Abstract: A method of carding a fibrous feedstock to form a carded sliver uses a carding engine (10) having a main toothed wire cylinder (11), a taker-in (12), a doffer (13), and a series of flats (14) movable along a closed loop (15) having a working path (16) arranged alongside the outer periphery of the cylinder (11) between the taker-in (12) and the doffer (13) in order to carry out a carding operation on the feedstock in cooperation with the teeth of the rotating cylinder (11) and to remove waste or trash particles and short fibers from the feedstock, in which the cylinder (11) is driven to run at normal production speed giving a circumferential speed Y of e.g. 60,000 inches per minute whereas the linear speed X of the flats (14) is a substantially increased speed compared to normal running speeds e.g. at least 16 inches per minute, thereby to produce a sliver with surprisingly improved quality which can approach that of a carded, and subsequently semi-combed (scratch-combed) or combed sliver.

Abstract: This is disclosed a yarn re-structuring method and apparatus for modifying the structure of a spun yarn in order to improve its properties, in which the yarn is subjected to the action of successive false twisters in order to impart a permanent modification to the structure of the yarn, in which there is a tandem arrangement of first and second oppositely acting false twisters, with the first false twister acting to at least partially unwind the origianl twist in the yarn and the second false twister acting at least partly to restore or to increase the original twist in the yarn. This action on the spun yarn improves the properties of softness and bulkiness, while retaining acceptable performance of the yarn in other characteristics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for modifying a spun yarn includes first storage or processing equipment for the yarn, subsequent storage or processing equipment for the yarn spaced some distance from the first storage or processing equipment, a path of travel for the yarn defined between the two sets of equipment, and a false untwister device located along said path of travel for imparting a false untwisting process to the yarn, the yarn subsequently reverting at least partly to the true twist originally present in the yarn, whereby the resulting yarn structure has a very much softer handle than was present prior to the false untwisting step.