US 11,702,782 B2
Tufting machine and method of tufting
Wilton Hall, Ringgold, GA (US); and Ricky E. Mathews, Sale Creek, TN (US)
Assigned to Card-Monroe Corp., Chattanooga, TN (US)
Filed by CARD-MONROE CORP., Chattanooga, TN (US)
Filed on Dec. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/541,572.
Application 17/541,572 is a continuation of application No. 16/515,098, filed on Jul. 18, 2019, granted, now 11,193,225.
Application 16/515,098 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/295,114, filed on Mar. 7, 2019, granted, now 10,995,440, issued on May 4, 2021.
Application 16/295,114 is a continuation of application No. 15/457,036, filed on Mar. 13, 2017, granted, now 10,233,578, issued on Mar. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/309,489, filed on Mar. 17, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0090305 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. D05C 15/30 (2006.01); D05C 15/10 (2006.01); D05C 15/20 (2006.01); D05C 15/22 (2006.01); D05C 15/24 (2006.01); D05C 15/26 (2006.01); D05C 15/34 (2006.01); D05C 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC D05C 15/30 (2013.01) [D05C 11/00 (2013.01); D05C 15/10 (2013.01); D05C 15/20 (2013.01); D05C 15/22 (2013.01); D05C 15/24 (2013.01); D05C 15/26 (2013.01); D05C 15/34 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tufting machine, comprising:
at least one needle bar having a plurality of needles mounted therealong;
backing feed rolls feeding a backing material along a path of travel;
at least one yarn feed mechanism feeding yarns to the needles;
a plurality of gauge parts adjacent the backing material each including a body having a throat;
wherein the gauge parts are movable in one direction toward and away from the needles as the needles are reciprocated into the backing material for pick-up of loops of yarns therefrom, and in an additional direction with respect to the needles between raised and lowered positions; and
a control system including programming for controlling feeding of the yarns to the needles in coordination with movement of selected ones of the gauge parts in the additional direction such that the throats of the gauge parts are moved to their raised or lowered positions with respect to the needles as the needles are reciprocated into the backing material so as to selectively pick-up loops of yarns from the needles.