Patent ID: 11873592
Assignee: CARD-MONROE CORP.
Field: Textile and paper machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC D | IPC D

Claim 14:
15. A tufting machine, comprising:
at least one needle bar having a series of needles arranged therealong and carrying a plurality of yarns, wherein the needle bar is driven in a reciprocating motion so as to move the needles into and out of a backing moving along a path of travel therebelow;
a series of gauge parts arranged below the backing and configured to pick loops of yarns from at least some of the needles as gauge parts are reciprocated into engagement with the needles as the needles are engaged with the backing to form tufts of yarns in the backing; and
a shift mechanism coupled to at least one needle bar and operable for shifting the needles in a direction substantially transverse to the path of travel of the backing, the shift mechanism comprising:
a rack linked to the at least one needle bar and having a series of spaced rack teeth;
a pair of pinions, each pinion having a series of teeth or rollers arranged in a tooth profile that substantially matches a tooth profile of the rack teeth so as to be engaged by multiple rack teeth to provide multiple points of contact between the rack and the pinions; and
a pair of motors configured for driving rotation of the pinions;
wherein as each pinion is rotated, the engagement of the teeth of rollers of the pinions and the rack teeth cause the rack to be moved linearly for controlling the shifting of the needles.