Feeder for tubular knit fabrics

Claim 1

A FEEDER ASSEMBLY FOR TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC FEEDERS COMPRISING A FEEDER SUPPORT FRAME HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A PLURALITY OF DRIVE FEED ROLLERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, SAID FEED ROLLERS BEING DISPOSED IN COOPERATING PAIRS OF UPPER AND LOWER ROLLERS POSITIONED FOR GRIPPING AND IMPARTING LONGITUDINAL TRAVEL TO A TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC PASSING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID FRAME AND BETWEEN THE ROLLERS OF EACH PAIR, SAID PAIRS BEING SPACED TRANSVERSELY OF SAID FRAME AND WITH TWO MARGINAL PAIRS OF ROLLERS ADAPTED TO EACH ENGAGE AND LONGITUDINALLY TENSION THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES OF A MARGINAL SIDE OF A TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC PASSING THEREBETWEEN, DRIVING MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH MARGINAL PAIR OF ROLLERS FOR ADJUSTABLY VARYING THE LONGITUDINAL TENSION IMPARTED BY THE MARGINAL PAIRS OF ROLLERS TO THE OPPOSITE MARGINAL SIDES OF A TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC, SAID FEEDER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPPER AND LOWER POWER DRIVEN PRESSER ROLLS DISPOSED FOR PRESSINGLY ENGAGING A TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC PASSING THEREBETWEEN, SAID DRIVING MEANS COMPRISING INDEPENDENT DRIVING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID PRESSER ROLLS AND EACH OF SAID MARGINAL PAIR OF ROLLERS, ONE OF SAID INDEPENDENT DRIVING CONNECTIONS INCLUDING A SPEED VARYING MEANS.