A carpet product including a primary backing layer and a plurality of yarn tufts. The plurality of yarn tufts are tufted in and extend upwardly from a top surface of the primary backing layer to form a tufted carpet product. The carpet product has an inner portion and a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the inner portion and extending along at least one of the edges of the primary backing layer. The plurality of yarn tufts include a plurality of peripheral yarn tufts positioned within the peripheral portion of the tufted carpet product. A portion of the peripheral yarn tufts are anchored to other peripheral yarn tufts. At least a portion of each anchored peripheral yarn tuft is entangled with one or more of the other peripheral yarn tufts.

A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material with various graphic pattern effects being formed therewith. The system generally will include at least one needle bar having at least one row of needles mounted along a tufting zone and reciprocated through the backing to a desired penetration depth, and will present a desired set or group of yarns to a series of pattern pixels or stitch areas. A series of level cut loop loopers or hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form tufts of yarns in the backing material. Clips of the level cut loop loopers will be selectively controlled to control the retention of selected ones of the yarns presented at each pattern pixel. The remaining, non-selected yarns generally are not retained at the pattern pixels, and can be formed as lower pile tufts or removed from the backing material.

A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material with various graphic pattern effects being formed therewith. The system generally will include at least one needle bar having at least one row of needles mounted along a tufting zone and reciprocated through the backing to a desired penetration depth, and will present a desired set or group of yarns to a series of pattern pixels or stitch areas. A series of level cut loop loopers or hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form tufts of yarns in the backing material. Clips of the level cut loop loopers will be selectively controlled to control the retention of selected ones of the yarns presented at each pattern pixel. The remaining, non-selected yarns generally are not retained at the pattern pixels, and can be formed as lower pile tufts or removed from the backing material.

A variable stroke drive system for a tufting machine includes a series of drive assemblies mounted along the frame of the tufting machine. Primary drive shafts extend through the drive assemblies and are each driven by a drive motor. A series of first drive members are mounted to the primary drive shafts and are linked to associated second drive members such that the driving of the first drive members by the primary drive shafts in turn drives the second drive members. Cam arms are connected to the second drive members and to rocker arms to which push rods are mounted, the cam arms being vertically reciprocated by the rotational movement of the second drive members so as to drive the reciprocation of the push rods, and thus the needle bar(s) connected thereto along a desired stroke or reciprocating path of travel. Controlling the rate at which the primary drive shafts are driven enables control of the stroke of the needle bar(s).

A variable stroke drive system for a tufting machine includes a series of drive assemblies mounted along the frame of the tufting machine. Primary drive shafts extend through the drive assemblies and are each driven by a drive motor. A series of first drive members are mounted to the primary drive shafts and are linked to associated second drive members such that the driving of the first drive members by the primary drive shafts in turn drives the second drive members. Cam arms are connected to the second drive members and to rocker arms to which push rods are mounted, the cam arms being vertically reciprocated by the rotational movement of the second drive members so as to drive the reciprocation of the push rods, and thus the needle bar(s) connected thereto along a desired stroke or reciprocating path of travel. Controlling the rate at which the primary drive shafts are driven enables control of the stroke of the needle bar(s).

A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material with various graphic pattern effects being formed therewith. The system generally will include at least one needle bar having at least one row of needles mounted along a tufting zone and reciprocated through the backing to a desired penetration depth, and will present a desired set or group of yarns to a series of pattern pixels or stitch areas. A series of level cut loop loopers or hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form tufts of yarns in the backing material. Clips of the level cut loop loopers will be selectively controlled to control the retention of selected ones of the yarns presented at each pattern pixel. The remaining, non-selected yarns generally are not retained at the pattern pixels, and can be formed as lower pile tufts or removed from the backing material.

A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material with various graphic pattern effects being formed therewith. The system generally will include at least one needle bar having at least one row of needles mounted along a tufting zone and reciprocated through the backing to a desired penetration depth, and will present a desired set or group of yarns to a series of pattern pixels or stitch areas. A series of level cut loop loopers or hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form tufts of yarns in the backing material. Clips of the level cut loop loopers will be selectively controlled to control the retention of selected ones of the yarns presented at each pattern pixel. The remaining, non-selected yarns generally are not retained at the pattern pixels, and can be formed as lower pile tufts or removed from the backing material.

A variable stroke drive system for a tufting machine includes a series of drive assemblies mounted along the frame of the tufting machine. Primary drive shafts extend through the drive assemblies and are each driven by a drive motor. A series of first drive members are mounted to the primary drive shafts and are linked to associated second drive members such that the driving of the first drive members by the primary drive shafts in turn drives the second drive members. Cam arms are connected to the second drive members and to rocker arms to which push rods are mounted, the cam arms being vertically reciprocated by the rotational movement of the second drive members so as to drive the reciprocation of the push rods, and thus the needle bar(s) connected thereto along a desired stroke or reciprocating path of travel. Controlling the rate at which the primary drive shafts are driven enables control of the stroke of the needle bar(s).

A variable stroke drive system for a tufting machine includes a series of drive assemblies mounted along the frame of the tufting machine. Primary drive shafts extend through the drive assemblies and are each driven by a drive motor. A series of first drive members are mounted to the primary drive shafts and are linked to associated second drive members such that the driving of the first drive members by the primary drive shafts in turn drives the second drive members. Cam arms are connected to the second drive members and to rocker arms to which push rods are mounted, the cam arms being vertically reciprocated by the rotational movement of the second drive members so as to drive the reciprocation of the push rods, and thus the needle bar(s) connected thereto along a desired stroke or reciprocating path of travel. Controlling the rate at which the primary drive shafts are driven enables control of the stroke of the needle bar(s).

A tufting machine has a needle bar for carrying a plurality of needles for reciprocating into and out of a base material. A sliding needle bar shift mechanism may shift the needle bar laterally according to a pattern. The needle bar is mounted for reciprocation and for lateral movement relative to the direction of reciprocation by a drive system including a first directional drive component having a foot secured to a respective push rod of the tufting machine and a second directional drive component connected to the shift mechanism. The first and second drive components will connect to the needle bar through linear bearings or bushings so that the motion of the needle bar in multiple different directions is controlled while permitting greater machine operating and needle bar shifting speeds.