WO1997018699A1

WO1997018699A1 - Integrated baler/wrapper

Info

Publication number: WO1997018699A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/002884
Authority: WO
Inventors: Asbjorn Nes
Original assignee: Kverneland Underhaug A/S; Kverneland (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 1995-11-23
Filing date: 1996-11-21
Publication date: 1997-05-29
Also published as: GB9523997D0

Abstract

A combined bale pressing and wrapping machine (10) which is operative; (a) to pick-up a crop lying on the ground; (b) form the crop into a cylindrical bale (15); (c) apply stretch film wrapping to the external surface of the bale; and (d) discharge the wrapped bale from the machine, and in which the machine comprises: a frame (11); a pick-up device (14); a support (16) mounted on the frame (11) and arranged to carry a film dispenser reel (17) of stretchable plastics material; a pressing chamber which 1) includes upper and lower generally arcuate engaging devices (18, 19); 2) the lower engaging device (19) includes a series of rollers (20); 3) the support (16), which is arranged to carry said film dispenser reel (17), is movable between an inoperative position which it takes up during formation of the cylindrical bale (15), to a bale-wrapping position after formation of the bale; 4) the upper engaging device (18) is movable away from the cylindrical bale (15), after its formation, to allow said support (16) to move to the bale-wrapping position; 5) the rollers (20) of said lower engaging device (19) are operative to rotate the cylindrical bale (15), after its formation, about its longitudinal axis (21) simultaneously with application of relative rotation between the film dispenser reel (17) and the bale (15) about an upright axis extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bale, whereby film can be withdrawn from the reel in order to apply film wrapping to the external surface of the cylindrical bale.

Description

INTEGRATED BALER / WRAPPER

This invention relates to an integrated bale-forming and wrapping machine which comprises a bale pressing mechanism which is operative to form a mown or cut agricultural crop, such as grass, into a cylindrical bale, and a bale wrapping mechanism which is operative, after formation of the cylindrical bale, to apply stretch film wrapping to the cylindrical surface and to the two planar end faces of the bale .

It is well-known to provide a bale-press of the "fixed chamber", or of the "variable chamber" type, in which a mown or cut crop e.g. grass or straw lying on the ground is picked up, and then formed into a cylindrical bale (a so-called "round bale" or "big bale") within a pressing chamber defined within the bale press. After completion of formation of the bale, its shape is maintained by application of twine or cord, or netting, to the cylindrical surface only of the bale, prior to rearward discharge of the bale onto the ground.

The rearward discharge of the bale usually takes place by upward pivoting of a rear enclosure wall of the bale press, which then allows the bale to be discharged from the pressing chamber and via an outlet defined by the upward pivoting of the rear wall.

In the case of formation of cylindrical bales of newly mown grass, it is usual to apply stretch film wrapping to cover the cylindrical surface, and the two planar end faces of the cylindrical bale, and which serves to exclude atmospheric air and moisture from coming into contact with the baled material. By this means, fermentation of the crop takes place over a relatively short period of time, to form an acceptable form of silage for subsequent feeding to farm animals.

Stretch film wrapping of other agricultural crop material, and particularly long stem material such as straw or hay also can be carried out in order to exclude the baled material from contact with rain and air born moisture.

Bale wrappers generally fall into two separate categories, one being of the rotating table or turntable type in which film is withdrawn from d static film dispenser reel and is applied to all of the external surfaces of the bale as a result of combined rotation of the bale about two perpendicular axes simultaneously i.e. 1 ) rotation of the bale directly about its longitudinal axis (which is usually horizontal or near horizontal) by engagement of drive rollers and / or a belt with the underside of the bale; and 2) rotation of the bale about an upright axis (usually vertical or near vertical) by rotation of the entire table or platform on which it is supported.

The other known type of bale wrapper is an "orbiting" or satellite type of film dispenser reel, in which the bale is rotated about its longitudinal axis, but the rotation of the bale about the vertical axis is replaced by the technical equivalent of causing the film reel to orbit around the bale in a substantially horizontal plane.

The two types of cylindrical bale press ( fixed and variable chamber), and two types of bale wrapper, both referred to above, will be well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and need not be described in more detail herein.

Therefore, it has been normal practice for a number of years for a farmer to use two separate pieces of equipment for the purposes of formation of cylindrical bales, and subsequent wrapping of the bales with stretch plastics film The first piece of equipment forms the cylindrical bales from a mown or cut crop lying in strips or swaths on a field, and then returns the cylindrical bale back to the field to be picked up subsequently and then wrapped by the separate bale wrapping machine. Obviously, this involves two separate labour cost elements, as well as capital cost of two separate pieces of equipment .

With a view to solving this problem of labour and capital costs of using two separate pieces of agricultural equipment, there have been attempts to provide an "integrated" design of bale press and bale wrapper, but so far these designs have not been developed to a sufficient extent to gain commercial acceptance .

Up to now, these known designs have effectively taken the for of a "add-on bale wrapping mechanism" coupled with the rear end of a standard design of bale press, such mechanism receiving the bale after it has been formed and then rearwardly discharged from the pressing chamber. The bale wrapping mechanism therefore forms a rearward extension of the bale press, and receives the bale directly from the press, rather than by picking it up off the ground after it has been discharged onto the ground by the press in existing two machine operation.

Examples of such "rear end" extensions of bale press include machines of the type known from EPO 110110 (Manuli) and German OS 2614154 (Claas), as well as DE 4120733 (John Deere).

The invention seeks to provide a combined cylindrical bale-forming and wrapping machine, in which the wrapping of the bale can take place within the general confines of the bale press e.g. preferably to wrap the bale at the same general location in the bale press at which it has been formed, so as to provide a combined bale-forming and wrapping machine which is of generally the same length as existing designs of bale press .

This invention provides integration of a bale-wrapping mechanism within the region of the bale pressing chamber, and up to now this has not been thought to be possible in view of inevitable mechanical complexity of integrating such mechanism into the machine to carry out the quite different function of bale wrapping, compared with the mechanism employed to carry out formation of the cylindrical bale.

Thus, although now well proven, the arrangement of belts and rollers in a pressing chamber of existing designs of bale press are quite complex, and especially in the case of a "variable chamber" press, and therefore to incorporate a separate mechanism to carry out the bale wrapping function has not been considered to be a technically viable proposition by those of ordinary skill m the art of bale pressing and bale wrapping machines.

The invention solves this problem in a unique combination of mechanical features, and which utilises some of the components in the pressing chamber to also assist in the bale wrapping operation.

According to the invention there is provided a combined bale pressing and wrapping machine which is operative: 1 ) to pick-up a mown or cut agricultural crop lying on the ground e.g. grass; 2) forming the crop into a cylindrical bale having an external surface comprising a cylindrical surface and two planar and circular end faces; 3) applying stretch film wrapping to the external surface of the bale to form a substantially weather-proof wrapping enclosing the bale; and 4) discharging the wrapped bale from the machine, and in which the machine comprises: a frame; coupling means at the forward end of the frame to couple the machine to the rear of a propelling vehicle; a bale pressing chamber mounted on the frame; a pick-up device mounted on the frame and operative to engage crop lying on the ground and to feed the crop to the pressing chamber; a support mounted on the frame and arranged to carry a film dispenser reel of stretchable plastics material, and to permit withdrawal of film from the reel so as to apply film wrapping to the bale, after formation of the bale in the pressing chamber; in which :

1 ) the pressing chamber includes upper and lower generally arcuate engaging devices which are operative to act on the crop material received by the pressing chamber, and to rotate such material so as to form the material into a cylindrical bale;

2) the lower engaging device includes a series of rollers;

3) the support, which is arranged to carry said film dispenser reel, is movable between an inoperative position which it takes up during formation of the cylindrical bale, to a bale-wrapping position after formation of the bale;

4) the upper engaging device is movable away from the cylindrical bale, after its formation, to allow said support to move to the bale-wrapping position;

5) the rollers of said lower engaging device are operative to rotate the cylindrical bale, after its formation, about its longitudinal axis simultaneously with application of relative rotation between the film dispenser reel and the bale about an upright axis extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bale, whereby film can be withdrawn from the reel in order to apply film wrapping to the external surface of the cylindrical bale.

Preferably, the upper engaging device in the pressing chamber extends through an approximately semi-circular arc, and may be pivotally mounted on the frame to move between a forming position in which it extends over the bale, and an upwardly extending inoperative position.

In a preferred arrangement, the upper engaging device comprises an endless belt type of a bale forming mechanism.

The lower engaging device in the pressing chamber may be constituted entirely by a set of rollers, which engage directly with the outer periphery of the cylindrical bale as the latter is being formed. Alternatively, an endless belt may be taken over the set of rollers forming the lower engaging device.

In order to facilitate discharge of the bale, after wrapping has been completed, preferably one or more of the rollers of the lower engaging device may be movable to a withdrawn position which allows gravity discharge of the wrapped bale .

The support for the film dispenser reel will include a suitable mounting on which a film dispenser reel can be mounted, and the support preferably comprises a cradle which is pivotally mounted on the main frame of the machine. The cradle may be moved to an operative position in which the film reel(s) extends upright, so that bale wrapping can take place.

The cradle may take the form of an arm which carries at one end a mounting for the film dispenser reel, said arm being rotatable about an upright axis in order to rotate the film dispenser reel in an orbital path around the bale. The upper part of the pressing chamber may be defined by a casing in which the upper engaging device is mounted, and such casing is preferably adjustably mounted on the frame to move between the bale forming position, and the inoperative position in which bale wrapping is permitted.

The casing may be pivotally mounted at its forward end on a suitable mounting provided on the main frame.

Preferably, the machine is a trailed machine, having a wheel set which supports the frame, and with the forward end of the frame having a coupling suitable for connection to a towing hitch of a tractor or other propelling vehicle.

As indicated above, the preferred means of providing relative rotation between the film dispenser reel and the bale, (with respect to the upright axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bale), comprises an orbiting film dispenser reel, with the bale remaining static with respect to this upright axis, although being rotated about its own longitudinal axis under the action of the rollers of the lower engaging device. However, it should be understood that it is within the scope of this invention for alternative means to be adopted to provide necessary relative rotation between the dispenser reel and the bale. This may be achieved, for example, by arranging for the lower set of rollers to be mounted on a rotating table or turn-table arrangement.

Preferred embodiments of combined bale pressing and wrapping machine according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of machine according to the invention, and showing an initial stage of operation, namely formation of picked-up long stem material into the form of a cylindrical bale;

Figure 2 is a side view, similar to Figure 1 , but showing the operating components thereof adjusted to allow a second stage of operation, namely application of stretch film wrapping to the cylindrical bale formed in the first stage; and

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, a combined bale pressing and wrapping machine according to the invention is designated generally by reference 10, and is capable of pickmg-up a mown or cut agricultural crop lying on the ground, and which usually will be a long stem crop such as newly mown grass, hay or straw, and then forming this picked-up crop into a cylindrical bale. The bale has an external surface comprising a cylindrical surface and two planar and circular end faces. The machine 10 is then capable of applying stretch film wrapping to the external surface of the bale to form a substantially weather-proof wrapping enclosing the bale, and then of discharging the wrapped bale from the machine.

The machine comprises a main frame 11 having coupling means at its forward end in the form of a towing hitch 12, which serves to couple the machine to the rear of a propelling vehicle as a trailed machine, and usually this will be an agricultural tractor. A wheel set 13 supports the frame 11 to form a towed vehicle.

A pick-up device 14 is mounted on the main frame 11 , and can be of standard design to pick-up mown grass etc lying in strips or swaths on the ground, and feeding this crop upwardly and rearwardly into a pressing chamber of the machine. The bale pressing chamber is mounted on the frame 11, and is arranged to receive the picked-up crop from the device 14.

Figure 1 shows the machine in its first stage of operation, namely the formation of a cylindrical bale 15 within the pressing chamber, whereas Figure 2 shows the machine after adjustment so as to operate in its second stage of operation, namely to apply stretch film wrapping to the cylindrical bale 15. The bale wrapping mechanism is not shown in Figure 1 for clarity, but is shown schematically in Figure 2 after adjustment of the bale-forming components, and also of the bale wrapping mechanism, to the operative position shown in Figure 2 for the second stage of operation.

As shown in Figure 2, a support which s designated generally by reference 16 is mounted on the frame 1¹ , directly or indirectly, and is arranged to carry a film dispenser reel 17 on a suitable mounting at the free end of the support, and which permits withdrawal of film from the reel so as to apply film wrapping to the bale after formation of the bale 15 in the pressing chamber, as shown in Figure 1.

The pressing chamber includes a pair of generally diametrically opposed arcuate engaging devices which engage the crop fed to the pressing chamber, and apply rotation to the crop so as to form a progressively increasing diameter bale, until a required size off cylindrical bale (15) has been formed. The engaging devices comprise an upper arcuate engaging device 18 and a lower arcuate engaging device 19. The upper device 18 extends through a semi-circular arc, and comprises an endless belt arrangement, whereas the lower engaging device 19 comprises an arcuate array of adjacent rollers 20. The rollers 20 may engage directly with the cylindrical surface of the bale 15 as it is being formed, or indirectly via an endless belt (not shown) taken over the rollers 20.

The upper device 18 is movable away from the cylindrical bale 15, after its formation, from its bale-forming position shown in Figure 1 , to a raised inoperative position (see Figure 2) in which it allows the support 16 to move to the bale wrapping position in which film can be withdrawn from the reel 17, upon application of rotation to the bale 15 by the rollers 20 of the lower device 19 and upon application of relative rotation between the reel 17 and the bale 15 about an upright axis (usually vertical or near vertical) which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bale 15 In the preferred embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, it is the reel 17 which carries out an orbital movement around the bale in a substantially horizontal plane, while the bale 15 remains static relative to the vertical axis, although being rotated about its longitudinal axis 21 under the action of the rollers 20.

In an alternative arrangement, wmch is not shown, the film dispenser reel may be static, and dual rotation is applied to the bale 5, to rotate simultaneously about the longitudinal axis 21 , while also rotating about an upright axis in the manner of a "rotating table" type of bale wrapper.

The upper engaging device 18 is pivotally mounted on the frame 11 to move between the forming position shown in Figure 1, and the inoperative position shown in Figure 2 and preferably the endless belt type of mechanism forming the upper device 18 is mounted within an upper casing 22. Casing 22 is pivotally mounted on a support pillar 23, and can move between the forming position, and the inoperative position, under the action of a cylinder 24.

After wrapping of the bale 15 has been completed, the machine can be adjusted to allow gravity discharge of the wrapped bale. In the illustrated embodiment, this is achieved by arranging for one or more of the rollers 20 to be movable away from a position of supporting engagement with the wrapped bale, and this is shown schematically on Figure 2 in relation to the rear most pair of rollers designated 20a and 20b.

A modified embodiment is shown in Figure 3, and corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and will not be described in detail again. In this embodiment the mounting and arrangement of the casing, and of the cradle support for the film dispenser reel is different from the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, and the respective parts are given reference numerals 22a and 16a respectively.

The casing 22a is pivotally mounted on the axle of the wheel set 13, for movement between the bale forming position of Figure 1 , and the inoperative position of Figure 2. The cradle 16a is supported by support arm 24, and can pivot between an inoperative position, in which it extends upwardly and rearwardly at about 45°, to the operative bale forming position in which the centre of rotation of the cradle is located approximately mid-way with iespect to the set of rollers 20 i.e. immediately above the central one of the five rollers making up the engaging device 19. A hydraulic motor 25 provides the drive means to rotate the cradle arm 16a, whereby a pair of film dispenser reels, arranged one at each end of the arm, carry out orbital movement in horizontal plane, to apply stretch film wrapping to the bale 15 while the latter is being rotated about its longitudinal axis 21.

Claims

CLA IMS :

1. A combined bale pressing and wrapping machine (10) which is operative; (a) to pick-up a mown or cut agricultural crop lying on the ground e.g. grass; (b) form the crop into a cylindrical bale (15) having an external surface comprising a cylindrical surface and two planar and circular end faces; (c) apply stretch film wrapping to the external surface of the bale to form a substantially weather-proof wrapping enclosing the bale; and (d) discharge the wrapped bale from the machine, and in which the machine comprises: a frame (11 ); coupling means (12) at the forward end of the frame to couple the machine (10) to the rear of a propelling vehicle (not shown) ; a bale pressing chamber mounted on the frame (11); a pick-up device (14) mounted on the frame (11 ) and operative to engage crop lying on the ground and to feed the crop to the pressing chamber; a support (16) mounted on the frame (11 ) and arranged to carry a film dispenser reel (17) of stretchable plastics material, and to permit withdrawal of film from the reel so as to apply film wrapping to the bale, after formation of the bale in the pressing chamber; in which :

1 ) the pressing chamber includes upper and lower generally arcuate engaging devices (18, 19) which are operative to act on the crop material received by the pressing chamber, and to rotate such material so as to form the material into a cylindrical bale (15),

2) the lower engaging device (19) includes a series of rollers ( 20 ) ;

3) the support (16), which is arranged to carry said film dispenser reel (17), is movable between an inoperative position which it takes up during formation of the cylindrical bale (15), to a bale-wrapping position after formation of the bale; 4) the upper engaging device (18) is movable away from the cylindrical bale (15), after its formation, to allow said support (16) to move to the bale-wrapping position;

5) the rollers (20) of said lower engaging device (19) are operative to rotate the cylindrical bale (15), after its formation, about its longitudinal axis (21) simultaneously with application of relative rotation between the film dispenser reel (17) and the bale (15) about an upright axis extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bale, whereby film can be withdrawn from the reel in order to apply film wrapping to the external surface of the cylindrical bale.

2. A machine according to claim 1, in which the upper engaging device (18) in the pressing chamber extends through an approximately semi-circular arc.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or 2, in which the upper engaging device (18) is pivotally mounted on the frame (11) to move between a forming position in which it extends over the bale (15), and an upwardly extending inoperative position.

4. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the upper engaging device (18) comprises an endless belt type of a bale forming mechanism.

5. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , in which the lower engaging device (19) in the pressing chamber is constituted entirely by a set of rollers (20), which are engageable directly with the outer periphery of the cylindrical bale (15) as the latter is being formed.

6. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , in which the lower engaging device (19) in the pressing chamber comprises a set of rollers, and an endless belt taken over the set of rollers.

7. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which at least one of the rollers (20a, 20b) of the lower engaging device (19) is movable to a withdrawn position, to allow gravity discharge of the bale (15), after the latter has been wrapped .

8. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which said support (16) comprises a cradle which is pivotally mounted on the main frame (11 ) of the machine, said cradle being movable to an operative position in which the film reel(s) (17) extends upright, so that bale wrapping can take place .

9. A machine according to claim 8, in which the cradle takes the form of an arm (16, 16a) which carries, at one or both ends thereof, a respective mounting for the film dispenser reel (17), said arm being rotatable about an upright axis in order to rotate the film dispenser reel (17) in an orbital path around the bale .

10. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the upper part of the pressing chamber is defined by a casing (22) in which the upper engaging device (18) is mounted, said casing being adjustably mounted (23) on the frame (11 ) to move between the bale forming position, and the inoperative position in which bale wrapping is permitted.

11. A machine according to claim 10, in which the casing (22) is pivotally mounted at its forward end on a mounting (23) provided on the mam frame (11 ).

12. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and comprising a trailed machine having a wheel set (13) which supports the frame (11 ), and with the forward end of the frame having a coupling (12) for connection to a towinq hitch of a propelling vehicle.

13. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the rollers (20) of the lower engaging device (19) are mounted on a rotating turn-table arrangement, whereby the cylindrical bale (15) can be rotated simultaneously about its longitudinal axis (21 ), and about an upright axis extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (21 ) .