A tufting machine and method for operating a tufting machine operating a needle selection mechanism based on pattern data by selecting a needle with yarn required for the pattern such that the selected needle is driven by a needle bar through the backing medium, to form a tuft while a needle that is not required for the pattern is not selected by the needle selection mechanism. Yarn is fed via a yarn feed mechanism comprising a plurality of actively driven yarn drives each driving a respective yarn to a respective needle, the yarn drives being at a location between a yarn creel and the needle. The method being characterised by operating the yarn feed mechanism to deliver at least 70% of the yarn required for a tuft as the needle moves from top dead center to bottom dead center.

Fabrics having conventional turf yarns provided in combination with traditional carpet yarns. Optionally, the turf yarns and/or the carpet yarns can be unpigmented natural yarns. A color pattern can be applied to the fabrics to produce surface coverings, such as floor coverings.

Fabrics having conventional turf yarns provided in combination with traditional carpet yarns. Optionally, the turf yarns and/or the carpet yarns can be unpigmented natural yarns. A color pattern can be applied to the fabrics to produce surface coverings, such as floor coverings.

A method of operating a tufting machine comprising a sliding needle bar (4) with a plurality of needles (5), a presser foot mounted slidable with the needle bar, an individual end yarn feed, a needle selection mechanism (7) to selectively latch a needle to the needle bar when the yarn in that needle is required to form a tuft, a plurality of loopers (8), a plurality of knives (10) to cut a loop of yarn on a respective looper and means associated with each looper to selectively dislodge a loop of yarn from the looper before it is cut. The method comprising controlling the feed of yarn to the needles (5) such that, when a cut end is required, a determination is made of a whether a predetermined yarn condition is present in the yarn at its cut end and, in respone to such a determination being found, an additional loop of yarn, not required by the pattern data is formed, such that the additional loop of yarn forms a yarn buffer than can be pulled back through the backing medium.

A method of operating a tufting machine comprising a sliding needle bar (4) with a plurality of needles (5), a presser foot mounted slidable with the needle bar, an individual end yarn feed, a needle selection mechanism (7) to selectively latch a needle to the needle bar when the yarn in that needle is required to form a tuft, a plurality of loopers (8), a plurality of knives (10) to cut a loop of yarn on a respective looper and means associated with each looper to selectively dislodge a loop of yarn from the looper before it is cut. The method comprising controlling the feed of yarn to the needles (5) such that, when a cut end is required, a determination is made of a whether a predetermined yarn condition is present in the yarn at its cut end and, in respone to such a determination being found, an additional loop of yarn, not required by the pattern data is formed, such that the additional loop of yarn forms a yarn buffer than can be pulled back through the backing medium.

An article can comprise a backing and a plurality of yarns tufted, knitted, or woven through the backing, each yarn defining at least one aesthetic characteristic. The at least one aesthetic characteristic can comprise luster, color, size, physical attribute associated with material type, or texture. At least one yarn of the plurality of yarns can comprise an engineered yarn structure having a first yarn section and a second yarn section. The engineered yarn structure can comprise a transition junction comprises commingled portions of the first and second yarn sections. The transition junction can have a length of less than 1 millimeter. The first section can have a first type of a first aesthetic characteristic of the at least one aesthetic characteristic, and the second section can have a second type of the first aesthetic characteristic that is different from the first type.

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.

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.

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.