System and method for tufting sculptured and multiple pile height patterned articles

A method of forming a tufted article, comprising:

• moving a backing material along a backing support with at least a portion of the backing material guided over the backing support in an elevated position;
• reciprocating a series of needles carrying a plurality of yarns into and out of the backing material;
• picking loops of yarns from the needles with a series of gauge parts located below the backing material;
• controlling feeding of selected yarns so as to create tension in the selected yarns;
• controlling the tension in the selected yarns sufficient to overcome a resiliency of the backing support over which the backing material is moved;
• and
• as the tension in the selected yarns is increased, drawing at least a portion of the backing material downwardly toward a lowered position to form the tufted article with selected pattern effects.

A method of tufting to form a patterned tufted article having a desired pattern stitch rate, comprising:

• threading a series of needles with different color or type yarns in a selected sequence;
• moving a backing material through a tufting zone at an actual stitch rate that is at least two times the desired pattern stitch rate for the patterned tufted article;
• as the backing material moves through the tufting zone, directing at least a portion of the backing material toward an elevated position;
• shifting at least a portion of the needles across the backing material sufficient to present a series of different color or type yarns to a series of stitch locations in the backing material;
• picking loops of yarns from the needles with a series of gauge parts;
• controlling feeding of the series of different color or type yarns presented to selected ones of the stitch locations, and retaining at least one desired yarn of the series of different color or type of yarns presented at each of the selected ones of the stitch locations so as to form tufts of the desired yarns at the selected ones of the stitch, with remaining ones of the series of yarns presented at the selected stitch locations being at least partially removed from the backing material;
• and
• tensioning one or more of the yarns retained at one or more of the selected stitch locations sufficient to draw at least a portion of the backing material from its elevated position toward a lowered position to form selected pattern effects of the patterned tufted article.

A tufting machine, comprising:

• a yarn feed mechanism feeding a plurality of yarns to a series of needles, the needles moving in a reciprocal motion into and out of a backing material;
• backing feed rolls feeding a backing material along a path of travel below the needles and over a backing support wherein at least a portion of the backing material is directed toward a raised position;
• a series of gauge parts arranged below the path of travel of the backing material and configured to pick up loops of yarns from the needles;
• and
• a control system including programming for controlling the backing feed rolls and for controlling feeding of the yarns to the needles by the yarn feed mechanism for presenting a series of yarns to stitch locations along the backing material and retaining selected yarns of the series of yarns presented to form tufts of yarns in the backing material;
• wherein at least some of the gauge parts comprise level cut loop loopers, each having a body comprising a shank and a throat having a bottom edge spaced at least approximately 0.10″ above the shank, and a clip moveable along the body between extended and retracted positions.