APPARATUS FOR METERING AND DELIVERING YARN BITS TO TUFTING NEEDLES OR OTHER UTILIZATION DEVICES
United States Patent 3554147
Tufting machines in which the feed of yarn to individual tufting stations from one or more yarn sources controlled in accordance with a program which may be based, for example, on yarn color and/or yarn composition and/or number of plies or strands.
US Patent References:
Needling fabric, method and apparatus
Masland - December 1960 - 2965054
Individual pile yarn control apparatus
Kaffine et al. - March 1963 - 3080837
Portable machine for tufting cut pile
Elliott et al. - August 1964 - 3144844
Tufting machine
Polevitzky - April 1966 - 3247814
Shearing mechanism for tufting machines
Smith - June 1967 - 3324812
Needling fabric, method and apparatus
Masland - December 1960 - 2965054
Individual pile yarn control apparatus
Kaffine et al. - March 1963 - 3080837
Portable machine for tufting cut pile
Elliott et al. - August 1964 - 3144844
Tufting machine
Polevitzky - April 1966 - 3247814
Shearing mechanism for tufting machines
Smith - June 1967 - 3324812
Inventors:
Spanel, Abram N. (Princeton, NJ)
Brennan, George J. (Blackwood, NJ)
Brennan, George J. (Blackwood, NJ)
Application Number:
04/697268
Publication Date:
01/12/1971
Filing Date:
12/18/1967
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
International Classes:
D03D39/02; D05C15/18; D03D39/00; D05C15/00; D05C15/34
Field of Search:
112/79,79.6,80,266,410,225 66/125 139/2,7,127
US Patent References:
Primary Examiner:
Boler, James R.
Parent Case Data:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 680,813, filed Nov. 6, 1967, (now abandoned).
Apparatus disclosed herein is particularly suited for supplying bit-lengths of yarn to bit-applying stations and devices disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 503,342, filed Oct. 23, 1965 by Abram N. Spanel and Loy E. Barton and upon which Letters Patent 3,387,577 was granted on Jun. 11, 1968.
Claims:
We claim
1. An arrangement for producing yarn bits comprising:
1. An arrangement for producing yarn bits comprising:
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In certain of its aspects, the invention is particularly concerned with the manufacture of tufted products, such as rugs, carpets and the like, by tufting machines in which there is a multiplicity of sources of different color yarns for the individual tufting needles or equivalent. Earlier tufting machines of this type utilized a color-scanning technique having the inherent weakness that if the machine has, for example, a five-color potential, the production speed of the machine is limited by the time required to scan all five-color possibilities in each machine cycle even when no color change is being made.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention as applied to multicolor operation of a tufting machine, all of the colored yarns are simultaneously available for delivery of any selected one of them to the individual tufting needles so avoiding loss of production time due to any color-scanning technique.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a prefeeder which stores a metered length of yarn drawn by it from an associated yarn source and which draws more yarn from such source only after withdrawal of the stored length from the prefeeder.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a yarn-feeder or selector having a passage for receiving yarn, cutting means acting across such passage to detach a yarn-bit from the yarn, and valve means operable to admit flow of air through passage for transport of yarn beyond the yarn-cutting means. Specifically, the yarn so advanced beyond the yarn-cutting means is withdrawn from the aforesaid prefeeder.
The invention also resides in yarn-metering, feeding and delivering apparatus having features of construction, combination and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
For a more detailed understanding of the invention, reference is made in the following description to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a tufting machine;
FIG. 2 is a timing diagram showing the sequence of operations in one cycle of the machine;
FIG. 3 is a side view of an assembled tufting machine with the near side frame removed and with some portions in cross section;
FIG. 3A is a plan view, in section, taken on line 3A-3A of FIG. 1 with double needle in loading position;
FIG. 4 is a plan view, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, of one of the yarn-metering devices;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, in section, taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate modifications of the selector device of preceding FIGS. of drawing;
FIG. 9 illustrates a multicolor rug pattern; and
FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are schematic views of modifications of the machine of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the subsequent discussion of FIG. 1, it is assumed for simplicity of explanation that yarn sources respectively of three different colors are available for each tufting station although any additional number, consistent with reasonable space limitations, may be used.
For each tufting station, the creel 10 has a group of three spools 10R, 10W, 10B respectively providing, for example, a supply source of red, white and blue yarn. Preferably and as shown, the spools of each group are in a vertical array.
From the creel, the yarn strands R, W, B are led into a metering device 12 which, as shown, preferably comprises a plurality of brakes and yarn-pullers or feeders subsequently described in greater detail. From the metering device 12, the yarns R, W, B pass through a multistrand selector mechanism 14. Here again there are three devices arranged vertically above one another, one for each yarn. Each of the selectors 14R, 14W, 14B may include a solenoid-operated valve (50R, 50W, 50B) and may include a knife mechanism (52R, 52W, 52B) for cutting off lengths of yarn, for example, yarn bits of length suited for one loop or tuft.
From each selector (14R, 14W, 14B), there is a tube or passageway extending to or forming one input passage of a collator 16. This collator may simply be a block of material having passageways (16R, 16W, 16B) that merge into a common or single passageway 18 so that whether the yarn-bit is delivered from the 10R spool, the 10W spool or the 10B spool, it will eventually be transported into the common passage 18 which feeds into the needle loader 20, which preferably is of type shown and claimed in the aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 503,342, filed Oct. 23, 1965, by Abram N. Spanel and Loy E. Barton.
Air for transporting yarn-bits from the selector mechanism 14 through the collator 16 to the loading station 20 may be provided by a vacuum pump 24 whose inlet connects to the loading space in front of bit-centering stop 25. When the double needle 22 is in its threading or loading position, its eyes are in alignment with the outlet passage 18 of the collator 16 or a continuation of such passage. The selected color bit is transported by air from the corresponding selector device (14R, 14W, 14B) through the collator 16 and comes to centering position in the eyes of the needle 22 as determined by the stop 25.
The needles 22 are secured in a more or less conventional needle bar 22' which, in the particular machine shown in FIG. 1, operates from beneath a backing layer or web 26 to produce the tufting. The reciprocation of needle bar 22' may be produced by cam 28.
The web feed may be similar to that disclosed in aforesaid application, Ser. No. 503,342, and, as shown, includes a supply roll 30, an idler roll 32, and pin or drive roll 34. The ratch and pawl mechanism 36 drives the pin roll 34 intermittently to advance the web as the tufting is produced. An applicator 38 may be disposed in position immediately after the pin drive 34 to spray or brush latex or other binder on the "floor-side" of the tufted web.
A single motor 40 has been shown to drive the entire device through a suitable transmission 42 which may be a train of gears, timing chain, or the like. This provides a simple arrangement for synchronous operation of all the elements including metering device 12, the cutting means of selector 14, the reciprocating needle bar 22' and the intermittent web drive mechanism 36.
The operation of the various mechanisms is now described in greater detail.
The metering mechanism 12 comprises a series of brakes 12A, 12B, and 12C. Between each pair of brakes is a yarn-pulling device; specifically, yarn-pulling device 12X is situated intermediate the brakes 12A and 12B and yarn-pulling device 12Y is situated between the brakes 12B and 12C. While 12X is at the top of its stroke FIGS. 1,2), 12Y may be considered at the bottom of its stroke; and since they may be operated by cams producing a harmonic type motion, they may be considered as operating 180° out of phase. The pullers 12X, 12Y accelerate from their extreme positions to the midway of their stroke and decelerate from that point to the bottom of their stroke, thereby minimizing a jerk or erratic pull on the yarn as they act upon it. The brakes 12A, 12B and 12C may be operated by separate cams so that when a yarn, such as R, is being pulled under the influence of puller 12X, the brake 12B is closed and brake 12A open so that the yarn is pulled from the creel 10 without possibility of a reverse or opposite feed-motion. This will be more clearly described and understood with reference to the timing diagram (FIG. 2) to be subsequently described in greater detail.
With puller 12Y at the bottom of its stroke (FIG. 1), the brakes 12A, 12C are closed and brake 12B is open. In its descent, the puller 12Y drew yarn to the left without restraint by open brake 12B but was precluded from drawing yarn from the creel 10 by the closed brake 12A and was precluded from withdrawing yarn to the right (FIG. 1) from the selector mechanism by closed brake 12C. The yarn loops formed at the second pulling station by puller 12Y are from yarn temporarily stored at the first pulling station.
The yarn puller 12X may serve as a prefeeder, and, accordingly, may have a stroke slightly larger than the feeder 12Y. Thus, there is drawn from the creel 10, that is, from every one of the spools 10R, 10W and 10B an increment slightly larger than the bit size desired in the ultimate tufting process. Such increment is temporarily stored between brakes 12A and 12B; and upon release of brake 12B and the closing of brake 12A, the puller 12Y draws from that prepulled increment the length bit desired in the finished product. Upon the opening of brake 12C, the increment of yarn stored between brakes 12B and 12C is available for a selector 14 and is drawn into it if demand exists.
In the production of a tufted rug, one or another of the selector valves 50R, 50W or 50B may be opened in each successive machine cycle in response to control signals which repeat or execute the color requirements of a desired pattern. The cutting means 52R, 52W, 52B however, all operate simultaneously and in every successive cycle of the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 1. A vacuum generated at the needle loader 20 attempts to draw air through the yarn passages of all of selectors 14R, 14W, 14B but, with only one of the valves (50R, 50W or 50B) opened, only the yarn within that particular selector (14R, 14W or 14B) will be pneumatically advanced a bit-length beyond the path of the retracted knife (52R, 52W or 52B). For example, if valve 50R should be opened, the yarn loop produced by puller 12Y from the spool 10R, the red strand R, under the influence of the vacuum, is drawn to the left beyond the retracted knife 52R: then in proper time sequence and when within the selector 14R, a bit-length of strand R is cut off by movement of the knife 52R across the yarn passage.
Upon the opening of the knife blade, that yarn portion or bit may be drawn through its particular passageway into the collator 16 passing into the common passageway 18 and thence through the eyes of the needle 22 (then in threading position above the backing), finally abutting against the stop 25. Meanwhile, the unopened valves 50W and 50B of selectors 14W and 14B having remained closed have not drawn yarn from the yarn-puller 12Y but rather these yarns remain hanging slack or in storage between the brakes 12B and 12C. Since they are hanging slack, the repeated cycle of the yarn-pullers 12X and 12Y add no additional yarn to the reserve serving their respective selectors, and on the succeeding cycle, only the loop or bit portion related to the selector 14R will be drawn into position in readiness for a possible red-bit demand in the next cycle of the machine.
The timing diagram of FIG. 2 is self-explanatory. It is to be noted that at the top and bottom of the strokes of pullers 12X and 12Y, the brakes 12A, 12B and 12C are closed. This prevents any reverse motion or "drift" of the yarns and assures substantially uniform bit-lengths.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show in more structural detail a mechanism of type schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. This mechanism is shown (FIG. 3) as having a five-color potential and, consequently, the yarn-metering device 112 and the yarn selector mechanism 114 is repeated five times for each needle-loading station instead of three times as in, FIG. 1. The brakes 112A, 112B and 112C and the yarn-pullers 112X and 112Y for each color are mounted on a common base member 160 which also supports the yarn selector assembly 114.
Since the combined assemblies of units 112--114 are identical for each color, description of one of them is sufficient. The lowermost one has been selected for discussion because it includes the power input that is transmitted to all of them (see FIGS. 4 and 6).
As shown in FIG. 3, the units 112--114 of each assembly may be angularly arranged about a common point so that they will be equidistant from said point and, therefore, equidistant from the associated needle-loading station so to provide that the delivery time for the various colored yarns will be the same. The rear or output end 161 of each base member 160 abuts the front end of the collator 116. Yarn passageways 162 in base member 160 thus align with and form continuations of similar passageways 163 in the collator 116. Passageways 163 may all merge into the common passageway 118 of the collator which, in turn, may align with the passageways 164 of the array of needle-loading stations.
A comblike structure 170 under the needle-loader 120 provides support for the web or backing material 126 during the tufting operation. This comprises a transverse base member 171 to which is secured a series of horizontally spaced vertical plates 172. The needles 122 pass upwardly between the spaced plates and thence through the web 126 into the needle-loader 120. Within the needle-loader at each loading station is a shaped cavity 174 (FIGS. 3, 3A) into which the needles 122 enter with eyes 122E forming, at the top of the stroke, an almost continuous passageway with passageway 164 to facilitate the threading of a yarn-bit into the eyes. As shown in FIG. 3, vacuum is supplied to the needle-loaders 120 from a manifold 175 which may be connected to a vacuum pump 24 (FIG. 1). Since transport air is required during only a portion of the machine cycle, a timed valve 176 may be provided to control vacuum to the manifold.
Web feed roll 134 may be intermittently advanced by drive mechanism 36 of FIG. 1. Various idler rolls 132 may be provided to guide the tufted product to latex-applying and inspection stations, not shown.
Reference is now made to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 for discussion of the construction and operation of the metering and selecting mechanisms. Because of the close proximity of the needles 122, the yarn passageways 162 in base member 160 must also be similarly and closely spaced. To accommodate the brakes, valves and knives associated with the closely-spaced passageways, they may be arranged (FIG. 4) in staggered arrays; the brakes and knives in three staggered rows; and the solenoids, because of their possible larger diameter, in four rows.
The brakes 112A, 112B and 112C may all be identical in construction and may operate in conformity with the timing sequence shown in FIG. 2. For an understanding of their construction, there is specifically discussed the brake 112C which is shown partly in section (FIG. 5). Each brake comprises a rod 200 which perpendicularly intersects an airflow passageway 162 in base member 160 and is guided therein. A transverse plate 202 across the top of bearing blocks 206 also serves as a guide, and additionally serves as a fixed member against which a downwardly biasing spring 208 bears. The lower end of spring 208 engages a forwardly projecting finger 210 secured to brake rod 200. Thus, the rod is normally pressed downward through passageway 162. The finger 210 overlies a notch 212 in a transverse shaft 214.
As shown in FIG. 4, shaft 214 is journaled in frame members F and has secured thereto at one end a lever 216 having a cam-follower 218 at its free end. The springs 208 collectively bias this cam-follower against a face cam 220C. The face cams 220C, 220B and 220A are all secured to a shaft 222 which may make one rotation per cycle of the machine. Shaft 222 is journaled in bearings 224 mounted on a frame member F.
Also secured to shaft 222 is a barrel cam 230 which oscillates a cam-follower 232 on lever 234 pivotally secured to frame F. A connecting rod 236 pivotally secured to the top of lever 234 (FIG. 6) transmits oscillations to a lever 238 secured to a shaft 240. Immediately inboard frame members F, shaft 240 (FIGS. 4, 5) has pinned thereto the rocker arms 242. Pivotally and slidably connected to the ends of these arms 242 are the yarn-pullers 112X and 112Y (see FIG. 5). Transverse rods 244X and 244Y engage the yarn and effect the yarn-pulling in two stages as discussed in connection with FIG. 1.
The solenoid valves 150 are assembled in four staggered rows (FIGS. 4, 5) on a common plate 250 and, like the brakes, each movable valve member 252 intersects an airflow/yarn passageway 162 in base 160. The armature 254 may be spring-biased downwardly, and energization of coil 256 may open the valve. An air intake vent 258 precedes each valve member 252 so that when a valve is opened, the vacuum may act upon the yarn to transport it toward and beyond the strand-severing means 152.
The preferred strand-severing knife mechanism means as knife mechanism 152 shown comprises a spring-biased anvil 260 and a spring-biased knife 262. Each knife may have at it is top a forwardly projecting finger 264 (FIG. 5) which may be biased against a transverse lever arm 266 secured to a shaft 268. Referring to FIG. 4, shaft 268 may have secured thereto a lever arm 270 with a cam-follower 272 at its free end. The cam-follower 272 may engage a face cam 274 secured to one-time shaft 222. Cam 274 causes oscillation of shaft 268, causing the knives to travel across the passageway toward engagement with the yielding anvils. It is to be understood other cutting mechanisms may be used.
The drive transmission can best be understood by reference to FIGS. 4 and 6. At the rear end of one-time shaft 222 may be secured a mitre gear 280 and a bevel gear 282. Meshing with mitre gear 280 is a mitre gear 284 secured to a jack shaft 286 journaled in bearings 288 on a frame member F and outboard frame F'. A sprocket 290 secured to this shaft 286 is driven by another sprocket 294 (FIG. 6) on motor shaft 292 through chain 296.
Motor shaft 292 also has thereon a gear 298 meshing with gear 300 on camshaft 302. Cams 304 on camshaft 302 operate needle bar 122'.
The bevel gear 282 (FIG. 6) meshes with a similar bevel gear 282A which, in turn, drives gears 282B to 282C, etc., so that the shaft 222A, 222B, 222C, etc. are driven simultaneously to operate each color bank the same as the one described.
The control signals for selective operation of the valves of the multistrand selectors to reproduce a desired pattern on the backing layer or web may be provided by any of various known readout devices suited to convert the pattern information, as recorded on tapes, cards, drums or other medium, into electrical or other type of signals which are supplied in synchronism with operation of the machine to the various selector valves.
In the modified selector mechanism 314 schematically shown in FIG. 7, the valve and yarn-severing means are effectively combined in a single device. Specifically, the valve rod 352 which normally obstructs the airflow/yarn passageway 162 is shaped to provide a yarn-cutting edge. With this modification, in the interval for which the last brake 12C is closed, the solenoid 350 can be energized for pneumatic transport to the loading station of a previously detached yarn-bit and in the interval for which the last brake 12C is open, the solenoid 350 can be energized for pneumatic advance of the yarn strand another bit-length beyond the cutting position.
In the modified selector mechanism 414 schematically shown in FIG. 8, the last brake mechanism 12C of preceding FIGS. is omitted and the valve rod 452 serves as the last brake of the series. With such modification, the biasing force on the valve rod 452 must be sufficiently great to preclude withdrawal of yarn from the selector by the puller 12Y and requires a stronger solenoid than needed for the earlier described modifications.
In short, either the separate knife of the preferred embodiment may be omitted (as in FIG. 7) or the last brake 12C of the preferred embodiment may be omitted (as in FIG. 8) provided that in each case the solenoid (350 or 450) be of sufficiently greater power than needed for the preferred embodiment and also be dimensionally practical.
It is to be understood that valve means and yarn-cutting means may be other than those specifically shown. For example, the selector valves may be pneumatically, rather than electrically, operated and the yarn-cutting means may conceivably be a directed laser beam.
With the yarn-feeding and selector arrangements of the present invention, it is not necessary to modify or substitute cams or other elements in changing, for example, from single-color to any two or more color operation, from two to three-color operation, etc., or vice versa. The timing and the time interval for selective feeding of yarn-bits is always the same regardless of the the number of colors provided or required.
It is to be noted that the number of colors provided in the creel need not be as great as the number of colors required by the pattern. For example, FIG. 9 represents a pattern rug having ten colors thereon indicated by the letters A, B, C through to J. However, this rug can be produced with a three-color machine.
By considering the rug as produced in the direction indicated by the arrow, it will be seen that the width of the machine can be divided into color zones designated by the brackets K, L, M, N through Z. Within these zones, the color requirements can be found in the following: ##SPC1##
This is significant since it permits a relatively small creel for a large number of colors.
In the tufting machining shown in FIG. 10, there is only one yarn-strand source 10S per bit-loading station with corresponding reduction in the number of yarn-pullers and selector devices per station. The collator (16 of FIG. 1; 116 of FIG. 3) is omitted and the selector 14 is immediately adjacent, or part of, the needle threading or loading station assembly.
For bit-lengths less than the distance from the cutting means 52S to the needle 22 in loading position, a yarn-bit, after its detachment from strand S, is pneumatically fed through the eyes of the then stationary needle and centering of the bit may be effected by adjustment of stop 25. Under this circumstance, the operation of the FIG. 10 machine is the same as above described for FIGS. 1 and 3 except that the distance traveled by the detached bit is shorter. For bit-lengths greater than the distance from the cutting means 52S to needle 22 in loading position, the end of the yarn strand S as pneumatically fed beyond the cutting station extends through the eyes of needle 22. Under this circumstance, the threaded yarn strand S may be cut by knife 52S, or equivalent cutting means, before or during movement of loaded needle 22 from loading position. For bit-lengths not exceeding approximately twice the distance from the needle path to the cutting station, the stop 25 is set to approximately one-half bit-length from the needle path and the knife 52S is timed to operate before movement of the loaded needle 22 from its loading position. For bit-lengths exceeding twice the distance from the path of the needle 22 to the yarn-cutting station, the stop 25 is again set to approximately one-half bit-length from the needle path but the knife 52S, or equivalent, is timed to operate during movement of the needle as loaded with the uncut yarn. The timing is adjusted so that the additional amount of uncut yarn pneumatically fed to the source side of the moving needle before cutting effects a substantial match with the yarn end on the other side of the needle. Since during this yarn-feeding time the needle eyes are out of alignment with yarn-passage 164, there is inappreciable, if any, further feeding of yarn through the eyes.
In all three of the foregoing cases, the effective stroke of the yarn-puller 12Y is set so that the length of slack yarn ahead of valve 50S, or equivalent, corresponds with the desired bit-length whether the bits be cut from the yarn strand before, during or after threading of the needle and before or during bit-applying movement of the needle from its loading position.
The valves 50S may be operated in every cycle of the machine to produce tufting which is continuous lengthwise and crosswise of the finished product and may also be operated selectively in accordance with pattern information to produce a tufted product in which the tufting forms any desired configuration on the background afforded by the backing layer.
In the tufting machine of FIG. 10 having one spool or source 10S per loading station, it will be understood that the strand on an individual spool may be of the same color throughout its length. Thus, a single color rug or carpet may be produced if all spools of the creel use a single-color strand and a striped multicolor rug or carpet may be produced if different groups of spools use different color yarns for the different groups. It will also be understood that a rug or carpet of any multicolor pattern or design may be produced by loading the creel with spools of yarn whose successive increments of length per spool are of different color in accordance with the pattern requirement.
The tufting machine shown in FIG. 11 is similar to that of FIG. 10 except that for each loading station yarn is available from two or more sources as in the machines of FIGS. 1 to 9. Specifically, yarn from the several sources 10S1 et seq. may differ in color, composition or other characteristic for supply to the loading station 20 in accordance with any desired program.
The yarn from all sources 10S1 et seq. is initially threaded through the prefeeder 12 and into the single strand-cutting/pneumatic feed-unit 14S adjacent the loading station 20. In the prefeeder 12, each of the strands is engageable by one of the series of brakes 12A1, 12B1, 12C1; 12A2, 12B2, 12C2 and the intervening yarn-pullers 12X, 12Y, as previously described in connection with preceding FIGS. The prefeeder of FIG. 11 differs from those previously described, however, in that the release operation of the last brake (12C1, 12C2) of each series can be inhibited, or permitted, in accordance with a pattern program. Specifically, the position of each of the stops 12S1, 12S2 with respect to the associated brake 12C1, 12C2 depends upon the programmed excitation state of its actuator (12D1, 12D2) which, for example, may be a solenoid. Assuming for a given cycle of the machine that both stops 12S1, 12S2 are clear of the brakes 12C1, 12C2, then both strands S1, S2 are advanced beyond the knife 52S when the yarn-feed valve 50S admits air to feed-units 14S. If for a given cycle of the machine, one or the other of stops 12S1, 12S2 is positioned against the corresponding brake member 12C1, 12C2, the release of that brake is prevented so to preclude any withdrawal of the corresponding yarn strand from the prefeeder. Thus, for example, if brake 12C1 is held closed, only strand S2 is advanced beyond knife 52S when the yarn-feed valve 50S admits air to the feed-unit 14S. If for a given cycle of the machine all of the stops are positioned to inhibit release of any of brakes 12C1 et seq., none of the strands S1 et seq. is advanced beyond the cutting means 52S when valve 50S is opened.
As indicated in FIG. 11, the cam-operated drive for each of the brakes 12C1 et seq. may include spring means 12E1 et seq. which yields when the brake is held in closed position by the programmed stop means.
With the arrangement of FIG. 11, like those of FIGS. 1 to 9, the line of tufting produced per station may be either continuous or interrupted, and each tuft may be the same as the preceding or following tufts or differ therefrom in color and/or composition and/or number of plies or other characteristic. In the machine of FIG. 11, the valve 50S, as well as cutting means 52S, may operate in every cycle of the machine and, for simplicity may, therefore, also be operated from a cam (not shown) on the one-time shaft 222.
The yarn-metering and delivering arrangement shown in FIG. 12 is similar to that of FIG. 1 in that each strand passes through its own selector unit (14R et seq.) in advance of a collator 16 but differs from FIG. 1 in that the cutting means (52R et seq.) of the respective selector units are individually programmed. The FIG. 12 arrangement is similar to that of FIG. 11 in that there is a strand-cutting/feed-unit 14S immediately adjacent the loading station so that the yarn bits may be cut from yarn which has been pneumatically fed into the loading station. The cutting means 52S and the valve means 50S of the feed-unit 14S may operate in every cycle of the machine and, therefore, both may be cam-operated from the one-time shaft 222.
The programmed operation of the cutting means 52R, 52W, 52B may be such that the yarn as fed through any one of the passages of the collator 16 is not a discrete bit but a metered length corresponding with the number of bits of that yarn-color or material to be applied to the backing layer in successive cycle of the machine. The yarn as advanced beyond the cutting means 52S of the common feed-unit 14S in any given cycle may be one, two or three strands from which a yarn bit of desired color and/or composition and/or number of plies are cut.
In certain of its aspects, the invention is particularly concerned with the manufacture of tufted products, such as rugs, carpets and the like, by tufting machines in which there is a multiplicity of sources of different color yarns for the individual tufting needles or equivalent. Earlier tufting machines of this type utilized a color-scanning technique having the inherent weakness that if the machine has, for example, a five-color potential, the production speed of the machine is limited by the time required to scan all five-color possibilities in each machine cycle even when no color change is being made.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention as applied to multicolor operation of a tufting machine, all of the colored yarns are simultaneously available for delivery of any selected one of them to the individual tufting needles so avoiding loss of production time due to any color-scanning technique.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a prefeeder which stores a metered length of yarn drawn by it from an associated yarn source and which draws more yarn from such source only after withdrawal of the stored length from the prefeeder.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a yarn-feeder or selector having a passage for receiving yarn, cutting means acting across such passage to detach a yarn-bit from the yarn, and valve means operable to admit flow of air through passage for transport of yarn beyond the yarn-cutting means. Specifically, the yarn so advanced beyond the yarn-cutting means is withdrawn from the aforesaid prefeeder.
The invention also resides in yarn-metering, feeding and delivering apparatus having features of construction, combination and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
For a more detailed understanding of the invention, reference is made in the following description to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a tufting machine;
FIG. 2 is a timing diagram showing the sequence of operations in one cycle of the machine;
FIG. 3 is a side view of an assembled tufting machine with the near side frame removed and with some portions in cross section;
FIG. 3A is a plan view, in section, taken on line 3A-3A of FIG. 1 with double needle in loading position;
FIG. 4 is a plan view, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, of one of the yarn-metering devices;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, in section, taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate modifications of the selector device of preceding FIGS. of drawing;
FIG. 9 illustrates a multicolor rug pattern; and
FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are schematic views of modifications of the machine of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the subsequent discussion of FIG. 1, it is assumed for simplicity of explanation that yarn sources respectively of three different colors are available for each tufting station although any additional number, consistent with reasonable space limitations, may be used.
For each tufting station, the creel 10 has a group of three spools 10R, 10W, 10B respectively providing, for example, a supply source of red, white and blue yarn. Preferably and as shown, the spools of each group are in a vertical array.
From the creel, the yarn strands R, W, B are led into a metering device 12 which, as shown, preferably comprises a plurality of brakes and yarn-pullers or feeders subsequently described in greater detail. From the metering device 12, the yarns R, W, B pass through a multistrand selector mechanism 14. Here again there are three devices arranged vertically above one another, one for each yarn. Each of the selectors 14R, 14W, 14B may include a solenoid-operated valve (50R, 50W, 50B) and may include a knife mechanism (52R, 52W, 52B) for cutting off lengths of yarn, for example, yarn bits of length suited for one loop or tuft.
From each selector (14R, 14W, 14B), there is a tube or passageway extending to or forming one input passage of a collator 16. This collator may simply be a block of material having passageways (16R, 16W, 16B) that merge into a common or single passageway 18 so that whether the yarn-bit is delivered from the 10R spool, the 10W spool or the 10B spool, it will eventually be transported into the common passage 18 which feeds into the needle loader 20, which preferably is of type shown and claimed in the aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 503,342, filed Oct. 23, 1965, by Abram N. Spanel and Loy E. Barton.
Air for transporting yarn-bits from the selector mechanism 14 through the collator 16 to the loading station 20 may be provided by a vacuum pump 24 whose inlet connects to the loading space in front of bit-centering stop 25. When the double needle 22 is in its threading or loading position, its eyes are in alignment with the outlet passage 18 of the collator 16 or a continuation of such passage. The selected color bit is transported by air from the corresponding selector device (14R, 14W, 14B) through the collator 16 and comes to centering position in the eyes of the needle 22 as determined by the stop 25.
The needles 22 are secured in a more or less conventional needle bar 22' which, in the particular machine shown in FIG. 1, operates from beneath a backing layer or web 26 to produce the tufting. The reciprocation of needle bar 22' may be produced by cam 28.
The web feed may be similar to that disclosed in aforesaid application, Ser. No. 503,342, and, as shown, includes a supply roll 30, an idler roll 32, and pin or drive roll 34. The ratch and pawl mechanism 36 drives the pin roll 34 intermittently to advance the web as the tufting is produced. An applicator 38 may be disposed in position immediately after the pin drive 34 to spray or brush latex or other binder on the "floor-side" of the tufted web.
A single motor 40 has been shown to drive the entire device through a suitable transmission 42 which may be a train of gears, timing chain, or the like. This provides a simple arrangement for synchronous operation of all the elements including metering device 12, the cutting means of selector 14, the reciprocating needle bar 22' and the intermittent web drive mechanism 36.
The operation of the various mechanisms is now described in greater detail.
The metering mechanism 12 comprises a series of brakes 12A, 12B, and 12C. Between each pair of brakes is a yarn-pulling device; specifically, yarn-pulling device 12X is situated intermediate the brakes 12A and 12B and yarn-pulling device 12Y is situated between the brakes 12B and 12C. While 12X is at the top of its stroke FIGS. 1,2), 12Y may be considered at the bottom of its stroke; and since they may be operated by cams producing a harmonic type motion, they may be considered as operating 180° out of phase. The pullers 12X, 12Y accelerate from their extreme positions to the midway of their stroke and decelerate from that point to the bottom of their stroke, thereby minimizing a jerk or erratic pull on the yarn as they act upon it. The brakes 12A, 12B and 12C may be operated by separate cams so that when a yarn, such as R, is being pulled under the influence of puller 12X, the brake 12B is closed and brake 12A open so that the yarn is pulled from the creel 10 without possibility of a reverse or opposite feed-motion. This will be more clearly described and understood with reference to the timing diagram (FIG. 2) to be subsequently described in greater detail.
With puller 12Y at the bottom of its stroke (FIG. 1), the brakes 12A, 12C are closed and brake 12B is open. In its descent, the puller 12Y drew yarn to the left without restraint by open brake 12B but was precluded from drawing yarn from the creel 10 by the closed brake 12A and was precluded from withdrawing yarn to the right (FIG. 1) from the selector mechanism by closed brake 12C. The yarn loops formed at the second pulling station by puller 12Y are from yarn temporarily stored at the first pulling station.
The yarn puller 12X may serve as a prefeeder, and, accordingly, may have a stroke slightly larger than the feeder 12Y. Thus, there is drawn from the creel 10, that is, from every one of the spools 10R, 10W and 10B an increment slightly larger than the bit size desired in the ultimate tufting process. Such increment is temporarily stored between brakes 12A and 12B; and upon release of brake 12B and the closing of brake 12A, the puller 12Y draws from that prepulled increment the length bit desired in the finished product. Upon the opening of brake 12C, the increment of yarn stored between brakes 12B and 12C is available for a selector 14 and is drawn into it if demand exists.
In the production of a tufted rug, one or another of the selector valves 50R, 50W or 50B may be opened in each successive machine cycle in response to control signals which repeat or execute the color requirements of a desired pattern. The cutting means 52R, 52W, 52B however, all operate simultaneously and in every successive cycle of the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 1. A vacuum generated at the needle loader 20 attempts to draw air through the yarn passages of all of selectors 14R, 14W, 14B but, with only one of the valves (50R, 50W or 50B) opened, only the yarn within that particular selector (14R, 14W or 14B) will be pneumatically advanced a bit-length beyond the path of the retracted knife (52R, 52W or 52B). For example, if valve 50R should be opened, the yarn loop produced by puller 12Y from the spool 10R, the red strand R, under the influence of the vacuum, is drawn to the left beyond the retracted knife 52R: then in proper time sequence and when within the selector 14R, a bit-length of strand R is cut off by movement of the knife 52R across the yarn passage.
Upon the opening of the knife blade, that yarn portion or bit may be drawn through its particular passageway into the collator 16 passing into the common passageway 18 and thence through the eyes of the needle 22 (then in threading position above the backing), finally abutting against the stop 25. Meanwhile, the unopened valves 50W and 50B of selectors 14W and 14B having remained closed have not drawn yarn from the yarn-puller 12Y but rather these yarns remain hanging slack or in storage between the brakes 12B and 12C. Since they are hanging slack, the repeated cycle of the yarn-pullers 12X and 12Y add no additional yarn to the reserve serving their respective selectors, and on the succeeding cycle, only the loop or bit portion related to the selector 14R will be drawn into position in readiness for a possible red-bit demand in the next cycle of the machine.
The timing diagram of FIG. 2 is self-explanatory. It is to be noted that at the top and bottom of the strokes of pullers 12X and 12Y, the brakes 12A, 12B and 12C are closed. This prevents any reverse motion or "drift" of the yarns and assures substantially uniform bit-lengths.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show in more structural detail a mechanism of type schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. This mechanism is shown (FIG. 3) as having a five-color potential and, consequently, the yarn-metering device 112 and the yarn selector mechanism 114 is repeated five times for each needle-loading station instead of three times as in, FIG. 1. The brakes 112A, 112B and 112C and the yarn-pullers 112X and 112Y for each color are mounted on a common base member 160 which also supports the yarn selector assembly 114.
Since the combined assemblies of units 112--114 are identical for each color, description of one of them is sufficient. The lowermost one has been selected for discussion because it includes the power input that is transmitted to all of them (see FIGS. 4 and 6).
As shown in FIG. 3, the units 112--114 of each assembly may be angularly arranged about a common point so that they will be equidistant from said point and, therefore, equidistant from the associated needle-loading station so to provide that the delivery time for the various colored yarns will be the same. The rear or output end 161 of each base member 160 abuts the front end of the collator 116. Yarn passageways 162 in base member 160 thus align with and form continuations of similar passageways 163 in the collator 116. Passageways 163 may all merge into the common passageway 118 of the collator which, in turn, may align with the passageways 164 of the array of needle-loading stations.
A comblike structure 170 under the needle-loader 120 provides support for the web or backing material 126 during the tufting operation. This comprises a transverse base member 171 to which is secured a series of horizontally spaced vertical plates 172. The needles 122 pass upwardly between the spaced plates and thence through the web 126 into the needle-loader 120. Within the needle-loader at each loading station is a shaped cavity 174 (FIGS. 3, 3A) into which the needles 122 enter with eyes 122E forming, at the top of the stroke, an almost continuous passageway with passageway 164 to facilitate the threading of a yarn-bit into the eyes. As shown in FIG. 3, vacuum is supplied to the needle-loaders 120 from a manifold 175 which may be connected to a vacuum pump 24 (FIG. 1). Since transport air is required during only a portion of the machine cycle, a timed valve 176 may be provided to control vacuum to the manifold.
Web feed roll 134 may be intermittently advanced by drive mechanism 36 of FIG. 1. Various idler rolls 132 may be provided to guide the tufted product to latex-applying and inspection stations, not shown.
Reference is now made to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 for discussion of the construction and operation of the metering and selecting mechanisms. Because of the close proximity of the needles 122, the yarn passageways 162 in base member 160 must also be similarly and closely spaced. To accommodate the brakes, valves and knives associated with the closely-spaced passageways, they may be arranged (FIG. 4) in staggered arrays; the brakes and knives in three staggered rows; and the solenoids, because of their possible larger diameter, in four rows.
The brakes 112A, 112B and 112C may all be identical in construction and may operate in conformity with the timing sequence shown in FIG. 2. For an understanding of their construction, there is specifically discussed the brake 112C which is shown partly in section (FIG. 5). Each brake comprises a rod 200 which perpendicularly intersects an airflow passageway 162 in base member 160 and is guided therein. A transverse plate 202 across the top of bearing blocks 206 also serves as a guide, and additionally serves as a fixed member against which a downwardly biasing spring 208 bears. The lower end of spring 208 engages a forwardly projecting finger 210 secured to brake rod 200. Thus, the rod is normally pressed downward through passageway 162. The finger 210 overlies a notch 212 in a transverse shaft 214.
As shown in FIG. 4, shaft 214 is journaled in frame members F and has secured thereto at one end a lever 216 having a cam-follower 218 at its free end. The springs 208 collectively bias this cam-follower against a face cam 220C. The face cams 220C, 220B and 220A are all secured to a shaft 222 which may make one rotation per cycle of the machine. Shaft 222 is journaled in bearings 224 mounted on a frame member F.
Also secured to shaft 222 is a barrel cam 230 which oscillates a cam-follower 232 on lever 234 pivotally secured to frame F. A connecting rod 236 pivotally secured to the top of lever 234 (FIG. 6) transmits oscillations to a lever 238 secured to a shaft 240. Immediately inboard frame members F, shaft 240 (FIGS. 4, 5) has pinned thereto the rocker arms 242. Pivotally and slidably connected to the ends of these arms 242 are the yarn-pullers 112X and 112Y (see FIG. 5). Transverse rods 244X and 244Y engage the yarn and effect the yarn-pulling in two stages as discussed in connection with FIG. 1.
The solenoid valves 150 are assembled in four staggered rows (FIGS. 4, 5) on a common plate 250 and, like the brakes, each movable valve member 252 intersects an airflow/yarn passageway 162 in base 160. The armature 254 may be spring-biased downwardly, and energization of coil 256 may open the valve. An air intake vent 258 precedes each valve member 252 so that when a valve is opened, the vacuum may act upon the yarn to transport it toward and beyond the strand-severing means 152.
The preferred strand-severing knife mechanism means as knife mechanism 152 shown comprises a spring-biased anvil 260 and a spring-biased knife 262. Each knife may have at it is top a forwardly projecting finger 264 (FIG. 5) which may be biased against a transverse lever arm 266 secured to a shaft 268. Referring to FIG. 4, shaft 268 may have secured thereto a lever arm 270 with a cam-follower 272 at its free end. The cam-follower 272 may engage a face cam 274 secured to one-time shaft 222. Cam 274 causes oscillation of shaft 268, causing the knives to travel across the passageway toward engagement with the yielding anvils. It is to be understood other cutting mechanisms may be used.
The drive transmission can best be understood by reference to FIGS. 4 and 6. At the rear end of one-time shaft 222 may be secured a mitre gear 280 and a bevel gear 282. Meshing with mitre gear 280 is a mitre gear 284 secured to a jack shaft 286 journaled in bearings 288 on a frame member F and outboard frame F'. A sprocket 290 secured to this shaft 286 is driven by another sprocket 294 (FIG. 6) on motor shaft 292 through chain 296.
Motor shaft 292 also has thereon a gear 298 meshing with gear 300 on camshaft 302. Cams 304 on camshaft 302 operate needle bar 122'.
The bevel gear 282 (FIG. 6) meshes with a similar bevel gear 282A which, in turn, drives gears 282B to 282C, etc., so that the shaft 222A, 222B, 222C, etc. are driven simultaneously to operate each color bank the same as the one described.
The control signals for selective operation of the valves of the multistrand selectors to reproduce a desired pattern on the backing layer or web may be provided by any of various known readout devices suited to convert the pattern information, as recorded on tapes, cards, drums or other medium, into electrical or other type of signals which are supplied in synchronism with operation of the machine to the various selector valves.
In the modified selector mechanism 314 schematically shown in FIG. 7, the valve and yarn-severing means are effectively combined in a single device. Specifically, the valve rod 352 which normally obstructs the airflow/yarn passageway 162 is shaped to provide a yarn-cutting edge. With this modification, in the interval for which the last brake 12C is closed, the solenoid 350 can be energized for pneumatic transport to the loading station of a previously detached yarn-bit and in the interval for which the last brake 12C is open, the solenoid 350 can be energized for pneumatic advance of the yarn strand another bit-length beyond the cutting position.
In the modified selector mechanism 414 schematically shown in FIG. 8, the last brake mechanism 12C of preceding FIGS. is omitted and the valve rod 452 serves as the last brake of the series. With such modification, the biasing force on the valve rod 452 must be sufficiently great to preclude withdrawal of yarn from the selector by the puller 12Y and requires a stronger solenoid than needed for the earlier described modifications.
In short, either the separate knife of the preferred embodiment may be omitted (as in FIG. 7) or the last brake 12C of the preferred embodiment may be omitted (as in FIG. 8) provided that in each case the solenoid (350 or 450) be of sufficiently greater power than needed for the preferred embodiment and also be dimensionally practical.
It is to be understood that valve means and yarn-cutting means may be other than those specifically shown. For example, the selector valves may be pneumatically, rather than electrically, operated and the yarn-cutting means may conceivably be a directed laser beam.
With the yarn-feeding and selector arrangements of the present invention, it is not necessary to modify or substitute cams or other elements in changing, for example, from single-color to any two or more color operation, from two to three-color operation, etc., or vice versa. The timing and the time interval for selective feeding of yarn-bits is always the same regardless of the the number of colors provided or required.
It is to be noted that the number of colors provided in the creel need not be as great as the number of colors required by the pattern. For example, FIG. 9 represents a pattern rug having ten colors thereon indicated by the letters A, B, C through to J. However, this rug can be produced with a three-color machine.
By considering the rug as produced in the direction indicated by the arrow, it will be seen that the width of the machine can be divided into color zones designated by the brackets K, L, M, N through Z. Within these zones, the color requirements can be found in the following: ##SPC1##
This is significant since it permits a relatively small creel for a large number of colors.
In the tufting machining shown in FIG. 10, there is only one yarn-strand source 10S per bit-loading station with corresponding reduction in the number of yarn-pullers and selector devices per station. The collator (16 of FIG. 1; 116 of FIG. 3) is omitted and the selector 14 is immediately adjacent, or part of, the needle threading or loading station assembly.
For bit-lengths less than the distance from the cutting means 52S to the needle 22 in loading position, a yarn-bit, after its detachment from strand S, is pneumatically fed through the eyes of the then stationary needle and centering of the bit may be effected by adjustment of stop 25. Under this circumstance, the operation of the FIG. 10 machine is the same as above described for FIGS. 1 and 3 except that the distance traveled by the detached bit is shorter. For bit-lengths greater than the distance from the cutting means 52S to needle 22 in loading position, the end of the yarn strand S as pneumatically fed beyond the cutting station extends through the eyes of needle 22. Under this circumstance, the threaded yarn strand S may be cut by knife 52S, or equivalent cutting means, before or during movement of loaded needle 22 from loading position. For bit-lengths not exceeding approximately twice the distance from the needle path to the cutting station, the stop 25 is set to approximately one-half bit-length from the needle path and the knife 52S is timed to operate before movement of the loaded needle 22 from its loading position. For bit-lengths exceeding twice the distance from the path of the needle 22 to the yarn-cutting station, the stop 25 is again set to approximately one-half bit-length from the needle path but the knife 52S, or equivalent, is timed to operate during movement of the needle as loaded with the uncut yarn. The timing is adjusted so that the additional amount of uncut yarn pneumatically fed to the source side of the moving needle before cutting effects a substantial match with the yarn end on the other side of the needle. Since during this yarn-feeding time the needle eyes are out of alignment with yarn-passage 164, there is inappreciable, if any, further feeding of yarn through the eyes.
In all three of the foregoing cases, the effective stroke of the yarn-puller 12Y is set so that the length of slack yarn ahead of valve 50S, or equivalent, corresponds with the desired bit-length whether the bits be cut from the yarn strand before, during or after threading of the needle and before or during bit-applying movement of the needle from its loading position.
The valves 50S may be operated in every cycle of the machine to produce tufting which is continuous lengthwise and crosswise of the finished product and may also be operated selectively in accordance with pattern information to produce a tufted product in which the tufting forms any desired configuration on the background afforded by the backing layer.
In the tufting machine of FIG. 10 having one spool or source 10S per loading station, it will be understood that the strand on an individual spool may be of the same color throughout its length. Thus, a single color rug or carpet may be produced if all spools of the creel use a single-color strand and a striped multicolor rug or carpet may be produced if different groups of spools use different color yarns for the different groups. It will also be understood that a rug or carpet of any multicolor pattern or design may be produced by loading the creel with spools of yarn whose successive increments of length per spool are of different color in accordance with the pattern requirement.
The tufting machine shown in FIG. 11 is similar to that of FIG. 10 except that for each loading station yarn is available from two or more sources as in the machines of FIGS. 1 to 9. Specifically, yarn from the several sources 10S1 et seq. may differ in color, composition or other characteristic for supply to the loading station 20 in accordance with any desired program.
The yarn from all sources 10S1 et seq. is initially threaded through the prefeeder 12 and into the single strand-cutting/pneumatic feed-unit 14S adjacent the loading station 20. In the prefeeder 12, each of the strands is engageable by one of the series of brakes 12A1, 12B1, 12C1; 12A2, 12B2, 12C2 and the intervening yarn-pullers 12X, 12Y, as previously described in connection with preceding FIGS. The prefeeder of FIG. 11 differs from those previously described, however, in that the release operation of the last brake (12C1, 12C2) of each series can be inhibited, or permitted, in accordance with a pattern program. Specifically, the position of each of the stops 12S1, 12S2 with respect to the associated brake 12C1, 12C2 depends upon the programmed excitation state of its actuator (12D1, 12D2) which, for example, may be a solenoid. Assuming for a given cycle of the machine that both stops 12S1, 12S2 are clear of the brakes 12C1, 12C2, then both strands S1, S2 are advanced beyond the knife 52S when the yarn-feed valve 50S admits air to feed-units 14S. If for a given cycle of the machine, one or the other of stops 12S1, 12S2 is positioned against the corresponding brake member 12C1, 12C2, the release of that brake is prevented so to preclude any withdrawal of the corresponding yarn strand from the prefeeder. Thus, for example, if brake 12C1 is held closed, only strand S2 is advanced beyond knife 52S when the yarn-feed valve 50S admits air to the feed-unit 14S. If for a given cycle of the machine all of the stops are positioned to inhibit release of any of brakes 12C1 et seq., none of the strands S1 et seq. is advanced beyond the cutting means 52S when valve 50S is opened.
As indicated in FIG. 11, the cam-operated drive for each of the brakes 12C1 et seq. may include spring means 12E1 et seq. which yields when the brake is held in closed position by the programmed stop means.
With the arrangement of FIG. 11, like those of FIGS. 1 to 9, the line of tufting produced per station may be either continuous or interrupted, and each tuft may be the same as the preceding or following tufts or differ therefrom in color and/or composition and/or number of plies or other characteristic. In the machine of FIG. 11, the valve 50S, as well as cutting means 52S, may operate in every cycle of the machine and, for simplicity may, therefore, also be operated from a cam (not shown) on the one-time shaft 222.
The yarn-metering and delivering arrangement shown in FIG. 12 is similar to that of FIG. 1 in that each strand passes through its own selector unit (14R et seq.) in advance of a collator 16 but differs from FIG. 1 in that the cutting means (52R et seq.) of the respective selector units are individually programmed. The FIG. 12 arrangement is similar to that of FIG. 11 in that there is a strand-cutting/feed-unit 14S immediately adjacent the loading station so that the yarn bits may be cut from yarn which has been pneumatically fed into the loading station. The cutting means 52S and the valve means 50S of the feed-unit 14S may operate in every cycle of the machine and, therefore, both may be cam-operated from the one-time shaft 222.
The programmed operation of the cutting means 52R, 52W, 52B may be such that the yarn as fed through any one of the passages of the collator 16 is not a discrete bit but a metered length corresponding with the number of bits of that yarn-color or material to be applied to the backing layer in successive cycle of the machine. The yarn as advanced beyond the cutting means 52S of the common feed-unit 14S in any given cycle may be one, two or three strands from which a yarn bit of desired color and/or composition and/or number of plies are cut.