A baling press

Abstract

 This invention relates to a mechanism for ejecting a compressed bales of waste-material from a compaction chamber (1) of a baling press. The chamber comprises a floor (5) and side walls (2,3,4) and an opening at the front through which a bale may be ejected. The ejection system comprises a carriage member (6) moveable along a guide formed in the floor (5) from the rear of the chamber. An ejector plate (8) is mounted on the carriage member (6) and moves with it. The carriage member (6) is incrementally moved forward along the guide by a linearly reciprocating push member (10). This incremental motion pushes a bale out of the press. The mechanism is further designed to cause the carriage member to travel incrementally in reverse once a bale has been ejected. A further feature of the invention is the optional use of formers (108,110) in the floor (5) of the baling press to facilitate easy handling by a forklift of the bales produced.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention concerns baling presses of the type used to crush and compress loose waste materials such as discarded wrappers for example, so as to form coherent blocks of densified material which may be handled as unitized loads by conventional handling equipment such as stillage trucks, or hoists for example. In particular, the present specification describes an improved means for ejecting blocks of densified waste material from the compaction chambers of otherwise-conventional baling presses and optionally includes a means for producing blocks of waste material which are more easily handled by mechanical means than those produced hitherto.

Background of the Invention

[0002] In a conventional baling press, waste material is typically allowed to slide or fall into an open-topped box-like compaction chamber, and periodically a hydraulically-powered plunger which is mounted above the chamber is caused to move downwardly until it enters the chamber where it crushes and compresses the waste material against the flat bottom face (or floor) of the chamber. The plunger is then caused to withdraw to its idle position above the compaction chamber, exposing the partially-filled chamber for the addition of further loose waste materials. Unlike a waste compactor, the shape and dimensions of the plunger in a baling press are similar to those of the compaction chamber, the plunger typically being a sliding fit inside the chamber.

[0003] The above process is repeated until the chamber is filled with densified waste material when, with the plunger pressing downwardly so as to prevent the materials in the chamber from springing-back or partially recovering their shape, one or more bands or straps are tied around the bundle (through slits or grooves in the sides and floor of the chamber, and sometimes also in the face of the plunger). The plunger is then withdrawn to its idle position and one side of the baling chamber is removed (usually it is hinged like a door) so as to expose the densified unitized bale of waste material. The size and weight of the bale is obviously dependent upon the nature of the waste material and the size of the compaction chamber, but typically the bale will weigh between one hundred and one thousand kilograms, and it will therefore be too heavy to be manhandled.

[0004] Typically, a baling press is provided with mechanical means for assisting with the removal of the bale from the chamber. For example, such a means might take the form of a mechanism for tilting the bale upwardly about its bottom edge adjacent to the open side of the chamber, so as partially to tip or roll the bale so that it may be pulled manually out of the chamber and dropped upon its side onto a flat truck or across stillage (or lift truck) forks previously positioned in front of the opened side of the chamber, whence the bale may be removed. To further assist in the ejection process, conventional compaction chambers are sometimes slightly tapered, being narrowest at the side opposite to the open side and widest at the open side. However, depending upon the nature of the waste material and the force of the plunger and the density of the bale, it frequently happens that bales become jammed during ejection from the chamber, requiring physically tiring and potentially dangerous manual intervention. Also it usually happens that bales which have been tipped onto their sides are unstable and tend to fall over while they are being transported away from the baling press.

[0005] Further bales do not always land in a stable attitude upon the flat truck or stillage forks, and during transit away from the baling press they often roll over or slide sideways and fall to the ground, which is both inconvenient and potentially dangerous.

Object of the Invention

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a positive ejection means for ejecting bales completely from the compaction chamber of a baling press. It is a further object to provide an ejection means which has no tendency to tip the bales during ejection. It is a further object to provide an ejection means which does not project outside the confines of the space occupied by the basic baling press and which does not project into the compaction chamber except during operation. It is a further object to provide a compaction chamber whose shape is such that bales which are produced in it are more easily and securely handled than conventionally formed bales.

Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention an ejection means for ejecting a compressed bale of waste-material from a compaction chamber of a baling press said chamber comprising a floor and side walls defining an opening at the front of the chamber through which the bale may be ejected characterised in that the means comprises a carriage member slideable in guide means formed in the floor and extending linearly of the floor from the rear of the chamber towards said opening, an ejector plate mounted on said carriage member and moveably with the carriage member so as to move a bale towards said opening, a linearly reciprocating push member which in operation of the device is caused to reciprocate continuously, drive means for said push member and means for intermittently transmitting drive from said reciprocating push member to the carriage member so as to cause the carriage member and ejector plate to travel incrementally from the rear of the compaction chamber towards the front.

[0008] Preferably, the means for intermittently transmitting drive from the reciprocating push member is caused to reverse direction at the end of the forward path of travel of the ejector plate so as to cause the carriage member and the ejector plate to travel incrementally in reverse direction from the front of the compaction chamber towards the rear of the chamber after ejection of a bale from the compaction chamber.

[0009] The push member preferably comprises a reciprocating bar and the means for intermittently transmitting drive from the bar to the carriage member comprises a ratchet incorporated in the bar and engageable with a double-sided pawl pivotally mounted on the carriage member.

[0010] Suitably, the compaction chamber comprises open-topped box-shaped compaction chamber assembled from side panels, a rear panel, a removable front panel and a floor member. The floor member is divided by a straight linear slot along which a carriage member upon which is fixed an upwardly projecting ejector plate is free to travel, and beneath and parallel with said slot is located a notched or serrated bar member which may be caused by a driving means to reciprocate continuously through a relatively short distance along its linear axis, said carriage member and said notched or serrated bar being supported and guided by fixed linear bearings; and pivoted to the underside of said carriage member is a double-sided pawl member which is so disposed that it may engage with the notches or serrations on the reciprocating notched or serrated bar, the assembly being so proportioned that the carriage is caused to travel in sympathy with the reciprocating bar when it travels in one direction but the pawl rides over the tops of the notches or serrations when the reciprocating bar travels in the opposite direction, thus causing the carriage and the ejector plate to travel incrementally from the rear of the compaction chamber towards the front, when the pawl falls off the end of, or into a recess in the face of the reciprocating bar and is thus caused to face the opposite direction so that continued reciprocation of the notched or serrated bar causes the carriage to travel incrementally back towards the rear of the chamber.

[0011] Preferably the driving means is an hydraulic cylinder, but optionally it may be a manual lever, or a hydraulically or electrically-driven crank or other linkage.

[0012] An optional embodiment on the basic design is characterised in that the floor, or one of the side walls, of the compaction chamber, is provided with at least two substantially parallel spaced-apart formers which are raised above the surface of said floor or side walls and which are adapted to form at least two substantially parallel spaced-apart longitudinal grooves in a surface of the bale as the bale is compressed in the baling chamber. Preferably, the formers are positioned in the floor so when the bale is ejected the bale is in the right orientation for easy removal by mechanical means.

[0013] Preferably the formers comprise raised strips extending longitudinally of the floor or one of said side walls and an upper surface of each strip having a groove extending longitudinally thereof.

[0014] Preferably, two of said raised strips are so spaced apart that they coincide with the spacing of the forks of a lift truck. Preferably, said two raised strips have such a profile that the impressions or indents made by strips in a bale of waste material will coincide with the profiles of the forks of a lift truck. Preferably also the two strips are substantially equispaced to either side of the centerline of the chamber. The axial centerlines of said raised strips are substantially aligned with banding slits in the front and rear panels of said chamber, and the uppermost surfaces of the raised strips should preferably be provided with recesses whose purpose is to locate and guide banding tapes.

[0015] Optionally a third raised strip may be provided substantially mid-way between said two raised strips, the third raised strip having such a profile that the impression made by said strip in a bale of waste material will facilitate the insertion of a sling for handling said bale by a crane or hoist. Optionally also, the raised strips may be so mounted upon the floor of the compaction chamber that they are mechanically retractable to a folded position wherein the uppermost surfaces of said strips are substantially flush with, or below the surface of the adjacent floor.

[0016] It will be readily apparent that the under-sides of bales produced in a baling chamber constructed according to this embodiment will be impressed with grooves which will facilitate the ejection of bales onto the forks and/or slings, the grooves further tending to prevent the bales from slipping sideways during handling by a lift truck or a crane or hoist.

[0017] The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only without prejudice to the claims, and to the drawings in which:

Brief description of the drawings

[0018] 

Figure 1a shows a side view of the ejector mechanism of a first embodiment of the invention with the nearest side panel removed,

Figure 1b shows a sectional end view of the same ejector mechanism, and

Figures 2a to 2h inclusive show schematically the sequence of events as a carriage reaches the end of its travel across the floor of a compaction chamber, and is caused to reverse back towards the side from which it started.

Figure 3a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the compaction chamber of the invention with formers.

Figure 3b shows a pictorial view of a bale which has been produced in and ejected from the chamber in 3a.

Figure 4a shows a sectional side view through an alternative empty compaction chamber constructed according to the invention.

Figure 4b shows a sectional side view through the same compaction chamber in which the raised strips have been retracted and a strapped bale is awaiting removal by a counterbalanced fork lift truck.

Figure 5 shows an isometric view of the base of the compaction chamber of a second embodiment.

Figure 6 shows a side view of the chamber shown in figure 5.

Figure 7 shows a detail of figure 6.

Figure 8 shows a front elevation of the chamber shown in figure 5.

Figure 9 shows a detail of figure 8.

Detailed Description of the preferred embodiments

[0019] Referring first to Figures 1a and 1b, there is seen an open-topped compaction chamber 1 which is constructed according to the invention. The chamber 1 is assembled from fixed side panels 2, a fixed back panel 3, a removable front panel 4, and a carriage member 6 is free to slide along, and is guided by, a linear slot 17 which runs centrally across the floor member 5 between the back panel 3 and the front of the chamber 7. An ejector plate 8 is securely mounted atop the carriage member 6 such that it projects upwardly into the compaction chamber 1.

[0020] A second linear guideway 9 is located directly beneath the slot in the floor member 5, and a bar 10 is free to slide along and be guided by this second guideway 9, urged to and fro by an hydraulic cylinder 11 which is pivotally mounted upon the base 12 of the machine. A ram 18 of the cylinder 11 is bolted to a bracket 19 is fixed to and depends below the bar 10. The top surface of the bar 10 is provided with regularly spaced notches or serrations 13, and a double-sided pawl member 14, which is suspended from a pivot 15 beneath the carriage 6, is so disposed that it engages with the notches 13 on the surface of the bar 10. After a bale has been formed and banded in the conventional manner and the removable front panel 4 has been removed, the bale will be ready for ejection.

[0021] It will be apparent that if the ram 18 of the cylinder 11 is caused to extend, the pawl 14 will engage with the notch 16 adjacent to the right hand end of the bar 10, causing the carriage 6 together with the ejector plate 8 to be pushed towards the left. If the ram 18 of the cylinder 11 is then caused to retract, the bar 10 will move towards the right, but pawl 14 will ride over the tops of the notches 13 like a ratchet, so the carriage 6 and ejector plate 8 will remain static. If the ram 18 is again caused to extend, the pawl 14 will engage with one of the notches 13, causing the carriage 6 and ejector plate 8 to be pushed further towards the left.

[0022] It will be readily apparent, then, that as the ram 18 of the hydraulic cylinder 11 is caused alternately to extend and to retract, so the notched bar 10 is caused to reciprocate to the left and the right in sympathy, and the carriage 6 and ejector plate 8 are caused to move incrementally towards the front 7 of the compaction chamber 1.

[0023] Referring now to Figures 2a to 2h inclusive, these show schematically the sequence of events as the carriage approaches the front of the compaction chamber:

2a. Ram 18 of the cylinder 11 retracts, bar 10 moves to the right, pawl 14 rides over the notches, and ejector plate 8 remains static;

2b. Ram 18 of the cylinder 11 extends, bar 10 moves to the left, pawl 14 engages with a notch, and the ejector plate is pushed incrementally to the left;

2c. Ram 18 of the cylinder 11 retracts, bar 10 moves to the right, pawl 14 rides over the notches, and ejector plate 8 remains static;

2d. Ram 18 of the cylinder 11 extends, bar 10 moves to the left, pawl 14 engages with the second last notch at the left hand end of the bar 10, and the ejector plate 8 is pushed so that it projects slightly beyond the front of the compaction chamber;

2e. Ram 18 of the cylinder 11 retracts, bar 10 moves to the right, and the pawl 14 rides over the last notch at the left hand end, and then falls off the end of the bar 10 and then hangs freely beneath the static ejector plate 8, under the influence of gravity;

2f. Ram 18 of the cylinder 11 extends, bar 10 moves to the left and the end of the bar hits the pawl 14 causing it to swing to the left, and further movement of the bar 10 to the left causes the pawl 14 to ride up onto the top surface of the bar, and then to drop into the first notch at the left hand end. The ejector plate 8 remains static;

2g. Ram 18 of the cylinder 11 retracts, bar 10 moves to the right, pawl 14 has already engaged with the first notch of bar 10, and the ejector plate 8 is pushed backwards, into the compaction chamber;

2h. Ram 18 of the cylinder 11 extends, bar 10 moves to the left, pawl 14 rides over the notches and the ejector plate 8 remains static. The above steps 2g and 2h are repeated until the ejector plate is fully returned to the rear of the compaction chamber.

[0024] It will be apparent that constant reciprocation of the bar 10 causes the carriage and the ejector plate to move incrementally to the front of the compaction chamber 1, pushing out the completed bale before it, and then automatically to reverse direction and move incrementally to the back of the chamber where it again reverses automatically, and would again move incrementally towards the front, except that in practice a switch is fitted to detect when the ejector has retracted fully and to switch off the reciprocating cylinder 11, leaving the compaction chamber unobstructed and ready to produce the next bale.
The means for effecting ram 18 to extend and retract is by hydraulic actuators. These hydraulic actuators are controlled by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). The PLC also controls the operation of the compaction plunger. Control inputs are communicated to the PLC via an operator's control panel which contains a number of switches for starting or stopping the compaction or ejection systems. A number of sensor switches are also provided as inputs to the PLC to ensure the correct operation of the baling press and the safety of operators. An example of such a sensor switch is the one herein before mentioned to prevent the ejector plate, having ejected a bale and retracted fully from moving incrementally towards the front. Another example of such sensor switches would be those used to determine when the ram was fully extended and when it was retracted. It will be appreciated that a number of alternatives will be available to control the operation of the baling press and/or integrated ejection mechanism. One such alternative would be to replace the PLC with a set of relays connected to achieve the same result.

[0025] The invention is not limited to the details of the embodiment herein before described, which may be departed from without affecting the claims. For example the hydraulic cylinder could be replaced optionally by an electrically-driven crank mechanism or by a quick-return linkage, or by a manual lever or an alternative hydraulic cylinder attached to an arm fixed to a transverse shaft projecting beneath one side of the compaction chamber. Optionally, two identical ejection mechanisms could be fitted side-by-side inside a single compaction chamber, synchronised by a transverse shaft and driven by a single actuator, in order to cope with particularly difficult materials which do not eject easily. These and other alternative embodiments are envisaged and covered by the invention.

[0026] An alternative configuration is disclosed by referring first to Figure 3a, there is seen an empty open-topped box-shaped compaction chamber having two fixed side panels, a fixed back panel 3 and a removable front panel 4 supported upon hinges 106, and a floor 5. It is clear that the compaction chamber will include the ejection means described above. However this is omitted from the drawings to simplify the description of this embodiment. Two substantially parallel spaced-apart raised strips 108 and 110 are fixed to the floor 5, strips 108 and 110 being substantially equispaced to either side of the central axis. In order to facilitate the strapping of a completed bale, slits 111 are provided in the front and back panels 4 and 3, (and would also be present in the ejection plate (not shown)) and grooves 112 are provided centrally along the apices of the raised strips 108 and 110, the respective slits 111 and grooves 112 being aligned when the removable front panel 4 is in its closed operative position.

[0027] Referring also to Figure 3b, there is seen a bale 113 which has been produced in the chamber shown in Figure 3a by the following procedure:

[0028] With the removable front panel 4 secured in its operative position by clamps (not shown), banding straps 114 are laid along the grooves 112, and are allowed to project through the slits 111 in the front and rear panels 4 and 3 respectively and in the corresponding slits in the ejection plate.

[0029] Loose waste material may then be dropped into the chamber 101 and from time to time, whenever the chamber begins to fill up, a flat-faced plunger or press (not shown) is driven downwardly into the chamber 101 in order to crush and compress the waste material, and the plunger is then withdrawn to its idle position above the chamber in order to allow further loose waste material to be dropped into the chamber 1 on top of that already compacted.

[0030] Eventually when the chamber has been filled by material which has been crushed, the banding straps 114 are passed back through the slits 111 in the front panel 4, across the top surface of the waste material, and out through the slits 111 in the back panel 3. The plunger is then driven downwardly to compress the previously crushed waste and to hold it in this position and prevent it from springing back while the respective ends of the banding straps 114, which are projecting through the slits 111 in the back panel 3, are tied or clipped together. The plunger is then withdrawn, the front panel 4 is removed by hinging it out of the way, and the bale 113 is ejected from the chamber 1 by the ejection means herein before described.

[0031] It is seen in figure 3b that the approximate shapes of the raised strips 108 and 110 have been impressed into the bottom surface of the bale 113, forming grooves or slots at 115 and 117 respectively. The slots 115 and 117 are so located and shaped that they can engage with the forks of a pallet truck or a fork-lift truck, and the narrower central slot would enable a rope or wire sling to be passed beneath the bale for handling by hoist or crane.

[0032] Turning now to Figure 4a, there is seen a side sectional view through an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which the empty chamber 118 is viewed from the back towards the front, the front panel having been removed. There are seen two side panels 119 and 120 and a floor 121, and a pair of raised strips 122 and 123 which are provided with grooves 124 and 125 respectively for banding straps.

[0033] Figure 4b shows the same sectional view through the same chamber 118 in which a bale 126 has just been formed substantially in accordance with the procedure described above. In this case, the strips 122 and 123 have been retracted into recesses 126 and 127 respectively in the floor 121 of the chamber 118 by a mechanism (not shown), thus exposing the ends of the slots 128 and 129 respectively in the bottom surface of the bale 126. This would enable a counterbalanced type of fork-lift truck to lift and remove the bale 126 from the chamber in the event of a failure or jam-up in the ejection means herein before described.

[0034] It will be apparent to anybody skilled in the art that alternative grooves may be formed in the bale by changing the locations of the formers or by adding additional formers. It will also be obvious to any one skilled in the art that a central former 109 may be included if the linear slot and the associated carriage member and ejector plate are located to one side of the central axis.

[0035] A further embodiment is now described by reference to figure 5, in which like numbers denote like parts described above. The carriage member 6 is free to move along and is guided by a guideway or linear slot 17 formed by two longtitudal plates 201 and 202 which run from the back to the front. The ejector plate 8 is securely mounted atop the carriage member 6, such that it projects upwardly.

[0036] The ejector plate is shaped so as to fit between the formers 108 and 110 and to enable it to move freely along the slot 17 formed by plates 201,202. The grooves 112 are provided to each side of the formers facilitate strapping of the bale with wires or the like.

[0037] As shown in figure 6, guide pins 205 fixed to the bar 10 and extending downwards through linear slots 207 ensure the linear motion of the bar 10.

[0038] Hooks 206 are provided on the lower front edge of the compaction chamber to facilitate the locking of a pallet truck in position while a bale is ejected from the machine.

[0039] A detail of the carriage member 6 in figure 6 is shown in figure 7. A pawl 14 is shaped so as to engage grooves 13 in the bar 10 and to facilitate the incremental movement of the carriage hereinbefore described by references to figure 2. Guide wheels 210 ensure that the carriage member 6 will not rise when the bar 10 is effecting movement of the carriage member 6 via the engagement of the pawl 14 with a groove 13.

[0040] Referring to figure 9, it is seen that plates 201,202 which extend longtitudally from the front 7 to the rear of the chamber 3 and which form a linear guideway 17 restrict the upper progress of the guidewheels 210. The plates are fixed in position through the use of nuts 214 and bolts 213 which facilitate the removal of plates 201, 202 for maintenance purposes.

[0041] It is seen that the objects of the invention have been achieved in that there is provided a positive ejection means which ejects bales completely from the compaction chamber, and which has no tendency to tip the bales during ejection.

[0042] It is further seen that the entire mechanism fits within the spacial envelope occupied by the basic compaction chamber, and that no part of the mechanism or the hydraulic cylinder projects either outside said spacial envelope, or into the compaction chamber except during ejection. It is further seen that bales may be produced in a shape such that the bales so produced are more easily and securely handled that heretofore by conventional mechanical handling equipment in particular by fork lift trucks, cranes and hoists.

Claims

1. A baling press having ejection means for ejecting a compressed bale of waste-material from a compaction chamber (1) of the baling press said chamber comprising a floor (5) and side walls (2, 3,) defining an opening at the front of the chamber through which the bale may be ejected characterised in that the means comprises a carriage member (6) slideable in guide means (17) formed in the floor (5) and extending linearly of the floor (5) from the rear of the chamber towards said opening, an ejector plate (8) mounted on said carriage member (6) and moveably with the carriage member (6) so as to move a bale towards said opening, a linearly reciprocating push member (10) which in operation of the device is caused to reciprocate continuously, drive means (11, 18) for said push member (10) and means (13, 14) for intermittently transmitting drive from said reciprocating push member (10) to the carriage member (6) so as to cause the carriage member (6) and ejector plate (8) to travel incrementally from the rear of the compaction chamber towards the front.

2. A baling press as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the means (13, 14) for intermittently transmitting drive from the reciprocating push member (10) is caused to reverse direction at the end of the forward path of travel of the ejector plate (8) so as to cause the carriage member (6) and the ejector plate (8) to travel incrementally in reverse direction from the front of the compaction chamber towards the rear of the chamber after ejection of a bale from the compaction chamber (1).

3. A baling press as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that the push member comprises a reciprocating bar (10) and the means for intermittently transmitting drive from the bar (10) to the carriage member (6) comprises a ratchet (13) incorporated in the bar (10) and engageable with a double-sided pawl (4) pivotally mounted on the carriage member (6).

4. A baling press as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the floor (5) is divided by a straight linear slot (17) along which the carriage member (6), upon which is fixed an upwardly projecting ejector plate (8), is free to travel, and beneath and parallel with said slot is located a notched or serrated bar member (10) which may be caused by a driving means (11, 18) to reciprocate continuously through a relatively short distance along its linear axis, said carriage member (6) and said notched or serrated bar (10) being supported and guided by fixed linear bearings; and pivoted to the underside of said carriage member (6) is a double-sided pawl member (14) which is so disposed that it may engage with the notches or serrations (13) on the reciprocating notched or serrated bar (10), the assembly being so arranged and proportioned that the carriage member (6) is caused to travel in sympathy with the reciprocating bar (10) when it travels in one direction but the pawl (14) rides over the tops of the notches or serrations (13) when the reciprocating bar (10) travels in the opposite direction, thus causing the carriage and the ejector plate to travel incrementally from the rear of the compaction chamber (1) towards the front, when the pawl (14) falls off the end of, or into a recess in the face of the reciprocating bar (10) and is thus caused to face the opposite direction so that continued reciprocation of the notched or serrated bar (10) causes the carriage member (6) to travel incrementally back towards the rear of the chamber (1).

5. A baling press as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the drive means is an hydraulic cylinder and ram (11, 18) or optionally is a manual lever, or an hydraulically or electrically-driven crank.

6. A baling press as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the floor (5, 21) and/or one of said side walls (2, 3, 4, 5; 119, 120) is provided with at least two substantially parallel spaced-apart formers (108, 110; 126, 127) which are raised above the surface of said floor (107, 121) or side wall (2, 3, 4, 5; 119, 120) and which are adapted to form at least two substantially parallel spaced-apart longitudinal grooves (115, 117; 128, 129) in a surface of the bale (113) as the bale (113) is compressed in the baling chamber (101).

7. A baling press as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that the formers comprise raised strips (108, 110; 126, 127) extending longitudinally of the floor (107, 121) and/or one of said side walls (2, 3, 4, 5; 119, 120) and an upper surface of each strip having a groove (12) extending longitudinally thereof.

8. A baling press as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7, characterised in that two of the raised formers (108, 110;122,123) are located in a floor (5:21) of the chamber and are so spaced apart and shaped that they coincide substantially with the spacing and profile of the forks of a lift truck, being substantially equispaced to either side of a centerline of the chamber (1), and substantially aligned with banding slits (111) in the front and rear panels of the chamber.

9. A baling press as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the raised formers (122, 123) are retractable from a raised position to a retracted position wherein the uppermost surfaces of the strips are substantially flush with, or below the level of the adjacent surface of the floor (21) or side walls (2, 3, 4, 5; 119, 120).

10. A baling press as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9 characterised in that a third raised former is located substantially mid-way between said two raised formers (108, 110), the third raised former (109) having a profile such that the impression made by it in a bale of waste material will facilitate the insertion of a sling for handling the bale by a crane or hoist.

Drawing