Hay roll forming machine

Abstract

A machine to form compact rolls of hay of substantial size by picking up a swath or windrow of hay and the like from a field, engage it by cooperating upper and lower endless flexible aprons driven in suitable directions to coil the hay into a compact roll while supported upon floor means mounted stationarily in the bottom of the machine to effect baling of all the hay without loss upon the ground. When the roll type bale of hay reaches a predetermined diameter, the upper apron raises and driving movement of the same stops while the bale is discharged by movement of the lower apron rearwardly in the machine, or the machine can retain and transport the bale to a desired location, if desired. The lower course of the upper apron is initially supported in a desired configuration relative to the lower apron by guide means which include movable auxiliary means arranged to be disengaged by said upper apron when the bale reaches a predetermined diameter.

We claim: 
     
       1. A mobile hay roll forming machine comprising in combination a frame, wheels mounted upon said frame to render said frame mobile over a swath of hay lying upon a field to form the same into a compact roll, pickup means operable adjacent the forward portion of said frame to pick up said swath, an endless lower flexible apron supported by a lower portion of said frame and having an upper course extending substantially horizontally therein and positioned to receive at the forward end thereof hay picked up from a field by said pickup means, drive means supported by said frame and connected to said lower endless flexible means to move said upper course thereof rearwardly to support a roll of hay thereon as the same is being formed during operation of said machine, an endless upper apron, supporting means on said frame for said upper apron arranged to position the lower course of said upper apron above said upper course of said lower flexible apron and spaced therefrom to define an initial roll-forming cavity between said courses of said aprons, said supporting means including guide members positioned adjacent opposite sides of said frame and engageable with opposite edges of said lower course of said upper apron to define a portion of said roll-forming cavity of a predetermined height substantially less than the diameter of a roll of hay of ultimate maximum size to be formed in said machine, and said supporting means for said upper apron including yieldable means operable to permit said lower course of said upper apron to be raised from said members when the diameter of said roll increases beyond the height of said initial roll-forming cavity. 
     
     
       2. The machine according to claim 1 in which said upper apron comprises a pair of endless link-type chains defining opposite edges thereof and having similar elongated members extending therebetween and connected thereto at evenly spaced locations along said chains, said guide means of supporting means projecting inwardly from the opposite sides of said machine a sufficient distance to be engaged respectively by said chains. 
     
     
       3. The machine according to claim 2 in which said guide members have smoothly rounded upper edges engaged slidably by said chains. 
     
     
       4. The machine according to claim 2 further including means movably interconnecting said guide members of said supporting means to opposite sides of said frame of said machine to permit said members to be movable away from said chain-supporting positions thereon to retracted positions when the diameter of a roll of hay is great enough to cause the ends of said roll to engage said members. 
     
     
       5. The machine according to claim 4 further including spring means engageable with said guide members and operable normally to urge said members outwardly from said sides of said frame of said machine to chain-supporting position and said spring means being yieldable to permit movement of said members to said retracted positions. 
     
     
       6. The machine according to claim 5 in which said machine includes side plates carried by opposite sides of said frame and having openings therein complementary in size to said guide members and said guide members being pivotally interconnected to said frame adjacent the lower edges of said guide members for movement relative to the lower edges of said openings and said guide members when engaged by the ends of a roll of hay being moved thereby into said openings to dispose said members in noninterfering position relative to said roll while being formed within the space between said side plates. 
     
     
       7. The machine according to claim 4 in which said guide members extend upwardly and inwardly relative to the sides of said frame to provide camming surfaces engageable by upwardly moving portions of the ends of a roll of hay while being rotated and coiled within said roll-receiving cavity, thereby moving said guide members from said chain-supporting positions thereof to said retracted positions when said ends of said roll of hay engage said members. .Iadd. 8. A mobile hay roll forming machine adapted to engage a swath or windrow of forage crop material lying upon a field and coil it into a compact roll of substantial length and diameter, said machine comrising a mobile frame, vertical side members on said frame spaced transversely apart to define a roll-forming cavity therebetween, an endless flexible upper apron in the upper portion of said cavity, supporting means on said frame for said upper apron arranged and adapted to position a portion thereof as a lower course and another portion as an upper course, said lower course of said upper apron being engageable with said swath or crop material as the same is coiled into a roll, and means operable to drive said upper apron in a manner to move said lower course thereof in a direction to facilitate coiling of said roll, and yieldable means supported by said frame and engaging and supporting a portion of said upper apron initially in a contracted arrangement and operable to permit said lower course of said apron to expand toward said upper course thereof as a roll of crop material being formed within said cavity increases in diameter; in combination with auxiliary guide means supported upon said side members at a predetermined level above a field over which the machine is moving to provide a lower portion of said roll-forming cavity with a height substantially less than the diameter of a roll of crop material of ultimate maximum size to be formed in said machine and within which said formation is initiated, said auxiliary guide means comprising guide members having upper portions and said members being supported by said side members on said frame for movement of said upper portions thereof between a position in which said upper portions project into said cavity and respectively engage the opposite side edges of said lower course of said upper apron for supporting the same and to define the height of said lower portion of said cavity within which the formation of said roll is initiated and a position in which said upper portions of said guide members are retracted from said projected positions toward said side members once formation of said roll has been initiated in said lower portion of said cavity. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 9. The machine according to claim 8 in which said upper portions of said guide members are retracted from said projected positions toward said side members when the diameter of said roll increases enough to raise said lower course of said upper apron from said upper portions of said guide members. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. The machine according to claim 7 in which the upper edges of said guide members are smoothly rounded for slidable engagement by the opposite side edges of the lower course of said upper apron. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. The machine according to claim 8 in which said side members on said frame have openings complementary to the shape of said guide members and into which said members can be disposed in said retracted positions thereof. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. The machine according to claim 8 in which said upper portions of said guide members are retracted from said projected positions toward said side members when the diameter of said roll increases sufficiently enough to cause the ends of said roll to engage said upper portions of said guide members and move the same into said retracted positions. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. The machine according to claim 12 in which guide members are pivotally connected at the lower edges thereof relative to said side members on said frame, and further including spring means supported relative to said side members on said frame and engaging said guide members normally to urge the same to said projected positions of the upper portions thereof. .Iaddend.