IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING COTTON OR OTHER SUBSTANCES INTO BALES to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ARTHUR ELPHINSTONE CUMMINS of Tuticorin in the Empire of India now
residing at 20 Palmerston Park Dublin Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING COTTON OR
OTHER SUBSTANCES INTO BALES to be as follows:-
"
In the press described in the provisional specification lodged by C. J. Ash
No 4262 in the year 1883 as a communication to him by me from abroad feeding
boxes were employed-these were filled with material to be compressed and brought
in succession opposite to the end of a bale chamber. As each box was in succession
brought opposite to the end of the bale chamber its contents were pushed into the
bale chamber by means of the follower or ram of the press. When the contents of two
three or more boxes had in this way been filled into the bale chamber the whole
contents of this chamber were by the forward movement of the ram simultaneously
compressed into a bale. By these means the bales could be compressed lengthwise
instead of sidewise as heretofore.
My present invention has for its object to adapt other forms of presses to
compress cotton or other substances into bales in the manner described in that
specification.
In some forms of press heretofore employed a reciprocating ram is used to force
cotton or other material from a trough into one end of a long chamber or channel
in which the material gets compressed and is discharged in a compressed state from
its opposite end the compression resulting from friction of the material against the
sides of the channel and all backward movement of the material being prevented
by fingers carried on the interior of the channel and made to turn or move
inwards.
According to my invention I employ as heretofore in such presses a ram to which
a reciprocating to and fro motion is imparted in order to feed cotton or material
from a trough into one end of a chamber the opposite end of this chamber I close
by a solid head or end and the trough I keep supplied with cotton or material
either from a hopper or otherwise. When a sufficient quantity of material for
forming a bale has by the to and fro movement of the plunger been fed into the
bale chamber I cause the plunger to have a longer travel given to it either by
hydraulic power or otherwise and thereby cause it to simultaneously compress the
whole contents of the chamber into a bale. Across the faces of the ram and head

page_text: or end of the chamber I form parallel grooves to admit of lashing bands or hoops
being passed around the bale after it has been compressed. I also provide on two
opposite sides of the bale chamber doors which can be opened to admit of such
lashing hoops or bands being passed around the compressed bale.-A third side is
also made removable to relieve the bale of side pressure after it has been hooped
or lashed and allow of its being discharged from the bale chamber.
As heretofore I employ fingers to turn inwards into the interior of the chamber
from two of its opposite sides to prevent backward movement of the material
during the time that material is being fed into it but to ensure a more perfect
action of such fingers I make them in the form of segments of discs fixed
concentrically upon two axes mounted at two opposite sides of the bale chamber.
The segments are made to pass through slots formed in the sides of the bale
chamber near the end at which material is fed into it. The forward movements of
the ram when forcing material into the chamber turn the segments outwards. On
the backward movement of the ram the segments may be turned inwards either
automatically by the action of a weight or spring or by hand by means of lever
handles fixed on the axes.
By making the fingers in the form of circular discs and by making them work
to and fro through slots in the sides of the chamber the outward movement of the
fingers through the slots can never be impeded by cotton or material getting
between the back of the fingers and the side of the press.
The discs may be prevented from turning too far into the interior of the bale
chamber by side projections upon them coming against the exterior of the sides of
the bale chamber whenever the fingers have turned inwards as far as desired.

page_text: 21
I, ARTHUR ELPHINSTONE CUMMINS of Tuticorin in the Empire of India now
residing at 20 Palmerston Park Dublin-Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING COTTON
OR OTHER SUBSTANCES INTO BALES " and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In the press described in the provisional specification lodged by C. J. Ash
No 4262 in the year 1883 as a communication to him by me from abroad feeding
boxes were employed these were filled with material to be compressed and brought
in succession opposite to the end of a bale chamber. As each box was in succession
brought opposite to the end of the bale chamber its contents were pushed into the
bale chamber by means of the follower or ram of the press. When the contents of
two three or more boxes had in this way been filled into the bale chamber the
whole contents of this chamber were by the forward movement of the ram simul-
taneously compressed into a bale. By these means the bales could be compressed
lengthwise instead of sidewise as heretofore.
My present invention has for its object to adapt other forms of presses to
compress cotton or other substances into bales in the manner described in that
specification.
In some forms of press heretofore employed a reciprocating ram is used to force
cotton or other material from a trough into one end of a long chamber or channel
in which the material fits compressed by sections and is discharged in a compressed
state from its opposite end, the compression resulting from friction of the material
against the sides of the channel and all backward movement of the material being
prevented by fingers carried on the interior of the channel and made to turn or
move inwards.
According to my invention I employ as heretofore in such presses a ram or screw
to which a reciprocating to and fro motion is imparted in order to feed cotton or
material from a trough into one end of a chamber the opposite end of this chamber
I close by a solid head or end or by a head which carries a powerful hydraulic
cylinder and ram or screw, and the trough I keep supplied with cotton or material
either from a hopper or otherwise. When a sufficient quantity of material for
forming a bale bas by the to and fro movement of the plunger been fed into the
bale chamber I cause the plunger to have a longer travel given to it either by
hydraulic power or otherwise and thereby cause it to simultaneously compress
the whole contents of the chamber into a bale.
Across the faces of the ram or follower and head or end of the chamber I form
parallel grooves to admit of lashing bands or hoops being passed around the bale
after it has been compressed. I also provide on two opposite sides of the bale
chamber doors which can be opened to admit of such lashing hoops or bands being
passed around the compressed bale, these doors also enable a cloth wrapper or
gunny to be laid round the bale before lashing. A third side is also made moveable
to relieve the bale of side pressure after it has been lashed or hooped and allow of
its being discharged from the bale chamber.
As heretofore I employ fingers to turn inwards into the interior of the chamber
from two of its opposite sides to prevent backward movement of the material
during the time that material is being fed into it, but to insure a more perfect
action of such fingers I make them in the form of segments of discs fixed
concentrically upon two axes mounted at two opposite sides of the bale chamber.

page_text: The segments are made to pass through slots formed in the sides of the bale
chamber near the end at which material is fed into it. The forward movements of the
ram when forcing material into the chamber turn the segments outwards. On the
backward movement of the ram the segments may be turned inwards either
automatically by the action of a weight or spring or by hand by means of lever
handles fixed on the axes.
By making the fingers in the form of circular discs and by making them work
to and fro through slots in the sides of the chamber the outward movement of the
fingers can never be impeded by cotton or material getting between the back of
the fingers and the side of the press.
The discs may be prevented from turning too far into the interior of the bale
chamber by side projections upon them coming against the exterior of the sides of
the bale chamber whenever the fingers have turned inwards as far as desired.
Or when a head or end that carries a ram or screw is used, after the filling ram
has pushed sufficient material into the chamber for forming a bale its follower may
be prevented from coming back by turning the discs or grids immediately under it,
the bale is compressed to the requisite amount by the forward movement of large
ram in the press head acting against the follower of filling ram the whole of the
compressing force is then taken by the fingers or grids.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. The construction of machinery for compressing cotton or other substances
into bales in such manner that the substance is fed from a trough into a closed
chamber in which it is to be compressed by a ram or screw to which a reciprocating
to and fro motion is imparted and is retained in this chamber by fingers turning
inwards on its sides and also in such manner that when a sufficient quantity of
material has in this way been fed into the chamber the ram or screw has a longer
travel given to it to simultaneously compress the whole contents of the chamber to
form it into a bale preparatory to its being hooped or lashed substantially as herein
before described.
Second. The construction of machinery for compressing cotton or other
substances into bales in such manner that the substance is fed from a trough into
a closed chamber in which it is to be compressed by a ram or screw to which a
reciprocating to and fro motion is imparted and is retained in this chamber by
fingers turning inwards on its sides and also in such manner that when a sufficient
quantity of material has in this way been fed into the chamber or ram at the
opposite end of the chamber is made to advance and simultaneously compress the
whole contents of the chamber to form it into a bale preparatory to its being
hooped or lashed substantially as herein before described.
Third. The construction of machinery for compressing cotton or other substances
into bales substantially in the manner hereinbefore described.
Fourth. In machinery for compressing cotton or other substances into bales in
which fingers capable of turning inwards into the interior of the bale or compressing
chamber are used the making such fingers in the form of segments of discs to pass
through slots at opposite sides of the bale chamber substantially as herein before
described.
01-1 1
ahou 1001.