FR2704718A1 - Restraining device for a bale-release device - Google Patents

Abstract

Baling presses (10) for round bales are often equipped with a bale-release device (32) which has the function of moving a round bale which has been ejected from a baling chamber (20) away from the region of pivoting of a bale-evacuating grid (24) so that this grid (24) can be closed up again as quickly as possible once the round bale has been ejected. These bale-release devices (32) produced in the form of a U-shaped caliper or of an incline urged by a spring sometimes give the round bale so much energy of displacement that the bale rolls too far away from the baling press (10) for round bales, for example towards the bottom of a slope. The invention proposes to arrange a restraining device (36) at the free end of the bale-release device (32), which restraining device, by means of pressing elements, presses the round bale against it and prevents it from rolling further.

Description

Retaining device for a ball release device La

  The present invention relates to a holding device for a bale release device of a round baler, as well as a bale release device which is intended to move round bales out of a bale pressing chamber. of a round baler and which is pivotally mounted on the round baler and has a free end region

from which the round bale is delivered.

  Document EP-A2-O 104 510 discloses a round baler with a bale release device which has the shape of a "U" and essentially surrounds the outlet opening of the pressing chamber of bullets. This release device can, under the action of hydraulic cylinders, be pivoted vertically around a bearing at the point of articulation of the bale evacuation grid on

  the press frame. Following this pivoting, a round bale evacuates

  cuee of the pressing chamber by the back of the U-shaped stirrup leaves by rolling the region below the bale evacuation grid and is kept away from this region, so that the grid can be closed . In adverse circumstances, the

  round bale rolls further from the press than desired.

  Documents US-C-4 206 587 and DE-GM-82 13 107 each disclose a different type of construction of a ball release device, namely of the so-called "ball launcher" type. According to this system, a round bale falls on a ramp, moves it down against the force of a spring and rolls on it. As soon as the ball has left the ramp, the latter rises suddenly under the action of the spring and gives the ball a sufficient impulse to move it away from the

  pivoting region of the bullet discharge grid. With this sys-

  teme, there are also situations in which the ball does not

  can no longer be prevented from rolling too far.

  Document EP-Al-O 265 583 discloses a dega

  Bale management with a ramp in which the boom cannot tilt without hindrance, so that the round bale is brought into application against the bale evacuation grid which opens. This avoids an excessive moment of inertia of the ball. This requires an order

  special ball release device.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a retaining device for a round bale and a bale release device retaining a round bale, which pushes the bale at a sufficient distance behind the bale evacuation grid, but

  prevents it as much as possible from continuing to drive.

  The invention achieves this object by the fact that the retaining device is arranged in the delivery region or application region of the ball release device, is made flexible and can be applied by adhesion, by at least one pressing element, against at least one of the outer faces of the round bale. The ball release device according to the invention is characterized in that a retaining device according to

  the invention is provided for in its free terminal region.

  In this way, the round ball certainly moves away, while rolling,

  of the bale pressing chamber under the action of the stripping device

  bullet hitting, but it is prevented from continuing to roll by

  the braking action of the retaining device disposed on the device

  tif of release. The retaining device can act both on the front faces and on the peripheral face of the ball. The pressure action is certainly sufficient to retain the ball, but it allows

  also for the release device to return to its original position

  tiale, that is to say to withdraw from the round bale; in doing so,

  Depending on the friction force, the ball rolls in the direction of the bullet discharge grid and is held there until the release device is completely removed from the ball. We obtain a completely sufficient friction contact

  between the retainer and the round bale by providing elements

  pressure elements made in the form of leaf springs, which wedge the round bale between them. In simple circumstances, one can be satisfied with a rigid arrangement, for example perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of arms, pivotally articulated above the bale pressing chamber, with a bale release device produced in the form U-shaped stirrup. In order to better adapt to the particularities of space, a mobile arrangement of the retaining device can be provided. In particular, if the pressing elements are fixed to the arms or to a

  ramp with possibility of movement, and in the direction of de-

  development of the lateral faces of the round bale and / or in a perpendicular direction, this guarantees smooth reception of the

  bale as it exits the bale pressing chamber, which is

  particularly important when a round bale is surrounded by film

  or a net that must not be damaged.

  Thanks to the possibility of choosing the arrangement of the

  restraint, it is guaranteed to be applied against the round bale

  over a wide swivel range.

  The convex configuration of the retainer, or

  core of its pressing elements, has the consequence that a round bale can penetrate into the free space between two pressing elements without risk of degradation of its surface. This also gives an area of greater surface pressure and an area of less

surface pressure.

  If the pressing force of the retainer is reduced

  adjustable, the type and nature of the pressed product can be taken into account, the slope of the field on which the pressed product is located, soil irregularities and the like, so that even a slight bale of straw can be prevented from continuing to roll on a sloping field and on a flat surface, by the fact that the pressure force of the retaining device against the ball is consequently increased. If provision is made for moving the retaining device, in particular its pressing elements, away from the round bale and to apply it against this bale when it has entered the free space of the retaining device which is provided for that, we get

  then a particularly smooth reception of the ball.

  With a corresponding configuration and arrangement, it is also possible to replace the leaf springs of the retaining device with coil or torsion springs, which bring a flat element, or bars or the like, in application against the lateral faces

of the round bale.

  Similarly, an arrangement or configuration of the pressing elements in the manner of a funnel makes it possible to obtain a reception

  smoothly of the round bale by the retainer.

  A bale release device constructed in a ramp or U-shaped stirrup produces a controlled delivery of a round bale if it is provided with the retaining device described above. Since the retaining device is provided at the free end of the arms or of a ramp, the bale release device can move the round bale as far as possible from the round baler so that the discharge grid of balls can be closed, and maintain or

  brake the ball in this distant position.

  The retaining device can be used for any other known type of construction of a ball release device,

  regardless of whether it is a ramp stressed by res-

  comes out of a pusher or U-shaped bracket whose arms are pivotally held in an upper region of the round baler and whose back is brought into application against the round bale

  that it can move away from the press while driving.

  A ball release device with two hand arms

  pivoted in an upper region of the baler

  round, without transverse branch, is also sufficient to

  place the round bale if the retainer is attached to the arms which not only prevents the round bale from rolling further, but also gives it movement. However, the use of a bar extending between the two arms provides a simplified structure and a

  more reliable transmission of movement.

  The ability to adjust the retainer, and no-

  particularly its pressing elements, relative to the release device

  Bale allows adaptation to the specific dimensions of the round baler, the diameter of the bales, the weight of the

bullets and the like.

  Instead of fixing the retaining device in a fixed relation to the ball release device, for example to the arms, this retaining device can also be pivoted on these arms around a

  bearing, and thus be maintained in application against the side faces

  round bale rales over a longer distance. We can by

  example, by means of a spring, a cam guide or a rod

  change the relative position of the retainer relative to

  port to the ball release device according to the pivoting angle of said release device, so that the retaining device is constantly aligned with the center of the round bale and thus applies in friction against the lateral face of this bullet over the entire radius. A control linkage can be provided for this purpose between the retaining device and a fixed point or a point whose position relative to the retaining device changes during the pivoting movement of the ball release device. If the retaining device, or its pressing elements, is produced in the form of a lever with two arms which, under a spring action, is pivotally spaced, around the longitudinal axis of the arms for example, from the lateral faces of a round bale to be applied against application faces extending obliquely, a

  round bale evacuated from the bale pressing chamber can initial-

  unhindered entry into the free space of the retaining device

  naked. Only after the bullet release device has

  completed a minimum stroke and the retainer has recovered

  drawn from the application faces, that the pressing elements are applied against the lateral faces of the round bale under the force of springs

  and hold the ball to prevent it from rolling freely.

  The following description describes in more detail an example of a

  Lization of the invention which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a round baler with a bale release device according to the invention and a retaining device according to the invention, the bale release device being in a standby position, FIG. 2 is a side view of the round baler of FIG. 1, the bale release device being in a release position, Figure 3 is a side view of the retainer, Figure 4 is a top view of the retainer of Figure 3, and Figure 5 shows a vertical section through a pressure member of the retainer, along from line 5-5 of fi-

  gure 4 and in the direction of observation of the associated arrows.

  According to Figure 1, a round baler 10 comprises, in a known manner, a frame 12 which is supported in mobility on the ground by wheels 14 and which can be connected by a drawbar 16 to an agricultural tractor not shown . Below the chassis 12 is a collecting device 18, called a "pick up", and inside the chassis 12 a bale pressing chamber 20 which extends over a front part 22 of the pressing chamber, rigid, and a rear pressing chamber part formed by a bale discharge grid 24. The grid 24 is pivotally connected to the chassis 12

  in a joint 26 and can be pivoted around this joint-

  lation 26 by means of hydraulic motors 28. The pressure chamber 20

  Bale wise can be delimited both by belts and by cylinders, and be of a size that is both variable and constant: its mode of construction is of no importance for the present invention. Conventionally, during operation, the round baler is pulled on the field by the agricultural tractor and, by means of the collecting device 18, picks up the harvested product, preferably deposited in swaths, to press it in a cylindrical round bale 30 (see FIG. 2) in the pressing chamber 20. Once the round bale 30 has been formed, the bale discharge grid 24 is pivoted clockwise around the articulation 26 by means of the hydraulic motors 28, so that the round ball 30 can roll

out of room 20.

  The round baler described so far is of a conventional construction mode and therefore does not need to be more detailed. This round baler 10 is provided with a device 32 for releasing bales according to the invention which, in the present embodiment, consists of two arms 34, a retaining device 36 according to the invention and two actuating devices 38,

  a single arm 34 and a single actuating device 38 being re-

  shown, while the second arm and the second device are pre-

  seen coincidentally and in symmetrical arrangement with respect to the former. Instead of the ball release device 32 comprising arms 34, a device could also be constructed in

ramp, push-button or the like.

  The arms 34 are each pivotally mounted in a bearing

  near the joint 26, that is to say in the region of the

  upper diane of the chassis 12, and extend as far as below the bale pressing chamber 20; in an inactive position

  waiting, shown in Figure 1, the arms 34 extend sensi-

  along the line of separation between the front part 22 of the pressing chamber and the grid 24 for discharging bales. The arms 34 are formed from a round or polygonal profiled tube and provided, in their

  upper terminal region, of a receiving opening not shown

  path for the bearing 40. At about a quarter of the length of the arms, measured from the bearing 40, there is on each arm 34 a connection 42 for an actuating device 38. The arrangement and the dimensioning of the arms 34 are chosen so that the grid 24 can pivot freely in the free space that the arms 34 surround. In the present exemplary embodiment, a bar 44 further extends between the lower end portions of the two arms 34, a bar which thus extends over the entire width of the bale pressing chamber 20 and is sufficiently low to not not bother

  the exit of the round bale 30 from the chamber 20.

  In the present exemplary embodiment, the retaining device 36 is constituted, on each side of the baler 10

  round, that is to say on each arm 34, of a console 46 and of an element

  presser 48 which are constructed and connected to the arms 34 as

this is shown in Figures 3 to 5.

  The console 46 is formed from a U-shaped steel profile and

  surrounds the respective arm 34 over part of its length in its re-

  lower region, so that the back 50 of the U is facing

  outside. The assembly between the arm 34 and the console 46 is carried out

  read by a bolt 52; one could of course also weld the console 46. The use of bolting or other removable assembly has

  the advantage of also allowing a posteriori connection of the

  positive retainer 36 to conventional release devices 32.

  Two holes 54, 56, preferably threaded, are formed below the bolt 52 in the back 50. In the present embodiment, the console 46 constitutes a simple extension of the arms 34 and can

  therefore be totally deleted if the length of the arms 34 is sufficient

  fisante. However, even if the length of the arms 34 is sufficient, it is advantageous to use such consoles 46 in order to allow simple mounting, to be able to choose any fixing point on the arms 34 and to carry out an assembly without problem between the arms

34 and the pressing elements 48.

  The pressing element 48 is basically mobile, being for example made of an elastic material, or mounted elastically or with the possibility of displacement. One possible embodiment is that of a leaf spring, which essentially takes the form of a

  rectangle and extends backwards from the console 46, that is

  that is to the left in FIGS. 1 and 2. Its length protruding from the arms 34 or from the bar 44 corresponds approximately to the maximum possible radius of a round bale 30 formed in the bale pressing chamber 20. In its region of application against the back 50, the pressing element 48 has a hole 58 and a slot 60, which follows

  a circular path around this hole 58. A bolt respec-

  tif 62, 64, provided with a not detailed wedging washer, passes through the hole 58 and the slot 60 and is respectively fixed in the holes 56, 54 of the back 50. FIG. 3 in particular shows that the pressing element 48 can be pivoted around the bolt 62 to the extent permitted by the slot 60. As soon as the bolt 64 is tightened, the pressing element 48 is rigidly fixed relative to the console 46, and therefore also relative to the arm 34. FIG. 5 shows that, in the present exemplary embodiment, the pressing element 48 is not produced in the form of a flat plate, but that its upper edge is curved outwards relative to its lower edge behind the console 46, that is to say that the element 48 is converging downwards, so that the round bale 30 can be more easily received between two pressing elements 48. The pressing element 48 could also be made convex and take , instead of a rectangular shape, a forum me practically any, for example the shape of a circular disc. In addition, the pressing element 48 does not necessarily have to be rigidly fixed on the arms 34, but could be mounted on these pivoting arms around the bolt 62, the pivoting movement being able to be effected by being controlled either by the action of a spring not shown, either by the use of a linkage, not shown, connected to the grid

  24 for discharging bales or to the chassis 12 and to the pressing element 48.

  In the version shown, the longitudinal axes of the element pres-

  sor 48 and arm 34 are mutually perpendicular. The disposi-

  tion of the pressing elements 48 is also chosen so that the latter do not protrude beyond the rear side of the press 10

  when the arms 34 take their waiting position.

  Each actuating device 38 consists of a mo-

  linear hydraulic head which acts pivotally on the chassis 12 at one end and, at the other end, in the connection 42 on the arm 34. The actuation device 38 is activated, either manually from the tractor agricultural, either automatically at

  by means of a control device, not shown, which delivers signals

  output channels as a function of the position of the grid 24 for discharging bales. The actuating devices 38 in any case always pivot the arms 34 only once the grid 24 has been raised enough for the round bale 30 to be able to leave or has left the bale pressing chamber 20. Each actuating device 38 can also consist of a linkage or a chain, which act respectively at one end on the arms 34 and at the other end on the bullet discharge grid 24, and which actuate the arms 34 at the following a determined opening stroke of the grid 24. Such an actuation device is for example disclosed in document EP-A2-0 300 165. Finally, it will be noted that we can also theoretically be satisfied with a single actuating device 38 for two arms 34, if the latter are mutually connected by a bar 44. It is only in the absence of the bar 44 that two actuating devices 38 are needed. We will now describe the operation of the device

  during the ejection of a round bale 30 from the chamber 20 of press-

  wise ball and its subsequent release from the pivot region of the ball discharge grid 24, so that this

  grid can return to the position closing chamber 20.

  Following the formation of a round bale 30 in the bale pressing chamber 20, the bale evacuation grid 24 is lifted manually or automatically by means of the actuating devices 28, so that the round bale 30 can leave chamber 20. When the round bale 30 leaves chamber 20, it falls

  on the ground, so that the arms 34 and the bar 44 come into application

  cation down against the right side, according to Figures i and 2, of the round bale 30, while the retainers 36

  apply by their pressing elements 48 against the lateral faces

  balls of the round bale 30. In order to release the round bale 30 from the

  displacement region of the bullet discharge grid 24,

  now activates the actuating devices 38, so that the arms 34 are pivoted clockwise and move the ball away from it

  rolling, according to Figures i and 2, so that it is displaced

  from its position in figure i to its position in figure 2. Pen-

  dant the pivoting movement of the arms 34, the pressing elements 48 remain in application against the lateral faces of the round bale 30 and block the latter against the bar 44. The round bale 30 can nevertheless move relative to the pressing elements 48 while 'she rolls. Even in the situation shown in FIG. 2, the pressing elements 48 still apply against the round bale 30 and prevent it from rolling further. Due to the dimensions of the bale evacuation grid 24 relative to the arms 34, the arms 34 can still come to a standstill in the position shown in FIG. 2 and keep the round bale 30 away from the press 10 when the

  grid 24 is brought back, by pivoting counterclockwise, in ap-

  bending against the front part 22 of the pressing chamber. Finally, the arms 34 are also brought back by pivoting counterclockwise into the standby position, as shown in FIG. 1. If the pressing elements 48 then had to hold the round bale 30 with a fixity such that the bale rolls backwards, it will then come into application against the grid 24, and the pressing elements 48

will continue to move.

Claims (15)

  1.- Retaining device (36) for a device (32) for releasing bales from a press (10) with round bales, characterized in that it is arranged in the delivery region or region of application of the device (32) ball release, is made flexible and can be brought into application by adhesion, by at least one pressing element (48), against at least one of the outer faces of the round bale (30).   2.- retaining device according to claim 1, characterized by pressing elements (48) produced in the form of   leaf springs, which are rigidly or movably fixed on the device   positive (32) ball release.   3.- retainer according to claim 1 or 2,   characterized by pressing elements (48) of convex shape, in particular elastic.   4.- Restraint device according to any one of the res-   previous dications, characterized by pressing elements (48), in particular elastic, whose force of application against the ball round (30) is adjustable.   5.- Restraint device according to any one of the res-   dications preceding, characterized by pressing elements (48) which can be brought into a position of application against the ball   round (30) and in a position remote from the latter.   6.- Restraint device according to any one of the res-   dications previous, characterized by pressing elements (48) which are made in the form of discs or plates and are elastically fixed to the device (32) for releasing bales by springs to sausage or twist.   7.- Restraint device according to any one of the res-   above, characterized by pressing elements (48) which are configured or arranged convergently in the direction of reception of the round bale (30).   8.- bale release device (32) which is intended to move round bales (30) as they exit from a bale pressing chamber (20) of a round bale press (10) and which is pivotally mounted on the round baler (10) and has a free end region from which the round bale (30) is delivered, characterized in that a retaining device according to any one   of the preceding claims is provided in said terminal region   free. 9. A bale release device according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises two arms (34) which, at one end, are pivotally mounted above the chamber (20) for bale pressing and which , at the other end, can be brought into application against the round bale (30) by a free end region.   10.- Bale release device according to the claim   tion 8, characterized in that it comprises a ramp biased by res-   spell which, at one end, is pivotally mounted in the region   lower part of the bale pressing chamber (20) which, at the other end, can be brought into application against the round bale (30) by a free terminal region.   11.- Bale release device according to the claim   tion 9, characterized in that a bar (44), extending over the width of the bale pressing chamber (20), is provided between the two arm (34).   12.- Bale release device according to one   conch of the preceding claims, characterized in that the posi-   relative position of the retainer (36) with respect to the device   (32) ball clearance can be adjusted.   13.- Bale release device according to one   conch of the preceding claims, characterized in that a trin-   control panel, for the movement of the retainer (36), extends between the retainer (36) and a frame (12) or a   bale discharge grid (24) of the round bale press (10).   14.- Bale release device according to one   conch of the preceding claims, characterized in that the   retainer (36) is spaced from the side faces of the round bale (30) as long as the bale release device (32) is in a position in which it will receive the round bale (30). 15.Bullet clearance device according to one   any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the   retainer (36) is resiliently attached to the device (32)   bale release by coil or torsion springs.