Abstract:
In one embodiment, a bale processor includes a hopper for receiving a bale of baled material, a discharge opening for outputting chopped material, and a processing section below the hopper and intersecting the hopper at an impingement zone. The processing section has primary and secondary rotors. The primary rotor is rotatable and has flails sufficiently long to extend into the impingement zone to chop the material from the bale received in the hopper when the primary rotor is rotated. The secondary rotor is rotatable and has flails to chop the material after being chopped by the primary rotor. The secondary rotor is offset from the primary rotor such that the secondary rotor is on one side of the primary rotor, the discharge opening is on another side of the primary rotor, and the only passage from the secondary rotor to the discharge opening crosses the primary rotor.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The current invention relates generally to bale processors. Bale processors are devices used to spread the content of bales of bale filamentary material in a controlled way for reasons such as mulching or feeding livestock. Examples of bale processors are shown in PCT/US2013/023153 filed by Vermeer Manufacturing Company, published as WO2013/112841; and PCT/US2011/058514 filed by Vermeer Manufacturing Company, published as WO2013/066287. Both of those publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety—and form part of—the current disclosure. 
     In general, prior art bale processors have limited abilities to output chopped material at different selected lengths. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented elsewhere. 
     According to one embodiment, a bale processor includes a hopper for receiving baled material, a discharge opening for outputting chopped material, and a processing section. The processing section has primary and secondary rotors. The primary rotor has an axis of rotation and is rotatable to chop the baled material from the hopper. The secondary rotor is rotatable to chop the material after being chopped by the primary rotor, and the secondary rotor is offset from the primary rotor such that the primary rotor is between the secondary rotor and the discharge opening. 
     According to another embodiment, a bale processor includes a hopper for receiving baled material, a discharge opening for outputting chopped material, and a processing section below the hopper and intersecting the hopper at an impingement zone. The processing section has primary and secondary rotors. The primary rotor is rotatable and has flails sufficiently long to extend into the impingement zone to chop the material from the hopper when the primary rotor is rotated. The secondary rotor is rotatable and has flails to chop the material after being chopped by the primary rotor. The secondary rotor is offset from the primary rotor such that the secondary rotor is on one side of the primary rotor, the discharge opening is on another side of the primary rotor, and the only passage from the secondary rotor to the discharge opening crosses the primary rotor. 
     According to still another embodiment, a method of processing baled material includes providing a bale processor having a hopper for receiving baled material, a discharge opening for outputting chopped material, a primary rotor that is rotatable and has an axis of rotation, a secondary rotor that is rotatable and has an axis of rotation generally parallel to the primary rotor axis of rotation, a disengagement mechanism in communication with the secondary rotor for altering the secondary rotor between engaged and disengaged configurations, and a movable internal deflector. The secondary rotor is offset from the primary rotor such that the primary rotor is between the secondary rotor and the discharge opening. The method further includes: using the disengagement mechanism to alter the secondary rotor between the engaged and disengaged configurations; moving the internal deflector to allow generally unobstructed passage between the primary rotor and the secondary rotor when the secondary rotor is in the engaged configuration, and to shield the secondary rotor from the primary rotor when the secondary rotor is in the disengaged configuration; providing baled material in the hopper; and rotating the primary rotor in a first direction to chop the baled material from the hopper such that the material chopped by the primary rotor temporarily travels away from the discharge opening. When the secondary rotor is in the engaged configuration, the secondary rotor is rotated in the same direction as the primary rotor such that the secondary rotor rotates material away from and subsequently back toward the primary rotor; rotation of the primary rotor and the secondary rotor results in three distinct chopping phases: first, chopping by the primary rotor; second, chopping by the secondary rotor; and third, additional chopping by the primary rotor. When the secondary rotor is in the disengaged configuration, the material chopped by the primary rotor is passed to the discharge opening without encountering the secondary rotor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a bale processor according to one embodiment of the current invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a section view taken at line B-B of  FIG. 1 , with a secondary rotor engaged. 
         FIG. 3  is a section view taken at line B-B of  FIG. 1 , with the secondary rotor disengaged. 
         FIG. 4  shows structure for moving an internal deflector, according to an embodiment of the current invention. 
         FIG. 5 a    shows primary and secondary intermeshing rotors according to an embodiment of the current invention. 
         FIG. 5 b    is a side view of  FIG. 5   a.    
         FIG. 6 a    shows primary and secondary non-intermeshing rotors according to another embodiment of the current invention. 
         FIG. 6 b    is a side view of  FIG. 6   a.    
         FIG. 7 a    is a block diagram illustrating aspects of the inventive bale processor according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 7 b    is a block diagram illustrating aspects of the inventive bale processor according to other embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 through 3  illustrate a bale processor  100 , according to one embodiment. The bale processor  100  includes a hopper (or “tub”)  110  for receiving bale of forage, bedding, or another bale filamentary material (e.g., hay, straw, corn stover, etc.); a processing section  120  that includes primary and secondary rotors  130 ,  140 ; and a discharge opening  160  for outputting processed (or “chopped”) bale filamentary material. The terms “primary” and “secondary” are used herein for convenience in referring to the rotors  130 ,  140  and indicate that the bale filamentary material interacts with the rotor  130  before interacting with the rotor  140  (as described in detail below). 
     The hopper  110  of embodiment  100  is consistent with “hopper 12” of WO2013/066287. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the hopper  110  may be of various configurations, shapes, and sizes. A conveyor  112 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , may be included in the hopper  110  to rotate a bale inside the hopper  110 . The conveyor  112  of embodiment  100  and its means of operation are consistent with “chain conveyor 16” and the accompanying disclosure in WO2013/066287. But especially since various conveyors are well known, those skilled in the art will understand that alternate types of conveyors and ways of powering conveyors—whether now known or later developed—may be utilized. Further, “conveyor” is used broadly herein to include any various elements (e.g., rotatable wheels and cams) capable of rotating bales inside the hopper  110 . 
     As shown in the drawings, the bale processor  100  may include elements for allowing travel and transport thereof—e.g., wheels  116  and hitch  118 . Mobility may not be desirable in all cases, however, and stationary embodiments are clearly contemplated herein. 
     Attention is now directed to the processing section  120  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The primary rotor  130  is positioned to interact with (i.e., chop) the bale in the hopper  110 , preferably—though not necessarily—as the bale rotates due to the conveyor  112 . Directions of the primary rotor  130  and the conveyor  112  can each change as desired, but the default direction of both when looking at  FIGS. 2 and 3  is clockwise. 
     The primary rotor  130  may have various cutting configurations for cutting bale filamentary material, whether now known or later developed. In embodiment  100 , the primary rotor  130  is consistent with “flail rotor 14” of WO2013/066287. Moreover, at least one control/slug bar  133  consistent with the “depth control bars/slugs 18” of WO2013/066287 is included in embodiment  100  for controlling the distance that an outer end of the rotor  130  extends into an outer surface of a bale in the hopper  110 . 
     Clockwise rotation (in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the primary rotor  130  chops bale filamentary material from a bale in the hopper  110  in an impingement zone  114 —as described regarding operation of the “flail rotor 14” in WO2013/066287. But instead of the chopped bale filamentary material always directly exiting the bale processor through a discharge opening once chopped, bale filamentary material in the bale processor  100  may advance in a direction away from the discharge opening  160  to the secondary rotor  140 . 
     The secondary rotor  140  is laterally offset from the primary rotor  130 , and it may be desirable for an axis  141  of the secondary rotor  140  to be generally parallel to and higher than an axis  131  of the primary rotor  130  ( FIG. 2 ). Moreover, it may be desirable for the processing section  120  to have a wall  124  extending generally horizontally at least from a point below the axis  141  to a point past extended flails  132  of the primary rotor  140 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     As with the primary rotor  130 , the secondary rotor  140  may be configured in various ways to cut bale filamentary material. In some embodiments, the secondary rotor  140  intermeshes with the primary rotor  130  when in use; in other embodiments, the rotors  130 ,  140  are non-intermeshing. An example intermeshing arrangement is shown in  FIGS. 5 a  and 5 b   , and an example non-intermeshing arrangement is shown in  FIGS. 6 a  and 6 b   . Intermeshing may increase the transfer of bale filamentary material between the rotors  130 ,  140 . 
     In both  FIG. 5 a    and  FIG. 6 a   , flails  132  have a one-piece design with two blades  132   a ,  132   b . Flails  142  are similarly shown having two blades  142   a ,  142   b ; and while  FIGS. 5 a  and 6 a    do not show blades  142   a ,  142   b  in a one-piece design (instead, the blades  142   a ,  142   b  are individual, free swinging blades mounted on either side of a common pivot, such as by a common bolt), a one-piece design may nevertheless be used. While two blades are not required in all embodiments, they may provide increased mass and stability over a single blade, and may lose less energy (and therefore put more energy into a cutting action) than a single blade. Further, a two-blade intermeshing arrangement may provide still improved transfer of bale filamentary material between the rotors  130 ,  140 . For example, the intermeshing arrangement may reduce the distance that bale filamentary material must travel unassisted, greatly reducing the probability of wet material sticking or stopping forward travel (causing a plugged condition). 
     Rasp bars  149  may be adjacent the secondary rotor  140  to agitate material rotated by the secondary rotor  140 , increasing the chopping effectiveness of the secondary rotor  140 . Additionally, or alternately, rasp bars may be formed with or coupled to the secondary rotor  140  (such as protrusions from a twelve o&#39;clock position to a six o&#39;clock position along the secondary rotor  140 , for example) to keep the bale filamentary material agitated and thus chopped multiple times. 
     Gearing or other power-transmitting devices  205  (e.g., belts and pulleys, chains and sprockets, etc.) may allow a single motor  200  to power both the primary rotor  130  and the secondary rotor  140  (and further the conveyor  112 ), though multiple motors or other rotation-inducing devices may be used. Further, while the secondary rotor  140  may rotate opposite the primary rotor  130 , it may be desirable for both to rotate in the same direction (e.g., clockwise in  FIG. 2 ). In the embodiment  100 , the secondary rotor  140  is smaller than the primary rotor  130  and rotates at a higher RPM. It may be desirable for the secondary rotor  140  to rotate at least fifty percent faster than the primary rotor  130 , even more desirable for the secondary rotor  140  to rotate at least eighty-five percent faster than the primary rotor  130 , and even still more desirable for the secondary rotor  140  to rotate at least twice as fast as the primary rotor  130 . For example, the primary rotor  130  may rotate at approximately 1500 RPM and the secondary rotor  140  may rotate at approximately 3000 RPM. In commercial embodiments of the bale processor in WO2013/066287, rotation of the “flail rotor 14” may be at approximately 1000 RPM to achieve similar throw distances. 
     To allow the bale processor  100  to selectively utilize the secondary rotor  140 , the secondary rotor  140  may be selectively engaged/disengaged from the power-transmitting device (e.g., through a transmission  210  as shown in  FIG. 7 a   , or movement of the secondary rotor  140  as shown in  FIG. 7 b   —with the re-positioned, disengaged secondary rotor  140  shown in dashed lines) and an internal deflector  150  may selectively remove/provide a partition between the primary and secondary rotors  130 ,  140 . As discussed further below, movement of the internal deflector  150  may be synchronized with engagement/disengagement of the secondary rotor  140 . 
     The internal deflector  150  may have numerous configurations and methods of moving between disengaged ( FIG. 2 ) and engaged ( FIG. 3 ) positions. For example, the deflector  150  may have an end  152  that travels along a track  153  ( FIG. 4 ), and a pivot  154  may allow sections  155   a ,  155   b  to move relative to one another. Particularly in embodiments with intermeshing rotors  130 ,  140 , it may be desirable for the primary and secondary rotors  130 ,  140  to respectively have flails  132 ,  142  that fall freely when not in use.  FIG. 3  shows the secondary rotor  140  disengaged and the flails  142  falling freely. But even in these embodiments, however, stationary knife sections may form part of the primary rotor  130  or the secondary rotor  140  to create an additional slicing action. For example, stationary knife sections may extend from a twelve o&#39;clock position to a six o&#39;clock position along the secondary rotor  140 . 
     To ensure that the secondary rotor  140  remains disengaged when the internal deflector  150  is in the engaged (or “blocking”) position, the mechanism for disengaging the secondary rotor  140  may be mechanically or electrically (e.g., through sensors and computer programming) linked to the mechanism for moving the internal deflector  150 . In one embodiment, a gearbox and driveline mechanism is used to engage/disengage the secondary rotor  140  and move the internal deflector  150 . 
     In use, after the primary rotor  130  chops bale filamentary material from a bale in the hopper  110  as described above, the chopped bale filamentary material passes from the primary rotor  130  to the secondary rotor  140  ( FIG. 2 ). By traveling in the same direction as the primary rotor  130  (e.g., clockwise in  FIG. 2 ), the secondary rotor  140  further chops the bale filamentary material and causes the bale filamentary material to change direction (e.g., from traveling downwardly about the axis  131  to traveling upwardly and clockwise about the axis  141 ). The bale filamentary material then rotates back to the primary rotor  130 , where it is chopped still further and resumes its travel about the axis  131  to be discharged through the discharge opening  160 . The described arrangement of the processing section  120  causes the bale filamentary material to be chopped three distinct times (twice by the primary rotor  130  and once by the secondary rotor  140 ) and may provide substantial reductions in bale filamentary material length in relatively short order. 
     Cut lengths of approximately three inches and under may be desirable in various applications. For example, forage must generally be no longer than three inches to be used in a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) mixer wagon. Similarly, some methods of biomass processing of bale filamentary material may benefit from relatively small cut lengths. Yet such a fine cut is not always necessary or desirable. When a fine cut is not needed, the secondary rotor  140  may be disengaged and the internal deflector  150  may be moved to the blocking position ( FIG. 3 ) as discussed above. In this arrangement, after the primary rotor  130  chops bale filamentary material from a bale in the hopper  110  as described above, the chopped bale filamentary material rotates with the primary rotor  130  about the axis  131  and is discharged through the discharge opening  160  without being impeded by the secondary rotor  140 . 
     An operator may perform maintenance on the primary rotor  130  through the discharge opening  160 , and the secondary rotor  140  may be accessed (e.g., from a standing position) by removing an external portion of the processing section  120 . 
     Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. The specific configurations and contours set forth in the accompanying drawings are illustrative and not limiting.