Repositionable windguard assembly for agricultural baler feeder system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12396402-B2
Application number	US-202217589448-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2022
Priority date	Jan 31, 2022
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

An agricultural machine includes: a machine frame; and a feeder system coupled with the machine frame and including a windguard assembly, the windguard assembly being configured for selectively occupying a first position and a second position by moving therebetween, the first position being associated with a normal flow direction of a crop material relative to the feeder system, the second position being associated with a reversal of the normal flow direction of the crop material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A windguard assembly for a feeder system of an agricultural baler, the agricultural baler including a baler frame, the feeder system being coupled with the baler frame, the feeder system including a pickup assembly, the windguard assembly comprising:
an arm configured to be pivotably coupled to the pickup assembly;
a roller rotatably coupled to the arm, the roller having a first position with respect to the pickup assembly associated with a normal flow direction of a crop material relative to the feeder system and a second position with respect to the pickup assembly associated with a reversal of the normal flow direction of the crop material;
a tine mechanism pivotably coupled with the arm; and
a linkage assembly coupled with the pickup assembly, the arm, and the tine mechanism and configured for moving the tine mechanism between a down position when the roller is in the first position and an up position when the roller is in the second position.

2. The windguard assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second position is associated with a reversed operation of a rotor device of a rotary feeder assembly, which is coupled with the baler frame.

3. The windguard assembly of claim 2 , wherein the arm if further configured for being slidably coupled with the pickup assembly such that the arm is configured for sliding between a rearward position and a forward position, the rearward position being associated with the first position, the forward position being associated with the second position.

4. The windguard assembly of claim 1 , wherein the linkage assembly is rigidly coupled with the tine mechanism.

5. An agricultural machine, comprising:
a machine frame; and
a feeder system coupled with the machine frame and including a pickup assembly and a windguard assembly, the windguard assembly comprising:
an arm configured to be pivotably coupled to the pickup assembly;
a roller rotatably coupled to the arm, the roller having a first position with respect to the pickup assembly associated with a normal flow direction of a crop material relative to the feeder system and a second position with respect to the pickup assembly associated with a reversal of the normal flow direction of the crop material;
a tine mechanism pivotably coupled with the arm; and
a linkage assembly coupled with the pickup assembly, the arm, and the tine mechanism and configured for moving the tine mechanism between a down position when the roller is in the first position and an up position when the roller is in the second position.

6. The agricultural machine of claim 5 , wherein the agricultural machine is an agricultural baler and the machine frame is a baler frame, the feeder system including a rotary feeder assembly coupled with the baler frame, the rotary feeder assembly including a rotor device, the second position being associated with a reversed operation of the rotor device.

7. The agricultural machine of claim 6 , wherein the arm is slidably coupled with the pickup assembly such that the arm is configured for sliding between a rearward position and a forward position, the rearward position being associated with the first position, the forward position being associated with the second position.

8. The agricultural machine of claim 5 , wherein the linkage assembly is rigidly coupled with the tine mechanism, the pickup assembly further including a latch configured for selectively latching the arm in the first position.

9. A method of using an agricultural baler, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a baler frame and a feeder system, the feeder system being coupled with the baler frame and including a pickup assembly and a windguard assembly, the windguard assembly comprising an arm configured to be pivotably coupled to the pickup assembly, a roller rotatably coupled to the arm, the roller having a first position with respect to the pickup assembly associated with a normal flow direction of a crop material relative to the feeder system and a second position with respect to the pickup assembly associated with a reversal of the normal flow direction of the crop material, a time mechanism pivotably coupled with the arm, and a linkage assembly coupled with the pickup assembly, the arm, and the tine mechanism and configured for moving the tine mechanism between a down position when the roller is in the first position and an up position when the roller is in the second position;
occupying selectively, by the roller, a first position, with the tine mechanism in the down position, the first position being associated with a normal flow direction of a crop material relative to the feeder system; and
occupying selectively, by the roller, a second position with the fine mechanism in the down position the second position being associated with a reversal of the normal flow direction of the crop material.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the windguard assembly is configured for selectively occupying the first position and the second position by moving therebetween and thereby by sliding therebetween, the feeder system including a rotary feeder assembly coupled with the baler frame, the rotary feeder assembly including a rotor device, the second position being associated with a reversed operation of the rotor device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the arm is configured for sliding between a rearward position and a forward position, the rearward position being associated with the first position, the forward position being associated with the second position.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the linkage assembly is rigidly coupled with the tine mechanism, the pickup assembly further including a latch configured for selectively latching the arm in the first position.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Childs Albert
• Smith Kevin M

Classifications

• A01F29/10

  Feeding devices · CPC title

• A01F15/10

  Feeding devices for the crop material {e.g. precompression devices} · CPC title

• A01F15/106

  for round balers · CPC title

• A01D89/008 Primary

  Devices cooperating with the pick-up · CPC title