Abstract: A method and apparatus for piecing lap sheets in a textile machine, such as a comber or ribbon lap machine. The machine is stopped when a lap roll EL is nearly emptied. A pressing member 53 at a rest position C1 is moved to an operating position C2, and a breaking comb 32 is moved from a rest position A1 to an operating position A2 so that the lap sheet LP2 is broken. A full lap FL is then rolled onto a pair of feed rollers 10 and 11. A suction pipe 43 is then moved to an operating position B1, so as to engage with an end S1 of a new lap sheet LP1 from the full lap roll FL. The suction pipe 43 is then moved to a position B3 located at a distance from a nip line N1 longer the length of the lap sheet LP1 from the nip line N1 to its edge, causing the ends of the old and new lap sheets to be superimposed. A reverse rotation of the feed rollers 10 and 11 then occurs, so that the fibers of the new lap sheet LP1 at the superimposed portion are stretched.

Abstract: An improved combing cylinder utilized for a combing machine provided with a fringe control member having a chevron shaped cross section and a forwardly inclined surface sloped toward the cylindrical boss of the combing cylinder, with respect to the direction of rotation of the combing cylinder. The fringe control member is rigidly mounted on the combing cylinder at a position downstream of the needle segment of the combing cylinder, in a condition satisfying the timing whereby the tip line surface of the fringe control member closely faces the bottom detaching roller when the detaching rollers start to change their direction of rotation from a reverse rotation to a normal rotation. The radius of the forward end of the fringe control member is made smaller than the radius of a peripheral surface of the tip end of the combing needles of the needle segment, so that a recessed portion is formed adjacent to and behind the last alignment of combing needles of the needle segment.

Abstract: A top-comb driving mechanism applied to a conventional combing machine, wherein cycles of forward amd rearward reciprocal swinging displacing motions of a nipper body of each combing head are carried out, is provided with a motion transmission mechanism each one round rotation of a driving shaft in synchronism with a combing cylinder to each top-comb holding arms in a condition such that the reciprocal upward and downward swinging motion of a top-comb holding arm is created so that the above-mentioned forward end rearward reciprocal swinging displacing motion of the nipper body is combined with the above-mentioned reciprocal upward and downward swinging motion of the top-comb holding arms of each combing head, whereby each top-comb is reciprocally displaced along a locus of a forward displacement thereof which is a gentle convex curve directed slightly downward, and displaced along a locus of a rearward displacement thereof which is a gentle concave curve directed slightly upward, between a front terminal poi

Abstract: An inhibitor of aldose reductase which contains, as the effective ingredient, a flavone derivative having the following formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen atom or hydroxyl group, R.sub.2 is hydroxyl group or methoxyl group or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The inhibitor is useful for preventing, reducing or treating complications of diabetes.