Accumulating system for high capacity baler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11317567-B2
Application number	US-202016736305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	Jan 9, 2019
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A baling system comprising a first bale-forming area configured to form a first series of first individual bales, and a second bale forming-area configured to from a second series of second individual bales. The baling system additionally comprises a bale accumulator configured to receive the first and second individual bales from said first and second bale-forming areas and to manipulate the first and second individual bales into a group of four or more bales.

First claim

Having thus described one or more embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

1. A baling system comprising:
a first bale-forming area configured to form a first series of first individual bales;
a second bale-forming area configured to form a second series of second individual bales; and
a bale accumulator configured to receive the first and second individual bales from said first and second bale-forming areas and to manipulate the first and second individual bales into a group of four or more bales,
wherein said first bale-forming area is presented by a first bale forming chamber, and wherein said second bale-forming area is presented by a second bale forming chamber, wherein said first and second bale forming chambers are positioned side by side,
wherein said bale accumulator comprises a receiving portion and a grouping portion, wherein said receiving portion comprises an upslope portion and said grouping portion comprises a downslope portion, wherein said baling system is configured to push the first and second individual bales from said first and second bale forming chambers up said upslope portion and to allow the first and second individual bales to slide down said downslope portion via gravity,
wherein said bale accumulator includes an actuator for raising a portion of said downslope portion, such that upon raising said downslope portion, the bales received on the downslope portion can slide down off the downslope portion and onto the ground.

2. The baling system of claim 1 , wherein said first bale-forming area is spaced apart from said second bale-forming area.

3. The baling system of claim 1 , further comprising a frame to which said bale accumulator and said first and second bale forming chambers are rigidly coupled.

4. The baling system of claim 1 , wherein said baling system comprises a front frame to which said first and second bale forming chambers are rigidly coupled and a rear frame to which said bale accumulator is rigidly coupled.

5. The baling system of claim 4 , wherein said front frame is supported on the ground by a first set of wheels and said rear frame is supported on the ground by a second set of wheels.

6. The baling system of claim 1 , wherein said bale accumulator comprises at least one rotation mechanism for rotating the first and second individual bales.

7. The baling system of claim 6 , wherein said at least one rotation mechanism includes first and second rotation arms configured to rotate the first and second individual bales, respectively.

8. The baling system of claim 1 , wherein said bale accumulator comprises a first actuating mechanism for moving the first and second individual bales outwardly and a second actuating mechanism for moving groups of said first and second individual bales rearwardly.

9. A baling system comprising:
a first bale-forming area configured to form a first series of first individual bales;
a second bale-forming area configured to form a second series of second individual bales; and
a bale accumulator configured to receive the first and second individual bales from said first and second bale-forming areas and to manipulate the first and second individual bales into a group of four or more bales,
wherein said first bale-forming area is presented by a first bale forming chamber, and wherein said second bale-forming area is presented by a second bale forming chamber, wherein said first and second bale forming chambers are positioned side by side,
wherein said bale accumulator comprises a receiving portion and a grouping portion, wherein said receiving portion comprises an upslope portion and said grouping portion comprises a downslope portion, wherein said baling system is configured to push the first and second individual bales from said first and second bale forming chambers up said upslope portion and to allow the first and second individual bales to slide down said downslope portion via gravity,
wherein said downslope portion is pivotably engaged with said upslope portion, such that such said downslope portion and said upslope portion can rotate with respect to each other.

10. A baling system comprising:
a first bale-forming area configured to form a first series of first individual bales;
a second bale-forming area configured to form a second series of second individual bales; and
a bale accumulator configured to receive the first and second individual bales from said first and second bale-forming areas and to manipulate the first and second individual bales into a group of four or more bales,
wherein said bale accumulator comprises at least one rotation mechanism for rotating the first and second individual bales, wherein said at least one rotation mechanism includes first and second rotation arms configured to rotate the first and second individual bales, respectively,
wherein said first rotation arm is configured to rotate the first individual bales in a first direction by about 90 degrees, wherein said second rotation arm is configured to rotate the second individual bales in a second direction by about 90 degrees, wherein said first and second directions are opposite of one another.

11. The baling system of claim 10 , wherein said first bale-forming area is presented by a first bale forming chamber, and wherein said second bale-forming area is presented by a second bale forming chamber, wherein said first and second bale forming chambers are positioned side by side.

12. The baling system of claim 11 , wherein said bale accumulator comprises a receiving portion and a grouping portion.

13. The baling system of claim 12 , wherein said receiving portion comprises an upslope portion and said grouping portion comprises a downslope portion.

14. The baling system of claim 13 , wherein said baling system is configured to push the first and second individual bales from said first and second bale forming chambers up said upslope portion and to allow the first and second individual bales to slide down said downslope portion via gravity.

15. The baling system of claim 14 , wherein said bale accumulator includes an actuator for raising a portion of said downslope portion, such that upon raising said downslope portion, the bales received on the downslope portion can slide down off the downslope portion and onto the ground.

16. The baling system of claim 14 , wherein said bale accumulator comprises one or more diverter members for guiding the first and second bales while the first and second bales slide down said downslope portion.

17. The baling system of claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of said diverter members are movable.

18. A method of forming a plurality of bales of crop material with a square baler, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a first series of first bales in a first bale-forming area;
(b) forming a second series of second bales in a second bale-forming area;
(c) receiving, at a bale accumulator, the first and second bales from the first and second bale-forming areas; and
(d) manipulating, via rotation mechanisms, the first and second bales into a group of four or more bales, wherein the rotation mechanisms include first and second rotation arms configured to rotate the first and second bales, respectively
wherein said manipulating of step (d) includes rotating, via the first rotation arm, the first bales in a first direction by about 90 degrees, and rotating, via the second rotation arm, the second bales in a second direction by about 90 degrees, wherein the first and second di

Assignees

• Great Plains Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Olander Brian
• Bozarth Taylor
• Desbien Christian Hayes

Classifications

• B60K35/53

  Movable instruments, e.g. slidable · CPC title

• B60K35/65

  Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B30B9/3092

  with two or more stationary press boxes co-operating alternately with a press ram or simultaneously with press rams · CPC title

• B30B9/3007

  Control arrangements · CPC title