Office Pro 2010 Key This Accumulator 'Bundles' 21

Residence » Magazine Articles » This Accumulator 'Bundles' 21 Bales March 20, 2011

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A few years ago, Owen Brown came up empty-handed in his search for an
easier way to handle small bales. So he decided to design and build his own
labor-saving machine.

The result is a bale accumulator making 21-bale packages that are easy to
handle and transport.

"I wasn't interested in being in the hay business unless I could find a
mechanical way to handle small bales,Office Professional 2010 Key," says Brown, Pittsfield, IL.

The "Hay Machine" made its public debut at last month's Mid-America Alfalfa
Expo in Hastings, NE, where it placed first in the invention contest.

Brown field-tested it on straw, alfalfa and grass hay last year.

Pulled behind the baler, the machine stacks bales three high and seven
deep. Two 1/2"-wide metal bands, with rounded edges that won't cut through
twine, keep bales in a solid package.

Here's how Brown's machine works: Upon leaving the baler, the first bale is
laid flat on the accumulator's elevator. As it approaches the top of the
elevator,Microsoft Office 2007 Key, it's rotated on edge. Next, an apparatus that Brown calls the
kicker pushes the bale into position for a vertical plunger. After two more
bales have joined it,Office Pro 2010 Key, the plunger moves downward, stacking the three bales
on edge.

Next, a horizontal plunger moves the three stacked bales into the main
chamber where the strapping is applied. Then six more three-bale sets are
moved into the chamber.

When the last set is in place, the 21-bale package is compressed and the
strapping is sealed and cut.

As the next package is started, the first one is pushed out of the main
chamber and onto a 'floating' floor. That floor is lowered and the package
slides off onto the ground, where it can easily be loaded onto a wagon,
trailer or truck with a front-end loader.

The bands are pressed 3" deep into the hay so users don't have to worry
about bale forks breaking them when they're transported, says Brown.

"It's a durable bundle. The straps stay right where they're placed."

The patent-pending, hydraulically powered machine is designed to handle a
bale every six seconds. A computer and sensitive photo eye are programmed
to tell the machine which bale number it's handling.

"Bale one has a certain sequence of events, bale two has a different
sequence, etc., all the way through bale 21. The operator doesn't need to
worry about the operation of the machine - it's totally computerized."

An auxiliary pump powered by the tractor's pto is attached to the baler.
The accumulator requires 40 hp in addition to what's needed to run the
baler.

Brown plans to begin building and selling accumulators this summer. For
more information, contact: Brown Genetic Farm, RR 2, Box 136,Office 2010 Home And Business, Pittsfield,Office Standard 2010,
IL 62363. Phone: 217-285-6487.