GB2249077A

GB2249077A - Bale wrapping apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2249077A
Application number: GB9119465A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Padraic Christopher Mchale
Original assignee: Wellmount Ltd
Current assignee: Wellmount Ltd
Priority date: 1990-09-19
Filing date: 1991-09-12
Publication date: 1992-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2011-09-12
Also published as: GB9119465D0; GB2249077B; IE64464B1; ZA913595B

Abstract

Bale wrapping apparatus (1) comprises a chassis (6) and a tippable bale supporting platform (12) for receiving a bale (2) to be wrapped with sheet polythene (3). Drums (15) drive belts (19) for rotating the bale (2) about its horizontal axis on the bale supporting platform (12) for wrapping. Rollers (22) rotate the bale (2) about its vertical axis during wrapping. Polythene sheet (3) is fed from a roll (4) on a support spindle (34) to the bale (2). A cutting blade (44) mounted on a carrier bar (40) cuts the polythene sheet (3) on a bale (2) being wrapped. A sheet engaging member (60) on a pivot arm (61) is movable from a rest position under the action of an hydraulic ram (67) for gathering portion of the wrapping material (3) prior to cutting. The remainder of the wrapping material (3) is gathered on the carrier bar (40) as the bale supporting platform (12) is pivoted. <IMAGE>

Description

Rx i r- 2 D wr The present invention relates to bale wrapping apparatus for wrapping a round bale of material, for example, hay or straw.

Straw and hay bales traditionally have been of substantially rectangular shape, however, recently a trend has developed whereby straw and hay is formed into what are referred to as round bales. These bales, in general, are formed by rotation and generally tend to be of solid cylindrical shape having an outer diameter of up to eight feet and a length of up to four feet. It has been found that the life of hay and straw wound into a round bale can be considerably extended if the bale is kept dry by wrapping the bale in a sheet of plastics material, for example, polythene sheeting.

Bale wrapping apparatus for wrapping such bales in polythene sheeting has been developed. In general, such apparatus operates by rotating the bale about two axes at right angles to each other simultaneously and as the bale is rotated, polythene sheet material is dispensed from a roll and wrapped around the bale, the edge of one wind of the sheet overlapping the next adjacent wind.

Such bale wrapping apparatus, in general, comprises a main chassis supported on ground engaging wheels. A bale supporting platform is pivotally connected to the chassis and is adapted to be tipped relative to the chassis for tipping a wrapped bale therefrom. The bale supporting platform rotatably carries a pair of spaced apart parallel horizontal drums about which bale supporting belts extend. The bale to be wrapped is placed on the bale supporting belts with the axis of the bale horizontal and parallel to the axes of the drums. The drums drive the belts, which in turn rotate the bale about its horizontal axis. A pair of side rollers mounted on the platform on each side of the bale supporting belts engages the sides of the bale for rotating the bale about a vertical axis.

A roll supporting spindle rotatably mounted on a support member extending from the chassis supports a roll of sheet polythene material for wrapping the bale.

The sheet polythene material is fed from the roll through a pair of pinch rollers which apply tension to the sheet polythene material for stretching thereof as the sheet polythene is being wound around the bale.

The sheet polythene material is in turn fed through guide means onto the bale. The guide means are mounted on the bale supporting platform. Cutting means for cutting the sheet material after a bale has been wrapped is provided on the guide means.

On a bale being completely wrapped, the wrapping material is cut. However, prior to the polythene wrapping material being cut, it is essential that the sheet polythene be gathered together for ease of cutting. Traditionally, gathering of the material has been achieved by tipping of the bale supporting platform on the bale being wrapped. As the platform is tipped, the tipping action of the platform causes the sheet material to be gathered together by the guide means, thereby facilitating ease of cutting. This gathering technique, by relying on the tipping of the bale supporting platform, while it has been adequate up to this, has been found no longer to be adequate.

Up to this, the sheet material used for wrapping the bales has been of width not exceeding 500 mm. However, the trend now is to use sheet material of greater width, and sheet material of 750 mm wide is now commonly used. It has been found that sheet materials of such width are not adequately gathered by tipping of the bale supporting platform and cutting cannot effectively be undertaken.

There is therefore a need for bale wrapping apparatus which overcomes this problem.

The present invention is directed towards providing such a bale wrapping apparatus.

According to the invention, there is provided bale wrapping apparatus for wrapping a bale of material, the bale wrapping apparatus comprising a bale supporting platform for supporting and rotating the bale about a pair of rotational axes at an angle relative to each other, support means for supporting a role of sheet wrapping material for feeding to the bale for wrapping the bale on rotation of the bale about the rotational axes, cutting means for cutting the sheet material intermediate the bale and roll when a bale is wrapped, and a sheet engaging means for gathering the sheet of wrapping material extending from the roll intermediate the roll and the bale prior to cutting thereof by the cutting means, the sheet engaging means being movable transversely relative to the sheet from a rest position to a gathered position with the sheet engaging means engaging one longitudinal edge of the wrapping material with at least portion of the wrapping material between opposite side edges of the wrapping material being gathered.

In one embodiment of the invention, the sheet engaging means in the gathered position is in a position coinciding with the longitudinal centre line of the wrapping material. Preferably, the sheet engaging means is just spaced apart from the side edge of the wrapping material in the rest position.

In another embodiment of the invention, the sheet engaging means comprises an elongated sheet engaging member extending substantially perpendicularly to the path of the wrapping material between the roll and the bale. Preferably, means for moving the sheet engaging means from the rest position to the gathered position is provided. Advantageously, the means for moving the sheet engaging means is a ram. Preferably, the sheet engaging means is urged into the rest position by a biasing means. Advantageously, the biasing means comprises a tension spring.

In another embodiment of the invention, the sheet engaging means is mounted on a pivot arm, the pivot arm being pivotal from the rest position to the gathered position. Advantageously, the sheet engaging means engages the wrapping material intermediate the cutting means and the roll.

In another embodiment of the invention, a pair of pinch rollers are provided through which the wrapping material is dispensed from the roll for stretching the wrapping material between the pinch rollers and the bale, the sheet engaging means being disposed intermediate the pinch rollers and the cutting means.

Advantageously, the sheet engaging means is mounted adjacent the pinch rollers.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of bale wrapping apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of the bale wrapping apparatus of Fig. 1 in a different position, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bale apparatus of Fig. 1 in use, Fig. 4 is a further perspective view of the bale wrapping apparatus of Fig. 1 in use, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of portion of the bale wrapping apparatus of Fig. 1 also in use, Fig. 6 is a further perspective view of the bale wrapping apparatus of Fig. 1 in use, Fig. 7 is a perspective view of portion of the bale wrapping apparatus of Fig. 1 in use, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another portion of the bale wrapping apparatus of Fig. 1, Fig. 9 is a plan view of the portion of the bale wrapping apparatus of Fig. 8, Fig. 10 is an elevational view of a detail of the bale wrapping apparatus of Fig. 1, Fig. 11 is a plan view of the detail of Fig. 10, Fig. 12 is an elevational view of the detail of Fig. 10 illustrated in a different position, and Fig. 13 is a plan view of the detail of Fig. 10 in the position of Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated bale wrapping apparatus according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 for wrapping a round bale 2 of hay with a sheet of wrapping material 3, which in this case is a sheet of polythene material fed from a roll 4 as will be described below. The wrapping apparatus 1 comprises a chassis 6 supported on a pair of ground engaging wheels 7. A hitch 8 is mounted on the chassis 6 for hitching the bale wrapping apparatus 1 to a tractor or other towing vehicle. A bale supporting platform 10 for supporting the bale 2 during wrapping is mounted on the chassis 6 as will be described below.

The bale supporting platform 10 comprises a base plate 11 and a pair of longitudinal side members 12 extending longitudinally on each side of the base plate 11. A pair of spaced apart parallel horizontal drums 15 fast on shafts 16 extend transversely between the side members 12 and are rotatably mounted on the side members 12 by plumber block bearings 18 which rotatably engage the shafts 16. A drive transmission (not shown) for driving one of the drums 15 is provided. The drive transmission (not shown) is suitable for connecting to the power take-off shaft of a tractor or other suitable drive source. Four belts 19 extending around the drums 15 support the bale 2 on the bale support platform 10 with the central axis of the bale horizontal and parallel to the rotational axes of the drums 15.The belts 19 are driven by the driven drum of the drums 15 for rotating the bale 2 about its central axis. A pair of brackets 21 mounted on respective side members 12 of the bale supporting platform 10 rotatably support a pair of rollers 22 which engage the side of the bale 2.

One of the rollers 22 is driven by the drive transmission (not shown) for rotating the bale 2 about a substantially vertical axis so that during wrapping the bale is rotatable about two axes parallel to each other. In this way, each wind of the wrapping material onto the bale 2 is offset from its previous adjacent wind and also overlaps its previous adjacent wind.

This mechanism for wrapping round bales with sheet wrapping material will be well known to those skilled in the art, and it is not intended to describe it further.

The bale supporting platform 10 is mounted on a subframe 25 which is in turn pivotally mounted on the chassis 6 for tipping the bale supporting platform 10 for dispensing a wrapped bale. A pivot shaft 27 extending transversely in the chassis 6 pivotally connects the subframe 15 to the chassis 6. An hydraulic ram 28 connected to the chassis 6 and the subframe 25 pivots the subframe 25 and in turn the bale supporting platform 10 from a horizontal rest position as illustrated in Fig. 1 to an inclined tipped position illustrated in Fig. 2 with the platform 10 at an angle of approximately 450 to the chassis 6 for dispensing the wound bale 2 from the platform 10.A pivot drum 30 pivotally connects the bale supporting platform 10 to the subframe 25 so that the bale supporting platform 10 can be pivoted through an angle of approximately 900 from a position illustrated in Fig. 1 with the drums 15 lying substantially transversely of the chassis 6 to a position (not shown) with the drums 15 lying substantially longitudinally relative to the chassis 6.

Loading apparatus (not shown) mounted to one side of the chassis 6 delivers a bale 2 to be wrapped onto the platform 10 when the platform 10 is in the position with the drums 15 extending longitudinally of the chassis 6. Such loading apparatus will be well known to those skilled in the art, and it is not intended to describe the loading apparatus further. The pivot shaft 30 extends perpendicularly between the subframe 25 and the bale supporting platform 10 and defines a pivot axis which is disposed substantially centrally between the side members 12 and the drums 15.

An upstanding support member 33 is mounted on and extends upwardly from the chassis 6 and carries a support means, namely, a spindle 34 for supporting the roll 4 of polythene material 3 and for feeding the polythene material to the bale 2. The spindle 34 is mounted on a bracket 35 extending from the support member 33 and rotatably engages a hollow core 36 in the role 4. A bracket 37 extending from the support member 33 and the bracket 35 rotatably support a pair of pinch rollers 38 through which the sheet wrapping material 3 is fed from the roll 4, see Figs. 8 and 9. A friction gearbox 39 is mounted on the bracket 37 for controlling the speed at which the pinch rollers 38 rotate for tensioning the wrapping material as it is being wound onto the bale 2.

The wrapping material 3 is fed directly onto the bale 2 from the pinch rollers 38 over a guide means formed by a carrier bar 40 which is supported on a pair of support members 42 extending upwardly from the side members 12 of the bale supporting platform 10. A cutting means for cutting the wrapping material 3 on a bale being completely wrapped comprises a cutting blade 44 having a cutting edge 45 mounted on the carrier bar 40 by a pair of brackets 43, see Figs. 10 to 13. Prior to cutting, the wrapping material is gathered as will be described below, and the gathered material is clamped between a pair of clamping discs 46 and 47 which urge the wrapping material across the blade 44 for cutting. An hydraulic ram 49 is mounted on the carrier bar 40 by brackets 50. A piston rod 51 of the ram 49 carries the clamping disc 46, and moves the clamping disc 46 in the direction of the arrow A from a position illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 with the clamping disc 46 spaced apart from and on the cutting edge side 45 of the blade 44 to a position on the other side of the blade 44 illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 for cutting the wrapping material. A shaft 52 slidably mounted in a bracket 53 mounted on the carrier bar 40 carries the clamping disc 47. A compression spring 54 acting between the clamping disc 47 and the bracket 53 urges the clamping disc 47 into a position on the cutting edge of the blade 44 for co-operating with the clamping disc 46 for clamping the wrapping material prior to cutting.The tension of the spring 54 is less than the driving force of the ram 49 to permit the clamping discs 46 and 47 to move together in the direction of the arrow A for cutting of the wrapping material. A stop member 55 on the shaft 52 limits slidable movement of the clamping disc 47 in the reverse direction. Slots 56 in the discs 46 and 47 and the piston rod 51 accommodate the blade 44 on movement of the discs 46 and 47 relative to the blade 44.

A sheet engaging means comprising a sheet engaging member 60 is mounted on a pivot arm 61 for gathering portion of the wrapping material 3 between side edges 62 and 63 prior to cutting of the wrapping material 3.

The pivot arm 61 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 65 which is pivotally carried on the support member 33 and a bracket 66 also mounted on the support member 33. The sheet engaging member 60 extends from the pivot arm 61 substantially transversely of the sheet of wrapping material 3. On pivoting of the arm 61 in the direction of the arrow B the sheet engaging member 60 is moved from a rest position just spaced apart from the side edge 62 as illustrated in Fig. 3 transversely of the sheet 3, into a gathered position illustrated in Fig. 5 with portion of the wrapping material 3 gathered. In this case, approximately half the width of the wrapping material 3 adjacent the side edge 62 is gathered by the sheet engaging member 60 in the gathered position.

When the sheet engaging member is in the gathered position, the sheet engaging member substantially coincides with the centre line of the sheet wrapping material 3. An hydraulic ram 67 pivotally connected to the bracket 66 by a pivot pin 68 and pivotally connected to the pivot arm 61 by a pivot pin 69 pivots the pivot arm 61 in the direction of the arrow B. A biasing means comprising a tension spring 70 anchored to the bracket 66 and connected to the pivot arm 61 returns the pivot arm 61 and in turn the sheet engaging member 60 to the rest position on the hydraulic ram 67 being de-energized.

As mentioned above, the bale supporting platform 10 is pivotal from the rest position illustrated in Fig. 1 into a tipped position illustrated in Fig. 2 and on tipping of the bale supporting platform 10 into the tipped position, the carrier bar 40 engages the side edge 63 of the wrapping material 3 and gathers the other half of the wrapping material 3 between the side edge 63 and the centre of the sheet so that the sheet wrapping material 3 is completely gathered between the side edges 62 and 63 and is ready for cutting.

Hydraulic hoses (not shown) deliver hydraulic oil to the rams 28, 49 and 67 through control valves (also not shown) which are manually operated by an operator for controlling tipping of the bale supporting platform 10, gathering of the sheet material 3 and cutting thereof.

The hydraulic fluid may be derived from a tractor or from an independent hydraulic fluid source.

In use, with the bale supporting platform 10 in the horizontal rest position illustrated in Fig. 1, and the drums 15 longitudinally disposed relative to the chassis 6, a bale 2 to be wrapped is placed on the bale supporting platform 10 so that the bale rests on the belts 19 with the central axis of the bale 2 horizontal and parallel to the axes of the drums 15. The bale supporting platform 10 is rotated about the pivot drum 3 so that the drums 15 are disposed transversely of the chassis 6. The sheet wrapping material 3 is pulled from the roll 4 between the pinch rollers 38 and is fed over the carrier bar 40 and is secured to the bale.

The bale 2 is then rotated about its horizontal axis by the belts 17 and the sheet wrapping material 3 is wound onto the bale. As the bale is being rotated about its horizontal axis, the rollers 22 rotate the bale 2 about a vertical axis and accordingly, the sheet wrapping material 3 is wound onto the bale 2 so that each wind of the wrapping material is offset from the previous wind but at the same time overlaps portion of the previous wind. Prior to wrapping of the bale 2, the friction gearbox 39 is set so that the frictional force between the pinch rollers 38 is set to the desired tension for stretching the wrapping material 3 as it is being wound onto the bale 2.On the bale 2 being completely wrapped, the pivot arm 61 is pivoted in the direction of the arrow B thereby moving the sheet engaging member 60 from the rest position to the gathered position to gather half the width of the wrapping material 3. The bale supporting platform 10 is then pivoted into the tipped position, and as the bale supporting platform 10 is pivoting into the tipped position, the carrier bar 40 engages the side edge 63 of the wrapping material, so that when the bale supporting platform 10 is approaching the tipped position, the wrapping material 3 is completely gathered over the carrier bar 40 and between the clamping discs 46 and 47. The hydraulic ram 49 is energized to move the clamping disc 46 in the direction of the arrow A towards the clamping disc 47 to clamp the wrapping material 3 between the two discs 46 and 47.Further movement of the clamping discs 46 and 47 in the direction of the arrow A causes the wrapping material to be moved against the cutting edge 45 of the blade 44 and past the blade 44 for cutting the wrapping material 3. The clamping discs 46 and 47 are retained in the clamped position clamping the wrapping material therebetween. The bale supporting platform 10 continues to tip to its maximum tipped position, at which stage the wrapped bale is dispensed therefrom.

The bale supporting platform 10 is returned to its horizontal rest position and the next bale to be wrapped is placed on the bale supporting platform 10.

The clamping discs 46 and 47 are released and an operator grips the wrapping material 3 and pulls the wrapping material 3 from the roll 4 which is attached to the next bale 2 to be wrapped.

While the bale wrapping apparatus has been described as being of particular construction, the bale wrapping apparatus may be of any other suitable shape and construction. While it is preferable, it is not essential that the bale supporting platform should be pivotally mounted on a subframe, which in turn is pivotally mounted to the chassis for tipping. In certain cases, it is envisaged that the bale supporting platform may be directly mounted on the chassis and where the bale supporting platform is directly mounted on the chassis, it may be rigidly mounted or pivotally mounted for tipping.

Further, while it is preferable, it is not essential that the wrapping material should be fed through pinch rollers. Indeed, any other suitable tensioning means for tensioning the wrapping material as it is being wound onto the bales may be used. It is envisaged in certain cases that the sheet material may be wound onto the bales without any tension being applied to the sheet material. Further, it will be appreciated that any other suitable cutting means besides the cutting means described may be used. Needless to say, other suitable clamping arrangements for clamping the sheet material for cutting may be used, and indeed, in certain cases the clamping means may be dispensed with.

While the sheet engaging means for gathering the material has been described as comprising a member 60 mounted on a pivot arm, any other suitable sheet engaging means may be used. Indeed, it is envisaged that the sheet engaging member may be mounted on any other mounting means besides a pivot arm, in certain cases, it is envisaged that the sheet engaging member may be mounted on a linearly movable member rather than on a pivotally movable member. Needless to say, while the sheet engaging member has been described for gathering only approximately half the sheet of material from a side edge to the centre of the sheet, the sheet engaging means may be mounted to gather the entire sheet material between the opposite side edges 62 and 63. Further, in certain cases, it is envisaged that the sheet engaging means may be mounted to gather more or less than half the width of the wrapping material.

While the wrapping apparatus has been described for wrapping a bale of hay or straw, the wrapping apparatus may be used for a bale of any other material or indeed may be used for wrapping any other article.

Needless to say, other suitable means for rotating the bale may be provided.

Claims

1. Bale wrapping apparatus for wrapping a bale of material, the bale wrapping apparatus comprising a bale supporting platform for supporting and rotating the bale about a pair of rotational axes at an angle relative to each other, support means for supporting a role of sheet wrapping material for feeding to the bale for wrapping the bale on rotation of the bale about the rotational axes, cutting means for cutting the sheet material intermediate the bale and roll when a bale is wrapped, and a sheet engaging means for gathering the sheet of wrapping material extending from the roll intermediate the roll and the bale prior to cutting thereof by the cutting means, the sheet engaging means being movable transversely relative to the sheet from a rest position to a gathered position with the sheet engaging means engaging one longitudinal edge of the wrapping material with at least portion of the wrapping material between opposite side edges of the wrapping material being gathered.

2. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the sheet engaging means in the gathered position is in a position co-inciding with the longitudinal centre line of the wrapping material.

3. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the sheet engaging means is just spaced apart from the side edge of the wrapping material in the rest position.

4. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the sheet engaging means comprises an elongated sheet engaging member extending substantially perpendicularly to the path of the wrapping material between the roll and the bale.

5. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which means for moving the sheet engaging means from the rest position to the gathered position is provided.

6. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 in which the means for moving the sheet engaging means is a ram.

7. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the sheet engaging means is urged into the rest position by a biasing means.

8. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 in which the biasing means comprises a tension spring.

9. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the sheet engaging means is mounted on a pivot arm, the pivot arm being pivotal from the rest position to the gathered position.

10. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the sheet engaging means engages the wrapping material intermediate the cutting means and the roll.

11. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which a pair of pinch rollers are provided through which the wrapping material is dispensed from the roll for stretching the wrapping material between the pinch rollers and the bale, the sheet engaging means being disposed intermediate the pinch rollers and the cutting means.

12. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 in which the sheet engaging means is mounted adjacent the pinch rollers.

13. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the bale supporting platform is pivotally mounted on a chassis and is pivotal relative to the chassis from an operating position to a tipped position for dispensing a wrapped bale therefrom.

14. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 in which a guide means is mounted on the bale supporting platform, the guide means being engagable with a side edge of the wrapping material opposite the sheet engaging means for gathering portion of the wrapping material on the bale supporting platform being pivoted into the tipped position.

15. Bale wrapping apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cutting means is mounted on the guide means for cutting the gathered wrapping material in the guide means.

16. Bale wrapping apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.