Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVEMENTS ~ELATING TO THE WRAPPING OF HAY sALEs
This invention relates -to -the wrapping of hay bales,
particlllarly, round bales. Large round hay bales lend
themselves to the produc-tion of silage because of their
relative bulkiness, however, difficulties have been
experienced in the effective and quick wrapping of such
bales when the bales are s-till in the field.
Wrapping of hay bales in preformed plastic bags or
by wrapping usi~g a slngle axis turntable is known to
10 applicants. However, there are difficulties with such
methods in forming an airtight seal to prevent ingress of
air which will spoil the silage forming process.
Furthermore, the operation is limited to specific bag sizes
which do not necessarily form a tight fit around the bale.
15 If this occurs a small hole formed in the bag will mean
large scale spoilage of the bag for a wide area around the
hole, and possibly spoilage of all the material within the
bag.
The present invention has as its main objective to
2~ provide a method and apparatus for wrapping hay bales such
that the spoilage effects of atmosphere on the hay when
lying in the field are minimised.
A further objective is to provide a method and
apparatus for producing silage wherein the abovementioned
25 problems are mi~imised whilst performing the objective in a
more efficient ~anner.
There is provided according to the present invention
a method of wrapping a hay bale including the steps of
supporting the bale on a rotatable support, said support
30 being capable of rotation about two axes, attaching a sheet
of substantiall~ air impervious material to said bale,
rotating said bale about said two axes until said sheet
envelops said bale in close air tight relationship.
An apparatus for carrying out the method of the
invention is also provided wherein a bale support means is
mounted for rotation about two perpendicular axes, and a
means for wrapp~ng a sheet substantially impervious to air
tigh-tly around a bale of hay in orcler to adhere to itself
and to the hay.
Conveniently, the appara-tus is moun-tecl on a vehicle
such as by the s-tandard 3 point linkage of a farm tractor.
The apparatus may utilise hydraulic motors connected to a
hydraulic pump fi-tted on said vehicle, said motors being
adapted to drive said support means about said two axes.
The roller motor is supplied with hydraulic fluid
through a rotary coupling.
Alternatively, the apparatus may be mounted upon a
wheeled trailer adap-ted to be towed behind a vehicle having
a self-contained hydraulic pressure system or connected
into a separable hydraulic system on the towing vehicle.
The apparatus may include means for lifting a round
15 bale from the ground onto the turntable and also means for
tilting the turntable to off load a wrapped bale.
The inveniion will be described having reference to
the accompanying sketches in which Figure 1 is a
perspective vie~ of the silage making and wrapping
20 apparatus.
Figure 2a` is a rear perspective view of a bale
wrapper during a bale pick-up action.
Figures 2(b), (c) and (d) show various steps in a
bale pick up.
Figures 3(a), (b), (c) and (d) show the actual
wrapping procedure.
Figure 4 shows the off-loading procedure.
The apparatus includes a mobile support frame 10
upon which is mounted a turntable 11 supported upon wheels
3~ 12. A circular bzle 30 positioned on the ground is
initially loaded by moving the support frame forward in the
direction of arrow A such that fork arms 31, 32 of a
pivotal outrigger arm construction 20 engage under the
bale. As shown in phantom outline at 30' in Figure 1, the
35 bale 30 engages against a locating stop bar 33 and is
thereby in position for subsequent loading. The fork arm 31
is adjustabl~ mcvable to allow for differiny sizes of the
bales 30. The bale 30 is loaded by moving pivotal outrigger
arm 20 upward b~ actuation of hydraulic ram 21 such that
the bale rol:Ls cnto rollers 13 arranged on the turntable
11. The series of movements in this regard are illustrated
successively in Figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. The turntable
includes rotatable rollers 13 for supporting the round hay
bale 30. The turntable 11 and rollers 13 are preferably
driven by hydraulic rnotors e.g 17, whereby when a round
1~ bale is supported on the rollers 13 there is simultaneous
rotation of the bale about two substantially perpendicular
axes.
ConvenierJtly one roller 13 is driven by a suitable
hydraulic motor 17 and the second roller may be driven by
lS belts 15 which interconnect the two rollers. The belts 15
thus serve -the cual purpose of supporting the bale 30 as
well as driving one of the rollers 13. Moreover, the
turntable 11 is itself rotated about a substantially
vertical axis b~ a suitable hydraulic motor (not shown). In
20 consequence whe~ a hay bale 30 is supported on the roller~
13 and belts lS, it may be rotated about its own
essentially horizontally disposed axis while simultaneously
being rotated a~out the substantially vertical axis of
rotation of the turntable 11.
A stand ~0 is provided supporting a roll of plastic
film such as sheet 16. The film or sheet 16 might be any
air impervious ~aterial having adhesive qualities on at
least one face or be such as to be able to adhere to
itself. In the operation see Figures 3(a), (b),(c) and (d)
30 of the invention the film or sheet is attached to the bale
and rotation of the bale is commenced. The sheet preferably
has a sticky backiny whereby it is unreeled by movement of
the bale and th~ bale is very quickly completely enveloped
by the sheet such that a substantially close fitting air
tight package for the bale is formed. The plastic sheet may
be of soft composition so as to be self-adhesing as it is
wrapped onto the bale. This hermetic sealing of the bale
- s -
enables the bale to undergo chemical change and forrn
sil~g~.
As is de~.onstrated in Figures 3a to 3d, an operator
first secures the end of -the plastic film or sheet -to the
bale as i-t is s~pported on the ro:l.lers and belts 13, 15.
The film roll support stand 40 may include rneans to ensure
tensioning of the fi.lm. Pre~erably the amount of tensioning
might be adjustable.
Subsequently the turntable 11, and therefore the
10 bale 30 is rotated about a vertical axis and single strip
of plastic film 16 is wrapped around the bale 30 after one
complete rotation (Figures 3a, 3b). The rollers 13 rotate
the bale about its own horizontal axis, preferably by a
distance equivalent to half the width of the plastic film.
15 The table is rot~ted a second time and second plastic strip
(overlapping the first plastic strip) is wrapped around the
bale. The process of course continues in this manner with
the movement abo~t the respective axes occurring preferably
simultaneously with the end result of substantially two
20 layers of the plastic film 16 enveloping the bale 30 as
seen in Figure 3c. It is generally preferred to repeat the
process to provide effectively four layers of plastic film
over the bale.
The close fitting nature of the package ensures that
25 small punctures will not unduly influence the formation of
silage because a~mospheric air cannot penetrate beyond the
irnmediate location of the puncture.
With reference to Figure 4 the turntable is
hydraulically tiltable to enable off-loading of the wrapped
30bale after turni~g of the turntable through 90 to allow
unloading from t~e rear.
The roller stand for the plastic sheet 16 is adapted
to pay out sheet during a wrapping operation. The tension
of the sheet may be controlled by the operator to achieve
35 an optimum wrapping tension.
As the bale is wrapped by overlapping strips the
bale has a two ply covering. Preferably the bale is double
wrapped.
