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US 4,358,068 AGranted
Thread retainer
AssigneeRieter Machine Works, Ltd.
InventorHans-Joachim Weiss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The thread retainer has a tube which is slotted from the side to form an access opening for a thread and a gate member in the form of a ball which is movably mounted in the tube. The ball cooperates with a second ball to define a thread passage with curvilinear walls. The movable ball may move under gravity or may be spring biased to permit entry of the thread into the thread passage.
Claims19
A thread retainer comprising
- a carrier defining an open-ended thread passage having an axis passing through said open-ends thereof and a side access opening permitting a continuous length of thread to be extended through said passage by movement into the passage via said access opening in a thread entry direction transverse to said axis,
- at least one gate member movable on said carrier for controlling access to said passage via said opening,
- an abutment surface on said carrier,
- guiding means on said carrier for guiding movement of said movable gate member in predetermined directions towards and away from a position of contact with said abutment surface and transverse to both said thread entry direction and said axis, and
- said side access opening being closed when said gate member contacts said abutment surface and being opened when said gate member moves out of contact with said abutment surface.
2 more elements
A thread retainer comprising
- a carrier defining a thread passage along an axis and an access opening to said passage extending transverse to said axis;
- means defining an abutment surface within said carrier;
- and
- a gate means movably mounted in said carrier in a direction transverse to said axis and said access opening between a position within said access opening abutting said abutment surface and a position spaced from said abutment surface to permit passage of a thread thereby into and out of said passage.
1 more element
A thread retainer comprising
- a tube having a bore and a slot extending transversely of said bore;
- means within said tube defining an abutment surface;
- a ball movably mounted within said bore for movement between a first position abutting said abutment surface and a second position spaced from said abutment surface, whereby in said first position, said slot, said ball and said abutment surface define a thread passage extending transversely of said tube and in said second position, said ball permits passage of a thread transversely into and out of said passage through said slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.