48 A STORY OF COTTON 



But it is to be remembered that, on every bale of re-com- 

 pressed cotton that shows only an "OVERALL" density of 

 IIVi to 25 pounds per cubic foot, there are thirty-two points, 

 namely, the points under the iron straps or bands, where they 

 turn the corners of the bale, where there is cotton with a 

 density of 35 to 40 pounds per cubic foot. This higher density 

 remains from the time of compression to the time of the re- 

 moval of the bands. 



The amount of cotton at each of the thirty-two points, that 

 maintains a density of, from 35 pounds to 40 pounds to the 

 cubic foot, is rarely LESS than one pound, and OFTEN, as 

 many as five pounds. 



In the past thirty or forty years, there have been very many 

 devices perfected for the purpose of TIGHTENING, or PULL- 

 ING TAUT, the iron bands or straps that surround a bale of 

 cotton while between the platens of a compress, and for the 

 purpose of retaining a greater proportion of the 55 pounds 

 density to the cubic foot than is now maintained after the bale 

 expands and accommodates itself to the iron bands that are 

 loosely surrounding it while under pressure. 



A great many of what were termed "BAND PULLERS" that 

 were operated by steam, compressed air and hydraulic power, 

 have been patented, and have been EMINENTLY successful, 

 insofar as the tightening of the band was concerned, and the 

 RETENTION of much of the approximate 55 pounds density 

 originally acquired. 



These mechanical devices, although they have been PER- 

 FECTLY successful, insofar as the tightening of the band, or 

 strap, is concerned, were found in every instance, to be so 

 VERY SLOW in their operation that their use was discon- 

 tinued. 



There are, at present, some machines and some devices that 

 maintain a great density in a bale of compressed cotton and 

 are practical. 



Some of these machines ALTER the original shape of the 

 STANDARD BALE, from an elliptical to an approximately 

 rectangular shape, by two distinct actions, and with two SEP- 

 ARATE pieces of machinery. 



