Apparatus for feeding filling threads to a warp knitting machine

Claim 1

In a high speed, warp knitting machine with inserted weft yarns, provided with weft yarn carrier chains and pins which are opened to receive yarns, then closed, and the yarns cut, the chains carrying each yarn to the knitting line and there being caused to open to deposit the filling yarn inserted against the warp threads, the improvement which comprises, a. a relatively rigid turntable, means for rotating said turntable, means on said rotating turntable for mounting yarn packages, an arm above each package centrally attached to the turntable and rotating therewith and yarn guide means in each arm yarn from each package extending through the guide means to the tension disc of a corresponding arm, and tension means at the end of each arm, b. an intermediate carrier chain provided with yarn clips, said clips clamping by spring pressure, and means for opening said clip, the intermediate carrier chain extending from a point adjacent an arm of the turntable to an opposite insert weft carrying chain, means for driving said intermediate chain at a higher speed than the peripheral speed of the ends of each rotating arm above each package, c. cam actuated means at the point of adjacency to the arms for opening a clip and grasping weft yarn from the arm end, movement of the turntable and of the intermediate carrier chain being in opposite directions, whereby yarn is pulled out, the turntable and intermediate chain drive means being synchronized so that when the clip on the intermediate conveyor chain reaches the opposite insert weft yarn carrier chain, the arm has reached the other weft yarn carrier chain, the yarn being transferred from the intermediate conveyor and the arm to pins on the two insert weft yarn carrier chains opposite each other, and d. means for cutting the end of the yarn from the turntable arm after it is clamped by the pin on the other weft carrIer chain.