A process and apparatus for separating a carbon filament tow into a set of reduced filament count bundles. The process includes feeding a tow of carbon filaments into a guide array, mechanically splitting the tow within the guide array into filament bundles, removing a coating from the filament bundles, feeding the filament bundles into a guide pin assembly to separate the filament bundles with a reduced filament count from one another, applying a false twist to the filament bundles to loosen individual filaments then recombining the individual filaments of each filament bundle into a re-bundled ribbon. Coatings may be applied to each re-bundled ribbon prior to winding each re-bundled ribbon onto a take-up.

A process and apparatus for separating a carbon filament tow into a set of reduced filament count bundles. The process includes feeding a tow of carbon filaments into a guide array, mechanically splitting the tow within the guide array into filament bundles, removing a coating from the filament bundles, feeding the filament bundles into a guide pin assembly to separate the filament bundles with a reduced filament count from one another, applying a false twist to the filament bundles to loosen individual filaments then recombining the individual filaments of each filament bundle into a re-bundled ribbon. Coatings may be applied to each re-bundled ribbon prior to winding each re-bundled ribbon onto a take-up.

A retainer is described for exerting a braking effect on wire provided as a spool in a container. The retainer has a plate-like elastic element with a contact surface adapted for resting on the wire, an outer circumference adapted for being guided in the container, and an inner circumference adapted for allowing the wire to pass through. The plate-like elastic element has an elasticity such that one of the inner and outer circumferences sags down, under the proper weight of the retainer, by a distance of at least 10 mm when the retainer is supported at the other of the inner and outer circumference.

A retainer is described for exerting a braking effect on wire provided as a spool in a container. The retainer has a plate-like elastic element with a contact surface adapted for resting on the wire, an outer circumference adapted for being guided in the container, and an inner circumference adapted for allowing the wire to pass through. The plate-like elastic element has an elasticity such that one of the inner and outer circumferences sags down, under the proper weight of the retainer, by a distance of at least 10 mm when the retainer is supported at the other of the inner and outer circumference.

A power paying-off cradle consisting of power paying-off component and framework. In the framework is a cavity with an upper opening; a wire tension balance mechanism is installed in the cavity; a displacement wheel is installed on the wire tension balance mechanism, and a position detector of the displacement wheel is installed on the inner side wall of the framework; a turning wheel is installed on the front top of the framework; a thread hole is installed in the front of the framework; wire on the paying-off spool enwinds the turning wheel and the displacement wheel successively and passes through the thread hole. The wire tension balance mechanism has damping effect on the displacement wheel. When the tension of the displacement wheel is greater than or less than the damping force, the displacement wheel moves in order to ensure consistency of the tension or the strain of wire.

A power paying-off cradle consisting of power paying-off component and framework. In the framework is a cavity with an upper opening; a wire tension balance mechanism is installed in the cavity; a displacement wheel is installed on the wire tension balance mechanism, and a position detector of the displacement wheel is installed on the inner side wall of the framework; a turning wheel is installed on the front top of the framework; a thread hole is installed in the front of the framework; wire on the paying-off spool enwinds the turning wheel and the displacement wheel successively and passes through the thread hole. The wire tension balance mechanism has damping effect on the displacement wheel. When the tension of the displacement wheel is greater than or less than the damping force, the displacement wheel moves in order to ensure consistency of the tension or the strain of wire.

A power paying-off cradle consisting of power paying-off component and framework. In the framework is a cavity with an upper opening; a wire tension balance mechanism is installed in the cavity; a displacement wheel is installed on the wire tension balance mechanism, and a position detector of the displacement wheel is installed on the inner side wall of the framework; a turning wheel is installed on the front top of the framework; a thread hole is installed in the front of the framework; wire on the paying-off spool enwinds the turning wheel and the displacement wheel successively and passes through the thread hole. The wire tension balance mechanism has damping effect on the displacement wheel. When the tension of the displacement wheel is greater than or less than the damping force, the displacement wheel moves in order to ensure consistency of the tension or the strain of wire.

A power paying-off cradle consisting of power paying-off component and framework. In the framework is a cavity with an upper opening; a wire tension balance mechanism is installed in the cavity; a displacement wheel is installed on the wire tension balance mechanism, and a position detector of the displacement wheel is installed on the inner side wall of the framework; a turning wheel is installed on the front top of the framework; a thread hole is installed in the front of the framework; wire on the paying-off spool enwinds the turning wheel and the displacement wheel successively and passes through the thread hole. The wire tension balance mechanism has damping effect on the displacement wheel. When the tension of the displacement wheel is greater than or less than the damping force, the displacement wheel moves in order to ensure consistency of the tension or the strain of wire.