<p>A textile lapping machine has an inclined reciprocating comb (26, 60) which deposits a vertically descending fibrous web (16) onto a mesh belt (8) of an endless conveyor which travels through oven (6). Reciprocating presser bar (32) pushes the pleats formed by the comb into a shark unit (108) which extends across the width of the mesh belt. The unit has a toothed plate (84) which initially slows the pleated web and longitudinal fingers (88) which overlie the conveyor and form a shallow lapping zone. A textile card delivers the fibrous web to the lapping zone and the oven fuses any low melt synthetic fibres in the web to the surrounding fibres to give a batt with a density of 80-2000gsm. The comb path direction remains constant and the presser bar and shark unit are moved towards and away from the comb. The drives to the comb and presser bar are independent.</p>
