Fabric tensioning device for shearing mechanisms

Claim 1

IN A CLOTH SHEARING MACHINE, A ROTATABLY MOUNTED CYLINDER HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED SHEARING BLADES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF AT ITS PERIPHERY, A LEDGER KNIFE DISPOSED LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CYLINDER AND HAVING ONE LONGITUDINAL MARGIN IN SHEARING RELATION WITH THE BLADES, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING IN FULL WIDTH ANDD CONDUCTING LONGITUDINALLY AT PREDETERMINED TENSION THROUGH THE MACHINE TO AND PAST THE LEDGER KNIFE AND BLADES A STRIP OF FABRIC TO BE SHEARED, A SERIES OF JUXTAPOSED ELEMENTS DISPOSED IN ALIGNMENT FORWARDLY OF THE LEDGER KNIFE AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE STRIP TO A LIMITED EXTENT LESS THAN THE FULL WIDTH THEREOF AND IN CONTACTT WITH ONE FACE OF THE STRIP AT ONE MARGINAL PORTION THEREOF, AND COMMON HOUSING MEANS SUPPORTING THE ELEMENTS FOR LIMITED INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT TOWARD AND IN FABRIC TENSIONING CONTACT WITH SAID FACE WHEREBY SAID ELEMENTS REMOVE SLACK FROM SAID MARGINAL PORTION AND HOLD THE STRIP TAUT AS IT PASSES TO THE LEDGER KNIFE AND SHEARING BLADES.