Improvements in Baling Presses.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 29th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Baling Presses.
1, JAMES WATSON of 8 Pembridge Villas, Bayswater in the County of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference chiefly to baling presses in which it is required to
force the contents of several charging boxes successively into a receiving box to
form one partly or fully pressed bale, and it relates more particularly to presses in
which there is a preparing side where a preparatory pressure is given to the cotton
or other material to be pressed into a bale, and a finishing side where the final
pressure is given to the material, the action being that the material is supplied to a
set of charging boxes which by a revolving or rectilinear motion are brought
successively into line with a preparing ram or rains which force the material into
one of a set of finishing or receiving boxes and that these by a revolving or
rectilinear motion are brought successively and in turn first into line with the
preparing ram or rams, and secondly after having received the required charge
(that is to say a partially pressed bale) into line with the finishing ram or rams
which give the final or finishing pressure.
The object of the first part of the invention is to so construct and work the press
that for each bale the contents of the first two or more charging boxes shall be
forced therefrom into the finishing or receiving box by the power of one, or more
(say one) of a set of two or more (say three) preparing rams and that the contents
of the last charging box or last two charging boxes (according to their depth and
the nature of the material operated on) shall be forced into the finishing or receiving
box by the combined power of all the preparing rams, the pressure being thus
differentiated according to the resistance. With this object I cause the ram.or
rams (preferably one central ram) which are to force the contents of the first two
or more boxes into the receiving box to rise alone under pressure while the other
ram or rams (preferably two side rams) remain idle at their bottom position.
Then when the contents of the last charging box or last two charging boxes have
to be forced into the receiving box and greater resistance has to be overcome
owing to this box having already received a large proportion of its charge I cause
all the rams to rise together under pressure. Or I can have three variations of
pressure by using first one ram, then two rams and finally all three rams.
these arrangements no elevated tank or double or treble power valve boxes are
needed as in double or treble power presses in which the ram or rams that for the
time being work under pressure have to draw up the other or idle rains with them.
In carrying out this part of the invention all the rams may be made to bear
against but be in no way fixed to the follower (though the first motion ram may be
attached thereto) so that the first motion ram can rise while the other rams remain
stationary, or the first motion ram can work through an eye in the follower (which
might then be fixed to the other rams) either against a light supplementary follower
below the loose lashing plate or directly against this lashing plate. The first
motion rain should be loaded so that the pressure on the water in its cylinder shall
be equal to or in excess of the pressure of the other rams; consequently when,
after the final charge has been pushed up into the receiving box and the rams are
allowed to fall clear of the lashing plate the first motion ram will be flush with or a
little below the follower which is supported by the other rams.
With
The object of the next part of the invention is to provide for automatically
thrusting in stops below each successive charge forced into the receiving box so as
to prevent any of the material falling down into the box containing the succeeding
charge and thereby getting "cross packed;" also for automatically withdrawing

page_text: the said stops at a suitable time during the rise of the succeeding charge. I effect
the thrusting in and withdrawal of the stops by the rise of the first motion ram,
and this can be carried out as follows:-
At opposite sides of the receiving box are apertures through which the stops
are inserted or withdrawn; the stops at each side are connected by a lever to a
rocking lever which when moved into the one position withdraws the stops and
when moved into the other position inserts them. The withdrawal is produced by
means of tappets on rods connected to the follower, and which as the follower rises
with the first motion ram act through the intermediation of levers upon vertical
rods, which it causes to rise, and which in rising come against and lift rods
connected to one end of the rocking levers so that these rock or change their
position and consequently withdraw the stops. When the first motion ram as it
continues to rise has pushed the lashing plate high enough to allow the stops to be
again inserted, tappets on other rods connected to the follower lift other tappets
which through the intermediation of levers and shafts raise vertical rods which in
rising come against and lift rods connected to the other end of the rocking levers
so that these again change their position and consequently push in the stops.
According to another part of my invention I so construct and arrange the outlet
and inlet valves to the first motion ram and their connections that when the ram
has reached or nearly reached the top of its stroke it effects the opening of the
outlet valve and the closing of the inlet valve and locks them in that position until
they are unlocked by hand. I also so construct and arrange the inlet valve of the
other or outer rams and the connections of these valves that the attendant shall be
able to open this valve by standing or pressing on a foot plate connected with it
leaving his hands free to unlock and close the outlet and open the inlet to the first
motion ram, as it is important that the two inlet valves should be opened as nearly
as possible at the same time when all the rams have to rise. A weight effects the
closing of the inlet valve of the outer rams when the attendant steps off or removes
the pressure from the foot plate. I also provide that one valve shall act as a relief.
valve to stop the first motion ram when it alone rises, as a relief valve to all the
rains when they rise together, as an outlet valve for the first motion ram when it is
falling after having risen alone, and as an outlet valve for all the rams when they
are falling together. These objects can be effected as follows:-
the ram.
When the first motion ram is at or near the top of its stroke a tappet on a rod
connected to the follower and which may conveniently be one of the tappets by
means of which the motion for thrusting in the stops is given, comes against and
moves the outlet valve lever, opens the outlet valve and thereby stops the rise of
The movement of the outlet valve lever is transmitted by levers and
other connections to a hand lever which has been standing at the position it
occupies when the outlet valve is closed, and this hand lever is thereby auto-
matically moved to a position corresponding with the open position of the outlet
valve, at which position it is locked by a catch and cannot be moved until unlocked
by hand. The movement which opens and locks the outlet valve also closes and
locks the inlet valve. The first motion ram then descends to the bottom of the
box, and after this box has been moved away and another charging box has been
brought into position the hand lever is unlocked and moved by hand so as to close
the outlet valve, the same motion opening the inlet valve to the first motion ram
which then again rises, the same cycle of operations being repeated until the other
or outer rams have to rise with the first motion ram. The attendant then when
moving the hand lever to close the outlet valve and open the inlet valve of the
first motion ram steps upon or depresses the foot plate hereinbefore mentioned and
thereby through the intermediation of a lever or other suitable connection opens
the inlet valve to the outer rams; these rams therefore rise with the first motion
ram. When the rams have reached the top of their stroke the attendant steps off
the foot plate and the inlet valve is then closed by a weight acting on its
operating lever, and at the same time the inlet valve to the first motion ram is
closed and the outlet valve to same which also serves as the outlet valve to the

page_text: outer rams is opened in the manner already explained. As an alternative arrange-
ment I have a separate outlet for the outer rams so that the outlet of the first
motion ram may remain open when waiting at the top of the box to receive the
lashing plate, while the outlet of the outer rams is closed, these rams then holding
up the first motion ram.
According to another part of my invention when the final charge has been forced
into the receiving boxes the locks of their main doors are automatically unlocked
by tappet rods which rise with the outer ram or rams and through the inter-
mediation of tappets and levers or other suitable connections act upon the locks.
According to another part of my invention I make the charging boxes with doors,
at the upper part of each side about 18 inches high more or less so that whichever
side of the charging box is next to the weighing box a door can be opened at that
side when the charging box is being filled, the other door being left closed. The
material therefore requires to be lifted only to the level of the door.
According to another part of my invention I place the stops under the frame of
the receiving box instead of as hitherto in the doors above the frame. As the first
motion ram or rams will then not have to force the material into so shallow a space
in the receiving box their area or power can be considerably reduced.
In constructing a press that shall be adapted for pressing at different times
materials which require different degrees of pressure such for example as jute and
jute roots, the latter requiring about double the pressure required for jute, I
arrange for the side rams which may be fixed to the follower to give the preparing
pressure when jute is being pressed, the central ram or rams which are in no way
attached to the follower remaining inactive at the bottom. When on the other
hand jute roots have to be pressed, the inlet valve to the central ram or rams is
opened, and all the rams rise, thus giving the additional pressure required for jute
roots.
Another part of my invention has reference to the plates between which the
material is pressed. Hitherto these plates have been made with teeth or deep.
grooves extending from side to side the object of these teeth or grooves being to
enable the lashing hoops or bands to be introduced above or below the bale when
held between the top and bottom plates. It is found that when very great pressure
is applied to compress the cotton or other material into a finished bale the teeth are
liable to cut into the cotton and seriously impair the value of the bale. The object
of this part of my invention is to so construct the plates that the cotton will not be
cut and also to reduce the measurement of the bale by making the top and bottom
surfaces more even. For these purposes I make the plates with a plain or nearly
plain surface all over that is without teeth or deep grooves. In presses where
fingers or stops are used for retaining the charges the bottom plate may have very
narrow grooves on small portions of its surface to allow the fingers to clear the
plate in its rise and fall, and there may also be small grooves in the top plate going
a very little way in to allow the hoops to form a more gentle curve over the
corners of the plate, but the plates are nevertheless such that the pressure will band
the hoops between the cotton and the plates so that the hoops (which are inserted
before the final pressure) cannot be moved after the final pressure is on the bale.
With this arrangement two pieces of hoop are required for each turn round the
bale, and there will be two fastenings that is one at each side. As a modification 1
make only one of the plates with a plain surface as described and the other with
teeth or deep grooves of the ordinary form through which the hoops can be passed
after the pressure is on the bale; in this case only one piece of hoop is required for
one turn round the bale and only one fastening. The bottom plate has recesses at
the sides into which the ends of the lower hoops (which ends are looped or other-
wise) are bent so that the hoops can pass up the box along with the plate. The
upper plate has grooved projections at the sides between which before the bale is
pressed the portions of the hoops that extend beyond the plate are passed and these
portions are then held up by hinged pins or other devices dropped into the grooves.
The ends of the upper hoops which are looped or otherwise formed are further

page_text: supported by rods or pins which pass through the loops or otherwise and ensure
the hoops projecting equally at both sides of the bale. When the bale has been
pressed the upper hoops are freed from their supports and their ends are pushed
down into the vertical position for fastening, the ends of the lower hoops being
similarly pushed up into the fastening position.
Dated this 27th August 1892.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Baling Presses.
1, JAMES WATSON of 8 Pembridge Villas, Bayswater in the County of London,
Engineer, 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 :-
My invention has reference chiefly to baling presses in which it is required to
force the contents of several charging boxes successively into a receiving box to
form one partly or fully pressed bale, and it relates more particularly to presses in
which there is a preparing side where a preparatory pressure is given to the cotton
or other material to be pressed into a bale, and a finishing side where the final
pressure is given to the material, the action being that the material is supplied to
a set of charging boxes which by a revolving or rectilinear motion are brought in
turn into line with a preparing ram or rams which force the material therefrom into
one of a set of finishing or receiving boxes, and that these by a revolving or
rectilinear motion are brought successively and in turn first into line with the
preparing ram or rams, and secondly after having received the required charge
(that is to say a partially pressed bale) into line with the finishing ram or rams,
which give the final or finishing pressure.
The object of the first part of the invention is to so construct, and work the
press that for each bale the contents of the first two or more charging boxes
shall be forced therefrom successively into the finishing or receiving box by the
power of one or more (say one) of a set of two or more (say three) preparing rams,
and that the contents of the last charging box or last two charging boxes
(according to their depth and the nature of the material operated on) shall be
forced into the finishing or receiving box by the combined power of all the
preparing rams, the pressure being thus differentiated according to the resistance.
With this object I cause the ram or rams (preferably one central ram) which are
to force the contents of the first two or more boxes into the receiving box to rise
alone under pressure while the other ram or rams (preferably two side rams)
remain idle at their bottom position. Then when the contents of the last charging
box or last two charging boxes have to be forced into the receiving box and
greater resistance has to be overcome owing to this box having already received a
large proportion of its charge ! cause all the rams to rise together under pressure.
Or I can have three variations of pressure, by using first one ram, then two rams,
and finally all three rains. With these arrangements no elevated tank or double or
treble power valve boxes are needed, as in double or treble power presses in which
the ram or rams that for the time being work under pressure have to draw up the
other or idle rams with them. In carrying out this part of the invention all the
preparing rams may be made to bear against but be in no way fixed to the follower
(though the first motion ram may be attached thereto) so that the first motion
ram can rise while the other rams remain stationary, or the first motion ram can
work through an eye in the follower (which might then be fixed to the other rams)
either against a light supplementary follower below the loose lashing plate or
directly against this lashing plate. The first motion ram should be loaded so that
when after the final charge has been pushed up into the receiving box and the rams

page_text: are allowed to fall clear of the lashing plate, the first motion ram will be flush with
or a little below the follower which is supported by the other rams.
This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings, Figure 1 being an elevation of the press and Figure 2 a section on the
line 1-2-3-4 of Figure 1. A is the head of the preparing side of the press
and A the head of the finishing side. These heads are supported by the
columns B1 B2 B3. C1 C2 are two charging boxes (this particular number is,
however, not essential but is what I consider most suitable under ordinary
circumstances). They are carried by a bracket D' adapted to revolve upon a ball
or other bearing E' on the column B¹ so that the boxes C' C³ can be brought in
turn into line with the preparing rams hereinafter described. FI F2 are two
finishing or receiving boxes (this particular number not being essential). They
are carried by a bracket or centre piece D' adapted to revolve upon a ball or other
bearing E3 on the column B2 so that the boxes F1 F can be brought in turn first
into line with the preparing rams and then into line with the finishing ram or rams.
G G G are loose lashing plates there being one seen in each of the charging
boxes C¹³ and one at the finishing side of the press. H¹ H H³ are three rams
at the preparing side of the press, the central ram I being the first motion ram.
I is the follower at this side of the press.
It is shown as fixed to the outside
rams H2 H3 while the central ram H passes through an eye or aperture in the
follower and works directly against the loose lashing plate G in the charging box
above. J Jare top lashing plates carried by the finishing boxes F F K Kare
the ram cylinders and K the follower at the finishing side of the press. The
operation is as follows:-The charging box which for the time being is at the
outside position C is filled with the material to be pressed. The two boxes C C'
are then swung round or rotated on the column B' so as to bring the box Cinto
the position previously occupied by the box C2, that is to say in line with the
preparing rams H1 H2 H3 and with the finishing box which for the time being is in
the position F. The central ram H is then caused to rise so as to force the
contents of the charging box together with the lashing plate into the finishing box.
The rams H2 H3 are inactive and remain at their bottom position. Suitable stops
are then thrust into the finishing box in the manner hereinafter described or other-
wise so as to prevent the falling down of any of the material which has just been
forced into it and the ram H' is then lowered, the lashing plate descending with it.
Next the charging boxes C1 C2 are again swung round so as to bring the box C²
which has in the meantime been filled while in the outside position into line with.
the preparing rams. The ram H is then caused to rise again as before so as to
force the charge in the box into the same finishing box, the stops being
temporarily withdrawn to let the charge pass them and then again thrust into
place. The ram H then again descends, the box C which has meanwhile been
again filled, is again brought into line with the preparing rams and then all the
three rams HH2 H3 are caused to rise together so as by their combined power to
force the third charge into the same finishing box. The rams having again
descended and another charge being brought into line therewith they are again
caused to rise so as to force this fourth and final charge into the same finishing
box. I have assumed that the finishing box is to receive four charges in succession
and that the first two are forced into it by the power of the central ram alone
and the last two by the combined power of the three rains, but this procedure can
be varied; for instance the central ram can be caused to force three successive
charges into the finishing box, and the three rams one or more final charges; or
can have three variations of pressure by using first one ram, then two rams together,
and finally all three rams together. Again the number of rams can be varied, but
I consider that three worked in the manner described are the most suitable for
operating upon most materials. After the final charge has been forced into.the
finishing box the lashing plate which has been forced up with this final charge is
locked in the bottom of the finishing box in any suitable manner. The bracket or
centre piece D is then turned upon the column B2 so as to swing the full box Fl

page_text: '
into line with the finishing rams in the cylinders K K, while the box F2 which is
empty except that it contains one of the lashing plates comes into line with the
preparing rams The lashing plate in the box E is now unlocked and drops upon
the ram head H and follower so that it descends with the preparing rams until
it is caught by the stops L L at the bottom of the charging box through which the
rams pass. The finishing rame in the cylinders KK have in the meantime
commenced their ascent and give the final pressure to the bale. This bale is then
lashed and tumbled out. The men engaged in lashing stand on the platform M. It
will of course be understood that when the press has been got into full operation
the final pressing at the finishing side of the press, the lashing of the bale and its
removal from the press will be effected while fresh charges are being supplied to
the boxes C C2, brought successively in line with the preparing rams, and forced
by these rams into the finishing box.
Figure 3 illustrates a modification in which none of the rams I H² and H³ are
fixed to the follower I (although the central ram H may be fixed to it). In this
case H3 and H³ will remain stationary while H' is acting alone.
The object of the next part of the invention is to provide for automatically
thrusting in stops below each successive charge forced into the receiving box so as
to prevent any of the material falling down into the box containing the succeeding
charge and thereby getting cross packed; also for automatically withdrawing the
said stops at a suitable time during the rise of the succeeding charge, According
to my invention I effect the thrusting in and withdrawal of the stops by the rise of
the first motion ram, and this I effect by the arrangement represented in Figures 4, 5
and 6 and partly in Figure 1. Figure 4 is an end view of part of the preparing
side of the press, Figure 5 a plan on the line 2-2 of Figure 4, and Figure 6 a
front view these figures are on a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2.
At opposite sides of the receiving box F are apertures through which the
stops N N are inserted or withdrawn; the stops at each side are carried by a
shaft P connected by a lever Q to a rocking lever R which when moved into the
one position withdraws the stops and when moved into the other position, viz. :-
the position seen in Figure 4, inserts them. The withdrawal is produced by means
of tappets S S on rods T T which are either connected to the follower I or pass
up through the follower and are connected to a cross head U (Figure 1). The
tappets SS as the follower and crosshead U rise with the first motion ram H¹ act
through the intermediation of levers as presently to be described upon vertical
rods V, V, which it causes to rise and which in rising come against and lift
rods W, W, connected to one end of the rocking levers R, R, so that these rock or
change their position and consequently withdraw the stops N, N. The way in
which the tappets S, S, act upon the vertical rods V, V, is as follows:-The
tappets as they rise come against friction wheels X on bell crank levers Y and
push these wheels to the position seen at X, Figure 6. The levers Y give a
partial rotation to short shafts Y' to which are fixed the levers Y which are thus
depressed and thereby depress other levers Y³ on the shafts a. On these shafts
are the levers and these thereby become lifted and lift the rods V V. When
the tappets S S have passed the wheels X weights 6 (Figure 6) on levers c which
are keyed on the same centres as the bell crank levers Y trip the wheels X to the
opposite side of the tappet rod as seen at X2, which brings the smaller friction
wheels seen in Figure 6 on the bell crank levers to the position marked d. When
the first motion ram Has it continues to rise has pushed the lashing plate high
enough to allow the stops N N to be again inserted, tappets e e on other rods ƒƒ
connected to the cross head U (or to the follower) lift the tappets g g which
through the intermediation of levers h, shafts and levers k k raise vertical
rods which in rising come against and lift rods m m connected to the other end
of the rocking levers R R so that these again change their position and
consequently push in the stops N N; this action depresses the rods W W and V V.
As the ram H subsequently descends tappets n n on the rods T T come in contact
with the small wheels d and push them back to the position d' which action brings

page_text: the larger WIRECTS to ne position ready tO De acted upon by the tappets >>
during the next rise of the ram H¹.
According to another part of my invention I so construct and arrange the outlet
and inlet valves to the first motion ram and their connections, that when the ram
has reached or nearly reached the top of its stroke it effects the opening of the
outlet valve and the closing of the inlet valve and locks them in that position until
they are unlocked by hand. I also so construct and arrange the inlet valve of the
other or outer rams and the connections of these valves that the attendant shall be
able to open this valve by standing or pressing on a foot plate connected with it,
leaving his hands free to unlock and close the outlet and close the inlet to the first
motion ram, as it is important that the two inlet valves should be opened as nearly
as possible at the same time when all the rams have to rise. A weight effects thic
closing of the inlet valve of the outer rams when the attendant steps off or removes
the pressure from the foot plate. I also provide that one and the same valve shall
act as a relief valve to stop the first motion ram when it alone rises, as a relief
valve to all the rams when they rise together, as an outlet valve for the first motion
ram when it is falling after having risen alone, and as an outlet valve for all the
rams when they are falling together. These objects can be effected as follows:-
2"
q
When the first motion ram H' is at or near the top of its stroke a tappet on a
rod connected to the follower and which may conveniently be one of the tappets g
(as shown) by means of which the motion for thrusting in the stops N N is given,
comes against and moves the outlet valve lever 2, opens the outlet valvey and
thereby stops the rise of the ram. The movement of the outlet valve lever pis
transmitted by levers and r¹, rods and levers and (see Figures 1 and 2) to a
hand levert which has been standing at the position seen in dotted lines in
Figure 1, being the position it occupies when the outlet valve is closed, and this
hand levert is thereby automatically moved to the position shown in full lines in
Figure 1 which corresponds with the open position of the outlet valve in which
position it is locked by a catch at and cannot be moved until unlocked by hand.
The movement which opens and locks the outlet valve also closes and locks the
inlet valve v. The first motion ram then descends to the bottom of the charging
box and after this box has been moved away and another charging box has been
brought into position the hand levert is unlocked and moved by hand to the
position seen in dotted lines so as to close the outlet valve 7 the same motion
opening the inlet valve to the first motion ram which then again rises, the same
cycle of operations being repeated until the other or outer rams H² H³ have to rise
with the first motion ram. The attendant then when moving the hand lever
to close the outlet valve 7 and open the inlet valve of the first motion ram steps
upon or depresses the foot plate w and thereby through the intermediation of a
lever or other suitable connection indicated by dots opens the inlet valve y to
the outer rams; these rams therefore rise with the first motion ram. When the
rams have reached the top of their stroke the attendant steps off the foot plate w
and the inlet valve y is then closed by a weight acting on its operating lever and
at the same time the inlet valve to the first motion ram is closed and the outlet
valve to same, which also serves as the outlet valve to the outer rams, is opened
in the manner already explained. As an alternative arrangement I have a
separate outlet for the outer rams so that the outlet of the first motion ram may
remain open when waiting at the top of the box to receive the lashing plate, while
the outlet of the outer rams is closed, these rams then holding up the first motion
K2 (Figure 2) represents the inlet to the cylinders K at the finishing side of
the press and K³ the outlet of these cylinders.
ram.
According to another part of my invention when the final charge has been forced
into the receiving boxes the locks of their main doors are automatically unlocked'
by tappet rods which are attached, not to the follower but to the outer ram or rams
and through the intermediation of tappets and levers or other suitable connections
act upon the locks.
This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 3 and 5. 1 is a cross-head

page_text: carried by the ram H². From this cross-head depend two rods 2-2 on each of
which is a tappet 3. As the ram H2 rises the rods 2-2 rise with it and the tappets 3
come against and lift the tappets which in their turn lift the forked levers 5-5.
The opposite ends of these levers are keyed on shafts 66 to which they when
lifted give a partial rotation. This turning of the shafts 6, 6 acts upon and
unlocks the locks of the main doors of the box F¹ (or F2) as will be well
understood.
According to another part of my invention I make the charging boxes C1 C2
with doors at the upper part of each side about 18 inches high more or less, sec 7-7
Figure 1, so that whichever side of the charging box is next to the weighing box,
a door can be opened at that side when the charging box is being filled, the other
door being left closed. The material therefore requires to be lifted only to the
level of the door.
According to another part of my invention I place the stops under the frame or
below the doors of the receiving box For F2 instead of as hitherto in the doors
above the frame. As the first motion ram or rams will then not have to force the
material into so shallow a space in the receiving box their area or power can be
considerably reduced. It will be seen on reference to Figures 1 and 4 that the
stops N N are below the doors which are hinged on the column B' and form the
sides of the finishing box when in line with the preparing rams and that the stops
are in the frame 8.
In constructing a press that shall be adapted for pressing at different times
materials which require different degrees of pressure such for example as jute
and jute roots, the latter requiring about double the pressure required for jute I
arrange for the side rams H2 H3 (which may be fixed to the follower I) to give
the preparing pressure when jute is being pressed, the central ram (or rams) H¹
which is in no way attached to the follower remaining inactive at the bottom.
When on the other hand jute roots have to be pressed the inlet valve to the central
ram (or rams) H' is opened and all the rams H₁ H2 H³ rise, thus giving the
additional pressure required for jute roots.
Another part of the invention has reference to the plates between which the
material is pressed. Hitherto these plates have been made with teeth or deep
grooves extending from side to side, the object of these teeth or grooves being
to enable the lashing hoops or bands to be introduced above or below the bale
when held between the top and bottom plates. It is found that when very great
pressure is applied to compress the cotton or other material into a finished bale
the teeth are liable to cut into the cotton and seriously impair the value of the bale.
The object of this part of my invention is to so construct the plates that the cotton
will not be cut and also to reduce the measurement of the bale by making the top
and bottom surfaces more even. For these purposes I make the plates with a plain
or nearly plain surface all over, that is without teeth or deep grooves. Figures 7
and 8 represent in front and end view upper and lower lashing plates made
with a plain or nearly plain surface all over as just described. a is the upper
plate and the lower plate; c represents a bale which has been compressed
between them and is ready to be lashed. In presses where fingers or stops are
used for retaining the charges the bottom plate may have very narrow grooves
as indicated at kk Figure 7 on small portions of its surface to allow the fingers
which retain the charges to enter and clear the plate and there may also be
small grooves in the top plate going a very little way in, to allow the hoops to
form a
more gentle curve over the corners of the plate, but the plates are
nevertheless such that the pressure will bind the hoops between the material and
the plates so that the hoops (which are inserted before the final pressure) cannot
be moved after the final pressure is on the bale. With this arrangement two pieces
of hoop are required for each turn round the bale and there will be two fastenings,
that is one at each side. dd represent the upper pieces of hoop and ee the lower
pieces. The bottom plate & has recesses at the sides into which the ends of the
lower hoops ee (which ends are looped or otherwise) are bent as shown so that the