A carding machine has a toothed takerin (4a) for taking fibre to be carded from a feed arrangement (3a) to a main carding cylinder (5a). The fibre is conveyed on the lower arc of the takerin, and a substantially rigid, flat plate (10) lies below the lower arc of the takerin. The plate extends across the full width of the takerin and terminates in a free edge facing into the direction of roation of the takerin and substantially parallel to the takerin axis. The free edge is spaced from the tips of the teeth on the takerin by a distance of not more than 5 mm, and the plate lies in a plane that makes an angle of from 75.degree. to 120.degree. to that radial plane of the takerin that intersects the free edge of the plate.