Importance

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Abstract

A system for maintaining a predetermined tension of a wire has a rotatable wire supply spool, a motor-driven wire take-up spool, a motor-drive wire feed spool. The wire is wound around the supply spool and is also attached to the take-up spool. The wire also passes partially around the feed spool and a pulley or guide which is attached to a pivot arm. The pivot arm is positioned between the take-up spool and the supply spool. A frictional layer is disposed around the outer circumferential surface of the feed spool, to prevent the wire from sliding across the frictional layer of the feed spool. The elongated pivot arm that has its free end positioned against the wire. The pivot arm pivots in response to the differences in speed between the supply and take-up spool. A motion sensor detects motion of the pivot arm and generates a control signal in response. The control signal is electrically conducted to a stepper motor. The stepper motor is electrically connected in turn to the feed spool to establish the speed of rotation of the feed spool and thereby match the supply speed with the take-up spool speed. The pivot arm can be weighed and oriented at an angle different from its rest position angle to establish the desired tension on the wire.

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First Claim