Mechanism for tying bales

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a mechanism for tying bales using strands of wire when collecting straw or grass from a field, the mechanism being attached to a frame of a baler. The mechanism comprises: a double helical shaft having ends mounted between opposing side walls of the mechanism; a guide shaft having ends mounted between opposing side walls of the mechanism, the guide shaft being oriented parallel to the double helical shaft; and a strand guide unit having a pawl nut configured to traverse a groove path on the double helical shaft and follow the groove path between the ends of the double helical shaft, guiding the strands of wire through the strand guide unit as the double helical shaft rotates to uniformly tie the resulting bale.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of agricultural equipment and, more particularly, to mechanisms for tying bales.

[0002] definition

[0003] Bale - A bale is a volume of hay or straw in the form of a cylinder, usually collected from a field.

[0004] Baler - A baler is an agricultural machine used to collect straw from the field, bundle it using ropes / twine / plastic netting and discharge it as cylindrical bales.

[0005] Strand - Strand is defined as a thread or rope consisting of two or more strands of hemp or cotton twisted together. Background Art

[0006] The following background information is related to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.

[0007] Balers are used to collect straw from farmland and convert the collected straw, hay, or agricultural waste into cylindrical bales. After forming the bales, they are typically tied with strands of wire or enclosed in plastic netting. The present disclosure relates particularly to bales tied with strands of wire. The baler has an automated mechanism for tying the bales with strands of wire. In conventional mechanisms, one end of the strand of wire is passed through a strand guide unit with a swinging arm. The swinging arm swings about a pivot to allow the strand of wire to pass from one end of the bale to the other end being formed. The strand of wire is dispensed from a reel mounted on the baler. However, this makes conventional balers very complex. Furthermore, the vertical swinging motion of the arm increases the potential for accidents. Movement is also slow, increasing the time required for the tying operation. Furthermore, the swinging motion of the arm subjects the strand of wire to wind loads and shear. This causes the strand of wire to deflect from its desired position, compromising the quality of the stranded bale. Another problem is the additional time required to assemble the mechanism due to the multiple connecting rods and worm gear drives to obtain the desired motion while assembling the machine and before starting the strapping operation.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a mechanism that can be attached to a baler for performing baling operations that will overcome the above-mentioned problems.

[0009] Purpose

[0010] Some of the purposes of the present disclosure met by at least one embodiment herein are as follows:

[0011] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a mechanism mounted on a baler for strapping bales, which mechanism is compact and has few moving parts.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for tying bales safely and reducing the number of accidents during the bale forming and tying operations.

[0013] Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a mechanism for strapping bales that consistently produces good quality strapped bales.

[0014] Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a mechanism for tying bales that is easy to maintain and requires less maintenance time.

[0015] Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0016] The present invention relates to a mechanism for attaching to the frame of a baler. The mechanism is configured to bind bales of straw or hay collected from a field using strands of wire. The mechanism includes spaced-apart sidewalls. The ends of a double helical shaft are mounted between opposing sidewalls of the mechanism, a guide shaft has ends mounted between opposing sidewalls of the mechanism, the guide shaft is oriented parallel to the double helical shaft, and a strand guide unit includes a detent nut. The detent nut is configured to traverse a groove path in the double helical shaft and reciprocate between the ends of the double helical shaft. As the double helical shaft rotates, the detent nut guides the strands of wire through the strand guide unit to evenly bind the resulting bale.

[0017] In an embodiment, the double helical shaft has two helical grooves arranged along the length of the double helical shaft, the helical grooves being arranged to intersect each other at the ends of the double helical shaft.

[0018] In another embodiment, the double helix shaft is comprised of a right-hand thread profile and a left-hand thread profile.

[0019] In yet another embodiment, the profile of the spiral grooves has varying dimensions to produce a desired bundling density for the bales.

[0020] In one embodiment, a blade is configured on the mechanism to trim the strands.

[0021] In another embodiment, a sensor is provided on the baler to send a signal to a motor of the strand guide unit, the motor being configured to feed the strands into the strand guide unit.

[0022] In yet another embodiment, rubber rollers and steel rollers are configured on the strand guiding unit to facilitate a secure grip of the strands.

[0023] In yet another embodiment, the mechanism is configured to strap bales of varying widths.

[0024] In another embodiment, a pulley coupled to the double helical shaft is configured to drive the double helical shaft, and the pulley is configured to be driven by the bale inside the baler.

[0025] In an embodiment, the mechanism is configured to deliver a skein of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, yarn, and fabric.

[0026] In another embodiment, a bottom backstop device is attached to the strand guide unit to feed the strands to the bale in a desired orientation. Side backstop devices are attached to the frame of the baler to facilitate retaining the strands in a closed state of the side backstop devices and releasing the strands in an open state of the side backstop devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The disclosed mechanism for strapping bales will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a mechanism for tying bales mounted on a baler according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 Isometric view of the mechanism;

[0030] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 An isometric view of a strand guide unit;

[0031] Figure 4 Shown Figure 3 Exploded view of the strand guide unit;

[0032] Figure 5 Shown Figure 4 A side view of the pawl nut;

[0033] Figure 6 Shown Figure 1 Isometric view of the mechanism and operating steps.

[0034] Figure 7 shows an isometric view of a mechanism for tying bales mounted on a baler according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 8 Shown in closed state Figure 7 An isometric view of the side check device mechanism;

[0036] Figure 9 Shown in open state Figure 7 An isometric view of the side check device mechanism;

[0037] Figure 10 Shown Figure 7 An isometric view of the bottom check device mechanism;

[0038] Figure 11 Shown according to Figure 7 The order of conveying the strands of the embodiment;

[0039] Figure 12 shows a state in which the strands are released from the side anti-return device;

[0040] Figure 13 Shown according to Figure 7 A side view of a baler of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 14 Shown Figure 7 and the operation of the side check device lever, side check device connecting rod and bale density adjustment lever;

[0042] Figure 15 shows a state in which the strands begin to wrap around the bale as the strand guide unit advances toward the end;

[0043] Figure 16 shows a state in which the strand guide unit reciprocates and reaches the opposite end;

[0044] Figure 17 The side check device is shown in a released state;

[0045] Figure 18 The side check device is shown in a retained position;

[0046] Figure 19 shows a state in which the bottom non-return device interacts with the side non-return device;

[0047] Figure 20 A state is shown in which the bale is in the fully wound position and the strands are in a trimmed condition;

[0048] Figure 21 Another embodiment of a side check device according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0049] Figure 22 Shown in open state Figure 21 Side check devices; and

[0050] Figure 23 Shown in closed state Figure 21 Side check device.

[0051] Reference Signs List

[0052] 1000-baler

[0053] 100, 100'-Institution

[0054] 110-Baffle

[0055] 120-Sensor

[0056] 130-Side check device rod

[0057] 140-Side check device connecting rod

[0058] 150-bale density adjustment lever

[0059] 210-Pulley

[0060] 220-side frame

[0061] 230-Double Helix Shaft

[0062] 250-guide shaft

[0063] 260-Side mounting plate

[0064] 270-Blade

[0065] 280-Stop

[0066] 290-Motor

[0067] 300, 500-strand guide unit

[0068] 510-Bottom check device

[0069] 512-Latch Block

[0070] 514-spring plate

[0071] 516-Spring Latch

[0072] 520, 620-side check device

[0073] 522, 622-Opening rod

[0074] 524, 624-closing lever

[0075] 526-roller

[0076] 310-stranded wire guide housing

[0077] 320-Pawl nut

[0078] 330-Upper cover for housing

[0079] 340-Rubber Roller

[0080] 350-Guide Pin

[0081] 360-spring

[0082] 370-Retainer

[0083] 380-Steel Roller

[0084] 390-Retainer for rubber roller

[0085] 400-Stranded Wire Guide Roller

[0086] 410-Support block

[0087] 420-Holding fixture

[0088] 430-Bushing

[0089] 440-spring

[0090] 450-Stop Clamp

[0091] 460-Clamp housing

[0092] 470-Pipeline

[0093] 626-hook DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0094] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0095] These embodiments are provided to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Many details related to specific components and methods are set forth to provide a complete understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.

[0096] The terms used in this disclosure are only used to explain the purpose of specific embodiments, and these terms should not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in this disclosure, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the forms "one", "an" and "the" may also be intended to include plural forms. The terms "comprise", "contain", "include" and "have" are open transition phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, elements, modules, units and / or parts, but do not prohibit the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, parts and / or their combinations. The specific order of the steps disclosed in the methods and processes of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring them to have the performance as described or shown. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be adopted.

[0097] When an element is referred to as being "mounted on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element, it can be directly on, engaged to, connected to, or coupled to the other element. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.

[0098] Terms such as “inner,” “outer,” “below,” “beneath,” “lower,” “above,” and “upper” may be used in this disclosure to describe the relationship between different elements depicted in the drawings.

[0099] refer to Figures 1 to 23 , shows a mechanism 100 for tying bales. The mechanism 100 is assembled to a baler 1000, typically mounted on the top of the baler 1000. The mechanism 100 has side mounting plates 260 on both sides, allowing the mechanism 100 to be attached between the side walls of the frame of the baler 1000, typically using fasteners. The mechanism 100 includes a double helical shaft 230, with its ends mounted between opposing side walls of the mechanism 100. The side walls of the mechanism 100 are in the form of mounting plates 260 on one side and frame 220 on the other. The double helical shaft 230 includes grooves extending along the length of the double helical shaft 230. The double helical shaft 230 has a combination of right-hand and left-hand threads. The grooves on the double helical shaft 230 follow a spiral path from one end of the shaft to the other. The double helical profile on the double helical shaft 230 meets at the end of the double helical shaft 230, so that the movement is automatically reversed by traversing an object following the double helical profile. Similarly, the guide shaft 250 is mounted between the side walls of the mechanism 100 parallel to the double helical shaft 230. The mechanism 100 also includes a strand guide unit 300 configured to oscillate between the end of the double helical shaft 230 and the guide shaft 250. The strand guide unit 300 maintains contact with both the double helical shaft 230 and the guide shaft 250. The strand guide unit 300 oscillates linearly in response to the movement of the double helical shaft 230. The linear oscillating movement of the strand guide unit 300 along the double helical shaft 230 and the guide shaft 250 contributes to the compact construction of the mechanism 100.

[0100] In another embodiment, the profile of the spiral grooves has varying dimensions to produce a desired bundling density for the bales.

[0101] The strand guide unit 300 also includes a strand guide housing 310, a detent nut 320, an upper cover 330 for the strand guide housing 310, a rubber roller 34, a guide pin 350, a spring 360, a retainer 370, a steel roller 380, and a retainer 390 for the rubber roller. In another embodiment, the roller 34 is made of steel with protrusions to facilitate a secure grip. The strand guide housing 310 is typically cast or welded, which helps to hold and position the detent nut 320. The rubber roller 340 and the steel roller 380 help maintain pressure on the strands being delivered to the bale so that the bale is tied consistently. The spring 360 connected to the steel roller 380 and the rubber roller 340 helps maintain the required contact pressure between the rollers. The rubber roller 340 is a roller molded from rubber onto a metal roller. The steel roller 380 has a gripping portion provided by machining or knurling. The pulley 210 is coupled to the twin helical shaft 230, which facilitates providing drive to the twin helical shaft 230, while the pulley 210 is itself driven by the bale shaft. A blade 270 is provided in the middle of the mechanism 100 to trim the strands when tying of the bale is complete.

[0102] Another mechanism is provided to accommodate bales of varying widths, with lengths of 1 meter or more. A shaft 400 is configured to guide the strands. This shaft is mounted on a support block 410 and fed through a hole in a conduit 470. When the strand guide unit 300 reaches one end, a stopper mounted on the frame contacts a stopper clamp and moves toward the strands, thereby feeding the bale at the edge. Upon return, a spring 440 maintains its position. Similarly, oversized bales of 1 meter or more can be tied using a shorter double-helix shaft.

[0103] In another embodiment, the mechanism 100 is configured to convey a skein made of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, yarn, and fabric.

[0104] Now refer to Figures 1 to 6The operation of mechanism 100 is explained below. The baler 1000 has a baffle 110 through which formed bales exit. A proximity sensor 120 mounted near baffle 110 senses the displacement of baffle 110 and facilitates sending a signal to activate motor 290. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, sensor 120 is a dedicated bale density monitoring mechanism / sensor. Motor 290 facilitates the feeding of the strands toward the rotating bale inside the baler. The strands passed through strand guide unit 300 are engaged with the rolling bale. The rolling motion of the bale is transmitted to pulley 210 via the strands passed through the pulley. A double helix shaft 230 is rotationally coupled to pulley 210. A pawl 320 traverses a double helix profile engraved on the double helix shaft 230 from one end to the other. Upon reaching the end, the pawl nut 320 tilts to reverse direction, and the motion continues until blade 270, positioned at a suitable distance in the middle of shaft 230, cuts the strands. Then, when the strands are cut by the blades 270 and lose the drive from the bale, the strand guide unit 300 stops, thereby completing the tying process of the bale. Since there is no swing arm in the prior art, this linear oscillating motion of the strand guide unit 300 helps reduce the possibility of accidents.

[0105] refer to Figure 6 The bale tying process can be summarized as follows. A signal is received from the proximity sensor 120 mounted on the baffle of the baler 1000. The motor 290 on the strand guide unit 300 is energized. The mechanism 100 compresses the strands between the steel roller 380 and the rubber roller 340 inside the strand guide housing 310. This provides a secure grip on the strands. The strands begin to feed toward the bale inside the baler chamber. When the strands are bound around the bale, the motor 290 stops. The strands are pulled from the reel mounted on the baler 1000, and the strand guide unit 300 begins moving by rotating the pulley that transfers the strands connected to the double helical shaft 230. The strands are distributed across the entire width of the bale. The strand guide unit 300 begins traversing back and forth in the direction of the double helical grooves on the double helical shaft 230. The strand guide unit 300 continues traversing the shaft in the direction of the double helical grooves. While reciprocating in the direction of the double helical grooves, the strands attempt to push the blades 270 in the axial direction of shaft 230, but stopper 280 further restricts the rotation of blade 270, which causes the strands to be trimmed. The bale is ejected through the baler's baffle. Thus, the reciprocating motion involved in the operation of mechanism 100 consistently produces high-quality bales because the strands do not lose their orientation. Mechanism 100 is also easy to maintain and service.

[0106] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, Figures 7 to 19, a mechanism 100' is shown in which the bale tying operation is performed by mechanical means. The strand guide unit 500 includes a bottom check device 510. The bottom check device 510 is a device that holds the strands in a tied condition when fed into the bale. The bottom check device 510 includes a latch block 512, a spring plate 514, and a spring latch 516. The spring latch 516 includes a coil spring that facilitates unidirectional transmission of the strands from one side of the bottom check device to the other side. Side check devices 520 are attached to the ends of the side walls of the mechanism 100'. The side check device 520 is a device that includes a bottom plate and a top plate that are hinged together to form a latch. The bottom plate and the top plate hold a pair of rollers together in a closed position. The side check device 520 also includes a pair of rods. The opening rod 522 is displaced in a direction opposite to the closing rod 524, thereby separating the rollers that open the latch, as shown in FIG. Figure 9 shown.

[0107] Will refer to Figures 7 to 20 The operation of the second embodiment will be explained. When the baler starts working, the strands are delivered as Figure 11 As shown. The strand is received from a position outside the baler 1000 to be run to position b on the top roller mounted on the strand guide unit 300. The strand is run to position c on the bottom roller mounted on the strand guide unit 300, which is located just below the top roller. The strand is further transferred to the roller 526 of the side backstop device 520 at position d. The strand is transferred from the roller 526 at position d to position e, which is the spring latch 516 of the bottom backstop device 510. When the formed bale obtains the desired density, a set of rods provided on the baler are shifted. The side backstop device rod 130, the side backstop device link 140 and the bale density adjustment rod 150 move, as shown. Figure 14 When the side check devices 520 are opened, the strands are released and begin to fall towards the rotating bale, as shown in FIG. Figure 12 The released strands are then caught by the rotating bale and the strand guide unit 500 begins to move towards the right as the drive is transferred from the formed bale through the strands to the strand pulley as shown. Figure 13 As shown. When traveling to the opposite side wall of the mechanism 100' (such as Figure 15 During the stranding process (as shown), the strands are automatically locked with the bottom anti-return device 510. The bottom anti-return device 510 facilitates the straight feeding of the strands and eliminates any slack formation while tying the bale. The double helical shaft 230 starts to move, which facilitates the reciprocating motion of the strand guide unit 500. Figure 16 The strands reach the side check device 520, as shown. Figure 17As shown, it is maintained in an open state by the bale density adjustment lever 150. Further advancement of the strand guide unit 500 towards the end of the side non-return device 520 causes displacement of the closing lever 524 of the side non-return device 520. This results in a closed state of the side non-return device 520, thereby capturing the strand, as shown in FIG. Figure 18 and Figure 19 As the strand guide unit 500 reverses its direction to move towards the center of the bale, the strands are trimmed by the blades and the drive through the strands stops. This causes the strand guide unit 500 to stop and restrict any further movement, which signals the end of the tying process of the bale thus formed in the baler 1000, as shown. Figure 20 When the bale is ejected, the bale density adjustment rod 150 and the side check device 520 are configured to return to their initial positions. The cycle is repeated for the next bale.

[0108] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, Figures 21 to 23 The side anti-return device 620 shown includes a hook 626. The hook 626 is formed in a circular shape. The hook 626 is located in the stationary closing lever 624. When the density of the bale formed in the baler reaches the desired level, the hook 626 opens backward and the cover pushes the strands toward the rotating bale. When the strands tying the bale reach the hook 626, they travel to the side due to the circular shape and are caught by the hook 626 when the strand guide unit 500 approaches the side anti-return device 620. When the strand guide unit 500 reverses its direction to move away from the side anti-return device 500, the strands are caught, as shown in FIG. Figure 22 and Figure 23 shown.

[0109] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The various components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but are interchangeable. These variations should not be considered as departing from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0110] Technological advancement

[0111] The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages, including but not limited to:

[0112] Has few moving parts and is compact;

[0113] Provides increased safety during the production of bales;

[0114] Improved bale tying quality; and

[0115] Easy to maintain and service.

[0116] Do not allow dust to accumulate.

[0117] The foregoing disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments, which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description is provided by way of example and illustration only.

[0118] The embodiments herein and their various features and advantageous details are explained with reference to the non-limiting examples in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein.

[0119] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully discloses the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can readily modify and / or adapt these specific embodiments for various applications by applying current knowledge without departing from the general concepts, and therefore, such adjustments and modifications should and are intended to be understood as being within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation. Therefore, although the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

[0120] Although considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and parts of the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many embodiments can be formed and many changes can be made to the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiments and other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, and it should be clearly understood that the foregoing descriptive content should be interpreted as merely illustrative of the present disclosure and not limiting.

Claims

1. A mechanism (100, 100') for tying bales with a twisted wire when collecting straw or hay from a field, the mechanism (100, 100') being attached to a frame (220) of a baler (1000), the mechanism (100, 100') comprising: a double helical shaft (230) having ends mounted between opposing side walls of the mechanism (100, 100'); a guide shaft (250) having ends mounted between opposing side walls of the mechanism (100, 100'), the guide shaft (250) being oriented parallel to the double helical shaft (230); a strand guide unit having a pawl nut configured to traverse a groove path on the double helical shaft (230) and follow the groove path between the ends of the double helical shaft (230), guiding strands through the strand guide unit as the double helical shaft (230) rotates to uniformly bind the formed bale; a motor (290) configured to feed the strands into the strand guide unit; a sensor (120) disposed on the baler (1000) to send a signal to the motor (290); as well as A pulley (210) is rotationally coupled to the double helical shaft (230), the pulley (210) being configured to drive the double helical shaft (230) and being configured to be driven by the baler, wherein when the strands are tied around the bale, the motor (290) stops working, the strands are pulled by a reel mounted on the baler (1000), and the strand guide unit starts moving by rotating the pulley that transfers the strands connected to the double helical shaft (230).

2. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein The double helical shaft (230) has two spiral grooves arranged along the length of the double helical shaft (230), and the spiral grooves are arranged to intersect each other at the ends of the double helical shaft (230).

3. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein The double-helical shaft (230) is composed of a right-handed thread profile and a left-handed thread profile.

4. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein The profile of the spiral grooves has varying dimensions to produce a desired bundling density for the bales.

5. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein A blade (270) is configured on the mechanism (100, 100') to trim the strands.

6. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein The rubber roller (340) or the steel roller (380) is provided with a protrusion for gripping, and the steel roller is configured on the strand guide unit (300, 500) to facilitate firm gripping of the strands.

7. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein The mechanism (100, 100') is configured to strap bales of different widths.

8. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein The mechanism (100, 100') is configured to convey a strand of wire made of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, yarn, and fabric.

9. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein A bottom non-return device (510) is attached to the strand guide unit (500) to supply the strands to the bale in a desired orientation.

10. The mechanism (100, 100') according to claim 1, wherein A side check device (520) is attached to the frame (220) of the baler (1000) to facilitate retaining the strands in a closed state of the side check device (520) and releasing the strands in an open state of the side check device (520).

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