Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for moving flat coiler cans into and out of a sliver filling station and for reciprocating the cans in the sliver filling station while being filled with sliver by a sliver producing textile machine, includes a conveyor element extending along a filling path within the sliver filling station and along a conveying path beyond the sliver filling station; and a drive for unidirectionally moving the conveyor element to introduce a can into or withdraw a can from the sliver filling station along the conveying path and for reciprocating the conveyor element to displace a can back-and-forth along the filling path.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning and opening fiber tufts includes a feeding device and an opening device adjoining the feeding device for receiving fiber tufts therefrom. The device has a series of immediately consecutive, mutually cooperating fiber processing rolls each having a point density which increases from roll to roll as viewed in a direction of fiber material advance through the roll series of the opening device.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing fiber bales end-to-end in a series includes a bale emplacement for supporting thereon the bales forming the series; a bale depositing device for setting a fiber bale at an inclination on the bale emplacement to build the series; and a bale holding device situated at a location along the bale emplacement. The bale holding device has a bale engaging member movable into engagement with a vertical lateral face of a bale situated at the location for stabilizing the bale; and a power device for moving the bale engaging member into or out of engagement with the bale situated at the location.

Abstract: A carding machine includes a main carding cylinder; a doffer cooperating with the main carding cylinder for removing fiber material therefrom; a stripping roll cooperating with the doffer for removing a fiber web therefrom; upper and lower cooperating crushing rolls together defining a nip for grasping the fiber web running from the doffer and the stripping roll; and a fiber web supporting and guiding body stationarily positioned underneath the stripping roll. The body has a length dimension extending generally parallel to the rotary axis of the stripping roll and an upper surface for supporting and guiding thereon the fiber web. The upper surface has a width extending generally horizontally and transversely to the stripping roll axis and oppositely located first and second longitudinally extending edge zones.

Abstract: A method of handling flat coiler cans charged and to be charged with sliver in a sliver charging station of a sliver producing fiber processing machine includes the following steps: advancing an empty can into a first standby station situated in a zone of the sliver charging station; advancing an empty can from the first standby station into the sliver charging station; charging a can with sliver in the sliver charging station; advancing a full can from the sliver charging station into a second standby station situated in a zone of the sliver charging station; and advancing a full can out of the second standby station.

Abstract: A system for handling sliver produced by a fiber processing machine includes a sliver coiler head forming part of the fiber processing machine; and a coiler can supported in a substantially upright position under the coiler head for receiving sliver therefrom. The coiler can has a vertical wall and a can bottom surrounded by the vertical wall and being vertically displaceable relative to the wall. The system further has a can bottom shifting apparatus disposed externally of the coiler can and facing the vertical wall. The apparatus includes a carrier arrangement for at least indirectly engaging the can bottom for vertically shifting the can bottom.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a fiber batt to a fiber processing machine includes a feed roll; a feed table formed of a plurality of separately movable feed table segments each cooperating with the feed roll and defining therewith a nip through which the fiber batt passes; a plurality of springs each being affixed to the feed table segment to form integral components therewith; and an elongated holding element extending spaced from, and generally parallel to the feed roll. Each spring is affixed to the holding element. The feed table segments are individually movable away from the feed roll against a force of respective springs in response to thickness variations in the fiber batt as the fiber batt passes through the nip. There is further provided a support for rotatably supporting the holding element.

Abstract: A drafting frame includes a drafting unit for drafting a plurality of slivers running in an advancing direction and combining the slivers into a single sliver; and a sliver guide situated upstream of the drafting unit. The sliver guide has converging walls defining a cavity for guiding therein the plurality of slivers which are gathered by the cavity in a side-by-side orientation in a single plane. A sensor element is supported for displacement relative to the sliver guide. The sensor element has a sliver-contacting face movable toward and away from a counterface forming part of the cavity wall and defining therewith a constriction of the sliver guide. A force urges the sliver-contacting face of the sensor element towards the counterface to compress the slivers running through the constriction. A transducer is coupled to the sensor element for emitting a signal representing excursions of the sensor element in response to thickness fluctuations of the slivers running through the constriction.

Abstract: A system for handling sliver produced by a fiber processing machine includes a sliver coiler head forming part of the fiber processing machine; and a coiler can supported in a substantially upright position under the coiler head for receiving sliver therefrom. The coiler can has a vertical wall and a can bottom surrounded by the vertical wall and being vertically displaceable relative to the wall. The system further has a can bottom shifting apparatus disposed externally of the coiler can and facing the vertical wall. The apparatus includes a carrier arrangement for at least indirectly engaging the can bottom for vertically shifting the can bottom.

Abstract: A carding machine includes a web delivering mechanism formed of a pair of cooperating rolls, for discharging a fiber web; and a web guiding element positioned immediately downstream of the roll pair as viewed in the direction of web advance. The web guiding element has an inner surface oriented towards the roll pair and is arranged transversely to the plane of the web for guiding and gathering the web. The web guiding element further has a web passage aperture through which the gathered web passes and leaves the web guiding element. A guiding body is positioned between the roll pair and the web guiding element in a zone of the aperture. The guiding body includes a supporting surface for supporting the gathered web prior to the passage thereof through the aperture.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing sliver residues from a coiler can includes a transporting carriage for transporting a coiler can along a path of travel. The transporting carriage has an undercarriage; two generally vertically oriented walls supported on the undercarriage and having respective upper portions; a transverse beam interconnecting the walls at the upper portions thereof; a receiving bay defined together by the walls and the transverse beam for accommodating a coiler can; and a generally vertically oriented throughgoing aperture provided in the transverse beam and situated above the receiving bay. The apparatus further has a suction device including a suction nozzle being in alignment with the throughgoing aperture and extending from above theretoward when the transporting carriage is in position at the suction device.

Abstract: A fiber processing machine includes a fiber processing roll carrying a first clothing on the surface thereof; and a countermember carrying a second clothing thereon. The first and second clothings cooperate with one another during operation of the fiber processing machine. A sensor determines a clearance between facing points of the first and second clothings. The sensor is mounted on the countermember and faces the first clothing when effecting measurement of the clearance.

Abstract: A carding machine includes a plurality of rotary fiber processing rolls arranged in succession as viewed in a direction of fiber advance through the carding machine. The output speed of the carding machine is varied by varying the rpm of one of the fiber processing rolls. The carding machine has a doffer zone containing some of the fiber processing rolls. A first electromotor is connected to a first fiber processing roll in the doffer zone and a first control and regulating unit is connected to the first electromotor. Further, a second electromotor is connected to a second fiber processing roll in the doffer zone and a second control and regulating unit is connected to the second electromotor.

Abstract: A bale opener for removing fiber tufts from top surfaces of fiber bales assembled in a series includes a carriage for travelling back-and-forth along a generally horizontal, first path of travel along the fiber bale series; a tower mounted on the carriage for travel therewith; a fiber tuft detaching device extending from the tower and movable relative to the tower along a generally vertical, second path of travel; and an incremental rotary displacement signalling device including a shaft; a toothed rotary element mounted on the shaft; a counter element meshing with the rotary element which is movable relative to the counter element; and a signal generator coupled to the toothed element for generating signals as a function of rotary displacements of the toothed element.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing fiber bales in readiness for removing fiber tufts therefrom by a travelling bale opener having an operational range, includes a first arrangement for supporting thereon a plurality of consecutively positioned fiber bales forming a standby bale series having a leading end and a trailing end; and a second arrangement for supporting thereon a plurality of consecutively positioned fiber bales forming an operational bale series to be worked on by the bale opener. The trailing end of the standby bale series is at a greater distance from the second arrangement than the leading end. The second arrangement receives fiber bales from the first arrangement for replenishing the fiber bales of the operational bale series with fiber bales of the standby bale series.

Abstract: A feeding device for advancing a fiber lap to a fiber processing machine includes a driven a feed roll and a feed tray cooperating with the feed roll and defining a nip therewith for advancing the fiber lap in a feed direction by a clamping effect exerted to the fiber lap in the nip by the feed roll and the feed tray. The feed tray has a working face oriented towards the feed roll and an outer face being opposite the working face. There is further provided a support arrangement for supporting the feed tray for displacements towards and away from the feed roll and a force-exerting member connected to the feed tray for urging the working face of the feed tray towards the feed roll.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing fiber bales into readiness for removing fiber tufts therefrom by a travelling bale opener has a fiber bale depositing device for positioning an initial fiber bale at an inclined orientation to the vertical and for positioning, adjacent the initial fiber bale, an additional fiber bale at an angle of inclination greater than the angle of inclination of the initial bale as viewed codirectionally with the angle of the initial bale; a bale-supporting device for engaging and stabilizing the initial fiber bale; a displacing device for moving the bale-supporting device into and out of engagement with the initial fiber bale; and a control device for automatically operating the fiber bale depositing device and the displacing device for automatically and sequentially depositing the initial fiber bale, moving the bale-supporting device into engagement with the initial fiber bale, depositing the additional fiber bale into a countersupporting engagement with the initial fiber bale and moving the ba

Abstract: A fiber processing machine includes two oppositely rotated, tangentially cooperating first and second clothed rolls, wherein the first roll is an upstream roll and the second roll is a downstream roll as viewed in a travelling direction of fiber material being entrained by the rolls on fiber-advancing portions thereof. The rolls have a generally horizontal axis of rotation and together define opposite first and second converging gaps. A first carrier is disposed in the first converging gap and partially extends over a circumferential portion of the first and second rolls. A mote knife is mounted on the first carrier and bounds a waste discharge opening situated circumferentially along one of the rolls. The first carrier has a carrier part partially covering the fiber-advancing portion of the first roll; and an additional curved carrier part extends along a circumference of the second roll. The additional curved carrier part defines an air intake gap with the second roll.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a fiber lap from fiber tufts includes a fiber opener having an input formed of a fiber feeding mechanism and a series of sawtooth rolls through which the fiber material introduced by the fiber feeding mechanism consecutively passes in a direction of advance; a pneumatic fiber stripping device including a blowing device for directing an airstream toward the last sawtooth roll of the series as viewed in the direction of fiber advance; a hood having an inner face defining a chamber situated above and downstream of the last sawtooth roll for receiving fiber material carried from the last sawtooth roll by the air stream of the fiber stripping device; an air-pervious, continuously moving receiving member disposed in the chamber downstream of the last sawtooth roll; and a suction device facing the underside of the receiving member for generating an air stream passing through the receiving member for drawing fiber material in the chamber onto the upper face of the receiving member for forming

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a coiler can from a sliver-producing fiber processing machine to a sliver-using fiber processing machine includes a transport carriage provided with wheels; a motor for propelling the transport carriage along a path of travel; and ground-supported rails for positively guiding the transport carriage along its path of travel.