Bale retriever for transporting a bale, work train comprising a round baler and a bale retriever, and method of discharging bales from a round baler of such work train

A work train comprising of:

• a round baler (2) comprising a accelerator (23), said accelerator (23) pivotable about an axis at a first end to allow the accelerator (23) to rotate downward upon weight of a bale (6);
• and
• a bale accumulator (1) that includes a carrying device (12) for carrying the bale (6), the carrying device (12) comprising retaining struts (121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126) which have in particular hollow profiles;
• wherein the carrying device (12) is adjustable into:
• a loading position (L) to pick up the bale (6), wherein in the loading position (L) a first strut (121) is rotated to a location at or near the ground adjacent a second end of the accelerator (28),
• a transport position (T) to transport the bale (6), wherein in the transport position (T) the first strut (121) is rotated away from the ground, and
• an unloading position (A) to discharge the bale (6) onto the ground (4), wherein in the unloading position (A) the first strut (121) is rotated further away from the ground;
• wherein the bale accumulator (1) has two wheels (16), wherein the carrying device (12) is mounted, as seen in a first spatial direction (52), at the height of or below a wheel axis (163) of a wheel (16) of the bale accumulator (1) and/or that the carrying device (12) is arranged between the two wheels (16) of the bale accumulator (1).

A method of unloading a first and a second bale (6, I;

• 6, II) from a round baler (2) of a work train having a bale accumulator (1) onto the ground (4) comprising:
• baling bales (6, I;
• 6, II) with a baling chamber (20) of the round baler (2), wherein the bale accumulator (1) is attached to the round baler (2);
• transferring the bales (6, 1;
• 6;
• II) via a rotatable accelerator (28) from the baling chamber (20) to a carrying device (12) connected to the round baler (2), said rotatable accelerator (28) pivotable about an axis at a first end to allow the accelerator (23) to rotate downward upon weight of a bale;
• carrying the first bale (6, I) during the formation of the second bale (6, II) with the carrying device (12);
• depositing the bales (6, 1;
• 6, II) at a same unloading position by the round baler (2);
• and
• pushing the second bale (6, II) against the first bale (6, I) during unloading.