Agricultural baler with partial bale eject

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10743476-B2
Application number	US-201615061577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 5, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

An agricultural baler includes a main bale chamber, a bale ejection system and a partial bale ejection system. The partial bale ejection system, incorporated in the floor of the main bale chamber, is arranged to move and eject a rearward bale proximate to the outlet of the main bale chamber. The partial bale ejection system having an actuator for moving the rearward bale and at least one tine that is pushed into the rearward bale prior to the actuator pushing the rearward bale alone toward and out the outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural baler comprising:
a main bale chamber for the compressing of crop material into bales, the main bale chamber having a floor and an outlet for discharge of compressed crop material in the form of bales;
a bale ejection system at least partially incorporated in the floor for moving the bales substantially throughout the main bale chamber; and
a partial bale ejection system at least partially incorporated in the floor for moving a bale out the outlet, the partial bale ejection system arranged to move and eject a rearward bale proximate to the outlet of the main bale chamber, the partial bale ejection system being operable independent of the bale ejection system, the partial bale ejection system comprising:
a tine extension/retraction device including sliding members;
an actuator coupled to the tine extension/retraction device for moving the rearward bale, the actuator comprising an actuation member; and
at least one tine that is pushed into the rearward bale by the tine extension/retraction device prior to the actuator moving the rearward bale alone toward and out the outlet, the at least one tine being pivotally coupled to the actuation member about one pivot, the at least one tine also being pivotally coupled to the sliding members about an other pivot,
wherein the actuation member of the actuator slides between the sliding members of the tine extension/retraction device to pivot the at least one tine.

2. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuation member being coupled to the actuator for extending and retracting the at least one tine.

3. The agricultural baler of claim 2 , wherein the actuation member fully extending or retracting the at least one tine before moving the sliding member.

4. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the floor has a plurality of bale support members upon which the bale slides, said bale support members being shaped so that a distance therebetween is continuously increasing in a downward direction.

5. The agricultural baler of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the bale support members has a generally trapezoidal shape with a widest of the two parallel sides being proximate to a top surface of the floor.

6. The agricultural baler of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the bale support members has an upper slot therein through which the at least one tine can extend, move and retract through.

7. The agricultural baler of claim 6 , wherein the at least one bale support member additionally has a lower slot therein, the lower slot having a wider opening than the upper slot of the at least one bale support member.

8. The agricultural baler of claim 4 , wherein the partial bale ejection system is positioned in a central bale support member of the plurality of bale support members of the floor.

9. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the sliding members are configured to slide inside of a slat.

10. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the actuator extends the at least one tine into the rearward bale before the actuator applies a rearwardly directed force on the rearward bale.

11. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the actuator retracts the at least one tine away from the main bale chamber prior to the actuator moving the tine extension/retraction device away from the outlet.

12. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tine is not continuously biased in a generally upward direction.

13. A partial bale ejection system for use with an agricultural baler having a bale ejection system, the partial bale ejection system at least partially incorporated in a floor of the baler for moving a rearward bale out of an outlet, the partial bale ejection system comprising:
a tine extension/retraction device comprising sliding members;
an actuator for moving the rearward bale, the actuator being coupled to the tine extension/retraction device, the actuator comprising an actuation member; and
at least one tine that is pushed into the rearward bale by the tine extension/retraction device prior to the actuator moving the rearward bale alone toward and out the outlet,
wherein the actuation member of the actuator slides between the sliding members of the tine extension/retraction device to pivot the at least one tine, the partial bale ejection system being operable independent of the bale ejection system, the at least one tine being pivotally coupled to the actuation member about one pivot, the at least one tine also being pivotally coupled to the sliding members about an other pivot.

14. The partial bale ejection system of claim 13 , wherein the actuation member being coupled to the actuator for extending and retracting that at least one tine.

15. The partial bale ejection system of claim 14 , wherein the actuation member fully extending or retracting the at least one tine before moving the sliding member.

16. The partial bale ejection system of claim 13 , wherein the sliding members are configured to slide inside of a slat.

17. The partial bale ejection system of claim 13 , wherein the actuator extends the at least one tine into the rearward bale before the actuator applies a rearwardly directed force on the rearward bale.

18. The partial bale ejection system of claim 17 , wherein the actuator retracts the at least one tine away from the main bale chamber prior to the actuator moving the tine extension/retraction device away from the outlet.

19. The partial bale ejection system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one tine is not continuously biased in a generally upward direction.

20. A method of operating a partial bale ejection system of an agricultural baler, comprising the steps of:
extending at least one tine into a rearward bale by sliding an actuation member of an actuator between sliding members of a tine extension/retraction device to pivot the at least one tine, the actuator being parallel with the sliding members, the extending at least one tine step operating independent of an operation of a bale ejection system in the agricultural baler, the at least one tine being pivotally coupled to the actuation member about one pivot, the at least one tine also being pivotally coupled to the sliding members about an other pivot;
extending the sliding members to eject the rearward bale; retracting the at least one tine; and
retracting the sliding members.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Biebuyck Ronald
• Demon Frederik
• Dulst Johan
• Maelfeyt Kenny

Classifications

• A01F15/0875 Primary

  Discharge devices · CPC title