Wrap device for a round module builder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10440894-B2
Application number	US-201313966417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2013
Priority date	Aug 14, 2013
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A wrap device for communicating a wrap to a bale chamber of a round module builder. The round module builder comprises a bale sheave for driving a bale belt to wrap a round module with the wrap. The wrap device comprises a wrap floor. A wrap floor linkage couples the wrap floor to the round module builder. A first sheave and a second sheave are coupled to the wrap floor. A wrap floor belt is supported by the first and second sheaves. An actuator is coupled to at least one of the wrap floor linkage and the wrap floor to move the wrap floor from a disengaged position to an engaged position. In the disengaged position, the wrap is not communicated to the bale chamber. In the engaged position, the wrap floor belt engages the bale belt and communicates the wrap to the bale chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wrap device for communicating a wrap to a bale chamber of a round module builder, the round module builder comprising a bale sheave driving a bale belt to wrap a round module with the wrap, the wrap device comprising:
a wrap floor comprising a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion;
a wrap floor linkage coupling the wrap floor to the round module builder;
a first sheave coupled to the first portion of the wrap floor;
a second sheave coupled to the second portion of the wrap floor;
a wrap floor belt supported by the first sheave and the second sheave; and
an actuator coupled to at least one of the wrap floor linkage and the wrap floor to move the wrap floor and the first sheave relative to the bale sheave from a disengaged position, where the wrap is not communicated to the bale chamber, and the top of the first sheave is under the bottom of the bale sheave, to an engaged position, where the wrap floor belt engages the bale belt and communicates the wrap to the bale chamber, and the top of the first sheave is higher than the bottom of the bale sheave.

2. The wrap device of claim 1 , wherein the first sheave is coupled to a first sheave linkage that is coupled to the first portion of the wrap floor, the first sheave linkage is yieldably biased towards the bale sheave and configured to position the wrap floor belt into engagement with the bale belt adjacent an outer surface of the bale sheave.

3. The wrap device of claim 1 , further comprising a third sheave coupled to a second sheave linkage that is coupled to the second portion of the wrap floor, the third sheave supporting the wrap floor belt, the second sheave linkage is yieldably biased towards the round module builder and configured to yield for positioning the wrap onto the wrap floor belt.

4. The wrap device of claim 1 , further comprising a tensioner coupled to the wrap floor, the tensioner configured to tension the wrap floor belt.

5. The wrap device of claim 1 , wherein the wrap floor linkage is a four-bar linkage configured to maintain the wrap floor belt in a substantially parallel relationship with the bale belt.

6. The wrap device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a hydraulic cylinder, and the hydraulic cylinder extends to move the wrap floor and the first sheave from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

7. The wrap device of claim 1 , further comprising a wrap feed roller configured to communicate wrap to the wrap floor belt at a wrap feed roller rate, which is less than a bale belt rate, thereby stretching the wrap and providing a tightly-wrapped round module.

8. The wrap device of claim 1 , further comprising a wrap floor guide coupled to the wrap floor, the wrap floor guide configured to support the wrap on the wrap floor.

9. The wrap device of claim 8 , wherein the wrap floor guide comprises a channel configured to non-rotatably secure a fastener, the fastener securing the wrap floor guide to the wrap floor.

10. The wrap device of claim 1 , further comprising a guide rod coupled to the first portion of the wrap floor, the guide rod is yieldably biased towards the bale sheave to guide the wrap to the bale chamber.

11. The wrap device of claim 10 , wherein the guide rod is contoured to engage an outer surface of the bale sheave.

12. A round module builder for forming a round module and wrapping the round module with a wrap, the round module builder defining a bale chamber, the round module builder comprising:
a bale belt positioned adjacent the bale chamber and configured to rotate the round module in the bale chamber;
a bale sheave supporting the bale belt, the bale sheave configured to drive the bale belt; and
a wrap device configured for communicating the wrap to the bale chamber, the wrap device comprising a wrap floor comprising a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, a wrap floor linkage coupling the wrap floor to the round module builder, a first sheave coupled to the first portion of the wrap floor, a second sheave coupled to the second portion of the wrap floor, a wrap floor belt supported by the first sheave and the second sheave, and an actuator coupled to at least one of the wrap floor linkage and the wrap floor to move the wrap floor and the first sheave relative to the bale sheave from a disengaged position, where the wrap is not communicated to the bale chamber, and the axis of the first sheave is rearward of the axis of the bale sheave, to an engaged position, where the wrap floor belt engages the bale belt and communicates the wrap to the bale chamber, and the axis of the first sheave is forward of the axis of the bale sheave.

13. The round module builder of claim 12 , wherein the first sheave is coupled to a first sheave linkage that is coupled to the first portion of the wrap floor, the first sheave linkage is yieldably biased towards the bale sheave.

14. The round module builder of claim 12 , further comprising a third sheave coupled to a second sheave linkage that is coupled to the second portion of the wrap floor, the second sheave linkage is yieldably biased towards the round module builder and configured to yield for positioning the wrap onto the wrap floor belt.

15. The round module builder of claim 12 , further comprising a tensioner coupled to the wrap floor, the tensioner configured to tension the wrap floor belt.

16. The round module builder of claim 12 , wherein the wrap floor linkage is a four-bar linkage configured to maintain the wrap floor belt in a substantially parallel relationship with the bale belt.

17. The round module builder of claim 12 , further comprising a wrap feed roller configured to rotate and communicate wrap to the wrap floor belt at a wrap feed roller rate, which is less than a bale belt rate, thereby stretching the wrap and providing a tightly-wrapped round module.

18. The round module builder of claim 12 , further comprising a wrap floor guide coupled to the wrap floor, the wrap floor guide configured to support the wrap on the wrap floor.

19. The round module builder of claim 12 , further comprising a guide rod coupled to the first portion of the wrap floor, the guide rod is yieldably biased towards the bale sheave to guide the wrap to the bale chamber.

20. A harvester for harvesting a crop, forming a round module, and wrapping the round module with a wrap, the harvester comprising:
a harvesting structure configured for harvesting the crop; and
a round module builder defining a bale chamber and configured to receive the crop, the round module builder comprising a bale belt positioned adjacent the bale chamber and configured to rotate the round module in the bale chamber, a bale sheave configured to drive the bale belt, and a wrap device for communicating the wrap to the bale chamber, the wrap device comprising a wrap floor comprising a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, a wrap floor linkage coupling the wrap floor to the round module builder, a first sheave coupled to a first sheave linkage that is coupled to the first portion of the wrap floor, the first sheave linkage is yieldably biased towards the bale sheave, a second sheave coupled to the second portion of the wrap floor, a third sheave coupled to a second sheave linkage that is coupled to the second portion of the wrap floor, the second sheave linkage is yieldably biased towards the round module builder and configured to yield for positioning the wrap onto the wrap floor belt, a wrap floor belt supported by the first sheave, the seco

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Jacobson Marcus A
• Weber Scott D
• Wigdahl Jeffrey S
• Withers Roy

Classifications

• A01F15/0715 Primary

  Wrapping the bale in the press chamber before opening said chamber · CPC title

• Y02P60/142

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02P60/14

  Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses · CPC title