Zellweger Uster, Inc.

James D Needham

Hossein M Ghorashi

C Roger Riley

Glenn E Irick, Sr

Ian F Oxley

Martin M Inman

An apparatus (20) for testing a specimen sample of fibers includes a frame (22), rotatable drums (60) situated at a first station upon the frame for holding a quantity (86) of fibers, a brush (152) situated at a second station along the frame for brushing the fiber specimen and testing equipment (28) situated at a third station upon the frame for performing a series upon the fiber specimen. A comb (34 or 35) is utilized for gathering the fiber specimen from the quantity of fibers held by the drums, and carriages (122 and 136) are movably mounted upon the frame for transporting the comb between the first, second and third stations of the apparatus. When positioned at the first station, the comb gathers a fiber specimen, and the specimen is carded. When the comb is positioned at the second station, the gathered specimen is brushed by the brush, and when the comb is thereafter moved to the third station, the brushed specimen is tested by the testing equipment. The apparatus also includes a controller (38) for controlling various components of the apparatus so that the operation of the apparatus is carried out automatically.

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Knoxville, TN, United States of America

James D Needham