Patent ID: 6279497
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: D05C

Abstract:
In a tufting machine having a backing fabric support, a means for feeding backing fabric longitudinally through the machine, a needle bar supporting a plurality of needles transversely of the machine on a first side of the backing fabric, a yarn supply means for feeding yarns to the needles, a means for reciprocating the needle bar to drive the needles into and out of the backing fabric upon the backing fabric support and a plurality of loopers transversely of the machine on a second opposite side of the backing fabric for seizing loops of yarn from the needles penetrating the backing fabric, a sewing configuration comprising:(a) a forward row of needles uniformly spaced transversely of the feeding direction, and a rear row of needles uniformly spaced transversely of the feeding direction, the rear row of needles being positioned to penetrate the backing fabric to a depth of at least about 0.125 inches more than the forward row of needles;(b) a forward row of loopers disposed transversely to the feeding direction for seizing yarns from the forward row of needles and a rear row of loopers disposed transversely to the feeding direction for seizing yarns from the rear row of needles, wherein the forward row of loopers is spaced upward of the rear row of loopers by a distance substantially equal to the difference in depth between the first row of needles and the second row of needles.