FIELD: textile industry; looms and tricot machines. SUBSTANCE: when checking movement of edge of thread stock along accumulating surface of thread accumulating and feeding device, scanning of at least two spaced peripheral sections of accumulating surface featuring different scanning properties is carried out simultaneously. results of scanning are converted into nonidentical accumulating surface signals which are then compared with identical thread signals put out by the same transmitters on the basis of scanning properties of thread coils when thread stock is present in scanning zone. Thread accumulating and feeding device implementing this method has first and second peripheral sections differing in scanning properties and multiple of transmitters spaced in peripheral direction of housing of accumulating device so that at least one transmitter can scan first peripheral section of accumulating surface, and simultaneously at least one transmitter can scan second peripheral section. EFFECT: possibility of universal application irrespective of properties and quality of thread. 21 cl, 12 dwg
