GB2438611A

GB2438611A - Improvements in and relating to compacting and baling devices

Info

Publication number: GB2438611A
Application number: GB0710147A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Patrick Boston Ringer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-02
Filing date: 2007-05-29
Publication date: 2007-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2027-05-29
Also published as: GB2438611B; GB0710147D0

Abstract

A method of, and apparatus for, compacting and baling readily compressible material, such as plastic bags, employs an open-topped container to receive the compressible material and a plunger or compacting device which is a loose sliding fit within the container. In the method, lengths of banding tape are fed through pairs of slots on opposite sides faces of the container and the compressible material is introduced into the open top of the container, above the lengths of tape. The plunger, which may be lifted by a forklift truck or tractor forks, is lowered into the container to compress the material, after which further lengths of tape are passed through the slots, over the compacted material, and then tensioned and crimped. The wrapped and compacted mass of material is then released from the container, e.g. by lifting the container clear of the mass of compacted material.

Description

I

Title: Improvements in and relating to compacting and baling devices

Field of the invention

This invention concerns a method of and apparatus for compacting and baling relatively easily compressible material. It is of particular use in the compacting and baling of large empty plastics bags such as are used as packaging for fertiliser supplied in bulk to farmers.

However the invention is not limited to such uses and can be employed to compact and bale any compressible material such as discardable plastics or cardboard materials.

Background to the invention

Compactors operated by electric motors or hydraulic actuators have been proposed but they are expensive and some of the cost is tied up with providing the dedicated power unit and the controls therefor. Where such compactors are to be used daily for compacting rubbish and the like, the high cost is largely irrelevant. However there are many situations where the need to compact readily compressible discarded packaging material and the like arises infrequently. This is particularly the case on farms where application of fertiliser or other chemicals, usually supplied in 250kg or larger quantities, in plastics bags, only occurs once or twice a year. After each application there will be a large number of bags to compact but at other times there is little need for a compactor.

There are similar commercial and industrial situations where waste such as discarded packaging does not arise on a continuous basis but only irregularly, perhaps once a week or once or twice a month.

Object of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple method and piece of equipment for performing the method, which does not require a dedicated power source to operate it, but can instead use powered machinery which is normally available on a farm or at an industrial site or warehouse or retail outlet, and which is required for other purposes but can be re-deployed on an occasional basis, to provide the power required to compact such material.

Summary of the invention

According to one aspect of the present invention a method of compacting and baling readily compressible material comprises the steps of: (a) locating a rigid container having an open top and a bottom on a flat surface, (b) feeding banding tape through pairs of slots on opposite side faces of the container so as to extend from one side of the container to the other at the lower end thereof with a length of tape protruding through the slots externally from each side face, (c) repeating step (b) so that at least two lengths of banding tape extend across the lower end of the container, (d) placing material to be compacted into the container through the open top, (e) introducing through the upper open end of the container a compacting device which is adapted to be a loose sliding fit within the container, and lowering the device onto the material therein, thereby to compress them into a compacted mass, (f) feeding banding tape through the upper ends of the slots through which tape protrudes at the lower level as a result of step (b) and (c), above the mass of compacted material and below the lower end of the compacting device, so as to protrude therefrom above the material, (g) while the compacting device remains in its lowered position, wrapping the compacted mass by securing the protruding ends of the tape after tensioning the tape around the compacted mass, and (h) releasing the wrapped and compacted mass from the container.

Optionally the compacting device may be lifted clear of the top of the material between steps (e) and (f) and may then be lowered to re-compact the mass of material between steps (f) and (g), with the optional addition of more material to the container between steps (0 and (g).

Optionally the length of tape protruding from one of each pair of slots is selected to be sufficient to feed back through the two slots over the top of the compacted mass of material so that the two free ends of that length of tape protrude on the same side of the container, ready to be tensioned and secured by a crimped clip.

Alternatively only a relatively shorter length of tape is left protruding from each pair of slots after step (b), and a separate length of tape is fed through the same two slots over the compacted mass of material in step (0, so as to protrude sufficiently on opposite sides of the container to allow the two ends protruding from each slot on one side to be joined by a crimped clip without first tensioning, and thereafter the two ends protruding from the other slot of each pair are tensioned and joined by a crimped clip as aforesaid, prior to performing step (h).

Typically the weight of the compacting tool is sufficient to compact readily compressible material such as empty plastics fertiliser bags and the like. However, additional compaction may be achieved if the machine used to lift and lower the compacting device into the container can also exert a downward force on the device.

A convenient machine for lifting and lowering the device is a fork lift truck or a tractor having a hydraulically operable lifting device attached thereto or incorporated therein, such as a front fork assembly.

Typically the banding tape is formed from plastics, e.g. Nylon or similar material.

After the last compaction it is not essential to remove the compacting device from the container, but instead the device can be secured to the container in any convenient manner and the combination of container and compacting device can be lifted clear of the bundle.

The combination can be placed in a convenient place for storage as a single unit until it is next required.

An elongate threading device may be employed in steps (b), (c) and (f) to facilitate the feeding of the tape across the container from one slot to another.

The invention also lies in apparatus by which the aforementioned method and the optional variations thereto, can be performed.

According to another aspect of the invention apparatus for performing the method of said one aspect comprises a parallel sided steel container having an open top and a base, adapted to stand generally vertically with its base on a flat horizontal surface such as a concrete apron in front of a barn or warehouse, wherein slots extend upwardly from the base to approximately half way up the container, the slots being arranged in pairs the two slots of each pair being located on opposite sides of the container and in transverse alignment to facilitate the insertion of banding tape so as to extend from one side of the container to the other with excess tape protruding beyond the slots on opposite sides of the container, and a compacting device having a generally flat underside and means by which it can be lifted by a machine such as a crane or forklift truck or a tractor having front forks, the compacting device being shaped and dimensioned so as to be a sliding fit within the container when lowered therein, so as to be capable of compacting material introduced into the container.

The apparatus may be used in combination with a tensioning and crimping tool which in use is employed firstly to tension banding tape after it has been arranged loosely around the compacted mass of material at the lower end of the container and secondly to crimp a clip to join together protruding ends of the tape to maintain the tension therein.

The apparatus is intended to be used in combination with a lifting machine such as a crane or forklift truck or tractor having front forks.

Preferably the compacting device is capable of transmitting a downward force from the lifting device, so that if the latter is capable of exerting such a downward force thereon, the compaction force on the material in the container can be further increased.

Typically the compacting device comprises a lightweight rigid framework with a reinforced base having a generally flat underside and which includes lifting means by which the framework can be lifted up by a lifting device.

Typically the base provides a platform on which ballast can be loaded, typically using the lifting device which is to lift and lower the compacting device into the container. The ballast may comprise lengths of metal or concrete or pieces of stone or rock or one or more containers full of liquid such as water.

Preferably the lifting means is adapted slidingly to receive the two lifting arms of a fork lift such as those of a forklift truck or a tractor-mounted lifting fork, when adjusted so that the two arms extend generally horizontally and moved towards the lifting means with the arms aligned therewith. The lifting means preferably includes a first transverse part which is engaged by the upper surfaces of the two fork lift arms when the latter rise, so as to lift the device, and a second transverse part which is engaged by the undersides of the arms when the device has been lowered into the container and is now resting on the material in the container, so as to transmit a downward force to the material through the framework and base of the device if the fork is forced in a downward manner by its drive mechanism.

Preferably the container and compacting device are constructed from metal such as mild steel and preferably at least one reinforcing band is provided around the container at or near the upper ends of the slots in the wall thereof, to resist any bursting force as material is compacted therein.

Preferably the edge of the open top of the container is reinforced to prevent damage as the compacting device is lowered into the container.

Preferably at least the corner regions of the open top are flared so as to centre the device as it is lowered.

Preferably the container includes means by which it can be lifted by a lifting device such as a forklift or crane. To this end lifting hooks may be provided around the reinforcing band.

In an alternative arrangement, reinforced openings may be provided in the side walls of the container, typically near the upper open end thereof, to allow the forks of a forklift truck or the like to be inserted for lifting the container when required. Typically aligned openings are provided on opposite walls of the container so that the forks will pick up on opposite sides thereof, after insertion through both sets of aligned openings. This alternative arrangement avoids the need for lifting hooks on the outside of the container, which can be an unwelcome hazard.

Where the compaction device or plunger is constructed from a generally open framework of struts at least at its upper end, the forks can pass through the framework as they pan from one side of the container to the other, if the compaction device or plunger is within the container.

Where the compaction device framework includes horizontal cross members which align with the upper regions of the openings in the side wall of the container, the forks will not only lift the latter but also the compaction device as well, so that there is less chance of damage to the latter, as the container is raised and lowered and moved around a site.

Hence, this allows the container and plunger to be lifted and lowered and moved around as a single unit.

Where the container includes a hinged base or floor, in the form of a hinged trap door, this may also include sockets adapted to receive the tines or forks of a forklift or tractor front loader. This will enable the container to be lifted from the base, by lowering the tines or forks so that they align with the sockets in the base, and can be inserted therethrough.

The sockets may be base or channel sections on the underside of the base, or reinforced openings in the wall of the container below the underside of the hinged base but positioned relative thereto so that the upper faces of the tines or forks will engage the upper edges of the openings and the underside of the hinged base, thereby assisting in keeping the latter shut when the container is lifted.

The hinged door will normally be held shut by bolts, or pins, or hooks and pins.

According to a further optional feature of the apparatus, the underside of the compaction device or plunger may be profiled so that in use elongate channels are created above the top of a stack of compacted material, which when the compaction device or plunger is located in the container and has been forced down to compact the material therein, will align with the elongate tape openings in the side walls of the container.

The profiling may comprise parallel sided grooves in an otherwise flat underside of the compaction device or plunger. They may be created in sheet metal by a forming or profiling technique, or by constructing the base of the device or plunger from a number of spaced apart plates, with the spaces between the edges of the plate defining the grooves.

Alternatively and preferably a generally flat underside may have elongate bars secured thereto, as by welding, to form parallel spaced apart ribs, or downwardly open channel sections may be secured thereto, the spacing between the parallel bars or channel sides being slightly wider than the width that is required to thread a tape through from one side of the container to the other.

Typically the bars or channel sections protrude below the underside by a distance of the order of 65mm.

The spacing between the bars or channel walls is typically of the order of 35mm if the tape slots in the container are of the order of 30mm wide.

It has been found that a gap having this sort of width between the protruding channel section walls or elongate bars, will in general prevent compressed plastics material from entering the gap, especially since the walls or bars will themselves be digging into and locally compressing the material to a greater extent than the rest of the area of the underside of the compaction device or plunger. This ensures the channels remain clear for the tape to be fed therethrough across the container.

The advantage of the profiling is that the tapes can be fed through the container while the compaction device or plunger is in its compressing position. In this event it is not necessary for the compaction device or plunger to be lifted before the tapes can be put in place prior to being joined and tensioned around the compacted mass of material.

Tape is most conveniently fed from one side to the other using an elongate guide or wand.

The leading end of the wand in any convenient manner, but preferably the leading of a length of tape may be secured to the leading end of the wand includes two slots through which the tape can be threaded from one face to the other through one slot and then back again through the other slot. Friction between the tape and the wand will tend to retain the tape in its threaded configuration as the wand is pushed, leading end first, through one of the channels below the compaction device or plunger base, until it protrudes beyond the far side of the container. At that point, the tape can be unthreaded to allow the wand to be withdrawn, leaving the tape in place. The end of the tape protruding from the upper region of a slot can be joined to the other end of the same tape protruding from the lower end of the same slot, on the same face of the container, and thereafter the tape tensioned around the mass of material.

According to a still optional feature of the apparatus, wedge-shaped protrusions may be provided on the inside walls of the chamber to create a so-called fir tree effect. Thus as material is forced down towards the base of the container, it is forced past the inclined surfaces of the protrusions and once below them, it can spring outwardly below the tower (wider) ends of the wedges to fully occupy the container interior therebelow.

Where the plunger or compactor device is to pass below the wedge shaped portions, the former may be cut away along its edge regions to allow it slide passed the protrusions.

Typically it is not normally necessary for the plunger or compaction device to be pushed completely to the bottom of the container, and when designed for farm use, it will typically not be required to drop or to be pushed to less than 300mm from the container base. If the wedge shaped protrusions are themselves of the order of 100-120mm in height and typically protrude some 60mm into the container at their lower, (wider ends), they can be located with the lower ends some 150mm from the base of the container, and the plunger or compaction device will never normally reach them.

However, their presence and function reduces any rebound of the compacted material, as the plunger or compaction device is lifted to allow other material to be placed on top of the first load, prior to further compaction.

If the maximum penetration of the plunger or compaction device takes it to 300mm from the base of the container, this means the minimum thickness of the compacted package will be of the same order of size. Where this is too large for handling or storage, a block or platform may be placed at the bottom of the container so as to cover the latter prior to loading it with material to be compacted, to serve as a spacer. If the normal minimum compacted thickness is 300mm (without the spacer), and if the latter is 150mm thick, then the minimum thickness of the compacted bale or parcel will be reduced to 150mm.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is illustrated by way of example by the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a container forming part of apparatus according to the invention, Figure 2 is a side elevation of the container, Figure 3 is a front elevation of a compacting device which forms part of the apparatus, and which in use is lowered into the container from above to compress material at the bottom of the container, Figure 4 is a side view of the compacting device, Figure 5 is similar to Figure 1 but shows modifications to the container of Figure 1, Figure 6 is a foreshortened side elevation of a tape threading wand, Figure 7 is a plan view of the leading end of the wand of Figure 6 to a different scale, Figure 8 is a plan view from below of a modified compacting device such as is shown in Figure 3, and which is to be lowered into the container of Figure 1 to compress material therein, Figure 9 is a scrap end view of part of the modified underside of the compacting device of Figure 8, and Figure 10 is a diagrammatic elevation of the interior of the lower end of the container of Figure 1, showing how wedges can be fitted to the internal walls to resist upward expansion of a compacted mass of material due to rebound, when the compacting device is lifted.

Detailed Description of Drawings

In the drawings Fig. 1 shows in elevation a compaction container in the form of a rectilinear open topped chamber formed from 3mm sheet steel and 40mm box-section steel upright and transverse elongate reinforcements.

In Fig. 1 the nearest sidewall of the container is denoted by reference numeral 10 and the three transverse box-section reinforcements by reference numerals 12, 14 and 16. Upright box-section reinforcements are denoted by 18, 20 and 22.

Two elongate slots 24, 26 are provided in the sidewall 10, each 30mm wide and they extend from the lower transverse reinforcement 16 to just above the middle transverse reinforcement 14.

Metal plates 28, 30 and 32, 34 are welded on either side of the slots 24, 26 respectively, to reinforce the edges to reduce the risk of the sheet metal walls buckling during compaction and to increase the thickness of the wall 10 on either side of the slots. This reduces the risk of the edges of the slots cutting into tapes or packing straps (to be described later) when the latter are threaded though the slots.

Also visible in Fig. 1 are two of the four upper corner reinforcements and plunger entry guides, denoted by 36 and 38 respectively. Each defines an internal right angled corner the flanges of which diverge outwardly and upwardly from the walls defining the corner of the container. Thus the flanges of guide 36 extend upwardly from walls 10 and 40 while the flanges of guide 38 extend upwardly from walls 10 and 42. These flared corners guide the plunger as the latter slides into the top of the container.

The top and bottom of the container are open, but the lower end of the container can be closed by a base plate 44, hinged at 46 to the lower edge of the side wall 42, and secured by one or more catches such as 48 which may be hinged to the lower edge of the opposite side waIl 40.

Lifting hooks 50, 52 are shown secured to the middle reinforcements which traverse the side waIls 40, 42. As best seen in Fig. 2, (which is an elevation of the sidewall 42 and which shows hook 52), the hooks are mounted midway along the lengths of the middle reinforcements.

Also visible in Fig. 2 are the upper and lower reinforcements 56, 58 and the hinge 46 and base closure plate 44.

Each sidewall includes a pair of parallel spaced apart slots similar to 24, 26 in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 2 these are denoted by 60, 62. Edge reinforcing plates are provided for both 60, and 62 at 64 and 66, and at 68 and 70 respectively.

The guide at the top right-hand end of the sidewall 42 is denoted by 72 whilst the one at the top left-hand end in Fig. 2 is item 38 which is also visible in Fig. I. The two sidewalls of the container, namely 40 (identified in Fig. 1) and 74 (identified on the right-hand side of Fig. 2), are similar to 42 and 10 respectively, and are reinforced in the same way and have similar slots.

Material (such as empty plastic bags not shown) can be loaded into the container from above. Once the container is reasonably full of uncompressed material, a compacting device or plunger, generally designated 76, is lowered into the container from above using a forklift or crane (not shown). A front view of the plunger 76 is shown in Fig. 3.

The plunger 76 is a rectilinear framework of 40mm x 40mm box-section steel members, welded as appropriate. Centrally across the top of the structure is welded a 40mm x 60mm box-section steel reinforcement 78. This also protrudes laterally at each end beyond the framework to a sufficient extent as to serve as two stops, o prevent the plunger dropping into the container (Figs. 1 and 2) by more than the amount determined by the overhanging ends of reinforcement 78. In Fig. 3, two of the corner upright box-section members 80 and 82 can be seen. The lower end is formed as a tray by four steel plates such as 84, welded between the corner uprights 80, 82. A baseplate 83 is welded to the lower edges of the four side plates 84 etc. Typically recycled railway track is cut up and placed in the tray to serve as ballast. For safety the ballast may be secured in the tray as by welding or by a lid (not shown).

The upper ends of the uprights 80, 82 etc., are joined by transverse box-section steel members such as 86 and 96 (see Fig 4).

As can be seen in Fig 4, two upright box section steel members extend midway of the corner uprights 82,94 and midway between 80 and the other corner upright (not visible in the Figs. These are welded to the base (such as to the side plates such as 98 etc), and to the upper cross members (one of which is denoted by 96 in Fig 4). The two midway uprights can be seen protruding above 86 at 88 and 89 in Fig 3 and 89 is also visible in Fig 4. Their upper ends are joined by a further 40mm x 40mm box section steel member 91.

The vertical gap between and 86 and 91 is sufficient to receive the tines of a forklift truck or the front forks of a tractor front loader for lifting the plunger framework when required.

Lifting hooks 90 and 92 are also welded to the uprights 88 and 89 as shown in Fig 3. One of these (92) can also be seen in Fig. 4 which is an elevation of the right hand side of the plunger shown in Fig. 3. Also visible in Fig. 4 is the other corner upright box-section steel member 94, the upper cross member 96 of that side of the plunger framework, and another of the steel sheets 98 which make up the sides of the ballast tray. The stops formed by the overhanging ends of 78 create a 300mm void at the base of the container of Figs. 1, 2 when the plunger is at its lowest point as determined by 78 resting on the top of the container.

As shown in the alternative design of the container in Fig. 5, two channel or box-section steel brackets 100, 102 are welded below the upper cross members such as 12, 56 ( Figs 1, 2) to provide guides for forklift tines or tractor front loader forks to facilitate lifting the container. The open framework construction of the plunger 76 means that, if it is in place in the container, the tines or forks can still protrude through the two brackets 100, 102 and across the container to engage in two similar brackets (not shown) on the opposite side of the container.

In other respects the container of Fig. 5 is similar to the container shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the same reference numerals have been employed to denote parts which are common to the two embodiments.

Figs. 6 and 7 show how a packing tape or strap 104 can be threaded through two openings A and B in the leading end 106 of an elongate wand 108, which can then be introduced through one of the slots such as 60 and pushed across the container, above a mass of compacted material, to exit through the aligned slot in the opposite sidewall of the container.

Fig. 8 shows a modification to the underside of the base 83 of the plunger 76 previously referred to in relation to Figs 3 and 4. The modification comprises welding or otherwise securing pairs of metal bars to the underside of the base plate 83 so as to define four intersecting and downwardly open channels 118, 112, 114 and 116. Two of the channels 114 and 116 extend between the opposite edges 110 and 120, and the other two 110 and 112 extend at right angles to the first two, between the other two opposite edges 122 and 124, of the base plate 83. The spacing between the internally opposed faces of the channels formed by the pairs of bars such as 126, 128 is made commensurate with (and preferably a little larger than) the width of the slots 24, 26 etc. In addition the bars such as 126, 128 are positioned on the underside of the base plate 83 so that the channels formed thereby align with the slots 24, 26 etc. in the sidewalls of the container, when the plunger is lowered into the container.

The channels 110, 112 etc., tend to remain clear of material which is being compressed as the plunger 76 is pushed down onto material in the container. As a result it is possible for the wand 108 to be pushed from one side of the container to the other through each of the slots 24, 26 etc., and the channel aligned therewith on the underside of 83. In this way packaging tape or straps can be fed across the top of the mass of material compressed below the plunger, prior to being joined to another tape or strap protruding from below the material at the bottom of the relevant slit and tensioned to secure the mass of the compacted material into a bundle or bale.

Typically the bars 126, 128 etc., have a depth of 65mm and the internal width of the channels 110, 112, etc., is in the range 30-40 mm if the slots 110, 112 etc., are 30mm wide.

Depending on the compressibility of the material to be compacted, it may be possible to compress a first load and, while it remains generally compressed, to lift the plunger clear of the container and insert more material on top of the compressed mass at the bottom of the container. Thenew material can be compressed by simply lowering the plunger into the container once again.

If the material is particularly springy and rebounds after the plunger is lifted, it may be less easy to load all the material that it is theoretically possible for the machine to accommodate and compact into a single bale. To this end, as shown diagrammatically in Fig 10, wedges may be secured to the inside faces of the sidewalls of the container 10, 40, 42 etc. Three such wedges are visible at 130, 132 and 134 in Fig 10.

The wedges are positioned so that their widest section is lowermost and as shown they are welded to the sidewalls. However it is to be understand that alternatively they may be removably attached to the sidewalls as by bolts or screws, so that they are only fitted when the nature of the material to be compacted warrants them to be in place. The wedges create a so-called fir-tree effect so that while material can be readily forced in a downward direction, the undersides of the wedges resist reverse movement of the material, in the upward sense, so that rebound of the material is significantly constrained after the plunger is lifted clear.

It is not normally necessary for the plunger to be able to drop to the very bottom of the container. Normally the weight of the completed bale will be such that if the container is lifted clear of the ground and the baseplate 44 is swung open, the bale will simply fall through the opening. It is not normally necessary to push the compacted bale out of the container.

Typically the plunger 76 is prevented from dropping through the container by the engagement of the overhanging ends of 78 (Figs 1, 2) with the top of the container. In the illustrated embodiment the bottom of the plunger will be some 300mm from the base plate 44. This will determine the minimum thickness of the bale, which can be formed, and in some circumstances, depending on the desired weight of the final bale, this may be too large.

In order to reduce the minimum thickness, a block or spacer may be placed at the bottom of the container as shown in dotted outline at 136 in Fig. 10. The block or spacer will simply fall out with the bale when the container is lifted and the baseplate swung open, and can be retrieved and reused as required.

Also shown in Fig 5 are four hooks 138,140,142 and 144 to which ends of the tapes can be secured while the tapes are being threaded across the container prior to it being loaded and also after they have been fed across the top of a compacted mass of material and before they can be joined and tensioned to form the bale. Similar hooks are provided at simiIar positions on all four sides of the container.

The construction and method of use of a container and plunger embodying the invention can also be seen from the photographs A to I which accompany UK Patent Application No. 0610905.2 filed 2nd June 2006. In the photographs:-Photo A shows an empty container and a compacting device suspended above the open upper end of the container, to show how the former can enter the latter from above, Photo B shows the device on the ground in front of the container which is now ready to be prepared for a compaction step, Photo C shows how ends of Nylon banding tape can be anchored by lengths of metal box section or wood aft the tape has been fed through aligned slots from one side of the container to the other, Photo D shows four lengths of tape criss-crossing the container at the bottom thereof with the protruding ends secured by bulldog clips, Photo E shows a stack of 50 empty 600Kg plastics fertiliser bags, which are to be compacted and bundled by the invention, Photo F shows the container after the bags have been loaded into it, and the compacting device has been repositioned above the top of the container, Photo G shows the container after the device has been lowered into it to compress the bags, Photo H shows a tensioning and clip crimping tool being used to secure protruding ends of the banding tape, and Photo I shows the wrapped bundle of 50 bags after the container and compacting device (the latter having been previously secured to the container) has been lifted clear of the bundle.

As is seen from the photographs compaction is achieved by the use of a ballasted plunger (compaction device) being lowered into the container defined by the metal chamber. Extra compaction can be achieved by lowering the lifting carriage of the fork truck onto the top of the plunger arm.

The binding of the bale or bundle is done using Nylon binding tape the ends of which are held together with metal crimps. The chamber is loaded with the straps before filling commences. The straps may be held in place by clips such as bulldog clips or by being secured to hooks 138 etc. as shown in Fig 5. The chamber is filled with the material to be compacted and when the desired bale density has been achieved, the plunger is raised and removed, the strap from one side is passed over the contents, typically using an elongate guide rod or wand, and is clipped to the other protruding tape end. The plunger is lowered placing the bale back under pressure. Whilst under pressure the bale can be strapped using a standard tensioning and crimping machine to tension and secure the endless loops of tape therearound.

The plunger can then be fixed to the chamber (on the outside) by looping a standard lifting strap over two hooks protruding from the reinforcing band around the container, hence allowing the entire combination to be lifted, causing the bale to be ejected from the open lower end of the chamber.

The primary objective is to provide a relatively economic and simple apparatus for and method of compacting and binding a range of agricultural and industrial wastes, such as plastic bags, film and cardboard. The apparatus can be used by a site fork truck, or materials handler, or tractor having a front fork, without the need for an electrically or hydraulically powered compactor, hence keeping the capital cost down.

Although the compaction chamber is shown as having an open lower end, as previously described a closure panel 44 (see Figs 1 and 2) may be provided which in use can serve as a floor to retain waste material therein (either before or after compaction) while the chamber is lifted for placement in another location, should that prove necessary. By hinging the panel to the chamber, it can be opened after the chamber has been elevated to allow a compacted package to fall to the ground. Alternatively the panel may be slidably removable from the chamber for the same purpose -although it may be necessary to provide some mechanical advantage by way of a hinged lever or the like to facilitate sliding the panel from below a compacted package, due to the weight of the latter.

The described apparatus may be modified in the following ways, all within the scope of the invention: (a) Instead of using 40mm by 40mm box section steel, the container may alternatively be reinforced by plasma cut steel sections; (b) The slots 24, 26, 60 and 62 may terminate at their upper end at the height of the intermediate bar, instead of projecting thereabove as shown in Figures 1 and 2; (c) Where the container has a floor, the securing hooks may be provided with an extra security feature (e.g. an interlock) preventing access to the lower lift slots whilst the door is unsecured; (d) The upper part of the plunger may have a pair of horizontally spaced and horizontally elongated rectangular tine holes instead of the gap between components 86 and 91 in Figure 3. Further, the upper edges of these tine holes may have rubber facings bonded thereto to reduce the chance of the plunger slipping on the tines; (e) As an aid to reducing the chance of slippage of the container on the tines, the container may be fitted with a safety mechanism including a manually operable lever which can be swung downwardly to cause a pair of paddle-like restraining brackets (brackets mounted on the container below the tine slots such as 100, 102) to pivot upwardly behind the tines; (t) The retaining wedges 130, 132 and 134 may be detachably mounted on the internal walls of the container, so that the wedges are removable from the container walls to suit situations where they are not required or to facilitate replacement of worn or broken wedges.

An experimental compactor using the described apparatus compressed fifty empty plastic bags, each with a capacity for 600kg of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, to a bundle measuring 900mm x 1200mm x 300mm.

Claims

Claims 1. A method of compacting and baling readily compressible

material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) locating a rigid container having an open top and a bottom on a flat surface, (b) feeding banding tape through pairs of slots on opposite side faces of the container so as to extend from one side of the container to the other at the lower end thereof with a length of tape protruding through the slots externally from each side face, (c) repeating step (b) so that at least two lengths of banding tape extend across the lower io end of the container, (d) placing material to be compacted into the container through the open top, (e) introducing through the upper open end of the container a compacting device which is adapted to be a loose sliding fit within the container, and lowering the device onto the material therein, thereby to compress the material into a compacted mass, (0 feeding banding tape through the upper ends of the slots through which tape protrudes at the lower level as a result of steps (b) and (c), above the mass of compacted material and below the lower end of the compacting device, so as to protrude therefrom above the material, (g) while the compacting device remains in its lowered position, wrapping the compacted mass by securing the protruding ends of the tape after tensioning the tape around the compacted mass, and (h) releasing the wrapped and compacted mass from the container.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the compacting device is lifted clear of the top of the material between steps (e) and (t) and is then lowered to re-compact the mass of material between steps (f) and (g), with the optional addition of more material to the container between steps (f) and (g).

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein step (h) is carried out by lifting the container clear of the wrapped and compacted mass of material.

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an elongate threading device is employed in steps (b) and (f) to facilitate the feeding of the tape across the container from one slot to another.

5. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the material is empty plastic bags such as are used as packaging for fertiliser supplied in bulk for farmers.

6. Apparatus for performing the method according to any of the preceding claims, the apparatus comprising a parallel sided container having an open top and a base, adapted to stand generally vertically with its base on a flat horizontal surface such as a concrete apron in front of a barn or warehouse, wherein slots extend upwardly from the base to approximately half way up the container, the slots being arranged in pairs with the two slots of each pair being located on opposite sides of the container and in transverse alignment to facilitate the insertion of banding tape so as to extend from one side of the container to the other with excess tape protruding beyond the slots on opposite sides of the container, and a compacting device having a generally flat underside and means by which it can be lifted by a machine such as a crane or forklift truck or a tractor having front forks, the compacting device being shaped and dimensioned so as to be a sliding fit within the container when lowered therein, so as to be capable of compacting material introduced into the container.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, and in combination with a tensioning and crimping tool which in use is employed firstly to tension the banding tape after it has been arranged loosely around the compacted mass of material at the lower end of the container and secondly to crimp a clip to join together protruding ends of the tape to maintain the tension therein.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the compacting device is capable of transmitting a downward force from the lifting machine, so that if the latter is capable of exerting such a downward force thereon, the compaction force on the material in the container can be further increased.

9. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the compacting device comprises a lightweight rigid framework with a reinforced base having a generally flat underside and which includes lifting means by which the framework can be lifted up by a lifting device.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the lifting means is adapted slidingly to receive the two lifting arms of a fork lift such as those of a forklift truck or a tractor-mounted lifting fork.

11. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 10, wherein the container and compacting device are constituted from metal such as mild steel.

12. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 11, wherein the lower regions of the open top of the container are flared so as to centre the compacting device as the latter is lowered into the container.

13. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 12, wherein the container includes means, such as lifting hooks, by which the container can be lifted by the lifting machine.

14. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 12, wherein reinforced openings are provided in the side walls of the container to allow the insertion of forks of a forklift truck or tractor-mounted lifting fork to be inserted.

15. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 14, wherein the container includes a hinged base or floor, in the form of a hinged trap door.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the base or floor includes sockets adapted to receive the tines or forks of a lifting machine.

17. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 16, wherein the underside of the compactor device is formed with channels which register with the slots in the container when the compactor device is located within the container, enabling the tape to be fed through the container while the compactor device is in its compacting position.

18. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 17, and in combination with an elongate io guide or wand for feeding the banding tape from one side of the container to the other, through a corresponding pair of slots.

19. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 18, wherein wedge-shaped protrusions are provided on the inside walls of the container to create a so-called fir-tree effect, preventing material which has been pushed downwardly past the protrusions from springing upwardly past the protrusions.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the wedge-shaped protrusions are removably mounted on the inside walls of the container.

21. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 20, wherein the container has means which reduce or prevent unwanted slippage of the container with respect to the lifting machine, such as rubber facings on the container surfaces engaged by the lifting machine or moveable brackets which block unwanted sliding movement of the container.

22. A method of compacting and baling readily compressible material substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. Apparatus for compacting and baling readily compressible material substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.