Abstract:
A round baler having a frame assembly, comprising: (a) a first frame assembly; (b) a pickup assembly comprising a pickup and a auger assembly integrally mounted on the first frame assembly to form a pickup module; (c) a second frame assembly connected to the first frame assembly; and (d) a conveyor module selected from the group consisting of a stuffer module and a rotor module, wherein each conveyor module comprises a conveyor mounted on the second frame assembly. The modular structure of the frame assembly facilitates manufacture of several diverse types of product balers while minimizing the complexity of the assembly line process.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains broadly to an agricultural baler for forming cylindrical bales out of cut crop material. Such a baler is commonly referred to as a “round baler.” More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved pickup apparatus or assembly that includes two modules, a pickup mechanism module and a stuffer mechanism module or a rotor mechanism module. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Typical round balers (also referred to simply as a “baler”), such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,450 to Naaktgeboren et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, are agricultural machines that pick up a cut crop material from the ground and form it into a compacted round bale in a bale forming chamber. When the bale has been sufficiently compacted to a desired density (i.e., a variable chamber baler) or a desired size (i.e., a fixed chamber baler) depending on the baler construction, bale density sensors or bale size sensors, as is appropriate, send signals to a controller that subsequently sends a signal to an operator&#39;s panel to stop forward motion of the baler so that a bale wrapping operation can be performed. The formed bale is subsequently wrapped with netting or twine to produce a completed wrapped bale that is expelled to the ground through an open tailgate mechanism. 
     During field operation, the process of picking up cut crop material and transferring it to the bale forming chamber is conventionally performed by a pickup apparatus. One such pickup apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,055 to Horchler, Jr. et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Horchler, Jr. discloses that the pickup apparatus includes a pickup, two augers and a stuffer mechanism mounted on a single frame. The pickup includes a plurality of fingers or tines movable along a predetermined path to lift cut crop material from the ground and deliver it along a feed table towards a floor roll. The floor roll is rotatably mounted to the main frame of the baler and rotates to move cut crop material towards the bale forming chamber. The floor roll and a starter roll are both rotatably mounted to the main frame and define a transverse feed opening, also referred to as the “throat,” through which the cut crop material must pass to enter into the bale forming chamber. 
     The pickup apparatus includes right and left opposing augers positioned downstream of the pickup because the pickup is much wider than the feed table. The right and left augers serve to direct cut crop material towards the feed table that is positioned along the central axis of the pickup apparatus. The stuffer is a mechanism for conveying cut crop material from the pickup to the bale forming chamber. More specifically, the stuffer has an array of side fingers mounted on a drive assembly so that each side finger is moved along an elliptical path. When the cut crop material reaches the feed table and engages the array of moving side fingers, the array feeds the cut crop material rearward into the bale forming chamber through the throat. Once through the throat, the cut crop material enters the bale forming chamber and is formed into a bale by one of the conventionally known methods. 
     Another type of pickup apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,050 to Vande Ryse et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Vande Ryse et al. discloses a pickup apparatus that includes a pickup and a rotatable conveyor, also referred to as a rotor, that comprises a plurality of blades that rotate and engage cut crop material. The pickup is similar to the pickup disclosed by the Horchler, Jr. Patent and is mounted on a single frame with the rotor. The pickup includes a plurality of fingers or tines movable along a predetermined path to lift cut crop material from the ground and deliver it along a feed table towards a floor roll. The floor roll is rotatably mounted to the main frame of the baler and rotates to move cut crop material towards the bale forming chamber. The floor roll and a starter roll are both rotatably mounted to the main frame and define a transverse feed opening, also referred to as the “throat,” through which the cut crop material must pass to enter into the bale forming chamber. 
     The rotor is a mechanism for conveying cut crop material from the pickup to the bale forming chamber, but the rotor is different than a stuffer. More specifically, the rotor has an array of radially disposed blades mounted on a drive assembly so that each blade rotates about the axis of a drive shaft. When the cut crop material reaches the feed table and engages the array of radially disposed blades, the array feeds the cut crop material rearward into the bale forming chamber through the throat. Once through the throat, the cut crop material enters the bale forming chamber and is formed into a bale by one of the conventionally known methods. 
     Stuffer and rotor mechanisms have their advantages and disadvantages. More particularly, stuffers are less expensive to manufacture but they are less efficient at conveying cut crop material from the pickup to the bale forming chamber. Rotors are more expensive, but they are more efficient at conveying cut crop material from the pickup to the bale forming chamber. Furthermore, the blades of the rotor can be made with a cutting edge so that the rotor breaks down the cut crop material into smaller pieces while conveying the cut crop material to the bale forming chamber. This process of breaking the cut crop material down into smaller pieces before forming the bale is beneficial to farm animals that eating the cut crop material, making it easier to chew. Therefore, balers made with stuffers may be less expensive, but they are less efficient than balers manufactured to utilize a rotor. Balers manufactured with rotors are more expensive, but they are more efficient and can be used to break down the cut crop material into smaller pieces which facilitates consumption of the cut crop material by farm animals. 
     The drawback to having alternate types of pickup apparatuses available, those having a conveying stuffer and those having a conveying rotor, is related to limitations of assembly line manufacturing and product diversity. More specifically, balers manufactured with a pickup apparatus typically utilize similar pickup and auger mechanisms but differ with regard to which conveying mechanism is used, either the stuffer or the rotor conveying mechanisms. At present, the frames used to support the pickup apparatus mount the pickup and the stuffer together, or the pickup and the rotor together. It would be more efficient if the frame included a modular construction with a modular frame portion for mounting the pickup and the augers together to form a first module, and the conveying mechanism would be mounted to another distinct frame portion that is universally configured to permit an interchangeable selectivity of conveying mechanism during baler assembly. In other words, it would be beneficial to have a universal frame portion configured so that a baler manufacturer is able to selectively assemble the baler to have a stuffer, or in the alternative, to selectively assembly the baler to have a rotor, as the conveying mechanism without having to use completely different frames assembled on completely different assembly lines. 
     The present invention endeavors to provide an improved pickup assembly or apparatus that includes a pickup module providing a pickup and an auger assembly mounted to a unitary first frame assembly, and a conveying module selected from the group consisting of a stuffer module and a rotor module, wherein the conveying module includes a conveying mechanism mounted to a second frame assembly and the second frame assembly is connected to the first frame assembly thereby maintaining the advantages of the prior art pickup apparatuses while simplifying the manufacturing complexity and increasing product diversity. 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to overcome the manufacturing complexity of the prior art balers. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pickup assembly or apparatus that utilizes the same pickup and auger mechanisms while permitting the selective assembly of the baler to include either a stuffer module or a rotor module as the conveying mechanism. 
     Another object of the present invention is to decrease manufacturing costs by providing a simplified assembly process due to the selective interchangeability of the stuffer and rotor modules during baler manufacturing. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide the first frame assembly with a core frame having a universal conveying module attachment portion and two drive shaft through holes so that either a stuffer conveying module or a rotor conveying module can be assembled with a pickup module while utilizing a minimum number of different parts and optimizing the number of shared parts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the above objectives, a first embodiment of the present invention provides a baler having a frame assembly, comprising: (a) a first frame assembly, including (i) a core frame having a first end member and a second end member attached to a central frame member, wherein the second end member has two through holes formed therein, and (ii) a hole closure plate disposed on the second end member so as to leave one of the two through holes at least partially uncovered, and to completely cover the other of the two through holes; (b) a pickup assembly comprising a pickup and a auger assembly integrally mounted on the first frame assembly to form a pickup module; (c) a second frame assembly connected to the first frame assembly; and (d) a conveyor module selected from the group consisting of a stuffer module and a rotor module, wherein each conveyor module comprises a conveyor mounted on the second frame assembly. 
     In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, the conveyor module is the stuffer module, and the stuffer module comprises a stuffer mounted on the second frame assembly, wherein the second frame assembly is a stuffer frame assembly. 
     In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, the second embodiment is further modified so that the stuffer includes a drive shaft and the first frame assembly comprises: a core frame having a first end member and a second end member attached to a central frame member, wherein the second end member has two through holes formed therein; and the drive shaft of the stuffer extends through one of the two through holes. 
     In accordance with a fourth embodiment, the conveyor module is the rotor module, and the rotor module comprises a rotor mounted on the second frame assembly, wherein the second frame assembly is a rotor frame assembly. 
     In accordance with a fifth embodiment, the rotor includes a drive shaft and the first frame assembly comprises: a core frame having a first end member and a second end member attached to a central frame member, wherein the second end member has two through holes formed therein; and the drive shaft of the rotor extends through one of the two through holes. 
     In accordance with an sixth embodiment, the fifth embodiment is further modified so that the first frame assembly further comprises: a hole closure plate disposed on the second end member so as to partially cover the one of the two through holes through which the drive shaft extends and to completely cover the remaining one of the two through holes. 
     In accordance with a seventh embodiment, the first frame assembly comprises: a core frame having a first end member and a second end member attached to a central frame member, wherein the second end member has first and second through holes formed therein and the core frame has a modular attachment portion configured to connect to the second frame assembly; wherein the second frame assembly of the stuffer module is a stuffer frame assembly and the second frame assembly of the rotor module is a rotor frame assembly that is different from the stuffer frame assembly. 
    
    
     Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments, which follows. When considered together with the attached drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of the round baler in which the present invention is embodied. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the core frame of the first frame assembly. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pickup module. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the stuffer conveyor module. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rotor conveyor module. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the pickup apparatus having the pickup module connected to and assembled with a stuffer conveyor module. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pickup apparatus having the pickup module connected to and assembled with a rotor conveyor module. 
     FIG. 8 is a view from underneath the pickup apparatus of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 9 is a view from underneath the pickup apparatus of FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the Figures in which like parts are indicated by like reference numerals. The apparatus of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 is an expandable chamber round baler  10  of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,968 to Underhill, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One skilled in the art would realize that the present invention can be practiced on fixed chamber round balers without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Baler  10  includes main frame/housing  11  supported by a pair of wheels  12  rotatably connected to frame  11 , a tongue  13  attached to the forward portion of frame  11  for connecting to a tractor or other work vehicle, and a tailgate  14  pivotally connected to frame  11  by stub shafts  15  so that the tailgate is closed during formation of a wrapped bale as shown in FIG.  1  and opened to discharge a completed wrapped bale to the ground for subsequent handling as is generally known. 
     A pickup apparatus  50  is mounted on the main frame  11  as will be described in detail below. Pickup apparatus  50  picks up cut crop material, such as straw, hay, etc., from the ground and conveys it to the bale forming chamber defined by sidewalls  5  (only one shown) of frame  11 , sidewalls  6  (only one shown) of tailgate  14  wherein sidewalls  5  and  6  are coextensive, apron  30 , floor roll  18  and starter roll  27 . Pickup apparatus  50  includes a first frame assembly  52 , a pickup  54  mounted to the first frame assembly, two augers  56  mounted integrally with the pickup  54  to form a pickup unit or module  82 , a second frame assembly that is distinct from the first frame assembly but which is connected thereto, and a conveyor  60  mounted to the second frame assembly to form a conveyor module. The core frame  80  of the first frame assembly  52  is shown in FIG.  2  and will be described in detail later. Pick up module  82  shown in FIG. 3 includes pickup  54  and augers  56  mounted to the core frame  80  of first frame assembly  52 . 
     Pickup  54  includes a plurality of fingers or tines  57  that are movable along a predetermined path to lift cut crop material from the ground and deliver it to a feed table  59  toward floor roll  18  which is rotatably mounted to frame  11 . Opposing augers  56  are mounted rearward of pickup  54  on the first frame assembly  52  and operate to move cut crop material towards the feed table  59  positioned along a central axis of the pickup apparatus  50 . Conveyor  60  is mounted to the second frame assembly and is disposed adjacent to feed table  59  so that conveyor  60  can serve to convey cut crop material from feed table  59  through infeed opening  43  (also known as the “throat”) defined by floor roll  18  and starter roll  27 . Cut crop material that passes through throat  43  enters the bale forming chamber and is formed into a bale B. 
     Baler  10  includes a sledge assembly  20  having a plurality of rollers  21 ,  22 ,  23  extending transversely of main frame  11  in an arcuate array. Rollers  21 ,  22 ,  23  are journalled at their ends in a pair of spaced apart arms  24  (only one shown) pivotally mounted between sidewalls  5  of frame  11  on stub shafts  25  for allowing pivotal movement of the sledge assembly  20  between a bale starting position (as is conventionally known) and a full bale position (shown in FIG.  1 ). Rollers  21 ,  22 ,  23  are driven in a counterclockwise direction by a conventional drive connected to the power takeoff of a tractor or other work vehicle. Starter roll  27  is adjacent roller  23  and is also driven in a counter clockwise direction to strip cut crop material from roller  23 . A freely rotatable idler roller  28  is also mounted on arms  24  for movement with sledge assembly  20 . 
     Apron  30  includes a plurality of continuous flat side by side belts supported by guide rolls  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35  rotatably mounted in tailgate  14 . Apron  30  is also supported on drive roll  36  rotatably mounted on frame  11 . Drive roll  36  is driven to rotate by a conventional drive assembly (not shown) to rotate in a direction causing movement of apron  30  along the path indicated in broken lines in FIG.  1 . An additional guide roll  37  in frame  11  ensures proper driving engagement between apron  30  and drive roll  36 . A pair of take up arms  38  (one shown) are pivotally mounted on frame  11  by a cross shaft tube  40  for movement between varying inner and fixed outer positions, corresponding to bale forming conditions and a fully formed bale condition, respectively. The fully formed bale position is shown in FIG.  1  and will suffice for the purposes of the description of this invention. Further, it should be noted that take up arms  38  carry additional guide rolls  41 ,  42  for supporting apron  30 . A resilient structure (not shown) is normally provided to urge take arms  38  up toward their inner positions while resisting movement thereof from their inner positions to their outer positions to keep tension on the roll forming belts in a known manner. 
     As baler  10  is towed across a field by a tractor or other work vehicle, pick up tines  57  lift cut crop material, usually in a windrow, from the ground and deliver it to augers  56 , which converge the material and urge it to feed table  59  where conveyor  60  engages the material and feeds it rearward through throat  43  and into the bale forming chamber. Cut crop material fed into the bale forming chamber is continuously coiled in a clockwise direction until inner courses of apron  30  expand to the position shown in FIG.  1 . This formation of a cylindrical bale package takes place in a well known manner, after which the package is wrapped, tailgate  14  is opened, the bale B is discharged rearward, tailgate  14  is closed, and the baler  10  is again ready to form another bale. 
     With reference to FIGS. 2-7, the versatile feature of the present invention will now be described in detail. Specifically, the pickup apparatus  50  is constructed to have a universal pickup module  82  that is connectable during manufacture to either one of two types of conveyor modules, that is, either (a) a stuffer conveyor module  100 , or a rotor conveyor module  150 . Each of the conveyor modules includes a conveyor mounted to a conveyor frame assembly, wherein the conveyor frame assembly is constructed to connect, by welding or by fasteners (i.e., bolts, screws, etc.), to the universal frame of the pickup module  82 . In other words, the frame of the pickup module  82  is constructed so as to permit assembly of the pickup module  82  to either the stuffer conveyor module  100  or the rotor conveyor module  150 , thereby allowing for decreasing the complexity of pickup apparatus assembly while increasing the diversity of assembled product produced to either one of a pickup apparatus  200  having a stuffer apparatus and a pickup apparatus  250  having a rotor apparatus. 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the pickup module  82  includes a core frame  80 . Core frame  80  includes end members  84  and  85  connected to a central frame member  86 . Frame  80  includes auger housing portions  87  for receiving and housing the augers  56 , and a pickup portion  88  for receiving and supporting the pickup  54 . Core frame  80  is configured so that either conveyor module, that is (a) stuffer module  100  or (b) rotor module  150 , can be attached to the module attachment portion  89  (see also FIGS. 8 and 9) on the rear surface of frame  80 . End member  85  is formed with two through holes  90 ,  91  formed therein. Through hole  90  serves to provide a hole opening through which drive shaft  66  of stuffer apparatus  62  extends when the pickup apparatus is assembled with a stuffer module  100  connected to a pickup module  82  as shown in FIG.  6 . Through hole  91  serves to provide a hole opening through which drive shaft  72  of rotor apparatus  64  extends when the pickup apparatus is assembled with a rotor module  150  connected to a pickup module  82  as shown in FIG.  7 . It is noted that the universal nature of the module attachment portion  89  and the through holes  90  and  91  of core frame  80  are features of the present invention that make interchangeability of conveyor modules possible during assembly of a pickup apparatus. 
     As referred to earlier, conveyer  60  can be constructed as either a stuffer apparatus  62  or a rotor apparatus  64  as are conventionally known. Stuffer apparatus  62  (See FIGS. 4 and 6) includes a plurality of fingers  63  connected by a mechanical transmission mechanism to a drive assembly  65  for moving the fingers in an elliptical manner as is conventionally known to convey cut crop material. The drive assembly  65  is also connected by the mechanical transmission mechanism to drive shaft  66  that engages drive belt  67 . Drive belt  67  engages pickup drive shaft  68  and auger drive shaft  69  as is conventionally known and serves to rotate pickup  54  and the augers  56  of pickup module  82  simultaneously while drive assembly  65  actuates stuffer apparatus  62 . 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the conveyer module utilized is a stuffer conveyer module  100 , as shown in FIG. 4, that has a second frame assembly provided by the stuffer frame assembly  102 , which houses the stuffer apparatus  62 . Stuffer frame assembly  102  is configured to attach to the module attachment portion  89  of core frame  80  as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. FIG. 6 illustrates the pickup apparatus  200  having pickup module  82  connected to and assembled with stuffer conveyor module  100 . 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the conveyor module is a rotor conveyor module  150 , as shown in FIG. 5, that has a second frame assembly provided by rotor frame assembly  152 , which houses the rotor apparatus  64 . Rotor frame assembly  152  is configured to attach to the module attachment portion  89  of core frame  80  as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9. Rotor apparatus  64  includes a plurality of radial blades  70  mounted on blade shaft  71  that is rotatably mounted to rotor frame assembly  152 . Blades  70  may be cutting or non-cutting blades as are conventionally known. Shaft  71  is connected by a mechanical transmission mechanism to drive assembly  65 , which serves to drive the shaft  71  to rotate in a prescribed manner as is conventionally known to effectively convey cut crop matter. In this embodiment, drive assembly  65  is also connected by the mechanical transmission mechanism to drive shaft  72  that engages drive belt  73 . Drive belt  73  is positioned to engage pickup drive shaft  68  and auger drive shaft  69  as is conventionally known and serves to rotate pickup  54  and the augers  56  of pickup module  82  simultaneously while drive assembly  65  actuates rotor apparatus  64 . FIG. 7 illustrates the pickup apparatus  250  having pickup module  82  connected to and assembled with rotor conveyor module  150 . 
     It is noted that the first frame assembly  52  of the pickup module  82  is provided with a hole closure plate  300  as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Hole closure plate  300  is attached to end member  85  of core frame  80  so as to close and cover one of the through holes  90  and  91 . Specifically, as shown in the pickup apparatus  200  of FIG. 8, when drive shaft  66  of stuffer apparatus  62  extends through through hole  90 , plate  300  is disposed so as to partially close and cover through hole  90  and completely close and cover through hole  91 . As shown in the pickup apparatus  250  of FIG. 9, when drive shaft  72  of rotor apparatus  64  extends through through hole  91 , plate  300  is disposed so as to partially close and cover through hole  91  and to completely close and cover through hole  90 . The purpose of hole cover plate  300  is to partially close and cover whichever through hole is receiving a drive shaft while completely covering the remaining empty through hole so as to minimize and/or prevent debris from passing through the through holes  90  and  91  during operation of the pickup apparatus. In this manner, the internal driving mechanism of the pickup apparatus, which includes pickup drive shaft  68 , auger drive shaft  69 , drive belt  67 ,  73  and a respective one of the drive shafts  66  and  72 , depending on the embodiment, is protected from debris flowing through the through holes  90  and  91 . The difference between the embodiments of pickup apparatus  200  and  250  with respect to the hole closure plate  300  is directed to the orientation of the plate  300  relative to the end member  85 . In both embodiments, the same plate  300  is used thereby conserving on the number of independent parts required to manufacture each embodiment. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additions, deletions, substitutions, modifications and improvements can be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.