Patents by Inventor William M. Christman, Jr.
William M. Christman, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240068144Abstract: A system, apparatus and methods for forming tufted articles can include a hollow needle tufting machine for forming patterned tufted articles including multiple colors of yarns. The hollow needle tufting machine can include a series of hollow needles arranged along a needle bar at a gauge spacing and will receive a series of different color and/or types of yarns from a yarn feed system. A funnel block having a series of funnels configured to receive a series of yarns will be provided adjacent the needle bar for directing selected yarns to a corresponding or associated hollow needle. The hollow needles will be reciprocated into and out of a backing to deliver a series of yarns; and can be engaged by corresponding knives to form tufts of yarns. The knives can be moved between no-cut and cutting positions to form loop and cut pile tufts of yarns in the backing.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Ricky E. Mathews, William M. Christman, JR., Brian Lovelady, Jamie Vetter
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Publication number: 20220403577Abstract: A tufting machine for selectively forming tufts of yarns, including different color or type yarns, for forming patterned tufted articles such as carpets. A series of needles are reciprocated into and out of a backing material being fed through the tufting machine and are engaged by a series of gauge parts so as to pick-up loops of yarns from the needles. The gauge parts will be selectively controlled by actuators to extend or retract the gauge parts to positions or elevations sufficient to pick-up or not pick-up loops of yarns from the needles. The feeding of the yarns to the needles further can be controlled in conjunction with the movement of the gauge parts, while the backing feed can also be controlled, to enable formation of tufts of yarns at an increased rate over the pattern stitch rate for the pattern of the tufted article being formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Inventors: Marshall A. Neely, Ricky E. Mathews, William M. Christman, JR.
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Patent number: 11072876Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2019Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, Jr.
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Publication number: 20190382933Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, JR.
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Patent number: 10400376Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2018Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, Jr.
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Publication number: 20180371663Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, JR.
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Patent number: 10081897Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, Jr.
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Publication number: 20160298275Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2016Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, Jr.
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Patent number: 9399832Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2013Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, Jr.
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Patent number: 8443743Abstract: A system and method for controlling the yarn feed for a tufting machine to form tufted patterns having different pattern fields or areas. Predetermined yarn feed amounts can be input for one or more selected yarn feed zones of selected stitches of the pattern to enable different pile heights and/or different tufts of yarns to be formed in the different pattern zones. A yarn feed device for the tufting machine will be controlled to selectively feed varying amounts of yarns for each of the yarn feed zones of the selected stitches of the pattern.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2008Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventor: William M. Christman, Jr.
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Patent number: 8359989Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2009Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, Jr.
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Patent number: 8201509Abstract: A yarn feed system, enabling the control of individual yarns to the needles of a tufting machine, and which system can be manufactured as a substantially standardized unit or attachment that can be removably mounted to a tufting machine. The yarn feed unit includes a series of yarn feed devices each including a drive motor for feeding one or more selected yarns to the needles of the tufting machine, and a series of yarn feed controllers integrated with each yarn feed drive motor for monitoring and controlling the operation of the yarn feed devices to control the feeding of the yarns to the needles according to programmed pattern instructions.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2010Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventor: William M. Christman, Jr.
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Patent number: 8141506Abstract: A method of controlling the feeding of the backing material moving through a tufting machine in order to produce tufted articles such as carpets having a woven look or appearance. The backing material is indexed forwardly along its path of travel through the tufting machine by at least the stitch length for each stitch in a stitch cycle of the programmed pattern. At a desired point in the stitch cycle, the backing material can be indexed forwardly by a greater distance approximately equal to the program stitch length and a calculated jump distance to achieve a desired pattern effect.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2009Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, Jr.
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Patent number: 8096247Abstract: A system for forming multiple patterned, tufted articles, includes a tufting machine having a series of distinct machine sections each adapted to form a desired patterned, tufted articles and each operable independently of the other machine sections. A system control can be programmed with pattern parameters for each of the patterned tufted articles to be formed, and will control the machine sections to form each of the patterned tufted articles.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Charles F. Monroe, Marshal Allen Neely, Jr., William M. Christman, Jr.
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Patent number: 7905187Abstract: A yarn feed system, enabling the control of individual yarns to the needles of a tufting machine, and which system can be manufactured as a substantially standardized unit or attachment that can be removably mounted to a tufting machine. The yarn feed unit includes a series of yarn feed devices for feeding each of the yarns to the needles of the tufting machine, and a series of yarn feed controllers that monitor and control the operation of the yarn feed devices to control the feeding of the yarns to the needles according to programmed pattern instructions.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2006Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Roy T. Card, William M. Christman, Jr., Sherman W. Smith, II
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Publication number: 20110048305Abstract: A yarn feed system, enabling the control of individual yarns to the needles of a tufting machine, and which system can be manufactured as a substantially standardized unit or attachment that can be removably mounted to a tufting machine. The yarn feed unit includes a series of yarn feed devices each including a drive motor for feeding one or more selected yarns to the needles of the tufting machine, and a series of yarn feed controllers integrated with each yarn feed drive motor for monitoring and controlling the operation of the yarn feed devices to control the feeding of the yarns to the needles according to programmed pattern instructions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventor: William M. Christman, JR.
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Patent number: 7717051Abstract: A method of controlling the feeding of the backing material moving through a tufting machine in order to produce tufted articles such as carpets having a woven look or appearance. The backing material is indexed forwardly along its path of travel through the tufting machine by at least the stitch length for each stitch in a stitch cycle of the programmed pattern. At a desired point in the stitch cycle, the backing material can be indexed forwardly by a greater distance approximately equal to the program stitch length and a calculated jump distance to achieve a desired pattern effect.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2005Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, Jr.
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Publication number: 20100064954Abstract: A method of controlling the feeding of the backing material moving through a tufting machine in order to produce tufted articles such as carpets having a woven look or appearance. The backing material is indexed forwardly along its path of travel through the tufting machine by at least the stitch length for each stitch in a stitch cycle of the programmed pattern. At a desired point in the stitch cycle, the backing material can be indexed forwardly by a greater distance approximately equal to the program stitch length and a calculated jump distance to achieve a desired pattern effect.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Applicant: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, JR.
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Patent number: 7634326Abstract: A tufting machine and a method of controlling the tufting machine to form a tufted article having varying pattern effects, such as forming cut and loop pile tufts of yarn in a graphics type pattern, defining a yarn feed effect pattern and a shifting needle bar effect pattern, and combining the two patterns. The yarn feed of the tufting machine is controlled to compensate for pattern shifts while a hook assembly having a series of hooks/loopers and a series of clips independently moveable between extended and retraced positions is selectively controlled to cause a transition from cut pile tufts to loop pile tufts and loop pile tufts to cut pile tufts according to the programmed pattern information.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2006Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.Inventors: William M. Christman, Jr., Wilton Hall
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Publication number: 20090260554Abstract: A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yam feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2009Publication date: October 22, 2009Inventors: Wilton Hall, William M. Christman, JR.