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 activators to move 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 will be controlled to pull back the yarns not picked-up by the gauge parts, while the backing feed will be controlled to enable formation of tufts at an increased rate over the pattern stitch rate for the pattern of the tufted article being formed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a piece of interior equipment of an automotive vehicle includes: obtaining a first web of fibers on a conveyor, the first web including a first layer of fibers forming a sole, and a second layer of fibers intended to form a velvet; depositing a second web of fibers and obtaining an assembly; needling the assembly; heating the needled assembly to a heating temperature, and obtaining a coating; and thermoforming the coating and a lower portion at a forming temperature in order to obtain the piece. The second web has continuous fibers with a single component having a melting temperature, the assembly further including a binding layer deposited on the sole of the first web, the binding layer in majority including at least one thermoplastic polymer having a melting temperature greater than the forming temperature and less than the melting temperature of the single component.

Abstract: An interior trim part made by a method that includes the steps of bringing a fiber web onto a conveyor, needlepunching the fiber web to form a base in contact with the conveyor, and introducing a binder component on the base. The binder component introduced on the base is a thermoplastic polymer in solid form. The method includes a step for heating the base to cause the thermoplastic polymer making up the binder component to penetrate the base over a thickness smaller than the thickness of the base.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control system for a tufting machine configured for forming tufted carpet. The tufting machine can have a system controller in communication with the tufting machine and with a plurality of yarn feed controllers for controlling operation of yarn feed motors that are configured to supply yarn from a source of yarn to the tufting machine. The system controller is programmable to enable input of a plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles for selected stitches of a programmed pattern to be tufted such that, although at least two of the predetermined yarn feed profiles can be different, substantially the same feed length of yarn is used from each of the plurality of yarns.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a plurality of needle bars to a lower end of each of which a needle can be attached, a display portion that is configured to display various information, a first display control portion that causes the display portion to display replacement information, the replacement information being information pertaining to a replacement needle bar that corresponds to a thread spool for which replacement is necessary and that is at least one of the plurality of the needle bars, a specifying portion that specifies a replacement-completed needle bar during a period in which the replacement information is being displayed on the display portion, the replacement-completed needle bar being a needle bar that corresponds to a thread spool that has been placed after replacement, and a second display control portion that causes the display portion to display a result that has been specified by the specifying portion.

Abstract: A hollow needle tufting apparatus is provided with swivel mounted knives and an improved needle design directed to improve cutting efficiency and the life of the hollow needles and associated knives.

Abstract: A yarn tensioning apparatus is supplied with a yarn clamping position and a positive yarn engaging position to precisely meter yarns to tufting machine needles and especially to more uniformly advance pneumatically supplied yarns to hollow needles.

Abstract: A tufting machine is provided with two transverse rows of needles, one row being associated with transverse row of loopers and the other second row of needles being associated with a transverse row of gated hooks. Novel and low pile height tufted fabrics can be created with this configuration.

Abstract: Creels having frames configured to receive one or more trays of yarn packages. The trays of yarn packages are removable from the frame and can be loaded with packages of yarn when not inserted into the frame. Separately loading trays with yarns can simplify and provide other benefits with respect to the process of loading a creel with yarn packages. Also disclosed is an assembly that is positioned with respect to a detachable header and a stationary header on a creel and that comprises an air flow unit that causes yarns to move through to an alignment mechanism that aligns the yarns for attachment to yarns already feeding into a tufting machine.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A multi-needle sewing machine includes a machine frame side thread guide member fixed to a machine frame and having plural of machine frame side thread guide portions and guide threads drawn from plural thread spools located on a machine frame respectively, plural thread entrances defined in a needle bar case to introduce threads guided by the machine frame side thread guide portions to needle sides of needle bars, respectively, plural intermediate thread guide portions located between the machine frame side thread guide portions and the thread entrances so as to be movable respectively, the intermediate thread guide portions guiding intermediate portions of the threads, and a intermediate thread guide portion moving mechanism moving the intermediate thread guide portions according to movement of the needle bar case during movement of the thread entrances with movement of the needle bar case while the intermediate thread guide portions are spaced from each other.

Abstract: A fabric is provided having discrete surface portions of a primary backing and tufted yarns exposed on the technical face of the fabric. To form the fabric, the yarn feed controlled by servomotors is adjusted in increments to rob back yarn sufficient to pull out the previously tufted loops in selected portions of the fabric, leaving the primary backing portion of the pulled-out loops exposed on the technical face. By the selection process, random or patterned tufted portions and exposed primary backing surface portions are provided on the technical face of the fabric.

Abstract: A tufting machine capable of producing individual articles of athletic turf bearing precise graphic patterns is disclosed. The machine includes a support frame to which a backing material is statically held, a tufting frame that spans above and below the backing and is computer-controlled to travel along the support frame, a yarn-inserting needle carriage disposed above the backing along the tufting frame and a yarn-catching looper carriage disposed below the backing along the tufting frame.

Abstract: A narrow gauge hollow needle tufting apparatus is provided with longitudinally aligned yarn feed openings, longitudinal funnel slots, self aligning hollow needles, and a castellated backing support bar.

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: Disclosed is a thread feeding apparatus for an automatic embroidering machine. The apparatus is comprised of a head stem having a needle-working unit; a thread supplying unit supplying a colored thread selected among a plurality of threads; a guide pipe assembly provided at said head stem, having a first guide pipe receiving the thread from said thread supplying unit, and a second guide pipe having an upper end spaced axially from said first guide pipe and a lower end adjacent to said needle-working unit; and a thread taking-up unit having a take-up lever moving up and down across a thread transferring path, and a take-up bar coupled with the take-up lever in a transverse direction relative to movement of the take-up bar, moving reciprocally through a space between said first and second guide pipes according to the movement of said take-up lever, to allow said thread to be strained or loosened.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tufting comprises a hollow tufting needle supplied with a plurality of yarns. The plurality of yarns are maintained within the cavity of the needle. One of the yarns is selectively fed out of a yarn opening by releasing the yarn from a yarn feed device and utilizing an air injector proximate to the yarn entrance of the needle to assist in expelling the selected yarn from the needle. When a different yarn is desired to be utilized, the yarn feed device secures the previously selected yarn and another yarn is selectively fed in a similar manner as the first yarn. The needle utilized includes a plurality of holes or vents angled relative to the axis of the needle.

Abstract: A tufting machine for inserting yarns into stitching in a base fabric, the machine having at least one needle bar, a reciprocating carrier for the needle bar, a support for a base fabric in a plane substantially transverse to the reciprocation direction of said carrier, needles carried by the needle bar(s) for penetrating a base fabric, and a device for delivering a stream or sheet of air adjacent the base fabric plane toward the needles and substantially parallel to that plane, the air stream or sheet moving faster than and in substantially the direction of movement as a base fabric being tufted by the machine, for aligning substantially parallel to the direction of base fabric movement fiber or yarn tails extending from the needles.