Apparatus for compacting used tires

A device for compacting used tires has a rigid base member, a pair of columns rising from the base member, a top beam joining the uppermost extremities of the columns, and a movable engagement member adapted to slide upon the columns. A shaft vertically penetrates the top beam and is pivotally attached to the engagement member. In use, tires are stacked upon the base member, and the shaft, which is essentially a piston component emergent from a pressurized fluid chamber, is caused to force the engagement member downwardly. At the downwardmost point of travel of the engagement member, the tires are tied to form a bale. Retaining assemblies adjustably positioned upon the columns permit tires to be accumulated in multiple pressings prior to baling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to the compaction of tires, and more particularly 
concerns apparatus for the stacking, compaction and baling of used rubber 
tires. 
Used rubber tires constitute a serious environmental disposal problem. 
Factories now exist which can dispose of the tires in a manner which 
derives some value from the tires while not causing adverse ecological 
consequences. One such manner of disposal involves combustion of the tires 
under carefully controlled conditions to produce heat which in turn 
generates electricity. 
Because of their relatively large volume and low economic value, careful 
consideration must be given to the economics of accumulating used tires 
and transporting them to the processing factory. Whether such 
transportation is by way of truck or railway car, it is important that the 
cargo-carrying space be filled as completely as possible. 
Methods have earlier been disclosed for compacting rubber tires in stacks, 
sidewall to sidewall, for more efficient storage and transport. Some of 
said methods are those employed by tire manufacturers wherein tires of the 
same size are packaged for more efficient shipment to sales outlets. Said 
earlier methods of compaction generally employ a hydraulically operated 
ram terminating in a head plate which presses downwardly upon a stack of 
tires centered between four vertical posts which guide the head plate. At 
the lowermost position of the head plate, the tires are bound or baled so 
that, when the head plate is lifted, the tires can be removed as a 
compacted and unified stack or bale having considerably less volume than 
the uncompacted stack. 
In the case of randomly accumulated used tires, the tires are of various 
diameters, widths and thread thickness. The mere stacking of such tires is 
in itself difficult. When compressive force is applied downwardly onto a 
stack of randomly sized used tires, uneven resistance to the compressive 
force, causes tires to move laterally to the direction of compressive 
force, namely away from stacked alignment. Although the use of four 
vertical guide posts, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,678, prevents tilting of 
the head plate due to uneven compressive resistance of the stack, they 
impede the stacking of the tires and removal of the compacted bales. 
A limitation imposed upon earlier compacting devices is the inability to 
accumulate tires in the bale as a consequence of repeated compression 
strokes. If, for example a pressing apparatus has a ten foot height 
capacity and achieves a 5 to 1 compression ratio, a bale of about two foot 
height is produced, and must be removed prior to subsequent operation of 
the apparatus. It would be desirable to be able to make large size bales 
without having to start from a high stack of tires. 
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide apparatus 
for the compacting and baling of used tires. 
It is further object of this invention to provide apparatus as in the 
foregoing object adapted to cope with the uneven sizes and compressive 
characteristics of randomly selected used tires. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the 
aforesaid nature which can be easily and quickly operated. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide apparatus of 
the aforesaid nature capable of accumulating tires in repetitive 
compacting steps to produce bales of varied height. 
It is still a further object of this invention to provide apparatus of the 
aforesaid nature of simple, durable construction amenable to low cost 
manufacture. 
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be 
apparent from the following description. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in 
accordance with the present invention by a compacting apparatus 
comprising: 
a) a rigid base member, 
b) a pair of substantially identical columns rising vertically from opposed 
sites of said base member, and terminating in uppermost extremities, 
c) a top beam extending in joinder between said uppermost extremities and 
disposed in substantially parallel relationship to said base member, said 
beam having an aperture therein centered upon a vertical axis and 
positioned midway between said columns, 
d) movable engagement means slidably interactive with said columns and 
adapted to undergo vertical movement while remaining in substantially 
parallel juxtaposition to said base member, said engagement means having a 
lower surface directed toward said base member and an upper surface 
directed toward said top beam, 
e) pivot means centered upon the upper surface of said engagement means and 
aligned with the aperture in said top beam, 
f) retaining means adjustably disposed upon each column for preventing 
substantial upward movement of compacted tires disposed upon said base 
member, and 
g) a shaft having a lower extremity that engages said pivot means and an 
upper extremity activated by a cylinder confining a pressurized fluid such 
as air or liquid, said shaft passing vertically through said aperture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1-6, an embodiment of the compacting apparatus of the 
present invention is shown comprised of base member 10 which supports 
columns 118 top beam 12 joining said columns, and moveable engagement 
means 13 slidably disposed between said columns and adapted to compact a 
stack of tires 53. 
The exemplified base member 10 is comprised of long beam 14, and short 
beams 15 welded to long beam 14 at the center thereof and orthogonal 
thereto, forming an X-shaped coplanar structure possessing four outermost 
extremities. In other embodiments, however, the base member may have 
alternative configurations serving equivalent function. 
Supporting columns 11, of circular cylindrical contour, are welded to the 
upper surface 16 of long beam 14 adjacent the outermost extremities 
thereof. Said columns rise vertically from said base member, and terminate 
in uppermost extremities 17. 
Top beam 12, preferably of iron bar or channel stock, is welded to the 
uppermost extremities 17 of said columns, disposing said top beam in 
parallel relationship to base member 10. An aperture 18 is disposed in top 
beam 12 upon vertical axis 19 and centered midway between said columns. 
Movable engagement means 13 is fabricated of steel beams in a manner 
analogous to the fabrication of base member 10. Lower surface 21 of said 
engagement means is directed toward said base member, and upper surface 22 
faces top beam 12. Guides in the form of semi-cylindrical sleeves 20, are 
welded to said engagement means 13 at two diametrically opposed sites in a 
manner whereby said guides 20 slidably engage columns 11. 
Paired tabs 23, which may be part of an integral bracket, extend 
orthogonally upward from upper surface 22 of said engagement means midway 
between guides 20 and in tangential alignment with aperture 18. 
Shaft 24, having lower extremity 25, passes through aperture 18 in centered 
relationship upon vertical axis 19. Lower extremity 25 is penetratively 
engaged by pivot pin 27 held by paired tabs 23 and disposed in 
perpendicular relationship to axis 19 and top beam 12. By virtue of such 
manner of coupling of shaft 24 with engagement means 13, slight tilting 
movement is permitted within the plane of the columns. Such slight 
movement relieves stresses that develop between the guides 20 and their 
respective columns. Other, equivalent pivot means may be employed to 
achieve the same effect. The upper extremity of shaft 24 extends into 
functional engagement with a pneumatic or hydraulic ram cylinder 31 
adapted to confine pressurized fluid. In such manner, the shaft acts as a 
piston which directs force downwardly in response to fluid pressure. 
Retaining means 33 are disposed upon each column 11. The exemplified 
embodiment of said retaining means is comprised of paired arms 34 of plate 
steel construction that embrace column 11 and extend between interior 
extremities 35 and exterior extremities 36. Arms 34 are interconnected in 
spaced apart parallel relationship by fulcrum rod 37, stop plate 38 and 
counterweight 39, said stop plate and counterweight being associated with 
exterior extremities 36. 
Extension plates 40 are associated with each arm 34 by means of pegs 41 
that penetrate holes 42 disposed in aligned sequence in both extension 
plate 40 and arm 34. Cotter pins 43 may be employed to secure in place 
each peg 41. Each retaining means 33 is mounted upon each column by said 
fulcrum rods 37 which are caused to removably engage slotted apertures 44 
disposed upon the exterior portion 45 of said column. In the exemplified 
embodiment, apertures 44 are disposed as a vertically spaced array in a 
U-shaped channel bar 46 welded to the exterior portion 45 of each column 
11. 
When properly emplaced, each retaining means will be supported by apertures 
44 of corresponding height in each column, and stop plate 38 will lie in 
abutment with channel bar 46 at a site below fulcrum rod 37. The abutment 
of stop plate 38 against channel bar 46 is achieved by pivotal movement of 
the retaining means in a vertical plane about fulcrum rod 37, said pivotal 
movement being urged by counterweight 39. Such disposition of the 
retaining means represents a holding position, designated as A in FIG. 1, 
wherein interior extremities 35 of arms 34 are horizontally disposed, and 
underlying compacted tires 47 are prevented from rising by abutment with 
the underside of arms 34. A positioning spring 48 may additionally be 
employed to achieve the holding position A, said spring extending under 
tension between the exterior extremity 36 of arm 34 and a slotted aperture 
44 below the aperture 44 which engages fulcrum rod 37. 
By virtue of the aforesaid construction, retaining means 33 can be 
displaced to a release position, designated as B in FIG. 1, wherein 
interior extremities 35 are downwardly directed. In said release position, 
additional tires can be forced below said retaining means. 
Positioning guide bars 49 extending upwardly from base member 10 may be 
employed to prevent lateral movement of the lowermost tires in the 
compacted stack. Said guide bars may be radially positionable by way of an 
apertured foot 50 integral with said guide bar and slidably secured by an 
apertured track (not shown) recessed within base member 10. A peg 51 may 
be employed to anchor said foot 50 to a desired aperture within said base 
member 10. 
In use, randomly selected used rubber tires are stacked upon base member 10 
while engagement means 13 is in its uppermost position. Both retaining 
means 33 are placed at equal elevation. Shaft 24 is then caused to move 
downwardly past said retaining means. At the point of maximum downward 
movement, the then compacted tires become held in place by said retaining 
means in their holding positions A. The compacted tires are securely tied 
together to form a unitary bale. Wires, ropes, chains or other strong 
tying materials may be utilized. The downward pressure is then released 
from the shaft, and the consequently released bale is removed from the 
apparatus. The volume of the bale is 50% to 80% smaller than the volume of 
the uncompacted tires, depending upon the nature of the tires. 
If it is desired to create a bale of greater height, shaft 24 is raised 
without the baling or removal of the previously compacted tires, and 
additional tires are stacked upon the earlier compacted tires now held by 
said retaining means. The shaft is again urged downwardly, forcing the 
newly added tires past the retaining means, and adding them to the 
previously compacted tires. Baling can then be done, or even further 
sequential additions can be made to the stack of compacted tires before 
baling. 
The apparatus of this invention can handle tires of various types and sizes 
such as tires for passenger vehicles, trucks, aircraft, and military, 
construction and farm vehicles. The apparatus may be constructed in 
different sizes to accommodate tires of different assorted sizes. 
While particular examples of the present invention have been shown and 
described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made 
therein without departing from the invention in its broadest aspects. The 
aim of the appended claims, therefore, is to cover all such changes and 
modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.