5274883 A abstract a sliver is created by directly condensing the carded web from a carding apparatus and then feeding it to a drafting set from which it is subsequently delivered by way of an autoleveller comprising sliver thickness sensing means and variable draft means application_number US 98086492 A description referring now to the drawing there is shown a carding cylinder 1 to which a fibrous web or batt is introduced by a taker in 2 and from which the carded web is removed by means of a doffer 3 the web is then in turn removed from the doffer 3 by a web take off roll 4 the carding of fibres being carried by the carding cylinder 1 is effected by way of card clothing on a concave part cylindrical carding plate 5 which is thus held close to the path of movement of card clothing on the cylinder 1 so that the web being carried by the cylinder 1 is carded between the opposed points of i the card clothing of the cylinder 1 and ii that on the plate 5 respectively in a known manner the web removed by the take off roll 4 is then applied to a conveyor belt web condensing system 6 which draws the edges of the web inwardly towards the centre of the web in order to condense the web to form a sliver other forms of web condensing apparatus are known and are suitable for the present invention such apparatus including a lateral draw belt take off arrangement in which the sliver is condensed along one edge of the web rather than along the centre of the web or a condensing trumpet arrangement in which the edges of the web.