Baler with automated selection of ejector teeth

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10212889-B2
Application number	US-201515505151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2015
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A system for ejecting a bale from a baler, wherein the ejection process is controlled by a control unit with input from various sensors and from a remote operator located on a tractor. The control unit automatically positions a chute, controls a power take-off from the tractor, depressurizes and opens a chamber door, ties the bale, selects and causes ejector teeth to project into a forming chamber to engage the bale, causes the ejector teeth to move toward a discharge outlet such that the engaged bale moves with them toward and through the discharge outlet, and determines when the bale has fully ejected from the baler. The remote operator may choose to eject only the bale or to eject the entire contents of the forming chamber, and if the former, the control unit determines the bale's length and selects a subset of the ejector teeth that corresponds to that length.

First claim

Having thus described one or more embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

1. A baling system operable to receive loose material, form the loose material into a bale, and eject the bale, the baling system comprising:
a forming chamber having a discharge outlet, wherein the bale is located in the forming chamber;
a plurality of ejector teeth, with each of the plurality of ejector teeth being operable to selectively project into the forming chamber so as to engage a plurality of contents of the forming chamber and to selectively retract from the forming chamber so as to not engage the contents;
an ejector carriage operable to support the ejector teeth and to move parallel to the forming chamber from a back position in which the carriage is furthest from the discharge outlet to an eject position in which the carriage is closest to the discharge outlet;
a plurality of sensors positioned along an interior surface of the forming chamber, the plurality of sensors configured to identify a position of a face of the bale which is furthest from the discharge outlet; and
a control unit in communication with the sensors, the control unit configured to automatically select a subset of the plurality of ejector teeth based on the position of the face of the bale to project into the forming chamber so as to engage the bale while a remainder of the plurality of ejector teeth remain retracted from the forming chamber,
wherein during ejection of the bale from the forming chamber, the subset of the plurality of ejector teeth engage the bale, and the ejector carriage moves toward the discharge outlet such that the subset of the plurality of ejector teeth move the bale toward the discharge outlet while leaving any other of the contents of the forming chamber.

2. The baling system as set forth in claim 1 , further including a chamber door operable to selectively cover the discharge outlet, wherein the chamber door is open during ejection of the bale.

3. The baling system as set forth in claim 1 , further including a plunger operable to move in a reciprocating manner within the forming chamber from a retracted position in which the plunger is furthest from the discharge outlet and the loose crop material enters the forming chamber to an extended position in which the plunger is closest to the discharge outlet and the loose crop material is compressed into the bale.

4. The baling system as set forth in claim 1 , further including a tying mechanism located at least partially in the forming chamber and operable to tie the bale prior to ejection from the forming chamber.

5. The baling system a set forth in claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further operable to receive an input from a remote operator to eject an entirety of the contents of the forming chamber, in which case the control unit automatically causes all of the plurality of ejector teeth to project into the forming chamber.

6. The baling system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein an initial location of the plurality of ejector teeth is fixed and stored in a memory that is accessible to the control unit.

7. The baling system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein an initial location of the plurality of ejector teeth is variable and determined by the control unit prior to selecting the subset of the plurality of ejector teeth.

8. The baling system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors includes an encoder attached to a wheel having a periphery and a plurality of projections positioned around the periphery, wherein one or more of the plurality of projections engage the bale such that the wheel turns as the bale moves through the forming chamber, and wherein the turning of the wheel is used to determine the position of the face of the bale.

9. A baling system operable to receive loose crop material, form the loose crop material into a rectangular bale, and eject the bale, the baling system comprising:
a forming chamber having a rectangular cross-sectional shape and a discharge outlet and operable to receive the loose crop material;
a plunger operable to move in a reciprocating manner within the forming chamber from a retracted position in which the plunger is furthest from the discharge outlet and the loose crop material enters the forming chamber to an extended position in which the plunger is closest to the discharge outlet and the loose crop material is compressed into the rectangular bale;
a plurality of ejector teeth, with each of the plurality of ejector teeth being operable to selectively project into the forming chamber so as to engage a plurality of contents of the forming chamber and to selectively retract from the forming chamber so as not to engage the contents;
an ejector carriage operable to support the ejector teeth and to move parallel to the forming chamber from a back position in which the carriage is furthest from the discharge outlet to an eject position in which the carriage is closest to the discharge outlet;
a plurality of sensors positioned along an interior surface of the forming chamber, the plurality of sensors configured to identify a position of the rectangular bale within the forming chamber, including a position of a face of the rectangular bale which is furthest from the discharge outlet; and
a control unit in communication with the plurality of sensors, the control unit configured to automatically select a subset of the plurality of ejector teeth that corresponds to the position of the rectangular bale and to cause the subset of the plurality of ejector teeth to project into the forming chamber so as to engage the rectangular bale while a remainder of the plurality of ejector teeth remain retracted from the forming chamber,
wherein during ejection of the rectangular bale from the forming chamber, the subset of the plurality of ejector teeth engage the rectangular bale, and the ejector carriage moves toward the discharge outlet such that the subset of the plurality of ejector teeth move the rectangular bale toward the discharge outlet while leaving any other of the contents of the forming chamber.

10. The baling system as set forth in claim 9 , further including a chamber door operable to selectively cover the discharge outlet, wherein the chamber door is open during ejection of the rectangular bale.

11. The baling system as set forth in claim 9 , further including a tying mechanism located at least partially in the forming chamber and operable to tie the rectangular bale prior to ejection from the forming chamber.

12. The baling system as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the control unit is further operable to receive an input from a remote operator regarding whether to eject an entirety of the contents of the forming chamber, in which case the control unit automatically causes all of the plurality of ejector teeth to project into the forming chamber, or whether to eject only the rectangular bale, in which case the control unit automatically causes only the subset of the plurality of ejector teeth to project into the forming chamber.

13. The baling system as set forth in claim 9 , wherein an initial location of the plurality of ejector teeth is fixed and stored in a memory that is accessible to the control unit.

14. The baling system as set forth in claim 9 , wherein an initial location of the plurality of ejector teeth is variable and determined by the control unit prior to selecting the subset of the plurality of ejector teeth.

15. The baling system as set forth in claim 9 , wherein each sensor of the plurality sensors includes an encoder attached t

Assignees

• Agco Corp

Inventors

• Retzlaff Lawrence D
• Waggoner Robert J
• Herron Maynard M

Classifications

• B30B9/3014

  Ejection means · CPC title

• B30B9/3007

  Control arrangements · CPC title

• A01F15/0875 Primary

  Discharge devices · CPC title

• A01F15/14

  Tying devices specially adapted for baling presses · CPC title

• A01F15/042

  Plungers · CPC title