Compact device for controlling the supply of thread to a processing machine

A device for controlling the supply of a textile or metal thread, unwound from a corresponding support to a processing machine, said supply able to occur from the support to the machine and moving away from the machine towards the support, said device comprising:

• a body bearing at least two rotary members on which the thread is wound and with which a rotation velocity sensor means is associated for detecting the rotation velocity thereof,
• these rotation velocity sensor means disposed on the body and connected to a control unit;
• a tension sensor means for detecting the thread tension connected to such control unit, each of said rotary members being idle and being placed in rotation by the thread moved thereon, the tension sensor means disposed on the body in proximity thereto;
• the two idle rotary members each cooperating with the rotation velocity sensor means to measure the quantity of thread supplied and the velocity, placed in rotation by the thread moved thereon;
• and
• the tension sensor means between the two idle rotary members, the control unit for detecting at least one of:
• velocity of the thread,
• the supplied thread quantity, and
• the sliding or rest state of the thread and the slide direction of the thread (F) to detect if the thread is moving towards the processing machine or if the thread is moving away from the processing machine;
• wherein said body is substantially plate-like to be extended along a longitudinal axis (X) thereof in a manner considerably greater than its extension along an axis (Y) orthogonal to said face bearing the rotary members,
• wherein the body has a back face and a front face, the back face being planar, the front face having a thread inlet end portion, a thread discharge end portion and a middle portion between the two end portions, the middle portion having a planar external surface,
• the end portions recessed relative to the middle portion for placing a first said idle rotary member on the front face thread inlet end portion, and placing a second said idle rotary member on the front face thread discharge end portion,
• the first and second idle rotary members respectively located between the body front face thread inlet and discharge end portions and a phantom plane of the middle portion planar external surface.