Abstract: Backing fabric shifting relative to needles and gauge parts for seizing yarns is utilized in a tufting machine having needle plate fingers or backing support that reciprocates in synchronization with the cycles of the needles to support the backing during penetration of the backing fabric while allowing backing shifts between stitches.

Abstract: A shiftable backing feed is utilized with a tufting machine having reciprocating needles and gauge parts for seizing yarns wherein needle plate fingers reciprocate in synchronization with the cycles of the needle bar to support the backing during penetration of the backing fabric yet allow backing shifts between stitches.

Abstract: Systems and methods for pre-tensioning backing materials of a tufted product. The systems can include at least first and second tensioning assemblies and a guide assembly. Each tensioning assembly can have a backing supply subassembly for supporting a backing material and a roller subassembly for effecting movement of the backing material at a desired tension. The roller subassembly can include a driven roller for pulling the backing material from the backing supply subassembly, and a compensator for receiving the backing material from the driven roller. The guide assembly can simultaneously receive the tensioned backing materials from the tensioning assemblies and position the backing materials in contact with each other for delivery to a tufting machine at the desired tension.

Abstract: A tufting machine producing athletic turf bearing precise graphic patterns at a high throughput rate is disclosed. The machine includes tenter frame to which a backing material is attached, a bed frame to which the tenter frame is attached, a support assembly upon which the bed frame is movably mounted, and a series of tufting frames upon which tufting head components are mounted. The tenter frame and bed frame are computer-controlled to advance and retract the backing relative to the tufting frames, and the tufting head components are computer controlled to laterally shift and to asynchronously reciprocate tufting needles as is necessary to form a desired tuft pattern.

Abstract: In one aspect, artificial turf systems are described herein. In some embodiments, an artificial turf system comprises an artificial turf mat and artificial turf fibers disposed on a surface of the artificial turf mat, the artificial turf mat comprising at least one energy management material. An energy management material, in some embodiments, is disposed in a backing of the artificial turf mat, a binding agent of the artificial turf mat, and/or an infill material of the artificial turf mat. In addition, in some embodiments, the artificial turf fibers also comprise at least one energy management material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting the position of a knife on a tufting machine. The apparatus includes a grounded needle, an electrically-insulated knife adapted to send a knife signal, a solenoid adapted to move the knife, and a programmable logic controller adapted to send a pattern signal to the solenoid, receive the knife signal from the knife, compare the knife signal to the pattern signal, and determine if the knife is in the position prescribed by the pattern signal. The method includes providing such an apparatus, inputting the pattern signal into the programmable logic controller, sending the pattern signal from the programmable logic controller to the solenoid, sending a knife signal from the electrically-insulated knife to the programmable logic controller, comparing the knife signal to the pattern signal, determining if the electrically-insulated knife is in the position prescribed by the pattern signal.

Abstract: A tufting machine comprising a yarn applicator adapted to receive feed yarn and penetrate a surface covering backing and a cutting means adapted to cut the feed yarn to produce a stitch. The tufting machine also comprises a yarn control module that includes a yarn feed wheel adapted to guide the feed yarn, an actuator adapted to move the yarn feed wheel between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and a yarn feed gear adapted to engage the feed yarn when the actuator moves the yarn feed wheel into the engaged position. The tufting machine further comprises a power source adapted to move the yarn feed gear and a remote process control computer system adapted to send a first signal and a second signal to the yarn control module. The tufting machine produces a patterned surface covering having a plurality of yarn colors and a plurality of pile heights.

Abstract: A tufting machine for producing pile fabric having a pile height of approximately at least 50 mm has divider plates between adjacent needles to prevent yarn loops and especially the legs of cut loops from becoming trapped between an adjacent needle and its associated yarn feed. The divider plates may take the form of plates forming an extension of the fingers of the needle plate between each pair of which a needle reciprocates and may be mounted on a block on the bed plate beneath the needle plate, or may be plates upstanding from the hook bar.

Abstract: An adjustable pile height mechanism for producing a tufted floor covering comprising an adjustable bed plate, a cam shaft, and a plurality of eccentric cams mounted on the cam shaft so as to contact the bed plate. The cam shaft is adapted to be rotated so as to rotate the cams, and the rotational movement of the cams raises and lowers the bed plate so as to adjust the pile height of the floor covering. A method for adjusting the pile height of a floor covering further comprises the steps of loosening the presser foot bracket bolt, raising the presser foot assembly, tightening the presser foot bracket bolt, disengaging the clamp assembly, rotating the cam shaft so as to adjust the bed plate to the desired pile height, engaging the clamp assembly, loosening the presser foot bracket bolt, lowering the presser foot assembly, and tightening the presser foot bracket bolt.

Abstract: This invention concerns the production of so called “hand tufted rugs”, carpets and wall hangings by use a “tufting machine” which employs a single hollow needle through which yarn is fed into a backing fabric, to form tufts of yarn. The machine comprises a yarn cutter, in the tufting head, which is selectively operable to cause the tufts to be cut or loop pile. A computer operated motion control system is operable under the control of a machine readable tufting design pattern comprising a series of vectors and associated control codes, to drive the tufting gun as follows: (a) to operate the mechanism and reciprocate the needle to insert tufts into backing fabric. (b) to operate the movement system and move the needle across a two-dimensional plane while inserting tufts, in accordance with the vectors. (c) to lift and lower the foot, in accordance with respective control codes. And, (d) to selectively operate the yarn cutter, in accordance with respective control codes.

Abstract: The present patent application relates to an embroidery frame for a sewing machine and a method for clamping and tensioning a textile material. The embroidery frame comprises an inner frame, an outer frame and a hose arranged between the inner frame and the outer frame, which hose is expandable through pressurization. After manual assembly of the inner frame and the outer frame, a textile material intended for embroidering can be clamped between the hose and the outer frame and tensioned over an area of the textile material intended for embroidering through pressurization of the hose. The hose expands through initial pressurization in an upper part and clamps thereby the textile material between the upper part of the hose and the outer frame. Upon continued pressurization the hose expands in a lower part in a direction towards the outer frame and tensions thereby the textile material.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for a sewing machine, for example an embroidery unit (10), has a holder for material to be sewn, which is attached to an arm carriage (20) which is displaceable on an arm (19), wherein the arm for its part is displaceable on a support carriage (16) perpendicularly in respect to the arm carriage (20). The bulky size is disadvantageous in connection with known support-arm constructions. To avoid this it is proposed to design the arm to be pivotable around a joint (18) into a position of rest, in which the arm (19) and the support (14) extend essentially parallel with each other.

Abstract: A sewing machine having an embroidery stitching function is disclosed, the sewing machine comprising a drive mechanism for driving an embroidering frame B, a means for holding the embroidering frame B and operatively connected to the drive mechanism to be driven thereby to move the embroidering frame B in X-Y direction relative to a vertically reciprocating needle on the surface of a machine bed, and a means for normally pressing the embroidering frame B against the surface of the machine bed with an optimal force to absorb the vibrations of the embroidering frame B which may be caused during embroidery stitching operation, thereby to prevent the embroidering frame B from vibration and/or moving fup from the surface of the machine bed to secure a stabilized embroidery stitching operation.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing pattern tufted goods, such as pattern tufted carpet, produces cut and loop pattern carpet using independent yarn colored pattern and cutting pattern process controllers, colored pattern carpet having differential pile heights, and colored pattern carpet with tight or loose tufts. In addition, an apparatus for making color patterned tufted carpet has a yarn cutting system which more reliably cuts yarn when cut tufts are desired.

Abstract: A tufting machine has a yarn feed pattern assembly including a housing having a mounting plate for mounting a multiplicity of yarn feed rollers from the exterior of said mounting plate and a multiplicity of servo motors connected to said mounting plate on the interior of said housing. Each servo motor is connected to a respective feed roller. A multiplicity of tubes extend within said housing, half the tubes directing yarn from a source to respective rollers and half of the tubes directing yarn from the rollers to respective needles. The guide tubes direct yarn from the interior of said housing through said mounting plate where the yarn is trained about a respective roller and directed back into the yarn guide leading toward the needles of said tufting machine.