System and method for recompressing round bales into square bales

A round baler, comprising:

• a baling chamber for forming a round bale;
• a bale recompression system to receive the round bale and to recompress the round bale into a square bale, the bale recompression system includes an actuation system for moving the movable platen to recompress the round bale;
• and
• a transfer table coupled to the bale recompression system and configured to transfer the round bale to the bale recompression system;
• wherein the actuation system includes:
• one or more actuators;
• a first scissors linkage having a first link end coupled to a frame of the bale recompression system and having a second link end coupled to the movable platen;
• a second scissors linkage having a third link end coupled to the frame and having a fourth link end coupled to the movable platen;
• and
• a cross-member that interconnects the first scissors linkage and the second scissors linkage;
• wherein actuation of the one or more actuators pivots the first link end of the first scissors linkage and the third link end of the second scissors linkage relative to the frame and translates the movable platen from a first position to a second position;
• and
• wherein the first scissors linkage and the second scissors linkage are configured to maintain a fixed orientation of the movable platen in the first position and in the second position.

A method for moving a movable platen of a bale recompression system of a round baler having a baling chamber that forms a round bale, the bale recompression system configured to receive the round bale and to recompress the round bale into a square bale, the bale recompression system including an upper platen, the movable platen and a bottom platen that cooperate to recompress the round bale, and the bale recompression system includes an actuation system for moving the movable platen to recompress the round bale, the method comprising:

• actuating, by a first actuator, a first scissors linkage to translate a second link end coupled to a side of the movable platen relative to a first link end coupled to a frame of the bale recompression system;
• and
• actuating, by a second actuator, a second scissors linkage to translate a fourth link end coupled to a second side of the movable platen relative to a third link end coupled to the frame of the bale recompression system;
• wherein actuating the first actuator pivots the first link end of the first scissors linkage relative to the frame and actuating the second actuator pivots the third link end of the second scissors linkage relative to the frame and translates the movable platen from a first position to a second position;
• and
• wherein the first scissors linkage and the second scissors linkage are interconnected by a cross-member such that the side and the second side of the moveable platen translate substantially in unison to maintain a fixed orientation of the movable platen at the first position and the second position.

A round baler, comprising:

• a baling chamber that forms a round bale;
• and
• a bale recompression system to receive the round bale and to recompress the round bale into a square bale, the bale recompression system including an upper platen, a movable platen and a bottom platen that cooperate to recompress the round bale, and the bale recompression system includes an actuation system for moving the movable platen to recompress the round bale, the actuation system including:
• one or more actuators;
• a first scissors linkage having a first link end coupled to a frame of the bale recompression system and having a second link end coupled to the movable platen;
• a second scissors linkage having a third link end coupled to the frame and having a fourth link end coupled to the movable platen;
• and
• a cross-member that interconnects the first scissors linkage and the second scissors linkage;
• wherein actuation of the one or more actuator pivots the first link end of the first scissors linkage and the third link end of the second scissors linkage relative to the frame and translates the movable platen from a first position to a second position;
• and
• wherein the first scissors linkage and the second scissors linkage are configured to maintain a fixed orientation of the movable platen in the first position and in the second position.