Abstract: Provided is a transport device including a first transport member that transports a sheet-shaped medium in a transport direction, a transport path that is formed by a first guiding member which guides the medium in the transport direction and a second guiding member which guides the medium in the transport direction, at least one of the first guiding member and the second guiding member including a widened part on a downstream side of a processing position and on an upstream side of a second transport member, a pressing member that presses the medium to the first guiding member, a processing unit that performs a processing on the medium which is transported in the transport path, and a second transport member that transports the medium, which is guided by the first guiding member and the second guiding member, in the transport direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a fabric having first and second transport faces for gripping a fabric therebetween and to displace the fabric along its length, in which at least one of the transport faces has an irregular surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for moving a wire along its own axis against a high resistance to its motion causing a substantial uniaxial compression stress in the wire without allowing it to buckle. The apparatus consists of a wire gripping and moving drive wheel and guide rollers for transporting the moving wire away from the drive wheel. Wire is pressed into a peripheral groove in a relatively large diameter, rotating drive wheel by a set of small diameter rollers arranged along part of the periphery causing the wire to be gripped by the groove. The drive wheel can have a smooth peripheral surface and a groove or grooves parallel in the outer surface of small diameter rollers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for moving a wire along its own axis against a high resistance to its motion causing a substantial uniaxial compression stress in the wire without allowing it to buckle. The apparatus consists of a wire gripping and moving drive wheel and guide rollers for transporting the moving wire away from the drive wheel. Wire is pressed into a peripheral groove in a relatively large diameter, rotating drive wheel by a set of small diameter rollers arranged along part of the periphery causing the wire to be gripped by the groove.

Abstract: An apparatus for recovering hose, particularly coupled fire hose, comprises a lifting frame assembly, a lifting arm attached to the lifting frame assembly, a plurality of guide rollers, a motor mounted on the lifting frame assembly, an electric switch, a powered rotational drive roller, a plurality of lower rollers, and a detachable support assembly. A biasing means biases the lifting frame assembly to a plurality of guide roller mounts to allow lifting and lowering of the lifting frame assembly to and from at first and second position to allow passage of hose fitted with hose couplings. When using the relatively simple apparatus, a single operator can efficiently collect infinite quantities of hose fitted with hose couplings.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for moving a wire along its own axis against a high resistance to its motion causing a substantial uniaxial compression stress in the wire without allowing it to buckle. The apparatus consists of a wire gripping and moving drive wheel and guide rollers for transporting the moving wire away from the drive wheel. Wire is pressed into a peripheral groove in a relatively large diameter, rotating drive wheel by a set of small diameter rollers arranged along part of the periphery causing the wire to be gripped by the groove.

Abstract: A coil processor is provided for performing processing operations on coiled sheet-like material, such as sheet metal, plastics or other materials. The coil processor uncoils and straightens the material before performing desired operations on the material and transferring it for packaging, shipping or further processing. Various features improve the overall efficiency of the coil processor, including its ability to move material forward and backward through the unit without slowing down the overall operation, as well as the versatility of its mobile tool carriers, which can perform multiple complex processing applications, including cutting, punching, stamping, bending or others. Additionally, processing efficiency may be further enhanced by the use of a computer, which determines the most efficient sequence for performing processing operations, and controls the coil processor's various features to process material in that sequence.

Abstract: There are described drive roller assemblies for pulling print media within, or in conjunction with, a printing apparatus. In one embodiment the assembly includes a rigid drive roller having a hard outer surface in conjunction with a pressure roller having a deformable surface. In another embodiment the assembly has a rigid drive roller in conjunction with a plurality of pressure rollers which are adapted for pressing print media against the drive roller over substantially different portions of the drive roller length.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus in which a photosensitive material is rewound into a magazine while maintaining a predetermined disposition. Prior to rewinding of the photosensitive material, a distance between concave portions of guide members which constitute a guide portion is set to be substantially equal to the photosensitive material width and a nipping state between a pair of pulling-out rollers is cancelled. Because the nipping state is cancelled, the photosensitive material can be displaced in a width direction. Therefore, the photosensitive material can be rewound into the magazine while maintaining the predetermined disposition, and any skew is corrected by the concave portions of the guide members.

Abstract: In a web guidance device, particularly for a continuous form printer device, deflection seat is provided around which a recording medium web is guided in a conveying direction. A lateral guide roller influences the recording medium web with a laterally acting force in a region of a deflection seat such that the recording medium web lies against the lateral detent. A planarly acting hold-down element is provided in a region of a lateral guide roller, the hold-down element pressing the recording medium web onto the deflection seat with a specific pressing power.

Abstract: A ticket dispenser includes an adjustable tension device and a driver. The driver includes at least one sharp pin configured to pierce at least a portion of a thickness of a ticket strip and to pull the ticket strip in a direction along a ticket path. The ticket strip passes through the tension device as it is pulled by the driver. The tension device exerts a force on the ticket strip in a direction opposite the pulled direction. The driver can be a roller that is rotated by a motor. In addition, the ticket dispenser includes a driver guide which is adjacent and in close proximity to the driver. The ticket strip passes between the driver guide and the driver, thereby biasing the ticket strip in close proximity to the driver, and facilitating piercing of the ticket strip by the sharp pins. The driver guide includes rollers which have a groove extending around a circumference of the rollers.

Abstract: Capstan arrangement for transporting a cable to a treatment plant, which capstan arrangement comprises a stationary stand, a capstan wheel rotatably mounted on the stand with a peripheral track for the cable and a motor driven driving device in engagement with the capstan wheel for rotating the capstan wheel in relation to the stand. To achieve a play-free rotation of the capstan wheel, the capstan wheel is provided with a co-axial ring-shaped driving flange, whereby the driving device comprises pairs of drive wheels pressing against opposite sides of the driving flange, at least one drive wheel of each pair of drive wheels being motor-driven.

Abstract: A fiber web transferring device comprising a conveyor belt, a suction cylinder, a lower calendering cylinder and an upper calendering cylinder. The suction cylinder having a stationary suction sector and rotates in a direction which corresponds to a linear moving direction of the conveyor belt. The suction cylinder transfers a non-consolidated fiber web from the conveyor belt to the lower calendering cylinder and is substantially tangential to the lower calendering cylinder so as to cooperate therewith to define a pre-calendering zone for the fiber web. The suction cylinder is positioned such that the suction cylinder sucks the fiber web from the conveyor belt and holds the fiber web against the outer surface of the suction cylinder to the pre-calendering zone. The fiber web then adheres to the outer surface of the lower calendering cylinder past the pre-calendering zone until the fiber web reaches the upper calendering cylinder.

Abstract: Drawing assembly for bending machines used for metal shapes, in particular round pieces (11) for reinforcement purposes or metallic wire, the drawing assembly comprising at least a drawing device placed upstream of the shears (13) and the bending unit (14) and at least a straightening device placed upstream of the drawing device, the drawing device comprising at least a rotary drum having at its periphery a containing seating (19) for the round piece (11), the round piece (11) winding partly onto the rotary drum (17) and within the containing seating (19), the rotating drum (17) being at least 300 mm in diameter, the drawing device (12) comprising at least two contrasting cylinders (18) of a diameter of not more than 180 mm, placed in a position of reciprocal proximity and cooperating with the periphery of the rotary drum (17), the contrasting cylinders (18) acting against the periphery so as to define the arc of winding of the round piece (11) onto the rotary drum (17), there being immediately upstream of th

Abstract: A film feeding apparatus includes a roller pair for pinching a film stored and wound within a film container or its leader, and a restricting passage for restricting a posture of a non-pinched portion of the film or its leader. The roller pair is disposed in such a manner that the film or its leader is entrained about one roller of the roller pair in an arcuate form toward an upstream side in a film feeding direction relative to a pinching position of the roller pair. With driving rotation of the roller pair pinching the film or its leader, the film is withdrawn from the film container held at a holding portion to be fed to a film processing section. The restricting passage is curved along an entraining passage of the roller for the film or its leader as the restricting passage is viewed in a direction of an axis of the roller.

Abstract: Two rollers (1 & 2) rotate in opposite directions. One roller is stationary and the other travels toward and away from it along a bed. One roller (1) has a journal (5) at one end and the other roller a journal (6) at the same end. A transmission (7) is mounted over the first journal and another transmission (8) over the second journal. Two pairs of torque supports are fastened to the transmission housings. The torque supports (9 & 12) fastened to the housing of the transmission associated with the first roller are connected by a tierod (17) at two points (13 & 15). The torque supports (10 & 11) fastened to the housing of the transmission associated with the second roller are connected by a tierod (18) at two other points (14 & 16). All the points of articulation are on one side of a midplane (19) extending through the longitudinal axes of the rollers.

Abstract: A flexible web guiding apparatus including; a turnaround roller; a pinch roller positioned in driving engagement with said turnaround roller and defining a nip therebetween; and a web guide for accurately directing an end of the web into the nip defined by the turnaround roller and the pinch roller to cause the web to move between the pinch roller and the turnaround roller without stubbing against either roller. The accuracy of the web guide is achieved by wear plates that are affixed to the web guide and spaced apart to permit the web to move therebetween. The wear plates are maintained in friction contact with the turnaround roller for controllably maintaining the spacing between the web guide and the turnaround roller.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus has a rotatable feed drum and first and second nip rollers movable into rolling contact with an outer circumferential surface of the feed drum by gravity. The first nip roller is made of a metal, and the second nip roller is made of rubber, so that the first nip roller exerts feeding forces smaller than feeding forces exerted by the second nip roller. A film that is fed by the feed drum in coaction with the first and second nip rollers is reliably prevented from being lifted off the outer circumferential surface of the feed drum.

Abstract: Improved transport apparatus for auxiliary scanning, which is to be used with an image recording system in which exposing light sources issuing optical beams to be deflected in the main scanning direction are used to scan and expose a web of light-sensitive material has an exposure drum that transports the web of light-sensitive material in a auxiliary scanning direction which is substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction as it is held in a predetermined exposing position, as well as a first and a second nip roller that are spaced apart in the auxiliary scanning direction, with the exposing position lying in between, and which urge the web of light-sensitive material against the exposure drum, the first nip roller being located upstream the auxiliary scanning direction and provided with a uniform predetermined nip pressure at both end portions, and the second nip roller being located downstream the auxiliary scanning direction and provided at opposite end portions with nip pressures within a p

Abstract: A mechanism for drawing superimposed webs in a rotary press comprises: a drag roller provided between a printing press and a folding machine so as to be rotated and driven at a peripheral velocity suitably higher than that of a plate cylinder; a plurality of propeller rollers operative for selective engagement with or disengagement from the edge portions at the respective sides of a plurality of printing webs which are superimposed upon each another and wound around the outer peripheral surface of the drag roller, the propeller rollers being rotatable and provided along the outer peripheral surface of the drag roller at both ends thereof; and pressing apparatus for pressing the propeller rollers onto the edge portions of the printing webs.

Abstract: A feed apparatus for feeding a film has a pair of presser guide members for pressing a film F against an outer circumferential surface of a feed drum, a pair of upstream and downstream guide plates for guiding the film F, and a moving mechanism for moving a pair of nip rollers toward and away from the feed drum. When the film F is scanned by a light beam, the film F is tautly held against the outer circumferential surface of the feed drum. The moving mechanism has first and second displacing mechanisms actuatable in synchronism with vertical movement of the nip rollers toward and away from the feed drum for displacing the presser guide members and the upstream and downstream guide plates toward and away from the feed drum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing waste selvages (11) formed when weaving fabric on a loom includes a pair of selvage removal rollers (19, 23) fitted with friction coverings and driven against one another to form a gripping nip for engaging and drawing the waste selvage away from the woven fabric, whereby the waste selvage is first fed to the peripheral surface of the first one of the pair of removal rollers (19) over a wrapping angle larger than 150.degree. and preferably larger than 180.degree., before reaching the clamping nip between the rollers (19,23). Alternate embodiments of the invention are described.

Abstract: Damage to rotating cylinders in a web-fed rotary printing machine, due to breaks or tears in the material web passing through the machine, is prevented by providing a web guide roller with a directionally switched coupling intermediate two spaced gripping locations. If the web breaks, the web guide roller becomes positively driven and prevents web roll up on one of the rotating cylinders.

Abstract: A strap feed assembly has a drive wheel driven by a reversible electric motor to feed and tension a strap around an item and wherein a back-up wheel assembly imposes a tension force on the strap by use of multiple floating wheels which are arranged to spring bias and float with respect to a strap and apply a tension force thereto across an extended strap area to reduce pressure on the strap so as to prevent it from being bent or deformed whereby a consistent strap feed is maintained.

Abstract: A wire prefeeder has a tower standing on a base. A horizontal upper shaft is mounted fixedly to the upper end of the tower and a plurality of pulleys are on the shaft. A carriage is adapted to in the tower and another horizontal lower shaft which has a plurality of pulleys and is mounted to the carriage in parallelism with the upper shaft. A wire infeed device is driven with an electric motor. Wire feeds to a dancer pulley after which it is looped around the upper and lower pulleys in succession and departs tangentially from a pulley on its way to a wire processing machine which draws the wire. The carriage rises when there is an instantaneous increase in wire tension and an electric signal is produced whose magnitude corresponds to the amount of carriage movement. The motor responds to the signal by changing the motor and wire infeed speed to pay out wire at a rate which keeps the tension in the drawn wire constant. A new type of clamp is provided for coupling a wire reel to a shaft.

Abstract: A tape feed device for a sewing machine for feeding to a sewing location of the sewing machine at least one tape from a supply having a drive roll for feeding the tape, a feed roll disposed in the path of the tape between the supply and the drive roll, a stepping motor for driving both the drive roll and the feed roll, and a guide for passing tape around at least part of the feed roll which is capable of feeding more tape than the drive roll.

Abstract: An X-Y plotter is of the type which moves a non-perforated recording paper by drive rollers and pinch rollers. The outer surface of each of the drive rollers is formed with a cylindrical reference surface and with a plurality of minute projections of sharp quadrangular pyramidal shape distributed over the whole outer surface of the roller. These reference surface and minute projections are formed by machining in the entire circumferential or outer surface of the drive roller a plurality of trapezoidal grooves extending parallel and orthogonally to the axis of the drive roller.

Abstract: A recorder has a recording device for recording on a record medium and a feed unit for feeding the medium to the recording position. Feed and press rollers are provided with apparatus for urging the press roller to and from the feed roller and a locking device can lock the press roller at a pressing position.

Abstract: A net dispensing mechanism for a round baler is disclosed wherein a pair of pinch rollers are cooperable with a driven feed roller to feed netting material from a source of supply into the bale forming mechanism of the round baler so that the finished round bale can be wrapped with an external layer of netting before being ejected from the baler. The pinch rollers are mounted on opposing sides of the feed roller and are adjustable relative thereto to permit proper engagement of both pinch rollers with the feed roller to allow proper feeding of net therebetween. An overcenter linkage is connected to the mechanism mounting the pinch rollers to affect a movement of the pinch rollers between engaged and disengaged positions for selectively permitting the threading of net between the pinch rollers and the feed roll. One embodiment has both pinch rollers mounted on a pivot arm which is pivitally mounted on an eccentric to permit an adjustment of the position of the pinch rollers relative to the feed roller.

Abstract: A mechanical figure eighting apparatus is disclosed which permits a fiber optic cable to be deposited on the ground in a random or figure eight configuration. Fiber optic cable is passed over a rotating drive wheel and is held in frictional engagement with the peripheral rim portion of the drive wheel by a pressure wheel mounted thereover. The fiber optic cable is passed or pushed outwardly through a tubular member extending outwardly from the drive wheel. The fiber optic cable is deposited on the ground in a random fashion or figure eight fashion as it is discharged from the tubular member.

Abstract: An X-Y plotter disclosed is of the type which moves a recording paper with no perforation by drive rollers and pinch rollers. A plurality of sharp projections are arranged on the outer surface of each of the drive rollers such as to enable an exact feeding of the paper without any slippage. These projections are formed by cutting in the outer surface of each drive roller with V-grooves parallel and orthogonal to the shaft of the drive rollers.

Abstract: A bale wrapping mechanism for wrapping a large round bale with a wrap material such as plastic sheet material or net, is mounted to the rear of a bale discharge gate. Drive rolls are located rearwardly of the gate and are selectively drivable for dispensing wrap material onto the rear end of a guide pan extending beneath and engaged with a portion of bale-forming belts extending between lower rear and lower front belt support rolls carried by the discharge gate. A guide finger assembly is secured to the front of the pan and includes a plurality of fingers located in gaps between the bale-forming belts and including forward end portions curved arcuately about the lower front belt support roll for directing wrap material about the roll and into a pinch point defined between the belts and a bale desired to be wrapped by the material.

Abstract: A mechanical figure eighting apparatus is disclosed which permits a fiber optic cable to be deposited on the ground in a random or figure eight configuration. Fiber optic cable is passed over a rotating drive wheel and is held in frictional engagement with the peripheral rim portion of the drive wheel by a pressure wheel mounted thereover. The fiber optic cable is passed or pushed outwardly through a tubular member extending outwardly from the drive wheel. The fiber optic cable is deposited on the ground in a random fashion or figure eight fashion as it is discharged from the tubular member.

Abstract: An elongated flexible probe carrier is wound on a take-up reel and is fed therefrom around a feed pulley, being held in frictional engagement with the feed pulley by a plurality of idler rollers on a pivotal support arm. The feed pulley and the take-up reel are both rotatably driven from a single drive motor, respectively through two electromagnetic clutches. The take-up reel clutch is directly coupled to the motor while the feed pulley clutch is coupled to the motor either through a belt and pulley arrangement for rotation in the same direction as the motor or through a gear train for rotation in the opposite direction from the motor. A reversible motor is used with the belt and pulley type coupling. Control means are provided for selectively varying the magnetic coupling forces exerted by the two clutches for control of the feeding and take-up of the carrier without slippage. A position detecting device is coupled to the feed pulley for measuring the movement thereof.

Abstract: Tape drive apparatus having a drive roller 1 and pinch roller 2 including a idler roller 3 around which tape 4 passes. The pinch roller 2 which is rotatable about two normal axes (A2 and A4), is resiliently urged against the drive roller 1 and the idler roller 3, the two rollers being spaced apart from each other. This apparatus is particularly useful for magnetic tape cassettes, the pinch roller 2 being formed as either part of the cassette or as part of a tape recorder/player for using a cassette.

Abstract: A pipe tape tensioner (26) is disclosed for applying tape (12) with constant tension to a pipe (14). The pipe tape tensioner (26) employs a primary roller (32) rotatably mounted on a base (34). First clutch disks (92) and second clutch disks (100) are urged against each other by clutch springs (104) to generate a frictional resistance to rotation of the primary roller relative to the base (34) to tension the tape (12) engaged with the outer surface (36) of the primary roller (32). The first clutch disks (92) are splined to the splines (58) formed on the interior of the base (34). The second clutch disks (100) are splined to the hub (96) of the primary roller (32). A cooling fluid can be employed to cool the splines and surrounding components.

Abstract: A guiding and braking unit for a material web which passes through a processing machine, such as a machine for the manufacture of packing containers. The unit comprises a roller adapted to a guide cylinder for the web. This roller is manufactured from a material with a high coefficient of friction. The roller is adapted so that it can be swivelled via an arm in a direction transverse to that of the material web to thus follow the material web when it is moved sideways, or axially in relation to the guide cylinder. Each sideways movement, however, because of the suspension of the roller, brings about a lifting of the roller which is continuously counteracted by the pressing of the roller against the cylinder. As a result, the roller is returned automatically to a central position and through friction, carries the material web with it to a central position in relation to the guide cylinder.

Abstract: A ribbon metering drive accurately advances ribbon in a ribbon cartridge. The drive includes the drive roller, driven by the printer, and an idler roller mounted adjacent the drive roller. The drive and idler rollers have roughened, typically serrated, drive surfaces. The idler roller is lightly biased against the drive roller. The ribbon is guided through the ribbon drive so that it contacts substantially more than half the roughened drive surface of the idler roller. The ribbon is pulled through the ribbon drive by the action of the idler and drive rollers at the nip and also by the frictional engagement of the ribbon contacting the roughened surface of the idler roller. The low biasing force on the idler roller reduces wear and creep in the components to provide accurate ribbon metering over a longer life than is available with prior art ribbon drives.

Abstract: A feeding device used for a wood working machine includes two roller assemblies respectively mounted to two roller supports which can be controlled to turn about horizontal axes and which in turn is supported by an upper portion mounted to a cantilever arm of a column. Each of roller assemblies includes at least two rows of rollers respectively mounted on at least two horizontal axes. By adjusting roller supports, these rollers can roll on a curve surface.

Abstract: Self actuating yarn feeding apparatus to feed yarn to a circular knitting machine when the machine makes a demand for the yarn and to cease feeding the yarn when the machine ceases demand for the yarn. The yarn is in variable circumferentially extending drive contact with the periphery of a frictionally surfaced rotating yarn feed wheel to feed the yarn to the machine. The arrangement being such that when there is a lack of demand for the yarn the degree of contact between wheel and yarn is not sufficient to feed the yarn and when there is demand for the yarn the degree of contact between wheel and yarn is sufficient to feed the yarn to the machine. The yarn extending through a yarn eyelet movable back and forth along a circular pathway in response to demand and lack of demand for the yarn by the machine to vary the degree of contact between wheel and yarn.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding web material from a supply roll to processing equipment of the type that exerts an intermittent pulley force on the web during intermittent advance through the processing equipment. The web feed apparatus includes a brake for controlling unwinding rotation of the web supply roll which is operated under the control of a dancer to decrease the braking action when the web is fed at a rate faster than the rate at which it unwinds from the supply roll. The web feed apparatus also includes web feed rollers arranged to drive both sides of a folded web while both sides of the web are under the same tension.

Abstract: The presser wheel support comprises a depending support arm pivotally connected to the end of a cantilevered arm projecting at a downward slope in the tailing direction from a net hauler sheave frame member preferably in the form of a transverse suspension plate overlying the net hauler sheave. A fluid operated jack interacting between the hauler sheave frame and the support arm generally in the common plane of the hauler sheave and presser wheel urges the wheel yieldably against netting descending in the main hauler sheave groove so as to increase the hauling traction and hauling force exerted on the netting to avoid slippage and damage of netting.

Abstract: A mechanism for use in a strapping apparatus including a pair of like rolls which have meshing gears as flanges and which are rotated by a drive means through a clutch system to both feed and tension strap without stopping or reversing the drive means. Strap is laced about and nipped by the rolls and, as the rolls rotate at the same speed and the roll flanges travel with the strap, abrasion along the strap sides and edges is avoided.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing photographic materials is disclosed and more specifically equipment for turnaround during processing of an elongated web of photographic material at the midportion of a processing operation, the web being guided in part by inner and outer rollers but having vibrating guides interposed between pairs of rollers, the guides being oscillated by the drive for the rollers. Various types of oscillating mechanism for the guides is shown.

Abstract: A cassette tape recorder drive mechanism including a capstan and an associated pinch roller, a first tape guide means causing the tape to be partially wound on the capstan and a second tape guide means adjacent the first guide means mounted on the axis of the pinch roller for selective engagement with the capstan to vertically restrict movement of the tape in contact with the capstan regardless of the direction of tape movement.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing photographic materials is disclosed and more specifically equipment for turnaround during processing of an elongated web of photographic material at the midportion of a processing operation, the web being guided in part by inner and outer rollers with endless belts for guiding the web in an arcuate path.

Abstract: A cable winding system carried by a vehicle for extending and retracting cable responsive to vehicle movement. The cable frictionally engages a controllably powered sheave and is guided into a horizontally disposed coil by a cylindrical guide arm having a vertically directed opening adjacent the sheave and a downwardly, radially and circumferentially directed opening adjacent the coil. The guide arm is freely rotatable about a vertical axis so that as cable is extended and retracted the guide arm rotates to guide the cable between the coil and sheave. The powered sheave directs cable from the vehicle through an instrumented fairlead which, through a control system, controls the operation of the sheave. The fairlead is pivotally mounted about a horizontal pivot axis so that the head pivots in one direction as the cable is tensioned and in the opposite direction as the cable tension is relieved.

Abstract: An advancing mechanism for a recording web, such as paper, for an ink jet printer. The apparatus, including a platen having coaxially mounted discs on a shaft with the center disc of much higher coefficient of friction than the remaining discs, a tensioning roller, a pinch roller, and a recording web holding means, is self-aligning and self-threading, having low power requirements. Means for indicating the exhaustion of the recording web is also provided.

Abstract: A rotating yarn control element comprises a hub portion with a number of pins spaced around the periphery of the hub portion to define for the yarn a zig-zag path which degenerates with increasing distance from the axis of rotation of the element into a line path lying in a reference plane of the element. In use, with the element rotating about its axis and the yarn passing through the path defined by the guide surfaces, the total area of contact between the guide surfaces and the yarn will depend on the distance of the yarn from the axis of rotation of the element. This in turn determines whether the element operates in the "freewheeling" mode, the "positive grip" mode or the "yarn metering" mode. Other embodiments are described in which the element is formed by an injection moulding technique and the zig-zag path is presented by tooth like projections or by a channel in a drum member. A means for varying the amount of wrap around the element is also described.

Abstract: An attachment for a knitting machine in the form of a roll feed device to maintain an even yarn tension to the needles to provide a smooth fabric since the needles will always receive a constant tension yarn from the roll feed. The roll feed includes a bottom rubber covered roller and a top steel roller through which the yarn passes with upper and lower guide eyelets being provided for the yarn and the lower rubber covered roller being driven at a positive, adjustable speed directly from the ring gear on the bottom of the circular knitting machine cylinder. By maintaining constant tension on the yarn to the needles, a more uniform fabric is produced.