Baling Apparatus and Method

Abstract

Baling apparatus and method including a baling chamber having one or more splitting knives for dividing crop material picked up from a field to discharge divided bales simultaneously from the baling chamber to be received by an ejection chute structure which ejects the divided bales in spaced relation to each other as the baling apparatus is moved along the field. The spaced relation can be longitudinal by ejecting the divided bales at staggered times and/or can be laterally spaced by turning the bales in the ejection chute structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Baling apparatus for simultaneously forming multiple square bales of crop material picked up from afield as said apparatus is moved along the field comprising a baling chamber having an inlet for receiving the crop material from the field, an open exit end spaced from said inlet, a plunger movable within said baling chamber to move the crop material in a path within said baling chamber from said inlet to said open exit end, and a stationary splitting knife disposed in said baling chamber, said splitting knife having a leading cutting edge extending transversely to said path and facing said plunger and opposing angled cutting edges tapering to said leading cutting edge to assist center splitting of the crop material to simultaneously form bales of the crop material spaced by said splitting knife.