A twine knotter has a knotter frame (2). An intermediate shaft (3) is rotatably supported on the knotter frame (2) around a longitudinal axis L. A shaft input (4) connects the intermediate shaft (3) to an output element (61) of a knotter drive shaft (54). At least one knotter hook shaft (9, 10) is rotatably supported around a knotter hook axis (K1, K2) on the knotter frame (2). The at least one knotter hook shaft (9, 10) is drive-wise connected to the intermediate shaft (3). The at least one knotter hook shaft carries a knotter hook (11, 12) to form a knot. The twine knotter (1) is formed as an independent assembly. The twine knotter (1) is drive-wise detachably connectable, via the shaft input (4) of the intermediate shaft (3), to the knotter drive shaft (54).

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a twine knotter. The twine knotter includes a knotter frame, an intermediate shaft, and at least one knotter hook shaft. The intermediate shaft is rotatably supported on the knotter frame around an axis of rotation. A shaft input connects the intermediate shaft to an output element of a knotter drive shaft. The at least one knotter hook shaft is rotatably supported around a knotter hook axis on the knotter frame. Drive-wise, the knotter hook shaft is connected to the intermediate shaft. The knotter hook shaft carries a knotter hook to form a twine knot.

BACKGROUND

Twine knotters are mainly used in large mobile rectangular bale presses for straw, hay, silage and similar materials as well as in recycling applications, e.g. for bundling paper, textiles, thin metal sheets and the same. Binding or bundling devices, equipped with such twine knotters, can also be part of packaging plants for cording packets, bales or bundles of materials.

In stationary or large mobile bale presses, the pressing material is filled into a pressing channel, which is at least rectangular in cross-section, preferably pre-compressed and is pressed to a rectangular string of material. The material is partitioned into box-shaped bales, conventionally known as square bales. The upper and lower side as well as outer sides is encompassed in a longitudinal direction of the pressing channel with several twine threads. The threads are knotted before expelling the bale. The feeding of necessary twine, the knotting process within the twine knotter as well as the interaction of pressing elements involved in forming a double knot are described for common double knotters in DE 27 59 976 C1.

Depending on the width of the bale and its pressing density, two or more double knot twine knotters are mounted next to each other on the knotter drive shaft of a press. The selection of the twine knotter and the pressing elements, supporting the knotting process, are determined by the number of necessary strappings of a bale.

The knotter drive shaft is arranged above or below the pressing channel. Ordinarily, it is arranged at least approximately horizontal and in general parallel to the pressing channel. At other pressing channels, the drive shaft is arranged laterally.

The economic efficiency of the cereal stem harvest depends on the collecting, freight, and storage costs. Straw, especially shredded material, is used as bedding in poultry housing, dairy cattle cubicles and other stables. Straw further serves as feed in crude fibre weak feed rations as ground cover in strawberry cultivation and as a breeding ground for mushroom cultivation. To enable such applications, big bale presses are equipped with cutting devices or shredding devices at their front end. Generally in the feeding channel arranged in front of the main pressing channel, a pre-compressing of the pressing material is carried out. It is only transferred into the main pressing channel when a predetermined amount, with defined pressing material density, is available. Accordingly, high density bales with high weight are produced.

As the mobile presses are not only transferred from one to the other field but also are used extra farm wide, they have to be fit for over the road driving. Thus, they have to meet Road Traffic Licensing Regulations. This means that the machine dimensions are not increasable without limits. Also the dimensions of the individual bales have to have, for an optimal lorry loading and later storage, suitable measurements.

To increase the bale weight still further, wherein better transportation capacities can be utilized and the holding together of a bale is increased, an increase of the compression of the bale, with comparable moisture content of the pressing material, has to be accomplished. With such a goal in mind, consideration needs to be given to the currently available plastic pressing twines, mainly polypropylene twines, which have a limited tear strength. These twines will tear with increased pressing material density when the bale is expelled from the pressing channel. The thickness of the pressing twine, which is determined by the running length of the twine thread, is expressed in terms of how many meters of twine weigh one kilogram (units: m/kg). The twine thickness cannot be readily continuously increased. The individual knotter components are adjusted to the quality of the pressing twines. Thicker twines, with increased tear strength, would disadvantageously increase the dimensions of the twine knotter, wherein it is dubious whether a secure functioning of the twine knotter, especially according to the so-called Deering working principle, can be achieved.

In order to increase the weight of a bale at constant moisture content of the to be packaged material, without at the same time increasing the dimensions, WO 2011/054360 A1 proposes to increase the number of the to be knotted twine threads. Up to now, six twine knotters for knotting six parallel twine threads is common. The solution according to WO 2011/054360 A1 proposes eight twine threads. In this case, double knot twine knotters are provided, respectively, with one knotter drive disc non-rotationally mounted on the knotter drive shaft, driven around its axis and with a knotter chassis belonging to the knotter drive disc. The knotter chassis is spatially held stationary at one end relative to the pressing channel and at the other end relative to the knotter drive shaft. The knotter chassis carries one knotter assembly forming two knots one after the other. A knife lever is driven by a cam track of the knotter drive disc. The knotter assemblies comprise at least one twine holder, driven by a first drive tooth of the knotter drive disc. A knotter hook is driven by a second drive tooth of the knotter drive disc. The knife lever has a three-fold function. First, it serves as a twine guide. Second, it cuts the twine. Third, it pushes the twine loops off the knotter hook. The knotter assembly is arranged totally axially off-set relative to the hub of the knotter drive disc and of the drive-shaft sided end of the knotter chassis. The respective knotter assembly and, if necessary, also the pivot area of the knife lever overlap in an axis direction of the knotter drive shaft. The knotter drive disc of the neighboring double knot-twine knotter, over a partial length of the knotter assembly and, if necessary, also of the pivot lever of the knife area. In this manner, a certain de-coupling is achieved concerning the dimensional requirements of the hub of the knotter drive disc and those of the drive-shaft-sided attachment of the knotter chassis from the arrangement and construction of the knotter assembly and of the knife lever. Considerable length portions of the right and/or left neighboring double knot-twine knotter overlap with the double knot-twine knotter arranged therebetween. In this manner, the effective length of a double knot-twine knotter, in relation to the knotter drive shaft, can be shortened, as it is allowed by the drive assembly or the knotter assembly or the knife lever. The effective length of the double knot-twine knotter is determined by the assembly of the three assemblies, which, concerning the knotter drive shaft, has the largest length.

All above named twine knotters have the knotter drive discs, which are part of the twine knotter, arranged in sequence, one after the other, on the knotter drive shaft. If, due to a defect, one of the twine knotters has to be dismantled or exchanged, all knotter drive discs and, thus, all the twine knotters, which are arranged between the to be exchanged knotter drive disc and the end of the knotter drive shaft, also have to be dismantled.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure has an object to provide an arrangement where the assembly and dismantling of the individual twine knotters on a pressing device is less cumbersome.

The object is met by a twine knotter according to the disclosure.

Accordingly, the twine knotter is formed as an independent unit or assembly. The twine knotter is drive-wise detachably connectable, via the shaft input of the intermediate shaft, to the knotter drive shaft. Thus, each individual twine knotter can individually be dismantled from the knotter drive shaft without also having to dismantle further twine knotters.

The knotter hook axis of the at least one knotter hook shaft and the longitudinal axis of the intermediate shaft are, in this case, arranged such that they intersect each other or cross each other at a distance. As the knotter drive shaft is generally transversally arranged above the pressing channel, of a big bale press, the intermediate shaft can be arranged in a direction of the pressing channel. Thus, the smallest possible design space is necessary for the twine knotter in a direction transverse to the pressing channel or along the knotter drive shaft. Thus, a twine thread distance can be realized, that is smaller than those in common double knotters. Thus, a multitude of twine knotters, e.g. eight twine knotters, can be arranged next to each other.

The twine knotter can be formed as a double knotter. It knots two knots at the same time. For this, the twine knotter has two knotter hook shafts. The knotter hook shafts are rotatably supported respectively around a knotter hook axis on the knotter frame and which, respectively, are drive-wise connected to the intermediate shaft. In this case, the knotter hook axes of the two knotter hook shafts can be arranged parallel to each other.

A drive connection between a respective one knotter hook shaft and the intermediate shaft can be produced via, respectively, one gear connection. In this case a bevel-gear connection. Each gear connection has a first gear. The first gear rests non-rotationally on the intermediate shaft and has circumferential extending uninterrupted teeth. A second gear of the at least one knotter hook shaft meshes with the first gear.

The twine knotter can have a reserve holder for temporarily forming a twine reserve. The reserve holder is driven, by the intermediate shaft and is movably held on the knotter frame.

The twine knotter has, for each knotter hook shaft, a twine catch for pressing the twine threads onto the knotter hook of the respective knotter hook shaft. The twine catch or twine catches are driven by the intermediate shaft. They are movably held on the knotter frame. Commonly, the twine catches are provided on a frame of the big bale press separate from the twine knotter. In this case, the synchronization with the twine knotter is difficult, which is facilitated by an integrated arrangement of the twine knotter on the knotter frame. The twine catch is also driven by the intermediate shaft of the twine knotter, which leads to a further simplification of the synchronization.

The twine knotter can have a redirection device for redirecting the twine threads. The redirection device is also adjustably held on the knotter frame and is driven by the intermediate shaft. This is especially advantageous, when the twine knotter is formed without a pulling-off lever for pulling the knots off the knotter hooks. In this case, the knots are pulled-off by the pressing pressure of the bales in the pressing channel from the knotter hooks. However, a redirection of the twine threads has to be carried out. Thus, the redirection device serves this purpose.

A control cam drives and controls at least one device selected from the group of reserve holder, twine catch and redirection device. The control cam can be provided on the intermediate shaft. In this case, the respective device may have a lever that is pivotable around a pivot axis arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis on the knotter frame. A control element, in the form of a roller on the lever, rests against the respective control cam of the intermediate shaft and is loaded by a force. A coupling rod can articulatedly be arranged between the lever and the respective device.

An object is further met by a drive arrangement with a knotter drive shaft and several above described twine knotters. An angle gear with an output element is provided for each twine knotter on the knotter drive shaft. The output element is connected to the shaft input of the respective twine knotter.

The above described twine knotter is preferably operated according to the following method:

An upper twine thread and a lower twine thread are positioned in an operating area of a first knotter hook and of a second knotter hook of the twine knotter. The knotter hooks are, respectively, in a starting portion.

The knotter hooks are rotated from the starting position into an abutment position. Here, the upper twine thread and the lower twine thread come to rest on the knotter hooks.

The knotter hooks are subsequently rotated by one revolution to form, respectively, one loop from both twine threads. The twine threads are subsequently between the knotter hooks. Finally, the knotter hooks are rotated, a second time, further up to the starting position.

In this case, the knotter hooks are rotated for each knotting process by two complete revolutions.

Preferably, at least one of the twine threads is brought, by a twine needle along a twine feeding direction, into the operating area of the knotter hooks. In the starting position of the knotter hooks, the formed loops are pulled-off against the twine feeding direction from the first knotter hook and in the twine feeding direction from the second knotter hook by advancing the pressing material in a pressing channel.

When rotating the knotter hooks for forming loops, one twine catch is actuated for each knotter hook. The knotter hook holds the upper twine thread and the lower twine thread on a hook portion of the respective knotter hook. When actuating the twine catch, a redirection roller of a redirection device is actuated. The upper twine thread and the lower twine thread are guided from the second knotter hook in a twine feeding direction to the redirection roller and from there against the twine feeding direction up to the pressing channel.

When forming the knots with pulled-through knot ends or twine ends, a twine piece is produced. The twine piece is commonly between three and five centimeters long and is a so-called waste end. It is cut-off. Depending on the application place of operation of the press, these twine rests are undesirable. For example, animal furs can be discolored by coloring twine rests in connection with water or animal excretions.

To prevent this, loop knots are preferably formed in the present case. The knot ends are bound into the knot. The knot ends are not completely pulled through. In this case, these twine rests do not occur. Furthermore, the strength of the loop knots is higher than that of the knots with pulled-through knot ends. The knot strength determines the strength of the bale strapping. The selection of suitable pressing twines is essentially influenced by the use of double knot knotters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a twine knotter1according to the disclosure with a knotter frame2. All functional components of the twine knotter are mounted on the knotter frame. Thus, this forms an independent assembly group or unit. An intermediate shaft3is rotatably supported around a longitudinal axis L on the knotter frame2. The intermediate shaft3has a shaft input4. The intermediate shaft3can drive-wise be connected to an output element of a knotter drive shaft. In the present case, the shaft input4is formed as a journal. The journal is connectable, via an output element of an angle drive, to the knotter drive shaft.

A first input-bevel-gear5and a second input-bevel-gear6are non-rotationally attached on the intermediate shaft3. The two input-bevel-gears5,6are mirror-invertedly arranged and formed to a symmetry plane. The plane is arranged at a right angle to the longitudinal axis L. This means, that the teeth of the two input-bevel-gears5,6face away from each other. In principle, they can also face each other. The teeth of the input-bevel-gears5,6uninterruptedly extend around the circumference. The first input-bevel-gear5meshes with a first output-bevel-gear7. The output bevel gear7non-rotationally sits on a first knotter hook shaft9. The second input-bevel-gear6meshes with a second output-bevel-gear8. The second output bevel gear8non-rotationally rests on a second knotter hook shaft10.

The first knotter hook shaft9is rotatably supported around a first knotter hook axis K1on the knotter frame2. The second knotter hook shaft10is rotatably supported around a second knotter hook axis K2on the knotter frame2. The two knotter hook axes K1, K2are aligned parallel to each other and intersect the longitudinal axis L at a right angle. Also, other arrangements might be taken into account where the knotter hook axes K1, K2cross the longitudinal axis at a distance thereto. If necessary, knotter hook axes K1, K2are not arranged at a right angle to the longitudinal axis L. The knotter hook axes K1, K2do not compulsively have to be arranged parallel to each other.

The first knotter hook shaft9, at its end, includes a first knotter hook11to form a knot in a twine thread. This first knotter hook11includes a first hook portion13that laterally projects from the first knotter hook shaft9. A first knotter tongue15also projects laterally. The first knotter tongue15is movably arranged in a generally known manner to clamp a twine thread between the first hook portion13and the first knotter tongue15.

The second knotter hook shaft10carries at its end, identically to the first knotter hook shaft9, a second knotter hook12. The second knotter hook has a laterally projecting second hook portion14and a second knotter tongue16. The two knotter hooks11,12can be formed identically or preferably mirror-images symmetrical to the symmetry plane. The symmetry plane is arranged at a right angle to the longitudinal axis L.

A first knotter hook control cam17is provided to drive the two knotter tongues15,16. the control cam17is stationarily arranged on the knotter frame2. The control cam17has an outer circumferential face that extends around the first knotter hook axis K1. The first knotter tongue15, with a first knotter tongue roller19, is radially supported on and elastically loaded against the first knotter hook control cam17. The first knotter hook control cam17has an extension around the first knotter hook axis K1that deviates from a circular path. Thus, during rotation of the first knotter hook shaft9, the first knotter tongue15is opened and closed relative to the first hook portion13by means of the lever effect in a known manner.

Analogously, a second knotter hook control cam18is provided to control the second knotter tongue16. The second knotter tongue16, with a second knotter tongue roller20, is supported on and loaded against the control cam18. The two knotter hook control cams17,18are, in this case, also formed as symmetrically mirror images to the symmetry plane. The plane of symmetry is arranged at a right angle to the longitudinal axis L.

The symmetrical mirror-image arrangement of the two input bevel-gears5,6enables the two knotter hook shafts9,10to be driven in opposite directions to each other. Thus, since the two knotter hook control cams17,18are also formed as symmetrically mirror images, the two knotter hooks11,12open at the same time.

A reserve holder21is arranged between the two knotter hook shafts9,10. The reserve holder21is formed in the shape of a lever arm and is pivotably supported around a first pivot axis S1on the knotter frame2. The first pivot axis S1is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis L. A lever22is provided to the reserve holder21. The lever22is pivotably supported around a second pivot axis S2on the knotter frame2. The second pivot axis S2is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis L. The lever22is supported, via a control element in form of a roller23, on a control cam24.

The control cam24extends around the longitudinal axis L and rotates with the intermediate shaft3. The control cam24has a course deviating from a circular path. Thus, according toFIG. 1, the lever22can be lifted and lowered.

A coupling rod25is pivotally mounted on the lever22. Also, the coupling rod25is pivotably mounted on the reserve holder21so that the movement of the lever22causes a movement of the reserve holder21.

At a lower end, the reserve holder21has a hook portion26. A twine thread is gripped by the hook portion26and can be pulled, to the rear, in the orientation of the twine knotter1shown inFIG. 1to form a twine reserve to form twine knots. The hook portion26is centrally slotted in a plane. The plane is arranged at a right angle to the first pivot axis S1. During the pivoting of the reserve holder21backwards, the hook portion26slips over a foldable knife27. The knife27is pivotably mounted around a third pivot axis S3on the knotter frame2. The third pivot axis S3is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis L.

When moving the reserve holder21backwards from the starting positions shown inFIG. 1, a twine thread, which is pulled backwards by the reserve holder21, abuts a back28of the knife27. The back28of the knife is facing away from the cutting edge29of the knife. In this case, the knife27is displaced from the starting position shown inFIG. 1to a folded back position, till the twine thread has passed the knife27. After this, the knife27is pivoted back in a spring loaded manner into the starting position shown inFIG. 1. During backwards movement of the reserve holder21into its starting position, the twine thread abuts the cutting edge29of the knife27and is cut.

Additionally, two twine catches30,30′ are provided on the knotter frame. The twine catch30is exemplary described for the first knotter hook11. The twine catch30is correspondingly designed to the second knotter hook12. The twine catch30is pivotably mounted around a catch axis R on the knotter frame2. The catch axis R is, in this case, arranged at an angle to the first knotter hook axis K1. In the present case, the angle deviates from a right angle. The twine catch30serves, as in the twine knotters according to the state of the art, to press a twine thread against the first knotter hook11, to be able to form a knot. In this case, the twine catch30is pivoted during the forming of the knot against the twine thread.

A further lever31is provided to drive the twine catch30. The lever31is pivotably supported around the second pivot axis S2on the knotter frame2. The lever31is supported via a control element, in form of a roller32on a control cam33.

The control cam33is non-rotationally arranged on the intermediate shaft3. The control cam33has a course that deviates from a circular path so that the lever31is moved during a rotation of the intermediate shaft3. A coupling rod34is pivotably mounted on the lever31. The coupling rod34is also pivotably mounted on the twine catch30. Thus, the movement of the lever31is transferred onto the twine catch30.

Furthermore, a deflecting device35is provided. It includes a pivot arm36that is pivotably mounted around the second pivot axis S2on the knotter frame2. The pivot arm36is supported via a control element, in form of a roller37, on a control cam38of the intermediate shaft3. The control cam38also has a course that deviates from a circular path.

Thus, when rotating the intermediate shaft3, the pivot arm36is pivoted around the second pivot axis S2. A portion of the pivot arm36, facing to the front, rotatably supports a redirection roller39. With the help of the redirection roller, a twine thread, as described later, can be directed. The redirected roller39can be pivoted into or out of the area of a twine thread by means of the pivotable arrangement of the pivot arm36.

The twine knotter1has a downward bracket40. The bracket40is part of the knotter frame2. The twine catches30,30′ are pivotably mounted on the bracket40. The bracket40serves also as an attachment element of the entire twine knotter1onto a press. The bracket40also has the function of a protection bracket for the knotter hooks11,12.

The twine knotter1, formed with its knotter frame2, is a separate assembly group or unit. All functional components of the twine knotter1are mounted or supported on the knotter frame2. The twine catches30,30′ on the knotter frame2represent a design that establishes the synchronization of the twine catches30,30′ for the knotter operation steps in an especially simple manner. The entire twine knotter1can be mounted, via the knotter frame2, on a press. The shaft input4of the intermediate shaft3can be connected to a knotter drive shaft of a press.

On the knotter drive shaft of the press itself and also on the press or its frame, no further functional components of the twine knotter exist. Thus, during a defect of the entire twine knotter1, it can be dismantled as a unit or an assembly group, without influencing further present twine knotters on the same press or twine knotter, that are driven by the same knotter drive shaft. An additional dismantling of the other twine knotters is not necessary.

In the following, the general process of binding two knots is described by usingFIGS. 2 to 8. For simplification, only the twine knotter is represented with twine threads. The further components are initially not shown for simplification.

Generally, the twine knotter1, shown inFIGS. 2 to 8and corresponding to the twine knotter ofFIG. 1, is arranged on a press. A bale press for the agricultural sector is also shown in WO 2011/054360 A1. The twine knotter1is aligned such that the longitudinal axis L is aligned in a driving direction (F). A twine redirection roller41is arranged when seen in a driving direction in front of the twine knotter.

Before binding knots, the knotter hooks11,12are arranged in the starting position shown inFIG. 2. The knotter tongues15,16are in a closed position. The knotter hooks11,12face, concerning the already above mentioned symmetry plane, which is arranged at a right angle to the longitudinal axis L, laterally away from each other. The first knotter hook11faces in direction to the twine redirection roller41. The second knotter hook12faces in a direction to the redirection roller39. The redirection roller39is pivoted by the pivot arm36into a front position into the area of the twine thread guide. Also, the reserve holder21is pivoted into a front position. The hook portion26of the reserve holder21is also arranged in the guide area of the twine threads. In this connection, “pivoted forward” means that the components, i.e. the redirection roller39and the hook portion26of the reserve holder21, are pivoted to the right side in the representation ofFIG. 2.

An upper twine thread42is, as shown in the representation ofFIG. 2, guided from a thread roller, not shown here, via known means. Also not shown are tensioning and decelerating devices coming from the top left around the twine redirection roller to the bottom right to an upper side of a bale.

In a first method step, after activating the binding process, a binding needle, as shown later, is moved. The binding needle moves a lower twine thread43upwards. The lower twine thread43extends from a lower twine roller, via not shown known tensioning and decelerating devices, to a lower side of the bale. During the upward movement of the binding needle, it engages the upper twine thread42and transfers both twine threads42,43together into the knotter area. The binding needle moves in this area against the driving direction and initially passes the twine redirection roller41, the first knotter hook11, the hook portion26of the reserve holder21, the second knotter hook12and finally the redirection roller39. After this, the two twine threads42,43are arranged with their ends44,45leading to the bale around the twine redirection roller41and are arranged on the knotter tongues15,16of the knotter hooks11,12, as well as on the hook portion26of the reserve holder21. The twine catches30,30′ are still arranged in their starting position outside of the guide area of the twine threads42,43. The redirection roller39was pivoted backwards by means of the pivot arm36out of the guide area of the twine threads42,43. Thus, the twine threads42,43do not rest on the redirection roller39. The knotter hook shafts9,10are rotated up to a position where the knotter hooks11,12face each other and project into the guide area of the twine threads42,43. In the course of this, the first knotter hook11is, when seen from above, rotated clockwise and the second knotter hook12is, when seen from above, rotated counterclockwise (FIG. 3).

FIG. 4shows the twine knotter1, when the binding needle has nearly reached its uppermost position. The twine catches30,30′ are pivoted into the guide area of the twine threads42,43and push the twine threads downwards so that they are held on the knotter hooks11,12. In the course of this, the twine threads42,43are pushed downwards outside of the pivot area of the hook portions13,14of the knotter hooks11,12, to ensure a secure engagement of the twine threads13,14by the knotter hooks11,12during the further rotation of the same. Furthermore, the reserve holder21is pivoted backwards into a retracted position. The reserve holder21has pulled a twine reserve between the two knotter hooks11,12. The twine threads42,43, held on the reserve holder21, are pulled, in this case, across the knife27deviating because of the spring force, as described above. In the gap formed between the twine catch30′ on the second knotter hook12and the binding needle tip, the redirection roller39is pivoted into a front position till the position according toFIG. 4is reached. Furthermore, the knotter hooks11,12are further rotated in the same rotational sense as described above and are arranged again more or less in the starting position.

InFIG. 5, the binding needle is again pivoted out of the knotter area. Due to this, the ends46,47of the twine threads42,43leading to the twine roller have been arranged at the top on the redirection roller39. The lower twine thread43is now also redirected around the twine redirection roller41. The ends44,45of the two twine threads42,43, leading to the bale, extend from the twine redirection roller41passed the twine catch30, arranged again it its starting position, to the first knotter hook11and from there to the reserve holder21and further to the second knotter hook12and from there to the redirection roller39.

The knotter hooks11,12have the twine threads42,43wound around themselves and engage with the now opened knotter tongues15,16over the respective ends extending to the reserve holder21. The reserve holder21moves in this course of action continuously corresponding to the rotation of the knotter hooks11,12back into the front position and releases thus successively twine reserves, which the knotter hooks11,12require, to wind up the twine threads42,43.

In the next step (FIG. 6) the knotter hooks11,12are further rotated. The knotter tongues15,16are transferred into their closed position. The twine threads42,43are now respectively clamped between the knotter tongues15,16and the hook portions13,14. The reserve holder21is still further pivoted forward, to release more twine reserves. The reserve holder21has moved the twine threads42,43in front of the cutting edge29of the knife27. During the further rotation of the knotter hooks11,12, the reserve holder21is further pivoted forward. In the course of this, the twine threads42,43are cut by means of the knife27(FIG. 7).

The knotter hooks11,12are then further rotated till they reach again their starting position (FIG. 8). In this position, the reserve holder21has also again reached its front starting position. The reserve holder21picks up, during pivoting into the front position, the ends46,47of the two twine threads42,43leading to the twine roller, which in the right knotter area inFIG. 8extend via the redirection roller39to the second knotter hook12. The twine threads42,43are lifted, via front chamfers48, on the hook portion26of the reserve holder21in the forward movement of the same, till these jump into the hook portions26.

The rotation of the knotter hooks11,12is thus finished. In the further course of pressing the bales, the finished bales and the starting edge of the new bale are pushed further through the pressing channel below the twine knotter1, thus resulting in a force on the twine threads42,43. By means of these forces in the twine threads42,43, the knot is pulled off the first knotter hook11and is formed. The same happens at the second knotter hook12wherein the twine threads42,43are redirected around the redirection roller39so that the knot can be pulled off the second knotter hook12even when this extends in the opposite direction of the first knotter hook11.

In the following, the binding process is presented by usingFIGS. 9 to 16representing schematically the whole binding device on a bale press using a binding needle with two rollers. Known elements for the twine guide, twine tensioning and twine deceleration are omitted in the representations for clarity.

FIG. 9shows the starting position of the binding device. The upper twine thread42extends from the (not shown) upper twine reel via the twine redirection roller41to the upper side of the bale49. The bale49is pressed and expelled in direction of the arrow P which indicates the pressing direction. The arrow F indicates the driving direction of the bale press to which the terms “front” and “back” relate. Close to a rear edge of the bale49, the upper twine thread42is knotted to a lower twine thread43. The lower twine thread43extends along the rear side of the bale49downwards and along the bale lower side forward where it extends between two rollers50,51of the binding needle52. From there it extends further through an optionally provided shiftable twine clamp53, via thread guides, to a lower twine reel (not shown).

After activating the binding process, as shown inFIG. 10, the binding needle52is pivoted through the pressing channel, by means of which the bale49is pressed, and here not explicitly shown, and has transferred, in this course, the lower twine thread43upwards. Above the pressing channel, i.e. above the bale49, the binding needle52engages with its front roller50the upper twine thread42and moves the two twine threads42,43into the knotter area. The knotter elements, i.e. the twine catches30,30′, and the reserve holder21are still in their starting position. Only the knotter hooks11,12are rotated into a twine take up position.

InFIG. 11, the binding needle52is nearly in its uppermost position. The position of the twine threads42,43in the knotter area and the positioning of the knotter elements correspond to the representation ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 12shows the total representation of the binding device which corresponds to the position ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 13corresponds in its position toFIG. 5. It is visible that the binding needle52has again left the knotter area at the same time has released the upper twine thread42and has arranged the lower twine thread43on the redirection roller39.

InFIG. 14the stroke of the binding needle52is nearly finished. The position of the twine knotter1corresponds to that ofFIG. 6.

FIG. 15shows the whole binding device after finishing the binding process. The binding needle52is again arranged in its starting position as well as the knotter hooks11,12of the twine knotter1. The knots are, however, still arranged on the knotter hooks11,12. The position corresponds to the representation ofFIG. 8.

In the further progress of the pressing process, the twine threads42,43are pressed between the rear finished bale49and the new bale49′. During pushing, the bales49,49′ further forwards and the twine threads42,43pull the knot from the first knotter hook11. By pressing in the lower twine thread43between the two bales49,49′, the lower twine thread43is tensioned during the ongoing pushing of the bales49,49′ further wherein this lower twine thread43pulls the knot from the second knotter hook12, via the twine redirection roller41and the redirection roller39.

In the case, that the pressing force between the bales49,49′ is not sufficient to pull off the second knot from the second knotter hook12, which, for example, can happen during a very loose pressing, the lower twine thread43can be blocked with a switchable twine clamp53directly after the end of the movement of the binding needle52. Thus, the whole twine pulling, which is necessary during pushing forward of the bales49,49′ in the pressing channel, is acting at the upper twine thread42and pulls the second knot off. After that, the twine clamp53can again be released and both twine threads42,43can be pulled off during the further pressing.

The condition after the pulling-off of the knots is shown inFIG. 16.

InFIGS. 17 to 24, an alternative binding process by means of using a so-called pointy binding needle52′ is shown analogously to the binding process ofFIGS. 2 to 16.

FIG. 17shows the essential difference of a pointy binding needle52′ to a binding needle with two rollers. The pointy binding needle52′ has only one roller51′. The upper twine thread42is guided, also seen in driving direction from the rear, via the redirection roller39, passed the second knotter hook12, via the reserve holder21, passed the first knotter hook11to the twine redirection roller41. Everything else corresponds to the binding device according toFIGS. 9 to 16.

FromFIG. 18, it is clear that the binding needle52′ has to transfer only the lower twine thread43upwards into the knotting area during its upward movement as the upper twine thread42is already arranged in the knotter area.

The twine guide, according toFIG. 19corresponds to that ofFIG. 11, wherein the upper twine thread42does not extend across the back of the binding needle52′.

The further binding process ofFIGS. 20, 21 and 22corresponds exactly to the binding process by using a binding needle with two rollers, as this was described above in connection withFIGS. 9 to 16.

InFIG. 23, it is visible that before pulling the second knot off the second knotter hook12only the lower twine thread43extends around the deflecting roller39. The upper twine thread42extends directly via the corresponding thread guide to the upper twine reel.

After pulling the knots off the knotter hooks12,13, the second knot is pulled from the second knotter hook12by the lower twine thread43, via the redirection roller39, the reserve holder21and the twine redirection roller41and put onto the bale, as shown inFIG. 24.

In both versions of the binding needle, i.e. a binding needle with two rollers or a pointy binding needle, the second knot is only pulled off by the lower twine thread43from the second knotter hook12. During the described binding process, the knotter extraction only takes place because of the bale movement in the pressing channel and the upper twine thread42does not receive a tensioning force from this side after the binding process. Thus, it seems necessary, to provide at least a sufficient tensioning force by the lower twine thread43, which is provided independently of the pressing density. A relative simple measure is the switchable twine clamp53described above. Alternatively also active devices are thinkable, which act with direct tension onto the upper twine thread42.

FIG. 25shows a knotter drive shaft54. The knotter drive shaft54is rotatably drivable via a pinion gear55around the drive axis A. The knotter drive shaft54extends generally transversally across the pressing channel of a big bale press. The knotter drive shaft54is rotatably mounted via two bearings56,57on the pressing channel. The knotter drive shaft54carries four angle drives58,58′,58″,58′″. The angle drive58, shown inFIG. 25on the left, is described in more detail. All angle drives58,58′,58″,58′″ are constructed identically. The angle drive58includes a housing59. The housing59is mounted on the pressing channel or on a frame of the big bale press. Thus, the housing59is non-rotationally held relative to the knotter drive shaft54. The angle drive58includes a first bevel-gear60. The bevel gear60is non-rotationally connected to the knotter drive shaft54and meshes with an output element in the form of a second bevel-gear61. The second bevel-gear61is rotatably supported in the housing59. The second bevel-gear61serves as output element that is non-rotationally connected to the intermediate shaft of the twine knotter. The second bevel-gear61is thus rotatably supported around the longitudinal axis L of the intermediate shaft of the twine knotter.