Abstract: A toggle-joint press or machine tool is easily adaptable to one of several common press drive mechanisms. Two forms of piston-in-cylinder (hydraulic or pneumatic) drives are disclosed as well as one form of a crank type drive.

Abstract: A manually-operated press is provided in which old newspapers in a folded condition may be stacked, pressed into a compact bundle, and then bound into a bale, by appropriate metal binding straps, or the like, and then sold to waste paper collectors. The press comprises a compression box having a fixed bottom and a movable top, and it also has an open front through which newspapers may be stacked in the compression box. A lever-like handle is coupled to the moveable top of the compression box through a linkage system. The mechanical advantage of the linkage system is a function of the handle angle, and is non-linear. At the beginning of the downward stroke of the handle, the mechanical advantage of the linkage is a minimum and is just sufficient to cause the air to be squeezed out of the stack of newspapers placed in the compression box as the handle is lowered.

Abstract: A plurality of toggle drive mechanisms are provided for transferring rotational shaft movement as linear movement of a press ram guidably supported in a press frame. Each of the toggle joint drive mechanisms includes a triangular shaped drive member eccentrically driven by a crankshaft, which drive member is pivotally connected to a pair of respective facing link members, which link members in turn are pivotally attached one each to the press frame and the press ram. The pivotal connection of the link members to the drive members are at corners of the triangle facing away from the smallest acute angle corner of the guide member. In one preferred embodiment, four separate such toggle joint drive mechanisms are provided for a single press ram and are connected by way of lower link members at four respective ram coupling points of the press ram.

Abstract: A baler for baling refuse and having a pressing platen and a platen guide. The platen guide includes spaced sets of rollers bearing inwardly against opposed sides of the baler, and brackets rigidly attached to the platen and extending externally of the baler for mounting the rollers in engagement with the pressing box sides.

Abstract: A baler having an improved hydraulically driven toggle mechanism for operating a baler pressing platen, improved bale ejector, and improved baler door latch. The toggle mechanism includes opposed pairs of first and second arms .Iadd.foldably joined together at their ends with their other respective ends joined to a pressing box and a pressing platen. The opposed sets of arms are mutually oriented so that as the platen is moved to a withdrawn position, the first and second arms of one set interfold compactly and without interference across the respective first and second arms of the opposed set .Iaddend. .[.and second arms, each first arm of which is a generally C-shaped bell crank arm. The first arms are connected.]. to provide a pressing mechanism which is compact but nonetheless has a long pressing stroke to facilitate production of a large bale in only a few pressing strokes.