GB1597735A - Tufting machine needles - Google Patents

Description

(54) TUFTING MACHINE NEEDLES (71) We, SPENCER WRIGHT IN DUSTRIES, INC., a corporation organised and existing under the Laws of the State of Tennessee, United States of America of 1501 Riverside Drive, Chattanooga, State of Tennessee 37406, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention concerns tufting machine needles, and has particular reference to a needle of application in the context of needle modules for use in tufting machine.

In our copending British Patent Application No. 27478/77 (Serial No. 1597733) we have described and illustrated a needle module for the needle arrangement of a tufting machine which comprises a body part adapted to be attached to the needle bar of the said tufting machine and having a plurality of needles formed integrally therewith to depend in spaced parallel, side-byside disposition therefrom, the length of the module being equal to or substantially equal to a multiple of the pitch of the needles supported by such module and the number of needles being equal to such multiple.

In our copending British Patent Application No. 27479/77, (Serial No. 1597734) from which Application the present application is divided, there is proposed a tufting machine needle adapted for mounting in a matrix with a plurality of like needles to provide a module comprising a body part and a plurality of needles arranged in spaced apart, side-by-side disposition therein, the needle comprising a generally flat elongate element having a yarn receiving eye adjacent one end thereof, a first region of non-uniform cross-sectional form within that longitudinal extent of the needle intended for positive location of the needle within the body part of the module, being a part of the element remote from the said eye, a pick-up area adjacent the eye, and a second region having, in at least one direction, a predetermined transverse dimension and being intermediate the said first region and the said pick-up area, the said element being twisted intermediate the said second region and the pick-up area to provide a set whereby that part of the element which provides the pick-up area lies in a plane inclined to the plane of the remainder of the element.

The present invention is concerned with a feature embodied in the needle of Application No. 27479/77 (Serial No. 1597734) aforesaid which is of application to needles other than that twisted needle specifically disclosed therein. Thus, the present invention proposes a tufting machine needle adapted for mounting in a matrix with a plurality of like needles to provide a module consisting of a body part and a plurality of needles arranged in spaced apart, side-byside disposition therein, the needle comprising a generally flat elongate element having a yarn receiving eye adjacent one end thereof and a yarn pick-up area adjacent the said eye, characterised by regions of different cross-sectional form within that longitudinal extent of the needle intended for location within the body part of the module the said longitudinal extent being a part of the element remote from the said eye, and a further region, intermediate the said regions and the said pick-up area, the said further region having, in at least one direction, a predetermined transverse dimension.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows in plan view, a tufting machine needle embodying the features of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a section on line II-II of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing, a needle for incorporation in a needle module for the needle arrangement of a tufting machine comprises a flat elongate element 11 having an eye 12 adjacent one end and an enlargement 13 at the opposite end of the said element. In accordance with the teaching of our copending Application No. 27479/77 (Serial No. 1597734), the said element is twisted at a position, indicated at 14, approximately mid-way between its ends to introduce a "set" in the shank whereby the plane of that part of the element wherein the pick-up area is formed is inclined in relation to the plane of the remainder of the element at an angle of approximately 6 .

The element 11 is approximately 1.875 inches long, 0.1 inches wide and 0.05 inches thick, the enlargement 13 extending over a distance of approximately 0.125 inches in the axial direction of the element and arising from a flattening of the end of the element to increase the width and reduce the thickness of such element in such region.

The transverse dimension of the element in closely spaced disposition relative to the region of twist, and at the side thereof remote from the needle eye 12, is maintained to predetermined tolerances over a longitudinal extent of, say, 0.3125 inches to provide a location means 15 for use in accurately positioning the element in a suitable too (not shown) during the subsequent moulding or casting operation in the formation of the ultimate needle module.

The surface of the element is ground adjacent to the eye, as at 16, in order to provide an increased target area on the needle for engagement by the looper.

The inclusion of an enlargement of the kind hereinproposed provides resistance to longitudinal displacement of the needle in the matrix in which the same is embedded without prejudice to the possibility of a close spacing of the needles within a matrix.

Furthermore, the enlargement augments the inherent non-rotational characteristic of the needle relative to the matrix which arises from the generally flat form of the needle.

As will readily be appreciated, instead of introducing a 'set' into the shank and mounting the needle rectilinearly in the matrix, by suitable angular positioning of an untwisted needle in the matrix so can the pickup area 16 and the eye 12 be arranged in a requisite disposition relative to the re maimng tuft forming instrumentalities of a tufting machine to which the module is applied, such disposition being maintained both by the enlargement and by the flat form of that part of the needle embedded within the matrix.

The invention is not restricted in the exact detail of the embodiment hereindisclosed, since alternatives will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art. Thus, for example, the enlargement may take any form other than that shown which is capable of precluding withdrawal of the needle from the body part of the module in the axial direction of such needle.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A tufting machine needle adapted for mounting in a matrix with a plurality of like needles to provide a module consisting of a body part and a plurality of needles arranged in spaced apart side-by-side disposition therein, the needle comprising a generally flat elongate element having a yarn receiving eye adjacent one end thereof and a yarn pick-up area adjacent the said eye, characterised by regions of different cross-sectional form within that longitudinal extent of the needle intended for location within the body part of the module, the said longitudinal extent being a part of the element remote from the said eye, and a further region, intermediate the said regions and the said pick-up area, the said further region having, in at least one direction, a predetermined transverse dimension.

2. A tufting machine needle as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the regions of different cross-sectional form is of increased transverse dimension in relation to the immediately adjacent part of the element.

3. A tufting machine needle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said one of the regions of different cross-sectional form is defined by a flattened end of the element of increased width relative to the immediately adjacent part of the element.

4. A tufting machine needle as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein the said one of the regions of different cross-sectional form is defined by a flattened end of reduced thickness relative to the immediately adjacent part of the element.

5. A tufting machine needle as claimed in claim 3 or in claim 4 when dependant on claim 3, wherein the region of increased transverse dimension is of generally rectangular form when viewed transversely of the element.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 1. Referring now to the drawing, a needle for incorporation in a needle module for the needle arrangement of a tufting machine comprises a flat elongate element 11 having an eye 12 adjacent one end and an enlargement 13 at the opposite end of the said element. In accordance with the teaching of our copending Application No. 27479/77 (Serial No. 1597734), the said element is twisted at a position, indicated at 14, approximately mid-way between its ends to introduce a "set" in the shank whereby the plane of that part of the element wherein the pick-up area is formed is inclined in relation to the plane of the remainder of the element at an angle of approximately 6 . The element 11 is approximately 1.875 inches long, 0.1 inches wide and 0.05 inches thick, the enlargement 13 extending over a distance of approximately 0.125 inches in the axial direction of the element and arising from a flattening of the end of the element to increase the width and reduce the thickness of such element in such region. The transverse dimension of the element in closely spaced disposition relative to the region of twist, and at the side thereof remote from the needle eye 12, is maintained to predetermined tolerances over a longitudinal extent of, say, 0.3125 inches to provide a location means 15 for use in accurately positioning the element in a suitable too (not shown) during the subsequent moulding or casting operation in the formation of the ultimate needle module. The surface of the element is ground adjacent to the eye, as at 16, in order to provide an increased target area on the needle for engagement by the looper. The inclusion of an enlargement of the kind hereinproposed provides resistance to longitudinal displacement of the needle in the matrix in which the same is embedded without prejudice to the possibility of a close spacing of the needles within a matrix. Furthermore, the enlargement augments the inherent non-rotational characteristic of the needle relative to the matrix which arises from the generally flat form of the needle. As will readily be appreciated, instead of introducing a 'set' into the shank and mounting the needle rectilinearly in the matrix, by suitable angular positioning of an untwisted needle in the matrix so can the pickup area 16 and the eye 12 be arranged in a requisite disposition relative to the re maimng tuft forming instrumentalities of a tufting machine to which the module is applied, such disposition being maintained both by the enlargement and by the flat form of that part of the needle embedded within the matrix. The invention is not restricted in the exact detail of the embodiment hereindisclosed, since alternatives will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art. Thus, for example, the enlargement may take any form other than that shown which is capable of precluding withdrawal of the needle from the body part of the module in the axial direction of such needle. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A tufting machine needle adapted for mounting in a matrix with a plurality of like needles to provide a module consisting of a body part and a plurality of needles arranged in spaced apart side-by-side disposition therein, the needle comprising a generally flat elongate element having a yarn receiving eye adjacent one end thereof and a yarn pick-up area adjacent the said eye, characterised by regions of different cross-sectional form within that longitudinal extent of the needle intended for location within the body part of the module, the said longitudinal extent being a part of the element remote from the said eye, and a further region, intermediate the said regions and the said pick-up area, the said further region having, in at least one direction, a predetermined transverse dimension.

2. A tufting machine needle as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the regions of different cross-sectional form is of increased transverse dimension in relation to the immediately adjacent part of the element.

3. A tufting machine needle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said one of the regions of different cross-sectional form is defined by a flattened end of the element of increased width relative to the immediately adjacent part of the element.

4. A tufting machine needle as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein the said one of the regions of different cross-sectional form is defined by a flattened end of reduced thickness relative to the immediately adjacent part of the element.

5. A tufting machine needle as claimed in claim 3 or in claim 4 when dependant on claim 3, wherein the region of increased transverse dimension is of generally rectangular form when viewed transversely of the element.