Patent ID: 7150077

Claim:
An apparatus for splicing selected portions of sliver, the apparatus comprising: a needle carrying member having a plurality of needles to engage sliver when positioned adjacent thereto; a needle engaging member positioned to receive the plurality of needles from the needle carrying member when the plurality of needles engage the sliver in a closed position; and a hand-activated needle actuation device connected to the needle carrying member and the needle engaging member to position the needle carrying member in an open position so that the plurality of needles is spaced-apart from the needle engaging member to allow sliver to be spliced to be readily positioned therebetween, the hand-activated needle actuation device being responsive to grippingly closing at least portions of a hand of a user to actuate the engaging of the needle carrying member with the sliver and the needle engaging member when the sliver is positioned between the needle carrying member and the needle engaging member so that the engaging of the plurality of needles of the needle carrying member with the needle engaging member thereby defines a closed position; and wherein the hand-activated needle actuation device includes a first handle portion connected to the needle carrying member and positioned to be gripped by a hand of a user, a second handle portion connected to the needle engaging member and positioned to be gripped by a hand of a user, a pivot member connected to the first and second handle portions to allow either the first or second handle portions to pivot about the pivot member between the respective open and closed positions, and a biasing member associated with the first and second handle portions and positioned to bias the needle carrying member in the closed position.