Apparatus and method for recompression of bales of fibrous material

Abstract

A method of recompressing bales of fibrous material which uses longer bales and a lesser pressure force at the plunger head to achieve higher quality recompressed bales having nearly the same density of those made through the standard process.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of producing recompressed bales of fibrous material from previously compressed fibrous material, said method comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a quantity of previously compressed fibrous material from 55 to 65 inches long;    introducing said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material into a recompression chamber;    recompressing said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material to 18 to 22 inches long, thereby forming a recompressed bale;    retying said recompressed bale through use of a retying means;    transferring said recompressed bale, under compression, to a decompression chamber;    holding said recompressed bale in the decompression chamber for a sufficient period of time for trapped air to escape from the recompressed bale and for the fibrous material of the recompressed bale to lose resiliency; and    ejecting the recompressed bale from the decompression chamber.    
     
     
         2 .The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resulting recompressed bale expands to a length of generally 28 inches long after being ejected from said decompression chamber.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said retying means is a plastic strapping system for binding said recompressed bale with plastic straps.  
     
     
         4 . A method of producing recompressed bales of fibrous material from previously compressed fibrous material, said method comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a quantity of previously compressed fibrous material;    introducing said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material into a recompression chamber;    recompressing said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material less than 27.3 percent, but more than 21.4 percent, thereby forming a recompressed bale;    retying said recompressed bale;    transferring said recompressed bale, under compression, to a decompression chamber;    holding said recompressed bale in the decompression chamber for a sufficient period of time for trapped air to escape from the recompressed bale and for the fibrous material of the recompressed bale to lose resiliency; and    ejecting the recompressed bale from the decompression chamber.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material is 55 to 65 inches long.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material is 60 inches long.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material is recompressed to 18 to 22 inches long.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material is recompressed to 19 inches long.  
     
     
         9 .A method of producing recompressed bales of hay from a continual column of previously compressed hay, said method comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a quantity of said previously compressed hay from 55 to 65 inches long;    introducing said quantity of previously compressed hay into a recompression chamber;    using a recompression plate attached to a recompression ram to use a quantity of pressure to recompress said quantity of previously compressed hay into an overcompressed state which is 18 to 22 inches long;    retying said quantity of previously compressed hay while in said overcompressed state through use of a retying means, thereby forming a recompressed bale;    using a ejection platen attached to a ejection ram to push said recompressed bale under compression into a decompression chamber;    holding said recompressed bale in said decompression chamber for a period of time to allow trapped air within said recompressed bale to escape from the recompressed bale and for the hay of the recompressed bale to lose resiliency; and    ejecting said recompressed bale from said decompression chamber.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said retying means is a plastic strapping system for binding said recompressed bale with plastic straps.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material is 55 to 65 inches long.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material is 60 inches long.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material is recompressed to 18 to 22 inches long.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said quantity of previously compressed fibrous material is recompressed to 19 inches long.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the quantity of pressure is between 400 and 625 pounds per square inch of pressure as measured at the recompression plate.  
     
     
         16 .The method of  claim 9 , wherein the resulting recompressed bale expands to a length of generally 28 inches long after being ejected from said decompression chamber.