Patent Description:
Agricultural vehicles, such as balers, may be used to consolidate and package crop material so as to facilitate the storage and handling of the crop material for later use. In the case of hay and forage, a mower-conditioner is typically used to cut and condition the crop material for windrow drying in the sun. In the case of straw, an agricultural combine discharges non-grain crop material from the rear of the combine defining the straw (such as wheat or oat straw) which is to be picked up by the baler. The cut crop material is typically raked and dried, and a baler, such as a large square baler or round baler, straddles the windrows and travels along the windrows to pick up the crop material and form it into bales.

On a large square baler, a pickup unit, which also may be referred to as a "pickup," at the front of the baler gathers the cut and windrowed crop material from the ground. The pickup unit includes a pickup roll, and optionally may include other components such as side shields, stub augers, wind guard, etc. In other agricultural vehicles, the pickup generally functions similarly, i.e., gathers cut crop material from the ground and conveys the gathered crop material to another element of the agricultural vehicle.

A packer unit is used to move the crop material from the pickup unit to a feeding channel (also known as a "pre-compression chamber"). The packer unit forms a wad of crop within the feeding channel which is then transferred to a main bale chamber. (For purposes of discussion, the charge of crop material within the feeding channel will be termed a "wad", and the charge of crop material after being compressed within the main bale chamber will be termed a "flake"). Typically such a packer unit includes packer tines or forks to move the crop material from the pickup unit into the feeding channel. Instead of a packer unit it is also known to use a rotor cutter unit which chops the crop material into smaller pieces.

A stuffer unit transfers the wad of crop material in charges from the feeding channel to the main bale chamber. Typically such a stuffer unit includes stuffer forks which are used to move the wad of crop material from the feeding channel to the main bale chamber, in sequence with the reciprocating action of a plunger within the main bale chamber.

In the main bale chamber, the plunger compresses the wad of crop material into flakes to form a bale and, at the same time, gradually advances the bale toward the outlet of the bale chamber. The plunger reciprocates, back and forth, toward and away from the discharge end of the baler. When enough flakes have been added and the bale reaches a full (or other predetermined) size, a number of knotters are actuated which wrap and tie twine, cord or the like around the bale while it is still in the main bale chamber. The twine is cut and the formed baled is ejected out the back of the baler as a new bale is formed.

Known pickup units generally use flexible tines to feed crop material from the ground to other components of the agricultural vehicle, such as the packer unit or other type of feeder unit. The tines rotate through slots of a guide, which may be in the form of a band, for support during rotation so the tines do not excessively deflect during operation. In some instances, the flexible tines do not have sufficient support to prevent the tines deflecting out of their intended path and crossing over into the path of one or more other tines. One or more of the tines crossing over is damaging to parts of the pickup unit, reduces pickup performance, and introduces downtime to correct or replace damaged parts.

<CIT> describes a pick-up drum to pick up crop material lying on the ground. The pick-up drum comprises stationary guide plates having revolving double prongs which are symmetrically installed via a central fastening point on the tine carrier. A holder is attached to the tine carrier which has slots foreseen in which the ends of the double prongs are able to transverse to the bending or working direction while maintaining the narrow and limited position between the slots.

What is needed in the art is a pickup that addresses some of the issues associated with known pickups.

Exemplary embodiments provided according to the present disclosure include a tine guide with one or more guide slots in which one or more tines can be disposed when the tine(s) is outside of any tine slots of a pickup band assembly.

According to the invention, a pickup for an agricultural vehicle includes: a rotatable tine carrier; a plurality of tines rotatably carried by the tine carrier through a rotation path; a pickup band assembly comprising a plurality of tine slots in which the tines are disposed in a position in the rotation path; and a tine guide having at least one guide slot. The tine guide is rotatable with at least one of the tines such that the at least one tine is disposed in the at least one guide slot in a position in the rotation path in which the at least one tine is outside any of the tine slots of the pickup band assembly and the at least one tine is not disposed in the at least one guide slot in a position in the rotation path in which the at least one tine is disposed in one of the tine slots.

The tines may be coupled to the tine carrier by at least one tine bar.

The pickup may further comprise a follower coupled to the at least one tine bar and a cam, the follower being configured to move along the cam to cause pivoting of the tines.

The cam may comprise a first cam surface and a second cam surface. The follower may be configured to move along the first cam surface and the second cam surface to cause pivoting of the tines. The at least one tine may be disposed in one of the tine slots as the follower moves along the first cam surface and may be disposed in the at least one guide slot as the follower moves along the second cam surface.

The first cam surface may be a curved surface and the second cam surface may be a flat surface.

The tine guide may be carried by the tine carrier.

The at least one tine guide may comprise a plurality of guide slots. The tines may be disposed in a respective one of the guide slots in the position in the rotation path in which the at least one tine is outside any of the tine slots of the pickup band assembly.

The tine carrier may define a carrier rotation axis and the rotation path may be a <NUM> degree rotation about the carrier rotation axis.

The pickup band assembly may comprise a plurality of pickup bands coupled together and defining the tine slots therebetween.

In some exemplary embodiments provided according to the present disclosure, an agricultural vehicle includes a chassis and a pickup carried by the chassis. The pickup includes: a rotatable tine carrier; a plurality of tines rotatably carried by the tine carrier through a rotation path; a pickup band assembly comprising a plurality of tine slots in which the tines are disposed in a position in the rotation path; and a tine guide having at least one guide slot. The tine guide is rotatable with at least one of the tines such that the at least one tine is disposed in the at least one guide slot in a position in the rotation path in which the at least one tine is outside any of the tine slots of the pickup band assembly.

The agricultural vehicle may further comprise a follower coupled to the at least one tine bar and a cam, the follower being configured to move along the cam to cause pivoting of the tines.

The first cam surface may be a curved surface and the second cam surface is a flat surface.

The at least one tine guide may comprise a plurality of guide slots. At least one of the tines may be disposed in each of the guide slots in the position in the rotation path in which the at least one tine is outside any of the tine slots of the pickup band assembly.

The tine carrier may define a carrier rotation axis and the rotation path is a <NUM> degree rotation about the carrier rotation axis.

At least one tine may not be disposed in the at least one guide slot in a position in the rotation path in which the at least one tine is disposed in one of the tine slots.

The agricultural vehicle may further comprise a bale chamber configured to form a bale from crop material fed to the bale chamber by the pickup unit.

A possible advantage that may be realized by exemplary embodiments provided according to the present disclosure is that the tines can be supported in a larger range of the rotation path, reducing the risk of the tines overly deflecting and crossing over.

Another possible advantage that may be realized by exemplary embodiments provided according to the present disclosure is that the tine guide can be adapted to a wide variety of pickup configurations to support the tines.

In the drawings:.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to <FIG>, there is shown a perspective cutaway view showing the internal workings of an exemplary embodiment of an agricultural vehicle, shown in the form of a large square baler <NUM>, provided according to the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that while the agricultural vehicle <NUM> is illustrated and described herein as a large square baler, the agricultural vehicle <NUM> may be provided as a variety of different vehicles that incorporate a pickup, including but not limited to a round baler, a small square baler, a forage harvester, a forage merger, a crop merger, or a self-loading forage wagon. Baler <NUM> includes a chassis <NUM> carrying a number of baler components (described below) and operates on a two stage feeding system. Crop material is lifted from windrows into the baler <NUM> using a pickup <NUM>. The pickup <NUM> includes a reel <NUM> with tines <NUM> which move the crop rearward toward a packer unit <NUM>, which may be generically referred to as a "feeder unit. " An optional pair of stub augers (one of which is shown, but not numbered) are positioned above the reel <NUM> to move the crop material laterally inward. The packer unit <NUM> includes packer tines <NUM> which push the crop into a feeding channel <NUM> to form a wad of crop material. The packer tines <NUM> intertwine the crop together and pack the crop within the feeding channel <NUM>. Feeding channel <NUM> and packer tines <NUM> function as the first stage for crop compression. Once the pressure in the feeding channel <NUM> reaches a predetermined sensed value, a stuffer unit <NUM> moves the wad of crop from the feeding channel <NUM> to a main bale chamber <NUM>. The stuffer unit <NUM> includes stuffer forks <NUM> which thrust the wad of crop directly in front of a plunger <NUM>, which reciprocates within the main bale chamber <NUM> and compresses the wad of crop into a flake. Stuffer forks <NUM> return to their original stationary state after the wad of material has been moved into the main bale chamber <NUM>. Plunger <NUM> compresses the wads of crop into flakes to form a bale and, at the same time, gradually advances the bale toward outlet <NUM> of main bale chamber <NUM>. Main bale chamber <NUM> and plunger <NUM> function as the second stage for crop compression. When enough flakes have been added and the bale reaches a full (or other predetermined) size, knotters <NUM> are actuated which wrap and tie twine around the bale while it is still in the main bale chamber <NUM>. Needles <NUM> bring the lower twine up to the knotters <NUM> and the tying process then takes place. The twine is cut and the formed bale is ejected from a discharge chute <NUM> as a new bale is formed.

Plunger <NUM> is connected via a crank arm <NUM> with a gear box <NUM>. Gear box <NUM> is driven by a flywheel <NUM>, which in turn is connected via a drive shaft <NUM> with the power take-off (PTO) coupler <NUM>. The PTO coupler <NUM> is detachably connected with the PTO spline at the rear of the traction unit, such as a tractor (not shown). PTO coupler <NUM>, drive shaft <NUM> and flywheel <NUM> together define a portion of a driveline <NUM> which provides rotative power to gearbox <NUM>. Flywheel <NUM> has a sufficient mass to carry plunger <NUM> through a compression stroke as power is applied to drive shaft <NUM> by the traction unit.

In known pickups, the tines, which are generally quite flexible, may be supported in slots formed between pickup bands as they carry crop material. The tines traveling through the slots formed between the pickup bands can reduce the risk of excessive side-to-side deflection of the tines while also acting as a guide for the crop as it is carried from the ground to the feeder unit. The pickup bands can also protect the reel components from damage by obstacles, such as rocks; act as a guide for crop to be carried from the ground to the feeder unit by the tines; and act as a barrier between the crop and the reel mechanism to reduce the risk of crop wrapping around the reel. While the pickup bands are effective at supporting the tines, the tines generally travel outside of the slots formed between the pickup bands during a part of their rotation as they return to a front position in order to engage and carry more crop material. While the tines are outside of slots formed between the pickup bands, the tines are less supported and more prone to excessive deflection and crossing over.

To address some of the previously described issues with known pickups, and referring now to <FIG>, an exemplary embodiment of the pickup <NUM> provided according to the present disclosure includes one or more rotatable tine carriers <NUM> that rotatably carry a plurality of tines, designated as tines 16A and 16B in <FIG>, through a rotation path RP, a pickup band assembly having a plurality of tine slots <NUM> in which the tines 16A, 16B are disposed in a position in the rotation path RP, and a tine guide <NUM> that has at least one guide slot <NUM> and is rotatable with at least one of the tines 16A, 16B. It should be appreciated that while one tine carrier <NUM> is illustrated in <FIG>, the pickup <NUM> may include a plurality of tine carriers <NUM> to carry the tines <NUM> of the pickup <NUM>. Further, the tine carriers <NUM> may collectively form the reel <NUM> of the pickup <NUM> or, alternatively, be rotated by the reel <NUM>, such as by a reel shaft <NUM> of the reel <NUM>, to rotate the tines <NUM>. It should also be appreciated that while the tine carrier <NUM> is illustrated in the shape of a disc, which may be known as a "reel disc," the tine carrier(s) <NUM> may be formed to have other shapes and configurations, such as a "reel spider" that includes a series of arms and links mounted to a reel shaft to carry the tines. As can be appreciated from <FIG>, the tine guide <NUM> is rotatable with one or more of the tines 16A, 16B such that the at least one tine 16A, 16B is disposed in the at least one guide slot <NUM> in a position in the rotation path RP in which the at least one tine 16A, 16B is outside any of the tine slots <NUM> formed between the pickup bands <NUM>. In this respect, the tine guide <NUM> can support the tines 16A, 16B and reduce the risk of excessive deflection of the tines 16A, 16B when the tines 16A, 16B are outside any of the tine slots <NUM> formed between the pickup bands <NUM> and thus unsupported by the pickup bands <NUM>.

As illustrated, the pickup band assembly <NUM> may have a shape that generally follows an arc, but is not a full circle, so the tines 16A, 16B rotate within tine slots <NUM> in various positions in the rotation path RP, but not through an entirety of the rotation path RP. In some embodiments, the pickup band assembly <NUM> includes a plurality of pickup bands <NUM> that are coupled together to form the tine slots <NUM> between the pickup bands <NUM>. It should be appreciated that the pickup band assembly <NUM> may be formed as a single pickup band that has the tine slots <NUM> formed therein. In some embodiments, the tine slots <NUM> define a varying slot width SW, allowing for variable amounts of side-to-side deflection of the tines 16A, 16B while disposed within the tine slots <NUM>. It should be appreciated that while each of the tines 16A, 16B are illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG> as being disposed in a respective one of the tine slots <NUM> and each of the tine slots <NUM> only has one tine 16A, 16B disposed therein, multiple tines <NUM>, 16A, 16B may be disposed in each of the tine slots <NUM> simultaneously according to the present disclosure, as is known.

The tine guide <NUM>, which is illustrated in greater detail in <FIG>, may be provided in the form of a rectangular plate with the guide slots <NUM> formed therein. It should be appreciated that while the tine guide <NUM> is illustrated as a rectangular plate, the tine guide <NUM> may be provided with other shapes, e.g., square or circular, and does not need to be a plate. In some embodiments, the tine guide <NUM> is carried by the tine carrier <NUM> that carries the tines 16A, 16B, which allows the tine guide <NUM> to rotate with the tines 16A, 16B at the same rotational velocity as the reel <NUM>. The tine guide <NUM> may, for example, be welded or otherwise rigidly connected to the tine carrier <NUM>. It should be appreciated that the tine guide <NUM> does not need to be carried by the tine carrier <NUM>, and may be carried or otherwise rotatable with the tines 16A, 16B in a variety of different other ways. In some embodiments, the guide slots <NUM> formed in the tine guide <NUM> may have a variable guide slot width GW that is greatest adjacent to an edge <NUM> in which the guide slots <NUM> are formed and decreases in at least a portion of the guide slots <NUM> as the guide slots <NUM> approach an opposite edge <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the guide slot width GW may be relatively constant adjacent to the edge <NUM> before decreasing in a linear fashion toward the edge <NUM> to form a tapered section <NUM> of the guide slots <NUM>. The guide slot width GW may be at least equal to the slot width SW and at least equal to a diameter of the tines <NUM>, 16A, 16B.

Referring specifically now to <FIG> and <FIG>, the tines 16A, 16B are illustrated in a first position in the rotation path RP where the tines 16A, 16B are each disposed in a respective one of the tine slots <NUM>. In the first position, each of the tines 16A, 16B is supported against excessive deflection by the pickup band assembly <NUM>. In some embodiments, the tines 16A, 16B are disposed outside of the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM> while the tines 16A, 16B are in the first position (and/or one or more other positions) in which the tines 16A, 16B are disposed in a tine slot <NUM> formed in the pickup band assembly <NUM> between the pickup bands <NUM>. In some embodiments, the tines 16A, 16B are disposed outside of the guide slots <NUM>, i.e., not supported by the tine guide <NUM>, while the tines 16A, 16B are disposed in the tine slots <NUM> of the pickup band assembly <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the tines 16A, 16B are coupled to the tine carrier <NUM> by at least one tine bar, illustrated as a single tine bar <NUM>. The tines 16A, 16B may be coupled to the tine bar <NUM>, for example, by bolting the tines 16A, 16B to the tine bar <NUM>. The tine bar <NUM> may be cylindrical, as illustrated, and disposed within a bar slot <NUM> formed in the tine carrier <NUM>. The tine bar <NUM> may be carried in the bar slot <NUM> of the tine carrier <NUM> so the tine bar <NUM>, and thus the coupled tines 16A, 16B, is pivotable within the bar slot <NUM> of the tine carrier <NUM> as the tines 16A, 16B are carried through the rotation path RP, as described further herein.

In some embodiments, the pickup <NUM> includes a follower <NUM> that is coupled to the tine bar <NUM> and a cam <NUM>. The follower <NUM> is configured to move along the cam <NUM> to cause pivoting of the tines 16A, 16B. The cam <NUM> may have, but does not necessarily need to have, a first cam surface <NUM>, which may be a curved surface, and a second cam surface <NUM>, which may be a flat surface. The follower <NUM> may be configured to move along the first cam surface <NUM> and the second cam surface <NUM> during rotation of the reel <NUM>, which causes rotation and pivoting of the tines 16A, 16B.

Referring specifically now to <FIG> and <FIG>, the pickup <NUM> is shown after the tines 16A, 16B have been rotated to a second position in the rotation path RP by the tine carrier <NUM> and are disposed in the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM>. As can be appreciated from comparing <FIG> and <FIG> to <FIG> and <FIG>, the tine guide <NUM> may follow the tines 16A, 16B in a rotation direction RD of the tines 16A, 16B during rotation of the tines 16A, 16B and the follower <NUM> moves along the second cam surface <NUM> when the tines 16A, 16B are in the second position in the rotation path RP. As the follower <NUM> transitions from moving along the first cam surface <NUM> to moving along the second cam surface <NUM>, the follower <NUM> causes the tine bar <NUM>, and thus the coupled tines 16A, 16B, to pivot about a tine bar axis TA so the tines 16A, 16B pivot into the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM>, i.e., so the tines 16A, 16B are disposed in the guide slots <NUM>. As illustrated, the tines 16A, 16B may still be in the tine slots <NUM> of the pickup band assembly <NUM> in the second position (and/or another position) as the tines 16A, 16B pivot to be disposed within the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM>. In some embodiments, the tines 16A, 16B are disposed in the tine slots <NUM> as the follower <NUM> moves along the first cam surface <NUM> and are disposed in the guide slots <NUM> as the follower <NUM> moves along the second cam surface <NUM>. It should be appreciated that the tines 16A, 16B may also be disposed in the tine slots <NUM> as the follower <NUM> moves along a section of the second cam surface <NUM>.

Referring specifically now to <FIG> and <FIG>, the pickup <NUM> is shown after the tines 16A, 16B have been rotated to a third position in the rotation path RP by the tine carrier <NUM> and are disposed further in the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM> so the tines 16A, 16B are disposed in the tapered section <NUM> of the guide slots <NUM>. As can be appreciated from <FIG> and <FIG>, the follower <NUM> has advanced further along the second cam surface <NUM> and cause pivoting of the tines 16A, 16B relative to the tine guide <NUM> so the tines 16A, 16B move further into the guide slots <NUM>. Due to the guide slots <NUM> having a smaller guide slot width GW in the tapered section <NUM>, the tines 16A, 16B are less free to deflect side-to-side while disposed in the tapered section <NUM>, which better supports the tines 16A, 16B when the tines 16A, 16B are disposed outside of the tine slots <NUM> (illustrated in <FIG>).

Referring now to <FIG>, the pickup <NUM> is shown after the tines 16A, 16B have been rotated to a fourth position in the rotation path RP by the tine carrier <NUM> and are disposed in the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM> but are outside any of the tine slots <NUM> of the pickup band assembly <NUM>. In the fourth position, the tines 16A, 16B are no longer supported against deflection by the pickup band assembly <NUM> and are instead supported against deflection in the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM>. In this respect, the tines 16A, 16B have pivoted into the tine guide <NUM>, which may rotate with the tines 16A, 16B by coupling to the tine carrier <NUM>, in the fourth position and have rotated out of the tine slots <NUM> of the pickup band assembly <NUM>. The pivoting of the tines 16A, 16B into the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM> may be due to the tine bar <NUM> coupling to the follower <NUM>, which follows the cam <NUM>. When the tines 16A, 16B are in the fourth position, the follower <NUM> may still be moving along the second cam surface <NUM>. It should be appreciated that while the tines 16A, 16B are illustrated and described as pivoting into the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM>, in some embodiments the tine guide <NUM> is pivotable between various positions so the tine guide <NUM> pivots between positions where the tines 16A, 16B are inside the guide slots <NUM> or outside the guide slots <NUM>. Further, in some embodiments the tine guide <NUM> is coupled to the reel <NUM>, such as to a shaft <NUM> of the reel <NUM> that rotates the tine carriers <NUM>, rather than to the tine carrier <NUM>. In some embodiments the tine guide <NUM> may be coupled to the reel <NUM>, such as to the tine bar <NUM> of the reel <NUM> that rotates the tine carrier(s) <NUM>, rather than to the tine carrier <NUM>. In some embodiments, the tine guide <NUM> may be coupled to the reel <NUM>, such as to the follower <NUM> of the reel <NUM> that rotates the tine carrier <NUM>, rather than to the tine carrier <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, the pickup <NUM> is illustrated after the tines 16A, 16B have been rotated to a fifth position in the rotation path RP by the tine carrier <NUM> and are transitioning from being disposed in the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM> to solely being disposed in the tine slots <NUM> of the pickup band assembly <NUM>. When the tines 16A, 16B are in the fifth position, the follower <NUM> may still be moving along the second cam surface <NUM> but approaching a transition to where the follower <NUM> moves along the first cam surface <NUM>. When the follower <NUM> transitions from moving along the second cam surface <NUM> and moves along the first cam surface <NUM>, the tines 16A, 16B further pivot to exit the guide slots <NUM> of the tine guide <NUM> and are disposed in the tine slots <NUM> of the pickup band assembly <NUM> but are no longer disposed in the guide slots <NUM>, as previously described and illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. It should be appreciated that the tine carrier <NUM> defines a carrier rotation axis RA and the rotation path RP of the tines 16A, 16B carried by the tine carrier <NUM> may be a <NUM> degree rotation about the carrier rotation axis RA. However, it should be further appreciated that, in some embodiments, the rotation path RP of the tines 16A, 16B is less than a <NUM> degree rotation about the carrier rotation axis RA.

Claim 1:
A pickup (<NUM>) for an agricultural vehicle (<NUM>), comprising:
a rotatable tine carrier (<NUM>);
a plurality of tines (16A, 16B) rotatably carried by the tine carrier (<NUM>) through a rotation path (RP);
a pickup band assembly (<NUM>) comprising a plurality of tine slots (<NUM>) in which the tines (16A, 16B) are disposed in a position in the rotation path (RP); and
a tine guide (<NUM>) comprising at least one guide slot (<NUM>), the tine guide (<NUM>) being rotatable with at least one of the tines (16A, 16B) such that the at least one tine (16A, 16B) is disposed in the at least one guide slot (<NUM>) in a position in the rotation path (RP) in which the at least one tine (16A, 16B) is outside any of the tine slots (<NUM>) of the pickup band assembly (<NUM>);
characterized by:
the at least one tine (16A, 16B) is not disposed in the at least one guide slot (<NUM>) in a position in the rotation path (RP) in which the at least one tine (16A, 16B) is disposed in one of the tine slots (<NUM>).