pile hook. 221 may be formed in the same unbent vertical plane as substantially disclosed in PEG. 6. Fig. 6 also shows a modified form of the point 26' being bent down at an angle to the bill 25 rather than having an arcuate shape.

The means for reciprocating the needle carrier 10, the fabric feed mechanism, and the means for driving the hook shaft 16 and knife shaft 17 have not been disclosed, as they are of conventional construction for a multiple needle cut pile tufting machine, and are synchronously driven so that the cut pile hooks 2t and the loop pile hooks 21 or 21 are rocked forward when the

needles

11 and 12 are in their lowermost position to form loops thereby, and so that all the loop pile hooks and cut pile hooks are rocked backwards to their withdrawn positions when the

needles

11 and 12 are in their elevated positions while the knife shaft 17 rocks the knife 34 upward to simultaneously cut the loops formed by the cut pile hooks it? to form cut pile thereby. As the machine is operating, the fabric 13 is continuously fed across the throat plate 14- from the front to the rear of the machine as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3.

It is also contemplated that a pattern control means, such as that disclosed in the co-pending applications, Serial Number 327,807, now abandoned, and 630,343, now Patent No. 2,935,037, granted May 3, 1960, of Joseph L. Card may be associated with this invention in order to form high low loops in the loop pile stitching to form predetermined designs in the completed tufted fabric. By setting the needles 1]. and 12 and the cut pile hooks 26 and the loop pile hooks ill substantially at the elevations disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3, and employing the pattern control means disclosed in the above applications, cut pile may be formed at a substantially uniform height, while loop pile both higher and lower than the cut pile may be simultaneously formed according to a predetermined pattern. Moreover, if the cut pile stitching alternates with the loop pile stitching, the high loops would overlay adjacent cut pile tufts, while the cut pile tufts would overlay adjacent low loops, to form contrasting designs of cut pile and loop pile in a single fabric.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that varions changes may be made in the invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tufting machine, a pair of spaced needles for inserting pile yarns into a base fabric, means for recipro eating said needles, means for supporting said base fabric beneath said needles, a hook bar mounted for reciprocation beneath said needles, a single slot in said hook bar beneath said needles, a cut pile hook adapted to cooperate with one of said needles and a loop pile hook adapted to cooperate with the other of said needles, each hook having a shank and a bill, the shanks of both hooks being received in said single slot with said bills pointing in the same direction, knife means cooperating with one side of said cut pile hook for cutting loops formed thereon, the bill of said loop pile hook being laterally spaced from the other side of said out pile hook the same distance as said needles, means for reciprocating said hook bar to alternately move said bills across their respective needles, in the needles lowermost position, to form loops in said pile yarns and to move said bills away from their corresponding needles, and loop stripping means cooperating with said loop pile hook for engaging a loop formed thereon and removing said loop from the free end of said hook bill as said bill reciprocates away from its corresponding needle.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which the shank and the bill of said cut pile hook are coplanar and the bill of said loop pile hook is offset from its shank in the direction away from the cut pile hook.

3. In a tufting machine, a pair of spaced needles for inserting pile yarns into a base fabric, means for reciproeating said needles, means for supporting said base fabric beneath said needles, a hook bar mounted for reciprocation beneath said needles, a single slot formed in said hook bar beneath said needles, a looper mechanism comprising shank means and a cut pile bill and a loop pile bill mounted in spaced relation on said shank means, said bills pointing in the same direction, said out pile bill being adapted to cooperate With one of said needles and said loop pile bill being adapted to cooperate with the other of said needles, said shank means being received in said slot for reciprocation with said hook oar, knife means cooperating with one side of said cut pile bill for cutting loops formed thereon, said loop pile bill being laterally spaced from the other side of said cut pile bill the same distance as said needles, means for reciprocating said hook bar to alternately move said bills across their corresponding needles, in the needles lowermost position, to form loops in the pile yarns carried by said needles and to Withdraw said bills from said needles, and loop stripping means eooperating with said loop pile bill for engaging a loop formed thereon and removing said loop from the free end of said loop pile bill as said bill Withdraws from its corresponding needle.

4-. The invention according to claim 3 in which one of said needles occupies an elevated position and the other of said needles occupies a lower position, and one of said bills is elevated with respect to the other of said bills substantially the same distance as the difierence in elevation of said needles.

5. The invention according to claim 3 in which said needles are offset from each other in the direction of the reciprocation of said hook bar and the free ends of said bills are offset from each other by substantially the same amount and in the same direction as the offset spacing between said needles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,855,175 Braudes Apr. 26, 1932 1,907,292 Gladish May 2, 1933 2,410,764 Uihlein Nov. 5, 1946 2,411,267 Harnricl; Nov. 19, 1946 2,482,683 Moore Sept. 20, 1949 2,675,771 Peters Apr. 20, 1954 2,768,593 Lombard Oct. 30, 1956 2,782,741 Smith Feb. 26, 1957 2,811,244 MacCaiTray Oct. 29, 1957 2,827,866 Penman Mar. 25, 1958 2,836,134- Harrison May 27, 1958 2,842,080 Hoeselbarth July 8, 1958 2,878,763 Jackson Mar. 24, 1959 2,879,728 McCutchen Mar. 31, 1959 2,879,729 McCutchen Mar. 31, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 635,817 Great Britain Apr. 19, 1950