Reversing mechanism and conveying means and agricultural baler provided therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9750194-B2
Application number	US-201214352539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2012
Priority date	Oct 17, 2011
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

Reversing mechanism for an agricultural baler wherein the reversing mechanism includes a driving pulley mounted for rotation together with the conveying elements provided to be connected to the axis such that the axis and the conveying elements can be rotated along the working direction by a driving belt engaging the driving pulley. A tensioning pulley is provided for controlling the tension of the driving belt such that by engaging the driving belt, the driving belt engages the driving pulley such that the axis is rotationally driven by the driving belt, and by sufficiently releasing the driving belt, the driving belt no longer engages the driving pulley and the axis is no longer rotationally driven by the driving belt.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Reversing mechanism for a crop conveying mechanism of an agricultural baler, the conveying mechanism comprising a feeder duct provided to receive cut crop material prior to a bale forming chamber by a stuffer of the conveying mechanism and a first feeding mechanism provided for conveying cut crop material in the feeder duct by conveying elements mounted around an axis of the of the first feeding mechanism such that the conveying elements can rotate in a working direction, the reversing mechanism comprising:
a ratchet configured for mounting to the axis such that the ratchet rotates together with the conveying elements and a pawl carried by a reverser of the reversing mechanism, the pawl being configured to engage the ratchet upon reciprocation of the reverser such that the conveying elements rotate in a direction opposing the working direction,
a driving pulley mounted for rotation together with the conveying elements and configured for connection about the axis such that the axis and the conveying elements are configured for rotation in the working direction by a driving belt engaging the driving pulley, and
a tensioning pulley provided for controlling the tension of the driving belt, such that by engaging the driving belt, the driving belt engages the driving pulley such that the axis is rotationally driven by the driving belt, and by releasing the driving belt by reciprocating the reverser the tensioning pulley is moved such that the driving belt no longer engages the driving pulley and the axis is no longer rotationally driven by the driving belt;
wherein the reverser is adapted for tilting the tensioning pulley away from the driving belt by pushing onto a lever connected to the tensioning pulley, the reverser having a surface along and over which a portion of the lever travels to thereby tilt the tensioning pulley; and
wherein the ratchet and the driving pulley are mounted to the axis such that the ratchet and the driving pulley rotate together with the axis.

2. Reversing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the tensioning pulley and the reverser are configured such that upon reciprocating the reverser, the tensioning pulley is moved such that the driving pulley releases the driving belt and the driving belt no longer rotationally drives the axis and such that when the reverser returns to its original position the tensioning pulley is again moved and the driving belt engages the driving pulley such that the axis is rotationally driven by the driving belt.

3. Reversing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the reverser is rotationally mounted to the axis.

4. Reversing mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the ratchet is engaged upon reciprocation of a hydraulic cylinder for reciprocating the reverser.

5. Reversing mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the pawl is configured such that upon return of the reverser to its original position by the cylinder the pawl no longer engages the ratchet.

6. Reversing mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein the pawl is mounted tiltably around a tilt axis to the reverser, the pawl configured to tilt down to and engage the ratchet upon reciprocating the reverser and is provided to tilt up upon return of the reverser to its original position.

7. Reversing mechanism according to claim 1 , in combination with a crop conveying mechanism wherein the crop conveying mechanism comprises a feeder duct configured to receive cut crop material from a field prior to the cut crop material being discharged to a bale forming chamber, a stuffer for discharging cut crop material from the feeder duct to the bale forming chamber and a first feeding mechanism provided for conveying cut crop material in the feeder duct by conveying elements mounted around an axis of the first feeding mechanism such that the conveying elements can rotate in a working direction.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a pick-up assembly for lifting cut crop material off the field and transferring it toward the crop conveying mechanism and a second feeding mechanism for propelling the cut crop material lifted by the pick-up assembly to the feeder duct, the axes of the pick-up assembly and the second feeding mechanism being parallel with respect to each other.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the second feeding mechanism comprises a cut rotor.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first feeding mechanism comprise at least one auger for directing the cut crop material lifted from the field along a direction cross to the pick-up direction, the axis of the auger being parallel to the axes of the pick-up assembly and the second feeding mechanism.

11. The combination as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first feeding mechanism comprises an auxiliary rotor for directing the cut crop material coming from the pick-up assembly towards the second feeding mechanism and below the axis of the second feeding mechanism.

12. The combination as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the ratchet and the driving pulley are mounted along the auxiliary rotor axis.

13. The combination of claim 7 , further wherein a bale forming chamber is positioned and configured for receiving crop material from the conveying mechanism.

14. Reversing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the surface of the reverser comprise a cam and a portion of the lever is a follower, such that movement between the follower and cam alter the engagement of the tensioning pulley with the driving belt.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Vandamme Dirk A R

Classifications

• A01F15/10 Primary

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

• A01F15/0841

  Drives for balers · CPC title