Abstract: A method of producing a decorative carpet tile may include providing a carpet tile in accordance with the prior art techniques and then treating at least two carpet tiles in one of various manners to provide separations internal to side edges of the carpet tile. Specifically, two tiles can be treated simultaneously, in register and/or without moving the second tile after treating the first tile.

Abstract: A method of producing a decorative carpet tile may include providing a carpet tile in accordance with the prior art techniques and then treating at least two carpet tiles in one of various manners to provide separations internal to side edges of the carpet tile. Specifically, two tiles can be treated simultaneously, in register and/or without moving the second tile after treating the first tile.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing carpet provides for an old art dyeing effect. Specifically, acid and cationic dyes are provided in a solution to a carpet tufted with cationic and acid dye fibers. The carpet is preferably tufted in such a way that there is a relative scarcity of one of the cationic and acid dye fibers at a first width. An abundance of the other dye accumulates in higher concentration than in surrounding areas at the first width. This higher concentration tends to diffuse and/or be moved by other mechanisms to the surrounding areas or widths where the dye attaches to appropriate contacts. This creates at least one of the dark band, a fade and/or a old art dye effect at that location. By precisely controlling the carpet fiber location at the upper surface, the dye solution and the dyeing process, fades and other process can be precisely controlled for repeatable performance as has not been experienced in the prior art.

Abstract: A method of producing a framed carpet tile may include providing a carpet tile in accordance with the prior art techniques and then treating the carpet tile in one of various manners to provide a frame internal to side edges of the carpet tile. The treatment can include tip shearing side portions relative to an internal portion to provide at least one discontinuity, dripping colors to provide a frame, carving, burning, or otherwise providing a frame internal to the side edges of the carpet tile in various disclosed embodiments.

Abstract: A method for providing embedded vinyl products comprises applying design material to a bottom or a top surface of a liquid vinyl substrate. When applying to the bottom surface liquid vinyl substrate, the design materials are applied to a conveyor and the vinyl substrate layer is applied over the design material. When applying to an exposed top layer of the vinyl substrate, the design material is applied so that at least a portion of it remains visible from the top surface of the exposed layers so that it creates a design therein.

Abstract: A method of producing a decorative carpet tile may include providing a carpet tile in accordance with the prior art techniques and then treating the carpet tile in one of various manners to provide a separation internal to side edges of the carpet tile. The treatment can include tip shearing side portions relative to an internal portion to provide at least one discontinuity, dripping colors to provide a frame, carving, burning, or otherwise providing a separation internal to the side edges of the carpet tile in various disclosed embodiments.

Abstract: A method of producing a decorative carpet tile may include providing a carpet tile in accordance with the prior art techniques and then treating the carpet tile in one of various manners to provide a separation internal to side edges of the carpet tile. The treatment can include tip shearing side portions relative to an internal portion to provide at least one discontinuity, dripping colors to provide a frame, carving, burning, or otherwise providing a separation internal to the side edges of the carpet tile in various disclosed embodiments.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing carpet provides for an old art dyeing effect. Specifically, acid and cationic dyes are provided in a solution to a carpet tufted with cationic and acid dye fibers. The carpet is preferably tufted in such a way that there is a relative scarcity of one of the cationic and acid dye fibers at a first width. An abundance of the other dye accumulates in higher concentration than in surrounding areas at the first width. This higher concentration tends to diffuse and/or be moved by other mechanisms to the surrounding areas or widths where the dye attaches to appropriate contacts. This creates at least one of the dark band, a fade and/or a old art dye effect at that location. By precisely controlling the carpet fiber location at the upper surface, the dye solution and the dyeing process, fades and other process can be precisely controlled for repeatable performance as has not been experienced in the prior art.

Abstract: A method of producing a decorative carpet tile may include providing a carpet tile in accordance with the prior art techniques and then treating the carpet tile in one of various manners to provide a separation internal to side edges of the carpet tile. The treatment can include tip shearing side portions relative to an internal portion to provide at least one discontinuity, dripping colors to provide a frame, carving, burning, or otherwise providing a separation internal to the side edges of the carpet tile in various disclosed embodiments.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing carpet provides for an old art dyeing effect. Specifically, acid and cationic dyes are provided in a solution to a carpet tufted with cationic and acid dye fibers. The carpet is preferably tufted in such a way that there is a relative scarcity of one of the cationic and acid dye fibers at a first width. An abundance of the other dye accumulates in higher concentration than in surrounding areas at the first width. This higher concentration tends to diffuse and/or be moved by other mechanisms to the surrounding areas or widths where the dye attaches to appropriate contacts. This creates at least one of the dark band, a fade and/or a old art dye effect at that location. By precisely controlling the carpet fiber location at the upper surface, the dye solution and the dyeing process, fades and other process can be precisely controlled for repeatable performance as has not been experienced in the prior art.

Abstract: A method of producing a decorative carpet tile may include providing a carpet tile in accordance with the prior art techniques and then treating the carpet tile in one of various manners to provide a separation internal to side edges of the carpet tile. The treatment can include tip shearing side portions relative to an internal portion to provide at least one discontinuity, dripping colors to provide a frame, carving, burning, or otherwise providing a separation internal to the side edges of the carpet tile in various disclosed embodiments.

Abstract: A textile machine receives a plurality of yarn strands from a yarn supply. A header receives the yarn strands where multiple strands are combined for joint direction to the textile machine. Beams with multiple yarn strands wrapped thereon preferably function as the yarn supply and the header may direct through yarn tubes to a staging header for use by the textile machine. The textile machine is preferably a tufting machine and multiple yarn strands are received by at least one needle of the tufting machine.

Abstract: An imbedded flooring product has a skeletal frame in the form of a mesh at least partially imbedded into a vinyl sheet substrate. The mesh creates a pattern visible from above the sheet.

Abstract: An embossed surface is positioned opposite a pile fabric from a tip shearing apparatus. As the blades of the tip shearing apparatus contact the carpet, the embossed surface selectively elevates selected portions of carpet relative to unselected portions so that a design corresponding to the design of the embossed surface is inversely cut into the carpet.

Abstract: An imbedded flooring product has a skeletal frame in the form of a mesh intermediate a first and second vinyl layer. The mesh creates a pattern visible from above the flooring product.

Abstract: A tufting machine utilizing a plurality of yarn ends proceeding through a single needle cooperates with a yarn tension device which selectively applies a different tension to at least one of the plurality of yarn ends proceeding through the needle. Accordingly, a pattern or design can be provided in tufted fabric as the lower tension (higher speed) yarn ends will extend a higher distance from a fabric than lower tension yarn ends.

Abstract: A moisture applicator is positioned to apply moisture to a pile fabric prior to the blades of a tip shearing cutter contacting the carpet so that moisture may be selectively applied for one of a number of purposes such as, but not excluding, creating a pattern, and/or providing a more uniform appearance as viewed from above in the event that the latex securing the polypropylene layer is not uniform across the width of the carpet. While moisture application may take one of a variety of forms, the preferred embodiment utilizes a steam applying moisture applicator wherein the selected portions which have moisture applied are cut to a deeper depth than the unselected portions which do not have moisture applied thereto.

Abstract: A process is provided for manufacturing an imbedded flooring product having a skeletal frame in the form of a mesh at least partially imbedded into a vinyl sheet substrate. The method provides for the mesh to create a pattern visible from above the sheet.

Abstract: A creel for feeding groups of yarn strands to a textile machine has a framework of interconnected frame members and vertical support members, each support member carrying a plurality of vertically spaced yarn cone holders. A group of yarn strands is supplied from cones mounted on holders on horizontally spaced apart support members. An outermost cone holder of the group has a yarn guide tube corresponding thereto mounted on a frame member with the inlet of the tube positioned for receiving a yarn from a cone mounted on the outermost holder. Each of the other yarn cone holders has an eyelet on a respective frame member for receiving a yarn strand from a cone mounted on a yarn cone holder carried by a respective horizontally spaced support member.

Abstract: A creel for feeding groups of yarn strands to a textile machine has a framework of interconnected support members and vertical posts, each post carrying a plurality of vertically spaced yarn cone holders. Each group of yarn strands is supplied from cones mounted on a group of holders on each post. The uppermost cone holder has a yarn guide tube corresponding thereto mounted on a support member with the inlet of the tube positioned for receiving a yarn from a cone mounted on the uppermost holder. Each of the other yarn cone holders has an eyelet on the frame for receiving a yarn strand from a cone mounted on the respective yarn cone holder. The yarn strand from the lowermost cone is directed by the lowermost eyelet to the next adjacent eyelet and together with the yarn from the cone on the holder associated with that eyelet directs the yarns upwardly to each subsequent eyelet and thus into the guide tube so that all of the yarns are guided by the guide tube to a header.