Apparatus for detecting displacements and/or presence of sliver in a fiber processing machine

A fiber processing machine comprising

• (a) first means f or forwarding a sliver through a space in an advancing direction;
• said sliver having a length portion extending through and from a first imaginary plane traversing said space to and through a second imaginary plane traversing said space;
• said length portion being unsupported between said first and second imaginary planes;
• (b) second means for continuously displacing the sliver in said space between said first and second imaginary planes transversely to said advancing direction while the sliver is forwarded in said advancing direction, whereby said length portion continuously changes position transversely to itself between said first and second imaginary planes;
• and
• (c) an apparatus for detecting a presence, absence, motion or standstill of a sliver, including
• (1) a transmitter emitting a sensor beam passing through said space transversely to said advancing direction for being intermittently interrupted by the sliver during displacement thereof transversely to said advancing direction;
• and
• (2) a receiver positioned in a path of the sensor beam for receiving a light or a dark signal dependent whether or not the sensor beam is interrupted by the sliver during displacement thereof transversely to said advancing direction.