System and method for control of the backing feed for a tufting machine

Abstract

A method of controlling the feeding of the backing material moving through a tufting machine in order to produce tufted articles such as carpets having a woven look or appearance. The backing material is indexed forwardly along its path of travel through the tufting machine by at least the stitch length for each stitch in a stitch cycle of the programmed pattern. At a desired point in the stitch cycle, the backing material can be indexed forwardly by a greater distance approximately equal to the program stitch length and a calculated jump distance to achieve a desired pattern effect.

1 . A patterned tufted article, comprising:
 a backing material in which the pattern is formed;   a first series of yarns inserted into the backing material at a first stitch length;   a second series of yarns inserted into the backing material downstream from the first series of yarns at a second stitch length;   wherein the second stitch length corresponds to the first stitch length adjusted by an additional amount of backing material movement as needed according to a programmed pattern for the tufted article.   
   
   
       2 . The tufted article of  claim 1  and wherein the second stitch is substantially equivalent to the first stitch length and the additional amount of backing material movement is approximately 0.0 inches. 
   
   
       3 . The tufted article of  claim 1  and wherein the first and second stitch lengths comprise a pattern cycle, and wherein a total stitch length for the pattern cycle is approximately equivalent to a stagger between spaced needles inserting the first and second yarns into the backing material. 
   
   
       4 . The tufted article of  claim 3  and wherein the pattern cycle comprises at least 2 stitches per pattern cycle. 
   
   
       5 . The tufted article of  claim 4  and wherein the additional amount of backing material movement comprises a distance up to approximately the stagger between the needles less at least the first stitch length. 
   
   
       6 . The tufted article of  claim 1  and wherein the first and second yarns are inserted into the backing material in laterally extending, alternating tuft rows of first and second yarns. 
   
   
       7 . The tufted article of  claim 1  and wherein the first and second stitch lengths each comprise at least approximately 0.050 inches-0.075 inches. 
   
   
       8 . The tufted article of  claim 1  and wherein at least a portion of the second yarns are shifted laterally with respect to the first yarns during formation of the programmed pattern. 
   
   
       9 . A patterned tufted article having a woven appearance, formed according to the method comprising:
 (a) feeding a backing material along a path of travel through the tufting machine;   (b) engaging the backing material with a series of needles inserting tufts of yarn into the backing material to form a series of pattern stitches in the backing material;   (c) determining a desired distance of movement of the backing material between formation of successive stitches in the patterned article, including determining whether a next successive stitch requires an additional advancement of the backing material in excess of a programmed stitch length and, if so, calculating an amount of the additional advancement required for movement of the backing material; and   (d) controlling a rate of movement of the backing material and indexing the backing material by the determined desired distance of movement.   
   
   
       10 . The patterned tufted article of  claim 9  and wherein selected ones of the successive stitches of the patterned article are shifted laterally. 
   
   
       11 . The patterned tufted article of  claim 9  and further comprising at least two consecutive longitudinally aligned rows of tufts formed with a first row of laterally spaced needles and a second row of laterally spaced needles during a pattern cycle. 
   
   
       12 . The patterned tufted article of  claim 9  and further comprising at least one row of tufts of a first row of yarns alternated with at least one row of tufts of a second row of yarns to form intermixed pattern effects. 
   
   
       13 . The patterned tufted article of  claim 9  and wherein the stitches of the patterned tufted article are formed in a series of pattern cycles, each pattern cycle comprising at least two stitches. 
   
   
       14 . The patterned tufted article of  claim 13  and wherein each pattern cycle comprises a total stitch length approximately equal to a stagger between the needles. 
   
   
       15 . A patterned, tufted article comprising:
 a backing in which a tufted pattern is formed during a series of stitch cycles;   a first grouping of yarns inserted into the backing at a predetermined stitch length for a current stitch cycle;   a second grouping of yarns inserted substantially in line with the first grouping of yarns into the backing at an interval corresponding to the predetermined stitch length for the current stitch cycle, plus a calculated jump distance by which the backing has been indexed forwardly to produce the desired tufted pattern.   
   
   
       16 . The patterned, tufted article of  claim 15 , wherein the article has a woven appearance. 
   
   
       17 . The patterned, tufted article of  claim 15 , and wherein the calculated jump distance is approximately equal to zero. 
   
   
       18 . The patterned, tufted article of  claim 15  and wherein the predetermined stitch length for each of the first and second groupings of yarns plus the calculated jump distance for each stitch cycle is approximately equal to a stagger between needles inserting the first and second yarns. 
   
   
       19 . The tufted article of  claim 1  and wherein the first and second groupings of yarns are inserted into the backing material in laterally extending, alternating tuft rows of first and second groupings of yarns. 
   
   
       20 . The tufted article of  claim 1  and wherein the predetermined stitch length comprises approximately 0.050 inches-0.075 inches.