Threading device with magazine and method

Claim 1

IN A DEVICE FOR THREADING A RELATIVELY FINE FLEXIBLE ELONGATE ELEMENT, A MAGAZINE, A REEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE MAGAZINE, A QUANTITY OF RELATIVELY FINE FLEXIBLE ELONGATE ELEMENT WOUND ON THE REEL, A CAPILLARY TUBE, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE CAPILLARY TUBE TO THE MAGAZINE, A CAPILLARY TUBE HOLDER MOUNTED ON THE LOWER END OF THE CAPILLARY TUBE AND FORMING A SEALED CHAMBER ABOUT THE LOWER END OF THE CAPILLARY TUBE, THE CAPILLARY TUBE HAVING A PASSAGE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, AN ADDITIONAL PASSAGE FORMED IN THE CAPILLARY TUBE AND OPENING INTO THE CHAMBER IN THE CAPILLARY TUBE HOLDER, AND MEANS FOR PLACING THE CHAMBER UNDER A VACUUM TO CAUSE FLUID TO BE DRAWN INTO THE FIRST NAMED PASSAGE INTO THE CAPILLARY TUBE AND OUT THE ADDITIONAL PASSAGE SO THAT THE FLUID FRICTIONALLY ENGAGES THE FLEXIBLE ELONGATE ELEMENT WHEN IT IS PLACED IN THE VICINITY OF THE INLET END OF THE FIRST NAMED PASSAGE TO THEREBY CAUSE THE FLEXIBLE ELONGATE ELEMENT TO BE DRAWN INTO THE FIRST NAMED PASSAGE AND THREADED THROUGH THE FIRST NAMED PASSAGE IN THE CAPILLARY TUBE.