Weft thread laying apparatus with tension strip

Claim 1

A weft thread laying apparatus for warp knitting machines comprising, in combination: (a) a pair of endless transfer chain means generally disposed perpendicular to the needle bed of said warp knitting machine and proximate the ends thereof for continually carrying weft threads in a longitudinal direction from a pick-up area to a delivery area proximate said needle bed, said transfer chains being provided with a plurality of holding elements disposed thereon; (b) carriage means disposed above said pair of transfer chain means in said pick-up area, said carriage means being movable back and forth perpendicular to said transfer chain means; (c) thread guide means slidably disposed on said carriage means for laying a plurality of weft threads about said holding elements disposed on one of said pair of transfer chain means and then about the holding elements disposed on the other of said pair of transfer chain means in a continuing sequence; and (d) means for moving said thread guide means in a longitudinal direction when said carriage means is proximate each said transfer chain means for permitting said weft threads to lay around said holding elements on said transfer chain means, said longitudinal moving means including: (i) a flexible guide band extending beyond and generally transversely to said endless transfer chain means, said flexible guide band being coupled to said thread guide means, (ii) steering means disposed on either end of said flexible guide band and coupled thereto, (iii) displacement means coupled to said steering means for displacing said flexible guide band and said thread guide means, (iiii) said flexible guide band having at least one end thereof retained in said steering means by a spring means for maintaining band tension.