Cutting – Means to drive or to guide tool – Cutting tool operative in opposite directions of travel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-07
2001-07-24
Goodman, Charles (Department: 3724)
Cutting
Means to drive or to guide tool
Cutting tool operative in opposite directions of travel
C083S382000, C083S522240, C083S909000, C083S928000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263774
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to farming equipment and tractors. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for severing twine from a bale.
2. Background
In modern farming, bales of hay or other straw-like material or herbage are used for feeding animals or for other general purposes on the farm. The bales often weigh in excess of 1,000 pounds, and are typically arranged in a spiral and wrapped with twine about the periphery of bale so that the bale can be transported using a tractor having a loader. Conventional tractor loaders have a bucket and a grapple, where the grapple has tines or forks for spearing the bale.
As the bale is moved from place to place using the loader of the tractor, the bale is placed in a location on the farm where it will be unraveled and distributed for use or consumption. Conventionally, a farmer or other user manually cuts or manually severs the twine about the bale so that the bale can be distributed or consumed. This manual cutting operation generally requires that the farmer or user leaves the seat of the tractor in order to cut the twine, which can be inconvenient to the farmer.
Tractors are often equipped with protective cabins in which the farmer or user sits protected from the bad weather conditions, such as cold, rain, or excessive heat. In such situations, cutting or severing the twine from about the bale can be even more inconvenient.
It is with these shortcomings of the existing art in mind that the present invention was developed. What is needed is a method and apparatus for cutting the twine about a bale so that the cutting operation can be controlled and performed from the operator's seat within the tractor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In light of the above, therefore, according to a broad aspect of the invention, an apparatus for severing twine from a bale supported by one or more grapple arms of a tractor is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a slide bar mounted to at least one grapple arm, the slide bar having a first end and a second end, a blade riding on the slide bar, the blade oriented on the slide bar so that the blade contacts portion of the twine as the blade moves along the slide bar, and a motor coupled to the blade for controllably moving the blade along the slide bar. The motor can be a reversible dc motor controllable by a switch, or a hydraulic motor.
The slide bar can have a generally U-shaped cross-section with a top portion and a bottom portion, with a channel formed along the top portion. The assembly can further include a slide block connected to the blade, the slide block adapted to slide within the channel along the slide bar while supporting the blade. A visual indicator indicating the position of the blade relative to the slide bar can be used in conjunction with the blade and slide block.
In one example, the assembly can include a first and second sprocket, the first sprocket coupled to the slide bar about the first end, and the second sprocket coupled to the slide bar about the second end, the first sprocket coupled to the motor for rotating the first sprocket about a fixed axis, and a chain connecting the first sprocket to the second sprocket, the blade coupled to the chain for movement of the blade along the slide bar. The slide bar can have a slot for receiving a bolt, and the second sprocket is mounted to the slide bar through the bolt, and the sprocket rotates about the bolt. A substantially U-shaped tensioning bracket can be mounted about the second end of the slide bar, the bracket having first and second opposing legs coupled to a base portion, each leg having axially aligned opening for receiving the bolt, the base having an opening for receiving a tensioning bolt for adjusting the tension of the chain about the sprockets.
In this manner and using this twine cutting assembly, the bale can be cut while supported by the loader and while the farmer is inside the driver's compartment of the tractor.
Also disclosed herein is a tractor having a driver's compartment having a set of controls for controlling the operation of the tractor, a loader having at least a pair of grapple arms coupled to grapple tines for piercing a bale having twine thereabout, and a twine cutting assembly. The twine cutting assembly includes a slide bar mounted to at least one grapple arm, the slide bar having a first end and a second end, a blade riding on the slide bar, the blade oriented on the slide bar so that the blade contacts portion of the twine as the blade moves along the slide bar, and a motor coupled to the blade for controllably moving the blade along the slide bar. A control is located within the driver's compartment for controlling the operation of the motor.
In accordance with the present invention, the twine cutting assembly can be mounted to either the grapple arms, the tines, or the bucket of the tractor.
A method of cutting a portion of twine wrapped about a bale is also disclosed herein, the method comprising the steps of positioning a grapple of a tractor about a portion of the bale, providing a twine cutting assembly on the grapple, the twine cutting assembly having a blade linearly movable in a direction generally transverse to the direction in which the twine is wrapped about the bale, and in response to a control signal, controllably moving the blade across the twine to cut the twine. The method also includes the step of providing a control within the tractor for generating the control signal.
The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3146654 (1964-09-01), Mathews et al.
patent: 3641854 (1972-02-01), Keesling
patent: 3695316 (1972-10-01), Pluckhahn
patent: 4163524 (1979-08-01), Lundahl et al.
patent: 4250783 (1981-02-01), Ogle
patent: 4370796 (1983-02-01), Wilson
patent: 4411573 (1983-10-01), Townsend
patent: 4627340 (1986-12-01), Glass et al.
patent: 4771670 (1988-09-01), Woerman
patent: 4783892 (1988-11-01), Hergeth
patent: 4835836 (1989-06-01), van Uitert
patent: 4890801 (1990-01-01), Brouwer et al.
patent: 5072667 (1991-12-01), Yeardley
patent: 5094581 (1992-03-01), Lamb
patent: 5152123 (1992-10-01), Viaud et al.
patent: 5161448 (1992-11-01), Wangsness
patent: 5168786 (1992-12-01), Huggins et al.
Holte Jeffrey D.
Overland Kevin G.
Rogness Jerome S.
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Goodman Charles
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for cutting twine wound about a bale does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for cutting twine wound about a bale, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for cutting twine wound about a bale will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2492113