Retraction mechanism for extendable carriages of an agricultural accumulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10537064-B2
Application number	US-201916286012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2019
Priority date	Apr 8, 2016
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

An accumulator is coupled to an agricultural baler and includes a frame having a first end, a second end, and a support structure positioned between the first and the second ends. The accumulator includes a crop package moving assembly moveably coupled to the frame in a first direction and in a second direction. The crop package moving assembly is configured to move a crop package in the first direction. The accumulator includes a carriage coupled to the first end of the frame and configured to move relative to the frame between a retracted position and an extended position. The carriage is configured to move into the extended position to support the crop package. The carriage is also configured to move from the extended position into the retracted position in response to the crop package being removed from the carriage and the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An accumulator coupled to an agricultural baler and configured to support crop packages exiting the agricultural baler, the accumulator comprising:
a frame including a first end, a second end, and a support structure positioned between the first and the second ends;
a crop package moving assembly moveably coupled to the frame, the crop package moving assembly configured to move a first crop package in a first direction, the crop package moving assembly also configured to move a second crop package in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
a first carriage coupled to the first end of the frame and configured to move relative to the frame between a retracted position and an extended position, the first carriage configured to support the first crop package that exits the agricultural baler;
a second carriage coupled to the second end of the frame and configured to move relative to the frame between a retracted position and an extended position, the second carriage configured to support the second crop package that exits the agricultural baler; and
a retraction linkage coupled to the crop package moving assembly, the retraction linkage configured to move the first carriage from the extended position into the retracted position while the first crop package is spaced from the first carriage in response to the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction, the retraction linkage also configured to move the second carriage from the extended position into the retracted position while the second crop package is spaced from the second carriage in response to the crop package moving assembly moving in the first direction.

2. The accumulator of claim 1 , further comprising a first extension linkage coupled between the frame and the first carriage and a second extension linkage coupled between the frame and the second carriage, wherein the first carriage is configured to be movable into the extended position in response to the first crop package engaging the first extension linkage, and wherein the second carriage is configured to be movable into the extended position in response to the second crop package engaging the second extension linkage.

3. The accumulator of claim 1 , wherein the first carriage is configured to remain in the extended position in response to the first crop package being supported by the first carriage and the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction, and wherein the second carriage is configured to remain in the extended position in response to the second crop package being supported by the second carriage and the crop package moving assembly moving in the first direction.

4. An accumulator coupled to an agricultural baler, the accumulator configured to support a crop package exiting the agricultural baler, the accumulator comprising:
a frame including a first end, a second end, and a support structure positioned between the first and the second ends, the support structure configured to support the crop package that exits the agricultural baler;
a crop package moving assembly moveably coupled to the frame for movement in a first direction and a second opposing direction, the crop package moving assembly configured to move the crop package in the first direction;
a carriage coupled to the first end of the frame and configured to move relative to the frame between a retracted position and an extended position, the carriage configured to support the crop package; and
a retraction linkage coupled to at least one of the frame and the carriage, the retraction linkage configured to automatically move the carriage from the extended position into the retracted position while the crop package is spaced from the carriage in response to the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction.

5. The accumulator of claim 4 , wherein movement of the retraction linkage is concurrent with the movement of the crop package moving assembly.

6. The accumulator of claim 5 , wherein the carriage is configured to support the crop package when in the extended position, and wherein the carriage is configured to remain in the extended position in response to the crop package being supported by the carriage and the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction.

7. The accumulator of claim 4 , further comprising an extension linkage coupled between the frame and the carriage, wherein the carriage is movable into the extended position in response to the crop package engaging the extension linkage.

8. The accumulator of claim 7 , wherein the retraction linkage includes a first linkage member coupled to the crop package moving assembly and a second linkage member coupled to the extension linkage, and wherein the first linkage member is selectively engageable with the second linkage member.

9. The accumulator of claim 8 , wherein the first and second linkage members are biased into engagement with each other by a biasing member.

10. The accumulator of claim 8 , wherein the first linkage member includes a first angled surface and the second linkage member includes a second angled surface, and wherein engagement between the first and second angled surfaces moves the carriage into the retracted position.

11. An accumulator coupled to an agricultural baler, the accumulator configured to support a crop package exiting the agricultural baler, the accumulator comprising:
a frame including a first end, a second end, and a support structure positioned between the first and the second ends;
a crop package moving assembly moveably coupled to the frame in a first direction and in a second direction, the crop package moving assembly configured to move the crop package in the first direction; and
a carriage coupled to the first end of the frame and configured to move relative to the frame between a retracted position and an extended position, the carriage configured to move into the extended position to support the crop package, the carriage also configured to move from the extended position into the retracted position in response to the crop package being removed from the carriage and the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction.

12. The accumulator of claim 11 , wherein the carriage is configured to remain in the extended position in response to the crop package being supported by the carriage and the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction.

13. The accumulator of claim 11 , further comprising a retraction linkage including a first linkage member coupled to the crop package moving assembly and a second linkage member selectively engageable with the first linkage member.

14. The accumulator of claim 13 , wherein the first and second linkage members are biased into engagement with each other by a biasing member.

15. The accumulator of claim 13 , wherein the second linkage member is configured to move the carriage into the retracted position in response to engagement between the first and second linkage members and in response to the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction.

16. The accumulator of claim 13 , wherein the first and second linkage members are configured to disengage from each other in response to movement of the carriage in the second direction.

17. The accumulator of claim 11 , wherein the carriage is configured to move into the extended position in response to the crop package moving assembly moving in the first direction.

18. The accumulator of claim 17 , wherein the carriage is configured to move into the extended position in

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• O'Brien Stephen E
• Jones Austin J

Classifications

• A01F15/0883

  for round balers · CPC title

• A01D2085/007

  Machines directly attached to a baler · CPC title

• A01D90/08 Primary

  with bale-forming means additionally used for loading; with means for picking-up bales and transporting them into the vehicle · CPC title

• A01D85/005 Primary

  Forming groups of bales, e.g. bale sledges (loaders for bales A01D87/12; vehicles for loading bales A01D90/08) · CPC title