Patent ID: 8225727
Filing Date: 2012-07-24
Classification: D05C

Abstract:
1. A tufting machine comprising: a tufting head translatable within said tufting machine in X- and Y-directions with respect to backing fabric by means of a movement system, which tufting head comprises a computer-operated motion control system adapted to read a machine-readable tufting design pattern comprising a series of vectors and associated control codes and, in response thereto, to generate signals to drive the tufting head (a) to operate the tufting mechanism and reciprocate the hollow needle to insert tufts into backing fabric; (b) to operate the movement system and move the needle across a two-dimensional plane defined by said X- and Y-directions while inserting tufts in accordance with the vectors; (c) to lift and lower the foot in accordance with respective control codes; (d) to selectively operate the yarn cutter in accordance with respective control codes; and (e) to operate the yarn supply mechanism to selectively provide different lengths of yarn in different cycles in accordance with respective control codes, and so to individually vary the pile height of both cut and loop tufts; wherein the yarn supply mechanism comprises wherein the yarn feed motor is a stepper motor driven in an open loop configuration.