Double baler with wide bale chute

Abstract

A baler with a bale chute 304 onto which finished bales are ejected from left and right bale forming compartments of a baling chamber. The bale chute directs finished bales from a first bale formed position to a first discharge position and directs bales from a second bale formed position to a second discharge position so that the bales are dropped off the bale chute in rows that are separated by a lateral distance with a minimum bale chamber offset 402. The minimum bale chamber offset is a distance of lateral offset between the side wall of the respective bale forming compartment and a distal end 322 of an inner director wall 314 of the bale chute such that in the first and second discharge positions, an inward-facing side of the bale is positioned laterally outside the side wall by the minimum bale chamber offset.

Description

DOUBLE BALER WITH WIDE BALE CHUTEBACKGROUNDField

[0001] This disclosure relates to agricultural baler that conucurently forms multiple bales of crop material and, more particularly, to a bale chute that positions the adjacent bales formed by the baler in laterally offset rows behind the baler.Description of Related Art

[0002] Conventional square hay balers include a bale forming chamber and a reciprocating plunger that slides into and out of the chamber. “Square” bales are often preferred in that the square-shouldered bales facilitate stacking, delivery and use and, as used herein, square bales means bales having square shoulders. As the chamber receives loose hay material, the plunger slides into the chamber during a compaction stroke to compress the loose hay material into the form of a bale. Such balers typically include a drive train that transmits power to the reciprocating plunger.

[0003] Attempts to improve baling efficiency have included the production larger balers that produce very large, high-density bales. These large square bales are heavy and impossible to move by hand, making them undesirable for the small hobby farmer. Attempts have been made to use larger balers to produce bales of a reduced size in pairs such as by U.S. Pat. No.3,099,203 to Klemm et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 10,869,428 to Grady. The bales from double balers are deposited behind the baler at the same time or in staggered intervals. However, with some equipment it can be difficult to pick up the bales from the field if the bales are deposited in rows that are too close together. It would be desirable to have an improved baler that concurrently forms multiple bales but has a bale chute that positions the bales behind the baler with improved lateral spacing.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect the invention is directed to an agricultural baler having a pickup assembly configured to take cut plant material from the ground and move the plant material to a baling chamber and compress the plant material in the baling chamber with a reciprocating plunger into a growing bale. The baling chamber is formed with a floor, a roof and opposing side walls, with a stationary knife mounted in the baling chamber extending vertically betweenthe floor and the roof such that plant material moved into the baling chamber is split by movement of the plunger relative to the knife and pushed into left and right bale forming compartments to concurrently form a first bale in a first bale formed position in the left baleforming compartment on one side of the dividing partition and a second bale in a second bale formed position in the right bale-forming compartment on an opposite side of the dividing partition. The baler includes a bale chute at a discharge end of the baling chamber onto which finished bales are ejected rearwardly from the left and right bale forming compartments. The bale chute is configured to direct finished bales from the first bale formed position to a first discharge position, and to direct finished bales from the second bale formed position to a second discharge position so that the bales are dropped off the bale chute onto the ground behind the baler in first and second rows that are separated by a lateral distance with a minimum bale chamber offset. The minimum bale chamber offset is lateral offset between the side wall of the respective bale forming compartment and a distal end of an inner director wall of the bale chute such that in the first and second discharge positions, an inward-facing side of the bale is positioned laterally outside the side wall by the minimum bale chamber offset.

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce concepts in simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the disclosed or claimed subject matter and is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the disclosed or claimed subject matter. Specifically, features disclosed herein with respect to one embodiment may be equally applicable to another. Further, this summary is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Many other novel advantages, features, and relationships will become apparent as this description proceeds. The figures and the description that follow more particularly exemplify illustrative embodiment.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an example baler machine configured to receive loose plant material and shape and secure the material into a bale;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the baling chamber of FIG. 1 with portions of the baling chamber cut away to show features of the baling chamber;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bale chute for use on the baler of FIG. 1 ; and

[0010] FIG. 4 a rear elevation view of the bale chute of FIG. 3; and

[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates a plan view of the bale chute of FIG. 3.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention references the accompanying figures. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those with ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The following description is, therefore, not limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0013] In this description, references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Separate references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are not mutually exclusive unless so stated. Specifically, a feature, component, action, step, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, particular implementations of the present invention can include a variety of combinations and / or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 1, an example agricultural baler 102 is shown into which embodiments of the present invention may be incorporated. Broadly, the baler 102 has a frame 104 with ground wheels 106 configured to move the baler 102 over a field and collect previously cut plant material and to compress, shape, and secure the collected plant material into a plurality of bales. Although the example baler 102 is a towed square baler, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention may be incorporated into other types of balers (e.g., self-propelled) with few or no changes. The baler 102 may include a pickup assembly 108, a stuffer chute assembly 110, a reciprocating plunger 112, and a baling (or compression) chamber 114. Additionally, the baler 102 may be hitched to a towing vehicle (not shown) by a tongue 116, and power for operating the various mechanisms (e.g., thereciprocating plunger 112) of the baler 102 may be supplied by a power take-off of the towing vehicle.

[0015] The pickup assembly 108 may be configured to collect the cut plant material from the field. In one implementation, the pickup assembly 108 may include a pair of pickup wheels 118 that support the pickup assembly 108 as the baler 102 moves over the field. The stuffer chute assembly 110 may be configured to direct the collected plant material into position for incorporation into a bale. In one implementation, the stuffer chute assembly 110 may include a charge-forming duct 120 extending from an inlet opening adjacent to the pickup assembly 108 to an outlet opening into the baling chamber 114. The reciprocating plunger 112 may be configured to compress the plant material from the charge-forming duct 120 into a growing bale. In one implementation, the plunger 112 may be configured to reciprocate within the baling chamber 114 in repeating compression and retraction strokes across the outlet opening of the charge-forming duct 120. As the plunger 112 retracts, the outlet opening is uncovered and an additional flake, charge, or other subunit of plant material enters the baling chamber 114, and as the plunger 112 contracts the outlet opening is covered and the additional subunit of plant material is compressed into the growing bale.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a portion of the baling chamber 114 with components removed for clarity. The baling chamber 114 is formed with a floor 202, a roof 204 and opposing side walls 206. The reciprocating plunger 112 may be configured to compress the plant material from the charge-forming duct 120 into the space between the floor 202, the roof 204 and the side walls 206 of the baling chamber 114. FIG. 2 illustrates the baling chamber 114 with a portion of the roof 204 removed for clarity. The plunger 112 is hydraulically moved rearward to compress the plant material received in the baling chamber 114 from the stuffer chute assembly 110 such that the plunger 112 pushes the crop material against and past a stationary splitting knife 208 which extends vertically in the baling chamber 114 between the floor 202 and the roof 204 in a plane parallel with the side walls 206. The compressed crop material split by movement of the plunger 112 relative to the knife 208 is pushed into two separate bale-forming compartments, a left bale-forming compartment 210a and right bale-forming compartment 210b. The plunger 112 comes close to contacting the knife 208 but, preferably, does not contact the knife 208.

[0017] The two bale-forming compartments 210a and 210b are desirably separated by a dividing partition 212 that extends rearward from the splitting knife 208 and is in a plane parallel with the side walls 206 of the baling chamber 114. Desirably, the dividing partition 212extends to a discharge end of the baling chamber 114. The dividing partition 212 is secured in the baling chamber 114 with suitable mounting means in the roof 204 and the floor 202 using sound engineering judgment. The compressed crop material pushed into the left and right bale forming compartments 210a and 210b is concurrently formed into first and second bales, with the first bale formed in the left bale-forming compartment 210a on one side of the dividing partition 212 and the second bale formed in the right bale-forming compartment 210b on the other side of the dividing partition 212.

[0018] As is known in the art, the floor 202, roof 204, and side walls 206 of the baling chamber 114 may form a compression chamber controlled by hydraulic cylinders with the use of a computer. Desirably, the baling chamber 114 squeezes the top, bottom, and outside sides of the first and second bales to achieve the desired weight and size of each bale. After the first and second bales reach the desired weight and size, the first and second bales are tied by a suitable knotter mechanism (not shown) as would be understood by one skilled in the art and expelled out the discharge end 214 of the baling chamber 114.

[0019] The baling chamber 114 may be configured to shape the growing bales and secure the compressed plant material in the left and right bale forming compartments 210a and 210b. Control of the size and weight of the bales being formed in the left and right bale forming compartments 210a and 210b is achieved by suitable controllers which sense the parameters of each of the bales and provide an indication of any need to vary the flow of crop material to the baling chamber 114.

[0020] Turning now to FIG. 3, the finished bales are ejected rearwardly from discharge end 214 of the baling chamber 114 onto a bale chute 304 attached to the frame 104 of the baler 102. According to the invention, the bale chute 304 is configured to position the finished bales so that they are placed on the field behind the baler 102 for subsequent collection in rows that are separated by a lateral distance that is greater than the distance between the bales as they leave the left and right bale forming compartments 210a and 210b. The bales are urged from the discharge end 214 of the left and right bale forming compartments 210a and 210b and onto a receiving platform 306 of the bale chute 304 in a manner such that the bales emerge in a side- by-side orientation with little separation between the adjacent bales. The receiving platform 306 has a center partition 316 that extends rearwardly and in the same plane as the dividing partition 212 in the baling chamber 114.

[0021] As the bales move further rearward, the bale chute 304 has divergent left and right transition sections 308a and 308b. Each bale is guided in a path away from the center partition 316 along the respective transition section 308a, 308b between an outer director wall 312 and an inner director wall 314. Each inner director wall 314 has a proximal end 320 extending from the center partition 316 and a rearward distal end 322. At least one cleat 318 is attached to a base of each transition section 308a, 308b to steer the bale in a laterally outward direction. The cleat 318 is generally an elongate member positioned at an angle with respect to the center partition 316 so that as the bale passes over the cleat 318, the cleat 318 catches the bale and interacts with the bottom of the bale to direct the bale in the outward lateral direction. A rearward most portion of the bale chute 304 forms a left discharge platform 310a and a right discharge platform 310b configured to receive respective bales. As the laterally spaced bales are urged rearwardly off the left and right discharge platforms 310a, 310b a sufficient distance to no longer be supported by the bale chute 304, the bales fall to the ground in two laterally spaced rows defined by the lateral spacing of the left and right discharge platforms 310a, 310b. The bale chute 304 enables the bales to be collected in two parallel and laterally spaced rows from the field using a suitable bale accumulator (not shown).

[0022] Turning also now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the left and right transition sections 308a, 308b and left and right discharge platforms 310a, 310b are configured such that bale chute 304 moves each bale from its formed position in the respective left or right bale forming compartment 210a or 210b to a discharge position on the respective discharge platform 310a or 310b that has a minimum bale chamber offset 402 of at least zero, preferably at least 100 mm, and more preferably at least 125 mm. The minimum bale chamber offset 402 is defined as the lateral offset between the side wall 206 of the respective bale forming compartment 210a or 210b and the distal end 322 of the inner director wall 314 at the respective discharge platform 310a, 310b. Accordingly, a minimum bale chamber offset 402 of zero is achieved when the side wall 206 is in line with the distal end 322 of the inner director wall 314. Thus, in the discharge position, an inward-facing side of the bale is positioned laterally outside the side wall 206 of the baling chamber 114 by the minimum bale chamber offset 402 as it drops off the discharge platform 310a or 310b onto the field. Stated another way, the center partition 316 of the bale chute 304 and dividing partition 212 of the baler 102 define a longitudinal centerline plane, and the bale chute 304 moves the bales laterally away from the longitudinal centerline plane such that in the discharge position the bale has moved laterally outward such that the entire bale isoutside a plane defined by the side wall 206 of the baler 102 as the baler traverses the field, and the distance laterally outside the side wall 206 is measured by the minimum bale chamber offset 402, which is the lateral distance from the distal end 322 of the inner director wall 314 to the plane extending from the side wall 206 as the baler traverses the field.

[0023] The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the more pertinent aspects and features of the present invention. These should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed information in a different manner or by modifying the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An agricultural baler 102 having a pickup assembly 108 configured to take cut plant material from the ground and move the plant material to a baling chamber 114 and compress the plant material in the baling chamber with a reciprocating plunger 112 into a growing bale, the baling chamber being formed with a floor 202, a roof 204 and opposing side walls 206, with a stationary knife 208 mounted in the baling chamber extending vertically between the floor and the roof such that plant material moved into the baling chamber is split by movement of the plunger relative to the knife and pushed into left and right bale forming compartments 210a, 210b to concurrently form a first bale in a first bale formed position in the left baleforming compartment on one side of the knife and a second bale in a second bale formed position in the right bale-forming compartment on an opposite side of the knife, the baler comprising: a bale chute 304 at a discharge end 214 of the baling chamber onto which finished bales are ejected rearwardly from the left and right bale forming compartments, wherein the bale chute is configured to direct finished bales from the first bale formed position to a first discharge position and to direct finished bales from the second bale formed position to a second discharge position so that the bales are dropped off the bale chute onto the ground behind the baler in first and second rows that are separated by a lateral distance with a minimum bale chamber offset 402 of at least zero, wherein the minimum bale chamber offset is a distance of lateral offset between the side wall of the respective bale forming compartment and a distal end 322 of an inner director wall 314 of the bale chute such that in the first and second discharge positions, an inward-facing side of the bale is positioned laterally outside the side wall by the minimum bale chamber offset.

2. The agricultural baler of claim 1 wherein the bale chute comprises a receiving platform 306 adjacent the discharge end of the left and right bale forming compartments that receives bales as the bales emerge in a side-by-side orientation from the first and second bale formed positions in the left and right bale forming compartments.

3. The agricultural baler of claim 2 wherein the receiving platform has a center partition 316 that extends rearwardly and in the same plane as the dividing partition 212 in the baling chamber.

4. The agricultural baler of claim 3 wherein the bale chute 304 has divergent left and right transition sections 308a and 308b, and wherein bales are guided in a path away from the center partition 316 along the respective transition section between an outer director wall 312 and an inner director wall 314.

5. The agricultural baler of claim 4 wherein each inner director wall has a proximal end 320 extending from the center partition and a rearward distal end 322.

6. The agricultural baler of claim 5 wherein the bale chute has at least one cleat 318 attached to a base of each transition section configured to steer the bale in a laterally outward direction.

7. The agricultural baler of claim 6 wherein each of the at least one cleat is an elongate member positioned at an angle with respect to the center partition so that as the bale passes over the cleat, the cleat interacts with the bale to direct the bale in the outward lateral direction.

8. The agricultural baler of any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein a rearward-most portion of the bale chute 304 forms a left discharge platform 310a configured to receive bales from the left transition section in a first discharge position and a right discharge platform 310b configured to receive bales from the right transition section in a second discharge position, and wherein as the laterally-spaced bales are urged rearwardly off the left and right discharge platforms, the bales fall to the ground in two laterally-spaced rows defined by lateral spacing of the left and right discharge platforms.

9. The agricultural baler of claim 8 the left and right transition sections and left and right discharge platforms are configured relative the left or right bale forming compartment so as to have the minimum bale chamber offset.

10. The agricultural baler of claim 8 wherein the center partition of the bale chute and dividing partition of the baler define a longitudinal centerline plane, and the bale chute moves the bales laterally away from the longitudinal centerline plane such that in the first and second discharge positions, bales have moved laterally outward such that the entire bale is outside aplane defined by the side wall of the baler by a distance measured by the minimum bale chamber offset.

10. The agricultural baler of claim 1 wherein minimum bale chamber offset is at least 100 mm.