Tuft replacement machine and method therefor
OwnerJohn H. Beardeninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sheet of artificial athletic turf bearing a graphic design formed by an arrangement of tufts of different colors of grass-simulating synthetic yarns. The backing substrate element of the turf is, first, thoroughly tufted with at least one background color of yarn and prior to permanently binding those tufts to the backing, some of the tufts are removed from the backing, and the area of the backing surface vacated by their removal is repopulated with tufts of supplemental colors of yarn arranged in the pattern of the graphic design.
Claims20
A machine for selectively removing and replacing yarn tufts from a tufted backing sheet, the machine comprising:
- a tuft removal mechanism that wholly removes inserted yarn tufts from a backing fabric to create a tuft removal footprint;
- a tuft insertion mechanism capable of inserting yarn tufts into the backing within the tuft removal footprint;
- and
- a computer for storing tuft removal and insertion position information and for selectively controlling operation of the removal and insertion mechanisms according thereto.
A machine for selectively removing and replacing yarn tufts from a tufted backing sheet, the machine comprising:
- a tuft removal mechanism that wholly removes yarn tufts from a plurality of replacement positions along a backing fabric;
- a tuft insertion mechanism capable of inserting yarn tufts into the backing at the replacement positions;
- and
- a computer for storing the replacement position information and for selectively controlling operation of the removal and insertion mechanisms in coordination therewith.
A method for removing and replacing inserted yarn tufts from a tufted backing sheet by design, the method comprising:
- attaching the backing to a retaining mechanism;
- removing whole inserted yarn tufts from the backing, according to a predetermined removal footprint, with a removal mechanism;
- and
- tufting yarn into the backing, within the removal footprint and according to a predetermined insertion pattern, with a tufting mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.