Abstract: A thread supply device for multi-system circular knitting machines has at least one warp beam accommodated rotatablhy in a receiving frame. On the warp beam are wound the threads associated with the individual knitting systems in the form of adjacent thread winding areas with equal axial lengths and equal diameters. The warp beam is connected with a drive and driven thereby in such a way that it always delivers to the knitting systems the average thread quantitites consumed thereby during operation of the circular knitting machine irrespective of the momentary diameters of the thread winding areas.

Abstract: A yarn utilizing machine, in particular a circular knitting machine, having a plurality of yarn utilizing stations is provided with a corresponding number of supply means for the yarn. At each supply station, there is a yarn tension or yarn supply quantity monitoring device that cooperates with the yarn. This monitoring device includes a transducer cooperating with the yarn as well as a measuring circuit that emits a signal corresponding to the monitored parameter. To enable recognition of only the deviation of one parameter, independent of the absolute value of the parameter, means are provided for generating a reference value, which is dependent on the measured signals of all the measuring circuits. Each yarn utilizing station or each yarn supply means is provided with a deviation signal circuit, which has two inputs; at least a portion of the reference value is fed into one of the inputs, while at least a portion of the measured signal is fed into the other input.

Abstract: A yarn supply apparatus for textile machines, particularly for knitting machines, has a rotatable yarn supply means supplying yarn under essentially slipless conditions to the textile machine; a speed controlled motor coupled to the yarn supply means controls the rotation of the yarn supply means. A movable yarn tension element is positioned in the path of yarn from the yarn supply means to the textile machine and is subjected to a bias force means that determines the yarn tension. A yarn reserve zone is formed in the path of the yarn from the yarn tension element to at least one of the yarn guide elements, the size of this zone depending on the position of the yarn tension element. Coupled with the yarn tension element is a transducer that provides a signal representative of the position or movement of the yarn tension element to an electrical circuit that includes the drive motor.

Abstract: A yarn supply element (5, 150) that supplies the yarn substantially without slip and is rotatably supported has yarn guide elements (14, 15, 16; 158) and is coupled to an electric motor (3) of regulated frequency that drives it. In the yarn travel path following the yarn supply element, there are yarn tension sensing means (21) that monitor the yarn (17) unwinding from the yarn supply element and that emit and electrical signal that is supplied to a control circuit (52), which supplies the motor with a frequency signal. To assure satisfactory yarn supply even in the event of abrupt changes in yarn utilization, a device (21, 19) for forming a yarn reserve is provided along the yarn travel path following the yarn supply element. The size of the yarn reserve is dimensioned to be sufficient to cover the yarn requirement during start up of the motor. Associated with this device are means (28, 50-55) for automatically refilling the yarn reserve to an original size no later than after the startup of the motor.

Abstract: A yarn feeding apparatus for yarn-processing textile machines such as circular knitting machines has a feed element which advances the yarn with its circumference. The feed element is rotatably supported on a holder which is arranged to be secured on a carrier and has yarn guide and/or monitoring devices for the yarn being fed to and/or delivered by the feed element. The feed element is driven by a regulated electric motor disposed on the holder. To provide for yarn feeding apparatus which is both compact and inexpensive, the electric motor is a stepping motor coupled to at least one yarn feed element, which advances a yarn in a slip-free manner with its circumference, each element having its own yarn guide and monitoring devices associated with it.

Abstract: An apparatus intended particularly for pulling filamentary spooled material, such as yarn, from a spool has a spool holder, receiving the spool, and a flyer arm, preferably rotatably supported about the axis of the spool. The flyer arm carries yarn guide elements for the spooled yarn arriving from the spool and traveling to a yarn user. In order to assure gentle, regulated pulling off of the spooled material, the arrangement is such that the flyer arm and/or the rotatably supported spool holder is coupled with a speed controlled electric drive motor, and the flyer arm has sensing means which scan the spooled yarn arriving from the spool and emit an output signal representative of the spooled yarn travel speed with respect to the flyer arm. The speed of the drive motor is synchronized with the output signal of the sensing means.

Abstract: A yarn supply apparatus for yarn-using textile machinery has a rotatable yarn supply element (4) supplying yarn under slip free conditions at a predetermined tension, which is driven by a speed-controllable electric drive motor (6), the speed of which is controlled in accordance with the output signal of sensing means (7, 9) monitoring the travel speed of the yarn (11) supplied by the yarn supply element. In order to provide an apparatus which operates independently of external synchronizing means, the arrangement is such that the speed of the drive motor is synchronized with the sensing means output signal (36), which is representative of the yarn supply speed, and the sensing means (7, 9) are located at a distance behind the yarn supply element (4), as viewed in the direction of yarn travel.

Abstract: A yarn storage and delivery arrangement, particularly for textile machines, has a storage drum (4) that has a number of elongated yarn support elements (12) arranged evenly around the circumference at equal radial distances from the drum axis; and having yarn storage contact sections (13) to store several loops or turns of a storage winding. To achieve a simple, low-inertia design of the storage drum, the yarn support elements (12) are formed by U or L-shaped narrow bails or wire elements fastened at least at one end to the drum body (5) and guided at the other end by the drum body or a part connected thereto.

Abstract: A yarn brake, particularly for textile machines, has a pivoted, low-inertia yarn drum that is wrapped several times by yarn in a slip-free manner in a yarn contact section and is non-rotatably secured to a low-inertia armature of a controllable electric motor which is driven by the moving yarn against its impressed sense of rotation.

Abstract: To permit pull-off of elastomeric yarn from a spool, without subjecting the yarn to tension, the spool (6) with the yarn (17) wound thereon is placed on a pair of horizontally extending support-and-drive rollers (3) which are driven at pull-off speed by a belt drive (7, 8, 10) from the textile machine via a right-angled drive (FIG. 3) from a drive pulley (11). The drive is reversible. The yarn is fed by frictional engagement of the yarn portion being pulled off the spool with a portion of the circumference of the driven support-and-drive rollers (3) and, if the weight of the spool is not sufficient to provide for suitable frictional engagement, the surfaces of the rollers can have knurling or a rubber coating thereon; they may be spring-loaded or weighted. Additional drive can be obtained by looping an endless belt (24) about the rollers, and seating the spool (6) in a concave depression formed by the belt as the spool is positioned between the support-and-drive rollers.

Abstract: To permit, selectively, use of multistrand monofilamentary thread or yarn, or twisted fiber thread or yarn with the same thread supply drum, the pull-off direction is changeably arranged by supporting a take-off thread guide eye (11, 11a) with respect to the axis of rotation (1') of the drum such that the orientation of the eye is either radial (FIG. 2: I; FIG. 3) or essentially tangential (FIG. 2: II, III; FIG. 4) or intermediate thereof; in the radial direction, individual strands which might be torn or broken are carried along by the running thread; in the tangential direction (FIG. 4), loose ends of fibers of fibrous yarn will not entangle other loops on the storage winding (22) of the drum. The take-off guide eye (11, 11a) either is secured to a pivotable U-shaped holding bracket 8 (FIG. 1) or can be slidable in a guide track 31 (FIGS. 5, 6).

Abstract: To prevent kinks or twists formed upon uncontrolled removal of yarn from a storage drum from interfering with yarn withdrawal from the storage drum, an intermediate yarn guide element 20 is located between the lower edge 18 of the storage drum and the pull-off guide eye and is formed with at least one yarn guide edge located laterally with respect to the axis of rotation 24 of the drum 1 and in the path of the yarn from the storage winding to the removal guide eye. The yarn guide edge is extended to terminate into an elongated narrow guide slot 23 extending from the guide edge inwardly towards the axis of rotation of the drum. The intermediate yarn guide element is provided with a loop or kink deflecting element and comprises a re-entrant structure extending approximately parallel to and below the yarn guide element 20.

Abstract: To permit ready disassembly of thread sensing and thread brake elements from a yarn feed device, the thread sensing, thread guiding and thread brake elements are, selectively, secured to a separate attachment or housing which is connected to the holder by means of a slidable shoe-socket arrangement which, additionally, carries the contacts for the stop-motion system of the machine so that, depending on yarn being used on the machine and supplied by the device, the supply guide element can be suitably assembled to the machine without disassembly of the thread feeding devices including the thread supply drums as such; or the stop-motion switches coupled to stop-motion sensing elements can be individually maintained or replaced.

Abstract: The supply portion to a thread supply drum is pivotally located on the holder for the drum, to pivot about an axis transverse to the axis of rotation of the drum; this supply portion carries a thread brake 24, an inlet eye 27, and a further inlet guide element 26. Preferably, the supply portion is removably located on the holder 1, for example by means of a plug-and-socket connection, a slide-in dovetail joint, or the like. Pivotal connection permits compensation for short-time tension peaks arising, for example, upon yarn drag, and combination with a stop-motion switch.

Abstract: To permit, selectively, positive feed or demand feed of yarn or thread to a utilization position of a textile machine, a rotating drum has a storage winding place thereon. A thread guide element is located laterally next to but below lower edge structure of the thread supply drum to permit drawing-off of yarn on the positive feed condition and preventing reverse winding of thread or yarn on the drum; additionally, a pull-off element is located either fixed, or rotatably about the axis of rotation of the drum in a plane which includes the axis of rotation of the drum below the bottom edge structure so that the thread or yarn can be selectively guided in a path inclined downwardly inclined exteriorally through the thread guide element 19 over the edge of the thread supply drum on in a different thread path over the pull-off element and then through the thread guide element.

Abstract: A freely rotatable yarn feeding drum has a plurality of yarn loops wound thereon to form a storage winding. To both drive the drum and axially sheave the yarn forming the storage windings along the length of the drum, a drive wheel, or drive belt is engaged with the circumference of the drum in the region of the storage windings. The drive means thereby directly engages the yarn and the drum and, preferably, the axis of rotation of the drum is so set that it forms an acute angle with the axis of rotation of the drive means to provide an axial frictional component between the drive means, typically a drive belt, and the windings on the drum so that the windings are fed axially.

Abstract: To prevent formation of kinks or twists upon uncontrolled removal of yarn from a storage drum, an intermediate yarn guide element 20 is located between the lower edge 18 of the storage drum and the pull-off guide eye, the intermediate yarn guide element 20 being formed with at least one yarn guide edge located laterally with respect to the axis of rotation 24 of the drum 1 and in the path of the yarn from the storage winding to the removal guide eye. The yarn guide edge is extended to terminate into an elongated narrow guide slot 23 formed in the intermediate yarn guide element, the slot extending from the guide edge inwardly towards the axis of rotation of the drum.

Abstract: To permit ready reversal of rotation of a yarn supply drum, and to positively guide yarn being drawn off the drum, a thread guide element in form of a finger is located laterally offset with respect to the axis of rotation of the storage drum, extending essentially in a direction transverse to a tangential plane at the pull-off point of the yarn, the lateral offset being changeable to either side of the pull-off point to accomodate different directions of rotation of the drum, with simple change-over of the yarn guide finger, for example by re-positioning a mounting plate to extend either towards the left or the right from a support arm.

Abstract: A rotatable storage drum is connected for rotation to have yarn wound thereon. The pull-off position of the yarn is controlled by a yarn guide element which is a pin extending into the path of the yarn and forming an acute angle with a plane parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum. The pin is located on a rotatable disk so that the point of the acute angle can face either forwardly or rearwardly of the drum, so that the thread guide element can guide the yarn regardless of the direction of rotation of the drum and without tangling of the yarn if the guide element is set incorrectly with respect to the direction of rotation thereof; the element can also be set in an intermediate position in which it is ineffective with respect to the pull-off position, so that the drum can be used as a demand-storage supply drum, rotatable in either direction without structural modification of the overall apparatus.

Abstract: To maintain the windings or wraps of yarn on a supply drum formed of spaced rods, corrugations or the like, in a predetermined axial region thereof and to move the yarn axially along the drum, a pin-wheel gear or stub-tooth gear is arranged laterally of the drum, with the pins or stub teeth at an angle with respect to the axis of rotation of the drum, the pins or stubs being moved by engagement with the rods or corrugations of the drum as the drum rotates when driven to store yarn, the inclination of the pin-wheel gear providing an axially directed pushing force against the windings accumulating on the drum.