Fibrous material packaging machine

A machine for packaging fibrous material which comprises:

• means for receiving baled fibrous material;
• separation means for cutting and removing binding bands from said bales comprising knife blades for cutting said bands along the lower side of said bales as said bales move thereover, pickup rods for engaging the upper surface of said bales and lifting said bands and cooperating closely spaced endless belts for carrying said bands away from said bales;
• cutting means for cutting said bales into substantially uniform portions;
• means for forming a continuous moving stream of said material having substantially uniform selected depth,
• milling means for milling said fibrous materials to a selected size distribution;
• means for weighing and separating selected quantities of said fibrous material from said stream and directing said quantities to load chambers;
• compression means for receiving said quantities from said load chambers and for highly compressing said selected quantity into a shape retaining package;
• and
• packaging means for enclosing said package in a plastic film enclosure.