Improvements in Metallic Bale Coverings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Bale Coverings.
I, MARK ANTHONY HEATH, residing at No. 504 Pine Street, in the City and
County of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, U.S.A., Mechanic, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained by the following statement
and accompanying drawings:-
My invention relates to metallic bale-coverings, so-called, or rather to the class
of "knock-down" casings or envelopes in which cotton or other staple or fibrous
material may be packed and shipped.
Metallic bale-coverings have been devised constructed of sections removably
secured together and bent in such a manner as to inclose in the bends the side
edges of the bale, so that the sharp edges of the sections did not come at the edges
of the bale but mediately of the sides thereof.
In re-shipping such coverings when empty, it has been hitherto necessary to
straighten or flatten out into one plane the sections of the covering and then. to
re-bend them along the former bent edges when using them for covering the cotton.
But it has been found that such sections, will break along the lines of bending after
being thus bent and re-bent two or three times, so that they last a comparatively
short time.
Now, one of the objects of my invention has been to provide bent side sections
of a metallic bale-covering which do not need to be flattened out to be re-shipped,
and which will therefore be serviceable for a far longer period than those hitherto
in use, their durability being indeed practically unlimited.
A second object of my invention has been to provide a sectional bale-covering
in which all the parts can be secured together except one end before filling, and
which can then be filled and compressed from the end, and the end section secured
in place with speed and facility.
The third object of my invention has been to devise a metallic fastening for the
sections which shall be stronger and cheaper than those hitherto in use and which
shall possess the further advantage of securing the edges of two sections together
at a large number of points along said edges so as to be very strong, while being
capable of being withdrawn or unloosed all along said edge by a single
operation.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved metallic bale-covering complete, a
portion being broken away.
and
Fig. 2 is a plan view..
Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on line of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the side
plates or sections detached,
Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the upper end plate.
I would state that while I practically prefer to make the covering square cross-
sectionally, its length being say twice the width of one side, or as 46 inches is
to 23 inches, I do not wish to thus limit or restrict its form and size. I would
further add that in the drawings the relative thickness of the inetal plates or walls
of the sections is considerably exaggerated, in order to represent the parts more
clearly Lprofon

page_text: In the drawings, A indicates my improved metallic bale-covering as a whole.
It is, as drawn, composed of a series of four side plates or sections a, the two end
plates or members b and the several metallic lacing strips d. Each side plate a is
bent longitudinally, its form cross-sectionally when thus bent being substantially
V-shaped. The four edges of the plate are provided with suitable holes or
perforations e, adapted to receive the lacing-strips. The plates or sections may if
desired be further perforated, as at m, in order to allow the contents of the bale to
be thoroughly ventilated. The side plates are duplicates of each other and are
interchangeably alike, the several holes e of one plate exactly coinciding or
registering with those of another plate, when the sections are superimposed.
The end plates b are substantially flat and are provided with short downwardly
extending sides b' having holes therein arranged to match or register with those
holes formed in the top and bottom edges of the plates a. When combined or
mounted, as in use, the sides of the end plates or sections are inserted within the
side walls a, the top face of the end plates b extending above the side walls, as
shown in Fig. 1. One, or both if desired, of the end members is provided with a
central hole h, termed a sampling-hole, through which hole samples of the cotton
or contents of the bale may be taken. On the underside of the plate b, adjacent
to said hole, is secured a smaller plate '; this latter is also provided with a hole h.
Between the adjacent faces of the said parts b, h', is frictionally mounted a swinging
oval-shaped cover c, the latter being pivoted at c2 to the end plate. The cover
may be swung to the right and left, see Fig. 5, its movement being arrested by
fixed stops c. In Fig. 2 the cover is shown in the normal position, the hole h being
closed by it. The cover is provided with a series of small holes e adapted to
receive say a piece of wire, by means of which latter it may be moved, as in opening
and closing the sampling-hole.
The several plates or sections a, b, comprising my improved bale-covering, are
secured together by means of metallic strips or ribbons d interlaced through the
openings e, as clearly represented.
In using my improved bale-covering A, as in baling cotton, the covering is first
placed vertically within a suitable separable box having strong sides, the top end
of the covering being open. The cotton is now placed within the covering and
thorougly packed and compressed therein by suitable means until it is filled, after
which the top plate or cover section b is inserted and secured in place by the lacing-
strips or metallic ribbons d, which are passed through the corresponding registering
slits or holes e alternately backward and forward entirely around the upper edge of
the bale. Now, upon opening the box the metallic-covered bale may be removed
therefrom, it then being ready for transportation and shipment.
The side plates a may be slightly corrugated, instead of being made perfectly
smooth, thereby not only increasing the ventilation but also providing a better
surface to facilitate the handling of the bale.
I would further state, that in former bale-coverings the constructions thereof
were not of the character specified herein which can without bending be packed
one within another in close compass for re-shipping; nor were they constructed so
that all the parts could be put together except one end, before filling, and in which
the cotton could be filled in and compressed from that end and said end then be
rapidly and conveniently secured in place; nor do former constructions disclose
metallic fastening devices for many points along one side or edge, whereby all
fastenings points can be enclosed at a single operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is :-
1. A metallic bale-covering comprising four similar interchangeable side plates
or sections, each bent along a rounded edge so as to embrace one of the four side
edges of the bale, and provided at their edges with means whereby they may be
secured together in substantially one plane or without any lateral obstructions or

page_text: projections, said plates at one end being open so that when said four plates are put
together and united at their edges as aforesaid, they will form a box having
rounded edges and open at said end, whereby the cotton may be unobstructedly
pressed directly downwards into said box so formed, substantially as described.
2. A metallic bale-covering comprising side sections which when secured together
shall form a rectangular box having the aperture at one end co-extensive with the
cross-section of said box, whereby the cotton may be unobstructedly compressed
thereinto, and an end section having flanges adapted to lie against the end edges
of said side sections, said flanges and edges being provided with apertures adapted
to register with each other when the end section, and thereby the cotton, has been
pressed inwardly to a predetermined extent, substantially as described.
3. In a metallic bale-covering, in combination with metallic sections having along
adjacent edges longitudinal perforations or slits arranged at intervals at right
angles to said edges, the slits in said adjacent plates being adapted to register with
each other, and a metallic lacing-ribbon passed through said pairs of registering
slits alternately backward and forward, substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of March 1896.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents for the Applicant.