Offset pickup tines to improve feeding pick up

A pickup mechanism for feeding a bale chamber of a baler comprising:

• at least one auger and a crop feed mechanism having a plurality of crop conveying extending members;
• a plurality of tine bars extending transversely across a pickup assembly housing located forward of the feed mechanism, each tine bar comprising
• a longitudinal length and axis of rotation, a central portion, two end portions, a leading edge, and a trailing edge;
• a plurality of pickup tines including both elongate spaced-apart sets of first and second tines;
• the plurality of elongate spaced-apart first tines connected to a trailing edge of each of the pickup tine bars at the end portions, the first tines extending outward from the tine bars;
• the plurality of elongate spaced-apart second tines connected to a leading edge of each of the pickup tine bars at the central portion, the second tines extending outward from the tine bars;
• a pickup drive shaft coupled to the pickup tine bars via a cam assembly, wherein the tine bars rotate about the pickup drive shaft and the cam assembly causes rotation of the tine bars about the tine bar axis of rotation;
• and
• the mounting of the first tines to the trailing edge of the tine bar and the mounting of the second tines to the leading edge of the tine bar comprises an offset mounting of the tines on each tine bar, the offset mounting of the tines allowing the second tines in the center portion to move a crop closer to the feed mechanism and further rearward than the first tines positioned forward of the at least one auger.

A pickup mechanism for use with a feeder assembly of a baler or crop harvester, the pick-up mechanism comprising:

• a pickup assembly having a feed opening;
• a plurality of tine bars extending transversely across the pickup assembly, each tine bar comprising a longitudinal length and axis of rotation, a central portion, two end portions, a leading edge, and a trailing edge;
• an off-set mounting of the pickup tines to the tine bar, the offset mounting comprising:
• a plurality of elongate spaced-apart auger tines connected to a trailing edge of each of the pickup tine bars at the end portions, the auger tines extending outward from the tine bars;
• a plurality of elongate spaced-apart rotor tines connected to a leading edge of each of the pickup tine bars at the central portion, the rotor tines extending outward from the tine bars;
• a rotor positioned downstream to the pickup tine bars, said rotor spaced apart from said pickup tine bar and defining a space therebetween;
• a pickup drive shaft operatively coupled to the pickup tine bars via a support with a bearing, wherein the tine bars are driven by and rotate about the pickup drive shaft and cam followers at the end of each tine bar engage a cam track mounted on the pickup assembly thereby causing the tine bars to rotate in the bearings on the support about the tine bar axis of rotation;
• and
• a transfer position wherein the pickup rotor tines of one of the tine bars are in close proximity to the rotor in the center of the pickup assembly and the pickup auger tines of the same tine bar are in close proximity to augers at the ends of the pickup assembly.

A method of constructing a pickup of an agricultural baler having an offset tine arrangement, the method comprising:

• providing a tine bar comprising a longitudinal length, a central portion, two end portions, a leading edge, and a trailing edge that is opposite the leading edge on the tine bar, the tine bar having an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal length;
• connecting a plurality of elongate spaced-apart first tines to the trailing edge of the tine bar in the end portions;
• offsetting the pickup tines by connecting a plurality of elongate spaced-apart second tines to the leading edge of the tine bar in the central portion;
• and
• the second tines are located forward of and aligned laterally with a secondary crop feed mechanism of the baler and the first tines are forward of and aligned laterally with augers, the secondary crop feed mechanism being offset rearward of at least one of the augers.