Improvements in or connected with Presses for Baling Straw and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: TRUVIDIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Presses for Baling Straw and
the like.
I, JAMES BRETHERTON, of Little Hoole, near Preston, in the County of
Lancaster, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in or connected with presses for
baling straw and the like. In carrying out my invention I employ an arrangement
of compression boxes (preferably four) projecting from a common horizontally
disposed centre or axis. In the case of four boxes they are arranged to project at
right angles to each other and are capable of being turned upon their axis end over
end the box which for the time being is at the top receiving-upon a falso or
sliding bottom-the straw (or like material) direct from the thrashing machine and
when filled a hinged lid door or grate is closed so as to cover up the end of the box
whereupon the newly filled box is turned over into a horizontal position. The
false bottom is then by means of sliding rods or bars (moved horizontally to and
fro on each side of the apparatus by means of crank and connecting rod mechanism
driven through the medium of suitable gearing) pushed up so as to compress the
straw to the required size of bale whereupon it is tied up by means of cords or
wires laid across the false bottom before the introduction of the straw into the
box as hereinbefore mentioned. The outer ends of the reciprocating side rods or
bars are in the form of inwardly turned fingers which are so arranged as to press
against the back of the sliding false bottom (which acts as a plunger or ram) and
to travel horizontally through slots in the two opposite sides of the compression
boxes.
By the above described arrangement I am enabled to place the straw in the
compression boxes at its full length in the same condition as it leaves the thrashing
machine the compression boxes being of suitable width for receiving the same
whereas in the arrangements heretofore known to me the straw is first conducted
downwardly through a vertically arranged hopper or shoot and is then pressed or
crushed sidewise or transversely into a compression box (horizontally disposed)
thereby breaking up or cracking the stems or stalks of which the straw is
composed.
Dated this 10th day of April 1895

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Presses for Baling Straw and
the like.
I, JAMES BRETHERTON, of Little Hoole, near Preston, in the County of
Lancaster, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object improvements in or connected with presses for
baling straw and the like. In carrying out my invention I employ an arrangement
of compression boxes (preferably four) projecting from a common horizontally
disposed centre or axis. In the case of four boxes they are arranged to project at
right angles to each other and are capable of being turned upon their axis end over
end the box which for the time being at the top receiving-upon a false or
sliding bottom the straw (or like material) direct from the thrashing machine and
when filled a hinged lid door. or grate is closed so as to cover up the end of the box
whereupon the newly filled box is turned over into a horizontal position. The
false bottom is then by means of sliding rods or bars (moved horizontally to and fro
on each side of the apparatus by means of crank and connecting rod mechanism
driven through the medium of suitable gearing) pushed up so as to compress the
straw to the required size of bale whereupon it is tied up by means of cords or
wires laid across the false bottom before the introduction of the straw into the
box as hereinbefore mentioned. The outer ends of the reciprocating side rods or
bars are in the form of inwardly turned fingers which are so arranged as to press
against the back of the sliding false bottom (which acts as a plunger or ram) and
to travel horizontally through slots in the two opposite sides of the compression
boxes.
By the above described arrangement I am enabled to place the straw in the
compression boxes at its full length in the same condition as it leaves the thrashing
machine the compression boxes being of suitable width for receiving the same
whereas in the arrangements heretofore known to me the straw is first conducted
downwardly through a vertically arranged hopper or shoot and is then pressed or
crushed sidewise or transversely into a compression box (horizontally disposed)
thereby breaking up or cracking the stems or stalks of which the straw is
composed.
In the accompanying drawings :-
Fig. 1 is a side view
Fig. 2 an end view and
Fig. 3 a plan view shewing the general construction and arrangement of my
improved baling press.
Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively end and plan views (partly in section) of certain
details drawn to a larger scale.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side view shewing an arrangement for automatically
bringing the false bottom or plunger back to the bottom of the compression boxes
as the latter are successively turned over.
Fig. 7 is a side view (partly in section) and
Fig. 8 an end view of a hinged grate which answers as the lid for each of the
four compression boxes.
Kios and 10 show in side and plan view respectively certain safety mechanism.

page_text: the central shaft 5 the latter being carried in bearings 66 fastened to the
framework 7 of the apparatus. 88 represent the plungers (see Figs. 4 and 5).
99 are the side rods moved to and fro by a crank 10 and connecting rod
mechanism 11 driven from the toothed wheel 12 into which is geared a pinion
wheel 13 on the fly wheel shaft 14. The rods 99 are connected to slides 15 15ª the
outer one 15 carrying a vertical spindle 16 on which are fixedly mounted the upper
and fingers or hooks 17 17 which move in horizontal planes (see Figs. 5 and 10).
At Figs. 9 and 10-18 is a finger normally standing vertically and fast upon one
end of a spindle 19 upon whose other end is an arm 20 carrying the cross finger 20
which engages at each forward movement of the hooks and side rods with the
vertical finger 21 at the end of the connecting rod 22. When the hooks 17 17
commence to press forward they are in the position which obtains at Fig. 5 but on
their return movement their position would be as shewn at Fig. 10 in the event of
any irregularity in the position of the boxes as hereinafter explained. As the
hooks press forward the plunger 8 the vertical face (as seen at Fig. 5) of the lower
hook reaches in due course the finger 18 and pushing it back passes over it but
meanwhile the movement of the finger 18 transmitted through the spindle 19 has
moved back the arm 20 thus moving the connecting rod 22 and attendant mechanism
back to the position shewn at Figs. 9 and 10. 23 is a lever on the fixed stud or
fulcrum 24 jointed at its upper end to the connecting rod 25 and at its lower end to
the plate 26 which is carried on the pivoted links 26. The lever 23 has an arm 27
which operates the rocking lever 28 mounted on the fixed stud or fulcrum 29 which
engages at its outer end with the vertically sliding pin or spindle 30. The vertical
spindle 30 carries a bent finger 31 which acts in conjunction with the notched
flanged pulley 32. As bereinbefore stated the outward movement of the hook 17
automatically puts the safety apparatus into the position shewn at Fig. 9 but the
parts are restored to their former position by hand as hereinafter described through
the medium of the hand lever 33 and attendant lever connections. At the other
side of the machine a connecting rod (operated by the lever 33 through the medium
of the shaft 33) corresponding to 25 is caused to operate a vertical spindle similar
to 30 but without the employment of the safety apparatus shown at Figs. 9
and 10.
The action of the above described safety apparatus that is to say the mechanism
for ensuring the altering of the hooks 17 17 from the position shown at Fig. 10 to
that shown at Fig. 5 only when the compression boxes are in correct position is as
follows: On the return journey of the lower hook 17 the back of the said hook
will meet the now stationary or rigid arm 18 and be pulled round to the position
shewn at Fig. 10. If the hand lever 33 should not have been operated in the
meantime the vertical spindle 30 will remain in its uplifted position (as it is shewn
at Fig. 9) and an arm or finger 34 projecting from the side of the lower hook 17
will pass freely underneath the uplifted spindle 30 but if on the other hand the
spindle 30 had been previously moved down (by the hand lever 33) so that its foot
had been nearly resting upon the plate 26 the hook 17 would have been in due
course pulled round to the position shown at Fig. 5-by the pressure of the
spindle 30 on the arm 34. The notched pulley 32 and finger 31 provide an
additional safeguard to prevent the spindle 30 being lowered by hand excepting
when the slots or notches come immediately opposite the bent finger.
Instead of having a separate hinged lid door or grate to each compression box
1 arrange one stationary hinged grate 35 to answer for all the boxes (see Figs. 7
and 8). This hinged grate which may be constructed of angle iron as shewn
carries a cross bar or bars 36 which the fingers 37 on the several compression boxes
meet and rest upon during the pressing operation. 38, 38 are stops movable
downwardly against the pressure of coiled springs by a foot lever 39 so as to set the
swing door or grate 35 at liberty when the tying up of the bale has been completed.
When the grate 35 has been swung away from the end of the compression box (4)
the then lower side 1" thereof is at liberty (being hinged) to drop out of the way to
permit of the ready removal of the completed bale (see also Figs. 1 and 4). To

page_text: facilitate the process of filling the several compression boxes the hinged side 1* is
left partially down or open and remains so until it has moved down and its
fingers 37 have met the cross bars 36 when the side 1ª will be pressed home to its
normal position as on ordinary side of the box.
39 is a pivoted weighted hook-there being one on each side of each of the
compression boxes-which when the plungers 8 have been pushed to the extent of
their outward journey catch on to the fingers 40 (see Fig. 4) and so ensure the
straw or other material being retained under pressure between the plunger 8 and
the hinged grate 35 whilst the hooks 17 17 are doing their return journey and the
bale is being tied up. When the compression box has delivered its bale and is
subsequently moved down to its lowest or vertical position (as the box 3 in Fig. 1)
the weighted end 39* will automatically disengage its hook 39 from the finger 40
leaving the plunger 8 in the position in box (Fig. 6) but free to move
upwardly.
It will be apparent that by the arrangement of rope and pulley mechanisin
illustrated at Fig. 6 when the plunger 8 in box 4 is pushed outwardly to the left
the plunger 8 in box 3 will be raised accordingly.
I provide each of the slotted openings 41 41 in the compression boxes with a
string or twine box 42 (see Fig. 4) from which issues the string or twine 43 for
tying up the bales. The upper string guides 44 are in the form of metal fingers
through whose eyeletted ends the string 43 is free to run their other ends 45 (see
Fig. 5) being fastened to the back of the plunger 8. 46 46 are the lower spring
holders having at their outer ends spring clips to take hold of and retain the string
or twine and at their other ends being also fastened to the back of the plunger.
The several strings may be conveniently placed in position between the spring
fingers on the holders 46 when the compression box is in the position of box 2 in
the drawings.
I fix some light metal fingers 47 in a row to hold the straw or other material to
its place in the box as the said box is brought round-after being filled-from its
vertical to its horizontal position.
The attendant stands on a raised platform-not shewn in the drawings-and is
provided with a treadle lever which engages with a catch on each of the boxes in
turn so that the latter may be securely kept in position during the filling operation
and readily released when full or when required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a press for baling straw and the like the combination with a series of
compression boxes rotatable upon a common axis and having sliding false bottoms
or plungers of reciprocating side rod and attendant apparatus for pushing said
plungers along the interior of said compression boxes substantially as hereinabove
described and shown in the drawings.
11
1
C
1
1000