Patent ID: 6644005
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: A01F

Abstract:
A round baler for forming round bales of agricultural crop material, wherein the round baler includes a powered rotary member, comprising:a bale-forming chamber; a pickup arrangement for supplying crop material from the ground to the bale-forming chamber; a pickup drive system for supplying power to the pickup arrangement, wherein the pickup drive system includes a drive member which is selectively engageable with the powered rotary member of the baler; a movable member associated with the baler which moves in response to growth of the bale within the bale-forming chamber, wherein the movable member is movable from an initial position to a full bale position when the bale has attained a predetermined maximum size within the bale-forming chamber; and wherein the pickup drive system is selectively engageable with the powered rotary member of the baler via an overfill protection mechanism interposed between the rotary member and the pickup drive system, wherein the overfill protection mechanism includes a selectively engageable drive arrangement which is operable to disengage the selectively engageable drive member of the pickup drive system in response to movement of the movable member to the full bale position to disable the pickup drive system and prevent the supply of additional crop material to the bale-forming chamber, wherein the selectively engageable drive arrangement includes a shearable member interconnected with one of the drive member and the powered rotary member, and a shiftable engagement member interconnected with the other of the drive member and the powered rotary member, wherein the shiftable engagement member is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the shiftable engagement member in its engaged position engages the shearable member for transferring power to the pickup drive system from the powered rotary member of the baler, and wherein the shiftable engagement member in its disengaged position is disengaged from the shearable member for preventing the transfer of power to the pickup drive system from the powered rotary member of the baler, and wherein the shiftable engagement member is movable from its engaged position to its disengaged position in response to movement of the movable member associated with the baler to its full bale position, and wherein the shiftable engagement member is operable to shear off the shearable member when the shiftable engagement member is in its engaged position in response to an overload force applied to the shiftable engagement member from the pickup arrangement, for preventing operation of the pickup arrangement and to prevent the supply of additional crop material to the bale-forming chamber.