Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for pressing and binding voluminous material into bales, in which material in the form of several layers is supplied through a closable opening into a pressing chamber where compression takes place of each supplied layer. Final pressing is carried out at high pressure after a desired number of layers have been supplied into the pressing chamber, whereafter the pressing effect is lowered to a substantially lower pressure, so that the material compressed into a bale is permitted to expand, and the bale thereafter is discharged from said pressing chamber through a closable opening and bound while said substantially lower pressure is being maintained.

Abstract: A baling press especially for fibrous materials comprises a press box with a filler box located above it, a plunger for moving the material to be baled out of the filler box into the press box, and retaining fingers which prevent material moved by the plunger from returning. The filler box has two opposite fixed walls and two hinged opposite walls which are located between the fixed walls and which are capable of pivoting through a small angle relative to the axis of the press box when the plunger is withdrawn. The axes of the hinges of the hinged walls are fixed and extend transversely to the axis of the press box, so that, in use, material to be baled is fed through the filler box with its hinged walls inclined to the axis of the press box, and then with the hinged walls of the filler box aligned with the press box the plunger moves the material from the filler box into the press box.

Abstract: A food dispenser suitable for use in a machine for packaging food products such as coleslaw. The dispenser includes an upstanding dispensing cylinder having an inlet in a side wall thereof and an outlet at the bottom. Connected to the inlet of the dispensing cylinder is the outlet of a horizontal filling cylinder whose inlet is connected to a storage tank. A filling piston is slidable in the filling cylinder and, in use, forces a predetermined quantity of food into the dispensing cylinder. For closing the outlet from the dispensing cylinder a closing cylinder is secured thereto with diametrically opposed apertures in its side wall aligned with the outlet of the dispensing cylinder. A closing piston, slidable with the closing cylinder, has an outlet aperture extending perpendicular to the axis thereof. Food is forced downwardly from the dispensing cylinder by a dispensing piston in that cylinder. A cut-off plate, slidable beneath the closing cylinder, is secured relative to the closing piston.

Abstract: Enclosed bales of compressible material such as tobacco are produced by forming a compressed cake of the material in a compression zone, placing the compression zone in communication with a laterally extending sleeve, placing a container such as a bag or carton over the sleeve in such fashion that a closed end of the container extends across the end of the sleeve, forcing the compressed cake of material through the sleeve, and positively moving the container off the sleeve at essentially the same rate at which the cake emerges from the sleeve.