AU744620B2 - Method and apparatus for building a cotton module - Google Patents

Description

r -1- P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUILDING A COTTON MODULE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: GH REF: P50699C/PJW c

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2 FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for building a cotton module.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Cotton is harvested as cotton bolls which are of low density. Following harvesting the cotton bolls must be transported to a gin for ginning. To reduce transport costs it has become common practice in the cotton industry to build modules of compressed cotton in the field and transport the cotton modules on the back of trailers. This approach also has the advantage of enabling unginned cotton to be stored more efficiently and thereby enable the ginning season to be extended.

Australian patent no. 474832 relates to an apparatus which has become known as a cotton module builder and which typically takes the form of a rectangular box having an open top and an open bottom with a door formed in an end wall of the box. A carriage is typically mounted atop the box and can be driven incrementally along the length of the box with a hydraulically driven stomper mounted on the carriage. In use the box sits on the ground and cotton is progressively introduced through the open top of the box while the stomper compresses the cotton. The compression process involves repeatedly 25 moving the carriage from one end of the box to the other in series of incremental movements and actuating the stomper to drive downwardly each time the carriage stops.

The stomper is raised again prior to the carriage moving further along the box. In this manner a cotton module having a rectangular base is progressively formed. The moisture content of the cotton is sufficient to hold the cotton module together, facilitate removal of the cotton module builder, and enable the module to be subsequently loaded onto a trailer for transport to a gin.

Although conventional cotton module builders have found wide usage they suffer from a number of problems.

The trailers used to carry cotton modules are of specialist design to enable loading and unloading of S:50699C/700 3 cotton modules which render the trailers heavier than standard trailers and thereby reduces their load carrying capacity to about 18-19 tonnes. Cotton modules formed by conventional cotton module builders typically are sized to occupy all available surface area of the trailers but rarely are of sufficient weight to enable the legal load carrying limits of the trailers to be fully utilised.

Conventional cotton module builders can be operated to build cotton modules of desired tonnages but the time required to build such cotton modules is prohibitive and it tends to be more cost effective to build under-weight cotton modules and incur the additional freight costs.

It would be advantageous to provide a cotton module builder which built cotton modules more quickly and/or built cotton modules which enabled the load carrying capacity of trailers to be more fully utilised.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first aspect the present invention provides a method for building a cotton module in a module mould having an open top, an open bottom, opposed side walls, and opposed end walls, the method including progressively introducing cotton into the mould and progressively compressing the cotton by downwardly driving a plurality of compactors which are arranged to be driven 25 independently of one another.

There is a limit to the amount of compacting force which can be imparted to cotton when building a cotton module with a conventional cotton module builder. The limit is determined by the mass of the cotton module 30 builder. Once the compacting force exceeds the force which gravity exerts on the cotton module builder (the threshold force), the cotton module builder will be lifted off the ground and will no longer function as a mould retaining the compacted cotton. This limitation effectively determines the efficiency of operation of conventional cotton module builders.

e S:50699C/700 4 -4- The method according to the first aspect of the present invention enables improved efficiency compared with a conventional cotton module builder by use of a plurality of compactors which are arranged to be driven independently of one another. There would be little or no improvement in efficiency if a plurality of compactors were driven in unison because the sum of the compacting forces would be limited to the threshold force in the same manner as in a conventional cotton module builder.

However, independently driving a plurality of compactors enables the compactors to sequentially impart maximum compacting force without exceeding the threshold force.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for building a cotton module, the apparatus including: a module mould having an open top, an open bottom, opposed side walls, and opposed end walls; and a plurality of compactors arranged to be moved by moving means between the end walls in a direction parallel to the side walls, each compactor being arranged to be independently driven downwardly to compact cotton during building of a module.

The moving means preferably comprises mounting the compactors on one or more carriage assemblies which are 25 arranged to be driven between the end walls.

S. In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention a plurality of carriage assemblies may be used with one or more compactors mounted on each carriage assembly. For 30 example, the apparatus may include two carriage assemblies with one compactor mounted on each carriage assembly and the carriage assemblies being arranged to move the respective compactors between the centre and respective end walls of the mould.

In an alternative preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of compactors are mounted on a single carriage assembly with the compactors arranged to S:50699C/700 5 be moved in unison between the end walls of the mould.

Typically two, three or four compactors would be mounted on the single carriage assembly. Throughout the remainder of the description of this specification reference will be made to an embodiment in which two compacters are mounted on a single carriage assembly.

The base of each compactor preferably terminates in a tamping foot which is preferably rectangular in form and comprised of a series of overlayed or interconnecting members. Adjacent edges of adjacent tamping feet are preferably separated from one another by 50mm or greater.

The tamping feet are preferably such that the edges of the tamping feet adjacent to the side walls of the moulds are separated from the side walls by about 150mm.

Similarly tamping feet edges adjacent the end walls of the mould are preferably separated from the end walls by about 150mm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus according to the present invention with a carriage assembly of the apparatus at the rear of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a side elevation similar to Figure 1 but **with the carriage assembly in a first intermediate position between the front and rear of the apparatus; Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 with the carriage assembly in a second 30 intermediate position; ".Figure 4 is a detailed plan view of the carriage assembly illustrated in Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 is an end view of the apparatus of Figures 1-3; and Figure 6 is a side view of the carriage assembly of Figure 4.

:'"BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to Figures 1-6 the module builder S:50699C/700 tr 6 generally comprises opposed side walls 12 and 14, opposed end walls 16 and 18, a carriage assembly 20, control platform 22, wheels 24 and a hitch 26. The carriage assembly 20 has two hydraulically driven compactors 28 and 30 mounted thereto and is movable via guides 32 and 34 which extend outwardly of side walls 12 and 14 and beyond end walls 16 and 18 to enable the carriage assembly 20 to move between end walls 16 and 18 of the module builder 10. Movement of the carriage assembly results in movement of both compactors 28 and 30 such that independent movement of compactors 28 and 30 is not possible.

The carriage assembly 20 is located relative to the guides 32 and 34 via rollers 36 and 38, and 40 and 42 respectively which are rotatably fixed to angled brackets 44 and 46 respectively of the carriage assembly Rollers 36, 38, 40 and 42 enable the carriage assembly to roll relative to outside and underneath surfaces of the guides 32 and 34 while the carriage assembly 20 is being driven via wheels 48, 50, 52 and 54. Wheels 48 and are hydraulically driven by hydraulic motors 56 and 58 and wheels 52 and 54 are similarly driven via hydraulic motors (not shown) which are controlled by an operator 25 The carriage assembly 20 has locating/supporting structures 62 and 64 which locate and support compacters 28 and 30 respectively. Each of the locating/supporting structures 62 and 64 has side members 66 from which overhead members 68 extend. The overhead members 68 are 30 adapted to receive guide shafts 70 and a compacting ram 72. Lower ends of the guide shafts 70 and compacting ram 72 are attached to tamping feet 74. Extension of the :-.hydraulic ram 72 results in movement of the tamping feet 74 from an upper position 76 of Figure 5 to a lower position 78 of Figure 5. In moving the tamping feet 74 between the positions 76 and 78 of Figure 5 the hydraulic ram 72 and guide shafts 70 move relative to the overhead members 68.

S:50699C/700 7 Referring to Figure 4, each of the tamping feet 74 is formed of substantially perpendicularly intersecting bars 77 and 79. The intersecting bars 77 and 79 form, each side of the hydraulic ram 72, two planar grids which extend slightly downwardly toward side walls 12 and 14.

Following towing of the module builder 10 (via the hitch 26) to the desired location for building a cotton module, hydraulic rams 80 and 82 which raise and lower respectively the forward and rearward wheels 24 of the module builder 10 are actuated to raise the wheels 24 and lower an open bottom 84 of a box 86 of the module builder which is formed by opposed side walls 12 and 14 and opposed end walls 16 and 18, onto the ground. Cotton bolls are then progressively introduces through an open top 88 and compacted via compacters 28 and 30 which are controlled independently of one another by the operator The operator 60 hydraulically controls movement of the compacters 28 and 30 between end walls 16 and 18 and movement of the tamping feet 74 between positions 76 and 78 of Figure 5. The compression process requires the operator 60 to repeatedly move the carriage assembly between end walls 16 and 18 in a series of incremental movements and actuate compacters 28 and 30 to drive the tamping feet 74 downwardly from the position 76 to the ooe 25 position 78 (see Figure 5) each time the carriage assembly stops moving. Both tamping feet 74 are driven eeo -downwardly to an intermediate position between positions 76 and 78 and then one only of the tamping feet 74 is extended to the full extension or lower position 78. The 30 tamping foot 74 which is fully extended is then returned toward the upper position 76 while the other tamping foot 74 is simultaneously extended from the intermediate position to the full extension or lower position 78 and then immediately returned to the upper position 76. The aforementioned process of driving the tamping feet 74 is repeated after having moved the carriage assembly 20 a further distance between end walls.

The aforementioned intermediate compacting position S:50699C/700 °tJ 8 of tamping feet 74 enables the compacting time of a cotton module to be minimised while maintaining the effectiveness of compaction. For cotton bolls which can be defined by a number of different properties such as weight and moisture content, the effectiveness of compaction is typically directly proportional to the compaction pressure which is required to produce the cotton module. As such, it is beneficial to maximise the compaction pressure; however, it is also beneficial to minimise the time required to form a cotton module.

Therefore, it is desirable to increase the surface area of a module mould which is effectively being compacted per unit time. It would appear then an effective solution would be to maximise the surface area of the tamping feet and accordingly increase the output of hydraulic rams 72 to enable the compacting pressure delivered by the tamping feet 74 to be portionally increased. A problem with such an approach is that the hydraulic rams 72 are supported by the module builder and as such any force applied by the hydraulic rams 72 will result in an equal and opposite force being applied to the module builder 10. Because module builders are required to be mobile they are typically only located relative to the ground via the gravitational force which o eo 25 acts upon them. As such, because it is desirable to limit the weight of a module builder there is a maximum compression force which can be applied via hydraulic rams 72, at any one time, before the module builder 10 starts to lift away from the ground. The aforementioned 30 intermediate compaction position is determined by such a maximum compression force.

The operator 60 typically drives both tamping feet 74 from the position 76 toward the position 78 of Figure until he/she either feels or anticipates movement of the module builder 10 relative to the ground, at which .time further downward movement of one of the tamping feet 74 is prevented while the other of the tamping feet 74 continues in a downward direction toward the position 78 S:50699C/700 9of Figure 5 and immediately upon reaching such a position is returned to the upper position 76 while the operator simultaneously directs the other tamping foot 74 to continue in a downward direction toward position 78. As such, partial compaction is being achieved over a large surface area while maximum compaction is being limited to a surface area which is dependant upon the weight of the module builder 10. Control of the aforementioned compression process can be partially or fully automated to optimise both compaction time and pressure in accordance with the aforementioned discussion.

Once a cotton module has been built within the walls of the box 86 a rear door 90 is opened by releasing a locking mechanism 92 and actuating hydraulic rams 94 which are located either side of the door 90. Hydraulic rams 80 and 82 are then actuated to lower associated wheels 24 and correspondingly raise the box 86 off the ground. The module builder 10 is able to then be moved forward in a direction indicated by arrow 96 via the hitch 26 while the cotton module which has been built by the module builder 10 remains supported by the ground such that the module builder 10 moves forward of the built cotton module to leave the cotton module standing self-supported upon the ground.

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Claims (14)

1. An apparatus for building a cotton module, the apparatus including: a module mould having an open top, an open bottom, opposed side walls, and opposed end walls; and a plurality of compactors arranged to be moved by moving means between the end walls in a direction parallel to the side walls, each compactor being arranged to be independently driven downwardly to compact cotton during building of a module.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the moving means preferably comprises means for mounting the compactors on one or more carriage assemblies which are arranged to be driven between the end walls.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the compactors are mounted on a single carriage assembly with the compactors arranged to be moved in unison between the end walls of the mould.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein two compactors are mounted on the single carriage assembly.

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the base of each compactor terminates in a oooe tamping foot.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein each 25 tamping foot is of rectangular form and includes a series S"of overlayed or interconnecting members.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein adjacent edges of adjacent tamping feet are separated from one another by 50mm or greater.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein edges of the tamping feet adjacent to the side walls of the mould are separated from the side walls by about 150mm.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5-8 wherein edges of the tamping feet when adjacent the end 35 walls of the mould are separated from the end walls by about 150mm.

S:50699C/700 11 A method of operating an apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 4-9, the method including the steps of: progressively introducing cotton into the module mould through the open top; moving the carriage assembly between the end walls in a series of incremental movements; and each time the carriage assembly stops in movement between the end walls: moving both compactors downwardly to a position intermediate an uppermost position and a compacting position at which maximum compacting force can be applied to the cotton, moving a first of the two compactors from the intermediate position to the compacting position whilst a second of the two compactors is maintained in the intermediate position, and moving the first compactor upwardly from the compacting position whilst simultaneously moving the second compactor downwardly from the intermediate position.

11. An apparatus for building a cotton module, the apparatus being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A method of operating an apparatus as claimed in claim 11, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 25

13. A method for building a cotton module in a S. module mould having an open top, an open bottom, opposed side walls, and opposed end walls, the method including progressively introducing cotton into the mould and progressively compressing the cotton by downwardly driving a plurality of compactors which are arranged to be driven independently of one another.

14. A cotton module built by a method as claimed in claim 13. DATED this 30th day of April 1999 LISET PRODUCTS PTY LTD By its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK S:50699C/700