Tufting machine with needle bar motor
AssigneeSpencer Wright Industries, Inc.
InventorAnthony R. Pratt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tufting machine has a reciprocating needle bar which may be shifted laterally by a drive which includes at least one linear motor. Each linear motor has two major elements which may be coupled together electromagnetically. One of the elements is connected to a fixed portion of the tufting machine and another of the elements is connected to the needle bar. When electrical power is supplied to the motor, the element connected to the needle bar moves relatively to the other thereby moving the needle bar.
Claims14
A tufting machine comprising a housing, a needle bar mounted for reciprocation vertically in the housing, said needle bar carrying a plurality of needles driven vertically towards and away from a web of backing material fed through the machine beneath the needle bar, and at least one electric linear motor for moving the needle bar in a lateral direction across the width of the web, said at least one linear electric motor comprising a first part connected to the housing, a second part electromagnetically coupled with respect to the first part and connected to the needle bar, and a power source for supplying electric power to provide an electromagnetic force to drive the first and second parts relatively to one another in the lateral direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.