Abstract: A hollow needle tufting apparatus is provided with swivel mounted knives and an improved needle design directed to improve cutting efficiency and the life of the hollow needles and associated knives.

Abstract: A yarn tensioning apparatus is supplied with a yarn clamping position and a positive yarn engaging position to precisely meter yarns to tufting machine needles and especially to more uniformly advance pneumatically supplied yarns to hollow needles.

Abstract: A narrow gauge hollow needle tufting apparatus is provided with longitudinally aligned yarn feed openings, longitudinal funnel slots, self aligning hollow needles, and a castellated backing support bar.

Abstract: A narrow gauge hollow needle tufting apparatus is provided with longitudinally aligned yarn feed openings, longitudinal funnel slots, self aligning hollow needles, and a castellated backing support bar.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in rehabilitation of a patient with a weight bearing restriction on one or both legs includes a pair of vertically movable horizontally elongated platforms and a pair of corresponding vertically fixed platforms. The movable platforms are connected to a mechanism which applies an upwardly directed preselected force so that as the patient walks with a foot on the movable platform, the movable platform will descend if the patient places a greater weight corresponding to the preselected force. A patient may walk with both feet on movable platforms in which case the weights may be selected for each platform or the patient may walk with one foot on the movable platform and one foot on a fixed platform. The platforms move in a vertical plane arcuately in one embodiment and in a vertical plane linearly in a second embodiment. The weights may be moved relatively to the pivot point and, in addition, the movable platform may be locked in its upward position in this latter embodiment.

Abstract: A method for producing tufted fabric in a hollow needle tufting machine having transversely spaced apart needles including apparatus for shifting a backing material into which the tufts are inserted by the needles. The backing material is fed continuously in the feed direction longitudinally through the machine and is fed a number of steps laterally between adjacent needles and penetrated by the needles after each shift. The sequencing of the shifting and the feeding of the backing is such as to provide a row of tufts in the backing material along a line inclined relative to the direction the backing material is fed to the machine. The nominal number of tufts inserted between lateral ends of each row of tufts is equal to the spacing between adjacent needles divided by the selected stitch gauge.

Abstract: A method for producing tufted fabric in a hollow needle tufting machine having transversely spaced apart needles including apparatus for shifting a backing material into which the tufts are inserted by the needles. The backing material is fed continuously in the feed direction longitudinally through the machine and is fed a number of steps laterally between adjacent needles and penetrated by the needles after each shift. The sequencing of the shifting and the feeding of the backing is such as to provide a row of tufts in the backing material along a line inclined relative to the direction the backing material is fed to the machine. The nominal number of tufts inserted between lateral ends of each row of tufts is equal to the spacing between adjacent needles divided by the selected stitch gauge.

Abstract: Tufting apparatus for producing textile goods includes a plurality of hollow needles which are reciprocated vertically to penetrate a backing. A selected yarn is fed pneumatically through a respective passageway into a yarn exchanger and through a respective needle and implanted into the backing, the backing being shifted transversely so that a transverse row of tufts is implanted across the backing. There are a series of passageways, each carrying a different yarn, communicating with each yarn exchanger. The selected yarn is fed by a yarn feed system and carried by high pressure air flowing in the passageway of the selected yarn, the yarn exchanger and the needle, while air flows in the other passageways under a lower pressure. The yarn exchanger has a funnel shape configuration and when a particular yarn is selected to be fed to the needle, another yarn is withdrawn from the needle to the inlet of the funnel.

Abstract: Tufting apparatus for producing textile goods includes a plurality of hollow needles which are reciprocated vertically to penetrate a backing. Yarn is fed pneumatically through the needles and implanted into the backing, the backing being shifted transversely by an amount corresponding to the space between adjacent needles so as to implant a transverse row across the backing. A knife blade is associated with each needle and positioned on the opposite side of the backing from a presser foot. The knife blade engages a point forming flat angled surface of the needle, the angled surface being formed with an upwardly and inwardly extending slot which serves to capture and center yarn exiting the needle and provides a sharp edge which cooperates with the knife blade for cutting the yarn.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing tufted textile goods employs a plurality of hollow needles which serve as backing openers, the backing openers being carried on a widthwise extending member which is reciprocated in a vertical direction to cause the backing openers to penetrate a backing. Yarn is transported pneumatically through the backing openers and implanted into the backings as yarn tufts, the backing being shifted in the transverse direction by an amount corresponding to the spacing between adjacent backing openers in order to implant a transverse row of tufts. Each yarn is trained about a feed roller which is selectively moved into peripheral engagement with a drive roller when the yarn is to be fed to the needle. The yarn transverses a path from the feed roller to the needle which includes a yarn clamp and a yarn pullback mechanism.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing tufted textile goods employs a plurality of hollow needles which serve as backing openers, the backing openers being carried on a widthwise extending member which is reciprocated in a vertical direction to cause the backing openers to penetrate a backing. Yarn is transported pneumatically through the backing openers and implanted into the backing as yarn turfts, and backing being shifted in the transverse direction by an amount corresponding to the spacing between adjacent backing openers in order to implant a transverse row of tufts. A knife blade is associated with each backing opener and positioned on the opposite side of the backing so as to engage the flat angled surface of the backing opener which forms its pointed tip. The angled surface is formed with an upwardly and inwardly extending slot which serves to capture and center yarn exiting the opening in the angle surface, and which provides a sharp edge which cooperates with the blade for cutting the yarn.

Abstract: A tufting machine has apparatus for feeding the backing material at a first speed for forming tufts having a backstitch of a first length and periodically selectively increasing the feeding rate to a second speed to form tufts having a backstitch of an increased length. The longer backstitch may be a plurality of stitches slightly longer than the first length or a single elongated backstitch. The fabric produced may have a series of tufts projecting from the surface of the backing material in areas having one or more yarn densities and separated by gaps where no tufts project above the surface, the gaps resulting from the elongated backstitches on the reverse side of the material. The apparatus for providing backstitches including the gaps has an intermittent drive which provides an output only during a small portion of the input.

Abstract: A tufting machine having a plurality of reciprocating push rods journally mounted in respective push rod housings carried by the head of the machine includes a sleeve having a sealing arrangement for preventing leakage of lubricant past the push rod housing onto the fabric produced. In one form the sleeve has a seal at the bottom, a circumferential groove disposed above the seal opening onto the push rod, and a pair of passageways communicating with the groove. Air may be blown through one passageway to pick up and carry oil from the groove back to the oil supply, or the two passageways may be connected to the inlet of an oil pump mounted in the head, or one passageway may be open to ambient while the other passageway includes a conduit which returns to the inlet of the pump. In the preferred form three seals are disposed within the sleeve vertically adjacent each other with the upper seal inverted relative to the lower two seals.

Abstract: A tufting machine having a cam mounted eccentrically on a main drive shaft about a center of rotation that may be varied by linear movement of the cam relative to the shaft along a slot elongated about a radial line interconnecting the geometric center of the cam with the locus of the rotational axes to change the stroke of the needles without changing the timing of the needles relatively to the loopers. A pair of locating plates fastened to the shaft have hubs received within the slot at preselected positions, the cam and plates having indexing holes that can be selectively aligned for the desired needle stroke. Another drive similar to the needle drive but 180 degrees out of phase therewith reciprocates a weighted carriage to counter-balance the rotating and reciprocating forces of the needle drive system.

Abstract: A tufting machine having a lint removal system in which supply air under full shop pressure is supplied to a conduit extending the width of the machine. The conduit has a plurality of pilot air controlled valves for communicating the air in the conduit to a respective spray manifold extending across a section of the machine width. Control air is bled from the shop air and directed to a control air manifold and thence to the pilot control valves through control air valves sequenced by a stack of cams. The cams are driven in timed relationship with the tufting machine and each cam acts against a follower connected to the respective control air valve. In this manner air under full supply pressure in the conduit may be supplied to each manifold section and full supply pressure may be directed on to the gauge parts of each section.

Abstract: A cam actuated shifting apparatus for drivingly shifting the needle bar of a tufting machine has a pair of spaced rods journally mounted in a frame. A plate cam having pattern information on the periphery thereof is mounted on a drive shaft in a plane substantially parallel to a plane passing through the axes of the rods. A pair of followers are adjustably mounted at opposed dispositions across the cam for driving the rods in accordance with the information on the periphery of the cam. The cam is fastened to the shaft by means of an adapter secured to the cam and keyed to the shaft. A radially split collet abuts the adapter and has a split clamping collar disposed thereabout. A single bolt compresses the collar about the collet to secure the cam axially on the shaft, and upon release of the bolt readily permits the cam to be moved axially.

Abstract: A tufting machine having a pattern cam needle bar shifting mechanism includes an indexing device for driving the cam intermittently so that the cam remains stationary during a portion of the needle bar cycle, that portion being at least during a portion of the time the needles are within the needle plate. A one-way ratchet clutch drive driven from an eccentric on the main shaft of the tufting machine supplies the intermittent motion to the cam in one embodiment of the invention. A positively acting brake to prevent the fly wheel effect on the pattern cam ensures a positive stopping and commencement of the stationary state.

Abstract: A cut pile tufting machine having cut pile hooks and cooperating knives pointing in the direction oppositely to the direction in which a base fabric is being fed includes loop pile loopers in a selective array in the same mounting bar as the cut pile hooks and also pointing in the direction oppositely to that in which the fabric is being fed. The loop pile loopers each include a yarn seizing beak having a slightly downwardly inclined rearwardly extending bottom front edge at the rear of which a yarn contacting edge extends abruptly downwardly. The yarn contacting edge engages the crotch of a loop presented by a cooperating needle as the beak enters the loop allowing the loop to be seized and then shed by the beak. The looper includes a recess in the body behind the yarn contacting edge to provide a clearance with respect to the needle eye as the beak enters the clearance above the needle eye.

Abstract: A motion transfer apparatus interposed between a tufting machine needle bar and a needle bar positioner includes a first drive coupling member in the form of a wedge tooth connected to the positioner to follow its transverse step-wise movement, and a second drive coupling member in the form of a tooth receiving wedge socket mounted for movement toward and away from the tooth and for movement directed by the tooth when the members are coupled. The socket member is moved toward and away from coupling engagement cyclically by a follower whose movement is controlled by a cam driven in timed relationship with the tufting machine. The configuration of the cam moves the follower and thus the socket toward and into coupling engagement with the tooth during the small portion of the tufting machine cycle when the needles are above the base material, and to disengage and uncouple during the remaining major portion of the tufting machine cycle.