A yarn feed module may be provided with four small diameter yarn feed rolls and a plasma treated yarn feed surface to optimize secure yarn grip for precise feeding by servo drive with greater durability and fewer yarn entanglements, utilizing a variety of threading configurations.

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 for selectively forming tufts of yarns, including different color or type yarns, for forming patterned tufted articles such as carpets. A series of needles are reciprocated into and out of a backing material being fed through the tufting machine and are engaged by a series of gauge parts so as to pick-up loops of yarns from the needles. The gauge parts will be selectively controlled by activators to move the gauge parts to positions or elevations sufficient to pick-up or not pick-up loops of yarns from the needles. The feeding of the yarns to the needles further will be controlled to pull back the yarns not picked-up by the gauge parts, while the backing feed will be controlled to enable formation of tufts at an increased rate over the pattern stitch rate for the pattern of the tufted article being formed.

A tufting machine for selectively forming tufts of yarns, including different color or type yarns, for forming patterned tufted articles such as carpets. A series of needles are reciprocated into and out of a backing material being fed through the tufting machine and are engaged by a series of gauge parts so as to pick-up loops of yarns from the needles. The gauge parts will be selectively controlled by activators to move the gauge parts to positions or elevations sufficient to pick-up or not pick-up loops of yarns from the needles. The feeding of the yarns to the needles further will be controlled to pull back the yarns not picked-up by the gauge parts, while the backing feed will be controlled to enable formation of tufts at an increased rate over the pattern stitch rate for the pattern of the tufted article being formed.

A tufting machine (100) comprises a needle bar (10) shiftable in a needle bar longitudinal direction (L), a plurality of needles (12) being provided on the needle bar (10) following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L), each needle (12) being individually selectable for carrying out a stitch and thereby generating a pile on a backing fabric, further comprising such a yarn threading that, on the needle bar (10), groups (G) of the needles (12) following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L) and comprising a predetermined number of needles (12) are generated, the needles (12) of each group (G) having yarns of different properties threaded therethrough, the number of yarns of different properties associated with each group (G) being less than the number of needles (12) within each group (G), such that, within each group (G), at least two needles (12) have yarns of the same property threaded therethrough.

A tufting machine (100) comprises a needle bar (10) shiftable in a needle bar longitudinal direction (L), a plurality of needles (12) being provided on the needle bar (10) following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L), each needle (12) being individually selectable for carrying out a stitch and thereby generating a pile on a backing fabric, further comprising such a yarn threading that, on the needle bar (10), groups (G) of the needles (12) following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L) and comprising a predetermined number of needles (12) are generated, the needles (12) of each group (G) having yarns of different properties threaded therethrough, the number of yarns of different properties associated with each group (G) being less than the number of needles (12) within each group (G), such that, within each group (G), at least two needles (12) have yarns of the same property threaded therethrough.

A method for automatedly inserting void stitches in the manufacture of pixel mapped patterns on tufting machines having an array of independent yarn feed devices feeding yarns to reciprocating needles employs an algorithm to determine if a stitch should have a void substituted for the stitch and then implemented.

A method for automatedly inserting void stitches in the manufacture of pixel mapped patterns on tufting machines having an array of independent yarn feed devices feeding yarns to reciprocating needles employs an algorithm to determine if a stitch should have a void substituted for the stitch and then implemented.

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).