AU646593B2 - An improved hay bale accumulator - Google Patents

Description

646593

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicants: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: LESLIE VALENTINE HILLS ANNE FRANCIS HILLS LESLIE VALENTINE HILLS CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

Invention Title: AN IMPROVED HAY BALE ACCUMULATOR Details of Associated Provisional Application: No. PK8088 filed 2 September 1991 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 THIS INVENTION relates to improved apparatus for accumulating hay bales. In particular, this invention relates to a hay bale trailer which collects hay bales individually, arranges them in an array, and deposits the array collectively on the ground.

There are known hay bale accumulators which collect hay bales serially, and deposit the hay bales in batches on the ground for collection and stacking. In each batch, the bales are arranged in a rectangular array. Examples of such hay bale accumulators can be found in our Australian patents nos. 568143 and 600737.

The known hay bale accumulators can be hitched to S the rear of a hay baler to receive the bales output from the Sbaler, or reconfigured to pick up hay bales individually on the ground. In either mode of operation, the hay bales are received individually by the accumulator, usually at spaced intervals of time.

The known accumulators have a platform on which the serially eceived hay bales are arranged into an array.

Typically, the hay bales are arranged in an array of 5x3 as such an array is substantially square in shape, thereby permitting the arrays to be stacked in layers with each layer being orientated orthogonally to its subjacent layer to provide more stable stacking of the hay bales.

The array is normally formed by a side-mounted pusher arm which pushes rows of bales sideways across the platform. For example, for a 5x3 array, when the first three bales have been received in end-to-end fashion at one side of the accumulator platform to form a row, the leading bale 3 triggers m limit switch which actuates the pusher arm (located at one side of the platform) to push the row of three bales laterally towards the other side by. a distance equal to slightly greater than one bale width. (Alternatively, the pusher arm may be actuated by a counter which counts the incoming hay bales.) The pusher arm is then retracted to the side.

When the next row of three bales has been received on the platform in the space vacated by the previous row, the pusher arm is again actuated to push the row sideways by one bale width. However, the pusher arm must now push six bales as the original row of three bales will be displaced by a S further bale width by the second row.

After four rows of three bales each have been received on the platform, the pusher arm is required to push all twelve bales across the platform. This requires a considerable degree of force, and hence it is necessary to provide power assisted devices on the accumulator trailer to drive the pusher arm. Typically, the pusher arm is .hydraulically driven e.g. by hydraulic cylinders or motors.

The hydraulic power for the trailer is derived from the hydraulic system of the towing tractor, and hence it is S necessary to supply connecting hydraulic hoses between the tractor and the accumulator trailer.

The array forming process continues until the fifth row of three bales is received onto the platform, at which time the platform is tilted to deposit the 5x3 array onto the ground. The tilting of the platform may be actuated by the first row of three bales triggering a limit switch at the far side of the platform, or by a counter reaching a counter of It is also necessary to provide a relatively high force to tilt the trailer, and to push the 5 x 3 array, so as to deposit the array onto the ground. Again, the tilting and pushing mechanisms are normally hydraulically operated.

As the known hay accumulator trailers must be provided with hydraulic actuators and hydraulic hose connections to the tractor, the cost of such trailers is increased significantly. Further, the hydraulic equipment requires regular servicing.

A hay baler is normally hitched behind a tractor and to one side thereof so as to harvest the grass on that side of S the tractor. The accumulator trailer is hitched directly "i behind the hay baler. In known hay bale accumulator trailers, S the incoming hay bales are received along one side of the trailer platform, and pushed across the platform by the pusher arm to form the array. When the array is deposited on the ground, it is therefore displaced laterally relative to the hay baler, Such offset positioning of the array is likely to S interfere with the next pass of the tractor/baler combination, e. the tractor operator must take evasive action to avoid S the array of bales deposited on the ground during the previous cutting pass. This is generally inconvenient for the operator, and results in inefficient harvesting of the grass.

If hay bales are being picked up from the ground, known hay bale accumulator trailers are able to pick up from one side of the tractor only, since the entry end of the trailer platform is fixed at one side of the platform.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hay bale accumulator which overcomes, or substantially ameliorates, at least some of the abovedescribed disadvantages, or which at least provides the consumer with a useful choice.

In one broad form, the present invention provides hay bale handling apparatus comprising a wheeled platform, such as a trailer, having a receiving portion; conveyor means for conveying hay bales serially to the receiving portion to form a row of a predetermined number of bales thereon; and transfer means adapted to shift successive rows so formed in alternate opposite directions across the platform by S approximately one bale width to permit a new row to be formed S on the receiving portion, whereby the hay bales are accumulated and arranged in a rectangular array on the platform.

In another form, the present invention provides a method of forming a rectangular array of hay bales, comprising a e9 the steps of receiving a predetermined number of hay bales serially and forming same into a row at a predetermined location; shifting the row transversely by at least one bale width to thereby permit subsequent hay bales to be received and formed into a row at the predetermined location; shifting successive rows transversely in alternate opposite directions; and receiving further hay bales and forming same into the final row of the array at the predetermined location.

Preferably, the hay bales are arranged in a 5x3 array, i.e. five rows of three bales each.

In known hay bale accumulator trailers which arrange the hay bales in arrays of N rows, the transfer mechanism must progressively shift 1, 2, rows. However, in the apparatus and method of the present invention, the transfer mechanism need only shift successively 1, 1, rows. It will therefore be apparent to those skilled in the art that the transfer mechanism of the present invention requires far less pushing force than the known bale accumulators. The maximum force required by this invention to shift the rows of hay bales is less than half of the force required in known hay bale accumulators.

Typically, the transfer means comprises a push arm.

Since less force is required by the push arm to shift the rows g* of bales, the push arm may be driven from the wheels of the apparatus. In other words, the hay bale accumulator trailer may be self-powered by the advance of the trailer, thereby obviating the need for complex and expensive hydraulic mechanisms, and associated connecting hoses to the tractor.

This enables the hay bale accumulator trailer of the present invention to be manufactured at substantially less cost than known accumulator trailers, and requires less maintenance.

Preferably, the platform comprises a series of 556 parallel rollers, at least some of which are driven. The hay bale handling apparatus of this invention also includes pS..

discharge means for discharging the array of bales formed on the platform by depositing them on the ground. In the preferred embodiment, the discharge means comprises a mechanism, selectively engageable with the wheels, to rotate the rollers to thereby convey the formed array rearwardly of the platform and deposit the array on the ground. Typically, 7 the speed at which the rollers are driven is such that the array moves rearwardly slightly faster than the forward speed of the platform so that the array is deposited in compact form.

Preferably, the conveyor means is located centrally of the platform. Consequently, the arrays of bales are deposited in line with the conveyor means, rather than offset therefrom as in known trailers. In operation therefore, the hay bale arrays will be less offset from the path of the tractor and hence not pose an obstacle to the tractor on the next pass.

Preferably, the wheeled platform is towed by a nx as drawbar which is pivotally connected to the centre portion of the platform to enable the trailer to be drawn from either side. Thus, when the hay bale trailer is hitched directly to a tractor, the entry portion for the hay bales may be on either side of the tractor, as desired.

The control system for the transfer means and the *discharge means may be responsive to a counter which counts incoming hay bales passing onto the receiving portion, or one or more limit switches which are engaged by leading bales, or by a combination of a counter and such limit switch(es).

A particular advantage of the method and apparatus of the present invention is that the number of rows in the array can be changed from, say, three to five, or any other odd number, with very little modification. If an electronic counter is used, only a change in the control programme need be effected.

In order that the invention may be more fully 8 understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of hay bale handling apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a partially cut-away diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic side elevation of the conveyor drive mechanism of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a schematic side elevation of the roller drive mechanism of Fig. 1; Figs. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing the positioning of hay bales achieved in practice with prior art devices and the apparatus of Fig. 1, respectively; and Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating alternative hitching arrangements of the apparatus of Fig. 1 to a tractor.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the hay bale handling apparatus of one embodiment of this invention is in the form of a trailer 10 having a platform formed by a series of closely spaced, parallel rollers 11. The platform is mounted on a pair of wheels 12 located at either end of an axle 13.

A drawbar 15 is pivotally connected to the trailer 10 at a suitable location below the platform near the centre of the trailer, as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2.

The drawbar 15 may be turrned to, and fixed at, either side of the trailer 10, or fixed straight ahead. This enables the trailer to be hitched to a vehicle immediately ahead of the 9 trailer or to either side.

The trailer is provided with a centre feed elevator or conveyor 14 which is pivotally mounted to the trailer. The feed conveyor 14 preferably comprises a pair of spaced parallel endless chains 31 for feeding incoming hay bales serially onto the platform formed by rollers 11. The twin chains 31 are suitably provided with projections therealong to engage the bales.

The twin chains 31 feed each bale onto a receiving portion of the platform whereat the bale is engaged by a second endless chain 18. The twin chains 31 ensure sufficient power and traction is provided to lift the bale along the .:oooi S inclined conveyor 14, while a single chain 18 is sufficient to move the bale once it reaches the generally horizontal portion of the platform.

1 :The chains 31 and 28 are both driven from a sprocket 26 (Fig. 3) which is mounted on a countershaft 24. This, in turn, is reverse driven by an endless chain 25 mounted on a sprocket 27 on axle 13 of wheel 12 of the trailer. Thus the chains 31, 28 do not require external power sources, but are driven by the advance of the trailer 10 itself.

The pivotally mounted feed conveyor 14 may be fixed at an elevated position as shown in Fig. 1, and hitched behind the output of a hay baler to receive bales therefrom.

Alternatively, the feed conveyor 14 may be inclined downwardly and allowed to float on ground engaging skids to allow hay bales to be picked up from the ground. In the latter case, the drawbar 15 is angled to one side and hitched directly to a tractor, and the feed elevator 14 is then able to collect bales off the ground to one side of the tractor, as illustrated schematically in Fig. 6. The pivotal connection of the drawbar 15 to the trailer enables the bales to be collected from either side of the tractor, as desired.

Appropriate guides may be suitably fitted to the front of the feed elevator 14 to direct the bales onto the feed conveyor 14, and hence onto the roller platform 11.

Typically, the incoming bales are fed onto the roller platform 11 by the feed conveyor 14 in end-to-end relationship to form a row having the desired number of bales. In the illustrated embodiment, a row is formed by three hay bales, but the trailer may be modified to accommodate any suitable number of r e i S bales in the row.

The rear portion of the platform is sloped.

Typically, the sloped portion of the platform holds two bales of each row, and the horizontal portion of the platform supports the remaining bale in each row.

The accumulator trailer 10 of this embodiment also includes a push bar 16 mounted generally parallel to the row of bales formed on the roller platform 11. The push bar 16 is mounted on a carriage 17 below the roller platform, by means of supporting members 18 which extend from the carriage 17 upwardly through the rollers 11. The carriage 17, in turn, is mounted on a pair of endless chains 19, each of which is mounted on a pair of spaced sprockets. One sprocket of each pair is fixedly mounted to a side shaft 20, while the other sprocket in each pair is freely rotatable.

Two gears or pulleys 21, 22 on the side shaft 20 are selectively engageable with a gear or pulley 23 on countershaft 24 via respective electromagnetic clutches. The countershaft 24 has its ends journalled in suitable bearings below the roller platform 11, and is rotated by sprocket 26 engaging endless chain 25 driven by the drive sprocket 27 on the axle 13 of wheel 12, as can be seen in Fig. 3. Thus, rotation of wheel 12 will cause a reverse rotation of countershaft 24.

A ratchet is preferably provided in the hub of wheel 12 to enable free turning, and an "out of gear" arrangement can be achieved by withdrawing a spring-loaded over-centre latch pin fixing the drive sprocket 27 to axle 13. In this manner, the drive sprocket 27 may be selectively coupled and decoupled to the wheel axle 13.

o- The rollers 11 are driven together in two sections on opposite sides with a V-section belt 33. A tensioner is provided between every second roller, as illustrated schematically in Fig. 4. The rollers 11 are driven from a roller drive pulley 29 having an electromagnetic clutch The pulley 29 is in turn driven by reverse driven sprocket 26 via chain 34.

"A counterbalanced tail roller 31 is provided at the discharge end of the platform. The tail roller 31 is shown in the load position in Fig. 1 in full outline, and in the unload position in ghosted outline. The tail roller 31 assists in the controlled deposit of the array of hay bales onto the ground.

The operation of the abovedescribed hay bale accumulator trailer will now be described with reference to its application to the formation of 3x5 arrays of bales.

12 Hay bales are fed individually by feed conveyor 14 in end-to-end orientation onto the centre portion of the roller platform 11. The bales may be counted as they enter onto the trailer platform by a suitable counter mechanism, either mechanical or electronic, or the formation of a row of three bales may be indicated by the leading bale engaging a limit switch at the distal end of the platform.

Once a row of three bales has been formed, the push arm 16 is actuated to push the row sideways by one bale width.

Thus, in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2, the push arm 16 moves down the page by one bale width. Preferably, the row is pushed sideways by slightly more than one bale width to oeoeQ allow a degree of clearance.

The push arm 16 is driven by the advance of the trailer, i.e. from the wheels 12 of the trailer. More specifically, the drive sprocket 27, which has previously been engaged in gear with the wheel axle 13, rotates the countershaft 24 via chain 25 and sprocket 26, which in turn S rotates pulley 23. The formation of the row of three bales switches in the electromagnetic clutch for a selected one S (only) of pulleys 21, 22 thereby causing that pulley to be driven by pulley 23. This in turn rotates side shaft 20, and the cogs mounted thereon, in a first direction causing carriage 17 and push arm 16 to move to the side.

The shifting of the first row of bales clears the receiving portion of the platform for successive bales. Once the second row of bales has been formed, the electromagnetic clutch for the other pulley 22, 21, is engaged, causing the push arm 16 to move in the opposite direction. Thus, the 13 second set of bales is moved sideways, but in the opposite direction to the first row of bales. The engagement of electromagnetic clutches for pulleys 21, 22 is maintained only so long as is necessary to shift the bales by one bale width.

The above procedure is repeated until two rows of bales have been shifted to either side of the receiving portion of the platform. When the fifth row of bales has been formed, the electromagnetic clutch 30 for roller drive pulley 29 is engaged, causing the rollers 11 to rotate and move the 5x3 array of bales rearwardly over tail roller 31 onto the ground, for subsequent collection. The gearing for the roller S drive is such that the rollers 11 rotate slightly faster than the forward speed of the trailer so that the array is deposited in compact form onto the ground. As two-thirds of the bales are on the sloping portion of the platform, discharge requires less force than conventional hay bale trailers.

Electrical power for the electromagnetic clutches can be derived from the towing vehicle, i.e. the tractor, by a simple electrical connection. No other power is required from S the towing vehicle, as the operation of the trailer is powered by the advance of the trailer.

The electrical power derived from the towing vehicle can also be used to power a relatively simple electronic control circuit which controls the engagement of the electromagnetic clutches in response to limit switches and/or an e!ectronic counter suitably mounted on the trailer.

As shown in Fig. 5, when a conventional side loading accumulator trailir 40 is hitched behind a hay baler 41, the array of bales deposited by the accumulator trailer will be offset laterally relative to the baler 41. The deposited array will be offset to a greater degree with respect to the towing tractor 42 as the baler 41 itself is offset relative to the tractor 42. Consequently, the deposited array may interfere with the tractor 42' on its next pass, as indicated by in Fig. 5. However, by. using a centre loading trailer behind the baler 41, as illustrated in the bottom half of Fig. 5, the lateral offset of the deposited array of bales will be less, and hence will provide less, or no interference to the tractor 42 on its next pass.

Where the trailer 10 is hitched directly to a S" tractor for collecting bales from the ground, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the pivotable drawbar 15 allows the trailer 10 to be located on either side of the tractor, and the arrays of bales will be deposited in line with the original bales.

.'.The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the invention, and modifications which are obvious to those skilled in the art may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the invention has been described with reference to hay bales, it may be used to form arrays of other articles.

Claims (11)

1. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer means comprises a push arm member orientated parallel to the row of bales, and translatable transversely to the row of bales.
2. 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the push arm member is powered by the advance of the wheeled platform.
3. 4. Apparatus as claimed in any proceeding claim, wherein the conveyor means is located generally centrally of the leading end of the wheeled platform.
4. 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the conveyor means comprises a pair of spaced-apart endless chains driven by the advance of the wheeled platform.
5. 6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising discharge means for discharging the array of hay bales formed on the wheeled platform onto the ground rearwardly of the platform, the discharge means being powered by the advance of the wheeled platform.
6. 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the platform is formed by a plurality of parallel roller members, 16 the roller members being driven by the advance of the wheeled platform via an electrically controlled clutch device.
7. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a substantial portion of the platform is sloped.
8. 9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising electronic control means for controlling the operation of the transfer means, the control means including an electronic counter for counting the number of hay bales received on the platform.
9. 10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein S the wheeled platform is a trailer, and the transfer means aforms the hay bales into an array of five rows having three bales in each row.
10. 11. A method of forming a rectangular array of hay bales, comprising the steps of receiving a predetermined number of hay bales serially and forming same into a row at a predetermined location; shifting the row transversely by at least one bale width to thereby permit subsequent hay bales to be received and formed into a row at the predetermined location; shifting successive rows transversely in alternate S opposite directions; and receiving further hay bales and forming same into the final row of the array at the predetermined location.
11. 12. Hay bale handling apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this second day of September 1992 LESLIE VALENTINE HILLS and ANNE FRANCIS HILLS By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.