Yarn monitor for two-yarn cabling or twisting machine

A method of operating a textile machine comprising the steps of:

• feeding two primary yarns under relatively low longitudinal tension from respective yarn supplies to a combining location;
• combining said primary yarns at said location;
• feeding the combined yarns from said location under relatively high longitudinal tension to a takeup station;
• continuously monitoring the tension in said combined yarns between said location and said takeup station;
• generating an output when the tension in said combined yarns drops from said high tension below a predetermined level at least equal to said relatively low tension as a result of breakage of one of said primary yarns;
• interrupting the feeds of said yarns when said output is generated, said yarns being fed and longitudinally tensioned by being wound up on a takeup element at said takeup station, said yarns being combined by being wound together;
• and
• spinning one of said primary yarns about the respective supply as a balloon upstream of said location, said tension being monitored by:
• passing said combined yarns over a roller forming a deflecting element between said location and station,
• urging said deflecting element in a direction increasing the length of the path of said combined yarns between said location and said station, and
• detecting the position of said element to determine the tension in said combined yarns by the release of a member acting upon said element.