Thread tensioning device with interchangeable parts

Claim 1

AN ADJUSTABLE THREAD TENSIONING DEVICE COMPRISING A SUPPORT SHAFT ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED AT ONE END FROM A KNITTING OR SEWING MACHINE, A PAIR OF SIDE-BY-SIDE PRESSURE DISKS SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, LIMIT MEANS STATIONARILY POSITIONED RELATIVE TO SAID SHAFT AND LIMITING AXIAL SLIDING MOVEMENT OF ONE OF SAI DISKS IN ONE DIRECTION ALONG SAID SHAFT, A SLEEVE SLIDABLE AND ROTATABLE ON SAID SHAFET AND DISPOSED ON THE SIDE OF THE OTHER DISK REMOTE FROM SAID ONE DISK, DISPLACEMENT MEANS YIELDABLY URGING SAID SLEEVE IN ONE DIRECTION ALONG SAID SHAFT TOWARD SAID OTHER DISK AND INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE AXIAL THRUST MEANS FOR APPLYING AN AXIAL THRUST ON SAID SLEEVE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION, A TENSION ARM CARRIED BY SAID SLEEVE AND EXTENDING TRANVERSELY OF AND OUTWARDLY FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID SLEEVE, THE FREE END PORTION OF SAID ARM INCLUDING GUIDE MEANS ADAPTED TO SLIDINGLY GUIDE A PORTION OF A LENGTH OF THREAD PASSING BETWEEN SAID DISKS, SAID SLEEVE AND SHAFT INCLUDING COACTING CAM MEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID SLEEVE AWAY FROM SAID OTHER DISK IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF SAID SLEEVE RELATIVE TO SAID SHAFT, SAID DISPLACEMENT MEANS ALSO INCLUDING TORSIONAL THRUST MEANS NORMALLY RESILIENTLY URGING ROTATION OF SAID SLEEVE IN A DIRECTION EFFECTING AXIAL SHIFTING OF SAID SLEEVE TOWARD A LIMIT POSITION OF MOVEMENT IN SAID ONE DIRECTION AND BEING ADJUSTABLE SO AS TO VARY THE EFFECTIVE TORQUE DEVELOPED THEREBY.