Control apparatus for textile dyeing and tufting machinery

Apparatus for developing multi-colored complex patterns in textile carpets formed by a yarn tufting operation, employing a scanner to scan and record color data from replicas or artists' renditions of the patterns to be tufted, a programmable read only memory to store the color data descriptive of the scanned patterns after electronic digitizing of the data, and a microprocessor and logic circuits to select a desired pattern from the memory and provide the color data for the selected pattern to individual yarn control assemblies at spaced dyeing stations of different colors. Individual yarn ends passing through the spaced dye stations are selectively dyed along their length at predetermined positions according to the color data provided to the yarn control assemblies at the spaced dye stations, the yarn ends then being delivered to a tufting machine to produce the selected multi-colored complex pattern. Delivery of color data from memory is controlled by the displacement of the backing applied to the carpet, by means of clocks generated by the backing linear displacement. Delivery of color data to the yarn control assemblies at each dye station, for dyeing of each yarn end at predetermined positions along its length, is controlled by the displacement of the yarn. Clocks are generated by the yarn linear displacement and control logic circuits to delay delivery of color information to the yarn control assemblies at each dye station depending upon the physical displacement of that station in relation to the other dye stations. Logic circuits are provided to eliminate vibrational and reverse motion effects on the backing and yarn clocks, and to compensate for low yarn speed on starting and/or stopping of the machinery. Logic circuits also are provided to interchange the colors in the pattern of a tufted carpet produced from a given selected pattern that has been scanned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to control apparatus for selective multi-color 
dyeing of individual yarns and producing therefrom a predetermined complex 
design in a tufted carpet. The invention particularly relates to carpets 
made by machines commonly called tufting machines in which yarns fed to 
individual needles of a continuously reciprocating bank of needles are 
pushed through a backing sheet to form tufts, stitches or loops that may 
be cut or remain as uncut pile in the finished carpet. 
Heretofore, many variations of tufting machines have been developed which 
are capable of producing cut or uncut pile of uniform or different 
heights. A large variety of designs have been produced using one or more 
or all of said varieties of pile, as well as including color variations. 
When using differently colored yarns which have been pre-dyed in bulk, 
practical considerations have limited production of many desirable 
designs. When producing floral, modernistic, oriental or other complex 
designs, different colors have been sprayed on the pile of completed 
carpets, or have been printed in various ways thereon, to produce the 
desired design. However, problems have arisen in applying the dyes to 
finished pile, due to inability to penetrate the pile and to apply the 
dyes evenly and completely and only in the areas (sometimes very small) 
where the dye should be and remain. 
It has been proposed to apply different colored dyes to the individual 
yarns at spaced predetermined positions along their lengths, determined 
with reference to a pattern or design that is ultimately to appear in the 
finished tufted carpet. Such proposals have generally been impractical and 
commercially unsuccessful, but one proposal that has succeeded in 
accomplishing this desired result is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,550, 
in the names of Bartenfeld, Bryant and Newman for "Apparatus and Method 
for Selective Multi-Color Dyeing of Individual Yarns and Producing 
Therefrom a Predetermined Complex Design in a Tufted Carpet". U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,015,550 is commonly owned by the assignee of the present patent 
application. 
In the above-referenced patent, a multiplicity of yarns are dyed 
individually at different places along their length with different colors, 
and are delivered to a tufting machine and fabricated into a carpet 
bearing a predetermined complex design. This is accomplished without 
interruption and without variation of the relationship of the yarns, one 
to another. The yarns are led from a supply in the form of a sheet of yarn 
and are passed individually over a series of spaced dye pick-up rolls 
rotating in spaced dye baths of different colors. In the course of the 
passage, the yarns are lowered into contact with the pick-up rolls by yarn 
control assemblies for predetermined limited times to cause predetermined 
variable lengths of the individual yarns to be individually dyed. The 
colors and lengths of the dyeing are determined by the desired pattern 
that is to appear as the dyed segments of yarn become loops, tufts or 
stitches in the carpet fabric. 
After dyeing, the sheets of yarns may enter a steam chamber wherein the dye 
is fixed in the yarn and a drying chamber from which the yarns are 
individually fed through identical length guide tubes to the conventional 
tufting machine. Throughout these operations, the positions of the 
individual dyed yarns relative to one another are maintained so that as 
they enter the tufting machine they will have the same relationship as 
when the dyes are applied. Thus, in the carpet fabric, the colored tufts 
appear in a relationship or pattern which was predetermined before the 
dyes were applied. 
In the above-referenced patent, the pattern controlling the dyeing is laid 
out on a plurality of drums, one for each dye color. The pattern for each 
color is prepared and laid out on its respective drum, and controls 
(through conductive and non-conductive areas, and switch fingers) the 
lowering of each individual yarn into contact for the predetermined time 
with the dye pick-up roll for that particular color. A separate pattern 
drum for each dye color is required because of space problems and 
overlapping control lines due to hundreds of yarn control assemblies 
required to lower the individual yarns into contact with particular dye 
pick-up rolls. Further, due to the longitudinal spacing along the length 
of the machine of the yarn control assemblies and dye rolls, the zero or 
starting point of the patterns as laid out on the pattern drums is 
different on each drum. In other words, the controlling action of the 
drums must be coordinated; and the start of the patterns on the drums for 
the dye pick-up rolls displaced down the machine from the first dye 
pick-up roll must follow the start of the first drum by the amount of time 
taken for the yarn to travel from the first dye pick-up roll to the 
succeeding dye pick-up rolls. 
The present invention is directed to a highly versatile electronic control 
system which also eliminates the need for the several pattern drums. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, a multiplicity of yarns are dyed 
individually in the general manner described in the above-referenced 
patent, which patent is incorporated into the present application by 
reference. In the present invention, a replica or artist's rendition of 
the multi-colored pattern to be reproduced in tufted carpet is scanned. 
The scanned color data is converted to digital information which may be 
stored on a digital storage medium such as punched paper tape, and which 
may later be transferred to an erasable programmable read only memory 
(EPROM) forming a part of the control system of the present invention. 
Several EPROM integrated circuit chips are located on one board, and may 
contain color data information for several carpet patterns of different 
design. Addressing means are provided for a microprocessor to locate the 
beginning of a particular pattern on a particular chip, and to output 
desired pattern information. 
A backing clock generated through the physical displacement of the carpet 
backing controls the output of data from the EPROM to shift registers. A 
yarn clock generated through the physical displacement of yarn moving 
along the machine controls the clocking of yarn color data from the shift 
registers through shift register delays to operate the solenoid activated 
yarn control assemblies and dye predetermined sections of individual yarns 
with the correct dye colors when the predetermined sections reach the 
appropriate dye baths. clocking of the yarn control data through shift 
register delays compensates for the linear displacement of the dye pick-up 
rolls from one another along the machine. As an example, when two directly 
adjoining sections of an individual yarn end are to be dyed a first and a 
second color by two dye pick-up rolls spaced a number of feet apart, dye 
of a first color from the first dye pick-up roll is applied to the 
predetermined section of the yarn. A shift register delay of the correct 
length clocked by the yarn displacement between the two spaced dye pick-up 
rolls then applies a signal at the correct instant to activate the yarn 
control assembly at the second dye pick-up roll and to cause the dye of 
the second color to be applied to the section of the yarn end directly 
adjoining where the dye of the first color was applied. In the embodiment 
disclosed in the present application, five separate dye baths with dye 
pick-up rolls are spaced apart from one another, and 96 yarn control 
assemblies are associated with each dye bath. 
Interface logic circuitry connected between the microprocessor and the 
shift registers and shift register delays generates signals controlling 
operations of the machine. Circuits in particular are provided for 
decoding, and to generate backing and yarn clocking signals free of 
vibrational and reverse motion effects, to control the output of 
particular pattern information from EPROM and deliver the information to 
the shift registers, to provide various other control signals, and to 
compensate for low yarn speeds when starting and/or stopping the machine. 
Also provided in the interface circuitry are circuit means whereby when a 
particular pattern or particular color information is selected from EPROM 
to be tufted into carpet, individual colors making up the tufted pattern 
may be interchanged among the different colors available in the dye baths. 
The present invention presents the advantage of being able to tuft 
multi-colored complex patterns through the dyeing of different colors on 
predetermined portions of individual yarns, all without the necessity of 
complex and expensive mechanical pattern controlling arrangements for each 
pattern to be tufted. Considerable system flexibility is also provided by 
the electronic control means, and pattern changes may be quickly and 
economically implemented on the tufting machine. 
Of particular utility is the arrangement whereby two independent 
synchronizing devices, the yarn and backing clocks, are generated 
respectively through the displacement rather than the speed of the yarn 
and backing. This permits exact control of the placing of different 
adjoining dye colors along individual yarn ends; and in the tufted carpet, 
allow changes in pile height and number of tufting stitches per unit of 
carpet length to be made without distorting the desired pattern. 
Also of great advantage is the ability to interchange colors within a 
desired pattern, as a flexible design and manufacturing tool. It will be 
appreciated that multicolored complex patterns will appear visually very 
different when the colors of the pattern are interchanged, even though the 
outline configurations of the pattern do not change. In the present 
invention, switches connected to the interface circuitry permit the colors 
of a given pattern to be interchanged so that small sections of a carpet 
may be tufted having the same pattern outline configurations but having 
the individual portions of the pattern in different selected color 
combinations. In this manner a very effective design tool is presented, to 
allow quick and economical selection for marketing of the most aesthetic 
color combinations in the given pattern. Without such an arrangement, 
complicated mechanical rearrangements or numerous and expensive artistic 
renditions would be required to obtain the same result. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 
as it is described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Dye Baths, Yarn Control Assemblies, Tufting Station and Yarn and Backing 
Displacement Sensors 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 20 of the drawings, the undyed yarns Y from a 
creel or spools are spread into the form of a sheet and are threaded up 
through a horizontal yarn guide plate 9 having several rows of staggered 
holes, from which the yarns pass around a horizontal idler roll 13 and 
around and over a parallel draw roll 12 mounted on a horizontal shaft 12s 
supported in bearing 13b in the machine frame F above the idler roll 13. 
The draw roll has a rough surface and is power driven and pulls the yarns 
from the supply. The machine frame F may be of any suitable form and 
number of parts to support the various elements of the machine as 
described herein. 
In order to prepare and condition the yarns so that they will pick up and 
retain dyes, later to be applied at predetermined sections along the 
length of the yarns, a bath 17 is provided of common wetting, cleansing, 
and anti-foaming agents. The yarn sheet passes from the draw roll 12 into 
the bath under the first (20) of a pair of parallel horizontal squeeze 
rolls 20, 22 which are mounted on shafts 23, 25 journalled in bearings in 
bearing blocks 29, 29' supported from the machine frame at each end of the 
rolls. The passage of the yarns between the squeeze rolls leaves the yarns 
with about 80% moisture content. From these rolls, the yarns go directly 
to dyeing apparatus which in the example illustrated is provided with 
means to apply five colors in succession at spaced points along each 
individual yarn end. 
In order to apply dye at spaced positions along the yarns, five (or more or 
less) identical stainless steel dye pick-up rolls 32, 52, 72, 92, 112 are 
provided, mounted on shafts 34, 54, 74, 94 and 114, and positioned over 
the dye baths 30, 50, 70, 70, 110, containing dyes of different colors and 
additive chemicals to assist adherence of the dyes to the pick-up rolls, 
to penetrate the yarn, to fix the dye to the fibers and to reduce foam. 
FIG. 1 is drawn as shown by reason of space limitation, but it will be 
appreciated that dye baths 30, 50, 70, 90 and 110 generally extend along a 
line in the actual machine as shown in FIG. 3. The lower part of each roll 
is immersed in the bath and picks up dye as the roll turns. The shafts 34 
of roll 32 is journalled in bearings in bearing clocks 38, and the rolls 
52, 72, 92, and 112 are similarly supported. 
Above each pick-up roll is mounted a bank of yarn control assemblies 
extending parallel to the axis of the rolls (transversely into the plane 
of FIG. 1). In the embodiment of the invention herein described, a total 
of 96 such assemblies above each pick-up roll extends parallel to the axis 
of that roll. The desired carpet width dictates the number of yarn ends 
controlled by a single yarn control assembly. For example, if the carpet 
width has 96 ends, 1 yarn end is controlled by each yarn control assembly. 
If the carpet width has 2 .times. 96 yarn ends, 2 yarn ends are controlled 
by each of the 96 yarn control assemblies. The needles are threaded at the 
tufting machine in such a manner that the pattern repeats across the width 
after 96 ends. Pattern repeats of less than 96 ends are achieved 
electronically by duplicating the data. Wider patterns with no width 
repeats can be handled by more than 96 yarn control assemblies above each 
pick-up roll. 
Each individual yarn control assembly comprises a vertically mounted 
pneumatic cylinder (40, 60, 80, 100, 120, etc.), containing a plunger with 
a stem or piston rod (42, 62, 82, 102, 122, etc.) extending out the lower 
end in a position offset from directly vertical position over its roll. 
The rod is normally biased upwardly by a coiled compressing spring within 
the cylinder. A conventional electromagnetically operated solenoid valve 
controls inlet and exhaust of air to and from the cylinder through a 
connection 44 to an air supply. For the 96 yarn control assemblies 
extending parallel to the axis of roll 32, solenoid valves V.sub.1 to 
V.sub.48 on the R side, and solenoid valves V.sub.1 ' to V.sub.40 ' on the 
L side, are shown diagramatically in FIG. 2. Rolls 52, 72, 92 and 112 
similarly each have 96 yarn control assemblies extending parallel to the 
axis of each roll, with each yarn control assembly being identically 
controlled by a solenoid valve as shown diagramatically in FIG. 2. Thus in 
the machine described with 96 yarn control assemblies controlled by 96 
solenoid valves at each of the five dye pick-up rolls, there are a total 
of 480 yarn control assemblies and 480 solenoid valves for the machine. 
The individual yarn ends pass through openings at the lower end of the 
downwardly extending portions of the piston rods. Each of the assemblies 
is placed so that when its piston and rod are down, the yarn end(s) it 
carries will be pushed down into contact with the adjacent pick-up roll. 
In FIG. 1, it is assumed that rods 42, 62, 82, 102 and 122 carry the same 
yarn end(s). Rod 42 controls the position of the yarn end(s) that it 
carries between the squeeze roll 22 and itself. In the inactivated 
position the rod 42 is up, in the position shown in FIG. 1, and the yarn 
is out of contact with the pick-up roll 32. When activated, the rod 42 
moves down carrying the yarn into contact with the pick-up roll 32. 
In corresponding fashion, when the rod 62 of the assembly associated with 
roll 52 is inactivated and in its up position, the yarn is held from 
contacting the roll 52, whether or not the rod 42 is activated. But when 
rod 62 is activated, it moves down and carries the yarn into contact with 
pick-up roll 52 as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1. Likewise, when each 
rod of each yarn control assembly is up, the yarn it carries is held from 
contacting the pick-up roll associated with that yarn control assembly, 
whether or not the rod of any other yarn control assembly is activated. 
Since the yarn is constantly moving forward through the machine, each yarn 
end will be dyed with different colors along its length. The places where 
a particular color is applied will depend on when each particular yarn 
control assembly associated with a given yarn end(s) is activated. As 
shown in FIG. 1, the yarn control assemblies having rods 42, 62, 82, 102 
and 122 manipulate one or more yarn ends. Thus a large variety of color 
sequences along each yarn end(s) is possible. Since each bath has 95 other 
corresponding yarn control assemblies each manipulating a different yarn 
end(s), a large variety of colorings of yarns can be obtained transversely 
across the sheet since the adjacent yarn ends which are carried by 
individual transversely adjacent yarn control assemblies can be dyed 
entirely independently of each other. The colors dyed in each individual 
yarn, and thus in the yarn ends transversely across the sheet, are 
determined from multi-color complex pattern data stored in EPROM memory as 
hereinafter described. 
After the final dye bath 110 has been passed by the yarn ends, the yarn 
sheet goes through yarn drive rolls 130, 131. The shaft of yarn drive roll 
131 is connected to yarn clock pulse generator 132, so that yarn clock 
pulse generator 132 senses through the shaft rotation of drive roll 131 
the physical displacement of the yarn sheet as it moves across the dye 
baths. Yarn clock pulse generator 132 provides a constant number of pulses 
per unit length of yarn travel to the microprocessor. The yarn sheet then 
may pass to a conventional steam chamber (not shown) and/or drying chamber 
(not shown) to set and dry the yarn. Thereafter, the yarns are passed to 
the tufting machine 133 (diagramatically shown) in a manner more fully 
described in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,550. 
At the tufting machine 133, backing roller 135 provides the carpet backing 
134 to the tufting machine, the backing 134 passing first over drive roll 
136. Connected to the shaft of roll 136 is backing clock pulse generator 
137, so that backing clock generator 137 senses through the shaft rotation 
of drive roll 136 the physical displacement of the backing as it moves 
into the tufting machine 133. Backing clock pulse generator 137 provides a 
constant number of pulses per unit length of backing travel to the 
microprocessor. 
Further details of the system described above are found in the 
above-referenced patent, incorporated herein by reference. 
Description of Overall Control System 
FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic illustration of the control system for 
controlling the 480 yarn control assemblies in the described embodiment of 
the present invention. An artist's rendition of a multi-colored complex 
pattern is scanned for color data by a scanner 250 such as illustrated in 
FIG. 6. The scanned color data is electronically digitized and stored on 
PROM pattern card 201 (FIGS. 7 and 10A-10C) and addressable by 
microprocessor 200 (FIGS. 4 and 5). A control program (FIGS. 8A-8D and 9) 
for the microprocessor is stored in PROM memory 202, with RAM (random 
access memory) memory 203 serving as a working memory for the 
microprocessor. Interface circuitry 204 (FIGS. 12A-12B, 13A-13G, 14A-14C, 
15, 16A-16I, 17 18A-18C) connects microprocessor 200 through color 
selector matrix switches 205 (FIG. 17) for color switching and to latch 
206 and delays 209, 212, 215 and 218 (FIGS. 19A-19B), which in turn are 
respectively connected to solenoid drivers 207, 210, 213, 216, 219 (FIG. 
20) and solenoid valves 208, 211, 214, 217, 220 (V.sub.1 to V.sub.48 (R) 
and V.sub.1 ' to V.sub.48 ' (L), FIG. 2) to operate air cylinders 40, 60, 
80, 100, 120 (FIG. 1) and rods 42, 62, 82, 102, 122 (FIG. 1) above dye 
pick-up rolls 32, 52, 72, 92, 112 (FIG. 1) rotating in dye baths 30, 50, 
70, 90, 110 (FIG. 1). Color pattern informationn for each yarn end in each 
stitch (each line of color data scanned across the width of a pattern) is 
presented from PROM pattern card 201 to latch circuits 206 and delay 
circuits 209, 212, 215 and 218 under control of backing clock 137. The 
color information for each stitch is clocked through the latch and delay 
circuits under control of yarn clock 132, with the delay circuits 209, 
212, 215 and 218 being of increasing lengths in that order to compensate 
for the physical distance the yarn ends must travel between dye pick-up 
rolls 32, 52, 72, 92 and 112. The length of these delays corresponds 
directly to the physical displacement of the dye pick-up rolls. FIGS. 1 
and 3 are not intended to show a physical displacement of the pick-up 
rolls to scale, but in the embodiment of the invention described herein, 
the spacing between pick-up rolls 32-52 and 72-92 is half that of the 
spacing between rolls 52-72 and 92-112. 
It will further be appreciated from the previous description that 96 air 
cylinders and rods (including cylinder 40 and rod 42) extend above and 
parallel to the axis of dye pick-up rolls 32, 96 air cylinders and rods 
(including cylinder 60 and rod 62) extend above and parallel to the axis 
of dye pick-up roll 52, and 96 of the yarn control assemblies (each 
comprised of a cylinder and rod) similarly extend above and parallel to 
the axis of each of the dye pick-up rolls 72, 92 and 112. Solenoid valves 
208, 211, 214, 217 and 220 each are symbolic of a separate set of 96 
solenoid valves V.sub.1 to V.sub.48 (R) and V.sub.1 ' to V.sub.48 ' (L) 
above each dye pick-up roll as shown diagramatically in FIG. 2, with each 
individual solenoid valve, under the influence of a solenoid driver, 
operating each individual yarn control assembly according to color data 
information clocked through a latch or delay circuit associated with that 
particular valve. Latch 206 and delays 209, 212, 215 and 218 are symbolic 
of latch or delay circuits associated with each of the 480 yarn control 
assemblies in the described embodiment of the present invention. 
Pattern Scanner 
Referring to FIG. 6, a suitable form of pattern scanner 250 is illustrated. 
Pattern 251, the pattern to be scanned, is placed on and affixed as by 
tape to flat board 252. Pattern 251 may be an artist's rendition of the 
pattern to be tufted, and is a multi-colored complex pattern having for 
example a number of different outline configurations of different colors 
such as shown. 
Cursor 253 having a lens 264 therein containing a central viewing circle 
263 rides along carriage members 254 and 255. Wire cable 256 is connected 
to the cursor 253 and to shaft 258 of stepper motor 257 as shown. Carriage 
members 254 and 255 are integrally connected to carriage members 259 and 
260, with stepper motor 257 being attached to carriage member 259. Stepper 
motor 257, through shaft 258 and wire 256, serves to drive cursor 253 with 
its lens 264 along the Y axis (carpet width) of the pattern to be scanned. 
Also connected to and riding along with cursor 253 is a keyboard 265 having 
buttons 266 thereon for recording color information with regard to the 
pattern 251 being scanned. 
Carriage member 260 is in turn connected to screw drive 261 which is driven 
by stepper motor 262. Stepper motor 262, through screw drive 261, serves 
to drive cursor 253 with its lens 264 (as well as the assembly of carriage 
members 254, 255, 259 and 260, wires 256, stepper motor 257 and keyboard 
265) along the X axis (carpet length) of the pattern to be scanned. 
In operation, cursor 253 is positioned by stepper motors 257 and 262 at the 
lower left corner of pattern 251, the position representing the first 
needle of the first stitch of the carpet to be tufted. An operator viewing 
through viewing circle 263 sees one of the five colors (in the embodiment 
of the invention here described) of the pattern 251, which five colors are 
also contained in the five dye baths previously described. The operator 
pushes the particular button on keyboard 265 assigned to the color viewed, 
to record a discrete color data point. By conventional and known means, 
that color recorded may be electrically transferred to and stored in logic 
circuits, and stepper motor 257 is then actuated to index the cursor 253 
one position along the Y axis in the upward direction. A microprocessor 
may serve to transfer and store the recorded color data, and also operate 
the stepper motors 257 and 262. The operator will view the color of the 
pattern at this next index position through viewing circle 263, and will 
push the button on keyboard 265 assigned to the color viewed. This color 
information will be similarly stored, and the cursor 253 is then indexed 
to the next viewing position along the Y axis by stepper motor 257. In 
similar fashion, color information will be viewed and recorded for each 
index position along the Y axis until the top of the pattern is reached (a 
stitch of information then having been recorded), at which point stepper 
motor 262 will index cursor 253 one position along the X axis. Cursor 253 
will then index down the Y axis under the control of the stepper motor 
257, viewing position by viewing position with the viewed color 
information being similarly recorded, until the bottom of the pattern 251 
is reached (a second stitch of pattern information then having been 
recorded). At that point, stepper motor 262 will index cursor 253 one 
position to the right along the X axis, and stepper motor 257 will index 
the cursor 253 upwardly through a new viewing stitch of color data along 
the Y axis. These operations will continue along the Y and X axes in the 
same described fashion until the entire pattern has been scanned and its 
color information has been recorded and stored. 
Since the needles in the tufting machine previously referred to are spaced 
3/16 of an inch apart, lens 264 is of a size to view a 3/16 of an inch 
square of the pattern being scanned, with central viewing circle 263 
viewing the center of the square for accuracy. Each indexing of cursor 253 
by stepper motors 257 and 262 is through a 3/16 inch linear displacement 
(either along the X axis or the Y axis) to arrive at the next viewing 
position for the operator. Each viewing position is a discrete data point, 
and the scanned pattern is therefore converted to a multiplicity of 
discrete data points. 
Keyboard 265 in the embodiment of the invention herein described includes 
five color buttons, one for each of the five colors of the scanned pattern 
(the five colors in the five dye baths), as well as three buttons to 
respectively start the scanning operation, repeat color information, and 
delete color information when the operator makes an error. 
Each pattern 251 being scanned may be intended to be repeated one or more 
times along the Y axis (width) in the carpet to be tufted, and to be 
repeated one or more times along the X axis (length) in the carpet to be 
tufted. The scanned color data descriptive of the pattern may be recorded 
and preserved on punched paper tape by conventional known means, as well 
as control information from a teletype identifying the pattern and 
identifying the number of width and/or length repeats for the pattern in 
the carpet to be tufted. On the paper tape, a frame of 8 bits in ASCII 
code may define each data point of color information. All of this 
information may then be read into a computer and recorded as binary 
information on the PROM pattern card 201 used in the embodiment of the 
invention herein described. The tape may be retained for future use. 
In addition to the scanner described above as an example, several other 
pattern scanning means are commercially available. A further possible 
scanning means may be found in Strother and Blackstone U.S. Pat. No. 
3,722,434, issued Mar. 27, 1973, with suitable conversion to color sensing 
optical means (a multiple photocell scanning head with appropriate color 
filters to detect the various colors) and associated circuitry. 
PROM Pattern Card 
Referring to FIG. 7, PROM pattern card 201 is illustrated. Located on 
printed circuit card 201 are sixteen erasable programmable read only 
memory (EPROM) Intel integrated circuit chips 2708, designated Z 101 to Z 
116. Noted in FIG. 7 on the EPROM chips Z 101 to Z 116 are the addressable 
memory locations contained on each chip (hexadecimal). Further contained 
on card 201 are tri-state driver integrated circuit chips Z 117 and Z 118 
(each a 74367A integrated circuit chip), and decoding chips Z 119 and Z 
120 (Z 119 being a 7442A integrated circuit chip and Z 120 being a 74154 
integrated circuit chip). Also located on card 201 at the left hand side 
are three voltage regulators establishing card voltages of +5 volts 
(regulator 7805), +12 volts (regulator 7812) and -5 volts (regulator 
79MGT2C). 
Card 201 in total contains a memory capacity of approximately 16K words (8 
bits each). Each memory chip Z 101 to Z 116 is separately removable from 
card 201, and has color information from scanned patterns stored on it by 
techniques well known to those skilled in the art. For example, the color 
information scanned from a pattern may have been recorded on punched paper 
tape, which is then read into a computer and entered onto the EPROM chips, 
one chip at a time. The chips Z 101 to Z 116 herein disclosed are erasable 
by ultraviolet light, so that when there is no current need for the 
pattern information on a given chip, it may be erased for the subsequent 
entry of new multicolored complex pattern information. 
The means for addressing each of chips Z 101 to Z 116, and particular 
information on each chip, is hereinafter disclosed. 
Chips Z 101 to Z 116 will contain, as to each pattern, a pattern 
identifying preamble, information on the number of needles before a width 
repeat, information on the number of stitches before a length repeat, and 
the actual pattern data. Each pattern may occupy a portion of a chip, or 
several chips. The first pattern word is the pattern identifier 
(hexadecimal 81), the second pattern word is the pattern width repeat 
(WREP), the third pattern word is the pattern length repeat (