Large wrapping net roll pressure arm assembly serving also as a loading platform

Abstract

An apparatus for wrapping net about bales formed in the baling chamber of a large round baler is arranged such that the net material supply roll is pressed directly against the driven wrap material feed roll by a pressure roll carried by a pair of transversely spaced lower arm portions of a lower arm section of a vertically swingable pressure arm assembly that also includes a separate, upper arm section. The force pressing the pressure roll against the supply roll originates with gas springs coupled to a linkage that is in turn coupled to transversely spaced upper arm portions of the upper arm section, these arm portions carrying respective force transfer rollers that engage respective intermediate sections of the lower arm portions. Associated with each lower arm portion is an inverted L-shaped bracket having a short leg pivotally mounted between the axis of the pressure roller and one end of a guide link which cooperates with the short bracket leg and the lower arm portion to form a four-bar linkage which acts to properly position retainer rolls, respectively mounted to the end of the long leg of each of the inverted L-shaped brackets, adjacent the periphery of the supply roll so as to prevent the supply roll from moving away from its desired location on the drive wrap material feed roll. The lower pair of arm portions are shaped for cradling a new roll of wrapping material when lowered to a loading position from which they may be raised to move the supply roll in engagement with the driven net feed roll. A guide structure is provided which cooperates with bale forming belts for conveying the wrapping material, once fed through the feed rolls, beneath the bale discharge gate and through the inlet of the baling chamber.