GB2150003A

GB2150003A - Crop storage

Info

Publication number: GB2150003A
Application number: GB08428916A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Der Lely Cornelis Van
Original assignee: Texas Industries Inc
Current assignee: Texas Industries Inc
Priority date: 1983-11-21
Filing date: 1984-11-15
Publication date: 1985-06-26
Also published as: GB2150003B; NL8304005A; DE3442027A1; GB8428916D0

Abstract

Crop, such as grass, in the form of bales (1) is enclosed in an airtight package, comprising a pallet (2) and a synthetic sheet (11). Air is extracted from the package and the crop is allowed to turn into silage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Crop storage This invention relates to the storage of agricultural produce, for example grass or hay, compressed into bales on the field.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for storing agricultural produce in the form of a bale, the device comprising two different kinds of material, one being provided on the underside of the bale and the other being provided on the top of the bale.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for storing agricultural produce in the form of a bale, the device comprising a pallet and a flexible upper cover, the pallet being provided with suction means for extracting air from the space enclosed by the device.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for storing agricultural produce in the form of a bale, the device comprising suction means for extracting air from the space enclosed by the device.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide, in a simple manner, devices for storing compressed crop bales, whilst the shape of the crop bales is maintained during the silage of the crop, after which the bale can be directly handled in unchanged form for feeding to cattle.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of storing crop comprising: (a) compressing the crop into a bale (b) depositing the bale on a pallet (c) fitting a synthetic cover over the bale and connecting the cover to the pallet in an airtight manner.

(d) extracting air from the bale.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device enclosing a bale of crop; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a device enclosing a bale; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a device enclosing a bale; Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the lines IV-IV in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the lines V-V in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the lines VI-VI in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a further device enclosing a bale of crop; and Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the lines VIII-VIII in Figure 7.

After harvesting, agricultural produce or crop is often compressed or wrapped to form bales on the field, these bales being subssantially cylindrical, or pressed bales which have the shape of a parallelepiped. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 the cylindrical bale of crop is deposited in a storage device in a manner such that the centreline of the bale 1 is substantially vertical. The substantially circular bottom surface of the bale 1 lies in a support 2 of solid material, which is intended to support the bale, and to enable the bale, in the storage device, to be readily lifted or displaced. The support 2 will be referred to as a pallet from now on in this description.

The pallet 2 of Figure 1 is generally dishshaped and is circular on plan with a diameter of about 1 80 cms, at least in the illustrated embodiment. As shown in Figure 6, the pallet 2 has a flat, circular bottom 3 from which extends an upwardly and slightly outwardly directed side wall 4. At the upper end of the side wall 4 there is a horizontal part 5. At its outer edge, the horizontal part 5 meets an upwardly directed rim 6, which slopes slightly inwardly or outwardly, this rim terminating at a horizontal part 7, the width of which is smaller than tnat of the horizontal part 5.The horizontal part 7 has an upwardly and outwardly inclined rim 8 having an outwardly bent-over stiffening flange rim, the upper free end of which forms part of a circular upper edge of the pallet 2 which extends substantially parallel to the horizontal parts 5 and 7 as well as to the horizontal bottom 3. The parts 4 to 8 are concentric with a central axis 9 (Figure 1) of the pallet 2 and of the bale 1.

The pallet 2 is made from pressed metal sheet or from a relatively rigid, hard synthetic resin which may be reinforced.

The bottom surface of the bale 1 supported on the pallet 2 rests on the horizontal part 7 and/or on the horizontal part 5, but it may, as an alternative, bear wholly or partly on the bottom 3. The lower region of the outer edge of the cylindrical bale can be constricted by the weight of the bale and the shape of the parts 4 to 8 on the underside. A broken line 10 in Figure 6 indicates the outline of part of the bale shown in Figure 1 projecting above the pallet 2.

The part of the bale 1 projecting above the pallet 2 is completely surrounded by a material which is (with respect to the pallet material) of different nature in order to ensure the possibility of hugging the bale, for example a synthetic sheet 11. For the sake of clarity a small distance is indicated between the outer periphery 10 of the bale and the synthetic sheet 11, but in practice the synthetic sheet is in contact with the bale, as will be described more fully later. The synthetic sheet 11 may be preformed so that its shape matches the outer surface of the bale 1 so that the sheet 11 can be slipped from above onto the bale. The vertical dimension of the sheet 11 is such that, when the sheet closely surrounds the part of the bale 1 projecting above the pallet 2, the hanging lower edge 1 2 is nearer to the ground than the horizontal part 5 (Figure 6).The lower part of the sheet drawn around the bale 1 is in contact with the outer surface of the rim 8, with the lower surface of the horizontal part 7 and with the outer surface of the rim 6 during storage of the bale 1. This contact is achieved with the aid of a closing member or binder 1 3 associated with the pallet, this member 1 3 being annular and being situated in the angle between the upper part of the rim 6 and the inner part of the horizontal part 7. This binder 1 3 may comprise a strong rubber ring or a cord clamped in position around the pallet 2.

In the case of a rubber ring 1 3 the pallet 2 is placed inside the ring 1 3 on the ground. After the bale is put on to or into the pallet 2 and after the synthetic sheet 11 has been fitted, the ring 1 3 is fitted along part of the circumference of the angle between the rim 6 and the horizontal part 7 and then, by stretching the ring, it is fitted into the angle around the rest of the pallet. The ring 1 3 is then in tight contact with the outer face of the sheet 11 in the angle between the rim 6 and the horizontal part 7. The ring 1 3 then makes an airtight or substantially airtight contact with the circumference of the pallet 2. Since the rim slopes inwardly from bottom to top, the stressed ring 1 3 does not tend to move downwards.The continuous space left beneath the horizontal part 5 and outside the upwardly directed wall 4 (Figure 6) is able to receive the forks of a lifting truck passing one on each side of the lower part or bottom 3, 4 of the pallet 2. Owing to the round conical shape of the lower part 3, 4 the forks of the lifting truck can be introduced beneath the horizontal part 5 from any direction. It is thus possible to lift the entire device containing the hermetically sealed bale and to displace it to any desired place, where the forks of the truck are withdrawn from beneath the horizontal part 5.

Instead of using a rubber ring 13, a cord or rope may be wound tightly round the pallet in the same area so that the sheet 11 forms an airtight closure with the pallet 2.

Crop bales are conventially about 1 50 to 1 80 cms in diameter and about 1 20 to 1 50 cms in length, but the device may also be adapted toother or larger bale dimensions.

In Figure 2, in contrast to the embodiment of Figure 1, a cylindrical bale is supported in a pallet 1 4 with its axis substantially horizontal. In this embodiment part of the cylindrical periphery of the bale rests at least partly on a horizontal supporting surface 15, which is rectangular or square on plan, in contrast to the first embodiment. The supporting surface 1 5 surrounds a round depression 16, which is integral with the supporting surface 1 5 and has a frustoconical side wall (the vertex of which lies below the pallet 14). The dimension of the outer circumference of the supporting surface 1 5 is, of course, adapted to the dimensions of the bale to be supported.A sectional view at the edge region of the pallet 1 4 can be derived from Figure 6, the supporting surface 1 5 being indicated by the same horizontal part of Figure 6 as is designated by reference numeral 5, but, as stated above, it has a rectangular boundary formed in Figure 6 also by the rim 6, the horizontal part 7 and the freely upwardly directed rim 8. The depression 1 6 is bounded by the bottom 3, which rests on the ground, and by the adjoining side wall 4 having a frustoconical shape as in Figure 1. The parts 6, 7 and 8 are rectangular as viewed in plan and have the same function as in the first embodiment, i.e.

to enclose the lower, curved outer surface of the bale 1 and to clamp a sheet, fitted over the top part of the bale, against the outer rim of the pallet 2, where a substantially airtight seal is formed by means of the binder 1 3. As with the embodiment of Figure 1, the forks of a lifting truck can be introduced beneath the supporting surface 1 5 from any direction to lie one on each side of the depression 1 6 for displacing the device enclosing a bale or an unloaded pallet or stack of pallets.

Figure 3 shows a pallet 1 8 supporting a cylindrical crop bale 1, the axis of which is substantially horizontal. The bale bears in this case on two spaced supporting surfaces 1 9, one of which is shown in the sectional view of Figure 4. The upper boundary of the pallet 1 8 is rectangular or square as viewed on plan and matches the dimensions of the bale to be supported by it. The supporting surfaces 1 9 extend along two opposite edge regions of the pallet and are rectangular. Between the supporting surfaces 1 9 there is a depression 20, which is also visible in Figure 4. Viewed on plan, the depression is rectangular or square.

The depression 20 has a bottom 21 which rests on the ground and which has, at two parallel edges, upwardly and outwardly inclined walls 22 which have a height of about 7 cms (like the walls 4). Each of the two parallel side walls 22 meets the adjacent substantially horizontal supporting surface 1 9.

At its outer edge, each supporting surface 1 9 meets an upwardly extending wall 23, which is bent over outwardly at its free, upper end to form a downturned flange 24 in order to stiffen the upper part of the pallet 1 8 and to avoid undesirable displacement of the closing member 29 to be described later. The wall 23 slopes inwardly from the outer circumference of the neighbouring supporting surface 19.

The two ends of the depression 20, which do not meet the supporting surfaces 19, terminate directly at an upwardly extending wall 25 at the periphery of the pallet 18, the walls sloping outwardly from bottom to top. At a position above the bottom 21, the wall 25 meets an inwardly directed, gutter-shaped constriction 26, from which extends a free upwardly projecting rim 27 provided with a stiffening flange rim 28.

Forks of a lifting truck can be introduced in one direction beneath the supporting surfaces 1 9 of the pallet of Figure 3. The height of the wall 23 and 25 to 28 is about 20 cms.

The lower part of the sheet 11 fitted over the part of the bale projecting above the pallet hangs around the wall 25 (Figure 5) and the wall 23 (Figure 4) of the pallet 1 8. As with the previous embodiments, a closing member or binder 29 is provided to clamp the lower part of the sheet 11 against the walls 25 and 23 respectively sothat an airtight or substantially airtight seal is obtained between the sheet and the pallet. The binder 29 may be a rubber ring, which is passed downwards around the downwardly diverging rims 23 or into the constriction 26 so that it tightly surrounds the sheet folded onto the pallet in order to ensure an airtight seal. The binder 29 may also be a cord or a rope.

The idea of fixing the closing member 1 3, 29 by means of gutter-shaped or diverging wall parts is not limited to these embodiments, since it may be applied, if desired, to other pallet shapes.

As with the embodiment of Figure 1, the pallets of the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3 are formed by a deep drawn metal sheet or a rigid synthetic resin which may be re-inforced.

In the embodiments of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

means is provided for exhausting air from the space inside the sheet and the pallet (and hence also from the bale). These means are designated by reference numeral 30. Similar means is provided in the embodiment of Figure 8 (see below).

Referring to Figure 4, the suction means 30 comprises a nipple 31 projecting from the pallet for receiving a flexible suction hose 32.

The tubular nipple 31 has at one end a suction head 33 having a suction opening 34, the centre line of which is in line with the centre line of the nipple 31. The suction head 33 has an outer circumference which is coaxial with the cylindrical nipple 31, but its diameter is larger than that of the nipple 31.

The periphery of the cylindrical suction head 33 is fastened, for example by welding, in an airtight manner to an opening in an upwardly extending wall of the pallet. This wall is the wall 23 in the embodiment of Figure 4, but the suction means may also be arranged in the wall 25 of Figure 5 or in the wall 4 of Figure 6.

The suction opening 34 of the suction head 33 situated inside the boundary of the pallet is closed in an inoperative condition by a spring-loaded ball 35. The suction head 33 is connected to a suction tube 36, which is Ushaped in plan view and is disposed so that the centreline of the nipple 31 is located in its plane of symmetry. Figure 4 shows one of the two limbs 37 of the suction tube 36 having on both sides a plurality of suction apertures 38. The two limbs 37 of the suction tube are interconnected by a central tube 39 extending between the two limbs 37, this central tube 39 also having suction apertures 38. The two limbs 37 and the central tube 39 extend horizontally and can rest on the supporting surface 19 or the bottom 3, 21 in order to withstand the weight of the bale, which may rest on the suction tube.Another form of suction means is shown in Figure 1, where a suction tube 40 is provided which has the same nipple 31 and suction head 33, but which is not U-shaped, as viewed on plan, but is annular and extends around the inner boundary of the pallet 2. The suction tube 40 has suction apertures along its entire circumference. The use of a suction tube reduces the risk of clogging of the suction head and the nipple by dust and the like, since the dust carried along can precipatate in a relatively large space at a relatively low air speed.

The suction means may be part of the standard equipment of a pallet. Figures 7 and 8 show a simple embodiment of a device for storing agricultural produce compressed in bales, in which a cylindrical or parallelepipedic bale is preferably arranged in a lying position i.e. with its longer dimension horizontal. This embodiment may be used independently of features of the preceding embodiments. As shown in Figure 7. the bale is completely enveloped by a continuous synthetic sheet which may have the form of a bag, as in the preceding embodiments. In the embodiment of Figure 7, the open end of the bag is folded onto a circular end surface of the bale in the manner illustrated in Figure 8. The open end is folded substantially symmetrically around the longitudinal axis 42 of the bale. A hollow suction tube 43 is inserted (for example to a depth of about 1 metre) into the bale.The tube 43 is tapered at its end; it may have the shape of a very sharp cone. The suction tube 43 has suction apertures 44 throughout its length at the circumference. The suction tube 43 is secured, for example by welding, to the boundary of a hole 45 at the centre of a circular plate 46, which is parallel to a plane at right angles to the centreline of the suction tube 43. A metal cylinder 48 is secured in an airtight manner to the plate 46 at the side of the plate 46 away from the suction tube 43 so as to be centred on the axis of symmetry 47 of the suction tube 43. This cylinder encloses a suction chamber. At its end away from the plate 46, the cylinder is closed in an airtight manner by a metal partition 49 having a hole centred on the centreline 47 for receiving a suction head 50 in an airtight manner.

The suction head 50 has an opening 51 situated outside the partition 49 and an opening 52 situated inside the partition 49, this hole being closed in the inoperative condition by a spring-loaded ball 53. A suction hose can be fitted over the cylindrical outer circumference of the suction head 50 projecting out of the partition 49. The cylindrical outer circumference of the cylinder 48 is surrounded by a conical body 54, which is sealed to the cylinder circumference and encloses the cylinder 48, with its larger end face bearing on the plate 46 in an airtight manner. The outer surface of the cone 54 converges in the direction away from the suction tube 43 and the vertex of the cone lies on the centreline 47. The body 54 is made from flexible, resilient material, for example rubber or elastic synthetic resin, and is secured immovably to the outer surface of the cylinder 48.

Before folding down the sheet 41 around the bale 1 at the area of the end surface shown in Figure 8, the conical suction tube 43 is pushed into the bale until the plate 46 comes into contact with the crop at that end surface. The suction tube 43 is substantially coaxial with the bale. Then the sheet is folded around the resilient, conical body 54, after which a ring 55 is slipped over the outer surface of the folded sheet until the ring clamps around the body 54. The ring 54 has the same taper as the body 54, but it is shorter than the body 54 in the direction parallel to the axis 47. This dimension is such that the ring 55 provided with end flanges 56 and 57 clamps around the body 54 and the folds of the sheet 41 lying thereon before the outwardly directed flange 56 facing the plate 46 comes into contact with the plate 46.It is thus ensured that the bag-shaped sheet 41 encloses the body 54 in an airtight or substantially airtight manner so that air inside the sheet 41 can exit only past the ball 53.

In use of the suction means of Figure 4 comprising the U-shaped suction tube 46, the annular suction tube 40 in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3 or the suction means of Figure 8, the nipple 31 or the suction head 50 is connected by a suctionhose with a suction pump mounted on an agricultural tractor or a similar vehicle. The pump can be driven, for example by the power take-off shaft of the tractor. When the operations described above are complete and the flexible suction hose has been connected to the suction pump on the tractor, the air can be sucked out of the space bounded by the hermetically sealed sheet and pallet shown in Figures 1 to 3 or the space inside the sheet 41 of Figures 7 and 8.When the air has been removed, the ball 35 or 53 respectively comes into contact under spring force with the boundary of the suction opening 34 or 52 respectively so that no air or substantially no air can penetrate into the interior of the package. The sheet is thus tightly drawn against the bale. In this state the bale of crop is stored. During storage the silage process starts in the crop by bacteriai action. Owing to the removal of air from the package the amount of oxygen inside the device is considerably reduced so that a favourable atmosphere is formed for the anaerobic bacteria carrying out the silage process.When the silaged crop is to be administered to livestock, such as cattle, the entire package with the bale is carried to the feeding place, for example with the aid of a fork lift truck, air is allowed to penetrate into the bale by loosening the closing member or binder and the reusable sheet is drawn off the bale. In this way the fodder is available in relatively small batches which can be directly distributed by hand without needing to use a silage cutter. The pallet, the associated binding means, the suction means and the sheet can be re-used. Pallets of the kind shown in Figure 6 can be stacked one upon the other when empty.

Whilst various features of the devices that have been described. and that are illustrated in the drawings, will be set forth in the following claims as inventive features,it is to be noted that it encompasses all of the features that have been described both individually and in various combinations.

Claims

1. A device for storing agricultural produce in the form of a bale, the device comprising two different kinds of material, one being provided on the underside of the bale and the other being provided on the top of the bale.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the material to be provided on the underside of the bale is metal or synthetic resin.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the material to be provided on the top of the bale is a synthetic sheet material.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the two materials, in use, form an airtight or substantially airtight enclosure for the bale, the materials being sealed to each other by an endless closing member.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, in which the closing member is annular and is made from an elastic material, for example rubber.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which the closing member comprises a binding means, for example a cord or a rope.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 when appendant to claim 3 in which the closing member clamps the sheet material against the pallet.

8. A device as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims, in which the material to be provided on the underside of the bale is sufficiently rigid to serve as a pallet.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, in which the pallet defines recesses for receiving lifting means of a lifting member, for example of a lifting truck.

1 0. A device as claimed in claim 8 or 9 in which the pallet is provided with suction means for extracting air from the space enclosed by the device.

11. A device for storing agricultural produce in in the form of a bale, the device comprising a pallet and a flexible upper cover, the pallet being provided with suction means for extracting air from the space enclosed by the device.

12. A device as claimed in claim 10 or 11 in which the suction means is connected to an apertured suction space situated inside the space enclosed by the device.

1 3. A device as claimed in claim 12, in which the suction space is tubular.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, in which the tubular suction space is U-shaped.

1 5. A device as claimed in claim 13, in which the tubular suction space is annular.

16. A device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 1 5 in which the pallet has a circular periphery.

1 7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 1 5 in which the pallet has a rectangular or square periphery.

18. A device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 17, in which the pallet has a continuous rim which slopes inwardly from bottom to top.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18 when appendant to claim 4, in which the closing member is forcibly urged towards the rim.

20. A device as claimed in claim 1 8 or 19, in which the rim projects freely upwardly and bounds the pallet at the top.

21. A device as claimed in claim 20, in which the rim has an outwardly bent-over flange.

22. A device as claimed in claim 1 8 or 19, in which the continuous rim is bounded at the top and bottom by continuous, substantially horizontal pallet parts.

23. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 8 to 22, in which the height of the continuous rim is about 20 cms.

24. A device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 23 in which a central part of the pallet is depressed and constitutes a bottom on which the pallet rests during the storage of a bale.

25. A device as claimed in claim 24, in which the height of the central part is about 7 cms.

26. A device as claimed in claim 16 or in any one of claims 1 7 to 25 when appendant to claim 16, in which the diameter of the pallet is about 1 80 cms.

27. A device for storing agricultural produce in the form of a bale, the device comprising suction means for extracting air from the space enclosed by the device.

28. A device as claimed in claim 27, in which the suction means comprises a suction tube insertable into the bale.

29. A device as claimed in claim 28, in which the suction tube is apertured and tapers towards one end.

30. A device as claimed in claim 28 or 29, in which the suction tube is fastened to a plate extending substantially at right angles to the suction tube, said plate bearing, in use, on a circumferential part of the bale during storage.

31. A device as claimed in claim 30, in which the side of the plate away from the suction tube is provided with a suction chamber.

32. A device as claimed in claim 31, in which material enclosing the bale during storage can be clamped around the suction chamber with the aid of a closing member.

33. A device as claimed in claim 32, in which the material is clamped by the closing member against an elastic periphery of the suction chamber.

34. A device as claimed in Claim 33, in which the outer periphery of the suction chamber is tapered.

35. A device as claimed in any one of claims 10, 11 or 27, or in any one of claims 1 2 to 26 or claims 28 to 34 when appendant to any one of claims 10,11 or 27, in which the suction means comprises a springloaded valve which seals the space enclosed by the device during storage.

36. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims; in which the device encloses a substantially cylindrical bale.

37. A device as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 35, in which the device enclose a parallelepipedic bale.

38. A device as claimed in claim 36 or 37 in which, during storage a longer axis of the bale is substantially vertical.

39. A device as claimed in any one of claims 36 or 37, in which, during storage the longer axis of the bale is substantially horizontal.

40. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the device encloses a cylindrical bale of a diameter of about 1 50 to 180 cms and a length of about 1 20 to 1 50 cms.

41. A method of storing crop in which the crop is compressed into a bale, then deposited on a pallet, after which the bale is provided with a synthetic cover connected with the pallet in an airtight or substantially airtight manner, after which air is removed from the bale.

42. A device for storing crop substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 6, Figures 2 and 6, Figures 3,5 and 6 or Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

43. A method of storing crop comprising: (a) compressing the crop into a bale (b) depositing the bale on a pallet (c) fitting a synthetic cover over the bale and connecting the cover to the pallet in an airtight manner (d) extracting air from the bale.

44. A method of storing crop substantially as described herein.