wire payoff devices are described which are used in conjunction with bobbin supporting cradles typically found in wire stranding and cabling machines such as high speed tubular stranders , bow or skip stranders and planetary stranders . the payoff devices include dancer arrangements each having a pair of pulley wheels mounted on a common support member which is itself mounted for independent movements along two substantially orthogonal directions . one of the pulley wheels is effectively fixed and continuously releases the wire along the axis of the cradle . the other or receiving pulley repeatedly traverses the axial width of the bobbin to follow the take - off points of the wire to provide uniform take - off and prevent scraping or chafing of the wire . movements of the receiving pulley towards and away from the bobbin as a function of the tension of the wire is translated , by means of pivoted lever arms , to a variable frictional force applied to the bobbin which substantially maintains the tension in the wire to a pre - established value .