GB2090560A

GB2090560A - Agricultural baling machine

Info

Publication number: GB2090560A
Application number: GB8136217A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: BROCKDALE DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Current assignee: BROCKDALE DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority date: 1980-12-09
Filing date: 1981-12-01
Publication date: 1982-07-14
Also published as: ES507828A0; IE52219B1; DK540281A; ES8301575A1; IE812875L; GB2090560B; NL8105549A

Abstract

An agricultural machine 1 for forming a round bale 2 of windrowed fibrous material has a bale-forming chamber 7 defined by a plurality of conveyors 23, 30, 31, 32, 35, and 38. The conveyors 23, 30 and 38 are fixed in position and may comprise rollers or endless belts or the like. The conveyors 31, 32 and 35 are pivotally attached at one end thereof to the bale forming chamber 7 and are progressively displaceable from an inner limiting position 31A, 32A, and 35A to an outer adjustable limiting position 31, 32 and 35 as the bale diameter progressively increases, with the bale 2 being formed initially in a zone defined by the first and second swingable conveyors 31, 32, and the bottom, fixed position conveyors 23. The conveyors 31, 32 and 35 may be urged towards their inner limiting positions by springs, the arrangement being such as to provide an increased resistance to swinging of the conveyors as the latter approach their outer limiting positions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Agricultural machine This invention relates to an agricultural machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material e.g. hay, straw, wilted silage.

Known machines e.g. such as is described in British Specification 1,465,641 and U.S.

Specification 3,722,1 97 for instance, work on the principle of employing a lower, endless conveyor in conjunction with an upper, endless belt conveyor, the latter incorporating a belt loop take- up/pay-out device whereby, as a bale is built up from zero diameter to its required finished diameter, e.g. 5-ft., by rolling the fibrous material between opposed belt surfaces, the belt contained in the loop is gradually deployed but the bale density remains constant from core to periphery which is not always required. A belt loop is avoided in another type of machine, e.g. such as is described in British Patent Specification 1,490,384, which produces a soft centred bale, again without the ability to vary this.

After a bale of the required diameter has been formed, known machines of whatever kind, usually employ a wrapping device whereby twine is applied to the external periphery of the bale, as the latter continues to be rotated by the machine, by several passes of a twine applying device which is displaced, in shuttle fashion, from side to side of the machine until the desired number of twine wraps has been applied. In principle such known machines form a reasonably satisfactory bale from the viewpoint of speed of formation but are relatively complex and hence costly to maintain, while furthermore the securing of a formed bale by twine leads to damage by weathering, and to a depth of several inches, of the fibrous material around the outside of the entire periphery of the bale.Another machine, having a capacity to vary the bale density to suit the particular fibrous material involved, is described in British Patent Application No. 8003672, published under No.

2042972, this machine having one or two swingable belt conveyors which are progressively displaced outwardly as the bale diameter increases, and the present invention is directed to a modified form of machine operable on the principle of a swingable conveyor(s) but having an enhanced baling action.

According to the present invention an agricultural machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material comprises a displaceable chassis carrying spaced apart side plates defining the width of a generally cylindrical bale-forming chamber defined by a plurality of conveyors; a pick-up device located towards a forward end of the chassis and adapted to pick up fibrous material from the ground and to discharge the fibrous material on to a carrying surface of a fixed position conveyor defining the bottom of the chamber, and having a fibrous material receiving end adjacent the pick-up device and a fibrous material discharge end remote from the pick-up device, and serving to carry the fibrous material away from the pick-up device, first and second swingable conveyors one pivotally attached at one end thereof to the forward end of the bale forming chamber and the other pivotally attached at one end thereof to the rearward end of the bale forming chamber and each approximating in width to the bale forming chamber and being progressively displaceable under an opposing load from an inner limiting position to an outer limiting position as the bale diameter progressively increases, with the bale being formed initially in a zone defined by the first and second swingable conveyors and the bottom, fixed position conveyor; and a third swingable conveyor pivotally attached at one end thereof to an upper part of the bale forming chamber and also displaceable, under an opposing load from an inner limiting position to an outer limiting position as the bale diameter progressively increases but being inactive in the formation of the bale until the first and second swingable conveyors have been displaced partially from their inner limiting positions by the progressive increase in bale diameter; and means to displace at least one of the two co-operating swingable conveyors whereby a finished bale may be discharged from a rearward end of the machine.

Thus, in use, a bale is formed initially between three co-operating conveyors viz. the bottom, fixed position conveyor and the first and second swingable conveyors, with a fourth surface, provided by the third swingable conveyor, only coming into use after a bale has attained approximately 2/3 of its final diameter.

Preferably, a further, fixed position conveyor is located at an upper part of the bale forming chamber between adjacent, movable ends of the third and second swingable conveyors, while a further conveyor, which may be fixed or swingable by being pivotally mounted at one end thereof, may be located at the discharge end of the bottom, fixed position conveyor to deflect and urge fibrous material generally upwardly, The inner and outer limiting positions may conveniently be defined by stop means.

Furthermore, it is preferred for the swingable conveyors to be arrestable in any one of a plurality of outer positions by providing adjustable outer stop means selectable by the machine operator, in order to produce bales of selected diameters. This may readily be effected by the operator inserting or removing stop pins along a series of holes. For instance, the holes may enable bale diameters to be increased by 6" increments from say 2-ft.

diameter to 4-ft. diameter. Such adjustment would provide for optimum bale diameters to be attained for different fibrous materials. It may suffice for the first, second and third swingable conveyors to have such adjustable stop means.

The displacement-opposing load on each of the swingable conveyors may be effected solely by gravity, i.e. the conveyors are so arranged that they always fall inwardly, about their pivot axes, to their inner limiting positions when not urged therefrom by bale formation. It follows that with this arrangement, the bale density will be fixed and will be a function of the weight of the conveyors which needs to be lifted by the enlarging bale. However, additional loading may be provided by spring urging the swingable conveyors towards their inner limiting positions by means of coil tension springs located externally of the bale forming chamber, one at each side thereof, which are preferably adjustably loaded by a tensioning device, e.g. of a screw type, the build up in diameter of the bale overcoming the spring loading to cause the swinging movement of the conveyors.Alternatively, the spring means may only become effective as a bale approaches its finished diameter, which achieves the advantageous effect of a relatively hard outer casing of fibrous material on the bale. This delay in operational effect can be attained by a lost motion device and results in an increased resistance to swinging being effected on each swingable conveyor as the latter approaches its outer limiting position. In an embodiment with a spring means effected throughout the pivotal movement of the conveyors, this same, hard outer casing effect can be attained by providing a second spring means for each swingable conveyor, which second spring means again only comes into operational effect when the conveyor approaches its outer limiting position as the bale approaches its finished diameter.Each second spring means may again comprise a coil tension spring preferably located inboard of the first mentioned spring means.

Furthermore, an adjustable tie bolt may be associated with each first mentioned spring means to limit the inward movement of each swingable conveyor and hence to determine the inner position of each swingable conveyor.

The conveyors, whether movable or of fixed position, may be of the belt type, chain and slat type or roller type. Preferably, the bottom fixed conveyor is of the roller type comprising a plurality of rollers with peripheries closely adjacent one another and supported such that their uppermost peripheries define a shallow cupped recess to receive the arcuate bale periphery. This may be achieved by suitable positioning of the axes of rotation of the various rollers making up the bottom fixed conveyor. It is also preferred for the swingable conveyors to be of the chain and slat type.

The integrity of a finished bale is enhanced by running twine around the externai periphery. In the known manner, this is effected by providing on the machine a twine reel, with the twine running from the reel through an eye guidance system and through a spring loaded tensioning system, to a hollow feed tube which is swingable between an active, twine applying position, and a non-active position, with a starter length of twine projecting from the tube and being left there after cut-off following binding of the previous bale. The tensioning device necessary during the twining operation is detrimental to the start of twining operations.Hence according to another feature of the invention, the machine incorporates a swingable, hollow twine feed tube, which when being swung to its active position, operates means to render inactive the tensioning device for a predetermined period. This ensures that the twining operation may be started with greater certainty of success due to the absence of tension, the tensioning device eventually becoming operative. The means to achieve this may comprise a mechanical connection operable against the spring pressure of the tensioning device.

Each side plate of the bale forming chamber may conveniently be formed in two parts, a forward part being rigidly secured with respect to the chassis, and a rearward part being pivotally mounted with respect to the chassis to allow discharge of a finished bale, e.g. by pivoting the rearward part by extending double-acting rams one connected between the two parts externally of the bale forming chamber. In detail, the two rearward parts, and the second and third swingable conveyors may be integrated into a sub-assembly pivotally attached to the forward parts of the side plates.

Preferably, the machine incorporates a bale wrapping unit comprising a spool of synthetic plastics wrapping material, e.g. polythene, which, after the bale has been formed, and before discharge of the finished bale from the machine, is wrapped around the bale periphery, e.g. several times, the synthetic plastics material then being cut and overlapped ends being secured e.g. by adjesive tape or twine. Thus, such a bale is completely weatherproof and no peripheral weathering damage occurs. In detail, the wrapping unit may be mounted on the or one movable conveyor, the unit preferably comprising support rollers for the spool, means to drive such rollers, a brake for the wrapping material, drive rolls for the wrapping material and a cutting or perforating device.

In principle, the chassis may be self-propelled or may be towed or pushed by a tractor.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of agricultural machine in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a second embodiment of agricultural machine in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is a view of a portion of the machine of Figure 2 in the direction of arrow A of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side elevation of a fourth embodiment of agricultural machine in accordance with the invention; Figures 5 and 5A show alternative positions of another embodiment of spring arrangement for use with the swingable conveyors; and Figures 6 and 6A show an alternative embodiment of spring arrangement for use with the swingable conveyors.

In all the Figures, like reference numerals are employed for like components.

In the drawings is illustrated an agricultural machine 1 for forming relatively large, round bales 2 of hay etc. from windrowed fibrous material 3 lying on the ground 4. The machine 1 comprises a displaceable chassis 5 supported by groundengaging wheels 6, the chassis comprising a generally cylindrical bale-forming chamber 7 defined by a plurality of conveyors to be described in detail later, with ends of the chamber 7 defined by side plates 8 formed in two parts being a forward part 8A rigidly attached to the chassis 5 and a rearward part 8B pivotally attached to the forward part 8A about a pivot axis 9 and displaceable, under the control of double-acting rams 1 0 located at the outside of each side plate 8 and pivotally attached at 11 to the part 8A and at 12 to the part SB, to the position 8C indicated in chain dotted line in Figure 1, whereby a finished bale may be removed rearwardly from the machine 1.

A conventional windrowed material pick-up device 13, rotatable about an axis 14 is located at a forward end of the chassis 5 and is supported by framework 1 5 in turn supported by groundengaging wheels 1 6. The machine 1 is adapted to be towed by a tractor and for this purpose towing arms 17, terminating in a connector 18, extend from the side plates 8, and from the arms 17 is supported a power take-off connector 1 9 having a transmission shaft 20 to drive, via a gearbox 21, a drive chain 22 to power the conveyors of the machine 1.

The conveyors consist of a fixed position conveyor 23 comprising a plurality of rollers 24 with peripheries 25 thereof closely adjacent one another and supported, about axes of rotation 26, such that their uppermost peripheries 27 define a shallow cupped recess to receive the arcuate periphery of the bale 2 and to define a carrying surface having a fibrous material receiving end 28 adjacent the pick-up device 1 3 and a fibrous material discharge end 29 remote from the pickup device 13. In the embodiment of Figure 1, beyond the discharge end 29 are located two further, fixed position rollers 24A defining a further fixed position conveyor 30 serving to deflect and urge fibrous material generally upwardly.

The machine 1 also incorporates within the bale-forming chamber 7 first and second swingable conveyors 31,32 respectively, which conveyors are pivotably attached at one end thereof to the forward part 8A about axis 33 and to the rearward part 8B about axis 34, respectively. Their outer limiting positions are shown in full line in Figure 1 and their inner limiting positions 31A, 32A respectively, are shown in chain dotted line in Figure 1. Also within the bale-forming chamber 7 is located a third swingable conveyor 35 pivotably attached at one end thereof, about axis 36 to the rearward part 8B The conveyors 31, 32, and 35 are all of the chain and slat type and approximate to the width of the bale forming chamber.Finally, an upper, fixed position conveyor 38 comprising three rollers 39 is located in the forward part 8A to fill a gap between adjacent ends of the conveyors 31 and 35 as the latter approach, or attain, their outer limiting positions.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 an initial baling zone 40 is defined between the bottom conveyor 23, the conveyor 30, and the first and second swingable conveyors when in their inner positions 31 A and 32A respectively, and in use, windrowed material 3 is picked up from the ground 4, in conventional manner, by the pick-up device 13 which passes the material to the receiving end 28 of the conveyor 23, the latter conveying the material to the conveyor 30 where the material is diverted generally upwardly so as to commence formation of a bale 2.As the latter increases in diameter due to the continued pick up of material 3 as the machine 1 is advanced over the ground 4 by the towing tractor, the conveyors 31 and 32 are progressively displaced from their inner limiting positions towards their outer limiting positions and eventually the conveyor 35 comes into use after a bale 2 has attained approximately 2/3 of its final diameter. When the final diameter has been achieved, a twine applying mechanism (not shown) is actuated, to maintain integrity of the finished bale, before the latter is discharged from the machine 1 by elevating the rearward part 8B by extending the rams 10.During the application of twine, the machine 1 is halted, as it is unable to accept further material 3 until such time as the finished bale is discharged and the conveyors 31 and 32 are returned to their inner limiting positions 31 A and 32A.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 the location of the pivot points 33, 34 and 36 are so arranged that the conveyors 31, 32, and 35 always fall, under gravity, to their inner limiting positions when no bale 2 is present within the bale-forming chamber 7. Hence the bale density is determined by the weights of the conveyors 31, 32, and 35 and the forces required to displace these to their outer limiting positions.

In order that the machine 1 may be capable of forming bales to diameters less than that which would result from the conveyors 31, 32 and 35 attaining their outer limiting positions, an adjustable stop means may be provided comprising stop pins (not shown) insertable and removable by the operator along a series of holes 41 located along an arcuate line 42.

In the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3 the effect of the weight of the conveyors 31, 32 and 35 is supplemented by a first spring means 43 comprising a coil tension spring 44 attached at 45 to an extension 46 of the conveyors 31 , 32 and 35 and also attached, by a screw adjustable bolt 47 to the side plates 8. It will also be observed from Figure 2 that this embodiment incorporates a second spring means 48 again comprising a coil tension spring 49, again attached at one end to the extension 46 and at the other end to the side plates 8.The second spring means 48 however incorporates a lost motion device 50 to provide a length of free travel 51 before the second spring means 48 becomes operative on the respective conveyors 31, 32 and 35 so as to provide an increased resistance to swinging of the conveyors as the latter approach their outer limiting positions to achieve a relatively hard outer casing of fibrous material on the bale 2 being produced.

Figure 4 illustrates the possibility of constructing the fixed position conveyor 23A as an endless conveyor either of the belt type or of the chain and slat type. This embodiment also illustrates a swingable conveyor 30A, conveniently of the chain and slat type, in contrast to the fixed conveyor 30 of Figure 1.

Figures 5 and 5A illustrate a first possibility for providing a relatively hard outer casing of fibrous material on a bale produced by the machine of Figure 1 for instance. In this embodiment a leaf spring 51 is attached to the side plate 8 but only becomes operative on the conveyor 31, 32 or 35 as the latter approaches its outer limiting position so as to increase the opposing load on those conveyors over that portion of their pivotal movement.

Figures 6 and 6A illustrate a second possibility for providing a relatively hard outer casing on a bale 1 being produced, this time a tension spring 52 being employed to provide the increased opposing load.

Claims

1. An agricultural machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material comprising a displaceable chassis carrying spaced apart side plates defining the width of a generally cylindrical bale-forming chamber defined by a plurality of conveyors; a pick-up device located towards a forward end of the chassis and adapted to pick up fibrous material from the ground and to discharge the fibrous material on to a carrying surface of a fixed position conveyor defining the bottom of the chamber, and having a fibrous material receiving end adjacent the pick-up device and a fibrous material discharge end remote from the pick-up device, and serving to carry the fibrous material away from the pick-up device; first and second swingable conveyors one pivotally attached at one end thereof to the forward end of the bale forming chamber and the other pivotally attached at one end thereof to the rearward end of the bale forming chamber and each approximating in width to the bale forming chamber and being progressively displaceable under an opposing load from an inner limiting position to an outer limiting position as the bale diameter progressively increases, with the bale being formed initially in a zone defined by the first and second swingable conveyors and the bottom, fixed position conveyor; and a third swingable conveyor pivotally attached at one end thereof to an upper part of the bale forming chamber and also displaceable, under an opposing load from an inner limiting position to an outer limiting position as the bale diameter progressively increases but being inactive in the formation of the bale until the first and second swingable conveyors have been displaced partially from their inner limiting positions by the progressive increase in bale diameter; and means to displace at least one of the two co-operating swingable conveyors whereby a finished bale may be discharged from a rearward end of the machine.

2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein a further, fixed position conveyor is located at an upper part of the bale forming chamber between adjacent, movable ends of the third and second swingable conveyors.

3. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a further conveyor is located at the discharge end of the bottom, fixed position conveyor to deflect and urge fibrous material generally upwardly.

4. A machine as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the further conveyor is of fixed position.

5. A machine as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the further conveyor is swingable by being pivotally mounted at one end thereof.

6. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the inner and outer limiting positions are defined by stop means.

7. A machine as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the swingable conveyors are arrestable in any one of a plurality of outer positions by providing adjustable outer stop means selectable by the machine operator.

8. A machine as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the stop means comprises stop pins insertable and removable by the machine operator along a series of holes.

9. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the displacement-opposing load on each of the swingable conveyors is effected solely by gravity by so arranging the conveyors that they always fall inwardly, about their pivot axes, to their inner limiting positions when not urged therefrom by bale formation.

10. A machine as claimed in Claim 9, wherein additional loading on the swingable conveyors against displacement thereof is provided by spring urging the swingable conveyors towards their inner limiting positions.

11. A machine as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the spring urging is effected by means of coil tension springs located externally of the bale forming chamber, one at each side thereof.

12. A machine as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the springs are adjustably loaded by a tensioning device.

13. A machine as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the tensioning device is of the screw type.

14. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein additional loading on the swingable conveyors against displacement thereof is provided by spring means only when the conveyors approach their outer limiting positions.

1 5. A machine as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the spring means is a coil tension spring.

1 6. A machine as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the spring means is a leaf spring.

1 7. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 13, comprising a second spring means which only comes into operational effect when the conveyor approaches its outer limiting position.

18. A machine as claimed in Claim 17, wherein the second spring means comprise a coil tension spring.

1 9. A machine as claimed in Claim 18, wherein the coil tension spring is located inboard of each of the first mentioned spring means.

20. A machine as claimed in Claim 11 and any Claim appendant thereto, wherein an adjustable tie bolt is associated with each first mentioned spring means to limit the inward movement of each swingable conveyor and hence to determine the inner position of each swingable conveyor.

21. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 5 to 20, wherein each spring means incorporates a lost motion device.

22. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the conveyors are of the belt type.

23. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 22, wherein the conveyors are of the chain and slat type.

24. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 22, wherein the conveyors are of the roller type.

25. A machine as claimed in Claim 24, wherein the bottom fixed conveyor is of the roller type.

26. A machine as claimed in Claim 25, wherein the bottom fixed conveyor comprises a plurality of rollers with peripheries closely adjacent one another and supported such that their uppermost peripheries define a shallow cupped recess to receive the arcuate bale periphery.

27. A machine as claimed in Claim 23, wherein the swingable conveyors are of the chain and slat type.

28. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, comprising a twine reel, with the twine running from the reel through an eye guidance system and through a spring loaded tensioning system, to a hollow feed tube which is swingable between an active, twine applying position, and a non-active position, with a starter length of twine projecting from the tube and being left there after cut-off following binding of the previous bale, the swingable, hollow twine feed tube when swung to its active position operating means to render inactive the tensioning device for a predetermined period.

29. A machine as claimed in Claim 28, wherein the means comprises a mechanical connection operable against the spring pressure of the tensioning device.

30. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein each side plate of the bale forming chamber is conveniently formed in two parts, a forward part being rigidly secured with respect to the chassis, and a rearward part being pivotally mounted with respect to the chassis to allow discharge of a finished bale.

31. A machine as claimed in Claim 30, wherein the rearward part is pivoted by extending double acting rams one connected between the two parts externally of the bale forming chamber at each side thereof.

32. A machine as claimed in Claim 30 or Claim 31, wherein the two rearward parts, and the second and third swingable conveyors are integrated into a sub-assembly pivotally attached to the forward parts of the side plates.

33. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, incorporating a bale wrapping unit comprising a spool of synthetic plastics wrapping material which, after the bale has been formed, and before discharge of the finished bale from the machine, is wrapped around the bale periphery, the synthetic plastics material then being cut and overlapped ends being secured.

34. A machine as claimed in Claim 33, wherein the wrapping unit is mounted on one movable conveyor, the unit comprising support rollers for the spool, means to drive such rollers, a brake for the wrapping material, drive rolls for the wrapping material and a cutting or perforating device.

35. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the chassis is self-propelled.

36. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 34, wherein the chassis is adapted to be towed or pushed.

37. An agricultural machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

38. An agricultural machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

39. An agricultural machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

40. An agricultural machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 and 5A of the accompanying drawings.

41. An agricultural machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6 and 6A of the accompanying drawings.