FR2882623A1 - Square bale press for compressing e.g. hay, has commutator device connecting or disconnecting movable fork and driving gear and tilting press between continuous and discontinuous operation modes in reversible manner - Google Patents

Abstract

The press has a commutator device connecting or disconnecting a movable fork (10) and a driving gear (15). The commutator device tilts the press between continuous and discontinuous operation modes in a reversible manner. The operation of the fork is independent of a filling signal, in one operation mode. The operation of the fork is dependent of the filling signal, in the other operation mode.

Description

"Square bale press"

  FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a press for compacting materials such as hay, grass, leaves or any other type of material mown or harvested in square bales, or by the term "square bales". we hear bullets of essentially parallelepipedic shape.

  Current state of the art Presses are currently known for forming square bales, which include a frontal zone, generally called a pick-up, capable of collecting the hay - or any other material to be compressed - and pushing it inside the bale. press itself, in a first internal conduit generally called prechamber.

  The prechamber opens on a second chamber in which moves a piston adapted to compress the hay and form a ball more or less parallelepiped.

  Hay, fodder or any other material to be compressed is pushed by what is called a mobile fork which, under the action of adequate kinetics, pushes the hay from the antechamber to the piston chamber.

  In a first type of square bale press, said "continuous operation", the fork pushes the hay from the prechamber to the piston chamber continuously and at a uniform rate.

  In a second type of square bale press, called "discontinuous operation", the fork pushes the hay from the antechamber to the piston chamber only when the antechamber has reached a predetermined degree of filling.

  Depending on various factors, such as, for example, the type of terrain, the quality and the hygrometric conditions of the material on the ground, one of the two types of press - continuous or discontinuous - may be more advantageous than the other.

  For example, when there is a small amount of hay, forage, or any other product to be compressed on the ground, a batch press may be more effective.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a square bale press which is able to operate both in continuous and batch operation.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This object is achieved according to a first aspect of the present invention with a square bale press comprising: - a compression chamber (7); - A piston (8) adapted to compact the harvested material moving in the compression chamber (7); - A prechamber (6), located upstream of the compression chamber and adapted to receive the harvested material; - a filling detector device (18) adapted to emit a filling signal when at least a predetermined quantity of harvested material is in the prechamber (6); - A filling device (10) adapted to transfer the harvested material of the prechamber (6) to the compression chamber (7); and characterized in that it further comprises: - a rotary motor element (15) adapted to actuate the - 2 filling device (10); - an engagement device (172, 173, 174, 175, 181) adapted to allow or prohibit the motor rotating element (15) to actuate the filling device (10) reversibly connecting or disconnecting, according to the case, the filling device (10) and the rotating motor element; - a switch device (20, 21, 22, 23, 182, 203) adapted to control the latching device, so that the latter reversibly connects or disconnects the filling device (10) and the rotating motor element (15), and further adapted to reversibly switch the press between a first mode of operation, wherein the operation of the filling device (10) is substantially independent of the filling signal, and a second mode of operation, in wherein the operation of the filling device (10) depends essentially on the filling signal.

  The advantages that can be obtained with the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art through the following detailed description of a particular embodiment of non-limiting nature, illustrated in the following schematic figures.

  List of Figures Figure 1 shows a side view, with a mechanical diagram, of a preferred embodiment of a square bale press according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a detailed enlargement of the diagram of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the fork, the antechamber and feelers of the press of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a front view of the driving wheel 5 and the driven wheel of the press of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows schematically a sectional side view of the driving wheel and the driven wheel of Figure 4, along the section plane IV-IV; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the movable balance of the press of Figure 1.

detailed description

  Figures 1 and 2 show the scheme of a preferred embodiment of a press according to the present invention for compacting harvested materials such as hay, grass, leaves or fodder in general, forming bales of form more or less parallelepipedic.

  The press of FIG. 1, designated by the assembly reference 1, is able to be pulled by a tractor for agricultural use which, by means of the rotary joint 2 located at the front part of the press, provides the driving force to the press.

  The reference 3 designates a support structure on which are fixed the main wheels (not shown) with which the press 1 can roll on the ground.

  Advancing in the direction of the arrow F the press 1 picks up on the ground the harvested material - such as hay - thanks to the front pick-up 4 of a type known per se and comprising for example a rotary picker 5 two opposing Archimedean screws. The rotary collector 5 and a rotary comb feeder, actuated for example by the toothed wheel 13, pick up the hay and push it into the pre-chamber 6 which, in the present embodiment, comprises a relatively flattened cross-section conduit which, in describing a curve approximately in an arc and starting from an input zone, for example approximately horizontal, gradually inclines to open into a compression chamber 7 in which a piston or presser 8 can move in a movement alternative.

  The hay or any other harvested material present in the compression chamber 7 is compressed by the piston 8 and discharged, in the form of a square bale, by the posterior portion 9 of the press.

  The harvested material present in the prechamber 6 is transferred into the compression chamber 7 by means of a so-called movable fork 10, i.e. a mechanical element provided with a plurality of teeth 110 (FIGS. 3) lined up and sinking into the hay and succeed in pushing it in the desired direction. In other embodiments not illustrated, the fork can be replaced by a shovel or a mobile spoon.

  Adequate kinetics, for example a system of cranks, actuates the mobile fork 10 with a back and forth movement along an annular course of irregular and oblong shape, called in the trade "course in the shape of a kidney" ( "kidney-shaped path") and described for example in the European patent application EP636308A1.

  There is preferably on the press 1 a suitable system to prevent hay or other harvested material does not fluff in the compression chamber 7 when the prechamber 6 is not sufficiently full; in the present embodiment such a system comprises a movable barrier 16 (Figure 2) which moving can close or open at least a portion of the passage section of the prechamber 6; the movable barrier 16 can be made as a rotary shutter, as a sliding partition or as a series of retractable needles which move transversely in the prechamber 6.

  In the present embodiment, the driving power required to actuate the mobile fork 10 and the piston 8, supplied to the press 1 by an external motor via the input clutch 2, is distributed to the various transmission members. the press by a distribution system comprising a timing chain 11 and timing gears 12, 13, 14, 15 (Figures 1 and 2).

  In particular, in the present example, the gearwheel - also referred to in this specification as "drive wheel 15" - is always engaged with the timing chain 11. On the gearwheel 15 is mounted, coaxially with that Here, a driven wheel 17 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) which, when rotating, actuates the fork 10 and can, reversibly, be connected or disconnected from the driving wheel 15 by means of a suitable clutch device. , which will be described later one embodiment.

  The press 1 according to the present invention further comprises a filling detection device, able to emit a filling signal when in the prechamber 6 is at least a predetermined quantity of hay or any other material harvested or mowed. In the present preferred embodiment, such a filling detector device comprises several feelers 18 (FIGS. 1 to 3), each comprising a rocking lever rotatable about an axis of rotation AT in a position transverse to the prechamber 6 (FIGS. Figure 3); in the present example all the probes 18 are integrally connected to the same shaft 180 which rotates about the axis AT.

  The free end of each probe 18 can enter the prechamber 6 and exit through suitable openings 19 made in the wall of the prechamber 6 itself.

  As will be explained in more detail below, when the filling detection device is activated and the amount of hay or other harvested material increases to a predetermined threshold value, the filling detector device emits a adequate signal, mechanical, electrical or fluidic (also called, in this description, "filling signal") which actuates the mobile fork 10, which transfers the harvested material from the prechamber 6 to the compression chamber 7. When the detector device filling is activated the press 1 thus operates according to said "discontinuous mode of operation".

  According to the present invention, the press 1 is further provided with a switching device adapted to control the clutch device, so that the latter reversibly connects or disconnects the filling device and the driving wheel 15 - or, d more generally, the filling device and a motor rotary member 15 - and further capable of reversibly reversing the press between a first operating mode, in which the operation of the filling device is essentially independent of the filling signal, and a second mode of operation, wherein the operation of the filling device depends essentially on the filling signal.

  Said switch device is thus able to reversibly pass a press according to the present invention from a continuous mode of operation to a discontinuous mode of operation.

  In the embodiment of the accompanying figures, this is accomplished as follows.

  The drive wheel and driven wheel assembly FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively show a front view and a sectional side view of the driving wheel-driven wheel assembly of the press of FIG.

  The driven wheel 17 comprises a plate 170 on the outer edge of which a cam profile 171 has been formed.

  Near the outer edge of the plate 170 is fixed a movable tooth 172, able to oscillate by rotation on a pivot about the axis AD and on which a stop surface 173 has been formed.

  The oscillating body of the movable tooth 172 further defines a second movable abutment surface 174 adapted to abut against the radial boss 175 secured to the driving wheel 15.

  The oscillating body of the movable tooth 172 is pushed in the counterclockwise direction - with reference to FIG. 4 - by a suitable spring, not shown, against another mechanical stop secured to the plate 170 and not shown.

  The switching rocker FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the switching rocker of the press of FIG. 1.

  Said beam, designated by the assembly reference 20, comprises a central body 200, obtained for example from a metal plate and mounted by a pivot on the structure of the press 1 so as to be able to oscillate by rotation about an AB axis.

  At the upper part of the central body 200 is fixed a cross member 201, disposed transversely in the prechamber 6 and to which is connected the link 160 (Figures 2 and 6) which actuates the locking / unlocking system of the movable barrier 16.

  Approximately in the central part of the central body 200 is fixed a buffer 202, able to bear against the cam profile 171 of the driven wheel 17, while on the lower part of the central body 200 has been shaped a suitable mechanical stop 204, arranged for example on an extension 203.

  Under operating conditions the mobile rocker 20 is constantly pushed towards the cam profile 171 by a suitable spring 205, for example an encapsulated spring as in Figure 6 or a gas spring.

  Other components of the switch device The press of FIG. 1 further comprises a control lever 21, which can for example be operated by hand and which in turn actuates a rod 22 (Figure The rod 22 is provided with a hook 23 (Figure 2) - or in any case a suitable mechanical stop or an engagement member 23 - adapted to engage with the cross member 201 of the rocker 20 (Figure 6) so as to rotate it clockwise - with respect to FIG. 2 - when the rod 22 is moved towards the rear part 9 of the press.

  In the present preferred embodiment the press 1 further comprises a tilting blocking lever 181 (FIG. 2) attached to the shaft 180 of the feelers 18 so as to be rotatable relative to the shaft 180 itself, at least within a rotation sector of predetermined angular amplitude; on the rocking lever 181 is formed another mechanical stop 182, arranged for example on a branch of the rocking lever 181 itself.

  The operation of the press 25 will now be described.

  Operation of the press During the batch mode operation of the press 1 the control lever 21 is pushed to the left - see Figure 1 - the filling detector device is activated and the free ends of the feelers 18 are free to enter into the pre-chamber 6 through the openings 19 (Figure 3) and to rely on the hay or any other harvested material present in the prechamber itself; when the amount of this harvested material in prechamber 6 is less than the predetermined threshold amount (situation of FIG. 2), the movable tooth 172 bears against one end of the rocking lever 181 - or in any case against another adequate part of the rocking lever -, preventing the rotation of the driven wheel 17 even if the chain 11 has the driving wheel 15 in rotation: in fact, in this situation the radial boss 175 can cross the movable stop 174 without stopping against it. The fork 10 remains inactive.

  The spring 205 presses to the left - see Figure 2 - on the rocker 20 and keeps it in contact with the cam profile 171 of the driven wheel 17, and the movable barrier 16 is locked in the closed position; the hay or any other harvested material thus accumulates in the prechamber 6 without being able to penetrate the compression chamber 7.

  When the amount of hay or harvested material in pre-chamber 6 reaches the predetermined threshold amount, the feelers 18 are raised by turning counterclockwise in a manner sufficient to rotate also in the same direction. sense the rocking lever 181, which releases the movable tooth 172; the movable tooth 172 can therefore, under the effect of its adequate spring - not shown - turn slightly anticlockwise about its axis of rotation AD (Figure 4) so that the second surface movable stop 174 comes into abutment against the radial boss 175 without being able to cross it; therefore the drive wheel 15 rotates the driven wheel 17 which in turn, through the cam profile 171 which rotates the mobile rocker 20 clockwise, unblocks or anyway opens the movable barrier 16, allowing the passage of hay from the prechamber 6 to the compression chamber 7; the driving wheel 15 further actuates the fork 10, which transfers the hay load or any other material harvested from the pre-chamber 6 to the compression chamber 7, where it is compressed and shaped into a square bale.

  Once empty the prechamber 6, the free ends of the feelers 18 are lowered - for example by gravity or under the effect of a suitable return spring 183 (Figure 2) - in the prechamber itself, the rocking lever 181 rotates in a clockwise direction, again blocking the movable tooth 172 and the press returns to the situation of Figure 2, still working in a discontinuous operation.

  To switch the press 1 into the continuous mode, turn lever 21 clockwise - see Figure 1.

  As a result, the hook 23 pushes the cross member 201 (FIG. 6) of the mobile rocker 20 to the right, moving the rocker arm away from the cam profile 171 and permanently releasing the moving barrier 16.

  In addition, as a result of the rotation of the mobile rocker 20 in the direction of clockwise, the rod 203 pushes, by its mechanical stop 204, the mechanical stop 182 of the rocking lever 181, rotating the latter in the opposite direction clockwise, releasing the movable tooth 172 and, preferably, permanently lifting the feelers 18 so that they do not slow down the influx of hay or any other harvested material introduced into the antechamber by the pick-up 4 and by the rotary feeder actuated by the toothed wheel 13. Thus, when the control lever 21 is moved to the right, the movable barrier 16 is permanently unlocked or opened, the driven wheel 17 driven by rotational permanence by the driving wheel 15 and the fork 10 continuously actuated by the wheel 17, regardless of the degree of filling of the prechamber 6; the press thus works in continuous operation mode.

  The embodiment which has just been described shows how, according to the present invention, it is possible to produce a square bale press which can reversibly switch from the continuous operating mode to the batch mode by a quick and easy maneuvering, without, for example, dismantling or mounting mechanical components.

  The switching and drive kinetics of the press described above is also relatively simple and composed of a relatively small number of levers and components, and possibly also makes it possible to effectively perform both switching from discontinuous mode to continuous mode. (and vice versa) that the detection of the degree of filling of the prechamber - for the discontinuous operation - with an exclusively mechanical device, without there being need for sensors or electromechanical or fluidic controls, which increases the reliability of the press, simplifies the construction and facilitates maintenance.

  A contribution to the simplification of cinematisms described above derives in particular from the presence of the mobile rocker 20 which, by its simple movement, regulates various functions in the continuous operation, in the discontinuous operation and during the passage from one to the other. other.

  The fact that, during continuous operation, the mobile rocker 20 is not in contact with the cam profile but is remote from it avoids unnecessary friction and improves the energy efficiency of the press.

  The arrangement of the feelers 18 on the same side of the prechamber 6 as the driving wheel 15 and the timing chain 11 makes it possible to use lever systems - or, more generally, movement transmission systems - relatively simple to transmit the movements. feelers 18.

  Advantageously, in the embodiment described above, the feelers 18 are arranged on the upper face of the slightly inclined - or in any case not vertical - part of the antechamber: in this way the problems of penetration of pebbles and the like are avoided. undesirable bodies, as long as the lower face of the prechamber can be a simple closed wall and the openings 19 of the feelers are in the sheltered position relative to the ground. This furthermore makes it advantageous to adopt rocking levers - feelers 18 - which pass through openings in the walls of the prechamber - openings 19 -, with abundant days and without mechanical contact with the edges of the openings themselves, for detecting the degree of filling of the prechamber itself, by making it possible to produce a simpler and more sensitive filling detection system than the known deformable wall detection systems of known type; more generally, in other embodiments not shown, the antechamber comprises at least a portion of non-vertical conduit and probes 18 or other mobile detection elements 18 are advantageously arranged so as to be able, during the operation of the press, appear on one side of said non-vertical duct portion on the opposite side of the floor relative to the non-vertical portion itself of the prechamber 6.

  The previously described embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and variations without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention: for example the driving wheel 15 can be replaced by another suitable rotary motor element; the probes 18 can be replaced by suitable mobile detection elements able to move or deform under the effect of the pressure of the harvested material present in the prechamber 6; the driven wheel 17 can be replaced by another suitable driven rotating element; it is more generally possible to replace the reversible locking system of the driven wheel 17, consisting of the movable tooth 172, by a suitable locking / unlocking device for the driven wheel 17 or the driven rotating element 17; it is possible for example to realize said locking / unlocking device in the form of a brake or tangential friction element - which preferably acts in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the driven rotating element 17 -, without necessarily resorting to a mechanical stop of blocking 173; similarly it can replace the interlocking system comprising the second movable abutment surface 174 and the radial boss 175 integral with the drive wheel 15; the mobile rocker 20 and the rocking lever 181 can operate not only by oscillation in a rotational movement about their axis, but also by a planetary movement (in this case the toggle lever 181 is generally replaced by a second movable element 181); it is more generally possible to replace the control lever 21, the rod 22 and the hook 23 by an exclusion device capable of disconnecting the mobile balance from the driven rotary element, thus preventing the driven element from controlling the rotation by means of its rotation and unlocking or opening and closing the movable barrier.

Claims (16)

  A square bale press comprising: - a compression chamber (7); - A piston (8) adapted to compact the harvested material moving in the compression chamber (7); - A prechamber (6), located upstream of the compression chamber and adapted to receive the harvested material; a filling detector device (18) adapted to emit a filling signal when at least a predetermined quantity of harvested material is in the prechamber (6); a filling device (10) capable of transferring the harvested material from the prechamber (6) to the compression chamber (7); and characterized in that it further comprises: - a rotary motor element (15) adapted to actuate the filling device (10); - an engagement device (172, 173, 174, 175, 181) adapted to allow or prohibit the motor rotating element (15) to actuate the filling device (10) reversibly connecting or disconnecting, according to the case, the filling device (10) and the rotating motor element; - a switch device (20, 21, 22, 23, 182, 203) adapted to control the latching device, so that the latter reversibly connects or disconnects the filling device (10) and the rotating motor element (15), and further adapted to reversibly switch the press between a first mode of operation, wherein the operation of the filling device (10) is substantially independent of the filling signal, and a second mode of operation, in wherein the operation of the filling device (10) depends essentially on the filling signal.   2. Press according to claim 1, characterized in that the filling device comprises a fork (10), shovel, spoon or movable appendix able to move repeatedly along a course, introducing itself at least partly in the antechamber (6) and pushing the harvested material along the prechamber itself to the compression chamber (7).   3. Press according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the filling detector device comprises a movable sensor element (18) adapted to move or deform under the effect of the pressure of the harvested material present at least in the prechamber (6), said movable sensor element (18) appearing or being able to appear, during operation of the press, on one side of the prechamber (6) located on the same side as said rotary motor element (15) with respect to the prechamber (6) itself.   4. Press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said prechamber (6) comprises a conduit with at least a non-vertical portion relative to the ground on which the press works and the filling detector device comprises a movable sensor element (18) capable of moving or deforming under the effect of the pressure of the harvested material, said movable sensor element (18) appearing or being able to appear, during operation of the press, on a side of said non-moving part vertical located on the side opposite the ground relative to the non-vertical part itself.   5. Press according to claim 4, characterized in that the movable sensor element (18) is adapted to tilt about an axis of rotation (AT) under the effect of at least the pressure of the harvested material present in the prechamber (6).   6. Press according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interlocking device comprises: - at least one driven rotating element (17) able to actuate said filling device (10) and - a locking / unlocking device (172, 173, 174, 175, 181) capable of preventing or reversibly allowing the rotation of the driven rotary element (17).   7. Press according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a movable barrier (16) adapted to prevent or allow the influx of harvested material from the prechamber (6) in the compression chamber (7).   8. Press according to claim 7, characterized in that the driven rotating element (17) is adapted to actuate the locking and unlocking, or the opening and closing, of the movable barrier (16).   9. Press according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it comprises a movable rocker (20) adapted to control the locking and unlocking, or the opening and closing, of the movable barrier (16) in itself. moving between a first position in which said movable barrier (16) is respectively locked or closed and a second position in which said movable barrier is respectively unlocked or opened.   10. Press according to claim 9, characterized in that the movable rocker (20) is adapted to control the locking and unlocking of said driven rotary member (17) by moving between a first position in which said driven rotating element (17) is locked and a second position in which said driven rotating member (17) is rotatable.   11. Press according to one of claims 6 to 10,   characterized in that said locking / unlocking device (172, 173, 174, 175, 181) includes a first mechanical stop (173) attached to the driven rotary member (17) and a second movable member (181), and mobile rocker {20) is adapted to control the displacement of the second movable element (181) between a locking position, in which the first mechanical stop (173) bears against the second movable element (181), preventing the rotation of the driven rotating element (17), and an unlocking position, in which the first mechanical stop (173) does not rest against the second movable element (181), which does not prevent the rotation of the driven rotary element ( 17).   12. Press according to claims 4 and 11,   characterized in that the second movable member (181) and the movable sensing element (18) are connected so that movement of the second movable member (181) to its unlocking position deactivates the movable sensing element (18) preventing it from detecting if at least a predetermined amount of harvested material is in the prechamber (6).   13. Press according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the driven rotating element (17) is adapted to control, depending on its angular position about its axis of rotation, the locking and unlocking or the opening and closing the movable barrier (16).   14. Press according to claim 13, characterized in that the driven rotary element (17) is provided with a cam profile (171) adapted to control the locking and unlocking or the opening and closing of the barrier mobile (16).   15. Press according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the movable rocker (20) is adapted to bear against the driven rotary element (17) so as to allow the latter to actuate the blocking and unlocking or opening and closing the movable barrier (16).   Press according to claims 9 and 13,   characterized in that it comprises an exclusion device (21, 22, 23) capable of disconnecting the mobile rocker (20) from the driven rotary element, preventing the driven rotary element (17) from controlling, by its rotation , locking and unlocking or opening and closing of the movable barrier (16).