Method of and machine for making fabrics

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 wherein the design elements are guided back and forth in reciprocating motion at constant velocity, thereby forming a pattern of design elements on the fabric in which substantial lengths of each design element extend diagonally, relative to the warp direction, along straight lines.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 wherein the design elements are guided back and forth in reciprocating motion at a varying velocity, thereby forming a pattern of design elements on the fabric in which portions of the design elements of substantial length curve sub-stantially uniformly back and forth.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1 wherein two groups of design elements are delivered and guided back and forth independently of each other into the space for fabric formation.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 4 wherein one group of design elements is guided back and forth in opposed and phased relation to the other group of design elements.

Claim 7

A machine for making textiles of the stitch-through type comprising a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pen bar, each of said bars having teeth and spaces between the teeth, and the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, means for delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, one row only of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for stitching a plurality of warp-wise loop chains, the needles being positioned and mounted for reciprocating motion axially thereof back and forth transversely through said space for fabric formation to pierce through the substrate and a plurality of generally warpwise design elements as such substrate and elements are conducted through said space, the needles passing through the spaces between the teeth of the sinker bar and retainer bar upon such reciprocaTing motion, and a design element delivery mechanism for feeding conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate said plurality of generally warpwise design elements to said space to be united by the loop chains with the substrate, the delivery mechanism including at least one yarn guide bar positioned substantially parallel to the row of needles and having guide means thereon for guiding the design elements to said space for fabric formation, and means for controllably moving the guide bar back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause the design elements to move within said space for fabric formation back and forth past a plurality of the needles.

Claim 8

A machine for making textiles of the stitch-through type comprising a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pen bar, each of said bars having teeth and spaces between the teeth, and the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, means for delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, one row only of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for stitching a plurality of warp-wise loop chains, the needles being positioned and mounted for reciprocating motion axially thereof back and forth transversely through said space for fabric formation to pierce through the substrate and a plurality of generally warpwise design elements as such substrate and elements are conducted through said space, the needles passing through the spaces between the teeth of the sinker bar and retainer bar upon such reciprocaTing motion, and a design element delivery mechanism for feeding conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate said plurality of generally warpwise design elements to said space to be united by the loop chains with the substrate, the delivery mechanism including at least one yarn guide bar positioned substantially parallel to the row of needles and having guide means thereon for guiding the design elements to said space for fabric formation, and means for controllably moving the guide bar back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause the design elements to move within said space for fabric formation back and forth past a plurality of the needles.

Claim 9

The machine according to claim 6, wherein the delivery mechanism is positioned to deliver the design elements to the space for fabric formation between the substrate and the retainer pin bar.

Claim 10

The machine according to claim 6, wherein the guide means includes guide tubes carried by the guide bar, the guide bar being remote from the needles and the guide tubes extending from the guide bar to locations in proximity to the space for fabric formation.

Claim 11

The machine according to claim 6, wherein the guide means are guide holes extending through the guide bar.

Claim 12

The machine according to claim 7, wherein the guide bar includes a longitudinally extending slot, and the guide holes are defined by removable elements transecting the slot in selected locations.

Claim 13

The machine according to claim 9, further comprising means slidably carrying the guide bar for longitudinally reciprocating movement along a fixed axis.

Claim 14

The machine according to claim 11, wherein the means for moving the guide bar includes a lever articulated at one location thereon to the guide bar and disposed at an angle to the axis of movement of the guide bar, and articulated at another location thereon for pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the axis of movement of the guide bar, and cam means associated with the lever to pivot it back and forth about its pivot axis.

Claim 15

A machine for making textiles of the stitch-through type, comprising a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pin bar, the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, means for delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, a row of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for stitching a plurality of warpwise loop chains, the needles being adapted to pierce through the substrate and being moved in reciprocating motion back and forth through said space for fabric formation, and a design element delivery mechanism for feeding conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate a plurality of generally warpwise design elements to said space to be united by the loop-chains with the substrate, the delivery mechanism including a plurality of yarn guide bars mounted substantially parallel to the row of needles for sliding movement along axes parallel to the row of stitch-forming elements, guide means carried by the guide bars for guiding the design elements to said space for fabric formation, and shifting means for controllably moving each of said guide bars back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause the design elements to move within said space for fabric formation back and forth past a plurality of the needles, the shifting means including a lever articulated at one location thereon to the associated guide bar and disposed at an angle to the axis of movement of the guide bar and articulated at another location thereon for pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the axis of movement of the associated guide bar, and cam means associated with the lever to pivot it back and forth about its pivot axis.

Claim 16

A machine for making textiles of the stitch-through type, comprising a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pin bar, the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, means for delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, a row of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for stitching a plurality of warpwise loop chains, the needles being adapted to pierce through the substrate and being moved in reciprocating motion back and forth through said space for fabric formation, and a design element delivery mechanism for feeding conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate a plurality of generally warpwise design elements to said space to be united by the loop-chains with the substrate, the delivery mechanism including a plurality of yarn guide bars mounted substantially parallel to the row of needles for sliding movement along axes parallel to the row of stitch-forming elements, guide means carried by the guide bars for guiding the design elements to said space for fabric formation, and shifting means for controllably moving each of said guide bars back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause the design elements to move within said space for fabric formation back and forth past a plurality of the needles, the shifting means including a lever articulated at one location thereon to the associated guide bar and disposed at an angle to the axis of movement of the guide bar and articulated at another location thereon for pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the axis of movement of the associated guide bar, and cam means associated with the lever to pivot it back and forth about its pivot axis.

Claim 17

A machine according to claim 13, wherein there is a cam means associated with each lever to move each associated bar back and forth independently of any other bar.