Patent ID: 7992491

Claim:
A baler for making compacted bales of a cellulosic biomass material, the baler comprising: a housing defining a compaction chamber therein, wherein the housing comprises a top wall, an infeed opening defined in the top wall for introducing the material into the compaction chamber, and a hopper system comprising: first and second doors pivotably attached to the housing in opposing array over the infeed opening, wherein each door comprises a pivot having a plurality of fingers extending in planar array therefrom and defining a plurality of recesses disposed therebetween, wherein the fingers of the first and second doors are staggered such that the fingers of each door are positioned opposite to and receivable by the recesses of the other door, and wherein at least one of the doors is provided with a shear bar, knife, or saw, and actuator means for pivoting the doors upwardly to form a chute for directing the material toward the infeed opening, and downwardly to intermesh the fingers and substantially cover the infeed opening.