Baling press for cotton gin trash and other biomass feedstock and methods of using the same

A method of forming a bale of biomass feedstock or gin trash comprising the steps of:

• providing a horizontal baling press comprising a compression ram assembly comprising a ram platen comprising at least one slot and a top plate, a strapping storage and dispensing assembly comprising a strapping dispensing unit carrying at least one strapping spool, a strapping insertion assembly comprising an encasing, one or more inserter shafts, one or more strapping retention elements, and one or more strapping guide elements, an extrusion chamber assembly comprising an extrusion chamber chute further comprising a bale exit end and a feed stock entry end, a first tension element and a second tension element, and an infeed chute assembly comprising an infeed chute, a first opening and a second opening, and a charge chamber;
• supplying feedstock to said baling press through infeed chute;
• repeatedly advancing said compression ram assembly and ram platen through said charge chamber and into said extrusion chamber chute carrying a feedstock charge with each cycle;
• dispensing strapping material to said strapping insertion assembly through said strapping storage and dispensing assembly;
• prior to the first charge of each bale, inserting strapping material through said extrusion chamber chute and ram platen slots with said inserter shafts;
• controlling the minimum bale density through said first tension element and the maximum bale density through said second tension element;
• tightening and securing said strapping material to the formed bale;
• and
• extruding the formed and tied bale out of the bale exit end of the extrusion chamber chute.