System and method for recompressing round bales into square bales

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820528-B2
Application number	US-201816137409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2018
Priority date	Oct 2, 2017
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A system for recompressing a round bale into a square bale includes a bottom platen and a fixed platen proximate the bottom platen. The system includes a transfer table to receive the round bale. The transfer table is movable relative to the bottom platen to transfer the round bale to the bottom platen and to recompress the round bale. The system includes an upper platen rotatable relative to the bottom platen and the fixed platen. The upper platen is rotatable between a first position to receive the round bale between the bottom platen, the fixed platen and the upper platen, and a second position in which the upper platen cooperates with the transfer table to recompress the round bale into the square bale.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for recompressing a round bale into a square bale, comprising:
a bottom platen;
a fixed platen proximate the bottom platen;
a transfer table configured to receive the round bale, the transfer table movable relative to the bottom platen to transfer the round bale to the bottom platen and to recompress the round bale; and
an upper platen rotatable relative to the bottom platen and the fixed platen, the upper platen cooperating with the transfer table to recompress the round bale into the square bale.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom platen, the fixed platen and the upper platen have a plurality of banding channels, and a banding unit is coupled to the bottom platen or the upper platen to dispense a plurality of banding straps around the square bale.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes a frame, and the upper platen includes a first plate member and a second plate member, the first plate member rotatably coupled to the frame and the second plate member is coupled to the first plate member.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second plate member includes a leading edge in close proximity to a surface of the transfer table as the upper platen rotates relative to the bottom platen and the fixed platen to recompress the round bale into the square bale.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the upper platen mounts a roller bearing member that rolls against the transfer table.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the surface of the transfer table has a radius of curvature along at least a portion of the transfer table spanning a first end of the transfer table and an opposite second end of the transfer table.

7. The system of claim 6 , further including at least one crop shield configured and arranged to extend across a gap at a joint between the fixed platen and the upper platen.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transfer table is movable from a first transfer table position to a second transfer table position to transfer the round bale to the bottom platen, and is movable from the second transfer table position to the first transfer table position at a rate that corresponds with a rotation of the upper platen to maintain close proximity between the upper platen and the transfer table to recompress the round bale into the square bale.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a round baler having a baling chamber to form the round bale, and the transfer table is coupled to the round baler to receive the round bale from the baling chamber.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one bale accumulator wing coupled to the bottom platen and a pusher, the pusher actuatable to move the square bale from the bottom platen to the at least one bale accumulator wing.

11. A method for recompressing a round bale into a square bale, comprising:
receiving a round bale on a bottom platen;
actuating, by a first actuator, an upper platen to rotate the upper platen toward the bottom platen; and
actuating, by a second actuator, a transfer table to move at a rate that corresponds with the rotation of the upper platen such that the transfer table cooperates with the upper platen to recompress the round bale into a square bale.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the receiving the round bale on the bottom platen further comprises:
receiving the round bale from a discharge gate of a round baler on the transfer table; and
actuating, by the second actuator, the transfer table to transfer the round bale to the bottom platen.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
actuating, by a third actuator, a pusher to move the square bale from the bottom platen to at least one bale accumulator wing coupled to the bottom platen.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
dispensing a banding strap through a first banding channel defined through the upper platen, a second banding channel defined in the bottom platen and a third banding channel defined through the fixed platen to band the square bale.

15. A round baler, comprising:
a baling chamber that forms a round bale;
a transfer table that receives the round bale from the baling chamber;
a bottom platen coupled to the transfer table to receive the round bale from the transfer table, the transfer table movable relative to the bottom platen to transfer the round bale to the bottom platen and to recompress the round bale;
a fixed platen proximate the bottom platen; and
an upper platen rotatable relative to the bottom platen and the fixed platen, the upper platen cooperating with the transfer table to recompress the round bale into a square bale.

16. The round baler of claim 15 , wherein a surface of the transfer table has a radius of curvature along at least a portion of the transfer table spanning a first end of the transfer table and an opposite second end of the transfer table, and the upper platen is in close proximity to the surface of the transfer table as the upper platen rotates relative to the bottom platen and the fixed platen to recompress the round bale into the square bale.

17. The round baler of claim 15 , wherein the baler further includes a frame, and the upper platen includes a first plate member and a second plate member, the first plate member rotatably coupled to the frame and the second plate member is coupled to the first plate member.

18. The round baler of claim 17 , wherein the second plate member includes a leading edge that contacts a surface of the transfer table as the upper platen rotates relative to the bottom platen and the fixed platen to recompress the round bale into the square bale.

19. The round baler of claim 18 , wherein the leading edge is chamfered.

20. The round baler of claim 15 , wherein the transfer table is movable from a first transfer table position to a second transfer table position to transfer the round bale to the bottom platen, and is movable from the second transfer table position to the first transfer table position at a rate that corresponds with a motion of the upper platen to maintain close proximity between the upper platen and the transfer table to recompress the round bale into the square bale.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kraus Timothy J

Classifications

• A01F15/00 Primary

  Baling presses for straw, hay or the like · CPC title

• B30B9/30

  for baling; Compression boxes therefor (baling hay, straw, or the like A01F) · CPC title

• A01F15/005 Primary

  for conditioning bales, e.g. rebaling · CPC title

• B30B9/3032

  Press boxes · CPC title

• B30B9/00

  Presses specially adapted for particular purposes · CPC title