Patent ID: 8156723
Filing Date: 2012-04-17
Classification: A01D,A01F

Abstract:
1. A tine reel for a crop pickup apparatus for a round baler, the baler having a bale chamber inlet configured to receive crop material from the pickup apparatus, the tine reel having generally opposing ends defining a pickup width that is wider than the bale chamber inlet, the pickup apparatus further having a converging apparatus for laterally urging the crop material laterally inwardly toward the bale chamber inlet, said tine reel comprising: first and second tine bar carriers spaced-apart and configured to revolve about a common reel axis; a plurality of elongate inboard tine bars connected at each end to respective said first and second tine bar carriers, each of said plurality of inboard tine bars aligned generally parallel to said reel axis and defining, during revolution of said tine bar carriers, a generally cylindrically-shaped periphery, each of said plurality of inboard tine bars connected to said tine bar carriers in a manner allowing rotation about a first tine bar axis; a plurality of elongate outboard tine bars connected at each end to said respective first and second tine bar carriers, each of said plurality of outboard tine bars aligned generally parallel to said reel axis and said plurality of inboard tine bars, each of said plurality of outboard tine bars carriers connected to said tine bar carriers in a manner allowing rotation about a second tine bar axis; a first plurality tines connected to and extending from said plurality of inboard tine bars and forwardly disposed from the bale chamber inlet, and a second plurality of tines connected to and extending from said plurality of outboard tine bars and disposed forwardly of the converging apparatus, each tine of said first and second pluralities of tines having a radial extension that is varied by rotational position of said inboard and said outboard tine bars, respectively; a first cam having a first cam profile configured to manage rotation of said plurality of inboard tine bars as said tine reel revolves about said reel axis, rotation of said plurality of inboard tine bars in a first direction by said first cam extends said first plurality of tines outwardly from said tine reel and rotation of said plurality of inboard tine bars in a second direction opposite from said first direction retracts said first plurality of tines inwardly; and a second cam having a second cam profile configured to manage rotation of said plurality of outboard tine bars as said tine reel revolves about said reel axis rotation of said plurality of outboard tine bars in a first direction by said second cam extends said second plurality of tines outwardly from said tine reel and rotation of said plurality of outboard tine bars in a second direction opposite from said first direction retracts said second plurality of tines inwardly, wherein said first cam profile and said second cam profile are uniquely contoured to manage extension of respective pluralities of inboard and outboard tines.