Tufting machine

Abstract

A tufting machine which has improved production rates such that it is capable of being used to produce larger samples of tufted products or is capable of being used for production runs of tufted products, but still retains sufficient flexibility for changes in yarn and construction of the tufted product to be made relatively easily is disclosed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to improvements in tufting machines for producing looped pile or cut loop pile in various patterns, lengths and designs on a backing web of fabric material, typically but not exclusively for producing carpet, rugs or sample carpets or rugs.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]Conventional carpet or rug making machinery typically provides means for feeding continuously a primary backing material web past an array of in line tuft forming needles, each receiving a yarn of a desired colour and size, to produce tuft loops (either cut or uncut) with a corresponding array of cooperating loop forming members or hooks with a cutting knife on the opposite side of the backing material web. The array of in line tuft forming needles generally extends transversely across the backing material web. The needles typically reciprocate through the primary backing material web to form the tuft loops but are otherwise mounted in a fixed position. Suc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention aims to provide a tufting machine that can produce larger samples of tufted products or be used for production runs of tufted products with improved production rates. The machine has sufficient flexibility to easily change yarn and construction of the tufted product. The machine has a removable and replaceable needle sub assembly and looper member sub assembly, which can quickly and easily reconfigure the apparatus for producing an alternative construction of tufted pile product without the conventional time-consuming requirements. This improves the efficiency and flexibility of the tufting machine.

Problems solved by technology

Such machines are effective when producing tufted (carpet) material of reasonably large size and where yarns, colours or structures of the tufted material are not changed as it is a time Consuming and difficult process to make such changes.

As a result such machines are not often used to produce samples or designs of small run volumes.

The machine is highly flexible and is therefore particularly useful for producing sample products or specialist designed products, however as it produces one or only a limited number of lines of tuft loops across the backing material web each pass of the needle head (or heads), it remains relative slow in production rates.

It is therefore less suitable for producing larger sample products or for producing production runs of medium to larger tufted products (carpets, rugs or the like).

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