Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A tufting tool (20) is provided. The tufting tool can be adapted to be used in a tufting machine. The tufting tool is formed by a first material (22). The tufting tool comprises an insert of a second material (24), where the second material is harder than the first material. The insert is formed by a cavity in the first material filled with the second, melted, material filling said cavity. Hereby a tufting tool with an insert can be made in a robust and efficient manner.

Abstract: The length of a sewing machine stitch is adjustable by varying the effective length of a first bar of a multi-bar linkage operably secured to a feed dog of the sewing machine. The effective length of the first bar is defined between an anchor point and a pivot point, with the pivot point being secured to a slider configured for movement along the length of the first bar. The slider comprises a pinion gear configured to engage a gear rack of the first bar, such that rotation of the pinion gear causes movement of the slider and the pivot point relative to the anchor point. Moreover, to accommodate the adjustable stitch length, the sewing machine additionally comprises an adjustable looper thread eyelet configured to adjust the length of the looper thread path to accommodate increased tension or slack in the looper thread due to the changed stitch length.

Abstract: A yarn color placement system for a tufting machine including a series of different color yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to the programmed pattern steps. A series of level cut loop loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles, with the clips of the level cut loop loopers or hooks being selectively actuated to form cut pile tufts, while the remaining loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.

Abstract: An improved tufting knife (20) has, at a distance from its cutting edge (36), a bending joint (27) from which extends one leg (26) to the cutting edge (36) and another leg (25) to a knife bar (21). The bending joint (27) ensures that the tufting knife (20) is highly flexible and that a desired contact pressure between the tufting knife (20) and the gripper (18) is maintained largely independently of the degree of lateral flexion and/or bending of the tufting knife (20). This has a strongly wear-reducing effect.

Abstract: A tufting gripper (16) comprises a pocket (26) with an insert (25) that is associated with a spring means (34) in order to at least temporarily clamp and secure said insert in place in the pocket in a prespecified position. The spring means (34) pushes the insert (25) preferably in the direction of the tip of the gripper and creates a particularly smooth transition at this location between the base body (19) of the tufting gripper (16) and the insert (25), in particular the tip (33) of said insert.

Abstract: A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material. The system generally will include spaced rows of needles mounted along a tufting zone and which are reciprocated through the backing to different penetration depths. A series of loopers and a series of hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form cut and loop pile tufts of yarns having varying lengths in the backing material.

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 that includes spaced rows of needles of inserting yarns into a backing material. The needles are engaged by opposed loopers and level cut loop pile hooks that pass between one another so as to engage the opposite row of needles for forming cut pile and loop pile tufts of yarns in the backing material.

Abstract: A gripper (3) for a tufting machine comprises a gripper body (9) having a cutout (22) for a cutting insert (10), said cutting insert preferably consisting of a hard metal. Connecting means acting in a form-closed manner are provided for the connection of the cutting insert (10) with the gripper body (9). In their simplest embodiment, said connecting means are formed by the deformation regions (37, 38) that are provided on the gripper body (9) and that reach around matching cutouts (33, 34) of the cutting insert (10).

Abstract: The inventive gripper device for a tufting machine comprises a gripper device (10). The gripper device contains a gripper (11) and a guide member (12) that has a cutting edge. The gripper (11) has two gripper sections that are at a distance from each other in the direction of movement and are preferably separated from each other by a step (33) and/or by an extension (34), said gripper sections being configured as gripper edges that are parallel to each other, but spaced apart and offset with respect to each other in view of the pile height direction. The reversal between cut pile operating mode and looped pile operating mode takes place by means of the longitudinal adjustment of the gripper (11).

Abstract: A gripper (3) for tufting machines comprising a slider (18) that is supported in a gripper body to be movable in longitudinal direction and that is arranged in a slider receiving space (17) which, preferably, is configured as a slit. The slit extends from the lower narrow side (12) of the gripper body (4) into the gripper body. The slit is limited by two thin walls (19, 20) or, alternatively, by only one thin wall (20). A cutting edge insert receiving space 39 is provided above the slider receiving space (17), with the receiving space (39) extending from the flat side (9) end being recessed in the gripper body (4). Between the cutting edge insert receiving space (39) and the slider receiving space (17), a strip (40) is provided that preferably extends in longitudinal direction of the gripper body (4) and separates the receiving spaces (39, 17) from each other.

Abstract: A tufting machine that includes spaced rows of needles of inserting yarns into a backing material. The needles are engaged by opposed loopers and level cut loop pile hooks that pass between one another so as to engage the opposite row of needles for forming cut pile and loop pile tufts of yarns in the backing material.

Abstract: A tufting machine and a method of controlling a tufting machine for forming cut and loop pile tufts of yarns in a backing material that includes a hook assembly having a series of hooks/loopers and a series of clips independently moveable between extended and retracted positions. The movement of the clips between their extended and retracted positions is selectively activated to cause transitions from cut pile tufts to loop pile tufts and loop pile tufts to cut pile tufts according to programmed pattern information.

Abstract: A looper for use in a tufting machine includes a hook throat portion having a bottom edge. Corrugations are formed along the bottom edge. The corrugations provide suitable resistance to loop piles hooked by the hook throat portion, thereby preventing the loop piles from being held in an unexpected position of the hook throat portion. This makes it possible to form loop piles of uniform lengths on carpets. Also, the corrugations will prevent the loop piles from sliding away from a knife so that the loop piles can be reliably, precisely and cleanly cut at constant positions.

Abstract: The invention concerns a tufting machine having at least one needlebar, loopers, hooks to pick up yarn delivered through the needles of the needlebar, knives to cut yarn loops and driving means, with the needle action and/or the looper action and/or the hook action, and/or the knife action being a non-simple harmonic motion. In said machine the needles, the hooks, the knives and the loopers have separate drive systems. So the motion of the needles, the hooks, the knives and the loopers can be such that first of all the pickup of the yarn or the cutting of the yarn loop can be improved. When the drive system is computer controlled more accurate machine set up can be achieved. Moreover different set ups can be achieved automatically for different products. Patterning effects are also possible.

Abstract: A tufting machine that includes spaced rows of needles of inserting yarns into a backing material. The needles are engaged by opposed loopers and cut pile hooks that pass between one another so as to engage the opposite row of needles for forming cut pile and loop pile tufts of yarn in the backing material.

Abstract: The hooks of a cut pile tufting machine have a cam or chamfer surface in the form of an inclined ramp in the shank of the hook adjacent the throat extending to the cutting edge, the hooks being positioned in a hook module with a dual or compound angle relatively to the body of the module. The knife which cooperates with the hook to cut loops of yarn seized by the hook is positioned vertically relatively to the hook but is tilted relatively to the hook. The hook is inclined horizontally toward the knife and is tilted vertically away from the knife. The result is that initial knife tension against the hook is substantially eliminated while additional knife tension is created during the cutting stroke. The vertical positioning of the knife and the angular positioning of the hook away from the knife results in substantially eliminating J-cutting.