Sewing – Special machines – Embroidering
Patent
1988-08-08
1989-08-29
Feldbaum, Ronald
Sewing
Special machines
Embroidering
112 8042, 112 805, 112 8055, 112 806, D05C 1506
Patent
active
048606731
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to tufting machines and is concerned with improving the construction and functioning of certain of the mechanisms traditionally employed in such machines.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a tufting machine comprises parallel looper and knife mechanisms independently driven via variable-stroke eccentric mechanisms and timing belt transmission arranged at least at one end of the machine, the looper and knife mechanisms being parallel with a vertically-adjustable, longitudinally-extending jute or cloth bedplate, and the driven parts of said looper and knife mechanisms being longitudinally spaced from an end or the ends of the bedplate whereby the central area of the machine between said driven parts of the mechanisms and the bedplate is free from driving shafts and ancillary driving components to give the operator substantial accessibility for adjustment, maintenance and component replaement purposes.
Preferably the driven mechanism for the looper mechanism comprises a rocker shaft connected by crank arms to support levers which carry the looper mechanism and which oscillate about pivot locations on the ends of support arms supported in bearings on the rocker shaft of the knife mechanism.
Preferably the knife mechanism is directly supported on crank arms connected to its rocker shaft.
The knife mechanism is preferably of modular constuction comprising a plurality of blade carrier modules, each supporting, for example, four side-by-side blades.
Each carrier module preferably has an outwardly-directed bottom flange adapted to be secured to the underside of a knife bar and an upturned hook formation adapted to be engaged and secured by a clamping lug secured to the knife bar.
The looper mechanism preferably comprises a sectioned bar formed with a series of relatively shallow parallel slots in each of which is accommodated a wall section with adjacent wall sections defining relatively deep slots each for accommodating a looper blade.
Preferably the looper blades are locked in the slots by a loose clamping plate screwed to the sectioned looper bar, grub screws in the clamping plate engaging against angled faces of the looper blades.
A carrier bar preferably supports the sectioned looper bar and overlies the looper blades to provide an exact datum location for same.
Preferably, the needle bar of the tufting machine is adapted for reciprocation and connected via a pivotal or flexible linkage system to an eccentric drive adapted to impart the reciprocatory action to the needle bar and to an adjusting mechanism adapted to predetermine the length of stroke of reciprocation of the needle bar, and consequently of needles carried by said needle bar, and adjusting mechanism comprising a gear arrangement operable from one end of the tufting machine and pivotally connected to the linkage system, the gear arrangement being adjustable to bodily move its pivot connection with the linkage system, and consequently the linkage system per se, thereby to adjust the length of stroke of the needle bar.
Such adjustment causes an automatic adjustment of the point of connection between the linkage system and the eccentric drive.
The pivotal or flexible linkage preferably comprises a link pivoted to a push rod of the needle bar and connected to a cross shaft driven by the eccentric drive, and a stroke-adjusting link pivotally connected to the push rod link via a pair of connecting links, the stroke-adjusting link being pivotally connected to a gear quadrant adjustable along an arcuate path by a gearwheel, the gear quadrant having arms pivoted to a fixed location of the tufting machine.
The above arrangement results in the pivoted links being subjected to bodily and pivotal movements upon an arcuate movement of the gear quadrant thereby effecting the aforesaid stroke adjustment.
Preferably the stroke-adjustment mechanism comprises a clamping arrangement to lock it in adjusted position.
The clamping arrangement preferably comprises a releasable mechanical locking means between a fixed machine loca
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Beckett Allan
Ward Gerald F.
Feldbaum Ronald
Tufting and Textile Systems Limited
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