FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to improvements in tufting machines for producing looped pile or cut loop pile in various patterns, lengths and designs on a backing web of fabric material, typically but not exclusively for producing carpet, rugs or sample carpets or rugs. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    Conventional carpet or rug making machinery typically provides means for feeding continuously a primary backing material web past an array of in line tuft forming needles, each receiving a yarn of a desired colour and size, to produce tuft loops (either cut or uncut) with a corresponding array of cooperating loop forming members or hooks with a cutting knife on the opposite side of the backing material web. The array of in line tuft forming needles generally extends transversely across the backing material web. The needles typically reciprocate through the primary backing material web to form the tuft loops but are otherwise mounted in a fixed position. Such machines are effective when producing tufted (carpet) material of reasonably large size and where yarns, colours or structures of the tufted material are not changed as it is a time Consuming and difficult process to make such changes. As a result such machines are not often used to produce samples or designs of small run volumes. 
         [0003]    In U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,605, a tufting machine is disclosed for producing sample designs of tufted carpet like material or specialist small run carpet or rug designs of a relatively small size. In this machine a backing material web is incrementally moved through a tufting zone with one or more tufting needle beads being moved transversely across the backing material web in the tufting zone to produce tuft loops or cut pile in association with a hook looper head on the opposite side of the material web. If a cut pile is to be formed, the looper head includes a hook and knife to cut the loop formed whereas if looped pile is formed the looper head includes a loop forming member. Each of the needle heads includes a plurality of needles, each capable of receiving a desired yam of a selected colour/configuration, with each needle being individually selectable for use in a particular operational run of the needle head across the backing material web. The machine also includes means to selectably feed a desired length of yarn to the needle in use to allow looped tufts to be formed of selectable lengths or heights relative to the backing material web. The machine is highly flexible and is therefore particularly useful for producing sample products or specialist designed products, however as it produces one or only a limited number of lines of tuft loops across the backing material web each pass of the needle head (or heads), it remains relative slow in production rates. It is therefore less suitable for producing larger sample products or for producing production runs of medium to larger tufted products (carpets, rugs or the like). 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The objective of the present invention is to provide a tufting machine which has improved production rates such that it is capable of being used to produce larger samples of tufted products or is capable of being used for production runs of tufted products, but still retains sufficient flexibility for changes in yarn and construction of the tufted product to be made relatively easily. 
         [0005]    According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for forming a tufted pile product including a backing material web comprising:
       feed means for said backing material web for feeding said backing material web in incremental steps substantially along a horizontal path through a tufted pile forming zone;   a needle head arranged on one face of the horizontal path for said backing material web in said tufted pile forming zone, said needle head including a needle sub assembly having a plurality of tuft forming needles arranged in an array extending generally in the direction of said horizontal path for said backing material web;   needle head support means for said need e head enabling movement of said needle head along a first transverse path relative to said horizontal path for said backing material web;   first drive means for driving said needle head along said first transverse path;   second drive means for reciprocating said needle sub assembly operationally through said horizontal path as said first drive means drives said needle head along said first transverse path, all of the needles of said needle sub assembly penetrating, in use, the backing material web upon reciprocation of said needle sub assembly;   a looper head arranged on an opposite face of said horizontal path for said backing material web, said looper head carrying a looper sub assembly including a plurality of looper members or a plurality of hook and knife members in an array extending generally in the direction of said horizontal path for said backing material web;   looper head support Means for said looper head enabling movement of said looper head along a second transverse path relative to said horizontal path for said backing material web;   third drive means for driving said looper head along said second transverse path; and   actuation means for the looper members or the hook and knife members of said looper sub assembly to move said looper members or the hook and knife members simultaneously to cooperate with a respective said needle of the needle sub assembly as the needles of the needle sub assembly reciprocate through the backing material web in said tufted pile forming zone.       
 
         [0015]    Conveniently the first drive means and the third drive means are independent of one another. Preferably, movement of said needle forming head and said looper head along said first and said second transverse paths is synchronized when tufted pile is formed on said backing material web in said tufted pile forming zone. 
         [0016]    In one preferred arrangement, the apparatus has an operational zone containing said tufted pile forming zone and a service zone, each of said first and second transverse paths enabling the needle sub assembly and the looper member sub assembly to be selectably positionable in said service zone. Conveniently the needle sub assembly having a plurality of tuft forming needles is removable from said needle head and replaceable by a different said needle sub assembly. The needle sub assembly may comprise a plurality of modules each comprised of a predetermined number of said tuft forming needles, each said module being selectably removable and replaceable with a different said module of tuft forming needles. Conveniently, the looper member sub assembly having a plurality of looper members or hook and knife members is removable from said looper head and replaceable with a different said looper member sub assembly. The looper member sub assembly may comprise a plurality of modules each comprised of a predetermined number of said looper members, each said module being selectably removable and replaceable with a different said module of looper members. In a possible alternative embodiment, in the looper member sub assembly, cooperating hooks and knives are provided to enable yarn loops formed to be cut to form cut pile. By providing that the needle sub assembly and the looper member sub assembly are each bodily replaceable, it is possible to quickly and easily reconfigure the apparatus for producing an alternative construction of tufted pile product without the labour and time intensive requirements with conventional apparatus of this type. Greater flexibility is also introduced by providing the replaceable needle modules and loom member modules. 
         [0017]    In a preferred embodiment, the second drive means for reciprocating said needle sub assembly comprises a crank mechanism including a connecting arm pivotally connected to said needle sub assembly, said crank mechanism being rotated to drive said connecting arm in a reciprocating motion. Conveniently, the crank mechanism may be adjustable to vary the length of said reciprocating motion. The apparatus may further include balance means connected to said needle sub assembly to balance forces imposed by the crank mechanism. The needle head may include a first outer support structure, said crank mechanism being mounted in a second support structure, height adjusting means being provided to enable said second support structure to be height adjusted relative to said first support structure. 
         [0018]    In a further preferred arrangement, the apparatus may include first gripping means configured to selectably grip and release an edge zone of the backing material web in said tufted pile forming zone, said first gripping means being moveable in a transverse direction to stretch said backing material web in said tufted pile forming zone when tufted pile is being formed on said backing material web. The apparatus may further include second gripping means to selectably grip and release an opposed edge zone of said backing material web in said tufted pile forming zone. Preferably said second gripping means is also moveable in a transverse direction to stretch said backing material web. Position sensing means may be provided with each of the first and the second gripping means to ensure movement in said transverse direction maintaining edge zones of the backing material web at the same position during each tufted pile forming run of the needle head and the looper member head. 
         [0019]    Preferably the apparatus further includes a register marking device to mark on said backing material web a register mark as said needle head produces tufted pile on said backing material web in said tufted pile forming zone, said apparatus also including a position sensing device to cooperate with said register mark to control movement of said needle head, said needle sub assembly or said backing material web ready for a repeat operation of said needle head. 
         [0020]    In a still further preferred embodiment the apparatus may include a first yarn feed means to uniformly feed yarn of the same length to each needle of the needle sub assembly and a second yarn feed means to enable adjustable amounts of yarn to be selectably fed to each needle of the needle sub assembly. The first and the second yam teed means being selectable by an operator of the apparatus depending on the nature of the tufted pile product the operator wishes to produce. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tufting machine according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tufting needle head and the cooperating looper member head being shown in an operative position relative to the cooperating backing material web; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a tufting machine similar to  FIG. 1  but showing the tufting needle head and the cooperating looper member head in an extended service position; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a detailed partial perspective view showing the needle bar assembly of the tufting needle head being selectably replaceable relative to the operating mechanism of the tufting needle head; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a detailed partial perspective view showing the looper member sub assembly of the looper head being selectably replaceable relative to the operating mechanism of the looper head; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a detailed partial perspective view of the tufting needle head including the needle sub assembly and its operating mechanism, the tufting needle head being lowered for a short needle stroke with the needle sub assembly in an upper or withdrawn position; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  with the tufting needle head lowered for a short needle stroke and with the needle sub assembly in a lowered extended operative position; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to FIGS.  5 / 6  but with the tufting needle head being elevated for a longer needle bar assembly stroke and with the needle sub assembly in an elevated or withdrawn position; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIGS. 5 to 7  with the tufting needle head elevated for a longer needle stroke and with the needle sub assembly lowered in an extended operative position; 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the tufting needle head and the yarn feed arrangement showing yarn being fed to the needles of the needle sub assembly via common rollers whereby a uniform length of yarn is fed to each needle during a tuft loop forming step; 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view similar to  FIG. 9  where individual yarn feed mechanisms are provided for each needle of the needle bar assembly whereby differing tuft loop lengths can be formed; 
           [0032]      FIG. 11  is a partial perspective view of the looper head in a partly exploded view, this view showing the hooks and cutting knives for forming cut pile; 
           [0033]      FIG. 12  is a view similar to  FIG. 11  but showing the parts in an assembled position; 
           [0034]      FIGS. 13 ,  14  and  15  are partial perspective views of a hacking material web gripping mechanism in different stages of activation used to grip and stretch the web when tufted pile is being formed, there being such a web gripping mechanism on either side of the web in the tufted pile forming zone; 
           [0035]      FIGS. 16 and 17  are partial perspective views of the needle head illustrating a cut off mechanism for the yarn lengths passed to each needle on completion of a loop pile stitching run; and 
           [0036]      FIGS. 18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21  are partial perspective views of the needle head illustrating a register marking device to enable correct positioning of the needle head at the start of each stitching run. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0037]      FIGS. 1 and 2  of the annexed drawings illustrate a tufted pile forming machine  10  for producing tufted pile products such as carpet, rugs or the like. The machine  10  has a supporting frame structure  11  including longitudinally extending rigid I-beams forming a base structure  12  and similar I-beams forming an upper structure  13 . Opposed end walls  14  and  15  formed by steel plate material is provided and define an operative tufted pile forming zone  16  therebetween. At one end  17 , a service area  18  is provided by a beam structure  19 . At the end  17 , the end wall  15  has a central opening  20  to allow the upper tufting needle head  21  to project into the service area  18  ( FIG. 2 ). Similarly, the opening  20  also allows the lower looper head  22  to project into the service area  18  ( FIG. 2 ) for reasons explained hereafter. The frame structure  11  is made as rigid as possible as any out of alignment or deflections makes it difficult for the needles of the tufting needle head  21  to cooperate correctly with a looper member or hook and cutting knife of the lower looper head  22 . 
         [0038]    Within the tufted pile forming zone  16  a support shaft  23  is provided to support and carry a roll of primary backing material web  24 . The backing material web  24  is passed via a roller  25  and a spiked roller  26  to horizontally pass through the zone  16 . The spiked roller  26  is driven by suitable drive means  27  to incrementally move the backing material web  24  in desired steps through the horizontal region in the zone  16 . Suitable rollers arid collection means are provided on the opposite side of the zone  16  to maintain the web  24  taut in a transverse direction in the horizontal region of the zone  16 . Gripper and stretcher devices  28  are provided to grip lateral edges  29 ,  30  of the web  24  in the horizontal region of the zone  16  to maintain the web  24  taut in the longitudinal direction during an operational run of the needle head  21  to produce tufted pile on the web  24 . 
         [0039]    The lower looper head  22  is supported to move on spaced. bearing tracks  31  extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine  10  and transverse to the movement direction of the backing material web  24  through the tufted pile forming zone  16 . The bearing tracks  31  extend from the zone  16  into the service zone  18 . The lower looper head  22  is moved by a driven toothed wheel (not shown) carried by the head  22  operatively engaging with a toothed belt  32 . Alternatively other drive means including a rack and pinion drive could be used. Similarly, the upper needle head  21  is supported on bearing tracks (not shown) running parallel to the bearing tracks  31  and moved via a driven toothed wheel (not shown) engaging with a toothed belt  33 . Alternatively a driven pinion wheel with teeth might engage with an elongated rack with cooperating teeth. Similar to the drive means for the upper needle head  21 , alternative drive means could also be used. Each of the upper needle head  21  and the lower looper head  22  are driven independently of one another but during a tufted pile forming operation, the drive means are synchronized to ensure the needles properly co-operate with the looper members or hook and knife members during the lulled pile formation (looped or cut loop). 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  partially shows the upper needle head  21  including part of the needle actuation mechanism  34 , described in greater detail with reference to subsequent drawings. The mechanism  34  includes a support frame  35  that, in operation is reciprocated in a vertical direction by the actuation mechanism  34 . The support frame  35  has a lower bar  36  that is disposed generally transverse to the longitudinal direction of the machine  10  and preferably parallel to the movement direction of the hacking material web  24  through the tufted pile forming zone  16 . A modular needle bar  37  is provided such that it can be secured by fastener members  38  to the lower bar  36  of the support frame  35 . A plurality of modular needle sub assembly members  39 , each comprising an upper support plate  40  and a plurality of downwardly depending needles  41 , are separately mounted to the needle bar  37  by fasteners  42 . The structure is such that the needle bar  37  can be removed easily and replaced with a separate needle bar  37  of a desired configuration, when it is desired to produce a tufted pile of a different construction. Similar, each of the sub assembly members  39  can also be selectably removed and replaced, if desired. Such changes would occur in the service area  18  where access to the parts is easily achieved. The structure, when assembled to the machine  10  provides an inline array of needles  41  extending, in use, parallel to the movement of the backing material web  24  in the zone  16 . In use, each of the needles  41  is fed, as described hereafter with a single length of yarn for producing the desired tufted pile. 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a looper member sub assembly  43  is illustrated, partially exploded with some parts omitted for the sake of clarity. A looper member assembly with knives for cutting the yarn to produce cut pile is described with reference to later drawings. The looper member sub assembly  43  includes means  45  for operatively moving the loom members  46  into a cooperating position with the needles  41  during production of a looped tufted pile. The looper members  46  are themselves generally of a conventional design. The looper member sub assembly  43  includes a support bar  47  formed in modular form to which a plurality of looper member elements  48  are connected via fasteners (not shown) through apertures  49 . Each element  48  includes a support plate  50  and a plurality of inline looper members  46  such that when assembled the looper members  46  are formed in a line and, in use, are positioned to cooperate with the needles  41 . That is, there is one looper member  46  for each needle  41 . The sub assembly  43  further includes a support clamp  51  comprising a first bar member  52  connected to the means  45  for operatively moving the looper members  46  and a second clamp bar  53  to clamp the support bar  47  between the clamp bar  53  and the bar member  52  by fastener means (not shown) passing through apertures  54 . The support bar  47  includes elongate recesses  55  to be positioned about the fastener means (not shown) to allow the position of the support bar  47  to be physically adjusted relative to the support clamp  51 . Any adjustments or replacement of the looper member sub assembly would normally be carried out in the service area  18  where access is easily attained. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8  illustrate in perspective view, various features of the upper needle head  21  and needle actuation mechanism  34  for moving the needles  41  upwardly and downwardly to provide the motion required for forming tufted pile on the backing material web  24 . The upper needle head  21  comprises an outer support box  56  that, in use, is mounted to move on bearing rails in a longitudinal direction of the machine  10  transverse to the backing material web  24  in the zone  16 . Within the outer support box  56 , an inner support box  57  is mounted on vertical bearing rails  58  and associated bearings  59  such that the inner support box  57  can be selectably moved upwardly or downwardly in a generally vertical direction. A shaft  60  driven by a drive motor (not shown) is provided to selectably raise or lower the inner support box  57  as may be desired. The support frame  35  carrying the needle bar  37  is mounted to spaced vertical rails  61  slidably mounted in bearings  62  mounted to the upright side walls  63  of the inner support box  57 . Upper ends of the vertical rails  61  are pivotally mounted at  64  to pivot arms  65 . A pair of pivoting balance arms  66 ,  67  are pivoted centrally at  68  to the inner support box  57 , each having one end pivotally mounted at  74  to the upper free ends of the pivot arms  65 . The free ends of the balance arms  66 ,  67  each carry a balance weight  69 . The needle actuation mechanism  34  further includes a connecting arm  70  pivoted at  71  to the support frame  35  carrying the modular needle bar  37 . The upper end  71  of the connecting arm  70  includes selectably adjustable crank arm (not shown) to selectably vary the length of the crank arm to thereby vary selectably the up and down length of movement of the connecting arm  70  and thereby the up and down length of stroke of movement of the needle head  37 . The mechanism further includes balance weights  73  such that the balance weights  69 ,  73  damp out any vibrations caused by the crank arm mechanism during the needle bar  37  in a reciprocating vertical movement. As described earlier, the inner support box  57  in  FIG. 5  is lowered by actuation of the adjusting shaft  60  to provide a shorter needle stroke with the needle bar  37  in an upper most position ready to start a downward pile forming movement. In  FIG. 6 , the needle bar  37  is also in a lowered position for a short needle stroke but the needles  41  are at their lower most position after a pile forming movement stroke has been completed, the crank arm being partially seen in this view. The adjusting shaft  60  (not seen in  FIG. 7 ) has raised the inner support box  57  to provide a longer needle stroke and the needle bar  37  is shown in an upper most position similar to  FIG. 5 ). In  FIG. 8 , the adjusting shaft  60  has also raised the inner support box  57  to provide a longer needle stroke and the needle bar  37  is shown in a lower most position similar to  FIG. 6 ). 
         [0043]      FIG. 9  is a view of the upper needle head  21  and the yam feed mechanism  77  to each of the needles  41 , only two yarn flow paths  78  being illustrated for the sake of clarity. Yarn is fed from a yarn spool supply (not shown) via the path  78 , through an aperture  79  in an upper guide plate  80 . A single aperture  79  is provided for each yarn supplied to a needle  41 . Driven cooperating nip rollers  81  draw a uniform length of yam from the yarn spool supply which in this embodiment, provides a uniform length of yarn to all needles  41 . The yarn travels through apertures in individual intermediate guide plates  82 ,  83 , through apertures  84  in a lower guide plate  85  to the needles  41  in the modular needle bar  37 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 9  except in this case, the individual lengths of yarn are supplied from the yam spools (not shown) through individual adjustable feed mechanism  86  each driven by an individual drive motor  87 . Each individual feed mechanism  86  is capable of delivering a selected length of yarn to individual needles  41  in the modular needle bar  37  such that tufted pile of differing heights can be formed with each reciprocation of the bar  37 . The adjustable feed mechanisms  86  may be as described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,605 and this disclosure is incorporated into the present description by this reference thereto. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate a preferred alternative embodiment for the lower looper member head  22  in which cutting knives  87  are provided in the modular head  22  for each looper member  46 . This arrangement can replace the looper head sub assembly  43  when it is desired to produce cut pile with the machine  10 . An actuating mechanism  88  is provided for the head  22 . 
         [0046]      FIGS. 13 ,  14  and  15  are partial perspective views illustrating operation of the gripper and stretching devices  28  intended to grip and stretch the edge zones  29 ,  30  of the backing material web in the zone  16  (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ). The mechanism comprises an upper plate  89  with a series of holes  90  formed therein. A lower plate  91  is pivoted about a pivot axis  92  to the upper plate  89  and includes a plurality of spikes  93  formed thereon facing towards the upper plate  89 . The plates  89  and  91  have two relative positions, a first ( FIG. 13 ) where the plates are splayed relative to one another freeing the edge zone  29 ,  30  of the web  24 , and a second ( FIG. 14 ) closed or gripping position where the plates  89 ,  91  are adjacent one another with the spikes  93  passing through the web  24  and into the boles  90  in the upper plate  89 . Movement to the closed or gripping position ( FIG. 14 ) is achieved by actuator means operating along line  94  to pivot the lower plate  91  about the pivot axis  92  either towards the closed gripping position ( FIG. 14 ) or away from this position to the open position ( FIG. 13 ). When the device  28  is gripping the web  24 , actuators  95  can stretch the web  24  as shown in  FIG. 15 . Preferably position sensing or control devices (not shown) are utilized to ensure the edge of the web  24  is always stretched to the same position to ensure the pile forming stitches start and finish at the same position. The position sensing or control device might include control means controlling the actuators  95  to ensure they move to the same position each operative actuation. In possible alternative arrangements two spaced gripper and stretching devices  28  might be provided or alternatively larger gripping plates  89 ,  91  might be utilized with spaced actuators  95  at opposed end regions of the plates  89 ,  91 . 
         [0047]    Operation of the machine  10  is generally as follows. The upper needle head  21  and the lower looper head  22  arc driven from one side of the web  24  to the other while each of the needles  41  are repeatedly reciprocated to form tufted pile across the web  24 . While this occurs, the devices  28  have been engaged to grip the edges  29 ,  30  and to stretch the web  24 . On the completion of each run, the yarn lengths are withdrawn from the backing web  24  (cut pile) or for loop pile cut by a mechanism  95  shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 16 and 17  and the devices  28  release the edges  29 ,  30  of the web  24 .  FIGS. 16 and 17  show a yarn cutting mechanism  95  mounted to a lower zone of the needle head  21 . The mechanism  95  includes a frame  96  defining a guide track  97  generally parallel to the array of needles  41 . A cutter blade  98  is mounted on a cutter head  99  and moved along the guide track  97  by an actuator or drive motor  100  to cut yarn lengths supplied to the needles  41  at the end of a stitching run. This would normally be required only at the end of a stitching run to produce loop pile. 
         [0048]    At the end of a stitching run of the heads  21 ,  22 , the heads  21 ,  22  are driven back to the starting side of the backing material web  24  and the web  24  is indexed on to allow the process to be repeated. 
         [0049]    Conveniently the machine includes a register marking device  101  shown in  FIGS. 18 to 21  to mark a position line on the backing material web, preferably adjacent the last row of yarn stitches formed on the backing material web  24 . The register marking device  101  comprises a pivotal frame  102  with a forward support bar  103 . The frame  102  is pivotal via actuating means not shown to move the support bar  103  from an operative position generally as shown to a slightly elevated non-operative position. The device  101  includes a marker device  104  such as a marker pen or similar supported from the support bar  103  and adapted to apply a marker such as a marker line  105  to the backing material web  24 . Spaced from the marker device  104  approximately the distance of the array of needles  41  and also mounted to the support bar  103  is a position sensing means  106  which may be a camera device or similar. The position sensing means  106  has a sufficient field of vision in the direction of the array of needles  41  so as to have the capability of sensing a marker line  105  previously applied to the web  24 , In use, the marker device  104  and position sensing means  106  are located just forward of the array of needles  41 .  FIG. 18  shows the needle bead  21  at a start of stitching position with the marker device  104  in a down position to apply the marker line  105  to the web  24 . In this drawing, the needle head is about to commence a first stitching run comprised of a plurality of stitched rows, one for each needle  41  in the array. The marker line  105  is positioned a precise distance to the left on the drawing) of the left hand most needle  41  in the array of needles  41 .  FIG. 19  shows the needle head  21  in a similar position to  FIG. 18  but after the needle head has formed at least one previous group  108  of stitching rows. As shown in  FIG. 20  the needle head  21  has been moved back to a start position and the web  24  has been indexed on with the position sensing means  106  sensing the marker line  105  previously formed and in response thereto the needle head  21 , or the array of needles  41  in the head, or the web  24  is adjusted in position correctly align the needles  41  with the last stitching rows in the last group  108  so that there are no gaps or over stitching when a new group of stitching rows is formed.  FIG. 21  shows the needle head  21  at an end of a stitching run where the needle array is raised and the support bar  103  is raised allowing the backing material web  24  to be indexed to the right in the drawing. In this position the position sensing device  106  and the marker device  104  are in a raised inoperative position so that needle head  21  can be moved back to a start position ( FIG. 18 ). 
         [0050]    As can be recognized, because multiple needles are simultaneously producing stitches of yarn to form tufted pile, the process is reasonably quick. Moreover the machine does permit any size (width) of tufted pile product, limited only by the support means for the backing material web  24 . The structures described in the foregoing allows relatively easy adjustment of the yarns used, the height of the pile formed, variability in the height of the pile formed, and variability in the colour patterns of the tufted pile product that can be produced.
A tufting machine which has improved production rates such that it is capable of being used to produce larger samples of tufted products or is capable of being used for production runs of tufted products, but still retains sufficient flexibility for changes in yarn and construction of the tufted product to be made relatively easily is disclosed.