Improvements in Presses for Baling Hay, Straw, and other Materials,
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Presses for Baling Hay, Straw, and other Materials,
We, GEOFFREY HOWARD and GEORGE GIBBS, both of the Britannia Iron Works,
Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in presses for baling hay straw and other
materials and has reference more particularly to presses of the kind described in
the Specifications of former British Letters Patent, Nos. 5207 of 1879, 1104 of 1881,
449 of 1891, and 10190 of 1894.
The said invention has for its objects to render the operations of separating
and binding the bales easier and safer, and to enable the press to be readily worked
with fewer hands than heretofore.
In presses such as those above referred to, dividing pieces or followers are
employed for keeping the bales separate from each other, such dividing pieces or
followers having grooves formed in them for the passage of the binding wires. The
insertion of the said followers has however been found in practice to be a dangerous
operation, as well as a frequent cause of accident to the workmen and damage to
the machinery; and these objections were not altogether removed by the follower
dropping appliances described in the Specification of Patent No. 10190 of 1894
aforesaid, when such appliances were in the hands of unskilled persons.
Now an important feature of our present invention is that the said dividing
pieces or followers are entirely dispensed with, the bales in the compression space
or chamber of the presses abutting directly against each other but being kept
separate by the binding wire or wires which extend between them.
A further important feature of the invention is that the binding wires are supplied
to the machine directly from reels, instead of as heretofore having to be supplied
in separate lengths, the wires being drawn off the reels partly by the movement of
the bale, and partly by a device hereinafter described whereby after the bale has
been compressed a loop of each wire can be drawn across that end on which the
ram or traverser acts, in such a manner that when the said loop is cut, the part or
end attached to the reel is left in the proper position required in the formation of the
next bale. The formation of the bales can thus go on continuously, no time being
lost in inserting the followers between them as heretofore and it being unnecessary
for the workman to pass from one side of the press to the other.
In carrying out our invention, according to one arrangement, we provide at one
side of the machine a suitable reel or frame for the wire or for each wire with
which the bale is to be bound. These reels or frames are adapted to receive the
wire in coils as usually supplied by the wire makers, and the axles of the reels may
advantageously be inclined. Each wire is conducted from its reel through a
suitable guide or guides to an elongated opening or slot in one side of the press.
Before the commencement of the first bale the end of such wire is passed trans-
versely across the press and out through another elongated opening on the opposite
side thereof and is secured by the workman by any suitable means. Owing to this,

page_text: :
as the bale is built up and is gradually driven forward by the pressure, it draws the
wire off the reel, so that when the compression is finished the said wire encircles
the bale on three sides thereof.
In order to complete the encircling of the bale, the aforesaid device, which we
term a "needle," is passed through the press behind the bale to draw across a loop
of wire as previously referred to, the recoil or expansion of the bale after the ram
or traverser has receded being prevented by suitable means such as described in
the aforesaid specifications. The "needle" passes through the aforesaid elongated
slots in the sides of the press, and has a barbed extremity to engage with the wire,
a roller being provided in the throat of the barb to diminish the friction of the wire.
When the loop is thus drawn through the press it is advantageously inserted into a
cutting device which cuts the part of the loop attached to the bale and retains the
part attached to the reel ready for the formation of the next bale. That end of
the wire which was secured by the workman before the formation of the bale, is
then after being released, twisted round the free severed end, this being done by
the workman while the bale is still in the pressing chamber, and preferably during
the formation of the next bale.
The cutting device may comprise a pair of jaws between which works the cutter
proper formed at one extremity of a lever or handle, one jaw and the adjacent side
of the cutter being rounded off to nip and retain the end of the wire connected with
the reel, after the cutting action has taken place against the other jaw. It will
be seen that the opening of the cutter to receive a loop of wire will automatically
release the end of the wire that had been previously retained therein. The elongated
openings through which the needle or needles are passed extend sufficiently beyond
the end of the stroke of the ram or traverser to prevent any damage to the machine
in the event of the said ram or traverser being operated before the needles are
withdrawn.
In cases where more than one wire is used, we may unite the needles for the
different wires to a common handle so as to form a compound or forked needle, each
prong of which is provided with a barb as in the case of the single needles.
Dated this 28th day of April 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Presses for Baling Hay, Straw, and other Materials.
We, GEOFFREY HOWARD and GEORGE GIBBS, both of the Britannia Iron Works,
Bedford, in the County of Bedford, England, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in presses for baling hay, straw and other
materials and has reference more particularly to presses of the kind described in
the Specification of former Letters Patent, Nos. 5207 of 1879, 1104 of 1881, 449
of 1891, and 10190 of 1894.
The said invention has for its objects to render the operations of separating and
binding the bales easier and safer, and to enable the press to be readily worked with
less manual assistance than heretofore.
In presses such as those above referred to, dividing pieces or followers are
employed for keeping the bales separate from each other, such dividing pieces or
followers having grooves formed in them for the passage of the binding wires.
The insertion of the said followers has however been found in practice to be a

page_text: dangerous operation and a frequent cause of accident to the workman and damage
to the machinery. These objections were not altogether removed by the follower-
dropping appliances described in the Specification of Patent No. 10190 of 1894
aforesaid when such appliances were in unskilled hands.
Now according to our present invention the said dividing pieces or followers are
entirely dispensed with, the bales in the compression space or chamber of the press
abutting directly against each other, but being kept separate by the binding wire
or wires which extend between them.
The said binding wires are supplied to the press in the form of coils, as obtained
from the manufacturers without any re-winding and are fed from reels, instead
of as heretofore having to be supplied in separate lengths. The said wires are drawn
off the reels partly by the movement of the bale, and partly by a needle as hereinafter
described, so that after the bale has been compressed, a loop of each wire can be
drawn across that end of the bale on which the ram or traverser acts, in such a manner
that when the said loop is cut, the part or end attached to the reel is left in the proper
position required in the formation of the next bale. The formation of the bales
can thus go on continuously, no time being lost in inserting the followers between
them as heretofore, and the necessity for the workman passing from one side of the
press to the other being avoided.
The invention further has reference to a convenient arrangement for effecting the
cutting and holding of the wires after the same have been drawn around the bale,
and also to a device which we find it convenient to employ for preventing the wire
unwinding from the drums merely by its own elasticity at times when it is not being
drawn therefrom.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect, we will proceed to describe the same by aid of the accompanying drawings,
in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of so much of a baling press as is necessary to show the
application of our improvements.
Figure 2 is a plan thereof partly in horizontal section.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line a Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side view to a larger scale of the needle above referred to.
Figures 5 and 6 are also respectively a plan and side view to a larger scale of
the device for cutting the wires.
Figure 7 is a plan, and
Figure 8 a side view of one of the reels for holding the wire and the device for
preventing the unwinding of the same except when required.
a is the frame of the baling machine or press, b are the reels for the wires c
with which the bales are to be bound, and d are the needles for drawing the wires
through the press.
The reels are made of taper form so that as the diameter of the coil of wire c
increases gradually, as it usually does when the coil is unwound, the said coil
descends on to a larger portion of the drum or reel and therefore does not become
unduly slack. At their lower and larger ends the drums are provided with flanges b¹
while at their upper ends they have hinged pieces or arms 62 which can be turned
inward to allow the wire coil to be slipped on to the drum and can then be turned
outward again into the position shown in Figures 7 and 8 to guard against the coil
coming off the drum. These reels or frames receive the wire in coils as usually
supplied by the wire makers and their axles may if desired be slightly inclined.
The needles d have turned over or barbed ends & forming throats which receive
the wires and in which are situated grooved anti-friction rollers round which the
wires bend. Two only of these needles are shown in the present instance although
more may be employed if desired. The said needles may also be united to a single
handle so as to form a compound or forked needle.
The passage of the needles across the press is permitted by elongated openings
or slots e and f, in the opposite sides of the press these slots extending sufficiently far
beyond the end of the stroke of the ram or transverser a* to allow the needles to be

page_text: pushed along freely by the ram or transverser during its forward stroke, thus pre-
venting damage being done to the needles or to the press, should the said needles
either by accident or otherwise be left in the press during the operation of the ram.
These slots are continued to the end of the plates as shown in Fig. 1 so as to allow a
free passage for the wire.
To ensure the engagement of the needles with the wires without the use of any
special device for placing the said wires in the needles, we provide at each elongated
opening or slot e, a bracket or shelf c¹ whose upper surface is flush with the lower
edge of the slot and has an inclined portion e² (see also Figure 3) which serves to
raise the end of the needle when the same is pushed over it.
When the press is at work the wire which is to be engaged by the needle will
be stretched tightly along the bracket e¹ as indicated in Figure 2. Consequently
when the needle is pushed through the press the wire will ride over its pointed
end and will lie across the needle in the position shown in Figures 2 and 4 ready to
be engaged by the barb d'. When the needle is drawn back, the wire is caught
by the barb and bent around a guide roller c¹ secured upon or near the bracket or
shelf e, and also around the roller in the said barb. On the continued move-
ment of the needle the wire is pulled across the press through the slots e and fin
the form of a loop or bight (as indicated by dotted lines c³, Figure 2) and is made fast
to the cutting device.
The said cutting device, of which there is one for each length of wire situated in
proximity to each slot f, comprises a pair of jaws g between which works the
cutter proper g¹, formed at one extremity of a lever g. The levers of both the
cutters may be connected by a link g³ so that the two cutting devices can be operated
simultaneously by a handle g. In each device one jaw and the adjacent side of
the cutter are rounded off as at go to nip and retain the end of the wire connected
with the reel, after the cutting action has taken place against the other jaw. To
assist this releasing of the wire held by the device we provide a clearing piece or
pusher g Figures 5 and 6 on the lever g² which, when the cutter is opened to receive
the new wire pushes out the end of the previous wire. It will thus be seen that the
opening of the cutter to receive a loop of wire will automatically release the end
of the wire that had been previously retained therein. is a bracket by which the
cutter is secured to the machine. It may be formed in one with the inner jaw g.
The recoil or expansion of the bale after the ram or traverser of the press has
receded is prevented in the well known manner by suitable springs arms or stops a',
the extremities of which project through the sides of the press.
Before the commencement of the first bale, the ends of the wires are inserted
through the slots e and passed transversely across the press, being drawn out through
the opposite slots f and secured or made fast by any suitable means. As the bale
is built up and is gradually driven forward (that is towards the right with regard
to Figures 1 and 2) by the pressure, it forms first a loop or bow in each of the wires,
and then gradually increases the size of these loops by drawing the wires off their
reels so that when the compression is finished the said wires are lapped around three
sides of the bale.
In order to complete the encircling of the bale the aforesaid needles are passed
through the press and by this means the loops of wire are drawn across the rear end
of the bale as previously explained.
When the loop is thus drawn through the press it is inserted into the cutting
device which cuts or severs the part of the loop attached to the bale, and retains
the part attached to the reel in the rounded portions g5 ready for the formation of
the next balc. That end of the wire which was made fast before the formation of the
bale is then, after being released, twisted round the newly severed free end, this
being done by the workman while the bale is still in the press, and during the
formation of the next bale.
The means which we find it advantageous to use for preventing unintentional
unwinding of the wire from the reel 6 comprise as shown in Figures 7 and 8, a
ratchet wheel h on the underside of the reel having lateral teeth, a detent i pivoted

page_text: at 2¹, and a lever k on the same pivot and having at its outer extremity an eye k
through which the wire passes. The detent i has a tail or extension on which
is formed a lateral projection 23, while a spring tends to keep the said detent in
engagement with the wheel h.
When there is no strain upon the wire, the lever k falls by its own weight
approximately into the position indicated by the dotted lines (Figure 8), thereby
taking up any slack and keeping the wire in the proper position on the bracket e¹.
As long as the lever occupies this position it allows the detent to remain in engage-
ment with the wheel so preventing accidental revolution of the reel b. As soon
however as sufficient strain is put upon the wire to draw it up tight as in full lines,
the lever k is raised and strikes the projection 3 on the tail of the detent i, so disen-
gaging the latter and allowing the reel to turn freely as long as wire is being drawn
from it. As soon as the tension on the wire ceases however, the lever falls and
the detent i re-engages with the ratchet wheel h so locking the reel.
We wish it to be understood that we may if desired employ binding material
other than wire, as for instance cord or twine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
-
1. A baling press provided with a wire cutting device adapted to retain one of
the severed ends of the wire, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. baling press having elongated openings or slots for the passage of the needles,
in combination with brackets having inclined surfaces, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
3. A baling press provided with means substantially as herein described for
preventing the unintentional revolution of the reels carrying the coils of wire.
4. A baling press provided with the means for wiring bales by wires drawn
directly from reels, during the formation of the said bales, as described with refer-
ence to the annexed drawings.
Dated this 14th day of January 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.