Ejection apparatus for a ram baler

Claim 2

In a ram baler having a frame defining a compacting chamber, a platen reciprocable to compress waste material in the compacting chamber into a bale, and a door to provide access to the compacting chamber to remove the bale, a semi-automatic ejection apparatus comprising: bale ejection means mounted on the frame and adapted to contact the bale of waste material during ejection thereof; a flexible connector having one end thereof secured to said bale ejection means; hook means on the platen; hook engaging means at the other end of said flexible connector, said hook engaging means being engaged with said hook means when the waste material has been compacted into a bale and the door has been opened, the succeeding stroke of the platen causing said bale ejection means to be actuated to eject the bale through the open door; and retaining means to maintain said hook engaging means in a position to be engaged with said hook means while disengaged therefrom and to disengage said hook engaging means from said hook means upon the stroke of the platen after the bale has been ejected from the baler.

Claim 3

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising guide means to restrict the movement of said flexible connector and to provide a mechanical advantage to reduce the amount of energy expended in ejecting the bale.

Claim 4

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said guide means provides a mechanical advantage by producing a pulley action.

Claim 5

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said retaining means comprises: a pair of rigid support arms extending outwardly from the frame; and a bridging member extending between the ends of said support arms and having an opening therein to receive said flexible connector.

Claim 6

An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said guide means comprises a roller mounted for rotation adjacent the opening in said bridging member to position said flexible connector in the opening and to provide a pulley action during ejection of the bale.

Claim 7

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bale ejection means comprises at least one bale ejection member pivoted for actuation by said flexible connector.

Claim 8

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said bale ejection members comprise parallel bale ejecting bars located at the bottom of the compacting chamber and pivotAbly mounted adjacent the door, whereby an upward stroke of the platen with said hook engaging means engaged with said hook means results in said bale ejecting bars being pivoted to eject the bale through the door.

Claim 9

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hook engaging means comprises a loop in said flexible connector positioned such that said retaining means prevents said loop from passing through said retaining means in the direction that said flexible connector extends toward said bale ejection means.

Claim 10

In a vertical ram baler having a frame defining a compacting chamber in the lowermost portion thereof, a platen reciprocable to compress waste material in the compacting chamber into a bale, and a door to provide access to the compacting chamber to remove the bale, a semi-automatic ejection apparatus comprising: a bale ejecting bar located at the bottom of the compacting chamber, said bale ejecting bar having one end pivotably mounted adjacent the door; a flexible connector fastened to the end of said bale ejecting bar away from said pivotable mounting; a pair of rigid support arms extending outwardly from the side of the frame away from the door; a bridging member extending between the ends of said support arms and having an opening therein through which said flexible connector is passed; a roller rotatably mounted on said support arms and extending across said opening in said bridging member in contact with said flexible connector; a loop formed in the end of said flexible connector that is not connected to said bale ejecting bar and positioned with said bridging member between said loop and said bale ejecting bar; and a hook on the platen, said loop being engageable with said hook, said bridging member and said roller maintaining said loop in position to be engaged with said hook for ejecting the bale, disengaging said loop from said hook after ejection of the bale, and providing a pulley action to reduce the energy expended in ejecting the bale. whereby after the waste material has been compacted into a bale, the door has been opened, and the platen is at the bottom of its downward stroke, said loop is engaged with said hook and the upward stroke of the platen will cause said ejecting bar to be pivoted to easily eject the bale.

Claim 11

In a vertical ram baler having a frame defining a compacting chamber in the lowermost portion thereof, a platen reciprocable to compress waste material in the compacting chamber into a bale, and a door to provide access to the compacting chamber to remove the bale, a semi-automatic ejection apparatus comprising: a bale ejecting bar located at the bottom of the compacting chamber, said bale ejecting bar having one end pivotably mounted adjacent the door; a flexible connector fastened to the end of said bale ejecting bar away from said pivotable mounting; a pair of rigid support arms extending outwardly from the side of the frame away from the door; a bridging member extending between the ends of said support arms and having an opening therein through which said flexible connector is passed; a roller rotatably mounted on said support arms and extending across said opening in said bridging member in contact with said flexible connector; a loop formed in the end of said flexible connector that is not connected to said bale ejecting bar and positioned with said bridging member between said loop and said bale ejecting bar; and a hook on the platen, said loop being engageable with said hook, said bridging member and said roller maintaining said loop in position to be engaged with said hook for ejecting the bale, disengaging said loop from said hook after ejection of the bale, and providing a pulley action to reduce the energy expended in ejecting the bale. whereby after the waste material has been compacted into a bale, the door has been opened, and the platen is at the bottom of its downward stroke, said loop is engaged with said hook and the upward stroke of the platen will cause said ejecting bar to be pivoted to easily eject the bale.

Claim 12

An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 and further comprising at least one additional bale ejecting bar with the associated flexible connector having a loop, rigid support arms, bridging member, roller and hook.

Claim 13

An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said bale ejecting bar has a vertical leg adjacent the side of the bale opposite the door.

Claim 14

An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said bale ejecting bar extends beyond the side of the compacting chamber away from the door by a distance that is determined by the extension of said support arms to provide the maximum mechanical advantage.

Claim 15

A vertical ram baler comprising: a frame defining a compacting chamber in the lowermost portion thereof; a platen reciprocable to compress waste material in said compacting chamber into a bale; a door formed in one side of said frame to provide access to the compacting chamber to remove the bale; at least one longitudinal channel formed in the bottom of said compacting chamber running from said door to the opposite side of said compacting chamber; an ejecting bar located in said channel, said ejecting bar being pivotably mounted at one end in said frame adjacent said door and being normally positioned below the bottom of said compacting chamber; a flexible connector fastened to the other end of said ejecting bar; a loop formed in the end of said flexible connector away from said ejecting bar; a hook on said platen engageable with said loop of said flexible connector; retaining a guide means on said frame to maintain said loop in position to be engaged with said hook, to disengage said loop from said hook after ejection of the bale, and to Provide a mechanical advantage to reduce the energy expended in ejecting the bale; whereby after the waste material in said compacting chamber has been compressed into a bale, the bale may be ejected by positioning said platen at the extremity of its downward stroke, engaging said loop with said hook, opening said door and actuating said platen to eject the bale by pivoting said ejecting bar upon the upward stroke of said platen.

Claim 16

A vertical ram baler comprising: a frame defining a compacting chamber in the lowermost portion thereof; a platen reciprocable to compress waste material in said compacting chamber into a bale; a door formed in one side of said frame to provide access to the compacting chamber to remove the bale; at least one longitudinal channel formed in the bottom of said compacting chamber running from said door to the opposite side of said compacting chamber; an ejecting bar located in said channel, said ejecting bar being pivotably mounted at one end in said frame adjacent said door and being normally positioned below the bottom of said compacting chamber; a flexible connector fastened to the other end of said ejecting bar; a loop formed in the end of said flexible connector away from said ejecting bar; a hook on said platen engageable with said loop of said flexible connector; retaining a guide means on said frame to maintain said loop in position to be engaged with said hook, to disengage said loop from said hook after ejection of the bale, and to Provide a mechanical advantage to reduce the energy expended in ejecting the bale; whereby after the waste material in said compacting chamber has been compressed into a bale, the bale may be ejected by positioning said platen at the extremity of its downward stroke, engaging said loop with said hook, opening said door and actuating said platen to eject the bale by pivoting said ejecting bar upon the upward stroke of said platen.

Claim 17

A baler as claimed in claim 13 wherein: a plurality of longitudinal channels are formed in the bottom of said compacting chamber; an ejecting bar is located in each of said channels; a flexible connector is fastened to each of said ejecting bars; a plurality of hooks are located on said platen, each hook being engageable with a corresponding one of said flexible connectors; and a plurality of retaining and guide means are on said frame, each of said retaining and guide means being associated with a corresponding one of said flexible connectors.

Claim 18

A baler as claimed in claim 13 wherein said retaining and guide means comprises: a pair of rigid support arms mounted on said frame and extending outwardly from the side away from said door; a bridging member extending between the ends of said support arms and leaving an opening therein through which said flexible connector is passed; and a roller rotatably mounted on said support arms and extending across said opening in said bridging member in contact with said flexible connector.