Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WRAPPING-MATERIAL STORAGE UNIT AND CROP HARVESTING DEVICE
Description
The present invention relates to a wrapping-material storage
unit for carrying a wrapping material supply on a crop
harvesting device, preferably an agricultural or industrial
baler for producing round bales, comprising a bale wrapping
device for wrapping a bale with wrapping material, which bale
wrapping device is connectable to the crop harvesting device
in a preferably rear region, comprising a carrier, which is
pivotably mountable on the crop harvesting device and has at
least one wrapping-material accommodating device for
accommodating at least one wrapping material supply,
preferably in the form of a roll, and a crop harvesting
device, preferably an agricultural or industrial baler for
producing round bales, having a bale wrapping device for
wrapping a bale with wrapping material, which bale wrapping
device is connectable to the crop harvesting device in a rear
region.
Known wrapping-material storage units are often used on crop
harvesting devices, where they are used for accommodating and
carrying wrapping material supplies, for example, in the form
of rolls of film or net material. Such crop harvesting
devices are often balers that are used both in agricultural
and in industrial applications. Corresponding agricultural
balers are used, for example, for forming crop bales, for
example, in the form of round bales, and often generate at
least substantially round-cylindrical bales from crop
material, for example, in the form of straw, hay, chopped
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material, etc. After a bale is formed, said bale is wrapped
in a film or net material, for the purpose of which a
so-called bale wrapping device is used, which is connected to
the crop harvesting device or can form an integral, fixed, or
detachable component of the crop harvesting device or of a
baler or a baler/wrapper combination, in particular in the
form of a so-called dual-purpose baler. Wrapping-material
storage units can also be provided, however, on devices used
exclusively for bale wrapping, which can be used
independently of a crop harvesting device.
Wrapping-material storage units are usually used for carrying
wrapping material supplies during the transport, travel, or
harvesting operation of the crop harvesting device and
preferably must be stored in such a way that they preferably
do not extend into the functional region of the crop
harvesting device at all or only slightly and preferably do
not hamper a function of the baler and, in addition, can be
protected against environmental influences and damage to the
greatest extent possible, while simultaneously allowing
access by an operator to the wrapping material supplies as
necessary. It is known to provide wrapping-material storage
units in a raised position in side regions of a crop
harvesting device and, in order to remove the wrapping
material supplies, to bring said wrapping-material storage
units into a position extending laterally away from the crop
harvesting device, in which the wrapping material supplies
can be removed by an operator. Subsequent thereto, the
operator must bring the wrapping material supplies, which are
usually heavy and unwieldy, from the point of removal to the
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point of use, which is usually located in a rear region of the
crop harvesting device.
This is taxing for the operator and, over the course of a work
day, is tiring. The problem addressed by the invention is
considered to be that of providing a wrapping-material storage
unit and a crop harvesting device of the initially mentioned
type, by means of which the aforementioned disadvantages are
overcome.
A wrapping-material storage unit for carrying a wrapping material
supply on a crop harvesting device, preferably an agricultural
or industrial baler for producing round bales, comprising a bale
wrapping device for wrapping a bale with wrapping material, which
bale wrapping device is connectable to the crop harvesting device
in a preferably rear region, includes a carrier, which is
pivotably mountable on the crop harvesting device and has at
least one wrapping-material accommodating device for
accommodating at least one wrapping material supply, preferably
in the form of a roll. If the carrier is designed in such a way
that the wrapping-material accommodating device can be brought
out of a transport position, which is oriented at least
substantially vertically and is preferably remote from the bale
wrapping device, and into a removal position, which is adjacent
to the bale wrapping device, this can simplify the removal of
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-01-16
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wrapping material supply for an operator, in particular since
said operator only needs to transport the wrapping material
supply over a relatively short distance to its place of use.
It is particularly favorable when the wrapping-material
accommodating device is disposed, in the removal position, so
as to be at least approximately horizontal and/or
approximately, although preferably not completely, parallel
to a longitudinal axis of the crop harvesting device. In this
manner, it is easily accessible for the operator. In
addition, this can further simplify a removal of a wrapping
material supply, for example, in such a way that a wrapping
material supply, which is formed as a roll, in particular,
can be picked up by an operator, for example, using both
arms.
If the carrier, in the transport position, is disposed in a
raised position, preferably at least substantially above a
wheel arch of the crop harvesting device and/or in a side
region of the crop harvesting device, then at least
substantially no influence occurs between the crop harvesting
device and the wrapping material supply during the actual
operation of the crop harvesting device. In addition, the
wrapping material supply can be carried so as to be protected
against soiling or damage.
If the carrier, in the transport position, is disposed at
least substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the
crop harvesting device, it occupies the smallest possible
installation space with respect to the crop harvesting device
and is disposed so as to be protected as well as possible.
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It is particularly favorable if the carrier is designed to
pivot about a non-vertical axis of rotation and preferably
comprises at least one rotational joint for the mounting on
the baler, said rotational joint having, at least
substantially, a non-vertically oriented axis of rotation.
In this manner, the carrier or the wrapping-material storage
unit can describe an arc during the pivoting, which can guide
said carrier or wrapping-material storage unit around other
components, in particular the wheel arch of the crop
harvesting device. Preferably, the carrier also comprises a
base plate for accommodating the wrapping-material
accommodating device, which extends at least substantially
perpendicularly from the base plate, and a link for
connecting the base plate to the rotational joint, wherein
the link preferably encloses an angle greater than 90 with
the base plate.
In order to further improve the pivoting or guidance of the
carrier or the base plate, the axis of rotation can enclose
an angle of less than 90 with the vertical line or the
horizontal line and/or can preferably extend at least
substantially backward with respect to the crop harvesting
device.
In particular, a crop harvesting device can be equipped with
at least one wrapping-material storage unit. Such a crop
harvesting device is preferably an agricultural or industrial
baler for producing round bales, having a bale wrapping
device for wrapping a bale with wrapping material, which bale
wrapping device is connectable to the crop harvesting device
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in a rear region. It is also conceivable, however, to provide
at least one wrapping-material storage unit on bale wrapping
devices that operate independently of a baler or that are
attached to such a baler.
In this case, the carrier can be easily mounted at an end
region of a housing component, preferably a wheel arch of the
crop harvesting device, which end region is preferably
slanted backward and downward with respect to the crop
harvesting device.
If the axis of rotation is disposed at least substantially
perpendicularly with respect to the slanted end region, this
permits the carrier or the wrapping-material storage unit to
pivot along a circular arc.
If two wrapping-material storage units are provided, which
are preferably disposed substantially axially symmetrical
with respect to a/the longitudinal axis of the crop
harvesting device, this increases the space available for the
wrapping material supplies. Crop harvesting devices often
comprise bale wrapping devices having two accommodating arms
for wrapping material supplies that approximately face one
another, and so, in the case in which two wrapping-material
storage units are provided, the wrapping material supplies
can be simultaneously installed adjacently on both
accommodating arms.
The invention as well as further advantages and advantageous
refinements of the invention and embodiments of the invention
are described and explained in greater detail in the
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following with reference to the drawings, which show an
exemplary embodiment of the invention.
In the drawings:
figure la shows a schematic depiction of a crop harvesting
device having a downstream bale wrapping device and a
wrapping-material storage unit in a transport, travel, and
operating position,
figure lb shows a view corresponding to figure la, wherein
the wrapping-material storage unit is shown in a removal
position,
figure 2 shows a simplified depiction of the crop harvesting
device according to figure la or lb, as viewed from above,
comprising two wrapping-material storage units, and
figure 3 shows a perspective and enlarged depiction of one
of the wrapping-material storage units.
Figures la and lb show a crop harvesting device 10 in the
form of a baler designed as a round baler, comprising a
downstream bale wrapping device 12. In the exemplary
embodiment shown, the crop harvesting device 10 comprises a
frame 14, a vehicle frame 16, a bale chamber 18, and a feed
device 20. A drawbar 22 is also provided, by means of which
the crop harvesting device 10 can be attached to a
non-depicted towing vehicle, such as, for example, an
agricultural working machine or an agricultural tractor. In
principle, the =crop harvesting device 10 can be of any
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conventional design. According to the figures, the crop
harvesting device 10 is a round baler. Such a round baler can
comprise, for example, a fixed or variable bale chamber, and
can be used both in agricultural and in industrial applications.
Preferably, the baler 10 is of the design according to the
German patent application 101 53 540.6.
The frame 14 is formed of a welded and/or screwed assembly and
is supported on the ground by means of the vehicle frame 16.
The vehicle frame 16 is depicted in the drawing in a tandem-
axle design having two axles 24, each of which is provided with
a wheel 26 on each side. A configuration having only one axle
or one support by means of crawler tracks or other suitable
means is also conceivable. A wheel cover 28 is provided above
the wheels.
The bale wrapping device 12 comprises a frame 30, a wrapping
table or an accommodating device 32 for accommodating the bale
34 to be wrapped, and wrapping arms 36, which can be set into
motion by means of a non-depicted, suitable drive for wrapping
the bale 34 with a wrapping material 38, for example, a film.
The wrapping arms 36 comprise, in their end regions 40, wrapping
material carriers 42 for accommodating a wrapping material
supply 44, for example, in the form of rolls.
In general, during operation, a bale 34 is discharged from the
crop harvesting device 10 after conclusion of the baling process
and is transferred to the bale wrapping device 12 by way of
known means, which are not depicted in greater detail.
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After the bale 34 is received by the accommodating device 32,
the bale 34 is wrapped with wrapping material 38 by means of
the wrapping arms 36.
In side regions 46 of the crop harvesting device 10,
wrapping-material storage units 48 are provided to the left
and the right of the bale chamber 18, wherein, in figures la
and lb, only the wrapping-material storage unit 48 on the
left, with respect to the usual direction of travel D of the
crop harvesting device 10, is depicted, wherein the wrapping-
material storage unit according to figure la is depicted in a
transport, travel, or operating position, which is referred
to in the following only as the transport position T, and is
depicted in a removal position E in figure lb. Figure 2,
which is also referred to here, shows both positions, wherein
the removal position E is indicated using solid lines and the
transport position T is indicated by a depiction using dashed
lines.
In the following, reference is now also made to figure 3, in
which the wrapping-material storage unit 48, which is also on
the left with respect to the usual direction of travel D of
the crop harvesting device 10, is depicted in greater detail.
The wrapping-material storage units 48 each comprise a
carrier 50 and a base plate 52. Each base plate 52 carries a
plurality of wrapping-material accommodating devices 54,
which extend perpendicularly away from the base plate 52. In
the exemplary embodiment shown, there are five
wrapping-material accommodating devices 54, which are
disposed in two parallel rows, one of which has three and the
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other of which has two wrapping-material accommodating
devices 54. The wrapping-material accommodating devices 54
are designed for accommodating one wrapping material supply
44 each. Other arrangements are also conceivable, however.
The carrier 50 further comprises a link 56, which is fixedly
connected at one end to the base plate 52 and, at the other
end, to a rotational joint 60, which is provided at an end
region 58 of the wheel cover 28, which end region slopes
downward at a slant toward the rear with respect to the usual
direction of travel D of the crop harvesting device 10. The
link 56 encloses an obtuse angle with the base plate 52. The
rotational joint 60 has an axis of rotation 62, which extends
perpendicularly backward from the slanted end region 58, and
enables both the link 56 and, therefore, the base plate 52
having the wrapping-material accommodating devices 54, and
the carrier 50 as a whole to pivot about the axis of rotation
62.
Both during a harvesting operation of the crop harvesting
device 10 and transport or road travel, the wrapping-material
storage units 48 each assume the transport position T above
the wheel covers 28, as is depicted in figure la and in
figure 2 using dashed lines. In this position, the base plate
52 is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis
L of the crop harvesting device 10.
In the removal position E, as is depicted in figure lb and 3
and in figure 2 using solid lines, the carrier 50 is pivoted
backward, with respect to the direction of travel D of the
crop harvesting device 10, into the removal position E, in .
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which the base plate 52 is disposed so as to be adjacent to
the bale wrapping device 12. It is conceivable that the
carrier 50 is pivoted into a position in which the
wrapping-material accommodating devices 54 are oriented
parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the crop harvesting
device 10. Preferably, however, they assume a position in
which they extend slightly outward with respect to the
longitudinal axis L, according to the depiction in figures 2
and 3.
If the wrapping-material storage unit 48 or the carrier 50 is
moved out of the transport position T and into the removal
position E, the base plate 52, which is connected to the
rotational joint 60 via the link 56, pivots about the axis of
rotation 62. Due to the arrangement of the axis of rotation
62, which extends neither purely vertically nor horizontally,
but rather, with respect to the end region 58 of the wheel
cover 28 slanting downward toward the rear, extends
perpendicularly backward away from said wheel cover, the
wrapping-material storage unit 48 and, in particular, the
base plate 52, describe an arc during the pivoting process,
which guides said base plate outwardly around the crop
harvesting device 10 or its side region 46 and, in
particular, the wheel arch 28. The base plate 52 moves out of
a horizontally oriented position, in which a free region 64
of the base plate 52 points forward, with respect to the
direction of travel D, and the wrapping-material
accommodating devices 54 extend vertically upward, and into a
substantially vertically oriented position, in which the free
region 64 of the base plate 52 points in the direction of the
ground, and the wrapping-material accommodating devices 54
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are oriented essentially horizontally and point substantially
backward.
In the transport position T, the wrapping-material storage
unit 48 can accommodate multiple wrapping material supplies
44 in such a way that the wrapping material supplies 44 are
stored so as to be at least substantially protected against
environmental influences, which could damage said supplies,
and in such a way that said supplies do not interact with the
function of the crop harvesting device 10.
In the removal position E, in turn, the wrapping material
supplies 44 are located in a position in which an operator
can remove said supplies from the wrapping-material storage
unit 48 or from the wrapping-material accommodating devices
54 easily and, in particular, next to or near the future site
of use.
It should be noted that the pivoting of the wrapping-material
storage unit 48 or the carrier 50 can be provided both
manually as well as in a motor-driven manner, for example,
with the use of a hydraulic motor, an electric motor, or in
any other suitable manner. It is also conceivable that manual
pivoting is supported by a motor or is damped, for example,
by a hydraulic cylinder. Automated and/or controlled pivoting
is also conceivable.
It can be further provided that the wrapping-material storage
unit 48 or the carrier 50 is fixed, at least in the transport
position T, by a non-depicted securing device. It is also
conceivable that the wrapping-material storage unit 48 is
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held in this position, for example, by a hydraulic effect or
in another manner by a motor. Preferably, a non-depicted stop
means is provided in the area of the removal position E,
which stop means limits a pivoting of the wrapping-material
storage unit 48 or of the carrier 50 beyond the desired
removal position E.
