Apparatus for removing fiber tufts by suction from a bale opener

In a bale opener assembly, including

• a travelling apparatus travelling back and forth along a travel path in a travel direction and detaching, during travel, fiber tufts from surfaces of fiber bales supported along the travel path;
• a fiber tuft removing apparatus for removing the fiber tufts from the travelling apparatus by suction;
• the fiber tuft removing apparatus having
• a stationary suction channel extending along the travel path;
• the suction channel having a longitudinal aperture oriented generally parallel to the travel path;
• a flexible cover belt extending stationarily in contact with the suction channel for covering at all times major length portions of the longitudinal aperture;
• guide means mounted on the travelling apparatus for deflecting the cover belt away from the longitudinal aperture, for guiding the cover belt through a predetermined distance along the suction channel spaced therefrom and for returning the cover belt onto the suction channel, whereby in the suction channel a fiber tuft intake opening is provided which co-travels with said travelling apparatus and through which fiber tufts are introduced into the suction channel from the travelling apparatus during operation thereof;
• and
• means for generating and maintaining a suction stream in said suction channel;
• the improvement wherein said longitudinal aperture is provided laterally along said suction channel and said cover belt is, along said longitudinal aperture, oriented at an angle to the horizontal other than zero.