Mechanism for opening and closing a crop material roll forming region in

Abstract

A roll forming machine picks up crop material and forms, twine wraps and discharges rolls or large round bales thereof as the machine is continuously moving across the field. The machine has a mobile frame supporting a pickup and a floor, the latter supporting a lower conveyor. A rear upper apron is movably supported on the frame above a rear portion of the lower conveyor and floor and defines a rear roll forming region therewith. A front upper apron is movably supported on the frame above a front portion of the lower conveyor and floor and defines a front roll forming region therewith having an inlet end and a discharge end. A series of generally planar ramp elements are disposed in laterally spaced apart relationship transversely across the floor at the discharge end of the front roll forming region. Each ramp element is mounted for movement between a lowered position and a raised position. Also, the front upper apron has a portion located at the discharge end of the region which is movable between a raised position and a lowered position. Means is provided for coordinating the movement of the ramp elements and the upper apron portion so as either to dispose the ramp elements and the upper apron portion at their respective raised and lowered positions to close the discharge end of the roll forming region or to dispose the same at their respective lowered and raised positions to open the discharge end of the region.