Over-center linkage system for an agricultural accumulator

An accumulator coupled to an agricultural baler, the agricultural baler configured to form a crop package within a formation chamber of the agricultural baler and discharge the formed crop package downstream of the formation chamber, the accumulator comprising:

• an accumulator frame coupled to a wheel supported on a surface;
• a carriage coupled to the accumulator frame for movement between a first position and a second position, the carriage configured to receive and support the formed crop package discharged from the agricultural baler when the carriage is in the first position, the carriage configured to discharge the crop package from the accumulator when the carriage is in the second position;
• and
• an over-center linkage system coupled between the accumulator frame and the carriage, the over-center linkage system configured to lock the carriage in the first position.

An accumulator coupled to an agricultural baler, the accumulator configured to support a crop package exiting the baler, the accumulator comprising:

• an accumulator frame coupled to a wheel supported on a surface;
• a carriage including a platform pivotably coupled to the accumulator frame about a first rotational axis for movement between a first position and a second position, the platform configured to receive and support the crop package discharged from the agricultural baler when the platform is in the first position, the platform configured to discharge the crop package from the accumulator when the platform is in the second position;
• and
• a linkage system having a second rotational axis, the linkage system including an actuator coupled between the accumulator frame and the second rotational axis and a linkage member coupled between the second rotational axis and the carriage;
• wherein the actuator is operable to move the linkage member about the second rotational axis to move the platform about the first rotational axis.

An accumulator coupled to an agricultural baler and moveable along a surface at a first linear velocity, the agricultural baler configured to form a crop package within a formation chamber of the agricultural baler and discharge the formed crop package downstream of the formation chamber, the accumulator comprising:

• an accumulator frame coupled to a wheel supported on a surface;
• a carriage pivotably coupled to the accumulator frame about a first rotational axis for movement between a first position and a second position, the carriage configured to receive and support the formed crop package discharged from the agricultural baler when the carriage is in the first position, the carriage configured to discharge the crop package from the accumulator when the carriage is in the second position;
• and
• an over-center linkage system coupled between the accumulator frame and the carriage, the over-center linkage system configured to move the carriage between the first and second positions and to control an angular velocity of the carriage as the carriage moves from the first position to the second position.