Abstract:
A large round baler includes a bale forming assembly and a chassis constructed as separate units which, when disconnected and displaced from each other either entirely at an interface between the units or by tilting one unit about a longitudinal axis at one side of the interface, permit one or more flexible endless baling elements to be mounted in place on the baling assembly. Cross beams, which extend between and interconnect the opposite side structures of the bale forming assembly are located such, that they do not obstruct the space required to slide the endless baling element(s) over the baling assembly and into engagement with the bale forming rolls. Mounting of the flexible endless baling element requires the removal of one or more baling element support rolls from opposite side structures of the baling assembly and/or from opposite arms of a tensioning assembly.

Description:
This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/032,622, filed 10 Jan. 2005 and titled ROUND BALER ARRANGED TO FACILITATE THE INSTALLATION OF ENDLESS BALING ELEMENTS, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,548. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a round baler comprising a chassis and a baling assembly, whereas the baling assembly comprises side structures separated from each other, cross beams connecting the side structures, rolls rotatably journalled in these side structures and/or on a tensioning arm and belts or the like, trained over said rolls and it relates to a method to install endless belts on a round baler. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   WO-A1-98/17097 discloses a round baler with side walls, rolls and belts, to the lower front end of which is attached a pick-up. In order to install the belts, they have to be finite and pulled at one end over all rolls and partly through gaps between adjacent rolls. When this is done, the ends of the belts are connected to each other. Since this work is cumbersome and since belt connectors are a source for costs and problems it would be desirous to use endless belts. 
   The problem this invention is based on is the impossibility to install endless belts on such type of a baler. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, there is provided a large round baler constructed for facilitating the mounting of endless bale-forming belts on the baler. 
   An object of the invention is to provide a large round baler constructed in such a way as to permit endless baling belts to be installed without necessitating the separation of the endless belt loop. 
   This object is accomplished by arranging cross beam members in such a way that they do not interfere with the mounting of the baling belts. According to this solution the circumferential sides (front, rear, bottom, up) of the baling assembly are free and endless belts can be moved like a ring laterally over the baling assembly and than concentrated towards the bale chamber. No chassis cross beam and no tying or net wrapping assembly obstruct the path of the belt(s). At the end, one or more releasably journalled rolls can be brought into their position, which apply the belts to the rolls already in place and tighten them. While it would be preferred to use belts, which are made endless from the very beginning, finite belts, the ends of which are connected can be used as well. Especially when a single and thus very heavy belt is used a mechanized installation of belts by means of a fork lift or the like is very advantageous. The side structure may be formed from side walls, i.e., sheet metal surfaces or by arms, by a frame of the like, as this is disclosed in EP-A1-1 308 078 or EP-A1-1 285 571. 
   Forming a baling assembly as a single and self-sufficient unit is even easier to do, if all other applying forces resulting from pulling the round baler over the field and from the weight and operation of all components are assumed by a chassis with wheels and a tongue, to which the baling assembly is connected. In such a case interfaces are provided at the chassis and the baling assembly, which easily can get separated. As another advantage various baling assemblies may get connected to such a chassis. 
   All known types of crop receiving and/or processing assemblies, like pick-ups, cutting means, windrowing means, humidifying means, etc. can be attached to the carrying structure either alone or in combination with each other. Since they are not connected to the baling assembly directly, the belts can be moved like a ring over the baling assembly, once it is lifted from the chassis. Height adjustment devices, like hydraulic actuators would act between the carrying structure and the respective crop receiving and/or processing assembly to move it into one or several operative positions and into an inoperative position. 
   Rather than to the baling assembly, if desired, bale handling assemblies can be attached to the carrying structure, like a bale wrapping means, a bale weighing means, a bale unloading means, a bale tying or netting means, etc., again either alone or in combination with each other. In prior art round balers such bale handling assemblies would often be attached to the baling assembly and obstruct the way of belts moved as a ring over the baling assembly. 
   Since with known balers it is normally a front part, which does not need adoption to another size or type of the rear part of the baler, it reduces assembly efforts, if said front part is fixed to the carrying structure, whereas a rear part is adapted to and fixed to said front part. For example, a round baler may have a front part with different settings of rolls, to which may be attached one of a set of different rear parts, with belts on rolls with different settings. This however does not exclude, that both—the front and the rear part—are attached to the carrying structure, such that in the case of a round baler the rear part is hinged to the carrying structure rather than to the front part. 
   The belts can be pressed onto the rolls and the lately installed rolls to press the belts on the rolls already in place, can be brought in place in a fixed structure of the baling assembly, if some of the rolls are replaceable while the structures are in place, in particular by means of shafts or stub shafts connectable to a roll body. 
   Freeing the circumference of the baling assembly may happen by disconnecting the whole baling assembly from the carrying structure and by lifting it therefrom by means of a crane or the like. Or access can be provided, if the baling assembly is hinged to the carrying structure such, that it can be tilted laterally about an axis extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the baler. Latter solution does not require a crane but could be performed also with a jack stand or hydraulic actuator. The baling assembly would always remain connected to the carrying structure and could easily be returned to the initial position. 
   A tilting movement or even a removal of the baling assembly from the carrying structure is easy to accomplish, if the drives are easy to disconnect, like with chains, universal joint shafts, clutches etc., when disconnection is needed. Alternatively hydraulic hoses and couplings may be used. If the drives are present on the side, where the baling assembly is hinged to the carrying structure, universal joint shafts, universal joints, hydraulic or electric cables or the like may be provided, which can remain connected even when the baling assembly is in the tilted position. 
   A fast way to install endless belts on a baling assembly of a round baler is seen in following method, namely, a) the baling assembly is put into a position in which the rolls are radially free to the outside, b) the belt is moved as a ring over the baling assembly, c) at least one loop is formed by the belt and a roll is moved into this loop and fixed at the side structures to thereby apply the belt to the rolls, and d) a tensioning device is applied to either moveable rolls and/or to a belt strand between two rolls. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Hereto after one embodiment of the invention is described in more detail and in relation to the drawing. 
       FIG. 1  shows a baler in a schematic side view with the components disassembled. 
       FIG. 2  shows the baler of  FIG. 1  in a partly assembled stage with loose endless belts surrounding a baling assembly. 
       FIG. 3  shows the baler of  FIG. 2 , with the belts shown under tension. 
       FIG. 4  shows the baler of  FIG. 2 , with the baling assembly being shown moved away from a carrying structure by a short distance. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  shows a baler  10 , having a chassis  12 , a baling assembly  14 , a crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16  and a bale handling assembly  18 . 
   The baler  10  as shown is in the form of a round baler of the variable chamber type. The baler  10  is of the pull type, i.e., it gets attached to a tractor (not shown) or the like and is pulled during operation and transport. 
   The chassis  12  comprises a carrying structure  20 , wheels  22  and a tongue  24 . The chassis  12  is of a self-carrying structure to which all assemblies of the baler  10  can be attached. 
   The carrying structure  20  is made of beams, traverses, struts, axles, cross beams, etc. welded or bolted together to form a rigid piece. The carrying structure  20  is formed such, that it can assume, in an inner space or on its top side, the baling assembly  14 , at its underside the crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16 , and, normally at the back side or above the crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16 , a bale handling assembly  18 . The bale handling assembly  18  could be installed on any place which fits the purpose. Flanges or other interface connecting means are provided at places which are useful to receive either of the above assemblies  14 ,  16 ,  18 . In the shown embodiment, the carrying structure  20  extends under an angle of about 45 degrees to the ground on which it stands and is connected to the tongue  24  at one end and to the wheels  22  at the other end. Two beams (only one shown) extend on each side in the longitudinal direction of the baler  10  and are interconnected by means of cross beams (not shown). Provided at the underside of the carrying structure  20  is a recess  26  to provide additional space for the crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16 . Such a recess  26  or additional space may not be needed in other embodiments. While the carrying structure  20  here is shown in straight lines, it is obvious, that it may be of a different shape and layout, when this is necessary. Furthermore, the carrying structure  20  may be formed such that the baling assembly  14  is not fastened to its upper side, but is suspended from a portion high up. The carrying structure  20  is also provided with electronic controls (not shown) and drives  56  in the form of belts, chains, gears or hydraulic drives, whereas the one shown comprises a bevel gear with an universal joint. In a slight overlapping relationship to the wheels  22 , a bottom roll  58  is rotatably received by the carrying structure  20 . This bottom roll  58  is oriented and located such that it can support a round bale formed in this baling assembly  14 . 
   The wheels  22  are rotatably connected to the carrying structure  20  either directly or via an axle (not shown). The wheels  22  may be arranged in tandem fashion, spring suspended or fixed, steerable or straight and with or without brakes. The arrangement of the wheels  22  is such that the baling assembly  14  in question can be readily connected to the carrying structure  20 . 
   The tongue  24  is connected to the front end area of the carrying structure  20  in a vertically adjustable way. In other embodiments, the tongue  24  may be attached rigidly. Sufficient space is left below the tongue  24  and the carrying structure  20  to receive the crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16 . Beyond that, the tongue  24  is of known construction. 
   The baling assembly  14  is formed by a front part  28  and a rear part  30 , which are connected to each other in a bearing  32  with a pivot axis extending horizontally and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the baler  10 . The baling assembly  14  is substantially of a known type in the form of a variable chamber round baler, in which a series of rolls  34  is rotatably received in side structures  36  and whereas other rolls  38  are carried by a tensioning arm  40  moving between end positions against the resistance provided by a tensioning means  42 , like a spring or a hydraulic actuator. A hydraulic actuator  44  is provided to swing the rear part  30  about the pivot axle of the bearing  32  between a raised unload position and lowered baling position, as shown the drawings. This baling assembly  14  is formed as a self-carrying unit, which can be handled during assembly, transport etc. as a single and independent piece. For this purpose, struts and cross beams  46  are provided between and fixed to the side structures  36 , to make the front and the rear parts  28  and  30 , respectively, rigid units. The baling assembly  14  is provided furthermore with a set of belts  48 , running parallel with little distance to each other over the rolls  34  and  38 . Unless the belts  48  are manufactured in an endless fashion, the ends of the belts  48  are connected to each other to make the belts  48  endless. In other embodiments the belts may be replaced by a chain and slat conveyor or by a single belt. As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the cross beams  46  are provided inside a space covered or surrounded by the belts  48  and close to a fixed roll  34 , such that, even with a completed bale in a bale chamber  50 , the belts  48  will not touch the cross beams  46 . The location of the cross beams  46  is chosen such that, if the belts  48  are slid over the baling assembly and are concentrated towards the bale chamber  50 , they are always in the shadow of the rolls  34  and are facing the inner side of the belts  48  as opposed to their outer side. Some of the rolls  34 ′ and  38 ′ are either made of multiple parts with a shaft or stub shafts and a roll body, or they can be inserted through holes in one of the side structures  36 . This location of the beams  46  and the use of such rolls  34 ′,  38 ′ are reasons, why the belts  48  can be installed as will be described later. The underside of the front part  28  forms an interface to be connected to the upper side of the carrying structure  20 . In this specific embodiment, front and rear mounting or bearing plates  52  are provided at each side of the carrying structure and include aligned openings lying along a longitudinally extending tilt axis T. Fixed to lower edges of each of the opposite side structures  36  are front and rear pairs of mounting lugs  53  that are spaced for receiving the bearing plates  52  between them and when coupled to the bearing plates establish a hinge joint at the respective tilt axis T about which the baling assembly  14  can be tilted when the fasteners establishing the coupling between the front and rear plates  52  and lugs  53  at one side of the carrying structure  20  and baling assembly  14  are removed. 
   The crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16  is formed as a pick-up with a subsequent cutting device combined to a single unit. In other embodiments it may be either of them or another crop receiving and/or processing assembly, like a mower. Usually this crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16  extends laterally beyond the carrying structure  20  and has a rearward delivery opening to feed the crop into the bale chamber  50 . Contrary to the prior art, this crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16  is not connected directly to the baling assembly  14  but to the carrying structure  20 , where it is suspended in a vertically moveable way, as this is known. Guide sheets or the like will be provided, where necessary, to provide for a secure feeding of the crop along the feed path, when the crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16  is adjusted in height. Interfaces (not shown) are provided at the underside of the carrying structure  20  and on the upper side of the crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16  to connect both to each other, whereas connection may happen via fast connectors, bearings, flanges or the like. 
   The bale handling assembly  18  is shown as a bale ramp, on which a bale can roll down, once the rear part  30  is swung up. Instead of or in addition to the bale handling assembly  18 , a bale wrapper, a weighing device, a bale tying or netting device or the like could be attached to the carrying structure  20 . The connection between the bale handling assembly  18  and the carrying structure  20  may be rigid or adjustable. The bale handling assembly  18  may include either means that is used to handle or process the bale, as opposed to the crop not being formed to a bale yet. 
   It is obvious from the above description, that various baling assemblies  14  and crop receiving and/or processing assemblies  16  and/or bale handling assembly  18  can be attached to the underside, upper side or rear side of the carrying structure  20  respectively to form a series of different balers  10 . 
   Reference is made to  FIGS. 2 and 3  to describe the method for installing the belts  48 . 
   When new belts  48  have to be placed on the rolls  34 ,  38 , either during initial production or for maintenance, the baling assembly  14  is either elevated relative to the mounting plates  52  to create a gap between the baling assembly  14  and the carrying structure  20  and the crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16  and the bale handling assembly  18  (see  FIG. 4 ), or it is lifted completely for example by means of a fork lift or a crane, into a position as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In this situation, the circumferential surfaces of the baling assembly  14 , i.e. its upper, lower, front and rear sides are freely accessible. All rolls  34 ,  38  are in place except those shown in dotted lines in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , which is the most forward one  38 ′ on the tensioning arm  40  and the upper rearward one  34 ′ in the front part  28 . Loops  54  of the belts  48  are created between pairs of opposite rolls  34 ,  38 , whereas the removable rolls  34 ′,  38 ′ serve as idling points for these loops  54 . In order to install the belts  48 , they are made endless and are slid over the side structures  46  to surround the circumferential surfaces, as shown in  FIG. 2 . As a next step, the missing rolls  34 ′ and  38 ′ are installed, which will tighten the loops  54  and apply all belts  48  to the adjacent surfaces of the rolls  34 ,  38 . Finally, the tensioning means  42  is activated to provide for a tight connection. The situation in  FIG. 4  is comparable to the situation in  FIG. 2 , except that the distance between the baling assembly  14  and the carrying structure  20  and the crop receiving and/or processing assembly  16  and bale handling assembly  18  is much smaller and assumes a size which is needed in the case of maintenance or repair, which should be performed with the least efforts. A little distance of about 0.02-0.10 m should be sufficient to install the endless belts  48  and can be reached by either lifting off the baling assembly  14  or by pivoting it about one or the other of the axes T running through the mounting plates  52 . 
   Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.