GB1465641A - Hay roll forming machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1465641 Hay roll making machine SPERRY RAND CORP 24 April 1974 [24 April 1973 (6)] 17867/74 Heading A1F A hay roil forming machine comprises a lower endless apron 70 supported on a table 76 of a frame, and an upper endless apron 82. The frame consists of an upper and a lower part. The two parts are pivotally connected by a shaft 36 at the top of the machine. A header 56 collects hay from the ground and delivers it via compression rollers 160 and 156 onto the forward end of the lower apron 70 which moves the hay in a rearward direction. When the hay reaches the rear of table 76 it is engaged by the lower run of the upper apron 82 moving in a forward direction causing the hay to be formed into a roll. As the roll increases in size the lower run of the upper apron 82 expands around the roll's circumference by virtue of an upper apron expanding mechanism. Springs 208 maintain the upper apron in tension providing a desired roll density and biasing the upper apron expanding mechanism towards the contracted position shown in Fig. 1. When the roll is at a maximum or desired size it may be rearwardly ejected by raising the upper apron by means of hydraulic lifting cylinders 46. This action disengages the drive to the upper apron so that the lower apron may transport the roll out of the rear of the machine. The Drive Mechanism consists of a gear box (50) Fig. 6 (not shown) having an input shaft (52) connected to a p.t.o. shaft. The gearbox output shaft drives a sprocket (144) about which a drive chain 148 is trained. The chain 148 is also trained around driven sprockets 150, 152, 154 and 156. The Lower Apron Drive is taken from the shaft 74 upon which driven sprocket 154 is mounted. The Compression Roller Drive is provided by a chain 128 trained around a sprocket 158 fixed to driven sprocket 152. The Header Drive is provided by a further chain (168) trained around sprocket 120 fixed to driven sprocket 156. The Upper Apron Drive is provided by multiple sheaves 146 and 170 around which V belts 148 are loosely trained. A clutch is provided by a multiple tensioning sheave 174 pressing against one run of the V belts whilst the machine is in the closed roll forming positions shown in Figures 1 and 2. The pressure on the V belts is relieved and the drive consequently interrupted upon opening of the machine, as shown; in Figure 3, by the simultaneous slackening of cable 184. The Upper Apron Expanding Mechanism consists of guide pinions 110 and 112 mounted on pivoting arms 106 and 108 resiliently biased by springs 208, cables 200 and cam plates 198, clockwise as seen in Figures 1 to 3 towards the contracted position of Figure 1. The Upper Apron Guide Sprockets and Surfaces:- The upper apron is trained around pairs of guide sprockets 114, 110, 112, 102, guide surfaces (96) Figure 5 (not shown), sprockets 100 and further guide surfaces 118, the latter only when the machine is in the initial state as seen in Figure 1 after which the hay roll lifts the lower run of the upper apron up, of off surfaces 118 and forces them, against the resilient biasing of springs (218) Figure 12 (not shown) into recesses provided for them in side walls 192 of the lower part of the frame. The Spring Loaded Tail Plates 230 are disposed adjacent each other laterally across the rear end of the upper run of the lower apron 70. The spaces between each plate forming passages along which lugs (80) Fig. 9 (not shown) pass and disappear so that the plates 230 disengage the roll from the lower apron. When the roll is to be discharged the upper frame is raised so that the lower apron urges the roll over the tail plates. The roll at this stage is heavy enough to compress the springs 242 supporting the tail plates, allowing the roll to fall from the rear end of the lower apron upon which the tail plates spring back into the roll forming position. References are made to the following Specification which contain similar subject matter 1465642, 1465643, 1465644, 1465645, and 1465646.