Patent Publication Number: US-2006016634-A1

Title: Handle-style loading control panel for bale wagons

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention deals generally with automatic bale wagons of the type adapted to pick up crop material bales in the field and automatically form stacks of these bales utilizing a variety of selected stacking patterns to form a stable, interlocked stack of bales.  
      Present day practices in crop harvesting involve the formation of bales of crop material such as hay or other crops into stacks for storage by using an automatic bale wagon. One type of bale wagon that has achieved wide spread commercial acceptance is the automatic bale wagon which uses three tables.  
      Such bale wagons include a first table which receives bales from a bale loader or pick up device mounted on the bale wagon. The first table accumulates a predetermined number of bales with the bales being arranged in a row in a pattern determined by a computer on board the bale wagon. A second table receives the rows of bales from the first table and accumulates several such rows. This group of rows is commonly referred to as a “tier”. A third table or load rack then receives the tiers from the second table and accumulates these tiers to form a “stack” on the load rack.  
      Once the stack has been accumulated on the load rack, it may be unloaded by pivoting the load rack 90 degrees and depositing the stack on the ground or other surface so that the first tier of bales which was accumulated on the second table is now the lowermost tier of the stack on the ground surface.  
      Although the stack arranging apparatus for such bale wagons is automatic, the loading and unloading functions of such wagons still requires many manual controls, because such functions vary with every load and must be coordinated with the position of the bale wagon. The loading and unloading controls have typically included two large control levers and an array of electrical switches. The control levers are directly linked to mechanical rods that operate hydraulic controls on the bale wagon, and the electrical switches control other functions.  
      The difficulty with such an arrangement is that the frequent push and pull movements of the levers lead to significant operator fatigue. Furthermore, the mechanical linkages required between the control levers and the mechanical operating rods limit the ability to isolate the operator cab from the vibration and noise of the bale wagon&#39;s operations.  
      It would be very beneficial to have a control system that not only reduces operator fatigue but also isolates the operator from the noise and vibration.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention completely eliminates the mechanical linkages between the control and operating system of a bale wagon and uses a completely electronic control system for the loading and unloading controls of bale wagons. Each of the new electronic controls is interconnected with a control circuit or computer that operates a solenoid valve within the bale loader&#39;s hydraulic system, and the solenoid valves operate hydraulic cylinders or motors that provide the necessary motion to perform the final task. This arrangement not only makes it possible to completely isolate the operator cab from mechanical vibrations caused by the previous mechanical linkages, but the location and layout of the controls are designed to minimize operator fatigue and allow the position of the controls to be adjusted for individual operator&#39;s preferences. Furthermore, the new controls are designed so that, although several electronic controls are added, they do not require any expansion of the operator cab&#39;s control panel and they are located at the operator&#39;s fingertips when the operator&#39;s arm is resting on the armrest of the operator&#39;s seat.  
      All this is accomplished by adding a handle-style loading control panel mounted on a support tube that protrudes out of the approximately horizontal surface of the conventional planar control panel. The loading control panel has two sections which are oriented an angle to each other, and each section has a surface facing the operator&#39;s position. In the preferred embodiment, one section is near horizontal and is located just above the conventional planar control panel. It is essentially a hand rest section upon which the palm of the operator&#39;s hand can be rested, and the other section, a control section, includes the loading and unloading pushbutton controls on its side surface. The pushbuttons can then be operated by the operator&#39;s thumb. Moreover, when the operator&#39;s hand is resting on the hand rest section, the controls on the surface of the conventional planar control panel are within easy reach of the fingers of that hand. Thus, the operator&#39;s arm does not have to move any significant distance or push against any force since the loading control panel itself does not move.  
      The loading control panel of the invention can also be repositioned to adjust to the operators reach, chair position, and posture. This adjustment is available in three directions. The first adjustment is axial along the support tube. The support tube of the loading control panel is actually constructed as an inside tube telescoping within a second slightly larger concentric outer tube. The outer tube has a circular clamp, similar to a pipe damp, at its top end. This clamp is tightened to hold the inner tube or loosened to permit raising or lowering the inner tube and the loading control panel attached to it. Furthermore, when the clamp atop the outer tube is loosened, the loading control panel can also be rotated to adjust its orientation relative to the operator&#39;s seat within the control cab and a user&#39;s hand. The use of hollow tubes for the support structure allows the wires interconnecting the loading control panel with the control circuitry to be held and protected within the tubes, and provides the means for the wires to penetrate the conventional planar control panel.  
      The support tube and loading control panel can also be pivoted forward away from the operator′ seat or back toward the operator&#39;s seat. This is accomplished in the preferred embodiment by attaching the bottom of the support tube to a slot within a vertical panel and clasping the upper part of the support tube with a tight fitting grommet as the tube passes through the conventional planar control panel. Thus, by loosening a thumbscrew passing through the bottom slot, the support tube and loading control panel can be pivoted forward and back at the tight fitting grommet as the thumbscrew slides within the slot.  
      An alternate arrangement for pivoting the support tube uses a ball joint on the existing control panel and lock screws on the ball joint. This apparatus furnishes an additional direction of motion for the adjustment by also allowing right and left adjustment along with forward and back.  
      Overall, the present invention provides a compact, ergonomically comfortable loading control panel that takes up very little space in a bale wagon control cab. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a conventional prior art bale wagon with a partially formed block of bales on its third table or load rack, and forming a tier of bales on its second, tier forming, table.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the loading control panel of the preferred embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the loading control panel and its support tube as they are installed in the cab of a bale wagon.  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of an alternate structure for adjusting the position of the loading control panel and the support tube by the use of a ball joint mounted on the conventional planar control panel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a conventional prior art bale wagon  10  with a partially formed stack of bales on its load rack  32 , and forming a tier of bales on its second, tier forming, table  28 . It is this type of bale wagon into which the loading control panel of the present invention is installed. The significance of the controls that will be described in regard to the present invention is best understood with reference to the operation of bale wagon  10 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , bale wagon  10  has mobile chassis  12  with wheels  14  and an operator cab  16 . Cab  16  includes the various controls both for the operation of bale wagon  10  as a vehicle and for the operation of the various bale loading, unloading, and stacking operations of the machine.  
      Bale wagon  10  is provided with bale loader  18  adapted to pick bales up from the field and deposit them on first table  20 . First table  20  is provided with cross conveyor  22  positioned between rails  24  and  26 , so that the bales are dropped onto the first table  20  and are held by cross conveyor  22 .  
      Cross conveyor  22  initially receives the bales and moves them toward the left side (the far side in  FIG. 1 ) of the machine until a left side limit switch is actuated. Cross conveyor  22  then reverses and pulls the right-most bale until a right side limit switch is contacted and the conveyor is halted. In this way, the sides of the bales in the stack are aligned evenly on both sides of the stack, providing a more stable stack.  
      After the appropriate number of bales has been deposited on first table  20 , first table  20  operates to deposit the bales onto second table  28 . Depending upon the way in which first table rails  24  and  26  are actuated, the bales will be placed upon second table  28  in either the “on edge” or “flat” orientation. After a plurality of bales has been deposited on second table  28  so as to form a tier  30 , second table  28  is operated to deposit tier  30  onto load rack  32 . For this purpose, hydraulic cylinder  34  is used for raising table  28 .  
      Load rack  32  has a plurality of support tines  36  at its rear end, and also has rolling rack  38  against which the various tiers of bales are deposited. As succeeding tiers are deposited onto load rack  32 , rolling rack  38  is retracted a distance substantially equal to the thickness of a tier, thus providing the necessary space for newly added tier  30 . After a complete stack has been formed on load rack  32 , the operator of the bale wagon drives the wagon to the appropriate location for storage of the stack, and then actuates the appropriate control mechanism to extend hydraulic cylinder  40  causing load rack  32  to pivot approximately 90 degrees. Thereafter, pusher feet (not shown) are extended and the stack of bales is pushed off of support tines  36  and deposited on the ground. Load bed  32  is then returned to its position shown in  FIG. 1 , and a new cycle of operation begins. The present invention deals with the controls for operating the loading and unloading features of bale wagon  10  described above.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of handle-style loading control panel  42  of the preferred embodiment of the invention mounted on support tube  44 . Loading control panel  42  is a volume that has two sections, hand rest section  46  and control section  47 , which are oriented an angle to each other. In the preferred embodiment the angle between the sections is typically 90 degrees, but the basic determination of the angle is that it must be such that one surface of control section  47  is accessible to the operator&#39;s thumb when the hand is on hand rest section  46 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , other angles are useable. Thumb operation of the controls also requires that at least one surface of each section, and particularly the surface with the control buttons, face the operator&#39;s position within the cab, and it is advantageous if control panel  42  is positioned in a vertical plane.  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , in the preferred embodiment, hand rest section  46  is nearly horizontal and is located just above the conventional planar control panel. It&#39;s main function is as a hand rest upon which the palm or fingers of the operator&#39;s hand can be rested, while the other section, control section  47 , includes the loading and unloading pushbutton controls on its surface facing the operator. The pushbuttons can then be operated by the operator&#39;s thumb. Moreover, when the operator&#39;s hand is resting on hand rest section  46 , the controls on the surface of the conventional planar control panel are also within easy reach of that hand. Loading control panel  42  includes the several controls used for loading and unloading bale wagon  10 . These controls are on control section  47  and are all pushbuttons that can be operated by the operator&#39;s thumb when the operator&#39;s hand is resting on hand rest section  46  and are described below.  
      Button  48  is the auto/manual button and is used to switch the stack pattern system between automatic and manual modes. The stack pattern system determines the pattern in which the bales are stacked, and each time button  48  is pushed, the system switches from the mode it is in to the other mode. The mode in which the bale wagon is operating is indicated on a display (not shown) on the conventional planar control panel in the cab.  
      Button  50  is the bale loader control. Pressing the left side of switch  50  lowers bale loader  18 , and pressing the right side of switch  50  raises bale loader  18 . Button  52  is the control that starts and stops the bail loader chain (not shown) that is located within bale loader  18 . A second button  54  performs the same actions as button  52  and is located on the backside of hand rest section  46  so that it can be pushed by the operator&#39;s fingers. Button  56  controls cross conveyor  22  and is used to start and stop cross conveyor  22  when bale wagon  10  is in manual mode.  
      Buttons  52  and  54  are a significant change for the operator as they replace the need to push a lever with the action of pressing a switch. The prior art used a large lever to activate the bale loader chain that raises bales to the first table. Over the course of a work day the fore and aft movement of the lever required for each bale was very fatiguing to the operator. Replacing this arm motion with a simple button results in a more ergonomic action and reduces operator fatigue.  
      Switch  58  controls both tables  1  and  2 . Pressing the top, labeled as  1 , raises second table  28 , and pressing the bottom, labeled as  2 , lowers second table  28 . Pressing the left side of switch  58 , labeled  3 , delivers bales from first table  20  to second table  28  in the “flat” condition. Pressing the right side of switch  58 , labeled  4 , delivers the bales to second table  28  “on edge”.  
      Switch  60  is the load rack and rolling rack control and is the most complex control on loading control panel  42  because it is actually a six position switch. Pressing the top of switch  60 , labeled  1 , raises load rack  32 , and pressing the bottom of switch  60 , labeled  2 , lowers load rack  32 . Each of these switch positions is itself a two part switch. Pressing either position part way provides a slow speed while pressing it fully provides a faster speed. The right and left sides of switch  60  control rolling rack  38 . Pressing the left side, labeled  3 , moves rolling rack  38  to the rear of load rack  32 , while pressing the right side of switch  60 , labeled  4 , moves rolling rack  38  forward on load rack  32 . Pressing positions  2  and  4  of switch  60  simultaneously brings rolling rack  38  forward while lowering load rack  32 .  
      The remaining switches on loading control panel  42  are push-off feet switches  62  and  64 . The push-off feet (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) push the stack of bales off the rear of bale wagon  10  as the push-off feet are extended. Button  62  activates the extension of the push-off feet, and button  64  retracts the push-off feet.  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of loading control panel  42  and its support structure  43  as they are installed in the cab of a bale wagon to provide position adjustments for individual operators.  
      The adjustment of loading control panel  42  is available in three directions. The axial extension adjustment is available to move loading control panel  42  away from conventional planar control panel  74 . This is easily accomplished in the preferred embodiment in which support tube  44  is an inside tube that can be slid within outer tube  45  that is slightly larger than and concentric with support tube  44 . Outer tube  45  has circular clamp  66 , similar to a pipe clamp, at its top end. Clamp  66  is tightened to hold support tube  44  in position or loosened to permit raising or lowering support tube  44  and loading control panel  42  attached to it. Also, when clamp  66  atop outer tube  45  is loosened, loading control panel  42  can be rotated to adjust its orientation relative to the operator&#39;s seat (not shown) within control cab  16 .  
      In the preferred embodiment of the invention, loading control panel  42  can also be pivoted forward away from the operator&#39;s seat in control cab  16  or back toward the operator&#39;s seat. Thumbscrew  70  attaches the bottom of outer tube  45  to vertical panel  68  of the cab at slot  72  which is formed in vertical panel  68 , and the upper region of the outer tube  45  passes through conventional planar control panel  74  with grommet  76  clasped tightly on outer tube  45 . Thus, by loosening thumbscrew  70  within slot  72 , outer tube  45 , along with loading control panel  42  can be pivoted forward and back as thumbscrew  70  slides within slot  72  and outer tube  45  pivots within grommet  76 .  
      It should be appreciated that support tube  44  and outer tube  45  are not part of the bale wagon control operation and do not move for that purpose. They are required to be stationary during operation of the bale wagon, and their only movements are for the purpose of ergonomically adjusting the position of loading control panel  42  for the operator. Furthermore, support tube  44  and outer tube  45  together form a conduit for the wires necessary to connect all the controls on loading control panel  42  to the control circuitry (not shown) of bale wagon  10 , and support tube  44  and outer tube  45  also furnish a convenient and safe way for the wires to penetrate conventional planar control panel  74 .  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of alternate support structure  78  for adjusting the position of loading control panel  42  by the use of ball joint  80  mounted on conventional planar control panel  74  and attached to short outer tube  82 . Lock screws  84  and  86  on ball joint  80  are used to lock ball joint  80 , outer tube  82 , and loading control panel  42  into position after the desired adjustment. Alternate structure  78  furnishes an additional direction of motion for the adjustment of loading control panel  42  by using the full movement of ball joint  80  that also allows right and left adjustment along with forward and back. As with the apparatus shown in  FIG. 3 , ball joint  80  permits outer tube  82  to penetrate conventional control pattern  74  and serves as a conduit for control wires  88 .  
      The present invention thereby provides a wide selection of additional electronic controls for loading and unloading a bale wagon, and does so without significant encroachment on the limited space in the operator cab. Furthermore the new controls are easily accessible and do not cause operator fatigue.  
      It is to be understood that the form of this invention as shown is merely a preferred embodiment. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of parts; equivalent means may be substituted for those illustrated and described; and certain features may be used independently from others without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.  
      For example, loading control panel  42  can be used for other control functions and with more or fewer control buttons Moreover, additional controls can be located on the backside of loading control panel  42  along with or in place of button  54 , and a different type of clamp can be used to hold support tube  44  within outer tube  45 . Furthermore, an entirely different apparatus could be used to furnish the axial extension of support tube  44 .