Method and apparatus for producing wrapped bales

Abstract

An apparatus for producing wrapped bales comprises first and second wrapping material dispenser means for dispensing wrapping material on the bales. It also comprises a wrapping means for circulating the first and second wrapping material dispenser means in a first plane of rotation around said bale for wrapping said web of wrapping material around said bale. The apparatus is further configured to emerge the first wrapping material from the first wrapping material dispenser means and the second wrapping material from the second wrapping material dispenser means around the bale at least in two different areas so that the properties of the final wrapping of at least one of said first and/or second wrapping material provided onto the bale differs substantially at least in the second area from the properties of the final wrapping of at least one of said first and/or second wrapping material in said first area in order to make the bale wrapping stronger in said second area.”

1 . A method for producing wrapped bales, comprising steps of:
 in a receiving stage for receiving a bale to be wrapped;   in a first wrapping stage moving the bale and wrapping device in relation to each other, said wrapping device comprising at least first and second wrapping material dispensers, said wrapping material dispensers being arranged to rotate around said bale in a circular path in a first plane of rotation, whereby a web of wrapping material emerges from said first and second wrapping material dispensers such that said web of wrapping material becomes wrapped on the sides of said bale in a first direction of wrapping;   
       wherein the first wrapping stage comprises steps of
 emerging the first wrapping material from the first wrapping material dispenser and the second wrapping material from the second wrapping material dispenser around the bale at least in two different areas of the bale in said first plane of rotation and in the direction perpendicular to said first plane of rotation so that the properties of the final wrapping of at least one of said first or second wrapping material provided onto the bale differs substantially at least in the second area from the properties of the final wrapping of at least one of said first or second wrapping material in said first area in order to make the bale wrapping stronger in said second area. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wrapping material is emerged from the first wrapping material dispenser with a first tension and the second wrapping material is emerged from the second wrapping material dispenser with a second tension, where said first and second tensions differs from each other, or wherein width or tension of at least one of said first or second wrapping material is substantially less at least in the second area than width or tension of at least one of said first or second wrapping material in said first area in order to make the bale wrapping stronger in said second area. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the width or tension of the first or second wrapping material provided onto the second area is:
 the width or tension of the original wrapping material, or   the width or tension achieved from the original wrapping material by
 tilting at least one of said wrapping material dispensers in relation to the normal of said first plane of rotation in the second area so that the surface of said web of wrapping material differs substantially of the normal of said first plane of rotation before wrapping, 
 mechanically shrinking the original wrapping material narrower before wrapping, 
 tightening or tensioning the original wrapping material by resisting the free emerging of the original wrapping material from the dispenser or 
 thermally shrinking the original wrapping material before wrapping. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second area is provided with more rounds of at least the second wrapping material than said first area in order to make the bale wrapping stronger in said second area, or wherein the moving of the base is slowed or stopped in the position where the second wrapping material is provided to the second area. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wrapping stage comprises additionally steps of:
 wrapping by said wrapping device said web of at least the first and optionally also the second wrapping material onto a frame means, moving the frame means and wrappings-device in relation to each other to form a tunnel construction comprising said wrapping material, and   moving the bale in the direction perpendicular to said first plane of rotation and at least partly into the tunnel construction comprising wrapping material to attach the tunnel construction comprising wrapping material to the bale.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second wrapping material dispensers with the wrapping material are arranged so that the second wrapping material is emerged essentially onto the frame means and the first wrapping material is emerged only partly onto the frame means and the proximal end of the first wrapping material is emerged outside the frame means in the moving direction of the bale so to form the end of the tunnel construction. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a second wrapping stage comprises turning said bale in a second plane of rotation, which is substantially normal to said first plane of rotation, whereby the wrapping is provided onto the sides of said bale in a second direction of wrapping substantially normal to said first direction of wrapping, and turning said surface of said web of wrapping material merging from said dispenser between said first wrapping step and said second wrapping step such that said web surface becomes substantially parallel with said first plane of rotation so that said wrapping device remains in said first plane of rotation thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the method comprises a step of cutting the second wrapping material before providing the first wrapping material onto the sides of the bale in said second direction. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for producing wrapped bales, said apparatus being configured to receive a bale to be wrapped, and the apparatus comprising:
 at least first and second wrapping material dispensers for dispensing a web of wrapping material,   wrapping for circulating said first and second wrapping material dispensers in a first plane of rotation around said bale for wrapping said web of wrapping material around said bale and   moving device for moving said bale and said wrapping device in relation to each other such that said bale is moved past said wrapping device in a direction essentially perpendicular to said first plane of rotation,   
       wherein the apparatus is configured to
 emerge the first wrapping material from the first wrapping material dispenser and the second wrapping material from the second wrapping material dispenser around the bale at least in two different areas of the bale in said first plane of rotation and in the direction perpendicular to said first plane of rotation so that the properties of the final wrapping of at least one of said first or second wrapping material provided onto the bale differs substantially at least in the second area from the properties of the final wrapping of at least one of said first or second wrapping material in said first area in order to make the bale wrapping stronger in said second area. 
 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first wrapping material dispenser is configured to emerge the first wrapping material with a first tension and the second wrapping material dispenser is configured to emerge the second wrapping material with a second tension, where said first and second tensions differs from each other. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus comprises a braking or resisting device arranged in connection with at least one of said first and second dispenser in order to control the tension of the wrapping material during emerging. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said wrapping material dispenser is tiltable in relation to the normal of said first plane of rotation at least in said second area so that the surface of said web of wrapping material emerged by said tilted wrapping material dispenser means differs substantially of the normal of said first plane of rotation before wrapping, whereupon the apparatus is configured to provide the wrapping material provided onto the second area so that the width said wrapping material is reduced in relation to the width of said wrapping material in said first area. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus comprises a mechanical shrinking device for mechanically shrinking the original wrapping material narrower onto the second area so that the width said wrapping material is reduced in relation to the width of said wrapping material in said first area; or wherein the apparatus comprises a heating device for heating the original wrapping material narrower onto the second area so that the width said wrapping material is reduced in relation to the width of said wrapping material in said first area. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is configured to provide the second area with more rounds of at least the second wrapping material ( 5 B,  5 C) than said first area in order to make the bale wrapping stronger in said second area. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the moving device is configured to move the bale and slow or stop the bale in the position where the second wrapping material is provided to the second area. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein
 said wrapping device is configured to provide said web of at least the first and optionally the second wrapping material onto a frame means, the frame means and wrapping device being arranged to be movable in relation to each other to form a tunnel construction comprising said wrapping material, and   said moving device is configured to move the bale in the direction perpendicular to said first plane of rotation and at least partly into the tunnel construction comprising wrapping material to attach the tunnel construction comprising wrapping material to the bale.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second wrapping material dispensers of the wrapping device with the wrapping material are arranged in relation to each other so that the second wrapping material is emerged essentially wholly onto the frame means and the first wrapping material is emerged only partly onto the frame means and the proximal end of the first wrapping material is emerged outside the frame means in the moving direction of the bale so to form the end of the tunnel construction. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the said wrapping means comprises a substantially vertically disposed circular ring which is rotatably assembled onto a support roller means disposed in a framework of the apparatus which circular ring preferably further includes a support arm extending from said circular ring for pivotally supporting said dispenser. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus comprises a turning means for turning said surface of said web of wrapping material emerging from said dispenser between a first wrapping stage and a second wrapping stage such that the surface of said web of wrapping material becomes substantially parallel with said first plane of rotation, wherein said turning means for turning said surface of said web of wrapping material is arranged such said wrapping device remains in said first plane of rotation, and by rotation means for rotating said bale in a second plane of rotation substantially normal to said first plane of rotation. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according  25 , wherein the apparatus comprises a cutting device for cutting the second wrapping material before providing the first wrapping material onto the sides of the bale in said second direction in the second wrapping stage.