Presses – Methods – With winding or folding
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2003-03-11
Sipos, John (Department: 3721)
Presses
Methods
With winding or folding
C100S044000, C100S045000, C100S049000, C100S050000, C100S087000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06530311
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing high-density round bales from agricultural harvest products such as wilted grass, hay, straw in a bale press with a variable volume compression chamber which is circumferentially limited by belts, a chain conveyor, rolls and which yields to a force imparted by preloaded means, with the method including controlling of a pressing power applied to a harvest product by the belts, the chain conveyor and the rolls dependent on a driving torque of the bale press.
The present invention also relates to a bale press for producing high-density round bales from agricultural harvest products such as wilted grass, hay, or straw, in particular for effecting the above-described method, and including an element for sensing a driving torque generated by the bale press drive and connected with a control device that provides for reduction of the pressure power used to form a bale in response to the driving torque exceeding a predetermined threshold.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An important criterium in producing round bales is a possibility to obtain high compressed densities. Only round bales having very high compressed densities permit to produce economically justifiable volumes suitable for both transportation and storage. High-densities bales are also characterized by an increased form stability in comparison with bales having a not so high compressed density. Further, high compressed densities provide for a good ensilaging. A compressed density, as known, depends on a type of the harvested product, its humidity, delivery speed, etc . . . However, primarily, the compressed density depends on the entire press system, an applied pressing power, and an available driving power.
A bale press of the type described above is disclosed, e.g., in European Publication EP-0 150 629. The belt tensioning means are arranged in a closed hydraulic system formed of hydraulic cylinders, an adjustable relief valve, and a four-way valve. Before the start of the pressing process, the hydraulic system is charged with a desired pressure and then is closed. When with an increased bale diameter, the pressure set up at the relief valve is exceeded, the valve opens, and the piston moves out of the cylinder with ever increasing bale diameter. If the set-up pressure is very high, then the overload protection means in the drive line becomes actuated, resulting in a stoppage of the bale-forming process, with the bale being ejected from the compression chamber in an unbound condition. This is a serious drawback. In order to prevent actuation of the overload protection clutch, EP-0 150 629 suggests to arrange a torque measuring element on the main shaft which provides for reduction, i.e., adjustment of the set-up pressure of the relief valve only when the torque exceeds a predetermined torque, with the reduced pressure being maintained until the torque reaches an allowable magnitude. Upon the torque reaching the allowable magnitude, the relief valve automatically closes. A drawback of this suggestion consists in that compressed bale, upon reduction of the pressing power, expands, with a resulting reduction of the compressed density of the bale.
French Patent No. 2,615,351 disclose a bale press likewise equipped with a hydraulic belt tensioning device which includes a curved tract cooperating with a lever arm of the hydraulic cylinder for adjusting the pressing power dependent on the bale diameter. The drawback of this solution consists in that with a corresponding increase in the throughput, the pressure also increases which can lead to an overload with accompanying fluctuations of the driving torque.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,219 discloses a control device which provides for the application of a reduced pressure at the start of bale formation, and for application of an increased pressure at a later stage of the bale formation. The switching is effected mechanically dependent on the bale diameter.
German Publication No. 197 1 8229 discloses regulation of the pressing power between upper and lower thresholds, with an adjustable relief valve forming part of a closed hydraulic system.
A common drawback of all of the prior art bale presses consists in that the power requirement and the pressing power decrease when, e.g., the delivery of the harvest product is interrupted or reduced because of a thinner swath. The reduction of the pressing power results in the reduction of the compressed density and in incomplete utilization of tractor and/or bale press driving torque.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of and a bale press for forming round bales which would permit a high degree of utilization of the power of both the tractor and the bale press.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a method of forming round bales and a bale press therefore with which the pressing power in the compression chamber of the bale press automatically increases upon interruption of the product delivery or its reduction during formation of a bale. To this end, the bale press is provided with means for automatically increasing the pressing power above a predetermined pressing power.
The inventive method and bale press permit to use the underutilized power potential in a simple manner for increasing the compressed density of the bales, simultaneously providing for a uniform load on the tractor drive which favorable influences the energy consumption.
According to the present invention, preferably, the pressing power is increased when the driving torque falls below a predetermined or present lower.
Dependent on the type of the material, compressed density, and the diameter of the bale, which is being formed, the increase in pressing power results in a larger or smaller reduction of the diameter of the compression chamber and, thereby, of the bale, which leads to an increased compressed density of the bale. In addition, upon the bale reaching the desired diameter, the increase of the pressing power provides for a firmer outer layer which favorably influences the weather resistance of the bale and makes it less sensitive to adverse weather conditions.
According to the invent on, the means for increasing the pressing power above the reset pressing power includes a control device with a pressure source or a similar energy source for increasing the pressing power. The pressure force is constantly available for a continuous stepless adjustment of the pressing power and, in particular, for its increase, rather than for a pressure built-up at the beginning of the pressing process, as is common in the prior art bale-forming processes.
Because a smaller pressing power is desired at the start of the bale-forming process, there is provided a sensor for measuring, directly or indirectly (e.g., by measuring the roll rotational speed), the bale diameter, which sensor is operationally connected with the control device.
The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Honhold Joost
Wilkens Dieter
Huynh Louis
Lely Maschinenfabrik GmbH
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
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