A DEVICE FOR UNWINDING A BALE OF VEGETABLE MATERIAL

Abstract: A device for unwinding a bale of vegetable material comprises a frame (1) with means (2, 3) for arranging it on a vehicle, a first spear-like element (5) arranged on the frame and adapted to be inserted into a bale substantially according to the centre axis thereof, a second spear-like element (9) arranged on the frame and adapted to be inserted into said bale at a distance from the centre of the bale. The second element (9) is arranged on a carrier (8) rotatably connected to the frame. The device comprises also an arrangement for producing a rotation of the carrier (8). The first spear-like element (5) is rigidly connected to the frame.

Description: A DEVICE FOR UNWINDING A BALE OF VEGETABLE MATERIAL FI ELD OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART The present invention relates to a device for unwinding a bale of vegetable material according to the preamble of the appended claim 1 . A bale of vegetable material indicates here that it is a question of such bales that are used within the agriculture for especially, but not exclusively, feeding animals, and they are formed by winding a web of vegetable material turns on turns in a role, which by this usually will get a substantially cylindrical shape. It may be mentioned that the bale may consist of for example hay, so-called common ensilage and pea ensilage. "Unwinding" means unwinding of the web that has formed the bale, and this is done when the material of the bale after storage is to be used as for example food stuff for animals. Stationary such devices of the type defined in the introduction has until recently been used when it has been desired to utilise the material of such a bale of vegetable material, in which a tractor has then usually been driven the bale to the stationary device, which has taken care of the unwinding of the bale and splitting the material out on the place of the location of the stationary device. This has resulted in a wish to arrange the sta- tionary device where the material is to be utilised, for example where the animals are to be fed, which makes the system very rigid, and the material from the bale of vegetable material once unwound has in the practice often to be transported to another place for utilisation thereof, since the bale of vegetable material for example may be intended to be used for feeding horses when these are within an enclosed pasture. A device of the type defined in the introduction has been developed for finding a remedy to these inconveniences. Accordingly, this device already known is mobile, so that it will be possible to unwind the bale of vegetable material in any place, in which the only requirement is that the vehicle in question has to be able to be driven to the place in question. A tractor is preferably used as such a vehicle. However, the present inventor has thought that it should be possible to improve this device already known and then realised that it has a problem, which will dramatically shorten the lifetime thereof with respect to what would be desirable and which also may cause troublesome disturbances of the operation and breakdowns. More exactly, the first spear-like element of the device already known intended to be inserted into the main part of a bale and carry the main part of the weight thereof is rotatably mounted with respect to two bearings arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction thereof, in which even the part of the weight of the bale carried by the second spear-like element and other parts of the device carrying the weight of the bale are transferred through the first spear-like element to these bearings, which accordingly have to absorb substantially the entire force emanating from the weight of the bale, and as a conse- quence of the comparatively elongated extension of the bale with respect to the extension of the bearings the moments influencing the bearings will be considerable. This is in particular valid in the case of handling bales of vegetable material being comparatively humid, since such bales sometimes may have a weight in the order of 700 kg . Thus, the loads on said bearings will be unacceptably high and lead to seizures and the bearings will be prematurely worn out, and there will at the same time be an immediate danger of ruptures and by that completely breakdowns of the bearings when handling bales having a particular high weight. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type defined in the introduction, which to a large extent reduces the disadvantage mentioned above of the device of this type already known. This object is according to the invention obtained by arranging the second spear-like element in such a device on a carrier rotatably connected to the frame and rigidly connecting the first spear-like element to the frame. Thanks to the fact that the first spear-like element is connected rigidly with the frame, so that the bale will accordingly at said unwinding through influence of the second spear-like element rotate about the first spear-like element, the forces transferred by the weight of the bale on the first spear-like element will be transferred directly to the frame and not to any bearing, so that such a device will have a high operation reliability also when handling very heavy bales. The lifetime thereof will at the same time be considerably longer than for the device already known, and no frequent exchanges of bearings are necessary. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the first spear-like element is firmly tightened to the frame through members provided with threads, by which the problem upon which the present invention is based is solved in a simple way. It is then advantageous that the members provided with threads are formed by an external thread at the end of the first spear-like element located opposite to the spearpoint and a nut received thereon and tightened against the frame. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the first spear-like element is adapted to extend through said car- rier, and the device comprises a bearing arranged between the first spear-like element and the carrier for allowing rotation of the carrier around the first spear-like element. Thanks to the arrangement of such a bearing between the first spear-like ele- ment and the carrier adapted to rotate the bale when unwinding thereof and not between the first spear-like element and the frame a device functioning well is obtained. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the first spear-like element has such a length that it entirely inserted into a bale, on which the device is intended to be applied, extends in the longitudinal direction through the main part of the bale. This means that the first spear-like element will carry the main part of the weight of a bale received in the device, and it is then advantageous that the second spear-like element is at the same time considerably shorter than the first spear-like element, which is a subject of an additional embodiment of the invention, since this means that no higher load from the weight of the bale is transferred to the second spear-like element and by that to the bearing required for rotatably connecting the carrier to the frame. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the device comprises two second spear-like elements, which are ar- ranged on opposite sides of the first spear-like element at substantially the same distance thereto. Such an arrangement of two second spear-like elements is advantageous, since it means that the bale may accurately be rotated around the first spear- like element for unwinding thereof. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, which is a further development of the embodiment last mentioned, the device comprises also two third spear-like elements, which are arranged on the carrier and extend substantially in parallel with the first and second spear-like element, and the third spear-like elements are located on opposite sides of the first spear-like element at substantially the same and at a shorter distance thereto than the second spear-like elements. Thanks to the arrangement of the third spear-like elements an even more safely holding and rotating of a bale of vegetable material is obtained, but through the shorter distance of the third spear-like elements to the first spear-like element with respect to the second spear-like elements a possibility to safely rotate the bale also when this is almost completely unwound is primar- ily obtained, so that a complete unwinding thereof may be ensured. It is namely so that the second spear-like elements have to be located at a not neglectible distance from the first spear- like element for being able to safely rotate a bale not unwound when this is to be unwound. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention said means are arranged for securing the frame to the front equipment attachment of a tractor, the arrangement is adapted to be connected to the so-called third function of an hydraulic system of a tractor, it comprises an hydraulic motor arranged upon the frame adapted to drive said carrier to rotate with respect to the frame through a power transmission mechanism , and the device comprises members adapted to at least partially throttle the supply of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor when a deter- mined resistance to rotation of the carrier is exceeded as a consequence of the fact that the weight of a bale arranged in the device exceeds a predetermined value for protecting the hydraulic motor and necessitating a rotation of the carrier and by that the bale by hand. Thus, it may be avoided through such an arrangement that the device breaks down as a consequence of any unproportionately heavy bale. Further advantages as well as advantageous features of the invention will appear from the following description and the other dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With respect to the appended drawings, below follows a description of preferred embodiments of the invention cited as ex- amples. In the drawings: Fig 1 is a perspective view obliquely from the front of a de- vice according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig 2 is a perspective view obliquely from the rear side of the device according to fig 1 , Fig 3 is a partially sectioned and with respect to fig 1 and 2 enlarged view of a part of the device according to fig 1 and 2 as seen from above, Fig 4 is a view illustrating the function of the device according to the invention, and Fig 5 is a view corresponding to fig 1 of a device according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION A device according to a first preferred embodiment of the inven- tion will now be described while simultaneously referring to fig 1 -3. The device has a frame-like body 1 , which is in a conventional way formed by beams and has conventional means in the form of hooks 2 and lugs 3 for securing the frame to the front equipment attachment of a conventional tractor or a similar ve- hide. A first spear-like element is rigidly connected to the frame through a mid beam or bar 4 of the frame, more exactly by the penetration of an end portion 6 of the element 5 provided with an external thread through said mid beam 4 and that this receives a nut 7, which is tightened against the mid beam (se especially fig 3). The first spear-like element is adapted to be in- serted into a bale to be unwound by the device substantially according to the centre axis of the bale, and it has such a length that it may extend through the main part of a bale in which it is inserted. Furthermore, the device has two second spear-like elements 9, which are arranged on a carrier 8, in the form of a disc, which may be rotated with respect to the frame 1 about the centre axis of the first spear-like element, and these second spear-like elements extend substantially in parallel with the first spear-like element and are arranged on opposite sides thereof at substantially the same distance to the centre axis of the first element. The second spear-like elements 9 are substantially shorter than the first spear-like element. Except for the fact that the disc 8 is arranged to function as a carrier for the second spear-like ele- ments 9 it is also arranged to provide support surfaces 10 for supporting a bale receiving the spear-like elements, so that this is steadily held by the device and the parts located behind the disc are protected against the bale material and the bale may neither be caught therethrough. The device has also a bearing 1 1 arranged between the carrier 8 and the first spear-like element 5 for allowing a rotation of the carrier with the second spear-like elements arranged thereon about the first spear-like element. The device comprises an arrangement for producing said rotation and this has a power member in the form of an hydraulic motor 12, which is connectable to the hydraulic system of the vehicle through conduits 1 3, and more exactly to the so-called third function in the case of a conventional tractor. The hydraulic motor is adapted to rotate a first gear 15 connected with the output axle 14 thereof and the carrier 8 through a chain 17 laid therearound and around a second gear 16 rigidly connected to the carrier 8. The rotation direction of the output axle 14 of the hydraulic motor is reversible, so that the carrier 8 with the sec- ond spear-like elements may in every situation be rotated in the direction resulting in an unwinding of a bale handled by the device. The device has finally a member 18, through which the hydraulic fluid flows to the hydraulic motor and which is adapted to sense the resistance of the hydraulic motor when rotating the carrier 8 and throttle the supply of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor when a determined rotation resistance is exceeded, so that the hydraulic motor may be protected and it will instead be neces- sary to rotate the carrier and by that the bale by hand. Thus, this protection member 18 enters into function for bales being extremely heavy. The function of the device according to the invention is as fol- lows. When the bale is to be unwound the vehicle 19 is driven to the bale 21 lying on the ground or another support and the bale is brought, preferably through influence of the first spear-like element, into such a position that the first spear-like element 5 may be inserted thereinto substantially according to the centre axis of the bale, whereupon the bale is lifted by the vehicle with the spear-like elements inserted therein. The vehicle is after that driven to the place in which the bale is to be unwound, preferably with the points of the spear-like elements directed slightly upwardly, so that the bale will safely rest by one end thereof against the disc 8. The carrier 8 with the second spear-like elements 9 is after that with a substantially horizontal direction of the spear-like elements through the hydraulic motor 12 rotated in the direction resulting in unwinding of the web of vegetable material forming the bale successively and primarily through the gravitation, so that the bale material will fall down loosely from the device according to the invention for being utilised as substantially animal food stuff. A device according to a second preferred embodiment of the in- vention is illustrated in fig 5, and this differs from the device illustrated in fig 1 -3 only through the fact that it also has two third spear-like elements 20, which are arranged on the carrier 8 and extend substantially in parallel with the first and the second spear-like elements. These third spear-like elements 20 are lo- cated on opposite sides of the first spear-like element at substantially the same and a shorter distance thereto than the second spear-like elements. Furthermore, the third spear-like elements are angularly displaced in the rotation direction of the carrier with respect to the second spear-like elements with an angle of approximately 90°. The third spear-like elements 20 are shorter than the second spear-like elements. The point of the arrangement of the third spear-like elements is that they ensure that the bale is unwound completely, i.e. when the bale has been unwound so much that the outer periphery thereof will be located inside the second spear-like elements the third spear- like elements 20 will ensure that the remaining part of the bale will be carried on in the rotation movement of the carrier 8 and by that be unwound. These elements have not to be that long, since they have a comparatively light bale part to rotate. By the fact that the second and the third spear-like elements are considerably shorter than the first spear-like element the main part of the weight of the bale will be carried by the latter, which is advantageous with respect to loads on the bearing 1 1 . The invention is of course not in any way restricted to the preferred embodiments described above, but many possibilities to modifications thereof would be apparent to a man with skill in the art without departing from the basic idea of the invention. It would of course be possible to arrange more or fewer second and third spear-like elements than in the preferred embodiments described. The rotating of the carrier could of course also be obtained in any other possible, suitable way. Although it is shown and preferred that the spear-like elements have a circular cross-section they could very well, especially the second and third ones, have any other cross-section adapted to a certain use, such as the material of the bale.

Claims: Claims 1. A device for unwinding a bale of vegetable material (21 ), which comprises a frame (1 ) with means (2, 3) for arranging it on a vehicle, a first spear-like element (5) arranged on the frame and adapted to be inserted into a bale substantially according to the centre axis thereof, at least one second spear-like element (9) arranged on the frame and extending substantially in parallel with the first one, the latter element being adapted to be inserted into said bale at a distance from the centre of the bale, in which the second spear-like element is arranged movable along a circular path substantially around the centre axis of the first one, as well as an arrangement (12-17) for producing the movement of the second element along said circular path for rotating a bale receiving the spear-like elements and by that unwinding the bale, characterized in that the second spear-like element (9) is arranged on a carrier (8) rotatably connected to the frame and the first spear-like element (5) is rigidly connected to the frame (1 ). 2. A device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first spear-like element (5) is firmly tightened to the frame through threaded members (6, 7). 3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the threaded members are formed by an external thread (6) at the end of the first spear-like element located opposite to the spearpoint and a nut (7) received thereon and tightened against the frame. 4. A device according to any of claims 1 -3, characterized in that said carrier (8) is adapted to provide support surfaces (10) extending substantially perpendicularly to the axes of the spear-like elements for supporting a bale receiving the spear- like elements. 5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that said support surfaces (10) are provided by a disc (8) having a hole for penetration of the first spear-like element (5). 6. A device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first spear-like element (5) is adapted to extend through said carrier (8), and that the device comprises a bearing (1 1 ) arranged between the first spear-like element and the carrier for allowing rotation of the carrier around the first spear-like element. 7. A device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first spear-like element (5) has such a length that it extend in the longitudinal direction through the main part of a bale when it is entirely inserted into a bale, upon which the device is adapted to be applied. 8. A device according to any of the preceding claims, charac- terized in that the device is intended to be directed with the spear-like elements (5, 9) thereof substantially horizontally when unwinding the bale for utilising the gravitation for this unwinding. 9. A device according to any of claims 1 -8, characterized in that said arrangement (12-17) is controllable to rotate said carrier (8) optionally in opposite directions for unwinding a bale independently of the winding direction of the bale. 10. A device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second spear-like element (9) is considerably shorter than the first spear-like element (5). 1 1 . A device according to any of the preceding claims, charac- terized in that it comprises two second spear-like elements (9), which are arranged on opposite sides of the first spear- like element (5) at substantially the same distance thereto. 12. A device according to claim 1 1 , characterized in that it also comprises two third spear-like elements (20), which are arranged on the carrier (8) and extend substantially in parallel with the first (5) and the second (9) spear-like elements, and that the third spear-like elements are located on opposite sides of the first spear-like element at substantially the same and at a shorter distance thereto than the second spear-like elements. 13. A device according to claim 12, characterized in that the third spear-like elements (20) are angularly displaced in the direction of rotation of the carrier with respect to the second spear-like elements (9). 14. A device according to claim 1 3, characterized in that said displacement is approximately 90°. 15. A device according to any of claims 12-14m, characterized in that the third spear-like elements (20) are shorter than the second spear-like elements (9). 16. A device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means (2, 3) are arranged for securing the frame on the front equipment attachment of a tractor. 17. A device according to claim 16, characterized in that said ar- rangement (12-17) is designed to be connected to the so- called third function of the hydraulic system of the tractor. 18. A device according to claim 17, characterized in that said arrangement (12-17) comprises a hydraulic motor arranged on the frame (1 ) and adapted to drive said carrier (8) to rotate with respect to the frame through a power transmission mechanism. 19. A device according to claim 18, characterized in that it com- prises members (18) adapted to at least partially throttle the supply of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor (12) when a determined resistance to rotation of the carrier (8) is exceeded as a consequence of the fact that the weight of a bale arranged in the device exceeds a predetermined value for protecting the hydraulic motor and necessitating a rotation of the carrier and by that the bale by hand.

Inventors: ADOLFSSON LARS-GUNNAR, ADOLFSSON, LARS-GUNNAR
Applicants: ADOLFSSON LARS GUNNAR, ADOLFSSON, LARS-GUNNAR
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A01F29
IPC codes: A01D87