Tufting machine

Abstract

A tufting machine of novel structure which can produce a pile fabric mixing both a cut pile and a loop pile through a simple arrangement. Means for displacing a finger plate in the piercing direction of a needle through a foundation are provided so that the capturing state of a loop formed on the surface of the foundation by a looper can be released by displacing the finger plate to the surface side of the foundation. A loop captured by the loop is cut into a cut pile by means of a knife, and the released loop is not cut but becomes a loop pile.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention pertains generally to a tufting machine for use in manufacturing pile fabric such as carpeting; and relates in particular to a tufting machine adapted to produce a pile fabric which is a mixture of cut pile and loop pile.BACKGROUND ART[0002]In fields such as carpeting for example the use of pile fabrics has been known for some time; such pile fabrics have a multitude of pile fibers formed in a foundation in order to provide enhanced tactile qualities and texture. The pile forming such pile fabric is broadly classified into either of two types, loop pile of looped form lacking cut ends, and cut pile of cord form having cut ends.[0003]Tufting machines are widely employed in the manufacture of such pile fabrics. Where a tufting machine is one designed to produce loop pile for example, a needle threaded with a pile yarn is punched through the foundation whereupon the pile yarn is captured by a looper oriented with its distal end facing in the s...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tufting machine of novel construction having a simple design and adapted to manufacture pile fabric which is a mixture of loop pile and cut pile.

Problems solved by technology

In this way, the orientation of the looper in the case of loop pile is the opposite of that in the case of cut pile, and a resultant problem was that a single given tufting machine could be used to form only one type of pile or the other.

Specifically, the tufting machine disclosed in Patent Citation 1 is equipped with two kinds of looper, one for loop pile and one for cut pile, and moreover requires an actuating mechanism for actuating each looper, so its construction was rather complex.

Additionally, while with this tufting machine it is possible to selectively manufacture pile fabric having either loop pile or cut pile, it was not possible to manufacture pile fabric which is a mixture of loop pile and cut pile.

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