Tufting machine and method of tufting

A tufting machine, comprising:

• at least one needle bar having a plurality of needles mounted therealong, the at least one needle bar moving in a reciprocating motion so as to move the plurality of needles into and out of a backing passing therebelow;
• at least one yarn feed mechanism feeding yarns to the needles;
• and
• a gauge part assembly positioned below the backing, the gauge part assembly comprising:
• a plurality of modules, each module including a module body having a passage defined therethrough, and one or more inserts mounted to the module body along the passage defined through the module body;
• a series of gauge parts slidably received within the passages of each of the modules, the gauge parts each having a throat, wherein the gauge parts are carried with their modules in a first direction toward and away from engagement with needles of the tufting machine so as to selectively to pick up loops of yarns from the needles along the throats of the gauge parts, and are selectively movable in a second direction through the passages of their modules;
• and
• a drive system, comprising:
• a plurality of actuators coupled to the gauge parts;
• and
• a series of connector assemblies configured to connect the gauge parts to the actuators, each of the connector assemblies including a connector engaging a portion of a gauge part, and at least one linkage coupled to each connector and an actuator;
• and
• a control system including programming for controlling the at least one yarn feed mechanism to control feeding of the yarns to the needles in coordination with control of actuation of one or more actuators to cause retraction or extension of the linkages coupled thereto so as to move selected ones of the gauge parts between at least one extended position for engaging and picking loops of yarns from the needles and a retracted position to substantially avoid picking loops of yarns from the needles for selectively forming tufts of yarns in the backing according to a pattern being formed;
• wherein the actuators comprise motors, each having a drive member coupled thereto and to a linkage connected to a corresponding gauge part;
• wherein the linkage is adapted to translate a rotary motion of the drive member by its motor to a linear motion for moving the corresponding gauge part in the second direction;
• and
• wherein the linkages comprise cables, rods, arms, wires, belts, or combinations thereof.

A tufting machine for forming tufts of yarns in a backing, comprising:

• at least one needle bar having a plurality of needles mounted therealong;
• at least one yarn feed mechanism feeding the yarns to the needles;
• a plurality of gauge parts located below the backing, at least some of the gauge parts being moveable in a first direction toward the needles and in a second direction substantially parallel to a stroke of the needles;
• a drive system coupled to the gauge parts in their second direction and comprising:
• a plurality of actuators;
• and
• connector assemblies connecting the gauge parts to the actuators, each of the connector assemblies including a connector configured to connect to each gauge part and linked to at least one actuator, and one or more biasing members adjacent each connector, each biasing member configured to apply a biasing force against at least one connector;
• and
• a control system including programming for controlling the at least one yarn feed mechanism to control feeding of the yarns to the needles in coordination with actuation of one or more of selected actuators so as to move selected gauge parts associated therewith along the second direction between a no-sew position and at least one extended position with respect to the stroke of the needles into the backing for engaging the needles and forming tufts of yarns in the backing according to a pattern being formed;
• wherein actuation of the one or more selected actuators causes the connector linked thereto to move the selected gauge parts toward a retracted position and against the biasing force applied thereto by the one or more biasing members;
• and upon deactivation of the one or more selected actuators, the one or more biasing members urge the selected gauge parts toward their at least one extended position.

A method of forming tufts of yarns in a backing, the method comprising:

• moving a backing along a path of travel through a tufting machine;
• feeding different color or type yarns to a plurality of needles as the needles are reciprocated into the backing for presentation of the yarns for pick-up by a plurality of loopers or hooks;
• reciprocating the plurality of loopers or hooks toward the needles as the needles are reciprocated into the backing;
• locating at least some of the plurality of loopers or hooks at retracted or extended positions so as to avoid picking up loops of yarns from the needles, or for picking up loops of yarns having one or more selected lengths for forming tufts of one or more pile heights;
• at each stitch location where loops of the yarns presented are not to be picked-up from one or more selected needles by one or more loopers or hooks, moving the one or more loopers or hooks to a retracted position sufficient to avoid pick-up of a loop of yarn from the selected needle, and controlling the feeding of such yarns so as to pull back such yarns with their selected needles;
• and
• at each stitch location where loops of the yarns are presented are to be picked up by a looper or hook of the plurality of loopers or hooks, controlling the feeding of the picked-up loops of yarns to be retained at each stitch location;
• wherein locating at least some of the plurality of loopers or hooks comprises controlling one or more selected actuators to incrementally retract connectors positioned between the one or more selected actuators and selected loopers or hooks in a first direction sufficient to overcome a biasing force applied against the connectors by a biasing member to move the selected loopers or hooks between a fully extended position, through one or more intermediate incremental positions and a fully retracted, no-sew position, or allowing the biasing force to urge the connectors in a second direction opposite the first direction to extend the selected loopers or hooks between their fully retracted, no-sew position, through the one or more intermediate incremental positions, and to their fully extended position as needed.

A method of forming tufted patterned articles, comprising:

• feeding a backing material along a path of travel;
• reciprocating a series of needles into and out of the backing material;
• as the needles are reciprocated into and out of the backing material, controlling feeding a plurality of yarns to the needles and reciprocating a series of gauge parts arranged below the backing material in a first direction toward and away from engagement with the needles for picking loops of yarns from the needles with at least some of the gauge parts;
• moving selected ones of the gauge parts in a second direction substantially normal to the first direction between a no-sew position wherein a loop of yarn is not picked up and a plurality of extended positions with respect to a stroke or penetration depth of the needles to locate the gauge parts at desired elevations with respect to the needles for picking up one or more varying length of loops of selected yarns;
• and
• controlling the feeding of each of the selected yarns picked from the needles by the gauge parts for selectively forming varying pile height tufts in accordance with the pattern for forming the tufts of the selected yarns of the varying pile heights in the backing material;
• controlling feeding of non-selected yarns so as pull the non-selected yarns out of the backing material or sufficiently low to hold the non-selected yarns against the backing material when a loop of a non-selected yarn is not picked up by one of the gauge parts;
• and
• wherein moving selected ones of the gauge parts in their second direction comprises controlling one or more selected actuators to incrementally retract or extend the selected ones of the gauge parts between a fully extended position, through one or more intermediate incremental positions, and a fully retracted, no-sew position.