Abstract: A braking device and a system for braking thread being drawn off of a thread storage drum over its output circumference. The braking device includes a braking body having a band which is symmetric in shape around an axis and has a continuous active braking surface facing inwardly toward the axis, the surface being sufficiently hard to be resistant to wear from thread friction. An elastic member urges the band, and thus the braking surface, into engagement with an output circumference on the drum so as to brake thread passing through the braking body between the surface and the drum output curcumference.

Abstract: An electropneumatic device for the automatic threading of apparatuses for feeding weft to textile machines, and a weft feeding apparatus including the device. The device has first and second ducts for feeding pressurized pneumatic fluid. The ducts are cut off by a manually-actuated valve and end in thread inlet and outlet bushes to create a pneumatic flow and a consequent suction current which entrains the thread from one end of the feeder apparatus to the other. An intermediate open channel is arranged adjacent and parallel to the drum of the apparatus to convey the pneumatic flow and the thread entrained thereby in the free portion comprised between the radial arm outlet and a thread brake. A pneumatic pusher is fed by a third pneumatic duct and is arranged at the outlet of the intermediate channel. The pusher acts on a braking device to deform it and hinder elastic action applied to the drum, so as to guide the thread entrained by the flow through the braking device.

Abstract: The breaking device has a single truncated-cone braking body, supported by an elastic member coaxially and frontally with respect to a drum of a feed unit and is actuated by the elastic member so that it engages, with an elastic contact, against the drum along a circumference thereof which is smaller than the maximum circumference of the drum. The thread slides between the drum and the braking body and extends from a point of contact with the drum and braking body along a path which is inclined with respect to the axis of the drum, so that the tension produced by the braking body has at least one axial component which is discharged onto the braking body and is balanced by the elastic member. Increase in the tension on the thread produces, or tends to produce, by virtue of the corresponding increase in axial component, separation of the braking body from the drum with a corresponding self-adjusting braking action.