Abstract:
A wrapping device is mounted at an exterior of a bale forming chamber of a large round baler and includes two wrapping material supply rolls comprised, if desired, of two types of wrapping material, which may optionally be brought together and introduced through an inlet of the bale forming chamber. In this way, it is possible, for example, to supply film with a netting in order both to bind and protect the bale.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a wrapping device in a round bale press, having a first wrapping material supply roll and at least a second wrapping material supply roll comprised of desired types of wrapping material which are together fed into a bale forming chamber during at least part of a wrapping cycle. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,605 discloses feeding film and netting into a bale forming chamber at the same time, for which purpose a respective supply device is provided. In the case of a device according to EP 1 321 028, similarly, a round bale is wrapped with both netting and film, the question of how the alternate layers are applied being left open. 
   According to WO 2004/060768 A1, a single web of a wrapping material is supplied with the netting and film sections connected to one another. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,109 B2 teaches using, in a round bale press, a roll with film or netting for the winding procedure and storing a roll next to it, as the supply. 
   The problem underlying the invention is that more than one wrapping material cannot be simultaneously supplied, at low cost and as desired, for wrapping a completed bale in a bale forming chamber. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, there is provided a wrapping device for simultaneously wrapped a bale with wrapping material supplied for multiple supply rolls, with the device overcoming the cost drawback associated with the prior art. 
   An object of the invention is to provide a wrapping device including a wrapping material feed arrangement utilizing the same feed roll for introducing wrapping material supplied from at least two different supply rolls into an inlet provided to the bale forming chamber. 
   In this way, wrapping material supply rolls comprised of various types of wrapping material are kept ready so that they can optionally be used, and for the purpose of the wrapping materials comprising the rolls being supplied together the supply rolls are connected to one another and so that the wrapping material of one supply roll which is being conveyed in any case carries along the additional wrapping material of the other supply roll. The two wrapping materials may equally well be connected without or with additional means, such as adhesives, staples, perforations and the like, depending on the nature of their surfaces. The important point here is that the wrapping material from both of the wrapping material supply rolls do not always have to be guided into the bale forming chamber, and no additional supply ducts or guides or the like are required. Preferably, both supply rolls are stored next to one another, although this does not rule out the possibility that they are located in quite different places and are brought together only once they come into the vicinity of the entry point into the bale forming chamber. 
   The use of the same wrapping material feed device, for example feed rolls, grippers, etc., has the advantage that technical complexity is kept low. 
   It is possible to respond to the respective conditions of use in optimum manner if a supply of the appropriate combinations of wrapping materials, for example film, netting twine, is kept, where it is useful. It is also possible to provide different versions of the same type of wrapping materials, for example film, which achieve a particular effect when the films are combined. Either film or netting may be used as the first or the second wrapping material, since both have surface properties making it possible for them to carry along another wrapping material. In particular conditions, it may even be appropriate to provide three rolls, preferably respectively comprising different types of wrapping materials which may optionally be connected to one another. 
   The different wrapping materials may be connected in different ways for the purpose of transport, for example mechanically, pneumatically, or the like. In a technically simple arrangement an abutment device is used which presses a length of the wrapping material lying upstream against the wrapping material lying downstream and hence connects them to one another, with or without aids. The simplest way to do this is for an abutment device of this kind to be brought into a position of abutment by a pivotal movement. 
   Although it is conceivable for the abutment device to be activated manually and mechanically at the bale press, a remote-controlled actuation device that is operated as needed, for example, from a farming tractor, is preferred. 
   Constructing the abutment device as a movable metal plate, a roll or a rod is possible at low cost and is technically reliable, with it being possible to use, in each case, levers, servomotors and the like to bring about the movement. 
   The second wrapping material may be used in a very flexible manner if it is possible not only for the abutment means to bring the second wrapping material into abutment against the first wrapping material, whereby the second wrapping material is introduced into the bale forming chamber with the first wrapping material. However, the second wrapping material may be selectively divided from the first wrapping material again. A division of this kind may be performed with a blade and indeed with a retaining device. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawing illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention, described in more detail below. In the drawing: 
       FIG. 1  shows a round bale press in side view, with a wrapping device in a standby condition, 
       FIG. 2  shows the round bale press from  FIG. 1  in a condition in which a length of the wrapping material from a second supply roll is brought into abutment against a wrapping material comprising the first supply roll for the purpose of being supplied to a bale forming chamber, and 
       FIG. 3  shows the round bale press from  FIG. 1  once the two wrapping materials have been divided following their being joined, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  shows a round bale press  10  having a frame  12 , a bale forming chamber  14  and a wrapping device  16 . 
   The round bale press  10  takes the form of a press with a chamber that is fixed in size, but may be of any known construction, and serves to press agricultural or industrial goods. 
   The frame  12  is supported on the ground by wheels  18  and is attached to a tractor vehicle by means of a drawbar  20 . The frame  12  bears the walls of the bale forming chamber  14 , a pick-up and any further components required for the round bale press  10 . 
   The bale forming chamber  14  is a known type and has in an upper front region an inlet  22  for wrapping material, which will be described in more detail below. The inlet  22  could also be located at a different point. 
   The wrapping device  16  is substantially constructed as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,109. In this exemplary embodiment, a compartment  26 , a first carrier  28 , a second carrier  30 , a feed device  32 , a first dividing device  34 , a second dividing device  36  and an abutment arrangement  38  are provided. 
   The compartment  26  is formed by a housing or the like and is located adjacent to the inlet  22  in an accessible, upper front region of the round bale press  10 . The compartment  26  is intended to receive a first wrapping material supply roll  40  comprised of a first wrapping material, and a second wrapping material supply roll  42  comprised of a second wrapping material. 
   The first carrier  28  is located at the inlet  22  and is formed by a base surface, a tray or the like, but could also contain a shaft or the like which if appropriate has the facility to be braked. The first wrapping material supply roll  40  is held rotatably on the carrier  28 . 
   The second carrier  30  is formed by a shaft which runs transversely in relation to the direction of travel and on which the second wrapping material supply roll  42  is mounted. The second carrier  30  could be constructed in the same way as the first carrier  28 , that is to say as a load-bearing base surface, provided the supply roll is secured to prevent it from rolling away. The second carrier  30  is constructed such that the second wrapping material supply roll  42  mounted on the carrier  30  is braked to prevent it from rotating freely, and is easy to replace. Instead of one, two supply rolls could also be used. 
   The feed device  32  includes a feed roll  24 , which may be driven to initiate the wrapping procedure and has an overrunning clutch which acts as soon as the first and second wrapping materials are respectively drawn from the first and second supply rolls  40  and  42  into the bale forming chamber  14  by a formed bale rotating in the chamber. At least a length of the first wrapping material is carried along from the first supply roll  40  by the feed roll  24  as a result of the wrapping material supply roll  40  being pressed against the feed roll  24  by the wrapping material. The feed roll  24  is located between the wrapping material supply roll  40 , on the other hand, and the inlet  22  on the other. 
   The first dividing device  34  comprises a blade, a toothed edge or the like, which may be brought into abutment against an anvil or a counter-blade in a conventional manner when it is actuated. The dividing device  34  also includes a braking device (not shown) which stops the feed roll  24  as soon as the dividing procedure is carried out so that the roll  24  is prevented from continuing to rotate. The first dividing device  34  is actuated once the wrapping procedure is terminated, and divides the first wrapping material that is being pulled from the first supply roll  40 , the first dividing device acting to divide the second wrapping material in cases where the latter is being supplied by the supply roll  42  as well. 
   The second dividing device  36  is only provided, as an option, when it is to be possible to prevent the second wrapping material from the first wrapping material from being supplied. This prevents a person operating the unit from having to divide the second wrapping material from the first wrapping material manually. The second dividing device  36 , including a braking device (not shown), operates in the same way as the first dividing device  34  but is not actuated when the bale is to be bound but only when supply of the second wrapping material coming from the second supply roll  42  is to be terminated. A blade (not designated in more detail) or the like of the second dividing device  36  is preferably pivotal about the center axis of the second supply roll  42  by means of a remotely controlled motor. 
   The abutment device  38 , like the second dividing device  36 , is pivotal about the center axis of the second supply roll  42 , although other solutions to this are also possible. The abutment device  38  is adjusted by means of an actuating device  44  which in this case is constructed as an electric motor and may be controlled from the tractor vehicle. As an alternative, a linkage, cable, hydraulic motor or the like could also be used. The abutment device is constructed, in this case, with an abutment plate, such that it presses a length of the second wrapping material against the outer surface of the first supply roll  40 , with the result that the first wrapping material supply roll  40  carries the length of the second wrapping material along with it. The abutment device  38  moves in the space between the first and second wrapping material supply rolls  40  and  42 , respectively. 
   It is here noted that the feed device  32  together with the first and second carriers  28  and  30 , respectively, and the abutment device  38  define a feeding arrangement. 
   The first wrapping material supply roll  40  comprising the first wrapping material is located adjacent the inlet  22 , and in most cases the first wrapping material is in the form of a netting. By contrast, the second wrapping material supply roll  42  comprising the second wrapping material is remote from the inlet  22  and in most cases is in the form of a film. In this way, the bale may for example be bound rapidly by a netting and additionally protected from water by a film. However, it would also be possible for both wrapping supply rolls  40  and  42  to be comprised of film, which has the advantage that an air-tight wrapping is achieved more quickly in the case of silage. However, it is also conceivable to use twine as the material comprising the first supply roll  40 , and a film as the wrapping material comprising the second supply roll  42 , in which case the twine binds the bale and the film ensures protection or air-tightness. If both wrapping materials comprising the supply rolls  40  and  42  are in the form of a twine, it is possible to attach the leading end of the twine comprising the second supply roll  42  to the trailing end of the twine of the first supply roll  40 , with the result that the round bale press  10  can remain in operation longer. 
   Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.