Patent ID: 7748315

Claim:
A can-free system for handling fiber sliver, comprising: a sliver delivery device to form and deposit fiber sliver in a laterally unenclosed free-standing fiber sliver pile, wherein the sliver delivery device comprises a rotary revolving plate; a moveable sliver receiving device located beneath the rotary revolving plate, the sliver receiving device comprising a horizontal surface and a laterally unenclosed space above the horizontal surface, wherein the rotary revolving plate deposits the fiber sliver in rings on the horizontal surface to form the laterally unenclosed free-standing sliver pile; a control unit operably coupled to the sliver receiving device, said control unit being adapted to move the sliver receiving device back and forth in the horizontal direction at a non-uniform speed, wherein the non-uniform speed is constant in a non-seam area of the laterally unenclosed free-standing fiber sliver pile and the constant speed decelerates in a seam area of the laterally unenclosed free-standing fiber sliver pile; a mechanical device cooperating with the sliver receiving device to push the laterally unenclosed free-standing fiber sliver pile off the horizontal surface; and a packaging apparatus comprising a device to compress the collected free-standing fiber sliver pile and a device to apply one or more straps to the compressed free-standing fiber sliver pile.