Feed roll mechanism

Claim 1

A strand-handling mechanism comprising means including a feed roll operatively secured to a rotatably mounted shaft for advancing a strand, a first gear mounted on said shaft, a driven second gear normally releasably drivingly coupled with said first gear for operating the feed roll to advance the strand, means drivingly coupling said feed roll and said first gear for retarding transmission of shock to the strand upon initiating advancement of the strand and including, said first gear having a pair of slots generally concentric with said shaft, a pair of resilient members, one in each of said slots, cooperating means on said first gear and said shaft for compressing said resilient members responsive to shock and for drivingly connecting said shaft and said first gear and including pairs of abutments, one for each of said resilient members, each pair including an abutment on said first gear and another abutment on said shaft, the abutments of each pair embracing the respective member, operating means for disengaging and drivingly engaging said first and second gears and including, a first lever mounted for pivotal movement and carrying said second gear, a latching lever normally releasably latchingly engaged with said first lever for releasably retaining said first gear drivingly engaged with the second gear, and actuating means for moving said latching lever out of said latching engagement with said first lever for movement of the gears out of said driving engagement.