referring now specifically to the figures , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 - 3 , the take - off or payoff device in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the payoff device 10 is arranged , as will be evident from the description that follows , to pay off wire 12 from a bobbin 14 which is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis on a cradle 16 . such cradles are typically used on stranders such as tubular stranders , bow or skip stranders , and planetary stranders . when the bobbins are supported in the cradles as shown , the wires are usually pulled off the bobbins and guided through a bushing or sleeve 16a provided at one end of the cradle . in a tubular strander , for example , the bushings or sleeves 16a are aligned on the axis of rotation &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; of the machine . in the past , for reasons described in the background of the invention , it was not possible to position the bushing or sleeve 16a close to the bobbin 14 since to do so would create the already mentioned unwinding problems . with the payoff device of the present invention , these problems are eliminated and the overall length of the cradles can be substantially reduced . as is best seen in fig2 the bobbin 14 is mounted on shafts 18 which are typically terminated by pintle assemblies . see , for example , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 079 , 580 assigned to the assignee of the subject application . any conventional means 20 for extending and retracting the shafts 18 in order to secure and release the bobbins from the cradle may be used , in conjunction with a conventional spring 22 as shown . one important feature of the present invention is the provision of braking means for applying variable braking torques to the bobbin . again referring to fig1 - 3 , such brake is shown to include a brake disc 24 and a brake cable 26 extending about the brake disc 24 , one end of the brake cable 26a being a movable cable end , while the cable end 26b is fixed in position so that selectively applying varying tensions to the movable cable end 26a results in changes in frictional forces applied to the brake disc 24 and , therefore , to the braking torques on the bobbin 14 . a further important feature of the present invention is the provision of a dancer assembly generally designated by the reference numeral 28 which is in the nature of wire guide means for continuously guiding the wire 12 from the bobbin 14 to a path substantially coincident with the axis &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; of the cradle 16 or the axis of rotation of the strander when such cradles are mounted in , for example , a tubular stranding machine . the dancer assembly 28 includes a dancer arm 30 and two spaced pulley wheels , an upper pulley wheel 32 and a lower pulley wheel 34 , mounted for rotation on the dancer arm 30 . the upper pulley wheel 32 serves as a receiving pulley wheel for receiving the wire 12 as it leaves the bobbin 14 . the lower pulley wheel 34 serves as a transmitting pulley wheel which has a peripheral portion thereof substantially tangent to the axis &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; and , therefore , the desired path of the wire . the dancer arm 30 is mounted for pivotal rotation about a pivot pin 36 on an l - shaped bracket 38 . this allows transverse oscillating movements of the pulley wheel 32 with respect to the width of the bobbin 14 thereby following the wire as it is removed from the bobbin and minimizing scraping and chafing of the wire . as is best shown in fig2 and 4 , the pivotal movements of the dancer arm 30 about the pivot pin 36 allows the wire to be drawn off the bobbin along a direction substantially 90 ° to the axis of rotation of the bobbin . the unwinding of the bobbin is , therefore , performed in a reverse manner in which it is initially wound and this provides for a smoother and more even and uniform unwinding of the wire . the l - shaped bracket 38 is pivotally mounted by means of a shaft 40 on a support member or platform 42 which is fixed to the cradle 16 . with this arrangement , the l - shaped bracket 38 and , therefore , the dancer arm 30 , are also mounted for pivotal rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the bobbin 14 to assume positions which are a function of the tension in the wire 12 . the shaft 40 is connected to a bell crank 44 so that the l - shaped bracket 38 and the bell crank 44 share common rotational movements about the shaft 40 . the upper end of the bell crank is connected to an adjustable linkage 46 , while the lower end of the bell crank is connected by means of a tension spring 48 to a fixed point in relation to the cradle 16 . the linkage 46 is , in turn , connected to a torque lever 50 which is rigidly connected to a shaft 52 which is supported on a brake arm support member 54 by means of shaft mount retainers 56 . also fixedly secured to the shaft 52 for rotation therewith is a brake arm lever 58 which is connected to the movable cable end 26a which is securely attached to the lever 58 by means of a cable end retainer 60 . the fixed cable end 26b is secured to the brake arm support member 54 by means of a cable end retainer 62 . it will thus be seen that the pivotal movements of the dancer arm 30 about the shaft 40 is effective to rotate the brake arm lever 58 and , therefore , adjust the tension in the brake cable 26 . a pre - tension adjustment element 64 can be manually adjusted to control to any desired extent the biassing action of the spring 48 upon the bell crank 44 . with the arrangement described , the braking forces on the bobbin are decreased when the tension in the wire increases above the desired tension , and are increased when the tension in the wire decreases below the desired tension . in effect , the dancer assembly 28 is in the nature of a feedback device which continuously compares the actual tension in the wire 12 with the reference tension established by the element 64 and the spring 48 and moves about an equilibrium position as a function of the deviations of the actual tensions in the wire 12 from the preselected reference tension . the elements connected between the dancer assembly 28 and the brake cable 26 may be characterized as comprising actuating means since they continuously adjust the torque on the bobbin 14 to maintain the tension in the wire substantially equal to the reference tension during operation or unwinding of the bobbin . referring to fig3 two different positions of the dancer assembly 28 are shown in phantom outline which positions might be assumed for two different tensions in the wire 12 . it should be noted that both the brake adjusting feature as well as the bobbin traversal feature of the dancer assembly are dynamic , constantly and automatically adjusting for the position of the wire 12 as well as the tension therein , and requires no additional or external monitoring or actuation . in fig5 the advantages of the payoff device 10 in accordance with the present invention is further made evident . here , the dancer assembly 10 is shown schematically in a tubular strander wherein the wire 12 is passed through a bearing 66 having an opening 68 as shown . because of the ability of the dancer mechanism to offset the position of a wire as well as change the direction thereof , the present invention is particularly suitable for use in stranding machines since these machines can now be significantly shortened thereby effecting significant cost economies . in fig5 the versatility of the dancer assembly 10 is shown whereby it not only can reduce the length of the tubular strander but can release the wire at an angle α which , of course , is a function of the diameter of the opening 68 . however , such a construction eliminates pulleys , guides and eyelets which have heretofore been required . not only are some of these elements eliminated , but as it should be clear from fig5 the wire is now permitted to proceed to the next successive strander section without rubbing or chafing . another embodiment of the payoff device is shown in fig6 and designated by the reference numeral 70 . the principle of operation is essentially identical , the dancer arm 30 again being pivotally mounted to respond to variations in tension in the wire , such movements being translated to varying tensions applied to the brake cord 20 to affect frictional torques on the brake . in fig6 a lever 72 is pivotally mounted on a pin or shaft 74 as shown . the movable cord end 26a of the brake is connected to one end of the lever 72 , the cord being fixed to that lever by means of a cord clamp 60 . a ball socket joint connects the other end of the lever 72 to the dancer arm 30 . movements of the dancer arm in the directions indicated by the double - headed arrow causes the lever 72 to pivot about the pin or shaft 74 for movements about the central equilibrium position between the limits indicated by the dashed lines . lugs 76 may be provided to serve as stops to prevent excessive movements of lever 72 . movement of the ball socket joint , for example , to the left as viewed in fig6 would increase the tension in the brake cord 26 and increased braking action would result . movement of the ball socket joint to the right would decrease such tension . pre - setting of the dancer arm 30 may be effected by a screw having a knurled nob 78 which is threadedly engaged with a threaded block 80 . the screw connected to the nob 78 can be turned to adjustably apply biassing forces on the lever 72 by means of compression spring 82 . for this purpose , a hole or recess 84 may be provided in the lever 72 for receiving one end of the spring 82 , while the other abuts against the end of the adjusting screw . referring to fig7 and 8 , still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated , this time shown in the environment of a bow strander . here , as in the previously described embodiments , an actuator arm 58 is connected to the movable brake cable end 26a . the payoff device , generally designated by the reference numeral 86 , includes a tube 88 which extends across the cradle 16 and is generally parallel to the axis of the bobbin . the actuator arm 58 is rigidly connected to the tube 88 . the tube 88 is hollow and includes a torsion rod 90 contained within and coaxial with the tube 88 . the torsion rod 90 is connected to the tube 88 at the ends proximate to the actuator arm 58 . the other end of the torsion rod 90 is connected to positioning means for pre - setting the angular position of the torsion rod and thereby the position of the dancer arm 30 . referring to fig8 the positioning means is shown as comprising a positioning lever arm 92 connected to the torsion rod , and an adjusting assembly 94 which includes an actuating element 96 and a piston shaft 98 connected to the lever arm 92 . since the torsion rod 90 and the tube 88 are connected to each other at one end , extension of the hydraulic shaft 98 effectively rotates the dancer arm 30 in a direction away from the bobbin , while retraction of the shaft 98 tends to move the dancer arm in the direction of the bobbin . these initial position pre - setting adjustments establish a reference tension in the wire . in fig1 - 5 , the dancer arm is shown mounted to position both pulley wheels to one side of the desired path of the wire , namely the axis &# 34 ; a &# 34 ;. with such arrangement of the dancer , the wire 12 is guided over the receiving pulley 32 and subsequently passes between the two pulleys 32 , 34 before being guided over the transmitting pulley 34 and being released or guided along the desired path . referring to fig7 the dancer arm 30 is shown mounted to position the two pulley wheels 32 , 34 on opposite sides of the desired path of axis or the machine . here , the wire is guided over the receiving pulley 32 , and subsequently the wire proceeds over the transmitting pulley 34 before passing between the pulleys 32 , 34 and being released along the desired path . this arrangement is useful in bow stranders since the pulley wheels 32 and 34 are substantially symmetrically arranged about the cradle 16 , providing clearance for the bows 100 , which are generally parabolic in configuration . when the pulley wheels 32 , 34 are symmetrically disposed in relation to the cradle 16 , the receiving and transmitting pulleys 32 , 34 respectively are advantageously angularly offset from each other on the dancer arm as shown in fig8 to avoid scraping of the wire 12 as it traverses itself where the wire is guided into and from the lower or transmitting pulley wheel 34 proximate to the desired path of the wire 12 . the descriptions herein have been of representative embodiments , and variations and modifications thereof may be possible without departing from the spirit of the invention . thus , for example , the use of a brake disc and cable is not critical and any type of braking arrangement may be used . instead , it is possible to use electrical rotating machine , such as torque motors , or clutches which can selectively apply braking action . also , while the dancer assembly performs the important functions in a very simple and economical way , it is not essential that both pulley wheels are mounted for movements as described . by way of example only , it is possible to mount the receiving pulley 32 on an elongate transverse track by means of linear bearings or the like and allowing the receiving pulley to traverse the bobbin in a direction which is truly transverse to the bobbin and parallel to the bobbin axis . mounting of the receiving pulley wheel on a linear track or guide achieves one of the important features of the invention , namely smooth and even take - off without scraping or chafing . further , although the dancer assembly has been described as including pulley wheels , it should be evident that any combinations of rotating or fixed guide elements may be used such as rollers , rods , eyelets or the like . also , the use of two rotating guide elements or pulley wheels on a dancer arm is not critical . two or more guide elements may be used on dancer arms having different lengths to provide different responsiveness of the braking action . finally , while the described embodiments provide both normal take - off and automatic tension control or bobbin braking action , it should also be evident that either feature can be used without using the other . the constructions described , providing both features , provide optimum results . however , it is possible to provide automatic braking or tension control without following the wire for normal take - off or provide for normal take - off without tension control .