Abstract: A tufting machine has a needle mounting construction including a multiplicity of needle support carriages, each carriage being slidably mounted in guides for controlled movement in a direction normal to the path of reciprocation of the tufting machine push rods. Pneumatic cylinders are operatively connected with each carriage to effect movement in accordance with a predetermined pattern. A pair of needle holders are mounted within each carriage, each holder supporting a needle. The holders have slots for coupling onto a detent reciprocating with the push rods. The carriage may be moved so that one or the other or neither needle holder is coupled to the reciprocating push rods. When a needle holder is coupled, the needle attached thereto reciprocates and may cooperate with a hook to form pile. Each needle of a pair may be threaded with different type yarn so that unique patterning affects may be obtained.

Abstract: A hook module for use in a tufting machine has a molded body member including a plurality of tufting machine hooks cast therein in side-by-side relationship. The hooks have a bill at one end, a blade extending from the bill to a shank and a mounting portion of the shank extending remote from the bill. The mounting portions of the shanks extend to the rear surface of the body member so as to prevent divergence of the bills after the body member has been cast about the mounting portions and adjacent portions of the shanks. The hooks are constructed from tungsten carbide which precludes their bending to provide the requisite parallelism of the bills as is possible with bendable hooks in prior art modules not requiring the mounting portions to extend to the rear surface.

Abstract: A tufting machine has a needle bar for carrying a plurality of needles for reciprocating into and out of a base material. A sliding needle bar mechanism may shift the needle bar laterally according to a pattern. The needle bar is mounted for reciprocation and for lateral movement relative to the direction of reciprocation by apparatus having a foot secured to a respective push rod of the tufting machine and laterally extending guide rods clamped to the foot. Blocks having linear bearings or bushings are secured to the needle bar and receive the guide rods so that upon lateral movement of the needle bar by means of the shifting apparatus the needle bar moves relative to the guide rods. This reduces the weight of the laterally moving mass and permits greater shifting speeds.