Abstract: A friction spinning apparatus comprises an opening roller system for feeding fibres in a feed duct to the throat formed between the adjacent peripheral surfaces of two parallel drums rotating in the same direction. Yarn formed at the throat, by frictional contact between the fed fibres and the surfaces, is withdrawn along the throat. The fibre feed duct is arranged to feed the fibres in an airstream having a direction inclined to the yarn axis and providing a component of fiber movement opposite to the direction of yarn withdrawal. A suction opening in the duct wall facing away from the drums causes an additional airstream across the duct parallel to the yarn axis to turn the fibres from the direction of inclination to a direction more nearly parallel to the yarn axis as they approach the throat. One of the drums is perforated for suction through its surface, the other is imperforate and formed with a resilient surface of a rubber material.

Abstract: A carding machine for textile material has a taker-in cylinder, a main cylinder and a doffing cylinder supported by a frame comprising of two frame side members. The frame side members are costructed from sheet steel and are interconnected by two sheet steel cross-members of hollow cross section the ends of which are welded to the inwardly facing surfaces of the frame side members.Preferably, the frame further includes a base member welded along the bottom of the inwardly facing surfaces of the frame side members.

Abstract: During servicing of a spinning machine station by the piecing apparatus, the yarn positioning means establishes a generally U-shaped yarn line and brings the lowermost bight section of such line into desired association with the yarn delivery rolls at the spinning machine station. Rotatable members form the bight section of the yarn line and then transport the same, while the members occupy rotative positions effective to prevent lateral movement of the bight section, to a location closely adjacent the delivery rolls. The members then are rotated to other positions wherein they permit and guide lateral movement of the bight section toward a free end of one of the delivery rolls. When a piecing-aid device is present at the spinning machine station, the piecing apparatus includes a mechanism for imparting movement to a movable component of the device, and the positioning means of the apparatus includes means for associating parts of the U-shaped yarn line with the foregoing and other components of the device.

Abstract: In a sizing process for a warp sheet of yarns, a drying chamber has an upper first region, substantially void of a drying medium, and a second region containing the drying medium. A transversable warp splitting device is provided in the chamber which is traversable from the first region, where a plurality of splitting bars can be inserted through the warp sheet so as to split it into sheets of lesser density, to a second region, where the warp sheet is acted upon by the drying medium.A cooling medium is provided between the first and second regions so as to prevent migration of the drying medium from the second region to the first region.The splitting device comprises a carriage driven for movement along a track which extends in a downwardly inclined direction from the first region to the second region.

Abstract: In a controlled stopping procedure for an open-end spinning machine the fibre feed roller and the yarn delivery rollers decelerate in synchronism. A detector senses a predetermined speed of the yarn delivery rollers after a period of time from starting the deceleration and initiates the stopping of the fibre feed roller. After a further period of time, determined by time delay means, the decelerating yarn delivery rollers are braked. Preferably the yarn delivery rollers have come almost to rest when they are braked.

Abstract: In the opening and cleaning of fibrous materials apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of rotatable beaters within a housing, curved under grids beneath each rotatable beater, baffle plates above and between the beaters, a perforated screen positioned above and adjacent the beaters and a suction hood positioned over and embracing the whole upper surface of the perforated screen. The screen is inclined to the horizontal and the apparatus includes a suction duct extending across the lowermost edge for withdrawing air from an inlet slot along the opposite edge to create an air stream flowing over the whole surface of the screen such that dust and unusable fibres passing through the screen are carried away to a waste extraction duct.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for piecing-up yarn on an open-end spinning machine.A yarn reserve forming member is movable between an extended position, in which it constrains the yarn to follow a prescribed reserve yarn path, and a retracted position, in which the yarn follows another prescribed and shortened path and the end of yarn and its length, which is the difference between the lengths of said prescribed paths, is permitted to return to the spinning means to contact fibres fed thereto.To achieve efficient piecing-up, the yarn moves between such prescribed pathways from one to the other under control of the reserve forming member while the reserve yarn path is in a sense depleted and the yarn is caused by yarn insertion means to be inserted in the delivery roller nip at a predetermined position in the course of movement by the reserve forming member when the latter moves to the retracted position.

Abstract: An apparatus for twisting a fibre strand to have repeated along its length alternating zones of opposite twist comprises a fluid vortex device having two fluid inlets and a valve controlling fluid flow to the inlets. The valve comprises a hollow cylindrical rotatable valve member and a sleeve having a number of outlet ports surrounding the member. Fluid supplied to the hollow member is distributed to the outlet ports by rotation of the member. Plastics dry bearings between the member and the sleeve act to prevent improper flow of air along the abutting surfaces. The vortex device comprises a member formed with a bore, the bore having a wide port into which the fluid is injected through the inlets and a restricted port forming a venturi of diameter of the order twice that of the yarn. A plug through which the yarn passes at the end of the bore remote from the venturi inhibits escape of air from that end.

Abstract: A method of forming a self-twisted fibrous structure comprises twisting two strands of similar count such that each has repeated along its length alternating zones of opposite twist, converging the strands at a convergence point such that they partly untwist around one another to form a self-twisted structure and acting on the strands at or downstream of the convergence point by applying further alternating zones of opposite twist so as to modify the strand to ply twist ratio of the structure. The further twist is applied at a point not greater than one half cycle length from the first twist point and at a phase difference 20.degree. to 60.degree. following.

Abstract: A frame construction for an open-end spinning machine includes an elongate plate extending along one side of the machine for supporting a first series of spinning unit housings and an elongate plate extending along the other side of the machine for supporting a second series of spinning unit housings. The plates are interconnected by transverse cross-members, which, preferably, do not project beyond the upper and lower extremities of the plates. Apertures equally spaced along the plates serve to receive and support the spinning unit housings.The plates are provided along their upper extremities with inwardly projecting flanges which abut against the cross-members so as to locate the plates.Preferably, the driving elements for the spinning elements supported by the spinning unit housings, and the suction ducts serving to provide vacuum at each of the spinning units are located between and within the upper and lower extremities of the plates.

Abstract: In combination with a sliver coiler and can changer apparatus, a sliver compactor and severing device is provided which concurrently compacts coiled sliver and separates, parts or severs through attenuation the ultimate strand portion extending between the filled sliver can and the coiler.

Abstract: A rotor for an open end yarn spinner is disclosed having a depending boss with a bore therethrough for interference fit with a supporting shaft, wherein the boss is formed with an annular concave recess proximal its juncture with the base of the cup portion of the rotor and its lower cup wall. Flexural distortion at high rotational speeds of from 45,000 to 60,000 or more r.p.m. occurs primarily at the area of the recess and is minimized at the region of interference fit such that the grip on the supporting shaft is not substantially loosened and the rotor mounted thereon is not shifted or dislodged.

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacture of a rotor for the open end spinning of staple fibres into yarn which is formed of a steel and has hardened surfaces at its fiber contacting and collecting surfaces, wherein the rotor may be fashioned by machining from a block of steel or formed from sheet steel, then hardening its internal fiber contacting surfaces by induction heating or carburizing or nitriding or carbonitriding at least in the region of the rotor's maximum diameter, then quenching and thereafter stress-relieving the entire rotor. Such method provides a rotor with exceptional properties of wear resistance in the area most prone to abrasive wear which latter otherwise reduces the rotor's useful service life and substantially increases yarn processing costs.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plate-like yarn stripper device for use in removing staple fiber yarns from rotatable elements of circular cross-section, such as in the removal of yarn wraps underwound beneath a spindle blade to anchor the yarn threadline in the doffing and donning of cops on a ring spinning frame. The stripper is formed with a central hole defining stripping edges at a surface of the plate, these edges being spaced from the yarn-wound element by a prescribed distance such that when the element is rotated the wound yarn will buffet the edges and be abraded, weakened and cut or otherwise severed in the stripping action. Personnel safety is enhanced in use of the stripper by the absence of peripheral sharp edges, bristles or other abrasive external surfaces.

Abstract: In a clutch or brake mechanism of the type comprising two parts in coaxial relationship and an armature co-rotatably coupled with one of the parts and movable under magnetic forces for frictionally engaging the other part, a resilient restoring member for biassing the armature out of engagement with the other part comprises a continuous planar loop having two lobe portions which engage lugs bent from the plane of the armature and interconnecting portions which engage shoulders provided on said one part.

Abstract: All control components of the builder mechanism and its pick motion device are concentrically arranged about the builder shaft of a textile machine in such manner that the builder mechanism can readily be removed from the builder shaft as an entity for replacement, inspection, repair or substitution of parts, creating a compact construction of great durability and easy maintenance. Such concentrically disposed components include electromechanical control means for at prescribed times effecting directional reversals and stepped advancements of the points of movement reversals of the builder shaft with a differential gearing assembly which produces incremental angular advancements of switch components about the axis shaft when driven by pick-gear wheel and pick-gear pawl members thereof.

Abstract: An insert traveller, of the kind comprising an upper and lower hook portions interconnected by a shank, all of plastics material, with a metal insert for contacting the yarn arranged at the junction of the upper hook portion and the shank, is improved by providing portions on the upper hook portion and the shank whereby the insert can be embedded within the portion of the shank adjacent or beyond the internal surface of main body of the portion of the shank. The metal insert is of "half-round" wire and carries a fin interconnecting the upper hook portion and the shank of "T" shape cross-section.

Abstract: An opening roller for opening fibres fed to an open-end spinning machine has a cylindrical shell outwardly from which protrude a plurality of fibre-engaging teeth, each of which has a coating of wear-resistant ceramics or metallic material applied thereto. The teeth are formed as pointed ends of a plurality of pins passing through the cylindrical shell and the coating applied so as to cover the whole surface of each of the pins.The opening roller is provided with a flange extending from each end of the cylindrical shell and the wear-resistant coating may be applied to each of the protruding tooth portions, the outer surface of the cylindrical shell and the inner surface of the flanges.

Abstract: A machine for the open-end spinning of yarns includes a machine frame which supports a plurality of side-by-side spinning units, each including a fibre opening roller and a spinning rotor, the arrangement being such that the rotational axes of the spinning rotors and opening rollers lie in respective first and second planes. The housings are mounted on the machine frame for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the rotational axis of the spinning rotor and positioned between the first and second planes.A catch for holding against pivotal movement additionally acts to hold a cover extending over the housing in place. A second cover, which may be transparent, lies beneath the first cover and separately covers the opening roller. The supporting brackets for the housings are arranged such that each housing can be readily removed from the machine frame.