GB2158006A - Bale tying means in a bale press - Google Patents

Abstract

A press for straw, hay and the like comprises thread presser feet (15) pivotably mounted on a press channel ceiling (3) below knotters (11) on a shaft (9). In order to increase the tying reliability and the availability of the press, the drive for the presser feet is arranged so that their functional capability is not impaired through straw deposits in the knotting space (2) for which purpose a control wheel (22) with a cam (23) is arranged on the shaft (9) outside the knotting space (2). A cam follower (24), which transmits its movement to a push rod (17) in the knotting space (2), engages the cam (23). The push rod (17) extends transversely to the pressing direction behind the knotters (11) and is pivotably connected to the presser feet (15). Additional clearing elements (19) can be mounted on the push rod (17) and the control wheel (22) can be utilised as a brake for the shaft (2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bale tying means in a bale press The present invention relates to a bale press, especially a press for straw, hay and the like, and has particular reference to bale tying means in such a press.

Bale tying means in a press may comprise thread presser feet in the form of pivotable segments, which are mounted on a press channel ceiling underneath knotting or tying devices and so associated with a needle that, on the entry of the needle into a knotting space, they seize the second thread end required for the conclusion of the stringing around the bale and feed it to the knotting devices.

In known bale tying means, for example that of DD 138 495, the drive for pivotal movement of the thread presser feet is taken from a cam disc on a knotting shaft and transmitted by way of a spring-loaded feeler to a control shaft which is mounted in the sheet metal walls laterally bounding a knotting space. The control shaft in that case is disposed, seen in operating direction of the press, before the knotter or knotters behind a rear wall of a transverse feeder. Mounted on the control shafts are levers which point approximately in the direction of the press channel ceiling and actuate the thread presser feet by way of a linkage. The drive of the thread presser feet of bale tying means described in US 2 926599 works in a basically similar manner.Due to accummulation of sort straw stalks, which as described in DD 138495 constantly gets out of the press space and into the knotting space by way of the needle slots in the press channel ceiling under the blowing effect of the press piston, the range of movement of the levers of the control shaft is reduced. The straw stalks are compacted between the rear wall of the transverse feeder and the levers by the oscillating movement of the latter. The danger thereby exists that the levers and the control shaft are deformed and adversely affect the tying, as the tying thread is no longer associated in the required position with the knotters.The clearing equipment disclosed in DD 138495 and the thread presser feet provided with clearing edges are not able to eliminate this straw accumulation in the region between rear wall of the transverse feeder and the levers of the control shaft. If these deposits are to be eliminated, then the not easily accessible space has to be cleared manually.

It is also disadvantageous in the described drives of the thread presser feet within the knotting space that the space for the knotters is appreciably restricted. Moreover, this arrangement favours the deposit of straw stalks on the control and transmission parts in the region of the knotters, whereby disturbances of the tying operation can occur.

There is thus scope for improvement of bale tying means to guarantee tying reliability and enhanced utilisation of the press, together with adequate space for the knotters.

According to the present invention there is provided a bale press provided with bale tying means comprising at least one tying device mounted on a rotatable shaft and arranged in a closed compartment downwardly bounded by a slotted ceiling member of a press channel of the press, a respective tie presser element disposed in the compartment below the or each tying device and pivotably mounted on the ceiling member, a cam arranged on the shaft externally of the compartment, and drive transmission means comprising a linkage pivotably connected to the or each presser element downstream thereof with respect to an operating direction of the press and provided externally of the compartment with a cam follower operable by the cam to impart reciprocating pivotal motion to the or each presser element by way of the linkage.

In a preferred embodiment, a press for straw, hay and the like comprises one or more knotters in a closed knotting space with needle slots in a press channel ceiling, wherein presser elements or feet are pivotably mounted on the press channel ceiling below the knotters and drivable by the knotter shaft.

The drive for the presser feet is structured to avoid impairment of the functional ability of the presser feet by straw deposits and to keep sufficient space between side walls of the knotting space for the knotters, for which purpose a control wheel with a cam track is mounted on the knotter shaft outside the knotting space. A feeler lies against the cam track, extends through an opening in one of the side walls and into the knotting space and is connected in the knotting space with a push rod arranged transversely to the operating direction of the press and behind the knotters as seen in operating direction.

The presser foot or feet is or are articulated to the rod. On a rotation of the shaft, the feeler is set into motion transversely to the pressing direction. This movement is transmitted through the side wall to the push rod. A transfer of the motion to the presser feet takes place through their connections to the push rod. The feeler and the push rod can be arranged to be resettable for exact association of the presser feet relative to the needle tracks and for determination of their end setting.

Preferably, the feeler is in the form of a cam follower roller mounted on a rocker which is received in a pivot mount at the side wall and pivotably connected at its lower end with a coupler, the coupler extending through the side wall and being pivotably connected in the knotting space with the push rod. Resilient means such as a spring can be arranged between the rocker and the side wall, and the cam track on the control wheel is preferably a face cam. In this construction, the spring presses the follower against the cam and thereby ensures drive of the thread presser feet. Resetting of the presser feet can be provided for, preferably in the push rod and coupler.Expediently, clearing elements, particularly elongate flat blades, are mounted on the push rod and project rearwardly beyond the push rod with respect to the operating direction of the press, the clearing elements being oscillatingly driven by the push rod for additional clearing of the rearward knotting space.

The control wheel preferably has a brake lining at its circumference and is encircled by a brake band which at one end is mounted firmly at the pivot mount of the rocker and at the other end is mounted by a spring atthe pivot mount. For this purpose, the brake band can be provided at one end with a bolt which is inserted through the pivot mount and at its threaded end carries an adjusting nut. A spring, particularly a compression spring, is arranged centrally around the bolt between the pivot mount and the nut. The band brake at the circumference of the control wheel provides braking of the shaft, the spring stress and thereby the braking force being settable by way of the adjusting nut.

A bale press embodying the invention may have the advantage of relative insensitivity of the drive of the presser feet to straw deposits in the knotting space. The control part of the drive is disposed outside the knotting space and is thus not exposed to straw accummulations. The push rod is disposed in the knotting space behind the knotters in a region where the straw may be able to be cleared away through the clearing elements of the presser feet.

Additionally, provision of the clearing elements on the push rod keep its movement space free. These measures serve to improve the reliability of the press. At the same time, the constructional freedom in the knotting space improves, especially on the knotting shaft, since accommodation of all drive parts for the presser feet in the knotting space is not required. A further advantage is that the control wheel can at the same time be used as brake for the shaft, which obviates the hitherto necessary additional brake.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lis a schematic plan view of bale tying means in a bale press embodying the invention; and Figure 2is a side elevation of the bale tying means of Figure 1, from the righthand side according to Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a press channel 1 of a press (not shown in more detail) and a knotting or tying space 2 which is formed by a press channel ceiling 3, a rear wall 4 of a transverse feeder (not shown), two side walls 5 and a hood which closes off upwardly and rearwardly and has been omitted for greater clarity. For stiffening of the press channel 1, a cross beam 6 is disposed between the side walls 5 in the rearward part of the space 2.

The ceiling 3 has two needle slots 7 and a rearward aperture 8. A knotting shaft 9 is mounted in bearings 10 in the side walls 5 and above the needle slots.

Two knotters 11 with associated knotting sheaves 12 are arranged on the knotter shaft 9. The shaft 9 carries a drive clutch 13 at one end outside the space 2. Thread or tie presser feet 15 are mounted on the ceiling 3 on bolts 14 below the knotters 11. The presser feet 15 are prolonged rearwardly - seen in operating direction of the press - beyond their pivot axes on the bolts 14 and pivotably connected with a divided push rod 17 by means of pins 16. The individual parts of the push rod 17 are held together, adjustably relative to each other, by two screw connections 18. The screw connections 18 at the same time mount a clearing element 19. The clearing element 19 at both sides has flat blades 20, projecting rearwardly beyond the push rod 17, with clearing edges 21.

A control wheel 22 with an end face cam 23, which is provided by a projection, is mounted at the other end of the shaft 9 outside the space 2. A cam follower 24, consisting of a roller mounted on a bolt, bears on the cam. The follower 24 is mounted on a two-armed rocker 25, which in its turn is mounted in a pivot mount 26 at the adjacent side wall 5. A spring 27, which presses the roller 24 against the cam 23, is pressurably located between the side wall 5 and the rocker 25. A coupler 29 is connected to the lower end of the rocker by way of a ball joint 28. The coupler 29 extends through an opening 30 in the side wall 5 into the space 2 where it is connected by a further ball joint 31 to the push rod 17. In the illustrated embodiment, the pins 16, by which the presser feet 15 are articulated to the push rod 17, are used as connecting part.

The control wheel 22 is utilised at the same time as brake by way of the shaft 9. For this purpose, the control wheel 22 has a brake lining 32 at its circumference and is encircled by a brake band 33.

The brake band 33 is secured at one end by screws to the pivot mount 26. The other end of the brake band 33 carries a bolt 34, which is inserted through the pivot mount 26 and at its end has an adjusting nut 36 on a threaded end portion 35. A spring 37, in this case a compression spring, is arranged centrally around the bolt 34 between the pivot mount 26 and the setting nut 36.

Claims (10)

1. A bale press provided with bale tying means comprising at least one tying device mounted on a rotatable shaft and arranged in a closed compartment downwardly bounded by a slotted ceiling member of a press channel of the press, a respective tie presser element disposed in the compartment below the or each tying device and pivotably mounted on the ceiling member, a cam arranged on the shaft externally of the compartment, and drive transmission means comprising a linkage pivotably connected to the or each presser element downstream thereof with respect to an operating direction of the press and provided externally of the compart mentwith a cam follower operable by the cam to impart reciprocating pivotal motion to the or each presser element by way of the linkage.

2. A press as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linkage comprises a rocker pivotably mounted on a side wall member of the compartment and carrying the cam follower, a coupler pivotably connected to the rocker and extending through the side wall member and into the compartment and a rod pivotably connected to the coupler and to the or each presser element.

3. A press as claimed in claim 2, the cam being a face cam and resilient means being arranged to so act on the rocker and the side wall member as to cause the follower to be resiliently biassed against the cam.

4. A press as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a clearing means arranged on the linkage to project rearwardly thereof with respect to said operating direction of the press.

5. A press as claimed in claim 4, the clearing means comprising a plurality of elongate flat blades.

6. A press as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cam is provided on a control wheel on the shaft, the wheel being provided at its circumference with a brake lining and being encircled by a brake band resiliently engageable with the lining to exert a braking effect on the wheel and shaft.

7. A press as claimed in claim 6, wherein the brake band is fixedly connected at one and resiliently connected at the other end to mounting means at a side wall member of the compartment.

8. A press as claimed in claim 7, wherein the brake band is resiliently connected at said other end thereof to the mounting means by adjusting means adjustable to vary the force of resilient engagement of the brake band with the lining.

9. A press as claimed in claim 8, the adjusting means comprising a bolt connected to said other end of the brake band and extending through the mounting means, a threaded adjusting element threadedly engaged on the bolt at a side of the mounting means remote from the brake band and a spring acting between the adjusting element and said side of the mounting means.

10. A press substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.