US2207032A - Baling press - Google Patents

Description

. Jul 9, 1940. w. STEINHAUER 2,207,032

BALING PRESS Filed April 8, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l F770 19/1/5 yrs July 9, 1940.

W. L. STEINHAU ER BALING PRESS Filed April 8, 1939 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FTrOP/VEYLS' y 9, 1940. w. STEINHAUER 2,207,032

BALING PRESS Filed April 8, 1959 3 SheetsSheet 5 Zia/5M 70/? Patented July 9, 1940 PATENT OFFICE BALING PRESS William L. Steinhauer,

Columbus, Ga., assignor to Cen-Tennial Cotton Gin Company, Columbus, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application April 8, 1939, Serial No. 266,809

9 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in presses for baling cotton or like material.

In the past, considerable di'fliculty has beenexperienced in baling presses caused by the expansive urge of the cotton when being compressed. This expansion is so great at times that it puts an undue load onto the baling door and lock mechanisms on the baling doors. The expansion outwardly in a bale of cotton is very slight, being about one-half inch, but the pressure exerted is about one-half of the total pressure applied to the plungers. After the cotton lint is set by the tramper in the bottom boxes and top baling compartment underneath the dogs and pressure is applied packing the bale, the sidewise pressure of the cotton becomes great enough to do damage to the frame and panels of the bailing compartment.

m Accordingly, the principal object of my invention is to overcome the above defined defect in prior baling press constructions and I accomplish this object by providing a set of doors using a rigid frame, which is composed of the baling door channels and the door locking clamps, using, however, a floating panel mounted on springs, the springs being strong enough to Withstand the original tramping load, but are resilient enough to allow the baling doors to ex- M pand slightly when the full pressure of the ram,

or rams, is applied.

In using a cushion type door with more than enough expansion room than will ever be required for the expansive sidewise urge of the cotton, the actual pressure on the frame members can be ascertained and the frame members can be built considerably lighter than if it were necessary to try and hold this expansion. Thus, a further object of the present invention is to construct a press of lighter weight and at a lower cost than has been done heretofore.

The invention also resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts and in certain modes of operation, all of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying drawings in connection with the detailed description appearing hereinafter.

In the drawings wherein the same reference characters have been designated the same parts in all views,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view illustrating a two-story double box cotton press incorporating 86 my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of one of the doors disclosed in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan View of one of the press boxes. I

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail section through a corner of the box illustrating the function of the clamping members.

The present invention is illustrated as applied to the press boxes of a two-story up-packing double box hydraulic press, the general arrangement of which is indicated more or less conventionally, but which is sufficient to illustrate the use and adaptation of the present invention. The specific form of press is shown for illustrative purposes only, the invention not being limited in its application to any particular type of press.

In the form of press illustrated, l designates the support having vertical columns 2 and 3 and upper cross members 4 and 5 constituting the main framework of the press.

Cross member '4 supports the tramper mechanism shown in Figure l, but which forms no part of the present invention, although designated as 6 for purposes of convenience and reference.

Suitably mounted in the frame member is column I. The duplicate press boxes 8 and 9 are swingably supported on this column I, the press boxes being connected by the substantially circular platform ID.

The press also includes movable bottoms or follow blocks l2 in each of the press boxes which are adapted to be engaged by a ram to force the movable bottoms upwardly so that the material in the press is carried into the baling portion at the upper end of each of the boxes and firmly compressed therein against the head block l3 carried by the upper frame 5.

The press itself is, of conventional type. The tramper 6 feeds the cotton into the box as shown in Figure 1. While this is going on, the ram II is acting upon the follow block I 2 in the other press box 8 for compressing the cotton upwardly toward the head block IS. The follower block l2 forms the bottom of the press box. The tramper will fill the box with cotton substantially to the top. The follower block l2, under the influence of ram ll compresses the cotton into the upper end of the box which is formed by the door members which will be referred to later on.

The press boxes 8 and 9 are identical in construction and at this point, particular attention is called to the fact that as a result of the rotation of boxes 8 and 9 about column 1, in the position of the press as seen in Figure 1, box 9 discloses the front wall whereas box 3 discloses the rear wall. Since the two boxes are of the same construction, a description of front wall Id of box 9 and rear wall l5 of box 8 will serve as a description of the front and rear walls of both boxes. Thus, the numerals designating the various parts of front wall Hi of box 9 will designate like parts of front wall of box 8, and the numerals designating the various parts of rear wall N5 of box 8 will designate like parts of the rear wall of box 9.

As seen in Figure l, the upper part of wall [4 is disclosed as the non-lock side baling door Hi. The upper part of wall 15 forms the locking side baling door H. The door ll broadly comprises panels 48 mounted on channel bars i9 20, 2| and 22. The door it broadly comprises panels 18 mounted on channel bars 23, 23, 25 and 23. The specific manner of mounting the panels on the channel bars to obtain a floating action for the panels comprises the inventive concept of the present invention and will be described in detail later on.

The doors l3 and H, as usual, carry the dogs 2l' which extend into the press boxes. Also conventional, as shown on the locking door H, is the lock wheel 28, door lock toggles 29 and worm wheel 38.

A detail description of the manner of mounting the panels on the channel members will now be given. The channel members 23 and 24 are connected by spaced bolts 3|, 3i herein shown as two in number, and the channel members 25 and 23 are similarly connected by bolts 32, 32. The panels iii are welded or otherwise joined to channel members 33. A relatively short channel member 34, of sufficient length to bridge the bolts 32 (see Figures 2 and 5), is disposed between the lower channel members 25 and 25. This channel member 34 is located between the bolts and the channel member 33. A plurality of springs 35 are disposed between the channel members 33 and 36. There is a cup 350 suitably secured to the outer face of the channel member 33 for each spring, and this cup serves to locate and support the spring. These springs 35 bear against the channel members 34 as an abutment and normally tend to move the panels [8 inwardly and away from the channel members 25 and 25. There is a similar channel member 34 between the channel members 23 and 24 which bears against the bolts 3 I, and also similar springs 35 bearing against the upper channel member 33.

Attached at each end of the channel members 33, 33 are bolts 36. These bolts may be welded or otherwise secured to the channel members 33. The two upper bolts 36 lie between the channel members 23, and 2 1, and the two lower bolts lie between the channel members 25 and 26. Extending between the channel members 23 and 2 5 is a plate 37 which is welded or otherwise secured to the channel members. There is also a straddle plate 38 welded tothe channel members 23 and 23. These plates 31 and 38 are provided with openings through which the bolts 35 pass. These openings are dimensioned so as to form a support for the bolts 36. The bolts 33 between the channel members 25 and 26 pass through plates similar to the plates 31 and the straddle plate 38, and are supported and guided therein. Each bolt carries a collar 39 which is secured to the shaft by a suitable pin 390.. A spring 40 abuts against the collar and against the straddle plate. These springs normally force the plates to the right as viewed in Figure 4, until the collars are brought into contact with the cross plates 31. Thus it is that the panel members l8 form a rigid panel assembly which is yieldably supported by the door frame and this panel assembly extends substantially from one side of the press box to the other side thereof as shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 3, it is seen that the panels extend in between the side walls 44 and 45. These side walls are in the form of doors hinged at the bottom for outward movement to permit removal of the bale from the press. As further shown in Figure 3, both the front and rear doors carry a pair of brackets or clamps H for cooperation with the side doors to clamp the doors in position and also serving to permit the side doors to give slightly when the bale is being compressed. Each bracket or clamp 4! comprises a flat base portion 42 which is welded or otherwise secured to the floating panel assembly adjacent the upper edge of the door, and a curved portion 43 which lies outside of the door members 44 and 45. Thus, in the normal inward position of the floating panels, the brackets 4| operate on side doors &4 and 45 to force them to their closed position. However, during the outward movement of the panel assembly resulting from the compression of the cotton within the press, the brackets will also move outwardly, and as a result of the curved portions of the brackets, the side doors will open slightly, thereby relieving the full pressure on said side doors. This action is illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 6.

The construction described herein eliminates any possibility of warping or straining the press. When the ram ll actuates the follow block l2 into the upper part of the press which is defined by the doors hereinbefore referred to, the pressure becomes quite great, that is to say, the lateral pressure of the cotton being compressed. However, instead of having a rigid set of doors to receive this pressure with consequent warping and straining, with the present improved construction, the panels of the front and rear walls will move outwardly against the pressure of the springs thus taking up any lateral pressure caused by the cotton. It is obvious that the amount of outward expansion can be readily ascertained and the springs made sufiiciently strong to accommodate the maximum expansion.

As disclosed in Figures 4 and 5, the panels are so mounted with respect to the transversely extending channel members as to leave a space between the inner edges of the channel members and the outer face of the panels. This allows sufiicient distance for the panels to move outwardly as a result of the outward expansion of the cotton within the press. It is also seen that the height of the channel irons 33 is such as to allow said irons to project into the space between the channel members without interfering with said channel members.

Since the outward expansion of the cotton can be determined, the space between the panels and the inner edges of the channels can be made sufficiently large to accommodate the maximum expansion of the cotton without contact between the panels and the channel members. Thus, since the channel members do not receive any load from the expanding cotton, the channel members may be made of a much lighter construction than heretofore used resulting in lower costs for the press.

Although the present disclosure shows the floating panels in the front and rear doors only, it is obvious that the present invention contemplates the use of floating panels in the end doors if so desired.

Thus it will be seen that the construction herein shown and described is well adapted to accomplish the objects of the present invention. It will be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied otherwise than here shown and that in the form illustrated, certain changes in the construction may be made. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited precisely to the construction herein shown except as may be required by the appended claims considered with reference to the prior art.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: i

1. In a baling press, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, at least one of said doors formed of panels, a plurality of reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, and yieldable means mounting said panels to the reinforcing members for permitting outward movement of the panels upon outward pressure within the press box.

2. In a baling press, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, at least one of said doors formed of panels, a plurality of reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, means for mounting said panels on said reinforcing members, and a series of springs mounted between the panels and the reinforcing members for permitting limited outward movement of the panels upon outward pressure against said panels.

3. In a baling press, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, a pair of oppositely disposed doors formed of movable panels, reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, means for mounting said panels on said reinforcing members, and yieldable means mounted between the panels and the reinforcing members urging the panels inwardly but permitting outward movement of said panels upon outward pressure within the press box.

4. In a baling press, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, a pair of oppositely disposed doors formed of movable panels, reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, means for mounting said panels on said reinforcing members, yieldabl e means mounted between the panels and the rein-- forcing members urging the panels inwardly but permitting outward movement, and means at the edges of said oppositely disposed doors for cooperating with the edges of the other pair of doors for'clamping said latter pair ofdoors in closed position.

5. In a baling press, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, a pair of oppositely disposed doors formed of movable panels, reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, means for yieldably mounting said panels on said reinforcing members, the other pair of doors hingedly mounted at their lower ends, and means on said panels adjacent their upper edge for cooperating with the edges of the hinged doors for clamping said latter pair of doors in closed position.

6. In a baling press, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, a pair of oppositely disposed doors formed of movable panels, reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, means for yieldably mounting said panels on said reinforcing members, the other pair of doors hingedly mounted at their lower ends, and clamping members joined to said panels adjacent their upper edge, said clamping members having angularly disposed portions for cooperating with the hinged doors for holding said doors in closed position.

7. In a press, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, at least one of said doors formed of outwardly movable panels, a pair of reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, bolts connecting the reinforcing members, a bar bridging said bolts 'between the bolts and panels, and resilient means interposed between the bar and panels for urging the panels inwardly against any outward pressure within the box.

8. In a baling press for cotton, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, at least one of said doors formed of outwardly movable panels, a bar transverse of said panels and connecting said panels, a pair of reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, bolts connecting the reinforcing members, a channel bar bridging said bolts between the bolts and said panel connecting bar and spring means between the channel bar and the connecting bar for urging the connecting bar inwardly.-

9. In a cotton baling press, a press box comprising a plurality of doors, at least one of said doorsformed of outwardly movable panels, a bar connecting said panels, a pair of reinforcing members extending transversely of the panels and spaced therefrom, a straddle plate bridging the outer edges of the reinforcing members and substantially parallel to the plane of the panels, a

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