CA1093847A - Hay stacking machine - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A structure for compacting a stack of hay during forma-tion of the stack includes a frame rotatable around the stack of hay, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on posts on the frame for rotation relative to the posts to apply pressure to upper portions of the stack, and fluid operated cylinders for biasing the arms in to engagement with the hay.

Description

~ 3l3~7 This is a divisional of Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 2~4,596, filed January 30, 1~7~.
This inven-tion relates to a hay s-tacking machine, and in particular -to a s~ructure for applying pressure to por-tions of a s-tack of hay during formation of the stack.
The basic invention disclosed herein relates -to a machine capable of making stacks of hay weighing in the order of si~
tons and measuring 13 feet in diameter and 13 feethigh. In recent years, the trend has been -toward storing hay in larger units as compared with the smaller bales previously commonplace and capable of being carried by one person. The stack of this invention is intended to remain outside on the ground aEter being made on a portable platform.
As described in the parent application, a hay stack making machine is provided which picks the hay up off of the ground and feeds it through a compactor to compress and fla-t-ten it whereupon it is fed into a trough in the platform where it is then carried by reciprocating vertical and horizontal teeth to the platform surface. ~ cage is formed around the platform and includes a plurality of inwardly and downwardly extending compression arms which engage the hay and cause the hay to turn with the cage and pick up additional hay moving to the platform from the -trough and thus allowing the stack to be formed from -the bot-tom up. As the compression arms move to an upwardly extending angular position their downward pressure is reduced however the weight of the stack is increasing thus main-taining the necessary weight on the incoming hay to cause it to continue the stacking operation as the cage is rotated. Upon the stack being completed on the platform the cage is rotated to a position with rearwardly opening gates being at the rear of -the platform and a pusher mechanism is actuated which moves from the front - 1 - ,.. ~

... . .

~3~

edge of the platform to the rear pushing -the s-tack off onto -the ground. The platform has been tipped rearwardly and downwardly such that gravi-ty assists in the removal oE the stack from the platform. The platform is then returned -to the horiæontal posi-tion as the s-tacker is moved away from the stack and is now ready to form another stack of hay.
The trough through which the hay moves to reach the platform from the outer peripheral edge is formed by a vertical side wall on one side and a bottom wall which meryes into the platform top surface on the other side and at -the inner longi-tudinal end thereof such that the hay moves along a gentle ~:
incline plane to the top platform surface. A portion of the platform extends over the vertical wall and by so doing covers vertically and horizon-tally orien-ted reciprocating feeding teeth positioned in the trough bottom wall and ~ertical side wall.
A transversely extending notch is provided in the platform wall portion at the longitudinal inner end to allow the hay in its flattened condition to move smoothly onto the platform. The bottom wall of the trough a-t the inner end includes a portion which extends upwardly to merye with -the pla-tform top surface.
The feeder teeth are operated oEf oE a crank such that when the vertically oriented teeth in the trough bottom wall are moving longitudinally Eorwardly the feeder teeth in the vertical side wall are moving longitudinally rearwardly. The vertical teeth have gripping edges on the forward sides only and the back sides are smooth to allow them to move under -the hay on their return stroke. The teeth in the vertical wall are arranged on a member connected to the crank which moves away from the vertical wall and trough on the return stroke or portion of the crank cycle and then moves the -teeth into the -trough on -the feeding portion of -the cycle.

3~

A further too-th is provided for extending through -the vertical side wall of -the -trough and this tooth is free -to pivot forwardly only thus allowing it -to move rearwardly and be folded forwardly by the hay in preparation for its feeding s-troke as it moves forwardly.
The invention specifically claimed herein is a structure `~
for applying pressure to portions of a stack of hay during the forming of the stack of hay including frame means locatable around an area adapted to support a stack of hay, means for rotating -the frame means around said area, arm means loca-ted over said area adapted to engage upper portions of hay in said area, means movably mountiny said arm means on said frame means allowing the arm means to move toward and away from said area, and means for biasing said means in-to engagement with hay in said area to apply pressure to said hay during the forming of a stack of hay in said area.
~n the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention:
Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hay stacking machine of this invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation view -thereof.
Figure 3 is a top plan view -thereof.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Figure 4 and illustrates the operation of the compression arms.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in Figure 5.
Figure 7 is an enlaryed cross-sectional view illustrating ` 30 the rib and groove slidable connection betw(en the cage and the ; platform.

3~7 Figure 8 is a cross-sec-tional view taken along line 8-~in Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the platform illustrating the push-off mechanism.
Figure lO is a cross-sectional view -taken along line lO-lO
in Figure 9.
Figure ll is a fragmentary top plan view of the platform illustrating the reciproca-ting vertical and horizontal feed means.
Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 in Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a cross-sec-tional view taken along line 13-13 in Flgure 12.
Figure l~ ls a view similar to Figure 11 but illus-trating the feeding means in different positions. ' Figure 15 is a view similar to Figures 11 and 14 showing the feeding means in still further positions.
Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of the platform illustrating the feeding means in the -trough leading to -the platform.
Figure 16A is a fragmentary -top plan view of the feed trough in the platform~
Figure 17 is a reduced in scale side elevation view illustrating the unloading of the platform by -tipping the plat-form downwardly and rearwardly.
; Figure 18 is a fragmentary side elevation view illus-trating the power system for the compression arms.
Figure l9 is a schematic view of the power system for -the compression arms.
Figure 20 is a schematic view of the hydraulic system operating the other mechanisms in -the hay s-tacker.

~ _ 3~

The hay s-tacking machine of this inven-tion is referred to generally in Fiyure 1 by the reference numeral 10 and is provided with a frame 1 having wheels 14 and a tongue 16 for attachment to a -tractor 18. The frame 12 at its forward end carries a pickup rake 20 which feeds hay -to a screw conveyor 22 having oppositely disposed flights for moving hay to the center thereof to be fed through a roller compressor 24 just prior to being fed into the feeding trough 26, as seen in Figure 16A in the platform 28.
The platform 28 is carried on the frame 12 by side frame members 30 being pivoted at 32 by power cylinders 34 in the frame members 12 such that the platform may be -tilted between the load-ing and transport position oE Figure 1 to the unloading position of Figure 17. It is seen that an unloading apron 36 is positioned rearwardly of the circular platform 28 on which -the stack is formed.
The platform 28 in Figure 7 is seen to have an annular channel 38 around its outer periphery which slidably and ro-tatably receives a slide block 40 of plastic material such as Ryerson 12, Ryerson & Sons, Chicago, Illinois. The slide block 40 is held to an annular cage frame 42 by bolts 44. An outwardly facing channel 46 is provided on the annular frame 42 and includes a plurality of spaced apart teeth 48 which engage a drive chain 50 powered by a pair of hydraulic motors 52 at the front end of the table, as seen in Figure 3, and a pair of drive motors 54 at the rear end of the table to provide continuous rotation of the annular frame 42. The frame 42 is seen -to carry a plurality of spaced apar-t posts 56 on which compression arms 58 are provided.
The compression arms 58 include a top arm por-tion 60 pivotally connec-ted at 62 to the top of the pos-t 56 and a bottom arm portion 64 pivotally connected at 66 adjacen-t the p]atform 28.

: . . .~.: , . .

~3~

The outer end of -the lower arm 64 is pivotally and sliclably connec-ted to -the upper arm 60 and moves in a track 67 as -the upper arm 60 is raised and lowered in response to operation of a hydraulic cylinder 70 extending between the post and the outer end por-tion 72 of the arm 60. The upper arm 60 is V-channel shaped in cross section as seen in Figure 6 to provide maximum strength with minimum weight. Tt is seen in Figure 5 that maximum downward pressure on the hay 74 on the platform 28 occurs when -the compression arms 58 are ex-tending generally laterally outwardly and minimum pressure is applied when the arms are extending substantially upwardly due to the lever arm portion 72 being shorter when -the compression arms are ex-tending upwardly.
The compression arms 58 are operated by the power cylin-ders 70, as seen in Figure 19, which are ln a separate system from other operational systems of the hay stacking machine. An electric motor 74 powered from the tractor 18 drives a pump 76 in communication with a reservoir 78 connected to a relief valve 80 set at 2200 p.s.i. such that -this pressure is main-tained in each oE -the cylinders 70 at all -times. Two-way operation oE the cylinders is possible through the -two-way control valve 82.
Continuous operation of the mo-tor 74 and pump 76 is avoided by temporary opera-tion occurring at every revolution oE the -table 28 by operation of a switch actuator 84 as seen in Figure 18. Thus, if the pressure has fallen below the 2200 p.s.i. level it will be automatically brought back up each revolution oE the table.
Each power cylinder 70 operatively opera-tes three com-pression arms 58 through a laterally extending drive shaft 90 having a universal joint 92. The posts 56 are further intercon-nec-ted by fencing pipes 94 to form a cage Eor the stack of hay 96. The lower compression arms 64 are provided with enlarged . . . .. . .

~7 trapezoidal pressure plates 100 -to assist in shaping the s-tack 96 and applying uniform pressure to i-t as the stack is being formed. The pressure provided by -the compression arms on the hay being fed to the platform is particularly important in -the early forming stages when the hay weight is small in order to main-tain the sweeping action of -the hay on the pla-tform 28, which .
picks up hay coming from the trough 26. As the stack 96 grows and its weigh-t increases the problem is less and the pressure applied by the compression arms 60 and 64 becomes less due to the change in length of the lever arm 72.
The unloading of the platform 23 as seen in Figure 3, involves the cage having two gate sections 104 wherein -the rails 94 i.nterconnect the posts 56 and allow the gate sec-tions to swing outwardly -to the dash-line position of Figure 3 away from the supporting annular frame 42. The rails 94 are pivoted through sleeves 106 slidably and rotatably embracing vertical tubular posts 108. A conventional latch 106 is employed for locking the free ends of the gates 104 together in their closed positions.
The push-off arm for the hay s-tack 96 is best seen in Figures 3, 9 and 10 and includes an arcuate member 110 connected at i-ts opposite ends to a pair of drive chains 112 recessed in the platform 28. The drive chains 112 are powered by a hydraulic motor 114 connected to the shaft 116 by the sprocke-t chain 118, as seen in Figure 9. Thus it is seen that opera-tion of the push-off 110 moves the member across the trough 26 to the rear end of -the platform 28 whereupon it is then returned -to the forward end adjacent the annular frame 42 ready fcr the next push-off opera-tion.
The trough 26 is best seen in Figures 3, 11, 12, 16 and 16A and includes a longitudinally extending vertical side wall.
120 posi.tioned under a plat:Eorm wall por-tion 122. A bo-t-tom wall :.

3~7 portion 124 extends from the lower edge of the vertical wall 120 laterally to merge at 126 with -the top surface of the pla-tform 28, as seen in Figure 1.6. The forward end of the trough is deEined by a forwardly and upwardly extending portion 128 which merges into the top surface of the platform 28. A la-terally ex-tending slot 130 is formed at the forward end of the pla-tform portion 122 and extends to substan-tially the vertical wall 120, as seen in Figure 11. The trough 26 is provided with an inlet mouth opening 130 at the outer periphexal edge of the pla-tform 28 and this opening is adap-ted -to communicate wi-th a Eeeding apron 135 which receives a flattened layer o:E hay from the compressing roller 24, as seen in Fiyure 3.
The hay, as seen in Figure 16, is fed from the mouth opening 130 in the trough 26 to -the platform 28 by reciprocal operation of staggered vertically and horizontall.y oriented fe~
means 132 and 134, respectively. The feed means 132 includes an elongated frame member 136 along which are spaced U-shaped teeth 138 adap-ted to ex-tend through the vertical wall 120 utilizing the slots 140 formed in the wall. A pai.r oE crank arms 142 carried on shafts 146 rota-te in response to a drive sprocket 144 driven by a hydraulic motor 150. A further crank arm 152 is connected to the shaft 146 and extends in the opposite direction therefrom, as seen in Figure 11. Crank arm 152 is then connected : .
to an elongated link member 154 for reciprocally operating the feeding means 134 which is 180 out of phase with the feeding means 134.
The forward end of the feed means 132 is pivotal about an axis at 156 connected to a link 158 in turn having a -tooth 160 with a perpendicularly extending arm 162 pivotally connected -there-to at 164. An adjustable rod 166 connec-ts -the outer free end of the link 162 to a link 168 connected a-t the pivot shaft , , , : , , ~3~

156. The rod 166 includes an adjustable nut 170 and is adpated to slidably move through an ear 172 such -that the tooth 160 is free to pivot Eorwardly when the feeding means 132 is on the out phase of each revolution of the crank a:rm 142 whereby the -tooth 160 moves under the hay. On the othe:r hand, when the feed means 132 is moving forwardly to -the left, as seen in E'igure 14, -the rod 166 limi-ts clockwise pivotal movement of the tooth and thus the hay is moved to the leEt or forwardly onto -the platform.
The other teeth 138 reciproca-te in and out of -the wall 120, as seen in Figures 11, 14 and 15, and thus on the out phase of the crank 142 revolution the -teeth are withdrawn Erom the trough and on the :Eeeding phase of -the revolution the teeth are i.n the trough as seen in Figures 11 and 15 pushing hay onto the platform from the trough, as seen in Figure 16.
The verticall~ arranged feeding means 134,.as previously indicated, is 180 out of phase and thus when it is on the out-take the feeding means 132 is on the intake moving hay forwardly.
The feeding means 134 includes a guide channel 180 welded to -the bo-t-tom wall 124 of the trough 26. An elongated plate member 190 is posi.tioned below the bot-tom wall 124 in -the channel 180 and carries a plurality of spaced apart tee-th 192 having forward :
vertical edges 194 and rearward:Ly tapering smooth edges 196 such that when the teeth are moving Eorwardly in the trough towards the platform the forward edges 194 grip the hay and move it forwardly but when the feeding means 134 is moving to the right or outwardly the smooth edges 196 slide under the hay wi-th no affect thereon.
The power for operating the rake 20, auger 22 and com-pressing roller 24, is supplied by the power takeoff drive shaft ~ .
200 driven by -the tractor 18. The power takeof:E also drives a pump 202, as seen in Figure 20, which in -turn is connected to a .. . . .. .

f reservoir 204 and relie~ valve 206 for operation of the unloading power cylinder and rotating cage motors 52 and 54. The feed motor 150 for the feeding means 132 and 134 is also driven by the pump 202 as is the push-off motor 114. The ro-tating cage motors are operated by a control valve 208 while the valve 210 operates the feed motor and the push-off motors are operated by the valve 212.
Thus it is seen in operation that the tractor 18 pulls the hay stacking machine 10 along picking up hay 220 on the ground through the pickup rake 20 which feeds it to the auger 22 having inwardly direc-ting fligh-ts in turn directing the hay then to the compressing roller 24 which feeds it onto the apron 135 adapted to register with the inlet trough opening 130 at the exterior periphera]. edge oE -the -table 28. It is seen that -this communication is established only when the' table 28 is in its loadlng or transport position of Figure 1 and is broken when the table is tilted to the unloading position of Figure 17. The hay continues its travel into the trough 26 where it is fed along the trough by the reciprocating out of phase feed means 132 and 134 in the vertical trough wall 120 and bottom wall 124. Each of these feed means is substan-tially covered by the platform wall portion 122 which allows the hay in the trough 26 to be Eed onto -the platform at the forward end of the trough by the hay moving upwardly along the forward trough wall 128, as seen in Figure 11, and through -the laterally extending notch 130 in the platform :;
wall portion 122. This no-tch extends to substantially the verti- :
cal trough wall 120. The side of the trough opposite the wall 120 is formed by -the merging of the bo-ttom wall 124 with the -top surface of the platform 28, as seen in Figure 16. ~ith the hay on the platform surface 28 the compression arms 58 having por- .
tions 60 and 64 extend downwardly on-to -the hay 74 to compress ~ 3~

it against the platform 28 and cause it to sweep the hay coming out of -the -trough 26 up and on-to the platform 28 thereby build-ing the stack 96 from the bo-ttom up as the frame ~2 carrying the compression arms 58 rotates about the platform 28. The rota-tion of -the frame 42 includes the cage structure of pipes 94.
When the stack 96 is completed the cage, which has been continu-ously rotating, is stopped with the gates 104 facing the rear over the unloading platform 36 and then the unloading cylinders 34 operate to tip -the -table 28 downwardly at the rear end, as seen in Figure 17 whereupon the push-off member 110 is operated and moves from the front of the platform to the rear taking with it the stack of hay 96. The push-off member 110 is -then returned to the forward end of the platform ready Eor the next unloading operatlon. The platform is returned to its horizontal transpor-t and loading position and the gates 104 are~ swung closed. The compression arms are again lowered ready to act upon the next hay fed rom the trough 26 to the center of the platform. It is seen in Figure 3 that the inner ends of the upper compression arms 60 all converge at the center of the platform which also is at the slot 130 such that the compression arms readily enaage -the hay and begin the revolution thereof over the pla-tform sur-face 28 as the cage rotates in a counterclockwise fashion.
It is appreciated that positive control is maintained over the feeding of the hay onto the platform such that it can be proportioned under the stack and distributed evenly thus caus-ing the stack to grow or rise on an even basis. The stack is formed independently of the operator of the pulling vehicle.
The windrow of hay 220 may pass under any portion of the pickup rake 20 and in any event it will be funneled by the screw conveyor 22 through the restricted passageway through the roller compres-sor 2~ onto the apron 135 and then into the trough 26 through -the inle-t mouth opening 130. Accordingly r the stack will grow uniformly avoiding -tearing action tha-t might otherwise occur and thus maintain its capabili-ty of staying intact when the stack is being unloaded.

Claims (19)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Structure for applying pressure to portions of a stack of hay during the forming of the stack of hay comprising frame means locatable around an area adapted to support a stack of hay, means for rotating the frame means around said area, arm means located over said area adapted to engage upper portions of hay in said area, means movably mounting said arm means on said frame means allowing the arm means to move toward and away from said area, and means for biasing said arm means into engagement with hay in said area to apply pressure to said hay during the forming of a stack of hay in said area.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the arm means comprise a plurality of arms.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the means movably mounting said arm means on said frame means include a plurality of upright posts secured to the frame means, and pivot means pivotally connecting one arm of the arm means to each post.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein each arm has an upper arm pivotally connected to the upper end of each post and a lower arm having an outer end pivotally connected to a lower end of each post and an inner end slidably connected to a portion of the upper arm.

5. The structure of claim 4 including a plate secured to each lower arm, said plate adapted to engage portions of hay for shaping the stack of hay.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein the means for biasing said arm means includes a fluid operated cylinder, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder includes a pump driven by an electric motor, said pump and motor being mounted on said frame means, and a switch actuator operable to tempor-arily energize said electric motor at every revolution of the frame means.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein said means movably mounting said arm means on said frame means includes pivot means secured to the arm means allowing the arm means to move up and down, and drive means drivably connecting adjacent pivot means, said means for biasing said arm means comprising a fluid operated cylinder connected to one arm and operable to move said one arm with the drive means.

9. The structure of claim 1 including a platform located in said area, said platform having a surface for supporting the stack of hay, and means for supporting the frame means on the platform.

10. Structure for applying pressure to portions of a stack of hay during the forming of the stack of hay comprising frame means locatable around an area adapted to support a stack of hay, means for rotating the frame means around said area during move-ment of hay into said area, arm means located over said area adapted to engage portions of hay in said area, means movably mounting said arm means on said frame means allowing the arm means to move toward and away from said area, means for biasing said arm means into engagement with hay in said area to apply pressure to said hay during the forming of a stack of hay in said area, and control means for controlling the pressure of the arm means periodically in response to rotation of the frame means.

11. The structure of claim 10, wherein the arm means comprise a plurality of arms located around the frame means.

12. The structure of claim 10, wherein the means for biasing said arm means comprise fluid operated means and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the fluid operated means, said control means operable to temporarily operate the means for supplying fluid under pressure to the fluid operated means.

13. The structure of claim 12, wherein the control means temporarily operates the means for supplying fluid under pressure to the fluid operated means at least once during every rotation of the frame.

14. The structure of claim 12, wherein the fluid operated means is a fluid operated piston and cylinder assembly, said means for supplying fluid under pressure comprising a pump and electric motor mounted on the frame, said control means including a switch actuator operable to temporarily energize said electric motor at every revolution of the frame.

15. The structure of claim 10, wherein said means movably mounting said arm means on said frame means includes pivot means allowing the arm means to move up and down, and drive means drivably connecting adjacent pivot means, said means for biasing the arm means being connected to one arm and operable to move said one arm and the arms drivably connected to said one arm with the drive means.

16. The structure of claim 10, wherein the means movably mounting said arm means on said frame means include a plurality of upright posts secured to the frame means, and pivot means pivotally connecting an arm to each post.

17. The structure of claim 16, wherein each arm has an upper arm pivotally connected to the upper end of each post and a lower arm having an outer end pivotally connected to a lower end of each post and an inner end slidably connected to a portion of the upper arm.

18. The structure of claim 17 including a plate secured to each lower arm, said plate adapted to engage portions of hay for shaping the stack of hay.

19. The structure of claim 10 including a platform located in said area, said platform having a surface for supporting the stack of hay, and means for supporting the frame means on the platform.