Tiltable Platform Carriage for Baler Hitch Force Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crop accumulation systems for round balers can cause instability and damage to the baler's hitch due to uneven load distribution, resulting in upward forces applied to the tractor hitch during bale formation and discharge.
Innovation Solution
A carriage assembly with a tiltable platform and sliding mechanism that moves bales from the baler to a carriage, maintaining a flat orientation until the bale is transferred, and tilting to discharge bales when the carriage is full, thereby eliminating upward forces on the baler connection and ensuring stable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a carriage assembly with tiltable platform is used to move bales from baler to carriage, then bale discharge is smoothed and upward forces on hitch are eliminated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The platform is designed to be tiltable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its orientation. The platform tilts forward during bale discharge to gravity-feed bales onto the ground, eliminating upward forces on the hitch. The system transitions between a level position (for receiving bales) and a tilted position (for discharging bales), making the structure adaptive to operational requirements rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The tiltable platform utilizes gravity to automatically discharge bales onto the ground without requiring additional active mechanisms. Once the platform tilts forward, bales naturally slide off under gravity's influence, making the discharge process self-service and eliminating the need for complex powered discharge mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the platform remains tilted until bale is transferred to carriage, then bale transfer is facilitated, but bale discharge stability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The platform operates in periodic cycles: it remains level during bale accumulation to maintain stability, then tilts forward for brief discharge periods, then returns to level position. This periodic switching between stable and discharge states allows the system to achieve both stability during operation and effective bale transfer during designated discharge intervals.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration stabilizes the baler by preventing upward forces on the hitch, reducing the risk of damage and ensuring smooth bale discharge without compromising the baler's stability during operation.
Implementation Method 1
the platform is configured to remain tilted until the bale is moved onto the bale carriage being at least substantially out of contact with the platform, and the platform is situated as being in a substantially flat orientation and is in position for a bale to be dropped thereon by the baler mechanism
Data Source
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AI summary
A carriage assembly (28) for coupling to an agricultural baler mechanism (18) of an agricultural baler (14) having a direction of travel, the carriage assembly (28) comprising: a bale carriage (29) coupled to the baler mechanism (18); and a platform (56) coupled to at least one of the baler mechanism (18) and the bale carriage (29), the platform (56) configured to move a bale (23) from the baler mechanism (18) to the bale carriage (29) and remain tilted until the bale(23) is moved onto the bale carriage (29) at least substantially out of contact with the platform (56). Further a baler (14) and a method for moving a bale (23) from an agricultural baler (14) to a carriage assembly (28) is disclosed.