Agricultural baler with partial bale eject
OwnerRonald Biebuyck, Frederik Demon +2inventors
InventorsRonald Biebuyck, Frederik Demon, Johan Dulst, Kenny Maelfeyt
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Abstract
An agricultural baler includes a main bale chamber, a bale ejection system and a partial bale ejection system. The partial bale ejection system, incorporated in the floor of the main bale chamber, is arranged to move and eject a rearward bale proximate to the outlet of the main bale chamber. The partial bale ejection system having an actuator for moving the rearward bale and at least one tine that is pushed into the rearward bale prior to the actuator pushing the rearward bale alone toward and out the outlet.
Claims20
An agricultural baler comprising:
- a main bale chamber for the compressing of crop material into bales, the main bale chamber having a floor and an outlet for discharge of compressed crop material in the form of bales;
- a bale ejection system at least partially incorporated in the floor for moving the bales substantially throughout the main bale chamber;
- and
- a partial bale ejection system at least partially incorporated in the floor for moving a bale out the outlet, the partial bale ejection system arranged to move and eject a rearward bale proximate to the outlet of the main bale chamber, the partial bale ejection system being operable independent of the bale ejection system, the partial bale ejection system comprising:
- a tine extension/retraction device including sliding members;
- an actuator coupled to the tine extension/retraction device for moving the rearward bale, the actuator comprising an actuation member;
- and
- at least one tine that is pushed into the rearward bale by the tine extension/retraction device prior to the actuator moving the rearward bale alone toward and out the outlet, the at least one tine being pivotally coupled to the actuation member about one pivot, the at least one tine also being pivotally coupled to the sliding members about an other pivot,
- wherein the actuation member of the actuator slides between the sliding members of the tine extension/retraction device to pivot the at least one tine.
A partial bale ejection system for use with an agricultural baler having a bale ejection system, the partial bale ejection system at least partially incorporated in a floor of the baler for moving a rearward bale out of an outlet, the partial bale ejection system comprising:
- a tine extension/retraction device comprising sliding members;
- an actuator for moving the rearward bale, the actuator being coupled to the tine extension/retraction device, the actuator comprising an actuation member;
- and
- at least one tine that is pushed into the rearward bale by the tine extension/retraction device prior to the actuator moving the rearward bale alone toward and out the outlet,
- wherein the actuation member of the actuator slides between the sliding members of the tine extension/retraction device to pivot the at least one tine, the partial bale ejection system being operable independent of the bale ejection system, the at least one tine being pivotally coupled to the actuation member about one pivot, the at least one tine also being pivotally coupled to the sliding members about an other pivot.
A method of operating a partial bale ejection system of an agricultural baler, comprising the steps of:
- extending at least one tine into a rearward bale by sliding an actuation member of an actuator between sliding members of a tine extension/retraction device to pivot the at least one tine, the actuator being parallel with the sliding members, the extending at least one tine step operating independent of an operation of a bale ejection system in the agricultural baler, the at least one tine being pivotally coupled to the actuation member about one pivot, the at least one tine also being pivotally coupled to the sliding members about an other pivot;
- extending the sliding members to eject the rearward bale;
- retracting the at least one tine;
- and
- retracting the sliding members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.