Bale Handling and Accumulation System

Abstract

A bale accumulation system for receiving, moving, and accumulating bales ( 3 ) on a bale support surface. The system may involve moving such bales ( 3 ) in linear path specific motions and transversely with respect to a bale accumulation surface ( 1 ). The system may further involve receiving such bales ( 3 ) onto a bale reception surface ( 11 ) and tilting such a bale reception surface ( 11 ) to deposit bales ( 3 ) onto the ground. Bales ( 3 ) may be aligned in various configurations on a bale support surface ( 1 ) perhaps without substantially restricting their movements on such a bale support surface ( 1 ) perhaps through the use of bale override alignment elements ( 16 ). The configuration of the bale support system also may minimize a total path distance through which bales ( 3 ) may be moved, perhaps decreasing the amount of time required to accumulate bales ( 3 ).

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . A bale accumulation apparatus comprising:
 a bale accumulation surface;   a unidirectional orientation neutral bale transfer element disposed above said bale accumulation surface configured to unidirectionally transfer at least one bale transversely across said bale accumulation surface in a neutral orientation;   a linear path specific opening transversely disposed through said bale accumulation surface;   a linear path specific motive force transfer element situated through said linear path specific opening and joined to said unidirectional orientation neutral bale transfer element;   a linear path specific motive force carriage element disposed beneath said bale accumulation surface and joined to said linear path specific motive force transfer element;   a linear path specific motive force application element disposed below said bale accumulation surface and joined to said linear path specific motive force carriage element;   a linear path specific confinement element transversely disposed below said bale accumulation surface; and   at least one confinement interface element disposed between said linear path specific motive force carriage element and said linear path specific confinement element.   
   
   
       20 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 19 , wherein said bale accumulation surface comprises a baler output receivable bale accumulation surface. 
   
   
       21 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 19 , wherein said unidirectional orientation neutral bale transfer element comprises a bale surface contact unidirectional orientation neutral bale transfer element. 
   
   
       22 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 21 , wherein said bale surface contact unidirectional orientation neutral bale transfer element comprises a bale push bar. 
   
   
       23 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 22 , wherein said bale push bar comprises a multiple in-line bale length coordinated bale push bar. 
   
   
       24 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 19 , wherein said motive force transfer element comprises a rigid member. 
   
   
       25 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 24 , wherein said rigid member comprises a columnar rigid member. 
   
   
       26 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 19 , wherein said motive force carriage element comprises a rigid structure. 
   
   
       27 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 26 , wherein said rigid structure comprises a rectilinear rigid structure. 
   
   
       28 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 19 , further comprising a spring element joined to said motive force carriage element and a to stable anchor element. 
   
   
       29 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 19 , wherein said linear path specific motive force application element has a force application cycle and a force release cycle. 
   
   
       30 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 29 , wherein said force application cycle comprises an extension cycle and wherein said force release cycle comprises a retraction cycle. 
   
   
       31 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 30 , further comprising a total cycle time of said linear path specific motive force application element selected from the group consisting of less than about 6 seconds, less than about 5 seconds, less than about 4 seconds, less than about 3 seconds, less than about 2 seconds, less than about 1 seconds, and less that about 0.5 seconds. 
   
   
       32 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 30 , further comprising a discrete bale width extension distance of said extension cycle. 
   
   
       33 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 32 , wherein said discrete bale width extension distance comprises an extension distance of about one bale width. 
   
   
       34 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 30 , wherein said linear path specific motive force application element comprises a hydraulic linear path specific motive force application element. 
   
   
       35 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 19 , wherein said linear path specific confinement element comprises at least one rail. 
   
   
       36 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 35 , wherein said at least one confinement interface element comprises at least one rail translatable interface element. 
   
   
       37 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 36 , wherein said at least one rail has a channel. 
   
   
       38 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 37 , wherein said at least one rail translatable interface element comprises a channel engaged rail translatable interface element. 
   
   
       39 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 38 , wherein said channel engaged rail translatable interface element comprises a bearing. 
   
   
       40 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 35 , wherein said at least one rail comprises at least two parallel rails. 
   
   
       41 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 19 , further comprising a bale reception surface substantially contiguously disposed with respect to said bale accumulation surface, and wherein said bale reception surface is configured to receive said at least one bale unidirectionally transversely transferred across said bale accumulation surface in a neutral orientation. 
   
   
       42 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 41 , wherein said bale reception surface has a discrete multiple in-line bale row width. 
   
   
       43 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 41 , further comprising:
 a bale reception surface tilt element; and   a tilt specific motive force application element joined to said bale reception surface.   
   
   
       44 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 43 , wherein said bale reception surface tilt element comprises a hinge element. 
   
   
       45 . A bale accumulation apparatus as described in  claim 43 , wherein said bale reception surface tilt element has axis of rotation transversely oriented with respect to said bale accumulation surface. 
   
   
       46 - 178 . (canceled) 
   
   
       179 . An apparatus as described in  claim 19 , further comprising a bale movement activated linear path specific motive force application element actuation sensor. 
   
   
       180 . An apparatus as described in  claim 179 , wherein said bale movement activated linear path specific motive force application element actuation sensor comprises a multiple bale movement activated linear path specific motive force application element actuation sensor. 
   
   
       181 . An apparatus as described in  claim 180 , wherein said actuation sensor comprises a pivot arm disposed above said bale accumulation surface, and further comprising:
 a linkage element disposed below said bale accumulation surface joined to said pivot arm; and   a linear path specific motive force application element actuator disposed below said bale accumulation surface joined to said linear path specific motive force application element.   
   
   
       182 . An apparatus as described in  claim 181 , wherein said bale accumulation surface comprises:
 a bale input end of said bale accumulation surface;   a bale sensor end of said bale accumulation surface; and   a discrete multiple in-line bale length area of said bale accumulation surface separating said bale input end from said bale sensor end,   and wherein said pivot arm is established at said bale sensor end of said bale accumulation surface.   
   
   
       183 . An apparatus as described in  claim 41 , further comprising a bale movement activated tilt specific motive force application element actuation sensor. 
   
   
       184 . An apparatus as described in  claim 183 , wherein said bale movement activated tilt specific motive force application element actuation sensor comprises a multiple bale movement activated tilt specific motive force application element actuation sensor. 
   
   
       185 . An apparatus as described in  claim 184 , wherein said actuation sensor comprises a push-over plate disposed above said bale reception surface, and further comprising:
 a linkage element disposed below said bale reception surface joined to said push-over plate; and   a tilt specific motive force application element actuator disposed below said bale reception surface joined to said tilt specific motive force application element.   
   
   
       186 . An apparatus as described in  claim 185 , wherein said bale reception surface comprises:
 a bale input side of said bale reception surface;   a bale sensor side of said bale reception surface; and   a discrete multiple in-line bale row width area of said bale reception surface separating said bale input side from said bale sensor side,   and wherein said push-over plate is established at said bale sensor side of said bale reception surface.   
   
   
       187 - 194 . (canceled) 
   
   
       195 . An apparatus as described in  claim 19 , further comprising a movement facilitation element of said bale accumulation surface. 
   
   
       196 . An apparatus as described in  claim 195 , wherein said movement facilitation element comprises a low friction surface. 
   
   
       197 . An apparatus as described in  claim 196 , wherein said low friction surface comprises a surface selected from the group consisting of a coating, a covering, a painted-on surface, a sprayed-on surface, and a fastened-on surface. 
   
   
       198 . An apparatus as described in  claim 195 , wherein said movement facilitation element comprises a movable part. 
   
   
       199 . An apparatus as described in  claim 198 , wherein said movable part comprises a freely movable part. 
   
   
       200 . An apparatus as described in  claim 198 , wherein said movable part comprises a driven movable part. 
   
   
       201 . An apparatus as described in  claim 198 , wherein said movable part comprises a plurality of movable parts. 
   
   
       202 . An apparatus as described in  claim 201 , wherein said plurality of movable parts comprise at least two spaced-apart rollers. 
   
   
       203 . An apparatus as described in  claim 198 , wherein said movable part comprises a movable part selected from the group consisting of a roller, a chain, and a belt. 
   
   
       204 . An apparatus as described in  claim 195 , wherein said movement facilitation element comprises a baler output assistance element. 
   
   
       205 . An apparatus as described in  claim 204 , wherein said baler output assistance element comprises a partially-ejected bale assistance element. 
   
   
       206 . An apparatus as described in  claim 204 , wherein said baler output assistance element comprises a completely-ejected bale assistance element. 
   
   
       207 . An apparatus as described in  claim 41 , further comprising a movement facilitation element of said bale reception surface. 
   
   
       208 . An apparatus as described in  claim 207 , wherein said movement facilitation element comprises a low friction surface. 
   
   
       209 . An apparatus as described in  claim 208 , wherein said low friction surface comprises a surface selected from the group consisting of a coating, a covering, a painted-on surface, a sprayed-on surface, and a fastened-on surface. 
   
   
       210 . An apparatus as described in  claim 207 , wherein said movement facilitation element comprises a movable part. 
   
   
       211 . An apparatus as described in  claim 210 , wherein said movable part comprises a freely movable part. 
   
   
       212 . An apparatus as described in  claim 210 , wherein said movable part comprises a driven movable part. 
   
   
       213 . An apparatus as described in  claim 210 , wherein said movable part comprises a plurality of movable parts. 
   
   
       214 . An apparatus as described in  claim 213 , wherein said plurality of movable parts comprise at least two spaced-apart rollers. 
   
   
       215 . An apparatus as described in  claim 210 , wherein said movable part comprises a movable part selected from the group consisting of a roller, a chain, or a belt. 
   
   
       216 . An apparatus as described in  claim 207 , wherein said movement facilitation element comprises an incline motion assistance element. 
   
   
       217 . An apparatus as described in  claim 19 , further comprising a self-contained power source. 
   
   
       218 - 308 . (canceled) 
   
   
       309 . An apparatus as described in  claim 41 , further comprising a vertical displacement separating said bale accumulation surface and said bale reception surface. 
   
   
       310 . An apparatus as described in  claim 309 , wherein said vertical displacement comprises a vertical displacement selected from the group consisting of equal to or less than 6 inches, equal to or less than 5 inches, equal to or less than 4 inches, equal to or less than 3 inches, equal to or less than 2 inches, and equal to or less than 1 inch. 
   
   
       311 . An apparatus as described in  claim 309 , wherein said vertical displacement comprises a bale alignment boundary. 
   
   
       312 . An apparatus as described in  claim 201 , wherein said plurality of movable parts comprises a plurality of substantially contiguously disposed rollers. 
   
   
       313 . An apparatus as described in  claim 312 , wherein said plurality of substantially contiguously disposed rollers occupies a substantially contiguous portion of said bale accumulation surface selected from the group consisting of more than 10 percent of said bale accumulation surface, more than 25 percent of said bale accumulation surface, more than 50 percent of said bale accumulation surface, more than 75 percent of said bale accumulation surface, more than 90 percent of said bale accumulation surface, and substantially all of said bale accumulation surface. 
   
   
       314 . An apparatus as described in  claim 213 , wherein said plurality of movable parts comprises a plurality of substantially contiguously disposed rollers. 
   
   
       315 . An apparatus as described in  claim 314 , wherein said plurality of substantially contiguously disposed rollers occupies a substantially contiguous portion of said bale reception surface selected from the group consisting of more than 10 percent of said bale reception surface, more than 25 percent of said bale reception surface, more than 50 percent of said bale reception surface, more than 75 percent of said bale reception surface, more than 90 percent of said bale reception surface, and substantially all of said bale reception surface. 
   
   
       316 . An apparatus as described in  claim 19  wherein said force application element comprises a manually activated force application element. 
   
   
       317 . An apparatus as described in  claim 19  wherein said force application element comprises an automatically activated force application element. 
   
   
       318 . An apparatus as described in  claim 19  further comprising:
 a support structure;   at least one wheel;   an axially rotational wheel support member joined to said support structure having a substantially vertical axis of rotation;   a wheel displacement support member connecting said at least one wheel to said axially rotational wheel support member.   
   
   
       319 . An apparatus as described in  claim 318 , further comprising a wheel support height selected from the group consisting of greater than about 3 inches but less than about 30 inches, greater than about 6 inches but less than about 30 inches, greater than about 12 inches but less than about 30 inches, greater than about 18 inches but less than about 30 inches, and greater than about 24 inches but less than about 30 inches. 
   
   
       320 - 330 . (canceled) 
   
   
       331 . An apparatus as described in  claim 204 , wherein said baler output assistance element comprises a movable part. 
   
   
       332 . An apparatus as described in  claim 198 ,  210 , or  331 , further comprising a bale catch of said movable part. 
   
   
       333 . An apparatus as described in  claim 332 , wherein said bale catch of said movable part comprises a bale catch selected from the group consisting of at least one stud, at least one ridge, and at least one nonskid surface. 
   
   
       334 . An apparatus as described in  claim 198 ,  210 , or  331 , wherein said movable part comprises at least one studded roller. 
   
   
       335 . An apparatus as described in  claim 334 , wherein said at least one studded roller comprises at least one driven studded roller. 
   
   
       336 - 340 . (canceled)