coondle
Bronze Member
Posted Today, 09:51 AM
I have seen many queries and replies on knotter problems. First you need to know how a knotter works and that de-mystefies problem solving by allowing you to go back to basic operation and see where the issues can arise.
The action happens so quickly that you cannot follow it with the naked eye, so it is largely a mystery
and even many very experienced haymakers do not know the exact sequence.:confused2:
Although I have posted this elsewhere it gets lost in the problem raised in that topic.
So for interest, let us take a look at how a knotter works.
At the start of a bale, the twine is threaded through the needle and the top held in the twine disc by the twine holder, I will call this the twine disc twine here or TDT.
Hay is pushed into the bale chute by the plunger causing the twine to extend going around 3 sides of the bale; bottom, end and top.
When the bale gets to full length the metering mechanism causes the knotter to trip, and in accord with the timing of the machine, as the plunger withdraws back in the chamber, the knotter gets into operation.
The hay in the chute is held in place and against the tension of the compressed hay by the hay dogs allowing for a formed restrained end of the bale ready for twine.
The needle rises in the chamber, at first rising in slots in the plunger which is still withdrawing and the needle runs a twine up the fourth side of the bale, this is the twine to the rear of the needle as it rises.
I will call this the needle twine or NT here.
There cannot be any hay not caught by the strings because any hay not caught by the hay dogs is still supported by the face of the withdrawing plunger with the needles in the needle slots of the plunger.
The needle places the the NT in the same groove in twine disc as the TDT is.
The twine finger, (that is the plate with a curve that sits on top of the chute behind the knotter stack and has a pivot point and an adjustable rod to it) moves and moves the NT slightly to the rear so it can be caught by the billhook.
The twine disc then rotates a quarter turn to hold the TDT and NT .
The needle starts its way back down and puts the twine that is in the front of the needle in the twine disc groove that has just been turned into the position that the TDT had been at the start of the bale now being tied, thus this becomes the TDT for the next bale.
The needle continues back to its resting position awaiting the next bale.
Back to the action with our TDT and NT where the twine disc has just turned to a moment ago.
The billhook then begins to rotate and opens its tongue and grabs both the TDT and NT in its open beak.
The billhook continues to rotate causing the tongue to close to hold the tails of the knot now basically formed on the billhook.
The knife arm then cuts the twines and then moves across the billhook to pull the loop over the tails to create te knot and then continues on its way for the knife arm scraper to move across the curve of the billhook wiping the knot off the billhook. The knot is fully formed but loose with only the tension imparted by the twine tension plates on the twine box.
The plunger then delivers the next slice of hay into the chute past the hay dogs and our newly formed bale moves down the chute elongating slightly thus pulling the knot tight.
We now have a fully formed and tied bale HOORAY:laughing::licking:smiles all round, or should I say all square?
The principle is the same for big square balers and the knotters on the Bale Baron.
I have seen many queries and replies on knotter problems. First you need to know how a knotter works and that de-mystefies problem solving by allowing you to go back to basic operation and see where the issues can arise.
The action happens so quickly that you cannot follow it with the naked eye, so it is largely a mystery
and even many very experienced haymakers do not know the exact sequence.:confused2:Although I have posted this elsewhere it gets lost in the problem raised in that topic.
So for interest, let us take a look at how a knotter works.
At the start of a bale, the twine is threaded through the needle and the top held in the twine disc by the twine holder, I will call this the twine disc twine here or TDT.
Hay is pushed into the bale chute by the plunger causing the twine to extend going around 3 sides of the bale; bottom, end and top.
When the bale gets to full length the metering mechanism causes the knotter to trip, and in accord with the timing of the machine, as the plunger withdraws back in the chamber, the knotter gets into operation.
The hay in the chute is held in place and against the tension of the compressed hay by the hay dogs allowing for a formed restrained end of the bale ready for twine.
The needle rises in the chamber, at first rising in slots in the plunger which is still withdrawing and the needle runs a twine up the fourth side of the bale, this is the twine to the rear of the needle as it rises.
I will call this the needle twine or NT here.
There cannot be any hay not caught by the strings because any hay not caught by the hay dogs is still supported by the face of the withdrawing plunger with the needles in the needle slots of the plunger.
The needle places the the NT in the same groove in twine disc as the TDT is.
The twine finger, (that is the plate with a curve that sits on top of the chute behind the knotter stack and has a pivot point and an adjustable rod to it) moves and moves the NT slightly to the rear so it can be caught by the billhook.
The twine disc then rotates a quarter turn to hold the TDT and NT .
The needle starts its way back down and puts the twine that is in the front of the needle in the twine disc groove that has just been turned into the position that the TDT had been at the start of the bale now being tied, thus this becomes the TDT for the next bale.
The needle continues back to its resting position awaiting the next bale.
Back to the action with our TDT and NT where the twine disc has just turned to a moment ago.
The billhook then begins to rotate and opens its tongue and grabs both the TDT and NT in its open beak.
The billhook continues to rotate causing the tongue to close to hold the tails of the knot now basically formed on the billhook.
The knife arm then cuts the twines and then moves across the billhook to pull the loop over the tails to create te knot and then continues on its way for the knife arm scraper to move across the curve of the billhook wiping the knot off the billhook. The knot is fully formed but loose with only the tension imparted by the twine tension plates on the twine box.
The plunger then delivers the next slice of hay into the chute past the hay dogs and our newly formed bale moves down the chute elongating slightly thus pulling the knot tight.
We now have a fully formed and tied bale HOORAY
:laughing::licking:smiles all round, or should I say all square?The principle is the same for big square balers and the knotters on the Bale Baron.
