Deere + Company

Gerald F Meiers

Henry Dennis Anstey

Gust S Soteropulos

Richard W Koning

Roger William Frimml

A large cylindrical baler with a gauge for indicating the relative diameters of a bale being formed in the bale-forming chamber at two axially-spaced points on the bale periphery. The baler comprises a bale-forming chamber defined in part by a conveyor comprised of a plurality of endless loop belts. A belt-tensioning and take-up mechanism tensions all of the belts responsive to the diameter of the largest diameter portion of the bale during formation. The gauge has a pair of feelers engaging two of the belts in engagement with the periphery of the bale at two remote, axially-spaced points on the bale periphery. An indicator is positioned remotely of the bale-forming chamber and is interconnected with the pair of feelers through a signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal to the indicator responsive to the variation in tension of the two belts. The tension of the two belts is directly related to the relative diameters of the bale at the two points on the bale periphery engaged respectively by the two belts.

Bale-shape gauge for baler for forming cylindrical bales

An automatically controlled twine-wrapping mechanism for a large round baler includes a hydraulically driven twine arm for feeding twine across the width of a bale during the last part of its formation in a bale chamber. The twine passes between a planar surface of the arm and a generally rectangular tensioner plate which is slidably received on a pin carried by the surface and is spring biased towards the surface. The tensioner plate includes contiguous beveled edges which respectively aid in the threading of and in the passage of twine through the tensioner. The tensioner plate also includes a straight edge on the side thereof from which the twine exits. This edge serves to impede reverse movement of twine through the tensioner.

Twine tensioner for large round bale twine-wrapping mechanism

An automatic twine-wrapping mechanism for a large round baler. The mechanism comprises a twine dispensing mechanism for dispensing twine into the bale-forming chamber of the baler, a reversible hydraulic drive means for cycling a twine arm of the dispensing mechanism back and forth in front of the chamber, a twine wrapping control mechanism for initiating a twine wrapping cycle by sensing the growth of a bale to a predetermined diameter, by automatically actuating a pump drive means for driving a hydraulic pump and by positioning a hydraulic control valve to condition the hydraulic drive means to cycle the twine arm and for terminating a twine wrapping cycle by deactivating the hydraulic drive means following the wrapping of twine around the bale. The twine is automatically severed by a twine cutter responsive to the movement of the twine arm following completion of the wrapping of the twine around the bale. The bale operator actuates a bale ejection mechanism following the cutting of the twine. Following bale ejection, the twine wrapping cycle is terminated by the twine wrapping control mechanism sensing that the bale chamber is empty. The baler is now ready to begin the formation of another bale therein. Also, the twine arm includes a tubular guide and guide support, which in conjunction with a twine tensioner of the twine dispensing mechanism enables simplified threading of twine through the dispensing mechanism.

Twine-wrapping mechanism for a large round baler

A baler for forming cylindrical bales is comprised of a bale forming chamber having a downwardly facing opening. A pickup is pivotably mounted to the frame of the baler for movement through a range of vertical positions, and transversely extends between the sidewalls of the baler below the opening. Flare sheets are mounted on each side of the pickup for aiding in feeding and guiding of crop into the bale forming chamber by the pickup. The pickup is mounted pivotably to the frame of the baler adjacent to the rear of the opening. Each flare sheet is mounted to the frame of the baler adjacent to the front of the opening in a guide slot which permits the flare sheet to be pivotably and slidably moved back and forth therein. The flare sheets and the pickup are mounted together for conjoint movement through the range of positions by mounting each flare sheet at respective ends of the pickup reel. When the pickup and flare sheets are moved from an elevated position to a lowered position; the flare sheets are pivotally and rearwardly moved in the guide slot, the pickup is pivotally moved downwardly toward the ground, and the flare sheets and pickup together are moved downwardly about their common pivot spaced midway between the forward pivot of the flare sheet to the frame and the rearward pivot of the pickup to the frame.

Cylindrical baler with flare sheets on crop pickup

A method is disclosed for unplugging or freeing a cylindrical baler which has a slug of crop material caught in the crop inlet of the bale forming chamber. A cylindrical baler used in the practice of this method is comprised of a plurality of belts supported on a plurality of rolls and defining a bale forming chamber. A pair of rolls on a carrier respectively engage a pair of stretches of the belts and substantially close an upper portion of the chamber. The rolls and carrier are upwardly moveable as the chamber expands responsive to the bale growth. The method comprises steps of (1) disengaging a drive means for the belts; (2) moving the carrier and rolls supported thereon upwardly away from the bale being formed in the chamber thereby enlarging the chamber; (3) automatically tensioning the belts responsive to carrier movement to cause the stretches to rotatably engage the bale and (4) re-engaging the drive means for feeding the slug into the chamber and wrapping the slug around the bale. In accordance with this method, the size of the bale forming chamber and the tension on the belts may be controlled, thereby permitting the bale forming chamber to accommodate large slugs of hay in the unplugging mode of operation and eliminating the need to manually remove the slug as has been typically required with prior art balers.

Method for unplugging cylindrical baler

A round baler of typical construction has a novel belt and roll system arranged to provide a pair of lower rolls from which oppositely running stretches extend upwardly to a pair of closely spaced apart intermediate rolls which are journaled on a carrier means which in turn is movable upwardly as bale size increases between the oppositely running stretches. The bale is confined below the two intermediate rolls while other stretches of the belt are trained about additional rolls enabling deflecting of the chamber-forming stretches during bale formation. Control means is provided to act on the carrier to control upward movement of the carrier means and thus to control bale density in an improved and efficient manner. The control means further includes hydraulic means tied in with the hydraulic means that controls the bale-discharge gate.

Belt-tensioning system for round balers

A machine for forming large round bales of hay and the like has a pickup mechanism that removes the crop from the field and delivers it rearwardly between a pair of compresser rolls, which deliver crop material in a mat to a baling zone between upper and lower endless conveyors. The upper conveyor includes a plurality of endless belts trained around a plurality of transverse rollers, one of which is disposed adjacent the rearward end of the lower conveyor and is mounted on a rear gate assembly that is swingable upward and rearwardly to permit discharge of the bale from the baling chamber. As the bale increases in size, its center of gravity moves rearwardly and after its initial stage of formation, it is partially supported on the roller adjacent the lower conveyor, said roller being disposed generally below the center of the bale when the bale reaches full size. An auxiliary roller is provided on the rear gate assembly immediately adjacent to said main bale support roller to help support the underside of the bale and thereby reduce the penetration of the roller into the periphery of the bale, the auxiliary supporting roller being vertically adjustable relative to the main support roller to selectively vary the amount of load carried by the main support roller and thereby selectively vary the rolling resistance caused by the penetration of the main support roller into the bale periphery.

Machine for forming cylindrical hay bales

In a mobile agricultural machine large cylindrical bales are formed from crop material picked up from the ground and fed to a baling zone between upper and lower bale-forming belt conveyors. In the lower generally horizontal conveyor, a plurality of side-by-side flat endless belts are trained around fixed forward and rear rollers and a belt tensioning idler roller, adjacent to but forward of and below the rear roller. A series of radially extending disks mounted on and concentric with the idler roller space the belts and control their tracking on the rollers.

Cylindrical baler conveyor

A machine for forming cylindrical bales of crop material includes a mobile main frame and a novel combination of a material pickup and a bale forming belt conveyor in which a plurality of side by side belts are trained around a series of transverse rollers and an axially transverse rotary pickup element at the rear of the frame. The conveyor roller arrangement results in a substantial arc of contact between the conveyor belts and the bale, reaching about 180.degree. when the bale is fully formed. A stripper roller is located adjacent to but forward of and above the pickup element so that, after initiation of the formation of the bale, the pickup continues to feed material from the group into the growing bale but does not contact the bale and takes no part in propelling it along the ground.

Ground-rolled cylindrical baler

A machine for forming large cylindrical bales of hay or the like has a mobile main frame with opposite upright sides defining a baling chamber therebetween. A windrow pickup unit removes the crop from the field and delivers it rearwardly between a pair of compressor rolls, which deliver the crop material in a mat to a baling zone between upper and lower endless conveyors, the lower conveyor having a generally horizontal upper run which supports the underside of the bale and the upper conveyor having an upwardly and forwardly moving lower run which engages the crop moving rearwardly on the lower conveyor to roll it into a bale. The upper conveyor envelops the bale as it is formed and a rear gate assembly is provided in association with the upper conveyor for permitting rearward discharge of the formed bale, the gate assembly including a pair of vertically swingable upper arms and vertically swingable lower arms carried by the upper arms, a linkage being provided between the lower arms and the frame to control the movement of an upper conveyor roller extending between the lower ends of the lower arms, which defines the rearward end of the baling chamber as the bale is being formed.

Growing community of inventors

Ottumwa, IA, United States of America

Gerald F Meiers