US3687063A

US3687063A - Apparatus for compacting material into drums or bags

Info

Publication number: US3687063A
Application number: US132957A
Authority: US
Inventors: Milton Clar
Original assignee: AUTO PAK CO
Current assignee: General Defense Corp; AUTO PAK CO
Priority date: 1971-04-12
Filing date: 1971-04-12
Publication date: 1972-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-29

Abstract

Compacting apparatus having a material receiver chamber with an inlet opening at the top and an outlet opening at the front, the top and bottom edges of the outlet opening being defined by a circular arcs merging at opposite ends with straight segments which form square corners at the side extremities of the outlet opening. A compaction blade of cross-section substantially the same as the outlet opening, and the cross-section of the lower portion of the material receiver chamber, moves through the chamber and forces material through the outlet opening into a snout. The snout comprises, in succession, a portion of crosssection substantially the same as the receiver chamber outlet opening, a tapered transition portion, and a portion of circular cross-section which diverges outwardly toward a circular snout outlet opening. A receptacle received over the snout is moved along the snout as material is supplied thereto. The blade has cutting teeth which cooperate with a shear bar at the upper portion of the receiver chamber outlet opening. If the blade encounters an obstruction during its compacting stroke, the forward movement of the blade will be reversed, but only for a short period of time, and then the blade will again be moved forwardly into the obstruction, repetitive short strokes being employed to break the obstruction.

Description

Unite States Clar atent [54] APPARATUS FOR COMPACTING MATERIAL INTO DRUMS OR BAGS [72] Inventor: Milton Clar, Bethesda, Md.

[73] Assignee: Auto Pak Company, Bladensburg,

[22] Filed: April 12, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 132,957

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 33,284, April 30, 1970, Pat. No. 3,614,925, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 727,845, May 9, 1968, Pat. No. 3,541,949.

[52] US. Cl. ..100/98, 53/77, 53/124 E, 100/49, 100/229 A [51] Int. Cl. ..B65b 63/02 [58] Field of Search.....53/77, 124 E; 100/98, 49, 229 A Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Att0rneyShapiro & Shapiro Aug. 29, 1.972

[5 7 ABSTRACT Compacting apparatus having a material receiver chamber with an inlet opening at the top and an outlet opening at the front, the top and bottom edges of the outlet opening being defined by a circular arcs merging at opposite ends with straight segments which form square corners at the side extremities of the outlet opening. A compaction blade of cross-section substantially the same as the outlet opening, and the crosssection of the lower portion of the material receiver chamber, moves through the chamber and forces material through the outlet opening into a snout. The snout comprises, in succession, a portion of cross-section substantially the same as the receiver chamber outlet opening, a tapered transition portion, and a portion of circular cross-section which diverges outwardly toward a circular snout outlet opening. A receptacle received over the snout is moved along the snout as material is supplied thereto. The blade has cutting teeth which cooperate with a shear bar at the upper portion of the receiver chamber outlet opening. If the blade encounters an obstruction during its compacting stroke, the forward movement of the blade will be reversed, but only for a short period of time, and then the blade will again be moved forwardly into the obstruction, repetitive short strokes being employed to break the obstruction.

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ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR COMPACTING MATERIAL INTO DRUMS OR BAGS REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,541,949, granted Nov. 24,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to compaction apparatus for refuse or the like and is more particularly concerned with apparatus for supplying compacted trash to barrels, drums, or bags, for example.

In the foregoing co-pending applications compaction apparatus is described which employs a material receiver chamber with an inlet opening at one side thereof and an outlet opening at one end thereof through which material is moved by a blade into a volume-reducing snout. The outlet opening from the receiver chamber is non-circular and has an area less than the area of a circle with diameter equal to the width of the outlet opening. The snout has a preferably circular outlet opening of substantially less area than the area of the outlet opening of the receiver chamber and includes a tapered transition portion. A container placed upon the snout receives the compacted material and moves along the snout as the container is filled. The compaction blade has cutting members which cooperate with a shear bar for breaking up large pieces of material in the receiver chamber. This apparatus of the co-pending applications is especially effective in compacting trash from large diameter trash chutes employed in high-rise apartment buildings into conventional containers and requires very little space for its installation and operation. Compaction ratios of the order of 7 to l or better are readily attained, without excessive back pressures upon the packing blade and without jamming. The invention of the aforesaid Ser. No. 33,284 involves, inter alia, optimization of the shape of the receiver chamber, blade, and entry and transitional portions of the snout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an improvement upon the apparatus of the aforesaid co-pending applications, particularly to improvement of the shape of the final portion of the snout, to reduce further any tendency toward jamming or excessive back pressure, and an improvement in the mode of operation in the event that the blade encounters an obstruction, so as to reduce the cycle time and improve the unjamming action.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus of the foregoing type.

Briefly stated, the present invention employs a material receiver chamber, blade, and projecting snout generally similar to that employed in the apparatus of co-pending application Ser. No. 33,284, but the shape of the final portion of the snout has been modified. Moreover, the circuit disclosed in the aforesaid US. Pat. No. 3,541,949 has been modified to facilitate its operation when the blade encounters an obstruction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred and exemplary embodiment, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the blade;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view illustrating the modified snout configuration of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the electrical and hydraulic circuit employed in the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, the compaction apparatus of the present invention comprises a housing or shell 10 having a material receiver chamber 12 at the forward end of the housing and machinery compartment 14 at the rearward end of the housing. The housing has a lower portion defined by a bottom wall (see FIG. 3) which in cross-section includes a circular arc l6 and a pair of

straight segments

18 and 20 which diverge upwardly and outwardly from the circular arc to the

side extremities

22 and 24. The housing has substantially

vertical side walls

26 and 28, which may be slightly upwardly divergent to define the side walls of a hopper leading to the material receiver chamber. The machinery compartment 14 is separated from the material receiver chamber 12 by an upwardly and rearwardly inclined wall 30 extending between the side walls of the housing and defining the rear wall of the hopper. The machinery compartment may have a rear wall at 32 or may be open at the rear. Legs 34 are provided to support the housing above the level of the floor.

The front wall 36 of the housing and the depending vertical portion 38 of wall 30 cooperate with the lower portion of the housing in defining openings (the front wall opening being designated 0) for the passage of a compaction blade 40 of corresponding cross-section. The blade is formed as a hollow box with a cross-section that is circular at top and bottom merging with straight segments at the side extremities. The top and bottom straight segments converge to form square corners at the sides of the blade as shown in FIG. 3. The blade rests upon the bottom of the housing and is constrained against vertical movement by a pair of longitudinally extending angular guides 42 and 44 (FIG. 3) fixed to the inner surfaces of the side walls of the housing in the machinery compartment. The front wall 48 of the blade, constituting the packing surface of the blade, is provided along the upper portion thereof with a series of forwardly extending teeth 46. The blade is supported in the housing for reciprocative movement between a retracted position (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5) at which the front wall 48 of the blade may be adjacent to the opening in rear wall 38 of the receiver chamber, and an extended position (shown in full lines in FIG. 5) at which the front wall of the blade projects forwardly beyond the front wall 36 of the housing.

Reciprocative movement of the blade is obtained by the use of a hydraulic system which includes a pair of hydraulic rams 50 mounted side-by-side in the housing. The cylinders 52 of the rams have one end thereof fixed I to an I-beam 54 mounted horizontally at the rear of the housing, and the piston rods 56 extend forwardly into the box-like compaction blade 40 and are connected to the inside of the front wall 48 thereof, the rear of the compaction blade being open. The remainder of the hydraulic system, which may include a motor-driven pump, four-way reversing valve, and the usual hydraulic fluid lines, will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The hydraulic system may be operated by a manual control or by an automatic control, such as an electric eye which senses trash deposited upon the top of the extended blade, and suitable limit switches, pressure switch, relays, solenoids, etc. may be provided as will be set forth later in conjunction with the hydraulic system.

In accordance with the invention, the housing is provided with a volume-reducing tubular snout 58 which projects forwardly from the opening 0 in the front wall of the housing. The snout preferably comprises three portions, namely a rear or entry portion 60, adjacent to the front wall 36 of the housing, having an initial cross-section which matches and extends from the opening 0 of the front wall, a forward or exit portion 62 of circular cross-section, and an intermediate tapered transitional portion 64 which connects

portions

60 and 62. As shown, the cross-sectional area of the forward portion 62 is substantially less than the cross-sectional area of the rearward portion 60 of the snout, and the cross-sectional area of the transitional portion 64 is continually reduced to match the forward and rearward portions of the snout. In the preferred form of the invention illustrated the taper is principally in a horizontal plane. The sides of the transitional portion 64 comprise wedge-shaped sections 66 having upper and lower surfaces which converge to an apex in the direction of the front of the snout. In accordance with the invention. it has been found that any tendency toward jamming and undue back pressure on the blade is significantly reduced by providing a slight but progressive increase in diameter of the forward portion 62 of the snout from the transition portion to the outlet opening 0'. For convenience this progressive increase in diameter of the circular contours of the snout may take place from the entry of the snout to the exit without deleterious effect upon the compaction accomplished in the transitional portion. Although the increase in diameter in the direction of the outlet end of the snout is only slight, of the order of a quarter of an inch, for example, in a snout 42 inches long with a final diameter of 16% inches, the taper has been found to produce a significant improvement. The slight taper is indicated in FIG. 7.

The snout is constructed quite simply, starting with a generally cylindrical tube which is slightly conical. The rear portion 60 is formed by cutting notches into the sides of the snout from the rear thereof(the notches appearing rectangular in side elevation and having upper and lower edges defined by radial planes from the axis of the snout cylinder at 45 above and 45 below the horizontal), and by attaching at the notches right-angle pieces with the flat surfaces thereof merging with and tangent to the circular surfaces at the top and bottom of the snout. The rear or entry portion of the snout thus formed matches the outlet opening 0 at the front of the housing. The transitional section of the snout is formed by extending the rectangular notches forwardly with the edges converging to a point, and then by fitting the wedge-shaped pieces 66 to these pointed notch extensions, so as to mate with the right-angle pieces at the rear portion of the snout and to blend into the circular surfaces at the front portion of the snout.

The snout may be attached to the housing by means of four fasteners 68, which may include bolts welded to the housing 10, extending into sleeves welded to a rear flange 67 of the snout, and secured by nuts. The upper portion of the opening 0 at the front of the housing is strengthened and extended rearwardly by a shear bar 69 which conforms to the shape of the opening. The shear bar cooperates with the teeth 48 of the blade in breaking up large pieces of material which may obstruct the packing action.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, an arm 70 extends forwardly cantilever-fashion from the rear portion of the snout and supports a switch 72 adjacent to its forward end. The arm is spaced from the upper surface of the forward portion of the snout sufficiently to permit a receptacle D, such as a drum, to be placed over the snout, as will be described hereinafter, and to engage the depending actuator 74 of the switch.

In a typical application of the invention,the compaction apparatus is actuated automatically in response to the presence of material, such as trash, at the inlet opening 1' (FIG. 5) at the top side of the receiver chamber 12. The apparatus of the invention may be located in the basement of a multi-story apartment building beneath the lower end of a chute 76 shown in phantom lines in FIGS. 3 and 4, the housing being extended upwardly as shown in FIG. 4 to provide an enclosure or hopper into which the material to be compacted may fall. Wall 30 constitutes a deflection plate for the material which falls through the chute from the upper levels of the apartment house under the influence of gravity. Reference may be made to the applicants US. Pat. No. 3,231,107 for a description of the arrangement of stationary compaction apparatus in a high-rise apartment house.

In the preferred form of the apparatus of the invention the blade normally rests in its extended or forward position and blocks the inlet opening 1' at the top of the receiver chamber. Material dropping from the chute thus comes to rest upon the top of the blade where it may interrupt a light beam projected from a suitable source, located above the blade at one side of the housing, to a photoelectric relay, similarly located at the opposite side of the housing, as described in the aforesaid patent and the aforesaid co-pending applications. When the light beam is interrupted, the blade is moved rearwardly to the fully retracted position illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 5, and the material resting upon the blade drops into the receiver chamber 12, the blade then moving forwardly to force the material through the outlet opening 0 at the front of the receiver chamber. Suitable wiper elements 78 (FIG. 3), such as canvas or rubber strips, may be secured to wall portion 38 around the upper edges of the opening therein to wipe the blade and prevent material from being carried into the machinery compartment 14 as the blade moves rearwardly.

When the blade reaches its fully retracted position, the operating circuit reverses the movement of the blade, and the blade moves forwardly, forcing the material in the receiver chamber into the snout. If no further material is received on top of the blade when the blade is in its forward or extended position, the blade comes to rest in that position. If the blade encounters a large obstruction as it moves forwardly, the operation of the system produces back and forth movement of the blade, causing the teeth 46 to engage the obstruction repetitively and, by cooperation with the shear bar 69, to break the obstruction if possible and force the pieces into the snout.

The material forced into the rear portion 60 of the snout will be greatly reduced in volume when it encounters the transition section 64 and will be squeezed into the forward section 62. When sufi'icient compacted material accumulates in the snout, the snout will fill up, and the compacted material will pass through outlet opening 0' of the snout into the receptacle D. As more and more compacted material is forced into the receptacle, the receptacle, which is closed at its leftend (bottom) in FIG. 4 and is free to move on the snout, will move forwardly along the snout under the compressive force of the compaction blade until the actuator 74 of switch 72 is released. This will de-energize the apparatus and operate an indicator light to signify that the receptacle should be changed.

Either a drum-type receptacle, such as a 55 gallon metal oil drum, or a bag-type receptacle, such as a bag of heavy paper or plastic material, may be employed. The receptacle is preferably placed upon the snout until its major portion (at least 50 percent) overlaps the snout. The receptacle need not fit the snout snugly, because it need not partake significantly in the compaction of the material received therein. An oil drum manually placed upon the snout until its bottom is a few inches from outlet 0 will move forwardly when filled until it tips and the bottom-side corner engages the floor, whereupon the drum may be manually removed from the snout and replaced by another.

As set forth in the aforesaid co-pending applications, apparatus heretofore proposed to compact material supplied from a chute and to feed the compacted material to a receptacle employs a blade which moves the material from a receiver chamber and through a tapered snout. However, such apparatus relies upon circular cross-sectional geometry exclusively. (Rudimentary non-circular tapered compaction apparatus has been employed in packaging Christmas trees, for example, but is not suitable for handling trash supplied as in the environment of the present invention.) The applicant discovered that an optimum relationship exists between the cross-sectional area of the opening at the front of the receiver chamber (the entry to the snout), the cross-sectional area at the discharge outlet of the snout, the amount of compaction obtained, and the force required to drive the compaction blade, and that in practice the relationship cannot be fulfilled with circular geometry compaction apparatus in association with large diameter chutes and conventional containers. Optimum operation, with compaction of the order of 7 to 1 (volume reduction) for ordinary dry trash is obtained when the area of the discharge opening of the snout is approximately 78 percent of the area of the outlet from the receiver chamber. If this percentage increases appreciably, the compaction ratio decreases, and if the percentage decreases appreciably, the increased compaction is not justified by the great increase in energy required to do the compacting. If the receiver chamber is a cylinder of circular cross-section with a circular outlet opening, the diameter of the receiver chamber must be sufficient to accommodate the large diameter chutes which must be employed in apartment buildings, for example, for adequate handling of conventionally disposed items such as large cardboard boxes and bundles of newspapers. Severely tapered hopper walls leading to a smaller diameter chamber promote jamming by large objects. Typically the chute may have a 24 inch or 30 inch diameter or width. If the diameter of the receiver chamber is commensurately large, as is necessary to prevent clogging at the inlet opening of the receiver chamber, the diameter of the outlet of the snout must also be quite large. Otherwise, the back pressure upon the packing blade becomes enormous, and the amount of energy required to compact the material becomes impractically large. If a large enough snout outlet diameter is employed to prevent these conditions, the cross-sectional area of conventional receptacles is too small to fit the snout. Hence, unconventional and expensive receptacles must be employed, and such receptacles are so large that they become unwieldy, making it very difficult to handle them manually when filled.

As set forth in the aforesaid co-pending applications, the foregoing problems are overcome by providing compaction apparatus with a receiver chamber wide enough to accommodate a large diameter chute, such as a 24 inch diameter or 30 inch diameter chute, and which yet permits the use of a relatively small diameter snout outlet commensurate with conventional receptacles, such as 55 gallon oil drums and paper bags of similar size. The invention set forth in the co-pending applications employs a blade of greater width than height, the receiver chamber outlet opening and the lower portion of the receiver chamber matching the configuration of the blade, and the receiver chamber outlet opening having its widest dimension disposed horizontally, so as to accommodate the width of the chute. If a receiver chamber outlet opening of circular cross-section with diameter equal to the width of the receiver chamber were employed, the diameter of the outlet of the snout would have to be much too large to meet the practical considerations set forth above. The cross-sectional area of the outlet opening of the receiver chamber of the apparatus of the co-pending applications is, however, substantially less than the cross-sectional area of a circle with diameter corresponding to the width of the receiver chamber, and thus the cross-sectional area of the snout outlet may be made small enough to fit conventional receptacles without exceeding practical criteria for efficient compaction in terms of the amount of volume reduction obtained from a given energy input.

FIG. 8 illustrates the schematic diagram of an electro-hydraulic circuit for performing the operations described above. The pump motor may be supplied from 208 volt 3-phase supply lines through a motor starter relay 132. l volt AC for the remainder of the circuit is provided by a transformer 134 connected across two of the 3-phase lines, ground for one side of the 115 volt system and for the motor 80 being connected to one side of the secondary winding of transformer 134. Pump P supplies fluid to control valve V through check valve 84.

The light source 124 and photoelectric relay 126 are supplied from transformer 134 as shown. The motor starter relay 132 is controlled by relay CR1, which closes a circuit for energizing the motor starter relay when the light beam from source 124 is interrupted so as to close the contacts of relay 126, thereby completing a circuit through the coil of relay CR1, switch 72 (closed upon its lower contact) and on-off switch 138. Actuation of relay CR1 closes two sets of contacts, the upper contacts illustrated extending in energization circuit to the coil of the motor starter relay 132 and to the coil of relay CR2, and the lower contacts illustrated providing a holding circuit for relay CR1 through the upper contacts of limit switch LS1, which is normally closed upon its upper contact and is closed upon its lower contact when the blade is in its forward rest position. Energization of relay CR2 closes its two sets of contacts, the upper set completing an actuating circuit for solenoid 88 of the two-way control valve V, and the lower contacts completing a holding circuit for relay CR2 through limit switch LS2, which is normally closed and which is opened by the compaction blade when the blade reaches its fully retracted position. Limit switches LS1 and LS2 may be positioned on a side wall of the housing, as indicated in the aforesaid US. Pat. No. 3,541,949 and may have actuating arms which project through openings in the side wall to engage a cam mounted upon the blade. A manual reverse switch R shunts the upper contacts of relay CR2 and thus permits energization of solenoid 88 independently of the relay. A pressure switch PS controls the energization circuit of a time delay relay TD, the contacts of which also shunt the upper contacts of relay CR2. Switch 72, previously described in connection with the snout, controls an indicator lamp 140 to indicate that the container or receptacle is full, and to interrupt operation of the compaction apparatus.

When material to be compacted comes to rest upon the top of the normally extended compaction blade 42 and interrupts the light beam from source 124, photoelectric relay 126 is actuated, losing the motor starter relay 132 and energizing pump motor St). in the extended position of the blade, switch LS1 is closed upon its lower contact (by the actuating cam on the blade). Actuation of photoelectric relay 126 not only energizes relay CR1 to energize the starter relay 132, but also energizes relay CR2, which closes its contacts, energizing solenoid 88 and providing a self-holding circuit through limit switch LS2. Energization of solenoid 88 places the control valve V in a position which causes the compaction blade 42 to move rearwardly, releasing the arm of switch LS1 and permitting it to close normally upon its upper contact and provide a holding circuit for relay CR1. As the blade moves rearwardly, the material on top of the blade falls into the receiver chamber 12, removing the interruption of the light beam and permitting photoelectric relay 126 to open its contacts. Relays CR1 and CR2 remain energized,

however, by virtue of the holding circuit just mentioned. When the blade reaches its fully retracted position, switch LS2 is opened by the actuator cam on the blade, breaking the holding circuit for relay CR2, which becomes de-energized and thus de-energizes solenoid 88. The control valve V is returned to its forward" position by its spring bias, causing reversal of the hydraulic fluid path to the cylinders 50 and thereby moving the compaction blade forwardly and forcing the material into the snout. The blade moves forwardly until the limit switch LS1 is moved from its upper contact to its lower contact. This movement immediately opens the holding circuit for relay CR1, de-energizing this relay and the motor starter relay 132. The apparatus thus comes to rest.

In the event that the compaction blade encounters a large obstruction as it moves forwardly, sufficient to cause the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic lines supplying fluid to the cylinders 50 to rise to a predetermined level required to actuate the pressure switch PS, the pressure switch will close, energizing relay TD, which closes it contacts and energizes solenoid 88, so as to reverse the movement of the blade. Such movement of the blade will reduce the hydraulic pressure below the level required to hold switch PS closed and will permit the pressure switch to open, but the relay TD will remain closed for a period of time determined by the built-in time delay. When the contacts of relay TD open, the blade will move forwardly again and engage the obstruction. If the obstruction is not broken, the pressure will build up again, and the same cycle will repeat. Thus, the teeth 46 will engage the obstruction repetitively and, by cooperation with the shear bar, break the obstruction if possible and force the pieces into the snout. The time delay relay provides retracting movement of the blade for a limited time only, substantially less than required to retract the blade fully from the shear bar. This prevents substantial further material from falling in front of the blade and interfering with the action of the teeth. Also the cycle time is not unduly increased. The combination of a slightly diverging snout exit portion, which relieves back pressure somewhat, and the improved action of the blade minimizes jamming.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes can be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. Compaction apparatus comprising a tubular snout having an entry portion with cross-section wider than high, an exit portion of cross-sectional area less than that of the entry portion, and a tapered transitional portion connecting said entry and exit portions, the crosssectional area of said exit portion increasing in the direction of an outlet opening of said exit portion, and means for compacting material in said snout through said entry portion, said snout being freely exposed along a substantial part of its length and adapted to receive a tubular receptacle placed over the exit portion of said snout through one end of the receptacle with the snout extending along the major portion of said receptacle and with the receptacle being free to move along said snout, the opposite end of said receptacle being closed, whereby material is compacted in said snout and forced into said receptacle, causing said receptacle to move along said snout as it fills, the increase in cross-sectional area of said exit portion reducing the back pressure upon said compacting means.

2. Compaction apparatus comprising a material receiver chamber having a material inlet opening at one side thereof and an outlet opening at one end thereof, and a tubular snout extending from said outlet opening and having an outlet opening spaced from the first-mentioned outlet opening, the second-mentioned outlet opening being substantially circular and the firstmentioned outlet opening being non-circular and having an area substantially greater than that of the second-mentioned outlet opening but substantially less than the area of a circle with a diameter constituted by the width of the first-mentioned outlet opening, the portion of said snout adjacent to the second-mentioned outlet opening having a cross-sectional area which expands in the direction of the second-mentioned outlet opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ratio of the width of the first-mentioned outlet opening to the width of the second-mentioned outlet opening is about 3 to 2.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, the area of the secondmentioned outlet opening being no less than about 78 percent of the area of the first-mentioned outlet opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ratio of the width to height of the first-mentioned outlet opening is substantially 3 to 2.

- 6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first-mentioned outlet opening, has corners at its side extemities.

7. Compaction apparatus comprising a material receiver chamber having an outlet opening at one end thereof with a tubular snout projecting from said opening, said opening being defined by circular arcs at the top and bottom merging at opposite ends thereof with straight segments, straight segments at the top converging with the corresponding straight segments at the bottom to form corners at the side extremities of said opening, said snout having a first portion of cross-section substantially similar to the said opening, a second portion of substantially circular cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of said first portion, and a transitional portion connecting said first and second portions, said second portion having a crosssectional area which expands in a direction away from said transitional portion, and a compaction blade supported for movement in said material receiver chamber toward and away from said snout, said snout being freely exposed along a substantial part of its length and adapted to receive a tubular container thereon over said second portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, said blade having an upper portion with walls diverging downwardly and outwardly to the side extremities of said chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said transitional portion comprises a pair of snout sections at opposite sides of said snout which converge toward the center of said snout horizontally and each of which includes surfaces which converge vertically.

l0. Compaction apparatus comprising a material receiver chamber having an inlet openingl at one side thereof and an outlet opening at one end t ereof, shear bar means adjacent to said outlet opening, a compaction blade supported for movement in said chamber toward and away from said shear bar means and said opening, said blade having cutter means extending therefrom toward said shear bar means and cooperable therewith to shear material in said chamber, a hydrau lic system for causing said movement of said blade, said system having control means for causing said blade to move away from said shear bar means when the hydraulic pressure in said system reaches a predetermined level, but only for a time substantially less than that required for the blade to move from said shear bar means to its farthest position therefrom, and for thereafter causing said blade to move toward said shear bar means again, said control means comprising a time delay relay.

1].. The apparatus of claim 10, said outlet opening having a tubular snout extending therefrom away from said chamber and having an outlet opening spaced from the first-mentioned outlet opening, the secondmentioned outlet opening being substantially circular and the first-mentioned outlet opening being non-circular and having an area substantially greater than that of the second-mentioned outlet opening but substantially less than the area of a circle with a diameter constituted by the width of the first-mentioned outlet opening, the portion of said snout adjacent to the secondmentioned outlet opening having a cross-sectional area which expands in the direction of the second-mentioned outlet opening.

Claims

1. Compaction apparatus comprising a tubular snout having an entry portion with cross-section wider than high, an exit portion of cross-sectional area less than that of the entry portion, and a tapered transitional portion connecting said entry and exit portions, the cross-sectional area of said exit portion increasing in the direction of an outlet opening of said exit portion, and means for compacting material in said snout through said entry portion, said snout being freely exposed along a substantial part of its length and adapted to receive a tubular receptacle placed over the exit portion of said snout through one end of the receptacle with the snout extending along the major portion of said receptacle and with the receptacle being free to move along said snout, the opposite end of said receptacle being closed, whereby material is compacted in said snout and forced into said receptacle, causing said receptacle to move along said snout as it fills, the increase in cross-sectional area of said exit portion reducing the back pressure upon said compacting means.

2. Compaction apparatus comprising a material receiver chamber having a material inlet opening at one side thereof and an outlet opening at one end thereof, and a tubular snout extending from said outlet opening and having an outlet opening spaced from the first-mentioned outlet opening, the second-mentioned outlet opening being substantially circular and the first-mentioned outlet opening being non-circular and having an area substantially greater than that of the second-mentioned outlet opening but substantially less than the area of a circle with a diameter constituted by the width of the first-mentioned outlet opening, the portion of said snout adjacent to the second-mentioned outlet opening having a cross-sectional area which expands in the direction of the second-mentioned outlet opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, the area of the second-mentioned outlet opening being no less than about 78 percent of the area of the first-mentioned outlet opening.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first-mentioned outlet opening, has corners at its side extremities.

7. Compaction apparatus comprising a material receiver chamber having an outlet opening at one end thereof with a tubular snout projecting from said opening, said opening being defined by circular arcs at the top and bottom merging at opposite ends thereof with straight segments, straight segments at the top converging with the corresponding straight segments at the bottom to form corners at the side extremities of said opening, said snout having a first portion of cross-section substantially similar to the said opening, a second portion of substantially circular cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of said first portion, and a transitional portion connecting said first and second portions, said second portion having a cross-sectional area which expands in a direction away from said transitional portion, and a compaction blade supported for movement in said material receiver chamber toward and away from said snout, said snout being freely exposed along a substantial part of its length and adapted to receive a tubular container thereon over said second portion.

10. Compaction apparatus comprising a material receiver chamber having an inlet opening at one side thereof and an outlet opening at one end thereof, shear bar means adjacent to said outlet opening, a compaction blade supported for movement in said chamber toward and away from said shear bar means and said opening, said blade having cutter means extending therefrom toward said shear bar means and cooperable therewith to shear material in said chamber, a hydraulic system for causing said movement of said blade, said system having control means for causing said blade to move away from said shear bar means when the hydraulic pressure in said system reaches a predetermined level, but only for a time substantially less than that required for the blade to move from said shear bar means to its farthest position therefrom, and for thereafter causing said blade to move toward said shear bar means again, said control means comprising a time delay relay.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, said outlet opening having a tubular snout extending therefrom away from said chamber and having an outlet opening spaced from the first-mentioned outlet opening, the second-mentioned outlet opening being substantially circular and the first-mentioned outlet opening being non-circular and having an area substantially greater than that of the second-mentioned outlet opening but substantially less than the area of a circle with a diameter constituted by the width of the first-mentioned outlet opening, the portion of said snout adjacent to the second-mentioned outlet opening having a cross-sectional area which expands in the direction of the second-mentioned outlet opening.