Method and apparatus for tufting multicolored products

Claim 2

In a process of creeling a tufting machine of the type used to form high and low tuft carpet with color variations wherein a tufting machine needle section indication and a needle number indication is present adjacent each spool support means in the creel to designate the needle section and needle number of the tufting machine to which the yarn is moved from the spool supported by each spool support means, creating a check paper design with the colors to be present in the carpet indicated in the check paper design and with the check paper design including tufting machine needle section indications and needle number indications across the length of the design, transferring the color identification indications for each needle position of each needle section from the check paper design to a creel guide sheet having the spool support means of the creel indicated sequentially on the creel guide sheet and with a tufting machine needle section indication and a needle number indication associated with each spool support means indication, placing spools of yarn in the creel with the yarn of each spool corresponding to the yarn designation of the creel guide sheet, and moving the yarn ends from the spools in the creel to the tufting machine.

Claim 3

In a process of providing yarns to a continuous carpet tufting machine or the like wherein a carpet design is formed on check paper or the like with yarn identification and tufting machine needle identication shown on the check paper for the stitches that will be formed by the tufting machine in the carpet, the improvement comprising the steps of forming a creel guide with the spool supports in the creel displayed in sequence on the creel guide and with each of the spool supports displayed in the creel guide identified with an indication corresponding to the identification of a needle in the tufting machine to which the spool support supplies yarn and the yarn identification from the check paper entered at each spool support identification, placing spools of yarn in the creel at spool supports identified with an indication which corresponds to the spool support identification on the creel guide with the yarn placed at each spool support corresponding to the yarn identification on the creel guide, and extending the free end of the yarn from the spool at each spool support to a position at the tufting machine identified with an indication corresponding to a needle position in the tufting machine and to the identification of the spool support in the creel.

Claim 4

In a process of providing yarns to a continuous carpet tufting machine or the like wherein a carpet design is formed on check paper or the like with yarn identification and tufting machine needle identication shown on the check paper for the stitches that will be formed by the tufting machine in the carpet, the improvement comprising the steps of forming a creel guide with the spool supports in the creel displayed in sequence on the creel guide and with each of the spool supports displayed in the creel guide identified with an indication corresponding to the identification of a needle in the tufting machine to which the spool support supplies yarn and the yarn identification from the check paper entered at each spool support identification, placing spools of yarn in the creel at spool supports identified with an indication which corresponds to the spool support identification on the creel guide with the yarn placed at each spool support corresponding to the yarn identification on the creel guide, and extending the free end of the yarn from the spool at each spool support to a position at the tufting machine identified with an indication corresponding to a needle position in the tufting machine and to the identification of the spool support in the creel.

Claim 5

In a process of tufting carpet or the like which includes forming a carpet design on check paper or the like with yarn identification indicated for each needle in the tufting machine, the improvement comprising the steps of transferring the yarn identification from the check paper design to a creel guide which has the spool supports of the creel indicated in sequence and with the yarn identification entered at each spool support identification of the creel guide, placing spools of yarn on the spool supports in the creel which include an identification corresponding to the identification of a creel position in the creel guide with the yarn placed at each spool support corresponding to the yarn identification on the creel guide, feeding the free end of the yarn end from each spool to a position at the tufting machine that includes a needle identification which corresponds to the identification at the spool support in the creel, and threading the yarn ends through the needles of the tufting machine.

Claim 6

In a process of tufting carpet or the like which includes forming a carpet design on check paper or the like with yarn identification indicated for each needle in the tufting machine, the improvement comprising the steps of transferring the yarn identification from the check paper design to a creel guide which has the spool supports of the creel indicated in sequence and with the yarn identification entered at each spool support identification of the creel guide, placing spools of yarn on the spool supports in the creel which include an identification corresponding to the identification of a creel position in the creel guide with the yarn placed at each spool support corresponding to the yarn identification on the creel guide, feeding the free end of the yarn end from each spool to a position at the tufting machine that includes a needle identification which corresponds to the identification at the spool support in the creel, and threading the yarn ends through the needles of the tufting machine.

Claim 7

A product formed by the process of claim 1.