USRE2548E - Improvement in ties for cotton-bales - Google Patents

Description

"To all whom it may concern ing and using the same, reference being had UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE@ G. N. BEARD, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN TIES FOR COTTON-BALES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 32,818, dated July 16, 1861,' reissue No. 2,548, dated April 9, 1867.

To enable my said invention to properly resist, without disarrangement orv damage, the great expansive forces of the compressed material; to enable the same to resist properly the sundry and various strains oi'compression, contusion, and concussion occurring in handling, transporting, and storing the packages and bales encircledv and bound by the same 5. and for'fthe general purposes of forming an improved and more highly useful hooplock and bale-tie, the nature of my invention is in the application of two devices, to wit:

Be it known that I, GQ N. BEARD, of the city of St. Louis, county of St. Louis, State of issouri, have invented certain new and useful improvements in metallic ties or locks of bands or hoops for packages and bales of material, such as hemp, cotton, &c., for 7hich, under the name ot"Improvem ent in Iron Ties for Cotton-Bales,77 Letters Patent of the United States were granted unto me, bearing date the 16th day of July, 1861 and, whereas said specification, I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the principle or character which distinguishes If the ends of a hoop or band are supposed in position one over the other, the greatest to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference-thereon.

It is Well known that, for convenience and economy in storage and transportation ofsuch materials as hemp, cotton, and rags, &c., these are usually compressed to form packages or bales of a comparatively small com pass and that to` retain such compressed materials in said `dimensions metallic bands, or hoops are used, encircling sald packages or bales, and confining the material thereof to the compass aforesaid; and that, as said bands or hoops are usually long stripsof metal, the ends whereof are joined by some device to enable the band zontal plane, then in the ties previous to my said invention a cleat was secured to one of said ends, which, by a vertical motion (and that solely) could be passed partly through a proper mortise in the other end ofsaid band; then, by the expansive tendencies of the pacivertically, beccause of said projecting prong on the one side, and the metal ofeither ot'said bands on the other side.

ow, it is plain that whenever, owing to concussion, contusion, or excessive compresthe material encircled by it. sion in storage, transportation, &c., the packow, my said invention relates to the forage was so affected as to overcome the expanmation of a proper union or connection besive tendencies and-strains ofthe material,

tween the ends oi every band, to insure the efthen the ends of' the bands, owing to the sun-v ectlve action of the band when on the packdry and various causes, might change their age, as aforesaid; and my said invention rerelative position, so as to release said projectlates, moreover, to an adjustable arrangement ing prong of said cleat from its action upon of said union or connection, to insure the the mortised band,- and that then (in the preproper lit of the baud upon the package, by cisely reverse manner in which the cleat was ale or package. tise, if thereto impelled. It is then a charac- It will thus be seen that my said invention teristic feature of this form of tie thatfmotion may iitly be termed both a hoop-lock77 and a in one (elementary) direction only ofv one end metallic tie for bales of cotton, hemp, rags, &c. of the band is needed to pass the cleat partly merated, the nature of my invention 1s in the that-fespecially as the compression of a bale into the mortise, and this direction is perpendicular to the surface of the greatest dimensions ofthe band. Moreover, that motion in a direction,perpendicular to the direction of the tirst motion was needed to secure the tie, as aforesaid, this motion being usually in the direction of the length of the band. Therefore, whenever, in handling, carrying, or storing the bales or packages thus bound around, the ends of any band were caused to perform thesaid motions in the reverse order and reverse directions, the tie became unfastened or unlocked, and damage and waste of material resulted therefrom.

In order, now, to remedy the defects here enuthe mortise, and especially as incidental causes can easily lift said cleated end, or the end mortised verticallythe great security of this tie or lock is in the application and use of such relative shape and form of cleat and mortise as necessitates, besides said motions just mentioned, either of the third vmotions first above described.

In order, now, that those skilled in the arts may make and successfully apply my saidimprovement, I will proceed to describe its detail construction and action; and, this to show more clearly, I have given, in Figure l. a general plan of a hoop or band to show the arrangement of a series of mortises with a single cleat; in Fig. 2, a general perspective view of a hook or band in about its proper curved form, the parts used to form a tie being in one of their relative positions to `each other, as will be more specially described; in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, detail plan and elevation of the cleat or button device in one of its practicable shapes; in Fig. 5, a detail plan of the mortise device. t

The several gures 3, 4, and 5 show the parts in about full size, and can therefore be used in practice to guide and direct the mechanic in the proper construction of said improved de-` vices.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the devices represented in the figures 3, 4, and 5 in their necessary relative position, as assumed in the performance of the irst necessary motion or movement of parts, to enable the cleat devices to pass partly into the mortise. In Fig. 7 I have shown the parts when in proper action, forming a tieor lock.

The parts composing my said band are usually wrought and cast iron, the cleat being, however, often made malleable. I generally secure the cleat A by riveting it in one end of the band C. This is not, however, necessary or essential to the nature of my invention. In so'me cases it may be convenient to form the connection between the cleat A and band C by mortise devices, in a manner entirely similar to that in which said cleat unites with the other end of said band. In the band near the end G2, which is opposite to the end C1, in

relative arrangement of the cleat and mortise devices, in such wise that either end of the band containing the same must be submitted to motion in at' vleast two elementary directions beforethe said cleat can pass partly through said mortise. If the ends of any band be placed one above the other, the surface of greatest dimensions lying in a horizontal plane, then one of said motions-will be either of the following, to wit: first, motion in a transverse direction of one end of the band over the other, in the saine horizontal plane of the iirst position, thus twisting or turning the band about a vertical axis; secondly, motion in a vertical direction, thereby turning either end of the band about a horizontal transverse axis; thirdly, rotaryv or twisting motion about a horizontal longitudinal axis, thus depressing one edge and elevating the opposite longitudinal edge of the band then distortedin all of said cases, the other motion being a vertical one, causing the cleat to pass directly into position within the mortise, to be thereupon drawn to a proper bearing .by the expansive action of the bound material.

As the object of the first motion to which the end of the band is subject is to bring the cleat device into such position that, by the second motion, the same may partly pass into the proper mortise, the said first motion will determine. the relative shape of the cleat' and mortise devices.

It is now plain that, to withdraw the ends of a band thussecured from the connection made in accordance with the nature of my invention, the ends of the band must perform relatively to each other the three motions first performed in securing the tie, and said motions mnst be performed in the reverse order and reverse directions `to the order and directions of their first performance. In the nature of the case, it is apparent that the usual causes of contusion, concussion, or compressionot' bales will never, or only in rare intervals, cause the proper movements of the ends of the band to effect an untying or unlocking thereof; and-it is, moreover, clear tises B, said mortises being placed at such distances apart that the metallic section of, material longitudinally between the same possesses suiiicient strength to resist strains rei tises being determined by the nature of the vprocesses of compression to which the package is subjected, and the general bulk thereof. Whenever it is desired to use a first motion of the ends of a band, as hereinbefore de- 4 scribed, the same being in a vertical direction made by turning e'ther ot' said ends about a horizontal axis, then I use the general form of cleat and mortise as represented inthe iigo'r package may cause a -return longitudinal ures 3, 4, and 5. The said mortise B being motion, releasing the prong of a cleat from which the cleat A is secured, I make the morceived in the band, and the number of mor-v nection the proper rigidity and security. It will now be seen that the horizontal projecon by the cleat A may-not be wasted I have specially arranged the inortised end O2 under said end U1 ofthe band. Thus, then, the mortised end not really used for the proper com# passing of the bale will be guarded between the outer surface of the bale and the end 01.

Moreover, in this arrangement o`f the parts aforesaid the cleat A will be so placed that the prongs a, thereof press against the bale itself, and the outer surface ot' the band will be smooth, and in no wise likely to rupture or damage in handling the bale. This arrangeinentfof parts is ot' much importance, as, in the contrary case, the unused end vof the baud, 'marked C2, would lie on the upper or outer surface of the band, andI would be easily up-v turned or bent, and injured by incidental forces in handling' the package or bale. Moreover the prongs a of the cleat protruding beyond, the then outer surface of the band are liable to injury, thereby endangering the security of the tie.

simply an" oblong" hole, the transverse sides whereof' being either straight or rounded, the said cleat having either one or two projecting prongs, a, in the direction of the longitudinal axis ot' the band, the said prongs a unite, and in the central body ot' the cleat give the beariiig-surface al, which connects vagain with the rivet-shaft a2; or, with a second series of devices, a, through either said rivet-shaft a2 or second series of devices a, a connection is ei'ected with the end O1. In case this connection is made bv riveting, a washer should be placed on C1, or the end C1 be doubled over to give said riveted contion of the greatest surface of the cleat A, measured from a to a, is greater than the horizontal projection of the morti'se length; that, therefore, the cleat cannot be dropped by a merely vertical motion partly through the mortise, as in the ties or locks previous to my said invention. In order, now, to pass said cleat partly through said inortise I turn, for'example, the mortised end of the band, being C2, about'a horizontal transverse axis, into the position fairly shown in Fig. 6. It', now, the projecting prong a is long, a slight horizontal motion may be needed to cause the other prong' to pass the contiguous transverse edge ot' the mortise. The prong edge of said cleat may, however, 'be so shaped that said horizontal'motion is here not needed. 1f, then, either end of said band is moved vertically to bring the band surface to a contact, the expansive force of the material hound can act upon the band to cause a transverse edge ot' the cleatto wit, of the bearing-surbe needed, butthe rotary motion about a transverse horizontal axis of C2 will place C2 Iiat upon` G1. Generally, however, a slight vertical motion will be necessary to bring the parts G1 and C2 in such proper positions that of the mortise B. Again, it will appear that one of the prongs a only may be used, as in full accordance with the nature of' my invention.

Now, it will moreover appear that, in case, by motion iu a transverse direction of one end of the band over the other in the same horizontal plane of the first position, the cleat contiguous edge of the mortise B,when the expansive strain ofthe encompassed package upon the band is properly resisted, and the tie is complete. It', now, owing to a subsequent necessary or desirable greater compression, the band is to be readjusted, it will be easy, by performing the various motions before pert'ormed in creating the tie or lock union of the ends G1 and C2 of the baiid in a reverse order and in reverse directions, to open the tie first iliade, and then, in the manner entirely alike to the manner of the i'rst formation of a tie or lock, a second tie or lock may be made by passing the said cleat device A into another one of the mortises B, which shall accommodate the compass of the band to the new circumference of the ba-le or package. Thus is my said band adjusted to any desirable size or compass ofthe bale or package. Now, it is vusual that the bale after av second compression is of smaller circumference than after a first compression; therefore, the niortised end C2 of the band will, after said second (orgafter any compression process subsequent to the first) compression, bc too long. In order, now, that the part of this end of the band beyond the mortise acted uplongitudinal edges of the band.

It may, however, be ad vantageous to change the forni of cleat.v This will then be done similarly, by varying the rectangular face of the prongs a from. a rectangle to a parallelogram -or trapezoid. Lastly, in case it is desirable of twisting about'a horizontal longitudinal tudinal edge and raising the other, the cleat A may pass partly through said mortiseB; then the projecting prong or prongs a will ,be at the side of the shaft a2 of the cleat, being thus a transverse extension ofthe cleat in-v stead of a longitudinal one, as shown in the drawings.

axis of the band, tlius depressing one longi- In all of said cases, however, the advan`v tage will fully obtain, as before described, of `2. Thexed oombinationofa donblehookedfpassing an unused extension of the end C2 of cleat, havingpronlgs or engaging points oflun-l the band under the end C1 to protect the equal length, with one end oil ametallie band,- same.- It is now also pla'm that in vthe' saine having: an elongated aperture in its other end',

manner in which the end G2 was `tied to the when the length of said aperture isless than cleat A the end G1 of the band may be joined, the united diameter of the shank ot' said cleat and that a number of cleat devices, with cor and length of its longer prong, all substanresponding mortise devices, may be applied tiallyin the manner and forthepn-rposeherein to join and secure the parts. set forth.

Having thus fully described my invention, In testimony of which invention I heren-nto I `do not claim the use of a cleat or mortise set my hand and seal thisfltlr day of Septemdev'ice, or both, nor formingr said cleat with ber, A. D. 11866. one or more prongs; -bnt what I do claim and wish to secure by Letters 'Patent of the United Gr. N. 13E-ARD. [L. s]

States, is

1. The shape and proportion of the cleat i/'itnesseszj device A With respect to the loop-holes B, GEORGE P. HERTHEL, Jr.,

substantially as herein set forth. f M. RANDOLPH.

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