Abstract: A method of operating a bale opener having a carriage arranged for back-and-forth travel along a plurality of serially arranged fiber bales, a tower mounted on the carriage, a cantilever supported by the tower and projecting generally laterally therefrom, an opening device accommodated in the cantilever and arranged for removing fiber from bale tops, and a sensor arranged to travel in a path along the fiber bales. The method includes the steps of sensing the presence of a length boundary of the bales by the sensor and applying first signals, representing such presence, to a control device. The sensing step comprises the step of sensing the bale boundary by the sensor directly.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding fiber material to a fiber processing machine includes a vertically-oriented fill chute having an open top, a bottom and a generally rectangular cross section of opposite narrow sides and opposite wide sides; a duct having an open end communicating with the fill chute adjacent the top thereof at one of the wide sides for introducing a fiber material-carrying airsteam into the fill chute; air outlet openings provided in the fill chute for allowing passage of air from the fill chute; and a discharging arrangement for withdrawing fiber material from the bottom of the fill chute. The duct has a terminal length portion ending in the outlet opening and the terminal length portion has an at least approximately quadrate cross section. There is further provided a space of impact between the outlet opening and the open top of the fill chute; the outlet opening is at least approximately centered with respect to a horizontal middle of the space of impact.

Abstract: A fiber processing machine includes a rotary roller provided with a clothing and having a periphery; and a sepaating knife cooperating with the roller for separating waste from the fiber material entrained by the roller. The knife has a knife edge situated at an adjustable distance from the periphery of the roller. The separating knife is part of a separating knife assembly including an adjusting device for varying a position of the separating knife relative to the roller and for immobilizing the separating knife in a desired adjusted position; and a drive for operating the adjusting device.

Abstract: An arrangement for ascertaining the presence of foreign bodies in a mass of fiber tufts includes a fiber tuft-supporting surface having a width; a device for providing a loose fiber tuft layer on the fiber tuft-supporting surface; and a foreign body detecting apparatus arranged for scanning the fiber tuft layer for foreign bodies. The foreign body detecting apparatus has a detector device formed of a plurality of individual sensors arranged side-by-side along the width of the surface. There is further provided a device for effecting relative displacement between the fiber tuft layer and the apparatus in a direction perpendicular to the surface width.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating waste from textile fiber tufts includes a substantially closed casing, a separating wall arranged in the casing for dividing the casing into a dust and waste collecting chamber and a fiber collecting chamber. The separating wall has a separating surface and is provided with apertures. There is further provided an air stream guide for directing a fiber and waste-laden air stream through the apertures of the separating wall from the fiber collecting chamber to the waste collecting chamber. The apertures are sized to allow passage of dust and waste and to prevent passage of fibers. The air stream guide and the separating wall are relatively movable with respect to one another. The air stream guide is immovably supported and the separating wall is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the separating surface of the separating wall.

Abstract: A card includes a main carding cylinder having a direction of rotation, a doffer cooperating with the main carding cylinder and a waste separator situated above the doffer and adjacent the main carding cylinder. The waste separator includes a knife blade situated close to the main carding cylinder and being oriented in a direction opposite the direction of rotation, a plate situated at a small radial distance from the main carding cylinder and having an edge defining a gap with the knife blade and a casing defining a suction chamber shrouding the gap. The casing and the knife blade are formed of a single-piece component.

Abstract: A fiber processing line is formed of a plurality of fiber processing machines connected by a conveyor duct. A blower-conveyor is arranged for driving fiber tufts in an air stream through the conveyor duct. The blower-conveyor includes a discharge housing, a rotary impeller supported in the discharge housing; an inlet opening in the discharge housing for drawing the fiber material into the blower axially with respect to the impeller. The discharge housing includes a housing wall generally circumferentially surrounding the impeller and bounding a blower outlet which, similarly to the inlet, is connected to the duct. A waste separator is integrated in the blower-conveyor. The waste separator includes throughgoing openings in the housing wall for providing passages for waste from the fiber tufts upstream of the outlet opening as viewed in a direction of advance of the fiber tufts.

Abstract: A bale opener has an opening device arranged for a horizontal back-and-forth travel above a row of fiber bales. The opening device includes two parallel-arranged and horizontally oriented opening rollers provided with teeth. The opening rollers are spaced from one another in a direction parallel to the direction of back-and-forth travel and each opening roller has an axis of rotation oriented perpendicularly to the direction of the back-and-forth travel. The opening device further has a bale hold-down device through which the teeth of the opening rollers project for penetrating into upper faces of the bales and a suction device for removing fiber tufts detached by the opening rollers. The opening rollers are codirectionally rotated during the back-and-forth travel of the bale opener.

Abstract: A fiber bale opener includes a downwardly open housing which is adapted to be supported above fiber bales to be opened and which accommodates an opening roller having an axis and being arranged for detaching fiber tufts from upper bale surfaces. In the housing there is further arranged a suction duct through which fiber tufts detached by the opening roller are adapted to be removed by a suction air stream flowing therethrough. The suction duct has two lateral walls which are facing one another and which are spaced from one another in a direction parallel to the roller axis. One lateral wall has an upwardly extending first oblique air guiding face and the other lateral wall has an upwardly extending second oblique air guiding face.

Abstract: A carding machine includes a licker-in and a main carding cylinder cooperating therewith; a feed roller arranged immediately upstream of the licker-in as viewed in a direction of material feed into the carding machine; and a feed table cooperating with the feed roller for advancing fiber material to the licker-in. The feed table is arranged for executing excursions towards and away from the feed roller as a function of the material quantity passing between the feed roller and the feed table and a measuring device operatively connected with the feed table for generating signals representing the excursions. There is provided a motor connected to the feed roller for rotating the same. The motor receives setting signals as a function of the excursions. The feed table has a movable first part operatively connected with the measuring device and a second part situated between the movable first part and the licker-in.

Abstract: A method of feeding a plurality of fiber processing machines with fiber tufts, including the steps of pneumatically advancing fiber tufts by a conveying fan within a first tuft confining device into a second tuft confining device associated with respective fiber processing machines; compressing the tufts in each second tuft confining device by a compressing air stream whereby a compressed tuft column having a height level is obtained in each second tuft confining device; and measuring and regulating the pressure in at least one of the tuft confining devices. The first tuft confining device comprises a tuft conveying duct and the second tuft confining devices are formed of tuft collecting chutes.

Abstract: An apparatus in combination with a carding machine and a regulatable tuft feeding device for evening a running sliver produced by the carding machine. The assembly has a fiber-handling roller forming part of the carding machine, a motor drivingly connected to the roller, an rpm-setting device connected to the motor, a desired value setter connected with the regulatable tuft feeding device; a measuring device for determining momentary values of mass of the running sliver; a regulator connected to the measuring device and to the rpm-setting device for controlling the rpm of the roller as a function of the sliver mass sensed by the measuring device. There is further provided a limit value indicating device connected to the rpm-setting device for responding to predetermined setting limits.

Abstract: An apparatus for evening a fiber lap fed to a carding machine. The latter has a licker-in, a feed table and a feed roller cooperating with one another in feeding the fiber lap to the licker-in; a drive motor connected to the feed roller; and an arrangement providing for a relative movement of the feed roller and the feed table towards or away from one another as a function of the thickness of the fiber material passing therebetween. There is further provided an excursion measuring device for generating signals representing the magnitude of the relative movement; and a control device connected to the excursion measuring device. The control device is connected to the drive motor for regulating the rpm of the feed roller as a function of the relative motion between feed roller and feed table. A delay device is connected between the excursion measuring device and the control device for delaying transmittal of signals from the excursion measuring device to the control device.

Abstract: An apparatus which feeds a fiber lap to a fiber processing machine has a reserve chute connected to a pneumatic fiber tuft conveying duct to receive fiber tufts therefrom; a feed chute connected to the reserve chute; a feed roller arranged for advancing fiber tufts from the reserve chute into the feed chute; a drive for rotating the feed roller; an arrangement for delivering a compressing air stream into the feed chute for densifying a fiber tuft column therein; a plurality of air outlet openings to provide a passage of the air stream out of the feed chute; a pressure sensor situated in the feed chute; a pressure regulator connected with the pressure sensor and the drive for altering the rpm of the feed roller as a function of the pressure prevailing in the feed chute.

Abstract: A fiber bale opener includes a downwardly open housing adapted to be supported above fiber bales to be opened and accommodating an opening device having a width dimension. The opening device includes an opening roller oriented parallel to the width dimension and arranged for removing fiber tufts from upper bale surfaces and a suction duct through which fiber tufts detached from the bales by the opening roller are adapted to be removed by a suction air stream flowing therethrough. The suction duct has two transverse walls facing one another and being spaced from one another in a direction perpendicular to the width dimension. The transverse walls extend substantially over the entire width dimension and each has a lower terminus defining a zone with an upper bale face situated underneath the opening device during operation thereof. The zone is sealed for substantially preventing air from passing therethrough along the width dimension of the opening device.

Abstract: A bale opener is arranged for travel along a series of fiber bales and has a detaching (opening) device for progressively removing and hurling away fiber tufts from top faces of the fiber bales. The detaching device includes a generally horizontally supported opening roller having a roller axis and equipped with detaching teeth and a grate urged against top faces of the bales. The grate is formed by a series of side-by-side arranged grate bars spaced from one another in a direction parallel to the roller axis. The teeth project between adjoining grate bars and penetrate into top faces of the bales. A first imaginary contour line, defining a plane with the roller axis, interconnects tips of axially adjacent teeth of the opening roller and a second imaginary contour line, defining a plane with the roller axis, lies in an underface of each grate bar and interconnects side-by-side arranged grate bars in a direction generally along the roller axis.

Abstract: A travelling opening device for detaching fiber material from top faces of fiber bales includes two opening rollers having generally horizontal longitudinal axes oriented perpendicularly to a travelling direction of the opening device; opening elements carried on the opening rollers; and grates formed of grate bars spaced parallel to the longitudinal axes and each having a horizontal length portion arranged to engage the top faces of the fiber bales. The elements of the opening rollers project between the grate bars and penetrate into the fiber bales. Each opening roller cooperates with a separate grate. The grates are movably supported independently from one another. The grate bars of each grate have a supported end and an opposite free end spaced from the supported end parallel to the travelling direction. The free ends of the grate bars constitute an open end of the grate. The open ends of the two grates are adjacent and are oriented towards one another.

Abstract: A bale opener includes a carriage arranged for floor travel along a travelling path; a tower mounted on the carriage for travel therewith as a unit and for rotation relative to the carriage about a vertical axis through 180.degree. at ends of the travelling path; an opening device mounted on the tower and projecting laterally therefrom; the opening device includes a generally horizontally supported opening roller arranged for rotation and for travel above serially positioned fiber bales for removing fiber tufts from top faces of the fiber bales. There is further provided a drive for rotating the tower through 180.degree.. The drive includes an rpm-controllable electric motor and a control arrangement operatively connected with the electric motor for setting predetermined rpm's therefor.

Abstract: A yarn making machine assembly includes a yarn spinning chamber; a feed table adapted to support a silver thereon; a feed roller having a periphery defining, with the feed table, a clearance through which the sliver is adapted to pass; an rpm-variable motor connected to the feed roller for rotating it to advance the sliver; an opening roller arranged adjacent the clearance to receive the sliver and to break it up into fibers; a sliver thickness sensor including the feed roller and/or the feed table to execute excursions in response to thickness variations in the sliver running through the clearance; a device for generating an electric signal as a function of the excursions; a regulator for receiving the electric signal and for emitting a setting signal as a function of a difference between desired and actual thickness values of the sliver; and a device for applying a signal, representing the setting signal, to the motor for varying the rpm thereof to thus alter the rotational speed of the feed roller, whereby

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a travelling fiber lap prior to introduction thereof into a fiber processing textile machine. There is provided a thickness measuring device contacting the fiber lap for mechanically detecting thickness fluctuations thereof. A first transducer is connected to the thickness measuring device for converting mechanical signals into electric signals representing the thickness fluctuations, and a computer is connected to the first transducer for receiving the electric signals from the first transducer and a display device connected to an output of the computer.