US3216387A

US3216387A - Tufted article and method of making the same

Info

Publication number: US3216387A
Application number: US296814A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joe T Short
Original assignee: Callaway Mills Co
Current assignee: Callaway Mills Co
Priority date: 1963-07-22
Filing date: 1963-07-22
Publication date: 1965-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 1982-11-09
Also published as: BE650866A; GB1048449A

Description

J. T. SHORT 3, 7 TUFTED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Nov. 9, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1963 I N VENTOR JOE 7. SHORT Bwues, a EMAQSQwfi Nov. 9, 1965 1-, SHORT 3,216,387

TUFTED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR JOE T SHORT Bum I United States Patent 3,216,387 TUFTED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Joe T. Short, West Point, Ga., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Callaway Mills Company, La Grange, Ga.,

a corporation of Georgia Filed July 22, 1963, Ser. No. 296,814 11 Claims. (Cl. 112-410) This invention relates to the production of tufted pile fabrics. It is concerned particularly with improved methods of making tufted fabrics having pile loops on both the top and bottom faces thereof and with novel double faced tufted fabrics having patterns of high and low pile loops on one or both faces.

The tufting operations employed heretofore in producing double faced tufted fabrics, such as reversible throw rugs, were of such a nature as to require the use of yarn engaging hook or looper components positioned on both sides of the path of the backing fabric for cooperation with the tufting needles. The loopers on one side of the backing engage pile yarn portions inserted through the backing by the needles, and the loopers on the other side of the backing engage pile yarn portions extending between adjacent penetration points of the needles. As the needles and loopers move in timed relation to each other, pile loops are drawn on both faces of the cloth.

Although it is understood that substantial quantities of fabric have been produced by such prior methods, certain practical difficulties are inherent. The looper elements must be positioned and moved with precision in order to bring about the proper cooperation between these elements and the tufting needles. Moreover, the looper elements and the drive systems therefor are somewhat delicate and require frequent maintenance work, giving rise to interruptions in the production operations from time to time.

The known double faced tufted pile fabrics also have certain limitations. It has not been feasible, for example, to provide such fabrics with intricate patterns of high and low loops. The loop robbing techniques that have been employed extensively in the production of I single-sided tufted fabrics having patterns of high and low loops are not generally applicable to the production of double faced tufted fabrics.

It is a general object of this invention to provide novel methods of tufting double faced pile fabrics, which methods will overcome the disadvantages and limitations mentioned above.

Another object of the invention is to provide double faced tufted pile fabrics having patterns of high and low loops on one or both of the fabric faces.

In one embodiment of the invention the pile yarns are positioned with respect to a backing fabric by a plurality of hollow tufting needles through which the yarns are fed by fluid streams. Relative reciprocation between the needles and the backing causes the tip portions of the needles to penetrate the backing periodically so as to expose the outlet openings of the needles on the bottom side of the backing. While the outlet openings are so exposed on the bottom side of the backing, predetermined lengths of pile yarn are made available to the hollow needles and fluid streams are caused to flow through the hollow needles to impel these predetermined lengths of yarn through the needles to form pile loops on the bottom face of the backing. As the relative reciprocation between the needles and the backing continues, the outlet openings of the needles move above the backing. Again, predetermined lengths of pile yarn are made available to the hollow needles and fluid streams flowing downwardly through the needles impel these predetermined lengths out of the outlet openings to form pile loops on the top face of the backing.

3,216,387 Patented Nov. 9, 1965 Where patterns of high and low loops are desired, the lengths of pile yarn made available to selected needles during dirTerent loop forming periods may be different, and the lengths of pile yarn made available to different ones of the needles during any given loop forming period may be different. Through proper control over the feeding of yarn to the hollow needles, it becomes feasible to produce intricate patterns of high and low loops on either or both of the faces of the fabric.

A more complete understanding of the invention will be gained from a consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic transverse cross sectional view of a multiple needle tufting machine adapted to carry out the method of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view illustrating one of the hollow tufting needles and associated components of the machine of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial horizontal cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views illustrating pile loop forming operations carried out in ac cordance with the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a double faced tufted pile fabric in accordance with the invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a transverse cross sectional view, taken along the line 9-9 in FIGURE 8, of the fabric shown in FIGURE 8.

The tufting machine illustrated in the drawings is similar in many respects to that disclosed in my United States Patent No. 3,089,442, granted on May 14, 1963. The frame of the machine includes a base portion 2 and an upper housing unit 4 extending from one side of the machine to the other. Uprights 6 located .at the ends of the machine support the upper housing unit 4 in spaced relation to the base portion 2 of the frame, and suitable fabric feeding and guiding means including rollers 8 and 10 advance a backing 12 across the base portion 2 in the zone between the uprights 6 in a conventional manner.

The backing 12 may be formed from any suitable material. In the production of reversible throw rugs woven fabric backings frequently are employed.

As the backing 12 is advanced, it moves through a tufting zone where it is supported from below by a series of tine or finger elements 14 secured to the base portion 2 of the machine. In this zone, the backing 12 also is held against substantial upward movements by a presser foot 16 secured at its end to theuprights 6 and having tine or finger elements 18 thereon in vertical alignment with the tine or finger elements 14 of the work support. Additional bracket means (not illustrated) extending between the presser foot 16 and the upper housing unit 4 may be provided for additional rigidity.

Hollow tufting needles 20 are mounted for vertical movement in the spaces between adjacent ones of the fingers 18 on the presser foot 16 and between adjacent ones of the fingers 14 on the work support. All of the needles 20 are secured to a needle carrier 22 extending substantially across the machine in the zone between the uprights 6. Although a single transverse row of needles 20 has been suggested in the drawings, it will be understood that multiple rows may be employed as indicated in my United States Patent No. 3,089,442 to reduce the longitudinal spacing between adjacent longitudinal rows of pile loops in the fabric product.

In the illustrated embodiment the drive for the needle carrier 22 includes an eccentric 24 rotatable with a driven shaft 26 within a bearing member 28. The bearing member 28 is pivotally connected at 30 to a push rod 32 mounted for vertical sliding movement in a bearing member 34 carried by the upper housing unit 4 of the machine.

The lower end of the push rod 32 is connected rigidly to the needle carrier 22 so that the needle carrier 22 will move up and down as the eccentric 24 rotates about the axis of the driven shaft 26.

Although only one push rod 32 has been illustrated in the drawings, it is desirable that a number of push rods and associated drive means be provided where the tufting machine is of substantial width. Ordinarily, the push rods 32 are spaced closely enough across the width of the machine to support the needle carrier 22 without substantial deflection thereof.

The pile yarns 36 are fed through the hollow needles 20 by fluid streams flowing downwardly through yarn passageways 38 in the needles. As shown best in FIGURE 2, the needle carrier 22 is hollow so as to provide a fluid chamber 40 from which fluid may flow into the yarn passageways 38 of the needles 20 through orifices 42 in the walls of the needles 20.

In a preferred embodiment, compressed air is supplied intermittently to the chamber 40 in the needle carrier 22. A conduit 44 leading from a compressor directs high pressure air to a chamber 46 in a valve body 48. Other conduit means 50, including a flexible section 52, provide a flow channel for compressed air from a chamber 54 in the valve body 48 to the chamber 40 in the needle carrier 22. A suitable valve element 56 cooperates with a port 58 in a wall between the two

valve chambers

46 and 54 to control the flow of air from the chamber 46 to the chamber 54. The valve element 56 normally is urged toward a closed position by a spring 60, but it may be moved in the opposite direction by a cam 62 fixed on a driven shaft 64. The shaft 64 is driven in timed relation to the drive shaft 26 to open the valve element 56 twice during each complete cycle of movement of the needle carrier 22.

The intermittent nature of the air flow into the cham ber 40 of the needle carrier 22 causes variations in the rate of air flow downwardly through the yarn passageways 38 of the tufting needles 20. When air is allowed by the valve element 56 to flow from the chamber 46 into the chamber 54 of the valve body 48, the pressure in the chamber 40 of the needle carrier 22 builds up to a level comparable to the pressure in the conduit 44 and air flows downwardly through the yarn passageways 38 at a maximum rate. When the port 58 is closed by the valve element 56, the pressure in the chamber 40 of the needle carrier drops off and the rate of air flow downwardly through the yarn passageways 38 is reduced. It is presently preferred that the dimensions of the air system be such that during the normal time interval between successive valve openings, the pressure in the needle carrier chamber-'40 will not drop to atmospheric pressure. Hence, a definite downward flow of air through the yarn passageways 38 is maintained at all times but the rate of flow changes in response to operations of the valve in the air supply system.

The construction and mounting arrangement for the individual needles 20 is shown best in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. The tip portion of each needle is cut away at an angle so that the outlet opening 66 faces downwardly and forwardly in the direction of advance of the backing 12'. Proper angular orientation of each needle 20 is assured by the coaction of a set screw 68 with a fiat 70 milled on the upper end portion of the needle. Suitable O-ring seals 72 and gasket means 74 are provided in the structure to minimize air leakage.

The flowing fluid streams in the passageways 38 of the tufting needles 20 will impel through these passageways whatever lengths of pile yarn are made available to the needles. Control over the actual length of pile yarn delivered from a given needle 20 during any portion of the machine cycle is achieved by closely controlling the feed of yarn toward the hollow needles 20.

The pile yarns. 36 may be supplied from any suitable source, such as a creel (not illustrated). The yarns preferably are removed from the creel by positively acting yarn feed means of such a contruction that the rate of delivery of the yarns may be regulated closely. The yarn feed means chosen for illustration in the drawings is a notched bar type of feed mechanism. This mechanism is well known, and it need not be described in detail here. It will sufiice to point out that the pile yarns are engaged by intermeshing pattern bars 76 and 78 mounted on endless carriers 80 and 82 that are guided through a yarn feeding zone by suitable means 84 and 86. The intermeshing pattern bars 76 and 78 cause the pile yarns 36 to assume undulating paths as they pass through the feeding zone. The individual pattern bars may be provided with notches of varying depths in their edges, so that the lengths of yarns stored in a stored in a row of these undulations may be different. When the endless carriers 80 and 82 move a pair of pattern bars 76 and 78 out of the zone of intermeshing, difierent amounts of yarn may be released to different needles 20 in a manner well understood in the art.

The endless carriers 80 and 82 of the yarn feed mechanism are driven in timed relation to the drive shaft 26 so that the operation of the yarn feed mechanism will be coordinated with the reciprocating movements of the needle bar 22. In practising the present invention, it normally is preferable to drive the endless carriers 80 and 82 of the yarn feed mechanism in such a manner that two of the pattern bars on each carrier move out of the zone of intermeshing during each complete cycle of movement of the needle carrier 22.

Attention now will be directed to FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7 which illustrate diagrammatically the relative positions of the backing 12, a needle 20, and a pile yarn 36 during portions of one complete cycle of machine operation. In all of these views, the backing 12 is shown as having a loop 88 on the bottom face thereof and a loop 90 on the top face thereof formed during an earlier cycle of machine operation. FIGURES 4 and 5 depict the formation of another loop 92 on the bottom face of the backing 12, and FIGURES 6 and 7 depict the formation.

of another loop 94 on the top face of the backing 12.

In FIGURE 4 the needle 20 is located at or about its point of maximum penetration of the backing 12. At this moment the formation of a loop 92 on the bottom face of the backing 12 will have begun, but the loop 92 need not have reached its final size. As the needle 20 moves upwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 4, additional pile yarn may be impelled through the yarn passageway in the needle 20 to enlarge the loop '92. This effect is suggested in FIGURE 5 which shows the needle 20 at a position in which its outlet opening 66 is still exposed to the underside of the backing 12 even though the needle has been elevated substantially from the position shown in FIGURE 4. e

After the tip of the needle has cleared the backing 12, the backing advances to the left as shown in FIGURE 6. At this time the needle 20 is disposed in spaced relation to the upper surface of the backing 12, and if a substantial length of pile yarn 36 is made available to the needle 20, the air stream flowing downwardly and issuing from the downwardly and forwardly facing outlet opening 66 will impel the additional length of yarn out of the needle in the form of a pile loop 94 on the top face of the backing 12. The height to which the tufting needle 20 is raised above the backing during the upstroke will depend to some extent on the stiffness and size of the pile yarn being tufted. The outlet opening 66 of the needle must be exposed above the backing 12 far enough to permit the pile yarn to be fed freely around the edge 'of the outlet opening.

The feeding of yarn into the loop 94 may continue until the needle 20 has moved down far enough to bring the upper edge of the outlet opening 66 (the leading edge in the direction of fabric advance) into position adjacent the top face of the backing 12 so as to clamp the yarn against the backing in the manner suggested in FIGURE 7. Air issuing from the forwardly facing outlet opening 66 tends to blow the loop 94 in a forwardly direction and prevent it becoming entangled with the actual point of the needle 20.

The pile loops formed on the two faces of the backing 12 may move out of the tufting zone without interference from the machine components located in this Zone. The spaces between the tines or fingers 18 on the presser foot 16 and the spaces between the tines 14 on the work support are open slots, so that the pile loops are free to move out of the ends of these slots without being distorted materially.

The height of any given pile loop on either face of the backing 12 may be controlled by the yarn feed mechanism independently of the height of any other loop in the fabric. In FIGURES 8 and 9, there is illustrated a double faced tufted pile f-a'bric having high and low loops on both faces thereof. In these views, the high loops on the top face of the fabric are designated by the numeral 96, the low loops on the top face of the fabric are designated by the numeral 98, the high loops on the bottom face of the fabric are designated by the numeral 100 and the low loops on the bottom face of the fabric are designated by the numeral 102.

From FIGURE 8 it will be apparent that the loops formed on the two faces of the backing 12 during any given machine cycle may be controlled independently of each other. A high loop 100 may be formed on the bottom face during a cycle in which a low loop 98 is formed on the top face,

low loops

98 and 102 may be formed on both faces, etc. FIGURE 9 indicates that this same flexibility exists as between different ones of the pile yarns. During a given cycle, a high loop 96 may be formed on the top face of the backing 12 from one pile yarn and a low loop 98 may be formed on the top face of the backing 12 from another pile yarn. With this great flexibility, it is feasible to produce fabrics having complex patterns of high and low loops on either or both faces of the backing 12.

Although pattern flexibility is an important aspect of the invention, the novel method herein disclosed may-be applied advantageously in the production of level pile fabrics. For example, towel fabrics may be produced advantageously by using the method of this invention to plant pile loops on both faces of a woven backing. In this instance, it usually will be desirable to employ a shrinkable backing. The backing shrinkage which takes place during the finishing of the product will serve to secure the pile more firmly in place and will give the product improved density and coverage characteristics.

In the embodiment described above, the rate of air flow through the yarn passageways 38 in the tufting needles 20 is varied cyclically to provide maximum flow during periods when maximum yarn feed is required. This arrangement is normally preferred for its economy and because it permits better control over yarn delivery. However, the invention is not limited in this respect. The basic method can be applied where the rate of air flow through the passageways '38 in the needles 20 is constant.

Various other modifications and variations will be evident to persons skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that the foregoing detailed description be considered as exemplary only, and that the scope of the invention be ascertained from the following claims. i

I claim:

1. A method of making a double faced tufted pile fabric comprising a cycle including the steps of advancing a backing along a path adjacent a group of hollow needles each having a yarn passage therein terminating in an outlet opening in the tip portion thereof, relatively .moving the group of hollow needles and the backing in a direction to penetrate the backing with the tip portions .of the needles and expose said outlet openings on one side of the backing, relatively moving said group of needles and said backing in the opposite direction to position the tip portions of the needles in spaced relation to the opposite side of the backing, feeding yarns toward said needles during a portion of the cycle when the outlet openings of the needle are exposed on said opposite side of the backing to make available to at least some of the needles lengths of yarn sufiicient for the formation of pile loops, flowing fluid through the yarn passages of said needles and out of the outlet openings thereof during said portion of the cycle to impel yarns from the outlet openings to form pile loops extending from said opposite side of the backing, feeding toward at least some of the needles during another portion of the cycle additional lengths of yarn sufiicient for the formation of pile loops, and flowing fluid through the yarn passages of the needles and out of the outlet openings thereof on said one side of the backing to impel said additional lengths of yarn from the outlet openings to form pile loops extending from said one side of the backing, said cycle being repeated indefinitely.

2. A method of making a double faced tufted pile fabric having high and low loops on at least one face thereof comprising a cycle including the steps of advancing a backing along a path adjacent a group of hollow needles each having a yarn passage therein terminating in an outlet opening in the tip portion thereof, relatively moving the group of hollow needles and the backing in a direction to penetrate the backing with the tip portions of the needles and expose said outlet openings on one side of the backing, relatively moving said group of needles and said backing in the opposite direction to position the tip portons of the needles in spaced relation to the opposite side of the backing, feeding different lengths of yarn toward different ones of the needles during a first portion of the cycle when the outlet openings of the needles are exposed on said opposite side of the backing to make available to the needles lengths of yarn suflicient for the formation of pile loops of different lengths,

'fiowing fluid through the yarn passages of said needles and out of the outlet openings thereof during said first portion of the cycle to impel yarns from the outlet openings to form pile loops of different lengths extending from said opposite side of the backing, feeding toward the needles during another portion of the cycle additional lengths of yarn sufiicient for the formation of pile loops, and flowing fluid through the yarn passages of the needles and out of the outlet openings thereof on said one side of the backing to impel said additional lengths of yarn from the outlet openings to form pile loops extending from said one side of the backing, said cycle being repeated indefinitely while feeding toward at least some of said needles during said first portions of certain cycles lengths of yarn different from the lengths fed toward those needles during said first portions of other cycles.

3. A method of making a double faced tufted pile fabric having high and low loops on at least one face thereof comprising a cycle including the steps of advancing a backing along a path adjacent a group of hollow needles each having a yarn passage therein terminating in an outlet opening in the tip portion thereof, relatively moving the group of hollow needles and the backing in a direction to penetrate the backing with the tip portions of the needles and expose said outlet openings on one side of the backing, relatively moving said group of needles and said backing in the opposite direction to position the tip portions of the needles in spaced relation to the opposite side of the backing, feeding yarns toward said needles during a first portion of the cycle when the outlet openings of the needles are exposed on said opposite side of the backing to make available to at least some of the needles lengths of yarn suflicient for the formation of pile loops, flowing fluid through the yarn passages of said needles and out of the outlet openings thereof during said first portion of the cycle to impel yarns from the outlet openings to form pile loops extending from said opposite side of the backing, feeding toward at least some of the needles during a second portion of the cycle additional lengths of yarn sufficient for the formation of pile loops with the additional lengths fed toward certain of the needles being greater than the additional lengths fed toward others of the needles, and flowing fluid through the yarn passages of the needles and out of the outlet openings thereof on said one side of the backing to impel said additional lengths of yarn from the outlet openings to form pile loops of different lengths extending from said one side of the backing, said cycle being repeated indefinitely while feeding toward at least some of said needles during said second portions of certain cycles lengths of yarn different from the lengths fed toward those needles during said second portions of other cycles.

4. A method of making a tufted pile fabric having high and low pile loops on both sides thereof comprising a cycle including the steps of advancing a backing along a path adjacent a group of hollow needles each having a yarn passage therein terminating in an outlet "opening in the tip portion thereof, relatively moving the group of hollow needles and the backing in a direction topenetrate the backing with the tip portions of the needles and expose said 'outlet openings on one side of the backing, relatively moving said group of needles and said backing in the opposite direction to position the tip portions of the needles in spaced relation to the 'opposte side of the backing, feeding toward at least some of the needles during a first portion of the cycle when the outlet openings of the needles are exposed on said opposite side of the backing lengths of yarn sufficient for the formation of pile loops with the lengths fed toward certain of the needles being greater than the lengths fed toward others of the needles, flowing fluid through the yarn passages of said needles and out of the outlet Openings thereof during said first portion of the cycle to impel yarns from the outlet openings to form pile loops of different lengths extending from said opposite side of the backing, feeding toward at least some of the needles during a second portion of the cycle additional lengths of yarn sufficient for the formation of pile loops with the additional lengths fed toward certain of the needles being greater than the additional lengths fed toward others of the needles, and flowing fluid through the yarn passages of the needles and out of the outlet openings thereof on said one side of the backing to impel said additional lengths of yarn from the outlet openings to form pile loops of different lengths extending from said one side of the backing, said cycle being repeated indefinitely while feeding toward at least some of said needles during both said first and second portions of certain cycles lengths of yarn different from the lengths fed toward those needles during corresponding portions of other cycles.

5. A method of making a double faced tufted pile fabric comprisaing a cycle including the steps of advancing a backing along a path adjacent a group of hollow needles each having a yarn passage therein terminating in an outlet opening in the tip portion thereof facing forwardly in the direction of backing advance, relatively moving the group of hollow needles and the backing in a direction to penetrate the backing with the tip portions of the needles and expose said outlet openings on one side of the backing, relatively moving said group of needles and said backing in the opposite direction to position ,the tip portions of the needles in spaced relation to the opposite side of the backing, feeding yarns toward said needles during a portion of the cycle when the outlet openings of the needles are exposed on said opposite side of the backing to make available to at least some of the needles lengths of yarn sufficient for the formation of pile loops, flowing fluid through the yarn passages of said needles and out of the forwardly facing outlet openings thereof during said portion of the cycle to impel yarns forwardly from the outlet openings to form pile loops extending from said opposite side of the backing, feeding toward at least some of the needles during another portion of the cycle additional lengths of yarn suflrcient for the formation of pile loops, and flowing fluid through the yarn passages of the needles and out of the outlet openings thereof on said one side of the backing to impel said additional lengths of yarn from the outlet openings to form pile loops extending from said one side of the backing, said cycle being repeated indefinitely.

6. In a method of tufting wherein a backing is passed along a path of travel adjacent the ends of a plurality of hollow tufting needles which carry yarns in the hollow portions, the yarns protruding from the ends of the needles, and wherein there is relative reciprocatory movement between the needles and the backing for inserting through and withdrawing from the backing the ends of the needles and the yarns carried by the needles for creating loops on one side of the backing, and wherein air is passed through the needles while the ends of said needles are penetrating the backing for urging the yarns out of the needles, the steps of passing air through the needles during the periods in which the ends of the needles are withdrawn from the backing while at the same time feeding prescribed amounts of yarns to the needles for producing loops of yarns protruding from the backing.

7. In a method of tufting wherein a backing is passed along a path of travel adjacent the ends of a plurality of hollow needles disposed on one side of the backing and through which yarns are fed and wherein there is relative reciprocatory movement of the needles and the backing for inserting the ends of the needles through the backing and for withdrawing the ends of the needles from the backing whereby loops are created on the other side of the backing and wherein air is passed through the needles during the periods in which the needles project through the backing for extending the lengths of such loops as the feed of such yarns is regulated to define the extent of the loops being formed, the steps of passing additional air through said needles during the periods in which the needles are withdrawn from said backing for a sufficient length of time while at the same time regulating the feed of said yarns in varying amounts according to a prescribed pattern'so that loops of yarns are created on said one side of said backing of different pile heights and in which certain of the loops thus formed have loop heights in excess of the maximum distance of withdrawal of the ends of the needles with respect to the backing.

8. A double faced tufted pile fabric comprising a backing having longitudinal rows of openings therein and at least one substantially continuous pile yarn extending along each of said rows of openings, certain of said pile yarns each forming 'a first series of uncut pile loops extending outwardly from one face of the backing and a second series of uncut pile loops extending outwardly from the opposite face of the backing, each of the loops of said first series having a pair of leg portions extending through a single one of said openings in the backing and each of the loops of said second series having a pair of leg portions extending respectively through adjacent ones of the openings in a row of openings, the loops extending from one face of the backing being ofdifferent heights and defining a prescribed pattern, the loops extending from the opposite face of the backing also being of different heights and defining a prescribed pattern.

9. A double faced tufted pile fabric comprising a backing having longitudinal rows of openings therein and at least one substantially continuous pile yarn extending along each of said rows of openings, certain of said pile yarns each forming a first series of uncut pile loops extending outwardly from one face of the backing and a second series of uncut pile loops extending outwardly from the opposite face of the backing, each of the loops of said first series having a pair of leg portions extending through a single one of said openings in the backing and each of the loops of said second series having a pair of leg portions extending respectively through adjacent ones of the openings in a row of openings, the loops extending from one face of the backing being of different heights and defining a prescribed pattern, the loops extending from the opposite face of the backing also being of different heights and defining a prescribed pattern, the prescribed pattern defined by the loops extending from the one face of the backing being different from the prescribed pattern defined by the loops extending from the opposite face of the backing.

10. A double faced tufted pile fabric comprising a backing having longitudinal rows of openings therein and at least one substantially continuous pile yarn extending along each of said rows of openings, certain of said pile yarns each forming a first series of uncut pile loops extending outwardly from one face of the backing and a second series of uncut pile loops extending outwardly from the opposite face of the backing, each of the loops of said first series having a pair of leg portions extending through a single one of said openings in the backing and each of the loops of said second series having a pair of leg portions extending respectively through adjacent ones of the openings in a row of openings, the loops extending from one face of the backing being of different heights and defining a prescribed pattern, the loops extending from the opposite face of the backing also being of different heights and defining a prescribed pattern, the prescribed pattern defined by the loops extending from the one face of the backing being different from the prescribed pattern defined by the loops extending from the opposite face of the backing, the legs of the loops in each of the longitudinal rows being generally aligned longitudinally.

1 1. A double faced tufted pile fabric comprising a backing having longitudinal rows of openings therein and at least one substantially continuous pile yarn extending along each of said rows of openings, certain of said pile yarns each forming a first series of uncut pile loops extending outwardly from one face of the backing and a second series of uncut pile loops extending outwardly from the opposite face of the backing, each of the loops of said first series having a pair of leg portions extending through a single one of said openings in the backing and each of the loops of said second series having a pair of leg portions extending respectively through adjacent ones of the openings in a row of openings, the loops extending from one face of the backing being of different heights and defining a prescribed pattern, the loops extending from the opposite face of the backing also being of different heights and defining a prescribed pattern, the prescribed pattern defined by the loops extending from the one face of the backing being different from the prescribed pattern defined by the loops extending from the opposite face of the backing, the legs of the loops in each of the longitudinal rows being generally aligned longitudinally, the longitudinal rows being parallel to each other, the loops extending from the one face of the backing being aligned in transverse parallel rows, the loops extending from the opposite face of the backing being aligned in transverse parallel rows disposed between the transverse rows of loops extending from the one face of the backing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,907,292 5/33 Gladish 11279.6 2,636,460 4/53 Seiderman 112--79.5 2,705,465 4/55 Lacey 112-79 2,728,314 12/55 Richards 11279.5 2,853,032 9/58 OdenWeller 11279.6 2,860,588 11/58 Penman 1l279.6 2,883,735 4/59 Hoeselbarth 161-65 2,928,099 3/60 Moonan et al. l 12'41O 3,089,442 5/63 Short 1l2-79 3,091,199 5/63 Ballard 1l2-79 FOREIGN PATENTS 534,168 2/41 Great Britain. 618,165 2/49 Great Britain.

J QRDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner,

Claims

8. A DOUBLE FACED TUFTED PILE FABRIC COMPRISING A BACKING HAVING LONGITUDINAL ROWS OF OPENINGS THEREIN AND AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS PILE YARN EXTENDING ALONG EACH OF SAID ROWS OF OPENINGS, CERTAIN OF SAID PILE YARNS EACH FORMING A FIRST SERIES OF UNCUT PILE LOOPS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM ONE FACE OF THE BACKING AND A SECOND SERIES OF UNCUT PILE LOOPS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSITE FACE OF THE BACKING, EACH OF THE LOOPS OF SAID FIRST SERIES HAVING A PAIR OF LEG PORTIONS EXTENDING THROUGH A SINGLE ONE OF SAID OPENINGS IN THE BACKING AND EACH OF THE LOOPS OF SAID SECOND SERIES HAVING A PAIR OF LEG PORTIONS EXTENDING IN A ROW OF OPENINGS, THE LOOPS EXONES OF THE OPENINGS IN A ROW OF OPENINGS, THE LOOPS EXTENDING FROM ONE FACE OF THE BACKING BEING OF DIFFERENT HEIGHTS AND DEFINING A PRESCRIBED PATTERN, THE LOOPS EXTENDING FROM THE OPPOSITE FACE OF THE BACKING ALSO BEING OF DIFFERENT HEIGHTS AND DEFINING A PRESCRIBED PATTERN.