AN EFFICIENT

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 73, Issue 6, 16 December 1946, Page 562

AN EFFICIENT

A SIMPLE yet efficient bale elevator designed and built by Mr. D. H. Hansen, Beeville, Taupiri, is described in the following article. All /• the welding and the greater part of the other work were done by Mr. Hansen working from a: wheel chair. The elevator handled 600 tons of hay efficiently during last season. 'TTHE elevator will stack up to a height of 12ft. 6in. before any further lifting of bales, is required and will handle up to six bales a minute. A good workshop is essential for the building of such a machine, and Mr. Hansen fortunately has both an acetylene and an electric welding plant and is adept in their use. Fig. 1 shows construction in progress. The elevation is determined by passing a bar through holes drilled in a semi-circular plate. Fig. 2 shows two bales on the elevator together, the maximum capacity being three bales at a time. Fig. 3 shows the position of a 1} h.p. petrol engine (cover raised) and also the manner in which bales are automatically picked up as they leave the press. The blocks fall clear in ; the gap between the chute of the baler and the skid-way on the elevator. Fig. 4 shows the method of transport, with the forward leg support forming the tow-bar. When attached to a , truck in a similar manner and set in operation while travelling, the elevator can be used for collecting bales left by a pick-up baler, one man being required to place the bales on the bottom of the elevator. To facilitate adjustment to a truck for the above purpose the. tow-bar has been made extensible. In Fig. 5 the method of attachment of the engine to the main frame is. shown, the engine being arranged to be perpendicular when. the machine is operating at an average working height.

Fig. 6 shows the general construction and the way in which the conveyor chain jjuns between the wooden slats. ' » 1 For anyone desiring to build this elevator the accompanying drawings and the following details are submitted by Mr. Hansen:— A If h.p. petrol engine fitted with a governor drives the" machine. The designer,, however, considers that a If h.p. engine would be more suitable. As the method of attachment of the engine to the frame of the elevator depends largely on the design of engine available, only general details are . indicated in the accompanying drawings. In order that the float tank of the carburettor can operate always in the perpendicular position at all elevations of the machine the connection. of : the carburettor to the engine intake has been made semi-rotatable. The engine is coupled to a shaft running .to the top of the elevator by a V belt drive giving a 7 to 1 reduction. This shaft is coupled to the conveyor chain driving sprocket through ■ the steering box from an old car which gives an 11 to 1 reduction ratio. Thus a 77 to 1 overall reduction ratio is obtained. The sprocket drives an old conveyor belt which Mr. Hansen bought for £2 10s., the buckets having been replaced by If in. spikes placed 15in. apart to grip the bales. At the lower end the belt runs over a pulley with a built-up collar around its centre acting as a guide for the conveyor chain. ' " The first 15in. of the skid-way is “dead” and consists of If cwt. of iron partially to counterbalance the remainder of the elevator for ease of lifting. The designer took four weeks to build the machine.

G. L. BANFIELD,

Assistant Instructor in Agriculture, Hamilton.