Patent EA-003242-B1 (EA)
Title: Hay conditioning apparatus
Inventor: MACKIE PETER GILBERT
IPC: A01D82/02
Filed: 2000-09-15
Abstract: 1. A method of conditioning hay, the hay being made from plants used for animal fodder of the type having nodes in their stems, the nodes being significantly less compressible than the stems, the method comprising: compressing the hay between a pair of rollers with a predetermined compression force sufficient to substantially flatten any nodes on the hay and thereby accelerate drying of the hay. 2. A method of conditioning hay as defined in claim 1, wherein said predetermined compression force is measured as the linear specific pressure applied to crop material as it passes between the rollers, and wherein said linear specific pressure lies within the range of 17 to 32 N/mm. 3. A method of conditioning hay as defined in claim 2, wherein the linear specific pressure lies within the range of 20 to 30 N/mm. 4. An apparatus for conditioning hay, the apparatus comprising: a first roller mounted for rotation and a second counter-rotating roller mounted in rolling contact with the first roller and adapted to receive pre-cut hay therebetween for conditioning, wherein said first roller is rotatably mounted in a fixed mounting and said second roller is rotatably mounted in a moveable mounting means wherein the second roller can be displaced relative to the first roller as the hay passes between the rollers; and wherein said moveable mounting comprises a pivotable support arm having the second roller rotatably coupled thereto and having one end pivotally mounted to a pivot point spaced from the axis of rotation of the second roller; and wherein said moveable mounting means further includes a rockable support frame pivotably mounted on said support arm on a second axis of pivot, substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the second roller, and wherein the second roller is rotatably mounted on said support frame and can rock about said second axis of pivot in the event that a larger object passes between the rollers; and whereby, in use, as the hay passes between the rollers it is subject to a predetermined compression force sufficient to substantially flatten any nodes on the hay and thereby accelerate drying of the hay. 5. An apparatus for conditioning hay as defined in claim 4, wherein said moveable mounting includes a compression means for applying a compression force to the second roller. 6. An apparatus for conditioning hay as defined in claim 5, wherein the compression force applied to the second roller can be varied to suit the type of crop material passing through the apparatus. 7. An apparatus for conditioning hay as defined in claim 4, wherein said predetermined compression force is measured as the linear specific pressure applied to the crop material as it passes between the rollers, and wherein said linear specific pressure lies within the range of 17 to 32 N/mm. 8. An apparatus for conditioning hay as defined in claim 7, wherein the linear specific pressure applied to the crop material as it passes between the rollers lies within the range of 20 to 30 N/mm. 9. An apparatus for conditioning hay as defined in claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second rollers is covered with a rubber or synthetic lagging material. 10. An apparatus for conditioning hay as defined in claim 9, wherein the outer surfaces of said first and second rollers are substantially smooth. 11. An apparatus for conditioning hay as defined in claim 4, wherein the apparatus further comprises means for feeding the pre-cut hay between the rollers.