Device for wrapping a bale of pasture or the like

Abstract

A wrapping device for a round baler including a rocker lever ( 1 ), at whose lower end there is mounted a group of gripping rollers ( 26, 27 ) for gripping a free end ( 3 ″) of a wrapping element ( 3 ) taken from a storage element ( 4 ). One of the rollers ( 26, 27 ) preferably carries spiral ribs and could be motor-driven.

1 - 28 . (canceled)  
   
   
       29 . Round baler, including a wrapping device for wrapping a bale ( 33 ) with a net or any other similar wrapping means ( 3 ), comprising: a chamber ( 34 ) for the formation of a bale ( 33 ), which is bounded at least in part by rollers ( 36 ,  37 ;  55 ,  56 ), two of which ( 36 ,  37 ), consisting of a feed roller ( 36 ) and another roller ( 37 ), define a gap ( 38 ) used for feeding the wrapping means ( 3 ) into said chamber ( 34 ); a storage means ( 4 ) of the wrapping means ( 3 ); a dispensing device ( 1 ) of the wrapping means ( 3 ), which is movable between at least a first position, corresponding to a rest position, and a second position for gripping and feeding said wrapping means ( 3 ) inside said chamber ( 34 ); actuation means ( 23 ) for actuating said dispensing device ( 1 ); a cutting device ( 5 ), which is movable between a first position, corresponding to a rest position, and a second position, or cutting position; characterised in that said dispensing device ( 1 ) has first and second ends, and a set of rollers ( 26 ,  27 ;  26 ′,  27 ′,  42 ;  26 ″,  27 ″,  42 ″) is mounted on said second end, which is used to grip a loose element ( 3 ″) of the net, besides an element ( 39 ) which, in the second position of the dispensing device ( 1 ), abuts on the feed roller ( 36 ) together with the loose or free end of the net ( 3 ″), on the outer side of the feed roller, with respect to the chamber ( 34 ).  
   
   
       30 . Round baler according to  claim 29 , wherein the contact between the net ( 3 ) and the surface of the feed roller ( 36 ), occurs at a point which is shifted with respect to the gap ( 38 ).  
   
   
       31 . Round baler according to  claim 29 , wherein said feed roller ( 36 ) has ribs ( 40 ) in order to facilitate the gripping action on the loose end ( 3 ″) and its feeding towards the gap ( 38 ), and therefore its insertion into the chamber ( 34 ).  
   
   
       32 . Round baler according  claim 31 , wherein at least one roller ( 26 ;  26 ′;  26 ″;  27 ′;  42 ;  27 ″,  42 ″) of said group of rollers of the dispensing device ( 1 ), presents spiral ribs of opposite directions, that is left-hand and right-hand, which are apt to outstretch the net during the wrapping of the bale.  
   
   
       33 . Round baler according to  claim 29 , wherein at least one roller ( 26 ′;  26 ″), making part of said group of rollers of the dispensing device ( 1 ), is motorized.  
   
   
       34 . Round baler according to  claim 29 , wherein there are provided means ( 29 ;  44 ) which are suited to push one against the other at least two rollers ( 26 ,  27 ;  26 ′,  27 ′;  42 ,  26 ′) of said set of rollers of the dispensing device ( 1 ).  
   
   
       35 . Round baler according to  claim 29 , wherein the said dispensing device ( 1 ) is formed by a rocker lever ( 1 ), which is connected at its first end, corresponding to the upper end, to the frame of the round baler, and is provided on this upper end with a plurality of transmission elements ( 2 ,  25 ,  24 ), and at least one ( 2 ) of these elements is idly mounted in order to perform the task of a net-length measuring roller ( 2 ) with the aid of a respective sensor.  
   
   
       36 . Round baler according to  claim 35 , wherein the arrangement of said transmission elements ( 2 ,  25 ,  24 ) on the upper end of the rocker lever ( 1 ) is such as to insure, when the rocker lever ( 1 ) is in the second position and in the exact instant when it arrives in this position, the presence of a section of the net ( 41 ) which is slack.  
   
   
       37 . Round baler according to  claim 35 , wherein also the net-length counting roller ( 2 ) has spiral ribs, in order to be capable of laterally outstretching the net which is partially wound around its surface.  
   
   
       38 . Round baler according to  claim 29 , wherein an element ( 31 ) is provided on the dispensing device ( 1 ) in order to protect and guide the loose end ( 3 ″) of the net towards the insertion gap ( 38 ).  
   
   
       39 . Round baler according to  claim 29 , wherein said cutting device ( 5 ) is actuated by linkages or tie rods ( 7 ) that connect the same to said dispensing device ( 1 ).  
   
   
       40 . Round baler according to  claim 39 , wherein a hooking-unhooking mechanism ( 9 ,  10 ,  13 ) is provided for said cutting device.  
   
   
       41 . Round baler according to  claim 29 , wherein a brake ( 16 ) is provided which, in the first position of the dispensing device ( 1 ) is in contact with the wrapping means ( 3 ) on the storage means ( 4 ), while it withdraws from said wrapping means ( 3 ) during the initial period of the wrapping step, when said dispensing device ( 1 ) is in said second position.  
   
   
       42 . Round baler according to  claim 41 , wherein said dispensing device ( 1 ) may also occupy a third position, which is determined by a sensor and is located between said first and second positions, and in which the cutting device ( 5 ) is still in said first position whilst the brake is again in touch with the wrapping means ( 3 ) on the storage means ( 4 ).  
   
   
       43 . Round baler according to  claim 42 , wherein the brake ( 16 ) is urged by elastic means to return to its position in touch with the wrapping means ( 3 ) on the storage means ( 4 ), and is actuated by tie rods ( 19 ) which connect the same to the dispensing device ( 1 ).  
   
   
       44 . A method for wrapping a bale, using a wrapping device of a round baler, the method including the following steps: 
 providing a stock, or supply  3 , of wrapping means, on a respective storage means ( 4 ) mounted on the round baler;    providing a dispensing device ( 1 ) for said wrapping means ( 3 ), said dispensing device being movable between a first, or rest position, and a second or gripping position of the wrapping means ( 3 ), wherein the dispensing device ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of transmission elements ( 2 ,  24 ,  25 ) of said wrapping means ( 3 ), and a set of gripping rollers ( 26 ,  27 ;  26 ′,  27 ′,  42 ;  26 ″,  27 ″,  42 ″) for gripping said wrapping means;    guiding said wrapping means ( 3 ) from said storage means ( 4 ), around said transmission elements ( 2 ,  24 ,  25 ) and up to said gripping rollers ( 26 ,  27 ;  26 ′,  27 ′,  42 ;  26 ″,  27 ″,  42 ″), while letting a loose or free end ( 3 ″) of the wrapping means ( 3 ) project from the latter rollers;    displacing said dispensing device ( 1 ) from said first position to said second position, by the use of actuation means ( 23 ); wherein, in the second position of the dispensing device ( 1 ), an element ( 39 ), together with the free end ( 3 ″), abuts a first roller ( 36 ) of said chamber ( 34 ), which defines an insertion gap ( 38 ) in combination with a second roller ( 37 ) of the same chamber, and is used to insert the wrapping means ( 3 ) into the chamber ( 34 );    waiting until said loose end ( 3 ″) is transported by said first roller ( 36 ) of the chamber, along a path extending around an outer portion of the roller's circumference, up to said insertion gap ( 38 ), and into the chamber ( 34 );    a wrapping step, in which the wrapping means ( 3 ) is drafted and wound around the bale ( 33 ) within the baling chamber ( 34 ) of the round baler;    a cutting step, in which the wrapping means ( 3 ) is cut by a cutting device ( 5 ), after said dispensing device ( 1 ) has returned to its first position under the control of said actuation means ( 23 ).    
   
   
       45 . A method according to  claim 44 , wherein the wrapping means ( 3 ) is outstretched in the transversal direction under the effect of at least one spiral-ribs-carrying-roller comprised in the group of gripping rollers ( 26 ,  27 ;  26 ′,  27 ′,  42 ;  26 ″,  27 ″,  42 ″).  
   
   
       46 . A method according to  claim 45 , wherein in order to facilitate the operation of transporting the wrapping means ( 3 ) towards the insertion gap ( 38 ), along said outer portion of the circumference of the first roller ( 36 ) of the baling chamber, a slack portion or non-tensioned portion ( 41 ) of the wrapping means ( 3 ) is generated during the displacement of the dispensing device ( 1 ) from the first position to the second position, and said first roller ( 36 ) of the baling chamber ( 34 ) takes advantage of this slack portion in order to draft the free end ( 3 ″) towards the insertion gap ( 38 ) by overcoming a reduced or even negligible resistance.  
   
   
       47 . A method according to  claim 46 , wherein said wrapping means ( 3 ) is also outstretched in the transversal direction by means of a net-length counting roller ( 2 ) carrying spiral ribs and included in said plurality of transmission elements ( 2 ,  24 ,  25 ).  
   
   
       48 . A method according to  claim 44 , wherein at least one roller of the group of gripping rollers ( 26 ,  27 ;  26 ′,  27 ′,  42 ;  26 ″,  27 ″,  42 ″) is motorized in order to increase the length of the free end ( 3 ″) of the wrapping means ( 3 ), during the displacement of the dispensing device ( 1 ) from said first position to said second position.  
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 44 , wherein a brake ( 16 ) is provided, which abuts on the supply ( 3 ) of wrapping means ( 3 ) when said dispensing device ( 1 ) is in the first position, in order to tension or outstretch said wrapping means ( 3 ), but which is no more in touch with said supply ( 3 ) of the wrapping means when said dispensing device ( 1 ) reaches said second position.  
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 47 , wherein, immediately after the wrapping means ( 3 ) has traversed the insertion gap ( 38 ) and begins to the wound around the lateral cylindrical surface of the bale ( 33 ), a sensor associated to said net length counting roller ( 2 ) transmits a control signal to an electronic control unit, which in turn controls the actuation means ( 23 ) of the dispensing device ( 1 ), so that the latter is brought to a third position, corresponding to an operative or working position, intermediate between said first position and said second position.  
   
   
       51 . A method according to  claim 44 , wherein said cutting device ( 5 ) and said brake ( 16 ) are at least in part actuated by linkages ( 7 ,  19 ) which connect them to said dispensing device ( 1 ).  
   
   
       52 . A method according to  claim 44 , wherein the dispensing device is a rocker lever ( 1 ) comprising two arms ( 1 ,  1 ) pivoted to the frame ( 47 ) of the round baler.  
   
   
       53 . A method according to  claim 52 , wherein said net length counting roller ( 2 ) is coaxial with the rotational axis of the rocker lever ( 1 ).  
   
   
       54 . A method according to  claim 44 , wherein a brake ( 16 ) is provided, which uninterruptedly abuts on the wrapping material supply ( 3 ).  
   
   
       55 . A method according to  claim 45 , wherein the spiral ribs of the spiraled rollers may also be obtained without adding material, but simply by removing material from the rollers themselves.