GB1581997A - Agricultural balers - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL BALERS (71) We, BAMFORDS LIMITED, a British Company, of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 8JD, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to agricultural balers, more especially of the type which are advanced over the ground to collect crop to be harvested and form the gathered crop into bales which are tied by twine.

The twine for use in such balers is normally supplied in the form of self-supporting hollow spools having outer, generally cylindrical faces and without any central core, or support. When the baler is in use the twine is unwound continuously from the middle of the spool. The spools are sufficiently stable to be progressively unwound from the middle without collapsing until almost totally unwound.

It has been normal practice for such spools of twine to be housed in a baler in a compartment affording a flat floor. Normally, storage space is provided for several spools which are separated by fixed partitions and the trailing end of one spool is tied to the leading end of the next so that the baler may be operated without interruption for substantial periods of time.

Such an arrangement has been satisfactory but balers are continuously being designed to operate at higher ground speeds with resultant increased jolting of the spools when the baler is in use on uneven ground, with the result that partially unwound spools of twine may collapse and tangle. The fixed partitions do not locate the spools in a manner to prevent jolting thereof because plenty of clearance has to be provided because spools come in different sizes. The increased jolting due to the high speed of modern balers causes the spools of twine to collapse with a risk of the twine becoming tangled.

In accordance with the invention an agricultural baler is provided with a twine compartment adapted to support a plurality of spools of twine side-by-side, and the compartment includes a support surface on which the spools may rest with their axes arranged vertically in substantially parallel relationship and a plurality of transverse parts movable over said surface to provide lateral support for spools of twine resting thereon, the transverse parts being movable between first or loading relative positions in which the spools can be placed adjacent to the parts and second or locating relative positions in which the parts can engage the cylindrical faces of the spools and locate the latter within the compartment.

We have found that by locating the spools in this manner, even though the machine jolts at comparatively high speeds over uneven ground, the spools retain their form without tangling.

Preferably each of at least some of the parts is pivoted adjacent to one end about a vertical axis and means is provided for releasably locking each pivoted part when the parts are in their locating positions.

The parts may be connected to a common tie bar which can be locked in position to lock all the parts in position or each part may be provided with a separate releasable locking means.

Preferably the releasable locking means is arranged to lock the pivoted parts in any one of a plurality of positions whereby spools of different sizes may be located.

Some of the locating parts may be provided by walls of the compartment and the pivoted parts may have vertical portions at right angles to one another when viewed in plan and arranged to engage the spools.

The pivoted parts may be arranged so that the spools may be located between pairs of such parts or between a wall of the compartment and a pivoted part.

The compartment. preferably has a. floor on which the spools rest.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a twine compartment of a baler embodying the invention showing spools of twine located therein; FIGURE 2 is a plan view showing part of the compartment of Figure 1 in a loading position for loading spools of twine therein' FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the compartment of Figure 1 showing the spools located' FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a twine component constituting a second embodiment of the invention with the spools in a loading position; FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the component of Figure 4 showing the spools located; and FIGURE 6 is a diagram illustrating the location of a twine component on a baler.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, the twine compartment comprises a flat floor 10 which has four, spaced, parallel vertical plates 11 mounted thereon for movement about vertical axes 12 at one set of ends thercof. At their other set of ends the p]ates 11 are interconnected by a tie bar 13 to which they are pivotally connected.

The tie bar 13 also carries a screw 14 which extends through an arcuate slot 15 in the floor 10 having its centre of curvature coincident with the axis 12 of the (as shown) right hand plate 11. The plates ] 1 may thus be swung from the loading positions shown in Figure 2 to the locating positions as shown in Figure 3 and secured in such positions by means of the screw 14.

It will be seen that, in the loading positions, the plates 11 extend in a direction perpendicular to the length of the tie bar 13 and are spaced apart by a maximum distance. When the plates 11 are in these positions a pair of spools can be inserted between each pair of adjacent plates 11.

As the tie bar 13 is moved to the right as indicated in Figure 3, the perpendicular spacing between adjacent plates 11 decreases so as to locate spools 16 interposed between them. The plates 11 are formed with vertical ribs 17 to assist in the location of the spools 16, and the innermost row (i.e. that shown uppermost in Figures 2 and 3) of spools is partly located by the rear wall 100 of the compartment.

Providing all the spools 16 are of the same size they will all be located effectively in the appropriate setting of the tie bar 13 so that as each spool is unwound the location of the remaining spools will not be affected. Further, within the limits imposed by the length of the arcuate slot 15, various sizes of spool can be accommodated. We have found by locating the spools in this way they do not collapse until almost totally unwound.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, in this embodiment the twine compartment comprises a floor 20 and a vertical rear wall 101 having parts 21 which, in plan view, are inclined relative to the longitudinal extension of the wall. At the left hand end of each part 21 there is a part 22 which is perpendicular to said extension.

Pivotally mounted on the floor 20 are three vertical plates 23, the plates are pivoted at 24 about vertical axes and each carries a rib 26. The ends of the plates 23 remote from their pivots 24 are pivoted to a tie bar 27 common to the plates 23. The tie bar has a notch 29 therein which is adapted to be engaged with a locking screw 29a on the floor 20 as will be described.

With the parts in the positions shown in Figure 4, spools 30a-30f can be inserted in pairs so that each of the spools engages a part 21, thus the spool 30a engages the left hand wall 102 of the compartment and the spool 30b; the spools 30b and 30d engage parts 22; spool 30c engages between spools 30b and 30d; spool 30e engages between spools 30d and 30f and the latter engages the right hand wall 103 of the compartment.

With the spools in the positions shown in Figure 5, the tie bar 27 is then moved in the direction of the arrow 31 in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5 and is locked in that position by the screw 29a engaging in the slot 29. Each pair of spools is now located as described above.

If desired, the screw 29a could be placed in a slot in the support plate 20 so that the tie bar could have a number of positions in which spools of different sizes can be located.

Referring now to Figure 6, this shows a pick-up baler and the location of the twine compartment is indicated at 32, the compartment having a hinged cover 33 which closes the compartment when the baler is in use.

Instead of the vertical locating plates 11 and 23 being connected to a common tie bar each plate may be separately movable and have its own releasable locking means.

Whilst the swinging plates 11 and 23 (Figures 2 and 4 respectively) connected in a type of parallelogram linkage as described form a particularly simple and economical arrangement, it is envisaged that other methods may be adopted for mounting the plates. For example, they could be arranged for linear movement in a direction perpendicular to their lengths by means of, for example, a spring bias applied to the end plate and initially transmitted through the spools to the remaining plates. In this case, spacer members of lesser length than the diameter of the spools would be required between the adjacent plates to transmit the thrust from the spring from one plate to the next as the spools are used up and collapse.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. An agricultural baler provided with a twine compartment adapted to support a plurality of spools of twine side-by-side, and the compartment includes a support surface on which the spools may rest with their axes arranged vertically in substantially parallel relationship and a plurality of transverse parts movable over said surface to provide lateral support for spools of twine resting thereon, the transverse parts being movable between first or loading relative positions in which the spools can be placed adjacent to the parts and second or locating relative positions in which the parts can engage the cylindrical faces of the spools and locate the latter within the compartment.

2. A baler according to Claim 1 wherein said parts are pivoted adjacent to one end about a respective vertical axis and means is provided for releasably locking each pivoted part when the parts are in their locating positions.

3. A baler according to Claim 2 wherein the releasable locking means is arranged to lock the pivoted parts in any one of a plurality of positions whereby spools of different sizes may be located.

4. A baler according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein each pivoted part is also pivotally connected at its other end to a tie. bar common to the pivoted parts.

5. A baler according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein the pivoted parts have vertical portions at right angles to one another when viewed in plan and arranged to engage the spools.

6. A baler according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the pivoted parts are arranged so that each spool may be located between pairs of said pivoted parts.

7. A baler according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the compartment is arranged so that each spool may be located between a wall of the compartment and one of said pivoted parts.

8. A baler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the compartment has a floor on which the spools rest when located.

9. A baler having a twine compartment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 6.

10. A baler having a twine compartment substantially as hereinbefore de scribed with reference to and as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. than the diameter of the spools would be required between the adjacent plates to transmit the thrust from the spring from one plate to the next as the spools are used up and collapse. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. An agricultural baler provided with a twine compartment adapted to support a plurality of spools of twine side-by-side, and the compartment includes a support surface on which the spools may rest with their axes arranged vertically in substantially parallel relationship and a plurality of transverse parts movable over said surface to provide lateral support for spools of twine resting thereon, the transverse parts being movable between first or loading relative positions in which the spools can be placed adjacent to the parts and second or locating relative positions in which the parts can engage the cylindrical faces of the spools and locate the latter within the compartment.

2. A baler according to Claim 1 wherein said parts are pivoted adjacent to one end about a respective vertical axis and means is provided for releasably locking each pivoted part when the parts are in their locating positions.

3. A baler according to Claim 2 wherein the releasable locking means is arranged to lock the pivoted parts in any one of a plurality of positions whereby spools of different sizes may be located.

4. A baler according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein each pivoted part is also pivotally connected at its other end to a tie. bar common to the pivoted parts.

5. A baler according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein the pivoted parts have vertical portions at right angles to one another when viewed in plan and arranged to engage the spools.

6. A baler according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the pivoted parts are arranged so that each spool may be located between pairs of said pivoted parts.

7. A baler according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the compartment is arranged so that each spool may be located between a wall of the compartment and one of said pivoted parts.

8. A baler according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the compartment has a floor on which the spools rest when located.

9. A baler having a twine compartment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 6.

10. A baler having a twine compartment substantially as hereinbefore de scribed with reference to and as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.