Abstract: A method of detaching fiber tufts from top surfaces of fiber bales which are set up in a fiber bale series along a travelling bale opener that operates with a vertically displaceable tuft-detaching device. The method includes the following steps: the bale height of all the bales of the series carried by the bale opener is determined by sensors; then data representing the bale height of the bale series, a vertical feed for the bales in the series having a minimum bale height and the determined bale height for all bales without feed change are inputted in a computer; then a proportionately higher feed for bales other than those having the minimum bale height is determined; and fiber tufts are detached from the top bale surfaces utilizing the predetermined feeds.

Abstract: A bale opener includes a tower arranged for horizontal travel in a travelling direction along a stationarily supported fiber bale series; a detaching assembly mounted on the tower and projecting laterally therefrom to extend above an upper surface of the bale series; an opening device forming part of the detaching assembly for removing fiber tufts from the upper surface in an oblique plane during travel of the bale opener tower; at least two surface level sensors mounted on the detaching assembly for determining a height level of the upper suface at different locations during the horizontal travel of the bale opener; a path sensor for determining coordinates of the different locations; and a control device for determining the inclination of the upper surface from the height levels of the upper surface at the different locations. The surface level sensors and the path sensor are connected to the control device.

Abstract: A method of detaching fiber tufts from a top surface of serially-arranged fiber bales by a bale opener includes the steps of propelling the bale opener for back-and-forth travel along the fiber bale series, vertically moving, simultaneously with the propelling step, the detaching device relative to the supporting structure and simultaneously with the propelling step and the vertical displacement of the detacher, removing fiber tufts by the detaching device in consecutive passes.