Feed system cap for agricultural baler
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorEric R. Lang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A baler having a frame, a feed system coupled to the frame, a baling chamber for receiving crop from the feed system, and a plunger assembly reciprocally compressing the crop. The baling chamber defines an extrusion axis therethrough. The plunger assembly is at least partially positioned within and movable with respect to the baling chamber. The plunger assembly has at least a first plunger motion aligned with the extrusion axis. The baler also includes a feed system cap having at least a first cap motion aligned with the extrusion axis, the first cap motion being synchronized with the first plunger motion. At least one of the plunger assembly and the feed system cap has a second motion that is not aligned with the extrusion axis.
Claims13
A baler comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one wheel coupled to the frame proximate a bottom of the frame, the at least one wheel configured to provide traction on a support surface;
- a feed system coupled to the frame;
- a baling chamber for receiving crop from the feed system, the baling chamber defining an extrusion axis therethrough;
- a plunger assembly having a plunger configured for reciprocally compressing the crop, the plunger being at least partially positioned within and movable with respect to the baling chamber, the plunger having at least a first plunger motion aligned with the extrusion axis, wherein the plunger defines a bottom half and a top half, the bottom half closer to the at least one wheel than is the top half;
- and
- a feed system cap pivotably coupled to the bottom half of the plunger and having at least a first cap motion aligned with the extrusion axis;
- wherein during operation the first cap motion is synchronized with the first plunger motion, and at least one of the plunger and the feed system cap has a second motion that is not aligned with the extrusion axis.
A baler comprising:
- a frame;
- a feed system coupled to the frame;
- a baling chamber disposed at least partially above the feed system and configured for receiving crop from the feed system, wherein the feed system is configured to raise the crop directly into the baling chamber above against gravity such that the baling chamber is configured to receive the crop from below;
- the baling chamber defining an extrusion axis therethrough;
- a plunger assembly for compressing the crop, the plunger assembly having a plunger at least partially positioned within and movable with respect to the baling chamber;
- and
- a feed system cap pivotally coupled to the plunger assembly, the feed system cap having a roller moveable along a fixed track;
- wherein in operation the plunger is configured to present a first plunger motion aligned with the extrusion axis and a second plunger motion not aligned with the extrusion axis, wherein the second plunger motion proceeds about a pivot axis, and wherein the feed system cap is pivotally coupled to the plunger assembly about an articulation axis coincident with the pivot axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.