Spinning machine with can replacement apparatus

The combination of an automatic open-end spinning machine of the type having a plurality of spinning positions each having a sliver inlet location supplied with a sliver from a sliver can, a sliver ca replacement carriage for transporting sliver cans, said carriage being arranged for traveling movement alongside said spinning positions of said spinning machine, and can replacement means associated with said spinning machine and said carriage for replacing empty sliver cans at said spinning positions with full sliver cans, said can replacement means comprising means for transferring a full replacement sliver can from said carriage to a spinning position of said spinning machine, sliver guide means at each said spinning position of said spinning machine at a spacing from said sliver inlet location for guiding the sliver from the sliver can in operation to said sliver inlet location, each said sliver guide means being openable for receiving the sliver and closeable for retaining the sliver, sliver monitoring means at each said spinning position of said spinning machine in association with said sliver guide means for recognizing the presence and absence of sliver in said sliver guide means, signal transmitting means at each said spinning position of said spinning machine in association with said sliver monitoring means for producing a can-replacement signal when said sliver monitoring means recognizes the absence of sliver in said sliver guide means, signal receiving means on said carriage for receiving said can-replacement signal of said signal transmitting means, actuating means on said carriage for opening and closing said sliver guide means, means on said carriage for inserting sliver from a full replacement can into said sliver guide means, means on said carriage for joining a trailing end of sliver at a spinning position of said spinning machine with a leading end of sliver inserted from a full replacement can into said sliver guide means, and program control means on said carriage in association with said signal receiving means for actuating said can transferring means, said actuating means, said sliver inserting means, and said sliver joining means in response to said can-replacement signal.