Baler and method for improved bale handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016113206-A1
Application number	US-201414525529-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 28, 2014
Priority date	Oct 28, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A baler and method are described for forming and wrapping bales of crop material. A baler may include a baling chamber, a crop-moving device for compressing crop material into a bale within the baling chamber, a bale chute oriented outside the baling chamber, and a wrap frame supported by the bale chute. Once formed within the baling chamber, the bales may be ejected from the baling chamber to the bale chute. A sheet of wrap material may be wrapped about the wrap frame, such that a sleeve of wrap material is formed from the sheet. The bale may be moved through the wrap frame, such that the bale engages the sleeve to pull the sleeve from the wrap frame and the bale is wrapped by the sleeve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for forming and wrapping bales in a baler, the baler having a crop-moving device, a baling chamber, and a bale chute with a wrap frame oriented outside of the baling chamber, the method comprising:
operating the crop-moving device to compress crop material into a bale within the baling chamber; ejecting the bale from the baling chamber to the bale chute; wrapping a sheet of wrap material around the wrap frame, such that a sleeve of wrap material is formed from the sheet; and moving the bale through the wrap frame, such that the bale engages the sleeve to pull the sleeve from the wrap frame; wherein, when the bale is ejected from the bale chute, the bale is wrapped by the sleeve.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the baling chamber is a blind baling chamber with a rear wall;
wherein the baling chamber further includes a side member; and wherein the ejecting of the bale from the baling chamber includes moving the side member to urge the bale from the baling chamber towards the bale chute.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the baling chamber further includes a gate, the method further comprising:
prior to the ejecting of the bale from the baling chamber, moving the gate to provide an ejection passage for the bale from the baling chamber to the bale chute; wherein the ejecting of the bale from the baling chamber includes moving the bale through the ejection passage to the bale chute by, at least in part, the moving of the side member to urge the bale towards the bale chute.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the side member is oriented at a first lateral side of the baling chamber as the crop-moving device compresses crop material into the bale;
wherein the bale chute is oriented outside the baling chamber along, at least in part, a second lateral side of the baling chamber that is opposite the first lateral side; wherein the baler includes a second bale chute oriented outside the baling chamber along, at least in part, the first lateral side of the baling chamber; and wherein the moving of the side member to urge the bale towards the bale chute includes moving the side member from the first lateral side of the baling chamber towards the second lateral side of the baling chamber; the method further comprising:
with the side member oriented at the second lateral side of the baling chamber, after the moving of the side member to urge the bale towards the bale chute, operating the crop-moving device to compress crop material into a second bale within the baling chamber; and
ejecting the second bale, in an unwrapped state, from the baling chamber to the second bale chute by, at least in part, moving the side member from the second lateral side of the baling chamber towards the first lateral side of the baling chamber.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
wrapping loops of twine around the bale and tying the loops with one or more knotter devices.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of wrap material is provided for wrapping around the wrap frame from a roll of one or more of sheet wrap and net wrap; and
wherein the wrapping of the sheet of wrap material around the wrap frame includes moving the roll along a circuit around the wrap frame.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the baler further includes a cutting mechanism disposed such that, as the roll moves once around the circuit, the roll moves past a cutting location for the cutting mechanism; and
wherein the method further includes actuating the cutting mechanism to cut the sheet of wrap material after the roll moves past the cutting location, with respect to the movement of the roll once around the circuit.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the baling chamber further includes a moveable rear wall, the compressing of the crop material into the bale including the crop-moving device compressing crop material against the moveable rear wall.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
during one or more operations of the crop-moving device, as the crop-moving device compresses crop material against the moveable rear wall, moving the rear wall with respect to the crop-moving device based upon, at least in part, a predetermined compression distance.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a target pressure for the moveable rear wall for the compressing of the crop material against the moveable rear wall by the crop-moving device; and during one or more operations of the crop-moving device, as the crop-moving device compresses crop material against the moveable rear wall, controlling movement of moveable rear wall based upon, at least in part, the target pressure.

11 . A baler comprising:
a baling chamber including a rear wall; a crop-moving device configured to compresses crop material against the rear wall to form a bale within the baling chamber; a bale chute with a wrap frame, wherein the bale chute is oriented outside the baling chamber; an ejection actuator configured to eject the bale through a lateral side of the baling chamber to the bale chute; and a wrapping device for wrapping a sheet of wrap material around the wrap frame, such that a sleeve of wrap material is formed from the sheet; wherein, as the bale moves along the bale chute, the bale moves through the wrap frame and engages the sleeve to pull the sleeve from the wrap frame, such that when the bale is ejected from the bale chute, the bale is wrapped by the sleeve.

12 . The baler of claim 11 , wherein the baling chamber further includes a side member, the side member being moveable by the ejection actuator to urge the bale from the baling chamber towards the bale chute during the ejecting of the bale from the baling chamber to the bale chute.

13 . The baler of claim 12 , wherein the baling chamber further includes a gate, the gate being movable to provide an ejection passage for the ejecting of the bale from the baling chamber to the bale chute; and
wherein the ejecting of the bale from the baling chamber to the bale chute includes, at least in part, moving the side member with the ejection actuator to urge the bale through the ejection passage.

14 . The baler of claim 12 , wherein the side member is oriented at a first lateral side of the baling chamber as the crop-moving device compresses crop material into the bale;
wherein the bale chute is oriented outside the baling chamber along, at least in part, a second lateral side of the baling chamber that is opposite the first lateral side; wherein the baler includes a second bale chute oriented outside the baling chamber along, at least in part, the first lateral side of the baling chamber; wherein the moving of the side member to urge the bale towards the bale chute includes moving the side member from the first lateral side of the baling chamber towards the second lateral side of the baling chamber; wherein, with the side member oriented at the second lateral side of the baling chamber, after the moving of the side member to urge the bale towards the bale chute, the crop-moving device compresses crop material against the rear wall to form a second bale within the baling chamber; and wherein the second bale, in an unwrapped state, is ejected from the baling chamber to the second bale chute by, at least in part, moving the side member from the second lateral side of the baling chamber toward the first lateral side of the baling chamber.

15 . The baler of claim 11 , wherein the sheet of wrap material is provided for wrapping around the wrap frame from a roll of one or more of sheet wrap and net wrap; and

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kraus Timothy J

Classifications

• B30B9/3007

  Control arrangements · CPC title

• A01F15/0875 Primary

  Discharge devices · CPC title

• A01F15/071

  Wrapping devices (tying devices A01F15/141) · CPC title

• A01F15/0705 Primary

  Arrangements for continuous operation · CPC title

• A01F2015/0735

  Combined machines that include a press bale and a wrapping device in a further step, e.g. turning table, not in the same closed pressing chamber · CPC title