Device for changing the needle boards of an apparatus for needling nonwoven webs

In the combination of an apparatus for needling nonwoven webs by a plurality of needle boards and of a device for changing said needle boards, wherein

• said apparatus comprises
• a plurality of vertically movable board carriers arranged in a row extending across said apparatus and detachably connectable to respective ones of said needle boards,
• tension-resisting coupling means for interconnecting said needle boards, and
• an assembling track extending along said row on both sides thereof for supporting said needle boards and guiding them to and from positions under said board carriers when said needle boards are disconnected from said board carriers, and
• said device for changing said needle boards comprising a magazine comprising a plurality of vertically spaced apart slide tracks for supporting respective needle boards and assuming an operative position for delivering and receiving needle boards to and from said assembling track, said device comprising
• the improvement including
• a board conveyor including a board track extending between said assembling track and said magazine when the magazine is in said operative position,
• said slide track being vertically movable in unison to selectively move each of said slide tracks into longitudinal horizontal alignment with said board tracks, and
• said board conveyor being operable to move one of said needle boards at a time in either direction on said board track between said assembling track and any one of said slide tracks when said board conveyor is in longitudinal horizontal alignment with said board track.