Agricultural baler with a plunger slot belt
An agricultural baler comprising a main bale chamber having a pair of opposed side walls, with each side wall having a plunger slot arrangement defining a plunger slot. Each plunger slot has opposite ends and is open at an inside adjacent to a plunger. A pair of rotating elements are positioned within each plunger slot, with each rotating element being located at a corresponding end of a respective plunger slot. A pair of plunger slot belts are each positioned in association with a respective plunger slot and partially wrap a respective pair of rotating elements associated with each plunger slot.
1. An agricultural baler, comprising:
a main bale chamber that includes a pair of opposed side walls, each said side wall including a plunger slot arrangement defining a plunger slot, each said plunger slot having opposite ends and being open at an inside adjacent to an interior of said main bale chamber;
a pair of rotating elements positioned within each said plunger slot, each said rotating element being located at a corresponding said end of a respective said plunger slot;
a pair of plunger slot belts, each said belt being positioned in association with a respective said plunger slot and partially wrapping a respective said pair of rotating elements associated with each said plunger slot; and
a plunger reciprocally disposed within said main bale chamber, said plunger including a pair of opposed sides and at least one plunger roller extending laterally outward from each said side, each said plunger roller being positioned within a respective said plunger slot, and wherein each said belt is attached to a respective said side of said plunger and extends inline with said at least one plunger roller extending from said respective side of said plunger.
2. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein each said belt runs generally coincident with said inside of said respective plunger slot, thereby substantially entirely closing off said respective plunger slot.
3. The agricultural baler of claim 2 , wherein each said plunger slot is open at an outside which is opposite from said interior of said main bale chamber, and each said belt runs generally coincident with said outside of said respective plunger slot.
4. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein each said belt is operable to reverse a direction of rotation about said respective pair of rotating elements as said plunger reciprocates back and forth within said main bale chamber.
5. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein each said belt is an endless belt extending along said respective side of said plunger, between said plunger and said respective at least one plunger roller.
6. The agricultural baler of claim 5 , wherein each said belt includes a number of holes, each said hole being positioned in relation to a corresponding said at least one plunger roller.
7. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein each said plunger slot has a height, and each said belt has a corresponding height providing a predetermined clearance relative to said plunger slot height.
8. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein each said rotating element is a roller.
9. The agricultural baler of claim 1 , wherein said agricultural baler is a large square baler.