Prototype. Chapter text drafted from the research notes and not yet checked at the archives. Images awaiting permission are marked.

Gary L. Ingram / Tapistron International, "Hollow needle tufting apparatus for producing patterned fabric" (US5165352A)

Patent · not yet checked at the source

Made by: Gary L. Ingram; Tapistron International, Inc.
Date: filed 27 Dec 1991; granted 24 Nov 1992
Number: US5165352A
Themes: Machine tufting & Dalton, Tools & equipment

View at the source Cited in chapter 12, note 15

Cite this source

Gary L. Ingram / Tapistron International, “Hollow needle tufting apparatus for producing patterned fabric” (US5165352A), filed 27 Dec 1991; granted 24 Nov 1992. patents.google.com/patent/US5165352A/en.

Research notes

Tapistron's main hollow-needle patterning patent. Reciprocating hollow needles go through the backing, and the backing is shifted sideways to place a row of tufts, so each colour lands where the pattern needs it. It has a wide foreign family, which shows Tapistron sought world markets: EP0549099 (B1), AU648964B2, CA2077392A1, DE69208344T2 and China CN1086862A ('生产提花织物的空心簇绒机'). Related: US5158027 (presser foot, filed 1991, later held by CYP Technologies) and US5205233 (fabric shift sequencing). Card-Monroe's 2023 hollow-needle patents return to this design family (see pat-us12180632b2). Verified Oct 2026 by web search only, from Google Patents snippets. Research note (Oct 2026): from search results; pages not opened.