Round baler with a load sensor for actuating the wrapping apparatus and for turning off at least one delivery element

• US 6,012,271 A
• Filed: 01/20/1998
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LELY Vermeer Maschinenfabrik GmbH
• Original Assignee: Welger GmbH
• Inventors: Wilkens, Dieter, Rohrbein, Jurgen, Honhold, Joost
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kovacs, Arpad Fabian
• Application Number:
  US09/009,611
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 56/341, 56/343, 56/10.3, 56/10.2 G, 56/DIG. 15, 100/88
• US Class Current: 56/10.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 15/085 for round balers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 56/15 Condition responsive

Abstract

A round baler for fibrous agricultural material including compression and delivery elements, a main drive for driving the same, a wrapping apparatus, and at least one load sensor provided in the drive line for the compression elements for generating a control signal for actuation of the wrapping apparatus and/or turning off of the delivery elements.

Claims

1. A round baler for agricultural stem crop, comprising a plurality of compression elements;

delivery elements;

a main drive for driving the compression and delivery elements;

drive means for connecting the main drive with the compression elements and the delivery elements;

a wrapping apparatus for binding the compressed bales with a binding means; and

at least one load sensor provided in the connecting drive means of the baler between the main drive and the compression elements of the baler for generating, in response to a load rate acting on a respective compression element reaching a predetermined magnitude, a control signal for effecting at least one of actuation of the wrapping apparatus and turning off of at least one of the delivery elements,

wherein the main drive comprises two output shafts one of which drives the compression elements and another of which drives at least one of the delivery elements, and wherein the load sensor is associated with the one shaft, and the other shaft includes an overload clutch.

2. A round baler for agricultural stem crop, comprising a plurality of compression elements;

delivery elements;

a main drive for driving the compression and delivery elements;

drive means for connecting the main drive with the compression elements and the delivery elements;

a wrapping apparatus for binding the compressed bales with a binding means; and

at least one load sensor provided in the connecting drive means of the baler between the main drive and the compression elements of the baler for generating, in response to a load rate acting on a respective compression element reaching a predetermined magnitude, a control signal for effecting at least one of actuation of the wrapping apparatus and turning off of at least one of the delivery elements,

wherein at least a section of an output shaft for driving the compression elements is formed as a reduced torsion section, with a torsion angle defining the load sensor and serving as a control parameter for at least one of actuation of the wrapping apparatus and turning off of at least one of the delivery elements.

3. A round baler as set forth in claim 2, wherein the torsion angle is determined by at least two discs supported on the output shaft and cooperating with the load sensor.

4. A round baler for agricultural stem crop, comprising a plurality of compression elements;

at least one conveying rotor equipped with cutting means;

a main drive for driving the compression elements and the at least one conveying rotor;

a first drive line connecting the main drive with the compression elements;

a second drive line connecting the main drive with the at least one conveying rotor;

an apparatus for wrapping finished bales; and

at least one load sensor provided in the first drive line for sensing the load rate applied to at least one compression element and for generating, in response to a load acting on the at least one compression element reaching a predetermined magnitude, a control signal for effecting at least one of actuation of the wrapping apparatus and turning off the at least one conveying rotor.

5. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, further comprising an overload clutch associated with the delivery elements and which is actuated by the at least one load sensor, when the load rate acting on the respective compression element exceeds a maximum allowable value, for turning off at least a pick-up delivery element.

6. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, further comprising an overload clutch which automatically turns off at least a pick-up delivery element when a load rate of a conveying rotor reaches a magnitude just below a maximum load rate of the respective compression element to insure binding of a compressed bale.

7. A round baler as set forth in claim 6, wherein the overload clutch is formed as a cam clutch.

8. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, wherein the load sensor comprises a torque indicator mounted on an output shaft for driving the compression elements.

9. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, wherein the load sensor is mounted directly on one of the compression elements from which another compression elements are driven.

10. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, comprising display means for displaying a load acting on the respective compression element.

11. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, wherein one of a support reaction of an output shaft of the main drive and a support reaction of a main drive roller is used as a control parameter for effecting at least one of actuation of the wrapping apparatus and turning off the at least one delivery element.

12. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first drive line includes a chain drive means, and the load sensor measures a chain tension of a load run of the chain drive means.

13. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, wherein the main drive has a single output shaft for driving both the compression elements and the at least one conveying rotor, and wherein the load sensor is so arranged that it senses a load rate almost of all of the compression elements, and wherein an overload clutch is provided in the second drive line.

14. A round baler as set forth in claim 4, further including a bale chamber having a constant diameter.