29—A THEORY OF FIBRE SELECTION IN NOBLE-COMBING

Abstract

A mathematical analysis is given to determine how, in the absence of fibre breakage, fibres from a sliver of straight, parallel fibres are selected for length by the Noble comb and separated into large-circle sliver, small-circle sliver, and noil. Simple assumptions are made concerning fibre-end density and relative holding power of the circles. A theory of fibre selection is developed to predict how the selection of fibres changes with the various parameters of the comb.