Patent ID: 7165500

Claim:
A looper for use in a tufting machine, comprising: a hook throat portion having a length and a width, said hook throat portion including (i) a side surface extending in a length direction of said hook throat portion, and (ii) a bottom surface extending in the length direction of said hook throat portion, said bottom surface having corrugations over at least a partial length of said bottom surface, said corrugations being defined by ridges and troughs between adjacent ones of said ridges, said ridges extending in a transverse direction relative to the length direction of said hook throat portion, and at least three of said ridges being equally spaced from a line extending in the length direction of said hook throat portion, wherein said looper is constructed and arranged to be used in combination with a knife which is moved up and down along said side surface so as to cut a loop pile caught in one of said troughs.