Patent ID: 8091326

Claim:
A combined baler/bale wrapper for forming and wrapping a cylindrical bale of material with wrapping material, the baler/bale wrapper comprising: a baler for forming a bale, the baler having a bale forming chamber within which the bale is formed, the bale forming chamber being substantially cylindrical having an inner circumferential periphery and defining a main central geometrical axis, a bale wrapping means comprising a bale support means for receiving a formed bale from the baler and for rotating the bale about a first wrapping axis, which coincides substantially with a central geometrical axis of the bale and extends substantially parallel to the main central geometrical axis defined by the bale forming chamber, and a carrier means carrying at least one wrapping material dispensing means for dispensing wrapping material onto the bale for wrapping thereof, the carrier means defining a locus of travel lying in a substantially vertical plane and extending around a second wrapping axis, the second wrapping axis extending substantially transversely of the first wrapping axis, each wrapping material dispensing means being moveable along the locus of travel around the second wrapping axis for dispensing the wrapping material onto the bale for wrapping thereof, and a transfer means adapted for transferring the bale from the baler to the bale wrapping means, the transfer means comprising a moveable portion of the baler, the moveable portion of the baler being operable in a bale forming position co-operating with the baler for defining the bale forming chamber, and the moveable portion of the baler being moveable from the bale forming position into the bale forming chamber in a generally upwardly direction for urging the bale in a generally upwardly outwardly direction from the bale forming chamber to the bale wrapping means.