WRAPPING DEVICE, BLOCKING DEVICE, BALER AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTMENT OF A BALER TO A WRAPPING MATERIAL

Abstract

A wrapping device for wrapping a bale with a wrapping material for a baler includes a separating device having a knife arrangement and a blocking device. The separating device is movable between at least one wrapping means separating position and an inactive position. The blocking device prevents the separating device from being moved into the wrapping means separating position.

Claims

1. A wrapping device for wrapping a bale with a wrapping material for a baler, comprising: a separating device having a knife arrangement, the separating device being movable between at least one wrapping means separating position and an inactive position; and at least one blocking device configured to prevent the separating device from being moved into the wrapping means separating position.

2. The wrapping device of claim 1, wherein the blocking device fixes the separating device in its inactive position.

3. The wrapping device of claim 1, wherein the blocking device blocks the separating device from moving from its inactive position.

4. The wrapping device of claim 1, wherein: the separating device comprises a drive; and the blocking device is configured to fix or block the drive in at least one position.

5. The wrapping device of claim 4, wherein the drive comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement.

6. The wrapping device of claim 5, wherein the blocking device blocks the piston in either a substantially retracted position or a substantially extended position.

7. The wrapping device of claim 1, wherein the blocking device comprises at least one pivot element fitted at one end pivotably about a pivot point on a frame of the separating device.

8. The wrapping device of claim 7, wherein a second end of the blocking device is configured to interact with the separating device.

9. The wrapping device of claim 7, wherein the pivot element is configured to engage with a piston of the separating device.

10. The wrapping device of claim 1, further comprising a spring means for loading the blocking device in a direction of a deactivated position in which the blocking device does not interact with the separating device or an active position in which the blocking device prevents the separating device from occupying the wrapping means separating position.

11. The wrapping device of claim 10, wherein the spring means engages on a pivot element of the blocking device at a fastening point located outside a pivot point such that the pivot point is arranged in the active position on one side of a line of action of the spring means and in the deactivated position on the other side of the line of action.

12. A baler for forming a bale, comprising: a wrapping device for wrapping the bale with a wrapping material; the wrapping device comprising a separating device having a knife arrangement, the separating device being movable between at least one wrapping means separating position and an inactive position; and at least one blocking device configured to prevent the separating device from being moved into the wrapping means separating position.

13. The baler of claim 12, wherein: the separating device comprises a drive; and the blocking device is configured to fix or block the drive in at least one position.

14. The baler of claim 13, wherein the drive comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement.

15. The baler of claim 14, wherein the blocking device blocks the piston in either a substantially retracted position or a substantially extended position.

16. The baler of claim 12, wherein the blocking device comprises at least one pivot element fitted at one end pivotally about a pivot point on a frame of the separating device, and a second end of the blocking device is configured to interact with the separating device.

17. The baler of claim 16, wherein the pivot element is configured to engage with a drive of the separating device.

18. The baler of claim 12, further comprising a spring means for loading the blocking device in a direction of a deactivated position in which the blocking device does not interact with the separating device or an active position in which the blocking device prevents the separating device from occupying the wrapping means separating position.

19. The baler of claim 18, wherein the spring means engages on a pivot element of the blocking device at a fastening point located outside a pivot point such that the pivot point is arranged in the active position on one side of a line of action of the spring means and in the deactivated position on the other side of the line of action.

20. A method for controllably wrapping a bale formed by a baler in a wrapping material, comprising: providing a wrapping device of the baler, a separating device having a knife arrangement, a blocking device comprising a pivot element fitted at one end pivotably about a pivot point on a frame of the separating device, and a spring means; transferring the blocking device to counter a load by the spring means; and moving the blocking device between a deactivated position and an active position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a baler with a wrapping device,

[0019] FIG. 2a is an enlarged schematic side view of the wrapping device of FIG. 1 with a blocking device in a deactivated position,

[0020] FIG. 2b is an enlarged schematic side view of FIG. 1 wherein the blocking device occupies an activated position, and

[0021] FIGS. 3a and 3b are an enlarged schematic side view of a pivot element from FIGS. 2a and 2b in order to illustrate corresponding lines of action of a spring element of the blocking device in the respective positions of the blocking device.

[0022] Corresponding reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The embodiments of the present disclosure described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present disclosure.

[0024] A baler 10, represented schematically in FIG. 1, in the manner of an agricultural baler for the formation of round-cylindrical bales comprises a first housing part 12 which is supported by means of wheels 14 on a surface 16 and can be connected by means of a drawbar 18 to a drawing vehicle, not shown, e.g., a farm tractor.

[0025] A crop collecting device 20 for crop is located in a manner known per se on a lower side, to the front in the forward direction of travel, of first housing part 12, wherein first housing part 12 surrounds a front part of a bale pressing chamber 22. A bearing (not shown) for a pivotable second housing part 24, which surrounds a rear part of bale pressing chamber 22, is located at the rear upper corner region of first housing part 12. Second housing part 24, in the opened state (not shown), releases an outlet (not shown) through which a bale (not shown) pressed by baler 10 can be expelled or unloaded or ejected. Pivotable second housing part 24 can be activated (opened and closed) by means of servomotors (not shown) and thus represents an outlet flap for a bale pressed in bale pressing chamber 22.

[0026] Baler 10, which according to the representation in FIG. 1 is formed with a size-unchangeable baler pressing chamber 22, contains a plurality of pressing elements which run parallel to one another for pressing crop in the form of pressing rollers 26 (by way of example only a few pressing rollers 26 are provided with the reference number 26), the axes of rotation of which, in the case of closed second housing part 24, are located on a circular arc and of which only a few are driven. Alternatively, baler 10 can also be formed in a familiar manner as such with a size-changeable bale pressing chamber 22 or as a baler 10 with a variable bale pressing chamber 22, wherein the pressing elements can then also be formed in a familiar manner as a strap, belt or chain arrangements (not shown).

[0027] Baler 10 further comprises a wrapping device 28 which is fitted with a wrapping material roll 30. Mesh, foil or also yarn can be used as wrapping material 32. Wrapping device 28 further comprises a supply device (not shown) for wrapping material 32 by means of which wrapping material 32 is guided from wrapping material roll 32 into bale pressing chamber 22.

[0028] Once the actual pressing process, therefore the crop collection and formation of a bale 10 by pressing rollers 26, has concluded, wrapping device 28 is activated and a wrapping process which follows on from the pressing process is initiated.

[0029] During the initiation of a wrapping process, in a wrapping material introduction phase, wrapping material 32 is guided in the direction of bale pressing chamber 22 by a mechanically triggered supply movement so that a free wrapping material end can come into contact with the bale which rotates in bale pressing chamber 22 and wrapping material 32 is carried along and collected. By rotation of the bale, wrapping material 32 is wound in a wrapping material winding phase in one or more layers around the circumference of the bale. The wrapping process is concluded with a wrapping material separating phase in which wrapping material 32 wound around the bales is separated from wrapping material roll 32 by a separating device 34.

[0030] As shown in an enlarged form in FIGS. 2a and 2b, separating device 34 has a knife arrangement 36 which supports the separation of wrapping material 32 in the wrapping material separating phase in which it cuts wrapping material 32 in a familiar manner in interaction with a counter holder, not represented. To this end, knife arrangement 36 can be moved with the aid of a drive 38, which is formed in the present embodiment in the manner of a piston/cylinder arrangement 44 which has a piston 40 and a cylinder 42, from an inactive position shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b into a separating position, not shown. If piston 40 of the piston/cylinder arrangement 44 is retracted relative to cylinder 42 into it, knife arrangement 36 performs a pivoting movement.

[0031] As represented in FIGS. 2a and b, wrapping device 28 furthermore has a blocking device 46 which can block or fix separating device 34 in its inactive position. Blocking device 46 has, according the present embodiment, a pivot element 48 as well as a spring means 50 formed as a tension spring. Pivot element 48 is provided pivotably on a frame 52 of separating device 34 about a pivot point 54 and is loaded by spring means 50 which engages at one end on a first fastening point 56 with frame 52 and at the other end on a second fastening point 58 on pivot element 48. Pivot element 48 is shown in a first, deactivated position A in FIG. 2a, in which position it does not interact with separating device 34 and in which it is retained by spring means 50 bearing with a stop 60 provided on frame 52. In FIG. 2b, however, pivot element 50 occupies a position B in which it fixes separating device 34 or knife arrangement 36 in the inactive position shown in the figures by virtue of the fact that it blocks a movement of piston 44 in relation to cylinder 44.

[0032] Reference is thus also made to FIGS. 3a and 3b of the drawing in which pivot element 48 is represented in an enlarged form and on the basis of which the mode of operation of spring means 50 is supposed to be described in greater detail. To this end, for the purpose of illustration, spring means 50 itself is not shown in the figures, but rather a line of action 62 of spring means 50.

[0033] Pivot element 48 occupies its deactivated position A in FIG. 3a. Spring means 50 formed according to the present embodiment as a tension spring thus loads pivot element 48 in such a manner that it comes to bear against stop 60. Pivot point 54 lies on one hand or according to the present embodiment below line of action 62 and has a first distance X thereto. Spring element 50 loads pivot element 48 in this position in a clockwise direction in the direction of stop 60.

[0034] In activated position B shown in FIG. 3b, pivot point 54 is thus on the other hand or according to the present embodiment above line of action 62 and has a distance Y opposite to distance X. In this position, spring means 50 thus loads pivot element 48 in the direction of a direction opposite to the representation in FIG. 3a in a clockwise direction and indeed in such a manner that it blocks piston 40 of piston/cylinder arrangement 44 in relation to cylinder 42 and separating device 34 is thus fixed in its inactive position shown in FIG. 2a.

[0035] In order to move pivot element 48 from its deactivated position A shown in FIG. 3a into active position B shown in FIG. 3b, pivot element 48 must reach via a dead center in which line of action 62 is extended through pivot point 54 or pivot point 54 is not spaced apart from line of action 62 (represented by an intermittent line 62a). To this end, a force must be applied from the outside on spring means 50 or pivot element 48. In the embodiment shown, pivot element 48 can be moved manually from the position shown in FIG. 2a counter to the action of spring means 50 into the position shown in FIG. 2b.

[0036] This is carried out in that an operator engages on pivot element 48 and transfers it against the action of spring means 50 from one position (A, B) into the other position (A, B), where it is retained securely by the action of spring means 50. It is, however, also conceivable that an operator engages indirectly on pivot element 48, for example, via a lever arrangement or a drive is provided with which pivot element 48 can be transferred from one into the other position (A, B) or by which, in addition or alternatively to spring means 50, it can be retained in its respective position (A, B).

[0037] While exemplary embodiments incorporating the principles of the present disclosure have been disclosed hereinabove, the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Instead, this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this disclosure pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.