Bagging machines and methods for adjustably controlling packing density

An adjustable density control apparatus for use with a bagging machine for bagging agricultural, compost, or other loose materials for storage and/or composting into an elongate bag coupled to the bagging machine and extending rearward from a material forming enclosure of the bagging machine to a closed end of the bag, wherein the bagging machine is adapted to move forward as loose material is packed into the bag, the density control apparatus comprising:

• a screw anchor assembly adapted to be operatively coupled to the bagging machine, to extend rearwardly within the material forming enclosure, and to engage material packed within the material forming enclosure, wherein the screw anchor assembly engaged in the packed material is adapted to apply an anchoring force to the bagging machine against the forward movement thereof;
• a weigh bar assembly operatively coupled to the screw anchor assembly and adapted to measure the anchoring force applied to the bagging machine;
• a variable speed motor operatively coupled to the screw anchor assembly and including a rotor adapted to rotate the screw anchor assembly at a variable rotational speed to vary the anchoring force applied to the bagging machine;
• and
• a rotor control assembly operatively coupled to the weigh bar and to the variable speed motor adapted to monitor the anchoring force applied to the bagging machine and to enable control of the motor to vary the screw anchor assembly rotational speed to obtain a desired anchoring force during bagging operations.

A bagging machine for bagging agricultural, compost, or other materials into an elongate bag for storage and/or composting, the elongate bag having an open end and a closed end, the bagging machine comprising:

• a mobile frame having a forward end and a rearward end;
• a material forming enclosure operatively coupled to the mobile frame adjacent the rearward end thereof and extending rearwardly therefrom, wherein the material forming enclosure is adapted to receive the open end of the elongate bag;
• a rotary packing apparatus adapted to move loose material into the material forming enclosure and into the elongate bag;
• wherein the bagging machine is adapted to move forward as the loose material is packed into the bag against the closed end thereof;
• a hopper adapted to receive loose material and direct the loose material to the rotary packing apparatus;
• a screw anchor assembly adapted to be operatively coupled to the bagging machine, to extend rearwardly within the material forming enclosure, and to engage material packed within the material forming enclosure, wherein the screw anchor assembly engaged in the packed material is adapted to apply an anchoring force to the bagging machine against the forward movement thereof;
• a weigh bar assembly operatively coupled to the screw anchor assembly and adapted to measure the anchoring force applied to the bagging machine;
• and
• a variable speed motor operatively coupled to the screw anchor assembly and including a rotor adapted to selectively rotate the screw anchor assembly to selectively vary the anchoring force applied to the bagging machine.

A method of controlling the packing density of agricultural, compost, or other loose materials being packed into an elongate bag for storage and/or composting, wherein the material is packed by a bagging machine coupled to an elongate bag extending rearwardly from a material forming enclosure of the bagging machine to a closed end of the bag, wherein the bagging machine is adapted to move forward as loose material is packed into the bag, the density control method comprising:

• operatively coupling a screw anchor assembly to the bagging machine, wherein the screw anchor assembly includes a screw anchor that extends rearwardly within the material forming enclosure, and wherein the screw anchor is adapted to engage material packed within the material forming enclosure;
• operating the bagging machine to pack loose material into the material forming enclosure and into the elongate bag;
• applying an anchoring force to the bagging machine against the forward movement thereof by the engagement of the screw anchor in the packed material;
• measuring the anchoring force applied to the bagging machine by the screw anchor engaged in the packed material;
• determining a target anchoring force;
• and
• selectively rotating the screw anchor to maintain the measured anchoring force within a predetermined range of the target anchoring force.