US RE37,108 E1 · Tufting machine with self-aligning gauging modules

Abstract

Symmetrical, modular blocks each having a plurality of fixed, equally spaced, gauging elements, namely loopers, needles, and reeds protruding therefrom, the blocks are positioned on the sides of the guide bars of a tufting machine, each guide bar having transverse channels at equally spaced intervals. These channels respectively receive guide bars of the blocks when the blocks are removably positioned on the sides of the guide bar. Bolts or screws secure the blocks in place on their guide bars so that their needles, loopers, and reeds are appropriately gauged and positioned for tufting action, protruding toward the tufting zone.

Claims52

Dependent claims

A gauging module assembly for being selectively received over at least one recess of a plurality of equally spaced sidewise opening channel shaped recesses along defined in a side surface of a gauge bar of a tufting machine, said gauge bar also defining detent receiving holes within said side surface, said gauging module assembly comprising:

(a) a modular block having a front surface, a pair of side surfaces opposed to each other, and a rear surface opposite to said front surface, said modular block defining a hole therein;
(b) a plurality of equally spaced, parallel, tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular block, each of said tufting machine gauging elements having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of each of said gauging elements being embedded in a fixed, retained, condition in said modular block, said elements protruding in transverse parallel alignment with each other, from said block;
(c) an at least one elongated tab fixed on the rear surface of said modular block for being received sidewise in any one of said spaced recesses in said in at least one of the recesses of the spaced recesses defined in the side surface of the gauge bar on said tufting machine, when said modular block is positioned with its rear surface against said side surface of said gauge bar, said at least one tab centering said modular block on said gauge bar when said at least one tab is received in at least one of the recesses said spaced recesses;
and
(d) a detent for securing said modular block to said gauge bar, said modular block when attached to said gauge bar, being adapted to hold said spaced gauging elements in a fixed position protruding toward a tufting zone of said tufting machine with said distal ends of said spaced elements being in said tufting zone, said detent also urging said modular block toward said said gauging block gauge bar and said at least one tab into at least one of said recesses as said detent is passed into said hole in said modular block and received into one of said detent receiving holes, said modular block being held in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar when said elongated tab is received in at least one of the recesses of said spaced recesses and said detent is received in said one of said detent receiving holes.

2 more elements

A In a tufting machine of the type in which a reciprocating looper gauge bar moves toward and away from a tufting zone as needles of the tufting machine are reciprocated toward and away from the tufting zone for inserting yarns through a backing material, the improvement comprising:

(a) said looper gauge bar having a prescribed length and a flat side and being provided with defined on the looper gauge bar, said flat side defining a plurality of equally spaced, parallel, sidewise opening, recesses along said flat side and also defining a plurality of spaced detent receiving holes therein;
(b) a plurality of symmetrical, substantially identical, modular mounting blocks mounted side by side on said flat side of said looper gauge bar, each of said modular mounting blocks defining a hole therein;
(c) a plurality of equally spaced loopers carried by each of said modular mounting blocks, said loopers being imbedded embedded in each of said modular mounting blocks so that each said modular mounting block retains the loopers in a spaced, parallel relationship with respect to one another according to the a predetermined gauge of the tufting machine, each of said modular blocks mounting block being provided with a tab which is received sidewise within one of said recesses that block is for being received sidewise within one of said spaced recesses when that block is defined in said flat side of the looper gauge bar when said modular mounting blocks are moved toward said looper gauge bar;
and
(d) a detent means individual to for each of said modular mounting blocks for removably securing that modular mounting block against the flat side of said looper gauge bar in a fixed position with respect to the other modular mounting blocks carried by said looper gauge bar as each said detent is passed into said hole in said modular mounting block and into said detent receiving hole, said detent means urging said tab into one of said spaced recesses and also urging said modular mounting block against said flat side of said looper gauge bar to hold said modular mounting block in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said looper gauge bar.

2 more elements

Process A process of producing a tufting machine, the tufting machine having a tufting zone therein, said process comprising the steps of:

(a) producing forming a plurality of equally spaced, parallel, transverse, sidewise opening, straight recesses across one side portion of an elongated gauge bar of the tufting machine, each of said recesses having equally spaced parallel centerlines, and forming a plurality of detent receiving holes within said side of said gauge bar;
(b) installing said gauge bar transversely of the tufting machine so that said centerlines of said recesses extend toward the tufting zone of the tufting machine;
(c) producing a plurality of substantially identical modular block assemblies blocks, wherein each said modular block assembly has opposed parallel side surfaces, a bottom portion surface, and a rear surface, and so that the width between said side surfaces is approximately equal to the width between the centerline of adjacent recesses in said gauge bar and defines a hole therein;
(d) permanently embedding spaced gauging elements by their proximal end portions in each of said modular blocks has the same number of equally spaced, parallel gauging elements , in parallel relationship to said side surfaces and so that the gauging elements protrude from the respective bottom portions surfaces of said modular blocks and so that the outermost gauging elements of each of said modular blocks are respectively spaced inwardly of said parallel side surfaces of each modular blocks by a distance equal to approximately one-half the distance between centerlines of said gauging elements;
(e) producing, forming on the rear surface of each of said modular blocks, an elongated straight non-circular tabs, each of tab, which is equally spaced from said side surfaces and is approximately the width of one of said recesses;
and
(f) securing said modular blocks side-by-side on said side portion of said gauge bar and with by passing a detent associated with each said modular block into each said respective hole in each said respective modular block and into one of said detent receiving holes so that the respective tabs of said modular blocks are received respectively in said recesses and to secure each said respective modular block to said gauge bar in a vertically nonadjustable position so that all of said gauging elements extend toward the tufting zone of said tufting machine for , thereby spacing all of said gauging elements from their adjacent gauging elements by substantially the same amount.

4 more elements

A In a tufting machine of the type having a tufting zone and a gauging assembly, the improvement comprising:

(a) a gauge bar having a fast side surface and a second side surface, said gauge bar being provided with a plurality of equally spaced, straight, transverse, channel shaped, outwardly opening parallel, recesses, and said gauge bar defining detent receiving holes across at least a portion of said first side surface of said gauge bar, said recesses each opening sidewise along said second first side surface, said recesses each being defined by a pair of opposed parallel sides;
(b) a plurality of generally rectangular modular blocks each having a flat rear surface for being received against said first side surface of said gauge bar, each of said modular blocks defining a hole therein;
(c) an alignment member secured to each of said modular blocks, said alignment member including:
(i) a at least one tab conforming to the shape of said opposed sides and protruding from each of said modular blocks, said tab sized and shaped for being received therebetween within at least one of the spaced recesses when that the respective ones of said modular block blocks containing said alignment member is are received against said first side surface;
and
(ii) a stop protruding from each of said modular blocks for engaging said second side surface and arresting movement of that modular block;
(d) a plurality of equally spaced parallel gauging elements protruding from said modular block toward said tufting zone;
and
(e) a detent passing into the respective hole in each said modular block and into a detent receiving hole defined in the side surface of the gauge bar for removably securing each respective one of said modular blocks against said gauge bar and simultaneously urging the at least one tab of each of said modular blocks into at least one of said recesses when said at least one tab is received in a respective one of said recess recesses and said stop engages the second side surface wherein each said modular block is secured in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

6 more elements

A gauging module assembly for a tufting machine having an elongated gauge bar defining a substantially flat side extending along at least a portion of the length of the gauge bar, spaced recesses defined within the side of the gauge bar and extending at least partially along the length thereof and detent receiving holes defined within the side of the gauge bar, said gauging module assembly comprising:

a plurality of modular mounting blocks for being received on the side of the gauge bar, each said modular mounting block defining a hole therein and having:
(i) a rear surface;
(ii) spaced tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular mounting block, each said gauging element having a proximal end and a spaced distal end, the proximal ends of said gauging elements being embedded in said modular mounting block so that the distal ends of said gauging elements extend away from the modular mounting block;
and
(iii) at least one tab on said rear surface, said at least one tab being sized and shape to be received within at least one of the recesses of said spaced recesses;
wherein each of said modular mounting blocks is constructed ad arranged to be mounted on the gauge bar, respectively, so that the respective rear surfaces of each of said modular mounting blocks are received flatly against the side of the gauge bar as said at least one tab of each said modular mounting block, respectively, is moved sidewise into one of the recesses of said spaced recesses defined within the side of the gauge bar;
and
a detent associated with each said modular mounting block and passing into said respective hole in each said modular mounting block and into a detent receiving hole of sad gauge bar for urging each said associated modular muting block toward said gauge bar and said tab into at least one of said recesses and for removably securing each said associated modular mounting block to said gauge bar in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

5 more elements

a plurality of modular mounting blocks for being received on the side of the gauge bar, each said modular mounting block defining a hole therein and having:
(i) a rear surface;
(ii) spaced parallel tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular mounting block, each said gauging element having a proximal end and a spaced distal end, the proximal ends of said gauging elements being embedded in said modular mounting block so that the distal ends of said gauging elements extend away from the modular mounting block;
(iii) at least one tab on said rear surface;
and
a detent individual to each of said modular mounting blocks for removably securing said modular mounting blocks, respectively, to said gauge bar, each said detent being constructed and arranged to urge the at least one tab of the respective modular mounting blocks sidewise into respective ones of the recesses of said spaced recesses while also urging the rear surface of the modular mounting block against the side of the gauge bar, said detent being received within said hole in an associated one of said modular mounting blocks and within a detent receiving hole of said gauge bar for removably securing said respective modular mounting block to said gauge bar in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

3 more elements

A gauge module assembly for use on a tufting machine having an elongated gauge bar defining a substantially flat side extending along at least a portion of the length of the gauge bar, spaced recesses defined within the side of the gauge bar and extending at least partially along the length thereof and detent receiving holes defined within the side of the gauge bar, said gauging module assembly comprising:

a plurality of modular mounting blocks for being received on the side of the gauge bar, each said modular mounting block defining a hole therein and having:
(i) a rear surface, and a pair of opposed side surfaces extending from said rear surface;
(ii) spaced tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular mounting block, each said gauging element having a proximal end and a spaced distal end, the proximal ends of said gauging elements being embedded in said modular mounting block so that the distal ends of said gauging elements extend away from the modular mounting block;
(iii) at least one tab on said rear surface, said at least one tab being sized and shaped to be received within at least one of the recesses of said spaced recesses;
wherein each respective one of said modular mounting blocks is constructed and arranged to be mounted on said gauge bar by placing the rear surface of said modular mounting block on the side of the gauge bar and moving said at least one tab sidewise into at least one of the recesses of said spaced recesses;
and wherein said modular mounting blocks are received on the side of said gauge bar in a side-by-side relationship in which the side surfaces of each said modular mounting block are adjacent to the side surfaces of adjacent ones of said modular mounting blocks;
and a detent individual to each of said modular mounting blocks for removably securing said modular mounting blocks, respectively, to said gauge bar by passing sad detent into said hole in said modular mounting block and into a detent receiving hole of said gauge bar, said detent for each said modular mounting block being constructed and arranged to urge the at least one tab of the modular mounting block into one of the recesses of said spaced recesses while also urging the rear surface of the modular mounting block against the side of the gauge bar wherein said modular mounting block is held in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

4 more elements

A gauging module assembly for use on a tufting machine having an elongated gauge bar, said gauge bar defining a substantially flat side extending along at least a portion of the length of said gauge bar and defining detent receiving holes within the side of the gauge bar, said gauging module assembly comprising:

(a) a plurality of modular mounting blocks for being received on the side of the gauge bar, each said modular mounting block defining a hole therein and having a rear surface and a plurality of spaced tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular mounting block, each said gauging element having a proximal end and a space distal end, the proximal ends of said gauging elements being embedded in said modular mounting block so that the distal ends of said gauging elements extend away from the modular mounting block;
(b) a plurality of spaced first mounts extending at least partially along the side of said gauge bar;
(c) a second mount on the rear surface of each said modular mounting block, each said second mount being constructed and arranged to be operably engaged with at least one of said first mounts for positioning said modular mounting blocks on said gauge bar;
and
(d) a detent individual to each of said modular mounting blocks, the detent of each respective one of said modular mounting blocks being constructed and arranged to urge the rear surface of the modular mounting block sidewise against the side of the gauge bar and to simultaneously urge the respective ones of the first mounts and the second mounts into engagement with one another as said respective detent is passed into sad respective hole of each respective said modular mounting block and into a detent receiving hole in said gauge bar, wherein said modular mounting block is held in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Abstract

Claims52

Dependent claims

(a) a modular block having a front surface, a pair of side surfaces opposed to each other, and a rear surface opposite to said front surface, said modular block defining a hole therein;
(b) a plurality of equally spaced, parallel, tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular block, each of said tufting machine gauging elements having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of each of said gauging elements being embedded in a fixed, retained, condition in said modular block, said elements protruding in transverse parallel alignment with each other, from said block;
(c) an at least one elongated tab fixed on the rear surface of said modular block for being received sidewise in any one of said spaced recesses in said in at least one of the recesses of the spaced recesses defined in the side surface of the gauge bar on said tufting machine, when said modular block is positioned with its rear surface against said side surface of said gauge bar, said at least one tab centering said modular block on said gauge bar when said at least one tab is received in at least one of the recesses said spaced recesses;
and
(d) a detent for securing said modular block to said gauge bar, said modular block when attached to said gauge bar, being adapted to hold said spaced gauging elements in a fixed position protruding toward a tufting zone of said tufting machine with said distal ends of said spaced elements being in said tufting zone, said detent also urging said modular block toward said said gauging block gauge bar and said at least one tab into at least one of said recesses as said detent is passed into said hole in said modular block and received into one of said detent receiving holes, said modular block being held in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar when said elongated tab is received in at least one of the recesses of said spaced recesses and said detent is received in said one of said detent receiving holes.

2 more elements

(a) said looper gauge bar having a prescribed length and a flat side and being provided with defined on the looper gauge bar, said flat side defining a plurality of equally spaced, parallel, sidewise opening, recesses along said flat side and also defining a plurality of spaced detent receiving holes therein;
(b) a plurality of symmetrical, substantially identical, modular mounting blocks mounted side by side on said flat side of said looper gauge bar, each of said modular mounting blocks defining a hole therein;
(c) a plurality of equally spaced loopers carried by each of said modular mounting blocks, said loopers being imbedded embedded in each of said modular mounting blocks so that each said modular mounting block retains the loopers in a spaced, parallel relationship with respect to one another according to the a predetermined gauge of the tufting machine, each of said modular blocks mounting block being provided with a tab which is received sidewise within one of said recesses that block is for being received sidewise within one of said spaced recesses when that block is defined in said flat side of the looper gauge bar when said modular mounting blocks are moved toward said looper gauge bar;
and
(d) a detent means individual to for each of said modular mounting blocks for removably securing that modular mounting block against the flat side of said looper gauge bar in a fixed position with respect to the other modular mounting blocks carried by said looper gauge bar as each said detent is passed into said hole in said modular mounting block and into said detent receiving hole, said detent means urging said tab into one of said spaced recesses and also urging said modular mounting block against said flat side of said looper gauge bar to hold said modular mounting block in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said looper gauge bar.

2 more elements

Process A process of producing a tufting machine, the tufting machine having a tufting zone therein, said process comprising the steps of:

(a) producing forming a plurality of equally spaced, parallel, transverse, sidewise opening, straight recesses across one side portion of an elongated gauge bar of the tufting machine, each of said recesses having equally spaced parallel centerlines, and forming a plurality of detent receiving holes within said side of said gauge bar;
(b) installing said gauge bar transversely of the tufting machine so that said centerlines of said recesses extend toward the tufting zone of the tufting machine;
(c) producing a plurality of substantially identical modular block assemblies blocks, wherein each said modular block assembly has opposed parallel side surfaces, a bottom portion surface, and a rear surface, and so that the width between said side surfaces is approximately equal to the width between the centerline of adjacent recesses in said gauge bar and defines a hole therein;
(d) permanently embedding spaced gauging elements by their proximal end portions in each of said modular blocks has the same number of equally spaced, parallel gauging elements , in parallel relationship to said side surfaces and so that the gauging elements protrude from the respective bottom portions surfaces of said modular blocks and so that the outermost gauging elements of each of said modular blocks are respectively spaced inwardly of said parallel side surfaces of each modular blocks by a distance equal to approximately one-half the distance between centerlines of said gauging elements;
(e) producing, forming on the rear surface of each of said modular blocks, an elongated straight non-circular tabs, each of tab, which is equally spaced from said side surfaces and is approximately the width of one of said recesses;
and
(f) securing said modular blocks side-by-side on said side portion of said gauge bar and with by passing a detent associated with each said modular block into each said respective hole in each said respective modular block and into one of said detent receiving holes so that the respective tabs of said modular blocks are received respectively in said recesses and to secure each said respective modular block to said gauge bar in a vertically nonadjustable position so that all of said gauging elements extend toward the tufting zone of said tufting machine for , thereby spacing all of said gauging elements from their adjacent gauging elements by substantially the same amount.

4 more elements

A In a tufting machine of the type having a tufting zone and a gauging assembly, the improvement comprising:

(a) a gauge bar having a fast side surface and a second side surface, said gauge bar being provided with a plurality of equally spaced, straight, transverse, channel shaped, outwardly opening parallel, recesses, and said gauge bar defining detent receiving holes across at least a portion of said first side surface of said gauge bar, said recesses each opening sidewise along said second first side surface, said recesses each being defined by a pair of opposed parallel sides;
(b) a plurality of generally rectangular modular blocks each having a flat rear surface for being received against said first side surface of said gauge bar, each of said modular blocks defining a hole therein;
(c) an alignment member secured to each of said modular blocks, said alignment member including:
(i) a at least one tab conforming to the shape of said opposed sides and protruding from each of said modular blocks, said tab sized and shaped for being received therebetween within at least one of the spaced recesses when that the respective ones of said modular block blocks containing said alignment member is are received against said first side surface;
and
(ii) a stop protruding from each of said modular blocks for engaging said second side surface and arresting movement of that modular block;
(d) a plurality of equally spaced parallel gauging elements protruding from said modular block toward said tufting zone;
and
(e) a detent passing into the respective hole in each said modular block and into a detent receiving hole defined in the side surface of the gauge bar for removably securing each respective one of said modular blocks against said gauge bar and simultaneously urging the at least one tab of each of said modular blocks into at least one of said recesses when said at least one tab is received in a respective one of said recess recesses and said stop engages the second side surface wherein each said modular block is secured in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

6 more elements

a plurality of modular mounting blocks for being received on the side of the gauge bar, each said modular mounting block defining a hole therein and having:
(i) a rear surface;
(ii) spaced tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular mounting block, each said gauging element having a proximal end and a spaced distal end, the proximal ends of said gauging elements being embedded in said modular mounting block so that the distal ends of said gauging elements extend away from the modular mounting block;
and
(iii) at least one tab on said rear surface, said at least one tab being sized and shape to be received within at least one of the recesses of said spaced recesses;
wherein each of said modular mounting blocks is constructed ad arranged to be mounted on the gauge bar, respectively, so that the respective rear surfaces of each of said modular mounting blocks are received flatly against the side of the gauge bar as said at least one tab of each said modular mounting block, respectively, is moved sidewise into one of the recesses of said spaced recesses defined within the side of the gauge bar;
and
a detent associated with each said modular mounting block and passing into said respective hole in each said modular mounting block and into a detent receiving hole of sad gauge bar for urging each said associated modular muting block toward said gauge bar and said tab into at least one of said recesses and for removably securing each said associated modular mounting block to said gauge bar in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

5 more elements

a plurality of modular mounting blocks for being received on the side of the gauge bar, each said modular mounting block defining a hole therein and having:
(i) a rear surface;
(ii) spaced parallel tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular mounting block, each said gauging element having a proximal end and a spaced distal end, the proximal ends of said gauging elements being embedded in said modular mounting block so that the distal ends of said gauging elements extend away from the modular mounting block;
(iii) at least one tab on said rear surface;
and
a detent individual to each of said modular mounting blocks for removably securing said modular mounting blocks, respectively, to said gauge bar, each said detent being constructed and arranged to urge the at least one tab of the respective modular mounting blocks sidewise into respective ones of the recesses of said spaced recesses while also urging the rear surface of the modular mounting block against the side of the gauge bar, said detent being received within said hole in an associated one of said modular mounting blocks and within a detent receiving hole of said gauge bar for removably securing said respective modular mounting block to said gauge bar in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

3 more elements

a plurality of modular mounting blocks for being received on the side of the gauge bar, each said modular mounting block defining a hole therein and having:
(i) a rear surface, and a pair of opposed side surfaces extending from said rear surface;
(ii) spaced tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular mounting block, each said gauging element having a proximal end and a spaced distal end, the proximal ends of said gauging elements being embedded in said modular mounting block so that the distal ends of said gauging elements extend away from the modular mounting block;
(iii) at least one tab on said rear surface, said at least one tab being sized and shaped to be received within at least one of the recesses of said spaced recesses;
wherein each respective one of said modular mounting blocks is constructed and arranged to be mounted on said gauge bar by placing the rear surface of said modular mounting block on the side of the gauge bar and moving said at least one tab sidewise into at least one of the recesses of said spaced recesses;
and wherein said modular mounting blocks are received on the side of said gauge bar in a side-by-side relationship in which the side surfaces of each said modular mounting block are adjacent to the side surfaces of adjacent ones of said modular mounting blocks;
and a detent individual to each of said modular mounting blocks for removably securing said modular mounting blocks, respectively, to said gauge bar by passing sad detent into said hole in said modular mounting block and into a detent receiving hole of said gauge bar, said detent for each said modular mounting block being constructed and arranged to urge the at least one tab of the modular mounting block into one of the recesses of said spaced recesses while also urging the rear surface of the modular mounting block against the side of the gauge bar wherein said modular mounting block is held in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

4 more elements

(a) a plurality of modular mounting blocks for being received on the side of the gauge bar, each said modular mounting block defining a hole therein and having a rear surface and a plurality of spaced tufting machine gauging elements protruding from said modular mounting block, each said gauging element having a proximal end and a space distal end, the proximal ends of said gauging elements being embedded in said modular mounting block so that the distal ends of said gauging elements extend away from the modular mounting block;
(b) a plurality of spaced first mounts extending at least partially along the side of said gauge bar;
(c) a second mount on the rear surface of each said modular mounting block, each said second mount being constructed and arranged to be operably engaged with at least one of said first mounts for positioning said modular mounting blocks on said gauge bar;
and
(d) a detent individual to each of said modular mounting blocks, the detent of each respective one of said modular mounting blocks being constructed and arranged to urge the rear surface of the modular mounting block sidewise against the side of the gauge bar and to simultaneously urge the respective ones of the first mounts and the second mounts into engagement with one another as said respective detent is passed into sad respective hole of each respective said modular mounting block and into a detent receiving hole in said gauge bar, wherein said modular mounting block is held in a vertically nonadjustable position with respect to said gauge bar.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tufting machine with self-aligning gauging modules

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims52

Tufting machine with self-aligning gauging modules

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims52