Corn stalk baling method and apparatus

An apparatus for baling a crop comprising:

• a frame having a front and a rear;
• at least one ground engaging wheel operatively attached to the frame for facilitating movement of the frame in a forward direction;
• an accumulator operatively attached to the frame for holding said crop in various amounts;
• a pickup of a first predetermined width operatively attached to the front of the frame for picking up the crop from a top surface of a field and transferring the crop into the accumulator, the pickup having an inlet and an outlet;
• a baler operatively attached to the frame behind the accumulator for transforming a crop into a bale, said baler having an inlet for receiving the crop prior to baling the crop and a baling chamber of a second predetermined width that is significantly larger than said first predetermined width;
• and
• a transfer mechanism for moving the crop in the accumulator to the inlet of the baler wherein the transfer mechanism comprises:
• a first transfer mechanism part operatively attached to one side of the accumulator and to one side of the baler inlet for transferring crop from the accumulator to the baler inlet, the first transfer mechanism part having at least a selective first speed and a second speed of transfer;
• and
• a second transfer mechanism part operatively attached to another side of the accumulator and to another side of the baler inlet for transferring crop from the accumulator to the baler inlet, the second transfer mechanism part having at least a selective first speed and a second speed of transfer, whereby conveying of crop from the accumulator to the baler can be selectively different for the purpose of attempting to make the diameter of the bale the same size on both ends of the bale while the bale is being made.

An apparatus for baling a crop comprising:

• a frame having a front and a rear;
• at least one ground engaging wheel operatively attached to the frame for facilitating movement of the frame in a forward direction;
• an accumulator operatively attached to the frame for holding said crop in various amounts;
• a pickup of a first predetermined width operatively attached to the front of the frame and disposed directly in front of the accumulator for picking up the crop from a top surface of a field and transferring the crop into the accumulator, the pickup having an inlet and an outlet;
• a baler operatively attached to the frame behind the accumulator for transforming a crop into a bale, said baler having an inlet for receiving the crop prior to baling the crop and a baling chamber of a second predetermined width that is significantly larger than said first predetermined width and wherein the second predetermined width is at least twenty percent larger than the first predetermined width;
• a transfer mechanism for moving the crop in the accumulator to the inlet of the baler;
• and
• wherein the first predetermined width of the pickup is within a range of four to five feet and the second predetermined width of the baling chamber is within a range of eight to twelve feet.

An apparatus for baling a crop comprising:

• a frame having a front and a rear;
• at least one ground engaging wheel operatively attached to the frame for facilitating movement of the frame in a forward direction;
• an accumulator operatively attached to the frame for holding said crop in various amounts;
• a pickup of a first predetermined width operatively attached to the front of the frame and disposed directly in front of the accumulator for picking up the crop from a top surface of a field and transferring the crop into the accumulator, the pickup having an inlet and an outlet;
• a baler operatively attached to the frame behind the accumulator for transforming a crop into a bale, said baler having an inlet for receiving the crop prior to baling the crop and a baling chamber of a second predetermined width that is significantly larger than said first predetermined width and wherein the second predetermined width is at least twenty percent larger than the first predetermined width;
• a transfer mechanism for moving the crop in the accumulator to the inlet of the baler;
• and
• wherein the first predetermined width of the pickup is within a range of four to five feet and the second predetermined width of the baling chamber is within a range of eight to ten feet.