Automatic batt packer and method of packing

Claim 2

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining one end of the chamber, a frame portion defining the opposite end of the chamber, a movable press plate and precompression fingers, comprising extending the press plate into the chamber between the first plate and the frame portion at a location substantially more closely adjacent the frame portion than the first plate, conveying a first plurality of uncompressed batts, one after the other, into the loading chamber between the frame portion and the press plate extending in the chamber while moving the press plate toward the first plate, thence extending the precompression fingers into the chamber between the frame portion and the first plate at a location more closely adjacent the frame portion than the first plate and opposite the first plurality of batts from the first plate, conveying a second plurality of uncompressed batts, one after another, into the loading chamber between the precompression fingers extended into the chamber and the frame portion while moving the precompression fingers toward the first plate to precompress the first plurality of batts, prior to the completion of the loading of the second plurality of batts, retracting the press plate from the loading chamber, extending the movable press plate into the loading chamber between the second plurality of batts and the frame portion after the second plurality of batts have been conveyed into the chamber, conveying a third plurality of batts into the loading chamber between the frame portion, and the press plate and the second plurality of batts while moving the press plate toward the first plate to fully compress the first and second plurality of batts, after the first and second plurality of batts have been fully compressed between the first plate and press plate, stopping the movement of the press plate toward the first plate and then ejecting the fully compressed first and second plurality of batts from the loading chamber, and retracting the precompression fingers from the loading chamber prior to the ejection step and subsequent to the last mentioned extension of the press plate into the loading chamber.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further characterized in the steps of moving both the press plate and the precompression fingers toward the first plate with the third plurality of batts therebetween after the ejection step, and after the press plate is closely adjacent the first plate, retracting the press plate from the chamber while continuing the movement of the precompression fingers in the chamber toward the first plate to precompress the third plurality of batts therebetween.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the movement of each of the precompression fingers and press plate respectively in the chamber toward the first plate is an indexing movement of a distance about the same as the height of an uncompresseed batt and is initiated as each batt is conveyed adjacent the chamber to be moved therein.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the movement of the press plate when extended in the chamber is predominently in a downward direction and that the first batt of the first plurality of batts conveyed into the chamber is supportingly carried by the press plate between the time of the first mentioned extension thereof into the chamber and the first retraction thereof from the chamber.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 further characterized in that each of the first, second and third plurality of batts are of an equal number of batts.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the minimum spacing of the precompression fingers from the first plate during the movement of the fingers in the chamber toward the first plate is substantially greater than the spacing of the press plate from the first plate when it is stopped for the ejection step.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the first mentioned retraction of the press plate from the chamber after the first plurality of batts has been conveyed into the chamber is subsequent to the conveyence of at least one of the second plurality of batts into the chamber.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 further characterized in that after the press plate and precompression fingers in the loading chamber moving toward the first plate have been respectively retracted from the loading chamber, said fingers and press plate are returned in one continuous movement to relative locations that they are extended into the loading chamber to move toward the first plate.

Claim 10

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a generally vertical loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining the bottom end of the chamber, a top frame portion defining the opposite end of the chamber, a movable press plate and precompression fingers, comprising successively loading a first plurality of batts, one after the other, into the loading chamber on top of the press plate with the press plate extended in the chamber; moving the press plate from adjacent the frame portion downwardly toward the chamber bottom as the first plurality of batts is being loaded onto the press plate, and at the same time compressing a second plurality of batts between the bottom of the press plate and the chamber bottom; extending the precompression fingers into the loading chamber between the second plurality of batts and the frame portion after the second plurality of batts has been loaded into the chamber, and thence loading a third plurality of batts into the loading chamber between the precompression fingers and the top frame portion and moving the precompression fingers downwardly in the chamber as the third plurality of batts is moved into the loading chamber.

Claim 11

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a generally vertical loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining the bottom end of the chamber, a top frame portion defining the opposite end of the chamber, a movable press plate and precompression fingers, comprising successively loading a first plurality of batts, one after the other, into the loading chamber on top of the press plate with the press plate extended in the chamber; moving the press plate from adjacent the frame portion downwardly toward the chamber bottom as the first plurality of batts is being loaded onto the press plate, and at the same time compressing a second plurality of batts between the bottom of the press plate and the chamber bottom; extending the precompression fingers into the loading chamber between the second plurality of batts and the frame portion after the second plurality of batts has been loaded into the chamber, and thence loading a third plurality of batts into the loading chamber between the precompression fingers and the top frame portion and moving the precompression fingers downwardly in the chamber as the third plurality of batts is moved into the loading chamber.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9 further characterized in that after most of the second plurality of batts have been moved into the loading chamber and prior to the completion of the loading of the third plurality of batts into the loading chamber, the above mentioned downwardly movement of the press plate in the chamber includes moving the press plate downwardly to a load ejection position a preselected distance above the chamber bottom that the first plurality of batts is fully compressed, and after the movement to the ejection position, mechanically ejecting the fully compressed plurality of batts from the loading chamber.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 further characterized in that after the ejection step, withdrawing the press plate from the loading chamber, moving the press plate upwardly out of the loading chamber, and then moving the press plate into the loading chamber between the third plurality of batts and the top frame portion after the completion of the loading of the third plurality of batts into the chamber.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 further characterized in that the above mentioned movement of the press plate upwardly is during the interval of time of the above mentioned movement of the precompression fingers downwardly in the chamber.

Claim 15

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a generally vertical loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining the bottom end of the chamber, a top frame portion defining the opposite end of the chamber, a movable press plate and precompression fingers, comprising successively loading a first plurality of batts, one after the other, into the loading chamber on top of the press plate with the press plate extended in the chamber; moving the press plate from adjacent the frame portion downwardly toward the chamber bottom as the first plurality of batts is being loaded onto the press plate, and at the same time compressing a second plurality of batts between the bottom of the press plate and the chamber bottom; stopping the downward movement of the press plate in the chamber a preselected distance from the chamber bottom, and while the downward movement is stopped, ejecting the second plurality of batts from the loading chamber.

Claim 16

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a generally vertical loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining the bottom end of the chamber, a top frame portion defining the opposite end of the chamber, a movable press plate and precompression fingers, comprising successively loading a first plurality of batts, one after the other, into the loading chamber on top of the press plate with the press plate extended in the chamber; moving the press plate from adjacent the frame portion downwardly toward the chamber bottom as the first plurality of batts is being loaded onto the press plate, and at the same time compressing a second plurality of batts between the bottom of the press plate and the chamber bottom; stopping the downward movement of the press plate in the chamber a preselected distance from the chamber bottom, and while the downward movement is stopped, ejecting the second plurality of batts from the loading chamber.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13 further characterized in moving the precompression fingers into the loading chamber at a location more closely adjacent the top frame portion than the chamber bottom after the first plurality of batts have been loaded onto the press plate and prior to the completion of the ejection step.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14 further characterized in loading a third plurality of batts into the loading chamber onto the precompression fingers between the precompression fingers and the top frame portion to be supported by said fingers after said fingers have been moved into the chamber, and moving the precompression fingers toward the chamber bottom as the third plurality of batts is loaded thereon.

Claim 19

The method of claim 15 further characterized in that after the completion of the ejection step and during the period of movement of the precompression fingers in the chamber toward the chamber bottom, restarting the movement of the press plate in the chamber toward the chamber bottom, then continuing the downward movement of the press plate until it is closely adjacent the chamber bottom, and thereafter, while the third plurality of batts is being loaded into the chamber, retract the press plate from the chamber so that the second plurality of batts is supported on the chamber bottom and is precompressed between the precompression fingers and the chamber bottom as the precompression fingers have the third plurality of batts loaded thereon.

Claim 20

The method of claim 16 further characterized in moving the press plate into the loading chamber between third plurality of batts and the top frame portion after the completion of the loading of the third plurality of batts into the loading chamber, and thence moving the press plate toward the chamber bottom.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17 further characterized in retracting the precompression fingers from the loading chamber after the fingers have been moved to a preselected distance from the chamber bottom and after the last mentioned movement of the press plate into the chamber whereby further downward movement of the press plate in the chamber compresses the second and third series of batts between the press plate and chamber bottom.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18 further characterized in loading a fourth plurality of batts into the loading chamber on the top of the press plate after the last mentioned movement of the press plate into the loading chamber and while the press plate is moved toward the chamber bottom.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18 further characterized in that the downwardly movement of the precompression fingers and the press plate respectively in the chamber is in increments and is automatically initiated in a step by step manner by the movement of a batt into the loading chamber.

Claim 24

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a generally vertical loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining the bottom of the chamber, a top frame portion defining the top end of the chamber, a movable press plate and movable precompression fingers, comprising loading a first and second plurality of batts into the loading chamber, extending the press plate across the loading chamber between the first and second plurality of batts and the frame portion at a location adjacent the frame portion and downwardly spaced therefrom a distance great enough for an uncompressed batt to be loaded thereon, conveying a third plurality of batts into the loading chamber, one after another, onto the top of the press plate to be supportingly carried thereby while indexing the press plate downwardly about one uncompressed batt thickness for each batt conveyed into the chamber to receive each of the third plurality of batts and compress the first and secOnd plurality of batts between the chamber bottom and the press plate, ejecting the thus compressed first and second plurality of batts from the loading chamber; after the completion of the loading of the third plurality of bales onto the press plate, extending the precompression fingers across the loading chamber between the third plurality of batts and the frame portion and positioning the fingers sufficiently below the frame portion for an uncompressed batt being loaded into chamber between the fingers and the frame portion, moving a fourth plurality of batts one after another, into the loading chambers and onto the precompression fingers between the fingers and the frame portion to be supportingly carried thereby while indexing the fingers downwardly about one uncompressed batt thickness for each of the fourth batts conveyed into the chamber, retracting the press plate from the chamber and then moving the press plate upwardly exterior of the loading chamber prior to the completion of the loading of the fourth plurality of batts; after the completion of the loading of the fourth plurality of batts, moving the press plate to extend across the loading chamber between the fourth plurality of batts and the frame portion and thence move the press plate downwardly in the chamber, and after the last mentioned extension of the press plate across the chamber, retracting the precompression fingers from the chamber and moving the precompression fingers upwardly exterior of the chamber to a location adjacent the top of the chamber.

Claim 25

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a generally vertical loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining the bottom of the chamber, a top frame portion defining the top end of the chamber, a movable press plate and movable precompression fingers, comprising loading a first and second plurality of batts into the loading chamber, extending the press plate across the loading chamber between the first and second plurality of batts and the frame portion at a location adjacent the frame portion and downwardly spaced therefrom a distance great enough for an uncompressed batt to be loaded thereon, conveying a third plurality of batts into the loading chamber, one after another, onto the top of the press plate to be supportingly carried thereby while indexing the press plate downwardly about one uncompressed batt thickness for each batt conveyed into the chamber to receive each of the third plurality of batts and compress the first and secOnd plurality of batts between the chamber bottom and the press plate, ejecting the thus compressed first and second plurality of batts from the loading chamber; after the completion of the loading of the third plurality of bales onto the press plate, extending the precompression fingers across the loading chamber between the third plurality of batts and the frame portion and positioning the fingers sufficiently below the frame portion for an uncompressed batt being loaded into chamber between the fingers and the frame portion, moving a fourth plurality of batts one after another, into the loading chambers and onto the precompression fingers between the fingers and the frame portion to be supportingly carried thereby while indexing the fingers downwardly about one uncompressed batt thickness for each of the fourth batts conveyed into the chamber, retracting the press plate from the chamber and then moving the press plate upwardly exterior of the loading chamber prior to the completion of the loading of the fourth plurality of batts; after the completion of the loading of the fourth plurality of batts, moving the press plate to extend across the loading chamber between the fourth plurality of batts and the frame portion and thence move the press plate downwardly in the chamber, and after the last mentioned extension of the press plate across the chamber, retracting the precompression fingers from the chamber and moving the precompression fingers upwardly exterior of the chamber to a location adjacent the top of the chamber.

Claim 26

The method of claim 21 further characterized in that prior to the ejection of the first and second plurality of batts, the downward movement of the press plate is stopped at a distance the first and second plurality of batts are fully compressed, that the batts are mechanically ejected while the press plate is thus stopped, and after the ejection, index the press plate downwardly, the last mentioned indexing downwardly being prior to a major of the fourth plurality of batts are loaded onto the precompression fingers.

Claim 27

The method of claim 20 further characterized in that the above mentioned indexing movement of the fingers downwardly is terminated at a distance from the chamber bottom substantially greater than the distance of the press plate from the chamber bottom when the press plate is stopped.

Claim 28

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a generally vertical loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining the bottom end of the chamber, a top frame portion defining the opposite end of the chamber, a movable press plate and precompression fingers, comprising successively loading a first plurality of batts, one after the other, into the loading chamber on top of the press plate with the press plate extended in the chamber, moving the press plate from adjacent the frame portion downwardly toward the chamber bottom as the first plurality of batts is being loaded onto the press plate, and at the same time compressing a second plurality of batts between the bottom of the press plate and the chamber bottom, the press plate moving step comprising indexing the press plate downwardly in step by step fashion about a distance equal to the height of each batt in timed relationship to the movement of each of the first plurality of batts into the loading chamber.

Claim 29

In the method of compressing a plurality of batts into a bale load in a generally vertical loading chamber of a compression packer having a first plate defining the bottom end of the chamber, a top frame portion defining the opposite end of the chamber, a movable press plate and precompression fingers, comprising successively loading a first plurality of batts, one after the other, into the loading chamber on top of the press plate with the press plate extended in the chamber, moving the press plate from adjacent the frame portion downwardly toward the chamber bottom as the first plurality of batts is being loaded onto the press plate, and at the same time compressing a second plurality of batts between the bottom of the press plate and the chamber bottom, the press plate moving step comprising indexing the press plate downwardly in step by step fashion about a distance equal to the height of each batt in timed relationship to the movement of each of the first plurality of batts into the loading chamber.