Patent GB-642676-A (GB)
Title: Safety device for balers
IPC: B65B27/12
Filed: 1947-08-07
Abstract: 642,676. Baling presses. INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER CO. OF GREAT BRITAIN, Ltd. Aug. 7, 1947, No. 21611. Convention date, Dec. 26, 1944. [Class 94(i)] In a baler of the kind comprising a plunger 25 reciprocatable in a baleforming chamber 18, twine - carrying needles 56 movable into and out of the chamber, and driving means for operating the plunger and needles in timed relation, a safety device comprising a stop 62 is operatively connected to the needles in such manner that if the needles are not withdrawn from the chamber 18, the next compression stroke of the plunger is arrested by the stop 62 and the drive to the plunger automatically discontinued. One end of an arm 47 pivoted at 48, Fig. 3, carries a pin 50 riding in a groove 46 in a cam 44, so that as this cam is rotated the other end of arm 47 imparts (by means of a link 52) a to-and-fro movement to arms 53 pivoted at 55 and carrying the needles 56. The needles are arranged to pass through slots 61 in the end of the plunger 25 while the plunger is finishing its compression stroke and starting its withdrawal. As the needles are fed up through the chamber 18 a sleeve 69 carried by link 52 slides forwardly on a rod 67 pivoted at 68 to the stop 62 and allows a spring 66 to cause stop 62 to project through a slot 65 into the chamber as soon as the plunger is sufficiently withdrawn (see Fig. 5). Just before complete withdrawal of the needles the sleeve 69 abuts against an adjustable stop nut 71 on rod 67 thus withdrawing the stop 62 also. The stop 62 is mounted on a shaft 63 pivoted in a yoke member 72 slidable within a superposed yoke 73 and if the needles are not wholly withdrawn, stop 62 brings the plunger gently to rest against the action of a compression spring 77. The drive to the plunger is through a gear wheel 31 on a shaft 28 carrying a flywheel 27 driven by a belt 29 and pulley 26, and when the plunger has been stopped, a shear key 83 providing the driving connection between flywheel 27 and shaft 28 will be sheared and the driving movement to the plunger stopped. Where an I.C. engine is used to drive the baler the forward movement of yoke 72 may operate a pivoted element (Fig. 7, not shown) which engages a button 90 of a switch 91 and breaks the ignition circuit of the engine. If the power source is a steam engine or diesel engine the method of stopping it is by a valve in the fuel line. As shown in Fig. 2 the baling machine includes a pick-up device 16 including a reel-like member having outwardly extending wire fingers 17 adapted to pick up hay or straw from the ground and pass it to an auger 9 which feeds it through an opening 20 into the bale chamber 18 with the help of packer or feed fingers 19. A device 21 in combination with means 22 for permitting floating movement of the auger 9 through an arcuate slot 23 ensures that the material is fed beneath the auger in spite of variation in the quantity supplied. An engine 24 drives the auger 9 and the pick-up reel 16 as well as the plunger 25. Drive is taken from the flywheel 27 through gears 31, 32 to a shaft 33 carrying a bevel gear 35 meshing with a second bevel gear 36, to a shaft 37. By means of universal joints 38, 39 and a connecting shaft 40 the drive is carried rearwardly to drive the packer fingers 19 by a crank 40A provided with a bevel gear 41. A second bevel gear 42 on a cross shaft 43 carries the drive to the auger 9 by means housed in the arm 22.