Abstract: Waste from a textile machine is removed by providing an air channel having top, side and bottom walls. In the area where the waste settles, the top wall of the air channel is formed by one or more shutters movable between closed and opened positions. When the shutters are opened, waste which has accumulated thereon when closed or which comes directly from the machine, falls into the air channel. The shutters are then closed and an air current is produced in the air channel by suitable means to convey the waste away.

Abstract: A carding method in which the rotary flats of a carding machine are driven intermittently so that each time the flats are driven only a portion (1/6 to 1/4) of the flats opposed to the cylinder of the machine are replaced by fresh flats, thereby decreasing the amount of good fibers in the waste, particularly when carding synthetic fibers.The carding machine is provided with a solenoid clutch in the drive mechanism for the rotary flats and the flat cleaning means, and with a timer for controlling the clutch so that the flats can be intermittently driven at desired drive and stop intervals. For carding polyester fiber, the drive interval may be enough to replace one-fifth of the flats opposed to the cylinder of the machine with fresh flats, and the stop interval may be as much as sixty minutes.