GB2258628A - Bale accumulator - Google Patents

Abstract

A bale accumulator has a fixed part 10 and a movable bed part 11 shorter than the length of the bales 20 to be accumulated enabling movement of the movable part 11 of the bed such that an end of the bales 20 comes into contact with the ground facilitating removal of an accumulated array of bales from the accumulator. Since the movable part 11 of the bed is shorter than the bales 20 to be accumulated, trigger means 23 are positioned in order to operate bale movement means 26, 27 and bale release means (36, Fig. 8) so as to be activated by the rear end of a bale being delivered onto the accumulator. The arrangement allows a smaller bale accumulator requiring less material and hence weight and by enabling the bale to be dragged from the accumulator the bed can be at a lower level than was previously necessary since the angle of the bed in its bale delivering position does not have to be as steep as was the case in known bale accumulators. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: A Bale Accumulator Description of the invention The present invention relates to a bale accumulator of the type adapted for connection to, forming part of, or towing behind a machine for baling straw, silage or the like. The accumulator is adapted to receive a plurality of bales from a baling machine, arrange the bales in a desired configuration as the baler continues in operation and on completion of a predetermined configuration, deliver the bales to the ground in said configuration.

The bale accumulator of the present invention is primarily but not exclusively concerned with the collation of what are known as big bales It has been found that with big bales which have an appreciable weight a pair of bales can be handled without due difficulty with readily available machinery and thus it would be desirable to produce a bale accumulator for attachment to a baler that is capable of accumulating a pair of bales and delivering them to the ground in a reliable manner whilst maintaining the cost of the accumulator as low as possible.

Because of the size and weight of big bales, the apparatus has to be robust. Furthermore, there is a fundamental problem in that the outlet of most big balers commercially available is relatively low down and thus the bale entering the bale accumulator has no potential energy and movement by mechanical devices is therefore necessary.

There are two different types of accumulator, one having a bed and using mechanical or hydraulic means to move the bales into different positions on the bed, as described in British patent specification 1101667, and another of the type which comprises a framework into which the bales fall and are collated into their required positions, the framework having an open botton and hence the bales are dragged along the ground. This latter type has been found to be perfectly satisfactory for small bales. However, the large mass and weight of big bales can cause an unacceptable drag to a combination of tractor, baler and accumulator and furthermore friction between the ground and the bales can result in damage to the bales.

Thus, for big bales an accumulator with a bed is to be preferred.

In view of the low entry height to the accumulator from the baler, there is a problem with bed type accumulators in delivering an accumulated set of bales to the ground. This can be achieved by pivoting the bed of the trailer at or near its rear end and raising the front end of the bed to a sufficient height to enable the bales to slide off the bed. Since such movement is normally achieved by a hydraulic ram this requires a hydraulic ram of some considerable size.

An alternative method of moving the bales to the ground is to have an "active" bed such as a series of rollers or a form of conveyor belt system which can be activated to move the bales from the bed towards the end and hence onto the ground.

Alternatively a pusher bar system can be operated by means of hydraulic rams. All of the above arrangements can be perfectly satisfactory but inevitably add considerably to the complexity and hence cost of the accumulator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new or improved bale accumulator that overcomes or minimises the problems mentioned above.

According to one aspect of the present invention, we provide a bale accumulator comprising entry means for receiving bales from a baling machine, a bed on which the bales are supported, movement means to move at least one bale to a predetermined position on the bed, said bed being mounted for movement between a bale accumulating position and a bale delivering position and wherein the bales are positioned on the bed so that they extend beyond the rear of the bed such that when a set of bales have been accumulated and the bed moved from its bale accumulating position to its bale delivering position, one end of each bale supported thereby contacts the ground and is pulled from the bed due to relative movement between the accumulator and the ground.

Considerable unexpected advantages were found by making the bed shorter than the bale. Not only is less material required for construction, hence making the accumulator less expensive and also reducing its weight, but it was found that with such arrangements it was no longer necessary to pivot the bed near its rear end and raise the front end to a considerable height to deliver the bale since the bed can be pivoted near its front end which permitted the rear end of the bed to approach the ground and in view of the bales being longer than the bed, the bales contact the ground and hence are pulled off the bed in a reliable fashion.

It was subsequently found possible to dispense with any hydraulic ram for movement of the bed since counterbalancing means such as a spring could be provided to return the bed to its bale accumulating position and could be maintained in its bale accumulating position by catch means. Delivery of the last bale of any accumulated array causes the catch means to be released and the bed moved from its bale accumulating position to its bale delivering position under the weight of the bales themselves.

With such an arrangement it will be appreciated that it is necessary for one end of each bale of the array to overhang the end of the bale accumulator.

It is usual with bale accumulators to have trigger mechanisms to cause operation of movement means for moving bales from one position to another, catches for releasing gate means or for causing operation of beds from accumulating positions to delivery positions, said trigger mechanisms being operated by the leading edge of bales, that is the edge first received onto the bale accumulator from the baler.

Such previously known arrangements were very satisfactory since it was only when a leading edge approached a trigger that it could be predetermined if the bale was in the correct position and hence movement means or whatever operation it caused was carried out at the correct time.

The accumulator of the present invention posed fundamental difficulties in that the leading edge of the bales in the array overhung the trailing edge of the bed and hence the trigger mechanism to operate movement means or to cause movement of the bed would have to extend some way beyond the length of the bed causing an increase in length of the accumulator and also being highly vulnerable to damage since it would not be within the confines of the bed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an accumulator that minimises or overcomes the problems mentioned above.

According to a second aspect of the present invention we provide a bale accumulator comprising entry means for receiving bales from a baling machine, a bed on which the bales are supported, movement means to move at least one bale to a predetermined position on the bed, sensing means adapted to sense the position of the bale to cause operation of said movement means at the required time, wherein said trigger means is operated by a part of said bale at or near to the trailing end thereof.

Preferably the arrangement is such that to enable operation of the trigger means by the bale at or near its trailing end, the bale must have a first movement path and as it approaches said predetermined position, has a second path whereby it contacts and causes operation of said trigger means.

Preferably said first and second paths are caused by a guide member to guide said bale on the baling machine onto said bed, contact between said bale and said guide member terminating as said bale approaches said predetermined position.

Preferably said trigger member is located in proximity to said guide member such that part of the bale along its first path prevents any contact between said trigger and said bale and only when said bale moves along its second path does contact occur and the trigger operated.

Preferably said guide member comprises a rear end higher than an entry end and higher than the surface of the bed and conveniently said trigger is located in proximity to said rear end such that movement of the bale along its first path cause the bale to pass over the trigger until the trailing edge of the bale passes over the trailing end of said guide member and "falls" onto said trigger causing movement thereof and operation of said movement means.

Similar trigger means may be used to detect the predetermined position of a subsequent bale to cause operation of means to deliver the bales from the bed to the ground.

Conveniently said trigger may be operated by said subsequent bale to cause either pivotal movement of the bed or release of latch means to permit of pivotal movement of the bed from a bale accumulating position to a bale delivering position.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, said trigger means is adapted to cause selectively operation of said movement means or operation of bed release means to enable movement of said bed from its bale accumulating position to its bale delivering position.

Preferably, said trigger means is adapted to cause operation of said movement means and sensing means are provided adapted to sense when said bale that is moved by said movement means has taken up a predetermined desired position, said sensing means causing operation of selection means whereby said trigger means is disconnected from said movement means and is operatively connected to said bed release means.

Thus, if the bale accumulator is adapted to collate two bales, when said second bale is delivered onto the bed and takes up a position exactly alongside said first bale, movement of the trailing edge of the bale beyond the trailing edge of said guide means will cause operation of said trigger which will immediately release the bed to enable the bales to be delivered to the ground.

Preferably, said movement means comprises a pusher member activated by an hydraulic ram which can be energised by hydraulic power supply normally provided on agricultural tractors.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a side view of one embodiment of bale accumulator connected to a baling machine; FIGURE 2 is a rear view of the accumulator shown in Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the accumulator; FIGURE 4 is a view of part of the accumulator showing the bale movement means; FIGURE 5 is a plan detailed view of the trigger mechanism; FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of part of the trigger mechanism; FIGURE 7 is a detailed view of the means operating the bale movement means; FIGURE 8 illustrates the catch for maintaining the bed in a bale accumulating position.

Referring generally to the Figures, the different parts of the bale accumulator are shown in some detail.

However, for the sake of clarity not all the parts have been shown on each drawing.

The accumulator comprises a fixed bed part 10, a movable bed part 11, the movable bed part being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis shown at 12.

The accumulator is provided with an attachment means 13 for attachment to a baler and in practice, since it is provided with wheels 14 and 15 which are castor wheels, will also be provided with two further attachment means 16 and 17 so that the accumulator will stay substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the baler.

The bale accumulator shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is adapted to accumulate "big" bales, two such bales being shown on the bed of the trailer at 18 and 19.

The bales 18 and 19 are shown in position immediately prior to the bales being delivered to the ground, the position of which the bale 18 can be seen in broken outline at 20.

At the front end of the accumulator, bale guide means in the form of a ramp 21 is provided and a bale being received from bale delivery means of the baling machine will contact the ramp 21 and gradually pass onto the bed 10 and 11 of the bale accumulator but because the trailing edge 22 of ramp 21 is raised, the bale will not contact trigger 23 until the trailing end 24 of the bale 18 passes the trailing end 22 of ramp 21. As soon as the end 24 of bale 18 has passed the end 22 of ramp 21, it will fall onto the trigger 23 which, if it is the first bale received by the accumulator, will cause operation of movement means indicated generally at 25 but only part of which is shown on Figures 1 and 3.

The movement means comprises an elongate member 26 connected by longitudinal members 27 and transverse members 28 and 29 which are pivotally mounted at 30 to upper member 31.

The movement means 25 is caused to pivot about the axis 30 by energisation of hydraulic ram 31 and thus the member 26 will push a bale across the bale accumulator from the position shown by bale 18 to the position shown by bale 19. The hydraulic ram 32 is activated via valve means 33, the valve means being activated by movement of the trigger 23 by coming into contact with the trailing end 24 of the bale 18.

When the bale shown in the position of bale 18 is moved across to the position as shown by bale 19, it contacts sensing means comprising pivotal plate 35 (best shown in Figure 5), contact with the pivotal plate 35 causes a change in the trigger mechanism whereby once the trigger 23 is next activated the movement means will not be moved but bed release means, shown generally at 36, will be activated to enable movement of the bed from its bale accumulating position to its bale release position.

The bale as shown by position 19 is thus in position on the bale accumulator bed and a retaining bar 37 is provided to ensure that the bale 19 is not allowed to fall from the bed if, for example, the accumulator is travelling uphill over bumpy ground so that it is always in its correct position on the bed 11.

It will be seen from the drawings that there is a considerable overhang of the bale over the end of the bed of the accumulator.

The next bale then issues from the baling machine, moves over the ramp 21 once again being deflected by the trailing edge 22 of ramp 21 so that it does not make contact with trigger 23 until the trailing end of the bale is clear of the trailing end 22 of the ramp 21 and operation of the trigger 23 will cause release of the latch 36 maintaining the movable part 11 of the bed in its bale accumulating position. The bed will pivot in a clockwise direction and contact between the leading ends of the two bales 18 and 19 with the ground will take place.Due to the movement of the baler and bale accumulator along the ground, the resistance between the end of the bales 18 and 19 and the ground will cause the bales to be pulled off the bed, as soon as the two bales have cleared the bed, it will return, due to the provision of counter balancing means or a spring, to its bale accumulating position and the catch 36 will latch to maintain it in such position.

The sensing means 35 is biased into one position and only causes change in the operation of the trigger 23 when there is a bale in the position as shown by bale 19.

Thus having delivered the two bales to the ground, the accumulator is ready to receive and subsequently move the next bale received thereby.

The operation of the trigger 23, sensing means 35 and movement means 25 will now be described in more detail with particular reference to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8.

The trigger 23 has an upper surface 40 which comprises a plate like member, the trigger 23 being pivotally mounted at 41. It is resiliently biased into a position as shown in Figure 1 and has a downwardly depending part 42 having pivotally connected to its lower end a member 43 which is connected to a rod like part 44.

The rod like part 44 passes through guide tube 45, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter, and terminates in end part 46.

A bar like member 47 is pivotally connected at 48 and carries through connecting means one end 49 a Bowden cable 50. The other end 51 of Bowden cable 50 is connected to movement means release mechanism 52 and activating lever 53 to operate hydraulic valve 54.

When the first bale enters the accumulator and the trailing edge 24 passes over trailing edge 22 of ramp 21, the plate is contacted by the bale and pivoted in a clockwise fashion about pivotal axis 40 and rod 44 moves in a direction towards the baling machine causing contact between the end part 46 and lever 47 causing lever 47 to pivot about its pivotal axis 48 hence pulling the inner core of Bowden cable 50.

Movement of the Bowden cable causes the end 51 to move in a downwards direction (see Figure 7) releasing catch 52 and causing operation of valve 54. Hydraulic ram 32 is thus activated and the elongate member 26 is moved to a position as shown by arc 56 to the position shown in Figure 4.

Once the movement means has moved the bale to its predetermined position, and the limit of movement may be predetermined by adjusting the stroke of the ram 32, or possibly by the addition of sensor means caused by contact with the bale and the movement means 25 will be returned to its latched position ready for further operation.

The ram 32 can be a double acting ram and can be returned under power or alternatively spring means or other counter balancing means could be used to return the ram 32 to its latched position. The stroke of the ram 32 by adjusting the cut-off position may be easily adjusted to accommodate different sizes of bale.

After a bale has been moved to the position as shown by bale 19, sensing means in the form of pivotal plate 35 which is pivotal about an axis 60 and through a linkage shown generally at 61 will cause movement of connecting rod 62 in a direction as shown by arrow A.

Connecting rod 62 is connected to a bracket at a short distance spaced beneath pivotal bar 64 thus movement in the direction of arrow A by connecting rod 62 will cause pivotal movement of bar 64 about its longitudinal axis.

Pivotal movement of bar 64 in a direction clockwise will cause movement of connecting member 65 which is secured thereto and hence move guide sleeve 45 in an upwards direction such that it is in a position substantially as shown in Figure 6.

In the position in Figure 6, it can be seen that the end 46 of connecting rod 44 cannot now make contact with pivotal member 47 but instead, on operation of trigger 23 will make contact with downwardly depending member 67 which is secured to transverse member 68.

The transverse member 68 is pivotally connected about axis 69 and carried two connecting rods or cables 70 and 71, the rods 70 and 71 each being connected to a catch member 36 located on respective sides of the accumulator.

The operation is such that when the second bale of the set comes alongside the first bale and operates the trigger 23, the trigger 23 instead of causing operation of the movement means now causes release of the pair of catch members 36 by movement of rod like members 70 and 71 in a direction as shown by arrow B thus moving latch 73 out of register with bar member 74 provided on the bed 11 and thus the bed, under the weight of the bed itself and the bales, moves to a bale delivering position in which the overhanging ends of the bales 18 and 19 contact the ground and are pulled from the bed.

A spring member or pair of spring members 76 are provided to return the bed 11 to its latched position. The force provided thereby being more than sufficient to compensate for the weight of the bed 11 once the bales have been removed therefrom.

It will be appreciated that the above described embodiment is one example only and whereas it has been described, for the sake of simplicity, as carrying only to bales, it will be appreciated that the sizes can be changed so that more than two bales can be supported thereby, the important criteria being that an end portion of each of the bales overhangs the bed and hence can be moved from the bed to due to the motion of the accumulator over the ground.

It will also be appreciated that different forms of movement means may be provided and alternative triggers and sensors could be used, the trigger as shown in the described embodiment, coupled with the sensor means, has however provided an efficient and reliable apparatus for achieving the desired result.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in the terms or means for performing the desired function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (17)

CLAIMS:

1. A bale accumulator comprising entry means for receiving bales from a baling machine, a bed on which bales are supported, movement means to move at least one bale to a predetermined position on the bed, trigger means adapted to sense the position of the bale to cause operation of said movement means at the required time, wherein said trigger means is operated by a part of said bale at or near to the trailing end thereof.

2. A bale accumulator according to Claim 1 wherein the arrangement is such that to enable operation of the trigger means by the bale at or near its trailing end the bale has a first movement part and, as it approaches said predetermined position, has a second movement part whereby contact causes operation of said trigger means.

3. A bale accumulator according to Claim 2 wherein said first and second parts are caused by a guide member to guide said bale from a baling machine onto said bed, contact between said bale and said guide member terminating as said bale approaches said predetermined position.

4. A bale accumulator according to Claim 3 wherein said trigger means is located in proximity to said guide member such that movement of the bale along its first path prevents any contact between said trigger and said bale and only when said bale moves along its second path does contact occur and the trigger operated.

5. A bale accumulator according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein said guide member comprises a rear end part higher than the entry end part and higher than the surface of the bed and wherein said trigger means is located in proximity to said rear end part such that movement of the bale along its first path causes the bale to pass over the trigger means until the trailing edge of the bale passes over the trailing end part of said guide member and falls onto said trigger means causing movement thereof and operation of said movement means.

6. A bale accumulator according to Claim 5 wherein said trigger means is operative to detect the predetermined position of a subsequent bale to cause operation of means to deliver said bales from the bed to the ground.

7. A bale accumulator according to Claim 6 wherein said trigger is operated by said subsequent bale to cause either pivotal movement of said bed or release of latch means to permit of pivotal movement of said bed from a bale accumulating position to a bale delivering position.

8. A bale accumulator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said trigger means is adapted to cause selectively operation of said movement means or operation of bed release means to enable movement of said bed from its bale accumulating position to its bale delivering position.

9. A bale accumulator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said trigger means is adapted to cause operation of said movement means, and wherein sensing means are provided adapted to sense when a bale that has been moved by said movement means has taken up a predetermined desired position, said sensing means causing operation of selection means whereby said trigger means is disconnected from said movement means and is operatively connected to said bed release means.

10. A bale accumulator according to any of the preceding claims wherein said movement means comprises a pusher member activated by a hydraulic ram.

11. A bale accumulator comprising entry means for receiving bales from a baling machine, a bed on which the bales are supported, movement means to move at least one bale to a predetermined position on the bed, said bed being mounted for movement between a bale accumulating position and a bale delivering position and wherein the bales are positioned on the bed so that they extend beyond the rear of the bed so that when a set of bales have been accumulated and the bed moved from its bale accumulating position to its bale delivering position, one end of each bale supported thereby contacts the ground and is pulled from the bed due to relative movement between the accumulator and the ground.

12. A bale accumulator according to Claim 11 wherein the bale accumulator comprises a chassis part on which said bed is mounted and wherein said mounting enables at least limited pivotal movement of said bed relative to said chassis part about a substantially horizontal axis and wherein said axis is located nearer the front end of said bed than said rear end.

13. A bale accumulator according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 wherein return means are provided to return said bed to said bale accumulating position from said bale delivering position following delivery of the bales to the ground.

14. A bale accumulator according to Claim 13 wherein said return means comprises one or more springs acting on the bed relative to the chassis in a manner such that the combined weight of the bed and accumulated bales is sufficient to overcome the force provided by said springs to permit at the desired time the bed to move from its bale accumulating position to its bale delivering position and said springs providing sufficient force to enable return of the bed from its bale delivering position to its bale accumulating position following delivery of the bales to the ground from the bed.

15. A bale accumulator according to any one of Claims 11 to 14 including any of the features claimed in Claims 1 to 10.

16. A bale accumulator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

17. A bale accumulator including any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.