Remote reverse control for pick-up rotor
AssigneeNew Holland North America, Inc.
InventorsJohn H. Merritt, Lee S. Curley, Randall D. Kern, David M. Malloy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A baler having a baler frame, a main drive assembly that includes a starter roll drive shaft mounted to rotate on the baler frame, and a pick-up assembly connected to the baler frame is disclosed. The pick-up assembly has a reverse control apparatus for reversing the direction of rotation of a conveying rotor to disimpact any impacted plug of cut crop material from the rotor. The reverse control apparatus can be operated remotely from a tractor connected to the baler.
Claims12
A baler having a baler frame, a main drive assembly including a starter roll drive shaft mounted to rotate in a first direction on the baler frame, and a pick-up assembly connected to the baler frame, the pick-up assembly having a reverse control apparatus for a conveying rotor and further comprising:
- (a) a pick-up frame assembly connected to the baler frame;
- (b) a pick-up rotatably connected to the pick-up frame assembly;
- (c) a conveying rotor rotatably connected to the pick-up frame assembly;
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- (d) a pick-up drive assembly disposed on the pick-up frame assembly and connected to drive both the pick-up and the rotor, wherein the pick-up drive assembly comprises:
- (i) a rotatable first drive wheel disposed on the starter roll drive shaft;
- (ii) a clutch assembly operably connected to the first drive wheel, the clutch assembly having a first selective position to rotatingly engage the first drive wheel with the starter roll drive shaft and a second selective position to disengage the first drive wheel from the starter roll drive shaft;
- (iii) the reverse control apparatus comprising a hydraulic cylinder having a stroke with a first retracted position and a second extended position, the hydraulic cylinder connected at a first end to the pick-up frame assembly and connected at a second end to the clutch assembly, wherein when the hydraulic cylinder is in the second extended position the clutch assembly is in the second selective position, and when the hydraulic cylinder is in the first retracted position the clutch assembly is in the first selective position;
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- (iv) a second drive wheel rotatably connected to the pick-up frame assembly, the second drive wheel being connected to the first drive wheel by a flexible drive member so as to rotate in the first direction when the first drive wheel rotates in the first direction, and the second drive wheel is connected to rotate the rotor in a second direction, wherein the second drive wheel is connected to the second end of the hydraulic cylinder so as to rotate in a third direction that is the reverse of the first direction when the hydraulic cylinder is in the second extended position so that the second drive wheel rotates the rotor in a fourth direction that is the reverse of the second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.