Patent ID: 8201508

Claim:
A needle thread feeding device for a multi-needle embroidery sewing machine that moves a sewing machine head to selectively locate one of a plurality of needles in a sewing position, and feeds out, out of a plurality of needle threads, a selected needle thread passing through the one of the needles in the sewing position from a needle thread supply source to the one of the needles, the needle thread feeding device comprising: a drive roller having a length that extends across the plurality of needle threads; a needle thread guide mechanism that arranges the needle threads side by side in an axial direction of the drive roller and guides the needle threads; a pressure roller that presses the selected needle thread onto the drive roller; and a thread distributing mechanism that moves one of the needle thread guide mechanism and the pressure roller relative to the other of the needle thread guide mechanism and the pressure roller in the axial direction of the drive roller in synchronization with a movement of the sewing machine head, wherein the thread distributing mechanism interposes the selected needle thread between the drive roller and the pressure roller.