Needle plate finger comb for tufting machines

Abstract

A mounting comb for a tufting machine for mounting the needle plate fingers so that the fingers may be readily replaced without requiring substantial cutting of base material. The combs have a base member including a plurality of slots for receiving respective elongated fingers, and at least one securing member releasably assembled to the base member for positively locking the fingers in the comb. In two embodiments the base member has a shallow elongated channel and one securing member is positionable within the channel to clamp the fingers into the slots. In one of these embodiments the securing member is a thin elongated bar, while in the other the securing member is a portion of a base plate upon which the comb is mounted. In another embodiment the base portion and the securing portion each have spaced lands including finger receiving slots through each of the lands. The members are securable together with the lands of one of the members disposed between the lands of the other members, and a pair of cooperating wall portions of the respective members clamp the fingers therebetween. In the preferred embodiment the base member has a channel in which a plurality of securing members in the form of threaded fasteners are received, each fastener engaging a pair of fingers.