Agricultural feed bagger and method

A method for loading agricultural feed into a horizontally deployed bag comprising:

• providing an extruder rotor having an input hopper and an output tunnel, the input hopper having a capacity to hold feed;
• providing a buffer table having a capacity to hold feed that is larger than the capacity of the hopper;
• deploying the bag from the forward end of the tunnel towards a rearward end of the tunnel;
• unloading onto the buffer table an amount of feed that is greater than the capacity of the hopper;
• conveying the feed along the buffer table towards and into the hopper;
• automatically limiting a height of the feed from the buffer table before the feed enters the hopper;
• compacting the feed with the extruder rotor, from the tunnel forward end, into the tunnel between the forward and rearward ends;
• extruding the feed from the rearward end of the tunnel into the bag;
• lifting input feed with a loading elevator onto the buffer table;
• and
• automatically moving the loading elevator relative to the buffer table such that the loading elevator remains in substantially fixed position as the buffer table and extruder move due to the bag being filled.

An agricultural feed stock loading apparatus for loading feed into a feed bag, comprising:

• an extruder rotor having an input hopper and an output tunnel, the input hopper having a capacity to hold feed;
• a buffer table having a capacity to hold feed that is larger than the capacity of the hopper, the buffer table coupled to the input hopper;
• a height-limiting device mounted between a loading area of the buffer table and the hopper, and operable to automatically limit a height of the feed from the buffer table before the feed enters the hopper;
• a bag holder that holds the bag to be deployed from the forward end of the tunnel towards a rearward end of the tunnel;
• and
• a mechanism that moves the feed along the buffer table towards and into the hopper, wherein the tunnel comprises two parts that can be attached to one another in a first configuration suitable to fill a bag having a first diameter, and can be attached to one another in a second configuration suitable to fill a bag having a second diameter larger than the first diameter.

An agricultural feed stock loading apparatus for loading feed into a feed bag, comprising:

• an extruder rotor having an input hopper and an output tunnel, the input hopper having a capacity to hold feed;
• a buffer table having a capacity to hold feed that is larger than the capacity of the hopper, the buffer table coupled to the input hopper;
• a height-limiting device mounted between a loading area of the buffer table and the hopper, and operable to automatically limit a height of the feed from the buffer table before the feed enters the hopper;
• a bag holder that holds the bag to be deployed from the forward end of the tunnel towards a rearward end of the tunnel;
• a mechanism that moves the feed along the buffer table towards and into the hopper,
• a loading elevator operable to lift feed onto the buffer table;
• and
• an automatic moving mechanism that moves the loading elevator relative to the buffer table such that the loading elevator remains in substantially fixed position as the buffer table and extruder move due to the bag being filled.

An agricultural feed stock loading apparatus for loading feed into a feed bag, comprising:

• extruder means having an input hopper and an output tunnel, the input hopper having a capacity to hold feed;
• buffer means having a capacity to hold feed that is larger than the capacity of the hopper, the buffer means coupled to the input hopper;
• loading elevator means for lifting feed onto the buffer table;
• automatic moving means for moving the loading elevator means relative to the buffer means such that the loading elevator remains in substantially fixed position as the buffer means and extruder move due to the bag being filled;
• a bag holder that holds the bag to be deployed from the forward end of the tunnel towards a rearward end of the tunnel;
• and
• means for moving the feed along the buffer means towards and into the hopper.

An improved method for loading agricultural feed into a horizontally deployed bag comprising:

• providing an extruder rotor having an input hopper and an output tunnel, the input hopper having a capacity to hold feed;
• expanding the output tunnel from a first configuration suitable to fill a bag having a first diameter to a second configuration suitable to fill a bag having a second diameter larger than the first diameter;
• providing a buffer table having a capacity to hold feed that is larger than the capacity of the hopper;
• deploying the bag having the second diameter from the forward end of the tunnel towards a rearward end of the tunnel;
• unloading onto the buffer table an amount of feed that is greater than the capacity of the hopper;
• conveying the feed along the buffer table towards and into the hopper;
• compacting the feed with the extruder rotor, from the tunnel forward end, into the tunnel between the forward and rearward ends;
• and
• extruding the feed from the rearward end of the tunnel into the bag having the second diameter.

An improved method for loading agricultural feed into a horizontally deployed bag comprising:

• providing an extruder rotor having an input hopper and an output tunnel, the input hopper having a capacity to hold feed;
• providing a buffer table having a capacity to hold feed that is larger than the capacity of the hopper;
• deploying the bag from the forward end of the tunnel towards a rearward end of the tunnel;
• lifting input feed with a loading elevator onto the buffer table;
• and
• automatically moving the loading elevator relative to the buffer table such that the loading elevator remains in substantially fixed position as the buffer table and extruder move due to the bag being filled;
• unloading from the loading elevator onto the buffer table an amount of feed that is greater than the capacity of the hopper;
• conveying the feed along the buffer table towards and into the hopper;
• compacting the feed with the extruder rotor, from the tunnel forward end, into the tunnel between the forward and rearward ends;
• and
• extruding the feed from the rearward end of the tunnel into the bag.

An agricultural feed stock loading apparatus for loading feed into a feed bag, comprising:

• an extruder rotor having an input hopper and an output tunnel, the input hopper having a capacity to hold feed, wherein the tunnel comprises two parts that can be attached to one another in a first configuration suitable to fill a bag having a first diameter, and can be attached to one another in a second configuration suitable to fill a bag having a second diameter larger than the first diameter;
• a buffer table having a capacity to hold feed that is larger than the capacity of the hopper, the buffer table coupled to the input hopper;
• a bag holder that holds the bag to be deployed from the forward end of the tunnel towards a rearward end of the tunnel;
• and
• a mechanism that moves the feed along the buffer table towards and into the hopper.

An agricultural feed stock loading apparatus for loading feed into a feed bag, comprising:

• an extruder rotor having an input hopper and an output tunnel, the input hopper having a capacity to hold feed;
• a buffer table having a capacity to hold feed that is larger than the capacity of the hopper, the buffer table coupled to the input hopper;
• a loading elevator operable to lift feed onto the buffer table;
• an automatic moving mechanism that moves the loading elevator relative to the buffer table such that the loading elevator remains in substantially fixed position as the buffer table and extruder move due to the bag being filled;
• a bag holder that holds the bag to be deployed from the forward end of the tunnel towards a rearward end of the tunnel;
• and
• a mechanism that moves the feed along the buffer table towards and into the hopper.