Process and apparatus for the production of tufted pile fabrics

Claim 2

In a multiple needle tufting machine for producing loop pile fabrics and carpets having plural rows of needles and a looper bar containing corresponding plural rows of cooperating loopers having hooks extending in the direction of movement of the backing sheet, the needles and hooks of corresponding rows being staggered transversely to the direction of movement of the backing sheet with respect to the other corresponding rows, which machine would on occasion be subject to unsatisfactory operation in the production of such products due to tagging and sew through; the improvement wherein the hooks of the loopers in a first row of loopers in the direction of movement of the backing sheet are positioned further from the looper bar than the hooks of the loopers in the next row, whereby in operation tagging and sew through are substantially eliminated as a result of the yarn loops formed by the first row of loopers passing freely beyond the loopers in the next row.

Claim 3

In a multiple needle tufting machine for producing loop pile fabrics and carpets having reciprocating needle bar means containing plural rows of needles and looper bar means containing corresponding plural rows of loopers, the needles and loopers positioned respective on opposite sides of the path of movement of a backing sheet and the looPers having their hooks extending in the direction of movement of the backing sheet to operatively cooperate with the needles to form yarn loops therein, and further the needles and hooks of corresponding rows being staggered transversely to the direction of movement of the backing sheet with respect to the other corresponding rows, which machine would on occasion be subject to unsatisfactory operation in the production of such products due to tagging and sew through; the improvement wherein a first row of loopers in said looper bar means in the direction of movement of the backing sheet are positioned closer to the path of the sheet than the following row of loopers whereby yarn loops formed by the first row of needles and loopers pass without interference with the operation of the following row of needles and loopers.

Claim 4

In a multiple needle tufting machine for producing loop pile fabrics and carpets having reciprocating needle bar means containing plural rows of needles and looper bar means containing corresponding plural rows of loopers, the needles and loopers positioned respective on opposite sides of the path of movement of a backing sheet and the looPers having their hooks extending in the direction of movement of the backing sheet to operatively cooperate with the needles to form yarn loops therein, and further the needles and hooks of corresponding rows being staggered transversely to the direction of movement of the backing sheet with respect to the other corresponding rows, which machine would on occasion be subject to unsatisfactory operation in the production of such products due to tagging and sew through; the improvement wherein a first row of loopers in said looper bar means in the direction of movement of the backing sheet are positioned closer to the path of the sheet than the following row of loopers whereby yarn loops formed by the first row of needles and loopers pass without interference with the operation of the following row of needles and loopers.

Claim 5

A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the tips of the needles in the first row of needles corresponding to said first row of loopers are positioned further from the path of the backing sheet than the tips of the needles in the following row of needles.

Claim 6

A machine as defined in claim 2 wherein an adjacent pair of loopers in said first and said following rows together comprise a main body portion removably secured to said bar and a hook portion positioned between said bar and the path of the backing sheet, said hook portion including first hook means positioned in said first row of loopers adjacent the backing sheet path and second hook means positioned in said following row of loopers at a greater distance from the backing sheet path than said first hook means.

Claim 7

A single piece looper means adapted for use in a multiple needle tufting machine for producing loop pile fabrics and carpets comprising a main body portion adapted to be retained in and extend outwardly from a looper bar of the tufting machine, and a hook portion extending therefrom and including first and second hook means positioned in spaced planes generally parallel to said main body portion, with outer extremities of said first and second hook means positioned in spaced planes perpendicular to said first mentioned plane, whereby said looper means when used in such a tufting machine forms loops which pass freely and substantial tagging and sew through are avoided.

Claim 8

A single piece looper means adapted for use in a multiple needle tufting machine for producing loop pile fabrics and carpets comprising a main body portion adapted to be retained in and extend outwardly from a looper bar of the tufting machine, and a hook portion extending therefrom and including first and second hook means positioned in spaced planes generally parallel to said main body portion, with outer extremities of said first and second hook means positioned in spaced planes perpendicular to said first mentioned plane, whereby said looper means when used in such a tufting machine forms loops which pass freely and substantial tagging and sew through are avoided.

Claim 9

Looper means as defined in claim 5 wherein one of said hook means is positioned in a common plane with said main body portion.

Claim 10

Yarn engaging means for use in a tufting machine for producing loop pile fabrics and carpets and comprising a support bar, a plurality of looper means mounted in spaced relation along the length of the bar and each consisting of a single piece composed of a main body portion attached to and extending outwardly from the bar, and first and second hook portions located outwardly of said main body portion, first hook portions of said looper means aligned in a first row along said bar and said second hook portions aligned in a second row along said bar spaced from said first row, the hook portions in one of said rows positioned a greater distance from said bar than the hook portions in said other row and all of the hooks extending in the same direction.

Claim 11

Yarn engaging means for use in a tufting machine for producing loop pile fabrics and carpets and comprising a support bar, a plurality of looper means mounted in spaced relation along the length of the bar and each consisting of a single piece composed of a main body portion attached to and extending outwardly from the bar, and first and second hook portions located outwardly of said main body portion, first hook portions of said looper means aligned in a first row along said bar and said second hook portions aligned in a second row along said bar spaced from said first row, the hook portions in one of said rows positioned a greater distance from said bar than the hook portions in said other row and all of the hooks extending in the same direction.

Claim 12

Means as defined in claim 7 wherein hook portions in said first row are positioned in staggered relation to hook portions in said second row along the length of the bar.

Claim 17

A method as defined in claim 10 wherein yarn is withdrawn from the previously formed row of longer yarn loops during movement of the needles into the base sheet.

Claim 18

A method as defined in claim 10 wherein yarn is withdrawn from the previously formed rows of yarn loops during movement of the needles out of the base sheet.