Abstract:
An agriculture baler having a bale-forming mechanism; a pick-up assembly disposed forward of the bale-forming mechanism to pick up a cut crop material and convey the crop material towards the bale mechanism, the pick-up assembly having: (a) a pick-up apparatus; (b) a conveying rotor disposed to receive cut crop material from the pick-up apparatus and to move the cut crop material towards the bale forming mechanism; (c) a floor having a first slot formed therein; (d) a cutting mechanism including a first knife disposed to rotate from a first resting position to a second cutting position extending through the first slot in the floor; and (e) a first guide plate disposed adjacent to the first slot.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains generally to agricultural balers used to form a bale of cut crop material. More particularly, the present invention relates to balers that have a pick-up assembly that includes a cutting mechanism for cutting the cut crop material into smaller pieces before the bale is formed. Specifically, the present invention is directed to improvements in the baler&#39;s pick-up assembly that includes the cutting mechanism by providing guide plates to stabilize and protect cutting knives of the cutting mechanism. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Agricultural balers are machines that pick up a cut crop material typically arranged in windrows on the ground and form packages of the cut crop material known as bales. There are generally two types of balers: round balers and square balers. Round balers pick up the cut crop material and form round bales, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6.394,893 to Scholz et al, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Square balers pick up the cut crop material and form square bales, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,646 to Schrag et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     Balers typically have a hitch, and, in operation, are hitched to and pulled by a tractor. The tractor provides power through hydraulic conduits to operate the mechanism of the baler. Because they perform a baling operation, both round and square balers have similar features, although their structures may be different. For instance, balers tend to include a pick-up assembly and a bale forming mechanism. The pick-up assembly includes a pick-up apparatus and a conveying apparatus, and serves to pick up the cut-crop material from the ground and direct it towards the bale forming mechanism. The pick-up apparatus includes a plurality of rotating tines that catch and drag cut crop material off of the ground and to the conveying apparatus. A pair of augers may help direct the cut crop material towards the center of the pick-up assembly where the conveying apparatus is located. The conveying apparatus then moves the cut crop material further along in the pick-up assembly. 
     In round balers, the conveying apparatus generally moves the cut crop material towards an opening (also called the “throat”) in the bale forming chamber of a round bale forming mechanism. In square balers, the conveying apparatus moves the cut crop material into a duct that leads to the baling chamber of a square bale forming mechanism. 
     In both round balers and square balers, the conveying apparatus can be a rotor that rotates to move the cut crop material from the pick-up apparatus towards the bale forming mechanism. When a rotor is used, a cutting mechanism that includes an array of crop cutting knives can be disposed in slots in the floor of the pick-up assembly so that each knife can rotate from a resting position in or under the floor to an extended position, wherein the cutting edge of each knife is directed to engage the oncoming flow of cut crop material when in the extended position. In this way, each knife in the array of knives engages the flow of cut crop material and further cuts the crop material into even smaller pieces before the cut crop material enters the bale forming mechanism. The main advantage to having the array of knives for cutting the cut crop material into even smaller pieces is that the cut crop material will be easier for farm animals to chew and digest when the crop is used as farm animal feed. 
     However, the cutting mechanism of the prior art pick-up assemblies for round balers and for square balers has several drawbacks. First, errant cut crop material, or “trash” as it is sometimes called, can flow into the slots in the floor of the pick-up assembly and clog up the slot. When this happens, the knife gets stuck in the resting position because of the impacted trash in the slot that prevents the knife from rotating into the extended position. Second, when the knives rotate from the protection of the slot into the exposed extended position, each knife is relatively susceptible to undesirable lateral torque exerted on the sides of the knife by the flow of cut crop material. This undesirable lateral torque can bend the knife or tender the knife less effective as it wobbles in the flow of cut crop material. Therefore, there is a need for a feature of the pick-up assembly that will decrease the likelihood that the knife slots will become impacted with errant cut crop material and that will stabilize each knife in the stream of cut crop material when in the extended position. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of pick-up assembly cutting mechanisms of the prior art square and round balers while maintaining the advantages of these machines. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism to avoid any knife becoming trapped by impacted errant cut crop material. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that protects knives from damage by lateral torque exerted by the flow of the cut crop material. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that stabilizes knives in the extended position to avoid a knife wobbling as cut crop material streams past, and engages with, each knife. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide agricultural balers with a pick-up assembly having a cutting mechanism that is practical and cost effective to manufacture. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide agricultural balers with a pick-up assembly having a cutting mechanism that is durable, operated reliably, and is easy to maintain. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the above objectives, there is provided an agricultural baler comprising a bale-forming mechanism; and a pick-up assembly disposed forward of the bale-forming mechanism to pick up a cut crop material and convey the crop material towards the bale forming mechanism. The pick-up assembly includes (a) a pick-up apparatus; (b) a conveying rotor disposed to receive cut crop material from the pick-up apparatus and to move the cut crop material towards the bale forming mechanism; (c) a floor having a first slot formed therein; (d) a cutting mechanism including a first knife disposed to rotate from a first resting position to a second cutting position extending through the first slot in the floor; and (e) a first guide plate disposed adjacent a first side of the first slot. 
     In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, the pick-up assembly includes a second guide plate disposed adjacent to a second side of the first slot so that at least a portion of the first slot is disposed between the first guide plate and the second guide plate. 
     In accordance with a third embodiment of the invention, the floor has a plurality of first slots formed therein and the cutting mechanism includes a plurality of first knives, each first knife is disposed to rotate from a first resting position to a second cutting position extending through a respective one of the plurality of first slots in the floor, and the pick-up assembly further comprises a plurality of first guide plates, wherein each of the plurality of first guide plates is disposed adjacent to a corresponding first side of one of the plurality of first slots. 
     In accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention, the pick-up assembly further includes a plurality of second guide plates, wherein each second guide plate is disposed adjacent to a corresponding second side of one of the plurality of first slots so that at least a position of each first slot is disposed between the corresponding one of the first guide plates and the second guide plates. 
     Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent for the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments, which follows, when considered together with the attached drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cutaway side elevational view of a baler in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a front perspective partial view of the knife array (three knives shown) in the floor of the pick-up assembly in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a cutaway rear perspective partial view of the activating mechanism for the knife array. 
     FIG. 4 a  schematically illustrates a side view of a crop cutting knife in the resting position. 
     FIG. 4 b  schematically illustrates a cutaway side view of a crop cutting knife in the extended cutting position. 
     FIG. 5 a  schematically illustrates a plan view of the full knife array in the rotor floor. 
     FIG. 5 b  schematically illustrates a sectional view along axis X—X of the full knife array in the rotor floor shown in FIG. 5 a , with the knife array in the resting position. 
     FIG. 5 c  schematically illustrates a sectional view along axis X—X as shown in FIG. 5 b , but with the full knife array in an extended cutting position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the Figures in which like parts are indicated by like reference numerals. The apparatus of the present invention is a baler  10  as shown in FIG. 1 that includes a main frame or housing  11 , and a bale forming chamber  22  formed inside of housing/frame  11 , wherein the bale forming chamber is illustrated as a fixed bale forming chamber for forming a geometrical package out of cut crop material  16 . The geometrical package of cut crop material formed in the bale forming chamber  22  is known as a “bale.” The bale is formed by a bale forming mechanism such as a chain conveyer  24 , also referred to as an “apron,” that surrounds and defines a portion of the chamber  22 . Apron  24  serves to rotate the cut crop material in the bale forming chamber  22  by using slats  33  of the apron  24  that engage and rotate the cut crop material, thereby moving the cut crop material about the bale forming chamber  22  to form the bale  52  as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,050, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Preferably, the bale produced in the bale forming chamber  22  has a cylindrical shape. Although baler  10  is illustrated as a round baler, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the present invention can be practiced on balers that produce other bale shapes, such as by square balers, and can be practiced by round balers having a variable bale forming chamber. 
     Main frame  11  includes a main support beam  13  on which a pair of wheels  21  (only one shown) is rotatably affixed. A tongue  23  extends from a front portion of frame  11  to provide a conventional hitch connection for connecting to a tractor  12  or other work vehicle. Frame  11  also includes a pair of sidewalls  25  (only one shown) between which the bale forming chamber  22  extends. A pair of stub shafts  27  (only one shown) pivotally connect tailgate  28  to main frame  11 . Tailgate  28  pivotally rotates about the stub shafts  27  from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 to an open position, as is conventionally known, so that a completed wrapped bale can be discharged to the ground for subsequent handling. Tailgate  28  includes a pair of tailgate sidewalls  29  (only one shown) that are coextensive with sidewalls  25 . 
     Baler  10  includes a pick-up assembly  14  for picking up a cut crop material  16 , such as straw, hay, and the like, from a field, and delivering it to the bale forming chamber  22 . The pick-up assembly  14  is located forward of the bale forming chamber  22  and includes a pick-up apparatus  17 , a pair of augers  42 , a conveying feeder rotor  18 , (also simply referred to as a “conveyer”), and a crop cutting mechanism  54  disposed in the rotor floor  50  of the pick-up assembly  14 . 
     The pick-up apparatus  17  includes a plurality of tines  40  for catching and pulling the cut crop material  16  from the ground and into the pick-up assembly  14 . Optionally, a pair of augers  42  are rotationally mounted in the pick-up assembly  14  and disposed to direct the cut crop material towards the center of the pick-up assembly. Conveying feeder rotor  18  receives the cut crop material from the pick-up apparatus  17  and augers  42  and conveys the cut crop material to the throat  48  of the bale forming chamber  22  while the baler  10  moves across a field. 
     The bale forming chamber  22  is defined by the coextensive sidewalls  25  and  29 , apron  24 , rotating floor roll  20 , and rotating stripper roll  26 . A rotating bale  52  is formed within the bale forming chamber  22  when cut crop material is fed into the chamber by the pickup assembly  14 , and rotated by the bale forming mechanism, such as apron  24 . When the bale  52  reaches a predetermined size, such as occurs in variable size chambers, or, in the alternative, when the bale  52  reaches a predetermined density, such as occurs in fixed size chambers, appropriate size or density sensors, respectively, indicate that the bale is ready to be wrapped. Subsequently, the baler  10  stops its forward motion so that a bale wrapping operation is performed by a bale wrapping assembly  30 . After the bale has been wrapped by twine, plastic, netting and the like, the completed wrapped bale is discharged from the baler  10  when the tailgate  28  rotates into an open position as is conventionally known. 
     In accordance with the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, cutting mechanism  54  is disposed in the rotor floor  50  of the pick-up assembly  14  so as to be positioned to operatively engage the stream of cut crop material  16  as it flows passed the cutting mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 2,  5   a ,  5   b  and  5   c , the cutting mechanism  54  includes an array of knives  60  mounted on a rotatable elongated bar  56  so as to be movable from a protected, resting position (see FIG. 5 b ) to an extended, cutting position (see FIG. 5 c ). 
     Each knife  61  has a cutting edge  62  that is preferably serrated; however, non-serrated knife edges can also be used. 
     The rotor floor  50  of the pick-up assembly  14  is provided with an array of slots  65  formed therein, wherein each slot  66  is shaped and positioned so as to accommodate a corresponding one of the knives  61 . In other words, each knife  61  is disposed in a respective one of the slots  65  so that as each knife  61  is rotated from the resting position to the cutting position, the knife moves through and extends through, its corresponding slot  66 . To decrease the amount of free space around each knife  61 , a plurality of guide plates  68 ,  69  are connected to the floor  50 , preferably by welding. Decreasing the amount of free space around each knife  61  minimizes the likelihood of trash build-up and crop hair pinning around the knife. By diminishing or eliminating the likelihood of trash build-up or crop hair pinning, it is less likely that cut crop material will impact and trap any one knife  61  into its respective slot  66 . 
     Guide plates  68  and  69  are shaped to conform to the shape of rotor floor  50 . As evident from FIGS. 5 b  and  5   c , guide plates  68 ,  69  are disposed in pairs adjacent to slot  66  so that slot  66  is located between guide plate  68  and guide plate  69 . In this context, the term “adjacent” is meant to include locations that are nearby, next to, and even with the slot  66 . In the embodiment of the figures, the guide plates  68  and  69  are even with the slot. Besides decreasing the amount of space surrounding each knife  61 , guide plates  68  and  69  provide a support or guide for preventing twisting or lateral bending of each knife due to external torques applied to the sides of each knife by the stream of cut crop material  16 . 
     Each knife  61  is free to move in its respective slot  66  from a resting position below floor  50  as shown in FIGS. 4 a  and  5   b  to a cutting position, as shown in FIGS. 4 b  and  5   c , wherein each knife  61  extends through its corresponding slot  66 . When in the resting position, each knife  61  is stored safely below the rotor floor  50 . When in the cutting position, the cutting edge  62  of each knife is positioned above floor  50  and facing into the flow of cut crop material  16 . In this manner, the knife array  60  can be deployed so that cut crop material  16  is cut into even smaller pieces that are easier for animals to digest. 
     In order to deploy the knives  61  into the cutting position, the cutting mechanism  54  is constructed to include an actuating mechanism  55 . Actuating mechanism  55  includes a solenoid activated hydraulic cylinder  70  operatively connected to either a switch in the cab of tractor  12  or to an on board controller carried by tractor  12 . Hydraulic cylinder  70  has a piston  72  mechanically connected to rotate elongated bar  56 , which is rotatably mounted to the frame  80  of the pick-up assembly  14  as shown in FIG.  3 . The actuating mechanism  55  also includes elongated bar  56  and a plurality of mounting members  74 , one mounting member attached to each knife  61 . As evident from FIG. 3, each knife  61  (only one illustrated in FIG. 3 for exemplary purposes) is attached to a mounting member  74 , and each mounting member  74  is mounted on the elongated bar  56  so that rotation of bar  56  effects movement of the knives  61  through slots  66 . In other words, as piston  72  is extended elongated bar  56  rotates clockwise so that each knife  61  is pushed through its respective slot  66  as it moves from the resting position to the cutting position. Then, as piston  72  is retracted back into the hydraulic cylinder  70  the elongated bar  56  is rotated counterclockwise thereby effecting movement of each knife  61  from the cutting position back to the resting position. 
     Sometimes one of the knives  61  encounters a large hard object such as a compact bolus of cut crop material, a stone, a piece of wood, or the like, and it is necessary that the knife be released to avoid damage. As shown in FIG. 3, each mounting member  74  is attached to a spring biased release bar  76 . Generally, under normal operating conditions, each spring biased release bar  76  is biased by a spring mechanism (not shown) so that the release bar  76  keeps its respective knife  61  properly oriented on the elongated bat  56 . When the knife  61  encounters a hard object that exerts a sufficient rearward force (i.e., a force that pushes the knife to move back towards the resting position), the respective mounting member  74  is constructed so as to slip relative to the elongated bar  56  so that the mounting member rotates counterclockwise on the elongated bar. Consequently, the spring biased release bar  76  is pushed rearward, and the knife  61  is retracted into its protective slot  66  as it moves back towards the resting position. As soon as the rearward force diminishes, the spring mechanism (not shown) pushes the spring biased release bar  76  forward again, the mounting member  74  slips in a clockwise directed on the elongated bar  56 , and the knife  61  returns to the position (i.e., the cutting position) it would have been in if it were not for the rearward force. 
     To further stabilize each knife  61 , the pick-up assembly  14  is provided with a secondary stabilization member  90  that is attached to pick-up assembly frame  80 . Secondary stabilization member  90  is best seen in FIG. 3 because the rotor floor  50  has been omitted in this drawing so that the crop cutting mechanism  54  can be appreciated. Secondary stabilization member  90  is a bent metal plate configured with an array of slots  92  so that each slot  94  receives a respective knife  61 . Although the secondary stabilization member  90  provides some degree of stabilization for each knife  61  of the crop cutting mechanism  54 , it can be appreciated that the amount of stabilization is limited due to the location of the stabilization member  90  below the rotor floor  50  and proximate to a front portion of each knife  61 . The guide plates  68  and  69  provide additional stabilization along the entire body of each knife  61 , which provides a greater degree o stabilization. Furthermore, guide plates  68  and  69  make it less likely that errant cut crop material or trash build-up materials will fall through slots  66  and trap the knives  61  below the rotor floor  50 . While the present invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additions, deletions, substitutions, modifications, and improvements can be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.