US 12,256,676 B2
Baling apparatus and method
Michael Jason Grady, Floravista, NM (US)
Filed by Michael Jason Grady, Floravista, NM (US)
Filed on Jul. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/218,984.
Application 18/218,984 is a continuation of application No. 17/127,112, filed on Dec. 18, 2020, abandoned.
Application 18/218,984 is a continuation of application No. 16/025,751, filed on Jul. 2, 2018, granted, now 10,869,428, issued on Dec. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0016096 A1, Jan. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. A01F 15/04 (2006.01); A01F 15/08 (2006.01); A01F 29/00 (2006.01); B30B 9/30 (2006.01)
CPC A01F 15/0875 (2013.01) [A01F 15/04 (2013.01); A01F 15/046 (2013.01); A01F 29/005 (2013.01); B30B 9/3014 (2013.01)] 1 Claim
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A baling apparatus for simultaneously forming multiple square bales of crop material picked up from a field as said apparatus is moved along the field, said apparatus comprising:
a baling chamber having an inlet for receiving the crop material from the field, an open exit end spaced from said inlet, a roof, and a horizontally extending floor, wherein said roof and said floor are formed with spaced members;
a plunger movable within said baling chamber to move the crop material in a path within said baling chamber along said floor from said inlet toward said open exit end; and
a stationary splitting knife mounted in said baling chamber to extend vertically from said floor, said splitting knife having a leading cutting edge extending vertically from said floor to be transverse to said path and to face said plunger and opposing vertical cutting edges tapering to said leading cutting edge, said opposing vertical cutting edges being angled toward said leading cutting edge and said leading cutting edge being centered between said opposing vertical cutting edges to form tapering areas on opposite sides of 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 without requiring movement of said splitting knife, wherein a top portion of said splitting knife is mounted to a support at the same level as said roof of said baling chamber and a bottom portion of said splitting knife extends through a gap between spaced members of said floor.