Mohair Fibre Drafting in Ring Spinning Part I: Pinned Apron

This paper deals with a novel approach for improved fibre alignment and hooks removal during drafting of mohair fibres in ring spinning. The concept of fibre control with a pinned apron to replace the conventional double aprons used in ring spinning was examined. The intention was to achieve both fibre alignment and books removal, coupled with fibre control due to fibre/pin interaction during drafting. This was thought to be particularly important for slippery fibres like mohair. The yarn assessment results obtained indicate that, for the pinned apron arrangement used, there was a significant reduction in the number of neps, but the yarn evenness deteriorated. The problems associated with the pinned apron are discussed in this paper. A different approach, overcoming these problems, will be reported in Part II of this series.