IES67883B2 - Bale splitter - Google Patents

Abstract

A bale splitter (10) comprises an outer frame (11) and an inner frame (21) movably mounted within the outer frame. A bale splitting arm (26) is mounted on and extends from one of said frames. A blade (29) is mounted for movement on the splitting arm between a first position in which said blade is disposed remote from the frames to a second position in which said blade is disposed adjacent said frames. Means for applying a mechanical advantage (35, 38) is mounted on one of said inner or outer frames, is cooperable with the other frame and connected to the blade so that the rate of movement of the blade between said first and second positions is a multiple of the rate of movement of the inner frame relative to the outer frame.

Description

The present invention relates to a bale splitter.

According to the present invention there is provided a bale splitter comprising an outer frame, an inner frame movably mounted within the outer frame, a bale splitting arm mounted on and extending from one of said frames, a blade mounted for movement on said splitting arm between a first position in which said blade is disposed remote from the frames to a second position in which said blade is disposed adjacent said frames, and means for applying a mechanical advantage mounted on one of said inner or outer frames, cooperable with the other frame and connected to said blade so that the rate of movement of the blade between said first and second positions is a multiple of the rate of movement of the inner frame relative to the outer frame.

Preferably, an hydraulic ram is mounted between said inner and outer frame, said ram being extendible to lift the inner frame relative to the outer frame.

Preferably, a chain runs from the end of the splitting arm remote the frame and around a lever pivotally mounted on the inner frame and actuated when the inner frame is lifted by the outer frame, movement of the lever causing a multiple of said movement in the chain, the blade being entrained by the chain to move the blade between the first and second positions.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 367883 Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a bale splitter according to the invention; and Figure 2 is an elevation view of the bale splitter 5 of Figure 1 of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar numerals have been used to indicate like parts, there is shown a bale splitter generally indicated at 10 according to the invention. The bale splitter 10 comprises an outer rectangular frame 11 comprising two upright side members 12 joined by an upper and a lower horizontal cross-member 13 and 14 respectively. A further horizontal bracing member 18 disposed towards the lower end of the frame also connects the side members 12.

The outer frame 11 is mounted via a conventional three point linkage 16 to a tractor or like vehicle (not shown), Figure 2. An upper link 16' is connected to a mid-point of the cross-member 18 while each one of a pair of lower links 16 are connected to the bottom end of a respective side member 12.

A pair of horizontal spaced apart parallel spikes 15 project from adjacent opposite ends of the cross-member 14. In use the tractor is positioned in front of a bale of hay (not shown) and reversed so that the spikes 15 pierce the bale and retain the bale in place while the bale is split.

An inner frame 21 is mounted for movement within the outer frame 11. The inner frame 21 comprises a pair of upright side members 22 retained for sliding movement inside a respective side member 12. The upper and lower ends of each side member 22 are connected with horizontal cross-members 23 and 24 respectively.

An hydraulic ram 17 comprises a sleeve 19 projecting upwardly from the middle of the cross-member 14 and a piston 20. The upper ends of each side member 22 are connected to the free end of the piston 20 by arms 25 which slope towards the centre of the frame 21. Thus, when the piston 20 extends and retracts, under control of the operator, the inner frame 21 is raised and lowered within the outer frame 11.

A splitting arm 26 is mounted on the inner frame 21. The splitting arm 26 comprises an upright stock 27 and a horizontal blade carrying arm 28. The stock 27 projects from the centre of the cross-member 24 and is also connected to the cross-member 23 for support.

The arm 28 projects from the top of the stock 27 away from the frame 21 and comprises upper and lower spaced apart horizontal arms 28' and 28 respectively. A blade 29 hangs from the arm 28 on two vertical parallel legs 30', 30 which are slidably mounted on the upper arm 28'.

A chain 32 runs the length of the upper arm 28' . At the end of the arm 28' remote from the stock 27, the chain 32 passes around a gear 33. The end of the chain 32 is fixedly connected through an elongate coil spring 34 to the underside of the arm 28'. An upright lever arm is pivotally mounted with respect to the stock 27. On the free end of the arm 35, a further gear wheel 36 is mounted. The chain 32 passes around the gear wheel 36 and its end 37 is fixed to the underside of the upper arm 281.

One of the legs 30' projects above the upper arm 28 and a pawl 31 projecting away from the frame 11 is pivotally mounted to the top of the leg 30'. The pawl 31 engages the chain 32 so that, when the chain moves in the direction of the arrow A, the legs 30', 30 are entrained, and thus the blade 29 moves towards the frame 11. When the pawl 31 is released by an operator, the chain 32 is freed to move under the return force of the spring 34 in the direction of the arrow B towards the end of the arm 28 remote from the frame 11.

An actuating arm 38 projects from the lever arm 35 towards the frame 11 so that when the piston 20 extends from the sleeve 19, and the inner frame 21 is lifted within the outer frame 11, the actuating arm 38 engages the underside of the cross-member 13.

Extending the piston 20 beyond this point causes the lever arm 35 to pivot away from stock 27 in the direction of the arrow C. Because the chain 32 passes above and below the gear 36, the ratio of movement of the lever arm towards the frame 11 vis-a-vis the movement of the chain 32 in the direction of the arrow A is approximately 1:2. Thus, the blade 29 will move approximately twice as far as the piston 20 extends.

With this ratio of movement, the blade 29 traverses the length of the arm 28 in three movements of the lever arm 35. Thus, a wider blade 29 can be used and with the reduced number of movements required a bale can be split in a short time.

In use of the bale splitter 10, the blade 29 is initially raised clear of the bale, by extending the piston 20, and positioned by the operator at the remote end of the arm 28, by releasing the pawl 31. It will be seen that this can be done manually or the splitter can be adapted to automate the procedure.

The ram 17 is then actuated to lower the inner frame 21 within the outer frame 11, causing the blade 29 to slice through a portion of the bale. The ram 17 is then actuated to raise the inner frame 21 within the outer frame 11. The dimensions of the frames 11, 21 are such that as soon as the blade 29 is clear of the bale, the arm 38 engages the underside of the cross-member 13 and the blade is moved into the next position in the direction of the arrow A. These steps are repeated until the blade 29 has moved to adjacent the stock 27, and the bale is split ready for distribution.

Claims (4)

CLAIMS :

1. A bale splitter comprising an outer frame, an inner frame movably mounted within the outer frame, a bale 5 splitting arm mounted on and extending from one of said frames, a blade mounted for movement on said splitting arm between a first position in which said blade is disposed remote from the frames to a second position in which said blade is disposed adjacent said frames, and 10 means for applying a mechanical advantage mounted on one of said inner or outer frames, cooperable with the other frame and connected to said blade so that the rate of movement of the blade between said first and second positions is a multiple of the rate of movement of the 15 inner frame relative to the outer frame.

2. A bale splitter as claimed in Claim 1 wherein an hydraulic ram is mounted between said inner and outer frame, said ram being extendible to lift the inner frame 20 relative to the outer frame.

3. A bale splitter as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein a chain runs from the end of the splitting arm remote the frame and around a lever pivotally mounted on the inner 25 frame and actuated when the inner frame is lifted by the outer frame, movement of the lever causing a multiple of said movement in the chain, the blade being entrained by the chain to move the blade between the first and second positions.

4. A bale splitter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.