Process and means for baling particulate material

924,827. Baling machines. UNITED STATES RUBBER CO. June 30, 1961, No. 23722/61. Class 94(1). A method of baling crude, tacky, polymer material having the property of post-compression recovery, comprises the steps of weighing out at least one batch of crumbs of the material at high speed to prevent coalescence thereof transferring the batch to a forming station so that the distribution of the particles in the batch is rendered uniform on arrival at the station and has a substantially plane top surface, and compressing the batch into a bale which upon expansion subsequent to the release of the compression force has predetermined dimensions without any irregularity in the shape thereof. Particles of the polymer are blown from an enclosure 103, Fig. 1a, to a hopper 106 supplying a screw conveyer trough 107 feeding two outlet shoots 116, 117, Fig. 1, leading to two weighing mechanisms 22. When the latter have received a sufficient weight of material the supply thereto is stopped and the two batches of particles are discharged through shoots 124, 125 and fall into buckets 128, 129. Such a free full delivery to the buckets causes the particles therein to be uniformly distributed, and each pile has a substantially flat upper surface. The buckets are then fed along rails 126, 127, Fig. 2, at high speed by double acting pneumatic piston and cylinder motors to a baling press 20 comprising a framework enclosing two cavities 55, 56 formed within a structure 50 mounted on the top of a hydraulically driven ram 43. Two stationary plungers 37, 38 are located above, and are aligned with, the cavities, and the arrangement is such that prior to the delivery of the buckets to positions above the cavities the interior walls of the latter, as well as the plunger faces, are sprayed with lubricant by nozzles on the framework. On arrival at positions above the cavities, although it should be noted that the bucket 129 arrives a little later than bucket 128, pivoted gates 136, 137, Fig. 4, on the buckets are quickly opened by pneumatic piston and cylinder motors 142, 143. The batches of particles fall into the appropriate cavities without upsetting the uniform distribution thereof, and the upper faces of the piles are flat. After discharge the bucket gates are closed and the motors 142, 143 return the buckets to positions beneath their respective feed shoots. As soon as both buckets have left the press the main ram 43 is operated to elevate the structure 50 to the position shown in F