tension placed thereon during the rapid return motion in order to avoid such breakage problems on a wardwell type braiding machine the invention utilizes a new design for the lower carrier members thereof a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated with reference to fig3 6 and 7 as seen therein a bobbin 30 is suitably positioned on a rotating spindle 31 the particular structure of which is improved over that conventionally used in such machines as discussed in more detail below lower tension lever 33 has mounted on its horizontal arm at least two pulleys 34 and 35 and in the particular embodiment depicted an additional pulley 36 two additional pulleys 37 and 38 are fixedly mounted on the lower carrier member via a suitable mounting block 39 suitably affixed to the frame thereof pulleys 37 and 38 are displaced from pulleys 34 35 and 36 and are positioned near a first thread guide roller element 40 as shown a second thread guide element 41 is fixedly attached as shown to block 39 and to the frame of the lower carrier member a strand 42 e g of copper wire is supplied from bobbin 30 around first thread guide roller element 40 and thence around pulley 36 in a counter clockwise direction to the bottom of pulley 37 exiting therefrom and returning to and around pulley 35 in a counter clockwise direction thence to the bottom of pulley 38 exiting therefrom and returning to and around pulley 34 in a counter clockwise direction and thence to second thread guide element 41 and upwardly toward the upper carrier members as shown by arrow 44 thus the wire leaves the upper tension lever at substantially the same height as in the prior used structure shown in.