AU600737B2 - A machine to group bales of hay into a rectangular arrangement, five bales wide by three bales long - Google Patents

Description

-1.25 14 1.6 Id0 ZZZZZ= II II I II I I 1.25 1.4 111.6 cc Short Title: Int. Cl: .11),>AU W 1r ^0 0 Pfoo/ol11 Form PATENTS ACT 1952 )MPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE 6~4'~ Application Number: Lodged: Comp lete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: 1 1~ d* Related Art:

AUSTRALIAN

8 JUL*07 PATENT OFFICE #1 rlpP-I' L0TO BE COMPLETED ,N~ame of Applicant: Ian-Bx-uce. SCHIRMIER Address of Applicant: Burnett Highway JAMBIN (21d 4702 BY APPLICANT Former Address: 2/4 Palmer St GLADSTONE Qld 4680 Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Ian Bruce SCHIRMER 'PZQ~f~ Cm~ PATENT OFFICE .834 63 Collector of Public Moneys Complete Specification for the invention entitled: A machine to group bales of hay into a rectangular arrangement, five bales wide by three bales long, The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:-* Note: The description is to be typed in double spacing, pica type face, in an area not exceeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in widt, on tough white paper of good quality and it is to be inserted inside this form.

14599/78- L Printed by CA THOMPSON, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra ii it

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t- :X 2 This invention relates to apparatus for the mechanical handling of bales. In particular, this invention relates to apparatus for accumulating hay bales in an ordered fashion, and the invention will be described with reference to this use. However, it is also envisaged that apparatus in accordance with the present invention may find use in the mechanised handling of other baled or bale like materials such as wool, waste paper or the like.

It has been found in practice that hay is much easier to handle with machines when the bales are grouped together rather than individually. There are a number of machines which group bales of hay ("accumulate" the bales) in various ways. However all the machines now in use utilize the physical length and sometimes the breadth of bales to activate the various mechanical devices which perform the

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grouping of the bales of hay.

Ct ,One such apparatus comprises a feeding elevator adapted to feed bales along a platform until the leading end of the first bale contacts an actuating switch. The row thus formed 1411 20 is then pushed sideways off the line of advance of the bales t;6 to permit the next row to be accumulated.

IC However, it is found that bale length may vary significantly with operating conditions. For example, baling F speed, ground speed, moisture content of the fodder, and 25 fodder type all effect the length of the bales. Apparatus such as that described above has the disadvantage that, when such as that described above has the disadvantage that, when rr a r b -3- 1

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a series of statistically short bales are fed to the apparatus, the desired number of bales in the row fails to trip the actuating switch to clear the row or otherwise act in response to a predetermined number of bales being accumulated.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide bale accumulating apparatus which is efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of apparatus in accordance with the 10 present invention will hereinafter become apparent.

O Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention @ooo O' resides broadly in a bale accumulator for producing a pack of bales consisting of a number of bales arranged in rows having a selected number of bales, said bale accumulator including:bale feeding means for feeding bales along a predetermined o" path; 9 bale detecting means for detecting the presence of a bale; counting means associated with said bale detecting means for o*0 counting detected bales; 020 row displacing means for displacing the row from said predetermined path; and integrated control means for said bale feeding means and said row displacing means, wherein said integrated control means is responsive to said counting means.

0 -r7 -3A Preferably, the bale feeding means comprises a conveyor or the like, adapted to convey the bales to the detection and counting means. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention the conveyor means comprises an elevator driven by an endless chain, adapted to convey bales from a baler along a predetermined path. Alternatively, the elevator may be adapted to be hand fed with bales collected from the field.

In either case, it is preferred that the present c, I i Irr ttts Cz( 4 apparatus be mobile to collect the bales, the apparatus being V either self propelled or drawn by tractor or the like. Where the apparatus is intended for use in conjunction with a hay baling machine, it is envisaged that the apparatus may be in assembly with the baler and either self propelled or drawn as an assembly.

The bale detecting means of the present invention may take any form consistent with the function of detecting the presence of a bale at the detection means. For example, the bale detection means may comprise a lever, pivoted in such a way as to move when contacted by a bale of hay delivered by the bale feeding means. Alternatively, the bale detection means may comprise active or passive electromagnetic, magnetic, optical, or sonic detection wherein a sensor is provided to respond to changes in the electromagnetic, o magnetic, optical or sonic environment caused by the presence Sj of a bale, and/or the interruption or reflection of a beam of electromagnetic or sonic radiation as the bale of hay passes I in the path of the beam, and/or the detection of a change in i 20 electric and/or magnetic field strength as the bale passes Sclose to the sensor.

Preferably, a lever is provided as the primary responding element of the detection means, with the movement of the lever being coupled to a sensor which detects the movement of the lever.

The counter associated with the detection means may take any form consistent with the function of registering a count for each bale encountered by the detection means. For example, the counter may comprise an electronic digital memory device and/or an electronic analogue memory device and/or any mechanical or electro-mechanical device incorporating a zero order hold.

Preferably, the counter consists of two main parts, namely a sensory device (sensor) which detects the deflection of the preferred lever in the presence of a bale as it moves onto the hay accumulator and memory device which records the number of deflection cycles corresponding to the number of the bales which pass the sensor.

Apparatus in accordance with the present invention may form an integral part of an accumulator for producing a pack or stack layer comprising a number of counted rows each containing a predetermined number of bales. Accordingly, in a further aspect, this invention resides broadly in a bale accumulator for producing a pack of bales consisting of a predetermined number of rows each having a predetermined i 20 number of bales, said bale accumulator including:r bale feeding means for feeding bales along a predetermined path; bale detecting means for detecting the presence of a bale; I" counting means associated with said bale detecting means for counting detected bales up to the predetermined number of bales to form a row; r 1515

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-r I 7 I i row displacing means for displacing the row from said predetermined path; and integrated control means for said bale feeding means and said row displacing means, wherein said integrated control means is responsive to said counting means.

Preferably, the apparatus is provided with a substantially horizontal collection table where the rows of bales may be accumulated. The collection table may be cleared upon completion of the pack by any suitable means such as a pack grabber. However it is preferred, at least in the case of the preferred mobile apparatus, that the collection table incline under the control of the integrated control means to deposit the completed pack upon the ground.

Preferably, the inclination and return of the collection table is effected by a double acting hydraulic or pneumatic operating system under the control of the integrated control means.

The row displacing means may take any form consistent with its function of clearing the predetermined path of bales upon completion of a row. Preferably, the row displacing means comprises a reciprocating pusher bar mounted to operate substantially transverse to the line of the predetermined path. Preferably, the pusher bar is operated by a double acting hydraulic or pneumatic operating system under the control of the integrated control means. The pusher bar may extend across substantially the whole length of the row r' E r

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accumulated or alternatively the pusher bar may comprise individual pusher elements each adapted to engage a single bale.

The integrated control means of the present invention may take any form consistent with the function of proividing integrated control of the processes of the present inventive apparatus, including the operational control of the elevator/conveyor, the push bar and the collection table.

Accordingly, the integrated control means may be provided by any suitable analogue or digital processor provided with suitable input/output devices and interfaces to allow programmability and/or condition responsive control of the functions of the apparatus. The integrated control means may also incorporate the bale counting function, accepting input 15 from the bale detecti:g means through a suitable interface.

The invention will be further described with reference to the following non limiting example, which describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

EXAMPLE i.

The hay accumulator described below uses a counter to replace the corunonly used length and/or breadth measuring devices. The counter is mounted so as to count the bales as they enter the hay accumulator.

The particular hay accumulator described accumulates 25 bales of hay into a group of fifteen comprising five rows of three bales to form a pack. The apparatus is adapted to then ca rri t i F C

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C2 t I Ft e 4 t I 8 deposit the accumulated group of fifteen bales onto the ground.

The apparatus of this embodiment comprises a horizontal platform (hereinafter called the "platform") being approximately fifty centimetres wide and three metres long.

LI A short motor driven elevator assists the bales in their movement along the platform. The platform after the elevator is long enough to accommodate three bales of hay.

When three bales of hay have been moved onto the platform a mechanical arm (hereinafter called the "push arm") pushes the three bales breadthwise from the platform onto a horizontal rectangular tray- (hereinafter called the 'tray").

The tray measures approximately 2.5 metres wide by 3.0 metres long. The push arm then moves back to its original position leaving the platform vacant. This sequence is repeated five times until a group of fifteen bales is positioned on the tray. The tray then pivots into an inclined plane causing the bales to slide from the tray to slide into the ground.

When the fifteen bales have slid from the tray, the tray moves back to the horizontal position.

The hay accumulator is controlled by an electronic p controller (hereinafter called the 'controller') assisted by sensors to detect the p~ositions of the push arm and the tray and electro-hydraulic actuators which control the flow of hydraulic oil to hydraulic rams used to move the push arm and tray.

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r 9 A counter counts the bales as they enter the platform, and activates the controller according to the number registered by the counter.

When there are three bales on the platform, the controller directs hydraulic oil at high pressure to a hydraulic ram connected to the push arm. The ram extends causing the push arm to rotate. The push arm then applies a longitudinal force to the three bales of hay on the platform.

This force moves the three bales from the platform onto the tray. The controller then directs the oil so as to contract the hydraulic ram, pivoting the push arm clear of the platform.

When there are fifteen bales on the tray, the controller directs hydraulic oil to a ram connected to the tray. This ram extends, which pivots the tray into a steep inclined plane. The fifteen bales of hay on the tray slide under the force of gravity from the tray onto the ground. After all the fifteen bales have slid from the tray the controller directs the hydraulic oil causing the ram to contract, pivoting the tray back to the horizontal position.

The controller contains protection logic to help protect the hay accumulator from jamming and clogging. An operator console allows a human operator to intervene at any time.

An electronic controller activates the push arm and 25 tray in a predefined sequence (as defined above) according to the number stored in the binary digital memory device.

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The counter used in the hay accumulator incorporates a lever manufak tured from steel pivoted so that the lever moves t as a bale of hay comes into physical contact with the lever.

The movement of the lever changes the magnetic field strength in the vicinity of a sensor located close to the lever. This change in magnetic field strength is then transformed electronically to a binary voltage level to indicate either that a bale of hay is in contact with the lever (high voltage) or a bale of hay is not in contact with the lever (low voltage). Each time the binary signal from the sensor changes from a high voltage to a low voltage a binary digital memory device is incremented. Hence the number stored in the binary digital memory device uniquely defines the number of bales which come into physical contact with the lever.

At the incremented count of three, the push arm is activated to push the three bales off the platform to provide space for the next row. This cycle is repeated until the five rows of bales are accumulated. At the completion of the L count of fifteen, the tray is actuated to dump the pack, and 2: the counter is reset to zero ready to accept the first bale of the next pack.

4 In order to more fully describe a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made to the accompanying Figure 1, which illustrates a typical hay bale 7 725 accumulator in accordance with the present invention.

In the figure, there is illustrated Hay Bale Accumulator Cc. 11 Apparatus comprising a frame 10 being adapted to be drawn by a tractor, hay-baler or the like on wheels 11 mounted to axle 12 attached to the frame 10. The frame 10 is drawn by and provided with steerage by the draw bar 13.

Bale input to the accumulator is provided by hydraulic elevator/conveyor chain 19 running in a slot in an elevator platform 14, bales being guided and/or straightened up on the elevator platform by guide fences 16. The hydraulic elevator/conveyor chain 19, feeds the bale onto a fixed platform 15 which is of sufficient length to accommodate the required number of bales. Bales are constrained to the fixed platform 15 by a fixed fence 17, rigidly mounted to the frame To prevent inordinately long bales from overfeeding the fixed platform 15 there is provided bale stop 18 at the end of the fixed platform Bale signalling and counting is provided by the interaction of incoming bales along the elevator platform 14 under the influence of the hydraulic elevator/conveyor chain 19, by the bale moving accentually the 20 adapted to operate signal generating means (not shown).

Mounted to the frame 10 for pivotal movement in relation thereto is a tilt table 21 adapted to receive rows of bales.

The tilt table 21 is tiltable via lift arms 22 which are in turn operated by a shaft 23 and crank 24 by a hydraulic ram Z~ 25 and cylinder assembly 25, mounted to the frame 10. Hydraulic pressure is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder and ram 12 assembly 25 via hydraulic control block 26 under the command of electro-hydraulic controller 27.

The fixed platflorm 15 is provided with slots 31 adapted to provide a passage for a push arm 30, operated by double acting hydraulic cylinder 32, again fed by hydraulic pressure from hydraulic control block 26 under the control of electrohydraulic controll-, 27.

To cope with differing heights of approach of incoming baethe elevator platform 14 is pivoted at 33.

In use, the hay bale accumulator is drawn by draw bar 13 behind a hay baler or the like which feeds bales onto the elevator platform 14. The hydraulic elevator conveyor chain 19 feeds the bales progressively past the counter leaver invoking sequential counting of bales onto the fixed platform 15 and registering the bale count in the electronic component of electro-hydraulic controller 27. During this feeding of H a row phase, the tilt table 21 is in horizontal position, forming a substantially contiguous surface with the fixed platform 15, and the push arm 30 is retracted back against the "ixed fence 17.

if When the electro-hydraulic controller 27 receives input 7 that a pre-set quantity for example three bales has passed the counter lever, the push arm 30 is operated via doubleacted cylinder 32 under the ultimate control of the electro 4'725 -hydraulic controller 27, thereby pushing the row of bales onto the tilt table 21. The double-acting cylinder 32 then 13 effects the withdrawal of the push arm 30 against the fixed fence 17. The hydraulic elevator/conveyor chain 19 then commences to feed bales past the counter lever 20 until a further row of pre-determined number is assembled on the fixed platform 16 as before. Whereupon the push arm pushes the new row onto the tilt table 21 further displacing the first row so assembled.

This cycle is repeated until a pre-determined number of Srows, for example 5, are assembled on the tilt table 21 to form a pack of bales. Upon the electronic component of the electro-hydraulic controller 27 receiving the signal input corresponding to the correct number of bales assembled on the tilt table 21, the electro-hydraulic controller 27 directs hydraulic pressure through the hydraulic control block 26, to the hydraulic ram and cylinder assembly 25, which operates crank 24, shaft 23 and lift-arms 22 to effect tilting of the tilt table 21 whereupon the assembled pack of bales is permitted to slide under gravity to the ground behind the advancing hay bale accumulating apparatus. The electrohydraulic controller then causes the tilt table 21 to return to the horizontal position whereupon the accumulator cycle may be repeated.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the example cannot be taken as in any way limiting, the broad scope and ambit of the present invention

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14 being wholly defined in the accompanying claims.

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Claims (11)

1. 2. Bale accumulator apparatus according to Claim i, wherein said bale feeding means comprises a conveyor or the like, adapted to convey the bales to the detection and counting means.
2. 3. Bale accumulator apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the apparatus is mobile and is either self propelled or drawn by tractor or the like. 16 -16-
3. 4. Bale accumulator apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the apparatus is in assembly with the a baling machine, said assembly being either self propelled or drawn as an assembly.
4. 5. Bale accumulator apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said bale detection means comprises a lever, the movement of the said lever being coupled to a sensor which detects the movement of the lever.
5. 6. Bale accumulator apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein i1 0 said counting means comprises said sensor coupled to a memory i device which records the number of deflection cycles corresponding to the number of the bales which are recorded by said sensor.
6. 7. A bale accumulator according to Claim 6, further comprising a substantially horizontal collection table where the rows of bales may be accumulated.
7. 8. A bale accumulator according to Claim 7, wherein the collection table inclines under the control of the integrated control means to deposit the completed pack upon the ground.
8. 9. A bale accumulator according to Claim 8, wherein the inclination and return of the collection table is effected by a double acting hydraulic or pneumatic operating system under I (I 0 V 1 17 the control of the integrated control means. A bale accumulator according to Claim 9, wherein the row displacing means comprises a reciprocating ,usher bar mounted 5 to operate substantially transverse to the line of the said predetermined path.
9. 11. A bale accumulator according to Claim 10, wherein the pusher bar is operated by a double acting hydraulic or pneumatic operating system under the control of the integrated control means.
10. 12. A bale accumulator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Example.
11. 13. A bale accumulator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. i i: DATED THIS Thirty-first DAY OF May, 1990. IAN BRUCE SCHIRMER by PIZZEY COMPANY PATENT ATTORNEYS