two ends with locally fixed end plates only 34 a is shown in fig3 b a bearing 35 a is provided between the circumferential face of the end plate 34 a and the inside shell surface of the rotating cylinder 26 a similar bearing is provided at the other end of the rotating cylinder 26 between the non illustrated end plate and the inside shell surface of the rotating cylinder the needle actuation shaft 33 is received in the end plates the rotating cylinder axis 29 and the needle actuation shaft axis 36 are arranged parallel with respect to each other with a distance a between them fig4 a through 4 c show that during the needle treatment operation the fiber bat 37 initially moves in a straight line tangentially towards the rotating cylinder 26 as indicated by arrow c in order to receive needle treatment subsequently the fiber bat 37 moves circumferentially with the outer shell surface 26 u2033 of the rotating cylinder 26 as shown by arrow e finally the fiber bat 37 moves once more in a straight line away from rotating cylinder 26 in the direction of arrow d the rotating cylinder 26 rotates with a high speed in the direction of arrow 26 u2032 according to fig4 a at point in time t 1 the needles 30 in the needle row 30 1 are positioned completely inside of the rotating cylinder 26 the needles 30 in the needle row 30 2 penetrate the openings 28 2 and start to penetrate the fiber bat 37 in.