Baler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11116141-B2
Application number	US-201916503972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2019
Priority date	Jul 5, 2018
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A baler including a twine box having a frame and a twine cradle. The twine cradle is for holding one or more spools of twine and is mounted to the frame. The twine cradle is movable between a loading position and an operational position, by way of an intermediate position. In the loading position, a spool of twine can be loaded into the twine cradle. In the operational position, twine is removable from the spool of twine within the twine cradle in order to tie a bale. The twine cradle is movable between the loading position and the intermediate position by a rotational movement about a pivot that defines a horizontal axis of rotation. The twine cradle is movable between the intermediate position and the operational position by a translational movement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A baler comprising:
a twine box, wherein the twine box includes:
a frame; and
a twine cradle mounted to the frame, the twine cradle for holding one or more spools of twine;

wherein:
the twine cradle is movable between a loading position and an operational position, by way of an intermediate position;
in the loading position, a spool of twine can be loaded into the twine cradle;
in the operational position, twine is removable from the spool of twine within the twine cradle in order to tie a bale;
the twine cradle is movable between the loading position and the intermediate position by a rotational movement about a pivot that defines a horizontal axis of rotation; and
the twine cradle is movable between the intermediate position and the operational position by a translational movement, and

wherein the twine cradle includes an end wall and a first side wall, wherein:
the first side wall extends transversely from a first edge of the end wall;
the end wall is configured to support a weight of the spool of twine in the twine cradle, when the twine cradle is in the loading position;
the first side wall is configured to support a weight of the spool of twine in the twine cradle, when the twine cradle is in the intermediate position and the operational position;
a distal end of the first side wall is configured to be in a generally fixed position with respect to the pivot as the twine cradle moves between the intermediate position and the operational position; and
the pivot is configured to be movable with respect to the frame as the twine cradle moves between the intermediate position and the operational position.

2. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the twine cradle is configured to accommodate a plurality of spools of twine.

3. The baler of claim 1 , wherein:
the twine cradle is movable between the loading position and the intermediate position without any significant translational movement; and
the twine cradle is movable between the intermediate position and the operational position without any significant rotational movement.

4. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the first side wall is connected to the pivot such that the twine cradle is rotatable around the pivot as the twine cradle moves between the loading position and the intermediate position.

5. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the pivot is configured to be in a generally fixed position with respect to the frame as the twine cradle moves between the loading position and the intermediate position.

6. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the twine cradle is movable downwards from the intermediate position to the loading position by the rotational movement about the pivot.

7. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the twine cradle is movable inwards from the intermediate position to the operational position by the translational movement.

8. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the twine cradle further includes a twine-guidance device communicating the twine from the spool of twine in the twine cradle to a knotter system of the baler.

9. The baler of claim 8 , wherein:
the twine cradle further includes a second side wall that extends transversely from a second edge of the end wall, wherein the first and second edges of the end wall are opposing edges; and
the twine-guidance device is associated with a distal end of the second side wall of the twine cradle.

10. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising a twine tray configured to:
accommodate a plurality of spools of twine that are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the baler; and
provide twine to a knotter system of the baler,
wherein the twine cradle, in the operational position, defines at least part of the twine tray.

11. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of twine cradles, an upper twine tray, and a lower twine tray, wherein:
one or more of the plurality of twine cradles, in the operational position, defines at least part of the upper twine tray; and
one or more of the plurality of twine cradles, in the operational position, defines at least part of the lower twine tray.

12. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the twine cradle is manually movable between the loading position and the operational position, by way of the intermediate position.

13. A method of loading a twine box of a baler, the method comprising the steps of:
moving a twine cradle from an operational position to an intermediate position by a translational movement;
moving the twine cradle from the intermediate position to a loading position by a rotational movement;
loading a spool of twine into the twine cradle;
moving the twine cradle from the loading position to the intermediate position by a rotational movement; and
moving the twine cradle from the intermediate position to the operational position by a translational movement,
wherein a distal end of a first side wall of the twine cradle is configured to be in a generally fixed position with respect to a pivot about a horizontal axis as the twine cradle moves between the intermediate position and the operational position; and
wherein the pivot is configured to be movable with respect to the frame as the twine cradle moves between the intermediate position and the operational position.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• De Gersem Hans Joseph

Classifications

• A01F15/12 Primary

  Feeding devices for the ties · CPC title

• A01F15/145 Primary

  Twine knotters · CPC title

• Y10S100/912

  Binder containers · CPC title

• B65B27/12

  Baling or bundling compressible fibrous material, e.g. peat · CPC title

• A01F21/00

  Devices for protecting human beings for threshing machines or baling presses (in combines A01D75/20; for feeders for threshing apparatus A01F12/16) · CPC title