Abstract: An apparatus for braking a rotary component of a fiber processing machine includes an asynchronous motor having a stator winding and an output shaft connected to the rotary component; a direct current generating device having an output connectable to the stator winding for applying an electric braking torque to the motor; and a switching arrangement for selectively connecting the stator winding to an alternating current source for normally driving the motor or to the output of the direct current generating device for electrically braking the motor.

Abstract: A textile machine has a rotary part, an openable and closable cover having a closed position in which access to the rotary part is prevented and an open position in which access to the rotary part is allowed. There are further provided a lock having a bolted position in which the cover is locked in the closed position and an unbolted position in which the cover is allowed to be moved into the open position and a standstill monitor for sensing rotation and standstill of the rotary part. The standstill monitor is connected to the lock for placing the lock into the bolted or unbolted position. The standstill monitor comprises an incremental rotary sensor coupled to the rotary part and controlling the lock.

Abstract: A fiber storing device includes an inlet for charging the device with fiber material and an outlet for withdrawing fiber material therefrom. The fiber storing device is associated with an apparatus for determining the fill level of fiber material in the storing device. The apparatus has an optical device which comprises a light emitter and a light detector and which is situated above an expected maximum fill level of the fiber material. The light emitter is arranged to direct, from above, a light beam onto an upper face of the fiber material and the light detector is arranged to receive a light beam reflected from the upper face of the fiber material.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting sliver feed or standstill uses comparative measurements over a time-lapse to determine sliver movement. An identical reading in two or more sequential measurements indicates the sliver is not being conveyed, that is, it is either lying motionless or is absent altogether. Signals relating to the sensed standstill may be further processed in the machine control. The sensors are measuring elements capable of detecting thickness of the sliver and may be mechanical, optical or the like.

Abstract: A system for removing foreign metal bodies from a pneumatically conveyed stream of fiber material includes a fiber conveying duct in which the fiber material is pneumatically advanced; a branch-off location in the duct; a branch conduit joining the duct at the branch-off location; a metal detector for ascertaining the presence of a foreign metal body in the stream of fiber material at a sensing location upstream of the branch-off location; a channelling device arranged in the branch-off location for selectively directing the fiber stream into the branch conduit or, respectively, causing the fiber stream to continue travel in the duct past the branch-off location; a control device operatively connected to the metal detector and the channelling device for moving the channelling device into a removal position upon ascertaining the passage of a foreign metal body by the detector; and at least one bend in the duct for changing the direction of travel of fiber material in the duct.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating measuring values representing the thickness of a coherent fiber material, includes an optical device having a light transmitter emitting a light beam and a light detector, an arrangement for guiding the fiber material between the light transmitter and the light detector and a device for processing signals generated by the light detector. The light detector comprises an image processing CCD member aligned with the light beam emitted by the light transmitter.

Abstract: A carding machine has a main carding cylinder, an electromotor drivingly connected to the carding cylinder and a control device, including a memory, for controlling the rpm of the carding cyliner. The main carding cylinder has a starting phase during which the main carding cylinder is accelerated to a working rpm and a stopping phase during which the main carding cylinder is decelerated from a working rpm to standstill. The method of operating the carding machine includes the steps of storing in the memory material-specific sets of rpm values for the starting phase and sets of rpm values for the stopping phase; and controlling the rpm of the main carding cylinder in the starting and stopping phases by the control device in accordance with respective rpm values stored in the memory.

Abstract: An apparatus which determines quantities of textile fiber material during conveyance thereof by an air stream through a duct, includes a sensor unit situated at the duct and arranged for monitoring the stream flowing through the duct and composed of a fiber/air mixture. The sensor unit comprises a plurality of side-by-side situated light emitters forming an emitter bank and a plurality of side-by-side arranged light detectors forming a detector bank. The detector bank is situated spaced from and opposite to the emitter bank for providing a passage for the stream therebetween.

Abstract: A method of calibrating and adjusting an apparatus for determining the fill level of a selected specific fiber material in a filling chute of a fiber storing device. The apparatus includes an optical device situated above an expected maximum fill level in the filling chute and having a light emitter arranged to direct a light beam from above onto an upper face of the fiber material and a light detector arranged to receive a light beam reflected from the upper face, a microcomputer, including a microprocessor, operatively connected to the apparatus for receiving detector signals from the apparatus.

Abstract: A bale opener includes a carriage arranged for a back-and-forth travel in a path along a fiber bale series; a tower supported on the carriage and a cantilever mounted on the tower and arranged for vertical displacements with respect to the tower, an opening device supported in the cantilever and arranged for removing fiber from the bale tops during travel of the carriage; a sensor assembly arranged for travel along the fiber bale series for emitting first signals characterizing bale heights; and a control device operatively connected to the sensor assembly for receiving the first signals. The sensor assembly comprises two sensors mounted on the tower or the cantilever and spaced vertically from one another. There is further provided a length position determining device for generating second signals representing longitudinal positions of the cantilever along the travel of the carriage. The length position determining device is connected to the control device for receiving the second signals.

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 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: A method of operating a bale opener, including the steps of propelling a carriage of the bale opener in a path of travel to execute consecutive back and forth passes in a generally horizontal direction along and between two parallel fiber bale rows having opposite end faces defining a length boundary for each bale row; removing, during each pass, fiber tufts from the top of the fiber bales of one of the rows by an opening device supported laterally by a tower mounted on the carriage; and turning, upon reaching the end of each pass, the tower through 180.degree. about a generally vertical axis for swinging the opening device through 180.degree. from above an end zone of one bale row to above an adjacent end zone of the other bale row such that the opening device, during its swinging motion, remains substantially in its entirety within the end boundary of at least one of the bale rows.

Abstract: In order to determine the height of textile fiber bales disposed in successive groups in the operative range of a bale opener which is arranged to move horizontally adjacent the bale groups, each bale group containing at least one bale of fibers of a selected type and the opener being provided with a detacher disposed above the bales, movable vertically toward the bales for opening the bales, and carrying a measuring device for measuring the height of each bale group, a plurality of measurements of the height of each bale group is effected at a succession of horizontally spaced measuring locations by advancing the bale opener horizontally after each measurement, and an average of the measurements made on each bale group is formed.

Abstract: A method of selectively supplying fiber material from an output of a fiber bale opener to a plurality of fiber processing lines each formed of a series of fiber processing machines, includes the steps of removing fiber by the bale opener sequentially from bales of different fiber types; supplying predetermined fiber processing lines with predetermined types of fiber by the bale opener; sensing a fiber quantity requirement of the fiber processing line while being supplied with fiber by the bale opener while the latter simultaneously performs fiber removal from the bales of a predetermined fiber type; interrupting the fiber removal at that location of the bale opener where it is situated when the fiber processing line then supplied with fiber, signals satisfaction of fiber requirement; and resuming fiber removal of the predetermined fiber type at the mentioned location upon a signal for fiber requirement by the fiber processing line supplied at the time of interruption.

Abstract: An electronic pressure responsive switch comprises an activating element and at least two sensors. The activating element and the sensors are arranged to be relatively displaceable with respect to one another whereby the sensors each generate signals when the activating element assumes a predetermined position relative to a respective sensor. The switch further has an elastic diaphragm having a first face exposed to pressure to be sensed and a reverse second face carrying either the activating element or the sensors. The diaphragm is deformable by the pressure whereby the relative position between the activating element on the one hand and the sensors on the other hand is varied as a function of the pressure.

Abstract: In order to determine the height of textile fiber bales disposed in successive groups in the operative range of a bale opener which is arranged to move horizontally adjacent the bale groups, each bale group containing at least one bale of fibers of a selected type and the opener being provided with a detacher disposed above the bales, movable vertically toward the bales for opening the bales, and carrying a measuring device for measuring the height of each bale group, a plurality of measurements of the height of each bale group is effected at a succession of horizontally spaced measuring locations by advancing the bale opener horizontally after each measurement, and an average of the measurements made on each bale group is formed.

Abstract: A method of regulating fiber quantities supplied to a fiber processing machine of a fiber processing line. The latter includes a fiber storing apparatus connected downstream of the fiber processing machine and receives processed fiber therefrom. The fiber processing machine includes a feed roller supplying fiber thereto. The method comprises the following steps: continuously rotating the feed roller by a regulatable drive during operation of the fiber processing line; generating a measuring value representing momentary fiber quantities in the storing apparatus; generating an analog electric signal representing the measuring value; and applying the analog electric signal to the regulatable drive of the feed roller for varying the rpm thereof as a function of the fiber quantity in the storing apparatus.

Abstract: An electronic control system for a machine which forms fiber material into a length of silver which is delivered into a storage can, and which includes a carding cylinder, a feed roller for supplying fiber material to the cylinder, a doffer for removing a web of carded fibers from the cylinder and means for removing the carded fibers from the doffer and forming them into the length of fibers. The system includes monitoring devices for monitoring the operation of the machine, controllable regulator devices connected for controlling the operating speed of at least one of the doffer and feed roller, and a microcomputer connected to the monitoring devices and the regulator means for controlling the regulator devices.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming fiber material into a length of sliver.