Patent ID: 8141505
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: D05C

Abstract:
1. A method of tufting patterned articles including tufts of multiple different color yarns, comprising: feeding a backing material through a tufting machine at a prescribed stitch rate for the patterned tufted article; as the backing material is fed through the tufting machine, reciprocating a series of needles to deliver the yarns into the backing material; engaging the yarns delivered into the backing material by the needles with a series of gauge parts to pull loops of yarns from the needles for forming tufts of yarns in the backing material; shifting at least some of the needles transversely according to a shift profile of a pattern for the article; selectively controlling feeding of the yarns to the needles in accordance with the shift profile of the pattern for the article to form high tufts of yarns and to pull back loops of yarns as desired; wherein the tufts of yarns are formed in the backing material at an increased effective process stitch rate that is substantially equivalent to the prescribed stitch rate times the number of different colors formed in the pattern.