US 5,323,591 AGranted

Bale sheathing method and apparatus

AssigneeB.A.G. Corp.

InventorsLarry Inman, Walter L. Jay

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A machine for sheathing bales of material such as hay, straw and the like. The machine has radially adjustable posts mounted on a polygon frame to stretch a resilient sheath for the free insertion of the bales. The polygon frame is configured with vertical sides that closely conform to the width dimension of the largest sheath in its stretched condition. The machine width is dictated by the frame width, i.e., the distance between the vertical sides and accordingly the machine has a width only as needed to accommodate the designated bale size, the restricted width being desirable for shipping and towing. Tandem wheels are provided on each side of the machine with the wheels strategically mounted in relation to the polygon frame to resist the tilting forces on the machine resulting from the weight of the bales.

A movable bale bagging machine adapted to travel along the length of a row of bales and to insert rounded bales of a designated size and having a designated width determined approximately at the mid point of the height of the bale, into an elastic bag held open by a plurality of posts, said machine comprising;

a carriage,
a support frame mounted on said carriage and defining an opening through which the bales are directed, said frame having outer dimensions that are determined by the size of the largest bales to be bagged, and said outer dimensions determining the width of the bagging machine,
bale guiding structure supported by said carriage for engaging and guiding bales into and through said opening, a bale bottom support provided on the bale guiding structure for supporting the bales as they are directed through the frame,
a plurality of bag supporting posts, support members movably mounted on said frame, said posts mounted on said support members for movement inwardly and outwardly relative to the opening through the frame for receiving and opening an elastic bag in which the bales are to be deposited, and a power source for selective powered movement of said support members and posts carried thereby,
said frame including a plurality of sides interconnected to form a polygon shape having a pair of opposed vertical sides, said vertical sides spaced apart a distance sufficient to accommodate the bales of said designated size and defining the dimensional width of the frame, said vertical sides extending above and below the mid point of said bales, and certain of said support members positioned on said frame for movable positioning of certain of said posts to positions adjacent said vertical sides and above and below said mid point of said bales, and other of said support members positioned on said sides other than said vertical sides for positioning posts carried thereby for cooperatively receiving and forcing open the elastic bag sufficient for passage therethrough of said bales.

2 more elements

Facts

Application

07/882,690Filed 11 May 1992 · continuation in part

Priority

16 Sep 1991

Granted

28 Jun 1994

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

A01F 25/14
Storing agricultural or horticultural produce; Hanging-up harvested fruit: containers specially adapted for storing
A01F 15/071
Rotobalers, i.e. machines for forming cylindrical bales by winding and pressing: wrapping devices
A01F 2025/142
Containers specially adapted for storing: machinery for making sausage-like groups of bales by wrapping or bagging
A01F
Processing of harvested produce

Abstract

Claims7