Apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine

Claim 1

An apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine comprising: a. a support mounted to the frame of the round bale forming machine, b. means operably associated with the frame for containing a supply of wrapping material, c. a material directing member adapted to dispense the material, d. means for mounting the member to the support in the vicinity of the round bale, e. means operably associated with the mounting means for moving said member whereby material is dispensed along a path in the vicinity of the round bale under conditions where said member is moving in such a way as to feed said material around said bale, and f. means for automatically increasing, the tension of said material from one level of tension to a second level of tension, under conditions where said material is being continuously fed around said bale.

Claim 2

An apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine comprising: a. a support mounted to the frame of the round bale forming machine, b. means operably associated with the frame for containing a supply of wrapping material, c. a material directing member adapted to dispense the material, d. means for mounting the member to the support in the vicinity of the round bale, e. means operably associated with the mounting means for moving said member whereby material is dispensed along a path in the vicinity of the round bale under conditions where said member is moving in such a way as to feed said material around said bale, and f. means for automatically increasing, the tension of said material from one level of tension to a second level of tension, under conditions where said material is being continuously fed around said bale.

Claim 3

An apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine which comprises: a. a support mounted to the frame of the round bale forming machine, b. means mounted to the frame for containing a supply of wrapping material, c. a material dispensing and directing member mounted to the support, d. means operably associated with the material dispensing and directing member to move said member along a path in the vicinity of the round bale in such a way as to feed said material around said bale, e. means for automatically increasing and subsequently decreasing the tension of said material between first and second levels of tension, said increase occurring under conditions where said material is being continuously fed around said bale; and f. means for automatically cutting said material when the wrapping operation is completed and prior to decreasing the tension of said material to the second level of tension.

Claim 4

An apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine which comprises: a. a support mounted to the frame of the round bale forming machine, b. means mounted to the frame for containing a supply of wrapping material, c. a material dispensing and directing member mounted to the support, d. means operably associated with the material dispensing and directing member to move said member along a path in the vicinity of the round bale in such a way as to feed said material around said bale, e. means for automatically increasing and subsequently decreasing the tension of said material between first and second levels of tension, said increase occurring under conditions where said material is being continuously fed around said bale; and f. means for automatically cutting said material when the wrapping operation is completed and prior to decreasing the tension of said material to the second level of tension.

Claim 5

An apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine comprising: a. a support mounted to the frame of the round bale forming machine, b. means operably associated within the frame for containing a supply of wrapping material, c. a material directing member adapted to dispense the material, d. means for mounting the member to the support in the vicinity of the round bale, e. means operably associated with the mounting means for moving said member whereby material is dispensed along a path in the vicinity of the round bale under conditions where said member is moving in such a way as to feed said material around said bale, f. said moving means comprising a rod rotatably mounted to said support, a first rotatable means mounted to one end of said support, a second rotatable means mounted to said support, and means interconnecting the first and second rotatable means whereby rotation of the rod will impart a corresponding rotation to said first means thereby creating a corresponding rotation in said second means, and g. means for automatically increasing or decreasing the tension of said material under conditions where said material is being dispensed.

Claim 6

An apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine comprising: a. a support mounted to the frame of the round bale forming machine, b. means operably associated within the frame for containing a supply of wrapping material, c. a material directing member adapted to dispense the material, d. means for mounting the member to the support in the vicinity of the round bale, e. means operably associated with the mounting means for moving said member whereby material is dispensed along a path in the vicinity of the round bale under conditions where said member is moving in such a way as to feed said material around said bale, f. said moving means comprising a rod rotatably mounted to said support, a first rotatable means mounted to one end of said support, a second rotatable means mounted to said support, and means interconnecting the first and second rotatable means whereby rotation of the rod will impart a corresponding rotation to said first means thereby creating a corresponding rotation in said second means, and g. means for automatically increasing or decreasing the tension of said material under conditions where said material is being dispensed.

Claim 13

An apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine which comprises: a. a support mounted to the frame of the round bale forming machine, b. means mounted to the frame for containing a supply of wrapping material, c. a material dispensing and directing member mounted to the support, d. means operably associated with the material dispensing and directing member to move said member along a path in the vicinity of the round bale in such a way as to feed said material arOund said bale, e. means for automatically varying the tension of said material between predetermined levels of tension as said material is dispensed in the vicinity of said bale, f. said varying means comprising a tension clamp mounted to said support in such a way as to permit said wrapping material to move between said support and the clamp, a tension arm pivotally mounted to said support, and means operably associated with the tension arm to automatically either activate said tension arm so that said tension will be brought and maintained in contact with said clamp thereby moving and maintaining said clamp closer to said support adding additional tension to said wrapping material or remove said tension arm thereby removing the additional tension from said wrapping material, and g. means for automatically cutting said material when the wrapping operation is completed.

Claim 14

An apparatus for wrapping a round bale formed in a round bale forming machine which comprises: a. a support mounted to the frame of the round bale forming machine, b. means mounted to the frame for containing a supply of wrapping material, c. a material dispensing and directing member mounted to the support, d. means operably associated with the material dispensing and directing member to move said member along a path in the vicinity of the round bale in such a way as to feed said material arOund said bale, e. means for automatically varying the tension of said material between predetermined levels of tension as said material is dispensed in the vicinity of said bale, f. said varying means comprising a tension clamp mounted to said support in such a way as to permit said wrapping material to move between said support and the clamp, a tension arm pivotally mounted to said support, and means operably associated with the tension arm to automatically either activate said tension arm so that said tension will be brought and maintained in contact with said clamp thereby moving and maintaining said clamp closer to said support adding additional tension to said wrapping material or remove said tension arm thereby removing the additional tension from said wrapping material, and g. means for automatically cutting said material when the wrapping operation is completed.