GB2152873A - Devices for forming bales of crop - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for forming bales of crop comprises a pick-up member (4) for picking-up crop lying on the ground, and a winding space (5) in which an expelling element (61) for expelling a bale is movably arranged. The expelling element can engage the whole length of the bale and may be in the form of a tube connected at its ends to side walls (41) which are movable to open the space (51) for discharge of a bale. Alternatively a winding element (45A-Figure 5) which is pivotable with respect to a further part of the device may act as an expelling element for removing a bale. To ensure an even distribution of crop, a spreader (69) comprising rotatable tined members (77) is provided in front of the pick-up member (4). A guide (64) for the bale being discharged may be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Devices for forming bales of crop This invention relates to devices for forming bales of crop.

In a device for forming bales of crop having a pick-up member for picking up crop lying on the gound and a winding space, the removal of a ready bale of crop from the device is often attended with difficulties in removing the bale of crop from the winding space because during the winding operation the bale may be jammed in the winding space and more over, will bear by its full weight on the usually cylindrical underside of the winding space.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for forming bales of crop comprising a pick-up member for picking up crop lying on the ground and a winding space in which an expelling element for expelling a bale is movably arranged. In this device, simultaneously with the opening of the wall closing the outlet opening for the bale during operation, the expelling element can engage the whole length of the bale (in the direction of width of the machine) so that expelling forces are exerted on the bale uniformly distributed over the length of the bale. Thus the risk of parts of the bale getting loose during the removal thereof is avoided, which parts would have to be removed separately or picked up from the field.

The invention also provides a device for forming bales of crop comprising a pick-up member for picking up crop lying on the ground, a winding space, and winding element which is pivotable with respect to a further part of the device in a manner such that it is at the same time suitable as an expelling element for removing a bale.

In addition the invention provides a device for forming bales of crop comprising a pick-up member for picking up crop lying on the ground; a winding space bounded by a pivotable wall, which after having turned, releases an outlet opening for removing a bale from the winding spaces and an outwardly directed guide adjoining the outlet opening for depositing the bale on the ground, the external dimensions of this guide being such that the deposited bale will lie beyond the reach of the pivotable wall.

Also there is provided a device for forming bales of crop comprising a pick-up member for picking up crop lying on the ground and a crop spreader at the front of the device which is adjustable in various positions.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a device for forming bales, an ejected bale being shown behind the device, Figure 2 is a plan view of the device taken from above (arrow II in Figure 1), Figure 3 is a sectional view of the device taken on line Ill-Ill in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a side view on the device taken during ejection of a bale from the device, and Figure 5 is a side view on a larger scale of part of a device having an alternative structure for removing a bale from the device.

The devices shown in the Figures are designed for forming cylindrical bales of crop picked up by the devices from the field. For this purpose each device is mobile by means of ground wheels 2 disposed on both sides of a frame 1 of the device.

During operation the device is intended to move in the direction A and to this end at the front the device is provided with a drawbar 3 by means of which it can be attached to a tractor.

The device has a pick-up member 4 with the aid of which crop lying on the field can be picked up in known manner and be elevated towards a winding space 5 (Figure 3) in which the crop is wound up to form a cylindrical bale. The pick-up device 4 covers the whole active width of the device and is disposed at a distance in front of the ground wheels 2, as shown in Figure 1, with respect to the direction of forward travel A over the ground.

The frame 1 comprises two relatively parallel vertical sidewalls 6 one on each side of the device and laterally bounding the fixed structure of the wagon-like device supported by the ground wheels 2. The two sidewalls 6 are supported by and fastened to a set of frame beams (not shown) disposed near the underside of the superstructure.

Viewed from the side the sidewalls 6 approximately have the shape of an isosceles triangle, the boundary lines of which are designated in Figures 1, 3 and 4 by the three reference numerals 7. The two sidewalls 6 are rigidly interconnected near their front parts by means of a hollow beam 8. The drawbar 3 is rigidly secured to the middle of this beam 8. The beam 8 is located near the front of the device at a distance obliquely in front of and above the pick-up device 4. The drawbar 3 is disposed symmetrically with respect to a vertical plane of symmetry 9 of the device extending in the direction of travel A as is indicated in Figure 2. The beam 8 is at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9.

In the middle the beam 8 has fastened to it a drive unit 10 (Figures 2 and 3) formed by a gear wheel transmission having an input shaft 11 and an output shaft 12. The input shaft 11 is horizontal and is located in the plane of symmetry 9 and by means of an auxiliary shaft having universal couplings it can be drivably connected with a power take-off shaft of the tractor moving the device. The output shaft 12 is horizontal and normal to the plane of symmetry 9 and directed towards one of the sides of the device. The output shaft 12 extends from the drive unit 10 as far as beyond one of the sidewalls 6, where it carries two sprockets 13 and 14 (Figure 2). Between the drive unit 10 and the sidewall 6 the output shaft 12 is surrounded by a sleeve 15 rigidly secured to the device 10 and to the sidewall 6.

The gear wheel mechanism forming the driving link between the input shaft 11 and the output shaft 12 of the drive unit 10 comprises two ex changeable wheels arranged on relatively parallel shafts inside the unit 10 and being directly in mesh with one another. The pitch circles of these exchangeable wheels are different. By exchanging these wheels one for the other it can be ensured that, the number of revolutions remaining the same for the input shaft 11, the output shaft 12 is driven at a different rate. Of course, this set of exchangeable wheels may be replaced by a different set providing together two other transmission ratios. For this purpose the unit 10 has a releasable cover 16 at its rear, which gives access to the exchangeable wheels.

The sprocket 13 on the output shaft 12 outside one of the sidewalls 6 drives through an endless chain 17 that is outside the sidewall 6 concerned, a shaft 18, a shaft 19 and a shaft 20, all of which are at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9 and each of which extends from one sidewall 6 to the other. The shaft 18 is located, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, near the underside of the winding space 5 at the level of the front of the upper half of the ground wheels 2 and behind the pick-up member 4 with respect to the direction of travel A. The shaft 19 is located at a distance in front of the shaft 18 at a slightly higher level than the shaft 18 and at a distance above the pick-up member 4. The shaft 20 is located obliquely above and behind the shaft 19 and near the front, lower part of the winding space 5.

At a distance obliquely above the shaft 20 there are two shafts 21 and 22 which are parallel to the shaft 20 in an imaginary cylindrical plane, the axis of which is formed by the centre line of the substantially cylindrical winding space 5. The shafts 21 and 22 are driven from the shaft 20 by means of an additional sprocket on the shaft 20, which is at the side of the sprocket directly driven by the chain 17. From a second sprocket on the shaft 18 and a chain 23 a sprocket 24 is driven, which is rotatable about a pivot shaft 25, about which the pick-up member 4 is freely pivotable with respect to the frame 1. From the sprocket 24 the pick-up member 4 itself is driven through a chain 26.

The shafts 19, 20, 21 and 22 have rigidly secured to them cylindrical rollers 27, 28, 29 and 30 each extending from one sidewall 6 to the other and forming part of winding elements of the device which directly treat the crop. These cylindrical rollers may have a comparatively smooth surface, or they may have a somewhat roughened surface.

The shaft 18 is provided with driving wheels 31, each of which is disposed near the inner face of a sidewall 6. At a distance behind the shaft 18 at the same level above the ground a shaft 32 is jour nalled in the two sidewalls 6, which shaft is provided with a wheel 33 near the inner face of each of the side walls. The distance between the shaft 18 and the shaft 32 approximately corresponds to the diameter of a ground wheel 2 or the radius of the fully filled winding space 5.

To the inner face of each of the two sidewalls 6 is fastened a profile 34 (Figure 3) having a Ushaped section with the two limbs thereof directed towards the plane of symmetry 9. The profile 34 is endless and as is shown in the sectional view of Figure 3 it surrounds the shafts 18 and 32. In both facing U-profiles there are rollers coupled with one another by rod-shaped, in this case pipe shaped, catching members 35 extending over substantially the whole distance between the sidewalls 6 and being at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9.

The catching members 35 are intercoupled for driving purposes by links or sets of links (not shown) located in the profiles concerned, which links hold the catching members at a distance from one another and have a flexibility such that they can match the curvatures of the profiles 34. The wheels 31 and 33 near the top sidewalls have cavities at their circumferences for accommodating the pipe-shaped catching members.

By driving the shaft 18 and the driving wheel 31 fixed thereto as described above the sets of catching members 35 are circulated along the profiles 34. On the tops of the endless profiles 34 they constitute a lower part of the boundary of the winding space 5. This part of the boundary approximately coincides with part of an imaginary cylindrical plane the centre line of which is the centre line of the winding space 5. In other words, the catching members 35 on each side form part of an endless conveyor or winding element 34A constituting at least part of the bottom of the winding space 5.

Part of the front of the winding space 5 is formed, as stated above, by the drivable rollers 28 to 30. The front is prolonged at some distance above the upper roller 30 in the form of a plate wall 36, which is at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9 and has the shape of part of a cylindrical surface, the centre line of which coincides with the centre line of the winding space 5. The plate wall 36 thus adjoins the boundary formed by the winding elements 34A and 28 to 30. The plate wall 36 is formed by the rear part of a hollow, boxshaped structure 37, which is rigidly secured on both its sides to the sidewalls 6 so that the structure 37 is a rigid unit. This rigid unit has at the top rear a pivot 38 of piano hinge formation having a pivot shaft, the centre line of which is at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9.As shown in the sectional view of Figure 3 the centre line of the pivot shaft of the pivot 38 is located at a short distance beyond the cylindrical boundary of the winding space 5, viewed with respect to the direction of travel A, at a short distance in front of the centre line of the cylindrical winding space 5 and approximately at the height of the top point of this cylindrical winding space. On the other side of this pivot shaft there is a rigid, box-shaped structure 39 also supporting the pivot 38 and having its inner boundary wall formed by a plate wall 40, which also forms part of a cylindrical plane whose centre line coincides with the centre line of the winding space 5 and forms a prolongation of the plate wall 36.

The box-shaped structure 39 is rigidly secured on both sides to a side plate 41. The two side plates 41 are vertical and spaced apart and part of each side plate 41 is substantially in contact at its outer surface with the inner surface of the sidewall 6 located on the same side of the device. In the position shown in Figure 3 each sidewall 6 and a side plate 41 thus partly overlap one another and as also shown in this Figure each side plate 41 extends at the front and bottom within the boundary lines designated by reference numerals 42. From Figure 3 it will be apparent that part of these boundary lines of each side plate 41 is located in front of the rearmost, upwardly directed boundary line 7 of the adjacent sidewall 6.From Figure 3 it will furthermore be apparent that the side plates 41 fully delimit the winding space 5 on the sides, at least in the position shown in Figure 3, which is suitable for the winding process of the device. The rearmost, upwardly extending boundary line 7 of each sidewall 6 is stiffened on the outer side by a beam 43.

The side plates 41 are rigidly secured to one another near their undersides by means of a hollow beam 44 extending at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9 and adjoining the rear of the winding element 34A in the position shown in Figure 3.

In the region lying behind the box-shaped structure 39 and extending up to the winding element 34A fastened to the sidewalls 6, the inner face of each of the two side plates 41 has fastened to it a profile 45 (Figure 3) whose side facing the winding space 5, as shown in the sectional view of Figure 3, has the shape of the arc of a circle adjoining the plate walls 36 and 40, the rollers 28 to 30 and the side of the winding element 34A facing the winding space 5. The two profiles 45 again have Ushaped sections and form an endless construction.

Inside each U-shaped profile 45 there are rollers holding rod-shaped, here pipe-shaped, catching members 46, which are interconnected by links or sets of links holding the catching members at a distance from one another and passing them about wheels 47 and 48 disposed in the ends of each elongate, endless profile 45. This construction is similar to that of the winding element 34A. The catching members 46 are driven from the driving wheel 48 on the underside of the profile 45. The described assembly of profiles 45 and drivable catching members again constitutes an endless conveyor or winding element 45A.

From Figure 1 it will be apparent that the shaft 22 is provided with a sprocket which is coupled by means of a chain 49 with a sprocket 50 (Figure 2) fastened to the shaft of the piano hinge pivot 38.

At the side of the sprocket 50 there is arranged a sprocket 51 (Figures 1,2) which is drivably connected through a chain 52 that is outside the adjacent side plate 41 with a sprocket 53, which is rigidly secured to a shaft 54. The driving wheel 48 of the catching members 46 is rigidly secured to the part of the shaft 54 located inside the side plates 41.

The endless profiles 45 on the inner faces of the side plates 41 together with the catching members 46 movable in these profiles and with the upper driving wheel 47 are pivotable as a whole (as a winding element 45A) about the shaft 54 journalled in the side plates 41.

To the outer face of each of the profiles 45 is fastened a stub shaft 55, which extends through a slot 56 in the adjacent side plate 41. As shown in Figure 3 the slot 56 is concentric with the centre line of the shaft 54. Each stub shaft 55 is fastened by its end projecting from the adjacent side plate 41 to the fork-shaped lower end of a rod 57 so as to be pivotable. The distance between the shaft 54 and the associated stub shaft 55 is, as shown in Figure 3, about 40% or more of the overall length of each of the profiles 45.

At least in the position shown in Figure 3 each rod 57 is upwardly and rearwardly inclined from the associated stub shaft 55 and in this position it is supported at a place approximately midway its length in a sleeve 58, which is pivotable about a pivot shaft 59 at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9. The sleeve 58 and the pivot shaft 59 are disposed in this position near the rear end of the associated side plate 41. In the position shown in Figure 3 about half the length of the rod 57, viewed from the associated stub shaft 55, projects out of the sleeve 58. The end of this projecting part of the rod 57 is provided with a stop 59A.Between the fork-shaped end of the rod 57 near the stub shaft 55 and the sleeve 58 the rod 57 is surrounded by a compression spring 60, which tends to urge the stub shaft 55 and hence the neighbouring profile 45 in the position of Figure 3 in a downward and forward direction with respect to the side plates 41.

With respect to the location of the hinge 38 with respect to the lower winding element 34A comprising the catching members 35 (Figure 3), it is noted that in this sectional view the hinge 38 is located in a vertical plane at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9 and bounding the hollow active part of the winding element 34A just on the front side. As shown in Figure 3 the arc of a circle having the line of intersection (point of intersection) of the vertical plane and the foremost point of the active surface of the winding element 34A and extending from the point of intersection in the direction B and having as a centre the centre line of the hinge 38 is invariably located above this active surface of the winding element 34a.

From Figure 3 it will be apparent that between the upper roller 30 of the three rollers 28 to 30 and the underside of the plate wall 36 the cylindrical boundary of the winding space 5 has an opening for rearwardly passing a rod-shaped expelling element 61, formed by a pipe in this embodiment.

The pipe 61, the centre line of which is at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9, is rigidly secured at both ends to thickened parts 62 at the front of the two side plates 41. These thickened parts and the expelling element 41 are located, at least in this embodiment and in the position of the device shown in Figure 3, near the front of the winding space 5 and approximately at the level of the centre line of the cylindrical space 5. With respect to this centre line the expelling element 61 may, however, be higher or lower than is shown in Figure 3. In the working position of the device of Figure 3 the expelling element 61 is thus located outside the winding space 5.

On both sides of the device there is a hydraulic cylinder 63, the centre line of which intersects approximately the centre line of the cylindrical space in the working position of the device (Figures 1 and 3) and viewed from the side. In this position the cylinder 63 is rearwardly and upwardly inclined from its front end. The front end of the cylinder 63 is pivotally connected by means of a pivot shaft at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9 with the adjacent sidewall 6, whereas the end of the piston rod of the cylinder 63 is connected with the adjacent side plate 41 also by means of a pivot shaft at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9. The two hydraulic cylinders 63 can be connected with the hydraulic system of the tractor moving the device and they can be actuated from the driver's seat on the tractor.

On the rear and bottom of the device there is a guide 64. The guide 64 mainly comprises a plate 65, which is rectangular viewed in plan (Figure 2) and the surface of which is at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9. The larger dimension of the plate 65 is also at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9. The width of the plate 65 is approximately equal to the distance between the two side plates 41 or slightly larger. The plate 65 is bounded on both sides by an upwardly curved edge 66 (Figure 3). Viewed from the side (Figure 3) the guide 64 and hence the plate 65 is rearwardly and slightly downwardly inclined from the winding space 5.

The rearmost free edge of the guide 64 is located at a distance above the ground. From Figure 3 it will be apparent that the front edge of the guide 64 adjoins the rear of the winding element 34A. When the crop is being wound, this front edge of the guide 64 extends to some extent in a gap between the rear of the winding element 34A and the underside of the winding element 45A. The guide 64 is rigidly supported by means of supports 67 on the frame 1 of the machine andfor a wheel carrier of the ground wheels 2.

From Figure 3 it will be apparent that below the rollers 27 and 28 on the one hand and above the front of the winding element 34A and the top of the pick-up member 4 on the other hand an opening 68 extends throughout the width of the device or the length of the winding space 5, this opening 68 being the inlet opening for the crop picked up by the pick-up member 4 to the winding space 5. It is important that over the whole length of the inlet opening 68 the crop should be uniformly fed to the winding space 5. However, if the crop is irregularly distributed on the field or if a narrow, high swath has picked up, the supply throughout the width of the machine may not be uniform so that the bale will not have a uniform shape in its direction of length.Therefore, between the lowermost and foremost ends of the sidewalls 6 and at a distance in front of the pick-up member 4 a spreader 69 is provided for the crop to be fed into the machine. The spreader 69 comprises a hollow carrying beam 70 at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9, this beam being pivotable with respect to the two sidewalls 6 about a pivotal axis coinciding with its centre line. For this purpose one of the ends of the carrying beam 70 is provided with a plate-shaped extension 71, which is in contact with one of the sidewalls 6 and which is provided at a distance from the beam 70 with a locking pin 72A, which can be passed through the extension and through any selected one of a plurality of holes 72 in the sidewall 6 concerned, these holes being located at equal distances from the centre line of the beam 70.

The carrying beam 70 holds a driving shaft 73, which projects out of one of the sidewalls 6 and is provided with a sprocket 74, which is drivable through a chain 75 by the sprocket 14. The carrying beam 70 carries gear wheel transmissions 76, which are located on both sides of the plane of symmetry 9 and midway between the plane 9 and one of the side walls 6. Each of the gear wheel transmissions 76 drives a rake member 77 (Figures 2 and 3) having outwardly directed tine carriers 78, which carry at their outer ends downwardly directed tines or groups of tines 78. The groups of tines 70 have spring steel tines fastened via coils to the tine carriers 78.

The rake members 77 are drivable about upwardly directed rotary axes. The drive of the rake members 77 from the driving shaft 73 is analogous to that conventionally used in cyclic hay-making machines. The paths described by the tops of the rake members 77 do not touch one another in the embodiment shown, but the design may be such that these paths are adjacent or overlap one another. The rake members 77 are driven in opposite senses indicated by arrows C in Figure 2 so that in the region between the rake members the tines move to the rear with respect to the direction of travel A.

The direction of the relatively parallel upwardly directed rotary axes of the rake members 77 may be changed by turning the carrying beam 70 about its centre line, the various positions being fixed by means of the locking pin 72A described above. In dependence on the distribution of the crop lying on the ground in front of the device the rotary axes of the rake members 77 may be set in forwardly sloping positions or in vertical positions or even in rearwardly sloping positions.

In order to prevent the crop laterally displaced by the rake members 77 from getting laterally beyond the device near the rears of the rake members 77 screening plates 80 are arranged, viewed from the side, near the rearmost parts of the rake members, on both sides of the side-walls 6, these plates 80 preventing the crop from spreading laterally in the region in which the tines 79 rotate in the outward direction. The free ends of the downwardly directed tines of the groups 79 are located at a height above the ground determined by a requirement that the tines have to be able to penetrate into two neighbouring swaths.

In the position shown in Figure 3 the winding space has a diameter of about 1500 to 1800mm and a length of about 1500mm or more. About two thirds of the cylindrical circumference thereof are provided with drivable winding elements 28 to 30, 34A and 45A.

During operation the device is moved by means of the draw-bar 3 by a tractor across the field. The crop spread on the field is picked up by the pick-up member 4, which supplies it directly to the device in the direction indicated by arrow D in Figure 3.

When the crop is lying on the field in the form of two neighbouring swaths, the swaths are uniformly distributed in the direction of width of the device by the rake members 77. The groups of tines 79 penetrate into the swaths and uniformly distribute the crop across the width of the pick-up member 4. When the rotary axes of the rake members 77 are upwardly and forwardly inclined, the tines 79 can get free of the crop on the rear of their paths and slightly eject the crop laterally. It is to be noted that the speed of revolution of the rake members 77 is lower than that conventional in cyclic machines.

As stated above, the ejected crop is prevented from getting beyond the width of the device by the vertical screening plates 80 fastened to the side boundary of the device and extending by their lower edges as far as beneath the tips of the tines.

It may, however, be advantageous to arrange the rotary axes of the rake members 77 in a substantially vertical position so that the groups of tines stir the swaths without ejecting the crop. This may be desired, for example, when the crop is lying in high swaths on the field, which merge in a direction at right angles to the direction of the swaths.

A position of the rotary axes in which they are upwardly and rearwardly inclined may be advantageous when very high swaths are lying on the field, in which case the groups of tines can spread crop portions in a forwardly inclined direction in front of the device, viewed with respect to the direction of travel A. When the crop is uniformly distributed on the field, the surface of the layer of crop moves below the tips of the tines of the rake members 77 so that it is directly elevated by the pick-up member 4.

The crop elevated by the pick-up member 4 is passed in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined direction through the inlet opening 68 covering the entire width between the side walls 6 into the winding space 5.

The winding elements 28, 29, 39, 34A and 45A are driven in the manner described above in the directions indicated by arrows E in Figure 3. The roller 27 (Figure 3) is driven in the direction of arrow F and is intended to support the supply of crop through the inlet opening 68 and to close this opening in the upward direction.

At the beginning of the crop supply to the winding space 5 the winding element 45A is in the position indicated in Figure 1 by dot-and-dash lines.

With respect to the position shown in Figure 3 the winding element 45A is turned forwardly about the shaft 54 to an extent such that the top end of this winding element of Figure 3 is located perpendicularly above the top roller 30. This position is determined by the fact that the stub shafts 55 on both sides of the devices are bearing at the front end of the slot 56. The torque exerted by the winding element 45A's own weight about the shaft 54 is so great that the rod 57 is drawn through the sleeve 58. In this position the stop 59A of the rod 57 bears just on the top of the associated sleeve 58. The spring 60 is then fully relaxed.

The crop supplied through the inlet opening 68 is passed to the rear in the direction indicated by the arrows E by the driven winding element 34A until it comes into contact with the lower end of the forwardly turned winding element 45A. The crop thus coils upwards and forwards and thus forms the core of the bale to be formed. Whilst crop is continuously supplied, the space below the winding element 45A, which is also driven in the direction indicated by arrows E, is continuously passed around until it is filled to an extent such that the crop pushes the winding element 45A upwards against the force of the springs 60. Thus relatively hard layers are formed in the bale.The formation of the bale continues during the elevation of the winding element 45A whilst the crop is passed around by the winding elements 34A and 45A as well as by the rollers 28, 29 and 30 and then comes into contact with the plate walls 36 and 40 (Figure 3), which ensure a smooth finish of the layers of the bale. A smoth, hard outer layer of an ejected bale lying on the field is advantageous with regard to preventing rain from penetrating into the bale.

This process continues until the upward turn of the winding element 45A is limited by the upper beam 44. In this end position the hollow, active top of the winding element 34A, the hollow active side of the winding element 45A, the plate walls 36 and 40 and the rollers 28, 29 and 30 constitute a cylindrical boundary of the winding space 5 in which the formed bale is still turning around because the outer layer is carried along by the catching members 35 and 46. When the stop 44 is reached an electric switch, for example, can simply signal this by means of a signal lamp near the driver's seat.

The driver then actuates a binding device not described and not shown for binding the bale turning in the space 5 with rope or twine in order to prevent loss of crop portions from the bale when lying on the field or when being subsequently transported. This binding process may start a short time before the end position of the winding element 45A is reached.

It is to be noted that during the last phase of winding of the bale the torque exerted by the weight of the winding element 45A about the shaft 54 has, in fact, decreased to zero or to a small value, but this reduction in pressure on the outer layers of the bale is replaced by the torque obtained by the two compression springs 60 exerting a force on the stub shafts 55 and hence on the winding element 45A. The direction of each rod 57 (surrounded by the spring 60) is such that the centre line of the rod 57 cuts a horizontal plane containing the axis of the shaft 54 at a distance in front of the shaft 54 in the position shown in Figure 3. Particularly in the last phase of winding the springs 60 produce such a force that the winding element 45A vigourously bears on the outside of the bale so that it ensures hard outer layers of the bale.When the winding element 45A reaches the stop 44, the stub shafts simultaneously reach the rear ends of the slots 56.

During the above-described binding process the device is standing still on the field so that no crop is picked up. The non-picked-up crop is lying at the front of the pick-up member 4. Crop is at this instant present on the pick-up member 4 and in the inlet opening 68 as well as below the bound bale.

The driver then actuates the two hydraulic cylinders 63 so that the rear part or the rear wall of the superstructure of the device formed by the boxshaped structure 39, the winding element 45A and the two side plates 41 and the expelling element 61 fastened to the side plates 41 are turned as a whole about the centre line of the hinge 38 in the direction indicated by arrow G in Figure 4 upwards into a position in which the opening formed between the turned-up rear part and the part of the device rigidly secured to the frame 1 is large enough to allow the ready bale to pass. This rear part constitutes a door releasing an outlet opening for ejecting a bale. In the embodiment shown the shaft 54 is located in this turned-up position approximately at the same height above the ground as the pivot shaft of the pivot 38.Immediately after the beginning of the upward turn, when the drive of the winding elements and of the rollers 28, 29 and 30 has stopped, the pipe-shaped expelling element 61 exerts pressure on the front of the bale bearing on the winding elements 34A.

In dependence on the extent of continuation of winding after the stop 44 has been reached, the bale lying in the winding space 5 will exert pressure by its vertical head faces in an axial direction on the side plates 41 so that the bale is clamped to some extent between these side plates, which can further the ejection of the bale in rearward direction during the upward turn of the side plates 41 in the direction of arrow G (Figure 4) about the pivot 38. The clamping force may, however, by relatively slight so that the side plates 41 turning in the direction of arrow G hardly exert any rearwardly directed force on the bale during this turn.

In the embodiment shown (Figure 3) the bale having a weight of a few hundreds of kilogrammes bears on the hollow top of the winding element 34A and such a curved shape (which for that matter advantageously adjoins the cylindrical boundary of the winding space 5) may hinder the ejection of the bale. However, if the top of the winding element 34A is flat (it may be conceived to replace it, for example, by three rollers at the same level similar to the rollers 28 to 30), a still consider able force will be required to move the roller to the rear with respect to the supporting surface, whilst the frictional forces between the side plates 41 and the vertical head faces of the bale may not be sufficient.For this purpose the rod-shaped expelling element 61 is provided, which exerts pressure po sitively in a substantially horizontal or rearwardly and downwardly inclined direction on the front of the bale a short time after the beginning of the up ward turn of the side plates 41 about the pivot 38 so that the bale is displaced to the rear.

The bale is moved by the expelling element 61 across the standing rear face of the winding element 34A during the upward turn of the side plates 41, the winding element 45A and the plate wall 40.

As an alternative the expelling element may be moved to the rear (as the case may be, in an upwardly inclined direction) independently of the turn of the rear wall, for example, by means of hydraulic cylinders which bear on the sidewalls 6 and which are actuated simultaneously with the cylinders 63 since the stroke of the expelling member is smaller (about the radius of the winding space) than the stroke derived from the rear wall.

It should be noted that the parts 41,45A and 40 together constitute a door which opens during the turn in the direction indicated by arrow G.

The bale pushed across the rear of the winding element 34A (by the force exerted by the expelling element 61) then rolls along the top of the guide 64, i.e. on the plate 65. Owing to the downwardly inclined direction of the guide 64 the bale rolls down to the ground. By means of the guide 64 the bale is deposited on the ground at such a distance behind the rear of the winding element 34A or an alternative form of this winding element (for example, a number of separate rollers) that by actuating the hydraulic cylinders 63 the driver can directly close the above-defined door in a direction opposite the direction indicated by the arrow G without the door touching the deposited bale by its rear.

The length of the guide 64, measured in the direction of movement, as well as the height of its rearward end above the ground, is such that the ejected bale cannot roll back towards the device on sloping ground so that the door could not be closed. Therefore, directly after the ejection of the bale the driver can start the drive of the winding elements 34A, 45A and the rollers 28 to 30 as well as the drive of the pick-up member 4 and move the device by means of the tractor across the field without the risk of crop being left behind on the field. In the absence of the guide 64 the bale would be deposited on the ground directly behind the rear of the winding element 34A. Whilst the device is standing still the door could then not be closed because it would come into contact with the top of the deposited bale. In this case the driver would have to move the device over a given distance before the door could be closed so that the pick-up member 4 would be displaced over a distance along the ground over which no crop would be picked up, whilst crop present in the inlet opening 68 and on the winding element 34 would be thrown on the ground through the open door.

Thus the guide 64 prevents loss of crop on the ground.

During the upward turn of the door in the direction indicated by the arrow G the winding element 45A will turn by its own weight about the shaft 54 by its top until the stop 59 touches the sleeve 58.

During the ejection of the bale the weight of the winding element 45A (which is thus pivotable with respect to the further part of the door) will bear on the top of the bale and contribute in pressing the bale mainly in a downward direction between the side plates 41, and also in a rearward direction during the movement of the bale along the guide 64. The expelling element 61 is positively active when the bale is released from the winding space 5. The force exerted by the expelling element 61 and the force exerted by the weight of the winding element 45A join one another in time.

It is to be noted that by the turn of the winding element 45A during the ejection of the bale this element is simultaneously moved into the position suitable for starting the formation of a next bale, which position is shown in Figure 1. During the ejection of the bale (Figure 4) the lower parts of the side plates 41 in this position prevent undesirable tilting movements of the bale, viewed in plan, so that they form at the same time a guide for the bale during its movement along the guide 64.

During the closure of the above-mentioned door the parts of the side plates 41 in the proximity of the expelling element 61 are still located between the sidewalls 6 so that during this operation no difficulties arise in guiding the lower parts of the side plates 41 of Figure 4 just inside the sidewalls 6.

If during the crop winding operation the crop should lie in a fairly thin layer on the ground, it is advantageous to choose by means of the exchangeable wheels accessible via the cover 16 a higher driving speed for the winding elements 34A and 45A and of the rollers 28 to 30, and to move the device with a correspondingly higher speed across the field so that work time is saved.

The side elevation of Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the pivotable suspension of the winding element 45A. Outside the outer surface of each of the sidewalls 6 there is a plateshaped pressure piece 81 mainly in the form of a T. This pressure piece comprises two substantially aligned arms 82 and 83 and an arm 84 which is integral with these aligned arms 82, 83 and which extends in a direction at an angle of about 900 to the arms 82 and 83. In the position shown the arm 84 is directed upwardly. One of the arms, the arm 82, is pivotally connected at its free end with the shaft 54, about which also the winding element 45A is pivotable independently of the pressure piece 81.The free end of the arm 83 is pivotally connected with the end of a rod 85 by means of a pivot shaft extending parallel to the shaft 54 and hence at right angles to the plane of symmetry 9.

The other, lower end of the rod 85 is pivotally connected with the side of the frame 1 by means of a pivot shaft which is also parallel to the shaft 54.

The arm 84, which is fastened about midway between the free ends of the arms 82 and 83 to these arms, has at its free end a sleeve 86 (comparable with the sleeve 58 described above), which is pivotable with respect to the arm 84 about a pivot shaft parallel to the shaft 54. Through the sleeve 86 is passed a rod 87, which is freely slidable in the sleeve 86 and the fork-shaped end of which is pivotable about the above-mentioned stub shaft 55 located at a distance from the shaft 54 which is about one third or more of the overall dimension of the welding element 45A shown in Figure 5. Between the fork-shaped end of the rod 87 and the sleeve 86 the rod 87 is surrounded by a compression spring 88. The other end of the rod 87 projecting out of the sleeve 86 is provided with a stop 89.

The length of the rod 85 is about 1.2 to 1.3-times the distance between the free ends of the arms 82 and 83. In the position of the device in which the door is opened as is shown in Figure 5 the assembly of arms 82 , 83 and the rod 85 is such that the parts 81 and 85 of this assembly are sharply bent in an upward and forward direction.

When the door is closed, the rod 85 turns the pressure piece 81 about the shaft 54 to the left in the Figure so that the winding element 45A, suspended to the rod 87 (the stop 89 being in contact with the sleeve 86) gets into the position shown in Figure 1. When the door is opened the end of the winding element 45A remote from the shaft 54 continues exerting a downwardly directed force and during widening of the opening, a rearwardly directed force on the bale, which force is highly amplified by the spring 88, since the direction of the spring force determined by the direction of the rod 87 with respect to the door turns to the right by being guided by the rod 85.Owing to this varying direction of the force exerted by the compression spring 88 and to the forward displacement, viewed in Figure 5, of the upper point of application of this force (the sleeve 86) the bale, after leaving the winding element 34A, is exposed by sufficient force owing to the then lower end of the winding elements 45A to be pushed to the rear so that it moves rolling away from the rear of the winding elements 34A. From Figure 5 it will be apparent that the then lower end of the winding element 45A is at a distance behind the rear of the winding element 34A so that the bale is exposed to a positive expulsion with the winding element operating as an expelling element. The embodiment of Figure 5 does not, there fore, have an expelling element as formed by the rod 61 described above, nor does it have the guide 64 described above.

Since the bale rolls to the rear, the door can be directly closed, after which the drive of the device and the run across the field can start again, whilst the pick-up member 4 can directly pick up crop without crop being left on the field. Since in the abodiment of Figure 5 the element 45A has two functions, winding and expelling, and no separate expelling element such as the expelling element 61 is provided, the space otherwise occupied thereby is utilised for an additional roller above the roller 30.

Whilst various features of the device for forming bales 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 the invention is not necessarily limited to these features and that it encompasses all of the features that have been described both individually and in various combinations.

Claims (50)

1. A device for forming bales of crop comprising a pick up member for picking up crop lying on the ground and a winding space in which an expelling element for expelling a bale is movably arranged.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the expelling element can exert a force on the bale which is directed at least partly towards an outlet opening for removing the bale from the device.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein during the winding process the expelling element is located on a side of the winding space remote from the outlet opening for removing the bale from the device.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or claims 2 and 3, wherein the expelling element can be energised by means of a movable door closing the outlet opening during the winding process.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the expelling element has the shape of a rod.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the expelling element is formed by a winding element which is operative in winding a bale during the winding process.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the winding element, which is elongate as viewed from the side, is pivotable at one end as a whole with respect to a further part of the device.

8. A device for forming bales of crop comprising a pick up member for picking up crop lying on the ground, a winding space, and a winding element which is pivotable with respect to a further part of the device in a manner such that it is at the same time suitable as an expelling element for removing a bale.

9. A device as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the winding element forms part of the door, or a door which closes the outlet opening during the winding process.

10. A device as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the winding element turns downwards under the action of its own weight.

11. A device as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the winding element can be pressed down by spring force.

12. A device as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the winding element vigourously bears on the bale at least partly during the winding process.

13. A device as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein during ejection of a bale from the device the winding element bears on the bale by a force having a component directed in the direction of ejection.

14. A device as claimed in claim 11 or either of claims 12 and 13 as appendant to claim 11, wherein the direction of the line of action of the spring force varies during the ejection of the bale and follows the direction of ejection.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the direction of the line of action of the spring force can be varied by means of a rod system which is coupled with the door and with a further part of the device and which carries the spring means.

16. A device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the downward movement of the winding element is limited by a stop.

17. A device as claimed in claims 4 and 5, where in the rod-shaped expelling element is connected by means of walls with the door, which walls laterally close the winding space during the winding process and which are movable together with the door.

18. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the winding space is provided with winding elements along about two thirds of its cylindrical circumferences.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the winding elements comprise rollers having a cylindrical section.

20. A device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the winding elements are arranged above an inlet opening for passing the crop to the winding space.

21. A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the winding elements comprise at least one endless conveyor provided with rods covering the width of the winding space.

22. A device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the endless conveyor is arranged on the bottom of the winding space.

23. A device as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein an endless conveyor is arranged on the rear of the winding space.

24. A device as claimed in claim 21, 22 or 23, wherein the or each endless conveyor has an active surface facing the winding space and being curved approximately along part of a cylindrical plane.

25. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein part of the circumference of the winding space is formed by a plate-shaped boundary wall, which is in a fixed position during the winding process.

26. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the winding space is bounded by a pivotable wall, which releases, after having turned, an outlet opening for removing a bale from the winding space, and wherein the outlet opening is adjoined by an outwardly directed guide for deposit ing the bale on the ground, the external dimensions of this guide being such that the deposited bale will lie beyond the reach of the wall.

27. A device for forming bales of crop compris ing a pick-up member for picking up crop lying on the ground; a winding space bounded by a pivotable wall, which, after having turned, releases an outlet opening for removing a bale from the winding spaces, and an outwardly directed guide adjoining the outlet opening for depositing the bale on the ground, the external dimensions of this guide being such that the deposited bale will lie beyond the reach of the pivotable wall.

28. A device as claimed in claim 26 or 27, wherein the guide is downwardly and rearwardly inclined from the underside of the outlet opening and its free end is disposed at a distance above the ground.

29. A device as claimed in claim 26, 27 or 28, wherein the guide is fixed in place with respect to a frame of the device.

30. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the winding elements can be driven with at least two different speeds.

31. A device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the drive of the winding elements comprises a gear wheel transmission, in which two meshing gear wheels are exchangeable and replaceable by another pair of gear wheels having a different ratio between the pitch circles.

32. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front of the device comprises a crop spreader adjustable in different positions.

33. A device for forming bales of crop comprising a pick up member for picking up crop lying on the ground and a crop spreader at the front of the device which is adjustable in various positions.

34. A device as claimed in claim 32 or 33 wherein, viewed with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the device over the ground, the crop spreader is in front of the pick up member.

35. A device as claimed in claim 32, 33 or 34, wherein the crop spreader comprises at least one tined rake member adapted to rotate about an upwardly directed rotary axis.

36. A device as claimed in claim 35, wherein two rake members drivable in opposite senses laterally displace the crop.

37. A device as claimed in claim 35 or 36, wherein the free ends of the tines of the or each rake member are located at a distance above the ground.

38. A device as claimed in claim 35, 36 or 37, wherein the tines are directed downwardly.

39. A device as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 38, wherein the rotary axis is adjustable about a pivot shaft extending transversely of the intended direction of travel of the device over the ground.

40. A device as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 39, wherein the rotary axis is upwardly inclined to the front with respect to the direction of movement.

41. A device as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 39, wherein the rotary axis is upwardly and rearwardly inclined.

42. A device as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 39, wherein the rotary device is substantially vertical

43. A device as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 42, wherein the crop is displaced to the rear in the region between the rake member.

44. A device as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 43, wherein on at least one side of the rake members there is a screening plate for limiting lateral displacement of the crop.

45. A device as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 44, wherein a screening plate is arranged on each side of the rake members.

46. A device as claimed in claim 44 or 45, wherein viewed from the side, the or each screening plate is located at the level of the rear part of the path described by the tips of the tines.

47. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device can be driven by the power take-off shaft of a tractor moving the device.

48. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the diameter of a ready bale is about 1500 to 1800mm.

49. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the winding space, measured transversely of the intended direction of travel of the device over the ground, is about 1500mm or more.

50. A device for forming bales of crop substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.