Program controlled power transmission

Claim 3

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said first and second coupling means toward said coupled positions includes at least two cam surfaces disposed on a rotatable disc at a selected angular relationship, a first movable cam surface engaging means associated with said first coupling means, a second movable cam surface engaging means associated with said coupling means so that, upon rotation of said disc, said cam surfaces will substantially simultaneously impart movement to said cam surface engaging means to thereby substantially simultaneously move said first and second coupling means to said coupled positions.

Claim 4

The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said cam surface engaging means includes means engageable by said retaining means when said respective coupling means are in said coupled positions.

Claim 5

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second coupling means include a collar means fixedly disposed on said first and on said second rotatable members, each said collar means having a plurality of recesses, said third and fourth rotatable members each having a collar means fixedly disposed thereon, each said collar means of said third and fourth members having a power transmitting portion, said first and second coupling means each further including a movable clutch member, each said clutch member having first key means for engaging at least one of said recesses in an associated with said collar means of said first and second rotatable members, each said clutch member having second key means in engagement with said power transmitting portions of said collar means of said third and fourth members, each said clutch member being movable between a first key means engaging position and a first key means disengaged position corresponding to said coupled and uncoupled positions, respectively.

Claim 6

The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said biasing means comprises spring means disposed between each said collar means of said first and second rotatable members and each said clutch member to constantly urge said clutch members toward said respective key means disengaged positions.

Claim 7

The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein each said clutch member is provided with a contact surface facing generally toward said respective collar means of said third and fourth rotatable members and said means for moving said clutch members from said key means disengaged positions to said key means engaged positions comprises a rotatable disc having spaced apart cam surfaces, a cam follower for each said clutch member, movable mounting means for each said cam follower, each said mounting means having a portion in engagement with a said contact surface of a said clutch member so that, upon movement of said mounting means in response to engagement of said cam followers with said cam surfaces, said clutch members will be moved to said key means engaged positions.

Claim 8

The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein each said movable mounting means includes a portion engageable by said retaining means and said retaining means includes a first latch for said first coupling means and a second latch for said second coupling means, said latches each being pivotable about an axis between a latched position, wherein a said respective portion on a said associated mounting means is engaged thereby, and an unlatched position, said retaining means further including means for moving one of said latches to its unlatched position when said other latch is moved to its latched position so that both of said latches will not simultaneously occupy said respective latched positions.

Claim 9

The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said retaining means further includes a first electrically energizable solenoid means connected to said first latch and a second electrically energizable solenoid means connected to said second latch for moving said respective latches from said unlatched to said latched positions when said respective solenoid means are energized by an electric current and returning means for each said latch for moving each said latch to said unlatched position when said respective solenoid means are not energized by an electric current.

Claim 10

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including conversion means for converting rotary motion to linear motion, said conversion means being connected to said third rotatable member for receiving rotary motion therefrom.

Claim 11

The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in combination with a tufting machine having needle-operating means disposed for reciprocation in a predetermined path, a plurality of needles carried by said needle-operating means, a mounting member for said plurality of needles, said mounting member being movable in a direction that is a substantially perpendicular to said predetermined path, means linking said mounting member to said conversion means so that rotary motion of said third rotatable member will be transmitted as linear motion to said mounting member by said conversion means.

Claim 12

The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said conversion means comprises a rotatably mounted screw, said screw being connected to said third rotatable member so as to be rotatable therewith in the same direction as said third rotatable member is rotated, a housing mounted on said screw, said housing having antifriction means engaging said screw so that, upon rotation of said screw, said housing will be translated linearly along said screw, said housing being fixedly connected to said mounting member so that rotation of said third rotatable member in one direction will effect linear movement of said mounting member in a corresponding direction while rotation of said third rotatable member in an opposite direction will effect linear movement of said mounting member in a reverse direction.

Claim 13

The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first, second, third and fourth rotatable members are, respectively, first, second, third and fourth shafts mounted to be rotatable about their longitudinal axes with the axes of said first and third shafts being substantially along a common axis and with the axes of said second and fourth shafts being substantially aligned along another common axis which extends substantially parallel to said first mentioned common axis, said collar means on said first and on said second rotatable members each comprising a collar having a through bore, said first and second shafts each having one end fixed in a said collar adjacent an end of said bore, said first and second shafts each having a reduced diameter portion at least partially disposed in said respective bores which, with bores, define annular chambers, said biasing means comprising a coil spring disposed in each said chamber with one end of each coil spring engaging said respective first and second shafts and the other end of each coil spring engaging a said clutch member, said collars each having a substantially planar face portion disposed perpendicular to said axis of said respective first and second shafts with said recesses being formed in said face portion of each collar to extend substantially radially with respect to said axis of said respective shafts with a selected angular spacing between each said recess, each clutch member having a substantially planar face portion extending parallel to said face portion on a said collar, said key means of said clutch members comprising a plurality of raised teeth formed on said face portion of each said clutch member corresponding to the number of recesses on said face portion of each said collar, said teeth being of a size and disposition to fit into said recesses, said collar means on said third and forth rotatable members each comprising a collar having a free end and a bore, said collars being fixed on an end of said respective third and fourth shafts, said power transmitting portion comprising surface sections in said bores, said surface sections being flat surface lying on chords extending substantially perpendicular to said axes of said respective third and fourth shafts, each said clutch member having a tubular section having a free end and extending along a said common axis into a said bore of an associated collar on said respective third and fourth shafts, each said tubular section having an exterior surface at said free end thereof, said exterior surface of each said tubular member having flat surface portions which engage said flat surfaces in said bores of said collars on said respective third and fourth shafts.

Claim 14

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining means includes first movable latch means for holding said first coupling means in said coupled position and second movable latch means for holding said second coupling means in said coupled position, first signal controlled means for operating said first latch means and second signal controlled means for operating said second latch means, means for generating and delivering signals to said first and second signal controlled means.

Claim 15

The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said means for generating and delivering signals to said first and second signal controlled means includes means for reading a program.

Claim 16

The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for reading a program comprises electrical sensing means for sensing perforations in a perforated tape.

Claim 17

The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said first and second signal controlled means are each electrically energizable solenoids.