IES81095B2

IES81095B2 - A bale wrapping machine

Info

Publication number: IES81095B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Christopher Belton
Original assignee: Arboc Limited
Priority date: 1998-06-05
Filing date: 1998-06-05
Publication date: 2000-03-08
Also published as: WO1999064297A1; EP1086018A1; AU4286399A; IES980429A2

Abstract

An apparatus (1, 20) for wrapping bales (2, 28) which has a turntable (24) for supporting a bale, conveying means (31, 32, 36) to turn the bale about a substantially horizontal axis, and a dispenser (26) for continuously supplying a strip of wrapping material (74) to the bale, to wrap the wrapping material about the bale. The turntable and the dispenser are rotatable in opposing directions, allowing for more rapid wrapping of the bale.

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bale wrapping machine, in particular a bale wrapping machine for bales of fodder such as silage, hay, straw etc., (fodder) with a plastics film.

Background of the Invention Bale wrapping machines are known for wrapping rectangular and cylindrically shaped bales.

Machines for wrapping cyl indrically shaped bales with a plastics film are described in British Patent Specifications Nos. 2191984A, 2228246A and EP 0208034A (GB 2159489B). Wrapping machines for rectangular bales are also known. Such machines are described in German Gebrauchmuster No. G9004354.5 (Gebruder Welger GmbH & Co. KG).

It is known from the prior art, for example in EP-B-0110110, DE 3642513A, and GB 2193683A, for the bale to be mounted on rollers which rotate the bale only about the horizontal axis. In this arrangement there is provided a rotary support arm for the film dispenser which rotates the film dispenser, about a vertical axis, around the bale, while the bale is being turned about a horizontal axis. In other S8109 5 - 2 wrapping machines the bale is rotated about its longitudinal axis while simultaneously being rotated about a transverse axis. In these latter type of machines the film dispenser has a fixed position on the wrapping machine.

Object of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a bale wrapping machine which can wrap bales more rapidly than conventional machines.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a bale wrapping machine comprising : a rotatable support for supporting a bale, conveying means to turn the bale about a substantially horizontal axis, and a dispenser for continuously supplying a strip of wrapping material to the bale, to wrap the wrapping material about the bale characterised in that the support and the dispenser are rotatable in opposing directions.

This mechanism allows the bale to be wrapped at a substantially increased speed, without the necessity to increase the speed of the rotatable support or the film dispenser beyond normal speeds. With opposing rotation, 360° of wrapping can be effected by a 180° revolution of the bale.

Preferably the support and the bale rotate in opposing directions about a substantially vertical axis.

The bale wrapping machine of the present invention may be used with either rectangular (square) or cylindrical bales. A machine according to the present invention is quite easily made by modification of existing wrapping machines.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure lisa schematic representation of a bale wrapping machine of the present invention. - 3 Detailed Description of the Drawings The embodiment described in the drawing is described with reference to a wrapping machine for wrapping a cylindrical bale. The technology can easily be applied to a wrapping machine for rectangular or square bales.

With reference to Figure 1 a schematic view of a wrapping machine is shown. A bale 2 is placed on a cradle formed by two rotating rollers 3,4 (which may have a conveyor belt extending between them) and a supporting turntable (not shown). The rollers 3,4 rotate the bale about its longitudinal axis. The rollers are rotated in the direction of the arrows labeled 5 and this causes rotation of the cylindrical bale 2 in the direction of the arrow 6.

The turntable is powered for rotation in the direction of the arrow 7. Dispenser 8 for a plastics wrapping film is mounted on a rotating arm 9. The rotating arm 9 is mounted on the bale wrapping machine in a conventional manner e.g. on a mast and is powered to rotate in a direction opposite to that of the turntable. The rotating arm 9 is powered to rotate in a direction according to the arrow 10 which as can be seen from Figure 1 is opposite in direction to the direction of rotation of the cradle (arrow 7).

The opposing rotational (contra-rotating) movement of the film dispenser 8 and the cradle effectively increases the relative wrapping speed of the bale 2. To compensate for the increased wrapping speed about the bale 2 the speed of rotation of the rollers 3,4 can be increased to compensate so that the wraps of plastics film are placed about the bale in a suitable manner. This is within the skill of a person familiar with this technology. The particular rotational speeds to be adopted for the turntable, the dispenser and the rollers 4,5 is determined by the required speed of wrapping and is easily determined by one skilled in the art.

A second rotating dispenser could be fitted to the machine of the invention, to further increase wrapping speed if desired. The two dispensers would normally rotate in the same direction, and would be placed on the machine a distance 180° apart about the wrapping machine so as to allow a maximum distance between them so that the second dispenser can apply a wrapping which partially overlaps with a wrap which has been applied by the first dispenser.

If the dispenser and the turntable are geared to rotate at the same speed in opposite directions 360° of relative rotation can be achieved for every 180° rotation of the bale thus doubling the wrapping speed of the machine as compared to a conventional wrapping machine which has either a rotating dispenser or a rotating turntable.

In order to alleviate the problem of breakage of plastic film at the speed of rotation achieved by a machine of the present invention a power stretcher of the type described in International application No. W0 94/20367 or International Application No. W0 97/00202 may be used.

The power stretcher has a pair or stretch rollers for stretching the film. The stretch rollers are powered by a hydraulic motor which is connected in series to a hydraulic motor for powering the film dispenser. Power stretchers help the application of the wrapping film about the bale by helping to maintain a constant tension in the web of film. This helps to apply the film evenly about the bale.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wrapping bales comprising : a rotatable support for supporting a bale, conveying means to turn the bale about a substantially horizontal axis, and a dispenser for continuously supplying a strip of wrapping material to the bale, to wrap the wrapping material about the bale characterised in that the support and the dispenser are rotatable in opposing directions.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support and the dispenser rotate in opposing directions about a substantially vertical axis.