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.

Carpet designs can be provided having new features. Specifically, design elements can be provided intermediate or on the primary backing and the stitches with various embodiments in an “under tufted” manner.

Carpet designs can be provided having new features. Specifically, design elements can be provided intermediate or on the primary backing and the stitches with various embodiments in an “under tufted” manner.

A system and method for tufting sculptured and multiple pile height patterned articles, including controlling placement of yarns fed to the needles of the tufting machine by a yarn feed mechanism to form varying patterns includes a backing support over which the backing is fed, and which lifts/and biases the backing to a raised position. As the backing material is fed through the tufting machine, a series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanism will be controlled to create a tension in selected loops of yarns, to cause the backing material to be pulled against the bias or spring force applied by the backing support toward the needle plate of the tufting machine to create tufts of different pile heights.

A system and method for tufting sculptured and multiple pile height patterned articles, including controlling placement of yarns fed to the needles of the tufting machine by a yarn feed mechanism to form varying patterns includes a backing support over which the backing is fed, and which lifts/and biases the backing to a raised position. As the backing material is fed through the tufting machine, a series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanism will be controlled to create a tension in selected loops of yarns, to cause the backing material to be pulled against the bias or spring force applied by the backing support toward the needle plate of the tufting machine to create tufts of different pile heights.

A method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet, having regions (14, 16, 18) of different color appearance by using at least two different kinds of yarns, yarns of different kinds of yarns (b, w) alternately following each other in a needle bar longitudinal direction of a needle bar of a tufting machine, comprises the steps of: a) defining a predetermined number of color mixing values, b) assigning with each color mixing value a color-related tufting aspect instruction, c) providing a color pattern representation (11) of the fabric to be tufted comprising a plurality of color regions (14, 16, 18), d) assigning with each color region (14, 16, 18) one of the color mixing values.

A method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet, having regions (14, 16, 18) of different color appearance by using at least two different kinds of yarns, yarns of different kinds of yarns (b, w) alternately following each other in a needle bar longitudinal direction of a needle bar of a tufting machine, comprises the steps of: a) defining a predetermined number of color mixing values, b) assigning with each color mixing value a color-related tufting aspect instruction, c) providing a color pattern representation (11) of the fabric to be tufted comprising a plurality of color regions (14, 16, 18), d) assigning with each color region (14, 16, 18) one of the color mixing values.

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 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 extend or retract 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 back-rob 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.