Adjustable stroke mechanism for tufting machines

Claim 2

An adjustable stroke mechanism a needle mechanism in combination with including needle means, a rotatable shaft for imparting motion to said needle means, nutating motion means operably connected to said shaft and to said needle means for converting rotary motion of said shaft into reciprocating motion for said needle means, and control means operably connected to said nutating motion means for controlling the operable relationship between said nutating motion means and said shaft such that for changes in said operable relationship initiated by said control means the stroke of said reciprocating needle means will be changed.

Claim 3

An adjustable stroke mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein said nutating motion means includes a first member supported on said rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, a second member surrounding said first member with said second member being nonrotatable relative to said first member and said first and second members being tiltable relative to the axis of rotation of said rotatable shaft.

Claim 4

An adjustable stroke mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein said control means is connected to said nutating motion means for initiating tilting movement of said nutating motion means such that during at least some positions of tilt of said nutating motion means reciprocating movement of said needle means will be initiated.

Claim 5

An adjustable stroke mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein the length of the reciprocating stroke of said needle means is controlled by the tilting of said nutating motion means by said control means.

Claim 6

An adjustable stroke mechanism as recited in claim 4 wherein during all positions of adjustment of tilt of said nutating motion means the bottom of the stroke of said reciprocating needle means is always constant.

Claim 7

An adjustable stroke mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein said control means is connected to said first member and said second member is operably connected to said needle means.

Claim 8

An adjustable stroke mechanism as recited in claim 4 wherein at least during some positions of tilt of said nutating motion means a motion will be induced for said fIrst and second members.

Claim 9

An adjustable stroke mechanism as recited in claim 5 further comprising a link means pivotally connected to said second member and a push rod of said needle means for converting the motion of said nutating motion means into reciprocating motion of said needle means.

Claim 10

An adjustable stroke mechanism as recited in claim 6 wherein said control means includes an adjustment means, said adjustment means having oppositely moveable members connected to opposite sides of said first member such that movement of said adjustment means will initiate tilting of said first member.

Claim 11

In a tufting machine, needle means for penetrating a base material, reciprocating means being free of eccentric means for reciprocating said needle means in endwise movement, said reciprocating means including a rotatable drive shaft, a first annular member supported on said shaft for rotation therewith, a second annular member surrounding said first annular member and supported thereon in relative nonrotatable relationship therewith, said second annular member being connected to said needle means for imparting reciprocating motion to said needle means, and control means for initiating tilting movement of said first and second annular members relative to he axis of said rotatable drive shaft with the length of the stroke of said reciprocating needle means being determined in accordance with the degree of tilt of said first and second annular members.

Claim 12

In a tufting machine, needle means for penetrating a base material, reciprocating means being free of eccentric means for reciprocating said needle means in endwise movement, said reciprocating means including a rotatable drive shaft, a first annular member supported on said shaft for rotation therewith, a second annular member surrounding said first annular member and supported thereon in relative nonrotatable relationship therewith, said second annular member being connected to said needle means for imparting reciprocating motion to said needle means, and control means for initiating tilting movement of said first and second annular members relative to he axis of said rotatable drive shaft with the length of the stroke of said reciprocating needle means being determined in accordance with the degree of tilt of said first and second annular members.

Claim 13

A stroke adjustment mechanism for a tufting machine including a rotatable drive shaft means, a first member connected to said drive shaft for rotation therewith and for pivotal motion relative to said drive shaft, a second member disposed for pivotal motion with said first member and in nonrotatable relationship therewith, means connected to said first member for pivoting said first and second members relative to said drive shaft such that during rotation of said drive shaft and said first member said second member is caused to have a wobblelike motion, said tufting machine including a reciprocable mechanism and said reciprocable mechanism of said tufting machine being operably connected to said second member for converting the wobblelike motion of said second member into reciprocating motion of said reciprocable mechanism.

Claim 14

A stroke adjustment mechanism for a tufting machine including a rotatable drive shaft means, a first member connected to said drive shaft for rotation therewith and for pivotal motion relative to said drive shaft, a second member disposed for pivotal motion with said first member and in nonrotatable relationship therewith, means connected to said first member for pivoting said first and second members relative to said drive shaft such that during rotation of said drive shaft and said first member said second member is caused to have a wobblelike motion, said tufting machine including a reciprocable mechanism and said reciprocable mechanism of said tufting machine being operably connected to said second member for converting the wobblelike motion of said second member into reciprocating motion of said reciprocable mechanism.