The present invention provides a system for processing a bale of straw to provide a hurd fraction, a fiber fraction and a dust fraction. The system comprises a bale cutting assembly configured to cut the bale into a plurality of vertically stacked cut bale segments by making one or more horizontal cuts through the bale and to eject a lowermost one of the plurality of the cut bale segments onto a first conveyor assembly, which separates the bale segment into straw wafers and convey them into a flail assembly comprising a plurality of flails/beaters to convert straw wafers into loose straw. The loose straw are discharged into a grinding assembly via a second conveyor assembly, to provide a mixture of hurd, fiber and dust. A separation assembly receives and separate the mixture of hurd, fiber and dust into the hurd fraction, the fiber fraction and the dust fraction.

The present invention relates to a bale cutting apparatus comprising attachment means for coupling the apparatus to a prime mover and a cutting means to cut through a bale containing fodder. The apparatus has cutting means that is operable to retain the bale against a stop member and cut through the bale such that the fodder is discharged from the bale and any bale covering materials are retained by the apparatus. The present invention eliminates the need to separately remove any covering materials in which the fodder is wrapped.

A shredding and baling apparatus provided includes a shredding assembly operatively connected to a baling assembly via a conveyor. A rotatable drum with cutting teeth spirally arranged along the drum is preferably centered within a lower portion of an intake hopper for cutting through material as it is fed into the hopper. Fixed cutting teeth are preferably arranged in a row or rows along each of the longitudinal sidewalls of the hopper, adjacent the cutting drum. A touch screen display and computer may be used in combination with sensors to monitor and control the shredding and baling operation, and a hydraulic system is used to drive the components. The shredding and baling assembly is preferably designed in an industrial size to handle high volumes of material and may be driven or transported from one location to another.

A straw processing system includes a straw pickup assembly, a straw chopper, and a straw distribution system. The straw pickup assembly picks up straw and passes it to the straw chopper for producing a straw feed stream flowing in a feed direction. The straw distribution system has a chamber with a feed inlet for receiving the straw feed stream, a central outlet, and at least a first outlet. The straw distribution system diverts at least a first fraction of straw from the straw feed into the first outlet in a first direction which is divergent from the feed direction. The central outlet discharges a fraction of the straw feed stream that continues to flow in the feed direction.

A method of loading bales into a bale processing chamber of a bale processor. The bale processing chamber is mounted on a chamber frame mounted on wheels for travel on a ground surface in a forward operating travel direction. A bale fork is pivotally mounted on the chamber frame such that in a lowered position the bale fork is oriented substantially horizontally and rests on the ground surface. The chamber frame is moved rearward such that the bale fork slides under a bale resting on the ground surface with a bale axis oriented substantially horizontally in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the operating travel direction. The bale fork and the bale supported thereon are raised above the ground surface. The bale fork is turned such that the bale axis turns to a second direction substantially parallel to the operating travel direction while maintaining the bale rearward of the bale processing chamber. The bale fork is raised to a raised position where the bale falls into the bale processing chamber with the bale axis oriented in the second direction.

The invention relates to a bale breaker (1) for a bale (2) of hay, straw, litter and/or fodder, comprising support means (3) for the bale (2) and breaker means (4) adapted to detach hay, straw, litter and/or fodder from a bale (2) provided on the support means (3) and to transport it to discharge means (5) arranged downstream of the breaker means (4), wherein feed means (6) for feeding a bale (2) provided on the support means (3) in a feed direction (Z) toward the disintegrating means (4) are associated with the support means (3), and wherein feed drive means (7) for driving the feed means (6) and disintegrating drive means (8) for driving the disintegrating means (4) are further provided, wherein control devices (9) are associated with the feed drive devices (7) and/or the opening drive devices (8) and/or the discharge devices (5), which are designed to control the feed drive devices (7) and/or the opening drive devices (8) and/or the discharge devices (5) in such a way that a malfunction or disturbance, such as in particular a jam or a blockage by the bale (2), in particular at the opening devices (4) and/or the discharge devices (5), is avoided or eliminated. Furthermore, the invention relates to a bale unraveling method in which a bale (2) of hay, straw, litter and/or fodder is transported on support devices (3) by means of their feed devices (6) driven by feed drive devices (7) to unraveling devices (4) driven by unraveling drive devices (8), which unravel hay, straw, litter and/or fodder from the bale (2) and transport it to output devices (5), wherein the feed drive devices (7) and/or the unraveling drive devices (8) and/or the dispensing devices (5) are controlled by means of control devices (9) in such a way that a malfunction or disturbance, such as in particular a jam or a blockage by the bale (2), in particular at the unraveling devices (4) and/or the dispensing devices (5), is avoided or eliminated.

In at least one embodiment, a bale feeder assembly is provided comprising a housing having side walls and a feed assembly disposed between the side walls. The feed assembly has a proximal end and a distal end, and is structured to move a bale of material. The bale feeder also has a movable platform connected to the proximal end of the feed assembly to move the bale along the housing, and wherein the movable platform is rotatable between a generally horizontal position and a generally perpendicular position relative to the housing. The bale feeder also has a shredder disposed adjacent the distal end of the feed assembly to shred the bale, the feed assembly being disposed at an angle such that the proximal end is in a plane spaced below a plane the distal end is disposed in and the feed assembly with the movable platform is capable of moving a bale of material or a portion of a bale of material towards the shredder for shredding.

An apparatus for disintegrating large rectangular bales of forage or bedding material and reforming the disintegrated material into small rectangular bales includes an inclined conveyor having spikes projecting therefrom to remove slices of material from the large bale and a spiked roller to move the slice rearwardly onto a tumbler bed that receives the slice and affects disintegration thereof. The tumbler bed includes a plurality of transverse assemblies having disks interleaving with the disks on adjacent assemblies, each assembly rotating faster than the assembly immediately forwardly thereof. The disintegrated material falls through the tumbler bed as discrete components that land on a collecting conveyor that conveys the material rearwardly to a small rectangular baler for repackaging. The apparatus further includes a hold-down mechanism that presses the slices toward the tumbler bed to enhance disintegration. An approach conveyor feeds the large rectangular bales loaded thereon to the inclined conveyor for processing.

A three-point bale spreader attachable to a tractor includes an arm capable of lifting a bale into a processing chamber. A pair of rotors with a plurality of flail knives is rotated to shred the bale. A conveyor feeds the bale into the rotating rotors, while a door can be opened to varying degrees to allow the shredded material to exit the bale spreader.

A method of loading bales into a bale processing chamber of a bale processor. The bale processing chamber is mounted on a chamber frame mounted on wheels for travel on a ground surface in a forward operating travel direction. A bale fork is pivotally mounted on the chamber frame such that in a lowered position the bale fork is oriented substantially horizontally and rests on the ground surface. The chamber frame is moved rearward such that the bale fork slides under a bale resting on the ground surface with a bale axis oriented substantially horizontally in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the operating travel direction. The bale fork and the bale supported thereon are raised above the ground surface. The bale fork is turned such that the bale axis turns to a second direction substantially parallel to the operating travel direction while maintaining the bale rearward of the bale processing chamber. The bale fork is raised to a raised position where the bale falls into the bale processing chamber with the bale axis oriented in the second direction.