Method and apparatus for forage processing

An apparatus for processing forage in a manner accelerating its drying process comprising:

• a gathering means (1) for stalk material,
• a prechamber (5) downstream of said gathering means (1);
• a pressing means (7), including pressing elements (7a, 7b) downstream of said prechamber (5);
• a sensor in said prechamber (5) upstream of said pressing means (7) for monitoring the accumulated quantity of stalk material,
• a variable speed drive means (16) connected in driving relation to said pressing means (7),
• a control means (20) for said drive means (16) connected to said sensor and operative to set the speed of said drive means (16) in dependence on the quantity of stalk material sensed by said sensor,
• a pickup (26) operative to deliver a signal to said control means (20) indicative of the mat length,
• a vertically acting cutting means (13) downstream of said pressing means (7) disposed transverse to the direction of motion of said mat of stalk material,
• said control means (20) being connected to said cutting means (13) and operative to actuate said cutting means (13) when said sensor delivers a prechamber empty signal to said control means (20), said control means (20) also actuating said cutting means (13) when said pick up (26) delivers a predetermined mat length signal to said control means (20).

An apparatus for processing forage in a manner accelerating its drying process, comprising:

• a gathering means (1) for stalk material,
• a prechamber (5) downstream of said gathering means (1),
• a pressing means (7) including pressing elements (7a, 7b) downstream of said prechamber (5),
• a sensor in said prechamber (5) upstream of said pressing means (7) for monitoring the accumulated quantity of stalk material,
• a variable speed drive means (16) connected in driving relation to said pressing means (7),
• a control means (20) for said drive means (16) connected to said sensor and operative to set the speed of said drive means in dependence on the quantity of stalk material sensed by said sensor, and
• a processor (9) aligning stalks including plates (11) with needles (10) attached thereto, said needles (10) moving transversely to the conveyance direction of said mat of stalk material, each of said needles (10) having at least one driving hook (32).

An apparatus for processing freshly cut forage to accelerate its drying process comprising:

• a gathering means (1) for stalk material,
• a prechamber (5) downstream of said gathering means (1),
• a pressing means (7), including pressing elements (7a, 7b) downstream of said prechamber (5) operable to produce a mat of stalk material,
• a sensor in said prechamber (5) upstream of said pressing means (7) operative to monitor the accumulated quantity of stalk material,
• a continuously adjustable drive means (16) connected in driving relation to said pressing means (7) and
• a control means (20) connected in controlling relating to said drive means (16), said control means being connected in signal receiving relation to said sensor and operative to set the speed of said drive means in dependence on the quantity of stalk material sensed by said sensor whereby said drive means speeds up said pressing means when said sensor senses a predetermined increase in the quantity of stalk material in said prechamber and slows down said pressing means when said sensor senses a predetermined decrease in the quantity of stalk material in said prechamber.