Continuous bale forming apparatus with a reciprocating bale pushing device

A bale forming apparatus for forming cylindrical bales of material, the bale forming apparatus comprising:

• an intake device with an outlet;
• a bale forming device;
• a bale supporting construction;
• a bale pushing device;
• a pivotal guiding member;
• and
• several further guiding members,
• wherein the bale forming device comprises a bale forming mechanism adapted for surrounding a bale forming chamber adjacent to the outlet,
• wherein the guiding members are adapted for guiding the bale forming mechanism,
• wherein the intake device is adapted for conveying material through the outlet into the bale forming chamber,
• wherein the bale forming device is adapted for forming a bale from material conveyed in the bale forming chamber by means of the bale forming mechanism,
• wherein the bale supporting construction is adapted for carrying a bale which has been formed in the bale forming chamber,
• wherein the bale pushing device is pivotally mounted such that the bale pushing device can be pivoted around a pivoting axis into a pushing start position and from the pushing start position in a pushing direction into a pushing end position and back from the pushing end position into the pushing start position and performs a reciprocating movement when being pivoted from the pushing start position via the pushing end position back into the pushing start position,
• wherein the bale pushing device is arranged such that pivoting the bale pushing device from the pushing start position in the pushing direction pushes a bale formed in the bale forming chamber away from the outlet and onto the bale supporting construction,
• wherein the pivotal guiding member is pivotally mounted and can be pivoted into a guiding position,
• wherein the bale forming apparatus is adapted such that pivoting the bale pushing device into the pushing end position causes the pivotal guiding member to be pivoted into the guiding position and pivoting the bale pushing device back from the pushing end position into the pushing start position moves the bale pushing device towards the outlet, and
• wherein the pivotal guiding member in the guiding position contributes to guiding the bale forming mechanism such that a bale forming chamber surrounded by the bale forming mechanism and adapted for forming a further bale is also provided when the bale support construction carries a bale.