Method and machine for forming a large round bale of a fibrous material

Claim 2

A machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. a first continuous belt movably supported on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof and including a linear upper run; c. a series of continuous belts movably supported on said frame above said first belt for travel longitudinally and vertically relative to said frame, said series of belts having lower runs adjacent the upper run of said first belt, d. means on said frame for picking up and delivering a windrowed fibrous material to one end of the upper run of said first belt for travel between said upper run and lower runs, e. means on said frame for confining the delivered material between selected opposite portions of said upper run and lower runs, f. means for moving said upper run of the first belt in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the lower runs of said series of belts whereby the material confined between said upper run and lower runs is rotated to form a round bale, g. means for yieldably extending and retracting said lower runs of the series of belts to provide for the travel of said lower runs about the upper peripheral section of a bale being formed in response to the progressive diametrical enlargement of said bale, h. a first roller extended transversely of and adjacent to the upper run of said first belt, i. means supporting said first roller on the frame for movement longitudinally of the upper run of said first belt, j. a second roller extended transversely of and adjacent to the upper run of said first belt at a position between said first roller and said pickup means, and k. a third roller transversely of said first belt at a position spaced vertically above and adjacent said second roller, said series of belts having the lower runs thereof trained about the lower portions of said first roller and said third roller, said second roller coacting with the upper run of said first belt to feed material therebetween toward said first roller, and l. said confining means including said first and second rollers which cooperate to hold the bale being formed against movement longitudinally of said upper run.

Claim 3

A machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. a first continuous belt movably supported on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof and including a linear upper run; c. a series of continuous belts movably supported on said frame above said first belt for travel longitudinally and vertically relative to said frame, said series of belts having lower runs adjacent the upper run of said first belt. d. means on said frame for picking up and delivering a windrowed fibrous material to one end of the upper run of said first belt for travel between said upper run and lower runs, e. means on said frame for confining the delivered material between selected opposite portions of said upper run and lower runs, f. means for moving said upper run of the first belt in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the lower runs of said series of belts whereby the material confined between said upper run and lower runs is rotated to form a round bale, g. means for yieldably extending and retracting said lower runs of the second belts to provide for the travel of said lower runs about the upper peripheral section of a bale being formed in response to the progressive diametrical enlargement of said bale, h. said extending and retracting means including a belt tension unit engageable with the upper runs of said series of belts and movably supported on said frame for up and down movement toward and away from the upper run of said first belt, said tension unit Being in a lower position therefor when a bale forming operation is initiated and in an upper position therefor when the bale forming operation has been completed, and i. said confining means including a gate assembly extended transversely of said first belt and said series of belts and supported on said tension unit for up and down movement therewith, j. said gate assembly, when a bale is to be formed, located in a closed position extended transversely of and adjacent one end of the lower runs of said series of belts to hold material engaged by said lower runs being moved outwardly from between said lower runs and the upper run of said first belt in a direction toward said material pickup means.

Claim 4

A machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. a first continuous belt movably supported on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof and including a linear upper run; c. a series of continuous belts movably supported on said frame above said first belt for travel longitudinally and vertically relative to said frame, said series of belts having lower runs adjacent the upper run of said first belt. d. means on said frame for picking up and delivering a windrowed fibrous material to one end of the upper run of said first belt for travel between said upper run and lower runs, e. means on said frame for confining the delivered material between selected opposite portions of said upper run and lower runs, f. means for moving said upper run of the first belt in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the lower runs of said series of belts whereby the material confined between said upper run and lower runs is rotated to form a round bale, g. means for yieldably extending and retracting said lower runs of the second belts to provide for the travel of said lower runs about the upper peripheral section of a bale being formed in response to the progressive diametrical enlargement of said bale, h. said extending and retracting means including a belt tension unit engageable with the upper runs of said series of belts and movably supported on said frame for up and down movement toward and away from the upper run of said first belt, said tension unit Being in a lower position therefor when a bale forming operation is initiated and in an upper position therefor when the bale forming operation has been completed, and i. said confining means including a gate assembly extended transversely of said first belt and said series of belts and supported on said tension unit for up and down movement therewith, j. said gate assembly, when a bale is to be formed, located in a closed position extended transversely of and adjacent one end of the lower runs of said series of belts to hold material engaged by said lower runs being moved outwardly from between said lower runs and the upper run of said first belt in a direction toward said material pickup means.

Claim 5

A machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. a first continuous belt movably supported on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof and including a linear upper run; c. a series of continuous belts movably supported on said frame above said first belt for travel longitudinally and vertically relative to said frame, said series of belts having lower runs adjacent the upper run of said first belt, d. means on said frame for picking up and delivering a windrowed fibrous material to one end of the upper run of said first belt for travel between said upper run and lower runs, e. means on said frame for confining the delivered material between selected opposite portions of said upper run and lower runs, f. means for moving said upper run of the first belt in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the lower runs of said series of belts whereby the material confined between said upper run and lower runs is rotated to form a round bale, g. means for yieldably extending and retracting said lower runs of the second belts to provide for the travel of said lower runs about the upper peripheral section of a bale being formed in response to the progressive diametrical enlargement of said bale, h. said extruding and retracting means including a belt tension unit engageable with the upper runs of said series of belts and movably supported on said frame for up and down movement toward and away on from the upper run of said first belt, said tension unit being in a lower position therefor when a bale forming operation is initiated and in an upper position therefor when the bale forming operation has been completed, i. said tension unit including an arm means pivoted on and extended longitudinally of said frame, j. a roller adjacent the free end of said arm means extended transversely of and engageable with the upper runs of said series of belts, and k. a hydraulic cylinder assembly interconnected with said frame and said arm means for pivotally moving said arm means, l. said extending and retracting means including said cylinder assembly.

Claim 6

A machine for forming a round bale of windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. a first continuous belt movably supported on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof and including a linear upper run; c. a series of continuous belts movably supported on said frame above said first belt for travel longitudinally and vertically relative to said frame, said series of belts having lower runs adjacent the upper run of said first belt, d. means on said frame for picking up and delivering a windrowed fibrous material to one end of the upper run of said first belt for travel between said upper run and lower runs, e. means on said frame for confining the delivered material between selected opposite portions of said upper run and lower runs, f. means for moving said upper run of the first belt in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the lower runs of said series of belts whereby the material confined between said upper run and lower runs is rotated to form a round bale, g. means for yieldably extending and retracting said lower runs of the second belts to provide for the travel of said lower runs about the upper peripheral section of a bale being formed in response to the progressive diametrical enlargement of said bale, h. said extruding and retracting means including a belt tension unit engageable with the upper runs of said series of belts and movably supported on said frame for up and down movement toward and away on from the upper run of said first belt, said tension unit being in a lower position therefor when a bale forming operation is initiated and in an upper position therefor when the bale forming operation has been completed, i. said tension unit including an arm means pivoted on and extended longitudinally of said frame, j. a roller adjacent the free end of said arm means extended transversely of and engageable with the upper runs of said series of belts, and k. a hydraulic cylinder assembly interconnected with said frame and said arm means for pivotally moving said arm means, l. said extending and retracting means including said cylinder assembly.

Claim 7

A machine for forming a round bale of a windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. means at one end of said frame for picking up the windrowed fibrous material, c. a conveyor means on said frame for receiving material from said pickup means for movement toward the other end of said frame, d. a frame assembly including a pair of upright frame structures extended transversely of and above said conveyor means, e. means rigidly mounting a first one of said frame structures on said portable frame at said one end thereof, f. means pivotally connecting together the upper ends of said two frame structures for pivotal movement of the second one of said frame structures to open and closed positions relative to said first frame structure, said frame structures relatively constructed such that when said second frame structure is pivotally moved to the closed position therefor said frame assembly is of a generally polygonal shape in side elevation, g. a plurality of continuous belts rotatably supported for movement about said frame assembly, said belts spaced transvErsely of said conveyor means and each of said belts having the lowermost portion thereof adjacent said conveyor means when the second frame structure is in the closed position therefor, h. a roller corresponding to and mounted at the lower end of each frame structure, said pair of rollers extended transversely of and adjacent to said conveyor means, and defining the lowermost portions of said belts, said belts engageable with the lower portions of said rollers, i. a third roller on said portable frame cooperating with said conveyor means to move material therebetween to a baling zone located between said pair of rollers and below the lowermost portions of said belts, said conveyor means movable in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said belt lowermost portions to provide for the material moved into said baling zone being rotated to form a bale, and j. means providing for the expansion of said lowermost belt portions upwardly away from said conveyor means in response to the enlargement of the bale in said baling zone.

Claim 8

A machine for forming a round bale of a windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. means at one end of said frame for picking up the windrowed fibrous material, c. a conveyor means on said frame for receiving material from said pickup means for movement toward the other end of said frame, d. a frame assembly including a pair of upright frame structures extended transversely of and above said conveyor means, e. means rigidly mounting a first one of said frame structures on said portable frame at said one end thereof, f. means pivotally connecting together the upper ends of said two frame structures for pivotal movement of the second one of said frame structures to open and closed positions relative to said first frame structure, said frame structures relatively constructed such that when said second frame structure is pivotally moved to the closed position therefor said frame assembly is of a generally polygonal shape in side elevation, g. a plurality of continuous belts rotatably supported for movement about said frame assembly, said belts spaced transvErsely of said conveyor means and each of said belts having the lowermost portion thereof adjacent said conveyor means when the second frame structure is in the closed position therefor, h. a roller corresponding to and mounted at the lower end of each frame structure, said pair of rollers extended transversely of and adjacent to said conveyor means, and defining the lowermost portions of said belts, said belts engageable with the lower portions of said rollers, i. a third roller on said portable frame cooperating with said conveyor means to move material therebetween to a baling zone located between said pair of rollers and below the lowermost portions of said belts, said conveyor means movable in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said belt lowermost portions to provide for the material moved into said baling zone being rotated to form a bale, and j. means providing for the expansion of said lowermost belt portions upwardly away from said conveyor means in response to the enlargement of the bale in said baling zone.

Claim 9

A machine for forming a round bale of a windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. a conveyor means mounted on and extended longitudinally of said portable frame and constituting a movable upper surface for said portable frame, c. means on said frame for picking up and delivering the windrowed fibrous material onto said upper surface, d. a pair of longitudinally spaced rollers on said frame extended transversely of and adjacent to said upper surface to define therebetween a bale forming zone, e. means supporting a first one of said rollers on said frame for movement longitudinally of said upper surface toward and away from the second one of said rollers, f. a series of belts supported on said portable frame for travel in an upright plane extended longitudinally of the frame, said belts having lower portions trained about the lower portions of said pair of rollers with the material from said pickup means moved by said movable upper surface into said bale forming zone, g. means for moving the lower portions of said series of belts in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said movable upper surface whereby material in said baling zone is rotated between said lower belt portions and the movable upper surface to form a rounded bale, h. means for extending said lower belt portions upwardly between said pair of rollers for travel in engagement with and about the upper peripheral portion of a bale being formed concurrently with the movement of said first roller away from said second roller, i. a third roller mounted on said frame in a parallel relation with and below said second roller in a coacting relation with said movable upper surface to feed material to said baling zone, and j. gate means movably supported on said frame for movement to a closed position adjacent to said second and third rollers to prevent the passage of material outwardly from said baling zone between said second and third rollers, when the forming of a bale is initiated.

Claim 10

A machine for forming a round bale of a windrowed fibrous material comprising: a. a portable frame, b. a conveyor means mounted on and extended longitudinally of said portable frame and constituting a movable upper surface for said portable frame, c. means on said frame for picking up and delivering the windrowed fibrous material onto said upper surface, d. a pair of longitudinally spaced rollers on said frame extended transversely of and adjacent to said upper surface to define therebetween a bale forming zone, e. means supporting a first one of said rollers on said frame for movement longitudinally of said upper surface toward and away from the second one of said rollers, f. a series of belts supported on said portable frame for travel in an upright plane extended longitudinally of the frame, said belts having lower portions trained about the lower portions of said pair of rollers with the material from said pickup means moved by said movable upper surface into said bale forming zone, g. means for moving the lower portions of said series of belts in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said movable upper surface whereby material in said baling zone is rotated between said lower belt portions and the movable upper surface to form a rounded bale, h. means for extending said lower belt portions upwardly between said pair of rollers for travel in engagement with and about the upper peripheral portion of a bale being formed concurrently with the movement of said first roller away from said second roller, i. a third roller mounted on said frame in a parallel relation with and below said second roller in a coacting relation with said movable upper surface to feed material to said baling zone, and j. gate means movably supported on said frame for movement to a closed position adjacent to said second and third rollers to prevent the passage of material outwardly from said baling zone between said second and third rollers, when the forming of a bale is initiated.

Claim 11

The machine for forming a round bale according to claim 5, wherein: a. said gate means in the closed position therefor is within said baling zone and extended transversely of said conveyor means between the axes of said second and third rollers.