Presses – Methods – Successive compressions from different directions
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-07
2001-09-18
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Presses
Methods
Successive compressions from different directions
C100S100000, C100S232000, C100S233000, C100S249000, C100S255000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289798
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a baling machine and more particularly to a baling machine for baling cured and dried tobacco.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
After tobacco is cured and dried, in the past it has typically been placed in loose form in sheets and transported to market. Prior to being sheeted, the tobacco is held within tobacco racks or large containers within bulk tobacco barns. In emptying the barns, the tobacco within the racks and containers are placed in the sheets and the sheets are tied up and loaded onto a truck that transports the sheeted tobacco to market. This basic method of handling cured and dried tobacco between the farm and the market has been used for approximately thirty to forty years. However, it has some serious drawbacks and disadvantages. First this system of handling and transporting cured and dried tobacco is very labor intensive. In addition, handling cured and dried tobacco in sheets results in significant losses due to the tobacco falling out of the sheets between the farm and a warehouse where the tobacco is sold. Finally, transportation costs are also a concern. Since the tobacco is not compressed or packed within the sheets, then it follows that the tobacco assumes a relatively large volume and that in turn means that transportation costs can be substantial.
In recent years, there has been a trend towards baling cured and dried tobacco. Tobacco balers are now being used at both farm and market sites. The loose leaf cured and dried tobacco is typically removed from racks and containers and fed into a baler. The baler compresses the tobacco into cubes and the cubes of compressed tobacco are tied with wire and finally ejected or removed from the baler.
There are a number of baler designs being used to bale tobacco. Essentially, all of the balers include a baling chamber and a reciprocating ram that moves back and forth through the baling chamber to compress the loose tobacco. However, the baling machines that are used today to bale tobacco have a number of drawbacks and disadvantages. Principally among the disadvantages is that these balers are difficult and time consuming to load. For example, a number of balers that are presently being used to bale cured and dried tobacco include fixed upright side walls that tend to extend to such a height that it is difficult for individuals to hand feed the tobacco into the baling chamber. Consequently loading the baler is slow and that in turn translates to an inefficient and costly baling operation.
Therefore, there has been and continues to be a need for a tobacco baling machine that is easy to load and which has the capacity to produce a relatively large output of tobacco bales.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention entails a baler for baling tobacco and other materials. The baler includes a baling chamber supported on a main frame structure. Forming a part of the baling chamber is at least one moveable side and top assembly. During the actual baling operation, the moveable side and top assembly forms a side and at least a portion of the top of the bale chamber. However, in loading the bale chamber, the side and top assembly is movable from the closed position to an open position, leaving the bale chamber open in order that material can be fed or delivered into the chamber. Once the baling chamber has been filled with material to be baled, the side and top assembly is moved from the open position back to the closed position where the side and top assembly form a side and at least a portion of the top of the baling chamber. In the embodiment illustrated herein, the side and top assembly is pivotally mounted on the baler and includes a side wall or panel and a top panel with the top panel being pivotally connected to the side wall. Thus, it is appreciated that the entire assembly can be pivoted back and forth between the closed and open positions and at the same time the top panel can be pivoted back and forth with respect to the side panel. Thus, for example, in loading the bale chamber, the top panel of the assembly can be pivoted to where it extends generally coplanar with the side wall and together the side wall and top panel can be pivoted outwardly to where the side and at least portions of the top of the bale chamber are open for feeding.
Further, in a preferred embodiment, the baler of the present invention includes a pair of opposed side and top assemblies that work together such that when both assemblies are closed, they together form both sides and the top of the bale chamber. As with the embodiment discussed above, both of the side and top assemblies are pivotally mounted on the baler while the top panels of the assembly are pivotally mounted with respect to the side walls. In this embodiment, the top panel of each assembly comprises approximately one-half of the top of the bale chamber when the assemblies assume the closed position.
To secure the side and top assemblies in place when they assume the closed position, there is provided an interlocking structure for securing the side and top assemblies to end structures disposed on opposite ends of the bale chamber. Essentially, when the side and top assemblies are rotated into the closed position, there is provided a series of latches that extend from the end retaining structures and which interlock with the side and top panels of the assemblies. Thus it is appreciated, that in the closed positions, the side and top assemblies, along with a floor area, form a rectangular and rigid bale chamber. In a preferred embodiment, secured to one end retaining structure is an end door that is movable between an open and closed position. In the closed position, the end door forms the end of the bale chamber. Opposite the end door, is an opening through which a ram assembly moves. The ram assembly is designed to reciprocate back and forth and to compress tobacco or other material between the ram and the end door when the door assumes the closed position.
Once a bale has been formed in the bale chamber, the side and top assemblies are rotated outwardly towards their open position. The end door is opened and the ram is extended substantially through the bale chamber, engaging the formed bale and pushing the bale through the open end of the bale chamber. To facilitate removing the bale from the bale chamber, there can be provided a series of rollers formed in the floor of the bale chamber adjacent the bale exit end of the chamber. By utilizing the rollers, the formed bales can be removed from the bale chamber without the assistance of the ram assembly.
The present invention also entails a method of baling tobacco and other materials. In this regard, at least one side and top assembly can be rotated or moved outwardly from the bale chamber so as to leave the bale chamber open. Once the side and top assembly has been rotated outwardly, individuals can hand feed the baler or a mechanical feeding system can be appropriately aligned to where the tobacco or other material is conveyed over the edge of the side and top assembly into the bale chamber. After the bale chamber has been filled, the side and top assembly is closed and the baling operation proceeds.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 199360 (1878-01-01), Ertel
patent: 525203 (1894-08-01), Gray
patent: 623394 (1899-04-01), Burner
patent: 2932244 (1960-04-01), Moyer
patent: 3839852 (1974-10-01), Jebens
patent: 4412410 (1983-11-01), Smith, Jr.
patent: 232671 (1986-02-01), None
patent: 176910 (1922-03-01), None
patent: 2172844 (1986-10-01), None
Coats & Bennett PLLC
Gerrity Stephen F.
LandOfFree
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