A system and method for forming patterned tufted fabrics such as carpets, including the formation of patterns having cut pile and loop pile tufts therein. The system includes a pair of needle bars each carrying a series of needles to which a plurality of yarns are fed. Cut pile hooks are arranged along a cut pile side of a tufting zone, in a position to engage the needles of one of the needle bars, while loop pile loopers are arranged along the opposite loop pile side of the tufting zone, in a position to engage the needles of the other one of the needle bars. A backing material is fed through the tufting zone, and as loop pile tufts of yarns are formed in the backing material, the needles mounted along a needle bar extending along the cut pile side of the tufting zone can be shifted to an off-gauge position, with the yarn feed to these needles further being controlled, to substantially prevent engagement and pick-up of the yarns carried by such needles by the cut pile hooks.

A yarn monitoring system for textile machine uses sensors to indicate yarn over tensioning and breakage. The sensors are contained within, or adjacent to, eyelets and monitor, sending signals to the controller, the speed of the yarn. The eyelets, each with a sensor, are within a body that also contains a circuit board which is in constant communication with the eyelets and software contained within a controller. The controller, in turn, is in constant communication with the textile machine. The software is preprogrammed by a user with an acceptable signal range for passage of the yarn past the sensors and a predetermined time period for the signal to remain outside the acceptable signal range. To prevent unnecessary shut down of the textile machine, the software averages the signal and, when the averaged signal remains out of the acceptable signal range for the preprogrammed time initiates communication to the textile machine.

A compact creel utilization method provides arms cantileverdly extending from supports which support at least two yarn rolls thereon. Some embodiments have a front roll connected to the rear roll. Other embodiments simultaneously feed to a common eyelet or other feed opening.

A compact creel utilization method provides arms cantileverdly extending from supports which support at least two yarn rolls thereon. Some embodiments have a front roll connected to the rear roll. Other embodiments simultaneously feed to a common eyelet or other feed opening.

A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.

A stitch distribution control system for a tufting machine for controlling placement of yarns being fed to the needles of the tufting machine by yarn feed mechanisms to form a desired pattern. A backing material is fed through the tufting machine at an increased stitch rate as the needles are shifted according to calculated pattern steps. A series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanisms further can be controlled so that selected loops of yarns can be back-robbed so as to be hidden from view in the finished patterned tufted article.

A method of using an improved hollow needle tufting machine to make an artificial grass product includes features not present in prior art hollow needle tufting machines. Specifically, some embodiments have at least four inch long needles. Other embodiments have larger diameter feed rolls. Other embodiments have larger diameter guide tubes. Still other embodiments have a lowered backing support to provide an increased distance from the backing support to the needle bar.

A method of using an improved hollow needle tufting machine to make an artificial grass product includes features not present in prior art hollow needle tufting machines. Specifically, some embodiments have at least four inch long needles. Other embodiments have larger diameter feed rolls. Other embodiments have larger diameter guide tubes. Still other embodiments have a lowered backing support to provide an increased distance from the backing support to the needle bar.

Implementations herein describe an artificial turf having a backing layer and a plurality of rows of individual tufts tufted into the backing layer. Each tuft comprises at least three yarns per tuft and each one of the at least three yarns varies in at least one of material, color, texture, denier and cross-section. Each row of individual tufts is substantially similar to each adjacent tufted row and adjacent tufts on a given row are spaced apart at a predetermined gauge.

Implementations herein describe an artificial turf having a backing layer and a plurality of rows of individual tufts tufted into the backing layer. Each tuft comprises at least three yarns per tuft and each one of the at least three yarns varies in at least one of material, color, texture, denier and cross-section. Each row of individual tufts is substantially similar to each adjacent tufted row and adjacent tufts on a given row are spaced apart at a predetermined gauge.