Apparatus for guiding filaments

Claim 1

The combination of a spinneret for forming a group of filaments, and a guide disposed below the spinneret for guiding said group of filaments whereby such group forms a main longitudinal axis, said guide comprising: a carrier movable forwardly toward and rearwardly away from a location where the filament group defines a first cross-sectional area, a plurality of jaws movably mounted on said carrier for movement between: an open position, and a closed position in which said jaws close to form a through-passage which defines a second cross-sectional area smaller than said first cross-sectional area of the filament group and actuating means operatively connected to said carrier and jaws for: displacing said carrier forwardly toward the filament group to a filament-capturing position with said jaws open, closing said jaws around the group of filaments to converge all the filaments within said through-passage, with a longitudinal axis of said through-passage being spaced from said main longitudinal axis, retracting said carrier and closed jaws rearwardly to an operational position to displace said longitudinal axis of said through-passage to a location substantially aligned with said main axis.