Tufting machine and method for producing design in carpeting and the like

A tufting machine for operating on a fabric backing comprising:

• a plurality of needles each for carrying a pile yarn aligned laterally relative to one side of said fabric backing with a regular gauge between adjacent needles,
• a plurality of loopers aligned laterally relative to the other side of the fabric backing with the same gauge between adjacent loopers as said regular gauge of the needles,
• needle select means for selecting certain of said needles at every needle stroke cycle and for inserting said selected needles into the backing fabric,
• pattern control means for providing a signal for actuating said needle select means to select the needles to be inserted during each of said needle stroke cycles,
• feed means for intermittently and longitudinally feeding said backing fabric in a stop and feed manner wherein said backing fabric remains stationary in the longitudinal direction during a stopping period which is at least one needle stroke cycle in duration and can be fed during a succeeding feeding period, and
• shift means for aligning selected ones of said needles each with any one of an associated plurality of said loopers by lateral shifting of said needles relative to both said backing fabric and said loopers by a distance equal to an integral number n, where n is equal to or greater than 1, of the regular needle gauge for every needle stroke cycle while said backing fabric remains stationary in the longitudinal direction,
• said pattern control means providing said needle select means with a signal so that any one of said needles may be selected, inserted and the pile yarn carried thereby brought into tufting engagement with a corresponding one of the loopers disposed in alignment under said inserted needles to enable said one of the loopers to seize only one loop of pile yarn during at any one needle stroke cycle for each stopping period of a stop and feed motion of said intermittent feed means.