Method and container for verfying whether all fragments of a broken needle are present

An apparatus for use for the replacement of damaged or broken needles (12) with a replacement sewing needle (12a) at a work station (11) where a sewing operation is performed on a textile workpiece, the apparatus comprising:

• a carriage (14) comprising an interior space with a first storage space (56) for replacement sewing needles (12a), a second storage space (60) for used, unbroken needles (12), and a third storage space (59) for the fragments (13) of a broken needle (12), wherein all the storage spaces (56, 59, 60) are separate from each other;
• a container (20) for receiving fragments of a broken needle, the container comprising:
• a main body (22) and a lid (23) that delimit an accommodation space (21), wherein the main body (22) has a length and width and defines a groove (33) between base surface sections (31a, 31b) of the main body, the groove (33) having an elongated shape oriented along the length of the main body and configured to receive the fragments (13) of a broken needle (12),
• a retaining magnet (34) mounted to the main body (22) and configured to provide a magnetic field adapted to retain the fragments of the broken needle (12) within the groove (33) to provide an aligned arrangement of the fragments (13) of the broken needle (12) within the groove (33) such that an original shape of the broken needle prior to breaking is substantially reproduced, such that it can be determined whether all the fragments (13) of the broken needle (12) are present in the container (20),
• a display (44) provided in the accommodation space (21) proximate to the retaining magnet (34), the display configured and disposed to verify whether all the fragments (13) are in the container.