Abstract: In opening and cleaning fibers an improved method to increase the proportion of usable fibers in processable textile fiber stock using a plurality of bale opening machines feeding fiber to a line of fiber cleaning and mixing machines, following which the fibers are fed to a plurality of carding machines. At least some of the machines settings are adjusted to remove a higher level of waste, including trash and good fiber, than would conventionally be acceptable. The waste from the machines is centrally collected and passed to a fiber retriever which removes good fibers to return them into the line of cleaning and mixing machines.

Abstract: A fibre opening apparatus for an open-end spinning machine includes a housing provided with a recess in which is mounted for rotation a fibre opening roller. The peripheral surface of the opening roller co-operates with a fibre locating surface defined by the recess to form a fibre-conveying passage. The tips of each of a plurality of needles protruding from the peripheral surface terminates in an imaginary cylindrical surface and at equal distances from the fibre locating surface. The generatrix of the peripheral surface is concave.Preferably, the opening roller has lateral side flanges and the generatrix is formed by an arc extending between the inner surfaces of the flanges and derived from a common radius. The chord of the arc may be co-incident with the generatrix of the imaginary cylindrical surface.The generatrix of the peripheral surface may be formed by an arcuate central region which is joined to the inner surfaces by arcuate side regions.