OPENING DEVICE FOR OPENING COMPRESSED FIBROUS BALES

A travelling opening device for detaching fiber material from top faces of fiber bales includes two opening rollers having generally horizontal longitudinal axes oriented perpendicularly to a travelling direction of the opening device; opening elements carried on the opening rollers; and grates formed of grate bars spaced parallel to the longitudinal axes and each having a horizontal length portion arranged to engage the top faces of the fiber bales. The elements of the opening rollers project between the grate bars and penetrate into the fiber bales. Each opening roller cooperates with a separate grate. The grates are movably supported independently from one another. The grate bars of each grate have a supported end and an opposite free end spaced from the supported end parallel to the travelling direction. The free ends of the grate bars constitute an open end of the grate. The open ends of the two grates are adjacent and are oriented towards one another. The free end of each grate bar extends upwardly from the horizontal length portion, away from the top face of the bale during operation.