GB2186513A

GB2186513A - Metal baling machines

Info

Publication number: GB2186513A
Application number: GB08603513A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Geoffrey Bramley
Original assignee: J Mcintyre
Current assignee: J Mcintyre
Priority date: 1986-02-13
Filing date: 1986-02-13
Publication date: 1987-08-19
Also published as: GB8603513D0; GB2186513B; EP0234770A3; EP0234770A2

Abstract

A side table 62 and clamp 60 is provided for a metal baler of the type having a co-operating baling box and lid 14 forming a shear such that large pieces of sheet may be readily held and cut in a series of operations, the cut pieces being pressed into the box of the metal baler by the hydraulic lid. The clamp may be operated independently of the main lid closure thereby giving safe operation for the baler. <IMAGE>

Description

GB 2 186 513 A 1 SPECIFICATION Figure 3 shows diagrammatically a portion

of the front of the baler of Figure 2 in front elevation Metal baling machines illustrating the clamp table according to the present invention; and The present invention relatesto metal baling 70 Figure4shows diagrammatically a front elevation machines and more particularlyto metal baling of a portion of the baler of Figure 2 illustrating the machines incorporating a metal shear. clamp arm.

A known metal baler includes a hydraulically With reference nowto Figure 1 the baler 10 controlled hinged lid which is used to press metal comprises a box 12 with a rotatably mounted lid 14.

down into a baling box wherein a hydraulic ram is 75 The lid 14 is mounted on a massive hinge pin or axle operative to compress the metal into a bale. The 16 and is moved by a hydraulic ram 18 controlled by upper edges of the sides of the box and the edges of controls 20. Compressors 22,24 provide the power the lid form co-operating cutting edges thereby forthe hydraulic rams, the second ram (not shown) allowing oversize material to be placed on the top of being operable in known mannerwhen the lid 14 is the box the material being cut off when the lid is 80 closed on box 12 to push the end of box 12 opposite hydraulically lowered. The portion "within" the box to the end 26 towards the end 26 to form the bale.

is thereby readyto be compressed and by separated The end 26 forms a door which may be lifted by rams operations large metal sheets or long lengths can be 28,30 afterformation of the bale to enablethe baleto cut up and forced down into the box. be ejected. A guard 32 is provided to protectthe A disadvantage with the known baler is thatthe 85 operatorfrom being injured when the lid 14 is above procedure can be dangerous since the portion descending. Wheels 33 etc. are provided to allowthe of large sheet or long length not within the box may balerto be moved to a desired location.

fly off when the rest is cut. With the enormous The lid 14 is, in the present invention, provided shearing forces used, often in excess of 100 tons, this with cutting edges 40,42,44which, when the lid can be very dangerous. With thin sheets such as for 90 closes, matewith co-operating cutting edges 46,48, example the body panels of large lorriesthe sheet 50 on the upper edge of box 12. Edge 50 is 'V' may not cut cleanly but only partially cutthrough. shaped to provide commencement at point 52 of the The operator therefore has to repeat the operation cutting of any large sheetwhich overlaps this front thus wasting time due to the inefficient operation of edge. Edges 46,48 may be provided with upstanding the machine. 95 serrations 54,56to preventtubes rolling along the It is an object of the present invention to provide an edges and to assist in initial trapping of larger pieces improved metal baler which is safer and more of material.

efficient in operation. It is possible therefore, to place very large sheet of According to the present invention there is material such as aluminium or steel plate acrossthe provided a metal baler including a box, a hinged lid 100 top of box 12 and to "nibble" away atthem by forthe boxthe hinged lid having means for crushing repeated operationsof lid 14.A numberof problems in a downward direction material placed in or on top arise howeverwhen handling large sheets or long of the box,the box having at least one movable side tubes etc. Firstly, if the sheet is very large, ittendsto which has meansfor crushing the material within the fall offthe balerthereby not being cut oronly boxwhen the lid is in a closed position and including 105 partially cut. Thus, a second operator is requiredto clamp means attached to the boxforclamping hold the sheet and this can be dangerous because material to be crushed by the hinged lid. the sheet may suddenly jerkwhen being cutthereby Preferablythe clamp means includes a clamping possibly injuring the operator. For largethin sheets, table rigidly attached to the box and a clamping arm especiallywith a balerwhich is getting worn the rotatably mounted on the balerto co-operatewith 110 cutting edges 40,42, 44and 46,48. 50 may not cutthe the clamping tableto clamp material overlapping the thin metal cleanly, leaving ajagged partlycut edge top of the box. pushed down into the box 12. The operator may have Preferablythe clamping arm is hydraulically difficulty in re-arranging the sheetforthe next cut controlled. The arm may be controlled in sequence and may be cut by anyjagged edges.

with the hinged lid. 115 Thus, though the baler of Figure 1 is improved The arm is preferably mounted on the same hinge over known balers, having the abilityto cut a sheet axis asthe hinged lid the hinge axle being extended on three edges, this leads to the above problems and on one side of the box to accommodate the clamping the improvementto the machine as shown in Figures arm. 2,3 and 4 seeks to overcome these problems.

The arm is preferably provided with a serrated 120 With reference nowto Figures 2,3 and 4the surface on the side co-operating with the clamping improvement comprises a clamping system for table. clamping the material to be baled. The clamping Embodiments of the present invention will now be system includes a clamping arm 60 and a clamping described, byway of example with reference to the table 62. The clamping arm 60 is preferably operated accompanying drawings, in which:- 125 by a hydraulic ram 64 and is pivoted about the main Figure 1 shows a metal baler having means for hinge axle 16to beableto press down ontothe cutting oversize material; surface of table 62. The pivot point65forthe Figure2shows diagrammatically in side elevation hydraulic ram 64 and arm 60 is arranged to provide the baler of Figure 1 with clamping means according adequate leverage such thatthe arm 60 exerts a to the present invention; 130desired pressure onto the table 62. The advantage of 2 GB 2 186 513 A 2

Claims

using the same hinge axles 16 as the lid 14 is that the CLAIMS axle 16 is

very strong since it has to provide the support for the lid 14 and therefore it can readily 1. A metal baler including a box, a hinged lid for provide the support for the arm 60. the boxthe hinged lid having means for crushing in a The arm 60 may be operated bya leverand ratchet 70 downward direction material placed in or on top of system to allow quick hand operation butthis is not the box, the box having at least one movable side preferred. Since most balers have hydraulic rams to which has means for crushing the material within the perform the baling operations, it is preferred to use boxwhen the lid is in a closed position and including hydraulics forthe clamping arm 60. clamp means attached to the boxfor clamping With reference to Figure 3 the clamp table 62 is 75 material to be crushed bythe hinged lid.

made fairlywide relative to the width of the clamp
2. A metal baler as claimed in Claim 1 in which arm and thereby gives additional support for the the clamp means includes a clamping table rigidly material to be cut. The table top 62 is supported by a attached to the box and a clamping arm rotatably number of bracket plates 66 which are preferably mounted on the baler to co-operate with the welded to thetable and tothe body of the box 14as 80 clamping table to clamp material overlapping the top indicated at 68 and 70. The plates 66 are of thick plate of the box.

therefore table top 60 is capable of withstanding
3. A metal baleras claimed in Claim 1 orClaim 2 large pressurefrom the clamp arm 60. A clearance in which the clamping arm is hydraulically gap 67 is preferably provided between the top of controlled.

table 62 and the side of box 14. 85
4. A metal baler as claimed in Claim 3 in which With reference nowto Figure 4the hydraulic the arm is controlled in sequence with the hinged lid.

cylinder acts on pivot 65 which is a short axle
5. A metal baleras claimed in anyone of Claims 1 mounted between a first plate 72 and the leverage to 4 in which the arm is mounted on the same hinge portion 74 of clamp arm 60. This provides a balanced axis as the hinged lid the hinged axle being extended turning momentforthe arm 60. 90 on one side of the boxto accommodate the clamping The arm 60 may be provided with teeth 61 to arm.

produce a greater gripping action for material laid on
6. A metal baleras claimed in anyone of Claims 1 table 62. These teeth are preferably shaped as shown to 5 in which the arm is provided with a serrated to provide, when clamp arm 60 is lowered, a series of surface on the side co-operating with the clamping vertical stops 80 which prevents material such as 95 table.

round tubes from rolling away from the lid 14. The
7. A metal baler as claimed in Claim 2 in which upstanding serrations 54,56 may be dispensed with the clamping table has an uppersurface or if retained will provide additional gripping of the substantially level with the top surface of the boxand material to be baled. in which a clearance gap is provided between the The clamping arm 60 may be sequentially 100 edge of the table nearestto the box and the boxto controlled such that it descends just priorto lid 14, enable loose material to fall away.

the control leverfor lid 14 serving to firstly operate
8. A metal baler as claimed in Claim 3 in which hydraulic ram 64. This enables the operatorto clamp the clamping arm hydraulic control is mounted on and cut bya single operation. Alternatively hydraulic the side of the box substantially underneath the ram 64 may be separately controlled which may be 105 clamping table to thereby be partially protected by beneficial for positioning of the material to be cut the clamping table.

priorto lid 14 being operated. This may lead to more
9. A metal baler as claimed in Claim 8 in which efficient operation of the baler bythe operative. Also the hydraulic control comprises a hydraulic ram as referred to above for a simple clamp hydraulic acting on a crank extension to the arm which forms a ram 64 may be replaced by a mechanical lever and 110 leverageforthe clamping action thereby allowing ratchet or peg arrangement (not shown) to provide a free access to the top of the boxwhen the clamping relatively simple clamp which may be adquate for arm is raised.

small balers.
10. A metal baler substantially as described with Whichever clamping arrangement is used, the reference to the accompanying drawings.

clamp arm 60 will hold the material to be cut allowing the operatorto retire behind guard 32 before operating the main ram 18. Thus, any pieces of metal which fly off will not injure the operator. Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company (UK) Ltd, 6187, D8991685.

Thus, an efficient cutting and baling operation may Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, be carried out in safety. from which copies maybe obtained.

In a practical embodimentthe baling boxwas constructed from 2.5 inch and 4 inch thick metal steel plate with the shearing blades on the box and lid being replaceable and being made of hardened steel.

The clamp arm was also of 2.5 inch mild steel and the tabletop and bracket plates being of 1 inch metal steel plate.