System and method for removing agricultural crop material from a baler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9936645-B2
Application number	US-201414776430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

An agricultural baler having a baling chamber is provided. The baling chamber includes a first wall and a second wall opposing the first wall. The first wall and the second wall extend longitudinally between a first end and a second end of the baling chamber, and the second wall forms a bottom surface of the baling chamber. The baler also includes a hinge disposed proximate to the first end of the baling chamber. The hinge is coupled to the second wall, and the second wall is configured to rotate about the hinge from a first position in which the second wall supports a bale within the baling chamber to a second position that enables the bale to move out of the baling chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural baler comprising:
a baling chamber comprising a first wall and a second wall opposing the first wall, wherein the first wall and the second wall extend longitudinally between a first end and a second end of the baling chamber, and the second wall forms a bottom surface of the baling chamber;
a third vertical wall that extends between the first wall and the second wall, the third vertical wall being movable within the baling chamber; and a plunger opposing the third vertical wall;
a path configured to facilitate movement of the third vertical wall, the path having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, wherein the third vertical wall is configured to move along the path from the horizontal portion downwardly onto the vertical portion to facilitate removal of a bale from the baling chamber; and
a hinge disposed proximate to the first end of the baling chamber and coupled to the second wall, wherein the second wall is configured to rotate about the hinge from a first position in which the second wall supports a bale within the baling chamber to a second position that enables the bale to move out of the baling chamber.

2. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the hinge is coupled to a frame of the agricultural baler.

3. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , comprising a first side wall and a second side wall, opposing the first side wall, wherein each side wall extends between the first wall and the second wall of the baling chamber, and each side wall is movable.

4. The agricultural baler of claim 3 , wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are each configured to move outwardly from the baling chamber along a lateral axis.

5. The agricultural baler of claim 4 , comprising a first cam coupled to the first side wall and a second cam coupled to the second side wall, the first and second cams being configured to move the first side wall and the second side wall outwardly from the baling chamber along the lateral axis.

6. The agricultural baler of claim 5 , wherein the first cam and the second cam are configured to move the first side wall and the second side wall simultaneously.

7. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , comprising a strap feeding assembly and a track assembly, wherein the track assembly extends around the baling chamber, and the strap feeding assembly is configured to propel a strap through the track assembly to surround the bale with the strap.

8. The agricultural baler of claim 7 , wherein the second wall is configured to automatically rotate to the second position after the bale is surrounded by the strap.

9. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein the second wall is configured to rotate to the second position in response to an input from an operator.

10. An agricultural baler comprising:
a baling chamber configured to receive a compressible material, the baling chamber comprising:
a first horizontal wall opposing a second horizontal wall;
a first vertical wall opposing a second vertical wall;
a third vertical wall that extends between the first horizontal wall and the second horizontal wall and between the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall, the third vertical wall being movable within the baling chamber;
a first plunger opposing the third vertical wall;
a path configured to facilitate movement of the third vertical wall, the path having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, wherein the third vertical wall is configured to move along the path from the horizontal portion downwardly onto the vertical portion to facilitate removal of a bale from the baling chamber; and
a slot disposed in at least one of the first horizontal wall, the second horizontal wall, the first vertical wall, the second vertical wall, the third vertical wall, and the first plunger, the slot being configured to receive a strap and to direct the strap about at least a portion of the baling chamber; wherein at least one of the horizontal and vertical walls is configured to pivotably rotate to facilitate removal of a bale from the baling chamber, and wherein a material-facing surface of the at least one wall configured to pivotably rotate comprises a conveyor to facilitate removal of the bale from the baling chamber.

11. The agricultural baler of claim 10 , comprising a hinge coupled to the second horizontal wall, wherein the second horizontal wall is configured to pivotably rotate about the hinge to facilitate removal of the bale from the baling chamber.

12. The agricultural baler of claim 11 , wherein the first vertical wall and the second vertical wall are each configured to move outwardly from the baling chamber along a lateral axis.

13. The agricultural baler of claim 10 , wherein the conveyor comprises a textured surface configured to engage the bale and to facilitate removal of the bale from the baling chamber.

14. The agricultural baler of claim 10 , wherein the at least one wall configured to pivotally rotate is coupled to an actuator configured to move the at least one wall away from the baling chamber.

15. A method for removing a bale from an agriculture baler, the agriculture baler comprising a baling chamber having a top wall and a bottom wall opposing the top wall, a third vertical wall that extends between the top wall and the bottom wall, the third vertical wall being movable within the baling chamber, a plunger opposing the third vertical wall, a path configured to facilitate movement of the third vertical wall, the path having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, wherein the third vertical wall is configured to move along the path from the horizontal portion downwardly onto the vertical portion, the method comprising:
collecting an agricultural crop material in the baling chamber;
compressing the agricultural crop material into a bale;
routing a strap around the baling chamber to surround the bale with the strap after the agricultural crop material is compressed into the bale; and
pivoting the bottom wall of the baling chamber outwardly away from the baling chamber to facilitate removal of the bale from the baling chamber.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bottom wall comprises a material-facing surface having a conveyor to facilitate removal of the bale from the baling chamber.

17. The method of claim 15 , comprising moving a first side wall and a second side wall, opposing the first side wall, outwardly from the baling chamber in opposite directions to enable the bottom wall to pivot.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the baling chamber is disposed within a self-contained vehicle.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Keller Donald P
• Rizzon Dominick
• Lounder Josh
• O'Donnell Shaun A

Classifications

• A01F15/0875 Primary

  Discharge devices · CPC title

• A01F15/046

  with press-boxes · CPC title

• A01F15/14

  Tying devices specially adapted for baling presses · CPC title