Digital pattern control apparatus for textile machinery

Claim 2

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-toparallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, said series-to-parallel converter means including a shift register supplied with said quantized scanned data, said strobe means including means for supplying data clocking shift control pulses to said shift register, a latch register connected to said shift register, and a counter connected to said strobe means for periodically transferring data from said shift register into said latch register, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, and data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means.

Claim 3

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, said strobe means including light oCcluding means having a plurality of apertures therein, with a relatively large light occluding area between particular ones of said apertures, means for rotating said light occluding means in synchronization with movement of said scanning means relative to the pattern, a light source and a light detector disposed on opposite sides of said light occluding means, and threshold detector means connected to said light detector, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, said scan line timing means including means for integrating the pulses produced by said light detector, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, and data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means.

Claim 4

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, said strobe means including light oCcluding means having a plurality of apertures therein, with a relatively large light occluding area between particular ones of said apertures, means for rotating said light occluding means in synchronization with movement of said scanning means relative to the pattern, a light source and a light detector disposed on opposite sides of said light occluding means, and threshold detector means connected to said light detector, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, said scan line timing means including means for integrating the pulses produced by said light detector, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, and data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means.

Claim 5

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, means for generating pseudo strobe signals responsive to the number of strobe pulses in a stitch being less than an integral multiple of the number of strobe pulses required for a subset of said sampled data signals, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, and data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means.

Claim 6

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, means for generating pseudo strobe signals responsive to the number of strobe pulses in a stitch being less than an integral multiple of the number of strobe pulses required for a subset of said sampled data signals, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, and data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means.

Claim 7

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuating of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means, a tufting machine controller incLuding data reading means for reading the data recorded by said data storing means, a present stitch register, a next stitch register, timing means adapted to be driven by the tufting machine for supplying a signal indicative of the completion of a stitch by the tufting machine, said timing means including an opaque plate having a plurality of apertures therein, a light source disposed on one side of the said plate and two spaced light sensors disposed on the other side of the said plate, first bistable means alternatively switched between its stable states by said light sensors, means responsive to a particular voltage transition for said first bistable means for generating said completion of stitch signal, control means responsive to said end of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register and for activating said data reading means for entering information descriptive of the next stitch into said next stitch register, means for normally inhibiting said completion of stitch signal, and means for determining the next zero power line voltage transition following said particular voltage transition for said first bistable means for enabling said completion of stitch signal.

Claim 8

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuating of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means, a tufting machine controller incLuding data reading means for reading the data recorded by said data storing means, a present stitch register, a next stitch register, timing means adapted to be driven by the tufting machine for supplying a signal indicative of the completion of a stitch by the tufting machine, said timing means including an opaque plate having a plurality of apertures therein, a light source disposed on one side of the said plate and two spaced light sensors disposed on the other side of the said plate, first bistable means alternatively switched between its stable states by said light sensors, means responsive to a particular voltage transition for said first bistable means for generating said completion of stitch signal, control means responsive to said end of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register and for activating said data reading means for entering information descriptive of the next stitch into said next stitch register, means for normally inhibiting said completion of stitch signal, and means for determining the next zero power line voltage transition following said particular voltage transition for said first bistable means for enabling said completion of stitch signal.

Claim 9

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means, a tufting machine controller including data reading means for reading the data recorded by said data storing means, a present stitch register, a next stitch register, timing means adapted to be driven by the tufting machine for supplying a signal indicative of the completion of a stitch by the tufting machine, control means responsive to said end of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register and for activating said data reading means for entering information descriptive of the next stitch into said next stitch register, said next stitch register controlling means including means for counting said data subsets read by said data reading means, means for decoding the output of said counter means, said next stitch register being formed of a plurality of register modules, additional decoding means selectively connected to said subset counter decoding means for sequentially enabling said next stitch register modules, and means for supplying data from said reading means in parallel to said next stitch register modules.

Claim 10

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means, a tufting machine controller including data reading means for reading the data recorded by said data storing means, a present stitch register, a next stitch register, timing means adapted to be driven by the tufting machine for supplying a signal indicative of the completion of a stitch by the tufting machine, control means responsive to said end of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register and for activating said data reading means for entering information descriptive of the next stitch into said next stitch register, said next stitch register controlling means including means for counting said data subsets read by said data reading means, means for decoding the output of said counter means, said next stitch register being formed of a plurality of register modules, additional decoding means selectively connected to said subset counter decoding means for sequentially enabling said next stitch register modules, and means for supplying data from said reading means in parallel to said next stitch register modules.

Claim 11

In combination in pattern control apparatus for providing digital output signals for controlling a plural station textile fabricating machine for effecting a pattern in a formed textile during a textile forming stitch in accordance with pattern information stored in a digital pattern record, a present stitch register for supplying output signals for controlling the textile machine stations, a next sTitch register having outputs thereof connected to inputs of said present stitch register, timing means adapted to be driven in synchronization with the textile machine for providing a digital signal indicative of completion of a stitch by the machine, said means including an opaque plate having a plurality of apertures therein, a light source disposed on one side of the said plate and two spaced light sensors disposed on the other side of the said plate, first bistable means alternatively switched between its stable states by said light sensors, and means responsive to a particular voltage transition for said first bistable means for generating said completion of stitch signal, means for reading said stored digital pattern information, control means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for activating said data reading means for registering information corresponding to a single stitch in said next stitch register, means for deactivating said data reading means after information descriptive of a complete stitch has been read thereby, and means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register.

Claim 12

In combination in pattern control apparatus for providing digital output signals for controlling a plural station textile fabricating machine for effecting a pattern in a formed textile during a textile forming stitch in accordance with pattern information stored in a digital pattern record, a present stitch register for supplying output signals for controlling the textile machine stations, a next sTitch register having outputs thereof connected to inputs of said present stitch register, timing means adapted to be driven in synchronization with the textile machine for providing a digital signal indicative of completion of a stitch by the machine, said means including an opaque plate having a plurality of apertures therein, a light source disposed on one side of the said plate and two spaced light sensors disposed on the other side of the said plate, first bistable means alternatively switched between its stable states by said light sensors, and means responsive to a particular voltage transition for said first bistable means for generating said completion of stitch signal, means for reading said stored digital pattern information, control means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for activating said data reading means for registering information corresponding to a single stitch in said next stitch register, means for deactivating said data reading means after information descriptive of a complete stitch has been read thereby, and means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register.

Claim 13

In combination in pattern control apparatus for providing digital output signals for controlling a plural station textile fabricating machine for effecting a pattern in a formed textile during a textile forming stitch in accordance with pattern information stored in a digital pattern record, a present stitch register for supplying output signals for controlling the textile machine stations, a next stitch register having outputs thereof connected to inputs of said present stitch register, timing means adapted to be driven in synchronization with the textile machine for providing a digital signal indicative of completion of a stitch by the machine, means for reading said stored digital pattern information, control means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for activating said data reading means for registering information corresponding to a single stitch in said next stitch register, said next stitch register controlling means comprising means for counting said data subsets read by said data reading means, means for decoding the output of said subset counter means, said next stitch register being formed of a plurality of register modules, additional decoding means selectively connected to said subset counter decoding means for sequentially enabling said next stitch register modules, and means for supplying data from said reading means in parallel to said next stitch register modules, means for deactivating said data reading means after information descriptive of a complete stitch has been read thereby, and means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register.

Claim 14

In combination in pattern control apparatus for providing digital output signals for controlling a plural station textile fabricating machine for effecting a pattern in a formed textile during a textile forming stitch in accordance with pattern information stored in a digital pattern record, a present stitch register for supplying output signals for controlling the textile machine stations, a next stitch register having outputs thereof connected to inputs of said present stitch register, timing means adapted to be driven in synchronization with the textile machine for providing a digital signal indicative of completion of a stitch by the machine, means for reading said stored digital pattern information, control means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for activating said data reading means for registering information corresponding to a single stitch in said next stitch register, said next stitch register controlling means comprising means for counting said data subsets read by said data reading means, means for decoding the output of said subset counter means, said next stitch register being formed of a plurality of register modules, additional decoding means selectively connected to said subset counter decoding means for sequentially enabling said next stitch register modules, and means for supplying data from said reading means in parallel to said next stitch register modules, means for deactivating said data reading means after information descriptive of a complete stitch has been read thereby, and means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register.

Claim 15

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, said pattern being formed of light reflecting and light non-reflecting portions, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, said scanning means including a plurality of optical fibers which are movable in the direction of the desired textile stitch, at least one of said optical fibers transmitting light to a local area of said pattern and at least one of said optical fibers transmitting the light reflected by said pattern, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quAntizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, and data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means.

Claim 16

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, said pattern being formed of light reflecting and light non-reflecting portions, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, said scanning means including a plurality of optical fibers which are movable in the direction of the desired textile stitch, at least one of said optical fibers transmitting light to a local area of said pattern and at least one of said optical fibers transmitting the light reflected by said pattern, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quAntizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, and data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means.

Claim 17

A combination as in claim 8 wherein: said plurality of optical fibers is arranged in a bundle having peripheral optical fibers for transmitting light to a local area of said pattern and a central optical fiber for transmitting light reflected by said pattern.

Claim 18

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means, means for generating repeated pattern information across the width of the textile goods including a scan counter for counting the signals generated by said scan line timing means, and adjustable decoding means for enabling said stitch signaling means in response to a preselected state of said scan counter.

Claim 19

In combination in apparatus for providing a digital record of pattern information characterizing a pattern to be formed in textile goods by the selective actuation of plural pattern forming stations during a single textile forming stitch, scanning means for scanning patterns in the direction of the desired textile stitch and for providing an output characterizing said pattern along the scanning direction, digital quantizing means for quantizing the output of said scanning means, strobe means operative in synchronization with said scanning means for sampling the output of said quantizing means at a plurality of spaced locations along said scanning direction, series-to-parallel converter means for converting subsets of said sampled output digits from said scanning and quantizing means into parallel form, scan line timing means associated with said strobe means for providing a signal at a predetermined point during the relative travel of said scanning means along said scan direction, stitch signaling means connected to said scan line timing means for generating a control signal at a predetermined point during data processing for each stitch, data storing means for storing the output of said series-to-parallel converter means and said control signal supplied by said stitch signaling means, means for generating repeated pattern information across the width of the textile goods including a scan counter for counting the signals generated by said scan line timing means, and adjustable decoding means for enabling said stitch signaling means in response to a preselected state of said scan counter.

Claim 20

A combination as in claim 10 wherein: said means for generating repeated pattern information includes a plurality of scan counters and said adjustable decoding means includes a plurality of switch subassemblies in one-to-one correspondence with the number of said scan counters to receive true and inverted output values from said scan counters.

Claim 21

A combination as in claim 11 including: a coincident gate electrically coupled to the output terminals of said switch subassemblies.

Claim 22

In combination in pattern control apparatus for providing digital output signals for controlling a plural station textile fabricating machine for effecting a pattern in a formed textile during a textile forming stitch in accordance with pattern information stored in a digital pattern record, a present stitch register for supplying output signals for controlling the textile machine stations, a next stitch register having outputs thereof connected to inputs of said present stitch register, timing apparatus adapted to be driven in synchronization with the textile machine for providing a digital signal indicative of completion of a stitch by the machine, means for reading said stored digital pattern information, control means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for activating said data reading means for registering information corresponding to a single stitch in said next stitch register, complementing means for selectively inverting the digital pattern information supplied by said data reading means to said next stitch register, means for deactivating said data reading means after informatIon descriptive of a complete stitch has been read thereby, and means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register.

Claim 23

In combination in pattern control apparatus for providing digital output signals for controlling a plural station textile fabricating machine for effecting a pattern in a formed textile during a textile forming stitch in accordance with pattern information stored in a digital pattern record, a present stitch register for supplying output signals for controlling the textile machine stations, a next stitch register having outputs thereof connected to inputs of said present stitch register, timing apparatus adapted to be driven in synchronization with the textile machine for providing a digital signal indicative of completion of a stitch by the machine, means for reading said stored digital pattern information, control means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for activating said data reading means for registering information corresponding to a single stitch in said next stitch register, complementing means for selectively inverting the digital pattern information supplied by said data reading means to said next stitch register, means for deactivating said data reading means after informatIon descriptive of a complete stitch has been read thereby, and means responsive to said completion of stitch signal for transferring data from said next stitch register to said present stitch register.

Claim 24

A combination as in claim 6 further comprising means for normally inhibiting said completion of stitch signal, and means for determining the next zero power line voltage transition following said particular voltage transition for said first bistable means for enabling said completion of stitch signal.