Patent ID: 7073695

Claim:
A variable tension controller comprising: a controller input and a controller output; an underfeed roller, at least a portion of said underfeed roller located intermediate the controller input and the controller output; a first strand positioner receiving a first strand from a controller input and directing the strand to a controller output; an overfeed roller spaced from the underfeed roller, at least a portion of the overfeed roller located intermediate the controller input and the controller output, said overfeed roller having a speed at a strand engagement surface greater than a speed at a strand engagement surface of the underfeed roller; the first strand positioner selectively placing the first strand in contact with the strand engagement surface of the underfeed roller and out of contact with the strand engagement surface of the overfeed roller when tension in the first strand drops below a first predetermined amount, and the first strand positioner selectively placing the first strand in contact with the strand engagement surface of the overfeed roller and out of contact with the strand engagement surface of the underfeed roller when the tension in the first strand exceeds a second predetermined amount.