Abstract: A presser foot module (50) for a tufting machine. The module has a module body (13) for attachment to a tufting machine and the plurality of fingers (12) extending from the body in a first direction which, in use, is opposite to the direction in which the backing medium (1) is fed through the tufting machine. The module body (13) has a downwardly depending lip (53) defining a presser surface (53A) extending across an end of the body which is adjacent to the interface with the fingers (12). Each finger (12) has an unsupported end opposite to the module body (13) so as to provide access to an open gap between adjacent fingers in a direction opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A method of operating a tufting machine comprising a sliding needle bar (4) with a plurality of needles (5), a presser foot mounted slidable with the needle bar, an individual end yarn feed, a needle selection mechanism (7) to selectively latch a needle to the needle bar when the yarn in that needle is required to form a tuft, a plurality of loopers (8), a plurality of knives (10) to cut a loop of yarn on a respective looper and means associated with each looper to selectively dislodge a loop of yarn from the looper before it is cut. The method comprising controlling the feed of yarn to the needles (5) such that, when a cut end is required, a determination is made of a whether a predetermined yarn condition is present in the yarn at its cut end and, in respone to such a determination being found, an additional loop of yarn, not required by the pattern data is formed, such that the additional loop of yarn forms a yarn buffer than can be pulled back through the backing medium.

Abstract: The invention concerns a yarn feed module for supplying yarn into a textile machine, including a drive roller for supplying the yarn, a guide element for guiding the yarn, and a restrain element that is arranged between the drive roller and the guide element in order to ensure that, on supplying of the yarn, the yarn detaches from the drive roller. The invention also concerns a textile machine including such a yarn feed module.