Bale accumulator

Claim 2

In a bale accumulator employing a carrier adapted for movement over the ground, where the carrier is divided into a plurality of bale-receiving chutes extending in parallelism in the direction of movement thereof, bale guide structure on the carrier for loading the chutes with successively received bales and including a bale guide gate for directing bales successively received by the gate in alternate directions, said gate comprising: a blocking member mounted for swinging movement about a first upright axis between a pair of operating positions corresponding to said directions; an over-center mechanism coupled with said blocking member for biasing the latter toward either one or the other of said positions, said mechanism including a rotatable element mounted on said blocking member for back and forth movement about a second upright axis spaced from said first axis, and yieldable means having a movable connection with said element and applying force thereto to effect said biasing of the blocking member; and an actuating arm coupled with said element and extending from said blocking member for engagement by a transient bale, said arm being responsive to said engagement by a transient bale for rotating said element to change the line of action of said yieldable means to cause the blocking member to change positions.

Claim 3

The bale guide gate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said element is provided with means defining a track extending generally radially outwardly from said second axis on opposite sides thereof, said connection being movable along said track to effect said change in the line of action of said yieldable means when said element is rotated.

Claim 4

The bale guide gate as claimed in claim 2, wherein said arm is of generally V-shaped configuration to present an apex from which a pair of arm components extend, there being means mounting said arm on said blocking member for pivotal movement about said apex between a first position where one of said arm components extends from one side of said blocking member for engagement by a transient bale, and a second position where the other of said arm components extends from the opposite side of said blocking member for engagement by a transient bale.

Claim 5

A bale accumulator comprising: a carrier adapted for movement over the ground, and having means at the front of the carrier for successively receiving individual bales, said carrier being provided with partition structure dividing the carrier into two pairs of chutes extending in parallelism in the direction of movement thereof, each of said pairs of chutes having a common entrance for receiving individual bales; a primary bale guide gate adjacent said bale receiving Means and located in front of said entrances, said primary gate being responsive to engagement by bales successively received for directing successive bales into alternate entrances; a pair of secondary bale guide gates, each disposed in a corresponding entrance for receiving individual bales directed thereinto by said primary gate, each of said secondary gates being responsive to engagement by successive bales for directing the latter into alternate chutes of the pair of chutes associated with the respective entrance, whereby to load the four chutes with bales in a predetermined order of delivery; and a tailgate on said carrier common to all of said chutes and movable between a normal, closed position retaining the bales in the chutes against discharge therefrom, and an open position for permitting discharge of the accumulated bales once the chutes are loaded, each of said bale guide gates comprising: a blocking member mounted for swinging movement about a first upright axis between a pair of operating positions; an over-center mechanism coupled with said blocking member for biasing the latter toward either one or the other of said positions, said mechanism including a rotatable element mounted on said blocking member for back and forth movement about a second upright axis spaced from said first axis, and yieldable means having a movable connection with said element and applying force thereto to effect said biasing of the blocking member; and an actuating arm coupled with said element and extending from said blocking member for engagement by a transient bale, said arm being responsive to said engagement by a transient bale for rotating said element to change the line of action of said yieldable means to cause the blocking member to change positions.

Claim 6

A bale accumulator comprising: a carrier adapted for movement over the ground, and having means at the front of the carrier for successively receiving individual bales, said carrier being provided with partition structure dividing the carrier into two pairs of chutes extending in parallelism in the direction of movement thereof, each of said pairs of chutes having a common entrance for receiving individual bales; a primary bale guide gate adjacent said bale receiving Means and located in front of said entrances, said primary gate being responsive to engagement by bales successively received for directing successive bales into alternate entrances; a pair of secondary bale guide gates, each disposed in a corresponding entrance for receiving individual bales directed thereinto by said primary gate, each of said secondary gates being responsive to engagement by successive bales for directing the latter into alternate chutes of the pair of chutes associated with the respective entrance, whereby to load the four chutes with bales in a predetermined order of delivery; and a tailgate on said carrier common to all of said chutes and movable between a normal, closed position retaining the bales in the chutes against discharge therefrom, and an open position for permitting discharge of the accumulated bales once the chutes are loaded, each of said bale guide gates comprising: a blocking member mounted for swinging movement about a first upright axis between a pair of operating positions; an over-center mechanism coupled with said blocking member for biasing the latter toward either one or the other of said positions, said mechanism including a rotatable element mounted on said blocking member for back and forth movement about a second upright axis spaced from said first axis, and yieldable means having a movable connection with said element and applying force thereto to effect said biasing of the blocking member; and an actuating arm coupled with said element and extending from said blocking member for engagement by a transient bale, said arm being responsive to said engagement by a transient bale for rotating said element to change the line of action of said yieldable means to cause the blocking member to change positions.