Patent ID: 7181898

Claim:
A machine for collecting and pressing a crop to roll-shaped bales, the machine comprising: a crop collecting device; a bale-forming device defining a winding chamber that is arranged downstream of the crop collecting device and adapted to be opened; wherein the bale-forming device is adapted to be transported on a chassis; a first and a second stationary deflection devices, wherein the bale-forming device is guided about the at least first and second stationary deflection devices and wherein the bale forming device has a load run extending from the first stationary deflection device to the second stationary deflection device and a return run extending from the second stationary deflection device to the first stationary deflection device; stationary guides positioned along the load run between the first and second stationary deflection devices; wherein the load run of the bale-forming device, during a first bale-forming phase, travels along a spatially determined movement path that is determined by the stationary guides on which stationary guides the load run is supported during the first bale-forming phase; wherein the load run of the bale-forming device is lifted off the stationary guides during a second bale-forming phase by a growing bale diameter of a bale that is being formed during the second bale-forming phase; and wherein, for compressing the bale formed during the second bale-forming phase after the bale has reached a preset bale diameter, the bale-forming device exerts on the bale in a compression phase a compression force in a direction from the exterior to the interior of the bale.