Knife assembly for net dispensing apparatus

摘要

A knife assembly (50) for a net dispensing apparatus (20) used on a round baler (10) is disclosed. The knife assembly (50) is movable into a cutting position engageable with the netting material (22) without imparting impact energy into said netting material (22). The knife assembly (50) includes a knife holder (52) having a curved portion (56) wrapped concentrically around a pivot shaft (53) and a detachable knife member (55). When the knife assembly (50) is moved into a cutting position, the netting material (22) forms an angle around the cutting edge of the knife member (55) with a portion of the netting material (22) extending generally parallel to the plane of the knife member (55). The tension applied to the netting material (22) by reason of the net dispenser feed roll (27) being halted and the cylindrical bale continuing in rotation, pulls the netting material (22) across the cutting edge of the knife member (55) to effect a severance thereof.;A drive mechanism (30) is provided for the net dispensing apparatus (20) wherein the resilient feed roll (27) is operably driven by a drive belt (33) powered from the main drive train (18) for the round baler (10). A tensioning pulley (42) is connected to a pivot arm (44) pivotally mounted on the round baler (10) and pivotally movable into and out of engagement with the drive belt (33) by a linear actuator (37). The knife (55) utilized to cut the netting material (22) is interconnected with the pivot arm (44) by a connecting link (60) such that the pivotal rotation of the knife (55) into and out of a cutting position is synchronized with the clutching and declutching of the feed roller drive (30). A lockout arm (65) is also provided to engage a key (68) on the shaft (69) of the feed roller (27) to positively restrain the feed roller (27) from further rotation. The movement of the lockout arm (65) is also synchronized to the movement of the tensioning pulley (42).