Abstract: The separating apparatus contains carrier rails for the storage of healds in the form of a stack, a dividing-off member for pushing the foremost heald laterally out of the stack into an intermediate position, and a first transfer device for transporting the healds from the intermediate position in the direction of a heald carrier for transporting the healds to their drawing-in position. Provided in the region between the intermediate position and the heald carrier is a lock which contains a controlled clamp for clamping the carrier rails. The lock is briefly opened for transporting a separated heald past the lock to the heald carrier. The apparatus can be used to separate healds of all types, especially of those having closed end loops.

Abstract: The heald handling apparatus contains carrier rails for the storage of the healds and a transport device for feeding the healds to a separating station. Each carrier rail is held by a plurality of controlled clamps and is thereby subdivided into a plurality of sections, each for receiving a heald set. The transport of the healds takes place in sets from section to section, the clamp located between the respective sections being opened. The control of the clamps takes place by means of sensors assigned to the clamps, at least one sensor being provided for each pair of clamps belonging together. The heald handling apparatus can be used in connection with healds having closed end loops and healds having open end loops.

Abstract: A heald singularizing system includes a selecting member (21) for the healds (LI) fed in the form of a stack (LS). The selecting member (21) separates the front-most heald (LI1) from the stack and makes it available for the drawing-in of the warp threads. The selecting member (21) is formed by a piston which can perform a stroke essentially transversely to the heald stack (LS), during which the heald (LI1) is displaced from the heald stack (LS) into an intermediate position (ZP). Transfer means (24) transfers the respective heald (LI1) from its intermediate position (ZP) to a transport unit (25) for taking it to its drawing-in position. All types of healds can be selected from the heald stack, and neither a special preparation of the healds nor the use of a special type of heald is necessary. The heald separation and the further removal are completely uncoupled, to permit the use of means optimally adapted to the individual functions and also to simplify considerably the rectification of faults.