it goes through the rod guide members 11 13 15 the sliver 5 is first deflected laterally by the rod guide member 13 and then backward into the collector 3 by the rod guide member 15 the sliver 5 is therefore forcibly spread apart and its core loosened whereupon it is supplied under uniform conditions to the collector 3 in which the sliver 5 is compressed the sliver 5 thus treated can be uniformly nipped and fed along and the resultant spun yarn is uniform in quality suffering from few grain variations and neps when the flattened sliver 5 is deflected it has a tendency to be pressed against the deflectors under uneven transversely acting forces however such pressing forces can be made more uniform by tilting the deflectors that is the rod guide members 13 15 in particular the rod guide member 15 should be inclined downwardly with its lower end more remote from the collector 3 to take up any sag which the sliver 5 may have along its upper edge as it is deflected towards the collector 3 in accordance with the present invention the same surface of the sliver 5 should always be pressed against the sliver guide 17 and the collector 3 as the sliver 5 is pulled from the can 9 by the feed roller 4 the nip p between the feed roller 4 and the presser 6 is displaced to the right as shown in fig1 of the collector outlet 3 34 and hence the guide 17 should also be displaced to the right of the collector opening 3 39 as far as possible if the nip p were displaced to the left of the collector outlet 3 34 and the guide 17 were retained in its position to the right side the.