GB2070511A

GB2070511A - A baling press

Info

Publication number: GB2070511A
Application number: GB8106018A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-03-01
Filing date: 1981-02-26
Publication date: 1981-09-09
Also published as: GB2070511B; DE3007903A1; FR2477061B1; FR2477061A1

Abstract

A baling press of vertical or horizontal construction comprises a ram (2) moving to and fro in a press cell (3) to compress introduced waste material against a latchable door (6) and optionaliy means (10) to prevent a springing back of the bale layers compacted in successive operating steps. An electronic proximity switch (15), provides a signal which prevents a return stroke of the press ram (2) on the production of a compacted bale of desired dimensions. The switch (15) is inserted flush, in one of the side walls (3d) to face inwardly of the press cell (3) and detects the movement past the switch of a metallic vane (16) or the like fastened to the ram (2) at an appropriate spacing from its working face. The free end (16a) of the vane (16) in the case of a finished bale lies in the region of the active switching zone of the switch (15). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A baling press The present invention relates to a baling press and, more particularly, to an indicating and safety or control device for presses of vertical or horizontal construction such as may be used for the production of compacted, tied bales of office waste, cardboard and the like. In such presses, a piston moving to and fro in a press cell compresses the respectively introduced waste in the region of a latchable door and means or elements may be provided to prevent a springing back of the bale layers compacted in successive operating steps.

It is already known in presses of that kind, which are for example described in their basic construction in the DE-OS 26 58 337 or the DE OS 28 1 5 300, for the indication of a bale having been compacted to a desired thickness to provide mechanical feelers protruding into the press cell as well as to provide limit switches, likewise acting mechanically and correspondingly linked with the press control equipment, for ram end positions and cell door latchings.

Conventional command transmitters of that kind are however not only constructionally expensive and very intensive in maintenance in consequence of their mechanical feeler organs such as levers, rollers and pushrods, but have particularly in the generally rough conditions of press operation frequently led to operational faults in consequence of wear of or damage to the mechanical parts, the latter particularly because items of waste material can easily clog or wedge such movable members.

Since the most uniform possible dimensions of all bales from each press are however desired for different reasons in waste recycling operations, the failure of a mechanical indication of a finished bale was a particular disadvantage.

According to a present invention, there is now provided a baling press comprising a press cell, a press ram reciprocatable within the press cell, a discharge opening disposed at one end face of the press cell and closable by a door securable in its closed position, and an electronically operative proximity switch mounted in a side wall member of the press and arranged in use to be so responsive to the ram as to provide a control signal when a bale, which is being compacted in the press cell by the repeated action of the reciprocatable press ram, has attained a thickness predetermined by the spacing of the switch from the end face.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, In which: Figs. 1 and 2 each show a partially sectioned side elevation of a baling press embodying the present invention in a horizontal mode of construction and Fig. 3 in a plan view of the press shown in Figs.

1 and 2, illustrates different functional settings of a press ram in a press cell of the press.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a baling press comprises a drive equipment 1 for a hydraulically actuated ram 2, which is reciprocatable as indicated by arrows D, a press cell 3 with a hinged, latchable filling flap 4 and an end door 6 borne in hinges 5 to be likewise pivotable and latchable.

One or more bands 8, which serve to tie a ready pressed bale 7, run from a supply station 9 along the cell bottom 3a, preferably the upper surfaces of spacer and retaining elements 10, over deflecting brackets 11 at a spacing a past the inside of the door 6 to the upper side 3b of the cell and from there through a gap 4a adjacent the flap 4 to a clamping station comprising a block 12, a spacer plate 1 3 and a pin 14. The length "c" of each spacer and retaining element 10 is preferably equal to or greater than the mutual spacings "d".

The deflecting brackets 11 are borne in the press walls 3a and 3b to be horizontally pivotable for sliding out of the bands 8 automatically on the ejection of a finished bale 7 and limited in their initial positions against the band tension direction by not more closely indicated abutments.

For scanning, optical or acoustic indication as well as switching-off or inhibition of a return stroke of the press ram 2 on a bale 7 having attained the desired compacted thickness, a commercially available electronic proximity switch 15 is disposed in the range of movement of the press ram 2 to co-operate with a switch vane 1 6 carried by the ram 2 and is electronically interlinked through logic circuit means with the press control equipment.

As is evident from the Figs. 1 and 2 in conjunction with Fig. 3, this switch lies in one of the side walls 3d of the press cell 3 and closes off flush with the inside thereof; in a special mode of construction, the switch 1 5 is at least partly spaced by a free zone F (chain-dotted line in Fig. 3) from adjacent surface portions of the wall 3d.

The function of this press in use is as following: After a filling of waste material into the press cell 3 and closing of the filling flap 4, a press stroke of the ram 2 is initiated repeatedly so that the press ram 2 displaces the introduced waste material in direction of the door 6 through positions 2' and 2" and compacts it until a bale 7' gradually builds up.

During each of these press strokes, the switch vane 1 6 or a similar metallic switch strip moves past the switch 1 5 and due to the then arising damping of an inductive switching zone "S" causes a pulse to be applied to the press control equipment which after a certain preselected delay time after pulse triggering initiates the ram return stroke. This return stroke initiation however only takes place when the damping ends already before rundown of the delay phase, the switch tag 1 6 thus having run completely past the switch 1 5 as indicated in Fig. 3 by positions 2" and 16".

When the bale has attained its finished dimension as indicated by 7 in Fig. 1 , the switch tag 16' lies by its free end 1 6a over or in front of the switch 15, thus continuing to damp this so that the press return stroke is inhibited. This condition can additionally still be indicated optically or acoustically to the operating personnel. The return stroke control is thus only freed again after the finished bale is tied and ejected through the door 6. In order also in this case to avoid faulty operations, accidents or damage to the machine parts, one or more further proximity switches, such as indicated by 15' and/or 15", may be provided also to effect protection at the cell door 6 and at the filling flap 4 and/or to effect a ram return stroke limitation, the respective spacings between switch and damping part being indicated by s.

Claims

1. A baling press comprising a cell press, a press ram reciprocatable within the press cell, a discharge opening disposed at one end face of the press cell and closable by a door securable in its closed position, and an electronically operative proximity switch mounted in a side wall member of the press and arranged in use to be so responsive to the ram as to provide a control signal when a bale, which is being compacted in the press cell by the repeated action of the reciprocatable press ram, has attained a thickness predetermined by the spacing of the switch from the end face.

2. A baling press as claimed in claim 1, wherein the press ram is mounted for horizontal reciprocation within the press cell.

3. A baling press as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, comprising means to restrict layers of a bale, which is being compacted in the press cell by the repeated action of the reciprocatable press ram, against springing back between successive working strokes of the ram.

4. A baling press as claimed in any one of the p eceding claims, comprising drive means for the reciprocation of the press ram and an electronic control device to control the drive means and to be responsive to the control signal to stop the drive means at the end of the respective working stroke.

5. A baling press as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising indicating means responsive to the presence of the control signal.

6. A baling press as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the switch is mounted flush with the inward surface of the sidewall member so as not to extend into the path of reciprocation of the ram.

7. A baling press as claimed in claim 6, wherein the switch at its portion facing inward of the press cell is at least partly spaced by a free zone from adjacent surface portions of the side wall member.

8. A baling press as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the switch is arranged to generate an alternating magnetic field in its vicinity and the press ram is provided with clamping means effective to damp said field when and only when disposed in said vicinity.

9. A baling press as claimed in claim 8, the damping means comprising a metallic vane so mounted on the ram as to be in said vicinity at the end of a working stroke of the ram against a bale of said predetermined thickness.

10. A baling press as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a further electronically operative proximity switch, said further switch being arranged to monitor the secure closing of a filling opening disposed at a side face of the press cell and closable by a filling flap securable in its closed position.

11. A baling press as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a further electronically operative proximity switch, said further switch being arranged to monitor the secure closure of the door.

12. A baling press as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a further electronically operative proximity switch, said further switch being arranged to detect the return of the ram into its initial setting at the start of the next working stroke thereof.

1 3. A baling press substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.