Textile yarn processing machines and method of reducing waste of supply strands in such machines.
In a method and apparatus for reducing waste of supply strands (R) passing to a series of yarn processing units (D), a detector (50) moves along the yarn processing units alternately in a first direction and a second direction opposite from the first direction whilst sensing breakage of any one of a series of strands being delivered from the processing units and also sensing the direction of movement of the detector, In response to sensing breakage of any strand and irrespective of the direction of movement of the detector, the passage of the corresponding supply strand (R) is interrupted in its course to the corresponding yarn processing unit (D) by a stream of air directed from a nozzle (61 or 61 min ) moving with the detector into engagement with a corresponding, normally inactive, strand interrupting member (38) for actuating the same.