The invention relates to an apparatus for wrapping feed, e.g. green fodder, in plastic sheeting. The apparatus comprises a movable frame, preferably equipped with wheels, a feed receiving part in the frame, as well as a plastic sheeting wrapping frame arranged to be rotatable around the feed to be wrapped.

This kind of apparatuses, particularly intended for wrapping roll bales of green fodder in plastic sheet¬ ing, are previously known. These apparatuses, known as such, thus always require roll baling as a preceding stage. Consequently, wrapping roll bales in plastic sheeting involves relatively large total investments as well as several work stages for wrapping.

The purpose of this invention is to present an improved apparatus for wrapping feed in plastic sheeting so that the feed is wrapped in plastic sheeting without preceding roll baling or a corresponding packing opera¬ tion; in other words, e.g. green fodder is wrapped immediately after harvesting. In this way, e.g. the large investments in machinery for roll baling as well as the many stages of the wrapping operation can be avoided. For achieving these aims, the apparatus of the invention is characterized in that the apparatus comprises means in connection with the receiving part for compressing feed into a continuous bar, and the wrapping frame, where the plastic sheeting is placed, is arranged substantially at the side of a guiding unit in the radial direction, and wherein the guiding unit is provided with an opening system or the like substantially parallel to the direction of passing feed. Consequently, the main advantage of the apparatus is the fact that the guiding unit secures

the attachment of the bar-like compressed green fodder and the plastic sheeting surrounding the feed, wherein the compression force on the bar-like feed removes the bar of green fodder wrapped in plastic sheeting from the connection with the guiding unit, e.g. onto the ground. The apparatus can thus be used for producing continuous bar-like compressed feed in bar form, wrapped in at least two layers of plastic sheeting around the bar-like compressed feed. A particularly advantageous use for the apparatus is the wrapping of green fodder, but applications of the invention can also be used for wrapping other feeds or particle¬ like materials.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the inven¬ tion, the guiding unit as well as the wrapping unit are fixed in a compression chamber placed in the direction of the passing feed after said means, such as a pressing screw or the like. The compression chamber is advantageously a two-part plate structure with a closed envelope surface, and comprises a sub¬ stantially conical extension unit, the narrower end thereof being connected with the jacket tube of the pressing screw or the like, and a cylindrical unit, the guiding unit as well as the wrapping unit being fixed to the cylindrical unit.

The wrapping frame, in turn, advantageously comprises a revolving frame placed on and protruding from the outer surface of the cylindrical part of the compres¬ sion chamber. The part for supporting the plastic sheeting is arranged in connection with the revolving frame to rotate around the wrapping frame and thus around the guiding unit e.g. by belt drive receiving its driving force from the power transmission of a working machine, such as a tractor.

The guiding unit is formed of longitudinal form pieces, and the lower longitudinal form pieces are advanta¬ geously plate-like in form and thus wider than the upper form pieces with preferably a rod-like form.

The part for supporting the plastic sheeting is preferably a bar with L-form or the like with its first end attached to the revolving frame, the first arm of the L-form being substantially arranged perpen- dicular to the outer surface of the cylindrical part of the compression chamber, wherein the second arm of the L-form is substantially parallel to the outer surface of the cylindrical part of the compression chamber and comprises clamping means for fixing the roll of plastic sheeting in connection with the supporting part so that the roll of plastic is placed substantially outside the guiding unit in the radial direction.

The receiving unit is preferably a supply hopper with its open narrower lower part connected via the jacket tube to the pressing screw, wherein feed is supplied into the wider upper part of the receiving unit and further through the supply hopper into the pressing screw.

The invention will be described more closely in the following description with reference to the appended drawing which shows a partial cross-section of the apparatus of the invention in a schematic side view.

The apparatus for wrapping feed in plastic sheeting according to the invention comprises a movable frame 1 equipped e.g. with a pair of wheels 2. The front part of the frame is provided with a towing eyelet 3 for coupling the apparatus with the towing hook of a movable working machine, such as a tractor. On the frame of the apparatus, there is a horizontal jacket

tube 4, a horizontal pressing screw 6 being placed inside the jacket tube 4 in the longitudinal direction of the frame. In connection with the jacket tube 4, a supply hopper 5 is provided, through which the feed is supplied into the apparatus e.g. from a pallet by means of feed gripping means. Further on the frame 1, there is the revolving gearbox 7 of the pressing screw coupled with a power intake shaft 8 which can be coupled with the power transmission of a working machine, such as a tractor. The drawing also indicates with reference numeral 9 the transmission for revolving the plastic sheeting, coupled with the revolving gearbox 7 of the pressing screw 6, to be driven by it e.g. by means of a suitable gear.

In the rear section of the apparatus, a compression chamber 13, 14 is provided in connection with the outlet end of the pressing screw 6 and fixed at the end of the jacket tube 4 thereof. The compression chamber is a two-part plate structure equipped with an envelope surface. The first part of the compression chamber is an extension unit 13 which is substantially a conical form piece and where the feed coming from the pressure screw 6 enters. The narrower end of the extension unit 13 is fixed at the end of the jacket tube 4. Further, the second part of the compression chamber is a cylindrical unit 14 which, as an extension of the conical extension unit 13, is fixed at its first edge 14a to the wider edge of the conical unit 13. The guiding unit 15, 16 according to the invention, formed of longitudinal form pieces, is fixed in a corresponding manner to the second edge 14b of the cylindrical unit 14. The form pieces extend substan¬ tially parallel to the surface of the cylindrical unit 14, enclosing a cylindrical space for guiding compressed feed, through which the compressed bar¬ like feed passes. The guiding unit is composed of lower form pieces 15 and upper form pieces 16, both

groups of pieces being elongate. The lower form pieces 15, covering substantially half of the peri¬ phery of the cylindrical part 14, are formed wider, e.g. plate-like, longitudinal and straight, than the upper ones 16 having a rod-like form. About 20 form pieces are placed at regular intervals on the periphery of the cylindrical unit 14, at its second edge 14b. Thus an opening system or slot pattern 18, through which the plastic sheeting can come into contact with the feed when it is in the guiding unit, is provided between the form pieces.

The wrapping frame 10, 12 comprises advantageously a revolving frame 10 placed on the outer surface of the cylindrical unit 14, the part 12 for supporting the plastic sheeting being arranged to revolve around the cylindrical unit 14. The rotational force is derived from the revolving transmission 9, a V-belt 11 or the like being placed in connection therewith for actually revolving the revolving frame 10. The part 12 for supporting the plastic sheeting is an L-form piece, the first end 19 being fixed to revolve with the revolving frame. The supporting part 12 comprises an arm section 12a which is perpendicular to the first cylindrical unit 14, at whose end the second arm section 12b is connected, being substantially paral¬ lel to the cylindrical unit 14, wherein it can be used for supporting the roll of plastic sheeting 17, which is placed substantially against the guiding unit 15, 16 in the radial direction of the cylindrical unit 14. Thus by revolving the supporting part 12 and the roll of plastic sheeting 17, which is un¬ rolled by revolving it around the guiding unit 15, 16, a plastic sheeting is wrapped around the com- pressed feed.

The bar of feed covered with plastic sheeting passes from the apparatus onto the ground as a continuous

covered bar with a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the cylindrical unit 14.