Tufting machine with pattern control means

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR TUFTING A TEXTILE WEB COMPRISING (A) A BANK OF INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE, ELONGATE NEEDLE BARS MOUNTED FOR LONGITUDINAL RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPERATIVE AND INOPERATIVE POSITIONS, (B) A NEEDLE CARRIED BY ONE END OF EACH OF SAID NEEDLE BARS FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND BEING ADAPTED TO PENETRATE A TEXTILE WEB TO INSERT TUFTING STITCHES THEREIN AS SAID NEEDLE BARS MOVE TO THE OPERATIVE POSITION, (C) A ROTATABLE PATTERN DRUM POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID BANK OF NEEDLE BARS AND HAVING ITS AXIS DISPOSED PARALLEL TO SAID BANK OF NEEDLE BARS AND BEING MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS SAID NEEDLE BARS, SAID PATTERN DRUM HAVING A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF NEEDLE BAR ENGAGING MEANS SPACED EQUIDISTANTLY AROUND THE PERIPHERY THEREOF AND EACH BEING OF A LENGTH CORRESPONDING TO THE LENGTH OF SAID BANK OF NEEDLE BARS FOR ENGAGING SELECTED ONES OF SAID NEEDLE BARS TO IMPART MOVEMENT THERETO TOWARD THE OPERATIVE POSITION AT SAID PATTERN MEANS RECIPROCATES IN ONE DIRECTION, (D) MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PATTERN DRUM FOR INDEXING THE SAME TO SUCCESSIVELY POSITION SAID ROWS OF NEEDLE BAR ENGAGING MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID NEEDLE BARS FOR MOVEMENT OF THE NEEDLE BARS THEREBY.