Baler feeding system

Claim 2

In a crop handling machine having a platform along which crop material is moved to a crop receiving means, the improvement comprising: a feed unit adapted to move crop material along said platform and toward said crop receiving means, said feed unit comprising support means spaced upwardly from the level of said platform, carrier means rotatably mounted on said support means for continuous orbital movement about a generally vertical axis, finger means on said carrier means, said finger means being adapted to assume a generally vertical position as it moves toward said crop receiving means to move crop material along said platform and a generally horizontal position as it moves away from said crop receiving mean, and, means for controlling the angular position of said finger means.

Claim 3

In a crop handling machine, as recited in claim 1, wherein a second feed unit is provided located adjacent said crop receiving means and between said first feed unit and said crop receiving means, said first feed unit delivers crop material to said second feed unit and said second feed unit delivers crop material into said crop receiving means with the path of movement of said first feed unit crossing to the rear of said second feed unit.

Claim 4

In a crop handling machine, as recited in claim 1, wherein said finger means comprises a pair of feed finger assemblies pivotally mounted on said carrier means, said finger assemblies are located substantially 180* apart, and said means for controlling the angular position of said finger means comprises a cam track fixed to said support means.

Claim 5

A baler comprising in combination a fore-and-aft extending bale chamber with a feed opening in a vertical sidewall thereof, a generally horizontal material receiving platform extending laterally from adjacent the lower end of said opening, a first feed unit operable over said platform for conveying material through said opening and into said bale case, a second feed unit operable to supply material into the path of said first feed unit, said second feed unit comprising finger means adapted to extend generally vertically relative to said platform, said finger means being mounted for orbital rotation about a generally vertical axis, and cam means for controlling the attitude of said finger means.

Claim 6

A baler comprising in combination a fore-and-aft extending bale chamber with a feed opening in a vertical sidewall thereof, a generally horizontal material receiving platform extending laterally from adjacent the lower end of said opening, a first feed unit operable over said platform for conveying material through said opening and into said bale case, a second feed unit operable to supply material into the path of said first feed unit, said second feed unit comprising finger means adapted to extend generally vertically relative to said platform, said finger means being mounted for orbital rotation about a generally vertical axis, and cam means for controlling the attitude of said finger means.

Claim 7

A baler, as recited in claim 4, wherein said first feed unit comprises a packer finger assembly adapted to orbit about an axis extending generally parallel to said bale chamber.

Claim 8

A baler, as recited in claim 5, wherein said finger means comprises a pair of feed finger assemblies oppositely disposed on a rotatable carrier.

Claim 9

A hay baler, as recited in claim 4, wherein drive means is provided to rotate said first and second feed units and said drive means operates said second unit at one-half the speed of said first unit.

Claim 10

A baler comprising a fore-and-aft extending bale chamber having a top wall and a vertical sidewall with a feed opening therein, a generally horizontal crop material receiving platform extending laterally from adjacent the lower end of said opening, and a feed unit adapted to move crop material Along said platform and toward said feed opening, said feed unit including carrier means supported above said platform for continuous rotational movement in one direction about a generally vertically extending axis, and finger means counted on said carrier means for swinging movement about a generally horizontally extending axis.

Claim 11

A baler comprising a fore-and-aft extending bale chamber having a top wall and a vertical sidewall with a feed opening therein, a generally horizontal crop material receiving platform extending laterally from adjacent the lower end of said opening, and a feed unit adapted to move crop material Along said platform and toward said feed opening, said feed unit including carrier means supported above said platform for continuous rotational movement in one direction about a generally vertically extending axis, and finger means counted on said carrier means for swinging movement about a generally horizontally extending axis.

Claim 12

A baler, as recited in claim 8, wherein said finger means include a pair of feed finger assemblies pivotally mounted on said carrier means, said assemblies being generally diametrically opposed to each other, said baler further including cam means for controlling the angular position of said finger assemblies.

Claim 13

An automatic hay baler, as recited in claim 9, wherein each of said feed finger assemblies includes a shaft journaled adjacent the outer periphery of said carrier means, a plurality of fingers and fixed to said shaft, and follower means fixed to one end of said shaft, said cam means comprises a circular cam track, the parts being so arranged and constructed so that said follower means rides in said track to pivot said shaft and the fingers carried thereon.

Claim 14

In a baler having: a bale case having sidewall and a bale chamber with a plunger reciprocably mounted therein for compressing crop material into bales and having an opening in one of said sidewalls for delivery of crop material to said bale chamber; a feed housing extending transversely from said sidewall with said opening and having a platform and feed chamber forming a transversely extending side thereabove for receiving crop material through said opening in said sidewall, and packer fork means mounted adjacent said sidewall to sweep downwardly and towards said bale case and through said opening for conveying crop material into said bale chamber; a feeder means on the opposite side of said packer fork means from said bale case and rotatably mounted above said feed chamber to orbit in one direction about a vertical axis and having feeder fingers extending vertically downward into said chamber to sweep crop material towards said bale case and passing through the downward path of said packer fork means to deposit crop material in the path of said packer fork means for sweeping the deposited crop material through said opening into said bale chamber for compression into a bale.

Claim 15

In a baler having: a bale case having sidewall and a bale chamber with a plunger reciprocably mounted therein for compressing crop material into bales and having an opening in one of said sidewalls for delivery of crop material to said bale chamber; a feed housing extending transversely from said sidewall with said opening and having a platform and feed chamber forming a transversely extending side thereabove for receiving crop material through said opening in said sidewall, and packer fork means mounted adjacent said sidewall to sweep downwardly and towards said bale case and through said opening for conveying crop material into said bale chamber; a feeder means on the opposite side of said packer fork means from said bale case and rotatably mounted above said feed chamber to orbit in one direction about a vertical axis and having feeder fingers extending vertically downward into said chamber to sweep crop material towards said bale case and passing through the downward path of said packer fork means to deposit crop material in the path of said packer fork means for sweeping the deposited crop material through said opening into said bale chamber for compression into a bale.

Claim 16

A baler as set forth in claim 11, wherein said feeder means has means for pivoting said feeder fingers generally horizontally in a direction counter to the orbital rotation, said feeder fingers pivoting horizontally at the downward path of said packer fork means to deposit the crop material for engagement by said packer fork means.

Claim 17

In a baler having: bale case having a vertical sidewall with an opening for passing a charge of crop material in said bale case and a feed housing extending transversely from said sidewall and having a feed chamber the combination therewith of; and crop material feeding means comprising a carrier rotatably mounted on said housing (and with) to continuously orbit in one direction about a vertical axis, said carrier having pivotally mounted feeder fingers (movable between) and control means activating said feeder fingers to a recessed counter rotational position for (clearing) passing over crop material and an extended position for sweeping a charge of crop material into and along said feed chamber towards said bale case and a dynamic packer support with packer fingers moved by said support in a generally vertical path downwardly into said feed chamber immediately in front of said extended feeder fingers (as), said control means having means to time the movement of said feeder fingers (move) counter to carrier rotation from the charge sweeping extended position to a noncontacting crop material recessed position (whereby) as said packer fingers (enter) contact the charge of crop material (area) previously (occupied) contacted by said feeder fingers and continue the sweep of the charge of crop material into said bale casE as said feeder fingers move toward the recessed position clear of said packer fingers.

Claim 18

In a baler having: bale case having a vertical sidewall with an opening for passing a charge of crop material in said bale case and a feed housing extending transversely from said sidewall and having a feed chamber the combination therewith of; and crop material feeding means comprising a carrier rotatably mounted on said housing (and with) to continuously orbit in one direction about a vertical axis, said carrier having pivotally mounted feeder fingers (movable between) and control means activating said feeder fingers to a recessed counter rotational position for (clearing) passing over crop material and an extended position for sweeping a charge of crop material into and along said feed chamber towards said bale case and a dynamic packer support with packer fingers moved by said support in a generally vertical path downwardly into said feed chamber immediately in front of said extended feeder fingers (as), said control means having means to time the movement of said feeder fingers (move) counter to carrier rotation from the charge sweeping extended position to a noncontacting crop material recessed position (whereby) as said packer fingers (enter) contact the charge of crop material (area) previously (occupied) contacted by said feeder fingers and continue the sweep of the charge of crop material into said bale casE as said feeder fingers move toward the recessed position clear of said packer fingers.