Knife insert and retract with independent knife protection of agricultural baler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12414507-B2
Application number	US-202117535053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2021
Priority date	Nov 24, 2021
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

An agricultural baler includes: a frame; a feeder system coupled with the frame and including: a cutting assembly coupled with the frame and including: at least one knife configured for cutting a crop material; an engagement apparatus configured for: being spaced apart from at least one overload protection mechanism individually associated with a single one of the at least one knife; selectively engaging with the at least one knife and thereby for forcing the at least one knife to occupy a first position; and selectively engaging with the at least one knife and thereby for forcing the at least one knife to occupy a second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A feeder system of an agricultural baler, the feeder system being coupled with a frame of the agricultural baler, the feeder system comprising:
a cutting assembly coupled with the frame and including:
at least one knife configured for cutting a crop material;
an engagement apparatus configured for:
being spaced apart from at least one overload protection mechanism individually associated with a single one of the at least one knife, the at least one overload protection mechanism engaging with a rearward surface of the single one of the at least one knife;
selectively engaging with the at least one knife and thereby for forcing the at least one knife to occupy a first position, the engagement apparatus engaging with another a bottom surface of the single one of the at least one knife; and
selectively engaging with the at least one knife and thereby for forcing the at least one knife to occupy a second position.

2. The feeder system of claim 1 , wherein the cutting assembly further includes the at least one overload protection mechanism, the engagement apparatus being spaced apart from the at least one overload protection mechanism, a single one of the at least one overload protection mechanism being assigned to and coupled with a single one of the at least one knife.

3. The feeder system of claim 2 , wherein the engagement apparatus is further configured for selectively disengaging from the at least one knife.

4. The feeder system of claim 3 , wherein the first position is an insertion position, and the second position is a retraction position, both the first position and the second position being locked.

5. The feeder system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one knife includes a surface, the engagement apparatus including an actuator and an engagement rod configured for engaging the surface of the at least one knife.

6. The feeder system of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is one of a linear actuator and a rotary actuator.

7. An agricultural baler, comprising:
a frame;
a feeder system coupled with the frame and including:
a cutting assembly coupled with the frame and including:
at least one knife configured for cutting a crop material;
an engagement apparatus configured for:
being spaced apart from at least one overload protection mechanism individually associated with a single one of the at least one knife, the at least one overload protection mechanism engaging with a rearward surface of the single one of the at least one knife;
selectively engaging with the at least one knife and thereby for forcing the at least one knife to occupy a first position, the engagement apparatus engaging with a bottom surface of the single one of the at least one knife; and
selectively engaging with the at least one knife and thereby for forcing the at least one knife to occupy a second position.

8. The agricultural baler of claim 7 , wherein the cutting assembly further includes the at least one overload protection mechanism, the engagement apparatus being spaced apart from the at least one overload protection mechanism, a single one of the at least one overload protection mechanism being assigned to and coupled with a single one of the at least one knife.

9. The agricultural baler of claim 8 , wherein the engagement apparatus is further configured for selectively disengaging from the at least one knife.

10. The agricultural baler of claim 9 , wherein the first position is an insertion position, and the second position is a retraction position, both the first position and the second position being locked.

11. The agricultural baler of claim 10 , wherein the at least one knife includes a surface, the engagement apparatus including an actuator and an engagement rod configured for engaging the surface of the at least one knife.

12. The agricultural baler of claim 11 , wherein the actuator is one of a linear actuator and a rotary actuator.

13. A method for using an agricultural baler, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a frame and a feeder system coupled with the frame, the feeder system including a cutting assembly coupled with the frame and including at least one knife and an engagement apparatus, the at least one knife configured for cutting a crop material, the engagement apparatus being configured for being spaced apart from at least one overload protection mechanism individually associated with a single one of the at least one knife, the at least one overload protection mechanism engaging with a rearward surface of the single one of the at least one knife;
engaging selectively, by way of the engagement apparatus, with the at least one knife and thereby forcing the at least one knife to occupy a first position, the engagement apparatus engaging with a bottom surface of the single one of the at least one knife; and
engaging selectively, by way of the engagement apparatus, with the at least one knife and thereby forcing the at least one knife to occupy a second position.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cutting assembly further includes the at least one overload protection mechanism, the engagement apparatus being spaced apart from the at least one overload protection mechanism, a single one of the at least one overload protection mechanism being assigned to and coupled with a single one of the at least one knife.

15. The method of claim 14 , further including the step of disengaging selectively, by way of the engagement apparatus, from the at least one knife.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first position is an insertion position, and the second position is a retraction position, both the first position and the second position being locked.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one knife includes a surface, the engagement apparatus including an actuator and an engagement rod configured for engaging the surface of the at least one knife.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the actuator is one of a linear actuator and a rotary actuator.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Figgins Ryan M

Classifications

• A01F2015/107

  Means for withdrawing knives, rotor or walls of the feeding chamber in case of plugging or congestion · CPC title

• A01F15/07

  Rotobalers, i.e. machines for forming cylindrical bales by winding and pressing · CPC title

• A01F15/106 Primary

  for round balers · CPC title

• A01F15/10 Primary

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