Articulating floor of machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9468149-B2
Application number	US-201514612608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2015
Priority date	Feb 3, 2015
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A baler includes a frame, a pickup mechanism, and a pre-compression chamber coupled to the frame rearward of the pickup mechanism. A material flow is defined at least between the pickup mechanism and pre-compression chamber. The baler includes a feeder system coupled to the frame along the material flow path and between the pickup mechanism and the pre-compression chamber. The feeder system includes a feeding mechanism for transferring crop received from the pickup mechanism to the pre-compression chamber. The feeding system includes a floor assembly and knife system. The floor assembly is pivotably coupled to the frame about a pivot to move between a raised position and a lowered position. The pivot is located rearward of the pickup mechanism and feeding mechanism such that the floor assembly and knife system pivot from the raised position to the lowered position in a direction downwardly and towards a rear of the baler.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A baler, comprising:
a frame;
a pickup mechanism coupled to the frame, the pickup mechanism adapted to collect crop;
a pre-compression chamber coupled to the frame rearward of the pickup mechanism;
at least one wheel supporting the frame, the at least one wheel located between the pre-compression chamber and a rear of the baler;
a material flow path defined at least between the pickup mechanism and pre-compression chamber;
a feeder system coupled to the frame along the material flow path and between the pickup mechanism and the pre-compression chamber, the feeder system including:
a feeding mechanism for transferring crop received from the pickup mechanism to the pre-compression chamber;
a floor assembly positioned at least partially below the feeding mechanism, the floor assembly being pivotably coupled to the frame about a pivot to move between a raised position and a lowered position;
a knife system coupled to the floor assembly, the knife system including one or more knives oriented, at least in part, along the material flow path;

wherein, the pivot is located rearward of the pickup mechanism and feeding mechanism such that the floor assembly and knife system pivot from the raised position to the lowered position in a direction downwardly and towards the at least one wheel located between the pre-compression chamber and the rear of the baler.

2. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising a plug location disposed along the material flow path and defined between the pickup mechanism and the floor assembly in the raised position, wherein the pivot is located rearward of the plug location.

3. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising at least one actuator for controllably pivoting the floor assembly about the pivot, the actuator having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the floor assembly and the second end is coupled to the frame.

4. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the feeding mechanism comprises a rotor assembly.

5. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising a first rail and a second rail coupled to the frame and being arranged substantially transverse to the material flow path, wherein the floor assembly and knife system are movably coupled to the first and second rails.

6. The baler of claim 5 , wherein the floor assembly and knife system are slidable along the first rail and second rail between a first position and a second position, the floor assembly and knife system being aligned with the material flow path in the first position, and the floor assembly and knife system being disposed a lateral distance from the material flow path in the second position.

7. The baler of claim 5 , further comprising at least one roller coupled to the floor assembly or knife system for facilitating movement of the floor assembly and knife system along the first and second rails.

8. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the knife system comprises a first plurality of knives and a second plurality of knives, the first plurality of knives and second plurality of knives being controllably disposed between engaged and disengaged positions.

9. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cab coupled to the frame;
a controller for controlling the pivotal movement of the floor assembly about the pivot; and
a control mechanism disposed in the cab and electrically coupled to the controller, wherein an actuation of the control mechanism induces the controller to pivot the floor assembly about the pivot between the raised position and the lowered position.

10. A baler, comprising:
a frame;
a pickup mechanism coupled to the frame;
a pre-compression chamber coupled to the frame;
at least one wheel supporting the frame, the at least one wheel located between the pre-compression chamber and a rear of the baler;
a flow path defined between at least the pickup mechanism and pre-compression chamber;
a rotor assembly positioned along the flow path for transferring crop from the pickup mechanism to the pre-compression chamber;
a floor assembly positioned at least partially below the rotor assembly, the floor assembly pivotably coupled to the frame to pivot from a raised position to a lowered position in a direction downwardly and towards the at least one wheel located between the pre-compression chamber and the rear of the baler;
a knife system coupled to the floor assembly, the knife system including one or more knives at least partially oriented along the flow path;
a first rail and a second rail coupled to the frame and being arranged substantially transverse to the flow path;
wherein, the floor assembly and knife system are movably coupled to the first and second rails to move between a first position and a second position, the floor assembly and knife system being disposed along the flow path in the first position, and the floor assembly and knife system being spaced a lateral distance from the flow path in the second position.

11. The baler of claim 10 , wherein the pivot is located rearward of the pickup mechanism and rotor assembly such that the floor assembly and knife system pivot from the raised position to the lowered position in a direction downwardly and towards a rear of the baler.

12. The baler of claim 10 , further comprising at least one roller coupled to the floor assembly or knife system for facilitating movement of the floor assembly and knife system along the first and second rails.

13. The baler of claim 10 , wherein the knife system comprises a first plurality of knives and a second plurality of knives, the first plurality of knives and second plurality of knives being controllably disposed between engaged and disengaged positions.

14. The baler of claim 13 , wherein the knife system comprises:
a first pair of actuators having at least one end coupled to a first shaft; and
a second pair of actuators having at least one end coupled to a second shaft;
wherein, the first plurality of knives are coupled to the first shaft and the second plurality of knives are coupled to the second shaft.

15. The baler of claim 14 , wherein:
the first pair of actuators are controllably actuated to pivot the first shaft for moving the first plurality of knives between the engaged and disengaged positions; and
the second pair of actuators are controllably actuated to pivot the second shaft for moving the second plurality of knives between the engaged and disengaged positions.

16. The baler of claim 10 , further comprising at least one actuator for controllably pivoting the floor assembly about the pivot, the actuator having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the floor assembly and the second end is coupled to the frame.

17. A baler, comprising;
a frame having a first end and a second end, the second end being rearward of the first end;
a pre-compression chamber;
at least one wheel supporting the frame, the at least one wheel located between the pre-compression chamber and a rear of the baler;
a first feeder assembly coupled to the frame and disposed towards the first end;
a second feeder assembly coupled to the frame, the second feeder assembly being disposed rearward of the first feeder assembly;
a material flow path defined at least between the first and second feeder assemblies;
a first floor assembly positioned at a lower portion of the material flow path;
a knife system coupled to the first floor assembly, the knife system including one or more knives oriented, at least in part, along the material flow path; and
a feeder fork system coupled to the frame and disposed rearward o

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Derscheid Daniel E
• Lang Eric R

Classifications

• A01F2015/102

  the pressing chamber is fed from the bottom side · CPC title

• A01F2015/108

  Cutting devices comprising cutter and counter-cutter · CPC title

• A01F29/10

  Feeding devices · CPC title

• A01F15/10 Primary

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

• A01D2090/086

  Taking loose material, i.e. before having been baled, into the vehicle · CPC title