Fabric shift sequencing for pattern producing hollow needle tufting apparatus

摘要

A method for producing tufted fabric in a hollow needle tufting machine having transversely spaced apart needles including apparatus for shifting a backing material into which the tufts are inserted by the needles. The backing material is fed continuously in the feed direction longitudinally through the machine and is fed a number of steps laterally between adjacent needles and penetrated by the needles after each shift. The sequencing of the shifting and the feeding of the backing is such as to provide a row of tufts in the backing material along a line inclined relative to the direction the backing material is fed to the machine. The nominal number of tufts inserted between lateral ends of each row of tufts is equal to the spacing between adjacent needles divided by the selected stitch gauge. The sequencing of the shifting is such that certain rows of tufts have a number of tufts equal to the nominal number while alternate rows have more than the nominal number of tufts so that the lines of tufts have ends transversely offset relative to the adjacent lines of tufts. The sequencing additionally is such that the rows of tufts produced by each needle forms a chevron pattern which is repeated periodically. In this manner streak lines between adjacent needles are substantially eliminated.