MECHANISM FOR OPENING BALES OF FIBROUS MATERIAL

1,218,707. Bale openers. VSESOJUZNY NAUCHNO-ISSLEDOVATELSKY INSTITUT LEGKOGO I TEXTILNOGO MASCHINOSTROENIA. 22 July, 1969, No. 36815/ 69. Heading D1N. [Also in Division B8] A feed mechanism for a bale opener comprises a movable carriage having two plates 8 and 9 located one above the other. The top plate 8 which receives 'the bale is provided with holes, and the lower plate is equipped with spikes 10 adapted to enter the holes to hold the bale being opened. As described, an endless chain reciprocating conveyor 2 is used to feed the bale onto the movable carriage 8, 9. The conveyor 2 has bale supporting slats 15 and pusher plate 17, and is controlled by bales-sensing photoelectric device 22 and limit switch 25. Switch 25 causes the motor driving conveyor 2 to reverse and limit switch 24 stops the conveyor. The latter switch also initiates vertical movement of the carriage 8, 9, the initial movement of which causes spikes 10 to pass through the holes in top plate 8. The carriage 8, 9 is driven upwards by a first motor until the bale it carries actuates photo-electric sensor which then causes the carriage to be moved upwards against the spikes rollers 4 by a lower speed motor. Upward movement of the carriage is terminated by a final limit switch 45 which lowers the carriage using the first motor until it engages limit switch 26.