Method and a system for treating large straw bales, particularly round bales, with ammonia or other lye agents

• US 4,450,178 A
• Filed: 03/15/1982
• Issued: 05/22/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ebbe Korsgaard
• Original Assignee: Ebbe Korsgaard
• Inventors: Korsgaard, Ebbe
• Primary Examiner(s): Penland, R. B.
• Application Number:
  US06/361,913
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 426/69, 426/335, 426/281, 426/626, 426/807, 426/532, 426/636, 99/532, 99/533, 99/534, 100/73, 100/74, 100/75, 414/24.5
• US Class Current: 426/69
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 87/127 Apparatus for handling, loading or unrolling round bales
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 17/001 by treating with chemicals, e.g. ammoniac, sodium hydroxide processes A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 426/807 Poultry or ruminant feed

Abstract

For supplying a desired amount of ammonia to a straw bale, particularly a large round bale, in order to convert the straw material into a feedstuff, the bale is subjected to an ammonia injection treatment in direct association with the bale being reloaded from a local receiving position to a final storing position by a tractor fitted with a suitable bale carrier implement. The bale carrier implement may comprise carrier spears which are provided with injector for supplying the ammonia to the interior of the bales from an ammonia tank carried by the tractor itself.

Claims

1. A method of treating compacted straw bales with ammonia or lye comprising loading a compacted bale on a bale handling implement of a tractor, said implement having injection and gripping means including at least one spear, transporting the loaded compacted bale on the bale handling implement of the tractor from a receiving position to a final storage position, and while transporting or loading said bale introducing the ammonia or lye into said compacted bale through at least one spear of said injection means during transporting and loading of the bale, said introducing step includes forcing said injection means into the compacted bale by movement of the bale handling implement.

2. An apparatus for treating straw bales with ammonia or lye comprising a tractor gripping means including at least one spear, a bale handling implement carried by said tractor gripping means for loading and transporting the bale from a receiving position to a final storage position, injector means including at least one injection spear introduced into the compacted bale by movement of the bale handling implement, and means for injecting the ammonia or lye into an interior of the compacted bale when said at least one injection spear is introduced into the bale during the transporting or loading of the bale on the bale handling implement.

3. An apparatus for treating straw bales with ammonia or lye comprising a tractor carried bale reloading implement having at least one spear for supporting the bale, said reloading implement being used in connection with reloading of the bale from a receiving position to a final storing position, and an injector means including at least one injection spear mounted on said bale reloading implement, said implement being introduced into a single bale, the at least one injection spear being forced into the bale by movement of the bale reloading implement, a switch actuator mounted adjacent a root of the injection spears operatively connected with control means for enabling the ammonia or lye injection to be initiated.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control means includes timer means for interrupting an injection of the ammonia.