SYSTEM FOR BALING TEXTILE WASTE FROM A PLURALITY OF SOURCES

Abstract: A system for segregating and baling textile wastes suppl­ ied from a plurality of separate sources includes a plurality of filling stations (10) which receive the wastes from the separate sources. An upwardly opening portable waste receiving bin (11) is mounted within each filling station (10) with the lower end of each bin carrying a detachable bottom platen (59). As transfer mechanism (26) moves each bin selectively, back and forth between its filling station (10) and a compression station (27) where the wastes are compressed within the bin (11). Actuator units (97) in the compression station disconnect the bin (11) from its platen (59) and raise the bin to an upper position about a movable ram (88) to thus expose the bale (B) for final bale out.

Description: This invention relates to a textile waste baling system. Textile wastes have traditionally been compacted and baled out in very simple baling presses with extensive manual handling of the wastes. Most textile mills have waste rooms where the textile wastes are accumulated in carts or bins. When carts are used, the wastes are usually moved manually from their generating points throughout the mill to the waste room. In recent years, high vacuum air pumps communicating with relatively small diameter pipes have been employed to convey pneumatically the wastes from their generating points to the waste room where the waste is collected in tanks mounted over the bins and/or carts. These collection tanks are then intermittently dumped into the carts or bins in which they are moved to a waste baling press. Recently, it has been found that exposure to raw cotton dust and fibres can be very detrimental to the health of the personnel, and can cause respiratory diseases in the form of bysinossis or brown lung which permanently impairs a person's breathing. Some Health Authorities have passed tentative restrictions banning the direct manual handling of cotton waste, and conventional pneumatic waste conveying systems have been combined with automatic waste pick-up devices and horizontal balers mounted underneath the collection tanks of pneumatic conveying systems. This provides a partial answer to the problem, but most textile mills need their waste to be properly segregated into various groups desired by the consumers of waste. Accordingly, a minimum of three or four segregations of waste will bring significantly higher returns than a mixture of the various wastes. In some cases, it is desirable to segregate into as many as ten or twelve wastes for optimum resale value of the waste. Such an arrangement requires a large capital investment because a separate horizontal baler is needed for each different type of waste collected, and these require a relatively large floor space and when several wastes are collected, floor space becomes an important factor. Automated bale plucking systems used by the consumers of waste require the bales handled by such systems to be of a uniform size and density, that they be stable on their bases and that they do not expand excessively in height when released from their ties. Bales made with horizontal balers generally do not meet these requirements. The inlets to horizontal balers are normally much smaller than the conduits of the waste conveying system that discharges the waste into the baler. This requires expensive, elevated hoppers between the waste conveying system and the baler inlets, so that such systems must be installed in buildings with very high ceilings. GB-A-1298919 shows a baling machine with at least two primary and a second, final press and change boxes movable between the primary presses and the final press. this is complex and requires a plurality of presses which is wasteful in many situations. EP-A-014923 discloses a system of apparatus for compressing compactable textile fibres and the like supplied from a plurality of separate sources into bales, said system comprising a plurality of fibre filling stations for receiving fibre respectively from separate sources, a portable fibre receiving bin for each filling station, the bins having side walls and an open top for receiving fibres when at the filling stations, each bin having a removable bottom platen permitting removal of compressed bales from the bin, the bins each having a set of lifting points by which they are lifted and supported by the transfer means, a compression station, adapted to receive each bin in turn, and transfer means comprising vertically movable lifting means on the transfer means adapted to lift and move each bin between its filling station and the compression station and vice versa and an overhead guide rail extending between the filling stations and the compression station. Such a structure, as disclosed, requires a transport device for each bin to move it to and from the filling/tramping station and a separate transport device to move each of the bins into and out of the compression station. This is still, therefore, a very expensive apparatus to manufacture and complex to operate. According to the present invention, there is provided a system of apparatus for compressing textile fibres and the like supplied from a plurality of separate sources into bales, said system comprising:- a plurality of fibre filling stations for receiving fibre respectively from separate sources, a portable fibre receiving bin for each filling station, the bins having side walls and an open top for receiving fibres when at the filling stations, each bin having a removable bottom platen permitting removal of compressed bales from the bin, the bins each having a set of lifting points by which they are lifted and supported when engaged by the transfer means and one of more sets of support points distinct from said lifting points by which they are to be supported, when at the filling station or the compression station, and the lifting means have been disengaged from the lifting points, a compression station, adapted to receive each bin in turn, transfer means comprising vertically movable lifting means on the transfer means adapted to lift and move each bin between its filling station and the compression station and an overhead guide rail extending between the filling stations and the compression station, a single support frame movable along the overhead guide rail and having a pair of laterally spaced rails extending transverse to the overhead guide rail and cross guide rails provided in each filling and compression station, the laterally spaced rails being movable into alignment with the cross guide rails upon movement of the support frame along the overhead guide rail. In such a system, the portable bins not only accumulate the waste fibres but also act as the confining walls during precompression and final compression, so that the waste fibres are not transferred from the portable bins until the final bale is produced. The system minimizes human exposure to textile wastes and at the same time can be used to segregate a plurality of different types of waste into separate final bales. The final bales produced are stable on their bases and do not expand excessively in height when released from their ties, thereby meeting the general requirements of conventional automated bale plucking systems. The system of the invention requires a lower capital investment and significantly less floor space than required by conventional pneumatic conveying systems combined with horizontal compacting systems. The compressed final bale can be quickly and easily exposed for tying out and removal without the need for any additional exit doors or complicated extrusion equipment. The system can utilize the long time interval resulting from the slow rates at which some of the waste fibres are collected in the portable bins to allow a single transfer mechanism to move the portable bins from their filling stations to the compression station for precompression and final compression of the waste fibres without exceeding the capacity of the single compression station or the transfer mechanism. In order that the invention will be more fully understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of system according to the invention; Figs. 2-5 are fragmentary, top plan views taken generally along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing different stages of operation of the system; Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partly in section, taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 7 showing a compacted bale exposed for final tying out of the bale; Fig. 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partly in section, taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevation corresponding to Fig. 10, showing the portable bin moved to its upper position; Fig. 12 is a section taken along the line 12-12 of Fig 10; Fig. 13 is a section taken along the line 13-13 of Fig. 10; Fig. 14 is an enlarged section taken along the line 14-14 of Fig. 8; Fig. 15 is a section taken along the line 15-15 of Fig. 14; Fig. 16 is a top plan view taken along the line 16-16 of Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is an enlarged, sectional view of a spring biased latch detachably connecting a portable bin to its bottom platen; Fig. 18 is a section taken along the line 18-18 of Fig. 6; Fig. 19 is an enlarged view taken along the line 19-19 of Fig. 2 showing the transfer mechanism positioned at a predetermined location relative to a filling station. Fig. 20 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 19 showing the transfer mechanism elevating the bin to a position which permits movement thereof into or out of its filling station or the compression station; Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig. 20 showing the bin supported on the transfer mechanism for movement between its filling station and the compression station; Fig. 22 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken along the line 22-22 of Fig. 19; Fig. 23 is a top plan, partly in section, taken generally along the line 23-23 of Fig. 19; Fig. 24 is an enlarged section taken generally along the line 24-24 of Fig. 23; Fig. 25 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken along the line 25-25 of Fig. 19 and showing the transfer mechanism in its fully retracted position; Fig. 26 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 25 showing the intermediate extended position of the transfer mechanism and before it engages and moves the bin into the adjacent station; Fig. 27 is a view similar to Fig. 25 showing the transfer mechanism in the fully extended position and inserting a bin into the station; Fig. 28 is a top plan showing the transfer mechanism in its fully extended position in dotted lines and in its fully retracted position in solid lines; Fig. 29 is an enlarged, side elevation showing a locking unit carried by the transfer mechanism in its retracted position; Fig. 30 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 29 showing the locking unit in its extended position; Fig. 31 is a top plan, partly in section, taken along the line 31-31 of Fig. 29; Fig. 32 is a section taken along the line 32-32 of Fig. 31; and, Fig. 33 is a section taken along the line 33-33 of Fig. 31. Figs. 1-5 show a plurality of waste fibre filling stations 10, each having an upwardly opening portable waste receiving bin 11. Various types of waste fibres may be conveyed from their separate generating points (not shown) throughout the mill to the filling stations 10, by a pneumatic conveying system 12 which may consist of a plurality of small diameter pipes 16a and 16b which extend between the separate waste generating points and a discharge sentry 17 mounted above each filling station 10. Suitable high vacuum air pumps (not shown) draw the waste fibres into the discharge sentries 17 where they are collected on the outer surface of at least one screen drum 18 rotatable therein. When the pressure drop across the layer of fibres collected on each drum 18 builds up to a predetermined point, a predetermined volume of waste fibres have been deposited and doffer rolls 19 are then activated to remove the fibres from the drum. A continuous strip of condensed fibres 21, then falls downwardly into an oscillating deflector unit 22. Mounted on the side of each filling station 10 is a sensing element 23 to sense when that station has received sufficient material for precompression or final compression, e.g. by sensing the level of the material in the filling station. The sensing element 23 then sends a signal to a conventional central programmable controller 24, which signals a bin transfer mechanism 26. One source of textile waste fibres comes from the combing operation. By mounting a sensor at each combing machine which is operatively connected to the programmable controller 24 and indicates when the combing machine is actually running, the total accumulative run time of the combing machine can be actually determined. When the material in the associated filling station 10 reaches a predetermined level during an accumulative run period of the combing machine, the programmable controller 24 will signal the bin transfer mechanism 26, to move that particular bin 11 to a compression station 27, for precompression of the fibres within the bin or for final compression of the fibres to form a final bale. Other means may be employed to indicate when any one of the filling stations has received sufficient material for precompression or final compression. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, each deflector unit 22 is provided with a pair of depending deflector elements 28 which are pivoted at their upper ends to the deflector unit and adapted to oscillate to cause the condensed strip 21 removed from each screen drum 18 to pass downwardly through a stationary hopper 29 and form transverse folds in each bin 11. As shown in Fig. 18, within each hopper 29 a pair of doors 32 is pivotally connected at their upper ends to the hopper side walls. The doors 32 normally stay in a downwardly extending position to permit the waste fibres 21 to pass. However, when the bin 11 in a particular filling station 10 is to be moved to the compression station 27, the doors 32 are pivoted to a horizontal closed position to collect the waste fibres 21 in the hopper until the portable bin is returned to its filling station. As shown in Figs. 6 and 18, a scavenger sleeve 33, having flexible sealing elements 34 on its lower end, is mounted at the lower end portion of each hopper 29 to seal the upper end of its bin 11. The scavenger sleeve 33 is connected to a vacuum system 36 to prevent dust, waste fibres and the like from escaping to the atmosphere. Figs. 2-6 and 18 show laterally spaced cross beams 37 and 38 secured to the upper end portions of spaced apart columns 39 at the ends of each filling station 10. The cross beams 37 and 38 support the hoppers 29 spaced above a floor 41. A pair of laterally spaced bin support rails 42 are provided at each end of each filling station 10 to support its bin 11 above the floor 41, as described below. As shown in Figs. 18 and 25, vertical angle members 43 depend from the cross beams 37 and 38 to support the front ends of the bin support rails 42, the rear ends of which are supported by the columns 39. Mounted below each bin support rail 42 is a horizontal channel-shaped guide rail 44 which supports the transfer mechanism 26. A generally T-shaped vertical member 46 (Fig. 6) has an opening 47 therethrough to receive a movable locking member 50, as shown in Figs. 29, 30 and 31, each time the transfer mechanism 26 moves to a predetermined position relative to a filling station 10. An upper cam surface 48 on each member 46 is engaged by a cam follower on the transfer mechanism to stop the latter at the predetermined position. Each member 46 is carried by the adjacent front end portion of the associated guide rail 44. As shown in Figs. 25, 29 and 30, a lever arm 51 is pivotally connected to the rear side 49 of each member 46, and carries, at its upper portion, a threaded member 51 a in alignment with the opening 47 in member 46 adjacent thereto. The lower end of each lever arm 51 is connected to a spring 51 b which urges the upper end of the lever arm 51 and the threaded member 51 a toward the rear side 49 of the member 46. When the movable locking member 50 engages the opening 47 in the member 46, it pivots the upper end of the lever arm 51 away from the rear side 49 of the member 46 to lock the transfer mechanism 26 in said predetermined position. The bin 11 shown is a rectangular container having front and rear walls 52 and 53, respectively, and end walls 54 a and 54 b , the lower portion being reinforced by spaced vertical angle members 56 to withstand the forces exerted on the waste fibres in bin during compression. An outwardly and then downwardly extending flange 57 is provided around the open upper end of each bin to engage the flexible sealing elements 34 of the scavenger sleeve 33. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, a latch mechanism 58 is mounted on the lower portions of the end walls 54 a and 54 b of each bin detachably to connect it to a bottom platen 59. Preferably, each latch mechanism 58 comprises an inverted, generally L-shaped locking member 61, pivoted at 62 to the end walls 54 a and 54 b so as to be engageable with a locking clip 63 carried by a subjacent portion of the platen 59. As shown in Fig. 17, a compression spring 64 urges each locking member 61 into engagement with its locking clip 63, to lock the bin to its bottom platen 59. An outwardly and then downwardly projecting bin lifting element 67 is secured to the end walls 54 a and 54 b above the locking members 61. Each lifting element 67 is provided with a downwardly opening, vertically extending notch 68 having a beveled lower end portion, as shown in Fig. 27. The notches 68 are aligned with corresponding identically constructed notches 69 in the flange 57, to define lifting points which are engaged by bin lifting members 103 and 107 in the compression station 27. Figs. 6, 7, 19, 20, 21 and 25-27 show a laterally projecting, horizontal flange 71 intermediate the tops of the reinforcing members 56 and the upper flange 57. The horizontal flange 71 is adapted to engage the bin support rails 42. A light reflector element 72 is mounted on the end wall 54 b of each bin 11 in position to cooperate with a bin sensing element 72 a mounted in the compression station 27. Figs. 14-17 show each platen 59 as having a bottom member 73, front and rear walls 74 and 76 and end walls 77. Laterally spaced bale support members 78, carried by the bottom member 73, have their ends spaced from the front and rear walls 74 and 76, with the outermost members 78 spaced from the end walls 77 of each platen. These spaces in combination with the spaces between the ends of the members 78 and the front and rear walls 74 and 76, define a continuous trough 79 around the platen 59, (Fig. 16) which provides space for folding excess bale covering material 81 a placed over the members 78 (Fig. 15). In its final position, material 81 a , along with a similar piece of upper covering material 81 b shown in Fig. 8, will cover fully four sides of a final bale B, and partially or completely cover the other two sides of the bale. The slots between the bale support members 78 define passageways 82 which permit bale straps 83 to be placed around the bottom surface of the bale once the bale covers 81 a and 81 b are in place. To facilitate easy passage of the straps 83, portions of the bottom member 73 between the ends of the bale support members and the front and rear walls 74 and 76, respectively, are inclined. Upstanding legs of angle members 84 are secured to the outer surface of the end walls 77. Spaced apart outwardly opening slots 86 in the horizontal legs of each member 84 are positioned to receive locking members 118 each time a portable bin 11 is inserted into and locked in a predetermined position in the compression station (Figs. 10 and 11). Mounted within the compression station 27 is an upstanding main frame 87 which extends above the cross beams 37 and is adapted to support a down-packing compression ram 88. The main frame 87 consists of upper and lower sills 89 and 91, respectively, and two upstanding side columns 92, which are each formed from a channel member as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. An inwardly extending flange 94 is formed integrally with the free end of each leg of each side column 92 to define longitudinally extending, inwardly opening pockets 96. Mounted for vertical sliding movement within each side column 92 is a bin actuating frame 97, fromed from a channel member 98 which is shorter in length and narrower in width than the side columns 92. Short lengths of channel members 99, secured to the upper and lower end portions of each sliding channel member 98, define upper and lower bin lifting boxes 101 and 102, respectively. Mounted on each upper lifting box 101 is a bin lifting member 103, which is adapted to engage and move vertically within the notch 69 in the flange 57. Each member 103 comprises a vertical plate 104 having spaced apart vertical guides 106 secured along each side thereof. The upper end portions of the guides 106 are beveled to facilitate proper engagement of the members 103 with the notches 69, as shown in Fig. 8. A bin lifting member 107, which is similar in construction to the member 103, is mounted on the lower lifting box 102 of each actuating frame 97, to engage and move vertically within notches 68 in the bin lifting elements 67, each time a bin is raised to an upper position within the compression station 27. Mounted on each lower lifting box 102 below the bin lifting member 107, is an unlocking element 111 (Figs. 10 and 11) adapted to engage and disconnect the locking members 61 carried by the lower portion of each bin 11 from the locking clips 63 on its detachable bottom platen 59 each time a bin is moved to its upper bale exposing position. Laterally projecting guide members 112 (Fig. 13) extend outwardly from each side of the upper and lower bin lifting boxes 101 and 102, and carry wear pads 113 to engage the inner surfaces of the pockets 96 and guide each bin actuating frame 97. Within each side column 92 is an actuating member 114, preferably in the form of a double acting hydraulic cylinder, and controlled by the programmable controller 24 to move the bin actuating frames 97 between upper and lower positions. When a bin 11 is inserted into the compression station 27 with its bottom platen 59 engaging the bottom sill 91, the actuating members 114 move the actuaging frames 97 upwardly a short vertical distance, which causes the bin lifting members 103 and 107 to engage and move within the notches 69 and 68. This causes the bin 11 and its detachable platen 59 to be shifted horizontally to a position which permits the down-packing movable ram 88 to precompress or finally compress the waste fibres in the bin. After final compression, the actuator members 114 raise the actuating frames 97 whereupon the unlatching members 111 engage and disconnect the locking members 61 from the locking clips 63. This disconnects the sidewalls of the bin 11 from its bottom platen 59. Further upward movement of the actuating members 114 raise the bin actuating frames 97 and the side walls of the bin 11 to their upper positions which exposed the bale and permits the bale ties 83 to be placed around the compacted final bale, as shown in Fig. 14. After the bale is removed from the compression station 27, the actuator members 114 lower the actuating frames 97 and the side walls of the bin to reconnect to the platen 59, as shown in Figs. 7-12. The bottom sill 91 for the main frame 87 comprises a pair of spaced apart wide flange beams 116 extending between the side columns 92. A plate 117 covers the space between the upper flanges of the beams 116 and supports a pair of spring-loaded pins 118 adjacent each side column 92 for vertical movement through openings in the plate 117. The pins 118 are adapted to move into alignment with the slots 86 in the angle members 84 on each platen 59, each time a bin is shifted horizontally to the compression station. A U-shaped bar 119 having a base connected to upstanding legs 121 is connected to and supported by the pins 118, as shown in Figs. 10-12. The legs 121 of the U-shaped member 119 project upwardly through openings 121 a in the plate 117 and are aligned with the unlatching members 111 on boxes 102. When the frames 97 are moved upwardly a short vertical distance to align the bin 11 in the compression station, the pins 118 adjacent each side column 92 move upwardly and engage the slots 86 in the angle mebmers 84 (Fig. 11). This locks the detachable platen 59 in this position in the compression station 27. When the frames 97 are moved from their upper positions to their lower positions, the unlatching members 111 engage and lower the legs 121 of the U-shaped member 119. This disengages the spring loaded pins 118 from the slots 86 and unlocks the platen 59. The upper sill 89 may be constructed from a pair of spaced apart vertical plates 122 and horizontal plates 123 and 124 which extend between the upper end portions of the side columns 92 (Figs. 7-9). The members 122 are shaped to provide a downwardly projecting pedestal 126 which is of a size to move inwardly of the side walls of a bin 11, as it is raised to its upper position, so that the compacted bale of fibres may be exposed for final bale out, as shown in Fig. 8. The ram 88 includes a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 127, to the lower end of the piston rod 128 of which is attached an upper platen 129 shaped to enter each portable bin 11 and compress the waste fibres therein. The cylinder 127 also raises the platen 129 to an upper position, shown in Fig. 9, which permits the bin 11 to be removed from the compression station 27. As shown in Fig. 8, in the lower surface of upper platen 129 are provided laterally spaced, downwardly opening passageways 131, similar to and aligned with the passageways 82, when the bottom plate 59 is locked in the compression station 27. After final compression, the passageways 131 cooperate with the passageways 82 to permit the bale ties 83 to be placed completely around the compacted bale after the covering materials 81 a and 81 b are in place. Mounted on the upper portion of each side column 92 (Fig. 6) is an actuator hydraulic cylinder 132, operatively connected to the controller 24 and aligned with an opening 133 in its side column 92, as shown in Fig. 9. When the actuating frames 97 raise a bin 11 to its upper position, the controller 24 causes the piston rod of each cylinder 132 to extend through the opening 133 and engage a suitable opening in the upper bin lifting box 101 adjacent thereto. This positively locks the frames 97 and the side walls of the portable bin 11 in their upper positions, as shown in Fig. 8. Connected to the vacuum system 36 and extending around the side columns 92 of the main frame, as shown in Figs. 7-9, is a scavenger sleeve 134, which prevents dust and loose fibres from escaping to atmosphere. Guide rail 44 supports the transfer mechanism 26 each time a bin 11 is inserted and removed from the compression station 27. As shown in Fig. 7, the sensing element 72 a , such as an electrically operated photocell, is mounted on a side column 92 in the compression station 27 and faces the end wall 54 b of a bin 11 each time a bin is inserted into the station. When a bin 11 moves into the compression station and the bin actuating frames 97 move upwardly and lock the bin in the predetermined horizontal position, the sensing element 72 a is activated by the reflector 72 and senses the presence of the bin in this position and the controller 24 signals the movable ram 88 to move downwardly into the bin. As shown in Figs. 1-6, an overhead guide l-beam rail 137, extending between the filling stations 10 and the compression station 27, supports the transfer mechanism 26 during movement between the filling and compression stations 10 and 27. A limit switch 138 is mounted on the upper flange of the guide rail 137 adjacent the mid-portion of each filling-station 10 and the compression station 27. Each limit switch 138 is connected to controller 24 and is activated by an actuator 138 a carried by the transfer mechanism 26 to indicate when the transfer mechanism is approaching a particular station. A festoon cable 139 connects controller 24 to a control panel 139 a carried by the transfer mechanism 26. The transfer mechanism 26 includes a movable pin support frame 140 formed from two spaced apart inverted U-shaped members 141 a and 141 b , each having a base 142 and spaced apart depending legs 143. As shown in Figs. 19 and 22, a plurality of spaced apart rollers 144 are carried by the base 142 of each member 141 a and 141 b , so as to engage the lower flange of the guide rail 137. As shown in Figs. 19-22, a pair of laterally spaced channel members 146 a and 146 b are secured to the lower portions of the legs 143 of members 141 a and 141 b , the channel members being greater in length, but identical in cross section to the guide rails 44 in each filling station 10 and the compression station 27. The channel members 146 a and 146 b move into alignment with the guide rails 44 upon movement of the transfer mechanism 26 into these stations. Laterally spaced horizontally extending bin support rails 147 are mounted on the legs 143 of the members 141 a and 141 b in position to support each bin 11 as it is being moved between its filling station 10 and the compression station 27. As shown in Fig. 19, a drive unit 148 is mounted on one end of the movable support frame 140 and includes a wheel 149 which engages guide rail 137 and moves the frame 140 between the filling stations 10 and the compression station 27. A generally U-shaped bin transfer member 151 (Fig. 28) is carried out by the movable support frame 140 to engage and move each bin 11. A pair of spaced apart rollers 152 a and 152 b are mounted on each leg of the bin transfer member 151 in position to engage the channel members 146 a and 146 b and support the frame 140, as shown in Figs. 19-23 and 25-28. As a portable bin 11 is moved from the frame 140 into a filling or the compression station, the front rollers 152 a roll onto the guide rails 44 before the bin 11 is lifted off the bin support rails 147 on the movable support frame 140. The front two rollers 152 a thus cross the gaps between the aligned channel members 146 a and 146 b and the guide rails 44 without transferring the weight of the bin 11 and the waste fibres carried thereby across the gaps. As the bin 11 is moved into its filling station 10 or into the compression station 27, the rollers 152 b at the rear ends of the legs of the bin transfer member 151 remain in contact with and are supported by channel members 146 a and 146 b during this entire movement. When a bin 11 is moved onto the frame 140, the bin transfer member 151 moves from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position, as shown in solid lines and dotted lines, respectively, in Fig. 28. The bin transfer member 151 then engages and moves the bin 11 from the adjacent station onto the movable support frame 140 with the front rollers 152 a remaining in contact with the guide rails 44 at the respective station during this movement. After the bin 11 is placed in a supported position on the movable support frame 140, with the horizontal flange 71 of the bin engaging the bin support rails 147, the front rollers 152 a then roll from the guide rails 44 onto the channel members 146 a and 146 b , so that no moving load of the bin and waste fibres therein is transferred across the spaces between the aligned channel members 146 a and 146 b and the guide rails 44. An actuating unit comprising a pair of laterally spaced linkage assemblies 153 and an electrically operated motor 154 moves the bin transfer member 151 selectively between its fully retracted and extended positions. The linkage assemblies 153 are connected at one end to upstanding support members 156 carried by the bin transfer member 151 and at the other end to a common rod 157 which is mounted for rotation in suitable bearings on the base portion of the inverted U-shaped member 141 a . The motor 154 is operatively connected to the controller 24 and rotates the rod 157 in opposite directions to move the bin transfer member 151 selectively into and out of a filling station 10 or the compression station 27, as shown in Figs. 26 and 27. In Figs. 23 and 28, there are shown a bin actuating unit 158 mounted on the upper surface of each leg of the bin transfer member 151. The actuating units 158 are operatively connected to each other through a linkage assembly 159 and an air cylinder 161, as shown in Figs. 19, 20 and 21. Each actuating unit 158 comprises an elongated rod 162 which is mounted for rotation on the leg of the member 151 adjacent thereto. Secured to each rod 162 is a pair of longitudinally spaced lifting lugs 163 which are adapted to engage depending lifting elements 164 carried by the horizontal flange 71 of each bin 11 as shown in Fig. 24. The air cylinder 161 is operatively connected to the controller 24 and moves the linkage assembly 159 to the position shown in Fig. 20 when the controller signals that a particular bin is to be moved from its filling station to permit the bin transfer member 151 to move the bin 11 out of its filling station, as shown in Fig. 26. When the bin transfer member 151 moves a bin 11 into its filling station 10 or into the compression station 27 or places it in a supported position on the movable support frame 140, the air cylinder 161 moves the linkage assembly 159 to the position shown in Fig. 21. This causes the air cylinder 161 to lower the bin into engagement with the bin support rails 42 or 147 or into engagement with the lower sill 91 in the compression station 27. Continued movement of the air cylinder 161 in this same direction disengages the lifting lugs 163 from the lifting elements 164 and permits the bin transfer member 151 to retract from the filling station or from the compression station. As shown in Figs. 29-31, a locking unit 166 is mounted on the channel member 146 b and comprises an extensible rod 50 positioned to move into alignment with the opening 47 in each of the members 46 each time the transfer mechanism 26 moves to a predetermined position relative to a filling or the compression station under the action of an air cylinder 168. This positive locks the transfer mechanism 26 in said predetermined position. The air cylinder 168 can also retract the rod 50 to a position out of engagement with the opening 47 to permit the transfer mechanism 26 to move. As shown in Figs. 29-31, a vertical member 169 extends laterally and outwardly from the front end portion of the channel member 146 b and includes an opening 171 in position to support the front end portion of the rod 50 and align it with the opening 47. Pivotally connected to the upper portion of the vertical member 169 is a cam roller latch assembly 172 which carries a laterally extending cam follower 173 that engages the cam surface 48 on the vertically extending member 46 each time the transfer mechanism 26 moves to said predetermined positions. A depending index finger 174 is carried by the latch assembly 172 in position to disengage serrations 176 provided in the front portion of the rod 50 each time the cam follower 173 rides upwardly on the cam surface 48, as shown in Fig. 32. This permits the air cylinder 168 to extend the rod 50 into engagement with the opening 47 in the member 46. As shown in Fig. 33, a spring 177 urges the depending index finger 174 into engagement with the serrations 176 while the rod 50 is retracted, to prevent undesired movement of the rod 50, especially during movement of the transfer mechanism 26. A pin 178 is carried by an offset linkage member 178 a which is pivotally connected at one end to the front of the rod 50. As the rod 50 moves from its retracted position, to its extended position, the pin 178 pivots from a first position in engagement with an opening 179 in the lower surface of the adjacent leg of the member 151, to a second position out of engagement with the opening 179. While the rod 50 is disengaged from the opening 47 in the vertically extending member 46, the pin 178 engages the opening 179 and prevents the bin transfer member 151 from moving into the compression or a filling station. When the rod 50 engages the opening 47 and positively locks the transfer mechanism 26, the pin 178 disengages the opening 179 and permits the bin transfer member 151 to move into a filling or the compression station. Figs. 6 and 8 show, in the compression station 27, five height sensing elements 181-185, such as limit switches, which are connected to the controller 24 and are activated when a bin is placed in the compression station 27. Limit switch 181 determines when the bottom plate 59 of a bin 11 is aligned and locked in the predetermined horizontal position within the compression station 27. Limit switch 182 is activated when the bin unlatching members 111 disconnect the side walls of the bin from its bottom platen 59 to thus expose the final bale for tying out. Limit switch 183 stops upward movement of the movable ram 88 when it reaches its uppermost position and the controller 24 will only permit the transfer mechanism 26 to insert a bin 11 into the compression station 27 while the ram 88 is in its uppermost position. The limit switch 184 is utilized to stop downward movement of the movable ram 88 when it reaches its lowermost compacting position. The limit switch 185 is utilized to determine the height of the final bale by stopping downward movement of the movable ram 88 at a predetermined position above its lowermost compacting position. That is, while precompressing the fibres, the ram 88 moves to a lower compacting position than when applying final compression to the waste fibres. This ensures that each final bale will be packed uniformly from top to bottom. In Fig. 25 is shown a limit switch 187 carried by the channel member 146 b in position to move into alignment with the lever arm 51 each time the transfer mechanism 26 stops at said predetermined position relative to a filling station or compression station. The limit switch 187 is connected to the controller 24 and is activated when the rod 50 engages the opening 47 in a vertically extending member 46 and pivots the upper end of the lever arm 51 away from the vertically extending member 46 as shown in Fig. 30. This deenergizes the air cylinder 168 and stops the forward movement of the rod 50. A second limit switch 188 carried by the transfer mechanism 26 deenergizes the drive unit 148 of the movable support frame 140 each time the transfer mechanism 26 moves to one of said predetermined positions, because as the transfer mechanism 26 approaches a station, the cam follower 173 engages and rides upwardly on the cam surface 48 on the vertically extending member 46 adjacent thereto and trips the limit switch 188 and deenergizes the drive unit 148. In operation, when the controller 24 has determined that the bin 11 in a particular filling station 10 has received a sufficient amount of waste fibres for precompression, it signals the transfer mechanism 26 to move to that particular filling station. As the transfer mechanism approaches the filling station 10, the cam follower 173 engages and rides upwardly on the cam surface 48 on member 46 at this filling station, to trip the limit switch 188, deenergize the drive unit 148 and stop support frame 140. The controller 24 then signals the air cylinder 168 to extend the rod 50 into engagement with the opening 47 at this station to lock the transfer mechanism 26 in the predetermined position relative to the particular filling station 10. The bin transfer member 151 then moves from its fully retracted to its fully extended position as shown in solid and dotted lines, respectively, in Fig. 28. The air cylinder 161 then rotates the lifting lugs 163 carried by rods 162 into engagement with the lifting elements 164, (Fig. 24). This lifts the bin out of engagement with the bin support rails 42. With the front rollers 152 a supported by the guide rails 44 and the back rollers 152 b supported by the channel members 146 a and 146 b on the movable support frame 140, the bin transfer member 151 moves the bin horizontally out of its filling station and onto the transfer mechanism 26. During this movement of the bin, no moving load is transferred across the spaces between the aligned channel members 146 a and 146 b and the guide rails 44. When the bin 11 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 26, the bin actuating units 158 lower the bin onto the support rails 147. After the bin transfer member 151 retracts fully, air cylinder 168 disengages the rod 50 from the opening 47, as shown in Fig. 29. The transfer mechanism 26 then moves to the compression station 27. As the transfer mechanism 26 approaches the compression station 27, the cam follower 173 rides up the cam surface 48 on member 46 in compression station 27, to activate the limit switch 188 and deenerize the drive unit 148 and stop the support frame 140 at the predetermined position relative to the compression station 27. The air cylinder 168 then extends the rod 50 to engage opening 47 and positivley locks the transfer mechanism 26 in the compression station 27. The bin transfer member 151 then moves to an intermediate position, shown in Fig. 26, where the front rollers 152 a engage the guide rails 44 in the compression station. The bin actuating units 158 then lift the bin out of engagement with the bin support rails 147, and bin transfer member 151 moves the bin into the compression station 27, where actuating units 158 lower the bin into engagement with the lower sill 91, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10. Bin transfer member 151 then retracts and the bin actuating members 97 move upwardly a short distance to cause lifting elements 103 and 107 to engage the notches 69 and 68, and shift bin 11 into position in the compression station which permits the movable ram 88 to move downwardly into the bin, as shown in Fig. 7. As the bin actuating frames 97 move upwardly to align the bin within the compression station, the spring loaded pins 118 within the bottom sill 91 move upwardly and engage the slots 86 in the angle members 84 on the bottom platen 59, to lock the bottom platen in position and activate the bin aligning and locking limit switch 181, as shown in Fig. 6. When a bin is properly in position, the reflector 72 activates the photocell 72 a which signals the controller 24 to operate the movable ram 88. After the precompression cycle is completed, the ram is raised and the unlatching members 111 carried by the lower lifting boxes 102 of the bin actuating frames 97 engage the legs 121 of the U-shaped member 119 in the lower sill 91. This lowers the spring loaded pins 118 out of engagement with the slots 86. The bin transfer member 151 then moves from its fully retracted to its fully extended position and the bin actuating units 158 engage and lift the bin out of engagement with the bottom sill 91. The bin transfer member 151 then moves the bin out of the compression station 27 and onto the movable support frame 140, where actuating units 158 lower the bin into engagement with the support rails 147 (Fig. 21). After the bin transfer member 151 retracts and the rod 50 disengages the opening 47 in member 46, the transfer mechanism 26 moves the bin to its filling station 10, in which it is brought, as before, into engagement with the bin support rails 42 of that filling station. The transfer mechanism 26 then retracts and awaits a signal from the controller 24 to move to the next filling station having a bin requiring precompression or final compression. The precompression operation for each filling station 10 is repeated until controller 24 determines that sufficient waste fibres are in its bin 11 to form a final bale. When this occurs, the controller 24 signals an operator to come to the compression station 27 and apply the bale covering material 81 b to the upper platen 129, as shown in Fig. 8. The transfer mechanism 26 then moves the selected bin to locate it in the compression station 27 in the same manner as described above. The movable ram 88 moves downward, but now the cycle is different in that once the ram 88 is extended, the controller 24 will cause the bin actuating frames 97 in the side columns 92 to move upwardly and unlatch the bottom platen 59 from the side walls of the bin 11. Continued upward movement of the actuating frames 97 raises the sidewalls of the bin to its upper position, as shown in Figs. 8 and 11. While in this upper position, the piston rods of the hydraulic cylinders 132 extend through the openings 133 in the side columns 92 of the main frame 87 to engage the bin actuating frames 97 and positively lock the side walls of the bin 11 and the actuating frames 97 in their upper positions. This exposes the final compacted bale so that the operator can affix the bale wrapping materials 81 a and 81 b and the ties 83 around the bale. When this is done, the upper platen 129 is raised to release the bale into its ties. The operator then removes the final bale from the compression station and applies the bale wrapping material 81 a to the lower platen 59. After this, the bin side walls are lowered and the ram 88 is moved to its upper inoperative position. When the bin side walls have reached their lower position, the bottom platen 59 automatically relatches to the side walls of the bin and the spring loaded pins 118 disengage the slots 86 in the angle-like members 84 thereby to unlock the bin and its platen 59 for movement from the compression station 27, as described above. The transfer mechanism 26 then moves the bin 11 back to its filling station 10. It will be seen that the improved textile waste baling system of the invention can efficiently and economically segregate, precompress and compress textile waste fibres supplied from a plurality of separate sources into final bales of uniform size and density. By having a single transfer mechanism for moving the bins selectively from their filling stations to a single compression station, the long time intervals resulting from the slow rates at which some waste fibres are collected is used to permit the single transfer mechanism to move the portable bins to the compression station for precompression and final compression without exceeding the capacity of the transfer mechanism or the single compression station. Since the system may be fully automated human exposure to textile waste fibres can be minimised. The satisfactory segregation of a plurality of different types of waste fibres into separate groups is also possible to produce optimum resale values when compacted into final bales.

Claims: 1. A system of apparatus for compressing textile fibres and the like supplied from a plurality of separate sources into bales, said system comprising:- a plurality of fibre filling stations (10) for receiving fibre respectively from separate sources, a portable fibre receiving bin (11) for each filling station, the bins having side walls and an open top for receiving fibres when at the filling stations, each bin having a removable bottom platen (59) permitting removal of compressed bales from the bin, the bins each having a set of lifting points (164) by which they are lifted and supported when engaged by the transfer means and one of more sets of support points (71) distinct from said lifting points by which they are to be supported, when at the filling station or the compression station, and the lifting means have been disengaged from the lifting points, a compression station (27), adapted to receive each bin in turn, transfer means (26) comprising vertically movable lifting means (163) on the transfer means adapted to lift and move each bin between its filling station and the compression station and an overhead guide rail (137) extending between the filling stations (10) and the compression station (27), a single support frame (140) movable along the overhead guide rail (137) and having a pair of laterally spaced rails (146) extending transverse to the overhead guide rail (137) and cross guide rails (44) provided in each filling and compression station (10,27), the laterally spaced rails being movable into alignment with the cross guide rails (44) upon movement of the support frame (140) along the overhead guide rail (137). 2. A system according to claim 1 characterised by actuation means (99) carried by said compression station (27) to raise the bin to an upper position and thus expose the sides of the bale (3), with said bottom platen (59) of said bin remaining in a lower position and supporting the bale. 3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each filling station includes means (23) for stopping flow of said waste fibres from said filling station while its bin is removed from its filling station. 4. A system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that said transfer means (26) includes a transfer unit (151) having locking means (50) for positively locking said transfer unit in a predetermined position relative to each filling station and in a predetermined position relative to said compression station. 5. A system according to claim 4, characterised in that said locking means (50) also limits movement of transfer unit (151) into and out of each station until said transfer unit is positively locked selectively at the predetermined position of that station. 6. A system according to claim 5, characterised in that said transfer means also includes means to stop said transfer unit at each said predetermined position. 7. A system according to claim 4, 5 or 6, characterised in that said transfer unit includes means (163) for lifting and lowering each said bin while said transfer unit (151) is positively locked selectively in each said predetermined position. 8. A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said compression station comprises actuation means (97) to move said bin (11) between a lower compression position and an upper position and a movable ram (88) which includes a hydraulic cylinder (127) having a depending piston rod with said cylinder being supported by an upper frame (89) extending across an upper portion of said compression station with a portion of said upper frame extending downwardly around said cylinder and being of a size to occupy space within the confines of the walls of said bin (11) as said actuator means (97) moved said bin (11) to said upper position. 9. A system according to claim 8, characterised in that said actuator means also includes means (103,107,68,69) to position each said bin at a predetermined position relative to said movable ram, while said bin is connected to its platen, to permit said movable ram to move from its upper inoperative position above the upper end of a bin to its lower compressing position within the bin. 10. A system according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that sensing means (72,72a) is operatively connected to said actuator means (97) and to said movable ram (88) to operate said movable ram (88) so that it moves to its lower compressing position in response to sensing that a bin is held in said predetermined position within said compression station by said actuator means (97). 11. A system according to claim 10, characterised in that said sensing means is also operatively connected to said transfer means (26) to prevent it from inserting a bin into said compression station (27) while said ram is in said lower compression position or while another bin is in said compression station. 12. A system according to claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, characterised in that said compression station (27) includes means for locking each bin (11) at said upper position. 13. A system any one of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that means is provided to permit downward movement of said ram only when either there is no bin in said compression station, or there is a bin in the compression station and it is accurately positioned horizontally. 14. A system according to claim 4, 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that fibre volume measuring means (23) is operatively connected to means (17) for supplying fibres at each filling station and to said transfer means (26) to cause said transfer means to move a bin from its filling station to said compression station (27) in response to delivery of a predetermined volume of said fibres to the associated bin. 15. A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that latch means (61) is carried by the lower portion of each bin in position detachably to connect said bin to its platen (59) while in said lower position. 16. A system according to claim 15, when appendant to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that said actuator means (97) also includes means (111) to disconnect said latch means (61) in response to energising said actuator means prior to movement of said bin to said upper position. 17. A system according to claim 16, characterised inthat said actuator means (97) also disengages means (118) locking each platen (59) in said predetermined position within said compression station in response to downward movement of said bin to its lower position. 18. A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that transfer means (26) comprises a bin transfer member (151) carried by said movable support frame and adapted to engage and move each bin selectively into and out of the respective station, while said movable support frame is positively locked at the respective predetermined position. 19. A system according to claim 18, characterised in that said bin transfer member (151) comprises a horizontally extending generally U-shaped member having a base connected to spaced apart legs, and a plurality of guide members (152) mounted on each of said legs to engage the guide rails (146a,164b) of said movable support frame and to engage said guide rails (44) within each station upon movement of said U-shaped member selectively into and out of that station. 20. A system according to claim 19, characterised in that said guide members (152) are arranged on the legs of said U-shaped member in positions for said U-shaped member to move each said bin selectively into and out of the respective station without transferring the weight of said bin across the space between adjacent ends of said guide rails (146,44) while said guide rails are aligned with each other. 21. A system according to claim 19 or 20, characterised in that said means for selectively lifting and lowering each said bin while said transfer unit (140) is positively locked at one of said predetermined positions comprises an elongate rod (162) mounted for rotation on each said leg of U-shaped member (151), at least one laterally projecting element (163) fixedly secured to each rod in position selectively to engage and lift each bin relative to said U-shaped member to a position for movement selectively into and out of the respective station in response to rotation of said rod (162) in one direction and to lower and disengage aid bin after movement thereof into the station in response to rotation of said rod in a reverse direction, and actuator means (161) for rotating said rod in said one direction and in said reverse direction. 22. A system according to claim 5, characterised in that said locking means comprises a movable locking member (50) carried by said transfer unit in position to move selectively into alignment with and engage a locking element (47) mounted within each station in response to movement of said transfer unit (26) to said predetermined position relative to that station. 23. A system according to claim 22, characterised in that said locking element (47) is defined by an opening through a vertical member and said locking member (50) is an extensible rod adapted for movement selectively into and out of locking engagement with said opening. 24. A system according to claim 22 or 23, characterised in that said locking means also includes a pin (178) operatively connected to said locking member and adapted for movement selectively in one direction to engage said transfer unit (151) and limit movement thereof into and out of each station while said locking member is disengaged from said locking element and in a reverse direction to disengage said transfer unit (151) and permit movement thereof while said locking member engages said locking element. 25. A system according to claim 4, characterised in that fibre level sensing means (23) is operatively connected to the bin (11) at each filling station and to said transfer unit to signal movement of each bin from its filling station to said compression station (27) in response to fibre build-up in each bin to a predetermined level. 26. A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that sensing means (23) operatively connected to each said fibre receiving bin detects when each bin reaches its volumetric capacity and automatically signals said transfer means to move said bin (11) from its filling station to the compression station (27), and sensing means (72b) in the compression station detects the presence of a bin therein and automatically signals the movable ram (88) to move downward to said lower compressing position to compress said fibres to a predetermined volume. 27. A system according to claim 26, characterised in that sensing means (184) in the compression station signals the movable ram (88) automatically to return to said upper inoperative position upon compressing said fibres to said predetermined volume, and sensing means (183) is mounted in position to be actuated by said movable ram (88) when it reaches its upper inoperable position to signal said transfer means automatically to move the bin from the compression station to its filling station. 28. A system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said transfer means (26) comprises means to prevent movement of said bins along said path adjacent said station, if said means to move said bins in and out of said stations is not moved fully to its out position, or to prevent movement of said bins in and out of said stations if the transfer means is not aligned with a station along said path that passes adjacent each station.

Inventors: CARPENTER, FRANCIS WYMAN, HAWKINS, JAMES BROWN, HUDSON, WILBUR GUY, PHILLIPS, WILLIAM STEVEN, SANDERS, EDWARD, TOMPA, THOMAS JOHN, VAN DOORN, DONALD WILLIAM, WEBB, TOMMY WAYNE
Applicants: LUMMUS INDUSTRIES, INC.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B30B9
IPC codes: B30B9