Crop package accumulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10653067-B1
Application number	US-201916417952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 21, 2019
Priority date	May 21, 2019
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

An agricultural bale-processing machine includes a baling chamber and an accumulator for carrying bales received from the baling chamber. The accumulator includes a base frame mountable behind the baler, a carriage mounted to the base frame to be movable relative to the base frame in a lateral direction by at least one actuator. The carriage has a platform having upstanding side walls defining a fixed width crop package receiving area therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accumulator for carrying bales received from a baling chamber of an agricultural baler, the accumulator and the agricultural baler configured to move in a direction of travel across a field to form bales, the accumulator comprising:
a base frame mountable behind the baler;
a carriage mounted to the base frame to be movable relative to the base frame in a lateral direction, wherein the lateral direction is transverse to the direction of travel, the carriage having a platform and first and second upstanding side walls defining a crop package receiving area therebetween, the crop package receiving area having a fixed lateral width during all movement of the carriage relative to the base frame; and
at least one actuator mounted to the base frame and configured to move the carriage relative to the base frame or to move the carriage in response to a bale engaging one of the upstanding side walls, such that the platform and the first and second upstanding side walls are moved laterally relative to the base frame;
wherein the at least one actuator includes a bale separating member extending into the crop packaging receiving area, the bale separating member being fixed relative to the carriage and partitioning the crop package receiving area into sections.

2. The accumulator of claim 1 , wherein the bale separating member partitions the crop package receiving area into two sections.

3. The accumulator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises an actuator mounted to the base frame and mounted to the carriage, wherein upon actuation of the at least one actuator, the carriage is moved laterally by the at least one actuator which causes the bale separating member to move.

4. The accumulator of claim 1 , wherein the base frame remains laterally stationary during the movement of the carriage.

5. The accumulator of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a position of the carriage relative to the base frame.

6. An accumulator for carrying bales received from a baling chamber of an agricultural baler, the accumulator and the agricultural baler configured to move in a direction of travel across a field to form bales, the accumulator comprising:
a base frame mountable behind the baler;
a carriage mounted to the base frame to be movable relative to the base frame in a lateral direction, wherein the lateral direction is transverse to the direction of travel, the carriage having a platform and first and second upstanding side walls defining a crop package receiving area therebetween, the crop package receiving area having a fixed lateral width during all movement of the carriage relative to the base frame; and
at least one actuator mounted to the base frame and configured to move the carriage relative to the base frame or to move the carriage in response to a bale engaging one of the upstanding side walls, such that the platform and the first and second upstanding side walls are moved laterally relative to the base frame;
wherein the at least one actuator includes a bale separating member extending into the crop package receiving area and mounted to be movable relative to the base frame and movable relative to the carriage.

7. The accumulator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one actuator is an actuator coupled to the bale separating member to move the bale separating member relative to the carriage.

8. The accumulator of claim 7 , wherein the at least one actuator moves the carriage relative to the base frame only when a bale is disposed in the crop package receiving area between the bale separating member and one of the upstanding side walls of the carriage.

9. The accumulator of claim 8 , wherein the at least one actuator moves the carriage relative to the base frame in a first lateral direction transverse to the direction of travel of the accumulator when a first bale is disposed in a first section of the crop package receiving area defined between the bale separating member and the first upstanding end by engagement of the bale separating member with the first bale and engagement of the first bale with the first upstanding end; and
wherein the at least one actuator laterally moves the carriage relative to the base frame in a second lateral direction when a second bale is disposed in a second section of the crop package receiving area defined between the bale separating member and the second upstanding side walls by engagement of the bale separating member with the second bale and engagement of the second bale with the second upstanding end.

10. The accumulator of claim 7 , wherein the at least one actuator includes a first actuator coupled to the bale separating member to move the bale separating member relative to the carriage and a second actuator coupled to the carriage to move the carriage relative to the base frame.

11. The accumulator of claim 6 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a position of the bale separating member relative to the base frame.

12. The accumulator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises an actuator mounted to the base frame and mounted to the bale separating member, wherein upon actuation of the at least one actuator, the bale separating member is moved by the at least one actuator which in turn causes the carriage to move.

13. The accumulator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a first actuator mounted to the base frame and mounted to the carriage, wherein upon actuation of the first actuator, the carriage is moved by the first actuator but the bale separating member remains laterally stationary, and a second actuator mounted to the base frame and mounted to the bale separating member, wherein upon actuation of the second actuator, the bale separating member is moved by the second actuator but the carriage remains laterally stationary.

14. An accumulator for carrying bales received from a baling chamber of an agricultural baler, the accumulator and the agricultural baler configured to move in a direction of travel across a field to form bales, the accumulator comprising:
a base frame mountable behind the baler;
a carriage mounted to the base frame to be movable relative to the base frame in a lateral direction, wherein the lateral direction is transverse to the direction of travel, the carriage having a platform and first and second upstanding side walls defining a crop package receiving area therebetween, the crop package receiving area having a fixed lateral width during all movement of the carriage relative to the base frame;
at least one actuator mounted to the base frame and configured to move the carriage relative to the base frame or to move the carriage in response to a bale engaging one of the upstanding side walls, such that the platform and the first and second upstanding side walls are moved laterally relative to the base frame; and
a tilt sensor provided on the accumulator, wherein in response to a sensing of an inclined surface by the tilt sensor, the carriage is moved relative to the base frame.

15. An accumulator for carrying bales received from a baling chamber of an agricultural baler, the accumulator and the agricultural baler configured to move in a direction of travel across a field to form bales, the accumulator comprising:
a base frame mountable behind the baler;
a carriage mounted to the base frame to be movable relative to the base frame in a lateral direction, wherein the lateral direction is transverse to the direction of travel, the carriage having a platform and first and second upstanding side walls defining a crop package receiving area therebetween, the crop packa

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Jones Austin J

Classifications

• A01D85/005 Primary

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

• A01D2085/007

  Machines directly attached to a baler · CPC title

• A01D2085/008

  Making groups of bales just at horizontal level for leaving them on the field · CPC title

• A01F15/0883

  for round balers · CPC title