NEW WOOL CLAMP

Southland Times, Issue 21099, 3 June 1930, Page 7

NEW WOOL CLAMP

INVERCARGILL MAN’S INVENTION

LABOUR-SAVING MACHINE.

Claiming that his invention of a poweroperated wool bale clamp will cut in half the costs of clamping wool bales after they have been opened up for display for eale, Mr J. Winders, storeman at Wright, Stephenson and Company’s Avenal wool store, demonstrated his machine to the heads of the local commercial firms yesterday. Mr Winders explained that in operation at the stores after the second Invercargill sale this year, the invention had reduced the wages cost for handling 3000 bales from £166 in 1929 to £BB this year. The apparatus is driven by an electric motor coupled to a friction pulley and adjusted to a movable arm, which compresses perpendicularly. In the course of the demonstration, three men clamped ten bales within seven minutes and sewed up the bales in eight minutes. Mr Winders stated that six men could operate the machine and undertake the sewing and handle comfortably 500 bales in a day, whereas 25 men would be required to do the same amount of work by the manual system. An additional advantage, said Mr Winders, was that less twine was required in sewing/ machineclamped bales. He estimated that the saving in this direction for 3000 bales had been £lO.

The visitors were greatly impressed with the demonstration and stated that they considered the machine a very excellent device which could satisfactorily be adopted, in all the stores.

Mr Winders said he estimated that if the apparatus were adopted in all the stores in New Zealand the saving would amount to £17,500 annually-