Needle-protecting system for baler

Abstract

A baling machine according to the invention has a frame having walls defining an elongated compaction chamber having a front end provided with a transversely open intake to which a stream of crop is fed substantially continuously. At least one compacting member is periodically displaced in the chamber between a front position forward of the intake and a back position rearward of the intake by an appropriate drive so as to rearwardly compact crop in the chamber. A plurality of pushers are each displaceable between an advanced position projecting into the chamber and only partially blocking the intake and a retracted position substantially out of the chamber by a linkage that advances the pushers into their advanced position only when the member is rearward of the intake and of the pushers. Thus advance of the pushers into the advanced position immediately after movement of the compacting member rearward past the pushers parts the stream of crop between the pushers and compacting member. A plurality of tie needles engages across the chamber rearward of the pushers in the advanced position thereof so as to pull respective ties across only when the pushers are in the advanced position. Normally according to the invention each of the pushers is formed with a throughgoing guide hole and each of the needles can pass through a respective one of the holes in the advanced position of the respective pusher.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.