Tufting machine head shaker
AssigneeTuftco Corporation
InventorsMichael R. Morgante, Paul E. Beatty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An antivibratory system is provided by means of a servo motor driven shaker affixed to the head or bed frame of a tufting machine and programmed for rotation of a balancing weight to minimize vibration caused by operation of tufting machine at a particular speeds and needle stroke lengths.
Claims20
In a tufting machine of the type having a plurality of reciprocally driven needles by communication with a main drive shaft in the head of the tufting machine, a vibration damping shaker assembly on the tufting machine comprising a motion sensing device communicating information to a controller so that the controller can determine the position of the main drive shaft, and wherein the controller directs the operation of a first servo motor to cause the rotation of a first balancing weight in a fashion that damps the vibration of the tufting machine;
- wherein the first servo motor and first balancing weight are mounted to the bed frame of the tufting machine.
In a tufting machine of the type having a plurality of reciprocally driven needles by communication with a main drive shaft in the head of the tufting machine, a vibration damping shaker assembly on the tufting machine comprising a motion sensing device communicating information to a controller so that the controller can determine the position of the main drive shaft, and wherein the controller directs the operation of a first servo motor to cause the rotation of a first balancing weight in a fashion that damps the vibration of the tufting machine;
- wherein the controller directs the first balancing weight to rotate faster than the main drive shaft and more slowly than the main drive shaft during a cycle of reciprocation of the needles.
In a tufting machine of the type having a plurality of reciprocally driven needles by communication with a main drive shaft in the head of the tufting machine, a vibration damping shaker assembly on the tufting machine comprising a motion sensing device communicating information to a controller so that the controller can determine the position of the main drive shaft, and wherein the controller directs the operation of a first servo motor to cause the rotation of a first balancing weight in a fashion that damps the vibration of the tufting machine;
- wherein the controller directs the operation of a second servo motor to cause the rotation of a second balancing weight.
In a tufting machine of the type having a plurality of reciprocally driven needles by communication with a main drive shaft in the head of the tufting machine, a vibration damping shaker assembly on the tufting machine comprising a motion sensing device communicating information to a controller so that the controller can determine the position of the main drive shaft, and wherein the controller directs the operation of a first servo motor to cause the rotation of a first balancing weight in a fashion that damps the vibration of the tufting machine;
- wherein the controller conveys instructions to a drive controller that dispenses electrical current to the first servo motor to control the rotation of the first balancing weight.
A tufting machine having:
- a main needle drive motor operable to rotate a main drive shaft in a head of the tufting machine to reciprocably drive a plurality of needles;
- a vibration damping shaker assembly having a first servo motor operable to rotate a first balancing weight;
- a controller directing the operation of the first servo motor;
- and
- a motion sensing device communicating information to the controller;
- wherein based upon information from the sensing device, the controller operates the first servo motor in a fashion that causes the rotation of the first balancing weight to damp the vibration of the tufting machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.