Abstract: A system is provided for accurately positioning bales of fibrous material in relation to a mechanical means for transporting fibers from said bales to the hoppers of fiber feeders.

Abstract: For use with fiber feeding machines having a plurality of fiber bales arranged in two rows extending from each machine, and a fiber plucker device that moves along such bales to pluck fibers therefrom and transport the plucked fibers to such machines, a control system by which the fiber plucker device is selectively operable to pluck fibers from a predetermined number of bales in one bale row of each machine and to then automatically proceed directly to pluck fibers from a predetermined number of bales in the other bale row of such machine. A control system is also disclosed for causing the fiber plucker device to pluck fibers sequentially from both bale rows behind one or more of the fiber feeding machines, and to pluck fibers, alternatively, from only one of the two bale rows behind other fiber feeding machines. Additional control means are provided for selectively determining the number and combination of bales which are plucked from any row of bales by the fiber plucker device.

Abstract: A plurality of safety devices associated with apparatus for picking-up fibers from bales and delivering such fibers to a hopper or the like, such safety device acting to warn the operator of such apparatus of a variety of malfunctions of the apparatus when they occur, and to activate controls for preventing damage to such apparatus or injury to personnel upon the occurrence of such malfunctions.

Abstract: A system is provided for accurately positioning bales of fibrous material in relation to a mechanical means for transporting fibers from said bales to the hoppers of fiber feeders.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus are described for removing the wrapping from a bale of cotton, or other fibrous material, and precisely positioning the bale in a predetermined location for further processing with greater accuracy than heretofore possible and without the necessity of heavy manual labor heretofore required.