Patent GB-307713-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to rug-making machines
IPC: D04G3/02
Filed: 1927-10-11
Abstract: 307,713. Neville, W. H. I., Smalley, H., Haworth, G., and McDougall, R. Oct. 11, 1927. Tufting-machines.-In a rug-making machine, threads 59 in warp form are formed into a series of loops as shown in Fig. 3, the bottom ends of these loops being sewn to a backing 58 and the tops of the loops being subsequently cut by a rotating cutter 56. The loops are formed in the threads 59 by means of looping bars 4 co-acting with intermediate sewing bars &c. 8 secured to the links of chains 9, Fig. 2, which pass around rollers 10, 11 outside a stationary drum 1 and are so guided as to be in contact with the upper half of the drum only. The loop bars are secured to end rings to form a band of bars, which is intermittently rotated around the drum 1. Each sewing bar is provided with a longitudinal sewing slot to receive a vertical sewing needle 52 on a sewing machine situated at one side of the drum and having a lower jaw 29 to extend into the drum, and an upper jaw 28 to extend above it. The sewing machine carries an electric motor, which, by gearing described, including a long threaded rod 26 extending through the drum 1, causes the sewing machine to be reciprocated longitudinally on guides 21 in the direction of the axis of the drum so that the sewing needle successively may sew all the threads on a particular bar 8 to the backing 58. The bars 4 and 8 are then moved forwards one step in an anticlockwise direction over the drum 1 to bring the next bar 8 below the needle 52, and below a slot 3 in the drum 1, which receives the needle. Each bar 4 has a recess 12 to receive the rotary cutter 56, and the bases of the bars have hooks or teeth to engage the backing 58 which passes from a roll 17 within the stationary drum around a roller 20 on a shaft 18 furnished with an external hand wheel and out through an opening in the drum into engagement with the external periphery thereof. The completed rug is guided at 65 to a curved guide 66 causing the rug to be coiled up in the interior of the drum. The roller 10 around which the sewing bar 8, 9 passes may be provided with a manually-operated handle, whereby the sewing bar band may be moved forward by steps corresponding to the pitch of the loop bars 4, and spring-controlled stops may be used to define the position of the bands after each movement. The longitudinal movement of the sewing machine to affect a line of stitching may be controlled electrically by switch mechanism and a line of stitching may be made during both the forward and return movements. A double or multiple sewing machine with two or more needles may be used so that two or more lines of stitching may be made simultaneously, the drum 1 having a corresponding number of sewing slots. The intermittent feed forward of the backing and of the threads forming the loop may be interlocked with the mechanism for starting and stopping the sewing machine and for controlling the to and fro movement of the sewing machine, thus the electric motor of the sewing machine may be controlled by a switch controlled by the loop forming band and sewing bar band. Other arangements for making the machine automatic are referred to. Loop bars of varying size &c. may be used to cause variations in the length of the pile in the rug at different points in its length or breadth.