Patent 7469633 was granted and assigned to Sonoco on December, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A pivotally loaded baler system includes a ram, which ram is movable along a horizontal axis, and a housing disposed at least partially about the ram. A pivotable loading member or tube is connected to the housing such that, when the loading member or tube is pivoted to a vertical disposition, a defined loading chute or the loading tube surrounds a vertical axis and an open end of the chute or tube aligns with a loading aperture of the housing. As the loading member or tube is pivoted to the vertical disposition, material is permitted to fall toward the loading aperture. A cutting edge of the ram severs material as the ram extends. Severed upper portions of the material are surrounded by the loading chute or tube and are at least temporarily supported from below by the ram.