Baling device for agricultural crops

A device for baling a crop such as grass or the like, comprising in combination:

• a mobile frame defining a generally horizontal baling chamber having an end wall against which the crop is to be compressed and having an inlet opening spaced from said end wall;
• a ram reciprocable within said baling chamber toward and away from said end wall and drive means for reciprocating said ram between a retracted position clearing said inlet opening and an extended position adjacent said end wall;
• an auxiliary chamber communicating at one end with said inlet opening and crop pick-up and feeding means at the other end of said auxiliary chamber for continuously feeding crop which is picked up into said auxiliary chamber;
• transfer means for periodically transferring crop accumulated in said auxiliary chamber into said baling chamber, said transfer means being driven by said drive means in one direction only whereby said crop transfer is effected during retracting movement of said ram;
• and
• at least one retaining member movable into said baling chamber in response to movement of said ram from its extended position and movable out of said baling chamber only when said ram is substantially in its extended position to retain the crop in compressed state as the ram moves toward said retracted position and to engage crop being compressed by the ram until said ram moves into said extended position.