AU750965B2

AU750965B2 - Press for producing essentially rectangular bales of harvested agricultural produce

Info

Publication number: AU750965B2
Application number: AU18614/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hans Otto Sacht
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-12-02
Filing date: 1999-12-01
Publication date: 2002-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-01
Also published as: CA2353673A1; NZ511987A; DE19855632C1; AU1861400A; NO20012663D0; NO20012663L; JP2002530208A; DE59905774D1; EP1135017A1; ATE241260T1; CN1329464A; EP1135017B1; WO2000032028A1; NO312321B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a press (1) for producing essentially rectangular bales (27) of harvested agricultural produce (9). The press is configured in such a way that the baling chamber (15) can be moved approximately horizontally in a straight line between an upper and a lower conveyor (13; 14), said conveyors (13; 14) delimiting the inside of the baling chamber (15) at the top and bottom, the baling chamber being circumscribed by longitudinal and transversal walls (18; 19; 20). The conveying direction of the conveyors always corresponds to the direction of motion of the baling chamber (15) and changes when the direction of motion of the baling chamber changes. The feed opening (16) is configured in the bottom conveyor (14) between two sub-conveyors (14a; 14b) and in the return of motion positions of the baling chamber, is connected to the inside of said baling chamber (15), in the vicinity of the respective adjacent transverse side wall (19; 20). At least one transverse side wall (20) can be moved out of the closing position in which it delimits the inside of the baling chamber (15), into an open position in which it frees an ejection opening for a bale (27).

Description

F-6994 PRESS FOR PRODUCING ESSENTIALLY RECTANGULAR BALES OF HARVESTED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE The invention relates to a press for producing essentially rectangular bales of harvested agricultural produce, especially from stalk-like and/or leafy produce.

From US patent 4,270,446, a press is known, for which the harvested produce is picked up by a produce picking-up device and supplied by this to a feeding device, which is mounted above the produce pick-up device and below a press chamber, the feeding device pre-consolidating the harvested produce and supplying it to the press chamber from below. This press chamber is closed off at the underside by a retractable floor, which can be rolled up and unrolled, leaving a gap open for the passage of material. The press chamber is suspended at an upper swiveling avis in the form of a pendulum and, during the formation of a bale, is moved alternating above the feeding •device.

.g The DE 40 42 027 Al shows a rectangular press, for which the press chamber is held on rails so that it cam be moved horizontally, the bottom of the press chamber being formed by a conveyor at the underside. The press chamber comprises movable longitudinal and transverse side walls as well as a lid part, which is also ooooo moved at the same time and, moreover, comprises a compressing device for consolidating the harvested produce introduced. The weight of the moveable press chamber therefore is high, since all sidewalls as well as the heavy lid part must be moved. In addition, the pressing device of the lid part must also be moved, that is, several hydraulic cylinders as well as a heavy plate, which is suitable for pressing. As a result, the energy required for using such a rectangular press is very high. Due to the breaking of the moving mass at the end points of the movement, the travel is rough and the forces acting are transferred to the tractor.

The above discussion of background art is included to explain the context of the invention. It is not to be taken as an admission or suggestion that any of the documents or other material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in Australia at the priority date of any one of the claims of this specification.

It would be desirable to provide a press for essentially rectangular bales with a horizontal stratification, and having improved operating properties.

Broadly the present invention provides a press for producing essentially rectangular bales from harvested agricultural produce, especially from stalk-like for leafy produce, including: i a pick-up device for picking up harvested produce and conveying it further, especially when the press is driven over a ground surface; S" a press chamber for forming bales from the picked-up harvested produce, and a feeding device, which supplies the harvested produce, picked up by the :pick-up device, to the press chamber, through a feeding opening, which extends over the width of the press chamber; the press chamber being movable alternatingly relative to the feeding opening of the feeding device and approximately horizontally and linearly on a lower •o.conveyor, the conveyor having a conveying direction, which is identical with the direction of movement of the press chamber and changes as the direction of motion of the latter is reversed, the feeding opening being constructed in the lower conveyor between two partial conveyors and, in the movement reversal positions of the press chamber, in each case being connected in the vicinity of an adjacent a transverse side wall with the interior of the press chamber and at least one transverse side wall being movable from its closed position, delimiting the interior of the press chamber into an open position, in which an ejection opening for a bale is opened up; wherein an upper conveyor is provided and the press chamber, between the upper and lower conveyors, is movable and the conveyors delimit the top and bottom of the press chamber, which is bounded by longitudinal and transverse side walls, which are aligned longitudinally and transversely to the direction of motion.

Owing to the fact that an upper conveyor is formed, which delimits the press chamber, it is possible to do without a heavy immovable lid part. By these means, 0 the moved mass is decreased appreciably.

Because an upper as well as a lower conveyor, which delimit the press eeeee chamber are provided, it is merely necessary to switch over the direction of these :conveyors, which are stationary, for the horizontal linear movement of the press chamber. Short cycled times for forming the bales can be achieved with relatively low forces acting on the press. Finished bale can be ejected by the conveyors, which are present anyhow. For the ejection, it is only necessary to move a transverse sidewall into an appropriate position. This also accelerates the ejection process.

If, in a particularly advantageous development of the ejection side of the binding device is disposed immediately downstream from the press chamber, the bale formed can be tied while still on the press and before it is then deposited, for example, over a discharging plate.

If, in a partially advantageous manner, the press chamber can be fixed in the region of the reversing position, which is the front reversing position in the direction of travel and a bale, formed in the press chamber, after the rear transverse side wall has been opened, can be moved by the conveyor out of the press chamber and through the binding device, further produce, which then reaches a space delimited all around and, at the same time, at the back by the bale that is to be ejected, can be supplied by the feeding device already while the bale is being ejected. Accordingly, bale ejection and bale tying can take place during the continuous operation of the pickup and the feeding device of the press, so that a continuous conveying operation is possible, which increases the throughput appreciably.

The above and further advantages and distinguishing features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of examples of the invention, which are shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a partially truncated side view of an inventive press with roller conveyors at the top and bottom, Figures 2 shows the press of Figure 1 in a partially truncated plan view, S• Figure 3 shows a view of a press, similar to that of Figure 1, with a rod-and-chain conveyor at the top, Figure 4 shows a view, similar to that of Figure 1, after the ejection of the bale formed into the plane of the binding device and during the further conveying of new harvested produce, a Figure 5 shows a view similar to that of Figure 4, of a press with a downstream stretching device, Figure 6 shows a view of a press, similar to that of Figure 1 with belt conveyors top and bottom, 3 Figure 7 shows a view of a press, similar to that of Figure 1, during the operation with a press chamber in the central region Figure 8 shows a view, similar to that of Figure 7, with the press chamber in the front end position, Figure 9 shows a view, similar to that of Figure 8, with the press chamber in the rear end position.

Figure 10 shows a view, similar to that of Figure 9, with the press chamber in the front end position with the rear transverse side wall opened and with the finished bale ejected, additional harvested produce being conveyed into the press, Figure 11 shows a view, similar to that of Figure 10, with the bale advanced further through the tying device and further produce being conveyed into the space between the finished bale and the press chamber, Figure 12 shows a view, similar to that of Figure 11, during the passing of the finished tied bale onto the outlet ramp and during the switching over of the conveyor for supplying further produce into the open press chamber, Figure 13 shows a view, similar to that of Figure 12, during the depositing of the finished bale and after the completed return of the produce, which has meanwhile been supplied into the press chamber and Figure 14 shows a view, similar to that of Figure 13, after the finished bale has been deposited and the rear transverse side wall of the press chamber has been closed for forming a new bale.

The press 1 of Figure 1 is constructed as an attachable vehicle. It may, however, also be a stationary unit or, in particular, a self-propelled vehicle.

The mobile press 1 has an at least single axle chassis 2, which supports a machine frame 3, which carries vertical supports 4 and, at the front side, is provided with a hitch 5. Furthermore, the machine frame free supports a pick-up device 6 with a pick-up drum 7, which picks up the harvested produce 9 lying on the ground preferably in windrows and supplies it to one or several conveyor rollers 10, which pass it on. These conveyor rollers 10 which may be provided with cutting knives 11, which can be retracted or swung out and guide the harvested produce 9 to a feeding device 12, the last pair of rollers of which feed the harvested produce 9 to a feeding opening 16 for the housed produce.

The machine frame, furthermore, supports an upper conveyor 13 and a lower conveyor 14 which delimit a press chamber 15 for forming bales. The lower conveyor 14 is divided into a first partial conveyor 14a and a second partial conveyor 14b, between which an opening 16 for the supplying produce 9 to the press chamber is left. The feeding opening 16 can, however be also formed between two rollers, which may be assigned to adjacent ends of the partial conveyors 14a 14b, if the latter are formed, for example, by rod and chain conveyors.

Aside from the upper and lower boundary, formed by the conveyors 13 and 14, the press chamber 15 has lateral boundaries in the form of a front-transverse side wall 19 as well as longitudinal side walls 18. A rear boundary wall 20 of the press chamber 15 can be moved from a closed position, delimiting the inner space of the press chamber 15, into an open position, in which an ejection opening for the bales 27 is opened up. For this purpose, the rear transverse side wall 20 is formed by two flaps 20a, 20b, which are hinged to adjacent longitudinal side walls 18, with which they are aligned in the open position. For transferring the flaps 20a and from the open position to the closed position and vice verse, driving mechanism 22, such as hydraulic cylinders, are provided, which bring about the swiveling movement of the flaps 20a and 20b about the vertical swiveling axis 23 relative to the longitudinal side walls 18. The flaps 20a and 20b can be locked in the open as well as in the closed position. Other, conventional closing elements, which can be moved between an open and a closed position, can also be used instead of the flaps 20a and The side walls 18, 19 and 20 of the press chamber are held by guide rollers 24 in lateral guide rails 17, which are disposed at the vertical supports 4 of the machine frame 3. The side walls 18, 19, 20 of the press chamber 15 therefore are freely supported between these guide rails 17, which are in an upper region of the press chamber In the rear region of the press 1, a binding device 25 is disposed immediately after the conveyors 13 and 14. The binding dispenser 26 of the binding device 25 encircles the advancing bale 27 in order to bind it in a transverse plane 28.

In the bale ejection device 29, an outlet conveyor 30, located behind the transverse plane 28 of the binding device 25, is disposed after the lower conveyor 14.

Adjoining the back of the outlet conveyor 30, there is a discharging plate 31 which can be swiveled from a vertical transporting position into a downward sloping operating position for discharging a finished bale 27. For this purpose, the discharging plate 31 is provided with its own driving mechanism. A supporting roller 14', which holds the bale in shape, especially before the start of the binding, may be disposed after the upper conveyor 13 behind the working plane 28 of the binding device In Figure 1, the upper conveyor 13 as well as the lower conveyor 14 with its partial conveyors 14a and 14b are constructed as roller conveyors. According to Figure 3, the upper conveyor 13 is constructed as a rod-chain conveyor and, for this purpose, has individual rods 13a, which are held along a chain 13b and can be moved with this. If necessary, cloth elements 13c, which cover the spaces between the rods 13a, are provided in the spaces between the rods 13a. While the chain 13 revolves, it is sufficient to dispose rods 13a in a small partial region, which is always above the press chamber 13 during the motion, since the position of the rods 13a in relation to the press chamber 15 always remains the same. Such a rod-chain conveyor is therefore particular advantage for the upper conveyor 13 and its use saves weight.

A roller conveyor 14 is provided once again in the lower region of the press 1 of the Figure 3. Alternatively, it is possible to construct the upper as well as the lower conveyors 13, 14 as rod-chain conveyors. According to Figure 6, the upper conveyor 13 as well as the lower conveyor 14 are constructed as belt conveyors. The latter can also be combined with roller conveyors or rod and chain conveyors. In every case the upper and lower conveyors 13 and 14, irrespective of whether they are similar or different, must be able to exert a high pressure during the pressing on the press chamber 15, which is delimited at the top and at the bottom by the conveyors 13 and 14. In addition, they must bring about the conveyance of the harvested produce, which is in contact with them and forms the boundary layers of the bale 27.

In a deviation from the drawings, it is also possible that the lower partial conveyors 14a and 14b in each case have a different structure.

During the operation of the press 1, the latter is moved over the ground 8 by means of the chassis 2 and, at the same time, picks up harvested produce 9 from the ground 8 by means of the pick-up device 6. After being conveyed further by the feeding device 12 through the feeding opening 16, which is disposed between the partial conveyors 14a and 14b, which delimit the underside of the press chamber the harvested produce 9 picked up is supplied to the press chamber 15. The feeding opening 16 extends here essentially over the width of the press chamber 15, so that the whole space between the longitudinal side walls 18 can be filled with harvested produce 9.

While it is being filled with harvested produce 9, the press chamber with its side walls 18, 19, 20 is moved alternatingly by means of the upper conveyor 13. For this purpose, a special endless chain drive 21 may be provided, with the driver pin 21b of which the press chamber 15 can be coupled by way of a driver pawl 21a. For coupling and uncoupling the driver pawl 21a and the driver pin 21b, a driving mechanism such as a pressure medium cylinder, is provided. Other possibilities for driving the alternating motion, such as a belt drive or a connecting rod driving mechanism, fastened to a rotational wheel, are conceivable. For the construction of the upper conveyor 13 as a rod-chain conveyor, the driver pin 21b can be formed by a transverse rod.

During the formation of the bale 27, the harvested produce 9 filled in is initially consolidated by pushing in further produce 9 after the press chamber 15 is filled. During the alternating movement of the press chamber 15, the harvested produce 9, which follows through the feeding opening 16, always forms a new horizontal layer 41, when the press chamber 15 is shifted in the driving direction 42, or a layer 43 when the press chamber 15 is moved in the opposite direction, corresponding to the horizontal and linear development of this motion.

The course of the process is shown in Figures 7 to 14. In the stage of Figure 7, the press chamber 15 is moved in the direction of the arrow 44 parallel to the traveling direction 42. At the same time, the rollers 45 of the upper conveyor 13 are moved in the direction of the arrow 46, corresponding to a forward conveying of the material that has been filled in. Likewise, the rollers 47 of the first lower partial conveyor 14a and the rollers 48 of the second lower partial conveyor 14b are rotated in the same direction to one another indicated by arrow 49. Synchronously with the rotational movement of the rollers 47, 48 of the lower partial conveyor 14a, 14b as well as of the rollers 45 of the upper roller conveyor 13, the side walls 18, 19, 20 are shifted in the direction of arrow 44 with fulfillment of the unrolling condition relative to the rollers 45, 47, 48. The side walls therefore do not lead or lag. The corresponding applies when rod and chain conveyors and/or belt conveyors are used.

In the stage of Figure 1 8, the press chamber 15 has reached its front end position. In this position, the rollers 45, 47 and 48 are stopped before, immediately following this end position, they are turned around in the opposite conveying direction.

In the further view of Figure 9, the press chamber 15 is shifted into its rear end position. Below the layer 41, which is formed in the forward travel of the press chamber 15, a further layer 43 has been formed. In a reversal of the conditions of Figure 7, the rollers 47 and 48 of the lower partial conveyors 14a and 14b and the rollers 45 of the upper conveyor 13 are moved in the opposite direction of the arrows 46 and 49. Likewise, during the transition from Figure 8 to Figure 9, the press chamber 15 was shifted in a direction opposite that of the arrow 44.

In the front end position of Figure 8, the feeding opening 16 is approximately centrally below the rear transverse side wall 20. On the other hand, in the rear end position of the press chamber 15 of Figure 9, the front transverse side wall 19 is approximately centrally above the feeding opening 16. In both cases and also between the end positions, the feeding opening 16 remains connected with the interior of the press chamber 15 and is not traversed completely by transverse side wall 19 or The linear, alternating movement of the press chamber 15 of the representations in Figures 7 to 9 is continued until adequate compression is attained in the bale. This can be determined, for example, by pressure sensors. A control program for controlling the course of the process of the press 1 can work either with a fixed number of movement cycle or adapt the number of movements to the amount of harvested produce picked up, so that the number of movements up to a completion of a bale 27 varies depending on the requirements.

Once the bale 27 has reached the required density, the press chamber as shown in Figure 10, is locked in a front position of rest, which lies a little behind the end position during the alternating movement, and the rear transverse side wall 20 of the press chamber 15 is shifted into the open position for ejecting the bale.

By the conveying action of the rollers 45 of the upper conveyor 13, the bale 27 is supplied in the direction of the arrows 51, and by the conveying action of the rollers 47 and 48 of the lower partial conveyor 14a and 14b, the bale 27 is supplied in the direction of the arrows 52 out of the stationary press chamber 15 counter to the traveling direction 42 of the vehicle to the transverse plane 28, round about which the binding device 25 is active. The advance is clocked, so that in each case spaced-apart bindings 53 of the bale 27 are formed. Further ejection aids, such as a ram or the like are not required. The further advance of the bale 27 is accomplished by a downstream outlet conveyor 30, which supplies the finished bale 27 to the delivery ramp 31, over which the bale can be placed down on the ground 8.

During the binding and ejection of the bale 27, the press 1 is shifted as a whole in the direction of arrow 42. At the same time, further harvested produce 9 is picked up, in the ideal case in an undiminished manner, and supplied to the feeding opening 16. In the press chamber 15, the harvested produce 50, filled in while the press chamber 15 is open, will deviate in side view from a uniform distribution (Figures 11 and 12). The harvested produce 50, filled in during the binding and the ejection of the bale 27, fills the space between the front boundary of the bale 27 and the press chamber 15, the rear transverse wall 20 of which continues to remain in the open position.

As soon as the tying up of the finished bale 27 is concluded as shown in Figure 12, the conveyor rollers 47, 48 of the lower conveyor 14, as well as the conveyor rollers 45 of the upper conveyor 13 or the corresponding to rod chains or conveyor belts are driven once again in accordance with the direction drawn in Figure 7, in order, by these means, to move the harvested produce 50, which has meanwhile been filled in, in the direction of the press chamber 15. The latter, when filled completely with the produce 50, which has meanwhile been picked up, is closed again and released from its locked front end position, so that the alternating movement of the press chamber 15 commences once again and the produce 50, which has meanwhile been filled in, at the end forms, due to the compression taking place during the alternating movement, an upper layer of the finished bale 27 (Figure 14).

In the representations of Figure 4, and alternative construction of the inventive press 1 is shown, for which a buffer space 60 is delimited at the top and bottom by intermediate conveyors 61 and 62, which adjoin the conveyors 13, 14 at the rear. As a result, the press 1 as a whole is lengthened and a two-axial chassis 2 may be advisable here. For this construction, the tying of the bale 27 and the clocked advance of the latter for this purpose can take place, while the rollers 47 and 48 of the lower conveyor 14 are already conveying once again in the direction of the arrows 49 and the rollers 45 of the upper conveyor 13 once again are conveying in the direction of the arrows 46. By these means, the further produce 50, which has meanwhile been filled in, can be conveyed more rapidly into the open press chamber 15. The latter can be closed again immediately and carry out its renewed alternating movement while the ejected bale 27 is being tied and advanced. Such a construction of a press 1 is recommended particularly when large amounts of harvested produce are to be picked up, in which case otherwise it might not to be possible to continue driving at an undiminished speed while at the bale 27 is being tied.

Figure 5 discloses a further, alternative construction, which can be combined with that of Figure 4 and for which a stretch film winding device 63, which envelopes the bale 27 with a plastic film, is disposed after the binding device 25. This stretch film winding device is assigned to the machine frame 3 of the press 1, so that overall, a single vehicle unit is retained. The winding arm of the stretch film winding device 63 rotates about a vertical axis 64 about the bale 27, which has been pushed into the sphere of action of the axis 64 and caused to rotate by the rollers 65, 66.

Hydraulic motor 67, 68 can be used for driving the lower conveyor 14 and the binding device 25, the hydraulic pumps 69, 70, for producing the necessary pressure, being driven by the power take-off shaft 71 of a tractor. This power take-off shaft 71 may also have a chain drive 72 for driving the pick-up device 6 and over a further chain drive 73, for driving the feeding device 12.

For the example shown in Figure 3, the upper conveyor 13 is driven over a chain drive 74, which is driven by a chain wheel, which is disposed by an intermediate gear wheel 75 between adjacent gear wheels of the driving mechanism of the rollers of the lower conveyor 14a, 14b. The driving mechanism for the chain drive or gear wheel drive 21, which moves to the press chamber 15, can also be derived, for example, over chain drives from the lower conveyor 14. Likewise, the driving mechanism for the outlet conveyor :13 can be derived from the driving mechanism of the adjacent lower partial conveyor 14b, for example, over a chain drive 76. The independently operating hydraulic motor 68 provided for the binding device 25, drives the latter over a friction wheel 77. Other driving concepts for the individual, moving parts are also possible in the usual manner. For example, angular gears with appropriate shaft connections can be used for the driving mechanism.

Claims

1. A press for producing essentially rectangular bales from harvested agricultural produce, especially from stalk-like for leafy produce, including: a pick-up device for picking up harvested produce and conveying it further, especially when the press is driven over a ground surface; a press chamber for forming bales from the picked-up harvested produce, and a feeding device, which supplies the harvested produce, picked up by the pick-up device, to the press chamber, through a feeding opening, which extends over the width of the press chamber; the press chamber being movable altemrnatingly relative to the feeding opening of the feeding device and approximately horizontally and linearly on a lower conveyor, the conveyor having a conveying direction, which is identical with the direction of movement of the press chamber and changes as the direction of motion of the latter is reversed, the feeding opening being constructed in the lower conveyor between two partial conveyors and, in the movement reversal positions of the press chamber, in each case being connected in the vicinity of an adjacent a transverse side wall with the interior of the press chamber and at least one transverse side wall being movable from •its closed position, delimiting the interior of the press chamber into an open position, in which an ejection opening for a bale is opened up; •go.oF wherein an upper conveyor is provided and the press chamber, between the upper and lower conveyors, is movable and the conveyors delimit the top and bottom of the press chamber, which is bounded by longitudinal and transverse side walls, which are aligned longitudinally and transversely to the direction of motion.

2. A press according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower conveyors terminate on the ejection side of the press chamber essentially in a common plane and a binding device, the binding agent dispenser of which encircling the advancing bale in a transverse plane, is disposed immediately after the conveyors.

3. A press according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a separate outlet conveyor, which is located behind the working plane of the binding device in the direction of ejection of the bale, is disposed at least after the lower conveyor.

4. A press according to claim 3, wherein a delivery plate, which can be moved from an approximately vertical transporting position into a downwardly sloping operating position for the delivery of the bale, adjoins the rear of the outlet conveyor.

A press according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transverse oside wall of the press chamber, which can be moved into an open position, is formed by two and flaps, which are hinged to adjacent longitudinal side walls and, in the open position, are aligned with the longitudinal side walls.

6. A press according to claim 5, wherein the flaps can be moved by means of a driving mechanism between a closed position and an open position and in each case locked in these positions.

7. A press according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, the press chamber is provided at its longitudinal side walls, on the outside, with guide rollers, which are .oee.i guided in guide rails extending in the direction of movement of the press chamber.

8. A press according to claim 7, wherein the guide to rollers is disposed in the upper half of the press chamber and the press chamber is supported freely suspended between the guide rails.

9. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the press includes a machine frame, which extends at the level of the lower conveyor embracing it and is supported at the guide rails over the vertical supporting struts.

A press according to claim 9, wherein the machine frame is provided at the underside with at least one single axle chassis, supports at its underside the pickup device and the feeding device and forms a vehicle, which can be towed or is self-propelled.

11. A press according to claim 10, wherein the direction of movement of the press chamber is parallel to the direction of travel of the press.

12. A press according to claim 11, wherein the rear transverse side wall of the press chamber, which is averted from the direction of travel, is opened only for ejecting bales. S•

13. A press according to any one of the claims 1 to 12, wherein the plane S•.of movement of the press chamber extends horizontally or falls away slightly to the side of the transverse side wall of the press chamber that is to be opened to and the conveyors have conveying planes directed parallel to these planes of motion.

14. A press according to any one claims 1 to 13, wherein in each case one of the transverse side walls is essentially centrally and over the feeding opening in the reversal positions of the press chamber.

A press according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the press chamber can be fixed in the region of its position, which is the front position in the driving direction, and a bale, which is formed in the press chamber, can be moved out of the press chamber and through the binding device after the rear transverse side wall is opened by means of the lower conveyor and the upper conveyor.

16. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the bale is ejected during the operation of the pickup device and the feeding device.

17. A press according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein, after the bale is ejected, the press chamber is closed and set once again in an alternating movement.

18. A press according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the closing of the chamber is carried out after an ejection of the bale from the space between the upper conveyor and the lower conveyor and a subsequent reversal of the conveying direction of the conveyors and a thereby bought about transfer of the loose harvested produce, collected on the lower conveyor during the ejection of the bale, into the press chamber is carried out during the ejection of the bale. o*o*

19. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein at least one of the conveyors is constructed as a roller conveyor.

A press according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein at least one of the conveyors is constructed as a rod and chain conveyor.

21. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein at least one of the conveyors is constructed as a belt conveyor. ••o0•

22. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the upper conveyor and the lower conveyor are constructed differently.

23. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the partial conveyors at the underside have a different construction.

24. A press according to claim 23, wherein roller conveyors are provided as lower partial conveyors and a rod and chain conveyor is provided as upper conveyor.

A press according to any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein cloth elements for covering the spaces are provided between the rods, opposite the press chamber, when a rod and chain conveyor is used as upper conveyor.

26. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein a lower and an upper intermediate conveyor, which delimit the top and a bottom of a buffer a space, are disposed after the lower conveyor and the upper conveyor.

27. A press according to claim 26, wherein the binding device is 0:00 disposed after the intermediate conveyors.

28. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein a stretch film winding device is disposed after the binding device.

29. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein an endless chain drive is provided for the alternating drive of the press chamber and the press chamber can be coupled by means of a driver pawl with a driver pin of the chain drive.

A press according to claim 29, wherein the driver pawl can be moved oo by means of a driving mechanism in and out of a coupling engagement with the driver pin.

31. A press according to any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein a hydraulic motor, which is supplied by a hydraulic pump and from which the propulsion for the chain driving mechanism or the gear wheel driving mechanism and the propulsion for the upper conveyor is derived over a chain drive for the propulsion of the lower conveyor and its partial conveyor.

32. A press according to claim 31, wherein the propulsion of the outlet conveyor is derived from the driving mechanism of the adjacent lower partial conveyor over a chain drive.

33. A press according to claim 31 or claim 32, wherein a hydraulic motor, supplied by a separate hydraulic pump, is provided as a driving mechanism for the binding device.

34. A press according to any one of claims 31 to 33, wherein, in the event that the press is constructed as a trailer vehicle, the hydraulic pumps are driven by the power take-off shaft of a tractor, which also drives a chain drive for the propulsion of the take-up device and of the feeding device.

35. A press for producing essentially rectangular bales from harvested agricultural produce substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 10 April, 2002 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: HANS OTTO SACHT