Baling press bale releasing means

Claim 1

In a baling press comprising in combination, a rectangular frame including a base integral with right angularly related, fixed rear and fixed side walls, a front wall hingedly connected at one edge to one edge of said side wall opposite said rear wall for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, a side wall assembly opposite said fixed side wall and projecting forwardly from said rear wall toward the other edge of said front wall; means for applying baling straps about a bale formed between said front and rear walls whereby the sides of the bale adjacent said fixed side wall and said side wall assembly are free to expand due to baling pressure when the press is ''''opened''''; latch means at the other edge of said front wall for releasable engagement with a portion of said side wall assembly for releasing a bale after it is formed in the press; and power-platen means operatively connected for bi-directional vertical movement within said press for compacting material and forming a bale therein, the improvement wherein: said side wall assembly comprises an outer frame portion fixed with respect to said rear wall, a side panel inwardly of said outer frame portion and pivotally supported at a rear edge on said rear wall, said side panel having a forward, free edge positionable adjacent the inner surface of said front wall, spring means extending between said outer frame portion and said side panel for normally urging said side panel inwardly, said front wall including an inwardly projecting abutment engagable in overlapping relation with said side panel adjacent said free edge for restraining said side panel inwardly in conjunction with said spring means for resisting the pressure of a bale formed in the press whereby said side panel is forcibly urged outwardly against said spring means when said front wall is swung outwardly after a compressed bale has been strapped in said press.