GB2048211A

GB2048211A - Apparatus for Handling Straw and the Like Bales

Info

Publication number: GB2048211A
Application number: GB8013086A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Scorgie W E
Current assignee: Scorgie W E
Priority date: 1979-04-23
Filing date: 1980-04-21
Publication date: 1980-12-10
Also published as: GB2048211B

Abstract

The invention provides apparatus for unrolling, discharging and distributing cylindrical bales 2 of hay or similar material that eliminates completely the need for man-handling the bales, the apparatus comprising a chamber closed at the bottom by a conveyor 9 travelling transversely of the apparatus on which a bale can be supported and so rotated about its axis and roller devices 10, 11, 12 are provided for stripping material from the surface of a rotated bale and for discharging the stripped material through a chute 14 to a desired location 16, 17. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for Handling Straw and the Like Bales This invention relates to apparatus for unrolling and discharging and distributing modern large round cylindrical bales of straw, hay or silage and is intended more particularly, although not exclusively, for discharging feeding or bedding stck from the centre passage of a modern type cattle court thereby avoiding the necessity of an attendant or a machine having to enter the court or yard and walk or pass amongst the stock. The apparatus may however, as will hereinafter become apparent, be used out of doors for ground-feeding stock and also covering crops with straw to prevent damage to the crop by frost.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for the purpose referred to that comprises a chamber for housing a bale to be unrolled and discharged, means at the bottom of said chamber for supporting and rotating the bale about its axis, means for stripping material from the surface ot said bale as it rotates, and a chute for receiving and discharging the stripped material from the apparatus. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises its own builtin loader which serves a dual purpose in that in addition to loading a bale into the chamber it enables a second bale to be carried for use when a first bale has been stripped and discharged thereby avoiding return of the apparatus to the source of supply of bales every time a bale is stripped and discharged.

The chute for discharging stripped material can be adjusted to two alternative positions, one being that in which it discharges material immediately adjacent to a side of the apparatus into a feeding trough of a modern cattle court and the other being that in which it discharges material over the top of a barrier and into the court for bedding. For this latter purpose the chute is provided with a spreader which can be brought into use for spreading the bedding as it is discharged.

The apparatus is intended to be towed along by a tractor and various mechanical parts of the apparatus are adapted to be driven by the tractor power-take-off or by hydraulic motors coupled to the hydraulic system of the tractor.

A spring-tensioned pressure applying gate is provided that bears on a bale being stripped so as to ensure continuous and complete unrolling of a bale.

To enable the invention to be clearly understood and readily carried into effect a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying purely diagrammatic drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an end view of the apparatus in an operating position on the centre passage of a cattle court and, Figure 2 is a side view.

Referring to said drawings, the apparatus comprises a wheeled framework supporting a chamber or container C fitted with a floor conveyor 9 driven in any suitable manner, e.g. by the power take-off shaft PTO of a tractor T used for hauling the apparatus.

When set in motion the floor conveyor 9 moves, as indicated, transversely of the apparatus and revolves a bale 2 supported thereon about its axis, the turning of the bale being continuous and assisted by complementary feed rollers 10 and 11.

The bale 2 is also engaged by a top roller 12 that rotates in an opposite direction to the bale and acts in conjunction with the rollers 10 and 11 to strip a layer of material continuously off the bale and discharge same into or against a chute 14 depending upon the position of the latter as about to be explained.

The roller 12 is mounted on a floating pivoted bracket 13 loaded by a tension spring 1 3a to maintain the roller 12 urged against the bale to compensate for the varying thickness of the bale as it is unwound.

A bale 2 is loaded on to the apparatus by two lifting arms 1 ofa loading fork which are raised by the hydraulic system of the tractor T after the apparatus has been hitched to the tractor and the latter reversed towards the bale when in the position indicated at 2A in Figure 2 to locate the forks under the bale, the forks being raised by a pair of hydraulic rams 3 connected with said tractor hydraulic system at H. When the forks 1 are fully raised and the bale assumes the position indicated at 28 the bale overbalances and topples into the chamber C of the apparatus to the position 2C.

During loading of the apparatus a pressure gate 4 is automatically operated and moved to an open unobstructive position by a wire rope 6 attached to the lifting fork mechanism, this being effected before the bale drops from the fork into the machine chamber and after the forks are again lowered, the gate 4 being spring-tensioned against the bale 2 by springs 7. After a bale has been placed in the chamber the string for tying up the bale can then be cut and removed if desired.

A second bale can then be loaded on to the forks 1 and raised clear of the ground ready to be tipped into the chamber C when the first bale has been completely unrolled and discharged from the apparatus. The apparatus thus makes it possible to collect two bales from a supply store of bales at one loading journey.

The spring-tensioned gate 4 pressing on the bale ensures complete unrolling of the bale.

With the chute 1 4 set in the transport position indicated at 1 4A this setting directs the contents of the bale being unrolled so as to be discharged to the nearside of the barrier 1 6 of a cattle court directly into a feeding trough 1 7.

When it is required to discharge the bale contents over said barrier 1 6 into a court 1 8 for bedding, the chute 14 is lowered to the position indicated at 1 4B. In this position the rollers 11 and 12 force the material from the bale up the chute 14, over the barrier 1 6 and into the court 18.

A hydraulically driven spreader 19 is attached to the outlet end of the chute 1 4 to spread the bedding as it is discharged.

The diameter of the rollers 10, 11 and 12 and the type of surface and optional settings thereof can be varied according to the shape and density of the material being handled, e.g. dry, wet, soft or hard bales or bales of hay, silage, or straw of different types. Also the chamber C and the lifting forks 1 may be adjustable to suit the size of bales being loaded to ensure accurate tipping of a bale into the chamber.

The apparatus is intended to be hitched to a tractor drawbar and trailed along behind the tractor and the rollers 10, 11 and 12 and the per pressure gate 4 operated by way of a gearbox, chains or V-belts driven from the tractor PTO or by hydraulic motors connected to the hydraulic system of the tractor.

By constructing the apparatus with its own built-in fork lift for loading bales into the chamber and need for another loader or fork lift is avoided and, as already explained, enables a second bale to be carried on the apparatus while a first bale is being discharged thereby increasing the capacity of the apparatus and avoiding having to return to a source of supply of the bales each time discharge of a bale is carried out.

If desired the drive to the floor conveyor 9 may be reversed to strip the material from the bale in either direction of rotation and the gate 4 may be fitted with a revolving face. The spring 7 that urges the gate 4 against the bale may be replaced by a hydraulic ram operated by the hydraulic system of the tractor.

The top roller 12 may be made removable to suit different conditions; the roller 11 fitted with retracting lines and the spreader 19 replaced by a pair of spring-loaded high speed rollers that throw and spread the contents of a bale.

Claims

1. Apparatus for unrolling, discharging and distributing bales of straw, hay or silage or similar material of substantialiy cylindrical shape comprising a chamber for housing a bale to be unrolled and discharged, means at the bottom of said chamber for supporting and rotating the bale about its axis, means for stripping material from the surface of said bale as it rotates, and a chute for receiving and discharging the stripped material from the apparatus.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, including the provision of a built-in loader which serves a dual purpose in that in addition to loading a bale into the chamber it enables a second bale to be carried for use when a first bale has been stripped and discharged thereby avoiding return of the apparatus to the source of supply of bales every time a bale is stripped and discharged.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the chute for discharging stripped material is adjustable to two alternative positions, one being that in which it discharges material immediately adjacent to a side of the apparatus into a feeding trough of a modern cattle court and the other being that in which it discharges material over the top of a barrier and into the court for bedding.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said chute is provided with a spreader which can be brought into use for spreading the bedding as it is discharged.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the means at the bottom of said chamber for supporting and rotating the bale comprises a conveyor that when set in motion travels in a direction transversely of the apparatus.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a drive to said conveyor is reversible so that material can be stripped from a bale in either direction in which the bale is rotated.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein material is stripped from a bale by co-acting stripping rollers that discharge the stripped material into or against said chute depending upon the position of the latter.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a pressure-applying gate is provided adapted to bear on one side of a bale being stripped so as to ensure continuous and complete unrolling of a bale.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein driven parts of the apparatus are adapted to be operated by a powertake-off shaft of a tractor or by hydraulic motors that can be coupled to the hydraulic system of a tractor.

10. Apparatus for unrolling, discharging and distributing bales of straw, hay or silage or similar material of generally cylindrical shape, constructed and adapted to function substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.