Abstract:
An improved method and apparatus are provided for forming and individually wrapping round bales of high moisture forage within a bale forming chamber of a round baler. The bales are wrapped to cover their side surfaces and an outer peripheral portion of the ends of the bale with plastic, leaving an unwrapped central portion of the bale ends. The individually wrapped bales are placed adjacent each other end-to-end, such that the wrapped end surfaces of the individually wrapped bales are adjacent each other. By slamming the wrapped bales together end-to-end, the O-ring of plastic on each end of the bales will cooperate to form an air tight seal with an adjacent bale. In one embodiment, a baler is provided with a mechanism for altering the profile of the ends of the bale as it is being formed within the baler. The purpose of the altered profile is to let a wrapping material be brought down over the ends of the bale while the bale is rotating within the baler. In another embodiment, a baler is provided with retracting side walls to provide a space in which the wrapping material can be brought down over the ends of the bale within the bale forming chamber. The invention results in a high quality, inexpensive, convenient feed package for livestock.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the Applicant&#39;s Provisional Patent Application No. 60/172,344 filed on Dec. 16, 1999. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates generally to an improved method and apparatus for producing high moisture livestock feed (e.g., balage, haylage, silage, etc.) in a round bale. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming and wrapping round bales of forage of suitable moisture content with a plastic wrap material while the bale is still in the bale forming chamber of a round baler.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    There are many machines and methods for making balage from fresh cut forage. For example, balage is commonly formed in round (i.e., cylindrical-shaped) bales that are positioned end-to-end in long rows for storage. In the case of high moisture balage, the round bales are often covered with a plastic wrap to prevent spoilage and maintain high nutrient levels. An example of a conventional apparatus and process for applying a plastic cover to a round bale is described in the Applicant&#39;s prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,343.  
           [0006]    There are many advantages of putting forage up in a high moisture state rather than waiting for the forage to dry. Some of these advantages include:  
           [0007]    a. Forage can be cut at the proper stage of maturity when the nutrient levels are at their highest; one doesn&#39;t have to wait for “perfect” hay making weather.  
           [0008]    b. When the forage is cut and on the ground, the risk time of getting the forage wet is cut from days for drying hay to hours for balage. Forage can be put up as balage within a moisture range of 25% up to 65% moisture. Dry hay should be baled when the moisture content is below 20%.  
           [0009]    c. The forage put up as balage is much more palatable for the animals due to its high moisture content.  
           [0010]    d. Nutritional quality is higher for balage. Handling dry hay (e.g., raking, baling, stacking, etc.) will cause dry leaves to shatter and fall to the ground. Most of the nutrition in the balage is in the leaves.  
           [0011]    It can be readily seen that there are many advantages to harvesting forage in a timely manner and preserving the forage in a high moisture, airtight package, called balage. However, under the present methods being used, there are several disadvantages. These disadvantages include:  
           [0012]    a. The present systems require multiple pieces of equipment resulting in a high machinery investment. Typically a baler, a wrapper and a special stacker are provided as separate implements. The present invention can eliminate the expensive wrapper implement by wrapping the bale in the baler.  
           [0013]    b. Under the conventional methods, a bale has to be wrapped with twine or net wrap before it is discharged from the baler. The present invention wraps the bale with plastic in the baler, thereby saving money by eliminating the need for first wrapping the bales with twine or net wrap.  
           [0014]    c. Under the conventional methods, a bale is formed in the baler, wrapped with twine or net, discharged from the baler, and then picked up to be wrapped by a separate bale wrapper. This requires additional time and expense. With the present invention, the finish wrap is put on right in the baler, resulting in substantial savings of time and expense.  
           [0015]    d. A large percentage of the wrappers used on farms today are of the type known as “total wrap” bale wrappers. These wrappers rotate the bale horizontally as it is laying on its side. Plastic is played out onto the bale about halfway up and as the bale rotates end-to-end, it also is slowly rotated about its long axis. With total wrap bale wrappers, the plastic is applied in multiple (20+) layers to each end of the bale. This is a great waste of plastic as it usually takes only about 3 to 4 layers to achieve a proper seal.  
           [0016]    e. These large individual bale wrappers can be very complex with remote-infrared controls and complex electronic sensors and control boxes. All of this means expensive repair and rapid depreciation and obsolescence.  
           [0017]    In spite of these serious disadvantages, the practice of making balage is gaining in popularity. Accordingly, a simplified, time saving, effective method of forming, wrapping, and storing balage is needed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0018]    The present invention provides a unique method of modifying the shape of a round bale as it is being formed in a round baler, and an apparatus to provide the modified shape. The invention further provides an improved method of forming a round bale, wrapping the bale with plastic in the bale forming chamber, and then stacking the bales very tightly together end-to-end. This improved method produces top quality balage while expending a minimum in labor effort and machinery investment. The bale forming apparatus can be provided as an after market attachment to many models and makes of popular round balers, or it can be incorporated into the original construction of the baler.  
           [0019]    The special bale profile created by the bale forming apparatus of the present invention has two functions. One is to hold the bale centered in position in the baler to facilitate the wrapping of plastic roll material around the bale within the bale forming chamber of the baler. The second function of the special profile is to provide a step-in area on the outer radial circumference of the bale at the distal ends of the bale. This step-in from the usual profile can be, for example, about 12 inches radially and about 3 inches axially on each end of the bale. The purpose of this special profile is to allow a plastic dispensing and wrapping apparatus to wrap the bale around its circumference and to bring the wrap down on the ends of the bale. This special profile/step-in area will eliminate the scuffing and abrading of the plastic wrap as the bale is rotating in the bale forming chamber. When the bale has sufficient plastic wrap put on its surface, the baler chamber is opened up and the bale is discharged onto the ground. When the farmer removes these bales to the storage area and the bales are jammed together end-to-end in a row, the O-ring of plastic wrap on each end of the bale will form an air tight seal. The exposed ends of the row of bales can be wrapped by hand to complete the airtight package.  
           [0020]    In a first embodiment, an apparatus for forming the step-in profile of the bale is provided. The apparatus has profiling plates that are hingeably attached to each interior side of the bale forming chamber. The profiling plates are moved inwardly only after an inner portion of the cylindrical-shaped bale is formed. The profiling plates forcibly engage and squeeze the ends of the forming bale and cause the last forage to be applied to the bale to be displaced in from the sides of the confining bale chamber. The profiling plates may be of such a shape and size as to form a variety of bale profiles. The step-in bale profile provides a space within the baler adjacent each end of the bale that allows wrapping an outer peripheral portion of each end of the bale with a plastic wrapping material within the bale chamber. The step-in bale profile also prevents the wrapping material at each end of the bale from being scuffed or torn while the bale is rotated within the bale forming chamber and when the bale is discharged from the baler.  
           [0021]    In an alternative embodiment, the baler side wall is formed with a center circle and an outer ring about the center circle, both of which can be moved relative to the baler side wall. As the bale is being formed, both the center circle and the outer ring are moved into the bale chamber. When the bale is formed and ready for wrapping, the outer ring is moved away from the bale, leaving a gap between the bale and the outer ring. This gap provides a space within the baler that allows wrapping the outer peripheral portion of the bale with a plastic wrapping material within the bale chamber. This alternative embodiment provides a wrapped bale that has substantially flat end surfaces (i.e., no shoulders or step-in profiles).  
           [0022]    Numerous other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modification in various obvious aspects without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    The present invention will become more clearly appreciated as the disclosure of the invention is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 is a cross section of a round baler having a bale profiler and bale wrapper according to the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 is a cutaway rear view of a portion of the round baler of FIG. 1, showing details of the bale wrapper.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a round baler, modified in accordance with the present invention, dropping a wrapped bale to the ground, with a tractor in the background pushing together individual bales to produce a row of bales.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of individual wrapped bales being pushed together to form a seal between the individual bales.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the baler that forms the modified profile of the bale.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an unwrapped bale having the profile formed by the baler of FIG. 1.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 7 is a plan view of a side wall of an alternative embodiment of a baler according to the present invention.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the baler of FIG. 7, showing the baler in position to produce a bale.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the baler in a position ready for wrapping. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0033]    A method and apparatus for forming and wrapping round bales according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.  1  to  6  of the accompanying drawings.  
         [0034]    A modified baler  5  according to the present invention is shown in FIGS.  1  to  3 . A tractor T provides PTO power and pulls the baler  5  through the field to gather forage into the bale forming chamber  6  of the baler  5 . The baler  5  includes a forward portion  7  and a rearward portion  9  pivotally connected to the forward portion  7 . The forward and rearward portions  7  and  9  together define the bale forming chamber  6  in which a bale B is formed. The forward and rearward portions  7  and  9  of the baler  5  can be substantially similar in construction, for example, to respective portions of the baler disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,949, which is incorporated herein by reference. However, the baler  5  includes a wrapping attachment  11  attached to the rearward portion  9 . The wrapping attachment  11  carries a roll of plastic  12 , so that the bale B can be wrapped in layers of plastic  13  within the bale chamber  6  immediately after the bale B is formed by the baler  
         [0035]    As seen in FIG. 6, the bales B formed by the baler  5  are generally cylindrical in shape, and have an outer side surface SS and an end surface ES. The end surface ES includes an outer peripheral portion OP which is covered with plastic  13  by the wrapping attachment  11 , and an inner portion IP which remains uncovered. The formed bale B is rotated about its longitudinal axis within the baler  5  as the bale B is formed and wrapped. As the bale B rotates, the wrapping attachment  11  fully covers the cylindrical side surface SS and the outer peripheral portion OP of the bale B with plastic  13 , leaving a center portion IP of the end surface ES of the bale B uncovered or exposed.  
         [0036]    To make the bale end surface profile shown in FIG. 6, the baler  5  includes a pair of profiling plates  31  (FIGS. 1 and 5) mounted on each side wall  8  of the forward portion  7  of the baler  5 . The profiling plates  31  can be disc-shaped, or they can be in the shape of a flap, paddle, or any other suitable shape for engaging the ends of the bale B to form the desired profile as the bale B is being formed. The profiling plates  31  are mounted so that they may be moved into, and retracted from, the lower sides of the bale forming chamber  6  where the forage first enters the chamber  6 . For example, each profiling plate  31  can be pivotably mounted on its front edge  33  to a respective side wall of the baler  5 , and a suitable actuator  32 , such as a hydraulic cylinder, can be provided to selectively pivot the profiling plate  31  and move the rear edge  34  of the profiling plate  31  into and out of the bale forming chamber  6 . To give the bale B its desired shape, each plate  31  is moved from its retracted position (adjacent the frame side wall) into the lower sides of the bale chamber  6  during the last stages of bale formation. This produces the step-in profile at each end of the bale B, as shown in FIG. 6, thereby shaping the outer peripheral portion OP of the bale B to accommodate the over-the-end plastic wrap  13 . The plates  31  are retracted out of the bale forming chamber  6  from their profiling position just before the plastic wrap  13  is applied to the bale B.  
         [0037]    In the specific example shown in FIG. 1, the bale Br  5  has a lower drum roller  25  that supports the bale B during bale formation, and bale restrictor discs  26  located adjacent to and above each end of the lower drum roller  25 . Notches  27  are formed in the rear sides of the bale restrictor discs  26 , and hinges  28  are mounted to the respective side walls  8  of the baler  5  within each of the notches  27 . The profiling plates  31  are pivotally mounted to the baler  5  at their front edges  33  by the hinges  28 . The profiling plates  31  are selectively pivotable about the hinges  28  to move the rear edges  34  into and out of the bale forming chamber  6  by the hydraulic actuators  32  to form the desired step-in profile on the ends ES of the bale B as it is being formed.  
         [0038]    The shape of the bale B is important to the bale forming and wrapping method of the first embodiment of the Applicant&#39;s invention. By shaping the bale B in the manner shown (i.e., with an axially inwardly offset outer peripheral portion OP of the end surface ES), the plastic  13  is allowed to come down over the outer peripheral portions OP of the bale B while the bale is still in the baler  5 . The gap between the outer end surface ES of the bale B and the side wall  8  of the forward portion  7  of the baler  5  (which is effectively formed by the profiling plate  31 ) provides the area for the plastic wrap  13  to come down over the end of the bale B and prevents damage to the plastic wrap  13  that would otherwise be caused by rotation of the bale B against the fixed side wall  8  of the baler  5 . When the wrapped bale B is ejected from the baler  5 , it is ready to be stabbed in the open center portion IP by a bale spear  30  on a tractor T 2  and moved to the bale storage area. There, it can be slammed into a long airtight row  17  where it will undergo anaerobic fermentation and become silage in 20 to 30 days.  
         [0039]    As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the exposed ends IP of the wrapped bales B are protected by placing the bales B adjacent each other end-to-end, and by slamming one bale into a bale already positioned on the ground. When one bale B is slammed into an already positioned bale, a substantially airtight seal is formed between the peripheral portions OP of the end surface wrapping, which are placed in contact with each other. In this manner, a row  17  of wrapped bales is made. When a desired number of wrapped bales B 1 -B n  are lined up in a row  17 , the outer ends  19  of the two end bales B 1  and B n  (FIG. 3) are covered with plastic, for example, by stretching plastic by hand over the ends  19 .  
         [0040]    The effectiveness of this procedure is shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, it can be seen that at the junction  21  between two adjacent bales B, the neighboring ends of the two bales are “muscled up” or bulged out, as at  23 . This “muscling up” (which has been emphasized in FIG. 3) of the ends of the bales B due to the jamming or slamming of one bale into another, makes an airtight seal that is very effective in keeping the air from entering the wrapped bales. Hence, air is substantially prevented from reaching the interior of the balage row  17 . In addition to creating an airtight seal between adjacent bales B, the jamming of one bale into the end of the balage row  17  compacts the bales B in the row  17  expelling air from the bales B. The expulsion of extra air from the bales B helps reduce the degradation of the balage in the row  17 . Conventional wrapping systems are not as effective as the present invention in allowing air to be expelled from the row  17 .  
         [0041]    An alternative embodiment for creating a space within the bale forming chamber  6  to wrap the bale B is shown in FIGS.  7  to  9 . In this embodiment, the baler side walls  61  are modified by dividing the side walls into an inner circle  65  and an outer ring  63  surrounding the inner circle  65 . The outer ring  63  and inner circle  65  of the side walls  61  are moved axially relative to the bale B by respective outer and inner actuators  66  and  67 , such as hydraulic cylinder actuators. When the bale B is forming, both the outer ring  63  and the inner circle  65  are extended to the inside of the baler chamber  6  by the actuators  66  and  67 , as seen in FIG. 8, and the bale B is formed in a normal manner. When the bale B achieves a desired size and is ready for wrapping, the outer ring  63  is retracted by its actuators  66  and the inner circle  65  remains in place, as seen in FIG. 9.  
         [0042]    In this embodiment, the bale B remains fully cylindrical (i.e., no profiling or projecting portions on the end wall as in the bale B of FIG. 6). However, by retracting the outer ring  63 , a gap G is formed between the bale end surface ES and the wall  61  of the baler B to allow the wrapping  13  to come down over the ends of the bale B. After the bale B is wrapped in this manner, the inner circle  65  is retracted by its actuator  67  so that the wrapped bale can tumble out of the bale chamber  6  without scuffing or tearing the plastic wrap  13 .  
         [0043]    This embodiment does not alter the normal profile of the bale, and thus, makes it easier to obtain an airtight seal between adjacent bales. Additionally, because the bale B is completely supported in the bale chamber  6  by the outer rings  63  and inner circles  65  during bale formation, and by the inner circles  63  during bale wrapping, the bale B is more stable in the chamber.  
         [0044]    The wrapping attachment  11  can be used with either of the bale forming arrangements described above. The wrapping attachment  11  includes a support mechanism  70  for rotatably supporting the roll of plastic  12 , and an arrangement of actuators and sensors for controllably moving the plastic roll  12  from side-to-side to guide the plastic material  13  over the surface of the bale B during the wrapping process. The support mechanism  70  can be a threaded carrier  71  mounted on a threaded shaft  72  that can be selectively rotated to cause a linear movement of the carrier  71  from side-to-side.  
         [0045]    Electric drive motors  73 ,  74  and clutches  75 ,  76  are connected to the threaded shaft  72  using suitable belts  77 ,  78  and pulleys  79 - 82  to rotate the threaded shaft  72  in the desired direction. Alternatively, traction wheels that follow the belts of the baler can be used to drive the threaded shaft  72 . This would create a relationship between the speed of the bale rotation and the speed of the transverse motion of the roll of plastic, thereby maintaining a uniform application of the plastic  13  to the bale B.  
         [0046]    First and second sensors  83 ,  84  are provided near each end of the threaded shaft  72  for detecting the extreme left and right positions of the plastic roll  12 , and a third sensor  85  is provided to detect a center position of the plastic roll  12 . A fourth sensor  86  detects a metal tag on the baler belt  87  to provide an input for a bale revolution counter  88 . A fifth sensor  89  detects whether the plastic  13  is feeding through the passage  90  leading to the bale chamber  6 .  
         [0047]    In operation, the bale B is formed within the bale forming chamber  6  of the baler  5  according to the processes described above. Once the baler  5  detects that a full bale B has been formed, the baler  5  alerts the tractor operator who then stops the hay from going into the baler  5 . The operator then initiates an automatic bale wrapping sequence. According to one example, the bale wrapping sequence is started by the drive rollers  91  rotating to feed the plastic wrap  13  into the passage  90 . The jaws of a solenoid finger cutoff mechanism  92  are opened to clear the passage  90  leading to the bale chamber  6 , and a blower  93  is activated to direct air past the plastic material  13  and into the bale chamber  6 . The passage  90  leading to the bale chamber  6  is defined at its forward end by a curved lip  94  that guides the plastic material  13  and diverted air into the bale chamber  6 . The plastic material  13  is then gripped between the bale B and the baler belts  87  and pulled into the chamber  6  as the bale B continues to rotate. At this point, the drive rollers  91  open up and the plastic  13  begins to wrap around the bale B as the bale rotates within the bale chamber  6 . The plastic feeding sensor  89  goes positive and starts the bale revolution counter  88  using the fourth sensor  86 , and the blower  93  turns off.  
         [0048]    The bale revolution counter  88  counts one revolution of the bale B with the plastic  13  wrapped on it and a signal is sent to a first one of the electric drive clutches  75  to engage and rotate the threaded shaft  72  so that the threaded carrier  71  moves linearly along the shaft  72  in a first direction. When the first sensor  83  goes positive, indicating that the plastic roll  12  is at the extreme left position, the threaded shaft  72  is stopped and the bale B rotates a predetermined number of times (e.g., three) within the bale chamber  6 , as detected by the bale revolution counter  88 . A signal is then sent to a second one of the electric drive clutches  76  to engage and rotate the threaded shaft  72  in the other direction so that the threaded carrier  71  moves linearly along the shaft  72  in a second direction. When the second sensor  84  goes positive, indicating that the plastic roll  12  is at the extreme right position, the threaded shaft  72  is stopped and the bale B rotates a predetermined number of times (e.g., three). The first electric drive clutch  75  is then engaged again to cause the threaded carrier  71 , and hence, the plastic roll  12 , to move back to the center position. When the third sensor  85  detects that the plastic roll  12  is at its center position, the threaded shaft  72  is stopped and the solenoid finger cutoff mechanism  92  is activated to close and hold the plastic  13  as the rotating bale B continues to pull the plastic  13  and cause it to separate from the roll  12 . The plastic wrap feeding sensor  89  then goes off because the plastic  13  is no longer feeding. This alerts the tractor operator that the bale B is wrapped and is ready for ejection from the baling chamber  6 .  
         [0049]    It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the exact constructions that have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the wrapping mechanism can be positioned across the front side of the baler instead of the rear side, various other types of actuators can be used to move the plastic roll from side-to-side during the wrapping process, and different wrapping sequences can be used. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the appended claims.