Rotor for a high capacity baler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020214214-A1
Application number	US-201916588462-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2019
Priority date	Jan 9, 2019
Publication date	Jul 9, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A square baler comprising square baler comprising a pickup mechanism configured to pick up crop material from a single windrow on the ground, and a rotor configured to receive crop material picked up by the pickup mechanism. The rotor comprises a first toothed section, a second toothed section, and an interior auger flighted section located between the first toothed section and the section toothed section, wherein said rotor is configured to separate crop material into two streams of crop material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A square baler comprising:
a pickup mechanism configured to pick up crop material from a single windrow on the ground; and a rotor configured to receive crop material picked up by said pickup mechanism, wherein said rotor comprises a first toothed section, a second toothed section, and an interior auger flighted section located between said first toothed section and said section toothed section, wherein said rotor is configured to separate crop material into two streams of crop material.

2 . The square baler of claim 1 , wherein said interior auger flighted section includes a first set of interior auger flights configured to push crop material in a first direction and a second set of interior auger flights configured to push crop material in a second direction generally opposite the first direction.

3 . The square baler of claim 2 , wherein said first set of interior auger flights is configured to push crop outwardly toward said first toothed section and said second set of interior auger flights is configured to push crop outwardly toward said second toothed section.

4 . The square baler of claim 2 , wherein said rotor further comprises a first set of exterior auger flights and a second set of exterior auger flights, wherein said first toothed section is located between said first set of exterior auger flights and said first set of interior auger flights, and wherein said second toothed section is located between said second set of exterior auger flights and said second set of interior auger flights.

5 . The square baler of claim 4 , wherein said first set of exterior auger flights is configured to push crop inwardly toward said first toothed section, and wherein said second set of exterior auger flights is configured to push crop inwardly toward said second toothed section.

6 . The square baler of claim 2 , wherein said rotor comprises a gap between said first set of interior auger flights and said second set of interior auger flights.

7 . The square baler of claim 6 , further comprising a stationary separation element at least partly received in the gap.

8 . The square baler of claim 7 , wherein said separation element has a sharpened edge for cutting crop material that is forced into contact with said separation element by said rotor.

9 . The square baler of claim 7 , wherein said rotor further comprises first and second interior teeth between which at least a portion of the gap is defined, wherein said first set of interior auger flights terminates at said first interior tooth, wherein said second set of interior auger flights terminates at said second interior tooth.

10 . The square baler of claim 9 , wherein said first and second interior teeth are configured to pass on opposite sides of said separation element when said rotor is rotated.

11 . The square baler of claim 7 , further comprising a first stuffer chute and a second stuffer chute for receiving crop from said rotor, wherein said first stuffer chute is generally aligned with said first toothed section and said second stuffer chute is generally aligned with said second toothed section.

12 . The square baler of claim 11 , wherein each of said stuffer chutes has a lower entrance and an upper exit, wherein said separation element is position between said lower entrances of said first and second stuffer chutes, wherein said separation element is configured to divide crop between said first and second stuffer chutes.

13 . The square baler of claim 12 , wherein the lower entrance of each stuffer chute is wider than the respective upper exit, and wherein a ratio of a width of the lower entrance to a width of the upper exit is at least 1.1:1 and not more than 2.5:1.

14 . The square baler of claim 12 , further comprising first and second stuffer assemblies configured to push crop upwardly through said first and second stuffer chutes, respectively.

15 . The square baler of claim 12 , further comprising a first bale forming chamber and a second bale forming chamber located proximate the upper exits of said first and second stuffer chutes, respectively.

16 . The square baler of claim 15 , wherein said first and second bale forming chambers are configured to be fed crop from below said first and second bale forming chambers.

17 . The square baler of claim 16 , further comprising first and second plungers configured to compress crop material into bales within said first and second bale forming chambers, respectively.

18 . The square baler of claim 15 , wherein said first and second bale forming chambers are positioned side-by-side.

19 . The square baler of claim 15 , wherein said baler has an in-line configuration with said first and second bale forming chambers positioned directly behind said pickup mechanism.

20 . A method of forming a plurality of bales of crop material with a high capacity square baler, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) picking up crop material from a single windrow; (b) separating the crop material into at least two streams of crop material; (c) providing the crop material to at least two bale forming chambers; and (d) forming bales of crop material within each of the bale forming chambers.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said separating of step (b) is performed by a rotor.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the rotor comprises a first toothed section, a second toothed section, and an interior auger flighted section located between the first toothed section and the section toothed section.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the interior auger flighted section includes a first set of interior auger flights configured to push crop material outward towards the first toothed section and a second set of interior auger flights configured to push crop in outward towards the second toothed section.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the rotor further comprises a first set of exterior auger flights and a second set of exterior auger flights, wherein the first toothed section is located between the first set of exterior auger flights and the first set of interior auger flights, and wherein the second toothed section is located between the second set of exterior auger flights and the second set of interior auger flights.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the first set of exterior auger flights is configured to push crop inwardly toward the first toothed section, and wherein the second set of exterior auger flights is configured to push crop inwardly toward the second toothed section.

Assignees

• Great Plains Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Bozarth Taylor
• Olander Brian

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