Patent ID: 8256364

Claim:
A tufting machine for forming tufted carpet on a backing material moving in a machine direction through the tufting machine, the backing material having a top surface, the tufting machine comprising: means for inserting loops of yarn into the backing material to form sequential substantially linear rows of yarn tufts thereon the backing material, wherein a portion of each yarn tuft projects from the top surface of the backing material, and wherein, at an operational speed of the tufting machine, each respective linear row of yarn tufts has an operational ratio of at least two different yarns projecting from the top surface of the backing material that form a desired color; and means for controlling the deviation of the ratio of different yarns projecting therefrom the top surface of the backing material of each linear row relative to the operational ratio as the speed of the tufting machine deviates from the operational speed such that each linear row formed at a deviated speed is substantially the same color as the desired color.