US2209740A - Retaining dog for cotton gin presses - Google Patents

Description

July 30, 1940. w. STEINHAUER RETAINING DOG FOR COTTON GIN PRESSES Filed June 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l ST'WW JUN/[am L. Sfe/nhczuer July 1940- w. L. STEINHAUIER 2,209,740

RETAINING DOG FOR COTTON GIN PRESSES Filed June 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 15 :gll 6 all 17 3" 3? Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES.

RETAINING DOG FOR COTTON GIN PRESSES William L. Steinhauer, Columbus, Ga assignor to Cen-Tennial CottonGin Company, Columbus, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application June 1, 1938, Serial'No. 211,293

' 17 Claims. ot on-30) The invention relates generally to the art of baling cotton and primarily seeks to provide novel retaining dog structures which are positively locked in the cotton retaining position during the 5 filling and tamping of the press box, and during the transferring of the filled press box to position over the packing or baling ram structure,- and released only upon upward movement of the ram during the commencement of the actual cotton packing process.

In the baling of cotton, one form of apparatus commonly used employs a pair of boxes mounted on a turntable, one at each side of a supporting column about the axis of which the turntable is movable for alternately positioning the respective boxes beneath the cotton filling and tamping mechanism or over the cotton pressing ram structure. During the filling and tamping of the cotton, and particularly during the movement of the box from the filling and tamping position to position over the ram structure, it is necessary to hold the cotton against movement upwardly in thepre'ss box. This is accomplished by dogs which project inwardly through open-,

ings in the walls of the box and engage over the upper portion of the cotton fill. Dog structures heretofore employed have been held in place yieldably by spring means and have frequently caused difficulty by releasing under the expansive urge of the cotton mass, this being particularly true when very dry cotton is being baled. Attempts have been made to remedy this condition by provision of holding dogs which were held in position during filling and tamping of the cotton 5 and released only during transfer movement of the box from its filling position to the packing position over the ram. However, even these allegedly improved structures have proven objectionable because in turning the press box to the packing or baling position, the box and turntable assembly being a very heavy structure, the boxes frequently carried past the point of intended registry with the ramming structure and with the filling and tamping mechanism, and

when this was done, the tripping devices employed in such structures released the dogs and allowed the cotton to rise up over the top of the box rendering difiicult the necessary repositioning of the boxes. I

Therefore, in its more detailed nature, the

1 present invention has for an object to provide a novel cotton mass holding dog equipment in which the dogs are positively locked against movement upwardly with the cotton during the filling and tamping of'the cotton mass, and during the movement of the box from the filling" station to the baling or packing station, and in wh'ich is included lock releasing trigger mechanism operable by movement of the ram at the commencement of the packing process for re- 5 leasing the dogs.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel dog structures positively locked in the cotton mass holding position by pivoted lock levers, and novel trigger releasing means engaged by the 10 press cam follower for moving the lock levers to the released position and including yieldable connections for permitting the resetting of the trig ger devices without disturbing the locking levers.

Another object of the invention is to'provide 15 a novel master dog and Weight so cooperatively arranged that the dog is free to move upwardly independently of the weight and downwardly only upon overcomingthe resistance to downward movement imposed by the weight, said 20 weight serving also to determine the normal atrest position of j the dog's.

With the above and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the g5 description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure '1 is a ,somewhat diagrammatic side elevation illustrating a baling press with the in- 36' vention embodied thereon.

Figure '2 is an end View of one of the boxes, the retaining dogs being shown in the cotton mass retaining position in full lines and in the mass releasing position in dot and dash lines. 5

Figure 3 isa horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 on Figure 2. 1 Figure 4 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 4-4 on Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical section illustrating a master dog and weight equipment, the normal position of the parts being shown in full lines, the depressed position of the dog in dotted lines, and the raised position of the dog in dot and dash lines.

In the drawings I have illustrated one form of press in which the invention can be embodied. In the illustrated press structure there is provided the usual turntable 5 which is rotatable about the axis of the column 6 supported in suitable framing l. The press boxes disposed at opposite sides of the column 6 are generally designated 8, and by movement of the turntable 5 in the conventional manner, these boxes are pre- I sented alternately beneath the filling and tamping mechanism generally designated 9, or at the baling or packing station over the press ram ID. The usual follower block is indicated at H.

The press boxes are constructed in the usual manner to include end walls I2 and side walls |3 all hinged at their lower ends at M so that they can be swung to the open position at the completion of the baling or packing process to release the bale in the usual manner. During the filling and tamping and the packing of the cotton, the box walls are secured by any of the conventional forms of clamping means (not shown).

In the practical development of the present invention the dogs are supported on the side walls l3 and project in "the usual manner, through vertical slotways |5 in the side walls, into the interior of the boxes. tuated lock and release levers are supported on the outer end walls l2. Along the outer face of each side wall a rock shaft I6 is supported in suitable bearings each shaft being extended beyond the edge limit. of the side walls and equipped with a lock arm I8 depending vertically from the shaft as indicated at 9 so as to tend normally to hold the dogs in the position illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawmgs. v i

Upper and lower reinforcing channel beams 20 are secured across each end wall I2, and on the upper channel of one or both of the end walls is mounted a supporting angle 2|. Above the angle 2| a mounting bar 22 is secured to each side wall, and each bar, 22 carries two pivot bolts 23 on which are mounted a pair of lock and release levers 24. The outer ends of the levers normally lie, as shown in Figure -2 of the drawings, in position for engaging the lock arms l8 so as to prevent inward movement of said arms and upward movement of ,the press dogs 26, se-

cured in equidistantly spaced relation along the rods I6. At their inner ends the levers overlap as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings for a purpose that will soon become apparent. It

4 will be noted that the dogs are curved downwardly for engaging in and efficiently holding down the cotton mass pressed into the box by the tamping mechanism.

A release rod 21 is vertically reciprocable in bearings provided therefor in the flanges of the channel 26 and includes a, bifurcated portion at its upper end which straddles the. overlapped ends of the levers 22 and carries an actuator pin 29 which engages in longitudinal slots 3|| formed in said overlapped lever ends.- Thus, whenever the rod 21 is elevated, it will lift the overlapped ends of the levers and effect a lowering of the outer ends thereof, releasing the arms I8 and permitting upward movement of the dogs 26. The bifurcated portion includes a heel S which overlies the angle 2| and serves as a stop preventing movement of the actuator pin 29 downwardly from the dog locking position shown in full lines in Figure 2. I

At its lower end the rod 21 is telescopically received in a socket formed at the upper end of the trigger rod 3|, the bottom 32 of the socket serving to limit the degree to which the rod 21 can be telescoped into said socket. The relation of the rods 21 and 3| with the rod engaging the socket bottom 32is yieldably retained The trigger ac- "into the interior of the press box to overlie and be engaged and actuated by cotton mass or the press ram follower block I As previously stated, dog moving devices and trigger mechanisms may be mounted on both or one only of the press box end walls l2.

On each shaft I6 is secured a master dog 40 which is identical with the remaining dogs except that it includes an outward extension 4|, swingable in the arcuate clearance 42 in a master dog weight 43 freely rotatably mounted on the respective shaft l6 as at 44 and including an abutment lug 45 for preventing swinging movement of the master dog downwardly independent of theweight. Each member 40 includes a depending weighted portion 46 which cooperates with the lug 45 and dog extension 4| in holding the respective master dog 40 and associated dogs 26 in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. The arcuate clearances 42 permit the dogs 40 to move upwardly independent of the weights 43, but each time the dogs are moved downwardly during filling and tamping of the cotton, the extensions 4| engaging with the abutment lugs 45 cause the weights 46 to swing away from the box sides, and when downward pressure on the dogs is released the weights 46 will swing down and return themaccurately to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings.

In operation, the press turntable is positioned so that an empty box will be disposed beneath and in registry with the cotton filling and tamping mechanism and the other box will be positioned over and in registry with the press ram structure. The cotton is fed into the empty box and tamped therein, the press dogs 26 being free to move downwardly to permit the cotton to pass, after which the counterweighted portions 46 of the members 43 will serve to elevate or return the dogs to the normal, cotton holding position shown in full lines in. Figure 2 of the drawings. During this filling of the box with cotton, the outer ends of the lock levers 22 lie in the path of movement of the arms I8, 9 and lock the dogs 26 against upward movement, thus assuring against inadvertent releasing of the dogs regardless of the amount or condition of cotton forced into the box. This positively locked condition of the dogs pertains not only during the filling and tamping of the box, but also during movement of the box from its position beneath the filling and tamping mechanism to the position of registry at the baling or packing station over the ram Ill and follower block I After a properly filled and transferred box is suitably positioned at the baling or packing station, the ram l0 and follower block I I are moved upwardly, and at this time only, namely, at the commencement of the packing process, are the locking devices released so as to permit upward movement of the dogs 26. As the follower block moves upwardly it, or the cotton mass, will engage the trigger or triggers 38 and force the rod members 3i, .2! upwardly effecting a lifting of the inner overlapped endsof the lock levers 22 and a lowering of the outer ends of said levers. As the outer ends of the levers are moved downwardly beneath the lower ends of the lock arms 18 the rock shaft i6 is freed and the dogs 26 can now move upwardly under the expansive urge of the cottonand permit the cotton mass within the box'to be packed against the abutment head 39.

After the baling or packing process has been completed, the side and end walls of the box are swung outwardly to release the bale in the usual manner, and the dogs 26 will return to their normal positions.

As the ram Ill and follower block H move downwardly the follower block will engage the trigger or triggers 38, imparting downward movement thereto, said movement being permitted by the telescopic relation. of the rod members 21 and 3t and the provision of the connecting spring 33.

It is of course to be understood that the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I

I claim:

1. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form' a press box, certain of said wall structures having slots therein, a ram follower block movable into the box for packing a cotton mass therein, dogs projecting through said slots into the box for normally holding a mass of cotton against expansion in said box, means normally locking said dogs in the holding position, and means positively actuated by engagement of the follower block for releasing said locking means.

2. In a baling press, a press box having wall slots therein, cotton filling and tamping means, cotton packing means, means for presenting the box alternately in registry with said filling and tamping means and said packing means, holding dogs projected through the wall slots into the interior of the box for holding cotton filled and tamped therein, means for locking the dogs against movement under the expansive urge of 'tamped therein, means for locking the dogs against movement under the expansive urge of the cotton held thereby, and 'means positively actuated by engagement of the packing means toward the cotton in the box for releasing said locking means and including yieldable connections for permitting retractile movement of said packing means. I

4. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain of said wall structures having slots therein, a ram follower block movable into the box for packing a cotton mass therein, dogs projecting through said slots into the box for normally holding a mass of cotton against expansion in said box, said dogs being movable in a direction for permitting cotton being filled and tamp-ed to pass them, movable lock lever means for normally locking the dogs in the holding position, and means positively actuated by engagement ofuthefollower block toward the cotton in the box for displacing said lever means and releasing said dogs.

5. In a baling press, wall structures cooperat-. ing to form a press box, certain of said wall structures having slots therein, a ram follower block movable into the box for packing a cotton mass therein, dogs projecting through said slots into the box for, normally holding a mass of cotton'against expansion in said box, said dogs being movable in a direction for permitting cotton being filled and tamped-to pass them, movable lock lever means for normally locking the dogs in the holding position, and means actuated by movement of the follower block toward the cotton in the box for displacing said lever means and re-. leasing said dogs, said last named means includ-, ing a pivoted trigger lever having an end projected into the path of movement of the follower block, and a rod connected to the trigger lever and to the lock lever means.

6. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain of said wall structures having slots therein, a ram follower block movable into the box for packing a cotton mass the-rein, dogs projecting through said slots into the box for normally holding a mass of cotton against expansion in said box, said dogs being movable in a direction for permitting cotton being filled and tamped to pass them, movable lock lever means for normally locking the dogs in the holding position, and means actuated by movement of the follower block toward the cotton in the box for displacing said lever means and releasing said dogs, said last named means including a pivoted trigger lever having an end projected into the path of movement of the fol- 7. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, look arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, means normally engaging said arms for locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downward movement thereof, cotton packing means movable upwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, and means operable incident to commencement of the packing operation for displacing said looking means.

8. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lock arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, pivoted lock lever means interposed between and normally engaging the lock arms for locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting outward movement of the arms and downward movementof said dogs, counterweight means normally holding said arms against the lever means, a packing follower, and means actuated by movement of said follower for displacing said lever means to permit the dogs to be moved upwardly.

9. In a baling press, wall structurescooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, look arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, pivoted lock lever means interposed between and normally engaging the lock arms for locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting outward movement of the arms and downward movement of said dogs, counterweight means normally holding said arms against the lever means, cotton packing means movable H upwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, and means operable incident to commencement of the packing operation for displacing said lever means.

10. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton .mass

" filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lock arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped and outer ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normally locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downward movement thereof, a packing follower, and means operable by movement of the follower for engaging the overlapped ends of the levers and displacing them for feeding the dogs for movement upwardly.

11. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lock arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped and outer ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normally locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downward movement thereof, a packing follower, counterweight means normally holding said arms against the outer ends of the lovers, and means operable by movement of the fol lower for engaging the overlapped ends of the levers and displacing them for freeing the dogs for movement upwardly.

12. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, look arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped and outer endsrespectively engaging inside the lock arms for normally locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downward movement thereof, means engaging the overlapped ends of the levers for displacing them and freeing the dogs for movement upwardly, cotton packing means movable upwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, and means operable by movement of said packing means for actuating said lever displacing means.

13. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, look arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped and outer ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normally locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downward movement thereof, a rod structure engaging the overlapped ends of the levers and operable for displacing the levers and freeing the dogs for movement upwardly, a cotton packing ram and follower block movable upwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, and trigger means connected with said rod structure and engageable by said block for actuating said rod structure.

14. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, look arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped and outer ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normally locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downward movement thereof, a rod structure engaging the overlapped ends of the levers and operable for displacing the levers and freeing the dogs for movement upwardly, a cotton packing ram and follower block movable upwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, trigger means connected with said rod structure and engageable by said block for actuating said rod structure, means limiting movement of displacement of the outer ends of the lock levers to movement in a single direction, and yieldable means permitting reverse trigger means move ment upon retraction of the block without effecting lock lever movement.

15. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures which carry them, lock arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, a pair of lock levers pivotally supported intermediate their ends and having inner ends overlapped and outer ends respectively engaging inside the lock arms for normally locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting downward movement thereof, a rod structure engaging the overlapped ends of the levers and operable for displacing the levers and freeing the dogs for movement upwardly, a cotton packing ram and follower block movable upwardly into the box for packing the cotton mass therein, trigger means connected with said rod structure and operable in one direction by a follower block contact for causing lock lever displacing movement of said rod, means limiting movement of displacement of the outer ends of the lock levers to movement in a single direction, and yieldable means permitting trigger means movement in the reverse direction upon retraction of the block without effecting lock lever movement, said last named means comprising an extensible section in said rod structure and spring means normally holding said extensible section non-extended.

16. In a baling press, a side wall having a slot therein, a shaft rockably supported on the wall,

a dog carried by the shaft and extending through the slot to engage a cotton mass and having an outwardly extended portion, a counterweight rockable on the shaft and having a weighted stop portion normally engaging said wall to determine the position of the dog, said counterweight hav-,

ing an arcuate clearance therein to permit movement of the outwardly extended portion in one direction and terminating in an abutment lug to prevent movement of the extended portion in the opposite direction and cooperating with the stop portion in normally positioning the dog.

1'7. In a baling press, wall structures cooperating to form a press box, certain opposed wall structures having slots therein, a shaft rockably supported on the outer face of'each slotted wall structure, cotton holding dogs secured on the shafts and extended through the slots into the interior of the box for overlying the cotton mass filled into the box to hold the cotton against upward expansion, said shafts being extended beyond an edge of the wall structures whichcarry them, look arms mounted on the extended shaft ends, pivoted lock lever means interposed be-' tween and normally engaging the lock arms for locking the dogs against upward movement while permitting outward movement of the arms and downward movement of said dogs, one said dog including an outward extension, means for displacing said lever means to permit the dogs to be moved upwardly, and a counterweight associated with said dog extension and having an arcuate clearance for permitting movement of the dog extension in one direction and an abut-' ment lug for preventing movement of the dog extension in the opposite direction, said abutment lug cooperating with the counterweight in holding said arms in dog locking relation with said lever means.

WILLIAM L. STEINHAUER.

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