BALE COLLECTOR WITH SWIVELLING REAR ROLLER BED PART

Abstract: Bale collector (10) suitable for coupling behind a press outlet (5) of a baling press (1), comprising a roller bed with parallel, horizontal rollers (13) for receiving thereon and moving bales (40) delivered by the baling press, the roller bed being composed of a front part (14) and a rear part (15), which are coupled to each other in such a way that they swivel about a horizontal axis (18), and provision being made for control means (29, 31, 32) which are suitable for moving the rear roller bed part (15) between a first angular position and a second angular position, and a rear end of the rear roller bed part (15) being higher in the first angular position than in the second angular position.

Description: Short title: Bale collector with swivelling rear roller bed part The invention relates to a bale collector according to the preamble of Claim 1. Such a bale collector is known from Dutch Patent Application NL-A-9300711 (corresponding to EP-A-0 622 012) . With the known bale collector the roller bed at a rear end thereof swivels about a horizontal axis. By means of suitable restraining means, in the unladen state of the roller bed, a front end of the roller bed is held at a higher level than the rear end of the roller bed, in particular the level of the press outlet of the baling press . When a first bale is pushed out of the baling press onto the roller bed, the action of the restraining means is overcome by the weight of the first bale on the roller bed, with the result that the front end of the roller bed drops down. A second bale can then be pushed over the first bale, in which case displacement of the first bale over the roller bed is counteracted by blocking means fitted behind the first bale. After the second bale has been pushed sufficiently far over the first bale, the second bale operates a mechanism for moving or releasing the blocking means in such a way that the stack of first and second bales is pushed by a subsequently supplied bale off the roller bed onto the ground. The known bale collector is suitable for use with straw bales, which can have dimensions of 2,4 m long, 1,2 m wide and 0,7 m high, and which can have a weight of approximately 300 kg. The known bale collector is also suitable for use with silage bales of the same dimensions and having a weight of 500 to 800 kg. However, a straw bale is considerably smoother than a silage bale, with the result that during use with silage bales considerably greater shear forces can occur between bales sliding over one another. This can result in undesirable back pressure towards the baling press and in poorer functioning of the - 2 - latter. This disadvantage applies in particular to the currently used silage bales with even larger dimensions and weights than those mentioned above. Another disadvantage of the known bale collector is that a stack of two bales formed on the roller bed is pushed directly by a following bale onto the ground, without any waiting period. This means that the collector provides no buffer storage function, and a user of the collector cannot deposit the bales in locations of his choice. The object of the invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the known bale collector. In order to achieve the abovementioned objective, the invention provides a bale collector of the type described in Claim 1. For this purpose, the bale collector provides a buffer function which offers the user of the collector the possibility of depositing the bales in locations of his choice on the land. Other features and advantages will become clear from the description which follows in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows in perspective an embodiment of a bale collector according to the invention in a retracted, unused state; Fig. 2 shows in perspective the bale collector of Fig. 1 in a collecting and buffer state; Fig. 3 shows in perspective the bale collector of Fig. 1 in a collecting and depositing state; and Fig. 4 shows in perspective another embodiment of a bale collector according to the invention in a retracted, unused state . Fig. 1 shows a rear part of a baling press 1, which travels in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 during normal operation. The baling press 1 has a press channel 4, which at a rear end thereof opens out into a press outlet 5. A bale collector 10 according to the invention comprises a coupling piece 11, by means of which the - 3 - collector 10, as shown, can be coupled to the rear end of the press channel 4. The bale collector 10 further comprises a roller bed, consisting of parallel, horizontal rollers 13, which are suitable for receiving thereon and conveying successive bales from the press outlet 5 of the baling press 1. The roller bed is divided into a front part 14 and a rear part 15. The front part 14 is coupled to the coupling piece 11 in such a way that it swivels about a horizontal axis at 17. The front roller bed part 14 and the rear roller bed part 15 are coupled to each other in such a way that they swivel about a horizontal axis at 18. Said axes are parallel to the rollers 13. The front roller bed part 14 has on either side an elongated guide element 20 for guiding bales moving over the rollers 13 parallel to the direction of travel 2. The coupling piece 11, the front roller bed part 14 and the rear roller bed part 15 each have a respective connecting arm 22, 23, 24 with respective coupling ends 25, 26 and 27. A cylinder, in particular a hydraulic cylinder 29, can be fitted between the coupling ends 25 and 26 or between the coupling ends 26 and 27. The cylinder 29 can be controlled from the baling press 1 by way of hoses 31, 32, in particular by a driver of the baling press 1. In particular, a single cylinder, the cylinder 29, is used. In the state of the bale collector 10 shown in Fig. 1 the cylinder 29 is fitted between the coupling ends 25, 26 of the coupling piece 11 and the front roller bed part 14 respectively, and the cylinder 29 is retracted, with the result that the front roller bed part 14 is drawn upwards, so that wheels 34 attached thereto are clear of the ground 35, and the rear roller bed part 15 hangs down by its own weight. In this state the bale collector 10 can be transported safely and easily while it is coupled to the baling press 1. In the case of the states of the baling press 10 shown in Figures 2 and 3 the cylinder 29 is fitted between the coupling ends 26 and 27 of the front roller bed part 14 and the rear roller bed part 15 respectively. In both - 4 - situations of Figs. 2 and 3 the wheels 34 are resting on the ground 35. In the situation of Fig. 2 the cylinder 29 is retracted, and in the situation of Fig. 3 the cylinder 29 is extended. A rear bale 40 supported by the roller bed will tilt over a highest rear end of the roller bed part 14, 15 and be deposited on the ground 35 when the centre of gravity of the bale has been pushed backwards beyond said highest rear end. The time which then elapses before a following rear bale 40 is deposited on the ground 35 can be called buffer time. The buffer time depends on various factors, in particular: the lengths of the roller bed parts 14, 15 relative to the lengths of the bales 40, the highest position of the rear ends of the roller bed parts 14, 15, the heights of the bales 40, the supply speed of the bales 40 from the baling press 1, and the moment at which a user controls the cylinder 29 in order to swivel the rear roller bed part 15 downwards (Fig. 3) . The user can use the buffer time to deposit successive rear bales 40 in respective desired locations on the land 35. For that purpose, the user can set a suitable fixed angular position of the rear roller bed part 15 by means of the cylinder 29 and/or at suitable moments the user can swivel the rear roller bed part 15 downwards by means of the cylinder 29 to such an extent that a rear bale is deposited directly on the ground, after which the user swivels the rear roller bed part 15 up again to the initial, higher position. A bale collector according to the invention can be designed with or without the swivelling coupling between the front coupling piece 11 and the front roller bed part 14. In a preferred embodiment of a bale collector 44 according to the invention, shown in Fig. 4, such a swivelling coupling is present and one or more wheels 45 are fitted substantially only in the centre on the underside of the front roller bed part 14, viewed at right angles to the direction of travel 2. This means that when - 5 - the baling press is being used on hilly terrain one or more wheels are prevented from leaving the ground, and the swivelling coupling is prevented from sustaining damage (through torsion) . Furthermore, one or more of the rollers 13 shown in the figures can be replaced by a sliding plate or other suitable guide means .

Claims: - 6 - CLAIMS 1. Bale collector (10, 44) which, viewed relative to a direction of travel (2) , is suitable for coupling behind a press outlet (5) of a baling press (1) , comprising a roller bed (14, 15) with a number of horizontal rollers (13) posi- tioned at right angles to the direction of travel (2) and suitable for receiving thereon successive bales (40) from the press outlet (5) of the baling press (1) and for having bales (40) pushed backwards onto each other, characterized in that the roller bed is composed of a front part (14) and a rear part (15) , which are coupled to each other in such a way that they swivel about a horizontal axis (18) , and provision is made for control means (29, 31, 32) which are suitable for moving the rear roller bed part (15) between a first, highest angular position and a second angular position, a rear end of the rear roller bed part (15) being higher in the first angular position than in the second angular position. 2. Bale collector (10, 44) according to Claim 1, characterized in that in the first angular position the rear end of the rear roller bed part (15) is situated above the level of the front roller bed part (14) . 3. Bale collector (10, 44) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the second angular position the rear end of the rear roller bed part (15) is situated below the level of the front roller bed part (14) . 4. Bale collector (10, 44) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control means comprise a control cylinder (29) which is fitted between the roller bed parts (14, 15) . 5. Bale collector (10, 44) according to Claim 4, characterized in that a front end of the front roller bed part (14) is coupled to a coupling piece (11) in such a way that it swivels about a horizontal axis, the roller bed can be coupled to the baling press (1) by way of the coupling piece (11) , the roller bed swivels to a high angular position in which it is unsuitable for receiving bales (40) - 7 - from the baling press (1) , and holding means are fitted for enabling the roller bed (14, 15) to be held in the high angular position. 6. Bale collector (10, 44) according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that an end of the cylinder (29) can be coupled exchangeably to the rear roller bed part (15) or to the coupling piece (11) , in order to permit swivelling of the rear roller bed part (15) relative to the front roller bed part or to permit swivelling of the roller bed (14, 15) relative to the coupling piece (11) . 7. Bale collector (10, 44) according to a preceding claim, characterized in that a front end of the front roller bed part (14) is coupled to a coupling piece (11) in such a way that it swivels about a horizontal axis, the roller bed can be coupled by way of the coupling piece (11) to the baling press (1) , and in that a wheel (45) is fitted substantially only in the centre on the underside of the front roller bed part (14) , viewed at right angles to the direction of travel (2) .

Inventors: MEIJER THOMAS HARKE DANIEL, MEIJER, THOMAS, HARKE, DANIEL
Applicants: MEIJER TEN POST BEHEER B V, MEIJER THOMAS HARKE DANIEL, MEIJER TEN POST BEHEER B.V., MEIJER, THOMAS, HARKE, DANIEL
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A01D85
IPC codes: A01D85, A01F15