Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A METHOD OF WRAPPING A ROUNDED BALE
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a method of
wrapping a rounded bale, and more specifically to a method of wrapping
that fully envelopes the rounded bale so as to maintain the integrity of
the bale during, pick-up, transport, and storage.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Netting is often prepared either by knitting, weaving, or
extrusion. Knitted netting typically comprises a plurality of threads
oriented in a first direction and being essentially equal spaced from one
another, and having wefts oriented in a second direction which is
perpendicular to the first direction, the threads and wefts being
interlocked and secured. Nets may be prepared by a Racshel knitting
method, a process in which the threads are attached to knitting elements
that comprise two needles and knock-over comb bars positioned
opposite to one another, and comprising ground guide bars, pattern
guide bars and stitch comb bars. An example of such a knitted net is
described in European Patent No. 0 723 606, to Fryszer, et al.,
incorporated herein by reference.
[0003] Knitted netting has a variety of end use applications,
including but not limited to hay bale wrap, cargo wrap, netted bags, and
drainage nets. Racshel knitted nets have been used for round hay bale
wrapping as disclosed in U.S. Patents No. 4,569,439 and No. 4,570,789,
both incorporated herein by reference. Twines and films have also been
used to tie up hay bales; however the twine usually cuts in the bale and
doesn't provide ample support to keep the bale tidy and neat. Further,
the twining of the rolled bales with the binding yarn is relatively time-
consuming and requires substantial manual labor. Film covers don't
allow the rolled bale enough air circulation, which lead to the growth of
mold and eventually rotting. The Racshel knitted net doesn't cut into the
hay bale and allow ample amount of air to circulate through the bale.
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Although RaGshel knitted netting has several advantages over twine and
plastic film, the netting tends to shrink in overall width when pulled
lengthwise. Due to the shrinkage in the width, the outer most edges of
the hay bale are left exposed, which can cause the bale to become
disheveled during pick-up and transport. Further, the wrapping process
usually involves wrapping the bale three to four times around to ensure
the bale material, whether it be hay or straw, is properly covered, as well
as to ensure that the wrap is properly secured around the bale.
[0004] There is an unmet need for a net that will provide maximum
coverage with one wrap to a rounded bale maintaining the rolled bale's
compact shape during pick-up and transport, as well as during storage.
Summary of the Invention
[0005] The present invention is directed to a method of wrapping a
rounded bale, and more specifically, to a method of wrapping that fully
envelopes the rounded bale and ties at either end so as to maintain the
integrity of the bale during, pick-up, transport, and storage. In one
embodiment, the wrap ties at either end. In other embodiments, the
integrity of the bale is enhanced in that the wrap clings to the surface as
well as the ends of the bales. The wrap may comprise elastomeric
material to facilitate clinging and conformance to the bales.
[0006] In accordance with the present invention, the method of
wrapping a rounded bale entails inserting the bale into an apparatus that
receives a wrap material. U.S. Patents No. 4,697,402 and No.
5,129,208, incorporated herein by reference, are representative of such
apparatuses. In one embodiment, the apparatus receives the bale
length-wise. A wrap material that is greater than the length of the bale to
be wrapped is fed into the apparatus. The wrap is positioned about the
bale in a single rotation and cut from the remainder of the wrap material.
Subsequently, the excess wrap that extends over either side, so as to
completely cover the bale.
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[0007] In a second embodiment, the apparatus receives the bale
width-wise. A wrap material that is greater than the width of the bale to
be wrapped is fed into the apparatus. The wrap is positioned about the
bale in a single rotation and cut from the remainder of the wrap material.
Subsequently, the excess wrap that extends over either side of the bale's
width, so as to completely cover the bale.
[0008] In one form of the invention, the excess bale wrap is tied off
or fastened by some other means. In another form, the wrap clings to
the surface as well as the end of the bale.
[0009] In another embodiment, a device fastens the wrap at one
end prior to positioning the wrap about the bale, completely covering the
bale, In this embodiment, the wrap acts like a sock that fits over the bale,
wherein the wrap is first arranged in a tubular fashion. The wrap can
them be stretched over the bale clinging to the surface of the bale, as
well as covering the sides of the bale. .
[0010] The bale wrap material may be a Raschel knit. The knitted
net may comprise a specific performance, such as differential elongation,
wherein a plurality of chain yarns orientated in a first direction have
dissimilar elongation performances. The net may further comprise fill
yarns having an elastomeric performance.
[0011] The bale wrap material of the present invention may also be
laminated material. For instance, a knitted net may be mechanically or
chemically bonded to a nonwoven fabric to provide improved coverage to
the rounded bale. Optionally, the nonwoven fabric and/or net may be
mechanically and/or chemically treated so as to impart as specific
performance into the bale wrap material.
[0012] The yarns of the knitted net may comprise flat filaments,
such as tapes, mono-filaments, or a combination thereof. The filaments
of the net and/or the nonwoven fabric may be of similar or dissimilar
polymeric compositions. Suitable filaments, which may be blended in
whole or part with natural or synthetic polymeric compositions, include
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polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, polyvinyls, polyacrylics, and the
blends or coextrusion products thereof. The synthetic polymers may be
further selected from homopolymers; copolymers, conjugates and other
derivatives including those thermoplastic polymers having incorporated
melt additives or surface-active agents.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0013] FIGURE 1 illustrates a view of a portion of a Racshel
machine;
[0014] FIGURE 2 is diagrammatic view of the wrapping method of
the present invention;
[0015] FIGURE 3 is diagrammatic view of the wrapping method of
the present invention; and
[0016] FIGURES 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views of further
wrapping methods of the present invention.
Detailed Description
[0017] While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in
various forms, there will hereinafter be described, presently preferred
embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be
considered as an exemplification of the invention, and is not intended to
limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed herein.
[0018] In accordance with the present invention, the method of
wrapping a rounded bale entails inserting the bale into an apparatus that
receives a wrap material. The aforementioned U.S. Patent Nos.
4,697,402 and No. 5,129,208, both incorporated herein by reference, are
representative of such apparatuses. In one embodiment, the apparatus
receives the bale length-wise. A wrap material that is greater than the
length of the bale to be wrapped is fed into the apparatus. The wrap is
positioned about the bale in a single rotation and cut from the remainder
of the wrap material. Subsequently, the excess wrap that extends over
either side of the bale's length so as to completely cover the bale. The
excess wrap is tied off or fastened, or clings to the bale.
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[0019] In a further embodiment, the apparatus receives the bale
width-wise. A wrap material that is greater than the width of the bale to
be wrapped is fed into the apparatus. The wrap is positioned about the
bale in a single rotation and cut from the remainder of the wrap material.
Subsequently, the excess wrap that extends over either side of the bale's
width is tied off or fastened by some other means, or clings to the bale,
so as to completely cover the bale.
[0020] In a third embodiment, a device fastens the wrap at one end
prior to positioning the wrap about the bale, completely covering the
bale. In this embodiment, the wrap can act like a sock that fits over the
bale, wherein the wrap is first arranged in a tubular fashion. The wrap
can then be stretched over the bale clinging to the surface of the bale,
asd well as covering the sides of the bale.
[0021] The bale wrap of the present invention may be a Racshel
knitted net. FIGURE 1, is representative of a Racshel machine, whereby
it is provided with a comb plate 1 in which a plurality of latch needles 3
are mounted for reciprocating motion along their axes 2 in a vertical
plane, as viewed. As shown, the needles 3 are disposed on a bar 4
which is movable up and down.
[0022] In addition, the machine includes a plurality of lapping belts
or guide bars 5 spaced from the needles 3 on one side, i.e., the
downstream side, of the plane of the needles 3 for guiding pattern yarns
to the needles 3. A yarn laying-in comb 6 is also mounted on the same
side of the plane 2 of the latch needles 3 in order to carry out an orbital
motion perpendicularly of the plane 2 while penetrating between the
pattern yarns. As indicated in chain-dotted line 7, the orbital motion is a
combined stroke and oscillating motion. The comb 6 is provided with a
plurality of parallel sinkers 8 each of which carries a guide rod 9 and
which has a deflecting edge 10 at the forward end extending towards the
plane 2. In addition, each sinker 8 has a yarn catch 11 at a lower region
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of the deflecting edge 10 below the guide rod 9. A trace comb 12 is also
mounted over the comb plate 1 in known manner.
[0023] The machine also has a plurality of guide bars 13 which
have needle guides thereon for directing stitch yarns to the latch needles
3. As shown, the guide bars 13 are mounted on the side of the plane 2
of the latch needles 3 opposite the lapping belts 5, i.e., on the upstream
side. Suitable means are also provided for oscillating the guide bars 13
at an angle to the pattern yarns.
[0024] As shown in FIGURE 1, the lapping belts 5 are positioned
at an acute angle downstream of the plane 2. A yarn guide 14 is also
disposed between the belts 5 and the guide bars 13 for deflecting the
pattern yarns upon laying-in of the stitch yarns. This yarn guide 14 is
used for laying the pattern yarns in the needle lanes (not shown). The
yarn guide 14 may be coupled to the guide bars 13 so as to move
therewith or may be provided with an independent drive (not shown).
[0025] The knitted wrap may optionally comprise a plurality of
chain yarns orientated in a first direction, wherein the yarns have
dissimilar elongation performances. The dissimilar elongation
performances of the yarns provide for optimal coverage of the bale upon
stretching of the netting. In order to achieve the desired necking
performance when stretching the netting, the yarns located proximal to
either edge have a higher elongation performance than those located
distal to the outer edges. Upon stretching, those yarns located proximal
the outer edges stretch further than those located distal to the outer
edge. This causes the outer edge of the net to flair, allowing the net to
fold over the edges of the hay bale, maintaining the compact nature of
the rolled bale.
[0026] The bale wrap material of the present invention may have
specific zones. A zone is defined as an area within the wrap that has a
similar performance. For instance, when the bale wrap material is a
knitted net, the net may comprise at least three zones, wherein the
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zones located proximal to the outer edges have a first performance and
the zones located distal to the outer edge have a second performance.
[0027] The bale wrap may optionally comprise a net with fill yarns
having an elastomeric performance to provide optimal coverage of the
bale upon stretching of the netting. When stretched in the cross-
direction, the netting easily conforms about the shape of a bale, hugging
the surface, which may include the sides, so as to maintain the compact
nature of the rolled bale.
[0028] The bale wrap of the present invention may be a knitted net
and nonwoven laminate. Preferably, the nonwoven fabric is a
continuous filament fabric. In general, continuous filament nonwoven
fabric formation involves the practice of the spunbond process. A
spunbond process involves supplying a molten polymer, which is then
extruded under pressure through a large number of orifices in a plate
known as a spinneret or die. Optionally, the molten polymer may
incorporate a filament modifying melt additive. The resulting continuous
filaments are quenched and drawn by any of a number of methods, such
as slot draw systems, attenuator guns, or Godet rolls. The continuous
filaments are collected as a loose web upon a moving foraminous
surface, such as a wire mesh conveyor belt. When more than one
spinneret is used in line for the purpose of forming a multi-layered fabric,
the subsequent webs are collected upon the uppermost surface of the
previously formed web. The web is then at least temporarily
consolidated, usually by means involving heat and pressure, such as by
thermal point bonding. Using this means, the web or layers of webs are
passed between two hot metal rolls, one of which has an embossed
pattern to impart and achieve the desired degree of point bonding,
usually on the order of 10 to 40 percent of the overall surface area being
so bonded.
[0029] The spunbond fabric of the laminate may have elastomeric
properties in addition to the knitted net having elastomeric properties. In
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this embodiment, the wrap can act like a sock that fits over the bale,
wherein the wrap is first arranged in a tubular fashion. The wrap can
then be stretched over the bale clinging to the surface of the bale, as
well as covering the sides of the bale.
[0030] From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous
modifications and variations can be affected without departing from the
true spirit and scope of the novel concept of the present invention. It is
to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific
embodiments illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. The
disclosure is intended to cover, by the appended claims, all such
modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.
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