The invention relates to a method for operating a bale opener (1) having a stripping element (3) and a safety device for protection against penetration into a hazardous zone of the stripping element (3), said safety device consisting of sensory safety means, wherein a monitoring region (13, 13.sub.1, 13.sub.2, 13.sub.3) at the front beneath the stripping element is detected and wherein the stripping element (3) is mounted on a stripping tower (2). According to the invention the safety device is at least one two-dimensional laser scanner (12), on which at least one monitoring region (13, 13.sub.1, 13.sub.2, 13.sub.3), which is adjustable and variable over time, is monitored. The invention also relates to a corresponding bale opener (1).

The invention relates to a process for calibrating the loading force of a breaker element (3) of a bale opener (1) before the breaking process of a bale group (4) and on a corresponding bale opener (1). In doing so, the breaker element (3) is calibrated so as to exclude any signal distortion influences and to ensure a stable and reliable scanning of the bale groups (4) by measuring the loading force. During the longitudinal movement of the breaker element (3) along the bale group (4), the force is measured continuously with the calibrated force sensor (12) and there is a lowering movement of the breaker element (3) when a lower loading force is reached, and there is an upward lifting movement when an upper loading force is reached.

A method for recycling a nonwoven fabric, including: a waste nonwoven fabric pulverization step of pulverizing a waste nonwoven fabric to obtain pulverized waste nonwoven fabric particles; a material mixing step of dispersing and mixing the pulverized nonwoven fabric particles and a filler in water to obtain a nonwoven fabric mixture; a raw material mixing step of adding a fixing agent for agglomeration of the pulverized waste nonwoven fabric particles and the filler to the nonwoven fabric mixture, followed by mixing, to form a raw material; a draining step of separating and removing water from the raw material to form a recycled nonwoven fabric sheet; a first lamination step of laminating the plurality of recycled nonwoven fabric sheets to form a laminate; and a compressing/dehydrating step of compressing and dehydrating the laminate.

A method for recycling a nonwoven fabric, including: a waste nonwoven fabric pulverization step of pulverizing a waste nonwoven fabric to obtain pulverized waste nonwoven fabric particles; a material mixing step of dispersing and mixing the pulverized nonwoven fabric particles and a filler in water to obtain a nonwoven fabric mixture; a raw material mixing step of adding a fixing agent for agglomeration of the pulverized waste nonwoven fabric particles and the filler to the nonwoven fabric mixture, followed by mixing, to form a raw material; a draining step of separating and removing water from the raw material to form a recycled nonwoven fabric sheet; a first lamination step of laminating the plurality of recycled nonwoven fabric sheets to form a laminate; and a compressing/dehydrating step of compressing and dehydrating the laminate.

A bagging assembly for bagging bales of fibrous material is disclosed. The bagging assembly incorporates a chute defining a channel for receiving a bale, which is pushed there between by a stuffing assembly. Aspects of the bagging assembly include raising a bale using a bale elevator to a higher elevation position so that the bale could be stuffed by the stuffing assembly and using a bag retrieving mechanism for retrieving a bag from a bag location for use in bagging the bale.

A take-off arm is provided for a bale opener for taking off fiber flocks from fiber bales. The take-off arm includes a housing, and a take-off unit having an axial length within the housing. A pressing element is connected to the housing via only load cells such that a contact force (F) of the take-off arm on the fiber bales is continuously measured by an evaluation of the load cells situated between the pressing element and the housing.

A take-off arm is provided for a bale opener for taking off fiber flocks from fiber bales. The take-off arm includes a housing, and a take-off unit having an axial length within the housing. A pressing element is connected to the housing via only load cells such that a contact force (F) of the take-off arm on the fiber bales is continuously measured by an evaluation of the load cells situated between the pressing element and the housing.

A bale opening device for opening bales wrapped and/or tied with wrapping material comprises a supporting structure for supporting the bale to be opened, and a gripping mechanism to grip the wrapping material, and again to pull it away from the bale. In addition, the device comprises a remover taking and gripping the wrapping material from the gripping mechanism. The remover is then actuated so as to remove the wrapping material from the bale and the gripping mechanism. The remover and the gripper are mutually arranged so to enable the gripping mechanism returning back towards the supporting structure essentially at the same when the remover is actuated to remove the wrapping material.

A bale opening device for opening bales wrapped and/or tied with wrapping material comprises a supporting structure for supporting the bale to be opened, and a gripping mechanism to grip the wrapping material, and again to pull it away from the bale. In addition, the device comprises a remover taking and gripping the wrapping material from the gripping mechanism. The remover is then actuated so as to remove the wrapping material from the bale and the gripping mechanism. The remover and the gripper are mutually arranged so to enable the gripping mechanism returning back towards the supporting structure essentially at the same when the remover is actuated to remove the wrapping material.

A bagging assembly for bagging bales of fibrous material is disclosed. The bagging assembly incorporates a chute defining a channel for receiving a bale, which is pushed there between by a stuffing assembly. Aspects of the bagging assembly include raising a bale using a bale elevator to a higher elevation position so that the bale could be stuffed by the stuffing assembly and using a bag retrieving mechanism for retrieving a bag from a bag location for use in bagging the bale.