Method and apparatus for producing a strapless bale of compressed fiber

A method for producing a strapless bale of compressible fibers comprising:

• providing a baler having a tramping chamber in which loose fibers are tramped into a compacted fiber mass, a compression chamber having a compression section and an ejection section adjacent said tramping chamber and in which said compacted fiber mass is compressed into a compressed fiber block, a transfer opening between said tramping chamber and said compression chamber through which said compacted fiber mass is transferred into said compression chamber and an unobstructed ejection opening through which said fiber block is removed from said compression chamber;
• supplying loose fibers into said tramping chamber;
• tramping said loose fibers in said tramping chamber to create said compacted fiber mass of a predetermined amount of loosely compacted fibers during a tramping cycle;
• transferring said compacted fiber mass through said transfer opening to said compression section of said compression chamber;
• compressing said fiber mass in said compression section in the same direction said fiber bale is tramped to create a compressed fiber block during a compression cycle;
• compressing said compacted fiber mass into said fiber block in said compression section using a moveable main platen and a moveable secondary platen by moving said platens first in opposite directions and then in the same direction;
• moving said fiber block into said ejection section and ejecting said compressed fiber block through said ejection opening and through an ejection sleeve each having a rectangular cross-section during and ejection cycle;
• providing a flexible bag, and ejecting said compressed fiber block into said bag during said ejection cycle to produce a strapless fiber bale.

Apparatus for producing a strapless bale of compressible fibers comprising:

• a tramping chamber for receiving a supply of loose compressible fibers;
• a reciprocating platen disposed within said tramping chamber for repeatedly tramping successive deposits of said loose fibers to create a compacted fiber mass during a tramping cycle;
• a controller for actuating said reciprocating platen repeatedly during said tramping cycle until a compacted fiber mass is formed containing a prescribed amount of fibers;
• a compression chamber receiving said compacted fiber mass which includes a compression section in which said compacted fiber mass is compressed in the same direction in which said loose fibers are compacted to produce a compressed fiber block during a compression cycle and an unobstructed ejection section having an ejection opening from which said compressed fiber block is ejected during an ejecting cycle;
• a moveable main platen reciprocally carried in said compression chamber and a moveable secondary platen arranged in alignment with said main platen within said compression chamber, said main platen and said secondary platen compressing said compacted fiber mass within said compression section of said compression chamber to form said compressed fiber block, said main platen and said secondary platen then moving said compressed fiber block from said compression section into said ejection section of said compression chamber and into alignment with said ejection opening;
• and
• an ejector platen associated with said ejection section of said compression chamber for ejecting said compressed fiber block through said ejection opening from said compression chamber in a direction transverse to the direction of compression.

Apparatus for producing a strapless bale of compressed fibers comprising:

• a fiber supply of loose fibers;
• a stationary tramping chamber for receiving said loose fibers;
• a reciprocating tramping platen disposed within said tramping chamber for repeatedly tramping deposits of loose fibers to create a compacted fiber mass during a tramping cycle containing a prescribed amount of fibers;
• a plurality of retaining elements operatively associated with said tramping chamber of retaining said compacted fibers within said tramping chamber while said successive deposits of said loose fibers are compacted to produce said compacted fiber mass;
• a compression chamber having a compression section and an ejection section in which said compacted fiber mass is compressed in the same direction in which said loose fibers are compacted to produce a compressed fiber block during a compression cycle;
• a reciprocating main platen for compressing said fibers in said compression section;
• said tramping chamber and said compression chamber being generally parallel and laterally next adjacent each other, and a fiber transfer opening being defined between said adjacent tramping chamber and compression chamber for direct transfer of said compacted fiber mass;
• at least one reciprocating transfer plate for transferring said compacted fiber mass from said tramping chamber to said compression chamber;
• an ejector platen associated with said ejector section for ejecting said compressed fiber block from said compression chamber;
• and
• an unobstructed ejection opening including an ejection sleeve through which said compressed fiber block is ejected by said ejector platen, and said ejector sleeve carrying a flexible bag into which said compressed fiber block is ejected from said ejector sleeve during an ejection cycle.