WO2024261573A1

WO2024261573A1 - Agricultural baler

Info

Publication number: WO2024261573A1
Application number: PCT/IB2024/055473
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shane Bollinger; Kelly Booton; Patrick CHERNEY
Original assignee: AGCO Corp
Current assignee: AGCO Corp
Priority date: 2023-06-19
Filing date: 2024-06-05
Publication date: 2024-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 2025-12-19
Also published as: WO2024261649A1

Abstract

An agricultural baler (2) is disclosed comprising a baling chamber (18) within which a bale (14) is formed, a reciprocating piston plunger (20) operating within the baling chamber for compressing cut crop material into compacted flakes of cut crop material, a dividing partition (60) within the baling chamber (18), a first bale binding mechanism downstream of the first side of the dividing partition, and a second bale binding mechanism downstream of the second side of the dividing partition in which a support element (92) is provided between the first and second bale binding mechanisms.

Description

TITLE

Agricultural Baler

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not applicable.

FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to an agricultural harvesting machine, and in particular to a baling machine producing multiple bales simultaneously.

BACKGROUND

[0003] It is known to collect cut crop, such as hay, straw or silage crop into a windrow on a field where the cut crop may subsequently be collected by an agricultural baler and processed into bales of cut crop. In a square baler, charges of cut crop are delivered by the pick up apparatus from the ground to a precompression chamber. The charges of cut crop are then transferred from the precompression chamber to a baling chamber where the charges are compressed into flakes by the action of a reciprocating piston plunger. Successive flakes are created and form a generally parallelepiped bale within the baling chamber. Once the forming bale has reached a predetermined length a tying mechanism is operated to encircle the bale with strands of binding material and to knot the strands to form a finished bound or formed bale which is subsequently ejected from the agricultural baler. Once such bale binding mechanism is known from WO 2021/136989 (AGCO).

[0004] Larger balers can process larger amounts of crop material, but result in larger bales that are heavy and impossible to move by hand, making them unsuitable for use by a small hobby farmer. To address this, it has become known to use such larger balers to produce bales of a reduced size in pairs, for example as disclosed US 10,869,428 (Grady) in which bales are formed to each aside of a dividing partition within the baling chamber.

[0005] Nevertheless, problems remain. It is known to provide a single tying mechanism to bind both bales on each side of the dividing partition. In the event of uneven loading of the baling chamber, a bale to a first side of the dividing partition may be of a different size to a baler at a second side of the divider. In such a case, the tying mechanism will be actuated, but one of the bales will be improperly tied, adversely affecting the integrity of that bale.

[0006] It is an advantage of the present invention that this problem is addressed.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an agricultural baler comprises a baling chamber within which a bale is formed, a reciprocating piston plunger operating within the baling chamber for compressing cut crop material into compacted flakes of cut crop material, a dividing partition within the baling chamber, a first bale binding mechanism downstream of the first side of the dividing partition, and a second bale binding mechanism downstream of the second side of the dividing partition in which a support element is provided between the first and second bale binding mechanisms.

[0008] Preferably each of the first and second bale binding mechanisms comprises a needle assembly shiftable relative to the baling chamber to advance strands of binding material along an end of a bale in the baling chamber to one side of the partition, a drive shaft supported by the baler frame to power the needle assembly, a clutch shiftable between an engaged condition in which the clutch drivingly interconnects the drive shaft and the needle assembly and a disengaged condition in which the clutch prevents the drive shaft from driving the needle assembly, and the bale length measuring device operable to cause the clutch to shift to the engaged condition when the bale is of a desired size. [0009] Preferably, each needle assembly comprises an outer side member pivotably about a first end, a cross member secured at a first end to the second end of the outer side member, the cross member being provided at a second end with a follower for co-operation with the support element and a plurality of needles secured to the cross member between the first and second ends of the cross member.

[0010] Preferably, the support element is provided with first and second channels, the first channel cooperating with the follower of a first needle assembly and the second channel cooperating with the follower of a second needle assembly.

[0011] Preferably, each follower comprises an inwardly extending projection. More preferably, the projection comprises a roller mounted for rotation on a cylindrical pin.

[0012] Preferably, the support element is secured at first and second ends to a lower side of the baling chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] FIG 1 shows a side view of an agricultural baler for use with the present invention;

[0015] FIG 2 shows a schematic side view of a baling chamber of an agricultural baler for use with the present invention;

[0016] FIG 3 shows a schematic diagram of a tractor-baler combination embodying aspects of the present invention

[0017] FIG 4 shows a first perspective view of elements of a baling mechanism for an agricultural baler for use with the present invention;

[0018] FIG 5 shows a perspective view of elements of a baling mechanism for an agricultural baler for use with the present invention;

[0019] FIG 6 shows a first perspective view of elements of a first and second bale binding mechanism for the baling mechanism of the present invention; [0020] FIG 7 shows a second perspective view of elements of the first and second bale binding mechanisms shown in FIG 6;

[0021] FIG 8 shows a third perspective view of elements of the first and second bale binding mechanisms shown in FIG 6;

[0022] FIG 9 shows a fourth perspective view of elements of the first and second bale binding mechanisms shown in FIG 6; and

[0023] FIG 10 shows a perspective view of a support element for use in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The invention will now be described in the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, wherein preferred embodiments are described in detail to enable practice of the invention. Although the invention is described with reference to these specific preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these preferred embodiments. But to the contrary, the invention includes numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents as will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description.

[0025] Relative terms such as forward, rearward, transverse, lateral, longitudinal and sideways will be made with reference to the normal forward direction of travel of the baler. The terms vertical and horizontal will be made with reference to level ground upon which the baler is disposed. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" are made with reference to the general direction of crop flow along the material conveyance systems described.

[0026] Referring first to FIG 1, an agricultural baler of the kind known as a square baler is shown. The agricultural baler 2 is shown on flat ground 4. The agricultural baler 2 includes a pick up unit 6 to gather loose cut crop from a windrow of cut crop lying on the ground 4. A stuffer unit directs the crop into a precompression chamber 10 to form a charge of cut crop (FIG 2). [0027] Moving in a forwards direction, the agricultural baler 2 is operable to gather loose cut crop material, form it into an individual charge 12 of cut crop, and following introduction of the charge 12 of cut crop through an opening in a bottom wall of the baling chamber 18, compress the individual charge into a flake. Successive flakes are compressed together to create a forming bale 14 (FIG 2). Once a forming bale 14 has reached a desired size to become a formed bale, a knotter mechanism 19 is actuated to tie off the formed bale by securing strands of a binding material, such as twine, around the formed bale, before a subsequent bale is formed within the baling chamber 18.

[0028] A baling system may broadly comprise a towing agricultural vehicle 16, such as a tractor, and the agricultural baler 2 (FIG 3). The towing agricultural vehicle 16 may include a cab wherein an operator may be located; an engine operable to move the towing agricultural vehicle; a steering mechanism to control the direction of travel of the towing vehicle and a Power Take Off arrangement (PTO) operable to transfer mechanical power from the engine to an agricultural baler or other connected machinery. The agricultural baler 2 may broadly comprise a baler frame 15 mechanically coupled with the towing agricultural vehicle 16, the pick up unit 6, the stuffer unit, the precompression chamber 10 and the baling chamber 18; and a reciprocating piston plunger 20 having a plunger face 22. The towing agricultural vehicle 16 is also electrically and electronically coupled to the agricultural baler 2.

[0029] The baler frame 15 provides support and mounting for various elements of the agricultural baler 2 including the pick up unit 6, the stuffer unit, the precompression chamber 10, the baling chamber 18 and the reciprocating piston plunger 20.

[0030] The piston plunger 20 moves in a reciprocating manner within the baling chamber 18 from a front-dead-center position in which the plunger face 22 of the piston plunger 20 is furthest from the forming bale 14 to a rear-dead-center position in which the plunger face 22 is compressing the forming bale. More specifically, the piston plunger 20 repeatedly extends into the baling chamber 18 such that the plunger face 22 contacts and compresses the charge of cut crop 12 and the flakes that are already present therein, and retracts to allow the next charge of cut crop 12 to enter the baling chamber 18 from the precompression chamber 10. A dividing partition 60 is located centrally within the baling chamber 18 extending from a floor to a ceiling of the baling chamber effectively splitting the baling chamber 18 into two smaller baling chambers.

[0031] To each side of the dividing partition 60, the baling chamber 18 is provided with a bale length measuring device. The bale length measuring device may be level with the dividing partition 60 or downstream of the dividing partition 60.

[0032] By way of example, the bale length measuring device may take the form of a star wheel apparatus 62A, 62B. Each star wheel apparatus is provided to each side of the dividing partition 60. Each star wheel apparatus includes a wheel 64 having teeth extending into the baling chamber 18. The teeth dig into the forming bale 14 and as the forming bale grows, and advances within the baling chamber 18, the wheel 64 is caused to be rotated about an axis 66.

[0033] The bale length measuring device may take the form of a mechanical trip mechanism 34, of the kind described in WO 2021/136989, coupled to the star wheel 64 and operable to control the size of the bale produced by the bale binding mechanism by actuation of the bale tie cycle by causing the clutch to adopt the engaged condition.

[0034] The baling chamber 18 is also provided with a first bale binding mechanism to the first side of the dividing partition 60 and a second bale binding mechanism to the second side of the dividing partition 60.

[0035] Each of the first and second bale binding mechanisms comprises a clutch 74, a knotter mechanism and an associated needle assembly, each knotter mechanism comprising a plurality of knotter head assemblies 76 powered by a drive shaft 78, and each needle assembly comprising a pivot 88, a crank arm 90, a rod 80, a needle frame 82 and a plurality of needles 84, each needle 84 being associated with a corresponding knotter head assembly 76. The needles 84 are mounted on the needle frame 82 and are each associated with a respective strand of twine. Each needle 84 is configured to advance twine vertically along an end of the bale. A first end of the rod 80 is pivotally connected to the crank arm 90 and a second end of the rod 80 is pivotally connected to the needle frame 82.

[0036] The crank arm 90 is attached to and rotates with the drive shaft 78 of the knotter mechanism 28 during a bale tie cycle. In particular, each of the crank arms 90 is configured to rotate a single revolution with the respective drive shaft 78 during a bale tie cycle. When rotated, the crank arm 90 causes, by way of the rod 80, the needle frame 82 to pivot about the pivot 88. As described below, the bale tie cycle is initiated when the clutch 74 is engaged.

[0037] Each needle frame 82 can be seen to comprise an outer side member 94 connected at a first end to the pivot 88, a cross member 96 extending inwardly from a second end of the outer side member and a plurality of needles 84 provided on the cross member. In the illustrated embodiment a first outer end of the cross member is received and fixed within a suitable opening in the second end of the outer side member 94 (FIG 7). A second inner end of the cross member 96 is provided with a follower 98 for cooperation with the support element 92. Conveniently, each of the plurality of needles 84 is mechanically secured to the cross member 96, for example by brackets 85. In the illustrated embodiment two needles are provided on each needle assembly.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, each follower 98 comprises an ovoid element 100 (as best seen in FIGS 7, 8, 9 and 10), preferably of oval section. A first end of the ovoid element 100 is provided with an opening and secured about the second inner end of the cross member 96. A projection extends inwardly from a second end of the ovoid element 100. Conveniently, the projection may take the form of a roller 104 mounted for rotation on a cylindrical pin carried from the second end of the ovoid element 100. [0039] The support element 92 takes the form of a generally arcuate member. A first end of the support element is mechanically secured to a lower region of the baling chamber in the region of the precompression chamber 10 (or, for example, to the baler frame in this region). A second end of the support element 92 is mechanically connected to a lower region of the baling chamber 18 beneath the dividing partition 60 (cf FIG 7). The ends of the support element 92 are conveniently provided with brackets 106,108 to allow for this mechanical connection.

[0040] The support element 92 is provided with first and second channels 110, 112 extending within its length within which the followers mounted on the respective needle frames 82 run. The first and second channels 100,102 serve as cam tracks for the followers 98. Referring to FIGS 8 and 9, it can be seen that the roller of a first needle frame on a first side of the support element 92 is arranged to run in a first upper channel 110 and the roller of a second needle frame on a first side of the support element 92 is arranged to run in a second lower channel 112.

[0041] As a result of this construction, the needles 84 to each side of the support element 92 are shiftable relative to the baling chamber 18 during a bale tie cycle to bind a bale. In the depicted embodiment, the needles 84 are shiftable upwardly into the baling chamber 18 during an advancement stroke of the bale tie cycle to advance strands of twine upwardly along an end of the bale. The needles 84 position the strands of twine so that the knotter mechanism can secure the twine around the bale. The needles 84 are also shiftable downwardly out of the baling chamber 18 during a return stroke of the bale tie cycle to permit formation of the next bale.

[0042] The respective knotter mechanisms and associated needle assemblies are configured to be driven by a drive sprocket 86. The drive sprocket 86 is powered by a chain drive and is operable to be engaged by the clutch 74. The bale tie cycle is initiated when the clutch 74 is engaged. [0043] The knotter head assemblies 76 are powered by the drive shaft 78 and cooperate with the associated needle assembly to form at least one knot in the respective strands of twine during a bale tie cycle. The drive sprocket 86 is journaled on the drive shaft 78 and is configured to spin relative to the drive shaft 78 when the baler is not performing a bale tie cycle.

[0044] The clutch 74 is operable to initiate a bale tie cycle and transmit driving power from the drive shaft 78 to the needle assembly. The clutch 74 may be rotated between an engaged condition, in which the clutch 74 drivingly interconnects the drive shaft 78 and the needle assembly, and a disengaged condition, in which the clutch 74 prevents the drive shaft 78 from driving the needle assembly.

[0045] Once a predetermined bale size has been achieved, the respective bale length measuring device causes the appropriate knotter mechanisms 19A, 19B to be actuated to encircle the formed bale with strands of binding material and to knot the strands of binding material to form a finished bale which is subsequently ejected from the agricultural baler 2 by way of a chute 26 at a rear end of the baling chamber 18. It can be seen that the support element 92 provides additional lateral support to the single side arm of the needle frames 82 during the pivoting process and so improves needle stability as the needles 84 move through the baling chamber and into the knotter head assemblies 76.

[0046] All references cited herein are incorporated herein in their entireties. If there is a conflict between definitions herein and in an incorporated reference, the definition herein shall control.

[0047] From reading the present disclosure, other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such modifications may involve other features which are already known in the field of square balers and component parts therefore and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1 An agricultural baler comprising a baling chamber within which a bale is formed, a reciprocating piston plunger operating within the baling chamber for compressing cut crop material into compacted flakes of cut crop material, a dividing partition within the baling chamber, a first bale binding mechanism downstream of the first side of the dividing partition, and a second bale binding mechanism downstream of the second side of the dividing partition in which a support element is provided between the first and second bale binding mechanisms.

2 An agricultural baler according to claim 1, in which each of the first and second bale binding mechanisms comprises a needle assembly shiftable relative to the baling chamber to advance strands of binding material along an end of a bale in the baling chamber to one side of the partition, a drive shaft supported by the baler frame to power the needle assembly, a clutch shiftable between an engaged condition in which the clutch drivingly interconnects the drive shaft and the needle assembly and a disengaged condition in which the clutch prevents the drive shaft from driving the needle assembly, and the bale length measuring device operable to cause the clutch to shift to the engaged condition when the bale is of a desired size.

3 An agricultural baler according to claim 2, wherein each needle assembly comprises an outer side member pivotably about a first end, a cross member secured at a first end to the second end of the outer side member, the cross member being provided at a second end with a follower for co-operation with the support element and a plurality of needles secured to the cross member between the first and second ends of the cross member. 4 An agricultural baler according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the support element is provided with first and second channels, the first channel cooperating with the follower of a first needle assembly and the second channel cooperating with the follower of a second needle assembly.

5 An agricultural baler according to claim 4, wherein each follower comprises an inwardly extending projection.

6 An agricultural baler according to claim 5, wherein the projection comprises a roller mounted for rotation on a cylindrical pin.

7 An agricultural baler according to any one of claim 1 to claim 6, wherein the support element is secured at first and second ends to a lower side of the baling chamber.