Tufting machine drive system

Abstract

A tufting machine has a needle bar for carrying a plurality of needles for reciprocating into and out of a base material. A sliding needle bar shift mechanism may shift the needle bar laterally according to a pattern. The needle bar is mounted for reciprocation and for lateral movement relative to the direction of reciprocation by a drive system including a first directional drive component having a foot secured to a respective push rod of the tufting machine and a second directional drive component connected to the shift mechanism. The first and second drive components will connect to the needle bar through linear bearings or bushings so that the motion of the needle bar in multiple different directions is controlled while permitting greater machine operating and needle bar shifting speeds.

1 . A tufting machine for forming tufted articles, comprising:
 backing feed rolls feeding a backing material through the tufting machine;   at least one needle bar having a plurality of needles carrying a series of yarns;   a first directional drive component for reciprocating the at least one needle bar in a first direction whereupon the needles are moved into and out of the backing material for forming tufts of yarns in the backing material, the first drive component comprising one or more push rods, and a series of needle bar support brackets coupled to the push rods and including linear motion bearing guides configured to slidably receive a guide track mounted to the at least one needle bar as the at least one needle bar is moved in a second direction; and   a second directional drive component for controlling movement of the at least one needle bar in the second direction, the second directional drive component including at least one shift mechanism connected to the at least one needle bar by at least one guide arm coupled to the at least one needle bar and engaging a linear bearing assembly bracket having linear motion bearings and a channel through which the at least one guide arm is received during the reciprocating movement of the at least one needle bar in its first direction, while the at least one needle bar is moved in its second direction substantially transverse to the first direction by the at least one shift mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The tufting machine of  claim 1 , wherein the second directional drive component further comprises at least one drive rod connected to the at least one shift mechanism, and a series of supports mounted to a frame of the tufting machine and each having a linear bearing assembly for slidably supporting the at least one drive rod along the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The tufting machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one needle bar comprises a pair of needle bars and the at least one shift mechanism comprises a pair of shift mechanisms for shifting the needle bars in their second direction independently of each other. 
     
     
         4 . The tufting machine of  claim 1 , wherein the linear motion bearing guides and the at least one linear bearing assembly bracket comprise reciprocating linear bearings. 
     
     
         5 . The tufting machine of  claim 1 , wherein the needle bar support brackets each comprise a body having an upper body section with an opening through which one of the push rods is received, and a lower body section coupled to the upper body section by a series of fasteners. 
     
     
         6 . The tufting machine of  claim 5 , wherein one or more stackable shims are received between the upper and lower body sections for adjustment of a needle stroke or penetration depth through the backing. 
     
     
         7 . The tufting machine of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more stackable shims received between the upper and lower body sections are visible along at least a portion of the needle support brackets to enable visual detection of the shims between the upper and lower body sections. 
     
     
         8 . The tufting machine of  claim 5 , wherein the lower body sections of the needle bar support brackets have an expanded configuration so as to project outwardly from the upper body sections. 
     
     
         9 . The tufting machine of  claim 5 , wherein the fasteners coupling the upper and lower body sections together comprise one or more shoulder bolts received through the first and second body sections and each having a shoulder for limiting vertical movement of the body sections, and one or more clamping bolts extended through the upper and lower body sections adjacent corners thereof to help distribute a thrust force transmitted by the push rods across the body of each support bracket. 
     
     
         10 . A tufting machine, comprising:
 a pair of needle bars each having a plurality of needles carrying a series of yarns, wherein the needle bars are moveable in a first direction for reciprocating the needles into and out of a backing moving therebelow for forming tufts of yarns in the backing, and are moveable in a second direction for shifting the needles transversely with respect to the movement of the backing; and   a drive system for guiding movement of the needle bars in the first and second directions, the drive system having a first directional drive component comprising a series of push rods coupled to needle bars and connected to a main drive for driving the needle bars in a reciprocating motion along the first direction, and a second directional drive component comprising at least one shift mechanism operable for shifting at least a portion of the needles in the second direction;   wherein the drive system further includes a series of needle bar support brackets coupling the push rods to the needle bars and each comprising a first body section in which a push rod is received, a second body section adjustably coupled to the first section, and one or more linear motion bearing guides mounted to the second body section, with a pair of channels having linear motion bearings defined therealong, and wherein guide tracks mounted to each of the needle bars are slideably received within the channels for guiding shifting movement of the needles in the second direction across the backing material.   
     
     
         11 . The tufting machine of  claim 10 , further comprising a series of shoulder bolts received through the first and second body sections and each having a shoulder for limiting vertical movement of the body sections. 
     
     
         12 . The tufting machine of  claim 10  further comprising clamping bolts extended through at least a portion of the first and second body sections adjacent each corner thereof to help distribute a thrust force from the push rods across the body of each support bracket. 
     
     
         13 . The tufting machine of  claim 12 , further comprising a series of additional fasteners located along the needle bar support brackets between corners thereof, the additional fasteners extending through one or more shims received between the body sections. 
     
     
         14 . The tufting machine of  claim 10 , further comprising a series of stackable shims received between the first and second body sections in a position to enable visual detection of the shims between the first and second body sections.