Method and apparatus for detaching fiber tufts from textile fiber bales as a function of bale height

A fiber bale opener for detaching fiber tufts from upper surfaces of fiber bales arranged in a fiber bale series, comprising

• (a) a tower movable along the fiber bale series;
• (b) a propelling motor for displacing said tower along the fiber bale series;
• (c) a fiber tuft detaching device supported on said tower and projecting laterally therefrom;
• said detaching device travelling above the fiber bale series and removing fiber tufts from the top surfaces of the fiber bales during travel of said tower along the fiber bale series;
• (d) a lifting motor for raising and lowering said detaching device relative to said tower;
• and
• (e) a control and regulating apparatus connected to said propelling motor and said lifting motor for controlling the speed of at least said propelling motor as a function of a height position of said detaching device.

In a method of detaching fiber tufts from an upper surface of fiber bales by a detaching device, each fiber bale having, prior to performing a detaching operation thereon, a height portion defining an upper zone in which a fiber density increases downwardly;

• a height portion defining a lower zone in which the fiber density decreases downwardly;
• and a height portion defining a middle zone in which the fiber density is at a maximum, constant value as viewed vertically;
• including the steps of
• propelling the detaching device at a travelling speed above the fiber bales in forward and return passes;
• detaching fiber tufts from the upper bale surface during the passes;
• periodically displacing the detaching device with a vertical feed as the bales are consumed;
• and
• advancing the removed fiber tufts to a fiber tuft advancing device;
• the improvement comprising the steps of maintaining said travelling speed constant in said upper and middle zones and increasing said travelling speed in said lower zone and reducing said feed in said upper zone as a function of the decreasing actual height of the fiber bales, and maintaining said feed constant in said middle and lower zones.

In a method of detaching fiber tufts from an upper surface of fiber bales by a detaching device, each fiber bale having, prior to performing a detaching operation thereon, a height portion defining an upper zone in which a fiber density increases downwardly;

• a height portion defining a lower zone in which the fiber density decreases downwardly;
• and a height portion defining a middle zone in which the fiber density is at a maximum, constant value as viewed vertically;
• including the steps of
• propelling the detaching device at a travelling speed above the fiber bales in forward and return passes;
• detaching fiber tufts from the upper bale surface during the passes;
• periodically displacing the detaching device with a vertical feed as the bales are consumed;
• and
• advancing the removed fiber tufts to a fiber tuft advancing device;
• the improvement comprising the steps of reducing said travelling speed and said feed in said upper zone as a function of the decreasing actual height of the fiber bales, maintaining said travelling speed and said feed constant in said middle zone and increasing said travelling speed and said feed in said lower zone as a function of the decreasing actual height of the fiber bales.

In a method of detaching fiber tufts from an upper surface of fiber bales by a detaching device, each fiber bale having, prior to performing a detaching operation thereon, a height portion defining an upper zone in which a fiber density increases downwardly;

• a height portion defining a lower zone in which the fiber density decreases downwardly;
• and a height portion defining a middle zone in which the fiber density is at a maximum, constant value as viewed vertically;
• including the steps of
• propelling the detaching device at a travelling speed above the fiber bales in forward and return passes;
• detaching fiber tufts from the upper bale surface during the passes;
• periodically displacing the detaching device with a vertical feed as the bales are consumed;
• and
• advancing the removed fiber tufts to a fiber tuft advancing device;
• the improvement comprising the steps of reducing said feed in said upper zone and increasing said travelling speed in said lower zone as a function of the decreasing actual height of the fiber bales.