Patent ID: 8727259

Claim:
A self-compensating tension control device for regulating the withdrawal of filamentary material from a spool, comprising: a fixed support, said fixed support maintaining a cam surface; a spindle assembly carried by said fixed support, said spindle assembly rotatably carrying the spool of filamentary material a mechanism coupling said fixed support to said spindle assembly to allow said spindle assembly to move substantially horizontally and linearly depending upon a tension force applied to the filamentary material, in opposition to a biasing force, which causes said spindle assembly to linearly move in relation to said fixed support; and a braking mechanism comprising a brake drum rotatable with said spindle assembly, a friction band adapted to engage said brake drum, and a rocker arm having a cam roller engageable with said cam surface at one end and at an opposite end a bracket associated with said friction band, wherein when the tension force applied to the filamentary material is reduced and unable to overcome the biasing force, said cam roller engages said cam surface and causes said bracket and said friction band to generate a braking force on said brake drum, and wherein withdrawal of the filamentary material at a regulated rate occurs when the biasing force is balanced with the tension force.