Netwrap Feed and Cut Mechanism

Abstract

A baler having an inlet area for receiving netwrap wherein it is a short distance between the drum roller and the closest belt roller. The netwrap guide at bottom of baler includes a feed pan having flexible net guides that are narrower than the bale forming belts. This netwrap guide has supporting cross members underneath it but there are no cross members in close vicinity to the lower belt roller to keep excess crop from accumulating there. There is also a netwrap guide at front of the baler for feeding netwrap material into contact with the periphery of a formed bale, including a guide positioned generally above the pickup for directing crop material previously inserted into the bale formation chamber and the netwrap material away from the pickup. The baler also has a novel netwrap feeding and cutting mechanism.

1 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A method of engaging netwrap material, stored on a netwrap roll, onto a cylindrical bale inside a bale chamber, said baler comprising a drum roller and a belt roller about which belts for forming the cylindrical bale are wrapped, the drum roller disposed forward of the belt roller, said method comprising: 
 unrolling the netwrap material from the netwrap roll;    directing the netwrap material operatively around a portion of the belt roller behind the drum roller;    passing the netwrap material through a region between the drum roller and the belt roller;    engaging the netwrap material onto the cylindrical bale; and    wherein the baler includes at least one netwrap material guide disposed between the netwrap roll and the belt roller, the method additionally comprising supporting the netwrap material from below with the at least one netwrap material guide as the netwrap material passes from the netwrap roll to the belt roller.    
   
   
       15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  additionally comprising: 
 installing the belt roller a distance behind the drum roller; and    providing a gap between said belt roller and drum roller less than a diameter of the belt roller.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the baler includes at least one arcuate wedge member having an upper surface and a lower surface, said at least one arcuate wedge member used for forming a space to allow the netwrap material to engage the cylindrical bale, said method including: 
 (a) defining the lower surface of the at least one arcuate wedge member as a circular arc shape concentric with the drum roller;    (b) defining the upper surface of the at least one arcuate wedge member as a circular arc shape, a center of said circular arc being to the rear of the baler compared to an axis of rotation of the drum roller; and    (c) truncating the upper and lower surfaces of the at least one arcuate wedge member behind an intersection of the upper surface and the lower surface.    
   
   
       18 - 23 . (canceled)