Method and apparatus for sleeving compressed bale materials

Abstract

A method for sleeving a bale of materials comprises: positioning the bale to be sleeved between a pair of holding platens, the holding platens including a first platen including a holding face and a second platen spaced from the first platen and including a holding face directed toward and positioned in a substantially parallel plane to the first platen holding face, the bale in the platens having a leading end and a trailing end; placing a sleeve, having opposed first and second open ends, over the holding platens and the bale therebetween; positioning the sleeve such that its first open end is aligned with or spaced back from the bale leading end and the sleeve engages against the bale; and ejecting the bale from the platens such that it draws the sleeve with it. Compressed bale platens are also disclosed.

1 . A method for sleeving a bale of materials, the method comprising: positioning the bale to be sleeved between a pair of holding platens, the holding platens including a first platen including a holding face and a second platen spaced from the first platen and including a holding face directed toward and positioned in a substantially parallel plane to the first platen holding face, the bale in the platens having a leading end and a trailing end; placing a sleeve, having opposed first and second open ends, over the holding platens and the bale therebetween; positioning the sleeve such that its first open end is aligned with or spaced back from the bale leading end and the sleeve engages against the bale; and ejecting the bale from the platens such that it draws the sleeve with it.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  used to produce a bale with the sleeve entirely positioned over the bale and with the first and second open ends of the sleeve aligned with or spaced back from the leading and trailing ends of the bale.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the platens are mounted about a chamber from which the bale is ejected after it is compressed.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein when the bale is positioned between the platens, its upper surface is open for contact and frictional engagement with the sleeve.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve rests by gravity on the upper surface of the bale, when it is positioned over the platens and bale.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a sleeve is selected with a length between its first and second open ends that is at most equal to the length of the bale between the leading end and the trailing end.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a sleeve is selected with a length between its first and second open ends that is less than the length of the bale between the leading end and the trailing end.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the bale is produced by a compacting machine that compacts the bale such that it expands if not contained once it is ejected from the machine.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the bale is produced by a machine that causes the bale to have a greatest direction of expansion along an axis extending between the platen holding faces.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting the platens sizes such that the platen edges are spaced back from the edges of the bale, when the bale is positioned in the platens.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using a sleeve position indicator on or adjacent a platen to assist with positioning the sleeve over the platens.  
   
   
       12 . Compressed bale holding platens comprising: a first platen including a holding face and a second platen spaced from the first platen and including a holding face directed toward and positioned in a substantially parallel plane to the first platen holding face, the platens mounted in relation to a bale compression chamber and positioned to accept a bale ejected from the chamber; and a sleeve position indicator on at least one platen to guide the correct positioning of a sleeve thereover.  
   
   
       13 . The compressed bale holding platens of  claim 12  further comprising on each platen: a platen backside surface opposite the holding face and side edges extending between the platen backside surface and the sleeve position indicator is a stop raised from the backside surface of at least one platen.  
   
   
       14 . The compressed bale holding platens of  claim 12  further comprising on each platen: a platen backside surface opposite the holding face and side edges extending between the platen backside surface and the holding face and the side edges being at least partially chamfered.